Ocellus

Once I had been separated from the rest of the group I had considered a rescue against Tempest’s wishes. One by one as the others had fallen I’d held my position, mimicking the form of a squirrel I had seen earlier. Watching from the tree, I saw Tempest valiantly fight off their soldiers, when I saw the needle flying towards her I had been deeply tempted to warn her, but years of training and resolve back in the hive helped hold my tongue. I swallow my scream and hold fast, the time for sorrow will have to wait.

Learn Ocellus. I thought to myself. I watched them, studying their movement patterns, their appearances and actions. Yet, I was startled as I saw the dagger-man go around one by one, impaling each of the soldiers around the perimeter, killing them one by one. Their blood glowing slightly as the dark sorcerer absorbed their lifeforce and love in a way even us changeling’s had never dared. What was even more disturbing was the lack of an aura from the man. He had no anger, remorse, or any concern for his actions, a being invisible to any of our empathic senses. Even the animals around me at least had something, but the man was a dark void of just...nothingness.

I saw my allies taken one by one into the metal carriages, memorizing the strange labels adorning them hoping they’d be of use later. The soldiers, however, were left to rot in the cool morning air. Once they leave, I cautiously move to inspect one of the bodies. The corpses were dried and empty as if they’d spent a hundred days in the summer sun, but at least the smell of rot hadn’t settled in. I study the body of the soldier, stripping off their armor and apparel to analyze their anatomy. I study their form, practicing and shaping my body, using the others as a reference, then arranging the bodies of the fallen as respectfully as I can given the little time I had. They hadn’t even bothered to collect the bodies after the assault. Perhaps it was a warring faction? Another question for another time.

Here in an alien landscape my training once more giving me a guide. When in doubt, imitate, I was good at that. I wander along the road, keeping a close eye on the carriages and eventually arriving at a town. However, I saw that my current disguise attracted a lot of attention. The human’s would halt their activities and stare, some looking apprehensive, others hurrying away and out of sight. Having such attention is dangerous when you couldn’t be sure how an individual with so much attention should act. Unfortunately, that was but one of the problems of this approach, this human appearance was draining. I was well trained and practiced in shape-craft, but the time factor would become troublesome with such a bulky and misshapen form.

I wait at a building where the chariots pass through frequently, pumping something inside the vehicles, judging by the unpleasant smell, some sort of acidic chemical. I learned that they use machines with small squares, a type of magic storage? No, humans don’t have magic, so something else. They use the small squares to get goods as well, a form of currency? No matter, with something so unfamiliar it’d be best not to mess with it. I analyze the tug on the pendant identifying the direction. I consider hijacking a carriage, but then dismiss it. I need to observe more before attempting to pilot such a device.

I initially considered continuing on my own cross country, but the density of the buildings and roads deters me from the notion. I sigh, defeated, realizing what I must do. I wait patiently as more chariots move through. It takes a while, but eventually a solo individual shows up in a rather massive chariot. I sneak into their vehicle as they go inside, waiting for them to return. After looking around to make sure I’m alone I change back with a few pops and groans as I shed the uncomfortable body, vowing never to take that form for so long again.

The creature re-enters their vehicle as I lie there in wait, channeling magic to form a connection with their mind. Like everything else in this world, it takes more effort than I expected, their gaze meeting my own as we battle in the silence. Their might is formidable, both of us seeming tired, only surprise being in my favor as I channel more and more magic, growing worried that I might not have enough for what’s to come. Memories drift between our connection, an unavoidable consequence when so much energy is poured into a connection. I see their dissatisfaction, their boredom, days spent driving endlessly, life repeating endlessly in a cycle, working hard, then indulging in opulence, addicted to coping with their own suffering through drugs and concoctions of questionable origin.

In that instant they were lost, their willpower and thoughts sculpted to my will like a hoof through clay.

