Pax Chrysalia

Hazy moonlight glittered down through the Canterlot streets, beams of off-white slicing through hazy fog, dissipating into the cold night air. Jachs stood beneath a dull streetlamp, flickering shades of yellow that fought for dominance with the everpresent Lunar glare. Beside him, Finicus inhaled deeply, cigar burning red in the night, and he let out a soft puff. Cigar smoke mixed with fog in translucent waft as the pair settled beneath the light.

“What’s tonight’s flavour?” Jachs leaned against the pole, his gaze low and scanning the streets.

“Griffonian tar-berry.” Finicus answered, taking another indulgent puff.

Jachs’ ears twitched. “Isn’t that like a thousand bits per pack?”

Finicus smirked around his cigar. In his magic, he withdrew it, stomping it out against the cobblestone street. “Yep. It’s a good brand.” He met Jachs’ gaze with a confident one of his own, his frill sticking up in pride.

The Generalmajor rolled his eyes. “When did you get so flippant with your spending?” He sneered, brow furrowing.

“About the same time you nearly drowned in the bottle.” The smaller changeling still wore a smirk.

“Guys,” Alcippe’s voice cut through the chatter, coming from lapel radios both bugs were wearing. “Can we focus please? We’re still not entirely sure this is not an elaborate assassination attempt.”

Finicus began to pace in place, the sound of his hoofsteps carrying along the darkened streets. “Oh we’re fine,” he jeered. “Jachs is just pissy that I left the army and got rich and he stayed in the army and got depressed.”

Jachs snickered and shook his head. “Well, that is part of it.” He joked, before roughly shoving the smaller changeling. Forced to take a canter back, Finicus reared up, fixed his horn, and made to charge. Jachs braced his hooves on the ground, met the other changeling with a ‘try me’ glare, and dared him.

“I got a car!” Both changelings immediately stopped as Kommandant Wind’s voice cut through the radio. “Shadowed windows, black exterior.” Jachs looked upwards just in time to see the dark shadow of the pegasus leaping from rooftop to rooftop. “Ground team, it’s headed your way!”

Finicus stopped and pouted. “Next time,” he promised, meeting Jachs’ eyes. The pair shared a nod.

Jachs’ hoof found his radio as he glanced down the street, making out the shining electric headlights speeding his way. “Clear out. Don’t wanna make our new ‘friends’ nervous.”

“Roger.” Came the reply. “So, no date tonight?” Second Wind chided.

Jachs rolled his eyes. “That party comes at the end of the month. We’ll have our moment, Kommandant, be patient and wait.”

“With bated breath, sir.” Second Wind’s voice cut through one final time. As Jachs moved to quiet his radio, he heard a half-second flash of Alcippe’s voice.

“Date…?”

His radio buzzed as he silenced it, turning the volume knob down to ‘nil’ and tucking it into his coat. That way Alcippe could still hear them without worrying about her voice alerting their hosts.

As the car pulled into view, Finicus let out a long low whistle. It was a limousine in the Equestrian style, blacked out from bumper to bumper. It had a smooth finish, shining darkling in the moonlight, with fenders that seemed to curve inwards like the tension in the air before a unicorn’s horn blast. “Carapace used to make ones like that before we moved on to tanks,” He leered. “Looks good.”

The back door ‘thunked’ with an unlocking sound, swinging wide to allow the pair of bugs access. Jachs approached cautiously, peering in to address the driver, but there was no such pony. The driver’s seat was empty, only a dull satin glow about the steering wheel. “Unicorn magic.” Jachs recognized. “Looks like we’re expected to go for a ride.”

“Yeah.” Finicus agreed, frill slicking back in nervousness. “Are you sure about this? I’ll admit, it’s a really elegant kidnapping attempt if it is one, but…”

“Cold hooves now?” Jachs slid into the furthest left seat behind the driver. “Come on Fini. Where’s your sense of adventure? You were the one who asked to follow, if I recall correctly.”

Finicus cringed. “Don’t call me that.” He clambered in regardless, and the door closed shut behind him. The sudden movement made the changeling nearly jump out of his exoskeleton. A quick glare to Jachs, and the Generalmajor’s coming chide was silenced into a more bearable smug grin.

