Guardian

Chapters

Losing Confidence: Together
Losing Confidence: Hiccup
Losing Confidence: Wish
Losing Sleep: Name
Losing Sleep: Victory
Losing Sleep: Threat
Losing Sleep: Letters
Losing Mind: Friends
Losing Mind: Family
Losing Mind: Love
Losing Mind: Self
Losing Ground: Everfree
Losing Ground: Canterlot
Losing Ground: Crystalsss
Broken Horn And Torn Wings
Losing Confidence: Vision

Losing Confidence: Together

[Choking's Entry]

I'm kinda sad I didn't get to spend more time with Void, he seemed really nice. The princesses had other plans though and after much yelling, thinking, awkward pauses and persuasion we had only a day of rest before going to Tartarus together. Fun place, if you don't think too much about it.

We got to the Crystal Empire few days before the attack and thanks to early warning the princesses had time to pull a massive army there. It didn't help anyway but in the end we won, yaaay. And by 'we' I mean the pony who killed one of my best friends...

Void lectured me about who is now supposed to be Blazing Light and I decided to take things carefully but when I saw him, lying on the ground, alone but happy with how things worked out I couldn't just let him get seized by the princesses considering his status as maybe friend, maybe enemy. I think the sisters will have him watched anyway so it's gonna be better if he stays with me than in the dungeon, if the Crystal Castle even has one.

We didn't have time to talk at all. After the dimensional rift disappeared, princess Celestia went to tend to the wounded and princess Luna showed us to one of the Crystal Castle guest rooms where Blaze immediately fell asleep.

I suppose I'll have a bath and ask around for something to eat.

[End Entry]

My eyes slide over the bronze figure lying on the big bed, snoring lightly and drooling and I can't suppress a small smile when the mechanical arm twitches from time to time with the claws clicking. It's supposed to be scary, I guess, but the fear factor fades when faced with the owner who is just slightly bigger than an average mare.

Hiding my diary, I take few steps around the bed and examine the scarred and dented chitin where Blaze's horn used to be. He looks different, not physically despite the small changes but mainly there's an aura of peace around him. Confidence, maybe? To be frank, I remember him mostly as a nervous drunk... in a good way I mean.

I lean closer to his face. Without the smell of alcohol all around him he feels nicer than ever before.

"Kiss him, kiss him!" is a sudden whisper from nowhere.

Jumping back and looking around I don't see anything but the silent laughter at my actions rings through the room.

"Come on, you have no idea how unlikely this scenario is," the voice continues.

My head is working overtime trying to find out where the voice is coming from.

"Betty?" I take a wild guess.

Blaze's choker disappears from around his neck and turns into a flying sword.

"Don't you start with that," it says quietly.

"Sorry, it's just easier to say than the Element of Betrayal. How did Blaze even become your bearer? If there's somepony who would stand by his friends in good and bad then it's him."

"Heh," the Element snickers, "I suppose that's how it would seem to you. You're wrong though. I won't bother explaining because it's gonna be way too much fun to see you work it out but you might wanna take a peek into his diary."

"Where is it? I didn't see it in his bag."

"You've looked already?"

"Eeerm, no?" I scratch my head and look at the ceiling.

The Element snorts.

"He keeps it stashed under his belly plate, the red one shaped like a corset."

"I thought it was just additional armor."

"It is. Changeling belly is pretty soft even when hardened but he's been using it as storage and floatation device. Too bad his horn is gone, he'd show you few cool tricks."

"What happened?"

"Not telling. I wasn't there anyway so you'll just have to ask him yourself."

"Fiiine. Let's get the diary! Can you change into something that can help in fishing it out?"

The Element changes into some wire contraption which I promptly take in my mouth.

"Oooh, suck harder!" it whispers.

"Fwut upf, Bftty!"

"Work that tongue, filly!"

I just roll my eyes and creep towards the sleeping figure. The supposed belly armor storage space doesn't seem to have an access point though. A movement next to my ear makes me freeze and I slowly look up.

Into strange, greyish-blue eyes looking curiously at me. I almost gulp down the wires in my mouth.

"Good fillies swallow," comments the Element, slightly muffled, from inside my mouth and then disperses its physical form .

"Did Betty put you up to this?" Blaze asks, half yawning. The changeling fangs suddenly seem too sharp and too close.

Everything is a blur for next second as I keep nodding as quickly as I can. He sighs, turns around and buries his head under the pillow. Deciding to give him the rest he wants, I carefully get off the bed and frown at the sword flying around again.

"Thanks... great start," I mumble.

"Yep. Would it have been so difficult to admit it was you who wanted to see his diary?" he/it asks smugly.

"Well... he's always been sorta touchy about his private things."

"Just, I just... I really don't know what he sees in you," the Element sighs and turns back into the choker around Blaze's neck.

I don't think I like this divine being.

Getting some rest is a good idea though. I mean I'm not too tired but I'm still shaky from the trip to Tartarus and the subsequent dangerous, although short, invasion. Hoping not to wake Blaze up again, I dig out the blanket from under him and throw it over us. The changeling chitin is cold to the touch so I snuggle closer and hug the hero of the day.

Whatever doubts I may have about him disappear when I remember the first day I saw him talking to Sharpie while shaking in terror. He did too much for me not to take the risk.

We're sitting in our private coupé and I'm watching the bronze changeling scribble into his diary using his mouth, It's an unusual sight but he's good with his mouth considering his unicorn past. It was hard to wake him up in the morning and I'm not a morning pony myself so we had to hurry to catch the train for which the princesses bought tickets for us.

As soon as we stopped coughing up our lungs Blaze pulled out his diary and began writing. I caught him looking at me few times but he didn't say a word so now I'm staring at him intently and trying to find a way to make him talk.

He glances up again and I grin.

He bites his pencil in half.

As much as I enjoy him coughing and spitting out bits of wood I grab his hoof.

"Why are ya so nervous?"

"I-I just don't know what to do. I've never thought I'd get this far, not to mention surviving the invasion this time."

"This time?" I raise my eyebrow.

"Long story. I seem to have a habit of not dying when I'm supposed to."

"Yea, about that. Can I have a look in your diary?"

"Please, don't."

"What's wrong?"

"You're gonna hate me."

"Nonsense," I shake my head but the look in his eyes shows that this isn't some panic attack to which I'm used to from being friends with him. Every single time he needed just a little push but now he seems really terrified.

Something just tells me that pushing on would not be a good idea right now.

"My bad," I continue and lean back to the soft padding of the chair.

Blaze sighs and pushes the little book towards me, looking at the table between us.

"No. It's like with bandages, better to get it over with quickly."

Should I? The curiosity is overwhelming.

What would it change?

He's been my friend for a long time. If what Void said was true then this really is Blaze who has been through a lot and all of that was because of me. Do I really owe him anything?

Wrong question. I'm overthinking stuff, that's not me. Damn, if only I could talk to Void again.

Do I know Blaze then? No, not this one.

Do I want to try? Yes, that's my final answer.

Easy.

"You know what? I don't need to read anything. I'll just get to know you my way," I smile at him, "Do you want to go out when we get back to Canterlot? You know, to test the waters."

He looks at me as if I've just done a sommersault. I've had my share of shy coltfriends though. Truth be told, most of the time they turned out bad but some of them were on the brink of being complete gold.

I might be satisfied with bronze this time though. The first reaction is usually the important one to see if they have the strength to try.

The shocked ex-pony looks around, then at the ceiling, twitches his ears and then slowly, as if considering everything involved, says:

"Eh... sure?"

"What was the looking around?" I want to pick on him a little.

"Well, usually around this time I wake up or something horrible happens. I was sort of worried I'd wake up back in the arena."

The complete silence of the coupé aside from muffled *thud* *thud* of train doesn't allow the thought of everything not going to be okay.

"Looking for anything in particular?" I grin.

"Meteor strike comes to mind," he says in total seriousness.

"Come on. Could it be that all the bad stuff's over already?" I poke him with my hoof.

His look this time relays that he thinks I might be insane.

"I'm not really sure."

This is gonna be hard.

"Hey, the hottest piece of flank in Canterlot is with you. What can possibly go wrong?"

*THUD*

The train shakes as a blow comes from above.

"Here's your meteor," I stick out my tongue at Blaze...

...who is standing next to the coupé door with Betty ready to strike on the other side. He moved insanely fast.

"Nightmares?" comes from the Element.

"Yea, they've been following me somehow," agrees Blaze.

I really should know when to shut up.

Losing Confidence: Hiccup

[Blazing's Entry]

...

Nervous. Sweating. Nauseous. Scared.

Invasion is over, Equestria is saved. Bigger problem is incoming.

She's looking at me. Are we an item now or what? I mean it would be nice but can I actually do it?

I've been doing nothing but blackmailing ponies, fighting and running away for past year. Returning back to training rookie guards... can I even do it?

If she was serious when the rift closed then it means I have to do something for her. Backrub, breakfast in bed?

Something more?!

Bedroom thing-

NOTE: Restock on pencils.

[End Entry]

I knew it was all too good to be true. Once again I believed things might go my way and I might squeeze out few nice weeks with Chokey before she would inevitably leave me for somepony better. How could I have forgotten about whatever was following me after the Nightmare world?

Despite everything I'm an incurable optimist apparently. And an idiot.

Focus!

Right.

I don't hear any voices outside. There is no panic, no screams, not a sound. Nopony is talking. On a train full of soldiers and other ponies coming back to Canterlot that is the only clue I need to know that something is wrong. Aside from feeling the presence of Nightmare changelings of course.

I peek through the coupé door. Nothing. I'm not surprised as this part of the train is the one with coupés instead of being filled with small half-open booths and any sound would be muffled enough anyway.

So... there is nothing and nopony in the walkway.

*Thud*

The sound behind me inside the coupé makes me turn and I immediately slam the door when I see Chokey on the floor, a faint trail of magic swirling around her.

Sleep spell. Standard Nightmare changeling tactic.

Forced sleep is more a natural ability than magic but the traces are there and I wake her up easily.

"Whazz g'in on?" she mumbles and then sits up, fully awake from my touching her head.

"The train is under attack by changelings who put a sleep spell on everypony I think. Can you stay awake?"

"I-I guess," she says, still trying to digest the information.

"Good. Betty will stay here with you and I'll go investigate."

"Is it a good idea?" asks the Element.

"The best one I have. Chokey isn't used to the changeling presence and might not resist their magic easily so you will have to repeatedly wake her up and defend her if worst comes to worst. I can deal with being outnumbered and if the real worst case happens and Nightmare Moon herself is here then you wouldn't help anyway."

I can almost see the Element scowling but the fact is that even with one of the Elements of Harmony Nightmare Moon was impossible to fight.

Choking falls back down on her face.

I nod to Betty and leave. Looking into other private suites proves uneventful. With no changelings in sight I creep as fast as I can towards the front of the train. If the train runs out of coal then it will stop in the middle of frozen tundra where the changelings will be able to feed off of their victims without risk, at least until another train rams into this one.

The suites are safe then, at least for now, so I sneak into another car which is designed for general public and soldiers.

The booth to the right!

A dark green blur hides behind the wooden planks dividing the sets of four chairs in each booth. Fortunately for me, most ponies and other creatures have no clue about the flexibility, reach and grabbing ability of my arm and I reach through the empty space serving as an entrance behind the 'wall' without exposing myself and pull out a creature smaller than me.

It looks like a standard changeling drone, only dark green, bigger and with normal eyes which are light blue though, apparently some changeling traits are impossible to get rid of.

Its jaw drops when it looks at my face and its entire body goes limp.

"Help please, my king," it squeaks.

"Movement in that car!" comes from the entrance on the other side of the train car.

A military sounding voice. Perhaps the soldiers are fighting off the changelings?

I roll into the booth still gripping the changeling who isn't resisting in the slightest.

"What's going on?" I whisper.

"T-the firstborn went to look for you and we followed. She worked out the travelling spell from apprentice Trixie's notes and we've been jumping to find you."

"The spell was supposed to work only for me. How did you use it?"

"I don't know," he whispers and squirms helplessly, "I don't understand it."

"Alright. Why were you looking for me?"

"Our entire world is dead. Nightmare Moon let us feed until there was no living being left and then we began starving. We're the only ones left and the firstborn decided that we need to find our king who is responsible for our creation. It was that or staying in the world full of rocks."

That'll have to wait. The steps are getting closer.

"We'll talk about this later. Now stay quiet!" I order and the changeling, released from my grip, gets ready to jump at whatever is coming our way.

In a flash of steel a sword buries itself in the wooden plank next to my head and I don't wait for it to be retrieved.

Jumping outside I swipe with my claw which screeches when met with heavy armor of a unicorn who is trying to use his magic tu pull the sword free. Unfortunately there's three of the soldiers and the second soldier, also a unicorn, is armed with a crossbow which sends a bolt straight at me from behind.

Twitching to the side, I feel a splatter of blood when the bolt pierces the armor of the stuck unicorn and then hear a scream when the changeling's fangs bite through the other unicorn's platemail.

"TWO HOSTILES IN THE CIVILLIAN CAR!" screams the third pony of the group before I jump at him and pummel his face.

Looking back, I see the changeling ready to bite through his victim's neck.

"Don't you dare!" I bark at him.

To my surprise he backs off.

"Yes, my king."

"How many of you are here?" I ask.

"Twenty."

I might have been thinking about this in a completely wrong way.

Yea. I don't think these guys are an invading force trying to eat another world.

"Can you contact them somehow? Normal changelings can use the hive network to communicate over short distances."

"Yes, I can."

"Then tell them to gather in the train car where private coupés are and find the one where there is a flying sword and a black batpony with red mane."

"How does the place look?"

"Huh?"

"We've never been here before. I don't know what a train or a coupé is and some of us have already been captured and killed."

"Damn! Go that way then," I point to the entrance to the car where I came from, " then keep going and looking into the small rooms until you see anything resembling what I said and try to look as non-threatening as possible or you'll die. Tell whoever is inside that you're looking for Betty and Chokey and tell them you met me. Then call every changeling there. I'll keep going through the train because your sleep spell will get us killed if I don't."

"Really? I can tell the others to disperse it but it will still take some time for ponies to wake up."

"Then do it," I say and leave the worried changeling.

Can he be trusted?

It's a risk but he seemed to be telling the truth.

You're risking Chokey's life.

Not really. Nightmares don't kill their victims, they just feed until the sleepers die of starvation. If the train stops then everypony will get hurt. I'm more worried about the soldiers who think I'm one of the 'attackers'.

Hiding every few steps, I keep going to the front of the train. I throw away my caution when I see an armored earthpony with a sword locked around his leg defending a unicorn with military decorations on his helmet from five changelings.

"BACK OFF!" I yell and when the changelings notice me they jump away from the soldiers.

I was sort of hoping that would happen. Apparently the changeling wasn't just blowing smoke.

As soon as I take another step forward I'm tackled from the sides by two more soldiers. Struggling with all my might, I'm still not able to shake off two guys in platemails.

The changelings growl and bare their fangs when any of the soldiers approaches them but don't attack. The soldiers don't push their advantage aside from dragging me towards their obvious commander.

I don't like my position so I decide to change it as soon as I can. I stop struggling and when I'm close enough to the commander I pull backwards, surprising the soldiers and then rush forward and tackle the leader.

I realize my mistake when the point of the earthpony's sword scratches the inside of my ear. These guys apparently know about changeling armor hardening enough to score a fatal blow if they can.

And that they could use one of their group to pose as a commander while the real leader is disguised as a soldier.

In my defense, I didn't have time to think things through.

"Fancy seeing you here, sargeant," says a smug voice of the earthpony and the sword leaves the inside of my ear.

The earthpony looks familiar. Eyepatch, custom made sword locking around his leg, grey coat.

I release the fake commander from my grip and stand up, facing the earthpony's chest. Damn it!

"Solid Steel, commander of the If-I-told-you-I'd-have-to-kill-you," he salutes and smiles.

"Ah, the secret service," I remember, "It's been a while, Solid. So... am I gonna die?"

"Nope, I didn't tell you anything," he grins, "It was longer for you from what I was told. The princesses sent us to keep an eye on you."

"How nice of them. In what case were you supposed to kill me?" I ask innocently.

"Only if you began eating the civilians along with the train, sir," Solid winks.

"Fine by me. If I get hungry I'll just nibble at the engine a little. One of the changelings told me you captured some of them."

"Yes, we have their leader. Want to see her?"

"Yea. In the meantime, there are few of your guys sleeping throughout the train for a different reason than the sleep spell. One of them has a crossbow bolt in the chest. Leave the changelings alone for now, they won't attack you. Then find Choking Darkness in the private coupés along with the rest of the changelings. If you harm a single one of them then you'll have to face something terrible."

"What?" asks one of the soldiers skeptically.

"Me," I say calmly and before I finish I'm standing in front of him with one claw an inch from his face where it isn't covered by his helmet.

The soldiers look at Solid who just nods and then gestures me to follow him.

He opens a locked bathroom from which a bigger and tied changeling falls to the ground. From the first glance it's obvious that she's a queen-type changeling.

Her chitin is dark blue and her mane and tail are of a lighter shade of the same color. She's way smaller than queen Chrysalis and when she looks at me I get a glimpse of her sapphire blue eyes.

A horrible suspicion races through me when I look at her black belly armor with thin bronze streaks through it. She blushes when she catches me examining her.

"Hi, dad!" is the confirmation of my worst fears.

Losing Confidence: Wish

[Blazing's Entry]

I found Chokey back in our suite, confused but unharmed. The changelings were rounded up and, probably unfortunately, there is only ten of them left. The combat hoof of Equestrian Secret Service is apparently very efficient at its job. Solid's group was uneasy around me especially after the ones I took out woke up but they were flexible enough to deal with new situation. At least they took my request to treat the changelings well to heart and the Nightmares didn't try to do anything questionable the entire ride to Canterlot where Solid and a regiment of Royal Guard veterans took them to the castle.

I have a daughter.

Well, that tends to happen after laying eggs into most of the population of Canterlot in an alternate reality but I haven't thought of Nightmare changelings as anything more than half-magical monsters unleashed by Nightmare Moon on the world. Let's leave my involvement in that out.

I have a daughter who isn't much younger than me.

From what she told me it took just some twenty years in that reality for the entire world to fall and the changelings to die out. Somehow I would have though that taking over the world and killing every living being would take longer to achieve, Nightmare Moon was apparently very resourceful.

I have a daughter who knows nothing about this world and has spent her entire life feeding off of ponies, griffons and minotaurs until their death.

And there are another nine changelings with exactly the same past. How they managed to get here is beyond me but my magic talent is questionable at best and I didn't have much time to develop serious knowledge of complex magic. I'll have to ask Luna to shed some light on this issue.

I have a daughter who has been a slave to Nightmare Moon since her birth.

Maybe it would be a good idea not to let her meet Luna until we sort the main concerns out. How is princess Celestia going to react when she sees creatures whose nature is to feed on fear and bring nightmares? They should be changelings by nature though, as much as nature can be invoked here thanks to the solar princess herself, so they might be able to feed on love as well.

I have a daughter and nine probably grandfoals.

Who have no idea what to do right now and there is nopony they can trust. Ponies would let them starve or just execute them outright. Griffons would have no use for the creatures aside from making them into soldiers again. Minotaurs are a lost cause. All they have is me.

I have a daughter.

And I can't even take care of myself.

I wish I had somepony to turn to.

[End Entry]

The rest of the train ride was uneventful to the point of total boredom for Chokey (aside from me explaining my being a changeling king, ehm.) but I had too much on my mind so I ignored her subsequent efforts at talking to me and slept through the entire trip home. The fact that I was hungry and normal food wasn't helping at all aside from the taste was a good reason not to waste energy.

I should apologize. Chokey for some reason decided to give me a chance and I'm blowing it.

The cold wind blows through the Canterlot train station and brings with it the promise of coming winter. With the Nightmares taken to the castle I have nothing to do until the princesses call for me. They weren't travelling on the train but I suppose they have better methods and might already be in the castle thinking about the course of action.

Ummmm... what now?

I was expecting to be taken to the dungeons or at least for interrogation. Is it possible that the princesses really don't doubt us?

