A Lief Of Depressionsby PhantomeneerChaptersAn IntroductionThey Come From AboveWonderstarAn Introduction“Are you sure about this job?” “I don’t know. It’s just that they hate me and…” “Oh, them, here, sit down…” Starlight was reasonably asleep somewhere. It was dead midnight, and she had a big day tomorrow of doing nothing. Y’know, I bet she’s dreaming of that Sunburst dude, or was it a girl? I can’t remember and I’m too lazy to check the MLP Wiki. Meanwhile, a blue flash of light had appeared in the sky. It swirled around the black night sky, and landed in a nearby forest. The Evergreen Forest, to be precise. There was a thunder sound, a loud crash, some hushed whispering, and some rapid footsteps. A small, sorta-brown pony who lacked a mane and looked like a child, having a black and yellow scruff of hair patterned on his head and no cutie mark looked at a shadowy figure under a cloak, who was extremely small. Both of them walking through the forest, being absolutely quiet and not talking, not even whispering to each other. The cloaked figure checked his map when they were near the edge of the forest and said “Well, I think this might be the place we’re looking for. Buttermoon, you remember the plan?” “Yes, and stop calling me Buttermoon!” the pony sort of yell-whispered. “Isn’t there a better name for me?” “Now’s not the time for this crap, Buttermoon. Get out there and, uh, do the thing you always do. Go wreak havoc on a town or something. I’ll see if this place has some safe place to set up camp. If I find a place, I’ll give you the signal. If you don’t see the signal, meet back here.” Buttermoon saluted and snuck off through the forest into the town of Ponyville, where some real character development and story elements were about to unfold. Starlight woke up from a long night’s sleep. She rose from the tree she had fallen asleep under somehow. Starlight looked ahead and saw Ponyville and immediately noticed that there was loud buzzing and screaming coming from there. Wondering where the Mane 6 was at this type of time, she quickly got on her feet and ran off to the village in chaos. She screeched to a halt at the gate and realized the the loud buzzing was none other than bees, probably the worst type of insectghtsfef, like, ever. All around, townspeople were using sensible methods to try and get rid of them, like flamethrowers, but to no avail. Starlight suddenly caught a view of a foal-looking pony standing on a rooftop, opening a glowing jar of honey that streamed out endless bees. Starlight tried to think of a way to get up there without suffering endless beestings. Just then, her homeslice, Trixie, came up next to her. “I caught sight of you rushing over here and just wanted to-- what the horny hooberjoobles is going on?” “Gaze to the heavens. Apparently some pony up there is playing a 2016 standard prank on the town. I can’t make it through the bees.” “Don’t you have a horn?” “Yeah, but I don’t think I have anything to get through the bees powerful-ly enough. They’re endless!” Trixie looked at all the bees. “Well, I guess we COULD try to combine our magic. I'll use some blast, and you use another blast.” Starlight readied a blast of magic. “Alright, you ready?” Trixie did the same. “Ye.” Starlight counted down from three. “3...2...1!” Both of them shot their blasts, combining them into an unholy giant blast that blasted some of the bees, causing them to retreat into the sky, blasted and confused. “Now!” Starlight and Trixie ran through the town and utilized trash cans and ladders to reach the same rooftop that the mischievous pony was on. “Huh, why the skeevin’ skibbergabbers are they retreating?” Buttermoon looked to the sky and looked at all the bees resisting to go back to terrorizing the townspeo-- ponies. “Hey, everybee! What’s the holdup?” “We’re the matter.” Buttermoon snapped his neck around and found himself facing a light blue pony and a light purple pony. The light purple one spoke, “What are you even doing? You can still get criminal punishment even if you’re a child, y’know.” Buttermoon turned fully around. “I’m not a child and I’m not from here.” The bees began to retreat inside of the glowing pot they had come from. The other one piped up. “Where from, then? Manehattan? Little Junction?” “What even are those funky-sounding pla-” As