A low magical hum sounded from the engine and the car clicked into gear. With a lurch, it leapt from the sidewalk and into the deserted streets. Jachs tried to focus on where exactly they were going, but the car seemed to fold in on itself. It made impossible maneuvers. Streets appeared which were not there before. Four turns in the same direction right after one another and they’d somehow be in a different part of the city than they’d started. Following the movements exactly was an exercise in futility. Jachs glanced at Finicus and he looked almost ready to hurl with his eyes closed.

Jachs decided to join him, letting whatever sorceries were happening beyond the vehicle happen beyond the view of his mortal eyes, saving himself the motion sickness.

The trip was blessedly short after that. Jachs felt a rumble beneath his hooves, like passing over a speedbump, and the car slowed. The Generalmajor chanced opening his eyes and beheld a featureless concrete parking garage. He first noticed the bleak concrete didn’t seem to be in the stark white Canterlot style. He didn’t recognize this part of town, either. The view from beyond the exit was a hazy and magical wave he immediately likened to heat rising from scorching asphalt that only gave the barest hint of buildings beyond his view.

Was the whole building glamoured?

Finicus leapt from the car the minute it opened, stumbling over himself to catch his breath. Jachs was not faring much better. The world stopped spinning and, eventually, brought itself back in to focus enough for him to clamber out and look around.

There was a single door on the far wall, a deep and inviting royal purple colour. It seemed to be made of some sort of soft fabric. It looked plush. It couldn’t have been more out of place if it was glowing.

“Think I found the entrance,” Jachs nudged Finicus, who immediately stood to right himself.

“Really? I dunno, could go anywhere besides a magic unicorn enclave. Maybe it’s a zebra spy hideout?” Jachs glared and the smaller changeling shrank. “Sorry. I ramble when I’m nervous.”

The Generalmajor approached the door, feeling unsettlingly watched, like he was approaching the Queen’s throne. He extended a hoof and roughly rapped upon it four times in quick succession. He waited two seconds, and knocked four more times.

In a flash of azure magic, the door vanished, and in its place was an unfurling velvet rug, extending inwards into something like a plush foyer. The walls were deep vibrant purple, hazy with a smoke in the air, wafting from the double doors further in. Jachs’ magic immediately latched onto it, detecting the haze of content love in the air. “There you are, Generalmajor!” In his way stood the unicorn he’d ran into yesterday. This time, her horn was lit with the deepest royal velvet purple he’d ever seen. Purple of mane and of eye, taller than him, sporting a welcoming smile. “I am Gloriosa. And I must say, it’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.” Every word was spoken low, hot, and sultry, like a cup of cocoa laced with Elation.

Her eyebrows lidded as she glared at his companion. “The invitation was for one changeling.” She spoke, flickers of annoyance crackling across her voice.

“Surprise makes the world more interesting,” Jachs quickly retorted, flicking his snout for Finicus to follow. “Don’t worry. He’s harmless.”

The little bug was visibly overwhelmed. His frill stood on end, catching the gusts of love about the air as he frantically threw his gaze back and forth. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open, fangs bared as he drew it in through his magic. He had begun to pant, serpentine changeling tongue flicking at the air like a snake tasting blood. If he cared about Jachs insulting him he did not show it.

“Really.” Gloriosa spoke with quizzical expression, both a statement and a question but more one than the other. “Well there’s nothing for it. I’m sure Excess can handle one love-addled changeling.”

“Excess?” Jachs questioned, moving to glance beyond her.

“The name of our little get together.” She smiled demurely. “Please, allow me.” With that, she stood by the doors, gripped the handles in her magic, and flung them open.

As the doors opened, a heavy fog of purplish haze fell around his hooves carrying love on its coattails. Jachs’ senses were assaulted by an onrush of velvet, translucent in the smoke. Chaise loungers, pillows, tassels. Everywhere he looked was a unicorn, doubled over in ecstasy, fallen on his or her back and giggling at the shadows that danced in their vision. They pawed skyward, eyes dim like fading lights glazed over in a foggy film.

Then, he saw the changelings crowding around a bar. Like their unicorn counterparts, each bug here was slung over some piece of furniture with eyes glazed over and empty, vacant expressions. Every so often they would giggle and laugh. Jachs was vaguely aware of Finicus heading in that direction, eying up a vial of cloudy love on offer.