Possible but unlikely, they probably just have too much to do with all the soldiers returning to their bases and organizing relief for Crystal Empire. I'm pretty sure they won't let somepony with my magic-dampening ability and an evil Element of Harmony walk around unchecked, Solid's words on the train were a proof.

Well they will at least want to know about Nightmares. Let's find a place to sleep for now, we can hunt for food during the night.

Hmph. I didn't have problem with doing that in other realities but hunting here, at what's supposed to be my new home? Let's just see how things go, I'm not starving yet and few days won't hurt much.

With that I take my first step into the new life. That's not something a pony should do more than once but let's blame it on special circumstances.

"Where are ya going?" a hoof lands on my back.

"I-I was thinking about finding a hotel to sleep in for few days," I say and curse my brain which seems to stop working whenever Chokey talks to me these days.

"Got any money, time traveller?" she winks.

"Oh," I sigh and look at my hooves, "I suppose you don't have few spare cardboard boxes lying around?"

"Come with me, dummy. I doubt the princesses would be happy if I left their number one concern sleeping in a dumpster somewhere."

I don't know whether to grin or look absolutely shocked but those things happen anyway and I'm now the epitome of conflict. I snap back to reality only when a tugging on a chain connected to my choker becomes stronger.

"Oops, sorry. Drifted off a bit there," I look sheepishly at Chokey.

"Don't worry. I have a riding crop at home to keep you focused."

"I missed this," I say when we begin walking.

"Huh?"

"Our morning walks. I mean I know it's not morning or anything and that you're not my you and I'm not your me and-"

A hoof on my mouth stops the gibberish. A peck on my lips stops everything else for a while.

"Better?"

The ground underneath my hooves is suddenly very interesting and my cheeks are heating to the melting point. Then the heat dissipates and...

...maybe there are second chances.

My head clears up.

"Yes, love."

"What was that?" she nudges me.

*Mumblemumble*

"Hmmm?" the corners of her mouth are twitching uncontrollably.

"I love you. I know those are just words and you have no reason to trust me right now but I will do anything for you. If it doesn't involve too many ponies around me... ehm. I think I've just contradicted myself."

She smiles evilly.

"I think I might find a use for a young and energetic stallion like you."

Heart attack incoming.

"Hnnngh!"

"Oh you dirty little thing! I was talking about carrying my shopping bags and changing lightbulbs," she punches me playfully.

Heart attack averted.

"Of course," she continues, "I seem to remember you being really good with your hooves. What about a massage tonight and maybe we'll let them wander a little lower?"

COLLAPSE IMMINENT!

I can only guess that my uncontrolled dribbling and twitching is enough for her to stop the teasing.

"Stop breaking my bearer," interrupts Betty with a voice which would roll its eyes if it had them.

"Does that thing have a mute option?" asks Chokey.

"I'll mute option you!" grumbles Betty but shuts up, apparently not in the mood.

Maybe it's happy for you.

I'm not really sure.

Alright, what's bothering you?

See a red sun anywhere around?

Damn! Is Choking just faking it then?

I... don't think so. I can feel her being a bit afraid of me, thanks Nightmare Moon! I also killed the real Blazing which must be weighing on her mind a lot but she's still trying hard to like me.

You know, I think she will never understand just how much you love her.

That doesn't matter. I'll be around as long as she wants it.

Unless, you know, some other cataclysmic event happens like last time.

Don't even...

I snort as Chokey scares another tourist who has apparently never seen a batpony before and was taking photos of her with alarming speed. It really is a routine I love to the core.

And as such we continue with doing what we've been doing from time to time since the day I became a guard.

Smalltalk about recruits, news about relationships between nobles in Canterlot and imaginary stories explaining where ponies around us are going. Chokey loves to talk and I love to listen.

It's as if I've never left.

One thing ends up being different though because I don't end up at the door of my shabby apartment but inside an equally messy but much better looking one.

"Ummm," I say and sit down on the carpet.

"What is it?" asks Chokey.

How to explain? I've been here once or twice on official business but I don't have a clue what to do.

"Can I... do something for you?" I ask nervously.

Her puzzled look slowly disappears, replaced by a small smile.

"Wanna sandwich?"

"I-I'm kinda more changeling than a pony now so-"

I kick myself mentally.

"-nevermind. I'm sure you can make something that would make even a changeling drool," I finish.

Now it's her who looks at me with wide eyes.

"I didn't know you were such a flatterer."

"I'm not. I've just never actually had a relationship of... this sort and I really think you're great."

She waves at me to sit on the couch where she joins me and leans to my ear.

"Ya know, mares really go for a stallion who looks like a great dad and your foals wanted to find you so badly they jumped through dimensions to get to you."

The she begins laughing.

"I'm just teasing, dummy," her hoof pokes me in the chest.

"I know, Chokey."

"I wanna know something though."

"Yes?"

"It's a bit... weird."

"Anything."

It must be something that's been bothering her a lot because when she looks straight at me her eyes are watering even when she was joking few short seconds ago.

"You said you loved me. Did Blaze, my Blaze, love me?"

Uh oh.

I could say that I grew to love her after all that happened to me. I should say that he didn't to increase my chances.

I can't. There is no way I'd start again with a lie. Even if it makes her hate me for murdering the pony who would eventually give his everything for her.

"He loved you more than anything."

She sniffs, gets up from the sofa and leaves with me dreading whatever might come next.

I have no idea how much time passes.

Even on the carpet her hoofsteps are audible to my sensitive ears and interrupt me blankly staring at the door through which I'll probably leave pretty soon, unless she throws me out of the window. The hoofsteps stop and I turn around to look at her.

She's standing there in red see-through underwear which makes the black of her coat stand out and is looking straight at me with half-closed eyes and her little fangs exposed.

"I think I can be a dinner good enough to make a changeling drool," she flicks her tail.

Losing Sleep: Name

[Blazing's Entry]

I used to think Canterlot had the best guards in Equestria but that was before I saw what competence of a real army is like. I guess the mirror world really did teach me something. I don't want to be too hard on 'my' group of recruits but whatever they try to show me seems too inadequate. I'll have to ask somepony up the ranks to hire experienced soldiers to show the newbies what real combat is like.

I began to think about it after Chokey asked me what I would do in case there was another place where the mirror world and this one could connect again. I didn't have an answer but things couldn't be that bad, or could they? I mean Scream shouldn't be supporting Sombra anymore unless both Void and I missed something really crucial. Sombra himself should be severely weakened or maybe dead after he lost his connection with corrupted Crystal Heart and even if he recovered then his influence on the mind of ponies in mirror Equestria should be gone.

On top of that, mirror Twilight wasn't discovered as a traitor and should be supporting other Elements in their efforts to take away Sombra's control. I don't want to underestimate the crystal king because he was smart enough to have conquered the world once already but things are looking up.

Perhaps it might be a good idea to let things go for a while. I have a marefriend now (a real one, not a fetish-y one or one overdosed on changeling venom or mind controlled by Nightmare Moon and prepared to have eggs laid in her) and I should try to make her happy. I have a chance here to get back some sort of life and while there will doubtlessly be hiccups I should follow the road I worked so hard to get (or be given by random series of circumstances).

First things first, as the wise ones would say. I have to somehow persuade the princesses that ten changelings who know nothing other than that ponies make a good eating are absolutely fine to keep around.

That might require a stroke of luck.

[End Entry]

The group of Nightmares who bow when I enter the Canterlot castle throne room makes me smile. They are sitting in front of the throne, talking to one another while the noticeably bigger group of guards surrounding them reeks of nervousness and worry. To be honest, I'm worried as well but the sapphire blue eyes of my daughter which almost seem to glow and her shushing the other Nightmares give me hope that these guys really aren't just some feral abominations.

The guards make way for the four princesses, me and Chokey who refused to leave my side. She thinks I don't know it was because she hates paperwork and this looked way more interesting. To be frank, I don't care about the reason as long as she's here.

For few moments, the hoofsteps and the clicking of my steel claws on the stone floor are the only sounds in the huge hall and then princess Celestia speaks up.

"Who is your leader?" she asks my daughter, the only changeling who doesn't look like a bigger changeling drone.

Their eyes dart between me and and my daughter who keeps looking at me apprehensively. I point at her.

"I am," she says, turning to Celestia.

"Alright. How shall I call you?"

"Eeerm, changelings?"

"I meant you."

"Changeling?" her look asks me silently for help.

"The princess wants to know your name," I take my place by her side and put a hoof on her shoulder. Touching the chitin of another changeling feels weird, maybe because I've done it only few times before.

"Name? The thing ponies have assigned?"

I grin.

"Names aren't assigned but given to ponies by their... parents," I drift off, suddenly seeing the problem.

"We've never needed them. We know who each one of us is. Is it bad?" she asks and the worried eyes of ten creatures capable of wiping out the entire combat force of the castle make me scratch my head.

"Why don't ya name your little thing?" interrupts Chokey and I've never been happier that the princesses aren't too keen on schedule and protocol.

"I don't think I can some up with ten names on the spot."

"Well then how about naming just the young queen? We might need to distinguish between her and Chrysalis and calling her the queen of Nightmares might put ponies off when talking about her."

Big Blueeyes?

No.

Sharpteeth Neckbiter?

What?

Brainsucker Longtongue?

You could at least try to be helpful.

What about a family name then?

Not a bad idea. Dad's gonna kill me if he somehow finds out that he's got a changeling in the family.

Point being?

Nothing. Let's do it.

"Eeeh. I could give you a name then. Are you okay with it?" I ask the horrible evil and terrifying queen of Nightmares. Ehm yeah, totally so. Not the smaller and incredibly cute queen Chrysalis who is looking at me like a filly getting a birthday present.

She nods so fast I'm worried she might get a neck cramp. I order my two brain cells to rub together and start a fire.

"Sooo. Since you led your guys through time and space and took good care of them apparently I will call you Guiding Light, young one," I borrow an expression from Void's vocabulary.

Guiding Light seems to be processing it for a while and then turns to Celestia.

"My name is Guiding Light and I lead the rest of what everypony in my world used to call Nightmare changelings or Nightmares for short."

Few of the guards gasp and grip their weapons tighter but princess Celestia seems calm, princess Twilight isn't even trying to hide her curiosity, princess Cadence is smiling and it's only princess Luna who looks nervous for obvious reasons. She might be socially inept but her intelligence and quick thinking could never be questioned.

Celestia just nods.

"Before I decide where I stand in matters concerning you and your companions I want to know what your goal here in Equestria is."

Guiding Light looks at me and I understand her concern. I have no doubts that Nightmares were enemies to the entire world and that the story will get out because the guards around us will talk eventually.

"Don't hide a single detail," I tell her.

So the story begins. My involvement in their creation, the conquest of the world and finally the demise of everything.

"-and since I was one born from the first clutch of Nightmares I had the opportunity to examine ponies on my own while helping apprentice Trixie. She taught me to read and use some magic which I needed to work out the travelling spell. Every jump hurt a lot because the spell wasn't made for us but we had my dad's blood flowing in us so despite some drawbacks the spell worked, we just needed to rest and feed after each jump."

"Which is where my concerns come in," interrupts Celestia, "Your feeding threatens my dear subjects."

When the ensuing silence keeps stretching it's obvious neither of the sides have an idea how to solve this. Time to take a wild guess.

"Princess Luna, can you help in this case?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"I know this will sound weird but when I was jumping through dimensions there were times when I had to do something for you or princess Twilight and you let me feed on prisoners. There are only few changelings here and it might be possible for them to sustain themselves on ambient worries of ponies walking around but in case that doesn't work is there a possibility for their feeding from prisoners if they promise not to cause damage?"

"We still don't know whether we can trust either you or them."

"Oh," I deflate.

"May I propose an experiment?" asks Twilight.

"Of course, my faithful student," Celestia looks at her curiously.

"They are still changelings, princess, which means there might be a possibility of them feeding, or at least sustaining themselves, on love. To explore that possibility I'd like to send one of them with princess Cadence to the Crystal Empire if she agrees-"

Cadence nods immediately.

"-Then I'd like to keep one of them as my research assistant in Ponyville. With the Elements around he should pose no threat and I might find out something useful. That might also answer the question of being able to feed on ambient fear because ponies would inevitably be afraid of him at first. Finally I think it might be a good idea to let one of them pair up with somepony from Royal Guard. That might show us how ponies would react during close encounters and maybe help us because I heard the Nightmares are excellent fighters."

"I agree," begins Celestia, "but I have several demands. Queen Guiding Light will stay here in Canterlot castle for the time being. She will also have sessions with my sister about the whole Nightmare Moon problem. Next - I want one of your changelings by my side as well. Last thing but the most important - your subjects will obey any and all requests from their caretakers. Do you agree with my terms, queen Guiding Light?"

For some reason, all gazes lock on me instead of her. Oh great, hers locks on me as well.

"Just don't harm them. They've been through a lot and it seems they are deciding to take their chance at being good. Without anypony teaching them to," I comment.

"Some things are in the blood," Chokey slaps my backside.

"I agree," nods Guiding Light and I run my hoof through her mane.

"Good," nods Celestia to acknowledge the agreement and then turns to me and Chokey, "Princess Cadence wanted to see the two of you and since we've come to some understanding here I won't keep you here more than necessary. Don't worry about your family, mister Light, we will just ask some questions before Twilight here tries to hook one of them up to her machines and find out EVERYTHING about them. You are free to leave."

We exit the throne room with me feeling much better. I'm glad none of the princesses wanted to deal with the possible threat outright. Speaking of princesses...

"What did you want from us, princess?" asks Chokey.

"You might not know it but there are changelings in the Crystal Empire who are members of the Crystal Guard and upstanding members of society. I had them tell stories about how they survived the invasion and it turned out-"

"-that a lot of them were just drafted and forced to obey the queen. Yes, we know. We helped princess Luna save a lot of them after the attack on Canterlot," I finish her thought.

"Exactly. That's why I vouched for an attempt to save your group. I need something from both of now though. You know I can't sense lies like Luna can but I want you to be straight with me. It's personal but very important."

"Okay."

"I want to know your every reason for killing Blazing Light from this Equestria. I need to know everything and most of all I need miss Darkness here to know everything. Then I need to know her reasons for forgiving you, in case she can still do that after you tell us everything."

"But why?"

"I'd like to have a perspective of what my husband might feel when I tell him something."

"What?"

"That I want him to forgive queen Chrysalis and offer her peace between changeling swarm and Equestria."

Losing Sleep: Victory

[Blazing's Entry]

It's not a sin to want to live.

Those were the words princess Cadence left me with after I explained everything. No matter how much I believed that all that had carried me before was the promise to Void I knew what the ending would be and all I had to do was nothing. Maybe all of them - both Voids, mirror Chokeys and Betty - knew that deep down I wanted to live. Perhaps they were right or perhaps it was just survival instinct, I have yet to find out.

Thinking back, the big change was when I stopped trying to survive, when I threw everything away and just went towards a goal in front of me. Back then it was easy though, just my life on the line.

I'm wrong this time, am I?

My failure would have brough death to millions but I didn't know that. I'm coming to the realization that I should have taken that stance earlier in my life. I've never been responsible for anypony no matter how many times I thought it. I should have thrown myself away and lived towards some goal and my life might have been completely different. I wouldn't have been hated by my family, I wouldn't have tried to die by moving to another city without any resources and a way back. I wouldn't have been through any of this.

Part of me is filled with regret but I think it might be wrong.

Sorting out my thoughts by writing things helps in getting a perspective. I couldn't have succeeded even if I tried acting the way I can now. I had to go through all the failures to come here. Maybe there's a little bit of wisdom in this and I should stop living in the past. I sort of have a marefriend, I've been offered a chance not to return to my old life but to continue my current one in the Nightguard and there is a young changeling queen who thinks I'm some sort of hero.

I think I actually might be happy. What do I want to do then?

I want to make ponies around me happy, even if it kills me... literally.

Why do I always end on a strangely creepy note? Let's correct that.

I want to make my daughter, my marefriend and whatever little friends I have happy and that just means I have to be there for them when they need or want me to.

NOTE TO SELF: I tend to forget when I get depressed so it should help to see it written from time to time.

You don't owe anypony anything, not your parents, not your friends. They chose to enter your life or have you enter theirs. You care for them because YOU chose to and they are important to you. In short: Stop overthinking everything! You aren't the center of the universe. You aren't responsible for everything bad around you.-

[End Entry]

It's been a week since the princesses decided to try and find a way to make Nightmares find their way into pony society as something other than predators. There were some problems in the attempts as none of them aside from Guiding Light could read, write or count. Despite that I recieved some letters from them today showing how fast they are learning. It seems the princesses decided that the first thing my changelings should do was to write a letter about things around them.

The letters were simple but I enjoyed reading them. If I was able to learn basic writing in a week then I would have considered myself a genius. One of them even drew me a little picture. Granted, it was a picture of princess Cadence's cutie mark with a lot of surrounding area done in pink crayon but it showed that the changeling responsible loved plots, just like his dad, granddad, whatever. I think I should just refer to them as my foals despite Guiding telling me that she's the only one from the first generation.

To be frank, they are simple. Not stupid, stupid creatures wouldn't be making decisions for the future and learning at an alarming rate but all they know is changeling fighting style. They don't even know strategy. Nightmare Moon was just using all captured ponies as food and broodmothers to spawn an immense mass of flesh and chitin to wipe out the world. Actually, that's even more of a reason to be proud of them.

My return to training the guard recruits was practically fluid because the official story is that I'm normal Blazing who only lost bits due to invasion. Funny thing is that I can use Betty to continue swordfighting like a normal unicorn without having to worry about having my concentration broken and losing control of my weapon.

Here I am then. Living a life which I gave up on long time ago.

"I remember ya being a lot softer on the recruits," a voice interrupts my daydreaming.

"That was before I knew that guard's job was to do more than just break up a bar brawl," I give Chokey a nod, well, maybe a little bow.

We share a look at four recruits who are trying to get past Betty flying in the air to get to me. Despite the Element taking form of a steel stick, none of them is doing great. When the Element turns to wave at my batpony one of the recruits uses the chance to get past my defenses and swing his practice sword at me. He realizes his mistake when his weapon hits my back too hard without any visible effect and the force wrings it out of his telekinetic grasp. I just bonk him on the head.

"Nice try, switch with whoever thinks he can do better, rest up and then go for standard practice exercises. Next time don't expect victory thought, the enemy might have an ace prepared just like I had which would result in your injury or death."

"Didn't that hurt?" asks Chokey, looking at the scratched spot on my armor.

"Well yeah. I can still feel the blows, the trick is to ignore the pain since no real damage was done. I've been through worse."

"So... is everything all right?"

"I guess. All this feels alien though, weird. I do my job, walk around for a while guarding some unimportant place. To complete my day I beat up a drunk colt who thinks anarchy is the only right way to go."

"Bored?"

"Actually no, I like this. It just feels like I should be doing more, saving the world again and so forth."

Chokey frowns for some reason.

"What would ya do if something like the invasion happened again?"

"I would have to deal with it somehow again, I guess. It's not like there is somepony else with the knowledge I have."

"Even if I was against you doing it?"

"Chokey, I love you. I'm not a pony to say it too often, heck for most of my life I thought I'd never have a chance to say it, but the painful and slow death of everypony would mean yours as well and as such I think your disapproval wouldn't mean much."

"Right now I don't know whether to punch or kiss ya."

"Why not both?"

Contrary to what I would have done - kissed her nose and blushed like a schoolfilly while my recruits kept laughing - she wraps her hooves around my neck and I don't try to stop her tongue even for a second. When we're done she softly hits the spot where my horn used to be.

"Ya were right, that was fun. I'm not here just to watch ya destroy recruits today though. I want ya to help me get better as well, I haven't felt more useless in my entire life than when I was in the Crystal Empire."

"I have serious problems with beating you up."

"Come oooon," she whines, "I get beat up, you're gonna give me a massage at home, we end up in a shower together, fun stuff happens."

"Thank you for distracting my newbies. If you said that any louder the princesses would have flown here and asked what was going on. The guys have trouble moving properly even without a long stick tripping their hind legs."

"Always armed and ready?" she grins innocently.

"Fine, I'll beat your rump black and blue. Well, just blue in your case."

"Great. What about the training though?"

"DAMMIT!"

I'll get her one time.

"So... gonna start today?"

