Aaron

I get home rather quickly after the attack. My heart is still pumping with liquid iron and feeling just as heavy and tense. By the truck parked in the driveway I know my father is home and that alone eases my worries by a large margin. I run inside slamming the door behind me as I do so. I run upstairs and fumble with the combination lock on our safe as I pull out my hunting rifle along with my dad’s shotgun.

I’ve been taught well by my father about how to handle each of them with respect and never against another human being. Though we had a number of armaments and I’d wielded them many times on hunting trips the moment I touch them the world seems to collapse around me. Magical creatures exist, shapeshifting life-suckers are coming for them, and potentially us. Seeing a kid I had just gotten to know bleeding to death on the grass terrified me. Even worse so was how little I knew about what was hunting them.

“Son? What’s going on?” My father asks, seeing the weapons in my grip he does a double take and staggers backward. “The hell are you doing!? What’s going on?” His face is full of concern and worry and his clothes are stained with muck from the barn. The sight brings back rather embarrassing memories from the night that has sent my life into such a spiral.

I carefully hold out his gun to him. “It’s really kind of complicated, you remember that unicor--er horse we found the other day?” He goes to set the gun aside but I quickly motion for him to keep it. “Don’t put it down! There was an attack at school today, one of my...friends could be dead right now and there are likely several others that could strike.”

“Woah! Slow down there bessy! Why would they target us? What does that horse have to do with anything?” He keeps the shotgun in his grip, but after making sure it's empty he points it at the ground.

“It’s...a long story. The horse we rescued was actually a real unicorn, and before you say anything else, because I know how insane it is, I’ve found the person who it was and saw them do real magic, nothing you could ever fake either. There is also another girl who can run faster than the eye can see. I know it sounds insane, but I’ve seen it!”

“Okay, I’ll humor the fact that you at least think it is real. Not saying I do, but continue.” He’s not looking very convinced, but it's not like I expected him to be any different.

“My friend was just stabbed today, the unicorn we saved the other day is actually a human...well...most of the time. I’m just realizing this is a very complicated story that would take way too long to explain. What you need to know is that there is a shapeshifter that is out to kill them and likely anyone who knows about it.”

To that he just rolls his eyes and sets the gun aside. “Son, I don’t know where you got this story from, and you’ve obviously been through something really bad. But magic isn’t real. You’ve been tricked or at the very least are suffering from PTSD. Please, put down the gun before someone gets hurt.”

It hurts that he doesn’t understand, but I shouldn’t have expected him to believe me so quickly with something so insane. I can’t even know if he is really my actual father, my real father could be bleeding to death alone in the farm as I just saw at school. “No.” I command my voice finding firmness. He doesn’t have to understand to listen for now. “Just stay back then, I need to make a call to someone who will believe me.” He doesn’t move to stop me as I grasp the phone and make the call. I can always explain it later.

Tempest

“She’s waking up...I think.”

“Ermmph…” I groan.

“Hit her with another dose of Promazine.”

“Right away sir.”

There is a small sting in my thigh before the world falls back to darkness.

=================

I can’t be sure of how long I was unconscious, but when I start to fully awaken my mouth is painfully dry and a migraine is making itself very well known. I open my eyes only to wince at a bright light shining directly at me. A slight motion of my legs reveals that they’re clasped tightly in chains that allow me little more than an inch to move in any direction.

“That little horse killed eight trained soldiers? If I hadn’t seen a few of the corpses I wouldn’t have believed it.” A gal with glasses and a clipboard says to the blood dagger-man from before. Their words give my pause. Had I been so careless as to give them permanent injury? Impossible. I remember them breathing and well when I was defeated.

Then I realize something more. I can understand them now, their voices no longer incomprehensible guttural gurglings. “I didn’t kill anypony! Considering that you ambushed and attacked us without a scrap of diplomacy I think I was being rather generous!” I growl at the dagger man. Moments later my fur stands up on end as electricity courses over my skin, the smell of my own burning flesh and singed fur caressing my nose. A scream breaches my lips at the agony before a moment later it is gone.