“This is a drug den.” The Generalmajor dispassionately wrinkled his snout in disgust.

“Ha!” Gloriosa turned on him, pressing a hoof to his chest. “No more than you are an addict, Generalmajor. All changelings have this hunger. We only provide…sustenance.” She enunciated that last word, letting it trill along her tongue in a canting voice. She drew her hoof down his chest, letting the soft frog feel his chitin beneath his coat. Even her breath seemed laced with a fog of love and Jachs felt his mind going hazy.

It was getting harder to focus. As he met the mare’s eyes, her vibrant orbs, like windows into her soul, seemed to reflect the smoke around them. Thoughts, unbidden, slipped into his mind. He wanted to kiss her. To embrace this beautiful mare.

“Oh. A scar on the chest. How roguishly dashing.” She enunciated, her magic gripping the buttons on his uniform. He wanted to stop her, but he…didn’t want her to stop. Jachs’ coat fell to the ground, and suddenly she was on top of him. Her hoof traced a pattern around the gash in his chitin.

Jachs looked around. He was in a private room suddenly, the dull haze of love still filling the air, the endless onslaught of purple alight in his vision. He didn’t remember getting here. He just knew that, now, she was laying back on a lounger, a curtain was pulled behind him, and they had privacy at last. At last! He wanted to shout in joy. He was finally hers! Jachs fell upon the mare, his forehooves on either side of her neck. She moaned indulgently and flicked her frog underneath his chin. “Daring.” She chided, batting her eyes and challenging him to go further. Queen’s Mercy he wanted more. He wanted to give her everything. He hadn’t felt a love like this --true love!-- since his time with…

Jachs leaped back, batting the haze from his eyes. He fell against the far wall, scrabbling a hoof out for balance, panting, shaking his head, banishing the smoke in his peripheral. “What the hell!?” He shouted, baring his teeth in anger.

“Oh.” Gloriosa, still leaning back in a rather provocative pose, sounded so disappointed. “Oh that’s a pity.”

“Pity!?” Jachs forced himself to stand, but the sheer excitement in his legs was making it hard. It was like the Elation, but lesser. Swirling around his body rather than injected into his soul. “Start explaining, what did you do!? And it-- ugh!” He slammed his head against the wall. “What did you do to me?”

“Nothing you didn’t want to do.” She sighed, crossing her hind legs and laying back down. “Stop with the shouting, please.”

Jachs forced himself to approach her. It was hard to draw on his magic here, but if he had to, he could bite the mare. “I said explain.” He growled. “This is not…what is in the air here? It makes it hard to think-- to focus.”

“Is it not obvious to you?” She demurely smiled, turning to lay on her side, resting her head in the crook of her knee. “Love.”

Noting the Generalmajor was unimpressed with her answer, she made a show of sighing indulgently, before clambering up in her seat. Her horn lit in vicious purple, and Jachs nearly leapt at her as a dull vibrant glow surrounded him. Then, he felt his faculties returning. The haze of the place seemed lesser. Things came back into focus. He could see the vibrancy of the walls again, the sharpness of Gloriosa’s eyes, the swirls carved into her long, splendid, shining, beautiful horn. The way her mane lay across her body, the long hairs hugging her curves like desperate-- she smiled, winked, and with that those thoughts fell away too.

“Most changelings are putty in the hoof after a few doses of my special cocktail.” She whined. “Look at you. My, what a strong…and annoying, will you have.”

Jachs rolled his eyes. “Did you drug me? What the hell was that? What was…all that?”

She laughed. Hearty, deep, beautiful. “Happiness, Generalmajor. That is what I provide. The escape from reality. Those harsh feelings you poor bugs carry, those terrible memories? Forgotten, in a wash of Excess.” She licked her lips, curling her hoof over her chest. “Except for you. Such a desire to see one’s own self hurt isn’t healthy.”

Jachs let a fore hoof fall on his own chest. The scar there grounded him. “I didn’t come here for a psychoanalyzation,” he glared. “I believe your exact words were ‘offer of alliance,’ and yet since I got here I feel I’ve only been attacked.”

