Unexpected Changes

Chapter 4: Bloodlust

“Vinyl, come on, this way!” Sketch called, turning into another alley and doing his best to evade their pursuers.

“Shit, man, there’s like a dozen of ‘em coming, they’re hauling ass too!” Vinyl called back, just as another angry, chittering, roar was heard behind them.

Sketch looked back past Vinyl as he ran, trying to catch a glimpse of the monsters that were after them. He could hear them, but not see them: The chittering and snarling, the sound of something angry and evil.

“Please, tell me you know where the hell we’re going, Sketch!”

“Uh…” He called, having absolutely no idea where they were going. “We’re going this way!” He said, making a left down the alley, hoping it wouldn’t end up being a-

“Dead end!” Vinyl cried, worry tainting her voice. “Sketch, what now!”

“No, no, no…shit!” Frantically, Sketch looked around, trying to find an exit, He would grab Vinyl and fly, but these creatures were patrolling the skies too, they would fare worse up there than down here, if he flew they’d just get swarmed and taken down, most likely to meet a quick and bloody end, face-first with the pavement. But it couldn’t end, not like this, Gears needed him, Lyra needed him, he promised he would protect her, he had to-

“Sketch!” Vinyl yelled, sounding even more worried than before, and he could see why, The midday sun casting so many of the creatures’ shadows, twisting them to horrifying and evil shapes as they were cast out onto the alleyway when they rounded the corner.

The creatures grew closer, their chittering sounding all too much like laughter as they crept closer, no longer feeling the need to run as they had their prey cornered.

“Like hell I’m gonna die here!” Vinyl shouted angrily, Charging up a ball of magical energy on her horn and directing it into her hoof; once it had grown to the size of a baseball she lobbed it at the creatures.

The ball of energy hit its mark, impacting on one of the beasts’ green eyes and exploding, sending it flying back; small bits of its shell and green blood flying everywhere, it hit the ground and slid back. Its comrades backed up as not to touch their now dead kin. They stared at it for a moment before slowly looking up at Vinyl and Sketch, almost as one they started chittering angrily, the death of their comrade riling them up.

“Uh-oh…” Vinyl breathed.

One of the creatures in the front of the pack shot forward, charging towards Vinyl with a high-pitched roar. Before Sketch or Vinyl could react, it jumped and landed on top of her, biting down on her shoulder and knocking her onto her back. It growled and shook its head, trying to tear a chunk of Vinyl’s flesh off.

Vinyl let out a cry of agony and hit the beast in its large, green eye, causing it to screech and release her.

“Sketch!” She called, now holding the creature back with one hoof, its drooling jaws snapping only inches from her face.

Sketch shook his head, he hadn’t even realized he had frozen up, shakily; he brought up his revolver, taking aim at the creature on top of Vinyl.

“SKETCH, SHOOT THIS BASTARD!” She cried again, visibly shaking as it pressed all its weight on her, trying to bite her throat.

Sketch took a deep breath and then opened fire.

-A Few Hours Earlier-

“Alright, Bye you guys!” Sketch said with a smile, waving at Lyra and Vinyl as they began trotting down the road.

“Bye, Sketchy, love you!” Lyra called.

“Love you too!” He called back, before turning inside and shutting the door behind him.

Vinyl had volunteered to buy everypony breakfast and Lyra had tagged along, they had gone to get some strange food called a kolache, Sketch hadn’t ever had one before, but Lyra had said they were pretty good.

“I hope they get back soon, I’m hungry!” Gears said to his brother from the living room table; where he was busy adjusting and tinkering at the robotic “SPYD3R” as he had called it.

“They shouldn’t be gone too long bud, don’t worry.” He said, trotting over to the fridge and pulling out a soda.

“Lyra wouldn’t approve of you drinking soda this early…especially before breakfast you know.” Gears chimed, smirking a bit.

“Well…” He paused, cracking open the can and taking a sip, then looking at the can and feeling the tiniest pang of guilt, knowing that Lyra probably wouldn’t approve. She was like that.

“Well, what?” Gears asked after a moment, never taking his eyes off his machine.

“Yeah, you’re probably-“Sketch paused for a second, realizing something. ”Wait, since when are you Mr. Rule Enforcer?”

“I’m not, but, payment is required in order for this witness to remain silent about what he has seen occur here today.”

“Oh-ho, really?” He said with a grin, looking over at his brother.

“Eeyup.”

“And…what would this payment consist of?”

“Silence equals soda.” Gears stated flatly.

Sketch let out an amused laugh, turning and grabbing a second soda from the fridge and trotting over to his brother. “Isn’t this like…blackmail?” He chuckled, hoofing the soda over.

“Eh.” Was all Gears said, taking to soda and cracking it open.

Sketch just smiled and took a seat on the couch, watching his brother work.

“You know, it’s kinda quiet without the girls here.” He said, still working.

“You mean when Vinyl isn’t here.” Sketch retorted, scoffing a bit.

“Well, she’s super cool and all, she’s just…”

“Obnoxious?” Sketch finished.

“Yeah, sometimes…” Gears said, looking a little guilty he had agreed with that statement.

“She’s just like that I guess.” Sketch shrugged, thinking back on earlier that morning.

Sketch had woken up in a rather unorthodox manner that morning. When he woke up, Lyra was already up and making coffee with Vinyl, and Vinyl was singing some song called “Livin’ My Love”

Much to his chagrin, When Sketch had stepped out of the bedroom, Vinyl had insisted on singing the entire song; very obviously to be obnoxious towards Sketch whilst he got his coffee. She had even gotten Lyra to join in the serenade and they spent that part of the morning singing various songs together, ranging from Rap to Pop and everything in between. Overall it had been a very different morning.

They had sounded really good though, so it wasn’t all bad.

Gears had other things to say about it though, feeling that nine in the morning wasn’t the time to be singing “Locked out of Heaven” or “T.H.E” along with Vinyl’s computer that she had hooked up to a speaker, He had come down from his room and given them both a look that said “What the hell is wrong with you ponies, it’s nine in the morning and I am young and want to sleep in on the weekends.” Or…you know, something along those lines.

Something Sketch had noticed about Vinyl, was that she has seemed to become completely at home with he and Lyra, and was quite obviously totally comfortable with expressing herself to the fullest, be it through song or that sort of flirtatious teasing she exhibited oh so often. Sketch wondered how many times she had unintentionally lead stallions on with said flirtatious teasing, only for it to turn out she wasn’t interested and she just acted like that all the time with everypony.

