Chapters In a dark and barren land sat what looked like a palace made of specialized stone with tons of holes and spires. On the inside the whole place was constantly altering, changing, and morphing into numerous shapes and structures on its own accord. Next to a throne-like structure were tons of creatures who watched as a black chitin insect pony as tall as Celestia walked to the throne, her hooves covered with armored hoof shoes that were dark and moderate green colored, her carapace was dark arctic blue gradient to moderate green and it had a chest plate.
Her mane and tail was dark cerulean, her bug-like wings were huge and full of holes, her crown was long enough to go past her head. She had a gnarled horn that was gradient from black to green, and her eyes were moderate harlequin with grayish opal eyes. She sat on the throne then smiled showing her fangs more clearly, “My children! We have suffered here for too long, we are starving, struggling to live day by day, we might be changelings but we shouldn’t suffer!” All the changelings hissed in agreement as Queen Chrysalis smiled.
They looked all the same, chitin were sea greenish black, carapace dark blue, moderate arctic blue eyes, and a mane and tail that was dark arctic blueish gray. They also had fangs but not as long as the queen's. Chrysalis used her brilliant green magic to bring out a rolled up scroll and her aura actually made seeing her very deep opal eyeshadow easier. She unrolled the scroll and revealed a map of Equestria, “But my spies have found a place bursting with love, more love then any other place in this world. It even beat that crystal empire we couldn’t get into because of that stupid crystal heart!”
They hissed angrily when they remembered trying to break that shield, even though it came from the heart which was filled with love and light the changelings couldn’t do much to said shield. No matter how hard they tried to absorb it or break through it, but they couldn’t absorb it because it was an inanimate shield that was made out of love and light but didn’t feel those things. And they feed off feelings of living things as for breaking it they kept slamming the same side before getting enough burnt chitin that they realized it was a pointless endeavor.
She waited for them to finish before bringing out another map, “I present to you Ponyville!” The changelings buzzed with confusion as they looked at each other, some growled lightly at Chrysalis in a very confused tone and she nodded, “Yes I know it doesn’t make sense, this place was so low not to long ago that it was barely on the list of locations to sneak in for love.” She said bringing out a crystal this time, “But behold what changed in Ponyville!” She activated the crystal and it showed Ponyville today, in the North side of the town was a giant tree.
The changelings looked at the image. They let out growls as they looked at the tree, “Unsure but it was grown with powerful magic, but what’s more important is this…” She turned on the love levels and Ponyville levels burst through the meter that they used to measure love. They all looked shocked that they let out soft clicking noises, “Well that’s the question now isn’t it? I am unsure why the levels changed and we have no clue what that giant tree has to do with anything but this is what my spies came back with.”
Chrysalis smiled at her children, “But the best thing is there is no magical light shield that can stop us from sneaking in. We can gather love to our hearts content but we do have a slight snag.” She showed an image of Pinkie pie and Cheese Sandwich, “These two seem to have odd powers. Our spies were almost caught once so we have to be extra careful when going undercover, but we will get enough love to take Equestria for our own and no pony or creature will be able to stop us!” She shouted and all the changelings shouted in agreement.
Meanwhile in the quarry just outside Ponyville was a pure white pony with light gray scales on her back. She had dragon claws instead of hooves, her mane and tail were brilliant mulberry and her dragon eyes were a beautiful emerald color. Her long unicorn horn ignited with an emerald aura as gems beneath the dirt glowed. She smiled revealing sharp teeth and fangs, her cutie mark a green diamond in the shape of a dragon scale, she started to dig into the earth using her claws until she heard her mother’s voice, “Crystal scales!” Crystal stopped digging as her mother Rarity glared at her.
“Honestly darling, must you always get yourself filthy when we go gem hunting?”
Crystal went back to digging despite getting her claws dirty. She managed to keep her body clean and filled up her wagon with gems, “There you see only my claws got dirty, I’m the cleanest gem harvester in the world, now let’s go home we got garments to make and crumpets to bake.”
“Okay first that was when she was a baby and secondly more variety in the minerals you feed a baby dragon or dragon hybrid is better for them in the long run.”
Two changelings disguised as rocks revealed themselves as soon as they were gone. One was Bellatrix the future queen of the hive, she looked just like her mom, except her eyes which were a dark grayish violet and her magic aura which was a pale light grayish magenta, "Eww I can't believe those two, what a sickening couple to sap love off of!" The other was Thorax the prince of the changelings. He had no chance to the throne because he was male unless he got a queen, which was unlikely since he was so timid, and changelings didn't respect cowards, he was just a bit bigger then the guard changelings and he barely looked like his mom, "I think it's sweet. They clearly loved each other."
"That couple is just wrong!" Bellatrix hissed just loud enough to be intimating, "It's bad enough that a pony and dragon love each other that way but to make a freak of nature!"
Thorax became Jackpot, a light cornflower blue unicorn with moderate violet eyes and light gray with pale light grayish cornflower blue streaked mane and tail. His magic aura was still very light turquoise and his cutie mark was three gold stars, "Okay so your Trixie Lulamoon and I'm Jackpot your younger brother."
Author's Note
Bah, da, dum! So it turns out all those couples staying together in one location is a bad thing... opps! Also only high ranked changelings can talk so for those who were wondering why all the other ones in Chrysalis hive couldn't talk.
When Jackpot pulled the wagon into Ponyville, he was immediately met by a male earth pony with bubble gum pink hair that was as poofy as cotton candy. As his banana yellow body bounced in place. Jackpot barely got to see the cutie mark which was a cheese pie or cake piece, when bright seagreen eyes were shoved in his face, "Wow your new, you must be new because I met everypony in Ponyville, is that your house? Why is your house on wheels? Is it heavy? Why are you pulling it? Why does it look like that? Why..." He was yanked away by a storm blue male pegasus with electric yellow eyes, rainbow mane and a cutie mark that was a storm cloud letting out three bolts colored red, yellow and blue.
"Whoa there Lil' Cheese! Give the poor pony some breathing space!" He said putting Cheese down slightly away, "Oh but Stormy this is a new pony, new pony means a welcome party, to make a welcome party I must know everything about them, and to know everything about them I must ask tons of questions, mom's rule book for throwing a party is pretty clear." He pulled a big thick book out of his mane and opened it, "Rule number one; always get to know the pony or creature in question before throwing the party." Storm grabbed the book flipping through it, "Rule number 25; always have balloons if six ponies have gathered..."
