Pyre

“…and that’s all what happened.” Pyre had just finished explaining everything that happened mere moments ago to Erosa, and the other two changelings, while they all huddled in an alleyway.

And as the changeling’s listened, they were honestly surprised that Pyre not only made contact with the heroines of Equestria, but also faced a giant smoke monster, and hold his own. Now honestly Pyre thought that Erosa would be upset, but surprisingly she’s not, in fact she’s mostly calm and seemingly trying to figure things out.

“…well, despite a few hiccups, I think we’re still good for the time being.” Erosa said before looking to Pyre. “Did these ponies seem suspicious of you?” Pyre shook his head.

“Nah. If anything, they were more shocked, or confused.” Pyre simply said. “And I think if I play my cards right, I might be able to be trusted by these, ponies?” Erosa nodded.

“If I get into these ponies good graces, I could spy on them, without raising suspicion.”

“He’s right.” the stallion of the group said. “If he manages to get in the ponies inner circle, we could have a special agent that the Queen can use to set up whatever plans she might have. I’m certain she would want revenge on them.” the other two changelings nodded, before looking over to Pyre, and Erosa spoke.

“Pyre, as leader of this operation I want you to try and infiltrate the ponies ranks, I will report to the Queen about this, and hope she will see the opportunity with this.” Pyre smirked before pushing off the wall he was leaning on.

“You got it captain.” Pyre said before walking back out into the street, while the changelings remained in the alleyway.

Erosa & the changelings went deeper into the darken alleyway, and once they felt they were far in, and that they won’t be disturbed. Erosa’s eyes then glowed an eerie glow, along with her horn, where her magic started to form a small ball. The other two changelings eyes & horns glowed as well, before feeding magic to Erosa’s horn, increasing the balls size. Then a moment later, the ball shined a beam of light down in front of the trio, where an image of Queen Chrysalis on her throne now stands.

“My Queen, can you hear me?” Erosa asked.

“Yes Erosa, I do. Why have you called me?” Chrysalis asked in a slight miffed tone, which caused the Scouts to kneel, before Erosa spoke.

“I believe we have managed to find an excellent opportunity to take revenge on Twilight Sparkle, her friends, and the royal couple that forted your conquest plan of Canterlot.” Ersoa said. On the other side of the relayed message, the changelings could actually feel the Queen smile, and hear a small chortle.

