Celestia stood in the doorway, gazing upon the five ponies laid out upon the hospital beds. Their eyes were dull and their strength gone. All thanks to the effects of Tirek's magic.

Celestia shut her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"This is all his fault," she lamented. "He never should have come to Equestria."

A voice laughed, echoing through the halls.

"Well, I know he's set on taking all the magic," it said in a sing-song mocking tone. "But you've never taken that particular tone with anyone, Celestia. Not even me!"

Celestia turned, glowering at the reformed Spirit of Chaos. Admittedly, he didn't look in the best of shape: his deer antler was broken off, his clothes were in shreds, multiple scales on his reptilian leg were gone, the fur on his lion arm and his horse-like leg were singed, and three of his five eagle talons were broken. But the light of mischief still shined bright in his dull red eyes.

"Discord, I am not in the mood for your games today," Celestia said, glancing down at his injuries with concern. "And I can't see how you can be in the mood either."

"For once, Celestia, I'm not," Discord replied, wincing as he lifted his broken talons. "But even if Tirek takes everything from me, I'll be consigned to Tartarus before I let him take my sense of humor!"

"He attacked you as well?" Celestia asked, concern creeping into her voice.

Discord huffed, leaning against the wall for support. "When I found out that he took the magic of my dear Fluttershy, I... went to have a little chat."

Celestia quirked an eyebrow. "Would that chat have included getting her magic back?" she asked. "Maybe even the others?"

He smirked. "You'd have liked that, wouldn't you?" His grin faded. "Unfortunately, he was even stronger than the last time we tangoed."

Celestia deflated, already seeing the dull look in his eyes. "He took your magic instead," she realized.

Discord laughed bitterly. "So astute, Detective Celestia. I'd offer you a treat, but you said it yourself!" With a huff, he started limping away.

"Where are you going?"

"Normally, I'd be at Fluttershy's side right now," he growled. "But showing up as this?" He indicated his battered state. "Forgive me if I don't want to add worry to everything she's dealing with. I'll see her once I'm a little more... presentable." He waved his talons, before remembering his magic was gone. Groaning, he limped his way to general med. "Ugh, I've never liked walking," he muttered as he limped. "How do you manage it so often? My feet are killing me!"

The princess sighed, turning from the chaos spirit and gazing at Twilight's friends again. After a moment of contemplation, she grit her teeth in anger, storming out of the hospital.

"This is your fault, Williams," Celestia seethed, her hair beginning to spark with small embers of orange flames. "And I swear to Faust that when these changelings are dealt with, I will throw you into the deepest pits of Tartarus where you belong."

She felt a shudder of pleasure run through her mind at the thought, leaving her unaware of several orbs of magic entering the hospital. As Celestia stormed away, she was unaware of the orbs gently settled into their respective owners. One by one, their eyes opened, the color returning to their bodies. Rainbow Dash's wings flared. Applejack's fists clenched. Rarity's horn glowed. Fluttershy's eyes narrowed. Pinkie Pie's mane puffed back up.

And when Discord felt the feeling of his orb settling into him, he experimentally snapped his fingers, and was rewarded with a cotton candy cloud. A wicked grin spread across his features.

"Oh-ho, Celestia, my dear," he whispered. "You should be careful who you blame for this."

---

"Mother Fucker!!!" I spat, my chainsaw bouncing off the cell door. After an hour of sawing, I had only made a quarter inch cut. I kicked at the door again.

"Chrysalis!" I bellowed. "Let Twilight go!!! I know you can hear me, you Bug Bitch!"

At first, nothing happened. Silence was my only answer. I growled and paced around the cell, feeling like a captured wolf.

Then an idea came to me. Settling into a corner, I lay my head down and shut my eyes to slits, pretending to sleep. Still nothing happened. But I kept still and waited for something to happen.

Hours passed. I started to feel like I was drifting off. Struggling to pretend to sleep without actually sleeping was a challenge.

When I actually started to doze, I jolted awake. And saw the cell door ajar.

I scrambled to my feet, just in time to see Chrysalis lunging at me, her teeth bared like a vampire. Rolling out of the way, I revved my chainsaw as the changeling queen's head cracked against the wall. As she reeled, I brought my chainsaw up with a roar and brought it down hard on her neck.

Her blood splashed across my chest and sprayed on the ground as her head rolled across the floor. Smirking, I shut the chainsaw off and seized her head.

"You want to know something, Chrissy?" I asked it, my heart still slamming in my chest as I stared into her dead eyes. "I'm going to enjoy carving your children into sushi!"

