//------------------------------// // Breaking Dusk // Story: Son of Chaos // by twow443 //------------------------------// Chapter 12-Breaking Dusk Filthy Rich was in his library at the dead of midnight. He sighed as he was writing a letter. “Maybe this was a horrible idea.” he thought to himself. “Dad?” Filthy jumped as he heard a voice. He visibly relaxed as he saw that it was only Diamond standing in the doorway. “Diamond? What are you doing up?” He asked, standing up. “Don't you have school tomorrow?” The filly shook her head. “No, remember? It's closed until the sky is light at day again.” “Is something wrong?” he asked, walking over to his daughter. “Did you have a nightmare?” Diamond lowered her head. “No.” Filthy reached her and put a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up, her eyes flashing green. “I'm LIVING in one.” Filthy was confused, until he looked at her eyes again. They were solid green now. “Wait, GREEN?” he thought. “Oh, no.” Suddenly Diamond leapt up, shot toward Filthy and pinned him against the wall. She was levitating and her her hoof around his throat. Filthy gulped. “You-you aren't Diamond, are you?” “Took you a minute to figure that out, huh?” Diamond's voice changed to a male's voice. “Yeah, it's me, Shade. The so-called “evil” changeling.” “What do you want?” Filthy asked, trying not to tremble. “Hmm, I don't know.” Shade said, reverting his voice back to the filly's. “Maybe I'd like to know why you hate me. Or why you held a meeting to make others hate me. Or I want to know how in the BUCK you were bitten by a changeling!” Filthy flinched at the changeling's yell. He temporarily stopped breathing as he saw his daughter grow fangs. “Or maybe I just want to kill you.” Filthy knew that his life was in danger. “Well, if you did that, you wouldn't know anything.” Shade laughed. “You think I'm bluffing? Here's something I don't tell others. If I wanted, I could just rip those memories from your soul. Sure, it would leave you to be a soulless doll forever, but I think I could live with it.” He moved closer to bite him... “Wait! I'll tell you!” the earth pony cried, fearing for his life. “I had no choice!” The changeling tapped twice on Filthy's forehead, then dropped to the ground. Filthy found that he was essentially stuck to the wall. “Explain.” Shade said. “It was five days before you came to talk to me, you and Fluttershy.” he said. “I was visited by a strange red and black unicorn, or was it a Pegasus?” “Alicorn. Move on.” Shade calmly said. “Right. Anyway, he asked me how much Diamond meant to me.” Filthy said. “I told him the truth.” “And that was?” Shade asked. “She means more to me then anything.” Tears sprang to the pony's eyes. “So, he said that if he wished for her to continue living, that I needed to do as he asked.” “And what did he want?” Shade asked. Filthy sighed. “I needed to convince Ponyville to hate you.” He looked down at Shade. The changeling had raised an eyebrow, but was silent. So he continued. “I started at the bottom, the young ones. I convinced Diamond to spread a rumor about you, that you were just trying to get the changelings to return and gain power and that you had tricked the princesses. I knew that one of the fillies would tell you about it and that you would come here.” “And you wanted me to attack you.” Shade said, his face showing realization. Filthy slowly nodded. “I'd heard about your “flaring emotions.” I knew that it would be rather easy to anger you and then have a valid reason to kick you out. But I didn't expect you to bring Fluttershy with you.” Shade slowly said, “Either way, I would have only threatened you. It wasn't until you said, that about Fluttershy.” He looked up at him. “You really have no idea how close to death you were, do you?” As Filthy shook again, he asked. “One more question. Where did you get that bite?” “I don't remember.” As he saw fangs start to come out from Shade's mouth again, he repeated. “I really don't! It was dark, and I heard a muffled sound. I turned and didn't see anyone. I was going to continue on my way, and then I felt a sharp, horrible pain on my neck. I woke up the next morning in my kitchen.” Shade was quiet for a while, causing Filthy to wonder at what he was thinking. Finally he spoke, “Did that alicorn give you any idea to where he would be?” “Yes, he said he'd be visiting a friend for his millennial visit.” Filthy said, remembering the strange saying. “I didn't know what he meant.” Shade was quiet again, and then stomped the ground. As Filthy fell to the ground, Shade shifted out of his daughter’s form and into his unicorn form. “Thank you, Filthy. After this is over, I think that you should have a real talk with a changeling. And his mother.” Shade disappeared as Filthy rubbed the back of his neck. . . . I woke up as the sky lit up, a little bit. I could sense from the position of the sun that it was about eight in the morning. Sweetie Belle was still asleep next to me. I didn't want to go far away from Ponyville just so we could sleep. So I had set up a cloud in above the field I trained in. I had cast a cloud-walking spell and a heating spell on Sweetie so she wouldn't freeze or fall though it. I sat there for a moment, watching Sweetie. It didn't seem fair that she had been dragged into all of this. But the problem was, if I had sent her back she would have to deal with all the questions that I knew she would get. I wasn't terribly worried about her being in danger. I knew what I needed to do, and I planned to have her be