Chapters "Truth is a precious commodity — so precious, in fact, that it is best kept hidden behind a wall of lies."
Some sang for fun, some for money, and some for fame.
Nightwish was much more interested in the last one; after all fame came with money, and money bought fun. That was why she joined Darkstar, who had benefitted from her artistic talents to the point where they were this year's favored band at the annual Shockwave competition. Metal bands from all over Equestria would play off against each other in front of a live audience for the glory and contracts that came with a winning position, and Nightwish intended to take first place.
This year, the event was being held in Baltimare, at Madame Butterfly's Nightclub and Cabaret. The sidewalks on both sides of the street were swarming with fans; security could barely hold back the tide as Nightwish stepped out of her cab. Her entrance was met with screams of delight from her fans mixed with marriage proposals from many stallions and more than a few mares. She flashed them an appreciative smile that was almost as bright as her trademark sapphire necklace. It had been a part of her ensemble at every concert and public appearance. Fans called it a good luck charm, without realizing how accurate the term really was.
"Excuse me! Miss Nightwish!" A maroon unicorn with a tan mane and a series of musical notes on her flank — what was such a mare doing in the news industry? — strained against the banisters that kept the paparazzi from intruding on the red carpet. "Phrase Mark — The Daily Sun. Is it true that you've taken up with Prince Blueblood?"
While Nightwish was new to the scene, she was smart enough to know that talking with the paparazzi did more harm than good. She gave the 'journalist' a cold smile and walked away from her as she continued to shout questions to her receding form. A quick glance back revealed that Phrase Mark was harassing a thestral with a flaming skull on his flank — Dive Bomb of the Stormbirds. To her surprise, he actually seemed to be flirting with her and managed to convince security to let her in with him.
There was evidently no accounting for taste.
The nightclub's bar was filled with ponies awaiting the start of the competition. Most were drinking and talking amiably amongst themselves, though one mare spent her time alone at the bar. Her tired blonde mane drooped over her face as she stared determinedly at her half–empty glass of whiskey, occasionally checking the watch on her wrist out of boredom. The cutie mark on her brown flank seemed entirely befitting her attitude — a daisy whose stem had been cut by a pair of shears.
Most stallions would have been put off by her sullenness. One particularly bold unicorn, however, interpreted her demeanor as a challenge and took it upon himself to cheer her up.
"Hey babe," the stallion grinned as he slid up to her. "Who're you here for? Dive Bomb?"
"I am afraid not," she scoffed. "I find his music to be bland and uninspired. The only reason he is popular is because he caters to passing fads and timeless cliches. If, however, you are looking for an unfortunate mare who shares your taste in music, may I point you towards the gaggle of girls three tables yonder who seem to be in serious danger of passing out from excitement?"
She turned her attention back to her whiskey and let the stallion sputter in outrage before he left, muttering some rather vicious speculation into her personal life.
"Wow, Daisy, wasn't that a little harsh?"
She looked up again as a unicorn sat down next to her, a white–coated mare with a bright pink mane, and a diamond cutie mark divided equally into red, blue, yellow, and white square subsections.
"He was a boorish bore, Flash Point," Daisy replied dryly.
"I don't know," she winked. "I thought he was cute."
Daisy snorted. "We do not have time for such trivialities."
"Yeah, gotta pay attention to the music, right?"
Flash Point turned on her stool and faced the stage, where the announcer was introducing the bands. Darkstar was the first to play; Flash Point's attention was entirely focused on Nightwish, while Daisy fished out a pair of earplugs and quickly jammed them in her ears before the music could reach them.
Sound waves shook the walls of the building and rattled Daisy's skull as Darkstar played some nonsense about war and violence — juvenile tripe that appealed to power fantasies of pubescent males. It was the same with the next band, and the band after. This was what she truly despised about the genre; not the fact that the music was loud and crude, but that the message was about mindless aggression.
Five agonizing hours later, she was slumped next to Flash Point downing her fifth glass of whiskey as the last band left the stage so that the contest judges could begin handing out awards. Unsurprisingly, Darkstar won first place, to the sound of thundering applause. The second place band, Sleipnir, glared at Darkstar enviously, though the third place contestants, Stormbirds, took the results much better.
In fact, Dive Bomb stumbled over the bar reeking of whiskey from a flask in his hooves. He wore a grin so wide that his fangs were exposed, and threw his arms around Flash Point and Daisy. "Ladies, how'd you like t' spend an evening with the third greatest guitarist in Equestria?"
Flash Point giggled appreciatively at the attention she was receiving from the thestral. "How could anyone turn down that offer?"
"How indeed?" Daisy grumbled, though she let herself be led off nonetheless.
Dive Bomb waved off security as he took the pair backstage into his band's guest room. It was thankfully empty, and Daisy lost no time in locking the door while Flash Point and Dive Bomb settled comfortably on the couch.
Flash Point bounced on her cushion in excitement. "I can't believe we're actually doing this!"
"I know, right?" Dive Bomb hugged Flash Point. "Almost like a reunion."
The faint ghost of a smile graced Daisy lips. "Almost."
She walked over to the coffee table and grabbed an apple from the complimentary fruit bouquet, which she devoured in three swift bites, core and all. "So, how've things been?"
"Pretty good, got a new ax last month!" Dive Bomb grabbed an electric guitar off of the floor and played a short riff on it. "Meriwether made it f' me when I opened for DJ Pon–3 in Canterlot."
Flash Point giggled. "How do you say that name with a straight face?"
"What? DJ Pon–3's a perfectly valid stage name!"
"Almost as good as Dive Bomb," Daisy snickered.
Dive Bomb shook his head. "I'm taking that as a compliment."
Daisy smirked and devoured another apple, while Flash Point ruffled his hair affectionately. "Don't worry, little bro. We don't think any less of you for it."
"Yes," Daisy added stoically. "That would be impossible."
Dive Bomb rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You two can go straight t' Tartarus."
There was a chime from Daisy's saddlebags. She turned her attention away from her bickering siblings and fished out a small crystal mirror, a product of the Crystal Empire. Looking into the surface did not yield her own reflection, but Instead, that of a dark red unicorn looked back at her cheerfully.
"Hiya, Daisy Cutter! Welcome back from the Crystal Empire! How're you and auntie Amber Grains doing there?"
She regarded the mare in the mirror cooly. "Very well, Phrase Mark. Thank you for asking. Mom has just been promoted to head gardener at the palace, and I have set up my apothecary. Yourself?"
"Canterlot's fine, but living with dad feels so... restrictive. He always scares off my dates, you know? Nothing scares off a stallion faster than knowing that a mare's father is Celestia's court messenger, unless maybe he was a general, or police chief." The sound of shattering glass drew Phrase Mark's attention over her shoulder. "By the way, sweetheart, the target's currently dancing on a table and very drunk. You ready?"
Daisy looked up to see that Dive Bomb and Flash Point were wrestling on the ground. "As always."
"Good, Merry's going to kill the power any second now. Just sit back and relax."
Daisy bit into her third apple forcefully. "I am relaxed."
"Is that why you're going through apples faster than Blueblood goes through marefriends, sweetheart?"
Instead of responding, Daisy shoved the mirror back in her saddlebags and reached for another apple. The lights went out a moment later, only to be replaced by the dull red glow of the emergency lights. They then flickered briefly before cutting out as well. Ponies outside began whinny in confusion as the nightclub staff tried to keep them calm and restore power.
Daisy cleared her throat in the darkness. "Are you two done?"
Dive Bomb gave a sheepish laugh from somewhere behind the couch. "Um, yes."
The thestral released his hold on Flash Point and moved up to the door. Unlike ponies, thestrals had evolved in the deep caves of Tramplevania, and possessed a natural sense of echolocation. On top of hearing sharper than that of any pony's, sound would also stimulate their visual cortex, a form of synesthesia known as chromesthesia. He felt as comfortable in darkness as he did under the brightest of lights.
Dive Bomb listened at the door for a good minute before being satisfied that the corridor was empty. He quietly opened the door and the trio snuck down the hall to Darkstar's room. Dive Bomb put his hoof on the door handle and found, to his surprise, that the door swung open without protest.
The spine of a heavy book connect with Dive Bomb's skull the moment he stepped through. He collapsed on the ground in a daze as Flash Point's horn glowed off–white. There was just enough light to see a pony dressed in dark olive vest before a pith helmet covered her horn and the sound of hooves hitting Flash Point filled the air. Their assailant quickly cried out in pain as Flash Point caught one of her hooves and threw her into the wall.
The sound of impact echoed through the room and allowed Dive Bomb to pinpoint their opponent. He promptly charged their attacker, ramming his shoulder into her barrel as she struggled to get up. The blow knocked the wind out of her lungs and stunned her. Dive Bomb quickly held her in a headlock as Daisy brought out a hoofful of glowing green powder and spread it in the air to illuminate the room.
To their surprise, Dive Bomb had caught a khaki pegasus with greyscale mane. "Let me go! You'll never get away with this! I'll– Hey, weren't you on stage an hour ago?"
Dive Bomb beamed proudly. "Why yes I was! Always nice t' meet a fan."
She promptly elbowed him in the gut and began bucking against him. "How much is Ahuizotl paying you? I hope its enough to ease your conscience when he unleashes a murder of trained crows on the Tenochtitlan Basin!"
Daisy Cutter rolled up a magazine that was lying on the coffee table and gave the pegasus a sharp whack on the muzzle with it. "Stop your raving, we're not working for anypony."
The pegasus blinked in confusion. "Then what are you here for?"
Flash Point pointed at Dive Bomb dramatically. "Overcome by jealousy at losing the contest, Dive Bomb decided to break into Darkstar's personal belongings and sabotage their equipment!"
Dive Bomb looked at his sisters in disbelief, as if to say "And you think she'll buy it?"
They glared back at him. "What, do you have a better suggestion?"
He rolled his eyes. "Look, I think its pretty obvious we're up t' something bigger than petty vandalism."
"I'm not going to stop you from wrecking the place," the pegasus said, much to everypony's surprise. "All I want is Nightwish's necklace."
Daisy raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh, a thief, are we?"
She flicked her tail in agitation. "I'm not stealing! It belongs in a museum!"
There was absolutely no change in Daisy's expression.
"I'm telling the truth, alright? It's the Songbird's Lament, a powerful artifact that enhances the wearer's voice and allows her to control birds by singing! Its probably why she's been winning so many contests!"
Flash Point gave the pegasus an appraising look. "So why shouldn't we take it? Sounds like it could be useful."
Daisy turned and smacked Flash Point with the magazine.
"Fine," Flash Point grumbled. "How about we make it a trade?"
The pegasus looked at the three of them nervously. "But I didn't bring anything with me."
"Oh, I'm sure we could think of something." The pegasus felt her mouth go dry and throat construct as Daisy crouched down next to her until they were eye to eye. Daisy's gaze lingered on the pegasus's flank, which bore the mark of a compass rose, before she brought it up to her face, along with a pen and notepad. "Can I have your autograph?"
"Family is our link to the past and bridge to the future."
Celestia's sun cast its long rays on Ponyville as it set, filling the sky with a brilliant, fiery display. Some of its light was caught by Princess Twilight's new crystal castle, which reflected vivid purple colors across Ponyville. Most of the town's residents enjoyed the castle; it was a unique piece of architecture with a cheerful color scheme that greatly increased the town's tourism revenue.
Thunderball was much more ambivalent about it. The design, building materials, and color scheme did not match Ponyville's rustic aesthetics — the castle would have fit in much better in the Crystal Empire. Then again, the library was hardly a residence befitting a princess — not only was it far too pedestrian, but it was painful hard to secure.
Chrysalis's surprise attack on Ponyville five months ago demonstrated the point all too well. She had eavesdropped on Princess Twilight and overheard a report from Thunderball of numerous changelings who had taken up residence in Equestria. At the time, Thunderball had assumed they were infiltrators, though they had really gone rogue due to Chrysalis's poor leadership. Twilight discovered the changelings in Ponyville and arranged for an audience between then and Celestia, which Chrysalis interrupted with a surprise attack.
He put a hoof over a bare patch of skin on his left side. One of Chrysalis' elite warriors had gored him with his horn and then unleashed a magical blast directly into his body. The only reason he was alive was because two alicorns had poured massive amounts of healing magic into his body, along with blood donations from a friendly changeling. Even so, he had spent fifteen hours on an operating table, and months in rehabilitation.
In an ideal world, Princess Twilight would have restored the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest and taken up residence there. Not only was it a much more defensible position, something the Princess sorely needed given the sheer number of emergencies Equestria had suffered in the past few years, it would also allow her to watch over the Tree of Harmony and secure access to the castle archives, along with any artifacts that might have been left behind.
However, it would have made her much less accessible by the general populace, and the princess would have never wanted that. Twilight Sparkle, like her mentor, wanted to be a part of citizens' lives, rather than an abstract concept. Thunderball supposed that residence in Ponyville made more sense from an administrative point of view.
It was just too bad that the new castle was so gaudy.
The last light of the sun dipped beneath the horizon and Luna's night took over. Activity in the streets of Ponyville died down considerably, though many ponies remained to enjoy the night — couples out for a romantic evening walk, amateur stargazers inspired by Twilight's astronomy club, and the bar crowd. Thunderball watched them from his hospital room in envy — it would probably be another month before he could fly freely about the town.
The lights in his room flickered briefly, before plunging him into momentary darkness. He shot upright in his hospital bed and reached for the nurse call button, only to find that the power was out. Thunderball sighed and made a mental note to ask the hospital staff to talk to their electrician about the wiring in his room. A warm breeze blew into the room, followed by the abrupt return of light.
"Howdy, stormtrooper!"
There was barely enough time for Thunderball to register that five ponies wearing chameleonskin cloaks had entered his room before Dive Bomb tackled him in a bearhug, while Meriwether wrapped her forelegs around his shoulders. Daisy Cutter, Flash Point, and Phrase Mark watched Thunderball's ensuing struggle to free himself with amusement.
"Can't...breathe..." Thunderball wheezed as he pried Dive Bomb off of his chest.
The thestral grinned sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that, forgot you took one t' the chest. Uh, how's that doing?"
"Doctor says I'll make a full recovery in time." Thunderball leaned back into Meriwether's embrace as he came to terms with the impromptu reunion. "You know, I really didn't expect to see any of you again."
Daisy cleared her throat. "Just because we have had our differences in the past does not mean we no longer care about you."
Meriwether nuzzled him affectionately. "Yeah! You think I'd forget how you taught me how to fly?"
"Or that you gave me my first ax?" Dive Bomb went in for another hug despite Thunderball's protests.
Flash Point chuckled and turned to Phrase Mark. "Well, at least they've stopped arguing about who gets more glory, girls, or bits."
"From what I've heard, girls aren't an issue anymore," Phrase Mark giggled. She was immediately hit in the face with a pillow.
"Don't think I've forgotten that tripe you wrote about me being gay." Thunderball tossed his pillow at her playfully. "Do you realize how much harder things have been since then? I've gotten a mountain of hate mail and marriage proposals, and I'm not sure which is worse."
Daisy visibly strained to keep a straight face. "I'm sure all the attention from stallions has made it very hard for you."
Thunderball's grey coat turned bright red as his cousins snickered.
"If it really bothers you, why don't you go out more and establish that you're into mares, sweetheart?" Flash Point suggested slyly.
"Yeah! Hey, how about I arrange a concert or something f' you in Ponyville? You'll barely have to leave the hospital." Dive Bomb rubbed his hooves together in excitement. "Do you have any good local bands? I think I heard one a few months ago — They Might Be Humans, the one with the cute lyre player?"
Meriwether rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, the last thing he needs is to have his eardrums busted. He'd be better off with me at The Great and Powerful Trixie's Great and Spectacular Magic Show in Canterlot next week."
The two stared at each other definitely until Daisy interrupted them. "Cease this ridiculous dispute at once! Thunderball is in no mood to attend you pedestrian events. You could at least have the decency to suggest something more suitable to his interests, such as the upcoming Daring Do convention in Seaddle. I hear there will be a preview of her next book, Daring Do and the Winged Scarab of Ra ."
Thunderball clapped his hooves together to get their attention. "Look, I'm happy that you all want to spend time with me, but I'm pretty much restricted to the area around Ponyville for the time being, and I really do want to keep things quiet. Maybe you could visit more often?"
Dive Bomb nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. Look, forget the concert; I'll bring a nice bass by sometime an' we'll–" He paused and flicked his ears. "Somepony's pushing a cart up the hall — probably a nurse."
The doorknob rattled for a moment before it opened, and Nurse Redheart stepped in. She looked about the empty room with a confused expression on her face. "I'm sorry to bother you, but we got a call signal from your room just now. Is everything alright?"
Thunderball cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I was just… there was a power outage a few minutes ago."
"Say no more, dear. I'll have an electrician inspect your room first thing tomorrow morning." She examined the room again, as if she was searching for something. "You know, I could have sworn that I heard voices coming from this room."
"Oh, um, it was.." Thunderball searched his immediate vicinity for an alibi, and brought up the first thing his hooves bumped into on the nightstand — a book.
Nurse Redheart smiled as she read off the title. "Daring Do and the Songbird's Lament! You must have gotten an advanced copy! You'll have to let me read it after you're done."
He nodded quietly as she closed his window and wished him a good night, leaving him to his own thoughts.
A cold nighttime breeze tore through the Badlands, carrying with it two changelings with a pegasus in tow. Their unconscious passenger stirred as the wind rustled her grey mane, but did not wake from her sleep. The changelings glided through the air and landed at the base of a rock the size of a large apartment complex. A solitary changeling guard stood guard outside of a tunnel drilled into the rock, and saluted as the fliers landed.
"Where'd you find this one?"
"Looting the pyramids on our southern border," one of the fliers hissed. "Caught her coming out of one with a sack full of trinkets."
His partner slid the pegasus's saddlebags off to show the guard its contents — pearl necklaces, bronze daggers, copper amulets, and a scarab molded out of clay laying on top of it all. The move inadvertently exposed her cutie mark: a compass rose. The guard whistled as he looked between the contents of the saddlebags and the pegasus.
"Looks like somepony's been a busy filly."
"All the better for us," the first flier laughed. "One more for the hive, and more wealth for the Queen."
"I just hope you didn't drain her too much on the way over." The guard placed a hoof on their prisoner's neck and counted out her pulse. "Tell you what, you let me take a cut before she's processed, and I'll ignore the fact that she's already been fed on. Let you keep some of the jewelry too."
The fliers looked at each other, then nodded. "Agreed. Just be careful; there's only so much we can pass off as dehydration and exhaustion."
The guard touched his horn to the mare's forehead as green energy flowered from her to him. She struggled against him without waking, but her feeble motions could do nothing against the three changelings holding her in place. When he was done, she was panting heavily and fidgeting as if in the throes of a nightmare.
"Alright," he chuckled. "Time to introduce this filly to the first day of the rest of her life."
The guard stepped aside and let the fliers carry their victim deep into the bowels of the hive.
"To Tartarus with the peg leg, give me another hook."
It was no surprise to Thunderball that Meriwether was the first to visit him. She was convinced that nopony could be happy inside of a hospital, despite Thunderball's protests that Ponyville General was charming and the staff was friendly, not to mention the regular visits her recieved from Princess Twilight and her friends.
Of course, the last time Thunderball had seen her was the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manehatten. Her room was lit by harsh fluorescent lighting, and smelled strongly of antiseptic solution. All of her hair was missing, along with a good portion of her left wing. She lay in the bed utterly lifeless, having just come out from under anesthesia and still reeling from her purification rituals.
It was a poor way to celebrate getting one's cutie mark. (A winged sword was considered lucky in his family. Her survival was, but the method of acquisition certainly was not.)
The contrast with the young mare who had slipped into his room was striking. Her teal coat had a silky sheen, and her electric–blue mane grew thick and strong. The long jacket, gloves, and boots she wore hid most of her body, but he could tell from her posture that she was in good health and high spirits.
"So, what's the surprise?"
She looked at him playfully. "What makes you think there's a surprise?"
"This family's always up to something. I'd be shocked if you weren't wrapped in some sort of plot."
Meriwether giggled as she tied a rope to his bed. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I just wanted to take a nice stroll around Ponyville with you this evening. Nothing sinister about it. So, up for a romantic moonlight walk?"
