~ 10~

The Rose

Sweetie Belle and the other fillies stayed together, merging in the shadows. The unicorn filly had refused to keep the skin of the Changeling on, though Applebloom and Scootaloo tried to reason with her about keeping it on just in case a Changeling spotted them. However, Sweetie Belle refused to wear it on any longer. So they buried it someplace and continued their search of finding the pony gang.

Hiding and staying out of sight at all times, they crept through the twisted maze that were filled with Changelings.

Based solely on Sweetie Belle's directions, they continued silently on through the nightmare chambers.

The prisoners were all either on the ground, moping around, or staring at the protected bars, trying to figure out how to break loose.

Rarity looked like as if she was already partially insane, if not completely, Fluttershy was nearing her stage as well, Rainbow Dash was eyeballing the bars, and even tried to buck them down once, ending in a painful lesson. Even Applejack looked defeated. Pinkie Pie was pacing around, for once not saying anything. Finally, Shining Armor was thinking deep and hard about what to do next.

"I know!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly. "What if we just ask NICELY?! Maybe THEN they'll let us out!"

"We can hear you in there, you know. This cage is not sound proof. And we can tell you that that is definitely not going to work." A Changeling guard spoke to them.

"Give it up, Pinkie Pie," Shining Armor said dejectedly. "if we can't even save ourselves, how can we possibly save Twilight?"

"Well, if it hadn't been for your DUMBEST PLAN EVER, Twilight would've been saved, Chrysalis would've lost, AND WE WOULD'VE GONE HOME AND PRETENDED THAT THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED. Just like how we handle ALL situations." Rainbow Dash bellowed at the unicorn.

That set off Shining.

"I don't see YOU coming up with any brilliant ideas!" He retorted.

"I said we should've worn DISGUISES! THAT was MY IDEA!" Rainbow howled at him.

"WELL, GEE, THANK YOU FOR THE LATE ADVICE, CAPTAIN HINDSIGHT! SURE COULD'VE USED IT BEFORE WE GOT CAPTURED!" Shining roared back at her.

Rainbow Dash bared her teeth.

"WELL, IF PINKIE PIE HADN'T DISTRACTED ME, I WOULD'VE SAID SOMETHING!"

"Hey, don't blame this on me! I'm not the one locked up in a cell here! Oh, wait, yes I am." Pinkie Pie said. She reverted back to her anger. "Just because I wanted to have some conversation, doesn't mean that I'M THE BAD GUY!"

"Our conversation is just the thing that got US DISTRACTED!"

"Oh, NOW you're saying you were DISTRACTED?! PINKIE PIE IS NOT THE REASON WHY YOU WERE TOO STUPID TO COME UP WITH YOUR BRILLIANT PLAN!" Shining yelled at Rainbow.

"Well, if I were still a pegasus, then I WOULDN'T have been SO STUPID!" Rainbow yelled.

"Hey! Whut's THAT supposed to mean?!" Applejack got up to her hooves, ready to defend.

"OH, YOU KNOW EXACTLY 'WHUT' THAT MEANS! AND IT'S WHAT NOT 'WHUT'!" Rainbow Dash was in Applejack's face. The orange pony stomped her hoof on the ground, furious.

"YOU THINK YUR' SOME KIND'A GENIUS?! WELL, THINK AGAIN! BECAUSE AH' KNOW F'UR A FACT THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE DUMBEST, MOST ARROGANT, EGOTISTICAL BRUTES OF ALL T'AHM!"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at Applejack, now four ponies steamed. Rarity and Fluttershy glanced at each other, subconsciously knowing what was going to happen.

Within seconds, Rainbow Dash came up with another insult for Applejack, getting Pinkie Pie involved, which then got Shining involved.

Out of the corner of her eye, Fluttershy noticed that the Changeling guards (who were bluntly listening to the ferocious arguments) suddenly ran off for no apparent reason. She nudged to Rarity, who also noticed as well.

"Um, guys?" Fluttershy said quietly.

The giant argument continued.

"Girls?"

Still loud and obnoxious as ever.

Rarity rolled her eyes, pitying Fluttershy's attempts to gain attention. She took a deep breath, and screamed at the top of her lungs,

"BE QUIET!"

The quarreling came to an abrupt halt.

She panted, her feathers ruffled and her mane still messed up, then shuffled them back into proper delicacy. "Now then," she glanced at Shining Armor, who looked the most stunned, "haven't you four noticed that the guards are now gone?"

