Guard Tiara: The Grand Guard Games

Diamond Tiara paused, looking back and forth along the empty streets. Eyes narrowed, she scanned along it both ways, and she perked her ears to try and pick up any possible sounds coming from nearby. One hoof went up to her chest plate, touching the string of the necklace.

Oh, woe is me, she thought as she resumed walking along the road. A poor, defenseless mare, all alone in the street in the early morning. I do hope that nothing happens, such as a monstrous creature coming out of the shadows to try and attack me.

Again she stopped, looking around. She looked along the rooftops, the alleyways, the entrances to the various buildings. Still, she could not see nor hear anything out of place. Everything looked to be calm, silent, and peaceful.

It was driving her nuts. She was out here, alone, trying to be used as bait for whatever had been attacking ponies. She was in her armor and not a crystal pony, so she may not have been the perfect target, but there were not really any other options. All of the other ponies should either be inside, or in groups. If everything was going the way it was supposed to, she should have been the only pony that was a possible target.

Although, from her experience, things would not go as they were supposed to. Something almost invariably went wrong or did not go as expected. Considering what happened to Snow Sugar, her being the only one out could be moot. This thing -- or whatever it was using -- could potentially get into other buildings, including homes. What was keeping it from attacking ponies in their beds while sleeping?

With a huff, Diamond Tiara pushed the thought aside. There was nothing that she could do about it if that actually was the case. She would just have to keep going and hope that something took that bait... and that the guards were close enough to get to her if she actually were attacked.

Continuing to walk, Diamond Tiara kept looking around and listening, trying to pick up some indication that she was being watched, or stalked. She considered whistling for a moment. After all, it was something that ponies supposedly did; whistling when alone and scared to bolster their courage. Except doing so would mean that she would not be able to hear as well. So that was actually out.

Something better happen soon, she thought as she turned a corner. All this waiting is driving me crazier than trying to have a conversation with Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush. Diamond paused to scan ahead, making notes of spots to be aware of for hiding or being attacked from.

This would be easier if I knew more. Like how targets are chosen, how they are attacked, and what is behind all this. She sighed, continuing to walk along the pre-planned route. Although if we knew that, we would be a lot closer to catching it, and this wouldn't be necessary in the first place.

As she walked, a strange muffled noise reached her ears. It almost sounded like muffled screaming. It did not last long, but Diamond Tiara guessed that it was coming from down the nearby alleyway, which actually happened to lead back to one of the streets she had patrolled along already. So if she was being followed by something or somepony, it was possible that she heard it or them.

Diamond Tiara broke into a brisk sprint, heading toward where she thought the sound came from. Her eyes were narrowed and ears perked forward as she sought out the source.

What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks.

Standing not far from her was what looked like a twisted, monstrous version of her from straight out of somepony's nightmare. The nightmare Tiara was taller than the actual Diamond Tiara, its (her?) coat more of a bloody red than a soft pink. The stomach was nearly non-existent, with ribs being visible through the coat. Sharp spikes of bones stuck out from various spots, including the joints of its legs, the shoulders, and a large number jutting from her head to create the look of a crown. The jaws were distended and filled with sharp teeth. Currently those jaws were wide open, sucking red energy from a prone pony form.

It took a moment for Diamond Tiara to recognize the prone pony as Aura.

A part of Diamond considered letting the thing do whatever it wanted to the now captured mare. After all, Aura claimed to be this oh so tough mercenary, able to take on anything that Diamond could do and then some. Plus, Aura would absolutely hate it if she were saved by Diamond Tiara of all ponies.

Diamond Tiara quickly crushed that part of her. She was trying to be a good pony, and leaving a pony to suffer was not something a good pony did. Even if it was a pony that seemed to loathe them... or deserved it... Besides, Diamond felt that she kind of owed Aura for breaking her jaw during the fight the other night.

Plus, Aura would absolutely hate the fact it was Diamond Tiara that saved her, which a sadistic little part of Diamond relished.

"Hey ugly!" Diamond Tiara shouted out as she charged forward, slamming a front hoof into the nightmarish Diamond Tiara monster. The punch hit the creature in the cheek, creating an audible thud. The red energy vanished as the creature's head flew to the side from the impact.

