Chapter 1
The air itself lit on fire as the ship began to violently shake, the atmosphere doing nothing to protect the already damaged Recusant-class light destroyer as it fell toward the planet. The heat from atmospheric entry literally melting the armor as the bridge crew did everything they could to slow the descent into the lower atmosphere, it was still fast enough to create a sonic boom loud enough to be heard for hundreds of miles in all directions.
Somewhere south of Equestria in an active volcano
Queen Sanguine looked up as the loud clap echoed through her hive. Fearing the worst, she quickly sent her limited warriors to check the surrounding area, using her drone’s eyes to see for herself what was going on only to see a large fireball several times larger than anything she’d seen before. She blinked, her own vision returning quickly. “I really hope that isn’t the robot’s ship off the planet...”
Somewhere in the mountains
A hooded figure looked up quickly at the loud booming echo bouncing off the nearby mountains, quickly spotting the giant fireball as it soared overhead, aimed at what appeared to be an active volcano. After staring at the fireball in amazement, he followed it toward its destination filled with curiosity.
In a reasonably nearby town
A Pegasus filly watched as the large fiery something fell out of the skies above, scaring many other ponies in town into their homes.
In the sky
Debris rained down all around, fiery bits of metal impacting against mountains, embedding themselves in the rock while the ship itself continued to distort and fall apart before impacting into the side of a mountain. A shockwave followed the sound of impact that rolled across the landscape, echoing back off other mountains like some kind of symphony. The still brilliantly burning metal groaned as it rapidly cooled, weakening as upper structural parts collapsed to the ground in spectacular displays of fire and sparks.
In the active volcano
The queen continued to observe from the relative safety of her hive as metal and other debris began pelting the ground, soon followed by the main fireball. The drones outside took cover as it impacted the solid rock, sounding like Celestia herself had just violently destroyed something, the boom of impact echoed back. She watched along with her drones as debris continued to impact the outside of the hive, molten metal landing on top of the occasional unlucky drone. Seeing as how they could easily withstand temperatures up to 3000 Celsius, the hot liquid was no problem. However, the force of high-speed globs of melted dura-steel was plenty to thrown them for a loop. Other drones were quick to retrieve those unlucky enough to get hit, quickly brushing them off once within safety of not getting hit themselves. Sanguine couldn’t help but feel a little helpless as more debris fell from above, each impact causing a faint echo inside the hive’s tunnels.
Once the falling debris had slowed to a reasonable trickle, she sent warrior drones to investigate the hunk of hot metal. Watching through the eyes of the lead drone causing them to glow, she was aware of everything they were. As they got close, three statue-like things fell to the ground from the wreckage above, clanking and squawking as they landed. After a moment, they picked themselves up, and tilting their strange, beak-like heads this way and that at the surrounding mess of rock and metal. All three were beige, one with yellow markings on its head and chest while the other two had blue. The three drones silently landed at what they determined a safe observational distance, watching the three bipedal statue things warily.
A large chain of explosions across the top of the wreck, leaving the drones momentarily blinded as they shielded their eyes from the harsh light. “That’s not going to cause more stuff to fall on us, is it?” One of the drones wondered aloud before noticing the three metal statue things as they began to pick their way toward the drones through the mess of the crash. Finally, the three tall, skeletal beings made it past the wreckage proper and into more open ground before making their way straight toward the drones. The drones watched the approaching beings, tilting their heads in unison.
“What do you think they are?” The first drone asked.
“I have no idea.” Replied another. “Tall hosts?”
The third drone shook their head. “I don’t feel anything from them yet.”
Unknown to those gathered, they had a single pair of eyes watching from close by.
“Greetings, strange, colorful quadrupeds! I am B1-72624! And these are my crew members! As you can see, we had a small problem and our ship crashed.” The one with yellow markings spoke in an odd voice.
The drones looked between themselves with confusion, not sure what was going on. “B1...7...what?”
“B1-72624. These here besides me are B1-44498 and B1-91345.”
Close by, the eyes watched silently as the drones eyes seemed to lose focus as the numbers continued before the droids stared at them expectantly. “So,” One drone stated, pointing to the yellow marked droid. “B1-Seven, B1-Four, and B1-Nine?”
“No. Seven-Two-Six-Two-Four.” The soot-covered statue pointed to his equally covered companions. “Four-Four-Four-Nine-Eight and Nine-One-Three-Four-Five.”
Close by, the eyes hoped he was hidden well enough to not get noticed by anypony.
