Chapter Twelve: Thoughts Of Freedom

The wall of the cocoon slowly sealed itself shut, and Augury was left in silence as he stared blankly at what he had brought back to the forest. Rainbow Dash hung upside down in the cocoon, her light snoring muffled behind the green tinted clear wall of her casket. The other four mares continued to undergo the process of assimilation within their seperate  cocoons, Augury trying his best to advert his eyes from his previous work. The changeling slowly leaned forward and released the assimilation gas from his horn into Rainbow Dash’s cocoon, and the rainbow maned pegasus’s place in the army was sealed. Augury had taken his time coming back to the forest on the outskirts of Equestria, shunning away teleportation for most of this return. Capturing Twilight Sparkle would be the least of his concerns for now, but the thought of finally being released from Chrysalis’s hold would keep on his mind. Tranquility would finally be out of her cocoon, and Augury would be able to hold her once more. That is, if Augury would be able to change back to Salvation.

Augury slowly lifted a hoof in front of his face. The dents seemed to be as deep as they were before, and if anything, they looked like they had gotten deeper. “Am I going to be like this forever?” Augury asked himself quietly.

“That’s up for you to decide, Augury. The choices you make are the ones you’re going to have to live with.” Chrysalis spoke out from the middle of the clearing. Augury set his hoof down on the ground and turned himself to look at Chrysalis, the changeling queen sitting upright examining her own hooves.

Augury chuckled and walked over to Chrysalis, sitting down across from her. “As long as I don’t get full-on swiss cheese hooves like yours, then I think I’m fine with the choices I make.” Augury said softly.

Chrysalis sneered at the changeling next to her and pushed him lightly. “Just because I’ve had these holes in my hooves ever since birth doesn’t mean I like them there.”

“What? They’re a part of your species, and frankly, they’re almost the only thing separating you from looking like a normal pony. You know, aside from the insect wings and the fangs... and the horn... and the-”

“That’s enough.”

Augury quickly raised his front hooves in the air and set them back down. “Okay, okay, calm down. I was just pointing out the obvious.”

Chrysalis’s voice held a stern tone in it. “Augury.”

“Alright! Geez.” Augury poked at the changeling queen’s leg, but quickly brought his hoof back to himself as Chrysalis shot him a menacing glare. “What’s up with you tonight? Can’t handle a little teasing?”

Chrysalis sighed and limply fell on her side, rolling onto her back and staring up at the night sky. The moonlight was barely lighting the clearing, but it was enough to give off a small glare against Chrysalis’s slightly blurred vision. “Thinking some more.” The changeling queen said briefly.

“About what?”

“A few issues going on right now. Nothing of importance.” Chrysalis turned her head towards Augury, only to find his face directly in front of her own. Augury made large puppy eyes and plastered his hooves against his face, his cheeks squishing up against his bottom eyelids.

“What kind of issues?” Augury asked cutely, yet in a teasing manner.

Chrysalis gave him a blank stare without moving. “You’re really asking for it right now.”

“For what?”

Chrysalis extended her tongue outwards and Augury flinched as it made contact with him.

Augury forced his right eyelid shut and looked at Chrysalis, appalled. “What in Equestria was that!?”

Chrysalis smiled and turned her head back up to the sky. “It got you out of my face, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, but you could’ve at least pushed my face out of the way! Why did you have to lick my eye!?” Augury lifted his hoof to his eye and rubbed it profusely.

Chrysalis giggled. “Oops.”

“Yeah, ‘oops’! Licking my eye... that didn’t feel nice, you know.”

“I didn’t plan for it to.”

“Then why did you do it!?”

“It made you feel weird.”

“Why, pray tell, would you want that?”

“Well, your reaction was pretty funny.”

“Yeah, I’m sure your reaction would be funny too if I straight out stuck my tongue into your eye.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m a changeling, remember?” Her voice was sarcastic.

“You’re more than a changeling...” Augury mumbled angrily.

