Somewhere in the Badlands.

On the edges of Equestria, there lies a land of pure evil. On its border, a small outpost sits housing a battalion of guards waiting for an unknown evil. Here our story begins within a small patrol.

Why did I ever agree to this? When the Staff Sergeant said this would just be "a normal patrol on the roads around the outpost" I knew something was going to go south.

My team and I had not marched ten minutes through the scorching sun when we heard an unnaturally high pitched cry come from somewhere off in the distance. Running through the sand we made our way off the road towards the source of the sound. Arriving, we spotted a desert manticore and two changelings locked in battle. Sand was being kicked up everywhere as the desert manticore would charge the changelings only to be knocked back by their magic. It wasn't uncommon to find changelings on the edge of the badlands nor was it rare to see a desert manticore. What was intriguing was these two creatures usually left each other alone entirely. This worried me greatly...

"Sir... what are your orders," Private Still Fall asked.

Still was a coward. Best put, if he hadn't received orders to explicitly engage the enemy, he'd stand away from the battle watching and wait for a reason to risk his own life. Still was a mustard yellow earth pony with a cream-colored mane cut military style.

I turned to Still, "I'm not sure, Private," I scanned the area in front of us watching the fight take place. At this point, I had only been in the guard for about a year, just fresh out of training when I had been promoted to Sergeant for my outstanding problem solving and my unique magical ability.

We all stood crouched away from where the battle was taking place behind a conveniently placed boulder. Just over the top we could see sparks of green eldritch magic and hear the roar of the manticore. I knew that my team could easily take two changelings and an injured manticore, but something was holding me back. It felt like there was more to this than just a simple territorial dispute.

"Misty, get your green arse over here!" I ordered. Misty was one the pegasi of our group. She was one of the fastest fliers in our regiment and a damn good brawler too. Misty was a green pegasus with a white-grey two-toned mane, she had large bangs and a braided ponytail that ran down to her shoulders, her prettiest feature by far was her teal eyes.

"Yes, Sir!" I heard Misty gallop up next to me.

"Misty I want you to fly ahead of us back to the Outpost and report what we've seen. The boys and I are going to wait for the outcome of this fight before we engage. Is that clear Specialist?!" I spoke without turning my head away from the fight raging before our eyes.

"Yes, Sir... Should I return here or wait for your arrival at base?"

"Wait for our return. I think this will wrap up pretty quick," I turned and nodded, as she flew off leaving behind a small dust cloud.

At this point, I considered us lucky not to have been spotted by either creature. Changelings could be particularly nasty creatures to deal with. Small black insectoids they usually came in swarms of twelve, found patrolling their side of the border. For the next half hour, the changelings and beast battled it out. There were huge blasts of green magic and loud thumps from the manticore's multiple retaliations. What felt like an eternity later one of the changelings got a lucky shot on the manticore. With a large green blast that shook the ground beneath our hoofs, the manticore flew backward landing with a loud thump in the sand.

To everyone but the changelings, there was great surprise when the manticore began glowing a bright green color. There was a blinding flash and once my vision cleared I saw that the manticore had split into six changelings. Looking back now, I wonder how I missed such a key fact. The changelings all got upon their hoofs and gathered around each other. From what my team and I could see the two changelings who downed the 'manticore' were cheering and jumping in the air. While the team that had made up the manticore was grumbling amongst themselves.

"Damn," I whispered. There were way more changelings than my team and I could handle without reinforcements... or Misty.

"Sir... do we run?" I heard Stone Sheild say from the back. Stone was a huge earth pony. He had a charcoal colored coat, big slate colored eyes, and a white mane that hung down to his shoulders.

Stone Shield came from a small mining village in central Equestria. Before the guard, he was a miner just like his family had been for generations. Shield was not a very emotional pony he kept to himself mostly.

"If we run we'll give away our position you rock head!" I heard Dark Shadow hiss in reply. Shadow was a fellow unicorn like myself. He had a black coat, with a dark navy colored mane that was concealed by the hood he wore around.

Shadow grew up in Canterlot. His parents were both very prestigious nobles who owned a chain of clothing stores. At a young age, his parents had discovered Shadow’s innate magical talent and enrolled him full time in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Once he graduated he joined the guard academy hoping to put his magical talents to good use.

"Quit your squabbling. I've gotta think of a way to get us out of here," I ordered.

I sat down, closed my eyes and began to ponder the situation. Everyone knew not to talk while I was thinking unless they wanted to clean the latrine with their tongue. One young private had made the mistake even after his comrades had warned him. He's known as “Shite Mouth” among the regiment.

"Stone Shield, come mere'," I heard the large earth pony shuffle up beside me.

"Sir?" I heard him say from my right.

"How far can you throw your hammer?" I said looking right into his slate colored eyes.

"If you're asking if I can hit the changelings from here -" I nodded -" Then yes sir, without a problem." An evil grin crossed my face.

