Dash avoided the glare in her friends eyes. “I told you, I can't tell you what's going on. Even if I did, you wouldn't thank me.“
And with those words, Dash ran off into the back of the train, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. With the door closed, everypony in the train got quiet, a rare occurrence with the ponies assembled.
“Rarity, was it really necessary t’ push the poor girl like that?” Applejack said, adding a slight glare to the words for emphasis.
“Well, I for one am simply dreading the loss of a work day! I mean, it's half a days ride there, and then half a days ride back. An. Entire. Day. Thats like a week! And that's not even counting the time spent in Canterlot!” Rarity whined.
“Sugar cube, whatever is going on, it's got her in tears. That ought to be worth a trip to Canterlot, if only to find out what's hurting her.” AJ said in a distracted voice, trying to figure out what in the hay was going on.
She knew Dash. She'd never break down over something simple. She was too tough, or at least she tried to act like it. Buck, she'd known Dash almost as long as Fluttershy had, and she'd only seen Dash break down on two occasions, both when her friends were in danger, or were missing.
Once when they were in the Everfree forest she had let her guard down and had gotten hurt. She would've never made it out of the forest alive if it weren't for Dash. Apparently Dash was the only one who had noticed within an hour that AJ was missing. And later, when she still wasn't back, she had gone and searched for her.
They had agreed to never speak of it again. Being the Element of Loyalty, she'd kept her promise, along with others.
And then there was the other time. Scootaloo had gone in for her flight test, the one that would've allowed her to get a job in the weather patrol. Rainbow Dash had absolutely freaked when she didn't come back the next day. Or the next. Or the next.
She still hadn't came back.
Shaking her head to clear the thoughts that were clouding her mind, and of a stray thought that she really didn't want to even be thinking of as a possibility.
“Yes, well. I don't see how a problem of Rainbow Dash's would involve us getting on a train and heading the capital at seven in the morning!”
Applejack opened her mouth to tell Rarity off, but Pinkie beat her to it, in one of her rare, serious moments.
“Of course it would be our problem Rarity. Dash is our friend, and if she's so upset the she's actually crying, which means that she's really sad, then we've got to see if there's anything that we can do to help her smile!” Pinkie said.
Applejack nodded, glad that Pinkie was taking this seriously. Well, as serious a Pinkie Pie could ever be. Rarity actually was quiet. Opening her mouth to add to what Pinkie had said, Applejack was once again interrupted by Pinkie Pie.
“Of course, usually I would try my ways of cheering somepony up but something tells me that they wouldn't cheer her up. I mean, usually a good party would make anypony smile, and in dire cases a song could also be used! Not that you need to be sad to enjoy a song.”
“Pinkie.”
“And like I said, I don't think that the would cut it. My Pinkie-Sense has been going off all morning.”
“Pinkie.”
“What?” Pinkie said, completely oblivious to the fact that she had been talking too much.
“Would ya mind giving me some time to talk to Rarity too?” Applejack said, smiling slightly.
“Okay!”
And with that, Pinkie went back to staring out the window, humming a song that everypony in Equestria knew, but nopony could explain why they all knew it.
Turning back to Rarity, Applejack held a neutral expression, showing neither anger or any other emotion in her face.
“Well, I don't know about you, but when a friend of mine is upset, I would drop everything and go to the extreme ends of the Earth to help them anyway I can. Canterlot isn't too far away. I'm upset about losing a day of work on the farm, but things happen.” Applejack said giving quite a speech, her poker face not extending to her tone of voice
Rarity had the decency to look ashamed, smiling sheepishly at AJ.
“Looks like I've been outnumbered.” She started, getting a look from Applejack. “Don't get me wrong here. I know that I can be a bit... much. Sorry about before.”
“Ah, t’aint nothing that we haven't dealt with 'fore. We've all just gotten used to your whining.” Applejack said teasingly.
“It's not whining! It was complaining!” She replied, rolling her eyes at the old joke. “You know, that was funny, oh, the first fifty times...”
“Sorry, just try'n to lighten the mood. Say, anypony seen Twilight?” Applejack said, voicing the question that they were all thinking.
“I haven't seen her since last night. Have you Pinkie?”
“No I haven't. She came over to Sugar Cube Corner and picked up some cupcakes. Not sure what they were for.” She let out a loud gasp. “What if she was throwing a party and didn't invite us‽”
“I don't think so, Pinkie. This is Twilight that we're talking about.” Rarity said, shaking her head.
