Chapter 8 Equestria Part 4
(Rayna POV)
The changeling led us to her hive's location. We were at a beach in a cove that was surrounded by mountainous rocks. It was then when the changeling turned around looking at us.
"Do you know how to swim well?" the changeling asked.
"How come?" I asked.
"The Airavata Hive is on a distant island from here, borrowing a boat always causes suspicions and the entrance is underwater," the changeling said, "It was one of my ancestors who decided upon it, the reason why Airavata changelings natural swimmers."
"We can swim adequately well," Kate said, "however, before we even go with you, I want to know your name."
"It's Sapphire," the changeling said, "Sapphire Airavata."
"Okay Sapphire," I said, lead the way."
When she did, she began using magic when we dove to the bottom of the sea giving us oxygen while letting the carbon dioxide dissolve into the water as she led us to the entrance of the Airavata hive. When we arrived, many changelings were already entering and exiting the hidden bubble surrounded by tall growing seaweed moving with the water, a bubble towards the entrance of the hive. It wasn't until one of the changelings entering the bubble who noticed us.
"Princess Airavata? Is it you?" the changeling resembling Sapphire asked, "We've been searching the waters for you."
"I was further inland," Sapphire said, "How's Mother Airavata?"
"Mother has been better, although feeding off of Attewater Husk more than she should be from worrying over your safety as Water Crown Heir to the hive," the changeling said.
"Arika how is Attewater?" Sapphire asked.
"He's still clinging to his life," Arika said, "as Mother's second mate; I'm surprised as how he's been able to survive. Who are these two ponies?"
"Rayna and Kate," Sapphire said, "these two are seeking shelter from Celestia's wrath while she's still possessed."
"Of course sister," Arika said nodding to us, "would we need to inform Mother on this now?"
"Of course," Sapphire said, "I wouldn't want to know what is to happen to them otherwise."
"Indeed," Arika said looking at us with what appeared to be a warm felt expression in her eyes, equally resembling Sapphire's eyes, "Come on you two, we can't have Mother waiting."
As we walked into the hive, we noticed other changelings whose eyes were entirely either sapphire or powder blue, it was confusing. It wasn't until Sapphire began whispering into our ears explaining the hive. Arika was Sapphire's older sister and Crown Heir to the hive. Sapphire's title, Water Crown Heir, meant she was second to becoming the Hive's Queen, which was different as how other Hives only had one heir; it was rare to have two. Although Sapphire did say that she didn't mind not being heir, that Water Crown Heir was just her glorified title given to her by her mom.
It wasn't until Arika joined Sapphire as they continued relaying the history of the Airavata Hive as well as other changeling hives and how the hives functioned when we reached a throne room with Queen Manami and who we assumed was Attewater.
"Sapphire, your back," Queen Manami said, a perfect resemblance was between her, Arika and Sapphire, "I was worried sick."
"I'm fine Mother, if it weren't for these two ponies, I would be dead," Sapphire said.
"The Hive is in debt for the deed you have done," Manami said slightly bowing at us, "Is there anything you need?"
"Just shelter until we can have an audience with Princess Rosemunde," I said bowing in return as I slightly forced a hoof on Kate's head to make her bow as well.
"Of course," Queen Manami said, "Arika, could you take these two ponies to a room and take your sister to the infirmary?"
"Of course Mother," Arika said as we followed her out of the room.
The room was pleasantly spacious and was apparently remodeled with two separate beds. There was an open window protected by the bubble with a view of the open sea ahead of the Airavata Hive. A few minutes later, another changeling brought us food that was what Sapphire normally eats with infusions of love and friendship which aren't that bad if love and friendship is supposed to make the food taste funny.
After a day or two, I was able to sense the keyhole while in the throne room of the Airavata Hive which was a surprise. But if a world was full of light it would be a wise to hide the keyhole somewhere no one would find.
A few days went by and it seemed like the coast was clear to go to meet Princess Rosemunde. Sapphire was leading us as planned as the treaty was in her saddlebags. When we were at Princess Rosemunde's castle, we were able to get in easily. Maybe Celestia's possessed mind had forgotten about us.
(Sapphire POV)
"This place is amazing," Kate said out loud.
"You'll get used to it when you live close by," I said smiling.
