I Am NOT Twilight Sparkle!

Zack was awakened from her state of mild unconsciousness when a splash of cold water was dumped on her. Shrieking at the sudden splash of cold and wetness, the alicorn tried to get to her hooves, but she found her legs covered in some kind of, green slime. Looking away from her legs Zack began to look at her surroundings, and found herself in what looks like a prison cell made out of obsidian, or some other kind of black stone.

“Finally! She woke up.”

A screechy, almost distorted voice spoke up, causing Zack to look over to the door of her cell, and found an unusual sight. Standing outside of her cell were a trio of what could only be described as, bug ponies. They were barely bigger than normal ponies, have black chitons exoskeletons, and they had…holes in their legs.

‘The fuck are these things?’ Zack internally thought as one of the bug ponies puts down a bucket.

“You, stay here and keep an eye on her. We’ll inform the queen that Twilight Sparkle is finally awake.”

Two of the bug ponies trotted off to the left of the cell, where she saw the wall of the room literally open up, and close! Already freaking out by the fact she is imprisoned by bug-ponies, being ‘shackled’ and imprisoned in a what looks like a Diablo game prison cell, but also the fact the fucking wall moved and opened up like a gaping mouth before closing! Yeah, Zack was not comfortable in her new situation. Deciding to free herself of her gooey bindings the alicorn tried to access her magic to form her magical construct, but nothing happened. Trying again, the violet mare tries to make her construct, but still nothing happened.

As she tries for a third time Zack noticed something, she noticed how, weak she felt. In fact it wasn’t just the fact that she feels none of her magic, but she feels physically weak as well. She was also feeling very hungry, as if she hasn’t eaten anything for days, and her throat feels very dry. And when she looked herself over, the mare saw that her body seemed to have gotten skinnier…but what really surprised the mare was a new mark now adoring her haunches. The mark has the same starburst image that Twilight has on her posterior, but unlike Twilight’s there weren’t five small white stars surrounding it, but instead two other images stood in front of the starburst. A bolt of black lightning and a multi-colored wisp.

‘What the fuck?! Since when do I have one of these ridiculous marks?’

“If your trying to free yourself with magic, it’s not going to work.” the left behind bug pony says in a rather, timid almost shameful voice.

“Why won’t my magic work?” Zack asked the bug pony.

“Well, you see, our queens throne is made out of a dark stone that absorbs all non-changeling magic.” the bug pony explained to Zack, who started to develop a questioning look.

‘Wait. Did he say, changeling?’ Zack then thought back to when she and Shining Armor first met, and how the stallion accused her of being a changeling. ‘So this is what a changeling is?’ the mare then looked squarely at the changeling before her as she tries to get into a more comfortable position to either lay, or sit in.

“You got a name changeling?”

“My name is Thorax.” The changeling said.

“Alright then Thorax, care to tell me why—”

Zack stopped herself in mid-sentence when the wall again opened up, and the two changelings from before came back, or at least she thought their the same and not new changelings. Unlike ponies, these changelings seem to only come in one model. At least that’s what the alicorn thought before another changeling came into the cell room, but this one was much different, and just oozed with an aura of that just screams bad guy. The new figure was at least as tall as Celestia, sharing the same black carapace of the smaller changelings, but this new figure has various differences that made it more equine in nature, close to that of an alicorn.

One of the main differences that separate this changeling from the others, is that it has long flowing turquoise mane and tail, having a longer and more crooked horn, as well as having a more greenish colored back chiton, rather than the cobalt colored ones the small changelings have. And instead of translucent blue eyes, this larger changeling has a pair of vibrant emerald eyes…and they were twinkling with some kind of malicious intent as they looked down at Zack.

“So after a week in my prison cell, you finally decide to wake up.” the changeling said in a brooding, almost seductive distorted voice. But Zack could tell that there was an underlining sense of hate in this mare’s voice.

“I’ve been out for a week!” the alicorn echoed with surprise.

“Yes.” The mare says as she continues to look down at Zack with spite in her eyes. “When my changelings found you when gathering love, passed out and vulnerable, I felt almost giddy at the prospect of seeing you again Twilight Sparkle.”

“Wait, what?” Zack says in confusion. “I’m not Twilight Spark—ARGH!” Zack was knocked to the back of her cell, when the tall changeling fired a beam of dark green magic at her, causing the jagged surface of the wall to bruise the mare’s back, and nearly breaking the bases of her wings.

“Save me your attempts to try and sway me Twilight.” The changeling says as she develops a gleeful smile on her face. Zack looked up from the ground, trying to ignore the pain in her chest and back, as a small trickle of blood drools from her mouth.

“You fucking bitch.” The changelings looked surprised by Zack’s words.

“Well now, it seems you’ve got a bit more sass than I initially thought about you.” the changeling says to Zack before looking at the smaller ones. “Try to find some food and water for her, I want her nice and healthy before having my fun.”

