//------------------------------//
// Part 4 
// Story: Eclipse's Journey 
// by Eclipse_filer 
//------------------------------//


Part 4

 
I woke up as light as a feather, like I was floating. I looked around and saw a room like in Rain's hotel but something was different. There was a green tint everywhere. I couldn't move much. Then when I exhaled bubbles came out. I thought “WAIT! Bubbles!? But, this doesn't feel like water and I can breathe. So I'm in...” A chilling thought came to me in realization of what I'm in. I thought “Sweet Mabel Pancakes! I'M. IN. A. POD!!!”I forced my hooves to the side of the pod and ripped it open. All of the pod's contents spilled on to the floor. I started to roll around on the floor saying “Eww, Eww, Eww, Eww, Eww, and Eww! Gross, Gross, Gross and Gross!”
 
During my little spasms, a changeling ran in and yelled “No My POD! It took hours to get it perfect. Great and the slime is all over the floor too. It's going to take two hours to fix this. You should be happy; the gooey stuff in the pod has regenerative minerals, when it enters the body. But you weren’t that hurt at all, it’s hard to believe you took on a dragon, almost without getting hit.” I looked at him in horror saying” Are you saying I swallowed the goo!” I want to hurl at the thought of it. He said "You're lucky our Queen and princess like you so much.” He took the destroyed pod and was stomping out the door. Meanwhile I was busy being a man. By curling into a ball thinking “Please tell me I wasn't probed”.
 
After twitching in the ground for a few minutes; I got up and shake off the amount of disgust I felt. Rain walked in and asked “Are you okay? I saw you were fighting a large dragon then you were going take a huge blast from the Queen. How did you get out of that without getting hurt?”
 
I said “I don't know, I just thought the words protect and it appears.” My arm tensed and the shield came back on my arm again.” I guess protect is the trigger word. Hmm…3 questions, where are we? Where is the guy I was with and most importantly; WHY WAS I IN A POD!? ” Rain walked to me saying “Well, we are back in the motel in Lupin and the guy you were with is okay. He’s sleeping, like you were in the pod. What you got something against pods? Were you scared or something?” I said “No, but this is what some civil creatures would have nightmares about. I on the other hoof was perfectly fine.”
 
The same changeling from a minute ago was still at the door interrupted with “Please, you were so scared you. I thought you were going to paint the floor greenish yellow.” It felt like my face went a bright red when I yelled “Shut up…whoever you are! Rain who is this guy!?” She burst out laughing for a good minute and then told me “That’s my brother, Reggie. Well, I call him Reggie.”
 
He bowed in a mocking way saying “How do you do, good sir. Rain you owe me a pod. Your new boy toy broke mine.” She sighed and said “Fine bill me later, little bro. No he’s not my boyfriend! Why, do you say that to me every time I bring a guy with me?” He smirked while walking out the room yelling “Because, I’m normally right!”
 
She started pouting and I said “sibling, right?” Rain sighed and says "He’s a good guy; he’s always got my back, even though he bugs the heck out of me. Do you have any siblings?” I said “I got a half-brother and half-sister but I rarely see them. We’re not all that close but we are cool with each other. So you mind telling me how you ended up here?”
 
Rain said “When we split up at the entrance, all I could see was a vast ocean of mares in front me. Everywhere I looked there were mares. Ten guys hitting on girls professionally could not get through all of that in a month, Bow-chica-wow-wow.”  I didn't even know how to respond to that, let alone trying to imagine it.
 
My face felt hot again as she continues “after getting through the endless line of women. I finally made it to the bleachers. To see, most of the stadium was filled with mares of all ages but, no guys were there. Your friend was in arena and wanted talk to the Queen about something. Then I saw you waltzing your flank into the battlefield. I did the most sensible thing a lady like would do in this situation. I ran up to the edge of the stands. Lift you up to me and throttle you.
 
