Thomas Weigand: "EVERYONE! SHUT UP. I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT! First. These people infected with the virus -- they're dead already. Keep your distance, and if they rush you, you shoot to kill."

Unknown subordinate: "CAP! WHEN'S THE CAVALRY GETTING HERE?"

Thomas Weigand: "Second. The cavalry? We're it..."

—Thomas Weigand

It was a beautiful day in Ponyville, the sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the sounds of young fillies and colts laughing and giggling could be heard all around. At least, they would, if their parents had actually allowed them to go outside and play. The fact was, not many children had actually been seen that often ever since the townwide ponyhunt for Zecora began days ago. No parent in their right mind would let their kids go out alone with a maniac on the loose. Of course, there actually was no reason to be scared since Zecora was already dead, but only a select few even knew about that, so the general public was left in the dark and allowed to be suspicious and paranoid about the whole thing.

“...and suddenly I hear a cheer and this young pony goes flying over my head with one of those new fangled ‘scooter boards’ like she’s in a hurry to get a one way ticket to the hospital, so I said ‘Back in my day, kids were taught to be careful and not draw attention to themselves’, and she said…” Nick rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly, suppressing the urge to yawn as the old pony with the ridiculously over sized bow tie in front of him continued to prattle on endlessly. He pretended to keep listening even as his gaze began to wander to other ponies walking around, doing a lazy sweep uninterestedly until he caught a glimpse of bleach blonde hair bobbing around at the end of the street. “...but that wasn't even a big deal at the time-um, hello? Are you listening, youngster?” The older pony tapped Nick on his helmet, the sound of which snapped his attention back to their conversation.

“Huh? Oh, right. Yeah, sure. Thank you for your time, your cooperation is appreciated by the guard, if you hear about anything important, let us know.” Nick recited the same, bullshit phrase his predecessor had been saying all day up until the point he’d been murdered only a few hours before.

“Oh, well, of course. I could tell you about my granddaughter, she just graduated from medical school and-”

“That’s great, Mr. Noodle, you can tell me about it later. I have to go.”

“I-It’s Waddle-”

“Whatever. Bye!” Nick set off in a fast trot down the street, heading in the direction he saw the familiar mane disappear, leaving poor Mr. Waddle standing alone with a confused look on his face.

He had been talking to the old pony for almost 20 minutes now, so to say he was relieved to be able to get away finally was an understatement. Mercer had told him to meet up with the other guards at noon, so Nick had figured he’d kill time until then by disguising himself as Storm Shade and asking ponies if they’d seen Zecora. Mr. Waddles was the first pony he’d even approached, and it didn't leave a very good impression on him.

Nick worked his way through the ponies loitering on the street, apologizing quickly every time he bumped into one of them or got in their way. When he reached the end of the street, he craned his head in every direction to see if he could catch another glimpse of the pony he was looking for. He heard him before he saw him, noting the familiar slurred speech and imagining the drunken stumbling that went along with it.

Pierce was standing by a tree, or more specifically, standing against it, while talking to an irate looking mare who seemed to have a very slight blush spread across her cheeks. As Nick got closer, he was able to catch the topic of their conversation; evidently, the old lush had gotten a bit fresh with her and she by no means found it at all humorous.

“...sho, let me get thish straight...you’re mad...about shomething...right?”

“You know darn well that I’m angry! You...you…” The mare turned scarlet as she spoke. “...you...fondled my flank!” She spoke the last part quietly, but Nick was still able to hear it thanks to his new powers.

Pierce leaned in closer to her, turning his head so his ear was nearer to her mouth. “What was that? I fondled your what?” He fell forward and landed face first in the dirt, making the mare back up a few steps to avoid being knocked over with him.

Nick chose that moment to intervene before the stallion made an even bigger fool of himself. “What’s going on here?”

The mare looked relieved to see the armor clad pony approaching her. “Oh thank Celestia! Maybe you can talk some sense into this drunk!” She spat as she kicked Pierce in the side.

“Hallelujah!” Came his muffled reply as he continued his drunken charade.

