Fool Moon, Part 32 (To Rise Again.)

>Dignity was the key.
>Dignity and grace.
>They will not see you broken. Not now, not ever.
>You are Rarity.
>And you are about to be fitted for a wedding gown.
>Changelings flit and flutter around you, wearing the bodies of two white pegasi.
>They've been gentle, so far, applying makeup to your bruised eye and elegantly cloaking the rest of your form beneath your dress.
>Your horn, thankfully, has had time to recover from Sparkler's little..."Filing sessions."
>You sigh and turn as you feel your fantastic dress pressed close to your form.
>Your husband-to-be is looking on and smiling that overconfident smile of his.
>This was the kind of moment you used to dream of.
>Strange how dreams could turn to nightmares with the blink of an eye.
>Blueblood smiles as the changelings finish fitting you for your dress.
>"That looks absolutely stunning. A bride fit for a king!"
>A bride with a black eye in a dress two sizes two small sewn together with inferior fabrics.
>Somehow, you're not surprised at his taste.
"I look like a pony who's been starved, beaten, and stuffed in a dress FAR too small for her. Which is an achievement, considering the starving."
>His smile dies, ever so slowly, and you allow yourself an inward-focused, triumphant sneer.
>"Must you still be so negative?"
>The plaintive tone of his query surprises you.
>You raise an eyebrow, not sure if he's actually serious.
"Must I? After all you've done to me? After all you've threatened to do to those I care about?"
>His mouth transforms into a thin, hard line as he glares at you.
>"The...punishment was on the extreme side, I will admit. Sparkler has a certain...zeal for...well, you know."
>His lips curl in a smile.


>"Come now, stop being so glum. It's the wedding of any mares dreams! You'll be married to a king!"
>You lower your eyebrows and glare at him.
"No. What I'll be married to is a dangerously insane foal who had to threaten the lives of my friends to get me to accept his proposal!"
>He sighs., a deep, serious sigh, as if disappointed.
>"I've already told you that I'm deeply sorry for what happened to your sister."
>You feel a pang of emotion, a deep, searing hurt.
>It is an effort not to show on your face what you feel in your heart.
>"But it couldn't be avoided. What Razor has done to you was brutish, and Sparkler's cruelty was, I assure you, against my orders. She hates you fiercely, for reasons I can't begin to imagine. But things are still bright! Your friends know you're safe now, all of Canterlot knows that-"
"That the brave King Blueblood managed to rescue the lady Rarity from the nefarious clutches of Anonymous, the devious mastermind behind Princess Luna's fall from grace?"
>You drily parrot the words back at him before snorting in disgust.
>His only response is a cool smile.
>"The newspapers can be a bit overdramatic when it comes to sharing my deeds with the world."
"Especially when you pay them to be that way."
>He scowls, a quick flash of frustrated emotion.
>You smirk at him as he rubs his forehead in frustration.
>He freezes mid-motion, as something comes to that cruel machine he calls a mind.
>"Wait. I'm going about this all wrong..."
>You raise an eyebrow.
>He stamps a hoof, and the changelings set about removing you from your dress.
>"Come, walk with me, Rarity."
>You open your mouth to refuse, but hesitate, curiosity gripping you.
"...Why?"


>He smiles.
>"Only to talk. To give me a chance, perhaps, to explain myself, and-"
"Convince me to actually WANT any of this? Don't waste your breath, Blueblood. I'm not suffering from Stockhorn's syndrom."
>The sound of his teeth grinding is music to your ears.
>"You will learn the proper way to respect a king, you insolent-"
>He takes a deep breath, calming himself, and opens the door, before trotting out of it.
>"Come with me."
>You look at the changeling guards to either side of you, sigh, and follow him.
>He trots ahead of you, muttering to himself as you both walk through the silent halls of Canterlot Castle.
>Blueblood had the staff replaced with mostly changelings mere days after being raised to the Throne.
>He leads you to the Throne Room, but stops short of taking a seat.
"Well? What, then, are we going to talk about, Oh Glorious King Blueblood?"
>He stays silent for a moment before answering.
>"Why do you think I'm doing this?"
"Doing what?"
>"All of this. Everything. The coup, marrying you, the changelings, everything."
"Because you're a power hungry piece of pony vermin?"
>"No."
>You roll your eyes.
"Why foalnap me, then? Why do such a horrible thing to the princesses? Why try to kill Anon? WHY KILL SWEETIE BELLE!?"
>Damnit, Rarity. You musn't let him know he'd gotten a rise out of you.
>Tears simply weren't acceptable now.
>"I didn't kill Sweetie Belle."
"Liar."
>"It was a change-"
"LIAR! You control them, you monster! They obey you! Whether or not it was at your hooves, it surely came at your orders!"
>His lips go flat again, and he eyes you with contempt.
>"Calm yourself, and let me explain."


