Kyra Blade 2: Into the Badlandsby Kuromi BlueChaptersPrologueA Visit from LunaThe BadlandsAn Unlikely AllyInfiltrationA Queen's DefeatPrologueTwilight Sparkle was currently in her bedroom, several large volumes stacked neatly on the desk in front of her. The only sound in the room was the occasional rustle of a page turning, with the steady ticking of a clock to mark the passage of time. As the clock struck eleven, Twilight put down the book, stifling a weary yawn. Getting up from her seat, the walked over to her four-poster bed, pulling back the covers before sliding her body under them. As she turned over trying to get comfortable, she thought she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. By the time she'd blinked and turned her head though, there was nothing there. Shrugging it off as her imagination, Twilight closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. No sooner had she done so, that a figure stepped silently out from under the shadow of her wardrobe, green eyes gleaming maliciously in the darkness. In absolute silence, Queen Chrysalis advanced on the sleeping Twilight, an evil grin twisting her already frightening expression into something out of a nightmare. Soon enough, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would be her prisoners, and the Hive's hunger would finally be sated. And this time, there would be no escape. Chrysalis would make sure of that. ..... The next morning, many miles away in her home in the White Tail Woods, Kyra Blade, former bounty hunter to Princess Luna, lay quiet under her bedcovers. Curled up next to her, head resting on the cushion of Kyra's silky indigo chest fur, was Starlight Glimmer. Having been reunited by chance during last year's Hearth Warming's Eve, the pair had since begun living together. In the months that followed, their bond had waxed and strengthened, bringing them closer together than ever before. This was fortunate, for the time would soon come where their relationship would be sorely tested. For now though they slept, happy and carefree in the comfort of each other's arms. However, as Celestia's sun gradually climbed higher on the horizon, the peace was broken by the loud bangs of frantic hooves on the front door. Instantly Kyra and Starlight were both wide awake, sitting up with expressions of alarms on their faces. Glancing at each other, it was clear they were both thinking the same thing. What the Hell was going on? Getting up from the bed, Kyra motioned for Starlight to follow. Cautiously the pair made their way to the top of the stairs, which led down to the ground floor of the home. Here Kyra held up a hoof, silently signaling for Starlight to stay at the top of the stairs. So she did, nervously biting her lip as Kyra crept towards the front door. Pausing momentarily with her hoof on the door handle, Kyra took a deep breath. The next moment she'd flung the door wide - only to step back in surprise as she recognized the alicorn standing before her. "Princess Luna!" "Hello Kyra," Luna answered. Her expression was grim, making Kyra's heart sink. "Forgive our intrusion, but we are in urgent need of your help." "Why?" Kyra asked. At the top of the stairs, Starlight leaned over the wooden railing, straining to hear the conversation. "What's going on?" "We'd rather not say in the open," Luna replied. "May we come inside?" At this point Kyra hesitated, unsure what to do. She couldn't very well deny the Princess of the Night her request, but more than that, Kyra was anxious what may happen if Luna discovered Starlight was in fact not dead, but in fact very much alive and living here with her. All this crossed Kyra's mind in a split second, before she came to a decision. "Of course, Luna," she said, absently flicking her long tail as she stepped aside. "You're more than welcome in my home." As Luna's hoof crossed the threshold, Starlight had seen Kyra's signal and ducked out of view on the second floor, hiding in the empty room directly beside the top floor landing. Luna never noticed a thing. She walked into the kitchen - and Kyra's stomach dropped beneath her hooves as she realized she'd left out the framed picture she and Starlight had taken of their time together during last year's Hearth Warming's Eve - and on the living room coffee table of all places! And then her heart almost stopped as she realized Luna had spotted the picture. Kyra froze, feeling the blood rush into her legs the way it always did when she was preparing to fight. She stood rigidly at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes trained on Luna, who stood silently staring at the photograph. Kyra thought she knew what was happening in the alicorn's mind, even though her back was turned and Kyra couldn't see her face. Nervous sweat began to drip from Kyra's brow as her mind raced at the possibilities, terror threatening to make her physically sick on the spot. Either Luna was about to start shouting, or she was preparing to banish Kyra to the moon for her betrayal. Kyra desperately hoped it was neither. "Your Majesty..." she ventured timidly, with the air of one handling live explosives. "I... I promise there's a perfect explanation for this. If you'll let me explain?" Luna didn't answer. Kyra, now sweating bullets and unsure if Luna had heard her at all, was starting to feel weak at the knees. As her body began to shake, she instinctively locked her joints in place to stop the tremors. Hardly able to breath at this point, she shut her eyes, praying to whatever gods existed that Luna wouldn't banish her - or worse, banish Starlight. For an insurmountable amount of time the pair stood motionless. The Luna's horn glowed, and moments later the picture frame had become encased in her magic as Luna brought it closer to her muzzle, seemingly scrutinizing it from different angles to see if it was real or not. Kyra held her breath. After several long, agonizing seconds that felt like hours, Luna carefully set the picture frame down again before turning to face Kyra again. There was a faint hint of surprise in her voice as she spoke. "Kyra. You didn't tell me you had a marefriend." Kyra fainted. A Visit from LunaA Talk Kyra wasn't sure how long she had been out for. All she knew was that when she woke up, she found herself lying on the couch. Sitting up, she rubbed the back of her head, which was aching somewhat after her fall. She could hear talking. Glancing towards the kitchen area, Kyra froze, her jaw hitting the floor in shock. Both Princess Luna and Starlight Glimmer were sitting at the kitchen table, talking. And... they were smiling. Kyra blinked twice, and then smacked a hoof across her own face. Nope. They were still there. This wasn't a dream. Nor was she dead, apparently. This was real. Everything was just... fine. Kyra sank back onto the couch cushions, sighing with relief and closing her eyes again. A few moments later, she heard hoofsteps, then felt a hoof on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she grinned sheepishly as she realized that it was Luna. Her mentor smiled back. Without saying anything, the pair walked over to the kitchen table. Still slightly shaky from earlier, Kyra quickly reached for a chair and sat down next to Starlight, smiling somewhat awkwardly. "So, um... I guess everything's fine?" Luna nodded. "Yes. Starlight has explained everything." Kyra blinked. "Wait. So you know about the diamond dogs and... and everything?" "Yes." "And you're not angry that I lied to you?" "Mmm, nope." "Seriously?" Kyra said. "You're not even a little angry?" Luna shook her head. "No. Granted I was surprised when I realized what must have happened, but now that I understand why, I'm not." She smiled. "You saved her life, Kyra." "She's done more than that, actually." Starlight reached over and took Kyra's hoof in hers. Kyra blushed. "She saved me from myself." Those last words pulled at something in Luna's heart. She saved me from myself. Luna knew exactly what Starlight was talking about, for Twilight had done the same for her. Once when she had restored Luna from her nightmare form, and again when she saved her from the Tantabus. Small wonder then, she mused, that these two have fallen in love. Twilight. Luna's eyes bulged slightly as she remembered. She had almost forgotten that Twilight was in dire need of help. She could see that Kyra had picked up on her quiet dress. "What is it you need from me, Luna." "It's Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "She and her friends have been taken captive. By Queen