Dear Reader;

If you have come across this document, then it has been done so with the explicit consent of Princess Celestia herself. Please note that the following account of my most recent mission in service to the crown is strictly confidential, and must not be shared with any unauthorised third party, under penalty of execution for crimes of high treason.

The first thing you should know about me, is that my name is Melody Light. Though this is not my true name, it is the name I go by throughout most of my day-to-day life, and so I should always be referred to as such unless otherwise explicitly stated. To get one of the most obvious questions out of the way first, no, “Melody Light” is not a particularly threatening name for one involved in my line of work, but I should hope that some of you have already figured out that this is entirely the point. It blends in seamlessly with the rest of pony society. Those who know me, the real me, are the ones who can give you their word that I am much more dangerous than the name implies. It would not speak well of Princess Celestia if the general public knew why such information is limited to a very small circle of ponies.

For those not yet in the know, I am a changeling, and prior that faithful day when my kind invaded Canterlot nearly two years ago now, I was as much a slave—no, drone—to Queen Chrysalis as the real Melody Light was to me. Though to use a pronoun such as “me” would be a gross overstatement. I was not me back then, not the changeling who has pledged his eternal loyalty to our dear Princess of the Sun. I had no other purpose in life beyond doing exactly as the Queen commanded. Attempting to describe life as a drone would be a fruitless task. It would be like if you tried to explain the first two years of your own infancy; void of any real sense of self beyond the basic instincts to survive. The difference being, of course, that foals are usually not commanded by their parents to feed on the emotions of others for the purposes of fuelling the greater hive.

Since the Canterlot invasion, many of my kind have experienced what you may call an awakening. In reality it is little more than an amalgamation of memories and ideas stolen from other ponies, fusing together to form a personality that was previously repressed by the magic of the Hive Queen. But then again, if you stripped down all personalities to their basic traits, categorizing them into neat sections, could you not say that all personalities are simply a fusion of defined attributes anyone could have? To say that I have pondered this question a lot would be an understatement. How does one go about deciphering the meaning of individuality when not twenty-four hours before, the entire concept of being any different from the hundreds of other identical beings within your hive was incomprehensible to you?

And so here we are, two years later, now an elite on the specifics of changelings who have defected from the hive. While some have taken on the lives and identities of the ponies they had once killed, I myself have chosen a different path, which in my opinion does an even greater service in ensuring the continued peace between equestrian society. I am an assassin. I kill ponies – specifically, high profile criminals who pose the greatest threat to the stability of the Crown. While it is true that the six harmonists of Ponyville have saved Equestria more times than I care to count, they are just ponies. They have their own lives to live, and cannot keep track of every threat to our kingdom. Not even Princess Celestia has that power. What the Princess needs is intelligence. Ponies on the inside who can mitigate any risks for any individuals becoming powerful enough to rival the harmonists under the muzzle of the Princess.

And that, dear reader, is where I come in. I am here to recount one mission that I remember particularly well. It all started on one sunny mid-morning at the Tasty Treat.

The bright rays of Celestia's glorious sun greeted me as I gradually returned to the waking world. It had become a bad habit of mine to start the day by gazing out of my bedroom window, observing the daily lives of the predominantly unicorn population. This always came at a risk, considering that I change back into my true form when I sleep. Nothing good would come if somepony spotted a changeling staring at them from out of a window! Even so, it was a risk I was willing to take, as it reminded me of the ponies I protect with my service to Celestia.

Jumping off my bed and trotting over to the mirror, I wasted no time in casting my transformation spell. In a burst of green fire, my shape changes from the black mishmash of both ungulate and insectoid features, to a stocky yellow unicorn with frizzy brown hair and aquamarine eyes. I shifted my body from side-to-side, admiring my handiwork in re-creating the image of a pony lost in time. It was impossible to make the disguise perfect, as there would always be small imperfections. While other ponies never seemed to notice—caring only that the ray of sunshine cutie mark I wore remained consistent—the longer I stared in the mirror, the more of these imperfections I began to notice. Small things here and there, like the length of my horn, the thickness of my thighs, even a birth mark that wasn't in the exact place were a stark reminder that I was not, and would never be, the real Melody Light that everypony once knew.