She threw the other end out the window and rappelled down. The sound of her hooves tapping against the hospital walls barely registered above the chirping of crickets. Thunderball waited for her to rappel down before untying the rope and gliding down to meet her. The pair stuck to the shadows as they made their way out into the streets. While Ponyville was hardly known for its nightlife, there were enough bystanders around to make them cautious. Being seen together in public was something their family generally avoided.
Meriwether's route took them through the center of town, and past the remains of the Golden Oaks library, Thunderball paused as they drew near and looked at the remains sadly.
"Do you miss living in a basement?" Meriwether gently teased.
"It beat the barracks." Thunderball gave it a wistful look. "I liked the place. It had character."
"So where to now, after you're discharged?"
There was a moment of hesitation. "Well, Princess Twilight offered me a spot in her new castle..."
Meriwether smiled salaciously. "Is she looking for a bodyguard, or a consort?"
Thunderball turned beet red. "You've been around Phrase Mark for too long. Besides, Her Highness currently has her eyes on somepony in the Royal Guard."
"Yeah, I heard something about that," Meriwether chuckled. "Another pegasus, right? Well, at least she has taste."
Thunderball moved to smack her on the head. She instinctively blocked him with her left foreleg, which met Thunderball's hoof with a dull clunk.
"What the…" Thunderball grabbed her foreleg and felt something far more solid than anypony's limb. His face went from flushed to deathly pale in an instant. "Don't tell me… not again?"
Meriwether jerked her head towards an empty alley. Once they were safely inside, she shrugged off her coat to reveal a pair of wings. Her right one was as good as that of any other pegasus, while most of her left was made of a dull grey metal, with flat blades in place of feathers. The left glove was the next to go, revealing a prosthetic that replaced the knee and everything below it.
Thunderball touched the artificial limb gingerly. "When did this happen?"
"A year and a half ago, shortly after the Manehatten Incident. We were lucky to have caught it relatively early — could have lost the entire leg if we hadn't. Still, I guess being clean for ten years is a pretty good run." She gave her best comforting smile, the same one she had put on when Thunderball had last seen her. It was as unconvincing as last time. "Hey, its not so bad. Take a look."
The prosthesis came off with a sharp twist. Thunderball saw that it attached to a metal socket implanted in her stump. A close look revealed that the same system had been adapted for her artificial wing as well. He held the prosthetic leg in his hooves, probably more carefully than was needed given its heft. It seemed like a very sturdy design.
His gaze returned to the wing. "Can you fly?"
Meriwether responded by hovering above the ground. She wobbled back and forth, as if she were a filly in flight camp, but there was no denying that she was airborne under her own power for the first time in a decade.
It was a full minute before Thunderball could speak again. "Where did you get this? The most advanced prosthetics I've seen don't have a full range of motion, and the wings only allow gliding."
"I got sick of losing body parts, so I called in a few favors. Got access to some rather interesting research, some of which hasn't even been published yet."
She took her leg back and re–attatched it in one swift motion. Thunderball could see the wrist joint roll around, as if she were cracking it.
"So, it turns out that titanium screws used to hold fractured rat bones together will become tightly integrated into the bone mass. A research team has been trying to apply this technique to prosthetic limbs for years, but there's a lot of work to be done before it can be declared safe. I wasn't willing to wait for them to figure it out, so I got Flash Point, Phrase Mark, and Daisy to help me design something."
Meriwether stretched her wings, just as she had done after his flying lessons.
"You have to keep the bone and screw ice cold, otherwise the heat from the screwing will kill off the bone. And you have to make sure the end of the bone is in contact with a large enough surface area so that the attachment point is secure, otherwise a moderately heavy impact may cause the bone to fracture. But if you can work around that, then you've got yourself a solid base to work with."
"But how is it moving?"
"Direct connection to my nerves. Had to be fully conscious while doing it to confirm that the wiring was correct. Horrible experience. Would not recommend."
Thunderball's gaze moved between her wing and leg. "You did it twice."
Meriwether closed her eyes to hide the tears welling up beneath her eyelids and shrugged. "What can I say? I wanted to get out again."
Thunderball seized her in a tight hug.
"Hey, you ok there, pone?" Meriwether's voice quivered as tears fell into her mane like raindrops.
"I should have been there for you. You needed me. You all needed me. Especially after Zanzebra...Tartarus take it, if I had done my duty, none of this would have happened to you."
"And who knows what would have happened to you?" she whispered. " We don't blame you for leaving. You had to walk your own path, and it took you where you needed to be. Besides, we'll be seeing a lot more of each other from now on."
The body of a khaki pegasus with a greyscale mane floated in a cocoon full of thick green liquid. She was smiling in her sleep, as if in the middle of a perfect dream. The underground chamber that held her was dimly lit by patches of fluorescent fungus, and illuminated dozens more pods. Some of them were full, but most were empty.
A crowd of changelings stood in the chamber, jostling each other for a position at the front. Two armored soldiers stood in front of the pod, restricting access to the pony. They wore a pair of matching scowls and seemed to be the only thing standing between the crowd and anarchy.
"Listen up!" the taller of the pair growled, "No pushing, shoving, or biting in line, and absolutely no sneaking away more love than you've been allocated. The last thing we want is for these ponies to start having nightmares — Princess Luna's taken it upon herself to sort out nightmares, and we absolutely do not want her meeting somepony who's been declared missing. Got it?"
"And if there's another food riot, I swear by Celestia's blooming flanks that I will grab the instigator and toss them to the quarry–eels," his partner sneered. "Now stop your whining, form a straight line, and step up slowly."
The room filled with angry chittering, but the changelings ordered themselves as the guards demanded. The first one in line walked up to the cocoon and touched it with his horn, drawing out a thin sliver of energy.
Inside the cocoon, the pony fidgeted.
"Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the conquest of fear."
Cpt. Thunderball Spotted at Stormbirds Concert With Long–time Coltfriend By Phrase Mark
The Stormbirds took Ponyville made a surprise guest appearance yesterday evening at a local concert to raise money for the War Veteran's Fund. Fittingly, celebrated SAS officer, and national gay icon, Thunderball was present, along with his coltfriend of many months Creme Brulee. The pair spent a romantic evening together at the Sweet Apple Acres concession stand, which conclude with an invitation to join the bands for a private gathering in the Apple family barn.
When reached for comment, the Daily Sun was told to "Get lost" by the Stormbirds, They Might Be Humans, concession stand staff, and the event organizers.
Creme Brulee's head hit on the kitchen table and sent his dinner plate rattling towards the edge. How had the Daily Sun taken a photo of him? This sort of thing seemed to happen every time he ran into Thunderball, as if one or the other was being followed. It was a wonder the pegasus still tolerated his company.
While Creme Brulee made no secret of his attraction to stallions, but he was fairly certain that Thunderball was as straight as the Roebuck Tower. Thunderball had more than enough reasons to avoid him but Creme Brulee supposed that Princess Twilight would hardly have kept the soldier around if he was not capable of being open minded.
Still, Creme Brulee figured that he owed Thunderball something for the latest article. His backyard garden had a respectable variety of flowers in it, and five minutes of searching resulted in a delicious bouquet of flowers.
Guest hours might have been over, but that had never stopped Thunderball from sneaking out into the town, and Creme Brulee saw no reason for it to prevent him from making a discrete visit. Despite his size, which rivaled Big Mac, Creme Brulee was surprisingly agile; he barely made a sound as he crept up to the hospital. His brown coat blended into the shadows very well, almost as if it was adapting to the background, though that would have been impossible for a pony.
The lights were out inside, but he could hear voices. Eavesdropping on a private conversation was rather poor form, but Creme Brulee's curiosity got the better of him as he gently placed his ear on the door.
"– every time I wake up now," Thunderball grumbled. "Feels like something's trying to get inside my head when I'm sleeping."
Creme Brulee could make out a mare responding to the complaint, and it was not one of the nurses. "Interesting. You said it's progressed over the course of the last few months?"
"Ever since I was hospitalized. I thought it might have been a side–effect of the trauma or medication, but it should have gotten better, not worse."
"While drugs are more Daisy Cutter's field, I am familiar with the medication you've been given, and headaches are not a common side effect. Do you suppose they are a psychosomatic in origin? Perhaps related to the nightmares?"
"Maybe? They're often concurrent. Nightmare starts, then I'm wide awake with the mother of all migraines. At least it keeps the nightmares from playing out."
"And you waited until now to do something?"
"Well what was I supposed to do, Flash Point? I couldn't talk to anyone here about it, and its not like the first thing I thought when the headaches started was that I was under some sort of psychic assault."
"But your mental barriers are keeping them out, right?"
"As far as I can tell, my hypno–conditioning's held up pretty well."
Creme Brulee furrowed his brow. Surely he had misheard?
"While it can theoretically last a lifetime without maintenance, it usually requires regular upkeep. When was the last time you meditated?"
"I haven't had the peace of mind for it since Saddle Arabia."
"And now?"
"I'm severely out of practice. Maybe you can help?"
"Before we begin, would you like to tell your coltfriend he should come in and explain himself?"
The door swung open before Creme Brulee could react. He found himself looking at Thunderball sitting upright in his bed with a unicorn next to him on the mattress.
"Uh, hi? I brought flowers…" Creme Brulee fumbled with his bouquet under the mare's furious glare, though Thunderball seemed much less upset.
"You can set them on the nightstand." He pointed to the empty vase on his nightstand, and Creme Brulee obliged. Flash Point shut the door immediately after he entered.
"How much did you hear?" She growled, earning herself an angry glance from Thunderball.
As big as he was, Creme Brulee found himself trying to hide behind Thunderball. "Um, enough to suggest a dream catcher?"
"Ancient superstitions are no match for proper mental discipline. Flash Point shot him a cold glare before shifting her focus to Thunderball. "Remember to meditate. Let me know if anything — and I do mean anything — comes up, sweetheart."
Thunderball waved to her as she winked out of existence, with barely more fanfare than a light turning off.
"Hm, you know, I thought it'd be more… dramatic." Creme Brulee finished thoughtfully. "When Twilight does it, there's usually a burst of magic energy. Unless she's stressed, then there's an explosion."
"You can suppress the teleportation signature, but it requires a good deal of finesse. Most ponies don't bother." Thunderball turned his head towards the bouquet and took a healthy bite out of the flowers. "So, what brought you down here this late at night?"
Creme Brulee's cheeks reddened. "Well, I know how bothered you get when ponies think you're gay, so I thought I'd cheer you up."
Thunderball casually waved his hoof through the air. "Don't worry too much, I'm over it. Ponies like me spend most of our careers out of the public eye anyways. This'll all be a distant memory after a year or so."
"That's nice." Creme Brulee's smile did not quite reach his eyes, and his ears drooped slightly. "So, I guess I won't be seeing much of you after you get out of the hospital?"
"That depends on what my orders are, I suppose." He paused for a moment to consider his options. "Princess Twilight has offered me a position, and one doesn't refuse a request from royalty. The alternative, I suppose, is for me to go back into the service. I'll probably serve out the rest of my career behind a desk at regimental headquarters."
"Does it bother you that you only have two options?"
Thunderball shrugged. "Celestia points, and we obey."
"Over the hills, and far away?" Creme Brulee cocked his head. "But that doesn't mean you'll always be in the army. You're going to get discharged one day, right?"
The room grew quiet as Thunderball looked out the window. "To be honest, I never really thought I'd live this long."
Creme Brulee sat down next to the bed and asked softly, "Well, what would you do if you had a choice?"
Now it was Thunderball's turn to blush. "Well, I've always thought I'd like to be a teacher. Work with kids and all that."
"Has seeing Twilight teaching the Cutie Mark Crusaders inspired you?"
Thunderball gave a wistful smile. "They remind me of my childhood. Me and my cousins, a bunch of blank flanks sneaking into places we didn't belong, stealing things, and making an unholy mess in the process. It was fun while it lasted."
Creme Brulee cocked his head. "What changed?"
"We disagreed as to the appropriateness of our activities," he said tersely, looking out the window. "Then I joined the army and we lost contact with each other. It was a long time ago, ancient history. Nothing you need to concern yourself with. How've you been?"
"A–alright." Creme Brulee swallowed nervously. "I like it here, I really do. Much better weather, plenty of food, good friends, a steady job, no beatings…" he gave a weak laugh as Thunderball raised his eyebrows at the last one.
"I've had a lot of time to reflect on myself, and my place in the world. I think I'm a better pony because of it, even if…" he trailed off and sighed. "Well, to be honest, I wish I could change myself as easily as I could change my appearance." His voice sank into a dry whisper. "You know, when Chrysalis attacked, I just hid myself in the library basement. Like a coward."
Creme Brulee shot Thunderball a timid glance. "And then you nearly died fighting her off. I…" He blinked, as tears started welling up in his eyes. "I wish I could fight my own battles for once, instead of running and hiding."
Thunderball reached over and put his foreleg around Creme Brulee's shoulders. "Don't be too hard on yourself. None of it was your fault. Besides, I think you're very brave. You left the safety of the hive to start a new life in Equestria, despite not knowing anypony and risking being caught. It takes a lot of courage to pursue your dreams in the face of the unknown."
Creme Brulee laid his head to rest on the mattress and sighed. "I suppose so. But they say it's easier to move mountains than change one's nature, and sometimes I believe it."
The Adjutant–General of the Hive poked the clay scarab with her horn. It tingled as it encountered a pulsating field of magical energy emanating from the artifact. Perhaps it was due to the general lack of magical knowledge in the hive — very few changelings could do more than their natural transformation magic, even if they had the capability to learn spells — but she could not for the life of her figure out what the enchantment did.
"I'm tired of waiting, A cold voice hissed from behind her. The Adjutant quickly dropped to her hooves and bowed as Queen Chrysalis stepped in front of her and took the scarab. "What does it do?"
Adjutant trembled — Chrysalis had been in a foul mood ever since her defeat in Ponyville, and had lately taken to imprisoning those who had failed her. Or, in some cases, banishing them. Occasionally, when she was feeling especially vindictive, she would imprison them in the places they had been banished. "I don't know, my Queen."
"Useless." The glow of magic illuminated the section of floor in front of Adjutant's eyes. There was a loud popping sound, followed by the sensation of several heavy objects landing on Adjutant's skull. Stars swam in front of her as she realized that she had been hit by several encyclopedias.
"I found some research material on those pyramids while you were faffing about," Chrysalis sneered. "I expect you to give me some idea of what the scarab does by tomorrow morning, or I might decide that we need to reduce the population of the hive slightly to deal with the current food shortage."
"Of course, my Queen." Adjutant bowed as Chrysalis's retreating form.
The encyclopedias might have held the answer, but there was no way Adjutant would get through it with a night's effort. She left the books where they had fallen, and made her way down to the feeding chamber. It was time to poke around in the head of their latest guest. Adjutant soon found herself standing in front of a cocoon, and pressed her horn against the window.
"Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?" She whispered to the sleeper within.
"There are no friends among nations; today's staunchest ally may be tomorrow's bitterest enemy when our interests come into conflict."
Life was inherently unpredictable. Events completely outside of an individual's control dictated much of their environment. Nine years ago, Thunderball had utterly given up hope of reconciliation with his family, yet now his cousins stood before him, on the eve of his discharge from the hospital. The impromptu celebration that had arranged was touching, yet he could not shake the nagging sensation at the back of his mind that something was wrong.
But this was hardly the time to press the issue, so he turned to Meriwether and struck up a conversation. "So, how's the estate?"
"You won't believe what we've done with the place," she grinned. "Added two new sublevels to the bunker. Medical bay, research lab, engineering shop, and a new armory."
He raised his eyebrows. "New armory? What was wrong with the old one?"
"It is full," Daisy added, with a hint of pride. "Artifact recovery has greatly increased this past year, due to a very profitable arrangement I initiated."
"Anything interesting?"
"Come up to Canterlot and see for yourself," she smiled.
"Or you could visit Van Hoofer," Meriwether interrupted. "I've been working on electric weapons. I'd love to get your input."
Thunderball chuckled as his cousins glared daggers at each other. "Sounds like you're gearing up for a war."
All conversation in the room ground to an immediate halt.
"Guys?" Thunderball slowly looked around the group. "What's going on?"
Meriwether looked hesitantly between Thunderball and Daisy, who cleared her throat and stepped in front of Meriwether so that she was closest to Thunderball.
"As you know," she began, as if she was delivering a presentation, "There has been a high incidence of threats to Equestrian security in these past few years. While the Elements of Harmony have successfully addressed many of them, we do not know how effective they will be against others."
Thunderball frowned. "The only significant enemy the Elements of Harmony weren't used against were…" His voice trailed off as his eyes suddenly widened.
"Changelings," Daisy continued seamlessly.
For a moment, Thunderball could have sworn his ears were playing tricks on him. "What?"
Meriwether pushed Daisy aside and laid a hoof on his. "Look, I don't like the idea myself, but Chrysalis can't be reasoned with, and her control over the hive is absolute. This is our only option for ensuring the security of Equestria."
"Without sanction from the Princess?" Thunderball looked from face to face in shock. "What if they decide to retaliate against Equestria?"
"What makes you think the bugs will be in any condition to?" Flash Point conjured a sheaf of industrial chemical safety documents and let them drop onto the floor in front of Thunderball. "We'll fumigate them. They'll be dead before they know it."
"You're advocating genocide ."
Dive Bomb leaned so close to him that their noses were almost touching. "I was under the impression that you hated them as much as we did."
Phrase Mark's eyes instantly lit up. "Say, certain rumors about changeling defectors in Ponyville wouldn't happen to have a ring of truth about the, would they?
Thunderball buried his head in a pillow and cursed vigorously, and at great length.
"You should have been a sailor," Daisy commented dryly as her eyes lingered on Phrase Mark's copy of The Daily Sun. "I don't suppose that coltfriend we've been hearing so much about is one of the changelings?"
"He's a pony," Thunderball snapped.
Phrase Mark cocked her head. "A pony with no birth certificate, or medical, educational, and employment history?"
Thunderball buried his head in his hooves and took several deep breaths. Meriwether stroked his mane to help calm him down. He leaned back into her massage and composed himself. "Yes, changelings have defected. Yes, Creme Brulee is one."
Daisy rubbed her hooves together gleefully. "Changelings are sentient? Perhaps we should be recruiting."
"Anything that involves less killing is fine by me," Meriwether grinned.
"It'd be safer to go with the original plan, though." Dive Bomb earned him a swift hoof to the back of the head from Flash Point with that comment.
Phrase Mark rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "If changelings can break out of Chrysalis's hive mind, that would imply that we can focus our efforts on subversion, such as spreading dissent."
"See, that's exactly the kind of harebrained scheme I'm worried about you getting yourselves into." Thunderball flicked his tail in annoyance. "You could destabilize the entire situation! Have your forgotten our role is to provide discrete assistance to the Princesses rather than directly engage our enemies?"
Daisy slammed her hooves into the floor. "Praytell, what is your alternative? For us to sit on our flanks while Chrysalis recovers? Who do you think she will attack next? Perhaps the Crystal Empire? Or maybe she will continue her vendetta against Princess Sparkle?"
Thunderball stared her straight in the eyes. "I trust Celestia. She is aware of the situation, and I am sure she will to handle it appropriately. You're going to leave the changelings alone, or I'm marching up to the castle and requesting royal intervention. Do I make myself clear?"
"As a crystal pony," Daisy sneered. "First sign of us defending the nation, and you run off to the Princess again."
Phrase Mark's horn flashed as sound in the room became greatly suppressed, while Flash Point placed Daisy in a telekinetic bubble. It did little to stop Thunderball from ramming into it. The ensuing static discharge from his coat ran along the surface of the shield and caused it to pop out of existence as he sailed through to pin Daisy against the wall.
A foreleg worked its way between the two; Thunderball glanced over to see Meriwether trying to pry them apart. "Come on, pone. Let it go."
Thunderball shoved Daisy into the wall before relenting. "Just keep your business out of Ponyville."
Daisy seemed poised to carry on the dispute, but Dive Bomb promptly shoved her out of the way. "Enough bickering, let's get t' the important stuff. Does Creme Brulee turn into a mare f' you, or are you actually gay?"
It took Thunderball a good few seconds to register the abrupt change in conversation before he could respond. "We're not dating!"
Phrase Mark quickly joined Dive Bomb and batted her eyelashes at Thunderball. "Pity, you two would make a lovely couple. Like Romareo and Juliet."
