They Came from the Everfree

My feet bled by the time I came back in through the door. I didn't check to see if Twilight had left to look for me, I simply collapsed onto the soft cushion and closed my eyes. I quickly snoozed in the darkness.

Birds chirped loudly in my head, singing a song I did not understand. They sounded soothing and peaceful, but there was something disturbing in the air. Something mumbled in the distance.

"Is that you?" A female voice spoke. I was slowly filled with a weightless feeling, as if I was moving in all directions at once.

Everything blurred and swirled, I grew very dizzy, but incredibly relaxed. As if every muscle from my shoulders to my toes had untied themselves, loosened to perfect calmness.

I stirred from my sheets well-rested, I was covered by a black blanket I didn't remember putting on. I poked my head out of the side of the soft chamber to observe the voice.

The girl; Luna, from last night was towering over me. To her left, Twilight stared. She seemed very bouncy and nervous. One that stood the tallest of all was to her right, Celestia. She stared down at me, casting an aura of power over the room.

I wanted to drop the sheet back over my face and return to sleep, but I understood that such an activity would not help my diplomatic position. I was so tired I felt as if I hadn't slept at all. I threw the blanket over my back, it draped itself around the back of the couch.

"Good morning..." I groaned sarcastically, yawning and rubbing my face, the nerves had hardly awoken themselves and they felt partially numbed.

"As to you, Grayson. Sister?" Luna politely responded. Turning to her sister with a inquisitive expression.

"Good morning to you, there." She answered without changing her expression. Her head seemed to raise to appear even taller.

"You must be her sister, Celestia, right?" I asked, moaning as I pulled myself upright to sit back on the couch. I was willing to sit up, but I sure as Jesus wore sandals wasn't going to stand up for another 10 minutes at least.

"Princess, Celestia." She corrected. She sounded arrogant and annoyed with me.

"Twilight?" I begged, scratching my eyes.

"Hm?" She peeped, hardly audible.

"Do you have, coffee?" I was hopeful that the plant somehow exists anywhere. I wasn't sure how they weren't dying without it.

"Well, I could go prepare coffee..." Without an answer, her voice quickly trailed away as hoofsteps clopped to the kitchen.

"Oh! I'll have a cup, please!" Luna chirped.

"As will I, Twilight." Celestia agreed, sounding slow and professional.

"I'll make a pitcher..." She replied, I heard cabinets creaking open. I removed my hands from my eyes and stared at Celestia.

"I believe you wanted to speak with me." I asked, loosing the friendly tone and conducting my self a lot more business-like.

Her eyes widened for a moment, her eyebrow dropping slightly. Her head whipped to her sister, who stood still as a statue.

"What makes you think that?" She seethed. "Sister..." Her tone was warning.

I remembered that Luna was polite. I could tell what was going on, I thought of a quick story.

"Twilight, she told me that Luna would be much less interested in discussing me than you would. That you are more interested in the strange occurrences in this town." I held my face at still military bearing. I quickly grew nervous, realizing I was lying to a high official.

She stared at me through a barrel, right into my eyes.

I felt my cheek twitch.

"I see. She's right. I would like to discuss your current actions against these ponies." She turned back to me.

"Against? That's not quite the word I'd use." I replied, raising my eyebrows sincerely.

"I didn't need to use the word you'd use. I'm using the word that describes what you have caused." Her tone was stoic, her face solid. She felt cold.

"Against sounds like I have somehow harmed anything. But I assure you, my partner, who has recently become deceased, is-" I began.

"I've heard. I'm sorry for your loss. But you have brought this war to us yourself. His death, and every death in this town, is your fault. You see, there has not been any official war for over a century, until you arrived." She didn't seem to have any difficulty blaming me.

I felt my blood heat up, I took a deep breath and tried to slow my pulse.

"However, I have been insistently advised against punishing you for such crimes. However, I do not want you among us. You must leave as soon as possible. I am fully capable of arranging for you to visit Griffon territory, where you would be more suited." She picked up her head and looked down on me. Something about her gaze prevented her from looking too aggressive. "However, there is something you should be arranging first." She turned her head to her sister, who grinned like a schoolgirl.

"You see," The darker colored sister began, "your friend, Elliot was his name? He is not dead, or harmed as far as I am aware. He is fully awake and aware! And we are prepared to move to extract him." She smiled.

I watched him, he's dead. That was Elliot, I heard his scream.

"So what makes you think he's not dead, and fertilizing the soil right now?" I inquired, raising my eyebrows unenthusiastically.

"I don't think, I know! It's an absolute fact!" She bounced. "He was captured, that is for sure. However, the event unfurling before your eyes was not himself. The creatures you encountered, you have not seen them before, am I correct?" She didn't wait for me to respond. "They are changelings, masters of disguise. Upon contact with any form of DNA, such as clothing, dead skin, hair, things as such. They can create an illusion that makes them look and sound exactly like anypony they want to. There is also a theory that they use magic to help impact the minds of those around them, in order to add to the effect, but it is not proven." She took a deep breath.

"So, I watched very closely last night, and I am very confident this was an illusion. That Elliot has been captured, and they used a recreation of him as bait to lure you in as well!"

Her sister stepped forward to intervene.

"And we are prepared to offer military backing to bring him back. However, this will be our only deed of kindness. Afterwards, you must leave. You create a risk to thousands every second. I take it you have heard of the other attacks?" She sternly asked, frowning slightly.

"Other attacks? What are you talking about?" I was genuinely confused.

