MLP FIM Season 10 MLP FIM Episode 26-Save the Royals Part 2
Twilight and her friends stood their guard as Hopper and his cohorts closed in on them. The plan that Twilight had to infiltrate the Changeling hive had been squashed and there was nowhere to run.
"So, about our queen," Hopper coldly and quietly stated. "Hoof her over…now! I won't ask nicely again."
"And why should we listen to you, bug breath?!" Rainbow Dash snapped, much to Hopper's irritation. "Your queen isn't going…"
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted, looking over at the princess of loyalty. "They've already threatened to kill hostages. We can't risk lives! We must be careful how we deal with them."
"Of course you can't risk lives, your highness," Hopper remarked, flying over them, and sitting on Twilight's throne. "Your softness and compassion will be your demise. How else do you think Celestia, and Luna prepared you to take their place, huh? Did they ever tell you that sometimes lives must be sacrificed in order for something to pass? It's unfortunate, but that's life."
Twilight realized that Hopper was taunting her but was more than determined to not let her emotions get the better of her.
"Then again," Hopper continued. "You're mentally unstable to rule Equestria, aren't you? After what Discord did, your mind isn't what it used to be. I wonder if your subjects know of your diagnosis, or what it really means."
Realizing that Hopper was playing to Twilight's emotions, the rest of her friends jumped to her defense.
"Now stop right there, you fiend!" Rarity demanded; her horn ominously glowing. "You leave Twilight alone! Her mental state is none of your concern!"
"No Rarity," Twilight protested, holding her back. "He's right. I am emotionally unstable to rule Equestria."
For a moment, it seemed like Twilight would bow to the pressure. But then after lowering her head for a moment, she raised it back up.
"By myself that is. And that's why Celestia appointed my friends to be co-princesses in the first place, Hopper," She said firmly while going up towards the rogue Changeling. "So don't jump to conclusions. You're not dealing with one supreme ruler here! You're dealing with six worthy co-rulers, myself included."
"I'm not jumping to conclusions, your majesty." Hopper sarcastically retorted, lifting himself off of the throne. "I'm just…playing to your fears. We both know you've suffered more than anyone because of what happened just before your coronation. After all, that's what Chrysalis said to you when she, Tirek and Cozy Glow destroyed this very castle all that time ago, right? I can see your fears of what will happen when Chrysalis is freed, yes? That's why you're afraid to release her to my custody. Don't lie, I see much fear in your eyes."
…
Not wanting to see Twilight take any more verbal abuse, Scorpan jumped up and approached Twilight side.
"Scorpan, what are you doing?!" King Vorak cried. "This doesn't concern you!"
Scorpan didn't listen to his father's command. Instead, he stood next to Twilight in solidarity.
"And what have we here?" Hopper mocked as his three fellow rogue changelings came to his side. "Lord Tirek's traitorous little brother. Corrupted by the magic of friendship, and the one responsible for his brother's fate."
A look of anger and a sound of growling came from Scorpan's mouth. "Silence! My brother's downfall was his own doing! My only mistake was believing I could talk him out of it, but that's not what's important right now. You want your queen?"
He snarled as Twilight tried to intervene, only for Scorpan to drape his wing in front of her. "Then you'll have to go through me first! I will stand by and let you sit here and mock Princess Twilight! She's more of a leader then you will ever be!"
Everyone in the room sharply gasped at Scorpan's intentions!
"Well, well, well," Hopper laughed, suddenly transforming himself into Tirek while talking in his own voice. "How about that? Scorpan wants to play the game? Well then, let's play it! But know this, I've no patience for anyone foolish enough to get in my way. All that awaits you is oblivion!"
Watching the horns emulate their magic, Scorpan turned back to Twilight. "I want you to run," He hastily whispered to her. "Get out of here and let me deal with this."
"No," Twilight firmly replied while charging up her horn. "I'm not leaving!"
"Very well then, if that's how you want to play it." Hopper laughed as he fired a blast of Tirek's magic at the gathered group! But Twilight quickly produced a shield deflecting the blast! However, the power of it was still sufficient enough to push them back.
Nodding to Tempest, Twilight motioned for her royal guard captain to fire a blast of unstable magic back at Hopper, striking him and causing Hopper to go back to his normal form.
Getting back up, Hopper and his fellow rogues charged at Twilight and Scorpan only for the rest of Twilight's friends to jump to her and Scorpan's defense.
"Take him down!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she and Applejack pushed two of the rogues down onto the ground!
Pinkie Pie randomly pulled out one of her party cannons and fired cake blasts at the third changeling.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She cackled as the multiple blasts of cake covered the rogue in frosting.
But Hopper was determined to stay on the move. Transforming into King Sombra, he fired a blast of dark magic at Twilight, which she deflected with her shield spell. Growling, he used one of his forelegs to try and punch her in the face but to no avail.
"The only way you're going to get Chrysalis, Hopper" Twilight panted. "Is to kill me and my friends."
"That can be arranged!" The rouge changeling cackled with sadistic glee. Leaping onto Twilight, Hopper threw her back against the wall and attempted to push himself onto her!
But Twilight wasn't going to give up that easily. Using her back forelegs, she kicked Hopper back as Scorpan flew at him and picked him up, preventing him from getting away! With a loud roar, he threw Hopper down onto the floor hard.
This only made Hopper angrier. Growling, he darted back up! Turning into a rok, he headbutted Scorpan in the stomach, causing him to roar in pain.
Twilight jumped into action and together with Spike, pushed Hopper back onto the floor as one of the rogue changelings threw Rainbow Dash through one of the stained-glass windows. Despite this, Rainbow rebounded and kicked the offending rogue in the face.
"This is ridiculous," Hopper yelled to Twilight. "You can't possibly hope to defeat me!"
"That's what you think!" Twilight cried as Tempest leapt into the air and kicked Hopper in the chest once more! Still, Hopper wasn't backing down. He needed leverage and found it in the form of the young, innocent changeling hiding behind King Vorak.
