Chapter "1" A second Chance
Asher, a young man with spiky dyed black hair and brown eyes, sat in a wooden chair holding the sawed off double barrel break away shot gun. He appeared as if he was a dead man walking by the look on his face. For what it’s worth he believed he was. He heard the bang and shouts of the word police above him, he disengaged the safety and stood up.
“This is it; I’ll pay for the blood on my hands now. If there is a god, may he have mercy on my soul”, he said aloud probably to help his own courage in what he was about to do. He looked around the basement, all the tools and supplies he had used that once brought him pride, now it only reminded him of his shameful acts. He had repaired and cleaned every gun the gang used to murder and kill so many and for so long he thought they were doing something good, but after his first mission he understood he was just a fool.
He heard the basement door bust open and footsteps coming down the stairs. A shoulder started to peak out from around the corner and he raised his gun. Everything seemed to slow down, at first he thought it was the adrenalin pumping through his system but he soon realized time really was slowing down and then it stopped. His whole body stopped moving when the officer came around the corner, rifle at ready and frozen mid stride. Why had time stood still? What was going on, he wondered.
“My. my, my. so dramatic.” Came a deep smooth voice calling out from seemingly nowhere.
“If you wish for a god to grant you mercy then maybe I can give you that in the form of a second chance”, the voice said as Asher found he could move again. He then engaged the safety and holstered his gun in the leather loop on his thigh.
“Alright, and what must I do for this second chance,” Asher asked out loud not knowing where to direct his question.
“Come to my world and help some creatures, they are suffering greatly, and I cannot do anything about it” The voice offered.
Asher wanted to ask why but he thought it rude to question the god who was offering him the chance to really do something good. His voice sounded familiar and it bugged him, “So you’re not a god of this world?”
“No, and I don’t have a lot of time even if I have frozen yours. Now will you help me or shall I let you die” the voice said with a tinge of impatience.
“Yes I’ll help, bring me to your world”, replied Asher. As time returned to normal the officer let out a spray of bullet, only for them to hit nothing.
Asher could only see black though he could feel his body moving. It felt like he was straining against what seemed like 10Gs of force. It took everything he had not to pass out, and wondered when it would stop. When he thought he couldn’t take much more there was a flash of light and gravity returned him to normal. He could see he was in a forest, only he hadn’t stopped moving, and when his feet met the ground he started tumbling and the world now spun around him. When his body stopped he was on his back, sore, so tired and he was breathing hard, and his eyes where slowly closing. He couldn’t fight it he was just exhausted. Just before his eyes fully closed he saw something black come into view and then he was out cold.
Asher awoke to the most horrid sound he could imagine. Screams of agony, thousands of them, all screaming in pain, pleading for it to end, for their own end. He kept looking around still able to move but he was enveloped in some kind of green gak like substance limiting his mobility. Everything felt off, he felt smaller, his hands felt weird like his fingers were there and also not there. Finally he heard a tearing sound and observed a beam of light. He pushed toward the opening and something grabbed hold and pulled him out. As he dragged a lot of the gak stuff with him it slowly turned to a liquid. He breached the filmy surface and gasped for air and coughed up some of the gak. The screams where still there but when he looked for the screaming people everything appeared calm while the busy changlings were robotically completing their tasks.
“Wait, changelings?” Asher wondered as he looked around. Still hearing the screams, each one seemed to have a horrid tone of agony. The one that had pulled him out of the Gak stood there stoically, yet he could still hear him begging for Asher to kill him. Asher felt sick hearing that but sure enough the pony looking insect thing, with bug like eyes, Swiss cheese holes through there legs, transparent wings, and a jagged horn stood right in front of him. Asher had watched the show. It was right after the royal wedding when the gang found out he had been into it, and they beat the sissy out of him as they said. He was lucky they didn’t just kill him right there, now that he knew what kind of gang they were.
Just as he finished that thought he felt something painful like he just leaned his head against a hot pipe and instinctively lurched back. He felt himself push something away not with any body part but something more cognitive. When the pain tried to come back he was able to easily extinguish its power but did not understand why. Asher realized he felt off and assessed his physical wellbeing only to find he was a Changeling complete with four Swiss chess hooves, a tail similar to that of a pony, transparent wings, and he felt a horn sticking out of his forehead. Now he understood, he was hearing the screams over the hive mind. All of them screaming in pain while someone was controlling their every move, it had to be Chrysilas!
