A Matter of Trust
“Everypony's got a good pony and a bad pony in 'em. I don't know which one I'm talkin to now, and I don't know which one I'll talk to then.”

The communicator buzzed to life. “Grey? Grey! Where have you... Shut up! Do you know where you are?... Can you tell me how to get to you?... Well if you don't know, how the buck are we gonna get there? … We? Who's we?... PREGNANT? And who's Xhenora?... The one time, Grey, the one time I coulda used you, and you're not here!” Iron Heart couldn't tell how hard he was yelling, and he didn't care. “One reason, give me one reason why... forget it. You and whatever else is with you can sort your own shit out and get to the surface on your own damn leisure time! I needed help and it just came pretty damn clear that I can't expect shit from you!” He tore the communicator off his ear and threw it on the ground.

Thinking better of it, he dusted the earpiece off and tossed it into his bag. He looked at the corner. There was nothing there... except for the blood. He cantered over to the collapsed, leafy form with a cold expression.

“Alright, bucker! Wakey wakey.” He knew he was going to enjoy this. Twisting the fallen form over, it's muzzle seemed to twitch. One of its eyelids was partially closed. “Now. I'm going to ask you questions, and you're going to answer them. Why were you trying to kill us?” He loomed. It didn't seem to react. “What are you?” His voice was angry, his motions were quick. “Where did the princess go?” It twitched as if in pain. “When is she coming back? ANSWER ME!”

There was a hoof on Iron Heart's shoulder. He spun around, nickering. “You need to go to bed, you can't be up!”

Sun Shower firmly pressed down on him. “Not like this...” While her grip was strong, her voice struggled, barely over a whisper.

“And how do ya think we get the information we need to survive?”

Her eyes remained steady. “Not like this.”

“Ya know what? I give up. I keep telling everypony that being a goody little four-hooves is gonna get us killed. I keep trying to tell you and everypony else that this is survival. There's no cavalry, it's us. And you, what the hell happened? Weren't you all hot to trot on killing these filthy bastards ta keep the ponies out there safe? Where's that fire you're always spitting out?”

She wavered, “Celestia's light... shines on us all.”

“And we just saw what that looks like. A city full of these things,” he jabbed a hoof toward the pony-sized creature he had been trying to get information out of, “just itching to bleed other ponies dry.”

“Not Celestia.” Sun Shower growled proudly. She looked weak again. This time, when she wavered, she lost her footing completely.

“Shit.” Iron Heart supported her. “I'm sorry. I'm the one putting you through hell.” He looked at his fallen enemy and sighed. “I'm such an ass. Okay sister, let's do this your way.” He picked up Sun Shower and lay her on the beautiful green bed in the middle of the room. He did so by pulling back the curtains surrounding it at gently lifting Sun Shower inside.

Eating his pride and so much more, Iron Heart lay down next to the creature. “Look...” he didn't know how to continue. The thing had stopped twitching, at least. “Are you dead?” He poked it with a hoof and it moved. “Good. What's wrong? We just want to get out of here we just-”

“She hasn't felt death in over one hundred and seventeen years.” That was new. Iron Heart searched around frantically for the source. “No need to fear, I won't harm her... or you.” The new voice was sad. Seeing nothing else in the room he opened the curtains to the bed, the one place he hadn't bothered to investigate. Two oval eyes glowed green from some hidden core. One was misshappen. “As a matter of fact, she hasn't felt death at all, let alone the death of her mate.” The voice sighed.

Iron Heart pulled back the curtains completely. Sun Shower was barely conscious. But on the far end of the bed lay a beautiful white mare with flowing pink hair. She had been badly mistreated. Open sores and bruises mottled her coat, and her face had been so badly beaten that it was puffy and swollen. The wounds were a strange color, though. They didn't look like they belonged to a pony at all.

“My name is Fleur and I am not here to harm you. Could I ask you to bring her to me?”

Iron Heart looked left and right, and pointed a hoof to his breast, unsure of who she was talking to. She smiled. “Yes you, silly. Do you see any one else capable of doing that?” She gave a small laugh, but quickly grimaced with pain. Iron Heart gently picked up the plant-insect and pushed it toward Fleur.

Fleur gently stroked the creature. “Sshhh,” she soothed. Grey noticed that the creature's abdomen was glowing a dark color, almost black. “I know, I know. You loved him very much.” The creature's head looked at Fleur and made a sound painfully. It was the same sound that Iron Heart had heard when he first put his hoof through the other one's abdomen. “You gave them no choice,” the sound became much louder. “But that's behind us now. They're our allies, they're our friends. None of that matters now. What matters, young one, is that you know I love you.” Fleur held the creature even closer, embracing it fully. “Yes, it's okay, you need to grieve. Share that with me.” The creature's abdomen stopped glowing, but the loud sound continued. “Yes, good, good.” Fleur continued to hold the creature.

