Scarlet

Chapters

The Hunt
A Love Story
Ignis
Fragmentation
Welcome Home
Reunions and Revelations
Mind Games

The Hunt

Thumping. That's all she could hear, the frantic thumping of her beating heart as the world slowed around her. Her vision blurred, her whole body went numb. "So this is what it feels like," she thought as she was sent tumbling through the air. Through the unfocused pupils that were her eyes she saw the flaming pieces of wood from the fireplace, which only a few seconds ago had been burning lively, go flying. Her breath caught in her throat, and she was unable to breathe as the first wave of dust from the rubble rolled over her. She became dimly aware that the ground was getting closer, a giant black mass that seemed almost welcoming to the pony. But it still seemed so far away... they say that when you are about to die, your whole life flashes before your eyes. That's not what happened. There were no flashbacks, no reminders of happy times before all this shit. She quickly regained her senses and became aware of the hard truth.

Scarlet hit the ground with a dull thud, bits of burning wall and rubble flying past her. She barely had time to recover when the first one was upon her. She was sent back again, careening towards the dust covered bar. She grabbed a hold of the changeling and used her own momentum to smash its head into the counter, sending bits of whiskey and blood everywhere. She wheeled around to face the glaring hole in the wall, only to see several glowing pairs of eyes staring at her from the darkness.

"Shit." Her mind instantly kicked into overdrive, years of experience affecting her thought process as she sought to find a way out. Out of the corner of her eye she spied a rotting wooden door that was unguarded. Grabbing her hat off the ground, she rushed towards the opposite door, smashing through it with a resounding crash. She snarled loudly as she felt the bones in her shoulder grind against each other unpleasantly, but not with enough force to fracture them. She dashed out into the rain, knowing that the others were already hot on her tail and that she could not afford to turn around or stop. Spreading her wings, she quickly flew to a nearby rooftop. No sooner had she done so when a changeling rocketed down next to her and charged her. Immediately her brain retaliated and she found herself springing into action as words tumbled from her mouth.

"Oh no you don't, mother fucker!"

The changeling snarled as Scarlet kicked it in the mouth, blood splattering onto her glowing white coat. She was quickly off again, dashing across the rooftop as the screams of the monster echoed her footsteps. The rain poured down in sheets, converting the city into a mirror as it reflected the light of the fire behind her. A blast of magic smashed into her side, catching her off guard and lifting her up and smashing her back into the ground. Dazed, she looked up to see a tall dark figure, lights from the city shining through the multiple holes in her body.

"You bitch. What do you want with me?" Scarlet snarled at the figure, a mix of terror and rage consuming her.

"Now now little Scarly, no need to fight... just come with us, we'll have a good time...."

"NO ONE CALLS ME SCARLY!" Scarlet screamed, getting to her hooves, shaking.

"Oh really? I seem to recall that a certain somepony used to call you that... What happened to that pony?" Chrysalis smiled evilly, light reflecting off her wickedly pointy teeth. "Oh that's right. I happened." Scarlet screamed with rage and charged the beast, all reason leaving her as her only thought was to destroy this vile creature. In a flash, Chrysalis was gone, but her laugh continued as Scarlet slid to a stop on the slippery rooftop.

"Get her!" The voice seemed to come out of thin air. All at once the sky was filled with the beasts, their eyes glowing menacingly as they shrieked and began their descent. Scarlet jumped sideways as three changelings bombarded the spot where she was just standing. Realizing she had to get out of there, she dove off the rooftop, rolling as she hit an awning and bounced into the road. Her muscles seemed to extend and contract of her own accord, her natural survival instinct taking over as she sped off towards the center of town. She could hear more reinforcements crashing down behind her, but her only thought was to run, and keep running. She was dimly aware of more magic bolts shooting past her as she slid around corners and steered herself towards the pier. She rounded the final corner and skid to a stop, however.

The road to the pier was blocked by more changelings than she could count. Their eyes were aglow, boring deep into her with some hunger she could only hope to understand. Scarlet gasped and spread her wings, barely managing to catch enough air to clear the blockade. She could hear the shrieks of the demons behind her as she soared upwards in an attempt to escape. Her heart pumped adrenaline through her veins, her mind racing as her only thought was to lose her pursuers as fast as possible. She climbed higher and higher, each breath becoming harder as the air thinned. Her wings ached, her chest heaved, and yet she continued to climb. With a blast of water and cool air, she broke the cloud barrier and finally stopped.

Silence.

That's all there was. Silence. Nothing but herself and the moon. The changelings seemed to have stopped following her. The floor was made of dark clouds, rolling and pulsating as though they were alive. She listened intently, her keen ears tuned to the noises of a changeling hunt. All she could hear was silence, however, beautiful silence, the most wonderful silence she had ever heard. She breathed a sigh of relief. And then she realized that it was starting.

This time it was different. Normally when this happened it was sudden, and she retained control of her body until the "other" did. This time, as she felt her consciousness slipping away, she knew that her wings had stopped beating, and she was starting to fall. The limp pegasus soared down beneath the cloud layer as her vision blurred and darkened. She could only hope that she would be alive the next time that she awoke. She saw the thousand lights of the glittering ocean reflecting into her vision, and the world seemed to slow as one by one they faded from sight, until all that remained was an inky blackness.

She awoke with a gasp, immediately filling her lungs with water. Rather than panic, she remained calm, for this Scarlet knew that panicking only made the situation worse. She expelled the water as best she could, and kicked her way to the surface. She broke into the night sky, coughing and sputtering as she struggled to catch some fresh air. Once she had done so, she looked around.

"Alright. Middle of the ocean. No land in sight." She mumbled the details to herself, taking careful note of any surroundings she could use to escape. She was unsure of how long the "other one", as she liked to call it, had been in charge. In fact, she knew nearly nothing about the other side of her, only that it always placed her in the worst situations. Last time she woke up she had been in a volcano... wasn't that a mess, she thought grimly to herself as she treaded in the sea. When was last time she had blacked out? She had been at an inn... In Baltimare. Yes, that was right. She had been playing cards with some stallions when she faded. Damn, that must have scared them.

A light flickered on the horizon. Aha! She thought as she flapped her wings and lifted herself out of the water. Oh Celestia her body ached! What had she done? Scarlet examined herself, noticing a darkening bruise on her shoulder and a few scrapes on her side. She must have been chased, she realised. "So it's not only me..." She muttered, having come to the conclusion that the other one was hunted as well. "Well... At least she seems to have outr-"

No sooner had she said this when out of the corner of her eye she noticed a huge black mass. Where had that come from? She wondered. Scarlet squinted into the night, her near-perfect eyesight focusing on the mass. Were they...? She caught a glimpse of some light reflecting off a thousand sets of teeth and knew. It was them.

Scarlet wheeled about and shot off full speed towards the light in the distance. There was no way she could fight all those changelings; she didn't even have the experience to fight one. Maybe if she laid a trap... No. Too many of them. Her only option was to flee, as fast as she could. The light grew larger steadily and she realised that it was atop a light house. She barely had time to register this when she had shot past it, her dripping wet white coat reflecting the light from the tower and lighting her up like a beacon. She had never flown this fast before; she could barely control her direction. She dared a look behind her.

Just as she turned her head, the light from the lighthouse swung around and illuminated the mass. There were thousands, far more than she had ever seen in one place. And that wasn't the worst part.

They were all changed into HIM. She would do that. Chrysalis somehow knew the best way to attack her. Scarlet stared, shocked, as a thousand gray unicorns with short black hair levitated their way through the sky at her. How she wanted to run to them, to hug them, to love them! But she knew better. Those changelings were not Topsy, no matter how much they looked like him. With tears flowing through her eyes, she sped up even faster, with no thought of where she was going or what she was doing. Her only wish was to look away from the beasts who attacked her in the worst of ways.

They attacked her heart. The emotions came pouring in; grief, sorrow, despair. She wanted him back, so badly, but not like this. Not like this! She screamed in her head. Trails of saltwater tears formed behind her as she openly sobbed into the air. How could they? First they took him from her, then made her watch as they... She trailed off in her head, not wanting to think about the terrible things the beasts had done to them. Scarlet wiped her eyes and concentrated on flying. She needed to hide. She knew that she would never lose the horde by flying straight. Maybe if she just-

All at once a loud buzzing became apparent. Scarlet whipped her head around and took in the massive amounts of changeling Topsys, which were now nearly on top of her. The nearest one grinned at her, the same grin she loved so much. She screamed with anger at seeing the creature wear the grin, looking at her with eyes... his eyes. One orange, one green. How could they do that? How did they know?

"Come with me Scarly... It will be alright... I'll protect you from the beasts... Just like I always promised." The changeling cackled, the same laugh distorted into some expression of evil, breaking the curse it held on Scarlet. She screamed and whipped her head around, flying straight. This angered the beasts; their plan had failed. By that time they had reached the mountain in the near center of Equestria, it's rocky face less than a hundred feet from them. Suddenly a changeling smashed into her side, catching her off guard and sending her careening towards the slope. She hit it hard, her vision flashing as she felt the bones in her right foreleg shatter from the force of the impact. She tumbled down the slope, the cackling laughter of the monsters following her as she fell victim to the laws of gravity. She knew she had to regain flight status or she would be dead. Finally she managed to catch her hind legs around a tree, stopping her descent and allowing her to raise herself in the air.

