Generation Changeling

Varynx sat in his spot in the trench, and the lines had penetrated to Whinnyapolis. Equestrian troops now managed to stop the onslaught of Changeling Panzers.

The war came to a standstill as both sides staring at each other over a barren stretch of land the reeked of burning flesh and decay.

Varynx was waiting with his bayonette mounted to the end of his Karbineer as his squad, minus Loki and Zapper, would be there to shoot them or the enemy should they cower.

"Ready bug meat?" Zapper asked. Varynx looked over at him with a grin.

"I think I might run backward, give you something to do."

Zapper grimaced and shook his head. "That's dark boy, that's very dark." A concerned look crossed his face.

"Hey, just trying to lighten the mood," Varynx laughed.

Zapper picked up his MG-42 and aimed it downrange. "Yeah, but that was just dark and ruined my mood," Zapper chastized.

"I'll get in on your dark ass humor," Healix broke in, getting both their attention. "Of course you would, doc," Zapper shook his head again.

"Gas, gas, gas!" An officer shouted in the distance.

It seemed like a flash as every Changeling dropped their weapons and began to reach in, grabbing and donning their gas masks.

Varynx put his helmet back on and picked his Karbineer out of the dirt.

The sounds of distant cannons behind them resounded with a delay. 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!'

Next came the whoosh of the shells passing over them and then panicked, yelling coming from the other side of the field.

Impact. 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' 'BOOM!'

A whistle cut through with an officer yelling. "Charge! Take the next trench!"

"Good luck, guys!" Zapper yelled out.

Varynx pulled himself out of the trench and made his charge across the field. The sounds of his breathing in the gas mask being one of the only thing keeping him company aside from the sounds of hooves crunching the dead foliage beneath him.

Then the machine-gun fire began and started to cut through the gas cloud in front of them.

A Changeling beside Varynx got taken out by a lucky bullet as green blood splattered into the air, and the Changeling fell into the dirt with green blood gushing from his carotid artery.

'BOOM!' 'BOOM!' Came the sounds of cannons followed by a sharp whistling sound that cut out almost immediately. Varynx jumped down into a crater as the shells impacted, dirt and debris pelted him in the face and his helmet. Varynx looked back up and saw Changelings entering into the gas cloud; a few got cut down by lucky bullets rag dolling to the earth.

Varynx took two rapid, deep breaths before climbing up and sprinting as fast as possible to the gas cloud.

Varynx entered the gas cloud, and his vision was gone. He could feel the burning sensation around his gas mask and on his exposed skin.

Taking his rifle in his hoof, he pointed it forward as the trench came into view. 'CRACK!' Varynx's ears began to ring so much it hurt.

Varynx and an entire platoon's worth of changelings jumped into the trench, coming face to face with the now visible pony defenders.

Jumping into the trench, Varynx skewered a Grey pony through the front of her barrel. Her look of shock on her face as she made eye contact with her killer. Tears ran down her face as Varynx twisted the rifle, and the pony screamed in pain as blood ran out of her mouth. The last look she gave was a genuine look of fear as she stopped moving and her hoof went limb.

"Honey Sparkle, no!" A stallion yelled as Varynx looked up to see a red Earth pony charging him.

Varynx pulled his rifle from the dead mare with a levitation spell and turned to face the stallion that ran into Varynx, trampling him. Varynx rolled into a heap on the ground as the stallion turned back towards him.

Varynx rolled onto his back and aimed down his sights at the stallion. 'BANG!' The stallion yelled in pain stumbled backward.

Varynx slid the bolt backward, and the empty shell casing fell into the dirt, and Varynx pushed the bolt forward, chambering the next round and locking the bolt in position.

By the time he did that, the stallion had charged and was on top of him. Varynx held his rifle in front of him and their rifles connected. The stallion, no doubt, was stronger, so Varynx ended up with the gun forced into his chest. The stallion slid his rifle up and over—Varynx's and to his throat.

Varynx was forced into the dirt as the stallion pushed. Varynx clawed at the stallion's face as he fought to get his oxygen. Time began to slow down as black spots began to appear in his vision.

Just then, a bullet pierced through the stallion's neck releasing his stranglehold on Varynx. His blood spurt out onto Varynx, who rolled over and began to cough, grasping at his neck. "Varynx! Are you okay?" Ticks yelled, running up to him and checking him over.

"I'm good..." Varynx coughed with tears still in his eyes. A few gunshots rang out, and a high-pitched scream as a unicorn mare ran around them, ignoring them. The mare looked distressed as she ran for her life, screaming bloody murder. A few Changelings ran after her.

'BOOM.' 'BOOM.' 'BOOM.'

The sounds of artillery batteries opened up from the direction of Whinnyapolis. The sound of roaring Panzers' came as a Panzer IV drove directly over the trench over their heads, causing the two to cover their heads.

"Keep moving, bugs! They're on the run!" Came a shout.

"You good to keep going, bud?" Ticks said, picking up Varynx's gun. Varynx got to his feet with one final cough.

"Y-yeah, I'll be alright," Varynx replied, taking his rifle back from Ticks. "Thanks."

The ground shook from artillery impact as the ponies continuously fired their cannons.

