A prison of change

by Pony the 13th

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance
Length: 1750

After the assult on Canterlot, many changelings were killed by the magic barrier. Fearing a counter attack soon after, any changelings that were found were conviected. But one was given an offer.

After the incident in Canterlot, any changelings found after the magic blast were convicted of crime against Equestria. A high ranking changeling officer however is given a chance.

I want to thank Princess Maxii for looking over the chapters.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-07-04 20:46:06 UTC

Prologe- Broken

Officer Nightshade's log

Date- 4/17/11

Time- 13:00 hours

Position-Outskirts of Canterlot

The troops are about ready to move out. Part of me wonders why our Queen would do such a direct assault on Canterlot and not have any soldiers with her. Though only so many ponies can vanish then return before it gets suspicious. I'm not one to criticize our Queen up front but this plan is about as bullet-proof as air. My drones is tired of waiting, some are even starving before the mission has even started! I'm afraid that many of my troops will desert or go back home, I just hope the assault happens soon. I'm starting to become impatient myself.

Log #2

The signal has been seen. My troops are starting the attack. I must join them. Hopefully the shield is weak enough. Our numbers should be enough though.

Log #3

Canterlot is in turmoil. Our Queen has found the elements, and Princess Celestia has been defeated!  I must admit the elements did put up a decent fight, especially the orange and cyan one. And that pink one was... just plain indescribable, thankfully our superior number and skill helped in winning the day and all this love and territory. This day has been a inconceivable victory. The fellow changelings are ecstatic of our victory. Now no changeling will starve, be cast out, or be mugged for their love. I wish to return to the hive soon, I never liked the outside.

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         Nightshade awoke from the darkness that consumed his mind. He stared out at Canterlot with a new shield surrounding it. It was oddly quiet, much different then the sounds of celebrating changelings and their Queen's wicked laughter. Nightshade attempted to move one of his forelegs before pain shot through it. The changeling then saw the large crack on his leg, it was bleeding badly and could become infected if not treated quickly. But Nightshade didn't care, he was finished. His entire colony was spread far and wide, some probably died from impact alone.

          Sadness and anguish tugged at the changeling's heart. Everyone he knew and loved were now gone. Even if those at home came looking he would be dead before any help would arrive. Nightshade couldn't even use the hive mind to see if they were okay.

His horn was broken.

          Hot tears left Nightshade's eyes as his thoughts turned to family back home. His mother, father, and uncle, the three changelings that he loved most. Nightshade and his mother were connected like any mother and child should. She worked as one of Chrysalis's main nurses for the young. They hardly fought, when they did it was always small things like who should scout for love and other miscellaneous tasks. His father was a military drone and taught Nightshade everything he knew about combat, convert, or magic training. Though his uncle was a special one. He had no outstanding traits or a big part in working the hive, but he was definitively a fun guy. When Nightshade reached the legal drinking age his uncle took him out, they drank and joked like two best friends would. He almost ending up taking a female drone home before Nightshade stepped in.

'Those were great times.', the changeling thought, His eyes slightly red from crying. 'Darn! You've got to be strong just like pop would be. Though I doubt he experienced something like th-', sudden movement forced the changeling out of his thoughts,  looking to his right the changeling's eyes focused on a royal guard.

         The guard was wearing the traditional gold armor and held a spear. The bright sun shinned behind the guard as he... no she came into view. From what Nightshade could tell the pony was female. Its frame was smaller and slimmer then a male pony, light beige wings rested at her sides. The mare got closer and spoke to the changeling.

Nightshade froze as no voice was heard. 'I-I have to run! Get away now!'. The changeling tried to get up and run as more pain shot through his leg. He stumbled, pain spreading like a wild fire. Nightshade groaned in pain as he felt the blackness reentering his mind. The mare seemed surprised and yelled something to another guard coming up behind her as the changeling lost consciousness.

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          A cool breeze passed over the changeling as he regained his senses. Nightshade's eyes widened as he looked about the room. A grey four wall box was his new home. A small barred window showed the moon high above the clouds. It must have been midnight. How long was I out?, confusion plagued his mind as a thought came to light.