After a time, Fleur kissed the creature and the sound became quieter once more. “Rest now,” she whispered quietly at its head. She folded some of the blankets over and swaddled the creature. “Come, you have many questions. I wish to answer them.”

Iron Heart didn't know where to begin. “You're... one of them?” She nodded. “How can you... why do you look like a pony?”

“We're changelings. At least we were, I don't know what to call us now.”

“Aaaannnd I'm guessing that wasn't princess Celestia earlier.” Fleur shuddered when Iron Heart said Celestia.

“No, she is our queen.”

“But why? Why are you doing all of this? What's going on? And why do you look like that? And why did the other ponies in the big room... I'm so confused.”

“Let me try and explain.” Fleur went on to reiterate that she and the creature resting on the bed (not Sun Shower) were changelings. They were able to use transformation magic to look like and bear the body of any pony that they had met. They had left Equestria long ago, settling in Phovannah in the company of their queen.

Their queen came to the city convinced that a certain unicorn could provide her and her subjects with virtual immortality. For the most part, it had worked. The queen had decided to betray this unicorn. She was successful and went on to betray all the ponies in Phovannah as well.

For centuries they had controlled the population and fed off them. Mostly they fed off their emotions, another trait of changelings, but they hadn't needed to do that to survive ever since the unicorn changed them. Every so often, however, the queen would take a particularly strong or beautiful pony and bring her away. The pony would never return, but a new changeling would be born and come back instead.

Iron Heart didn't seem to take any time processing the information. “And tonight was one of those “feasts” you mentioned, where ponies would be selected and fed off of.” She nodded. “Does this feeding kill a pony?”

“No. Well, not directly. Sadly I have done my best to manage this, but it is not uncommon for a pony to die if she is too weak. You see, the feeding sucks the emotion a pony is feeling at that moment and allows the feeder to feel it, instead. This doesn't have to take everything a pony has, it can be a shared meal, but we haven't ever worried about that.” She looked away. “To our shame.”

“And that's just worked?”

“Again, no. Our city is literally dying. At least the ponies in it are. It has been too difficult on them. And we are all suffering the consequences. The ponies have been suffering most of all.”

“Why are you telling me this? Don't you realize it makes me want to kill you all?”

“That is one possibility, yes. But my guards and dear husband would be able to take care of you before you did too much damage, of that I am sure. However, I hoped you might help us. Help us to know what to do, how we can be friends, or else I believe we will all die. Without the ponies, I'm afraid our society will begin to prey upon each other.”

“Good,” Iron Heart said with perfect confidence, “You deserve it.”

“We do. But what will you do? Let all the ponies die and leave us to turn on each other? How does that help either of us? Unless you have a safe home location to house a city, as well as the food required to provide for it.”

Iron Heart groaned. “Shit! Since when did this become my problem?”

Fleur blinked in astonishment. “Surely you could just leave us here... but that would mean I have terribly misjudged your character. Could you do that to us? Leave those ponies in trouble, and my changelings facing a crisis?”

“You must be able to see that this is a real pain in the ass, but don't get me wrong. I'll help, but I have no idea what to do.” Iron Heart looked determined. “I'd never back down from a challenge. Especially when lives are on the line.” He smiled confidently, but that made him sad for some reason.

“Then why were you so opposed just then?”

“I...,” Iron Heart started, but stopped for a moment. His eyes worked, as if he was trying to find some secret hidden in the bed's curtains. “I'm not sure...”

Fleur leaned in closer. “I can feel it. You're confused. And you're so cold.” She looked down at the sleeping Sun Shower, then back at Iron Heart. “I think she'd like to know that you care about her.”

Without thinking, without even feeling the words come out, Iron Heart's muzzle let, “I'm afraid to,” spill out. He looked at Fleur. She was bruised and broken, but still held her head as if nothing were wrong. Iron Heart was jealous.

“You're crying.”

“No, I'm not,” Iron Heart returned.

“Yes, you are,” Fleur asserted. Iron Heart touched below an eye with a hoof. It came back wet. “Enough, of this for now, I want us to put all this behind us so you and her could join us for some shopping. And don't worry about finding a solution, I'm sure you'll find something soon. Only, let her know... let her know before it's too late.” Fleur turned her head away.

“The ponies out there. What about 'em?”

Fleur got up with a grunt and went toward the door. “Coming?” she looked back.

“These two?”

“They'll be safe.” she levitated over a key.

“Won't that one...”

“Your name was...”

“Iron Heart.”