Gloriosa let out an even heavier sigh, complete with an eye roll. “Fine. Since you’re so insistent,” she chided. “These are my terms. Put my ponies in positions of power within your government. In exchange, you’ll have the full support of my little club, and my not so insignificant amount of magical power.” She winked. “The wealth of my own, and the eyes and ears of the lower classes that frequent haunts like mine. We could be great for each other, Generalmajor…”

The unicorn stood. She approached him, falling onto the lounger he’d wound up on. “Imagine it. I could give you an in. You love ponies, don’t you? I do too. I want to help you…and you could help me.” She nuzzled into him, singing sweetly. Jachs didn’t react as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “And, other favours, of course. I’d let you avail yourself of my facilities, whenever, and wherever you--”

“You said, ‘your ponies.’” Jachs suddenly interjected. “Everypony I saw out there was a unicorn. Your cutie mark is your own horn…so I’m going to hazard a guess,” he continued. “All of ‘your ponies’ you have in mind are unicorns too?”

She blushed, obviously exaggerated, and flipped her mane. “But of course. What does that matter? We magic users are one and the same Jachs.” Her smile was like a lit fireplace in a winter’s morning. Warm, welcoming, comforting, and safe. “We deserve to rule with the changelings, not beneath them.”

“And If I refuse?” Jachs leaned back into the lounger, crossing his fores over his chest.

“Then I’m afraid we’d be enemies.” She sadly opined. “I’d probably beseech the E.L.F. for help…feed them information, do what I can to get on their good side.” She groaned. “Savage brutes, but if the alternative is annihilation via changeling…”

Nodding, the Generalmajor was quiet for a moment.

“Well don’t leave me hanging!” Glorioso tugged at his foreleg. “Are we allies then, Generalmajor…or enemies?”

Jachs closed his eyes and focused. He, as the Generalmajor is want to do, ran a myriad of simulations through his head. He settled on one conclusion. The reason for this show, her attitude, her confidence, her movements. Jachs hid a smile as he finally decided. He met the unicorn’s eyes as she met his, and confidently spoke.

“Enemies.”

“W-what!?” Her eyes went wide and she slid back from him. “Wait-- how do you mean? Surely there's…

That’s what he was looking for. The unicorn was clearly experienced with being the one in control of the conversation. Still hiding his smile, he shook his head. “The terms you’re presenting are undesirable. It’d give you too much control. I refuse.”

“Generalmajor!” She tried to interject, Jachs hushed her with a stern glare.

“I’m guessing you know me well and you know my position on Equestrians, since you were so sure I’d agree. So, you should know there’s one thing I do not want in Canterlot over everything else.” Her silence let him press on his verbal attack. “Why, Gloriosa, would you ever think I would trade one supremacist regime for another? Just because you aren’t changelings?”

The unicorn’s hooves began to tap nervously upon the lounger. The first sign Jachs had seen of her self-soothing since he’d got here. “You sound like you have a counter offer.” She finally spoke up, through gritted teeth.

“Indeed.” Jachs smiled, finally. “You start letting in earth and pegasi ponies into your little club, and I’ll spread all of you out evenly in my civilian administration. Your favoured unicorns still gain power, but not just the unicorns.” He grinned. “You lose nothing and gain everything. What do you say?”

There was a moment of quiet.“It seems I have no choice…” She finally admitted, looking crestfallen. “There is hardly any point, even so. The mud ponies and the turkeys can hardly use our love magic themselves.”

“Then there should be no reason you cannot champion their cause as well.” The Generalmajor shrugged. “If these terms are amenable to you then you may consider us allies.”

The unicorn mare let out a long breath. “Yes. Allies, then.” She growled.

“First off then, Ally. What is and where did you get this ‘love magic’ exactly?”

Gloriosa lead the Generalmajor through the main room again. He caught Finicus rolling around and giggling in the forehoof wrap of a unicorn stallion. After retrieving his uniform, which was tossed haphazardly onto the floor, Jachs kindly decided not to let Finicus know he’d seen once they meet up after this.

“I’m familiar with the effects of indulging in love for changelings,” said the Generalmajor, flicking his snout towards a pair of unicorn mares performing some kind of dance in place. “Why are there ponies acting like this?”

“Have you ever wondered what happens when a pony is fed their own love, Jachs?” She spoke confidently, nosing her way through a pair of double doors, leading him further into the building. This part looked less indulgently purple and more simple concrete, with featureless walls and a single hallway.