Lyra had said it wasn’t something she did consciously, she wasn’t trying to be like that, it’s just how she was, but oh well. Despite everything, Vinyl was somewhat enjoyable once you got to know her a bit; albeit a bit obnoxious, but still, nopony’s perfect.

Sketch took another sip of his soda and then set it on the table, leaning back on the couch and sighing contentedly.

“Hey Sketch?” Gears asked.

“Hmm?”

“If Lyra’s pregnant…doesn’t that mean I’m gonna like…be an uncle?”

Sketch paused for a moment. He hadn’t ever thought of that, Gears would in fact be an uncle, and by the time the child was Gears current age, Gears would be around Sketch’s current age.

“Huh…yeah I guess so. I hadn’t really thought of that. Why do you ask?”

“Well, if I’m going to be an uncle, I’m gonna have to be the cool uncle, the one who gives all this cool stuff and is talked about because I’m just so awesome.”Gears stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh really now?” Sketch chuckled, taking another sip of his soda.

“Mmhmm.” Gears gave a strong nod and grabbed his soda in both hooves, taking a big swig, and then letting out a small burp.

“Hey does this look good to you?” Gears lifted the metal spider up, he had attached a few different appendages to the front end, they looked like mandibles and were rounded on the end.

“Looks like a spider, pretty cool actually.”

“Should I paint it silver?” Gears asked, raising an eyebrow and looking the invention over.

“That might look cool, I don’t see why not.”

Gears gave a nod of affirmation and stood up, gathering his invention and tools up in one hoof. “I’m gonna go upstairs and paint it then, call me when Lyra and Vinyl get home.”

“Will do, bud.”

Without another word, Gears scurried up his staircase and disappeared from view.

Sketch sat in silence for a moment, staring off into space; soda in hoof. He wondered if he should take Lyra and Gears on a sort of vacation in the coming weeks, maybe after the baby had been born.

He and Lyra hadn’t ever really gone outside of Ponyville since they had met one another, due to certain problems involving a jealous, murderous, psychopath when they had met, and then they had gotten married and Lyra had gotten pregnant a few months after. Maybe they could go to Canterlot, or to Manehattan or maybe somewhere less urban, he wasn’t sure, He’d have to ask Lyra about it sometime.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves coming down the staircase hit Sketch’s ears; he turned to see Gears making his way down. Silently, he watched the small colt trot over to the table and grab his soda he had left.

“Forgot this.” Gears stated plainly, then turned and trotted back upstairs.

After Gears had returned upstairs, Sketch decided he would go and sit out on the front porch, it was nice outside and he figured he might as well go and enjoy it. He grabbed his soda and made his way to the door.

As it turned out, it was very nice outside, the sun was warming and a cool breeze drifted through the air, the leaves rustling and the long grasses whispering as the breeze moved and bent them to its will. There were songbirds fluttering about and singing their songs to one another. The entire scene was extremely relaxing, and as usual Ponyville had produced a scene like something out of a storybook.

With a sigh of content, Sketch sat down on the porch and took another sip of his soda, the breeze running through his shoulder length mane just as he sat. He pushed it out of his eyes with a hoof, trying to keep it out of his face.

When he had met Lyra, his mane hadn’t been quite as long, and he had actually planned on having it cut so that it came down to about the middle of his neck, but as it turned out, Lyra said she actually liked it longer, so he left it long and let it grow out. He decided to try and push the idea of having it shorter a bit more, as it was somewhat of a pain to keep clean sometimes. He didn’t know how Lyra managed her mane; it went past her shoulders when she didn’t have it all done up. If he had that much mane he might go mad trying to keep it neat and clean.

Sketch idly turned his gaze down the road, and noticed a certain brown stallion making his way up the road, he looked rather frustrated. Sketch recognized him as that “Doctor” that Lyra had told him about. What kind of doctor he was, Lyra hadn’t said.

Sketch prayed that this “Doctor” wouldn’t come and talked to him, he thought he was rather strange and every time they had talked he could barely understand half the things the strange stallion had said.

Unfortunately, his wish of solitude would not be fulfilled, as the Doctor spotted him and made his way over, detouring from the road for a chat.

“You know, this town has a serious bug problem.” The Doctor said, apparently just wanting to gripe to somepony he really didn’t even know without saying hi.

“Uh…what?”

“Bugs! They’re everywhere! Big ones!” He exclaimed in that accent of his.

“Oh…ok…”

“Somepony should do something about that.” He said, giving a single nod before turning and trotting off down the road once more.

Sketch simply stared at him as he left, unsure of what had just happened.

“Bye…?” He said with a raised eyebrow after the Doctor was out of sight.

He simply shrugged and returned to his soda, deciding to just enjoy the morning and not fret over the strange pony.

Sketch had spent many a morning like this, waking up and sitting outside until he had to go to work or until Lyra woke up. Lyra told him it reminded her of an old pony sitting out in a rocking chair, glaring at anypony who got too close to his house. She insisted that she had seen such a thing in a movie, but Sketch had no idea what she was talking about when it came to that matter, so he would simply tell her he loved her and smile. To which she would get frustrated that he didn’t get what she was saying or know what movie she was referring too.

Sketch sat outside for a good while, taking his time and half expecting to see Vinyl and Lyra trotting up the road any minute. However, they did not, and he stood up on the porch with his now empty soda can in one hoof, making his way inside.

Just as Sketch was about to shut the door, he heard something. It was like a trumpet, loud and long, it droned and sang out for a full ten seconds. It sounded…organic. It shook the air, he could feel the sound reverberating, in the back of his mind, and it worried him for some reason. He wasn’t sure why, it just did.

Halfway through the blast, he turned and stepped back outside, the trumpet sounded like it was coming from further into Ponyville. He stood outside, stone still until the sound stopped. A few seconds later he saw his neighbors step outside as well. The stallion that lived next-door to him looked over with a quizzical look. Sketch simply shrugged and shook his head.

It was then Sketch noticed how silent everything was. The birds had stopped singing, the air started to feel almost…dank, the breeze had stopped, but the strangest thing was, even though the sun was shining, he couldn’t feel its warmth.