“What? Twilight loves my parties! Well, I guess she loves other pony's parties, but I've never seen her attend a different pony's party before. Maybe while she lived in Canterlot?” Pinkie said in a rush, the time not affecting her at all.
“That's not what I'm saying Pinkie. I'm just saying that Twilight isn't the type of mare to just throw a random party. Even if she did, do you really think that she wouldn't invite her friends?” Rarity said.
Laughing, Pinkie shook her head. “Good point Rarity. Besides even if she did throw an awesomely awesome party, I would know. You ever hear the old saying?”
“Which old saying?” Applejack said, interested now.
“Oh, the one that I've heard the tourist pony telling the tourists interested in the Ponyville Community. 'Everypony knows everypony and almost everything happening in Ponyville.' That one's always stuck with me. Sorta like all the stories and sayings my Grandma told me.”
“Pinkie, of all the things... Oh, forget it.” Rarity said, grinning.
The contrast between her words and her tone of voice broke the tension in the moving train. Looking at each other, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity all burst out laughing, their earlier argument forgotten.
//|b0d|\\
On the outside of the train, Dash rubbed at her eyes, which were wet with tears still threatening to overflow. Laughter floated out from inside.
“Sounds like they're having a good time.” She said to no one in particular.
Would she ever laugh again if they couldn't find Twilight? Would any of them laugh for a long time? Ever since Twilight had come to Ponyville, Dash had met her best friends, when before she had only talked to Fluttershy, and even then only sometimes.
What would happen if the glue that had brought them together disappeared entirely? Being the Element of Loyalty, could she handle her friends no longer being... friends?
Could Equestria make it without the Element of Magic?
Could Dash's friendship survive?
Could Dash take it?
//|b0d|\\
Dear Princess Celestia,
Hello again Princess. I know that my friendship report isn't due until next Monday, but I've been thinking about events in the past. You remember the incident involving the changelings? What if we were too harsh with them? What if we punished an entire species for the act of one? Studying the scant knowledge we have of them, it seems that changelings are born with a Queen controlling them, akin to the way that an ant's nest is set up. A Queen is in charge of an entire colony.
But as with ants, perhaps there's more than one colony of changelings. Perhaps we've taken the action of essentially one, and judged the entirety of them by that? What if we were wrong?
In the course of studying friendship, I've learned many things. I've learned about friends in general, the way that you can get through anything with your friends. I've made many friends, as well; but one lesson in particular sticks with me at the moment.
Do you remember the letter I sent you a while ago about forgiveness? About how one of the most important parts of friendship is to remain friends throughout times of strife and anger?
The letter ended quickly, and left the point open. Sighing, the sun Princess set the letter down gently, letting it slip from her magical grasp.
It was an unfinished letter, sent by Spike, clearly meant to be finished later. Smiling for a moment, Celestia remembered a time when Twilight would have never left a letter unfinished. Twilight would have never left anything unfinished, for that matter. She had changed.
Oh, she was still the mare that Celestia had chosen so many years ago from the magic school; still the same pony. She still loved to study, loved her books, and had a devotion to her friends rarely seen in all of Celestia's time on the planet.
That said, in many ways she was different from the pony that had left Canterlot all those years ago. She was removed in Canterlot, preferring to stay in the library and study. The only ponies whom could get her to open up were herself and her family. In Ponyville, she was thrust into a place where that wouldn't happen. She just couldn't remain a recluse. The citizens of Ponyville counted on one another for many things. Everypony in the town was friendly, as well. She couldn't think of a better place at which Twilight could have ended up.
The time she spent in Ponyville was good for her. She loved Twilight as a student, and in many ways she thought of her as a daughter. Now she was gone. Taken by those vile creatures that Twilight was writing about.
Celestia was angry.
She was angry at herself for letting this happen. She was angry at the creatures that would dare take somepony as important as Twilight. She was angry at the universe for letting this happen. She knew her little ponies thought of her as a goddess, but that view was flawed. She wasn't. Her sister wasn't. She didn't know if there were such things as gods, but she knew that she and her sister weren't.
If they were, things like this wouldn't happen.
If they were, things that required Twilight and her friends to be put in danger wouldn't happen.
If they were, creatures like Discord and the changelings wouldn't even exist.
Twilight would still be here, safe.
Sighing, Celestia rose. She needed to prepare herself for the inevitable: telling her friends what had transpired during the night.
She was fairly sure the news wouldn't kill them.
//|b0d|\\
“Where's the Princess? Wasn't she supposed to be here by now?” Rarity asked, shifting her weight to her left side.