When no one replied, Rarity continued, "Instead of wasting our time, yelling and hurting each other's private feelings, we should take this opportunity for escape."

Everyone turned to look at Shining, who was the closest thing to a leader right now. He shook his head vigorously, as if shaking off the last bits of the dispute.

"Yes, um, right." He walked over to the bars, where there was not a single guard to be seen. He pondered, putting a hoof on his chin, and figuring out a way to break free of the prison.

Before he could come up with his next idea, two fillies entered in front of him, with bright smiling faces, and a relief to find them all okay.

Their jaws dropped.

"Sweetie Belle?!" Rarity gasped, running over to her little sister.

"Scootaloo?!" Rainbow Dash was equally astonished, and also came over.

"Why? What? How -?" Both ponies stuttered.
"We don't have time to explain. Applebloom can't hold off the Changelings forever." Sweetie Belle said.

"Wait, what if you two are Changelings, setting us up for another trap?" Rainbow suddenly asked.

"Rainbow Dash, we swear – I swear – we're not Changelings!" Scootaloo protested.

Rarity looked into her sister's eyes.

She smiled.

It was definitely Sweetie Belle.

"Yes, it's them. Both of them. They are not Changelings." Rainbow blinked, still unsure, but decided to trust Rarity's word.

She looked to her right, and saw a Changeling spell code. She turned to Scootaloo. "I'll be right back." Sweetie Belle ran off.

"How in EQUESTRIA did you two get here?!" Rarity spoke, flabbergasted.

"Shhh!" Scootaloo shushed her. Then whispered, "Look, we were kidnapped, alright? That's how we got here."

"WHEN were you kidnapped?" Rainbow asked. "I saw you –"

"WHERE IS APPLEBLOOM?!" Applejack was up in Scoot's face, her face as pale as a ghost's.

"Keep your voice down!" Scootaloo told her. "Don't worry. She's got the Changelings occupied so that we can break you free without any problems."

"BUT –" Applejack tried to protest, but Scootaloo shushed her again.
"She's fine, Applejack. Trust me."

Sweetie Belle came back with the Changeling skin. Scootaloo gave her an annoyed, "told you so" look. Sweetie Belle shook it off.

Placing the wing on the magical scanner, the bars became de-magic-proofed, then, with no more magic to hold it together, became twigs.

The ponies broke through the stems with no difficulty, and Rarity instantly hugged Sweetie Belle.

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle. I'll get you out of this stink hole." The pegasus paused, now seeing what her younger sister was holding. "EEWW! WHAT IS THAT THING?!"

Both fillies shushed her once again.

"Its Changeling skin," Sweetie Belle explained, "we found it in our cell, and used it to escape."

"Gross!" Rarity said, flinging it away from them both.

"Enough!" Shining Armor said. He turned to the fillies. "Thank you for freeing us. Equestria has a debt to you." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both nodded.

He turned to the rest of the gang. "Alright, we'll split up into groups. At least then we might have a better chance of escaping. Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack go find Applebloom. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo, Rarity and I will go find Twilight. Once you get Applebloom, you try to find her as well. Either that, or attempt your escape."

"I am NOT leaving without my sister!" Rarity stomped her hoof.

"You will do as I say." Shining Armor put on his commanding voice. Unable to compete with his authority, Rarity hmphed, and swept her mane out of her eyes.

Both groups then split up.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash trotted side-by-side silently, Sweetie Belle leading the way to where Applebloom caused a distraction.

Rainbow was the first to speak.

"Hey, um... Applejack?"

Applejack glanced at her, her eyes expecting.

"I just wanted to say that I am sorry, for, uh, insulting you..." Applejack smiled.

"Yeah, and a'hm sorry for call'en ya all of those mean things." Though some of them are true, the southern pony thought darkly.

"Hey! Can we keep the apologies down over there? I'm trying to see if my best friend is okay!" Sweetie Belle hissed at them.

They shut up instantaneously.

Sweetie Belle stopped, causing her two followers to pause as well.

Applebloom was not here.

Sweetie Belle bit her lip, dreading what she suspected that might happen. Applejack was looking around wildly.

"Well?" She whispered to the young filly, "Where is she?"
"I-I-I don't know! She said she would be okay..." The unicorn filly tapped on a rock five times, hoping that her earth pony friend would answer.

She tapped on the rock five more times. Beads of sweat trickled down her short, white fur, trepidation clutching at her throat and she swallowed it into her heart.

