The Changeling

Chapter 3
Release

As I stood there, the fire long out, I pondered if I should inform mother yet.
“Nah. She’d call me home as soon as she’s informed,” I stated out loud
“What ma’am,” asked the dirty pony his ears perking
“I’m pondering where I’m going to go now that my family’s dead. And frankly it’s not the business of a filthy earth pony,” I responded adding a cynical air to my response.
“I have a name,” he said adding disdain to his words
“You have yet to say it so I don’t know your title. I can’t read minds as a pegasus stupid earth pony,” I retorted my words leaving a baffled expression on the earth pony’s face
“Well insanity aside, I’m called Dark Shot,"he responded.
“Well Dark Shit, now I know your name. So I can use that knowledge for future reference." I responded still thinking about where I was going to go.
"Dark Shot, not shit. You sadistic mare," he snapped
"What? I'm not sadistic," I responded with mock surprise in my voice making me sound as demeaning as possible. “I’m just creative”

Dark Shot sat there glaring at me as I continued to ponder where I was to go. I thought of finding a new family to infiltrate maybe in that Ponyville town I heard about a small town would be a nice change.

“Yep to Ponyville. Charge Darky!” I announced hopping into the cart’s riders chair and pointing my hoof heroically into the air.
“You are the rudest pony I’ve ever met you have no sense of compassion or empathy. Why am I still driving you around?” he responded
“Because I’ll kill if you don’t. Now go you stupid earth pony,” I ordered nonchalantly
“So why do you want to go to Ponyville? A quiet town doesn’t seem like the place for you especially since the number one student of Princess Celestia lives there along with the other Elements of Harmony.” Dark Shi… Dark Shot inquired
“The Elements of Harmony? What are those?” I asked
“Avoiding my questions like normal. And the Elements of Harmony are chosen ponies who embody certain traits and together they have the ability to fight evil that threatens the harmony in Equestria. There are six they are, Twilight Sparkle who embodies magic, Rainbow Dash who is loyalty, Applejack she’s honesty, Fluttershy who is kindness and the cutest, Rarity embodiment of generosity, and finally Pinkie Pie she’s laughter. They are all close friends and really nice they defeated Nightmare Moon a few months ago didn’t you hear about that seeing as you come from Canterlot,” Dark Shot explained
“Thanks for the explanation. Now that he mentions it I do remember something on that in the hive,” I thought out loud

As we approached the trees I would hide in earlier I saw a shadow bounce between the trees. I didn’t think much of it until Dark Shot screamed and we veered into the brush.

“THE HELL!” I yelled my voice cracking slightly
“Sorry, I stepped on somethin’ sharp and I lost control,” Dark Shot responded. As I peered down at him his left forehoof was bleeding and it had what looked like a nail stuck in it.
“Clean that up now, there are ponchos in the cart use one of those.” I ordered
“Well well. Looked like it didn’t kill either of you. Darn, and I was hoping to make this kill look like an accident. Oh well, now I get to have fun with you two and I was given permission to do as I please to the changeling and anypony with them. Your food source was no fun they didn’t even scream that much while I tortured them,” Said a voice from the trees followed by sick twisted laughter.
“Who the hell is that? Do you know the…” Dark Shot was cut off by a blast of red magic to his neck leaving a big black burn on the earth pony. He fell over dead.
“No, now I have to pull my own cart. But ponies are great slaves damn you unicorn!” I exclaimed. “And how did you know what I was? I’m pretty good at keeping secrets,” I asked
“I know the tells of your race. I’m part of a group of ponies who have taken up the task of exterminating all the changelings known as Mors ad Tenebras or death to darkness. I have been tasked with killing you and I will do my duty to my master and execute you,” the pony responded moving from tree to tree so I couldn’t tell where they were hiding.
“I’ve heard of that in the hive you were established by the princess after the changeling war to prevent us from challenging the rule of Celestia again right. You also lost royal support 200 years after you were founded due to the public risk and that Celestia was sure she had a secure regime. I know what you are and what you have done to my people.”I said
“You know of us so now you’re an even greater threat to me. Now where did you learn that from?” the tree pony stated.
“Canterlot Library, history section I read up on you after I saw a mention of you in the book on the great war. Now I need to know are you a mare or a colt you have something muffling your voice so I can’t tell?” I stated haughtily to the tree pony.
“Well seeing as I’m going to kill you I’ll humor you, I’m a mare if you must know,” she responded.