>Your jaw drops slightly as you gaze at him, stunned.
"Wha...what?"
>"Spike. That wretched little purple dragon-child. Your friend Twilight is his caretaker."
"I don't know what he-"
>"Do you remember when he went on a rampage through your little village?"
>Of course you remembered. How could you forget?
"That has nothing to-"
>"Celestia sent three Wonderbolts when she heard about the danger. Three. Wonderbolts. Showponies, Rarity! This same Celestia broke the old king of the dragons, Smaug or Glaurang or whatever name he went by, and shattered their kingdom into pieces thousands of years ago! What does she do when a dragon goes on a rampage through a town? Send entertainers!"
>He laughs, a bitter sound, and you bite your lip.
"Surely, Celestia only wanted to keep Spike from coming to any harm..."
>"While ignoring the ponies under her care? You're right, that does sound like her. What about Discord?"
>This has you confused.
"What ABOUT Discord?"
>"When he broke free, he brought chaos and strife to all of Equestria in a matter of hours! What did Celestia do? Nothing! She wrote a few letters and hid in her castle while Discord turned this nation into Tartarus on earth!"
"Discord was too powerful to-"
>"She sent one noblepony and her entourage of commoners to take on the Spirit of Chaos, while entrusting them with our nations most powerful artifacts! She kept a renegade Chaos God in her palace garden like a TROPHY, for Tartarus' sake!"
>He's advancing on you, fury twisting his features into a mask of hatred.
>"How can you view her as a fit leader? She, who ALLOWS such atrocities to happen to us rather than fix them? If she's so wise and noble and powerful, why do we suffer?"


"She can't be everywhere at once."
>He retreats from you, smiling, like he's addressing a child.
>"Let's talk about what she does in the capitol, then, shall we?"
>He seats himself on the throne.
>"Every day, I see her sit on this throne, smiling at her beloved little ponies, while simultaneously ignoring the complaints of noble and commoner alike!"
"What do you-"
>"Every day, a new report comes in from the border between Equestria and the Griffon-held lands, tales of Griffons trespassing on our territory. Tales of feral griffons kidnapping ponies and eating them alive, like barbarians. Griffon ambassadors stalk the courts, lying and preening and scoffing at the idea of any of their people committing such a crime. Then they turn around and ask her to sign another trade agreement that leaves us poorer and them fatter!"
>You stop talking, marveling at the rage that enters the would-be King's voice as he continues.
>"We are the weakest country in the world, Rarity. Our army consists of unarmed, personal guards who wouldn't know the right end of a spear if it stabbed them in the flank. The majority of our commoners are uneducated farmers who think counting the trees in a field is fancy mathematics!"
>You frown, ready to launch a furious retort until he continues.
>"If Celestia is so fit to rule, so wise, so wondrous, why have I succeeded, Rarity?"
>You fall silent, stunned once more.
>"If the Sun is so glorious, so brilliant, why am I King? Why was she so easy to break?"
>He trots towards you, maddened certainty blazing in his eyes.
>"You wonder why I think I am entitled to rule? It is because even a power hungry piece of pony vermin can do a better job than Celestia!"


>"Not once has she protected us, Rarity. Not once has our Princess truly served US. My eyes were opened when the changelings invaded. Our glorious Princess finally stepped up to defend us...and was swatted aside like a fly!"
>He returns to the throne, leaning back on it, his eyes still burning with that furious intensity.
>"The sun has set, Rarity. And it was not soon enough. For too long have we relied on her to guide us, like children chasing after an uncaring parent's affection. I do what I must to make our species, our nation, stronger. Do you understand?"
>He looks at you, pleading.
>"Do you see?"
>You remain silent for a few moments.
"Nightmare Moon."
>He twitches in the throne, rising.
>"What?"
"She banished her own, beloved sister to the moon for a thousand years. For us. She stood aside rather than banish her again. She trusted us, Blueblood. She trusted us, my friends and I, enough to let us save her sister."
>He shifts again, frowning.
>"Would you have done different? Could you have handled it better? How well equipped are you to handle a mad alicorn?"
>He grimaces, and you know you have him. That grimace turns into a full-fledged scowl, and he closes his eyes.
>"...No. I...no, I...nop0ny believed in the Elements of Harmony until that night."
>You press in, smirking at him.
"And what of me, Blueblood? Why am I here?"
>He looks up at you, his blue eyes simmering.
>"Because I want you to be here. Because despite your wilful, foolish nature, you are attractive. Intelligent. You would make a fine Queen, finer than that obsequious Sparkler, if you'd only see reason!"
>You open your mouth to reply, when fierce knocking interrupts your thoughts.


