Gray.

Gray was the first thing I witnessed as I looked up at the gray clouds blanketing the sky blocking the sun from shining down on the ground. Craning my head to my left and I could spot that the cloud cover extends across the Luna Bay and even covers the remains of Vanhoover.

‘What the hell… Why have the clouds gone and blanketed the sky?’ I thought to myself in bewilderment. Frowning, I decided to put the question into the back burner at least for now, looking around I could see that Everglade Town is in better condition at least when compared to Vanhoover. After I was done gazing at the sky I began to make my way down a couple flights of stairs and entered the town proper.

A couple of things to note about Everglade Town is that it isn’t very big, if I were to put it’d be the equivalent of a small town which is a fair assessment considering the population pre-war numbered one thousand which received an increase of five hundred pony refugees from Equestria fleeing the Great War. Whatever reasons they have for fleeing Equestria mattered little to me as I took them in regardless. Now that the info dump is out of the way let's go back to the story.

Entering the town and walking the empty desolate streets memories flooding my mind of what the town looked before the Megaspells dropped, how children from different species that inhabited the town played in the parks and wherever they could be, or how the streets would be bustling with activity as creatures would go about their day, all of it was a painful reminder of days gone by.

My walking was halted when I happened upon a small bakery after rounding a street corner. I recognized this very same bakery. The sign above has faded but one could still read the contents ‘Snack Bite’s Baking Emporium.’ It was the same bakery that I frequented before all of this happened.

Trotting my way over I inspected the front entrance which to say isn’t faring any better than the rest of the structure, the windows are broken I could see shards on the floor and the door has fallen off. After I finished my Inspection. With my gun in my talon I entered inside being careful not to step on any of the glass shards that littered on the ground.

Looking inside the bakery I could see tables and chairs in various states all over the place, some still in good condition if a bit rotten while others are completely smashed and broken. Weaving around the debris I walked behind the counter and spotted a skeleton of a pony huddled in the back corner. Which indicated to me that not everycreature made it into the shelters.

Walking towards the skeleton and bending down I could see a name tag on the uniform if a bit faded ‘Snack Bite’ it read.

“Rest in peace old friend, your sweets were always delicious” I solemnly said.

There was nothing else for me here so I decided to walk back out in the street being mindful of not stepping on shards of glass or wood.

Once back outside the same gray sky greeted me. “There is no way that sky is natural, maybe the pegasi have done it on purpose?” I pondered on that question for a moment, for it made sense that the pegasi had something to do with this, but as for the what and why… well I guess I’ll find that out later.

Continuing my path I happened upon a shelter, one of the many that have been built around the town, an alternative to Stable-Tec’s Stables.

This particular shelter had been wedged in between two remains of apartment buildings. Inspecting the shelter it is a square concrete structure with steel plating as well as a blast door that requires a number combination which can be entered using a keypad located to its left.

Fortunately for me, I know the override codes for all shelters built in Everglade Town. Inputting the code into the keypad I could hear the blast door sliding upwards and into a dark hallway, my natural night vision having activated in the dark, I saw a stairway leading down, clutching my Zagr-5 in my right arm I began my descent down.

***********

I’ve been walking down these stairs for the past fifteen minutes but I have noticed that there aren’t any lights on nor anyone addressing me on the loudspeakers. Not deterred by the eerie silence I pressed forwards.

I must be careful somecreature or something somehow got inside and killed all the residents… killed my subjects. Whatever it is I reached another blast door but this time it is open. I peeked into the room and I could see another blast door right across the room and found skeletons littered the floor.

‘Just what in Tartarus happened here?’

Scanning the room I cautiously inched closer to the room, examining any nook and cranny for anything that might jump out. As soon as I made it to the middle of the room a hoof suddenly grabbed my left hind leg and when I turned my head to look behind me, what I saw terrified me to no end.

It was a pony with the bottom half of its body nowhere to be seen, I could see bits of rotting flesh on parts of its body, and looking up to its head I saw its rotting dark red eyes with yellow pupils. I could hear this corpse growling which unnerved me even more.

In my panic, I attempted to buck the corpse off but to no avail. I then tried to dislodge the corpse’s hoof with my right hind leg, which by now had crawled closer. Which was a success as I jumped and turned around aiming my Zagr-5 in my right talon at the corpse.

I fired a shot, the loud noise disorienting me for a second, the moment of distraction was the exact thing the corpse needed as it somehow was able to lunge at me. Lunging close to me the corpse was on top of me and I was on the ground I dropped my Zagr-5 as the corpse pinned me to the ground and was attempting to bite me and my head off, the only thing keeping it from actually biting my head are my three hooves and my one griffon talon that and my natural chitin armor.

