The Commander, The Keyblade Master, and the Psycho

Fluttershy’s POV:

As my eyes slowly opened up as I woke up I saw curtains blowing from the breeze of the open window that they covered. I was laying down in a bed with covers draped over me that kept me nice and warm.

“Mornin’ sugarcube.” I heard Applejacks voice call out to me as I turned to see her perched up on a seat against the wall which was next the bed I was in.

“Applejack?” I asked aloud as my hazy head cleared up and I started to remember what happened before I woke up here. “JOEL!” I shouted out as I quickly sat up and was stopped by a sharp pain in my side and one of my wings.

“Easy there Shy.” Applejack said as she got down off her seat and trotted over to me. “You were hurt pretty badly so don’t push yourself.” She said and looked myself over, my side that hurt was completely wrapped in bandages along with my wing.

“A-applejack…wh-what happened?” My voice quaked in fear as I felt some tears roll up in the corner of my eyes.

“You got hit with a blast of the queen’s magic at some point. The doctor said you’ll be fine so long as ya get plenty of bed rest.” She said and my nerves calmed down a little bit.

“And Joel? Is he okay?” I asked and Applejack looked away.

“Um…yeah he’s okay…I think…” She said as she readjusted her hat. “Hey! No pony else knows you’re awake yet! Ah’ll go tell em now!” She said as she turned to get the others.

“Um okay, I guess…” I mumbled as she opened the door, only for pinkie to fall into the room with a thud.

“What in tarnation are you doing here pinkie?” Applejack asked aloud before we heard groans coming from outside the door.

“We were worried about Fluttershy so I suggested we have slumber party outside the hospital room while we waited for her to wake up.” Pinkie said smiling before yawing as the others came in with the exception of Princess Luna and Celestia, Stellar Sheen, Selene, Jack, and Joel.

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you all so worried.” I said softly and Pinkie almost instantly hugged me as the words left my mouth. Admittedly it hurt my bandaged side a little but I didn’t care as I hugged her back.

“It’s quiet alright darling, we’re just glad your finally awake.” Rarity said as she walked up to my bedside with the others as Pinkie let go of her embrace on me.

“How long was I sleeping?”

“Well we actually don’t know exactly how long exactly, but since we found you it’s been about ten hours.” Twilight said.

“Ten hours?!” I exclaimed and Dash quickly held me back from sitting up to quickly.

“Well yeah, but some it was medically induced so they could fix you up from what the queen did to you.” Dash said as I looked to my bandages. “They said you should be back to one hundred percent in about a week as long as you don’t do any crazy stunts.”

“Well what happened while I was sleeping? Did the changelings retreat?” I asked and they nodded and I gave a sigh of relief. “Well what about Joel and the others are they all okay too?” They all looked to each other and then back to me.

“Well it’s kind of…complicated…” Twilight said and I grew worried.

“They’re not hurt are they?” I asked and Twilight shook her head.

“No no, it’s just that…” Twilight started before Celestia entered the room.

“I see our patient has finally woken up.” She said as she walked into the room followed by Luna, Jack, and Selene. “I’m pleased to see that you are making a fast recovery, though I’m afraid you won’t be able to fly with that wing until new feathers have grown in.” She said with a look of concern as she approached my bedside.

“It’s not that bad, I don’t really need to fly to take care of my animals back home anyways.” I said smiling and she returned my smile. “Um Princess Celestia may I ask you something?”

“Of course my little pony.”

“What happened to Joel?” I asked and her face became slightly saddened before looking to Luna and Joel’s friends.

“I think it would just be easier to show you. You can come in now.” She said looking over to the still opened door.

From the outside walked in a girl wearing a bluish-grey jacket with a red under shirt with a little skull on the front of it. She also wore a matching red skirt to her shirt with checkered colored socks and a pair for tennis shoes. Her red hair was tied into a pair of ponytails that hung off each side of her head with a pair of goggles resting above her forehead. But what stood out most about her was that her left hand was completely made out of metal. Around her waist was a belt that held a whole bunch of things that I couldn’t make sense of and didn’t look like they were there for fashion.

“So this is Fluttershy huh?” She said as she reached my bedside and looked me over, making me pull the covers up to hide myself.

“Um who are you?” I squeaked out and she giggled at me.

“The name’s Gaige, Gaige the mechromancer.” She said smiling at me before giving an annoyed look up at the wall above me and looking like she was thinking about something. “I swear he just doesn’t shut up...” She muttered.

“Um, who?” I asked and she looked back to me.

“Oh, sorry you don’t know yet. I’m basically the new Krieg for your friend Joel and he’s telling me to tell you he says ‘hi’.” She said smiling.

“What…?”

*8 and a half hours ago*

Selene’s POV:

I stared blankly out the hallway window and out over the smoking city of canterlot while Celestia talked to one of her guard about cleaning up the room as soon as possible. Jack was sitting down beside where I stood while the ponies took Flutters to a hospital along with Luna.

