Chapters Snow fell gentle on the streets adding to the blanket that already existed, rooftops were covered in a thick layer of ice and snow; sidewalks filled with ponies either going to someplace or from somewhere, the roads didn’t fare much better, carts were pulled back and forth whether they were carrying items or ponies it didn’t matter they all had somewhere to be.
An orange pony stood in the middle of two building and blew his breath; he stared at the white mist that was his breath. He walked down the streets avoiding everypony with it, the hard crunch of snow fell beneath his hooves. He approached a tavern and slowly pushed the door open; voices erupted from the tavern, making his way past drunken mares and stallions he approached the counter he pulled up next to a stool and sat.
“So what’ll it be?” A rather large unicorn said.
The orange pony looked at the unicorns cutie mark for a few seconds; it was an empty glass cup. “Hard cider.” He said.
The stallion with the glass cutie mark nodded and turned around to make the drink; he used his magic levitate the cups off the shelves and under a barrel that had a nozzle.
The orange pony looked around the tavern; several wooden tables, hardwood flooring, Drunk ponies and-A mug slammed on the counter causing him to turn back around and look at the bartender.
“Your drink’s ready.” The bartender said.
“Thanks.” The orange pony placed 4 bits on the counter.
The bartender nodded and levitated the currency into a metal box underneath the counter before walking down to deal with some other customers further down.
The orange stallion looked at the drink, happy birthday to me . He thought to himself then he took a sip and then another before he knew it the wooden mug was empty and he could barely speak a coherent sentence.
The stallion blinked several times trying to at least see the door to the tavern. This task seemed hardest even for the wisest of ponies. He backed off from the stool and made his way what looked like the general direction of the door. The sound of a cup hitting the ground echoed across the tavern. Silence now filled the room.
The orange pony looked to see what happened…Tried to see what happened. A hoof went across a blue unicorns face. Before anyone knew what was going on the tavern broke out in a gigantic fight. Hooves were flying, One hoof struck into the stomach of a Pegasus who stood on a table.
The orange stallion was only a few feet from door he slowly walked keeping his head down low. Something fast flew right into the orange pony and he blacked out.
Slime dripped from the walls of the cave, Changelings raced back and forth to dig new tunnels. A tall slender female changeling walked next to a smaller younger female.
“Now Alucita you do realize your course of action?” The taller female said.
Yes I know. Mother” Alucita was carrying an annoyed tone in her voice.
The two walked down a path, Light began to fade before being light with torches. A stray changeling came out from the darkness in a hurry; he had knocked into Alucita causing him and her to both be lying on their backs. The ling quickly got back up.
“I’m very sorry princess.” He hissed out
Alucita got up with anger in her eyes she used her magic to levitate him in the air. She began to spread his limbs and slowly pull them apart. “You’ll be forgiven soon.” She hissed out
The taller female flicked Alucita’s horn “These will be your subjects one day; you can’t just kill them because they bumped into you.”
The changeling fell to the ground “Thank you Queen Chrysalis!” He then scurried off up the path.
Alucita rubbed her horn “Why did you let him free, he was getting what he deserved?!” Rage hung around in her tone
Chrysalis glared down at the much younger princess “You can’t act through anger all the time little one, I should know.”
The tension was released and the two royal changelings continued to walk the path, they approached a large room with a deep circular hole, there was no need for lighting whatever was in the giant hole illuminated the entire room a reddish-pink glow. Princess Alucita stepped over to the hole and peered into it.
“That’s love in its rawest form my daughter” Chrysalis said as she approached her daughter.
“Why did you bring me down here?” Alucita asked
Chrysalis smirked, her horn a blaze with a poisonous green glow. The room slowly lit up revealing thousands of cocoons, every so often a hoof inside the translucent pods would twitch or a wing would vibrate softly.
“These ones haven’t been accepted into my hive yet” Chrysalis said as she took off the ground to admire the perfect lings.
Alucita smiled she pushed her bluish-purple mane from her eye “Well? What are we waiting for?”
Chrysalis’s horn lightened once more. At random intervals a cocoon split open and oozed out a newly born mature changeling. Chrysalis landed next to Alucita and watched in amazement as if a new hive was being created.
An unorganized grouping of thousands now filled the room. “Great! Now mind link with them” Chrysalis said staring at Alucita.
Alucita nodded, her horn alit with magic surrounding her horn in dark blue, streams of magic burst from her horn, and the streams pierced each of the changelings. Alucita’s eyes glowed brightly, everything faded to white. Alucita looked around; her mother was no longer present. Only the group of changelings and her existed. The group bore their fangs and charged her.
Alucita smirked, her horn aglow with magic, “This is going to be fun” She bore her fangs and stomped her hole ridden hoof on the ground.
The group roared and charged forward, hell bent on spilling blood, her blood
Not a reference to anything!
(Bear's Note: if you already read this chapter nothing changed only fixes in grammar)
The orange ponies eyes slowly opened, “Uggggh” He moaned out.