Indeed, the Princess was late. A rare occurrence, as she raised the sun, and could never be late in her duties. But this one time she was late.
“Weird.” Pinkie stated, and, of course adding, on to it. Gasping loudly, she continued: “Wait! Do you think that something happened to her? Like what if Celestia and Luna had an evil brother that was banished somewhere else, and he's back! And is getting his revenge on them!”
Running to Applejack, she grabbed her by the shoulders and started shaking.
“What do we do? We don't have the elements of harmony to defeat him! What if he's immune to the elements of harmony?!”
“Pinkie! It's okay! Nothing's happened to the Princess, 'kay?” Applejack said, shrugging Pinkie off and walking over to the table.
“What!? How can you be so sure?!” Pinkie said, stunned that Applejack was so certain.
“ 'Cause she's right there.” Bowing slightly, she spoke to the Princess who had just walked in.
“Princess.”
“There is no need for that, Applejack. There are more important matters to attend to at the moment.” She nodded at Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash, acknowledging them. “I'm sorry about having Spike and Rainbow Dash pull you out of bed at an early hour, but something has come to my attention, and needed an immediate response.” She paused for a moment, glancing around the room. “Where are Spike and Fluttershy?” She asked, puzzled.
“We left Spike in the old nursery after he fell asleep on the ride over. Fluttershy stayed back at Ponyville to take care of some sick animals that she couldn't leave. You want me to go grab Spike right quick?” Applejack said.
“No, Spike already knows what happened last night. Let him sleep. He is a baby dragon, after all.” She stopped, glancing at the four ponies that were half asleep in front of her. Sighing, she continued.
“This matter does not involve you as the holders of the Elements of Harmony. It involves you as you as Twilight's friends.”
There. It was out in the open.
“Twilight? Is she here? Is that why she's wasn't on the train?” Rarity asked.
“She's not here Rarity. I would've found her already!” Pinkie said, bouncing up and down on her hooves.
“Okay Pinkie.” Rarity replied. “Sorry Princess. Continue, please.”
“Last night I received a letter from Spike and Rainbow Dash. From what I can tell, Rainbow crashed into Ponyville library.”
The ponies in the room shot a quick glance at Dash, who looked stricken.
“I don't have any other way to say this. I'm sorry for my lack of tact, but there is simply no way to put this nicely.”
Looking up from the ground, she made eye contact with them. First Dash, then Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack came next.
“Last night, Twilight Sparkle was kidnapped. We are currently unaware of her location, or what is being done to her. All we know is who took her. The changelings have effectively declared war with Equestria. They have taken a citizen of this country, and if anything happens to Twilight, then nothing can save them.” She finished, watching the reactions of the ponies carefully.
Silence filled the room. You could have heard a pin drop. Each and every face in the room wore the same expression. Shock. Horror. Worry.
“What do you mean? Taken? As in, she's been kidnapped?” Rarity asked, hoping that she had misheard the Princess.
“Exactly. All we have to go on is a note that Twilight managed to write out, presumably while it was happening.” Celestia said, bringing the note out, floating the golden-aura-encased parchment towards the group. Setting it down, Applejack went over to it and read it aloud.
“But, Princess. This doesn't make any sense. The changelings haven't been seen in, well, years. Why would they pop up now?” Rarity asked.
Rainbow Dash got up quickly, startling everypony.
“I'm sorry, I have to go. I'll be in the main hall if anypony needs me.”
And with those words, Dash ran out of the room, turning the wrong way to go towards the main entrance. Pinkie stood up, and went to the door.
“I'd better go and make sure she's okay.” Pinkie said. She had been quieter than usual and her normally curly hair was slightly straighter than normal. That was never a good sign. Going up to the door, she turned briefly. “Meet me us at the donut shop at the center of Canterlot later. Bye Rarity. Bye Applejack. Princess.”
Then she was gone.
“Princess Celestia, what are we going to do? What can we do?” Applejack asked, worry seeping into her voice. Rarity's eyes asked the same question.
“We sure as hell will do what we can to find my little sister.” A new voice said.
Whipping around, Applejack and Rarity found themselves facing Shining Armor, whose facial expression was one of pure determination.
“How do we accomplish that?”
“You two aren't part of the Royal Guards, but seeing as you're my sis's best friends, I'll tell you everything that we know, which isn't much. We know the changelings have her, or at least had her. They will know where she's is.” He paused, taking a breath.