“Hm... very fitting-”

“What the buck's that supposed-”

Fleur's eyes went green and she let out a wicked hiss. “It meansss- that you're going to have to trust somepony, and I'm the only changeling that could even consider assisting you. So you can come with me, or damn us all!”

“... A simple “trust me” woulda worked.”

“Really now? I don't think it would.” Fleur pointed her nose in the air, rounded on her hooves, and slapped Iron Heart in the face with her tail.

“Very strange about her...” Iron Heart whispered quietly. He took another lingering look at Sun Shower before following.

As they made their way through the hall, Fleur's horn started to glow green. As they rounded one more corner before reaching the amphitheater, Fancy Pants burst through the door, his horn glowing green as well.

Iron Heart's eyes narrowed. Fancy Pant's mouth went wide, his monocle unseating itself and swinging freely by his breast. Iron Heart flew, doing a corkscrew around the walls and ceiling that made up the hall, Fancy Pant's horn glowed and a familiar gun appeared. He shot once, grazing Iron Heart's flank.

Iron Heart's maneuver ended squarely in Fancy Pant's chest. When the two stopped rolling and hit the door with a “thud,” Iron Heart started to beat him senseless.

“ENOUGH!” Both looked at Fleur who had recovered the gun and was levitating it in their direction. “One more hoof on him and I'll shoot you...” her tone was easy, almost flippant, “both.”

Fancy Pants and Iron Heart looked at each other in astonishment, then back at Fleur. Iron Heart let go of Fancy Pants, who shuffled out from underneath Iron Heart as soon as he was able. “We don't have time for the two of you to have a pissing match.”

“Wait.” Fancy Pants started, too arrogant by half. “Are you saying this fight is frivolous? I seem to remember you having no end of time for that sort of-” Fleur hurled the gun at Fancy Pant's face with her magic. He ducked just in time, but the gun slammed into the wall behind him and discharged. Iron Heart dove to the ground with a whinny.

“Only when I find it convenient.” Fleur held her nose high once again and strutted past the stallions, and into the amphitheater.

The room was abuzz. While Celestia, to Iron Heart's relief, could be found nowhere, chaos reigned everywhere. Fights had broken out with changeling and pony alike engaged in the melee. Fleur sized up the situation, noticing a strange grouping in one edge of the room.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN IS GOING ON?” Fleur's voice took on a new dimension of authority as she magically enhanced her speech. Most of the room stopped. Those that continued to fight were quickly hushed and stopped as the Mare of Phovannah marched through the arrested chaos. She kept her nose in the air until she reached the group in the corner. It was the circle setup by one of the ponies Iron Heart had commissioned.

“I need an explanation for this, RIGHT NOW!” No sooner had Fleur barked than a changeling stood before her. Seeing she was in pony form, the changeling bowed before her and transformed into the pony Iron Heart had first enlisted the help of.

“Your highness. Our feast… it was cut short when fighting broke out. We had to keep the ponies safe, so we put them under guard.”

“And just what were you going to do after? Let them stay there and be traumatized?” Fleur had never looked timid to Iron Heart, but a growing anger became clear as it worked its way into her voice. “Name?”

“Xiticix.”

“I suppose you should be commended for keeping them out of that disgraceful show of violence, but tell me- what are they still doing here?” Few of the ponies seemed to even notice that they were being talked about, less even cared that they were being talked about as if they were in another room.

“I’ll have them sent away immediately.”

“Don’t tell me about it,” Fleur hissed, “Do it.” An eerie silence fell throughout the room. All fighting had ceased, and both ponies and changelings now had their attention fully on what was happening in the corner with Xiticix and Fleur. Fleur noticed all the eyes that fell upon her. “Tell me something,” she addressed the room, “how can you expect to be loved by creatures that are so mistreated by you, they are forced to stand and watch as you bite and devour each other. Aren’t we a family? If we only fight each other, what are your escorts going to think will happen to them? Disgraceful,” she spat. “No feast tonight, that privilege is forfeit. Go and think of what it means to be worthy of the feast, think on what it means to be a changeling!”

The crowd of changelings looked defeated, unhappy, but mostly ashamed. If any thought Fleur’s cancellation of the party, of the feast, was unfair, none dared say so. However, as if in protest, a wail cut through the silence. It was high-pitched, but fell and rose with a grief well beyond words. Fleur was visibly shaken.

“Who is that? I demand you address me!” She looked through the crowd, but none stepped forward. The wailing continued. “Where are you? Your mare wants to see you immediately!” She scoured the area for a full minute, unable to find the source. The room looked about itself, but still none were able to find cause. The sound lowered into a sobbing for a small time, but it soon broke into a wail again. Iron Heart saw something. After a better look, he got Fleur’s attention.

“Inside the circle,” he whispered.