“Hmmm well well well another one who can resist my control” a feminine voice said as Asher looked up seeing Queen Chrysalis.
“I told you idiotic worms to not grab any sentient beings; I haven’t recovered enough from my last fight with that blasted Twilight Sparkle to force my control over them”. The changeling bowed and said, “I’m sorry my queen we didn’t know it was sentient.”
While she was busy yelling at the changeling, Asher was looking for some kind of weapon. He didn’t know how to use magic or even his wings for that matter, but he could still grip things with his hooves and he had to do something, but what? He looked back at the remaining shell pieces of the egg he was pulled from. All the Gak had liquefied, and a gun stock was sticking out of the mess. Quickly grabbing the shotgun, Asher whipped back around and aimed, only to see Chrysalis standing there with a smug smile.
“What’s this some kind of cross bow? Hahaha you think your self some kind of hero? It takes Celestias strength to break my body’s natural armor not some silly cross…”Chrysalis’ monologue was cut short as two loud bangs preceded the hole blown through her heart. Asher wouldn’t have let her go on for as long as she did but disengaging the safety and pulling a small trigger with hooves was hard to figure out.
*Chrysalis was shaking as she moved a hoof to her chest feeling a rather large hole right where her hart should be. She collapsed to the ground coughing up dark red blood, her horn glowed but quickly died out as she couldn’t seem to get a spell off, and as the light in her eyes faded so too did the screams. Her body laid there the blood slowly pooling under her.
Asher sat there he had killed again, but it was justified right? She was causing so much suffering so many of them screaming in so much pain. Asher’s thoughts where suddenly cut short as he felt himself lifted up.
“A hero has come, and slain Chrysalis, he has freed us from her cruelty! He has freed all changelings from her agony forever!” one of the changelings shouted as all of them cheered as they carried him. Whooping, and cheering most of them crying for finally being free. They then set Asher on the top of a pedestal that use to be a fountain.
“Great hero you have stopped the pain chrysalis forced on to us all when she abused the hive minds power. Please tell us your name.” the same changeling who had shouted out before had now stood a little ahead of the massive crowd of changelings who were all smiling looking at him with hope and admiration.
“I’m Asher” was all he replied with as he looked over all the changelings and seeing them all smile. “Ok ill bear her death if it bring this much happiness”, Asher thought.
“Great hero Asher you have already done us all a great service if it be your will we shall dedicate are self’s to you and ask that you lead us to times of peace and be the new holder of the hive mind.” The changeling said as they all bowed to him.
“ummm what? I get you want me to lead you all but what this about being a holder of the hive mind?” Asher asked as he rubbed the back of his head confused.
“ehh, sorry as changelings we need someone to be a holder of the hive mind, someone who is strong enough in will to connect all of our minds. It needn’t be constant but it naturally gives our leader great strength and power because our wills empower are leader to lead us, though it can be abused.” The changeling said as he nervously said the last part.
“I see, and this just happens naturally?” Asher asked still wonder what they were fully asking of him. He would lead them if they wished; to help them must have been what the god that brought him here had meant when he would be given a second chance.
“It happens naturally as you say if you lead us it will empower you regardless of us doing anything” the changing said as he could see the nervousness in him and the growing nervousness in the rest as a result.
“Alright I will do my best in leading all of you and I promise to respect the power you give me, and never abuse it” Asher said as he puffed out his chest to try and look regal unfortunately that shift in weight off balanced the pedestal and it tip sending him off the edge of with a loud yelp, ruining any sort of regal demur as he started to giggle laying on the ground tangled in his own limbs.
Asher had laid down had his pile of hey in the manor that Chrysalis had used though now it had been savaged a bit as all the curtains and drapes had been used to give many of the changelings warm blankets and furniture had been broken down for fire would as the new leader of the changelings he had decided that they work on making the broken and destroyed town that had been the hive for chrysalis to be made a lest comfy for everyone to get some rest as the sun was already low in the sky, and they had a lot of work ahead if they were going to start rebuilding, and become a town instead of a boot camp just to raise an army. As he laid there his mind wandered asking himself questions.