Their formidable will falling down in surrender, my will sliding into their mind as easily as their liquor. A mind with nothing to fight for once their sad life flashed before their eyes. I feel tears drip on my hooves, my eyes watering from the sorrow from a being with just...nothing. A single tear dripping down their cheek, then another. I felt my stomach churn, fighting the urge to vomit at having done such a horrible thing to another living being once more, as justified as it might have been. The fact that they had nothing else going for them in the first place only made the feeling worse.

I look up at their eyes, glowing slightly with the enchantment, my resolve crumbling. No, I couldn’t do this to them, I was better than that. Despite all the magic wasted, I let the spell recede, my magic wasted as the spell expires unable to be reclaimed. A fitting punishment for my wrongdoing, but then I stop. I kept our mental connection, having no other means to communicate. Though unable to communicate using words, I could share feelings, desires, images. Communicate in memories, and experience.

I show them memories of the Evil Trio, frozen in stone, the second Chrysalis showing up with a small army of my kin. Applebloom,the rest of the CMC, and multiple students held captive as the Mane 6 were forced to reverse the spell. Yet that was only the beginning or her conquest...despite the--

I’m broken suddenly from my stupor, our connection severed, the creature running and screaming for their life into the building. I just stare a moment in shocked silence, then the disappointment settles in. I grab the keys from their spot on the seat, sliding into position. Guess I’ll be learning while doing this time. Their mind was full of copious amounts of the activity after all. What I had glimpsed made it all seem rather simple for such a complex device, the vast majority of the buttons and levers serving no direct functional purpose. Most curious.

The wheel isn’t hard to figure out, obviously the same as back home. I test the pedals, having to use magic to operate them properly and with a bit of trial and error I manage to get it to the road, albeit with several honks from disgruntled drivers. With a bit more practice I manage to get the vessel to head steadily between the lines, the speed being the hardest part of managing such a bulky and erratic machine, having no equivalent back home for this kind of dexterity and operation. Many cars go to a larger road heading at faster speed, but I determine the potential for error to be too great. The pendant guides me on and on throughout the night, though perhaps faster than on hoof, it's still too slow for my tastes. The pendant’s glow intensified more and more, whatever enchantments the other’s had, it was getting stronger.

A flash of light catches the corner of my eye, otherwise unremarkable, but the feel of magic vibrating through my body like thunder. My nostrils flare, and my antennae twitch, taking in the sensation. The pendant on my neck however remains on its same course. My eyes instead tracking the dark blur of what looked like a bat pony crashing towards the ground in the far distance.

Did earth have other ponies? Not just these bipedal creatures? Our knowledge was fairly lacking in this place, but surely we would’ve noticed other ponies before. I’m dearly tempted to investigate, but I don’t have that kind of time. One of our ponies was injured, possibly dead. I had a mission to finish and fulfill. Two in fact. I would find our missing ponies, then, like it or not, I was going to find Tempest and the others, no pony was going to be left behind, not like my mother left all of us.

I would do better…

I had to.

Artemis

We drove along the main road for a long while. Though I hadn’t been here long enough to really understand the layout, I knew that turning off onto the backroads so early, and heading along a road that clearly leads out of town, not the way to my house.

I groan, hissing through my teeth as I readjust my position, my stab wounds making themselves clearly known. “You changed your mind.” I say matter of factly. “Where are you really taking me?” I rasp. Then turn around trying to see if we were being pursued or followed by anyone else.

The officer doesn’t reply immediately, but then to my surprise, pulls off to the side of the road and turns off the car. He turns to face me, inspecting my form with a critical eye. His expression unreadable. “Is...my son going to be okay?”

What does he mean...? My thoughts flicked through my memories before remembering what Ethan had said an eternity ago about his father being on the force, only now realizing the family resemblance. “Ethan...” I say in realization. Taking a few breaths to steady myself, trying to think of something diplomatic to say. “I...know of beings that can answer that question, I’m not one of them.” I hesitate a bit longer, feeling the palpable tension in the air, knowing what must be going through his head. “I’m sorry. For...all of this. There is this conflict between ponies like me, and a faction of a race of shapeshifters called changelings. It’s kind of a long story, but this world is a prison meant to hold us. Something must have happened to make them suddenly decide to kill us, and your son...he...he got caught in the crossfire.” I pause, my weakened form easily becoming winded. “When I first arrived here, your son was one of the first people to introduce himself and welcome me to school. It was a small thing...but in all the other places I’ve lived, I’ve never had someone go out of their way to not only notice, but let me feel like I belonged.”