Nick reached down and hauled the older pony to his hooves, waiting for him to get his balance before dragging him away down the street. “Let’s get you somewhere so you won’t bother anypony else.”

“Are you coming on to me? Let me go, I’m not one of your prench girls!” Pierce struggled pathetically against Nick, managing only to throw himself to the ground once again. “Jack! Come back!” Nick rolled his eyes, picked him up again and threw him down a side street. “You know...you remind me...of a woman I used to know…”

“You can stop now, Pierce. It’s me.”

Confusion spread across his face. “Me? Me who?”

“It’s Nick! Now quite screwing around, I don’t have a lot of time.”

Pierce chuckled. “Don’t get your tail all twisted up, I knew it was you the moment you walked up.”

“Then why did you keep up the act?”

“Part of me wants to say to make sure nopony was listening. The other just says it’s fun to mess with ya.”

Nick ignored that. “Have you heard anything from Mercer?”

“Mercer? No, I haven’t run into him yet. Why? Did something happen?”

“Oh yeah. He got a letter today.”

“And? I get letters all the time, it’s not that big a deal.”

“No, I mean he got a letter today. Specifically for him, but it was addressed to Fluttershy. Somepony else knows what he is.”

Pierce shuffled his feet a bit as he digested the news. “Where’s Mercer now?”

“Somewhere in town. The note told him where to meet the pony who wrote it, and he hoofed it the minute he got a chance. I thought maybe he’d ran into you on the way.”

The other pony looked away. “No, I've been trailing a couple guards to listen in on their conversations. I was hiding in the Quills and Sofa all morning, so I wouldn't have noticed if he’d run by.”

“What have you heard?”

“Nothing new. Though I doubt it matters.” He looked Nick up and down. “From the looks of it, you already know about as much as I could find out on my own. When did this happen, anyway?”

Nick looked down at himself, still finding it strange to see another pony’s hooves instead of his own. “Just a little while after I got back when I left to tell Mercer about the guards. He followed me to Fluttershy’s cottage and was listening in on us.”

“So you killed him, eh?” He looked impressed.

“Well, Mercer fought him. But he made me kill him so I could impersonate him.”

Pierce stared at Nick intently. “How did it feel?”

“It hurt like a bitch. I do not recommend it.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Pierce leaned in closer. “How did it feel to get another ponies blood on your hooves?”

Nick froze up at that, unsure of how to respond. How did it feel? How was it supposed to feel? It wasn't something he was used to, that was for certain. It was new. It was...different. But was different bad?

...Now he wasn't so sure.

Before the silence he created because of his lack of a reply became awkward, the clock tower chimed, signaling the beginning of another hour. “Crap! It’s noon!” Nick turned and sprinted for the center of town, leaving Pierce behind without even saying goodbye.

As he ran, the last thing the sandy haired pony had said to him kept repeating in his head. Nick fought to focus on something else, but he suddenly found himself unable to think. His hooves pounded the dirt of their own accord, carrying him thoughtlessly to where the other guards were waiting for him, or rather, 2nd Lieutenant Storm Shade. Even as he galloped into the clearing surrounding Town Hall, his mind was still echoing that innocent yet strangely hard to answer question.

Right up until he slammed muzzle first into a foal carriage that thankfully was empty at the moment of impact. Once he apologized to the slightly addled mother and her giggling baby, he took a moment to get his bearings, searching Storm’s memories for where he was supposed to be meeting the other guards.

“...You have your orders. Zecora must be found. Whatever intelligence she possesses is vital to our mission. Ask anypony you come across, and keep on the look out for anything suspicious. We’ll meet back here by this tree at noon sharp. No excuses. If you’re not here by then, I will have to assume the worst...I hope you will give me the same courtesy.”The sound of his superiors voice was so fresh in the pony’s mind it was like he was hearing it out loud.

Nick walked around the large building in the center of Ponyville Square, keeping his eye open for the tree the voice in his head spoke of. He was rewarded with the sight of seven armored ponies standing in a circle at the base of a small tree, all of them standing with expressionless faces.