The drone’s eyes narrowed. “Why are there so many numbers in your names?”
“What even are you?” Another asked at almost the same time.
“Those are our serial numbers. They’re technically ten digits long, but it’s easier to shorten them to the last five when you’re only communicating with members on one ship” B1-72624 explained.
“So um... what are your names?” One of the other droids asked.
The drones glanced between themselves with confusion. “We don’t have names?”
“We’re only drones. Only royalty or specially prized drones within the hive are allowed names.” Another explained. Close by, the eyes began readying their blood potions, preparing for battle
Not long before, at the town
Ponies were running around, organizing an expedition into the mountains to investigate the impact zone. Nopony noticed the filly as she slipped out of town in the direction of the crash, set on investigating it herself.
Right after crash, at the edge of the debris field
A cloaked figure waited for the last of the debris to settle before deciding it was safe to leave his ‘shortcut’ and trotted towards the burning hunk of... something. He paused to tap a piece of debris in curiosity, idly noting the material.
Not far away, a certain filly spotted the cloaked figure. She immediately hid.
The cloaked stallion looked up from the debris and continued his steady trot.
The filly started to crawl toward the large burning object, staying out of sight.
The cloaked figure approached a generic looking rock, and pause to look around for any onlookers, only to spot the little... Something besides the debris he’d been studying a few moments ago. The filly, seeing the figure looking at her, froze. The stallion checked his appearance, making sure that he looked like a unicorn wearing a changeling mask before approaching whatever was on the ground by the debris. “Hello?”
She stiffened immediately upon hearing the voice. He got closer and closer, moving slow as to not startle what he now was sure was a pony, a Pegasus filly to be more precise. “Oh, hello there! What in the world are you doing in such a dangerous place?” He asked. She looked up at him. Looking around for anypony else, he only saw rocks and hot debris before looking down. “Did you come here alone?” He asked sternly. She stared right back, tilting her head to the side.
He sighed, taking a map out of one of his many hidden pockets, looking it over for the nearest pony settlement. “Well... Let’s take you home, little one.” The filly discreetly crawled away while he was occupied with the map. He glanced up and noticed her crawling away. “What are you doing? Running off?” She crawled up to a piece of metal and brandished it like a sword at him. “Cute.” He stated, prying the piece out of her hooves gently. “But no time for mock-sword fights.”
She grabbed it with her mouth and held on tightly enough to hang from it. He reached out with his hoof and tried to push her off to stick in his magic. She let go, dropping to the ground lightly. “Aha! Now let us get to safety, little filly.” He picked her up and gently settled her on his back, getting a pout from her making her opinion of being there clear.
A large chain of explosions along the top of the ship push him back a little as he flinched at the light. Glancing back to check on the filly, he noticed her laying on the ground. “Oh dear!” He exclaimed, rushing over and looked her over for injuries. She stared right back at him, causing him to sigh in relief. “You’re ok!” He cheered, setting the filly on his back once more before galloping in the direction of the pony settlement he’d seen on his map. If he’d been paying attention, he’d have noticed the three droids picking their way through the Wreckage not too far off.
Ahead, he spotted a group of ponies cautiously approaching the debris. Adjusting his course, he galloped toward them. “Hey there! Do any of you know this foal?” She started trying to slip off his back. “I found her wandering around when I came to investigate the crash.” Most of them shook their heads after recovering from the appearance of what, to them, first appeared to be a changeling in a cloak. He glanced back at the filly attempting to wiggle free of his grasp. “Okay then... Well, you’re here to investigate the crash site, right? Mind if we tag along?” A few of the ponies shrugged, and none raised any complaints, so he turned and walked besides them as the filly on his back continued trying to wiggle free.
After a couple moments, he noticed six indistinct figures a ways in the distance beyond some debris. “I think I see something up ahead.” He noted, shifting to let the filly follow his gaze better, falling still for a moment. His eyes narrowed as the figures came into better focus. “Wait a second...” He realized exactly what he was looking at. “Those are Changelings.” The filly squirmed harder than before upon hearing this. The stallion noticed the squirming filly and puts a hoof up to comfort her to any extent, taking a few wary steps back that happen to put him right behind a large rock as the entire group of ponies turn tail and run in the opposite direction screaming their heads off.
Turning his head sideways while he waited to see what the group would do, he whispered to the foal. “You understand why this place is so dangerous now?” He set her down gently. “Go find somewhere safe to hide!” The filly took off toward the wreckage. “Wait! Nonono, comeback!” He rushed after her, trying to follow as she took several twists and turns between the rocks and debris.
