Author's Note

The audio reading for this installment can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikbGNJiMg_A

Entry 13

Entry 13 – November 2nd, 1122, 14:00

Perhaps the energy of yesterday and the day previous kept me from the realization, but Starfall insisted that I haven’t been in the hunt long enough to realize just how portentous the surprise at the party was. I can’t stop reading the transcription of the press conference with Her Majesty Princess Celestia. Surely enough, she said we can’t possibly think of coexisting with the Changelings. She said “beings;” I’d say that’s pretty diminishing but not pejorative enough.

The appearance of those two hundred some Changelings has disturbed even Princess Luna, as far as I could tell. I was dreaming of a swarm of Changelings trying to get inside the mansion. I woke up to the sound of two hunters knocking at the door. Casting those spells must have exhausted Starfall more than the physical exertion did to me, because she hadn’t awoken yet. The hunters bade me wake Starfall and come with them to the Academy to hear her speak. We did, and the event was profoundly perturbing.

I should have expected the ferocity and ardor with which she would speak by the fact that she wasn’t given a microphone to begin with. Whereas Princess Celestia had lamented the loss of those numerous, not to mention important, mares and stallions who were now known to be missing (likely, husks), Princess Luna drove home the conclusion that there needed to be a proper retribution. An “earth-shattering effort to VINDICATE THIS HORROR and all the others,” as she put it. It was wise wording, for it begged the question of who else was being wronged.

We’ve not had an incident this big since over a century ago, and the slaughter has thrust the Inquisition into the spotlight.

“As the security threat has reached a point beyond what anypony has dared to imagine, it is necessary for the Inquisition to conduct itself a little more openly,” she said.

What an understatement! She said it like the Inquisition had any choice but take the light, too. The essence of the tirade that was to follow was that we would eliminate them without question and find where Chrysalis was and stamp her out, too. I looked at Starfall at the mention, and she looked back at me. Her eyes conveyed to me that she, Luna, and everypony fighting alongside us knew the wretch’s location, but we simply didn’t have the power to take her on.

“To wage war against her directly in our lifetime,” her eyes seemed to say, “Would be impossible.”

Princess Luna’s remark at the moment answered why, “But before we must get to her, we must neutralize the threats within our borders. Until then, the threat of these FREAKS OF NATURE looms to effect the ruination of our kingdom.”

Indeed. Starfall gave a nod of assent. Princess Luna proceeded with that such was the nature of the successful mission we had undertaken the evening before.

One of the media questioners asked, “The order Your Highness heads seeks transparency. Will you disclose the identities of those forces you sent?”

Princess Luna couldn’t have possibly seen us in the audience since we were in the back behind all the resident students. Starfall and I looked gravely at one another.

“There were many heroes that night, and it would go against our order’s generally secretive nature in conducting its operations to mention just all of them, but two principal ponies played paramount parts in what transpired. I will tell you their names and some about them.”

She paused. Starfall’s eyes widened, and she was frowning hard. My legs went stiff.

“A rising star among the Inquisitor’s Changeling hunters was deemed suited for the task of reforming and training a dropout from our Academy who had his heart set on creating for us a new weapon which we were not yet prepared to receive. In time she discerned the practicality of this device, as we’ll call it, and banished the desperate chains that had laid hold of its machinist. She and he implemented the device against those with their UNHEARTS SET ON USURPING the mayor of Manehattan that night. The Inquisition now recognizes its mistake in time to capitalize on what one of its few merciful acts has produced--”

“Do you intend to make amends?”

“I HAVEN’T GIVEN THEIR NAMES YET, and, if you don’t mind, my little pony, I shall disclose them as was asked of me.” You could obviously tell she was not comfortable with giving our names despite her brutal reaction to the questioner’s interruption. “Hunter Starfall Escarleta was the capable pony, and Zeta Cherrypaste was the untapped resource.”

Silence. I didn’t know whether to rejoice or feel disappointed at not being recognized by the crowd.

A low voice from somepony among the students shouted out, “Yeah, you go, Starfall! You’re a comet to light the way!”

Princess Luna smiled for the first time in her entire speech. “That’s right. For the Academy’s initiates, she’s an idol whose recognition has been hard-won and well earned. We’re planning to force her to take a vacation for the first time in her life.” Starfall’s jaw dropped with dread. “Of course, all our operatives shall be paid handsomely for their work that night. And we have special plans for incorporating Zeta back into our operation.”

By this point I had tried three times to escape the hall through one of the doors. The door I was trying just as she said this opened, but it creaked. Hundreds of eyes found me. Starfall was readying a spell to teleport us, but Princess Luna was quicker on the draw and hadn’t a single eye on her to notice that she was the one who bailed us out.

We reappeared in Luna’s personal study. I can’t tell you what it’s like in there specifically due to legal constraints, but I can say that it was very “her.” Two hours passed before Luna joined us.