Fleur approached the corralled ponies and made a sound at two of the guards. They parted and let her through. Some of the ponies got out of her way, others were too tired to even move, forcing Fleur to go around them. And then there it was- the source.

When Fleur spotted the source with her own two eyes, she turned and galloped outside the circle. “Everypony out NOW!” Her horn glowed and her voice boomed with magic at the crowd. “All of you to their home.” The crowd started dispersing quickly. Fleur rounded. “Xiticix, I need you and your guards to stay. Bring me Meddox.”

The wailing grew more intense. Fleur started hyperventilating. “Too much, It’s all too much. I-I can’t…”

Iron Heart saddled close to her, whispering again. “Not here, they’re watching.”

Fleur glared at him, but spared a glance at the guards. Although some were trying to look busy, or were just trying to avoid looking in her direction altogether, she was at the center of attention now. They were looking to her to know what to do. She was working on regaining her composure when a changeling fluttered up to her. His leafy wings collapsed into his side.

“How may I serve you?” He gave a polite bow.

Fleur didn’t answer, but grabbed the changeling by a hoof and dragged it into the crowd of ponies. She stopped where some of the ponies within the circle had dispersed. In the center of the crowd a midnight blue unicorn stallion lay curled around a beige filly. The sound was coming from the filly, an earth pony, but it was a deceptive sound for her size. “Fix this!” Fleur ordered Meddox. The changeling came back to his superior after a cursory examination.

“My lady,” he bowed again. “I am a healer of our race and sought to understand pony healing only in my spare time. I am no expert-”

“Out with it!”

“There is nothing I can do. The father, at least as it seems to be, is beyond my help. I would wager that no changeling or pony would be able to help him now.”

Fleur looked all around her. Her changelings didn't know what to do. After attacking each other and the promise that their feast was at an end, they were getting antsy. Fleur couldn't tell where that would lead.

However, it was the ponies' faces, not the changelings, that she couldn't get out of her head. She saw their misery afresh. They were so defeated, so downtrodden, that the ones that were angry with her didn't fight, they just let their anger burn at her. Even those were preferable to the others. The other faces didn't seem aware of what was going on. Worse, Fleur thought, they don't care. Their state was such that this seemed a matter of fact to them. Their expressions were sad, but their expressions were always sad.

Drab, voiceless faces hoof-deep in death seared their way into her mind. Their stares were deafening. The wailing hit a new level of volume within her soul.

“Enough!” she cried. “Bring her here!” The filly continued crying, looking confused. As a guard started to tug her away, she fought back. The pony hissed at her and turned back into a changeling and got ready to tear the filly away. The filly's cries became scared as she pushed her face into the dead pony's side.

Iron Heart stepped between the changeling and the filly. “I'll do it.” His voice offered no alternative. The changeling gave a derisive hiss, but walked away. Iron Heart turned and stooped to the filly.

“What's your name?”

The filly stopped, turned, and yelled at Iron Heart. “Scary! Keep them away from my Dad! They can't hurt him!”

“You're right. I'll make sure they don't come near him. What's your name? I'm Iron Heart.”

The filly buried her face into her dad's body. “'s a stupid name.”

“Oh yeah? I'll bet yours is stupider.”

“Nuh-uh,” the filly retorted, “Claire's a pretty name! My daddy said so! Don't you daddy?”

A thought occurred to Iron Heart. “Claire, that's not your daddy anymore.” She turned at him, suddenly unsure, almost panicked. “Do you believe in Celestia?” She nodded. Iron Heart swallowed hard. “She... she took him to be with her.”

“You mean like grammy?”

“Exactly like grammy.”

The filly buried her muzzle once more. “Why would she do that? He's not even old!”

This was getting hard, even for Iron Heart. “Be-because,” another swallow, “she knew he'd be happier.”

“Liar! He's happier with me! He loves me!”

“But you believe that Celestia loves you both, don't you?”

“Yes, but...,” Claire's dark, magenta eyes worked, searching for something else to say.

“I know this is hard. I really do, but you have to trust that she knows what's best for you both... like when you're dad would do what's best for you.”

“Like making my sister and I share?”

“Just like that.”

Claire's eyes teared. “But WHHYYY?” she screamed. She galloped into Iron Heart and wailed into his chest. He held her close.

“Is it so hard for you changelings to show a little damn sense?” Iron Heart asked Fleur. Meddox sensed something.

“He's a pony!” he reviled. “You brought a pony here? He must have been with the party, tell me he was part of the feast!”

“No. And that's exactly the attitude that's going to destroy them, and us.”

“All this for a filthy pony brood? And now you bring one to our feast? The queen must know of this immediately.” Meddox made to leave.

“Stop! Don't take another step.” Meddox halted for a moment. “She will know. But look at me, do you think I am afraid of her anymore? This needs to change right now. If not, then we lose our city and every changeling in it.”