She spotted a nearby cave and made a mad dash for it, the changelings too busy cackling away to notice. She soared right to the back, immersing herself in the darkness like some kind of black cloak. And she waited. She didn't dare move, for fear that the slightest movement would alert the beasts that were prowling the hillside. The minutes dragged into hours as she sat, petrified by fear. The sun rose, and was nearly setting when she decided to dare take a look. She limped to the edge of the cafe and peeked out.

Nothing. They were gone, off to report their failure to their master. She flew into the air, scanning the hillside for any stragglers. She turned around and gasped. Canterlot! The rocky outcropping of a city lay some two hundred feet below her, little plumes of smoke rising from the chimneys and stores of the town. Scarlet smiled wide. Where there is a crowd, there is safety, she thought to herself, as she flew down the hillside toward the town. And the most important thing she needed right now was safety.

A Love Story

"What a strange world..." Capo whispered to herself as she gazed out at the city sprawling below. She was perched at a window seat in her new home. What a strange world indeed, she thought. Just a few weeks ago she had been the homeless mare living in the park, ignored and shunned by every passing pony. But now... now she felt as if she was on top of the world. She smiled to herself, absentmindedly tracing a heart into the back of the sleeping stallion beside her. Oh Magik, she thought as she turned to him. It was his doing that she was happy now, and she could never be more grateful. Capo gently rested her head on his side, closing her eyes as she focused on the rhythm of his breathing. Oh how she loved him. Every other mare was jealous, she thought with a slight giggle. After all, she was the one dating a prince.

Magikasta opened his eyes with a grunt, the bright sunlight shining onto his face. What a day, he thought with a grimace. Celestia and Luna being bitches as usual... Well, I guess having power does that to you. Magik wouldn't know, he had never held a seat on the throne like his cousins. He strongly suspected that it was because he wasn't an alicorn, but that couldn't be helped. He rolled over and gazed at the mare laying across him. What a beauty she was. Magikasta pushed a little of Capo's red and black hair out of her face with a grin and kissed her cheek. She responded with a happy sigh. She deserves this more than I do, he thought. I was brought up in royalty... she endured the hardships of an orphaned mare in a bustling city. When he had found her, she had naught but a guitar to her name. And how she could play that guitar! The details of their first encounter raced through his mind. Sitting on a street corner, her hair tied back in a ponytail as usual, singing softly. A hat with a few bits in front of her, the battered guitar in her arms producing music so beautiful, it would make the toughest warrior cry and the most grand of princess bow... or at least that's how he imagined it. From then on he sought out the performing mare, his nervousness overcoming his desire. Finally, he followed her home... to no home. A park bench... how could she stand it? he wondered with a grimace. The light gray of her coat drawing him in, convincing him to approach her. She didn't want help. She said she was fine. But he managed to convince her, and she came to live with him.

"And I could never be happier." Capo whispered, smiling happily. Magik blushed as he realized he had been muttering his thoughts out loud. He wasn't quite adjusted to living with another pony, years of isolation still having their impact on his habits. She didn't care though. Magik grinned as he leaned back against the window, the mare laying across him, the sun shining in brightly. Life was good.

Scarlet limped though the market, surveying her surroundings with keen eyes. She knew that it was no use; if there were changelings here they would be disguised. Still, she kept a watch while she hobbled towards the doctor, her broken leg trailing behind her uselessly. If the beasts were here, she would be an open target. She made careful note of the exits to the market, calculating the time it would take to rush to them if needed. If only her leg wasn't fractured! She hated being useless like this.

She opened the door of the medic's slowly, wincing with pain as extra weight was put on her bad leg. Immediately several nurses rushed to her, inquiring the usual, what happened, who are you, on and on. She answered them all in a dull monotone voice. Same old same old, she thought with with a grimace. She had always hated this. She was taken to a waiting room. Soon, the doctor entered.

"So what seems to be the issue miss?" Scarlet lifted her leg awkwardly, the bone bent at an odd angle. "Well that's no good," the doctor scoffed. "What were you doing to end up with injuries such as these?" He scanned the scrapes and bruises lining the rest of her body.

"Oh you know... got in a fight..." Scarlet responded, looking down as if ashamed. Damn doctors being nosy. What did he care how it happened? His job was to fix it.

"A fight eh?" The doctor looked at her suspiciously. "Are you sure you aren't having any troubles with a stallion? We have aid centers you know."

"Really, it was just a fight." Scarlet rolled her eyes as the doctor made a note on his clipboard. She actually had no idea how half the injuries had occurred. The doctor sighed and approached her.

"Luckily for you, I just returned from the medical college in Manehatten. I know a spell that will fix that leg in a second." The doctor concentrated as his horn glowed bright blue. Scarlet widened her eyes as she felt the bones in her leg grow together and mend.

"Thank you so much sir." Scarlet got up to leave.

"Excuse me miss... I'm afraid you need to pay." The doctor frowned at her.

"I have no money.. perhaps I can pay in.. other ways?" Scarlet asked suggestively, turning so that her plot was clearly visible. It wasn't her favorite way of repaying debts, but it worked. The doctor smiled coyly, lust in his eyes.

"I think that can be arranged."

Magikasta walked down the stairs to the first floor. Capo was already there, a blue and yellow scarf wrapped around her neck. "Ready to go?" Magik inquired with a loving smile.

"Ready!" Capo replied enthusiastically, her joyous energy seeming boundless as she trotted happily to the door. "I got the list this time; I didn't want you forgetting," she teased.

"I don't forget!" Magik responded. "I just... don't remember." Capo giggled as they both walked out the door and set out for the market. Capo leaned against him as they walked, the connection between the two never stronger. Such a nice day, she thought. A southernly breeze was blowing, bringing towards them the delicious smells of the market. Capo opened her mouth, tasting the sweet air. Magikasta smiled at his marefriend, overcome with emotions he couldn't begin to comprehend. Capo noticed him staring and shut her mouth quickly, blushing. Magik placed a hoof on her chin and looked into her eyes before drawing her in for a kiss. They stood, not wanting to break away, as the world bustled around them.

Ugh. How she hated that. She had to act like she enjoyed it too, otherwise it wouldn't be worthwhile. It would be a slightly different story if the doctor was actually able to please her as well. She was surprised no one heard them... oh well, what's done is done, she thought, as she trotted outside back into the market. Food. She needed food. And not this pansy plant thing everyone seems to eat. She knew there were vendors that sold meat, but they were harder to find. After a while of searching she spotted a griffon behind a stall with strips of smoked pork hanging down. She trotted over, eyeing it hungrily.

"How much for three?" Scarlet asked, knowing full well that she had no money.

"That'll be 9 bits." The salesman answered. Scarlet scrutinised the griffon. Fat, greasy, smelled like decaying pig... No, not even her standards were that low. Sex was out of the question. She wanted his meat, but she didn't want his meat. She decided to take her chances. Suddenly Scarlet grabbed a piece with her teeth and ran, the fear and adrenaline of last night's escape returning to her as she fled with the pork. She could hear the vendor yelling swears after her, but she didn't slow or stop.

"Look Magik! And they're on sale!" Capo exclaimed as she pointed out some pearl necklaces to the stallion. Magik grunted his approval. Fashion was not his area of expertise. "Will you buy them, deary?" Capo asked, sming at him sweetly.

"Oh Capo, you know I can't decline." Capo clapped gleefully as Magik placed some bits on the counter. She scooped up the necklace and placed it around her neck, the pearls flashing in the sunlight.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Capo asked, spinning around, letting her lover admire her.

"It's quite lovely, Capo de-"

"STOP RIGHT THERE YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Magik and Capo wheeled around to see a bright white mare go speeding past them, a piece of something red clamped in her mouth. Behind them at some distance an overweight griffon wheezed as he jogged after her, nowhere near being able to keep up. "She... stole... my... bacon!" panted the salesman, before he fell over sideways, gasping for air. Capo rushed to his side, helping him to his feet.

"Are you alright? What exactly happened?" Capo inquired.

"I was just TRYING to sell some food to that WHORE, but then she stole it and ran!" The vender muttered something about cheap bitches before shuffling back to his stall, a few shady looking ponies crowded around it. Capo looked worriedly at the alleyway that the mare had disappeared into. Why would she have done such a thing?

"Ready to go, sweetie?" Magik's voice pulled Capo out of her thoughts. She nodded, and the two set off back towards their house, unknowingly following the same path as the theif.

Wonderful. That's how the meat tasted. She licked the strip, savouring the flavor, then placed it in her mouth and sucked the juices out of it before chewing and swallowing. Scarlet shuddered as she felt the meat slide down her throat. The taste was so delicious... How could ponies not like this? She got to her feet slowly. She was hidden in a side alleyway, adjacent to the main road. Could she risk walking out...? Scarlet took a deep breath, and walked straight out... into Magikasta.

"The fuck?!" The two ponies collapsed into a heap, a third gray pegasus watching, a bemused look on her face. Scarlet struggled with the other, unable to get to her feet.