“What the hell am I doing? I’ve never lead anyone. What if I screw this all up and get them all killed?”
Asher sighed as he spoke the last question his mind had.
“Maybe I should just ask the god who brought me here to send me back? I mean I did free them at least.”
“Well my silly little friend I can’t do that anymore, bringing you here broke the bridge I used to go get you.” The deep smooth voice said though unlike before Asher could hear what direction it was coming from and as he looked up he found himself staring at Discord lying on a cotton candy cloud.
“Discord! Wait, you’re supposed to be sealed in stone by the elements of harmony and why would you want me to help… well anyone?”
“Maybe cause dear FlutterShy and Princess Twilight Sparkle showed me the magic of friendship. Though I’m more interested in how you know all of what you just said.” discord said, his head sporting a ball cap with Twilights cutie mark and a go friend ship flag in his lions paw.
“w wait did you say Princess Twilight? She ascended or something?” Asher asked confused and a bit nervous he now was looking at the god of chaos and still wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not.
“No I said Princess Twilight Sparkle, her mother didn’t ascend she did, and you still didn’t answered my question about how you know so much and so little about this place?” discord said as the hat and flag poofed away.
Asher rolled his eyes, discord always the joker. “Alright in my world events in your world are replicated in a show. like going to a world in a fantasy novel and finding out its real. Though I’ve missed the last two sessions due to the gang swearing they’d beat me with an inch of my life if they found me watching it anymore.”
“That’s rather cruel, is that what accounts for friendship in that world? Baa never mind, it was far to tiring to pull you into this world. Though I will have to say you work fast. I hadn’t expected you to get rid of Chrysalis before sundown bravo, even if your method was barbaric.” Discord said as he lay on his cotton candy cloud letting his head hang down even with Ashers.
Asher paused to think on what to say. He knew discord was pushing his buttons just for fun, so he decided to change the subject. “Well how about the new then what’s all happened after chrysalis failed to take over Canterlot?”
Discord raised an eyebrow “you want the god of chaos to be some glorified personal news anchored?”
“You could always do a skit as a mean movie critic while you show me using the nifty head projector trick” Asher said as he tried to ad hear to his love for comedy.
Discord smiled as he snapped his dragon claw, and suddenly they were sitting in movie seats with a big screen in front of them, “you know I might like you just yet, and without further a due, most recent events with Discord commentary”
After an hour discord had caught Asher up on all the events, the way he knew or heard them as he was still in stone for all that happened at the Crystal Empire, and for how Twilight Sparkle ascended. Plus no update on the Cutie Mark Crusaders as why would he care what three silly little fillies did. Though he went quite in depth on the Tirek event, as he had bubble seats to the smack down between Twilight and Tirek and after the Castle and the Rainbow song the film ran out. “That’s all that happened till you and Chrysalis that is, whelp I’m off to report to sun but about the fall of the changeling queen.”
“Wait! Why did you want me to help the changelings any ways? Even if you are reformed, why care about them?” Asher ask now worried about Discords motives.
“Oh no I don’t care, Celestia found a changeling hidden in her Guard, but when she was going to imprison it. It begged for mercy and being a goody four hooves she did. Then she listened to its story. After that she has stressed over how to help the changelings for days on end. So I said I had an idea to help, but after she heard my plan She said no, being as I wasn’t sure if I could really pull a hu- man from there world or even if it was right.”
“But she gave in, in the end? Was she really that desperate to do something?” Asher asked wonder if Celestia really would agree to such a plan. Not only was it crazy, just grab a human and hope he saves the changelings it was a complete shot in the dark, though it did come from the god of chaos.
“wellllll no she didn’t. I just went ahead and did It.” discord said with a smug grin.
Asher face hooved “of course you did not like you needed her to put it in action.”
“Now you’re getting it. Well totaloo” Discord said as he poofed away before Asher could say anything else.
“Well I’m guessing the Discord statue is going to return to the Canterlot Gardens for a while.” Asher said to himself as he plopped back down on his pile of hey. “and I’m going to have to hope I can lead the changelings without messing up too bad.”
Asher this time awoke to a knocking on his door much better then screams of agony. He rose to his hooves and walked over to the door and opened it. Was that changeling again, wait he hadn’t even ask for his name or was it her did changelings have genders?