I kicked the corpse off of me and quickly got back to standing on all fours, I unsheathed my saber with my right foreleg. Gripping the saber in my talons I proceeded to slash the corpse’s head clean off, which resulted in the corpse to lay still on the floor. I breathed a sigh of relief and wiped whatever blood got on my saber and sheathed it. I picked up my Zagr-5 which wasn’t too far away and held it in my talons.

Just as when I thought I could get a breather I hear three more growling sounds right behind the unopened door right across the room.

‘I should flee while I still have the chance, but I must find out the fate of this shelter, oh I know the administrator’s terminal should hold the answer.’ I thought now with determination. Holstering the Zagr-5 and searching through my saddlebags for an SM-43 grenade. It didn’t take me long after finding one, equipping it with my telekinesis and galloping towards the unopened blast door where I could hear the creatures pounding on the door.

Spinning the safe door handle (I have no idea what they’re called -A/N) To where I could spot a crack just big enough for my grenade to fit through, I could spot some hooves with rotting flesh attached to them. Taking a deep breath and exhaling I unpinned the grenade and tossed it through the crack to which I immediately closed the blast door.

BOOM!

Taking the loud bang as a cue, I fully opened the door and witnessed the three corpses splattered all over the walls and floor. I galloped through the new hallway as I am one hundred percent sure that whatever else is in here has heard of the loud explosion and is en route.

I needed to find the administrator’s room but the problem is I do not know where it is, while yes I know the override codes for all of the shelters and yes I did order the construction of them, but when it comes to knowing the specific layout and designs of the shelters that I’m afraid I do not know and I do know that these shelters are specifically built to shelter creatures with nothing else attached unlike the stables, which is why I am perplexed as to how this shelter went wrong and I needed answers.

Rounding through a corner I am met with the inside of what looks to be the remains of a cafeteria where signs of a battle took place as there are tables overturned to their sides, bullet casings, and the occasional skeleton strewn about.

‘I know that there was no break in so the shelter must’ve been destroyed from the inside, but the question remains of who or what?” Moving through the destroyed cafeteria using the tables. As I dived for cover behind a table, I heard more growling coming from the far right side of the cafeteria I immediately unholstered my Zagr-5 and gripping it within my talons I raised my head from behind the table and turned to my right and pointed my Zagr-5 towards a door that looked to have been busted down, pointing my Zagr-5 towards the door in anticipation of what's to come.

The growling drew close and I could perfectly see another of the live corpses in my night vision shambling towards the room. As the corpse entered the cafeteria it spotted me and began shambling towards me bumping into tables and chairs as it moved towards me.

I fired a shot, but I missed so I fired again and hit the corpse in the chest slowing it down immensely. I aimed one more time this time aiming for its rotting head I fired and hit right in between the eyes killing it instantly.

Watching as the corpse dropped to the floor I spotted another one entering the cafeteria and began charging towards my position. I rapidly fired four shots hitting three of the four shots killing the corpse this time for good, I vaulted over the table deciding that I didn’t want to wait for any more live corpses to come to me. I galloped to the far right where the two corpses had come from, peeking my head outside the door. I looked left and right seeing that the coast was clear.

Taking my chances I holstered my Zagr-5 then turned and galloped left hoping to find the administrator’s room. After galloping for a couple of minutes and rounding a corner I am met with another busted-down door, I unholstered my Zagr-5 and stepped through the door gun in talon.

As I stepped through the door I could see eight rows of doors on each side of the room with varying degrees of destruction, some not having an actual door while a couple had some feeble attempts at a barricade, and as per usual there are skeletons dotted around the room, glancing over to the far end of the room I spotted a door at the end of the room but this one still has a fully intact door.

Walking cautiously my Zagr-5 ready in case something jumps out at me, as I walked and took a peek at some of the doors on my left I quickly spotted one that's been busted down, stopping for a moment I glanced into the room and I could spot a bed, a drawer next to it as well as a chair and desk across from the bed. After seeing that I deduced that I’d entered a living quarters, I swiveled my head to my right and spotted an intact door. Walking up to it with my Zagr-5 ready to shoot, Gripping the handle with my magic I slowly opened the door with my Zagr-5 ready in case anything jumps out.

