My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Changeling’s Lament

Chapter 10

Incoming Shit-storm

A Crimson Unicron with a Silver Mane tinkered with his invention. “if I move this here and connect that to there…” the machine sparked, temporarily electrocuting him. “AY! Ay vamera.” he stuck the edge of his hoof into his mouth to calm down the pain. “that smarts.”

He sputtered as he sat down at a desk. “what I am missing?” he muttered. He looked for his blueprints, sending papers that weren’t it down to the floor. One of them, which was completely accidental, was a picture of a rainbow-maned cyan Pegasus.

In a bar downtown in the same town, a gruff and angry unicorn was drinking like there was no tomorrow.

“Damn girl. First she turns my life into a living hell, then goes and makes friends. *angry scoff* my life has gone to hell ever since we found her.”

A gryphon came in, carrying a newspaper. “hey, did you guys hear?”

“hear what?” the barkeep asked.

“Canterlot and Ponyville have fallen.”

“What?” everyone at the bar exclaimed in surprise. It caught the attention of the drunk pony.

“it’s true.” the gryphon set the paper down on a table and read it, drawing a crowd. “ ‘ in a repeat of her failed invasion 6 months ago, Chrysalis and her Changeling forces launched a full-scale invasion of Canterlot during the wedding of Princess Luz de la Luna and Trixie Lulamoon…” that got the drunkards full attention. “…and, with a unknown and powerful new ally, was able to take and seal the city in a barrier. 2 days later, she launched a full attack on Ponyville, sending her new general Mirror’s Edge to claim it. During the 2 battles, more then 80 ponies had been taken captive and 3 of the new arrivals. Among the prisoners is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, who had been captured in the Sacking of Ponyville. Princess’ Celestia and Luna were able to escape the battles with the refugees from Canterlot and Ponyville. She was last seen heading east, to the town of Maredrid.’”

“that’s this town.” some pony pointed out. “when’d this paper come out?”

“2 days ago which means her train should be coming in any minute now.”

The drunkard put his mug on the counter and smiled drunkenly before walking out.

Dinky sat alone in a forgotten part of Canterlot, away from everyone else. She just wanted to be alone.

Working down in the crystal mines is quite a challenge. They’ve been given nothing but pick-axes and little shovels to carve out giant crystals from a cave. Despite being a ruthless tyrant, Chrysalis was being quite generous. She gave them 2 half-hour breaks, including a hour for lunch. The hours, however, are atrocious; start at 4 A.M. and end at 10 P.M. it also doesn’t help that the guards are some of the worst Changelings they had ever seen.

Dinky sniffled and wiped her eyes when she picked up the sound of snoring nearby. Whoever it was, he was loud. Dinky got up to go look. The snoring got louder as she got closer.

She rounded a corner to the other side of the mountain and froze in fear when she saw where it was coming from.

The snoring was coming from a slumbering Oscurita.

The train rolled into Maredrid station and hissed to a halt. Everyone grumbled as they walked off. they were tired and wanted to sleep. Spending a long time cooped up in crowded train cars was too much.

“oh, man.” Sora stretched her arms up until her back cracked. “the next time I go on a train better be the day of my funeral.”

“I’ll be sure to line it up.” Zilver groaned.

The mayor of Maredrid trotted on up to the station with a few members of the city council. He immediately spotted Celestia and walked over to her. “Princess Celestia?” he asked in a Spanish accent.

“hmm?” she and Luna looked over to him.

“my name is Bell Toll and it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to Maredrid. If I heard that you were coming sooner, I would’ve set up a much better response.”

“it’s okay, Bell. it wasn’t exactly planned.” Celestia looked to her subjects and sighed. “If you don’t mind, maybe we can retire to the town hall so we can discuss where my subjects from Ponyville and Canterlot can stay.”

“of course. Taking about War is always tough.” he walked off back to town. Celestia began to follow but stopped when she noticed Luna wasn’t with her. She turned to her sister. “you coming, sister?”

“Soon. I haven’t been to Maredrid before.”

Celestia chuckled. She was imprisoned for 1000 years so that was to be expected. Besides, she owns her. “I understand. You and Trixie still need a honeymoon, after all.”

“That’s right, beautiful.” Trixie said as she grabbed Luna. “I hear the beaches are magnificent at sunset.”