“We think that this is an attempt at revenge, for the events that transpired at my wedding a few years ago.” Shining continued, only to get interrupted.
“What do 'ya mean, revenge? They invaded. We were only defending Canterlot!” Applejack said, outraged.
Shining looked at her.
“Sorry ‘bout that.” Applejack said, looking down.
“Yes, well. To answer your point, yes. Revenge. You have to remember that even though they were the aggressors, you still foiled their plot to overthrow the rulers of Equestria. They had to be angry for that, thus the want for revenge.”
“But the point remains. What else do we know?” He said, preparing to make a point.
“Nothing. We know next to nothing. We know almost nothing about the changelings, themselves. We only have a vague idea of where their country is. We don't even have a way to get there if it's past the borders of Equestria.” He said, laying down their grim prospects in one fell swoop.
“Now, things may seem a bit hopeless. We've got the best crime unicorns on their way to Ponyville to check it out. You know how changelings feed off of emotion? We figure that if we can lock on to the latent feelings in the area, and search for any latent disembodied emotions, we can at least find where they came from. Even if they teleported away we can get a tracer on the spell, especially if it was a long range spell.” He said, stopping to look at the two remaining mares sitting by the Princess.
“Hold on a sec. You're saying that we can get a tracer on that long spell doo-hicky? I ain't an expert in magic, buck, I ain't even a unicorn, but couldn't we get a trace and just use that to teleport over there?” Applejack said, looking at Shining Armor.
“Well, normally. Even Starswirl the Bearded was unable to perform a long-range teleportation spell without one key component: an object belonging to the place of interest. We'd need to have something from over there to even get there. If we get a magical lock-. No. Once we get a magical lock on it, we'll have to send over a scout force to grab something from there.”
“I won't bore you with the details of a Royal Guard operation. I need some time to think. I'm sure you'll need some time also. Sorry to lay this on you and go, but I've got to go and break this to our parents. I'll come back later and ask you some questions."
“You may go Shining Armor. I have one last thing to discuss with Rarity and Applejack,” Celestia said, giving him a nod.
Nodding back, Shining walked back through the door that he had entered through. Turning towards Twilight's friends, Celestia broached the matter once more.
“I know that this is going to be hard on you. It's going to be hard on all of us. We need to stay strong. For Twilight and perhaps the fate of all of Equestria, we must remain strong. Can I count on you to keep your friendship strong during these times of strife? I've seen many things in my time, but the worst thing to see is friendship die.” Celestia said, her voice becoming said towards the end.
Applejack and Rarity looked at each other, shocked.
“Your highness, we came together because of Twilight, and we are all friends of Twilight. But we're going to remain friends no matter what.” Applejack said.
Rarity came next. “I'm not usually one to have a serious serious moment, but this time I am. We won't let this hopefully temporary absence of Twilight tear us apart. If anything, it might make the bond between all of us stronger.”
“Good. We could all us some cheering up. Why don't we head down to that donut shop and meet Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash there?” The Princess asked.
The trio nodded. They knew that it would be a long time before donuts cheered them up, but it was the act, the simple mundane act of getting a donut that would help them slightly. Make them think that maybe, just maybe everything would be right in the world.
If only for a little while.
//|b0d|\\
“Hello Twilight. You ready to begin?” Chrysalis said, walking into the room that housed Twilight.
“Go away.” Twilight said, cowering in the corner, holding her hoof to her head, where she had gotten a gaping wound, still seeping blood.
“Oh, what happened there?” She asked, sounding genuinely concerned about Twilight.
“One of your goons threw me in here. Hit my head on the overhand.” Twilight spit out, attempting to avoid Chrysalis’s gaze.
“Oh dear. I’ll have to talk to them about that. Anyway, that gash will heal right back up after the first transfusion.”
This got Twilight’s attention. Looking at Chrysalis, she wore a terrified face, but underlying that was a slight expression of curiosity.
“I probably should explain that. We are going to make you one of us! Won’t that be wonderful? No more barriers to stop you from helping us. Why, that very ponies that you put so much trust into won’t accept you for who you for who you’ll become.”
Twilight jumped up, yelling.
“You monster! Why would you do this! Why can’t you just leave us alone!? We were only protecting our country! Our way of life! Our freedom!”
“The first transfusion is tomorrow. I’ll see you then.” Chrysalis said, ignoring Twilight’s outburst.
Turning around, she left the room, leaving a sobbing Twilight on the floor, gasping out a word over and over.
“Why.”
“Why!”