He starts the car, turning us around and returning back down the road in what I could only assume was the proper direction. “In a crazy fucked up world like yours, I hope you remember. He may be just a small part of your story, but as my son, he means the world to me.”

We drive on in a long silence. There seems to be more cars than usual around, it's hard to get a good look at them in the dark, but no matter who they belong to, with so many it is most certainly a bad thing. The officer pulls up to my door, a sudden lightheadedness and sweat taking hold of me at the sight of our house. The officer doesn’t say a word as I leave. “...Thanks.” I say as I exit, wincing at the strain at my stitches as I move towards the door, each step thundering with the clip clop of hooves on cement. Taking a deep breath, exhaling through my nose, already feeling the pressure of tears at the edge of my vision.

Then I take the first step, towards the last of this life.

My father is there, bent over, fists clenched together, expression firm, bordering on rage. My aunt looks shell-shocked as she sees me walk through the door. Dad’s expression lagging moments behind. Looking down and remembering that I was still wearing a hospital gown, I realized that I probably should have thought this through better. Every fallacy and error of my planning happily decides to make itself known. All of that adrenaline wearing out in a moment, the floor beneath me suddenly feeling unstable and I slide against the wall feeling a bit faint.

“You’re awake!” My aunt says.

“Artemis…? What’re you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the hospital!” My father yells, standing up and moving over close to hold me, but I brush him aside. He flinches back at the sight of my hand, getting a good look at what I really am. “What…what the hell did they do to you?!”

“Dad…that isn’t–”

“Lyndsey, call that damn hospital, I want to know what they fucking did to my son!” He roars, looking absolutely livid. His yelling making me wince, my ears flatten against my head, the words striking like a hammer to the chest.

“I’m not your son!” I yelled back before he could continue, just ripping off that bandaid with my heart left bleeding. That little exertion makes me desperately want to curl up in a ball until it all is over. “I…I…its…you see…” I can’t even form words right now. Clenching my teeth and restricting my breaths to try to hold in the sobs.

I feel the gentle touch of my aunt hugging me gently, my father just glaring with his “unacceptable” expression. Not saying anything just yet, but getting his message across just fine. As if he could change the facts through sheer force of will.

“My name…my real name, is Morning Star. I’m a pony, always have been.”

“Bullshit, your name is Artemis Fletcher, my son and quite human. These kids you’ve been hanging out with, all this trouble you’ve been getting into, I know my real Son is better than this. Whatever this is, we’ll get you back to your proper self in no time. This isn’t you, your family loves you too much to let you do this to yourself.”

“You know exactly who I am dad, you’ve known it long before all this happened. You’ve known that I’m not the son you think I am, but you’ve deluded yourself into thinking that you are doing it for my sake.” I take a deep breath, steadying my resolve for the next words to pass my lips. “I like guys, and I’ve dreamed about being a girl for as long as I can remember…but I’ve spent so much of my life caring only about what you, and everyone else wanted of me. I’ve been the good kid, the quiet kid, the kid no one notices, but no one ever trips over.” I stand up, feeling a weight finally lifted from my shoulders. “Being true to who I am is not an obstacle to anyone but those who try to step on me. I have the right to stand up for who I am. I hope you can come to understand, but I simply can’t wait for your permission to start living.”

My father steps back, looking at my aunt absolutely dumbfounded. She looks more confused and concerned, my father just looks enraged, lunging forward and grabbing me. “You listen here. I know the son I raised, and I raised you to be better than this. Your injuries and all those drugs are making you gay and delirious. You’re only thinking this now because of trauma, but that will all go away once this is over. You’ll only hurt yourself making statements like this when you aren’t in the right frame of mind.”