“Good morning umm I’ve just now realized I’ve never asked your name?” Asher asked as he stretched to wake up his body.
“Um I don’t have a name, I was a wild animal before I was well turned” the changeling said.
“Really? Not even in your animal tongue?” Asher asked confused as to why he or she wouldn’t have a name.
The changeling shook its head. “Many of us don’t have names sense Chrysalis controlled us, and many of us where wild animals in fact the forest has No more wild animals, except the ursas, trolls, and spiders due to their overly large size.”
“That’s not right everyone should have a name an identity is important. How about Quill?” Asher said with a smile now that he felt awake.
“You honor me great hero Asher. Very well then I shall now be known a Quill.” Quill said with a smile.
“Well then Quill shall we start the day we have a lot to figure out and probably many lists to make” Asher said as they walked through the mansion.
“Ready and waiting great hero Asher” he said as he held a worn scroll and quill in his magic as he followed.
Asher winced “Just Asher if you don’t mind.”
“But you are our leader. shouldn’t you have a title that marks you as such, maybe King or um Queen if you prefer as we changelings can chose are gender, it wouldn’t be um odd” Quill said as he nervously lowered his head hopping he hadn’t offended there leader.
“Hmm King or Queen seems to hold a bit of an evil ting from so many tyrants holding such titles, and I was rather curios about the gender thing how do I tell if I’m talking to a girl or boy?” Asher asked as they walked out the front door and saw all the changelings fixing homes and continuing to improve the town area from yesterday.
“Many of us are trying to figure that out as well, we have never had the freedom to express are self’s so were all sort of exploring it, though the current idea that going around is have eyelashes if you want to be a girl or no eyelashes if you want to be seen as a boy. Have you come up with what title you wish for yourself as our leader?” Quill said as once a few changelings noticed them they started to gather in front of them.
Asher though for a minute “Yes I will be your Prince”
“Well then Prince Asher lead us and we will follow” Quill said as all the changelings had gathered to start rebuilding their lives towards a better future.
6 months later
Asher sat upon a soft pillow in a large room with Quill to his right, and a few other changelings flittering about carrying papers here and there. As he went over the reports for food, building progress, and much much more. He had learned to use levitation to write and he could fly about some, but it’d be a million years before he’d be wonder bolt material. The town now looked like a town and many changelings had found their own job ether helping Asher, helping the town build, or help the farm the land.
Asher had learned that changelings didn’t need to feed off the love of other sentient beings to live, but it could bolster their strength and that they could take knowledge of anything from the being they feed on, which is why Chrysalis used it so much, though now was considered taboo. The changelings where happy improving their skills and learning the old fashion way, and surviving off of food like every other being, true they could still transform and mimic any living thing. Though they now only did this to different them self’s from each other, or chose their own identity.
“Prince Asher has the new harvest brought in enough this month?” Quill asked a bit nervous. For the last few months food has been hard to keep stocked up. They had to ration the food carefully and even then they had to resort to just eating whatever grass they could find it was tasteless, but when there’s nothing left you’ve got little choice.
“Unfortunately no, we brought in less than last month the plants are struggling to grow in the fall season and the pegasi will start bring in the cold of winter soon. There won’t even be any grass then.” Asher said as he sighed, building a town we could do, coming up with morals and a law system almost easy, but food was proving troublesome. He suggested trying to ask for a treaty from the royal pony sisters though many changelings where far to scared to enter a pony town much less Canterlot. Now he could hear the worried thoughts of many of his changelings fearing the coming winter.
“I need a break” Asher said as he set the papers down and walked off to his remodeled room. For now it was simple it had a desk, a feather stuffed bed and a blanket and pillow. Still tons better than just a pile of hey which had been eaten the first moth. He sat down on the bed and put his hooves to his face. “We need help id call for help from Celestia, she’d probably help us though we may no longer be our own town but an equestrian town plus I don’t know how much she could help us, not to mention any backlash she may get for doing so and pony’s may come here on a changeling hunt.” Asher thought; though that was all assuming he cloud even get a message to her in the first place.
“Hello how’s the new changeling leader, is everything going well?” Discord asked as he popped in suddenly with confetti and balloons. Asher jumped back from discord sudden appearance but calmed once he knew who it was.
