Chapter 14
The darkness surrounded Twilight then quickly she lighted her horn to drive back the darkness.
"Hello?" she said as her voice echoed in the dark room. Crystal wals fragmented her sense of place and made her slightly dizzy. Standing up she walked till she bumped into the wall. Shaking her head to clear it and focus she looked around again
"Is anyone there?" she asked again pleading for a voice to respond. A sinister laughter seemed to surround her as backed up to the crystal wall.
"Where am i?" she asked the darkness. Cadance's face appeared fractured on the crystal walls her smile sadistic and cruel.
"The caves beneath Canterlot once home to greedy unicorns who wanted to claim the gems that were inside and now…your prison." Cadance said smiling cruelly. Twilights Heart sank as she then let out a desperate cry.
"Help! Help anyone!" she pleaded but garnered the response of utter laughter from Chrysalis.
"Its no use, no one can hear you, and no one will think to look for you here either. Most ponies have forgotten that these caves even exist, which is why they are ideal place to keep the ones who try to interfere with my plans." She said bursting with laughter.
"Plans? What plans?" twilight asked trying to make sense of how quickly the events had unfolded. Chrysalis looked surprised for a moment.
"Why the plans I have for your brother of course." She said. With the mention of her brother being the target she had gained focus and anger.
"Don't you dare do anything to my brother! You…you monster!" she said as her horn began to glow and spark with raw magical power. Chrysalis looked at her defiant prisoner and couldn't help be feel the power over her nothing now could stop her.
"Only way to stop me is to catch me." She mocked then disappeared and her laughter rang out in Twilight's cell. Reappearing on the adjacent wall.
"Over here." She teased. Twilight let lose an explosive amount of energy hell bent on destroying the image. The crystal walls reflected the energy beam as it bounced of multiple surfaces causing Twilight to duck her own attack.
"Nope… Over here… now over here." She tormented Twilight. Curling up in a ball she had a moment of weakness then thought to herself no keep on fighting that's what shining armor would do. She fired another beam of energy at Chrysalis again, again, and again causing chips and crack in the wall. Till she lowered her horn and fired will all she had making the wall crumble and there on the other side was Cadance looking bewildered and shocked. Twilight saw her chance to tackle and take out Cadance once and for all, she wasent going to let it slip away.
"No! WAIT!" Cadance pleaded as she held her hooves up to defend herself as Twilight pounced at Cadance crashing into her pinning her to the ground.
"Please…don't hurt me." She said covering her face in fear as she looked up to see her aggressor she saw it was twilight Cadance stopped trembling.
"Twilight its me." She said Twilight looked unconvinced.
"Please you have to believe me, I Have been imprisoned here like you the Cadance who brought you down here was an imposter." She said trying hard to convince her that she was in fact the real Cadance.
"Likely Story!" Twilight said not believing a word. Cadance thought quickly about something only they shared.
"Sunshine, Sunshine, Lady bugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake." She said going through the motions. Twilight looked at her hooves as they bumped hooves. Cadance smiled meekly as Twilight realized that she was in fact the real Princess Cadance.
"You remember me." Twilight said hugging Cadance with a warm hug.
"Of course I do, How could I forget the filly I loved to sit for the most?" Cadance said petting her head gently. Chrysalis's laugher rang again as she looked down at the two. Cadance saw a small sparkle of light at the end of the tunnel something she hadn't seen in days.
"We have to get out of here." Twlight said taking charge, Cadance nodded agreeing.
"We have to stop her…" Twilight said running through the crystal caverns with Cadance.
(que awesome duet between Queen Chrysalis and Princess Cadance) :P
Nightmare Darkness looked confused at discord.
"Discord, why you are her I do not know but my captor is very uncouth." He said trying to stand but his leg did not respond the way he wanted.
"Oh yes I always did not like how he could control your mind better then others…hence I can only summarize he loathes me so much." Discord chuckled as he sat down in thin air.
"Now I am going to tell you something that I haven't told anyone in a long time…" Discord said suddenly getting serious, which was not like his character at all.
"The creature you have now inside of you now is an old acquaintance of mine and let's just say everything evil stems from this entity you can never kill him but you can seal him. Though I know you are beyond help maybe your mother could help." He chuckled. Nightmare Darkness looked uncomfortable.
"You know my mother. Then will you tell me of her?" Nightmare asked. Discord smiled evilly
"I don't know if it is my place to tll you who she is." He said pausing then appearing beside him he put his arm around his shoulder whispering into Nightmares ear. Nightmares eyes widened.
"That cannot be! What you speak is blasphemy!" Nightmare body felt l was in cold water not knowing which way was up. If what you say is to and she is my mother how could it be true? Discord chuckled and relished his inner turmoil.
"Of course she doesn't know you exist…you were created from her and him so it kind of makes you born of her really not from her." He said patting his chin.
