White Lies

Casually trotting into that room was impossible. I had been tensed the whole trot here under the cover of darkness. The moonlight threatened to rat me out, but thankfully I was never seen—hopefully. Several important ponies were in there: Chiseled Stone, Baron Von Gold, and even Emboldening Charisma, the light of the resistance, to name a few. But then there was Shattered Shield, sat comfortably to the right of Chiseled Stone and across from Sweet Tooth. That pony had been fighting since the beginning, so why did he turn to the commies?

The room was only lit by a small oil lamp, situated onto a map of Canterlot spanning the large table. I had to squint my eyes to get accustomed to it, I had never seen such a bright lamp before. I would need to rub them when I sit down. The air reeked of tobacco. Everypony in the room had a pipe or cigarette, everypony except for Charisma. He didn't smoke. Another pony came in after me and summoned some wine and a few glasses as a refresher for us. What's the point in fighting for freedom if we don't keep our traditions?

Charisma had his two forehooves on the table, staring down at the knife stuck in the map. He would have been a model if not for the minute scar on his chest. Something only a close pony or camera would notice.

Stone tapped Charisma's shoulder and pointed at me with his wing.

Charisma peered up, his muzzle being caked in a deep orange glow. He smiled, and said, "Ah, Iris! I'm glad to see you've recovered."

"Thank you, mon ami."

Charisma grinned. He motioned for Baron Von Gold to pour him a drink, and said, "Then I suppose you're ready for act two, non?"

I chuckled. His Prench wasn't the greatest, perhaps I could help him. Taking a seat at the foot of the table, across from Charisma, would be a breather for me. I rubbed my eyes and smiled, replying:

"That sounds delightful."

"I'm glad it does." He dropped down off the table, and began his monologue, "Now, I understand we've been planning on attacking the arms factory over on Sweets Street, but considering just how successful our big reveal was a week ago, I think we should go even bigger for Act Two."

"How big?" Sweet Tooth asked, gazing up from the map and letting her scarred left eye be caked in a dirty orange glow.

"Big," Charisma answered, his shoulders slacked as he leaned into the table. "I'm sure you ponies have seen the giant radio tower in Canterlot Castle?"

Baron Von Gold's eyes widened. Chiseled Stone and Sweet Tooth exchanged glances. I kept my eyes on Charisma, everything he's done since Vanhoover has been for a good cause. Charisma grasped the levitating wine glass Baron Von Gold poured for him and took a sip of the purple drink.

Clearing his throat and setting the glass on the table, he began trotting to Chiseled Stone's side of the table. "The Changelings are bound to combat us on our road to freedom every step of the way. They're no doubt trying to infiltrate our headquarters as we speak," Charisma stopped as he turned and began trotting toward Baron Von Gold's side. "Now that just begs the question: 'How can I know if there is a Changeling spy in the headquarters before it is too late?'" he paused, his eyes began panning the room as Baron Von Gold's head drooped, no doubt brainstorming. Charisma locked eyes with me.

"By stealing their ciphers. We will have an operative on the inside take out the power. When the shields and lights are down, a commando squad will scale the walls and enter the nearest entry point to our target. The operative and our freshly formed squad will flee in the dead of night soon after," Charisma stopped in his previous spot. He smiled, stating, "That's the rundown of my plan, please, ask questions so I can go into more detail where needed."

Chiseled Stone grabbed his pipe and jabbed it at Charisma, puffing out a thin smoke over the table. "Dere's a giant green bubble around the Castle—how you gonna bypass that?"

A good question.

Charisma nodded, "The operator on the inside will cut the power."

I nodded. Sweet Tooth raised her wing. She asked, "Who vill be ze pony on ze inside?"

"Not a pony," Charisma replied, "a Changeling."

Chiseled Stone's pipe dropped as both his forehooves slammed the table, rattling the few glasses on the table. Baron Von Gold levitated a glass off the table and beside his head. Chiseled Stone hollered, "Dere's not a chance in Tartarus a Changeling would help us. Whatever contact you made, you best cut it."

Baron Von Gold pressed his cigarette into the ashtray beside him. He said, "I'm with Chiseled Stone on this one. Changelings are expert deceivers, Charm, that scoundrel is tricking you."

"On the contrary, Gold, they were one of the few Changelings who switched sides after the Hearth's Warming Truce so long ago. He's been helping me ever since the fall of Vanhoofer, so I assure you he is trustworthy."

Chiseled Stone shifted his gaze to the table. He sighed and returned to the ground, grumbling to himself.

Charisma nodded and smiled, returning his gaze to the left side of the table. "Anypony else, or should I say, anybody else?" Charisma slowly turned his head to another pony, hidden in the blindspot of the room behind me.

The dark spot ignited into a sea of green. A Changeling, complete with their black chitin and numerous holes, bared their teeth as they wiggled their way into a spot between Baron Von Gold and Sweet Tooth. The two tried their best to conceal their movement, but it slowly became noticeable as they drifted away from the Changeling.

"I remember when those deserters of Chrysalis's army 'let the love flow through them.' They turned into brightly colored, holeless Changelings, so why is that one black?" asked Shattered Shield.

"Seeing a bright Changeling in the midst of all the black ones would be a red flag, would it not?" Charisma said.

Shattered Shield nodded and peered at the knife in the table. The knife was implanted directly into the crescent-shaped castle at the edge of Canterlot. It's walls, once protecting the two sisters, now acts as a nest for the hive of bugs and invaders. Ponies once entered those walls to sort out their differences, but now they enter those walls to disappear and never be seen again. It's a shame I wasn't born a pegasus, I would love to be a part of the team.

Charisma straightened his back and his eyes panned the room. He stopped at Baron Von Gold and nodded to him, then his gaze shifted to the knife.

"Now, everypony, let us begin Act Two."