Twilight has gotten used to the Saiyan.

Of course she's trying to figure it out, but what else is there to pick apart?

So, to somewhat ease Twilight, Gohan decided to bring her a gift.

She's now part of the gang, and she has a new look.

Ponytail rather than a bun, blue striped shirt, purple bow, purple skirt, and purple sneakers.

They were hanging out in front of the school, since, again, the gift.

Spike existed in Twilight's arms.

"...What's that?" Twilight asked.

Gohan was holding a capsule.

"It's the thing I brought for you." He said.

"Is it a vitamin or something...?" Twilight asked.

Gohan smirked as he pressed the button.

He threw the capsule into the sky, and it exploded into smoke!

Then, before anyone could process it, a green, old model scouter fell into his palm.

"What's that?" Fluttershy asked.

"If you've ever heard of the Saiyans, this is what they used to measure one's power." Gohan said.

"Where'd you get it from, though?" Sunset asked.

"This was initially my Uncle Raditz's scouter. And my friend Bulma translated the language so that we could read it." Gohan said.

"Bulma... As in, Bulma Briefs?" Twilight asked.

"Bingo." Gohan said.

"I didn't think a scientist of her caliber was still alive!" Twilight said joyfully.

"Yep. Anyway, you could scan the power levels of everyone around you. You wanna test it?" Gohan asked.

Twilight set Spike down.

"Yeah!" She said, taking it.

She put the scouter on her head, and...

"...You put it on upside down." Gohan said.

"Oh! Right..." Twilight said, taking it off and readjusting it.

"...Don't forget to turn it on." Gohan said.

"I don't know where the on button is." Twilight said.

Gohan just pointed at his forehead.

Twilight copied him, and-

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep-

"Oh! It's working!" Twilight said.

"How strong are we?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I wanna know!" Pinkie said.

"Hang on! Hang on!" Twilight said, ecstatic that it worked.

She looked at Rainbow Dash and pressed the button.

Numbers flashed, and...

"...You have a power level of 7." Twilight said.

"Really? That's it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

That was a huge letdown.

Twilight pressed the button for Applejack, and-

"AJ has a 7.5." She said.

"Aw, what!?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well, I guess that clears that!" Applejack said, smirking.

"Hang on a second!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Everyone else laughed a bit.

Twilight looked to Sunset, and pressed the button.

"Sunset has a 3.8." Twilight said.

Then she turned to Pinkie.

Beeps.

"Pinkie, 6.9." Twilight said.

"Hah! Perfect." Pinkie laughed.

Then Twilight turned to Rarity.

"Rarity is a 3..." Twilight said.

"I swear, it's gonna say I'm a 0.5 or something." She added.

"What am I...?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight pressed the button, and...

"...1.4." She said.

...

"...I should've expected as much." Fluttershy said.

"Try me!" Spike said.

Twilight looked down at her dog, pressed the button, and-

"0.2." She said.

"What?" Spike asked.

"You're a dog." Twilight said.

"Wait... What's he?" Pinkie asked, pointing at Gohan.

So, Twilight looked at him and pressed the button.

And...

"...A power level of 1."

...

"...Is that thing broken?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yeah, this doesn't seem right." Twilight said.

"I think it's right." Gohan said.

"How am I even stronger than you!?" Fluttershy asked.

"Check again." Gohan said, smirking.

Twilight pressed the button again, and-

"8,200!?" She asked.

Everyone gasped.

"No, it's still rising!?" She asked.

10,000, 20,000, 30,000...

Then it stopped abruptly at 32,800.

"I'll break it at this rate." Gohan said.

"You're thousands of times stronger than us!" Twilight said.

"I'm holding back a ton of my strength." Gohan said, smiling.

"Ngh...! I have to fix this to handle bigger numbers! It's really hot." Twilight said, taking the scouter off.

"The only other button puts it back into the capsule." Gohan said.

Twilight pressed that button.

