"I won't ever forget those happy times. Once, there was a time when I was certain my world would never change; as if I could hold the hands of a clock still and keep time from moving forward.
By Luna, was I stupid. That's not how life works. Life is dirty, gritty and harsh, but when it comes down to it, life is ultimately fair. At least, that's what my father always used to tell me. When the end comes, nopony will see it and everypony will suffer for it. That's my own addition."
- Defender a.k.a. Alessio, Vocalist for The Black Parade
It was a great day in Equestrian history, so they said. An invasion fought off in a single day; a victory borne up by the magic of love. The Changelings were banished, forced to lick their wounds and plot their revenge. Many ponies of Equestria hoped they never came up with a solid plan. They were just as happily rid of the monsters, once and for all.
But Guiding Way was not of that same mind. He held the small bundle close as he stepped onto the train, keeping his precious cargo hidden from prying eyes. He was leaving Canterlot behind; all his friends, all his family, everything he had ever known... All for the bundle he now carried.
He had no idea why it was there, during all this turmoil, but he wouldn't leave it behind. That wasn't his way, after all. Fairness was his guiding way, his goal. Equality in every life was his passion. His destiny. The world was unfair - he knew this - but whenever he could, he lived to shine a little light into the lives of the ponies around him. He treated every pony exactly as they deserved, and taught the same mentality to those who would listen to his philosophies.
Sometimes, bringing equality was a great sacrifice, but to Guiding Way, there was no greater calling. He would throw away everything, if the cause was great enough. And this cause was great.
Taking to the caboose, Guiding Way distanced himself from anypony who he considered a threat. Ponies who knew him would be confused, maybe even a little worried by his sudden change in attitude, but to Guiding Way, it was all just a part of the process. It was just a step that needed to be taken, to help the little bundle in his hooves along.
Finding a seat well away from other ponies, he sighed and pulled back the cloth covering the treasure in his hooves, smiling down at the precious thing he had saved today. The Changeling was still a foal, or whatever the equivalent was for the race of emotion-hungry pseudo-insects; a race that most ponies wrote off as unfeeling monsters. Guiding Way ran a hoof over the little creature, which caught him between it's little hooves, pulling him close and snuggling against him.
"Little Changeling... Equestria frowns on your kind. They believe you to be evil. I don't think that's at all true." He shifted the Changeling in his hoof, lowering it down onto the seat next to him. The little creature cooed, holding its hooves out to him imploringly. "You're pure right now, untainted by the cruelty of your kingdom's Queen... In you, I see a chance at redemption. I see a chance at peace and understanding... I see equality in your purity." He chuckled slightly, offering his hoof to the Changeling again, who snatched it greedily, gnawing on it in a playful manner.
"I'll show you how life can be, away from the cruelty of a tormented race. Away from the bigotry of all others. You'll be my son, little Changeling. You'll be my little Alessio." The Changeling squealed into his hoof, as if understanding what Guiding Way was saying.
"Alessio means 'Defender' in an ancient tongue. You will have many things to defend one day, my boy..." He drew his hoof back, as the little Alessio yawned. "But... For now, your only concern should be sweet dreams." As Guiding Way wrapped the blanket more tightly around Alessio, the tiny Changeling drifting off to sleep.
Guiding Way stared out the window of the caboose, watching the scenery soar past, as if they were flying. He watched Canterlot fade into the distance without an ounce of regret. He would raise this little Changeling and prove that even the darkest of races are only victims of circumstance. Even they should be given a fair chance.
With pride filling his heart, Guiding Way turned, looking on to the horizon, towards his new home in a place without judgement; Hollow Shades.
-♪-♪-♪-
Alessio laughed as he darted through the trees, his friend - a mare named Heartfelt - charging behind him, trying to catch him. Leaping up, Alessio took flight, landing on one of the overhanging branches. He snickered as Heartfelt searched around for him, unable to figure out where he had gone. After all, Earth Ponies shouldn't be able to fly, right?
But Alessio was no Earth Pony. Nopony in Hollow Shades had any idea what he really was, but in truth, even he wasn't sure. All he knew was he was different. His father, Guiding Way, had moved here with him almost eleven years ago out of the blue. Nopony knew him here, but they accepted him willingly. They didn't find out about Alessio until about the next year, once he had learned how to change his body. After learning how to do that, he was able to go outside finally and meet ponies. His father told him that making friends was very important, but not why.
Alessio had learned that out for himself. With a spark of green light, his wings vanished and he leaned his head down, shouting to Heartfelt. She had wandered around long enough. "Hey! I'm up here!"
She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "How did you wind up there, Al?"
"Magic." He waggled his hooves down at her. "The magic of climbing. But I'm kinda stuck. Can you give me a hoof?"
Heartfelt was a Bat Pony, not an uncommon sight in the town of Hollow Shades. Like other Bat Ponies, her coat was a deep-dark blue, better allowing her to blend into the night. Her mane and tail bore a similar coloring; a few shades lighter than her coat, streaked with a single line of black. She bore sharpened canines, as did all Bat Ponies, though hers were hardly more than pin-needles at her age. She glided up to him with ease, putting her hooves around him and helping him down. "Anything else, your highness?"
"Hm..." Alessio pretended to think about it, then shook his head. "Nah. Your actions have pleased me, peon."
Heartfelt chuckled. "Peon my flank." She said merrily, bumping him with said flank. "Savior more like it. I can't count how many things I need to drag you out of on a daily basis."
Alessio chuckled, trying to make it look casual. He had always admired Heartfelt, always appreciated how fierce she could be, while still maintaining an sense of camaraderie. He would often put himself into situations where he needed 'saving' as an excuse to have her nearby.
"Come on. We should hurry back to town. I bet your father is looking for you, by now." Heartfelt smiled and pushed off from the ground, hovering in the air. "Race you back to your place. 1-2-3-Go!" With no warning whatsoever, Heartfelt darted off towards the town.
Alessio gaped for a second, the expression melting into a grin as he materialized his horn. Alessio may have been a colt, but he made up for it with raw magical power. From an early age, so long as he kept well-fed on his father's spare energy, he was always overflowing with magical force. He never took enough to harm his father, but just enough to get by. And enough to supercharge his magic, apparently.