At that moment, Fluttershy commanded the geese assigned to protect the throne room to attack the rogues. "Fly, my pretties!" She cried out as the geese flew down and attempted to bite at the rogues. Falling back slightly, the rogues gave Twilight and her friends another advantage.
As several guardsponies came running in to help fight, Twilight attempted to tackle Hopper once more, but he quickly darted out of her way and grabbed Ocellus in his claws!
"All RIGHT, STOP!" he shouted while flying overhead, holding Ocellus by her wings. "Or the little one gets it!"
To show he wasn't fooling around, Hopper began to pull on Ocellus' wings sharply, causing the already frightened young changeling to howl in pain!
"Don't you DARE hurt her!" Twilight demanded.
"Then give us what we want!" Hopper ordered. "Unless you want to see this young changeling fall, you'll give us Chrysalis, now!"
…
Back on the Dark Fortress, the battle between the pillars and the ex-royal sisters vs. Grim and his minions continued with Mage, Mistmane and Somnambula now joining the fight.
"Take this!" Grim shouted, summoning snake-like wraps to bind Starswirl before he could fire another blast of magic. "What's wrong, you old coot? Can't get away this time, hmm?"
Grunting, Starswirl attempted to free himself but to no avail. Grim then proceeded to shoot electrical blasts into the wraps, shocking Starswirl as both Celestia and Luna looked on in horror!
"Starswirl, hang on!" Celestia cried, pushing Boomtower back with her magic as she attempted to help her mentor! Two skugs attempted to stop her, only to be sent back flying when they tried to subdue her. Seeing this as an opportunity, Grim captured Celestia in wraps as well, electrocuting her in submission. Not even the armor designed to protect her offered any defense.
"SISTER!" Luna cried, only to be kicked in the face by Doom Master.
"Your battle's with me, Luna!" Doom Master cried, taking his sword, and swinging it at Luna.
Meanwhile, from outside the throne room, Cosmo and Galaxia were ushered into a hiding spot while Flash Magnus and Rockhoof aided in fighting the two generals as well as the skugs. As they hid, they heard the screams of Celestia from the throne room.
"Celestia!" Cosmo gasped upon hearing the pained screams of his eldest daughter. "She's in trouble!"
"But what can we do?!" Galaxia asked in a worried tone of voice, trying to keep her husband hidden from view of the enemy.
Cosmo would have none of it.
"I've got to save my daughter!" He replied and with his horn charging, he pushed the skugs and ultra-skugs through the air and darted towards the throne room! General Ivar saw him cantering into the throne room and attempted to stop him, only to be pushed back by the combined efforts of Mistmane and Rockhoof.
Loudly yelling, Cosmo fired a blast of gold magic at Grim, causing him to lose control of the vines, freeing both Celestia and Starswirl.
"Dad?!" Celestia gasped, her eyes widened with shock!
"Father?!" Luna also gasped as she attempted to try and defend herself from Doom Master. For the first time in over a thousand years, both sisters were seeing their father again!
Getting back onto his feet, Grim could only look at the freed king of Equestria with a look of disgust deep in his face. "You'll pay for that, you royal pain!" He growled in annoyance.
"Heard it all before, Grim!" Cosmo replied, standing over his eldest daughter with his horn still glowing. He then looked down at Celestia, cuts and bruises all over her face from the inflictions she had suffered in the fight. "Are you all right, Celestia?" He asked, helping her to her hooves.
"How enchanting," Grim mockingly declared while drawing his sword. "The royal family's together again…for one last time!" Loudly yelling, he attempted to charge at father and eldest daughter, only for Tyler to leap in the path and push Grim to the ground! And before Grim could retrieve his sword, he stepped on it, leaving Grim unable to pick it up.
At that moment, Mistmane and Rockhoof proceeded into the throne room, determined to help out. Seeing them arrive, Boomtower rebounded and grabbing her staff, rose to confront them.
"Look out!" Cosmo shouted and the two pillars dodged Boomtower as she took them on, while Flash Magnus and the rest of the pillars made their way into the throne room, trying to hold off a squadron of skugs!
"Grim!" General Ivar cried out as he tried to reach his lord and master, only for Flash Magnus to fly kick him into a wall! As sparks flew, Ivar laid on the ground while Flash Magnus raced over to Luna's side, trying to help her take on Doom Master. Picking Doom Master up, Flash threw him into Boomtower, sending them both to the ground.
With his two allies on the ground and most of his skugs killed, Grim realized that the odds of him defending the Dark Fortress were falling. Picking up his sword, he swatted Starswirl back onto the ground and advanced towards Cosmo and Celestia.
…
From outside the throne room, Galaxia could hear all of the yells and screams of the battle going on and all she could do was hide and wait for a positive outcome…but not for long. "I can't let it end like this," She said to herself while charging up her horn. "Not after all we've been through!"
Sensing that Grim was about to kill her husband and eldest daughter, Galaxia took to the air and using her magic, pushed the remaining skugs back! Then she fired a blast of alicorn magic at Grim, striking him right in the chest!
Thrown against the steps of his throne, Grim struggled to get back to his feet as Galaxia approached her husband and daughter.
"Mom?!" Celestia gasped anew, looking at the dark blue alicorn with tears of happiness in her eyes. "Is it really you?!"
"Yes, Celestia, it's me." Galaxia replied as Celestia embraced her mother once again.
But the reunion had to wait as Grim tried to get up again, the pain in his chest growing.
"This…isn't…over… yet." He gasped, struggling to pick up his sword as he looked to see both Doom Master and Boomtower had been tossed around the throne room. Everything that Grim had poured his life into was falling apart and there was nothing he could do about it.
"It is over, Grim," Starswirl declared, standing in the way of Celestia and her parents. "Admit it, fiend. You've lost!"
"No," Grim growled while his sword was still gripped in his hands. "It's never over. Never!" But a few minutes later, Grim watched as Flash Magnus picked up the unconscious General Ivar and threw him against the back of the throne room while Mistmane did the same with Colonel Icebot.