His leg. A cast was wrapped around it. The warmth of the bed left him as the changeling got up. A hoof carefully tapped the floor, "Damn". Nightshade attempted to stand, one leg at a time. After a few failed attempts he managed to stand, now walking was going to be a chore. He slowly made three laps around the room only stumbling twice. After the momentary workout, the changeling limped to the bed. 'I'm probably going to be executed anytime soon.' Nightshade felt even more emotionally crushed then when he first awoke. Why couldn't he just die and move on. Life kept on reminding him that him and his species would soon be gone forever. The Equestrian army would find the hive and all the other changelings would be taken away and killed or used for some other purpose. Probably for hard labor or some other backwards job just to make ends meet. Their plans had failed and now they were all paying for it.

"Can we be forgiven for what we have done?" he curled into the ball in his bed and softly sobbed. "Why must we be punished for needing food to live on.",  the ranting continued until sleep finally took hold of him.

Chapter 1- Offers

            Nightshade awoke with a start. His dreams were haunted by thoughts of execution and never seeing his family again. He yawned and stretched as the bed creaked, or rather Nightshade thought it creaked. The sun shone through the barred window. It was just over the horizon. The changeling noticed a tray of food next to his bed.

' I can't remember the last time I've eaten anything besides love... if at all.' He gleefully began to gobble down his meal, his energy slowly returning. Even though changelings mainly need love to survive, material food worked in keeping hunger away, at least for awhile. Soon, food alone isn't enough, that's when changelings start to wither away. Nightshade had seen this happen to many changelings while setting up for the invasion. The thought of slowly withering away frightened him. His thoughts were interrupted as the room seemed to brighten. Nightshade turned to see a guard staring from the open door.

... No, not "a" guard. Shining Armor, the royal guard captain! He gave Nightshade a glare that could turn Discord to stone as he prepared to speak.

" Hold on..." Nightshade said, " My hearing is gone."

Shining Armor looked surprised then annoyed.

"I'm just saying."

Shining Armor then asked another guard for a pen and paper. His writing was bold and confident.

"The princess wishes to speak with you."

         Nightshade slowly nodded as he was lead out to the hall. As Nightshade was led down the hall he noticed other cells full of his brethren. They all had metal rings around their horns, which was probably meant to nullify their magic. Most seemed healthy enough though a few seemed close to withering away. ' I should complain about that later. No changeling should go hungry.' Shining Armor stopped in front of a wooden door leading to a staircase. After being lead up, Nightshade was taken to the throne room.

         The room was in better shape though Celestia looked a bit tired from doing repairs among more duties day and night. Celestia sat patiently as Shining Armor explained Nightshade's condition. Celestia gave a sympathetic look as her horn glowed. 'A pony having sympathy for a changeling captain? Never thought that would happen.' his thoughts were cut short as a tingling in his ears made itself known.

Celestia then took a parchment and wrote, "That should help your hearing return faster."

'Thanks... I guess. I'd better stay on her good side.', Nightshade then asked. "What have I been called for, your highness?"

"Some guards noticed that as you were brought in, some of the changelings refereed to you as 'captain'." Celestia paused before writing, "We could make a deal."

"What kind of agreement?"

Celestia then wrote "After your initial attack, my subjects have been on edge and fearing another attack."

' ...Wow, ponies are worried about us after a failure like that? Talk about Mass Hysteria.' Nightshade asked, " What does this have to do with me?"

" You have quite the authority in the hive from what my guards hear. I can't have ponies living in fear from a mostly neutralized threat." She paused before writing,

" We are curious about your species and your abilities so if you are willing to give information on your hive and your species, we will lower your sentence from execution to twenty years."

        Nightshade stood and absorbed all the information written down on that parchment. If he agreed he would be able to leave then see his family again... if they were still alive and hadn't withered away by the time he got out. He thought back to all those changelings in the cells below him. They were starving and crowded in small cells, they deserved to be freed first but that wouldn't happen. The Equestrians wouldn't let them go on a whim.

        " I would rather starve to death then betray my kin!"  Nightshade felt a confused and agitated gaze from Celestia as he continued.

" My friends, family, and comrades are dying after that blast and even before it! You expect me to help in the destruction of my kin?" Nightshade's multiple layered voice echoed through the halls. All of his anguish emitting from his voice. Then in his fit of rage he lunged at Celestia.

         A guard tackled Nightshade to the side. He yelled as a sickening crack sounded. His vision started to blur as the blunt end of a spear come down on his head. Nightshade's mind began to swim as darkness come over him.