Buttermoon prepared to say more, he noticed a smog of smoke go up in the sky. “Well, gee, looks like I’ve gotta run.” Buttermoon leaped off the building as he threw a smokebomb and dashed off from the town to the smoke signal. “C’mon, clearly the Mane 6 isn’t handling this, so I guess we’ll have to.” Trixie looked at the pony dashing off and saw he had no cutie mark, or any features that would imply he was from here. Both of them slid down from the roof carefully, and set off in the direction of dying smoke. “I just pray that Discord or someone like that isn’t hiding up there.” gulped Starlight. The cloaked figure had set up a now extinguished fire, and was waiting for Buttermoon to get back. “Egh, it’s hot out here.” and he started to take off his cloak. As soon as he had finished taking it off, Buttermoon had already gotten back. “How’d you get here so quickly?” asked the figure. “Oh, just by means of a shortcut that nobody will ever find and-- Oh, hey, I’ve never seen you without your cloak.” Without his cloak, the figure had gray fur on his entire body, a hairline that was quite odd, a head that was a tad bit too big for his body, and stubby legs, as well as black eyes with pupils that were on-off visible. “Egh. Now you see why I don’t take it off at all.” Buttermoon shook his head. “Nah, nah, but I can see why you’re named Nano. Anyways, what now?” “Well, firstly, just to make sure, were you followed?” Buttermoon shook his head again. “Some other ponies stopped my bee swarm while I was terrorizing some town, but I don’t think they can follow me that far.” “Y’know I didn't mean wreak havoc on a town literally! Especially not bees, dude!” Nano groaned. “Egh, I guess we have some new enemies.” Buttermoon rolled his eyes. “Whatever, just get to the plan. They had flamethrowers, I’m sure they’ll be fine.” “Fine enough. Now…” They Come From Above“Well, I think I honestly deserved it…” “But, no, you did not.” “But…” Trixie and Starlight approached the Evergreen Forest. Starlight groaned. “Of course, the Evergreen Forest, of all places.” Trixie did the same. “Timberwolves, hydras, oh boy. This is gonna be fun.” Both of them continued on into the Evergreen Forest, unaware of the future plan that Nano and Buttermoon were-- more Nano, were unfolding. “Huh. Awfully quiet today. By now you’d hear some cliche ruffling in the bushes or--” The bushes ahead ruffled. Starlight and Trixie stopped moving. “Uh… Think there’s a way around the forest?” squeaked Starlight. “Oh, don’t be a sissy. It’s probably a rabbit or something.” Trixie went over to the bush and ruffled it. Nothing happened. “See? Just some wind or fast animal. C’mon, let’s get moving.” Starlight sighed and walked off with Trixie. A changeling wearing a dark green scarf came out from the top of a tree with binoculars around his neck. “Dios mio, that was close.” “So, let me get this clear: We’re going to set off an invasion of otherwordly creatures to ruin this place because…?” “Oh, Buttermoon, my motivation is quite simple: You know how our world is starving for resources and such?” Questioned Nano. “Oh, yeah, looks like modern-day France over there. Garbage all over the street.” “Yes. And, well, we’ll have to suck this one dry…” Nano grabbed a large looking button from a trunk, “Using this.” Buttermoon stared at the button. “What’s it do?” “Oh, it just opens the same portal we came through, except now there’s invaders on the other side.” Nano looked blankly at the button. “They’ll suck up all of this world’s resources. They’re kinda frickin’ strong, too.” Buttermoon was a little disgusted. “What about all the other ponies?” “They’ll most likely be forced to survive in some post-apocalyptic survival wasteland.” “Nano, I’m not sure that this is the best way to do--” Nano and Buttermoon’s conversation was interrupted when six other mares suddenly appeared from nowhere on a high rocky hill near them. “Hand over the device there and no one gets hurt.” said a determined looking sky blue pegasus. “What she said.” said a purple pony who was a weird mix between a pegasus and unicorn. “Hurt us and we press the button. Do nothing and we press the button. Sorry, but I need to do what’s best for my peop--” A loud mighty magic blast hit Nano and electrocuted him. “Wow, these guys mean no shamrock.” he quivered. The