Uneasy, He turned back inside to check on Gears, who was standing stone still on his staircase, staring at Sketch with a bewildered look.

“What…was that?” Gears asked, sounding concerned.

“I uh…don’t know.” He replied, shutting the door behind him. “Maybe it was some sort of new siren or alert system?”

“I guess…” Gears said slowly, not sounding convinced.

“Try not to worry about it too much, bud, alright? I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon enough.” Sketch tried to sound convincing, but unbeknownst to him he sounded like anything but.

With an unsettled look on his face, Gears retreated up to his room, leaving his older brother alone downstairs.

Sketch couldn’t help but worry, he hoped Lyra was alright, that nothing had happened. That she was ok. What could that noise have been? It could have very well been some sort of new alarm that was being tested, or it could have been an alarm that wasn’t new and was actually alerting the town to some sort of danger; it wasn’t impossible, especially since this town seemed to be the hub of a multitude of problems fairly often.

He would have gone out to look for Lyra, except he had no idea where she went for breakfast, he only knew what they had gone to get, and so he found himself in a situation where he needed to find Lyra, and had no idea where to look, again…except this time it wasn’t raining.

He felt bad for not knowing quite what to do, not knowing if he should go look for Lyra or if he should sit and wait, if only he had some sort of way to communicate with her when she was out and-

“Oh wait.” He said, turning towards his bedroom.

Lyra had taken her notebook with her, he could just write to her on that and she’d respond and everything would be alright! At least that’s what Sketch was telling himself, blocking the tiny voice in his head that wanted to think Lyra wouldn’t respond at all.

Somewhat nervously, he opened his nightstand and took the notebook out, upon doing this he saw his revolver, and the notebook had been set on top of it. The gun gleamed, the polished metal catching the light and making the ornate etchings in the metal seem to stick out even more, the weapon looked more like a piece of artwork than an actual weapon. It sat upon the multiple boxes of ammo he had for it, looking like something out of a gun magazine.

Turning his gaze away from the gun in his drawer, he took a seat on the bed and opened the notebook, writing his message into it.

“Lyra, is everything alright?”

He stared at the paper for a moment as the writing glowed a bright gold and then faded to black. A minute passed before words began to appear, as if a ghost were writing on the paper.

“I’m alright. That noise earlier was pretty weird though…”

Sketch sighed in relief, less worried now that he heard from Lyra.

“Yeah, we heard it here at the house too. Where are you?”

A minute passed before a response came.

“Vinyl and I got to the restaurant a few minutes after that noise, we should be home soon.” Lyra’s reply came.

“Alright, well I’m glad you’re safe…I love you, hurry home.”

“Love you too. I’ll make sure to-“

Lyra’s writing stopped, and Sketch’s heart almost stopped as well. He stared at the paper for a moment before writing again.

“Hello?”

Three minutes went by before a response came, and the response was the last thing Sketch expected.

“Sketch…something’s happening…there are these black ponies everywhere outside…they look like bugs…”

“Bugs?” He wrote back, trying to keep himself from panicking.

“They’re attacking the other ponies! It’s like they’re dragging them off! Sketch, They look just like-“

The writing stopped again, and this time, no matter how many times Sketch wrote to Lyra, there was no response.

His heart felt pained, his stomach churned and he felt sick. Something had happened, right at that moment something had happened to Lyra. This was bad…he had to go get her, there was no way he could just sit there after his pregnant wife told him bug-ponies were attacking other ponies in the streets, then not respond to him anymore afterwards.

Sketch took a deep breath, he had to calm himself down; that much he knew. He wouldn’t be able to do much good if he was all panicky. Calmly as he could, he trotted into the living room and grabbed his saddlebag; he then returned to his bedroom and reached into the dresser drawer, pulling out the revolver his father had given him. He hadn’t shot it once since it was given to him, looking back on it now he wished he had, he prayed he wouldn’t have to use it, and a small part of him wondered if he really needed to bring it, but he pushed that part away; muted it, he was bringing his gun. He took all his ammo; five boxes, and put them in his bag. As he did so he realized he was visibly shaking, he tried to stop but he couldn’t, as much as he tried to control it, fear was taking hold in him, not fear for himself, but fear for Lyra, for their child, fear for Gears as well.

“Hey, Sketch…?” Gears called from his room, an urgency lacing his tone.

Quick as a whip Sketch turned on his heel and made his way out into the living room revolver in hoof.

“You alright?” He asked, trying to sound confident.

“You…might want to come look at this…” Gears sounded scared.

Without a word, Sketch made his way up the stairs, finding his younger brother practically glued to the window.

“What is it…?” He asked.

Gears turned his gaze to his brother, his eyes wide and bewildered. In an almost solemn manner, he raised a hoof and pointed out the window.

“Look…”

Sketch made his way over to the window; he looked down on the street and found it to be perfectly normal.

“Gears, I-“

“No…” His brother interrupted him. “Out there…” Gears pointed towards the center of town, and Sketch saw the source of Gears worry.

Ponyville looked totally normal, the buildings and shops, all except for Town Hall. In the distance, Sketch could see multiple black, wavering lines, pouring out of the top of Town Hall; most likely from the windows. The lines appeared to be almost…alive. The branched out at seemingly random points and would either detour towards the ground and then appear to dissipate as if whatever making the lines had split up, while other lines simply spread out farther over the town.

“What do you think it is…?” Gears asked, his voice wavering a bit.

Sketch didn’t respond, he silently brought his free hoof up and opened the window, and what he heard made his heart skip a beat.

There was a growing, deep, buzzing. It seemed to pulsate and get louder as the lines grew closer, it sounded like a swarm of wasps or locusts, there was another sound as well, not as loud but very easily discernible from the buzzing. It was a chittering, it wasn’t as uniform as the buzzing, and it was sporadic and seemingly random.

“S-sketch…” Gears asked, sounding more than a little scared.

“What?”

“W-why do you have dads gun…?”

Sketch looked at the gun in his hoof, he had forgotten he had it for a moment, he should have thought to not show Gears he had it as not to scare him, But there wasn’t anything he could do about it now. He looked back out the window and saw the lines drawing closer to the outskirts of town, one line in particular heading straight for their neighborhood.

He turned back to Gears and looked him dead in the eyes; the small colt wore a look of fear, unsure of what was going on.