His father always warned him to not use his magic often, but sometimes, you just need to take risks. With a flash of green light, Alessio warped into the forest directly behind his home, trotting out and looking around for a second. Once he found what he was looking for, he smirked in victory and went to prepare.
When Heartfelt crested over the last house, already doing a mid-air dance of victory, she froze, her jaw dropping. There, on his front lawn, was Alessio, relaxing on a chair like he'd been there for hours. He waved to her as she approached, looking at him speculatively. After his expression didn't give her any hints, she groaned loudly. "How do you keep doing that?"
"Doing what?" Alessio blinked, tilting his head.
Heartfelt huffed. "Beating me in races and stuff."
"I gallop." Alessio waggled his hooves, as if he was running on air. "Why?"
"Because you... and I... And that's not... Ugh!" Heartfelt threw up her hooves in defeat, crossing them once she was done venting. "I just don't get you sometimes, Al."
"A pony needs to keep mysterious." He waggled a hoof again, then hopped up. "See you tomorrow?"
Heartfelt smiled and landed, nodding to him. "See you tomorrow, Al." She walked over, hugging him with her wing. "And tomorrow, I'll beat you, I promise."
Alessio chuckled and put his forelegs around his friend. "Keep trying, batbrain."
As he watched Heartfelt fly home, Alessio let out a long sigh. Turning on his hooves, he stepped inside, shifting to his natural form in a burst of green flame.
As a pony, he had a brown coat, like his father, with a dark-red mane and tail to set the two apart; his father had dark-brown hair in comparison. In his normal form though... He sighed, looking down at the black exoskeleton over his body, lifting a hoof to stare through the hole-pocked limb. He could never show this to Heartfelt, let alone anypony else. He felt like some kind of monster, but his father always told him; what matters outside is of little importance. If he acted like a good pony, other ponies would see him for who he really was.
Easier said than done.
Sighing, he walked inside, running a tongue over one of his fangs. "Dad? I'm home, dad."
"Welcome home, my boy." Guiding Way's voice came from down the hall, in the dining room. "I just finished dinner. Come on, lets eat."
Alessio trotted into the dining room, looking to his father. He was an older stallion, not precisely old but far beyond young. It was a difficult thing for Alessio to describe; his father was always his father, how he looked was irrelevant. Moving to his seat beside his dad, he sat down in front of his empty plate.
"Did you have fun playing with Heartfelt?" Guiding Way asked, placing a sandwich on Alesso's plate.
"Yeah, yeah..." Alesso fiddled with the food, looking at it as he pondered things. "Dad, can I ask you a real big question?"
Guiding Way raised an eyebrow, but took a seat. "Sounds serious." He chuckled, smiling. "Go ahead, son. Ask me anything and I promise I'll answer."
"Dad, I just... Why am I so different?" Alessio struggled for the words, but couldn't bring them out. 'What am I?' he wanted to scream. But, as always, he fell short. Frowning to himself, he pushed his sandwich around on his plate with his magic.
Guiding Way looked at the little Changeling he had raised over the last decade. Alessio had never cared what he was so much as he did after he met Heartfelt. Guiding Way knew this day would come, pushing his plate away as he brought all that he had planned to say to mind.
"You're different, son, because everypony is different from one another. But, that's the answer I always used to give you. You're old enough now for something a little more."
Guiding Way slipped from the table, crossing the room. "You've known you aren't my real son. I never hid that from you, my precious Alessio. However, what I never told you was how I came to take you in." Drawing a book off a nearby shelf, Guiding Way opened it in front of Alessio, flipping through the pages until he found the entry he was looking for. He began to explain of Chrysalis' attack on Canterlot and her subsequent defeat. He explained that he used to live in Canterlot, once upon a dream, but moved away, moved here, to protect his newfound son.
"I know you're a smart boy. You don't need me to say it out loud, but I will regardless. You are one of them, Alessio. You are a Changeling, a creature ponies consider nothing more than a monster, bent on destroying them..." He put a hoof on his son, who was looking absolutely mortified. "But would you, Alessio?"
"Never..." The Changeling sniffed, wiping his eyes. "I wouldn't ever."
"Then don't listen to them, Alessio. Nopony knows you better than you. Their judgments are unwarranted, unfair and unreasonable. You're as pure of heart as any pony I've ever met. You're living, breathing proof that Changelings need not be evil. You're a testament to this." Guiding Way took this moment to step back from the Changeling he called his son, smiling at him. "You're growing up, my boy. You're growing into the wonderful stallion I saw in those innocent eyes back in Canterlot. I knew then, as I know now, that you're destined to change all the preconceptions of this kingdom. It's why I gave all I could for you. Why I let you see that goodness is not something limited by race and that love is more than a food source. You've always been my boy, pony or not. I have never been prouder than I am of you, Alessio."
The little Changeling felt tears in his eyes, his insides burning with love. That particular emotion had always been like a wildfire in his veins, and now he knew why. When he feasted on his father's 'energy', he was really feasting on his father's love for him. And now, he felt that emotion seep into his bones. He exhaled slowly, his body giving off a slight greenish glow. He fed off his own love, his own passion, feeling it suffuse his body.
Guiding Way watched in amazement. No Changeling had ever been seen doing this, as far as he knew. Then again, he didn't know of any other Changelings who had felt the emotion of love for themselves.
Finishing his feeding, Alessio sighed out a held breath, opening his arctic eyes to look at his father. "And I'm proud of you too, dad. I love you."
Guiding way hurried to his son, holding him close. He felt tears well in his eyes as he clung to his boy. "And I love you, Alessio... I always have and I always will."
-♪-♪-♪-
Alessio was turning fifteen. His heart raced with enjoyment as he stepped off the train, looking out over the city he had been found. Canterlot loomed over him, a magnificent city of beauty and grace. He heard his father come up behind him, his steps slow and measured.
Over the past few years, age had caught up to Guiding Way. Alessio still by no means thought him old, but the stallion's mane was streaked with grey and his vision had begun to fail him.