“What?”

“Hmm?”

“Augury.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

“You got it.”

Augury chuckled slightly and stood up onto his hooves, walking over to Chrysalis and staring down at her.

The changeling queen barely turned her eyes to Augury. “Can I help you?”

Augury’s mouth slowly turned into a large grin, almost too large. “You have beautiful eyes.”

“...Augury.”

“Plus you have something in your teeth. What is that, apple? How did that taste?”

Chrysalis’s face almost instantly flushed. “Augury!”

“Want me to stop?”

“Please!”

Augury gave Chrysalis a last quick smile and lowered himself to his hooves, rolling onto his back and resting beside Chrysalis. The two changelings stared up at the night sky, watching as a few lonesome clouds slowly floated across the stars. Around the forest lately, the sound of the crickets at night had dwindled into the further distance, leaving the two clearings and the lake a silent cauldron of changelings.

Chrysalis followed a star with her eyes as it shot across the sky, and soon after, more and more stars fell from the darkness, streaming almost directly over the forest the two changelings laid in. “Meteor shower. Never gets old.” Chrysalis said calmly, her mouth curving into a smile.

“They’re nice, aren’t they? I remember going out into the hills outside of Ponyville and watching them with Tranquility. She always thought they meant something.”

The smile on Chrysalis’s face faded slowly. “You know, this is one of the first meteor showers that I’ve actually enjoyed.”

“Really? Why’s that?”

“I don’t have a bunch of changelings making a commotion around me. I never got to enjoy the sight of a meteor shower because they never left me alone unless I gave them the order to do so.”

“Well, there’s always me.”

“Be quiet.”

Augury lifted a hoof to his head and saluted to the air above him. “Yes ma’am.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Anyways, the only other time that I’ve enjoyed a sight like this was about two years ago.”

“When you were out here alone?”

“Yes. The past four years were some of the most tranquil I ever had, despite the lingering thought that I failed to carry out my attack...”

“What did you see? Another meteor shower?”

“Fireworks.”

“Fireworks? Are you serious? That’s one of the more common things to see in the sky around Equestria. Where did you see fireworks?”

“I’m not exactly sure. It was around a small settlement further out of Equestria. I didn’t dare approach the town, I would only have been overwhelmed without something to feed off of. So, I stayed at the outer boundaries and watched the night sky for a while. Soon enough, the town’s ponies began to shoot off fireworks.”

“Out of all the things that I would assume you would think was as nice as a meteor shower, I never thought it would be fireworks. Have you never seen fireworks before?”

“Not without a horde of changelings poking at me constantly.”

“Hmm.”

The two changelings sat in silence for a moment, watching the numerous streaks of light fly across the sky.

Augury sighed and patted Chrysalis on her stomach. “Well, Chrysie-poo, I’m starting to get tired. Feel free to continue watching the meteor shower, I’m heading off to sleep.” Augury said as he got up onto his hooves.

“Augury.” Chrysalis called as the changeling beside her began to walk away.

“What?”

“Could you stay here?”

Augury lifted an eyebrow and turned himself toward Chrysalis. “Why, may I ask?”

Chrysalis rolled on her side and looked up at Augury. “I... just thought we could talk some more.”

“Talk. As in talk for the sake of it, or talk about my progress in the missions?”

“For the sake of it.”

Augury gave a quick glance into the depths of the forest around him, but quickly snapped his eyes back on Chrysalis. “Uh... sure. I can talk.” Augury slowly walked back over to Chrysalis and laid down next to her, the two changelings staring back up into the sky again. The meteor shower continued to light up the sky, the show in the sky never seeming to end. The two changelings in the forest clearing conversed quietly for as long as they could, but eventually, sleep got the best of them, and slumber welcomed them both into its gentle hold for the night.

______________________________________________________________________

Scratch scratch scratch. Scratch scratch scratch. Kick!