"Aim to hit the changelings that are celebrating. I do believe it will have the effect we seek." I gave him another nod as a go ahead.

He shrugged and took a step back to throw the hammer.

I heard a woosh and then a splat. Everything was silent for about five seconds before high pitched squealing filled the air. Taking a daring look around the rock I saw that he had killed the two changelings and the rest were milling about their dead friend's bodies.

Knowing they were distracted, I gave the hoof signal to engage. With a firm nod from each pony present, we all slowly crept around the boulder, making our way through the warm yellow sand to the backs of the distracted changelings. Now standing behind the changelings I mouthed a silent countdown.

"3. 2. 1," My lips moved giving the command for death to ensue.

I took my sword and plunged it through the black head of the changeling as green blood began to spew everywhere. I heard similar screeches knowing without looking up that my comrades had been successful in their killings as well. There were only two changelings left. They both took one look at us and bolted into the air with their insectoid wings creating a loud buzzing noise that seemed to fill the air.

Since none of us had wings I knew we'd never catch them on hoof, so I did the next best thing. With my magic, I gathered some of the sand around me and began to condense it into small glimmering shards of glass that began to reflect in the sunlight. Finishing the shards I used my magic to launch them at the changelings.

I never claimed to have great aim... Most of my shots flew past the changelings, but by Luna's moon, a few hit their targets and exploded into pieces after piercing the changeling’s flesh. The changelings fell out of the air throwing up a cloud of sand. Trotting over, my team and I saw that I had killed one of the changelings and the other had a few shards in his legs and wings.We all looked at each other, none of us knew what to do with a half-dead changeling.

Normally if we didn’t fully kill something we’d put it out of its miserable existence. But since this changeling had been fighting a manticore.... None of us really had any idea what to do with it.

Still broke the silence, "Do we kill it or...," We all just stared at the groaning changeling for a few more seconds.

"Just.... Shadow, pick the changeling up in your magic. We're bringing it back to base for our intelligence officers to examine," I was disgusted by changelings. They were the whole reason we had an outpost on the edge of this hellscape. There hadn’t been a full-blown changeling attack in almost five hundred years… But the princess, as well as the general, had decided to keep one outpost open as a way to patrol a small section of the border.

Shadow looked extremely displeased, but picked the changeling up with his magic and trotted back towards the boulder we'd hid behind not that long ago.

Stone went off to go find his hammer that left me and Still standing around a dead changeling. The changeling skin was bubbling up as the acid in its blood began to slowly dissolve its dead body. This was another reason why changelings were dangerous and so hard to study. We both took a glance at the changeling before turning and marching back to the boulder ourselves. Minutes later we were all gathered around the boulder ready to head back to the main road.

Making it back to the road safely the wind to picked up as I began to replay the events that had just taken place. Sifting through, one thing immediately stuck out me. The changelings had turned into a manticore! This was unknown knowledge... or no one had lived to tell the tale. Either way, we had to get this back to command ASAP.

"Just to clarify I'm not the only one who saw the changeling manticore... Right?" They all stopped dead in their tracks. With wide eyes, they stared at me for a few moments.

"No... I-I definitely saw that too," Shadow said worriment evident in his voice.

We were silent for the rest of the journey. No one dared speak... all that was heard was the whisking of the wind and the occasional chirps of desert cicadas. and the clopping of our hooves upon the sandy cobblestone. The road took us along for about an hour before we saw the outpost in the distance. Tired of fighting and marching in our armor we all let out a sigh knowing our long trek was nearing its end.

The Outpost called Sand Squash was a large camp surrounded by a spiked wooden wall with a thick wooden gate at its front. The walls themselves housed pegasi ready to take flight at a moment's notice into the ashy yellow sky. Also patrolling the tops of the walls were unicorns and earth ponies with crossbows.

To put it plainly, the outpost was a fearsome sight to anypony or anything that happened upon it.

Tired and our armor filled with sand we sent Stone to knock upon the gate. There were some shouts and the crank of a lever was heard as the gate slowly lowered. Once down we all trotted in Shadow still holding the bleeding changeling with his magic.

Once inside, we were greeted by a smiling Misty who eyed the changeling suspiciously before gesturing for me to follow her. I trotted over beside her as we began to make our way through the outpost.

"Is something wrong, Misty?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

She giggled, "Nothing like that sir. The Major wants to have a word with you, told me to grab you the minute you set hoof in base," She replied winking at me.

I sighed. The Major was a hard arse. He didn't take shite from anyone. He was an older stallion with a graying red mane bright blue eyes and a silver coat. He'd been in the badlands for the past twenty years watching the changelings and knew every in and out of this hellscape. He was the General’s right hoof pony which only made him seem scarier than the old stallion actually was.

I got a few nods as we walked through camp. I was well liked for a sergeant. Having just come out of training I was close with a lot of the soldiers stationed here. Misty and I slowly made it through the outpost passing ponies doing all types of things, from drinking some ale around a barrel to sawing up timber for a fire during the chilly nights...

