Many hands make light work. -John Heywood

One week.

That was how long Karl and Sun had gone without seeing any kind of sentient being besides each other. Not that Karl was surprised. After all, this wasn’t like his own highly urbanised country where you couldn’t walk two steps without encountering someone else.

“How far is it again to the village?” asked Sunny

“I don’t know. Without any landmarks, I can’t possibly hope to calculate how far we’ve already walked.”

Truth be told, the maps of this region found in Hoovetown were lacking to say the least, not even containing the name of the village to which they were heading. When he asked Sunny about this, she said it was because there wasn’t anyone in town that updated that kind of information.

Karl had become bored, and when he got bored, he would either try and prank Sunny or talk to her. Seeing as he couldn’t come up with a good prank at the moment, talking it would be.

“Say Sunny, you’re the sister of Fair Flight, right?

“If you mean the stallion you used to leverage my sister-in-law, then yes.”

It had been rather awkward when the two learnt of their indirect connection. Despite the revelation, Sunny seemed rather nonchalant about the entire affair. Almost creepily so.

“Yeah, I already apologized to the three of you. We’re cool, right?”

He heard her chuckle slightly.

“Yeah, we’re cool. After all, you did treat him well and from what I heard from Quick Service, you were quite nice to her, so no hard feelings… and I really liked your punishments for the local snobs.”

“That’s good to hear. So anyway… you got your eyes on a guy?”

Karl was grasping at straws here. He had already used up most of his ideas for small-talk, and this was the only subject he could think of that had any semi-rational connection to the conversation.

“You mean a stallion?”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Uhm… not exactly. Good stallions are hard to find these days. Stallions in general have been becoming lesser in number, and most of them are cocky bastards whose brains are led by their dicks.”

“Way to sum it up.” Karl commented, humoured by her blunt way of putting it.

“It’s true! Definitely in the bigger cities! If you want to find the big snobs go to Canterlot. Dear Celestia, I have been there just once, and let me tell you this: never again!”

Ar the mention of the Princess’ name Karl scowled, but Sunny seemed too preoccupied with her rant to notice.

“Yeah, big cities are always infested with those guys.” Karl replied lamely, not that he could really talk about it, seeing as he had never met a wealthy individual in his life and barely set foot in large cities. He did wonder how this ‘Canterlot’ looked though. He knew it was the capital, but he knew little beyond that and the apparent fact that lots of snobbish aristocrats lived there. Perhaps he could pry for some information.

“Hey, while we’re on the subject, do you think could you tell me a little more about Canterlot?”

For the next half hour, Karl got lectured about Canterlot’s history from its origins to the modern day society. Karl was honestly surprised at the extent of Sunny’s knowledge. He had expected a brief account, not an entire history lesson, but hey; it was a great time killer and he had learnt a lot of valuable information.

“So the blue… Alicorn…”

That was a close one, he had almost called her “blue bitch” again.

“…got imprisoned for a thousand years on the moon because she wanted to bring forth eternal night.”

“You’ve got it. Princess Luna only returned just under two years ago.”

‘And already she’s pulling shit like trying to change me in a pony’ Kael thought bitterly. He would have felt a lot more sympathy for the lunar princess if she hadn’t done that and then incinerated the left side of his face.

“And what does this ‘Princess of the Night’ do exactly?”

“She rules Equestria during the night while her sister sleeps and guards ponies’ dreams.”

There it was again: “ponies”. Not once had he heard a mention of another race. Given the existence of Diamond Dogs, Karl already knew that there were intelligent creatures aside from ponies and it was hard to imagine that none of them could be found mingling with ponies. Unless, of course, the Equestrians were on equally bad terms with all of their non-pony neighbours.

“You know, Sunny, I’ve only ever heard you talk about ponies. Aren’t there any other species that you would run into in the cities?”

“Well, they are rare to find, but an occasional gryphon, horse and zebra does appear from time to time. I even heard that Twilight Sparkle, that’s the personal student of princess Celestia, has a baby dragon who she almost treats as a brother.”

