Burn The Changelings

Chapter Five: Deception

It had been nearly two months since Starlight and her friends had finally put a stop to Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings from taking over Equestria. Something that she never thought she’d be able to do and because of it, she was able to grow and see the value of friendship, even if their former queen didn’t see it that way. However there were rumors that there were still changelings that were still loyal to their queen and went into hiding.

Starlight knew that peace between both their races wasn’t going to be easy, but with King Thorax, Trixie, and all of her friends, she believed that they could learn to work together and form a bond of friendship.

It was something that was a bit far off into the future, but at the moment, Starlight took a moment to finally enjoy the peace as she made her way over to Sugarcube Corner for another one of Pinkie Pie’s famous cupcakes. However, she was soon halted by a trio of ponies in white cladded hoods. One of them stood forward and removed their hood to reveal a Zebra with a long mane and crimson eyes with a pair of glasses on, giving her a gentle smile as she approached her.

“Greetings, I take it you are the famous Starlight Glimmer?” She asked politely as the unicorn nodded before giving her a fake grin.

“Yes, but you can just call me Starlight, but I don’t think I’ve seen you or… (Gulp)... Your friend’s around Ponyville before, are you guys new here?” She asked nervously, seeing the two larger stallions behind her still in their same position.

“Ah, how rude of me, sometimes I forget to introduce myself from time to time, my name is Doctor Weaver, I’m from the southern tribe of Zebrica and head researcher of Canterlot’s most esteemed science division, known as O.M.E.G.A.” She responded, giving the unicorn a gentle bow as a way to break the tension, but the unicorn was still hesitant due to how odd she was and tried to trot past them.

“F-Fascinating… w-well it was nice to meet you, but I really should get going, I don’t want to be late-” She stopped suddenly as she bumped into one of the stallions, removing his hood.

“Hey, Glimmer long time no see!” Revealing it to be Clipper Shoe from Starlight’s old village.

“Clipper? Oh my gosh! It’s been forever since I’ve seen you!” She said, giving the stallion a quick hug. “How, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, you know, been job jumping for a while until I met Dr. Weaver who offered me a job as a security guard for her facility. Wanted me to come along just in case with all the… Changelings running around and all.” He responded, hiding his malice when he mentioned changelings, but quickly gave her a smile in response. “It’s a good paying job considering what I do.”

“Oh, you mean stand around and do nothing all day?” Starlight joked, jabbing the stallion in the shoulder as he gave her a chuckle.

“Ha, ha, very funny… jokes aside, Dr. Weaver wanted to meet with you personally as she believes that you could help us with some research on Changeling Biology since you’ve spent more time with them then any of us.” He explained, quing the good doctor to step forward as she stood beside her escort.

“Indeed, we’ve been studying changeling biology for quite some time under our Supervisor Solitude and have been working on a formula that could allow us to help out with their disease.” She responded in a serious tone, catching the unicorn by surprise.

“Disease? Is there something wrong?” She asked.

“Well… it’s difficult to explain, but we’ve learned from your recent interactions with them that they had a drastic transformation in metamorphosis. Which is perfectly normal, what we want to do is help the other eleven hives in Equestria reach that same state… otherwise they will all perish within the next ten years.” She explained, the second hooded pony handed her a clipboard with some charts attached to it to show the unicorn as she examined them carefully, she looked up to see Dr. Weaver’s expression hadn’t changed, still holding the same gentle smile. The same smile that had begun to creep Starlight out.

“I see that you’ve taken quite a bit of time researching on them, but how do you know that-”

“There are more hives out there? Well we learned this from one of our researchers who had accidently stumbled on one of their hives. I believe it was the Eastern Hive from what she had told us, but we’ve been doing everything in our power to try and help them. Each of them has to go through the same process that Chrysalis’ hive has gone through and evolve into a perfect changeling. Otherwise, we’ll be seeing more bodies then we care to count.” She explained, seeing the light pink unicorn’s eyes widen in shock as she looked over to Clipper Shoe who gave her a reaffirming nod to confirm that her story was indeed true.

And yet deep down within Starlight’s gut, she had a feeling they were hiding a lot more then they were letting on, but revealing that fact could cause a commotion and that was something she didn’t want to deal with at the moment.

“So, Glimmer? Would you be willing to help us with this? This could help us get along with these guys you know?” Clipper Shoe asked, as Starlight examined his face, seeing for only a second his eye twitching.

“Oh, well… I’ll have to think about this… It’s a lot of pressure and I am really running late for Pinkie’s Party, so I have to get going.” Starlight said, getting ready to take off.

