Ill Winds

Chapters

Chapter 1: Queen Aurum
Chapter 2: Curses and Connections
Chapter 3: Trial By Sunlight
Chapter 4: Minds and Magic
Chapter 5: Queen Violet
Chapter 6: Experiments
Chapter 7: Fragmentation
Chapter 8: Tension
Chapter 9: Recuperation
Chapter 10: Canter Creek
Chapter 11: Fight and Flight
Chapter 12: To Try For the Sun
Chapter 13: The Conscience of the Queen
Chapter 14: Fair Winds

Chapter 1: Queen Aurum

Starlight Glimmer gave a pleasant smile to the last of the ponies slowly packing up their shops. The tranquility of the evening was her favorite part of the day. The ponies were in their beds and the town was nice and quiet. No nightclubs playing loud, obnoxious music, no bored colts or fillies wandering around and looking for trouble...everything was still, and everypony was going to be well rested for the next day.

Already she was going over tomorrow's activities. Crops needed harvesting and food had to be stored. It was tiring labor, but everypony did their part for the good of the community, even if some ponies had never worked a field in their life before moving here. Starlight had personally drawn up a work roster so that everypony would get an equal chance to perform each job. It was the best way to ensure...

Starlight paused in the doorway of her house, her horn glowing softly as she surveyed the room. Something was off. Somepony had been in here. An untrained eye might have missed it, but her belongings had been shifted around, moved ever so slightly from where they had been before.

She doubted it was anypony from the town. They respected her far too much to intrude into her house without permission, and the special mark of sameness made it equally unlikely that any would have the motive or motivation to do so.

The soft light coming from her horn grew brighter, filling the room with a pale glow. “Show yourself!” she demanded to the room, pushing the light to the darkest corners. The shadows of one particular corner seemed to briefly resist the glow, twisting and dancing in the light before finally melting away and revealing...herself.

Starlight Glimmer stared open-mouthed at an exact double of herself, right down to the painted equals sign on her flank. “Who are you? As the leader of this town, I demand you answer me!”

Her duplicate chuckled, her voice sounding strangely dual-toned as if another deeper voice was talking right alongside a perfect imitation of her own voice. “Come now, Starlight, there's no need for that. I'm a simple admirer of your work. These ponies are almost as malleable as my drones, and your mark? Lovely piece of magic.”

Chuckling, her double walked past her, throwing open the door to the house and stepping outside, the stillness of the night suddenly broken by the sounds of buzzing, as if a swarm of insects were descending on the village. Outside the house were dozens more copies of her, each one looking the exact same with an equals sign cutie mark on their flank, and up in the air she could make out dark shapes moving through the night sky. There had to be at least a hundred.

“What do you want?” growled Starlight Glimmer, barely containing her rage. “Are you here to feed?”

“Hardly. It would be a repulsive meal at best with the fear you've managed to inspire. I have a different goal in mind.”

Starlight didn't wait to hear what that goal was. Her horn glowed and her Equality Curse streaked towards the doppelganger, but a shield was already in place. More changelings appeared, shielding the leader and charging at Starlight. She flung one away and blasted another, but two more were behind them, ramming into her side and sending her to the ground. Hooves flailed and magic lashed out wildly, but each changeling she knocked away was quickly replaced with another until she was pinned to the ground under several bodies.

Casually, the leader turned back to her, approaching Starlight with a small smile, her horn glowing an eerie amber color. “There's no reason to fight us, Starlight. In a changeling hive, everyone is equal, thrall and drone alike. Well, aside from myself of course. You could say I'm a bit more equal than the rest.”

With the last of her energy, Starlight attacked one last time, determined to wipe the smug grin off of the disguised changeling's face. Her vision was getting hazy and unfocused, the tendrils of the amber-colored magic reaching out towards her and digging into her very mind. The last thing she heard before unconsciousness claimed her was a deep, unsettling dual-toned laugh and the cries of distant ponies as the changeling hive invaded.

I hated overcast days. They always felt like the weather team wasn't able to make up their minds, leaving things in a limbo between sunshine and rain. However, it was a necessary precaution for the arriving...guests.

Trying to ease the tension I was feeling, I looked around at the procession that had gathered. The royal guard was out in force today, with two full squads lining the path. Several of the guards were wearing the amulets I'd designed, their gems glowing softly in Chrysalis' presence, and while I couldn't see them, I had little doubt a Wonderbolt squad was watching through the cloud cover.

There was a palpable feeling of nervousness in the air. It was fairly common knowledge by now that Celestia had essentially forced these negotiations at horn-point, and nopony was quite sure how the coming changeling elder was going to act.

Celestia herself was in attendance along with Luna, their eyes following the distant carriage and escort that was slowly drawing closer. Beside me, I could feel Chrysalis shift restlessly. It was clear she would have preferred not to be here, but Celestia had insisted her presence was going to be a necessary gesture of support that the elder needed to see.

“You look like you're ready for a fight,” I murmured softly. “You don't seriously think she's going to attack you here, do you?”

“I have spent dozens of years hearing horror stories about the elders,” Chrysalis grumbled irritably. “One does not simply discard the trauma of their foalhoods.”

That much I could sympathize with. Stupid quesadillas...

More minutes passed in silence while I worked on mentally beating back my own foalhood trauma. Finally, the carriage pulled up in front of the castle gates, drawing to a stop and allowing one of the unicorns to pull open the door. “Presenting her majesty, Queen Aurum.”

Unconsciously, I held my breath. This was it, the changeling elder who had suppressed her entire culture as its secret ruler. The one who had isolated her kind from every race in Equestria. I probably wouldn't have been surprised to see some horror from Tartarus emerging from the carriage. Instead, the being that emerged could only be described as...elegant.

Her soft white carapace was immediately noticeable, with the softer middle rings a light, sky blue. Her mane was a brilliant golden color, and unlike Chrysalis, there didn't seem to be any holes in her legs. Instead of a jagged horn, hers was a graceful curve, and her very presence seemed to radiate authority.

Her red eyes immediately fixed upon our group as she strode forward, two similarly colored changelings exiting the carriage after her. Unlike their queen, they seemed far more wary of the crowd surveying them. It was hard to blame them. Any changeling brought up in a secretive environment probably loathed the idea of being at the center of attention.

Their approach was silent. All of the guards were wearing carefully blank expressions, but it was impossible not to notice them tense as Aurum finally stood in front of Celestia. A moment of silence seemed to stretch out to minutes before finally, Aurum lightly bowed her head. “A pleasure to finally meet you face to face, Princess Celestia.”

With a smile, Celestia lowered her head as well, matching Aurum's bow. “The pleasure is mine. I'm quite pleased our people can meet without any subterfuge between us.”

“Far be it from me to resist a summons from the sun tyrant herself.”

I sucked in a breath at the blatant insult, but Celestia didn't flinch, nor did her smile waver. “My, is that the impression I've left upon your race? Perhaps we can change that perception over the next few weeks.”

Queen Aurum made a small 'hmm' of appraisal before she turned her gaze to Luna. “Princess Luna, you look rather well for a mare who has been isolated for a millennium.”

Luna simply smiled. “I've found that getting out and socializing with others has helped with that.”

I had to hold back a chuckle at that. If this was some sort of probe or test, Luna had reversed it masterfully. She seemed to be moving down the line, though, and Chrysalis was next.

“Queen Chrysalis. It's a pleasure to meet our unofficial ambassador at long last.”

“The pleasure is all mine. I'm happy to meet my unofficial elder as well.”

My eyes widened slightly. That might have been pushing things a bit too far, but I didn't dare say anything aloud.

“It's a day of firsts for many of us. I, for one, am rather happy our entire race didn't go the way of the gryphons after your reckless actions.” It was a sharp barb, but it was delivered in that same calm tone she'd used since first speaking.

“Really?” said Chrysalis with feigned surprise. “I'm rather surprised Azure and Crimson are still breathing after the stunt they pulled. How fortunate that things have turned out so well.”

“An unfortunate decision they made rather recklessly under pressure. I'm sure you could sympathize,” came the calm, measured reply.

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed and I was certain that the next words out of her mouth were going to be less than diplomatic. Carefully, I opened up my connection with her and tried to send feelings of calm, though it was hard to tell if I was getting through.

Thankfully, Chrysalis didn't rise to the bait and Aurum moved on to the final pony in the line. “Twilight Sparkle, I've heard quite a bit about you. Researcher, strategist, magical prodigy...and perhaps even part changeling. An impressive array of talents, though I hear your interrogation techniques could use some work.”

I had been bracing myself for that low shot, but it still stung. “It has been a learning experience. Much like you'll have to learn diplomacy tactics that don't revolve around thinly veiled insults if you want to accomplish anything.”

That was definitely pushing things too far, but to my surprise the changeling elder simply chuckled. “And here I thought Ambassador Chrysalis would have been the first to bite back.”

“If I bite anywhere, it'll be around her throat,” came Chrysalis' thoughts over the link. I did my best to ignore them.

“You were invited here for negotiations, not taunting and insults, but if you want to play that game instead...” I let my words trail off, staring into her eyes with what I hoped came across as determination.

Queen Aurum simply smiled and turned back to the celestial diarchs. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, I am in your care. I hope good fortune follows these talks and an accord can be reached among our races.”

I slowly let out a breath as Aurum's attention turned elsewhere. Chrysalis was much less subtle, her neutral look quickly turning into a glare. It was hard to blame her. However indirectly it came about, it was Aurum's actions that had led to her mother's death.

“We have quarters set aside for you and your retinue,” said Celestia as she began to walk alongside the changeling elder. “We've provided for your needs as best we can, but do not hesitate to ask if you find anything lacking. Our palace staff...”

Celestia's voice faded into the background as the guard detail disappeared along with the changelings, though only when they left the edge of my senses did I finally relax. “I really don't envy Celestia's job,” I muttered, just loud enough for Chrysalis to hear.

“Yes, I suppose planning around the next changeling invasion would be tiring,” said Chrysalis with a scoff. “The only thing that would surprise me at this point would be if Aurum genuinely desired peace.”

While I didn't outright disagree with her, things had changed a fair bit since Chrysalis had invaded. “She's going to be monitored at all times. When she's not negotiating or in her quarters, she'll be under a constant shield. I looked over all the security arrangements and I don't think there's anything more we can reasonably do.”

“We could just attack her.”

“Chrysalis...”

“I'm not serious, just a little grumpy,” she conceded quickly. “It'd be foolish to think she doesn't have something planned, but there's little we can do until she actually makes a move.”

A small rainbow contrail breaking through the cloud cover caught my eye. “That's not entirely true,” I said, smiling as I waved a hoof at the approaching pegasus.

The rainbow trail twisted suddenly and sped up, the remaining guards around us getting nervous as the streak didn't seem to be slowing down. At the very last second, Rainbow pulled up, sending a rush of air across the group before landing softly on her hooves.

Even though it was a reserve uniform, Dash wore the Wonderbolt colors really well. Then again, she was practically born to wear that uniform. “I didn't see any explosions. How'd it go?”

“About as well as could be expected,” I said with a sigh. “Aurum's got a lot of trust issues and even Celestia can't really shift public opinion after three attacks in one year. Any luck on your end?”

“We'd need about a hundred more pegasi to be sure of the Badlands, but all of our sweeps of Canterlot and the surrounding areas have turned up nothing. She's either got her hive really well hidden, or it's far away from here.”

“Give my thanks to Spitfire for her work, then,” I said with a nod.

“Gonna have to give it to her yourself. I'm escorting you back to Ponyville, remember?”

Oh, right. I'd almost forgotten that her duties to me (and by extension, Chrysalis) outweighed whatever commitment she had to the Wonderbolts. Even after a month, it still felt odd knowing that I could order her around. “Then by all means, my most excellent of guards, escort us at once to yonder station of trains.”

Rainbow grinned and saluted with her wing, quickly ordering our escort into formation before we set out.

“She's still planning something,” said Chrysalis as we walked. “It may not even involve her hive, but she's definitely playing a game of some kind.”

“Maybe, but it's up to Celestia to see through it. The best we can do is give her as many tools as we can.” Part of me hoped that the peace offering was genuine, but between Azure, Crimson, and the late queen Terranim, it seemed like Chrysalis had been the exception, not the rule.

Returning to the library gave me another reminder of how things had changed in the last month. Stationed just outside my treehouse were a pair of pegasus guards. To their credit, they were doing as much as they could to blend in, but even without the flashy golden armor, it wasn't hard to recognize them as a security force.

Undoubtedly, that meant Dusk was around too, patrolling Ponyville with more of Chrysalis' hive. It was all very low key, and the guards picked out by Dash had done a good job of integrating themselves into Ponyville, but it was still a bit irksome that this was necessary in the first place.

“I don't care for it either, but until all of the elders are accounted for, they're here to stay.”

I gave Chrysalis a sheepish look, realizing I'd probably been broadcasting my annoyance rather loudly if she'd picked up on it.

“I don't get it,” cut in Rainbow Dash before I could respond. “Aurum is supposed to be the big bad elder queen, right? Why can't she just pull the other queens into line?”

“Likely because she's encouraging them to make trouble,” replied Chrysalis immediately.

“It could be that she doesn't have as much control as we think,” I murmured, the comment drawing stares from both of them.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “You don't really believe that, do you?”

“Well...a little bit,” I said weakly. “Just look at what happened when Chrysalis came to Celestia. I know changelings societies are of one mind on a lot of things, but you can't tell me there wouldn't be dissent from a decision this big.”

Chrysalis looked thoughtful at that. “I suppose I am the exception that proves the rule in this case,” she said finally. “Put that way, it would be far more suspicious if all of the elders had agreed.”

Letting out a sigh, I put on my best smile for the guards as they saluted, my eyes briefly moving toward two of the newest structures to grace Ponyville. The first was the new changeling embassy. It was one of the larger buildings in Ponyville, just barely beating out the town hall, and staffed by ponies and changelings working with other towns and villages to settle those of Chrysalis' hive that wished to openly travel Equestria. Not many had done so just yet, but the number was slowly increasing.

Floating just above my treehouse was a much more familiar building. As my new head of security, Rainbow Dash had to remain nearby at all times. I'd compiled a list of residences where she could stay, only for my plans to prove irrelevant when she simply moved her entire house closer to mine, even going as far as to convert the lower floor into a barracks for the other pegasi guards.

“Evening, Miss Sparkle,” said one of the guards in greeting, drawing my attention downward. “All quiet in Ponyville.”

“Good to hear. Boring days are good days. Did the shipment arrive on schedule?”

“Right down to the minute. They know better than to be late with your orders.”

Behind me, Chrysalis and Rainbow snickered. “Thank you Tempest, have a nice evening.”

Pushing the door open with my magic, I looked at the plain box that awaited me inside, filled with various folders and memos. “Spike?” I called out, “We're going to need some coffee. The strong stuff.”

It took exactly one hour of debate before I was rubbing a hoof over my head in frustration. “Alright, what's wrong with this one?”

“She cheated on her stallion,” said Chrysalis plainly. “Pretty flagrantly, too. And before you ask, no, it wasn't one of mine.”

“This time,” I grumbled beneath my breath.

Rainbow shook her head. “Anypony who gets too loose-lipped around a pretty stallion or mare ain't worth taking a risk on. Just imagine if it was some other changeling besides Chrysalis pulling these strings.”

Problem was, I could imagine it. At the same time, though, I couldn't help but think that these 'tests' were weighted a fair bit in Chrysalis' favor.

“We're running out of options,” I said finally, tossing the folder onto the precariously stacked 'NO' pile. “If you can't find somepony perfect, then we're going to have to settle on a step below perfect. I can't do this alone, and I've just about exhausted all of the theoretical research I can do without practical experimentation!”

I stopped abruptly, realizing that my tone had nearly risen to a shout. Slowly, I took a deep breath and let it out before giving Rainbow and Chrysalis an apologetic look. “Sorry...it's just, with Aurum here, I feel like I've got a ticking clock over my head now.”

Chrysalis and Rainbow shared a look before the Changeling Queen subtly nudged the pegasus forward with a hoof. “Um...truth is, Twi, Chryssy and I do have someponies in mind. I mean...when it comes to ponies you can trust completely, can you think of anypony better than the Elements of Harmony?”

Dumbfounded, I looked between Chrysalis and Dash, trying to determine how serious they were. “You mean to tell me we've been going at this problem for days and my friends were the best ponies for the job all along?”

“Well yeah, kinda,” said Rainbow Dash with a shrug of her wings. “Surprised you didn't include them in the first place.”

“I...had my reasons,” I said evasively. “It's not like I could ask them to dedicate their time and energy to this. They have jobs and responsibilities.”

“Is that really the only reason, Twi?” asked Rainbow pointedly. “You're telling me that you couldn't schedule around them?”

“Well, it wouldn't be that hard...”

“And you really think they couldn't make time for you?”

“No, but-”

“But you're afraid you might buck up again,” finished Chrysalis.

I closed my mouth, my body stiff as Chrysalis cut to the heart of the issue. Stiffly, I nodded my head, avoiding her gaze. Sure, there were issues with involving my friends. Interfering with their jobs and responsibilities, making them potential targets, the very thought of seeing what was inside of Pinkie Pie's mind...but the real reason I hadn't put them on my list of potential helpers was because I couldn't be one hundred percent certain of their safety...or my ability.

“Twilight, you know that as long as I'm helping you, that isn't even a possibility, right?” asked Chrysalis gently.

Mutely, I nodded.

“And they passed my tests as well.”

My head shot up. “You tested them?”

“Just out of personal curiosity, really. Rarity was very selective of her gossip, and even convinced my subordinate to buy a dress. Applejack was able to sense the deception almost immediately. Fluttershy's animals wouldn't even let my agents get close to her, and Pinkie...” The queen trailed off.

“What? What happened?”

“She was halfway through a musical number before he passed out from love overdose. I'm not sure if she even figured out he was a changeling. My point is, they're trustworthy and careful.”

Blinking away the mental image of Pinkie's affection overwhelming a changeling, my eyes turned to the stack of rejected dossiers. “I'm still not sure this is a good idea. You did sort of kidnap Rarity and Applejack's sisters.”

“Yeah, but she helped save them, too, so shouldn't those cancel out?” asked Rainbow. “Scootaloo and the others seem to get on fine with Chrysalis' changelings.”

“It's a little more complicated than just that,” I murmured weakly, but I could already see I wasn't going to win this debate, especially with no better alternative. Slumping back onto my cushion, I blew a bit of mane from my eyes. “I'll talk to them,” I said finally. “I can't promise anything, but I'll at least give them the option.”

“Great, I accept,” said Rainbow suddenly.

“What?”

“Uh...pretty sure I'm one of your friends, too.”

“Yes, but you're also the head of my security detail.”

“And?”

“And I shouldn't be doing anything that might endanger or incapacitate you.”

“But I'm not going to be in danger. Chrysalis said so,” replied the pegasus, folding her forehooves over her chest.

“And you've lost this argument once already,” added Chrysalis. “Or have you forgotten how things turned out when she decided to move next door?”

I winced internally at the verbal one-two kick. When Rainbow had her mind set on something, nothing short of an order from a princess was going to deter her. Still, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My friends covered a wide range of magical ability and social environments. For a small sample size, it'd be hard to find a more diverse group.

“I'll pay a visit to our friends tomorrow,” I said finally. “And for the record, don't think you're going to keep getting your way just because I'm outvoted.”

“Wouldn't dream of it,” said Rainbow innocently. “Just ask Luna.”

“Okay, I have to know, just how many different teas do you have?” I asked Rarity as I sipped from the cup she'd given me.

“My dear Twilight, the clients who come here have tastes almost as varied as the fashion world itself, and it's far easier to charm a client that has a sweet taste on their tongue. I even have Celestia's favorite blend, just in case she happens to drop by.”

Chuckling lightly, I sipped delicately from my cup. I had no idea what the blend was, but just like with dresses, I'd learned long ago to simply trust Rarity's judgment when it came to tea. “So, Twilight, as much as I enjoy your company, you seem like a mare with a purpose today.”

“You're not wrong,” I admitted. “There's...no real easy way to say this, so I'll be direct. I'm researching a very controversial, potentially dangerous, and ethically dubious field of magic involving the mind, and I need ponies I can trust to help me.”

Rarity gave me a long look, taking a sip of her tea to extend the silence as she thought over what I'd said. When she brought her napkin up to wipe away an invisible smudge on her muzzle, I knew she was giving this some serious thought. “You've already taken my lack of magical talent into account, yes?”

“It isn't really a question of raw magical ability. In fact, magic is only the first part of it. I fully intend to include our other friends as well.”

Rarity blinked in surprise. “Forgive my ignorance, but wouldn't magical research at the very least require a horn?”

“That’s one question I intend to answer,” I replied. “But the smart bits are on ‘no’. Projecting magic externally is exclusive to unicorns, but everypony can use magic in some form, and the mind should be consistent between all ponies no matter their race.”

Rarity frowned. “You make it sound as if even somepony like Applejack could perform this type of magic. I find it difficult to imagine her capable of doing anything close to what Chrysalis did.”

Rubbing my forehead with a hoof, I pondered how best to try and explain a complicated magical theory that the greatest minds of Equestria had spent centuries refining and testing. Fortunately, I had a practical example at my disposal.

“Do you remember the Flutterpony spell I cast on you when we went to go see Rainbow perform?” I asked. “The one that gave you wings?”

Rarity shuddered. “Please, don't remind me. I haven't been that embarrassed since the time I was commissioned for an outfit that combined stripes and spots.”

Leave it to Rarity to equate a near-death experience with a fashion disaster, I suppose. “Think of it like that. Using a ton of magic, I was able to imitate the magical properties of what a pegasus can do naturally, but even my best work couldn't give you Rainbow Dash's speed.”

“And what does that mean exactly?”

“It means that even though I can't match what Rainbow Dash does, it shows the overlap between unicorn and pegasus magic. Same with earth ponies. Part of the research I'm doing in the field of mental magics is finding each pony’s capability and aptitude with it.”

Rarity chuckled. “Well, far be it from me to question your magic theories. What do you need from me specifically?”

“A few hours of your time each week should be sufficient. I don't need you to do research or anything, just help me with the practical side of things. Since it's government work, you'll be compensated.”

“Really, Twilight, compensation is the least of my concerns.”

“Well good, because there's one other thing I should tell you.”

“Oh?”

“Since we are dealing with the mind, it's likely that some private thoughts might get...revealed,” I said awkwardly. “Not intentionally, but there's a definite possibility of it happening.”

Rarity seemed to mull that over for a bit. “Well, I can't really think of anything I'd be ashamed of you knowing. A bit embarrassed, perhaps, but-”

The tinkling of a small bell filled the shop, signaling the arrival of a customer. “I think I can give you a tentative ‘yes’ at this point,” she concluded. “Let me go take care of this.”

“Of course,” I said quickly, a bit grateful for the reprieve. This was a rather delicate topic and I didn't want Rarity to feel pressured into a decision one way or another.

Idly, I listened with one ear as Rarity gave her greeting, taking a moment to distract myself with the surroundings. Maybe it was because her shop doubled as her home, but I'd always admired how neat and orderly she kept everything. When I'd asked about it, she'd been happy to tell me in painstaking detail on how everything was placed carefully to provide the best visual appeal possible.

“Oh dear, please, let me take that ratty old cloak off your hooves. Take one of mine, no charge. I wouldn't use this thing as a dust rag.”

I smiled and shook my head as Rarity's 'alarmed' voice floated through into the kitchen. Rarity never had much patience for shoddy clothing, although sometimes her displeasure was a bit harsh. Still, I had little doubt that her customer was going to walk away satisfied.

Moments later, my head turned as Rarity's hoofsteps grew louder. “Finished already?” I asked, puzzled.

“Er...no. Twilight, do you think you could take a look at my guest? Something doesn't seem to be right.” Her concerned look immediately put me on guard.

“What's wrong?” I asked, quickly following her into the shop area, my eyes finding the other occupant. “Wow...you really weren't exaggerating.” The words slipped out before I could stop them, but the ragged, well worn, scratchy-looking cloak did indeed look better for cleaning than protection from the elements.

The unicorn beneath looked almost as worn as the cloak. Dirt and mud caked her hooves, implying she'd walked a fair distance. Her purple mane was done up in a traditional looking bun, and her tail looked like it had been hacked to a certain length rather than cut.

But that wasn't what worried me.

“Rarity...Discord is still imprisoned, right?” I murmured.

“I don't think I've seen any buildings upside down recently,” came her quiet reply.

Slowly, I approached the customer, my horn glowing softly as I tried to detect if there was any chaos magic about. There was something twisted and wrong in the air, but it didn't feel like Discord, even though the lack of color in her coat and mane was eerily similar. She also seemed completely oblivious to her surroundings, staring blankly at a lineup of ponnequins outfitted with Rarity's work.

“Miss?” I asked cautiously, approaching her from behind. Closer now, I could see her body shaking slightly, almost as if she were struggling to stay standing. “Are you alright?”

“Twilight...Sparkle...” The mention of my name almost made me take a step back.

“Yes, that's me. Have we met?”

With alarming speed, the unicorn suddenly turned, fixing me with blank, expressionless eyes. Her horn flared brightly, the sudden buildup of magic making my fur stand on end. “Rarity, get down!” I managed to call out right before I summoned my most powerful shield.

The concentrated beam of raw magic hit a fraction of a second later, slamming into my shield and fragmenting outward, punching several holes in the walls of the shop and reducing a few of the dress stands to ashes. The color-drained mare was pouring everything into her attack, hammering against my shield, her body shaking violently as she burned through her reserves and the natural magic in her body. She was killing herself trying to get through my shield.

Hurriedly, I made sure that Rarity was out of the way before teleporting, wincing as I heard the beam of magic travel past my previous location and cause destruction in the kitchen, but with her target no longer in sight, the beam was quickly cut off as she turned to look for me again. Plans quickly formed in my mind, ways I could disable her or her magic-

CRASH!

Rarity's front door flew open with a bang, giving way to Dash's kick. In a split-second, she had the situation assessed and was moving. The unicorn’s second attack couldn’t even take shape before the pegasus crashed into her, sending her to the floor with Dash on top.

A strong, unfocused blast skimmed Dash's mane right before a cyan hoof struck the base of her horn with a loud crack, making me wince. I'd only ever taken a blow like that once, and trying to use magic immediately afterward had been incredibly painful.

That expression of pain was visible on the unicorn's face now as she repeatedly tried to get her horn to glow. It was clear that even the attempt was agonizing, but no words came from her mouth as she struggled. Trying to push Dash away was an exercise in futility, though, and a second strong blow followed the first, knocking her unconscious.

“Rarity, grab something to bind her with and tell one of the other guards to get Chrysalis. Twilight, are you okay?”

It took me a moment to respond as I turned my attention away from the destruction that the mysterious unicorn had caused. “I'm fine. She didn't even crack my shield.”

Dash let out a sigh of relief, quickly taking the offered rope from Rarity, pulling aside the unicorn's cloak to get at her legs.

“What on Equestria...” murmured Rarity. “Twilight, do you have any idea what this is?”

Cautiously, I moved over to where Rarity was standing, looking at what she'd uncovered. My eyes widened as I saw the mark on her flank, two solid black parallel lines in the place where a cutie mark was supposed to be.

“No, I don't...but it's starting to feel like another giant mess.”

Chapter 2: Curses and Connections

“Changeling magic,” said Chrysalis definitively. “She has all the signs, and from the feel of it, someone really powerful was behind it.”

I sighed, taking a seat on the opposite bed. The unicorn who had attacked me earlier was comatose, and the doctors had assured me that even if she hadn't been sedated, the magical exhaustion she'd inflicted on herself was going to keep her bedridden for several days. Even so, a guard was standing outside in the hall.

“Well that's hardly surprising,” I said finally. “But I distinctly remember you saying that no amount of brainwashing or mental control could overwhelm a pony's self-preservation or core morals.”

Chrysalis gave me a deadpan look. “Yes, I did say that. I believe that was also around the time you started showing me just how little I knew about my own magic.”

“Sorry, I'm just a little on edge right now. I thought we covered all of our bases when it came to security. I didn't think we'd have to worry about other ponies, too,” I replied sheepishly.

The Changeling Queen gestured towards the equals mark on the unconscious pony’s flank. “Near as I can tell, this mark is the cause. It feels like it's suppressing something. I can't even distinguish her original thoughts from the brainwashing.”

I took another look at the mark and sighed. “It looks like a curse mark. Celestia and Luna used them way back before Luna was banished to the moon to pacify and control prisoners, but I've never seen one just flat-out replace a cutie mark. This seems like something else entirely.”

“Whatever it is, it's apparently powerful enough to warp her sense of self to the point where she was ready to kill...unless you think she was a career assassin,” said Chrysalis with a derisive snort.

Before I could respond, the door to the hospital room was pushed open and Rainbow Dash entered with a folder clutched in her mouth. With a jerk of her head, she sent the file spinning onto the nearby table. “Not unless the bakery stores in Manehattan are a front for ninja training.”

Curious, I spread out the information on the table. There wasn't a whole lot to go on. “Sugar Belle, age eighteen. Foster foal, been with a few different foster families, but was sent back each time. Was attending a confectionery school until she ran away a few years ago and hadn’t been seen since.” Sighing, I rubbed my head with a hoof and added my own bit at the end. “Then suddenly reappears this morning with a curse mark and a thirst for blood.”

“So then who's responsible?” asked Rainbow pointedly.

I frowned and examined the unconscious unicorn again. “I can't necessarily rule out the possibility of a powerful Changeling Queen, but that curse mark has all the signs of powerful unicorn magic.”

“Are we talking stronger than you?” asked Rainbow, “Or just strong in general?”

“I...can't say for certain,” I admitted. “It is a complex piece of magic, though, and you don't learn complexity like that without years of study.”

“I can say for certain that a Changeling Queen is involved,” cut in Chrysalis. “And I'd bet all the love in Ponyville it's an Elder.”

Rainbow nodded. “I'll let Spitfire know. Can't be that many crazy-powerful unicorns around.”

My mouth opened, a comment about making sure she check with Sugar Belle's old foster home on my tongue, but I stopped myself before speaking. Rainbow was good at her job; she didn't need pointless reminders. “Thank you, Rainbow,” I said instead. “And thank you for reacting so quickly when she attacked.”

Rainbow hesitated at the door and I couldn't help but notice Chrysalis frown. “She never should have made it inside the boutique. I'm sorry.”

My horn was glowing before Rainbow could move another inch, sealing the door and holding it shut. “Rainbow, today wasn't your fault. It was an unforeseeable situation that you reacted to as best you could. Nopony could have expected more.” Even as I said it, though, I knew it was a lie. If anypony could demand more, it was Rainbow herself.

Rainbow rested her hoof on the door, not bothering to push against my magic. “Thanks, Twi, I promise not to beat myself up about it.”

I didn't need to see Chrysalis' eyeroll to know that was a lie, but I let it, and the door, go. “I'll see you tonight for the experiments,” I reminded her before she flew out of sight.

Idly, I gathered up the file on Sugar Belle, my mind already working out a letter to Celestia to tell her what little I'd learned. “What do you think, Chrysalis?” I asked suddenly.

“I think we're going to be seeing more security around here very shortly. Still, it's not like these 'assassins' are subtle. Not if they're anything like her. You could hide the curse mark under makeup, but you can't hide that completely dead look in their eyes. Finding them should be as simple as going up and starting a conversation.”

“I'll be sure to put Pinkie on full alert for new arrivals,” I said with a chuckle. “But I was actually talking about Rainbow.”

“She did exactly what she was supposed to do,” said Chrysalis simply. “If you expect her to do more, you'd have to remain in her sight at all times.”

And that seemed to be the end of it as far as she was concerned. “You're right. I'll see you tonight, then,” I said, getting to my hooves.

“Hmph. As if I'd leave your side after that fiasco. Rainbow wouldn't let me hear the end of it. Whatever meetings you have left, I'll accompany you.”

“That would be all of them,” I said flatly.

“If your friends are going to help us, they'll have to get used to my presence sooner or later.”

“You've got a letter from Celestia.” Spike's words greeted me as I ascended the stairs. For the first time in a long while I was actually considering putting it off. To her credit, Chrysalis had been on her best behavior around my friends, but after two invasions and two kidnapped sisters, there was some lingering animosity. Applejack’s meeting in particular had been rather strained.

Bracing myself for bleak news, I opened the scroll and wasn't disappointed.

My Dear Student Twilight,

Thank you for your timely and detailed report on the issue. This new form of mind-altering magic is most troubling, and while I fully intend to have Sugar Belle thoroughly examined, I will be certain that you are given full leave to examine and study her affliction in the hopes of finding a treatment or cure.

In addition, while Rainbow Dash's actions are praiseworthy, it is apparent that the current guard force is not adequate enough to secure Ponyville. Tomorrow, I will be sending the following guards based on Rainbow’s recommendations and placing them under her direction...

My eyes glazed over slightly as I looked through the list of names. I only recognized half of them, but I didn't need much more than Dash's opinion on the issue. “Yep. More guards on the way,” I said with a sigh, rolling up the scroll and placing it aside.

“Um, isn’t that a good thing?” asked Spike. “You were just attacked.”

“It's...complicated. Putting more guards around Ponyville might cause stress to the other ponies that live here. Celestia is trying her best to build bridges with the changelings, but it might be difficult for other ponies to accept that when they see all this increased security.”

“Not like they haven't earned their reputation,” grumbled the young dragon. “Chrysalis seems like the most reasonable one among them, and you had to beat her twice.”

That was admittedly a tough point to argue against, but at the same time, it was narrow-minded to think that the Elders or even Chrysalis were completely representative of the entire changeling race.

“Spike,” I began, thinking out my words carefully. “Do you remember the time when you went searching for other dragons to try and find yourself?”

Spike groaned. “Ugh, don't remind me...”

“Well, what if a pony met those dragons you found and assumed that you were the same? Petty, ill-tempered, and violent?”

Spike nodded thoughtfully. “I guess I see your point. Still, they did just try to attack you. Wouldn't at least a few more guards be a good idea?”

“Maybe,” I conceded. “Besides, it's not really my decision, and it's really not worth debating over with Celestia.” And in the immediate future it would help keep Ponyville safe. I had the talent and skill to fend off such attacks, but if they started targeting other ponies...

I was grateful to be distracted from my grim thoughts by a sudden knock at the door. The detection amulet wasn’t glowing, and a quick check confirmed that Rainbow was behind the door. “Come on in,” I called out, undoing the lock. “Spike? Get your supplies, we've got a lot of work to get through.”

“Is a full-spectrum shield really necessary?” asked Rainbow as I put the finishing touches on the violet barrier. “It's not like you're gonna be shooting lasers.”

“Standard practice for any experimental magic,” I replied. “Especially if you're in an area with other ponies. That's Starswirl's First Rule of Safety. I'll be honest, though, this particular experiment is probably going to be a little dull. All we're trying to do is see if I can bridge a mental connection to you.”

If I was being fully honest, Dash was probably a poor choice for the first test. Rarity would have been a better pick, as I was much more familiar with unicorn magic, but I was a bit reluctant to ask anything more of her today.

“So what exactly do you need me to do?” asked Rainbow once I'd turned away from the shield.

“Well, all you should have to do is manifest your magic.”

“Err...like how?”

“Picture that feeling in your body right before you do something like bursting a cloud.”

Rainbow closed her eyes and concentrated. At the same moment, I activated my Aura Sight, smiling as I saw the stray wisps of emotion surrounding her and Chrysalis. “Great. Now, Chrysalis, gently try to link with her.”

The Changeling Queen nodded and her horn began to glow as well, her head inclining towards Rainbow Dash. A small frown appeared as her magic tried to connect. “I don't think I've ever tried this with a pegasus before,” she murmured as she carefully probed at Dash's mind.

“What, you can't handle it?”

“Hardly. I was merely mentioning that it was different.”

“Girls, focus please,” I interrupted. “Rainbow, can you feel her presence?”

“Little bit. Kinda like an itch on the back of my head.”

“Good, focus on that. We want to be very slow and careful with this.”

Minutes crawled by as Rainbow and Chrysalis sat there, the Changeling Queen probing and pushing gently with her magic while Rainbow tried not to fidget. I could tell she was restless, but she remained sitting and concentrating without so much as a sound while I looked on with my Aura Sight.

“You have a very strong self-image,” said Chrysalis, breaking the silence. “It's a little overwhelming.”

“Yeah, I know I’m awesome,” said Rainbow with a grin.

Privately, I wondered if Chrysalis was substituting 'self-image' for 'ego', but I held my tongue.

“Don't try to force it,” I warned. “Let it draw you in. You're almost there.”

'Almost' turned out to be another ten minutes of silence. Even I was starting to get a bit anxious by now, wondering if the gentle approach had any merit at all. Suddenly, Rainbow gasped and opened her eyes. From the way Chrysalis smiled, I could tell they were likely having some sort of mental conversation. Letting out a breath, I moved from my position, wincing slightly as one of my legs informed me that it had fallen asleep.

“Okay, now for the tricky part.”

Letting my horn glow, I quickly found the familiar connection I shared with Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen's magic merging with my own. Now all that was left for me was to use Chrysalis as the 'bridge' to try and connect with Rainbow. Finding her was the easy part. Just like the queen had said, Rainbow's self-confidence shone like a beacon. Simply feeling it was inspiring in a way.

This was all a prelude to the main event, though. Slowly, I reached out and tried to feel Rainbow's mind, working to keep my excitement in check. This was the foundation upon which everything else would be built. Holding my breath, I waited as her pegasus magic wrapped around me, letting Rainbow's consciousness and thoughts connect naturally with mine. Finally, I gave a mental signal to Chrysalis, and she withdrew.

Suddenly, trying to hold onto the connection was like trying to stand on ice covered in grease. My mental grip faltered and Rainbow’s presence faded. A sharp pain in my head caused me to yelp, and then the connection was gone.

Groaning slightly, I rubbed my head with a hoof. Rainbow seemed to be fine. “What? What happened? Are you okay?”

“It's nothing, don't worry,” I assured the pegasus quickly. “Just some magical feedback, I'll be fine.”

“Really? That sounded more like a violent rejection,” mused Chrysalis.

“Hey, I'd never reject Twilight!”

“Don't worry, Rainbow, I didn't expect to get this on the first try,” I said quickly. “Let's try again. I'll go for a different approach and let Chrysalis maintain the bridge for a bit longer.”

As it turned out, the second and third times were little different than the first, although it was getting easier for Rainbow to connect with Chrysalis each time. By the sixth time, my head was starting to hurt. “I need to try a different tactic,” I said finally. “I keep running into a wall of some kind.”

“Why not let Rainbow try and connect with you?” asked Chrysalis. “She could be subconsciously guarding herself. Even I am finding it difficult to get a read on her emotional state.”

Rainbow sighed, looking a bit glum.

“It's not unexpected,” I assured her. “There could very well be thoughts and memories you wouldn't want anypony to see. Maybe even memories you don't want to remember.”

“Then why were you able to connect with Chrysalis so easy?”

“That was...a bit of an accident,” admitted the Changeling Queen uncomfortably.

“So why not just do that again?”

“Because that method is potentially dangerous,” I explained. “I don't want to take any chances doing something I can't fix.”

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Rainbow stretched her wings and sat down in front of me. “Let's try it again,” she said firmly. “I know I felt something last time. I'll try to reach you.”

Looking toward Chrysalis, I waited for her nod before closing my eyes and letting my horn glow. “Alright, just go slowly. Chrysalis will keep the bridge up until you can hear me.”

“BRAAAP!”

All three of us jumped slightly at the sudden sound of Spike's burp. Sheepishly, the young dragon held out the scroll he'd belted up.

“Thank you, Spike,” I said with a small giggle, the tension now thoroughly drained from the room. The brief feeling of levity quickly turned to annoyance as I read the message. “Oh come on, really?”

“What? What now?” asked Rainbow.

“Celestia is moving up the timetable for negotiations. She wants us in Canterlot the day after tomorrow.”

“I thought that was an inevitability,” remarked Chrysalis.

“It also means I can't be using magic that might potentially put us under for days at a time.”

“Err...us?” asked Rainbow.

“Well, me,” I corrected. “The point is, we're going to have to wait before doing anything taxing or potentially draining.”

There was a slight, disappointed sigh from Chrysalis and surprisingly, one from Rainbow as well. “Right. Day after then. C'mon, Queenie, I'll escort you next door.”

“I should still be able to give your scheduled magic lesson tomorrow, Chrysalis,” I added as the pair left.

“I look forward to it, as always,” she replied before the door clicked shut, leaving me with Spike.

“So is this an actual magic lesson you have planned, or is this just another excuse for Chrysalis to flirt with you?”

“Spike,” I growled warningly.

“What? Last time she did that transformation and you-”

“Finish that sentence and I'll replace your ice-cream supply with fat-free frozen yogurt.”

“I'll be good...”

“Glad to hear it. Now, I need to send a message to Celestia.”

Rainbow jerked awake as something small and hard impacted the side of her head. Eyes open, she groaned at the light coming through her window and frowned at the stone that had sunk slightly into her cloud bed. Finally, she turned her attention to the window itself. Her frown only deepened when she saw who it was.

“I have a door, you know!”

“I knocked; you didn't answer,” replied the Changeling Queen matter-of-factly.

“That's because I was sleeping.”

“You've already had eight hours.”

“It's called energy conservation.”

“For what, exactly? Your job? Remind me what that was, again?”

Muttering curses beneath her breath, the pegasus rose from her bed and walked to the window, blinking rapidly in the sunlight. “You know there are other ponies who can watch you besides me, right?”

“But none nearly as entertaining. Besides, I wish to tour Ponyville.”

Rainbow blinked, puzzled. “Huh? Why? Haven't you infiltrated this place like a dozen times already?”

“True, some of my changelings are familiar with this place, but I haven't actually looked around first-hoof.”

The pegasus sighed. That definitely sounded like something she should be supervising. “As long as you don't mind stares, whispering, and the occasional dramatic fainting, sure. I'll give you the grand tour.”

“It is only natural for a Queen to draw attention wherever she goes,” said Chrysalis with an exaggerated air.

Letting out a groan, Rainbow gathered her magic in her hooves and pulled at the clouds on either side of the window, quickly transforming it into a wall. “Starting to miss my weatherwork already.”

“How come you don't just turn yourself into a pegasus so you can fly better? No offense, but those insect wings aren't really built for catching air.” They were the first words that had broken almost two straight minutes of silence.

“Flying has never been one of my hobbies; flying quickly even less so.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Come on, Chryssie, I'm moving at a turtle's pace here.”

“Just because I can give myself different limbs doesn't mean I have the muscle memory to use them. Cadance was the first pony with wings I'd ever disguised myself as...for an extended period of time, at least.”

“Sounds like a waste to me. Heck, you could change your body into the perfect flying machine.”

Chrysalis seemed thoughtful. “Perhaps, but just because I could imitate your body doesn't mean I could use pegasus magic as well as you do.”

Rainbow couldn't help but grin a bit at the compliment, turning over in the air and lazily flying with her forehooves behind her head. “So what stopped you from learning?”

“The same thing that stopped me from properly learning unicorn magic. No teacher and no time to experiment. My changelings always had to come first.”

Rainbow twisted in the air and slowed her flight, pulling up next to the Changeling Queen. “So is this, like...the first time you've ever had free time?”

Chrysalis pondered that as her translucent wings buzzed rapidly just to keep up with Dash's normal pace. “I suppose you could say that, yes. There's always been something in the hive to manage that holds my attention.”