Ticks and Varynx jumped up and over the trench wall, charging forward under minimal fire as ponies climbed from the trench and scattered like rats into the city of Whinnyapolis. Ticks and Varynx ran between two houses hugging the wall running toward the street. Peeking around the corner, they saw two ponies attempting to flee.

Varynx poked his rifle out and aimed at the two ponies firing off a shot that sent them into a panic as they ducked into a nearby house. Varynx and Ticks gave chase and crossed the street towards the house.

Before the Blue Pegasus mare could close the door, Varynx and Ticks were through the door sending the pony into the wall.

She gasped, dropping her rifle in the process. Ticks and Varynx were on her in mere seconds. She screamed in terror as she thrashed against them.

Ticks took a punch to the snout, sending him backward. Varynx struck her with the buttstock of his rifle. She fell to the floor, and Ticks was on top of her and began to throw punch after punch. Varynx began to drag her with his magic towards the door.

"No, no, no!" She yelled in fright. "Shut the fuck up, pony!" Ticks growled, pushing her.

'CRACK!'

A flash came from down the hallway, hitting Ticks in the flank.

The mare took the opportunity to Tackle Varynx out the door with her wings.

Ticks fell and screamed. 'Bang!'

Another shot pierced his side just before his shoulder. Ticks stopped screaming.

"Ticks!" Varynx yelled, throwing the mare off of him.

The mare chose flight as she began sprinting away. Varynx raised his rifle and fired. The shot pierced through the back of her head, sending brains into the yard, and the mare rag-dolled into the grass with a final look of surprise being her last emotion.

Varynx turned to Ticks. 'CRACK!' Varynx ducked down, using the front stairs as cover.

Ticks lay in the doorway, his barrel still rising and falling with green blood beginning to pool.

"Varynx... Help me..." Ticks pleaded his eyes had genuine fear. Varynx attempted to move to get him.

'CRACK!'

Varynx reeled back and raised his rifle. 'CRACK!' He fired his weapon over Ticks and into the wall. He heard a shuffle and a thump. Taking that opportunity, he encased Ticks in his aura and dragged him down the steps.

Varynx kept his weapon aimed at the entrance. 'CRACK!' The pony fired again. "Medic!" Varynx yelled, hoping someone was nearby to hear their screams.

'CRACK!' The pony kept up the fire. Varynx ducked down each time.

Varynx kept watching the entrance while holding pressure to Ticks wound.

Ticks began to cough up blood, and his barrel rise was uneven. Ticks began to slow his breathing, and on each inhale, he would wheeze.

"Come on, Ticks, you're gonna be alright, stay with me," Varynx pleaded with tears forming in his eyes. "Come on!" Varynx said. "Think of that doe you met in Seaddle."

Ticks smiled. "S-she was..." He coughed up blood, and tears formed in his own eyes. "...Ve-ver, pretty," Ticks chuckled, coughing up more blood. "Yeah, don't disappoint her bug meat, don't you dare disappoint her," Varynx cried out as he reached down and began to hold his friend. Tick's blood seeped into Varynx's uniform and got on his hooves.

Ticks began to shake. Varynx looked up. "Medic, I need a medic, please!" Varynx seemed to plead with the world and looked back down to Ticks.

"I-I-I f-f-feel, c-c-cold," Ticks looked, grasping Varynx's uniform now as if holding on for dear life. Varynx supported his head.

"Ticks..." Varynx pleaded.

"I-I d-d-don't wan-t-to die," Ticks cried, looking into Varynx's eyes.

"That's not going to happen, don't talk like that," Varynx replied.

Ticks only smiled and coughed. "It's alright, V-varynx, y-you d-d-d-don't need to- *Cough* -lie to me." Varynx looked down, the tears falling down his face and mixing with Ticks blood.

Unbeknownst to them, in the door was a pink earth pony mare with a darker pink deflated mane. The mare had approached the two but faced with this scene. It was too much. She broke down in silent tears before backing away into the house.

Ticks began to gasp.

"No, Ticks. Ticks!" Varynx held him until the final breath left his lungs and his eyes closed. Varynx shook him vigorously.

"No..." Varynx let him go falling back, grief washing over him. "No!" The Changeling cried his little heart before turning his attention to the front door. Just like that, his grief became anger.

Varynx wiped the tears from his eyes and got to his hooves. That pony was still in there to his knowledge, and that pony was going to pay.

Varynx walked up the steps and peered into the house, not prepared for what he saw. He saw the mare, a pink mare with three balloons on her flank. He snarled and walked up the stairs and into the house with rage plastered on his face.

The next thing he saw made him stop. The mare was... Crying? Why?

Varynx couldn't fathom. What did she have to be sad for? While looking at her, he realized where she was, pretty much right next to the door. If she came this far, why didn't she come outside? More to the point, why didn't she kill them both? She had the opportunity, Varynx thought back to the mare lying in the front yard. Then the mare from the trench, her name popping back into his head. "Honey Sparkle," Varynx said under his breath, the name he heard when the stallion called out in rage. Looking back up, he made eye contact with the mare. She was crying while hugging her rifle like it was a teddy bear.