Five more times.

Finally, two simple knocks came from a different side of the room.

Sweetie Belle sighed of relief, and tapped back three more notes.

Silently, Applebloom made her way towards them.

"Sorry, this place was swarming with Changelings, and I had to pick a different hiding spot."

Applejack dashed over to Applebloom and hugged her tight. Her little sister returned the hug.

"Don't you DARE get fillynapped EVER again! Do you hear me?!" Applejack growled at her earth pony sister.

"Oh, sure, sis. A little TOO loud, if you ask me."

Applebloom turned to Sweetie Belle.

"Where's the others?"

"They went to go search for Twilight, and we were supposed to help them after we found you."

"No way." Applejack stomped her hoof in front of them.

"But Applejack, we're supposed to be helping Twilight!" Rainbow said, confused.

"And we will help her. Just as soon as we get Applebloom out of here. And Sweetie Belle."

"But Applejack, I'm doing fine! 'Ah was even the one who came up with the plan to escape and free you guys!" Applebloom protested.

"And that was very noble of you, Applebloom. But I just can't let you continue any more."

"Applejack, we don't have time to get these fillies someplace safe. We have to find Twilight! That's the whole point of why we came here to begin with." Rainbow Dash reasoned.

Applejack seemed at a loss.

"Besides, wouldn't it be a lot safer if you just kept her by your side at all times?" The cyan pony said.

Applejack was about to respond, until a loud explosion deafened their ears, everything around them imploding in a fiery scenario. They all ducked for cover, all huddling until everything was nothing but dust.

Team 2's P.O.V (and what was happening after they split up)

Shining Armor snuck around the corner, beckoning the others to do the same. His horn detected very strong traces of magic, and, with no other leads to go off of, he decided to follow it.

The images that played in the unicorn's head of what he might see were graphic and gritty. He thought of what Twilight might have become, what possible tortures she might've endured, and whether or not she was alive.

He could've cried just then at the thought of finding his little sister dead. But he remained strong and determined. He was the Royal Guard. He needed to stay strong.

His thoughts clouding his sight of vision shortly, he suddenly noticed that there were indeed incredibly strong magical waves in the room beyond him.

Shining paused to listen. The unicorn couldn't hear anything. Couldn't see any threats. The vast room appeared to be empty. Deathly silent.

Shining Armor ushered the others quietly.

That's when he found one of the darkest things of all time.

The cell he was staring upon was unlike any other he's ever seen. It was like the force field he had formed around Canterlot, but this time, it was cut in half, so that it looked like a half circle. Only it was oozing with deadly green poison.

Rarity noticed the foul use of magic, and instantly revolted.

"Euw, what IS that horrible green color?" The white pegasus held her hoof up her nose.

"It's called 'Monster's Saliva,' and its one of the unicorn's most powerful disadvantages. It's very rare – so that's why nopony really uses –" Shining Armor instantly cut off when he saw Twilight.

Without any thought of traps or dangers, he teleported himself closer to Twilight.

"Twilie!" He cried out, about ready to penetrate through the uncanny prison, but he stopped himself. If he were to get infected with Monster's Saliva, there would be no hope for him to save Twilight. Shining Armor continued to shout for Twilight, but she apparently didn't hear him. Her tail was curled around her stilled body, her back facing Shining, a cold frost tipped the edges of her fur.

For a split second, Shining Armor had the thought that she might possibly be a corpse that has been dead for quite some time. As if reading his mind, Pinkie Pie spoke out,

"No, silly! The author couldn't POSSIBLY kill Twilight! If she did, then it would be rated T! Not K+. Or wait... would it? I don't really know. Censorship is so debatable these days."

Everypony blinked twice at Pinkie Pie, having no clue what she just said.

The pink pegasus shrugged modestly. "It's all in the fanfiction."

Deciding not to try understand what Pinkie Pie said, the rest continued to search for a way to free – or even see the rest of Twilight.

Getting annoyed, Scootaloo growled angrily and threw a rock at the cell. Pitching it at that high speed, the rock would surely bounce right off of the compartment, and try to give Karma right back at her. But, to everyone's shocked faces, the rock went right through the walls, hitting Twilight just on the back of her head.

"Ow!"

The purple unicorn flinched, backed up, and veered around to face her possible opponent. However, to her astounded face, all she saw were her friends. Her eyes filled with tears, and she was just about to force her weak body and run to them, but she stopped herself. She couldn't hear them, and Twilight wasn't sure they could hear her. Nonetheless, she backed up against the wall, not wanting them to come any closer than they already were.