Karl mulled this over in his head.

‘A dragon? That can’t be right. Oh, who am I kidding; I’m walking through a magical land filled with talking ponies. Why am I so surprised?’

Even so, the thought of a dragon living in a house was strange for Karl. It wasn’t exactly something he could readily visualise.

“I thought dragons were giant, fire breathing reptiles who preferred to live in solitude?”

“Well, they say princess Celestia found the unhatched egg in the forest and Twilight Sparkle managed to make it hatch and they adopted him.”

Karl found it a strange idea and wrong. If his mythology was at all accurate, dragons were proud, highly destructive and greedy. In other words, nothing at all like a pet bunny. Having such a beast comingling with the rather feeble pony race seemed absolutely skewed. Upon maturity it would either end up wreaking wanton destruction or completely unprepared for the austerity of the outside world.

Ugh. He was getting distracted. Why did he care about the drake anyway? Why did he give a drake he had never seen before so much thought? Perhaps because he secretly feared that sooner or later it would stand in his way.

Karl was wont to delve deep into his thoughts when subjected to excessive monotony, and that’s exactly what was happening now. He began to examine his motives.

Karl was unnerved by ponies because of their magic, but certainly not intimidated. What fuelled his burning dislike for them was the realization that their doctrines of peace and tolerance were only meant to be expressed towards each other. While Karl could almost understand their dislike of him individually, the ponies’ blatant bigotry against seemingly all other species was downright despicable.

Karl glanced at Sunny who was hovering at shoulder height scanning the forest curiously, unaware of the sinister thoughts that were swirling in her new boss’ head.

He felt bad for her, nearly, but not quite, regretting the fact his plans were proceeding exactly as he had intended; giving the ponies just enough information to make them think he was simply helping the dogs in rebellion, making himself look at least vaguely benevolent, while in reality this seemingly small action was only a piece of a vaster plan to grind the Equestrian state into the ground.

Surely a dishonest tactic, but after all he was fighting a dishonest foes. Karl’s mind spun, attempting to rationalise his actions and quell any apprehensions.

He possessed a body that was extremely powerful and could neutralize magic, whilst it also died by absorbing magic, he possessed the loyalty of perhaps a good two hundred Diamond dogs or so, and he possessed a more cunning mind than his foes.

The ponies on the other hand had control of an entire army, two almighty half-gods as leaders, a vast supply of resources, greater knowledge of this world than he and more allies that they could call upon should they require it. It might just be a matter of personal perspective, but he found the odds were heavily in favor of the ponies. Some treachery here and there was necessary to impact the greater good.

Still Karl did not like doing this: it reminded him too much of what other people did to him when he was younger, lying to and cheating him with the aim of bringing about an even greater loss or humiliation. He despised those people, he hated them and for a long time Karl did not think it was possible for him to hate something with a greater passion. Even though he was differently motivated, Karl’s conscience continued to trouble him.

He hoped they reached the prison quickly so he could send Sunny back home and stop this masquerade. Truth be told, he now found his decision to bring her along to inspire a certain amount of guilt, but what else was he supposed to do? Rover’s words were true: he needed a partner that at least knew this world a bit better than he, and between a Diamond dog and a pony, a pony would be the best choice: a pony would more easily obtain information without attracting unwanted attention. The general mutual dislike between ponies and Diamond Dogs made him unsure whether a Diamond dog would be treated very kindly. It would certainly do nothing to improve his own image, especially if word of the events at Hoovetown had managed to spread.

He realized that even with her he was taking a huge risk, but a necessary one. Without her being capable of buying supplies he would need to resort to stealing and not only was he not a skilled thief, his new body was one easily recognizable. Yes, his whole plan was to get himself thrown in prison, but he wanted to make sure it was the correct prison.

Besides, he didn’t truly trust the company of any ponies other than Sunny.