“Not very good Discord… Wait Discord you could get message to Princess Celestia couldn’t you?” Asher asked with hope in his eyes.
“I could go right up and boop her in the nose with it why?” Discord said crossing his arms and looking indigent to being lowered to that of a messenger bird.
“We thought we were doing ok but food is becoming hard to come by and winters coming, we may not have anything to eat and we’ll all of us have forsworn feeding on love it’s become our biggest taboo. Please Discord, all of my changelings are too scared to enter a pony town for being run out or imprisoned or worse.” Asher said almost begging Discord as he was desperate.
“Woo woo there I’ll deliver it no need to plead and your changelings huh your starting to sound like Celestia except for all the pleading.” Discord said as he booped Asher’s noes and his head had shifted to look like Celestias only for it to fad when he shook his head.
“Sorry I’m still getting use to acting like a leader I’ve never lead others before so I’m kind of stumbling in the dark here.” Asher told Discord as he pulled out a Quill and started to write addressing the scroll to the Royal Pony Sisters. No need to forget about Luna.
“Well first lesson in being a leader don’t apologies Celestia never dose and she’s botched a lot of things and it works out for her somehow.” Discord said as he looked around the room.
“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Asher said as he handed him the proposal.
“Thank you Discord we just aren’t up to par with running a town yet and we need some help.” Asher said as he smiled.
“Yeah don’t get all mushy on me.” discord said as he took the scroll and popped away this time.
“Huh I wonder why he’s being so helpful even for Discord it not…” Asher was interrupted from his own thoughts as when he opened the door a bucket of water dropped on his head.
“oohhhh Celestiaaaaaa” Discord called out. He floated next to the rainbow manned sun goddess as she sat on her thrown and Luna standing on the other side to her.
Celestia sighed “yes Discord.” She said not looking at him and Luna followed suit she was still upset from his last prank as she was still trying to convince the cooks it was safe to go into the kitchens.
“You know how you didn’t believe me when I told the changelings had found a way to over throw Chrysalis and where working to make their own town” Discord grinned as he spoke.
“Yes and while I know you want to help with that issue I doubt that would just happen when she’s controlled them for so long before, and you won’t even tell me how they did so when you claim to have talked to their new leader.” Celestia said in an even tone as she was still stressing over some way to help them.
Discord set the scroll right in front of Celestia “and he now wishes to make contact with you in fact he’s asking for help. You want proof there you go”
Celestia eyed the scroll the wax seal was a simple peace symbol. She broke the wax and shielded herself in case something came out of it and this was all just a prank.
“Really Celestia. It’s not a prank.” Discord said.
“Very well Discord I’ll stop, but if this does turn out to be a prank I’ll have to start keeping you busy with all those chores like before.” Celestia said as she started to read.
Dear Royal Pony Sisters
This is a call for help from Prince Asher. As you might be aware Queen Chrysalis has fallen and I am the new leader of the changelings. We have been trying to start a new life on our own, but producing food for all of us has proven difficult. No I don’t mean love we have forsaken that form of nourishment, and have been trying to farm the land. Unfortunately due to the timing of when the changelings where freed, it was too late in the session and now it looks like we may starve though the winter. Please we are willing to sign a peace treaty and do what we can to make up for Chrysalises past actions. We just want to live happy lives. If you are willing to meet with me and discus this in more detail I’ll be waiting in the silver & scout meadows tomorrow.
Signed
Prince Asher
The next day
“Your highness are you sure we should be the only ones here and not at least have some of the changelings with their armor and be prepared in case they decided to attack and capture you.” Quill said nervously as they stood out in the open of the meadows next to a table they had brought with them as they waited for the royal pony sisters.
“I’m sure; we need to seem as non-hostile as possible.” Aster said as he tried to calm Quill down for the hundredth time.
“It’s just there the raisers of the day and night, and Chrysalis did nearly succeed in over throwing them. It was the closes she ever got to succeeding in concerning any of the countries she had attacked.” Quill said as he still advised against this.
“And again I’m positive she will be willing to help us, and we don’t have many other options.” Asher said as he then spotted something in the distance approaching them. It was a carriage, holding the royal sisters in a few minute it landed a few feet away. They disembarked and approached the table. Asher and Quill bowed “Greetings Princess Celestia and Princess Luna thank you for coming.”
