Crimson quickly ran over to his mother and lifted her onto his back, not having time to untie her. He soon managed to get out from the door and bolt down the stairs with the larger woman, despite the awkward positioning that she sat on due to the rope restraints. On the way down, he spoke to his mother calmly while Winter was clearly terrified." "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!!!" Winter screamed, clearly distressed as she tried to wiggle herself free. "Long story. Sunset happens to know what it is" Crimson told her, feeling his mother bounce on her back with every step.
Sunset says these things bleed acid, thought Rainbow Dash, as she continued to fight it off, so how do I kill it without getting blood everywhere?
The Changeling screamed an unearthly shriek of terror before charging towards Rainbow in a sudden dash of speed.
Almost without thinking, she grabbed a can of spray deoderant and a match. She then lit said match, sprayed the deodorant in the creature's mouth, and lit the deodorant. Almost immediately, the creature began to burn from the inside out. It began to spasm wildly, shrieking in agony as the flames destroyed its innards, slowly killing it. Rainbow Dash delivered a final elbow strike to the back of its neck, knocking the creature out and letting the flames do the rest. "Talk about spicy food," she quipped nonchalantly as she walked away from the fallen beast.
Crimson was doing his best to take care of his mother, who was hiding on the floor of his car while he remained vigilant. Soon, Rainbow came out from the door and he quickly ran over. If the beast had won, she would have never left the house. "Rainbow!" He ran over to check up on her. "Are you alright?"
"You should've seen me back there!" she said excitedly, "I sprayed some deodorant in the beast's mouth, and lit that sh*yay* up like the 4th of July!"
Winter poked her head up from the car window, while Crim was left slightly impressed. Although, everything that just happened upstairs had just confirmed his worse fears. "So it's worse then I thought" Crimson said. "We need to tell the others"
Suddenly, the realizaion hit Rainbow Dash like a freight train. Rarity's odd behavior was beginning to make sense. "Oh God..." she said, an expression of terror spreading across her face, "I think I know what's wrong with Rarity..."
Crim's eyes widened at the realization before pulled Rainbow by the hand. "In the car, now!" Winter, still in the backseat, looked confused to what was going on. "Wait? What now?" "I know why she's being like this" Crim told her. "Just clicked in my head. She's going directly for Circuit, and I know where he is..."
----- "Rainbow? Y'home yet?" aske Circuit as he looked around the house. He knew his girlfriend was out somewhere, but surely she wouldn't be gone for long. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door. He opened it and found: "Oh, Rarity... what an unexpected surprise..." said Circuit, somewhat nervously. "The pleasure is all mine, darling," she replied, staring at him seductively, as her little black dress flowed around her. She stepped inside. "So... uh, what brings you by?" Circuit continued. "Oh, I think you know all too well." Rarity began to stroke Circuit's chin. "Uh, Rarity, I don't think Rainbow would like this..." Circuit now had a more stern tone of voice. "She won't have to know..." said Rarity flirtily, almost pouncing upon him, "and I won't take no for an answer." She licked her lips as she did so. ----- Outside, Crimson's car pulled up into the driveway, only to find Rarity's car in front of them. "Oh God! That's her car! We gotta get in there!" said Rainbow Dash.
Crimson ran ahead to notice something happening in the window of the loungeroom, instantly recognizing the sight. He walked at a quick pace as Winter and Rainbow followed close behind him, before he suddenly forced the door open for the two of them to quickly enter. Meanwhile, Rarity's eyes shrunk to the size of a pea as she heard the sound of the door. But instead of looking upset, she...growled
"Rarity...? Are you... okay...?" asked Circuit in confusion. "THAT'S NOT RARITY!!" shouted a familiar female voice. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash, Crim, and Winter came sprinting into the room, as Rarity's doppleganger picked up Circuit by the neck. "Well, it looks like the jig is up," she said, in a voice very unlike the actual Rarity's, as if there were thousands of women talking at once, "though I must say that you were quicker on the uptake than I thought. It's a shame your friend here couldn't figure it out..."
"Drop him!" Crimson ordered towards the Changeling. "What the hell are you even doing, demon?" "Demon?" Chrysalis chuckled. "My my, haven't heard that one in a while..." She said before looking at Circuit, having him by the throat felt almost relieving for her. "Finally, I can be out of the form of your friend. Shame you don't know where the real rarity is, don't you?" "What did you do to her?" Crim took a step foward, to which Chrysalis applied more pressure onto Circuit's neck. "I wouldn't do that if I was you." Chrysalis told the group before chuckling.
Rainbow Dash was pissed now. "Where is she?" she demanded, though staying exactly where she was. "Ah yes... Miss Dash..." Chrysalis continued, an almost perverse smile on her face, "I heard about how you disposed of one of my spies. Rather ingenious and gruesome, I daresay." "I don't need your compliments! Tell me where Rarity is!!" "Oh, why do you worry so much about one insignificant young woman?" replied Chrysalis irritably, "If you must know, she is in the rear storage compartment of her vehicle, immobile, but otherwise completely unharmed."