“Why!”
Hm. Twilight isn't going to become the new changeling queen, no?
That would be... yeah.
That was a great chapter! I almost feel sorry for chrysalis, because if she succeeds in her "turn twilight " plan, nothing will protect her from celestia's wrath.
Amazing as usual, I hope to see more like this!
It is now getting interesting.
Why do the really bad villains assume that physical transformation is going to make someone turn to their side automatically?
They never stop to think what could happen if, you know, the trapped person takes advantage of their naivity and plays along until just the right moment to stab them in the back.
Not to mention, I'm very dubious of all these changling transformation stories. That level of complete change is not simple magic. It's AGONIZING to undergo such a change into a species that doesn't even share the same genetics or cellular phsyiology.
Also, logical flaw: Unless Twilight is mind-controlled or neurologicall converted along with physical transformation, she'll never go along with Chrysalis' plans. BUT, if her mind is destroyed or controlled, then a single changeling reveal spell will identify her as a changeling should she suddenly reappear (Celestia would be beyond stupid to ever accept any explanation at face value as to how she got away), and there is no way she would be trusted. They KNOW she was taken by the changelings, a species adept with lies and falsehoods. Een an unaltered Twilight would be subjected to deep mental probes to ensure she wasn't brainwashed as a sleeper agent. AND since she's now of a changeling mind, she won't care about her former friends and family anyway. So sending her would be pointless. She'd be exposed as a changeling, and they would naturally expect that the 'real' Twilight had been tortured or had her mind scanned to get all her memories before she was killed. And then Celestia vaporizes the entire Changeling land in rage.
If she's NOT changed in mind, then Twilight, being the intellectual that she is, will quickly realize that her friends and the princesses won't believe her easily since her body has been so thoroughly changed, and will have to concoct a very brilliant plan to gain their trust... which I would assume involves brutally slaughtering Chrysalis. I don't see Twilight feeling anything but blinding rage against the Queen at this point if she's allowed to hold on to her mind.
Frankly, I don't see how this transformation has any strategic value unless the good guys are going to be beaten with an idiot ball constantly for the rest of the story. It's a common weakness in almost all of these 'X pony becomes a changeling' stories.
Even merely taking over her mind (as Chrysalis did with th bridesmaids) and sending her back would be useless, as such mind-control is only useful so long as they don't know she was taken by the Changelings! BUT THEY DO!! Therefore, given the previous experiences, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY IN HELL they will trust Twilight if she appears. No, not even if Chrysalis gives her back. Chrysalis is a liar, a manipulator, cold and cruel. They know it. Hence, EVERYTHING involving her is met with suspicion.
1882241 Celestia's?? try the elements and big brother sure Celestai could bring down the sun and burn their little place of heaven into a suburb of hell but since the others arent so powerful theyll have to settle for a more.... hooves on approach shall we say remember the stories in which the laugh left Pinkie, and the meek left FlutterShy
that's a fairly awkward title. you call it don't piss off all powerful being yet celestia admits to her own limitations.
First some very slight TwiDash, then a possible reference to the Rainbow Factory. This is gonna be so awesome
1882241
Thanks! Let's just say Celestia is more PO'd than she's letting on.
1882261
Thanks! I'll keep up the good work!
1882316
1882328
Just wait and see. :o
1882458
Title's are fun to do, because they don't necessarly have to reflect the actions of the characters in it. This one is a slight reference to Twilight snapping in the previous chapter, among other things.
1882459
Points.
1882320
I somewhat have to agree with you. Most of the changeling fictions out here have flaws concerning how pretty much all the characters react to the transformation.
But my common sense just tell me...
It's a ponifanfic.
It's not some sort of deep psychological analysis novel of how one's mind will cope with the complete physical change of someone who was a very close friend.
So even if I do realize that the way everyone reacts to the change is flawed - in a lot of fictions, I don't fret over these details much.
1882320
First off, you severely underestimate me.
And now, in order.
Clichés? I don't really know.
Agreed. I hate how some fics do this.
Yes? No danger of this here.
*sigh* things will be reviled. Just wait.
She'll keep her mind.
No idiot ball here.
Okay then? I know this. I'm not an idiot.
1882552
This guy. Sums it up basically. Thanks!
1882563 *smirks* I'm just concerned because this has so far been moving so identically in those directions. If you have a clever way of reworking this scenario into a plausible plot, I shall be most interested.
>>>Things will be reviled.>>> As they should be! I greatly revile the changelings, as you know!