I Fully opened the door expecting something to jump out at me, but instead what awaited me was a skeleton sitting or rather slumped down on the chair and clutching a book in its hooves whatever it is it might hold crucial information. I stepped inside closing the door behind me, I then proceeded to make my towards the skeleton who was still clutching the book, I picked it up with my forelegs

Opening it I realized that it was a journal that belonged to a stallion by the name of ‘Master Metal’ flipping pages after I finished skimming. I stopped skimming when I finally landed on a page that was relevant to what I was looking for, the page read.

1221

Everything’s gone to shit, Beaker that bastard and his goddamn experiments had ruined everything and now the shelter’s fucked his experiments brought back the shelter’s dead and are killing everycreature, it's a bloodbath overwhelming the security team, the administrator ordered the remaining security forces to hold out for as long they can as well everycreature who can get the fuck out of here… I hope the Great Queen can forgive us, I can hear them banging on the door as I write for I won’t have long to live, but I won’t let them, at least not alive.

-Master Metal

One word stuck in my head as I finished reading that journal entry.

Zombies.

I know that the shelter that I ordered the construction of had no secret experiments and was built to save as many creatures of the hive town, but that didn’t stop the residents from conducting their own sick and twisted experiments.

Grabbing the journal and turning around exiting the bedroom back inside the hallway of the living quarters turning right I made my way toward the undamaged door at the very end of the hallway. Upon reaching the door and opening I find that it leads directly into an atrium and as per usual it's trashed with skeletons being much more prevalent here.

I gulped as I started to get nervous looking around. I spotted a stairwell on the far left side leading up to the second floor of the atrium. Clutching my Zagr-5 in my talons I proceeded to walk slowly towards the stairs being mindful of where I step lest I attract more zombies.

After a moment of careful walking, I made it up the stairwell and walking up. I came upon a door with a sign above that read ‘Administrator’ This must be it where I can find out and fully piece together the full… well at least a story that answers my questions. Opening the door after much struggle and entering inside I found that there had been a drawer propped up against the door which fell after I opened.

‘Crap, I sure hope that didn’t attract any zombies’ I thought to myself now panicking, I decided to duck and take cover behind the administrator’s desk and wait for anything to come by. After waiting for a few moments nothing arrived, letting out a sigh of relief I stood back up and properly examined the room starting with the desk situated in the middle of the bedroom. On the desk, there’s a drawer on its left and a terminal on top, and at the far end of the room across the desk a bed that could fit one creature sleeping on it with a dresser at the end, on the left side of the bed I could see a nightstand with some books stacked on top, oh and did I mention that there's a skeleton on the bed? Yeah well now I did.

Once I was done examining the room I turned my attention back to the desk and terminal attempting to boot up the terminal finding myself on a password screen I cursed at my lack of hacking skills which means that I have to look for the password myself, setting my Zagr-5 on the desk to the left of the terminal I opened the drawer finding stacks of paper that seemed to have haphazardly placed there. Sifting through the papers in search of the password and coming up empty I turned towards the bed specifically the skeleton of the administrator hoping that they may have the password.

Walking over to the skeleton laying on the bed and doing a quick scan, I found a piece of paper tucked in between the forelegs, grabbing the paper in my talon and turning it around to find a six-digit code.

‘65892’ It read, with my hopes now up I walked back towards the desk settling down on my haunches, and typed the password on the screen after which it brought me to a new screen with one tab, pressing it took me to a note written on it with a title that said ‘Abandon the Shelter’ and it read.

-1221

The shelter is in ruins and it's all Chem Beaker’s fault had he not gone through with a reanimate life experiment, which had gone wrong since the very beginning and Beaker was the first one to turn undead… Oh goddess and the Great Queen please forgive me. I should have never greenlit this experiment. It's all my fault I have failed this shelter but most importantly I failed the Great Queen herself. May she forgive me, my only hope is to buy the residents enough time to flee and exit the shelter? Maybe then I may have a chance at redemption.

-Alter Shine

After reading through the note the question of what happened to this shelter, but then it hit me and my eyes widened as I looked over the contents of the note ‘Wait Great Queen? Have I begun to be worshiped as a goddess?’ The questions continued to burn in my mind as I pondered the question a bit more. It struck me. ‘The posters’ I thought with realization hitting me now. I'd never paid any attention to them since I’d entered the shelter but now turning my head to the door and looking to its left I spotted a poster hanging on the wall. Getting up and walking towards the wall I examined the poster now with more intensity.