“Greetings I take it your Prince Asher?”Celestia asked as she and Luna bowed back.
“Yes I am, and this is my adviser Quill” Asher said as Quill merely gulped and diverted his eyes. “Where would you like to start the negotiations?” Asher said trying to get things rolling.
“I would really like to ask about how Chrysalis fell, Discord wouldn’t give any info on that saying he wasn’t around for it and merely felt a shift in power.”Celestia said with a smile.
“Very well I ended her life with a weapon frhmhm” Asher had tried to explain only to suddenly have a mouth full of peanut butter and marshmallow. He then tried chewing the mixture and swallow but found it rather hard to do.
“Are you alright Prince Asher?” Luna inquired from the sudden odd behaver.
Asher held up a hoof as he lean behind the table. As he couldn’t swallow he did the opposite and spat the sticky mixture out. Once enough was out to the point he could talk he raised back up. “Discord come out from where ever your hiding.” Ashe said in a demanding tone.
“ohhh poo your no fun.” Discord said as the table they had brought suddenly stood and shift in to the shape of the Draconequus.
“Discord what is it you’re not telling me?” Celestia asked as she looked sternly at him.
“I get it, that’s why you’ve been so helpful you’re trying to earn Celestia’s trust back from the Tirek incident.” Asher said glaring at Discord.
“Alright alright I’m getting the 3rd degree from both sides here.” Discord said as both his sides suddenly looked like they were sun burnt. “I went ahead with my plan even though you said no. Asher here is, or was the hu-man I pulled into this world, but look it worked Chrysalis is gone and the changelings have a prince who cares about them, and he is just as much a goodie four hooves as you Celestia.”
Celestia was rubbing her temples “Discord too Flutter Shy’s now, I’ll deal with you later”
“Yes mom. man so unfair.” Discord said looking like an acne covered whiny teenager as he walked off and disappeared.
“I am sorry for him I didn’t want him to risk another’s freedom and suffering just for a chance at success. Just because they seemed to have strong wills that could resist and over throw Chrysalis didn’t mean they would. I guess I should be glad that I was wrong though.” Celestia said
Quill had a look of utter confusion “uhhh prince Asher you’re not from this world and we have Discord of all … things to thank for that. I think I need to laydown” he said as he laid down and put his for hooves over his head.
Asher just rubbed Quills back “it’s alright ill explain all I can when we get back Quill. But first, Princesses regardless how it happened I am the prince of the changelings now and we need help we can’t produce enough food for our self’s before winter. I am more than willing to sign a treaty with you but please my changelings need food to survive the winter.”
Celestia smiled “you needn’t sound so desperate I would like a treaty with your kind, and Equstria is more than willing to help. Though will need to know where to send that help, and are table up and left. Would you be willing to let us come to your town so we may write up the treaty properly?”
“Yes that would be fine.” Asher said as he and Quill then lead the princesses to the town.
It took about a 15 minute walk to get to the town as many changelings paused and then hide once they saw the princesses, though a few merely watch wondering what was going on. They came to the mansion/town hall and entered Quill gathered the necessary supplies and proceeded to wright down the agreed terms as they went over them. Princess Celestia and Luna lead most of the terms but Quill and Asher where surprised again and again to their generosity. But some things did turn out as Asher thought. For one they were to become an Equestrian town. This meant they would have to live by Equestrian Law. Asher would still be considered a Prince just not of Equestria, but of the changelings. So he was still considered Royalty. By the end of the negotiations there boarders where the whole forest area, from the silver & scout meadows to the Forest Of Leeta and down to the Zap Apple Grove. The whole thing about the size of PonyVille and The lands where considered theirs in that same sens. Celestia agree to supply all the supplies they needed in exchange for one thing, knowledge of them. A copy whatever information that they knew of their own kind.
“We wish to dismiss many of the false claims about changelings some of the tabloids have told our ponies and the more they know about changelings the more open they will be to accepting them.” Celestia said explaining.
“Yes thank you for everything I had hoped you’d be able to help use but I never thought you would be so generous to us, especially after Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s wedding.” Asher said as he signed the treaty and a separate parchment was laid next to it. Luna’s horn glowed as she cast a spell to copy the treaty to the blank parchment as she and Celestia then signed both.