sky blue pegasus came diving in towards the button. Buttermoon, sighing and doing what was loyal, jumped and kicked the pegasus out of the air, sending her flying towards a tree and having her crash promptly. He then looked at the button, it was gone from it’s place. He looked at Nano, who had already pressed the button. “NANO!” “It’s... for the best.” Groaned Nano. Suddenly, the sky started turning grey. The wind started to growl at an alarming degree, several plants became unrooted as they floated towards a gargantuan freakin’ blue portal-orb in the sky, the same that Nano and Buttermoon had come out of, only bigger. It started becoming stronger, animals big and small started sailing away from the land’s surface. Soon, a giant circle of nature, inanimate objects, and animals alike were sailing around in a giant circle encompassing a giant blue orb. A yellow pegasus with a pink mane covered her mouth. “Oh, Celestia.” she muttered under her breath. Starlight and Trixie entered a clearing and noticed a humongous glowing blue orb in the sky that was composed of all sorts of objects traveling around it. “What the list of assorted reptiles is going on up there?” asked Starlight as Trixie stared in disbelief. “That other pony we encountered in Ponyville…he’s gotta be joined by someone-- or pony, else.” Both of them stared in blatant horror as a mothership that so huge it couldn’t be described came out of the blue orb. It was armed with artillery cannons, bombs, state-of-the-art magic and bomb protection, and so, so much more. Then, the blue orb began to move faster, starting to suck in all the objects it had taken from the land, and then, blew up. A blinding white flash of light completely covered the area as it began to get deafeningly loud. “Trixie!” “Starlight!” And then, nothing. Wonderstar“But they still hate me, anyways.” “Mmm. I think I can help with that…” “You don’t mean…” The last thing Starlight remembered seeing was a blinding flash of light as the portal-orb exploded. Nothing else up to that point, she thought she was dead. But yet, somehow, Starlight awoke to a dark, starry night with a campfire crackling against the dead of night. It took Starlight a moment to refocus herself and remember everything that had happened. Once she did, she realized that her forehead was bandaged severely. She also noticed that there was a figure sitting near the fire, appearing to mutter something. “...Trixie?” Starlight lifted herself up slightly. The figure turned around. He was a deep black, holes in his hooves, with cyan eyes that penetrated the night. Realizing it was a changeling, she yawned and fell back down. The nameless changeling walked over to Starlight and looked at her. He then turned to Trixie, who also had a bandage on her forehead, looking considerably more damaged, but otherwise fine. The nameless changeling simply nodded and went back to the campfire to stare at it. Starlight heard him mutter, “Well, I better prepare myself for a bombardment of questions tomorrow.” and Starlight closed her eyes and fell asleep. Before drifting off, however, she noticed a set of binoculars on a log next to the changeling. She was too tired to care, though, and quickly fell asleep. Early the next morning, Starlight awoke to the same changeling from the night before nudging her awake. “Wake up. We need to get moving.” Starlight rubbed her eyes as she rose from a slumber. She looked up at the changeling, who was unwrapping the bandages from her head. “You recovered from that explosion quickly.” Starlight didn’t say anything as she got up and stood up on all four hooves with some difficulty. The changeling then turned around to Trixie, who had just awoken. The changeling looked at them both, turned around, and walked to an opening that appeared to lead to a clearing. He waited patiently as Starlight and Trixie rose and walked over with a bit of difficulty--over to the changeling. With binoculars around his neck, he walked to the end of the opening into the clearing. Trixie and Starlight stared at the changeling, not sure if they could trust him or not. They looked at each other for a few moments before deciding that, hey, we’ve got nowhere else to go. So the two trotted off and followed the changeling, with some difficulty, but still keeping up nonetheless. “It’s almost