Kicking the head like a soccer ball, I bounced it into the door, opening it completely.

"Bitch," I added, running out of the door and through the hive.

A few changelings lunged out for me, but my chainsaw made good on my vow. It only took about five of them getting sliced up for the rest to get the hint and back off.

"Twilight!" I bellowed. "Where are you?"

I eventually reached a set of stairs. At the bottome was a set of doors. At the very end was a set of double doors with ornate carvings on them.

"Yeah, you're probably in there," I noted, kicking the door down.

My blood ran cold at what I found inside. A table stained red with blood. Stained purple fur sat scattered across the mess. But what made my blood go cold was the pair of severed wings and broken horn lying next to it.

"͂L̙ͦo͉o͋k̻ͬs̜ͭ ̮l̦ikeͅ yö́uͪ'͉̐r̮ȇ͉ ͆to͑o ̮̄late,̜ ͗Wͯi̦l͂l̍a̾im̞̀s̹ͬ.̗"

I slowly turned, struggling to keep my jaw from falling and a whimper of horror from escaping me. Queen Chrysalis stood before me, her head reattached... and a familiar book in her arms. A book bound with purple flesh. With a star on the back.

She opened it with a smirk, and began to read.

"YOU BITCH!!!!!" I shrieked. I lunged forward, ready to carve her into as many pieces as I could. But I didn't even get to take a step before pain exploded from my chest.

Looking down ,I saw a black clawed hand clenching my still beating heart. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a pair of pure white eyes with a black crown on his head.

"Y͗ouͪ won'͖ͮt ̤b̘e͚͌ l̩̽ay͈i͗n̹̒g̞ a͔ ̮s̆i̋ńgͅḽ͛e̠ ͗s͇c͕r̦a̓t̖c̦ḧ́ ͍ͤo̦ṇ͂ ̙͂m̠̃y̳ ̉Q̖̏uee̙ṅ͙,ͬ"̘ ͐the figure growled, crushing my heart into pulp and sending another spasm through my body. "̟Bͧu̝͂t̺ ̟do͐n͇̿'͙t͉͒ w̖ͬo̅rͥr̙̉y. ̺̅Y̝ͬo̳u̳ ca̋n͂ jo͇i̖n ̖y̮o̿urͩ ͉ͥp̅rin̹̆c̥ḛs͚̍s̙͌.͇̋"̝̈ The figure grinned. "İ̳̉nͧ̍ ́D̼͌ea̫ͥ̔ͅt̟̽h̰̘͒!͙͈͛̃"̲̋

He yanked his fist from my chest. The ground rose up to meet me...

And I snapped awake.

"Twilight!" escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Sweat poured down my entire body. My heart hammered, thankfully uncrushed and still in my chest.

"͚ͨ̔S͇̔o͙̯ͬ.̍.͚.̂"̞̫ a voice whispered.

I lunged towards it, glowering at the sight of Chrysalis. Smiling smugly as her horn glowed with a sickly green.

"̭̓H͓o̘w'd ͬy͚ͨoͫu̱ ̮liͩk̀e͔ ̞tḥ̑eͯ dͭrͫe̊aͯm ̓e͔ͯn͚̋c̞͆hant̔m̺ͧe͕n͉̽t̐ ̌I̫ ̮pͪla̱̓c̤eͨd͉ͬ ̺wͮi͋th̯i̤n͈̿ ̞t͌hi̹s̳ r̰oo͂m͍͋?͋ͅ"̗͒ she asked. "̪͛No̮ͤt̆ ͣẽ̹v̏eͧn a̘ ͍ͭm̊ag̈́ỉc̈́ ͓̓r̅e͈ͯpe̒l̚l̮ïń̦g̝͂ ̪r̻i͑n̠g̜͋ ͍ͣć̹an ̍s̩̀t̟o̚p̿ ͇itͯ,"̼ she added with a cackle.

"Go to hell!" I snarled, hating how shaky my voice was after that nightmare.