My horn crackles with energy, feeling so much frustration. I look over my family, seeing my little sister emerge from her room, staring in stunned silence at me. She runs to me, pulling me into a hug that makes it all too easy to relax all that tension as I softly rub over her back, feeling a sense of finality growing in our situation. The shakiness I had before in my body hardened into something much more firm…but cold. Resolve. I look over my family that I’d had for well beyond a decade of my life, easing myself from the grip of my sister as I move towards the door. Looking at my father, feeling as much as seeing the cold rage inside his body. The betrayal and surprise of my aunt;, and the sorrow and loss from my sister. “Then you can’t be a part of this. I only hope to be able to see you all again… No matter what, just know that I love you, and hope you can understand one day.”

I could feel the presence of a crowd outside the door, every injury and scar like a little radar, mental and physical. If that didn’t give them away, my ears had heard their scuffling. I step outside only to be blinded by a spotlight, several of the cars we’d passed earlier parked in a ring around our house, dozens of armed people in military and other black garb all around us weapons drawn. One suited man in the middle of all of it standing on the front lawn just waiting patiently, seemingly unarmed and chatting with the officer who had dropped me off.

“I am Agent Kazakhstan of the United States Supernatural Containment Division. We have received notification that you are not of terrestrial origin. We demand that you submit to our custody so that diplomatic and situational information can be gained. This is not a request.”

If I surrender it will divert some of their resources to containment and might give the others a chance to escape or hide. I open my mouth to respond, coughing a little at the strange feelings in my throat, knowing I don’t have long before I’d have a lot more trouble speaking.

“I surrender.”

Twilight

Following the pair of Queens was growing harder. The more the halls narrowed, the more intense the patrols became, and the greater the risk became. More than once, I had likely brushed up against patrols, but the spell held and none had raised the alarm.

“Here are the artifacts…you identify them, and I’ll give you all the reinforcements you could ask for.”

“But my queen! You insisted tha–” Another changeling who had been guarding the locked room protested, looking between the two Queens with uncertainty. However they are silenced as the Human Queen affixes them with an icy glare.

“Conditions have changed you insufferable moron. Now, go be useful and get us in contact with the Sorcerer, we can’t wait any longer to get control of their faction.” The changeling goes through several emotions all at once. Surprise, terror, and finally worry? Before dashing out of the room.

As Chrysalis’s duplicate opens the door, Chrysalis hesitates. “Earlier you said that getting reinforcements was a problem…What are you planning Chris?” She asks her human counterpart with no lack of suspicion.

“There is a cult of mages in this world, if I can manage to best their leader we would have access to thousands of trained soldiers, magic capable, and military ready.” Chris replies, opening up metal cases covered in writing and warning symbols. Inside are various objects: jewelry, carved rocks, and primitive weapons. The slight tingle in my horn warns me of my magic influencing them. The artifacts seem to have long since been drained of their power. Given the lack of magic I’d felt in this world they’d likely lacked any way to be recharged…until now.

Chrysalis eyes them carefully, attempting to light her horn to interact with them, but fails due to my handiwork on it. “These…these are Equestrian, at least most of them. But if they were in Equestria…how could they be…?”

“They weren’t in Equestria, they were here. That land is your own as we’ve negotiated, now get on with it.” Chris grumbles, crossing her non-injured arm over her chest.

Chrysalis grabs one, inspects it briefly, then drops it like a hot coal as it lets off a high pitched chime and shoots sparks. “Faust, these are broken! No wonder they were sent through the portal, half of these seem like malformed experiments with runaway Aether.”

“And…?” Chris asks.