“Then it sounds to me like you're in the perfect position to get a new hobby,” said Rainbow Dash, confidently. “And I think I have an idea!”

The Changeling Queen gave her a skeptical look. “This had best not get my ambassadorial privileges revoked...”

“I'm almost certain it won't. Come on!”

Sighing, Chrysalis followed the pegasus’ flight path toward Carousel Boutique.

Mere seconds after the bell chimed, Rarity was making her way out of the back room, a warm smile on her face. “Welcome! Is there anything I can...” Her voice trailed off as she saw who had entered. “Rainbow? What brings you here?”

The pegasus rolled her eyes. “Don't sound so surprised. I can make social visits once in awhile.”

“Really? I was under the impression you had been avoiding this place ever since I tried to brush out your tail.”

Rainbow grimaced slightly. “Okay, maybe, but in my defense you were acting like Twilight had cast a Want-It-Need-It spell on me.”

Rarity chuckled nervously. “It's just...you have such a unique mane color-”

“Anyway, I'm not here for me, I'm here for her.” Stepping aside, Rainbow let the mare who had been standing behind her come into view. “This is Silver Lining, one of the new pegasus guards. We're headed back to Canterlot tomorrow and she needs a new dress uniform.”

The silver-maned pegasus stepped forward and smiled, holding out a hoof for Rarity. “A pleasure to meet you. Rainbow has said much about your talent.”

“Every word of it true, I assure you,” replied Rarity, shaking the offered hoof. “Fortunately, I have some spare time today. Let's get some measurements.”

Expertly wielding the measuring tape with her magic, Rarity wrapped it around Silver Lining's barrel before moving to her legs, thoroughly checking each-

Rarity paused, looking at the numbers she had written down. Was one of Silver’s legs longer than the other three? Frowning slightly, she carefully measured each one again, crossing out the first measurements when she came back with different results. Did she look taller now? Shaking her head, the unicorn re-measured the pegasus’ barrel. Two inches? How did she miss two inches?

“Is something wrong?” asked Silver Lining.

“No! Nothing at all,” said Rarity quickly, putting on her glasses this time as she measured Silver’s legs a third time. This time, all of them matched.

“So what is my size?” asked the black-coated pegasus as the measuring tape moved on to her neck.

“Thirty around the middle, dear.”

“Are you sure? I could have sworn I was a couple inches smaller than that.”

Rarity's eye twitched slightly as she measured once again, her eyes widening as she saw the pegasus was correct, and she hadn't been sucking in her stomach or anything. “Well...it seems you are correct,” said Rarity with a cough. “My apologies.”

Skipping past the legs this time, Rarity started on the neck again, only to find-

“Alright, how are you doing that?” she snapped, flinging the tool away.

“Doing what?” she replied innocently.

“Pffft...bahahaha!” Behind the pegasus, Rainbow suddenly keeled over laughing.

It didn't take long for Rarity to put the pieces together. “Pranks, Chrysalis? Really now?”

In a blaze of green fire, Chrysalis was suddenly standing there, a wry smile on her face.

“Most amusing,” said Rarity, her tone flat as she gave the laughing pegasus a stern look. “I can see Rainbow is being a wonderful influence on you.”

“I do try and imitate the best,” said Chrysalis.

“Oh please, that was awesome and you know it,” cut in Rainbow.

“Clever, certainly,” said Rarity, a thought occurring to her as she looked back to Chrysalis. “Say, are any of your changelings looking for work? It would be helpful to have someone around who can help me fit different sizes.”

Fluttershy hummed softly to herself as she flew around outside her house, distributing food to the various creatures residing there. It was a task she had done so often it was practically second nature, and the animals were already waiting.

“Here you go, Mr. Bear,” she said sweetly, receiving a rumbling growl in return. “And an extra portion for you, Mr. Cat, since you've been on your best behavior.”

“Mew!”

Taking a second to pet his head with one of her wings, Fluttershy moved on to the dog lying next to him. “And for you, Ms. Doggy,” she said, placing a bowl in front of the scruffy stray.

The dog stood up and sniffed the food before gently pushing it away with her nose. “No, thank you, I'm quite full.”

“Oh, that's okay, I'll just take-eeeeek!”

Fluttershy's yelp sent the birds flying and the food she'd been holding scattered as she dropped it in surprise, hiding behind the feed bag and staring at the innocent-looking dog.

“Bark? Woof? Affectionate whine?”

“Eep!” More food scattered as the pegasus buried herself in one of the bags.

Moments later, the sound of Rainbow's laughter came from the trees, the pegasus quickly flying to her side and putting a calming hoof on the bag. “Hehe...sorry, Fluttershy, I couldn't resist. Are you okay?”

Slowly, the timid pegasus withdrew from the bag, looking between Dash and the dog. “Oh, um...that was you?”

“Huh? Nope.” In a burst of green flame, the dog suddenly transformed into Chrysalis. “It was her.”

“Eeeek!”

Chrysalis looked at the trembling bag, giving Rainbow a questioning look. “Was that a bit much?”

“Nah, she'll be fine. Fluttershy has wanted me to prank her ever since I let slip that I thought she couldn't take it!”

“Well, I suppose the animals got a good laugh out of it,” mused Chrysalis.

The trembling bag stilled and suddenly Fluttershy’s pink mane became visible again. “Really?” Her voice was soft, but there was a sudden intensity to her words, and her eyes were fixated on the queen.

Chrysalis looked surprised at the unexpected attention. “Well, it's easy enough to read their emotional state.”

As if a switch had been flipped, Fluttershy was quickly standing next to the Changeling Queen, her voice excited. “Wow, that's amazing! Can every changeling do that? I thought I was the only pony that could understand them! Oh...um, sorry about your other subjects, though, I have no idea why Mr. Bear chased them away...”

Chrysalis looked helplessly toward Rainbow Dash, who only grinned. “Well, Flutters, Chryssie and I have the day off today, so I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any questions you have.”

“You traitor,” grumbled Chrysalis as Fluttershy began to unleash a barrage of animal-related questions, her previous nervousness completely forgotten.

Applejack knew even before she approached the tree exactly where she needed to kick for maximum impact. Applebucking was an art she knew so well she could have done it in her sleep. Heck, she actually had done it in her sleep on a few occasions. It wasn't a stretch to say that the only other pony who could match her talent buck for buck was her brother.

Turning on her forehooves, Applejack struck the tree, not even watching as the apples fell into the pre-arranged buckets. Just as she was about to walk on to the next tree, though, a small cough caught her attention. Turning to face her brother, Applejack followed the direction of his outstretched hoof to where a single apple was still hanging.

Frowning, the farm pony returned to the tree, giving it a light tap with her hoof, watching the stubborn fruit shudder on the branch before she turned and kicked again, a bit harder this time. The branches shook and the tree shuddered, but the ripe apple stayed firmly in place.

Big Mac turned, clearing his throat unconvincingly.

“You laughing at me, Big Mac?” snapped Applejack.

“Nope!” he replied quickly.

Glaring at the tree, Applejack let out a snort before turning and striking with all her strength, the bark cracking slightly beneath her hooves.

“Waaah!” THUD!

Blinking in surprise, Applejack watched as Rainbow and Chrysalis suddenly came tumbling from the tree, the pegasus landing on top of the changeling in a heap. With a final shudder, the stubborn apple came down, bonking Rainbow on the head. “Ow.”

“Perhaps next time we might simply hide in the next tree over?” suggested Chrysalis with as much dignity as she could muster.

“Hey, you were the one who slipped!”

“'Scuse me,” said Applejack, glaring at the two.

“Oh hey, Applejack, good to see ya. Bye!” In a burst of rainbow colors, the pegasus was gone, leaving Chrysalis behind.

“Oh that little...” Her gaze turned back to the farm ponies. “There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this,” she assured them. “I'll be sure to let you know when I think of it. Bye!”

Her horn lit up and the queen teleported away in a flash of green.

A solid minute of silence passed as Rainbow and Chrysalis looked at Sugarcube Corner from a fair distance away. “Think of anything yet?” asked Rainbow.

“Nothing,” said the Changeling Queen glumly. “You?”

“I've been trying to get one up on Pinkie Pie for years now,” grumbled Rainbow Dash. “Nothing ever seems to work. Anytime I think I've got something, her Pinkie Sense gives me away.”

“Have you tried-”

“Yep.”

“You didn't even let me finish.”

“Didn't have to. She's got a Pinkie Sense for when you put something extra in her sweets or food.”

“Well what about-”

“Nope.”

Chrysalis' eye twitched. “You can't possibly know what I'm about to say.”

“If you disguise yourself as somepony she knows, she'll immediately notice the differences. If it's somepony she doesn't know, you'll get a Pinkie Party.”

Chrysalis was silent for a long moment. “Alright, what am I thinking of now?”

“Something completely unrelated to potential pranks.”

“Ooh, did somepony say pranks?”

Chrysalis sucked in a breath, just barely resisting the urge to jump, as the pink party pony seemed to materialize next to them. “Are you two scheming something? Can I help?”

Rainbow Dash groaned, smacking her muzzle with a hoof. “See? This happens every time!”

“Whaaat? What did I do?” asked Pinkie Pie innocently. “Were you trying to prank me again, Dashie? I could go back inside and pretend I didn't see you! Aww, c'mon, don't leave!”

“Don't tell me you don't have any ideas for Twilight,” said Chrysalis as she finished one of the cupcakes Pinkie had insisted she take before they finally got away.

“Twilight's tricky,” said Rainbow thoughtfully. “You want to try and land somewhere between mild panic and full-on crazy. It's no fun for anypony if you land on either extreme.” Tossing the remainder of her cupcake in the air, Rainbow caught in her mouth and swallowed.

“I'll bet there's a story behind that.”

“And about a half-dozen friendship reports, too. One time, we bought all the quills from Quills and Sofas right as we knew she was running out. I was pretty sure she was going to turn Ponyville upside-down in her rampage.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “That does seem like something she'd do.”

Rainbow sighed. “Maybe it's best we spare her for now. Kinda doubt talking with Queen Aurum tomorrow is going to be any less stressful than last time.”

The Changeling Queen looked toward the library window, squinting slightly. “Do you think she's watching us right now?”

Rainbow glanced at the window and nodded. “Oh yeah, definitely. She's trying to be sneaky, but I think she keeps forgetting about my perfect vision.”

“Perhaps we don't need to do anything at all. Maybe just give her something to think about.”

“Oh yeah? Like wha-mmhh!”

“You're staring at them again,” said Spike irritably.

Flustered, I turned my attention back to the travel checklist. “Sorry, Spike, it just feels like those two are scheming something.”

“Like what?” asked the young dragon curiously.

“I dunno, but I definitely know scheming when I see it.”

“Well, what are you going to do if they are?”

“Stock up on quills, hide my supply of visible ink, check my food constantly, and magically stick all of the dust covers onto the books so they can't be switched around. I've got a checklist under the bed.”

Spike groaned. “Wouldn't it be easier to just ask for a ceasefire if you're that worked up about it?”

“Spike, I can't just tell my friend to stop doing something she enjoys so much. And I definitely don't want to be ‘that pony’ who can't take a little bit of pranking now and then.”

Beneath his breath, I could just barely make out Spike saying, “But you are that pony.”

Instead of responding, I turned my attention back to the window, watching Dash and Chrysalis eating cupcakes and talking. “You know, Spike, maybe you're right. That does seem more like a bonding thing. Maybe I'm looking into this a bit too...oh...”

Cheeks red, I turned suddenly in my seat, completely focused on my list. “Let's get back to the prep work then!”

“What happened?”

“Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” I said a little too quickly, yanking the window shade down with my magic.

“Right, sure, if you say so,” said my assistant with a roll of his eyes.

Rainbow licked her lips as Chrysalis pulled back from the kiss, grinning as she saw the window blind had been jerked down. “Yeah...I think you got her pretty good.”

“You say it as though I did that only to prank Twilight.”

Rainbow let out a huff, her cheeks tinged a slight red. “I still think you're crazy if you think Twi's ever gonna go for this.”

Chrysalis simply smiled. “I remember my hive saying much the same thing about approaching Celestia. Fortunately for all of us, I'm a bit too stubborn to accept the status quo.”

Rainbow chuckled and reached forward to wipe a bit of frosting off Chrysalis' muzzle before licking it off her own hoof. “Yeah, well, I still say this is gonna blow up in our faces.”

“I'll bet you twenty bits and a lovely lavender unicorn it doesn't.”

“You're on.”

Chapter 3: Trial By Sunlight

Chrysalis and Rainbow were looking far too innocent. The latter was sitting across from me, idly reading through one of her favorite Daring Do novels, while Chrysalis was stretched out over three seats, eyes closed and communicating with her hive. Neither of them had said a word beyond their greetings ever since we'd boarded the train.

More and more, I was getting the sense that I'd been played, but there was no tactful way to bring up the kiss I'd seen without also admitting that I'd been spying. No doubt Rainbow already knew, considering she hadn't flipped a page for almost two minutes now.

When Chrysalis spoke, I nearly jumped. “What I don't understand is why Celestia doesn't just set up a workspace in Canterlot if she's going to keep calling us back.”

I'd wondered the same, but it hadn't taken me long to figure out the answer. “Because all of the Elements of Harmony are in Ponyville, and trying to get them to Canterlot would be far too much work. Applejack and Big Mac basically run the farm by themselves, Fluttershy would never leave her animals behind, Pinkie Pie has her parties scheduled years in advance, and Rarity...” I paused for a moment. “Well, she'd probably jump at the chance to work out of Canterlot for a while, but I think she's rather attached to her shop in Ponyville.”

Chrysalis let out a 'hmph', shifting slightly on the seats. “If Queen Aurum really planned to invade, she'd guard the vault with changelings like I did.”

“Pfft. Like Celestia would fall for that twice,” said Rainbow. “We've got ‘em in Ponyville now.”

I looked at her in surprise. “Really? When did that happen?”

“When I was officially assigned as your guard. Didn't I already tell you this?”

My left eye twitched. “No, Dash. You didn't.”

“Oh...whoops, sorry.”

Making a mental note to grill her about that later, I returned my thoughts back to Chrysalis' initial question. “I don't think we're going to be summoned very often. Luna and Celestia are the ones with the deal-making responsibilities, I'm just acting as Court Wizard.”

It also could have been a subtle way for Celestia to put pressure on Aurum, reminding her that she was facing two alicorns, a magical prodigy, and a Changeling Queen who had been accepted by all three.

“Glad I'm just a guard,” said Rainbow with a yawn, putting her book aside. “I could barely get through your outline of the talking points without dozing off.”

“That's why you're not a negotiator,” said Chrysalis with a smirk. “Your job is to fix things when negotiations fail and everything goes sideways.”

“Wish we could just skip to that part,” grumbled the pegasus.

Part of me was in agreement with her, but the more sensible part checked my emotions before I gave voice to my thoughts. “Rainbow, we can't go into this thinking Aurum is just waiting for the opportunity to blindside us. I'm not saying we should let our guard down, just that we should treat her gesture as genuine until she gives us probable cause to believe otherwise.”

“You don't think that unicorn attacking you was cause enough?” asked Rainbow incredulously.

“I don't know. There are too many things that don't add up about that. If I had...” I swallowed. “If that attack had worked, negotiations almost certainly would have fallen apart, but if that was Aurum's goal, why show up for the negotiations at all?”

Rainbow frowned, sitting up in her seat now. “Maybe she wasn't expecting the attack to work at all, then. Maybe she was just trying to send a message.”

That seemed a bit more plausible, but there were still some flaws with that line of reasoning. If the attack wasn't intended to work, why attack at all? Having magic that could completely strip away a pony's personality and incite them to violence seemed like a weapon the Changeling Queens would want to keep secret.

“I think the most plausible explanation is that the missing Elder is involved. Whether she's working for or against Aurum, I can't say,” I said finally. “The best way I can help right now is to try and unravel that curse mark, and I'm going to get a chance to browse through the Royal Library on this trip.”

Almost simultaneously, Chrysalis and Rainbow groaned.

“What?”

“Nothing, but if you're going to drag me to the library, I'm going to insist on a tour of Canterlot,” said Chrysalis.

“You don't have to come with me...”

“Without your dragon minion seeing to your needs, someone will have to make sure you eat,” said the Queen with a huff.

“Oh come on, that was one time!”

“Three times,” corrected Rainbow. “Chrysalis and I have been trading off.”

Glancing at the cheeky pegasus, I buried my head in my hooves, entertaining a few dark thoughts. It seemed like I was getting tag-teamed by them a lot, lately. Fortunately, there was a good deal of time before the negotiations were scheduled to start. Maybe I could get some answers from the Changeling Queen during our tour.

“Not that I don't enjoy spending time with you, but haven't you seen Canterlot dozens of times already?” I asked, trying to ignore the suspicious looks from the various ponies opening their shops.

“Yes, but there's something liberating about doing it in my own body,” she replied, the stares seeming to slide off of her like water on glass as she examined the storefront windows.

“It's probably going to take a lot of time for ponies around here to get used to you.” The reason didn't need to be stated. Chrysalis' invasion had caused surprisingly few casualties, but some of the younger, less lucid changelings had put their victims into comas, and a few of the more elderly stallions and mares hadn't survived the strain. In numbers alone, though, the changelings had suffered the worst of it.

Not that it mattered much to the ponies of Canterlot. In sharp contrast to Ponyville, suspicion and hostility were evident everywhere, most of it tinged with fear. Even with the increased guard presence, ponies were still cautious. Still, there was one place in Canterlot I knew we'd find a welcoming hoof.

“Donut Joe's?” asked Chrysalis skeptically. “How does a place like this even survive in Canterlot?”

“By being very good at what they do,” I replied, nudging Chrysalis inside.

A bell signaled our arrival and a brown-coated pony raised his head from the newspaper he'd been reading. The moment he saw me, a big smile spread over his face. “Twilight! I thought you'd abandoned Canterlot ages ago!”

“I would have come back sooner, but Pinkie is almost as good as you now. I've been getting my fix from her lately.”

“If she's stealing my customers, then she's learned well,” he replied with a laugh. Turning his gaze upward, he focused on the Changeling Queen. “And you must be Chrysalis. Don't think I've ever had the pleasure of serving a changeling.”

“Oh, you might have and just not known it,” replied the Queen with a wry grin.

“Ha! Too true. So what can I get for you?”

“I'll have the Celestia Special,” I said quickly.

“I will have whatever you believe to be your best,” said Chrysalis.

“Oh, now that sounds like a challenge,” said the Earth Pony with a grin. “One Super-Special Joe-nut coming right up!”

Chrysalis' gave him a flat stare while I groaned. “Really, Joe? You're still using that name?”

“I never abandon the classics, Miss Sparkle. Feel free to take a seat anywhere,” he offered, waving a hoof toward the mostly empty dining area.

“What exactly is the Celestia Special?” asked Chrysalis once we were seated.

I blushed slightly as I explained. “Another one of Donut Joe's terrible jokes.”

“He seems quite good at those.”

“Yes, well...it's what he calls his ‘sugar-light’ meals.”

Chrysalis grinned. “Don't tell me...”

“Hey, I don't exactly get a lot of exercise sitting around and doing research,” I protested.

“My, I wonder what Rainbow would think if she knew her close friend was trying to stay in shape...”

“You wouldn't dare,” I challenged.

“Of course not. I find your current shape quite pleasing. Soft in all the right places.”

Flustered, I tried to reply, but at that moment Donut Joe walked over with our orders, easily walking on three legs while balancing a tray on his fourth. With skill born from years of practice, Joe didn't break his stride as he served our donuts and two hot cups of coffee. For me, it was a small stack of three. For Chrysalis, just one.

“Eat it slowly,” I said with a smile, taking a sip of my drink.

“Hmph. I have a constitution far above that of a mere pony,” said Chrysalis, picking up the donut in her magic and taking a large bite.

Mentally, I began to count. After only five seconds I started to see the effects. Her eyes widened slightly, her pupils dilated, and her body shivered. The magic aura she held the donut in faded and the pastry dropped, but I was ready to catch it with her plate. At the ten-second mark, the Changeling Queen violently grabbed her coffee and gulped it down, the bitter liquid washing away the intense sweetness that was no doubt coating her mouth and throat.

She drained the entire cup before setting it down with a groan, panting lightly and looking at the half-eaten donut with newfound respect. “Not one word,” she growled.

“I wasn't even thinking it,” I replied innocently.

“Liar,” she grumbled, pushing her mug toward Joe, who was already back at the table with a refill.

As she sipped at the fresh cup, I remembered a question that had been nagging at me for some time. “How much sustenance does normal food give you?”

“The food itself? Very little. I can, however, taste the emotions that go into a meal. Joe is...quite passionate, and that came across in its taste.”

“Is that the only thing you taste?” I grinned as a thought occurred to me. “Are you saying that if Rainbow Dash passionately baked a disaster, you could still eat it?”

“Hardly. I still have the ability to taste, though there have been occasions where I've found it convenient to deaden my taste buds.”

Huh. That was a neat trick. I was going to have to try that sometime.

“And of course, nothing is quite as good as getting it straight from the source.”

Her small smile and the quick, subtle lick of her lips made me squirm a bit in my seat. Even two months of dealing with her hadn't made me any more resistant to her teasing.

“Oh, and since I know you're curious, you are definitely the better kisser. Rainbow Dash is learning quickly, though.”

My mind screeched to a halt and I nearly choked on a piece of donut. “You...I knew you were doing that to get at me!” I accused. “And...that means you knew I was watching.”

But...did that even qualify as a prank? Just last month, both of them had confessed, and up to this point I'd been avoiding the issue. Something was still suspicious about all of this...

“Looks like the games are about to begin,” said Chrysalis, finishing the last of her meal and wiping away a few stray crumbs. Turning to the side, I saw Rainbow approaching the shop through the window.

There were still a dozen questions I wanted to ask her, but I was willing to put them on hold for the moment. “Duty calls,” I agreed.

“I, for one, am looking forward to the fireworks. I bet Rainbow ten bits that Princess Fat-Flank is going to deliver a verbal beatdown to Wannabe-Celestia strong enough for her entire hive to feel.”

I groaned at the nicknames. “Really, Chrysalis?”

“Yes, really. There's a reason I can't transform into her.”

Our group was the second to arrive, several minutes ahead of schedule. One of the royal guards showed us to our places, placing Chrysalis on Celestia's left, while I was put on Luna's right. On the other side of the table, three chairs were still empty.

“Nervous?” came Luna's voice.

“Definitely,” I admitted. “I've been in fights with half the changelings here.”

Luna chuckled and placed a comforting hoof on my back. “If it's any consolation, I've only ever seen one peace talk break down into violence.”

“Gryphons?” I asked, only somewhat sarcastic.

Luna nodded. “Gryphons. Still, they would have never taken us seriously if my sister hadn't trounced their leader.”

Letting out a sigh, I let my eyes wander over the agenda. I'd read through it already, but assuring myself that there was a schedule was comforting in a way. Minutes ticked by. To the side, I could hear a hushed conversation between Chrysalis and Celestia, but I didn't make an effort to listen in. Finally, the doors opened once more and the three Changeling Elders made their entrance.

Queen Aurum was at the front, and after Chrysalis' comments, I was starting to notice how she did seem to imitate Celestia. Her colors were chosen to stand out, she was several inches taller than the queens on either side of her, and even her mane seemed to move ever-so-slightly in an intangible wind.

On her right was Queen Crimson, though I had yet to stop mentally calling her the Red Queen. She barely seemed to be hiding her animosity toward us, and Chrysalis in particular seemed to be the central focus.

Last was Queen Azure. I knew the least about her, but I did know Celestia had very thoroughly defeated her, as evidenced by the bright, shining sun emblazoned on her neck like a cutie mark. Celestia hadn't told me what it was, but there was powerful magic at work there that made my senses tingle.

“Before we begin, have you heard anything definitive on the whereabouts of your estranged Elder?” asked Celestia once everyone was seated.

“Queen Violet has not answered any of my summons,” replied Aurum. “Approaching you has spread waves of dissent throughout the hives. Some saw it as weakness. Violet clearly did not agree with me, and I'm no better equipped to find her than you are.”

It was the answer everypony had been expecting. The only question was whether or not it was actually true.

“Understandable. Unfortunately, that means I cannot guarantee her the same protections as you. Her hive will be treated as hostile and dealt with accordingly.”

“You may do what you believe necessary,” said Aurum, no hint of emotion anywhere on her face or in her aura.

“Then I propose we move on to the real reason we're gathered here. It is hardly a secret that our races have a volatile, if brief, history with one another. Your natural instincts and abilities have driven you to a life of secrecy and subterfuge, but it is Equestria’s goal, and mine, that we provide a place for you within Equestrian society, and achieve a lasting peace between our races.”

“We had a lasting peace,” said Aurum softly. “We were forgotten, living in secret, hardly a burden to any race until Queen Chrysalis ousted us from hiding and forced us to act.”

Celestia frowned, but Chrysalis spoke up first. “Only because you didn't keep a tight enough leash on Red. You and your Elders drove me into a corner first. I merely did what was necessary to survive.”

“Did that include attacking my hive in retaliation?” shot back Queen Crimson.

“Yes, it did,” replied Chrysalis, unsympathetic. “You had my hive marked for death; was I to simply wait for you to find me?”

“An intelligent queen would have cut her losses, though I suppose you didn't have the best example to follow.”

I could feel a chill seep into the room at that statement. I held my breath, bracing myself for Chrysalis' retort, but Celestia was faster. Her horn glowed brightly and a golden field of energy swept the room. Chrysalis was cut off, as well as all sound in the room. It wasn't until Celestia spoke again that the spell was broken.

“Regardless of who bears the most fault, this is where we are. We cannot turn back the clock, nor can any of us erase the knowledge of changelings from existence. Right now, I offer you a way forward, a path toward peace that may benefit both of our races.”

Crimson looked as though she were about to speak again, but a raised hoof from Aurum silenced her. “I do not doubt your sincerity, but I do find it difficult to trust you when you hold every advantage over us, from your amulets to Queen Chrysalis herself.”

“I did not invite you to this table to dictate terms,” said Celestia, her tone suddenly sharp. “I am not intending to bend you to my will. Considering that every changeling here has been complicit in violence against my ponies, I think I'm being remarkably reasonable. However, if you still doubt my intentions, you are free to walk away right now.”

The large wooden doors behind the Changeling Queens practically flew open, startling the guards on either side and letting in a sudden draft of air. No one spoke. The tension in the room was stretched to the breaking point, waiting for somepony to snap it.

Aurum blinked. Celestia smiled.

Like a balloon that had just been untied, the tension dissipated from the room. With a soft click, the heavy wooden doors closed once more.

“Now then, on to the first order of business,” said Celestia amicably, as if the last minute hadn't actually happened. “Since we do not have any definite numbers, it has been difficult assessing your exact population. Queen Chrysalis has been of help, but things such as potential settling space and sustenance won't be possible to factor in without hard numbers...”

It wasn't until almost an hour into the negotiations that I realized boredom was starting to set in. Celestia did most of the talking, occasionally taking our input, while Azure and Crimson remained completely silent. The conversation topics ranged from living space and food supplies to the continuation of magical research and cultural integration. There were a few unique topics here and there that caught my attention, but after such an exciting start, everything else just seemed mundane.

Aurum was being evasive, choosing vague words and never fully committing to anything, but that hardly set her apart from any other pony that held office in Equestria. This was likely to be the first in a long line of such meetings, and that prospect made me glad I wasn't a princess, though maybe having the endurance and fortitude of an alicorn helped.

“Almost makes you wish she would invade with her army, doesn't it?”

“I think I'd rather sit through a few boring talks if it means fewer ponies getting kidnapped and brainwashed. You could probably get Crimson to attack you if you really tried,” I teased.

By the time Celestia called a recess for lunch, I was feeling rather stiff. I'd barely eaten anything this morning due to nerves, but now my body was demanding food. Getting up from my chair, I stretched out my legs and rolled my neck, hearing a couple of satisfying pops.

“All this time and nary a yawn. We are impressed,” Luna said with a smile as she stood and stretched her wings.

“I...might have kept myself busy checking for any magic use,” I admitted. And I'd been listening to Chrysalis' snide running commentary, but that was probably better kept private.

“Any nefarious plots ahoof?” asked Celestia with some amusement.

“Nothing I could detect. The Clean Air spell worked perfectly, and Queen Aurum has such a tight grip on her magic that I can barely sense her aura.”

“I appreciate your caution, though there's no need to sound disappointed. It would be best if these discussions simply went as planned,” said Celestia calmly.

“There is at least one Changeling Queen with ill intent,” reminded Luna. “Perhaps I shall get the chance to cross horns with her.”

“Do try to take her alive, dear sister. Building trust is a slow, often frustrating process that can be unraveled far more quickly than you think. The changeling race in particular has very little of it, even among themselves.”

“We still find them more agreeable than the gryphons,” muttered Luna under her breath.

It was another three hours before talks finally finished for the day. Even though I knew I was sitting in on an event that was history in the making, it was impossible to keep my attention focused after the sixth time Aurum gave evasive answers about the size of her population.

Celestia seemed to have infinite patience, coming at issues from different angles, probing with varied questions and avoiding repetition as she searched for a way around Aurum’s stonewalling. Despite her impressive technique, it made me nostalgic for the history books that got straight to the point, and by the end of it all, I couldn't help but think my time would have been better spent continuing my research.

“I apologize if it feels like I have wasted your time,” said Celestia suddenly, snapping me from my thoughts. “If it's any consolation, I don't intend to drag you to any more of these.”

“It's alright, Princess, I was happy to help,” I assured her. Bored out of my mind, perhaps, but definitely happy.

“I, on the other hoof, would have rather been petrified,” complained Chrysalis as she stretched. “This process wasn't nearly as arduous when I made my deal.”

“That was more akin to throwing thyself at her mercy,” chided Luna.

“I'd say it worked out in my favor,” said Chrysalis, unfazed by the correction.

“Assuming Celestia isn't luring you into the lap of luxury so she can then hold it over your head when she needs that favor repaid in kind,” I murmured.

Chrysalis gave me an odd look and then turned to Celestia.

“Oh? Do I come across as that sort of pony?” asked the Princess innocently.

“Yes,” came the reply from me, Chrysalis, and even Luna.

“Hmph. Well if that's how it is, none of you are getting a Hearth's Warming gift from me this year,” said Celestia amidst a chorus of laughs. “Although that does remind me of something...”

There was a flash of golden light as Celestia teleported away. Not even ten seconds passed before she was back, a bound book floating beside her. “I've had our translators work through this very carefully. It was challenging, but they believe everything has been properly deciphered.”

“The changeling book?” I asked excitedly, practically snatching it from her with my magic, quickly reading through the translator's notes. Finally, I looked up with a bit of disbelief in my eyes. “A storybook?”

“Really? What about?” asked Chrysalis curiously, wandering over and taking a look as well.

“The origin of the first changeling,” said Celestia. “A rather...dramatic retelling.”

Just as I had snatched it from Celestia, Chrysalis now snatched it from me, reading the translator's foreword. “Really? Why all the secrecy and languages then? Is any of this true?”

Celestia seemed to think for a moment before shaking her head. “There was a time long ago before Luna and I ruled Equestria, but I'm quite certain that I have no unaccounted-for siblings.”

“Well, even if it's fiction, it's still a work of changeling art. Such things should be encouraged,” I insisted, packing the book away to read on the train.

“If thou art not in too much of a rush to return to thy research, we would enjoy thy company at dinner, as thanks for thy presence, said Luna. “Naturally, thou shalt be invited as well, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow's head jerked up. “Am I finally allowed to speak?” she blurted out. “Spitfire kept telling me not to say anything or make a noise until everypony was done.”

“You have my full permission,” I said with a small giggle. “I suppose I'm not in a big hurry to-”

My voice went silent as I felt a familiar magical presence. The guards tensed, but I simply turned my head up and watched as Spike's green trail of fire twisted through the air and coalesced in front of Celestia. Taking a look at the seal, Celestia floated it over to me. “It's for you.”

Confused, I opened the message and began to read, my face falling slightly and my expression turning grim. “Sorry Luna, it looks like I'm going to have to join you for dinner another time. A second curse-marked pony just showed up in Ponyville.”

The pleasant, relieved mood that had been in the air seemed to dissipate almost immediately. “Princess, I have a list of books I was going to look at once the meeting was concluded. Could you have them sent to me instead?”

“Of course, Twilight. Please keep me updated on your findings. Hopefully we can sit down together when times are less trying.”

I could only hope that would be sooner rather than later. Waving goodbye, I set a quick pace for the train station.

“Are we in a hurry, Twi?” asked Rainbow as she took flight next to me. “Is it somepony we know?”

“Yes. Whatever mess Sugar Belle got herself into, it seems like Trixie wandered right into the middle of it.”

Chapter 4: Minds and Magic

“We picked her up on the edge of Ponyville,” informed Typhoon as we made our way through the depressingly familiar hospital. “She was half-starved, babbling incoherently, and didn't so much as flinch when we took her in.”

“Define ‘incoherently’,” I asked pointedly.

“Um...she was talking about changelings, amulets, princesses, and your name came up several times. We had Dusk take a look at her since Chrysalis wasn't on hoof.”

Behind me, Chrysalis tilted her head slightly, no doubt communicating with Dusk. “A rather odd assessment. He says her mind has all the signs of changeling influence, but it feels incomplete...like it was interrupted partway through.”

Pacing outside the doorway, I looked through the one-way mirror. The sight that greeted me was hard to take in. While I didn't exactly think of Trixie as a friend, I couldn't help but feel a flash of anger. The normally poised and confident mare was a mess. Her fur seemed to have lost its luster and the intensity in her eyes was gone. She seemed oblivious to the world, and I didn't need my Aura Sight to sense the depression blanketing her.

And, just like Sugar Belle, her cutie mark was gone, replaced by a black equals sign. Swallowing, I turned toward the guard at the door. “I'm going inside.”

“Of course, Miss Sparkle. Should we restrain her first in case she tries to attack you?”

I shook my head. In her current state, I'd have been amazed if she could even light her horn. “That won't be necessary.”

With a nod, the guard pushed open the door and moved aside. I'd half-expected him to protest a bit more, but perhaps he'd thought better of it with Chrysalis and Rainbow by my side.

“Trixie?” I asked cautiously as I entered the room. Beside me, I could feel Chrysalis gathering her magic. Even though Trixie hadn't acted violently so far, Sugar Belle hadn't attacked until she'd actually seen me. “It's me, Twilight.”

She lifted her head, eyes unfocused as she looked at me and then at Chrysalis. “More illusions? No, Trixie knows those all too well, doesn't she? Trixie can feel the tendrils creeping in her mind, but Trixie put something there first!”

Well, at least she wasn't attacking me. “Trixie, you were calling for me. What did you want to tell me?” I asked patiently. Mentally, I sent Chrysalis a message to suppress her magic.

“Trixie wanted to say nothing. Too prideful, too arrogant...too proud. Fix her own problems, she thought. But the perfect Sparkle in Celestia's eye could fix anything, even a mare as broken as me.”

“She's really messed up inside,” came Chrysalis' voice. “She must have been resistant to the magic they were trying to use on her, so they kept pushing until something gave out.”

“Trixie...do you know what happened to you? Do you know where it happened?” I asked, trying not to sound too earnest.

“Trixie knows what they did, but Trixie beat them. The alicorn stomped the bug, and Trixie stayed Trixie, but they kept coming and feeding and cutting...”

“Alicorn? You mean the Alicorn Amulet?” I asked with surprise. Had that cursed artifact somehow left an impression on her that protected against mental attacks? Or had she built up some sort of mental tolerance after the fact?

“They tried to take away who Trixie was, but Trixie will always be the Great and Powerful Trixie!” The last word was delivered as a shout, anger flashing in her eyes.

“Trixie...please, let me help you,” I said softly. “Tell me who did this to you.”

The bravado Trixie had been displaying moments before seemed to fade almost instantly. Her body trembled and her mouth formed unspoken words. I held my breath. Something was holding her back, but she was visibly fighting against it.

“S...Starlight...Glimmer,” she finally got out, moments before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed onto the bed.

“Starlight Glimmer, age thirty-three, used to attend Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns,” said Dash an hour later once we'd gathered back at the library.

“Way before my time, then,” I said, spreading the contents of the file over the table.

“It gets better. Apparently she was expelled from the school due to repeated experiments with curses and mental magics. Wasn't enough to stop her, though.”

My eyes quickly scanned the lengthy rap sheet. Stealing magical items from Celestia's school, unlicensed and unethical research, more experiments into mind magic, and...foalnapping?

“Looks like a real sadist. I didn't think your society was capable of producing somepony so twisted,” said Chrysalis, reading over my head.

“Yeah, foalnapping and brainwashing are pretty terrible, aren't they?” said Rainbow pointedly, giving Chrysalis a look.

“I suppose I deserved that one,” said the queen with a sigh. “I did take steps to preserve their health and well-being, though.”

Starlight, on the other hoof, clearly had not. She hadn't gotten far with her experiments before she'd been caught, but the foals who had suffered before the Royal Guard came calling had been left in varying states of mental instability. One was still hospitalized.

There wasn't much more to go on besides that. She'd managed to evade capture, and the last sighting of her had been on a boat headed eastward. Now, a decade later, she was back with some strange magic that overwrote cutie marks, and potentially in league with a Changeling Elder.

Actually...

“Chrysalis, do you think Starlight Glimmer is voluntarily assisting this rogue Elder?”

She scoffed. “Hardly. Whoever this Elder is, I doubt they're any more trusting than Aurum herself.” There wasn't a hint of doubt in her voice.

“Well, this gives me something to work with,” I said finally, gathering up the papers and putting them back in the file. “That curse mark is likely a combination of Equestrian and Far East magics.”

That was my hypothesis, anyway. Magical knowledge in that realm was a closely guarded secret, much like the entire nation.

“So what are our plans for tonight?” asked Rainbow abruptly.

“I actually had an exercise in mind,” said Chrysalis before I could speak. “It's something my mother taught me, and it could help you focus your abilities. It won't require my involvement, so I could work with Rainbow in the meantime.

“What sort of exercise?” I asked curiously.

Of the three changelings that faced me, I only knew Dusk by name. The other two made themselves known as more of a mental presence in the link I now shared with them.

“This is a multitasking exercise,” explained Chrysalis mentally, even as she spoke with Rainbow Dash aloud. “Each one of them is going to send you images at varying speeds. The goal is to take the fragments and piece together the full picture before sending that picture back to them.”

I could already imagine the benefits of such training. Through the communication of thoughts, one could build a more complete picture of a situation. The changelings fed the queen information, and she in turn sent back her orders. Taking a breath, I walked toward the three changelings and opened my connection with them. “Alright, I'm ready.”

That, as it turned out, was a lie. Up until now, the only communication I'd done over a mental link was with Chrysalis. This was more akin to holding three conversations at once. The three changelings varied their timing, ensuring I couldn't prepare for a pattern, and I was having a difficult time compartmentalizing the images they were sending.

Still, I remained patient. This was another aspect of Changeling magic that I needed to learn, and anything magic-related took time to master. Right now the images were simple. One would provide a landscape, usually of Ponyville from one angle or another, then one would provide another perspective, sometimes with ponies present, and once I had the third image, I had to put them together and give the full perspective with all the ponies in their place.

One set came after another as I tried to send them back. It was like attempting to assemble a puzzle without the box lid...with the pieces being thrown at you...while they were slipping through your hooves...and a twinge in my temples warned me that a small headache was getting worse, crippling my ability to make sense of the stupid analogy I'd been trying to build.

Holding up a hoof, the images stopped coming, letting me catch my breath. “Maybe we should try two,” I suggested, suppressing my headache with one of my favorite and most useful spells.

Dusk nodded in agreement, and one of the other changelings stepped away from the group and took a seat.

Managing two different connections was a lot easier, but still challenging. Each time a new image came, my mind instinctively wanted to discard the first or just focus on the second, and it only got harder as the speed increased. When two thoughts came into my mind at once, my concentration slipped and I lost both.

I wasn't sure how long I was at it, but it was Chrysalis who finally interrupted my thoughts, calling for a break. Letting out a sigh, I collapsed onto one of the cushions at the library table. “Ugh...I don't see how you can possibly do this with hundreds of minds at a time.”

“I don't,” said Chrysalis flatly. “I'm never in direct connection with more than twenty or thirty minds at a time, and they in turn pass on orders to larger groups so that no single changeling gets overwhelmed.”

“Still impressive. I can barely manage two right now,” I grumbled.

“Maybe there's just something different about how changeling minds work,” cut in Rainbow.

“I couldn't possibly imagine what that might be,” replied Chrysalis. “Twilight's mind doesn't feel radically different from my own.”

“Perhaps it's a product of environment,” I suggested. “You connect with the young of your hive from their earliest days and feed them directly up until they're bor...hatched. That gives them plenty of opportunity to develop the skills necessary to connect with the hive while they're young.”

“An interesting theory-”

“Hypothesis,” I corrected automatically.

“-but changelings from other hives have little problem integrating when their Queen is slain. Crimson integrated changelings from Terranim's hive, after all.”

“Yeah, but you're, like...all the same,” said Rainbow.

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed dangerously. “Really, now?”

“Wait, hear me out. If I told you that I'm thinking of a Changeling Queen that’s arrogant, paranoid, and vain, which one would you say I'm talking about?”

Chrysalis looked from Rainbow Dash to me. I looked carefully at the ground, fighting the urge to smile. “I'm not sure if I should feel insulted or complimented that Rainbow Dash of all ponies is calling me arrogant.”

“Hey, that was the 'you' before Twilight kicked your flank,” Rainbow shot back. “I'm just sayin' that if every Changeling Queen was like you, it wouldn't be that hard for them to adjust.”

“Here comes the new Queen, same as the old,” I added playfully.

“Yes, quite amusing,” said Chrysalis, rolling her eyes. “Though perhaps it is because you two are so different from one another that you can't connect your minds.”

My amusement faded as I mulled that over. Changelings were exposed to the link from conception. They didn't have secrets from one another. All thoughts were shared equally. Anything embarrassing, humiliating, or shameful probably didn't stay private for long.

“Hang on, I trust Twilight completely!” protested Rainbow.

“Really?” asked Chrysalis with some amusement. “Then why did it take you so long to confess to her?”

Rainbow's mouth snapped shut and I looked away, suddenly feeling rather awkward, but Chrysalis wasn't done yet. “What about your most embarrassing or painful memory? Have you ever shared that with anypony else?”

The question was directed at me just as much as Rainbow. Neither one of us seemed eager to answer. It was hard for me to think of anything more embarrassing than the Want It Need It spell, or disguising myself as Fluttershy, but both of those 'secrets' had been very much revealed already.

“There...might be something,” admitted Rainbow finally.

To my shame, I couldn't help but be curious. Was it something that had happened before I came to Ponyville? Or had I been completely oblivious to something that Rainbow had been hiding?

“It's not, like...a terrible memory or anything, but...”

“It's not something you're proud of,” I finished for her. “Rainbow, if you aren't-”

“No...don't,” she interjected. “I already said I was going to help you and I meant it. Just...”

“I won't think any less of you, no matter what I see,” I promised her, hoping it would be enough. “Do you want to tell me about it first?”

“No,” came her immediate reply. “I'm not good at that kind of talking. Just...do whatever it is you do.”