"̑Bͯe̎ê̪n͌ ̗̎t̟h̺̏e͐r͉̀e̪ be̯ͭf̤͋o̫͒r̎e̳,̘ͦ" she replied, checking her nails. "̹͒N̰ot̍ ̔my̫ ̫c̍ṵp ̗̓o̹͛f̦͗ ̓te̹a̬ͤ.̤ͫ"̍ She smirked at me out of the corner of her eyes. "I͕͛t͎'̆s̟̔ ͗o̮͗n͎ͯl͔y͐ ̝͛a m͈̂ãtt͊erͫ o͂ḟ t̃im̙eͦ ̥ͬb̙e̚f̈o̓re ̫yoǘṛͮ ̣͒wi̎l͚̈́l̠ ͍͒b͍ͭr͎ë͔́ak̲s͉ ͌ḁ̆n͇̔d͌ ̠ͩy͙̅ò̫ũ̥ shoẉ ͚̓m̼̌e ̎ͅwͅh͚a͂ẗ́ ̦I̖ ͪw͊aͣn̯t̲ ̗to ̽kń̦ow. ̔T͔͑r̝ǘs̭t͎ ṃẻ̮. ̼Evͭe͐ͅr̈́yṕ̪o̒ny͔ ̟̐has̰ ͕th̹ē̪i͐r b͑r̫eaͤk͆i͌n̅g̿ͅ ͚̑p͔̈o̮i̞͋ń̝t.̙"͋ She turned away. "͚̋You ̯̽ar̔e͕ ̂n͍͗o e̒x̘ċ͓e͉ptͫi͙̾o͇n̞̔.̿"

Her laugh echoed down the hall.

"T̎họs͓ͬe̒ n̘ig͍h̗͐t̥̀m̝ȧr̰e͑s͖ͦ ͓w̠͒i̇ll ͙̈hap̥pe̋n̝̆ ̺eͯvḛ̑r̟̒yͯtḯ͈m̬e͒ ̩yö̙u͓ ͑s͔̍l͖ͭe̼ep̼ͥ.ͩ ̱͂And̲̅ ͮt͎heÿ́ w͇i̳͋l̯l͇͆ g̺̓etͪ ̳w̅ͅo̹ͤȓ̺s̟e̪ ̭t̮͆ha͎n̂ ̱̃ṯh̫eͥ ͎̿l̬̑aͥs̲ͯt̍ ̳ͯe͛v̰e̽ȑ͙yͥ ͭn̺͑iͬg͚͊ht̮̿.̬"̹ She added, before she was out of my sight. I leaned my head against the door with a growl.

"Shining," I whispered. "You better hurry up and get here with an army."

---

For nine nights, I suffered. I struggled valiantly to stay awake, but even with nothing to do, my body found ways of shutting down. And the minute it did, I was plagued with the queen's magic induced nightmares.

Every time, I would see Twilight die. Disembowlment. Impalement. Burning alive as she screamed my name. And no comfort came from managing to snap awake.

On the tenth night, I failed to even jolt awake. I rode the queen's nightmare to its gruesome end, my eyes struggling to open through the crust of dried tears staining my face.

"Please," I whispered, utterly done. "Stop it."

I knew she was nearby. Enjoying my suffering. Watching me break. And at that point... I just didn't care. I had watched Twilight get disintegrated, torn apart, and worse. I couldn't take anymore.

"Just make it stop... Queen Chrysalis," I flat out begged.

She came out of the shadows, grinning smugly as her horn lit up.

"L̞͌ikë I̜͑ ̯̆s̮a̹i̱d,͛" she replied. "̒E̤v̏e͍r̐yp̼̂oͯn͉ͨy ̌has̏ ̤̏a ̱͛ḇr͈e̠ḁk̼i͐ñ̜g poin͉t. ̣̂Ẽ̼vên̼ͣ ̲ͩy̚o̤̓ů.̟"̓

Her aura settled over me. I felt my body move on it's own. I started walking. Following her out of the cell.

'Nows my chance, a tiny part of my mind whispered. I can cut her down right now!'

But my arm didn't move. Exhaustion pulled on it worse than gravity.

Damnit man, get a hold of yourself! my thoughts screamed. You have to resist. You have to pull yourself together for Twilight!

I started to slow down, but Chrysalis turned, frowning as I resisted.

"̘ͥFol͇l͔o̠ͯw̺ ̠͆ṁe͍,̼͊ ͇m̼̄y̦ ̍p̘e̓t͖," she ordered.

Her voice brought back flashes of the nightmares. Resignation pulled me forward. Forced me to say... "Yes, my Queen."

'What the fuck did you just say?! my thoughts screamed. FUCK!!! You can't be under her control!'

We ventured through the hive, passing changelings who watched my broken form in awe. They parted before Chrysalis, gazing at her with adoration.

Eventually, we stopped at a pair of doors that my nightmares had made me quite familiar with. I stepped inside, almost resigned to the sight of Twilight ripped apart or about to be ripped apart.

