Chapters CHANGELING Book 3: Renegades
Rainbow Dash didn't want to admit it, particularly to herself, but she was exhausted. Her new arm felt heavy and threw off her balance. She leaned against a tree catching her breath. It was still early, the morning sun hadn't yet peaked over the horizon, which is what she wanted. She didn't want her classmates to see her like this.
"Come here often?" a voice said behind her. Turning around swiftly, Rainbow took up a fighting stance, spreading her legs shoulder width apart and balling up her fists. Rainbow was surprised to see Principal Celestia standing on the tail in the moonlight.
"Making up for lost time." Rainbow answered between breaths, "I spent over a week on my ass, I can't let that slide."
Celestia nodded, she didn't want Rainbow to over exert herself, but she new from experience that an early morning run was therapeutic.
"Well, its another mile and a half from this spot back to camp." Celestia said finally.
Rainbow looked down the trail, did some stretches, and then took off down the trail at a brisk jog, with Celestia close behind. Returning to camp, Celestia headed toward the cabin she shared with her sister. Rainbow, meanwhile, headed in the direction of the cabin she shared with her friends. All of her friends were still asleep, except for Spike who in the aftermath of Sunset's death had taken on a watchdog approach to guarding the rest of the girls.
"Where did you go," Spike asked as Rainbow flopped down to her bunk.
"Just went for a run." Rainbow answered not looking at Spike. On the bunk above Rainbow's, Fluttershy stirred and was mumbling in her sleep. Suddenly she shot up.
"SUNSET!" Fluttershy cried out. Rainbow jumped out of bed and began to console her best friend.
"It's ok Fluttershy," Rainbow said, "you had a nightmare, why don't you tell me about it."
Fluttershy looked nervous.
"Do you think it will help," Fluttershy asked. Rainbow nodded.
"I was dreaming of the day that Sunset, well you know," Fluttershy said looking at Rainbow's cybernetic arm, "but instead of being hit by that rocket, Sunset turned into a giant bird of fire before being reduced to ashes."
"A Phoenix," Twilight yawned, "in your dream Sunset turned into a Phoenix."
"Sorry if I woke you," Fluttershy said.
"Y'all kinda woke all o' us Sugarcube," Applejack said, "but it's about time to get ready fer breakfast."
"Sorry," Fluttershy said, hiding behind her hair. The other girls just smiled. At least somethings never changed. The girls began to get ready for breakfast. Twilight looked longingly at her phone. It was dead, just like everyone else's. It wasn't that there was no place to charge them, but Luna had confiscated the battery to everyone's phones when they arrived at camp. Twilight wished that she could her parents.
Breakfast proved to be a little exciting, if slightly embarrassing for Rainbow Dash. She had picked up a glass of orange juice with her cybernetic arm and overcompensated her grip, which had the effect of shattering the glass and spilling juice on both her and Applejack. It also caused her arm to short out and pick-up.
"GOD DAMMIT!" Rainbow exclaimed, which caused everyone in the mess hall to stop what they were doing and turn to look at her.
"Is everything ok Rainbow Dash," Luna asked.
"Just peachy," Rainbow said through gritted teeth. Then she noticed everyone looking at her. Quietly, she got up and exited the mess hall.
"Should we go after her," Applejack said, looking at her friends.
"No, she needs a moment to herself," Luna said, "besides I know someone who can get through to her."
Rainbow wandered into the woods and eventually found a tree in a secluded part of the woods. She sat with her back against it, her right arm on her knees and her head resting on her right arm.
"Watcha doin' Rainbow Dash?" a voice suddenly said. Rainbow looked around, but she didn't see anyone. Then she looked up.
"Scootaloo," Rainbow said, "you're in a tree."
"Yep," Scootaloo answered like it was normal for her to be in a tree.
"Let me rephrase that," Rainbow said, "why are you in the tree?"
"Because you're under it." Scootaloo said.
"What? Oh nevermind," Rainbow said, "are you just being annoying on purpose, or are you here to stare at the freak of CHS?"
"You aren't a freak," Scootaloo said as she jumped out of the tree.
"Have you looked at me lately," Rainbow said frustrated, "I'm different and broken."
"Yes you are different!" Scootaloo stated as she pointed at Rainbow's cybernetic arm, "but the problem isn't here."
Scootaloo pointed at Rainbow's heart, "it's here."
Rainbow was shocked by Scootaloo's statement.
"When did you get so wise, kid," Rainbow asked.
"Eh, I have my moments," Scootaloo replied with a smirk.