“Of course, no pressure at all Miss Glimmer, but I do hope to hear a response from you soon. You could help us make a great change for Equestria for the better.” Dr. Weaver said, waving farewell to the unicorn she disappeared around the corner. Once she was out of sight, the good doctor let out a groan in annoyance. “I thought you said she’d be interested in helping us Clipper Shoe!?”

“I said she might be interested! I never said she’d actually agree!”

“Tch! Sure, well you could have helped out a bit more instead of staring at that bitch’s ass!” Dr. Weaver Shouted, slapping the stallion in the face with her hoof, earning a snarl from Clipper but before he could do or say anything, his fellow guard stood between her and him, trying to prevent any more suspicion. Seeing that this was becoming a problem already, Weaver pulled the two stallions down an alleyway to hide from anypony listening in on them.

“Geez, I don’t see what’s wrong with just looking, not like I was going to do anything to her anyways.” Clipper responded in a low tone.

“Good, last thing I want is for my toy to be staring at any mare’s ass other then mine~” She purred into his ear as she shoved past him and his partner. “Well either way, even if she refuses, I’m sure you can convince her to at least bring you to their hive. That way we can try to capture one later on and do the proper research on those pesky insects.”

Rolling his eyes, Clipper Shoe trotted up to the doctor and pushed her up against the wall, surprising the mare as he gave her a glare. “And I’m not your toy! And you owe me big time for talking all nice about those disgusting freaks!”

“Heh, don’t get cocky, not when we have another one watching us right now.” She motioned to their silent companion in the corner looking over a deck of cards in his hooves. “And if you behave yourself for the remainder of the month and do your job like I tell you… I make sure to give your something extra special~”

“Do try to hold it together you two. The least you can do is wait for when I’m not around you know.” The stallion spoke up, removing his hood to reveal the Clipper’s superior, the first guard that had been in charge of the prisoners back at their facility. “Just be glad I hadn’t ratted you two out to Solitude… He doesn’t take too kindly to jokers fooling around with his mare.”

“Oh, don’t be like that Magnet Shot… After all, we used to have fun together back in the day.”

“It was one night, and nothing more.” He responded coldly, earning a pout from the zebra, as if she had been hurt by his comment, but he knew better.

“You’re no fun.”

“So Magnet, I’ve been meaning to ask you why you’ve been going easy on those new guys? They are the same as any of those filthy insects and yet-”

“Going easy? You're joking right? I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you and I can tell you that it isn’t easy. Nothing I do to them is easy and someday you’ll be spending a lot of time there looking after them and you’ll come to understand my methods of control. So I suggest you show your lieutenant some respect!”

“Y-Yes sir…” Clipper Shoe responded, shaking a bit as Dr. Weaver gave a sigh as she trotted past the two.

“A real turn off you know… Well, no matter, I’m more interested in finding that one special changeling for my latest project. A serum that en-”

“Excuse me!? What are you guys doing back there?” A stallion called out from out of the alley. “Pinkie Pie wants everypony to be at Sugarcube Corner to unveil her special cherry changa! Come on!”

“We should get out of here, the last thing we want is for anypony else to notice us here.” Magnet said sternly as he trotted past the two.

“Back into the pit of bugs… Fun.” Clipper said with little enthusiasm as Dr. Weaver trotted beside him, hiding her malicious grin.

‘Oh, Clipper, you idiotic stallion, as if I’d actually take an interest in a loser like you. The only stallion I want is a strong powerful changeling and I have some potential candidates that I’m going to love playing with.’

Meanwhile, Winter laid down on her bed quietly as she waited for Abzan to return so they could discuss what his relationship was with Clover, but couldn’t due to him avoiding her most of the time and whenever they were together it was always the prideful changeling telling her to return to her work or too exhausted to talk. She found this to be a little irritating as she was the first one to become his friend.

And yet after the incident with Clover a week before, now he was spending more time with the little mare instead of her. She didn’t hate her, in fact she admired how she was always trying to defeat their alphas so they could all work together, but seeing this little changeling getting a bit too cozy with Abzan made her growl in annoyance.

However, before she could really dwell on her thoughts any further, Abzan was suddenly thrown into their cell as the guards threw a bucket of cold water at him, earning a snarl as he charged at them, but was stopped by the cell doors sealing shut. Each of them laughed at him at his pain and displeasure.

“You’ve been a real pain in the ass freak! Begging us to give you guys more water than we already give you! Know your place!” One of the guards said, spitting at his face, but before Abzan could react, he was jabbed by a metal rod of some kind in the stomach, forcing him to release his grip on the cell doors before he was blown away by spraying water, causing him to hit the wall of his cell.

