//------------------------------// // The Deception (Pt 1) // Story: Resident Evil: Code Equestria // by WesternWxyzvv //------------------------------// After getting directions from Shining Armour and Cadence the three agents made their way out of the palace and into a decimated city. No longer was the bright, magenta dome protectively enveloping the seemingly final stronghold of Equestria. Chaos reigned free in Canterlot as fires blazed, changelings vandalised and biological weapons wreaked havoc. There were flying monstrosities assaulting the towers and spires of the castle while others ran amok in the streets. Bright flashes of gold and blue light appeared now and then a few kilometres away, and pegasi guards could be seen attacking some of the assailants, but it was clear that they were vastly outnumbered and that it was only a matter of time before the final safe haven of Equestria collapsed. Surprisingly, the only sounds that could be heard were those of the struggles between the changelings and guards, absent were screams of citizens, but the three alien visitors didn’t notice this. The agents stood atop a walkway overlooking a stretch of land that led to the entrance to Canterlot. One of the stairways down had turned into rubble and the path in front of the castle was riddled with sparsely placed changelings. The extension they just exited was riddled with broken windows and flagpoles, as well as caved in walls. “Just like Raccoon City,” Leon remarked before he and Chris jumped down off the ledge as Jake calmly walked down the remaining staircase. Leon lined up the sights of his pistol on the first changelings head. The changeling’s black carapace was cracked, oozing pus and fluids from multiple wounds. Its right eye was scarred and one of its wings was nearly severed. It had a large gash at the base of its neck and was chewing on something fleshy. It shuffled slowly towards the agents with blood trailing from a larger slash in the back of its right-hind leg. It let out a low moan as it neared the three, alerting the few other bioweapons in the area to the agents’ presence. Leon pulled his trigger, firing a bullet directly through the creatures’ forehead. The creature’s head snapped back, and its corpse dropped to the ground. A few other changelings slowly converged on the agents, but Leon and Chris made quick work of them with precise headshots, as Jake watched, bored. “Where do you think that B.O.W. they mentioned is?” Chris asked. Just then a bright golden flash was seen, originating from an area further along the path. Chris and Leon looked to the flash and ran down the path as Jake followed at a distance whistling a tune to himself as the world crumbled around him. The agents occasionally noticed graffiti and paint splattered over walls reading messages such as: “We’re doomed,” “Rebel against the tyrannous demons dictating this country,” and, more often than most, “Change! Change and be free! Change and be safe!” Chris and Leon took note of the graffiti but didn’t slow. The pair travelled through the city until they were on the edge of the fight, behind a building. Large bestial roars could be heard on the other side of the wall, along with the sound of something akin to lasers being fired. Occasionally the ground rumbled from the B.O.W.’s thunderous strikes. The two heroes looked at each other, and then rounded the corner. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cadence and Shining Armour continued down the hall after the agents had finished asking them for directions. “Think they can still hear us?” Shining Armour asked, his voice echoing of the walls of the place. “No, they’re out of earshot.” Cadence replied. “So shall we continue as planned?” Shining Armour questioned again. Cadence nodded and responded with, “Almost, only you’re coming with me.” “What? But I can still fight!” the captain replied. Cadence rolled her eyes before she moved away from her husband, leaving him without any support, and afterwards the stallion promptly fell. “Do you really think you can fight?” The Princess asked, a tone of mockery lining her voice. Shining Armor opened his mouth to speak, “But I-" Cadence interrupted him, “No buts!” The two of them continued their playful bickering as they made their way to the underground tunnels beneath the castle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The two agents’ eyes were met with a scene depicting a clash of the titans. The two princesses, Twilight, and several soldiers, including Red Wing, were bravely trying to fight a ferocious and massive monster. The beast was being battered by multiple magical attacks, as well as the occasional lance or spear from one of the assorted soldiers. Celestia and Luna were hovering around the B.O.W., charging up energy, and firing each time the beast noticed one of the earth-bound ponies. Twilight seemed to be concentrating intently