The Consequences of Your Actions
Major Solar was pacing back and forth at the main entrance to the Hive. Several other changelings were going about their day, whether that was being on guard duty or working about their surroundings.
"They should be back by now." Solar said, his eyes flicking between the entrance, to the floor and back again.
"I'm sure they'll be back soon sir." Prism's voice said, getting Solar to turn towards her. Prism was standing there, alongside her brother Pulse and Jet.
"I hope that Lucian's injuries aren't too bad." Solar said quietly before clearing his throat. "Once he gets back, he'll need to take some rest until we get him debriefed and his report comes through."
"I'll notify Remedy and Kix to get ready for when he gets here." Jet said.
"Thank you, Jet, that would be helpful." Solar said.
Jet gave a prompt salute, Solar returning the gesture. Jet then turned and walked in the direction of the medical section of the Hive.
"Lucian is tough. He can get through anything." Pulse said, defending his friend. "We've been friends since we were nymphs, I know how he is. He's stubborn and determined like that."
"He's determined alright." Solar said, nodding in agreement.
After a few more minutes of waiting, the payoff finally came. The main entrance to the Hive opened and in walked Sergeant Howzer and Sergeant Crimson, carrying Lucian on their backs horizontally so he could lay on both of them and balance out his weight.
"Lulu!" Prism exclaimed upon seeing him on their backs.
"You're back!" Pulse exclaimed with a relieved smile on his face. "You had us worried."
Picking his head up from looking at the floor, Lucian smiled back at the pair of siblings. "I didn't mean to worry you guys." he said, his voice slightly raspy.
"Glad to see you still in one piece, Scout-Corporal." Major Solar began. "Now, where's the-"
"Right here sir." Lucian cut him off, levitating the Blacklight Scepter to him. Solar promptly plucked it out of the air in his own magical hold.
"Very good. Whilst I take this, you should get some rest. Remedy and Kix are expecting you." Solar said.
"I'll take him sirs." Pulse volunteered.
The two sergeants looked at one another before nodding their heads. Moving themselves over, Lucian was slid off their backs and onto Pulse's. Lucian and Pulse shared a glance and a smirk before looking back at the officers.
"We'll be on our way now." Solar said. "Be sure to get some rest Lucian." He said, then looking at Pulse. "Make sure he rests."
"Yes sir." Pulse nodded.
"You can count on us." Prism said.
"Lucian, once you have had a checkup from Remedy and Kix, I would like a report of your mission." Solar said.
"Yes sir." Lucian nodded his head.
With that, the officers saluted Lucian and the siblings, who saluted back, before turning and walking in the direction of the throne room.
Watching them leave, Lucian softly sighed. As a result, he got questioning looks from Pulse and Prism.
"What's wrong?" Prism asked, tilting her head.
"I'm not looking forward to writing this report." Lucian answered.
"Did something happen? Besides your injuries I mean."
"I.... yeah. Well it's related to the injuries to be honest."
"You can think about that after you get examined." Pulse said, beginning to walk towards the medical area.
In the medical section of the Hive, Jet was conversing with Remedy and Kix. The two medical stallions practically identical, their blue eyes matching precisely. One telling difference between the two, becoming visible to Jet. Kix, the younger of the two but only by 18 minutes, had a mark on his neck which was the same shade of blue as his eyes.
"...so that's the situation." Jet finished.
"Alright, we'll be ready for when he arrives." Remedy said. "Kix, could you get a bed ready for Lucian."
Nodding his head, Kix turned and walked to the other end of the room and began making the bed located there.
"His first mission and he gets an injury that requires us to tend to him." he said with a chuckle.
"Kix!" Remedy scolded.
"What? I didn't mean it like that." Kix responded.
"It's our job to keep our brethren healthy." Remedy said.
"I know Rem, I know." Kix said.
"I'm sure he meant well." Jet said, trying to diffuse the situation.