But she wasn't. She lay whole and unhurt on the table. Unconscious, admittedly, but still looking so peaceful, despite everything. It sent a surge of relief through me, chasing away the horror of those nightmares.

"Ash!" someone yelled.

I tried to look back, but Chrysalis slammed the door shut. Her spell pulled on me like a weight, and my head hung back down like a dog whipped into obedience. The queen pointed at Twilight.

"̚T̫̾akͯȅ͖ ̌i̻tͭ ̫off͉!͊" she ordered.

I sneered, struggling against the spell. "Take what off... my queen?" I growled, wanting to add, 'Her clothes? You pervert!' and wishing I could've left out the 'my queen.'

"̋ͅThi͐s͈ ͗pon͔ͧy̲ ̼ͮha̠s̜ ̊s̥om̘e͎̋ ͍̅k̔i̤nd̒ ͊o̹f t͐rͥi̪nͦk̍ë́t͉̒ ͕a͙ͪř͍ỏ̝u͙͊n͐d ̎h̞ͫer̋ n̩ȅ̗c̥k̦ͫ,͂" Chrysalis ordered, pointing at the cross sitting innocently on Twilight's chest. "̥Ta̐k͇̀ḛ̊ ̒it͚̿ ͗o̩͌ffͩ!"̳

"As you wish."

God, I sounded like Wesley from Princess Bride.

I had to resist. This wasn't me! I couldn't let that cross be taken off. But my body moved against my mind's will, reaching out for the cross.

'Don't you dare!' my thoughts screamed. 'No... no-no-no-NO!'

But then... white bolts of electricity shot from the cross. My attempts slowed. The cross lay undisturbed on her neck.

'Oh, thank God!' I thought with relief. 'As long as I'm under demonic powers, not even I can touch it!'

But despite my thoughts, my hand was still struggling towards the cross. It was still going to try and pull it off! My movements were slow, but they were still making progress.

'No, stop you idiot! Don't!' my thoughts pleaded, wanting to look up to heaven. 'God please help I need a miracle now more than ever!'

Apparently, the Almighty was listening. Suddenly, the building shook. Sounds of gunfire and magic blasts emanated from outside.

"Ash!" Shining Armor's voice cried. "Twilight!"

"̰͐NO!̫"̼ͨ Chrysalis stammered. For once, she looked panicked. "͊Iͧ ̟can'̀t̙͆ ̙f̅en̤d͔̈ ̘ͫtͭh̙eͫm̰ ofͬf͛ ͌ and ͔̽m̖͛ai̭n̼̒tăi͒n ̙t̖ͩh͕e ̑c̪ͩon̆t̻r̝o͂l̐ sp͇e̼ḽl̋!" She looked around, before her eyes landed on me. "Gͅȍ!̖ͦ ̟Ki̩l̄l͋ ̠͒thẽm̫ a̞̔ḻlͅ!̬"̭

I sighed in relief as my body turned from Twilight's still protected body. My relief faded as I yanked the chord, and my chainsaw roared to life.

Leaving the room, I climbed the stairs against my will. It didn't take long for me to run into Shining Armor. Twilight's friends were right behind him. Strangely, he was also in cuffs.

"Ash?" Shining asked, staring at my eyes in surprise.

'You gotta run, man!' I tried to speak. I tried to send the message through my eyes. But I think he also go the message when my body placed the tip of the chainsaw against the wall. The chainsaw revved, sending sparks flying behind me.

His eyes widened in realization. "Oh, Faust..." he whispered.

'Sorry, man,' I thought as he turned from me.

"He's under Chrysalis's mind control! Run!"

My body lunged forward, ready to pursue them. My chainsaw's roar was worse than a dragon.

---

"So... that wierd contraption out there belongs to that creature Tirek was carryin'?" The Sheriff of Appleoosa asked.

Shining Armor ran a hand down his face. "For the sixth time," he growled. "YES!"

"But... how does he pull such a contraption?" the Sheriff demanded. "I don't see reigns for any of those fancy smancy mounts!"

"For the last time, Sheriff Silverstar," Shining Armor struggled not to growl. "The car belongs to Ash, but it isn't important!"

"Right," Silver Star stammered, noticing the anger in the prince's voice. "Ahm sorry Prince Armor, eh... what'd ya need again?"

