The Sinister Plot

Being a ‘spy’ is never easy for a changeling.

There's the threat of being found out and captured looming over them at all times.

At any moment, a pair of guards could break down the door to Cicada’s quarters and arrest her on charges of treason.

Needless to say, tension and stress levels were high, but that wasn't even the worst of it, not by a long shot.

No, the position she was in was far worse than that of a normal spy.

She was an agent, serving her queen and her nest, the very same nest Amethyst destroyed, but she wasn't just any agent.

Cicada was a double agent.

Working alongside Amethyst and the other ponies to foil Queen Chrysalis’’ sinister plot was only a performance, and Cicada considered herself to be quite the actor.

She dressed herself, looking in the bathroom mirror that showed her who she really was, a black beast with a jagged horn, riddled with holes.

Cicada closed her eyes and concentrated, thinking about her pony form, the form of Gem.

She had been masquerading around as a pony for so long that it hardly took any effort for her to change.

In the blink of an eye, the changeling had been replaced by a beautiful mare.

Tilting her head from side to side, she observed her face, even raising a hoof to brush her messy mane out of her eyes.

Gem leaned into the mirror, staring into her own eyes.

She got so close to the point where each hot breath left a cloud of steam on the reflective surface.

Satisfied with her look, she took up a brush and attacked her mane, combing the thick bristles through the tangled forest behind her horn.

It took some effort, but Gem knew she needed to look her best.

Earlier, she had been invited by Amethyst herself to accompany her and her friends to the Palisades Strip, the ‘flashiest’ place in the entirety of the empire.

Having never been there herself, Gem wasn't sure of what to expect.

Silly, pony things came to mind, though.

By the way Amber talked about it, she could foresee shopping in her near future.

Being a changeling from the frozen north, Gem internally felt she was above such things, but Amethyst personally requested that she go with them.

Then, there was that hug…

As Gem stumbled out of the bathroom and towards her bed, she replayed the moment in her head again and again.

Each time, her heart ached in her chest.

Before she and Amethyst departed, the mare had hugged her and told her she had been forgiven.

That was the moment Gem felt something she had never once felt before, and that was self-doubt.

The true affection shown to her by Amethyst made the changeling doubt in her ability to carry out her mission.

She had never had this kind of trouble, not once.

Time and time again, she had done what needed to be done. She had lied, cheated, stolen, and killed to serve her hive, her queen, and herself.

“What has she done to me…”

Cicada held a hoof to her head as she began to sway.

Her thoughts shifted to her mission, to her duty, but they always seemed to return to Amethyst and the hug they shared.

She remembered pushing the mare away and storming off in a frenzy of conflicting emotions.

Even Queen Chrysalis was beginning to suspect the truth.

If the queen ever came to the conclusion that she had formed an attachment to a pony, she'd be cast out of the hive, just like Mantis.

“Amethyst, you wretched mare… I am not in love…”

Then again, Mantis was doing quite well for himself.

He seemed to have everything going his way and more.

“I… I'm not…”

Cicada fell on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.

Her eyes became fixed on the dim light glowing above her.

“I'm not… in love…”

A soft breath escaped her lips as she sank further into the sheets.

Cicada kept her eyes glued to the light, repeating herself over and over again like a mad mare.

“I’m not in love… I'm not in love… I'm not in love…”

A loud knock on the door alarmed her, causing the mare to jump out of the bed.

Quickly clambering to her hooves, she looked towards the door.

“Gem? Gem, are you in there?”

It was Onyx.

Relaxing slightly, she approached the door, and using her magic, she turned the handle, opening it for the stallion.

“Y-Y-Yes?” She brushed her fallen mane out of her eyes as they met the sergeant’s. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Onyx gave her a concerned look.

His eyes rose from hers and shifted around her room before coming back to meet hers again.

“I… just came by to remind you about our evening plans. Amethyst wanted me to make sure you'd be ready in time.”

Gem glanced over her shoulder at a clock on the nightstand by her bed.

“Time? What time?”

The clock read fifteen past eight.

By now, the Palisades Strip would surely be teeming with activity.

She quickly turned back to face Onyx, her cheeks turning red as she realized how quickly time had escaped her grasp.

“Yes, of course… I was just getting ready.”

Silently, Gem wondered if he had heard her rambling.

She already felt like her grip was slipping. The last thing she needed was other ponies thinking the same thing.