"Not unless you can find one more pony to practice with. I could keep beating the living moonlight out of you but that wouldn't help that much. You need a real practice partner to spar with, I'd just wipe the floor with you without any real risk."

"I'll make ya eat those words."

"Can't be worse than your cooking."

Sweet sweet victory.

"You're gonna regret saying that tonight."

"Pfff, I've never even seen a mare up close until like two years ago. Do your worst if you think you can! My balls used to be bluer than summer sky."

"I've never even..."

She begins again.

"How could anypony use that as..."

"I give up," she ends and shakes her head, "You're one of a kind."

Turning weaknesses into strong points, a lesson without which I wouldn't have been here. All I had to sacrifice was pride and any sense of self-worth... totally worth it, just for this moment.

With that I release the four ponies fruitlessly trying to get past Betty before they pass out and get a different group to try. I wonder when they'll find out they can do the exercise as a group. I give them a month.

"Mmmmmmmfrh," Chokey moans into her pillow.

"Like my hooves?" I tease her a bit despite the sounds coming from her during the massage speaking for themselves.

"Uh huuuuuuhmmmrfm."

"Sorry for beating you up so hard."

"Woooorth mmmrmf."

"Do you want me to go lower?" I move from massaging her bruised sides and back towards her rump.

"Ysssssssss."

I play with the muscles on her round and full posterior and finally notice what I thought was the lack of a cutie mark. She actually has one but it looks like a dark blob almost invisible on her pitch black coat.

"EEEEP!"

"Oops. Too low?"

"Mhhhm... still better than your EEEP!"

"You were saying?"

"Don't stooooooop."

I keep massaging the drooling mare.

Losing Sleep: Threat

[Blazing's Entry]

Has it been a month already? Time sure flies.

I've felt uneasy as if somepony has been watching me for past week. Normally I would have just waved that off as being paranoid but my instincts saved me way too many times not to exercise a little caution.

Guess what, the pony Chokey invited to the hard training she wanted me to give was Heavy Hoof. I don't know where she got the idea that he would be a good practice partner since his combat skill is sky-high compared to hers but it's still better than me ruining her day on instinct only. BUT she's been getting better.

Heavy Hoof doesn't talk to me though. Compared to Chokey's forgiveness in a certain issue concerning my past self his reaction wasn't that pleasant. As much as I'd otherwise regret the loss of such friend I'm glad he doesn't hold it against Chokey and helps her.

I had a question for Sharp Biscuit though which was bothering me since our last encounter. Turns out that he can use magic to a certain extent thanks to special horseshoes which are made to imitate the capabilities of a unicorn horn. It reminded me of the crystals from mirror world and when Sharp explained that he had to infuse his blood with Luna's help into them I tried a little experiment with my mechanical arm. After all, the doctor did say they added ground up pieces of my carapace into it. A success if ever I saw one. Granted, not a big one since my levitation is still gone (I wasn't expecting anything else thanks to Void's lecture on the difference between natural abilities and magic) but success nonetheless.

I almost forgot, Sharp's got a new hobby now. He decided that since the Nightmares were so good at fighting things he might as well try to teach them tactics and military strategy. I've never seen him as happy as when his four-pony squad wiped the floor with volunteering Royal Guard elite during nighttime training. Of course the only commendation they got was that they were no longer dumber than a pile of bricks.

Celestia has taken Guiding Light under her wing and while Twilight was jealous, the letters from the changeling living with her in Ponyville proved that she got over her starting doubts fairly quickly. I'm sort of worried that Twilight might end up remaking one of my changelings into a half-mechanized supersoldier but that might be just parental stress.

The feeding thing got sorted out pretty quickly and I suspect Luna putting her hoof down in that concern. It helped that both princesses felt they owed me something. My thanks are mainly aimed at princess Cadence though. Her experiment with the Crystal Heart proved that Nightmares can survive on love and while the prisoners sent to the Canterlot castle to feed them suffered heavy anxiety after waking up I think that some dreams about a cake trying to eat them are the least they could complain about.

Speaking of feeding, Chokey had an interesting idea.

[End Entry]

"You're a changeling, right?"

"What gave me away, the bronze chitin armor all over my body, the ever-embarrassing red corset-like belly plate or the sharp fangs?" I say in the most condescending tone I can muster.

"Very funny. I was just thinking about why are ya still without a horn."

I don't have an answer. It's true that I haven't had anypony to heavily feed from since I forcefully drained the gladiator in Apple family arena so I've sort of completely forgotten about the possibility of ever returning to my former self.

"Eerm, I don't want you to get hurt when you bonk me on the head?"

"So? I think I've 'fed' ya enough loving to grow few inches, this time on the head."

It's been probably way less than she expects but there's something to it. I give it a shot and focus on my forehead.

Nothing.

"See anything?"

"Aside from the constipated look on your face? Nope."

Maybe it needs more energy?

Nothing.

I have an idea.

What?

Remember your dual-wielding?

What about it?

It got stronger when you were drugged and Betty also said something about you unconsciously limiting your own abilities out of fear.

Fear of what, looking like a normal pony?

Heck no, that ship's long gone. Fear of future I guess. Being afraid that no change could bring something good.

It is a possibility. I have enough self-reflection to at least admit that. Drugs and alcohol as a solution to all my problems, is that what you're saying?

Don't even start again.

Just kidding. Somehow I haven't felt the slightest need to drown myself in wine for a long time.

Well, there's this batpony who keeps filling your evenings with other activities.

I guess I've never been happier.

Then why are you mentally sighing?

I'm just terrified that I'll somehow lose all that.

Everypony is, I guess. That's why they are insecure, jealous and overbearing.

Not because they are naturally plotholes.

I mean if you start with everypony being basically good then it makes sense for them to act up and take drastic measures when afraid.

How did we end up going all philosophical again?

Wine and drugs. Those things can make the size of your horseshoes something to ponder over in connection to metaphysical world.

Right, healing.

"Chokey, got any of your pep pills around?"

"Eeeeeerm."

"Don't worry, I'm not mad."

"Ya sure? Most ponies would be."

"Drugs or no horn to lick tonight!"

"Damn, you're getting into this."

Rolling her eyes, she rummages through her saddlebag lying by the door to her apartment and pulls out a bottle.

"Here ya go!"

"Okay. If this doesn't work then nothing will," I pull out three white pills and swallow them.

Nothing happens for a while.

"HowlongamIsupposedtowait? Oh? Isitworkingisitworking?"

"Woah, calm down, Blaze."

"Myhoovesmakerainbows!"

"Focus!"

"I'mfocusedI'mlightningsharpreadytotackletheworld!"

"Eh, I remember my first time taking too many of these. It should blow over in few minutes."

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! PutonsomeDJ-P0n3album! Iwannatastemusic."

She just shrugs and goes to the bedroom where her stash is.

"You're twitching like a rabbit overdosed on coffee," says Betty.

"Whyareyouspeakingsoslow? ItfeelstooweirdBettyBettyElementyBetty."

"When she comes back I'm turning into a stomach pump."

"I'mfineI'mcompletelyfine. Ijustneedtofocustosurpriseherandmakeherhappy."

"Is it a good idea? What if you turn your forehead into a screwdriver?"

"IfIcouldturnintotoolsthatwouldbesocoolgetit?Toolcool."

"You know what's the worst thing about all this?"

"Watwatwat?"

"After three years around Rainbow Dash I can understand you just fine."

"Hehehefocusfocusfocus!"

*BAMF*

"That's new," the Element observes the sea of green flames harmlessly illuminating the living room.

"WHYISEVERYTHINGGREEN?!"

"What's going on?" asks Chokey, returning empty-hooved.

"It'stotallynotwhatitlookslike!"

"I hope so cause it looks like you're a pulsating green pony-shaped blob," she says in completely calm voice. Well, as far as I can tell from the bass harmonics of every word trickling slowly into my hyperspeed world.

*BAMF!*

Another green explosion erupts like a flower and makes shadows dance on the walls.

Suddenly everything stops and I fall rigid straight on my face.

"Heeheeheetheselooklikesmalltrees," I giggle, looking at the carpet from way too close as the fabric tickles my nose.

"Sweet night sky!" says a voice I can't identify right now. It probably is Chokey but it might as well be a group of minotaurs.

Something wet begins spreading from my mouth.

"Ooooariver!

HeyChokeydoyouknowyouhaveajungleinsteadofacarpet?

Doyouthinklittleponieslivetherehiddenby-OUCH!"

Silence.

"IfinkIbitmytongue."

Everything goes dark.

Waking up in a bed next to softly snoring warm body is the best feeling in the world, especially if the head of said body is buried in your chest and there's a bat wing wrapped around you under the blanket. I slowly get up, careful not to disturb Chokey and find out that objects around me aren't leaving behind multicolored trails when I turn my head too fast.

Heading to the bathroom through the dark living room, I trip over something which makes a clanking noise. When I unglue my eyes I see...

...a mechanical construction resembling a griffon arm.

Eyes wide, I run to the bathroom, turn the light on and look into the mirror.

Above the greyish-blue eyes there is a gnarled changeling horn of the same color as my armor.

There is no clicking coming from the white tiles on the floor, there are only hoofsteps. I don't have much time to keep touching my new leg in disbelief though.

I sense magic.

Makes sense. I feel weak and quick regeneration of this scale should-

Not that, real magic. Coming from the bedroom.

"I need you here, Blazing!" yells Betty, strain in his voice.

I run, turning on the lights in the living room and the bedroom on the way.

The Element is trying to change shapes fast enough to stop a flying kitchen knife from getting closer to the bed. I don't hesitate and jump to tackle the invisible attacker.

Nopony's there, It's just the weapon.

"It's way too fast!" Betty growls but even turning into a set of steel chains isn't helping much.

I reach with my hooves for the weapon but it effortlessly avoids my attempt and slices through my armor, leaving green streaks on the carpet.

No arm!

"It's going after Choking!"

I heed Betty's warning and jump on the bed where the knife slices my chest with my armor offering exactly zero protection.

No it's not. It's going after you!

"Grab some bag!"

Nonsense, grab Chokey and run!

"Stop playing with the batpony and help me here!"

From behind! No, left! Damn, right! I mean-

All the information flowing into me is too much to handle but I don't even have the time to wipe the blood suddenly coming from my nose with all the body blocking of Chokey who isn't waking up.

"Turn into a steel net and catch it!" I deflect another blow and stain the bed again with more green.

Betty turns into a bag of mesh wiring and captures the weapon inside while I jump on it to stop it from moving. It offers no resistance and the bag disappears from under me. I turn my head but fail to get up as my legs can't find the strength after being cut to shreds. The knife hovers for a split second above Chokey's head.

It stabs down before Betty can get there and I just drop on the carpet again.

"...no..."

"nonononono"

"...please not this."

"She's fine!" says Betty.

I ignore the pain of muscles tearing from bones and spreading of cracks throughout my chitin and crawl on the bed just to see the knife stuck in the mattress right next to Chokey's neck. When it sees my gaze on it the knife twitches along with me and then turns into a paper with something written on it.

"FoUnD yOu, tRaItOr!"

Losing Sleep: Letters

[Letter from the Crystal Empire]

Hello, your Highness. The pink princess says I have to use an official title to write to you. I like "king" more, could you tell her that? Oh right, I am supposed to write what is new around here.

When we arrived here the princess introduced me to a unicorn whom she calls Shiny. It does not make sense. All the ponies here are sparkling aside from him, perhaps it is what ponies call irony? He is funny though and keeps hiding in random rooms when I walk around. I think he just likes to play hide and seek, a revolutionary military training game of camouflage and survival.

He also calls me a suck-cue-bus. Is it some kind of transport? I do not think I could carry him around for too long when he keeps summoning a big bubble around him whenever he sees me. One time he slipped when running away from me and three shiny ponies kept chasing him rolling through the castle.

I like it here.

[End of Letter]

[Letter from the Crystal Empire]

The princess had some doubts about postal service in the area of Canterlot but she said that since changelings could live for so long there was a good chance of you reading these letters eventually.

The pink princess asked me to change into her to avoid some ponies who called themselves Sombra's witnesses but I refused because we cannot change more than once in our life. She was surprised and told me that the changelings in this world can change whenever they want to. Can you do that? I know we cannot. We can change only into one form we chose when we reach maturity. I mean we are old enough but none of us have chosen their disguised form yet, not even the queen.

Oh and the princess said that as a part of her job she has to run some estabilishments called "Dress-up clubs" where some ponies , mostly female but not always, dance and others just sit there and drool a lot. There was this mare that made me want to start my own swarm, too bad I am not a queen. The catch of those places is that the dress-up dancers keep putting on clothes while dancing until their fans are satisfied. Some dancers looked really hot in those coats, mittens and furry hats.

Right, I now have a job - something called a bouncer. I agreed when the princess of food asked me because it sounded funny but I am not doing anything with balloons, the ponies who make trouble and who are not on the list I get every evening are the ones bouncing off walls.

Say hello to the queen and your broodmate bat from me.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

Glad you're having fun. Yeah, that transformation thing is probably thanks to me, I can't change at all. Don't mind Shining Armor and try to get on well with him, he's just a bit jumpy around changelings. Maybe if you become friends he'll tell you why.

Chokey said that if you call her a broodmate again she'll find you and beat you up. Then she said she's happy you're finding your place around.

Don't worry, I'll make a broodmare out of her one da-

-well, if she stops hitting me!

[End]

[Letter from Ponyville]

I do not think the purple and smart winged unicorn likes me. When I told her I couldn't read or write she had to lock herself away in her room and she sulked for an entire day. I was really hungry when I got here but there's a small dragon living here who is terrified of me. Twilight tells me I'm not supposed to keep jumping at him from behind things but he tastes delicious.

We live in a house made out of a tree. Twilicorn calls the place a library where ponies can borrow books but when I asked her what the cellar under the tree full of tubes and machines was for she yelled something about bad security and locked herself in her room again.

Ponies around here are weird but at least they don't throw rocks at me anymore.

One more thing. Yesterday all buildings turned to jelly. It tasted good but I was still hungry so I kept eating and found a yellow pegasus yelling at a weird creature that looked as if it was made from some other creatures, then it snapped its claws and all buildings turned back. The locals seemed unphased by all that and the yellow pegasus gave me a biscuit and told me that Discord was just having fun and didn't hurt anypony.

In short, I'm still hungry but there's enough fear around whenever I walk through the streets that I'll be fine for now.

I almost forgot, there's this family that hates apple trees, probably because they want to have the apple name for themselves. Two of them keep kicking the trees in a huge orchard all day and then devour the offspring that fall from the branches.

I'm helping! Soon, the conquest of the orchard will be complete and then the Apple family will reclaim their land from the evil trees.

Should I share my experience in devouring an entire species and then dying out?

[End of Letter]

[Letter from Ponyville]

The apple orchard is more resilient that all of us thought. We keep going day after day and the number of falling apples doesn't seem to be decreasing. When I asked the purplecorn to help by developing some kind of advanced war machine she just laughed and told me to trust Applejack. I think she's in league with the trees, I mean she lives in one so it would make sense. Wait! I also live in the same tree, does it mean they got to me as well?

Nevermind, I will prevail! For the Apple family! For the Queen!

[End of Letter]

[Letter from Ponyville]

Booklight Smartle told me to write one more letter to explain things. The Apple family were saving the tree younglings from freezing during the upcoming winter. I thought it was a lesson in interspecies help and diplomacy but then I found out the truth.

Ponies are still eating apples, they just do it away from the trees so they wouldn't see. Now that's what I call outsmarting the enemy. Thanks for letting me stay here, king. I have much to learn, especially from Applejack, the devourer of many.

Spike (the little dragon) no longer begins shivering uncontrollably whenever I'm around and told me that the apples will return in few months. I will be ready for their trespass, I will make you and the Queen proud!

I'm thinking that Applejack, the treecrusher, is starting to like me since I can taste something from her. I tried eating it and it felt weird but still better than fear. I think I'll help around a bit more so the ponies like me.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

The war between Apples and trees has been going on for ages. Historians still speak of general Bloomberg's apple maneuver where he appled the Apples.

Apples, apples apples apples.

AARGH! I think they're getting to me too!

You are our only hope, don't fail your Queen and me.

Or better yet, ask Twilight to explain farming and foraging to you.

[End]

[Letter from the Royal Guard]

Greetings, my king.

I've been assigned to keep close to one of the royal guards which means I get to keep an eye on the Queen and the rest of our group. I don't know if you are informed about them but they are fine, a bit hungry but fine.

My partner is a pegasus stallion named Shieldbreaker who has been in the Guard for years and he's really good with a blackjack. Yesterday we were sent to some club where ponies were supposed to be drunk and disorderly. There were six of them armed with bottles so I sent some of them to sleep and, well, ate them a bit. Turned out that Shieldbreaker didn't need a sleep spell and just used his trusty weapon.

I'm not allowed to sleep in the guard barracks but I have my own room here in the castle.

I hope you're doing well.

-Number 4-

PS: Yes, we have yet to decide on our names.

[End of Letter]

[Letter from the Royal Guard]

Hello again!

I feel silly for writing a letter when I can just visit you and fake mom but we're supposed to do it like this to practice. I was watching you train newbies yesterday and it was so fun. Well, until sargeant Heavy got annoyed and beat me up in a practice. Is it true that you taught him when he was a recruit? I'm sorry but I couldn't join your group because I was supposed to get out of my comfort zone, whatever it means. Sargeant Heavy was the only one who didn't have a problem with letting me join.

I think I like reading. My first night patrol around the library with Breaky was a lot of fun and I've borrowed some books.

I have a question. Breaky's a nice guy who didn't have a problem with me but he feels empty and sad whenever I'm not around. I asked him about it and he just sighed and told me his marefriend died in the Crystal Empire.

So here's the question. Would you mind if I chose my transformation and stayed with him for a while? I think being a mare would suit me. I mean I would still be a part of our swarm but I'd have something more.

May Celestia's light shine on your steps. (That's the official sign-off of the Royal Guard.)

-Number 4-

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

I did teach Heavy during his basic combat training. If you want to make him blush really hard just ask him about his rainbow socks. I don't have a problem with you choosing your non-changeling form and neither I have anything against you staying around a guy you like enough to consider doing this for him. I would, however, advise you to get to know him better and if you still want to do it then go for it.

It is your life and your choice. Don't let anypony tell you otherwise.

[End]

[Letter from the Castle]

Hey, dad!

This world is really nice. I was expecting pitchforks and torches but princess Celestia even looked for some of the local ponies and asked them about employing a changeling. I think not even she would even dream about the fact that one unicorn named Fancy Pants offered to let three of us join his business so now there's just three of us left in the castle learning about governing and diplomacy. At first it was just supposed to be me but they were bored and join me and the princess from time to time. They also have freedom of movement around the castle and I've heard they are playing something called poker with the guards. I tried poking various things but I guess the game wouldn't be for me.

Some of the guys wanted to choose their disguised forms already but we aren't allowed to do that right now. I mean they should think it through a bit more, it's a big step. I've also heard from the princess that local changelings can change into whatever form they want whenever they want, how weird is that?

We're a bit hungry but nothing major. Some of us are able to feed on positive feelings already, just as the candy princess planned, and the rest is fine with how things are. I guess a change of that scale takes time.

Guiding Light.

[End of Letter]

[Letter from the Castle]

It's me again.

I don't know how to begin...

Why is Nightmare Moon allowed to exist here?

I know she's princess Celestia's sister but I can feel darkness surrounding her, she must have an ulterior motive for her behaviour. I know I'm supposed to get along with her but after what she did to you and to us I just don't feel good around her.

Yes, I know that she's been sending us ponies to feed on during our first few days here but still.

I just don't know. I'm going to rely on your judgement in this, dad.

Still, I like this place.

Hope you're having as much fun as we are.

Guiding Light.

[End of Letter]

[Answer]

It takes time and a lot of hope to forgive something serious. Princess Celestia took the chance and I think that despite princess Luna's flaws and past she deserved it. Don't forget that she's taking the same chance with you.

Oh yeah, local changelings can change whenever they have enough energy, you little flaw is my fault. They are ruled by a queen as well. I hope you get to meet her someday, perhaps when princess Cadence's peace offer is accepted.

Yes, I'm having a lot of fun. "Fake mom" is making sure of it.