“Ow, what the-!?” Augury arched his back forward as he felt a hoof ram into his spine, the changeling snapping his eyes open as fast as he could. Augury lifted his head off of the ground and looked around the clearing, only to find himself quickly tugged backwards and squeezed against something warm. The trapped changeling wriggled around for a second, trying to get out of the grasp of what held him, but soon found himself face first into a sleeping Chrysalis’s chest. Augury sighed with frustration and partial relief as he realized what had grabbed him, just now noticing the feel of Chrysalis’s jagged hooves against his back. Through the corners of his eyes, Augury was able to see the blue sky above, the sun just barely peaking over the mountains in the distance. Augury pushed against the changeling queen lightly, trying his best to separate himself from the dark grey fur plastered against his face. Chrysalis only continued to hold onto Augury in her sleep, unconsciously tilting her head downwards and nuzzling the top of the changeling’s head within her nose.

Augury’s voice was muffled against the changeling queen’s coat. “Chrysalis...”

“Huuhhh... hmm...” Chrysalis sighed happily in her sleep.

“Chrysalis.” Augury said again, his voice growing with anger. He tried to push himself away from the sleep changeling holding onto him, but only ended up held tighter against Chrysalis’s coat.

“Chrysalis!” Augury shouted into his captor’s coat. Despite the volume of his shout, it was only muffled to a low hum, the changeling queen continuing on in her sleep.

Augury wiggled his head around and managed to point his mouth towards Chrysalis’s chin. “Chrysalis! Let go of me, damn it!”

The sleeping changeling’s eyes opened slowly and Augury sighed as Chrysalis let out a yawn, sniffling dryly as she tiredly looked around.

“...Augury? What?” Chrysalis mumbled, squinting her eyes as the light of day pierced through her parting mane.

“I’m not your teddy bear. Let go of me.” Augury spoke blandly, his face directed back into the dark grey coat pressed against his face.

Chrysalis opened her eyes widely and moved around slightly, the feeling of Augury still squirming around in her grasp becoming apparent. The changeling queen, with her face flushed, quickly released the changeling in her grasp, Augury rolling limply away from her.

Chrysalis coughed nervously and stood up, her face flushing. “Au-Augury! Uh, I didn’t- I didn’t know I was... doing that.” Chrysalis stuttered, wiping away a drop of sweat running down her face.

Augury stood up and brushed himself off, giving Chrysalis an uncertain look. “Yeah, I can tell. What in Equestria were you dreaming about?”

“Uh... nothing.”

“It sure didn’t look like nothing.”

“Don’t you have a mission to be getting on?”

“You never said when it started.”

“Oh.” Chrysalis cleared her throat. “Well, you have a mission to be doing now. The last of the spirits of harmony.”

Augury smirked and fixed his mane. “Sure thing, Commander Cuddles.”

Another brief blush formed on Chrysalis’s face. “Promise we never speak of this again?”

“It’s going to be hard for me to forget getting smothered by a sleeping changeling queen.”

“Please, Augury.”

Augury laughed quietly to himself and shook his head. “Alright, you won’t be hearing it from me. Not like I’ll be here any longer.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.” Augury stretched his legs and cracked his neck a few times. “Well then, I guess I should get going on that mission. See you later, Sergeant Snuggles.”

Before Chrysalis could say anything, Augury was launching off of the ground as fast as he could, disappearing over the canopy of the forest. Excitement had found its way into his heart, and to Augury’s memory, he would be free as soon as he came back with his target.

______________________________________________________________________

“Princess, I know what I saw! You can’t just tell me that my memory is obscure because of the spell!” Twilight Sparkle yelled, but her pleas fell on doubtful ears.

“Twilight Sparkle, you know that the changelings were defeated in Canterlot.” Princess Celestia spoke sternly, turning around to face her student. “You were there yourself when you saw Shining Armor and Princess Cadence defeat the queen. I acted on your suspicion of the danger of the spirits of harmony, but I cannot act on the suspicion of changelings. Queen Chrysalis has been gone for four years, she has no motivation to capture ponies from Equestria.”