Remedy nodded in response. "Yeah, I'm sorry."
"I hope that his injuries aren't too severe." Jet said softly, glancing around the room and seeing two other changelings laying in beds of their own.
Kix walked back to them, having prepped the bed for when Lucian got there. Perfect timing as Pulse, carrying Lucian, and Prism arrived.
"Speak of the devil." Remedy said, catching sight of the trio and making Kix and Jet turn to look at them.
"Lucian!" Jet exclaimed, walking over to him. "Hey buddy."
"Hey Jet." Lucian said, smiling at him.
"We have a bed ready for you." Kix spoke up, getting a grateful nod from Lucian.
Pulse walked over to the bed with Kix as the two helped to place Lucian onto it. Lucian smiled at him and Pulse returned the favor.
"Thanks Pul." Lucian said in a soft tone.
Remedy walked over towards Lucian, looking down at him. "Alright, time for your examination. If anything hurts I'm sorry in advance."
Lucian quietly nodded his head. "O-Okay."
"We'll leave you alone for a while." Pulse said, stepping back from the bed.
"Huh?!" Prism exclaimed.
"Come on sis."
"Awwww" Prism whined.
"Take it easy Lucian."
"Will do." Lucian said.
Pulse and Lucian shared a nod with one another before the former turned to leave.
"Get some rest Lulu." Prism said.
"I will Pris, don't worry." Lucian said, smiling at her.
Giving him a gentle hug, Prism went on her way and joined her brother by the door. With that, the two left.
"I should probably let you rest too." Jet said, before promptly saying his goodbyes and leaving.
"And then there were three." Lucian said with a smirk.
"Alright. Let's get started." Kix said.
"Once we're done, you'll need to get that report done." Remedy said.
"You got it." Lucian nodded.
The examination only lasted a few minutes.
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On the other side of the Hive, Solar, Crimson and Howzer were in the throne room. They were all stood at attention whilst the Queen spoke to them.
"He has returned safely?" Chrysalis asked.
"Yes your highness. Crimson and Howzer made sure of it." Solar responded.
"I am glad to hear that." Chrysalis responded. "I await to see his mission report."
"We'll send Scribe to get it from him." Howzer spoke up.
"See to it that she gets it."
"Yes ma'am."
"We'll make sure to debrief him after the report comes back." Crimson said.
The Queen gave a simple nod to the trio.
The three officers have a nod in response before saluting her. Howzer and Crimson turned to exit the throne room, making their way out. Solar was about to follow before being stopped.
"Major, a moment if you please." Chrysalis said softly.
"Yes, your highness?" Solar asked.
"Can I ask you something about Lucian?"
Solar was caught off guard by the question and had to compose himself. "U-Uh. Of course, what about him?"
"How confident were you Lucian would complete his mission?"
"I had every faith in him."
"I'm glad you did."
Solar took a few moments to take in what was being said. "Why do you ask this of me?"
"Earlier today you told me of his injuries before rushing off to the entrance to wait for him. You really were worried weren't you?"
"Yes. Yes I was."
The smile on Chrysalis' face said a thousand words.
"He's one of the best I've had the privilege of instructing." Solar said. "I am just holding out hope his report backs that up."
"I am sure it will, Solar. I'm sure it will." Chrysalis said.
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An hour or so passed by and Lucian's report was written up, signed for and approved. The results of his injuries had been back some time before that, revealing that although one rib was broken, two others were only bruised.
Remedy had instructed him to remain in bed until the Queen and other officers came to debrief him after reading the report.
Scribe, who had collected said report, was on her way to the Queen's Chambers to deliver the report. Major Solar, Sergeant Howzer and Sergeant Crimson were all by the Queen's side, in conversation, as they waited for Scribe to arrive. The walk didn't take her long as it wasn't a walk at all and more of a fly. As she approached the door to the chambers, she was met by another mare standing guard outside.
"I'm here to deliver this report to her majesty." Scribe said in a soft and polite tone.