“I can’t say I have.” Jachs admitted, falling into step behind her.

She turned and stopped him. She’d regained her posh and proper smile. “The effect is similar to the love indulgence of your kind,” the unicorn casually explained. “It overwhelms them. Induces a feeling like euphoria, or--”

“Elation?” Jachs arched an eyeridge, paying special attention to her reaction to that word.

If it caused any particular neurons to fire, she didn’t show it. “Yes, exactly.” She giggled. “It…broadens the horizons, so to speak. Makes one see the occupiers in less of a negative light, when you see why they want us first hoof. I dare say, perhaps it may even lead an indulging pony to…empathize. If I could feel so delightful with just a few tugs on another pony’s magic, I’m not sure if I could ever--”

“It sounds like brainwashing to me.” The Generalmajor was quick to reply.

“Broadening of horizons,” she bore a frown as she replied. “We don’t force anypony to come back, Jachs. Regardless. To-may-toe. To-mah-toe.” She turned and marched proudly down the corridor, making a point to flick her tail into the Generalmajor’s face as she went.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Jachs trotted up quickly beside her. “You didn’t learn how to refine love by trial and error-- and you certainly didn’t get the equipment for it by sheer happenstance.”

“Oh, who cares for the details!” She flicked her mane, setting it bobbing. “Honestly, Jachs, just relax. Worry about the logistics another day. You haven’t even seen our premium services yet.”

Jachs snorted. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. I need to know--”

“La-la-la-la!” She canted in a sing-song voice. “All you need to know is that I know what you need! And it’s not here.” The unicorn pouted over her shoulder at him. “Now, you’re going to follow me, and I’m going--”

Jachs had enough. He rounded on the unicorn, put all his weight into her, and slammed her into the wall, pinning her to the cold metal. Shocked, she glanced back at him with a suddenly fearful expression. “You’re going to tell me where you get your supply,” he nearly growled. “My patience is wearing thin, ‘ally’.”

To his surprise, she leaned into the foreleg pinning her and nuzzled against it. “Come now, Jachs. You’re not going to hurt me.” She batted her eyes. Her lashes were long and thick. Beautiful as the rest of her. “You’re not that type of changeling. If you were, I wouldn’t have invited you here.”

Jachs met her eyes, his gaze steel and cold as a Wingbardy longsword. “If the choice is between hurting you, and the possibility of having innocent fillies suffer because I didn’t do anything…”

It was faint, but Jachs recognized a flicker of fear in her. That effortless confidence she’d seemed to exude had all but melted away. “Fillies?” She questioned, the word coming out stuttered and unfocused, like she was unsure she’d heard him correctly.

“Foals. Children,” he continued. “If you’re harboring the type of changelings who’d do that just to make your little love hotel…”

“I swear I’m not!” She suddenly blurted out quickly. “I-- we, we get shipments of special love that we mix in with our batches, but I swear there’s nothing like that here! I swear I would never do something like that!”

“Really?” Jachs sneered. “Even if it was ‘mudpony’ foal?”

She nodded. “Even if-- I wouldn’t cross that line. I wouldn’t.” She met his gaze, and Jachs could sense the conviction in her voice. “Ponies aren’t livestock and I swear I would never support something like that!”

He stared silently at her, appraising her. The Generalmajor supposed he had the measure of this mare by now. He didn’t think she was the type to be so callous, even if she was insufferable. His forehoof fell back to the floor, releasing her.

She took a cautious step back from him as she was finally freed, scrambling to say something, but Jachs silenced her with a raised hoof. “That type of love you make can only happen if a very powerful form of love is spliced into it,” he explained. “So wherever you’re getting your supply, it’s quite possible they’re black market harvesting foals. That is why, Gloriosa, that I need your help to find it.”

“I understand.” She said finally, ears flicking. “But nothing in the world is free, Jachs.” The Generalmajor arched an eyeridge. “I will tell you everything I know if you do something for me.”

“Something for you?” Jachs rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you’re in a position to be making demands, Glori.”

“Trust me!” She pleaded, leaning in to nuzzle affectionately at his neck. “I just want to show you our ‘special service’. Do this for me, indulge with me, and I will tell you everything you want to know and more; I’ll show you the ponies I get it from.”