Copying Gohan, she tossed it into the air and it exploded back into the capsule.

She cupped her hands together to catch it.

"That's really cool!" Pinkie said.

"Well, we know now how we stack up against a monster like you..." Rainbow Dash said.

"I'm really weak compared to all of you..." Fluttershy said.

"Oh, don't look at it that way... You're too gentle to hurt someone." Gohan said.

"That's what I said about you, yet here you are." Fluttershy said, smiling.

She winked.

'...What is she getting at...?' Gohan thought.

"I'm gonna head to my lab and power this thing up now!" Twilight said.

"Hah! Just say Crystal Prep!" Spike said.

"Spike... Be quiet." Twilight said.

"I guess I'll head out, too. Gotta practice for the soccer game." Rainbow Dash said.

"I got chores." Applejack said.

"I have 12 parties to plan this week!" Pinkie said.

"I should head to the shelter..." Fluttershy said.

"I'm perfecting a new fabric I've created, so I should head home..." Rarity said.

"I have to finish homework." Sunset said.

"Oh. Alright." Gohan said, somewhat sad.

Everyone just started walking away with waves and "Bye!"s.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked off together, Rarity and Applejack walked off together, and Pinkie and Twilight walked off together.

Gohan was just left there...

'...Well. This turned out great.' He thought.

He put his hands behind his head.

'Trunks doesn't want to train, or hang out, mom wanted me out of the house, and I really don't have much to do.' He thought.

...Then he looked at the portal.

An idea popped into his head.

'I wonder how the other side is... What would I turn into?' He thought, smiling.

So, he walked to the portal.

This made him kinda nervous.

'New world... Okay, you've done it before.' He thought.

He put his hand into the portal, but then the magic started glowing.

He pulled his hand back immediately.

He closed his eyes and too a deep breath...

Then...

He jumped right in!

---

In a library, the portal to the human world stood.

It's fairly dark, for some odd reason.

The magic was swirling and glowing within the portal...

Then...

Gohan emerged as his regular form!

He looked around, and at his hands.

He looked around his body, and-

'...I guess I don't have a pony body.' He thought.

But, forget that.

He felt that there was an odd disturbance.

In the other room...

He could feel these odd and evil powers.

Like...

Pure evil.

Noises of hitting, laughter, and general bitterness from the next room...

So he decided to investigate a bit.

He peeked into the next room, and...

Hey, it's all his friends!

As ponies!

...And Fluttershy just slammed... Spike against her chair, what is going on here?

They're drawing all over this table and their chairs...

Plus, there were two other presences outside the room.

Starlight Glimmer and Trixie Lulamoon.

Former enemies, but, now they're alright.

They were peeking inside from the door.

It was very slightly open...

"What is that thing!?" Trixie whispered.

"How should I know? Is it one of them?" Starlight whispered.

The 'ponies' put three small dark rocks on the table...

"Is it ready?" 'Twilight' asked.

"Just one more." 'Applejack' said.

She placed one last rock on there, in some kind of formation.

They opened up, releasing changeling magic in the shape of a square!

Then, it webbed up into the middle of the table...

And a giant green projection appeared at the tip of the webbing!

It was the changeling queen...

"Queen Chrysalis...!" Starlight whispered.

Gohan looked in shock...

Who the hell was that?

All the 'ponies' and 'dragon' bowed.

Chrysalis looked around, and-

"Ugh. I can't take any of you seriously when you look like that." She said.

"Oh. Right." 'Twilight' said, smirking.

Then, with a green flash...

They all turned into changelings.

Gohan looked serious...

These things were posing as the main six...

"Much better. Now. Report!" Chrysalis demanded.

"Everything here is going according to plan! We've replaced the six ponies and their dragon, and have taken control of the castle!" One of the changelings said.

"Excellent. And I've just received word that the princesses from Canterlot have successfully been replaced as well." Chrysalis said.