Turning and knocking on the door, the mare pushed it open. "I hope I'm not interrupting, your majesty, but Scribe is here with a report." she said.
"Thank you, Rosary, send her through." Chrysalis said.
Rosary nodded her head and stepped to the side, allowing Scribe to come in before closing the door behind her and going back to her guard duties.
"Your majesty, I have the reported you requested from Lucian." Scribe said.
"Thank you Scribe. I'm pretty sure Solar wants to read this more than I do." Chrysalis said with a small giggle, which made Solar rub the back of his neck bashfully. Illuminating her horn, she levitated the file over to herself and opened it up. Pulling out the papers inside, she began reading.
No one said a word.
The occasional glance or two of them looking at one another were the only bits of movement in the room. Anything else was dead silence, apart from the Queen's voice as she read. Her facial expressions changed through as she read, going from pride to worry to commending and back again. The report was lengthy and in detail about each event that occurred during the mission, from the ponies involved who he ran into, to the traps inside the temple, to the Blacklight Scepter itself and also how he saved the life of two of the ponies whilst being injured from another one of them who attacked him. Then she paused, seeming to double take at the later portion of the report.
"Is something wrong your majesty?" Scribe asked.
"Please, what is it?" Crimson asked.
Howzer and Solar shared a glance.
Chrysalis looked at them all, requesting silence whilst not saying anything herself. The group quickly took the hint and fell silent.
"Upon narrowly escaping the temple, I landed a safe distance from the temple and placed the mares on the ground. Their comrades were very glad to see them alive and well and were very thankful towards me for what I did for them. However, one of them proceeded to give me a name that was not my own. 'Steel'. Although I liked the sound of it and used the name as my callsign when contacting Kire, I corrected her and explain how my name was Lucian and not Steel. After clearing this up, I requested that they all forgot I was ever there and they gave me their word that they would." Chrysalis read.
Silence once again, which lasted an eternity before anyone spoke.
"Oh my." Scribe said.
"He did....what?!" Crimson asked in shock.
"No... surely not." Howzer said, proceeding to sigh.
"Maybe.... maybe they will honor their words and say nothing." Solar said.
"You can't be serious, sir." Crimson said.
"Crimson." Howzer said.
"Do you know what this means for us, Howzer? Our plans? This could jeopardise everything."
"Please Sergeant." Chrysalis said, looking at the stallion.
Upon meeting the Queen's eyes, Crimson's demeanor quickly changed. "My apologies, your highness. I was well out of line."
"All is forgiven." Chrysalis said, her eyes then falling on Solar. "Would you all give Major Solar and myself a few minutes alone?"
Crimson saluted before exiting the room, Scribe right behind him. Howzer watched them leave before looking at Solar, who nodded his head.
"I won't be long, Howzer." Solar said.
".....Alright, sir." Howzer said, saluting his commanding officer and then the Queen, turning and then leaving the room.
After the door was closed, Chrysalis looked at Solar and gave a compassionate smile. "Solar, I know you hold Lucian in a high light but-"
"I know your majesty.... I know." Solar said, looking down at the ground.
"Do not be sad Solar. This is not something we could have forseen."
"He's smarter than that, my Queen. I know he is."
"You truly do trust him, don't you?"
"Yes. He's destined to go far in life. He just... he..." Solar was beginning to get choked up.
"Do you need a moment?" Chrysalis asked, moving towards him.
"....No. No, no, I'll be alright. He has to learn after all." Solar answered, composing himself.
"We all start somewhere. Do you remember your own first mission, which I assigned you?"
Solar nodded. "I do. Safe to say I won't be rushing back to Manehattan any time soon."
"You learned from that though didn't you?"
"I did. It was hard but I did."
"Your prized recruit must do the same."
The silence that followed was long, but Solar needed its length in order to think about what he would say to Lucian. How he would deal with everything? After an age, Solar finally looked Chrysalis in the eyes.