Chrysalis smirks, enjoying her position. “Starswirl was the creator of the interdimensional portal. He must have thrown his malfunctioning junk here. In our world, they would have created quite the magical shockwave, a bomb of sorts. But here? They’re just unpleasant for creatures like us. They siphon some of your magic right out of you, then just blast it back outward. The crystal meant to house them isn’t pure enough to actually hold a charge. Equestria has long since learned how to fix that problem, most of these are just junk and a hazard waiting to happen.” She thinks for a moment. “Might want to keep it away from the portal though.”

“You just fail to see its potential. If it is truly capable of what you say, even these broken tools shall have a purpose in my new order…” She reaches into her suit, withdrawing a small version of the weapon I had seen her army in Equestria wield. Chrysalis is distracted by the enchantments as Chris brings the weapon up to their head. “Sorry Chrysalis, but you know a hive can have only one Queen…”

I just watch, torn between the rage for my people, and the need to act as the princess of friendship. It is my calling to be the good pony, the unifier, the peacemaker, but oh how I wished to let her do it. Then I remember that I’m doing this for more than just the war. An entire species that needs redemption and friendship caught up in a conflict born of unnecessary suffering.

I drop my invisibility spell and rip away her weapon, slamming it against the wall with enough force to make it crack. Then before they get a chance I grab Chris in my magic, slamming her against the wall, a fair bit harder than necessary. “A spineless coward! You would slaughter a pony with their back turned, and your twin no less! But what else would we think of a vile beast who would steal and murder children from the crib.”

I turn to Chrysalis, looking like she’s trying to determine which of us that she’d kill first. “Is this really what you’re going to be a part of Chrysalis? To doom your species to extinction out of spite, to leave a trail of innocent blood in your path to revenge?” I feel Chris’s energy shifting against my own as she attempts to shapeshift to escape my grasp. Knowing I can’t possibly hold both of them I conjure my nullification spell, but then my vision goes red, and I stagger back, stunned, a stabbing pain in my shoulder sapping my magic like a leech as the traitorous human bug dashes off.

I wince in pain, biting at the rocky blade and pulling it free, recognizing the stone fragments from the shattered changeling throne from so long ago. I look at Chrysalis, matching her gaze. “You’ve lost Chrysalis, no matter what happens now, you won’t come out on top. Equestria is ours, Earth is beyond your control, and you have nothing. Tell me where Cadence is and how to find our lost foals and fillies, and just maybe you won’t spend the rest of your immortal life as part of my garden.”

“You bring me Starlight and Thorax’s head on a pike and I might consider!” She hisses, but I can see the lack of strength behind her statement. “You don’t know what it's like! To have nothing! No family, no allies, no resources! You…you…she…I had a chance! I…I didn’t know how far…but we had to! You gave us no choice! You think I liked what we did? That I didn’t have doubts!? I’m a mother of hundreds and thousands, you think they mean any less to me, that I didn't understand what we were doing? You may think yourself a princess, Twilight, but you'll never be a Queen. Your rule ends when you are incapable of doing what is necessary!”

I hear the shouts of Chris’s soldiers and lackeys preparing to launch an assault. We don’t have long. I hold out my hoof to her, reminded all too well of the day she lost her children, feeling a pang of guilt, knowing now as a mother how she must have felt. “You may not be ready to forgive, Faust knows I’m not, but this is bigger than both of us. A true leader does what’s best for their people, and your family, your real family needs you.” I move closer to her channeling the teleport spell. “We can finish this conversation later.” I don’t wait for her response, teleporting both of us upward and away.

Aaron

“I’m telling you I know who this is! I’ve seen it! Just connect me to someone that can really–”

Beep.

The lights go out above me and the sound of the heater dies down, leaving only the ambient sounds of the nearby forest. “Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?” All I can hear from their side is the buzzing sound of a disconnected call. I slam the old phone back on the receiver in frustration.

“Son? We have company.” My father holds his hands up cautiously, standing next to the window, the nearing light of headlights coming up our ranch property. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. I don’t understand, but I can listen and try to.”