halfway charged, sir.” said a blue android, talking to Nano, who was now donning a purple cape, and Buttermoon. “Absolutely excellent.” Said Nano, looking up to the mothership that hung now over Canterlot. “No resistances formed at all?” “None that we can note or track down, sir.” As Nano and the android continued to talk, Buttermoon looked around as he saw a ring of dark clouds circling around Canterlot, with a giant portal that had numerous troops coming in like some alien invasion. Actually, it was exactly that, an alien invasion. The town below was a fortified warbase, and the cloud city above him had become more cannon fodder for the mothership to suck in and use for fuel, the rainbows proving most effective. He sighed, wondering why he was even talked into this in the first place. Then, he remembered. “But they still hate me, anyways. I was dragged along with that cold, heartless soldier, and since I was his accomplice, I took equal blame when he finally fell. Called me a coward in his final words.” Buttermoon sighed. “Mmm, I think I can help with that.” Said the large, dark stone giant as he walked back into the dark hallway. Buttermoon looked at the barren castle. No windows except for some above him, and six large pillars circling it. The large stone giant returned with something in his hand. It was softly beating, the only sound besides it was the echoes of the corridors. “You don’t mean you’re going to…” “Yes, Buttermoon. This has proven largely effective. No one has been able to regret their choices with the dark heart. When I put this in, you will be under the control of whoever you are matched up next.” Buttermoon’s insides flopped as he backed up. “Sir, I don’t think that this is a necessary course of acti--” “Horsedung, Buttermoon. You joined this guild for one reason: To destroy and serve. That is, and that will always be your prime directive. I don’t care how “young” you are. You will serve us with your life. Understood?” Buttermoon began to nod, and then quickly dashed off towards one of the looming corridors. “FLOATERS!” the giant screamed. Suddenly, a horde of sixty or so figures cloaked in white and blood red holding weapons like swords and scythes suddenly appeared out of nowhere, lighting up the room with simply their appearance. “We’ve got a traitor here! Get out there and stick this in him.” the giant shouted, holding up the heart. One of the floaters took the heart, wincing the tiniest bit. It rallied up all the troops in the center, and then split them all off into different corridors. “Buttermoon?” Nano was waving his hand in front of Buttermoon’s face as he stared off into the distance. “Oh, yeah?” Buttermoon shook his head. “We’re getting on one of the troopships to fly to Taco Bell to celebrate our success so far. Wanna come?” Buttermoon, seeking to cure the traumatic flashback he had just had, nodded and followed Nano into the troopship. Once everyone was inside, the ship blasted off towards the sky and into the far reaches of somewhere else. While every troop and every android buzzed about everything they’d done that day, Buttermoon just sat in the corner, doing nothing. Nano, noticing Buttermoon’s sulking, went over and sat down next to him. “Hey, Butters, you okay?” Buttermoon lifted his head up slightly. “Ah, I’m fine. Just…thinking about stuff.” Nano, sensing the discomfort in his words, put his arm around Buttermoon’s neck. “Hey, dude, just because I’m the villain of this fanfiction doesn’t mean I’m any less of a caring person. If something’s troubling you, just let me know. I haven’t made you do something you didn’t want to, did I?” “You made me send bees out on a town.” Buttermon chuckled. “I accidentally did that. Once I realized my mistake, well, it was too hilarious to stop. I didn’t know you did until way later due to the heart thing.” “Yeah, okay, thanks, Nano. You’re the first one I’ve worked with who isn’t extremely one-dimensional.” Nano got up. “Eh. No problem, talking horse.” “Okay. Thanks, bobblehead.” Buttermoon stretched his hooves. “Oi, we’re almost there.” After getting everyone’s orders, the troopship floated into the drivethrough. Nano opened the window and peered his head outside. “Hello, welcome to Taco Bell, what can I get you today?” Nano looked at the list he made with all the gathered troop’s orders. “Alright, I’ll have two number nines…”