But before I got to floating you up, I sensed my employees nearby. Shadow and Saphyre were right next to the Queen. Shadow was being used as a footstool. Saphyre was feeding Queen Lotus food from a specially made bowl. I raced back to the huge hallway and saw another way to go straight to Queen Lotus.
 
While running there, three guards blocked the path. Two of them were minotaurs and a pegasus pony. They told me to cease and return back to the bleachers. I thought two minotaurs and winged pony would a bit much too much for me to handle. That and they had to weigh way more than 300 pounds, so I could not push them aside. I shot a freeze spell at them to stop them for few minutes and kept going to Shadow and Saphyre.
 
When I got to them, I saw you and that guy beating that dragon. I grabbed them and we started running. By time my spell went away, we just got past the guards and they started chasing after us. I thought we got away but got knock out like you did I’m guessing.
 
I woke in this motel to seeing my little sister leaning against the wall giving me a rather smug look, even for her.” Then someone said “Well I told you before, you're eventually going to need your family, like it or not.” The clerk from earlier walk and I tiled my head saying "Miss. clerk you're a…”
 
Then a blazing green inferno welcomed her body turn black and slightly holely. Her hair turns a golden orange while her eyes stayed the regular light blue. Her legs and horn elongated three feet. The flame was gone after revealing her natural body. She said while posing “So, what do you think? I know assists aren’t as big as my sister’s. But and that is a really big one, I more than make up for it with my charm and delicacy. Some males prefer like long legs on a lady.”
 
A pillow flew straight into her face “What the heck are you doing! Why would you break your masking in front of this idiot! What do you mean by delicate; a rhino after eating a chili peppers in the middle of city is more delicate then you” Rain roared.
 
The clerk said while shrugging “You already told me earlier he knows. Besides he was already putting two and two together, so what's the problem? So when are you going to stop being rude and introduce our lovely, caring, younger sister to the dashing, red-blooded male.” Rain sighed saying “This is Eclipse Filer, a helper for hire and that’s all he was doing. This is my little sister the new Queen of my hive, Ariel Saddle. Hmft, it looks like you had a growth spurt" In mocking tone Rain stated “All Hail Queen Sunset Braids”.
 
Then she continued on with saying “We were looking for my employees that went missing a while ago. We got them now, so now his job is done. Clips here is a free man now also Clips talk, I need to go get a drink of water.”
 
I was still baffled at what was going on stood silent until Rain walk out the room. Ariel walks up to me and put a hoof on my shoulder. For some reason my shoulders automatic tensed. She sat next in a relaxed tone said “Relax, I was only fooling around. I like to flirt, with her new boyfriends when I first met them. To see if they cheat on her, so they would break up before they are serious. While with our brother, I dug up as much info as possible on the girl he is dating; to make sure she is not evil. No one can say I’m biased.” I sat down and said “Wow! You are the worst kind of sister to have. You sound like a young overbearing mom, sister mixed with a girl that will take your lover.” She smiled and pushed me “Bingo, that’s me to the letter. If you are going to be around my sister, Make sure she stays safe, or...” She raised her hoof and a green flame flicker on it. She continued “I will find you and the citizens of Tartars would scream for mercy from the torture I will put you through. You won’t even see me coming and please remember I have an army just like me. Are we clear Mister Clipped?” That scared the heck out of me. I wanted to say something but nothing came out and my body was slightly trembling. I manage to say before relaxing “ cr...c...cry...crystal.” I think I found something scarier than a rampaging dragon and Rain on a bad day put together.
 
I claimed, relaxed, sat back up and said “So, how did you fine Rain and me? Rain told me you guys can’t find other like you?” She said “That’s true; we have been looking for her for a few years now. She was next in line to become Queen of our hive. But she kept saying was going to open a successful inn or hotel for since where young. Personally, I don’t see why she wanted to own one but she was putting her own wants and needs...her hive...her family.” I defended her saying she had dreams and she could visit any time. But Ariel retaliated with “It’s not just that terra citizens are not fond of changelings as a whole. If she opens up shop and someone see her wings and all they might kill her.” I nodded and said “But I remember her mentioning she did with one other guy yesterday.” Ariel stood up in shock and yelled “She what! Rain get in here!”
 