Realizing he lost her, he stopped. “What...” Realizing he was fully exposed, he ducted down behind a rock. The filly, meanwhile, skidded to a halt when she noticed he was no longer on her tail. Staying low, she tried to approach the statues without being spotted.
“Where are you?!” The stallion called softly, looking around in an attempt to spot the filly as he got increasingly worried. He glanced at the changelings and... metal golem things to make sure they hadn’t moved and paled when he spotted the filly extremely close to the group watching them with wonder. She suddenly paled as she realized she was too close and ducked down to find a hiding spot.
Puppet ducked down and out of sight, shapeshifting himself into a unicorn of the same coloring, and re-emerged. Picking up a rock, he tested its weight before he threw it as hard as he could and ducked back down. Whack! The rock smacked one of the changelings in the side, all three of whom instantly turned in Puppet’s direction. The droids followed suite as well, spotting something colorful poking out from behind a rock. Walking over, B1-72624 picked it up to find a security droid torso. “Nooo! 56913, what happened to you!”
Meanwhile, Puppet had crept around behind the changelings as the droids huddled around the droid torso they’d found and threw another rock. “Who’s throwing rocks?” Asked the drone who’d just been struck.
“I dunno, maybe it’s more debris?” Another replied.
“It hit me in the back!” The first replied.
“So? Stuff hits you in the back all the time.” The third stated.
Another rock bounced across their plots. One drone looked at the point of impact. “Okay, there’s some shenanigans going on here.” they stated, turning to look out at the debris. “Who’s out there!?”
“Show yourself!” They chittered as one.
A unicorn in a cloak with the hood pulled back popped his head into their view. “Hey ugly!” The drones spotted the rock-throwing newcomer instantly, all three taking to the air and diving directly at puppet’s head. He shook his tail in the air at them for a moment before dashing off in the opposite direction. The drones broke off, hovering in the air as they glanced back, conflicted on whether to stay with the droids or chase the rock thrower. Pausing to look over his shoulder, puppet coughed for a moment before shouting in clicks and hisses that were obviously Changish insults.
Turning back toward puppet, they squinted at a large something they couldn’t make out coming toward them. “Is that a dragon?” The one closest to Puppet asked.
“I have no idea...” The second replied, cocking their head to the side.
“Should we run?” The third asked.
“It’d probably be better to play it safe.” The second glanced at the third.
“What about the tall numbers group?” The first asked, all three turned to glance at the droids.
Puppet turned his head forward in confusion, squinting at the figure that was steadily getting larger.
“Uh, what about that big dragon-looking thing? Dragons do like eating us...” The third said, all three turned back to the figure.
His eyes widened as what he was seeing registered in his brain.
“Should we fly away?” The first drone asked.
“Probably.” The other two replied in unison.
“Holly holes! It’s a five headed hydra!” Puppet yelled.
“Fly away!” The drones shouted, flying into the distance toward the volcano.
Puppet scuttled to a halt and galloped in the other direction, idly noticing the filly had managed to climb on top of the ship. Behind him, one of the hydra heads perked up, spotting something in the distance but couldn’t figure out what. It hissed something to the other heads, who had up to that point looked rather bored. As the changelings flew away, the other heads perked up as they saw potential prey on the run.
The droids finally noticed the lumbering beast moving toward them with surprising speed, its multiple heads looking around, and pulled out their blasters while running back to the shelter of the wreckage. Puppet noticed the droids, and more importantly, their hiding spot. Galloping straight toward them, he didn’t care if they might’ve gutted him alive. “Hide me!” He yelled at them in panic, not wanting to get caught out in the open with the multi-headed beast now only about five hundred feet away from the ship. Getting close, he dove into the side of the wreck with the droids, hoping for the hydra to pass by without noticing them.
By the time the hydra got close, it had lost sight of the drones. Slowing down, it looked around for potential food, its heads snacking through the debris and rocks. Meanwhile, the droid with the yellow markings, B1-72624, slowly pushed Puppet out into the open. The hydra instantly spotted its potential next meal, and the not so appetizing droid next to it. Shooting a look of betrayal behind him, puppet changed to his natural form and attempted to fly away. However, the hydra had started running again and had gotten just close enough for the longest necked head to snap at him.
Puppet saw this and twisted his body just in time for the jaws that would have been his end to miss his torso- The droids snapped out of their frozen state, screaming as they opened fire, retreating for better cover, although not a single bolt actually hit the literal wall of a target. -Only for his cloak to yank him back in the jaws that’d nearly killed him. “Gosh darn it.” The hydra’s many heads hissed in victory as it landed, slamming puppet into the ground. Hard. “Gah!”