“Stay away from the window…I want you to close the attic door as well, ok?” He said suddenly, to which Gears raised an eyebrow.

“Uh…o-ok…” He said, making his way over to the ladder.

“Wait.” Sketch trotted over and started making his way down the stairs, to which Gears protested.

“W-wait…where are you going?”

“I have to find Lyra, ok?” Sketch sighed, knowing that Gears wouldn’t like this at all.

“WHAT! You’re leaving me here?!?” Gears said frantically.

“Listen…I can’t take you with me…you saw those things outside…if they’re dangerous you’ll be safer in here, and if they aren’t dangerous then it’s just as well, either way you’re staying here…” He said, straining to say what he needed to, when in reality he really didn’t want to leave his brother alone.

“B-but, I-“

“Gears…stay up here, close the staircase; do not open it up until I get back. Close your blinds and stay away from the windows…ok?”

“But…I-“

“Gears.” Sketch insisted. “I need you to be brave, alright? You have to do this for me, ok? I’ll be back before you know it, it’s all gonna be fine.”

Gears stared at his brother, trying to figure out an angle to play so that Sketch would stay, but he knew there wasn’t one. Gears knew full well that he would be safer at home; Sketch was fully aware he knew that too. So much to his own dismay, Gears let out a frustrated sigh and nodded.

“Fine…you better come back…”

“I promise, I will. You’re gonna be fine alright?”

Gears said nothing.

“I love you, bud.” Sketch said, looking at his upset brother, who stared back at him for a moment, then shot forward and hugged his older brothers neck.

“I love you too…” He said; his voice muffled as he buried his muzzle into Sketch’s neck.

Sketch gently pushed his brother away, looking him dead in the eyes.

“Close the window, close the staircase up, stay away from the windows, and wait for me to get back, ok?” He said solemnly.

Gears gave a nod of affirmation, seeming a bit braver after receiving a hug. The last thing Sketch saw Gears doing, was closing his blinds as he made his way down the steps, Sketch then turned and folded the ladder up, then pushed it up into the ceiling so that it didn’t even look like there was a hatch there at a glance.

With a heavy and worried sigh, he turned and made his way to the door, and just as he was reaching for the handle, the door flew open and a turquoise blur practically slammed into him. Sketch let out a cry of shock and found himself on the floor, with a snout full of turquoise fur.

The object that slammed into him, turned out to be a pony, and that pony, turned out to be Lyra.

“Lyra!?!” Sketch said, overjoyed.

Lyra looked at him for a moment as she stood, an almost quizzical look on her face appeared for a split second, as if she were thinking, she then shook her head a bit and her eyes widened. “Uh…Sketch?”

“You’re alright!” He said happily, standing up and hugging her protectively.

“Yes…I’m alright.” She said, giggling a bit as his display of affection and hugging him back, however she spoke in a hurried tone.

“What happened? What’s going on?” He asked.

“I can’t explain it now, something happened…Vinyl went nuts…she attacked me and turned into some sort of black-bug-pony, I don’t know, Sketch, I think it was a Changeling…”

“What, a Changeling, Really?” He said, surprised.

Sketch had heard about changelings, they were black insect-like creatures that could take the form of a loved one, and then feed off of said love others showed for that pony, they would form hives and there were multiple different known hives deep in Everfree and the Wastelands on the other side of the colossal forest, the most well known having used to be the Chrysalis Hive; before the Canterlot incident when most of that hive was dissipated and destroyed.

“We have to get out of here...lots of them are headed this way, they’re breaking into houses!” Lyra said urgently, tugging on Sketch’s hoof and pulling him towards the door.

“H-hold on I need to get Gears…” He said frantically, pulling away from Lyra and running over to the staircase, pulling it down to find Gears sitting right there at the top, apparently he had been listening.

“What’s going on, I thought heard Lyra?” He said, his eyes wide.

“Yes, Lyra’s here, bud we’re leaving, we’ve got to go, and Lyra says lots of them are headed this way, the house isn’t safe.”

“Alright, alright…can I grab-“

“Gears, we have to go now!” Sketch insisted.

Gears groaned and stomped his hoof, but nodded and followed his brother down the stairs.

“Lyra, where are we going?” Sketch asked, looking over to see Lyra still standing in the doorway.

“Town Hall, its safe there I think.” She replied flatly, looking outside for signs of Changelings.

Sketch froze, his eyes widened. Those lines had been coming from Town Hall, why in Equestria would-

“Sketch, we need to go!” Lyra insisted. Or was it Lyra?

Sketch stared at her, and now that he really looked at her, he noticed something was off.

“Lyra…where’s your necklace?” He asked solemnly.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “I uh…I guess I lost it when Vinyl attacked me. Now come on!”

Sketch wasn’t sure what to say, he wanted to believe Lyra, so very badly but-

Suddenly another blur of color shot through the doorway, however this blur came with an angry grunt and it shoved Lyra away from the door, sending her sliding across the floor and into a table.

“LYRA!” Sketch cried, his previous thoughts being abandoned. He rushed over to her side and helped her up, looking over at the doorway as he did so, and the culprit was standing right there.

It was Vinyl.

“YOU!” Sketch yelled angrily, raising his gun and pointing it straight at her.

“SKETCH! Don’t shoot her!” Gears yelled, not understanding what was going on.

“That isn’t Vinyl, Gears, that’s a damn Changeling, and it attacked Lyra!”

“A Changeling, what are you-“

“Sketch, you have to listen to me, that isn’t Lyra!” Vinyl cut in, her voice was laden with urgency.

“Like hell I’m going to believe you!” He growled, still aiming the revolver.

“Sketch, It’s me! Lyra!” Lyra cut in, wrapping her hooves around him and hiding behind him in fear.

“Sketch, listen to me, she isn’t even wearing her necklace! That isn’t her!” Vinyl insisted.

“I’m not wearing it because YOU knocked it off when you attacked me!” Lyra protested, but there was something about her tone that sounded unsure.

“Sketch, please, that isn’t her! Listen, we don’t have much time, those things are coming here in droves, just…ask her something only Lyra would know!”

Sketch stared at Vinyl for a moment, and saw Gears staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Slowly, he lowered the gun, and Vinyl let out a sigh of relief.

“Don’t get comfy; you so much as sneeze and I’ll shoot your ass.” He said angrily, waving the gun a bit.