Looking toward Chrysalis, I waited for her nod before I closed my eyes and reached out with my magic, focusing on Rainbow and the connection I shared with her, both as my friend and as a fellow Element of Harmony. I could feel the difference almost immediately. Just like before, I could sense the emotions and feelings that Rainbow gave off; her confidence, willpower, and courage, but there was more to it now. Like a dark spot on a white canvas, I could feel a swirling mix of anger, resentment, and fear. Even having prepared for it, I was still surprised to feel it from Rainbow Dash of all ponies.

Outside of the mental landscape, my body tensed and I took a deep breath. Bracing myself for anything, I mentally dove into the darkness.

“What the heck is your problem?”

“My problem? You're the one who suddenly decided that some backwater ponies in the middle of nowhere were more important than me!”

Shouting. Lots of it. The visuals were still a bit hazy, but the anger was almost palpable. Just like what had happened with Chrysalis, I could feel myself getting pulled into Dash's perspective.

“And that gives you the right to act like a paranoid ass? Maybe if you hadn't gone around Ponyville bullying other ponies, you wouldn't be thinking they're all out to get you!”

“Why the hell would that matter to you? We always stood up for each other at flight camp! You never took crap from anyone!”

I recognized that voice. Slightly scratchy, a bit grating on the ears...I'd never really talked to her myself, but Gilda's voice was unmistakable.

“It matters because they're my friends!” My vision cleared. I could feel my wings rustling. Gilda was in front of me, her lion tail lashing behind her in irritation and her eagle eyes narrowed. She looked ready to spring, but I...no, Dash was refusing to be intimidated.

“Hmph. Sure, whatever. You're obviously still hung up on that stupid pegasus who couldn't even fly.”

Dash's body tensed. “Her name is Fluttershy, and she was at your damn party even after you shouted at her in the middle of Ponyville.”

Gilda scoffed. “Don't know why you care so much. If she couldn't figure out her own damn wings, she deserved to fall.”

Mentally, I felt myself reeling back. I knew Gilda was angry, but even for her, that was an amazingly stupid thing to say.

Dash charged. The world around her blurred, but the focus of her eyes remained sharp. The target of her rage didn't even have time to flinch before her right forehoof connected against Gilda’s beak with a crack, sending her sprawling. Gilda's claws dug at the ground, and with a roar she lunged back, talons first.

It was not a pretty fight. Dash had yet to refine her technique through Wonderbolt training, coming at Gilda like a brawler and hitting hard. Gilda seemed to simply claw at anything she could reach, but while the gryphon boasted greater strength and mass, Dash's speed and fury were winning out. Even as Gilda's talons raked across her legs and barrel, Rainbow barely reacted, taking every opportunity to pummel the gryphon with hard, powerful strikes. When the two finally broke apart, blood was streaming down Dash's legs, but Gilda couldn't even get up. I could feel the pain Dash was feeling, but her wounds were superficial. Gilda wasn't likely to fly for the next several days.

“Heh...still know how to fight. Knew you hadn't changed that much,” said the gryphon with a cough, spitting up a bit of blood.

Dash was trembling, but it had nothing to do with her wounds. “Get out of here, Gilda, we're done.”

“Like I'd want to stick around anyway. I'd only get dragged down, just like those ponies are doing to you.”

Gilda's voice faded on the wind as Dash took to the sky, and around my consciousness a gray cloud settled as the memory faded from view.

Gradually, my sense of self came back and my senses sharpened. On the edge of my consciousness, I could feel Rainbow Dash exploring one of my own memories. Idly, I probed gently, wondering what she was see...oh...that was going to be awkward to explain later.

Closing my eyes, I let myself drift through Rainbow's thoughts, enjoying the memories and sensations of lazy afternoon flights, thinking about what I'd witnessed. I'd known her break with Gilda had been bad, but I didn't know that it had come to blows, and Rainbow striking first bothered me more than I cared to admit.

Maybe I was looking at this from the wrong perspective, though. Gryphons had a certain cultural language that often involved fighting, and Gilda was clearly trying to goad Rainbow into one with her comments.

Perhaps it wasn't even the fight that Rainbow was ashamed of. Losing a friend was painful, but as the Element of Loyalty, it must have stung particularly badly. Even putting that aside, Rainbow often had an abrasive personality, and from the stories I'd heard of her time at flight camp, it was a small miracle she'd ever connected with Fluttershy to begin with.

Before I could contemplate further, something else began to tingle on the edge of my consciousness. Another memory was starting to surface and I was slowly being drawn toward it. Was Rainbow offering to show me something else? Curious, I dove toward it and immersed myself, my perspective shifting rapidly to an entirely new setting. Specifically, a diner in Ponyville.

The fog around me disappeared and objects began to coalesce, but most everything remained hazy except for Chrysalis who was now sitting across from me.

“I was expecting more of a panic.”

“You're with me. They know you're cool,” said Rainbow Dash with a wave of her hoof. “I could probably bring a manticore with me and they'd still serve him.”

“Just so long as he doesn't shed on the tables,” said the approaching waiter, giving Rainbow a menu and a smile. “You must be Queen Chrysalis, I remember you from the last invasion of Ponyville.”

Chrysalis sighed. “Not one of my better decisions. I do regret-”

“You were way more interesting than the stuff we usually get from the Everfree!” he said excitedly, cutting her off. “Those goo pods were wicked cool, too!”

Chrysalis seemed at a loss for words, but the waiter was more than happy to continue talking. “And everypony has heard about the Badlands Rescue by now!”

“Hey, get the autograph when you're not on the clock,” cut in Rainbow, saving Chrysalis from responding.

“Right, sorry. Is a standard menu going to work?” he asked Chrysalis.

“That will be acceptable.”

A brief silence descended over the table once the waiter left, Dash idly sipping at her drink as she searched for a conversation topic. Finding none, she pushed the drink aside and fixed Chrysalis with a stare. “Okay, I'm just gonna ask this flat out. What makes you think this even has a chance of working?”

“I've seen into her mind.”

“You what?”

“Not intentionally. It happened during the first time we connected. She is...a surprisingly open thinker on the subject of relationships.”

I was starting to feel very awkward, but it was impossible to stop watching.

“And...if she isn't open to...this?”

“Then I'll invade Ponyville with my army of changelings and abduct her.”

Rainbow gave her an unamused look.

“...I don't know,” she said finally. “Truthfully, this is the first relationship I've even attempted without wearing some other pony's form.”

Even though they hadn't said it outright, it was impossible not to connect the dots. The awkwardness levels were reaching critical mass, but like a carriage wreck, I couldn't look away.

“Still got me beat,” said Rainbow, shifting her drink around on the table with her hoof. “The longest one I've ever managed was a month.”

“Couldn't keep up with you?” guessed Chrysalis.

“No. I found out I wasn’t into stallions.”

I winced. That couldn't have been a very pleasant conversation. Chrysalis just seemed amused.

“So, this is my first true relationship, this is your first relationship of this type, and we're both trying to court a mare who has never been in a relationship before,” summarized Chrysalis.

Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle. “So...how are we gonna make sure this triangle doesn't blow up, again?”

“I don't know,” said Chrysalis honestly. “But what I do know is that I care for Twilight, and I respect your loyalty and ability. I'd much rather try and fail than simply not try.”

There was a brief pause as the food arrived, but Rainbow didn't seem interested in eating. “You...respect me?” asked Rainbow skeptically. “Why?”

“Well, aside from your willingness to beat up the Royal Guards when they were keeping you from Twilight, and taking down fifty of my hive during my invasion, you radiate loyalty and affection whenever you're in Twilight's presence. If I didn't respect you, I wouldn't even be having this conversation.”

As I was watching from Rainbow's perspective, I couldn't see it, but I could definitely feel her blush. “You know, there is one pony we could ask,” she said hesitantly.

Chrysalis gave her an incredulous look. “No, absolutely not.”

“You're trying to date Twilight, she's gonna get involved eventually.”

“Yes, but asking her for help? You realize we didn't part on the best of terms, right?”

“Might be a good idea to apologize anyway if you're serious about this ‘redemption’ thing. Shining Armor, too.”

Suddenly, this awkward conversation seemed insignificant compared to the potential 'discussion' my brother would have with Chrysalis when he found out her intentions. From the look on Chrysalis' face, she was thinking much the same thing.

“Invading and foalnapping her is starting to seem like an easier option.”

“You probably shouldn't joke about that,” cautioned Rainbow. “And really, if you can't make up with the Princess of Love...”

“Alright, fine,” grumbled the Changeling Queen. “I'll send her a letter, but when Shining Armor comes charging into Ponyville, you damn well better protect me.”

“I'd be more worried about Celestia,” said Rainbow with a chuckle. “Luna, too, now that I think about it. You might need to start a checklist.”

“We need to start a checklist, or did you think you'd get a pass because you're an Element of Harmony?”

I could feel Rainbow flinch. “Point taken,” she grumbled. “Maybe Cadance can help with that, too.”

Gray mist began to seep in around the edges of my vision. The memory was becoming blurry, so I closed my eyes and let myself drift away. My sense of self was returning as the connection with Rainbow faded, until finally my mind seemed to 'snap' back into place, reality slowly coming into focus around me.

“Nnhh...oh wow, that was a trip,” came Rainbow's slightly shaky voice.

My eyes focused on the blur of rainbow colors, just managing to make out the pegasus groaning and rubbing her head with a hoof. “I'm never gonna look at a quesadilla the same way again.”

I was barely listening, my eyes traveling between the co-conspirators, a million questions forming in my mind.

“Judging by her level of embarrassment, I'd say you let her in on our other plan,” mused Chrysalis. “Well, at least it worked.”

Yes, it had definitely worked, and this was a great leap forward, but all of that was in the back of my mind right now. Finally, I found my voice.

“Start talking. Now.”

Chapter 5: Queen Violet

The silence in the library was deafening. Both Rainbow and Chrysalis looked like they'd been caught with a hoof in the cookie jar. They shared a glance before Rainbow finally spoke. “It was Chrysalis' idea.”

The Changeling Queen spared her a brief glare. “Yes, I suppose it was, though you certainly had no objections at the time.”

Rainbow's forehoof lightly traced a pattern on the hardwood floor, but she didn't speak up to deny the accusation. My questioning look turned toward Chrysalis. “Why?”

“Connections and bonds make a hive stronger,” she said simply. “You have a deep one with Rainbow, and I didn't wish to fracture it for my own desires if there was another option.”

“And what did Cadance have to say about this?” I asked Rainbow, who was still avoiding eye contact.

“She had a book published on the subject,” came the mumbled reply. “Sent a signed copy.”

Filing that little tidbit in the back of my mind, I tried to get a grip on my thoughts, but new questions were popping up faster than I could organize them. “What's it called?”

“The Thirteen Triangles.”

Chrysalis interrupted before I could ask any further questions. “Twilight, you're not obligated or expected to indulge either one of us if you don't wish to. Rainbow and I are just...open to the possibility.”

I looked to Rainbow, who quietly nodded her agreement, my bewilderment only increasing. Chrysalis I could understand somewhat. She came from an environment where everyone shared everything, from physical resources to thoughts and experiences.

But Rainbow? I would have thought she'd view this as a competition with Chrysalis, and at that point Celestia herself wouldn't have been able to make her compromise like this. Had Chrysalis' argument really been that convincing? Did Rainbow actually like Chrysalis? Or was there something I just wasn't seeing?

Even as I tried to work out an answer, I realized I was distracting myself from the most important question of all. What did I think of this? Had I even considered a relationship like this? Ever since the two had made their intentions clear, I'd tried to avoid comparing them to each other; both of them had qualities I found appealing, even though they were wildly different. Was I looking at the best of both worlds, or a volatile mixture primed to explode?

I needed time. Time to sort out my thoughts and feelings. Make checklists, read Cadance's book, write to Celestia regarding what I'd discovered about mental magic...

Wait...Rainbow had been right! It had worked! I'd managed to form a mental link with Rainbow! That was way more important than my own personal problems right now...wasn't it?

Looking back toward Rainbow and Chrysalis, I blushed, realizing that they had been staring at me the entire time while my thoughts were spinning out of control. I opened my mouth to break the silence, only to realize I still had nothing to say. However...

“You need time to think,” said Rainbow smoothly. “And you can borrow my copy if you want.”

“How did-?” I began, but paused. It must have been a residual effect of the link. I could feel some of Rainbow's nervousness as well, now that I was paying attention. Chrysalis, on the other hoof, seemed quite calm.

“I'm not saying no,” I said finally. “I just...look, there's something more important that we need to deal with right now.”

Chrysalis and Rainbow gave me near-identical stares of disbelief.

“Don't look at me like that, I'm serious! I think I know a way we can communicate with Trixie!”

Their incredulous looks turned to ones of surprise. “Wait, Really? How? I thought her mind was still messed up.”

“It is, but Trixie is still in there. And now I know how to reach her!”

Trixie's condition hadn't improved or even changed much. Even when I walked in with Chrysalis, Rainbow, and Doctor Hooves, she didn't even turn her head to acknowledge us. However, she was still better off than Sugar Belle, who had unfortunately slipped into a coma.

“What makes you certain this will work?” asked Chrysalis. “I've already seen the inside of her mind. It's a small miracle she hasn't snapped already.”

“Trixie wants to tell me something,” I said confidently. “She came all the way to Ponyville just to tell us about Starlight Glimmer, and she reacted to me specifically. All I need to do is open my mind, connect with the part of her she's fighting to keep sane, and let her know in no uncertain terms that it's me who is connecting with her.”

“And how is this different from what I tried?” asked Chrysalis.

“I'm going to do it the same way I connected with Rainbow. I'm going to let her pull me into the memory she wants me to see once I show her our connection.”

“You have a connection with Trixie?” asked Rainbow sarcastically. “When did that happen? During the time she was warping Ponyville with the Alicorn Amulet, or when you completely upstaged her with the Ursa Minor?”

“Maybe it's not the strongest of connections-”

“Sounds more like a rivalry to me.”

“-but it's something,” I continued, ignoring Chrysalis' remark.

A small cough alerted me to the doctor still standing behind us. “Miss Sparkle, while the Princess has given you her full confidence, I'd appreciate any reassurance you can give me that this will not cause harm to Miss Lulamoon.”

“It's a theoretical procedure,” I replied. “I can't be a hundred-percent certain of anything, but she's not going to recover with bed rest. You're free to observe, but it's going to be rather boring.”

With a nod to Chrysalis, I positioned myself at the foot of Trixie's bed, my horn glowing softly as I began to weave the spell.

“Are you sure you won't need a mental bridge?”

“I'm certain. If there's any mind except mine involved, Trixie might just clam up completely. If I'm under for longer than ten minutes, though, pull me out.” I barely waited for her acknowledgment before activating my Aura Sight and harmonizing myself with Trixie's muddled and chaotic emotions.

Carefully, I focused on my memories, recalling the few times we had crossed paths, our animosity and eventual reconciliation. Her emotions fluctuated and I could feel several hostile influences at work, but something within that malestrom recognized me. Slowly, holding my breath, I reached out to it, stopping short of grabbing it myself. For a moment, I wasn't sure if Trixie was going to let me in, but finally the memory opened and drew me inside.

“You showed her that memory on purpose.”

Rainbow's ear twitched at the accusation. “She was going to have a panic attack one way or another. I just thought it was best to get it out of the way.”

“You could have picked a better time,” grumbled the Changeling Queen.

“Like when, huh?” countered Rainbow, taking a moment to glance at Twilight, eyes closed in concentration. “Waiting for the best time didn't work out so well for me, remember?”

“We could have at least waited until Queen Aurum wasn't stressing her.”

“If nothing comes along after Aurum, she'll go hunting for something else to stress over,” replied Rainbow. “At least now we're on her stress schedule.”

“Is that-”

“Yes, that's what she actually calls it,” confirmed Rainbow. “How is she doing?”

Chrysalis concentrated for a moment, focusing on the unicorns. “The connection is stable. Trixie is reacting, though it's weak.”

Minutes ticked by. Adjacent the would-be paramours, Dr. Hooves kept a close eye on the unicorn pair. Twilight remained motionless, her horn glowing softly, her magic never wavering for a moment. Chrysalis' eyes were soon fixated on the clock, waiting for the tenth minute to pass.

“It's time, I'm drawing her out,” said Chrysalis, reaching out mentally to Twilight, only to stop as her eyes snapped open.

“I have something!”

Celestia had evidently been preparing for something like this. After my letter had been sent, Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot were at my door in under an hour with a full squad of Wonderbolts right behind them. By the time two hours had passed, two full divisions of Wonderbolts and Battle Mages were on the Friendship Express, along with Chrysalis and a hoof-full of her most experienced changelings.

“You're telling me that the place where Violet was hiding was on the Friendship Express line the whole time?” asked Rainbow incredulously.

“I know what I saw,” I insisted, keeping my irritation in check. “It was a small town; two rows of houses just down the hill from the end of the line.”

“An old remote outpost,” provided Spitfire, rolling out a map of the area. “There were several of them back in the days when Equestria wasn't so friendly with all of its neighbors. Once the treaties were signed, most were decommissioned and deconstructed, but some were just abandoned.”

“I'm not expecting to find much there,” I explained. “Violet would probably have the sense to move once Trixie escaped.”

“Then what do you hope to find?” asked Chrysalis.

“Anything that might help me figure out what Starlight Glimmer did. She must have kept records or notes. Even if Violet stole them, Starlight might have hid something they couldn't find.”

“And if Starlight is working with Violet voluntarily?” asked Spitfire.

“Then we won't find much, but we still need to investigate.”

“Of course, Miss Sparkle, I didn't mean to imply otherwise,” amended the Wonderbolt captain. “We have a cloud cover today, so we'll have the scouts fly over first. When we've got the place surrounded, we'll let the magic division do their sweeps. Anything we find will get reported directly to you.”

Nodding my thanks, I placed my hoof on the map and traced a small circle in the nearby mountain region. “Be sure to look for any caves around here. One of Trixie's most vivid memories was of a large glass vault built into a cavern. I don't know its purpose, but it seemed important to her.”

I'd just barely gotten the nod from Spitfire when the train began to slow. Just outside the window, I could see a pair of pegasi take flight and race ahead of the train, no doubt to make sure the area ahead was clear.

The guard forces with us were clearly professionals. Instead of the flashy Royal Guard armor, the earth ponies and unicorns wore muted steel colors. None of them talked much unless they were addressed directly, and a few I recognized as having been under Shining Armor's command at one point. Despite the more thorough and organized approach to this operation, though, I couldn't help but feel a bit more nervous than I'd been when we were going against Queen Crimson.

Then again, there wasn't an all-powerful Sun Goddess backing us up this time.

“Ma'am, we've got the all-clear signal,” came Soarin's voice, pulling me from my thoughts. “We'll be at the station in two.”

Calling it a 'station' was a bit of a stretch. At the end of the track there was a simple barrier and nothing else. Down below near the base of the hill, I could make out the twin lines of houses I'd seen in Trixie's memories. “We're in the right place,” I confirmed.

That was all the assurance Spitfire needed. With a wave of her wings, the Wonderbolt unit was speeding toward the village with the unicorns and earth ponies following behind on land.

“Nothing yet,” said Rainbow, squinting slightly into the distance. “Place looks abandoned.”

“Not unexpected,” I murmured, watching as Chrysalis' changelings took off, following a fair distance behind so as not to interfere with the amulets.

“If there's anypony left in that village, they won't escape our net,” assured Spitfire. “I'm going down to direct the operation. I'll keep Dusk updated.”

And now all I could do was wait. A minute passed, and then two. It took all of my willpower not to pester Chrysalis or try to reach out to Dusk mentally. The only one more antsy than me was Rainbow, though she hid it well, focusing her eyes on the small shapes moving methodically through the village.

“First set of houses are clear,” said Chrysalis finally. “Looks like some of them were converted to shops. No ponies or changelings anywhere to be seen.”

“What kind of ponies would want to live all the way out here?” asked Rainbow.

“Ponies that don't like paying taxes or obeying the law,” explained Soarin.

“And unicorns that want to keep performing unethical experiments,” I added grimly.

“They just finished sweeping the lead house. Magical traps everywhere, but no sign of the owner,” said Chrysalis. “One cleverly designed secret passage and...looks like they found a journal of some kind. Heavily protected.”

I nodded in satisfaction. “Anypony researching experimental magic would keep a record. I doubt the changelings looked very hard for it.”

Other reports came back in short order. House after house turned up empty. Some showed signs of conflict and struggle, but most did not. It wasn't until fifteen minutes passed that Chrysalis came through with the news I'd been hoping for.

“One of my changelings found the glass vault. Nearby mountains, just like you said.”

“Tell them to hold outside the cave and wait for me,” I replied immediately. “I want to look at it first.”

Opening my connection with Chrysalis, I saw the destination through her agent's eyes. With the area firmly in mind, I prepared to teleport. “I'll send up a flare once I'm there.”

“And you're going to wait for me before you go in,” added Rainbow pointedly.

“And us as well,” added Fleetfoot. Beside her, Soarin nodded in agreement.

I sighed internally but didn't protest. “Of course. I read Celestia's orders,” I assured them. My horn glowed and in a flash of light, I was at the mouth of the cave, a glimmer of glass just barely visible from the entrance. A moment later, Chrysalis was next to me.

“Why does everypony think I'm crazy enough to go rushing in alone?” I asked her, spotting the Wonderbolts speeding toward us even before I put the flare into the sky.

“They're not. They're just worried,” said Chrysalis simply, dismissing the first patrol group as the second landed. “Celestia is their superior and you're her prized student. Need I do the math for you?”

I was unable to dispute the point. It was still annoying, though.

“Anything inside?” asked Spitfire.

“Nothing I can sense,” replied Chrysalis.

“Just be sure to stay a step behind me, I'll deal with any magic traps,” I assured them, lighting my horn and beginning a slow walk into the cave.

As it turned out, the light was mostly unnecessary. The magical glow from the vault of glass illuminated the entire cave, pouring light into almost every nook and cranny. Unfortunately, one key element from Trixie's memory was missing.

“No cutie marks,” I said with a sigh. That pretty much confirmed it. Whoever was in charge here had packed up and left some time ago. Even my scanning spells were coming back negative for traps.

“Twilight! Up there!”

My head turned toward the direction Rainbow Dash was indicating, my eyes widening as I saw what she was pointing at: a cluster of three cutie marks that I’d missed on my initial inspection near a darker corner hidden behind a stalactite. Better yet, I recognized one of them. “That's Trixie's!”

Doing my best to contain my excitement, I turned my magical focus toward the glass. The spellwork was straightforward, simple, and competently executed. Magical containment, reinforcement, anchored shields, and several other minor wards. Beyond that, it didn't look like much more than an overly fancy magical container. The same spells could have just as easily been applied to a glass jar.

“What do you wanna do, Twi?” asked Rainbow after a few moments of silence.

“Break Trixie's open,” I said, a theory forming in my mind.

“Can do,” said Rainbow, turning in the air and hitting the glass with a solid kick.

The cutie mark immediately began to glow brighter, the light around the vault dimming slightly as it seemed to absorb some of the ambient magic around it. Then, it shot away, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

“After it!” I shouted. “See if it's heading toward Ponyville!” Soarin and Fleetfoot jumped at my command, immediately taking off after it. “If Trixie's mark is returning to her, we can track the other two missing ponies with their marks,” I hurriedly explained to Rainbow and Chrysalis. “I need a container. Something glass. Yeah, that's easier to enchant. Maybe one of the-”

“Changeling!”

“Twilight, look out!”

I heard Chrysalis' shout first, and then everything was moving all at once. A dark purple, almost black beam of magic hit the ceiling of the cave, sending rocks tumbling down. I saw a green barrier spring up around Chrysalis and her two underlings as they were forced to retreat. Finally, another, more massive barrier slammed down, cutting me off from Chrysalis' link.

Rainbow was already moving, tackling me out of the way of the rockfall before my thoughts could even begin to form. Seconds later, a tremendous power filled the cave. “It's a Queen!” I shouted to Rainbow as I picked myself up.

“Clever as always, Twilight Sparkle.” The deep voice echoed off the cave walls as three darkened figures slowly came into the light of the vault.

Flanked by soldiers on either side, a Changeling Queen with a bright purple mane and similarly colored eyes emerged from the shadows. I could feel her power saturating the air itself as she looked from Rainbow to me, her fangs displayed prominently as she smiled. She was shorter than Chrysalis, her violet mane roughly cut. If she'd been a pony, I would have thought she'd styled her mane to be 'rebellious'.

Among Changelings, though, appearances meant little and power was everything, and regardless of how she looked, her power was definitely 'Queen' level.

“I'll admit, the timing is somewhat unfortunate, but there's an opportunity to be had here.”

Her shield had cut me off from Chrysalis. No doubt she was working to unbury us, but that was going to take time we didn't have. Beside me, Rainbow was tensed and ready to spring. Carefully, I opened up our mental connection, my eyes never leaving Violet.

“I'm quite interested in your work. Those amulets in particular are-”

“NOW!”

Rainbow shot forward faster than I could track, kicking up a trail of dust as she closed the distance to Violet. Her shield came up instantly, but Rainbow twisted sharply in mid-flight, ramming hard into one of her guards instead and slamming him against Violet's shield.

Just before the other changeling guard could ready his attack, I let loose with a blast of raw magical force, striking hard and flinging him back against the vault, shattering a large portion of the glass.

“So that's your choice, then? As you wish,” snarled Violet, the light from the vault seeming to dim as a bright purple beam of magic lanced toward me. Desperately, I threw up a shield, only to see my barrier buckle under her onslaught. Quickly, I switched tactics, teleporting out of the path of the beam, only to sense her trace my destination and pursue. When I appeared, she was in front of me, her eyes and horn glowing brightly.

An intense pressure suddenly assaulted my mind. The longer I looked at her, the more it felt like my skull was being hammered, but I couldn't look away. I scrambled, trying to bring my defenses up, but the attack was relentless.

“Over here, Queenie!” The shout came a moment before Rainbow hurled one of the unconscious changelings into Violet’s side, staggering her and breaking her gaze. Gasping, I broke the connection and hit her with all the magic I could muster in a single, potent burst, sending her flying back before she could shield herself.

A sudden ping of magic alerted me to the other changeling behind me; a teleport! I tried to summon the energy to teleport myself away, but the previous blast had winded me. He landed on my back, sharp fangs piercing my neck as he bit down and delivered his payload of venom.

Gritting my teeth to stifle a cry of pain, I grabbed the changeling in a telekinetic hold, prying his jaws apart before ripping him off my body and sending him flying into the wall. The damage had been done, though, and I could already feel the venom starting to numb my body and dull my mind. My vision briefly dimmed as my connection to my magic faltered.

“Get a hold of yourself, Twi!”

Rainbow's voice rang out in my mind, chasing away the haze that had been enveloping me. I could see her attacking Violet, the Queen's shield straining under Dash’s rapid kicks and hoof strikes, dodging each of the savage magic blasts that left gouges in the rock walls of the cave.

With a growl, I forced my magic to work, energy coursing through my veins and burning the foreign substance within, clearing my mind instantly. The brute-force application left a numbness behind that was difficult to ignore, though.

My shield came up just in time to deflect a vicious bolt of energy aimed at Rainbow, who quickly took the opening provided to slam both forehooves into Violet's chest, quickly following it up with a ferocious rising blow to her muzzle. It was the classic Wonderbolt tactic of dealing with unicorns; strike fast, strike hard, and keep them from concentrating. And Rainbow was very fast.

Even with the speed disadvantage, though, Queen Violet was durable, weathering the hits and flinging magic back. However, now I had the chance to set shields properly, deflecting attacks and keeping Rainbow's avenue of assault open. Finally, Rainbow managed a solid strike at the base of Violet’s horn, prompting a sharp cry and making her stagger back.

“Give it up, Violet! Even if you get through us, there's an entire squad of Wonderbolts waiting outside!” shouted Rainbow.

“I would sooner give up my life to Timberwolves!” snapped the Queen. Faster than I was expecting, her horn glowed a blinding white, filling the dimly lit cave with a painful brightness.

Disoriented, I could feel my hooves scraping the ground as a new shield expanded outward from Violet's position.

“Shoot there, Twi! I have an opening!”

An image accompanied Rainbow's words, showing me a skewed perspective, but she was far less blind to her surroundings. Twisting my head a little to the left, I charged and fired. Even though I couldn't see, I could feel the shield fracture in the place I'd hit moments before a rainbow streak punched through, heading straight for Queen Violet.

My vision recovered just in time to watch Rainbow twist around a desperate shot, both forehooves aimed at the changeling...and then I saw her eyes flash and a fanged smile spread across her muzzle. Rainbow's flight faltered as she looked to be struggling against a muddy brown telekinetic field, and across our link I could feel the beginnings of a potent mental attack.

Desperately, I tried to strengthen our connection, only to be repelled mentally and physically by Violet and her shield...but there was still one vulnerability I could exploit. Finding the hole in the shield, I forced my magic into it, pushing through with a teleport and landing right between Queen Violet and Rainbow Dash, my eyes staring straight into the changeling’s slit pupils. I surged my magic forward, slamming into her mind like a sledgehammer. All thoughts of restraint were gone. I wanted her out and I didn't care what it took.

Flashes of memory assaulted me as I tore at her forced connection with Rainbow. Images of Celestia, dark meetings with the other Elders, images of the barracks town filled with ponies...there were far too many images to process. Violet was pushing back, but I pushed even harder, feeling her connection weaken and finally break.

Behind me, I could hear Rainbow slump to the ground. I was breathing heavily, but Violet didn't seem to be faring much better. “Crimson was right about you. It's a shame you were born as a pony.”

“What are you-”

I winced as a sound like glass shattering filled the cave. The shield lining the cave had just been breached, and various colors of magical auras were lifting the boulders and pulling them away.

“And that's my cue to leave. I'm sure we'll see each other again, Twilight.” In a flash of light that left dark spots in my eyes, she was gone. I could have tracked the teleport, maybe even followed her, but that was the last thing on my mind.

“Rainbow!”

Stumbling slightly, I rushed over to the downed pegasus. She was stirring, groaning lightly while holding a hoof to her head. “Ugh...feels like someone took a hammer to my skull...” she groaned.

Behind me, I could hear the grinding of rocks as the debris was pulled away. As soon as a passage was opened, I heard several pops. Chrysalis, along with several ponies in the magic division, were teleporting in.

“Queen Violet, she retreated into the caves,” I said quickly. “There’s more with her, not sure how many.” I received a quick nod and five of them took off toward the back of the cave. The rest worked to reinforce the walls and shift rocks to prevent further collapses. Chrysalis quickly joined me by Rainbow's side.

“What did she do?”

“Don't know, it was too quick.”

Chrysalis focused and I turned my attention elsewhere. The vault was shattered thanks to the changeling I'd thrown against the glass, the remaining cutie marks having likely raced back to their owners. Maybe those ponies would find their way out of changeling captivity like Trixie had, but I wasn't very hopeful.

“I can't find anything,” said Chrysalis after a moment of silence. “Either Violet's mental tampering is subtle enough to avoid notice, or it simply didn't work.”

“I'm feeling fine, now,” grumbled Rainbow, slowly standing up and stretching her wings.

“We have to assume the former for the time being,” I said, giving Rainbow an apologetic look.

“Leave that to us, Miss Sparkle.” Spitfire's crisp voice filled the cave along with the sound of several pegasi entering as more of the rocks were cleared away. Soarin was among them.

“Where did it go?”

“I followed the mark past the mountain range before it outpaced me,” he said, sounding slightly winded. “It was definitely heading toward Ponyville, though.”

I gave him a nod of thanks before sighing and turning back to the shattered vault, wishing there had been some way to preserve it. Queen Violet clearly had come back here to finish covering her tracks.

Hoofbeats began to echo from the back of the cave. As expected, the team that had gone after Violet was back, and Violet wasn't with them. “There's an entire maze of tunnels down there. We'll need a full company to thoroughly search it,” informed the scout.

I shook my head. “Not worth the time,” I informed the Wonderbolt captain. “She's not going to stay here, and even if she did, it'd be far too easy to set up ambushes for any pony-sized unit.”

Spitfire looked conflicted, but I could tell she agreed with my assessment. Orders began to fly past my ears, the Wonderbolt commanding various wrap-up operations while I made my way out of the cave with Chrysalis. I hadn't been expecting much from this operation, but to have Queen Violet here and have her slip through our hooves was grating to say the least.

“She'll show herself again,” said Chrysalis, taking a spot beside me as I sat and rested a fair distance away from the mouth of the cave. Minutes later, the rest of the ponies were out and the unicorns holding up the walls let them collapse with a resounding crash.

“But next time it will be on her terms,” I murmured, watching as a company of four Wonderbolts escorted a peeved looking Rainbow Dash. They hid it well, but I could tell just how nervous they were.

“Hardly. We didn't come away from this empty-hooved,” said Spitfire, landing on my other side with a magically sealed bag held in her mouth.

The journal! Of course! I'd completely forgotten about it in the recent chaos.

“Was it trapped?” I asked eagerly, taking the bag and withdrawing the worn book from inside.

“Nothing our magic unit couldn't handle,” replied Spitfire. “It's amazing that the changelings passed over it in the first place.”

“No one around to teach them basic detection spells,” I said, my attention already turning toward the book. No table of contents. Ugh. At least the hoofwriting was legible.

“This probably isn't the best place to sit down and read,” said Chrysalis with a small smirk.

I blushed lightly, hurriedly putting the book back in the bag. “I wasn't-”

“We've got a long train ride back, Miss Sparkle. I'll be sure to get you a nice coach seat,” said Spitfire, her face carefully neutral.

Before I could respond, Chrysalis let out a 'hmph' of displeasure. “We will take nothing less than the car reserved for royalty. I am a Queen, after all, and Twilight requires nothing less than the finest reading conditions.”

“Or I could just teleport back,” I grumbled under my breath as I followed the escort back to where the train was stationed.

“But then you'll be too tired to read,” countered Chrysalis playfully.

Even Spitfire was fighting to hide her amusement now, and several of the escorts were carefully avoiding looking at me. In the back of my mind I knew they were trying to distract me, maybe even cheer me up, but the sight of Rainbow surrounded by guards and being escorted away was difficult to put from my mind.

Chapter 6: Experiments

“I knew you wouldn't be able to wait,” said Chrysalis teasingly, lounging beside me in the royal coach. I was tempted to cast a Cone of Silence around myself, but that wouldn't have suppressed the aura of smugness she was radiating. Instead, I did my best to focus on the book.

Starlight Glimmer was a special kind of crazy. A dangerously talented idealist with a particularly skewed view of the world. Finding anything of substance amongst her moral grandstanding, ranting, and long-winded justifications was tedious, but the more I read, the more details I was able to pick out from the dreck.

Finally, one name caught my eye, and the pieces began to fall into place. “Jasmine Flower,” I said aloud, letting out a sigh. “That explains a lot.”

Chrysalis gave me a puzzled look. “It does?”

“That's a far eastern pony name.” Chrysalis' unchanged expression told me that I wasn't getting through to her. “Okay, how much do you know about the country of Neighpon?”

“I may have seen it on a map at some point,” she replied wryly.

“Then you know about as much as most ponies.” I flipped a page in the book and skimmed through the text. “Until around thirty years ago, Neighpon was an isolated island nation even more xenophobic than Queen Aurum. It wasn't until Celestia went there with an entire company of soldiers that they were even willing to speak with us.”

Chrysalis gave me a small smile. “Well, doesn't that sound familiar?”

“Leading a negotiation or treaty with a show of strength is a strategy as old as diplomacy itself,” I replied with a snort. “But the point is, until recently, Neighpon was shrouded in mystery, from their culture to their magic. The only well-known wizard from that island is Jasmine Flower, and Starlight definitely drew inspiration from her.”

“And what does that mean for the mark itself?”

“It gives me an starting point and the ability to point Celestia in the right direction. With a bit of luck, she can give us the proper reference materials.”

“But not a cure.”

“The biggest problem is the cutie mark being stripped away,” I explained. “Not only does it severely hamper a pony's magical ability, it also suppresses their identity and sense of self.”

“And once a pony loses their identity, it's foal's play for someone like Queen Violet to slip in and make a new one,” concluded Chrysalis. “Thus, turning a baker into an assassin.”

I nodded and continued reading. Starlight was clearly an ambitious type. Her small, backwater town was a staging point for grander ideas, culminating in an outline of bringing her 'gift' to all of Equestria, never mind the fact that even if her curse did work on somepony like Celestia, the resulting loss of control over the sun would be cataclysmic.

Of course, now that she'd been conscripted by the Changeling Queens, who knew what sort of plan was coming to fruition?

“Everything I'm reading seems to indicate that the effects are reversible if you reunite the pony with their cutie mark,” I said finally, shutting the book and packing it away with a small yawn. “We'll know for certain once we get back to Ponyville and check up on Trixie.”

At the moment, though, all I felt like doing was nodding off. The adrenaline from my fight with Queen Violet had long since faded, leaving me magically exhausted. I'd declined an energy bar from Spitfire, preferring a more natural recovery.

Wordlessly, the Changeling Queen shifted on the couch, her smooth body gently pressing against my own. Instinctively, I found myself leaning into her warmth before I was reminded of the budding drama between her and Rainbow that had taken a backseat to the events of the day.

“Um...Chrysalis, about you and Rainbow...” I began.

“I promise I won't take a bit of cuddling as a declaration of intent. Now relax and get some rest before I make you,” ordered Chrysalis with a fanged smile.

“If you insist,” I replied with a giggle, letting out another yawn and resting my head against her shoulder. My last thought before I drifted off was amusement at the idea of Chrysalis securing this car specifically for this purpose.

“If you are quite finished staring at Trixie's flank, Trixie would appreciate her discharge papers!”

“And I have told you repeatedly that you're going to keep your flank in bed until Twilight or Queen Chrysalis make certain of your mental well-being!”

The voices echoed through the hallway long before the room came into view. Normally I found Trixie's tone and speech to be a bit grating, but right now I welcomed them.

“She's sounding better already,” murmured Rainbow.

“More like completely recovered,” I replied, raising my voice a bit as the shouting grew louder.

The rainbow-maned pegasus let out a frustrated sigh as we stopped in front of an adjacent room, a pair of guards already waiting there. “Is this really necessary?”

“Just give it forty-eight hours,” I pleaded. “It’ll set everypony's mind at ease.”

She looked like she wanted to protest, but ultimately sighed in resignation, her head drooping before walking into the magically sealed room.

“You don't really think Violet managed to do anything to her, do you?” asked Chrysalis as we approached Trixie's room.

“No, but I want to keep her in a shield on the off chance that Violet was trying to force a mental link on her to use later,” I explained, pulling open the adjacent door.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie will not be subjected to your hospital swill for a single moment longer!” Standing atop the bed, Trixie was facing down two exasperated hospital workers and a guard who looked unsure about whether or not to intervene.

“Hello, Trixie,” I greeted, my magic suffusing the room and dampening all sounds other than my voice in an effort to restore calm. “Glad to see you're back to your usual self.”

The two hospital workers were glad to step aside as I strode forward, slowly easing the spell as Trixie calmed down. “Trixie supposes she has you to thank for her recovery.”

“I might have had something to do with it,” I replied, frowning as I saw her suddenly tense up. “Is something wr-oh right. Don't worry, Chrysalis is on our side.”

Trixie's intensely suspicious look told me that my reassurance wasn't exactly...reassuring, but she seemed to let it go, changing the subject. “Trixie is finding it difficult to consider herself your rival in magic now that she has been rescued twice.”

“Just return the favor someday and we'll call it even,” I replied nonchalantly. “In the meantime, though...”

“You wish to know what Trixie remembers,” she finished.

“If it's not too arduous to think about right now. I realize you only just got your cutie mark back, so if you need time...”

“No...they are not pleasant memories, but Trixie is feeling quite well right now,” she assured me, slumping onto her bed. “After the Alicorn Amulet incident, Trixie decided to avoid major cities for a while, just in case word had gotten around.”

“Celestia did go on another artifact purge, just to make sure there weren't any more dangerous trinkets collecting dust in antique shops,” I supplied. “Apparently Equestria was overdue.”

“Trixie would appreciate finishing without further interruptions and will take questions and comments at the end.”

“Sorry,” I replied, gesturing for her to continue.

“Trixie came across...” She paused, searching for a name that wasn't there, “...the town on a whim, having never traveled to the end of the Friendship Express. Generally, more rural towns are eager for entertainment, so Trixie jumped at the chance to perform there.”

Her voice softened as she began to recount the next part, briefly pausing to take a sip of the water from the food tray. “It didn't take long for Trixie to read the crowd. Half of the ponies were afraid, and half...”

“...were changelings,” I finished. “Did you get any read on their numbers?”

“At least two for every pony in that town,” she replied. “And far too many for even Trixie to deal with.”

“Approximately two hundred, then,” provided Chrysalis. “If she had any more, relocating an entire town along with her hive any great distance would be near-impossible.”

And she'd have to stay on the move or stay underground in order to avoid being seen. Even the mountains around the town wouldn't be safe once the patrols got organized. “What happened then?”

“Trixie remembers a purple pony with a dark blue mane casting a curse at her, and then a much larger changeling did...something more. The details are a bit...hazy.”

“Nothing we don't know, but it's confirmation at least,” said Chrysalis.

“Anything you could possibly recount would be helpful. I know it isn't pleasant, but we need everything we can get right now,” I insisted.

“Unpleasant is too kind a word,” said Trixie bitterly. “They were very keen on learning about you. Trixie protected her mind as best she could, but...the queen was different. She got what she wanted and left...left me...empty.”

Her body noticeably started to shiver. “Let's stop here,” I suggested. “I'll have the staff bring you some real food.”

Trixie nodded, taking a deep breath and calming down. “Thank you, Twilight. If it helps, the one thing that I...Trixie always knew, it's that my magic was calling to me. Even while it was locked away in that vault and Trixie was slowly going mad.”

Now that was food for thought. When we'd broken the glass, Trixie's cutie mark had practically raced back to her, all the way to Ponyville in fact. Her magic had sought her out, as if pulled. What was to say the opposite couldn't also be true?

Unfortunately, we only had one other case study, and she was still in a coma.

“Thank you, Trixie, that may be more helpful than you realize.”

“Trixie shall expect the finest cuisine for services rendered,” came her haughty reply, to which I could only giggle.

“You have something,” observed Chrysalis as we left the hospital. “I can feel your mind racing.”

“It’s only a hypothesis,” I replied. “Nothing concrete and nothing I can test immediately.” And certainly not on a comatose hospital patient.

“From my understanding, that means you're on the verge of a breakthrough,” teased Chrysalis. “Care to share with your students?”

Rolling my eyes, I organized my thoughts and gave her the simplest explanation I could. “There are three things wrong with Sugar Belle that we need to restore; the lack of a cutie mark, the curse mark, and the changeling influence. Starlight's curse is actually a two-stage spell,” I explained.

Chrysalis thought for a moment. “Stage one is removing the cutie mark?”

“And thereby suppressing the pony's magic,” I finished with a nod. “The curse part comes next, and from what I've read, it's intended to suppress certain emotions and emphasize others.”

“So if you break the curse and thwart Violet's control...”

“...then we end with a pony who simply lacks her magic, but can also sense where it's being contained, or at least its general direction.”

Chrysalis briefly looked back toward the hospital. “If Queen Violet thought the same way, she could possibly use this to bait a trap.”

“If she took the entirety of the Barracks Town, then she probably has around a hundred cutie marks with her. Do you believe they'd be able to pick out Sugar Belle's individual mark? Do they realize it can be sensed through shields? It's not a hundred-percent guaranteed to work, but even if it doesn't lead us to Violet, we could still help Sugar Belle. In the meantime-”

“Are you certain you should be doing any more experiments after what happened today?” interrupted Chrysalis.