"Get the hell off of me!" She growled, struggling to escape. A gray hoof pushed her down, pinning her there. The other mare towered over her, peering at her.

"You were the theif at the market!" the mare exclaimed. Scarlet said nothing, squirming unpleasantly. "Now tell me, why did you steal?" The mare inquired, her amber eyes boring into her.

"I was hungry... And I d-didn't have any money..." Scarlet responded quietly, expecting the couple to turn her into the authorities. The green stallion climbed to his feet, brushing himself off.

"Do you need a place to stay?" asked the stallion, catching her by surprise. Not just anyone would offer their house and food to a common thief. Scarlet nodded slowly, ashamed. "Then come with us!" he said, helping Scarlet to her feet. "What's your name?"

"Scarlet."

"Hello Scarlet! I'm Magikasta, and this here is my lovely marefriend Capo!" Capo blushed and kicked a hoof at this remark. "Let's go to our house," he instructed, trotting away slowly. Capo shot Scarlet a suspicious glance before following. Scarlet stared after the two before reluctantly following in their footsteps.

Ignis

Scarlet gazed over the table at the other two, her face unwavering as she picked at her food. The couple had been mind enough to offer her food and shelter for the night. She sighed inwardly as she looked at her food. Vegetarian. Why does no one eat meat? she wondered. It wasn't bad for you or anything. In fact, she had heard good things about consuming meat.

"So... Scarlet." The green pegasus broke the silence, looking at her curiously. "Why exactly were you stealing from the market in the first place?"

Scarlet considered the question, unsure of how to reply. Should she make up a story, or tell them the truth? As if they would believe the truth... What would be the harm in telling them?

"Would you like the short version or the long version?"

The nurse from the doctor's office looked around in the crowded market. Where did she go? The changeling scanned the area, looking for clues. Finally, he spotted something. The creature smiled in its disguise. There was one thing Scarlet couldn't resist, and it knew it.

Bacon grease.

Scarlet sighed. Of course they wanted the detailed story. It never changed. That was just nature, to be as inquisitive as possible. She looked at them over the table with weary eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm being hunted." The two widened their eyes but said nothing. "By changelings," she added. "I've been running from them for quite some time now. I can never stay in one place, for fear that they will hurt innocent lives. They are ruthless."

"But why are they hunting you?" Capo asked, cocking her head to one side slightly.

Scarlet hesitated. She had never told anyone the full story of her and Topsy... but these two ponies seemed... different somehow. Like she knew she could trust them. It made her uneasy. Still, she continued.

"I... I used to be a happy mare... I was married to such a wonderful stallion. His name was Topsy Turvy. He was a jester, and was oftentimes the only one that could bring a smile to my face. No two ponies were happier together. And then..." Scarlet trailed off, her eyes filled with tears already. The other two remained silent, unsure of what to say. After a lengthy pause, she continued.

"You remember when the changelings invaded Canterlot?" The couple nodded. "That's when they came for us. They didn't stick only to Canterlot, they were everywhere. They came to our home in Ponyville. I don't know why they chose us. Maybe it was random, maybe they had heard about Topsy... Whatever. They took us to... someplace... a hive of sorts." At this point Magikasta spoke up.

"Well how did you escape?" he inquired. Capo shot him a glance for interrupting. Scarlet sighed heavily and continued, looking down at her plate.

"They... did things to us there. I can only remember parts of it. They altered my entire life's memories. I can't remember my childhood, or my parents, or my friends before Topsy. I can remember him though. That's the worst part. I can remember everything they did to him there. They made me watch as they... they cut off his horn... jeered at me as they poked me with it... it was horrible. He remained calm until the end though... Told me to hold on, and pull through... that I could escape. When the end came... They made me do it... I was forced to... to pull the lever... opening the gate, releasing the hounds! I was forced to watch as they tore him to shreds, blood splattering everywhere in the air, I could taste it on my tongue! And that's not the worst part. Do you want to know the worst part?"

The two remained silent, in shock. Scarlet continued anyway, tears now freely flowing from her eyes.

"I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed, as limbs were thrown around, guts splattered against the walls, and my laughter echoed around the room! They had broken me, turned me into a monster... one of them. My mind was gone, I was insane. My whole sense of self was gone, I was just an empty shell, free to bend to their wish. I was taken back to my cell... I... I can't remember much after that. Just pain. All I knew was pain. I found myself escaping... But I don't know how long I had been in there. All I knew was that I was getting out, that I couldn't take it anymore..."

Scarlet collapsed into her arms, her sobs shaking the table. After a second, Capo got up to comfort her, still in shock. Magik merely stared, shaking slightly. Scarlet looked up suddenly, her eyes still red.

"When they broke my mind... I never healed completely. It was separated into two parts, with two different memories. It makes developing close relationships impossible. I never know what the other side might do... or what she's even like." Scarlet's ear twitched, and her eyes widened slightly. "Also, a changeling has just entered the building," she added calmly.

The changeling opened the door as quietly as he could. No need to retain this form here, he thought as he shifted back to his natural state. He crossed the floor, his hooves making a small distinct noise, not like that of a hoof, but more of that of a wet sponge. He reached the bottom of the stairs and began to climb to the second floor, his heart rate raising as he neared his target.

Scarlet leapt to her feet quietly. They were on the third floor, that gave them maybe... a minute? Then what? Scarlet glanced at the other two. "Do either of you have any weapons?" She asked in a hushed voice. Magik shook his head, but Capo rolled her eyes. Magik stared incredulously at Capo as she pulled a dagger out of her ponytail and crossed to the closed door. Without a word, Scarlet held up her hoof and waited. The room was dead silent. Soon enough, the other two could hear the strange footsteps of the creature as it started climbing the steps to the third floor. The seconds dragged into what seemed like hours. With a sudden movement, Scarlet dropped her hoof. Capo spun, flinging open the door and stabbing the dagger straight into the beast's eye with a strange grace. The creature dropped to the ground with a slight cry, green blood squirting out of its punctured eyeball. The trio stood there for a moment, staring at the dead changeling. Finally, Magikasta spoke up.

"Why the hell do you carry a dagger?" Capo shot him a look.

"You try taking care of yourself your entire life and tell me then you don't need a way to defend yourself," she replied, wiping the dagger on the side of the changeling before tucking it back into her ponytail. Magik stared in awe as if she were a completely different mare. Capo smirked at his expression before turning to Scarlet. "We need to dispose of the body."

"I'll do it. I have to leave anyway, otherwise I risk putting you two in further danger." She shook her head at their protests. "They came for me, not you. As long as I stay here they will keep coming."

"At least let us dispose of the body for you. You don't want that slowing you down," Magik added. Scarlet nodded and dashed to the nearest window, unable to look at the two any longer.

"Goodbye! Thank you for your hospitality!" Scarlet leapt out of the window and soared. The couple watched her go sadly before dragging the body downstairs and throwing it in the unused cellar.

"That will hold it until we can properly get rid of it," Magik stated, before shutting the door tight. "Now lets go finish our dinner."

Scarlet was perched on top of a building a little ways away, looking sadly at Capo and Magikastas' house. She knew what was coming. She just couldn't bring herself to tell them.

They came in the night. The smell of the dead always alerts them, and they came in flocks, like vultures. Their target's last known location was Canterlot, and there was a dead changeling in a Canterlot home. It didn't take a genius.

The couple awoke with a start as their door was blown clean off its hinges by a blast of magic. Immediately the ponies scrambled out of bed. Capo already had her dagger at the ready. Magik sprang to the window and opened it, ready to flee if needed.

Chrysalis strode into the household, her horn nearly scraping along the ceiling as she and her servants progressed to the cellar door. With another blast of magic the door was flat on the ground, the dead body clearly visible. There was a murmur among the company. It was true. The Queen cackled loudly.

"Scarly... you've been a bad girl. Come out and speak to me, I'm sure we can smooth this over." She chuckled. Capo and Magik, three floors above, shivered at the laughter.

"When she's coming up the stairs, I'll hit her with the dagger," Capo whispered. Magik nodded and waited by the window. Capo hid around the corner, dagger at the ready as the Queen began her march up the steps. She crossed the second floor and proceeded to the third, where she found the remnants of their dinner.

"Oh look Scarly, you were here? Are you still here? I brought dessert!" The Queen laughed at her own joke again as she crossed to the stairs to the fourth floor. "Just come down and we'll have a goo-"

Capo spun around the corner and hurled the knife at breakneck speeds towards Chrysalis. Without so much as blinking, she stopped it mid flight with magic and sent it back at her. Capo tried to leap out of the way, but the knife tore through the sensitive muscles at the base of her right wing. As screamed, her vision flashing as she blindly stumbled backwards towards her waiting lover. Magik caught her and jumped out of the open window, barely keeping aloft with the combined weight.

Chrysalis crossed to the window and looked out at the two fleeing ponies. "Search the house," she commanded. The changelings spread out, searching every available corner as Chrysalis gazed out the window. A changeling approached her.

"She isn't here. She was, but she left," the minion reported to his leader. Chrysalis hissed with impatience.