"Twilight! We're here to rescue you!"

She saw Shining Armor's mouth move those words. Twilight did not respond. Was this another trick from Chrysalis? Has her mind finally gone bonkers enough from being locked up in unicorn solitude to see hallucinations of her past friends and family? If so, why had she felt the rock? Had she imagined that, too?

It was all so real... and she wanted it so badly to be true... but Chrysalis has played enough tricks with her mind to know that it was all fake. They were probably Changelings. Wanting to come and torment her once again.

Twilight scowled at them. If the Monster Saliva hadn't been poured all over her thanks to that witch Chrysalis, preventing her magic utterly useless, they would all be so dead right now.

Shining Armor was confused why Twilight was giving him such a hateful look. It scared him.

"Why is Twilight giving us that look?" Fluttershy spoke, her light pink tale retreating to the back of her legs.

"I- I don't know –" Shining Armor's ears sank, and his spirits faltered. He had expected as such.

Chrysalis's sick laughter echoed through the empty room, all of the ponies tensed, psychologically preparing themselves to duel. As they all looked up to the source of the laughter, they witnessed Chrysalis standing calmly at the top of the room.

"I see that you've managed to find your little friend." She sneered, her sharp, pointed teeth glinted softly with the green fire that lit the room. "So? How do you plan to break her free? And convince her that you're not Changelings? This outta be fun."

The bug-like alicorn then rested on her pointed throne, one of her Changeling servants bringing her a tray of various dead insects. She happily accepted one, beaming brightly as she crunched on them like potato chips.

Shining Armor scowled at her, turning back to his delusional sister. He had not the slightest clue on how to get her to recognize him, let alone free her. Everypony was looking at him. He had to come up with something, and quick.

Chrysalis's loud chewing sounds were making difficult to concentrate, however.

"What about that 'sunshine' dance that she always does with Cadence?" Fluttershy suggested.

"No – that's strictly shared by she and Cadence. It wouldn't make sense if I were to do it." Shining Armor reasoned.

"Well, I got noth'en." Scootaloo fell backwards, in the position of giving up.

"Let me give you a hint –" Chrysalis swallowed a bug chip. She smiled evilly, her crooked horn swirling with green aura. In a flash, a rose was instantly teleported in the room.

"A flower? That's what'll help us?" Pinkie Pie sniffed the de-bloomed plant doubtfully.

"It's your choice." Chrysalis resumed eating her snacks as she watched her struggling prisoners.

Shining Armor glanced at Twilight, whose attention was now on the sparkling rose. She seemed to know about something he didn't. He sighed, then calmly walked up to Twilight, and said slowly so that she could read his lips,

"Twilie. I know that you can't hear us, or even recognize us, but please, as my sister, try to remember. We are your friends. I am your brother. Come on, Twilight! Remember!"

Twilight cocked her head sideways, her eyes debating whether or not they're trustworthy. Shining seemed to be getting through to her, but just barely.

Chrysalis continued eating on her dried bugs noisily, knowing that her plan was working perfectly. Shining Armor's horn sparked, trying to think of some way for her to recognize him instantly.

"Seriously, how's a rose going to help? You gotta be crazy in order to think that!" Pinkie was still on the rose subject – Shining has already ignored Chrysalis's hint option, so he had completely forgotten all about it.

Fluttershy investigated the tightly-closed flower. She wasn't sure why, or how, or where her idea even came from, but somehow she knew it would work. The dainty unicorn picked it up with her mouth, tossing it in the prison.

The rest of the gang watched Twilight's reaction:

She stared at it unbelievably, as if we had done something absolutely incredible.

Her solemn face beamed brightly; nudging the flower with her horn, she seemed to be muttering strange words behind the cursed curtain. Her friends watched her uncertainly – almost afraid of what she was doing.

Chrysalis smiled darkly. It was amazing how well it was all coming together. Fools will do anything to save their dear sister, the Changeling queen thought to herself, even if it means giving up their freedom.

Suddenly, the rose shimmered with golden magic – Twilight's words must've helped it open up. As soon as it did, Twilight seemed to be regaining her color back – as well as her strength. She stood up back on her legs, her horn swirling with newfound aura.

She shot a laser at the semi-circle cage, and unable to compete with her incredible power, the cage collapsed, with only Twilight standing strong and proud.