He didn't have any right to be mad at her; This was war. Everyone was killing everyone, and he wasn't exactly innocent in that regard.

"What was his name?" Varynx fixed his gaze on the mare. "What?" Varynx asked in shock. Why did she care?

"Your friend. What was his name?" The mare repeated her question. Varynx stared at her in shock; this mare is his enemy. Should he even be talking to her?

The mare looked away and back down.

"Ticks," The mare looked back up at him as he told her his name. "His name is Ticks," Varynx replied, walking up tentatively.

Varynx eyed her with suspicion wondering where this was going.

The mare seemed shocked that Varynx was entertaining this despite his brain screaming at him to kill her already. Varynx banished the thought. He had enough violence for today.

They sat in silence for a moment. "There was a time when I was just a party pony," the mare said—earning a confused look from The Changeling.

"Party pony?" Varynx asked, his scowl turned to a look of confusion. The mare nodded in response.

Varynx asked himself what she was doing here. A mare like this didn't belong here.

"What about your friend?" Varynx said, looking up at the mare.

The mare looked up at him, then back down, "Cloud Twister, she's from Cloudsdale," she said, a bit of sadness coming on.

The mare unclipped her helmet and set it on the floor. They remained silent for a fair bit longer until Varynx broke the silence.

"So, you said you were a party pony?" Varynx asked. "What is that?" The mare smiled, and Varynx smiled back.

"My name's Pinkie Pie. What's yours?" Pinkie said, relaxing a bit. Varynx returned the gesture by removing his helmet and letting it roll to the hardwood floor with a clunk. "Varynx," Varynx replied.

The two started talking, and Pinkie explained what a party pony was. Varynx, in all, seemed interested in that prospect.

"I bet you'll throw one banger of a party once you get back to Ponyville," Varynx said. Pinkie frowned. "Yeah. I don't know how anymore, though," she said.

"That's. Unfortunate," Varynx frowned. Those parties sound like something he might enjoy. This conversation had begun to make him question his position. He thought about the war in the first place, about what he would be doing if there was no war. One thing was sure all this destruction and suffering could have been prevented. Pinkie would never have had to stop doing what she loved, and Varynx would still be with Charlina. What were they even fighting? Was Thorax right? Was the Queen just a crazy warmonger Tartarus bent on nothing but destruction and suffering? All the pieces began to fit together.

"Wow..." Varynx said, looking at the floor. Pinkie looked up at him. "What?"

Varynx looked around the house. It was almost untouched other than broken glass and objects shaken from their places by the vibrations.

"I just realized how utterly pointless this war is," Varynx replied, laughing hysterically.

"It isn't very super-duper, is it?" Pinkie shook her head. A few vibrations caught their attention, a far-off artillery shell vibrating the ground angrily.

Varynx began to remember all that he had done, all the deer and ponies he had to kill to get to this point. Ticks will never see that doe again because of this war. Each body he thought of made him angry and bitter.

Pinkie saw his expression and moved her rifle to open up more. "You know, hate makes the happiness more distant," she said. Varynx looked up at her, the wheels turning in his head.

"You may be right, Pinkie," Varynx said. "I should know silly, I am a party pony," Pinkie laughed, getting a laugh from Varynx.

"You know Varynx. I make the bestest cupcakes in the whole wide world. Maybe when this is over, you should come and try one!" Pinkie exclaimed, her mane poofing back out. Varynx looked at her mane in alarm.

"What in Tartarus is happening to your mane?" Varynx said.

Pinkie looked up and gasped in delight. "What happened is you made me smile!" Pinkie replied, full of joy. "Are you sure you're not a party Changeling?" Pinkie grinned, getting a laugh from Varynx.

"You know Pinkie, maybe. Just maybe," he replied, resting his rifle against the wall next to him.

The two continued to talk up until they stopped hearing the artillery. At that point, the two knew the front had moved.

Upon realizing this, they walked around back collecting their deceased friends and burying them respectfully next to each other. The hillside they buried Ticks and Cloud Twister on overlooked the majority of the battlefield. A few Changeling Svarms flew overhead as Varynx and Pinkie set the respective helmets on their rifles stuck muzzle down in the earth.

Pinkie and Varynx each gave a respective salute to the fallen. Upon dropping the salute, they turned to each other.

"So, I guess this is where we part ways," Varynx said, fixing his rifle on his side.

"This will all be over soon. I hope we meet again, Varynx," Pinkie nodded, looking at the two grave markers.

Varynx nodded respectfully, following her gaze. He then looked out over the battlefield seeing the smoke rising from inside the city. "I do too, just hopefully not anytime soon," he said.

Pinkie looked back at him. "I'll keep that cupcake warm for you," she smiled, getting a smile from Varynx as he walked by her, heading towards the city. Pinkie turned towards him and watched him walk away. She then turned and went to walk south. "Oh hey," Varynx called back. Pinkie stopped and looked at him.

"If you wanna get through the line, there's a break near the south of the city you can exploit," he said. Pinkie nodded.

Varynx turned and continued to walk away. Leaving a Changeling and an Equestrian helmet to symbolize a tiny piece of friendship to light the way in a storm of war.