"Burn it down." She walked down the stairs and out the door, careful to avoid being seen by the ponies awoken by the loud noises. Soon enough, a small fire had started in the base of the house. The flames travelled up the structer, licking at the wood and eventually consuming it in a raging inferno. Magikasta looked back, watching his life burn away as he carried Capo to the outskirts of town. He slung the sobbing and bleeding Capo onto his back and stared in silence back at the city, a small plume of smoke rising from it.

"I'm so sorry." Magik wheeled around as Scarlet walked out of the darkness, her eyes full of tears. She started to approach him, but he merely flattened his ears and backed away slightly.

"Sorry doesn't cut it. My life is destroyed because of you!" Magik snorted angrily. "I have nothing left!"

"You have her." Scarlet nodded to the sobbing mare on his back. Capo looked up, one wing covered in blood and hanging limply by her side. "Let me help that wing." Scarlet approached again.

"How do I know that you aren't going to hurt her more?" Magik questioned, raising a wing to block her. Scarlet started to respond but Capo cut her off.

"Magik... she only wants to help... It's not her fault." Capo sniffled, her face a mess of tears and blood spray. Magik reluctantly lowered his wing and let Scarlet approach, holding an bandage she had acquired earlier.

"Now this will only be a second..." Capo let out a whimper as Scarlet began wrapping the base of the wing. Magik shifted uncomfortably as she worked. Finally Scarlet stood up, her hooves now bloody. "That will help the wound heal," she said, backing away. "Please don't use it for a few weeks, I would hate for the wound to reopen." Magik stepped forward.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Scarlet looked confused.

"Onwards. Haven't I caused you enough grief?"

"You destroyed our life, we have nothing left." Scarlet nodded. "We can't go back in the city, the changelings will kill us if we go back. So we're coming with you."

"If you feel that you could cope, then you are welcome to follow me." Without another word, Scarlet turned and trotted into the darkness. Magik stared for a second before following, carrying the handicapped Capo on his back.

Fragmentation

The sun shone brightly on the horizon as it slowly made its way into the vibrant glow of the sky. Its rays cast light over the land, illuminating the many cities that sprawled across Equestria. Early rising ponies were going about their daily business, whether it be opening shops or preparing for a day in the park with their friends. The shadows slowly crept away, growing shorter and shorter as the sun climbed its way into the sky. As the morning wore on, more and more ponies awoke. Soon the towns were bustling with activity. The day seemed nearly as perfect as possible.

Yet beyond the beautiful city of Canterlot, nearly unblemished save one charred building, the perfection that was the day seemed to stop. Here, in this area, a grim mood stained the air and the three ponies who currently inhabited it. One, a green stallion with an even darker green mane, stood tall, his inner sorrows twisting his face into a sort of grimace as he walked over the rocky surface of the trail they were traveling on. The second, a light gray pegasus with a red and black mane, was asleep on this first pony's back. Tears stained her cheeks, and dried blood ran from under a loosely wrapped bandage on her right wing down her side, contrasting with her coat and giving her a deathly appearance.

The third mare walked a little ways ahead of the other two. Her glowing white coat reflected the light of the rising sun, making her look angelic. The dark red of her mane matched the bloodstains on her hooves, received when she tied the bandage on the first mare. Nearly three years of tragedy and constant fear showed in her crimson eyes, however the rest of her face hid the sorrows that plagued her mind. Thoughts chased each other around her brain, certain ones resurfacing and sticking in her mind until she pushed them away, shuddering inwardly.

And it was in this fashion that the trio wearily walked on, as the shining towers of the city two of them called home faded into the distance behind them. The rocky path presently smoothed and turned into the traditional dirt roads that were commonplace in Equestria. Scarlet led them on in silence, with no intention of stopping.

It was about noon when Capo finally opened her eyes. She blinked in the blinding light of the sun, not understanding where she was or why. Was it a dream? She wondered, recalling the previous night's nightmarish events. It seemed so far away yet... so real. She gently stretched her wings but stopped when unbearable pain wracked her mind. She turned to look at the source and nearly fainted back into unconsciousness. Dried blood ran down her wing and down her side, making her look like she had been in some kind of battle. And she had been, she thought with a grimace. Damn changelings... she slowly became aware of a rocking sensation and twisted her head to observe her surroundings.

She was riding on the back of Magikasta, whose head was bowed and eyes shut tight. Poor Magi, she thought. He had lost everything... while she was used to having nothing. She looked past him at the shimmering white mare. Scarlet walked like a robot, her body showing no change for hours as she continually walked on towards and unknown destination. Capo turned her head and took in her location. The middle of nowhere, she thought. Perfect hiding spot. Plains stretched for miles in every direction, with few trees sparsely decorating the landscape. The mountain towered behind them someways, her former hometown just barely visible around the side. Capo returned her attention to her injured wing. It had been wrapped in a makeshift bandage, which the blood had soaked through and ruined. With a grimace she slowly tore the bandage off her wing and admired the wound.

The gray coat surrounding the wound was stained a dark red, with thin tendrils of colors stretching away down her wing where the blood had run. In the center of the wound an even deeper red gash split the surface where the dagger had torn away the skin. Capo once again shifted her wing, widening the wound. Even as her brain was flooded with pain again, she examined the injury. A small bit of bone was visible through the ripped muscle, gleaming white in the midday sun. As she moved it slightly, the scabs on the sides reopened, and blood oozed out onto the already stained coat. She winced and turned her gaze away, unable to look at it any longer. To her surprise, she turned her head right into Magik's loving stare.

Magik looked into his marefriend's eyes, revealing both undying loyalty and extreme sadness. The fact that she had stayed with him through this was a testament to the strength of their relationship. No words were spoke between the two, only a deep loving gaze as Magik walked on blindly, his thoughts focused on the mare sitting on his back. It was nearly a full 30 seconds before he realized that Scarlet had stopped walking and was now behind them.

Magik wheeled around to face her. For the first time he had a full view of the deep emotions in her eyes. He was taken aback by the great sorrows expressed there. Capo experienced a similar reaction. For a few minutes they stood in silence, unsure of what to say. Finally, Scarlet looked up with a sigh.

"Remember when I told you about my... split personality?" The other two nodded. "Well... it's happening now." Scarlet grimaced and flinched, as through fighting off an unseen attacker. "The other side is resuming control," she stated in a calm voice. "This wouldn't be a problem but... she doesn't know you. I have no idea what she is like it how she will react to the situation."

"I'm sure she won't be that bad-" Capo attempted to comfort her, but Scarlet shook her head.

"You don't understand, she is probably nothing like me. She is an entirely different pony in the same body. For all I know she will try to kill you."

"What do you want us to do?" Magik watched Scarlet with a concerned look.

"Tie me down. It's for the best." Scarlet shuddered and twitched as she attempted to fight off the change as it gained in strength. She knew it was impossible, but she hoped to delay it as Capo and Magik worked to tie her to a nearby tree. She grit her teeth as they finished, feeling the ropes tightens against her chest.

"Ready?" She asked, shutting her eyes and preparing for the sensation.

"Ready." The couple watched curiously as Scarlet's body slowly went limp for a minute. Capo leaned against Magik, a frightened look on her face as she wondered what the other Scarlet would be like. She closed her eyes.

"Untie me you fuckers!" Capo's eyes shot open to see Scarlet struggling against her bonds, yelling and swearing vehemently. She snorted and struggled, to no avail. Capo and Magik remained silent as they watched the mare keep fighting against the ropes, her muscles straining. Finally she stopped, exhausted. "What do you want with me?" She asked, a hint of rage behind her voice.

"Umm.. hi." Magik stepped forward cautiously. Scarlet fixed her death glare on him. Magik looked down, not meeting her stare. "I'm Magikasta, and this is Capo," he muttered, unsure of what to say.

"That doesn't answer my question." Magik shrank back at the words. Scarlet's stare seemed to penetrate his mind. Capo sighed and stepped forward.

"We were traveling with you, and you told us to tie you up." Scarlet looked at her, confused.

"Oh, you mean the other one? You met with her? What is she like?" Scarlet's hostile demeanor was almost instantly replaced by eagerness for information.

"Well... she's very solemn. Very keen senses, and loves to eat meat. She-"

"Wait. Did you just say she eats meat?" Scarlet had a look of horror on her face.

"Well... yeah." Scarlet began coughing, screaming about the horror of consuming such things. Capo and Magik couldn't help but chuckle a little at the scene. Scarlet stopped retching and glared at the laughing couple.

"Why are you traveling with her- or, me I guess- in the first place?" The two ponies immediately stopped laughing.

"Well... we brought her into our home in Canterlot..." Capo began tearing up, so Magik continued. "The changelings came," he said simply. "Burned the place to the ground. Everything we ever had went up in flames." To his suprise, Scarlet bowed her head and flattened her ears.

"I'm... I'm so sorry." Tears dripped from Scarlet's eyes as she realized that, while not necessarily her personality, it was her fault that these ponies had suffered so much grief. And therefore, it was her responsibility to care for them... how was she supposed to do that? She could barely care for herself! She looked up at the two unfamiliar characters. The gray one was crying into the green one's mane. The gray one seemed familiar somehow... Scarlet shook her head. She was imagining things. There was no way she was... she was what? She couldn't remember. She felt... like she knew her from somewhere. Could it be the other consciousness bleeding through? If so, what did that mean?