[End]

Losing Mind: Friends

[Choking's Entry]

Blaze is in Canterlot castle infirmary right now, sleeping after the best surgeons and princess Celestia herself took care of him. Nopony is allowed close to him and he's being guarded night and day, not that it will help, according to Betty, if the enemy decides to strike again. The only pony allowed in his room is me because I'm not interfering with his recovery, more like the exact opposite thanks to him being a changeling.

The worst thing is that deep down I keep thinking this is my fault. From what Betty said most of the wounds Blaze sustained were from trying to body block the knife from hitting me. It also didn't help that he didn't have the grabbing ability of his arm. I was so happy when he got his leg back and look what it led to.

Betty told me that the attacker was most likely the Element of Suffering from the mirror world which means Sombra is still alive and kicking. We still don't know whether the real target was me or Blaze but Betty is currently protecting me. I think he's hurt by the fact that he wasn't able to stop another Element and he said that there's higher chance of him being useful to me right now.

I know I should stay here to help Blaze heal faster but right now I think that dealing with the vision Scream showed me is more important. I just feel like I have to do something.

The sight of him with tubes stuck wherever they would fit is... too much.

[End Entry]

"Princess Luna, I need you to take me to Scream's dimension," I say after Sharp lets me visit the princess, trying desperately to ignore the future Scream showed me.

"As much as I'd like to, I tried getting inside but Scream's magic blocked me every single time. What is the reason for your request?"

"I need to talk to her. She invited me about a month ago and showed me a vision of the future. I wasn't sure whether to trust her or not but now that Blaze has been attacked by an Element bearer I think Scream wasn't plotting anything."

"I can try to get us there again, perhaps with you accompanying me we might get in. Stay watchful though, Scream has fooled everypony once already."

The dark blue horn of the lunar princess glows and our surroudings rapidly change. No longer am I worried when I spot the piles of pony bones and I just look around to find a golden alicorn. Scream is nowhere to be found but a slight brush of wind on my tail makes me turn around and look up into glowing golden eyes.

"What brings the two of you here?" asks Void. Despite princess Luna being here his tone is warm and friendly.

"Can I talk to Scream?" I ask the pitch-black alicorn.

"I am afraid that is not possible. She is resting after using way too much magic in a very short time."

"What, may we ask was she doing?" interrupts Luna.

"Why so cold, young Luna? Scream is no more your enemy than I am. To answer your question - she has few thousand years of interests to try on me so she was unable to rest after giving miss Darkness here the gift of future sight."

"We are unsure whether-"

"Not important!" I interrupt Luna, "That's why I'm here, Void. The future Scream showed me in her vision is something I want to stop from happening."

"I deeply regret then that Scream will be unable to help you. Perhaps my humble self might be of assistance?"

"Okay. Another rift to the mirror world is going to open, I'm not sure where but the vision showed a weird tree with cutie marks on it and then hordes of enemies like last time attacking changelings."

Luna and Void exchange worried looks.

"The Tree of Harmony," both of them say at the same time.

"That is a problem," comments Luna.

"Indeed it is," agrees Void and I have a feeling that I missed a part of the conversation.

"So how do we destroy it this time to close the rift?"

"That is not possible," begins Void, "the Crystal Heart, while powerful enough, was just an artefact belonging to this world and was possible to break using a higher power like an Element of Harmony-"

"Like Blaze did."

"Exactly. The Tree of Harmony, however, is different. From what I was told long time ago, there were three ancient gods involved in the creation of this world - Nightmare, Discord and one more. While Nightmare and Discord were what you ponies would call evil, the last one was their exact opposite but he was not powerful enough to balance out both of them. Thus he made a pact with them. In exchange for their free rule, he sacrificed himself to create the Elements of Harmony, this world's absolute power even over those two which would appear when Discord and Nightmare messed up too much. With that pact, both remaining gods had fairly free reign until the Elements decided that situation was critical and their power had to be limited. As such, the Elements are the good one's remains and the Tree of Harmony is his will. There is no higher power which could destroy it aside from maybe the entire world uniting under Discord and Nightmare working together and willingly giving up their only hope."

"Which wouldn't exactly be called a good outcome."

"Indeed. You might go as far as to say there would not be a worse possible outcome."

"Void," Luna speaks up again, "How do you know so much? I know you are older than me or my sister but there are no records of what you've told us."

"You are forgetting that I used to be a close friend of alicorns of Time and Magic long before you were born. My knowledge is unparalelled in this world."

"So what do we do?" I ask, once again feeling completely useless.

"Where is queen Chrysalis?" asks Luna.

"While I am bound to silence by a promise to Scream, I think the situation requires me to somehow help her little changelings. The main hive is under the ancient pony city nearby the castle from which you and your sister once ruled together. The castle under which the Tree of Harmony is hidden."

"I will tell my sister to start gathering our forces and send them there. If we get there in time we might be able to fight."

"Like last time?" I can't stop the snide remark.

"Hold your tongue! My sister had Twilight Sparkle research the magic used and we should limit the access point to just a small rift through which the enemy forces might not get fast enough to overwhelm us. Unlike what happened in the Crystal Empire."

"No matter what you do, be careful not to hurt Scream's subjects. I do not want to consider my helping you a mistake. Anything else?"

"My sister will be informed immediately. Come, miss Darkness!" commands Luna.

"Mind if I stay here for a while?" I ask

"I will send her home when she is done here," nods Void.

"Then I will tell Sharp Biscuit to bring your body to his office in the meantime. Thank you for the help, Void."

"Anytime, Luna."

When she disappears I sit down on the carpet.

"What is bothering you, young one?"

"Is it possible to change the future?" I ask.

"The future changes all the time."

"How can I know what to do so things end up different?"

"Tell me everything. This brooding mood does not fit you."

I lean my head to his when he sits down to me and my forehead touches his horn. A slight headache and then the feeling of peace come to me as he understands what I wanted him to do. When he stops rummaging through my head he sighs.

"Choices and decisions, the most difficult things in life. A choice between your closest friend and your lover... and you do not even know whether it is your choice. Let me ask you, why are you wearing an Element of Harmony?"

"Blaze told Betty to protect me after he was attacked. Oops, forgot to tell you that part. He's lying in a coma in Canterlot right now."

"Intriguing. The magical body Scream created should have been more than sufficient protection."

"He was attacked by an another Element."

"I see. Unfortunately, I cannot help you. Maybe you should go against your lover's wish like I did few minutes ago and ask the Element to go against his bearer's order and protect him instead of you."

"That's a good idea. I mean I can at least run away if something happens. Blaze... he can't even breathe without a machine right now."

"I feel sorry that such a weighty choice has been placed on your back at your age."

"Stuff happens, I just have to deal with it."

"My words exactly. If I think of something I will find you."

"Thanks, Void. Bye."

"I wish you the best of luck."

Everything blurs.

Losing Mind: Family

[Choking's Entry]

I needed to do more and my love was obviously not enough to get Blaze up quickly so I decided to get in contact with some ponies who could share. With Heavy Hoof still suspicious of Blaze he was out of question and I realized at that time Blaze had nopony around him aside from me, Heavy and Sharp.

So I made a foalish but understandable mistake, I wrote a letter to his parents in Manehatten to come visit him here in Canterlot. Betty warned me that it might shock Blaze if he woke up by some miracle but that would have been good enough for me. I had no idea he killed his mother by mistake in his reality but when Betty told me I thought it would be amazing if he woke up and saw her by his bed. What I completely forgot to ask was the reason for him killing her.

Blaze's mother is a nice lady, a royal historian. When I saw her I realized I knew her from occasional visits to the Canterlot royal library which isn't open to public.

As for Blaze's dad... he got what he had coming. Good news is that Heavy's been visiting Blaze again after the family incident.

I also forgot how good changeling sense of hearing was. If you somehow get to read my diary, Blaze, (it's not as if I'm hiding it but you've never wanted to see it) then I want you to know I'm sorry.

[End Entry]

The door to the infirmary room opens and a female earthpony comes inside, her eyes fixed on me. She looks familiar, not due to some outstanding features but thanks to me seeing her before. Before I can ask her business here I get my answer when she looks at the patient lying on the bed with tubes sticking out of him and her eyes widen and her mouth drops.

"Miss Precious Gift?" I ask just to make sure.

She nods.

"I'm Choking, I sent you the letter."

Her look of confusion when she comes closer to the bed where Blaze is changes when she identifies the color scheme of her son. I can't hold against her that it took her a while, the last time she saw him he was still a unicorn and as far as I know that was over two years ago.

"That... is my son?"

"I can assure you it's him. I've known him since he arrived here over two years ago. Back when he was still a unicorn."

Those words are enough for her to have to wipe her eyes.

"I haven't hear from him for so long and the first letter I get says he's dying..."

"I'm sorry, I lied a little. He's not dying, I just thought you might not come otherwise."

"You...!"

"Eeerm, before you throw me through the wall just let me explain," I nervously smile at the earthpony shooting deathbeams from her eyes.

"I wonder what you can come up with after almost making my heart stop."

"Blaze is a changeling who can heal really fast when he's near somepony who loves him. I thought you could help."

Her scowl turns thoughtful for a second and then her narrow eyes focus on me again.

"The guards outside told me and my husband that nopony was allowed in. I can see myself being here but usually nopony aside from close family members is allowed to see a recovering patient."

The question in that statement sticks out like a sore hoof.

"I'm, erm, Blaze's marefriend. I'm the only pony who can make him get better faster so I'm allowed to come here whenever."

So here it comes, the look that sizes me up. From what I've heard, mothers never like their son's marefriends.

"All right... humor me for a second. You're wild, irresponsible, have no problem lying and cheating to get what you want and you wouldn't have hesitated to bash my skull in with a steel pipe if I said a bad word when I saw Blazing lying on the bed."

My chin hurts, probably from it hitting the floor.

"Close that mouth or something might fly in," she continues, "I might be old and not in my best shape but the sponge inside my head still works."

"Eh, sorry?" I try to stop her sizing me up but she's got the best of me.

Then she smiles.

"Did I guess correctly?"

"Maaaybe?"

"I'll take that as yes. Nice to meet you, Choking."

"Nice to meet you, Blaze's mom."

"Cheeky little thing, aren't you? So what can I do to make Blazing feel better?"

"I don't really know, most of the time I just sit here next to him. I think you being here might be enough."

"You don't think things through much, do you?"

"Hey!"

"Hot-headed and hasty but with good intentions."

"Stop that!"

"I'm complimenting you, young lady!"

I grin, something makes sense now.

"Now I know where Blaze got his sugar and whip approach to ponies from."

"It's important to compliment when appropriate and same goes for the other side of the coin. So... how long have the two of you been together? And one more thing - are you really a mare or are you one of those trap things?"

"Ask your son, I'm sure he knows."

"I can't because somepony let him get hurt more than he's ever been before!" she barks.

For some time, the silence of the room is broken only by beeping of the machines and grinding of my teeth.

"I'm sorry," Precious Gift says meekly, "That was-"

"-incredibly stupid and needless," I interrupt, scowling.

"I see that politeness towards your elders isn't your strong side."

"You know, it's important to compliment when-"

Her hoof ruffles my mane and I see her smile for a second before she hugs me.

"You might never understand how happy I am right now," she whispers to my ear.

"Huh?"

"Blazing has never been too happy as a colt, always overthinking things and worried about smallest details, about somehow failing my expectations of him. All I've ever wanted was for him to find his way and be happy, to smile from time to time. I felt I failed as a mother when he was drinking himself to sleep every night at an age where nopony should be even smelling wine unless in company of his friends while having fun. There was nothing I could have done to change it."

"Miss-"

"Were you worried I wouldn't like you?"

"Sorta..."

"That's impossible. You were here, holding the hoof of my son when I entered. That was the only thing I needed to see, no questions or anything. You succeeded where I failed."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Blaze just is who he is," I pat her back when I feel my neck getting wet, "But hey, let's not get all sappy here. Have you got some funny stories from when he was younger with which I can torture him later?"

"Actually, there's not that many but there was this time we were in a restaurant when Blaze was around ten years old and when we finished our food me and my husband told him that we forgot to bring money and that we were going to run without paying. You should have seen the look on Blazing's face."

I improvise based on what I remember happening whenever I asked something new from Blaze in the bedroom.

"Good impression!" Precious Gift appreciates the expression of nervousness and utter horror I conjure up, "I did regret later reminding him of that situation too often though. The little bugger returned the favor when I got older and wasn't able to run that fast and said that he was the one able to run away now and that he would let me work off the price of the food in the kitchen."

"Heh, I wouldn't peg Blaze to be that cheeky as a colt."

"Well, being cheeky is what we adults often use when we hear something we don't like whether it's true or not. I pride myself on my sense of humor though so I usually didn't have a problem with it, Blinding on the other hoof..."

"Blaze's dad?"

"Hm? Yes. Blinding was brought up differently by his dad. He had to be self-sufficient, tough and confident... everything that Blazing lacked and they often got into each others mane over the smallest things. I have no problem saying it, Blinding is overconfident, lacks any self-reflection and his common sense apparently got shot in the knee when he was working as a mercenary. Blazing is his polar opposite. He overanalyzes everything he does but he can make the right decision in the end and if you're really his marefriend then I think you know that you probably don't like Blazing for his... confidence."

"I've heard legends about it but it's harder to find than the lost city of Ee," I snort.

"Very much so, just like your respect for your elders."

"Damn!"

Precious Gift giggles.

"Well, when my older son, Searing, joined the army Blinding had nopony to talk to about serious business and he considered Blazing a wimp. He used to drink a lot after his mercenary career ended to drown out... nevermind, I think you might be too young for that story. The point is that Blinding was an agressive drunk, not violent but agressive and loud and sometimes words hurt more than blows ever could. I don't know whether Blazing still practices martial arts but that was the time he started with it."

"He does, he's the best at it in Canterlot and maybe entire Equestria. He actually taught me everything I know about it shortly after he began working in the castle."

"Things actually got better when Blinding got drunk one evening and began yelling at him again for... various reasons, Celestia knows most of his complaints were substantiated. I tried to stop him but he began yelling at me, blaming me for Blazing's weakness. That was when Blaze blew up and began yelling as well. Blinding considered everything Blazing said a slander, it wasn't but some types have hard time understanding their faults, and tried to hit him. Boy was that a mistake. Blazing wiped the floor with this ex-mercenary twice his size and put his ego down a notch. It still wasn't enough but they actually began talking from time and at least both were polite with one another."

"Where is Blinding Light anyway?"

"He was here before and is waiting outside now. From what I understand nopony was here."

"I must have been out... call of nature and whatnot."

"That's maybe for the best. I don't think he'd react well to him being a changeling and accompanied by a thestral on top of it."

"Batpony is enough, I prefer it not sounding so stuck up."

"As you wish. Well, Blinding was furious when Blazing ran away from home after being kicked out of Manehatten Trade and Business University. I think the running away got to him more than the failure and he really didn't take it well. I guess that's a rift in the family which won't ever heal but I think deep down he's happy Blazing is still alive... hope more than think."

"Come on, they're still family. It can't be that bad."

"Well you haven't been there. One of them is hard-headed, stubborn and inflexible... and the other one is my husband."

"Good one. I think none of them realizes that it's actually their only similarity which doesn't allow them to get closer."

"You'd be right on that one. But enough of my family's history, I want to know everything about you."

"What do you want to know?" I realize I have no clue where to begin.

"How did you meet my son?"

"Wow... it seems forever ago, so much stuff happened-"

Our chat continues, punctuated only by beeping of the machines. Blaze's transformation, the invasion of Canterlot, Crystal Empire. In the end I'm stopped by Precious Gift.

"I want to thank you for leading my son out of his shell but I'll have to leave soon, Blinding got us return tickets for this evening and I don't want to run all the way to the train station. Can you give me few minutes alone with my colt?"

"Sure."

She just sits there in silence.

I leave the room and see a huge white unicorn with blonde mane who wasn't there when I came back to Blaze's room.

"Mister Blinding Light?" I ask.

"Yes?"

That one word. Those three letters are so charged with enmity that I involuntarily take a step back.

"Do you want to see your son before you leave?"

"That thing is not my son, bat. My son was a worthless trash who ran away from home instead of facing his responsibility and failure. That... creature is a changeling who consorts with bats and other traitors. I prefer to think my son froze to death in a ditch somewhere as he deserved for his failures which still leaves me with better feeling than that."

My ears splay back. Not at the words but at the tone of not giving a buck.

"That PONY is my coltfriend!", I snarl and stab Blinding's chest with my hoof, "That PONY helped stop changelings from ruling Canterlot. That PONY stopped the invasion in the Crystal Empire. That PONY is the only reason you are still alive. That PONY is a bucking HERO and you WILL NEVER talk bad about him again!"

Shaking with fury, I realize I pushed a warforged unicorn twice my size into the wall. When he raises his hoof I growl at him.

"Touch me and I'll have you spend the rest of your life in a slammer you piece of shit!"

"Calm down, commander," says a slow voice from behind me.

I turn around to see Heavy Hoof rising from a bench next to the door to Blaze's room. After what Blinding said I felt I needed to see a friend... or have a drink but not this friend.

"Take your pet away, officer, or princess Celestia will find out what happens in the shadows cast by her sun," says Blinding.

"Mind letting me handle this, commander? Some situations need cool head," asks Heavy.

"I-I..."

I've never felt so betrayed in my entire life so I just slink away and sit on the bench.

"This isn't one of those though," is what I hear Heavy say and I turn my head only to see Heavy's hoof connect with Blinding's face with a nasty cracking noise coming from his jaw and the wall where the back of his head hits.

Heavy then picks up the slumped unicorn of his size by the neck and lets him swing his hind legs for few seconds before dropping him back on the ground. Blinding, to his credit, lands on all fours without stumbling but looks in disbelief at Heavy.

"You might be surprised to know that there's a lot of ponies who owe everything including their lives to Blazing Light. I just happen to be one of them and I will not hesitate to lay it down to end your miserable hateful existence."

Or maybe he was just the right friend to be right here and right now.

When Precious Gift leaves Blaze's room she looks at her husband and smiles at me and Heavy who is standing next to me. We go back inside together this time and stop next to the bed where Blaze is lying.

That is the time I realize I may have made a mistake. I have no idea when Blaze woke up but the tears running down his cheeks tell me that he heard everything.

Losing Mind: Love

[Choking's Entry]

Blaze was able to speak few days after his parents' visit, not that there was much to say. I suspect he was able to speak earlier but just didn't want to talk to me. With his quick recovery I know I did the right thing... I just hope he'll see it my way soon. Last few times I tried to visit he was either asleep or pretending to be.

Aside from my coltfriend refusing to talk to me things are somewhat good. Heavy's been visiting Blaze as well but got the same treatment so he didn't press the issue and has been just helping me deal with Blaze's recruits. Thanks to my warning, princess Luna stationed a unit of soldiers in the vicinity of the Tree of Harmony with a heavy support ready in camps in the Everfree forest. The Tree itself is being watched by Nightguards who have the best ability to blend in and are nocturnal in the same way as many local creatures. So far no threat has been observed from changelings or the enemy although the unit on watch presumes the changelings know of their presence.

I'm not sure whether the waiting is the most annoying part but it's the most important one right now. If nothing happens then the possibility is that Scream was plotting something again and trying to use me and if the rift opens, then there's Twilight Sparkle in the old castle itself ready to limit its effect to minimum. From what I know the biggest problem is that we can't use the Elements of Harmony with the Element of Magic being held by mirror Twilight and that we have no clue how the destruction of the Corrupted Heart affected Sombra and his position in the mirror world.

How do I know that? I told Sharpie about my vision and he's been feeding me information about the situation. He said that I, as a VIP, should have no problem asking the princess herself but since he's responsible for recieving the information from the elite Nightguard unit I prefer coming to him. He's also helping me deal with my current personal issues. To be frank, I desperately need to bone somepony and I'm going crazy about it. I tried fighting it but with Blaze being bedridden for way too long it just gets on my nerves and Sharpie is the only pony who knows about my little problem.

I suppose I should tell Blaze about it and ask him his opinion about me sleeping with somepony else for the time being but right now that would probably be the worst possible thing.

Damn, I have to do it before I go crazy and just hump some guard in a broom closet.

[End Entry]

"Blaze!" I shake the probably-not-sleeping changeling.