A red flame engulfed the creature, hiding from sight. Instinctively, Diamond Tiara took a step back, throwing up a front leg to protect her face.

"Well, well," a feminine voice(s?) purred out. "I was planning on running into you, but I had hoped to have fed a little more first. Hello... mother."

Mother?

Lowering her hoof, Diamond Tiara blinked away the remnants of light in her eyes while trying to get a look at the thing now in front of her.

Now standing where the demonic version of herself had been was... a changeling queen?

It... she?... was about the same size as Queen Chrysalis, and mostly covered in a smooth blackness that could have been an insect-like shell. The most noticeable difference was the crystals. Glowing red crystals stuck out from the creature, including its chest, legs, and even its head. Its glowing red eyes narrowed as it studied Diamond Tiara, and its too wide jaws opened in a grin to reveal rows of shark-like teeth. Large, insect wings spread out from its back, glittering in the faint light.

Sliding her hoof down to her neck, Diamond Tiara pulled the crystal out from under her armor, hoping it would work the way Twilight said it would as she let it dangle out in the open.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Diamond Tiara asked, standing as straight and tall as she could.

"Well," the changeling said as she took a step closer (making Diamond fight the urge to step back), "when you last saw me, I looked like this." Again, the form was engulfed in a flash of red flame.

This time, when it cleared, there stood a changeling drone. It's eyes were wide and watery, and there was a red crystal sticking out through a bleeding hole in its chest.

The familiar sight made Diamond Tiara freeze, eyes wide as her stomach churned at the memory now right in front of her.

The changeling then returned to its imperial form.

"Although I'm not really that drone anymore," the changeling continued. "I've been thinking of calling myself Queen Insidious now. I do rather like the sound of it."

Diamond Tiara glanced down at the ground, letting her gaze pass over the crystal, as she regained her composure.

"So you're a changeling," she managed to say.

"A new breed," Queen Insidious stated. "One that is able to feed off of fear instead of love." She grinned again, her forked tongue slipping out to lick at her lips.

"That's what's been happening," Diamond continued. "You've been shapeshifting into ponies' fears feeding off of them."

"And that's two for little Miss Stating The Obvious."

"So, was Snow Sugar intentional, or a coincidence?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Did you attack her because of me?"

"Oh, I was going to come for you sooner or later," Queen Insidious told her, "but I was hoping to wait quite a while longer. After all, you are a special pony to me since you helped make me. Although I was hoping to get some more meals in me first. I just happened to get a pony you knew sooner than I intended." Her eyes narrowed as she smirked. "But I was going to go after them."

There was a flash of light, and the changeling now looked exactly like Diamond Tiara.

"I've see into you," the false Diamond Tiara stated. "I know you better than I know any other pony, and that means your secrets, your hopes, and... your... fears..." She leaned close, her nose almost touching Diamond Tiara's.

Again Queen Insidious was engulfed by her flame, shifting from Diamond Tiara to her mother.

Diamond Tiara's eyes went wide as her stomach dropped.

"You... are supposed to be... my child?" Suri asked, raising an eyebrow. "Look at you!"

Diamond Tiara stepped back, ears pinning against her head. She grimaced as she ducked down.

It's not real, she told herself. It's not real. It's not real. It's not her.

"This is no way for a proper mare to behave," Suri continued. "Really. Running around at all hours, getting in fights."

In another flash, Suri was replaced by Filthy Rich.

"I thought I raised you better than that."

Diamond Tiara tensed as if she had just been slapped. Tears started filling her eyes.

It's not real, she tried to remind herself. It's not real! It's not him!

Her father's hoof reached out, taking a hold of Diamond's chin and lifting her face to look at him.

"I must say --"

No! Diamond thought, trying to shake her head.

"-- that you --"

Don't!

"-- are nothing --"

Stop!

"-- but a disappointment."

A whimper escaped from Diamond Tiara's throat. As she watched, her father opened his mouth, it somehow stretching wider than should have been possible. Everything turned a bright red color. The light seemed to get brighter and brighter. At the same time, darkness creeped into her vision. The shadows grew larger and larger, the light shrinking down until everything went back.

"Until next time."