“My pendant may have granted a feral beast like you the ability to speak, but if you think we’re going to listen to your lies you’re as dumb as you were before. Now I suggest you listen. You see over there, on that metal table?” I turn my head as much as I can within my bindings and I see the other ponies from my squad tied down on tables and gagged, Ocellus is not among them to my relief. Next to them is a human in white clothes standing in front of a table covered with knives. “I will ask a question, and you will give an answer. Otherwise, my associate will answer my other questions by using their insides. That’s how this is going to work.”

The barbarity! My face revolts in utter horror at the very concept of such torture! In all my years as a soldier, even among the storm king’s army, I’d never heard such a threat. This creature is insane. Could he have killed the humans and framed me for that too? “You can’t be serious! We’re just here to get one of our own. If you wait just a few days I could get Twilight here to answer any question you could ask. This is a huge misunderstanding!”

“No.” He states plainly, almost as if bored. “You seem to not understand, a pity, really. Begin with the autopsy.”

“Wait, please! Just tell me what you want!” I can’t let any of them get hurt. Nopony deserves such a cruel and merciless fate. “I’m no fool, you hold all the cards. We surrender.”

“That’s good. Though if it's any consolation, I was going to perform at least one. I couldn’t pass up such a wonderful opportunity!” He smiles in a way that makes my veteran bones shiver. “Do continue.” He nods to the white cloaked human, and I watch them place a mask over Stellar Gaze’s face, being careful to avoid her horn.

“Now let's get to the details of this matter shall we? You should be thankful, livestock like you are commonly broken in to do our labor or breed. To have the chance to speak as an equal is quite an honor. Now, for my first question, where did such a creature like you come from…?”

Stacey Petrov

When you’re a small town vet and a group of what appear to be wealthy executives visit your place saying they had a horse that needed treatment you tend to ask questions. When the answer is a thick wad of bills, well, you still have questions, but you know better than to ask them. It was my job after all, and one that I enjoyed.

“Please, if you could hurry. We’ve got a wounded horse that needs some treatment.” A simple job, and though I suspected there might be more I didn’t expect this much more to it. I was trapped in a brightly lit room with only basic medical equipment. More important than that were the two armed fellows behind me and the unicorn on the operating table among several other small horse-like creatures with exotic pigments and distorted body features.

Such an event would be a marvel among the medical community, yet here I was in a situation that would make them sick. I’d been able to do little more than witness the torture of the one I assumed to be their pack leader, far worse than that I had heard the words of a coherent and intelligent creature that would most certainly qualify as human.

I just stand there in shock as I hear the command from the interrogator. Surely he didn’t think I would, there must be a mistake here. “Autopsy, sir?” I ask, completely baffled at the order that had been given. “This creature is still alive.”

“And?” They ask in a curious tone.

“Well, typically the definition of an autopsy is to determine how a creature died and as this one is clearly alive—”

“Oh, for a second there I thought you were trying to cause trouble. I’m so glad it is just a simple technical misunderstanding.” He laughs in a way that makes my spine tingle as I hear his thinly veiled threat. What kind of goons are these? “I want you to cut that one open and document its insides. I’m sorry for being so vague, alas a medical degree is one of the few things I haven’t acquired over the past millennia or so. If you could also tell us each step aloud as well it’d be much appreciated.”

Yep, definitely insane. The interrogator is just watching with an amused expression, his assistant has their lips pressed into a firm line. Our eyes meet for a moment and they give their head the slightest of shakes before becoming deeply engrossed in their clipboard. Behind me I can see the guards each move a little closer to my position, guns held at the ready but no move has been made yet. Even worse I can see the oversized eyes of the creature trapped on the platform. The pleading and begging expression they’re giving me makes my heart ache.

“Is something wrong?” The interrogator asks.

I take perhaps a little too long to answer. “I don’t think I am properly trained for this kind of procedure, with unknown anatomy they could very likely bleed out or succumb to an infection I’m not prepared to treat.”

“I’m so glad for your honesty.” He says calmly in a smile that seems almost sincere. “I know we’ve given you quite a daunting task, just do your best and we’ll help however we can, alright? As you can see we have a few spares, just in case.” He gives a little wink.