“Er...well...”

“Have you eaten yet?”

“Well, I was going to-eep!”

I let out a squeak as I suddenly felt Chrysalis' magic grab my tail and tug, pulling me off course. “The changeling menace can wait for one meal,” she said firmly, making it clear she wasn't going to listen to any arguments.

An hour later, I was well fed and feeling a lot better, though I couldn't help but be curious as to where Chrysalis had gotten the bits to pay for the meal. Such questions could wait, though. I'd finally gotten the opportunity to gather all of my friends together, aside from Rainbow Dash. Now I just needed to convince them to go ahead with the experiment.

“Forgive me if I'm oversimplifying, dear, but it sounds as if you wish to make a changeling hive with ponies,” said Rarity, the incredulity clear in her voice.

I avoided the temptation to rub my forehead in irritation. “That's one way of putting it, yes. But this isn't something unique to changelings, they just have a natural affinity for it.”

“Ah can't say ah'm really thrilled with somepony pokin’ ‘round my mind,” said Applejack.

“It sounds like fun to me!” cut in Pinkie.

“And ah'm definitely not sure I wanna see into Pinkie's mind.”

“Heeey!”

“I won't lie, it's not going to be easy. Everypony has thoughts they're not proud of, but being comfortable enough to share them is part of what makes this magic work.”

“Y-you mean we have to share our most embarrassing, humiliating, and painful memories with everypony else?” squeaked Fluttershy.

I'd been expecting her to crumble first. Fortunately, I was prepared. “Yes, it's going to be exactly that. I'm only asking this of you because you're all my closest friends. I won't judge anypony that wants to back out.”

My assurance was met with silence...or at least it would have been if 'Pinkie' and 'Silence' could ever exist in close proximity. “Ooh, nice guilt trip, Twilight!”

“What? I wasn't-”

“Don't worry, everypony, I know just how to break the ice. I'll go first!”

Taking a stand in front of me, Pinkie faced my friends, taking a deep breath. I could see all of them lean forward slightly, probably just as guiltily curious as I was.

“I don't think decaf is that bad.”

There was a collective exhale of air as my friends and I let out a groan.

“I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised,” grumbled Rarity. “Is that really the only thing you're embarrassed about?”

Pinkie seemed to give the question some serious thought before nodding. “Yep!”

I let out a giggle, finding enjoyment in just how open and honest Pinkie was. Just as I was about to make a suggestion, though, Fluttershy beat me to it.

“W-well if Pinkie Pie shared, it's only right for me to do it too,” came the pegasus' nervous voice. Slowly her gaze turned to me and suddenly I felt a lot less sure of myself. “I...I'm still a bit mad at what you did to Angel Bunny!” she said in a single breath. “A-and Rainbow Dash, too! Sorry...” Her brief surge of confidence seemed to wither almost as fast as it had bloomed.

“I really am sorry, Fluttershy,” I murmured softly.

“It's Angel Bunny you should be apologizing to,” the pegasus insisted.

“That's it?” asked Applejack in disbelief.

“Um...well, I have a secret knitting hobby...I'm sorry, I'll try to think of something more embarrassing,” assured Fluttershy earnestly.

“Girls,” I interrupted, holding up a hoof. “This isn't a contest. It's just that the more we try to hide from one another, the harder it will be to make a connection. What matters is how you perceive your thoughts and feelings.”

Silence followed, and this time even Pinkie Pie didn't break it. Rarity was the one who finally spoke up next. “I've...always resented my parents...at least a little bit.”

That revelation threw me for a loop. Rarity didn't really talk about her parents. “They travel a lot. Far more than most. When I struck out on my own and opened my shop here in Ponyville, it was the most liberating feeling I'd ever had.”

“And then they sent Sweetie Belle to live with you,” I concluded.

Rarity sighed, nodding her head. “I understand why they did it. Having friends, a consistent education, stability...I love Sweetie Belle dearly, but...” Rarity trailed off, swallowing hard.

“Ya can't help but feel like they twisted your leg into doing it,” finished Applejack, shifting slightly and placing a comforting hoof against her back. “And no matter how much you love her, ya can't help but resent her sometimes for the position she's put you in.”

Rarity sniffed lightly, leaning into Applejack's side. “And after I've had some ice cream and some time to calm down, I hate myself for even thinking like that.”

“Sugarcube, if there's anypony that understands how much of a pain family can be, it's me,” insisted Applejack. “We all do and say things we're not proud of, but at the end of the day, you love yer sister and you've done a fine job raisin’ her.”

Rarity didn't respond. Instead she slipped a hoof around Applejack's side and hugged her. I said nothing, simply letting the moment play out.

“Ah suppose I should go, then,” said Applejack finally. “I think this whole changeling thing is more trouble than it's worth. Seems like ever since Chryssie came here, ain't been nothing but trouble.”

I wasn't as surprised as I thought I'd be, though the admission was a bit worrisome. Applejack and the Apple family were well-respected ponies in Ponyville. One ill word from them and a lot of the goodwill the changelings had built up could easily be undone.

Applejack seemed to sense my worry. “Ah ain't saying we should run 'em out of town, but it feels like we bucked a hornet's nest dealing with Chryssie and now we can't put things back.”

It was hard to blame her. Applebloom had been foalnapped twice now, and it was likely that her straightforward nature was in direct conflict with the changeling predilection for obfuscation and deception. “Well...thank you for being honest about your feelings,” I replied. “All I ask is that you give them a chance to prove themselves.”

“Ah suppose I can give ‘em that much,” she replied.

“So what about you, darling? What juicy little secret have you been hiding from your close, personal friends?”

Everypony was looking at me expectantly. I'd given this particular matter some prior thought, and concluded there was only one thing I was really hiding. Taking a deep breath, I let it all out at once. “I'm in the middle of a love triangle with Rainbow Dash and Chrysalis.”

If it hadn't been for my own embarrassment, I might have enjoyed the shocked looks on my friends’ faces, but I wasn't finished. “Also, they've been plotting behind my back about organizing an open relationship, and I've been giving serious consideration to that as well.”

Seeing Pinkie's eyes light up in excitement, I quickly intercepted her train of thought. “No, I'd really prefer if we didn't have a party.”

“Awww...but now I wanna know how it happened!” exclaimed Pinkie.

“I'll admit, I'm rather curious too,” said Rarity. “Rainbow seems almost a polar opposite to you.”

“They really aren't all that different,” Fluttershy added quietly.

“Really? How so?” asked Rarity, curiosity evident on her face.

“If this experiment works, I'll be able to show you,” I interrupted. I hadn't intended on using my memories as an incentive for this, but if it helped...

“Just tell us what you need done, sugarcube.”

“Well, the first thing to do is focus on the connection we already have through the Elements of Harmony. After that, I'll weave the spell and try to draw you into a link...”

The scent of fresh coffee slowly drew me out of dreamland and into the waking world. “Mmhh...not fair, Spike, gimme a few more minutes,” I pleaded.

“Coffee might be cold by then,” warned the young dragon.

“That's playing dirty,” I grumbled, slowly forcing myself awake, grabbing the mug from his claws, and taking a sip. “What time is it?”

“Little before noon,” said Spike. “You were up all night.”

“Experiments went better than planned,” I explained. “Hard to stop when we were making so much progress.” I took another sip of coffee. Spike had even warmed the cup.

“Any more battles with Changeling Queens in the immediate future?”

“Hopefully not. Right now, I'm going to be working to break the curse mark on Sugar Belle.”

“Should I close the library?”

I thought about it for a moment. “No, go ahead and leave it open until four. I need food and a shower, and there's something I've really been wanting to try with Changeling Magic.”

“I'll send a warning to Mayor Mare,” said Spike cheekily, dodging out of the way as I threw a pillow at him.

Out on a large grassy field just outside the hospital, I reviewed my plan. Theoretically, I had all the pieces to this puzzle, I just needed to fit them together.

Safety came first. A wide-area cushioning spell covering fifty square feet seemed adequate enough in case I fell. Second was the Cloudwalking spell. Third was the changeling transformation.

With a clear picture and a magical pattern in my mind, I began the change, green fire flowing over my body as my mass decreased slightly and new appendages formed on either side of my barrel. I took my time, an image of Rainbow Dash firmly in my mind as I worked on their shape and size, stopping short of imitating the color.

Five minutes later, I spread my new pair of violet wings wide. They were functionally useless despite being modeled after the fastest pegasus I knew, but this was where the last piece of magic came into play.

I'd only done this once before on Rarity, giving her a pair of wings as beautiful and delicate as a butterfly. This new version of the spell aimed to do everything that spell had done, but instead of delicate magical constructs, my wings were the product of changeling magic and my own mass.

It was a very precarious union. Unicorn magic allowed me to emulate the natural magic that allowed a pegasus to fly, though the energy cost was significant. Changeling magic let me perfectly emulate the body type of a pegasus. The overall effect drained me quite rapidly, and yet as I gave my new wings a flap, I could feel my hooves briefly lift off the ground.

Holding my breath, I spread my wings and gave them a strong push. Suddenly, the ground was ten feet below me.

“Ahhh!”

The surprised cry left my mouth while my legs flailed in the air. My wings locked up and my body pitched backward. A swift application of gravity later, and I was very glad that my cushioning spell was working as intended.

“Okay, maybe imitating Rainbow Dash's wings worked a little too well,” I said, picking myself up off the ground. “Softer this time.”

My next attempt didn't even get me airborne. There must have been a sweet spot that a pegasus could hit naturally, but I could only guess at it. Oh well, at least I could be confident in a soft landing.

Poising my body, I flapped hard, tucking my forehooves in this time as I shot into the air. At the peak of my ascent, I flapped again, staying aloft and rising higher.

Hovering was a lot harder than it looked. My wings were constantly pushing me upward, but I didn't want to go too high in case I missed the cushioned area on landing. My panic quickly resulted in another pitch forward.

At least the grass smelled nice.

Taking a quick breather, I stretched and flexed my synthetic wings, wondering how Rarity had managed to adapt to hers so quickly. Was there something in the spell that I'd forgotten, or was I simply thinking too hard and letting my fears get the best of me?

My horn glowed again, expanding the cushioning spell much further. “Run before you walk, fly before you crawl,” I murmured to myself before taking off running. My wings extended and caught the air, and with a leap and a beat, I was off the ground.

In my mind, I pictured Rainbow Dash in flight and tried to emulate her, biting back a yelp as I realized I was making headway. A surge of excitement filled me. I was actually doing it! I was flying! I was...quickly coming to the end of my cushioned area! I needed to turn!

Unbidden, the image of Rainbow in flight came to me again, the cyan pegasus perfectly executing the maneuver for me to copy. Raising my left wing and lowering my right, I flew in an unsteady curve, bringing me back to safety.

A cloud was right ahead of me now. I had another brief moment of panic as I thought I might disperse it instead of landing, but again an image came to my mind, this one of stopping, first perfectly executed by Dash, and then clumsily executed by me a moment later as I hit the fluffy white object face first. Thankfully, the landing here was even softer than my cushioning spell.

It was only after I'd had a moment to catch my breath that I wondered...where had these thoughts of turning and stopping come from?

“Egghead!” The joyous cry came moments before a rainbow blur impacted the cloud beside me. I barely had time to greet her before I felt a hoof pressing against my folded wing, drawing a squeak from my mouth. “Ohmygosh these are real! You were really flying! How?!”

I squirmed a bit underneath her constant poking and prodding. I wasn't certain if it was a flaw in the way I'd designed them, or if I was simply feeling sensations I wasn't used to, but they were far more sensitive than I'd been prepared for.

“You...those were your thoughts directing me,” I realized.

“Well duh, you looked like you were about to crash. I couldn't just watch and do nothing.”

Confused, I looked down at the hospital, spying an open window and sensing a broken shield. So much for the quarantine measures. “Rainbow, you really need-”

“I'll go back right away, I promise, but you can't ask me to stay inside and miss your first flight!” she insisted. “How did you even do it? You're not a princess now, are you?”

“Sweet Celestia no, I'd never have a moment to myself. I just combined some unicorn and changeling magic,” I explained, keeping it simple. “Not sure I'm going to try it again, this combination of spells is really draining.”

“No way, you're definitely doing this again,” insisted Rainbow.

“What? But-”

“You're officially my flying buddy.” Flopping down on the cloud, Rainbow carefully unfurled my wing with her hooves, going over it with a critical eye. Feeling a tingle race down my spine, I briefly thought of protesting, but quickly realized that she could probably give me some great feedback.

“Not bad. They look almost exactly like mine,” observed Rainbow. “Little bit too small, though.”

“I'm not sure how great of a flying buddy I'll be. I don't have the true magic of a pegas-eep!”

Rainbow's mouth had just closed down on the joint of my wing, keeping it in place while her hooves stroked over the feathers. She was searching for flaws...is what I kept telling myself, as I experienced my first ever wing massage. I found myself biting my lip to curtail any other squeaks from coming out.

“Just use your unicorn magic to fly faster,” said Rainbow casually. “I don't care how slow you are, just as long as you're in the air. Other wing.”

Unconsciously, my other wing extended, the cyan pegasus moving her attention over to it. I really hoped no other pony was watching from the hospital windows right now.

“Rainbow, you need...nhh...to get back to your room,” I finally managed to get out after a full minute of pleasant wing care.

She let out a frustrated sigh. “Really, Twi? I've been there a whole day.”

“Please?”

“Fine.” Rainbow's hoof pressed down against a particularly sensitive spot, the stimulation making me groan openly. “But only if you promise to go flying with me when I'm out.”

“I p-promise,” I said shakily, my body feeling like it wanted to melt into the cloud.

The massage stopped and I slowly felt Rainbow's warmth leave my side. Before she lifted off from the cloud, though, she leaned downwards and planted a kiss on the side of my muzzle. “See ya tomorrow then, egghead.”

With a powerful wingbeat that shifted the cloud slightly, Rainbow was gone, gliding down to the hospital. Mentally making a note to put up a stronger shield this time, I surveyed the ground below me. Teleportation was tempting, but if I was ever going to get used to these things, I definitely needed to learn how to land. Taking a breath, I jumped from the cloud, welcoming the thought sent by Rainbow, showing me how to do it properly.

Chapter 7: Fragmentation

Twilight had gone all out in making sure that Rainbow's quarantine was a pleasant one. She'd stocked a shelf with all her favorite Daring Do books, given her a nice hospital room with a view outside, made sure her meals were a grade above the standard hospital fare, and had even provided a cloud bed for her to sleep on.

And yet, Rainbow felt restless.

The first time she'd broken out, there was only a paper-thin shield and a locked window in her way. Now there was a sturdy magical shield. The guard presence at her door had also increased to two.

She was pacing again, ruffling her wings irritably. The room was probably the largest in the hospital, but that barely left her enough space to fly, and certainly no chance of cutting loose. Twilight was also going to be busy for the rest of the day...with Chrysalis.

Letting out a frustrated growl, Rainbow knocked on the door to her room. A moment later it was magically opened by one of the guards behind the shield. “Yes, Rainbow?”

“Could one of you grab me a deck of cards? I'm about to start pulling my mane out here.”

“You got it,” said the unicorn on the left, closing the door. Rainbow could soon hear him trotting away. Letting out another sigh, she flopped backward onto the cloud bed and waited, entertaining herself with the pattern on the ceiling. That lasted her another three minutes.

Her eyes went over the shelf of books once again. At the very end was A.K. Yearling's latest title, but while she normally would have jumped at the chance to read it, right now it just didn't appeal to her. All she could think about was how nice it had felt, introducing Twilight to her new wings, excited at having a new flying buddy, and...Chrysalis.

With a sudden push of her wings, Rainbow leaped from the bed and landed on her hooves, striding toward the door with purpose now. Raising her hoof, Rainbow knocked sharply on the door three times in rapid succession.

Once again the door opened, the single remaining unicorn guard giving her a curious look from behind the shield. “Yes, Rainbow? Vigil should be back in just a minute.”

Rainbow nodded. “Good.”

Her forehoof pulled back, every bit of pegasus magic she could muster focusing into a single point...and then she punched forward. The shield shattered. Her second strike sent the stunned unicorn flying back into the opposite wall.

I let out a small yawn as I woke up, tangled in my sheets. I hadn't really felt the magical fatigue from my spells until the adrenaline from flying had worn off. I wasn't completely exhausted, but I was feeling fatigued enough that I'd opted to take a nap instead of pursuing the journal further.

I probably wasn't ever going to be the 'flying buddy' Rainbow was hoping for, but I was already thinking of ways to improve the spell and reduce the power drain. Checking the time, I saw there was just enough time to grab a snack before Fluttershy arrived.

“Anything interesting happen while I was out?” I asked Spike as I headed down the stairs and grabbed a couple apples.

“Well, we had one pony come in thinking we sold quills and sofas,” said Spike casually. “Are you really sure I should be getting paid for this?”

“As long as you keep dusting,” I teased. “Did you want to go anywhere? I'll be putting the shield up soon.”

Spike stretched and yawned, exhaling a small green flame. “Already got my nap in today. Think I'll go see what Rarity is up to.”

“A large order, last I checked. Have fun,” I said, chuckling as Spike ran to freedom. Before I could even close the door, I spied Fluttershy on the horizon. Perfect timing.

Leaving the door open, I brought out Starlight's journal and a magically reinforced glass jar. Now I just had to perform the difficult and delicate task of convincing the most timid pegasus in Equestria that this experiment was completely safe.

“Hello, Twilight, I hope I didn't keep you waiting long.”

“Not at all,” I replied quickly. “Come on in and have a seat, we'll get started right away.” As soon as the door was closed, I put up the shield.

The sudden flash of violet light startled her. “Um...we're not doing anything dangerous, are we?”

“Not even slightly,” I promised. “But in the one-in-a-thousand chance that something does go wrong, it's better to have a shield up than not.”

That did seem to reassure her a bit. “Oh, okay...so what are we doing?”

“Nothing complex, I'm just going to use Starlight Glimmer's spell to take away your cutie mark temporarily.”

Fluttershy's eyes widened. “Um...I'm really sorry, Twilight, I uh...just remembered the, um...”

“The very important thing that you absolutely have to do right this moment?” I finished patiently.

“If that's okay with you...”

“Fluttershy, this is completely safe,” I assured her. “Trixie went an entire week without her cutie mark, and the minute it was returned, she was perfectly fine. Please, I really need your help.”

Slowly, Fluttershy relaxed, her head drooping slightly. “I...suppose it can wait,” she said finally.

“Good. Now then, I want you to tell me exactly how you're feeling once I do this. Don't hold anything back because every detail might be important.”

Once she nodded in understanding, I took one last glance over Starlight's spell before letting it loose. The effect was almost immediate. Fluttershy's head shot up and her wings tensed as though something heavy had been placed on her back. Her teeth clenched, her legs trembled, and her cutie mark slowly slipped off her flank. Moments later it was secured in the glass jar.

“How do you feel?”

Fluttershy was shaking. “Empty...” she murmured, “Almost...hollow.” The lost look on her face made me want to smash the jar right then and there, but I resisted the urge and gently released the seal instead. Instantly, the cutie mark streaked toward her, rejoining Fluttershy with a blinding flash.

“Better?” I asked expectantly.

She turned, checking to make sure that her butterflies were back in place. “Much,” she said with a happy nod.

“Can you go longer?”

She only hesitated for a brief moment before nodding again.

And thus began my battery of tests. I started simple, hiding the glass jar under one of three boxes. Then I began putting shields up around them. Next, I expanded the 'game' to the entire library, but no matter how many times I ran the test or what protections I put in place, Fluttershy could always find her cutie mark.

With the control established, I moved onto phase two, taking one last read through Starlight’s notes on the specialized curse mark. Applying it was tricky, but her notes were quite detailed, and it only took a few tries before the equals sign appeared on her flank. With the new handicap in place, I began the tests again, starting with the three boxes. The initial results were promising, but as I widened the testing area to the whole library, Fluttershy began to falter, failing more often than not. Not unexpected, but worrying all the same.

Removing her cutie mark debilitated her magic, but the curse seemed to dull her emotions, too. Fluttershy even unnervingly commented that it was suppressing her anxiety over losing her cutie mark in the first place.

Now all I had to do was remove the curse without actually releasing the cutie mark. As it turned out, that was possible, but became much harder as time elapsed. Once the curse’s effects had time to spread, it was almost impossible to break without releasing the captive cutie mark.

At the one hour mark, I found all of my 'brute force' magical spells failing to make a dent in it. Two hours later, I called for a break.

“How are you holding up?” I asked, releasing her cutie mark and watching the color return to her eyes and coat.

“A little nauseous,” she admitted bashfully.

“We'll stop for today, then,” I assured her, offering her a pair of muffins. Even though I’d been doing most of the magic, being cursed a few times was clearly mentally taxing.

Fluttershy was quiet as she ate, nibbling daintily at the muffins in a manner similar to Rarity.

“Bit for your thoughts?” I asked.

“Oh...um...I'm just happy I'm able to help you in some way,” she said quietly. “I know I probably wasn't your first choice for these experiments...”

I flinched internally at the accusation. She wasn't exactly wrong. “I'm still happy with how things turned out. I'm much further along than I was before, and you're an excellent helper.”

“Oh good,” replied Fluttershy with a sigh of relief. “I was starting to think you didn't really need me anymore.”

I nearly choked on a bite of muffin. “What? Why in the...why would you ever think that?”

Fluttershy squeaked and recoiled as my voice jumped in volume. “W-well I haven't been on any of your adventures lately,” she mumbled, almost inaudible.

I blinked, caught off guard once again. How had I not picked up on any of this last night? Was this a recent worry?

“W-when I saw all of the adventures you went on with Chrysalis and Rainbow Dash, I felt...sad that I wasn't included,” she admitted.

“But...you're usually terrified of our adventures!” I protested. “Remember the dragon in the mountains? Nightmare Moon? The first changeling invasion?”

Fluttershy nodded meekly at each example. “Well, they were scary at the time, but looking back, we all became really close friends because of them, didn't we?”

There was certainly no denying that. “Alright, Fluttershy,” I said with a reassuring smile, “Next crazy adventure I plan, I'll be sure to include you.”

As if the universe had been waiting for that particular opening, a sudden ringing sound filled my ears. Something had just hit the shield surrounding the library. Racing outside, I saw Dusk and a pair of pony guards.

I dispelled the shield and immediately connected with Dusk, my eyes widening as I processed the images he sent. In the next moment I was galloping toward the Everfree Forest.

“What is it? What happened?” asked Fluttershy, keeping pace with me in flight.

“Dash is trying to kill Chrysalis!”

“Evacuate the embassy, assemble my personal guard, and get Twilight out of the damn library! I'm getting as far away from Ponyville as I can!”

Chrysalis barely finished the order before her changelings scattered. A moment later she heard the embassy door crash open, not even a minute after Rainbow Dash had escaped the hospital. Dusk rushed to obey her orders, taking flight and streaking toward the library while Chrysalis listened to the sounds of crashes getting progressively louder. The queen frowned as she tried to reach out to Rainbow's mind, finding it swirling with anger, resentment, and...fear?

A final crash and the door to her office burst open. The pegasus on the other side looked unsettlingly calm. Even before she opened her mouth, the Changeling Queen knew diplomacy was going to be futile, but she had to try for Twilight's sake.

“Rainbow, control yourself. Violet is in your head right now. She-”

“Shut up.”

“Listen to me, Rainbow Dash! You have a duty to protect Twilight Sparkle! To protect-”

Rainbow's eyes narrowed at the mention of the unicorn's name. “I...said...shut up!”

It was fortunate that Chrysalis had raised her shield ahead of time, because the speed of the attack far outstripped her reflexes. Rainbow's hooves impacted her hard, pushing her off her legs and straight through the back wall.

Chrysalis dropped her shield, horn already glowing as Rainbow raised her hoof for a second strike. In a flash of green, she was gone, teleporting twenty meters closer to the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash charged again, closing the distance almost instantly.

The queen didn't wait before teleporting farther away this time, quickly turning tail and running into the forest while communicating with the changelings chasing after them. Dusk had made it to Twilight's place, but she had her containment shield up.

Borrowing the sight of one of her changelings, Chrysalis waited until Rainbow was almost on top of her before teleporting again, passing the treeline and landing within the Everfree Forest. Rainbow didn't even slow down, adjusting her course and arriving at her destination just as she appeared, slamming into her and bringing her to the ground.

The queen raised her hooves to guard her face and horn as Rainbow struck at her, magic sputtering as she tried to work through a spell...

“NOW!”

Several pops filled the clearing as changelings teleported in from all sides, their horns glowing as they surrounded the pegasus and grabbed her with their magic. One wasn't enough and three barely slowed her down. It wasn't until seven were working together to restrain her that she was finally stalled, and once all ten had a grip the blows finally stopped.

Panting, Chrysalis slipped out from beneath the struggling pegasus, her horn glowing as she forced open a connection. “Control yourself!” she ordered, pushing back the flood of rage that had built in Rainbow's mind.

Rainbow fought her for every inch, but this was one battleground where Chrysalis had an edge. More changeling minds joined her in the push until they finally broke through. Thoughts and feelings flooded the link. Resentment, self-doubt, envy...every negative emotion in her psyche was turned up to eleven, and behind that...a sliver of changeling magic.

As if provoked by its discovery, the foreign energy flared, spreading across Rainbow's mind and seeping into her consciousness. Chrysalis found herself pushed back, rapidly losing her mental hold. Outside, she could hear Rainbow growling. Inside, the changeling magic was tightening its grip, further enhancing those negative emotions.

Cursing, Chrysalis broke the connection, wincing from the feedback. The green magical aura around Rainbow flickered and her struggling began anew.

“We can't keep holding her!”

Chrysalis' mind began to race, giving orders as quickly as she could think them up. In a flash, the clearing was illuminated with green fire as all of the changelings around her shifted form.

“Drop it now!

The aura dissipated and Rainbow fell to the ground, her wings tensed. Around her were ten identical copies of Chrysalis, each one looking at her with a fanged smile. Rainbow barely took a moment to think before choosing a target and launching forward.

Green light filled the clearing again as all of them teleported at the last moment, heading deeper into the forest and scattering as Rainbow gave chase.

“She can't keep up this level of rage indefinitely, she's going to exhaust herself,” communicated Chrysalis. “If you're cornered, teleport. If you're drained, fall back. If you get hit, drop your disguise. She's only after me.”

It was a good plan...in theory. In practice, it took less than ten seconds before the pegasus had cornered and pummeled one of her guards. Each teleport cost a second of delay, and in that second, Rainbow was moving to meet the changelings at their destination.

Chrysalis remained hidden, directing the fight as best she could, taking shots of opportunity each time Rainbow focused on a target, but even when attacking her flank, she seemed to have an uncanny ability to dodge.

Her guards were dropping quickly. Two from exhaustion, and four from Rainbow's hard-hitting hooves. More changelings were standing by, but Rainbow's attacks were starting to get harder and more painful as her frustration mounted.

When the seventh changeling hit the ground accompanied by a sickening crack, Chrysalis was done.

“Pull back and channel as much energy as you safely can to me,” she ordered. She could feel the worry from her hive, but no one questioned her orders.

As the last changeling fell and dropped his disguise, Rainbow took to the sky above the clouds, her eyes scanning for the queen. Chrysalis didn't make her wait long before stepping from her hiding place, glowing green with the magic of her hive.

Rainbow moved instantly, the bright trail of her flight path streaking behind her as she blitzed downward, a cone starting to form around her forehooves.

“My queen! She's going to-”

“I know!”

The Changeling Queen's horn glowed painfully bright, several members of her hive collapsing from exhaustion. When there was no more power she could safely take, Chrysalis aimed and fired a torrent of green energy into the sky toward the pegasus.

At that exact moment, the cone burst, filling the afternoon sky with an explosion of rainbow colors. The pegasus collided head-on with the massive wave of energy coming her way. For a moment it seemed like Rainbow was slowing down, then suddenly the beam split. Green energy scattered everywhere as Rainbow's sheer force plowed right through the magic, pushing it aside as easily as the air in front of her.

Chrysalis could only watch in shock as the pegasus drew closer. She couldn't cut off the power, teleporting would take too long, and trying to physically move wouldn't be fast enough.

POP!

The sound of somepony teleporting in filled her ears. Chrysalis saw a flash of violet before something took hold of her muzzle and shoved upward, sending her beam straight up into the sky. At that same moment, a shield sprang up, curved around Rainbow, whose body skimmed the top of the dome, her path redirected at a soft angle downward and into a magical cushion.

The impact still left a crater, kicking up dirt, rocks, and stripping the nearby trees of their leaves and several branches. And the pegasus was already starting to get up.

“Now, Fluttershy!”

Fighting back fatigue, Chrysalis watched as Rainbow was grabbed in Twilight's telekinetic hold and yanked out of the crater. Immediately, she began to struggle again, but it was too late. With a cry of, “I'm really sorry about this!” Fluttershy tackled the pegasus and stared directly into her eyes. “Stay still!”

The words were delivered in Fluttershy's usual soft tone, yet the command seemed to reverberate through the air, briefly making Chrysalis' body freeze up.

Panting and sweating from her own expenditure of energy, Twilight walked past Chrysalis, focusing on her motionless friend locked with Fluttershy's Stare. “What...did...we miss?” she panted.

It took a moment for Chrysalis to find her voice. “Violet...damaged something. Influenced certain emotions, suppressed others. Nothing direct. Didn't spot it. Very subtle and complex work.”

Twilight looked at Rainbow, her eyes determined. Chrysalis didn't even need to read her emotional state to predict her next words. “Chrysalis, anchor me. Don't pull me out unless the feedback threatens my life,” she ordered, her horn glowing as she forced open the connection to Rainbow's mind and dove in.

I was a little surprised when Twilight asked if she could watch me practice. I'd met unicorns like her in the past, far more interested in burying their heads in books than glancing at the sky, and most of them didn't even know the names of any Wonderbolts. Whatever her reasons, though, I wasn't about to say no to an audience.

“Try not to blink!” I called out before executing a series of tight loops and corkscrews that kept me in Twilight's field of view and away from the delicate cloud she was laying on. It was a standard Wonderbolt routine, but with my own personal twist added to it, and Twilight was eating up every moment, watching with rapt attention.

Several minutes later, I landed on the cloud, placing one forehoof in front of the other and flicking my mane to the side like Applejack often did after performing a feat of strength. “So?” I asked, trying hard not to make it sound like I was fishing for praise.

“That was amazing!” said the unicorn excitedly. “The way you just push the air around you and form wind tunnels with your hooves, and the way you manipulate your own tailwind-”

“Woah, slow down, Twi, it's just the way I fly.”

“I know! You do all these complex air manipulations so easily, too! I think I've finally figured out the secret!”

“Er...what secret?”

“The Sonic Rainboom!”

I let out a small groan. Why did everything always come back to my Rainboom? To my surprise, Twilight seemed to pick up on my frustration. “I'm sorry, your entire performance was impressive, really! I even thought the variations you did on the Wonderbolt routine worked much better for a solo flight.”

Wait, she'd picked up on those? My annoyance faded as my curiosity increased.

“I just wanted to see if I could help out,” she assured me, withdrawing a small scroll from her bag.

I recognized the cutie mark immediately. “That's Commander Hurricane's seal! Where did you get that?”

“Librarian, remember? We have connections,” teased Twilight. “So look, remember when you saved Rarity and the Wonderbolts? You had gravity working with you, but with this technique and your unique way of flying, I think you could pull this off even if you were flying against gravity!”

Now that sounded like something worth listening to. “Alright, egghead, tell me more.”

What followed was a torrent of explanations I could barely follow, but to Twi's credit, she had a seemingly instinctive sense of when she started talking over my head, patiently going back and tackling the problem from a different angle. Fifteen minutes later, she had something for me to try.

“Just try not to break the mach cone too close to the ground. You might shatter some windows.”

With a grin and a salute, I dropped backward off the cloud, snapping my wings out and curving back upward before I hit the ground. As I picked up speed, using my magic to create a wind tunnel ahead of me and a backdraft behind, I revised my opinion about Twilight. She was less of a stick in the mud than most unicorns...and pretty cute, too.

With a gasp, I pulled away from the memory, my mind already working to separate itself from Rainbow's consciousness. As pleasant as that memory had been, I had to focus on the rest of Rainbow's mind and figure out what Queen Violet had done.

Passing her defenses, I quickly got my answer. Her emotions were unbalanced, her self-control suppressed, and her affection for me had been emphasized. Violet hadn't broken things so much as she had tweaked them, turning the pegasus into an emotional time bomb.

A tingle in the back of my mind alerted me to Chrysalis' presence. She was maintaining a tentative hold on my mind, but keeping herself invisible. “Violet has to have a seed here somewhere. Influencing emotions is easy enough, but unless there’s a constant source of magic reinforcing it, she should have recovered in quarantine.”

I felt myself nodding, although technically it was more like communicating the meaning that a simple nod would have implied. Slowly, I stretched my mind outward, sifting through memories of flying, reading, Wonderbolt rallies, time together with friends...and a quiet chord of magic that was out of harmony with everything else.

It was a single golden dot out of place on the vast canvas of Rainbow's mind, so subtly hidden that it was little surprise we'd missed it. Even now, I'd only noticed it because it was taking a more active role in influencing Rainbow's mind, thin tendrils spread out over her emotions and memories.

I had to restrain my anger at the sight.

Targeting the closest tendril, I burned it with my magic, shrinking the queen's influence a little bit at a time. It was careful, delicate work, patiently going after each and every thread and pushing it back to the source while stopping the seed from digging any deeper.

I could feel Rainbow gradually starting to regain control, working with me to drive out the influence. Soon, Chrysalis also made her presence known, helping with the mental cleansing until only the single seed remained.

“Chrysalis, I want to be sure. Is that seed connected to anything else?”

“I...can't be fully certain,” she confessed, sounding worried. “I don't sense any more connections, but I didn't detect the initial seed, either.”

I hesitated, checking over her mind again and again, but nothing changed. The seed was still fighting back, trying to get its tendrils into her mind. Would it damage something on its way out? Trigger something else when I tried to remove it? Taking a breath and calming my nerves, I made my choice.

“I'm cutting it out.”

I focused my magic into a scalpel, turning it into the finest precision instrument I could manage before plunging it into the golden seed, ruthlessly cutting it from my friend’s mind. Part of me wished it was Queen Violet there instead, though the sight of it writhing and dying was satisfying nonetheless.

Slowly, as Rainbow’s mind recovered, I felt Chrysalis pulling me back into the physical world.

I could only hope that there wouldn't be any lasting effects.

Chapter 8: Tension

I hadn't even been outside Rainbow's mind for twenty seconds before the guards showed up in force. Feeling slightly numb, I pointed to Rainbow's incapacitated form and mumbled out orders to take her back to quarantine. No doubt they'd have a full squad surrounding her this time, but hopefully the danger was neutralized.

Fluttershy sat beside me, still trembling from the adrenaline, maybe even wondering (like me) what might have happened if we'd arrived here even a few seconds later. Chrysalis looked fine, even though she was walking with a slight limp, but if that Rainboom had connected...

“I...I hope that was helpful,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Of course it was!” I insisted. “You've been a tremendous help to me today. Although I have to ask...” I waved a hoof at the destroyed forest clearing and the newly formed crater. “Are you certain you need more adventure in your life?”

Fluttershy hesitated, taking a moment to look around before facing me again. “Definitely,” she said firmly. “But, um...maybe not any more today. Angel Bunny is expecting dinner soon.”

Chuckling lightly, I waved her off with a hoof. “Don't worry, I'll let you know right away if a queen shows up.” Even though I'd been teasing, she still nodded her thanks before flying off, leaving me with Chrysalis and her remaining conscious guards.

Carefully, I walked around the crater Rainbow had made. “How are you feeling?” I asked once I'd reached the queen's side.

“About the same as when Cadance flung me into the Badlands during her wedding.”

“Is everyone in your hive okay?”

“Yes, though some are going to be passed out for the rest of the day.”

“And you? Any injuries?”

“Nothing that a little love won't heal,” she replied, coyly.

“Good.”

My horn glowed for a brief moment, a thin veil of magic surrounding my hoof. Without any fanfare or warning, I turned and punched forward, striking Chrysalis on her shoulder hard enough to send her staggering back a step, wincing. “What the buck were you thinking?”

Chrysalis gave me a surprised look, but I wasn’t waiting for an answer. “That was a Celestia-damned Sonic Rainboom! If I had been a second later you would have...would have...” I stopped and swallowed, my rage ebbing as quickly as it had flared.

“Been liquified?” asked Chrysalis flatly. “Torn to pieces in a rainbow explosion? It can't have been worse than what Cadance did. Or you, for that matter.”

“Harmony magic doesn't kill,” I said softly. “Weaken, purify, petrify...but never kill. A Sonic Rainboom isn't magic. It's pure kinetic force delivered at a speed that shatters the sound barrier!” My voice had risen to a shout as I finished the explanation.

Chrysalis didn't respond immediately. Her head was tilted slightly and she was giving me an odd look. “You're shaking.”

I was? Yes...I was. Before I could process that, Chrysalis stepped forward, her forehoof coming up and around my neck before pulling me into an embrace. “I'm sorry I worried you.”

I sighed, resting my head against her shoulder, embracing her in return. “You didn't know.”

“No, I was overconfident,” she corrected. “And...perhaps a bit reckless. It's nice to know you care, though.”

“Of course I care about you!” I snapped, my muzzle flushing a soft red color at the admission that I was certain everypony back in Ponyville had heard. My leg squeezed a bit tighter.

“I swear I didn't know how dangerous it was,” insisted Chrysalis.

Taking a breath, I reined in my emotions. This was Queen Violet's fault, not Chrysalis', and certainly not Rainbow's. If she had been intending to drive a wedge between us, I had to be damn sure that didn't happen.

“Chrysalis, when Rainbow wakes up-”

“I will be there,” assured the queen without hesitation. “Unless you believe she will try to kill me again.”

“She won't,” I promised. I wasn't certain what damage Queen Violet's influence had caused, and I was even less certain about what damage might have been caused by cutting it out, but I was very certain it was gone.

It wasn't until I was away from the clearing that I allowed my mind to wander. The immediate crisis had passed, but it had left some scars behind. Queen Violet had expertly manipulated Rainbow's emotions, and yet, she hadn't truly altered her mind. Changeling mental magic couldn't force a pony to betray their core values (Starlight Glimmer's magic notwithstanding), so on some level, Rainbow must have wanted to attack Chrysalis.

In some dark corner of her mind, Rainbow had wanted to kill her.

I stopped in mid-step, letting that thought sink in. No, that wasn't right. Rainbow wasn't a killer, but she was extremely competitive. Chrysalis had been fighting her, trying to restrain her, frustrating her with evasive tactics until Rainbow had gone all out.

The distinction was significant, but provided little comfort. Despite Chrysalis' best efforts, it seemed like someone in this triangle plan of hers was going to get hurt.

My thoughts turned to the book Rainbow Dash had lent me. Princess Cadance's 'Thirteen Triangles'. Maybe I should take a look at it before I made any decisions. Research, instead of react.

The day wasn't done surprising me, though. As I opened the door, I saw Princess Celestia sitting almost casually at my table, being served by Spike. “Princess!” I bowed my head as my mind raced. Was she here about my research? Was I moving too slowly?

“Hello, Twilight. You have my deepest apologies for intruding so suddenly, but I bring rather grim news.”

My mind digested that tidbit of information for several seconds. Taking a breath, I steeled myself and took a seat across from her. “Tell me.”

Celestia took a sip of her juice before answering. “The ponies of Appleloosa have gone missing. The town was discovered empty by the mail carrier during her weekly delivery. Homes had been broken into, but almost no valuables were taken.”

“And there were no bodies found,” I finished, my throat dry. “Queen Violet took them. Or her hive did. She was probably planning this even before I fought her at the barracks town.”

It was a lucrative target. Far away from any guard outpost, populated mostly by farmers and ranchers, and very few ponies around with combat or fighting experience.

“That puts the foalnapped count to just over two hundred,” I said softly. “Possibly equal to her hive. They must have a base of operations somewhere. They can't keep that many prisoners mobile and alive.”

“I plan on reinforcing the border towns,” said Celestia. “It will pull some of our reserves away from Canterlot, but we can't afford to be caught off guard again. Do you think Chrysalis might be persuaded to help in their defense as well?”

“Only if they'll be well received,” I replied. “A hostile town would be poisonous to them.”

“If they are with the guard patrols and wearing Canterlot colors, no one should question them.”

Perhaps not, but once word reached the other border towns that an entire community had gone missing, there were going to be repercussions. The barracks town was one thing, but Appleloosa was...

“Does Applejack know?” I asked suddenly.

“She will by tomorrow. It's difficult to find a frontier town without an Apple family member in it, and they keep each other informed.

Wordlessly, I took an offered drink from Spike, barely tasting the flavor as I drained it. “I'm doing everything I can, Princess. I've made a lot of headway with my latest find, and-”

“I am sure you will continue to meet my expectations,” she finished before I could continue rambling. “I wished to ask you, based on your information, what you believe Queen Violet's intentions are.”

“You're...not sure?” I asked hesitantly.

“At the moment, I am simply collecting information. One of Chrysalis' kin has already delivered her views, but I would like to hear your opinion as well.”

I frowned slightly. I had given this some thought, but I hadn't really dedicated any serious time to constructing a hypothesis. “I only see two likely possibilities. Either Violet is abducting ponies and attempting to disappear before Queen Aurum makes a deal, or she's using Starlight Glimmer's curse mark to build an army.”

I stood up and began to pace in a circle. “My amulets can detect changelings, so their only options for feeding are either peacefully or through invasion. Starlight lets them suppress a pony's core values and morals. She turned a baker into a potential assassin, after all, and by now they might have refined the technique. Sugar Belle could have just been their first field test,” I concluded. “But that's a worst case scenario. Starlight's magic is too powerful to conceal and even a force of four hundred wouldn't amount to much.”

Automatically, I took a second drink from Spike, draining that one as well before continuing on. “There's a third possibility,” I said reluctantly. “This could all be smoke and mirrors to distract us from something else. Maybe they want our guards and soldiers in the border towns to weaken Canterlot.”

“That thought has occurred to me,” said Celestia with a nod. “Queen Aurum has been endlessly evasive during our talks.”

“But we've cut off her ability to sustain a large hive,” I countered. “Between the widespread use of my amulets and Chrysalis' changelings joining patrols, there's no way she could sustain an army like the one Chrysalis used to invade.”

I let out a sigh. In conclusion, I had no idea what Queen Violet was planning.

“Which of the three sound most likely to you?” asked Celestia after a small pause. “Rather, if you could only prepare for one, which would you choose?”

“The first,” I said immediately, stopping my pacing and taking a seat at the table once more. “Violet can't challenge us directly and she allegedly opposes Aurum, so her only feasible long-term strategy is to hide and sustain herself. Our best option in that case would be to concentrate efforts into finding that hiding place.”

Celestia nodded thoughtfully while I wondered whether I had passed or failed some kind of test.

“Thank you, Twilight,” said Celestia finally. “Please continue your hard work. Mail any of your resource or personnel needs to me, and I will see them fulfilled to the best of my ability.”

“Thank you, Princess, I won't let you down,” I assured her. “And, um...about Rainbow Dash...”

Celestia stood, stretching her wings out as she headed for the door. Pausing at the step, she turned and gave me a small smile. “Do you really think I would punish Rainbow Dash for falling victim to a mental attack in defense of you?”