Chrysalis." Starlight gasped, her eyes widening in horror. Next to her, Kyra was equally shocked. "Chrysalis?" Kyra repeated. "You mean Chrysalis, as in the queen of the Changelings who tried to disrupt Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor's wedding?" Luna nodded silently. Kyra sat still for a moment, recalling the events from that terrible day. At the time, she had been summoned to Canterlot by Luna as an added security measure. When the Changelings swarmed the city, it had taken every bit of Kyra's determination and skill just to survive the relentless hoard. In the end, it had come down to her and a handful of guards defending a dozen or so ponies inside a bakery. Once or twice, Kyra had very nearly lost an ear or hoof to the Changelings' snapping jaws. Her ears still bore marks from the encounter, with deep nicks in the skin where Changeling jaws had attempted to clamp down, only to graze the flesh. Thank Faust that Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were able to banish Chrysalis and her army. If they hadn't - well... Kyra didn't like to think how much longer she and the guards might have lasted. "I realize this may be too much to ask since you are now retired." Luna spoke hesitantly. "But when my sister asked me to find the best mare for the job, I knew that it was you." "Really?" Kyra was stunned. It was reassuring to know Luna held her in such high regard. The words warmed her. "Yes. Rescuing Twilight Sparkle and the others will require skills, skills that only you have." "Where are they holding the Elements of Harmony?" Kyra asked. "In their fortress." Luna's expression was somber. "It lies in the most southern region of Equestria, in the harsh desert landscape known as the Badlands." "Badlands?" Kyra repeated. She shuddered. "Oh. I've been there before." "You have?" It was both Luna and Starlight who asked the question this time. Both of them looked shocked. Kyra nodded. "Yeah. It was part of a job I did a while back. Some bandits kidnapped some rich stallion's wife and were holding her there for ransom." Kyra grimaced as she recalled the incident. It had been without a doubt the most grueling, awful three weeks of her life. But she had done it, tracking the bandits deep into Badland territory, braving dust storms and far worse things. It went without saying that after infiltrating the bandits' hideout, she had been relieved to find the mare alive. The memory seeing her being reunited with her husband in Canterlot days later still brought a tear to her eye. Now it seemed Kyra would have to return to the Badlands again, this time to free the Elements of Harmony from evil's grasp. While she was not looking forward to it, Kyra knew there was far more at stake here than the fate of six ponies. If Twilight Sparkle and the Elements could not protect Equestria, Faust only knew what might happen. Finally, Kyra spoke, her expression set with determination. "I'll do it." "That makes two of us then," Starlight said. Then as Kyra and Luna looked surprised, she added, "What? D'you honestly expect me to just sit at home while you go off on some dangerous mission? Count me in!" "Are you sure?" Kyra asked. "Yes!" Starlight answered, jaw set in a firm line. "You're going to need someone to watch your back. And I haven't forgotten what you once said to me, either." "What's that?" "You once said that you believe I'm a good person. That I just need a chance to let other people see it. Well, maybe this is my chance. Maybe if I save them, they'll see that I've changed." Kyra was silent for a moment. Partly because she was stunned that Starlight remembered what she had said all that time ago and partly because she was amazed at Starlight's conviction to follow her into danger. Luna was silently impressed too. A small smile formed on her face as she laughed on the inside. It sure went without saying, that Kyra had found a keeper in Starlight. She surely had, indeed. "All right," Kyra said finally. "You can come. But when we get to the Badlands, you have to stay close and follow my lead." Starlight rolled her eyes, smiling as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "As if I'd ever let you out of my sight anyway." The BadlandsThe next day, Kyra and the others had boarded a train heading to Dodge City. Once they disembarked, their path lay south, toward the Badlands. According to Princess Luna, there were two ponies waiting for them at the station - ones who Luna had contacted for additional help and who had already scouted the area for perils that may impede their journey. Whoever they were, Kyra hoped they wouldn't prove problematic for the task at hand, for time was of the essence. They couldn't let Twilight Sparkle and her friends down. When they arrived at the Dodge City station, Luna took a moment to cast an illusion spell to disguise herself. When other ponies looked at her, all they would see was a purple unicorn with a pale blue mane and tail, whereas her appearance would remain unchanged to Kyra and Starlight. In this way, the three of them would draw far less attention to themselves. Shortly after purchasing additional water, bandages and an extra blanket or two at the supply store, they set for the Badlands by carriage. Up until this point in the journey, Starlight Glimmer had tried to contain her curiosity, but as the carriage set off at a fast pace with Luna in the front seat as the driver, she could no longer hold back the questions that had been on her mind since leaving home the previous day. Besides, considering where they were headed, she may not get the chance again. "Uh, Kyra, can I ask you something?" "Sure!" Kyra answered, seeming relieved by the fact Starlight had broken the awkward silence. "What's on your mind?" "It's just... I've been thinking about what you said earlier about the Badlands," Starlight said. "Is it really that awful?" "Worse, actually." Kyra's expression darkened as she recalled her previous time in the wilderness. "It's one of the most unforgiving lands in Equestria. If the sun doesn't practically melt the skin off your back during the day, it'll likely freeze you solid at night. And that's just on clear days. If you happen to run afoul of a dust storm, you can expect them to last for days at a time. And I didn't even mention the wildlife." "Wildlife?" Starlight repeated nervously. "Yeah, the Badlands have no shortage of vicious creatures to contend with. You've got rattlesnakes, scorpions, mountain lions, oh, and timber wolves." Starlight's eyes widened. "Timber wolves?" "Eyup." Kyra was silent for a moment, thinking about the encounter she'd had with the loathsome beasts. "Remember that job I mentioned when I was tracking those bandits? Well, one night when I was tracking them, I forgot to light a fire before sunset." Kyra grimaced. "Not a mistake I'll be repeating again, that's for sure." "What happened?" Starlight asked, although she almost didn't want to hear the answer. "Nothing really. Just that I very nearly ended up getting eaten that night." Kyra grimaced again. "As for how I survived... well, I managed to get the fire lit just as the wolves had me surrounded. After that I used my torch and sword to drive the beasts away. And I learned an important lesson that day, too." "What was that?" "Never go into the Badlands unless you have backup, and always keep a fire lit after dark." Starlight was silent for a moment, before smiling rather cheekily. "Well, guess it's a good thing I'm here then, eh?" Kyra looked at her, and laughed. "Yes, Starlight. Yes it is." ..... A few hours later, they had crossed over the Badlands border. Here Kyra and the others disembarked from the carriage. After paying the stallions who pulled it, Luna sent the stallions back the way they'd come. As soon as they'd gone, Luna shed her illusion spell. There was no need of it, now that there were no ponies to see her apart from Kyra and Starlight. Upon seeing the bleak expanse of desert that stretched ahead of them, Starlight suppressed a shudder. A mournful wind blew past them, causing the cloaks of the three mares to flap wildly in the breeze. In the distance, they could each see the unmistakable grey clouds that announced the coming of a storm. Somewhere out there, beyond the scattered, ragged formations of rock, Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony were being held prisoner. Starlight only hoped they would be able to reach them in time. Having completed her spell, Luna strode over to where Kyra and Starlight stood waiting for her. "We should