"Twilie!" Shining Armor ran to his sister, wrapping his arms around her, and trying his best to hold back tears. "You have no idea how worried I was!"

"It's okay, it's okay." Twilight returned the hug back. "I thought you guys were goners! How'd you manage to get that rose, anyway?" The newly strengthened unicorn asked.

"We, uh..." Shining's head turned to Chrysalis, who was clapping slowly.

"Well done, my little ponies. You've finally figured out how to free and regain Miss Sparkle's trust. I am truly impressed." The queen spoke sarcastically.

Twilight whirled around to face Chrysalis, her horn sparking madly with power.

"If you hurt any of these guys, I swear, I'll –" Twilight threatened, only to be interrupted by Chrysalis.

"Calm down, Twilight. I no longer require their assistance. I already have what I want, and for that, I do thank you in your cooperation."

"Wait, what?" Pinkie's wings ruffled with confusion. "What did we help you with? I never helped you with anything!"

"Oh, but you have helped me."

Chrysalis's horn glowed, teleporting the rose to her side. Twilight's eyes widened with horror.

What have I done?!

With one large bite, Chrysalis swallowed the rose whole, beaming brightly down at her victims.

"Did she-? Did she just eat that thing?!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

Before anypony could respond, Chrysalis's wings started to extend from their original positions – forming into a much more powerful weapons. She roared with glory, her entire body becoming staggeringly taller and stronger.

The pony gang took a step back from Chrysalis's new hideous appearance.

She had golden spots all over her, her eyes leaked with pure white energy, and her exoskeleton-like body grew darker and more terrifying. Her teeth became longer and her mane and tail were messy and almost caught a golden fire.

Once her transformation was complete, she grinned madly at them.

"I thank you all again," Chrysalis's voice boomed over the room, her competitors shrinking the more she grew, "for this could have never happened without Twilight's trust."

She smiled wickedly, and thrusting her huge head backwards, shot a powerful laser at the ceiling, causing it to tumble and fall apart.

Twilight, faster than Shining, blew up every piece of rock that was coming towards her friends, eventually encasing them with a shield to protect them from the piles of rocks that fell upon them.

When the confusion was all done and buried, Twilight let her shield fall, allowing them to catch a breather.

"What... just happened?" Scootaloo asked, looking around in the rubble. Twilight sighed, exasperated.

"I barely understand it myself. Chrysalis was able to get the power from the rose that I charged up, and she's now going to take over Equestria once again."

"Um, how were you able to 'charge up' a rose without power, exactly?" Fluttershy asked, still shaking from the cave-in.

"We don't have time for that now!" Shining barked, "We have to stop Chrysalis from taking over the world!"

"Of course!" Pinkie Pie yelled in an odd low-sounding tone.

Ignoring Pinkie Pie's reference, Shining glanced up at the gaping hole Chrysalis made. He bared his teeth in anger.

"Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Fly up there and follow Chrysalis before she –"

"No!" Twilight exclaimed.

Shining blinked in confusion.

"What?"

"Don't! Chrysalis is too powerful, who knows what'll happen to them." Twilight looked around, thinking in her mind of a better solution. "Just go warn Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" Pinkie and Rarity nodded, flapping their wings to become airborne.

"And don't try to do anything crazy!" Twilight yelled after them.

"Okee-dokee lokee!" Pinkie Pie replied.

With that, Twilight looked onwards at her brother and friends.

All because of her that Chrysalis gained so much power in such a short amount of time. All because of her that her friends and family were now in danger of possible slavery – or worse.

This is all my fault... Twilight thought solemnly.

As if sensing his sister's unhappiness, Shining came to her side to cheer her up.

"Hey, we'll get through this." He smiled gently. Twilight gave a smile back.

Shining Armor's words rang through her head once again in the still silence.

We'll get through this...

Hey guys, Scribbleknots here.

Sorry it's been such a long time since I've posted anything. I'll admit - I kinda lost interest in this story. But I promise that it will be finished. I have no idea how long it'll take, but I will finish it. I won't abandon it, if that's what you're thinking.

I'm so grateful for all the reviews, and I'm grateful that you guys really enjoy the story! ^^ I really am.

Just a side note, but as soon as this story is over and completed, I have another idea (that isn't MLP, sorry) but instead it's Gravity Falls. Just saying.

Anyhow, hope you liked this chapter, and I will work on CH 11! Keep being awesome, guys! :P