Douglas 2: The Douggenning

-DOUGLAS POV, 1:22 AM

Klaus got us out of there, and I owed it to him to make it the rest of the way. He grumbled directions in my mind, and though I kept running into things, I persevered.

“Klaus?”

“What.”

“What do you want now that we’re free?”

“You’re already giving it to me.”

“What do you-wait, did you hear that?” There was a hiss. Klaus became alert.

“Listen very carefully, bookworm.” He was intense, more so than he’d been even when he was threatening me.

“You’re going to say exactly what I tell you to say, understand, bookworm?”

“Wait, to who?” Light entered my vision again, and I would have been blinded had it not been so dim, but it was something else too.

It was green. I heard the scuttle of small feet against rock as the light came closer, and then I saw it. It was shaped like a pony, but not even Luna was that dark, nor have I seen anypony with gossamer wings or perforated limbs. It was the face, though, that told me this was not a pony. Ponies don’t have that hunger in their eyes, or teeth that could tear other ponies to ribbons. Klaus spoke.

“Tell it to take you to the hive.” I did so, and the thing stared at me before turning around and walking away. It stopped after a while and turned, checking to see if I was following. Klaus was dead silent the entire time, but I could feel…something. Was he experiencing grief, or anger? We walked for some time before we came to an even smaller tunnel. My guide didn’t falter, and we delved even deeper into the depths of the cave. The air blowing through the tunnel was more like breath than a draft, and it made me feel like I was heading into something organic. I don’t know how long it took before we made it into the hub, but there were thousands of these things. And every single one was looking at me.

-CELESTIA POV

I can hear the Mother. She cries for her loved one to return to her. She believes that by taking me, she will have already won the invasion of Equestria. But I have faith in Douglas. He will gain the power he needs to destroy the invaders. If not…

…the Eclipse will come.

-PINKIE PIE POV, 10:48 AM

“My decision is final, Pinkie Pie.”

“But he’s not bad at all!” Luna was starting to bother me. How could she think Dougie was dangerous? Sure, there was the little issue when he first got here, but it was nothing me and Rarity couldn’t handle. Besides, it was lots of fun!

“I don’t doubt you, Pinkie, or Douglas for all it matters. But the fact remains that I was attacked, and though I prevailed,” why was Luna licking her lips? “that didn’t stop him from attacking other guards.” I raised a hoof in argument, but she cut me off.

“Did you know he killed one of them?” No, you big dumb princess, Dougie wouldn’t kill anyone! Luna kept going anyway.

“Do you know what I have to do now? I have to tell a family that they’ve lost a brother, a husband, a son, and a father because of my neglect.”

“You’re wrong! Dougie wouldn’t kill anyone! He can’t! You said it yourself, it’s that Klaus meanie who’s responsible!”

“But he’s in Douglas’s body-“

“Dougie can beat him! Klaus is a no-good maniac, and Dougie WILL stop him!” I was breathing hard, and Luna was staring at me in disbelief. I guess princesses don’t get shouted at much, huh?

“Pinkie, how can you possibly be so sure?” I didn’t even have to think of my answer to know what it was. All I had to do was think of everything Douglas was. Everything he was to me. I knew exactly what to tell Luna.

“Because I LOVE HIM!”

-KLAUS POV

So I wasn’t absorbing magic after all. As the love poured into Douglas, I could hear the pony’s words. I suppose Pinkie Pie saved my life.

Fuck.

-DOUGLAS POV

I’m actually horrified of public speaking. It’s not the idea of having to talk that gets to me, I just get disturbed simply by having too many people look at me at once. Right now, every cell in my body was rather upset. Klaus was merely irritated.

“Just. Walk. Forward. Bookworm.” It wasn’t easy, and I fought my own muscles the whole way, but I took a step forward, and kept going. As I walked towards the center of the cavern, these creatures backed towards the walls and…bowed? I blazed a path through the kneeling entities, taking notice of one in particular. The wings, teeth, and holes were all present, but this one was distinctly feminine. Her head was adorned with sea-green, one strand falling prominently in front of her face, the rest draped gracefully along her back. From her forehead protruded a gnarled horn, like a dead tree demanding to exist. Her eyes were green and electrifying, and as my path continued to form, there was eventually open ground between us, and those eyes stopped me dead in my tracks. We stared at one another. Her gaze was filled with regality and dominance, while mine lacked any such features of confidence. Again, Klaus came to my aid.

“Say her name.” Name? I concentrated, and from somewhere in my mind, a word surfaced.

“Ch…chry…Chrysalis.” Her response was stark and immediate.

“You are not our ruler.” Now she looked as if she was ready to gut me. Had Klaus brought me to my death? Somehow, I doubted it. He could have abandoned me in the caves, waited for me to perish. He needed me for something else. Meanwhile, Chrysalis continued to menace me.

“We are the changelings, and my minions sense our emperor within you, but I see your true nature, human.” Klaus, I could use some help.

“Tell her to bring a mirror if she wishes for her true ruler to return.” Again with the mirror. I was filled with dread at the thought of seeing Klaus control my form again, but I wasn’t about to jeopardize my current situation by improvising.

“If you wish for your true ruler to return, you will bring a mirror.”

“I will do no such thing. I am the queen of the changelings, and I shall remain such. Besides, you are not the emperor.” Klaus seemed amused.

“Oh, I never saw this coming.” His sarcasm was thicker than bone.

“Point at the others, tell them to fetch a mirror. Shout.”

This tactic was successful. Chrysalis’s expression soured further as four changelings brought a mirror. I was not prepared for what was in the reflection, and neither was she. Though the face had my features and my choppy, disheveled hair, the hair was the same green as Chrysalis’s, and the yes the same as hers. My skin was dark just like the rest of the changelings, and when he lifted an arm, it was riddled with holes. I was sure that I was looking at Klaus’s own body.

The emperor of the changelings.

“My, my, Chrysalis. Aren’t we cheeky?”

“Klaus. So it’s you after all.”

“But of course. Now, to the matter at hand.” With that, he raised an arm. Green smoke seeped from the mirror in tendrils, creeping slowly towards Chrysalis. The more she back away, the faster the smoke approached, until it snaked around her and entered her through her mouth and nose. She began to pant heavily, and besides that sounds, all was quiet for a few moments until a second sound permeated the air.

Drip. Drip. Drip.