Vesalipolis
Vesa felt an intense pressure on her abdomen. The egg was almost out and it was very big. Her aid was a novice and could only tell her to keep pushing. This was her third egg and it was by far the hardest. Vesa groaned as the egg came out. The egg would be added to her hive. Vesa layed down to rest. She was beginning to have doubts about choosing to become a queen.
Named Vesalipolis at birth, Vesa tested out to become a jaeger. She ultimately failed her test, but was given a choice. Instead of becoming a common laborer she could become a queen. Vesa had blue-greenish hair, she had the build of a Chrysalis, like most queens had. With long front teeth and short wings, she looked very strange.
When she was appointed queen she was given an aid. Her aid, Petra was short with dark blue hair. She only got one aid though, because Chrysalis was running short.
After Vesa failed her jaeger test, she felt increasingly bitter towards Chrysalis and her policies. After all Chrysalis was the one who set the harsh restrictions for her elite divisions.
Vesa looked over at her aid who was struggling to lift her newest egg with the limited magic Changelings had. Vesa sighed and thought of the impending wars to come. She had heard that the Griffon Liberation Army had won the civil war, but she was probably one of the only Changelings who did.
Chrysalis had censored the Changeling news sources so the entire nation was living in ignorance. Only the queens and generals got to know anything.
Vesa’s ears suddenly perked up as she heard gunshots close to her hive. Her aid rushed to secure the eggs.
A group of changelings burst into her hive. There was two males and one female. The female had red flowing hair and a tall horn. Her wings were small which was the sign of a child. One of the males had green eyes which calculated its surroundings with care. The third who had a bullet wound looked like a soldier. They all looked scared.
“Please don’t turn us in!” The female cried, “We’re just like you!”
Vesa didn’t know what the Changeling was talking about. The gunshots sounded closer.
“Please hide us!” The Changeling continued. “We mean no harm.”
Vesa didn’t think it was smart to oppose someone with a gun. Then again, she was very curious and wanted to know why these Changelings were running.
“This way,” Vesa said leading the odd group deeper into her hive.
Vesa’s hive had three layers. The top layer was where she and Petra slept. The second was where the eggs and later larvae would be held. Third was storage area that currently consisted of Vesa’s unique food diet. Vesa lead the three Changelings to the third level.
“Hide in here,” She whispered to them. “Don’t come out until I say so.” Vesa walked back up the first floor. She was greeted by five Changeling soldiers.
“Excuse me,” One of the soldiers said. “Did you happen to see a group of Changelings walk past here?”
Vesa shook her head, “I think they fled into the forest.”
“Wait a minute,” Petra said, “I thought that—“
Vesa gave Petra a glare. “Remember how I told them that they would not get any shelter from me?”
Petra realized her mistake, “Oh now I remember!”
The Changeling soldiers looked skeptical.
“You don’t mind if we began searching your hive for any discrepancies, do you?”
Vesa shook her head and watched as the Changeling soldiers began to search her living area. Vesa could have been one of the soldiers. Rooting out deserters and traitors or even serving on the front line.
Four Changelings went to the lower level while one stayed behind. Those three have no chance. It was foolish to let them in or even hide them. Vesa thought didn’t know why she had hid them in the first place.
“Check the storage room,” A soldier said.
“Please don’t move anything,” Vesa said. “It takes a while to organize things in there.”
The soldier ignored her and Vesa heard the moving of the various boxes and compartments in the room. Vesa held her breath.
“All clear, the hive is secure.”
Vesa exhaled.
“Like I said I think they went into the forest,” Vesa said. “You should check that way.”
The soldiers nodded and started to leave the hive. Vesa waited until they were a good distance away and started walking down to her storage room.
“You can come out now!” Vesa shouted.
Two Changelings poked their heads out from behind a box.
“How did you hide?” Vesa asked. “I was certain you would be caught.”
“We turned into rabbits and hid inside the bins that the soldiers had already checked,” The Changelings answered.
Vesa nodded.
“Where is your leader?” She asked.
“He is not well,” One of Changelings answered. “I think that the wound is infected.”
“Who are you?” Vesa asked. “Why were those soldiers chasing you?”
“We wish for a our country to be free of tyranny,” The green eyed Changeling said.
“Thorax will lead our country into a golden age!” The female Changeling exclaimed.