as her horn glowed, along with the ground below the beast as the guards helped distract it. The monster itself was enormous, about seven times the height of Celestia, it looked like half of a severely-mutated equine. It had two massive forelimbs, with no back limbs at all. Its entire body was throbbing with muscles, and covered in a strange gooey fluid. Its “hooves” had large metal plates embedded in their bottoms, which explained the veritable earthquakes that occurred each time they swung at the ground. It no longer had wings, but its carapace was incredibly thick and Its head was nightmare-inducing. With pure black eyes and razor sharp fangs, it could cause over one thousand Prince Bluebloods to faint. Both of its ears had been torn off, along with the spine that would normally go down the back of a changeling’s head and neck. Its horn was razor-sharp, and the monster was using it to occasionally swing at the princesses. The princesses tried fighting it with various spells; they each focused together, working incredibly efficiently, or at least they would be, if the B.O.W. didn’t regenerate mere moments after all their attacks. Burning, freezing, electrocuting, and sheer magical energy simply couldn’t hurt this genetically enhanced being. The fight seemed to be even, until it swung its massive hoof at Luna, breaking through her magical barrier, and flinging her out of sight. Celestia looked worriedly in the direction her sister flew; only to be smashed into the ground by the creature’s other hoof. The beast then focused its attacks on the assorted soldiers running around it tactically. While this was going on the agents had made their way to Twilight, firing their weapons harmlessly at the beasts’ thick carapace. “What are you doing?” Chris asked Twilight over the beast’ shell-shocking roars. “I’ve got a plan to stop the creature!” Twilight grunted under the magical effort. “How can we help?” Leon asked, firing bullets at the creature’s eye each time it turned their way. Twilight squinted one eye at them, before uttering, “Help to distract it. Give me time to prepare my spell!” “Alright, come on!” Chris shouted, making his way forward towards the beast. The partners studied the area as they fired shots at the B.O.W. They were in a small square surrounded by extensions of the palace. To the north was a large spire while all the other buildings were relatively short. The area was a courtyard, probably used by nobles previously. The two of them helped keep the B.O.W. occupied as Twilight’s horn glowed brighter along with the space below the monster, until the princesses were incapacitated. When Celestia and Luna went down, Twilight didn’t notice, she was too focused on her spell. Leon rushed to the princess’ side as Chris switched from his sub-machine gun to a pistol, as he had run out of ammunition. “Are you alright?” Leon shouted to the Princess, nervously eyeing the B.O.W. “I’ll be fine,” she replied, barely conscious as she tried to blot out the pain coming from her crushed back and legs, “I need you and you friends to help Twilight defeat this monstrosity. The fate of Equestria is in your hooves.” The agent very nearly pointed out that he didn't have hooves. Celestia then let out a load moan and fainted; Leon picked her up and carried her to the nearest building. After taking care of the Princess, Leon rushed out, firing precisely at the creature’s eyes with his NATO. He reached Chris, opened his mouth and said, “We need to do something big to distract him, we won’t last long without those two.” “Do you have any grenades?” Chris yelled back concentrating furiously on doing any lasting damage to the beast. “Yeah, why?” Leon replied. “I think we can use explosives to blow him into one of the buildings!” Chris exclaimed. “Then let’s do it!” Leon answered. The two of them told the soldiers their plans, and they set it to action. Red Wing and Leon were given all the grenades while Chris and the team of guards kept the B.O.W. away from the pair and Twilight. Leon and the red guard climbed to the rooftop nearest to Twilight and got ready, alerting Chris he was prepared. Chris and the soldiers redoubled their efforts, driving the creature toward the wall, and the BSAA agent yelled, “Now!” Leon pulled all of the pins on the grenades at once, and Red wing bucked them at the creature’s back. The ponies dove backwards onto the lavender-glowing dirt, and Chris to the side. The grenades exploded, stunning Chris and driving the creature off the glowing patch and into a wall. The creature immediately got up. Unfortunately, as the grenades exploded Twilight yelled, “Done!” and cast her spell. There was a shaking grumble, and then several buildings collapsed. Numerous guard ponies were buried alive, and the B.O.W. had no resistance to fight, as Chris was incapacitated and Leon was frantically running down through the buildings, while