An Introduction“Are you sure about this job?” “I don’t know. It’s just that they hate me and…” “Oh, them, here, sit down…” Starlight was reasonably asleep somewhere. It was dead midnight, and she had a big day tomorrow of doing nothing. Y’know, I bet she’s dreaming of that Sunburst dude, or was it a girl? I can’t remember and I’m too lazy to check the MLP Wiki. Meanwhile, a blue flash of light had appeared in the sky. It swirled around the black night sky, and landed in a nearby forest. The Evergreen Forest, to be precise. There was a thunder sound, a loud crash, some hushed whispering, and some rapid footsteps. A small, sorta-brown pony who lacked a mane and looked like a child, having a black and yellow scruff of hair patterned on his head and no cutie mark looked at a shadowy figure under a cloak, who was extremely small. Both of them walking through the forest, being absolutely quiet and not talking, not even whispering to each other. The cloaked figure checked his map when they were near the edge of the forest and said “Well, I think this might be the place we’re looking for. Buttermoon, you remember the plan?” “Yes, and stop calling me Buttermoon!” the pony sort of yell-whispered. “Isn’t there a better name for me?” “Now’s not the time for this crap, Buttermoon. Get out there and, uh, do the thing you always do. Go wreak havoc on a town or something. I’ll see if this place has some safe place to set up camp. If I find a place, I’ll give you the signal. If you don’t see the signal, meet back here.” Buttermoon saluted and snuck off through the forest into the town of Ponyville, where some real character development and story elements were about to unfold. Starlight woke up from a long night’s sleep. She rose from the tree she had fallen asleep under somehow. Starlight looked ahead and saw Ponyville and immediately noticed that there was loud buzzing and screaming coming from there. Wondering where the Mane 6 was at this type of time, she quickly got on her feet and ran off to the village in chaos. She screeched to a halt at the gate and realized the the loud buzzing was none other than bees, probably the worst type of insectghtsfef, like, ever. All around, townspeople were using sensible methods to try and get rid of them, like flamethrowers, but to no avail. Starlight suddenly caught a view of a foal-looking pony standing on a rooftop, opening a glowing jar of honey that streamed out endless bees. Starlight tried to think of a way to get up there without suffering endless beestings. Just then, her homeslice, Trixie, came up next to her. “I caught sight of you rushing over here and just wanted to-- what the horny hooberjoobles is going on?” “Gaze to the heavens. Apparently some pony up there is playing a 2016 standard prank on the town. I can’t make it through the bees.” “Don’t you have a horn?” “Yeah, but I don’t think I have anything to get through the bees powerful-ly enough. They’re endless!” Trixie looked at all the bees. “Well, I guess we COULD try to combine our magic. I'll use some blast, and you use another blast.” Starlight readied a blast of magic. “Alright, you ready?” Trixie did the same. “Ye.” Starlight counted down from three. “3...2...1!” Both of them shot their blasts, combining them into an unholy giant blast that blasted some of the bees, causing them to retreat into the sky, blasted and confused. “Now!” Starlight and Trixie ran through the town and utilized trash cans and ladders to reach the same rooftop that the mischievous pony was on. “Huh, why the skeevin’ skibbergabbers are they retreating?” Buttermoon looked to the sky and looked at all the bees resisting to go back to terrorizing the townspeo-- ponies. “Hey, everybee! What’s the holdup?” “We’re the matter.” Buttermoon snapped his neck around and found himself facing a light blue pony and a light purple pony. The light purple one spoke, “What are you even doing? You can still get criminal punishment even if you’re a child, y’know.” Buttermoon turned fully around. “I’m not a child and I’m not from here.” The bees began to retreat inside of the glowing pot they had come from. The other one piped up. “Where from, then? Manehattan? Little Junction?” “What even are those funky-sounding pla-” As Buttermoon prepared to say more, he noticed