keep moving," she said briskly. "The others are waiting not far from here. Let us move on." The two other mares nodded. Without another word, the three set off together. Luna led the way, with Kyra and Starlight trotting side by side behind her. After continuing for a few miles, the trio passed beneath the shadow of a large rock formation. Rounding the bend, they came upon a campsite. Sitting behind a dead fire, between two tents, was a pegasus mare with a grey coat and blonde mane, with golden eyes and a Cutie Mark of what appeared to be bubbles. Kyra recognized her immediately - for this was Derpy Hooves, a mare she had collaborated with on a few separate occasions. As such, she quickened her pace, smiling as Derpy turned and waved at her. "Hey, it's Kyra!" the mare said, her grin made somewhat goofy as always by her wall-eyed appearance. "It's great to see you again, too, Derpy!" Kyra said, pulling the pegasus in for a friendly hug before stepping back. "How's Dinky doing?" "She's doing great!" Derpy answered brightly. "Just got her Cutie Mark, believe it or not." "Really?" Kyra said, absolutely delighted. "What is it?" "Three gold stars," Derpy answered happily. "Turns out she's got a knack for magic." Looking past Kyra, she noticed Starlight, who smiled and waved shyly. "Mind telling me who this nice mare is?" "Oh, right!" Kyra said, stepping back and motioning for Starlight to move closer. "Sorry. Derpy, this is my marefriend Starlight Glimmer. Starlight, this is Derpy Hooves." Starlight stepped forward, and Derpy grinned, holding her hoof out. "Nice to meet you, Starlight." "Likewise, Derpy." "So you're Kyra's marefriend, huh?" Derpy said. "Well, I'm glad Kyra's finally found the right person to settle down with. How'd you two meet, anyway?" Before either Starlight or Kyra could begin to explain, their conversation was interrupted as Luna cleared her throat. "Pardon my interruption." Luna's brow was furrowed in confusion as she spoke. "But might I ask where your partner is, Derpy? I was expecting to find her here with you." "Oh, you mean Maud?" Derpy answered. There was a mischievous smile as she spoke. "She left to do some scouting. As a matter of fact, she should be back riiight about..." "I'm right here." Startled, Kyra, Starlight and Luna spun around. Standing a few feet away from them was Maud, an Earth pony mare with a grey coat, pale teal eyes and a straight purple mane and tail. Behind them, Derpy stifled a giggle. Maud blinked. "You must be Kyra and Starlight Glimmer," she said without emotion. "It's good you're here." She turned to Luna. "I've scouted the area. There are no obstacles to impede our progress, but we should move camp to that rock formation." Maud pointed to a small mountain in the distance. "There's a small cave there we can shelter in. I suggest we move there soon." She glanced up at the sky. "There's a bad storm coming. I can feel it in the rocks." "She's right you know," Derpy added. "That storm is going to be bad when it hits. I should know - I'm a pegasus." Luna nodded. "I see. We'd best get moving, then." She glanced up at the sky. "I have a feeling the storm will be here sooner than we expect." Glancing up at the sky, Starlight and Kyra could see that the others were right. The storm clouds, which hours ago had seemed so distant, definitely seemed much closer. As the mares watched, a gust of biting wind swept over the landscape, and there was a distant flash of lightning. As they helped Maud and Derpy pack up their gear, both Kyra and Starlight exchanged worried looks. They suddenly had a horrible feeling about what Queen Chrysalis was doing. An Unlikely AllyDeep in the Badlands, miles from where Kyra and her companions were safely sheltering in a cave, Queen Chrysalis paced the floor of her new throne room impatiently. It had been almost three days since she and her soldiers had kidnapped Twilight Sparkle, and so far they had been unable to make much progress. Twice already the Elements of Harmony had almost escaped, and both times her Changelings had been able to prevent it only at the last moment. It seemed that as long as the Elements were together, they were almost impossible to subdue. As long as they were together. Chrysalis stopped beside one of the windows. "Thorax!" she yelled. Moments later, Thorax had alighted in front of her. "Yes, Your Majesty?" "Take a few others and head to the dungeons," Chrysalis said. "Separate the prisoners into different cells. While you're at it, see to it that they will not try to escape again." The soldier's eyes widened slightly. "Yes, my Queen. Is there any way in particular you'd like us to do it?" Chrysalis world on the guard, teeth bared in a terrifying snarl that would have had most ponies cowering on the ground in fear. Thorax was hardly effected though. He had served the Queen a long time, and was used to her feral temper. "Any way you want to!" she growled. "Break their legs, their wings, their horns! I DON'T CARE HOW YOU SUBJEGATE THE ELEMENTS, JUST DO IT, AND DO IT NOW!" "Right away, Your Highness!" Thorax said, before quickly flying away. Before he exited the throne room, Queen Chrysalis called to him again. "Wait!" Thorax halted and turned around, looking at his queen expectantly. "When you're done, bring Princess Twilight Sparkle to me." "Yes, Your Majesty." With that the guard left. Queen Chrysalis resumed pacing. Outside the window, lightning flashed across the sky, and an ominous rumble of thunder soon followed. Far below in the prison cell they shared, the Elements of Harmony sat huddled together. Rainbow Dash sat leaned against Apple Jack, exhausted. The orange Earth pony hadn't fared much better. Large bruises marked both mares' bodies - evidence of how hard they had fought to be free of their captors. Now, as Apple Jack sat with a foreleg around her friend's shoulders, the one silver lining she could find was that the Changelings they'd fought had come off far worse than they had. Well, that and the fact they were all still together. For the moment. Across from them, Fluttershy had sat bolt upright from the thunder and was now shivering uncontrollably. Pinkie Pie sat next to her. Even though she too was exhausted, she still made an effort to comfort her skittish friend. "It's okay, Fluttershy," she said. "It's just thunder." "Well, I for one have had enough of being held prisoner like this!" Rarity said. "Really, whatever they're planning, I'd wish they'd just get on with it instead of sticking us in a cell." At this point Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, looking over at Twilight, who was seated nearest the bars of the cell. "Can't you use your alicorn magic to get us out of here?" Rainbow Dash said impatiently, though the words came out weaker than she'd intended. It worried Twilight, seeing her like this. If Rainbow Dash was so weak that she couldn't summon the energy for impatience, they were all in major trouble. "I've been trying to." Twilight's expression was troubled. "I think Chrysalis has some sort of enchantment on this castle that saps magic. Look." Summoning her magic, Twilight tried once again to teleport her and her friends out of their predicament. Unfortunately, as with the other times she had tried it, her horn only glowed for a brief couple of seconds before going out. It frustrated Twilight to no end, thinking that her power was of no help in this situation. So much for being the Element of Magic, she thought bitterly. Still, Twilight knew they had to think of a way out, and fast. They couldn't just sit here. Not when Chrysalis was undoubtedly planning something horrible. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Do you think you can tunnel your way out through the rock?" "I think so." Pinkie looked at Twilight, slightly confused. "What are you thinking, Twilight?" Before Twilight could answer, there came the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading down into the dungeon. Instantly the group fell silent, their bodies tensing in preparation for a fight. Beside Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack's grip tightened defensively around her friend's shoulders. However, it soon became clear that only one Changeling was coming. While slightly relieved that there weren't more, Twilight and the others didn't drop their guard. As the Changeling stepped up to the bars, Twilight stood up and flared her wings out in a defensive posture, glaring at him with suspicion. Thorax took a deep breath. What he was about to do was risky. Hell, it might end in flames, but at this point, Thorax didn't care. His kind deserved better than serving a mad queen, and Thorax did have followers in this hive. Maybe helping these six ponies was the best way to take a step in the right direction to bring his kind out of centuries of being feared by ponykind. "Twilight Sparkle?" he said cautiously. "Yes?" Twilight answered testily. "What do you want?" "My name is Thorax," the Changeling said. "I can help you and your friends get out of here." Behind Twilight, Rainbow Dash scoffed loudly. "Oh, sure you can!" Thorax narrowed his eyes slightly. "Well, do any of you have any better suggestions?" When none of the ponies answered, he looked at Twilight again. "Please. I know you have no reason to trust me. But by working together, I believe we may be able to help each other." "How?" Twilight asked. "You need to get out of here and stop Chrysalis, and I need to convince the rest of the hive that we shouldn't serve her anymore. This may seem hard to believe, but not all Changelings like the idea of world domination and being feared by ponies. Some of us really wish there was a better way. But as long as Chrysalis is in charge, we'll never be free. They're simply too afraid to oppose her." He sighed. "I only want the best for my kind. They deserve so much better than to be seen as monsters." "D'you honestly expect us to believe that sob story?" Apple Jack said. Thorax sighed. "No. But let me ask you this: What choice do you really have?" Twilight was silent for a few minutes before answering. "What do you have in mind?" InfiltrationTwo days later, night had fallen over the Badlands. Within the dark corridors of the Changeling Hive, sentries paced up and down, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious. As the storm outside raged, torrential rain pelted the hive, while violent bursts of lightning split the air. In a high corridor overlooking the Badlands, a Changeling sentry known as Pharynx stood beside one of the windows, thinking. The previous day, ponies had been spotted near the hive. However, by the time the Changelings had investigated the area, there was no indication that any ponies had been there at all. As a result, Queen Chrysalis had heightened security, and the Elements of Harmony had been moved to separate cells deeper within the hive. Pharynx had a feeling all was not as it seemed. In addition, he had concerns about his older brother, Thorax. From the time they had been mere hatchlings in the nest, it was clear that Thorax was weaker than the rest - and not just in terms of strength. He was also weak in the mind, constantly whining about how "things shouldn't have to be this way" all the time. He was, Pharynx knew, what the ponies might call an idealist. A dangerous thing to be in a Changeling hive. Pharynx scowled, a hiss rasping in his throat. He had hoped that with time, his brother would have come to his senses. Unfortunately though, that didn't seem to be the case. What was worse, his brother's opinions had seemingly swayed the minds of some of the weaker hive members. The more Pharynx thought about it, it was more than likely that Thorax would try to help the prisoners escape. It was also highly probable that Thorax would soon lead an uprising against their queen. Pharynx put a hoof to his chin in thought. He could, of course, inform his mother of this problem. As the queen of the hive, she would surely take swift action to ensure that Thorax wouldn't succeed. OR - and a twisted smile appeared on Pharynx's face as he thought of this - OR, he could sit back and watch his mother and Thorax destroy each other. Then he, Pharynx, would be the new king of the hive. Pharynx smirked. This was going to be fun. However, Pharynx was abruptly jolted from his thoughts as he heard his mother scream in rage. "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO YOUR OWN MOTHER! NOW YOU SHALL PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD! DIE, TRAITOR!" Whirling on the spot, Pharynx charged down the hall, a snarl of rage sounding in his throat. Thorax! ..... What neither Pharynx or his mother knew of course, was that by this time Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony were already far beyond their reach. During the previous night, after Twilight and her friends had spent the day inside separate cells, Pinkie Pie - using her ability to tunnel through solid rock at Twilight's suggestion - had created an escape tunnel. She then ran off to find help, and within a few hours had been discovered by her sister, Maud. With the information Pinkie Pie had provided Princess Luna and the others about the Hive, they were able to formulate a plan. Princess Luna, Kyra, Starlight Glimmer and Derpy would continue on to the Changeling Hive and assist Thorax and his followers in the fight against Chrysalis, while Maud would lead Pinkie and the Elements back to the station in Dodge City, and get them home. Within a short amount of time after this, Twilight Sparkle and all her friends had been quietly smuggled to safety, with Thorax and his followers taking their place in their cells. Of course, that wasn't to say the plan hadn't had its share of awkward moments. Unsurprisingly, Twilight and the others had been suspicious of Starlight's intentions. By far though, the ponies that were the most skeptical of her involvement were Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack. The moment they saw her, both the ponies had glared at Starlight with ill-disguised contempt. "Would someone please explain what the Hell she's doing here?" Rainbow Dash had growled. She managed to take a step towards Starlight, but that was all she could manage before her exhaustion won out. She collapsed to her knees, wincing and breathing hard. Even then, the ferocity with which she glared at the pink unicorn was enough to make Starlight inch backward, moving almost imperceptibly closer to Kyra. Angered by the way Starlight was being treated, Kyra stepped forward, placing herself between Starlight and Rainbow Dash. Her indigo mane bristled, puffing up to make her appear taller and more threatening. Her pale blue eyes flashed with anger as she glared down at the pegasus, satisfaction briefly flaring in her chest as she saw Rainbow's eyes widen in alarm. "For your information, Starlight just helped save you all." Kyra's voice came out in an ominous growl as she spoke. "You ought to try showing a little more respect." Something in the way she said it made Rainbow Dash drop her gaze, while Twilight and the others suddenly felt very self-conscious. The only exception to this was Pinkie Pie, who's face had assumed a comical "Ooo!" expression. Derpy rubbed scratched the back of her head awkwardly, before making a polite coughing sound into her hoof - and Maud blinked once. Slowly. Meanwhile, Starlight looked at the ground between her hooves, feeling a confusing mix of shame from Rainbow's words and gratitude for Kyra coming to her defense. Inside, Rainbow Dash was seething. Respect! Respect!?! She almost wanted to laugh - the idea was so absurd. Who the Hell does this mare think she is? Does she even have any clue what Starlight's done? Out of respect for Luna, though, she held her tongue. Even so, she and Kyra remained locked in a baleful stare. In an effort to prevent another spout of bickering between the two, Twilight spoke to Luna. "What should we do now? It won't be long before Queen Chrysalis finds out we're all missing." "That's where our work begins," said Luna. "And by 'our', I mean that Kyra and the rest of us will handle Chrysalis. But you and your friends must return to Ponyville immediately for medical evaluation. Maud will be the one to escort you there." Twilight nodded, but there was concern in her eyes as she stepped a bit closer to the dark alicorn. "But... are you sure?" She glanced at Kyra and Starlight, before dropping her voice and looking at Luna again. "I mean, can we really trust those two?" "Twilight." Luna spoke patiently but firmly. "I would trust Kyra with my life." There would be no further debate on the matter. Yet in spite of knowing this, Twilight still wished she could be there to help. Luna could see it in her eyes. But she could not afford to give in to weakness when Thorax had already risked so much to help them. "Go!" she said, with more urgency this time. "Go, quickly!" As soon as Twilight and her friends were out of sight, Luna turned back to look at the Changeling Hive. Without a word she, Kyra, Starlight and Derpy began to move off towards it. It was time to finish the job. A Queen's DefeatSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