Princess Rosemunde was possibly the only princess that accepted the changelings. She was a teal-colored alicorn with a fading blue hooves and muzzle; her eyes were an alluring shade of green. Unlike Celestia and Luna, Rosemunde bound her mane and tail so she would be able to help others more easily without her violet mane or tail interfering. Rosemunde's ornaments, a simple choker, the gemstones on her gilded bands around her legs and the chopsticks keeping her mane in place and ribbon keeping her tail in place were a crimson red. Unlike the other princesses, she didn't wear a crown but instead, a red flower adorned her mane. She was the only princess I knew best, the only one I could trust.
When we entered the throne room, it was the same as how it was before, the same stained-glass windows, the same throne.
"My Rosemunde, it seems you were wrong," another pony said, "I finally have their keyblades in my grasp."
"Celestia what is the meaning of this," Rosemunde asked looking at the older princess, "Don't you remember what Starswirl told us?"
"I am the princess and ruler of Equestria, I need the keyblade to protect my little ponies," Celestia said walking closer to us as Rayna stepped in front of her.
"You already gave up the keyblade," Rosemunde said, "We made a vow to Starswirl that if we ever gave up the keyblade, we would never try to get it back, don't you remember? He said it would upset the balance!"
"He never said it happened before," Celestia said as her pseudo-keyblade materialized as Rayna's keyblade materialized in her mouth.
At that moment, Celestia and Rayna were fighting each other. An aerial battle, Rayna's key held tightly in her mouth while Celestia's was floating around her to protect her. The battle seemed indecisive until Rayna slashed at one of Celestia's wings while Celestia's blade made it through Rayna's left shoulder as she fell on her back. I could tell something that resembled dark wisps were already surrounding her.
"Now you are to relinquish the keyblade or else your life will be the penalty," Celestia proclaimed before noticing the wisps as well.
Celestia backed away enough to see what was happening as her blade disappeared, dark crystals like the ones King Sombra once used formed around her as her mane and tail began to flow along a non-existent wind as it began to resemble the night sky. Her irises had turned to a turquoise color as the sclera surrounding them turned to a lighter shade of turquoise as what appeared to be purple mist appeared to leave her eyes following a different non-existent wind. Tiny glyphs dotted the wound as it healed it with time.
"No, how could you have the Nightmare? Why do you possess it?" Celestia asked as rage filled her now warped voice.
"I wouldn't know," Rayna said her voice slightly gaining a royal tone, "but you should know this Celestia, even if you did bear the keyblade once, you gave it up. There is no way you could ever reclaim it as your own."
With that Celestia re-summoned her blade once more as the two clashed again, however though, Rayna's keyblade was different for some odd reason. It was similar to Celestia's pseudo-keyblade however instead of suns; they were moons, all in their different phases. The teeth of the keyblade resembled Luna's cutie mark, the crescent moon while the keychain was a full moon with the depiction of the Mare on the Moon. However almost all of it seemed to be made out of dark colored crystals. It ended however as some strange new power left Rayna's hooves as both she and Celestia landed, trapping Celestia and a crude crystal cage. For some odd reason though, it seemed to come to a price as Rayna passed out, reverting back to how she originally looked as the wound reopened itself.
"Well it seems I was right to lend her the power she needed," Luna said walking into the throne room.
"What do you mean? What did you do to Rayna?" Kate asked.
"The form she just took earlier is Crystallized Nightmare," Luna said.
"If I remember correctly," Rosemunde said, "when we first went to the Crystal Empire in an attempt to reason with Sombra, he somehow had attached his magic to your Nightmare without ever showing up when you were Nightmare Moon Luna."
"That is true," Luna said, "Sombra's magic wasn't as strong as his own when he attached it to the Nightmare. So it was dormant while growing. A few days ago, I had what was just proven to be a vision, of Rayna dying by my sister's hooves and then everything fading into darkness soon after."
"Was that vision the reason you gave her your powers?" Rosemunde asked.
"Yes, unfortunately, at the moment it seems she can only access the Nightmare while almost facing death," Luna said, "Eventually, she will be able to do it naturally with Crystalized Nightmare. As for the True Nightmare, I hope she never needs to go that far."
"So these two ponies are the ones who will seal the keyhole once again, you two must rest first however, I'll have a doctor to tend to Rayna's wounds, and you…uh?" Rosemunde said.
"I'm Kate," Kate said.
"It's nice to meet you," Rosemunde said, "you could stay with Rayna until her wounds heal. So what would you need Sapphire, I haven't seen you in a while."
"Princess Rosemunde, I'm sorry if it is rude for me, but I was wondering if you could form a treaty with the ponies you protect and the changelings of the Airavata Hive and in extension, the Inferna-Airavata Hive," I said, "I came in my mother's place. Is it possible?"
"Of course it is," Rosemunde said.