“We were about to start the revolution when Chrysalis gave the order to purge us!”
“Even a rule under Gold Muffin would not be as bad as life right now!”
“Thorax could have won the revolution if he wasn’t being hunted down right now.”
“Even Gold Muffin’s supporters would aid us if Thorax still had power!’
“Our leader was in charge of the rebellion in Phantine but we were interc—“
“ENOUGH!” Vesa yelled, then quieter. “Enough.”
“Sorry,” The Changelings muttered. “We’re just very confused. Why were we being hunted?!”
Vesa could hear a groan from behind a container full of seeds, and small insects.
“Tend to your leader,” Vesa said. “Then we’ll talk, and give me your names.”
“Lia,” The female Changeling muttered.
“Cyrus.” Said the other Changeling.
Odd, their queen must have been strange to give them those names.
“And your leader?” Asked Vesa.
“Phantax,” Cyrus said.
“Thank you,” Vesa said, “I will be back with food later.”
Vesa started to head to her sleeping quarters where she was met by a stern faced Petra.
“What are they doing here my queen,” Petra demanded.
“Their leader is injured and I want to keep him alive,” Vesa answered, “Also I believe that they could be useful in the hive.”
“But they are fugitives!” Petra countered.
“They are Changelings, and we protect our own,” Vesa said.
Three seconds of silence passed among them.
Petra sighed, “I’ll get some medicine from Vesalipolis.”
“Thank you,” Vesa said.
Vesa was relieved that her Petra trusted her, but she also wondered what she was going to do with the Changelings when their leader got better. She knew that they planned to start an uprising in Phantine, but she wasn’t sure that they would achieve anything.
Vesa went to check on her eggs. Changeling eggs usually hatched within a week, and it had already been six days since she laid her first. Seeing that they hadn’t hatched, she went down to check on the Changelings she had rescued.
“I told you they’re going to strike tomorrow!”
“Chrysalis is insane, but she isn’t dumb! She wouldn’t invade Olenia, because Equestria would intervene!”
“What are you talking about?! She has the troops. If Equestria attacked her she would destroy them!”
“Maybe that’s what she wants,” Vesa said.
Lia and Cyrus jumped clearly not expecting Vesa to be back so quickly.
“Oh you’re back already,” Lia said
“It just occurred to me that we didn’t ask you your name,” Cyrus said.
“Vesalipolis,” Vesa said, “But call me Vesa.”
“Your named after the great hive,” Lia said.
“So,” Vesa said.
“Nothing,” Lia said, “I just thought it was interesting.”
“So…” Vesa said trying to make conversation, “What did you do before you…” Vesa trailed off.
“I was a scientist,” said Cyrus, “I worked for the navy.”
“I was a photographer,” said Lia.
“And your leader?” Asked Vesa
“We don’t know,” said Cyrus. “We just met him a week ago.”
“I used to work for my hive’s newspaper!” Said Lia, “I took the most beautiful pictures.
“Cyrus do you know anything about your leader?” Vesa asked.
“It all ended when Chrysalis united the hives, the event was very bitter-sweet,” Lia said.
“I think he used to be in the military but I really don’t know,” Cyrus replied.
“Sometimes I think that Chrysalis isn’t all that bad, then I remember what she did to my queen,” Lia said.
“What did she do to your queen?” Asked Vesa.
Lia sighed.
“She had her imprisoned, and I think that she died.”
Vesa knew what she had gotten herself into by letting the Changelings in, but she didn’t think that Chrysalis would kill any queens.
“Did your queen do anything that might have angered Chrysalis?” Asked Vesa.
“She named me after a pony,” Said Lia.
“The same thing happened to my queen,” said Cyrus, “Chrysalis doesn’t want the queens to learn about harmony. Or pony culture, for that—-.”
“Yeah, but more about my queen…” Lia interrupted.
The cruelty of Chrysalis was greater than anything Vesa could have thought of. She started taking small steps up to the stairs. She was quaking in fear. Why do I get myself into these situations?
“Please, don’t leave yet.”
Lia stopped talking. Cyrus and Vesa looked over a Phantax.
“Are you okay sir,” Asked Cyrus, “Do you need anything?”
“Water,” Croaked Phantax, “Love.”
Vesa started to walk up the stairs.
“My aid is getting medicine,” She said, “You’ll have to wait for that. There is a river outside my hive. I’ll get some water.”
