Swirling Stars Undone
Prologue
It was cold. Very cold, oddly enough, for a mid-summers afternoon, and every pony knew it. The light from the sky was dim, due to the storm clouds that continued to hang over the many citizens that were striving to enjoy what was supposed to be a summer.
The weather pegusi tried with their might ever since the end of winter wrap up to rid the skies of the gloomy, yet sinister, cumulonimbi. These puff balls seemed to be the same texture as cotton candy with a first look, but, every pony learned the hard way that the clouds had the thickness of wet cement. Even though they tried and succeeded, at times, to break down the clouds as fast as their strong wings and kicking hooves could manage, the clouds would appear within the next hour as though they never left.
This was odd enough, but besides the weather, late spring seemed to start a disaster; for the harvest hasn't been doing so hot either, no matter what the crop was. It's as if the Earth Ponies were being ransacked, by the weather, for one, and also the spoilage of the nutrients in the soil that should have been replenished before planting, and most of the time it should have kept it's freshness from the previous years. Everypony just thought, at first, that it was just a bad year, with the weather and harvest, but nothing prepared them for what was about to happen when summer came.
It seemed like the magic by the Unicorns, the Princesses included, seemed to be doing strange things that effected the lives of everypony. Whether it be labor, studies, or just plain using magic, they could not, or cannot, in any way, shape, or form seem to control the certain spells in the right way, even though it was apparent that they could still cast those spells. These seemed to start out subtly at first, thinking it was just a hiccup with fate, but after things start to get out of hand, it becomes apparent in Equestria, and the rest of the world, with similar mishaps, that something's not right; as though the earth itself was suffering. It was strange to everypony, except for a certain few, because everything was going according to plan.
In a dark cave, deep in Equestria, were a few ponies, that weren't actually ponies, but we're actually like bugs.
Their eyes, which had no opals, could see almost in every direction, like flies, and see any type of movement without missing a beat, yet the color was a solid artic blue; their manes consisted of about the same kind of hue as the eyes, but with a hint of grey, no doubt covered in dry, bug-like mucus; it seemed peculiar, but mainly disgusting; their backs consisted of a certain greenish-emerald colored shell, like a beetle, that brought a little bit of complexion to their dark sea-blue colored bodies, but it didn't mean that they were not terrifying, especially up close.
Their bodies, as said before, were of the form of ponies, but they were also part bug. They had horns like Unicorns, but curved, jagged, and sharp at the point, giving them the ability to cast spells and do magic; wings, same color as their shells, but, unlike the pegusi, were more like a dragon flies wing shape, which, along with having holes in their hind legs, gave them sufficient aerodynamics for faster flying, even with having greater agility, at times, than the Wonderbolts. Let's not also forget how strong they are, especially with hoof-to-hoof combat, making even the heavy-weights of wrestling and other physical sports in the Equestrian Games seem like child's play. If you crossed them just right, they could have the strength at times to toss ursai minors around like little rag dolls, as though they are being flung around and torn apart by a dogs fury.
Standing at the head of the cave were at least three of these pony-like creatures. They were on lookout, guarding the entrance, keeping their eyes out for any pony that decides to come moseying along and possibly seeing 'too much.'
The very terrifying nature of these creatures wasn't just their strength, agility, or even their appearance, even though it does cause your heart to sink and skin to crawl. It's what they do that causes eveypony to not trust one another from time to time. Why not, you ask? Because, they can change their form.
Changelings. They can take the form of any creature almost, and pass as a certain loved one. Seems terrifying to think about, but that's not even half of it.
Deep within the cave, there was another one of these changelings, but this particular one has moderate harlequin eyes, with dark-greyish opals; the mane of this one was long, and a dark cerulean, usually flowing graciously down upon its shoulders, though lately it's been knotted, no doubt through stress and what seems like sleepless nights that it showed on its face. This one was taller than the other changelings, not to mention different, as though it was a very important specimen.
"We've done as you've instructed, my Lord," came an eerily wheeze of a female voice from this specific changeling. "What more is there that must be done in order to further the plan? Our time to strike is right in front of our muzzles, and it seems that we are just sitting on our hooves and letting it slip away! When do we strike!?"
Her raised and enraged voice was soon quelled by the continued silence of a certain being whom she was speaking to. Its back was facing her, but she knew that it was more than apparent that the form was annoyed by her outburst of impatience about the situation at hand. Though, wanting to retaliate and smash her like a… you know, he digressed and turned slightly to meet her gaze with his peripheral.