Taking a few steps back, he moved beside his father, still shorter than him by just a hoof's height. He wore the guise of an Earth Pony, his usual form, smiling at his father. "So, where do we go? We wouldn't want to miss the opening ceremony."
Guiding Way looked around himself for a while, taking in a deep breath. He was quiet, but smiling, a sight that made Alessio feel a little more confident in his father's age. When he smiled, he looked several years younger. "Sorry, son. I was just... reminiscing." He took a few steps, motioning with his head. "The procession will run through Mane Avenue, which is where we'll set up. It's the best spot to get a good view, if you know where to sit."
Together, the two walked, Guiding Way expounded upon Canterlot, telling his son all about the greatness of the city; it's history and majesty. He even pointed out a few places of note, where he spent his days before finding his son. Eventually, the two reached the road they were looking for, but Guiding Way simply kept going, walking into a nearby building.
As Alessio followed, he noted the building was a half-abandoned duplex. The two climbed through the shell of a home, eventually reaching the rooftop access. With a slight grunt, Guiding Way forced the rusted door open, stepping back out into the fresh Canterlot air.
Cheers erupted from below and Alessio smirked. "Nice timing, Dad. We made it just in time." He let out a cheerful laugh, trotting on ahead in excitement. His father laughed, speeding his own walk up to keep up with his son.
Together, father and son walked to the edge of the building, overlooking the sight down below.
The front of the procession was just entering view; the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration Parade. Alessio put his hooves up onto the guardrail of the rooftop, staring down with wide, excited eyes. He had never seen so many ponies in one place before. Families and friends, lovers and rivals, all brought together under the banner of celebration. He could feel the emotion charging the air; it made him want to throw back his head and sing.
Ever since he learned the truth about what he was, Alessio did nothing to let it damage his views of himself. He learned to hone his abilities in ways that average Changelings never conceived. Where they were furiously obsessed with finding and feeding on love, he had grown to care for every emotion a pony felt, even the negative ones like jealousy and anger. He learned to sense them in the air, like a scent or a faint taste on his tongue.
"Dad, look at everypony! All of Equestria must be here!" He laughed, bouncing on his hooves, an action that looked exceptionally dangerous, when you're front hooves are resting on a guardrail already.
"Actually no." Guiding Way smirked. "This is mostly just Canterlot ponies, I imagine. Each town holds their own celebration, in their own ways, and it's not likely that they would travel all the way here without a good reason." He draped a foreleg over his son, watching the parade approach.
"Son, I brought you here not only to celebrate your birthday, but so you could see this." He motioned with a hoof over the crowd. The band's music could be heard from their perch now, playing a melodic beat for the ponies to step in time to. "The world is larger than I ever let you believe, my boy. There are more ponies out there, ponies you've never met, ponies you will never meet; ones that will change your life forever and ones that will fade away into obscurity."
Alessio looked to his father, blinking curiously.
"I know you might not understand now, my boy, but the world is a vast and beautiful place. But, deep beneath the glamour and glee lies a degree of negativity." Guiding Way turned to his son, looking him in the eyes. "You've sensed those emotions, Alessio. One day, when you grow up, will you defeat them? The demons who rest inside everypony; inside all the thinking creatures of this world. Feelings like hate, anger and despair. Bigotry. Will you be their savior to the ones tormented by these demons and make the world a better place? I know you'll find a way, my boy."
Alessio nodded, not entirely knowing why. It just felt right to him, like those words prophesied his entire life. Guiding Way was silent for a while, then turned, looking out over the parade.
"Time is your enemy, as are apathy and fear. Bigotry will try to crush you because of what you are, but never let it defeat you. Show them who you really are and let them accept you then, or leave them behind. If they can't embrace a Changeling, just because it's a Changeling... Then they know nothing of fairness."
Alessio turned after his father finished, staring out over the parade. Ponies cheered and foals threw confetti into the air, laughing on their parent's withers. Alessio remembered when he'd done that with his father back at Hollow Shades.
"I won't be here forever, Alessio." The sudden words broke the Changeling from his happy memories. He turned to look at his father, who was staring at the parade with a dark expression. "Time wears away all things and eventually, it'll wear me away too. One day, whether I want to or not, I'll have to leave you, my boy. I will be called upon to join the black parade; to march for the ponies who came before me and those yet to come. I know I'll be leaving the ponies you meet in good hands, my dearest son."
Alessio didn't understand. He tilted his head, hoping his father would explain, but he didn't. The two stood in silence, Alessio bathed in a measure of confusion. He didn't understand why his father would leave him. Why did he need to fight demons and negative emotions? He wanted for nothing more than to be with his father, to play with Heartfelt and to stay in Hollow Shades. What more could he ask for?
With his father close to him, Alessio watched the parade dedicated to the sun; to new beginning and old endings. Today was a celebration of renewal and, while Alessio didn't know it yet, he had been renewed that day.
-♪-♪-♪-
The world looked so big.
No, that wasn't it; Alessio was small. He was young again, just a little Changeling in a world of ponies. He had been stripped of his Pony form, standing bare to the world as what he truly was; a Changeling in a bigoted world. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shift.
He was in Canterlot, but it was different now. The city was empty, but filled with a thick layer of mist. He felt strange, like the mist was clinging to him, as if it was trying to hold him back. It had been six years since he last saw this place, the day of his fifteenth birthday. It was just as beautiful as he remembered.
There was a soft rhythmic thumping behind him. Curious, Alessio turned, seeking out the source of the sound.
Through the mist, figures approached; Ponies of all shapes and sizes wearing black outfits, trimmed with white and gold. Griffons were spattered among the ponies, dressed in black-gold regalia, as were Dragons encased in black battle armor. A few Changelings stood here and there, garbed in only their black exoskeletons, needing no accents to fit the style.
And at the head, marched Guiding Way, looking young once more, wrapped in fine black silks and carrying himself with dignity and pride. Alessio went to run to him, but he found his legs were paralyzed. Looking down, he saw that the mist around his hooves had darkened, now colored like the night's sky, filled with shifting stars.