“Please! You can’t— AAAGHH!!!” The dark horse on the platform screams as another jolt of electricity makes their body spasm, the smell of singed flesh quickly fills the room. This time I glimpse that they are a unicorn too, but with a broken horn. The sight of it sends me so many red flags, even if they had been hostile they certainly could be reasoned with couldn’t they? Yet I am fairly certain they haven’t brought me here to hear my thoughts about diplomacy. What could I honestly do about it? If I refuse they’d kill me and likely just find someone else.

But I can’t be the one to do it. I’ve dedicated my life to treating and caring for wildlife.

I pick up a scalpel from the table, looking over the unicorn’s vitals. I don’t know what normal was for them, but I can guess. I lean over the body and drag the dull side of the blade along their middle. “It won’t cut.” I say simply. Daring the interrogator to call my bluff as I affix them with a firm stare.

He meets my gaze with a sad looking smile. “Are you certain?” He asks, for a moment I can almost believe his sincerity. But I glare directly at him and give a firm nod. “That is unfortunate, but perhaps we can all learn something else today...”

In an instant I am yanked off my feet, flying across the room surrounded in a red haze until I feel the touch of his blade against my throat, then feel something warm and wet drip down it. Sensing my own demise I quickly try to bring up my own blade to stab at the psychopath but find my arm twisted tightly behind my back. His assistant I can see slowly steps away, but doesn’t leave. “You hate me right now, don’t you? Think I’m some kind of a monster?”

“If you want to kill someone, you better do it yourself, coward!”

This time I really do see pain in his eyes, if even a hint of tears. “I used to think the same thing of people like you. You invaded our lands from a world we had never heard of, with resources that could change our world for the better. I learned a harsh lesson then, one that cost the lives of not only my friends and family, but that of my village, my region, my province, my entire civilization.” He points at the unicorn across from us, scowling and hissing with rage. “I’ve forgiven your people for their crimes, after all, it is only in our nature to survive.”

I don’t dare to speak again with his blade so tightly against my throat, my breath is shallow as it is.

“I don’t expect you to understand. I don’t expect you to sympathize. I don’t even expect you to care. I’m here to save our world from the fate that took mine. These magical creatures from another dimension, no matter how benevolent they may think their intentions are, will eventually come to slaughter us. A war will come, from one side or the other, and when it does, it will wipe us out. You’re not a soldier, you’ve spent your career saving the lives of all manner of beasts, a job of honor and respect. I am merely asking that you put your own kind ahead of these beasts and help us save the lives of billions.”

He withdraws his dagger from my throat and I clasp my free hand to my throat to feel for the wound, but I find none. Except for a little blood I can’t feel any hint of a cut. “That may well be true, but I’d rather die than live with that kind of blood on my hands.” He raises his hand with the dagger and I close my eyes expecting to feel his blade cut me through at any moment.

But he doesn’t.

I feel the ground beneath my feet again, and something metallic being clasped around my leg. I open my eyes to find myself next to the broken unicorn. “Then you shall be given the chance to prove it.” I hear something clatter next to me and I see a small device with a button and a dial set in volts. “You kill them in any manner you choose and I promise you’ll be set free. If they kill you, there will be no one to dissect their comrades.” He gives a nod to his assistant who goes to the side and pulls out a camera, setting it to face the pony.

“Our society has changed a lot since I was born, but if I can’t convince you of the threat we face, then how could I convince our entire race of the danger we’re all in? I’m doing this for all of you. Just shows you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink...” His red aura flares up again as I’m hurled across the room then feel a click as my manacle is attached to a chain. They then drop me in front of the broken unicorn, chained to the same pedestal.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I do expect you to understand.”

Jake

I sit by the wounded unicorn’s side watching their chest rise and fall a bit roughly from the attack. I know it wasn’t my fault, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel responsible. The mother I had known for my entire life, well, at least the one I remember has just tried to kill my friend. I have never been close with my father, but his loss is still fresh on my mind. Everything in my life has been a lie. What I am, who my family is, where I am from...I can’t believe I have never even known where I was born. So many holes in my life that I only just now realize are there.

Could they have implanted things in my mind? Was I a ticking time bomb as Mike’s friend was? A second thought reminds me that if I was I would’ve been forced to act already. Dwelling on conspiracy with an enemy that can brainwash and shapeshift would just have us put knives at each other’s throats.