>You remembered a time when you were not a killer.
>You remembered being a thief, being terrified and small and quick, always avoiding capture, always running.
>You remembered being terrified of the idea of murder, at the possible ease of it.
>You remembered being a hunter. A beast, mindless and greedy.
>That's all they were now.
>Memories.
>You are Anonymous.
>And you finally feel whole.
>The changeling horde reacts to your sudden leap slowly. Too slowly.
>Three changelings are caught in your hands as you slam into the rugged ceiling of the Hive.
>Their shells crack under you as your talons dig into the rough stone, green goo squelching out from beneath you.
>You bend your neck, looking backwards and below you to the milling changelings.
>You roar.
>They shriek.
>You let go of the ceiling, twisting in the air to pull the wings off another bug before you land.
>Stone cracks under your padded feet, and you smile at the sensation.
>You were starting to understand why you had done this when you were a divided creature.
>The strength, the speed, the scents were all...thrilling. Now wonder the dark half had been so keen on escape!
>Changelings begin to land around you, wrapping themselves in fey magic and slamming into you like green bullets.
>You grunt as first one, then two, then ten rain down on you, scoring great bloody holes in your shoulders and back on impact.
>It hurt, yes, but not for long.
>You turn around and slam your fist into a falling changeling, smacking it away like a misfired cannon shot.
>You keep moving, bounding away from the falling changelings, running on all fours to increase your speed.
>The drones are unimportant. It's the Queen you want.


>You can smell her. The ripest, muskiest stink in this den of insectile horrors.
>She floats above her minions, shrieking orders to them even as they flee. Even as they fight. Even as they die.
>You hook another falling changeling in your claws and roar at it, enjoying the creature's squeals.
>You hurl it away from you, uncaring, as you lope towards Chrysalis.
>She sees you coming, her eyes burning with green fire.
>Her horn lights up, and she dives towards you, hissing.
>You realized your mistake, now.
>When she was Fleur, you'd tried to remain to polite. You'd known something was wrong.
>One of you had, anyway.
>But still, you'd made a mistake.
>You'd treated these ponies, these creatures, Blueblood and Razor and Chrysalis and Sparkler...
>You'd treated them like PEOPLE.
>They'd threatened foals, threatened the woman you loved, captured you, raped your mind...
>They were wild animals. And you had to put them down.
>She lands before you, her hooves stomping onto the earth, her horn glowing like a pillar of green light.
>"Enough of this! I don't know what you are, Anonymous, but you will not descecrate my hive like this! I refuse. You will return to-"
>You aren't sure what she was going to say.
>You don't care, really.
>But whatever it is, she gets to enjoy choking on it as your claws rake a jagged line in her throat.
>She stumbles back, green fluid flowing from her throat, and you pursue her.
>A green line of magic fires from her horn, and you dip to the side, laughing.
>Her hooves scrabble on the stone, and you slam a fist into her muzzle.
>She goes down like a ton of bricks.
>Her mouth moves, and you smile, opening your own maw full of jagged, pointed teeth.


>Something slams into your back, and you growl in pain as it hits you.
>It will heal, but the irritation is-
>Another thing slams into your back.
>You stumble, slightly, at the weight, before turning to look over your shoulder.
>Changelings, clinging to you like the bugs they are.
>Trying to slow you down.
>You turn your head back around, teeth bared.
>Chrysalis is limping away from you, one hoof pressed to her throat.
>You drop to all fours and start running.
>She limps faster.
>More weights slam into your back, more changelings trying to slow you down.
>You keep running, slamming aside the little things as you close with their queen.
>She lets out a gasping gurgle, and you smile at the fear in her eyes.
>She's going to-
>Her horn glows again, and your growl turns into a shouted expletive as gravity suddenly reverses for you, hurling you up and away from the injured Queen.
>You slam into another outcropping, your claws scrabbing for purchase on the smooth rock.
>Changelings release you and fly away towards their limping Queen as you regain your footing.
"It's gonna take more than that to get rid of me, bug."
>She doesn't reply, her horn still glowing.
>Is she just planning to hurl you again? You'll keep getting up. You'll keep coming until she's dead.
>You crouch, getting ready for another leap.
>Her horn flashes, green fire and magic whirling around her, encapsulating her in a circle of changeling sorcery.
"What the..."
>There is a flash, a sucking sound, and a roaring, and she is gone.
"NO!"
>You leap to where she once was, changelings buzzing around you like flies as they flee your anger.
"YOU DON'T GET TO RUN, YOU BITCH! YOU DON'T GET T-"
>"Anonymous?"