Flash Point looked at her strangely. "They were a pair of stupid teenagers who destabilized the city to pursue their immature romance and ended up committing suicide."
"Oh, um… Trotstan and Isolde?"
"They were involved in an illicit love–triangle and betrayed their liege–lord, who killed Trostan with a poisoned lance."
"Bonnie and Clydesdale?"
Daisy shoved her hoof in Phrase Mark's mouth. "Stop talking."
She left through the window without saying goodbye. One by one, the remaining ponies bid their farewell to Thunderball as they too departed. He looked out the window at their retreating forms and sighed.
Was it wrong of him to have expected things to have changed? His family was set in their ways, maintaining traditions that had been in place for over a millenium now. It served a purpose once, but was profoundly unnecessary in the modern age. Equestria was peaceful, prosperous, and most importantly, had a strong government capable of looking after its citizens. (Even if the manner in which it did so boiled down to throwing Celestia's prized pupil and her friends at the emergency of the week.)
He placed a hoof over a patch of scar tissue on his left side. Five months ago a changeling warrior had gored him and discharged a blast of magical energy directly into his chest during an attempted takeover of Ponyville. As much as he wanted to deny it, Daisy did have a point; it was unwise to simply let trouble brew. Sooner or later, Equestria and Chrysalis would come into conflict again, and they could not simply trust their luck, and Chrysalis's own incompetence, to see them through.
Something had to be done.
Daring Do strolled into the office of Professor Ford, Chair of Canterlot University's Archaeology department, and unceremoniously dropped a clay scarab onto his desk. The blue glaze on it glinted in the mid–afternoon sun, as vibrant as the day it was first baked on, over five thousand years ago. The aging stallion stared at it, at complete loss for words, and turned it over in his hooves.
"Told you I'd find it," Daring Do grinned. "Piece of cake — once you get past the deathtraps, mummies, and locusts."
"My word! Do you realize what this means?" Dr. Ford's trembling hooves placed the scarab in a mostly empty cigar box and shut the lid. "The mystical amulet of Hatshepstrot herself! Said to have been imbued by the scarab–god Khepri with the power to raise the sun!"
Daring Do shook her head. "You don't believe that, do you? Celestia moves the sun, not some dung–beetle inspired deity. (A discount god, no less; the 'morning aspect' of Ra. Not even the whole thing.) Listen, I tried it myself when I got out of the pyramids, and the scarab does nothing. The hieroglyphs talked about some focusing ritual involving an arcane circle, but I'll be damned if I know how a bunch of earth ponies would use it."
"Perhaps, Dr. Do, but it is not only the unicorns who have magic. Do you, perchance, have a copy of those hieroglyphs?"
A large scroll of paper landed on his desk. He unrolled it to reveal a pencil rubbing of a diagram depicting how the ritual was supposed to be carried out. A tall earth pony — the Pharaoh and high priest, no doubt — stood in the center of a circle, with followers placed at five strategic points. No doubt they drew magical energy out of the very earth with their hooves, and donated it to the ritual.
"Who's to say if it works, but this is still a huge find — perhaps the discovery of the century." Dr. Ford grabbed the cigar box and made for the door. "Come on, we have to get this down to the lab for confirmation right away!"
"I don't suppose we could stop by my tenure committee on our way there?" Daring Do asked, as she casually stepped out of the office. "There's been some neigh–saying about my work schedule."
Instead of walking into the archeology department, she found herself outside on the steps of the building. Dr. Ford was holding a press conference. A crowd of reporters had gathered in front of his podium, while all the professors in the department, along with her parents, stood behind.
"We're so proud of you," her mother whispered though tears of joy, while her father was so overwhelmed by emotion that he could only nod in agreement.
Daring Do held back tears of her own as she joined her parents in a group hug, as Dr. Ford announced her discovery to the world. The journalists listened with rapt attention, and even her most bitter rivals applauded once Dr. Ford had finished speaking. This was it; she had finally made it.
"All of the obstacles to Celestia's rule — from Discord to Sombra — have been are eliminated, and now the Lunar Princess herself is gone. Supposedly, she went mad with power in the middle of the night, and Celestia was forced to banish her to the moon. Convenient, no?"
Officially, Thunderball was still an officer in the Special Air Service Regiment of the Royal Army. Most officers spent their time either at the regimental headquarters supervising the training of recruits or managing intelligence and logistics. A relative few would be deployed on missions, either for the Army or at the behest of numerous government agencies who had need of their skills.
There was a train leaving later that afternoon which would have taken him back to regimental headquarters. He had plenty of time to head down to the station after being wheeled out of the hospital and buy a ticket. Instead, he found himself walking in the opposite direction, towards the new castle.
It was majestic. It was an eyesore. It was lifeless.
Princess Twilight had yet to hire any staff. It was a rather jarring anomaly amongst royalty; even Blueblood had a fully staffed manor, which thankfully kept him far away from Equestrian society.
Thunderball paused before the castle door to take in a deep breath before he knocked. The door swung open as he reached out with his hoof to reveal a small purple dragon.
"Afternoon," Spike greeted brightly. "Saw you coming down the street from the kitchen. Everything alright? You seemed kinda out of it."
"Just had a lot on my mind," he replied evenly. "May I see the Princess?"
"Of course. She's in the library." Spike pointed upwards. "It's the room with the telescope pointing out a window. Can't miss it."
"Thanks."
Thunderball flapped his wings and took off into the air. A wide grin spread across his face as the wind streamed through his mane; this was his first flight outside of physical therapy sessions in months, and it felt so incredibly liberating. He stretched his wings wide and let a gentle breeze carry him into the library window.
This library was much larger than the Golden Oak Library. It consisted of one massive room lined with shelves from floor to ceiling, with long oak tables laid in the center. Twilight was currently halfway through reshelving a small cart full of books in near the window. Thunderball chose to glide down next to her and land in a kneeling position.
"Your Highness."
Thunderball's long and eventful service had prepared him for many things, but a princess squealing in joy and hugging him was not one of them.
"It's good to see you too," he said delicately.
Princess Twilight shot him a radiant smile. "Sorry if I got a bit carried away there. I must say, it's a relief to see you out of the hospital — looking as fit as ever, may I add."
Thunderball stuck his chest out proudly. "The doctor said I should be fully recovered, so I decided to take you up on your offer at the first opportunity."
"That's wonderful!" Twilight clasped her hooves together in joy. "I could use a head butler to help look after this place."
"Wait, a butler?" Thunderball's hair shot straight up as Twilight gave him a stern glance. "Not that I wouldn't be honored to serve you, Your Highness," he added hastily.
The tension in the room broke as a smile tugged at Twilight's lips. "Well, if being a domestic servant doesn't appeal to you, then I suppose you should follow me." She led him to one of the tables, which had a map of Ponyville and the Everfree Forest on it. "I have another project in the works, the restoration of the Everfree Castle, reclamation of valuable information and artifacts within it."
Thunderball nodded eagerly. "Now that sounds more interesting. I can definitely help with that. May I ask what you're restoring the castle for?"
"Now there's an interesting question." Twilight sat down at the table and rested her head on her hooves thoughtfully. "Thunderball, how would you feel about Celestia allowing changelings to openly live amongst us?"
Images of fangs and chitinous armor flashed through Thunderball's mind. They had killed his friends in a botched raid on a changeling hive, and nearly crippled Equestria when they attacked Canterlot. But that had been at the behest of Queen Chrysalis; changelings like Creme Brulee wanted nothing to do with her plans of conquest. It would hardly be fair to treat him as the enemy, or force him to life a double life.
"I would not oppose it," he answered slowly, "Though I doubt most ponies would feel as I do."
"Yes, and that's the problem. How can we allow defectors to live peacefully as full members of Equestrian society when they face so much distrust? How can we have peace with Chrysalis if nopony really sees changelings as anything but monsters?"
Her horn glowed purple and words appeared on the map, right above the ruins of the Everfree Castle. They spelled out "The Everfree Colony".
"I think I understand. You wish to give changelings a safe haven and a chance to prove that they are not a threat to Equestria."
"Exactly," Twilight beamed. "And I can't think of a better place to build a friendship between ponies and changelings than Ponyville. Three races of ponies already live in harmony here, and I am confident that we can include changelings."
"An ambitious plan." Thunderball read the words on the map again and frowned. "A risky plan. I don't think we're equipped to deal with a large influx of changelings. Who do you intent to have watch over them?"
"It is a difficult question, to be sure. Qualified ponies are few and far between; we no longer have any families with a tradition of espionage or diplomacy, and our government employs too few intelligence agents." She shook her head sadly. "Sometimes, I think it's too bad we can't drag House Argent out from the grave."
Thunderball snorted. "Surely we could do better."
Twilight raised her eyebrows. "Looks like somepony's been reading up on the Lunar Rebellion."
"I know plenty about House Argent," he spat. "One of the first unicorn houses to betray Celestia. Responsible for crippling the loyalist forces during the start of the war through disinformation, espionage, and assassination. I doubt they'd be of much use in this day and age."
The sheer intensity of Thunderball's voice (for a family long since lost to history, no less) caught Twilight off guard. "In their defense, they rebelled because they suspected Celestia was trying to pull a Sombra; they did switch sides again halfway through the war when they realized the rebel leadership had been corrupted by dark forces seeking to free Nightmare Moon."
"Too little, too late," Thunderball snorted. "It's pretty hard to make up for helping start a civil war."
"It is, but they did pay out heavy reparations after the war, and adopted many war orphans. It might not make up for their mistake, but the important thing is that they were sincere."
"With all due respect, Your Highness, that is a ridiculously lenient opinion."
Twilight narrowed her eyes and spread her wings. "That happens to be Celestia's opinion. She taught me about the Lunar Rebellion herself, and said she was saddened by how there was so little forgiveness after the war. Many of the old houses withered from lack of heirs to the bloodline, and Equestria suffered from their loss."
Thunderball kneeled again. "I suppose Celestia knows best. She was there, after all."
An awkward silence filled the room as Twilight stood up. "Look, please don't do that. I–I'm not angry as you, I just got a bit touchy when you dismissed Celestia's opinion. Can I ask you to stop saluting, bowing, or kneeling in front of me? At least not so frequently?"
"You may ask, Your Highness." Thunderball raised himself off of the floor, but kept his head lowered slightly out of deference.
"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"
"Thirty–seven," Thunderball replied without hesitation. "Your Highness."
"Is it ever going to work, or do I have to make it an order?"
Thunderball's cheeks blushed a light–pink. "My apologies. It's something of a habit."
"Well, I can certainly understand that," Twilight chuckled. "I can get the same way myself. And don't even get me started on my friends. You have no idea how hard it was to convince Pinkie Pie not to throw you a 'Leaving the Hospital' party in the reception area."
The thought of how Nurse Redheart would have reacted to one of Pinkie's parties brought a smile to Thunderball's lips. "I'm surprised you managed to talk her out of a party at all."
"Oh, I didn't," Twilight commented lightly, as her horn lit up.
Banners unfurled from the ceiling as confetti filled the air. Pinkie Pie appeared from out of nowhere and placed a party hat firmly onto his head as a dozen voices shouted out at once.
"Surprise!"
The painful sensation of needles intruding into Thunderball's skull woke him up the next morning. He wrapped his pillow around his head in a desperate, but ultimately futile, attempt to block out the pain. Several minutes were spent cursing the existence of Pinkie Pie's Super Special Sugar Punch before he realized that his bladder was full, and that if he did not take care of it soon, he would soon be having a very embarrassing conversation with Twilight.
Thunderball tried to lift up his blanket, only to find that it was being weighed down. He reached a hoof out to figure out what it was and encountered something soft and warm.
"Morning, sunshine."
Rainbow Dash's voice drifted into Thunderball's ears and nearly caused him to roll out of bed. His eyes shot open to reveal that he was in one of the sparsely furnished guest rooms of Twilight's castle. Rainbow Dash was lying on her side next to him, reading his copy of Daring Do and the Songbird's Lament .
"What are you doing here?" Thunderball's voice cracked slightly due to stress and dehydration. "I didn't do anything regrettable last night, did I?"
"Nah, you're ok." Rainbow put away her book and stretched out next to him. "In fact, I think doing me was the best decision you've ever made."
Thunderball's jaw dropped as he struggled to process the statement, while Rainbow shot up into the air and put her hooves on her hips. "We could become a real power couple, with my brawn and your beauty."
"Please tell me you're joking." Thunderball gently massaged his temples as he waited for a response.
"Aw, don't get your feathers ruffled. Nothing happened last night." Rainbow glided down to his side and gave hit him with her tail. "Though I suppose I should be insulted that you find the idea of sleeping with me so awful."
Thunderball rolled his eyes as he swung himself out of bed. "Aren't you a little young for me?"
"Psh, what's a decade here or there? I'll have you know that plenty of ponies of all ages would kill for a piece of this flank." Rainbow emphasized her point by giving herself a hearty smack on her cutie mark.
"Count me out, then; I kill for business, not pleasure."
Thunderball nudged past Rainbow Dash and trotted out the door. He immediately froze as he saw Twilight standing in front of them with several clear crystal rings in tow.
"Wait, I can explain!" Thunderball waved his forelegs frantically. "It's not what it looks like!"
Rainbow Dash stifled a giggle from behind him. "What does it look like?"
Twilight raised an eyebrow at their antics. "It seems like Rainbow Dash woke you up."
Thunderball cleared his throat awkwardly. "In that case, Your Highness, it's exactly what it looks like."
"Right…" Twilight turned away from them and returned to crystals. "I'm going to go to the library. You can join me if you want, but don't disturb my research."
"Nah, thanks for the offer Twi, but I gotta teach a karate class for kids."
Thunderball quickly checked his ears for a wax buildup. There had to have been some miscommunication. "You teach karate?"
"I don't like your tone, buster." Rainbow tapped him on the nose playfully. "What's so hard to believe about me doing karate?"
"I didn't mean that, I'm just surprised that you teach kids."
Rainbow proudly stuck her chest out and tossed her mane back. "I just think I have a responsibility to help my fans be as awesome as I am!"
"...of course you do."
"In fact, now that you're here, I think I should invite you along! What do you say to some martial arts madness?"
Thunderball looked between Rainbow Dash and Twilight's retreating form before nodding. "Sure, just give me a moment to talk to Princess Twilight and I'll meet you there."
Rainbow Dash nodded and quickly flew out through the nearest window, while Thunderball made a beeline for the library. He found Twilight seated at the main table, still toying with her crystals. He counted a dozen rings, all made of the same material.
He gently cleared his throat as he drew near. "Pardon me, Your Highness, but are those from the Crystal Empire?"
"A gift from Cadance, as a matter of fact," Twilight nodded. "Something to help me in my arcane research."
"Those wouldn't happen to be mana prisms, would they?"
"Thunderball!" Twilight looked at him with wide–eyed amazement. "I'm impressed. Not even many unicorns know about mana prisms these days!"
"Oh well…" Thunderball's eyes quickly shot to the shelves full of books surrounding him. "I think I read somewhere about how unicorns used crystals as a means of focusing their magic with greater efficiently as an alternative to channeling more raw power through their horns."
"And rightly so," Twilight nodded. "Using external sources of power such as the Alicorn Amulet, a Stone of Jordan, or Shard of Midnight exposes the horn — and by extension, the brain — to more energy than it can safely handle. Mental instability commonly develops from prolonged use, and can become permanent in severe cases."
"Like that Zanzebran sorcerer a few years back? The one who tried to summon dark creatures with an ancient zebra fetish?
"Conrad Konik? I believe so. Used the Heart of Darkness and his own daughter to try and open a dimensional rift. I heard whatever came out of it wasn't too friendly and tore them both to shreds. Terribly tragic."
Twilight laid her collection out in a semi–circle on the table. "It's a pity all artificial aids acquired the same stigma; I think most unicorns would benefit from a good set of mana prisms, say, twelve or so — though I think you can get by with eight, if you're only concerned with covering the basics."
One of the rings floated up between the two ponies, so that Twilight could look at Thunderball through the center. "I must say, you keep finding new ways to surprise me! Got any other secrets I should know about?"
"Nothing from you, Your Highness." A bead of sweat trickled down the back of Thunderball's mane. "If you would be so kind as to excuse me, Rainbow Dash invited me to her karate class, and I would be interested in attending."
Twilight's gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "Of course you're excused. I can't have my trusty bodyguard get rusty, now can I?"
Thunderball quickly bowed his way out and slowly walked outside. A talent for deception was a requirement for covert operations, but lying to Twilight bothered him in a way that he had never felt before. Twilight was more than just a superior to him; she was his friend and he had betrayed her trust.
But there was no harm in keeping a few things from Twilight, was there? It was unlikely that his cousins would try anything drastic, and there was no point dredging up old business just so he could feel better about himself. Sometimes, it was better to let sleeping dragons lie.
Instead, he thought about the existence of a dojo in Ponyville. The presence of a Japonese martial art was not terribly unusual, though, in his opinion, it catered more to the competitive sport crowd. Karate demanded certain restrictions on the practitioner — tied wings for pegasi, arcane–locked horns for unicorns — that created an equal playing field for all ponies, but did not reflect how fights played out in the real world, excepting instances where the combatants were disabled.
The dojo looked like a dance studio from the outside, but the interior was decorated in a traditional Neighponese aesthetic. Paper screens were stacked around the walls, and a large square made out of bamboo mats in the center denoted the training area.
It was currently occupied by Rainbow Dash, who was lead a class through stances in the middle. To Thunderball's surprise, there were several adults practicing alongside the children, including Creme Brulee. While Creme was definitely strong, karate was more concerned about finesse and form. Most ponies of Creme Brulee's build tended towards boxing or wrestling.
Thunderball waited by the sidelines until the class took a break before waving at Creme Brulee. "Didn't expect to see you here; did Rainbow rope you into coming as well?"
"Me?" Creme Brulee twisted his white belt nervously. "No, I just saw a flier for self–defense lessons and thought it'd be, you know, a good way to pick up self–defense skills."
"On one hoof, it is. You can build up strength and self–confidence through martial arts. On the other hoof, you have to think about if the curriculum is relevant to real–life situations. A quick jab is very useful; a spinning back–kick, less so. I personally find the mental discipline more useful; a well trained mind is capable of amazing feats. Emotion suppression, pain tolerance, the ability to enter a death–like state, resistance to mind control, etc."
Creme cocked his head. "Is that what you were talking about at the hosp–"
"Heeyah!" A multicolored blur flung itself between between the two ponies with a flying kick. "About time you showed up!"
"Nice to see you too, Rainbow." Thunderball paused and looked at the belt around her wings. It restricted their movement, but he supposed that was the point. Karate was a competitive sport which placed numerous restrictions on the practitioners to create a level playing field. Pegasi wore their belt over their wings to prevent flight, and unicorns were doubtlessly unable to use arcane magic. "I see you're a black belt."
"Yup! And fully credentialed to teach as well." Rainbow proudly turned around on the spot. "Care to see what it's all about?"
Thunderball could not help but grin as he stretched his wings. "Are you asking me to step into the ring?"
All he received was a cocky grin from Rainbow as she turned sideways and balanced herself on her hind legs. The dojo became as quiet as moonbeam as Thunderball pried off his horse shoes and stood in front of Rainbow Dash with all four hooves on the ground, as if he were casually waiting in line for a cupcake.
They stared at each other for a moment before Thunderball suddenly flapped his wings and pushed off of the ground, lashing out at her with his forehooves so suddenly that they caught Rainbow in the chest. She stumbled back and shot to the side. Thunderball saw her chest fill with air as she breathed in — an improper breathing pattern that restricted air intake, only done when breathing properly from the diaphragm would interfere with the muscles used for kicking.
His hooves instinctively shot down as she deployed a textbook front kick with her left leg. He caught the limb and pulled it towards him, causing Rainbow to stumble forward while he shot around to her left. She quickly recovered and turned to face him again. Thunderball saw her diaphragm expand this time – breathing properly indicated an upper body attack, so he raised his forelegs as she pelted him with a blazing assortment of punches. Thunderball kept his forelegs close to his body in a tight defensive posture and blocked each attack, even as the sheer quantity of strikes forced him back against the edge.
Just before he would step over, Thunderball deflected a punch with his right foreleg and twisted with the blow while grabbing the front of Rainbow's gi with his left hoof. The move unbalanced her enough for Thunderball to slam her into the mats face first. The audience gasped as she rolled onto her back and flailed around on the ground.