“Princess Celestia, I stared a changeling straight in the eyes! He took Rainbow Dash and the others, I know he did!”

“Enough.” Princess Celestia directed her attention towards the lavender unicorn’s brother, Shining Armor quickly standing up straight from the stairs. “Shining Armor, keep your eye on your sister. It still isn’t safe out there for her.”

Shining Armor saluted strongly. “Yes, your highness.”

With a nod, the princess of the sun turned towards the two pegasus royal guards standing at the door of the library, the guards and the princess herself walking out of the dimly lit tree. Twilight Sparkle only stood where she was, watching as the door shut behind her mentor with worried and longing eyes.

The entrance room of the library flickered with numerous candles spread throughout the room, dawn slowly draining the library of light. Twilight Sparkle’s day had not been the most exciting, though with the danger of being taken away with the blink of an eye, the constant feeling of paranoia made for a little interesting twist. She knew that it had been a changeling that had taken her friends, but her known fact only showed as a petty misunderstanding in her mind. Augury’s plan for the ponies Twilight told about him had worked perfectly, as the sleep spell always had a small side effect soon after the pony awakened. To everypony else, Twilight Sparkle was delusional, and after being shot down by Princess Celestia herself, Twilight was just a shadow in her own eyes. Until she provided any physical evidence, the lavender unicorn would be perceived as recalling her memory mistakenly.

Shining Armor walked over to his sister and patted her on the back lightly. “Twilight, the princess is right. The queen was dealt with in Canterlot, you know this.”

Twilight Sparkle let out a sigh and tilted her head to the floor. “I know what I saw, Shining. It was a changeling, I know it was.”

“Twilight...”

“Shining, please. Just leave me be for now.”

Shining Armor took his hoof off of Twilight’s back and stepped away from his little sister. “If that’s what you want.” The white unicorn slowly put his helmet on and walked over to the exit of the library, but took a quick glance back at his sister. “I’ll be outside, Twighly. Keep safe, okay?”

Twilight only nodded.

With a small sigh, Shining Armor stepped out into the dimming streets of Ponyville, shutting the door gently behind him. Twilight Sparkle lifted her head back up and slowly walked over to the bookshelves lining the library walls, taking a few books down from the top shelves and sitting down with her back against the wall. Though the comfort of books kept her from going into a mental break down, Twilight Sparkle didn’t see the situation as a time to ‘relax’. The words spoken by Augury stuck into her mind, replaying themselves over and over without seeming to stop.

Please, just make this easy for yourself, don’t resist when I come for you.

When would he come for me? Where would he be? Would he take an approach like he did with Rainbow Dash? How would I know who he is? Questions raced though Twilight’s distorted mind, only making her paranoia grow into a large snake coiled around her panicking body. Despite the discouraging words from the ponies around her, Twilight knew that she had saw a changeling, and she knew that he would be back for her. The question stood, however, would Twilight want to resist? She would be reunited with her friends, the five mares that she had known for so long, the five mares that were taken from her. Though, the lavender unicorn had the thought of what would happen to her stay in her mind. The changeling said nothing about what else would happen, only that Twilight would be with her friends again. For Twilight, though, that was the only thing that mattered any more.

Twilight Sparkle let her head rest upright again, the lavender mare shifting her eyes to the window beside the doorway out of the library. The royal guards that had come with Princess Celestia roamed the streets of Ponyville silently, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. The Equestrian military still stayed at their posts, small squads of military personnel beginning to set up the spotlights for the night once more. Twilight pushed herself back onto her hooves and trotted over to the window, resting her head on the will sill and blowing her mane out of her face. The sun had just set behind the mountains outside of Ponyville, the twilight light radiating gently across the dying dawn sky. One by one, the spotlights set up by the military turned on, lighting the air above Ponyville and the outskirts of Everfree. A few pegasus royal guards flew around the area in front of Twilight Sparkle’s home, inspecting the spotlights carefully for any malfunctions. A lone unicorn royal guard followed quickly after them, casting some sort of spell with a dark blue spark on the spotlights. The royal guards slowly moved one by one to each spotlight and checked them off, and once the spotlights had been looked over, the unicorn royal guard separated from his group and began to set up torches along the streets of Ponyville. Shining Armor stood outside of the library, the tip of his muzzle just barely visible through the window. His eyesight followed the unicorn royal guard setting up the torches, and nodded once all of the torches had been lit.