A voice whispered to him, from everywhere and nowhere. "Alessio," it intoned directly into his thoughts. "It is not your time to join the Parade. You cannot go to him."
Guiding Way was flush with him now, glancing over to his son with eyes so full of life. He nodded his head in a sign of greeting and respect, not saying a word as he marched on past. Alessio began to grow panicked and fought against the insubstantial bonds that held him in place. He snarled in defiance to the voice, which repeated that it was not yet his time. He tried to buck and flail, but he was as helpless as he was small.
Eventually, the rear procession vanished into the mist and the bonds faded from Alessio's hooves. He didn't pause, but sprinted after his father and the parading races; however, he found them to be gone. He screamed his father's name, but found that sound didn't carry in this strange place. He went to cry, but found that tears weren't forthcoming. He gazed up at the moon, begging it to let this all be a dream.
And then he woke up.
There was a knocking on the door. He waited for several seconds, waiting for the visitor to get bored and go away. It was still light out, for Luna's sake! He didn't get up until the sun set; nopony in Hollow Shades did, if they could help it!
The knocking didn't stop and, in fact, got even louder. Alessio groaned, slipping from bed and putting on his Pony form. Bleary eyed, he opened the door, wondering why his father hadn't come to open it.
Wakefulness crashed over him like a bucket of water. Heartfelt was standing in the doorway, tears pouring from her eyes like twin waterfalls. She was garbed in this black clothing and was using an umbrella, but she still looked pale and sickly from the weakening touch of the sun.
"Heartfelt?! What are you doing out this early? Get inside." He ignored her protests, pulling her into the house and closing the blinds quickly. This was a practiced procedure for him; everpony in Hollow Shades was prepared to take in denizens of the night, if they were caught out in the day. "Now..." Alessio sighed, turning to face his age-old friend. "You're going to tell me what possessed you to go outside in the sunlight. You know what could've happened. At best, you'll be bedridden for days, getting over this-"
"Al, stop talking!" The heat of Heartfelt's words made him pause. He studied her in silence, obeying her sudden command. "Al, it's your father."
"Dad? Hold on, I'll get him." Alessio turned towards his father's room, but Heartfelt grabbed his tail, making him wince and yelp. "What'd you go and do that for?"
"He won't be back there, Al." Her voice was so small; like a mouse trying to whisper to avoid alerting an owl. He had never heard Heartfelt act so... small before. Come to think of it, he'd never seen her cry. Fear crept up in his throat and filled the air around him, tasting of vomit and sweat.
"W-where is he, Heartfelt?"
His friend opened her mouth, but more tears stopped her from talking. She shook violently and Alessio rushed to support her, staring her straight in the eyes. "Where is he?" He repeated, more calmly this time.
"H-he was walking around the town square in the sun. It was so weird, so a few ponies went to ask him what was wrong..." She choked on her tears, but recovered. "He said he wanted to feel the sun one last time. He laid down by the fountain in the square and... and..." She broke down then, collapsing entirely. Alessio was too terrified to support her. He stood frozen, staring where her eyes had been. Heartfelt was screaming her words now, overcome with emotions. "He didn't get up, Alessio! He's dead, Al! He just... died! J-just like that! Nopony knew what to do! They had me come get you, because... Because I knew you both so well!"
Alessio stood still until she was finished, then simply turned, trotting out of the house without a word. He shut the door behind him pointedly. He wouldn't let Heartfelt get any more exposure. She was such a good friend, worrying like that. But Alessio was sure this was all just some big misunderstanding. He'd bring his dad back home and they'd all laugh about it.
He found his father right where Heartfelt said he would be, a large crowd surrounding him. Bat Ponies who knew them were out, garbed similarly to Heartfelt. Alessio thought they would all feel rather silly once he woke his dad up. The crowd parted as he approached and Alessio saw his father, resting on the edge of the town's fountain, his head in his hooves. His eyes were closed and, for a second, Alessio almost believed all this nonsense of him being dead. He laughed to himself as he walked to his father, getting a few worried looks from the ponies around him.
"Come on dad, you're making a scene..." He muttered under his breath, nudging his dad with a hoof. No reaction. He sighed, rolling his eyes. His father was infamously hard to wake up. "Dad, come on. You're making everyone worry." He starting shaking his father, frowning. "Dad, wake up. Dad." Fear returned. Terror began to tear through his mind. He couldn't believe nopony else could feel it.
"Dad! Dad, wake up!" Some ponies around him were crying. A few others, not Bat Ponies, moved out to pull him back. Alessio smacked the hooves away and went back to his father, shaking him more. "Come on, get up! You have to get up! Dad, you can't go! You can't! Please, don't leave me! Dad!" He was weeping, his whole body shaking with his tears.
What was this emotion? He had never felt it before. He had tasted it very rarely. It was misery; the kind of misery that destroys worlds and crushes lives.
Screaming, Alessio threw himself at his father, begging someone to do something. He prayed to Luna, asking for her help, but no answer came. His father was already long gone. He felt hooves pull him back from his father's body. His emotions stormed out of control and his form flickered. In a flash, he was himself, not the illusion he had always lived as. He didn't care.
Ponies all around him gasped, some screamed, diving away from him in terror. But he just clung to his father, weeping into his coat. An eternity seemed to pass before somepony placed a hoof on his shoulder. He didn't recognize who it was, through his tears, but they helped him up.
"Calm down, Al." It was Whispering Heart, Heartfelt's mother. "Change back... Ponies are looking at you strange..."
Alessio, only now noticing he had lost his concentration, flickered back into his Pony form. He wiped his face clear of tears, looking at the faces around him.
Disgust and hatred filled the eyes of many Hollow Shades' Ponies. He could taste it all in the air. Alessio felt a new terror bubble up in his chest, mixing with his agony and misery. He wanted to undo everything that had happened. His father had always told him that his life's goal was to be fair, but how was this fair to him? Irrationally, he turned to look at his father, crying again.
"How could you leave me like this, dad...?" Hatred boiled up in him, but was quickly snuffed out by the misery and then grief. After a few moments, he couldn't feel anything else anymore. The soul-crushing grief was everything.