“The walls will need to be resurfaced, the carpets replaced, the tiles bleached, and the ceiling thoroughly cleaned and repainted.” Celestia said as I shuddered at the vision of the room still fresh in my mind. I was hoping Joel would do a number on Chrysalis but, damn… I shuddered again, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I quickly changed my thoughts back to the current situation to prevent myself from remembering the room again.

Joel was missing. The only things left in that room were the bloodstains that were once the Queen and Fluttershy, who was found completely untouched by any of the horrors in the room around her. Celestia sent her guard on his way before turning her attention to me and Jack. “Sorry for the wait, I’m sure you both have questions to ask about your friend.” She said and I nodded.

“What happened to him? You and Luna know something we don’t, don’t you?” I said and she nodded and sighed heavily.

“I’m afraid Joel has been taken by the surviving changelings back to they’re hive to be turned into they’re new king.” She said and I was about to ask why but she seemed to read my mind and continued to answer the question. “It is a part of how their hive works, the stronger you are the more qualified you are to be the leader of the hive. When they found what Joel had done to their queen, I’m guessing they saw him as the ultimate leader if they could turn him into a changeling like they do to ponies.” She said and Jack spoke up this time.

“Can they do that? Can they turn other creatures into changelings like ponies?” He asked and Celestia nodded.

“I’m afraid so, though the process does take a much longer processes to happen, and since the changelings have never converted a human before it is highly likely it will take even longer.” She said.

“Well then what are we waiting for lets go save him.” Jack said as he grabbed hold of his keyblade.

“I’m afraid I do not know the where about of the hive’s location, and even if we did we would need to carefully plan our approach. It is more than likely he will be highly guarded by the entire hive until he has been turned.” She said before we heard Stellar’s voice from down the hall.

“Well den princess Celestia we’re in luck.” He said as we turned our attention to where his voice was. In his magical grasp floating above his head was a changeling tied up in rope and a silver ring around the base of its horn. His head was hung low and three scares across the center of his face that still looked somewhat fresh. “We found dis little bugger trying to hide down in de swears below de city.” He said as he dropped the changeling on the ground in front of us. “I’m sure interrogation won’t take more den a couple of minutes.”

“They’re hiding in the badlands, south of Dodge City, the secret entrance is under a single standing stone raised above the dried river bank.” It spoke and I blinked a few times.

“Well that was easy.” Jack said but Stellar didn’t seem to accept what the changeling said.

“And why should we trust you? How can we trust you?” He question the black creature who chuckled at him.

“I’ve been left for dead fool. I betrayed my kin during this invasion and so I’ve been exiled by them, and without a hive to call home it’s only a matter of time before I die from starvation.” He asked and I raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean starvation? You transform into other ponies and feed off the love that pony’s friends and family hold for them don’t you?” I asked and he shook his head.

“You must not be aware of our biology then, when changelings fight each other with their own magic it leaves magical scares that will remain on us even if we shape shift.” He said and jack spoke up this time.

“So that’s what those scares on your forehead are?” He asked and again he shook his head.

“No, I got this during the invasion. The magical scares do not appear upon me until after I have shape shifted.” He said as he tried to rub his forehead. “Hard to pretend to be somepony else when you have scares that they don’t.”

“Even so dat doesn’t explain why we should trust you.” Stellar said and the changeling nodded.

“Indeed, I’m telling you this because you are my only chance for survival now. A single changeling does not require massive amounts of love to survive. I only need to feed once a month at most and any effects of my feeding would disappear in less than an hour.” He said.

“And what makes you so sure we’re just gonna let you do as you please once we rescue our friend?” Stellar retorted and the changeling smirked.

“Because I’m the only chance you’ve got of finding your friend before he’s turned into our new king.” He answered back. “So, in exchange for my freedom, I’ll show you where the hive is and help you save him. Is that agreeable?”

“Are you will to be under constant watch by the royal guard?” Celestia spoke up and the changeling nodded. “Then so it will be, however I wish to know why you betrayed your fellow changelings?” She asked and the changelings head fell low again.

“Because I was against this invasion from the start.” He said and just about everyone raised an eyebrow. “After our failure to invade canterlot during the royal wedding our form queen grew determined to succeed in taking it eventually. Well, more like she became obsessed with taking the city, like she was being consumed by her anger and rage towards you all for beating her. Because of this she diverted much of the hives time into finding a weak spot and the perfect time for another invasion, including those of us who were supposed to be gathering food. Some of us began to die of starvation within the hive and we began to question her majesties way of thinking.” He said as he looked back up to us. “To be honest, I think if any of the hive saw this place ever again, it would still be too soon.”

“I see…” Celestia said as she took a deep breath. “Very well, your terms are agreeable.” She as she began to undo the changeling’s bindings with her magic. “But make no mistake, if you go back on your word, there will be hell to pay, understand?” She snarled at the changeling and he firmly nodded.

“I understand completely.” He said as he began to stand up, struggling at first but soon found strength in his legs. “Call me Zed.”

“You highness are you sure about dis?” Stellar asked in a hushed voice to his princess who sighed.