a smog of smoke go up in the sky. “Well, gee, looks like I’ve gotta run.” Buttermoon leaped off the building as he threw a smokebomb and dashed off from the town to the smoke signal. “C’mon, clearly the Mane 6 isn’t handling this, so I guess we’ll have to.” Trixie looked at the pony dashing off and saw he had no cutie mark, or any features that would imply he was from here. Both of them slid down from the roof carefully, and set off in the direction of dying smoke. “I just pray that Discord or someone like that isn’t hiding up there.” gulped Starlight. The cloaked figure had set up a now extinguished fire, and was waiting for Buttermoon to get back. “Egh, it’s hot out here.” and he started to take off his cloak. As soon as he had finished taking it off, Buttermoon had already gotten back. “How’d you get here so quickly?” asked the figure. “Oh, just by means of a shortcut that nobody will ever find and-- Oh, hey, I’ve never seen you without your cloak.” Without his cloak, the figure had gray fur on his entire body, a hairline that was quite odd, a head that was a tad bit too big for his body, and stubby legs, as well as black eyes with pupils that were on-off visible. “Egh. Now you see why I don’t take it off at all.” Buttermoon shook his head. “Nah, nah, but I can see why you’re named Nano. Anyways, what now?” “Well, firstly, just to make sure, were you followed?” Buttermoon shook his head again. “Some other ponies stopped my bee swarm while I was terrorizing some town, but I don’t think they can follow me that far.” “Y’know I didn't mean wreak havoc on a town literally! Especially not bees, dude!” Nano groaned. “Egh, I guess we have some new enemies.” Buttermoon rolled his eyes. “Whatever, just get to the plan. They had flamethrowers, I’m sure they’ll be fine.” “Fine enough. Now…”
They Come From Above“Well, I think I honestly deserved it…” “But, no, you did not.” “But…” Trixie and Starlight approached the Evergreen Forest. Starlight groaned. “Of course, the Evergreen Forest, of all places.” Trixie did the same. “Timberwolves, hydras, oh boy. This is gonna be fun.” Both of them continued on into the Evergreen Forest, unaware of the future plan that Nano and Buttermoon were-- more Nano, were unfolding. “Huh. Awfully quiet today. By now you’d hear some cliche ruffling in the bushes or--” The bushes ahead ruffled. Starlight and Trixie stopped moving. “Uh… Think there’s a way around the forest?” squeaked Starlight. “Oh, don’t be a sissy. It’s probably a rabbit or something.” Trixie went over to the bush and ruffled it. Nothing happened. “See? Just some wind or fast animal. C’mon, let’s get moving.” Starlight sighed and walked off with Trixie. A changeling wearing a dark green scarf came out from the top of a tree with binoculars around his neck. “Dios mio, that was close.” “So, let me get this clear: We’re going to set off an invasion of otherwordly creatures to ruin this place because…?” “Oh, Buttermoon, my motivation is quite simple: You know how our world is starving for resources and such?” Questioned Nano. “Oh, yeah, looks like modern-day France over there. Garbage all over the street.” “Yes. And, well, we’ll have to suck this one dry…” Nano grabbed a large looking button from a trunk, “Using this.” Buttermoon stared at the button. “What’s it do?” “Oh, it just opens the same portal we came through, except now there’s invaders on the other side.” Nano looked blankly at the button. “They’ll suck up all of this world’s resources. They’re kinda frickin’ strong, too.” Buttermoon was a little disgusted. “What about all the other ponies?” “They’ll most likely be forced to survive in some post-apocalyptic survival wasteland.” “Nano, I’m not sure that this is the best way to do--” Nano and Buttermoon’s conversation was interrupted when six other mares suddenly appeared from nowhere on a high rocky hill near them. “Hand over the device there and no one gets hurt.” said a determined looking sky blue pegasus. “What she said.” said a purple pony who was a weird mix between a pegasus and unicorn. “Hurt us and we press the button. Do nothing and we press the button. Sorry, but I need to do what’s best for my peop--” A loud mighty magic blast hit Nano and electrocuted him. “Wow, these guys mean no shamrock.” he quivered. The sky blue pegasus came diving in towards the