He flipped through again, "Rule number 221; when celebrating the end of anything even if it's sad to see it go always send it off with a smile." He flipped to the end, "Rule number 1,000; always have fun." He gave it back to Cheese, "Yeah that's totally your mother. Anyway I'm Rainbow Storm and this is Cheesecake."
Cheese threw confetti, "What did I win, what did I win?!" Storm shook his head slightly, "You won a cake at sugarcube corner but all the ingredients have been hidden, you have to put them together to make the cake." Cheese gasped going star eyed, "Oh my gosh that is so genius!" He ran off and Jackpot watched him go, "How many times has he fallen for that?"
There was a light amber unicorn talking with guard trainees. Her mane was a vivid cornflower blue with brilliant amaranth streaks, and her eyes were a beautiful peacock blue color. He looked back at Storm, "Who are you staring at?" Storm seemed to snap out of it, "Oh that is Evening Shield." Jackpot tilted his head to see her cutie mark was a shield with an evening sky on it. "She's very beautiful huh?" Jackpot teased and Storm blushed trying to hide his face, "Very beautiful for sure... Anyway this way." They reached an empty space so that Jackpot could unhook himself. He tapped on the wagon door and Trixie poked her head out, "Oh so we are finally here."
Trixie jumped out wearing a purple star cape and hat, "Greetings! I'm Trixie Lulamoon the best traveling magician in Equestria." "Huh funny first time I've heard of either of you, and I've been around all of Equestria, being the son of a weather pony and all." Trixie got a bit mad but Jackpot jumped infront of her, "Oh we're new, just starting out in fact. But have to have the confidence to be the best of the best in the traveling magician world, I'm sure you understand that." "Oh sure I totally get that." Jackpot's belly rumbled slightly, "Oh silly me, didn't eat breakfast yet." "Oh well your both in luck." He lead them over to a marketplace.
He then went to a stall where a pale gamboge earth pony female was working. Her slightly curly mane was light olive with tangelo streaks, her eyes were bright teal and her cutie mark was a caramelized pear, "Caramel pear, we got some hungry ponies." Pear tilted her cowboy hat up slightly to see them, "Howdy strangers. Here, help yourself to a free sample of a caramel pear." Both Trixie and Jackpot took the caramel pear and looked at it oddly before trying bite, "This isn't bad, tangy yet sweet." "It's very different, you would think a combo like this wouldn't make any sense." "Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?"
Both Trixie and Jackpot looked around confused when a pear turned into what liked like a chimera. He had a zebra head with maroon eyes with a single fang in his mouth. His mane was black and white, he had a dark brown body with a yellow serpent tail with a white and black tuft at the end, light gold pegasus wings and blue and pink horns. "Chaos, have you been hiding in my pear barrel this whole time?" "Who me? No I swear!" He made an angel halo appear above his head as he prayed with his dragon claw and griffon claw but it burst into flames and got devil horns instead. "Okay yes I did but I was playing with Cheese and fell asleep."
On his flank was a cutie mark of eight arrows pointing in every direction and he stretched his bugbear and cragadile back legs, "Honestly I've been asleep for hours! Almost like he forgot we were playing... He did, didn't he?" Pear chuckled, "What were you expecting with somepony with such a short attention span?" "I was expecting nothing but hoping for something because that makes the least sense in the world!" He snapped his griffon claw vanishing with a laugh. The two siblings looked at each other. This place might be a bit more difficult for changelings to sneak in so the best course was to eliminate all obstacles.
Their thoughts were broken by a voice that sounded as soft as the wind, yet hard as stone, gentle as water, and yet fierce as fire, "Oh hello there, never seen you two before." Both siblings looked but Jack... Thorax stared. She was a female lavender alicorn almost as tall as his mother. Her eyes were like chocolate, deep and rich, her cutie mark was the planet Earth and her magical mane looked like it was made of fire, water, air, and earth. Thorax managed to squeak out a hello as she walked up to them, "My name is Peaceful Climate, but you can call me by my nickname Harmony." "I'm Th..." Trixie slapped him upside the head. "Jackpot and this is Trixie."
Harmony frowned slightly at Trixie who chuckled nervously as she rubbed her brother's head. At this she smiled at them, "It must be nice to have such a sibling connection."
Author's Note
Can a changeling get a crush? Maybe? We all know Changelings can share love with each other and thus metamorph into their reformed state so why not being able to crush and love others? So Thorax got a crush and it's cute.
Once Trixie brought Jackpot into the wagon she zapped him until he snapped out of it, "Who, what, where, why, how?!" Jackpot said looking around. "You went into some kind of love trance, but that's impossible since I was fine. What happened to you?"
"I know, I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." He said shaking his head, "Let's just go over our list. Where to first?" Trixie pulled down a long scroll from the wall and looked at the map of Ponyville, "The best place to start is these farm lands, we need food after a long journey after all."
They were talking to the four slightly younger but still old ponies. They got close enough to hear them speaking, "Big mac, you and Sugar Belle take the North part of the orchard, Applejack you and Caramel have the East. We got the South and finally Caramel Pear and Big sugar you have the West."
He chuckled rubbing her head, "Only you can remember what she said exactly. Don't worry, I got my beautiful wife with me."
"Oh thank you! Anyway we came because we are starving and those caramel pears, though delicious, barely filled our bellys." The whole family smiled as Pear and Big sugar lead the two into their house, "Well we can't have that. You guys go ahead and get to apple bucking, we will feed these two." Trixie watched them go. Earth ponies were some of the hardest to replace if they had too much strength. She got to see them buck a tree so hard that it shook the tree making apples fall into baskets right below the tree. Damn these farm ponies might be a tad difficult to replace, best use guard changelings...
Her thoughts were interrupted by a huge meal that the cousins whipped up for them. Sure changelings can eat food but it doesn't do anything for them, but when they tried the food it was filled with love. Love for the job they were doing, love for the trees, love for the apples, and love to make meals. The two changelings devoured the meals in seconds. "Wow you two weren't kidding about being hungry." Jackpot blushed in embarrassment, "Yeah and we can tell it was made with love." Pear smiled at this. "Um not to be rude but as a unicorn I noticed that Bright Mac and Buttercups auras were odd, is there a reason for that?"