I blushed and smiled sheepishly, quickly shaking my head.

“If even half your letters about her are true, I daresay she'll punish herself plenty.” Stepping outside, the white alicorn flapped her wings and took off, rising high into the sky before vanishing in a burst of golden light.

“So...is she betting everything on you, then?” asked Spike. “That seemed like she was giving you permission to do whatever you want.”

“I don't know, Spike,” I murmured in response, even as I secretly hoped he was wrong.

“I'm going inside.”

“Of course, your majesty,” said the head guard, immediately stepping to the side and opening the door with his magic.

Chrysalis paused, looking at each of the guards in turn. “Not even a cursory attempt to stop me?”

“Would you stop if I asked?”

“No.”

“Then no,” he concluded. “We will be here if you need us.”

“Will I?” asked Chrysalis playfully.

“I really hope not.”

Chuckling to herself, Chrysalis entered the room where Rainbow was sequestered. The pegasus was resting on her back, wings spread, eyes open and looking listlessly at the ceiling. The food that had been brought to her remained untouched.

“You shouldn't be here,” said Rainbow, still staring at the ceiling. “Might start hitting you again.”

Chrysalis gave her a long look before taking another step forward. Then another, until she was right up against the bed, her expression daring Rainbow Dash to try something. Aside from a slight tilt of her head, there was no reaction.

Slowly, the queen spread her wings, and with a light hop and a soft buzz, she landed on the bed and made herself comfortable. “You shouldn’t be here, either,” replied the queen. “Obviously no shield is going to hold you if you put your mind to escaping.”

Rainbow groaned and rolled over onto her side, away from Chrysalis. “Not like I have anything better to do now.”

“You're abandoning your position as Twilight's personal guard, then?”

Rainbow stared Chrysalis in disbelief. “Are you crazy? Celestia isn't going to let me anywhere near you now! The least they're going to do is relieve me of duty.”

“I'd like to see them try,” replied Chrysalis casually. “I'm not asking for your removal, and neither is Twilight.”

“But-”

“You might recall that I've attacked Twilight in the past, free of magical influences.”

“That’s not-”

“And now you've shown your ability to hold your own against two different changeling queens.”

“It wasn't just Violet, alright?” Rainbow finally shouted. “I’ve wanted to buck your smug face in ever since we raided Azure's hive!”

To Rainbow's surprise, Chrysalis simply smiled. “And I’ve wanted to do the same ever since Twilight took you on as a personal guard.”

Rainbow's mouth opened and shut once before she found her voice. “What?”

“Oh yes, the first real connection I made with someone outside my insular and secluded hive, struggling romantically. Right when I felt I'd established a bond, you finally showed interest. What chance did I possibly have against one of her longtime friends?”

Rainbow growled, slowly getting to her hooves, her muzzle an inch apart from Chrysalis' own. “What did you have to be worried about? You're this dark secretive changeling shrouded in mystery with cool magic and interesting things to talk about! I'm just some pegasus who can fly really well!”

“At least you have years of friendship to draw from. All I have is conflict.”

“You have a horn! I can't even talk with her about magic without getting lost!”

“You think that's difficult?” Chrysalis pushed her muzzle forward just a bit more, meeting Rainbow’s nose with her own. “I can't even talk with her about changeling magic without getting lost!”

Rainbow paused, her anger suddenly fizzling out. “You're serious?” she asked finally, barely holding back a chuckle.

Chrysalis backed off a couple inches. “Yes. I'd never thought about my magic, I simply used it.”

“Heh...sorta like me,” mused Rainbow. “I can outfly anypony in Equestria, but when Twilight starts talking flight theory...”

The queen and the pegasus took a long look at each other before both began to chuckle, and the tension drained from the room. Falling back onto her flank, Rainbow let out a relaxed sigh. “I still can't believe Violet got to me like that,” she groaned once her mirth had faded.

“Twilight and I didn't catch what Violet did to you either. We're just as much to blame,” concluded the changeling queen. “Fortunately, you didn't do any lasting damage.”

“Not physically,” muttered Dash.

Chrysalis frowned as she took a read on Rainbow’s emotions. Then, in a single smooth motion, Chrysalis wrapped a foreleg around her barrel, pulling her into a tight hug. She was met with brief resistance, but Chrysalis persisted, her muzzle gently teasing along Rainbow's neck.

“If a single fight were enough to dissuade me, we never would have had a chance. Or did you think it was going to be complete harmony all the time?”

Dash fidgeted and grumbled, but eventually calmed down, letting the queen cuddle with her. “Hey...um...when you and Twi were helping me, how much did you see?”

“A fair bit,” said Chrysalis, pausing to consider those memories. “I had wondered why you dropped out of Flight School. Now I'm wondering why you even bothered staying as long as you did.”

“It was Gilda,” admitted the pegasus, her tail twitching slightly in agitation. “I made a lot of enemies, 'cause I flew good and ran my mouth. Gilda was the same, 'cept she was also a griffin. Always felt like it was us against everypony else up there.”

“From what I’ve gathered of the Wonderbolts, it's not exactly an illusion they wish to dispel.”

“Nope,” chuckled Rainbow Dash mirthlessly. “Until you actually make the cut, and suddenly you’re supposed to be working as a team.”

Letting out a yawn, Rainbow slipped free of the embrace, stretching her wings and twisting her neck back and forth. “How long are they going to keep me in here?”

“For about as long as it takes Twilight to finish listening at the door and come join us,” said Chrysalis, raising her voice slightly so the eavesdropper on the other side of the door could hear.

I blushed, cursing myself mentally for not better hiding my presence. I hadn't wanted to listen in at first, but I hadn't wanted to interrupt, either. Now I just looked guilty. Pulling open the door, I gave the pair a bashful smile. “Um...sorry? The guards notified me when you forced your way inside.”

Chrysalis scoffed. “I did not ‘force’, I simply told them I was going inside. They chose not to stop me.”

“Would you have listened if they told you to stop?” I asked pointedly.

“Absolutely not,” said Chrysalis with a flick of her mane. “To a Queen, there is no such thing as a forbidden place of entry.”

“Yeah, well, you'd still better stay out of my bathroom while I'm showering,” I retorted playfully.

“No promises,” replied Chrysalis with a small smile.

Rolling my eyes, I approached the bed. “Listen, we need to talk. Things have-”

I yelped as Chrysalis' magic suddenly grabbed hold of me and lifted me into the air. “Scoot over, Rainbow,” said Chrysalis with a small smile, depositing me in the now-empty space between them and putting a foreleg around my neck. “Whatever crisis is on your mind, it can wait.”

“Unless there's, like...another changeling queen invading Ponyville right now,” amended Rainbow, wrapping both a hoof and a wing around me as she snuggled up against my other side.

I let out a sigh, relaxing despite myself. “If there was, I think I'd just let Celestia deal with it. I'm supposed to be a researcher, not some battle mage.” I shifted a bit, enjoying the contrasting feelings of Rainbow's fur and Chrysalis' smooth chitin.

“What, you don't think we make an awesome strike team?” asked Rainbow playfully. “I thought we had a pretty good track record.”

“I'd still prefer to let the actual guards and soldiers deal with it...or just skip straight to the Elements of Harmony before things get crazy next time.”

I sighed again, contentedly, letting my head rest on the bed. The past few days had felt like a chaotic mess, and it felt nice to relax between Dash and Chrysalis, even if the latter was siphoning off a bit of my affection. Still, I couldn't quite stop a nagging thought in the corner of my mind.

“Hey, um...are you two really okay with each other?” I asked finally, bracing myself for the answer.

“I wouldn't mind being in the middle,” teased Chrysalis.

“And I don't really want to kick her face in anymore,” replied Rainbow with a small smirk.

I couldn't help but giggle at that. On impulse, I turned my head and gave Rainbow a soft kiss on her cheek before turning again and giving a second to Chrysalis. “I'm lucky to have you two around,” I murmured happily. I doubted this was going to be the end of our problems, but at least we seemed to be working through this one.

To my surprise, Rainbow's hoof suddenly slid upward, pressing gently against my muzzle and turning my head back to face hers. “Damn right you are, egghead.” The kiss itself didn't surprise me, but the tenderness did; the bold pegasus kept it soft and sweet, holding it for several seconds before breaking away.

“Mmhh...I could taste that one,” teased Chrysalis, making a show of licking her lips.

“Trust me, it's better from the source,” replied Rainbow with a grin.

I barely had time to let out a squeak before Chrysalis pulled me into a kiss as well. She was far more demanding and passionate, her long tongue playfully teasing across my muzzle and threatening to slip inside. Rainbow was determined not to be left out, though, pressing and rubbing her muzzle against my neck, finding just the right spots to make me squirm and moan into my kiss with the Changeling Queen. When the pair began to tease and stroke along my fur with their forelegs, though, I knew I had to stop.

“Mmh...wait...mmmph...I...wait!”

POP!

Panting slightly and sporting a healthy blush on my cheeks, I came out of the teleport off the bed and directly in front of them. “I'm sorry, I really am, but I do have something important to talk about.” Their smiles faded as they grasped how serious I was. Taking a breath, I let it out all at once. “All of the ponies in Appleloosa have vanished, just like in the barracks town.”

The mood soured as Chrysalis and Rainbow's expressions turned grim. “Well damn,” said Dash finally. “Does Applejack know yet?”

I shook my head. “I was heading there next.”

CRACK!

The sharp sound rang out through the orchard, followed by a magnificent crashing noise as the tree broke at the base and toppled over onto the ground. Applejack didn't look any calmer.

“What is wrong with your race?”

I flinched at Applejack's blistering tone, but Chrysalis remained impassive, regarding her with a calm look. “I don't know Queen Violet's intentions, but we're working to stop her.”

“Well why isn't Queen Aurum doin’ something, then? Why aren't we doin’ something?” That last question was directed at me.

“We have been doing something, Applejack!” I insisted. “I've been working every day to counter their magic. You've been helping me with that, too!”

From Applejack's frustrated sigh, I could tell she wasn't satisfied with that answer. “And how do you know she ain’t in on this?” Her hoof pointed accusingly at the changeling queen beside me.

I fought down the urge to shout back at her. I knew she was lashing out in anger, and considering Chrysalis' history, it might not have been entirely unreasonable, but it didn't make the accusation sting any less. Chrysalis didn't flinch, but she'd been expecting this when she'd volunteered to come along.

“Ya know, you're being way more thickheaded than usual, AJ,” cut in Rainbow before I could respond. “The other queens killed her mother and tried to kill her, too. Do you really think she's gonna be helping any of them?”

I closed my eyes, groaning internally. “Rainbow...”

“No, Twi, let me handle this,” interrupted the pegasus before rounding on Applejack. “Look, I know you're angry. I am, too, but there's only one changeling to blame for this, and that's Violet!”

Applejack glared at her, practically pushing the pegasus over as she stalked forward. “Chrysalis is the whole damn reason this is happening! We woulda been just fine if she'd stayed in her damn cave!”

“Chrysalis is a victim in this, too!” shouted Rainbow, not giving an inch. “She's been trying to make amends, even though every other queen is dragging her down. She saved your sister, remember?”

“And foalnapped her, too! Do you remember what she said she was gonna do to Twilight?”

“Nightmare Moon was gonna do the same damn thing, and you forgave her for that. Or do second chances and forgiveness only extend to ponies in your book?”

Okay, that was enough. Taking a breath, I pushed a bit of magic into my voice.

“ENOUGH!”

That had been a bit too much magic. I was fairly sure everypony in the Apple family house had heard me, but it also had the desired effect of rendering my arguing friends speechless.

“Applejack,” I said softly, slowly approaching her, resting a forehoof on her back once I was close enough. “If you can't trust Chrysalis, then please at least trust me when I say I'm doing everything I can to stop Violet and find those missing ponies.”

Closing my eyes, I opened my mind to her, conveying memories of the research I was doing, the time and effort I was putting in, and the contributions Chrysalis and all my friends had made toward it. When I pulled away a minute later, Applejack had a much more subdued expression on her face.

“Twi...just promise me that when you learn where Violet is...you take me along.”

“If I go, you'll go with me,” I promised her.

My expression fell away as she walked back to her house. That probably could have gone better, but it definitely could have gone worse. “Chrysalis-” I began, only to be silenced with a shake of her head.

“She's not entirely wrong. I knew full well the trouble I was inviting when I accepted Celestia's protection.”

“So did Celestia,” I replied firmly. “If you've got the energy, let's get back to the library.

“We've got work to do.”

Chapter 9: Recuperation

Celestia was as good as her word. Any book or reference I needed was sent through Spike almost immediately, regardless of its availability to the general public. I also had a direct line to Magical Research and Development, just in case I needed to ask them anything.

My mornings were spent with Chrysalis and her changelings, exercising my mind and practicing mental magics. Eventually, I was able to manage three connections simultaneously, even while they were feeding me constant streams of images.

Afternoons, I brought over any of my friends who were available, exhaustively testing pony-to-pony mental connections and running dozens more tests on Starlight's curse mark. Fluttershy was there every night. Applejack had yet to show up once.

Meanwhile, negotiations with Aurum continued to move at a glacial pace. Aurum, Crimson, and Azure rarely left Canterlot Castle, never showing any sign of subterfuge, but also helping very little with finding Violet.

Time passed in a flurry of experiments and tests, and it wasn't until I woke up in a pile of books for the second morning in a row that I realized five days had slipped away, and my progress was starting to slow.

Wearily, I yawned and looked around. Spike was in his basket, sound asleep, just barely visible beneath one of the tables. He'd moved his bed down to the main library after the third time I'd woken him up in the middle of the night to take notes, although his grumbling had been surprisingly minimal.

I stretched, yawning again as I slid off of my book-bed. Dusk and the other members of Chrysalis' guard should be arriving soon, and I was happy to hear a knock on the door moments after I’d finished the thought.

Instead of the changeling guard I’d expected, though, the door opened to reveal Rainbow and Chrysalis. “Hey girls, did we have a schedule change?”

“We're about to,” said Rainbow firmly. “We're changing your entire schedule. Today.”

“What? But I-”

“Dusk is exhausted. Spike is exhausted. You are exhausted,” said Chrysalis firmly. “You have been tense and on-edge for the last five days. Every single changeling in my hive can feel it.”

“Oh...do they need a break? Because I can-Eep!” Before I could finish, Rainbow was at my back, pushing me away from my study desk and pile of books.

“Yes, and so do you. No arguments, we've already made a to-do list.”

“But-”

“A list your friends have all agreed on,” interrupted Chrysalis. “Or is work the only time you can make for them anymore?”

I flinched at the allegation. “That's a cheap shot...”

“But an honest one. Now go get showered and be back here in fifteen minutes, or Rainbow will come after you.”

Fourteen and a half minutes later, I stumbled out the front door, throwing the brush I'd been torturing my mane with back inside. “I'm here,” I gasped. “So...what are we doing?”

“Breakfast,” said Rainbow, landing by my side and steadying me.

“A proper breakfast,” added Chrysalis.

That, as it turned out, was at Rarity's place. She had clearly gone all-out with exquisite tea, finely toasted bread and daffodils, and a cornucopia of fruits. The best part, though, was the coffee. Rarity's high-class tastes didn't merely extend to fashion; she was a connoisseur of fine beverages as well, and considering her work schedule often put mine to shame, only the finest of brewed stimulants would do.

“Are you ever going to tell me who your supplier is?” I asked, letting out a sigh of satisfaction as I sipped at the blend.

“Absolutely not, darling. I'm sworn to secrecy. You wouldn't believe the ponies I had to sweet-talk and the hoops I had to jump through. I even had to learn a secret hoofshake.”

I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not, but I decided to let the matter rest. Instead, I turned the subject to something else I'd been curious about. “How are the changelings getting along here?”

“Rather wonderfully,” said Rarity instantly. “Sorting, prep work, paperwork, cleaning...they're quite good at many things that would otherwise take away from the time I have to design.”

“Do any of them work on designs of their own?” I asked.

Rarity coughed daintily and looked to the side. “Well...they try their best, but...”

“But they're terrible at it,” finished Chrysalis. “Something about 'burning your eyes’ and ‘not even fit for dish rags,' was it?”

Rarity let out a nervous laugh. “Well, I wouldn't say I was quite so dramatic...”

“On the contrary, Pitch tells me you were quite dramatic,” teased Chrysalis with a wry smile while Rainbow failed to stifle a chuckle.

Rarity sighed. “Fine. I'd say they were of...poor quality, but I'm more than happy to let them experiment and create. Everypony has to start somewhere, after all.”

CRASH!

“Faster! Faster! Wait...too fast!”

CRASH!

There was a collective wince at the table as several thumps echoed from the staircase, culminating in Sweetie Belle and the changeling she'd been riding landing in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Unsurprisingly, it was the foal who recovered first.

“Again! Again!” She prodded the fallen, groaning changeling, trying to urge him to his legs.

“So...you're using them as foalsitters, too?”

Rarity looked slightly bashful. “You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find somepony to look after her.”

“Wheeee!” I watched with amusement as the changeling got his second wind and galloped out of the boutique. “Cutie Mark Crusader Changeling Rider Go!”

“Oh, I think I can imagine,” I teased.

Chrysalis simply rolled her eyes. “The things my changelings do for love.”

“So, how many changelings are looking for employment?” I asked once we'd gained some distance from Rarity's place.

“All of the ones who used to infiltrate, along with a number of soldiers,” Chrysalis replied. “Most of them are simply getting used to trying new things and expressing themselves without disguises.”

Rainbow did a casual flip in the air, flying backwards while facing us. “Don't you share thoughts? Wouldn't one changeling doing something be enough?”

“Which would you enjoy more? Kissing Twilight, hearing her adorable sigh, seeing her eyes widen while her tongue hesitantly plays with yours...or would you be content with merely the mental image I just gave you?” finished Chrysalis smugly, turning and winking my direction.

Rainbow didn't need long to think. “Yeah, I guess nothing beats the real thing,” she concluded before giving me a playful grin.

I blushed and quickly changed the subject. “So, um...what are we doing at Fluttershy's place?”

“Volunteer work,” provided Rainbow. “Mostly cleaning and shelter rebuilding. Making sure everything is prepared for winter. Fluttershy has been having a tough time doing it by herself.”

“Really? She never told me when-”

“Of course she didn’t tell you,” interrupted Rainbow with a roll of her eyes. “Are you really surprised?”

I sighed, recalling her perfect attendance over the past five days. “No, not really.”

As it turned out, Fluttershy hadn't been expecting us. Our arrival was greeted with a squeak of surprise, several stammered apologies, and repeated insistences that she had everything under control and didn't want to be a bother. Moments later, Angel Bunny emerged from her home, flanked by several animals.

There was a long exchange of chirps and growls, as well as emphatic gestures from Angel Bunny, while Fluttershy responded with a series of soft words I could barely hear. It was by far the strangest argument I'd ever witnessed.

Ultimately, Fluttershy seemed to lose. “Um...Angel Bunny says that we’d greatly appreciate everypony's help.”

“Great! Let's get started! Just show me what needs cleaning and I'll put a raincloud over it!”

“W-wait, Rainbow, that's really not a good idea!”

As it turned out, the job was a bit more complex than it first seemed. Fluttershy was the indirect care provider for enough animals to start her own sanctuary, and she had fallen rather far behind schedule. Fortunately, it wasn't just the four of us. Gradually, a few of the changelings began to show up and surprisingly, the animals seemed to welcome their presence. My own role slowly shifted from cleaning and fixing shelters to directing the efforts of the changelings. It wasn't a particularly challenging task, but working on a project with a clear goal was relaxing.

At least until Angel Bunny managed to corner me.

“Yes, did you want something?” I asked after a full minute of listening to his foot loudly tapping against the ground.

The bunny responded with a glare.

“I already apologized for drugging your food, what more do you want?”

Angel Bunny gestured to himself and then traced a shape in the air.

“No, I'm not buying you apology-carrots.”

Angel slapped his foot against the ground and gestured a bit more vigorously.

“Trust me, your forgiveness is not worth that much.”

Angel Bunny let out a 'hmph' before turning his head and flicking his ear in my direction.

My eyes narrowed. “What did you just call me?”

“That's enough, both of you!”

Both of us flinched as Fluttershy's reprimand silenced our argument. Angel Bunny quickly tried to gesture in his defense, but Fluttershy shook her head. “Twilight has apologized more than enough,” she insisted. “Now go help the other bunny families with their house cleaning.”

After shooting one last scathing look my way, Angel Bunny stomped off to go inflict his personality elsewhere. “Don't apologize for him,” I said, interrupting Fluttershy before she could even take a breath. “For once, he actually has a right to be annoyed.”

“Oh...okay, if you're sure,” conceded Fluttershy. “I didn't really mind too much. You gave Tank a good checkup.”

Oddly enough, the fact that Fluttershy wasn't more annoyed with me made me feel worse about the whole thing. “So...how are the changelings getting along with the animals?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Better than I ever thought,” replied Fluttershy, suddenly excited. “It took them a while to get used to their presence, but once they stopped trying to disguise themselves, the animals really opened up.”

I was distracted briefly by the sight of Mr. Bear walking past on all fours, a changeling held gently in his mouth as though it were a cub.

“They're almost as good as I am with reading the animals’ emotional states.”

I stared at her in surprise. “Really?”

“W-well...a couple of them...almost...but they've been a great help, and the love the animals give them in return makes them very happy,” she insisted. “Even though I can't pay them much...”

I was just about to ask for further details when Chrysalis suddenly burst through the bushes. “Off with you, pesky creatures! I am a queen, not a perch!”

I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight. All manner of animals were clinging to Chrysalis, from squirrels and rabbits riding on her back and clutching at her mane, to birds using her jagged horn as a stand. A cat had even gotten hold of her tail and was happily chewing on it while being dragged along the grass behind her.

Beside me, Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle as well as Chrysalis teetered unsteadily, somewhat overwhelmed by the affection the animals were showing her.

“Maybe you should dial back on the pheromones,” I suggested, gently using my magic to pull the animals off of her.

“Hmph. This is my natural scent. Clearly these animals cannot resist my allure.”

“Alright. I'll be here if you need rescuing,” I teased, watching her wander off with the animals trailing behind her.

“For what it's worth, I really am sorry for the deception,” I said softly once she’d disappeared.

“I forgive you, Twilight, but only if you make that your last apology,” Fluttershy replied firmly. “I'm very happy that it helped bring you and Rainbow closer together.”

“Yeah...I suppose there's that,” I said with a smile.

Several hours and several cleaned and repaired homes later, I was feeling pleasantly worn out and hungry again, and breakfast at Rarity's place seemed like a distant memory. When Dash told me of our next destination, though, my appetite quickly withered.

“Chrysalis, are you sure about this? Maybe Sugarcube Corner would be a bit better...you know, given the circumstances...”

“I believe Applejack has had sufficient time to see reason,” said Chrysalis calmly.

“Yeah, and Pinkie Pie is already helping her with the food,” added Rainbow Dash. “Unless you wanted your meal to be nothing but apples.”

“They do grow things other than apples,” I reminded Dash as we crested the hill. Just inside their fenced-off area was a large table that Pinkie Pie and the Apple family were setting. They'd chosen the perfect day for an outdoor meal, or they'd called in a favor from the weather team, as the sky was clear and only the gentlest of breezes disturbed the air.

Mentally, I counted the number of seats at the table and then subtracted our group and the Apple Family. Several seats still remained. “Who else is coming?” I asked curiously.

“The other farm workers,” said Chrysalis with a coy smile. I was just about to ask for clarification when the buzzing sound of changeling wings filled my ears, and several of Chrysalis' kin emerged from the trees.

“What-”

“One can only buck apples as fast as you can place the buckets and haul them back,” said Chrysalis before I could ask.

“But how did you convince Applejack-”

“I didn't. I decided to ask her brother instead.”

Big Mac was front and center, greeting each of the changelings with a smile and a nod, directing them to their places. Applejack was slightly behind him, looking more resigned than annoyed.

“That's playing dirty,” I said with a wry shake of my head.

“On the contrary, it's win-win. Macintosh gets more time to pursue his hobbies, my changelings get compensation in the form of love and bits, and your friend can witness their sincerity first-hoof.”

“Just so long as she isn't being blinded by your blatant social manipulations,” I countered, but I had to admit it was a good plan. Applejack was a terrific farm pony, but her duties often called upon her to perform animal control, represent the family’s business interests, appear in an official capacity as the Element of Honesty, and to repel the odd monster attack, often leaving Big Mac to pick up the slack. With all the times he'd done so, there was no way Applejack could refuse his request for more free time, even if that meant taking on changeling workers.

Subtly, I mentally nudged Chrysalis to take a seat between Applebloom and Granny Smith, while Rainbow sat with Pinkie and the changelings. I honed in on Applejack and sat down on her left. “Thanks for inviting us,” I murmured, wincing slightly as Granny Smith hollered for everypony to dig in.

“Wasn't mah idea,” came her terse reply.

“Oh...” Grabbing a couple of the serving dishes in my magic, I began to load my plate while thinking of something to fill the silence. Applejack beat me to it, though.

“Any word on Appleloosa yet?”

I shook my head and sighed. “Not yet. She can't stay hidden forever, though, not with that many captives.”

Snatching the bowl from me, Applejack hit the wooden spoon hard against her plate as she served herself. “And if she ain't aimin’ to keep 'em alive?”

“She is,” I assured her. “We haven't found a single body yet. If they were interested in causing casualties, they wouldn't have bothered taking anyone.”

“Hmm.”

Applejack fell silent. From the other end of the table, I heard Granny Smith cackle as she nudged Chrysalis with a hoof. The queen, for her part, seemed to be showing polite interest in the story she was being told.

“How's yer research comin’?” Applejack asked.

“I'm making progress,” I replied. “I know it doesn't seem like much is happening, and...well, I'm not working right this moment, but-”

“Horseapples, Twi, ah know you better than that,” she interrupted. “Yer’ working hard. Yer' always working hard, and if Pinkie, Rainbow, and Rarity all say you need a break, then you darn well need a break.”

“Oh...thank you,” I mumbled awkwardly, taking a long drink of my apple juice. At the other end of the table, Applebloom was excitedly peppering the changeling queen with questions now that Granny Smith's story had concluded. I could tell that Applejack had more to say, but I kept my attention on my food, waiting for her to speak first.

“...Ah'm sorry for blowin’ up at you.”

I swallowed and replied. “You were upset. It's understandable.”

“Ain't justified, though. Ah know this ain't your fault or hers...ah'm just sick of mah family gettin’ dragged into it.”

I couldn't think of any way to respond to that, so I simply nodded.

“Ah still wanna be there when you find her, though.”

“You can count on it.”

An hour later, I was pleasantly stuffed and slightly drowsy. The one-two combo of an Apple Family meal and a Pinkie-Prepared dessert was bound to put anypony down for a nap or three. Hopefully, Dash and Chrysalis had planned for that.

“Now is as good a time as any,” hinted Chrysalis, glancing at Dash.

“Hey, I was getting to it! Don't you dare steal my thunder!” Taking to the sky, Rainbow sped off, disappearing for almost a dozen seconds before returning with an accompanying gust of wind. “Check these out!”

In her hoof were three silver tickets. I tilted my head to read the text on one of them. “Daring Do and the Silver City. A once-in-a-lifetime live action event.” I looked at Rainbow curiously. “Is this a...stage production?”

“You bet it is!” Rainbow's excitement was practically tangible. “The theater troupe has been advertising here all week!”

Intrigued, I took one of the tickets and read the details. Previously hidden behind her hoof were big bold letters that made me groan. “Oh...that's not good.”

“Huh? What's wrong?”

“Produced, written, and directed by Clever Twist,” I grumbled. “Most notable works include Filly in the Water and After Equestria.”

Rainbow looked at me, nonplussed. “What, were those not good?”

“You could...say that,” I began cautiously.

She rolled her eyes. “Twi, it's a Daring Do production, how could anypony screw that up?”

I was about to respond, but Chrysalis interrupted. “I, for one, am looking forward to this. You've been quite vocal about your love for this series.”

What I'd been about to say died on my lips. Chrysalis probably had the right idea.

“Oh, you're gonna be blown away,” assured Rainbow. “Daring Do is the most awesome pegasus ever!” She paused for a second to consider that statement. “Well, second most awesome.”

I felt Chrysalis gently trying to open a mental link with me. Realizing that she was waiting for an invitation, I met her halfway.

“Is Clever Twist really that bad of a playwright?”

“Trust me, we're going to get a good show tonight. Just keep your attention on Rainbow.”

“She hasn't said anything for five minutes now.”

“If she gets to ten, I'll snap her out of it.”

Rainbow Dash seemed to be in a state of catatonic shock. She was walking between us, her eyes wide and staring at the ground, her wings folded tightly at her sides. She seemed to be trying to collect her thoughts, even as they continued to remain jumbled in her mind.

Another minute passed. Okay, this was starting to get a bit silly now. Stopping, I turned and waved a hoof in front of her face. “Rainbow? Are you alright?”

Rainbow’s head jerked up and her eyes refocused, as if she were coming out of a daze. “Twilight?” she asked softly, as if noticing me for the first time.

“Yes, Rainbow?”

“What...the buck...was that?!”

Beside me, Chrysalis slowly began to back away. “Why? How? How do you buck up Daring Do that badly? What was with the changeling parents? Why the hay were aliens involved? Who the hay was that stupid butler character, and why did he get so much stage time?”

“Oh, that was Clever Twist,” I replied, fighting back a giggle. “He has a habit of inserting himself into his own works like that.”

“You mean he's here right now? I'll be right back, I've got a pony I need to buck into a thundercloud.”

I didn't think Rainbow would actually make good on her threat, but I gently grasped her with my magic and pulled her back. “Breathe, Rainbow. Don't worry, it's just a play. Not all of the Daring Do books have been great, you know.”

“Yeah, but still! It's like A.K. Yearling just threw up on a script and gave it to somepony!”

Chrysalis chuckled. “You were right, Twilight. This is an entertaining show.”

Rainbow Dash immediately rounded on the her, jabbing her in the chest with a hoof. “We're getting you the first Daring Do book tonight, and you're gonna read it! I am not letting Clever Twist ruin this for you!”

“I'm not so sure I'd like it, really,” said Chrysalis playfully. “Daring Do doesn't seem like much more than a clever thief.”

“What? She is not! She's an archeologist! And a writer, too!”

“And a changeling,” added Chrysalis.

“That's non-canon!”

I giggled at the sight of the two arguing before something at the edge of my senses caught my attention. My relaxed mood had caused me to miss it before, but now I could feel it a bit more strongly. Holding up a hoof to quiet the argument, I turned to Chrysalis. “Did you have a guard detail following us around?”

Chrysalis concentrated for a moment before shaking her head. “I did not. Dusk and the others were at the play of their own accord.”

Oh. I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised by that. Chrysalis wasn't done, however. “He also has a...humble request to make of you on behalf of the changeling race.”

I looked at Chrysalis, slightly puzzled. “And no, it's not one of my ideas,” she added.

Now I was intrigued.

Dusk was clearly on edge when we invited him into the library. He was fidgeting slightly, avoiding his queen's gaze, and his wings seemed to twitch nervously as the three of us waited for him to speak.

“How long has it been since Dusk made a request of you?” I asked Chrysalis on a whim.

“This would be his first.”

Outwardly, I hid my reaction, though internally, I couldn’t quite hide my disbelief. “Seriously?”

“I'm a bit surprised myself.”

“So...you gonna talk, or is there a mental conversation going on that I can't hear?” asked Rainbow pointedly.

Dusk opened his mouth and spoke, his words careful and deliberate. “Forgive my hesitation, I was gathering my thoughts.” Closing his eyes and taking a breath, he addressed Chrysalis aloud. “My queen, while none in our hive would ever think of shirking their duties, and our first and last loyalty shall always be to you-”

“Dusk,” interrupted Chrysalis suddenly. “I am always thrilled to have my praises sung, but if you do not get to the point, I am going to start probing your mind for answers.”

That seemed a bit severe to me, but apparently it was the encouragement Dusk needed. “The infiltration unit has expressed interest in putting on a performance similar to the show we attended tonight,” he finished quickly.

“You want to put on a play?” I asked, curious. “About what?”

Dusk's nervous twitches returned. “Well...we were considering the recently translated story that was recovered from Queen Azure.”

Chrysalis looked thoughtful at that. “You realize that story is highly fictitious, yes?”

“We are aware. Nonetheless, many within the hive have enjoyed it.”

“Very well, then. I see no reason to refuse your request, so long as your duties to the hive come first. How will you be funding this endeavor?”

“Donations from the other changelings who have found work in Ponyville,” replied Dusk. “We, um...don't have much else to spend our income on.”

“I'm sure that's something ponies will be eager to fix,” I said with a smile. “You might find your first production to be rather difficult, though.”

“Not like they could do worse than Clever Twist,” grumbled Rainbow.

“We believe we are prepared for the challenge,” said Dusk confidently.

“Then I shall expect to be impressed.” Retrieving my copy of the transcribed book from the library shelf, Chrysalis set it on the table in front of Dusk. With a nod and a grateful bow, he scooped up the book and quickly fled the library.

“So what odds do you give them for success?” I asked once the door had closed behind him.

“They have more enthusiasm than talent at the moment, but my infiltrators are resourceful. They will learn quickly.”

“Should we give them any help?” asked Rainbow.

“Not unless they ask. Though perhaps a few subtle hints here and there would be warranted.”

With the excitement over, the three of us spent some time winding down. Rainbow quickly found the first volume of Daring Do and practically forced it into Chrysalis' hooves, after which I spent some time getting her a library card so she could properly check it out. By the time the moon had risen, I couldn't help but admit that the day's events had left me thoroughly relaxed and ready to get a full night of sleep.

“Thank you for setting all of this up for me,” I told the two at the door. “I needed that break more than I realized.”

“It was for all of us,” corrected Chrysalis. “We were all getting worn down.”

“Except Pinkie,” amended Rainbow Dash.

Giggling softly, I paused with my hoof on the door. Well...I suppose it had been a fun date, and if they were serious...

Stepping away from the door, I approached Chrysalis, wrapping my foreleg around her neck and pulling her head down for a sweet, sensual kiss. As the Changeling Queen recovered from her daze, I turned to Rainbow, gently guiding her down with my magic before giving her a kiss and an affectionate caress down her neck.

“I had a wonderful time tonight, thank you,” I said, suddenly feeling a little shy. “I'll see you both tomorrow!” Grabbing hold of the door, I escaped inside and pulled it shut before either of them could react. I waited briefly, wondering if they were going to try and open the door or a mental link, but after a moment, it was clear they were going to leave me in peace.

Letting out the breath I’d been holding, I smiled and walked up the stairs to my room. Chrysalis had done some amazing work in getting the changelings involved with the community and working to get ponies to accept them. Sure, peace talks with Queen Aurum were going to help, but it was just as important for normal ponies and changelings to bond with each other. Maybe even moreso. No amount of legislation could ever make a pony like changelings, or any other race for that matter. Those connections had to be forged naturally.

I stopped mid-step, my eyes widening as inspiration struck me. Barely thinking, I teleported the rest of the way to my room. “Spike? Spike!”

A few moments later, I heard him running up the stairs, a panicked look on his face and the remnants of an ice-cream container under his arm. “What? What is it?”

“I need you to send a letter to Celestia! I've figured it out! I know how to find Queen Violet!”

Chapter 10: Canter Creek

It was difficult for me to sleep after my revelation, but an irritated Spike had quickly pointed out the numerous obstacles in my path. My friends were all asleep, Celestia was resting, the hospital was closed, and I desperately needed my energy for the plan I'd outlined.

However, there was one aspect I could take care of immediately, and it only took me a minute and a half to find Pinkie Pie and fill her in.

“I need all of the information you can possibly find on Sugar Belle.”

“You got it!” she said with an eager bounce. “But don't you already know a bunch from Celly and Chryssy?”

I shook my head. “No, Pinkie, I need to know everything. Friends, teachers, favorite foods, favorite colors, old residences, and the style she kept her mane in. Every single small detail could be important, so don't leave anything out. If she had a pet, I want to know its name and birthday.”

“You got it!” said Pinkie excitedly, giving me a salute before bouncing away.

Part of me wondered where Pinkie planned on getting this information, especially at this hour, but I knew better than to ask. Chrysalis may have been proud of her information network, but Pinkie's party network was downright scary.

Eventually, I managed to nod off after a midnight snack and some warm milk. When the sun rose, I was up with it, finalizing my checklist and looking over a large map of Equestria. When Chrysalis teleported in beside me, I barely even looked up.

“You're radiating nervous energy again,” she said in way of greeting. “My hive can feel it.”

“Sorry,” I replied hurriedly. “I just hate standing around and waiting for things to happen.”

“You obviously hate the concept of sleep, too,” grumbled Chrysalis. “Particularly my sleep.”

“If this doesn't work, you have my permission to snark at me,” I replied. “But just in case, I need as many soldiers as you can spare ready to go. Would you like some coffee?”

Chrysalis gave me a half-lidded stare before reaching out with a hoof. Before I even realized where it was heading, one of the holes in her leg had slipped around my horn, gently pulling it and my head upwards. In the next moment, her lips locked with mine; her long, flexible tongue slipped into my mouth and practically coiled around my tongue. There was a faint taste of her aphrodisiacs, but only enough to make my heart race. When she pulled back and released my horn, I could feel that my body heat had risen.

“No need, that was a sufficient pick-me-up.”

Her sly smile and mischievous eyes were difficult to look at directly. Fortunately, a knock at the door diverted my attention.

“Mornin', Twi, got a delivery for ya,” announced Applejack, expertly balancing upon her back a heavy box with the initials ‘S.B.’ written on the side. Eagerly, I lifted the package from her and placed it on the table.

“Thanks, Applejack. How is Pinkie doing?”

“Completely passed out. What they hay did you have her doin’ all night?”

“Research,” I said simply, pulling out several documents detailing work history and education, spreading them out over the map I'd unrolled earlier.

Chrysalis looked over my shoulder. “Information on Sugar Belle? I thought my changelings had given you all the information you needed.”

Wordlessly, I levitated one of the papers in front of her face. Chrysalis regarded it with a pensive frown. “Favorite color, preferred baking technique, favorite candy store as a foal...how did she find out all of this?”

Applejack let out a tired sigh. “It's usually best just not to ask with Pinkie Pie.”

Chrysalis seemed unamused by the non-answer, but I cut in before she could respond. “There's really no big secret about it. She just works really hard to maintain a network of contacts and friends. That way if anypony wants her to throw a party, she'll be able to assess their interests and put something together, even if it's on short notice.”

Chrysalis still looked skeptical. “And she manages this in-between her job at Sugarcube Corner and her occasional world-saving activities?”

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. “Now that is the true mystery of Pinkie Pie. She's got time management skills that even I envy.”

“And she gets by on two hours of sleep a day,” added Applejack. “So...not that I doubt ya, but what exactly is the point of all this?”

I paused in my reading, calculating internally whether or not there was an easy way to explain the complicated mental magic technique I had worked out yesterday. After thirty seconds, I determined there wasn’t one.

“Let me put it this way: if you're serious about coming along to stop Queen Violet, you'll want to clear your schedule.”

Two hours later, I was still debating the details with Chrysalis as we entered the hospital. Rainbow, who had joined us en route, was looking completely lost.

“I still believe you're vastly underestimating the sheer complexity of the mind.”

“I'm not talking about making a personality cut from whole cloth, Chrysalis, I want to build something clever enough to make her think there's a connection,” I replied, slightly exasperated.

“This still seems incredibly risky with a psyche as fragile as hers,” countered Chrysalis. “You could cause a number of long-term afflictions, even if she recovers.”

“Not as long as you're helping me,” I insisted. “I'll provide the power and a base neural network. You’ll fill in the details and attune the personality to Sugar Belle's memories.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. I couldn't really blame her. Chrysalis and I had been talking in circles for the past ten minutes now. “You are gonna do something, right?”

“We're going to try, at least,” I replied. And if it didn’t work, she wasn’t going to be any worse off.

“I don't quite share your certainty,” grumbled Chrysalis.

“I think you should go for it.”

Chrysalis glanced upward at Rainbow. “Why are you so confident? Do you even know what we're trying?”

“Barely. But it sounds like a lot of magical egghead stuff, and when it comes to being an egghead, Twilight has my complete confidence.”

“How sweet of you,” I giggled before addressing Chrysalis again. “I know this is going to be difficult, but I can't do it without you. You're better at crafting personas than I am, and you're better at improvising and adapting to an unstable mind.”

Chrysalis hesitated before replying under her breath, “I never said I wouldn't do it...”

Rainbow let out a 'hmm' while rubbing her chin with a forehoof. Suddenly, she smirked. “Oh, I get it now.”

“Get what?” I asked, puzzled.

“It's not that she doesn't want to do it, she's just worried about failing and disappointing you.”

Surprised, I looked back at Chrysalis. Her expression was completely neutral. “Really?”

“Hmph. Hardly. I am a Changeling Queen and a mistress of deception. I find this task a trivial use of my talents.” With a flick of her mane and a swish of her tail, Chrysalis went on ahead into Sugar Belle's hospital room while pointedly ignoring Rainbow's sly grin.

Half an hour later, Sugar Belle's room was starting to feel cramped. Her doctor was present, along with the guards who had been stationed outside her door. Add Nurse Redheart to the mix and the single patient room now had eight occupants.

Oh well, too late to switch rooms now. “Alright everypony, we're ready. If anything goes wrong with her vitals, Rainbow knows how to pull us out. If she starts thrashing, just make sure she doesn't hurt herself.”

Receiving silent nods from the doctor and the guards, I turned towards Chrysalis, my horn glowing softly. “Ready.”

With ease, Chrysalis and I slipped into our shared link. I could tell she was nervous, but considering my own unease, I had little hope of comforting her.

Slowly, with my power and Chrysalis' technique, a consciousness began to form and take shape inside our link. At first, it was nothing more than a few scattered personality traits. Then, Chrysalis began to add details, judiciously picking and choosing each facet of the persona. Some interests were shared with Sugar Belle, others contrasted sharply; it wasn't enough to just have all of 'her' interests completely match up with those of her 'friend'.

Memories came next. Past conversations, tense moments where the two of them had gotten into trouble, meals enjoyed together, playful debates over the best types of sweets, and a heart-wrenching argument right before she'd run off and encountered Starlight Glimmer.

Peaks, valleys, good times and bad. All of the things that made a true friendship what it was, all compressed into a single constructed consciousness that was reaching out to the comatose unicorn like an old, forgotten friend.

Almost immediately, there was resistance. Starlight's curse mark was working to suppress Sugar Belle's sense of self, and Violet's twisted mind magic was reinforcing that curse. Determined, I fought back against them while Chrysalis maintained the construct, tirelessly trying to rekindle a connection.

Gradually, I could feel Sugar Belle react, her own consciousness starting to awaken as she accepted the memory of her 'friend', giving us the opening we needed. It was tempting to push straight in, but this process demanded precision and deliberate action, and Chrysalis opted to slowly exert her power until she could gently slide into her subconscious and draw me in with her.

Memories began to flood the link. A difficult foster home, some nasty fights, the discovery of her talent and cutie mark, running away from home, and her first meeting with Starlight. Chrysalis quickly wrapped herself in those thoughts, tenderly exerting her influence as Sugar Belle's friend, reminding her of who she was and what she was passionate about. At the same time, I began to target the strands of changeling magic that had wrapped around her mind. I made sure to move slowly and precisely. Her mind and sense of self were too fragile to use anything more than a delicate touch.