"Well anyway if you ever need someone to chat with I am a simple knock knock joke away." He said laughing and turning in on himself exploding into a puff of cloud. He was unsure of Discords motivations but now he was sure his mother would help but first he would need the elements of harmony to free himself of his cursed creature that was his father.
"Mare and gentle colts we are gathered here today to witness the union of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor." Celestia began her speech. This was it her victory, Chrysalis was smiling at all of the ponies in her presence all blissfully unaware that her army was in position to overtake Canterlot in one fell swoop. She had to admire the plans her so called master had come up with. Prior to her walking down the aisle she had talked to her captain saying that her troops were in position waiting for her signal as well positioned her own changelings in the throne room itself disguised as Celestias own guards. Everything was perfect and with all this new power she would rule Equestria and throw off the shackles that the evil pegasus had put on her. Celesita looked to her.
"Do you Princess Cadance take Shining Armor to be your husband, to have and to hold through sickness and in health to love him for all time?" Cadance looked at her so called husband and smiled
"I do..." she lied
"And do you Shining Armor take Princess Cadance to be your wife to have and to hold , in sickness and in health to love her for all time." she asked him he looked at Chrysalis eyes glassed over and nodded.
"I do.." he said stiffly
"Princess Cadance and Shining Armor It is my great pleasure to pronounce you..." Celestia said smiling.
"STOOOOP!" came a voice causing Princess Celestia to stop, as Twilight walked into the room glaring at Chrysalis. Chrysalis would have throttled the young unicorn if she were not infront of all these ponies. All the other ponies were shocked at Twilights outburst.
"Ugh why does she have to be so possessive of her brother." Chrysalis said stomping her hoof. Celestia looked at her perplexed.
"Why did she have to ruin my special day." she said and began to cry.
"Because it is not your special day! ITS MINE!" Cadance said stepping infront of Twilight. Her mane and fur tarnished and unkempt from all the time Chrysalis had locked her up. Everypony in the room gasped and looked between the two confused.
"What how did you escape my bridesmaids!." she said pointing her hoof at them. Twilight and Cadance looked at eachother.
"Simple bouquet distraction." Twilight said smugly.
"Very Clever, but your still to late." Chrysalis smiled triumphantly.
"I still dont understand, how can there be two of them?" Apple Jack put in.
"She is a changeling! She take the form of someone you love and gains power by feeding off you love for them. Chrysalis was to close to lose now her horn and eyes glowed with a seething anger as she finally gave up the charade and surounded herself in green flames breaking from the shell of her disguise. Her laugh was a dark medlodic laugh as she looked now at Cadance.
"Right you are princess and as queen of the changelings it is up to me to find food for my subjects and Equestria has more love then anyplace i have encountered, My fellow changelings willwill be able to devour so much of itthat we will gain more powerthen we have ever dreamed of." she said walking slowly towards Cadance.
"They will never get the chance, Shining Armors protection spellwill keep them from ever even reaching us." Cadance said matter of factly. Chrysalis smiled at her making Cadance doubt herself for a moment.
"Oh I doubt that, Isen't that right...dear." she said turing toward Shining Armor as her horn glowed, Shining Armor nodded his head agreeing with her every word. Cadance's anger erupted and she began to charge to save Shining Armor but Chrysalis put her hoof down and blocked her path.
"Ah ah ah...you dont want to go back to the cave do you?" she said threatening her with a glow of her disfigured horn. Grudgingly Cadance took a few steps back glaring at the Changeling Queen.
"Ever since I Took your place I have been feeding off of Shining Armors Love for you, every moment he grows weaker and so does his spell and right now so is my minions." she said looking outside the window. other ponies looked to see and a black army of changelings had circled the entire city. Chrysalis laughed at her victory not even finding anyone in the room a threat.
"He may not be my husband,but he is under my total control now." Cadance looked aghast along with Twilight.
"And im sorry to sayunable to perform his duties as the roaly guard as well." she smiled
"Not my Shining Armor!." she said almost pleading rasing her hoof just hoping to be that much closer to her beloved.
"Soon my changeling army will break through, first we will take Canterlot, thenall of Equestria.
"NO." came Celestias Voice stepping toward Chrysalis
"You wont." she said surly. Queen Chrysalis Had gotten caught up in the moment and now faced Celestia, would she be able to go toe to toe with the alicorn who raised the sun.
"You May have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now since you have so foolishly reviled your true self. I Will protect my subjects from you!" she said as Chrysalis and Celestia Locked horns glaring at eachother. Celestia Took to the air and her horn shined bright as she attacked her with all of her might, Chrysalis countered her with her magic of all the love she had devoured while staying in Canterlot. The Strain of Celestias magis was almost unbearable Chrysalis would not lose she couldent lose throwing everything she had in one last push of desperate attack drove Celestia From the air and crashing onto the floor leaving her horn scorched and unconscious. Chrysalis stopped for a moment and looked at Celestia on the floor defeated. A rush of euphoria made her look at her hoof.