That just makes my own actions that much more important. Being inside the hospital reminds me all too painfully of the friend I had sent here. My guilt has only grown as I’ve been away. Yet the shame of what I have done lingers over me like a mountain waiting to drop. If he saw me, would it make things worse? Am I staying away because of how he would react, or to protect myself from the shame?

I hear the door turn and open, I try to dive to the other side but before I can a young man enters the room wearing fairly casual clothing. Instantly my heart surges into my throat as their eyes meet mine. I can taste their surprise almost before I see it, the sharp tang of fear as potent as a hot pepper almost makes my eyes water.

“Have you fed?” They ask hesitantly, looking like they’re ready to run. “The hell are you even doing here?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” The stranger asks suddenly much to my surprise. “Their assassin will be back to finish the job any moment!”

Then it finally dawns on me. “You!” They’re the changeling that I scared off! “I’m sorry for what happened, but my feeding as you call it might’ve cost me my best friend, so I hope you’re happy!”

“You’ll get over it, we all have to. Take solace in knowing that it's a pain we all share. There is a reason our kind is so communal. A hive together, thrives together. Now though, we have to go. You can have all the sympathy you want once we get you to safety.” They adjust their clothing a bit then lean against the far wall. “I know you probably have those morals of yours, but it’s suicide. You’d accomplish nothing but death for your honor.”

“I know you know a lot about the others, but I know we have more allies than you know. You’re probably right from what you know, but I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t try.” He huffs in exasperation. I see their eyes start to glow and I quickly look away. “Don’t even think about it!”

“Oh come on! You can even try to resist it to settle your little conscience!” He sounds so innocent saying it as if someone had just asked what is two plus two. “Whatever it takes to get your sorry flank back to Equestria alive preferably. If one of their enemies showed up with their dead filly it wouldn’t be a very good first impression.”

“Good. There is something I need to do first. Lucky for you they’re nearby. If you want me to survive you’ll come with me and help. My friend that...was in that incident...is here. The nurse gave me their room number, said that they could function, but that they’ve lost all feeling.”

“It’s not something easily fixed” He hisses. “You can take solace in knowing it's not a pain you face alone. The pain is fresh, but I promise you, it will fade.” He moves over to the bed and sits down. “Here is your first lesson, one that none of us tend to forget. If you don’t stop feeding on their love and emotions, they’ll have none left. Humans have so little, it's all too easy to overfeed on them. Like drinking from a teaspoon. You’re young, and you were starving. The important thing is that you don’t blame yourself. We can’t blame a hatchling for not knowing how to fly.”

I take a deep breath as my form is enveloped in green flame. Returning to my human form feels so alien. It’s only been a few days and it already feels as foreign as when I took the form of Mike’s mother. Without a reference, would I slowly forget what I used to look like? On that thought I open the door, nodding to the confused officer outside the door as they open their mouth to say something, but then quickly close it. “We’ll be back in a few if that’s okay.”

I move down the hall towards my friend's room, glancing back. I see the officer slide into the room once we reach the end of the hall, shooting us a suspicious glance as he does so.

“He’s not a changeling. Believe me. A real one wouldn’t be so obvious and would’ve killed you already.” He follows close behind me, constantly scanning every aspect of our environment.

“You know, I never did get your name...or said thank you. You know, for what you did the first time.” I say, carefully eyeing the room numbers until I find the appropriate one and enter. “Sam?” I ask, wincing a little as I feel my body straining to keep up my human form. I see him just sitting in their bed, staring at the other side of the room. He looks at me, but his face is devoid of even the slightest recognition.

“Name’s Tarsal, but that doesn’t matter.”

I just sit next to him, looking for anything left of his old self. “So how do we fix this?”

“No no no, there is no we here. This is your choice, and your decision. You are the one that fed on them, you’re the one that has what’s left.”

“How?” I ask. Sam is just sitting there, not seeming to care the least about either of us. This close I can see where my fangs had punctured the skin on his neck, the memory chilling me to the bone. I can still remember the feel of his flesh in my mouth, the taste of his blood, and the blissful feeling of my venom flowing into his neck. I hate how much I had liked it.