"Scarlet?" Capo's voice jerked her from her thoughts. Scarlet shook her head again and attempted to wipe the tears from her eyes, but remembered that her arms were still restrained. Capo approached gently and freed her. Scarlet turned away from the other two momentarily and wiped her eyes. As she pulled them away she realized her hooves were bloody. That was a first; she could never remember gaining control and seeing blood. The other side seemed not to like to get dirty. She turned back to the other two and noticed Capo's wing.

"Oh you poor thing!" Scarlet rushed to her side and examined the wound, much to Capo's discomfort. "Muscle is ripped all the way to the bone... we need to get you to a doctor." She straightened up and examined their location. "Where exactly are we?"

"We don't really know... we were following you." Capo looked up at her, concerned. Scarlet furrowed her brow.

"Well, this road has got to lead somewhere. We'll just follow it." Magik and Capo nodded, and the three set off down the dirt road, the afternoon sun high above. Presently a form of some sort arrived on the horizon, seeming to shimmer with the heat of the day. They slowly marched on towards the city, not noticing the pair of glowing eyes watching them from the darkness of the tree.

It was nearly sundown when they arrived at the city, which turned out to be Manehatten. The sky had become cloudy and dark. The trio passed into the city. Crowds were safety, Scarlet thought as they made their way through the streets bustling with ponies leaving their business for home. The changelings would have less of a chance finding them here. Still, it was better to get indoors as fast as possible. Capo would have to see the doctor in the morning. They headed for the nearest inn as the rain began, washing over the city in sheets. They were soaking wet by the time they entered the establishment, but the warm glow of the interior immediately raised their mood. Scarlet approached the counter as Capo and Magik stayed by the roaring fire in the fireplace.

"What do you think?" Capo whispered to Magik as they watched Scarlet talk to the innkeeper.

"About what? Her?" Capo nodded. "I think we have to trust her... we have no choice."

"But it's her fault we are in this predicament in the first place!" Capo hissed. Magik shook his head.

"It's not her fault. Besides, we made the choice to come with her. She may be... different now, but we're stuck with her."

"We could-" Capo cut off as Scarlet came over to them, a key clutched in her teeth. She tossed it to Magik.

"There's the key to your room. In the morning we'll get that wing to a doctor. Don't want it to get infected." She sighed tiredly, shadows under her eyes.

"Wait, if you didn't have any money, how d-" Scarlet held up a hoof, cutting Capo off.

"It's not important. What is important is that you go get some sleep. Go on, your room is the third one on the left." She watched Capo and Magik climb the stairs, smiling sadly. They turned back to look at her, but she merely waved them onward. As they disappeared from view, a hoof grabbed Scarlet and pulled her into a nearby bedroom.

Darkness. Water dripping somewhere nearby, the clinking of chains. A faint green glow visible, under what Scarlet presumed was a door. Distant screams echoed through the air, chilling her to the bone. Presently her eyes adjusted to the gloom, and she looked around. Chains and shackles were scattered around, some bloody and one with a strange, bony figure in it. She herself was chained to the wall, the shackles cutting into her... but not hurting. This confused her. Why didn't they hurt? It always hurt, for as long as she could remember. Not that that was very long, she couldn't even remember where she was. She laughed in spite of herself. She couldn't remember! Maybe it wasn't that bad after all.

She turned her head to observe the room. Chains and shackles... she stared at the skeletal figure. Why did it feel like she had seen it before? She wondered. That's right! She had just looked at it! And she had looked at if before that, and before that, and before that! Oh how many times had she looked at it? The image was burned into her mind, but every time she forgot! How many times had she thought this! Nothing was for certain. The cycle continues, never ending, never stopping-

She stopped. A faint sound was approaching, growing louder and louder, until it hurt her ears! It was footsteps, pounding, drumming! Louder! Louder! LOUDER! Closer and closer, bringing her to her death, to her doom... The door opened, a blinding green light burning Scarlet's eyes. A figure stood in the doorway, familiar yet strange at the same time. She felt as though she knew this person... but she didn't. Her mind battled against itself, as the figure just stood and watched. Watched! Did it not care? She was losing her mind, and it just stood there!

After what seemed like hours, the figure began to cross the floor towards her. Scarlet shrank away, trembling, what did the figure want? It seemed to take forever, each step creating a shockwave in her mind. By the time it was halfway there she was insane. Like she wasn't insane already! She thought hysterically, her eyes darting back and forth as it came closer. A patch of light shone on the ground, and slowly rose up the mysterious body, revealing a gray coat, covered in scrapes. There were marks around the hooves not unlike the ones that circled hers, created by the pull of the chains. Her eyes traveled up the chest of the figure, to meet the face she knew so well, the one that comforted her. She met the eyes of the figure, one green, one orange, and froze.

"...Topsy?" The gray stallion nodded, his eyes cold, emotionless. Scarlet stopped, noticing his expression. "What's wrong babe?"

"You killed me Scarlet." Scarlet shrank back, shaking her head violently. "And you laughed," he added. "You enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"T-Topsy... please... I'm so sorry..." Tears began to leak from her eyes as she shook more violently.

"Answer the question Scarlet."

"I d-didn't want to... They m-made me..."

Topsy glared at her. "Tell the truth Scarlet. You killed me. And you enjoyed it."

By this point Scarlet was sobbing. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her voice trembled.

"Y-yes! I k-killed you! And I e-enjoyed it!"

A bloodchilling scream escaped from Topsy's mouth. His eyes rolled back into his head and his mouth closed, but the scream continued. Scarlet tried to clamp her hooves over her ears, but they were chained in place. She watched, horrified as an invisible force began attacking Topsy, claws tearing at his flesh. Blood sprayed over the walls, covering them in a sickly red glow. The spray covered Scarlet's face, sickening her to her stomach. Next was the flesh. Chunks of meat splattered against the walls at at her feet, staining her white coat. And on and on the scream continued, echoing around the room and into her ears.

Beneath her horror there awoke a new sensation. She became angry... so angry at Topsy. She felt an urge... to rip, to tear, to destroy, to kill-

Scarlet awoke with a start, her body drenched in sweat. She stared up at the ceiling of the innkeeper's bedroom, breathing heavily. It was only a dream, she thought to herself. Not real. Topsy was still... her thoughts trailed off as she closed her eyes and sighed sadly. As she laid her head back on the pillows and drifted off to sleep again, there was one crucial fact she failed to recognize.

The innkeeper next to her wasn't breathing.

Welcome Home

Scarlet awoke with a jolt. How long had she been asleep? She opened her eyes to the light gray of the early morning sky. She was outdoors. That struck her as odd. Didn't she fall asleep indoors? She pushed the thought from her mind as she sat up. She scanned the scene in front of her, taking in as much detail as possible. She was at the gate of an old, run down house. Most of the windows were smashed, and the front door hung off of its hinges. Beneath several of the windows were flower boxes overgrown with weeds. Beyond the house she could see other houses, in seemingly good shape. She frowned. Why was she here? And where was she?

She peered towards the dark doorway of the house. If she was here, it was probably for a reason, she decided. She got to her feet and slowly made her way down the rocky path towards the front door. A slight wind blew through the broken windows, making a slight howling noise as she stepped through the doorway. She stopped and waited for her eyes to adjust to the gloom.

She found herself in a small hallway with a staircase to her right. Along the hallway empty picture frames hung at strange angles, coated in dust. She moved through another doorway to her left and emerged in an empty kitchen. The place had been ransacked. The cupboards had been torn open so hard that some of the doors had been ripped off and now lay scattered on the floor. She moved closer to the stove, but stopped and shrank back slightly. It was covered in a dried, sickly green substance that she recognized immediately as changeling blood.

So they had been here. She spun around, now on guard. She was here for a reason, then. She slowly exited the kitchen, proceeded farther down the hallway, and entered a new room, which she perceived to have once been a sitting room. The couch and chairs were torn up, and fluff from them was strewn everywhere. The walls were decorated with more empty picture frames. This annoyed her. Why were they empty? The window was smashed, with bits of glass decorating the inside of the room. So it had been smashed inward, she thought. Somebody wanted in. She was about to leave the room when she noticed a light gray object laying in one corner. She approached it and picked it up.

A bowling pin. Normally she would have just discarded it, but she found something... strange about it. Almost familiar. She clenched the pin in her teeth, keeping it with her as she proceeded to the next room. The rest of the rooms on the first floor were in the same condition. A bathroom with the sink smashed, a spare bedroom with the bed flipped and torn. She moved back down the hallway and started to climb the stairs. She noticed something she hadn't noticed before; the stairs were also coated in changeling blood. Still, she proceeded up the stairs and into the upstairs hallway.

The first thing she noticed was a large, gaping hole in the wall near the end of the hallway. The edges looked burned, leading Scarlet to believe it had been a blast of magic. That must have been one powerful shot, she thought as she peered at it. She turned around chose a door on the left. She walked in and stopped dead.