Jackpot looked at Trixie oddly when she finished her question, but Pear just sighed, "Oh that. Well they died back when Apple Bloom was a baby. But when Twilight cured Celestia, Lucian, and Chronos from the Tantabus, Chronos felt bad for what he did when he was Dark Eternity. So he brought back Bright Mac and Pear Butter to show he was sorry for what he did. Mom cried hard that day and dad held her tight. It was such a sweet scene that he took a picture and we hung it on the wall." Both siblings looked at all the pictures on the wall. One was the scene that Pear told them about, it did look like a sickeningly sweet scene.
Three were wedding pictures, Big mac with Sugar Belle, Applejack with Caramel, and the third they had no idea who the two were. Trixie pointed, "Whose those two? I didn't see them with the family."
Her thoughts were interrupted by loud rocking music that sounded far away, "What in Equestria is that sound?!" Pear lead them both back into town where the music was louder and ponies were screaming, "The Cutie Rockers!" Trixie looked at the four females on stage. One was an earth pony whose coat was white with brown spots, her eyes were brilliant gamboge and her mane was apple red with light tangelo streaks braided with a pink bow at the end. She was strumming an apple shaped bass and her cutie mark was the same, fans held up her cutie mark on signs screaming, "Apple Cord play that bass!"
On the drums was a light gray pegasus with electric purple eyes. Her mane was dark cerise with light cerise streaks, her cutie mark was a drum with purple sound waves coming off of it. Fans held up signs with her cutie mark shouting, "We love you Thunderous Beat!" A bright orange earth pony was playing a guitar. Her eyes were apple green, her mane was punk style with amaranth and mulberry streaks, her cutie mark was a guitar shaped like a music note. Fans held up signs of her cutie mark shouting, "Roxey Rhythm you rock!" The last one was a creamy orange unicorn, her eyes were sea foam green, her mane was moderate vermilion with moderate amaranth and brilliant amber steaks.
Her cutie mark was a heart with small music notes and a microphone on it. Fans held up signs with her cutie mark screaming, "Sing for us Sweet Sonata!" Trixie and Jackpot were drooling, being surrounded by so much love, "Thank you Ponyville! We are the Cutie Rockers and that's it for today!" The ponies wanted to rush them but two male ponies stopped them. One was a silver unicorn with violet eyes and an orange mane with gray streaks, the other was an amber unicorn with cornflower blue eyes and a mane that was turquoise with white streaks. "Sorry autographs are for later."
"Sorry but no can do. Please move on until later." Trixie noticed that on their flanks their cutie marks matched their names but the shield was surrounded by an amber circle and the armor was surrounded by a silver circle. "The Cutie Rockers are exhausted and need some time to relax. There's a stall being set up for Cutie Rockers memorabilia right over there. Please go enjoy yourself while you wait." The ponies rushed to the large stall with tons of stuff and Trixie looked at her brother, "To bad none of the lower changelings are that good. Replacing the Cutie Rockers would have been like a gold mine for us." And Jackpot nodded in agreement.
Trixie saw a light goldish gray unicorn with magenta eyes and a cobalt blue mane with dark gray streaks walk towards the two bodyguards. Her cutie mark was a disc with blocky music notes. Her magenta aura was holding a clip board, "I have no time for your boring questions. The Cutie Rockers have a very tight schedule so let me pass."
Both had one earth pony and one unicorn. The first couple both had music cutie marks. Damn changelings can change appearance but they can't gain talents, Trixie thought. They were spies, assassins, and warriors not musicians. Seemed short sighted now... the other couple could work, the unicorn had a lyre so she was out but the earth pony had sweets so she would be a bit easier... next to them was a mint green pony with amber eyes and a cobalt mane with light cyan streaks. It looked like their daughter except for the wings. How did she have wings? She approached the Cutie Rockers who moved to a table to eat dinner and Trixie saw her cutie mark was a tebble clef colored like candy.
"Hey I'm Sweet Music I was wondering if I can join?" Apple Cord looked at her, "Can you play?" Sweet pulled out a keytar and played a cord, she was using her wing to press the keys which was impressive. "Wow you live up to your name! Sit down and let's talk." Roxy said and Sweet beamed at her parents before sitting. D.T. wasn't amused that there was another pony at the table but she sighed sitting down. Trixie hummed to herself as she saw more pony couples: one was two pegasi, their daughter, a pegasus, was a peach color with scarlet eyes, and a moderate orange mane with light arctic blue streaks. She saw another couple a pegasus and an earth pony, their son was tree green with violet eyes, and a dreadlock mane with amaranth, vermilion and gold colors.
The pegasus female was sitting next to another pegasus. He was light goldish gray, dark grayish tangelo eyes, and a brown mane. She had a checkered king cutie mark and he had an odd cake cutie mark. The earth pony who had a spiral heart cutie mark with tiny dot streaks going around it was sitting next to a light yellow unicorn. She had brilliant azure eyes and light brilliant orange mane and her cutie mark was possibly a pumpkin cake? Her pale light grayish cerulean magic was bringing cupcakes over to them and they all smiled as they munched on the cupcakes. Trixie's head spun, how many couples were there in this bloody town?
"Excuse me!" A female voice shouted at Trixie and she turned to see a dark orchid unicorn, with moderate opal eyes and a moderate rose mane with lighter edges. She couldn't help but stare at the scar on her right eye, then at the unicorn's horn. It was only solid half way, the other half was a crystal in the same shade of her coat with a ring in-between the two halves, "I've noticed you staring at everypony like your committing them to memory... and please stop staring at my horn it's very rude!" Her horn sparked with opal magic as the ring glowed allowing the magic to go naturally into the crystal. Trixie forced her eyes back down, "What happened to..."
"Childhood accident! And I'm asking the questions here! State your name now!"
Yep replacing or removing her will be hard, "What was that..." She started looking towards where her brother was standing only to finally notice he wasn't there anymore, "Wait what? Where did he..." She got a deadpan look when she saw him with Harmony, she walked up to them. "HELLO!" Jackpot shouted finally making Harmony aware he was standing there. "Oh hello Jackpot, sorry if I was ignoring you, I didn't hear you come up to me."
She pulled him into their wagon zapping him again, "Ouch! What?!"
"Your pathetic brother, we can't feel love! We feel the love off of others, we can feed on that love, but we can't feel it ourselves!"
Bellatrix was giving her mother a run down of the couples she saw so far, "We haven't checked the giant tree yet but we will." Queen Chrysalis let out a pleased tone, "Excellent job! All those couples must be the reason why Ponyville shot up in love levels so quickly." She licked her lips, "Just thinking of the feast we are going to get is making my mouth water... by the way where is your brother?"