Vesa was almost at the stairs.
“Wait!” Lia blurted out, “Can I come with you?”
Vesa debated it for a while. On one hoof, Vesa really didn’t know anything about her guests and would like to get some information. On the other three, someone might recognize Lia, and call some soldiers.
“Sure,” Vesa said. “But change your hair color to mine. You stand out too much.”
Lia happily changed her hair color to that of Vesa’s which was bluish-green. Vesa and Lia both walked up the stairs and out of the storage room. They both exited the hive and began to walk to the river. The river was a few miles away from Vesa’s hive.
“How old are you?” Lia asked. “You don’t seem very old.”
“I’m relatively young,” Vesa said. “Younger than Chrysalis. How about you?”
“I’m twenty,” said Lia.
Vesa was shocked. Lia was just a child who hadn’t even flown yet. Vesa and Lia continued walking to the river. Then a Changeling came into view. Oh, it’s Petra!
“I brought the medicine you asked me to get, my queen,” Petra said, “I told them you needed more because you were laying eggs.”
“Thank you Petra,” Vesa said, “Please give the medicine to the Changelings in the hive and please tend to the eggs.”
“I will my queen,” Petra replied, “Then we will talk.”
With that final word Petra started walking back to the hive. After a few more minutes of silence, Vesa and Lia reached the river. On the river’s banks was a few buckets.
“I put these buckets here so the water would be easily carried back to the hive,” explained Vesa.
Lia just picked one of the buckets up, and filled it with water. With the little magic Vesa and Lia possessed, they started to lift the buckets and walk back to the hive. Upon returning to her home Vesa immediately went to the nursery. She saw Petra tending to a Larvae.
“Oh so he hatched,” Vesa observed, “Is he healthy.”
“Yes, he’s healthy,” Petra said, putting the larvae back into his chamber, “But more then that I can’t say.”
“Can I see him?” Vesa said.
“Yes,” Petra said, “You may.”
Vesa walked over to the larvae and peered down at him. He didn’t look that different from a normal Changeling larvae.
“Did you check the others?” She asked.
“Yes,” Petra replied, “They haven’t hatched yet.”
“Ooh, larvae!” Lia said peering over Vesa’s shoulder.
“Yes it is,” Vesa said.
Lia busied herself carrying the water down to the storage room.
“How long do you plan to keep them down there?” Petra asked.
“As long as it takes,” Vesa replied.
______________________________________________________________
After a week Phantax was getting better. Vesa and Lia often walked down to the river to get water for him. Vesa’s other eggs had hatched, and now Petra was working harder to take care of them. Vesa walked down to the storage room. Cyrus was talking to Phantax.
“Did it happen already?” Asked Cyrus
“No, not yet but they’re already making plans,” Replied Phantax.
“You know that it will happen soon.”
“Equestria won’t stand for it.”
“Equestria is weak.”
“I brought some food,” said Vesa, interrupting the pair. “It isn’t much though.”
“We thank you for anything you can get us,” Said Phantax.
“What were you talking about?” Vesa asked.
Phantax and Cyrus looked at each other.
“Nothing that you won’t know about,” Cyrus said. “Also, where’s Lia?”
“She’s helping Petra right now.” Vesa said. Lia had grown quite detached from Phantax’s plans, and she seemed like she really enjoyed helping Petra with the larvae.
“Please tell her to come down,” Cyrus said. “We need to discuss something.”
“Okay,” Vesa said. “I’ll be sure to tell her that.”
Then Vesa heard a voice calling her.
“My queen!” Petra called. “There are some soldiers here who want to talk to you!”
“Coming!” Vesa yelled, then in a whisper. “You need to hide.”
Phantax and Cyrus nodded. Cyrus helped Phantax walk over to a secret compartment that he had built in case of an emergency. Vesa walked up her stairs to the soldiers.
“Hello,” Vesa said to the soldiers.
“We have your intel,” One of the soldiers said, holding out a piece of paper.
“Oh, thank you,” Vesa said, taking the paper, “Is there anything else?
“No,” The soldiers turned around to leave, but one didn’t, he faced Vesa.
“I didn’t realize that you got a new aid.” The soldier said. “I had thought that Chrysalis was in short supply of them.
“Oh, yes,” Vesa said. “I need her because I am laying more eggs.”
“Good,” The soldier said, “We need all the manpower we can get.”