The room was different from the ones she had previously seen. It looked nearly untouched, save for the inch-thick layer of dust that coated everything. In the far corner sat a crib, complete with moldy blankets and a mobile above it. The main area of the room was littered with toys, from toy wagons to rattles to plastic balls. A chest overflowing with stuffed animals sat against the wall. Scarlet looked around at the room. Why was this room untouched, when the rest of the house was destroyed? And why couldn't she shake the feeling that this was too familiar to be a coincidence?

She backed out of the room, shaking her head slightly. There was still one more room she hadn't searched on this floor. Scarlet approached it nervously, afraid of what she would find. She stopped outside the door and looked down. More changeling blood was dried outside the door, mixed with... red. The red blood of ponies. She shuddered slightly and pushed the door open.

The room was a master bedroom. The bed was torn up and coated in red blood, and the walls were splashed with it. What disturbed Scarlet the most, however, where the pictures.

The walls were crammed with photo frames of all sizes. Unlike the ones downstairs, they actually had photos in them. The pictures that stretched the walls shocked Scarlet right to her very core. She was staring at herself, along with a gray unicorn and a small magenta filly. They were doing something different in every photo, whether it be playing in a garden or reading a book. She felt a tear slide down her cheek.

Melody. How could she have forgotten? Her own daughter, and she couldn't even remember her. Scarlet picked up a picture of Melody off the floor. That magenta coat... that cyan mane. She shuddered as the memories began to come back. This was her house, she realized. Her's, Topsy's, and Melody's. And it was destroyed... because... they attacked. She moaned slightly and dropped Topsy's juggling pin from her mouth as she remembered.

Scarlet hummed to herself as she cleaned up the kitchen after a delightful dinner. The sun was just beyond the horizon, giving the sky an orange glow through the large window. She scrubbed at a tough stain on the stove top, furrowing her brow in a look of concentration. Topsy had just put Melody to bed. He came back downstairs and entered the room, sighing gently.

"How are you, my dear?" He came over and kissed her on the cheek. Scarlet blushed slightly and smiled.

"Oh you know, the usual. Had to clean Melody's room again." She giggled. "She got her hooves on some crayons and went to town on those walls."

"She's a little rascal. Maybe she'll grow up to be an artist." He sat down in a chair and took off his glasses. "I've got a show in about two weeks in Canterlot. I was thinking she is old enough to bring along."

Scarlet smiled. "I think she would love that, she always wants to go with you when you go. After all, you are her fa-"

Scarlet was cut short as a black figure hurled itself through the window with a crash, colliding with the table. Topsy sprang to his feet with a yell as the changeling rose to its feet and lunged at Scarlet. She instinctively turned and smashed its face into the still-hot stove. The changeling yelped as she grabbed a steak knife and stabbed it into its back, sending green blood oozing onto the counter top. She turned just as another leaped through the window at Topsy. He knocked it aside with a magic shield spell, sending it sprawling headlong across the floor.

He looked at Scarlet. "We need to get to Melody!" He yelled as he shot out the door towards the stairs. Scarlet followed, hearing more windows breaking elsewhere in the house as more of the beasts broke into the house. She began climbing the stairs but stopped with a scream. One of them had latched its sharp teeth into her hind legs, drawing blood. She kicked it with the other hoof, ripping its teeth out of her, taking some of the flesh with it. She hobbled up the steps, blood pouring from her leg, and finally reached the hallway.

She turned as Topsy came dashing out of Melody's room, with her looking around, confused. "Daddy? What's going on?"

"It's gonna be okay Melody. Its gonna be oka-" An explosion shook the house, knocking all three of them over. The wall at the far end of the hallway crumbled inwardly, its edges glowing white-hot. In its place stood a tall, dark creature, unknown to them. It opened its eyes and grinned with an evil look.

"Well hello there, my pretties." The beast spoke in a strange, humming voice. Scarlet struggled to her feet, blood pooling on the floor around her as she glared at Chrysalis. "Now lets make this easy, and you come with me."

"Never, you monster!" Now Topsy had gotten to his feet, standing in front of Melody protectively. "What do you want!?"

"I need test subjects! And you are the perfect candidates!" She advanced down the hallway towards them. "Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way!" Scarlet wheeled around to find her path blocked by more changelings, each one looking at her hungrily. She backed up until she was with Topsy and Melody and watched Chrysalis walk down the hallway towards them. Her horn glowed green, casting a shield around the three of them. Scarlet glanced side to side nervously as the shield pulsed green.

"What are you doing, you fiend!?" Topsy stared at Chrysalis angrily. Melody was huddled into his mane, crying softly.

"It's time for you... to take a nap." She laughed as Scarlet felt her eyes droop. The shield was actually a sleeping spell. Scarlet crawled closer to Topsy as her muscles weakened and she slowly lost consciousness.

Scarlet regained her senses. She was still on the floor of the bedroom with the picture of Melody in front of her. Her cheeks were soaked with tears. She must have been crying, she thought. And no wonder... she remembered now. Not everything, but some. But why did the changelings want her? And more importantly, where was her daughter? Scarlet turned toward the door, buried in her thoughts, and nearly walked right into Chrysalis.

She leapt back in horror. There was no other escape from the room. The windows were boarded. Scarlet realized that this had been planned.

"Oh Scarly... how nice to see you again. And this is where we first met! I presume you remember?" She feigned a warm smile at the glaring Scarlet. "Now Scarlet... if you ever want to see your friends again, you will come with me."

Scarlet stared at her, tears streaming through her eyes as she struggled with the words. "Where's... my... daughter... you bitch..."

Chrysalis smiled. "Oh you mean her? She is safe and alive. A bit malnourished, maybe, but I'm sure a little motherly love can fix that." Scarlet snorted angrily at her. "She is with us. If you come with us, you will get to see her..." Chrysalis trailed off in a teasing manner.

Scarlet couldn't take it anymore. She sank to her knees, sobbing into her hooves. Chrysalis approached and put one bug-like wing over her. "There there Scarly... no need to cry... you will see her again soon. Do you agree?" Scarlet said nothing, but continued to cry her eyes out. "Well... I'll take that as a yes." Chrysalis cast the same spell she had cast nearly three years ago, locking Scarlet in a pulsating green shield that slowly numbed her brain. Scarlet felt herself drifting off as the sobs emitted from her throat of seemingly her own accord. She looked up at the dark figure above her as her vision blurred and faded away.

Reunions and Revelations

Scarlet opened her eyes slowly, her vision blurry at first. The floor underneath her was creaking and rattling slightly, giving her the idea that she was travelling in a cart. The roof above her was covered in a cloth stained with what appeared to be blood, Where was she? The last she remembered Capo and Magikasta had tied her to a tree... where were they now? What had happened? Damn other personality... Always taking over at the worst times. She attempted to sit up, only to be constrained by ropes. At this point she began to panic. She had left tied up and woken up tied up, but in different circumstances. She took the time to examine her surroundings. The cart was mostly empty, save a few seemingly empty sacks and the pegs that held the ropes down. It was comprised of rotting wood. The cart was not in good condition, and seemed to have been hastily repaired in several places. Scarlet took note of all these things, but nothing she noticed could help her escape.

She turned her attention back to the cloth above her. The light shining through gave the impression that it was midday outside. This thought comforted her somehow. The changelings didn't seem like the type to travel in broad daylight with a cart. She relaxed slightly. Perhaps she could gain a clue by listening. Scarlet closed her eyes and focused on listening to the world around her. At first she heard nothing but the sounds she had heard before: the creaking of her own cart. However, she began to discern slightly different creaks both behind and in front of her. So she wasn't the only one. Suddenly a voice tore through the air.

"Faster! Or you won't feed for a week!"

Scarlet tensed up. The voice that she had just heard belonged to... Chrysalis. This drove all hopes of safety out of her mind. She was captured, but how? She would never let herself get captured, and was fairly certain that the other Scarlet wouldn't either. The only way that she would go with them is if they had-

Scarlet stopped herself. If they had what? What was she about to think? The words seemed to form in her mind, but melt away before she managed to realize what they were. What could the changelings have that could mean so much to her that she would willingly give herself up to them? She could think of nothing that they could have... She grimaced. If only she could remember more! The details of her life before her original capture were a blur to her, and she was sure there was something more to it.

Her attention was jerked upward as the canvas above her went dark. The sunlight was gone. Scarlet began to panic slightly. She knew that changelings lived in the caves at the edge of Equestria's lands. The remaining light began to fade, and the cart grew darker. Soon it was pitch black. Scarlet couldn't see anything. Her breathing quickened as she felt a strange sense of familiarity creep over her. The air, the darkness, the noise, it seemed all to familiar. She had been here before.