The poster had a blue background and depicts what looked to be a changeling no wait it depicted a changeling queen staring outward onto the distance and upon analyzing the figure I began to notice that this changeling queen is wearing a dark gray tiara in front of her black changeling crown and she also vaguely resembles me, which I won’t lie it weirded me out, on the bottom, there's a text that read ‘The Great Queen And Her Divine Benevolence Guides Us’ which man looking at it now I don’t know how to feel about this on one hoof this worship could be a great source of love for me to feed on but on the other hoof I don’t want to be worshiped as a deity.

Deciding that it was time for me to leave the shelter I left the administrator’s bedroom but not after going back and grabbing my Zagr-5 on the desk.

*********

I had backtracked my way to the cafeteria which was an uneventful affair all things considered and I entered the kitchen searching for anything edible which if I am being honest with you I didn’t find a whole lot as I only managed to secure myself two canned peaches a packet of four hardtacks and two bottled water, which wasn’t a whole lot but it's better than nothing and at least it’ll satiate me enough without consuming any love.

I exited the shelter without encountering any more difficulties although as I exited the shelter I now found that the outside is dark albeit it wasn’t the pitch black darkness as it was in the shelter and my night vision had already adjusted to the new light level but it is dark outside where I can only guess that it's nighttime as it is hard to tell with the blanket of clouds covering the sky.

I looked around trying to find someplace that was relatively safe for me to spend the night in when I spotted an apartment building across the street from me that looked relatively safe. So I walked across the street bypassing abandoned motorwagons, and entering the small lobby I saw; a desk with a broken terminal on it, and a stairwell leading up as well as bits of debris and trash littered around the floor.

Walking up the stairs and past some doors. I landed upon a door labeled A-7 and so I entered. Once inside I saw the standard apartment bedroom layout; on the far left there's a bed with a dresser in front of it, a nightstand next to it, a wardrobe across from the nightstand situated next to a window, and turning my head right I saw the entrance to the bathroom.

Locking the door and propping up a chair against it I walked towards the bed I dropped my saddle bag which had my rifle attached to it and placed it next to the bed, keeping my pistol holstered in my left hoof, transforming my right talon back into it's usually holed hoof I laid down on the bed and let sleep overtake me.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Waking up after sleeping through the night I yawned, got out of the bed, and did some stretches before digging through my saddle bags and pulling out a canned peach and a water bottle. Removing the lid from the can using my magic was easy as I began to devour its contents, it tasted quite stale and bland but it was still good to eat… cause ya know they’re still inside the cans although I would need to scan the water bottle to determine if it is still drinkable.

Intending to do a quick scan on the water bottle as a more thorough scan will dwindle my already low love reserves. Feeling the glow of my horn I turned my focus towards my water bottle and cast a scan spell. To my relief the quick scan revealed to me that the water is indeed still safe to drink however it was stale. ‘Well I guess I won't be thirsty… even if the water is stale it's better than nothing and besides I won’t be taking my chances drinking out of the river.’ I emptied the bottle right after I finished the canned peaches which I threw the can away, but kept the water bottle. I probably should keep the can that's now laying on the floor but I don’t have a use for it at this time.

Floating the saddlebags off the side of the bed and attaching them to my back checking if everything is properly secured. Shifting my right hoof back into griffin talons I exited the room and subsequently the apartment building.

Moving back onto the street I looked up and I am still greeted with the same gray sky, and to tell you the truth it was honestly depressing waking up and not seeing the sun ‘I need to get used to not seeing the sun anymore’ I glumly thought. After spending some time gazing at the sky I turned right and walked.

It wasn’t until a couple of minutes of walking that I spotted a pony, no wait I could see multiple ponies all laying on the ground. Galloping closer I had counted five pony bodies; there were three stallions and two mares and all of them were wearing leather barding with pieces of metal covering some vital spots, all were laying in puddles of their blood and it looked as if they were recently killed meaning I have to be extra careful when moving around the town. I proceeded to examine the bodies one by one which all revealed bullet wounds and no pulses, it wasn’t until the fifth pony this one a mare an earth pony mare to be exact; she has a red-orange coat with a red mane and tail with an orange streak, looking over her flank she has an image of an orange fruit with a bullet in front of it for a cutie mark. I ran my right talon over her neck to check if she had a pulse when to my surprise I felt a pulse albeit it was faint but I still felt it.