“There’s your water son of a bitch!” A second guard said as they both laughed in unison before looking over to see Winter looking at Abzan with concern, it started to irritate them. Soon without warning, Winter was also blasted by their long hose, shooting tons and tons of water at her, her screams being drowned by the gallons of water hitting her full force.

“St-sto-” She struggled to say, but they would not relent as they continued to laugh at her suffering.

“Take it bitch! You wouldn’t let us have fun last time we visited your cell!”

“Yeah you filthy cunt, you should have just let us put it in y-”

“SHUT UP ASSHOLES!!!” Abzan yelled at the top of his lungs, standing over the white changeling as they continued to spray them with water, taking the brunt of the force despite his injuries. “If anyones a cunt here, it's you bastards!”

“Why you little-”

“And what do you think you two are doing!” An unfamiliar voice to the changelings spoke out to the guards as the water had suddenly stopped.

“J-Just punishing these two sir!” The first guard said nervously as he stepped back a bit.

“LEAVE THEM!!!” The newcomer shouted and the two guards started running as fast as their hooves could carry them. Both changelings looked over to the cell doors to see a red unicorn with a black mane with a golden streak through his mane wearing a black vest rather than the standard blue uniforms he was used to seeing. “Are you two alright?”

“Y-Yeah,” Abzan responded, moving towards the cell doors with Winter right beside him before stopping, hesitant to approach any further as water continued to drip from their bodies.

“Even though you are all criminals, not even you deserve to be treated like that.” He said, about to walk away.

“Wait! Who are you?” Abzan asked, surprising both Winter and himself as to why he’d ask that to an enemy.

“It’s Ignitus…”

“Thank you Ignitus… I’ll remember that.”

“Don’t thank me, just because I stopped those two from harming you anymore. Doesn’t mean I’m on your side.” He said venomously as his horn glowed brightly and he vanished without a trace. Leaving both Changelings alone with each other.

“Winter, are you okay?” Abzan asked, seeing the northern changeling shiver in place before trotting up to him and embraced, catching the jet black changeling off guard. “W-Winter?”

“T-Thank you… No one has… No one has defended me before, everypony and changeling always… called me…” She paused, before beginning to hug the larger tighter as she felt her own tears start to stream down her cheek before she finally broke down. “They all called me a slut! I’m not… Those guards have harassed me time and time again… and NO ONE HELPED ME!! WHY!?!? Just… why?”

“It’s okay… I’m here for you. I’ve known you for a little while, but I know that isn’t who you are.” Abzan explained, petting her head gently as he returned her embrace with one of his own. “We’re going to get through this my friend, all of us. We just need to figure out a plan.”

“I-I honestly thought… you hated me.”

“Winter, I could never, not when you’ve shown me kindness. You are my friend and I don’t want you to forget that… I’m going to take down Rocket first and once that is done I’m going to change everything.” He explained, seeing the winter changeling look up to him with a shocked expression as her golden eyes widened.

“D-Do you really mean that?” She asked, her voice still stifled with hiccups as she tried to wipe her own tears away. “But how are-”

Abzan quickly put his hoof to her mouth, silencing her for a moment before recomposing himself as he tried his best to act calm, but was beginning to get nervous around the attractive changeling before him. “Just, let me handle things okay? If you are worried about Rocket or Clipper Shoe, I’ve got it covered. And I know you are having a hard time here, but I am here for you and I’d like to hear your story about that scar on your neck. However you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“For now let’s dry off and head to bed okay?” He continued, removing his hoof from her as he grabbed the single towel that was mostly clean and tossed it over his fellow changeling.

“T-Thanks… and yeah… Sleep sounds good, but if we do get out… What are you going to do afterwards?” She asked, drying off her short mane and antennas as she heard the larger changeling give a loud hum as she shook himself off like a dog.

“Well, originally I was going to find Buster, Flower Patch, and Clover and bring them back to my old hive as a last act of kindness and just do some traveling. Despite being banished, I wanted to at least honor my hive’s decision and just stay away from them. I honestly never fitted in with them and at least I could go on a Journey to start a new life you know.” He explained.

“W-Well… what if-” She muttered the last bit before climbing on top of her bunk bed and covered herself in her blanket as the jet black changeling looked at her confused.

“What did you say?” He asked.

“It’s nothing… Um… Thanks again Abzan, I’m glad to have met you.” She replied, her cheeks turned bright red when she said that as he scratched the back of his head as his own cheeks started to glow.

“Same… Have a good night Winter.” He said, climbing into his bed before finally closing his eyes to return to the dream world where he could roam freely.

“Goodnight.” Was the last thing he heard from her as a smile formed on his lips.