Twilight's wings ruffled, she turned and walked upstairs.

"There were other human attacks. Notably large forces have already conquered Vanhoover, and there were small clashes in Apploosa, and Manehattan's outskirts. A small band of your species can annihilate an army of our guards. You could save a lot of lives by offering the technology, you know." She grinned.

"I could, but I would end many more in the long run. Trust me, if you can, you need to prevent such technology from being discovered, order the guard to destroy them." I warned, nodding certainly.

She seemed taken aback, as well as her sister.

"What do you mean? They could become the most powerful defense Equestria has ever seen!" She insisted.

"I thought we were talking about Elliot." I reminded her.

She paused, took a deep breath, yet Luna cut her off.

"The intention, with your consent, is that we take you, along with an army of our elite guard, and engage the changelings on their own soil. We save your partner, and leave the area as soon as we can. I must warn you, however, that the changelings will strongly outnumber us. That is why we need such technology." She explained, losing her giddy tone for a more matter-of-fact sound.

"And you're positive he's still alive?" I pressed.

"Very confident would be the wording I'd use." Celestia answered.

"Where do I start?" I quickly replied.

"We'll take you to Canterlot by carriage, where you can explain the military tactics on your planet, and we'll explain ours. From there, we will hopefully come to an agreement on weapons manufacturing, and you can lead our army into battle against these creatures." Celestia explained.

"I'm all ready." I got up from the couch. "So, are you going to press me about rifles the whole ride there?" I asked blankly.

"Most likely." Luna answered, moving to the side.

"I need time to think about it. I agree that it would be a significant use, but I don't want it to exist here when I'm gone." I explained.

"We'll discover it someday regardless, so it would only bring the creation to a point where it is useful." Celestia attempted to convince me otherwise.

"Someday, but the later the safer. On my planet, there are about 7 billion humans roaming. That being said, about one hundred die daily from domestic shootings. Wives shooting husbands, friends shooting foes, things that happen in civilized areas. That number is greatly multiplied when you add in our wartime engagements as well. Hundreds of our soldiers die daily, hundreds of MEC Saudis, Iranians, and MEC allianced Taliban all are killed by the hour. This could be your civilization, if people start owning guns. It also gives them the power to overthrow their leadership, such as you." I cautioned, as I started gathering Elliot's belongings. Twilight came back down the stairs with a book.

"We can prevent it, provide laws that prohibit the use of firearms in such ways." Luna explained simply.

"When you are given the power to kill with nothing more than the twitch of a lever, laws become more of suggestions. You could simply destroy anyone who tells you otherwise." I elaborated. "For example, America was given the right to purchase and bear arms in order to overthrow the government if it becomes tyrannical. This means that the people are literally given the right to kill their leaders and replace them at any point that the citizens decide to do so."

"And that's your concern? Is that you'll hurt us? You won't, we can't be destroyed easily. Many attempts, albeit, have been made." Celestia commented.

"Yes, I agree. You may be experienced fighters, maybe you could even protect yourself. But you won't stop the fact that crazy people could buy a gun, walk into a park, and start shooting every living creature under the sun. You don't want that to happen yearly, I'm sure." I tried to explain, I carried Elliot's stuff out the door, I heard all 3 of the others follow.

"Look, I'll talk about it more whenever we get to this 'Canterlot' place. All I care about right now is that we're getting Elliot, no matter the cost." Something still seemed odd to me. There was a carriage outside, 2 guards stood at what looked like a 4-legged attention nearby it, they held open the door.

As I crawled in the inside was like the Cinderella animation. Velvet seats, small windows, and a fragile feel. The others began to duck through the door and crawl inside. Celestia across from me. Twilight to my left, and Luna beside her sister.

"So what makes you so hell-bent on helping me get Elliot back?" I spoke before I even understood my own question.

Luna looked at her sister, who nodded.

"We have been at peace with the changelings ever since their invasion about 2 years ago. We've made attempts to restrict another invasion from ever reoccurring. This capture, and the fact that they broke the treaty by stepping onto Equestrian lands, is an act of war. We must treat it as such. In about a week, we will declare official war and attempt to overthrow their queen." Celestia answered, taking a deep breath. "The problem is, they come in far greater numbers, and work together a lot better than us. Without any advanced weaponry, I fear we will be sending hundreds of guards into suicide."

"I understand. And you want me to train your guards?" I asked.

"Yes, I will leave the training of the 5th Division's 3rd Platoon to you as a test. Then, if they turn out well, the entire 5th Division's training will be up to you. We trust you well, considering you've clearly experienced fighting action and you have a history of ending many enemies with a less superior weapon." She answered.

'Did she just say my rifle's shitty?'

"So you want me to simply lecture them on combat tactics and methods?" The idea seemed dull to me, that couldn't be all.

"No, any method you feel is most efficient. Physical, and mental preparedness will be important." She elaborated.

"The way you were trained will perhaps be efficient, you seem to know your way around." Luna added.

'Gunnary Sergeant Grayson, that'd sound badass, but it's a stretch from Hartman's FMJ hit.'

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea. The problem is, you might... Disagree with the methods on my country. Britain doesn't like it." I laughed at the thought of an angry queen yelling at DIs.

"You don't mean you'll kill guards, do you?" Celestia quickly inquired.

"Not that, but the training I'm thinking will make them wish I would."

The carriage lurched, surprising me. I wasn't sure how it was drawn, but it felt like we were in the air.