“Right away Queen Chrysalis.” The changelings, aside from the one called Thorax, said as they bowed. The queen of the changelings then looked back down at Zack with a menacing grin.

“I’ll see you later Twilight, and then…we will have a little bit of fun.”

The queen then left the prison area and out the hole that appeared again in the wall, she was quickly followed by the two changelings that left the prison earlier, leaving Zack alone with Thorax. The mare tried to move, but her chest and back pulsed with pain, causing her to swear under her breath. That’s when the door to her cell opened, and Thorax trotted over to her, cautiously as Zack was giving him dagger eyes, but the changeling continued to trot over to her and placed a gentle hoof on her back, and rubbed as gently as his semi-shaking hooves could trying to calm the alicorn down. The changeling then looked to the door, and levitated in a blanket and a worn out pillow and laid them splayed out close to the mare, once they were spread out Thorax bit down on the scruff of Zack’s neck and began pulling her towards the blanket.

“What are you doing?” Zack questioned as she was placed on the rough and dusty looking sheet.

“Trying to help you.” Thorax said.

“Why? you’re the bad guys keeping me locked up, and keeping me for when that bitch queen of yours comes back.” Zack growled as Thorax left the cell.

“…maybe, but…unlike the others, I don’t like to see others get hurt.” Thorax says in a low voice, looking very deflated. Zack actually seems surprised by the changelings actions and words. “I guess you can say I’m kind of an outcast among my hive.”

“And why is that?” Thorax gave a small sigh as he lays by the cell, just a foot from the blacken bars.

“Well, when I first hatched in the Hatchery, I was smaller than the others. And less, aggressive. And because of that the others picked on me and bullied me.”

As the changeling talked about his upbringing, describing how the other changelings would beat him around, and mock him for being a soft-shell, Zack looked closer at the smaller male. He was certainly more skinnier than the other two changelings, and his carapace didn’t seem as slick and sheen as the other twos. Upon closer inspection, the alicorn saw that some spots of his body looked, scuffed, or scraped.

“—and the older I got, the worst the others treated me. But it really got worst last year and half ago.”

“What happened then?” Zack asked, not as guarded as before, but still on guard in case anything happens. The changeling then looked somewhat baffled by what the mare had just asked.

“You don’t remember the invasion of Canterlot? Where we tried to take over the city, during your brother’s wedding?” Zack groans as her wings give an involuntary twitch.

“I already told you changelings, I’m am NOT Twilight Sparkle I just…” Zack stopped as the sudden memory of what has happened to her, how she ended up like this came back to her. “…I just look like her.” Thorax looks even more confused by the mare’s statement.

“So…your really not Twilight Sparkle, just, a look alike?”

“That’s what I tried to tell your bitch of a queen, before she shot me in the damn chest.” Zack groaned as she laid her head on the worn out pillow, which smelled like soot for some reason.

“But if you’re not Twilight, then who are you?” the changeling questioned, seemingly getting more interested into the mare.

Zack only told the changeling what her name actually was, and that she’s not originally from Equestria. Thorax then asked the mare about where she did come from, but the alicorn just kept her mouth shut and just tried to get some rest, until the other changelings brought her food and water. Until then both she and Thorax waited in silence, that was occasionally broken by the violet pony’s grumbling stomach.

Some time later the two changelings from before returned, but this time they were towing a small cart—which was no bigger than a small trolly cart—into the prison.

Thorax then opened the door for the other two changelings, where upon entering the cell the pair placed loafs of bread, some vegetables, and fruits, even a few cupcakes, along with a container of water next to her. One of the changelings approached Zack, and with a brief burst of magic, the goo binding her forelegs was removed, except for the left leg. The goo was then attached to the floor, where the changeling gave a few experimental tugs to show that it didn’t stretch, and that it won’t be pulled off so easily. As Zack watched the changeling change her bindings, she jolted when she felt something brush up against her flanks. She saw that it was the other changeling, and he was looking at her rump with a stupid gleeful smile. But a quick upward kick to the face caused him to be knocked to the wall.

“Try touching me like that again and I’ll do more than kick your teeth in asshole!” Zack threated as she actually snarled at the changeling, who quickly left the cell and out of the prison, quickly followed by the other changeling as he brought the cart out and left as well.

“That goes for you to, Thorax.” The changeling flinched when she looked at him, eyes narrowed, and brow furrowed. “You may have it rough among your kind, but don’t think I’ll trust you like that—” Zack said as she used her free hoof to scuff the ground.

“Unlike the ponies, I’m not innocently, and openly trusting to strangers and expect to be friends in four seconds of meeting someone, got it!”