Across camp, Fluttershy was feeding some birds to keep her mind off of her dream the previous night. It wasn't helping. Her thoughts kept drifting to her nightmare. She felt as though the Fates were trying to tell her something, but whatever it was she couldn't figure out. She had spent most of the morning thinking about it, and she had even written down what she could recall from the dream, but it still made no sense to her.
Fluttershy hoped her little bird friends would get to their nests safely, there was a red-tailed hawk circling overhead.
Meanwhile on the camp office, Celestia was speaking with Luna and Chrysalis.
"Luna is right Celestia," Chrysalis said, "the students are getting restless, they want to strike back at Tirek."
"I swore that I wouldn't allow these children to come to any harm," Celestia responded.
"Tia, you can't expect to keep such an oath," Luna answered, "Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Bon Bon, all of our missing students."
Celestia looked at Luna and scowled. She was about to answer when another voice did.
"I think you should allow your students to decide." everyone in the office turned and looked at Discord, who was standing in the doorway.
"Discord!" Celestia said through gritted teeth, "they aren't pawns in your personal war with Tirek."
"Be that as it may," Discord answered, "you have several students who can do naturally what Tirek has been trying to do for ages."
Discord opened his briefcase and took out some files and laid them on the desk in front of Celestia.
"Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle," Discord said from memory.
"Sunset Shimmer is dead, and Rainbow is crippled for life," Celestia countered.
"That's a shame," Discord said, "Ms. Shimmer is arguably the most powerful of those girls."
"Is that all you care about!" Celestia fumed.
"Not at all," Discord said calmly, "I wish nothing more for the children under your care to grow up and to not have to get involved, but sadly the universe it seems has other ideas."
"Fine," Celestia said, "we'll discuss it with the students after dinner."
Author's Note
And we're back to the Dream Catcher Saga. This installment is the last planned part of the saga at this time. I may return to it at a latter date with new stories and such.
In my first draft for this chapter, I had Luna confronting Rainbow in the morning, but I had established in the previous story that Celestia was doing early morning runs.
CHANGELING Book 3: Renegades
Sunset's eyes snapped open. She found herself in a void. The last thing she could remember was surrendering herself to her inner demon, everything after that had felt like she had been watching everything unfold from afar. Sunset tried to look around, but she wasn't sure which way was up or down. It was giving her a case of vertigo.
"Am I dead," Sunset said aloud to no one.
"Now that is an interesting question," A voice said. Sunset saw a serpentine creature approaching her. The creature had a lions paw and an eagles claw, a hoof and a dragon claw. One w
"You're a draconequus," Sunset said, I've seen a statue of your kind in the Canterlot gardens."
"I'm no longer bound in that prison of which you speak, thank you very much," Discord answered.
"I know that you must have many questions my wayward student," a voice that Sunset recognized as belonging to Princess Celestia said. Sunset watched in awe as the Princess of the Sun materialized in front of her.
"What is going on," Sunset asked, "did you save me?"
"Magic more powerful and ancient than mine prevented your death," Celestia answered, "Destiny isn't done with you yet Sunset Shimmer."
"Do you have to be so cryptic," Sunset said, "just tell me what I have to do."
"Sunset, we would love to tell you more," Discord said, "but the truth is, we don't know."
Sunset looked at both Celestia and Discord. She didn't know how, but somehow she new they were telling her the truth. She could also tell that there was something that they weren't telling her.
"You are needed in the human world Sunset," Celestia said, "I wish that you could remain with me."
"If the human world needs me, could you send an army," Sunset asked, "with Equestria's help we could easily win."
"Unfortunately," Celestia said, "this task is for you, we are already risking much by staying here."
"But how am I supposed to defeat them," Sunset cried.
"You have all the knowledge you need," Celestia answered, "you must continue your journey alone."
"Plus the portal that connects the Human world with Equestria has been destroyed." Discord said.
"I'm scared," Sunset said, "what if I fail?"
"We all have something that we fear," Celestia said, "I have watched you grow and mature, you won't fail."
Sunset reached out and wrapped her arms around Celestia.
"I'm going to miss you," Sunset cried.
"Don't worry," Celestia said, "we'll see each other again little one."
"Tia, its time," Discord said as a portal formed before Sunset.
Sunset looked at the portal, then she looked back at Princess Celestia and the Lord of Chaos. She could see tears in their eyes as she stepped through the portal.
"Do you think she can do it Discord," Celestia asked after the portal had closed, "can she bring balance to both worlds?"
"She is our daughter," Discord answered.
Author's Note
I know that this chapter is really short. And I tried for a long time to make it longer, but in the end this is all I had. So here it is.
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."