The soldiers started to turn around, then the same soldier stopped again.
“Red hair color is very rare, isn’t it? Said the soldier, “I only know one queen who has it.”
Vesa held her breath. Is red hair really that rare?
“Never mind,” Muttered the soldier.
Vesa exhaled. The soldiers quickly left the hive and disappeared into the forest. Vesa opened the paper that the soldier had given her. Plastered on the front page was three big words, Changelings claim Olenia. So it begins, thought Vesa. Vesa rushed down to her storage room to tell Phantax and Cyrus the news.
“Cyrus! Phantax!” Vesa yelled. “The soldiers are gone.”
A hole opened in her wall and the two Changelings came out. Phantax looked at her.
“Did anything happen?” He asked.
“I got this,” Said Vesa, handing the paper to Phantax. Phantax took the paper and began to read it.
“This...this is bad,” He said. “I didn’t think that they’d do it, but now that they did…” He trailed off and started to pace the room.
“We need to leave,” Phantax finally said. “They will be looking for larvae.” It’s too risky being here.”
“I don’t understand why you need to leave,” Vesa said, “ You should be safe in here.”
Cyrus started talking, “Some hive queens are too attached to their larvae. They might try to hide their children.”
Phantax nodded, “We need to start the uprising now.”
They could hear, humming and thumps. Lia came down from the stairs and looked at them.
“What’s with the long faces? She asked. “You look like Chrysalis just invaded Olenia.”
Vesa grimaced at the irony, and Phantax handed her the paper.
Lia face went from pleasant to grim.
“I guess this means we need to move,” She said, “Start the uprising perhaps.”
“Yes,” Phantax said, “We leave tonight.”
Lia and Cyrus looked at each other and started to walk over to Vesa.
“Thank you for everything,” They said. “Without you Phantax would have died.”
“Think nothing of it,” replied Vesa. “I did the right thing.”
Vesa started to walk to her bed, passing Petra on the way there.
“Is everything okay?” Asked Petra.
“They are leaving tonight,” Replied Vesa.
“Oh,” Said Petra.
Vesa continued the walk to her bed. She could hear the wailing of Larvae behind her. She could also faintly hear the sound of leaves, they were moving towards the hive.
Cyrus
Cyrus was sure that Phantax was crazy. First he had made them walk, without rest, for miles and when they made it to their destination he had told them to gather all the queen of the city. Lia and Cyrus were being worked to death, and when they finally gathered the queens Phantax had already given them their next orders.
“You need to raid the armory,” Phantax said. “We need arms to hold the city.”
“Please give us some rest,” Lia begged. “We haven’t got any sleep since we left Vesa’s hive!”
“We can’t hold the streets if we’re tired!” Cyrus added, but he already knew the answer he would receive.
“Once you get me guns, you can sleep!” Phantax said, “Now unless you want to fall asleep in the middle of the rebellion, go get those gun!!”
Cyrus and Lia trudged to the general direction of the armory. Cyrus could hear Phantax talk to the queens about harmony and his glorious revolution.
“Cyrus,” Lia said. “Will we win?”
Cyrus knew that Lia’s question was not if they would win. The question she asked was if they would survive.
“I don’t know,” Cyrus said.
They walked to the armory coming up with a plan on the way there. Lia would distract the guards and Cyrus would sneak in and kill the guards inside. When they got to the armory they had gone over the various scenarios of the raid.
There are three guards on the outside of the building and there’s probably more inside. He was sure that Lia had made the same assumption, and they went to execute the plan they had thought of on the way to the armory.
“HELP!” Lia screamed.
The soldiers immediately noticed her and they started to approach her. Cyrus knew that this was an act, and when the soldiers would follow her, he would sneak inside.
“There are some Changelings who want to destroy the city!” She yelled, They are at the city square!”
Cyrus snuck into the armory taking careful note of his surroundings. There were two guards on the inside of the armory, and past them his target. One of the guards turned to face Cyrus. As quickly as he could Cyrus rammed his crooked horn into the guards neck. Blood gushed from the wound, and the Guard could only look at Cyrus with true terror in his eyes. The other guard turned to face Cyrus, his face full of surprise.
“Hey!” The guard yelled, then he noticed the blood.