Her mother's image vanished in the green crystal Bellatrix used to contact her mother in the first place. It was completely undetectable to ponies, only changelings could feel it. She turned back into Trixie, looking at Jackpot who was sleeping and then she zapped him, "Wake up!" Jackpot stared at her hissing, he got up glaring. "I see you are back to normal."
With one last look she gave them space, "Sure." Harmony smiled at Jackpot, "I've been thinking on what you said, would you join me for smoothies?" Jackpot nodded following her. The two sipped on smoothies as Trixie glared at them, what was he doing? It looked like they were talking. Finally Jackpot came back looking a bit better, "So what did she want?!"
Decisions were hers to make. Finally she chose to roll the dice, "Let's use this to our advantage. But any changes from you and I'll suck the love from you again." With that out of the way they continued to observe everything this town had to offer. Jackpot left with Harmony and Trixie wanted to follow but she had her mission to get back to. Hopefully her brother won't go back to before, she walked towards the giant tree. She nearly ran off when she spotted Tempest Shadow but she calmly walked inside even though Tempest was staring at her and whispered, "Always watching..." Creepy unicorn... then she felt it in the air, love, pure crystal pony love.
Trixie ran inside and she spotted a portal to the crystal empire, what luck! She ran towards the portal only to slam into what felt like glass. She managed to peel herself off then looked at the image again before trying to make her hoof go through, only to feel glass again, was this a mirror portal? She tapped the glass, how did this thing work? "Excuse me but I saw what happened." Trixie turned and saw Twilight Sparkle, oh sh... "I know you were probably excited to go to the empire but I'm afraid that portal works only for Dutchess Cadance." Trixie chuckled to hide the fact she wanted to hiss, if Twilight was smart she probably put other wards on this portal.
Well that was a big waste of time but at least she figured out why this giant tree was pouring with love. This mirror portal though not allowing anypony through, it let the love of the empire though she feed off the love before moving on. "Wait where are you going?" Trixie looked back at Twi, "Oh well I just wanted to check this place out, haven't seen a tree this big before."
Twi chuckled, "He did make an endless staircase... I told him he could keep it if he moved it to his room and replaced it with a normal staircase. He agreed saying spoilsport but friendship requires compromise." Trixie hummed looking at everything as they moved, "So you live here?" "Yes, with the rest of my friends and our husbands." Trixie licked her lips, more couples to replace. "Of course having Discord here is a bit... different, but Fluttershy loves him." Oh great another obstacle... "And of course Pinkie and Cheese find him a hoot so I can't complain." Right, the poofy ones. Almost forgot about them. "I heard about some kind of armor that was here in town..."
Twi nodded leading Trixie back to the entrance. She pointed towards the wall and there it was on a mannequin in a hole in the wall, "Wow that is very impressive." She looked at the helmet. "But something is missing..." Twi turned her around using magic and in the wall right across from it was the crown, just in a display case. Trixie noticed a plate under the crown, "The gems of harmony." She read out. "That's right." "But aren't these supposed to be the elements of harmony?" Damn if these weren't the elements, then what were. "Oh that's a common mistake, me and my friends are the real elements we just use these gems to focus our virtues into."
Ah the old classic your friends is your power clichè. How idiotic but whatever they will need to take this crown so they can't use it, no crown no rainbow blast. Trixie tapped on the display case, "Why is it over here in this display case? Shouldn't it be with the rest of the set?"
Trixie laughed, "I mean come on would you believe normal looking gemstones made rainbow lasers." Twi snorted slightly, "No I wouldn't without proof."
Harmony was crying deeply, the crown with the gems of harmony in her bronze magic aura. Little Cheese was bouncing beside Caramel Pear who was breathing heavily. Crystal scales was running as Chaos floated beside her, finally Rainbow Storm and Evening Sheild were flanking them one on each side. Everything was just fine not too long ago. It all started with Trixie giving out tarot card readings to happy couples or one out of the pair. Everypony was saying that their loved one was acting oddly, not exactly themselves, especially Cozy glow was saying Featherweight was acting strange and she was an almost villain, she even mentioned her daughter Checker Queen wasn't acting right.
It was going on for two weeks. Harmony was reading books trying to figure out a solution when Jackpot tried to drag her outside. She did take a break and was right beside the harmony crown when Trixie's wagon opened up. Trixie appeared with a flourish announcing she had the greatest trick no other magician ever could do, then she made a giant smoke cloud appear. Then when it cleared Queen Chrysalis was standing there, "Changelings appear!" And half the couples changed into changelings. Harmony just grabbed the crown of harmony to give to her mom but then Chrysalis revealed her other hand, Chronos and the other element bearers husbands.
It was chaos without Chaos starting it. All her friends came up to her wondering what to do. She turned to Jackpot but he shifted back to Thorax and her heart hurt, with tears in her eyes all seven ran out of town. Finally the group came up to a camp site which means they traveled far enough and they collapsed once they stopped, "What are we going to do?!" Storm shouted as Evening looked at him, "I don't know... I need to think." Pear was taking deep breaths as Cheese held her, Crystal was sobbing as Chaos held her. "I'm sorry for breaking the mood but why did you bring that thing? It's worthless to us we can't use it."
Harmony looked at the crown then put it on her head, "We might as well try, Evening your Knowledge, Pear your Honesty, Storm your Loyalty, Chaos your Kindness, Cheese your Laughter, Crystal your Generosity and I'm magic." They each got into position trying to feel their given virtue, the crown started to glow, "Wait it's actually..." Chaos started to say before the gemstones turned black. "Great we broke it." Storm said before Harmony's eyes went white, "New bearers must find their own element, the gemstones will get their colors back when you identify your virtue." Cheese waved his hoof in front of Harmony's face and she didn't even blink.
"Your not Peaceful Climate... are you Harmony?"
"I should have known... Oh well at least we got away from." They all heard buzzing, Chaos made a shield that turned them invisible with a snap, they finally saw it was Thorax who landed in their area then Chaos dropped the shield and they all jumped him, Harmony practically glared at him, "What are you doing here? Wasn't a whole town of ponyville enough for your queen?!"
"Chaos is he lying?" Chaos grabbed one wing and used all kinds of magic on it, "Those sparkles are real all right, I used all kinds of illusion braking magic and nothing happened."