Jachs sighed heavily, meeting her gaze with a resigned shrug. “What is it?”

Jachs was led into what he immediately recognized as a love extraction room. The same type of apparatus they had down at the clinic, with the glowing green spinning tip extended claw-like fingers. “What is--”

“Shh!” She whisper-shouted over her shoulder, ushering him to sit in a small comfortable booth behind the machine. Jachs took his seat, albeit cautiously. Though it was sometime since he’d been on the front lines, The Generalmajor found himself counting entrances and possible ambush points. The square shape of the room, at least, gave any possible adversaries little room to hide. From behind the extraction device, Gloriosa withdrew a small glass vial Jachs recognized as love. Cloudy pink lightning fired periodically inside it, casting shadows about the mare.

“If you’re about to ask me to take a hit of that crap, you’re--”

“Shhh!” She again shouted, twirling the vial in her magic as she approached the Generalmajor’s booth. The vial hovered up by Jachs’ fores and lay across the table. “I want you to see why I do what I do,” she clarified. “I want you to see what a bit of my magic entwined with the love does to a bug.”

Jachs held it in his hooves, watching the dance of lightning inside the glass. “What exactly do you do?” He asked, a sudden nervous twinge creeping into his voice.

Her hoof fell upon his own as her horn lit in brilliant violet. Her magic swirled about the love in his hooves, staining the bright pink with streaks of royal velvet that seemed to battle for supremacy in its tiny glass prison. “I make creatures happy,” she smiled, sliding closer to him. Her horn stayed lit as she nuzzled into his shoulder. “Now, indulge yourself, Generalmajor. See what Excess provides…”

Jachs could almost hear Alcippe screaming at him even though the radio was silenced. He met her eyes with a subdued shrug, popped the cap with a forehoof, and inhaled. Jachs drank deeply of the arcane cocktail and the world dulled to aching white, and then he-- quite simply, was no longer there.

Jachs could feel the chill in the air. He looked around and saw the Vesalipolis skyline lit up in glowing fire, giant smokestacks belching black tar skyward like the maws of sleeping dragons. Changeling machine forges churning out tools and weapons of war late into the winter months. There was nervousness in his gut-- but back then, the war was an inevitability but it had been so for years. He was immune to it. This sensation? He knew this sensation. It wasn’t the oncoming war that made him nervous.

December 29th, 1010. The last day he’d been really, truly happy.

“Oh, Colonel. They let you off your leash after all?” Her voice was melodious and beautiful as the song she was named after. She was leaning upon the banister at the Vesalipolis docks, her forehooves hanging over the railing. He hadn’t seen her in her civvies before. Usually, she wore a major’s insignia on her shoulder and a pair of binoculars about her neck. Today, she was in the most beautiful dress he’d ever seen. A striking blue, reflecting off the water and the sky above her, and even her bright eyes were the most lovely azure. She was smiling, but there was a little sadness in her voice. A wistfulness, maybe.

“Let me? I snuck out.” He smiled and doffed his cap, trotting forwards to wrap his forelegs around her. The pair nuzzled, the air warmed by the heat of the industrial forges, before sharing a lingering kiss.

After breaking it, her head fell upon his shoulder, the pair staring at the water. There were other changelings around them, but…Jachs wasn’t paying anyling any attention back then, besides her. “Does that mean I’m going to have to do the paperwork for catching you?” She bit back, leaning in for another kiss. This time, both changelings bore their fangs, and hooked them into one another’s.

“I think I can convince you to overlook it.” He spoke through his teeth. She pulled back and snickered, rolling her eyes. The mare sighed, and let her head fall upon his chest. They stayed there for hours, then. Just staring at the water. Being with one another.

She was so…soft. It was so strange to Jachs. Changelings have a chitinous exoskeleton, but as he held her then, she seemed so pliable beneath him. Like a pony.

“I know it’s kind of weird,” she smiled as she looked at him. Her eyes, meeting his. “But I just love it here. I feel so safe.”

“You told me before.” He recalled, nuzzling into her mane. It was as beautiful as her eyes. “When you were a nymph, you--”

“Shush!” She softly headbutted him, sending the Colonel chuckling. “Let me reminisce, you oaf. I’m trying to be demure and mystical!”