Twilight sighed and let her head fall sideways on the window sill. “Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy... I miss you.” Twilight spoke softly to herself, lifting a hoof up to the window and pushing against it lightly. The lavender unicorn let her hoof down and looked out into Ponyville.

Princess Celesta slowly made her way across the field in front of Twilight Sparkle’s home, Shining Armor quickly standing up straight and waiting for the princess to come near. One of the pegasus royal guards had been replaced by a unicorn royal guard beside Celestia, both of the guards keeping an eye on the library.

“Shining Armor, you don’t need to do that every time I come around.” Princess Celestia said with a small smirk on her face, coming to a stop in front of the armored unicorn as she came close to the library.

“Uh... right.” Shining Armor said and laughed nervously.

“I trust that Twilight Sparkle is still inside?”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Good. Come back inside, we have something to discuss with your sister.”

Shining Armor nodded and followed after Princess Celestia, the two royal guards quickly walking after Shining Armor and shutting the door behind themselves. Twilight Sparkle stood on the other side of the room, lifting a few books off of the floor and putting them back on the shelves lining the library’s entrance room.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia said and Twilight slowly turned around to face her. “For your safety, Mayor Mare has suggested that you are to be moved to Canterlot for the time being.”

Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “What?”

Shining Armor quickly walked out from behind Celestia and stood at her side, turning his head to look at her. “You’re moving her to Canterlot? What for?”

“The protection available in Canterlot will be much greater and you will be much safer. Princess Luna has offered to take a direct action in protecting you, as she has brought a small group of her lunar guards to help with security. She is waiting in Canterlot as we speak.”

Twilight looked around quickly. “But- Can’t I just stay here? What about Spike?”

“Spike will be brought with as well.” Celestia said. “Where is he?”

“Up stairs, sleeping.”

“Then leave him be for now, the guards will take him to Canterlot later on. Are you willing to come with to Canterlot, Twilight?”

The lavender unicorn and bit her lip, sliding her gaze over to her brother. Shining Armor nodded slightly, giving Twilight a reassuring smile.

Twilight sighed lightly. “I... guess.”

“Good. Now if you’ll come with me, we will take you to Canterlot.” Princess Celestia said. The princess slowly turned around to face the door, only to find the unicorn royal guard that had followed her in standing in front of the door.

“That won’t be necessary, princess.” The royal guard spoke.

Princess Celestia lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

The unicorn royal guard shifted his eyes to Twilight, and the lavender unicorn quickly realized what he was doing. “Because Twilight Sparkle is coming with me.”

With the spark of a dark blue spell within the guard’s horn, Ponyville descended into darkness. The spotlight’s light taken away and the torch’s flames blown out, Augury’s tempering with Ponyville’s light sources let the black of night take over the town of ponies. The candles within the library had been knocked out as well, the only remaining light within Twilight’s home radiating from the moon through the windows. Beyond the soft light of the moon, the library was pitch black, and the ponies within Twilight’s home had their minds conflicted to the point of not being able to cast a light spell. Books flew from their shelves and hoof steps rained across the floor of the library, the ponies inside of the library trying to figure out what was happening. Small grunts of pain managed to pierce through the confused commotion of yelling ponies, and a beaten white unicorn fell into the light sauntering through the window near the exit of Twilight’s home.

A booming voice halted the confusion abruptly. “Everypony, quiet!”