Onyx expected more of a response, but after several seconds of awkward silence between them, he came to the conclusion that it would be best for him to wait with the others.

He nodded his head, taking a step back.

“Right… I'll leave you to it, then.”

He turned to leave before stopping with his back turned.

“We’re leaving in ten minutes. Amethyst is having us meet by the steps just outside the palace.”

Then, he began to walk down the corridor, the clopping of his hooves on the floor growing softer with each step.

Gem bit her lower lip as she watched him leave.

Then, she raised a hoof and called out after him.

“Onyx, wait!”

The stallion spun around, half expecting some kind of danger to jump out at him, but no such thing came.

Instead, Gem approached him.

Her head was low, and her eyes kept to her own hooves.

“Onyx, I… I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier today… Attacking you and Amethyst like that was wrong of me.”

*I’ve forgiven you…*

Amethyst’s words echoed in Gem’s mind as her gaze rose to meet the stallion’s eyes.

*It’s time you forgave yourself…*

For a brief moment, Gem wasn't even sure why or how she was doing this.

It was as though her mind was no longer controlling her movements.

She screamed internally.

Gem wanted to run back into her room and slam the door shut.

She wanted to run far away to the cold and desolate wasteland she knew so well.

She wanted things to be the way they used to be, when life as a changeling was simple, before she discovered love.

Frozen in place by her conflicting emotions, she was unable to resist as Onyx placed a firm hoof on her shoulder.

“Hey, it's alright, Gem.”

Then, everything stopped.

All of the shouting voices in her mind ceased at once, and everything was quiet.

She felt still and at ease, all except for the thundering in her chest, her beating heart.

“You were just testing Amethyst, making sure she was ready for a surprise attack.”

He retracted his hoof, raising it and rubbing the back of his head.

“I mean… You did break the door down and ruin the wall, but it's not like anypony got seriously hurt.”

Gem blinked, cocking her head to the side.

“I… I knocked you unconscious… How can you be so quick to forgive me?”

Onyx managed a weak smile.

“It was just a bump on the head… Besides, you've done worse before.”

That made Gem laugh.

She couldn't stop herself from bursting into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

In a way, she knew he was right.

She had done worse, and she found his simplistic way of viewing things to be hysterical.

Gem had forgotten everything she was supposed to do, regarding her mission.

All she could think about was her new friends and the joy they caused her.

She had never laughed so hard in her entire existence.

“Right…” Onyx was backing away now, smiling politely as he turned to leave once again. “Well, don't forget that we're leaving very soon. We'd hate to miss you.”

Gem nodded her head quickly as she began to recover.

“Yes, yes…” She waved her hoof dismissively as she fought to suppress the ‘snickers’ that were slipping through her lips. “I'll be there.”

Then, she turned and bolted down the corridor, back towards her room, not to get away from the ponies, though.

She needed to find her fatigues, the ones Amethyst gave her.

As Royal Guards on a night out, they'd be wearing what they called ‘soft armor’.

The most decorated guards had their fatigues covered in badges and medals.

It was essentially a way to show off in public when off duty.

Gem threw the clothes on, stepping into the coat, which boasted a royal ‘purple’ color.

The finishing piece was a beret of the same color.

Using her horn and the magic within, she carefully placed the cap on her head, just behind the base of her horn.

Looking into the mirror on top of the dresser, Gem smiled, baring her teeth.

Then, her eyes fell, and she found herself looking not at herself, but at a small vial just to the left of the mirror.

It was filled with a clear liquid and topped with a black cap.

Like a distant memory, Queen Chrysalis’’ instructions came trickling back.

*You are to give her this…*

Cicada looked at the vial, then back up at the queen.

*Will this… kill her?*

Chrysalis shook her head.

*Not immediately, my child. This will weaken Amethyst and drain her life slowly to the point where she will pose no threat. Her death will be agonizing slow, and by the time she realizes something is wrong, it will be too late.”

She grinned maliciously, causing Cicada to back up against the stall.

*No pony will be able to stop it, and Amethyst will pay for what she did to us with her life.*

The mares’ restroom seemed to grow much colder as Cicada took the vial.

*Of course, my queen…*

Gem stared at the vial.

She raised a hoof, reaching for the poison, but her hoof stopped short.

“No…”

Her eyes narrowed and her hoof lowered.

“Not this time, my queen…”

Gem checked herself in the mirror one last time before storming out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

***

When the guards saw Gem running towards them, they grew delighted looks.