With her statement, and subsequent threat made, the alicorn turned away from the changeling as best she could, and just started eating everything that the other two changelings brought her. While Thorax just lowers his head, and scoots off to the edge of Zack’s cell, laying down fully on the ground as a sad expression came over his face.

~~~~~

A week has passed since the incident at Canterlot castle, and while the capital structure was fully restored to its normal status and glory, ponies in the capital were still talking about the rumors that were being thrown around. In how a princess Twilight look alike tried to kill Celestia and Luna, and take over the throne of Canterlot and rule in their stead. Course these rumors have reached the princesses ears, and they were none to happy to hear them, and even made a public statement that the rumors were false, but ponies still gossiped about how Zack tried to do what they were gossiping about.

Another matter that was brought to the princesses attention, and found rather suspicious, was that Blueblood was heading the search for Zack. And from what some of the guards have told the two sisters, he was doing it to ensure that the violet alicorn was indeed well and that she was not a threat to the castle, and to be brought before the princesses for an honest judging. But since there have been no reports, or even clues as to Zack’s current whereabouts the search has gone cold. Same for the search for Discord, although, from what the princesses were told during the initial report, and venturing to where the fight between Zack & Discord took place, both princesses believe that the make-shift alicorn may have indeed killed the draconequus. Which they were still having a hard time believing until they have actual proof.

While the princesses and the search force was looking for the wayward pony, down in Ponyville things weren’t exactly any better. Twilight and her circle of friends were still worried about Zack, and wondering what is happening to her, and if she was alright. After all, not only is she incapable of returning to own world, but she has to live an immortal life in a world she clearly has no love for. Especially on how she was brought to be a permanent resident of Equus.

As for Twilight and her friends, they were still in a rather depressed state. Especially poor Fluttershy. After the group returned to Ponyville, the pegasus didn’t leave her cottage for a few days because of how sad and distraught she was, sad that Discord went behind every ponies back, and messed around with the life of an innocent person just so he could have a good laugh. As for the rest of the group, aside from Starlight, they all just felt like Discord has betrayed their trust in not messing with ponies, again!

So now the group is just waiting for any news from the princesses of what has happened to Zack, and Discord. At least that’s what they decided to do for the first few days.

“I say we help the princesses look for Zack and Discord.” Rainbow said as she slams a hoof on the crystal table of the councils room.

“Rainbow the majority of us just can’t up and leave to go search for Zack and Discord, we have obligations.” Rarity says to the pegasus. “I have to look out for two boutiques now, Applejack has to look over the farm, Pinkie is still bedridden—but thankfully, she’s awake—but still.”

“Well then me, Twilight, Fluttershy—”

“Fluttershy is not leaving her cottage until Discord tries to explain himself directly to her.” Applejack says.

“You seem to be taking this really seriously Dash.” Starlight says to the cyan mare.

“Of course I am.” Rainbow says as she looks at the pale purple unicorn. “Zack lost, EVERYTHING, Starlight. She didn’t just loose her body, or old life, she lost her home, friends and family, her whole bucking world! And all because Discord couldn’t do what he wants and just so he could get some cheap laughs until he finds something else to do!” the pegasus slams her hoof on the table, hard!

“I thought he would’ve learned his mistakes with Terik, but no! he’s still the selfish, backstabbing, egocentric prick that he was when we first met him!” Rainbow then slouched back into her own throne.

“Zack may not think we’re friends, but I’d like to think we are. And I always stick by my friends, and help them whenever they need it!”

“I agree.” Everypony turned to look at Twilight, whose just been sitting in her throne quietly, head in hooves as she leans over the table.

“I like to think of Zack as a friend, even if she herself doesn’t think so, which is why I want to help her. And as for Discord…I thought he was our friend, and that he learned to be better. But after all of this…I don’t know if I can ever trust him again.”

“If he survived whatever happened between him and Zack.” Starlight says. “We all saw what happened out there, and from what the guards told us and the princesses, whatever Zack did, was alicorn level magic…maybe more.”

“Whatever the case, we do need to help look for Zack.” Twilight then turned to look at her pegasus friend. “Rainbow, you, me and Starlight are the only ones that can leave Ponyville and go look for Zack.”

“Actually Twilight, I was thinking of staying here at the castle, in case the princesses send a letter via Spike in case they found something.”

“Good idea.” Twilight says to her protégé.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get this search on the way.”

Rainbow then zoomed into the air, and flew out of the room to begin the search. With her speed, she should be able to cover a large enough area around Canterlot mountain, and the surrounding country side around Ponyville. seeing as the discussion for searching for Zack has been finalized, Rarity and Applejack bid Twilight good luck with the search before they left the castle.

“Do you think you and Rainbow can find Zack?” Starlight asked as she and twilight trotted out of the throne room.

“I hope so. That level of magic that she used during her breakdown, she must’ve drained all of her reserves.” Twilight remarks as she thought back to what Zack looked like as magic was just pouring out of her body.

“Even after a week has gone by, she’ll probably have very low magic to use to defend herself. I just hope we can find her before anything bad happens to her.”

Twilight then spread her wings when the two mares entered the main lobby, and took off into the air and flew out of the castle, hoping to find her lost twin before anything terrible happens. Whether to Zack, or to anything tangling with a grief stricken enraged alicorn.