“now I’m intrigued.” Luna chuckled. The two walked off, leaving Celestia to chuckle. She still finds it hard to believe that her baby sister found a lover. Now if she could only get Cosmos and Erys back.

Armor was among the last off. As soon as he got off, he began to walk in the direction the train came from. Twi and Halo saw him walk away and ran after him. “where are you going?” a insistent Twi asked.

“I’m going back to Canterlot to get Cadence.”

“By yourself!? Listen, Armor, if you go back there, you’ll get killed.”

Armor stopped and turned to face her sister. “but that’s my wife, my pregnant wife, and your sister-in-law. Aren’t you worried about her?”

Twi looked away, now sure how to respond. So, as if by instinct, Halo stepped in. “she knows, Armor. And if it was Twi who was captured, I would want to go rescue her too. But you can’t. the Changelings have the place completely overrun. You’d be killed before you set foot in Ponyville.”

Armor angrily sighed. He really hated this. “fine. I won’t go.”

Twi breathed a sigh of relief. “thank goodness.”

Armor looked in the direction of the towns and angrily scowled. “I can already picture Chrysalis planning her next move.”

Chrysalis danced to ‘Somewhere beyond the sea’. two cities in 2 days. That’s too perfect.

A flash of dark fire came from the ceiling but she didn’t notice. Orochi saw her dancing and groaned. “Now that is just embarrassing.” Terra said.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you over how excellent I’m being.”

“So I heard.” Ignis said as he took over. “Conquered 2 cities in 2 days; that’s a new record for this world.”

“so I heard.” Chrysalis spun and jumped onto the throne. “so. Why are you here?”

Orochi chuckled and walked over to the stain-glass murals, stopping just beneath the one for Discord. “I’m here to take back what is mine. Oscurita should be back with his master, after all.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “I’m afraid I’m gonna have to say no.”

“what?” Tenebrae exclaimed. “you’re going back on our deal?”

“no, I’d say you’re going back on yours.” she got up and grabbed a little crystal. “I told you that when I conquered Equestria that I would give Oscurita back to you. Last I checked…” Chrysalis hovered the crystal over to Orochi who just stood there angrily. “I haven’t conquered Equestria. I just took over the capital and a small hamlet out in the countryside.”

“so… you won’t give him back?” Fulmen asked.

Chrysalis’ horn glowed, causing the crystal to glow and extend a small blade out of it. “not until the world is mine.” Chrysalis stopped her magic and grabbed the crystal.

Orochi angrily sneered at her. “fine.” Glacies said. “just remember that if you fail to live up to your promise, you will have made a powerful enemy.”

The doors opened up wide. Edge walked in and bowed. “My queen, I have b--” he looked up and noticed Orochi. Naturally, he got into a battle pose. “do you need assistance, my liege?”

“no no. he was just leaving.” Chrysalis said. Orochi silently growled at the queen before walking away. A wall of dark fire appeared in front of him and he walked into it. “ugh. Politics. I always hate them.” Chrysalis sighed as she sat back down on the throne. Edge watched the fire disperse and continued to walk in. “you were saying, General?”

“oh. We have captured Princess Cadence and have brought her here to Canterlot, as per your orders.”

That news was gold to her ears. “thank you, general. Bring her here. I wish to meet with her.”

A sleepy Eris yawned as she laid on Rainbow Dash’s back. The two, plus Scootaloo and Soarin’, had been exploring the city since they arrived and both were getting tired.

“quite a big place.” Dash yawned. “Although I swear I heard the name Maredrid somewhere before.”

“same here.” Soarin’ and Scootaloo said. “just trying to place it where.”

Eris heard the sound of sparks, her ears flickering to find the direction. Once she found it, she opened her eyes, jumped off Dash’s back, and ran towards it.

“Eris!!!” Dash whined. “not again.” she ran after the baby.

“this happen a lot?” Soarin’ asked.

“more then you know.” Scootaloo sighed as they ran after them as well.

“…so if you have any shelter you can give us, we would really appreciate it.” Celestia said to the town council.

The group of 5 talked amongst each other. Celestia hoped for good news. She already had a ton of bad things happen to her and her subject so this would give them something to be thankful for.

“we’ll do all we can but we don’t have a lot of buildings for everyone.”