Like her, they all wore their off-duty fatigues.

Amber and Onyx, the two sergeants, both had a considerable amount of shining badges and medals decorating their uniform.

Amethyst, being the captain of the Royal Guards, nearly blinded Gem as she got closer.

She was out of breath as she came to a stop in front of the officers.

“I… I'm here…” Gem took a moment to gather herself. “Are we leaving?”

Amethyst grinned at her, nodding her head.

“Yeah… We’re just waiting on Shining.”

Gem looked around them, searching for the prince, but he was nowhere in sight.

“I wasn't aware Prince Armor would be joining us.”

Amethyst realized she had been misunderstood, and quickly shook her head.

“Oh, no, Shining isn't coming with us. He's promised to look after Pyrite for the night. I suggested to him that he let my baby and his own daughter have a… ‘play date’.”

She smiled at the memory of that particular conversation.

“He didn't exactly jump at the idea, but Princess Cadence was all for it.”

Gem noticed too that the little trickster was among the group.

Pyrite, who was hiding behind Amethyst’s legs, came out and stood in her favorite place, the center of everypony’s attention.

“I pway with Fwurry Heart!”

She seemed determined to let everypony know how much fun she'd get to have that evening.

“Guess what, daddy! I get to pway with Fwurry Heart!”

Onyx smiled down at her.

“Yes, I know, sweetie. You've told me many times.”

Gem pursed her lips and frowned slightly.

“You aren't at all worried? A queen her age can have great influence on other foals around her, even though she may not mean to. That's why Chrysalis was so desperate to…”

She stopped herself, not wanting to remind everypony of her checkered past.

“I know what you mean, Gem.” Amethyst placed a gentle hoof on her daughter’s back and rubbed her affectionately.

“Princess Cadence promised me she'd watch them the whole night. I trust her completely.”

Gem nodded carefully as her eyes fell on Pyrite, and Pyrite looked back at her with wide eyes.

The ponies said nothing as they waited for Shining.

Luckily, they didn't have to wait long.

Moments later, Shining appeared with Emerald by his side.

Emerald took his place by Amber, and Pyrite, enthusiastic as ever at the promise of a play date, ran after the prince as he began walking back towards the palace.

Ready to get their night underway, the guards left the palace behind them and headed into the city.

***

Gem had never seen the Palisades Strip at night, and the beauty of the culture-saturated district dazzled her.

Lights flashed wherever she looked.

Mantis looked equally impressed. Amber had to drag him by his hoof, because he'd stop every few steps to stare at whatever captivated his attention.

Everywhere they went, ponies smiled and waved, some even approaching them directly to thank them for their service.

After a while, the smiling began to hurt.

Gem felt like her lips were glued into position, and she couldn't feel her cheeks.

Pony after pony came up to her just to shake her hoof or wish her a good night.

She felt unworthy to receive such praise, after all she had done in an attempt to topple the empire.

She wasn't a guard.

She was a liar.

“Gem? Gem, are you alright?”

Emerald shook her shoulder to get her attention, and Gem realized she had been glaring.

She still showed her teeth like she was smiling, but it looked more like a snarl.

“Is something wrong?”

Gem shook her head, quickly correction her outer appearance.

“No… I'm fine. It's just…”

Then, she realized just how much her cheeks hurt, her jaw too.

Emerald wrapped a hoof around her as they continued to walk.

“Hey, it's alright… We're here to enjoy ourselves. Let's have a little fun with our friends without thinking about the past.”

Gem scoffed at him.

“They may be your friends, Mantis, but to them, I'm just an asset.”

Emerald shrugged his shoulders.

“That's not what Amethyst told me. She seems to think the two of you are great friends.”

Gem shook her head, trying to keep her voice low.

“No… Friends care for each other. I don't care for her.”

Emerald retracted his hoof.

“Hmm…”

She shot him a weird look.

“What?”

He shook his head as a smile came across his lips.

Gem kicked his hoof with her own.

“What? I demand you tell me.”

But Emerald didn't say anything. He just laughed as he left her behind to join Amber up ahead.

Gem felt very annoyed, but she kept walking.

***

Eventually, the guards got hungry and found a place to settle down.

It was an outdoor salad bar at the farthest end of the strip.

A large patio rose from the ground. Tables and chairs covered the platform, and the bar itself resided towards the back.