Then the underlings all squealed and laughed...

Starlight and Trixie looked worried as all hell.

Chrysalis spike again...

"We thought too small last time. One ponynapped princess wasn't enough. With all the most beloved ponies of Equestria taken care of, nopony can stop us!" She celebrated.

Then, from the corner of the room...

"Nopony, huh?"

"What was that." Chrysalis said.

Everyone looked into the corner to find the Saiyan...

Just standing there.

"I don't have to be a pony to stop you." Gohan said.

Trixie and Starlight were afraid this was gonna go terribly...

"What is it doing!?" Trixie whispered.

"Sounds like a guy, but... That thing's crazy!" Starlight whispered.

Gohan stepped forward, and-

All of them hissed loudly...

He kept stepping forward.

"A nobody wants to stop us? You seven go on ahead, do whatever you want." Chrysalis said.

Then, the transmission was cut, and the webbing turned back into rocks.

There was some small maniacal laughter coming from the small horde...

One leapt and charged, and-

WHAM!

Gohan smashed his fist into his face!

He was sent flying across the room!

The other changelings stopped and looked in shock.

Unconscious on the wall.

Another tried to stab him with his horn, but Gohan maneuvered and bashed his elbow into the changeling's neck.

Unconscious and on the ground.

Two changelings charged at him with their horns!

But, Gohan grabbed them both by the horns...

He pulled them back, and bashed their skulls into each other!

CRRRACK!

He threw their unconscious bodies aside.

The three remaining changelings looked scared...

But that didn't matter, because this merciless Saiyan ran at them.

Now, let's cut off screen as we hear smashing sounds, punching, changeling magic, the works...

Starlight and Trixie just watched in awe as they watched the Saiyan brutalize the changelings off screen.

Once the beating finished, Gohan dropped the last of the downed changelings on the ground.

And, to make matters worse, he looked right at Trixie and Starlight.

...

"...Who are you?" He asked, pointing.

...Then they started running, and-

"Hey! Wait!" Gohan called out, running after them.

He swung open the door and saw the two ponies clearly.

They were running for their lives in this dark as hell hallway.

Starlight made her horn glow, and-

They teleported with a cyan flash!

Gohan was just left confused...

---

Starlight and Trixie were right outside Trixie's... home.

Trixie started hyperventilating and Starlight was on the lookout for Gohan...

"I can't deal with this! I'm just a performer! This is... This is princess-level stuff! But the changelings have all the princesses... And that thing exists! We're doomed!" Trixie sputtered.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Starlight yelled.

"At least it doesn't look like that thing is on the changelings' side..." Starlight said.

"We don't know if it's on our side either!" Trixie said.

"Hi." Gohan said.

"Oh, hi. Anyw-..." Starlight said, looking again.

There he was.

Gohan just stood there in front of them.

"Dah!" The two yelped.

Starlight fired a tremendous blue blast from her horn!

But, Gohan smacked it to the dark skies.

That was a lot of her power, but he just deflected it?

"Drat...!" Starlight said.

"I didn't expect it to end like this...!" Trixie said.

"Me neither...!" Starlight said.

"Hold on, hold on! You're not those weird creatures, I'm not gonna hurt you." Gohan said.

"How do we know that!?" Trixie asked.

"I would've done it by now." Gohan said.

"...Oh." Starlight said.

They're about the height up to his chest...

"Who are you...? What are you!?" Starlight asked.

"How did you do that!?" Trixie asked.

"Where do you come from!?" Starlight asked.

"Okay, one question at a time..." Gohan said.

"I'm Son Gohan, first name Gohan. I'm a Saiyan human hybrid from Earth. Through training, I've attained my power. Understand?" He asked.

...

"...Not really, but... Are you on our side?" Starlight asked.

"Explain the situation to me, but tell me your names first." Gohan said, crossing his arms.

"I'm Starlight Glimmer, Twilight's student." Starlight said.