He summoned all the memories of Storm Shade’s past he could find, applying every aspect of the guard’s personality to the way he walked and even how he held himself. As he approached they all turned their heads, watching him closely. Suddenly he felt like he was in school again, walking up to the front of the class to deliver a speech. He kept up his facade, knowing if anypony knew how Storm Shade normally acted, it was the ponies he trained and fought with, and even a single thing left out could decrease his chances of walking away from this unscathed.

“I said noon sharp, Lieutenant, not whenever you decide fits into your schedule best. What in Tartarus took you so long?” The gruff voice of his commander put Nick on edge, though he blamed that on the nerves he was now borrowing from the pony who’d faced verbal beatings from the owner of said voice for years.

“Sorry, sir. I got caught up-”

“Auriga.”

“Capella.” Nick spoke before he had even registered what the pony said. The meaning of the countersign was almost lost on him, until the memory of Storm Shade learning it popped up in his head. It was standard security protocol ever since the Changeling attack on Canterlot. He only knew to say his password because Storm had spent several hours chanting it to himself so he wouldn't forget it.

His answer seemed to please the pony, if only enough to cause him to visibly relax. “Alright then. Now that the Lieutenant has finally decided to grace us with his presence, our headcount has broken even. Congratulations, none of you managed to get yourselves killed today.”

Before he could stop himself, Nick snorted loudly, bringing the attention of the group back to him. He brought his hoof up to his muzzle and pretended to wipe his nose, giving the impression he had only sneezed. The other guards bought it and returned to listening to the commander, except for one, who was now giving him an accusing glare. A glare that was barely noticeable under his helmet, which was several sizes too big for him.

Nick tried to avoid his gaze, but found it difficult with the other pony standing right across from him. The pony looked fairly young, almost a little too young for a Canterlot guard, though something inside Storm's genetic memory was telling him not to let that fool him, that this pony's young age was not to be taken as a sign of weakness. The pony, or as Storm's voice was telling him, Charming Masquerade, stayed perfectly still as he kept up his harsh gaze, the only exceptions being when pushed up his helmet from over his eyes or ruffled his wings every few moments. Nick was already feeling an uncomfortable knot forming in his throat, and he couldn't shake the paranoia somehow he'd already been found out.

The stare down continued even after it had been taken notice of by the other guards, and their commander, Armored Swirl, was finally forced to asked “Sergeant Masquerade, care to explain your sudden fascination with the Lieutenant?”

Charming Masquerade was silent for a second, doing nothing but intensifying his glare. When he did speak, it was directed entirely at Nick. “...What was it that caused you to be late, exactly?”

“What? Uh, I was questioning a pony. I was late because I couldn't get him to shut up.” A few of the other ponies chuckled at that, nodding their heads in agreement as they recalled their own similar encounters.

Unfortunately, Charming didn't find it so amusing. With a growl, he launched himself forward, tackling Nick to the ground and pinning him down by his shoulder. A metallic click sounded out right before something cold, metal, and very sharp pressed itself firmly against Nick’s throat.

“Sergeant! What in the name of Celestia do you think you’re doing!?” Armored Swirl’s outburst might as well have been a whisper, as Charming wasn't listening either way. He pushed the points of the claws on his hoof further against Nick’s neck, threatening to break the skin.

“Who are you?”

Nick fought to keep himself under control as he replied as calmly as he could manage “2nd Lieutenant Storm Shade.”

Charming narrowed his eyes to slits. “Who are you really?”

“That is who I am!”

He didn't seem convinced. He held his position, his wings flaring out in agitation. After a few moments, he whispered “How did I lose my helmet?”

“What?”

“How did I lose my helmet!?” Charming screamed.

His helmet? Even as he thought it his viral cells were already searching the memories of Storm Shade, flashing images behind Nick’s eyes until they stopped on a group of ponies resting around a table playing a game of cards, laughing heartily as they forced the blushing stallion to retell the story for the sixteenth time. “You took it off when you were flirting with some mare back in Canterlot, and you forgot it when she invited you to come join her for lunch.”

Charming let off his grip just a bit. “And what happened after that?”