"Is it though, fiend?" Galaxia asked. "All of your allies have been defeated, and only you stand in our way. Surrender, and we may yet spare you."
Refusing to admit defeat, Grim raised his sword high into the air and attempted to strike at Starswirl, only to feel one more blast of alicorn magic go through his chest! Turning his head, he saw Luna weakly glaring over at him as he fell onto his knees and then face first to the ground.
"Luna!" Galaxia cried as Luna tearfully smiled back at her mother. "Oh, my little Luna! How I've missed you so!" Dashing over to Luna's side, Galaxia embraced her youngest daughter tightly while Luna silently sobbed.
"Mother, I missed you so much!" Luna cried, crying from both the happy tears and the pain from the wounds she inflicted. "Both you and father!"
Being helped to her hooves by Mistmane and Somnambula, Luna was helped out of the room while Celestia aided their parents out of the throne room.
"Get the bomb ready," Starswirl said quietly to Flash Magnus and Rockhoof while putting his wizard's hat back on. "We must leave no evidence of the Dark Fortress behind; it cannot be allowed to continue to exist."
Doing as their leader told them, both Flash and Rockhoof picked up the alarm clock bomb that Starswirl had left hidden outside the throne room and set it to go off in ninety seconds.
…
…
Back in Canterlot, Twilight and her friends were forced to watch as Hopper and his rogue Changelings hold Ocellus hostage, thinking that they would use her to secure Chrysalis' release.
"It's your choice, princesses!" Hopper bellowed with Ocellus in his claws. "Take us to the statue or this young changeling says goodbye to her wings!"
"TWILIGHT, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Ocellus pleaded at the top of her voice. "PLEASE! I'M NOT WORTH SAVING AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HIVE!"
Feeling conflicted, Twilight and her friends were left with a difficult choice to make. Free Chrysalis, or see Ocellus harmed.
"What do we do?!" Fluttershy pondered.
"We can't let Ocellus be harmed," Twilight glumly declared, getting flashbacks to when Spike had been put in the same situation. "We have no other choice. We can't afford to call their bluff if it is one."
"Y…you're not just goin' to let them take Chrysalis, aren't you?!" Applejack exclaimed in frustration!
"There's no other choice!" Twilight cried, looking back at Applejack before turning her attention back to Hopper and his rogues. "Headmare or princess, I won't let my subjects be harmed. If you promise to free Ocellus, we'll…hoof Chrysalis over to you."
"A wise decision," Hopper laughed, releasing Ocellus back to Twilight as the frightened changeling embraced Twilight. Landing in front of the princesses, Hopper took his sword and pointed it at Twilight. "The statue…now. Don't even think of pulling a fast one on us. Go back on your word and we'll go back on ours."
With very little choice, Twilight and her friends forced themselves to lead the rogues to the statue in the garden.
…
…
Back on the Dark Fortress, with the king and queen recovered, Starswirl and his fellow pillars proceeded to quickly leave before any remaining skugs could spot them. But then suddenly, Starswirl felt a sharp pain in his horn!
"What is it, Starswirl?!" Somnambula asked with concern as they all stopped. "What's the matter?"
"Something's happening in Canterlot," The old wizard whispered, quickly producing a magic screen, and seeing a horrifying sight: Twilight and her friends being forced to the Canterlot Gardens. "Rouge changelings have infiltrated Canterlot, and they've taken hostages."
"Twilight!" Celestia cried, horrified by what she was seeing. "We've got to get back quickly! I won't let them hurt her!"
"Who's Twilight?" Cosmo asked.
"Our successor, Dad," Celestia replied. "And a pony who is like a daughter to me…her and her friends."
"Then we must go at once!" Starswirl firmly declared. "I've ordered the bomb to go off in ninety second to destroy all that remains of this ship."
Just then, they heard a loud roar coming towards them and they saw both Doom Master and Boomtower trying to limp their way forward.
"You…won't…escape…us!" Doom Master gasped.
But Starswirl charged up his horn and cast a spell to teleport himself, the pillars, and the ex-royal sisters and their parents out. Just after he did so, the bomb reached zero and began to explode, destroying the Dark Fortress and everything (and everyone) inside of it!
As luck would have it, at that moment the reserves of Grogar's donkey forces neared the Dark Fortress only to discover the ship detonating.
"NO!" Lieutenant Clyde cried as they were all kept at bay by the blasts. "MASTER GRIM!"
The ripples from the explosions forced the reserves back.
"Emperor Darkblade's going to want to know about this," A soldier told him. "He won't be pleased to hear this."
Gulping nervously, Lieutenant Clyde ordered the platoon to turn around and make their way back to the moon.
…
From his palace on the moon, Darkblade was woken up again. This time from the blasts destroying the Dark Fortress. Walking towards his bedroom window, he felt the vibrations from the blasts touch him and his palace, causing some of the windows in his bedroom to crack and break!
A few moments later, the doors opened and in stepped Lazar. "My emperor," He reluctantly spoke up, approaching Grogar. "I felt a sudden shaking and…"
"Grim," He said quietly and solemnly, turning away from the bedroom window and walking past Lazar. "He's dead." Suddenly, growling in a fit of rage, he powered his ram horns and fired a blast of magic into the outer reaches of space. "THEY KILLED HIM! THAT'S WHAT THE PILLARS DID! THEY TOOK MY PRISONERS AND KILLED GRIM!"
The sounds of his loud screams of anger was enough to make even Lazar wince in shock and surprise!
"They aren't going to get away with this," Darkblade snarled, storming past him, and pacing back and forth in anger. "They will never get away for killing my ally, you hear me?! NEVER!"
His loud screams weren't reserved for fim. All of his minions were awakened by them, including Cozy Glow and Tirek.
"Something must have happened," Tirek groggily commented. "Grim is dead."
"Dead?" Cozy Glow wondered, also having been forced out of bed. "What do you mean dead?"