PrologueTwilight Sparkle was currently in her bedroom, several large volumes stacked neatly on the desk in front of her. The only sound in the room was the occasional rustle of a page turning, with the steady ticking of a clock to mark the passage of time. As the clock struck eleven, Twilight put down the book, stifling a weary yawn. Getting up from her seat, the walked over to her four-poster bed, pulling back the covers before sliding her body under them. As she turned over trying to get comfortable, she thought she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. By the time she'd blinked and turned her head though, there was nothing there. Shrugging it off as her imagination, Twilight closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. No sooner had she done so, that a figure stepped silently out from under the shadow of her wardrobe, green eyes gleaming maliciously in the darkness. In absolute silence, Queen Chrysalis advanced on the sleeping Twilight, an evil grin twisting her already frightening expression into something out of a nightmare. Soon enough, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would be her prisoners, and the Hive's hunger would finally be sated. And this time, there would be no escape. Chrysalis would make sure of that. ..... The next morning, many miles away in her home in the White Tail Woods, Kyra Blade, former bounty hunter to Princess Luna, lay quiet under her bedcovers. Curled up next to her, head resting on the cushion of Kyra's silky indigo chest fur, was Starlight Glimmer. Having been reunited by chance during last year's Hearth Warming's Eve, the pair had since begun living together. In the months that followed, their bond had waxed and strengthened, bringing them closer together than ever before. This was fortunate, for the time would soon come where their relationship would be sorely tested. For now though they slept, happy and carefree in the comfort of each other's arms. However, as Celestia's sun gradually climbed higher on the horizon, the peace was broken by the loud bangs of frantic hooves on the front door. Instantly Kyra and Starlight were both wide awake, sitting up with expressions of alarms on their faces. Glancing at each other, it was clear they were both thinking the same thing. What the Hell was going on? Getting up from the bed, Kyra motioned for Starlight to follow. Cautiously the pair made their way to the top of the stairs, which led down to the ground floor of the home. Here Kyra held up a hoof, silently signaling for Starlight to stay at the top of the stairs. So she did, nervously biting her lip as Kyra crept towards the front door. Pausing momentarily with her hoof on the door handle, Kyra took a deep breath. The next moment she'd flung the door wide - only to step back in surprise as she recognized the alicorn standing before her. "Princess Luna!" "Hello Kyra," Luna answered. Her expression was grim, making Kyra's heart sink. "Forgive our intrusion, but we are in urgent need of your help." "Why?" Kyra asked. At the top of the stairs, Starlight leaned over the wooden railing, straining to hear the conversation. "What's going on?" "We'd rather not say in the open," Luna replied. "May we come inside?" At this point Kyra hesitated, unsure what to do. She couldn't very well deny the Princess of the Night her request, but more than that, Kyra was anxious what may happen if Luna discovered Starlight was in fact not dead, but in fact very much alive and living here with her. All this crossed Kyra's mind in a split second, before she came to a decision. "Of course, Luna," she said, absently flicking her long tail as she stepped aside. "You're more than welcome in my home." As Luna's hoof crossed the threshold, Starlight had seen Kyra's signal and ducked out of view on the second floor, hiding in the empty room directly beside the top floor landing. Luna never noticed a thing. She walked into the kitchen - and Kyra's stomach dropped beneath her hooves as she realized she'd left out the framed picture she and Starlight had taken of their time together during last year's Hearth Warming's Eve - and on the living room coffee table of all places! And then her heart almost stopped as she realized Luna had spotted the picture. Kyra froze, feeling the blood rush into her legs the way it always did when she was preparing to fight. She stood rigidly at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes trained on Luna, who stood silently staring at the photograph. Kyra thought she knew what was happening in the alicorn's mind, even though her back was turned and Kyra couldn't see her face. Nervous sweat began to drip from Kyra's brow as her mind raced at the possibilities, terror threatening to make her physically sick on the spot. Either Luna was about to start shouting, or she was preparing to banish Kyra to the moon for her betrayal. Kyra desperately hoped it was neither. "Your Majesty..." she ventured timidly, with the air of one handling live explosives. "I... I promise there's a perfect explanation for this. If you'll let me explain?" Luna didn't answer. Kyra, now sweating bullets and unsure if Luna had heard her at all, was starting to feel weak at the knees. As her body began to shake, she instinctively locked her joints in place to stop the tremors. Hardly able to breath at this point, she shut her eyes, praying to whatever gods existed that Luna wouldn't banish her - or worse, banish Starlight. For an insurmountable amount of time the pair stood motionless. The Luna's horn glowed, and moments later the picture frame had become encased in her magic as Luna brought it closer to her muzzle, seemingly scrutinizing it from different angles to see if it was real or not. Kyra held her breath. After several long, agonizing seconds that felt like hours, Luna carefully set the picture frame down again before turning to face Kyra again. There was a faint hint of surprise in her voice as she spoke. "Kyra. You didn't tell me you had a marefriend." Kyra fainted.
A Visit from LunaA Talk Kyra wasn't sure how long she had been out for. All she knew was that when she woke up, she found herself lying on the couch. Sitting up, she rubbed the back of her head, which was aching somewhat after her fall. She could hear talking. Glancing towards the kitchen area, Kyra froze, her jaw hitting the floor in shock. Both Princess Luna and Starlight Glimmer were sitting at the kitchen table, talking. And... they were smiling. Kyra blinked twice, and then smacked a hoof across her own face. Nope. They were still there. This wasn't a dream. Nor was she dead, apparently. This was real. Everything was just... fine. Kyra sank back onto the couch cushions, sighing with relief and closing her eyes again. A few moments later, she heard hoofsteps, then felt a hoof on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she grinned sheepishly as she realized that it was Luna. Her mentor smiled back. Without saying anything, the pair walked over to the kitchen table. Still slightly shaky from earlier, Kyra quickly reached for a chair and sat down next to Starlight, smiling somewhat awkwardly. "So, um... I guess everything's fine?" Luna nodded. "Yes. Starlight has explained everything." Kyra blinked. "Wait. So you know about the diamond dogs and... and everything?" "Yes." "And you're not angry that I lied to you?" "Mmm, nope." "Seriously?" Kyra said. "You're not even a little angry?" Luna shook her head. "No. Granted I was surprised when I realized what must have happened, but now that I understand why, I'm not." She smiled. "You saved her life, Kyra." "She's done more than that, actually." Starlight reached over and took Kyra's hoof in hers. Kyra blushed. "She saved me from myself." Those last words pulled at something in Luna's heart. She saved me from myself. Luna knew exactly what Starlight was talking about, for Twilight had done the same for her. Once when she had restored Luna from her nightmare form, and again when she saved her from the Tantabus. Small wonder then, she mused, that these two have fallen in love. Twilight. Luna's eyes bulged slightly as she remembered. She had almost forgotten that Twilight was in dire need of help. She could see that Kyra had picked up on her quiet dress. "What is it you need from me, Luna." "It's Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "She and her friends have been taken captive. By Queen Chrysalis." Starlight