He was vaguely aware of Wisp pushing him. Something hit the side of his head, bouncing off his exoskeleton. It was a rock. Wisp shouted something at somepony and kept guiding him. Another one hit his flank, but he kept walking, mechanically, wherever Wisp guided him. Soon, he was in Heartfelt's house, staring at the familiar room, but not seeing anything. Finally, Whispering Heart's words got through to him.
"You need to leave now, Alessio... I may trust you, but those other ponies... I'm sure they think you're the reason Guiding Way died..."
"What?!" Alessio snarled, seeing a green glow shine in front of him, radiating from his eyes. Wisp backed away, looking scared. Alessio bit his lip, ears drooping. "I would never do that to dad... Never."
"I know. Heartfelt will know too, I'm sure. But those ponies out there..." She shook her head rather than finish her sentence, frowning. "You need to leave." She repeated. "I'll go over to your house and get some things for you. You wait here, okay?" Wisp turned, starting towards the door at a trot, but breaking into a gallop.
Alessio tasted fear on her too. She was afraid of him... or perhaps what he'd done to her daughter. He felt tears fill his eyes again and dropped his head.
When Wisp returned with Heartfelt and supplies, Alessio was nowhere to be found.
Chapter 2: This Is How I Disappear
"So, you wanna know how I met Defender? It's a weird story, really; he just showed up in Griffonstone one day - a freakin' Pony, strolling through the streets like he owned the whole town. I remember a bunch of other Griffons picking on him, but he just smirked at them, said a few words and the group was left absolutely speechless. I never did find out what he said.
Anyway, he walked straight to me, out of nowhere and said possibly the weirdest, most random thing thing I've ever heard; 'Your name's Galiana, right?' He said, 'I heard you lost your mother. I know how that feels. Come on. We're going to change the world.'
And that was it. Bam, he was walking away. I thought he was nuts. But I got curious and decided to follow him for a while. Eventually, that little Pony punk grew on me. And now, here I am; his bassist and his friend. You got a problem with that?"
-Galiana, Bassist for The Black Parade
Alessio sighed, looking into the mirror. He was alone - as per usual whenever he let his true form show - in his room. The accommodations for the band had improved drastically over the last four concerts. Now, when they came for a concert, rooms were put up, attached to the stage, for them to stay in. They weren't five-star, but they were personalized and rather roomy. That was what happened when fame came to find you. You moved up in the world.
With a flash of green fire, Alessio became someone new. He wasn't Alessio the Earth Pony anymore; that ship sailed the day he fled from Hollow Shades. In this form, he was a Unicorn that everypony called Defender. His hair was two-toned, streaked with yellow and black and his coat was a darker shade of yellow, almost more golden. His eyes were red, matching his false cutie mark; a bright red exclamation mark inside the outline of a black shield. Focusing, he pierced his right ear in several places, levitating the earrings and studs into place.
It had been years since he'd been home, to Equestria. Six, to be exact; Alessio was twenty-seven years old, and still so filled with regret. But he was home now, at least on the fringes of home.
There was a knock on his door and a voice spoke through it. "Thirty minutes, Defender."
Alessio rose, rolling his head on his neck, getting several light pops. He pulled on his coat, the uniform of his band, and trotted to the door. His public awaited.
Just outside, he was met my Brimstone and Blaise, his two guitarists. The two were a pair of dragon twins, much older than him but still young on the draconic aging scale. The pair always seemed to share actions, both leaning on the wall opposite his door, their arms crossed and identical expressions of boredom and impatience on their faces.
"About time, slowpoke." Brimstone whispered, trailing a claw over her uniform to straighten it.
"We were about to go in and drag you out." Blaise added, mimicking his sister's action instinctively.
Alessio chuckled and the twin's expressions melted into smirks. They were often rude, but Alessio couldn't ask for more loyal friends than the two dragons. Both bore the same scale coloration, red mixed with shades of black. They were lean, powerful dragons; dragons who abandoned their homeland in rage.
"Galiana was at it again." Blaise and Brimstone uncoiled their arms, walking on either side of Alessio. He was amazed at how they even walked in unison.
"She screamed another pony into a fit and stormed off." Brimstone shook her head. "What are we going to do with her?"
"Talk to her. She can't keep scaring our fans like this." Blaise joined in the head shaking a moment later.
Alessio sighed. Galiana was their band's bassist and was, inevitably, a Griffon. She had been the first member to join the Black Parade, a fact she lorded over the others every time anyone but Alessio tried to speak with her.
"Alright, but we don't have long before the concert. Go make sure Shadows has everything ready to go. We'll be relying on him to make this a big hit. I've heard tell these Trottingham ponies are real sticks-in-the-mud and we'll need something to knock their mane's right off their heads. And keep Sigurd from crushing any of the props this time, please." Alessio broke away from the two dragons, heading towards Galiana's prep-room. He knew exactly where it was, so it didn't prove difficult to find.
Alessio gave the door a quick knock. "Galiana, it's me. Can I come in?"
"Of course." Came the reply. Alessio opened the door and slipped inside.
Galiana was a proud Griffon, through and through. She kept her grey feathers nearly preened, her fur soft and her claws at just the right sharpness to play the guitar. She was vain, petty and not a little haughty, but in the eyes of many Griffons, she was absolutely beautiful. More than once, she had been asked to return to her homeland with a possible mate during their travels, but never once had she even considered it.
She sat in front of her mirror, tending to her wing feathers. "What's up, boss?"
Alessio shifted back to his normal form, leaving the earrings in place. Galiana was the only member of the band to know his true identity, his true race. Around her, he could truly be himself. "I heard you had a run-in with another fan."
"Yeah, well, us Griffons don't exactly have a very good reputation in Equestria." She trailed a feather through her beak, studying it speculatively. "He ran his mouth. So I told him exactly what I thought about his opinions. And then some." She looked over to him, smiling a little. "I'll never get used to seeing a Changeling have a conversation. I bet you're the first one to ever care enough to talk to your dinner."
Alessio frowned, moving further into her large dressing room. "Don't say things like that. You know I don't like it when anypony talks bad about my people."