"How the hay did you… I'm faster than you!" She grumbled, as her hooves found purchase on the mats.
Thunderball placed a hoof on the back of her gi and pulled her upright. "Faster, yes, but also predictable. You also give yourself away by your breathing. Exhale before attacking, and be a bit more flexible."
"Flexible. Yeah, got it." Rainbow snorted impatiently and assumed a fighting stance. "Up for round two?"
While Thunderball had his reservations, it would probably be best to let Rainbow's competitive streak wear itself out. He assumed his fighting stance again as she came towards him with a tremendous shout. Her breath left her body before she committed to a flying kick. It fell far short of the power and speed of a true pegasus flying kick, which would normally be augmented by their wingpower.
Thunderball was able to react before she reached him and lowered his body. He bucked at Rainbow as she flew over him with both rear legs, catching her in the back. She went flying towards the edge of the sparring area, but landed on her forehooves and quickly assumed a low sidewise stance. She launched herself into another flurry of strikes at Thunderball, faster than last time, but not quick enough to overcome his defenses.
Thunderball sensed an opening as Rainbow Dash threw a punch at him with her left hoof and sidestepped it so he could deliver a blow to her chest. Her right hoof, which had been blocked from his view by her body, shot out and latched onto his foreleg. Rainbow then leaned back as her right leg delivered a front kick to Thunderball's diaphragm.
The kick caused him to collapse onto the ground, but not before dragging Rainbow down with him. The two continued struggling and rolled right through one of the paper screens. When they came to a stop, Thunderball was straddling Rainbow Dash, pinning her forelegs above her head with his right hoof while bearing down on her throat with his left foreleg. They breathed heavily as they glared into each other's eyes, until Thunderball abruptly released her and ruffled her mane.
"Good kick," he chuckled as he rolled off of her. "I'm going to have to decline any further matches with you for the day, though; you took the wind right out of my sails."
Rainbow Dash looked more pleased than she had after her first defeat, and propped herself up on her elbows. "Then I claim ultimate victory due to your forfeit! Muhuhaha!"
Thunderball rolled his eyes, but did not contest her declaration.
"Mighty nations may struggle against each other for years, striving for a victory that is decided in a single day. Thus, to remain ignorant of the enemy's condition is the height of foolishness. What enables the wise ruler and clever general to triumph on the field of battle is foreknowledge."
Far away from the dojo, Creme Brulee sulked back towards the house he shared with his friend — and pretend brother — Caramel. The karate class had been fun, but things had gone steeply downhill after Thunderball arrived. Thunderball was clearly more interested in fighting Rainbow Dash, if not Rainbow Dash herself, and honestly, who could blame him? Leaving aside the issue of sexual orientation, Rainbow Dash had so much to offer — to the point where even otherwise straight mares fantasized about her. She was fit, attractive, and, most importantly, a national hero several times over.
Creme Brulee collapsed on his couch the moment he entered the living room and flicked the radio on with his tail. Beat Hoofen's fifth symphony soon floated over the airwaves. He closed his eyes and let the stirring music carry him away from his worries.
There was a gentle knock from the door. Creme ignored it, only for his door to be assailed by a dozen more. He dragged himself off of the couch and flung the door open to see a brown earth pony.
She smiled sweetly as she looked up at him. "Hello! Are you Mr. Brulee?"
"I am," he glowered. "Who are you?"
"I am Thunderball's cousin, Daisy. May I come in?"
Creme gave her a hard look before stepping aside. He let the door close behind her before he spoke again. "I'm sorry, but I can't help notice that you're an earth pony, and, last I checked, Thunderball is a pegasus."
"The wonders of adoption!" She threw herself on the couch, next to the radio. "Ooh, Beat Hoofen! I love this one! Come on, sit and listen!"
Creme Brulee sat down beside her. "Was he adopted, or were you?"
"Both! It runs in the family. Well, not literally, but you get the idea." She let the movement finish before turning off the radio. "I have to say, Thunderball has talked about you a lot. It is so nice to finally meet you."
"Why? I'm not exactly what you'd call special, or interesting."
"Oh, I would disagree," she purred. "And we both know why."
Creme froze. She gave him a reassuring pat on the foreleg. "No need to worry, your secret is safe with me. Runs in the family."
"Wh–what family?"
"Let us simply say that we want to make sure Thunderball is keeping good company." She leaned back into the couch. "So tell me, how did someone like you end up here in Ponyville? I have nothing against this town, but I would hardly like to settle down here."
"It has it's advantages — a large enough population to hide in and feed off of, but small enough that you can get by without official documentation. Plus we figured having Princess Twilight around would serve as a deterrent if Chrysalis ever tried to take us back. It didn't work out quite as well as we expected, but it was a good plan."
"I see your point," she nodded. "And how did meet Caramel?"
"Oh, um…" Creme took in a deep gulp of air. "Er, the short version is that the first place I ran to after leaving the hive was Appeloosa. I was starving by the time I got there, so I pretended to be a mare, went to the bar, and figured I'd have a one–night stand."
Daisy politely ignored the fact that Creme could have probably boiled a kettle full of tea on his forehead and signalled that she had a question. "I thought changelings fed off of love?"
"Lust isn't the same thing as love, but it'll do in a pinch. Um, anyways, I was running on fumes by the time somepony took interest in me, and my transformation actually gave out before we could get, um, serious. Gave Caramel one heck of a surprise, but he managed to keep a cool head and not get me arrested or anything. I apologized, we became friends, and then he invited me to stay with him in Ponyville the next morning."
"You are one very lucky changeling, to have found such a trusting friend. Was the hive so bad that you thought it better to risk things on your own?"
Creme sighed. "There was always too little food, and too many orders. It became worse after Princess Luna's return; we had to severely restrict how much love we could drain from ponies or else they might have nightmares and draw her attention. I left before the situation got really bad, but I heard that's why she invaded Canterlot."
Daisy tapped her chin. "You know, I have always wondered about that; I could never figure out what her plan was. So she charmed Captain Armor, but did not order him to drop the shield around Canterlot until her attack had already begun. While she was in the presence of Celestia herself, no less."
"Chrysalis was hardly the best tactician," Creme snorted. "Her greatest innovation was actually the development of pod farms so that our numbers could expand and overrun our rival hives in the Badlands." He saw the lack of comprehension on Daisy's face and immediately offered a clarification. "A pod farm consists of ponies who've been placed into cocoons, which keep them in a happy dream while we harvest their love."
Daisy's jaw promptly dropped "You're telling me there's ponies trapped in the hive somewhere?"
"Not many," Creme added hastily. "A dozen before I left, and I doubt she's managed to add more considering the state the hive's in."
"Are they in any danger?"
Creme shook his head. "Not as long as they're careful. Perhaps some nightmares instead of daydreams if they're strained, but as I said, the hive can no longer afford to drain them that much. As long as they keep it reasonable, the ponies don't suffer any lasting damage. Not even the mind–probes are too bad — the interrogator will just peek around for surface thoughts and observe dreams."
Daisy held her head in her hooves as she struggled to process the information. "Alright. So they are not in any immediate danger. Still, I cannot believe Celestia has let the situation stand. Does she not know?"
"I'm fairly sure one of the other changelings — ones that Twilight has interviewed — has told her, but they're going to try for a diplomatic solution first."
Her ears perked up. "Others?"
Creme frowned. "I'm sorry, but I don't feel comfortable revealing any identities."
"Are you sure? If you did, I am sure we could help the ponies Chrysalis is farming."
"What are you thinking?"
"Well, I think that an assessment of the situation is in order before anything else. I would like to have someone run reconnaissance on the hive."
"Ah. I see." Creme Brulee bit his lip nervously. There were others better suited for such a mission, but this was also a golden opportunity to prove that he was more than just a burden, that he could be as brave and bold as anypony else. "For what it's worth, I know my way around the hive as well as anyone else, and I'm pretty good at transformation magic to boot. Not many changelings can assume a much larger form than their own, or generate the additional muscle mass to make the disguise convincing. I'd love to help put an end to all this, if you've got a plan."
Daisy looked him up and down. "Well, you do seem sincere. If you are serious, then meet me at the train station early tomorrow morning for the Appeloosan Express. Tell no–one, not even Thunderball."
The window of Twilight's library was open again that evening. Thunderball soared in to find Twilight seated at one of the tables. Several sheets of parchment were floating in front of her, each filled with writing, and a quill was busy filling out more pages. He walked behind her and read the first page curiously.
"Feeding Habits of Changelings. By Twilight Sparkle."
The quill made an abrupt jump upwards on the page, ruining the sheet. "Thunderball! Don't creep up on me like that!" Twilight turned around and glared at him. "How are you so quiet in those horseshoes?"
He quickly dropped to his knees. "My deepest and sincerest apologies, I was just — I just got back from karate with Rainbow Dash."
Twilight tossed the page into an overflowing wastebasket next to her chair and started over on a fresh sheet. "How was it?"
"Pretty fun overall, though she bucks really hard." He winced at the memory of her hoof colliding with his diaphragm.
"Tisk tisk. Isn't there something improper about bucking with my friends? I'm pretty sure she's at least a decade younger than you."
"Very funny, Your Highness."
"Consider it payback for surprising me," Twilight smirked. "You ruined a really good paragraph on the dietary needs of changelings."
"I thought they mostly just ate love?"
"Well yes, but it is important to keep in mind that love does not mean romantic love alone; the love between families and friends also count. Indeed, from a certain perspective, one could say that love is the basis for all of our positive emotions."
"That certainly makes sense. How many ponies does it take to sustain a changeling?"
"Now that's a difficult question to answer; after all, it's not like we have units for measuring love. It also depends on the method of feeding; casually passing through a crowd and absorbing ambient love requires many more ponies than, say, a close friendship or romantic relationship. But I'm sure that we can get by if we try; there's millions of ponies in Equestria, and by all estimates, we outnumber the changeling population quite a bit."
"What about Princess Cadance? Surely she can whip up some love magic to feed them? Heck, maybe we should send them up to the Crystal Empire, since crystal ponies don't have a history with changelings. Might even be able to feed them with the power of the Crystal Heart."
Twilight shot him a strange look. "Actually, that's not quite right. Do you remember King Sombra? Did you ever wonder why he tried to spread hatred and fear with the Crystal Heart?"
"I always figured it was because he was some sort of megalomaniacal tyrant."
"By all accounts, he was always a bad pony, but what really caused him to go overboard and lose it was when he found out his wife had been killed and replaced by a changeling. I guess he figured choking out as much love and happiness was the best way to eliminate the changelings threat."
"Ah. So there's nowhere in Equestria that'll want them." Thunderball stared at the map of the Everfree Forest hanging on the library wall. "And it's up to us to change that. What kind of timetable are we looking at?"
"Right now, I'm making arrangements to refurbish the old castle, and have asked many of our changeling friends to go to other cities in search of more defectors. I'm hoping that we'll be up and running in, oh, three months or so."
"What can I do to help?"
"You?" Twilight levitated a copy of The Daily Sun out from a stack of periodicals and let Thunderball see the front cover, which featured a picture of Creme Brulee offering him a bouquet of flowers. "I think you're doing a fine job of improving interspecies relations as is."
"It controls the sun."
Chrysalis stared at the Adjutant from her bed, having just been woken up by her abrupt entrance. "What?"
"This scarab allows the owner to control the sun." Adjutant held up the scarab with one hoof and pointed up at the roof with the other for emphasis, even though dawn was at least an hour away. "The sun–god Ra gifted it to the ponies of the Old Kingdom thousands of years before Celestia, when the weather was still wild and the sun and moon moved on their own."
"Right." Chrysalis clapped her hooves. "Guards! Throw her out of the hive!"
"It's in the book! Page 677!" Adjutant quickly produced the book and opened it to show a detailed sketch of the mythical scarab. It was a dead ringer for the one Chrysalis had given her.
Chrysalis raised her hoof at the guards who appeared at her bedchamber door, signalling them to halt. "Well, this is good news to wake up to. Does it actually work, or is it just some ancient superstition?"
Adjutant shot the guards behind her a nervous glance. "I don't know; I'm not skilled with magic, but if there's anyone who could do it, surely it is your Majesty?"
"Hm." Chryalis waved the guards away. "Yes, you're right. Of course I should be able to crack it. I am, after all, the Queen of the Hive. What magic is beyond my reach?"
"A better mage can't be found in the hive," Adjutant added, with a straight a face as possible.
"He who marches onto the battlefield in textbook formations and wages war as if it were an accounting exercise is bound to lose. If you want to win, you have to fight dirty."
Changeling nature was hard to describe; despite the presence of a hive mind, changelings did have a sense of individuality. The influence of the hive mind could affect the general thoughts and feelings of a changeling, but it took a powerful member of the species, such as a Queen, to exert control through the hive mind. Even then, dominating changelings in such a manner would quickly prove taxing — when a queen needed more control over her subjects, it was far more common to delegate responsibility through the hive hierarchy.
That being said, the general biology and upbringing of a changeling meant that they favored certain behaviors, even when cut off from the hive mind. For example, a changeling had to be willing to manipulate others to sustain itself, especially outside of the hive. When Creme Brulee wanted something, such as getting a dangerous mission for the honor and glory, he felt a remarkable drop in his motivation to be honest.
He did not have a good idea of the hive's layout; as a lowly worker, he had only been to the fungus farms, hatchery, recycling pool, and mines. And while his transformation magic might have been decent, he had never had the nerve or charisma to become an infiltrator. But things were different now; he had so many ponies who believed in his capacity to change for the better, and their faith in him burned away any remaining doubts in his mind.
The hive needed to be mapped. It would be mapped. The ponies Chrysalis kidnapped needed to be freed. They would be, come hell or high water. Creme Brulee would no longer be a coward, in his own eyes and in those of his friends.
As he watched the entrance to his hive, however, he realized that there was one slight flaw in his plan; he had no idea how he would sneak in. There had always been a password, and it surely had changed by now. There was no way he could just waltz in without anyone batting an eyelid.
"A pony for your thoughts?"
Creme Brulee nearly jumped out of his exoskeleton and spun around to see an armored changeling casually trotting up behind him. "Oh, um, hi there! You kinda crept up on me."
"Sorry," the guard shrugged. "Just patrolling the perimeter. I take it you're on break and enjoying the view?" The guard sat down next to him and pulled out a canteen. "Lovely night, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Creme's mouth went dry as he struggled to come up with a cover story. "Can I have some of that water?"
The guard tossed it over to him. "Sure, you look tired. Long trip?"
"Very long."
"Feels like you got a good harvest out of it, I can practically feel the love flowing out of your body." The guard looked around shiftily and whispered. "Hey, can you do a fellow changeling a favor and spare a bit before you turn it over to the egg–counters at the repository?"
They touched horns, and there was a brief flash of green. The guard leaned back and sighed. "Thanks, I owe you one."
"No problem, we've got to stick together, right?" Creme winked at him and handed the canteen back, before walking into the hive. The guard waved and went back to staring at the night sky.
The inside of the hive was far quieter than Creme remembered. His hoofsteps echoed in the tunnels, only interrupted by the grumbling of the occasional bored sentry, or worker slaving away on the night shift. Neither were as abundant compared to the pre–Canterlot days, when the hive was always bustling with activity. It was impossible to say how many had been lost in the aftermath of that disaster. A few, no doubt, found better homes in Equestria — one of his friends in Ponyville ended up doing just that, with two marefriends, no less — but the majority must have died. There was no way defectors could have resulted in such a drastic reduction in population.
For all the changes, the repository was still in the same place. Located in roughly in the center of the hive, it was one of the most secure locations. Only the hatchery and Chrysalis's private chambers had comparable protection. He stepped into the dull green glow of the cocoons and was waved towards the nearest empty one by a bored clerk. Creme deposited a generous helping of love energy into the cocoon, while keeping an eye on the ponies floating around him.
The number of abductees had increased since he had left. There were at least two dozen, possibly more. Most were earth ponies — presumably, they were easier to capture than unicorns, or pegasi. He began counting off the ponies, taking careful note of their age, type, and gender.
The seventh one he counted caused him to blink twice: a khaki pegasus mare with a greyscale mane and a compass rose on her flank. There was no mistaking her for anyone other than Daring Do. It was impossible: she was a fictional character. She belonged in a popular young adult novel series. She was floating in a cocoon right in front of him.
Ponyfeathers.
The Everfree Forest had always been poorly understood by the ponies who lived near it. Celestia had abandoned it in her grief over banishing her own sister, while ponies shied away from the place of Luna's fall out of superstition and fear. Nature reclaimed the forest for its own, and, after a thousand years of neglect, had become too well entrenched to remove. The forest was openly hostile to outsiders, and any pony in their right mind would steer clear of it. Yet the forest's danger would soon become an asset, as it provided an ideal defense for the old castle, and its future changeling residents.
Thunderball stood on top of the highest spire, surveying the forest and ruins beneath him. A new wall was needed to keep out undesirable flora and fauna. The crumbling buildings would be renovated, and the dungeons beneath expanded to provide a more natural habitat for changelings. Besides, a tunnel to the cave where the Tree of Harmony grew was sorely needed — a magic source of such potency could not be left unsecured.
He spread his wings and glided down into the castle library, surrounded by spiders and ancient tomes. How the books had survived a thousand years of exposure was anyone's guess. In fact, most of the abandoned belongings, from suits of armor to ancient tapestries, were remarkably well preserved. Even the fallen statue of Celestia in the courtyard fountain looked as new as the day it was chiseled out of marble. Perhaps some of the protective wards Star–Swirl the Bearded had laid on the castle had held up through the centuries?
There was a burst of hoofsteps from the foyer, and Thunderball stepped out to see Creme Brulee lying on the ground in a desperate attempt to catch his breath.
"Creme! Where've you been? You've been gone all week!"
"Went home," he panted. "Got problems."
Thunderball looked around warily. "Something chasing you?"
The leaves on the border of the clearing rustled; Thunderball walked outside prepared himself to face off against some unspeakable monstrosity, only to see Daisy stepping out of the bushes. The rest of his cousins soon followed in tow, each with the same agitated expression on their face.
"What did you do this time?" Thunderball pointed at Daisy with his hoof. "Out with it, what happened?"
She lowered her head and stared at the ground. "I would prefer to talk about this inside."
Thunderball turned away from her wordlessly and went back into the foyer. "Creme, what's going on?"
"Well, I talked with Daisy and she convinced me to go back to the hive and see how many ponies Chrysalis had kidnapped…" He trailed off as Thunderball shot Daisy a vicious glare.
"I thought I told you to leave my friends out of this," Thunderball hissed.
Daisy gave a weary sigh. "Hear him out, there's more."
"And, um, there's twenty seven ponies… including Daring Do."
"Wait, the Daring Do? I thought she was fictional!" Thunderball looked between Creme Brulee and Daisy in confusion. "Ok, well, that's still not too bad. We need to tell the Princesses right away, but nopony's in imminent danger or anything."
"Let him finish, it gets worse," Daisy groaned.
"Um, right. So, changelings have this thing where the sift through a captive's surface thoughts, dreams, and memories. We use it to better impersonate ponies we replace."
"Chrysalis is planning on replacing Daring Do?"
"No." Daisy ground her hoof into the floor. "But we've been working with Daring Do to secure powerful artifacts."
"So, let me get this straight." Thunderball walked up to Daisy and lifted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "You went behind my back and manipulated my friend into taking an incredibly dangerous recon mission. You shared the existence of our house, and its assets, with an outsider, in hopes of adding Celestia–knows–what to our armory. And now a bug queen stands to learn about us if she gets lucky rooting around in somepony's brain."
He pushed her against a crumbling stone pillar. "What is your problem?"
"I screwed up, ok?" Tears leaked down Daisy's muzzle as she collapsed onto the ground. "Happy? You were right, and I was wrong. We should have left it to Celestia."
Thunderball stared at Daisy in shock for a moment before gently cradling her body against his and stroking her mane. "No, I'm not happy. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just… well, I wouldn't call it the worst thing to happen to us since the Lunar Rebellion, but it's up there."
"But you can still fix it, right?" Creme asked.
"Yeah, we'll go in guns blazing." Dive Bomb soared through the air, letting loose with a flurry of punches. "Kick down the door, take what's ours, and toss a few bombs around t' cover out escape. Chrysalis won't even know what hit her."