He remained deep in thought until Sunny suddenly shook his right shoulder.

“Karl, look! An inn! We can get a good night’s rest there. Besides, those clouds up ahead do not predict anything good.”

Karl looked at the darkened skies up ahead and indeed those clouds did not predict pretty weather.

“You mean you can get a good night’s rest and I get to sleep outside.”

“What? You can’t be seriously considering staying outside in such a storm!” Sunny exclaimed.

“Do you honestly think that the innkeeper is going to allow me to stay?! I mean no offense, but most of you ponies don’t take kindly to other races, particularly not those that just wandered out of the Everfree.”

Sunny hated to admit it, but he was right. Just the sight of him he would probably start a panic in the inn. She sighed, exasperated, but gave in to his argument.

“Fine. I guess we’d better start searching for a place to sit the storm out.”

She was however halted by a firm “No”, to which she responded with a questioning look.

“You sleep in the inn and I shall search a spot to sleep outside. You have some bits in your bag, which should be enough for room and board.”

“I can’t do that! Not with you sleeping…” She was silenced by Karl putting his left claw over her mouth.

“No complaining! Besides, inns are often times places with a lot of stories. You should try prying for some information about Ironhoof and the prison. Even if they let me in, my presence certainly wouldn’t aid in that endeavour.”

Sunny nodded and he pulled his claw away from her mouth.

“How long do we stay?”

“Get a room for the rest of the day. We’ll meet back here in the morning and get out before anyone has the chance to remember you.”

“Alright. Stay safe Karl.”

“You too Sunny!”

With that, the two separated. Karl did not particularly like leaving Sunny alone, partially because he felt he was putting her at risk, partially out of fear of her ratting on him, but he figured he would put some trust in her. Perhaps she would learn something useful in the inn.

However, now was not the time to think about such things: both the evening and the storm were fast approaching.

‘Damn. You’d think they were aiming these storms at us… Actually that’s not unlikely.’ he mused to himself.

He went deeper and deeper in the forest looking for a cave or some sort of overhand where sit out the storm, but unfortunately failed to find anything at all.

“Well isn’t this dandy…” he muttered, his voice absolutely dripping

He halted in his tracks as he heard a sound coming from his right. It sounded like the buzzing of bees, but it was too loud for one bee.

‘A swarm?’

But of course with the storm on it’s way, he doubted that any bees at all would be flying.

He was no fan of bees, but his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to investigate.

“I swear if it’s a giant bee or wasp I am going to…” He kept in the rest of his words as he saw the source of the buzzing.

‘Okay, positives: it’s not bees. Negatives: I have no idea what the hell it is.’

Whatever it was, it appeared to be severely wounded as it was lying in a puddle of something green that, except for the colour, looked a lot like blood. The creature bore insectoid wings, the general body form of a pony, a horn (instantly raising a red flag in Karl’s mind), chitinous, jet-black skin, a blue carapace on its back and some sort of fin in the place of its mane. The strangest thing however was that it possessed holes straight through legs, and yet this did not seem to be the source of injury.

Karl was torn: he felt the urge to help the creature, but he was also blindingly aware of the fact that horns indicated magical ability. After briefly deliberating, Karl decided that it was probably for the best if he left the creature alone.

Unfortunately, when Karl started to move away he rustled some fallen leaves and the omnipresent coarse brush, instantly drawing the creature’s attention.

“Who’s there?!” a weak (though clearly male) voice demanded.

Sure, Karl would have just left, but his conscience persisted. Now that he knew of the creature’s sentience, it was even more difficult to ignore its need for help. Besides, the creature could be useful. He doubted it could even put up much of a fight should the need arise. Karl rose up out of the bushes and started slowly making his way back towards the creature. Although the eyes of the creature were completely blue (Karl found that particularly eerie) they clearly widened in what would be a look of horror.

“Oh no! No stay away from me please I don’t want to die!”

Karl huffed at the creature’s response.