Vinyl simply stared and Sketch turned and looked at Lyra, who was looking at him in disbelief.

“You really believe her? Sketch I thought-“

“Lyra…just…” He pushed her away gently, feeling a ping of sadness in his heart as he did so.

“When did I give you the necklace…?” He asked darkly, staring Lyra dead in the eyes.

Lyra stared back, her eyes flitting between Sketch and Vinyl. “Uh…My Birthday?” She let out nervously.

“No…” Sketch stepped back; his stomach did a flip as he heard the response.

“HA! No, you bitch, it was Hearthswarming Eve! You told me that YESTERDAY!” Vinyl said triumphantly.

“Sketch, what’s going on?” Gears cried, tears running down his cheeks.

“Shut the hell up you little brat!” Lyra hissed, but it wasn’t Lyra’s voice, instead it was an insectoid, animalistic voice, sort of like what you would expect a wasp to sound like, if it was able to speak.

Sketch’s eyes widened and he stepped over closer to Gears, putting himself between the Lyra-Changeling and his little brother.

“You.” The Changeling hissed, looking over at Vinyl as its Lyra-disguise rippled and then disappeared in small green flames. “This is your fault, you had to run, and you couldn’t just accept the inevitable!” It said, stomping its hoof.

The changeling was shiny black, covered in a tough, shell like carapace, however despite being shiny, the carapace was pitted and rotten looking, its legs had holes in them, they reminded Sketch of Swiss cheese, its eyes were a bright blue and it sported two, insect-like wings on its back; they flittered every so often. On its head was a horn, it was pitted and scarred. All in all, the Changeling was a rather frightening sight.

There was a crashing noise just then, like glass being broken, it sounded like it came from upstairs. Sketch turned around, but it was too late, by the time he could react, a changeling had snatched Gears in its hooves and was making for the window.

“SKETCH, HELP!” Gears screamed, crying and beating on the Changelings hooves trying to get it to release him.

“NO!” Sketch brought the revolver up and shot high, trying to scare the changeling, The gunshot rang loud in his ears and a ringing noise was left in its place. The changeling however, moved just before he shot and instead of hitting the wall, the changeling unwittingly moved in such a way that Sketch blew the end of its horn off, sending it into the wall with a screech of pain.

“Oh shit!” Vinyl’s cry came from downstairs as the sound of another window breaking was heard; another changeling had gotten in the house.

Vinyl would have to handle herself for now; Sketch had to save his brother.

“SKETCH!” Gears screamed, pulling himself away from the changeling that was writhing in its own blood as it poured from its horn.

“I’ve got you…” He reached a hoof out towards his brother, but never touched him. At that moment another changeling burst through the window, ramming Sketch and sending him flying into a wall.

“NO, SKETCH!” Gears cried.

Sketch couldn’t breathe, he had been winded, and all he could do was watch as the changeling with the broken horn took his brother in its arms and flew out the window with him, followed by the one that had rammed him. He wanted to raise his gun, he wanted to fire at the abductor, but he couldn’t. In his current state he could hit Gears, and that wouldn’t do any good at all.

“N-no…!” Sketch croaked, wincing at the dull pain emanating from his side.

“Aghh!” Vinyl’s screams hit Sketch’s ears. Tears of anguish running down his face, he drug himself over to the edge of the staircase. Vinyl was in the Kitchen, holding back a changeling as it snapped at her. The creature was swinging its horn side to side in an attempt to slash her. At that moment Vinyl shoved the changeling, trying to get it off, but all she did was turn them both sideways. However, it did give Sketch a shot.

Anger and Hatred welling up inside of him, Sketch; still laying on the floor, brought his revolver up and shakily took aim. He honestly wasn’t thinking about the fact he might hit Vinyl, he was too angry, the hatred for these creatures overcame his other senses, he felt a need to inflict pain upon them, an extreme, insatiable need to destroy them. He prayed he wouldn’t hit Vinyl, took a deep breath, and fired.

There was a splattering noise, and a short yelp from Vinyl, and then the changeling let out a sort of bark and flew into the cabinet, the bullet had his it in the leg, green blood covering the kitchen counter and lower cabinets and it ran out the front door as fast as it could.

“Holy shit!” Vinyl scrambled over to the living room after a moment, trying to distance herself from the kitchen.

“S-Sketch!” She clambered over the couch, her own blood running from a gash over her eyebrow; coloring her otherwise white fur, red.

“Y-you…stay the hell away from me…” He said shakily.

“Sketch…it’s me…Lyra and I went to school together, you have a little brother named Gears, I’m here visiting to talk with Lyra about her music!” Vinyl insisted, realizing she was bleeding when her blood dripped near her eye; then bringing a hoof up and wiping it away dismissively.

Sketch stared at her with uncertainty for a moment, and then lowered his revolver, lying on his stomach on the floor.

“Where’s Gears…?” Vinyl said, panting a bit from her struggle.

“Bastards…they…they took him…Vinyl I don’t know if he’s-“

“He’s fine…they aren’t killing, they’re like…collecting…at least from what I saw…” She panted.

“What?” Sketch breathed, still reeling from what had just happened.

“They were…grabbing these ponies, and flying off with them…”

“To where?” Sketch said solemnly, starting to recover a bit from his ordeal, the ringing in his ears dying down a bit.

“I don’t know.” Vinyl replied, eyeing him as he stood up.

“Well, we need to find out then…”He said simply, standing upright and wincing as a pain shot through his side. He looked down to see a gash; dripping blood, on his side, it was dark red and it seemed that now he was looking at it he noticed the pain more.

“You’re hurt…we should-“

“No…I’m going to get my family…” He said darkly, glaring at her as he pushed his way past her on his way down the stairs.

“Sketch-“

“You can come with me or stay here…your choice…”

Vinyl was about to protest again, but Sketch spoke first.

“Where’s the other one…” He said.

“Huh?”

“The other changeling, the one that looked like…like Lyra.”

“I…I shot him…with magical energy, he went flying through the bedroom door, and I didn’t see him come out…” Vinyl said, trotting over next to him.

Taking a deep breath, Sketch raised his revolver again and slowly made his way into the bedroom. It was completely dark, the blinds were shut and all other light sources appeared to have been turned off.

Visibly shaking, a mix of adrenaline and fear coursing through his blood, Sketch strafed around the room, and found his quarry lying in a heap in the corner or the room.