Something was slowly breathing on top of him; he pushed the object to the side, he struggled to get on his hooves. He looked down at the object that limited his movements, a Pegasus, passed out, he sighed. He glanced around the bar, still fighting. He continued the path he was planning on going, he reached the wooden door slowly he pushed the door open. White tiles greeted him on his journey into the room.
The stallion blinked several times and stood in complete silence as the door closed behind him.
“This isn't the exit” He thought aloud.
He trotted over to a mirror on the far side of the room. He stared at his reflection.
“Uh oh” He trotted to a nearby stall and ripped off a piece of toilet paper. He placed the paper on his nose and looked at his messy cherry mane; he threw the paper away, turned the sink on and stuck his head underneath the nozzle. Bringing his head back up got water spayed in all directions. He wiped his face with more of the paper and exited the room.
A chair exploded to the side of the door. The stallion looked to where the chairs use to be. This place is insane; I have to get out of here. He thought; he scanned around the tavern, There! An exit was now present for him to escape this place. Trotting slowly and keeping his head down low he made his way to the door.
He reached the door, opening it quickly yet quietly not trying to put any attention to himself, He made it out. He gave a loud sigh and leaned on the side of the tavern. He looked up a piece of paper hovered above his head. He got back up and moved back a little and read the text on the paper.
JOIN NOW!
Do your part for Equestria and its pony citizens by joining the ranks of the Equestrian Guards.
This looks promising for me; I hope it’s better than my job fixing things. He read further down.
Sign up at the recruitment office in Downtown, Manehatten.
The stallion put on a determined face and shouted “I’m gonna go for it!” And then he stomped his hoof in the snow.
Everypony that was around him gave him a stare made of confusion and probably had thoughts that he was a weirdo, “Heh” he gave a fake laugh and trotted down in the opposite of direction of the tavern.
A hoof stomped down on a changeling’s face; the changeling instantly disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, Alucita’s breathing was heavy, her mane was a mess. Only ten remained, she had difficulties standing, she swayed a little. The changelings were panting heavily; it’s obvious to all of them that they all are pretty exhausted. Each of the changelings looked at one another, nine of them nodded. Slowly they trotted around Alucita; she looked around, surrounded.
“Smart.” She managed to puff out the words between breaths.
The Changelings hissed, two of them leaped forward ready to strike at her, she dropped to her stomach causing the two to collide, and black smoke erupted in the air where the two used to be. They had to choose their moves carefully she could be storing up her magic.
The remaining eight changelings broke out of the circle and reformed in a semi-circle; it was either now or never. Five of the changelings vibrated their wings; they lifted off the ground slowly and flew in slow moving circles; each one flying in a separate direction. Three changelings flew down from the formation Alucita trotted backwards the first challenge slammed into the ground, she stuck her horn out and managed to skewer the smoke. “Gaah” She yelped, the third managed to give her a new mane cut and a new facial feature, black smoke slowly leaked from the slash. The two returned back to the formation.
Alucita Knelt down, she hissed out in pain, her horn ignited in anger. An aura of magic surrounded the neck of a changeling causing it to the abruptly stop in midflight, skewering a poor changeling that was going in the opposite direction.
The Stallion trotted down the street leaving a cloud of snow behind him, a building quickly came into view. He slowed down his trot to a walk. He approached the double doors and stopped. He exhaled and opened the doors. A large room with several stallions and mares were sitting in seats along the sides of the room. A receptionist desk was directly in front of him. He walked straight up to the desk and focused his eyes on the blue maned mare doing paperwork.
The feeling of being nervous hit him like a ton of bricks “Uh…hello.” He managed to spit out.
“Here for the job are we?” She said without looking up from the papers.
His eye twitched a bit how could a young filly like her have an accent much heavier than mine? The stallion looked around the room glancing at the mares and stallions sitting down and turned back “Y…Yeah”.
“Okay sign here.” She slid a clipboard with pen attached by a chain.
He looked down at the paper and gripped the pen in his mouth. Who ever made this sheet has great penman ship . He scribbled in his name Ratchet ; He filled every other information in as well.
“Thank you, please have a seat. A cart will come for you soon.” She pulled the clipboard closer to her side of the desk.
He looked around for a spot to sit in, there was a spot in between a mare with a green mane and stallion with a cream mane. He pulled up to the spot and sat. He felt awkward not saying anything. He turned to the mare and said “Hello, I’m Ratchet.”
She turned her head towards him “Ah’m Candy” The conversation dropped at that moment. The awkward silence returned. Ratchet tried to bring the conversation backup “You have very nice looking wings.”
With a poof Candy’s wings extended fully. “Awh thank yah, yah have very nice…mane style.”
Ratchet rubbed his hoof on his mane and smiled “Thanks.”
He turned to the stallion besides him "What’s your name?"
The stallion smiled and puffed out his chest and said “I am Clef, musician, at your service.” He gave a slight chuckle at the end.
It was obvious that everyone was nervous and or bored so this gave slight entertainment to the mare and stallion.
“Alright Clef, “Ratchet puffed out his chest. “I’m Ratchet, Repair Pony, at your service.”
