Whose Side Are They On Really?
Dan's Comments
DISCLAIMER: My Little Pony is the property of Hasbro, Inc. Harry Dresden is the property of Jim Butcher, Carl Kolchak is the property of ABC/Universal Television, Ranma Saotome is the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sailor Jupiter is the property of Naoko Takeuchi.

Uitorembina had named himRunner, since as a low-caste type unaligned with Baker or Scotty's faction, he was often tasked with carrying messages when they weren't speaking to each other. Running the messages between them. He'd noticed that ponies gave up that behavior as foals, only to pick it up as teenagers when hormones overwhelmed their developing brains. He was glad of the added name. Names given by your betters amounted to great currency among elves who collected new sobriquets, nom de plumes, epithets, and nom de gurres as bankers collected deposits and mortgage payments. And a name from the doughnut shop's new owner was high currency indeed.

He mourned the loss of Recurring Snow, but that was an identity he had to abandon. While he had met the necessary requirement, revealing that would have drastic consequences. Revealing he was neither an elf nor a pony would have even greater consequences. Rarely did he have to move as quickly as he did today. The chain of messages would take too long to reach the hive, and would lack the emotional appeal, and he would not be able to be cross-examined to provide all the intelligence the hive-queen would require.

He transformed into a pegasus, flew a good distance away from the city, resumed his native form and teleported the remaining distance to the secluded hive.

Comb was the second hive-queen he'd ever met. Chrysalis, brr, he thought as he let the guards check him, before he approached her. Like her name suggested, coming into her presence was like coming home to a restful place. In other moments he wondered if her power to put Lings at ease added to her intelligence gathering. Today, he thought, I don't care . . .yes I do, I'll need that calmness.

"My Queen," he said and bowed briefly to show obeisance, but not low or long enough to waste time,"I have not broken cover, but have broken protocol to save time." He paused long enough to let Comb glance at him, time being her most valued possession, she hated not to use every moment to the utmost.

"We should warn off the planned attack on Equestria, as these faux-alicorns and nightmares plague them. They have gathered a new set of defenders. One is a dragon more lethal and vicious than the Equestria variety, who slew Tirek out of hoof. Two are wizards, one who reportedly raised 60 million year old bones to make a battle-zombie, the other fought a legion of elves singlehandedly and won. Additionally, they have a magical female who regularly dispatches magical foes of Sombra's caliber. A martial artist who defeated a demigod single-handed and impresses the others with his skill. A ferreter of information who has survived more dark encounters than all the Element Bearers combined. And an alien my sources cannot even identify, except as an Outsider, implying outside of everything."

"Reliability?" Comb asked,"Specifics."

"Harry Dresden, is probably a match for an alicorn, he is beyond dangerous. The elves I have been working with speak about him in whispers, how he is being groomed as a thrall for their highest nobility, yet is too powerful to simply seize. His first major action as a youth was slaying a demi-god.

"Patrick Buchanan, the elves don't speak about him at all. Save that as rearguard facing the entire Shining Legion, some 3000 nobles and 12,000 elite troopers, a unit behind lost sight of them for 2 minutes, and when they arrived at the battlefield 10 minutes later, the Shining Legion was gone. Not corpses, not blood stains, gone. He was seriously injured by the Elements of Harmony, nearly killed by them, so he has one vulnerability.

"Makoto Kino, with her teammates, took on Sombra-level opponents on a weekly to monthly basis and Nightmare Moon-level once a season, and prevailed. Her allies are sufficiently ruthless, one slew her pair-bonded partner who was actually an infiltrator. She also was seriously injured by the Elements of Harmony, nearly killed by them, so she has that same vulnerability."

"Reports are she is trying to form these people into a coherent team," Comb added, "So that ability should be considered a power as well. Continue."

He nodded. "Carl Kolchak, no 't' in the name, has overcome a legion of supernormal foes with just his wits, research skills and determination. While unpowered, he cannot safely be discounted. If it has a weakness, he will find and exploit it.

"Ranma Saotome, also unpowered, but a skilled hand to hand fighter, and shrewd tactician, sufficient so he too overwhelmed a demi-god with his skills and mind. He also has alternate forms, so an untrained shapechanger, implying untapped mystical abilities."

"We may offer him control over them, to buy our lives," Comb said, "And I assume that this Makoto has been exerting effort to keep him in the hive she's building?"

"Yes, the last, we have no information on species, history or motivations, an alien of completely unknown capability, although Buchanan seems to know of them, the elves speak in whispers of 'Outsiders' but will divulge no more. This one withstood the Elements of Harmony without effect. He is also the only one of them who can understand Equestrian languages. The Equestrians have nicknamed him 'Bruce'."

"Anything further?" Comb asked.

"Not at this time, Highness," he said, "I would return to gather more data."

She nodded and he raced back to the bakery, hoping to avoid suspicion.

The Hive-Queen he'd left behind was now consumed by her own thoughts. These creatures are too dangerous, she considered, But if they are not hostile, then treating them as dangerous, may become a self-fulfilling prophesy. 'You look into the mirror and what you expect to see is what is.' That's what it means.