Red Wing looked around, dazedly. Jake watched the plan miserably fail and fell to the ground laughing at their efforts. Although the plan didn't work, the wall and explosives did leave a large crack in the monsters’ carapace along the spine. Leon emerged from the building, and quickly made his way to Twilight. After helping her safely into an intact building, he ran to Chris to do much the same. Red Wing sat, transfixed as the monster climbed up the replaced mound of dirt and roared triumphantly. After its holler, it inspected the courtyard and saw that the closest target, Jake, was rolling on the floor laughing his ass off. It crawled toward him bellowing loudly. Chris and Leon, after recuperating came out to see the monster about to hit their 'partner.' “Watch out!” Leon yelled to Jake. However before they had even left the building Jake was aware of the B.O.W.’s slow progress towards him. As the monster swung its massive limb down on Jake, he rolled out of the way and stood up, then leisurely walked towards Leon and Chris as the B.O.W. once again tried crawling towards him. “That was fucking hilarious!” Jake exclaimed. Leon was speechless, but Chris was filled with fury, “Where the fuck were you while we busted our asses off trying to kill that thing?” “Admiring the scenery.” Jake answered with a voice dripping sarcasm. “You know, you really have to-”Chris started before he was interrupted by Leon “Guys! That B.O.W. is still alive.” Leon interjected. The two bickering agents looked up at the beast that had covered the small distance between them, and was preparing to strike. As they argued, Red Wing flew up to them. Chris spoke, “Okay. Here’s the plan-” yet once again he was stopped. “Yeah, because your last plan was phenomenal.” Jake interrupted. “Why don’t you just-” but, unfortunately, Chris’ speech was impeded again, this time by a large, metal-encased hoof that slammed right into where Jake was, a second previously. “Missed again, dumbass!” Jake mocked, rolling to safety. With a primal growl the beast swung another hoof at Jake, low, only for him to jump clear over the strike. Jake then casually walked out of the courtyard with his hands in his pockets, a smug look on his face. “Good luck with tiny!” He jostled. Chris clenched his fists, but Leon put a hand on his shoulder, “Not now, we have a B.O.W. to deal with.” Twilight stumbled out of the building she was in, tears in her eyes from when she saw most of that scene transpire. After catching her breath enough, she trotted up to Chris and Leon and told them, with a tremor-filled voice, “I’ve got a plan, don’t ruin it! I need you to move the B.O.W. on top of that dirt mound while I get in position.” “Alright, come on!” Chris nodded. Leon and Chris started firing their remaining rounds at the creature, moving around it, drawing its attention as Red Wing flew around its head. While they did this, Twilight, preoccupied by the accidental mass murder of several guard ponies, moved in between the North wall and the dirt mound. She prepared and took aim and waited for the beast to move in to position. “Ready!” The purple unicorn yelled with an emotional voice crack. “He’s in place!” Chris responded. The lavender unicorn let loose a purple beam of energy at the base of where the tall spire met the rest of the building. While the spire fell in a perfect angle to hit the beast right along the crack in its carapace, it was also the perfect angle to crush Twilight, until she teleported to safety. After the dust had settled, Twilight suddenly appeared much more desperate, as she had remembered something. Adopting a frantic expression, she galloped to Chris and Leon and stammered out, “Where’s Princess Celestia?” “She’s in that building.” Leon explained with a gesture. Twilight ran to the building as the agents and guard followed at a distance, checking the perimeter for any approaching changelings. Once they felt they were safe, they entered the building to see Twilight kneeling by Celestia’s side. “Are you feeling better?” Leon questioned the Princess. “A little, thank you, but I’m more concerned with the safety of the soldiers of the Royal Guard that were with us.” The Monarch replied. The fatalities of the guards bearing down on her hard, Twilight stammered out, “I’m s-sorry P-princess Celst-tia I… I-” “It was our fault.” Leon interrupted. “We got your men killed.” Chris admitted as both agents bowed their heads solemnly in regret. "We're sorry." Leon finished. Sighing Princess Celestia answered with, “You are not to blame for the travesties that occurred today, Chris, nor you Leon. It is Chrysalis’ monster that got my loyal and dear soldiers killed.” The two agents raised their heads, grateful for the comment, when something occurred to Leon, “Hang on. Wasn’t this entire city under attack?” “Yes.” Twilight replied, tears in her eyes. “Then why is it so quiet, and why didn’t we