safe. I realized something as I watched her sleep. She trusted me completely, just like Fluttershy did. Neither of them had any reason to, but they did. I smiled as I figured out that Discord's plan was to make me just want to leave. And frankly, I had wanted to. But I knew that even I had to leave to fight him, I would return. I reached out towards Sweetie with my senses and saw that she was going to wake up soon. I shifted into my fake pegasus form and leapt off to find us some food. . . . “Rarity would never let me have this for breakfast!” Sweetie exclaimed, chowing down on a hay burger I had gotten for her. “Yet another reason she's going to hate me later.” I said with a wink. The filly just laughed and kept eating. I had headed into town and saw that McHays was open. I had no idea that it was open at all hours of the day. I had a few bits that I had taken with me from the castle, so I had grabbed something for us. I needed to hurry because I could sense an extremely magical presence in the area, namely Twilight. So I had gotten the food and booked it out of there. “Either way, it was too dangerous.” Sweetie reprimanded me. “I could have gotten some food from my house..” I shook my head. “And have Rarity corner you and pelt you with questions? There's no way I could have gotten you out of there.” Sweetie tapped her horn. “Magic?” “Not if Twilight was there.” I said. “She is much stronger then me there.” “You could always change into her and use her power.” Sweetie said. “Yeah, but that would drain me quickly.” I said. “I have to save my strength.” Sweetie's face lit up. “Oh, is this it? Do you know where he has the princess?!” “I think.” I finished the last of my hay fries and took a drink of water. “Here's the thing. Discord wants me to find him, right?” Sweetie nodded. “I think so.” I continued. “Here's the thing though. When he captured my mother, he sent me to Ponyville and knocked me out for two days. Why would he make me miss two days?” “So..he could set something up?” Sweetie guessed. “Yeah!” I yelled. “See, if he was just taking her somewhere far away, he could have just left. But I didn't SEE him leave the castle! So that could mean....” Sweetie started jumping in excitement. “He has Princess Celestia at Canterlot!” I smiled. “He must have done that whole thing with Diamond's father because he knew that it would slow me up! I need to get to Canterlot!” “You mean, WE do.” I started to talk, but she raised her hoof. “Uh-uh. We haven't FOUND Discord yet, we just know where he is. I'm still coming.” I sighed. “Fine. You are heading straight to Rarity’s as soon as I see my father's face.” Sweetie smiled, but then frowned. Right. I had never told her who my father was. “So...” “I don't get it.” I said. “I've thought it over and over. There's no way that Celestia and Discord would have a foal. But I can feel the sun rushing though me. That's how I always know what time it is. And I can feel chaos.” I put my hoof on my chest. “It's in there. But how?” “Let's find him.” Sweetie said. “Then we'll get some answers.” I nodded. Sweetie started to pack up the food. I had fueled up on emotions in town, so I was fine. Concentrating, my mane shot out and became rainbow colored, as did my mane. My horn disappeared and two cyan wings popped out of my back. My coat also became a blue color and my eyes turned a rosy color. Sweetie was giving me a weird look. “I've never seen you do it that slow before. Why did you do that?” I cleared my voice and said in Rainbow's voice. “If I take my time with a shift, it's easier to use their abilities. It also doesn't drain me as fast to use them.” “Are we taking a trip then?” Sweetie asked. “Yup. Nonstop flight to Canterlot Castle, leaving now!” I said. Sweetie giggled and hopped on my back. I reared back and we took off. . . . Sweetie and I landed at the front of the castle about an hour later. Surprisingly, it didn't look different. At all. “Well, this is disappointing.” Sweetie said. “I was expecting a giant banner to say, “Welcome Home.” I nudged the filly playfully. “Very funny. Stay here for a second.” She nodded and I shot up into the air. I landed on a cloud, shifting into my unicorn form, and teleported back to Sweetie. “There.” “Why did you do that?” Sweetie asked. “Cause of this. Hop on.” Sweetie hopped on my back and we walked toward the door. Now the palace guards were instructed to not let anyone in unless they had a invitation. That was because Celestia and Luna had needed a break after the announcement that I was the son of the sun princess. Not for me however. I nodded to the guards and we walked right in. “How did you do that?” Sweetie asked. “I'm the son of Celestia.” I said. “Comes in handy when ponies get past the fact that I'm a changeling.” She nodded and we continued on. As we walked down the main hall, up to the stairs that led to the personal quarters of the castle, Sweetie must have seen something because she hopped off my back. She trotted over to one of the guards. “Hello? Hello!” “Good luck.” I said, seeing something weird on the ground. “They will NOT talk unless one of the family speaks to them first. I tried a lot before I knew I was Celestia's son.” Intrigued by what was on the ground, I shifted into Rainbow again and lifted into the air. I heard Sweetie say hello a few more times, and then she was quiet. “Shade?” she said in a scared tone. “I don't think he's....alive.” “What do you mean?” I shot over to her. I tapped the guard, and saw something truly frighting. He was made of stone. “Oh, no.” I