I also considered consequences; the most significant being that once the ponies discover that the Changelings can actually turn ponies into other changelings, the outcry for their complete extermination would be instantaneous and bloodthirsty. That's another thing usually missed in the 'X is transformed into a changeling' stories (vs the 'X was always secretly a changeling' where that need not come up). Imagine if human discovered another species can transform their bodies (you know, like many stories in sci-fi). We tend not to be sympathetic to such things; I would not expect the ponies to be either.
I wonder if Chrysalis has really thought this through all the way, or has let anger pollute her rationality.
So, Twi's keeping her mind. Well then, were I in her place, the only thought on my mind would be, "How long should I torture Chrysalis before I finally allow her to die?" I'm thinking Twi would go all 'Bane' on her... "When all your hive is in ruins, when the very last of your brood falls into a broken heap before your eyes; then I will allow you to die."
My biggest complaint about the changeling transformation stories is that it doesn't make sense for the changelings to do it UNLESS they have no other means of reproduction, or they can use it for a very important strategic incursion (which would mean it's a learned magical ability rather than naturally inborn ability and thus more difficult, and which in either case would have to involve stripping the pony's personality away, lest it happen to awaken from mind-control and rebel). Otherwise, their shapeshifting and mind control make the extra effort pointless. I'm not pointing at this story relating to all this, merely noting the general integrity flaws I see often repeated.
1882552 A story being 'just a fanfic' is an excuse used far too often to cover weak effort.
I do not bother writing anything unless I am sure it is the best I can do with the subject.
1882320
Regarding what you said about the ponies never being able to trust someone who was transformed into a changeling... I get the impression that's the point. Look at what Chrysalis is talking about. There's no talk of being a useful drone or anything of the sort, instead she taunts Twilight, pointing out how her friends and family will hate and mistrust her. It doesn't strike me as turning her into something more useful so much as psychological torture; she wants to hurt Twilight for what she did, so she's going after what would hurt her the most, her friends. Turn her into what she sees as a monster, one that her friends and family may never really trust again. I'm sure she wouldn't mind having another useful minion (Likely only possible through the same means she controlled Shining Armor), but that strikes me as rather secondary to the act of revenge.
1882782 It's a very petty act of revenge. And a potentially deadly one for Chrysalis. She'll have enemies all around her. Including one who is a very powerful changelings.
Remember, Chrysalis has never seen the full extent of Twilight's power. She doesn't know what Twilight can do when losing control to rage.
She's having this moment of revenge for purely selfish reasons and setting her entire species up for extermination.
Of course, given how she acted in the show, this is actually quite in character! And given the results of herhubris in the show... I expect a similarly devastating result.
1882737
Dammit. I knew I shouldn't trust spell-checker...
Also, when I said Twilight is keeping her mind, she's going to be sane. Not necassarely be the Twilight we know. And there's a reason behind it too.
Thanks for actually giving me some pit-falls to look out for and not just hating on the story. I hope that I've managed to work it into a plot that avoids them.
1882782>>1882800
Revenge, revenge, it is fun. But all to often, we let it control us.
1882800
"Of course, given how she acted in the show, this is actually quite in character!"
That's what I was thinking, too.
As well as sharing the expectations for how well it's going to go for her in the end. Well, possibly slightly better, she might have learned a little from the invasion. Stuff like "don't leave your prisoners unguarded and then turn your back on them when they are trying to cast a spell to defeat you." To be fair, I don't think she expected food to be that painful. She perhaps didn't understand ponies all that well.
1882836 It doesn't seem she's learned all that much, otherwise she would have apted for a slow, cautious infiltration and replacement strategy rather than opening abducting the personal pupil of Celestia... a pony EVERYPONY is going to realize is missing.
She's underestimating the ponies' response. She still thinks them too weak and feebleminded to stop her plans. How can she be sure that Celestia will not merely vaporize Changling Twilight instantly? She can claim it's really Twilight, claim that she's been converted, but the fact is that nopony will have any reason to believe her. Twilight's been missing too long. The natural assumption is that her memories were pulled out, given to a changeling, and the real Twilight is dead.
If the Elements are somehow brought into play, they should change her back into a pony if the Element of Magic will even work for her once she's transformed. Indeed, I'm certain that's a proof the Princess would eventually use if she even decided to wait before burning her to ash in anger. If the Element doesn't function for her transformed state... she's dead. Celestia would kill her instantly in retalliation for the deception, the 'false' pleading and memories...
She's being driven by revenge, and making serious strategic errors because of it.