Arriving at the front of the tent Misty turned to me, "Alright, sir it's all you! See you after he tears you a new one!" She laughed as she flew away.

I tried to laugh but nothing more than a small eep came out. I approached the standard khaki tent’s entrance, "Permission to enter sir?!"

I heard a grumbling and a shifting of papers before a reply came, "Permission granted come on in, Sergeant Dust!"

I pushed open the flap with a swoosh letting a gust of wind in with my entrance. Sitting in front of me at the end of the planning table was the Major and another stallion. The stallion had a two-toned blue and tourmaline mane, bright blue eyes, and a white coat.

The Major noticing my staring cleared his throat, "This here is Captain Shining Armor from Canterlot. He's here for a routine checkup but decided to stay longer after what Misty told us. Would you mind elaborating on your team's endeavors today?"

After a pause and a nod from the Captain, I began my tale.

"So you're telling me that six changelings turned into and out of a manticore?" The Captain asked wonderment apparent in his voice.

"Yes, Sir... As I stated we brought one the changelings back for the scientists and intelligence officers to take a look at," I replied having to yell a bit as a strong gust of wind shook the tent.

The Major sighed and sagged in his chair, "This is bad... I can't imagine what twenty changelings could transform into! A hydra? A Basilisk?!" The Major said voicing his worry.

The Captain put his head in hooves and sat there silently. The Major looked right at me with an almost blank face his piercing blue eyes searching my face for Celestia knows what.

After a long pause, the Captain began to speak, "I think you should come with me back to Canterlot Sergeant. The Princess', as well as my higher-ups, will want to hear about this from the source," The Captain said looking up at me.

"That sounds like a fine idea. Captain, please send the Princess' my regards," He nodded to the Captain and they both rose from their seats saluted and walked out the tent with me following closely behind the Captain.

The Captain had requested to have the captured changeling brought back to Canterlot. The Major had agreed and with two guards and a cage, we were off into the skies on a sky chariot.

We were high up in clouds soaring through the air towards the capital city of Equestria. Here a land of peace prospered outwards. Equestria hadn’t seen a war in almost four hundred years the last being a war with the Griffins who were now our allies. In my opinion, a lot of guards were untrained. The General and some of the officers, myself included, feared a war might destroy Equestria.

Equestria was behind in terms of technology. The minotaurs now had machines that built things on their own. The Griffins had developed weapons that shot black powder. Equestria had just manufactured her third train. We were the weakest country technologically, yet we remained the world power because of our magical powers.

Pulling me out of thoughts Shining Armor began to speak, "So Sergeant, I've heard some very interesting stories from some of our teachers at the Academy. They say you're one of the best thinkers they've seen in centuries. If I may be so bold as to ask why you aren't an intelligence officer?"

I shrugged, "I honestly have no idea, sir. I would have liked to have gone into either field -" I paused "- I guess my magical talent does match the area I work in," He looked extremely attentive as I spoke.

"You can drop the sir this is a conversation between two normal stallions, -" He looked over my tan body and sand colored mane. "- What happens to be your talent?" He smiled.

I mentally sighed realizing I hadn't told him, "I'm able to control dust particles such as sand, dirt, silt, etc. I can do a lot of different things with the dust as well. Heat it up, cool it down, force it together -" I paused "- You get the idea," I blushed a bit.

"Very interesting... I can see now why they sent you down to Badlands," He began to mumble and nod his head like he was agreeing with someone else.

He opened his mouth to say something but before he could one of the pegasi pulling carriage shouted, "Five minutes to Canterlot, sirs!"

Those five minutes later and we had landed on one of the large wooden landing pallets in front of the grand stone castle. Waiting for us was a gaggle of reporters and an escort of guards. We hopped off the carriage and were quickly surrounded by the guards, "We've been waiting for you, sirs. Please allow us."

With those words, I felt their magic charge in the air as all the unicorns in the escort began a mass teleportation spell. There was a white flash. Clearing my eyes I realized I was inside the throne room. Sitting in front of us on their grandiose gold and obsidian thrones were the Princess'.

All the guards dropped into a bow, "Rise, my little ponies," I heard a motherly voice echo around the room.

Looking up, both princess' were gazing upon us, "Leave us," I heard Luna order the escort with a wave of her hoof.

Ponies quickly shuffled out of the room. Leaving me with two of the most powerful beings in the world.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading the first chapter of a Land Down Under! I hope you'll stick around and enjoy the ride!

If you spotted any grammatical mistakes, spelling, or punctuation (or changelings). Please feel free to grill me in the comments.

Thanks again for reading!

-Some music that heavily inspired this story- A Land Down Under- Men at Work

Ps- No historical events this chapter! I have one or two planned to be mentioned next chapter! Stay tuned!