Laying down on my haunches I did my best to carefully remove her barding which revealed two bullet holes in her chest, fortunately for her they didn’t hit any vital organs nor did they penetrate deep. Using my magic I tried my best to remove the bullets, I dug through my saddlebags and pulled out a health potion in my talons, lifting her head with my left hoof I opened her mouth and poured the potion into her mouth. Watching as the purple liquid is emptied of the bottle and placing the now empty bottle back into my saddlebags I turned to look back to her chest and I could see where there were two bullet holes now I only found a patch of skin that has regenerated and I could even spot tiny bits of hair regrowing from them.

Seeing as how she no longer is in danger of dying I lifted her off the ground and placed her on my back using my magic wherever. I had thought about looting the other four corpses for anything on them but I decided against it out of respect for the mare I had rescued as they were most likely her companions instead I took the mare’s leather barding as well as some kind of makeshift gun which if I were to describe the weapon it looked a pipe with a trigger and a magazine, which was laying next to where the mare had previously been.

Before I left I decided to turn the other four into ash as they didn’t deserve to rot out in the open, which had expended a sizeable chunk of my love reserves, and if I had to guess used up about a day and a half’s worth.

I began to make my way north, where in the distance I could spot the Olenian mountains, carrying the unconscious mare on my back and what I presume to be her belongings.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Nearing the edge of the town after walking for a couple of hours. I decided to take shelter inside a relatively intact convenience store. Entering and examining the inside; there's a row of three shelves on the right side, a counter on the left, and a broken-down door that leads to an employee lounge.

Walking behind the counter and into the lounge, I could see; a table with two chairs in the middle of the room, a small couch on the right of it, a vending machine on the left, a desk with a terminal on it, and a chair that's been flipped to its side.

Walking towards the couch I lay the still sleeping mare on it and propped her makeshift gun on the wall beside her. While I walked up to the table and sat down on a chair. I set the leather barding on the table, examining the two holes in it, I patched it up with wax or as some creatures would call it ‘changeling goop,’ but anyways after patching the barding and watching as the black material hardened and changed color to match the barding’s brown color.

As I got up carrying the leather barding with me, setting the barding right beside the gun, and went back to sitting on the chair. Contemplating my next choice of actions, of course, assuming the mare would want to join me but I digress, I could head west to Hjortland but knowing Queen Cristera and how far the distance between Vanhoover and Hjortland is I knew they’d be safe, I could head east into Vaverfront the closest city near the Everglade and eventually into the territory of Queen Tercia of the Pantomime Hive or I could head south into Vanhoover and Equestria.

As I pondered on where to go next I heard something stirring behind me. I got up out of my seat and moved in front of the couch, dropping down to my haunches and waiting for her to wake up, unknown if I should shapeshift into a disguise or not. To save my current love reserves I decided to not shift into a disguise and be honest with the mare. I saw her eyes open and stare right at me.

She continues to stare at me, shock and surprise evident on her face, deciding to break the silence. I said, “Hey… while I was out walking through the streets I had found you and what I presume to be your companions uh how should I break this, well basically I found them dead, you were the only survivor, and um sorry for your loss.” As I spoke I could see her cast her gaze downwards, her ears drooping. I didn’t need to sense her emotions to know that she was saddened “You suffered two gunshot wounds, which fortunately didn’t hit anything vital. That health potion has healed any injuries though you should still try to take it easy.” I finished speaking and I could spot her gazing back at me, the shock of seeing what probably was her first time seeing a changeling.

“And before I left I turned your companions into ash as they didn’t deserve to rot out in the streets.” As I spoke I heard her utter a “Thank you.” To which I offered a simple nod.

“So… what happens next?” I hear the mare ask.

“Well, that depends on you. For starters, if you want you could join me or we could head our separate ways.” I stated.

“I think… I think that I’ll join you for now at least, I mean you have saved me from death and there's nothing left for me anymore, furthermore I wanna get back at those bastards that killed my friends.” The mare explains.

I nodded, as I am no stranger to the thought of revenge as my mother had told me that Queen Chrysalis was blinded by revenge for being so thoroughly humiliated by the Equestrians after the Canterlot wedding.

“Of course and after we track them down then you can decide whether to stay with me or not," I said then, then asked. "Although if you do not mind me asking what happened?”

She ponders for a moment bringing a hoof to her chin, before speaking “Well I and the rest of the group headed here after Belle had found a pre-war map of Northwestern Equus, and pointed at this place called the Everglade Hive,” She paused “And soon after we were chased by raiders-“

“Raiders?” I asked, cutting her off.

“Raiders are the vilest and most cruelest assholes that the Wasteland ever spawned.” She spat out with venom in her voice, but still raiders, judging by her tone and choice of words that these raiders are hostile should be dealt with whenever encountered.