“I found something. People who could do things we read about in comic books, and become things from fairy tales.” I take a deep breath. “It was a world I was becoming a part of, in more ways than one.” I carefully grip my shirt and pull it over my head. “...And then I saw what they were up against.” I see his expression go over my chest, seeing the ring of horse fur that had started growing where I had tried wearing the amulet before. It had been slowly spreading downward ever since. “We have an enemy that we don’t understand. They can be anyone, anything even. That’s not even the worst of it. I…” I swallow, my mind going back to the vivid memory. “I saw one of them nearly stabbed to death by Ethan…and it was him. Not a copy, him. They turned the nicest kid I know into a murderer.”

“Okay okay…” He holds his hands out in a pacifying gesture. “just breathe for a moment and think. If you’re in danger, we need to evaluate your risk first. Right now, have you received any indication that they might know who you are? If there is, why didn’t they get you at the school?”

“No…but–”

“Then let’s work with that. Does anyone else know that you’ve been affected?” He asks, sitting down on my bed next to me.

“I wore an amulet that would teleport back to them, it's connected to their powers somehow. Angela, Artemis, and Mike know I put it on but from there…who knows?! Magic has never really ever been real, or known to be real before now. Maybe…maybe the reason we have never heard of it is because everyone that knows or is capable of it is dead?”

Knock Knock

We both turn at the sound of the knocking, seeing a large black van. “Well, it seems like someone took my call seriously. We should…probably answer that.” I move downstairs with my dad in tow, he picks up the shotgun I had passed him earlier as I open the door. Standing outside is a military official, though their shoulder patch has a flag I don’t recognize, but they look American.

“Aaron?”

“Yes?” I reply, glancing nervously at my father who remains at the ready.

“I am Agent Smith of the Supernatural Containment Force, are you aware of the identities and individuals of unnatural capabilities? For their safety and yours you need to come with us. We are aware of an encounter between a shapeshifter and one of the individuals earlier today. We can get you to a secure location, but we have to move fast.” They pull out a small needle tip and prick their forearm letting red blood drip over them. “As you can see I am human, the others with us are all verified as well. We can offer you, and your friends, protection and some education on what’s going on. All we ask is for your cooperation.”

“Dad?” I ask, looking at him a bit unsure.

“If you are willing and capable of offering protection, we are happy to accept, but we want the assurance that we may not be incarcerated against our will, nor coerced to give out more than what we are comfortable with.”

“Of course, of course, now if you please, we’re in a bit of a hurry here.”

We both step forward into the van, one of the guards briefly tries to take away my father’s shotgun, but a stern glare and a firm grip dissuades the other soldier of the notion.

“I’ll be keeping this, thank you.” My father asserts. The door closes behind us and the car takes off back down the road, surprisingly fast for such a bulky thing. Agent Smith who is on the passenger side talks into a radio mounted onto the dash.

“What do you mean you lost them? You said that they had been neutralized!” They pause for several moments, the reply too muted for me to make it. “She is here? What do you mean the hospital we have to…His hand?!” He turns back around to us. “I’m sorry you two, but we have to get you all out of here. We need reinforcements to ca–free the others. Hang tight, the big man wants to speak with you.”

Author's Note

A massive thanks to Golden Skies for a pre-read and edit pass.
Another massive thanks to the Horseword team Hyreia and Alsey who made this wonderful piece of art to share: https://imgur.com/a/T5TgUyc

Lots and lots of apologies for such a long update time. This fic shall not be left unfinished! It'll get there...eventually. tl;dr School is busy, Life is Crazy, and Friends are amazing.

From Golden Skies to Aaron:
Aaron, if you were to choose between being friends with some loser book nerd horse, and an honest, hard-working, all-Equestrian orange horse....

"That certainly sounds like a bit of a loaded question. A nerd about this stuff would probably be helpful with all that's going on, but honestly, given a better situation I'd definitely rather spend an afternoon with a hard working horse that gets me"

Inspired by the wonderful Damaged I've started doing a few "Ask X a questions." 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.

Thank you as always for reading and supporting this little story of mine.

Comments, as always, are appreciated!