Meddox turned away. “Whatever power,” he clicked, “you think you have. It's worthless before her.” He started to fly off.

Fleur made a series of quick clicks. One of the hulking, bipedal guards turned and jumped at Meddox. He didn't even see the large guard jump at him, but he heard the noise. Iron Heart sat down, covered Claire's eyes and brought her head close to him. Meddox tried to fly away, but his effort brought him into the path of the claws, not away from them. There was a sickening snap and crunch.

Small streams of viscous fluid dribbled and trailed Meddox's flight. It went erratic and his landing wasn't graceful at all. To Iron Heart's amazement, Meddox didn't collapse, but got to his hooves and moved back toward Fleur.

“You black-hearted pony,” he cursed, “I knew she should have killed you. And now, you'll bear the full weight of her wrath!” Fleur changed into a changeling an instant. The bruises that Iron Heart noticed on her when she looked like a pony were in the exact same spots as a changeling. Some of her features even looked familiar, if not the same.

She put a hoof under Meddox's chin, giving it a gentle stroke. “Why, whatever have I done? I only defended myself from a fool who would bring the queen here right now. Surely you didn't think I'd just let you seal my death. After I gave you a warning, too.”

“B-b-bitch!” he spit at her. Some of the fluid he had been trailing bubbled out of his mouth. The dark fluid resembled blood, and showed a rainbow sheen as the light of the room reflected off it. He reared quickly and made to strike at Fleur, but as he lifted up, she was quicker. She hooked his wound with her hoof and pulled him off his hooves. There was a snap and a strange hissing sound. Meddox fell and rose no more.

Without even thinking, Iron Heart heard himself go, “Wow.” Claire struggled to see, but Iron Heart still held her to his breast. She planted two tiny hooves in his chest and tried to push away, but he didn't budge.

“Well said, sir,” Fancy Pants added, “She is, after all, my mare.” Fancy Pants had given up on the monocle and stuffed it into his coat pocket. He made some clicks as well, and a guard started to drag Meddox's body away. “What now, my dear?” Fleur was almost overcome. She looked at Fancy Pants, trying to be strong, but he felt her internal struggle. With a sigh, Fancy Pants motioned to Xiticix.

“Yes sir?”

“Xiticix my good arthropod, see to it that these ponies are foddered and watered. None of the meal we normally serve, I know for a fact that the banquet hall is well stocked.”

“Sir?”

“Well I know you're not deaf, so you must be lazy, or did you simply not hear me?” Fancy Pants sneered arrogantly.

“I... it's late sir.”

“And...” Fancy Pants rotated a hoof slowly, indicating he was welcoming any other trite objections Xiticix might have.

“No sir, I mean yes sir, right away sir! I'll see to it that they're brought home after.”

“And I had been worried I'd have to explain everything to you. I see the matter is in your, capable hooves.” Xiticix started to command the guard and ponies. They all made their way toward the exit. “Oh,” Fancy Pants called out, “and do see to it that there are no more “accidents,” you have seen how well my wife reacts to them.” Xiticix looked back, and then quickly away, rushing the work along.

Iron Heart let Claire push away with her hooves now. As soon as Fleur saw this, she changed back into a pony.

Fancy Pants saddled up to Fleur. “I knew I'd picked a real hellion, but this is a new level for you.”

Fleur looked worried. “You... don't need to do this... you could even turn me in... she'd probably even show mercy to you.”

Fancy Pants looked offended. “Don't you know dear? We ponies can't be asked to testify against our family, it's against equestrian law.”

“This isn't a game,” Fleur cried, “you don't have to play anymore.”

Now Fancy Pants' offense looked genuine. His eyes shone blue, and then green, and then blue again. “Two hundred years, and you still don't know?” He raised an eyebrow and put a hoof around her.

“But she'll come and when she does... I can't lose you!”

Fancy Pant's constant, toothy smile faded. “Why, you won't dear, because I'll be with you every hoof step. I know it's what he'd want.” Fleur looked at him teary eyed.

“Now kiss!” Claire cried out excitedly.

Fleur looked over embarrassed, then shocked. She moved to Iron Heart. “Claire? How would you like to stay with me for awhile? I don't know how long, but I'll make it as long as I can.”

Claire pouted. “I want my daddy!”

“I'm sorry. I really am, but I can't do that.”

Claire looked sad, then scared. “What about mommy... and Bare?”

“Bare? Who's that?”

“My-my sister.” Claire pulled into Iron Heart, afraid of what the pony lady might say.

“Is there anypony else in your family?”

Claire shook her head. “'Cept daddy...”

“Then it's settled. Bare, mommy, all your family, you can all stay with me, okay?”