"Good thing I ain't a pony then, huh?" Galiana turned back to her mirror, going over the same feather again. "But that's why I like you, Alessio. You understand, better than any pony will; you get that race doesn't define you."
Alessio tasted her love for him. It wasn't the first time he'd sensed that emotion from her. He'd even had the courage to approach her about it once, but that conversation ended in little more than embarrassment and anger. Galiana was not candid with her feelings and she had been less than pleased to learn that Alessio could sense them.
"Well, don't blow up at the fans, alright? We're here to prove them wrong about us, not make them angrier." He snapped back into his Unicorn form, smirking. "Besides, not all ponies are like that one. Some of us think Griffons are pretty awesome."
Galiana sucked in a breath, accidentally swallowing part of her feather. She coughed, thumping her chest, giving Alessio a glare, promising a beating if he said a word. Alessio just grinned at her, before turning. "We're almost ready to go on. Just waiting on you, I imagine. As always."
"I wouldn't expect any of you to understand the trials of beauty." She flicked her tail at him, but laughed. "I'll be out in a second. Thanks for the pep-talk, Alessio."
Alessio shut the door behind him gently, trotting to the stage. The curtain was still dropped, but the bustle of the crowd deafened most conversation. Alessio had to note most conversation, as very little could silence Sigurd.
"Move drums more to left!" The Yak's voice was like thunder. Alessio had grown accustomed to it, but the stage-ponies they had hired to help looked like they were about to keel over. "No, more to other left!"
Brimstone and Blaise were already there, making the final preparations. Cradling their guitars and fixing wires, the two dragons both nodded politely to Alessio as he arrived, returning to their work immediately. "Sigurd," Alessio stopped beside the Yak, looking at the nervous ponies that were moving the drum set. "Need a hand?"
"Ponies no seem to understand aesthetics!" Sigurd groaned, shaking his head. "Is like talking to children!"
"Calm down, Sigurd. You two," Alessio addressed the two stage-ponies. "Go take a breather. I got this."
Relieved to be away from the demanding Yak, the two stage ponies quickly scampered off. With a flick of magic, Alessio aligned Sigurd's drum set perfectly with the speakers behind them. What many didn't know about Sigurd was that the Yak had an obsession with symmetry. If you knew that, however...
"Perfect! Defender does it again!" Sigurd turned, giving him a bone-breaking hug. Alessio coughed, teleporting quickly out of the vice-grip.
"It's nothing, Sigurd. You ready?" Alessio grinned, the Yak returning the look. Sigurd had possibly been the strangest encounter Alessio had ever had, and would ever have. He was a member of a far-eastern tribe, not at all connected to Yakyakistan. When he heard of other Yaks, Sigurd had been shocked. His people believed themselves to be the only Yaks in the world.
"This Yak born ready, Defender!" He moved behind his drum set, just as Galiana walked onto the stage, her guitar slung around her neck and held in one claw.
"Are we all set?" She asked, eyes scanning her bandmates critically.
"Aside from you, yes." Brimstone chuckled, motioning to Galiana's amp, not far from their own.
"We hooked up the basics for you, so all you had to do is plug it in." Blaise added.
"We know how much you hate this kind of prep work." Brimstone finished, the two smiling. Galiana nodded and chuckled, walking over to hook her guitar up to the amp. Alessio watched from his place beside Sigurd, adoring his band.
"Alright!" The frantic voice of Flickering Shadows - the band's special effects coordinator - came from up above, drawing all the attention to there. "Everything is all set, guys! We're waiting on you." Flickering Shadows was a Bat Pony Alessio had met on his return trip to Equestria. The newest member of the band, Flickering Shadows tended to be the heel of most of the other member's jokes, but Alessio found his presence more comforting than any of the other members, combined. The Bat Pony made him think of calmer, happier days.
"Lets rock this little town, guys." Alessio turned and levitated the microphone to his side, standing in front of the rest of his band.
Flickering Shadows darted down, giving everything a quick once-over before darting above the stage, pressing the first button of many. With a loud cheer and a blaring sound from three guitars, the curtains rose.
"We are the Black Parade! Are you ready for us, Trottingham!?"
The crowd erupted into impassioned cheers. Alessio closed his eyes, feeling the thrill and adoration and excitement pour in from the crowd. He took in a breath, drawing in the essence of their love for the band, just a taste.
It was enough to make him remember why he did what he did.
Chapter 3: I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
"What does the Parade mean to me? Well, that's a strange question, little pony. It means tons of things; from the uniting of many races under the banner of music, to getting you ponies to accept us dragons, to celebrating those who came before us in a grand fashion. I don't see how that's so complicated.
"My brother and I met Defender out of nowhere, and he told us we could change the world. He and Galiana just showed up in Dragon Territory, ignoring every dragon, except us. We had just lost our mother, the last kin we had, and we'd no more reason to stay. So, we left; simple as that. We went with him and Galiana to see if what he said had any merit. For weeks, we just traveled together and got to know one another. Eventually, he bridged the topic of this band -- The Black Parade -- to honor the deceased.
"Me and Blaise have no idea how he learned about our mother. It was almost like he could smell our loneliness. We all agreed that this band sounded awesome, but we needed at least one more member. Me and Blaise picked up guitars to help him out and practiced non-stop from then on out. Turns out, we're pretty good at it. Who would've known, huh? Dragons can make music too.
- Brimstone, Lead Guitarist for the Black Parade
Brimstone flew through the streets of Manehattan, clutching a newspaper in her claw. Galiana flapped her wings beside her, the odd pair drawing stares from all over. A Griffon was rare on the streets of Manehattan; a Dragon unheard of. The two darted around the corner towards the Bluecoat Hotel, where the band was staying.
"Maybe he didn't see it. Look, we just need to make sure he doesn't read that paper." Galiana huffed, tired. "Easy!"
"Why is this such a big deal, Galiana?" Brim asked, gritting her teeth. The Griffon was being particularly enigmatic this morning and it was bothering Brimstone. The two had gone out for a girl's day on the town, only to go darting back when Galiana read some stupid article in the newspaper.