gasped, her eyes widening in horror. Next to her, Kyra was equally shocked. "Chrysalis?" Kyra repeated. "You mean Chrysalis, as in the queen of the Changelings who tried to disrupt Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor's wedding?" Luna nodded silently. Kyra sat still for a moment, recalling the events from that terrible day. At the time, she had been summoned to Canterlot by Luna as an added security measure. When the Changelings swarmed the city, it had taken every bit of Kyra's determination and skill just to survive the relentless hoard. In the end, it had come down to her and a handful of guards defending a dozen or so ponies inside a bakery. Once or twice, Kyra had very nearly lost an ear or hoof to the Changelings' snapping jaws. Her ears still bore marks from the encounter, with deep nicks in the skin where Changeling jaws had attempted to clamp down, only to graze the flesh. Thank Faust that Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were able to banish Chrysalis and her army. If they hadn't - well... Kyra didn't like to think how much longer she and the guards might have lasted. "I realize this may be too much to ask since you are now retired." Luna spoke hesitantly. "But when my sister asked me to find the best mare for the job, I knew that it was you." "Really?" Kyra was stunned. It was reassuring to know Luna held her in such high regard. The words warmed her. "Yes. Rescuing Twilight Sparkle and the others will require skills, skills that only you have." "Where are they holding the Elements of Harmony?" Kyra asked. "In their fortress." Luna's expression was somber. "It lies in the most southern region of Equestria, in the harsh desert landscape known as the Badlands." "Badlands?" Kyra repeated. She shuddered. "Oh. I've been there before." "You have?" It was both Luna and Starlight who asked the question this time. Both of them looked shocked. Kyra nodded. "Yeah. It was part of a job I did a while back. Some bandits kidnapped some rich stallion's wife and were holding her there for ransom." Kyra grimaced as she recalled the incident. It had been without a doubt the most grueling, awful three weeks of her life. But she had done it, tracking the bandits deep into Badland territory, braving dust storms and far worse things. It went without saying that after infiltrating the bandits' hideout, she had been relieved to find the mare alive. The memory seeing her being reunited with her husband in Canterlot days later still brought a tear to her eye. Now it seemed Kyra would have to return to the Badlands again, this time to free the Elements of Harmony from evil's grasp. While she was not looking forward to it, Kyra knew there was far more at stake here than the fate of six ponies. If Twilight Sparkle and the Elements could not protect Equestria, Faust only knew what might happen. Finally, Kyra spoke, her expression set with determination. "I'll do it." "That makes two of us then," Starlight said. Then as Kyra and Luna looked surprised, she added, "What? D'you honestly expect me to just sit at home while you go off on some dangerous mission? Count me in!" "Are you sure?" Kyra asked. "Yes!" Starlight answered, jaw set in a firm line. "You're going to need someone to watch your back. And I haven't forgotten what you once said to me, either." "What's that?" "You once said that you believe I'm a good person. That I just need a chance to let other people see it. Well, maybe this is my chance. Maybe if I save them, they'll see that I've changed." Kyra was silent for a moment. Partly because she was stunned that Starlight remembered what she had said all that time ago and partly because she was amazed at Starlight's conviction to follow her into danger. Luna was silently impressed too. A small smile formed on her face as she laughed on the inside. It sure went without saying, that Kyra had found a keeper in Starlight. She surely had, indeed. "All right," Kyra said finally. "You can come. But when we get to the Badlands, you have to stay close and follow my lead." Starlight rolled her eyes, smiling as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "As if I'd ever let you out of my sight anyway."
The BadlandsThe next day, Kyra and the others had boarded a train heading to Dodge City. Once they disembarked, their path lay south, toward the Badlands. According to Princess Luna, there were two ponies waiting for them at the station - ones who Luna had contacted for additional help and who had already scouted the area for perils that may impede their journey. Whoever they were, Kyra hoped they wouldn't prove problematic for the task at hand, for time was of the essence. They couldn't let Twilight Sparkle and her friends down. When they arrived at the Dodge City station, Luna took a moment to cast an illusion spell to disguise herself. When other ponies looked at her, all they would see was a purple unicorn with a pale blue mane and tail, whereas her appearance would remain unchanged to Kyra and Starlight. In this way, the three of them would draw far less attention to themselves. Shortly after purchasing additional water, bandages and an extra blanket or two at the supply store, they set for the Badlands by carriage. Up until this point in the journey, Starlight Glimmer had tried to contain her curiosity, but as the carriage set off at a fast pace with Luna in the front seat as the driver, she could no longer hold back the questions that had been on her mind since leaving home the previous day. Besides, considering where they were headed, she may not get the chance again. "Uh, Kyra, can I ask you something?" "Sure!" Kyra answered, seeming relieved by the fact Starlight had broken the awkward silence. "What's on your mind?" "It's just... I've been thinking about what you said earlier about the Badlands," Starlight said. "Is it really that awful?" "Worse, actually." Kyra's expression darkened as she recalled her previous time in the wilderness. "It's one of the most unforgiving lands in Equestria. If the sun doesn't practically melt the skin off your back during the day, it'll likely freeze you solid at night. And that's just on clear days. If you happen to run afoul of a dust storm, you can expect them to last for days at a time. And I didn't even mention the wildlife." "Wildlife?" Starlight repeated nervously. "Yeah, the Badlands have no shortage of vicious creatures to contend with. You've got rattlesnakes, scorpions, mountain lions, oh, and timber wolves." Starlight's eyes widened. "Timber wolves?" "Eyup." Kyra was silent for a moment, thinking about the encounter she'd had with the loathsome beasts. "Remember that job I mentioned when I was tracking those bandits? Well, one night when I was tracking them, I forgot to light a fire before sunset." Kyra grimaced. "Not a mistake I'll be repeating again, that's for sure." "What happened?" Starlight asked, although she almost didn't want to hear the answer. "Nothing really. Just that I very nearly ended up getting eaten that night." Kyra grimaced again. "As for how I survived... well, I managed to get the fire lit just as the wolves had me surrounded. After that I used my torch and sword to drive the beasts away. And I learned an important lesson that day, too." "What was that?" "Never go into the Badlands unless you have backup, and always keep a fire lit after dark." Starlight was silent for a moment, before smiling rather cheekily. "Well, guess it's a good thing I'm here then, eh?" Kyra looked at her, and laughed. "Yes, Starlight. Yes it is." ..... A few hours later, they had crossed over the Badlands border. Here Kyra and the others disembarked from the carriage. After paying the stallions who pulled it, Luna sent the stallions back the way they'd come. As soon as they'd gone, Luna shed her illusion spell. There was no need of it, now that there were no ponies to see her apart from Kyra and Starlight. Upon seeing the bleak expanse of desert that stretched ahead of them, Starlight suppressed a shudder. A mournful wind blew past them, causing the cloaks of the three mares to flap wildly in the breeze. In the distance, they could each see the unmistakable grey clouds that announced the coming of a storm. Somewhere out there, beyond the scattered, ragged formations of rock, Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony were being held prisoner. Starlight only hoped they would be able to reach them in time. Having completed her spell, Luna strode over to where Kyra and Starlight stood waiting for her. "We should keep moving," she