She considered the risks versus the time, and came to the same conclusion that her loyal infiltrator had. Some messages had to be delivered in person without the safety the normal chain of cut outs and dead drops provided. She sighed and teleported, finding herself in the isolated cave in the side of the Canterhorn. A suit of guard's armor awaited her, to change to form a similar suit would not be dangerous, but risked losing time, which was in short supply, and enhanced the chance of discovery which would cost more time. So she wore the physical trappings, as she shifted into a pegasus' form and raced through the cordons that surrounded the city, the government center, and only landed and cantered forward when she was in the royal sector proper.

She was glad the guards were reinforced enough to include an officer who would recognize the sigil that gave her access to this 'holy of holies'. Access yes, but not unverified, as the guard summoned Comb's patron and confidant in Equestria.

"Let her enter," Celestia said, and glanced at the guards,"No one, not even Princess Luna is to enter without my say."

The lieutenant gulped but nodded, letting Comb pass. The instant the door closed and locked, Celestia's magic, Comb found herself engulfed in a wings and forelegs hug that was the second reason for the armor as it creaked under the assault.

The Nymphs will dine well this month, Comb thought as the love directed at her streamed through and proceeded to the hive.

"I've missed you and our talks," Celestia said, and carefully removed Comb's helmet, "Or is this business?"

"A little of both," Comb said as she selected the combs and brushes,"I wonder what my fellowlings would think about my name being because of these, rather than a honeycomb?"

Celestia laughed. "Is it good news or bad?"

"A bit of both," Comb said as she began currying the Diarch,"I have an answer to your frightening dream, and a caution. Equestria is the mirror, and the creatures that came out of it, are your new allies. They will be friends or foes, depending on how they are treated."

Celestia facehooved. "I should have realized that," she said as she relaxed under Comb's careful grooming.

Rarity glanced around. The wizard had been doing quite well fighting the faux-alicorn and buying time to evacuate Ponyville, until two more of the 'bronicorns' showed up. Then he'd managed to thoroughly infuriate both of them. She put aside that the bronicorns could communicate simultaneously with the Equestrians and the newcomers, and concentrated on getting the slower and more panicky out of the line of fire. Twilight had fled the instant one of the faux-alicorns had proclaimed his 'love' for Twilight.

Rarity had never been happier at the arrival of more monsters. There was a soft boom, and the pair who'd gone to Canterlot arrived with Fluttershy and Rainbow. Oddly, an afterimage of them receded back towards Canterlot. Rarity filed that away as the male dropped off the female, and he began firing something into the burning thatch of homes that were collateral damage from the battle with the wizard. Whatever he was using, the fires vanished immediately. The female kept up a steady barrage of lightning to keep the other bronicorns away from the huddling citizens. The firefighter swept over the town putting down the myriad fires.

An oddly swirling lightning storm appeared on the ground, and Applejack's group appeared through it.

"Again, again, again!" Pinkie shouted, then her eyes went wide, "Sugarcube Corners!" She dashed towards the damaged bakery.

Twilight poked her head out of a rain barrel. She was spotted immediately.

"Twilight! I am your soul-mate, be my pegasister!" The bronicorn swooped down towards the panic-stricken mare.

He passed between the red and black clad newcomer, and the lightning thrower. Their fists converged on the bronicorn's skull, bring him to a complete halt and collapsing him onto the ground between them. Rarity sighed with relief, then gasped as the bronicorn stood up, unsteadily, but he still stood up.

He tossed his mane, and looked ready to toss his cookies. "You cannot harm a man who has dreamed the dreams I have," the bronicorn slurred as he wobbled on his hooves.

Lightning and Red-and-Black exchanged glances then switched their synchronized strike from the upper front of the bronicorn, to the lower rear. Even Rarity winced at that hit, and the thoroughly pacified bronicorn's Cutie Mark transformed into a rolled-up wood louse, eerily mirroring its owner. Rarity saw no sympathy, concern or triumph on the faces of the victors.

Red-and-Black walked over to the rain barrel and said something that meant nothing to Rarity. He turned back to Lightning and called out in a confused tone.

"The bronicorns speech can be 'heard' by both of us, " Rarity told Red-and-Black, who shook his head. Rarity frowned that the effect was exclusive to the bronicorns and she carefully shook Twilight to get the mare's mind back to somewhere it might be useful.

Mrs. Dresden's favorite son was not having any fun, Harry thought as the flying bolt-lobber made another strafing run, keeping Harry pinned down, but also keeping the feathered menace away from the ponies. He glanced over the town where pillars of white smoke rose. It's not my fault, he thought then considered he hadn't seen black smoke, White smoke means the fires are going out, hooray for our side.

His good cheer vanished as he saw who had come to assist him. Anyone but him, he thought as the Outsider brought the feathered menace under fire, and waved a tentacle at Harry, It isn't fair. First there was one, easily handled. Then three, trouble. But did I have to have a flippin' Outsider rescue me?

He dashed from his hideyhole and looked over the ponies coming out of their hiding places and surveying the damage to their homes, business, and civic institutions. "It's not my fault," he told them, then noted that the Outsider was returning with a thoroughly subdued feathered menace, to the cheers of the populace.

He followed and began helping with the clean-up.

Author's Note

rembina - entangled
uito (interjection) - it is not that (emphatic word for no?)