“She's getting some color back.”

I sent Rainbow an acknowledgement and began using more power, burning away the changeling magic while Chrysalis continued to encourage her to fight back against the curse mark.

“She's starting to move.”

“Get ready to restrain her,” I replied quickly.

Mentally, I steeled myself. This was the moment I would find out if my theory was correct. After communicating the next step to Chrysalis, the two of us counted down together, and then our power surged. Relentlessly, I suppressed the changeling influence while Chrysalis encouraged Sugar Belle to remember who she was; a two-pronged assault to handle the combined magics of Starlight and Violet.

We were gaining ground. Violet's spellwork fought back, resisting and striking out, trying to damage the mind of its host, but now Sugar Belle was fighting back as well, rejecting her influence. Finally, I could feel the moment I’d been waiting for.

Pulling out of the mental link, I was met with the sight of the guards holding the thrashing patient in place. “Move!”

The two earth ponies jumped away at my command, and my bright violet beam struck her flank a moment later. Slowly, the equals mark on her flank began to fade and color returned to her features. Her thrashing slowed and eventually stopped. Beside me, Chrysalis let out a breath and opened her eyes.

“It's done,” stated Chrysalis with a sigh of relief.

“May I?” asked the doctor, gesturing toward the patient.

“All yours,” I panted, feeling mentally exhausted. The procedure had barely taken an hour, but it had felt like far longer.

“When she wakes up, she'll be wondering where her friend is,” murmured Chrysalis, sitting beside me while the doctor and the nurse checked their patient over.

All I could do was nod. I had hoped Chrysalis would have been able to remove the memory once Violet's control had been broken, but apparently Sugar Belle had latched onto it far too strongly. Removing that source of strength now would do more harm than good.

The ramifications of leaving a false memory ingrained in her consciousness were definitely discomforting. All I could hope for was that the end result would be worth it.

I closed my eyes just in time to avoid being blinded by the dual flashes of the princess’ teleports, the two of them appearing perfectly in the space I'd cleared for them in the middle of all my work spread throughout the library.

Celestia offered me a warm smile, but went straight to business. “How certain of this are you?” she asked, holding up the scroll I'd sent just minutes earlier.

“One hundred percent,” I replied confidently. “But only insofar as I know where Sugar Belle's cutie mark is. Everything else fits perfectly, though.”

Gesturing to the map unrolled on the table, I placed my hoof on the mark I'd made earlier. “Canter Creek. Isolated town on the frontier near the Badlands, and relatively close to the Barracks Town where Starlight was operating.”

“Are you certain this is not a decoy? Perhaps Sugar Belle's cutie mark has simply been left behind as bait,” countered Luna.

“It's certainly possible,” I conceded. “But I know for sure that her cutie mark is there. I've tested this extensively. It’s not possible to block the connection a pony has with their mark with shields or distance, and it can’t be faked, either. Once I broke the curse mark, it was easy to link with her mind, sense the direction, and triangulate its position.”

Celestia turned to Luna, a grim look on her face. There seemed to be a silent debate going on between them as they weighed the potential risks. “We could always send a small scouting party ahead first to be sure,” I suggested hesitantly.

The sun princess shook her head. “No, I believe now is the time to go all in. Chrysalis, are you-”

“My hive has been preparing since this morning,” she replied immediately. “We're ready.”

Celestia nodded and turned to me. “And your friends?”

“I told them to clear their schedules,” I replied. “Pinkie will need to nap on the train, though.”

“Good. I do not intend to take any chances this time.” Her horn glowed and suddenly an illusion that had been placed on the ground shimmered and faded, revealing a small trapdoor.

Rainbow, who had been silent since Celestia's arrival, gasped in surprise as the Elements of Harmony were revealed from a box within. “They were here the whole time?”

“Ever since Chrysalis' invasion,” replied Celestia, amusement in her voice. “It became clear to me that keeping them in a secure, hard-to-reach vault was not ideal in emergency situations.”

I swallowed, somewhat nervous now. The scope and size of this operation was increasing rather quickly, making me all the more worried that it might be a trap. “What about Queen Violet?”

“Her, you should leave to me,” replied Princess Luna, stepping forward. “I will command this operation, and if we engage with Queen Violet, I shall be there to greet her.”

That made me feel a little better. Even though my last encounter with Violet had technically been a stalemate, I wasn't eager to go another round. “How soon do we move out?”

Just as fast as last time, it turned out. It took less than an hour to gather Ponyville's guard force and changelings, and by the time the commandeered train had reached Canterlot, the rest of the unit was there to meet us. I recognized several faces from the previous operation, along with Luna's Night Guard that had helped with Queens Azure and Crimson.

Luna herself was in full battle armor; ebony black plates covered her from head to tail. She was going for full intimidation, and a few enchantments on the armor helped with that, from subtly bending the light around her to emphasizing her ethereal mane and glowing moon crest. The fact that she was sitting on a train seat in broad daylight only slightly diminished her intimidating presence.

“That's a really well done illusion,” I complimented, approaching her. “Is it part of the armor's enchantment?”

Luna smiled, showing off a set of fangs. “Well spotted. It has been a long time since I've had the opportunity to use this.”

“Gryphons?” I asked flatly.

“Gryphons.”

My attention wandered to the other side of the train car. While I could feel her presence easily enough, it took me a moment to spot Rainbow Dash amidst the crowd of blue and gold uniforms, mostly because she was wearing a blue and gold uniform of her own.

“...don't want anypony deviating from the plan. We won't know who is curse marked, brainwashed, or a changeling in disguise, so everypony gets restrained, no exceptions. If you encounter a queen, fall back and let Luna deal with it. If you need backup, tell the changeling with your squad and those orders will get relayed. Any questions?”

The squad leaders shook their heads.

“Good, now drill that into everypony's head. I don't want to fill out even a single casualty report this mission.”

The squad leaders left, though Rainbow stayed behind, looking down at her uniform while running a hoof over her chest. “It looks good on you,” I said as I approached.

“Thanks...still feels a bit strange wearing it, though.”

“You'll get an official ceremony later,” assured Spitfire. “But don't think I won't bust your flank back down to cadet if you let it go to your head.”

Rainbow gulped. “Yes ma'am.”

Behind me, I could hear Chrysalis chuckle. “I didn't think there was a pony alive who could put you in line so easily.”

“Shut up,” grumbled Rainbow, trying to hide her blush as Spitfire walked away.

“Oh, don't be so embarrassed. I'm sure you could get Twilight to put on a Wonderbolt uniform and order you around.”

Rainbow made a strangled noise and glared at Chrysalis. I went one step further and cast a Bubble of Silence around her, blushing fiercely and avoiding Rainbow's gaze. From the corner of my eye, I could see her trying to dispel the bubble, but I'd put quite a bit of power into it.

“So, um...did you-”

“No. It was a foal's crush, and right now I'm with somepony way better,” said Rainbow quickly. “Can we talk about anything else?”

Warily, I glanced at Chrysalis, who rolled her eyes before nodding. I dispelled the bubble and turned my attention over to the battle map that had been set up in one of the booths. Our numbers were relatively small; a hundred ponies of assorted specialties with a fairly even mix of pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns, accompanied by about sixty of Chrysalis' changelings.

Rainbow and Chrysalis soon joined me. “Reports say we're likely to be outnumbered at least two-to-one ,” said the changeling queen. “Are you nervous?”

I looked toward Luna and her personal guard. Across from her were my friends (minus Pinkie Pie who was sleeping in one of the private cars), each of them prominently displaying their Element of Harmony. Two booths over, Spitfire and her two lieutenants were deep in conversation, and across from them was the new captain of the Royal Guard that had been hoof-picked by my brother to replace him when he left for the Crystal Empire.

Smiling, I shook my head. “Not even slightly.”

“We have confirmed changeling sightings.”

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn't necessarily 'good' news, but at least there was something here and I hadn't just wasted everypony's time.

“What about ponies?” asked Spitfire calmly.

“Plenty of them. We couldn't get close enough to verify with the amulets, but we saw a number of curse marks,” replied the forward scout.

Nodding, Spitfire turned her attention to Sugar Belle. The unicorn was weak and looked fatigued, but her eyes were staring straight at the city. “What are you feeling right now?”

“My cutie mark...it's in that village, I can feel it,” she replied haltingly. Beside her, Sugar Belle’s ‘friend’, Sweet Mint, put a comforting hoof on her back. The very sight of the changeling disguised as the silver-maned Earth Pony that Chrysalis and I had fabricated turned my stomach, but it was the only thing keeping her sane and coherent.

“Any sign of Starlight?” asked Spitfire, addressing the scout once more.

“No ma'am, but the largest concentration of ponies and changelings seems to be centered around the town hall.”

“I see,” said Luna thoughtfully. “Spitfire, I shall hold back and prepare to meet the queen if she tries to rush the barrier. Otherwise, you may direct the operation as you see fit.”

“Thank you, princess.” Spitfire turned from Luna and addressed my friends. “Showtime, girls. Give ‘em a taste of Harmony.”

Several popping sounds filled the air as changelings and unicorns teleported away. Hooves beat against the ground as the earth pony squads rushed to their positions, and several more groups of pegasi took off into the skies. I began to count in my head. Fifteen seconds later a nearly transparent shield went up.

“That's our cue,” I said aloud, though I needn’t have bothered. I could already feel my friends reaching out to me, joining their minds with mine as the Elements of Harmony began to glow. From the corner of my eye, I could see Luna shift away a bit. Even purified of Nightmare Moon, there was probably some lingering discomfort in seeing the Elements being used again.

Gathering the thoughts and feelings of my friends, I gave all that energy the 'spark' it needed. A multi-colored glow formed around us, and with a deep booming sound, the prismatic stream launched from our position, arcing through the sky and passing straight through the shield, hitting the town dead center and bathing it in rainbow light.

I could feel the morale of our soldiers rise as the Harmony magic washed over them along with the town. Even Chrysalis' changelings felt comforted.

“Alright girls, take a place on the perimeter and help out where you can,” I called out before they scattered to their assigned units. Letting my mental connection with them fade, I tapped into Chrysalis' link and observed.

Fighting had begun almost as soon as the shield was raised. Pockets of changelings were swarming from houses, focusing attacks on the shield in groups, only to be met with earth pony and pegasi squads wielding efficient takedown tactics.

Many of the curse-marked ponies were standing around, dazed and confused, barely resisting as they were tackled and magically restrained. Most looked like they were reeling from the Harmony strike, but a few dozen of them were attacking the barrier and other ponies with seemingly mindless rage.

“No sign of the queen, yet,” murmured Chrysalis.

“Maybe we got lucky and she was at ground zero of the blast,” I provided. We had centered it on the town hall for that very reason.

Chrysalis paused for a moment and then turned to Luna. “Perimeter clear. We can push forward.”

Nodding, Luna sent up a blue spark of magic high into the sky. Slowly, the unicorns and changelings began to walk forward, shrinking the shield, stopping only once they met resistance.

One by one the houses were cleared, with Earth Ponies kicking down doors and pegasi going in through the upstairs windows. The overall progress was slow but efficient, ensuring that no pony or changeling slipped through the closing net.

Idly, I explored the link, watching through the eyes of other changelings and checking up on my friends. Applejack was on the front lines, kicking down doors and even walls when the situation called for it. She had several lengths of rope with her, often not waiting for a unicorn before binding her takedowns and moving on. Rarity was hanging back, using her talents to help with restraining pacified ponies and changelings. Fluttershy was using her Stare to great effect. It didn't seem like any amount of brainwashing could diminish the sheer terror of that look, freezing both pony and changeling in place for others to take advantage of. Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof...

“Is that a hand-held party cannon?” asked Chrysalis, who had been following my link.

“Yes,” I said with a slight groan as I saw a changeling fall to the ground, tangled in streamers and covered with confetti. “She calls it ‘The Funderbuss'.”

Slowly, the shield continued to shrink. House after house was cleared, more and more changelings and brainwashed ponies were captured and restrained. Any time a group formed and made concentrated attacks against the perimeter shield, the nimble Wonderbolt units quickly deployed to break them apart.

“Does this seem too easy to you?” I asked after an hour had passed.

Chrysalis considered the question. “Violet's forces seem loosely coordinated, but directionless.”

“Do you think she has fled?” asked Luna.

“It's...possible.” The queen paused and then smiled. “Although if she has, she paid dearly for it. My changelings just found their stash of cutie marks.”

My spirits lifted at the news, though I made an effort to stay calm. “Keep it intact until the operation is over.” I allowed myself to relax a bit. Even if Violet managed to dodge the shield, this trip hadn't been wasted.

Another hour passed and the fighting growing steadily fiercer as the shield continued to compress and the remaining changelings and brainwashed ponies grouped together by necessity. Their tactics were getting desperate now and some were starting to use the ponies as shields, but we had numbers on our side now, and the last changelings remaining outside quickly fell.

“It looks like we are ready to take the town hall,” said Luna as the final outside group was captured. “There seems to be a significant changeling presence within. If Queen Violet is not going to show herself, I believe this would be an excellent time to ‘stretch my wings’ as t’were.”

In a flash of blue, Luna teleported away.

“You know,” I began, “I'm still angry at Violet for what she did to Rainbow, but...”

“I feel sorry for them, too,” finished Chrysalis.

Despite their best efforts, fear was running rampant through the link. They had been pushed back time and again, their numbers dwindling at an alarming rate, and their tenuous and shaky hold on the brainwashed ponies was becoming more difficult as the Harmony magic sought to undo their work.

None of the violet-eyed changelings harbored any illusions about winning the fight, but all of them were determined to make one final stand, pushing the brainwashed ponies to the front and into the line of fire. No matter which direction they came in, the ponies were going to pay for it.

It wasn't until the ground was almost completely covered that one of the changelings finally noticed the mist seeping in through the cracks of the floor. Panic erupted through the link. Changelings turned their magic on the mist, but it resisted all of their attempts to stop it. The light that had been coming in through the windows suddenly winked out, and more azure smoke billowed through the gaps, plunging the room into an absolute darkness that not even their magic could pierce.

Some of the brainwashed ponies scrambled for the door, only to find it sealed shut, and as the smoke continued to billow in, even the sound in the room faded, leaving only an empty, crushing silence.

And then, a fanged smile appeared with gleaming white teeth, closely followed by glowing green slitted eyes.

A flurry of magical attacks were thrown her way, but each fizzled and died before they could reach their mark, the shrouded alicorn laughing at their attempts. Her horn began to glow and her dark wings spread, shadows twisting and writhing around her before they surged outward towards pony and changeling alike.

One by one, the linked changeling's minds were snuffed out, their terror feeding into those who remained as the dark alicorn gleefully cut them down, laughing all the while, taking great pleasure in the horror each of them showed before the shadows came to swallow them.

In seconds, half their number was gone and their morale shattered. The sounds of the alicorn's laughs echoed in their ears as the remaining changelings desperately tried to undo their own barricades in the darkness.

Standing a ways back from the town hall, I watched in fascination as the doors burst open and changelings poured out of the interior, some trying to break through the wall of ponies outside, but most simply throwing themselves at the hooves of the soldiers. Beside me, Luna smiled and dispelled the illusion.

“I'm starting to think there's a reason why your legend persisted for so long after you were banished,” I murmured, trying to shake off the residual feelings of terror I'd felt from looking in on Violet's changeling's link.

“Hmph. Mere word of my presence once cleared battlefields,” the princess boasted, though I could tell she appreciated the compliment.

“Even the gryphons?” asked Chrysalis curiously.

“Especially the gryphons.”

As the three of us passed the perimeter of soldiers, Chrysalis mentally nudged me.

“Applejack has found her cousin, Braeburn. She wishes to know if she can release his cutie mark from its prison.”

“Of course,” I said quickly, feeling another weight lift from my back as we entered the town hall. Inside, several of the curse marked ponies had fainted from the terror of Luna's illusion along with their changeling captors. Thankfully, aside from a few bruises, none of them looked injured.

“Any casualties?” I asked.

“None on our side,” replied Spitfire, having caught my question as she flew through one of the broken windows and landed next to Luna. “General consensus among the units is these changelings were pretty terrible fighters. The brainwashed ponies were even worse, though most of them were knocked on their flanks from the Harmony strike.”

“We might have put a stop to her before she could effectively refine the technique, and the queen herself is still missing,” I pointed out. “How many changelings did we capture?”

Chrysalis tilted her head slightly, a subtle sign I'd come to associate with rapid simultaneous communications. “Around a hundred, it seems.”

My brow furrowed slightly. That was half as many as we'd been expecting. Had something clued her in to the coming attack and caused her to run, leaving behind half her forces as a distraction?

I swallowed as I looked at the unconscious changelings. As wretched as the words felt, I forced myself to say them. “We could...possibly find out more through a mental link with one of Violet's changelings.”

“That might not be necessary,” said Chrysalis suddenly. “My changelings have just found Starlight Glimmer.”

Any doubt I had in my mind about Starlight Glimmer working for the changelings against her will was dashed once I saw the state of her confinement. She had been trapped in one of the changeling pods, barely big enough to stretch out in. She looked malnourished, and it was unlikely she'd been able to wash regularly.

Rainbow, Chrysalis, and I followed slightly behind Luna, passing through a gap in the shield that had been put up around her prison. While I doubted that Starlight had enough energy for a teleport, they clearly weren't taking any chances.

Luna quickly wrapped the cocoon in her magic and unraveled it before disintegrating the goop with a precise blast of magic. Starlight's only response was to wearily tilt her head up. “You came,” she murmured. “The queen said you'd come.”

“Why were you left behind?” asked Luna firmly.

Starlight let out a mirthless chuckle. “She didn't need me anymore. I gave her what she wanted.”

“And what was that?” pressed Luna calmly. “An army of subservient ponies? A source of food?”

Starlight opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her body trembled slightly until finally she laughed. “She wanted me to doom Equestria. You will have a new Queen before the day is done.”

I frowned, gently picking up the unicorn with my magic, tilting her head toward mine. “Show me,” I commanded, my eyes glowing slightly with violet light.

The link came with ridiculous ease. Her mind felt like it had been forced open repeatedly to the point where she couldn't resist a link even if she wanted to. Images quickly spilled into my mind, flashes of her applying the curse mark, her meeting with Queen Violet, and several weeks of imprisonment.

It didn't take me long to find a mental block. In fact, Starlight's mind was drawing me straight to it, the barrier coming down immediately and bringing with it a second flood of thoughts and images that I quickly sifted through.

“That block was put in place by Starlight,” observed Chrysalis.

A minute later, I pulled out with a gasp, my eyes wide. “Luna! We need to get back to Canterlot! Now!”

Despite my panic, the princess remained composed. “Calm yourself, Twilight. What did you see?”

“Queen Aurum! She went to Canterlot hours ago! This was all a diversion!” I shouted.

Luna shook her head. “If she has split her forces, she will find very robust defenses in her path. The Royal Guard-”

“She doesn't have an army,” I snapped. “She took all the energy from the changelings who weren't here. She was never planning an invasion, her target has been Celestia all along!”

Luna's expression immediately darkened. “My quarters.”

“What?”

“I will teleport ahead to my quarters and lift the wards there. Wait thirty seconds after I leave.”

“I'll follow,” offered Chrysalis. “My hive can spare the energy; they don't need it for cleanup duties.”

I turned to Rainbow, but she cut me off before I could speak. “Save your energy, I'll race you there.” With a confident smile, she spread her wings and blasted out of the building. In the same breath, Luna disappeared in a flash of light.

I tried to calm down and count backwards from thirty, processing all the things I'd seen in Starlight's twisted mind.

“Wait...did you mean to say that Queen Violet left for Canterlot hours ago?” asked Chrysalis suddenly.

“No, the real Queen Violet was always at Canterlot.”

Chapter 11: Fight and Flight

“Princess, is something wrong?”

Celestia slowly turned her head back toward the guard captain, her voice having trailed off in mid-sentence. “Stalwart, I need you to evacuate the staff and soldiers immediately.”

Stalwart hesitated for a moment, but a stern look from the Solar Princess cut off his protests. “At once, your highness.” He bowed briefly before turning and galloping from the room. The other assembled guards quickly followed, splitting off to fulfill their pre-arranged duties, all except one.

“Princess, with respect, isn't it our duty to lay down our lives for you if need be?” Despite the brave face he was putting on, Celestia could hear the tremor in the young pegasus' voice.

Celestia smiled at the recruit and gently shook her head. “Not today, Bright Wing. Right now, I need you to make sure that all of Canterlot's citizens stay safe and that everypony gets far away from the castle.”

Bright nodded quickly before taking off after the others, leaving the Princess of the Sun alone in the throne room. Flexing her magic, Celestia began to tidy up the large chamber; rolling up the tapestries, stacking and filing away the papers that had been left behind by her scribes, and hiding away the expensive carpet.

By the time the first blast of magical force struck the large wooden doors, the room was completely bare, save for the two thrones. Before the second one hit, Celestia grabbed the handles and opened the doors. “A simple knock would have sufficed, Aurum. I had been looking forward to meet the real you for some time now.”

From the entryway, four changeling queens looked back at her. Queen Aurum was at the front, flanked by Crimson and Azure, with Violet near the back. All four were brimming with power as they filed into the throne room. “How long have you known?”

“Oh, I always suspected,” said Celestia with a shake of her head. “Though I had hoped Violet would relay my intentions back to you.”

“You weave half-truths and flagrant lies with a skill that any changeling would envy,” retorted Aurum. “Queen Violet told me plenty.”

Celestia sighed. “I have only ever been honest with you, Aurum. And I am quite honest when I say that I pity those who serve you. How many did you sacrifice to obtain the power you now wield?”

A brief look of discomfort passed over the faces of three queens, but Aurum's expression remained neutral. “All of them knew they were serving a greater cause. We will rebuild, and this time there won't be any obstacles in our way.”

Turning her attention from the zealous queen, Celestia caught Azure's eye. “It pains me to see you discarding your second chance like this. I presume that Starlight Glimmer assisted you in subverting my Mark?”

Azure opened her mouth to respond, but Aurum interrupted. “The time for negotiations is over, Celestia. Submit to us or be broken.” The four elders’ horns began to glow, their energy filling the room.

Celestia rose, horn glowing, her golden light outshining all of them. Along her body, gold plates began to spread from her hooves, covering her figure until only her mouth and eyes were visible.

“If violence is the path you wish to tread, then so be it. I will show you the full fury of the sun!”

My eyes opened as I dropped a few centimeters to the ground, landing unsteadily on a rich blue carpet. The room was dark, forcing me to squint as I searched for Luna, spotting her a moment before she pulled open one of the room's curtains to let the light in.

“The wards on Queen Aurum’s chamber have been broken,” Luna said calmly as I stumbled to her side. “The castle staff and guards have been evacuated.”

“And Celestia?” I asked worriedly.

Luna shook her head. “We know not.”

A popping sound heralded the arrival of Chrysalis, who landed on the floor in a manner only slightly more gracefully than mine. “Nnhh...did we just pass through a shield? I thought that was impossible!”

“This room is special,” said Luna, moving to her door and quickly dispelling the magical lock. “It exists partially within the realm of dreams and isn't quite as bound by the laws of physical space.”

Chrysalis opened her mouth, but paused, as she seemed unsure of what to ask.

“I'll explain later,” I assured her.

With a loud click, the door opened and the three of us ran out into the castle proper. The damage was immediately apparent. Caved-in walls, scorch marks, and a magical saturation in the air that made every one of my senses tingle. Celestia's overwhelming power dominated the mixture, but the four changeling elders all had a very noticeable presence.

What worried me most of all was the absence of active spellwork. The fight was already over.

“No bodies. Looks like the staff got out in time,” observed Chrysalis, using thought to communicate to save her breath.

Taking a corner atop a flight of stairs, I nearly ran into Luna. The sight in front of me made a bit of bile rise in my throat. “Spoke too soon...”

In front of us, Queen Violet lay lifeless. Her purple mane was scorched and burnt, the left side of her body practically melted from Celestia's magic. She had clearly been flung some distance, and the residual magic energy put the time of her death a little less than an hour ago. I quickly turned away from the sight.

“Looks like somepony stopped holding back,” murmured Chrysalis.

Luna said nothing, quickly turning from the body and galloping towards the throne room, practically leaving us in the dust and only slowing once she reached the collapsed entryway. Her horn flared and her blue aura enveloped the pile of debris, casually flinging it aside with enough force to make brand new holes in the nearby walls, and finally revealing the outcome of the battle.

My heart sank. Celestia was down, and on either side of her stood Azure and Crimson, horns glowing as they concentrated their power on the alicorn between them. Suddenly, everything slipped into focus. They had never intended to kill Celestia, they were trying to control her.

Luna quickly made up her mind. A shiver passed through my body moments before a terrific stream of energy sped toward Azure, the temperature in the room seeming to drop as it traveled. Just when I'd begun to hope she'd caught the queens distracted, though, Crimson opened her eyes and a powerful shield sprang into place, deflecting the attack.

Celestia slowly stirred and opened her eyes. The distinct golden glow around her irises was impossible to miss.

We were too late.

Turning to each of us, the white alicorn slowly flexed her wings, her ethereal mane starting to flow once more. When she spoke, I could hear Celestia's voice, but there was another behind it, giving it that same tonal duality Chrysalis' own voice held. “Stand down, all of you,” she ordered. “I have no intention of killing anyone, but the power of the sun is now mine, and I will not hesitate to use it.”

The threat sent a chill down my spine. Had she already achieved that level of control? Using the sun as a weapon went against everything Celestia stood for, but with three changeling elders controlling her mind...

“My sister's star will not budge an inch so long as We remain,” retorted Luna. “Or didst thou forget We too can command the heavens?”

My head snapped toward a hole in the ceiling, watching the bright star waver in the air slightly. A strained look passed over Celestia's face as magical power filled the room, but the sun refused to budge.

“Hmph. Thou cannot possibly hope to learn in an hour what my sister has spent a lifetime perfecting,” taunted Luna.

Aurum's voice came back just as calm and collected as before. “Then we shall make the time.” Large white wings unfurled, and with a mighty flap, Celestia took to the air, heading towards one of the giant holes in the wall.

“She's running!” I shouted.

“We think not!” The light in the room dimmed significantly as Luna unleashed her magic, but Azure was ready, jumping in the way and meeting her magic head-on with a torrent of her own. Crimson added her power to the mix, the two combined managing to push Luna back. Chrysalis swiftly joined Luna's corner, though, adding to the maelstrom building in the center, the four seemingly at a stalemate.

My first instinct was to help. Maybe with my power we could push them back...but this was just a distraction. All that mattered to them was the white alicorn unsteadily flying away from the fight, heading to a place outside the castle's wards where she could teleport away.

I lit up my horn, casting a flurry of spells as I pursued the fleeing alicorn. Violet flames spread across my body as I tapped into my knowledge of changeling magic, wings forming at my sides. I had barely formulated a plan as I leapt into the air after her, but no matter what, I had to stop Queen Aurum from escaping.

Behind me, I could hear the conflux of magic detonate, signaling the beginning of a desperate fight, but I forced myself to ignore it and trust that Luna and Chrysalis could deal with the other queens.

Luna's first instinct was to chase after her sister. The haze from the magical detonation was dissipating and she could see the white and gold outline of her retreating form with Twilight in pursuit, but Azure stood in her way. She knew she could out-fly Azure, but that would leave her ally facing down two elders alone, and if there was to be anything salvaged from this mess afterward, Chrysalis would be needed just as much as Celestia. She had to hope that Twilight could stall her.

All of those thoughts flew through her mind in less than a second. The second after, her shield came up, deflecting one of Azure's powerful strikes. She spread her wings, and with a leap, she flew to the elder's side, pushing her back with a blast of her own. In her peripheral vision, Luna could see Chrysalis flying away through one of the broken windows, drawing her fight away from the escalating conflict. Good. One less thing to worry about.

“Elder Azure, We offer you one final chance to surrender.” Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice rang through the throne room. “Even now, after all you've done, our sister would not wish for you to die needlessly.”

“And then what? Take another mark next to the first? Rot in one of your dungeons? Live on your charity for the rest of my life? I would sooner die!”

Luna's expression remained stoic. “So be it, then.” She closed her eyes for a brief moment. When they opened again, her slitted pupils were glowing softly. “If thou art so desperate to doom thy race, then fight!”

Sky blue magic clashed against midnight blue, the alicorn bringing her full power to bear, only to find the changeling elder holding her ground and keeping her hooves firmly planted as she pushed back. Luna concealed her surprise, ceasing her offensive and taking off into the air as a wall behind her was obliterated.

Azure’s follow-up was quick, forcing Luna to twist to avoid a lethal beam of energy. Righting herself, Luna countered, but was met with a sturdy shield.

“Surprised to find someone who can match your power?” taunted Azure.

Luna chuckled as she landed. “Hardly. It takes us back to a time when our sister was more willing to spar.” Her shield was up in time for the next magical strike, but it quickly cracked and strained beneath the pressure. However, the instant it shattered, all that remained was a dark blue mist.

Azure scoffed at the technique. “Do you think we learned nothing from your sister? We studied her memories of you first!” The queen's horn glowed and the air rapidly grew hot and humid. The mist seemed to waver and condense in the air before snapping back and reforming into the Lunar Princess, visible trails of sweat running down her sides.

“Celestia had counters for all of your little tricks,” boasted Azure. “They were practically at the forefront of her mind. I guess she never fully trusted your miraculous 'recovery'.”

Luna winced as another projectile streaked by her, singing her armor and nearly clipping her wing. To the elder’s shock, Luna began to chuckle, her eyes glowing brighter and her fangs becoming more pronounced. Slowly, the light in the room began to bend around her aura of darkness, and soon her chuckle erupted into maniacal laughter. When she spoke again, it was backed with the full power of her Royal Canterlot Voice. “Celestia was right to stay vigilant. Come, little elder, show us thy strength!”

Luna's next volley met Azure's halfway, and the detonation shook the very foundations of the castle.

Chrysalis winced as Crimson struck her shield, the red queen wasting no time in battering her defenses after the initial magical surge. Her barrier cracked, but held.

“Do you regret sparing my life?” taunted the elder. “If you'd killed me back in Azure's hive, you might have lived past today!”

The younger queen answered first with a spell of her own, taking to the air and drawing their fight away from Luna and Azure. “I'd just be fighting your replacement, then. Queen Aurum clearly considered you expendable if she left you behind to die.”

Crimson's retaliation was quick and precise, but Chrysalis was ready, dropping out of the air as the window shattered behind her. “If my sacrifice ensures the survival of our race, then I will gladly be a sacrifice!”

“We've sacrificed plenty already,” shouted Chrysalis, flying through the now-empty window frame and into the castle gardens. “Our entire race has!”

Staying in the air made dodging easier but shielding unfeasible, and each shot that Crimson sent her way held enough power to put her down permanently. In the corner of her eye, she could see Celestia and Twilight, the former seemingly stalled by the latter. She didn't dare try to open their link, though, for fear of distracting her.

She needed a plan. Crimson was more powerful than her by a wide margin, and most of her kin were dozens of miles away. Even if she could draw upon them, taking any more energy than she had already would likely kill them, just like Crimson had done with her own hive.

Another bolt streaked by her, leaving a deep scar in the palace grounds. That had been too close. She needed to move faster if she was going to keep dodging, and maybe if she did enough of that, she could wear the other queen down.

Chrysalis hit the ground running and galloped into the hedge maze, transforming into a smaller, sleeker pony with a familiar build ideal for flying. Stretching out her senses, Chrysalis quickly found the consciousness she was looking for speeding towards Canterlot.

“Rainbow, I could use a flying lesson right now.”

It wasn't until I was fifty meters from the castle that I realized how insane I was. Why was I chasing Celestia? Shouldn't Luna be fighting the sun-blessed alicorn? Could I even fight while flying and maintaining these spells?

Well, that last question was going to get an answer very soon.

My first spell was aimed at her wing, as trying to get through her magical armor would have taken more power than I had available. My aim was shaky, but Aurum hadn’t noticed me yet, and the queen’s voice cried out as her flight was suddenly interrupted. She turned, and I had a moment to see her golden eyes before she returned fire.

Immediately, I folded my wings and dived, barely managing to get out of the way in time. Even so, I could feel the intense heat as the golden energy passed, my fur becoming uncomfortably warm as it hit the ground far below, erupting in an explosion of light that rivaled the sun. I could feel my body trembling. If I'd been a second slower...

“Consider that your final warning, Twilight. It would be a shame to snuff out such a brilliant mind.”

I forced my fear to the back of my mind, giving my answer to the queen with another shot aimed at her wings. I couldn't afford to hesitate and I absolutely could not let her get past the teleportation wards. Even if I couldn't beat her, I needed to stall her long enough for Luna to arrive.

My attack was met midway with a golden wave, devouring my violent energy and forcing me to bank awkwardly to avoid it. I didn’t need to feel the heat or hear the detonation below us to know that a direct hit would likely kill me.

I couldn't keep relying on her mediocre aim. Reaching out with my mind, I quickly zeroed in on a certain pegasus. “Rainbow! I need help flying!”

“Seriously? You too? I swear, I'm gonna whip both of you into shape once we get through this!”

“What? How-”

“No! No talking! This is already hard enough with one of you, just let me see through your eyes!”

As our mental link jolted into place, I quickly realized her dilemma. Chrysalis was fleeing from Crimson on pegasus wings while taking guidance from Rainbow who was already managing her own supersonic flight towards Canterlot.

Focusing, I tried to repress all of my thoughts except for those related to flying and stopping Celestia. I could feel Rainbow's presence clearly now, and her thoughts flowed in, awakening instincts I hadn't been aware of. My wings snapped open, and with a firm push against the air, I rapidly began to close the distance to Celestia.

“Keep your eye on the horn, wait for the light, bank slightly to the left...now turn!”

My body followed the movements as Rainbow showed them, my world briefly turning upside-down as I rolled and dipped, dodging the blast completely and putting me in the perfect position for a counterattack. My first shot struck her belly where the armor had been damaged, the force briefly making her drop before she caught the air again, just in time to take another strike on her chest. By the time I had loosed my third spell, though, a bright golden shield had surrounded her, easily absorbing my magic.

Already, I could see her injuries healing and the burn marks from my magic fading, leaving Celestia's coat as immaculate as it had ever been. Her shield was nigh impenetrable. Aurum may not have had Celestia's combat experience, but she certainly had her power.

“Stay mobile, Twi,” encouraged Rainbow, guiding me into an orbit around Aurum's shield. “She can't effectively move or attack unless she drops it first.”

And the longer she delayed, the more likely that backup would arrive in time. Still, from the way she was posed with her eyes closed, it didn't look like she was preparing to attack.

“She's searching Celestia’s memories!” I realized suddenly.

“Dive!”

My wings folded and my body pitched forward, right as the shield faded. The air around me began to heat up, and then the sky itself caught fire.

Vaguely, in one panicked corner of my mind, I recognized the spell as a 'Sunburst'. A widespread swath of destruction that ignited the oxygen in the air and supercharged the resulting firestorm. Every cloud in the sky was vaporized while Rainbow twisted my body in ways I didn't think were possible to avoid the myriad of rays still being thrown from Celestia's horn.

“Fires closing in!”

Desperately, I looked for a solution. A standard shield wasn't going to be enough. I was close to the ground, running out of places to fly when I spied one of the garden fountains. With a half-formed plan in my mind, I raced toward the water, collecting as much as I could with my telekinesis.

“Don't get your wings wet!”

I had just enough time to wrap a water-augmented shield around myself before the conflagration hit. The water I’d gathered flash-boiled and evaporated. The stone fountain melted and soon my shield was the only thing left protecting me from being incinerated. My barrier held, but I could still feel the heat singing me through my fur.

Finally, the firestorm passed. I was still alive.

“Come on egghead, get back up there! She's flying away!”

I could feel my body trembling as I willed my wings to work. My fear must have been obvious, because Rainbow's next thought was less panicked and far more reassuring. “Come on, Twi, just follow my instincts and her magic won't touch you.”

A surge of Rainbow's reassurance and self-confidence came with the encouragement, two things that I was desperately lacking. Tapping into her emotions, I spread my wings and chased after Celestia, quickly gaining on her once more.

Azure was proving to be a resilient opponent. It was clear she'd extensively examined every thought that Celestia had on her, preparing for this inevitable confrontation, and it was definitely paying off. None of her stronger spells were working. Azure had not only pulled out counters for her Mistform, but her Night Terrors and Absolute Darkness spells as well.

Her power was great enough to match any brute force tactic that Luna could employ, and even overwhelm most of her shields. A few burns and cuts had even scarred her armor where she hadn't been fast enough to dodge.

And yet, Luna couldn't help but grin, her feeling of exhilaration only growing. “Cease holding back,” she challenged, deflecting Azure’s energy off to the side and into a collapsed wall. “Or have thy followers perished for naught?”

With a snarl, Azure retaliated with a penetrating bolt, piercing her shield and leaving a deep gash in her armor and a shallow cut beneath. “Delaying you is enough. In time, Aurum will take full control of Celestia's mind, and then no one will dare challenge us!”

Luna chuckled. “Clearly thou hast not infiltrated the other countries so thoroughly.” A fusillade of midnight-blue beams splashed against Azure's shield before the Shieldbreaker she’d slipped into the salvo shattered it, forcing the queen to step quickly to avoid the follow-up.

“Celestia squanders her power. We will use it!” The queen's magic radiated outward, cooling the throne room, frost quickly forming on the remaining surfaces and walls. Her power surged further and ice began to form in the air, sharpening into lethal spikes before being flung towards Luna.

Physical barriers rose up to meet them, broken stone from the walls and ceiling encasing the princess and shattering the icicles. “Perhaps thou should have gazed deeper into our sister's memories beyond the times we fought. Thou might have learned what truly makes a ruler worthy of love and admiration.”

The stones around her broke apart and rocketed outward, only to be caught in Azure’s glowing field. “I've heard enough self-righteous preaching from your sister to last a lifetime. Once you're out of the way, our race will flourish!”

Luna sighed, barely even flinching as several more beams struck her barrier. “I'm sorry, sister, I never did have your patience for fools.” The next blast met an opaque blue shield, the bubble surrounding the alicorn completely. Before Azure's next strike could hit, Luna dropped it herself, dashing towards the queen with her horn blazing.

Still in the middle of her attack, the queen rapidly tried to adjust as Luna charged. Just as it seemed like the two were about to connect, though, Luna stumbled, her beam going wide as a hole in the broken floor tripped her up. Her wings spread, trying to stop her fall, but Azure was too fast, lancing an outstretched wing and drawing a cry from the princess.

Azure didn't stop to appreciate her luck, immediately throwing everything she had at the downed alicorn. A hastily erected shield buckled and shattered under the barrage, and one powerful beam struck her barrel, Luna's eyes going wide as the magic bore through her armor and then her body, blood spilling from the open wound.

Her hooves scrambled on the ground, trying to find purchase as her shaking body rose, but Azure was relentless, throwing one missile after another, striking her repeatedly until one finally pierced her neck. Luna's mouth opened in a silent cry, and then her body collapsed.

Panting from the exertion, Azure looked at the fallen princess as if daring her to get up again, but seconds passed and Luna remained motionless in an expanding pool of blood. A small chuckle escaped the queen's mouth, and then a laugh. “Was that it? Is that all the strength your bravado and preaching was worth? Your sister managed to put up a better fight than you!”

Walking carefully around the destroyed floor, Azure approached the body. “It's a shame, really. We would have loved to control you, too, but since Celestia can raise the moon as well as the sun...”

She flicked out her forehoof, kicking at the princess...only for her hoof to pass through.

Eyes wide, Azure tried to bring up a shield, but the spell came too quickly, striking her flank and leaving behind a stinging sensation. “Truly fascinating,” Luna's corpse murmured as it opened its eyes, the blood vanishing along with her wounds. “Able to counter my most potent spells, but unable to see through a simple illusion. Twilight was most accurate in her assessment of your abilities.”

Furious, Azure scanned the throne room, ignoring the illusion even as it continued to speak. “Thou were an enjoyable opponent, but We have allies to help and a sister to rescue.”

Azure fired at random, searching for the princess, but only found stone and wood. “I'm not finished with you!”

“On the contrary, this fight has concluded. Starlight's seal was a complex piece of work, but not impossible to undo.”

Azure's head whipped around. The seal Starlight had put on her flank surrounding Celestia's sun was still there, but it felt different. “You're bluffing,” she accused. “Only Celestia can activate this mark!”

“Oh, were you thinking I was going to demand your surrender? My deepest apologies. Unlike my sister, I don't believe in third chances.” In a flash of blue, the illusion vanished and the real Luna appeared in the air. “I shall at least grant you a quick end.”

With a snarl, the queen gathered up all the power she could, but it was too late. Her chitin caught fire, her mane ignited, and even her magic seemed to burn. Her mouth opened, but there wasn't even time to scream before the flames consumed her.

Chrysalis turned sharply, her body skimming the wall of the maze as another hedge was vaporized behind her.

“Do you have a plan besides just flying and dodging? She ain't getting tired!”

“Her energy isn't infinite,” insisted Chrysalis.

“Pretty sure you're gonna run outta maze, first!”

Chrysalis was inclined to agree. Despite the ridiculous amount of power Crimson was throwing around, she didn't seem to be tiring, and over a third of the hedge maze had been leveled. Rainbow's guidance was proving invaluable with keeping ahead of the elder, but trying to find an opportunity to counterattack was much more difficult, even more so with Dash's mental attention divided.

“Oh buck! Shield! Shield!”

Chrysalis didn't waste time asking for clarification. Instead, the queen-turned-pegasus traced Rainbow's alarm and delved into her connection with Twilight, cursing when she saw what was happening.

“Find some water!”

“Where?”

“I don't know, use the vapor in the air or something!”

Chrysalis entertained that idea for all of a second before deciding on something more solid, namely one of the maze's stone walls. Landing hard, Chrysalis blasted the wall, grabbing several chunks of rock and forming them into a crude enclosure before reinforcing it with a shield.

It didn't take long for Crimson to catch up. “Finally stopped running? Maybe now you can-gah!”

Chrysalis would have laughed if she hadn't been so focused on her shield. The rocks around her began to heat up and liquify, her barrier straining as she drew on what power she safely could. Dimly, she could hear hear Crimson's cries above the firestorm before they were drowned out by the roar of the flames.

Chrysalis’ hooves began to burn as the ground heated up beneath her, the small enclosure becoming unbearably hot...and then it had passed, the air rapidly cooling as the molten remains of her rock fort sloughed off.

The castle grounds looked like a wildfire had swept through. The hedge maze was burned to the ground, along with most of the gardens. The stone walls in the maze had been reduced to rubble and slag, and an entire side of Canterlot Castle was blackened from where the Sunburst had struck.

Several yards away, Queen Crimson was still standing, though visibly burned and panting heavily, her head turned down to the ground. Never one to let an opportunity slide, Chrysalis jeered at her. “What's the matter, Red? Take a bit of friendly fire? It's almost as if Queen Aurum doesn't really care about you.”

The elder's head jerked up, her anger quickly reigniting. “My name...is Queen Crimson...and I will gladly burn if I catch you in the flames!”

Even battered by the Sunburst, Crimson was still able to wield absurd amounts of power. With nothing to hide behind, Chrysalis was forced to dodge, each near-miss marking her with another burn. It was only thanks to Rainbow's guidance that she avoided a more direct hit.

“Dammit, she's not letting up! Just how much power did she take?”

“The elders likely had a thousand changelings between them, and possibly the support of other lesser queens,” Chrysalis replied grimly.