Rain walked in saying in a mocking tone "Yes mom.” Ariel howled “You told someone other than this chum, how many other guys know?” I thought “well that kind hurt”. Rain said “It was one guy, other than that loser; it was my ex-boyfriend Marco. We’re still close and he is a really good guy.” I took another shot to the ego and said “Oww, I’m still here in the room and do you mean Marco the policeman in Aster?” Ariel yelled "YOU WERE DATING A POLICE OFFICER! That's it, I'm telling mom.” She walked out without a single word. Rain put her hoof to her forehead and said “Thanks Clips, now I have to explain this to myself to my parents. The Toka guy from before met is the last door to the left down the hall. If somehow get lost call for Reggie "Then she left there, all alone.


I got up and walked to the door and saw Reggie was at the door. He didn’t look that different from his sister, rain as a changeling. But he had wings and no hair. Reggie said "Your friends are in Rain’s room. But his injuries are mostly from electric shocks oddly. Other than that he is fine.” He walked me to the room stood front of the door. I walked in and saw Toka unconscious in a pod. I pushed it a few times. It felt a large water balloon, shaking and jiggling despite at my efforts to open it. That didn't work; I tried kicking next and no dice. Next I tried tearing into the pod like how I escaped my goo filled prison. I gave up trying and called Reggie to help me.
 
He looked at me confused and said "Can't you do it? Any changeling worth him wings can do it.” I told him I wasn't one and gave me an odd look and said “But it’s near impossible for other species to open them”. He shrugged it off as nothing and cut Toka free. Toka got up look around the room. From the look of it he wasn’t sure where he was then he Reggie. He jumped back in surprise saying “Who are you and where am I?”
 
Reggie said “I am Regenald the second of the fifth hive of the northwest kingdom but I prefer Reggie. What about you mister pony? What’s your name?” Toka told him his name and said “I’m surprised, changelings have a monarchy. I don’t really know much of your kind besides, transformation and absorbing emotions.” Reggie said “Nope, that is us in a nutshell. Where just like you guys but better and cooler looking.” He then walks out the door. I walked over Toka, he asked me “So what? Have we been taken hostage by the lings or something?” I told him “No it’s way worse, it is a family reunion. Don’t worry we’re fine, my friend however is suffering.
 
She is going to be a while, so you might as well tell me why you came to a feminist dictatorship to start a partnership.” He relaxed on hearing that and told me “Sure, but it’s a long story. Way back in the olden days of terra, when my grandfather came into power of our nation. During that time Aladonk was a newly budding nation. It was so new in fact, the creatures wanted to commemorate the new nation. New bills were made with specially produce ink. The donkeys and others that lived there enjoyed the pride in their nation.
 
A few years later, it was found out the ink that was made for the bills had a special bacterium on it. The bacteria that only found on the material made from the ink. From the prolonged exposure to the cash to the body it can cause headaches and diarrhea. All of our paper money was pulled together and for a public burning. That killed the nation pride and my grandfather stepped down in shame.
 
Then my father took power and had to take the burden of bringing the joy back to a lifeless nation. He tried many things national holidays, large scale events...the list goes on. They worked for the short term but not the long term. While I was younger I suggested using the same ink as the other nations. Being desperate for a new ideas he tried mine, questioning if it would work. At first it did, the citizens haven’t been that happy since my dad was a foal, he told me. The same bacteria from before, somehow survived the burning from the last time unfortunately. By that time, it evolved and now got to new bills. Oh and get this, along with all the other symptoms; the citizens were also experiencing insomnia. My father had to step down as leader from the fear of the nation's troubles driving him nearly into insanity.
 