"Awaiting your instructions your highness." He said.
Chrysalis walked over to him to explain what he would need to do.
Outside the room, the others were waiting patiently for Solar to exit the room. Once he did, they all straightened up.
"Sir!" They all said.
"At ease." Solar instructed. "The Queen and I have discussed the consequences that will befall Lucian. I will deliver his punishment. Alone. You will return to your duties until instructed otherwise, understood?"
"Yes sir!"
"Good. Dismissed."
Solar stood their for a few moments, his eyes wavering before he walked past them and in the direction of the medical section.
"Did you see that?" Howzer asked.
"What?" Crimson asked.
"The major. He looked like he was.... fighting tears."
"Dears, whatever he has been instructed to do is between her highness and him. If he wants to tell us he will. We should leave him to it." Scribe said before going on her way. Looking at one another Howzer and Crimson nodded and went their separate ways.
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Sitting on his bed in the medical room, Lucian was chatting with Jet, who had come back, when Solar walked in.
"Major Solar, it's good to see you sir." Remedy said, saluting as he came in.
"Likewise Remedy." Solar said, saluting back.
Looking at the other changelings in their beds, they saluted him, to which he reciprocated. Approaching the bed Lucian was occupying, he moved into Jet's peripheral vision, causing the stallion to step back and salute.
"Sir!" Jet said.
"At ease. I need to have a word with Lucian, if you don't mind? In private." Solar said.
"O-Oh, yes. I understand sir. Take care Lu." Jet said before leaving.
Solar looked over his shoulder and watched Jet leave and then turned back to Lucian.
"What can I do for you sir?" Lucian asked.
"Lucian." Solar said.
"Yes sir?"
"How do you think your mission went?"
"Pretty-"
"An honest answer, soldier."
The response caught Lucian off guard. Major Solar never addressed him this way.
"I know I could have done better but all in all I did succeed." Lucian said.
"Alright. Tell me Lucian, was revealing your identity part of the mission?"
Lucian's blood went cold. His report and everything in it had been seen by the one officer he didn't want to see it.
"Sir I-"
"Think very carefully about the next words you're about to say."
"After everything that we had gone through with that temple, my name being shared was something that didn't really bother me all that much as I knew their names so it was-"
"Stop. Didn't bother you that much?" Solar asked, sounding almost disgusted by that. "Lucian, do you understand what this means?"
"They know who I am now?" Lucian asked, trying to understand.
"Think of the bigger picture, Lucian!" Solar said, raising his voice to the point where Remedy and Kix looked in their direction. "Think of the plans we have! Think of what we're aiming to do to keep ourselves going!"
"Major I... I didn't-" Lucian tried to say.
"Think Lucian, think. If word of this got out, everything we've worked towards would be for nothing."
Lucian looked down, not saying anything.
"Lucian. I put my trust in you to get the mission done with no complications. I begged her highness to put you on this mission. I pleaded to her that you were ready. No complications was all you were asked of. You failed me. You let me down."
That did it.
Lucian physically winced at those words, the sound of his heart shattering was deafening to him.
"If those ponies follow up on who you are.... we can't take that chance."
"Sir... I.... I didn't mean.." Lucian could barely put words together to form a sentence.
"I know. But this is something that can't be looked over. Scout-Corporal Lucian, you are hereby demoted to Private First Class." Solar said, sternly.
"What?!" Lucian exclaimed, snapping his head up to look at Solar.
"Effective immediately." Solar added, looking into Lucian's pleading and desperate eyes.
"Major, please don't do this. I worked so hard to get that rank. Please don't do this." Lucian pleaded.
"Sergeant Howzer will be your first contact for commanding officer. I'm sorry Lucian, I didn't want it to come to this but I have no choice."
"Major.... please." Lucian whimpered. "Solar..... I'm so sorry."