Claire nodded. Fleur held out a leg. Iron Heart passed Claire over. Claire looked up at him, but didn't resist, even giving a tiny hoof wave.

“What happened?” Iron Heart asked.

“Come again?”

“After all this time. Why are you doing this now? What about your queen?”

“I honestly don't know.” Fleur gave a chuckle. “I couldn't stand it anymore. A pony came along who made me remember what real love was like. It'd been so long, and it was so wonderful. For a small day, I was happy.”

Fancy Pants gave a snort.

“No dear, you're wonderful, you really are, but you don't know. You can't know what it's like. It's different than us. It's not bad, what we have, but it's different. When I felt the way he loved me... after so long, it was... I tried to ignore what we were doing, but I couldn't. I was selfish and wanted him for my own, but my queen took him away to... Well, he's as good as dead now... and when she stole that from me, my chance to be happy, she taught me what it is we've been doing this whole time. I couldn't ignore it anymore. I can't. And you, Claire, you made sure I'd never forget it.”

Iron Heart's conversations, his memory of talking with Grey... the fragmented pieces suddenly started coming together. “Which pony? What was his name?” he asked impatiently. He went on without waiting for the answer, “Celestia dammit! The queen? Where would she take him, what would she do? Is he still alive?”

“Potty mouth!” Claire stuck out her tongue.

“I think his name was Grey. Well, if he's alive, he's with the queen.”

“Double dammit! Fleur, I don't know the answer to all this, but we have to get to him now.”

“So much effort, for one pony? Are you sure it's worth it?” Fancy Pants offered.

“Yes. I’m sure. This ends now.”

“I never understood your complete infatuation with,” Fancy Pants struggled, “ponies-“

“You’re right,” Fleur cut him off, “you don’t.”

“But,” Fancy Pants insisted, “Wouldn’t throwing your life away undo everything you’ve striven for up to now? We could leave now. We could escape the queen’s wrath. After all, think of the child and her family.”

“Dying would undo everything, but so would running away. All of this starts all over again tomorrow unless something happens now. Besides,” Fleur posed and lifted a hind leg. “We’re far too beautiful to let that happen, my love.” She got serious. “She showed me what she thinks of me, so I’m going to pay her in kind. I have no intention of letting her get away with that, or of letting her keep her throne.”

Fancy Pants coughed politely. “You have seen what she does to all who oppose her. You do remember how the last rebellion ended. She squashed, literally squashed them all… like… well, insects.” Iron Heart didn’t like the sound of this.

“I hate to agree with anypony that shoots me, especially him,” Fancy Pants ignored the slight,” but he has a point. Looks like your last fight didn’t go too well.”

Fleur smiled and waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh I wouldn’t worry about that. I know something she doesn’t. Something none of you do.”

“Now I’m curious,” Fancy Pants raised an eyebrow.

“Let’s go friends,” Fleur paused, “You’re all about to witness the end of a dynasty.”

“Where?”

“To your office, my love, where else?”

“In the hotel?”

“Not that one. You’re other office.”

“But there’s nothing there.”

“And that is where you are wrong. First of all, let’s get you somewhere safe.” She looked into the eyes of the filly she was holding. Her body was filthy, but the look she gave Fleur was pure and innocent.

“But I don’t wanna leave daddy.”

“I don’t know what to say... Your daddy isn’t there anymore. But he’s safe now. Celestia will make sure that he is.”

“Uh huh, I saw her earlier.”

“That…” Fleur sighed, gave Claire a kiss, and hugged her close. “Now that you know that, you need to be strong. You need to take care of your family. It’s what your dad would have… it’s what he wants for you.”

“But I’m tired!” Claire protested.

“Well then, let’s get you to bed.”

All four made their way to the green room. Once inside, they found Sun Shower awake on the bed while the changeling next to her seemed asleep. She sprang to her hooves. “Who are all of you?” Iron Heart advanced.

“Don't worry Sun Shower, they're with me.”

“Rather, he's with us,” Fleur corrected.

“Whatever. I need you to do something for me.”

“Buc- . No. You can't just leave me to wake up alone with something that almost killed me.” Her anger burned at Iron Heart as if the others weren't even there.

“There wasn't time.”

“Take your excuses and shove... Point is, I'm done taking-”

“Orders? If you'd listened to me,” Iron Heart roared, “you'd still have about two extra pints of blood in ya. As it is I'm shocked that cuff kept ya alive. You're lucky you're so damned hard ta kill.”

Fleur made to interrupt them, but Fancy Pants held her back, she pointed at Claire furiously. Sun Shower noticed, but Iron Heart's back was to her.

