Chapter Three: Bonds Of Magic

“Salvation, where are you going? Come on, it’s over here!” A voice called out from the distant, Salvation lifting his head up from the ground and turning around. His mother smiled and waved to him, Salvation’s father motioning his hoof for the young colt to follow. Salvation, only three years old, nodded.

Mid-afternoon, outskirts of Ponyville. The brisk, fall air blew through the trees peacefully, the grass beside the path through Whitetail Woods littered with red, orange, and yellow leaves. The sound of hooves galloping echoed through the vast forest, Salvation and his parents rushing to the next viewing area where this year’s Running of the Leaves participants would be passing.

Salvation hurriedly ran over to his awaiting parents, slowing down and walking at his mother’s side. The three ponies made their way through the trail that twisted and turned through Whitetail, cutting across the large bend in the race track over to the next viewing area. Salvation’s ears lifted up and he smiled as he heard the sound of rushing water, the waterfall ahead slowly coming into view. Salvation and his parents emerged from the tree line at the end of the trail, coming into view of the bridge arcing over the stream flowing from the waterfall.

“Here we are! The racers should be here any second.” Salvation’s father said, adjusting his hat and looking down the race trail.

“Or... they were here just a second ago. Look.” Salvation’s mother said slowly, pointing her hoof out at the track. Hoof prints implanted themselves into the dirt, the small cloud of dust the racers kicked up still barely visible in the air.

“Well, shucks! Looks like we’re going to have to meet up at the end of the track. All of the other spectators have probably started walking.” Salvation’s father said, letting out a small sigh. Salvation’s ears dropped slightly, the colt tilting his head toward the ground.

Salvation’s mother lifted her wing up to her son, lightly pushing him, “Don’t worry, Salvation, we’ll make it there to see the award ceremony. Rumor has it that Princess Celestia herself will be there again this year. Don’t you want to see her?” Salvation’s mother asked.

Salvation sighed. “I guess.” Salvation muttered laconically.

The mare beside the colt smiled and turned to her husband. “We should probably get walking. The racers will be there soon.” Salvation’s mother said.

“Hang on, looks like there are some others that didn’t get here in time either. Hey there!” Salvation’s father shouted, waving a hoof in the direction of the trail they had walked along to get to the race track. Salvation’s ears pricked up and he turned around, eager to see who his father was waving at. Another couple of ponies slowly walked into eyesight from the forest, Salvation leaning to the side and brushing up against his mother to get a better view. As the two older ponies slowly walked into sight, another, smaller pony emerged from a pile of colorful leaves. She jumped around and the leaves sticking to her coat shook off with every leap, the red and orange slowly revealing a gentle lavender coat underneath. Her long, dark purple mane and tail flowed around as she came to a slow walk next to her parents, the wind picking up slightly and flinging the leaves next to the path up into the air. Her dark cyan eyes glistened in the sunlight, her pupils tilted and focused on a particular red-orange leaf falling from one of the trees. Despite his age and maturity, Salvation felt something inside of him click at the sight of the filly.

“Hello! We the first ones here?” The stallion asked as he came to a stop in front of Salvation’s parents with his wife. The mare waved gently as they came to a stop.

Salvation’s father cleared his throat. “Well, I think we might be the last ones here. Looks like the racers have already passed this area.” Salvation’s father said, motioning his head towards the track.

The stallion stomped at the ground lightly. “Dang. Well, might as well get heading over to finish line, they’re probably on the final stretch by now. Did you here that Princess Celestia was...”

The conversation between Salvation’s parents and the other couple trailed off as Salvation slowly walked away from them, his eyes and attention fixed on something else. The lavender filly stood away from her and Salvation’s parents, sitting down in front of a small caterpillar slowly inching its way across a leaf on the ground. Her eyes were staring intently at the tiny creature, fascination overpowering awareness as Salvation slowly walked over to her. Leaning to the side slightly as he came to a stop a few feet behind the filly, Salvation looked past her gently flowing mane, watching as a dark cyan glow surrounded the leaf, the red-orange flake lifting into the air in front of the filly’s eyes. The caterpillar halted on top of the floating leaf, picking up the front section of its body and staring off behind the filly, frozen.

Salvation, feeling as if the caterpillar was staring at him, cleared his throat and walked up beside the filly sitting on the ground. “Hi. What’cha doing?” Salvation asked, a slight smile finding its way onto his face.

