The Ghost of Dream Valley

C.H.F. #1-NH: CLASSIFIED.
PASSWORD: **************

PASSWORD ACCEPTED.

OPENING FILE:

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY PERSONAL FILES ON THE CREATURES KNOWN AS CHANGELINGS:

The Nekropolis Hive

The Nekropolis Hive and its queen Calliphora are probably one of the most elusive and least explored hives in all of Equestria. They make their home in graveyards, feeding off ponies’ love by posing as ghosts of dead relatives and loved ones. Their size is unknown (except by me).

Usually they move into already existing family graves and crypts and only set up rudimentary constructions and decorations. Although they use remains and coffins for this purpose, they don’t actually eat either of those to manufacture their building material, as many ponies believe. Instead it has been found their “Changeling Goo" is mostly composed of various moss and fungi types (I also suspect ectoplasm but have no proof, needs more investigating).

They have little to no contact with other hives and are actually often purposely avoided by them, for the simple fact that, even if it sounds unbelievable, even other changelings are creeped out by them.

Beside their macabre living conditions, the biggest reason for this are their appearance and their general behaviour. While they appear even more “perforated" than other changelings, with colours reminding of dead leaves and decaying matter, their most distinguishing and disturbing feature is what appears to be a second set of eyelids that they can close vertically and, while see-through, allows them to block out most light. This is important because the hive is almost exclusively nocturnal and thus reacts pretty badly to bright lights. Even their hive is kept in complete darkness (which is why they seldomly keep husks).

Their general behaviour has so far been described as “sort of otherworldly". They tend to buzz around with their second set of eyelids closed, seemingly without direction, or huddled in dark corners, humming quietly, as if listening to some inner voice. Perhaps this stems from the fungi they consume and the various gases present in a graveyard. Nevertheless the hive never falls into ruin or disarray. When an intruder appears, the hive is immediately at full alert and goes into attack mode without so much as a whisper. Many a pony has already found themselves thinking they just walked into a zombie pony attack when the coffin lid next to them flew off with a loud hiss.

One should take special precautions when a full moon is out. For some reason, it sends the hive into even more of a trance and a strange sort of dancing motion above the graveyard it currently resides in. Any intruder is immediately killed on sight, but one can usually tell and avoid these events by keeping a lookout for red eyes dancing in the sky like fireflies.

Some ponies refer to this hive as “the order of the fly", proving that they are rather superstitious, but given that anyone who would find themselves in the clutches of this hive would surely think themselves in Tartarus, it is somewhat understandable.

END OF FILE.

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11:58pm. Location: An Unknown Graveyard.

It's a Full Moon tonight. But not just any old full moon, no, it's a Full Blue Moon. Contrary to popular belief, there are some things Princess Luna has no control of in regards to certain aspects of Astrological Bodies such as the Moon and Stars. For example she cannot control when there will be a Blood Moon or the rarer Blue Moon. Nor does she control all the stars, same came be said of Princess Celestia and the Sun. But anyway, that's not relevant right now. What is relevant is where I am, what I'm about to watch and who I'm going to see.

12:00pm. Midnight.

It begins

Ghostly Figures arise and music begins to play from out of nowhere:

After the performance I decided to make my entrance:

*Clap!* *Clap!* *Clap!* *Clap!*

The Changelings turn to the source of the noise

"Lovely performance Cally. Terrifying as always." I complimented.

There was a flash of red light and when the light faded a terrifying figure stood in front of the other Changelings facing me

"Who dares enter my domain?!" The figure roared out.

I smiled.

"Why Cally, I see you've been watching movies." I said to the Changeling Queen.

There was a burst of bright red fire and Cally resumed her normal appearance, glowing red eyes peered at me from behind a dirty brown mane flowing over a rust-red carapace as the queen of the Necropolis Hive hissed at me:

"Damn it Spawn! I thought for sure I had you this year."

"If it's any consolation you reminded me of a character that made me shit my pants the first time I saw him. In fact you are scarier then him and if I was still capable then I would have shit my pants again." I said soothingly.

"Really?"

"Yes. You are by far the most terrifying, creepiest person I've ever met in modern times." Which is true.

"Stop it you are going to make me blush again." Cally giggled.

"Now that the greetings are done will you please take on my preferred form?" I asked politely.

Another burst of bright red fire,

"Awww, does my form disturb you?"

"Not really but whenever I see you like that I want to put on a really big boot and..." I left that sentence hanging.