"Just trust me, he'll care. He'll care a lot." Galiana landed outside the hotel, holding the door open for Brimstone. "You go on ahead. Just make sure he doesn't read that article."
Brimstone rolled her eyes, but jogged in, heading to the elevator and starting up to the higher floors of the hotel. The Parade had purchased a nice space, using some of their Trottingham funds; a five start hotel, with a pair of near-suite quality rooms. Brimstone and Galiana shared one, while the guys took the other. Brim charged right for that room, knocking on the door.
There was a long pause, before Defender's voice rang out. "Come on in."
Brim sighed and slid inside, shutting the door. When she turned to look at her band's vocalist, however, he was already levitating his own copy of the newspaper in front of him. Brimstone chuckled, hiding her own paper behind a plant near the door. "Is that today's paper? How'd we do in the review coulomb?" She walked over, hiding any anxiety from her face.
Defender lowered the paper, blinking at her. "What's got you so riled up?"
Brim cursed inwardly. None of them could ever hide how they really felt from Defender. It was like trying to fly in a blizzard; you'd just get dragged down with the snow. She could, however, still lie to him. "I'm just nervous about the review, is all." She walked over, holding out her claw for the paper. "Lemme see..."
Galiana burst into the room, just as Brim was about to take the paper. "You gave him it? Are you dense, Brim?"
Brimstone felt her eye twitch. She supposed how, without context, it could look like she was just handing the paper to Defender. However, this sparked a new level of curiosity in the Unicorn.
"Is there something the matter with this paper, Galiana?" Defender levitated it back in front of him, tilting his head. "We did rather well in the reviews. I don't see what has you so scared... It's just a-... What's this?" Defender turned the page, reading in silence. Then, he read aloud, his voice blank and emotionless.
"Changelings among us; Can we trust anypony...?" He flipped ahead to the article itself, reading with a fevered, blind determination. "Changelings hiding among the populace? Reported sightings of 'black shelled monsters'...? Missing ponies believed to be stolen by Changelings...?"
Brimstone watched as Defender's body tensed, his eyes going wide.
"Three Changelings found hiding among populace and were... exterminated... by an angry mob..." He whispered the last word, shaking. He flicked his head, reading faster. "Believed to be spies... lived in Canterlot for years... no one can be trusted... exterminated..." He stood silent for a moment, shaking his head. "They killed them... But they weren't even... They were just living like a normal family!" He shouted, his magic shredding the edges of the paper. "It even admits it! They were 'masquerading' as a family? Are you ponies all stupid!? Some of us just want to be free!" He was screaming at the paper, snarling.
Brimstone raised an eyebrow and looked to Galiana, who was opening the door. "I think you should go, Brim."
"After that? With him like this? No way."
"I wasn't asking. Out." Galiana gave the Dragon a level look. "I don't want to ask twice. Now is a really bad time."
"Ugh!" Defender snarled, the paper burning to ash in a second. "Unbelievable!" Brimstone looked back to her long-time friend to say something, but narrowed her eyes. Something was wrong with his eyes. They weren't red anymore. They were a solid cyan, and filled with anger.
"Wait a second...? You're joking..." Brim looked back to Galiana. "And you knew? He's one of them?" Brim demanded, pointing at Defender.
The vocalist snapped his head to her, his eyes returning to their normal color. "And? So what if I am? What does that change, huh? Didn't you ever even once stop to think why a Unicorn would be making a band about equality? Stupid. Shut that door." Galiana did, looking slightly disheartened.
In a flash of green fire, Defender showed his true colors; black and cyan, incidentally.
"So, you get it now? I'm a Changeling. Are you going to attack me now, Brim? Strike me down, because I'm some love-devouring freak?" He stood in front of the dragon, staring at her defiantly. Brimstone was stunned and silent. When she didn't respond or move, even to lower her claw, he continued. "I was raised by a pony. I'm not evil, like all the close minded bigots might wish me to be." Brimstone felt her arm drop to her side, her eyes wide. Shame crawled through her and she felt her ears fold back. She had to look away from Defender; she just couldn't meet his stare after what she'd said. "I can feel your shame. You think that makes it okay?" Defender trotted closer, shaking his head. "I can taste your fear too. You're afraid of me." He narrowed his eyes. "And you're confused. Very confused."
"Well, at least this explains how you always know what I'm feeling..." Brim cleared her throat and calmed herself down. "I'm just... Kinda shocked, that's all. I never would've guessed you were..."
"A monster?"
"Not a pony." Brim corrected. "You act a lot like them; not like some 'love-devouring freak' as you so indelicately put it." Brimstone smiled a little. "It says a lot about your kind. At least, you. And I'm not afraid of you, Defender. I'm afraid that I just screwed up and lost one of the only creatures I consider family, by acting like some big-headed moron."
Defender stared at her in silence, likely gauging her emotions. He glimpsed over to Galiana, who was looking ashamed of herself. "You assumed I knew them, didn't you?"
Galiana gave a small nod. "How many Changelings could be hiding out here? I just assumed you all stuck together."
"And how would I have known what they were?" Defender asked, snapping back into the shape of a Unicorn. "We keep our identities hidden from everypony. I didn't know them... But it's upsetting none the less." He looked to the pile of ash. "... Do you think they'd kill me, if they found out?"
Brimstone suddenly felt sick. She hadn't even considered that, when she'd accused him like she had. No matter what he was, Defender was her friend. She walked across the room, putting a claw on him comfortingly. "They could try. But they'd have a whole band to get through before they could touch you." Galiana, from her place by the door, shouted an affirmative, brandishing her claw like a weapon.
Defender looked up to them both and smiled, then looked back to the floor. "My real name is Alessio. I figure there's no reason to keep anymore secrets, is there?"
"Guess not..." Brimstone took a seat, running her claw over her face. "You know, so much stuff makes way more sense now." Brimstone looked over to Alessio, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't feed on any of us, right?"
Alessio chuckled, giving her a rueful smirk. "Maybe once or twice, when I was starving. But I never take enough to do any harm. All of you, you all love this band and that's what I feed off of. Not your love for somepony or anything like that."