said briskly. "The others are waiting not far from here. Let us move on." The two other mares nodded. Without another word, the three set off together. Luna led the way, with Kyra and Starlight trotting side by side behind her. After continuing for a few miles, the trio passed beneath the shadow of a large rock formation. Rounding the bend, they came upon a campsite. Sitting behind a dead fire, between two tents, was a pegasus mare with a grey coat and blonde mane, with golden eyes and a Cutie Mark of what appeared to be bubbles. Kyra recognized her immediately - for this was Derpy Hooves, a mare she had collaborated with on a few separate occasions. As such, she quickened her pace, smiling as Derpy turned and waved at her. "Hey, it's Kyra!" the mare said, her grin made somewhat goofy as always by her wall-eyed appearance. "It's great to see you again, too, Derpy!" Kyra said, pulling the pegasus in for a friendly hug before stepping back. "How's Dinky doing?" "She's doing great!" Derpy answered brightly. "Just got her Cutie Mark, believe it or not." "Really?" Kyra said, absolutely delighted. "What is it?" "Three gold stars," Derpy answered happily. "Turns out she's got a knack for magic." Looking past Kyra, she noticed Starlight, who smiled and waved shyly. "Mind telling me who this nice mare is?" "Oh, right!" Kyra said, stepping back and motioning for Starlight to move closer. "Sorry. Derpy, this is my marefriend Starlight Glimmer. Starlight, this is Derpy Hooves." Starlight stepped forward, and Derpy grinned, holding her hoof out. "Nice to meet you, Starlight." "Likewise, Derpy." "So you're Kyra's marefriend, huh?" Derpy said. "Well, I'm glad Kyra's finally found the right person to settle down with. How'd you two meet, anyway?" Before either Starlight or Kyra could begin to explain, their conversation was interrupted as Luna cleared her throat. "Pardon my interruption." Luna's brow was furrowed in confusion as she spoke. "But might I ask where your partner is, Derpy? I was expecting to find her here with you." "Oh, you mean Maud?" Derpy answered. There was a mischievous smile as she spoke. "She left to do some scouting. As a matter of fact, she should be back riiight about..." "I'm right here." Startled, Kyra, Starlight and Luna spun around. Standing a few feet away from them was Maud, an Earth pony mare with a grey coat, pale teal eyes and a straight purple mane and tail. Behind them, Derpy stifled a giggle. Maud blinked. "You must be Kyra and Starlight Glimmer," she said without emotion. "It's good you're here." She turned to Luna. "I've scouted the area. There are no obstacles to impede our progress, but we should move camp to that rock formation." Maud pointed to a small mountain in the distance. "There's a small cave there we can shelter in. I suggest we move there soon." She glanced up at the sky. "There's a bad storm coming. I can feel it in the rocks." "She's right you know," Derpy added. "That storm is going to be bad when it hits. I should know - I'm a pegasus." Luna nodded. "I see. We'd best get moving, then." She glanced up at the sky. "I have a feeling the storm will be here sooner than we expect." Glancing up at the sky, Starlight and Kyra could see that the others were right. The storm clouds, which hours ago had seemed so distant, definitely seemed much closer. As the mares watched, a gust of biting wind swept over the landscape, and there was a distant flash of lightning. As they helped Maud and Derpy pack up their gear, both Kyra and Starlight exchanged worried looks. They suddenly had a horrible feeling about what Queen Chrysalis was doing.
An Unlikely AllyDeep in the Badlands, miles from where Kyra and her companions were safely sheltering in a cave, Queen Chrysalis paced the floor of her new throne room impatiently. It had been almost three days since she and her soldiers had kidnapped Twilight Sparkle, and so far they had been unable to make much progress. Twice already the Elements of Harmony had almost escaped, and both times her Changelings had been able to prevent it only at the last moment. It seemed that as long as the Elements were together, they were almost impossible to subdue. As long as they were together. Chrysalis stopped beside one of the windows. "Thorax!" she yelled. Moments later, Thorax had alighted in front of her. "Yes, Your Majesty?" "Take a few others and head to the dungeons," Chrysalis said. "Separate the prisoners into different cells. While you're at it, see to it that they will not try to escape again." The soldier's eyes widened slightly. "Yes, my Queen. Is there any way in particular you'd like us to do it?" Chrysalis world on the guard, teeth bared in a terrifying snarl that would have had most ponies cowering on the ground in fear. Thorax was hardly effected though. He had served the Queen a long time, and was used to her feral temper. "Any way you want to!" she growled. "Break their legs, their wings, their horns! I DON'T CARE HOW YOU SUBJEGATE THE ELEMENTS, JUST DO IT, AND DO IT NOW!" "Right away, Your Highness!" Thorax said, before quickly flying away. Before he exited the throne room, Queen Chrysalis called to him again. "Wait!" Thorax halted and turned around, looking at his queen expectantly. "When you're done, bring Princess Twilight Sparkle to me." "Yes, Your Majesty." With that the guard left. Queen Chrysalis resumed pacing. Outside the window, lightning flashed across the sky, and an ominous rumble of thunder soon followed. Far below in the prison cell they shared, the Elements of Harmony sat huddled together. Rainbow Dash sat leaned against Apple Jack, exhausted. The orange Earth pony hadn't fared much better. Large bruises marked both mares' bodies - evidence of how hard they had fought to be free of their captors. Now, as Apple Jack sat with a foreleg around her friend's shoulders, the one silver lining she could find was that the Changelings they'd fought had come off far worse than they had. Well, that and the fact they were all still together. For the moment. Across from them, Fluttershy had sat bolt upright from the thunder and was now shivering uncontrollably. Pinkie Pie sat next to her. Even though she too was exhausted, she still made an effort to comfort her skittish friend. "It's okay, Fluttershy," she said. "It's just thunder." "Well, I for one have had enough of being held prisoner like this!" Rarity said. "Really, whatever they're planning, I'd wish they'd just get on with it instead of sticking us in a cell." At this point Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, looking over at Twilight, who was seated nearest the bars of the cell. "Can't you use your alicorn magic to get us out of here?" Rainbow Dash said impatiently, though the words came out weaker than she'd intended. It worried Twilight, seeing her like this. If Rainbow Dash was so weak that she couldn't summon the energy for impatience, they were all in major trouble. "I've been trying to." Twilight's expression was troubled. "I think Chrysalis has some sort of enchantment on this castle that saps magic. Look." Summoning her magic, Twilight tried once again to teleport her and her friends out of their predicament. Unfortunately, as with the other times she had tried it, her horn only glowed for a brief couple of seconds before going out. It frustrated Twilight to no end, thinking that her power was of no help in this situation. So much for being the Element of Magic, she thought bitterly. Still, Twilight knew they had to think of a way out, and fast. They couldn't just sit here. Not when Chrysalis was undoubtedly planning something horrible. She turned to Pinkie Pie. "Do you think you can tunnel your way out through the rock?" "I think so." Pinkie looked at Twilight, slightly confused. "What are you thinking, Twilight?" Before Twilight could answer, there came the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading down into the dungeon. Instantly the group fell silent, their bodies tensing in preparation for a fight. Beside Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack's grip tightened defensively around her friend's shoulders. However, it soon became clear that only one Changeling was coming. While slightly relieved that there weren't more, Twilight and the others didn't drop their guard. As the Changeling stepped up to the bars, Twilight stood up and flared her wings out in a defensive posture, glaring at him with suspicion. Thorax took a deep breath. What he was about to do was risky. Hell, it might end in flames, but at this point, Thorax