shot into the air again, and saw that there was a message on the ground. “What does it say?” Sweetie called up. “It says, “This is how I felt. Now you will feel the same.”” I said, shivering. “He turned everypony to stone.” Sweetie paled. “But that could mean...” She stopped as we heard hoofsteps. I landed in front of her and shifted back to normal. “Stay back. Hide over here.” She nodded and hide behind the petrified guard. I walked to the middle of the room, looking around for anypony. “So you finally returned.” In burst of light, I was knocked away as a white unicorn appeared where I had been standing. My vision was blurry but I remembered the voice. “Blueblood?” True enough, the white unicorn was standing in the middle of the room. “Yes. And it's nice that you showed your alien face around here again.” Blueblood and I had never truly gotten along. Things had gotten even more tense between us after I had discovered that I was Celestia's son. Now, I had no idea what he was planning. “Wait, why weren't you turned to stone?” “Because I didn't need to be.” He arrogantly said. “Come again?” I asked. Then, completely out of nowhere, two beautiful white wings extended from Blueblood's sides. My eyes widened and I was in complete shock. “Um. WHAT?” “Please, do not act like it is such a surprise. You also have wings and a horn.” he replied. “I'm a changeling! We're born like that!” I yelled at him. “You are a unicorn! How the hay do you have wings?!” “Well, I guess your FATHER decided to help me out.” Blueblood shot at me. “He instructed me to detain you, so that he could prepare something for you. But, you know what? I think I might just rid Equestria of your miserable presence!” Something was wrong. Blueblood was a jerk, but he never harbored murderous thoughts toward me. Discord had to have been manipulating his emotions. Suddenly, Blueblood dashed at me, stuck me in the jaw, and propelled me upwards. A flash of pain rushed though me. I glanced downwards and saw Blueblood racing straight up at me. Thinking fast, I flipped around and slammed my back hoof into his face, sending him straight down. I sprouted wings and gently landed. WHAM! I was shot into the wall. Blueblood had gotten up and was firing laser blasts at me. I ducked behind a pillar as he shot at me. I flash teleported to the other end of the room. “Right.” I thought. “He isn't fighting like Twilight. I need to end this quickly, but what do I need?” I ducked as a blast from Blueblood's horn punched a crater in the wall. I thought hard. “Fear!” I jumped, only to duck again. “Let's use the gift I was given.” As Blueblood came toward me again, I flash teleported to the other side of the room. Then, I reached into his soul. I shuddered. It was cold, so very cold. I wasn't trying to take emotions from him. I was trying to put them IN. I reached within myself, and found it. My fears. The fear of not being accepted, the fear of dying. The fear of losing Fluttershy. I took them all and FORCED them into Blueblood's soul. Every shred of fear I had, I pushed into the unicorn. He froze, and trembled. “What...NO!” I rushed at him, grabbed him around the neck and slammed him into the ground. I then lifted him up with magic. “Don't you EVER threaten me again. GOT THAT?!” I yelled, my fangs extended. He nodded, crying from his fear. I then bit him in the shoulder, and chucked him towards the wall. He slammed into it so hard, he left a imprint on it. I sank to the ground, hearing hoofsteps run up to me. “Shade?! Are you okay?” In relief, I felt her worry rush over me, healing me. “I am now.” I stood up and we looked at my cousin. His wings turned into dust and floated away. “Come on Sweetie.” I said. “Will he be okay?” the filly asked me, I nodded. “I only chucked him into a wall. He's a stubborn pony. He won't let something like that stop him.” “How do you know that?” she asked me as I motioned for her to hop on my back. I smiled. “Because we've done that before.” “But, you bit him!” Sweetie exclaimed. “It only knocked him out. Trust me.” We headed up the stairs. . . . Sweetie and I finally reached the throne room. Sweetie hopped off my back as we moved closer to the thrones. When we reached them, I gently rubbed my mother's throne. “I'm sorry. I'll fix this.” Sweetie was over by the windows. “Hey Shade. This is a nice one.” I walked over to it. The glass showed my aunt, Luna. She was in a position like she was sleeping. But I saw that her eyes, she looked upset. I reached up and touched the window, and then froze. I backed up, dragging Sweetie with me. “Sweetie.” I said. If I told you that when I returned you that you needed to tell Twilight to bring the Elements of Harmony to the castle, could you do it?” “Sure, but why?” Sweetie asked me. I looked at my hoof. “The window was warm.” Sweetie's eyes widened. “How? It's been cooler because of no sun.” I ran over to Celestia's throne and jumped on top of it. “Discord turned her into a window. He's watching us right now.” Sweetie shivered. “How do you know?” I quickly cast a spell to chain Sweetie to the portal in my room. “He's the ground.” On the ground was a giant painting of a draconequus. It's finger was pointed upwards. I looked at the ceiling and saw a painting of a snow white alicorn. Then one thing happened. One thing to make me activate the spell and send Sweetie flying towards the portal in my bedroom. The draconequus painting winked and pointed in front of me. I looked and saw a red banner. I paled when I read the words on it. It said, “Welcome Home.”