“There you are…” He growled, and trotted over to the Changeling before Vinyl could say anything.

A moment later, he was dragging the Changeling out by its back leg. It was badly burned on one shoulder and blood was dripping out of its mouth. It was still alive.

The changeling groaned and chittered angrily in protest as Sketch dragged it out into the kitchen, releasing it next to its dead comrade. The changeling was about to try and run, but Sketch knelt on its chest; hard, and pressed his gun to its head.

The changeling was panting heavily; it glared up at him with evil eyes, eyes not filled with fear, but amusement.

“I am not afraid to die for my hive, scum.” It hissed, letting out an evil chuckle.

Sketch shivered a bit and pressed the gun barrel into the changeling’s temple. “Where did you take my family…?”

The changeling simply laughed a buzzing and evil laugh.

“I’ll blow your head off…” He growled, digging the barrel of the gun into the changeling’s carapace.

This action seemed to sober it up a little bit, and it stared straight up at Sketch, glaring with its glowing blue eyes. Sketch began to wonder if he would actually be able to carry out his threats, granted this creature and its kind had abducted his family and attacked both him and Vinyl, but still. You could read all the stories, play all the games and watch all the movies you wanted. There was a difference between seeing somepony else kill another, and actually killing somepony yourself; as Sketch would find out.

“You’re going to die…trying to save them, you know this, yes?” It hissed, a cruel smile on its face.

“Then I guess I die, now TELL ME!” He shouted, raising the gun and hitting the changeling over the head with it, causing it to let out a cry of pain.

“The Town Hall…is where we took them…all of them, the townsponies…” It laughed weakly, but evilly. “Your family will be farmed for their feelings…we will feed off of them, and your town, will burn.

“But…you have to be feeding off of Love; Changelings don’t feed off of other feelings…” Vinyl cut in from behind. Unbeknownst to Sketch, she was actually a bit surprised and somewhat frightened at how Sketch had switched into this aggressive mode, making death threats and waving a gun around.

“We have found a new way to feed, a better way, a more…efficient way.” It laughed weakly, turning its gaze back up to Sketch.

“A new age is dawning…the Age of the Changelings will soon be at hoof…and you and everything you hold dear will be no more.”

It glared at Sketch and bared its fangs, then in a sudden burst of strength, it shoved him off, throwing him onto his back, the next thing Sketch knew the changeling was on top of him; its teeth firmly latched into his shoulder, blood running from the wound.

“Aghhhh!” He cried, beating the changeling with the butt of the revolver enough times that a gash formed, oozing green blood. But the changeling didn’t let go, if anything it bit down harder, shaking its head a bit, trying to tear flesh from bone.

Vinyl had moved around and was trying her very best to pull the attacker off of Sketch, but to no avail.

Abruptly, Sketch stopped beating the changeling with his gun, in a split second he looked at the gun, making a choice. He would do what he needed to, for his family.

He pressed the gun to the changeling’s neck, let out a cry of both fear and anger, and pulled the trigger.

There was a loud, ear-ringing “BOOM”. Bits of shell and blood went flying. The changeling let out a horrible cry of pain as the force of the blast threw it into a cabinet. It writhed and screamed, cursing Sketch in every way it could think. The bullet had somehow taken out a chunk of its neck without killing it, and it clutched the wound with one hoof.

Sketch’s vision turned red, a newfound mixture of bloodlust and adrenaline coursing through him; consuming him. He stood and grabbed the changeling by its neck, and dragged it over to the fridge; a trail of green blood being left on the floor as he did so. He slammed the Changeling into the fridge and looked it straight into its eyes, gritting his teeth.

“Go on then…” It coaxed him, laughing weakly. “Kill me!” It mocked.

Sketch gripped the revolver for a moment, then brought it up and pressed it into the side of the Changeling’s head, twisting the barrel and digging it into the pitted flesh. The changeling growled a bit, showing its teeth in a mixture of pain and amusement.

“You’re just like every other pony…too much of a bitch to actually kill…” It hissed and spit its own blood at Sketch, the glob of green blood hitting him above the eye.

“Guess what…” Sketch said calmly, his vision growing ever redder.

The changeling only glared, its jaws twisted into an evil smile and it stuck its tongue out, hissing in an almost insane fashion.

“I’m not, every other pony.”

In that split second, the changeling’s expression changed, from one of amusement and confidence to one of fear and surprise.

That was its last expression it ever showed.

Sketch released the body, letting it slump to the ground; limp. He stood over it, looking down. Smoking gun clenched tightly in one hoof.

The kitchen was now thoroughly painted with a mix of green blood and black bits of carapace. They dripped from the cabinets and onto the counters.

Vinyl was leaning against a cabinet; still sitting on the floor. She wore a look of horror and surprise, if her fur wasn’t already snow white, she would have looked pale and flushed.

The red in his vision started to fade, he could think straight again. He shook his head and took a step back.

“Y-you…” Was all Vinyl let out.

Sketch himself was having a hard time believing it, he had killed a living, sentient, creature. Just like that, it was dead, wiped out from existence.

“Just…” He tried to speak, it was now he realized he was covered in green blood.

“We have…to find Lyra…and Gears.” He said, trying to maintain the little bit of composure he had left.

“You…” Vinyl repeated, wiping a bit of green blood from her purple glasses, but doing nothing but smearing it.

“We…need to go.”  Sketch said, trotting slowly over to Vinyl and extending a hoof.

Vinyl stared up at him for a moment, looking him over behind those purple glasses of hers. She had seen her fair share of fights, gotten her nose bloodied a few times and blooded other noses more than once, She hadn’t ever seen something like what she just did though. She was shocked, unsure, and afraid.

With a nod, she took Sketch’s hoof and allowed him to help her up.

“What about…all this…” She said, referring to the mess now all over the kitchen.

“Leave it.” Sketch stated bluntly, turning away and heading over into the living room. There was a clicking sound shortly after, the sound of him reloading.

“Sketch…?” Vinyl asked, still in the kitchen.

“What.”

“Are you…alright?”

Sketch stopped reloading and stared at the cylinder of his revolver. There was a bit of green blood splattered on the barrel, tarnishing the previously shiny state.

Vinyl watched him carefully, unsure of what was about to happen.

“Sketch…?”

Sketch looked over at her, he looked like he had seen a ghost.