Cally stared at me for a minute then shook her head.

"Anyway, what brings you here? It must be important for you to disturb us during a Blue moon."

I remained silent for minute.

"Oh of course. Give me a sec." Cally's eyes glowed a dark bright red and suddenly we were gone.

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One bright red flash of fire and light later, and we were standing in Cally's bedchambers and Cally sent the other Changelings to another area of the hive. She brought out a bottle of red wine from her personal stash poured me a glass and handed it to me then poured herself a glass. After downing it and pouring another one she turned to me,

"Well?"

"Right. I need a few favors from you." I answered.

"Oh? What do you need?" she inquired.

"A few of your Changelings. Three should be adequate I think. I need them to help me conduct some....experiments." I stated.

"Fine. What else?"

Cally had answered me so easily and casually that one would think that 1: She'd been expecting this request for some time or 2: She had so many drones/children she didn't care if she lent a few to me. I like to think it was actually because she trusted me enough.

"I also need you to send some of your Changelings to spy on your fellow Changeling Queens. Specifically Chrysalis and Ambrosia."

Unlike before this request actually got a reaction, she raised an eyebrow,

"Why?"

"I believe Chrysalis is up to something and I want know what, I also want to keep an eye on Ambrosia. And I already know you spy on Miasma regularly, so I want that info too." I already knew what Chrysalis was planning but I wanted insurance just in case.

I paused for a moment before continuing because I knew she'd take this next request hard,

"I also want you to send some drones to infiltrate Canterlot, Canterlot Palace and both divisions of the Royal Guard."

I stated as bluntly as I could.

This got me another reaction, stronger this time. Cally spat out her drink and looked at me like I was crazy.

"What?!!" She shrieked.

"You heard me. But don't worry I'll take measures that'll keep your children safe. Provided that they don't do something stupid they won't need it though." I responded casually.

"The Lunar Guard will be easy but The Solar not so much. And you know why right?" Cally said, expressing some concern.

"Yes. But don't worry, I have a plan." I knew that concern would come up, which is why I came up with a solution before I even made the request.

Cally sighed before relenting.

"I hope you know what your doing."

"I do. Like I said unless they do something stupid they'll come back fine. Worst case, they get a little roughed up but they'll definitely come back alive, that I guarantee you." I asserted with confidence.

Cally went over to her Queen sized bed, sat down, closed her eyes and sighed again. I decided she could use a little more reassurance.

"Cally, you know I wouldn't come here and ask this of you unless I knew you would succeed. I came to you during the full blue moon to emphasize the importance of these requests and my confidence in you and your hive." I whispered calmly in her ear.

Cally merely nodded.

"So now that our business has concluded, wanna just sit here and....talk?" I offered.

"Sure."

And so we talked until dawn came after which Cally offered me to stay and sleep the day away. I accepted and retired to the room that was reserved only for me.

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As I lied upon my bed staring into the darkness I recounted the day's events:

The Field Trip

Discord

Luna

Cally.

My mind wondered Cally and my relationship with her.

I remembered when I first encountered Queen Calliphora. It was on a night just like this one, only it was a Full Blood Moon.

I was a zebra at the time.

I watched Calliphora perform a different dance to a different tune, "Night on Bald Mountain" I believe. I clapped after the performance, apparently this was a bad idea.

I was attacked by a few of her drones. Naturally it didn't end well for them, I killed them. Which of course caused more to attack me and I of course responded by beating, subduing or killing them.

Soon, Calliphora decided to end me herself. It was a long battle because I was holding back to avoid killing her.

Our little duel became a draw. As we stood there panting Cally pointed out that no zebra had ever fought her to a standstill before, guessed I wasn't really a zebra and demanded that I reveal myself.

I said "Meh. Why the hell not?" and so I reverted to my true form.

I think that was the first time Cally experienced true fear. And who could blame her? I was "The Ghost of Dream Valley" said to be the only one in existence who is stronger then "Magog the Mighty" and they're right. Of course she would be scared, I scare everyone.

Nonetheless, Cally simply closed her eyes and waited.

After a few minutes I asked her what she was doing. She told me that she was waiting for me to kill her or drag her into Mu and asked only that I spare her children. I told her I was not going to either of those things and as an act of good faith I resurrected the Changelings I killed and healed the ones I injured.

Needless to say Cally was extremely happy about that. We talked some after that and soon discovered we had a lot in common.

A few centuries later we became close friends.

I smiled at that thought. I played my favorite bed tune and went to sleep.