“I suppose it had to happen eventually, but that doesn’t mean it's the right thing for you. You deserve to know what will happen. If you give that love back there is no going back and getting you home will be a lot harder. You’ll be joining an endangered species, irreversibly becoming an entirely new creature. Staying this way will make you much less of a target and I could teach you how to be a proper changeling. If you change...then you’re on your own.” He then sighs, looking at my brainwashed friend. “You’re going to ignore everything I say and just do it anyways aren’t you? Enjoy being inferior and an outcast once the rest of you die off?”

“Yeah? Well what else is new? In this world, killing your best friend tends to make you an outcast too. Or is that different in your world?”

“You’d be surprised what ponies get away with, but that’s besides the point. I’m not here to judge you. It’s something that I could never do. I couldn’t live with the shame. Our kind had a civil war over it, after they changed...they well...changed. They refused us, hated us, and demanded that we change as they did. They gave up on our Queen and forgot who we were, our history and strength.”

“Well, they have the point of not abducting me and all these other ponies, killing kids, and...whatever else you did back at our homeworld place. Being the last...well...that. Maybe we could force some diplomacy there.” I notice Sam just staring at us, the slightest hint of confusion visible on his face. He has just watched us talking nonsense for several minutes straight and only looks bored. That...is honestly a bit terrifying. “Just tell me how to do it.”

They sigh and move forward, sniffing gently at the air. “Well you can hardly blame me for clearing my conscience of that. This isn’t a decision you should be making so rashly, you can’t just change back if you change your mind.”

“Then it's a good thing I’m stubborn that way. I’m well used to people already telling me what I should and shouldn’t be. I’ll make my own choices, buck the consequences. They are my own, not yours.”

“I get it I get it. But like you said earlier, I have my conscience to clear too. Now let's get this over with so I can finish saving your stubborn ass.” He grumbles. “Hero types, you know those purist heroes in all your stories only win by luck right? In the real world you can’t just always pretend that doing the right thing will automatically make you win, that’s not how it works.” He rubs his head in frustration. “Lucky for you, I also know better than to argue.”

In a flash of green they are their normal self again. Sam gives a little yelp and presses himself against the far wall. “Fuck.” He says in monotone, his expression not matching his words in the slightest.

“I’m going to pull, so you can feel where your love is stored. Then you need to push it out and back into your friend here. Hopefully, it won’t just kill you both. The unicorn is likely to be a bigger pain in the flank than you to save. If that’s even possible.”

I nod, looking at what remains of my best friend. I start to panic as I feel the hunger that made me lose control. Instinctually I tug back at it before I remember what I’m supposed to be doing. I trace the pink stream of love back to my chest. I can feel it, inside. Everyone might think they know what it feels like to be hungry, but they’d be lying. It hurts, it hurts so much that it's almost impossible to think about anything else. I tear back at my love, trying to pull it back. I see his knowing smirk and it makes me sick. He knew what would happen. I look to my friend, my lips moving to tell him sorry, but I just can’t.

Overcoming my hunger is easier than telling my only friend I was going to leave them to a fate worse than death. I push. The smell of their love in the air is intoxicating, but I shove it into him. Not letting up for a single moment lest I lose the spine. It hurts...sweet Faust it hurts. Yet instead of slowing I push it out faster. It feels like an eternity as the world around me gets blurier and blurier. It’s only when I realize that there isn’t anymore to give that I finally stop. I look down at myself, expecting to see myself change as he described...but I see nothing. I look up at him, feeling betrayed as his expression remains neutral.

“...Jake?”

Chrysalis

Though regrettable, it is important for a leader to understand their failures. Only two of my three assignments had reported back. One as a confirmation, the other as a failure. The last I could only guess. Being the merciful leader that I am I gave them more time, but I knew they would need more than that.

“I thought we had agreed to leave each other alone, Chrysalis.” The immortal says, twirling his dagger within his twisted magic. His unique form of magic is much more fluid than any of the pony magic I had witnessed, but it worked all the same.

“I’ve come to make a deal, Rumpelstiltskin.”

“Who?” He asks.

“An ageless immortal and you can’t even manage to keep up with the present century.”