The guards eyes went wide. He lowered the gun he had, preparing to fire. I really messed up this time. Right as weapon was about to fire a fountain of blood erupted from the guards side. The guard screamed in shock and fell to the ground. Lia, who had wounded the guard, took his gun and shot him.
“I lured them away,” Lia said, “Let’s get the guns and leave.”
Cyrus nodded and started to loot the armory. Lia went over to the bodies and hid them in an ammo bin. Once the two Changelings had grabbed all the guns that they could they fled the building. They took a longer route to get back to Phantax. When they reached Phantax they were met with a messy scene.
Three queens lay dead, the others had a fierce look in their eyes. Cyrus felt a heavy weight on his eyes. I probably look dead. Cyrus looked at Lia who seemed to share the same condition as him.
“Can we sleep now?” Cyrus asked.
Yeah!” Lia said, “We did what you asked.”
“The revolution is starting soon,” Phantax replied, “Sleep until it starts.”
Lia and Cyrus nodded and started walking to the hive they were staying at. Phantax had somehow managed to persuade the local queens to join his rebellion. Those who refused were killed. The total number gathered was four thousand. No small number but the amount of guns that Cyrus and Lia had gathered wouldn’t nearly be enough.
______________________________________________________________
The sound of horns woke Cyrus up. The revolution had started, and Phantax was looking over at them.
“It’s started,” He said, “Get up.”
Cyrus got up from where he was sleeping. It wasn’t very comfortable, but he got to rest. Cyrus looked over at Lia who was still sleeping.
“How much do we have, thirty, forty?” Cyrus asked. “We don’t have enough guns for everyone.”
“Four thousand. We have enough of everything,” Phantax said, “Lia! Wake up!”
Cyrus heard Lia get up. She walked over the Phantax and stood beside him, barely awake.
“I have weapons for both of you,” Phantax said, “After you get them head north. You’ll see the fighting.”
Lia and Cyrus nodded still half asleep. They slowly went over to the weapons that Phantax had pointed out. There were two pistols, a sword, and a shield. Cyrus grimaced. They had blood on them.
“Is this it?” Lia asked
“Yes,” Phantax replied, “Now get going!”
Cyrus picked up the sword and shield and motioned at Lia to pick up the guns. If there was one thing Cyrus would do it was to keep Lia alive.
“But,” Lia said, “There are two pistols. You should have one.”
“No,” Cyrus said, “I’ll be fine.”
The two got ready to leave the building. They looked back at the hive. Phantax was already gone, so the pair started walking north. There were bodies everywhere, not all of them soldiers. The scenes of carnage became worse as they got closer to their destination. Cyrus noticed that the blood was fresh.
“I think we're getting closer,” Cyrus said. “The bloods fresh.”
“I know,” Lia said, “I know.”
Lia and Cyrus ducked into an alleyway. They could see bodies lining the walls of the buildings. They were all soldiers. After exiting the alleyway they could hear the sounds of guns. There was screaming, and there seemed to be more bodies. Lia and Cyrus raised their weapons just as a group of Changelings entered their view.
“Who are you?” Cyrus asked. A changeling who looked like the leader spoke.
“We are part of the rebellion,” He said, “And you?”
“We are also part of the fight,” Cyrus said.
“Good,” The changeling said, “Join us, you’ll live longer with a group.”
“Sure,” Cyrus said.
The group took off, following the sounds of battle, and soon ran into the soldiers. Cyrus and a few other changelings began to run at the soldiers, because they only had melee weapons. The others of the group traded shots with the soldiers, Lia being one of them.
Cyrus thrust his sword into the stomach of a soldier. The soldier cried out in pain and tried to shoot Cyrus, then the soldiers head was blown open by a bullet.
Cyrus took his sword out of the soldiers stomach and began to fight with another one. The soldier parried a thrust that Cyrus made, and jumped back. Cyrus blocked a blow with a shield and began to rapidly slice at the soldier. The soldier aimed his gun at Cyrus and shot it.
Cyrus’s shield absorbed the blow. Cyrus sliced at the soldiers leg and scored a hit. The changeling fell to the ground. Cyrus could see his group destroy the rest of the soldiers.
The group had lost five changelings out of the thirty they had, but they had killed ten soldiers. Cyrus picked up a gun from the soldier he had just killed.
“Lia!” Cyrus yelled, “Are you okay!”
“Yes!” Lia shouted, “I’m fine!”