button. Buttermoon, sighing and doing what was loyal, jumped and kicked the pegasus out of the air, sending her flying towards a tree and having her crash promptly. He then looked at the button, it was gone from it’s place. He looked at Nano, who had already pressed the button. “NANO!” “It’s... for the best.” Groaned Nano. Suddenly, the sky started turning grey. The wind started to growl at an alarming degree, several plants became unrooted as they floated towards a gargantuan freakin’ blue portal-orb in the sky, the same that Nano and Buttermoon had come out of, only bigger. It started becoming stronger, animals big and small started sailing away from the land’s surface. Soon, a giant circle of nature, inanimate objects, and animals alike were sailing around in a giant circle encompassing a giant blue orb. A yellow pegasus with a pink mane covered her mouth. “Oh, Celestia.” she muttered under her breath. Starlight and Trixie entered a clearing and noticed a humongous glowing blue orb in the sky that was composed of all sorts of objects traveling around it. “What the list of assorted reptiles is going on up there?” asked Starlight as Trixie stared in disbelief. “That other pony we encountered in Ponyville…he’s gotta be joined by someone-- or pony, else.” Both of them stared in blatant horror as a mothership that so huge it couldn’t be described came out of the blue orb. It was armed with artillery cannons, bombs, state-of-the-art magic and bomb protection, and so, so much more. Then, the blue orb began to move faster, starting to suck in all the objects it had taken from the land, and then, blew up. A blinding white flash of light completely covered the area as it began to get deafeningly loud. “Trixie!” “Starlight!” And then, nothing.
Wonderstar“But they still hate me, anyways.” “Mmm. I think I can help with that…” “You don’t mean…” The last thing Starlight remembered seeing was a blinding flash of light as the portal-orb exploded. Nothing else up to that point, she thought she was dead. But yet, somehow, Starlight awoke to a dark, starry night with a campfire crackling against the dead of night. It took Starlight a moment to refocus herself and remember everything that had happened. Once she did, she realized that her forehead was bandaged severely. She also noticed that there was a figure sitting near the fire, appearing to mutter something. “...Trixie?” Starlight lifted herself up slightly. The figure turned around. He was a deep black, holes in his hooves, with cyan eyes that penetrated the night. Realizing it was a changeling, she yawned and fell back down. The nameless changeling walked over to Starlight and looked at her. He then turned to Trixie, who also had a bandage on her forehead, looking considerably more damaged, but otherwise fine. The nameless changeling simply nodded and went back to the campfire to stare at it. Starlight heard him mutter, “Well, I better prepare myself for a bombardment of questions tomorrow.” and Starlight closed her eyes and fell asleep. Before drifting off, however, she noticed a set of binoculars on a log next to the changeling. She was too tired to care, though, and quickly fell asleep. Early the next morning, Starlight awoke to the same changeling from the night before nudging her awake. “Wake up. We need to get moving.” Starlight rubbed her eyes as she rose from a slumber. She looked up at the changeling, who was unwrapping the bandages from her head. “You recovered from that explosion quickly.” Starlight didn’t say anything as she got up and stood up on all four hooves with some difficulty. The changeling then turned around to Trixie, who had just awoken. The changeling looked at them both, turned around, and walked to an opening that appeared to lead to a clearing. He waited patiently as Starlight and Trixie rose and walked over with a bit of difficulty--over to the changeling. With binoculars around his neck, he walked to the end of the opening into the clearing. Trixie and Starlight stared at the changeling, not sure if they could trust him or not. They looked at each other for a few moments before deciding that, hey, we’ve got nowhere else to go. So the two trotted off and followed the changeling, with some difficulty, but still keeping up nonetheless. “It’s almost halfway charged, sir.” said a blue android, talking