Shining Armor snapped his fingers at the Sheriff, keeping him from straying back to the Delta. "Just tell me where Tirek went." He glanced back at the boomstick. "I lost the both of them trying to retrieve his boomstick." His anger faded as he blushed. "And... figuring out how to brake." He gave a sheepish but relieved glance at the Delta's thankfully undented hood. "So, I just gotta know if you saw where he went."

"Right... right..." the Sheriff said, bopping his head as he motioned one of his deputies over. Together, they brought Shining Armor over to a large map on the wall of their office.

The deputy - a red pegasus with a gray mane and an cutie mark displaying an orange sun over a pair of black wings - peered at the map in intrigue.

"Now listen here, Solar," Silver Star declared. "I want you to show the Prince where you and that native girl lost sight of the centuar."

"Well Sheriff," Solar explained. "Me and Little Strongheart followed Tirek here." The Deputy pointed at a spot about forty-seven miles from Appleloosa. "Then Lord Tirek up and just... vanished."

"Vanished?" Shining Armor asked.

"Um... yes sir. That's what I said, sir," The Deputy answered, his eyes darting around nervously.

"Then if that's true than the hive is somewhere around... here," Shining figured, pointing a little bit ahead of where Solar had pointed. "But that doesn't explain how Tirek just vanished."

"Actually it does."

The stallions spun, their eyes widening in alarm. Princess Celestia stepped through, followed by Princess Luna and the Mane Five.

"C-Celestia," Silver Star and Solar stammered, quickly bowing before her.

"What many don't know about changelings," Celestia continued to explain. "Is their ability to hide their more larger hives. The magic substance that comes from their body when making a hive gives the stone-like slime the ability to hide the hive within a range of thirty feet in all directions."

Shining glanced over at the Mane Five. All of them were decked out for battle. Even Fluttershy held a very thick shield that had to be enchanted with a weight spell so she could wield it.

"And I'm assuming you're going to take it on," Shining guessed.

"Correct," Celestia replied with a smile. "Thank you for locating the hive, Captain Armor." She adjusted the golden armor on her figure. "Now we can lead a raid upon the Hive. And rescue our fellow princess."

Shining hesitated. "What about Ash?"

Celestia's eye twitched at the sound of his name. Shining stepped back, but Celestia forced her smile back into place, turning to the others.

"Tell the army the Hive is forty-seven miles north-east from Appleloosa," she declared. "We move out as soon as possible."

"Right away," Luna agreed, ushering the Mane Five out.

"Princess," Shining insisted, going after Celestia. "What. About. Ash?"

Celestia shivered again, her grin turning into more of a glower.

"We are only here to rescue Twilight," she said firmly. "Her bodyguard is not the priority." She turned to him. "Now come. Join us in the attempt to rescue your sister."

But Shining Armor stood firm. "Celestia, with all due respect, Ash is just as important as Twilight."

"Shining Armor," Celestia said, struggling not to snarl. "Williams is nothing to us, and you are a foal to waste any energy worrying about him. Now, you will lead this raid..."

But she was cut off as the sound of metal rang at her feet. She looked down; Captain Armor had thrown the star shield badge that signaled his rank at her feet. She glared up at him.

"Captain Armor..." she growled. "Explain."

"I never thought I'd ever have to say this," Shining said, glaring right back into her growing glare. "But... you're wrong, Celestia. Ash is my friend. More importantly, he's done more to help Twilight than you ever have. And I'd gladly lose my rank and title before leaving him to die."

Celestia's eyes narrowed, briefly flashing gold. A shiver of red sparks went through her mane.

"Sheriff Silverstar," she declared, causing the sheriff to stand at attention. "Arrest Shining Armor."

Silver Star blinked, looking between the two. "B-But..."

Celestia shot a dark glare his way, and the Sheriff yelped.

"A-At once, Princess," he whimpered, he and his deputies racing to Shining's side. "Sorry, Captain," he whispered, pulling out his cuffs.

Shining backed away from them. "Celestia!" he barked. But she had already turned her back on him.

"I will deal with your treason when we return with your sister," she said coldly. She walked out, her hair scorching the roof as she walked under it.

"Celestia, you can't do this," Shining yelled, being held back by Silver Star.

"Sorry, Captain, but the Princess said..." Silver Star insisted. But Shining pressed him regardless.

"You don't know what you're bringing my men into!" Shining Armor yelled, the deputies struggling to pull him towards a cell. "You bring them in there without Ash, they'll die!"

But Celestia was long gone. And even if she heard him, she likely didn't care.

Next Chapter: Breaking Free Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 54 Minutes