Cyrus sighed in relief and began to check the dead soldier for bullets. The other changelings in his group seemed to be doing the same thing. After the skirmish the group ran to the sound of screaming.
“They brought in Jaegers!” A changeling yelled. The group despaired. They had no hope now that Chrysalis’s elite was here. Cyrus heard the low whirl of a plane.
“BOMBERS!” A changeling yelled, “GET DOWN!”
The group ran into a building. It was mostly destroyed but it had a basement, which the group ran into. Cyrus heard explosions. The group had lost two in the bombing.
After the explosions quieted down the group went back above ground. There was nothing remaining of the building they had taken shelter in. After treating the various wounds the group had, they began trekking to the battle.
“When will we get there?!” A changeling yelled.
“Soon.” The leader replied. The group ran until they reached a battleground of blood and tears. They could see the remnants of the rebellion taking shelter inside a large hive. The group reached the hive, and started to get inside it.
“Jaegers,” A changeling whispered, “Take them out quietly.”
The group pulled out their weapons and took aim right as the jaegers turned around. The soldiers of the jaeger group looked surprised.
“FIRE!”
Cyrus fired his gun, and flinched at the sound it made. When he looked at the jaegers they were all dead. A second group of changelings looked at them in awe. These changelings were being slaughtered by the jaegers before Cyrus’s group killed them.
The second group led Cyrus’s group into the hive. They passed inspection, and were shown to the command room. Cyrus, fully expecting to see Phantax, was faced with another Changeling.
“Ah,” He said, “You finally got here.”
“Who are you?” Cyrus asked.
“I am the commander of the rebellion,” The changeling said. “My name is Pythagoras.”
“What happened to Phantax?” Cyrus asked.
“Yeah, didn’t he create this rebellion?” Lia added.
“Phantax, unfortunately, was killed in battle,” Pythagoras said, “I was part of his group and he entrusted his command to me.”
Lia and Cyrus shed no tears. Phantax was their leader but they hadn’t known him for that long.
“What is the condition of the rebellion,” Lia asked.
“Bad,” Pythagoras said, “We only a few hundred changelings left.”
“Can we get anymore?” Cyrus asked. “There must be someway to fill the ranks.”
“The army has come, and we can’t hold the city anymore,” Pythagoras said. “I know Phantax was hoping that other revolutionaries would fight but none have come.”
“What do we do now?” Lia asked.
“Run,” Pythagoras said. “If you fear your life, run.”
Cyrus was a little startled that Pythagoras was encouraging them to live. He had fully expected Pythagoras to tell them to fight.
“Are you sure?” Cyrus said.
“Yes, with you the rebellion lives on,” Pythagoras said, “As long as one of us lives Chrysalis will fear uprising.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Cyrus said, “I doubt Chrysalis cares about this rebellion.”
“Are you so sure?” Pythagoras said, “Why do you think Chrysalis sent in jaegers and bombers. She fears us.”
Cyrus began to see truth in Pythagoras’s words. He knew that Chrysalis wouldn’t ignore the uprising, but he also knew that the Changelings were getting ready for war with Equestria.
“How will we escape?” Cyrus asked. “Can we even leave without getting shot.
“I can create a diversion for you,” Pythagoras said. “We are evacuating several queens as well, they will come with you.”
Pythagoras turned around, and faced the outside of the hive.
“I regret one thing,” He said, “That I won’t be able to see freedom in the eyes of our nation.”
Cyrus nodded sadly. He too wanted that freedom, but it was only a dream.
“We will leave now,” Cyrus said, “Where should we go?”
“Go south,” Pythagoras said, “Equestria will harbor you.”
“Thank you,” Cyrus whispered
“And you,” Pythagoras replied.
Cyrus motioned at Lia and the two of them started to walk away. Pythagoras issued a command and immediately three queens joined them. This is what must be left of the queens. The group was escorted to a secret entrance that opened into a forest. Cyrus could hear fighting in the distance.
“Have they taken the hive?” Cyrus asked one of the queens.
“I don’t know,” A queen replied.
The group continued to walk along the forest. The forest was very dense and the vegetation was everywhere. The steady trek to the border would be long. Queens generally eat more than the average changeling and love was scarce.
“Do you have names?” Cyrus asked. Lia giggled and Cyrus felt his face grow hot. Small talk was never a strong suite for him.