No answer.

"Blaze, I need to talk to you right now!"

Still no reaction. Could he really be asleep?

"Alright. If you're fine with me having sex right here and now with both of your guards say nothing."

His eyes open. That was way too easy.

"What is it?" he groans.

"Oooo, you're finally awake. I kept coming and coming and you've always been sleeping," I say in the most innocent voice I can muster which in itself is telling more than enough.

"Just get on with it," he says flatly.

"Blaze..."

"Don't bother explaining yourself, I may be stupid but not that stupid. I had a reason for never wanting to come home again... ever."

"Hey! Your mom was the nicest lady-"

"I said leave it!"

This was a really bad idea, really really bad idea. The thing is that I don't have a choice here. Either I tell Blaze or he'll find out sooner or later some other way and explaining will be impossible.

"I need to ask you something... sensitive."

"Well, I can't turn my ears off so spit it out."

He is way too agressive.

"You're gonna hate yourself when you calm down and start thinking so why don't you stop and listen."

He takes a deep breath.

"There is nothing, NOTHING I wanted less than what you did. Whatever you want from me can't be worse."

"Are you sure? Does it mean you don't have a problem with me having sex tonight with somepony else?"

Just like taking a shot, better to get it over with quickly.

"No problem."

"Really?" I want to make sure he heard me. That lack of reaction was completely unexpected I have to admit.

"If I'm not enough for you then why should I stop you from finding somepony better?"

Suddenly it's clear and all I want is to punch him, hard. Well, that's not true... I want to get a mallet and beat all that nonsense out of him. Why does he have to make everything so difficult? Why can't he admit that I might be a cheating bitch instead of turning on himself?

Damn him! That's one of the reasons I don't want to lose him though.

"Blaze, I'm a sex addict. I've known you for long enough to tell you that. Aside from you only Sharpie knows and I wanted to keep it that way but knowing you it would end up with you blaming yourself and other nonsense. Why do you think I kept going through coltfriends faster than princess Celestia through cake?"

He waves his hoof.

"You don't need to say anything... just do whatever you want to. I'm at least good enough to admit I'm not good enough."

My blood freezes.

"You... you don't believe me?"

I have no problem lying, cheating and tricking others but... him?

"I'm saying I don't care whether it's true or not. It's your life."

I just wanted to make it OUR life. Last time I lied to him I got him killed. How could he think I would do it again? Does he think I don't begin shaking every time I remember it?

"You think I don't care about you?"

"Just... go away and do your thing."

BLAZE YOU STUPID, MORON, STUPID, IDIOT, IMBECILE, DUMMY, WORTHLESS!

If I wasn't so on edge I might have been able to deal with the situation better but right now I can't so I stand on the bed with my front legs.

"NO, if you don't trust me just say so!" I bark at Blaze.

"I know you enough to know you don't care about little white lies and a bit of manipulation here and there to get what you want. You don't need to bother with trying to spare my feelings."

"YOU-"

I stop, realizing I don't know what to say to make things better. Running out of the room sure can't be the best solution but I can't think of anything better. I can read Blaze like a book and the whole thing would have ended with me blowing up and him feeling even worse. Things like this often ended with a lot of making up in fun ways but sometimes they didn't.

Things like that are easier to deal with when my head is able to think about more than just the painful emptiness in some of my parts. The real problem is that nopony has ever been able to deal with it when I finally decided to tell them.

I'll think of something, I always do. Maybe I could tell Blaze I was thinking of him the whole time? Probably not.

It's been four days since my last visit and I've been... working out stress most evenings. I mean Sharpie told me to see a psychiatrist but there's no way I'm letting some shrink annoy me for hours with making me look at various black and white blobs.

With the day almost over, the castle is empty aside from its residents when a sudden confused yelling catches my attention. It's coming from the direction of the throne room as far as I can tell from the sounds echoing in the high halls. Normally I wouldn't bother with noisy guards but the beating of hooves on wood is enough to make me pick up the pace and have a look. The sight of unicorn guards trying to open the throne room door and the loud clanking from the inside prove that this isn't just some prank.

"What's going on?" I ask the commanding officer.

It's really nice knowing that I'm high up in the command structure to be recognized but I don't have the time to enjoy the feeling.

"Somepony attacked princess Celestia about five minutes ago then she kicked us out and sealed all the doors."

"Did you send somepony to get princess Luna?" it's unlikely he would have forgotten to do so but it doesn't hurt to ask.

"Yea... no time for that. Betty?" comes from behind us.

Blaze, still trailing blood from where presumably the medical machines used to be connected to him, touches the door which glows and then Betty in a crowbar form opens. The guards rush inside without thinking and are rewarded by a flurry of steel when a flying knife stabs every single one of them. Apparently, dealing with a flying weapon with no apparent weakness and immense agility isn't something they expected when joining the Guard.

Blaze rushes in after the guards are lying on the floor and groaning. Their interruption apparently gave princess Celestia covered in deep cuts a brief respite.

"Fools, you let it out!" yells the princess and the knife materializes behind her held by a pink hoof.

"I'm right where I want to be. Smile, princess!" the pink hoof is followed by the rest of the body and the knife cuts deep into the side of princess Celestia's face.

Celestia teleports randomly few times in an effort to create distance but the pink attacker is always right behind her.

"I knew you'd love party games, Celly, but I'm better at hide and seek," the pink earthpony appears a split second earlier in a spot where Celestia tries to teleport and buries her knife in the princess' chest and twists.

A wound of such scale isn't enough to threaten an alicorn but when the knife slides out, ripping out a chunk of flesh, it shows it transformed from a common kitchen tool into a twisted and spiky weapon associated with pony sacrifice altars from movies. The white alicorn groans and drops to the floor, conscious but obviously in agony.

"Wanna join the celebration, old friend?" a whisper from next to my ear makes me almost lose control over my bladder and a pink hoof with a kitchen knife appears under my chin, ready to slice.

It's stopped by a chain wrapping around it and I'm kicked aside with a force probably enough to crack some ribs.

"GET OUT!" Blaze interrupts my coughing fit.

I would but every attempt to move my legs makes little sparks flash behind my eyes. Damn Blaze could have been a bit more gentle.

"Princess, can you stop her from moving all the time?" Blaze yells at Celestia who just keeps twitching on the ground.

He doesn't have the time to wait for an answer because the usual attack in the form of a kitchen knife to the neck is aimed at him this time. A quick jump backwards and a burst of steel spikes from all around him catches nopony.

"Betty, plan B!" barks out Blaze and all steel spikes and the Element itself disappear.

The pink earthpony with pink mane and a cutie mark of three grey baloons appears within jump distance from Blaze and grins.

"Got some fight in you, traitor? Good, this would have been so booooring otherwise."

"THAT WAS YOU?!" I scream, remembering what Betty told me about the attack in my bedroom.

Charging straight at her means nothing but I still want to do it just to somehow vent the boiling rage. All this is HER fault. None of this would have happened if she didn't exist. That mare is the reason Blaze is pissed at me more than he's ever been.

Those are the only things I can think about right up to the point where she just moves her leg and trips me up from a fair distance away. Somehow she can bend space is what I realize when I end up on my back with her knife pinning me to the floor through my wing.

"BLAZE!" I scream when a tearing noise makes me sick. As much as I try to ignore the burning pain and not move the earthpony keeps slicing through more and more of my wing.

"BLAZE HEL-" my plea ends in a wordless scream when the knife suddenly changes direction and shreds the wing along with bones.

Through red veil and tears I see that Blaze is just watching me.

Everything is cold all of a sudden. That's probably good, at least the pain subsides. Then it all returns when the pony's knife tears through my other wing.

"WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!" I scream out again, this time not aimed at anypony or anything.

I pray to Luna for help in fading away quickly but my torturer keeps tearing and cutting wherever she thinks I'm not paying enough attention.

"Now for my favourite game, pin the knife on the batpony!" giggles the earthpony sitting on my chest happily and picks up the knife with both hooves. All I'm able to do is watch the knife gain height and then rapidly swing towards me.

"NOW!" comes from somewhere.

Hmmm? Suddenly all I can see is red as everything upwards from the earthpony's belly turns into red mist. I turn to see Blaze clutching his head and groaning.

"I might not be fast enough to hit you but you still have to breathe, bitch. Breathe little shards of steel from Betty and not even your Element will help you. BUCK YOU! YOU'RE DEAD NOW! DON'T EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN! EVER! EVER! EVER! E-" Blaze keeps yelling at the lower half of the earthpony's body.

"Shhh. Everything's okay," I wrap my front legs around his neck.

Blaze freezes on the spot.

"I wouldn't be so sure," says a different voice from behind me. It's soft but possesses a hint of finality and inevitability.

Turning quickly I'm pushed to the side by Blaze who struggles to say:

"Don't... look her in the eyes."

There is nothing I can do. My legs are shaking and failing to keep me standing, blood is streaming from my shredded wings and I'm caught in the fight between forces too big for me so I just drop to the ground and cover my eyes with my forelegs. My whimpering is completely unintentional, it's just my body and my head that are failing me.

"Over five seconds of resistance, that's a record. Now, however, say goodbye, my new pet, the king wants to see you."

"Goodbye," says a flat, out of body voice I think is Blaze.

A gust of wind, an echo of hoofsteps and then nothing.

Losing Mind: Self

Blazing Light woke up.

"We'll be arriving in Canterlot shortly. Passengers get ready to get off in five minutes," came from the train intercom.

The sky was grey, just like the bronze-coated unicorn's mood, and the light drizzle outside of the window promised a day suited for a failure like him. He shook his head to clear away the drowsiness following him sleeping most of the way from Manehattan and looked into his saddlebag for something to eat. No matter how hungry he was from an entire day's worth of a train ride he had to sate himself just with a honeyed hay bar. If he wanted to last in Canterlot for more than few days, which was a big if in his current state of mind, then he had to ration his food carefully.

Blazing wrote a short note into a small book he had purchased after leaving home resolved never to return again and left the train when it stopped in the white fortress built into the side of a mountain. He hadn't anticipated the cold air this high up biting into him through his coat and the hoodie which was a present from his mother for his last birthday.

As much as he was currently inclined to find the shortest route towards the city walls, eat all his supplies and then leave a messy outline somewhere in the forest below the city his survival instinct kicked in and persuaded him that doing that was possible at any point in time and right now he should at least try make something of his life.

Alone and with nowhere to return the bronze unicorn stood on the train platform for a while, thoughts racing through his head. He had spent most of his life with thoughts pointlessly racing through his head so the feeling was not unusual but this time he was thinking about what to do right now and he came to the conclusion that getting a job away from other ponies would be a good idea. It didn't matter what he'd be doing as long as somepony would find a use for him.

Taking a deep breath, he tapped a shoulder of somepony who looked like he knew his way around.

"Go bother somepony else!" was the answer he recieved.

Partially happy at least for the sense of familiarity he pondered that things here were the same as home in Manehattan. Better in fact, he wasn't threatened to get sued for an assault or a mugging attempt and he still had his saddlebag. He tried few more times and recieved the same answer, not that it mattered. There was nothing anypony could have said to him which would have been worse than what he had said to himself after recieving the letter ending his student life.

With no direction he decided to roam the city and just look around. If he got lucky he might find some place hiring and if he didn't then he was fine with it. Blazing had no idea about vagrancy laws in a city presenting itself as a bastion of royalty but getting locked up would at least mean having a roof over his head. Perhaps he could just throw a brick through a window somewhere so he wouldn't be freezing tonight? He decided against it. Causing trouble for some honest shopkeeper just because his future was gone didn't pass his mental filter and he didn't have a brick at hoof anyway.

Aimlessly walking proved useful in killing time, something he wasn't really hoping for, and darkness was already blanketing the city. He had enough money to last few days in some cheap hotel but the white fortress looked classy in every street he'd passed through today. This wasn't a fairy tale though and there had to be a cheap part of Canterlot somewhere where the airship loading bay workers and other low-income citizens slept.

The first clue he got about his intended direction was a bar with ponies smelling of alcohol. The second clue was one of them beginning to walk to Blazing with cheap brainmelter crystalizing on his breath with a glint in his eye.

"Whass a nice lady like ye doing in a place like this?"

Blazing tried to ignore him but the pony's body blocking pushed him into a small shadowed alley.

"Get your filthy hooves off me!" growled Blazing.

The earthpony smiled happily.

"Aww a lil' prissy unicorn thinks he's royalty. Methinks yer face needs a close rel- rely- relationship wit' my filthy hooves."

The bronze unicorn dodged the wide swing easily and returned the favor, sending the earhtpony to the ground. What he didn't count on were two other earthponies tackling him from behind. After the first blow to his face he wasn't able to hear much anymore and so the earthpony's words were completely lost on him, the following blows, on the other hoof, he felt quite clearly, at least the first few before a hit to his stomach made him throw up. Eventually the earthponies got bored of kicking him and left.

When Blazing noticed the name of the bar the earthponies had come out of he sneered to the darkness - Lucky Horseshoe. He wasn't bothered they took all his stuff, he wasn't bothered he was sticky with vomit and dirt, he wasn't bothered by anything because right at that point a black pony with red mane and bat wings came out of the bar and stole all the attention Blazing still had.

"Eeew! Good thing I'm not on duty or I'd have to touch that and waste time dragging another drunk colt to jail," she told her pony partner who nuzzled her, making her coo and giggle happily.

Blazing bitterly smiled to himself, at least she noticed he was male. Dragging himself deeper into the dark alley he curled under an overreaching roof of one of the houses and tried to fall unconscious while sheltered from the wind.

To his surprise he didn't freeze to death that night despite coming close. The hoodie helped against the cold and the lack of wind was enough to keep him alive. His only article of clothing was now useless though and he used it to clean himself off and then threw it in the dumpster. His last physical memory of home was gone.

Fighting hunger, Blazing kept walking through Canterlot for most of the second day and finally found what looked to be a town hall. The acidic smell of vomit mixing with trash was enough for the guard on door duty to notice him and lead him outside, gently but firmly. With that his main hope was gone. He had noticed the 'Employment Office' sign inside but that chance was taken away from him.

Right now, with the way he looked and smelled, nopony would listen to him anyway even if he tried asking shopkeepers door to door whether they needed help. He knew all that and told himself it was his fault for not being careful. With no food, no money, nowhere to return and no chance of anypony bothering to talk to him he decided he had only two options. One of them was the past idea of breaking a window somewhere and getting arrested but the same argument as last time rose up against it.

The other option led him up the stone stairs to Canterlot fortifications. The view was breathtaking, the air was fresh and sweet enough to overpower the smell lingering around Blazing and there was nopony around. All in all, even he had to admit today was a beautiful day filled with the promise of hope and success. He wished luck to everypony, even the guys who robbed him, because that was the only thing he could do. He had no power to actually do anything so he just wished.

He wished his brother would come home from the army and find a guard job in Manehattan so his family would finally be happy and get together from time to time. He wished the drunk guys from last night would find a satisfying job so they wouldn't have to vent on random strangers in the street. He wished the beautiful batpony he caught a glimpse of would live happily ever after with her partner. He wished everypony in the world would find happiness even when he knew how foalish it was. Most of all, however, he wished the drop wouldn't take long.

He hated flying.

Are you sure his magic resistance won't get in the way, Fluttershy?

My stare isn't magic and my Element's power is unbreakable.

I don't want him to ruin everything like last time.

The only one who has ever resisted the Stare was Pinkie with her being an Element bearer herself and her split Pinkamena personality. This pony-changeling thing will be your loyal servant forever.

If you fail I'll have your head.

I know, my king.

Good. Is Twilight ready?

She can open the portal at any time but the army isn't even close to being prepared. With me and Twilight being the only Elements on your side our armies are defending our territory from all sides. I hate to bring bad news but we don't have the power to invade.

Don't worry, young pegasus. Conventional forces are nothing but a meat shield to me. With Pinkamena's sacrifice, Celestia is out of the question and as soon as we enter their world Twilight will use the Element of Magic to gather enough power to break any defense they might mount. You will stay here and try to capture the rest of the Element bearers and show them the error of their ways.

Do you want me to persuade them again?

No. Just wipe them like this one. I don't care about their willing cooperation anymore. They will serve me and when I get to the Crystal Heart in the mirror world we'll have all the time in the world to play with the mirror Element bearers as replacements.

As you wish.

Wake this guy up now. Did you bring the bat?

Yes. She was living in the mansion of Blazing Light from our side.

Fading Light woke up.

"Good morning, my new bodyguard," said king Sombra calmly, looking at the changeling.

"My head..."

"You got hurt when the enemy attacked and lost your horn so we had to replace it with a crystal."

"Thank you..."

"I care about my subjects, Fading. Now you need to recover but your being a changeling saves us a lot of time," Sombra smiles and points his hoof towards a yellow, pink-maned pegasus holding a chain leading to a choker worn by a black batpony.

For some reason Fading Light felt an unknown desire the second he saw her.

"Feed!" commanded Sombra.

The batpony didn't even manage to sqeak before Fading's fangs released their venom into her neck.

Losing Ground: Everfree

[Choking's Entry]

Princess Celestia is alive but the doctors say they won't let her get out of the bed anytime soon. The extent of the wound itself is fairly small but the problem is that despite alicorn ability to recover from anything it refuses to heal. One other problem is that the attacker's weapon apparently wasn't magical but somehow was able to inflict a wound that keeps bringing blinding agony. For now, the princess is stable but has to stay on high doses of morphine just to reduce the screaming.

Why am I feeling better then? I'm not sure 'better' is the right word but at least I'm not the one twitching in pain right now. From what I was told when I woke up after few days of the same treatment as the princess the doctors decided to amputate my wings seeing they wouldn't ever again be of use and the pain stopped. It's as if the, let's say, curse was bound to the hurt part of the body. Therein lies the problem with princess Celestia as she suffered a deep chest wound. I heard one of the doctors saying that in theory if they cut off Celestia's head and gave her enough time she would regenerate her body. I guess it's as the old saying goes - never trust a pony with a bonesaw cutie mark. The hope lies in the fact that the guards who got hurt first are slowly recovering but their wounds were minor at best and they still were enough to render them unable to fight.

My wings.

I love flying but the two stumps on my back are the only things that remain. Anything is better than thinking about that.

So... princess Luna is in charge right now. Sharpie is taking care of the situation in the Everfree forest and with Celestia out cold Guiding Light was sent by him along with some other Nightmares to assist the Nightguards monitoring Chrysalis' territory because the changelings were getting more and more curious about the presence of batponies so close to them. There are no reports of agressive behaviour but everypony knows Chrysalis must be keeping an eye on the situation.

Why is Sombra doing this though? Scream's revenge is off the table unless he's trying to finish what she started for some reason but then attacking princess Celestia directly wouldn't make sense. Revenge against Blaze seems much more likely even though it would be a very petty reason for invading Equestria again especially when he could have killed him before. I suspect something else is going on and Blaze is the key.

Recovering in the infirmary, I had a lot of time to think about my vision. Sombra wants to use Blaze for something here and Sharpie will get killed by him unless I do something. What can I do though? I can't fight any of them personally, I can't stop the invasion magically and I can't help in fighting the army in any special way. I'm just an officer responsible for Nightguard work in Canterlot and Sharpie's emergency replacement.

In my vision there were just changelings fighting an overwhelming force. Could it be that I have changed something already? There's a lot of forces stationed within marching distance of the Tree of Harmony and princess Twilight's ready to pounce at any enemy who dares show his face.

"Don't look her in the eyes."

I think that the other voice from the throne room might have something to do with Blaze switching sides. The thing is that Blaze should be mostly immune to magic if I understand it correctly so he's either going to serve Sombra willingly or there's something I don't know yet.

I need more information, some help... anything.

[End Entry]

"Princess Luna?"

The alicorn turns her eyes with bags underneath big enough to hide enough oats to feed a small family through entire winter.

"Yes, miss Darkness?"

"Do you have some time? With all due respect, you look horrible."

Luna just smiles.

"There isn't enough anti-wrinkle cream in the world to deal with my age. Surely you haven't come here just to compare the silkiness of our complexion though."

"I'm worried about the invasion, your Highness. I told you everything I know about the point of its origin but somehow I feel it's not enough. I'm thinking about asking Void for help or Scream for some more information. I mean Void's power should be enough to balance out any numbers difference there might be and Scream's magic prowess should rival your own."