"I'm not sure," Tirek remarked, looking over at her. "But from what I hear it sounds as if the pillars are responsible."
"Golly," Cozy gulped. "Then what does that mean for us?"
But Tirek said nothing, he merely focused on listening to Grogar continuing to throw his temper tantrum.
"Um, hello? Equestria to Tirek?" Cozy asked only to be shushed by the centaur. "What is it?"
"Quiet!" Tirek shushed the filly. "Do you hear that low growling?"
"Um, is it Scarface?" Cozy nervously asked. "That big mean bear?"
Tirek nodded. "Yes, and I have a good feeling Darkblade will be using him in a matter of time."
Going out to the door of their bedroom, Cozy watched as the scar faced grizzly bear walked down the hallway and up towards Darkblade's private quarters. Seeing the bear made Cozy tremble with fear.
But this was only the beginning of what was to come for both Darkblade and his new Cabal, along with Equestria itself!
…
Back in Canterlot, Twilight and her friends made their way to the Canterlot Gardens and very soon, they all found themselves standing at the statue of Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow. Both King Vorak and Scorpan were also astonished to see that they were in the presence of the creature that they set out to find.
"Do it," Hopper ordered while pointing the tip of his sword at Twilight's neck. "Free my queen from her stone prison."
For a moment Twilight felt a sense of hesitation. Part of her didn't want to do it.
"Do it!" Hopper cried in an authoritative voice. "Do it now!"
Taking an enormous gulp, Twilight carefully placed her horn at Chrysalis' statue and activated a spell similar to what Celestia, Luna and Discord turned the Legion of Doom to stone with. As she casted her spell, Twilight suddenly began to lose control of her emotions. She was feeling a panic attack coming on, but she had to hold it in! Her spell surrounded Chrysalis statue and a few moments later, a flash of bright white light engulfed the gardens!
When the flash disappeared, Hopper and his rogues expected Chrysalis to be freed. But to their surprise the statue remained the same. "Pony! What did you do?!" Hopper angrily demanded of Twilight! "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
"I… I don't know! I did the spell!" Twilight protested.
"You tricked us!" Hopper snarled as he kicked Twilight to the ground. "Do it again or…" Hopper then grabbed Spike and pulled on his wings too! "Or I'll pull the wings off the dragon as well!" He then turned to Twilight's friends. "And don't you even think about interfering!"
"I…I didn't do any tricks! I swear!" Twilight protested as tears began forming at the corners of her eyes. "Please, let Spike go! My little brother is innocent!" All she could do was lie on the ground and cower like a scared little filly. Her friends wanted to help, but they too were being held back by Hopper's fellow rogues.
"So you won't honor my request, is that?" Hopper sneered. "So be it! Say goodbye to your…" But before he could carry out his threats, he suddenly felt a sharp pain go through his body, causing him to loudly yell in pain.
"LET THEM GO!" A loud voice cried, and all turned to see Celestia, her sister, her parents and the pillars arrive on the scene! Her horn was glowing with rage as she suddenly began to pull on Hopper's wings. "OR IT'LL BE YOUR WINGS THAT GET PLUCKED!"
"You're bluffing, you wouldn't dare!" Hopper cried as Celestia forced him onto the ground. "Let me go!"
But Celestia's rage was too great to comply with Hopper's pleas. The more he resisted, the more Celestia inflicted her powers on him.
Finally, it was more than enough to make one of the rogues speak up.
"STOP!" He cried, forcing Celestia to cease her actions. "Stop. I…I can't take it anymore."
"Manderbill, you traitor!" Hopper screamed, sharp pain going throughout his body.
"SHUT UP, HOPPER!" The rogue changeling yelled as he and the other rogues let their guard down, leaving Twilight's friends free to check on their friend. "We…we surrender, Celestia. Please spare us!"
Nodding to Tempest, Celestia watched as the rogue changelings were arrested on the spot. They were no longer her concern though, as she looked down at the scared princess lying on her side and shaking like a leaf.
"Twilight…" Celestia whispered as she gently bent down to Twilight's level. "Oh, Twilight…"
Terrified, Twilight buried herself in Celestia's chest while her friends watched in sadness and disbelief.
"We…did our best to diffuse the situation." Applejack explained. as Twilight continued to cry in Celestia's chest.
"I know you all did, Applejack," Celestia declared as Luna joined her sister's side. "In fact, we couldn't be prouder of you all for how you handled the situation."
The sobs from the supreme princess left the five other princesses dismayed at what just transpired.
"The rest of the changelings are still being held captive," Rarity spoke up. "We need to help them, but…"
At that moment, Starswirl and the Pillars arrived on the scene, and they too were mortified by Twilight's sobbing sounds.
"What do you mean?" Luna asked.
"These rouge changelings were part of a group that seized the Changeling Hive!" Rainbow Dash answered. "We've got to go and face them! The hive must be liberated!"
"Agreed," Fluttershy firmly nodded. "As Princesses of Equestria, it's our duty."
"No," Starswirl somberly declared, looking down at all of them as he and the rest of the pillars came forward, also dismayed by the sounds of Twilight's sobs. "You stay here and be there for Twilight. She'll need to recover from this. We'll handle the situation in the Changeling Hive."
"Starswirl!" Celestia called out, catching his attention. "Please be careful!"
With one final nod, Starswirl and the pillars prepared to leave for the Changeling Kingdom and confront Molt and the remaining rogue changelings once and for all. Meanwhile Celestia, Luna, their parents, and Twilight's friends were all left to pick up the pieces of what had just transpired.
…
With the emotionally unstable Twilight in her hooves, Celestia flew as fast as she could to Canterlot Hospital. The more Twilight cried, the more dire the situation seemed. Upon arrival at the hospital, Twilight was immediately admitted.
Celestia, Luna, their parents and Twilight's friends were left waiting outside Gentle Gust and Gentle Breeze's office.
