Gidget sat down at her table in the newly refurbished Castle of the Two Sisters, of which she now called home, eating a simple salad while deep in thought. Her mane and tail a lavender hue with a stripe of indigo in it, her fur a pastel periwinkle and her eyes shimmered like an emerald. However, you could instantly tell that she was different. Her right arm had been replaced in its entirety by a titanium alloy limb embedded with crystals and gems glowing with magic. Her left leg had been replaced up to the mid-thigh with a similar piece of gemtech. Her left eye had been replaced with a spherical emerald with a runic marking where her pupil would be and, though you couldn't tell, her right lung was completely replaced with gemtech and runic magic. Finally, and probably one of the most heinous wounds for a unicorn, was that most of her horn was replaced by a lumerian crystal with runes running down its length. She was damaged, but this was expected. With experiments and progress comes pain and loss.
She thought and thought, trying to break through the runic calculations for an unfinished spell called the Sea of Awakening. She had spent most of the past nine years on these calculations and had figured out all except the final runes, a piece called the Circle of Truth. She knew the ingredients to make the runes and one rune, but it didn't make any sense as the runic properties seemed to cancel each other. Not to mention she didn't see the point in using the oils of poison joke, when the rune known was one that meant harmony. Why use such a chaotic ingredient in a harmonic spell. Her thoughts about this discrepancy plagued her for a while as she finished her salad and tapped her metallic fingers on the table.
"Maybe I should ask for Twilight's help on this. Hell, maybe even Disc..." She trailed off as her mind gave her the simplest of answers. "It isn't a harmonic spell. It's a grouping of harmonic, wild and chaotic magic. A group spell of massive proportions. All it needs is a strong connection." She said to herself as a boost of energy came with her light speed thoughts. She smiled as a rune on her crystal horn glowed with power, the magic pulsed and she was at the edge of the Everfree. She screamed Twilight's name continuously with delight as she ran as fast as she could towards the crystal tree. Not even realizing that it was three in the morning and she was now acting like a mad mare. She ended her rush at Twilight's door and slammed her metallic palm upon it repeatedly.
Twilight and Spike woke up to the door being beaten as somepony screached her name. Luckily they knew who it was, that didn't stop the panic princess pony though. She dragged Spike to the door and threw it open. Her tired eyes twitched and she asked Gidget, "what's going on is it a monster?!?!?"
Gidget simply looked her in the eyes and said, "I finished it," in a quiet voice. Then she passed out on her hooves and folded to the floor. Twilight grumbled and picked the crazed unicorn up in her magic as she understood what a big project could do to them. She dropped Gidget on the couch and went back to sleep, Spike not to far behind.
The sun bled through Gidget's eyelids changing the comforting darkness of dreams and sleep to the painful reminder of the waking world. She stretched on the couch and yawned, as the memory of the previous night set in. She took a deep breath and smiled. At this time is when Twilight walked down stairs. She took some time to stare at her friend, Twilight's lavender fur, violet mane streaked with magenta, her dark purple eyes, her new height of 5'10", dwarfing Gidget's own 5'4", and her new wings all made her very attractive no doubt, especially to Gidget. However she could never bring up a question of affection with her since Gidget had asked Twi to be her study buddy in Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. Eventually they grew into great friends, but Gidget wanted a little more. Not like she'd be with somepony as ripped apart as me, Gidget thought. Her face contorted to somewhat of a sad smile as she took a breath and changed her expression.
"Morning Gidget," the purple alicorn stated with a yawn. "Want breakfast before we tell Celestia you finished your big project? Which one by the way?" She asked.
The rebuilt unicorn took another breath and sat up with an answer, "breakfast would be wonderful. The project is one I have been working on for a long time actually, breaking the codes, translating the inner workings and of course making the runic calculations. An immensly powerful runic spell called the Circle of Truth. One I was keeping to myself as I was unsure of the use of such powerful magic, but before I came here I found that it was built to break an ancient curse. A curse older than even Celestia and Luna. Apparently the curse is meant to weaken ponies and even Changlings. Though what the power shared by both of us is I don't know." She chuckled and got up on her hooves, once again she stretched, her hands reached upwards as the unicorn's spine crackled and popped. Twilight's eyes grew wider and more interested as Gidget finished her rambling. She opened her mouth to talk, but Gidget quickly cut her off, "food first, you know how we can get." Twi giggled, slightly embarrassed. They went to the dining room, just as Spike set the plates down, sat down, ate and joked about the frantic unicorn's behavior from last night. All the while Gidget's eyes were drawn to the beautiful alicorn mare that was Twilight Sparkle.
The gorgeous white alicorn sighed as the first pony entered the throne room, her motherly smile held true with the experience of doing this for over 1000 years. Inside though she was prepared for some rediculous and possibly offensive requests and demands. Celestia's long horn tingled from magic use as a scroll from her prior student, now friend, Twilight appeared in the air. She caught it and held the parchment within her palm and held her hand up to silence the Noble before he began. She opened the scroll and looked, confused, upon the mostly blank parchment. Instead of one of Twilight's long winded letters the brilliant alicorn had come to enjoy, this one held but one statement. 'The Sea of Truth is completed.' She smirked and looked at the pony before her. "All courts are cancelled for today. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to leave a notice with my secretary, Soul Blitz." Out of her horn came a burst of light and Princess Celestia was no longer upon her throne.