The filly looked up from the leaf, her eyes connecting with Salvation’s, “Looking at this caterpillar! See?” The filly said happily, lifting the leaf through the air with her magic and holding it in front of Salvation’s face. Salvation stood still, watching as the caterpillar continued on its path around the leaf.

Salvation’s mouth curved into a small smile. “Cool! I’m Salvation, what’s your name?” Salvation asked as the filly brought the caterpillar back down to the ground.

The filly stood up and turned to Salvation. “My name is Tranquility. Are those you parent’s?” Tranquility asked, pointing her hoof at the two ponies in front of her parents.

“Yeah. Are you here to see the Running of the Leaves too?” Salvation replied.

“Mmhm. Dad told me that Princess Celestia will be there! Did you hear?”

“...Yeah, yeah, I did.”

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you excited?”

“Well-”

A sudden voice interrupted the colt. “Salvation! Come on, bring your friend, we’re heading to the finish line!” Salvation’s mother shouted, waving a hoof at the two young ponies.

“Maybe we can talk later. Let’s go!” Tranquility said cheerfully, running off in the direction of her parents. Salvation sighed and followed the filly.

______________________________________________________________________

“Wake up you cretin!”

The sudden shrill yell pierced directly through the dream of the changeling laying on the ground, the rude awakening followed by a swift kick to the stomach. Augury’s eyes suddenly snapped open and he curled into a ball, letting out a small grunt and holding onto his body. Chrysalis smiled and she backed away from Augury slightly, watching as the changeling on the ground rolled around for a second as the pain slowly eased its way down.

“Oh I didn’t hit you that hard. Can’t handle a little poke?” Chrysalis asked mockingly, her tongue slipping out of her mouth and making a snake-like hissing noise. Augury threw Chrysalis a frustrated look as he slowly stood up, wiping off his silky coat and mane.

Augury spat off to the side. “What do you want?” The changeling asked bitterly, turning his head to Chrysalis and tilting his brow downwards.

Chrysalis tilted her head. “Have you forgotten already? Such a small brain you must have if you forget that easily. You’re working for me, remember? Today is the day you begin. But first, I have to teach you the changeling basics... if your idiocy can subside.”

“Let’s just get this over with so I can get away from you as quickly as possible.”

“So quick to retaliate. I like that.” Chrysalis said, nodding her head and putting a hoof up to her chin. “Anyways, if you’re going to carry out these missions successfully, your going to have to learn how a changeling works. You’re not going to last a second in pony society looking like that, so lets get started.”

“What is there to learn? Change into another lifeform, feed off of love, no heart, useless, blah blah blah.”

“You’re forgetting that you’re a changeling as well, Augury. You might want to think about things before you even open your mouth.”

Augury sighed and leaned on his left legs. “Just tell me what I need to know, alright?”

Chrysalis smiled at his remark. “Then here we go. Come.” Chrysalis motioned her hoof as she turned around, beginning to walk to the center of the clearing within the forest. Augury stayed still for a second, gathering his thoughts and thinking to himself how hard this could be. The changeling turned his head to his left, a sour sadness falling over him as his gaze wandered across the cocoon that Tranquility rested in.

“Are you blind and deaf now, too? I said get over here!” Chrysalis yelled from the middle of the clearing, stomping her hoof on the ground. Augury averted his eyes from the cocoon and disappeared from the tree line, reappearing with a small flash of light in the middle of the clearing next to Chrysalis.

“Ah, so you can use magic better than I thought you could.” Chrysalis said as Augury came to a stop a few feet in front of her, Augury staring at her with a blank face.

Augury laughed lightly. “A teleportation spell is one of the basics of complex magic. You’d be surprised with what they can teach you in the Canterlot schools. Although, with the outcome of your little invasion, you probably haven’t heard anything about that.”

Chrysalis ignored Augury’s last sentence. “Complex magic, huh? What else does this... complex magic category involve?”

“Mainly just defensive and offensive attack maneuvers, along with a stack of other complex categories of magic. That shield that the captain of the royal guard had over Canterlot would be classified as complex, rather than fundamental. Considering you can use magic to convert ponies into changelings, I would think you would know more about magic than you do.”

“So you went to school in Canterlot?”

“If I wasn’t clear, yes. What significance does that have?”

“You and that little mare of yours were talking about returning to ‘Ponyville’. You haven’t stayed in Canterlot since school?”

“I studied in Canterlot until I was ten. My parents and I would take trips to Ponyville during those ten years to visit relatives and see some of the town’s events. It wasn’t until I turned ten that my family and I moved to Ponyville. I’ve been living there ever since.”