They all shared in a good long laugh.
“This fight had lasted way longer than I wanted this to go!” Alucita’s eyes leaked with magic.
The last changeling blasted out of existence, only one remained. She stomped forward towards the last changeling. He stepped backward one step for everyone she took to get closer. She started to quicken her pace. The changeling started to quicken his pace to keep his distance.
He tripped falling on his under shell. He attempted to get back up and continue this game of cat and mouse, No use she was standing right above his face. He closed his eyes to accept his fate. Alucita stared at the changeling, something was off about him. Her eyes lessened their intensity. She stared at him as if she was imagining His head was going to explode.
He slowly opened his eyes one after the other. A gigantic chill went through his spine; the first emotion he has ever felt in his short time of living was pure, unrefined fear. Why did she not kill him? His mind raced with thoughts. Staring into her eyes, there was no longer any magic leaking from them. Only her purplish irises, she gently placed a hoof on his forehead. There was no horn; He must have been incapable of magic, and completely at her mercy.
“AHAHAHAHAHAH! This is too rich, A defect!? She removed her hoof from his forehead to wipe a tear from her eye. “Listen, I’m surprised you even made it this far without being eliminated, so I will give you a gift…after I kill you.”
The changeling gulped, she pressed her hoofed down smashing into only the smoke. Everything around Alucita started to ripple, the sky, at least the general direction of upward started to shatter as if it was glass. In a matter of seconds reality started to take its form again. Cave walls took form, Bodies took form.
“Good now, young one.” Chrysalis chimed in.
Alucita was lying on the ground she looked up with blurry vision, Thousands of eyes stared directly at her. She stood, the eyes that were watching her, they no longer were gray they changed to a purple matching that of hers.
Alucita looked around, “What is it?” Chrysalis said.
“Defect step out here…NOW!” She raised her voice for emphasis.
A low buzzing sound came from the back of the hoard, a sound of hooves clopping down on rock echoed. A hornless changeling now stood ahead of the crowd. Alucita stared at the defect; she stared at his purple eyes. An unsettling fear jumped around his body as if it was alive.
Her horn was engulfed in magic; she leaned forward touching her jagged horn on his hornless forehead. His eyes shined brightly as he was lifted slightly off the ground; the magic entered through his body. What seemed like a few minutes passed the changeling fell to the ground with a loud thud.
“Oomph!” The changeling’s eyes grew big and he gripped his throat.
“Yes, I gave you the ability to speak outside the hive mind, you should be grateful!” Alucita said staring and admiring her magic work.
“Chshank youz prink-” He grabbed his throat once again; whatever was coming out of his mouth was certainly not clear.
“I guess I should make you the first to get a proper name also” Alucita thought for a minute “Ah ha! Gillsy is your new name!”
She was either just making a fool of him for enjoyment or she honestly made up the name all by herself.
“Alucita, we must prepare.” Chrysalis said walking towards the way they came in.
“All of you should think of names for better communication reasons.” Alucita trotted next to her mother out the exit.
The room was filled with sounds of clicking and hissing, the language of the changelings. Gillsy walked back into the giant swarm.
“How was it brother?” a changeling hissed.
“Acknooying.” Gillsy said, or tried to.
“You must work on it doesn’t sound nearly close to the princesses or the queen’s” the changeling put a hoof over Gillsy’s back and pointed to the direction the royalty left through.
“Khas youz Gotchen a gname kyet?” Gillsy asked the changeling.
“I have not been given one yet.” The changeling replied.
Gillsy rubbed his hoof on his chin; an idea sprang to his head “Nhow abought Doktus?”
“Doctus you say brother? It has a nice ring to it, I like it!” Doctus put his hoof back around Gillsy. “Doctus and Gillsy, The two best love hunters to have ever to lived, they will write stories of these two legends.” Doctus trailed off.
Alucita and the Queen returned and landed at the mouth of the room.
Alucita dropped a piece of paper on the ground “Gather around my minions.”
Every single changeling in the room now formed a huge circle around the royalty. “This won’t do very good if we want them to see.” Chrysalis’s horn illuminated its poisonous green glow, she blasted the piece of paper, and an enlarged version of the map now reflected itself above the heads of the changelings.
The map was of the great Equestrian City, Canterlot, “and tonight is the night of the royal ball known as ‘The Gala’ you all will have to kidnap a certain pony there.”
All the changelings looked in confusion how could all of them be able to sneak in at once?
“I know what you all are thinking, literally, my mother’s scouts managed to capture a few ponies that had invitations.”
Alucita glanced over to her right; changeling guards brought in five ponies each one looking more tired than the other.
“You will take a role as each of these ponies to capture your target, we cannot afford any mess ups, and one word that the changelings are back could easily ruin our plans for later.
“Since this is a small mission I will assign five of you.” Alucita said looking around She laughed “First one is Gillsy”
Gillsy sighed walking next to the princess, he whispered into her ear “Second one to go up is Doc... Doctus?”
Doctus flew over next to Gillsy.