“Make sure you have what you need…we’re leaving for town hall in thirty seconds.” He said darkly, then turned and took a position in the doorway, watching for trouble.

“Sketch, that’s crazy! There’s no way we’re gonna make it through-“

Sketch whirled around, his eyes angry and crazed. He seemed to carry himself different, almost in the fashion you would expect from some wild creature, one hungry for blood and flesh.

“So what do you suggest?” He growled, storming over to Vinyl.

Vinyl said nothing, she merely stood in silence.

“So we just…leave them? Don’t even try? They have my wife, brother and my unborn child! Do you seriously expect me to just-“

“You don’t think I’m not worried too?” Vinyl shouted, shoving Sketch away and pointing a hoof at him as she spoke. “I had to watch, Sketch, I had to watch them take her! I was helpless! I. Couldn’t. Do. Shit.”

Sketch stepped back a bit at Vinyl’s outburst.

“I’m still reeling from the fact I just watched you blow that things head off, ok? I don’t know how the hell you’re not even acknowledging that you just did that!” She shoved him again, her voice beginning to sound hysterical.

Sketch growled and grabbed Vinyl’s leg when she tried to shove him again, she froze and looked at him with an angry expression.

“The value of that monsters life was lost to me the moment it hurt my family.” He said solemnly.

Vinyl wrenched her leg away, a look of disgust on her face.

“Y-you…”

“Here’s what’s going to happen, Vinyl.” Sketch said, not letting her finish. “I’m going to Town Hall, and I’m getting my damn family back. That’s happening whether you like it or not.” He paused for a minute and turned away from Vinyl, looking out his now broken window.

“Now…you can either come with me, or you can stay here and wait…your choice.” And without another word, Sketch trotted out the front door, leaving Vinyl alone inside of a thoroughly trashed house.

“Bloody Hell…” She breathed, stomping her hoof in frustration. She knew she couldn’t just let Sketch run off, not in his current state. He’d almost certainly get himself killed, and so despite everything in her body screaming to stay there, and be safe, and to wait for the Equestrian Military to get there, or the Elements of Harmony, or somepony, who had any idea what do. She followed him out the door.

“Sketch!” She called, hesitantly running out after him. However she didn’t have to go far, Sketch was standing just outside of his fence, staring straight up at the sky. Vinyl followed his gaze and found the cause of his staring.

Covering the entirety of the sky, was a green wall of energy, when Vinyl looked and tried to find it’s edges, she found it to curve downwards and form a sort of dome.

“So that’s why there isn’t any wind…” Sketch said.

“They…put a dome over the town?”

“Looks like it.”

Vinyl stared up at the dome, it pulsated green and appeared to be originating from Town Hall.

“Sketch, do you think-“ Vinyl looked down to find Sketch was already trotting away. “Shit…” She breathed, and then took after him.

“Sketch…do you even have a plan?”

“No.” He stated plainly.

“Then how-“

“We get to Twilight’s, she should know…something.”

Vinyl couldn’t help but sense an undertone of uncertainty in his voice.

“Well…shouldn’t we get out of the street?” She suggested, looking around for any signs of changelings.

“From the looks of it, they’ve already all moved on to the next neighborhood.” He deadpanned.

Vinyl wasn’t sure what scared her more, Sketch’s seemingly total lack of emotion or care for his own safety, or the fact that his behavior could get them both killed.

“And what happens if they haven’t?” She hissed at him.

“Then I kill them.”

“Dammit Sketch!” She grabbed his shoulder and turned him around angrily, then proceeded to shove him into a demolished carriage.

Sketch didn’t respond, he simply stared at her with bewildered eyes.

“You’re going to get us killed!” She jarred him into the carriage, still gripping his shoulder. “You’re acting crazy, man! Getting yourself killed because you’re too damn stupid to think of a plan and show at least the TINIEST bit of concern for your own life? That isn’t going to help ANYPONY.”

Vinyl placed her hoof on Sketch’s other shoulder, but was gentler this time.

“Now listen to me. I want you to notice something. I’m here, now, in the middle of this street, following your ass. I want to save her too, Sketch, and if that dome is keeping the breeze out, don’t you think it’s going to be keeping the Equestrian Military out as well?” She looked him in the eyes.

“I hadn’t-“

“Exactly! You hadn’t thought. Sketch, I don’t want to sound dramatic here, but you and I may turn out to be the only two who haven’t been captured! Alright? I’m all for helping you find Lyra and your brother, but at least be smart about it, ok? I can’t lead you, Sketch! You know your way around this town, I don’t! You need to get your shit in order, and we need a plan, alright? I don’t want to die in here! I have a family too Sketch!”

Sketch looked up at her. “Vinyl I didn’t know you-“

“Yes…I do…there’s a mare named Octavia…it’s her birthday in two weeks, we’re supposed to go on a cruise! So don’t think you aren’t the only one here with something to lose!”

Sketch looked at Vinyl for a moment. She was right…what was he doing? If he went on like this he’d be dead or captured before he got within a mile of Town Hall.

“I’m sorry…you’re right.” He sighed, shrugging Vinyl’s hooves off of him. “I just…Vinyl, they’re all I have. I just…I lost it.”

Vinyl sighed now, looking around as she did so. “Now, lead us out of these Celestia-forsaken streets, and we need to make a plan…if we’re taking on a hive of those bastards we can’t just go in there, guns blazing.”

“Right…” Sketch pushed himself away from the carriage and looked back at his house. “Let’s just…go back to the house and-“

There was an ear-piercing screech, it filled the air and lasted for a few seconds before stopping abruptly.

The pair were silent for a moment, before Vinyl spoke up.

“What…was that.”

“Aw hell…” Sketch said, pointing to the roof of his house.

There was a changeling standing on the roof, and it was looking right at them.

“Run!” Vinyl cried, just as a dozen other changelings flew up from behind the one on the roof.

In unison, the two turned tail and hauled down the street, fast as they possibly could.

“Sketch, find an escape!” Vinyl cried, the Changelings flying rapidly towards them, a few of them landing and running after their prey.

“There!” Sketch called, spotting an alley where hopefully they could lose the changelings, he figured it was a better option than getting overtaken in the street.