"Fine that's fair I did betray you and hurt your feelings." Harmony looked at him, "Was it all a lie?"
Chaos snapped his fingers and meals appeared in front of them, "Your favorite foods, no tricks honest." He said before munching on paper, they each munched on their own foods, Harmony looked at Thorax, "Okay we can't starve him."
"Yeah that's why they had to launch the invasion sooner then expected."
Harmony was still wearing the crown when they set off, Thorax was still in the bubble, Chaos held the bubble in his tail hair they weren't sure where they were going but they had to find their virtues so they had to travel. They finally arrived in a desert Harmony made a map from her memories and to her knowledge they were getting close to Appleloosa, she spotted train tracks and got an idea, "Chaos see those train tracks? Our journey to town would be faster if we could just ride to town." Chaos smiled then snapped his fingers, a bizarre looking train appeared, they all climbed inside and it took off, "Honestly this is the most tame thing I've created..."
He admitted looking at his creation. "Hey look there's some entertainment in the windows, those buffalo look so real!" Cheese said as they all looked and Chaos hummed, "Odd I don't recall making the windows into viewing screens..." "That's because those buffalo are real!" Evening shouted before they started to ram into the train. "Why are they attacking us?" Crystal asked as they floated off the ground, Chaos didn't want his friends to be pushed around like a bouncy ball. "Don't know, don't care! Time to give them a taste of the storm!" Storm said flying out, his mane crackled with electricity as storm clouds gathered above him.
The buffalo stopped ramming the train when they saw this, then bolts of all the colors of the rainbow shot out at them, they all jumped out of fear when the bolts struck the ground, Storm stopped when he saw them ran off, he flew back into the train, "Well whatever their issue was, they ran off when they saw my awesome ability." The train finally stopped in town and was met by a goldish light green earth pony, she had brilliant tangelo eyes and a moderate aquamarine mane with brilliant gamboge and amber highlights, "Hello I'm Orchard Blossom and welcome to Appleloosa!" "Hey do you know why buffalo attacked our train?"
"Oh them... They are a bit upset about our apple orchard, but we need it to feed this town so they attack trains thinking we are bringing more trees here." Harmony hummed lightly, "Can you show me where this orchard is?" When Orchard Blossom showed her where the orchard was Harmony nodded, "I see what the issue is, don't worry we can solve this easily." Chaos came forwards looking unsure, "But what about..." "Don't worry this is a quick fix." Orchard noticed Thorax, "What's that thing?" "A heartbreaker." "I said I was sorry..." "Anyway if anypony is acting odd they are probably been replaced, keep an eye on your loved ones."
They all traveled to the buffalo lands where they meet with the old Thunderhooves, he was no longer chief and instead Little Strongheart was, but he did explain why the tribe attacked trains and were pissed at the orchard, the location was their traditional stampeding grounds, "The buffalo will attack the town, for too long have we been denied our tradition!" "Please I understand your frustration but there is a simple solution..." "No we will trample the town and that blasted orchard!" Chaos got in Thunderhooves face, "You should listen to Princess Peaceful Climate I know how pride can hurt you in the long run!"
Thunderhooves was struck silent as the new Chief Little Strongheart came forwards, "I will listen, please tell me what's your solution." Harmony smiled she brought the new Chief to Appleloosa and went to Sheriff Gold Badge, the son of the now retired Silverstar, he looked just like his father a grayish amber earth pony, with very light azure eyes and a dark amber mane, but no mustache, "And why should I listen to you?" Chaos came up to him, "Honestly the arrogance your showing is surprising! Just listen to the princess she can save this town." So Harmony told the compromise to them both, a road through the orchard for the buffalo the stampede on.
In exchange to allow the ponies to keep the rest of the land the buffalo went a share of their delicious apple pie, Harmony smiled as the buffalo stampeded on the road Chaos made moving trees elsewhere, he smiled at both Thunderhooves and Gold badge, "You see what a little humility got you? Isn't this better then destroying a town and hurting others?" They both nodded at each other, "Your right, we needed to listen and learn humility." Chaos smiled, it was weak at first but he slowly started to glow green, his friends were shocked and Harmony came up to him, "Chaos your glowing... mother told me that's how she got her new elements so maybe..."
Harmony gently touched Chaos and the glow got so bright that it blinded them finally when it was over Chaos was wearing a gold necklace with a green gemstone in the middle in the shape of his cutie mark, Harmony took off the crown and noticed the used to be green gem was green again, "Chaos we did it, we found your virtue! Humility!" Chaos looked at the necklace, "I guess I did, how ironic that a being of discord gets an element of harmony." Thorax looked at the necklace, "Is that how elements appear?"
"Yeah and your queen had better not get any information I give you!"
When Chaos was done he revealed his new train, "I call it the sky serpent, looks like a dragon but inside is seven doors that each lead to their own space, like fitting seven carts in one train!" He said doing jazz hands. "But there are eight of us..." Chaos tapped on the bubble making Thorax shake slightly, "Like I would leave you alone, that would be dumb." Thorax was fine he just got a little woozy. "Alright everycreature inside." He said the side opened and once everycreature was inside their rooms Chaos went to the engine in the head and he pulled down a microphone, "All right everycreature our location will always be random, our first random location will be..." He pulled a slot lever and a reel started spinning.
It finally landed on a location, "Fillydelphia!" The sky serpent moved like a dragon and flew into the sky, it was a dragon as to not draw suspicion from changelings that might be looking for them now. The sky serpent landed in Fillydelphia and got out one at a time, ponies stared at them but more exact at Crystal Scales and Chaos, "I know we might be odd looking but the staring is a bit unnerving." Some ponies ran indoors, "Okay this is getting strange..." They crossed into the next part of Fillydelphia and pretty soon dragons were staring at the ponies of the group. A green dragon with no underbelly was staring at them with his icy blue eyes.
He thinks interesting little group as he follows them from the rooftops to find out who they are. When they stop at a restaurant, he goes inside being put on the dragon side, he gives a waiter a message to give to them to meet him in the alley behind the restaurant, he was leaning on a wall with a barrier in case of being attacked, then he finally hears one of them when they clear their throat, "Hello I'm Astral Flare, why are you in this town?" Harmony took a good look at him before responding, his horns were straight back, he had a fire like spikes on his head and neck, was wearing a white gi shirt with a grey vest and had so many scars over his body.