Thank Celestia for the sharp knock on the door snapping me back to reality, otherwise I could have spent hours adjusting my magic in a futile reach for perfection. “Just a second!” I called in a strong Trottingham accent, nearly stumbling over the bedside table as I reached for the door.

Pulling it open, I met my boss' eyes and could instantly tell all was not well. The sweat rolling down her face, which was starting to make her black eyeliner run a little bit, compared with the frazzled state of her normally wavy black mane made her look as if she had ran a marathon in her work outfit.

“Is everything okay ma'am?” I asked. “You look out of breath.”

“I'll be fine, Melody,” Saffron replied, levitating her red scarf to dab the sweat off of her face, her voice cracking slightly. If this was what she called “fine”, I'd hate to see her in a foul mood. “It's just... that me and my father...” She swallowed, trying to catch her breath. “...are dealing with a troublemaker who tried to steal my jewellery, claiming it was payment for our 'insurance'.”

My eye began to twitch. I had a strong inkling as to who the pony in question was, but I hoped I was wrong. “Lead me to 'im ma'am. I'll make sure the other customers remain calm while you call for the royal guards.”

Without another word, we bolted down the stairs, galloping through the kitchen into the dining area. Coming to a swift halt, I was confronted with the sight of Saffron's father—a stout and heavy-set pony with a black moustache named Coriander Cumin—already squaring up to the intruder, whom was unfortunate exactly the pony I suspected it to be.

Puffing out his chest and grinning in the smuggest way, a chubby turquoise unicorn in a mismatched black jacket and black fedora by the name of Punch Light sized up the restaurant owner. “Now now mistah, there's no need to be unreasonable,” Punch spoke with a forced Manehatten accent that was thicker than a Prench trifle; in a manner which made me wonder if it was even possible to come off as more condescending. “In case ya haven't noticed, but I'm kind of a big deal around here, being the Black Quill gang's latest recruit.”

Gesturing to the aforementioned black quill in his hat, several customers began to murmur among themselves, though from what I could make of it they were more interested in questioning if this was all some kind of elaborate prank. If I didn't know better myself, I would have agreed with them. Unfortunately, Punch Light really was that arrogant.

“For the last time, we do not, and have never owed you anything!” Coriander yelled, digging his hooves into the carpet. “Now get out of my restaurant!”

“I have alerted the Royal Guard, Father,” Saffron said, sounding anxious. “It won't be long until they arrive.”

“Well, er, that's gonna be a bit of a problem, ya see,” Punch light replied, stroking his chin. “The Royal Guards are gonna be a little tied up at the moment, as they got some of my pals to deal with first. You know as well as I do that I ain't leavin' until you fess up and pay ya dues. After all, ya wouldn't want any, shall we say, 'unfortunate incidents', would ya?”

This was the third time this month Punch Light had waltzed into the Tasty Treat, demanding special benefits or payments of some kind, usually coupled with some kind of half-hearted blackmail. And of course, each time he would get shot down without a moment's hesitation.

“You will get nothing from us, and that is final!” Saffron yelled, thrashing a metal serving spoon at the mobster with her magic. “Now get out before I throw you out!”

“H-Hey!” Punch stuttered nervously. “P-put that thing down! D-don't you know who I am? I'm the all-powerful Punch Light! One strike of my fist and BOOM! Out go the lights of any pony who gets on my nerves! Celestaia forbid that happen to you...” Punch Light turned his gaze to Coriander, a sly grin growing across his face, though I could tell by the stressed muscles on the edges of his mouth that it was false. “Or perhaps, your old man?”

That was the last straw. I had to deal with this moron before the situation escalated. Dashing back into the kitchen, I threw on a spare apron and checked the order listings for the day. It didn't take me long to spot several orders for the special soup of the day - spicy tomato with a pinch of garlic! Saffron and Coriander always had a knack for knowing just what food to advertise as a special for the day, and with at least three pots of the stuff just waiting to be served, there was no better time than now to give the customers exactly what they wanted, in more ways than one.

Levitating one of the pots, I carefully trotted back out into the dining area, and by the looks of things, I came just in time too. Punch Light looked as if he had finally developed a backbone, charging at Saffron with intent to tackle her, but only managed to land a small cut to Saffron's yellow shirt sleeve, getting whacked several times with her ladle. Show time!