"Light the torches!" A sickly green light flickered into life, shining through the cloth into the cart. Scarlet realized that she was glistening with sweat and she was breathing rapidly. Her eyes darted from side to side and her breathing quickened even more as the air grew more and more stale. The green torchlight gave the cart a ghostly appearance that seemed to sicken her. She felt dizzy and nauseous. And still the carts continued on, now on a noticeable downhill slope as they descended deeper into the earth. The heavy breathing of the changelings were now audible as well as they shuffled along, pulling the cart. Scarlet's senses seemed to heighten. Time had no meaning; she didn't know if she had been traveling for minutes or hours. The only way of telling time was the slow, steady drip of water echoing through the cave. Her mind focused on the drip. How long she seemed to wait between them! The sound seemed the only thing that was real to her. Everything else seemed far away and unimportant. She listened for the next drop, her mind racing as she longed to hear it, her emotions mounting until she heard it hit the ground... but it was only a temporary relief, as the wait for the next drop seemed even longer...

She was violently thrown from her thoughts as the cart jerked to a sudden halt, sending her head forward slightly and then back down onto the wood, sending waves of pain through her brain and making her vision flash. She groaned audibly as voices in an unknown tongue sounded through the air. The cloth over the cart was thrown back and a pair of dark hooves roughly tied a rope around her neck, while another undid the shackles around her hooves. She was pulled from the cart and made to stand, shaking, while her eyes adjusted to the gloom and her mind struggled to comprehend the scene in front of her.

She was standing on the edge on a rocky cliff, overlooking a massive underground cavern. Changelings buzzed around the ceiling, each finding its own little crevice in which it lived. The floor of the cavern was filled with structures, ranging from massive cathedral-type buildings to small shacks. The cavern was lit by the same sickly green glow, which seemed to radiate from the rock itself. Scarlet felt a growing horror as she recognized the place. It was her prison. No, it was her home.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Chrysalis had come up beside her. Together they gazed out at the city. "Its name is Specus Umbrarum, or Cave of Shadows. The changeling capital of Equestria."

"Why have you brought me here?" Scarlet seemed to hear her own voice, faint and tired. It amazed her to hear how old she sounded, in comparison to the happy and gleeful tone of the queen standing next to her.

"All will be explained in due time... we have someone you miss, but you don't know it yet." Scarlet looked puzzled. "The other you knows it. A hostage, of sorts. Someone dear to you." Scarlet's eyes widened.

"T...Topsy?" She shuddered a little at the name, as though his very mention sent chills to her core. Chrysalis, however, let out a long laugh.

"No! He's dead remember! You killed him!" She chuckled gleefully as Scarlet looked down. "I remember the day too! Dragging you to the chamber, making you release the hounds! And you loved it Scarlet, you laughed with me, we had a wonderful time, even though we were covered in his blood! Haha!"

Scarlet felt the tears begin to well in her eyes as the Queen's words stung. All that she said was true, and Scarlet knew it. She began to sob helplessly, her knees giving way as she sank to the ground.

"Oh Scarlet... stop crying. That's no way to act. My leader wants to meet you." Scarlet looked up at this.

"Your... leader? But aren't you queen?"

"Yes my dear, but there is one higher than me. I am taking you... to meet the Empress." She cackled with delight. She has been dying to see you again. Now move." She gestured toward a walkway to their right, which led down into the city. A company of changelings moved behind her, one clutching the rope that was tied around her neck, preventing her escape. And so they slowly progressed through the city, changelings jeering on the sidewalks, some throwing bits of rocks at her. The tears fell thick and fast onto the ground, leaving a salty trail as she neared the center. In due time she found herself in front of a giant domed building, guarded by a pair of steel gates and several changeling guards wearing green colored armor.

"Halt!" The company ground to a stop as Chrysalis stepped up to the guards. "I, Queen Chrysalis, have come to see the empress on grounds that we have captured the elusive Scarlet!"

The guard motioned to the others, and they slowly pushed the gates open with a earsplitting creak. They trooped inside, passing under a massive archway into a front room of the main building. There they stopped, and Chrysalis went through a side door. Scarlet waited impatiently as distant voices echoed from the doorway.

"Let go of me, you fucker!" Scarlet looked around in alarm as Capo was shoved through the door with a similar rope around her neck, with Magikasta following close behind. Scarlet let out a shriek of joy and started to run to them, only to be harshly pulled back by the rope. She grunted a little.

"Capo! Magik! You're alright!" The couple noticed her.

"Scarlet! Thank goodness you're alive! We were ambushed at the inn! We managed to fight them off for some time, but they outnumbered us too much!" Capo rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, and the fact that you don't know how to fight, Magik..."

"Hey, I got one!"

"And then you got kicked in the di-"

"Silence you two! You bicker more than any married couple, I swear!" Chrysalis came striding out of the hallway. "The Empress is ready to see you three." She grinned widely. "Good luck." She crossed to another set of door and opened them with magic. The changelings and the 3 ponies filed through into a grand throne room.

"Behold," Chrysalis said, "The Empress of the changelings."

In the center of the room sat an empty throne. Scarlet looked around, confused. Who-

"Welcome!" A voice rang out, not a changeling voice as Scarlet had expected but rather, a pony voice. The tone struck deep into her. She knew the voice very, very well... but from where?

"Welcome to my castle! Won't you have some tea?" At that moment an earth pony jumped out from behind the chair with a tea kettle. "I love tea, don't you? Thousands of varieties-though we don't get many down here, what with no sunlight and all..."

The three stared at the new pony incredulously. She had a black and red tousled mane and a light yellow coat. Several black and red studs were set into her ears, and her blood red eyes looked at them playfully. Her cutie mark was a raven perched on a rock.

"My name is Raven, Empress of the Changelings!" She giggled maniacally as if she had just told a hilarious joke. "And you!" She pointed a hoof at Scarlet. "You are very, very, very, very, very, very, very hard to capture! I mean 3 years! I am proud of you, Scarlet!"

"Wait... why would you be proud?" Scarlet cocked her head to one side as Raven fell over backwards laughing.

"Haha! She doesn't know! Oh you were right Crissy, she really doesn't remember anything!"

Chrysalis looked slightly annoyed. "Yes, we need to fix it, remember, that's why we're here..."

"Right of course!" Raven jumped to her feet and sprinted full force at Scarlet, coming to a seemingly impossible sudden stop right in front of her. "You can't even remember me?"

"No... why would I?"

Raven giggled again. "I'm your mother, silly Scarly! You can't remember your own mother!"

These words seemed to echo in Scarlet's brain. Her... mother? How was that... no... Scarlet gasped and fell to the floor as the memories began to return again. This time there were no specific flashbacks, but rather scenes from her entire life. Being raised by her mother for a while, being given up for adoption, being beaten and sexually abused by her foster parents, running away from home, working as an escort and being raped, meeting Topsy at a karaoke bar, that night together at the fair, the beginning of their life together... Melody being born- Melody! Scarlet gasped in amazement. Her precious gem, her only daughter... how could she have fogotten.. again? For now she remembered the house, and the trek back through the house, and the memories that were missing. She felt her emotions returning to her, her anger mixing with her wits as her personalities merged back into who she was.... but with that was pain, the clear, vivid memories of her capture and torture, her escape, her life of running from her captors...

Scarlet looked up slowly. She felt reborn. Her mind was whole again, and she stared at her laughing mother with a combination of hatred and curiosity. Raven jumped around the room, giggling gleefully as Capo and Magikasta stared, shocked. Scarlet spoke again, her voice no longer sounding frail and tired, but rather more full and deep than it had sounded in a very long time.

"Where is she?" She glared at Raven, who stopped bouncing.

"Oh, you mean my precious granddaughter? Why, you can see her right away, She cackled evilly. "All you have to do is... look up."

Scarlet's eyes slowly moved upwards towards the ceiling. There, hanging from a rafter, was a small, pink figure with bits of cyan. A makeshift rope out of filthy bedsheets suspended her by her neck from the rafter. The flesh on her body was rotting and peeling, and any meat that she had once had was long gone. She was skin and bones.

"She lost a bit of weight! I don't think you need to put her on a diet!" She fell over laughing again, kicking her hooves in the air. "Man, that sure was a cliff hanger!" She laughed even harder, clutching her chest. Scarlet kept staring at her dead daughter, Raven's bad puns echoing through her mind. She couldn't be dead. It wasn't possible. She just couldn't...

"Now thats what I call a mood killer-"

"Empress! I think that is enough with the jokes!" Chrysalis looked disapprovingly at Raven.

"One more?" She looked pleadingly.

Chrysalis sighed. "Fine..."

"You know she's drop-dead gorgeous."

Scarlet lowered her gaze to her psychopathic mother. She did not cry. In fact, she really didn't feel any emotion at all. Her newfound sense of fullness had evaporated, leaving her a full, yet empty shell.

"And we still haven't progressed to step two!" She laughed continuously. "Right this way, my lovely daughter, lets have a second go at that mind of yours."

Mind Games

The trio was ushered towards the waiting Raven by the guards. Capo and Magik pushed against them, but Scarlet obeyed without question, a million thoughts flashing through her mind. Through the haze of confusion rose one question. Why? Why was it her that was chosen to be tortured this way? Why was her mother the leader of the changelings? Why was it her daughter swinging from the rafters? and why wasn't she doing anything about the fact that these brutes were bringing her towards her impending doom?