Solar paused for a moment, hearing Lucian call him by his name. He looked at a broken stallion who's world was just pulled out from under him.
With that, Solar had no more to say.
"I...Is there anything else?" Lucian asked, his eyes welling up.
"No private. No there isn't." Solar responded.
Lucian brought up a hoof to salute him and was trembling the entire time. Solar saluted back before turning away and walking out. Stopping just outside the entrance, he gritted his teeth and a single tear ran down his face before falling to the floor.
Remedy and Kix looked at each other in disbelief at what they'd heard. Looking at Lucian, they watched him lay down and turn to face the wall, wincing and flinching in pain from his ribs.
"Lucian? Are you okay?" Kix asked.
Remedy made the hoof signal to Kix to get some water for him, then walked over to Lucian's bedside.
"Hey, Lucian. Do you wanna talk about it?" Remedy asked.
"No Remedy. I don't." Lucian said, his voice shaking.
"Is there anything you need me to do for you?"
"I just want to be left alone, if that's okay?"
"Yes.... yes of course. If you need anything just let us know."
Upon not getting a response, Remedy turned to leave him to himself.
Unable to hold it all in, Lucian began to cry. His tears running down his face and falling onto the bed as he quietly sobbed.
"I feel just awful." Remedy said quietly as Kix got the water.
"The consequences of your actions is something we all have to face sooner or later." Kix said.
"Yeah, you're right." Remedy said, looking over at Lucian once more before going back to work.
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A couple of hours had passed and Lucian's tears had stopped falling, having cried himself to sleep. The image of Major Solar telling him that he had let him down plagued his dreams. Kix even checked on him a couple of times after hearing him whimpering and mumbling in his sleep.
Remedy looked over as Kix leaned over the sleeping Lucian just as Sergeant Howzer walked in.
"Remedy. Kix." Howzer addressed.
"Good evening, sir." Remedy said with a salute.
"How's he doing?" Howzer asked, saluting back.
"He's been sobbing for the last hour or so but finally fell asleep."
"I see. So it was that bad?"
"You didn't know what his punishment was?" Kix asked, walking over.
"Not a clue." Howzer answered with a shake of his head.
"Well... Major Solar was harsh but understanding at the same time. Like he didn't want to punish him but knew he had to." Remedy said.
"Well this is a big thing. If those ponies said anything about who he was to anyone, places all over Equestria would be on high alert for any movement. We can't have that, especially with what is to come." Howzer said, his tone gentle.
Remedy and Kix both nodded their heads.
"Could you notify me when he wakes up?" Howzer asked. "I'd like to talk with him about what to do moving forward."
"Yes sir. We'll be sure to." Kix said.
"Good. You two take care now." Howzer said before leaving.
"You too sir." Remedy said, turning to look at Lucian again with a sigh.
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"You did the necessary thing." Chrysalis said to Solar, back in her chambers once again.
"Yes, your majesty." Solar said, stood at attention.
"Lucian will need to decide what kind of individual he wants to be. Will he sit in a slump? Or will he go for it and fight to earn that rank back?"
"If Lucian is the stallion I've had the pleasure of instructing, he will take time to feel the hurt of this but he'll strive to be better and earn his rank back."
Chrysalis stepped forward and placed a hoof on his shoulder. "If you believe in him then so do I."
Solar smiled at her, nodding his head. "I'm sure that he is going to take this in and do what needs to be done."
"I hope that he does. We're going to need everyone to be at their best." Chrysalis said.
After a few hours of rest, in the medical area, Lucian opened his eyes. Although red and tearstained, he had a determined look on his face. "I won't let anyone down ever again." He said, ready for whatever tasks would come his way.
Author's Note
There you have it. This whole story was actually inspired by a comment on First Orders Received from my good friend Alpha Wolf. So here is the story.
This is something Lucian had to face after revealing his identity to the pony treasure hunters.
I hope that you guys like this story and if you wanna see more then I'm always down to make more stories. 