As the guards stepped onto the patio, a server immediately greeted them and lead them to a large, round table.

“Thank you for joining us tonight.” The server, a pretty mare, bowed graciously. “It is a rare privilege to serve our Royal Guards. I'll return soon to take your orders, but may I start you with anything to drink?”

Amethyst and Onyx shared a quick glance, both thinking the same thing.

“We have a big day tomorrow… We’ll both just have water.”

Mantis threw his hooves in the air.

“Not me. Give me something with a buzz, please!”

The server chuckled and nodded her head as she jotted down the request.

“Of course, sir… For you, miss?”

Amber nodded towards Amethyst.

“I'm with them. I'll just take a water, please.”

The other guards were talking amongst themselves now as the server circled the table, coming to a stop behind Gem.

Not waiting for her to ask, she gave her order anyway, hoping the server would thank her for being decisive and not difficult.

“I'll have a water as well.”

The server didn't write down her request like she did with the others.

Instead, she reached into the pocket of her apron and revealed something small.

“Actually…” The server leaned in close, almost breathing down Gem’s neck. “I have just the thing you might need for a fun night out…”

Gem wasn't interested in anything special. She only wanted water.

“Thank you, but I think I'll just stick with…”

Her voice trailed away until it faded completely.

It was the vial, the one she had left behind.

“It'll make any night one to remember…”

Gem looked up at the server and saw a fleeting glimpse of ‘green’ shimmering in her eyes.

At a loss for words, Gem could only hold her breath as she placed the vial in front of her.

“If Amethyst doesn't drink this, you will pay the price, Cicada… Do not fail me again, or I will kill you and her myself.”

Gem quickly hid the vial in her uniform, but when she turned around to spot the server, the pony had vanished.

No pony else seemed to notice.

Her heart pounded against her chest. She could hear it thundering in her ears, drowning out everything that was happening around her.

“Gem?”

Her night had completely turned around.

What was supposed to be a carefree night with the other guards turned into a nightmare.

“Hey, Gem?”

She didn't want to do it, but she had to. It was her duty. Her queen demanded it, and she had to obey.

A gentle hoof shook her shoulder. It was Amber’s.

“Gem, what's wrong? You're sweating.”

It dawned on her that Amethyst was trying to talk to her.

Snapping back to the reality around her, she grabbed her napkin and wiped her forehead.

“I'm… I’m sorry. I'm just a bit nervous about tomorrow…”

It was a lazy and unbelievable excuse to explain her problem, but it was the only one Gem could pull out of thin air.

Amethyst cracked a silly grin.

“What… Are you talking about the gala? Come on, Gem, it'll be fun. We’ll dance, sing, and eat the best food Canterlot has to offer, all while protecting Shining and Cadence, of course.”

Gem put on a fake smile.

“Right… I shouldn't be nervous about something so trivial…”

Onyx joined in.

“Exactly. It's a huge responsibility, but it's also a great privilege. Amethyst had three guards to choose, and she chose you.”

Her fake smile began to waver.

*I wish you hadn't…*

The thought of hurting Amethyst brought pain to her chest. She could feel her heart sinking lower and lower.

Amethyst reached across the table, placing her hoof on Gem’s

“The gala isn't until the day after tomorrow, but it will be a day to remember, that's for certain.”

She looked at the vial tucked away in her coat.

*If Amethyst must drink this tonight, then that's what she'll do…*

Another server came with the drinks.

Being the closest, they came by Gem first.

Amethyst tried to reach for a glass that she assumed to be hers, but Gem stopped her.

“Wait, Amethyst…”

Thinking on her hooves, Gem took the first glass, which was hidden from the other ponies’ sight by a dessert menu.

“I think mine is the one without ice…”

Everypony gave her a strange look, but she brushed them off.

“Wh-What? I don't like ice…”

Amethyst waited patiently for her to finish, and after just a moment, Gem passed her glass along.

The captain accepted it graciously.

“Thank you, Gem.”

Gem couldn't even bring herself to smile back at the pony.

“You're… welcome…”

The vial was now empty in the inside pocket of her uniform.

Her job had been done.

*Amethyst, forgive me…*

Amethyst raised her glass into the air, followed quickly by the other guards.

“Tonight, we celebrate our companionship. This one is to the Crystal Empire.”

Everypony murmured in agreement before turning the glasses towards their mouths and letting the drinks fall.

***Up Next: Selfless Love [1]***