see any other people e- sorry, ponies evacuating?” Leon finished. Twilight’s expression turned from sad to nervous as she eyed the agents and the Princess. Once again, the Princess sighed and said to the agents, “We lied to you. We weren’t sure whether to trust you or how you would react to the news. Chrysalis thought that this was our last stronghold, as did you, but it isn't. We have one last refuge where the citizens of Equestria are safe. The only reason we remained here was to defend this capital and help distract Chrysalis from the truth. Although as to why it has gone quiet, I do not know.” Suddenly, Celestia’s eyes widened; a rare occurrence for the normally composed ruler. “My sister! Please, you must find her! She may be in danger!” “You got it!” Leon exclaimed running out onto the street with Chris. Red Wing exited with a bow, and flew after the humans, trying to keep up. “Go along with them, my Faithful Student, they may need your assistance.” Celestia added. The purple unicorn started, “But Princess you-“ “Do not worry about me, I will be fine. Go. Please.” The lavender equine nodded and turned away to Chris and Leon’s direction, “I won’t let you down!” Twilight responded with a determined expression, she then galloped after the two foreigners. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jake walked through the streets of Canterlot, once again whistling a tune as he moved with no particular destination in mind. His acute hearing picked up on some quiet moaning, and a voice. Curiously, he moved toward the sound thinking, ‘Why the hell not?’ He peered around a corner to see a mass of changelings surrounding a crater, along with a taller feminine changeling that had a thin, greasy, translucent blue mane and tail. In the background a few changelings could be seen carrying a yellow, unconscious body towards their amassed brethren. The tall one laughed maniacally, and ranted to her minions, “Celestia thinks she’s smart, baiting me with an empty city. Her plan failed! I crushed her defenses, and now I have captured Luna and that yellow one! Muhaahahaha!” Her horn glowed, and she levitated an unconscious Luna upwards and continued, “Take her and that other one back to the Hive and go, all of you! We have to make it seem as though we fled!” Chrysalis’ horn flashed green and a matching green fiery circle appeared around her. She then transformed into a perfect doppelganger of Luna, and continued her rant to herself, “They will find one of my changelings disguised as that yellow pony. Too bad we couldn’t catch that whelp of a dragon! No matter, victory is still assured. Oh! I’ve dreamed of this day for so long! Now all I have to do is get good old Tia alone, then I can incapacitate her, so no one will stand in my way!” Her ears perked up and she heard footsteps approaching, as did Jake. Chrysalis moved into the crater and feigned unconsciousness as Jake sat down pondering what he had just witnessed. Chris, Leon, and Twilight ran through the streets of Canterlot, searching for Luna. They slowed as they saw Jake. Snorting in disgust, Chris kept walking, and then emerged in the crater-site to find the faux-Luna lying in the centre. Chris turned to the others and yelled, “Guys, over here!” Leon and Twilight moved on as Jake observed. Twilight rushed to Chrysalis’ side, and she immediately asked, "Princess Luna, are you alright?” “I’m fine, I was merely resting. What took thee so long?” Chrysalis replied in Luna’s voice. Taken aback by the irritation not normally found in the Princess’ voice Twilight put out, “Uh- We were finishing off the bioweapon that threw you here.” “Oh, I suppose you were.” The two agents then came closer and Chrysalis noticed them, “Halt! What are those… things?” the faux-Luna demanded. “They’re the warriors we summoned to help us fight Chrysalis and the bioweapons. Are you alright? Perhaps you suffered brain-damage in the fall and forgot?” Twilight contemplated as Chris and Leon drew near. “I am fine! Hark, where is my sister?!” The Changeling Quean demanded. “She’s… um back in a building near where we fought.” Twilight answered again. Brushing past Twilight while she was speaking, Chrysalis made her way out. She left through the alley they entered through, although Jake was no longer there. Remembering orders given by Luna, Red Wing timidly whispered something in Twilight’s ear; she gasped, “Fluttershy, Spike” then teleported away in a flash of violet with Red Wing. “She seemed… off.” Leon remarked. Chris grunted before he replied, “I think we should get back to Celestia, come on.” The agents walked off as Twilight, having teleported up to Fluttershy’s room, spoke with the changeling impersonating the Element of Kindness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Oh, Fluttershy! Thank goodness you’re alright,” Ms. Sparkle exclaimed in a purple flash, “but where’s Spike?” Searching the room