to Nano, who was now donning a purple cape, and Buttermoon. “Absolutely excellent.” Said Nano, looking up to the mothership that hung now over Canterlot. “No resistances formed at all?” “None that we can note or track down, sir.” As Nano and the android continued to talk, Buttermoon looked around as he saw a ring of dark clouds circling around Canterlot, with a giant portal that had numerous troops coming in like some alien invasion. Actually, it was exactly that, an alien invasion. The town below was a fortified warbase, and the cloud city above him had become more cannon fodder for the mothership to suck in and use for fuel, the rainbows proving most effective. He sighed, wondering why he was even talked into this in the first place. Then, he remembered. “But they still hate me, anyways. I was dragged along with that cold, heartless soldier, and since I was his accomplice, I took equal blame when he finally fell. Called me a coward in his final words.” Buttermoon sighed. “Mmm, I think I can help with that.” Said the large, dark stone giant as he walked back into the dark hallway. Buttermoon looked at the barren castle. No windows except for some above him, and six large pillars circling it. The large stone giant returned with something in his hand. It was softly beating, the only sound besides it was the echoes of the corridors. “You don’t mean you’re going to…” “Yes, Buttermoon. This has proven largely effective. No one has been able to regret their choices with the dark heart. When I put this in, you will be under the control of whoever you are matched up next.” Buttermoon’s insides flopped as he backed up. “Sir, I don’t think that this is a necessary course of acti--” “Horsedung, Buttermoon. You joined this guild for one reason: To destroy and serve. That is, and that will always be your prime directive. I don’t care how “young” you are. You will serve us with your life. Understood?” Buttermoon began to nod, and then quickly dashed off towards one of the looming corridors. “FLOATERS!” the giant screamed. Suddenly, a horde of sixty or so figures cloaked in white and blood red holding weapons like swords and scythes suddenly appeared out of nowhere, lighting up the room with simply their appearance. “We’ve got a traitor here! Get out there and stick this in him.” the giant shouted, holding up the heart. One of the floaters took the heart, wincing the tiniest bit. It rallied up all the troops in the center, and then split them all off into different corridors. “Buttermoon?” Nano was waving his hand in front of Buttermoon’s face as he stared off into the distance. “Oh, yeah?” Buttermoon shook his head. “We’re getting on one of the troopships to fly to Taco Bell to celebrate our success so far. Wanna come?” Buttermoon, seeking to cure the traumatic flashback he had just had, nodded and followed Nano into the troopship. Once everyone was inside, the ship blasted off towards the sky and into the far reaches of somewhere else. While every troop and every android buzzed about everything they’d done that day, Buttermoon just sat in the corner, doing nothing. Nano, noticing Buttermoon’s sulking, went over and sat down next to him. “Hey, Butters, you okay?” Buttermoon lifted his head up slightly. “Ah, I’m fine. Just…thinking about stuff.” Nano, sensing the discomfort in his words, put his arm around Buttermoon’s neck. “Hey, dude, just because I’m the villain of this fanfiction doesn’t mean I’m any less of a caring person. If something’s troubling you, just let me know. I haven’t made you do something you didn’t want to, did I?” “You made me send bees out on a town.” Buttermon chuckled. “I accidentally did that. Once I realized my mistake, well, it was too hilarious to stop. I didn’t know you did until way later due to the heart thing.” “Yeah, okay, thanks, Nano. You’re the first one I’ve worked with who isn’t extremely one-dimensional.” Nano got up. “Eh. No problem, talking horse.” “Okay. Thanks, bobblehead.” Buttermoon stretched his hooves. “Oi, we’re almost there.” After getting everyone’s orders, the troopship floated into the drivethrough. Nano opened the window and peered his head outside. “Hello, welcome to Taco Bell, what can I get you today?” Nano looked at the list he made with all the gathered troop’s orders. “Alright, I’ll have two number nines…”