"Come on, come on," Rainbow Dash muttered, pacing back and forth in the waiting room while looking up at the clock. "She's been in there for quite a while. How long is this going to take?"
"We have to be patient, Rainbow," Applejack sighed, placing a hoof around Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "Twilight got really shaken up back there, and both Gentle Gust and Gentle Breeze need to assess her condition."
Those words did little to help Rainbow Dash or any of the other ponies in the room feel any better.
But I understand how we all feel right now," Applejack went on. "I mean, that was dirty what that bug did…prayin' on Twilight's emotions like that…threatenin' to pull off not just her wings but…"
"I'm wondering how Chrysalis was freed from her prison," Pinkie Pie spoke up, interrupting Applejack. "I mean, it's like she just got up and walked away all by herself. Isn't stone not supposed to move?"
"Something must have happened while we weren't looking," Rarity guessed. "A beastly beast must have freed that trio of terror, giving them life again. You don't think it was Discord again, do you? Because if it is I'll…"
But at that moment, the door opened and out stepped Gentle Gust, sighing deeply, and removing his glasses. Concerned and troubled by this, both Celestia and Luna rose to their hooves.
"How is she?" Celestia asked in a concerned tone while walking over to the elderly pony.
"Honestly…" Gentle Gust sighed as he wiped down his glasses. "I don't think in all our years of being therapists, we've ever seen anything like this."
"Of course you haven't!," Fluttershy protested in an assertive tone while flying over to Gentle Gust. "They tried to pick her wings off as well as Spike's wings! They were truly without hearts to threaten such things!"
All Gentle Gust could do was sigh in sadness and solidarity for his royal patient.
"Well, the good news is we've managed to start getting a picture on what's happening here," He spoke up. "These changelings you speak of…who were they and why were they rogue?"
"From what I was able to find out, it seems they were changelings fiercely loyal to Queen Chrysalis," Celestia explained while solemnly looking back at Twilight's friends. "It seems that after Chrysalis was overthrown, they escaped and vowed to do whatever it took to restore her to the throne. And that meant taking hostages and resorting to actions that even Chrysalis might have balked at."
Sighing deeply once again, Gentle Gust brought Celestia into his office and she saw Twilight lying on her back on the sofa with Gentle Breeze holding her left hoof.
"Twilight's calmed down a little," Gentle Breeze spoke up while looking up at Celestia. "I've…already sent for a phlebotomist to come up for a blood sample to check for nerve agents in her bloodstream. These attacks have been occurring with alarming frequency, which is deeply troubling."
Concerned, Celestia walked over to Twilight who weakly looked over at her mentor with tear-stained eyes. "How…could this happen to me, Celestia?" Twilight whispered and whimpered. "It just…happened so suddenly. Hopper threatening to pull off my wings and then…" She trailed off, unable to bring herself to complete the sentence.
"Shh, you don't have to explain it all to me, Twilight," Celestia whispered back, stroking her protégé's mane. "We all know what they tried to do."
Like a good princess, Twilight had more important matters to focus on. "How's…Ocellus?"
"She's fine," Celestia answered. "Luna placed her in Starlight's care until this is all resolved. She's also notified your parents that you're here, in the hospital, recovering. And Starswirl and the Pillars are going to stop the rest of the rogues."
Twilight was relieved to hear such news. So much was going through her mind, and as the phlebotomist pony walked in with a butterfly needle, Twilight was asking herself two questions: How could Chrysalis have escaped when she was encased in stone? And how could I let the pressure get to me? My friends were with me.
"You're going to feel a small pinch, Princess Twilight. I need you to hold still, please." The phlebotomist gently spoke up as Twilight felt the needle go into her right front foreleg.
…
Meanwhile, Starswirl and the Pillars stood on the outskirts of the Changeling Hive, trying to figure out a way to get inside and stop the rogue Changelings.
"From what we understand, my friends," Starswirl declared as he looked through his telescope, using a locator spell to allow him to see what was going on. "The reformed changelings are being held in the throne room. There's a…dopey looking changeling seemingly in charge."
"How many hostages are in there?" Somnambula asked Starswirl.
"Possibly between fifty and one hundred," Starswirl answered as he lowered the telescope. "Thorax and his brother Pharynx are among the hostages. It seems that the dopey changeling isn't too much of a threat. He should prove easy enough to take down."
"Leave him to me, Starswirl," Rockhoof declared, brandishing his shovel. "That laddie won't stand a chance against me and my shovel! I'll make short work of him, I guarantee it!"
"Except if we attack him now he could easily call for backup," Mage Meadowbrook cautioned. "What we need to do is to try and get him and the rogues either out in the open or weakened. I used up all of that poison on the Dark Fortress. And I ain't about to just whip up more!"
"We don't need the poison, Meadowbrook," Starswirl remarked. "I have a transformation spell that should help us all get inside the hive undetected. Be forewarned though, I haven't used this since before we left for limbo. So who wishes to go first? There is a chance it could backfire."
It took a moment before Somnambula bravely stepped forward. "I'll go, Starswirl. I have hope you won't let us down."
Activating his horn, Starswirl chanted in old ponish as magic from his horn enveloped Somnambula. Unfortunately, the bright light of the magic was powerful enough to be seen from the hive.
"Hey, what's that, Molt?" A rogue changeling, beckoning Molt to get off of Thorax's throne and investigate.
But just as Molt approached the edge of the hive, the bright light disappeared as mysteriously as it had arrived.
"Ah, it's probably nothing," Molt replied, brushing it all off. "Relax, Hopper and the others will be back soon enough. And anyone in their right mind would be foolish to try and engage us now."
"It must have been a spell," Pharynx whispered to Thorax, having seen the light from afar. "Do you think it could be Princess Twilight and her friends, here to rescue us?"
"I hope so," Thorax nervously replied. "I really hope so, for all our sakes."
Back at the edge, Somnambula had been transformed into one of the rogue changelings, much to Starswirl's delight.
"Hmm, not bad," Somanmbula remarked, looking at her temporary form. "Do you think it'll be enough for the rescue operation, Starswirl?"