"I am the Great and Powerful Trixie..." Trixie said, not enthusiastic about it as usual...

'...Oh, I didn't expect to run into her... Not the same person, let this one's actions speak before you judge, Gohan.' Gohan thought.

"The changelings invaded us under our muzzles!" Starlight said.

"You're going to have to explain to me what a changeling is... I'm not from here..." Gohan said.

"Changelings steal the form of those you love. They feed off of love and friendship, and they've kidnapped the most important ponies in Equestria!" Trixie said.

"Oh, no." Gohan said.

"I can sense a particularly powerful energy in that direction..." He said, pointing somewhere.

"I guess that's where the changelings are." Starlight said

"So, what's our method of attack without the important ponies?" Gohan asked.

"Uh... Queen Chrysalis only said they took Luna and Celestia and obviously Twilight and the others... but maybe Cadance is still safe. Our best bet is to get to the Crystal Empire before the changelings do. That way we can-"

"There's no help coming from the Crystal Empire."

Everyone looked to the trees.

And out from the bushes, a reformed changeling appeared.

Thorax.

Then, Trixie started screaming, and Gohan got into a fighting position.

Trixie was just screaming like there was no tomorrow, so Starlight had to shut her up.

She put a cyan barrier around Trixie to solve the problem.

Gohan was about to charge, but-

"Thorax?" Starlight asked.

Gohan took a single step.

"You know this one?" He asked.

"Yes." Thorax said.

"Your wings look... different." Starlight said.

Thorax flashed his glittery wings.

"I guess they do." He said.

Then Starlight got a bit suspicious.

She strengthened her magic, making her horn spark brighter.

"...How do I know you aren't some other changeling pretending to be Thorax?" She asked.

"He doesn't radiate the same energy those other changelings had." Gohan said.

"You were there when Spike defended me to the ponies of the Crystal Empire. Princess Twilight said:" Thorax said, before transforming into Twilight.

Gohan was shocked at this.

"As the Princess of Friendship, I should set an example for all of Equestria. But today it was Spike who taught me-"

"-Okay, okay! I believe you. We don't need the whole speech." Starlight said.

Thorax reverted back to his changeling form.

"...So, who's this... thing?" He asked.

"Son Gohan. I'm a dude. Definitely not from here." Gohan said.

Then Starlight realized that Trixie was ready to kill herself inside the barrier, so...

"Trixie, this is Thorax. He's a reformed changeling. He's on our side. Understand?" Starlight asked.

Trixie nodded...

...Then the barrier was put down.

She quickly backed up against her... home.

Thorax walked forward with an extended hoof.

"Hi, it's a pleasure t-"

Trixie didn't want that at all, and Thorax stopped...

"If Starlight says you're on our side, I believe her. But maybe just stay over there for now, okay?" Trixie asked.

...So Thorax walked backwards.

"...What did you mean there's no help? Did the changelings get Cadance too?" Starlight asked.

"They took Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart! Sunburst sent me here to get Princess Twilight's help, but... but it sounds like it's too late for that, too! So... what should we do?" Thorax asked.

"Yeah, Starlight. What are we gonna do?" Trixie asked.

"I... I don't know! There has to be somepony else who can handle this?" Starlight asked.

Gohan smiled.

"Well, we're the rag-tag team that's left." He said.

"Are you kidding me!?" Trixie asked.

"There is nopony else! Everypony with powerful magic is already gone!" She yelled.

"Y'know, someone else doesn't have to be a pony or possess magic..." Gohan said.

Then, out of nowhere...

"You know whenever ponies talk about powerful magic, they always leave me out."

It was Discord, the god of chaos...

...lounging on Trixie's... home, knitting a bunny...

"If I weren't so evolved, I might decide to take it personally." He said.

"Who the heck are you?" Gohan asked.

"I should be asking you the same thing." Discord said.

"What kind of power do you have...?" Gohan asked.

After looking at it closely...