At any rate, I'm very curious to see how this transformed Twilight is going to be utilized by Chrysalis. Especially if her mind is being altered. Sane, but not 'Twilight' is again something that Celestia and her friends are going to assume is just a Changeling with Twi's memories implanted. She can't be merely presented to them. She's not going to be of much use for intelligence, as she hardly knows the inner workings of the military, nor what changes may be put into place now. Any secret passages or other data The Princess knows Twilight's aware of will be blocked off or guarded just to be on the safe side. Personal information, again not really useful, since the use of revealing spells will be the primary method for uncovering changelings, and anypony going missing will be suspected.
Other than taunting Celestia with a transformed Twilight loyal to the changelings (which would rank very highly on the list of REALLY BAD IDEAS), I can't come up with anything strategic this does for Chrysalis. At least keeping Twilight as a hostage would have some value. Once she's transformed, that value goes out the window, since she can never be trusted even if the ponies accept that she was once Twilight.
So like I said, if the author has come up with a good reason for this, I will be very impressed.
'Resistance is futile'
It seems friendship is going to be the one catalyst that maintains the bonds between the remaining Elements of Harmony. However, one of the links is currently in disarray.
I can understand Rainbow wanting to blame herself for the events that have transpired thus far, but there really wasn't anything she could do. And now, with Rainbow taking early exits from her friends, it's not looking good for the others. I'm sure once the Princess and the others make it to the donut shop, everything will be back to normal....hopefully.
Unfortunately for Twilight, her situation appears much dire. Receiving news that you will become a changeling soon is enough to put the princesses themselves into hysterics. Twilight will likely do everything in here power to at least postpone the inevitable, but in the end, she'll have to face the fact that when it happens, the others may not recognize her or even help.
Lastly, I'm enjoying this story very much and will continue to follow it until the end. I also love the new cover art; quite the menacing looking image indeed. Take your time with the updates, I'll gladly wait.
1882921
Considering how the abduction went, it seems evident that the ponies weren't supposed to know that changelings were involved at all. It was only Twilight's hastily scrawled note that tipped them off. If she hadn't managed that, nopony would know what was going on, and if Twilight suddenly returned, they'd likely accept whatever story she gave them. Similar things have happened with several other characters, after all, and it seems from their reactions that thoughts of changelings had largely passed from their minds with time. Remember, we're getting an overview of many facts that most of the characters do not have, and Chrysalis quite possibly doesn't even know that the ponies know of her involvement. It was rather smart of Celestia to make sure that those who knew what was going on did not tell any other ponies; if changelings are involved, spies become an even more serious issue.
Though personally, I don't see Celestia killing off a "changeling Twilight" regardless of whether it's an impostor or not--especially if not! I don't really see her as the "cold blooded murder" type. It'd be like vaporizing Luna after the elements beat down Nightmare Moon, reasoning that she couldn't trust her to not do it again. Then again, I don't really see a transformation (Barring serious mental stuff) being quite as ruinous to her relations as Chrysalis might like. It would certainly make things uncomfortable, and likely have consequences that linger on, but ponies have shown themselves to be exceptionally forgiving. I saw EvilPresident in the pre-reader list, and I think his story is rather how such a thing would be likely to go.
1882320 Well, I believe the applicable belief is: "The mind is a plaything of the body." Although in Twilight's case, the previous has been shown as more true (see Lesson Zero).
As for proving that a changeling Twilight is the original... I'm thinking Changeling conversions are not or in this case would not be complete. Instead of an indistinguishable changeling, better (and more chrysalis's style) to convert Twilight into a half-ling. A hybrid of changeling and pony. The horror factor is exponential, and it's harder/nigh impossible to deny the truth due to more visible evidence.
Ok, last chapter you had Dash say this:
Then we have Shining,
Just how long was that train ride? Definitely not half a day like Rarity thought.
Moar now
You amaze me once again I only wish my fic was as good as your's
1883173 The main issue is, how can this transformed Twilight, with her mind modified, possibly convince anypony that it's her since they know the changelings have her? If she tries to come in disguised and then is uncovered. Well, there's simply no hope after that.
And I do note that Chrysalis is likely unaware they already know. I'm mainly thinking about how Chrysalis is basically screwed now. Her brilliant plan will never work now, because the element of surprise and subterfuge is gone.