“Fine. I’m just trying to save you the effort.” He nipped her on the ear, his teeth grazing the little hole she had in it. She’d worn a piercing there before the army made her take it out. Now, it simply looked at home. One more divot in the chitin.

She cleared her throat, fixing him with a mock glare. “When I was a nymph I was scared of everything. Terrified of the dark, the monsters that we hunt, everything. My father would tell me. ‘Take heart, Sonnet.’ He used that exact phrase, ‘take heart.’ ‘Take heart, for we face terrors so the changelings in the great hives sleep soundly at night. So as you have trouble sleeping, imagine the millions of nymphs who sleep in warm beds tonight, because of bugs like us.”

“Jaegers.” Jachs nodded. “It’s a noble profession.”

Her ear flicked. “So I always thought I’d be safest here, surrounded by thousands and thousands of hunters. The best hunters in the world. And now, we’re going to hunt ponies.” Her hooves leapt upon the bannister, tapping into the wood. “Short and stumpy bright pastel equines that are terrified of us. To them, we’re the monsters.”

His forehooves fell around her withers. Then, she had the task of holding the both of them up as he nuzzled into her. “We don’t have to be cruel about it,” he countered. “When we establish the Queendom proper, we can run it better than the princesses. We’ll get the love we need, but we’ll also be there to protect them. Just like the Jaegers of today.”

She snorted. “You really believe that?” She turned, bracing her fores against his chest. “Or are you just spouting off V.O.P.S. propaganda?”

Jachs let out a long sigh, hooking a fore around her neck. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure it happens this way, I promise.” He was proud of how he’d said that, meeting her eyes with a determined expression. “No matter what Chrysalis wants. If she becomes a problem, I’ll find ways to get around her.”

She voiced her agreement with a kiss. Another one, long and indulgent, under the lowering sunlight of the Vesalipolis harbor. “They want me in Vanhoover.” She smiled, breaking the kiss. “Reconnaissance, assigned to your division. Isn’t that just the luckiest thing?”

“Major Sonnet, you are not accusing me of pulling favours, are you?” She stuck her tongue out. Jachs caught it with his own, and the pair were locked in yet another battle for dominance. Sonnet eventually won.

“I’m glad you did.” She breathlessly admitted, nuzzling into his chest. The sun was going down now. “I don’t know how I’d survive being somewhere else, never knowing for sure if you were alive or not. I’d end up pulling my mane out.”

Sometime in the last hour they’d made their way onto a bench along the boardwalk. It was getting late now. Other changelings were starting to filter out into the streets proper. “I love you.” It had just slipped out. He hadn’t meant to say it. Time froze for the Colonel, his breath catching as she turned around.

To his surprise, she laughed beautifully, and nuzzled under his chin. “I love you too. So much, you stupid bug.” She had tears in her eyes. Another kiss followed-- he’d lost track of how many they shared that day. He couldn’t even remember how long that one lasted.

He remembered the parting that came later, bittersweet as it was. A promise that they’d be back here, on this same day, in a year’s time. They’d demand leave. If they couldn’t get it, they’d go awol and claim they were ponynapped. They’d find a way.

December 29th, 1011.

Jachs was on the boardwalk alone. She wasn’t coming. But he made a promise. So, Jachs sat there all day. He stared at the water and remembered her. Remembered her laughs, her eyes, her dress a year ago. How she’d looked leaning up against that banister. The sound of the waves beneath them. The distant call of the seagulls. Jachs made a promise, so he stayed there all day with her.

When it was time to leave, Jachs had picked up the changeling flag he had sat beside of. It was a small thing, about hoof sized, folded into a triangle and in a glass display. He’d slipped it into his bags and slept on the train back to the front. That was the same flag he’d kept to this day, under lock and key, in his desk drawer.

He had made a promise. He would keep it.

Jachs came to with his hoof around somepony. He could feel the heat of tears on his eyes. Gloriosa was nuzzling into his chest, her horn alight with arcane power. He was still in the booth, holding the mare like she was his…

“It’s alright.” She turned up to look at him. “You held me and cried alot. Nothing else happened.”

Jachs’ dropped his hooves and scooted away from her. His head fell upon his fores and he slammed them into the table. He bore his fangs. “What…” He tried to accuse her, but he felt so…strange. A content sort of sadness that was strange to place.

