Cursed

Jinx felt empowered. Fire swirled around her as Canterlot fell. Screaming ponies attempted to stop the gluttonous flames from consuming their bodies by jumping out of buildings. Cadence screamed, seeing Shining Armor pinned underneath a fallen pillar that blazed with silver fire. Cadence turned to her and her expression was on of anger mixed with fear.

"You," she hissed and lunged for her daughter.

Jinx woke up in a cold sweat. A strange light flickered faintly into her room. Getting up, she was dismayed to see that the Change had devoured where her Cutie Mark would be. The bottom of her tail was just turning silver, sending chills don't her back. Her dream had seemed like a dark omen. The distinct scent of something burning touched her nostrils. Suddenly the light made sense. Chrysalis wasn't kidding when she said she'd burn the Hexa down. But something was off about the fire. It was closer than the Hexas.

Jinx stretched her wings, finding them to be dry with a note of satisfaction.

She jumped off her bed, wincing as the Change made her legs permanently get pins and needles. Until it was over, anyway.

It was still early, really early. Jinx guessed about I-should-be-sleeping o'clock. She yawned and trotted into the doorway.

Freezing, she saw orange fire dancing in the palace. She turned tail and galloped down the hall in terror.

She saw a familiar door.

She flung it open. "Venom!" she yelled.

Smoke was really starting to pour into the palace. Jinx was already coughing.

Venom coughed and sat up. "What's that?" he asked loudly.

"Fire in the palace! We've got to get out!"

"Where're the guards?" Venom coughed.

"I think they left first. Come on, let's go!"

When they reached the wall of fire, Jinx halted.

"You go, I'll catch up later!" Jinx told him and bolted back down the hallway.

"What? This place is coming down! You'll be killed!" Venom protested.

"Just go and try to save the Changelings!" Jinx yelled.

A beam creaked above the spreading fire. Venom backed away and galloped out of the palace.

Eyes watering, Jinx searched the hallways. Nope, she wasn't there. Suddenly, an ebony door caught her eye.

She fumbled to open it, finally succeeding when she used magic. Rushing in, she found that Chrysalis' bedchamber wasn't clouded with smoke yet. She ran up to the side of the Queen's bed.

"Chrysalis! Get up!" she shook her enemy.

Chrysalis got up and looked around. Fire was gnawing at the doorway and the annoying alicorn was there.

"I think I'll stay." Chrysalis burrowed back under the covers.

"No you're not. You are going to get up and escape." Jinx corrected. She picked up the blanket and threw the into the doorway.

"I'm not leaving. This fire was set for me." Chrysalis said firmly.

Jinx lit her horn with her natural greenish blue magic. "You are leaving," she said and poked her horn to Chrysalis' shoulder.

Jinx and Chrysalis appeared over the roaring flames in a flash of light. Flailing, they fell into the fire. Jinx crashed into a bush where Chrysalis hit the ground. With a moan, Chrysalis got up. Jinx walked over to her.

"Are you al-" she began, but was interrupted by a deep moan, not from Chrysalis.

Looking up in horror, Jinx saw the palace beginning to lean toward them.

The Queen of the Changelings threw herself over Jinx as the palace came loose from the trees that secured it.

Everything went black.

Jinx woke up coughing. Her legs ached and her wings had holes singed in them. There was something on her back, something heavy.

She pushed it off and got up. The fire had died down and Jinx could see the full extent of the damage. There was not one Hexa left. Behind her, the palace had fallen.

Sweet Celestia, Chrysalis!

Jinx rushed up to see the weak Changeling trapped underneath a massive piece of smoldering wood.

"I'll try to help!" Jinx attempted to lift the huge piece of wood.

Chrysalis let  out a hoarse laugh. "Don't wanna seethis bitch get what's coming to her, eh?"

"Er..."

"Exactly. Now, I going to tell you something, you might not want to believe it. That fire wasn't started by a Changeling. Our fire is green. The fire that almost killed my Changelings was set by a unicorn."

"Okay... but we have to get back to the Changelings. I told Venom to evacuate them." Jinx shifted her weight.

Chrysalis laughed again. "I'm afraid it's too late for me."

"No..."

"Yes. This situation reminds me of a lullaby I used to sing to Venom when he was little. My mother sang it to me, as did hers and so on. I suppose I have to teach it to you, as you're the only relatively Changeling in my presence. It goes like this:Hush, my little darling. Let your dreams take wing. One day when you're big and strong; you will be a queen. The past I've tried forgetting, and my foes I could forgive. Trouble is, I know it's petty, but I hate to let them win. Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind works for me. One day, when you're big and strong, you will be a queen. Payback time is nearing, and then our flag will fly against a blood-red sky! That's my lullaby."

Jinx uneasily thought that she didn't sing that to Venom.

Chrysalis' breathing became labored. "Tell Venom... I.... love him." she panted.

With that, the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, died leaving Jinx as her  successor.