“Well anyways, yeah we were chased for days by Scarlet’s gang, chasing us from Tall Tale to Vanhoover, and well they caught up to us and you know the rest.” She said but continued, “And I wanna kill Scarlet.” She now wore a determined expression on her face “Will you help me?” She asked with a hopeful tone and pleading eyes.

I looked into her eyes and I sensed desperation and hope emanating from her taking a few moments before speaking “Ok I will help you.” I paused before continuing “But before we go, I think introductions are in order, I’ll start first. Hello, my name is Queen Aurelia Zagria… or just Aurelia.” I looked down feeling my ears droop. “Since the queen title is meaningless now.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up you're telling me that you're a queen!” The mare said “And also what are you exactly? I mean if you don’t mind me asking that is.”

“Heh I was just getting that, And to answer your question I am a changeling” I said.

“Changeling?” She asks.

“Well, changelings are insectoid hive-minded creatures that can shapeshift. Although if I am being honest the hive-mind part is nothing more than a glorified messaging system, and we require love to survive, well technically we can eat any emotions, it's just that we find love to be more, hmm nourishing. As for me.” I pointed a hoof at a black crown behind my horn. “And this crown signifies not only my position as queen of my hive but also the hive-mind connected to it… and it's silent right now, adding to that I used to rule this town, in fact I’ve just only recently awoken from a magic-induced coma.” I then solemnly look down remembering my awakening and exiting the hive-spire into… into this, and it wasn’t even that long ago.

“Whoa, Holy. Shit. I cannot believe this, not only do I get to meet a bug species that I’ve never met before, but can change shape at will, and is also the bug equivalent to alicorns and who was pre-war, AND is the ruler of this town. Talk about me being lucky… although the eating emotions thing is a bit creepy, to be honest.” She said excitement evident in her voice “I guess that explains why you're so clueless about raiders, but you’ll see them soon enough.”

I’ve heard other creatures refer to us changeling queens as that before, although, during the Changeling War, my mother had told me that the Equestrians would refer to us queens as ‘alicorn bugs’ which was a derogatory name given to us by them. Personally speaking I never really cared for that.

“So, what's your name? I’ve already told mine I think it's only fair that you tell me yours.” I asked, looking at her expectantly.

“Umm, hehe, guess I got carried away, anyways my name is Orange Bright, my friends called me Orange… well they used to.” Orange had said, ending it with a tone of sadness.”But I guess that's all in the past, nothing I can do but move on. Such is the way of the wasteland.”

“I see,” I said, getting up. “Well, the killers of your friends might still be nearby so if you want to seek them out we should get a move on while the tracks are still fresh,” I said. “Oh and your gear is to the right of the couch you lay on, I did my best at patching up your barding, I will wait for you outside.” She nodded at me as I finished speaking.

I trotted out of the lounge room and eventually outside, taking a whiff of the decay around me, it's hard to imagine that the place is the same… I guess I just haven’t gotten used to it.

Hearing the familiar clip-clopping of hooves, turning around I spotted Orange coming out of the convenience store now wearing her leather barding, saddlebags, and her gun, if you can even call it that, attached to her battle saddle on the left.

“Well, let's go. If we're lucky we can catch these brigands on their way to Vaverfront.” I stated to her.

“Yeah, let's,” Orange replies.

We began heading east towards Vaverfront, which should hopefully take us about half a day of travel on the hoof if there are no problems. As we traveled we began to have a conversation, discussing various things, but mostly it was just her asking about the old world and what it was like, and I did my best to answer all of her questions. Eventually, the topic came to me and my species.

“So… changeling huh.” Orange stated, “What are you like?.”

I looked at her. “Changelings are master manipulators and infiltrators, well only the infiltrator drones are. I had infiltrators all over Equestria before the Balefire Megaspells dropped, which also helps if you can shapeshift into anything, being only limited by our love reserves.” I replied

“Speaking of which.” She starts blushing. “Um how do you get love… cause you said it's um, it's like food to you right?” She says failing not to blush.

I look at her wide-eyed. “What! No, no, it doesn’t work like that.” I stammered out. “While yes we technically can, it is not the only method.”

“Ooh, explain.” She asks.

“Method one is through sex, this one is self-explanatory although for this one it would be a mix of both love and lust, method two is through intimate contact, which requires both parties to be intimate with one another, and the last method is ambient love, which requires a changeling to take in whatever ambient love that is around, and this method I find, at least for my hive to be most effective. Of course, different hives do it differently.” I said, “Although the last method will be very hard to come by.”

