Quill's journal (a.k.a...the journey to the center of Equestria.)

Chapter 16: An unexpected visitor

*Let's see how Ash is faring...*

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Ash Brush's eyes fluttered open when he heard the door of his cell clang open. He got to his hooves nervously, knowing what was coming. The changeling guard lead the blind earth pony to the center of the labyrinth-like cave, pushing the colt in front of Queen Chrysalis.

The queen looked down at Ash and smirked, ready to feed on his love once more. Her horn began to glow green as she prepared the spell. Ash squeezed his sightless eyes shut and prepared for impact. Chrysalis shot a green beam of magic at the colt's forehead and began to feed on his emotions and memories for his loved ones. Chrysalis smiled madly as the colt's love for other's transferred to her in the form of magic, chuckling as the colt winced and yelled in pain. When she took what she could, she stopped the flow by subsiding the glow of her horn, causing Ash to keel over in pain.

Chrysalis grimaced when she noticed that her prisoner still wasn't under her control. His cloudy eyes weren't green and love still burned in his heart. She couldn't break him! Chrysalis growled in frustration. "How many times do I have to feed on the same colt's love!?" she screamed angrily, putting a victorious smile on Ash Brush's face. "How can you still have hope? You should be under my direct control by now! You should have given up by now! How are you still fighting back!?" she ranted, flying around the colt in a circle. "What will it take to break you?" she screamed.

That's when it hit her. She gazed deep into the colt's eyes as his memories began circling her mind. She needed her. She needed that city friend he cared so much about. It was the only way. The only way to break him. Of course, his brother would do also, but the chances of him being alive were slim to none. "CACOON!" she shouted, causing her advisor and army general to fly in quickly. "Yes your majesty?" Cacoon asked, bringing his hoof to his head in a salute.

"I need you to send the finest in our army to track down that city friend of his, I have use for her after all. Bring her to me alive! I need her heart pumping...for now." she ordered. Cacoon nodded and left to make preparations. Chrysalis walked over to Ash and patted his head. "Now you know I mean business. Take him away!" she called. As a changeling guard lead Ash back to his cell, all he could think was, 'What have I done?'

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Firecracker paced the hotel room nervously. Quill had been gone for 2 hours. Firecracker hoped that she was okay. Firecracker glanced back at Time Turner, who was shivering under a blanket as he slept. Firecracker could tell that he was having a bad dream. She sighed. She could tell that Turner cared about Ash a lot, maybe even more than she did. She had heard of ponies who would do anything for those they cared about even to the cost of their lives, but this was the first time she saw a pony like that personally.

She walked over to Turner and placed another washcloth on his forehead, trying once more to lower his fever. It had gone down a little bit, but his skin still felt warm to the touch. Firecracker hated seeing ponies like this. It made her feel helpless when she didn't know how to help them. She had seen this in Ash once, and it was horrible.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Turner bolted up from his slumber, panting and sweating. "Are ya okay?" she asked with concern. "I-I just had a bad dream is all." Turner said quickly, his voice raspy from all of his coughing. Firecracker didn't buy it. "Ya wanna talk 'bout it?" she asked. Turner shook his head, but Firecracker could see tears building up in his eyes.

"C'mon, it might make ya feel better." she tried. Turner sighed. "I was back home. With Ash. We were playing tag in the park. I was it. I chased him all over the place. He turned a corner and ran after him, only to find a changeling pinning him to the wall. I tried to run over to save him, but my legs couldn't move. I watched as the changeling tortured him. Stealing his love, slapping him, scratching him, punching him, doing horrible things to him. When I finally broke free, Ponyville was in chaos! Changelings everywhere. Ponies were running around all over the place. Chrysalis was at a podium, giving some sort if speech, saying that she owed it all to me for letting this happen, then I got hit in the face by a changeling. That's when I woke up."

Firecracker didn't know what to say. She'd never had a dream like that before. "How often do ya get dreams like this?" she asked curiously. Turner sighed. "At least once each time I go to sleep." he said pathetically. Firecracker nodded, her suspicions proven correct. "I'm sorry I was tough on ya. I was thinking so much about Ash's position in this, I blamed it on ya. But now I see that I was wrong." Firecracker said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

As Turner opened his mouth to answer, they heard a crash. Firecracker turned and her eyes widened. Standing in front of the (now broken) window, was a changeling.

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"Thanks again so much for helping me Soda Pop!" Quill said, hugging her cousin one more time. "No problem! Make sure you keep your mates out of trouble! Good luck on your quest!" Soda said, as she spread her creme colored wings and took flight.

Quill smiled and began walking back up to her hotel room. She was near the door when she heard a crash. She quickly ran in to see a changeling in front of a broken window, eying her friends with interest. Quill froze in place, her eyes widened in horror. She knew she couldn't get to her friends before the creature strikes, so all she could do was pray to Celestia that the changeling would lose interest and go away.

But that's not what happened.

The changeling lunged at Firecracker, causing Quill to disregard her plans and run forward. Firecracker was putting up quite a fight, kicking and hitting and shooting beams of red magic. However, she still hasn't fully recovered from all the magic she's been using the last few days, so she was overpowered by a simple punch in the face.

The changeling picked up the unconscious unicorn with it's magic and flew out the broken window, leaving a terrified pegasus and (still) ill earth pony behind.

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*Now that Firecracker is captured, how do you think Chrysalis will use her to break Ash Brush? Leave ideas in the comments. See y'all later! 😉