I stepped up and my first rule was haul to money together again and closing of our trading ports. Praying none of the bills made it to another nation and spread. I decided to switch to bits, as a safer option for money transactions. We are stable for the moment, but my citizens are scared to use their money. In fear of the sickness breaking out again and spread to the rest of terra. I am currently, on a quest to find a way to neutralize the vile sickness and opening the trading ports again.”
 
I felt like someone had tied an anchor to my body, this is really heavy. I asked “So you are a traveling king, looking for a cure for your citizens, while opening your trading ports. That is pretty cool.” He said “I am not a king. A king would not let his fellow creatures suffer so much. I will like to be one someday but not now, there is too much to do before that. Besides, I have always wanted to travel. So when Lotus called me the failure prince, she wasn’t too far off. No one blames me for the reprint bills, since I was still a foal at the time. But I can’t let it go, not just yet. Right now, my mother and sister are ruling in my absence.” I told him I want to help but he said "if you got doctorate in biology and chemistry. If no, thanks but I will take my chances.” I shaked my head saying no and I started to think aloud saying “So, I’m client’s a princess and I was just fighting a dragon with a ‘prince’. That’s a lot to take in.” Toka said “wait, what princess?”

Reggie walked, interrupting us saying "Sorry, to break up your tea party but my mom wants to talk to you two.” He guides us to the room on the other end of the hall and brought us in. I saw Rain had changed to back into a changeling, pouting in a corner of the room. Ariel was standing next two changelings. One was lying on queen sized bed and the other was sitting in a chair. Both looked a bit older, but still resembled Ariel, Rain and Reggie.
 
The one bed looked more like Ariel with short orange hair. The other had spiky red hair with Reggie’s face. The one the bed spoke first "So you are the brave souls my daughters talked about? Who are you?” We told them who we are the changeling said "Oh a Dalelion, I never thought I would run into one of you like this. Tell me, how is your kingdom? Do you have a stable currency yet?” Toka replied "No, I’m still working on a way to fix it. Until then I want to open trading to outside of it. Their supplies are running low on pelletx. At this rate, any form of support would be a great help.”
 
They said “Sorry, unless you need warriors to fight, they’re not going to be able to help you much.” I jumped in asked something that was bugging me “I’m sorry for interrupting but who are you?” She chuckled a bit and said “Where are my manner, I am the ex-ruler of the fifth hive of the northwest kingdom, Michelle. The gentleman scowling at our blockheaded foal is Samuel my husband.” Rain said from respected corner of the room "Come on, my ex-boyfriend didn’t tell anyone.” Her father jumped in saying “Weren’t mad at you for telling him.  We are mad at you for telling him you’re secret before you get to know the guy that well.”
Rain said “We dated for 3 months straight. Besides, I think old enough to make my own decisions.” Samuel said “you are and you're making bad choices. Hey, blue guy when she told you her secret.” Absent mindedly I said “Well, we met in Aster March 3...that fight was March 4th...March 5 we left for Lupin. I don’t know how long I was out after Ariel got us. So I don’t know.” Samuel yelled “You told a mercenary you met in less than a week, you're a changeling!”
 
The way Rain was looking at me, I hoped she did not have a spell to magically blow up heads from there. She said “I did it because; my employees were gone for over or near a year. Their families were beginning to think they were dead. I couldn’t even hire anymore creatures in town. They all had jobs and weren’t looking for more work. Besides their jobs, I was going to come to Lupin to find them anyway. They are my best friends and I wanted them back.”
 
Samuel said “Fine, but you still shouldn’t have told that police officer.” I asked “why, aren’t police officers her to help everyone.” Rain sighed and said "Yes but think about this, police walked around armed while on the job. Police have to enforce the rules and belief of civil creatures. A changeling, if good enough can change into whatever they pleased. So if something bad or odd happen, or even better an investigation with no leads on the rule breaker...” I said “they would think it was a changeling, from the lack of evidences. But that’s really prejudice! Isn’t our society working to stopping it?”  Michelle said “Welcome to our world. It’s getting better but it’s better but it still better to stay in the shadows for now.
 