I started to use my transformation but as the green flames started to engulf me a blast of red magic hit my left foreleg.

“Now now. We can’t let you transform now can we? I want this to be as easy as possible, I don’t want to deal with magic and wings,”
“YOU DAMN PONY THAT HURT!” I screeched “Now look my favorite pegasus body is burned. I would like it to look good not have a burn on it. Well it won’t be burned next time I use it so I guess it doesn’t matter other than the searing pain,” I said in a tone that made it sound as if I was chastising a young foal that had done something bad.
“You are the most foalish changeling I’ve ever met. I mean you are mad that I killed your driver because now you have to pull your own cart. And you are mad because I burned your stolen form,” the tree mare stated sounding annoyed
“I’m not foalish. I just don’t like to do work when I can get the lower races to do it for me. And it hurts to be burned. I mean have you ever been burned?” I said my haunches on the ground and my forelegs crossed in annoyance towards this insufferable mare.
“Look at this you’re sitting and sulking like a foal. You arrogant changeling grow up,” she retorted disdainfully

I had now caught on to the pattern the tree pony was using to jump around and sprung on her as she jumped. She was a blood red unicorn with a black mane and tail and dark green eyes. She was taller than my current form and was very lean. She also had a black gas mask on her head and was covered in soot and dark spots on her fur that I could only assume as blood from killing my last food source. As I looked over her I felt like I’ve seen this mare somewhere before.

“Have we met before pony?” I asked
“Yes, I’ve known you for a long time. You happen to be why I know about and hate changelings,” she responded
“Did I kill someone you loved or some shit?” I asked wanting to know who this mare was and why she knows who I am
“ONLY MY FATHER AND MOTHER!” she yelled then took a deep breath and continued. “I was only a filly when you murdered my parents in front of me when you were impersonating my sister. I’ve been looking for her and you since”
“Well how do you know I was the one who did that?” I asked
“WHAT? YOU’RE IN HER FUCKING BODY! DO YOU FORGET THE PONIES YOU KILL?” she yelled her voice cracking with rage. “Where is she it’s been so long?” she asked her face showing the strain of holding back her tears
“Well, I think I erased her memories and left her with new ones. Or, maybe I killed her?” I responded sitting down on the unicorn and tried to remember
“YOU THINK? YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW IF YOU KILLED HER OR NOT!” she screamed. “I’ve been searching ten years for a pony who might not even know who I am or is dead”
“Looks like it,” I responded. “Wait ten years that would make you only what sixteen or seventeen years old?”
“I’m eighteen thank you very much” She said adding a humph at the end of her sentence.

At that her horn emitted a blinding white light and she rolled over. This caused me to fall to the ground my hoof over my eyes. “FUCK, MY EYES!” I screamed.
“Serves you right changeling filth. Now it’s my turn to learn more about you, to be more specific about your mother,” the unicorn said with a note of irony when she mentioned mother.

My vision cleared just in time to move out of the way of a hoof as it came down towards my face. The unicorn had dawned back on her mask and now looked like she was ready to kill. Her horn began glowing as she charged at me, I dodged out of the way and grabbed her tail in my teeth and pulled her to the ground. I climbed back on top of her and started to transform she tried to struggle free so she could stop me but when she had managed to get out I had already changed. I was now a deep blue unicorn with a white mane and tail that had a teal streak going through both.

“Now we’re on even ground, magic against magic,” I said smiling darkly at the thought of this unicorn’s dead body her blood dripping from my knife.
She gave a sarcastic laugh and said with a smirk on her face, “Even, how in Equestria are you so dense? I’ve already won and you should just accept that this is your fault.”

My mind started to go hazy and my body started to lose balance, I fell to the ground looking at the unicorn. I felt a pressure around my horn and my mind went silent, I tried to reach mother and felt nothing. I couldn’t feel the hive at all.