“You’re doing a good job so far.” Karl complimented sarcastically as he looked deliberately at the pebble of green blood that the creature was lying in.

The look of horror disappeared to be replaced by a brief look of confusion and finally by a scowl of irritation.

“Why are you here, beast? To mock me in my last living minutes?”

“I am still debating whether to help you or leave you.”

The scowl softened.

“Help me?”

“Yes. I don’t know what I could gain by helping you, but for the moment I am more interested in lending you some assistance rather than killing or mocking you.”

“How could you possibly not know what I am?! I am a Changeling! We invaded the capital of Equestria not too long ago and we are now on national scale searched and imprisoned by the ponies.”
“I’m new around here. I don’t know a lot about this place. And by the way, congrats on the invasion.”

Karl started cleaning the wounds of the Changeling.

The changeling’s jaw was hanging open in confusion, amazement and utter disbelief. No, he could not have heard that right. Did this creature just congratulate them for invading Canterlot?

“You know there are more effective ways to catch flies than what you’re doing right now?” the beast mocked him again.

“You realize you’re helping a criminal right now, right?”

“And you are being helped by a criminal, so it’s cool.” Karl retorted as he finished patching up the Changeling’s wounds.

“So what did you do? You know, to make them come after you?”

“I would love to tell you everything about my little criminal activities, but I am kind of on the run from a big ass storm. You don’t know any cave or ridges to hide do you by coincidence?”

“Yeah. I have been living here for a while so I’ve got a small cave not too far away from here.”

“Good lead the way I would say.”

“Uhm listen I am sorry for calling you a beast. My name is

~~KHMIZSHKUODTZA~~.”

Karl’s ears were assaulted with a harsh, scraping vocalisation seemingly overlayed with the sound of a buzzing insect swarm. Only the most basic semblance of language managed to come through.

“I’m sorry, but could you repeat that?”

“~~Khmiz Shkuotsa~~”

It was clearer, but not quite understandable.

“One more time?”

The creature was clearly getting annoyed.

“Hmyz Škôdca.” he huffed.

“You know what, I’m just going to call you Locust.”

“Then what the hell was all that for?!” exclaimed the Changeling in frustration.

“Sorry man, but I happen to have more important things to do than learning how to pronounce a language that sounds like a plague of locusts collectively hacking up a furball.”

“Ugh. Suit yourself.”

“So how is it that you came to live here? Or have you just lived here all along?”

“I was a Wing Commander in our army before the Equestrians routed us in the last battle over Canterlot. Most of my men were either killed or captured. After the battle, I managed to make contact with six other survivors. This forest was the only place where we could lay low and avoid contact… but one of us was a rat. We were sold out to Equestrian forces by someone within our group. They’ve been capturing us one by one. I’m the only member still left. I don’t know what’s happened to my friends, but rumour has it that they’ve been put in the prison near Ironhoof. I’ve been moving around the forest a great deal lately to avoid capture, but I feel as if they’re about to close in.”

‘Ironhoof?’ Karl mentally noted.

By now the thunder and darkened skies were only adding some more dramatic effects to the already depressing introduction of the former Wing Commander.

“Well that was an uplifting story.” quipped Karl. “You can call me Karl. Karl Kempf. They call my kind ‘human’… don’t ask me what they are: it’s something that truly defies concise explanation. How about we start making our way to that cave of yours?”

Locust nodded in agreement and started limping towards the cave. The two arrived after walking for the better part of ten minutes, just as the rain began to fall.

The cave wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small. It was, in fact, surprisingly perfect. There were blankets sprawled on the cave floor as a kind of bed, some personal stuff, but what Karl definitely noted was that it was way too much for one person.

“At the risk of sounding cliché, welcome to my humble abode.”

“Are you sure it’s safe here? You said that you felt the ponies were on the verge of capturing you.”

“Well, that’s more because of a rather recent occurrence. I was out hunting in the town, but the locals figured out who I was. I got away, but they managed to score a few hits. You know they actually got a mob together with pitchforks and torches? I mean come on! Show some originality!”