“Of course we have names,” A queen said, “Mine is Anastara.”
“My name is Zion,” Another queen said.
“Ophelia,” The last queen said.
Anastara was an odd queen. She had a red hair and a tall horn. She also had the build of Chrysalis only a little shorter. Zion was short but looked strong. She had green hair and a short horn. Ophelia had the hair color of a peach. She looked like the changeling equivalent of an earth pony.
“Do you know where we will be going?” Anastara asked.
“As close to the equestrian border as we can,” Cyrus replied, “The farther away we are from Vesalipolis the closer we are to freedom.”
The other queens nodded and began to whisper to each other. Cyrus kept walking. He knew that the journey would be long, and he was making sure that they would walk at a good pace.
“Um…Cyrus?” Zion asked, “We have something to tell you.”
“What is is Zion?” Cyrus replied.
“Ophelia and I have come to the conclusion that Chrysalis has invaded the Polar Bears,” Zion said.
“What?!” Cyrus said in shock, “When did you think of that?”
“Before the revolution we used to get shipments of gold from the polar bears.” Ophelia said, “But a day before the fighting the shipments disappeared.”
“I know that might sound weird,” Zion said, “But there is no way that the Changeling military would have known about the revolution, and cut our shipments.”
“I don’t think so,” Lia said, “I think that the revolution was compromised from the beginning.
“So you suspect Pythagoras?” Cyrus said
“No, I think that he was noble,” Lia said, “But isn’t it kind of suspicious that Phantax died at the beginning of the revolution?”
“Phantax would never betray us,” Cyrus said calmly, “You don’t know who Phantax was.”
“And did you!” Lia said angrily, “Did any of us know who he was?”
“He was a soldier in the army,” Cyrus said, “That’s what he told us.”
“He didn’t tell us anything!” Lia said, “And the fact that he was a soldier makes me more suspicious of him!”
“Stop fighting you two,” Anastara said, “You act like children.”
Cyrus stopped talking although he was fuming in his mind. He had no doubt in his mind that Phantax was innocent. He just wouldn’t be the type of Changeling that would betray his allies.
“I remember that name,” Zion said, “He was the one who told us about harmony back at the city.”
“Yes that was him,” Cyrus said, “Did you forget so quickly?”
“Wasn’t he the one who suggested that Chrysalis invade Olenia?” Anastara said.
“I don’t know what your talking about!” Cyrus said, “You must have a concussion from the rebellion!”
“I think we’ve been tricked,” Ophelia said.
The bushes all around Cyrus moved. The tree’s were pushed and dozens of soldiers flooded around them. A shadowy figure emerged from the mass of soldiers.
“Indeed you have!” Phantax said, “For it was I who arranged this little meeting!”
Lia
She knew it. She had tried to warn Cyrus but he didn’t listen. Now he and the other queens were being held at gunpoint.
“I knew that scum like you would go along with my little revolution!” Phantax said, “I counted on it!”
She knew that she fell for it. Phantax didn’t have to say anything, she just knew that she had failed.
“Now you will die for that mistake,” Phantax said, “Like all those who hold the ideals of harmony close, you will feel what true peace is.”
“You can’t do this Phantax!” Cyrus yelled, “I won’t let you!”
“Oh I think I can,” Phantax said, “The Equestrians will feel our wrath and so will you.”
Lia knew what would happen before it did. Three shots rang out in the air and three bodies hit the ground.
“Now that the extras are taken care of, we can talk,” Phantax said.
“What do you want!” Cyrus yelled, through gritted teeth.
“I want order and light for the world!” Phantax said, “Like Chrysalis, the world will see my dream!”
“What about changelings like me!” Cyrus said, “Are we part of your dream!”
“You and your ridiculous friends are the cause of this mess,” Phantax said, “With you gone, I can begin to cleanse the world.”
“What happens to Vesa!” Cyrus said, “Have you killed her yet!”
“She was removed the moment we left!” Phantax said, “I made sure of that!”
Cyrus looked down. Lia could see the look in his eyes. They were cold and calculating, they looked like Phantax’s.
“Is this what this is about?” Cyrus said, “Attacking Equestria?”
“It’s a world where the Ponies eat the Griffons, where the Changelings fight for the love leftover,” Phantax said
Cyrus was silent.
“The ponies have caused all the wrongs in the world! They don’t care about us!”
