The Other Elements (mlp:fim fanfic)

Chapter twenty five: Ready

AN: Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! I hope all of you will be surrounded by family and friends that love you on your respective holiday. I know I'm certainly excited for Christmas! :)

"And you're absolutely positive?" Said the changeling queen, her gaze returning to her soldier.

"One hundred percent, your highness. We went through the entire castle after we captured everypony." A female changeling with an alto voice responded. "I will search it again if you need me to, just give me the command and you can consider it done."

Shutting her eyes, Queen Chrysalis waved her hoof, "No need. The elements are clearly not with any of the princesses. You are dismissed."

Once her subject had left, Queen Chrysalis couldn't help but growl at her luck, or rather, lack of luck. Then, frustrated, she screamed. Her horn surged with magic, and the changeling queen shot a green beam at a wall of the hive. Seething in her frustration and anger, she grit her teeth while thinking of her setback.

"How inconvenient. The elements Celestia was talking about are nowhere to be found!" Queen Chrysalis let out a huff of air. "I suppose it won't matter anyway. The Elements of Harmony cannot be wielded without anypony to use them."

"Queen Chrysalis, I heard a commotion."

The queen turned to see a few of her changeling soldiers, seemingly on high alert. Accompanying them was King Sombra and Lord Tirek. Her eyes flitted from the rubble on the ground due to her outburst and the group a few hoofsteps away. After she explained nothing was wrong, and sent her soldiers away, she beckoned King Sombra and Tirek over.

Drawing in a breath, she held her head high as she spoke, "Tomorrow we shall start our attack on Equestria."

"I assume this means you've accomplished the task of ridding us of those troublesome elements?" Tirek questioned.

"No, I have not. However-"

"However?! What is this Chrysalis, a game to you?!" 

Queen Chrysalis snapped, "My forces have rid us of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony! We have nothing to fear as it is. Going after the elements is unnecessary. My forces are ready for instruction, and the two of you have grown strong enough to start our invasion. Do I make myself clear?"

Tirek groaned and crossed his arms, but otherwise did not object. The three soon decided on where they would attack, and the actions they would take. With their numbers and combined strength, they promised each other, "Equestria shall fall."

...

"Emerald? Emerald wake up!"

The white unicorn looked up at the earth pony in front of her with her tired, faded green eyes. The yellow earth pony with an orange frazzled mane looked at her, worry in his eyes. He looked over his shoulder before leaning down to her level.

"I gotta tell you something!"

"What is it?" She asked, now wide awake, her heart pounding after seeing his expression.

The earth pony whispered to her harshly, "They're planning their attack! I overheard one of the guards over there talking about it!"

"N-no, those monsters are actually going to go through with it..." Emerald's proper sounding speech was drowning in her fear, her voice quivered with every word she spoke. "Where are they going to attack first?"

"They talked about Ponyville. They said something about it being easier to take than Canterlot."

"Sweet Celestia, Orange Slice, what are we going to do?!"

The yellow earth pony shook his head, "Right now, I've got no idea. I guess the real question is: What can we do?"

Based on their current situation, Emerald figured that was in fact the more appropriate question. How in Equestria could they do anything from inside the walls of their cold, hard cell hidden in the depths of the changeling hive - a place nopony dared venture to? The answer was clear: Without their magic and strength, they couldn't. And yet, neither of them was willing to admit defeat. Somepony would free them, they were sure of it.

"Hope the ponies who will rescue us are just as ready as these creatures are."

... 

Though the memory of the first time Whirlwind ever came to her rescue wasn't a bad one, Winter still shut it out. She had stopped herself from continuing her thought process, deciding this was a memory for another time. Then again, her present situation wasn't exactly the best given what Princess Twilight had admitted, and the alicorn was hoping she could just write off that part of the night was just a bad dream.

"I know she has Equestria to think about, but not telling your friend about something this huge when she's involved in it... I just don't get it." Winter said with a sigh as she shifted in her seat, looking to the side.

After Whirlwind had caught up to Winter, the two had made their way to Sugar Cube Corner, and found a quiet table away from the few ponies that were still there. Granted the only other customers that were there at this time of night was a few couples out for date night, and most likely too interested in their special somepony to care about the two friends talking about Celestia-knows-what, but you can never be too careful. They had been talking for a short while, and Whirlwind let Winter vent for much of it before giving advice.

"No, you're right. That doesn't excuse what she did." Whirlwind's expression then changed slightly. "But she did seem like she felt bad about all of it. Maybe thing's will turn out okay. You never know."

There wasn't much more conversation before the door opened, and the pair turned to see four ponies enter. Leading them was Geode, followed by Blaze, then by Flora Blossom and Tidal Wave. Geode's eyes lit up upon spotting Whirlwind and Winter at a corner table and the group made their way over."

"I knew they'd be here!" Said Geode, grinning, proud he found the mares. "How are you doing now?"

Winter hesitated but gave a weak smile, "I'll be okay."

Blaze arched an eyebrow, then drew them together in confusion, "You sure about that?"

"Yeah.Of course I'm pretty upset about it all..." Winter then hardened her gaze. "But if we're going to deal with um, the three threats at large, I've got to put that aside."

"Winter, it's perfectly fine if you're still not okay with all of this you know." Whirlwind said gently.

"I know. But, well, my situation can't be helped at the moment. But ours can be."

Her voice seemed a bit pained as she explained that last part, but nopony wanted to press her further. The other four pulled up a few stools and sat with Winter and Whirlwind as they went over some possible ways to investigate when their foes were going to strike, where they were, and how the six of them were going to overpower them when the time came. Some of their suggestions of their hiding place included Tartarus, the Frozen North, and even the caverns under the Canterlot castle came up once. They didn't get far before Whirlwind noticed Winter still seemed distracted and said they should get some shut eye and meet up for breakfast in the morning. As everypony was leaving, Blaze pulled Winter aside.

"Hey, um," The unicorn started. "Listen, don't worry about the Princess Twilight thing. If she decided not to let you in on everything, I'd say that's her problem, not yours. So, I guess what I'm saying is don't beat yourself up over it or think it's your fault."

"What makes you say I think it could be my fault?"

"Am I wrong?"

After he received no answer, Blaze smirked, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

Winter allowed herself a smile and called over to him as he began to exit, "Well you're certainly confident."

"Yeah, I am." He shrugged, before turning around to look her in the eyes. "And you should be too. We're ready for whatever is about to happen, I know it."