He found himself restrained by a telekinetic field as Flash Point abruptly brought him to the ground. "Somewhere underneath all that bluster and bravado was a hint of a good plan."
"Ooh, are you thinking of a daring rescue?" Phrase Mark jumped up and down in excitement. "I love it!"
Thunderball looked at them in disbelief. "You can't be serious. Merry, back me up on this."
Meriwether tapped her prosthetic leg. "Sorry, pone, but it's better than sitting around rotting away from the inside."
"You're all barking mad." Thunderball closed his eyes and rested his head against the pillar. "And I'm crazier than all of you, because I want to lead it."
Meriwether whinnied and hugged him from behind. "Welcome back to the herd! What are your orders?"
Thunderball brushed her off and helped Daisy to her hooves. "First, I know you had plans for infiltrating the hive. I want to see them, along with all the equipment you can gather without raising any eyebrows from the house elders."
Daisy swallowed and looked up at him. "Most of the good stuff is under lock and key, but we have prototype combat vests lying around Meriwether's workshop, and Flash Point has a few magical trinkets in her lab, along with some of the weapons Daring Do helped us… relieve an antiques collector of. Give me three days, and I'll have everything ready in Appeloosa."
"Good." Thunderball turned to Creme Brulee. "Second: Creme, I want you to know that you're under no obligation to help, but if you're willing, I'd like you to go over the layout and defenses of the hive in detail. Anything that'll help us get in and out undetected."
Creme gave him a long, hard look. "Are you planning on rescuing Daring Do, or everypony?"
"It would be more practical to extract a single pony, and let Celestia negotiate for the rest. That being said…" Thunderball took in a deep breath, "The main reason I left my family was because I had a tendency to put honor before reason. I'm honestly not sure I could just leave ponies behind."
Creme Brulee began sweating as he paced back and forth in the foyer. "The hive won't make it without any ponies to feed on! They'll either starve or be forced to attack ponies again."
"I know," Thunderball said softly. "But are you willing to just let them hold innocent ponies hostage? For Celestia–knows how long?"
"I don't like it, but not every changeling in the hive is evil! Some just have no other choice. I can't let them starve."
"I understand your position." Thunderball gave Creme a gentle hug. "We'll focus on Daring Do, alright? Nothing fancy or heroic, just a simple rescue mission. Everypony else is Celestia's concern."
Creme hesitated and then shook Thunderball's hoof. "Deal."
Thunderball smiled and turned back to the group. "Third, I would like for a good, stiff, drink."
The six ponies sat in the castle's crumbling library as Creme Brulee drew a rough map of the hive. In the distant past, it had been a simple desert cave carved out of a giant rock formation by water and wind, but thanks to centuries of ceaseless toil by workers, it boasted a substantial tunnel network and additional chambers deep beneath the surface.
"It's a nightmare," Thunderball grumbled, as he nursed one of Dive Bomb's flasks. "Only way in or out is through several tightly controlled passages, unless we want to move through solid stone or desert sand. And we can bet this one's got tighter security than the one I raided with my SAS team, seeing as how the bug queen herself lives here."
Daisy traced the lower chambers with her hoof. "It is not an insurmountable obstacle. Tell me, what are the bottom levels used for?"
"Those?" Creme looked surprised. "Storage, but they've been empty for most of my time with the hive — we haven't had enough of anything to put in there for a long time."
"Hm." Daisy pursed her lips. "And where's the pod farm?"
Creme pointed to a room close to the center of the hive. "Right there. One of the most difficult areas to access, aside from Chrysalis's private bedchambers. The only upside is that, while the tunnels to the inner hive are heavily guarded, movement around the hive itself is not. Chrysalis doesn't have much to fear from internal dissent; most of the menial laborers and troops aren't too bright or rebellious."
There was a glimmer of excitement in Daisy's eyes. "So you're saying it's easy sailing once we're past security?"
"Well, um, no… you see, one of the things that helps us detect intruders are pheromones. Anything in the hive that gives off the wrong scent's going to get investigated. Probably the reason Thunderball's attempt at infiltration went so badly." Creme quickly blanched. "Sorry, um, that came out wrong…"
"No, it's good to know," Thunderball sighed. "Alright, so we need to alter our scent. Thoughts?"
Flash Point raised her hoof. "Pheromones are chemicals, sweetheart. If you got me a sample, I could conjure up all we'd need to pass as changelings. Just remember to put on deodorant before we go in."
"What about changeling sights an' senses?" Dive Bomb asked. "Smelling like 'em won't do us much good if they hear us coming, and I know they have some sort of psychic hive–mind connecting 'em."
Thunderball shook his head. "I took a peek at Twilight's notes a few days ago, and changelings have good low–light vision and hearing. Not better than thestrals, though, and certainly inferior to a pony using the proper equipment."
"An' the hive–mind?"
"Not a problem if we take out changelings fast enough. For most changelings, it functions as a subconscious influence, not a direct communications link. If enough of them get scared, or if we run into a changeling with a strong sense of individuality, we might be in trouble, but we should be able to avoid that."
Dive Bomb leaned back and smiled. "Well, that's all I needed t' know. What else is left, infiltration an' exfiltration?"
"I could augmet a teleportation spell," Phrase Mark offered. "Of course, I might end up merging us with solid rock if the coordinates are off, or scramble our molecules if she's set up a displacement field, so I'd prefer something else."
Merwiether scratched her chin with her prosthetic leg. "Well, if we're exhausted our options, we should call in a few favors. Who do we know that can dig through sand?"
"War is a battle of wits, a meeting of minds in which you must impose your will upon the enemy while preventing the enemy from imposing his will upon you."
The letter in Twilight's hoof was, she supposed, inevitable. Shining Armor had been married for a few years by now, so their mother's attention had drifted to Twilight herself. Nevermind that Twilight Sparkle was a Princess of Equestria, with a promising research career and a group of friends capable of saving the world. She needed to start dating.
"Something troubling you, Your Highness?"
Twilight looked up to see that Thunderball had, once again, snuck into the library. "Just dealing with my mother's no–so subtle hints that she wants grandfoals sooner rather than later."
Thunderball found it hard to suppress a smile. "You know, it's understandable; old unicorn houses put a great deal of emphasis on bloodlines, since only blood relatives could legally inherit the noble title."
"That hasn't been the case since the Heredity and Inheritance Act of 635, though."
"True, but you still see plenty of stuffy Canterlot nobles arranging marriages for their children, looking down on adopted children, etc — not that I'm implying anything about your mother," he added hastily.
"No, it's alright. I've seen the same nobles growing up, and they're absolutely dreadful. Did I ever tell you how Prince Blueblood offered to make me a princess when we were in magic kindergarten? The way he phrased it, you'd think he was doing me some huge favor."
"I trust you said no?"
"I turned him pink."
Thunderball burst out laughing. "Well, I hope you don't do the same to your mother."
"Sadly not an option," Twilight grinned back. "Maybe I should tell her I'm into mares?"
"Given that your choice in friends — Rainbow Dash in particular — that might work."
Twilight's eyes widened. "Pardon?"
"Oh, a lot of tabloids think you two have a relationship. Something about her teaching you how to preen your wings after your, er, alicoronation, and things getting more intimate from there." There was a pregnant pause as he saw Twilight's left eye twitch. "Don't worry, it happens to everyone."
"How do you deal with it?"
Thunderball shrugged. "I just remind myself that public opinion of me is meaningless. Spending time with friends and family also helps — in fact, I came in to ask for a week off to get reacquainted with my extended family."
"Granted." Her ears perked up as she had an idea. "In fact, why don't you invite them to Ponyville? I'd love to meet them."
"Sorry, Your Highness — perhaps next time. Right now, we've got a camping trip scheduled." Thunderball bowed and headed for the door, leaving Twilight to deal with her mother and newly found royal image issued by herself.
The Appeloosa orchards were in full bloom, with ripe apples just waiting to be picked. A gentle night breeze rustled them causing one to off of its branch. It landed on the ground, in a patch of moonlight next to a large wooden crate. The impact startled Daisy Cutter and Phrase Mark, who had been sitting on the crate waiting for their cousins. Phrase Mark looked relieved when she found out the noise had been caused by a fruit, while Daisy grabbed the fallen apple and devoured it in a single bite.
"Really," Phrase Mark clucked, "Must you rob the farmers of their produce just because you're nervous?"
"I'm not nervous, I'm hungry." Daisy produced a bit from her saddlebags and tossed it onto the ground. "There, fair compensation. Happy?"
Daisy reached up to grab another apple as Phrase Mark turned her attention to the east, where a group of ponies was moving through the shadows of the orchard. Thunderball was the first to step into the moonlight, followed by Creme Brulee and the others.
He stepped up to Daisy and cautiously whispered, "Exitus."
"Acta probat," Daisy responded, completing the pass phrase. "Alright, let us quickly equip ourselves and be off."
She pulled a burlap sack out of the crate and poured out enough combat gear for a single pony. It was all the same color of midnight–blue, and blended in perfectly with the shadows of the apple orchard. She rummaged through the pile until she found a body suit, and held it up triumphantly.
"This light and flexible suit will stop shrapnel, bullets, and stabbing weapons. It is intended to be worn in conjunction with a combat vest. Our latest prototype vest weighs fifteen pounds, provides protection equal to five times its weight in steel, and is highly resistant to direct magical attacks. Unfortunately, this set is not intended for desert operations; in the daytime, we will have to rely on chamelonskin cloaks for stealth."
Thunderball flexed the vest in his hooves. It was semi–rigid, and, to his surprise, a scale pattern formed under the fabric. "Daisy, this is dragonscale! Who'd you have to kill to get this?"
"Dragons shed, you know." Daisy quickly picked up a helmet and continued on. "The helmet comes with an integrated headset which will enhance quiet sounds, cancel out loud ones, and enable radio communication, though we may experience issues underground."
Creme Brulee shuddered as Daisy pulled out something that could have passed for the skull of a bug–eyed monster. "Given the high likelihood that we will be employing smoke and knockout gas, we will each be wearing a gas mask. The lenses are tinted in the event that we deploy flashbangs, and contain an integrated night optical device."
"Come on, let's get to the fun part." Dive Bomb whipped a combat knife out of its sheath on his vest and slashed the air with it. "What weapons do we get? A titanium–carbide knife's good f' fun an' sentry elimination, but it's no primary weapon."
Daisy wrinkled her nose and turned to Phrase Mark, who stepped up to the crate. "Fillies and gentlecolts, step up and be amazed! I have here for you tonight a carnival of wonders!"
"First we have an exotic blade, straight from the mountains of Neighpal!" A knife in a brown leather sheath levitated out of the crate; the forward curve of its blade identified it as a kukri. Phrase Mark tossed it to Dive Bomb. "Don't engage in any horseplay with this, colts, it is not a toy."
She ignored Dive Bomb as he swung the kukri at a tree branch, which fell of with a soft snicker–snack, and turned to Thunderball with a set of horseshoes. "Phrase Mark and I broke out the Shards of Midnight a few months ago to help craft a set of adamantine horseshoes with enhancements for speed and agility. Should serve you a bit better than your old pair."
The replacements made Thunderball feel far lighter on his feet than he had ever been. He gave a nearby apple tree a light jab, and found his hoof buried in the trunk before he realized it. His mouth broke into a wide grin; it felt as if he was as fast as Rainbow Dash.
He turned back to the crate to see Daisy pulled out a Neighpoleonic–era rapier in a black scabbard, while Phrase Mark produced two smoky mana prisms, with an azure gemstones set in each. "We also conveniently forgot to return the Shards."
Creme Brulee stared at the rings in awe. "I thought those were a myth! Are those really the tears Nightmare Moon shed when Celestia banished her?"
Flash Point slid one around her horn, where it gave off a faint purple glow. "Doubt it; Dariing Do found the one on the right in a dragon's hoard dated roughly three centuries before Nightmare Moon."
"Don't you think this is overkill?" Creme looked between the ponies uneasily. "From the looks of it, you've got enough firepower to crack the hive wide open."
Thunderball put a hoof on Creme's shoulder. "Look, I'm hoping this goes off without a hitch, but if it doesn't…well, better safe than sorry, right?"
"I suppose," Creme sighed. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt. Even if they're the enemy, they're still my family."
Angry chittering echoed through the tunnels of the hive as Creme Brulee raced away from a swarm of angry changelings clamoring for his blood. Daring Do was nothing more than a dry husk of a pony, while Thunderball and his cousins had been captured and imprisoned so that they could be drained in turn. Now he was the only loose end, one which Queen Chrysalis would be eager to tie up. She would likely make an example of him in front of the hive, a fate he was eager to avoid.
A fellow changeling leapt out at him from the chamber ahead; without even thinking, Creme smashed its skull in with a karate chop. The changeling crumpled like a paper doll, while his greenish–black ichor sprayed against the walls. A good portion of it stuck to Creme's hoof, slowing him down as he ran past the body.
Behind him, the swarm was gaining. He could feel their fangs nipping at his hooves, and lashed out at his pursuers. Both of his rear hooves made contact, and his victims burst like water balloons. Sticky blood coated his rear hooves, further impairing his movement. There was no way he would escape.
Then, suddenly, he had burst out of the hive and was greeted by the night sky. The moon shone brightly overhead, and illuminated a mare as dark as midnight in front of him. She spread her wings as she charged at him, lowering her horn so that she might pierce his heart.
Creme Brulee shot up explosively from his bedroll and was greeted by the sight of the granite outcropping in which they had made camp, with no angry changeling swarms or dark entities in sight. The moon shone brightly above, and the night wind rustled through his wings. If not for the current situation, he would have found it picturesque and calming.
All of the other ponies were asleep, except for Dive Bomb, who was casually skewering a lizard on a tree branch. If not for the movement, Creme would have sworn the thestral was just another rock due to the chameleonskin cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Creme watched a the unfortunate reptile was planted in a small pit, alongside several others. A gentle warmth drifted out of the pit; inside sat several chemical packs which provided heat without illumination.
"Pre–mission jitters?" Dive Bomb patted the ground next to him. "Come on, have a sit. Iguana–on–a–stick?"
Creme numbly accepted a skewer. Juice ran down his muzzle as he sank his fangs into the lizard's crisp skin. The flavor was actually rather indistinct, though Creme eventually decided that it tasted vaguely like fish. It was not terribly appetizing, but it did make him feel better.
"Don't feel bad about it, happens t' everyone. Take me f' instance. I'm right at home playing music f' rich ponies an' seducing secrets out of mares, but put me out in a desert with chupacabra, scorpions, dehydration, an' sand that gets bucking everywhere...well, I haven't been sleeping well either." Dive Bomb tore the head off an iguana and swallowed. "So, you tant t' talk about it?"
"Everypony was dead," Creme shuddered. "And Chrysalis was trying to kill me."
"We don't have t' worry about her getting int' your head or anything via the hive mind, do we?" Dive Bomb noticed Creme tense up, and immediately added, "Not t' imply you're a liability, I'm just not used t' facing enemies with better senses than me."
Creme looked away. "We're still a few miles from the hive, and I've learned to tune it out at any rate. It couldn't have been Chrysalis."
"Good t' know." Dive Bomb held out another iguana as a peace offering.
"I'm full." Creme looked away.
One of the bedrolls shifted, and Daisy poked her head out. "Did somepony mention food?" She caught a glimpse of the lizards and immediately retched. "Oh, that is disgusting."
"What, really?" Dive Bomb stripped the skin clean off his iguana. "I know f' a fact you eat shrimp."
"Yes, but shrimp is not…quadrupedal." She sat down across from the skewers, and held her hooves out towards the heat. "So, are you two carnivores swapping recipes?"
"Just chewing the fat — pardon the expression."
She shook her head and turned to Creme. "You look troubled."
"I feel…" he searched for the right words. "Responsible. For all of this mess."
"What's there t' feel guilty about? If anything, Daisy's the one at fault." Dive Bomb promptly ducked a rock thrown in his direction. "Anyways, Creme, you should be happy that it's ending because of you."
"If we succeed," Creme muttered.
"Of course we will." Dive Bomb gave a carnivorous smile, exposing his gleaming white teeth and sharp fangs. "You're with some of the best in Equestria. Know what ponies used to call groups like us in the old days? Kill–teams. We were sent out to eliminate high value targets, and nothing could stand in our way. Mark my words, we'll grab our pegasus, and be out before Chrysalis knows it." He slapped Creme in the back. "And I'm willing t' bet a good number of bits that you'll be spending a lot of quality time with my cousin if you play your cards right."
Creme felt his cheeks burning. "But I...he's not...is he?"
"You're a changeling. Change it up a little if he isn't."
"I'd rather...I want to be with a pony who I can be comfortable around as myself."
"So ask him an' see what he thinks."
"But what if he says no?"
"Then you get over him an' find somepony else." Dive Bomb looked Creme up and down and smiled again. "Hell, I'd be happy t' try an' improve interspecies relations with you."
Creme's mouth went dry. "What? No!"
"Suit yourself." Dive Bomb drew a flask out of his saddlebags and took a drink. "See? Not that hard."
Daisy facehoofed. "On behalf of my family, I apologize for his existence."
"Don't worry, he's fine. Besides, you'll be meeting mine soon, and, well…"
"Really? You're all related?"
"Well, Chrysalis does lay all the eggs."
"Wouldn't she have t' have a lot of sex with her offspring t' produce an entire hive's worth of changelings?" Dive Bomb whistled. "What a slut."
"I think what my brother is trying to say is that such a policy seems like it would lead to crippling inbreeding."
"Changeling queens used to visit each others' hives and, um, get genetic material from their drones."
"So changeling diplomacy consisted of gangbangs? What a slut."
He ducked as Daisy threw a pebble at him. "Excuse me, did you say 'would'?"
"Remember what I said about Chrysalis developing pod farms? She did it so that her hive wouldn't have to go grazing in Equestria like the others. Instead, she focused on putting out unfertilized eggs, which hatched into male drones. Normally, controlling — well, influencing — a healthy drone requires a certain amount of effort, but Chrysalis found that if she deprived the larvae of nutrients, they grew up to be weaker and less intelligent, but also much easier to control. So she built up her numbers and overran the other hives."
"Ah. Quantity over quality?"
"According to Chrysalis, quantity has a quality of its own."
"Doesn't this mean there's no genetic future f' the hive?"
"I think I am seeing a pattern in poor long–term planning."
"You know, before I left, I heard Chrysalis was researching the possibility of fertilizing her eggs with, um, ponies."
"...please tell me you are not implying that she had any interest in Prince Armor outside of disabling Canterlot's defenses."
"What a slut."
Eerie blue crystals bathed Chrysalis's throne room in unholy light as she floated in the center of an rune circle. Around her, the few changelings with talent for arcane magic sat in meditation, as green energy poured out of their horns and into her's. Her eyes glowed white as she spread her wings and rose to the top of the room. The scarab amulet worn around her neck hummed with power.
Without even setting foot outside, she knew the exact position of the sun, and could feel, in excruciating detail, the currents of aether that flowed around it. Waves of light and gravity propagated through the aether, until they reached the terrestrial sphere. In that instant, Chrysalis knew why the sun and moon were managed; their planet was tidally locked. If left to nature, one side would perpetually face the sun's unrelenting fury, while the other would be condemned to neverending winter. Without intervention, their moon would be trapped in a geosynchronous orbit, perpetually hovering over the zebra lands.
Celestia and Luna had greatly changed the way the heavens worked in order to make Equestria habitable for their subjects. Now it was Chrysalis's turn to do the same. Chrysalis reached out with her expanded consciousness and reshaped the aetherial currents. The forces of nature that were normally transmitted through the aether were now subject to her whims; she, not Celestia, now controlled the sun.
Chrysalis smiled. Life in the hive was about to change.
"A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords at dawn."
The tunnels of the hive were eerily quiet as the small team of five stalked through them. The way to Chrysalis's throne room was clear; all of her troops were likely posted at the hive's perimeter, awaiting the inevitable counterattack. Chrysalis had focused all her effort on preparing for a siege, never thinking that danger would come from inside.
The group came to a sudden stop at a corner; Dive Bomb quickly flattened himself against the wall and brought out a small mirror, which he used to peek around the corner.
"Two sentries," he whispered. "Flanking the door t' the throne room. Tunnel's too long an' bare t' sneak up on them. Should we try gas?"
Daisy shook her head. "I don't have anything that fast acting, and the civilians don't have gas masks."