“What about Tranquility? When did you meet her?”

“When I was three. First time we met was during The Running of the Leaves one year in Whitetail Woods on the outskirts of Ponyville. We were friends ever since, sending letters from Ponyville to Canterlot and vice versa. It was only when I moved to Ponyville that we actually... started to fall for each other. It’s funny, really, I-” Augury stopped for a second, the smile on his face disappearing and his eyes opening wider slightly. His head had tilted toward the ground, Augury staring at the swaying green grass at his hooves with his head tilted to the side. Augury looked up from the ground, Chrysalis staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

Augury’s face returned to its resentful expression. “Why am I telling you this? Why do you want to know? You’re just a changeling, you wouldn’t know anything about true love.”

Chrysalis giggled lightly. “Just thought I would get to know my little associate better. You smile whenever you talk about Tranquility. You love her that much?”

“That doesn’t concern you.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to see how much Tranquility loves you back. Now, Augury, we’ll begin on our... ‘changeling tutorial’.”

______________________________________________________________________

Augury jumped high into the air in a green ball of flame-like magic, Chrysalis lifting a hoof up to her face and grunting frustratedly. The changeling flying through the air fell back to the ground with a dull thud on his stomach, Augury’s coat singed and the tip of his tail still glowing with the fiery green magic.

Chrysalis slowly walked over to Augury and stepped on his tail, the small green fire on its tip disappearing under her hoof. “Is it that hard to change form!? You’ve been trying for the past hour and yet you can’t even change into the skin of another pony!?” Chrysalis shouted angrily, taking her hoof off of Augury’s tail and kicking him onto his back. Augury laid still, panting heavily as he stared up into the sky. No clouds floated in the vast blue abyss above the forest, the heat of the sun beating down on Augury’s face.

Chrysalis moved closer to Augury, kneeling forward over the tired changeling, her head blocking the sun out of his eyes. “You have two more tries before I just call it quits and dispose of you! I don’t think Tranquility will be happy with knowing that you were the cause of your own death and her new changeling form! Two tries! Get to it!” Chrysalis pushed Augury onto his side, the changeling queen letting out a loud sigh and returning back to the center of the clearing. Augury stayed where he was for a moment, staring off at the forest, his eyes focused on a particular tree on the clearing’s edge. Tranquility still hung inside of her cocoon, her eyes gently shut, an ominous green glow barely escaping from her eyelids.

“Do you want me to get rid of you without giving you a chance!? Get your flank over here before I drag you over here!” Chrysalis yelled once more. Augury groaned lightly and he slowly stood up on his hooves, swaying a little as his strength still staggered. The changeling sauntered his way over to the changeling queen in the clearing, Chrysalis slowly tapping her hoof on the ground as Augury came to a stop out in front of her. Augury shifted his eyes from the ground up to Chrysalis, the changeling queen motioning her hoof for him to try again.

Augury sighed and looked back toward the ground. “I can’t let this happen. Come on, just concentrate. You’ll get the hang of it once you do it. Just once. Hopefully Chrysalis will buy it and let me go. Just once... just once.” Augury thought to himself. Trying his best to clear his mind, Augury closed his eyes and focused on the magic within him. Though he had been in some of the advanced classes in Canterlot for magic, changeling magic was different than the kind of magic that he had learned how to manipulate. A large barrier seemed to block him from using it, something in his mind fighting back against him as he focused harder on the formation spell. Augury tightened the force on his eyelids, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Chrysalis only watched, staring at the ground as a small ring of fiery green magic formed around the struggling changeling. However, the efforts seemed for naught. Feeling the ring of magic around him about to burst once more and send him into the air, Augury let the spell go. The small ring around him disappeared and Augury fell to the ground quickly, panting again and swearing to himself quietly. Augury looked up at the changeling queen in the clearing, Chrysalis leaning to the side slightly.

“One more try.” Chrysalis said softly, keeping a straight face. Augury sighed and he looked back toward the ground.

“No... no, no, no! Damn it, just focus on the stupid spell! It’s not that hard! Focus you idiot! Focus for the love of... of... Tranquility... Tranquility.” Augury’s thoughts slowly came to a stop at the thought of his marefriend dangling within her cocoon. Failure would bring an end to what she is, but success would only keep her there longer. Success, failure. One or the other. Augury made up his mind. The exhausted changeling took in a deep breath and stood up slowly, bringing his eyes from the ground to the grass in front of Chrysalis.