"It should be," Starswirl nodded, and he turned to the other pillars. "Mistmane, you, Flash and I will also disguise ourselves as the rogues. The most important thing is for them to believe that their comrades have returned."
Nodding in reply, Mistmane and Flash prepared themselves for Starswirl to cast the transformation spell on them. The light from the spell was bright enough to be seen from afar again, even as Thorax.
"It's definitely them," Thorax whispered to his fellow hostages. "Twilight and her friends are coming for us!" Hearing this from their leader gave the captives hope for their freedom. Little did they know that their rescuers would be far different from what they were made out to be.
…
…
Meanwhile, Twilight's blood sample was collected and the Supreme Princess of Equestria was once again resting comfortably.
"Twilight?" Spike asked as he peered into the room from behind the door. Turning to the elderly doctors he asked. "Can we…can we see her?"
"Of course. She should have recovered enough by now." Gentle Gust nodded as Spike and the rest of Twilight's friends came into the office.
Weakly turning her head, Twilight smiled as she saw her friends gathered around her. "Hey everypony, are you...doing okay?" She weakly whispered.
"We're much better now that we know you're alright!" Pinkie Pie declared and hugged Twilight tightly, only to pull back when she pressed on the bandaged wound from the blood sample. "Oopsie! Sorry about that."
"It's okay," Twilight sighed. "I could use a hug from you right about now. But…to tell you the truth, I don't know what happened to me. All of a sudden I just collapsed. Hopper threatening to pull off my wings as well as yours, Spike. Do you…do you think this is part of my…PTSD, Gentle Gust?"
Without any hesitation, both therapists nodded their heads up and down, confirming Twilight's fear.
"It was indeed your PTSD, Twilight," Gentle Breeze confirmed. "Through your sobs, both of us can confirm that your Post Traumatic Stress Disorder did kick in. It's just how your mentality reacted to the threats this Hopper made upon you. His threats dug up memories you'd long tried to bury."
Right then and there, Twilight began to feel more and more dismayed with herself. "Then…how can I prevent this from happening again? If I'm to be a ruler in capacity, I can't break down in a time of crisis."
"Remember, that there is no cure for PTSD, Twilight, only treatment," Gentle Gust advised. "We can help you learn strategies to keep it at bay and under control should it resurface, but we can't cure it. There are things that even magic, and science can't do."
"Then what part of being a princess should I not do if there's something that's going to affect my mental health?" Twilight cried. "Should I confront the enemy head on like I did just recently? My fires and I, we confronted each threat head on and survived each time."
"Yes, that's true," Celestia remarked. "You have all done well with each danger that was thrown at you. But the enemies you are fighting are more dangerous than anything Luna and I have ever faced…especially now that Darkblade has returned."
"What?!" Twilight gasped in dismay! "But it can't be! I…I thought he was just a legend! There...there's even a book written about him….Gusty the Great was the main character. And then Discord pretended to be him that one time. He can't be real!"
"But he is real!" A voice spoke up, revealing to be Cosmo as he and Galaxia stepped into the office. "Just like us. It's because of him that we went missing and our subjects feared the worst. If not for the bravery of Starswirl and the pillars, we wouldn't have been able to escape to tell you this."
A series of gasps befell the six princesses upon seeing the long absent king and queen of Equestria before them in all their glory!
…
Back at the Changeling Hive, the disguised Starswirl and four of his fellow pillars flew towards the hive, much to the delight of the other rogues who seemed to suspect nothing.
"Hopper!" Molt gasped, hastily coming towards what he assumed was his leader. "You're back! Has Princess Twilight agreed to free our queen?"
"She has," Starswirl spoke up, talking in Hopper's voice thanks to the illusion. "I threatened to take off the wings of the young changeling and her dragon assistant, and she complied in a heartbeat."
Naturally, Ocellus' parents were horrified to hear this. "You dare threaten my daughter?!" Her father retorted, rising to his feet. "I swear that if you laid even one hoof upon her, I'll…"
"Relax. She's unharmed, at least for now," The disguised Starswirl spoke up, glaring at the light blue colored changeling. "Perhaps when our queen is returned to the throne, she'll spare the young one's life. Of course, I can't say the same about yours. Those who betray the rightful ruler of the hive face only one outcome!"
"So, what do we do now, Hopper?" Molt asked.
"Our queen is on her way as we speak," The disguised Starswirl replied. "Rejoice, my brother and sister changelings! At very long last, our most beloved sovereign will be coming home to us again, soon to reclaim the throne that is rightfully hers!"
The rogues cheered wildly, the hostages did not. Little did they know that Rockhoof and Mage Meadowbrook had taken up positions at the south ends of the hive, ready to assist in the evacuation of the hostages.
However, as they rejoiced, Molt couldn't help but notice that the other rogues weren't cheering. "Hey, uh, Manderbill?"
Molt asked, flying over to the other rogues. "How come you're not cheering? Aren't you guys excited for our queen's return?"
Not wanting their cover to be blown, the disguised pillars tried to find words to answer Molt. "Yeah, yeah," The disguised Flash Magnus hastily answered while smiling nervously at Molt. "Of course, we are. It's just a lot of work needed to be done to make this happen, right?"
Molt had his suspicions.
"Odd," He remarked. "What, did you guys feed on too much love or something?" Then he turned towards the changeling that he thought was his brother. "Uh, Hopper?" He asked, causing the other rogues to stop cheering. "You seem to be... not yourself."
"W-what do you mean?! W-why do you ask?!" The disguised Starswirl stepped back, trying not to have his cover blown.
"I don't know," Molt commented. "For some reason, you sound rather forced in your excitement. I can detect it."
At that moment, Starswirl realized his cover was about to be blown and he needed to do something fast!
"Tell me the truth, Hopper…if it's really you," Molt asked again, but the disguised Starswirl didn't answer. "Okay then, how about I do this?!" Opening his mouth, Molt began to absorb whatever love was inside of Starswirl's disguise!