Grinning in victory, two heads looked down at their captured prey, the other three watching the surrounding area. Puppet stood, cutting off his cloak with a bladed hoof, and circled around the hydra. With surprising speed, the hydra’s heads snapped at him one by one, missing only as puppet changed course right before impact. Puppet made sure to pass over its tail, causing it to accidentally bite itself before turning to the changeling as he came to a short stop with murder in its eyes. Prey should not be this difficult to eat, it reasoned, so prey needed to be taught a lesson.
Puppet watched as the hydra’s red belly glowed with heat before it spat white hot fire at him. Simultaneously another head bent over to chuck a rather large rock at him. He ducked under the hydra, digging into the ground and sealing the hole after him moments before the hydra jumped backward and spat fire where it had been standing a moment earlier. Puppet writhed in pain screaming as his body burned, quickly becoming little more than a charred lump of flesh in a small crater made from the heat of the flame.
The hydra roared in victory before one of the heads reached down to collect its prize, only to snap closed on empty air as the illusion faded to nothing. The hydra blinked its many eyes in confusion before roaring in anger. It began throwing rocks and debris around looking for its escaped meal, soon deciding to dig through the side of the ship itself. Not being very careful in its rage, it attempted to move a large chunk of metal, shifting the structural supports slightly. Attempting to shift it again, and ripped the chunk out of the way, taking the supports with it as it sailed and landed with a loud thud some distance away.
The top of the ship groaned as what little support it had fought a losing battle as it began to break. The hydra continued to rip the side of the ship apart as it dug deeper, unaware of the danger it was in. Meanwhile, a certain Pegasus filly galloped across the top of the ship away from the hydra as it began to drop, quickly picking up speed as the hydra continued to rip away the last of its support. With a final snap, the filly watched as the section of ship she’d been on moments before just fell away, and with a thunderous crash came down on three of the hydra’s unsuspecting heads severing the instantly. It jerked back with a roar of pain, dragging three limp necks as it stumbled away from the ship, trying to figure out what just happened.
Not far away, a figure who’d left at the appearance of the hydra returned for the empty potion bottles he’d accidentally left, not caring if he got spotted by this point. Un-noticed by him, the hydra’s three limp necks grew back, splitting and giving the hydra three more heads then before. The figure, having successfully retrieved his bottles, noticed the hydra, now with eight heads, shifting through the debris next to the ship. “...D###it,” Staying hidden, he looked around for some kind of advantage against the beast. He moved around the wreckage as silently as he could manage while still keeping a close eye on the hydra.
It was not long before the hydra got bored and wandered back toward the swamp it called home down at the base of the volcano. The figure came out of hiding as the hydra disappeared from view. “Great, now Master will be upset once I return both late and empty handed.” He stated as he glanced at the wreck.
The droids peeked out of the wreckage after the hydra’s footsteps faded into the distance, chattering to themselves as they cautiously looked around for any other potential threats.
Puppet cracked his eyes open, quickly rising from the hole he’d hidden himself in. Stretching, he glanced around for any sign of the changelings he’d thrown rocks at earlier. Not seeing them, he turned his attention to finding the filly. After a moment, he spotted her sleeping on top of what remained of the ship. Sighing, he gently floated her carefully down and set the sleeping filly on his back before walking away from the still burning ship in the direction a changeling hive may just lay in wait.
Back in the changeling hive
Still hovering next to the Queen, the Archivist spoke up. “My sensors indicate a ship has crashed onto this volcano... The Courier ship is not due for another 22 hours.”
Author's Note
Welcome to the chaos.
So... Time for basic character info.
Role Player: crazeguy
Chacter: Puppet
Age: 44
Gender: Male personality
Race: Changeling - ???
Role Player: Sanny
Character: Queen Sanguine (CEO of Sanguine Enterprises)
Race: Changeling
Age: ~150
Gender: Female
Role Player: HK-47
Character: Hydra
Role Player: Captain 72624
Character: Captain (72624) AKA B1-72624
Species: OOM Battle Droid
Gender: N/A (Male Programming)
Age: 2
Additional characters: B1-44498, B1-91345.
Role Player: Tanis
Character: TANIS. AKA, The Archivist
Race: Artificial Super Intelligence
Day one, and already fixing minor errors... Lol. Anyways, that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed, and see ya next time.