“I’m listening.” Chrysalis said as she sat up straighter in her stone throne, crossing her legs as she rest her head on her left hand.

~~~~~

Pyre was walking around the Crystal Empire, and was surprised just how these, ponies, could live in building actually made out of crystal. Back home people would go crazy just to get their hands on 1% of the whole city, which could probably make them millions if they tried to sell them. As the human continued to walk through the streets of the city, he passes by who looked like the inhabitants. They looked like the ponies he saved from, whatever that black mass was, but something was off about them, they all looked so, drained. Their coats & mains looked as if they were bleached, all being dulled grey in color, with the smallest amount of what could be their original color shun through.

As Pyre continues to look around, he noticed that the empire, and the ponies that he can see, all had a strange Greek vibe about them. the structures looked like the ones in Greek history books, and the ponies were wearing toga’s, or other fashions that those of ancient Greek would wear. But aside from the ponies & the structures, there wasn’t much else to look at. No other animals could be seen, very little plans or gardens were about, and the streets were basically empty. Looking back at the ponies that he can see; Pyre feels sorry for them. they looked so, miserable.

“What’s with these ponies. They all look like zombies.” Pyre said to himself as he looked from one pony, to another. Seeing their gloom and downtrodden faces, as they shamble about, or just sit or lay about.

“Pyre!” the human turned to see the purple pony, Twilight if he remembered correctly, was running towards him. “I’m glad I found you.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Pyre asked as he turned to face the pony, as she came to a stop, catching her breath.

“Because my brother, and my sister-in-law, have a proposition for you.”

“What kind of deal?” Pyre asked.

“It’s best that you come and hear it from them.” Twilight said, before her horn began igniting. “I’ll teleport us to—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa there! I have a bad history with teleportation, so I rather that you not teleport me.” Pyre said. Partially lying, and partially telling the truth, as he was brought here by being teleported. Which was pretty obvious. Twilight stopped her magic channeling.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know.” Twilight said, but Pyre just waved it off. “Alright then, we’ll just have to walk there then.”

Both Twilight & Pyre began walking towards the castle, which was the easiest thing to find, and spot, as it stood in the very center of the empire. As they closed in on the castle, less and less of the crystal ponies could be seen, it’s as if they were avoiding the castle like the plague. When the pair made it to the castle and enters it, Pyre followed Twilight through the winding stare cases and halls of the castle, which was rather boring and dull. It probably would’ve been better to have just teleported. But after twenty minutes of walking, in total, the pair eventually made it to the throne room, where the rest of Twilight’s friends were, as well as Shining Armor. And a rather curvy pink furred pony, who looked just as drained as the crystal ponies outside, but she still retains color. She looked so tired, and even through her blue dress, Pyre could tell that this mare is malnourished. In fact she looked ready to collapse and pass out.

“Hey there everyone, miss me?” Pyre said jovially as he looked at Shining Armor, and who he assumed was Twilight’s sister-in-law.

“So Shining Armor, your sister says you have a deal for me?” the stallion nodded, before helping the pink mare stand up and walk down the thrones steps. When the pair made their way down, the pink mare tried to bow, but nearly buckled.

“Is she…alright? She looks like she hasn’t eaten, or slept in days.” Pyre said worriedly as he looked at the mare.

“Because she hasn’t.” Shining said as he held the mare. “This is my wife, princess Mi Amora Cadenza. And for the past few days she’s been keeping a constant shield up, protecting the city from King Sombra.”

“Whose King Sombra?” Pyre asked.

“He’s that black mist that we had a run in out in the tundra.” Shining said. “And that’s why we’ve brought you here.” After Shining had finished his sentence, Cadence spoke up.

“From what the others have told me, you were able to fend off Sombra, correct?” Pyre nodded to the princess’s question. “Then please, I ask you to help us. Protect the empire, while my sister and her friends search for a solution to permanently protect the empire.” Cadence all but begged as she looked hopeful at the human.

“Hmmmmm.” Pyre hummed, bringing a hand to his chin, tapping it with a finger. “I’ll have to think about it.” The moment that Pyre said those words, the ponies all gasped while looking shocked. The blue pegasus of the group then spook up.

“What do you mean you’ll think about it!” she screeched, her raspy voice actually causing the human to flinch, as she flaps right next to him.

“I mean, that I will think on wither or not to help you. I don’t do things for free…I am a mercenary after all.”

“A mercenary!” the group of 8 ponies, and one dragon, said in unison. Out of the group, Shining Armor looked the more shocked. “But what are you doing all the way out here?” the pegasus screeched again.

“Therein lies my problem.” Pyre said, before spinning a yarn that just came to mind, hoping it will pass as a good cover story for himself.

“I had a bad run in with an old rival of mine, a real pain in my ass. We were assigned the same contract, but I was the one to collect it. So in his jealously, he teleported me somewhere that I won’t get in his way.” Pyre said as he rubbed the back of his head. “Although I guess he wasn’t thinking of a specific place to, whisk me away to, so I ended up here.”

“That makes sense.” Twilight said, getting everyone’s attention, including Pyre. “If somepony doesn’t have a clear image of where they are attempting to teleport to, then the destination would be drastically set off course. If not, fatal.”

“That’s basically the jest of it.” Pyre said as he shrugged his shoulders, before going back to a casual standing manner. “So now I’m stranded here, no idea on how to get to back home.”

“Very well then.” Cadence spoke up as she stood as straight as she could, flaring her wings out as much as she could, and trying to look as regal as she can. Pyre turned to face the princess, a curious expression on his face.

“As a princess of Equestria, I, Princess Mi Amora Cadenza, acting ruler of Crystal Empire, will pay whatever amount of bits you want. Or aide you in returning you home. If you help defend the empire.”

Pyre then shifted into another thinking stance, this time closing his eyes. The ponies waited patiently to hear what his decision would be, but in truth, Pyre was running a different type of scenario in his head. all though he is contracted with the changeling Hive, merely out of basic life necessity, and nothing more, he has a feeling that the Queen might not be willing to part with such a useful person like him. if what he has learned from the changelings of the Hive.

But that doesn’t mean he can fully trust these ponies either. For all Pyre knows, they could be just as bad as the changelings, however he has the sense that maybe, just maybe, the ponies might actually help him return home. Return to Amber. Opening up his eyes, Pyre looked to the princess.

“I’ll hold you to your promise princess, but be warned, I don’t like being crossed about my payment.” Pyre said which got a small smile from the princess.

“Does that mean you, and your giant, will help us?” Cadenza asked, which Pyre nodded in return.

“Now that we established my contract, I’m going to need some basic information since I don’t know your lands pretty well. Also, tell me what you know about Sombra.”

~~~~~

While Cadence & Shining Armor talk to Pyre, explaining basic information of Equestria, and about King Sombra, Twilight & her friends stood a few feet away. All looking at Pyre with interest. Now that he wasn’t wearing his armor, and they didn’t have to rush to the castle, they were able to get a good look at his form. But while they looked the human over, Applejack looked like she was a little nervous, there was just something about the human that rubbed her the wrong way. He seemed like a nice guy, for a mercenary who fights for money, but she shook the odd feeling away as the royal couple finished with all of their explanations.

“So do you guys have a plan?” Pyre asked as he looked over at Twilight & her friends.

“I think the best thing we can do for now, is to go around the city and see if the crystal ponies know anything.” Twilight replied. “What will you do now Pyre?” the human thought about it for a moment.

“Well…since I’m completely out of my element in this world, I think it would be best for me to be on stand-by. Unless, any of you have anything you want me to do.” Pyre asked the crowd of ponies for instructions, or for some kind of suggestion.

“You should probably stay with Twilight & her friends, that way you can act quickly if Sombra tries anything.” Cadence instructed, to which Pyre then made a bowing gesture.

“By your command.” Pyre said with a smirk, as he & the ponies then left the castle throne room, and began their investigation and preparation for Sombra’s return.