"My, my, Chrysalis," he chortled evilly, yet sarcastically with his horrifying, but very charming British accent. "I didn't realize you could be so... passionate about these upcoming events. I figured, you, needing the love-filled energy from other creatures in order to survive, was due to the fact that you don't have a heart… or have I been mistaken?"
Though she was angry by her master's words, Chrysalis new not to cross him, seeing that he was powerful and, also, because he spoke the truth. These heartless excuses for creatures are as intriguing, as they are terrifying, because they don't feed off blood or flesh, or of anything else living, but they feed off of the energy of love. That's why they were so feared by everypony. Still, the fact that Chrysalis was terrified of this creature in front of her made even herself cringe.
"Many apologies, my Lord." Chrysalis exclaimed softly, almost in a whisper, as she made an attempted bow, almost touching her face to the ground, in this certain forces direction.
"NEVER! BE! SORRY!" He bellowed, causing both the changeling and the cave to tremble, almost to think that the cave was going to collapse. Chrysalis then decided, and was compelled, to grovel, causing herself to become dirty from the ground below her. Then, after a few seconds, she nervously lifted her head to behold the being.
It was a six foot purple cloud, almost, and that it seemed to be jumbling around in the air like a roaring bon fire, but without any noise. It also seemed to have an outline of black, like dark magic, maybe even the darkest of magic. Hovering within the center of this fire cloud seemed to be a small creature, like a rodent of some kind, but it was not recognizable because of this dark aura form, which made it the more terrifying, especially since it was emanating from the tiny animal. Still facing towards to back of the cave, he continued in a soft tone.
"I understand your concern for not wanting to miss the deadline, but we mustn't continue forward until the time is right." He said, as Chrysalis was slowly rising from the ground to stand. He continued, "If we were to attack any time before, and even within the twenty-four to seventy-two hour window after the United Nations gathering at the Canterlot Palace, all the nations, not just Equestria, would be right on their toes, and have a counterstrike ready."
Chrysalis new this, and he was right. Everything must be perfect, but the thoughts of what was going to transpire in the coming weeks were nerve racking. Terrifying! Even for her as a heartless changeling, who couldn't feel these emotions; but, ever since she has been in the presence of this being, he seemed to know how to get to her kind, possibly through a spell or magic charm that he has.
"Everything will go according to plan, as you have said before in our past meetings. As such, we will continue to do what you have instructed us, my Lord." She said with a bow, and continued, "But if you need assistance with retrieving the others from Tartarus...?"
"No, you're Majesty." He said, the form moved while his small head turned toward her, his left eye, which was solid black, finding her gaze. "Just do what you have been told, and everything will fall into place." He then turned back, facing away from the queen.
"As... As you wish." She nervously concluded, then turned towards the exit.
"Queen Chrysalis?" He said, without moving, but causing the queen of the Changelings to freeze in her tracks.
"Y-yes, my Lord?" Her voice, cracking slightly with fear. What he mentioned to her next brought tears of despair to her eyes, along with a feeling of dread that only those from the deepest pit of Tartarus know, but could not explain what it felt like.
"If you do anything, even the slightest, that goes contrary to what must be done," he said with the tiniest bit of malice in his voice, which seemed like the most evil she's felt in the past millennia. His voice deepened. "There will be more that you will lose besides the hearts that I will bestow upon you and your kingdom." His demeanor grew more with insidiousness, and Chrysalis became even more overcome with the feeling of cruelty coming from him. "Do you understand?"
Chrysalis felt weak at his evil, which caused her to have thoughts about ending her own existence. But, she knew she couldn't back out, she was in too deep; he was her hives last chance.
"Yes, my Lord." She uttered, barely above a whisper. "I understand."
She then slowly sauntered out of the cave, meeting with the best of her soldiers. They saw the tears streaming down her cheek and sensed the fear within her, which caused them to not just not blame her, but have more fear, similar to excruciating pain, within themselves. With a look from their queen, they took off into the late afternoon sky, which, at this point, seemed more like late evening. As they flew back to their hive, Chrysalis kept wondering what she got herself into.
After the Queen and her Guards left, the being caused the dark magic too slowly, but steadily, flow back into his small body through his pores, as he slowly floated to the ground, touching it with his long, yet tiny feet. He then hopped out of the cave with a certain stride that would make one think that he wasn't on time for a previous engagement. As he hopped, avoiding trees and other creatures, he soon was beyond the Everfree Forest line. Many would never have suspected this kind of power from a little bunny rabbit, especially one that was the very same pet and friend of a certain animal loving, pink haired, yellow pegusi, whom lives in a humble cottage on the outskirts of a very well-known little town. Namely, Ponyville.