Realizing that he had no other choice, Starswirl fired a blast of magic from his disguised horn and sent Molt flying into a wall! Dropping his disguise, Starswirl turned to face the hostages.
"Follow me, quickly!" He shouted to them. "We're going to get you out of here!"
"Rogues, don't let them get away!" Molt shouted to the other rogues, but the other pillars dropped their disguises as well while Starswirl led the hostages out of the throne room.
Snarling, Molt turned his attention to Starswirl and flew right towards him! But Mistmane, Somnambula and Flash were expecting this and quickly subdued Molt. The rest of the rogues tried to help, but Mistmane fired a freezing spell that froze the rogues right in their tracks.
"Where's my brother?!" Molt demanded of the wizard.
"He's in Canterlot," Flash Magnus retorted with a snarl. "Which is where scum like you are going…now get up!"
With the changelings being led to safety, Starswirl and the remaining pillars gathered the rogues together. Casting a teleportation spell, they teleported them to Canterlot and into the dungeons where they would be dealt with later.
"Is every changeling safe?" Starswirl asked, much to the shock of Thorax and Pharynx.
"Who are you?" Thorax asked Starswirl. "I've never seen you before."
"I am Starswirl the Bearded, leader of the pillars of old," Starswirl answered, much to Thorax and Pharynx's bewilderment. "You and your subjects should be safe now."
"Thanks, but…where… where are Twilight and her friends?" Thorax inquired. "Shouldn't they have been here to deal with this?"
Gathering all of the pillars together, Starswirl answered Thorax's question.
"She's…had a personal crisis." Starswirl informed Thorax, trying to not upset him the wrong way.
…
Back at the hospital, Twilight and her friends looked up at the two rulers of Equestria that recently returned from their mysterious disappearance.
"King Cosmo?! Queen Galaxia?!" Twilight spoke up. "Impossible! You disappeared without a trace over a thousand years ago! You said so yourself, Celestia!"
"That's because Grogar kept switching us back and forth with a villain called Grim," Cosmo explained. "He wanted to make it difficult for anyone to find us and he succeeded…until now that is."
"Thanks to Starswirl and the pillars as well as our children, we were freed from our prisons and Grim is dead!" Galaxia firmly added.
Looking intently at them, Twilight and her friends realized that there was more to this story than met the eye.
"But what about Darkblade?" Applejack asked. "What makes you think he's real and not some kind of silly little story? I remember Apple Bloom had to read his story in school once."
"Yeah, but then again, A.K. Yearling is Daring Do and we all thought that Daring Do was a fictional character," Rainbow Dash remarked, before realizing her mistake. "Oops! I mean…"
Cosmo and Galaxia just snickered and grinned.
"Wasn't that hard to figure out. The two were remarkably similar," Galaxia explained. "We were able to keep an eye on everything you and your friends did for the land in our absence, Princess Twilight. And you have our sincerest thanks for it."
Just then, Twilight's parents came into the office and dashed to their daughter's side!
"Oh my precious baby!" Twilight Velvet cried, hugging Twilight tightly. "We came as soon as we heard the news."
"I'm…fine now, Mom," Twilight sighed as Velvet stepped back. "It was scary, my third attack in who knows how long."
"How are you, sweet pea?" Night Light asked, also hugging his daughter.
"Watch my foreleg, Dad," Twilight groaned, the pain in her foreleg still fresh. "I had blood drawn from there."
"Oops. Sorry, honey." Night Light blushed and stepped back.
"Mom, Dad," Twilight spoke up once the pain subsided, directing them to the former king and queen of Equestria. "This is King Cosmo and Queen Galaxia, Celestia and Luna's parents."
Suddenly, both Twilight Velvet and Night Light gasped loudly and immediately bowed down!
"The king and queen?! In the fur?!" Night Light cried out, filled with dread and admiration "Twilight, you didn't tell me that you personally knew the former king and queen of Equestria."
"I didn't," Twilight replied. "I just only met them. Believe me, it may seem like it's so fast, but…"
At that moment, the phlebotomist pony returned to the office, beckoning Gentle Gust and Gentle Breeze to come to the door and proceeded to hand them a scroll containing Twilight's blood test results.
"We have your blood test results, Princess Twilight." Gentle Gust spoke up, clearing his throat while looking at the results.
"Really? That was fast!" Pinkie Pie remarked!
"What are they?" Twilight Velvet asked as Gentle Gust took the scroll and sat down at his desk, reading them over. "Tell us, what are they?!"
"Well…" Gentle Gust spoke up. "It appears that…"
"That what?" Celestia asked in a concerned voice.
"Twilight, we…found nerve agents in your bloodstream that are behind your latest breakdown." Gentle Breeze informed everyone.
The entire room fell deathly quiet upon hearing those words.
…
…
"Nerve agents?!" Twilight Velvet cried out once the shock had worn off! She pulled Twilight close with her magic and embraced her daughter tightly (though mindful of the wound from the earlier blood draw). "In my daughter's bloodstream? Are you sure?"
"We're very positive, Mrs. Sparkle," Gentle Breeze replied. "Supposedly, the nerve agents were activated not just from your recent breakdown, Twilight, but from the one before that."
A look of worry befell upon Twilight's face upon hearing what was said.
"You mean…from when Shining Armor lashed out at an old bully at Flurry Heart's birthday party?" Night Light asked. "Then how come they weren't activated when Twilight had this happen before her coronation?"
Realizing that they were not in the right place, Cosmo and Galaxia stepped out of the office to give Twilight and her family and friends the privacy they needed.
"Because the case was low despite the circumstances, the nerve agents weren't necessary when Twilight was already under enough stress as it was," Gentle Gust explained. "Apparently, it had to take this most recent encounter with the rogue changelings to make those long-buried agents come to life."
"Then whatever shall we do?!" Rarity asked in a worried voice. "Is Twilight going to have to abdicate the throne? Demote herself?"