"Hey, I'm a professional!" Daring Do huffed. "I've made my way through forest fires, volcanic calderas, and toxic swamps. Don't write me off because I'm not walking around with enough arms and armor to buy a small town."
"And I could always… um…" Creme made a soft hacking sound and coughed up a mouthful of green gel, which he rubbed over his muzzle. "Tada! Instant filter!"
"Intriguing," Daisy finally managed. "Disgusting, but intriguing."
"Enough chit–chat, I say we charge in an' kill 'em before they know what's what." Dive Bomb licked his lips and glanced at Thunderball. "You're pretty fast now with those horseshoes, right?"
Thunderball glanced into the mirror. It was a very long corridor. "Maybe we could distract them first?"
"Hold on, I know that guy!" Creme pointed at the guard on the left. "I met him the last time I visited the hive."
"Oh? Is he friendly, like you?" Daring asked hopefully.
Creme shook his head. "Um, no, I'm pretty sure he's loyal, but I can talk to him."
Thunderball motioned him forward. "Might as well give it a shot. Worst case, you get them to look the other way while I charge in."
Creme took a deep breath and walked around the corner, as if he were taking a casual stroll through the hive. He caught the eye of his acquaintance and gave a short wave.
"Oh, hey there," the changeling waved back. "Thought you'd be in hibernation."
"Nah, I'm going to be transporting love to troops on the surface when they run short."
"Sounds dangerous."
"Hey, don't worry, I'm a big changeling now," Creme grinned. "Been practicing fighting and everything. In fact, I picked up an interesting move at this karate match."
"Oh?" Both changelings leaned in. "Go on."
"Well, you start with your hooves on the ground, like you're just standing about, then…"
Creme flapped his wings and lifted his front end off the ground so that he could lash out at the guard on the left with his forelegs. His hooves caught the guard right between the eyes and knocked him into the wall. Before the second guard could react, Creme brought his left back leg up and planted it under the guard's jaw, sending him flying up into the ceiling. He listened carefully as the guard landed in a heap on the tunnel floor. There was no sign of alarm, and barely any noise as the rest of the team hurried to meet him.
"That was amazing!" Daring Do grinned. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
Thunderball coughed pointedly. "I think I saw it in a movie. Enter the Horse, right?"
"Yeah," Creme quickly nodded. "It's a Wing Chun move."
"Wing Chun?" Daring Do looked between the two of them. "Pegasus fighting style, isn't it?"
Thunderball ignored her and pressed his ear to the door. "Alright, no one noticed. We're going to breach the door, set off a few flashbangs, and neutralize the targets. Dive Bomb stays outside and keeps anyone from coming in while we're fighting."
"You're going t' let them in, but not me?" Dive Bomb gestured at Daring Do and Creme Brulee with his kukri. "I'm not gonna let you pass me up, I wanna go in an' kill that bi–"
Daisy cut him off with a slap to the face. "You have your orders; I suggest you carry them out."
Dive Bomb gave a feral growl, and for a moment, seemed like he was going to strike her back, but eventually backed off. He broke away from the group and disappeared around the corner, muttering to himself all the while.
"That was…" Thunderball cleared his throat. "Well, let's do it. Daisy, if you would be so kind?"
Daisy quickly planted a small shaped charge on the door. "Flat against the wall, and cover your ears."
The charge went off with an explosion that blew open the door and shook the walls of the hive. Daisy tossed in two flashbangs and charged in with her sword drawn as they went off, with the others close behind.
The throne room was filled with dust from the explosion, with the bodies of many changelings scattered about. Only a few were conscious, and even those were disoriented from the effects of the flashbangs. Chrysalis was alive, but clinging to her throne in an attempt to stand up, unable to escape or fight off the attack.
Daring Do laid a changeling down with a body slam, while Thunderball slammed another aside and charged at Chrysalis. He drew on the speed enhancements in his horseshoes, and was rewarded with a sudden burst of speed. Sparks flew off of his body, and he momentarily resembled a vengeful storm spirit. Chrysalis barely had time to raise a shield before they collided. A brilliant flash of light coupled with an earth–shaking explosion filled the air. The shield shattered into a million fragments, leaving Chrysalis bare.
Daisy ignored the battlefield around her and made a straight line for Chrysalis, just as she managed to toss Thunderball aside with a telekinetic throw. Her rapier whistled as it cut through the air, but came to an abrupt stop just before it could pierce her carapace. Chrysalis's horn bathed the throne room in a sinister green glow as Daisy slowly turned around to face Thunderball.
He barely had time to react before she lashed out at him with the rapier; if not for his horseshoes, he would have likely been stabbed in the neck. He sidestepped the attack and caught her under the jaw with a right jab. Daisy brought the rapier up as her head rolled back, and the blade nicked him in the right foreleg. The fabric of his bodysuit hissed as it bubbled away, and a searing pain spread through the limb.
Thunderball collapsed on the ground screaming as Daisy recovered and brought the rapier down for the kill. A shadow passed over him as Creme launched himself through the air and landed a flying kick right in Daisy's diaphragm. Her barrel spasmed as her lungs desperately fought to reclaim the air that had been knocked out of them as she crumpled into a heap at Chrysalis's hooves.
"Pitiful," Chrysalis tisked. "Looks like I'll have to take care of this myself."
Chrysalis reached for the rapier, but Daisy sprang back to life just before she could get her hooves on it. Daisy knocked Chrysalis's forelegs out from under her with a quick leg sweep and brought the guard of the rapier down on her head. It landed just below her horn with a loud crack. Chrysalis's eyes rolled into the back of her head as her body went limp.
Daisy panted loudly as she stumbled back and leveled the point of her rapier at Chrysalis's eye socket.
"Stop!" Creme grabbed her wrist. "You got what you came here for; take the scarab and go."
Creme could feel Daisy glowering at him through her gas mask, but she lowered her rapier and slashed the string holding the scarab around Chrysalis's neck. She tossed it to Daring Do, who promptly stored it under her hat.
Thunderball cradled his injured limb with his good foreleg as he hovered in the air. "Alright, mission accomplished. Let's get the hell out of here."
"Will you be alright?" Daisy hesitantly reached out to support him, only for Thunderball to brush her off. "I have morphine–"
"I'll live." He leaned heavily against Creme for support as they walked out of the throne room.
The stench of blood and ichor immediately greeted them when they stepped into the tunnel, and grew stronger as they neared the corner. A sea of changeling body parts greeted them; it was impossible to tell how many changelings had been killed, but it looked like at least half a dozen. Creme turned his head and vomited, while the others stared in shock.
A drop of ichor landed on Thunderball's gask mask from above; he looked up to see Dive Bomb clinging from the ceiling with his wings wrapped around his body like a bat. The wings unfurled as he dropped down among the bodies. He was covered with blood from head to hoof, except for his kukri, which gleamed in the tunnel light. He breathed heavily and his kukri trembled as he slowly advanced on the group.
"Did you have fun?" His voice was hoarse and shaky. "Cause I had a hell of a time back here."
"Are you–" Thunderball gagged as the scent of death penetrated his gas mask. "Are you alright?"
Dive Bomb abruptly turned away from the group. "I hear shouting from the basement, and I'll be damned if I get left out of another fight."
"What the hell is his problem?" Thunderball hissed to Daisy over a private radio channel.
"Irrelevant; we must escape first," she whispered back. "But I do agree with you, and have prepared some very harsh words for him."
They raced down towards the hibernation chamber, only to find changelings maintaining a wall of green magic which sealed off the tunnel midway. Dive Bomb roared and charged into it, slashing at it with his kukri. The blade left angry scars on the surface of the wall, but it held firm against his best efforts.
Thunderball took in a deep breath before flying into the barrier. A cackling static wreath formed around his body and he focused it into his left hoof as he punched the wall. The electric charge hit like a lightening bolt and popped the barrier with a ear–splitting explosion, which threw Thunderball back into the air. Creme Brulee caught him as Dive Bomb whooped with joy and threw himself at the changelings.
Scores of green beams filled the air; most impacted harmlessly against his dragonhide vest, but several pierced his arms and legs. Blood sprayed out at the ponies behind him as his momentum carried him on towards the nearest changeling and sank his knife into the creature's neck. It swiftly emerged on the other side with an audible snicker–snack , covered in a dark ichor that soon disappeared into the blade. All of his wounds disappeared in an instant as he stepped up to his next victim and buried the kukri into his torso.
The changelings swarmed around him, moving to immobilize him. Daisy stepped in before he could be overwhelmed and started fending changelings off of Dive Bomb with her rapier. When the dust settled, they were standing back to back among a heap of bodies.
"Hey, look, you missed a spot." Dive Bomb pointed to a changeling writing in agony on the floor. "Missed several, actually. Lemme fix that for you."
Daisy whipped around and leveled the rapier at him. "They are incapacitated. We are continuing down the tunnel to the exfiltration point."
Dive Bomb snorted angrily and began muttering under his breath again as he marched past the wounded changelings, with Daisy following close behind him. Daring Do watched them leave and motioned for Thunderball to come close once they had moved out of sight.
"Did you see that knife absorb changeling blood? And how it healed him?" She whispered. "It's a vampiric weapon — that's some powerful dark magic. For all we know, it's warping his mind."
"Sombra's horn, I was afraid of this." Thunderball ground his left hoof into the tunnel floor. "But we can't do anything about it until we're out of the hive, and have the captives at a safe distance."
Creme Brulee swallowed nervously. "And then?"
"Well, if he wants a fight…" Thunderball shrugged. "Come on, let's catch up before he gets suspicious."
Daring Do shook her head. "You're playing with fire."
The hibernation chamber at the bottom of the tunnel was filled with smoke and sealed off by another magical shield. Sounds of battle came from inside; as Thunderball drew near, a changeling was abruptly tossed against the shield face–first. It stared at them with blank eyes as it stuck to the barrier before slowly sliding down.
The outline of a mare appeared in the smoke and punched the wall with her right hoof. Electricity surged out of it and into the barrier, which dissipated with a loud popping noise to reveal Meriwether.
"About time you arrived," she chuckled. "Thought we'd have to leave without you."
"Discord's bowels!" Dive Bomb rushed past her and into the chamber to see that combat was over; changelings were lying about either unconscious or dead, with Phrase Mark and Flash Point standing guard over a small herd of ponies in the back.
"What's wrong with him?" Meriwether whispered to Thunderball.
"Never mind that, what's your status?" Thunderball looked over the captives and frowned. "Can we get them all out of here?"
"I think so, we've got a few pegasi."
"Um, guys?" Creme Brulee waved a hoof.
"So, you're thinking of asking them to pitch in and help evacuate?"
"Yeah, I think they're in good enough shape for it. The cocoons do a good job of keeping the body in stasis."
Daring Do cleared her throat. "Excuse me! I think our friendly neighborhood changeling has something he wants to say!"
Both Thunderball and Meriwether turned to face Creme. "Er, ok, look, I don't want to bother you, but I think the fighting woke up the changelings in hibernation." He pointed to the pod next to him, which was glowing steadily brighter. "I think we've got about ten minutes."
"Finally!" Dive Bomb made a beeline for the nearest pod, which Thunderball immediately blocked.
"Drop the weapon," he growled.
"You're protecting them? Despite all they've done? Buck that, we deserve vengeance! Blood f' Canterlot!"
The kurki whistled as it came down at Thunderball. He quickly stepped up to Dive Bomb and blocked his cousin's strike with his left hoof. Dive Bomb's center was left open, and Thunderball delivered a vicious headbutt that sent the thestral reeling back. Meriwether pounced on him from behind and sank an electrified hoof into his back. As Dive Bomb sank to the ground screaming in pain, she drew her combat knife with her free hoof and brought it to his jugular.
"Stand down!" Thunderball shouted. "He's no longer a threat!"
Meriwether looked between Thunderball and Dive Bomb. The knife in her hoof trembled. "You saw what he was like…"
"I am confident that he'll be alright if we keep him from that damn kukri." Thunderball approached her and whispered into the radio. "For Celestia's sake, Merry, he's your cousin. We grew up together."
She swallowed and sheathed her blade. "I...you're right. Sorry, I wasn't–"
Thunderball wrapped his hooves around her in a tight hug. "You carried out your training to the best of your ability."
Meanwhile Daisy grabbed Dive Bomb's unconscious form and slung him across her back. "Phrase Mark, would you kindly be more careful when allocating weapons?"
Phrase Mark gingerly held the kukri at a distance as she fished a leather case out of her saddlebags. "I swear, that knife checked out ok when we first got it."
"It was probably dormant at the time," Daring Do offered. "Once it fed on blood, it got more powerful to the point where it could possess him."
Thunderball shook his head. "We'll have to be more careful in the future — if we survive." He turned towards the crowd and clapped his hooves. "Alright, time to pony up! Everypony follow the unicorns in front of you down the tunnel in an orderly fashion; the sooner we get out of here, the better!"
"What about the changelings here?" Creme quietly asked as the herd poured past them.
Thunderball pulled out a bundle of dynamite from his saddlebags. "Hopefully they won't be willing to dig through a collapsed tunnel."
"You're taking their entire food supply. They won't let you go."
"Then we'll have to sneak off before they catch up." Thunderball set the timer as the last captive passed through. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"I would rather fight an army of lions lead by a sheep than an army of sheep led by a lion."
The sky was still dark when Thunderball climbed out into the desert. The ponies they had rescued thankfully remained unaware of the crisis in the heavens. One of the few drawbacks of near–idyllic Equestrian life was that, when taken out of their comfort zone, ponies could easily succumb to panic and mass hysteria. (With a possible exception for pegasi, whom Thunderball staunchly maintained had the same nerves of steel as their ancestors.)
The relative calm was broken by a cry of fear as a flight of seven changelings raced down from above, their black carapaces having camouflaged them against the night sky until they were almost on top of the outcropping. At almost the same time, the clouds above them broke open to reveal four griffons diving down with bared sabers. The two groups clashed in the air, and the changeling scattered in the face of an unrelenting whirlwind of blades.
The lead griffon, a greying veteran, was the first to land amongst the group of ponies, right next to Meriwether. "Mon dieu, madamoiselle! This is a little more than we agreed upon, no?"
"Sorry, Blademaster; things didn't work out quite the way we anticipated. But you can get them out if we cast a cloudwalking spell on them, right?"
The griffon counted the herd. "Twenty–two unicorns and earth ponies, five pegasi, excluding yourselves. If all the pegasi pitch in, maybe — provided that the changelings do not catch us first."
Creme stepped forward, and ignored the looks of surprise and suspicion the griffons shot at him. "Changelings are slow fliers, and don't gain altitude well. You can outrun them."
"Twenty–two passengers is no small amount. I cannot say that we would make it with confidence."
Creme looked to Thunderball for additional input. After a moment's calculation, Thunderball spoke. "Well, the hive's pretty angry at us right now. If we stand in their way I bet they'd go for us first. You should be able to make a clean getaway while we're fighting."
"Sacrebleu," the griffon muttered. "That is the worst idea I have ever heard of in all my years."
"You're not being paid to have ideas," Meriwether snapped. "You're being paid to extract these ponies. Attend to your end of the contract, and we'll tend to our's."
The griffon shook his head sadly. "Then adieu, my little ponies. May we do business again in the future."
He saluted them before turning away to help his comrades and the pegasus captives pull down clouds. Flash Point and Phrase Marks set about casting the cloudwalking spell on the rest of the ponies, while the strike team gathered in a corner.
"I do sincerely hope that you've got something up your sleeve, pone, because dying in a heroic last stand was not what we signed up for," Meriwether growled over the radio.
"What's your alternative, let Chrysalis keep all those ponies?" Thunderball shot back. "I'm doing the best I can given the circumstances."
Daisy cleared her throat. "If it makes you feel better, the changelings are far more likely to take us captive than kill us. Of course, this would result in us being put into pods, and subject to memory probes. While I would like to believe that our mental defenses provide an adequate barrier to mind control, having Chrysalis get into my head makes me far less certain of that.
"Great," Meriwether groaned. "We're going to become bug food."
"Actually, given recent events, I would say that Celestia will likely mount an attack on Chrysalis soon. We would probably be rescued shortly after capture."
Meriwether rolled her eyes. "At which point Celestia learns of our existence and identities. That's possibly even worse."
Thunderball pounded his hooves against a nearby boulder. "If any of you have a better option, I'd be delighted to hear it. If not, then stop bickering and help me with a battleplan."
"Phosgene."
Thunderball glared at Daisy through the lenses of his gas mask. "Try again."
"Fine, knockout gas."
"That'll do," Thunderball nodded. "What about egress?"
Meriwether looked over her shoulder at the hole the Diamond Dogs had come out of. "Gypsum's tunnel might still be up. It'll be a tight fit, and I've got no idea where it leads to, but anywhere'd be better than here."
"Alright, then I guess we have a plan. We'll hold them off until the griffons are out of range, then escape through the tunnel, collapsing it behind us."
Daisy raised a hoof. "What do you want me to do about Dive Bomb?"
"If he's in condition to fight, give him a combat knife. If not, tie him up and throw him aboard the first cloud out of here."
Somepony tapped him on the shoulder, and he saw that Daring Do and Creme Brulee were standing behind him.
Daring Do gestured to a dense pack of clouds above them. "Sorry to intrude on your private conversation, but our transports are ready."
"Then I suggest you leave with them." Thunderball quickly raised a hoof to cut off their complaints. "Both of you."
"Daring Do does not run from danger," she replied stiffly.
"Yeah, well, Daring Do also wouldn't let innocent ponies get caught by changelings. They need you pushing the clouds more than we need you fighting down here. Besides, didn't you say you were the only one who could undo whatever Chrysalis did to the sun? Sounds like you're too important to risk your life." Thunderball turned to Creme. "Do I have to convince you to go as well?"
Creme shook his head. "No, I'm going. I just...I wanted to say–"
Thunderball cut him off with a quick hug. "Save it for when we're back in Ponyville, ok?"
"Yeah," Crem breathed. "Yeah, that'd be best. I'll buy you a cider or something."
Daring Do sighed as she watched the farewells. "This isn't how it's supposed to end. Daring Do doesn't let ponies sacrifice themselves for her! Everypony's supposed to go home safe and sound after the adventure's over!"
"So change the ending in your next book," Thunderball grinned. "I look forward to reading it, Mrs. Yearling."
Dive Bomb came to as the last transport was being loaded. Flash Point immediately caught him in a joint lock before he could do damage to anypony. He struggled against her in a blind panic for several minutes before Daisy stepped up and slapped him across his gas mask.
"Ow! What's the big idea?" Dive Bomb looked around at his surroundings. "How'd we get out here?"
"You got possessed by your weapon," Daisy stated simply. "We will issue you safer equipment in the future. Right now, we're covering everypony else's retreat. Can you stay and fight?"
His mane bristled. "Why wouldn't I?"
Daisy simply pointed out into the distance, and Dive Bomb let loose a low whistle as he saw a swarm of black specks issued forth from the main hive. They filled the air like a black wind, as if the entire hive was out to get them. Chances were good that it was. There were cries of terror aboard the clouds as the griffons promptly took off. However, even with help from the pegasi, their speed was too slow to escape the changelings unaided.
The rocky outcropping made for a superb defensive position; the granite formations shielded the occupants from return fire, and commanded the high ground. Flash Point sat in the middle, watching the incoming changelings draw near. The average unicorn would not have been able to reach out over several miles with their magic, or affect the hundreds of cubic feet needed to blanket the swarm. But the average unicorn did not have the distilled essence of the night sky wrapped around their horn.
A pink aura spread out from her horn and lifted her up in the air as Flash Point forced the well of raw mana in the Shard of Midnight through the focusing prism and her horn. Pebbles and dust swirled around her as she whipped her head to face the incoming changelings. There was a flash of light from her horn, and then black bodies fell from the sky like raindrops as her horn glowed, spiralling in dizzy patterns as they crashed into the desert sand. However, a good portion soon emerged with their snouts and eyes covered in a translucent green slime.
Flash Point floated in the air, bathed in light, as she channeled more energy through her horn in an attempt to create a more powerful sleeping agent. A piercing scream filled the air — it took a moment for Flash Point to realize that the voice was her own. Pain crept through her head as a pink beam shot straight out of her horn into the heavens.
Her hooves scrambled to remove her helmet, exposing a white–hot ring on her horn. Flash Point wrapped her hooves around the burning crystal and pulled. The surge of magic from her horn ended the instant It left her horn and landed sizzling on the ground. Flash Point found herself falling out of the air and into Dive Bomb's hooves.