She nodded after I had explained to her how we gather love to sustain ourselves, it did bring me to another topic.

“You know, I’m going to have to disguise myself right? I mean once we reach inside Equestria.” I said to Orange and she looked at me confused.

“How come?” She asks, tilting her head sideways.

“Well for starters there’s no telling how the sapient creatures will react to me, we changelings were already never liked in Equestria in the first place, and more so after the Changeling War, but it seems that the zebras have one-upped us changelings for their hate. It’ll still disguise myself just to be safe.” I said, “And to be frank here I took a serious risk in showing you my true form, but when we get to Equestria and I put on a disguise, you have to promise me that you’ll never expose me.”

She looked at me now sporting a serious expression. “Ok, I promise.” She says.

With that the walk east was a quiet one, only occasionally broken by distant sounds. It wasn’t until we had exited Everglade Town and onto some dirt road near Vaverfront, then I spotted a camp beyond the trees. Crouching down, I lifted a hoof signaling for Orange to stop, she stopped walking and crouched down alongside me now also starring at the camp, I could spot a group of four ponies, three stallions and one mare sitting around a campfire with two tents on each side and they were all wearing various bits of armor on them, I could even see that one of them is wearing a makeshift helmet, their manes are all spikey and by Zagria their cutie marks are a sight to behold. Their cutie marks had one thing in common, the imagery of skulls, one of them even had a skull and crossbones with a knife stabbing through it.

If I am being honest, seeing those cutie marks terrified me. I mean how could you even earn a cutie mark like that? I must’ve been standing there for a few moments longer because I could feel Orange Bright shake me out of my stupor.

“Yeah that's them alright,” Orange said readying her weapon. I did the same, unslinging my RK-30 rifle and attaching it to my battle saddle on my left. Checking my Zagr-5 pistol, ensuring that it's ready for me to pull out when I need it.

Examining the camp’s surroundings; the camp is surrounded by trees, although in terms of foliage it’s not very thick, but it's manageable.

I turned towards Orange, whispering to her “Ok here's the plan, we can use the trees to cover our approach and hit them, their carousing should mask our approach unless of course one of us gets spotted, but that is very unlikely.” I whispered, “Furthermore we can hit them from different directions thereby making them think that there's more of us than there is, I hit them from the east you hit them from the west. Did you get any of that?”

She looks at me, opening her mouth to say “So sneak around, and hit them when they least suspect it, got it.”

“I suppose that’ll do, oh, and remember if I don’t strike within ten minutes of you being in position, then start shooting,” I said, watching Orange nod her head. Turning my attention back towards the camp, I crouched down low and began a slow trek towards the east side of the camp, careful not to step on any twigs as the last thing I want is to alert the camp. Of course, things didn’t go easy as I heard one of those brigands or raiders walk towards my location. Panicking, I dove behind a log and lay down on the ground as I could hear the clip-clop of hooves coming down. Pulling out my saber and holding it within my telekinesis.

I waited and waited until I could hear them stop very close to where I was hiding. Deciding that I couldn’t take any chances I leaped out of my cover, and I could see the look of shock etched on his face, but I didn’t give him any chances to recover, as with one swift motion I slashed his neck with my saber. Watching him fall to the ground gargling in his blood, I hit him again, this time piercing his head thereby killing him instantly.

If I don’t make a move now the rest of the camp will take notice and come investigate. With no other option left I studied his features; he has a jet-black mane and tail cut short, a greenish-blue coat, and to top it all off he had three skulls with a knife going through the middle for a cutie mark. Satisfied I took his form, my uniform, and my weapons except for my saber as it wasn’t sheathed, changed to match his equipment which I promptly hid inside of my new barding. I walked back towards the camp, my original plan with Orange of an ambush will still work albeit I’ll still be striking from the inside and, she’ll still be striking from the west.

Walking back uphill I rejoined with the other three back on the camp who were still sitting around the campfire chatting animatedly.

“Oi Facebreaker, you back from your piss break?” I heard a stallion say.

Turning left to face him, “Why yes, It was quick.” I responded. Now that I could get a good look, I could see the features of these ponies, with their scraggly looks with dirt and even a small tint of what I presume to be blood on their faces, and their coats the parts that I could see, weren’t faring any better, and in some instances I could see their color fading due to the amount of dirt and grime on them.