Brimstone shuddered. "Ew. Me and a pony? No, sorry, I ain't into that whole cross-species dating thing." Alessio laughed and Galiana was forced to join, not being able to contain it. "So... When are you planning on telling the others?" Alessio froze, like a rabbit spotted by a predator. "They deserve to know, Alessio. I promise, none of them will hold it against you."
Alessio sighed and looked down, eyes peering over to the burnt paper again. "How can I be sure, Brimstone? You didn't exactly react positively at first."
"At first, maybe not. I was surprised and hurt and maybe a little confused. Dragons don't do well with one emotion, Defender, and you had me feeling like... eight." The Changeling gave a laugh.
"Oh, don't I know. It smelt like a smorgasbord of flavors." Alessio chuckled out. Brimstone crossed her arms, staring at him pointedly. "Hey, I never said I partook of the meal." Alessio sat down, sighing. "They do deserve to know, I know that, but it's not easy."
"So, test the waters. See how they react to Changelings and pick who you tell. I mean, you really only have Sigurd, Blasie and Flick left to tell. I get the impression my brother won't care, since I don't, so that leaves two."
Alessio considered that and smiled. "Yeah. I suppose you're right."
"Good." Brimstone stretched her arms and wings, several bones giving off pleasant pops and cracks. "So, we've got a concert in a few hours. Shouldn't we be setting up?"
"Yeah, we really should." Alessio sighed, looking over to Galiana. "How're the sales looking?"
Galiana gave a wink and thumbs up. "We're gold, Alessio."
Brimstone looked over to Defender, who was back to staring at the burnt paper on the floor. "You alright, boss?"
Alessio was silent for a time, then nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay now." With a flicker of magic, he blew the ash and dust away, off into the trash.
-♪-♪-♪-
"We're not even close to ready!" Flickering Shadows darted here and there, showing off the jumpy speed that made Alessio like him in the first place. He seemed to just be there suddenly, before being over there and then over there. He was erratic and jumpy, just the way Alessio liked it.
"Calm down, Flick. It'll work out." Alessio gave an amused chuckle. "Did you prepare the pyrotechnics? That's all we really need for this set. You can put up the rest during the intermission." Alessio asked, straightening his uniform.
"Of course, Def. I don't ever skip out on the fire." Flick landed, his golden eyes darting. "Are all of you ready? That'd be a huge help."
"Almost, little Flick." Sigurd boomed from where he was setting up his drums. "You should be relaxing, yes? This will be good time. Manehattan is big city, less stuffy than Trottingham. Should be great party." The Yak grinned ear to ear, laughing to himself as he went about his work.
"That's the problem," Flick said, darting around like a fly. "So much pressure! This is way bigger; did you know we sold out in two days? Two! That's a huge jump from last time. We're packed to the brink here."
"Quit it, Flick. We don't need any more stress ourselves." Brimstone sighed out, bringing her guitar to bear. "You guys already ran the sound check, right?"
"Do I look like a foal? Of course we did." Flick landed, flapping his wings for a few seconds after. "You're all set, if Sigurd would stop fussing over his drums."
"You did not set them right. But is okay; am not blaming you, Flick. You are not Yak, so you do not know how Yak like things." The Yak inched the drums over to one side, lining his hooves up to check the symmetry. "You are only mostly Yak. Is perfect now!" He clapped his hooves once, turning to the others. "So, are we ready to be making some music, friends?"
Galiana shared a look with Brimstone, who smirked, while her brother tuned his guitar, sitting in unusual silence.
"I think we're all set." Alessio smirked and looked towards the curtain, hearing the cheering of the crowd beyond.
The band surrounded him, all loaning their silent support as the curtain raised. Alessio knew he had a family; even if that family didn't know all there was to know about him.
-♪-♪-♪-
The punch knocked Alessio off his hooves, sending him to the ground with a thud. Alessio worked his jaw for half a second, then looked up to Blaise, who was snarling, his claws closed into a fist.
"How long till you were gonna tell us?" Blaise asked, frowning. "Hm? I would've been way less inclined to follow you if I'd known what you were."
Alessio pulled himself up, staring at Blaise with a reproachful look. He peered over to Brimstone, who stood silently off to the side. Seeing his stare, she mouthed 'I'm sorry' to him, looking back down.
"And what do you think now? You gonna leave the band?" Alessio responded, staring down his backup guitarist and friend. Blaise crossed his arms, sighing.
"Nah. You've done good by us, all this time. You were there when no one else was. Now? You make me wonder about all those shape-shifters." Blaise shook his head. "I just don't like being lied to and I don't like surprises. I'd give you another punch, if I thought it'd make me feel any better, but it won't." The draconic guitarist looked over Alessio with a clinical stare. "Tell Sigurd and Flick, or I will. They deserve to know."
"Flick might be a little much." Brimstone spoke up from nearby, scratching the back of her head. "He's new and is a little... jumpy."
"All the more reason he should know now." Blaise sighed, rubbing his claw over his face. "By Empress Ember's horns, you could've been killed, Def. Why are we going deeper into Equestria? They hate Changelings."
"Which is exactly why we need to go all the way to Canterlot. Maybe beyond. I want to show this kingdom that being a Changeling doesn't make somepony evil. It's how you're raised, what your morals are, that determine things like that." Alessio stood tall when he spoke, making Blaise reconsider him.
"Alright. Fine." Blaise turned, rolling his shoulder. "But if they find out and don't like it... We'll need to make a break for it. I don't much like the idea of fighting off an army to keep your safe, Def."
Alessio felt himself smile, nodding. "Yeah, I agree... Thanks Blaise."
Blaise looked back, rolling his eyes. "Stop acting like such a prissy pony, Def. Me and Brim swore a long time ago, you and any of the members of this band would be like family to us. But family doesn't keep secrets from other family, Def. Tell Sigurd and Flick, pronto. Okay?"
Alessio could smell Blaise's determination, taste his pride. He was happy to call him family, even if he'd never say it. Alessio nodded a little, looking off to the side, towards a window. "At our next show, I'll tell them. You have my word, Blaise."