"Flash Point!" He set her down on the ground and pried her eyes open. "Look at me! Stay focused!"
She nodded gave a weak moan as agony and an incredible weariness wracked her body.
"Would you mind allowing me to examine her?" Daisy pushed him aside and took Flash Point's head in her hooves. "You have a mana burn — you will be out of commission for a few weeks."
Thunderball glanced at the incoming changelings. "We don't have a few weeks! I need her on her hooves now."
"Understood." Daisy pulled a hypodermic needle out of her saddlebag and gave Flash Point an injection in the flank. "This should help with the pain. Spellcasting is still impossible, but you should be able to walk and maybe defend yourself."
Flash Point nodded and drew herself upright on shaky legs. "Will they make it?"
A glance upward showed that the changelings were flying high, and passing over the outcropping in steady pursuit of the transports.
Thunderball stomped on the ground. "They didn't take the bait!"
Meriwether activated the electric field on her hoof. "We could fly up there and take 'em."
A soft yellow glow bathed the outcropping; they turned their heads to see Phrase Mark with her horn aglow. "You have another unicorn, you know. Get behind me, and I'll pick up where Flash Point left off."
The moment the last pony had gotten out of her way, Phrase Mark let loose a high–frequency sonic burst that resonated with the granite and shook the outcropping. The small portion of sound that reflected off of the rocks and back at the group caused Thunderball to clutched his helmet to his head. HIs headset did its best to cancel the noise, but it could do nothing to stop soundwaves from squeezing their way through his body, as if a dozen jackhammers were going full–blast around him. Sound waves worked their way up through his legs and socked him in the stomach. His vision swam as he collapsed as the air was forced out of his lungs.
"Cut it out!" Dive Bomb yelled from somewhere to his right.
The pressure on Thunderball's internal organs was abruptly replaced by a high–pitched ringing in his ears and an extreme sense of nausea. He caught sight of the sky as he lifted his head; the scores of disoriented changelings who had borne the brunt of Phrase Mark's sonic attack careened wildly in the sky and collided with each other came crashing down to earth.
He shot upright despite his head protesting every movement and started pulling the others up. "Come on, we're done here. Let's get out oh he–"
Green light flooded the outcropping as changelings teleported in. Thunderball had no time to count the enemy before one pounced on him. The changeling knocked him back against a pillar of stone and drove its fangs down towards his neck. He countered with a vicious headbutt, and was rewarded with a satisfying crunch sound as mithral met chitin.
The changeling crumpled, allowing Thunderball to catch a glimpse of the battlefield. He could barely make out his cousins in the swarm of black chitin. There were so many changelings around them — how had they even managed to teleport this far? The question was quickly brushed aside as the swarm focused its attention on him. Adrenaline caused his heart to thunder in his chest as he drew upon the speed enhancements in his horseshoes.
Two changelings coming up from the right of him each received a hoof to the face. One who was creeping up behind him caught a kick in a very sensitive part of his anatomy. A charger came directly at him from the front; Thunderball breathed into his gas mask and lowered his head to meet the enemy head on. The enemy's horn deflected off of his helmet as Thunderball bull–rushed the changeling backwards.
The air around him came live with electricity as he plowed through the battlefield. The electric blast shocked the changeling he was holding and knocked dozens of others out of the way as he rammed his opponent into a rock on the other side of the outcropping. Now that the battlefield was less cluttered, he could see that his cousins were still fighting in scattered pockets of resistance.
"Fall back! Fall back!" He shouted during the reprieve, turning away from his enemy.
One of his hooves refused to leave the ground, and he promptly tripped. He looked back to see that he had stepped into a glob of green changeling slime. There was a hacking sound from above him as a changeling spat a generous helping of slime at Daisy, sticking her rapier and the hoof wielding it to a stone pillar. The rest of the changelings followed, and the air was thick with slime as his cousins became pinned down one by one.
The changelings came down on them once again. Thunderball punched the first one to reach him in the jaw, but the next one weighed down his good foreleg and sank its fangs into the other, right on top of his rapier wound. For an instant, it felt as if Daisy had cut him all over again, and Thunderball found himself paralyzed in pain.
An orange blur quickly replaced the changeling with a flying kick, while shouting out "Yeah! Flash Entry, baby!"
Thunderball blinked tears out of his eyes and saw that a familiar royal guard was hovering above him, clad in heavy armor and with a spear outstretched. To the side, he could see Daring Do pounding a changeling into the desert sand, while the guard methodologically sweep through the outcropping. A shadow blocked out the moonlight shortly afterwards, and Thunderball heart froze as three winged figures descending from the skies.
The Princesses had arrived.
Flash Sentry bowed before them. "Your Majesties, the area is secure. We've taken numerous changelings captive, and relieved..." He looked back at the ponies they had just saved. "Um, who are you guys?"
"Just some friends of mine," Daring Do quickly injected. "They have this thing about anonymity — I'm sure you understand?" She looked at Twilight as she said it.
Twilight slowly examined the masked ponies. "I don't know, this raises a lot of questions…"
She glanced at Celestia and Luna for a second opinion. Luna opened her mouth, but Celestia laid a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "I have every confidence in your ability to make the right decision, Twilight."
Luna nodded. "Verily, we trust thy judgement."
A bead of sweat traveled down Twilight's cheek, but she began breathing deep to retain her composure. "Well, I can't deny I'm curious, but I think that, given the circumstances, Equestria owes you something for freeing Chrysalis's captives and retrieving the Scarab of Ra."
There was a brief burst of magic from her horn, and the changeling slime holding them down disintegrated. They stood up and bowed, but remained silent to outside observers. The radio channels, however, were alive with a furious debate over the next course of action, with Thunderball furiously whispering for his cousins to stand down, and a growing number of them in favor of making a quick escape while they still could.
The silence dragged on for nearly a minute. Soldiers began whispering among themselves sporadically, while Twilight exchanged confused glances with Celestia and Luna, whose steadily deepening scowl grew to dominate her face. "What is the matter? Does royalty no longer demand proper gratitude for its actions? Speak and thank your princess, blackguards!"
Celestia stepped forward to try and diffuse the tension in the outcropping. "Sister, please–"
Luna's eyes flashed. "I will not stand for these knaves insulting the dignity of the Crown!"
The statement was followed by a flash of lightning from the sky. As the sound of thunder filled his ears, Thunderball could make out the distinct ping of a pin being pulled. He turned around yelling "No!" at the top of his lungs as somepony — in all honesty, it was probably Daisy — sent a grenade flying past him. It exploded with a dull bang right in front of him to create a thick smokescreen.
Somepony grabbed him from behind — he tried to shake himself free, but found a metal hoof pressed against his flank, followed by a paralyzing surge of electricity. He found himself being carried on Meriwether's back air came alive with the sounds of anger and confusion. There was a purple flash ahead of them in the smoke, before Meriwether abruptly collided with a translucent pink bubble that cut off the outcropping from any form of escape.
"Alright! No more Miss Nice Pony!" Twilight lifted Thunderball up by his armor and brought him close to her. "I am placing you all under Royal Arrest!"
Her telekinetic field quickly pulled their weapons off of them — including the cursed kukri, Daisy's rapier, and both Shards of Midnight. Celestia let out a small gasp at the sight of them.
"These are dark artifacts!" She brought the kukri close to herself and gazed at her reflection in the blade. "Where in Equestria did you get these?"
Twilight glared at her captive. "I have a feeling we'll find out as soon as we take off these masks!"
Thunderball took in one final breath before Twilight's magic enveloped his gas mask and tore it aside.
"Thunderball?" Twilight's telekinetic grasp faltered, and he found himself dropped onto the ground. "You–you told me you were going on a trip with your family!"
"That, um, isn't technically untrue, Your Highness," he mumbled, staring down at his hooves.
The other gas masks were quickly ripped off. There was a general lack of recognition — even Dive Bomb seemed like an average thestral outside of his stage costume and makeup — but Celestia's eyes widened.
"But I know you," she whispered. "You three are the children of Amber Waves, my castle gardener for many years before she transferred to the Crystal Empire! And you two are the daughters of Morning Herald, my court messenger. What are you doing here, with all these dark artifacts?"
"I...we…" Thunderball looked back at his cousins hesitantly. "Your Celestial Majesty, I assure you that there is a reasonable explanation for th–"
"Silence!" Luna grabbed him by the front his armor and lifted him up into the air. "Do you think us blind to your game, scoundrel? You have been tying a rope around the necks of Equestria's rulers! Out with it, assassin! When were you planning on tightening the noose?"
Celestia gently wrapped Thunderball in a telekinetic field and set him back on the ground. "Captain, how do you propose to explain the remarkable coincidence that your aunt and uncle are in service to the Crown and the Crystal Empire, respectively?"
Daisy stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Your Majesties, if I may? After the events of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding, we deemed it prudent to keep a closer eye on the princesses."
Luna stared at her icily. "I believe there is already an organization tasked with such a mission; perhaps you have heard of the Royal Guard? There are recruitment centers all over Equestria."
"The guard serves their purpose, and well, but we prefer to operate more discretely. The guard fought the changelings in Canterlot, but we denied changelings access to sensitive information and ensured that —" here Daisy shuddered "— Prince Blueblood remained safely hidden. Had the invasion continued, we would have assisted remaining members of the guard gain access to secret passages in the Castle and free you."
Celestia nodded. "I do not doubt the truthfulness of your story, but it is incomplete. Morning Herald and Amber Waves have been in my service for decades. You will tell me the real reason for their presence without further attempts at prevarication, or else we will continue this conversation in the Canterlot Castle dungeons. Do I make myself clear?"
Daisy quickly bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I apologize for not being forthcoming. Our primary mission is to ensure the elimination of threats to Equestria — including rogue alicorns."
"Well, that explains the dark artifacts," Celestia sighed. She looked around at the scene of battle and shook her head. "How long has this been going on for?"
"Ever since we found out the truth about Nightmare Moon, Your Majesty."
Celestia closed her eyes. "Of course. House Argent. I should have recognized your handiwork."
"What?" Twilight's eyes darted back and forth between Celestia, Thunderball, and his cousins. "But that's impossible! House Argent died out eight hundred years ago!"
Thunderball gave her a sad smile. "Ah, but adopted children were not eligible to carry on a house at the time…"
"And would not have been counted as legitimate descendants." Twilight began breathing in tightly controlled bursts. "A continuation not in blood, but in spirit. Clever."
"Um, Your Highness? Are you alright? You look a little…"
"The Sun's been taken hostage yet again — why is it that villains always go for the sun?" Several strands of hair sprang out of Twilight's mane. "Seriously, is it just their way of getting at Celestia or something? Oh, and there's a secret war going on between a rogue unicorn house and the entire changeling hive, one of my friends turns out to be a highly trained assassin sent to watch over me and regicide me if I should go Nightmare Moon." Her left eye twitched. "And on top of all of this, my schedule for Project Everfree has been thrown into complete disarray!"
"Your Highness, I am sorry. You can expect a letter of resignation first thing tomorrow morning."
"Denied!" Twilight growled. "You're not getting out of this that easily! You're going to stay with me and fix every single problem you caused. Every. Single. Problem." She punctuated the last sentence by jabbing him with her hoof at each period. "Is that understood?"
He bowed his head. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Good," she growled. "We are taking you into custody; you will return to Ponyville with us right after we finish business here."
Luna snorted. "Why would you wish to retain his services? I would have had him drawn and quartered for such perfidy."
"Luna! Not only do we not do that, we've never done that!" Twilight paused and searched her memory. "In fact, the only people I can think of that did do that were the griffons, and it's been over a thousand years since."
"My point still stands."
Twilight motioned for Luna to follow her and walked away from Thunderball. "Three reasons," she whispered. "One, he's still a friend, even if he's made some serious mistakes. Two, ponies who have learned from their mistakes are better for it. And finally, I'd rather have them working with me rather than against me. You know what they say, keep your friends close."
"And your enemies closer?"
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "No, why would you do that? If anything, you should keep your enemies under constant surveillance."
"My, how times have changed," Luna chuckled. "I wonder, how do you treat enemy heads of state now?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Twilight pointed at Celestia, who was gently conversing with a terrified changeling. "I think Celestia's just informed Chrysalis of our presence."
It was a short wait, as Chrysalis chose to teleport to the outcropping. Despite all the injuries that had befallen her, Chrysalis arrived with a small retinue of advisors, carrying all the haughtiness befitting her royal status. Not even the bruising that stretched from below her horn to her left eye could take away the impression that she gave of a divine right to rule. Not even the fact that she was, by far, the weakest member present at the meeting.
"Congratulations," she hissed, while descending into a mocking bow to Celestia. "It seems your little assassins did their job well. We've got dozens of casualties, an entire hive woken from hibernation early, and no food to feed them. I'd be surprised if we made it to next year. How does victory through genocide feel?"
"Silence!" Luna roared. "Do not confuse our magnanimity for weakness, insolent cur! I would have your head on a pike if it were not for my sister and Princess Sparkle!"
"Luna, please." Celestia stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Queen Chrysalis, I would like to being by offering my sincerest apologies. The ponies who attacked your hive did so on their own initiative, without authorization or knowledge of the Equestrian government. You can rest assured that they will be dealt with appropriately."
"Well, then I would like to thank you deeply for your apology," Chrysalis sneered. "Do you, perchance, feel sorry enough to return the ponies that my hive needs to sustain itself?"
"I cannot allow Equestrian citizens to be taken captive, Chrysalis, but I would like to help you feed your people."
"There's a catch, of course?
"Only that it take place on Equestrian territory and under proper supervision, to ensure the safety of the ponies you feed upon. I think that is a fair offer."
"Oh yes, very fair." Her laughter echoed through the outcropping. "First you take our food from us, then feed us scraps from your table. Very fair indeed."
"If you find the terms disagreeable, then you are, of course, free to obtain sustenance elsewhere — but Equestria will not tolerate the kidnapping of its citizens." Celestia turned away from Chrysalis. "You may contact me at any time if you change your mind. I believe you know where to find me."
The comment left Chrysalis sputtering in outrage. A member of her retinue took advantage of the lull in conversation to dart forward. "Wait, Princess Celestia, the Queen doesn't speak for all of us!"
"What are you doing, you fool?" Chrysalis growled. "If you don't get back in line this instant, I am going to pin you to a piece of cardboard and find myself a new Adjutant."
Adjutant bared her fangs. "I've had enough of starving while you hoard resources for your petty revenge schemes. I'm leaving for somewhere where I might have a future."
Chrysalis spat in Adjutant's face. "Go ahead, then, if they'll be willing to have your traitorous hide."
Adjutant looked at the ponies around her timidly. The Royal Guard's gleaming armor and House Argent's dark dragonskin were both equally imposing, but not nearly as much as the two alicorns who towered over her. Even then, Adjutant knew that it was Princess Twilight who had personally fought off all manner of monsters and threats to Equestria, and who might well be one of the most powerful magic–users to have ever lived.
The familiar face of Daring Do stood out among the crowed. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and extended her hoof. "Welcome to the herd."
Adjutant shook her hoof and prostrated herself before the alicorns. "Your Majesties, I will always be grateful."
Luna seemed quite pleased by the deference, Twilight looked aghast, and Celestia accepted with a hint of resignation.
"Your thanks is more than enough." Celestia smiled warmly and spread her wings. "Please fly with me back to Equestria. We have much to discuss."
Chrysalis shot them one last venomous look before the Princesses lead their party away into the clouds. One of her changelings suddenly broke ranks and flew behind the Equestrians, followed by more.
"Traitors!" Chrysalis shouted at their retreating forms. "I hope your chitin rots off!"
"Winning a war is easy; the hard part is winning a peace. Unlike stories, real life seldom has clear cut beginnings or endings. The good guys may win and the bad guys may lose for one round, but there'll be plenty more of those, right up until the end of time."
Assassin's Creed
At last, Phrase Mark's mysterious month–long absence has been explained! Our senior reporter has led a shocking double life as a spy and assassin for rogue unicorn house long thought to have perished in the aftermath of the Lunar Rebellion: House Argent.
Famous for being diplomats and public servants under the Unicorn King and Celestia, and infamous for rumored involvement in espionage and assassination, House Argent was one of the first unicorn houses to have betrayed Celestia. It also had the ignoble distinction of being the only house to have defected back to the loyalist side, leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake.
Resentment from both sides ensured that House Argent's bloodline could not continue, but the surviving members secretly adopted many war orphans and taught them their dastardly trade. The next generation would lay the groundwork for the house's new operations; they would bide their time in the shadows, building up wealth and influence while manipulating events from behind the scenes.
Not only were their operatives placed in key locations within the Equestrian government, but they even included such prominent ponies as Celestia's personal courier Morning Herald, rock musician Dive Bomb of the Stormbirds, Captain Thunderball, who had fought to protect Ponyville and Princess Twilight from Queen Chrysalis six months ago, and even Phrase Mark, my predecessor on the staff of The Daily Sun. All done in an attempt to subtly control Equestrian politics and popular opinion.
The house may have gone unnoticed if it were not for their secret war against the changelings, which recently culminated in the hijacking of the sun. Initial reports indicate that Captain Thunderball, Dive Bomb, Phrase Mark, and several other operatives attempted to rescue dozens of hostages and eliminate the changeling threat by themselves. However, their mission soon went awry, and the changeling swarm overran them soon after the hostages escaped.
Fortunately Princess Luna managed to visit the dreams of one of the operatives shortly before the of the start of their operation (and Chrysalis's hijacking of the sun). Without her timely forewarning, the House Argent operatives would surely have perished in the Badlands.
The hostages, many of whom were been missing for years and replaced by changelings, have already been given a clean bill of health by the staff of Canterlot General Hospital and were quietly reunited with families and loves ones over the course of this month as the Royal Guard discretely apprehended their impersonators.
The liberation of these ponies has brought Queen Chrysalis to the bargaining table for a steady supply of love to feed her hive. Negotiations are underway as we speak for a lasting peace treaty. Equestrian citizens can now rest safely at night knowing that the changeling menace to our society (and our sun) will be no more.
As for the members of House Argent…
Story continued on page 4
The walls of the old Everfree castle were bustling with activity, echoing happier times of ages past. Masonry was rebuilt, tapestries were hung, and new furniture arrived by the hour. It would have been an inspirational sight for anypony, if the majority of workers had not been changelings.
"Careful with that statue!" Adjutant barked at the changeling helping her lift an old statue of Celestia out of the courtyard's fountain. "I know it's heavy, but Daring Do want us to keep contact with it to a minimum. Body oil and sweat are acidic and will damage the marble, so be sure to wipe it off when you're done!"
"Sorry, boss." One of the changelings panted, sweat glistening in the mop of purple hair atop his head. "Really not my cup of tea, you know? I signed on for library duty."
"You can get to the books as soon as the engineers certify that the library isn't a death trap."
"Hey, they don't call me Ace Gambit for nothing. Danger is practically my middle name!"
"They don't call you Ace Gambit, but if you want that to be your ponysona, so be it. Just keep out of the crumbling castle unless you want to end up squashed by a falling pillar. Now get back to work!"
Adjutant put her hooves under Celestia's outstretched wings and pulled up hard, while Ace did his best to push it up from below. The statue slowly teetered upright and slid back onto its pedestal.
She took a moment to wipe the sweat off of her brow while Ace busied himself with a cleaning spell ("Go Go Gambit Bubble Scrub!"), and caught sight of a large brown draft horse walking into the courtyard. "Hey there!" She waved at him. "Haven't seen you around in a while, Creme. What brings you by?"
Creme blushed a deep shade of red. "I heard Thunderball's staying in here now?"
She motioned her head towards the castle. "Yeah, in the old warden's office at the bottom of the dungeon. You can't miss it."
He followed her instructions through the labyrinthine corridors until he came upon a door marked "Director". It was unlocked, and he slowly opened it to reveal Thunderball sitting in oak office chair, in front of a mahogany desk whose surface was cluttered with paperwork. A few potted plants, several bookshelves filled with literature, and a soft couch in one corner were the only things paying him company. Judging from the pillows and blankets on the couch, he had been sleeping there for some time.
Thunderball gave Creme a curt nod. "I was expecting you sooner. Come in, have a seat — I don't have any extra chairs at the moment, but you can take the sofa."