The thundering hoofsteps throughout the entrance room of the library came to a standstill and the shouts of confusion fell into silence. A light originated from the entrance of the library and a slender alicorn emerged from the darkness. The light radiating from her horn lit up the area around her, and one by one the ponies within the library edged their way into the sphere of light. Celestia scanned her eyes across the ponies around her and felt her mouth drop a little.

A beaten Shining Armor laid on the ground behind the princess of the sun, his eyes rolling in his head as he slowly recovered from the haze he laid in. The pegasus royal guard that had been along with Celestia stood in front of the alicorn he was sworn to protect, staring up at her with an uncertain look on his face. The unicorn royal guard that had been with Celestia was gone from the library, along with the lavender unicorn Celestia had taught for so long.

“Princess...” The pegasus royal guard started to speak. Princess Celestia only lifted a hoof up to the guard, biting her lip and tilting her head towards the floor beneath her. The princess of the sun slowly turned around and leaned her head forward, blowing on Shining Armor’s face with a small puff of air. The captain of the royal guard quickly awoke from his daze, stumbling onto his hooves and looking around the library as quick as he could.

Shining Armor turned to the darkness beyond Celestia’s light. “Twilight? Where are you!? Twilight!?” The white unicorn whipped around to face Celestia. “Where is Twilight!? Where is she!?”

Celestia only stared at him.

Shining Armor backed up slightly. “No... no... no! No no no no no! She isn’t gone! She’s not gone!” Shining Armor ran over to the bottom of the stairs leading to his sister’s room. “Twilight! Are you up there!? Twilight!?”

No answer.

The white unicorn dashed from the base of the stairs over to the doors of the library’s basement. “Twilight!? Please, just answer me! Twilight!”

No answer.

Shining Armor stood at the doorway to the basement for a moment, his heavy breathing occupying the silence he stood in. He felt a hoof on his back and he turned his head to his left, Princess Celestia staring at him with dismal eyes.

Princess Celestia lifted her hoof off of Shining Armor’s back slowly. “She’s gone, Shining Armor. I... she’s gone.” The princess spoke in grief.

The captain of the royal guard slowly let himself down to floor of the library, tilting his head downwards and letting out silent sobs into his hooves. Princess Celestia slowly sulked away from the quietly lamenting Shining Armor, trying as hard as she could to not break out into tears. The pegasus royal guard had laid down against the wall of the library, Celestia slowly walking over to him.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Celestia asked. The pegasus royal guard looked up from his hooves and shook his head sorrowfully. Celestia nodded slightly and stood up straight, turning her head around the entrance of the library’s entrance room. The spell within Celestia’s horn quickly intensified, the room that the three ponies were in lighting up completely. The library had been littered with books from the shelves lining the walls, barely any room along the floor to walk across.

Princess Celestia walked along the walls of the library, scanning her eyes across the empty shelves. However, something caught the princess’s eye as she passed by a section of shelves, and the princess stopped in her tracks. Celestia backed up along the shelves and tilted her head downwards, squinting her eyes to inspect a small dark blue mass stuck to the back of the shelf. The princess reached her hoof forward and poked lightly at the dark blue smudge, but quickly retracted her hoof and opened her eyes wide.

The texture of the dark blue mass was familiar, and Celestia knew where it had come from. The feeling of the sticky blue mass was recognizable on her hooves, Celestia remembering it from when she had been stuck in a cocoon during the attack on Canterlot. No other magic or substance looked or felt like the dark blue goo clinging onto the shelf, and Celestia felt her heart break.

“Twilight...” Celestia said quietly, bowing her head and closing her eyes. “...I’m sorry. If I had known, I would have acted.” Celestia opened her eyes and stared at the dark blue goo with determination and hatred in her eyes.

“Changelings will not rise. Queen Chrysalis, you better be prepared for an army.” Next Chapter: [13] Destruction's Dawn Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 7 Minutes