“My magic and love imbibed by a changeling.” She smiled softly, her voice gentle. “It has a way of making ‘lings remember what’s important to them.” She scooted closer to him, the taller unicorn wrapping her fores around his body. This time, Jachs didn’t refuse it. “There’s lots of guilt in you. I’m sorry, I thought you were…more cocksure, hah. If I’d known you were so damaged, I would have taken another approach. I’m usually very good at reading ponies.” Her face scrunched up. She seemed very deep in thought. “You’re…you’re like, you’re like the most ‘changeling’ changeling I’ve ever seen. You wear this mask of personableness on top of a mask of dutifulness, on top of six more that-- but none of that matters. All that matters is that I know the real you now.”

Jachs closed his eyes, sinking into the embrace of the unicorn. He focused on the tactile; the feeling of her coat on his chitin, her hooves around him. “You’re a mentalist unicorn. You looked at my memories.” He reasoned. “You saw…”

“I looked away when I’d seen enough. I’m sorry-- I had to be sure you were really the type of ‘ling I’d follow.”

Jachs noticed he’d been panting. He brought a fore up to wipe his eyes. “And?”

“And I’d follow you to Tartarus and back.”

Jachs turned and hugged her back. He wrapped his fores around her mare and shoved his face into her neck. He held her there, simply held her. It had been so long since he’d been held. “She was amazing,” he sighed out. “She loved unicorns, you know. Loved ponies. Loved Equestrian culture so much. Her step-mother was a unicorn, see, she…” Jachs swallowed heavily, his hooves digging into the mare’s back. “The war broke her heart.”

He felt her squeeze him, her soft pedicured and dainty hooves hugging him. “The world is lesser for her loss.” Her voice was so calming, so comforting. “But she would be so proud of you right now.”

Jachs shoved her away, baring his teeth. Tears stung in his eyes. “No. I haven’t done enough. I’ll never do enough.” He nervously tapped his hoof into the table, staring into the corner of the room, as if his answers were written there upon the concrete. “I’ve…I’ve made so many mistakes. I keep seeing her face when I’m asleep and she’s always disgusted with me. I’m doing all I can to make it up to her, but I never will.”

“Jachs.” She ran her hoof down his back. She tapped it there, rubbing softly. “I’ve met a lot of changelings here saying the same thing you are. Every single one of them tries their hardest where they can. Not a single one of them comes close to what you’ve done.” She hooked her fore around his waist and pulled him back into her. “Even if you don’t believe it yourself, everypony else here does. So I want you to do something for me.”

Jachs glanced up at her. There was genuine care in her eyes. “Everytime you feel yourself hurting like this again, try to remember a pony you’ve helped. Remember a volunteer thanking you, a citizen smiling happily when they see you who’d be cowering in fear under anyling else…remember me thanking you for trusting me enough to do this.” Gloriosa smiled warmly, before she softly kissed him upon the forehead.

Jachs lost count of the hours he spent laying there with her. Cuddling, beneath the featureless stone ceiling of this strange and arcane backroom, and it was the happiest he’d been in years.

“Excess is a place where everypony and everyling gets everything they could ever want. No judgements, no grudges. Whether you desire a particular flavour of sustenance, whether your desire is as simple as the carnal, or whether it is the reassurance that you are doing the right thing. Excess, Generalmajor, is at your back. Come back soon, Jachs.”

Gloriosa’s last words stuck in Jachs’ mind. Proprietress of the most illicit drug den known to changelingkind, willing collaborator in the changeling regime, unicorn supremacist, magical therapist. Gloriosa was as unique a creature as they came and Jachs still didn’t know quite what to make of her.

Still, she’d given him the information he needed, and she seemed amenable to all his demands. Regardless of the roundabout route to get there, he had the location of the supplier. An ally is an ally.

Jachs noticed he was smiling. It was nice to be back there again, on that little boardwalk in the harbor they'd spent so long on. It had been awhile since he'd been to her grave. She'd put on her will that she wanted to eschew the final transformation changelings go through; she'd wanted to be buried beside her mother. Perhaps he should visit again. This time, he could bring her the garrison duty roster and show her what happens when they work together! A tear fell from his eye and he flicked it away with a hoof.

Sonnet would love that.