"A very polite choice of words, young nocturnal. I know the difference between my power and Scream's and there is much I still have to learn. Let me be frank with you - your plan will not work, at least not the way you think it might."

My silent 'why' is stopped even before it leaves my mouth when Luna continues.

"Void won't help directly. Alicorns with strong natural abilities such as my sister and him suffer in the magical department so while Void's interest in it rivals the knowledge of alicorns of Magic his ability to use it is limited at best and same goes for Celestia. The real problem is that while my sister is entirely capable of wiping out Sombra and the entirety of the mirror world by summoning the power of the sun directly there she would never use it in such way as it would kill every living being indiscriminately. I happen to agree with her idea that Equestria shrouded in darkness for few centuries is still better than barren lifeless wasteland."

"When you say it like that-"

"That's not all. Even in such situation life would eventually find its way from the depths of the world. Now consider Void's natural ability. If he lost control of it even for a short time then there wouldn't be any life to come back. The area where his power hit would be dead forever. I would have asked Void for help myself but I know how much power it requires for him to stop the true death when he unleashes it."

"Oh," there goes my brilliant idea.

"Scream's ability, on the other hoof, is more of a scouting nature and so is mine which means our magic isn't inhibited by suppressing it naturally. To my regret, I still don't know where she stands in all this but I can tell you she won't help for free. "

"But she showed me the vision of the future without asking anything."

"That's exactly why. She's helped you already so you won't be able to make her feel guilty about her involvement. In all honesty, making Scream feel guilty about something would be a feat enough to be written into history books. There is a way though. Anypony who finds their way into Scream's dream dimension gets the right to ask for something if they are willing to pay the price."

"What is the price?"

"I don't know. The magic required to create a stable dimension is beyond me but the theory is that she had to sacrifice something to make a small world that serves basically as a focusing lens for her magic. I don't think she's the one who decides the price of what ponies ask of her. She is bound to fulfill their wish if they do though."

"Can you at least give me a hint as to how I could get there in a way that would force Scream to cooperate?"

"That is simple. You need to use your own power to get there. For me it would just mean using magic like I did last time. All you have to do is to find a place where you can access her realm. The only place I know about is where your information revealed the main changeling hive is. The access point is a golden statue of Scream in the city which is being watched by Nightguards right now."

"Thank you, I'll be on my way then."

"I could order you not to go. It is a dangerous trip even with our troops in the area and you cannot know whether it will bear any fruit."

"Princess... have you ever felt so helpless that you just wanted to bite a pillow and scream until you passed out? Unable to do even the smallest thing to protect ponies around you."

Luna lowers her head and smiles to herself.

"Every single day on the moon when I was forced to watch my little bats suffer just for being associated with me. I'm not going to stop you if you really want to go. Truth be told, your involvement in direct combat would be so insignificant that any success you might achieve in your efforts could mean more."

"Thanks, princess."

I could be talking about fighting hydras, hordes of diamond dogs and cleaving my way through timberwolves but none of that happened. With the presence of so many ponies on the edge of Everfree forest even the most dangerous creatures decided to take few days off and spend them with their loved ones. The only annoying part was when one of the Nightguards had to carry me over some supposedly super deadly gorge which split the forest and was impossible to scale without wings. I could have entered the forest from somewhere else than Ponyville but a bit of hurt pride was better than wasting about two weeks by walking around.

The eerie atmosphere of the old castle where princess Twilight should be on watch hanged around but it was still nothing in comparison to the silence of the area where the crumbling walls of the ancient city first came to view.

Batponies have sneaking in their blood and my hearing is also far above that of normal ponies but there is literally nothing audible around aside from...

...no, there's nothing. No wind, no whispering of the leaves and totally not the snapping of a twig behind me.

Without a second thought I begin running and stop after short distance when nothing follows. Hidden in shadows I take few seconds to gather myself and try to stop the heavy breathing, the only sound in the forest, as it seems to be echoing through the greenery. The short dash brought me to the city walls and it's easy to stay in the shadows cast by them and keep creeping towards the closest hole.

The scraping noise of my short coat getting in contact with the stones always makes me jump and the feeling of eyes on me isn't helping which almost makes me want to cry out just to end the suspense. When I lean my head through one of many holes in the fortifications all I see is a huge clearing resembling a city square. Aside from the fact that some of the buildings seem to be held together by green goo there's nothing even remotely threatening about the entire situation.

That's the deal breaker. Here I am, in the middle of changeling territory, and there is nopony trying to stop or eat me. There's nothing that could tell me more clearly that they know I'm here. Noticing a stone statue of an alicorn in full combat armor nearby I throw away any attempt at being sneaky and just head straight towards it.

The feeling of somepony close enough to touch gets stronger with every step I take towards the statue and in the end I break and mumble to myself.

"If ya want to eat me then come out and try."

"I would but your thinking you were so stealthy was just too amusing," says a haughty voice to which I'm obviously just a pest.

Turning around I have to lean back to look up into the green eyes of unmistakably the most dangerous being I could have met outside of king Sombra.

"My guards have been following you since your leaving the old castle. Now what should I do with you, little bat?" Queen Chrysalis smiles.

"I'm here to-" I manage to stutter out.

"And I'm really sure you care about your goal but now with your amusement value gone I don't think I should waste my time with you anymore."

"I need to talk to Scream!" I manage to get out after snapping from the trance of a mouse meeting a snake. The thoughtful expression of the changeling queen proves that dropping the name might give me the few seconds I so desperately need.

"Why would that be?" she doesn't even try to deny the way to do it is somewhere around here.

"I-it's connected to the reason for all the soldiers around here."

"Oh the supposed invasion?"

"How-?"

"Come on, I hope you don't think my subordinates weren't able to infiltrate your ranks mere days after a unit of your kin came," she snorts and her grin reveals more of her fangs.

"More of a reason to let me talk to Scream. She's the only one who can give me more information on stopping it."

"Alright, I'll give you a chance to amuse me for few more seconds. You can prove you know how to do what you want and if you succeed I'll let you do it and leave or you can leave right now and none of my subjects will try to stop you."

That can't be right.

The warning bells begin ringing in my head as soon as she finishes.

"What if I fail?"

"Backing out already?" Chrysalis grins, "If you fail you will help my swarm in case the invasion happens."

"That doesn't sound so bad-"

"My subjects need to get well-fed to fight effectively and we could always use more fresh changelings as chitin shields. I think with hips like those you'd make a great incubator. You are a bit too muscular but that should change naturally when your body finds its true purpose after laying first few clutches."

It takes all of my will not to scream or throw up at the image but deep down I can't deny the appeal of the queen getting closer to me, spreading me and filling me to the brim with eggs.

"Nononononono."

"Don't lie to yourself. I can feel you boiling inside at my proposition."

She's playing with me but no matter what she says I don't think I have a choice. If I try to leave she'll just grab me and put me into a cocoon. What if she isn't lying though? Future is a strange place and there is no way to know that Scream will be able to help me.

But what would me running away achieve? All I'd be able to do would be joining the army and fighting which, to be honest, isn't my strong side.

There is nowhere to run.

"I really need to talk to Scream. I thank you for your kind, albeit completely fake, proposal of letting me leave," I grin. Something inside just doesn't let me get defeated completely.

"Insolent whelp!" the Queen keeps smiling, "When you fail I'll have you working overtime to pump out enough warriors to challenge any invasion."

"Ya sure your little wimps can handle a real mare?"

Queen Chrysalis bursts out laughing. I might have enjoyed it otherwise but now it just creeps me out more.

"I'll handle you personally. Fine, do your business, future broodmother!"

There is no need for the Queen to lie to me. If she wanted me imprisoned then there was nothing stopping her the entire time so I turn to the stone statue and... realize I have no idea what to do.

"Scream?" I whisper and try to remember the golden alicorn.

Nothing.

"I'm sure you will at first, all of you do. Then comes the pleased moaning," says Chrysalis smugly.

Am I doing it wrong? What am I actually supposed to do? I should have asked Luna but I thought it would be obvious. A mistake that might make me appreciate my addiction instead of resenting it.

Something feels off. I can't even imagine Scream in full plate mail which means this statue is either overly appreciative of her or...

I walk around to look at the statue's flank. The cutie mark of the sun proves that this indeed is the wrong statue.

"Oops. Can you show me Scream's one? I haven't been here before and I didn't see a tourist guide by the city entrance."

The Queen retaliates quickly.

"I have one of my subordinates on watch by the main entrance just for such situation, too bad you tried to sneak in through a random hole."

As long as I keep her interested there's the chance she's going to cooperate just out of sheer curiosity and that's my only hope. I follow her through few narrow streets and we emerge in front of a building which looks like the castle in Canterlot on smaller scale. In the middle of the square the palace overlooks is a life-sized golden statue of an alicorn with black streaks decorating her coat to look like changeling armor plates.

Standing before this statue I realize I still have no idea what to do so I just repeat my first attempt.

"Scream?"

The alicorn of Lust refuses to appear.

The alicorn of Lust.

Lust...

The memory of the desire I felt during my first meeting with her surfaces and I hear Chrysalis snicker when she gets a clear view of me from behind. The screechy noise fades when I feel a gust of air and a golden image appears in the air. The blinding yellow shape bows before the Queen and then its horn touches my forehead.

Everything blurs.

The bone decorations never cease to amaze me but if both Scream and Void like it it's not my place to comment. It never hurts to be polite at first so I bow to the duo sitting on a couch and drinking wine.

"Greetings, miss Darkness," Void returns the bow.

"What's up?" Scream raises an eyebrow.

"I need more information about the invasion. Can you help me? Luna told me you why Void can't act directly but she also told me about the wish you're supposed to grant me if I get here."

"Straight to the point, I like that. Let me correct you on something though. I don't grant wishes, I only provide information and only if you pay the required price first."

"Yea I know. Are you willing to help me with the question though? Like not trying to wiggle out of it or anything."

"Maybe?"

"Do not tease the young lady. She has been through more than many others of her age," Void's hoof pokes Scream's head from behind.

"Alright alright, I'll help with all sincerity. After all this is partially my fault."

"Partially?" I ask in utter disbelief.

"Partially!" Void ends that direction of the conversation.

"Fine then. I need you to tell me how to change what I saw in the vision you showed me. I don't want Sharpie to die and I don't want Blaze to kill himself."

Scream's eyes flash green.

"The price for that knowledge is your life. I also can't make sure you're going to like or understand what you'll get."

WHAT?

"You mean you'll kill me?"

"No. Your life will be required to end at the right time for you to achieve the change you desire. In that you can say the information I'll give you is going to be free. The result, however, would depend purely on you."

Nothing to lose right now.

"So to save Blaze and Sharpie I'll have to sacrifice myself?"

"Not... exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the direct teleportation here through the statue takes some time and you're late."

"You don't mean..."

"I'm sorry but I think you can't stop what's going to happen shortly."

"I have to go!"

"Please reconsider," interrupts Void.

"I have to warn Sharpie. I have to tell him to leave right now or he'll die."

"Physical teleportation from here takes time. You cannot get there in time no matter what we do."

Scream moves her hoof and a window wide enough for us to see the situation in the forest appears.

The rift is small this time and instead of enveloping the entire area it's just wide enough for few ponies to march through shoulder to shoulder. As soon as the first armed pony walks through a barrage of spells hits the rift and rips through the incoming force. A short while later ponies stop coming.

A quiet voice of a commander calling for reinforcements is loud enough for us to hear through Scream's magic and an ornate stone plate behind him begins glowing and princess Luna steps out of the light. Sharp Biscuit stepping out alongside her makes my throat close up.

"You know what to do," Luna turns to Sharp who immediately runs away.

The rift begins wobbling again which forces another barrage of spells from unicorns aimed at it. This time it isn't enough as the magic seems to be hitting an immovable wall slowly but surely moving through which turns out to be made of fire when the smoke from spells clears up.

The amount of magic in the air can almost be felt even through the viewing window and I realize what the enemy plan was when the wall of fire parts and reveals a bronze changeling with glowing red crystal where a horn would be. As soon as the unicorns see him the idiots begin firing wildly and when their assault ends there stands Blaze without even being scratched, laughing wildly. The fact that Sombra had all this planned out becomes clear when Luna commands the unicorns to stop using spells and pull out projectile weapons. The physical assault fails as well when runes on Blaze's body glow bright purple and everything flying in his direction melts mid-air. Behind him Sombra's forces are getting out of the rift safely.

"Done with your petty tricks already, wizards?" Blaze sneers at the defending forces.

The flashing lights return in heightened intensity and the attack ends the same way. Apparently military strategy training doesn't involve not wasting your power when it keeps failing.

A different group joins the defenders who look worried for few seconds but then turn to the obvious threat. The queen of changelings lands next to princess Luna without any opposition.

"Little ponies can't handle a bit of magic?" Chrysalis taunts Luna.

"My sister asked me to help you so don't make it harder."

"I see. Let's think of this as one of those 'enemy of my enemy' situations for now. I can always eat you later."

"Your foresight shames me."

"I thought it would," smiles Chrysalis and charges her horn to send an emerald beam slicing the ground where it touches but failing to do anything to the immovable defender.

"Let me show you how it's done."

The red crystal on Blaze's forehead glows.

"Your little pests fed me to high heavens."

The red glow turns to black.

"And NOW I CAN SHOOT LASERS OUT OF MY BUCKING EYES!"

A single red beam cleaves through trees, unicorns and anything else that happens to be in the way.

"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Blaze notices the devastation and knocks his hoof questioningly near his destroyed eye.

"Alright... dramatic effect wasted. Time to just end you."

The horn glows a second time and for few seconds it seems the rift spread again but then the eye adjusts and realizes the glimmer spreading behind Blaze is filled with swords of varying shapes and sizes sticking out of it.

Then the bombardment begins with the flying weapons just bursting out of the glimmer and aiming towards the defenders.

Luna protects herself with a barrier and Sharp jumps in front of queen Chrysalis, holding his shield to protect both of them.

"Hah! I knew I looked good enough to make your guys lay their lives for me without magic," Chrysalis grins.

"If I wasn't under orders to keep you alive I would have let you get shredded, you overgrown beetle," growls Sharp while holding his shield with increasing number of swords breaking through it.

The swords disappear into thin air and Blaze assesses the situation. Some shield bubbles survived, others didn't. Amidst broken bones and pierced flesh the cries of the wounded can be heard but he ignores them and focuses on the princess, the Queen and Sharp.

The glimmer returns and all the weapons are now aimed at just one pony. Blaze gives a haughty look to the mage who dared to survive his onslaught unscratched - princess Luna.

Her panicked expression fills the screen as her barrier disappears a moment before the countless swords take flight again.

The magic fades and the princess keeps standing. The batpony holding the scattered remains of a shield in front of her slowly falls over when his dutiful mind finally registers that most of his body is missing.

The princess looks down at her bodyguard. When she looks back up her eyes are teal and slit and her starry mane turns into a tempest of blue smoke.

"Our magic might not be able to reach you but I still am the princess of the Night. You are hereby banished from my realm," Luna's words ring clearly.

Without any visible effect Blaze's phoenix wings disappear and he drops to the ground.

"Retreat!" orders not-Nightmare-Moon-looking-anymore Luna and disappears along with Chrysalis in a flash. With Sombra's forces now unopposed they begin pouring though the rift.

"NO! GET ME THERE RIGHT NOW!"

"We cannot."

"BUCK YOU! GO THERE AND SAVE HIM!"

"I cannot."

"WHAT'S YOUR POWER GOOD FOR THEN?"

"Sometimes no amount of power can prevent tragedies from happening."

"YOU'RE GONNA JUST STAY HERE AND WATCH?"

"Yes." is Void's choked response.

"Please help..."

"Let me show you the answer to your question then," Scream leans to me.

It's a nice day. Sun is shining, pegasi are flying around and I'm walking through a town with dirt roads but cozy buildings. Everypony around seems happy and going about their business. One building with bars on its windows is larger and grabs my attention as a blue pony with ruffled greyish-white mane runs out of the main entrance and begins barking.

A barking pony? IS THAT ALL? I wasted my only chance at warning Sharpie just to be shown a vision of some retard?

"Was it helpful?" asks Scream.

"...go buck yourselves, both of you..." I can't see anything anymore through tears falling down on the carpet.

When the batpony disappears from Scream's dream realm the golden alicorn turns to Void and sighs.

"Well?"

"What?"

"Say your piece."

"What do you mean?" Void just raises an eyebrow.

"Yell at me for all this being my fault! Tell me I should do something to help!"

"I happen to think Celestia deserved a little lesson. The fact that the lesson ruined lives of countless others and especially the one pony without whom you would not be here and happy right now is just a minor side-effect."

Scream grits her teeth.

"Sometimes I want to kill you."

"Who would make sure you do the right thing in the end if you did that?"

"Shut up!"

...

"FINE!"

"Thank you, dear."

"I tried..." I sob into princess Luna's chest.

"You should have told me everything."

"I didn't know whether it would make it happen rather than stopping it."

"You should still have told me everything," Luna says sadly but calmly.

"You're not angry?"

"No. Future sight is a liability most of the time especially without previous experience."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

I've failed. Sharpie is dead and there's nothing I can do to prevent Blaze from dying now as well. The princess' judgement means he'll never be able to sleep again. Even with a magical body heavily resistant to damage his mind and soul will disappear eventually. The final curse might be even worse in his case. Trapped inside an almost immortal body with his sanity degrading quickly he'll suffer more torment than anypony could ever imagine.

Even if his body survives Blaze has at most a week of existence left. It's over.

"I want to take Sharpie's place," I say with grim determination.

"I refuse," says Luna immediately.

"Why?"

"I can feel your pain and my bodyguard shouldn't be somepony whose only wish is to throw away her life aimlessly."

"Am I not good enough even for standing in front of you and taking a sword in the face?"

"Go home, little bat. Have a good night's rest. Take few days off. That's an order."

Without a word I leave princess Luna's room and ignore everything on the way to my apartment.

I am useless.

Losing Ground: Canterlot

[Fading Light's Combat Log Entry]

All forces surrounding the rift were routed quickly but something keeps it from getting bigger. Twilight Sparkle, the imperial archmage, went to investigate some old castle where she felt magic being used but returned without success.

You are a big idiot who has no idea what he's doing.

The king chose me to lead the charge and I respect him completely. He knows my strength and as long as I serve him I will act with no hesitation. Our side of the rift is being remade to an impenetrable fortress enough to withstand the attack of the traitor Element bearers.

You are the one on the wrong side.

Their opposition doesn't matter though. They might feel it does but when the king gets to the Crystal Heart here he will take his time with them and this time they will serve without a word. That is still in the future as right now we are getting ready to siege Canterlot. The city itself is of no value but taking the seat of power should undermine the enemy morale and make sure no forces flank us from there.

STOP HIM!

The road to the Crystal Empire will be long unless they don't block the train tracks and I'm not sure I have enough time. The blue alicorn did something to me and I think my lack of sleep for past three days is taking its toll but I'm managing to stave off the tiredness by coffee and a method of rest developed by griffon monks which I learned in the Imperial Military Academy. It's an emergency measure but it helps things not get worse too quickly.

You've never been there!

I shall rest when I'm dead and as long as my king's goal is achieved I will have no regrets. After all, whenever I think of the future of retirement and making a harem suitable for a war hero my brain just revolts and dismisses the thought. Mares aren't the thing for me apparently. I live to serve.

All hail the super bad evil guy the King!

Weird... I must be really tired. Time for some more coffee.

[End Entry]

I look up at the castle glowing with defensive magic and feel a pang of guilt when I realize I'm glad it's not up to me to break through all of it. That's what unicorns are for and when they're done then my time will come. The princesses made a terrible mistake in barricading themselves inside and cutting their escape routes.

The magical assault is organized by Twilight who isn't participating personally but using her magic to spot new enemy unicorns switching with the tired ones and telling our soldiers where to focus their fire.

At least somepony is doing what they should.

Apparently I'm tired enough to begin hearing voices. Hearing isn't a problem as long as I don't listen so... I don't. I am in control.

"General Fading?" a pegasus interrupts my watching the smoke billowing out of the fortress.

"Yes?"