“Hold on, did you say ‘hunting in the town’?” interrupted Karl, “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“We Changelings feed off emotion. Our favourite is love, and those sappy ponies are absolutely brimming with it.”

“And you just wander around and take it?”

“Yeah. That’s actually how a lot of my friends got captured: we would take the form of a pony and stroll through the town. That’s also how I know we were betrayed by an insider: they would be the only one that could identify us.“

“I wish I could help, but your diet is quite unique.”

“You can.”

“I am not falling in love with you if that’s what you mean.”

“No. You need to kiss me.”

If Karl would have been drinking anything he would have spit it out.

“Say what?! Listen, I don’t know how stuff works with you guys, but we don’t just spontaneously generate love whenever we kiss anyone.”

Locust’s expression didn’t change however.

“I am sorry od I’ve offended you, but we changelings absorb love by physical contact. The best way to so that is by kissing. Even if a pony isn’t genuinely in love with us, we are able to extract pre-existing love. So do you truly want to help me?”

Karl groaned in irritation and mentally cursed the changelings their diet. He couldn’t let a living being starve to death because of him not wanting to maintain his manliness.

“Fine, I’ll kiss you, but I swear; no funny stuff and no tongue!”

“Okay no tongue.” Locust said before preparing himself.

Karl just went for it: the quicker he did this, the better. His lips and that of the changeling connected and he felt Locust’s forelegs wrap themselves around his neck probably to better support himself.

‘Damn that changeling knows how to kiss. Ugh. Just imagine he’s a hot chick.’ Karl mentally scolded himself. After a little while Locust broke the kiss to regain his breath.

“Damn you’re good!” Locust complimented as he tried to get his breath back.

“Yes, you’re not bad yourself either.” Karl replied as he also tried to regain his breath.

Suddenly, without any kind of warning, Locust burst out in green flames and in front of Karl stood a blue earth pony with a blonde mane and tail. However, he had felt no pain, almost like the changeling magic didn’t affect him.

“I thought you deserved a small demonstration after your help.” even the voice was different. The pony burst out in flames again to reveal the changeling’s true form.

“Could you light your horn please?”

Locust frowned at the strange request, but obeyed nonetheless. Karl brought his claw close to the horn careful to not touch it and once again no pain.

“Could you please levitate a rock or so to me?” The changeling one again executed the request and once again no pain.

“Could you please transform again?”

The blue earth pony came back and this time Karl tapped the changeling lightly on the head, which resulted in him immediately changing back.

“What did you do?”

“Can you still fly?”

Locust immediately started flapping his wings and hovered over the ground.

“Interesting, but it is logical.”

“What?” the changeling questioned curiously

“My body usually drains magic, and it causes pegasi to loose the ability to fly but it doesn’t seem to affect you.”

“That’s because pegasi are the only creatures that use magic to fly. All the rest of us have natural flight capabilities”

“I see.”

Karl made a mental note of this. It might be useful when planning his escape from Ironhoof.

“What kind of creature are you? There are plenty of spells and runes that block magic, but I have never heard of a creature that has the capability of blocking magic by merely touching anyling.”

“’Anyling’? Hmph. It’s better than ‘anypony’, that’s for sure.”

“You know, perhaps a partnership between you and I could be made.” Locust proposed.

“I think I like the sound of that.”

Karl extended his claw to Locust, and the two shook.

“You know Louie, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”

“…What’s that mean?”

“It’s a bit of pop culture from my world. Just go with it.”

Author's Note

Hello everybody I hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you did, please leave some support for the story.

I got an important announcement to make or at least for me. "It's my birthday!" So even though normally I get the gifts, I thought giving you guys a new chapter would more than likely be appreciated by you guys.

Until next time and once again please leave some form of support behind for the story.

Editor: Vlasislas32
Author: TheShadowOfZama