“Quil.”

Augury slowly closed his eyes, feeling a small tear drop form within his closed eyelids. Chrysalis put equal weight on all four of her legs, watching as the tear drop from Augury’s eye slowly make its way down his face. A ring of green flame-like magic began to form a ring around Augury again, but the changeling building the spell did not seem to be working at all. Augury stood calmly, his eyes closed and his mouth partially open. The tear drop came to a stop at the bottom of Augury’s chin, patiently waiting. As Augury closed his mouth completely, the tear drop let go of its grasp on the changeling, falling slowly to the ground. Expecting the ring around Augury to burst into a magical fire once more, Chrysalis sighed and closed her eyes. However, what came next gave a sudden surprise to the changeling queen.

An ominous noise came from the area in front of Chrysalis, the changeling queen opening her eyes with curiosity. The tear drop that had been on Augury floated in the air in front of him, glowing with a strange dark blue glow. A confused expression formed on Chrysalis’s face, her expectations with Augury’s final attempt seeming to become real. With a bright flash of light, the glowing tear drop burst outwards, sending a large wave of air almost knocking Chrysalis backwards. Augury stayed silent, calmly staring at the black abyss in front of his eyes. The flame-like magic ring around Augury turned from a light green hue to dark blue, Augury’s horn gaining an aura the same color as the fire surrounding him.

“What’s this?” Chrysalis said quietly. The ring of blue fire around Augury slowly grew around the focused changeling, engulfing him in a ball of dark blue flames that danced wildly. A small smile curved onto Chrysalis’s face, Augury finally making the bond between his magic and changeling magic. The dark blue ball of fire in the clearing suddenly disappeared, revealing a pony that had not been there before. Augury slowly opened his eyes, a wave of exhaustion suddenly taking over him, the changeling quickly sitting down and breathing heavily.

Chrysalis slowly walked over to Augury. “My my, and here I was expecting you to fail. An interesting choice on who to transform into, considering your situation, but it’ll do. At least I know that you’ve accepted changeling magic.” Chrysalis said, lifting a hoof up and patting Augury on his head. Augury sat still and looked down at his hooves, his eyes opening slightly wider. The dark grey, silky coat that had once sat upon Augury had transformed into a soft, lavender texture. Augury shifted his eyes to his mane, the long dark purple hair hanging over his right shoulder limply. Augury recognized the shape he had taken.

“Did I just...?” Augury said quietly, lifting his hooves up and looking at them.

“Transform yourself into Tranquility? Yes. Now that you’ve passed over the hill of getting to know changeling magic, this process should be a little easier for you now. Go ahead, try taking other forms.” Chrysalis said as she walked away from Augury.

“Other forms. Maybe...” Augury thought to himself as he stood up. Ideas raced through Augury’s mind, the power of being able to transform into anypony or anything he could think of overwhelming him. The changeling took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the magic within him once more. The same blue ring of fire formed on the ground around Augury, the ring quickly spiking up and engulfing him. With the same speed it went to cover him, the fire disappeared, leaving Augury standing in the form of another pony. The changeling looked down towards his hooves, the pleasant sight of seeing his old coat and mane bringing a smile to Augury’s face.

“Enjoy it while you can. You’re going to be heading out on your first mission soon, so don’t get too comfortable.” Chrysalis spoke as she turned around to face her little creation. Augury smiled and he quickly changed forms again, Chrysalis sighing and rolling her eyes as the blue flames receded.

Augury laughed and he inspected himself, running his eyes over Chrysalis’s stature. “You really need to get some more exercise, Chrs-y. I feel like a twig in your form. Do you even know what weights are?” Augury asked in a taunting manner, looking at Chrysalis through the holes in his hooves.

“Ha ha, very funny. Now change back before I make you change back.”

“Alright, alright, ‘your majesty’.” Augury turned back to his normal changeling form from Chrysalis’s, fixing his mane and stretching. “So what are these... missions? Am I just running to the grocery store and buying some fruit or what?”

“Oh, you’re going to be doing something much, much more than that. You do remember how to get back to Ponyville from here, don’t you?”

“Uh... yeah, almost directly north from here. Why does it matter?”

Chrysalis laughed lightly to herself. “You’re going to do some business for me in that little town of ponies.”

“Like what?”

Chrysalis smiled and she walked over to Augury, lifting a hoof and placing it lightly on his cheek.

“Getting me more assimilation targets.” Next Chapter: [4] Starting Points Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 34 Minutes