Celestia is already pissed. How much more will her rage intensify if a changeling 'disguised' as Twilight tries to slip in, then brings up memories that only Twilight should know? Analyze that psychologically to determine the rational conclusions Celestia is left with: the seemingly unlikely possibility Twilight has been totally physically changed, or the likelihood that her beloved student was tortured by these deceptive and evil creatures and had her memories stolen... and is now probably dead.
Mmm, so this this the chapter I was unable to proofread because I had to live in a snowmobile for a month. My eyes are bleeding from the various minor grammatical errors I normally would've caught.
1884485
There may be ways to tell if someone's been tampering with another ponies mind. Magic is always a possibility, particularly when Celestia is around (Although that might be more Luna's thing, come to think of it). There might not be a magical way to tell, but it's possible. Even if not... they seem to put a lot of value on forgiveness. It might take a long time for them to fully trust her (Particularly if she'd attempted any deception), but it might still come eventually.
But that also largely depends on what she does.
Also, I don't know that I'd put "total physical change" as so unlikely, particularly to Celestia. She's already witnessed a physical (and possibly mental) change in her own sister, after all, and was able to reverse those changes (Or arrange for them to be reversed, anyway). Admittedly, it's a slightly more thorough change here...
...Chrysalis is sadly correct.
Ponies WILL have troubles trusting her when she becomes a changeling.
Awaiting further releases.
1884013
Actually, it's Spike who said the first line, not Dash, but... not that it matters...
Anyway, I was about to point this thing... Nuts...
Looks like this story needs a bit of a reread and rework from the author/proofreaders.
Oh, well, keep it up!
1883173>>1882921
Wow. Just wow you guys.
You guys are giving me insight on my own fic.
Interesting tid-bit, as you guys are talking about Twilight change. Originally, it wasn't going to happen. She was just going to remain a pony. Still might. But probably not.
Also, Pheonix? Nice catch on Pres being on the Pre-reader list. When I asked him to, I didn't realize that he himself had a twichangeling fic.
1882927
Resist this!
*Something blows up.*
1883019
Thanks for the kind words. I'll try to keep things interesting.
1884013
Dammit. I'll have to go edit Dash to several years. Nice catch.
1884097
Give me time! And a crayon.
1884270
Thanks! Which reminds me, I need to catch up on that one. It seemed great.
1885272
What!? I thought that...
Wha?
Then who the hell was on the Gdoc... Damn it.
1885710
Thanks Divine!
1886392
You are very welcome.
1886392 Well you see, I must completely analyze and note all aspects of infiltration and invasion for my... uhm... for... video games. Yes, simple video games.
Not world domination. That would be silly.
images.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw2379-99229_-_animated_applejack_Applelie_liarjack_what_.gif
great chapter! 'patiently' waiting for more!
1886392
Oh, wait, I did proofread it. I just did an abnormally bad job. Probably because my eyes are frozen over.
1886392
I'm kind of surprised I caught that, too, I'm normally horrible at names. I guess the regular "has it updated yet?" checking I did got me to remember it finally
Also, I tend to over-analyze things, and this story is good fodder for that.
Oh!
Never thought my name would be in your fic dude!
Anyway, Great chapter and I can't wait to Orr read more!
Orr is. To be replaced by pre
1886155
Crap, completely missed this. No, it's not anthro. I'll just need to edit it out.
1888605
1889402
What led to this? I'm interested now.
1890600
No problem, It's fun to see others interiptation of my work.
1890997
Sapphy, I give credit... Are you really surprised? :P
1891400
To be honest yeah!
Sometimes even if i pre read i dont get a mention :L
1891784
Well, glad that you're happy. I've said this before, but without all the poeple that work with me, I would just be a random dude with an idea.
1891400
Holiday trip to a friend's in Idaho, blizzard and power outages, and only a snowmobile and my right hand (Sock puppets.) for entertainment.
Your Rarity feels very OOC here.
1886392 heres your crayons
fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/022/a/0/Sweet_Crayon_Box_by_A_Little_Kitty.png
now give me that chapter
1895668
Does she? Dammit. I hate writing for her so fricking much. I'll work on it in the chapter after next. Don't think she'll be in the next one.
1895673
:O I'm working on it! I didn't think that you'd actually give me crayons! Thanks!
1897279
Yeah, considering she's the Element of Generosity I doubt she'd be upset over missing some work to help a friend when they're in a state such as Rainbow's. Also, some of her lines would have been better suited towards Pinkie or AJ.
1898134
Okay then.
I've never written her before, and...Excuses. Sorry about that. I'll do better next time. Thanks for the input!
1898961
Can't wait for more.