"I'll stand, if that's alright with you."
Thunderball shrugged and reached under the desk. He produced two glass tumblers and a glass bottle half–filled with a clear liquid. He poured out a generous measure of it in each tumbler, and slid one across the desk.
Creme sniffed it and gagged. He was no stranger to strong drinks, but whatever Thunderball had poured nearly killed his olfactory cells. "What in Celestia's name do you call that?"
"Ethanol, 99.9% purity. One of the few things they left behind in Flash Point's lab."
Thunderball tossed his drink back and broke down in a fit of coughing.
"And you drink it."
"It gets to the point quicker."
"What would that be, your untimely death due to liver failure?"
Thunderball frowned. "You've changed."
"I'm not going to be a bystander anymore — especially not when a good friend's killing himself! What in Tartarus is wrong with you? You lead an attack on Chrysalis's hive, freed a lot of ponies, and fought the entire swarm to a standstill. You came out of it with a position in the new changeling colony, and the noble deeds, coat of arms, and title of your house restored! Most ponie would call that a success."
"The majority of our assets were confiscated. A majority of our members are in a pod farm in the dungeons below as a condition of their royal pardon — rubs me the wrong way, even if it was their idea. We've been publicly revealed and saddled with the responsibilities of a noble house, so any hope of further covert operations has gone down the drain. Oh, and, the public hates us, so the future of the house is in peril once again. I don't see anypony wanting to marry us or let us adopt kids–" Thunderball ground his hoof into the table. "I have the next, probably last, generation of my House in this castle right now. How am I supposed to raise kids? Me? In a place like this?"
Thunderball grabbed the other tumbler, but Creme quickly pinned his hoof to the table. Thunderball tightened his grip on the glass and glared at Creme. "What's your problem?"
"Well, look at you! You're a professional badass most of the time, but then you go drink enough booze for two horses and fall apart. You know what it's like seeing you this way?"
"Fine! If you don't like it, then leave!"
Thunderball let go of the tumbler and pulled away so hard that he spun out of the chair and landed on the ground. He tried to get up, but his hooves gave out under him each time. Creme turned away in disgust, but paused at the door. He looked back at Thunderball to give a parting remark, and froze when he saw that he had curled up into a ball on the floor.
Creme put his hooves under Thunderball's forelegs and pulled him up. "Come on, let's get you onto the sofa."
"Alright." Thunderball stood the best he could on his wobbly legs. "Sorry I yelled at you."
"Do you really think you have no friends in the world?" Creme set him down on the sofa and looked him in the eyes. "I wasn't lying back in the tunnels, when I said you were a good pony at heart. You really did try your best to avoid killing changelings, even when it would have been easier to. And I'm not the only one who knows it; do you think Princess Twilight chose you just so you'd work under her? She did it because she knew the changelings would accept you."
He stepped in and hugged Thunderball. Creme felt his shoulders tense up for a moment, before Thunderball relaxed and leaned into the hug. "We support you, and if you need anything, you can count on us."
Thunderball's breathing grew steady again as he buried his head into Creme's neck.
"You're right," he whispered. "I–we can do this. Our assets may be gone, but we have retained our heritage and our identity. As long as we have those, we can make it through anything. We emerged from the Lunar Rebellion without our main vulnerability, a genetic trail. After being forced into the shadows, we focused on the true art of espionage, using finesse in place of force. And now, we have the opportunity to establish new alliances and help the Princesses build a better future, for all of us. This may be the end of one era, but it is the start of another."
"If our allies don't even know what we're doing, the enemy certainly won't."
It was six in the morning, and the stars were still shining brightly in the night sky. Luna's moon had descended from the heavens, but Celestia's sun was nowhere to be seen. Nervous whispers made their way around the campsite, mostly from Flash Point, Dive Bomb, and Daisy, while Thunderball paced about with increasing agitation.
"This is bad," he muttered though a half-empty flask of whiskey. "The last few times the heavens became disordered, Equestria was under attack." Thunderball punched one of the larger rocks, leaving a hoofprint in its side. "I should never have left! We're too far away to help now."
Meriwether grabbed him by the wrist and put a cap on the flask. "Calm down, pone, I'm sure Celestia's faithful warrior-princess can handle it just fine. She's been on a roll lately."
"It is the duty of a member of the armed forces to serve Equestria in times of need."
"Look, if you're going to sulk about this, I'm going to suit up."
She sighed when she received no response and left him sitting next to Creme Brulee. The changeling glanced at Thunderball nervously, unsure of what to say. "So, um, does Twilight mean a lot to you?"
"I owe her. A lot. Both for helping me...realize I had an unhealthy hatred for changelings, and for giving me a position in her castle. I wish I was there to help her, and makes this mission all the more difficult -- we're pretty much breaking the Princess's trust with all we've done."
"I know all this must be hard on you, but, well, Daring Do has a habit of going after artifacts that can, literally, change the world, so you're still helping Equestria by being here."
"I suppose."
"You don't believe me?"
"I'd rather know I was doing the right thing in the big picture, and not being distracted by a sidequest." Thunderball gestured to his cousins, who were in various stages of readiness. "Look at us! We've each got the training and equipment for each of us to count as a one-pony assault squad. We could do so much good for Equestria, but we're going about pursuing our own selfish agendas. I'll grant that they often align with Celestia's, but not always; even when they do, it would be more efficient if we were able to coordinate with her own efforts."
"Then why are you here?"
"I suppose that's because, at the end of the day, family's family, even if they do drive you up a wall at times," Thunderball sighed. "But I can't keep dealing with these antics if I'm to work for Her Highness, even if I want to be with them again."
Meriwether shot him a glare from across the pit. "Is this about Zanzebra?"
"Zanzebra was a mistake, and you know it!" Thunderball looked as if he would spring up, but Creme quickly held him down.
Phrase Mark and Flash Point exchanged uneasy glances as their voices rose, and quickly set up a dampening field around the encampment to prevent anyone from hearing the argument.
"You saw the priest, the ritual, and the kid," Meriwether growled. "And how her father allowed a demon to possess her."
"We could have taught her to deal with it, maybe even exorcised it. But none of you even wanted to try doing the right thing."
"The right thing was to take the safe option and put her out of her misery. We couldn't risk letting some abomination manifest just for the sake of your conscience!" Her voice cracked as tears started pouring down her face. "You think I wanted to do it? To see the life drain out of her eyes, see her lips begging for help that we couldn't to give? To end up rotting away from the inside from touching so much raw eldritch power? But I...we had to."
"Thunderball held her head to his chest. "I'm sorry. I didn't like it either." He gently stroked her prosthetic wing. "I didn't mean to upset you. You've suffered enough from that…encounter. I just...sometimes I wonder if we're really the good guys."
Daisy stepped forward and handed Meriwether a handkerchief. "Of course we are. We do what is necessary for the security of Equestria. Sometimes we may have to play dirty in order to win, but only because failure is not an option."
Creme's forelegs tensed around Thunderball's frame. "And what are you doing now?"
Daisy frowned. "We are rescuing a pony so her captors cannot learn sensitive information that could compromise Equestrian security."
"But the more I think about it, the less sense it makes. Changelings can probe memories, but without a clear objective, they'd only learn about your family by pure chance. They're more likely to come across deep seated personal issues, or childhood memories. What're you afraid they'll be directly searching for?"
Thunderball shot Daisy a venomous look. "I swear by Celestia, if you're hiding anything from me, I'm taking off for Ponyville right now, and taking Creme with me."
"Hey, calm down f' Luna's sake!" Dive Bomb quickly stepped in front of Daisy. "Look, we didn't bring it up at the time because we weren't sure, but Daring Do made use of our archives. Said might give her a clue on finding some sort of scarab amulet. I did some reading and it's supposed t' let the owner control the sun, but believe me, we didn't know if she actually found it or not."
Thunderball looked up at the sky. "You might have mentioned this when the bucking sun didn't show up on time."
"Ok, um, calm down, alright? Look, we can still do something about it, we just need to…" Creme Brulee trailed off as he started to listen to what he was saying. "Go into the hive and defeat Queen Chrysalis."
"Creme? Are you sure?" Thunderball looked worried. "I thought you wanted us to disrupt the hive as little as possible."
"This has gone too far; she's holding the sun hostage. I don't think we can avoid a conflict anymore," Creme sighed. "And since we're the closest group able to do something about it…"
"Right," Thunderball nodded. "It falls to us to do something, before the situation gets out of hand. "Any objections?"
Meriwether shook her head. "No, but I sure as heck wish we were going into this with a company of stormtroopers and the Elements of Harmony at our side."
"Well, look on the bright side," Dive Bomb grinned. "We may not have the Elements of Harmony, but we'll certainly have the element of surprise."
At seven in the morning, the desert sand in the middle of the outcropping began shaking. It rippled like water before collapsing into a sinkhole. The subsequent dust cloud filled the air like a dense fog. The ponies could barely make out three dark figures pulling themselves out of the ground and into the camp sight, but even so, there was no mistaking their vaguely canine forms.
"The ponies are here," the tallest one growled, in an annoyingly high pitched voice. "Looks like I lost a bet."
Meriwether stepped forward, with a bulky bag in her mouth. "Nice to see you too, Gypsum."
Gypsum grabbed the sack and opened to reveal three bars of a glistening silvery metal, though judging from how easily she handled it, it weighed much less than silver, or even steel. When she was finished admiring her payment, she tossed it to one of her underlings. "Less talk, more walk, ponies. Being in changeling territory is bad enough without incessant babble."
She snapped her fingers and the other two dove back into the ground. "As promised, we will dig to your desired coordinates. If they're wrong, too bad. If you get stuck in the hive, you're on your own. Get out alive, well, I don't care."
"Good doing business with you." Meriwether motioned for the others to follow her as she jumped into the sinkhole.
They went down past sand, dirt, and rock until they were at a depth of sixty meters, at least according to Dive Bomb and his 'depth intuition'. Thunderball switched on his night vision goggles; there was a soft click and the world was bathed in an eerie green light. He could see the others walking around him in perfect formation, though Creme kept close to his side and kept shooting nervous glances over his shoulder, as if expecting some monster to pounce on him from the shadows.
The Diamond Dogs ahead tunneled through the rock as if it were water, growing slower and more careful the closer they got to the hive. The silent tension in the tunnel increased with each step, and the quiet conversations that sprang up were almost inevitable.
Meriwether strolled alongside Thunderball and Creme Brulee in the back, with a frown on her face. "You know I've been thinking. There's no way we'll be able to cover this up, right?
Thunderball shook his head. "We've got nearly thirty ponies to rescue, only one of which will be professional enough to keep her mouth shut. And even if the others did, how would they explain their absence?"
"Um, maybe they could say they were on vacation?" Creme Brulee laughed nervously.
"We can expect a resurgence of changeling phobia after this becomes known, which is going to interfere with several of Her Highness's plans."
Meriwether's ears perked up. "What, like using the Crystal Heart to feed friendly changelings?"
Thunderball and Creme exchanged glances.
"That was an idea, yes," Thunderball nodded. "Though Prince Armor and Princess Cadance's prior experiences with changelings would make that challenging. Another plan was to have changelings relocate to the Everfree Castle along with their loved ones, which is rather impractical as it means leaving jobs, friends, family, etc."
"Honestly, our best bet is a pod farm." Creme Brulee shuddered. "Though where you'd find ponies willing to spend time in one of them is beyond me."
Meriwether tapped her chin. "Those pods can put you in a dream, right? What kind are we talking about?"
"Well, it depends on how the dream matrix is designed, but, theoretically, the only limits to realism or scope is the talent of the designer. You could simulate a town like Ponyville right down to the books in the library if you had enough skill."
"Hey, so maybe we can offer it as entertainment! You know, give ponies a chance to experience an adventure, or even some sort of romance, in exchange for harvesting some of their love!"
Dive Bomb paused and looked back. "Why not just open a brothel?"
The tunnel was completely silent.
"You know, for sex." he added. "I bet there'd be a ton of ponies who'd pay to spend some time in the company of Celestia and/or Luna!"
Thunderball took in a very deep breath. "I am going to ask that you keep any and all suggestions that involve lèse-majesté to yourself."
"Well, fine then." Dive Bomb turned back to the front. "I'll start my own changeling acceptance program. In Los Pegasus. With blackjack, and hookers."
Creme stared determinedly at the ground and mumbled. "It's actually fairly common practice for changelings to, you know…"
"Oh, well…" Thunderball cleared his throat. "I'm not saying we'd forbid it, but Her Highness can't be associated with…that sort of thing."
"It's not a long-term solution, at any rate -- lust isn't love. We'd need ponies to accept us, so that we could either passively feed on ambient love, or form relationships of our own."
"I don't see ponies being terribly accepting for the immediate future. Any chance you could get a coltfriend?"
Creme blushed and looked away. "I can get enough love off of Caramel to sustain me. If I was looking for a special somepony, it would be because I liked him, not because I needed to feed."
"He means he wants you," Phrase Mark whinnied from the front.
Thunderball and Creme came to an immediate halt, one out of surprise and the other out of shock.
"Creme, I'm flattered, but I've got more baggage than a freight train. I'm pretty much the worst candidate for special somepony."
"I know." Creme gave him a tight hug. "But you're a very admirable pony in a lot of ways, even if you don't think so. I understand if you're not ready for a relationship, or even interested in one. I just thought it'd be good to get off my chest." He sighed happily. "I really do want to thank you, though. For inspiring me to better myself, and for being a good friend, even though you didn't have to, and in spite of everything in your past."
Thunderball leaned into the hug and ruffled Creme's mane. "Don't want to die without settling accounts, eh?"
The moment was as brief as it was touching. "Will the ponies stop their infernal racket lest we be caught and stuffed into a cocoon?" Gypsum hissed. "We are right under their cursed hive!"
The diamond dog marked the tunnel ceiling with an "X". "The contract is fulfilled. You are now directly under their deepest storage chamber. If the ponies will excuse us, we are leaving before you bring the entire hive down on our heads."
Meriwether made a very rude gesture at their backs as they retreated out of the tunnel. "Bitch."
"And you know it," Gypsum snickered back, before disappearing around a corner.
Daisy sat down and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, I suppose this is it. Any last words?"
Thunderball pulled out his half-empty flask of whiskey and raised it high. "For Celestia, and Equestria."
"You are drinking now? At a time like this?"
"I'm sure as heck not doing this sober." He tossed his head back and downed it in one gulp. "Buck it, let's go."
Phrase Mark used her magic to strip the ponies clean of their natural scent and replaced it with changeling pheromones, while Flash Point applied telekinetic pressure to the ceiling and carved out a circular hole big enough for a single pony to get through. Pale green light poured into the tunnel from above, but the chamber was silent. Dive Bomb flew up with his kukri bared to secure the area, and let out a low whistle over the radio.
"You're going to want to see this."
Thunderball poked his head into the room to see cocoons. Hundreds of them, stacked along the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Each housing a sleeping changeling. "What the…"
"Hibernation protocols!" Creme pushed Thunderball aside and bolted out of the tunnel. "Chrysalis must have put the workers and drones here because she expects a war!"
"We need t' find another infiltration point."
"What? No, it's fine. Hibernation takes a lot of energy to initiate, and it's all lost if they wake up early. We'll be alright unless you start fighting in the cavern."
Thunderball looked around uneasily. "If you say so."
He gave the all-clear signal and the rest of the team quietly assembled in the cavern. "Alright Creme is going to take the lead. If he sees any patrols, he'll distract them long enough for us to hide."
"And if that fails, I'll give 'em the old slice-n-dice." Dive Bomb slashed at the air with his kukri.
Daisy immediately arrested his foreleg. "Would you kindly treat that weapon with the respect it deserves?"
"You're just like Daring Do; you think this should be gathering dust in a display case. But it's a tool meant to be used on the battlefield. I am treating it properly." He jerked his head towards the cavern entrance. "Now let's get this show on the road!"
Creme cautiously stepped out into the network of tunnels criss-crossing the hive and breathed a sigh of relief. There were no guards; in all likelihood, they were stationed above ground, awaiting an assault. He advanced cautiously up to the pod farm, growing ever-more tense at the eerily silent hive.
Not even the usual caretakers were minding the pod farm; the only changeling present had her forehead pressed against Daring Do's cocoon. She seemed lost in thought -- or, more likely, Daring Do's thoughts. Thunderball gestured for Dive Bomb and Meriwether to disconnect the changeling. Dive Bomb ripping her from the pod and pressing his kukri against her throat, while Meriwether held her prosthetic leg inches from the changeling's face as electricity danced across the hoof.
"No tricks," she growled. "No rubbing your wings against your thorax to signal the others, or calling through the hive mind. We'll know if you do."
The changeling nodded slowly and let herself be dragged away from the cocoon as Thunderball and Daisy stepped up to examine it. It rather resembled the one Celestia had been imprisoned in during the attack on Canterlot, though it was stuck to the chamber floor with hardened green slime. Daisy drew her rapier and slashed at the slime, causing it to hiss vigorously and disappear as if it had been dissolved by acid.
Thunderball caught the cocoon and laid it on its side, so that Daring Do floated to the top. He made a small cross-shaped incision near her head with his combat knife and plunged his hooves into the sticky goo inside to pull her out. Her lungs spasmed the moment her head left the cocoon, and she coughed up a substantial amount of the goo from her lungs.
"Where am I?" She sputtered, looking around in panic. "Watch out! There's a changeling behind you!"
She pointed right at Creme, who backed off nervously. Daisy gently pushed Daring's hoof out of the way. "Yes, we know. He's the one that helped us find you."
"Sorry." Daring Do looked around the chamber. "Where am I? Last thing I remember, I was back at Canterlot University."
Thunderball pulled her out of the cocoon and set her on the ground. "I'm afraid that was a dream; you were captured by changelings after you left the pyramid."
Daring Do shook herself vigorously and sprayed goo over the walls. "And the Scarab?"
"Chrysalis is currently using it to control the sun."
The ensuing response was something that would have to be left out of her novelization. "Then we're going to have to get it back."
Thunderball coughed. "We're going to get it back. You will be evacuated, along with all the other captives."
"Absolutely not." Daring Do dug her hooves into the ground. "The Scarab's my responsibility; besides, I'm the only one who really understands how it works, unless you can memorize a dozen complicated rituals in the next five minutes."
Dive Bomb frowned and looked down at his blade. "What, we can't just slit her throat an' call it a day?"
Flash Point shook her head. "No; the Scarab affects the currents of aether around the sun to make it more easily manipulated by terrestrial magic. If she's made any changes with the Scarab, we'll need to use it to undo them."
"Why? Having a sun more easily moved by sounds like a good thing t' me."
"Aether is the medium through which magic flows; it's possible to make it so that only certain magic can travel through it. Think of it as controlling ocean currents; not only would you be able to move a boat at will, but prevent others from reaching it with their own boats. Our best chance of fixing this is to get that scarab back."
The changeling captive raised a hesitant hoof. "If I may? An arcane circuit connects the throne room directly to the pod farm, so she can draw on the ponies for power. Cutting her off will make her much easier to fight."
Thunderball narrowed his eyes. "Why are you telling us this?"
She looked down and sighed. "As Adjutant-General, I feel that Chrysalis's actions are not in the hive's best interests. The inevitable military response from Celestia will devastate us; better for her to be removed now than during open warfare."
Thunderball's hoof cupped Adjutant's chin and brought her head up. "And who would become the next queen?"
"There are a number of individuals in the running," Adjutant replied delicately. "Myself among them, in fact."
"Interesting. We should keep in touch." Thunderball let go of Adjutant's head and gave Dive Bomb a curt nod. After a moment's hesitation, Dive Bomb removed the blade from Adjutant's throat and brought the pommel down hard on her skull. He let her limp body fall onto the ground next to the cocoon.
"Alright, I've heard enough." Thunderball gestured to the cocoons behind him. "We'll split up. One group will free the captives while the other takes out Chrysalis."
"Splitting up is suicide," Meriwether bristled. "The radio won't reach that far; we'll have no way of knowing whether you're alive or dead."
"At the same time, I'd rather not have Chrysalis realize something's gone wrong before we reach her. Surprise will give us a greater advantage than numbers." Thunderball turned to the others. "Meriwether, Flash Point, and Phrase Mark -- you'll begin freeing ponies when you hear our breaching charge go off, then do your best to mask the scent and sound of our captives as they leave. Everyone else goes with me to the throne room."