“She brought you to a Cafe and introduced you to her friends...and her husband. Then she tried to hook you up with her sister-in-law who was almost twice your age so you made up an excuse and got the hay out of there.” When the young stallion lowered his weapon, Nick slowly pushed his hoof off his shoulder. “By the time you got back to retrieve your helmet, it was gone, so you bought a toy replica at the souvenir shop to try to keep it a secret from Captain Armor. But he saw right through it the moment you reported in after your shift because you forgot to take off the price tag.” At that point a small crowd had gathered to watch the quarreling guards go at it, and all of them had heard the story and were now snickering quietly to themselves.

Charming backed away, giving Nick room to stand up and brush himself off. “...Sorry about that, sir. Something seemed off about you, and I had to make sure you weren't a Changeling.”

“That’s alright Sergeant. I would have been offended if you hadn't thrown me to the ground and stuck a blade into my esophagus.” Nick rubbed his throat. “But next time, how about just asking? If you had, I would have told you I am most definitely not a Changeling.” This time he suppressed the giggle rising in his throat.

The sound of somepony clearing their throat turned both of their heads, and their commander, who had been watching the whole time along with the rest of their group, said “Are you two lovebirds about done? ‘Cause unless I’m mistaken, we were just about to begin our intel report.” Nick and Charming nodded, walking back to the lineup of guards and standing next to each other. Armored Swirl continued. “We all ready? Good. Lieutenant, we’ll start with you. Did you find anything out regarding Zecora?”

Nick shook his head. “No sir. She hasn't been seen by anypony for several days. All the ponies I've talked to have said the same thing: it’s like she just disappeared.” The others all nodded their heads slowly, having had similar findings themselves. “I’m not sure any of these ponies actually know anything about what’s going on, sir.”

One of the other guards spoke up. “Or if they do, they’re not letting on. I think this goes beyond a simple disappearance.”

“I agree. Something’s brewing, sir. I can feel it. We’re in for some deep shit if we don’t find out what’s going on here, quick.” They all grew quiet after that last remark, the implication of it sending deep shivers down their spines.

“...Well, we sure as hay weren't sent out here to find out we know absolutely nothing. Do any of you have any leads? Anything at all?”

The rest stayed silent, suddenly finding their hooves interesting. Charming was the only one to finally say something. “Well, it’s not exactly a lead, sir, but I did meet a mare earlier today that was acting fairly strange.”

“Was she bright pink with extremely curly hair?”

“Uh...no.”

“Okay then. If you do happen to come across a pony like that, disregard any strange behavior she may exhibit and get out of the area as quickly as possible. I cannot stress this enough…” Armored Swirl took a short pause, a look of fear and anguish crossing his features for a moment before he shook it off. “Alright Sergeant, who is this pony you thought to be acting ‘strange’?”

“Her name was Berry Punch, sir. She was in a hurry when I met her, and she all but dragged my cousin Derpy away while I was talking to her.” Nick sucked in a breath the moment he heard Berry Punch’s name. Charming didn't take notice. “I wouldn't have thought much of it if it hadn't been for the thing she seemed to be trying to keep Derpy from saying.”

“And what was that?”

“Just the name of some new pony in town. It was like Berry was trying to keep her from saying who he was.”

Armored shook his head. “Well, it’s probably nothing. But we have nothing else to go on, so find out where she is and question her anyway.”

Thinking quick;y, Nick stepped forward, saying “Sir, I’d like to go with the Sergeant, if you don’t mind. I’ve got a few questions for this ‘Berry Punch’ myself.”

The aging pony gave a short nod. “Very well. The rest of you, same routine. Keep your eyes peeled, we’re bound to stumble on something sooner or later.” They all saluted, but just as they turned to leave they were stopped by Armored for one last thing. “And, um…” He cleared his throat. “Y-you all might as well all steer clear of Sugarcube Corner...I've uh...already cleared it…” The guards all stared at their commander confusedly. “...Dismissed!”

Author's Note

I uh...I kinda had a booboo...sorry about that. My cousin infected me and I have been seriously out of my mind delirious for the last two days. I hope you all don't hold this against me. I hope you enjoy the chapter regardless...