Chrysalis knew she was going to lose. Her newly grown wings were starting to ache from the strain of rapid, sustained use, and eventually one of those blasts were going to find its mark. Either that or Aurum would use another Sunburst and likely kill both of them.

Rainbow picked up on her thoughts. “I'm almost there! Just keep dodging and-” Her voice was cut off suddenly as a light red transparent dome formed around the two changelings, stopping Chrysalis' retreat.

The ensuing crimson torrent was enormous, carrying with it all of the elder's pent-up rage. With nowhere to dodge and no time to break the shield, Chrysalis raised a shield of her own, gasping with effort as she tried to hold back the tsunami of power. “No more running! Fight back! You'll never win by just dodging and shielding!”

The green shield cracked, but Chrysalis held on, her form shifting back to its original shape. The force strained her body and pushed her back, making her legs buckle, but to the Crimson Queen's surprise, Chrysalis looked up and grinned. “I don't need to.”

Chrysalis savored the look on the elder's face as she finally took notice of the alicorn that had been approaching from behind. Less than a horn’s width, a bolt of midnight blue magic pierced the shield and streaked toward Crimson, striking her center of mass and traveling straight through her body. Shocked, the elder stumbled and collapsed, a hoof idly moving to try and cover the open wound.

“It's amazing what you can accomplish when you leave your allies alive, isn't it?” gloated Chrysalis, her tone slightly mocking. “If I were in your place, I’d make another plea for forgiveness. Maybe you could worm your way into a third chance and a mark on your flank.”

Crimson swallowed, her eyes going dim. Chrysalis’ voice softened, a hint of genuine concern creeping in. “Surrender, Crimson. Don't throw your life away. Aurum has sentenced enough of our kin to death already.”

The Red Queen looked up, and for a moment her emotional barriers dropped. Anguish, guilt, agony...all of the emotions she'd been suppressing beneath her rage came to the forefront of her mind, led by an overwhelming sense of depression.

With a growl, her horn lit once again, the elder lurching to her feet. Her sudden aggression made Chrysalis stumble back in surprise, but Crimson didn't get far. A second bolt of magic struck home, and this time the elder stayed down.

The remaining changeling queen barely acknowledged the Lunar Princess as she landed beside her. “She wanted to die,” said Chrysalis, her voice cracking. “She was in agony the entire time...and I didn't see it.”

“Her hive was sacrificed for Queen Aurum's gamble for power,” replied Luna. “It would have been a wonder if she hadn't been affected in some way.”

Chrysalis could only nod. Even after everything she’d done, all she could think of now was how pointless her death seemed.

“Come,” urged Luna. “Let us cut the puppet mistress' strings before she can do further harm.”

“Right...I'll-”

FLASH!

The sky lit up with a blinding light, burning the eyes of both the princess and the queen.

“No! Twilight!”

Rainbow's voice pierced her thoughts moments before a thunderous boom shook her bones. When the spots in her eyes finally cleared, Chrysalis could just make out a purple form falling from the sky, limp and motionless.

Chapter 12: To Try For the Sun

Why had the gryphons ever tried to pick a fight with Celestia? The question nagged at my thoughts even as I flew towards the white alicorn to continue the fight. I had no idea how much power Aurum was tapping into, but I doubted it was Celestia’s full potential. Even now, she was still having trouble with flight.

My approach in her blind spot gave me an opportunity. Recalling the design of Luna's armor, I aimed a bolt of magic at one of the shoulder joints. The enchanted metal deflected some of it, but enough got through to open a fresh wound and draw her attention back to me.

“Don't let her throw another Sunburst! Chrysalis is right below you!”

“And how exactly am I going to stop her?”

“Get in close!”

Guiding my wings, Rainbow maneuvered me around Celestia's counter, speeding toward her this time. As her plan became apparent, I had to stop my body from instinctively rebelling.

“Rainbow, I don't have the durability for that!”

“Then use a shield or something!”

With no time to debate, I wrapped my hooves in a layer of magic right before moving into striking distance. Celestia's beam was deflected skyward as my hoof struck her chin, and before the next spell could form, my second strike came down on her muzzle, disrupting the magic instantly.

The queen was clearly stunned by the physical assault, and with the limited control she had over Celestia’s body, her diminished reflexes were no match for mine. However, keeping the barrier around my hooves was taxing my already strained reserves.

“Just one more minute and I'll be there!” promised Rainbow, guiding me into another three hit combo followed by a strong blast directly to Celestia's head. For a moment, I saw the gold in her eyes go dim, but it quickly came back, along with a powerful shield that stopped my next strike cold.

“She's building up power!” I warned.

“Aim for the horn the second she drops the shield!”

I held my breath as Rainbow steered me into a tight orbit around the shield. I recalled there had been a two second delay from the time she dropped it before the Sunburst had been released and prepared myself...

And then her magic turned black. My eyes widened as my memory jumped back to the brief demonstration I'd seen of this magic before. Specifically, dark magic. Rainbow sensed my panic and guided me away just in time to avoid an ink black streak of energy that burst through Celestia's shield. I didn't recognize the spell and neither did Rainbow, but even from a distance it felt wrong.

Then, to my horror, the dark beam suddenly curved in the air, heading straight back towards me. Hastily I put up a shield, but instead of impacting and dispersing the dark magic bolt began to dig into it, dark lines appearing along the violet surface as it continued to push.

“Move!”

My shield dropped and my wings launched me away, the dark bolt close behind. Rainbow pushed my body into a series of turns and twists, forcing the magic to loop around in wide arcs to continue tracking me, but nothing seemed to slow its momentum.

“Try something solid!”

I searched for something to use. Much of the stone in the courtyard had been reduced to rubble or melted from the Sunburst. However, there were several loose chunks of stone from the collapsed walls of the castle. It was a stretch, and I was forced to drop the shield around my hooves, but I was just barely able to magically grasp several pieces of debris and throw them into the energy's path. The first piece of stone shattered. The second and third pieces held for a second longer, but the black energy burrowed through both and continued after me, forcing me to flee once again.

The only silver lining was that Celestia had to concentrate in order to maintain the spell, preventing her from using any further attacks. Unfortunately, she seemed to be able to sustain the spell without lowering her powerful golden shield.

A burst of inspiration came racing through the link along with Rainbow's grinning face as she provided a solution. A crazy, completely reckless solution, but I didn't have any better ideas.

My wings angled upwards slightly, braking in midair, letting the bolt of dark energy get alarmingly close. At the last possible moment, I twisted and let it skim past. As it arced around to correct its course, Rainbow guided me into a tight loop. With quick wingbeats and even quicker calculations, I began to chase the tail of the dark energy, watching it slowly build up speed.

“Aaaand...now!”

Suddenly, the loop was broken, blitzing toward Celestia with the dark bolt singeing my tail. At the very last moment, I dove and rolled, watching with satisfaction as Celestia's shield shattered. She managed to cancel the spell before it hit her, but this was the opening I needed. Before she could raise her defenses again, I blasted her underbelly hard, staggering her, and Rainbow quickly brought me in close for the followup with my forehooves.

My victory was short lived, however. Even as she recoiled from the blows, I could see the magical wounds I'd inflicted were healing.

“I can't keep this up much longer,” I warned Rainbow as I panted for breath. The transformation, the flight, and the 'Hammer-Hooves' spell were really starting to take their toll.

“Almost there!” reassured Rainbow, as Celestia conjured her shield once again. Part of me was wondering if Rainbow would even be enough to tip the scales at this point, but I pushed that thought out of my mind and focused on the magic building behind the golden barrier.

The pattern felt familiar this time. In fact, it felt exactly like the last spell. Tensing my wings, I prepared for another volley, only for my jaw to drop along with the shield. Five...ten...twenty! Like black tendrils, streaks of magic erupted from Celestia's horn, each as powerful as the one I'd just barely avoided. Some of them arced wide, moving around behind me, while others curved above and below, cutting off my potential routes of escape. Then, as one, all of them turned and streaked towards me.

I dimly heard Rainbow's shout in my mind as she jerked my body into action, immediately moving me towards the biggest gap she could find. Despite her skill, though, there were too many to dodge, and two of the spells glanced across my underbelly and back.

The pain was intense, causing me to cry out. I could make out black streaks in my fur from the glancing blows, and each flap of my wings now sent a twinge of pain through my body...and now the energy had looped around, threatening to surround me once more.

I needed a plan. I couldn't outfly them, I couldn't match their strength, and I couldn't sit behind a shield. Part of me yearned for teleportation, but I had a feeling this magic would track me even through that.

Wait...that was it! These Heartseekers were tracking me by my magical signature! My mind flew back to one of the earliest lessons I'd ever had with Chrysalis on changeling magic. My horn glowed violet before rapidly shifting colors, my magical essence changing internally before being projected outwards.

The effect was almost immediate. While they didn't disappear, the magic seemed to lose any sense of where I was, ceasing to swerve and adjust course and simply flying straight. Many of the beams went up into the sky while others burrowed into the ground where I could only hope they'd disperse harmlessly, and with no ability to track, Rainbow easily guided me through the rest. As the last of the dark energy streaked away, it was tempting to relax, but...

“Move your head, Twi! Where's Celestia?”

My magical senses were faster than my eyes, finding the possessed princess poised right in front of the sun. Her horn was glowing intensely, the normally golden color now a bright white instead. Recognizing the spell, I squeezed my eyes shut and put up the most opaque shield I could manage.

It didn't help. The solar flare lit up the sky, burning my eyes with a bright enough light to be seen through my lids. The flash deafened me as well, even going as far as to distort my magical senses. A second later I felt something strike my shield and shatter it. Weakly, I tried to fly, my entire body disoriented and shaking. The second blast hit me dead center.

My mouth opened but my voice refused to work. The pain was so excruciating I could feel Rainbow suffering through our mental link. My entire body felt like it was on fire, and painful burns were covering much of my barrel where the attack had struck. Every spell I'd been holding onto slipped, my body reverting to its normal unicorn shape while the flight spell faded along with my wings.

I was in freefall now, but I could barely feel the wind rushing past me. Numbness was setting in as my pain threshold was reached, and it was all I could do to stay conscious, the barely visible spot of white turning and flying away.

BOOM!

Despite my ringing ears, I could still hear the sonic boom. Rainbow colors washed over the sky, and in the next moment...

“Gotcha!”

My momentum stopped abruptly, going from vertical to horizontal, strong forelegs holding me up and rapidly carrying me away from the ground. “Stay awake, egghead! I'm getting you out of here!”

I gasped in pain, unable to get the words out that I wanted to say. Fortunately, the close proximity with Rainbow made it easy to reform my mental link.

“No...can't let her get away...”

“Idiot! You can barely move!”

“Can still use magic...aim for me.”

Rainbow clearly wanted to argue, but I stressed our lack of time while communicating my plan. Rainbow made some adjustments and then we were off, the pegasus flipping in the air and placing me on her back where I quickly applied a adhesion spell.

Thankfully, unlike my body, my magic was recovering, and even with my added weight, Rainbow streaked through the sky at teeth clenching speeds. With no spells to sustain, I did my best to mentally hold back the pain as Rainbow brought us into range before unleashing the strongest shieldbreaker I could manage; the power of the spell causing the fur on Rainbow's neck to stand on end. The pegasus followed behind, having to slow down slightly so as not to outpace the blast, but her own attack landed a second later as Celestia's shield cracked, shattering it easily.

The presence of my weight was only throwing off Rainbow a little, and against the larger and rather uncoordinated Celestia, her assault was positively brutal. Each spell was interrupted by a flurry of blows, and each time she tried to put up a shield, I met her with another shieldbreaker, letting Rainbow continue her relentless assault...but it wasn't enough. Each blow barely left a mark, and her body's natural healing quickly repaired the damage we did. We needed something stronger. Something she couldn't easily recover from.

“Oh no...I know what you're thinking egghead, but I'm not doing that while you're on my back!”

Before I could respond, Chrysalis suddenly broke into our link. A flurry of thought passed between the three of us. Worry, concern, fear, relief...and then a few interesting details from Luna's fight with Azure. My mind strained to keep up with the flow of information, but before long, I had a plan and gave Chrysalis a few instructions.

“Let her push you back with the next shield.”

I could feel Rainbow desperately wanting to argue, but the plan was already in motion. High overhead, the sun began to shift towards the horizon, while below, Rainbow slammed into a golden shield that quickly expanded and pushed the pegasus some distance away. Just as we were starting to 'recover', Luna's power surged, the sun lurching out of the sky and over the horizon, bringing forth the night and taking away Celestia’s source of healing.

The moment Celestia looked towards the sky, I finished weaving my own spell. As Rainbow and I sped away from the fight, a duplicate pair of ponies remained behind, the illusory doubles taking flight to intercept Aurum. They weren't going to fool her for long, but Rainbow only needed a few seconds to prepare.

By the time she was several kilometers away, I was panting from the effort of maintaining the illusion as well as keeping Rainbow's trail hidden, and each one of those breaths made my body lurch with pain. In the distance, I could see our illusory doubles dodging and firing back with magical attacks that Aurum could easily dodge.

Landing on the scorched ground, Rainbow stopped and took a breath. “Hop off, Twi.”

“What? No, Rainbow, you can't-”

“I'm not risking it, egghead. You can barely stay awake, much less stay stuck to me.”

“I'm not risking you either! You need a shield! I have that much left in me!”

A myriad of frustration and anger passed through her, but finally she growled and crouched low to the ground. “I swear to Celestia, if you get yourself killed from this, I'm going to break into Tartarus so I can smack you over the head!”

Power gathered around the pegasus, the air currents restless as if they knew what was about to take place. Mentally, I could feel Rainbow's mind enter a serene state of calm as her wings spread and magic raced to the tips of her feathers. And then, she took off.

A booming sound followed our leap into the sky, the first push sending us thirty or forty meters. I pressed my body close to her back, minimizing the wind resistance as her forelegs began to form the mach cone in front of her. Air swirled around us, reforming and pushing at our back, the cone getting narrower with each second. When she pumped her wings a fourth time, the cone broke.

A sonic boom shook Canterlot as the rainbow began to spread, but we were already moving ahead of the sound. Rainbow seemingly ignored the air resistance entirely as she broke the light spectrum barrier and the laws of gravity, climbing higher and higher until Canterlot Castle was little more than a speck on the mountain. I could no longer see Celestia, but Rainbow's eyes could, and she was ready to turn.

For a tenth of a second, I could feel Rainbow stop, but instead of the expected rush of air, all of the kinetic energy seemed to readjust around us, reforming at Rainbow's back until she pulled the trigger once more, a second rainbow explosion forming behind us as she launched towards Celestia.

The alicorn soon became visible as a spot. The spot quickly turned to a speck, and the speck formed a miniature before finally turning into a pony. We were closing too fast for her to fly away, but our straight, direct approach made us an easy target...or so she thought.

I resisted the urge to throw a shield up as an intense beam of searing heat raced towards us. It was no less powerful than the one I'd been struck with, but Rainbow sped towards it, undaunted and brimming with self-confidence. My eyes closed as we met the painfully bright energy head on, but I could still see through Rainbow and feel her grin as she struck hoof first. Her flight slowed ever so slightly...and then the beam split.

Just like the air, Rainbow easily pushed the magic aside, the powerful energy getting thrown every which way. In less than a second, we were right next to Celestia, getting one brief moment to see her look of surprise before Rainbow's forehooves struck.

The heavily enchanted armor which had so easily shrugged off my magical attacks shattered. The alicorn's side compressed, and her cry was lost to the wind as the sheer kinetic force allowed a pegasus a third her size to slam her out of the air.

My shield snapped into place a moment before we reached Canterlot Castle. Celestia hit first, slamming hard into the burned stone wall and breaking through. It was the first of several, our momentum gradually starting to slow as we plowed a path of destruction through the castle's walls and floors. It wasn't until we'd broken through the first three stone barriers that the energy faded and my shield began to protect us instead. Supersonic speeds turned to breakneck speeds, finally culminating in an impact on the ground floor that left us in a crater almost a meter deep.

All sounds, save for Rainbow's heavy panting, seemed to fade away. It took several seconds for my mind to catch up to my body and inform it I was no longer in motion. Finally, I opened my eyes, coughing a few times as the dust settled around us.

“It worked!” gasped Rainbow. “Sweet Tartarus, did you see that? That was a Double Rainboom! I...um, is she alright?”

With my mind relaxing and the tension draining from my body, all the pains from my burns were coming back. Still, I forced myself to examine the motionless alicorn beneath us.

“She's fine,” I said finally, wincing as the simple act of moving my jaw came with a fresh wave of pain. With Celestia unconscious and my adrenaline fading, my body was adding up all of my injuries and giving me a rather nasty bill. The only part of me that didn't feel severely taxed was my magic, but even that felt far more strained than normal.

“Get...Luna...might wake up soon,” I groaned, undoing the adhesive spell and sliding off Rainbow's back. She looked torn as she gently helped me to the ground, clearly not wanting to leave my side while I could barely move under my own power.

“Stay where you are, Luna is on her way.”

No sooner had I received Chrysalis' message did Luna fly through the series of holes we had made. Her focus was immediately given to her sister, her horn glowing as shadowy bindings entrapped Celestia's unconscious form.

“The...others?” I asked, haltingly.

“Crimson and Azure have been slain,” came Luna's curt reply. “My sister...is she still under Aurum's control?”

Grimly, I nodded. Whatever Aurum had done to Celestia's mind had burrowed deep. A knock on the head, no matter how powerful, simply wasn't going to be enough. “Only...one way...sure.”

“Don't even think about it,” came Chrysalis' voice from above. “You're two hooves in the grave and last I checked, Aurum is a changeling elder with experience in mental magics that far exceeds your own.”

I winced slightly at the sharp tone, but I couldn't refute her. I had been about to jump in out of worry for my mentor. “I don't...” I groaned, unable to finish the sentence aloud without sharp stabbing pains in my throat.

“Aurum will not be able to do anything further with my sister's body,” assured Luna. “If need be, we may petrify her. We have plenty of time to cure her condition-”

“We can't-nnhh...” The pain of trying to speak brought tears to my eyes. Chrysalis was instantly by my side, her horn glowing slightly as she opened a new link with me. When the queen spoke next, it was with my voice.

“We can't afford to wait. Look at what they did to Celestia in just six hours! There could be lasting effects unless we get rid of Aurum's influence right now. She might be mentally degrading already.”

“Celestia is an alicorn,” Luna replied , addressing me directly. “Whatever affliction Aurum has endured, she will recover given time.”

My response came far more sharply than I intended, and I would have immediately regretted it if I'd said it aloud. Fortunately, the more level-headed Chrysalis provided a filter for my words. “Luna, you of all ponies should know how difficult it can be to drive out a negative mental influence.”

Luna turned from me to Chrysalis, her expression unreadable. Despite being more tactful than the words I'd chosen, that comment still hit uncomfortably close to home. “Twilight, you are grievously injured. If you put any further strain on yourself-”

“My mind is working just fine. That's all I need to drive Aurum out,” interrupted Chrysalis. “Please, Luna, we can't risk waiting. We have to act while Celestia is still recovering.” Changing her voice back to normal, Chrysalis added, “She will not be alone, either. I will be supporting her as well.”

Closing her eyes, Luna let out a long sigh and bowed her head. “Rainbow, fly to the castle perimeter and find the guards. Tell them to gather the medical ponies on hoof and bring them here. I must stay and make sure Aurum does nothing further with my sister.”

Rainbow was gone a moment after Luna finished speaking. “I am sorry I cannot do more for you, Twilight. I know not of any technique that can soothe the burns from my sister's magic. Even I could only wait for them to heal.”

Weakly, I nodded, focusing my eyes on Celestia. My preliminary examination showed Aurum's magic had dug in deeply, influencing and spreading across every part of her mind. The whole thing felt more like a possession than just some sort of powerful influence.

Come to think of it, Queen Aurum's physical body was nowhere to be found. There was a chance she was somewhere else, controlling her actions remotely, but this felt far different than a link. Putting up a shield should have been enough to break a normal mind link.

“I'm not sure that's possible,” murmured Chrysalis, picking up on my thoughts. “But if there is any changeling who could theoretically perform a complete mental transference, it would be the chief elder.”

“Even if she did, she doesn't have full control. Celestia is probably fighting her for every inch,” I replied. “We'll drive her out just like we drove her out of Sugar Belle's mind.”

Taking a deep breath, I began to mentally reach out towards Celestia with Chrysalis' guidance, my severe burns becoming less painful as I suppressed those parts of my mind with the queen's help. Behind me, I could hear the sound of galloping hooves, no doubt the medics Rainbow had been tasked to get. They'd made good time, but I wasn't about to wait for their assessment.

“Oh no you don't! You're not going in there without me!” Rainbow's voice sounded out moments before her mind began to push its way into the link.

“Wait! Rainbow, you're not-” My thoughts barely had time to form before Aurum's magic surged, grabbing each of us and pulling us into Celestia's mind.

It was moving. The feeling of warmth filled my entire body as the brilliant star in the sky reached out to me like an old friend. I'd heard tales of this feat needing to be performed by hundreds of unicorns in the past, and yet all I needed was a small, simple push-

“Steelclaw, if you leave this room and that parchment lacks your signature, the only ones who will suffer for it will be your race. I'm sure I've given a more than adequate demonstration of what Equestria is capable of. You've had your chance to negotiate-”

My words caught in my throat as I watched dark magic swirl around the Crystal Kingdom. He was running away with it, making one last desperate attempt to hold onto his power, yet there was nothing I could do without killing the thousands of ponies Sombra had trapped with him. “It won't last,” I said softly. “Someday, your seal will fade, and then-”

“I still say this a poor substitute for sparring,” huffed Luna as she looked over the ivory castle held by her magic.

“We rule a prosperous land, sister,” I replied with amusement. “It wouldn't do to needlessly scar it with our magic.” My golden aura enveloped a pawn and pushed it two spaces forward-

My eyes stared unblinkingly at the moon and the new markings upon it. For the tenth time that hour I considered turning it so my sister's face was no longer visible, but again I resisted the urge. I deserved every bit of guilt that image caused, and I wasn't going to shy away from my-

“Twilight!”

Chrysalis' dual toned voice bored into my ear. The image around me faded, and suddenly I was myself again. Even as I tried not to think about anything though, the mists were starting to fade and clear up. Then, to my surprise, my hooves touched something solid.

With a gasp, I watched as the images became clear, as if burned away by the sun that was forming in the sky. Before me stretched a long road, and at the very end was the most majestic castle I had ever seen or imagined. The style was obviously in the same as Canterlot, but it had grown by leaps and bounds with more spires, more buildings, a larger expanse of gardens, and a sweeping city at the base. While the original castle had been built on the side of a mountain, this castle looked like it had been carved out of the mountain itself.

“It's a memory palace,” I murmured, my wonder at the sight briefly overcoming the anxiety I had felt.

“Keep your thoughts in order,” warned Chrysalis. “There are thousands of years worth of memories stored here. One wrong step and you could get caught up in another vortex. The sheer amount of information could overwhelm your mind.”

Taking a breath, I nodded and put up the most robust mental barriers I could manage while still keeping my link with Chrysalis and...wait... “Where's Rainbow?”

The moment I mentioned her, my mind immediately zeroed in on her consciousness. Like me, she was trapped in a memory. Reaching out to Chrysalis, the two of us reached to her in turn and pulled, separating her from Celestia's thoughts. The air in front of us rippled slightly before the pegasus appeared, her wings failing to catch her time before she was dumped onto the ground.

The tumble did nothing to dampen her excitement though. “Wow...so that's what it's like to use magic!” Her words trailed off as she took a look at the palace. “The heck are we? Why am I in my body?”

“It's the way Celestia keeps her mind organized,” explained Chrysalis. “While her thoughts are no less abstract than mine or Twilight's, she visualizes her memory as something tangible, so we in turn take a more tangible form...or at least, that’s my theory. I've never connected with a mind as deep as this one.”

I could see the wheels turning in Rainbow's mind and feel her thoughts reaching a rather interesting conclusion. “Stick to your pegasus body for now,” I cut in. “We need to find Aurum's influence and eradicate it.”

“The first part won't be that difficult,” murmured Chrysalis, tapping a hoof on the ground. For a moment, the castle seemed to waver, and then it began to shift. Golden cracks appeared, spreading outwards from the pristine white palace, zigzagging across the landscape and through the sky.

“Well let's get started then,” concluded Rainbow.

“Don't go flying off,” warned Chrysalis quickly. “Celestia's mind is unstable right now. We need to navigate carefully and deliberately, lest we might get caught in another set of memories.”

Rainbow sighed in frustration and landed beside us. It was hard to blame her, though. Every instinct I had was telling me to run to the throne room. In a place like this, I could have probably willed myself there just as easily as I could teleport, but only if the inside of the castle I was looking at was an exact replica of the real one, which I very much doubted.

Chrysalis took the lead, walking carefully and often turning and taking roundabout paths to avoid pieces of memory, though even on our guard, flashes still got through to us. Images of times and places I could only vaguely recognize from history books that had gathered more dust than interest.

Even though I knew the place we were walking through wasn't 'really' Canterlot, it was still unsettling not seeing anypony else around. At any moment, I kept expecting to see a royal guard or an open shop, but the place remained eerily quiet and crushingly empty.

“I don't get it. Why isn't Celestia pushing her out?” asked Rainbow after a period of silence. “The other queens aren't influencing her anymore, right? Shouldn't she be able to deal with Aurum alone?”

“I don't think it's that simple,” I began, not wanting to give voice to the theories forming in my mind.

Chrysalis stopped suddenly, glancing at one of the stores we had just passed. It looked just like one of the regular shops in Canterlot, save for its blackened windows and the bright golden cracks running along it. “This is not one of Celestia's memories,” concluded the queen.

“Aurum's memory?” I asked, approaching the sealed door.

“Huh? Why would Aurum put her memories in Celestia's mind?” asked Rainbow.

I sucked in a breath and slowly let it out, trying to keep my calm. “She's trying to drive out Celestia's consciousness and superimpose her own...and the other elders might have given her enough power to make it work.”

It was something I'd only theorized about up to this point. Suppress everything until there was almost nothing left of the original pony, then force your own mind on top of it. I doubted Aurum even had a body to go back to anymore, given the extent of her influence.

“I'm going to take a look,” I said suddenly. “I want to get a better read on her energy and feel how deep she's dug in.”

To my surprise, neither Rainbow or Chrysalis offered a protest, only giving me a nod as I approached the doorway and pressed my hoof against it, letting my defenses fall a bit. Immediately, I could feel a tugging sensation drawing me in. The scenery around me shifted, and suddenly I was standing in a darkened forest. Like before when I'd entered a mind, I felt myself being pulled towards the memory's owner, but this time I was prepared and kept my sense of self.

Details trickled in. I was in the body of a gryphon, one that had covertly been replaced by Aurum. She wasn't alone, either. Moving silently through the forest was a whole squad, their claws silent on the mossy ground. It was the dead of night, and from the armor they wore, it was very clearly a raiding party, and yet...

I frowned mentally as I began to unravel Aurum's purpose for being here. A faint buzzing made my mind itch until I realized that she was communicating with other changelings...changelings that were currently in the very town the gryphons were about to invade. She was preparing them, commanding them from behind enemy lines. Protecting a food source, perhaps? Or did she have an interest in the ultimate winner of this conflict? Her thoughts seemed to imply a bit of both.

Wait...I knew this place. And the name of that town was familiar too...

I gasped, coming to the realization moments before it began to play out in front of me. With little warning, the forest filled with bright light. The disguised Aurum looked up into the sky along with the other gryphons, finding the moon suddenly gone and the sun in its place. Aurum was forced to shield her eyes, nearly missing the tiny piece that seemed to break off and fall to earth like a golden seed.

The detonation came soon after, bathing the forest in fire.

With a gasp, I pulled myself from the memory, quickly raising my defenses once more while communicating what I'd seen with Rainbow and Chrysalis.

“How did she survive?” wondered the pegasus aloud.

“Magic and luck,” I replied. “The gryphons weren't so fortunate.” The display of sheer power had been frightening, and by Celestia's accounts, she'd only been trying to destroy the forest. How much more was she capable of?

I'd touched upon that memory, hoping to learn more of Aurum, and yet at the same time, I was starting to come to a grim realization about Celestia. How much had this poisoned our potential relationship with the changeling race? What kind of relationship could Equestria hope for if the bordering countries knew just what she was capable of? Paranoia and fear would tinge every negotiation, and Celestia herself would have to constantly be on guard.

“She sure seems a lot less threatening when a young Changeling Queen can knock her off her throne, doesn't she?” murmured Chrysalis.

“And it definitely sounds a lot better saying you thwarted an invasion with the power of love rather than deep frying 'em with the sun,” added Rainbow.

And now Aurum was threatening to shatter that image. Sure, maybe sometime in the future Celestia would retake her mind, but how much damage would she do in the meantime? How would Equestria manage if Luna was forced to imprison her and rule in her place? Would our enemies gain new confidence? No matter which scenario I thought through, it all looked bleak. We needed to evict Aurum at any cost.

With renewed determination, I took the lead, following the neural pathways towards the place where Aurum's energy was strongest. Now that I'd gotten a feel for it, following the trail while avoiding the memories was far easier.

One thought nagged at the corner of my mind, though. Why had Aurum's energy pulled us in? It almost felt like it had been an invitation.

Chrysalis let out a small chuckle as she picked up on my thoughts. “A chance to dominate the minds of the traitor queen and the unicorn who discovered your magical secrets? How could she resist?”

“Let her try,” scoffed Rainbow. “She didn't beat us out there, she's not gonna beat us in here.” And while I couldn't completely let go of my doubts, at least this time I could share in Rainbow's confidence.

Chapter 13: The Conscience of the Queen

“I'm sorry, Princess, none of the usual spells are working.” Luna's eyes didn't turn from her sister as the medic gave his report. “I've never seen burns like this before, magic or otherwise.”

The assessment wasn't surprising. It had been decades since Celestia had fought another pony, much less used the power of the sun on one. “Soothe the pain as best you can and stop the magic from spreading any further,” ordered Luna. “What of Shining Armor and Cadance?”

“Traveling here as fast as possible,” replied one of the royal guards. “Less than five minute away if they teleport the last leg of the journey.”

Luna nodded, still facing her sister with an unblinking gaze. Twilight, Chrysalis, and Rainbow had been moved from the crater, the three of them and Celestia looking like they were in a deep sleep rather than a mental struggle. While she couldn't see the fight that was taking place, she was more than prepared to act if Celestia opened her eyes and Twilight did not.

“Um...princess, about the sun...” began the unicorn.

“The moon stays,” came Luna's curt reply. “I have need of all my power at present.”

“O-of course...but ponies are starting to worry.”

“If the sun comes up again, Twilight will die and Aurum might break free. Tell anypony that asks, that the sun has been experiencing an unusual amount of energy fluctuations and Celestia needs to make certain that it is under control before it returns to the sky.”

“Right away, Princess.” The guards galloping hooves quickly disappeared down the hallway. He was one of several ponies working to cover up the conflict that had taken place. Several others were maintaining an illusion around the visible parts of the castle, hiding the damage, while still more were maintaining a perimeter.

Beside her, the medic sighed and took a step back. “I'm at the limits of my magic and knowledge. I've stopped the burns from spreading, but if it can't be removed completely...”

“We understand,” said Luna, her tone level. All they could do now was wait, and hope Celestia woke up instead of Aurum.

It soon became apparent that organization wasn't the only thing keeping Celestia's mind stable. Magic was involved as well, magic that seemed to be unraveling as Aurum's influence spread. Some memories had no doubt been lost in the struggle already.

Time was difficult to keep track of. My past experiences had taught me that things moved a lot faster on a mental landscape, but it was easy to have your perception of that time warped, and I had no idea if the time it took us to travel from the city to the castle was longer or shorter than it would have taken in the real world...or if the distance was even comparable.

One thing I knew for sure, however, was that we were getting closer. Aurum's magic was getting stronger in tandem with Celestia's, and once we entered the castle, I began to feel the influence of the other elders too, their magic still fresh and tinted with Aurum's magic.

Errant memories were everywhere, most belonging to Celestia, but also some from Aurum. The most vivid ones were recollections of Celestia's power. Even though she'd only used the sun once, there had been other occasions where the queen had witnessed her strength. Battles against Discord that warped and twisted the landscape, fights with Sombra and his minions that had turned the area around the Crystal Empire into a frozen wasteland, and a clash between her and Luna that had lasted nearly a full day with the moon and the sun fighting for dominance in the sky.

Aurum's fears were almost understandable, but the displays of power were only one facet of a very long lived and complicated alicorn. It was likely only Luna had any true understanding of her.

“Am I the only one feeling super uncomfortable here?” asked Rainbow suddenly, breaking the long silence. “I mean, did you even know she had a dragon lover?”

“She's probably had dozens,” replied Chrysalis. “Did you really expect her to be celibate for a thousand years?”

“Well...no, but it still feels weird thinking of her like that.”

I was finding it difficult to disagree. Even though I probably knew Celestia better than both of them, this small glimpse into her private life was definitely at odds with how I’d pictured her for so many years.

“We're getting closer,” said Chrysalis. “The memories are becoming increasingly personal.”

“So where's Aurum then?” Rainbow asked.

“Most likely at the core,” I guessed, “In the part of her mind where Celestia holds her values and experiences that define her as who she is.”

My senses led me through another series of twists and turns in the castle interior. If I'd tried to use conventional wisdom and mapping techniques, the result would have likely been some bizarre, twisted shape that couldn't be replicated in the real world, but the flow of mental energy continued to be easily traceable, almost as if...

“Aurum is leading us,” I said, stopping suddenly.

“Um...why?” asked Rainbow.

“I...don't know,” I admitted. Was she that confident in her abilities? Wouldn't it have made more sense to try and hide her presence and give her magic time to work?

“We need to confront her regardless,” cut in Chrysalis. “If she wishes to rush this confrontation, let her.”

There wasn't much I could say to refute the point, opting instead to continue following the path towards the throne room. Dozens of hallways branched off in different directions, but were ignored, our pace getting faster as the memories became less erratic. Aurum's damage was less extensive here, but her power was still growing. Our progress was steady and unimpeded, taking us straight to the double doors just outside the throne, covered with numerous intricate carvings of the two sisters.

“Wow...did the door used to look like this?” asked Rainbow, flying up to examine the pictures.

“Canterlot castle is hundreds of years old,” I informed her. “Ornate designs were probably placed with more practical ones when repairs were needed.”

Frowning, Chrysalis approached the door and placed a hoof against it. Like in all the other places she'd done so, golden lines quickly spread across the surface. “Another memory. A big one. We'll have to push through it, or remove it entirely.”

“If Aurum has a link with Celestia, I want to save our power for that,” I replied. “If not, then the first place we need to liberate is Celestia's core principles and values. Just keep your defenses up.”

Placing my own hoof on the door, I took a deep breath and pushed, letting the flood of memories wash over us as it opened.

“-already too many close calls, and now the Elements of Harmony are residing there too. Celestia is going to be watching Ponyville more closely than ever now.”

The mists cleared and the voices became louder. The details were hazy, but from Aurum's point of view, she and the other Elders seemed to be sitting at a round stone table of some kind.

“We can't afford to let the fighting continue,” Aurum agreed. “Crimson, I want you to assess the situation. Once you've determined the weaker of the two queens, support that one and drive the other from Ponyville. And as always-”

“Keep collateral to a minimum,” finished Crimson with a scoff. “You act like I've never done this before.”

The figures and voices grew dim as the scenery shifted around me. Tightening my mental defenses, I tried to push through, but bits and pieces continued to slip by.

“...Terranim and Chrysalide are both dead. Crimson is trying...”

“...Daughter has fled to Canterlot. Our agents can't...”

“...extremely reckless. Not to mention...”

The mists cleared as a particular memory came into focus. Aurum was outside, her gaze fixated on the violet shield that was now surrounding Canterlot. Internally, she was calling herself twelve kinds of idiot. How had such a young queen amassed so much power so quickly? With over a thousand changelings, she might even be able to pull off an invasion...and then their race would be doomed. Hopefully, putting Celestia on alert would discourage her. Just as the mists began to return, I felt the Elder Changeling's heart sink as she saw a black swarm flying openly through the sky towards the shield.

“...just invaded Ponyville. Holed up in the Badlands with...”

“...agents are finding it harder to operate....”

“...can't find Chrysalis or her hive after the seal broke...”

“...just walked right up to Celestia and said she'd tell her everything!”

Aurum stared at the amulet in front of her. It was a simple design coupled with inexpensive materials, paired with a complicated enchantment she couldn't even begin to unravel without further damaging it. Every worst case scenario she had thought up was coming to pass.

Part of her was wondering where things had gone wrong. Should she have ordered Chrysalis' hive wiped out? Should Terranim have been the one Crimson sided against? Should she have challenged Chrysalis directly before she'd built up her forces and risked discovery by Celestia? She had hoped allowing her to 'kill' Crimson would have pacified her, but it hadn't been enough.

Regardless of how it happened, this was where they were now. Unmasked, with Celestia's hoof pressed against their throat. Even though the Sun Monarch claimed to desire peace, Aurum knew where that road led. The ponies had total control over their food and a reliable means of denying it to them. Whatever Celestia asked of them, they could either do it or starve.

Going back into hiding wasn't an option either. Not with Celestia's new pet queen at her beck and call.

“Elder Aurum?” The voice drew the changeling from her thoughts, her mental barriers dropping slightly. She'd had them in place so as not to distress her hive with her erratic emotions, but she didn't need the link to sense the worry and uncertainty from her lieutenant. “The other elders are waiting for you.”

“And Azure?” she asked pointedly.

“Being held securely with every protection we have.”

Aurum shook her head. “Don't bother. Bring her to the meeting. I wish to know every last detail about her battle with Celestia.”

“But...the mark-”

“Matters little compared to these amulets.”

The fog enveloped us again. Aurum's mindset was a familiar one. One I'd heard several months past, back when Chrysalis was visiting my library under royal guard. And here it was again, so deeply ingrained into Aurum's mind that this crazy plan of possessing Celestia was a more reasonable alternative to compromise.

Finally, the fog began to clear, my connection with Chrysalis and Rainbow growing stronger as the three of us pushed through. The hazy images gave way to a grassy field with several trees surrounding a quaint little cottage. The place reminded me of Fluttershy's house in Ponyville; secluded and simple.

Celestia's presence was strong here. Stronger than everywhere else we'd been, and the small cottage glowed softly with the radiance of the sun.

And there, in front of the door, was Aurum, her presence a dark blemish on the serene landscape. It was clear she'd been trying to overcome the final defenses, and the faint lingering presence of the other queens made me wonder just how close she'd come.

Drawing on the strength of my companions, I called out to Celestia. Almost immediately, the cottage's faint glow increased, our minds linking with hers and bolstering her battered will.

With a sigh, Aurum took a step back, turning and facing the three of us with a glare, though the target of her ire was clearly Chrysalis. “Are you satisfied yet?” she snapped. “Are enough of us dead for you? Three elders, two queens, hundreds of changelings...do you feel 'free' yet?”

Chrysalis' anger surged, but it vanished as quickly as it had come. “No...I feel tired. Tired of seeing your followers do everything in their power to ruin an opportunity that was gift wrapped for them. I'm tired of hiding, tired of being paranoid and constantly on edge, and I'm most definitely tired of you thinking our race should be working in lockstep agreement with your insane plans!”

Aurum seemed to almost recoil under the furious tirade, but she quickly recovered. “You don't even see the cage around you. Clearly you became a queen far too soon. It's a pity your mother chose to sacrifice herself rather than help you grow into the role.”

I held my breath as Chrysalis' anger returned, but Rainbow cut in before the queen could respond. “Yeah, real pity your plan didn't work, too. Maybe if you'd actually learned from Chryssy, all your Elders wouldn't have had to sacrifice themselves.”

Aurum's face remained neutral as Rainbow continued. “I mean seriously, kicking you outta here is just a formality. Luna has your number and her horn at your neck, and Spitfire's got your whole hive in custody. So why don't you just save yourself another embarrassing defeat, jump on out, and surrender already?”

Unnervingly, the golden queen chuckled, her laughter filling the clearing as she stepped away from Celestia's home and towards us. “Or what? You'll force me out? Perhaps you've already forgotten the last time I got inside that fragile mind of yours.”

“Yeah, and I've been meaning to pay you back for that. Maybe when I find your real body, I'll treat it to a Rainboom too. Right now though? I'll settle for evicting you.”

Aurum's gaze finally turned my direction. “And what of the-”

“I have nothing to say to you,” I said before she could even start. “We're beyond negotiations. Either leave and face the consequences of your actions, or stay and face us. If you want my opinion, I'd advise you not to make things any worse on you or your race.”

The elder shook her head and sighed. “So be it, then. I daresay you already know my choice.” Her eyes flashed and suddenly my mental barriers were under attack. Dozens, no...hundreds of probes tested my shields, seeking out any cracks or weaknesses with frightening speed and efficiency.

“It truly is amazing just how many things one can manipulate through the mind,” said Aurum, her tone almost casual as she continued walking towards us. “Memories...emotions...even pain.”

Like an insidious snake, one of Aurum's tendrils slipped through my defenses, found a particular lever, and pulled. A sharp cry left my mouth. Stabs of agony traveled all over my body as I desperately tried to shield myself from the mental onslaught. Beside me, Rainbow and Chrysalis let out similar cries as their minds were likewise assaulted. Outside of Celestia's mental landscape, I could practically feel my real body thrashing.

“Perhaps I cannot best you physically or magically, but this is my battleground,” boasted the elder as she walked between the three of us. “The number of things I can do to your mind is nearly limitless.”

Desperately, I grasped for Rainbow and Chrysalis' links, reeling them in and directing both to fight back against her in a concentrated effort. The pain subsided, the three of us gaining traction against her assault, but it was taking all of our energy just to hold our ground.

“You're skilled, Twilight, but I have decades of experience over you.” The elder's boast was followed by a fresh wave of power, the three of us reeling as our mental shield was tested. “And with the three of you in my link, you've given me many lucrative options.”

“The only option you have is whether you're gonna get beaten now, or later!” snapped Rainbow. A swell of confidence spread through our link. “You're desperate! You've got no army, no allies, and no plan!”

“But I do have your minds,” said Aurum with a chuckle. “And your defenses aren't nearly as good as Celestia's.” The scenery around us took on a golden hue, the tranquil grotto shifting from its natural green state to a twisted black and yellow. The mental assault redoubled and hit us harder than ever.

To my left, Rainbow let out a cry and collapsed, her link with myself and Chrysalis straining and rapidly weakening. Desperately, I tried to reinforce our connection, but Aurum blocked me at every turn. “Perhaps your mind will be more suited for me, Twilight. I'd love to discover the secrets of those amulets of yours. Or maybe I'll simply take your lover's place.

Her siege continued even as she spoke, hammering our connection with all she had. She was isolating us. Separating our links. Darkness filled my vision as Aurum's magic continued to slip through my failing shields as Rainbow and Chrysalis’ presence faded from my mind.

“You...won't win...” I gasped out as the scenery vanished completely, leaving behind a black and gold void that only I and Aurum occupied. “You've already lost everything you were fighting for.”

“So long as I survive, we will rebuild,” said Aurum dismissively. “But really, this conversation is pointless. You won't remember any of it once I'm through.”