Gidget paced back and forth as she waited for an answer. Twilight nearly vibrated with excitement as she thought about all the new knowledge this could bring. Gidget summoned her scrolls last minute, placed them on the table, looked up and saw Princesses Celestia and Luna. She took a deep breath and knew this was it she had to convince them both of this strange, powerful spell. "So, umm..." She started unsure of how to present it with all it's ludicrous ingredients.
Celestia and Luna smiled. "So I hear you finished up such a complex runic display." Luna said as she looked at Gidget. "Specifically the one my sister and I found not only unfinished, but very damaged long ago."
"Yes I... I am not sure of how it... will be accepted though..." Gidget began, a scroll unfurled in front of her that contained the ingredients and magics needed. Gidget looked at the scroll anxiously.
"Why wouldn't it be it's meant to disrupt and break an old curse right?" Twilight questioned.
Gidget's breath quickened slightly. Then she started as her voice quivered, "it requires some... unorthodox ingredients to say the least. Crystal dust is used often, but void crystals tend to be looked at only for punishment and, as far as I know, void crystal dust is almost unused. Not to mention the necessity of poison joke oils... and... and blood from each participant." She paused for a moment. Twilight looked confused, while the other two alicorns seemed unperturbed to the untrained eye, though Luna's mane quickened its momentum in the false breeze and Celestia's eyes seemed to glow with a small fire. "Then brings us to the magics needed. It harbors the usual harmonic magic, but also requires chaotic magics as well as... dark magics." Gidget finished as her eyes went back to the scroll.
"That makes no sense at all. With all of those energies pulsing around and fighting the runic array would destroy itself and everypony in its range." Twi said as she put her hands on her muzzle in confusion.
"Thius the necessity of the blood to calm the magical properties and pull them together. Other than the caster it boasts the need of at least 15 ponies... six of which need to be alicorn class individuals. Four of which help with the stability of the spell, and two to represent harmony and chaos. The other nine are representative of the what is referred to as the Magic Spectrum." Gidget explained as the level of her voice lowered, almost to the point of a whisper near the end.
"Unorthodox indeed." Celesta stated. "However, you seem to have an idea of who would be needed for such a spell."
Gidget flinched a bit and looked up. "I.... I do. I have been trying to understand said spectrum over the years and have come to the conclusion that each pony has a unique color representing their natural aura, and an internal color representative of the Spectrum. These come in nine variations white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and black. The ponies I need to help use this spell are AJ, Starlight, Flutters, Rainbow, Thorax, Rarity, Darkwind, Pinkie and Shiny for what is called the Circle of Heritage. Then we have Twilight to represent harmony and Discord to represent chaos in the third array, the Circle of Testimony. The inner most array around me called the Circle of Truth..." Gidget paused at her next sentence. "Finally, the second array would be Luna, Cadence, Celestia.... and... Chrysallis. The Circle of Power." She finished, her voice once again just above a whisper.
"You know where she is." Celestia said her voice calm, but the heat pulsing off of her was almost unmanageable. Luna glared at the unicorn, while Twilight simply grimaced at the thought.
"Why would she know. She would have told us right. Right!?" Twi pleaded unsure of who to look at.
"I... I do. I have found out that she suffers from constant voices and a corrupted power implanted in her at birth." Gidget stammered as her heart threatened to burst. "I have found a way to stave off the voices and tried to help with the corrupt power at play, but... I guess you'll need to see."
"And we shall." Luna stated, "now, would be a good time."
Gidget trembled in fear as she summoned a scroll. She jabbed her finger with a needle and placed the blood on the array. Thus, Chrysallis entered the sight of all there, but what they saw was a mare stuck in-between the form she was in during the attack and a form closer to that of Thorax. Her body coated in spots of constantly changing colors. Her breathing hitched as if she was in pain. "So, is it time," Chrysallis softly stated as she struggled to hold herself up, Gidget came to her side and held her up. "Thank you friend." Everyponies hearts squeezed painfully at the sight.
"Nearly, I'm so sorry it took this long." Gidget said to her.
"You've already... done more... than I deser... deserve." Chrysallis answered.
"How long does the array take to set up?" Luna asked.
"For someone of my power six days" Gidget told her. "I have to infuse each and every rune as I go, a total of over 1000 runes and the array ranking well into the tens of thousands."
"We will speak after making a decision on this. Twilight put Chrysallis in a shield and come with us." Celestia said as her calm demeanor returned. Twilight nodded, a magenta shield around Chrysallis seconds later, Celestia and Luna charged their magic and they were all gone leaving Gidget alone.