"I'm Harmony and these are my friends, and as for why we are here well... it was by random choice." Chaos waved when she said this chuckling. "But I noticed this city is literally divided what happened here?" "Some places got burnt down, so the ponies of the city decided to have all the dragons, who they believe did it, to live in their own half of the city." Astral answers with a bit of anger, he didn't like how xenophobic the ponies were being and it didn't help when Shadow Claw was instigating riots. "So now the ponies have asked me to help with the boarder by adding my ability with shields to keep the riots from reaching them."
He stepped forwards slightly showing bags under his eyes, "Unfortunately it's starting to wear me out, so I don't know how much longer I can keep this up before a full fight happens." Harmony looked at him concerned, "How long have you been doing this?" "Well I was asked a week after they divided the city, so I guess a little over a month, I can't even sleep because this barrier needs to stay up until the real culprit is found." Crystal Scales stepped forwards, "Well it sounds this city is lacking manners and respect, I mean to blame all dragons like this? Did they even bother to investigate the buildings?!" She was getting a bit upset at the thought they might haven't even tried to look into it.
A black dragon with a silver underbelly and three horns swept back like a slicked manestyle stood in the street, "My fellow dragons I Shade Fang am here for you against those stupid ponies who hate us for burnt buildings, we didn't do it yet they insist to blame us!" Crystal huffed lightly at this display, "Ugh another emo trying to hard, and those yellow eyes aren't doing him justice, Astral who is that dragon and what in Equestria is he doing?!" Astral turned to the group before answering. "His name is Shade Fang and he's the one responsible for the riots." The main seven all sneared at him, Astral pinches the bridge of his muzzle.
"I swear that one of these days he is going to land in some serious hot water when he goes too far. It doesn't help that he keeps flirting with Aurora despite his advances." He then falls down to a sitting position before coughing into his claw then they see he coughed up blood, probably due to exhaustion and strain of keeping that barrier up so long. Harmony came up to Astral and hugged him, "Let the soothing waters ease your pain..." Her mane turned completely to look like water before it flowed unto him, when it was over Astral felt like he was fully rested, then her mane went back to normal. She looked a bit drained and exhausted and Chaos grabbed her before she passed out into the ground.
"She's alright she just used to much power." Chaos explained as he held her in his arms, "You see she's the alicorn of the elements but she's still a young alicorn so her power levels aren't that huge." Chaos' tail came forwards and Astral finally noticed in his hair was a bubble holding an odd creature it looked like an insect pony, "Will she be okay?" Chaos snapped his tail back making Thorax smack into the bubble wall, "She'll be fine she just needs rest not like you care heart breaker!" "I said I was sorry..." After getting over his shock at Harmony's element power.
He looked a little concerned about her wellbeing. "Are you sure that she will be alright? Magic exhaustion is not a funny thing, I might be physically healed, but I still feel my magic weakening." Then he saw Thorax, "What's with the odd insect pony?" "Oh him? Thorax is our prisoner as for Harmony she'll be fine she's still an alicorn." Some stomach rumbles Astral invites them to his place, once there they see smoke rising from one of the windows. "Ah crap, not again." Astral moans before rushing inside, they see a periwinkle dragon with a salmon underbelly, five horns with a semi transparent cyan frill, wearing a cyan vest with an icicle design held together with three fasteners and a red sash.
She was standing next to a soup that is on fire. "Aurora why did you have to cook?" She just turns off the burner and turns to him annoyed, "Well you have been coming home all tired and then either cook or order out from that Kirin run restaurant that I decided to make a hearty meal." She then notices the group, "Oh and I see that you brought some guests, good things made a large batch." Astral buried his face in his claw muttering a sorry before Aurora said, "So I made both meat and vegan versions for variety, who would love a bowl?" "You know I would love a bowl but first my friend needs a place to rest first."
"Astral can you show me where a bed is? Oh and don't start without us..." Chaos said shoving Astral with his tail, once they were alone he looked st him, "I smelt that soup it's completely uneatable, I will have to change it with my magic so my friends don't get sick." He explained putting Harmony down on the bed, "But when I read her mind she seemed so excited that I didn't want to crush her feelings so here we are. I don't want my friends to get sick but I also don't want to hurt her feelings, so my solution is I change it with my magic she won't know the difference." "Don't worry she knows that she's a bad cook, she actually has medicine for when somecreature gets sick from her food."
Astral explained, "Besides how do you think I survived her cooking, I'm just glad she doesn't burn drinks." He then looks at Chaos. "That changeling you have as a prisoner seems a little sad." Chaos rolled his eyes his friends didn't need to get sick in the first place but whatever, "Oh Thorax can be as sad as he wants to be, don't feel pity for his kind, they can suck the love out of you like a leech, he also has the same issue as Shade Fang, goes after Harmony to try to woo her despite knowing she wants nothing to do with him at the moment." Thorax hissed lightly, "Hey we shared a real connection, we went on real dates, had real conversations, our bond was real."
"Yeah before she found out you were a changeling and had to watch your queen take over her home which was Ponyville." "That wasn't very kind to say..." Chaos tapped his harmony gem, "Sorry I'm the element of humility not kindness." "That's kinda harsh though..." Astral said sweat dropping. "You can go ahead and eat with your friends, I'll keep an eye on Harmony and Thorax." Chaos grumbles as he leaves, then Astral turned to Thorax, "I'm guessing you left your hive because you didn't agree with their motives and the others that you went to don't trust you?" Thorax looked at him then looked back at Harmony.
"To be honest I didn't agree with them before the spying and the invasion happened..." Astral saw his sparkly wings as he moved to be closer to Harmony, "Then I meet her, I was drawn in by her chocolate eyes, they had a warmth I never seen before, but when I learned more about her I wanted more..." He said rubbing the bubble wall near her and Astral saw his black legs had a green tint on the end. "So I lied when I left and despite being their prince they don't care about me they have their princess so they don't need me, I don't even know if changelings can love but I'm willing to try for her."
Author's Note
All dragons are CO's of AstralFlare42
Astral leaned on the bubble, "Let me tell you something when you truly love someone, it's like you have just been given an opportunity to open the best gift in the universe, all you need to do is decide whether to open the box or leave it shut." He then chuckles a little before looking at the ceiling. "I should listen to my own advice." "You mean you should confess your feelings for Aurora right? She is beautiful for a dragon I can see why you love her but I'm surprised to find out you haven't told her yet... how odd usually ponies or creatures in love just confess to the one they love so that they can share that special connection."