“Point is, Sun Shower I'm trying ta keep you alive ya little zealot, and if you insist on barging in all the time without thinking about your safety, I'll never get the chance ta say-” his sentence was interrupted with a kiss. Claire arched and stretched to see what was going on. She had been scared, but something new was happening and she couldn't tell what it was. Fancy Pants scooped the filly away.

“Come dear, I'll teach you a game I know. The adults need to do some... communicating.” Fleur glared at Fancy Pants as he smiled and made his exit with the filly. Fleur looked at him like she was being betrayed.

Sun Shower pulled back. “I know.”

Iron Heart looked at her. “Why? Why didn't you say anything.”

“I didn't want you to know I loved you, too. You curse all the time, you get angry at the drop of a horse shoe, and I couldn't stand it. But I saw you endure so much in such a short time, and no matter how angry you were, you stopped when I told you. I couldn't help but love you for that... no matter how much I hated you.”

“I... don't believe in Celestia. She's let the worst things happen. Don't ask me how I know, I'm not even sure of that, I just know it's the truth. But you, you believe in her no matter what, don't you?” Sun Shower nodded. “Dammit. I hate that. At the same time I want to protect that, to make sure you never lose your faith, and I don't even know why.” Sun Shower kissed him again, knocking him down this time. She pinned him.

Fleur gave a loud snort. Sun Shower and Iron Heart looked up at her, both were breathing heavily. Iron Heart gave a nicker but looked at Sun Shower. “Right. I need ta go and face Celestia. Well, not her, but the changeling who looked like her.”

“Huh?”

“It's a long story,” Iron Heart half explained. Sun Shower opened her muzzle but he interrupted her. “I'll explain everything when I get back, I promise. Right now we gotta go stop her. I think once we do that everything that's been going on can change.”

“Changeling?”

“That thing on the bed that took a chunk outta your neck. Say, I meant ta ask you-” Iron Heart craned his neck to look at Fleur.

“They'll be fine,” she replied. “I'll speak to her before we go. Sun Shower and the filly will be the only two here. And Iron Heart, we don't have time.”

“I know, just let me talk to her.”

“Aaannnnd that's all, right?”

“Dammit. Yeah, that's all.”

“Just so we're clear.” The look Iron Heart shot at Fleur would have soured her mood if she hadn't let it go. When they were alone Iron Heart started to work his way out from underneath Sun Shower.

“I like you like this.” She leaned more of her weight on him.

“Gotta go.”

“It can't wait?”

“You don't want me to go try and save the ponies you were all ready to bust into a room full of things wanting to kill you for?”

She blinked once. “I was possessed by something else then. It wouldn't be too long.”

“I... promised Fleur to help her face this queen of hers.”

Sun Shower let Iron Heart up. “Alright, let me grab my staff.”

Iron Heart put a hoof on her breast. “That's what I need from you. I need you to stay here and keep the filly safe. She's a sweetheart, her name's Claire.”

“No, I need to come with you.”

“How much blood you lose? The cuff stabilized you, got some fluids back, but...”

“You think I can't take her, even injured?”

Iron Heart kissed her this time, even lingering a while longer. “Call me selfish, but I want you here, and I want you safe. If I ever let you face anything without being ready for it... I couldn't stand that.”

“How do I know you'll... you'll...”

Iron Heart leaned in close. “If you don't know that I'd be willing to take on an army of those things, their queen too, if I wasn't sure I'd come back and keep you safe, then you don't know me well at all yet.”

“Fine.” Sun Shower retorted. “But you're going to have face my righteous anger for this.” She whispered something in his ear. He smiled.

“Shit. You're on.” Iron Heart opened the door, even though he'd rather have locked it. Fleur looked relieved. Claire and Fancy Pants were playing something a little ways down the hall. They stopped when the door opened. “We ready?”

Fleur looked at Fancy Pants, who gave a nod. She gave Sun Shower the key to the room then went inside and talked with the changeling on the bed. Both came out a minute later. Fancy Pants explained to Claire that Sun Shower was going to watch over her while she slept to make sure she was safe. Claire gave him a hug. He was stunned. Sun Shower came over.

“Hello Claire, I'm Sun Shower, would you like to go to bed?” The filly nodded sleepily and gave a big yawn. Sun Shower helped her into the room. With the filly inside, she stopped in the doorway to the bedroom and locked her eyes with Iron Heart's. He stood stupidly, waving a hoof slightly, knowing what he wanted to do, but couldn't... yet. She closed the door and Iron Heart heard it lock.

Fleur had to work hard to get his attention. “Come on lover-colt, we have work to do.”

“Look here, Iron Heart.” Fancy Pants held out a hoof. “I believe we're all on the same side now, how do you fancy that?”

Iron Heart looked at the hoof for a moment. “Hell, if you hadn't shot me, I'd never have met her.” Iron Heart gestured to the door and then took the extended hoof.