Pulling at the heartstrings
A full day had passed by without hearing back from the princesses, and Gidget feared for the worst. Chrysalis shuddered in pain from inside the shield as they waited for any kind of word. Finally, a portal openned and out stepped Luna, Celestia, Twilight, Cadance and, surprisingly, Discord. Discord's mismatched limbs took the form of a pyramid with a large smile. Celestia, Luna and Twilight also smiled. Cadance, however, seemed disturbed.
Cadance spoke first, "I need to know why you didn't tell us the moment you found her."
Gidget breathed in deeply and answered, "when I first saw her that was my first thought. However, I saw her speaking to herself, well, screaming actually. She berated herself over and over, sometimes about how stupid the attack was and sometimes how she should have just given rulership to Thorax as she knew the curse had less of an effect on him. Then, she screamed how everything should be theirs. Finally, the conversation started all over." Gidget paused as she looked to the changeling queen twisted in deep pain. "I chose to give her a chance, just like Discord was. Although, as you can see the spell I cast later on didn't have the desired results." She finished.
A weak voice came from the shattered queen as she stood up slowly, "please... if it is decided... that I... I am not to be given a chance... please don't let this brave and wonderful unicorn share my fate. She tried to help me, but has done nothing to harm." Chrysalis let out a year as the pain brought her to her knees once more. Gidget lost it as she cried silently.
Cadance took a breath and closed her eyes. "She will share your fate though..." Crysalis grimaced as the pink alicorn finished, "a chance for forgiveness." The pink pony princess smiled and Gidget's mouth dropped.
Chrysalis simply whispered, "thank you and I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you."
Discord laughed as the sheild was dropped. He floated to her and began "while I can't help with the curse I can help with the pain and with the excessive conversation." He reached his paw into her ear and pulled out what looked like a meely work sandwich with black swiss cheese. "Yum yum yum my favorite," he continued as he took a bite and popped back to the princesses. Chrysalis twitched a bit before she screamed and passed out. "Don't worry she's fine, just needs some rest." He finished and the last of the sandwich disappeared into his gullet.
Gidget went to Chrysalis and sat down near her, moving her twisted frame on to her lap. Luna then spoke, "we have also, given some thought to the spell and have come to a problem. You told us that it needs harmonic, chaotic and dark magics as well as us knowing that it also needs wild magic as well. With the unorthodox ingredients, this spell seems so very..." She paused as her smile dimmed, "dangerous."
Gidget looked down at her and her friends damaged forms. "You go into an experiment knowing that you can fail worse than you ever wish to, but knowing you could succeed more than you can imagine. Danger is an ingredient to progress. I have lost a lot over time, but gained so much more. Please, let us try," Gidget said softly.
Strange as it was, it was Discord who said something reasonable and in a calm voice "how bad is a curse if it requires some of the most powerful beings on Equus and more than 1000 runes just to break it. Let her have a chance to help. I know I would." He put his mismatched limbs on Celestia's and Luna's shoulders. The two princesses took a deep breath and nodded. "Well it seems as if you're on your way to making one of the strongest spells ever." Discord said with a giggle. Then, he snapped his claws and the ingredients and ponies needed we're all there.
For the longest time no pony said anything. Glares started to pierce through as Chrysalis was recognized. Finally, Shining walked forward his anger apparent. "How long has she been under her control?" He asked.
Cadance answered, "she isn't Shiny." Shining Armor looked at Cadance as the groups confusion grew.
"She's here for the same reason we all are," Celestia commented, "to break a curse. Though she is also being given a chance like Discord was."
"BBBFF I know it's hard to understand, but please let's see where it ends up." Twilight added.
Then, Crysalis coughed as her eyes fluttered oppened. Thorax walked up as well and asked her, "why would you help now. You seemed to think everything was taken from you before."
Chrysalis pulled herself up a bit and gave a hug to Gidget, which was well received by the broken unicorn. She let go, looked to Thorax and said, "I should have given you the hive the moment my mind began failing. I wish to help now because of this wonderful unicorn who decided I was worth it. Not everything has gone perfectly, but it has done so much for me. I just wish to give back what has been given."
Thorax smiled and knelt down. He pulled her into a hug as she whinnied in surprise. "I forgive you," he said. Chrysalis let loose and cried as she hugged him tightly.
Shining took a breath and said, "I'm wary of this, but if Cadance says we should try, I guess we can try."
Pinkie had what looked like a seizure as her body locked up for a moment. Finally, she blinked and said, "that was a doozy of a doozy. I wonder what it means. Imediately Twilight got out her umbrella hat and looked around. "Mm... Not that, I think it has to do with Chrysy. Something she's not said yet. Maybe, doesn't seem bad though..." Pinkie added.
Everypony looked to Pinki then at Chrysalis. Discord waved his paw, amused by the situation. Chrysalis then realized there was another thing as she teleported in a small baby changeling queen. "I forgot to mention this even to Gidget. This is Phosys, my daughter..." She paused and looked to Shining, "and yours as well. You can check her if you don't believe me." She finished and held her up to Shining. Then he passed out.
