CHANGELING Book 3: Renegades

Applejack removed the screwdriver from Rainbow's arm, and closed the panel that she had been working on.

"Try it now Sugarcube," Applejack said, taking a moment to stand back. Rainbow looked down at her arm and made a fist before swinging it around and punching the air.

"What did you do," Rainbow asked, "it feels lighter."

"I rewired the circuitry and redirected the power flow," Applejack said, "it should have also increased your reaction time."

"Thanks AJ," Rainbow said giving her arm another look, "I wonder what kind of gadgets this thing has."

"I wouldn't try anything to crazy with it just yet," Applejack said, "I just fixed it."

Twilight was certain that she had never seen Principal Celestia so pissed off before.

"Luna, I don't believe you know what you are saying," Celestia said, "I nearly lost you the last time."

"Yes but with your help I overcame what that monster did to me." Luna replied, "besides, he is expecting us to just give up. He believes that he has already won."

"We can prove him otherwise," Discord added, "I don't know if you've noticed but most of your students want to avenge Sunset and their missing comrades."

"Oh," Celestia said on the verge of losing it, "I've noticed it alright. I know that Rarity talked the Diamond Dogs into sneaking back to the school and fetching Sunset's guitar."

"They needed a memorial." Luna argued. Celestia picked up a lamp off the desk and threw it at the wall behind Luna. Luna didn't flinch as the lamp shattered into thousands of pieces.

"Don't strain your arm," Discord reminded Celestia, "it's an older model than the one that Ms. Dash has been equipped with."

"Get out," Celestia said quietly, "all of you."

Each of them filed out of the office and into the crisp morning air.

"Vice-Principal Luna," Twilight said, "what did Mr. Discord mean about Principal Celestia's arm?"

Luna sighed.

"Several years ago, Luna and I worked for the agency that Discord is in charge of." Luna answered, "we were sent out on a mission to recover intel about Project CHANGELING. Things went sour fast. I was captured and expiramented on, and Celestia was nearly killed. She ended up receiving a 90 percent cybernetic prosthetic. She is the most advanced cyborg in the world, but it's something that she is ashamed of and it was shortly after she rescued me that we left Division Seven."

"But she looks human," Twilight said, "and she doesn't have the cold personality that someone with such extensive prosthetics should have."

"She has fought long and hard to maintain her humanity," Luna replied, "now she blames herself for my capture, and for Sunset's death."

"But there wasn't anything she could have done," Twilight said.

"She doesn't believe that," Luna answered.

Tired was getting impatient. Everything had been going to plan, and then his agents had allowed both Double Zero and Zero One to escape. On too of that they had been defeated by a girl that had turned into a demon before she sacrificed herself.

"Can we clean that up." Tired growled as he looked at the video monitor.

"Sorry sir," the technician replied, "solar flare activity is interfering with communication from Tartarus."

"I don't care about solar flares," Tired said, "we have a schedule to keep."

"They are coming through now Sir." The technician said as Commander Tempest

"Tempest, have you found them yet." Tired asked.

"We haven't been able to locate them from orbit," Tempest answered, "but I have dispatched my best agents dirtside to search the area around Canterlot."

"Find them," Tired growled, "and bring them in."

"Yes Sir."Tempest replied.

Smooze found himself rereading the files that they had hacked from King Enterprises. His eyes went wide when he realized what the files said. He shot up from his seat and began to run as fast as his short legs would carry him. He had to pass this information along to Discord and Chrysalis. He found them speaking with Celestia and the girl Fluttershy.

"Discord," Smooze said trying to catch his breath, "I know what, or actually who Tirek is after."

"Well spill it man," Discord said, "we don't have all day."

We know that Tirek is obsessed with advancing human evolution." Smooze said.

"Yes, and so far he has failed," Chrysalis pointed out.

"That's what we are supposed to think," Smooze stated, "but actually he has succeeded, twice."

"What,"Discord exclaimed, and who are these Neo-Humans?"

"From what I've learned from the files we took," Smooze explained, "Subject Zero Zero and Subject Zero One were both successful."

"We know that Luna is Double Zero," Chrysalis said, "who is Zero One?"

"Who ever it is, we need to find them before Tirek does," Celestia said.

"Um," Fluttershy said, "I think that I am Zero One, Crystal kept calling me that when she attack Applejack, Rainbow Dash and myself."

Everyone turned to look at Fluttershy. She couldn't tell if they were afraid of her or felt sorry for her. Celestia reached out and wrapped the girl in an embrace.

"Well," Discord said finally, "That solves one problem."

Luna found herself on the pistol range of the Division Seven base that had been secretly built under Camp Everfree. He had already fired two magazines of ammunition into a paper target. She was glad that she had a place to practice her marksmanship, since shooting was a perishable skill set. She felt someone walking up behind her.

"What does Discord have to say?" Luna asked.

"He thinks that we should fight," Celestia said, "I had hoped that we had walked away from this."

"We won't be free until Tirek is dead." Luna sighed.

"I don't want to risk giving you or Fluttershy over to Tirek." Celestia said.

"I will teach Fluttershy how to control her abilities." Luna said, "I am the most qualified."

"I'm glad to hear that you'll do that." Celestia said, "I just hope that this is the right thing. I don't want a repeat of what happened to Sunset."

"With all of us United, Tirek doesn't know what he has started." Discord said as entered the pistol range.

"If we do this," Celestia said, "We do it on my terms."