>You whirl, snarling at the thing behind you.
>Another changeling. Its eyes widen in fear, and it shrieks in horror as your clawed hand slams it into the stone.
>"Anonymous, wait!"
>You snarl, moving your head close to it and sniffing.
"Why should I do that?"
>"It's me, Anon! It's Bon-Bon! I told you about Rarity, remember? I know where she is!"
>You do not remove your hand.
"Where did she go?"
>"The Queen? A...a portal! The Hive, the whole Hive is linked to Canterlot! She must have opened it and esca-"
"Open it."
>"W-what?"
>You move your head closer to her, snarling.
"Open. The. Portal."
>"I...I can't! I'm not a Queen! I don't know that kind of magic!"
>You remove your hand, still snarling.
>She recoils, curling up on herself and cringing.
>"Please, please don't hurt me! Please! I just want Lyra to be safe, I just-"
>You ignore her, looking up and around you at the Hive.
>Changeling eyes, glittering blue crystals, peer at you from the darkness.
>You hear the chittering of legs and the buzzing of wings.
>They're gathering their courage again.
>You turn back down to Bon-Bon.
"Ssshhhh. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to get back to Canterlot. That's all."
>You give your best reassuring smile, which fails miserably considering your teeth.
>She peers at you from behind her forelimbs, terrified.
>"Um...Canterlot? That's...Anon...with the portal closed...we're in the Badlands. It'll take...days to get there on foot."
"Do you know the way?"
>"Well...yes, but-"
"Then you're coming with me."
>You reach down, ignoring her shriek of prostest, and sling her onto your back.
>Then you leap.

 Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2XJFZkGryA
>Your talons dig into the rock as you land, anchoring you there as Bon-Bon shrieks into your ear.
"Stop that."
>She complies immediately, and you laugh at the idea of a pony-bug monster thing being scared of YOU.
"How do we get out of the Hive?"
>She points a shuddering limb past your head, straight up.
>"The...the other exits are...s-sealed...there's an exit at the top, but you'd have to f-fly."
"No. I won't."
>You climb.
>You scrap out chunks of rock as your talons dig into the stone, cutting through it like hard cheese.
>Changelings flit around you, a few coming in close enough for you to claw at them.
>They can't deter you.
>Not for long.
>You start leaping, releasing your handholds and jumping from outcropping to outcropping in an effort to get farther.
>To rise higher.
>You scrabble up the stone face, ignoring the furious changelings, and the one clinging to your back.
>You can see it. An exit.
>Changelings swarm around it, swirling around the thin shaft of light that falls from the roof of the Hive.
>They come at you in pairs, in mobs, hissing and tearing at your flesh with their teeth, or trying to knock you loose with their magic.
>You keep climbing.
>Bon Bon starts screaming at you to turn back, that there are too many of them.
>You leap from the rock face to that shaft of light.
>Your hands reach out, grabbing onto a stone lip at the edge of the surface hole.
>The changelings swarm around you like a nest of disturbed hornets, and you roar at them.
>They retreat from you, and you lunge, your limbs straining as you pull yourself out of the darkness.
>And into the sunlight.

 Rarity's perspective.

>You whirl around at the sound of knocking, and Blueblood rises from his throne, perturbed.
>"I gave specific orders that I was not to be-"
>The doors burst open, and you recoil as changelings come bursting in.
>Many in their natural forms, all of them shrieking.
>They come like a black, chitinous wave, crying out and screaming in their scratchy, insectile voices.
>They drag something with them.
>Green fluid leaks out of it onto the polished stone floor, and you gasp as you recognize it.
>The Queen.
>Chrysalis.
>A jagged rip is open on her throat, and she moans in agony as her minions, her children, drag her into the room.
>Your eyes ignore her pained expression, or the shrieking of her children.
>They're focused on the wound.
>Three jagged rips.
>Like the wounds on Applejack's flank, long ago.
>Against your better judgement, you feel mirth rising in you, the first real, hopeful joy you have felt in weeks.
>Blueblood steps slowly, woodenly off the throne's dias, stumbling to the fallen Queen.
>"What...what happened? Chrysalis? What did you-"
>The Queen croaks something, struggling to staunch the bleeding in her neck with only her hoof.
>"Blue...bloood. He..."
>She gurgles, a wet sound, and Blueblood snaps at the nearest changeling.
>"Don't your kind have any medics!? Doctors? Healers? Find one, quickly!"
>Chrysalis is pawing at him, her hoof leaving green streaks on his white fur.
>"Blue......."
>"What? Chrysalis? I can't hear you!? What happen-"
"Anonymous."
>Blueblood's eyes snap to your face, to your triumphant grin.
>"What?"
"She said...Anonymous. Anonymous is free."
>Fear fills Blueblood's eyes, and his white coat grows paler.