As Vinyl turned and made her way into the alley, Sketch turned and fired twice into the oncoming group of changelings, his ears ringing from the noise. One of the bullets clipped the wing of a flying changeling and sent it crashing into the ground, a second impacted on the leg of a running changeling and it stumbled, tripping up a few of its kin.

“Sketch, come on!” Vinyl called.

“I’m coming!” He cried, turning and catching up to Vinyl, then overtaking her so he could attempt to lead the way.

“Vinyl, come on, This way!” Sketch called, turning into another alley and doing his best to evade their pursuers.

“Shit, man, there’s like a dozen of ‘em coming, they’re hauling ass too!” Vinyl called back, just as another angry, chittering, roar was heard behind them.

Sketch looked back past Vinyl as he ran, trying to catch a glimpse of the monsters that were after them. He could hear them, but not see them: The chittering and snarling, the sound of something angry and evil.

“Please, tell me you know where the hell we’re going, Sketch!”

“Uh…” He called, having absolutely no idea where they were going. “We’re going this way!” He said, making a left down the alley, hoping it wouldn’t end up being a-

“Dead end!” Vinyl cried, worry tainting her voice. “Sketch, what now!”

“No, no, no…shit!” Frantically, Sketch looked around, trying to find an exit, He would grab Vinyl and fly, but these changelings were patrolling the skies too, they would fare worse up there than down here, if he flew they’d just get swarmed and taken down, most likely to meet a quick and bloody end, face-first with the pavement. But it couldn’t end, not like this, Gears needed him, Lyra needed him, he promised he would protect her, he had to-

“Sketch!” Vinyl yelled, sounding even more worried than before, and he could see why, The midday sun casting so many of the changelings shadows, twisting them to horrifying and evil shapes as they were cast out onto the alleyway when they rounded the corner.

They grew closer, their chittering sounding all too much like laughter as they crept closer, no longer feeling the need to run as they had their prey cornered.

“Like hell I’m gonna die here!” Vinyl shouted angrily, Charging up a ball of magical energy on her horn and directing it into her hoof, once it had grown to the size of a baseball she lobbed it at the creatures.

The ball of energy hit its mark, impacting on one of the beasts’ green eyes and exploding, sending it flying back; small bits of its shell and green blood flying everywhere, it hit the ground and slid back. Its comrades backed up as not to touch their now dead kin. They stared at it for a moment before slowly looking up at Vinyl and Sketch, almost as one they started chittering angrily, the death of their comrade riling them up.

“Uh-oh…” Vinyl breathed.

One of the changelings in the front of the pack shot forward, charging towards Vinyl with a high-pitched roar. Before Sketch or Vinyl could react, it jumped and landed on top of her, biting down on her shoulder and knocking her onto her back. It growled and shook its head, trying to tear a chunk of Vinyl’s flesh off.

Vinyl let out a cry of agony and hit the beast in its large, green eye, causing it to screech and release her.

“Sketch!” She called, now holding the changeling back with one hoof, its drooling jaws snapping only inches from her face.

Sketch shook his head, he hadn’t even realized he had frozen up, shakily, he brought up his revolver, taking aim at the changeling on top of Vinyl.

“SKETCH, SHOOT THIS BASTARD!” She cried again, visibly shaking as it pressed all its weight on her, trying to bite her throat.

Sketch took a deep breath and then opened fire.

The bullet hit its target, punching a good sized hole in the changelings shoulder, knocking it off of Vinyl and sliding onto the ground, where it moved no more.

The alley was narrow, so the changelings could only attack in two’s or three’s. Vinyl did her best to lob balls of magical energy at the flow of monsters, while Sketch fired into the crowd, screams of agony being heard as each bullet hit its target.

“Sketch, there!” Vinyl cried, pointing a hoof to a window on the other side of the alley. On the other side of their horde of attackers.

“Nothing like ease of access, huh?” He cried, pulling the trigger again, but being met with a “click” instead of a “boom”

“Hold them off, I need to reload!” He shouted, barely being heard over the chittering and screaming of the changelings.

“Alright…!” Vinyl replied, sounding less than sure of her.

Quick as he could, Sketch dumped the six empty shells out of his gun. They clattered onto the ground, barely audible over the changelings. He reached into his bag and grabbed six rounds, shoving them into the cylinder and closing it, bringing it up and shooting a changeling about to pounce on Vinyl.

The bullet caught it in the stomach, sending the changeling to the ground, where it writhed a bit before death came to meet it.

“Thanks…” Vinyl said, she hadn’t even noticed that changeling.

“How’re we gonna get to that window!” He cried, shooting another changeling in the chest. At this point the changelings were starting to be more cautious, no longer simply running out, they tried to jump off the walls and come in from above.

“Like this!” Vinyl flashed a cocky smile, as a blue light enveloped her horn, it shone extremely bright and bathed the entire area in its glow. A moment later, she released a blast of energy, straight into the crowd, it blasted through them, burning any who stood in its path. The one changeling unfortunate enough to be directly in the way was thrown into the wall near the window, where it impacted with a “SPLAT” and slumped to the ground, dead.

By the time the beam dissipated, most of the changelings had either run, been horribly burned, were dead or in the process of dying. Vinyl was hardly faring better, she trembled and collapsed to her knees, exhausted and breathing heavily.

“Vinyl!” Sketch rushed to her side, her horn was sputtering and smoking profusely.

“I’m…fine…” She said, her breathing labored.

“Where the hell did you learn to do that…?” Sketch asked, helping her up.

“Pyrotechnics are uh…rather popular at some of my shows…” She said with a weak chuckle.

“Damn…” He breathed.

“The window…”

“Oh! Right, yes.”

Taking care not to go to fast, but still putting some urgency in his step, Sketch took Vinyl over to the window. From the looks of it there appeared to have been boards attached to the window, in order to keep something from getting in. However Vinyl’s magic turned out to have blasted them away, so the two were able to get in without trouble.

“We probably can’t stay here too long…” Sketch said as he laid Vinyl against the wall near the window, looking out into the alley as he did so.

“We should-“ Vinyl was cut off by a new voice.

“You’re right, you cannot stay here…in fact…I think you were just about to leave, ja?” Came an accented voice, It sounded vaguely...Germane?

Sketch froze, he turned and looked behind him, there; looking rather surprised. Was a grey stallion with a black mane, he wore thin, round glasses that looked almost too small for his face, and in one hoof he held a knife.

A very bloody knife.