Crim and Winter stared down Chrysalis, while Circuit was merely held like a ragdoll in the arms of Chrysalis. Taking her alone would be a poor choice, displaying that she was far stronger then anyone here. There was almost nothing they could do, unless... "We cut a deal" Crimson said regretfully. "Circuit leaves and you are free to go. I'm not having him die today." Chrysalis looked at him, irritated. "He's mine, but you are free to have that pathetic girl in exchange. We're going to cut a deal, and I will be the one making it. You are talking to a Queen, you fool!"
Rainbow Dash was conflicted at Chrysalis's proposal. On the one hand, letting her have Circuit might end up with him meeting the same fate as all the other victims of Changeling hatchings. On the other hand, letting her keep him could buy them time to get him out of there and put a stop to all of this. Weighing her options, she saw no better alternative... "We... we accept your terms," said Rainbow Dash, glumly. Chrysalis chuckled grimly as she loosened her grip on Circuit just enough so that he wasn't choking, but not enough to give him wiggle room. "Perhaps you can be reasonable after all..." she said, tossing a pair of car keys over to the group. "The keys to the girl's vehicle, as promised." The look on Circuit's face was utter sorrow upon hearing this. For all he knew, Rainbow Dash had condemned him to death.
Crim's eyes met the floor in a grim expression, as Chrysalis soon had a smug confident grin on her face. She walked past all three of them, tracing her fingers on Crim's cheeks before looking at them, Circuit still in grip. "We will have some more fun later~" Chrysalis seemed to almost flirt, before suddenly vanishing with Circuit
"Don't worry, Crim..." said Rainbow Dash reassuringly, "we're gonna get him outta there. I promise." ----- Rarity was surprised to see the trunk door open, and was even more surprised to see that Rainbow Dash was the one who opened it this time. "Do you have any idea how badly it smells in here?!" she shouted once the duct tape over her mouth was removed. "Never mind that, Rarity," said Rainbow Dash, "you're safe now." "Well, that's a relief," she replied as Rainbow Dash untied her. "How did you--" "We suckered the Queen into giving us the keys to your car. She's taken Circuit, but I think you can help us get him back." "Oh..." said Rarity, "Well, I suppose that we can try... but I think we need the others to help us..."
Winter nodded in agreement. "I'll drive, all these years behind the wheel of a patrol car will be useful. " Crim then reached over to gently pick-up Rarity from out the back of the trunk. "Rainbow and I will get the others involved. We'd need Sunset specifically for this, she mentioned something about the stages for these creatures. I was led to believe that they work in an insect-like hive mentality. When I mentioned a 'Queen', she looked terrified."
"Thank you ever so much," said Rarity nervously. ----- The sewers of Canterlot were among the filthiest in southern California, with the possible exception of Los Angeles. The smell of decaying human bodily waste and who knows what else floating in water would be enough to make even those with the strongest stomachs vomit. This was not a problem for Chrysalis and her children, however. For them, it was the perfect breeding ground and habitat. Circuit couldn't help but wonder what he had done to deserve being trapped in the sewers with these terrible beasts. He didn't even know what Chrysalis had in mind for him, but knowing what had happened to the other victims, it couldn't have been good. And now here he was. "You look so fearful, boy," said Chrysalis mockingly, and yet almost seductively. This disgusted Circuit. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" he asked, with the little defiance he could muster. Chrysalis chuckled darkly. "Oh, you misunderstand," she taunted, "I'm not going to kill you... well, not personally. I'm merely going to plant the seeds of my next litter of children within you." She stroked his chin, as if like a lover. "You should be proud... it is an honor to serve your Queen this way." "Serve?" "My last few victims were capable of carrying the offspring, but they were too weak to be of any further use. You, however, seem stronger, so you will not only be able to breed the perfect children, but you can keep providing them for me... and enjoy it." Circuit was beginning to understand. She disguised herself as Rarity to get to him. Indeed, if she had disguised herself as Rainbow Dash, he would've been an easier catch. "I'll never help you," taunted Circuit angrily. "You may have my body in your bonds, but you'll never have my mind..." Chrysalis smiled grimly. "It appears my initial disguise was a bad idea..." Circuit's heart began to race rapidly. She seemed to be catching on to her mistakes. His worst fears were confirmed as the insect queen transformed, her body now identical to a certain blue-skinned tomboy... "Perhaps this form will persuade you," she said, in a completely accurate reproduction of Rainbow Dash's voice. Circuit simply froze. Most of him wanted to scream or resist, but a small part of him actually wanted what was about to happen. Game over, man, he thought as Chrysalis leaned over to kiss him. The moment her lips made contact, his mind was enraptured in delusions of a perfect, blissful relationship with Rainbow Dash, while his body began to act independently of his mind, bending to Chrysalis's will, the hallucinations being a distraction for his mind. "So, boy... who do you serve?" Chrysalis asked him. Circuit's mindless body reacted without thought or hesitation. "I serve only my Queen," it said, "I heed no other words." Chrysalis's body reverted to its true form as she grinned in satisfaction. "As you should."