“If you have any better ideas please share them now or else we will have to trust him.” She said and Stellar fell silent. “Then it is decided, we make for the badlands at once.”

*two hours later*

I yawned as we made our way down a beaten path south of Dodge City and on the border of the badlands. I had fallen asleep on the train ride to dodge and was trying hard to wake up before we got to this hidden entrance Zed kept mentioning. Jack and Stellar were walking on both sides of me while Celestia and Zed walked in front of us. Luna and the others stayed behind to try and calm things down and help rebuild in Canterlot while we went to go save Joel. We had been walking for maybe an hour through the badlands before we finally reached the place Zed was talking about. At pile of rocks with one standing high above the rest next to a dried river bed.

“Something’s not right here…” Zed said as he began looking around with serious eyes. “There aren’t any guards at the entrance. There should be two or more guards here.” He said as he began walking over some of the rocks towards the tall standing one.

“Well you kept saying this was a secret entrance. Wouldn’t be very secret if you have a bunch of guards protecting it.” Jack said and Zed rolled his eyes.

“They wear camouflage you fool.” He said as he pushed on the tall standing rock a little, sliding back a few inches before one of the rocks broke apart and opened up like a door into a cave system. “Now stay behind me and don’t talk unless I talk to you.” He said as he hopped down the hole and we followed after him.

The cave system wasn’t that much different from the caves below canterlot aside from the fact changeling pods covered nearly every surface except for the floor. There were countless tunnels that stretched out in every direction off of the main tunnel that we followed, each one filled with pods. Zed explained to us that the incubation pods were used as beds for their kind and that any of them that were still unopened were sleeping changelings. He assured us that the thick outer shell of the pods blocked out any sound we made but that they were more sensitive to motions. If we so much as tapped the pods the sleeping changelings would wake up inside it. After a few minutes of walking and being extremely careful not to touch any pods as we walked through the main tunnel Zed stopped us.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia asked him in a hushed voice.

“Up ahead is the main chamber of the hive. I can sense a lot of my kin in there along with another being that isn’t a changeling at the center. I’m guessing that’s your friend. From what I can tell he hasn’t turned yet and it’ll be a couple minutes before he does.” He said as he looked back at us. “Here’s the plan, run in in a blaze of glory, cut open your friends pod, pick him up, and run and don’t stop until we’re out of the badlands.”

“Sounds good to me.” Jack said with a smirk as he readied his keyblade while is side and pulled out my shotgun.

“You go for the pod and I’ll keep you covered.” I said looking at Jack who nodded before I looked to Stellar and Celestia. “And you two watch my back.” I said and Stellar grew annoyed with me.

“Who do you think you are giving orders to Princess Celes-“

“Understood, we will ‘watch your back’ Selene.” Celestia cut off Stellar whose jaw was now hanging open and I chuckled.

“I’m counting on you.” I said smiling back before turning my attention back to Jack who was more than ready to go.

“If you’re all ready then.” Zed said as we began walking down the tunnel again and I could start to hear the buzzing of a mass of changelings ahead of us. “Alright let’s go.” Zed said before he began running down the tunnel ahead of us and we began running after him. As we ran the tunnel began to expand larger and larger until it open into the massive chamber Zed mention. The chamber was covered in changelings from top to bottom to the point I couldn’t make out the stone floor and walls. The only outstanding feature of the chamber was a set of stairs that lead up to a throne that currently seated a massive pod.

“Oh no…” Zed mumbled as he came to a screeching halt just past the entrance into the chamber. We stopped next to him braced for the fight he told us to be ready for but it never happened, not a single changeling even so much as looked at us.

“What’s going on here Zed?” Stellar said as readied himself for a fight. Before Zed could answer him all of the changelings in the room horns light up with they’re green magic. A second later every single one of them fired a blast of their magic at the pod on the throne, making it glow bright green.

“Shit!! GO NOW!!!” Zed yelled as he began running full speed for the pod and Jack and I began running after him.

“What are they doing?!” I yelled at Zed as we made our way up the stairs.

“They’re trying to speed up the transformation process and from what I can tell it’s working!!!” He yelled as his own horn flared up and he formed a green shield around us and around the pod to deflect the magical blasts. “Open the pod now!!!” Zed yelled as I began firing into the hive, gaining they’re attention and stopping them from blasting the pod with magic. Jack stabbed his keyblade through the side of the pod, cutting open and causing a mass of slime to pour out as I kept firing, my back turned to the two of them.

“Well is he there?! Is he okay?!” I yelled back at them as began to reload my shotgun but then noticed something, the changelings weren’t fighting back. Every single one of them were bowing towards the pod behind me.

“I thought you said your friend was a boy?” Zed asked as I turned to see Jack holding the body of a girl in his arms, her face covered in green slime. Her left hand that seemed to be made of metal reached up and she wiped the slime of her face before spitting off to the side and spoke.

“EEEEEWWW! ITZ IN MAH MOUWTH!!! GUYZ ITZ IN MAH MOUWTH!!!”