"Princess Celesita!" Twilight yelled rushing to her side quickly followed by the mane five.
"Ah, shinings armors love for you is even stronger then i thought. Consuming it has made me even more powerful then Celestia!" she laughed as she had finally won her army would be through the barrier and Celesita was down. She looked to see Twilight and the other run out of the door. she laughed at the site of them fleeing.
"You can run But you cannot Hide!" she proclaimed to the escaping ponies and soon after many other began to follow suit and run in terror at their inevitable fates. And with a louch crack the barrier shattered. All of her changeling guards had turned back to their original forms and began to terrorize and feed off of the love they could manage to get. Looking to her guard she waved him to come to her, approaching her he nodded his head.
"Congratulations on the victory my queen." he said smiling
"Not yet...capture those six and bring them here the will be going for the elements of Harmony." she ordered. He nodded and bowed leaving to assemble a capture team. Looking to Celestia four of her guards had began to put her in a green cocoon. Flying over to it she tapped on it and smiled.
"This will change you into a changeling Dear Princess Celestia, The life is not that bad but you will feed off your own subjects you so gallently tried to defend. Celestia's eyes widened in horror as Chrysalis flew back down to the floor to where spike, Cadance and Shining Armor stood next to the wedding arch.
"You wont get away with this! Twilight and her friends will." Cadance shouted outraged being stuck in place by a green slime. The door opened and under heavy escort the mane six were brought in. Chrysalis smiled and nodded to her Captain who smiled back.
"You were saying?" she looked at Cadance. Looking back to the mane six she proclamed.
"You do know the receptions been cancelled dont you?" she said to Twilight then looked to the other guards.
"Go feed." she said then turned her attention to her prisoners. She closed the doors after them and looked at Twilight and her friends.
"Its funny really, Twilight here was suspicious of me here all along to bad the rest of you were to busy caught up in the wedding planning to realize that her suspicions were correct." Queen Chrysalis gloated.
"Sorry Twi, we should'a listened to you." Apple Jack said comming beside her.
"Its alright she fooled everypony." Twilight said glaring at her.
"Hmmm, I did didn't I?" she smiled looking a the carnage that was being done down below.
"This day has been just perfect..." she thought as she took in the carnage and victory of her rise to the ruler of Equestria.
Twilight crept silintly to Cadance and undid her hooves.
"Quick, go to him while you still have the chance." Twilight said looked over her shoulder to Queen Chrysalis. Cadance smiled at Twilight and turned to Shining Armor and felt her heart catch in her throat as she touched her horn to his and nuzzled his face. Stroking her hoof against his regale features she pushed into him and hugged him with all of her love and faith, her horn began to flicker and jolt as her feelings burst flooding over her forming a solid heart containing all of her feelings toward Shining Armor. The Heart floated lightly and landed on his face dissipating the spell Chrysalis had placed on him. Shining Armor blinked away the fog that had covered his eyes.
"Wha..where am huh is the wedding over?" he asked confused. Chrysalis landed between the mane six and Cadance.
"Its all over." she replied to Shining Armors question smiling cruelly.
"Your spell...perform your spell!" Twilight shouted to Shining Armor and Cadance. Chrysalis laughed at that notion.
"What good would that do? My changelings already roam free." she said pointing out of the window where Shining Armor looked and felt his heart sink.
"No!" he blurted out. Then his horn Began to glow but he was to drained from being controlled all that time.
"My powers useless now I don't have the strength to repel them.." he said losing all hope.
"My love will give you strength." Cadance said going to him.
"What a lovely but absolutely ridiculous sentiment." Chrysalis said. Shining Armor now glared at the enemy as Cadance hugged him. He forced all of his left over magic for the spell making his horn glow pink. Cadance began to touch her horn to his and a jolt of pure energy jumped forming a bridge between the two. Cadance's horn glowed blue. Both of them felt connected as the love and hopes of them both fused together. Shining Armor began the spell as the spell gained momentum the light burned brighter. then a pink flame surrounded them they both looked surprised then looked at eachother and smiled forcing all of thier love for one another to repele the darkness that had invaded Canterlot. The spell began to levitate them off the floor as they were surrounded by streaks of magic. Chrysalis Looked and her jaw dropped, no she was to close...she couldn't lose not now. The invisible wall of the protection spell slammed against her sending her flying in a direction she didn't know tumbling through the air if she tried to stop her wounds would definitely sheer off falling now she crashed into the ground hard.
Chrysalis awoke to a flood of pain and agony as one wing was bent, her back leg damaged and in need of s splint. She was alone and hurt most likely not to survive without aid.
"Well you failed." came a deep voice she stopped moving her blood had run cold.
"Well that what you get for being to cocky. You screw up but don't worry I have something to remedy failing ...its a teacher of sorts." Nightmare stepped out from the darkness of an overhang and stood over her.
"His name is pain." he said stepping on her broken leg pushing down on it making her give an ear piercing scream.