“Who ordered the...erm...spicy Saddle Arabian Tomato Soup aga-whoops!” Cutting myself off mid sentence, I deliberately tripped myself over my front hooves, sending the soup flying right into Punch Light's face.

As Punch staggered around blindly, screaming in pain, about half of the restaurant burst out laughing. Though he tried to rub his eyes in an effort to clear his vision, it only succeeded in making the pain worse. With a quick flick of my hooves, I sent the now empty pot skidding across the floor in his direction, perfectly timing its trajectory for Punch to trip on and crash headfirst into a table. I must admit, it took allot of effort on my part to avoid cracking up at the calamity.

“Get out of my restaurant you worthless excuse for a unicorn!” Saffron screamed, smacking Punch Light with a flurry of blows. I'd never seen her so angry before, but I am still impressed to this day how pent up with rage she had was! The second Punch was gone, the entire restaurant erupted into applause. While both Saffron and Coriander took a bow, I used the opportunity to slip away and head back to my room, where I could clear my head and plan my next move. In spite of the humorous nature of a well orchestrated pratfall, I could not let myself forget why Punch Light was here in the first place. Though this particular pony was little more than a bumbling fool—far too caught up in his own ego fuelled to achieve anything beyond minor annoyances—it was an unequivocal fact he was part of a grander scheme. While in the short term it was entirely possible he would leave us alone, how many in the mob would turn up at our doorstep because of him was an unknown factor. I could not risk letting Punch Light getting back to the gang's headquarters. This was a situation that I could not allow.

“Melody?” I turned towards the door to see Saffron, giving me a look of concern.

“Oh, sorry boss,” I said. “Guess I drifted off for a little bit there...”

Saffron breathed a sigh of relief, sharing a small chuckle with me before I piped up again, rubbing my hoof against the back of my head awkwardly. “Sorry about the mess I made before. I was just on my way to clean it up once I calmed down a bit.”

“Not to worry,” Saffron reached over and patted me on the shoulder. “I have already taken care of it. I actually wanted to offer you a promotion, as a thank you for being such a dedicated member of our team, even in the face of adversity.”

It took a moment for me to process what she was saying, but I already knew I was in too deep. I will freely admit that the Tasty Treat had become my home over the short time I had been working there, and although my heart ached to accept Saffron's gesture of kindness, I knew that I could not.

“Thank you so much, Saffron,” I replied, tears welling up behind my eyes. “But I just cannot accept it, as I won't be here for much longer.” Watching the smile fade from Saffron's face was something I never want to see again. I knew this would hurt her, but alas, it could not be avoided. If only she knew the truth...

No, I cannot risk such thoughts. I must serve the greater good.

“I'm sorry.”

Before Saffron could object, my horn flared into life with changeling magic. I must confess, as a drone, I had never paid any attention to how ponies reacted when under my influence. But now, fully aware of my actions as I was, it is a sight I will never forget. Saffron's eyes went white as a ghost, her mind surrendering all control to me as I fed her the thoughts I needed to keep her off my trail. I had her locked in a trance, completely under my influence, as if she was now just a drone herself. For one brief moment, the memories of the original Melody Light all came flooding back to me. I could see her as clearly as I had the day she died, the look of sheer terror was I wiped her mind to claim it as my own, leaving her as little more than a thoughtless shell. My stomach wrenched. I had to suppress those memories, and fast, or run the risk of feeding my own anxieties into the very pony who I was trying to deceive. Upon being released from my spell, Saffron glanced around the room and rubbed her head, looking very confused.

“Ugh, my head,” she groaned before noticing me. “Oh, I'm sorry Melody. I don't know what came over me. What was it you were saying again?”

“About my parents visiting Canterlot for a few weeks,” I said. “My mother has fallen quite ill. I'm sorry I have to leave you at such short notice, but my father will need all the help he can get looking after poor mama. I'm sure you understand.”