“Thankfully, the winter’s here the lightest in Equestria.” another councilwoman said. “the worst we had was the Windigoes at the dawn of Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“so… there aren’t enough buildings?” Celestia asked to confirm. Everyone shook their heads ‘no’. “I understand. Guess some are going to be sleeping outside.”

Trixie and Luna held each other close as they looked at the sunset glistening on the ocean waters.

“you know, I’ve never been to the ocean before.” Trixie sighed.

“same here.” silence fell on them for a few moments. “you know what would make this moment even better?”

“kids?”

Luna chuckled with a smile. “you’ve been thinking about it too?”

“yeah. We would make good parents.”

“The best.”

“She would be so magically intune, with both her parents being such powerful magic users.”

“un… last I checked, we were both female. So one of us would be the parent.”

“oh, right.” Trixie thought for a moment. “rock, paper, scissors?” Luna softly face-palmed and chuckled. Trixie faux-smiled and laughed as well. “sorry, heard that from Satoshi.” she explained. She looked up at the sunset and smiled. “well, we got plenty of time to talk about this. Besides, we still need to un… seal the deal.” she walked in front of her new wife, brushing her tail beneath her chin.

Luna slyly chuckled as Trixie’s tail brushed underneath her. “I like the way you think.”

Trixie chuckled and slowly trotted off, looking back at Luna, when she ran into someone and fell to the ground. “ow.” she looked up a saw a drunk unicorn standing over her. “sorry, but do you mind watching where you’re going?”

The drunkard snorted and staggered down to her. “oh, you don’t remember me, bitch?” he fell to the sand. Trixie backed up. “you made my life a living… *hiccup* …living hell.”

Trixie took a moment but she recognized him as the Stallion who made her life a living hell. “dad…”

Eris laughed as she ran though the streets, scaring some of the locals.

“Eris! Please stop!” Dash exclaimed as she ran after her.

“Sorry.” Scootaloo told to the locals as she continued after Dash.

Eris eventually came to stop in front of a open garage. “ooh.” she exclaimed, taken over by the shiny objects. She ran on in as the other 3 arrived in front of the garage and stopped.

Dash panted when she looked up to Eris. “Eris… you know you shouldn’t be going into other ponies places without asking.”

Soarin’ looked up and saw something familiar with the garage. “hey… doesn’t this place feel… familiar to you?”

Scootaloo looked around and noticed it as well. “yeah. Can’t place where.”

Dash, who had just picked Eris up and put her on her back, also started to take notice. There was a familiar feel to it, no doubt about it. Curious, she walked over to the desk and saw Blueprints.

“blueprints? For mechanical wings?” she gasped when she realized where she was. “This is…”

“Rainbow Dash?” Dash, Soarin’ and Scootaloo looked to the entrance of the garage to see Storm Shadow standing there with a cup of coffee. Dash gasped in joy as she smiled wide. “what are you guys--”

Dash interrupted him with a big hug. Shadow was caught off guard when the hug hit. Soarin’ and Scootaloo smiled. None of them thought they would see him again.

“I thought I would never see you again.” Dash cried as she held Shadow tight. Shadow got angry, pulled Dash off of him and pushed her away, much to her surprise. “Shadow?” he didn’t reply, instead, he just gave her a mean stare and stormed off. “Wait, Shadow.” Dash walked after him. Soarin’ and Scootaloo looked at each other with worry.

Cadence was escorted into the throne room by a couple of Changeling guards. She stopped just before the throne, which was surprisingly empty. “where’s Chrysalis?” she asked her guards. The guards just stood there in silence.

Several minutes have passed before Chrysalis herself walked in. “thank you, you two. You may leave now.” the guards bowed and left, closing the doors behind them. “so, we meet again, Cadence.”

“why am I here?” Cadence angrily asked.

Chrysalis brought her hooves to her mouth and tapped them together. “you don’t remember?”

“I remember you trying to invade Canterlot during my wedding.”

Chrysalis brought her hooves down and chuckled. “you really don’t remember.” she gave a wry chuckle. “guess I’m gonna have to remind you.”

Suddenly, and without warning, Chrysalis suddenly kissed Cadence.

*author’s notes*
And I’m gonna stop here. These arcs will be completed next chapter. Just feeling a bit under the weather right now.