"Well, isn't this quite the combination of secondary characters? Where are Twilight and the girls?" He asked.

"First, how do we know that you're really you?" Starlight asked.

Discord scowled and snapped his fingers.

All hell broke loose.

Dancing flowers, clocks with squirrels being thrown out, the whole ground turned into soap, everything has a checkerboard pattern, shit's floating, and-

"What the heck!?" Gohan asked, not slipping.

Thorax flew and Starlight and Trixie fell down.

Trixie's home is now a giant pumpkin.

"Shall I continue?" Discord asked.

"Can you undo this? I think I'm gonna barf..." Gohan said.

"Yeah, no." Discord said.

"Chrysalis and the changelings are back. They've ponynapped all of the most powerful ponies in Equestria! Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Twilight and her friends." Starlight said.

Upon hearing that last one...

Discord went rage mode and snapped his fingers.

"We need to-"

The whole thing got reversed in an instant.

Discord got strangely close to Starlight.

"They took Fluttershy?" He whispered.

"Yes!" Starlight said.

"Where." Discord said, his eyes glowing red with rage.

"The Changeling Kingdom. With you on our side, I can-"

Discord snapped his fingers, and in an instant...

They're now in a forest in the middle of buttfuck nowhere!

Everyone but Gohan and Thorax suddenly had bags packed to the brim with essentials.

Trixie had her hat and cloak, and Discord had his scarf.

Discord looked puzzled...

As did everyone else.

He lifted a boulder, looking underneath...

"Odd. I was trying to take us right to Fluttershy, but there is no Fluttershy." Discord said, moving his eyeballs out of his socket and back right in...

Then he put the boulder back.

"The Fluttershy is that way." Gohan said, pointing.

They were all on a cliff, and to where Gohan pointed...

The Changeling Hive...

"I hoped to never see that place again!? Now what!?" Thorax asked.

"Oh, this is so strange. We're here and that's there, and I clearly meant for us to be there and not here." Discord said.

"Oh, I can probably explain..." Thorax said.

Discord stretched.

"Oh, well! If at first you don't succeed..." He said, about to snap.

But Starlight used her magic to stop that.

"Maybe we should come up with a plan first?" She asked.

Discord blew the magic away, but didn't snap.

"A what?" He asked.

"You know, figuring out the best way to do something before you actually do it." Trixie said condescendingly.

Then Discord laughed.

"Oh, that's adorable! But you see, unlike you, I can do anything." He said.

"Uh, actually-"

Discord put a finger to Thorax's face to hush him.

"That's all very nice, but really a waste of time. We have me. And what else could we possibly need?" He asked.

"...A reasonable plan." Gohan said.

"A draconequus with magic and half a brain might help." Trixie sneered.

"Why are you here again? I mean, it's not like you're going to stop the changelings by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. At least my magic can do something." Discord sneered.

"The thing about magic here-"

"Like this!" Discord interrupted, snapping his fingers.

Then he just spawned a flying pig, armor, and a rapier.

"For Fluttershy! Yah!" He yelled, and the pig darted ahead.

...Then his armor and the pig vanished into green dust, and Discord nearly had a hard fall.

He grabbed the edge of the cliff, though...

He got back up and snapped his fingers...

Another flying pig.

It flew ahead, and it turned to green dust again.

"I've been trying to tell you! Nothing other than changeling magic works here. Chrysalis' throne is carved from an ancient dark stone that soaks up outside magic the same way changelings soak up love. It's how she keeps the hive safe." Thorax said.

"Only magic, hmm?" Gohan asked.

"Nothing other than changeling magic works." Thorax repeated.

Gohan held one finger up.

"...What are you doing?" Discord asked.

Gohan created a tiny yellow ki blast at the tip of his palm...

"You have magic?" Starlight asked.

"Nope." Gohan said.

Then he just flicked it towards the castle.

Surprisingly, it did not vanish the moment it stepped in.