Thorax said looking at Harmony who was slowly getting up, "Hey are you alright?" "Why are you here? You know what it doesn't matter I don't want to be here with you." She slowly started to leave before Thorax shouted, "Peaceful Climate wait!" She stopped to look at him. "Look I don't care anymore if you believe me or not, but I can't help but to want to see the warmth return to your eyes, please believe me when I say... I do... love you..." Magic poured out of him then around him both watched with confusion then the bubble burst letting Thorax stand on the floor, but he looked a lot different then before, he stood as tall as a fully grown alicorn.
His colors changed as well his eyes became a moderate rose color, his chitin was now light lime green, his chest was now a brilliant gamboge, his carapace was now a dark azure with moderate emerald green underside, he got mandibles that were light brilliant orange, and his wings were huge and a moderate blue violet with dark fuchsia elytra, he even had some kind of diamonds on his chest. Harmony looked at him as Chaos barged in with the rest of the others, "Uh what just happened?" Astral asked. Thorax looked at himself, "I don't know..." He ignited his horn still had his magic aura a very light turquoise, "It didn't change my magic aura... also I'm not hungry anymore..."
Harmony scanned him, "It's like your a different creature but my scan says your still a changeling." Thorax hummed then shifted into a pony before turning back to normal, "I can still shape shift." Harmony looked confused. "Let's go over some facts, you suddenly confess your feelings for me our of the blue then you turn into that." Thorax looked at Harmony, "And I'm no longer hungry, I don't need to feed off others love anymore." Cheese gasped, "That's because you shared love willingly and no longer needed to feed off love you have your own love now!" Harmony looked at Chaos, "Is that possible?" Chaos hummed, "Changelings are strange creatures but they are hollow." Chaos started explaining.
"They were trying to fill a cup with no bottom by taking love but Thorax is now giving love so now it's like he's using a normal cup, he's no longer hollow." "I guess that this means changelings can show love, give it as well." Astral said before a knock came from the front door, Astral opened it to find two police ponies, "Anything I can help you with officers?" "We felt a magical surge in this area just a routine check to make sure it's not the flammable kind of magic." "You understand we don't want anymore riots to happen." "So if you could just tell us if you know what happened and if you smelt smoke or not then we will be on our way."
"Well there was smoke, but it was just Aurora cooking again. Luckily I managed to get the fire under control. Has anymore evidence come up about the incidents?" Astral asked not knowing if he should mention his guests or not. "Just one piece of evidence... slime trails was found on the floor in one of the burnt buildings, we managed to figure out that it was flammable but that's about it." "Now about that magical surge we picked up..." The group looked at each other how were they going to explain this? Throax finally shifted into a unicorn and stepped forwards, "Sorry I got spooked and had a magical surge, but nothing happened." "And who are you?" "Just an acquaintance."
The cops hummed then left, he closed the door shifting back, "Well that was a close call." He noticed Harmony was reading a large book, "Wait where did you get that and what are you doing?" "When they said flammable slime trails I know I read that before so I asked Chaos to summon the book, and here it is." She tapped the page, "Fire slugs, they are usually found in extremely hot places like a volcano because they can burn down normal places." "But who would bring those things here?" Aurora asked turning to Astral. "I'll have a talk with Shade. He was asking about them around the time the fires started." Astral said before looking to the others, "In the meantime, you guys should find those fire slugs."
"That should be easy anough they can't live unless they are in a hot environment so Chaos can use his powers to make heat vision goggles, the higher the temperature the more likely that's where they will be." They all nodded and split into two groups. Astral's group, which consisted of himself, Aurora, Crystal, Chaos, and Thorax, went over to another building where Astral explained was where Shade lived. Knocking on the door, the group soon found themselves face to face with Shade. "May I help you?"Thorax who looked like a normal unicorn looked at Shades loved ones and well he lusts after Aurora but doesn't truly love her what a sickening dragon.
Chaos was wearing his googles and shook his head at Astral as he took them off, 'nothing beyond the normal dragon heat and there is only one dragon here, him, which isn't hot enough for fire slugs.' Chaos said in Astral's mind.'Well might as well ask how they got in town.' Astral thought back. "Listen, Shade, some more evidence was found at the crime scenes." At this, Shade gained a fearful look to the new evidence. "The evidence proves that the dragons weren't responsible." "I'm glad to hear that. It's about tea time, so would you and your friends like to come in?" He asked offering a hand to Aurora who looked unimpressed.
Harmony's voice chimed into their minds, 'Found where they might be hiding the fire slugs, we found a hot spring which was hotter then the normal hot temperature that hot springs have to abide by to not leave scolding marks on pony bodies.' 'Where is the hot spring? We may be able to find the culprit by finding the owner of the hot springs.' 'I'm afraid that will be unhelpdul, the owner is a sweet old dragon who couldn't tell that the water was too hot, and her eye sight is bad could barely make out a dark blob that offered a soulation to her aching bones, and he always comes after all the helpers have left, the fire slugs are here but no one knows who put them there.'
Author's Note
Thorax is no longer an empty changeling he is now a full of love changeling.
'We're following that lead, could you tell me her name? It may help with the interrogation.' Astral said with suppressed anger at Shade due to his grin which made Aurora uncomfortable. 'Her name is Aquamarine, she's a water dragon but honestly I think we don't need her, we are looking for a dragon because ponies can't go inside an active volcano, which is where you find fire slugs, dark colored and goes to the hot spring often enough that they know the schedule of the workers.' Astral felt Harmony smile, 'And guess what the old girl gives out when you visit often? A tap on your body that makes a symbol that lights up in steam from hot water.'
'Good thing that Shade is making tea, does the creature need to be in the steam or does it work like one of those secret message things that kids like?' 'Unsure but I guess you'll find out soon enough.' Harmony said and when Shade poured the tea the steam made the top of his hand glow with a symbol."The symbol was of a water drop with dragon wings. When Astral saw this, he tackled him while gripping the front of his shirt. "Why did you bring those fire slugs!?" Shade just started laughing which caused the group to become nervous. "I guess my plan is working. I brought those in with the intent to burn those poies homes to stir up both sides to get them to leave."