"The city is ours aside from the castle and there are some citizens claiming to be angry at the royals for hiding and not caring about the commoners and they want to help us get inside."

"Shove them to the brig. The king will deal with them when he has the time."

"Errr... one of them asked specifically for you."

"Me?"

"I mean she dropped the name Light and described you really well."

"You know that talking to our enemies can get you beheaded, right?"

"Sorry, sir."

"Guards, seize this-"

He did nothing wrong.

"-dutiful colleague of yours and take few hours off. Bring the prisoner to me before that."

The guard deserved some sort of punishment but dying for such a minor transgression would be a waste of resources. With our units crawling through the city I don't feel the need to punish the guard myself when I can always send him in the first wave when we finally decide to scale the castle walls.

My resolve to at least threaten the disobedient guar- soldier disappears when I recognize the visitor. Shaking my head to stop worrying about why I'm calling armed ponies guards instead of soldiers I look down at the bruised batpony. The red eyes make me shiver but I don't feel cold.

I feel... hungry.

This is a mirror image of the batpony king Sombra gave me to feed on after my injury aside from having only short stumps where wings would be. It's funny how the king's caring for his subjects shows in little ways. The batpony is almost my height, lean but muscular in the right places and her color scheme hurts the eye. She certainly physically isn't the type ponies would go crazy about as from my experience they prefer mares with a bit more backside and less crippled-back look.

Yet somehow the king knew I'd go exactly for the type when he gave her to me. Too bad she... broke.

Why is she just looking at me? I'm a soldier who survived the onslaught of a whole battery of unicorns. I survived a fatal injury albeit with the help of king Sombra himself. Why is this batpony looking at me sadly hurting so much?

I think it's worse for her.

Shut up, voice. You are just a figment or my imagination caused by exhaustion.

"What do you want from me?"

She nods at the soldiers around us.

"Just the two of us... please."

The guards aim their spears at her. I put my hoof in the air.

"It's fine. She can't be hiding a weapon on her."

The soldiers bow and leave us alone in the shadows of a small alley. After a while of waiting I notice she just keeps looking at me.

"So?"

"I'm just sad."

It's stupid of somepony provoking one of the highest ranked enemy soldiers by saying something this pointless but-

Comfort her!

"We have no reason to massacre the ponies who surrendered. For you as a normal citizen the situation probably won't change at all."

She giggles and I lean back in surprise.

"It's not that. I just wanted to see you."

"Me? Why? I'm just a-"

War hero? Sexiest stallion alive? Unstoppable supersoldier? A dream of every mare in the empire? Somehow none of those seem to fit in your head, isn't it right?

"Well, if you want some stress relief, a backrub or anything I'll be happy to spend time with you."

"Why?"

"I don't have anypony else... you killed my best friend."

"That makes no sense."

"No... I suppose it doesn't."

I feel a choking sensation around my neck and to my surprise it's not caused by her words. There's a necklace with the symbol of my cutie mark on it suddenly hanging there. It somehow feels right in its place so I don't question it and just take it off.

"Here, it's got my butt tattoo on it so if you show it to soldiers it will prove you belong to me at least for now and you should be safe."

She puts the necklace on and fumbles with it thoughtfully.

"Nothing can change you," she smiles to herself.

"I am general Fading Light, the unbreakable shield of the Empire. You got that one right, girl. Now run home and hide in the bed. I promise you things will be better tomorrow... or maybe next week when the king takes his rightful place."

"You know what? I actually believe you."

She leaves and I lean on the cool wall to clear my head a little.

"Heh. She has no idea how important she is," a female voice comes from the other end of the alley and then a small rock hits me.

A slim but tall hooded pony, presumably a pegasus due to her golden wings poking through her brown robe, is playing with another small rock.

"For Celestia!" she almost spits out and throws the rock at my face, "And her cake-filled fat ass!"

No matter how strange her battlecry is I recognize a troublemaker when I see one and I follow her through the alley. Not stopping after she clears a corner I get unpleasantly intimate with the best-looking rump I've ever seen and then a set of two hooves kissing me hard. In a daze I shake my head but the pegasus kicks me again from the side and before she begins running away a quiet 'thud' comes from the ground. I have trouble huffing out the pain because for a pegasus she had the leg strength of an earthpony on some serious steroids.

When I finally stop breathing heavily and my vision stops swaying she's nowhere to be seen. Following a pegasus is impossible for me anyway so I have a look around for some clues. The only thing I find is something I nearly step on.

It's a small and unremarkable journal that can be found in any store.

As a figment of your imagination I order you to read it.

I don't need a talking headache to tell me that.

You don't? I guess it's time to part ways then.

What?

All this time I was on the edge about which one of us should be in control of this body and, to be honest, most of the time I thought it should be me. Not that I could have done anything about it but you were a hopeless screw-up. Then you yelled at me that I should take over and do things better.

I don't remember any of that.

Obviously, now shut up! I'm making a vital decision here. That night made me think a lot and I realized you were right so I've been trying to help you instead of just complaining and hounding you for every failure. We were a good team and despite you deserving some good ass-kicking now and then I think you're a pretty decent guy now. Well... no. I KNOW you are a decent guy now. The little bat's devotion to you is unbelievable considering what you've done and for the first time I really believe you don't need me anymore to make things right.

What things?

All this time you've been unconsciously thinking about how to break the Element of Imprisonment but it isn't magic so it's impossible for you. It takes over the mind without a possibility of resistance AS YOU KNOW.

I don't-

You do, trust me. Ever since the minute you woke up on the torture table in Sombra's dungeon I've been working it out and I know a solution. The Element only takes away one mind so, as I said, the batty pony made me believe you don't need me anymore.

What are you talking about?

Just read the damn book!

One knows they have a mental problem when they begin listening to the voices coming from nowhere. I take the book to the room reserved for me during the siege and begin reading.

It doesn't take long. As soon as I get to the second page I realize that my other self is gone.

I'm now alone in my head and it's never felt emptier.

Losing Ground: Crystalsss

[Last Page]

Rats in the walls! I know I'm sitting in a tent but that doesn't mean there can't be rats small enough to live in the fabric! HAHA! I'll get them... later, later.

I have to deal with Sombra while I still can. Or I could tell the shadows to do it but whenever I talk to them they just stay silent and laugh at me.

THEY CAN DO IT SILENTLY!

Stupid book, doesn't know that shadows can taunt me without words.

Equestrian soldiers were useless as usual but they are now doing what they were born to do, the only thing they know how to do. I hope they enjoy serving as amusement for Sombra's forces because if they weren't so worthless it wouldn't be up to me to somehow think about how to stop him.

The princesses were useless and now they are chained like pets to the only guy who actually knows how to run a kingdom.

Sombra...

Heh, think about how to stop him up to me it is... words are funny like that. I can mix them all up and make things happen in my head.

Focus!

It's difficult to think straight right now... maybe I should think gay? Sombra and me, just two dudes one on the top and one on the bottom.

Right, I have to confront him. There's no time to prepare. Thanks, Luna! Maybe I'll lose and then I'll get my rest.

No rest for the wicked. Oh how wicked I am. How can anypony ever trust me anymore when I'm switching sides faster than a weather vane in a storm? Perhaps I'll just steal Sombra's mane conditioner supplies.

The horror, the horror.

Twilight told me Fluttershy is dead which means the crystal king is all alone. She was killed by the other Elements who are trying to stage a coup.

TRAITORS! ALL OF US. We're gonna get it when mom finds out.

Sombra must be getting desperate. Not enough forces, nowhere to return to.

Nowhere to turn to when everything seems to be crumbing under him... I know the feeling, your Majesty. I know it more than well.

Here, have a drink! It helps get to sleep. Maybe the morning...

I still wonder how the foal of a dragon and a pony looks like.

The shadows are creeping.

They don't know I have my tin foil hat ready!!!!!!!

Victory shall be mine.

Here, here, little bat. Vant to sook my blut?

[Last Page]

It's been a week since Canterlot castle fell and I partially have to admire Sombra's tactical genius which allowed him to take over easily after some royals including the head idiot Blueblood showed him secret underground passages to the castle known only to members of Celestia's family.

An unexpected turn of events came when we stormed the throne room to get Luna. After suffering heavy losses to the Nightguards refusing to surrender and fighting to the death we finally got through and found out that a part of the job had already been done for us. The moon princess' defensive magic was immensely powerful but with Twilight and Neighcronomicon in her hooves it fell immediately after we secured the area.

I could feel the presence of Nightmares disappearing from the room full of sleeping guards and Luna crying uncontrollably on the floor and apologizing repeatedly to her sister. My guess is that Guiding Light somehow got to know what Luna did to me without hearing the full story. One good thing about all that is that both my daughter and her little swarm are probably safe and far away from Canterlot. I just hope they don't go crazy and begin attacking ponies in revenge.

Well, that was the end of Canterlot resistance. With Luna stuck inside her head and Celestia in coma there was nopony for the defenders to turn to and aside from few incidents of single stragglers attacking Sombra's soldiers the city fell. It was then when I realized the difference between 'our' soldiers and city guards/Equestrian army.

Sombra's army is composed of soldiers from a world united by diplomacy at first and finished off by strength. Celestia's benevolent rule and peaceful negotiation with other countries wasn't a good tool to create real soldiers. Sombra's soldiers are ponies, griffons, minotaurs from all over the world who all have the king's name engraved into their heads. In short, even without magic the siege of Canterlot proved that it was a fight between war-hardened behemoths and a bunch of armed foals.

With the citizens of Canterlot almost untouched and not repressed in any way it wasn't a problem finding ponies to get Sombra's forces to the Crystal Empire. It was almost sad how an entire city state relied on magic for the restriction of physical access. I was sort of hoping they would have learned after last time but I was wrong. After the defensive barriers fell one by one to me and Twilight Sombra didn't even have to lift a hoof. It made me think whether this Equestria wouldn't actually benefit from having a ruler like that.

It probably would but I promised Chokey things would be better tomorrow... or maybe next week and I'm running behind schedule as it is. At least I have to try while I still remember what I have to do.

A boom of unseen magic resonates within the Crystal castle throne room. Nothing seems to have changed but the complete silence coming from outside defying the victory celebration proves something did happen. As if to answer my unspoken question Sombra speaks up.

"Right now, this room is back in my world. Thanks to Twilight's research and the remains of Corrupted Heart we won't have to walk home through the rift in Everfree. As long as the rift exists the linking spell will work just fine."

Twilight slightly bows at the praise. There's only the three of us inside the throne room.

"Aren't you afraid the other Elements will attack this place since we're home?" she asks.

Sombra shakes his head in obvious amusement.

"There is just one last thing missing and I'll deal with them personally. Is everything ready for the corruption ritual?"

"Our forces are scouring the city for any signs of resistance but your mere presence showed the crystal ponies their place. The alicorn of Love and my... her husband are locked in the dungeons so I guess the city is ours."

"Good. Secure the Crystal Heart then and get to work. You, general, make sure nopony tries to disrupt the effort."

"At once," I say and follow Twilight out of the throne room.

As soon as we clear the door the sounds from outside return and I grab Twilight's shoulder.

"Is there any chance your Element friends can get back inside and help me kill Sombra?"

Her eyes go wide when the realization dawns.

"What? How did you? That's impossible."

"I would explain but I don't think it matters. Just take it as if a series of very unlikely coincidences happened at the right time. Can you make sure nopony leaves or enters the room after I go back?"

"Only if you tell me how you broke free from the Element of Imprisonment. There are others I'd like to set free."

I shake my head.

"It probably won't help you but I think Luna's curse and my lack of sleep, coupled with Fluttershy's death, my being an Element bearer and a schizophrenic had something to do with it. I'm sorry but I don't think it's too useful."

"Most of those are mental conditions that can be simulated or caused by outer interference, thank you. If that's the case I might be able to bring my princess Celestia back."

"I still don't understand why you haven't killed Sombra yourself already. My destruction of the Corrupted Heart must have given you a good opportunity."

"You don't know much about my world and you underestimate the king. I could make his magic work against him but that wouldn't be enough. I might have more power thanks to the alicorn amulet, Neighcronomicon and the stolen Element of Magic but he's got centuries of experience in both magic and combat. Since your stopping him last time I've been trying to find a way to deal with him but I've got nothing. Even if by some coincidence I managed to kill him the nobles in the Empire and all influential citizens all over the world would try to grab more power. It would break our world apart and wars would begin again."

"I hate politics. I have to try and stop him while I still can."

"You are barely standing, what do you think you can do?"

"Who knows? I might get lucky."

"You are an idiot but if you somehow succeed and the media get to know Sombra got killed by an assassin from other world I might be able to take over the Empire. I have earned some respect from royal families which should support my claim, especially if I manage to help princess Celestia get better."

"Can you help me somehow?"

"Aside from keeping everypony from entering or leaving the room I can't. In truth I don't think you can win."

"Well, I'll either bash his skull in or he'll kill me and I'll get some sleep. Win-win, right?"

"I can't even begin to explain how wrong you are..."

"Then don't. It might make me nervous," I smile at her and go back through the door to the throne room.

The echo of the two slabs of crystal slamming shut booms ominously and then there's just me, swaying and breathing heavily, and the king sitting calmly on the throne.

Minutes pass with Twilight focusing on maintaining her barrier. There's nopony else in the long hall leading to the throne room and the eerie silence is getting on her nerves. She ponders she should have stopped Blazing Light but she knows there was nothing to say that would make him change his mind. Right now she's just waiting for the outcome with no illusions about what the result is going to be.

A black spark flies through the hall and catches her attention. A strange, cold feeling envelops her and she summons all three of her artefacts. The floating book opens, the red eyes of the alicorn depicted on her necklace begin glowing and a crown appears on her head.

An amused snort rings through the air and the magical aura around Twilight disappears with the black spark transforming into a black alicorn.

"You're the guy from last invasion," she assumes a defensive stance but her magic is refusing to work.

"Do not fret, young unicorn," says Void.

"What do you want?"

"I am here to present you with a choice."

Twilight narrows her eyes but Void continues unphased.

"You may have noticed that there is only one being still alive in the room behind you, your barrier is preventing me from seeing who it is though. No! Do not dispel your magic yet. Normally I would not have interfered but there is a pony inside to whom I owe my current happiness and I intend to give something back."

"The king has dealt with an alicorn already."

Void just smiles again.

"That is of no consequence as my business is not with him but with you. Your power is dangerous, more dangerous than his and with all respect to my friend I am going to make his world safe from you."

"You want to kill me?" snarls Twilight but with her magic failing repeatedly there's very little she can do.

"That is... one way this can go if you choose so."

"Choose?"

"Yes. I will be returning the Element of Magic to its rightful owner no matter what. I could of course end your existence but I feel that would be a waste of somepony so talented. The choice presented to you is this - you can give me the Element willingly and I will limit your ability to use magic. In case Blazing Light won against Sombra you will not need either of those with your experience and your friends which Blazing himself set free from Sombra's rule. If Sombra won then this world will be safe from him at least until the Element of Magic changes sides eventually which is not going to happen for millenia."

"That would screw my world over completely! In case you didn't know YOUR Celestia caused that all we have are the evil Elements of Harmony."

"You are thinking about this the wrong way. Ponies in your world are strong thanks to the Elements making sure every bit of good is much more precious than here in this peaceful world where every evil influence is much more rare but destructive. I also believe that your bearer friends would scoff at you calling them evil."

"Are you saying the worlds aren't imbalanced thanks to the Elements?"

"It was Scream's insanity which set all this in motion, the Elements had nothing to do with it."

"So... what if I refuse?"

"I am taking the Element one way or the other and giving it back to princess Twilight who is currently hiding in the old castle in the Everfree forest with all other bearers from this world. Your choosing this path will result in peace for you and your old mentor."

"I won't do that. If I die and Sombra is still alive, and let's face it - there's no way the wreck of a pony who challenged him won, then there will have to be somepony to try and stop him. With the Elements united we might be able to do it this time."

Twilight takes off her crown and hands it to Void who makes it disappear in a burst of black fire.

"The rift will disappear shortly after your magic fails and every being from your world will return to the place from where the rift originated. Same goes for anypony who might have passed through from our side."

"Can you somehow help us? With this you're taking away my only chance of eventually dethroning Sombra by force."

"As I said - Blazing Light gave you your friends back and you should draw your strength from them. I am just paying back my debt to him."

"So what happens now?"

Void touches Twilight's horn with his own and small black cracks begin spreading through the purple bone.

"It might not seem it from what I did but I wish you all the best in your future. Perhaps your new path will bring you more than your old one."

A headache makes Twilight slowly lie down on the crystal floor and before she passes out she's able to make out a soft, sweet breeze enveloping her.

"General Fading Light, I though I gave you your orders," Sombra raises his eyebrow when I step back into the throne room.

"Can it, marebelline mane!" I enjoy taunting the king a bit.

"I would ask how but I honestly don't care. I guess you're here to fight me or something similarily pointless but it's too late for that."

"You're underestimating me, mage!"

A cloud of black dust swirling around the throne is the only clue to the pain in my side and my rapid involuntary kissing one of the walls.

"You are nothing! You stand here with no idea why I let you get this far," Sombra rolls his eyes while slowly walking from the spot where I got thrown from back to the throne.

I try to focus but it's just too hard. In my state I can't identify his magic fast enough to counter it and it dawns on me that his knowledge might rival Luna's meaning my power is mostly useless.

"Finally realizing how insignificant you are?" Sombra laughs, "Were you actually thinking you got here with YOUR power? You are just a nopony who accidentally became important to me without knowing anything."

"What?" I croak from the ground, unable to even stand up.

"After you stopped me last time I had Twilight scrying day and night to find out more about you."

"Why?"

"I want your body."

"I already have a marefriend."

To my surprise Sombra actually chuckles.

"Enjoy your games while you can. You are right where I want you. I will soon pry you out of your magical shell and use it to do great things."

"It's just a body Scream made for me because mine got damaged and I had to send it back to the shop. They didn't even give me store credit, bastards."

Sombra stomps the ground at me saying 'just a body'.

"You ignorant waste of oxygen! Why did Scream waste her power by giving it to YOU?"

"What's so special about my body then?"

"Your little brain probably doesn't know this but there is no way to achieve immortality outside of being an alicorn. Your body is the pinnacle of defensive magic left behind by the alicorn of Life which is the closest a mortal pony can get. There hasn't ever been a magic user powerful enough outside of Scream to create it but she's never even entertained the thought of allowing her student access to that kind of power."

"I hate to break it to you but I'm definitely not immortal even in this thing."

"Somepony of my power and knowledge would be able to use the body to full extent compared to a commoner like you. I'd have to drain lifeforce from a pony from time to time to recharge the magic in it but my survivability would rival the one of alicorns."

"Well, too bad it's mine then."

"Not for long. Your princess Luna's curse made you a little bit confused, didn't it? Weak in the head? Tired? I can't risk breaking the body in its weakest state but soon I'll be able to just scoop out your little mind and take over."

"Thanks, Luna..."

I silently curse my giving Betty to Chokey. I know the body isn't resistant to Elements so I could have broken it with this new information. This way I'm just going to give Sombra a path to immortality.

"Well, I wanted to use you a while more but since you've revealed yourself already I'm not going to wait for your brain to melt completely."

He doesn't bother teleporting me to him and just enjoys my groaning when an invisible force picks me up by the neck and forcefully drags me to him. At least even the memory of Canterlot gardens it brings is warmer than the numbness spreading through my legs. I try to twitch my head but can't move at all and then his horn touches the crystal stuck in my forehead which shatters from the stream of power coursing through it.

Sombra's body lifelessly keels over and the purple runes on the changeling's body begin glowing with unprecedented strength. Cracks of the same color begin spreading from them throughout the chitin and finally the glow dies completely.

King Sombra wakes up.

He isn't surprised by the fact that he's in a body of a bronze-coated unicorn because it just shows his mind was strong enough to take over and activate the magical body. He shakes off the crumbling remains of the changeling shell.

He tries to take a step forward and falls to the ground again.

Then one of his front legs begins hitting him in the face. For a moment he regrets not waiting for Blazing Light to die away completely but this is just a temporary setback.

Then his other front leg begins punching his ribs.

Still, there is very little damage a dying soul can inflict to the ultimate defensive spell. He can feel the power coursing through him and while a lesser being wouldn't be able to use the body his magic is enough to access the power even this soon after its activation.