"No!" Twilight fiercely protested. "I won't step down from the throne! But this might mean something."
"What kind of something?" Fluttershy asked.
"That we can't just go into danger alone like we used to do," Twilight guessed, sighing deeply as she laid back down on the sofa. "Especially on the level that Hopper and the rogue changelings were on. If your parents say that Grogar is real, Celestia…then we're going to need help."
Celestia wanted to try and help her most faithful student but didn't know how to address this statement.
…
At the same time, from up on the moon, Chrysalis was taking a break from training Darkblade's soldiers when she noticed Grogar at his crystal ball with the other members of the Legion of Doom gathered around.
"Where have you been, Chrissy?" The Storm King snarled, motioning for Chrysalis to come forward. "We were just watching some free stuff. Boy are you missing out!"
"Then why didn't you tell me about this sooner?!" Chrysalis demanded!
"You were too busy teaching those tin cans," Cozy Glow remarked in an unconcerned tone. "Teaching them how to fight when the time comes."
"Whatever," Chrysalis muttered as she joined Darkblade and the others. "What is it you're watching?"
"It appears," Darkblade replied. "That a group of your former subjects took an entire race hostage to secure your release. It was... quite amusing to say the least."
Grogar then proceeded to show Chrysalis her loyalists taking command of the Changeling Hive and attacking Twilight and the others in Canterlot Castle.
"Hopper and Molt!" Chrysalis remarked, much to the legion's surprise. "I should have known they would do something like this. In their minds, they think I'm still frozen," Chrysalis then produced a sinister smile when she had a further realization. "Which goes to show that there are those subjects of mine…who still love me for who and what I am."
But Tirek wasn't smiling like Chrysalis was. For he looked down at the crystal ball and saw King Vorak and Scorpan standing at the statue.
"Father, do you think that maybe Tirek may no longer be inside the statue?" Scorpan asked. "If Queen Chrysalis isn't in there…"
"Whoever took him will suffer the full penalty of the law!" King Vorak angrily interrupted. "And once Tirek is found, the one who aided in his escape shall join Sendak in the work camps! Speaking of Sedak…"
Before anything more could be said or seen, Darkblade deactivated the crystal ball.
"My father is a worthless creature," Tirek sighed. "As is my brother. Nothing would satisfy me more than to see them both bow down to me after all the humiliation and betrayal they put me through! They deserve no less."
"And with patience, Tirek, that will come to pass," Darkblade remarked, walking towards his balcony. "However, now that Grim is dead, we are on our own if we hope to take back Equestria for ourselves."
"Personally, I think we should find someone else willing to help us out, Grogar," Cozy Glow suggested, flying over to the goat. "There must be a creature who wants to conquer Equestria as much as you do. Grim can't be the only other one besides our little group, right?"
Suddenly, at that moment all saw what appeared to be something flying towards them at a high level of speed!
"Incoming!" The Storm King screamed in fright! He jumped into the air and ducked behind Grogar's throne for safety!
But the incoming object instead went sharply down and landed on the moon with a loud, shattering rumble!
"What was that?!" Inferno cried, trying to be careful not to fall over and cause the castle to burn to the ground.
Rushing to his telescope, Darkblade looked to find the source of the object! After a few moments he discovered the smoldering wreckage of something in front of the castle. "Masquerade!" He bellowed, getting his second-in-command's attention. "You, Tirek and Romeo go investigate the object and bring it to me. Understood?"
"Yes, my emperor!" HE replied. "Tirek! Romeo! Follow me!"
With three of his legion going to inspect the object, Darkblade and the others could only wonder what was in the cards for them now that Grim was dead.
…
Meanwhile, Twilight was discharged from the hospital and brought back to her castle in Ponyville. Hearing the news that there were nerve agents in her bloodstream left Twilight and her close relations to wonder what was next to come.
"Twilight?" Spike asked as Twilight sat in her study, trying to collect her thoughts. "Celestia wanted me to tell you that Thorax wants to press charges against Hopper and the rogues for what they did."
"Thanks, Spike," Twilight replied as Spike walked into the study. "In fact, have Thorax deal with the rogues himself. I'm sure he'll deal with them accordingly."
"Sure, we can have Tempest bring them to the Changeling Hive first thing in the morning," Spike declared. "If that's what you want, though I'm sure that Thorax has his own brand of justice he wishes to use on them. Furthermore, you'll be happy to know that Ocellus has been returned safely to the hive."
Taking her attention off of the book she was reading, Twilight looked back towards her royal advisor and little brother.
"You're still thinking about what was talked about today, right?" Spike guessed.
"Yeah," Twilight replied, a look of pain on her face as she walked up towards her bedroom. "Two things came out of this today, Spike. One, there are nerve agents in my bloodstream that now activate in the most stressful of circumstances. And the other is that Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow have escaped to who knows where! I…I have a feeling that what has happened is only the beginning of what is to come, Spike."
"You mean, like war?" Spike asked as he fought back a gulp.
Twilight nodded. "Yes, war, Spike. Equestria must be ready to defend itself from Darkblade by any and all means necessary."
"Well, everycreature came together fighting the Legion of Doom," Spike spoke up. "They can do it again if they have to, right?"
Instead of responding, Twilight climbed into her bed and pulled up the sheets. "If history serves me right, Spike," She sighed. "Darkblade is the most dangerous enemy Equestria will ever face, and we have to be ready. I have to be ready! I mean…who can we find to help us fight what's to come?"
But then suddenly, the entire castle shook wildly, causing Twilight to fall out of bed and onto the floor!
"What in Equestria was that?!" Twilight cried as she dashed towards her telescope and looked out towards a pillar of smoke in the distance.
Neither Twilight nor her friends and fellow princesses realized the help that they were about to get. And meanwhile, on the moon, Darkblade was about to get a new ally of his own.
Equestria would soon enter a period where there would be more to things than meets the eye. War was indeed coming. But not the kind of war any in Equestria could've foreseen.
…
Find out in Season 11