located at the top of a large tower and finding nothing, she looked to the pseudo-Fluttershy and asked, “Fluttershy, where did he go?” “He was taken by changelings.” Fluttershy answered flatly. “What?! Oh no! Where are they? We have to find him!” Twilight told the changeling as she frantically ran around the room. “I do not know where the changelings that took Spike went. We should get back to Celestia.” Fluttershy responded in monotone, accompanied by a slack, bored expression. “But we have to find him! Did you see anything? They can’t have gotten far! Or could they have?” Twilight was unreachable as her voice grew more desperate with each sentence, “Oh no, Spike, where are you?” At this point she burst into tears, sobbing hysterically. The changeling imposter hardly reacted, “There, there. It will be all right,” the changeling patted the lavender mage lightly, “Do not worry. We will find him.” Twilight didn’t notice the infiltrator’s horrible impersonation; she was too depressed to care. She embraced the insect-like trickster in a tight hug, mumbling indecipherable words about Spike. Behind her, Red Wing, remembering orders given earlier, sped down towards the bottom of the castle. Although the pegasus was timid, he was nimble, if a bit lanky, but still, he was fast. Red Wing reached the main hall of the palace, before remembering one more thing. He reluctantly checked the conference room to find that Prince Blueblood was still unconscious. Sighing, the military-trained pegasus hoisted the spoiled unicorn onto his back, knowing that he would rather carry the nuisance then listen to him whine. Red Wing, arriving at the throne room, dropped the Prince unceremoniously on the floor and tapped a certain brick, which caused a loud banging noise, before the throne moved aside, revealing a secret stairway built into the palace, after the Royals discovered the crystal caverns beneath Canterlot. Rather than carry Blueblood down, Red Wing shoved him down the long staircase, then watched, laughing uproariously, as the Prince fell down over 200 steps into a large chamber. The Prince woke after the first five and frantically flailed his limbs, ungracefully falling while screeching horribly, thinking he was being abducted by changelings. Red Wing followed, after he had contained his laughter, closing the passage behind him. He reached the bottom to see Cadence and Shining Armour barely holding in their mirth as the Prince dusted himself off. “I will have you imprisoned for that! Insolent peasant!” Blueblood rambled off to himself as Red Wing’s eyes widened, while he thought of the possible consequences of his actions. Then, upon seeing Shining Armour shaking his head with a large smile on his face, he relaxed. “Red Wing, report.” The Captain of the Royal Guard asked after becoming more serious. Red Wing mentally went through what he would say, before he listed off his report, “Uh, all high-v-value ponies are s..safe, but all our s-soldiers died, and that dragon has b-been captur-tured by ch-ch-changelings, sir…” “What? Aah… No! Gah!” the captain’s face contorted in self-loathing and pain as slammed his hooves down trying to vent the rage. Telling himself he had to continue the mission he croaked out, “We’ll get him back.” Taking another breath, he continued, “Alright. What about the creature? The one you mentioned earlier, that breached my shield?” “We s-slayed it, although we lost ev-every guard that stayed here to that… creature, and the others.” The red guard responded sadly. At this Shining Armour deflated. He shut his eyes tight, and rubbed his temple with a hoof. Cadence tried comforting him, but he asked one more question, “What about the changelings, did we repel them?” The pegasus reported, “N-no sir. B-but they retreated… f-for some reassson.” “Alright… so we continue as planned? We go to the Crystal Empire, get the reports of the raids they conducted while we were here distracting the army, and retrieve some soldiers to lead a raid against the Ponyville Hive. Since we have no wounded to bring-“ “Ahem!” Prince Blueblood coughed. “Since we have no wounded to bring,” Shining reasserted, “we can just deposit ‘his Majesty’ there while the others lead a raid on the Appleoosa Hive to hopefully gain ground and find some of our captive Equestrians.” “Alright, let’s move.” Cadence finished. The posse travelled through the catacombs; Shining Armour close to Cadence, Prince Blueblood muttering and complaining to himself in the back, and Red Wing worriedly feeling like they had missed someone, even though everyone seemed to be accounted for. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Running through the palace headed for the crystalized catacombs, a purple and green dragon with tears in his eyes frantically whispered to himself, “Get to Shining Armour, tell him what happened. Get to Shining Armour, tell him what happened. Get to…”