With a sudden burst of energy, Scarlet bucked her back hooves out, catching one of the guards in the jaw. It stumbled backward with a howl, knocking over the guards holding Capo. With a snarl she leapt to Scarlet's side, her dagger in her teeth in a flash. Magik struggled for a second before using his brute strength to throw his guard into the growing pile of changelings, springing to join his wife and friend.

"Here!" Capo tossed him another dagger. He shrieked and jumped back as it clattered to the floor. Capo rolled her eyes and jerked her head at the dagger. Magik blushed and picked it up, holding it awkwardly in his teeth.

"How are you supposed to use this thi-" He was cut off as one of the guards got back to its feet and lunged at him, teeth bared and ready to kill. Magik shrieked again and instinctively slashed with the dagger, cutting the beast's throat wide open and sending it crashing to the ground with a gurgled howl. He stepped back, wide eyed and splashed with green blood. "I j-j-just k-killed-"

"Not now you twat!" Scarlet had already kicked two more changelings into unconsciousness and was eyeing a third when she was tackled from the side by one of the larger ones. She was thrown on her back with the wind knocked out of her. The monster towered over her, grinning triumphantly, before Capo's dagger was thrust down through its skull, the tip barely puncturing the roof of its mouth. The changeling froze before toppling over sideways, blood leaking out of its mouth. Capo extended a hoof to Scarlet, helping her to her feet before she sprung away to help Magik deal with two enemies of his own. Scarlet turned to face the next changeling, her face twisted into a look of pure hatred and rage.

Capo zoomed back and forth between Magik and Scarlet, never taking any hits herself. Years of living in foster homes and living on the streets had taught her the necessary fighting skills to survive. Her subconscious surveyed her surrounding for her, like a sixth sense that told her exactly when one of the beasts was going to attack. More had joined the original guard, far outnumbering the three fighters, and Capo expertly spun and weaved in and out, delivering punches and kicks where needed, and slashing with her dagger elsewhere. Several lay dead by her blade already, their blood wetting the floor and creating a harder battleground. She nearly lost her footing once or twice, but stayed on her hooves as more succumbed to the bite of her dagger's edge.

All this time the three ponies had been fighting, none of them remembered Raven. She sat in her throne with a sort of amused smile, tapping her hoof as if there was some kind of musical beat and the fight some distance in front of her was a sort of dance. She did nothing to help; she merely observed the chaos and destruction unfolding in front of her. It was entertainment. She didn't care who lived or died, just so long as she had her way in the end. And all she needed was Scarlet. Her eyes flickered back and forth as a changeling was thrown across the room before crashing into a pillar and falling among several of her dead and unconscious brethren. Chrysalis stood by her side, ready to halt the battle with her magic on command. Raven's eyes slowly traveled upward to the swinging body of her granddaughter, hanging over the fight like some ghostly spectator.

Raven smiled. Never had such a sight filled her with such glee, such euphoria, such happiness! The sight of her own dead descendant brought a tear of joy to her eye. While Scarlet wondered why, so Raven did the like. Why did she make that decision long ago to come here and help a struggling nation of beasts? Why had that driven her so insane? Why did she derive this satisfaction, this gratification, this pleasure from this normally sickening scene? She had no answers... but she had stopped caring long ago. Now the only thing that mattered to her was the survival and continuation of the nation as a whole.

It was impossible to tell how long the fight had gone on. Was it minutes or hours? Scarlet thought, as she pounded her hoof into the face of what seemed like the thousandth changeling. Sweat poured from her, and yet they kept coming. Magik and Capo were fighting on the other side of the room, making their own small piles of disabled changelings. Scarlet whirled her head around, searching for the next enemy, when she locked eyes with her mother.

She had completely forgotten about her during the fight. A new fury burned inside her, a hatred rekindled from the sight of her wicked smile. The memory of her decaying daughter's body fueled her as she crouched, preparing to launch herself at Raven.

The moment's distraction was all the changeling needed. In a flash it rammed Scarlet in the side, sending her crashing to the floor with a dull thud. Scarlet's vision flashed and then darkened slightly. The scene began to appear in her mind again just as the changeling made the final leap, its teeth closing the gap to Scarlet's face, just inches away-

And it stopped. The beast froze mere centimeters from Scarlet's nose, its eyes reflecting the confusion in Scarlet's own. It took all of three seconds for Scarlet to notice the green glow surrounding the two of them before they were lifted apart, the changeling and all its aware counterparts flung from the room and the heroic trio deposited in front of the throne. Raven sat in the throne, clapping her hooves together excitedly, even going as far as to whistle. She cheered, and it echoed around the room, which was now silent save this unusual demonstration. Scarlet glared at her mother, while the other two looked with an expression of confusion. Raven continued to cheer and clap until she broke into a fit of coughing, followed by several heavy breaths.

"Whew! That was quite *cough* something!" She gave another three claps. "That must have been- how many do you think, Chrissy, fifty? No more, a hundred maybe! A hundred of my finest guards! Oh you are good! Especially you!" At this she motioned to Capo. "You are a machine! Never have I seen such beauty and skill in fighting! Your husband leaves something to be considered... but you are a warrior!" Capo blushed slightly and said nothing flattered. "Now that was some show!" She turned to Chrysalis. "Did you see the part where Scarlet kicked one into three others? Or when Capo stabbed two at once! Or-"

"Yes, my mistress, I saw the entire thing. Now do you want to get to business?"

"Scarlet looked angrily at her. "I was just having a little fun... alright then, if you insist." She turned back to the three, who were still held in place by magic. "Long story short, I'm getting along in years, and living in caves isn't really healthy for a pony. I'm going to die soon, and I need a... heir." She looked at Scarlet with a solemn expression.

"Never." Scarlet bared her teeth and snarled. Raven sighed and shook her head.

"Many years ago, I lived in the land of Equestria above the soil. I had a daughter named Scarlet, whose father was a client willing to pay for my services. I was poor, starving, and unhappy. One day, I was out wandering around the wastelands, having left you, Scarlet, in the care of some trusted individuals in Canterlot, when I was ambushed. The changeling didn't stand a chance. I was about to kill it when it began to plead with me. It told me a tale of a once-great crumbling nation, plagued by poverty and hunger, led by a poor leader." Chrysalis hung her head slightly at this, her pride hurt slightly. "I saw this as a new opportunity for myself... I traveled with the creature to this city, and established myself as ruler. They were so desperate, they almost forced it upon me. I reformed the trade, established taxes... effectively built a government from scratch. I helped restore the nation to its former beauty. But not even I can live forever. I knew that one day, I would need a heir to the throne that I could pass my knowledge onto. Who else but my own flesh would be worthy to hold this position?"

Raven smiled at Scarlet. "We were already planning the invasion of Canterlot during the royal wedding. Before our main assault, I had Chrysalis and some of my elite forces... borrow you. Naturally I had no clue you had extra baggage." She rolled her eyes and waved a noncommittal hoof at the hanging Melody. You were brought here... but you didn't have the will to lead them. You fought, you wanted out. I blame myself for not taking you when you were a child, you had learned to love the false world above when true paradise is here. We had to break you. We tried torture, we tried starvation, we tried everything. We drove you insane. I know we did. Do you recall? You killed your own husband, and laughed!"

"You..." Scarlet was lost for words as she shook with rage. Raven grinned and continued.

"Your mind was fragmented. We developed a rudimentary form of magic, the likes of which have never been seen. We attempted to use it on you, only to have it fail miserably. It backfired, knocking Chrissy here out and you escaped... somehow. I still don't know how. We spent nearly two years tracking you down, I wanted no other to rule after me. During that time we perfected the mind spell... which you will see in due time."

"And what about us? What do you want us for?" Magik had spoken up this time.

"Oh I don't want you. I could kill you if I wanted, be glad I haven't yet." Raven turned to Scarlet. "Now, ready yourself dear, this is going to hurt. A lot." Chrysalis stepped forward, her horn aglow with ghastly green light. Scarlet closed her eyes.

She immediately let out an earsplitting scream. It felt like a knife was tearing through her skull, though she could feel that there was nothing there. She tried to open her eyes but she couldn't, and realized she had lost control over her whole body. The scream stopped as she ran out of breath and her subconscious took over automatic breathing. The piercing sensation continued deep into her mind. She couldn't form complete thoughts without the pain stopping her. The object seemed to move through her brain, as if it were searching and wrecking everything in its path. Suddenly her memories began flashing before her eyes, some followed by a rush of the pain as they were seemingly torn apart. Scarlet realized through her fragmented thoughts that they were altering her memories.

"No-" She tried to fight it, attempting to conjure mental defenses with no experience. She could feel her mind shattering again, this time differently, repairing itself in a different way as the mental weapon tore through.

Scarlet and Capo looked at the quivering Scarlet worriedly. Raven's smile grew and grew as time wore on. Finally Chrysalis let out a gasp and her horn stopped glowing. Scarlet crashed to the ground, her body coated in sweat. No one moved or spoke for several minutes. The chamber seemed to hold its breath as Scarlet lay, panting. Finally she slowly rose to her hooves, sweat dripping from her mane.

"How do you feel, Scarlet?" Raven cocked her head and looked at her daughter. Scarlet raised her head and looked her mother in the eye.

"Ready to lead the Changeling Empire, my dear!"