didn't care. His kind deserved better than serving a mad queen, and Thorax did have followers in this hive. Maybe helping these six ponies was the best way to take a step in the right direction to bring his kind out of centuries of being feared by ponykind. "Twilight Sparkle?" he said cautiously. "Yes?" Twilight answered testily. "What do you want?" "My name is Thorax," the Changeling said. "I can help you and your friends get out of here." Behind Twilight, Rainbow Dash scoffed loudly. "Oh, sure you can!" Thorax narrowed his eyes slightly. "Well, do any of you have any better suggestions?" When none of the ponies answered, he looked at Twilight again. "Please. I know you have no reason to trust me. But by working together, I believe we may be able to help each other." "How?" Twilight asked. "You need to get out of here and stop Chrysalis, and I need to convince the rest of the hive that we shouldn't serve her anymore. This may seem hard to believe, but not all Changelings like the idea of world domination and being feared by ponies. Some of us really wish there was a better way. But as long as Chrysalis is in charge, we'll never be free. They're simply too afraid to oppose her." He sighed. "I only want the best for my kind. They deserve so much better than to be seen as monsters." "D'you honestly expect us to believe that sob story?" Apple Jack said. Thorax sighed. "No. But let me ask you this: What choice do you really have?" Twilight was silent for a few minutes before answering. "What do you have in mind?"
InfiltrationTwo days later, night had fallen over the Badlands. Within the dark corridors of the Changeling Hive, sentries paced up and down, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious. As the storm outside raged, torrential rain pelted the hive, while violent bursts of lightning split the air. In a high corridor overlooking the Badlands, a Changeling sentry known as Pharynx stood beside one of the windows, thinking. The previous day, ponies had been spotted near the hive. However, by the time the Changelings had investigated the area, there was no indication that any ponies had been there at all. As a result, Queen Chrysalis had heightened security, and the Elements of Harmony had been moved to separate cells deeper within the hive. Pharynx had a feeling all was not as it seemed. In addition, he had concerns about his older brother, Thorax. From the time they had been mere hatchlings in the nest, it was clear that Thorax was weaker than the rest - and not just in terms of strength. He was also weak in the mind, constantly whining about how "things shouldn't have to be this way" all the time. He was, Pharynx knew, what the ponies might call an idealist. A dangerous thing to be in a Changeling hive. Pharynx scowled, a hiss rasping in his throat. He had hoped that with time, his brother would have come to his senses. Unfortunately though, that didn't seem to be the case. What was worse, his brother's opinions had seemingly swayed the minds of some of the weaker hive members. The more Pharynx thought about it, it was more than likely that Thorax would try to help the prisoners escape. It was also highly probable that Thorax would soon lead an uprising against their queen. Pharynx put a hoof to his chin in thought. He could, of course, inform his mother of this problem. As the queen of the hive, she would surely take swift action to ensure that Thorax wouldn't succeed. OR - and a twisted smile appeared on Pharynx's face as he thought of this - OR, he could sit back and watch his mother and Thorax destroy each other. Then he, Pharynx, would be the new king of the hive. Pharynx smirked. This was going to be fun. However, Pharynx was abruptly jolted from his thoughts as he heard his mother scream in rage. "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO YOUR OWN MOTHER! NOW YOU SHALL PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD! DIE, TRAITOR!" Whirling on the spot, Pharynx charged down the hall, a snarl of rage sounding in his throat. Thorax! ..... What neither Pharynx or his mother knew of course, was that by this time Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony were already far beyond their reach. During the previous night, after Twilight and her friends had spent the day inside separate cells, Pinkie Pie - using her ability to tunnel through solid rock at Twilight's suggestion - had created an escape tunnel. She then ran off to find help, and within a few hours had been discovered by her sister, Maud. With the information Pinkie Pie had provided Princess Luna and the others about the Hive, they were able to formulate a plan. Princess Luna, Kyra, Starlight Glimmer and Derpy would continue on to the Changeling Hive and assist Thorax and his followers in the fight against Chrysalis, while Maud would lead Pinkie and the Elements back to the station in Dodge City, and get them home. Within a short amount of time after this, Twilight Sparkle and all her friends had been quietly smuggled to safety, with Thorax and his followers taking their place in their cells. Of course, that wasn't to say the plan hadn't had its share of awkward moments. Unsurprisingly, Twilight and the others had been suspicious of Starlight's intentions. By far though, the ponies that were the most skeptical of her involvement were Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack. The moment they saw her, both the ponies had glared at Starlight with ill-disguised contempt. "Would someone please explain what the Hell she's doing here?" Rainbow Dash had growled. She managed to take a step towards Starlight, but that was all she could manage before her exhaustion won out. She collapsed to her knees, wincing and breathing hard. Even then, the ferocity with which she glared at the pink unicorn was enough to make Starlight inch backward, moving almost imperceptibly closer to Kyra. Angered by the way Starlight was being treated, Kyra stepped forward, placing herself between Starlight and Rainbow Dash. Her indigo mane bristled, puffing up to make her appear taller and more threatening. Her pale blue eyes flashed with anger as she glared down at the pegasus, satisfaction briefly flaring in her chest as she saw Rainbow's eyes widen in alarm. "For your information, Starlight just helped save you all." Kyra's voice came out in an ominous growl as she spoke. "You ought to try showing a little more respect." Something in the way she said it made Rainbow Dash drop her gaze, while Twilight and the others suddenly felt very self-conscious. The only exception to this was Pinkie Pie, who's face had assumed a comical "Ooo!" expression. Derpy rubbed scratched the back of her head awkwardly, before making a polite coughing sound into her hoof - and Maud blinked once. Slowly. Meanwhile, Starlight looked at the ground between her hooves, feeling a confusing mix of shame from Rainbow's words and gratitude for Kyra coming to her defense. Inside, Rainbow Dash was seething. Respect! Respect!?! She almost wanted to laugh - the idea was so absurd. Who the Hell does this mare think she is? Does she even have any clue what Starlight's done? Out of respect for Luna, though, she held her tongue. Even so, she and Kyra remained locked in a baleful stare. In an effort to prevent another spout of bickering between the two, Twilight spoke to Luna. "What should we do now? It won't be long before Queen Chrysalis finds out we're all missing." "That's where our work begins," said Luna. "And by 'our', I mean that Kyra and the rest of us will handle Chrysalis. But you and your friends must return to Ponyville immediately for medical evaluation. Maud will be the one to escort you there." Twilight nodded, but there was concern in her eyes as she stepped a bit closer to the dark alicorn. "But... are you sure?" She glanced at Kyra and Starlight, before dropping her voice and looking at Luna again. "I mean, can we really trust those two?" "Twilight." Luna spoke patiently but firmly. "I would trust Kyra with my life." There would be no further debate on the matter. Yet in spite of knowing this, Twilight still wished she could be there to help. Luna could see it in her eyes. But she could not afford to give in to weakness when Thorax had already risked so much to help them. "Go!" she said, with more urgency this time. "Go, quickly!" As soon as Twilight and her friends were out of sight, Luna turned back to look at the Changeling Hive. Without a word she, Kyra, Starlight and Derpy began to move off towards it. It was time to finish the job.