“Your wrong,” Cyrus said, “The ponies care, Chrysalis doesn’t.”
“Chrysalis has ideals, she has more compassion than you know,” Phantax said, “But while Chrysalis chases deer, I hunt for bigger prey!”
The soldiers shifted on their hoofs.
“War brings about change. It is the only way.”
Phantax signaled his troops. A soldier handed him a pistol.
“I’m afraid our little talk is over,” Phantax said, “I hope our conversation has enlightened you.”
“This isn’t over,” Cyrus said, “They will stop you.”
Lia’s eyes went wide. Her subconscious knew what would happen and she was just now realizing it.
“Stop!” Lia yelled, “Just us go!”
Phantax threw his head up and started cackling.
“You think that after all you did I would just let you go? You must be mad!”
“I know who you are Phantax. I know what you became.”
“I was always like this!” Phantax screamed, “You were just too naive to know it!”
“That’s enough Phantax!” Cyrus said. “You have three seconds to let us go!”
“Or what!” Phantax spat, “Will you use the power of harmony to stop me? Or will your pony friends come and save you!”
“Thorax will save us!” Lia said, “He fights for the right to be free!”
“Harmony isn’t freedom!” Phantax roared, “Harmony is flawed!”
“You are flawed in thinking you would escape this encounter!” Said the soldier at Phantax’s side.
“What?!” Phantax said.
The soldier shot his gun into the air. Gunshots rang in the silence, and the other soldiers fell to the ground.
“Treachery!” Phantax yelled.
Phantax made careful aim, and shot his gun. A Changeling fell on the ground, dead. Lia held her breath. She looked over at the Changeling that had been shot, and almost fainted. It was Cyrus.
Lia ran over to Cyrus.
“Lia?” Cyrus whispered, “Are you alright?”
Lia was blinded by tears.
“Yes,” She whispered, “I’m alright.”
“Did I do it? Did I finally do it?
Lia couldn't talk, her throat felt like glue.
“Do what?” She asked sobbing.
“Did I do it?” Did we beat her?”
“I don’t know what your talking about,” Lia said, still sobbing, “Please tell me.”
Cyrus smiled. He closed his eyes.
“No,” Lia cried, “Please don’t leave me.”
Cyrus was silent. Lia collapsed next to him.
“Please… please.”
Lia jostled Cyrus trying to get him to wake. The soldier was confronting Phantax.
“It’s over Phantax!” The soldier said, “This is where you die!”
“If I die, I will live on as a martyr!” Phantax said, “I have already achieved immortality!”
“You will be forgotten!” The soldier said, “A leaf in the middle of a forest!”
“No, I will be revered!” Phantax said, “Can you say the same!”
“Revered by whom?” The soldier said, “By the Changelings?”
“By ALL!” Phantax said.
Then Phantax placed the barrel of his gun underneath his chin.
“We all die eventually,” Phantax said in a whisper, “Sooner or later, you’ll see.”
A gunshot sounded, then silence reigned, and Phantax was no more. The soldier looked over at Lia.
“Join me,” He said, “Together we can bring Harmony to this bleak land.”
Lia stood up, still in tears.
“Okay,” She said, crying, “I will.”
Epilogue
In 1011 the Changelings invaded Equestria. The Changelings were met with victory after victory. Vanhoover fell shortly after the outbreak of the fighting and ponies suffered.
After two years of Changeling victories and massacres, the tides turned. Stalingrad, led by Vasily, joined the war as an Equestrian ally. With the aid of Stalliongrad armory and Equestrian Pegasi, the Changeling’s soon learned the meaning of true defeat.
The Shire offensive, meant to drive the Equestrians back to Canterlot, failed and inflicted heavy casualties against both sides. As a last ditch effort the Changelings launched an invasion deep into the Equestrian south. The mission failed and Thorax’s supporters launched an uprising against Chrysalis’s regime. Starting near Key Lake, the rebellion spread southward.
Meant to demoralize the troops on the Equestrian front, Thorax sent a message to every radio in the Changeling army. Though most would ignore it, the message gave Changelings a chance. The broadcast would touch the hearts of every Changeling, showing them another path.
“This is Thorax. You probably know me, but don’t let Chrysalis slander your image of me. Today, we push back against Chrysalis’s tyranny. Today, we show the ponies that we are noble. Today, we fight. Join me to a brighter future!”
