Imago

     Twilight was sitting in the Library with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. They had just heard of two young colts, found dead, in the Everfree Forest. Worse, they couldn’t find Rainbow Dash or Spike anywhere. “Alright girls, we need to find Rainbow and Spike. AJ, you and Pinkie Pie go search the Everfree as best you can. Fluttershy, you and Rarity go to the desert and search. I’ll stay here in case they come back.” Everyone nods in agreement and goes to their assigned positions.

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      Imago was getting tired. He had a long day. The gash on his back hurt when he moved his right front leg, but at least Spike fell back asleep. He finally got to the Hive. A small hole in the ground, just big enough to fit a changeling, was the entrance to the massive cave and tunnel system. He held Spike in front of him as he entered. Immediately, two other changelings rushed to his aid. “Are you alright?” His sister said with concern.

      “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. I need to see the queen.”

      “I think she’s in the throne room.”

      “Ok, thanks.” Imago spit in Spike’s ears now, too. He might as well have already been cocooned, with how much spit he has on him. He walked to the part of the hive that looked like the inside of a castle. Imago liked his Hive. In fact he loved it, as did most of the changelings did. He passed two guards as he walked into the throne room where Queen Chrysalis was waiting on her throne. “My Queen.” Imago bowed.

      “Stand.” Imago stood. “Guards, take the dragon to the dungeon.” The two changelings from earlier came in and took Spike to the dungeon. “So Imago, have you been able to successfully integrate into lives of these ponies?” She spat the last word out as if it were poison.

      “Yes my queen, I have, for the most part, been successful in taking the dragon’s identity.”

      “For the most part?”

      “Yes my queen, I have raised a small amount of suspicion, but I have the solution.”

      “Well, let us hope that this plan of yours works. You are dismissed, go back to Ponyville and continue your mission. Stay safe.” Imago bowed.

      “Yes, my queen.” He really wanted to stay in the Hive to talk with his thousands of siblings, but the mission was more important than idle chatter. He was leaving the throne room when Chrysalis said,

      “Oh, and before you leave the Hive get that wound examined.”

      “Yes my queen, I will get it healed.” Imago went to the infirmary and they were able to fix the internal damage, but could not fix the shell in its half-healed state, due to the love from Rainbow Dash, without it taking even longer to heal. They covered it up a metal plate and wrapped his torso in bandages, leaving room for his wings. He could fly with alot less pain now. He gave the doctor a friendly thank you and left the Hive. As soon as he got out, he took off and booked it for the canyon. If he wasn’t there when Rainbow Dash woke up, things would get a lot more complicated. He was hardly off of the ground before he saw three royal guards patrolling the skies. He instinctively shot to the ground.

      “Was that movement?” One of them asked the others. “Let’s check it out.” Imago was worried. There was no way he could fight three royal guards! One, yes. Two, maybe. Three, impossible. He would have to sneak out or pick them off. He jumped into a tree and hid just as the three landed. “Okay Star, you look over there and I’ll look over here. Rookie, you go up top and watch the skies.” He gave salute and flew above the trees. Imago was thrilled. It must’ve been his birthday! The guards were actually splitting up! It was priceless. He decided to go for the one called Star first. He maneuvered through the trees, being careful not to alert the guard above. Imago was right above Star, when the first guard called out, “I think I found something." Now or never, he thought. He leaped down noiselessly behind Star, who was now turning to face the direction of the callout. Imago flipped Star’s head around and shoved his hoof down his throat. He was taken by surprise and tried to scream, but the limb in his throat cut off oxygen and noise. Star threw a few punches at Imago and they all missed, due to oxygen deprivation. Imago shoved him on the ground and broke his neck. He changed into him and walked over to who he thought was their captain. Imago saw his own blood on the ground in front of the captain. “What do you think it is?” He asked.

      “Changeling blood.”

      “How do you know? And where’d you get those bandages?” Imago dropped the disguise.

      “Surprise!” The captain wheeled around and got bucked in the face. He flew back a few feet, regained his footing and charged. Imago didn’t move. He waited for the captain to come to him. Three. Two. One. Suddenly his face was smashed into the ground. Ow. He was then restrained by two guards. Crap! He forgot about the one above the tree line! He was kicked in the face repeatedly. He felt his eye start to bleed, when one made the mistake of standing over his head to talk.

      “Aww does the little cha-” Was all he got out before getting blasted back with a burst of magic. Imago kicked the guard in front of him in the groin as hard as he could. It happened to be the guard who slammed his face into the ground. Imago stood up. He couldn’t see out of one eye, because it was filled with blood. He charged the captain and the captain countered with a punch to the face. The captain swung again, and again, and again, each shot connecting with his target. Imago couldn’t dodge because he was half blind. The captain threw another punch, but this time Imago did manage to dodge and bite into his foreleg. He reflexively pulled back and so did Imago, tearing half the leg off. The captain yelled and started crying. He fell down just as Imago picked the leg up and threw it at the other, who thought he could sneak up on him again. The leg hit him in the neck, and Imago rushed over. Imago pushed him down and stomped on his ribcage, hearing a few satisfying crunches. He threw the rookie into a tree and walked back over to the captain. He crushed his skull with a powerful smash. He looked over to the rookie. He was the one who made his eye bleed. He’d pay. Imago broke a tree branch and pinned him up on a tree, upside-down. Then, he punched him until he had no teeth left. That would show him. Imago left him to hang and bleed to death. He continued on his way to Rainbow Dash.

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      By the time he got there, it was already night. Imago flew down to Dash and puked near her on the ground. That would suffice for a cocoon explosion, he thought. Imago became Spike and laid down in his own puke. He waited for four hours, judging by the moon, for her to wake up. When she did, he played dead. “Ugh. Spike? Spike is that you?” He pretended to slowly wake up. “Spike! You’re alive!” She crawled over and hugged him. He could already feel his eye getting better. “What happened after I passed out? And where did the changeling go?”

      “After he attacked you, he came over and started to undo my cocoon, but he stopped halfway and left. Then I remembered falling….that’s it.”

      “We need to get back to Ponyville. There’s a way up over here come on.” And so Imago was headed for Ponyville again.