He decides to finish things off. Using a visualisation spell on his own mind is unorthodox but he's decided to eradicate the remains of the previous owner.

Everything blurs and he's suddenly standing in complete darkness.

"Come out and let me wipe you out completely," says Sombra calmly.

"Okay," comes from nowhere and a bronze unicorn with broken horn appears.

He scratches his head at the situation and when his hoof touches the remaining half of his horn he rolls his eyes.

"It's been a while since I saw this body. Where are we and why am I a unicorn again?"

"This is a visualisation of my mind good enough to help me get rid of the little pieces of your broken psyche and get my body back completely. You see yourself as you believe yourself to be. Coincidentially it's the same form Scream's spell reverted the body into," explains Sombra. He has no problem gloating a bit at the failing remains of his victim.

"Great... even in my own head I can't believe I'm a unicorn."

"You really are a stain on the unicorn race."

"You sound like my dad. I regret not punching the bugger in the face myself."

"Blah blah, get out of my head! I have worlds to rule."

"Nope. I have to thank you though. I don't know what will happen to me thanks to Luna's curse but you got to the only place where I can actually fight you."

"Fight me? Don't be silly. The little fractured remains of yourself after over a week of lack of sleep have no power."

"Fractured?"

Another Blazing Light appears next to the one talking.

Then another... and another.

Suddenly all the eye can see is darkness filled with bronze unicorns with sandy-blonde manes.

They all speak at once.

"Every little bit of paranoia, every reason for self-hate, every regret is here. None of us will have a problem disappearing thanks to Luna because all of us believe the world will be a little better place but we can take you down together."

Sombra tries to use magic but nothing happens.

"You've entered a mind full of weaknesses. You, the genius of combat and magic, can't have an idea how to turn weakness into strength."

And then there's only one body left alive in the throne room with no mind to occupy it.

Broken Horn And Torn Wings

Seven changelings led by a blue-eyed young queen descended towards a small town on the edge of the Everfree forest. Contrary to most of the places in Equestria this settlement was surrounded on all sides by wooden fortifications and the two guards keeping watch by a wooden gate looked a bit more scarred than the usual sort. They tensed up when they spotted the visitors but there wasn't any attempt at closing the town gate or calling for reinforcements.

With thin layer of snow crunching under their hooves the changelings approached the guards carefully, ready to either take flight again or strike down an attacker. They could feel the guards' fear but they were nervous as well. When they got close enough the guards raised their spears resulting in the queen taking a step back and all other changelings creating a half-circle around the gate. The standoff under grey sky full of uncertainty began.

"F-f-f-friend or foe?" asked one of the guards.

The changelings exchanged glances. Some of them hadn't wanted to leave their respective homes after being called by their queen but nonetheless most of them were here right now and ready to wreak havoc on anypony deserving it. They had heard the story about what happened to their king but they also remembered his wish for them to join the society and be something other than just predators.

"Friend," said the queen after a moment of hesitation.

"What is the reason for your visit... friends?" said the more scarred and experienced guard.

"Does your town need somepony to do odd jobs around the place or help guarding it at night?"

The guard waved his hoof towards the wooden fortifications.

"This is the Everfree forest and we could always use strong lads to help out here and there. Follow me!"

Walking to the town hall, the queen felt the gazes full of suspicion from the townsfolk. One thing the Nightmares had advantage in over normal changelings was that inherent fear all around sustained them and after all they had survived they weren't keen on not using an offered opportunity.

"I must admit I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome," said the queen in complete honesty.

"Princess Celestia and queen Chrysalis signed a peace treaty last week and armed forces aren't supposed to attack changelings on sight anymore. Any changelings seeking their place are to be given a chance but kept under supervision."

"Would it be too much to ask to keep our presence here a secret from the royals?"

"We're going to the town hall to see the mayor. He will handle your situation. A smart guy like him will find a use for you and there are some free houses after some of our neighbours got drafted in the army and failed to return."

"Thank you for giving us a chance."

The guard just smiled and ushered them inside an official looking building where a clerk sat the changelings down and led the queen towards an office with another armed pony outside of it. As the door opened before her the young queen knew she'd have to make sacrifices to make this place a home but she wasn't going to let her chance go to waste.

She was going to guide her subjects towards a better future.

With a temporary wooden bridge protected by wards and spells now crossing the Ghastly Gorge it didn't take long even for somepony without wings to reach a messy clearing in the Everfree forest. Aside from broken trees and deep scars crossing the ground this place didn't look in any way special. A casual visitor, if there was any, would more likely visit an old castle nearby or the ancient city not so much further.

For the wingless batpony slowly plodding through the snow this place was far more significant than any of the others. Like many batponies or pegasi she wasn't used to traversing long stretches of land on hoof but she was slowly getting used to it, not that she had a choice in the matter. Choking Darkness knew she was being watched but she didn't care too much.

"Huh?" she mumbled to herself when she noticed a set of hoof tracks in the snow with the same direction as her in mind.

Then she smiled. There were only two ponies who would have a reason for coming here and one of them could teleport. Her destination was close so she decided to run through the chilly air to get the blood flowing. She wasn't surprised when she reached a flattened area filled with debris and charred scratches deep in the ground and saw a white earthpony with blue mane and blue patches of fur around his hooves.

The earthpony was just standing there in silence and looking at a statue of his size depicting an armored batpony holding a shield and a spear. At the statue's legs there was an ornately bound bouqet of flowers which contrasted strangely with a bunch of random weed held together by green blob in an attempt to imitate it.

"Heya, Heavy!" she waved at the earthpony, shining light into his well of memories.

"Hello, commander," Heavy Hoof smiled back and waved as well.

There was no reason for either of them to ask why the other one was here so Choking just pointed at the strange bunch of nettles and branches of small bushes. Heavy grinned.

"Queen Chrysalis was here when I came and she felt bad when she saw what I brought."

Then his smile faded replaced by a thoughtful expression and he looked back at the batpony statue.

"Do you think he's in a better place now?" Heavy asked slowly.

"No," Choking shook her head.

Heavy lowered his head.

"That's not what I needed to-"

"He can't be in a better place because I've never seen him happier than when he was with you. You're here and he isn't so..."

Heavy sighed and turned away.

"At least he's doing what he loved - protecting something important."

"The peace between changelings and ponies to be exact. I doubt Chrysalis would have been so willing to accept the offer if he hadn't saved her during the fight here."

"Let's go back," Heavy smiled again, "I don't think Sharp would have wanted to see us freeze here."

"Maybe he'd like two other frozen-solid ponies to keep him company."

Both friends laughed and left the silent guardian of peace alone. Neither of them was aware of a third pair of eyes watching them walk away. When they left her sight the one true changeling queen hiding in the shadows turned away as well. She didn't feel anything towards the bat guard personally but his act had allowed her to accept Celestia's proposal without seeming weak. That in itself had given her the chance to save what little remained of her swarm or at least decrease the threats to it. A little offering of flowers and a safe passage to anypony deciding to visit his memorial was the least she could do to pay him back.

Choking and Heavy were heading towards the Ponyville train station to catch a ride back to Canterlot when something grabbed Choking's attention. She let Heavy go on by himself while watching a blue pony with grey mane run out of a large building and begin barking happily at everypony around and rolling in snow. Unconsciously her hoof touched the necklace she was wearing.

Sombra's army had disappeared without a trace two diplomacy and action filled weeks ago. Both princesses were still in recovery and right now it was Twilight Sparkle who had been observing the rift during the invasion who was responsible for important decisions in governing Equestria. None of that mattered to Choking right now because she was standing still and curiously watching the building with large letters above the main entrance reading Ponyville Mental Institution.

She didn't know what she was looking for. She didn't know if there actually was anything to look for but when she turned her head she caught a glimpse of something in one of the reinforced windows. By the looks of it the building was partially a mental asylum and partially a recovery resort for those suffering temporary breakdowns which meant that aside from the prison-esque building there was a huge open space around it filled with greenery and other things pleasing the eye. The interest in being outside was slightly dampened by the weather but there still were few nurses pushing wheelchairs and talking to their occupants.

The window which caught Choking's attention was one of the heavily secured ones but nopony was trying to stop her when she approached the side of the building and looked up to the second floor. A shadow passed the window when she was trying to focus and disappeared. She shook her head but she was on vacation by order of Luna herself so she had enough time to walk inside the building.

"Visiting somepony?" asked a pleasant male voice when she stopped by the reception counter.

"Hm?"

"Visiting a friend? There were some guards admitted here after recent events," a doctor-looking brown unicorn asked and pointed to the Nightguard badge Choking was used to wearing no matter the situation.

"I... just thought I saw somepony familiar around here."

"Do you want a tour? During this time of the year there are mostly just long-term patients here so while a lot of our nurses got sent out to hospitals to help with PTSD patients there still isn't too much to do and I could use a break from all the paperwork."

"No patients and too much paperwork?" Choking raised an eyebrow.

"You have no idea about bureaucracy, young lady. It has no connection with actual reality," the doctor smiled.

"Alright, thanks for the offer."

She didn't notice the doctor observing her carefully as she led the way upstairs and examined all the doors. The doctor stopped in front of one indistinguishable from the others.

"This is our newest inmate. A bit of a mystery if you ask me. Guards found him wandering on the edge of Everfree forest few days ago, starving. They said he wasn't agressive or anything and just began following them so they led him here."

He unlocked the door and Choking stepped into a small room where she froze and her eyes went wide at the sight of a unicorn with broken horn cowering in the corner.

"Do-do you know what happened to him?" she asked carefully.

"When he got here I diagnosed him with a severe case of... a lot of things. I don't want to bother you with medical mumbo-jumbo so I'll just say his symptoms resembled somepony suffering from serious lack of sleep - paranoia, hallucinations and so forth. When that happens the brain just sort of begins eating itself."

"He doesn't seem that bad."

"Well, when he came here we gave him something to eat and he spent about two days straight sleeping and he doesn't have a problem with it right now so whatever bothered him must be gone."

"So... are you saying he's okay?"

"Did I say that? No. If I was right in my diagnosis then the damage he's suffered is permanent or at least very long-lasting."

He looked at the shaking bronze unicorn in the corner.

"I gave him a complete physical and outside of his head he seemed fine and in great shape... well, almost starved to death of course."

"Hmmm," Choking said carefully and took few steps towards the obviously terrified figure.

The doctor stepped out of the door to the hall and watched the duo, careful for the patient not to see him.

It didn't take long for the unicorn to stand up, walk up to the batpony visitor and lick the stumps of her wings. It didn't seem a sexual thing to the doctor, more like an animal seeing one of its kind in pain and trying to help. The last thing the doctor needed to see was that the batpony guard just stood there and let that happen. He walked back in and the unicorn patient just sat down and cast his blank stare at the floor again.

"Do you know him?"

"No," Choking answered immediately.

"I am a trained psychologist, miss."

Choking smiled to herself. What would happen if Luna, Twilight or Heavy found out? What would happen if she kept coming here to visit from time to time? What was waiting for her in the guard?

"A life for a life," she muttered to herself.

"Miss?" asked the doctor.

"Nothing. On a completely unrelated note - you said you were understaffed. Do you need a nurse... or a bouncer?"

The doctor smiled.

"I think I could think of something. After some training you might even get a patient into personal care."

"Is there a chance, you know, he'll recognize me one day?"

"You said you didn't know him."

"You said you were a trained psychologist."

"Touche, miss. Truth be told, I don't know."

"There's always hope, right?"

"One in a million."

"Yea... he is."

Losing Confidence: Vision

The black batpony woke up somewhere she had been before and immediately corrected herself that she wasn't awake yet. She was standing in front of a cave entrance made of pure black, a hole into a reality which she wasn't expecting to be visiting ever again. Regardless of expectations here she was and while worrying wasn't her thing she had no idea whether to be scared or not but she remembered her last visit here and Void's words.

'She' was waiting and knew about the batpony's presence. To be precise, it was the owner of this place who brought the batpony here.

Choking Darkness passed through the sheet of black without making it ripple and looked around the cavern just to see a familiar piles of bones and two figures greeting her. Well, one was sleeping or in a coma if that was possible to conclude from the pile of black fur slowly burning with ethereal black-purplish fire. The other figure, a golden alicorn with white mane was waving her to come closer to her.

Choking would have been much happier if things were the other way around but, as said before, she had little choice in being called here.

"Scream," Choking nodded her head to acknowledge the waving alicorn but there was very little friendliness in her voice.

"Good to see you again," Scream kept smiling despite Choking's cold tone.

"I don't mean to be rude but what the buck do you want? I know you immortals don't think ponies have any real long-term memory but you were defeated about three days ago."

"I talked... and did other things to Void which left him a bit tired, he might not wake up for few weeks but I haven't felt this happy in eons. I'm rambling a bit, ehm. So after him telling me everything and me using my special sight I see it fit to give you a reward for the role you played in all this."

"Huh, what are you talking about? I just let Void sleep in my apartment for two days before we headed to Tartarus," the batpony grew more suspicious with every second.

"I see, you haven't talked to Blazing Light yet. Just ask him about what happened to him in his reality then when you wake up."

"How can I trust you that you aren't trying to plot something against him to get revenge for ruining your plan to destroy princess Celestia?"

"Because I have everything I wanted right here, little bat. You can be angry for what I did and I still think Celestia should have suffered the fate I had in store for her but I'm willing to leave her alone as long as she doesn't bother me. Back to your reason for being here though - your self from Blazing's reality did something which led to the favorable result of my actions here and I wish to offer you a unique opportunity."

"Alright, what is it?" asked Choking, still suspicious but curious at the same time.

"My magic prowess coupled with my natural connection to lust and desires of all creatures gives me a very special sight and while I can't use the ability to see into the future for myself I can give you the opportunity."

"Haven't you just said that you used it after you talked things through with Void?"

"My sight reaches far and wide but my future is off limits to me. The past in another reality was possible to see with enough guidance pertaining where to look."

"Couldn't you, I don't know, just make me super hot, rich and immortal?" asked Choking nervously.

"Actually yes, I could. I just thought you might want something more precious than that."

Choking paused. If Scream was to be trusted and that was a big if then she might have a chance at knowing something nopony else would know. If this was some Scream's scheme again then what? She couldn't run away from this place and she had no doubt Scream would have done whatever evil stuff she wanted without inviting Choking to her dream dimension.

"This will not make me see thousand years into the future, right? I mean it would be cool but somewhat useless."

"No. The knowledge you'll recieve will be connected to you and ponies tied to you."

"Okay, I'm in. What do I have to do?"

"Lie down. In case you see something you don't like you might fall down."

Choking crossed her front legs under her muzzle and felt the soft carpet rub her belly. When the golden alicorn came closer she closed her eyes and felt Scream's horn touch her forehead. The situation was exactly the same as when she retrieved Void's soul from its hiding place in Tartarus.

A tree from wood which looks like stone with carvings of six familiar cutie marks. The scene shifts. The changeling queen ordering the ranks of her subjects to retreat from hordes of ponies, griffons, minotaurs and some mechanical creations resembling unicorns pouring from a rift in space. No matter the changeling combat prowess and the raw magical power of their queen, the swarm begins to leave what looks like a pony city with buildings repaired by globs of green goo. The last thing to see is the desperate changeling queen lowering her head in front of a tarnished golden statue of an alicorn with black streaks in her coat creating look similar to changeling plates.

A dark-grey batpony armed with a spear and wearing Nightguard armor holding his own against an alicorn... no, a changeling with red crystal where a horn would be and wings resembling those of a phoenix. The insignia of the highest Nightguard rank possible and the bronze color of the changeling's chitin leave no doubt about who the two actors are. For a moment the batpony seems to be winning only to have his body skewered from behind by a multitude of swords appearing from a distortion in reality controlled by an orange magical glow.

A silouhette sitting in a room of what looks like a normal cheap hotel looking at a knife held in his hooves. After an eternity filled with silence the figure slits its throat with the knife, staining the floor. Then a green gleam passes over the figure which twitches and sits back up. It shakes its head and uses the knife again, letting what happened seconds before happen again. The figure casts a look at a bed in the corner of the room with a small black rectangle lying on it and after a moment of hesitation uses the knife for the third time. This time it doesn't get back up.

A small village on the edge of what looks to be the Everfree forest where a pony is talking to an undisguised changeling drone. Two guards, one pegasus and one changeling, patrolling side to side through the streets. A purple alicorn, warily talking to the queen of changelings who is curiously looking around. Two changeling queens facing one another with the smaller one with sapphire blue eyes bowing.

A midnight blue alicorn, shaking on the ground and covering her head with the blue-eyed queen snarling and baring her sharp teeth at her, murder in her glowing eyes. The threatening atmosphere disappears with Luna being replaced by a black alicorn with burning golden eyes who bows before the queen and then wraps his front legs around her. "You were given a chance at a high price. Do not waste it pointlessly, others need you," says a deep voice.

Choking Darkness woke up again, this time in her own bed. A new day was dawning and she had places to be so she didn't linger on the dream which was slowly burning away in the sunlight entering the room from the window opened by her hooves. Not that she didn't care about it but there were others more qualified for dealing with such situations and Scream's trustworthiness was questionable so she made a mental note to talk to princess Luna when she had time and let the new day take her.

Blazing Light twitched and suddenly sat up when his nose picked up the smell of fresh bread, butter and batpony. Two of those were lying on a plate on the bedside table and one of them was right on the bed. Not even morning Blazing needed more than two attempts to identify which was which.

"Why am I all sticky?" he asked when he managed to unglue his mouth, surprisingly not stuck only by his drool.

"You were sticking your face where it didn't belong at first but it found its place in the end."

"Oops, sorry. Did I spill anything from the fridge?"

"Not the fastest in the morning, are ya?" Choking smiled and wiggled her hips suggestively.

"Oh!" Blazing's eyes suddenly shot up and he pulled the blanket to his neck.

"A bit too late for that, is it now?"

"I-I... was I that bad?" he smiled nervously.

"Ya might have foals, kids, larvae or whatever changelings call them but ya need some serious pointers."

"Oh." Blazing looked down at his hooves still holding the blanket.

"I think I'll remember that night for a while though."

"Oh sweet Celestia, what did I do?"

"Ya did what nopony else has done before. Ya tried to make me feel good instead of yourself. Just for that I think ya deserve a second chance... and third, fourth and then we'll see," she stuck out her tongue at him.

"Soooo... not mad?" Blazing explored the distant possibility.

"What? Why? You weren't by far the worst I've ever had. As a reward, ya got a breakfast in bed."

"Thanks! What's with the sandwich then?"

Choking looked around, confused. Then it clicked.

"Har har, mister changeling. Don't ya dare invoke some love-eating just so ya can avoid my cooking."

"You call that sandwich cooking? That's like comparing a dropped bit hitting the ground to a Smashing Apples concert."

Looking hurt for a second, Choking swallowed her remark and then remembered Blazing wasn't too keen on her kind of music. Yet he still thought of her enough to make a reference she could identify with.

"Awww that was so nice. I'll take you to one so ya know what you're talking about."

"I can't win, can I?" Blazing rolled his eyes.

"Nope! Marefriends always win and have the last word, Blaze."

A not too unhappy whimper from the bronze changeling was her only answer as she bit into the sandwich.

"Soooo?" he asked when she was done messing up the bed with bread crumbs.

"So what?"

"What do I do now?"

"Ya could just slip back into training the guard recruits. They might grumble a bit but as long as nopony talks about what ya did too much then ya should be okay."

"Well, it's been over a year for me. Nevermind, I could complain but that would just make it worse, wouldn't it?"

"No," she put her forelegs on Blazing's shoulders, "If ya feel bad about something then we can wait until the princesses decide what to do with your changelings. Technically ya are a king of a different nation so that makes my apartment a Nightmare changeling embassy."

"You're messing with me."

"Yep! And I'm enjoying it immensely. Ya think they'll call what we did yesterday diplomatic relations?"

A bronze face turned into an unhealthy green one.

*Knock knock*

"SALVATION!" yelled Blazing, picked up the platter where the breakfast was and went to the kitchen.

Opening the apartment door revealed four ponies wearing Royal Guard armor.

"What's going on?" asked Choking.

"The princesses ask for your presence."

"Wow, both of them?" joked Blazing.

"All four of them."