Fancy Pants smiled a perfect set of teeth. “Brilliantly said, good fellow. They are why we do what we do, after all, aren't they?” He gave a small nod toward Fleur.

“Damned right.”

“Are you two done?” Fleur turned to the open stable door at the end of the hall. She readied herself, balancing low on three hooves and pawing the ground with her fourth. She gave a confident smirk, “Come on boys, you're about to witness the end of a dynasty.”

Addendum I:

Field Report- The Goddess

Related Reference- Field Fleet Report 1024

Classified-Access Restricted

Security Authority Recognized......................

Decryption Initiated.................................................................................

Decryption Complete..............................................................................

Words like divine, messiah, and goddess seem to be in ever increasing use these days. It’s understandable, considering the state of the world. And while we do our best to protect the good pegasi from the horrors below, many soldiers and families have been turning to religion to find help and comfort. While the Enclave has found no pony or otherwise worthy of the title, there are numerous creatures worthy of being called more than a mere pony. More importantly, some of these creatures have been worthy of being called allies. “The Goddess” is one such individual.

To call her an individual, however, is incorrect. The Goddess as known today was a single pony. She was part of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences (MAS) research that was being conducted at Maripony. When the balefire hit, she was exposed to a catastrophic amount of Impelled Metamorphosis Potion (IMP). While we are not exactly sure what happened in the days and weeks that followed, we do know that she began to swallow up ponies, expose them to the same potion as herself, and bring them out as alicorns.

The consciousness of the absorbed ponies seems to be lost or overpowered by the one over-arching personality that refers to itself as The Goddess. Thus, the resulting army has become telepathically linked and controlled by the central personality; there are notable exceptions, but that is a topic for later.

Please note that while The Goddess’ telepathy was primarily exerted on her followers (see Enclave report on Goddess worship, access to classified documents required) and alicorns, there is evidence that her progeny have been capable of the same link between themselves and, in a smaller measure, other ponies.

The Goddess and Red Eye had been allies for quite some time. Red Eye continued to bring The Goddess unicorns to grow her army with and The Goddess provided his operation with protection. After some time, however, this relationship became strained. It became clear that Red Eye was planning to betray The Goddess, and The Goddess planned to eliminate him. It was at this point that the Enclave went to Maripony in force in order to form an alliance for Operation Cauterize and against Red Eye. A new alliance could have changed the course of Operation Cauterize

Unfortunately, Red Eye had already begun to react. He sent an elite squad, lead by Littlepip (see Enclave report on Red Eye, access to classified documents required), to detonate a balefire bomb in the facility. The operation was successful, killing all in the vicinity of Splendid Valley while enacting the exfiltration of said squad.

Reports are conflicted from here. Some reports state that the rest of the alicorns remain under the control of a personality that has come to dominate the collective in place of The Goddess. Other reports indicate that groups of autonomous alicorns have formed. Still more reports claim that the alicorns, once cut off from The Goddess' consciousness, looked to Red Eye to become their new leader. We all know how that turned out.

This is where a notable exception of The Goddess' former telepathic link becomes important. When advanced teams secured the skies around Canterlot, one team reported an encounter with a small squad of alicorn. When attempting to approach the squad peacefully, the pegasus team was met with aggression. Just before the confrontation turned violent, the lead alicorn remarked, “We know nothing of this Enclave, now die!”

Even if the alicorns had never been to Maripony, the Telepathic link should have connected them to The Goddess. They would have at least known about the Enclave, unless the space, or more likely, the unique (as well as powerfully violent) magic that surrounded Canterlot had severed this link. We speculate, based on the reaction of the alicorns at Canterlot (hostile and violent) compared to that of Maripony (at least open to negotiations), the remaining alicorn population is capable of autonomy.

I see no reason why all of our conflicting reports cannot be correct. All evidence points to the alicorn population remaining in pockets of smaller, isolated communities. Each community has different experiences and attitudes. As the Enclave looks for allies, it will need to approach each group with caution, and by forging relationships with each group individually.

A dead Goddess, a fractured race of violent alicorns, and a secret society of devoted followers: the Enclave’s picture of the wasteland just became much more complex. Perhaps there is a way to turn this difficulty to our advantage. Please see further attached report for my recommendation.

LEVEL UP
New Perk: Savoir Faire (2)
Req: Level 1
Ranks: 3
The difference between you and other ponies is simple- you make this look good.

You receive an extra 5% chance of scoring a critical hit while unarmed, as well as an extra 5% chance to pass a speech check. This effect stacks with other levels taken of Savoir Faire.

Author's Note

-Ch. 8 Done.
-A very good friend's response to The Goddess, "My first thought was that she sounded like an OC generator."