Saffron responded with a respectful nod. “Of course, you do what you must for the sake of your family. Please send her my good wishes, and let her know they are always welcome at the Tasty Treat.” In spite of the slight croak in her voice that revealed her disappointment, Saffron's words were no less genuine. Since my redemption, I never asked for very much beyond the basic necessities for peaceful livings during the downtime between missions. However, just this once, I whispered a quick prayer to Celestia, hoping that could rid this dedicated pony from the shadow of the mob and put a stop to their threats.

With one last hug, we said our goodbyes. Now it was time to track down Punch Light, as I had a few choice words that he would be dying to hear. It was easy enough to find him again. A fat unicorn covered in tomato soup wasn't exactly what you would call inconspicuous. The moment that I caught up with him, I dashed into an ally behind a building, making sure that nopony was watching, In a flash, my shape changed again, this time assuming the shape of Saffron herself. The way of changeling deception is not always about hiding in the shadows, but rather, it is about choosing the right time to get noticed. With damp eyeliner running down my face from the stream of fake tears I cried, it didn't take long to capture Punch Light's attention.

“Well, well, well,” he said with a smug sense of triumph. “Seems the pretty lady remembered why she shouldn't be gettin' so hysterical about little ol' me.”

“Please don't hurt me! I-I'm so sorry for how I acted!” I whined between heavy sobs, mimicking the Saffron's heavy accent perfectly. “Please, I'll pay you whatever you want! Just don't send any more of your cohorts to my business! Dear Papa, he can't take any more stress!”

The devious smirk on Punch Light's face told me that he bought my sob story hook line and sinker. “I'm glad ya could see it my way. And since you asked so nicely, I'll give ya a bit of a discount. Fifty bits a week, all in one payment. That's the minimum amount it'll take to protect you in dangerous times like these. Anythin' beyond the basics? Well, we can work that out later. It may require somethin' a little more than just money, if ya catch my drift...”

I wanted to cringe so hard as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. Either he had been watching too many movies, or he'd been learning from some rather slimy comrades to say the least. My whole body ached with desire to inflict as much pain on him as I could. Thankfully, I was able to restrain this impulse just long enough to finish my act. “Here, take it! Take it all!” I wailed, throwing a heavy sack of bits at Punch Light as he stumbled forward in an awkward attempt to catch it.

“Pleasure doin' business with ya,” He said, tipping his hat in my direction. By this point, I was certain he had to be mocking me. “I'll be back same time next week for the next payment.”

The second that he turned his back on me, I took my opportunity to attack. Within the blink of an eye, I yanked out a dagger from my hair and threw it into the back of the mobster's neck. If I said to you that I did not enjoy the act of killing, it would be a lie. I chose this path in life, and the sound of snapping tendons to this day is music to my ears. Unfortunately, just as before, I was unable to escape the memory of Melody Light. I could already feel the image of her face, twisted in terror, staring back at me as the realisation of what she had gotten herself into dawned on her. I had to make this quick, lest I start to see the face of Melody in front of me instead of the arrogant unicorn who threatened the lives of those I hold dear. This single attack was not lethal. I had not expected it to be. However what it did achieve was getting Punch Light's attention. Turning round to face me was exactly what I was hoping to do, leaving his neck exposed for me to pull out my second dagger and jam it right into the centre of his throat. Any scream he would have made became drowned out as a gurgling wheeze of blood flooded his windpipe, dead before he hit the ground.

“Pleasure doin' business with ya indeed, pal.”

I can't tell you how satisfying it felt to say those words with all the heavy sarcasm Punch Light had been subjecting me to this whole time. Lowering my horn to meet his own, I called upon my magical fire to envelop the dead unicorn's body, incinerating it while I simultaneously take on his identity as my own.

No sooner had the first charade ended, a second had begun. My assimilation of Punch Light's form was complete. I was almost tempted to feel sorry for him - a rookie trying his hardest to join the big leagues in the world of crime, not only failing to get anywhere, but to have his very existence erased from Equestria. Though lets be honest here, if I started to get bleary-eyed over every dumb thug who thought it was a good idea to make a living by terrorising local ponies, I wouldn't be particularly good at my job. There was no more time to waste. Punch Light's boss would be waiting the report on his mission, and I had best not keep him waiting.

Author's Note

Inspired by epics such as Harmony Theory, Monsters, and Forged Anew. I hope to explore themes of identity and regret within this story, so constructive feedback is welcomed!