It broke a piece of rock on changeling territory.

"What!? That's not fair! How!?" Discord yelled.

"Probably because I don't even use magic." Gohan said.

"How does that make any sense?" Starlight asked.

"Thorax said it absorbs magic, not any energy." Gohan said.

"Yeah... but I don't know what you're using though." Thorax said.

"Now, if you don't mind..." Gohan said, stepping up to plate.

"I'm gonna take care of this myself." He said.

"Now hold on! You're not hogging all the glory!" Discord yelled.

"I'm not looking for glory, buddy. I just wanted to see my friend, but it just so happens that she's been kidnapped and I gotta save her now." Gohan said.

"You're gonna get lost in there." Thorax said.

"The hive is created with changeling magic, so only changelings can understand the maze that is the hive." He said.

"Just how confusing are we talking?" Gohan asked.

"Right is up, right is z, left is down, left is up, and left is right." Thorax said.

"Wha- That doesn't make any sense." Gohan said.

"Exactly!" Thorax said.

"Plus, if we can destroy the throne, Discord can take out the entire army with a sneeze!" Starlight said.

"I'm not doubting that. I like this plan." Gohan said.

"Only problem is, you'll all be practically defenseless..." He said.

"You handled those changelings without breaking a sweat." Trixie said.

"I'm not infallible. I'll just have to be extra careful." Gohan said.

"You all, come with me. We're gonna destroy that throne and murder the bastards that did this." He said.

"Whoa, whoa!" Starlight said.

"What?" Gohan asked.

"Watch your language!" Trixie said.

Of course, Gohan didn't see the "TV Y7" in the corner.

"That's not the problem." Discord said.

"What is the problem?" Thorax asked.

"Well, that's a terrible plan! How are we even supposed to get to the hive?" Discord asked.

"...By walking?" Gohan asked.

"I haven't walked that far in a millennia!" Discord complained.

"...You may have power, but you're the laziest person I've met." Gohan said.

"It's not even a kilometer!" Starlight said.

"Oh, metric system here. Cool." Gohan said.

---

They're walking, with Gohan in the lead.

Trixie second, Starlight third, Thorax fourth, and Discord last.

"Oh, I don't know how any of you manage not being able to disappear and reappear whenever you want!" Discord complained.

"It's really not that hard..." Gohan said.

"Well, I, for one, definitely miss you being able to disappear!" Trixie sneered.

"Give Discord a break. None of us knew we weren't going to be able to use magic." Starlight said.

"I did." Thorax said.

Now, behind a dead tree, everyone stopped.

"If we get separated, it might make sense to have a way to make sure we are who we say we are." Starlight said.

"Oh! Like a secret code!" Discord said.

"How about if I say 'we are' and you say 'doomed?' Or you say 'rescue' and I say..."

Then Discord tripped over a rock.

Falling to the ground.

"How about if we say 'klutzy' and you say 'draconequus?'" Trixie asked.

"Klutzy draconequus... Works for me." Starlight said.

"I'll definitely remember it." Thorax said.

"Heh. Once this is finished, Discord just might remember that." Gohan said.

Then Discord got himself up.

"Yes... I'll definitely remember..." He said, all sinister.

...

They're kinda scared, but...

"Alright... Now, we'll have to sneak in past the guards." Starlight said.

There were two armored changelings in front of the hive.

"Not to mention the other changelings." Trixie said.

Starlight chimed in.

"I suggest-"

An orange blur carried each and every one of them from point A to the point behind some giant rocks behind the guards.

"-...we take the long route...?" Starlight asked.

Gohan brought his voice down to a whisper.

"We're in enemy territory. They'd have the rear defended too. Also, keep your voices low." He whispered.

There's holes all over the hive.

"It's time for the riskiest thing we've ever done..." Starlight said.

"For you, maybe." Gohan said.

Next Chapter: The Rescue Attempt! Only One Remains... Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 40 Minutes