A fresh wave of pain accompanied her renewed attack. Her strength was unfathomable. Where was she getting so much power? Celestia herself? Or was the difference in skill simply too much? Dimly, I heard Chrysalis and Rainbow's voices echo in my mind, but my senses were rapidly fading as Aurum shut down my mental facilities bit by bit. Soon, all I could hear was her mocking voice. I had to hold out. Keep my sense of self...and then what? Hope that someone would stop her? Wait for rescue? No...there was no one here but me...and there was only one way out.

Taking a breath, I tightened my defenses...and dropped my barriers completely. Aurum's presence spilled in like a tide, seeping into my memories and thoughts...and then I pushed back, taking the link she had formed with me and using it to force my thoughts into hers. She hadn't even tried to form barriers, and I quickly took advantage, finding every pain point I knew of and triggering them all at once.

Almost immediately, I felt her recoil, her focus shifting to try and stifle my assault. Relief flooded through me as her own offensive eased but even with her attention split, I felt her vividly in my mind.

“My, you're much more of a fighter than your princess,” came Aurum's voice, floating through the darkness and whisking past my ear. “Perhaps in a few decades, you might even be a threat.”

Aurum's energy lessened slightly, the barrier rippling briefly before solidifying and redoubling in power. It was strong. Too strong!

Nothing was working! I was a fly beating against a glass window. What could work against centuries of knowledge and experience? Fighting her on this battlefield had been just as reckless as trying to fight Celestia in the air.

In a small corner of my mind that was still my own, I felt my body back in the real world, trembling. How long was it going to be 'my' body? Would Luna catch on to what was happening? Would I stay trapped in my own mind while Aurum drew me around like a puppet on her strings?

Desperately, I made one final charge against the encroaching darkness, not trying to break Aurum's hold, but trying to reach my friends, hoping to draw one last bit of comfort from them through our link.

Silence.

Only Aurum’s voice remained, and now she was eroding away my very sense of self. I was alone, frantically clinging to what few thoughts I could. Was the same thing happening to Chrysalis and Rainbow? I had no way of knowing. I was...

No. I wasn't. I wasn't alone!

I had friends, family...ponies and changelings who cared about me. Since when did I need a mental link to know that? A spark of defiance lit inside me. Rainbow and Chrysalis were here. They were inside me, just like I lived in their memories.

Delving deep into my own subconscious, I focused on the two I cared about most. Rainbow, with her determination, unshakable confidence, and fierce loyalty. Chrysalis, with her devious wit, endless cunning, and her devotion to those she cared about. There was a bond there, and it wasn't something Aurum could stifle, no matter how she warped and twisted my mind.

“Hmph. Took you long enough.” Chrysalis' voice floated past me in the darkness of the void. “Why does it always take you so long to remember your own Friendship lessons?”

Around me, Aurum's assault intensified, trying to overwhelm me again, but this time I stayed firm. A moment later, I heard Rainbow's voice. “C'mon egghead, we're right here with you. Kick her out already!”

The spark ignited and warmth flooded my body as I drew strength from my bonds. Rainbow and Chrysalis were only the first. My friends soon joined, adding their voices to the void, slowly but surely drowning Aurum out. My eyes opened and the darkness seemed to waver. Focusing all of my mental energy, I cried out. “Rainbow! Chrysalis! I'm here!”

The mental link I thought I'd lost suddenly roared back to life. Light pierced the darkness around me, the forest brightening as the surroundings of Celestia's mind came back into focus. Rapidly, strength returned to me...to us...even as Aurum tried to destroy our renewed connection.

“Gah...just give up already!” shouted Rainbow. “You're not getting any of our minds!”

Aurum’s laugh was sharp and derisive. “Bold words from an emotionally unstable mare like yourself. It doesn't matter how strong you think your link is. You'll never match my power in here. All you've done is bought yourself a few more moments of freedom.”

To my right, Chrysalis suddenly let out a chuckle. My eyes widened as I felt our link grow stronger, a familiar sensation running through me. “So...this is what it feels like. I really have been missing out.” Shakily, the green changeling queen stepped forward. For the first time since our confrontation, a look of uncertainty passed over Aurum's features. “You really know nothing about the strength of a true bond shared with another.”

“Spare me your inane lectures. Your minds are pitiful compared to mine. I am a hair's breadth from dominating the most powerful being in Equestria. You three-”

“Four.”

The Elder blinked and suddenly a burst of green fire lit the grass next to Chrysalis. When it cleared, Dusk was standing next to her.

“So you remembered your hive. It matters not. Even with their collective power, you cannot match me,” said Aurum confidently, but I was barely listening to her. My eyes were locked on Dusk. He had been at Carbon Creek, and if he was here right now...

“Oh but that's the funny part,” said Chrysalis as she gave Dusk a nod. “It's not just my hive. I brought Celestia's too.”

POP!

“Whee!” An explosion of streamers and an excited voice heralded the entrance of Pinkie Pie, along with a burst of green fire from the changelings who had helped bring her into the link. Landing gently on her hooves, Pinkie's presence began to have a noticeable effect on the clearing. Ribbons and streamers appeared in the branches of the trees, and up in the sky, party balloons idly floated by.

“About time we got through to you. Reception on the train is terrible.” More bursts of green fire appeared, the mind link growing to include more and more of the queen's hive.

“How? I shielded this mind the moment you came in!” shouted Aurum.

“Don't be silly,” said Pinkie with a giggle. “You can't stop a bond of friendship with a shield. Oh and...” her expression suddenly turned serious. “You need to leave. No one likes a clingy guest.”

Before Aurum could respond, another link roared to life. Eagerly, Chrysalis and I reached out to it and pulled. In a flash of blue fire, Rarity's mental projection appeared next to us. “Dear me, that is a rather dizzying trip,” she murmured.

“You've bought yourself nothing more than a temporary reprieve. Your connections won't help you here, even if you bring in all of your Elements!” snarled Aurum, quickly proving as good as her boast as her darkness fought to return.

“Really darling, I don't think you realize how these shiny trinkets work,” said Rarity with a scoff. “You don't need a bauble to have a bond with somepony...or even some changeling.”

“And I don't need to like Chryssy to respect what she's doin' and lend her my strength,” came Applejack's voice moments before she appeared beside me.

“A-also I'm here too,” came a quiet voice from behind Aurum. I blinked, focusing on the pegasus. I hadn't even felt her enter the link, and from Aurum's surprised look, neither had she. There was a moment of silence as the pegasus tiptoed around the Elder, joining our growing group of ponies and changelings with a muttered 'sorry' before whirling around and facing Aurum with a determined look.

Shaking my head, I reached out to all of the changelings and ponies who had joined their minds with mine. Some were stronger than others, and I sensed uncertainty as our coalition still only seemed to be able to match Aurum's vast power, but we were near a tipping point.

“This is your last chance,” I warned. “Remove yourself from Celestia's mind, or we'll force you out.”

“There is nowhere else for me to go,” Aurum responded sharply. “There is no choice. Force me out if you can, but I will never accept your false promises of peace!”

“False? How can you still say that after all you've seen of her mind?” I snapped.

“Because I am not ignorant to the ways of the world. Celestia will always put her ponies first above any other species, just as I do mine.”

“Then maybe you should think about those you're leaving behind,” cut in Chrysalis. “Despite your best efforts to burn your queendom to the ground, some of your followers are still alive and desperate for guidance. Or will you abandon them, too?”

Aurum's expression slipped and a snarl appeared, her mental energies twisting around her in a sudden flurry of activity. “The only one who has abandoned their duty is you!” she shouted, her magic lashing out towards Chrysalis.

Our defenses were there to meet her, deflecting one wave after another, shielding Chrysalis with the strength of our bonds. And then, at long last, I felt a bit of Aurum’s fatigue. She was tiring, her mental projection wavering as she carelessly burned through her reserves of power, along with the energy she'd managed to borrow from Celestia.

In that magical torrent, Chrysalis struck back and blasted the mental magic that had woven itself through Celestia's mind while my friends and I continued to shield her from Aurum’s wrath. Bit by bit, the intricate and deeply woven corruption that had spread through the princess' mind began to unravel.

Aurum did not go quietly. Her mental attacks lashed out at us repeatedly, trying to find a weak link in our bond, but we remained steadfast and determined, rebuffing her every time. The tide was turning in our favor, Aurum's fear rising as her influence waned and Celestia gained strength.

Chrysalis was being careful and deliberate, making certain every bit of the Elder was purged, slowly driving her back into a corner. Panic began to manifest on her features, but rage soon returned, the bright blue sky boiling a deep blood red.

“Don't do it,” warned Chrysalis. “Even if you've given up your body, one of your drones might be willing to take your consciousness. There's no reason to throw your life away.”

“Life beneath the Sun Tyrant isn't worth living,” snapped Aurum. Her power waned as she drew it inwards, on the defensive now as Chrysalis pushed her down...but then it began to shift. All of the tendrils of energy seemed to compress inwards, right before lashing out. Like a hundred sharpened needles, Aurum drove her power into Celestia's mind, stabbing deep, blindly striking out at everything she could reach.

“Stop it!” My shout rang out through the clearing as I threw my power against her, taking the lead from Chrysalis and drawing my friends into an all out assault. The first mental blow didn't even seem to register with her, but I quickly piled on, striking out at her mind as her golden corruption tore at Celestia's mind.

Chrysalis was trying to communicate with me, but I couldn't waste the time to listen. I knew what fate lay in store for the princess if her mind was too severely damaged. Nightmares still haunted me about the time I'd accidentally done it.

Her mental barriers shattered under the assault, her power weakened thanks to our prolonged battle. My energy poured in through the opening, diving towards one place in particular.She was trying to interfere, but I ruthlessly pushed her aside, forcing myself in deeper until I was at the central point for all her thoughts and memories.

My friend's voices were in the background, trying to reach me as I fashioned my magic into a razor thin dagger. They were seeing all of this. Watching what I was doing. What I was about to do. I hesitated, my nerves fraying as the vision of that changeling so long ago in Chrysalis’ cavern flashed across my mind.

No...she wanted this. She wanted me to lose control. She wanted her death to send a message to all the other changelings in the world.

Swallowing hard and closing my eyes, I forced myself to calm down, drawing on the strength and support of my friends, their voices of concern and worry pulling me back to a more rational state of mind.

It was a bluff, I realized. She was spent. She didn’t have the power to harm Celestia’s mind any more than a single pony could ‘harm’ Canterlot Castle with their hooves. And I’d almost fallen for it.

Even now, she was making a show of lashing out against Celestia, but now it looked more like a toddler flailing at a titan. The ‘dagger’ of magic I’d been forming faded as emotional exhaustion set in. My friends...they must have known what I’d been about to do. What were they thinking right now?

A pair of legs wrapped around my neck. Chrysalis was by my side, and Rainbow soon joined her, both of them providing some much needed comfort.

“I will finish things here,” murmured Chrysalis. “Go pass out in the real world. I'll be right behind you.”

“And I'll soften things with the girls,” promised Rainbow. “Just get out and get better.”

Weakly, I nodded before slowly untangling myself from the link, letting the fatigue, both mental and physical, take me back to the real world and a peaceful sleep soon after.

Chapter 14: Fair Winds

“Lay still, Twilight.”

The calm voice pierced the mantle of sleep that had settled over me. Wearily, I urged my eyes to open and take in my surroundings. I was still in the throne room where my fight with Celestia had ended, and while there were plenty of holes in the walls and ceiling, much of the rubble had been cleared away.

A warm feeling began to spread through my aching body. The brief moment of tension I felt quickly vanished as my groggy mind recognized Celestia's magic. The burns that were covering me began to recede, and the lingering painful sensations began to numb significantly. Through it, I stayed quiet, forcing myself to relax, even though I wanted nothing more than to jump up and hug Celestia as tightly as I could.

“How long?” I whispered, once the scorched skin around my throat had healed.

“Not long enough. I would suggest you continue resting if you are able.”

The magic subsided, leaving me feeling slightly cold, but it was easily a dozen times better than before. Turning my head upwards, I finally got a look at Celestia. It was enviable how well she looked. Not a bruise or blemish was on her white coat, and her expression bore a concerned, yet warm look that made me feel as though I could drift back to sleep without worry. Unfortunately, the burning questions on my mind wouldn't allow that.

“Where are-” I began, only to be silenced by a raised hoof.

“Be calm, Twilight. Your friends are quite well, and not a trace of Aurum remains inside me. Chrysalis was very thorough in her work.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. More questions were forming in my mind, and I'd probably want to double-check Chrysalis' work just to be sure, but for the moment I let myself bask in the peace. Snippets of conversation drifted past my ears as I closed my eyes and laid my head down on my forehooves. The immediate crisis may have been over, but another was already looming. Aurum had shown up in Canterlot for peace talks, and the end result of that had been several deaths and a castle-destroying conflict. Was it even possible to put a spin on something that looked this bad? I hoped Celestia had a plan, as every possibility I could think up seemed bleak at best.

I was fairly certain I'd drifted off again, since the next moment I remembered was a soft, comfortable wing wrapping around my side and pulling me close. My eyes peeked open to see a tired looking Rainbow Dash snuggling into my side. The second thing I noticed was that I'd been moved to a bed. The royal bed in Celestia's chamber, to be precise.

Smiling, I turned my head and gently nuzzled into Dash's neck, my body scooting closer as I felt her wing tighten. “This seems a little unprofessional from somepony whose supposed to be my bodyguard,” I teased.

“What are they gonna do, fire me?” asked Rainbow with a snort. “In fact, I think they owe me a promotion. Full Wonderbolt status with my own squad. I'd like to see Spitfire take on an alicorn.”

“You sure about that? I rather like your current position.” My mouth found a point on her neck and my teeth gave her a nip. A small part of my mind warned me that Celestia's room really wasn't the best place for this sort of flirting, but after the harrowing battle we'd been through, I was feeling unusually confident.

Rainbow quickly proved that she had plenty of confidence to spare, because suddenly I found my lips locked into a sweet, sensual kiss. Her tongue began to tease at my mouth, and soon mine was there to meet hers, dueling her for control.

“If there's anypony in Equestria who could keep me grounded, it's you,” murmured Rainbow as she broke away.

“I'd never ask you to do that,” I replied quickly. “I'd sooner catch up to you on my own wings, no matter how long it takes.”

Rainbow grinned. “Oh don't worry about that, I'm definitely gonna help you and Chryssy catch up. We're gonna do flying drills every morning, and every time you complain, I'm gonna bring up our fight with Celestia and pile on the guilt.”

“Fine, but only if you keep helping me with my mental magic studies,” I countered. “I have more than enough guilt to hold over you, too.”

“I will be happy to indulge both of your guilt trips, but only if you let me have the middle this time.”

My head jerked towards the new voice, only to relax when I saw Chrysalis in the doorway. I must have been really out of it if I couldn't mentally feel her presence. Beside me, Rainbow didn't hesitate to scoot over and beckon with her wing. A small bit of magic enveloped the queen as she walked over to the bed, and with a light hop and a flutter of her wings, her slightly shrunken body landed neatly between us.

I could feel her tension as we scooted closer, but it was quickly starting to drain away. She was clearly stressed, and I had a pretty good idea of what was on her mind, but I waited for her to speak it aloud, doing my best to physically comfort her in the meantime.

“This whole day has been an absolute disaster,” said Chrysalis finally.

“What? Really?” asked Rainbow. “I mean, we won, didn't we? Aurum got the boot, Celestia is fine, and we all made it through.”

“Perhaps, but look where Aurum's spectacular failure has left us. Three dead elders in Canterlot and hundreds of deceased changelings from their hives, all occurring during what was supposed to be peace talks. From the pony perspective, Canterlot Castle has numerous holes in it, three whole towns were taken over, and some are already speculating Nightmare Moon has returned thanks to the sun disappearing from the sky.”

The queen's outburst finished with a heavy sigh, her head dropping to her forehooves and resting there. Rainbow and I were quick to give her a comforting nuzzle.

“I think Celestia has a plan,” I said suddenly.

Chrysalis peered at me out the corner of one eye. “You do?”

“There was always the possibility of peace talks breaking down. Maybe not quite in such spectacular fashion...”

“Spectacular seems a bit weak...”

“It's a setback,” I continued, ignoring her aside. “But there are some positives. All of my friends know how hard you worked to defend Celestia. Even Applejack wouldn't doubt your sincerity, now.”

“And when you've got a pony as stubborn as Applejack on your side, that's half the battle won right there,” concluded Rainbow.

Chrysalis' head perked up and a small smile graced her lips. Her horn glowed for a moment, and in the next a pair of large black wings spread out from her sides to drape over myself and Rainbow. “With you two keeping me so well fed, I think I can manage just about anything.”

“How about a passionate, heartfelt speech to the remnants of Aurum's clan?”

Wiggling against Chrysalis' side, I glanced out from beneath her wing to see Luna and Celestia standing in the doorway. Part of me was embarrassed to be seen by Celestia snuggling with another on her own bed, but neither Rainbow nor Chrysalis seemed all that concerned.

“I'm not certain how much that will help,” mused Chrysalis.

“It would help us recuperate after such a strenuous battle and lay the groundwork for bridging relations with the rest of Aurum’s hive,” Luna reasoned, nodding her head.

“Half of Queen Aurum's clan was sacrificed towards her scheme,” Celestia continued. “The rest were abandoned and used as a diversion to get Luna and the Elements of Harmony away from Canterlot. I've no doubt there are many fierce loyalists among those remaining, but I would not presume all of them feel the same way.”

Chrysalis sighed, glancing at each of us in turn before facing Celestia. “Does it have to be right now?”

Celestia smiled. “No. I'm rather tempted to join you.”

My mouth opened in surprise, my eyes going wide as I stared at my mentor. Chrysalis answered before I could find my voice. “You may, but only if you remove your armor first.”

“And you’ll have to wait your turn,” quipped Rainbow. “We’ve been waiting long enough as is.”

Celestia chuckled as I hid my face. “Tempting as it is, Cadance has made quite clear to me how complex relationships become when they move beyond triangles. Do hold tight to them, Chrysalis. Both of those ponies beneath your wings have many secret admirers.”

I was almost certain I saw the princess wink. Chrysalis seemed unphased. “I haven't lost to you yet, princess.”

“And our record is one to zero now,” added Rainbow.

As I contemplated potential teleportation options, Celestia's tone became far more somber and her mirthful laugh faded. “We've finished our sweep of the grounds and castle. Aurum has been recovered.”

The grim mood quickly returned. “She was found in a separate area of the castle, comatose and unresponsive,” she continued. “There is plenty of mental activity though, and while our doctors are not certain, her condition seems stable.”

A coma then. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. It didn't feel like we'd solved the issue so much as we'd been given a stay of execution. What was Celestia going to do when she did wake up? Give her back to her hive? Let her try another invasion a hundred years from now? I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer. There was, however, one burning question that I had to get off my chest. “Was there anything we could have done differently?”

Celestia gave me a sympathetic look as my question hung in the air, but Luna answered before she could. “Doubtful. Aurum left no room for trust in these peace talks. From the very beginning, she intended to use them to her advantage.”

“And she refused to surrender, even when backed into a corner,” added Chrysalis. “No one should blame you for what happened.”

I nodded glumly. I'd tried telling myself the very same thing, but it didn't make me feel any better. Before I could get too caught up in my thoughts, a golden glow enveloped me, sliding my body out from beneath Chrysalis' wing and into Celestia's embrace. “Do not forget that your actions were instrumental in saving my mental well-being,” she said softly. “You have my word that I will continue trying to make things better for changelings, no matter how many times they bite the hoof of friendship.”

All I could do was nod as I was returned to the soft bed and Chrysalis' embrace. Did it feel a bit tighter than before?

“Now then, I've kept you from your friends long enough. Carriages will be on standby to take you back to Ponyville if you wish. Otherwise, you may simply sleep here for tonight.” Her gaze turned to me, and for a moment I saw a mischievous smirk. “Do be sure to keep the proper sanitation spells in mind.”

“W-what? Princess, I would never-”

“My, that sounds like permission,” cut in Chrysalis. “And in the royal bedchambers, too. This could be a once in a lifetime chance.”

“But...”

“I dunno, I don't have my stash here,” said Rainbow, looking thoughtful. “Hooves and a tongue only go so far.”

“Hmph. Thou does not know my sister terribly well. She possesses a well maintained collection readily available,” said Luna.

“Mmm...tempting, but is our sweet little Twilight is ready for alicorn sized fun?” teased Chrysalis, tightening her wing again as I tried to bury myself in the blankets and sink through the bed.

“Hate you. Hate you all right now,” I mumbled amidst a chorus of chuckles.

“After y'all teleported off, we galloped back to the train right quick,” explained Applejack. “Dusk and a bunch of others came too. Kept trying to reach Chrysalis, but there was too much magic interfering or some such.”

“Fortunately, I managed to catch up to the train before it gained too much speed,” finished Cadance. “As it turned out, one of Chrysalis' drones had been hiding out in the empire for quite some time. He was scared, but he approached us and pleaded for my help. After that, it was just a matter of giving them a love-boost so they could help you and your friends link together.”

“It was truly an exhilarating experience,” added Rarity. “Seeing thought made manifest...one wonders what sorts of creative fields could benefit.”

“Well...I do plan on continuing my research, although I'm not sure I'm at that level just yet,” I confessed. “There's still a lot I don't know.”

“You can definitely call me anytime,” insisted Pinkie Pie. “I feel like I know you girls better than ever now!”

“I'm just happy we were able to help,” murmured Fluttershy.

“We couldn't have driven her back without you,” I insisted. “All of you.”

“Let's just hope the next peace talks go better than this,” grumbled Applejack.

I chuckled with everypony else at that, grateful that the topic of conversation seemed to be getting steered around what had happened at the end. Pinkie in particular seemed to have a keen sense of where to steer the topic of conversation to avoid the subject, with a little help from the other pink pony in the room.

“That said,” began Cadance, turning towards Chrysalis, a glint in her eye, “Now that I've got a chance to finally sit down and talk with you, I've been meaning to ask you about your relationship with my sister.”

Beside me, Chrysalis shifted nervously. While the two had exchanged letters in the past, this was their first real face-to-face meeting since the wedding. My friends fell silent, pretending to be interested in their hooves and the floor while their ears perked up in our direction.

“Oh relax, I can tell you care for them just as much as they do you. I'm more curious as to how much thought you've given the physical side of your relationship.”

I groaned, letting my head drop to the bed again. “Are all alicorns like this?” I moaned.

“Definitely,” said Cadance with a smile. “Auntie just hides it better.”

“My friends are right here!” I hissed.

Cadance pouted. “They're curious too. I've got another book in the works. You're not going to deny your favorite foal-sitter much needed material, are you?”

“You know, she might be teasing you, but having such a book would help inform curious ponies and help combat misinformation...”

“Ugh...not you too!”

It was Rainbow who finally came to my rescue. “Alright, that's enough about our theoretical love life. Twi's been embarrassed enough for one day. Now who wants to hear about our epic battle with Celestia?”

“Technically, it was more Aurum than Celestia,” I interjected.

“Still epic,” countered Rainbow. “Now help me fill in the blanks here.”

“Thou should be resting.”

The accusation came the moment the sisters left the room. Gently, a blue glow began to envelop the larger mare to support her as her expression fell from a calm smile to a somewhat pained look. “Not yet. There is too much uncertainty right now. Ponies need to be assured that both of us have taken care of it.”

“And if I were to do this by myself, it would lend fuel to the rumors of Nightmare Moon's return,” finished Luna with a sigh.

“I will get my rest,” assured Celestia, her words slow and somewhat deliberate now that she was alone with Luna, almost as though she were having some trouble forming them. “And I will recover eventually.”

Luna did not seem reassured, even as Celestia straightened her legs and began to walk a bit more confidently under her own power. Fortunately, Celestia had just the thing to distract her with. “Besides, my bed is going to be in use for a while. It will be best to give them some time alone before I join them.”

“Thou art planning a cradle robbery.”

Celestia simply smiled at Luna's accusatory tone. “Really sister, at our age everypony is a foal by comparison. You may put your mind at ease, however. I have no plans to meddle with such a promising pairing.”

Luna looked unconvinced. “You are plotting something. Or thou art playing a more lengthy game.”

“Time is one thing we alicorns have in abundance,” agreed Celestia sweetly.

Luna's eyes widened as the final few pieces fell into place. In a flash, she teleported in front of her sister, nearly causing her to stumble again. “You can't possibly mean to give her the rite, Tia! Thou knows how dangerous that ritual is!”

“I would say Twilight has more than earned the right to try. Besides, if she is going to take a pegasus lover, it would be a boon to both of them.”

“And it would give thee a chance to out-wait the two of them,” accused Luna.

“Perhaps. But Chrysalis has a long life ahead of her, and I dare say Rainbow Dash has shown much the same potential as Twilight.”

Luna stared at her, mouth open. “But...that would be three this generation! How would Equestria cope?”

“Just fine,” insisted Celestia, slowly getting back up and shakily walking past her stunned sister. “I was thinking I could disguise the ritual as one of Starswirl's unfinished spells. I'm certain Twilight would take to that rather passionately.”

“So you pulled a Sonic Rainboom right through the medical ward? I was wonderin' where all those holes came from.”

“Hey, I didn't really have time to pick my shots,” protested Rainbow. “It's a small miracle we hit her at all. I mean, Celly's a big target, but when you're going sonic speeds...”

A polite knock on the door interrupted Rainbow's story, re-admitting Luna. Ignoring the curious looks from my friends, the princess walked straight to Chrysalis, fixing her with a stern glare.

“Yes?” asked Chrysalis after a moment of silence.

“Be certain thou does not lose hold of what thou hast gained. Either of you,” she added, giving Rainbow the same stern look.

“Um...okay?” said Rainbow, her confusion clear, but Luna was already walking away before either of them could inquire further.

“Well that seemed needlessly ominous,” murmured Rarity once Luna had gone. “What do you think she was implying?”

Chrysalis leg snaked out and wrapped around my side, pulling me close against her. “I think I have an idea.”

On the queen's left, Rainbow suddenly took to the air and landed on my right, putting her own leg around me and squeezing tight as well. “Don't worry, Chryssy. A changeling elder couldn't take her away from us. A princess doesn't have a chance.”

Six months later...

Princess Eventide panted, her body trembling as she faced the unicorn seeped in dark magic. “You won't win, Sombra. That magic will consume you eventually.”

Sombra chuckled, the light bending around him as it seemed to be drawn into the curved horn atop his head. “Perhaps if I were a weaker minded pony, but this is merely a step on my path towards mastery of the alicorn secrets.”

Eventide let out a hollow chuckle, though a few rasping coughs soon eclipsed her voice. “After all this time and research, you still haven't learned a thing. It doesn't matter how powerful you are. If you can't see beyond your own ego, ascension will forever elude you.”

“No magic is unfathomable to me,” boasted the king. “And if you refuse to tell me, I will simply get my answers from your sisters.” Dark magic saturated the air, growing in power before lashing out at the princess. A sharp, pained cry rang out as her shield was torn asunder, the magic leaving deep scars and burning away her fur and the feathers on her wings.

“Agonizing, isn't it?” said Sombra, slowly increasing the intensity. “This is your final chance, Eventide. Reveal to me the path of ascension, or this spell will be the last you ever see!”

Horribly burned and reeling from the dark magic, Princess Eventide did nothing more than look at him with defiance. “Hmph. Stubborn to the end. Take-gah!”

The darkness surrounding the king suddenly receded as a bright light filled the sky. In full battle armor and a fiery aura, Celestia swooped down from the heavens, bringing with her the fury of the sun. The king's dark magic was burned away until with a growl, he teleported, leaving Celestia alone with the fallen alicorn. Her fury drained away as quickly as she'd brought it to bare. “Eventide!” she cried out, rushing to her side.

“No...Tia, please...don't look...”

The Sun Princess ignored her plea, quickly approaching her disfigured form. “Stay calm, you've taken a lot of dark magic.”

Eventide's body trembled, and with a choked cry, she let loose with the last bit of magic she had, vanishing from sight and leaving Celestia standing alone. The Sun Princess seemed to agonize for a moment before turning away and chasing after Sombra instead, unwilling to let him get away with anything more.

When Eventide appeared again, it was miles away. Far away from Canterlot, far from the Crystal Empire Sombra had sealed away, and far far away from any other pony. She'd lost everything now. Her kingdom, her subjects...even her body hadn't been spared. Exhausted, the princess collapsed, quiet sobs filling the frozen clearing that once teemed with life.

The sound of a hoof in the snow made her head jerk up. Moments later, a voice called out to her. “Princess Eventide!”

She knew that voice. The thought of being seen in this state terrified her, but she didn't have the strength to run.

“Radiant...” she called out as a stallion entered the clearing. “How?”

The stallion didn't hesitate to rush to her side, even as he took in her appearance. “I've always made it my duty to learn of your hideaways. I am supposed to be your guard.”

Eventide swallowed. “I'm sorry I left without you. Somepony had to draw Sombra's attention so the convoy could flee.”

“They're safe, thanks to you,” insisted Radiant, moving closer. “And Sombra has been sealed. Your sacrifice wasn't in vain.”

Eventide shook her head. “Most didn't make it out. And now...” She choked slightly as she looked down at her body.

Radiant closed the distance between them, kneeling down and pulling her into an embrace. “Princess, I know the opinion of a lowly guard doesn't matter much to you, but I don't care how you look. You will always be that kind and noble princess who was willing to take a chance on a young, arrogant stallion and set him on the right path.”

The stallion's body began to glow softly with a warm light. Slowly, the scars on her body began to heal, the dark magic that had so twisted her form fading as it failed to hold back the potent and powerful love Radiant was giving her. Soon, she was returning his embrace, her own body glowing as she absorbed his love. When she finally pulled away, her body had changed once more.

Her coat, which had been covered in burns, had hardened into a shell, though the black shiny color remained. The holes in her legs from where Sombra had struck with some of his more potent spells remained too, but the wounds were closed and the holes themselves didn't impede her ability to walk. Perhaps the only thing still recognizable about her was the purple and gold mane that had miraculously regrown.

“We should go to Canterlot, let your sisters know you're alright,” insisted Radiant.

Eventide hesitated before firmly shaking her head. “No, I can't. Not...not like this. I failed my people and I failed my sisters. I can't face them. My subjects deserve better than me.”

“Then I'll stay with you,” insisted Radiant. “Anywhere you desire. You might need me to keep Sombra's dark magic at bay. When you're ready to come back from exile, we can do it together.”

“But...I couldn't-”

Radiant silenced her with a warm kiss, not letting her finish. “Then don't. Just...please, let me be a part of your life.”

The transformed princess sniffed, wiping a hoof across her eyes, pausing briefly to examine the holes there. “You always were the most stubborn of my guards,” she murmured. “Radiant...I would be grateful for your company...for as long as you can stand me.”

“From now until forever then,” assured Radiant, leaning in for another kiss.

My hooves stomped politely on the ground with the rest of the crowd as the curtain closed, a long sigh escaping my lips now that the applause could drown it out. It did not, however, prevent Chrysalis from catching my emotional relief.

“I feel you didn't enjoy yourself quite as much as the rest of the audience.”

“Don't let it get to you, Chryssy. Twilight was always going to be your harshest critic,” came Rainbow's voice a moment behind hers.

“Hey, I didn't hate it!” I protested.

“High praise, coming from you.”

“Can we at least all agree that it was better than that idiotic Clever Twist production?” said Rainbow aloud as the noise of the crowd died down and the cast came out for their curtain call.

I couldn't resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I'd swallow a long lost sister of Celestia any day of the week over what that pony has tried to feed us.”

“Technically, she was an adopted sister,” corrected Chrysalis. “Much in the same way Cadance was welcomed into the royal family.”

My eyes turned towards the balcony where Cadance and Shining sat. The former had a wide smile on her face, even though her clapping was more subdued and refined. In the balcony next to them, Celestia and Luna were in attendance. It was the first of, hopefully, many visits they would make to this budding theater.

“Cadance seemed to enjoy it,” observed Rainbow.

“Cadance can enjoy anything with a romance plot,” I grumbled.

“Geeze, Twi, was it really that bad?”

I sighed. “Well...no. I mean, the set design, costumes, and acting were all fantastic...”

“But?” pressed Chrysalis.

I caved, finally spilling what was on my mind. “Don't you feel that the idea of your race being born from a cursed alicorn is a bit disingenuous? Sombra did some pretty twisted things, but there's no way he could create something as intricate and complex like you on purpose, let alone on accident.”

The Changeling Queen gave me a warm look that made my muzzle redden slightly. “Ahh, it fills me with warm and fuzzy emotions to see you get offended on my behalf.”

My blush was probably visible from the opposite booth right now. The hoof-stamps and claps picked up again as the changelings on stage dropped their disguises and bowed, giving me a moment to compose myself. “I just want you to be accepted for who you are. Not because they think you're cursed ponies or something silly like that.”

Chrysalis smiled, wrapping a forehoof around my side and pulling me close for a hug. “I'm sure they'll be happy to receive your feedback.”

Rainbow quickly pressed against my other side. “But go easy on them, kay? These changelings are my best chance of seeing a good Daring Do play in my lifetime.”

“It baffles me that you can still find those adventurers entertaining considering all you've been through,” mused Chrysalis. “I doubt any of Daring Do's villains could withstand a Sonic Rainboom.”

Rainbow preened at the compliment, but quickly came to her hero's defense. “It's not just about the action. There's mystery and intrigue, too!”

“Not a fan of the romance?”

“She has a new stallion every other book. Kinda hard to get invested in any of them.”

The theater was starting to empty. Celestia and the royal delegation had already slipped out. Tomorrow was going to be another long day of talks and deals, however, so we were bound to see plenty of each other. Still, it was a good sign of progress that this particular talk was the first ever to be held within the Changeling Kingdom.

While I may have had my gripes about the play, the work they'd done with the once abandoned Diamond Dog mine was nothing short of phenomenal. Once long ago, I'd read tales about Earth Ponies who lived their entire lives underground and crafted rock and metal as intricately as Rarity wove her fabric. While these particular Earth Ponies were a distant legend, the changeling's work seemed to mirror them, turning a once crude and dangerous mine into an elegant, spacious town, easily accessible to ponies and changelings alike.

Securing a steady source of love had proven to be a bit trickier, but this newly built amphitheater was another step in solving that problem. With secrecy no longer at the forefront of the changeling race's needs, many of the workers and infiltrators had a lot more free time and a whole new world now open to them. Drawing, painting, writing, cooking, music...all of the things deemed too frivolous to engage in before were now available, though acting and theater in particular seemed to come more naturally to them above all else. Praise for their work and talent turned into love for the changelings, and that in turn laid the foundation for what might one day become a city dedicated to the arts.

Perhaps that goal was a ways off yet, but Chrysalis' kingdom was growing steadily as more and more changelings came out of the woodwork, willing to give her experiment a chance.

Many queens remained hidden, however. Some were elusive and paranoid, others were hostile. Celestia and Chrysalis were no doubt going to have to meet several times in the future to discuss how best to deal with the more stubborn ones, but it was unlikely any of them would pose the same threat Aurum had, and for every one that declared themselves an enemy, at least two were grateful that the elders were no more.

“Queen Chrysalis,” came a voice from behind, drawing me from my thoughts. “Please pardon the interruption, but-”

“A-hem,” interrupted Chrysalis with a fake cough. “What did you address me as?”

The royal guard hesitated before correcting himself. “My apologies, Princess Chrysalis. Princess Celestia has requested the morning meeting be moved a couple hours forward. She has said she wishes to tour the city and see the progress that has been made.”

Princess Chrysalis grinned. “I find that acceptable. I will see her for lunch, then.”

With a bow, the royal guard hurried from the booth.

“Gotta admit, still sounds a little strange calling you a princess,” said Rainbow.

“A page from Celestia's playbook,” replied Chrysalis. “Queen or King implies absolute authority. So does Elder in our case. If we are to make inroads to the other hives, it's best they don't see me as such a ruler.”

“You're starting to sound like her, too.”

“Oh, well that's part of my plan to transfer Twilight's affection for Celestia to me.” With a playful look in my direction, Chrysalis' mane shimmered slightly, taking on a multi-colored hue.

I managed to keep the blush off my face and fired back. “Sorry princess, it's just not the same unless you can get it to wave back and forth with an Astral Wind spell.”

Chrysalis' smile widened, and suddenly her mane began to wave ever so slightly in an unseen wind.

“Wha...how?”

“Celestia taught me. Mentioned it might be useful in seducing you.”

“Pfft. It’s not the waves that gets her, its the rainbow color,” Rainbow said.

My mouth opened and closed a couple times before I regained my senses and picked up on the small discrepancy in her magic. My horn glowed and dispelled the illusion while Rainbow and Chrysalis stifled a few giggles.

“So what should we do in the meantime, now that we've got another two hours?” I asked.

“Sleep in,” voted Rainbow.

“I could think of a few activities more enjoyable than sleep,” suggested Chrysalis.

I'd almost been expecting an answer like that, but this time I had a verbal parry ready. “And what if I said yes to your 'activities'?” I challenged. “Are you actually prepared? Got a list ready?”

“As a matter of fact, Rarity just put her finishing touches on the princess' suite today. Complete with a Celestia-sized bed. More than enough to fit all of us.”

A retort was on my lips, but I paused. There were plenty of reasons to deflect her flirtations. Tomorrow was looking to be quite busy. More experiments with the changeling hive, establishing Rarity's new clothing shop, negotiations with the recently arrived envoys, and there was that spell Celestia had given me right before the play that was piquing my curiosity...and yet all of that future work only made Chrysalis' offer more appealing.

“You know...that sounds nice,” I said softly. The changeling princess' expression didn't change, but I could sense her surprise. “I mean...if you really feel up for it,” I added quickly.

Chrysalis chuckled, bringing her head down for a gentle nuzzle against my neck. “I'm not that much of a tease, Twilight. I'm always prepared to follow through with my flirting.” Her lips gently touched against mine in a chaste, affectionate kiss that lasted only briefly before she turned away and looked to Rainbow. “And what about you? Are you willing to put off our morning flight to enjoy an evening workout?”

Rainbow grinned, wrapping a foreleg around her neck and pulling close to her ear. “Only if we're all exhausted and sweaty by the end of it.”

“Don't tell me you're actually feeling nervous.” Rainbow's accusation came as the three of them were making their way from the theater to the royal lodgings still partially in development.

“Nervous? Not even,” replied Chrysalis, the two of them lagging a bit behind Twilight as they held their mental conversation. “I'm just reminding myself that this is Twilight's first time. She's probably not prepared for everything a changeling can...offer.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, she barely batted an eye at Cadance's reference materials. What could possibly be more lewd than that?”

Chrysalis responded with a series of mental images.

“Oh...wow. Okay, yeah. She might not be ready for that. Seriously though, just be yourself tonight. I'm pretty sure she didn't have that kind of stuff in mind when she fell for us.”

“Feels like we fell a bit harder,” teased Chrysalis. “But I'll follow your advice. For tonight, at least.

A faint buzzing sound began to ring in her ears. With a small chuckle, Rainbow dropped her defenses and let Twilight into the link.

“I can feel you two thinking behind my back,” she accused.

“We were simply reflecting on how fortunate it was that I managed to ensnare such a beautiful and talented pair of ponies,” said Chrysalis without missing a beat.

Despite her overly flattering words, the compliment still made Twilight blush. “Well...I wouldn't call it fortunate. You just kept making the best out of bad situations until things fell into place.”

“Yeah, you definitely made the most of it,” agreed Rainbow. “Commander Hurricane once said that it's an ill wind that blows nopony good.”

“So would that make Aurum the ill wind then?” asked Chrysalis. “She felt more like a tornado. Wild, unpredictable, and catastrophically damaging to everything in its path.”

“Maybe,” agreed Twilight, turning and facing her two lovers. “But it blew you two in my direction, and I'm grateful for that.” And although it was a bit awkward, the unicorn stepped close and hugged them both, pulling Rainbow out of the air and Chrysalis down to her level.

Her embrace was quickly returned twofold, and for a moment the three simply enjoyed each others company. Chrysalis finally broke the silence. “I'm going to be as big as Celestia soon if you two keep spoiling me like this.”

“All the easier for you to steal my affection away,” teased Twilight. “And if you can do half of the things you just showed Dash, then you're going to need the energy.”

Rainbow pulled away, eyes wide. “Wait, you saw that?”

Twilight simply giggled and turned away, flicking her tail at the two of them as she continued on towards the princess' suite.

Chrysalis simply grinned. “Dash, I do believe I feel a fair wind blowing our way.”

Canterlot Castle: Some Months Later…

“How long are you going to continue this farce?”

“As long as it takes for you to start believing me.”

“You're wasting your time then.” Determinedly, Aurum distracted herself with looking over the room even as she felt Celestia's gaze on the back of her neck. There was plenty to look at. Nice curtains framing a pleasant view, full bookshelves with all manner of titles on them, lovingly crafted paintings and photographs spaced out along the walls...but none of those things could keep her attention for long.

“Am I? A few months ago you wouldn't even talk to me. I feel like we've already come a long way,” said Celestia calmly as she settled herself beside Aurum's bed.

Slowly, limbs complaining and protesting the entire way, Aurum turned towards Celestia, fixing her with her best glare. “Leave me.”

Celestia shook her head. “I will not. Not until you are properly fed.” It was a conversation they'd had dozens of times already, yet Celestia never seemed to tire of going through the motions. “And I will either stay here until your body's instinctive desire to feed overwhelms your will, or you simply take what I am offering you.”

Silence followed as it always did, Aurum looking away and closing herself off to the warmth and love radiating from the princess beside her, and just like before, Celestia waited, staring at her and waiting for her to react. It was a 'battle' that had been going on for months...

...and today, Aurum blinked.

“Fine! If it will get you to leave faster!” Aurum's mouth opened and her eyes closed, the changeling elder feeding on the ambient love in the room, her body growing more relaxed and stronger with each passing second. It was tempting to take all of it. Perhaps it would be enough to finally get her body to move properly, but Aurum forced herself to stop once the ache was gone. “There. Now leave me.”

“I will be back tomorrow,” assured Celestia, turning and making her way out of Aurum's room.

“Why am I still alive?”

The question made Celestia pause, but the answer was already on her lips. “Because I am doing all I can to take care of you.”

“You know what I mean,” snapped Aurum, forcing herself to turn towards her.

“Because I feel your pain. Because I know you better than anyone else, pony or changeling. Because I have been trying for decades to make up for the mistakes of my past, and no one knows those mistakes better than you.”

Aurum stared. If she'd had the strength, she might have recoiled on the bed. “How?”

“You made the connection. I just made sure Chrysalis didn't completely sever it,” said Celestia aloud. “And no, I'm not going to leave you alone. Not until I'm certain you won't starve yourself. If you don't want me in your head...well, I suppose you'll just have to get strong enough to break the link.”

The pleasant, easy smile was back on her face now, and Aurum could do nothing but glare. “If you think this is going to change anything-”

“I do,” interrupted Celestia calmly. “Not today, but perhaps one day you'll finally be able to trust what you can see in my mind. Do have a good rest, Aurum. I will see you tomorrow.”

With a flash, Celestia was gone, leaving Aurum to herself and the lingering connection in the back of her mind. Now that it was there, she couldn't ignore it and she lacked the strength to block it out. And yet...it was almost as though she were inviting her to look at her thoughts. She must have known Aurum didn't have the strength to hurt her or control her...she very likely had the strength to fight her off if she tried.

But what else was there to do in this place? Slowly, Aurum opened her mouth, drawing in the ambient love Celestia had left in the room, feeling life come back to her limbs as she began to probe at the connection.

Miles away, Celestia smiled.