Starfall, who had been grumbling to me for the entire span, initiated our conversation, “What do you mean you’re going to ‘force me to take a vacation?’”

“I’ll have to, now that the public is omnipresent and ready to vilify me in case I don't.”

Starfall shot needles from her eyes into my own when I made to ask her for the fortieth time why a vacation was so beneath her to take.

Princess Luna gave me my answer, “Let us say that I think Ms. Escarleta works herself too hard and has to spend some time with some certain ponies, including Jackson, whom she’s not seen for much time on account of foalsitting you.”

“Welp, there’s your justification, Starfall.” She turned to me, and I was surprised to see her embarrassed instead of enraged.

Princess Luna let out a humored breath. “Poorly played, Scarlet Cheeks.”

I didn’t want any spite, but there wasn’t probably going to be any. “Why teleport us here of all places? You must really need to talk to us.”

“Precisely. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, but I needed to see the rest of your outfit from your mission. That reminds me,” she conjured two bags replete with coin, “Here’s your 500 bits for your good work.” We each got one. It was amazing; I’ve never held so many coins all at once. “You know that your payment for keeping your comrade has been sent to your account?” Starfall nodded.

“Wow, this a lot,” I said at length.

“You really don’t have the foresight to realize that that’s not all you’ll be getting?” She had been facing away from us but was now looking directly at me. “We’ll conduct a private Acolyte coronation here. I doubt you want to be standing beside a bunch of students for such occasion, and I doubt any students want to stand beside a dropout at their ceremony, even if he happens to have contributed to their cause greatly.”

“Take the deal, Zeta; I’m not sure I would have liked to have you there if I didn’t know you as a pony and were in their place.”

“I can’t refuse it.”

“Very well. Next, I must let you know that within the next week you will begin teaching the method of brewing your potion to several hundred alchemist ponies, and you shall be paid roughly twenty bits per pony.” I gave her a confused look, for I had relinquished my notes to the Inquisition back when I had informed them that my work was finished. “Your script is indecipherable.”

“It looks like I’ve brought this work upon myself.”

“Don’t worry; all you’ll you need to do is give a lecture and a demonstration for the ponies to take proper notes. They will, in turn, disseminate the recipe, and by that point you’ll be off to make acquaintances as you join Starfall on vacation.”

Starfall raised a brow. “Is that so? Do tell.”

Princess Luna dropped her head toward Starfall. “Do you know how many friends Zeta Cherrypaste has?” I suddenly felt as blue as my surroundings.

“Sorry,” Starfall’s head fell with dejection.

She hadn’t meant to come across as disdainful of me, and I’m sure she wasn’t, but Princess Luna cemented her lesson, “You haven’t answered my question yet.”

“Zeta has fewer real friends to fall back on than he has legs to stand on. I didn’t mean to push you away. . . .”

I was already crying because the reality really hadn’t struck me until that moment. “I forgive you, Starfall. I wouldn’t lose you for the world.”

Luna gave me enough time for us to embrace and for me to settle down, but she hadn’t lost a beat. “There’s a whole world out there that needs to be retaken. I’m not certain if your potion has come soon enough to aid us.” There was a window she turned to, and my eyes followed hers outside it. “You need to let us know all the ingredients so that we may procure them. While we have this advantage we need to systematically exploit it.”

“Well. . .” I immediately recounted all the ingredients and what proportions were required of the potion. Memorizing it had been what I had spent my daylight hours on at the hotel between shopping and gym visits. I practically heard those Bat Ponies’ snores again and chuckled aloud at the thought.

Princess Luna and Starfall’s expressions told me that I probably didn’t come across as the sanest stallion at that point in time.

“Anyway, I think I have another theory to test, but it’s a little strange, and I don’t want to lose your good grace once again.”

“Come now, you must be teasing us.”

“In a way, but it’s not a theory I’m really proud to have conceived. If it bears any fruit, at any rate, I’ll let you know.”

Starfall said, “You better.”

Pensively, I stated, “I’ll give you a hint.” At this moment I recalled the line that I needed. “You may remember, Princess Luna--”

“You can call us Luna, dear.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. If you’ll recall a line you said during your speech, ‘Changelings may be big and swarm our hair, but they are mere insects still,’ that’s the basis of my hypothesis.”

“I don’t discern the point you approach.”

“Me, neither.”

I looked at Starfall. She’d be least pleased to hear it.

“Leave it to me to test it, and we’ll see from there,” I said sternly.

The whole notion is preposterous, and I shan’t disclose it to you, journal, for fear of Starfall’s snooping, but, if I’ve hit another breakthrough, I might just see the ultimate conclusion of this conflict. Since ponies and Changelings have come into contact, the Changelings have always assumed the predator’s role. The hunters and the Inquisition are the minute exception, but there’s little we gain from slaying them beyond our own security. I might be able to change this.