“Get on with it Chryssi, I’m rather busy here.”

“Yes, yes I’ve noticed. You’ve proven yourself adept at capturing these ponies, and my forces have, at present, failed to do so on their own.” I state plainly. “You don’t want the other humans to have access to magic, and I don’t want my captives breaking free, escaping, and bringing more of them here.”

“You know I’m going to need more than just that. I’m not some maid to clean up all your sloppy work. You have the portal, and have done a terrible job of keeping it properly sealed. I just apprehended the latest of your failures...in good faith of course. They made quite a scene before I managed to get them under control.”

“You can’t operate the portal, your magic isn’t compatible.” I reply simply. He’d told me as much himself. It’s one of the few reasons we have any trust at all between us. Well, at least a truce. “So what else do you want?”

“A mutual arrangement, one that’ll benefit us both of course. The best deals are ones that are in our best interest to keep. I want our...relationship to last after all.” He leans back in his chair, twirling around his dagger once more. “In exchange for my help...I offer my help. For helping get your little...problem under control I will have a team of my operatives keep the portal stable. We have no interest in using your portal, but we will ensure it is used responsibly.”

I had expected as much, he is envious of the power that the other world holds. He never admitted it, and because of our relationship I’d been unable to call his bluff. “It would have to be a team I approved...”

“And one more thing...I want tributes. Those who are...troublesome...in your world I will be the keeper of. My methods will be much more effective than your own at keeping them incarcerated.”

“You mean kill them. Like your cult does to the hundreds of others to fuel your magic? I need my prisoners alive. Without them creatures beyond both of our abilities will come here and obliterate us all. Do you really think a being powerful enough to move the sun and moon will struggle to deal with either of us?”

“Don’t play coy with me. My sources tell me those leaders have moved on. You have been feeding on one of these powerful beings for years now. You even defeated their Queen once if the rumors are true. I just want my share of it. Unlike humans your creatures are full of magic. My...unique abilities can drain their magic directly, along with my followers. With proper supervision they’ll be alive and well, but helpless.”

He can’t be serious…”Then why not just take my magic and use it for yourself with the portal?” If he has such an ability...I will have to revise my contingencies. Perhaps my twin knows something about all this. As much as I am loathe to admit she’s the only one with any real knowledge of magic.

“For now, you are allowed those you capture that we lost control of. Except those that are related to VIPs. We need them alive and well, for both our sakes.” A promise I can make without truly giving them anything in return. We just would have to get them first. If we couldn’t...well...it wouldn’t be our problem anymore.

“Sounds delightful. I told you we could have a good relationship. Maybe one day we’ll even trust each other.” He smiles and gets up to shake my hand, to that I simply scowl. He laughs at that. A subtle show of dominance, one I hope to not have to endure for long. He’s good at fixing problems, every ruler needs a lesser to deal with these mundane issues.

The thing is, being a changeling, I know he is thinking the exact same thing.

Author's Note

First and foremost I'm so sorry this chapter took so long! School, life, and a touch of Laziness and overall frustration with this chapter really dragged this one. Not 100% satisfied with it, but hopefully next chapter can pick things back up properly!

As always a huge shoutout to the Amazing Alsey for their help in editing and proof-reading my chicken scratchings. They also just finished the first volume on their Five-Score Novel "A Prench Tale!" So go and check that one out!

To Twilight: Twilight, you are a fool, ponies are DEAD because you wouldn't properly deal with Chrysalis the first time. Here's reality for you. You CAN'T redeem everyone.

Maybe I am a fool, my actions are not as swift, nor as decisive as vengeance. Killing Chrysalis though, would solve short term problems, but create many others long term. She is a part of an entirely new world that we must show our best selves too. As a princess of Equestria I have to think about things in our future. Every life lost is tragic, but if a proper peace can be made between our worlds and the remaining natural changelings that could be countless more lives saved. The lives of our enemies are no less important than the lives of our own. As the Princess of Friendship, how could I act any different?

Inspired by the wonderful Damaged I've started doing a few "Ask X a question." To help answer some reader questions from the perspective of the main characters. Feel free to ask any character a question for a chance at having it answered in the next!

Comments, as always are very much appreciated!