"Tonight is when the riots will force those weak ponies to leave. Us dragons are better than them." Astral then punched Shade in the face, knocking him out. "Chaos, gather the others and have Thorax find the most concentration of negative emotions. Aurora and I will stay here with this scumbag. I am counting on you and the others to get things under control." Chaos nodded, they all left and he snapped his fingers Harmony and her group was brought to them Thorax used his powers and pointed they all rushed to see a riot going on."Get out of our city beasts!" "Leave you lying ponies!" Crystal shouted, "Enough both of you!"
She stood in the middle, "Do you all hear yourselves?!" "What are you? Your not obviously a pony or dragon." "I'm a natural born kirin, my parents are both a pony and a dragon, besides your all fighting for the wrong reasons." She held up a fire slug. "This creature is a fire slug, they have extreme temperatures that can burn down buildings, and we found the culprit who brought them here." Chaos snapped his fingers and Shade with Astral and Aurora appeared, "Shade is the one who was doing this, and somewhere along the way you all forgot manners and respect, look upon the group opposite of you, instead of thinking they or them, think us, please you can have peace again."
The groups looked at each other finally some children came forwards and hugged, "Mommy I want my friends back." A pony girl said. "Dad these are my friends." A dragon boy said, the adults finally stepped forwards and hugged talking to each other, "I'm sorry we shouldn't have blamed you." "It's alright we would think the same if the roles were reversed." Crystal glowed, Harmony touched her and a bright flash of light caught every creatures eye, finally a gold necklace with a purple gemstone in the shape of her cutie mark was on her neck. "Crystal you got an element, the element of Courtesy!""Huh. I guess that the time has come for new guardians." Astral said.
Before anyone could say anything more, a loud buzzing began to grow louder and louder, causing the young group to become fearful."It's the changelings they are here!" "Only a few we are leaving." Chaos snapped and they all vanished the dragons stood in front of the ponies as the changelings hissed at them, Bellatrix looked at Shade, "It seems your plan has failed, it was weak at best but come with us It's not like you can stay here after that group made you out." The changelings sniffed about hissing. "Chaos... he teleported their group too far we lost them... for now." Astral and Aurora found themselves on a train with the group.
Harmony looked at her friends, "Okay clearly they felt something because to reveal themselves like that was foolish of them, they are meant to be spies..." Thorax sighed, "In theory we can feel influexs, like a sudden burst of energy." "Great gathering the other elements just got harder... where are we anyway?" Chaos chuckled, "The only place they can't get to, the zone, was made by my kind a long time ago to practice our powers." Harmony sighed, "Astral, Aurora it won't be safe if you come with us, changelings enjoy using loved ones to hurt others." The two dragons blushed at that statement as they looked at each other then at Harmony with an annoyed glare.
"Did you really have to say that?" They both said. Astral then got himself under control. "Those changelings know that we are allies, so it would be better if we came with you since they might use us against you." Harmony looked confused as did Thorax, "She isn't wrong about your feelings, besides you can stay here in the zone where it's safe, besides think of what would happen if you did get caught." Thorax sighed he didn't want to say this but... "Image if you will your living your life, everything seems perfect, almost too perfect but you don't question it, you see the one you love everything goes normal you, two go out for a romantic dinner..."
Thorax got closer to them both, "You lean into to kiss each other, everything is perfect... then you go to bed, then tomorrow things go perfect again..." He spread his wings, "You want to question it deep down but you don't because your happy, in love and your stuck that way forever, stuck in an endless loop of perfect days designed to make you happy and in love because to the changelings outside your pod all you are to them is food." He shifted into his mother and snarled at them, "Do you really want me to have you?" He said in her voice. "I have an idea." Astral says before his horns glow and everyone else glows as well and feel a little tingly.
"In case you are wondering what happened, I placed a charm on all of us that will give us a way to detect each other. If you feel like you have goosebumps but don't, that's to show that we aren't changelings."Thorax shifted back to normal, "Well at the very least we should get some rest I can tell just by being near you that your about to pass out from magical exhaustion.""Yeah. That did take a lot out of me." Astral said before falling face first. Aurora caught him before he could hit the floor. "Is there a guest room? He's going to be out for a while." Chaos snapped his fingers, "Just made one look for a dragon symbol.""Thanks. If you need either of us, We'll be in that room."
She then takes Astral to the room."Thorax what happens to prisoners of the hive if they try to break the illusion in the pod?" "No love means no food for changelings, we first try harder, but if the captive is to mentally strong... well the hive has no need for them, they don't release them, they dispose them..." "Our mission is to gather the elements, Thorax I want you and Chaos to go through all you know about how a changeling can hide itself, if they have already spread out seeing them could help." Thorax nodded. "We only have two elements out of seven and who knows how long our parents will live..." They all looked at each other.
Caramel looked at Harmony, "And what about Violent Gaia?" "What about her?" "If your letting in those two shouldn't you warn them about..." "The tantabus was purified back in our parents days remember?" "But what if they were just the puppets?" Harmony sighed as her wings twitched, Thorax looked very confused, "I'm sorry who is Violent Gaia?" Chaos looked towards the dragon door, "Snooping on conversation is not very lady like Aurora."Aurora then opened the door before closing it behind her. "Well, I'm not exactly a lady. I'm going to guess that Violent Gaia is Harmony's aunt?""Not exactly... you heard of Daybreaker correct?"
"It happened a couple of years ago so..." Chaos said snapping his fingers showing an old newspaper showing the front page, 'The Guardians of Harmony defeated Daybreaker!' "Well you probably don't know is that Daybreaker was actually Queen Celestia only corrupted, the same for her husband Lucian who was Sombra and her son Chronos who was Dark Eternity." "You are probably still confused so I’m just going to simplify it, in alicorns or alicorn mates the tantabus can corrupt them and turn them into somepony they aren't." "Selena can become Nightmare Moon." "Stygian can become the pony of shadows." "Twilight Sparkle can become Midnight Shadow." "So following the same logic Peaceful Climate..."
"Okay I get the picture. So Peaceful Climate can become Violet Gaia." She nodded, "And I'm the Alicorn of the elements I can only use the elements I have right now in my mane but when I'm an adult I can do more. Now Violent Gaia can take my powers to the max and basically turn the whole world into her play thing, which makes me as a villain a very dangerous thing." "And she's already been broken twice, her parents have been captured and her heart broken, it won't take that much to break her again and if that happens well..." "You can say goodbye to me as you now it and goodbye to using the new elements because I'm the only one who can use the crown of harmony in it's new state."