I sat down on a log next to the stallion listening to their conversation intently, and to say I was shocked was an understatement, there were talks about torture, rape, and mutilation, I could not believe what I was hearing and… and what these ponies are capable of. Eventually, the topic had changed, for which I was thankful, came to something more recent. This time I listened intently.

“Hey Crusher, you think the boss’s gonna be happy with our haul from those ponies?”

“Knowing her she’d yell at us for not getting back quick enough, and I just wanna get out of here quick, I mean look at those black towers, they’re creepy looking!”

I’ll have you know that those ‘black towers’ are Hive Spires and they’re homes! But I didn’t say that out loud. Although one caught my attention, they mentioned something about a boss which means that they are working under somepony or somecreature. So I prepared to strike, slowly slipping my saber from out where I hid it, I stood up making some excuse about going back to my tent. I walked behind the stallion that was still sitting next to me, unbeknownst to him my saber which I was now holding in my right foreleg, which I had secretly shifted into a griffon foreleg. Careful to not let my saber be spotted by the other two across from us. Unfortunately, the mare spotted me and yelled.

“Oi Facebreaker, what the fuck are you doi-“ Before she could finish a shot rang, and she falls to the ground with a bullet hole on the left side of her head.

Seizing this opportunity, I swung my saber with as great a force as I could muster and slashed the stallion at the back of his head, killing him as he fell face-first onto the campfire. By this point the last got up and was about to make a run for it before another shot rang out, and hit his left hind leg, making him fall to the floor.

He turns to look at me now terrified. His terror increased tenfold when he saw me shapeshift into my default form. I walked ever so closer to him as he attempted to crawl away from me, while still facing me. He continued backing away until his back hit a tree, his eyes now looking at me still terrified.

I leaned down, inching my face closer to his, and gave him a wide predatory smile, ensuring that he sees all of my fangs. By now his pupils had shrunk down to pinpricks and his ears had lowered. I swear, I could see him start wetting himself. He opened his mouth.

“Y… y-y-you m-monster.” He stuttered out.

“Heh, you know it's ironic really.” I paused, then leaned a bit closer. “You calling me a monster, and for what because of what I look?” I stopped after hearing hoofsteps behind me, turning around I spotted Orange coming towards me. I turned back to the cowering stallion, and continued, “If anything.” I raised my left hoof and pointed it toward him. “It's you, you're the monster here not me, and from what I heard listening in on the conversation. Your type seemed to gleefully torture ponies and other sapients, but what do I know? After all, I am just a monster here.” I had calmly said, noticing that Orange had now sat beside looking up at me disturbed.

“Do what you will to him,” I said towards Orange, nodding at me and turning to face him. I didn’t hear what she said to him as by that point I had already left. Exiting the camp and back to the side of the road, sitting down on my haunches I contemplated what had just happened thinking long and hard, which then landed on a question, one I did not have an answer to.

‘Just what has this world gone to?’

I do not know, but there's one thing for sure, and that is the fact that I now find myself in this new world, one where a single misstep can lead to life and death, one where sapient creatures are capable of acts previously unheard of, hay not even during the Changeling War and the Great War.

I must’ve sat there for a while when I was shaken out of my musings by Orange. “Hey, uhh, yeah so after getting some info out of that guy, which turns out the four of them were a detachment of their gang from their main gang based in the Vanhoover area.” She pauses, “Furthermore he told me that their Boss Scarlet Brawl had sent them here to continue chasing my group..” She stated, to which I simply nodded. I opened my mouth and asked, “And what happened to him?”

“Killed him, which would be one less psychopath,” Orange replied. “Oh and I looted their camp which netted us two hundred caps, one hundred each and I looted their ammo, at least ones that can be used for my pipe rifle.”

“Caps, as in bottle caps?” Now I was perplexed as to why bottle caps would be used as currency.

“Oh that's right, you don’t know, well to answer your question, I don’t know.” She paused, “I guess, I never really knew why it just is, guess you’ll just have to get used to it.” She said, hoofing me one hundred bottle caps, placing all but one into my saddlebags. I inspected the bottle cap, which was red with the words ‘sparkle cola’ on the front, placing it back into my saddlebags.

“Well, if you have any hope of taking revenge against this ‘Scarlet’ then we better start moving.” I paused, Looking into the distance, “And Vaverfront isn’t far.”

She nodded at me, and with that said, Orange and I continued walking down the road, towards Vaverfront.

Author's Note

Decided to split the prologue and chapter 1 (Don't even know why I combined them)

Anyway, as I said previously said, please alert me if you spot any spelling mistakes, errors, and punctuation.