But there real thing we need deal with now is Crimson Lotus. Now that she knows you two, she is not going to stop until she gets her hooves on you two. If you head back to Aster, she will burn it down to smoke you out. If you want to long she might start a war on Mr. Dalelion’s nation, thinking you were taking refuge there. So what will you do?” I smile and said "Is that really a question; I’m going be there and kicking her flank off her throne!” She gave me a confused look, I said “Well she did sent a dragon to kill us and open fire on us when we were leaving. I want payback for that, plus this town needs to be fixed. Rain, you can head back to Aster with your friends, I will be back later. Toka, good luck on your quest to bring back you nation. I hope you find what need for your creatures. As for me I will think of something.”
 
Everyone in the room looked at me like I was spouting gibberish. Rain said “Clips, that’s suicide. A single creature can’t handle a town. That’s not counting an alicorn. I’m going with you; Lotus doesn’t deserve to be queen.” Rain said "You part in our deal not over until WE get back to Aster, then it’s my turn. I don’t mind a few hitches in the plan, as long as we get back.” Ariel said “You got our support and I got a plan for getting her there. But you should see the friends you were saving before. They are across the hall.”
 
Me, Toka and Rain went across the hall to see the two wolves. They looked exactly how rain’s transformation looked like. Shadow looked over at us and asked “who are you?” Rain said “I’m sorry, I didn’t come sooner.” They look at her confused until she changed back her normal mask. Shadow said “Ms. Bolt you...you found us...and you’re a changeling?” He rushed up to hug rain and Saphyre smiled shyly. Rain introduce us to her them and asked them to tell us about their time with Lotus.  

Shadow said "Well after left Aster and was in Lupin, were told to start working the same day. We ask them what was all about and they told us. We live there now and it was owned by the Queen. We did what any sane creature would do in situation. We ran for it, but was captured and Queen Crimson herself. She took a liking to Saphyre, but hated me. Saphyre was made her royal poison checker. I went in a hole for two months. The walls were coat magic so I couldn’t latch on and climb up. Someone was bringing me food everyday so I wouldn’t starve. When months were up I was brought back up to her. She said I looked more like mangy mutt I was and used me as a footstool. There were some many times where I wanted to lunge at her and rip her eyes out. But remembered she was powerful alicorn and I was not at full power. She could overwhelm me with no problem and she had guard. I would sometimes misstep on propose to get 2 months off in the hole again. Just to get some time for freedom and my back, she’s heavy.”

Saphyre talked for the first time saying the oddest thing “Lotus is the cruelest creature I have ever met. But she wasn’t always mean, at least from the story she told me.” Toka asked her what story she was talking about. Saphyre said “On one of the months Lotus was sent Shadow to a hole. She told me she wasn’t always like that. Back when she was a kid, the males in the town would run around doing whatever they want to females short of killing. Most of the guys living here was scum that raped, assaulted, public embarrassment, slavery the list goes on. The worst of them was her father. She treated her and her mom however they felt like.
 
The day that changed her life for the ‘better’ as she put it came. She came to talk to her father about having a real birthday. Not the tasteless muffin with a candle on it she got every year. She walked to see her mother dead on the floor. She blocked everything else as she ran to her to try and save her. But was too late and then she look over to see her father get killed but some worker at castle. The realization her parents were gone hit her and it kill her emotions. The worker reaches out his claw and was trying to tell her something.
 
The shock from the scene made her numb and deaf to everything around her. So she grabbed him his claw threw to the ground and casted a spell without thinking. She put one hoof on the works chest and one to holding down one arm and him to be quiet. She called him a monster and she never wanted to hear his vile voice speak our language again. The spell made that happen now whenever he talked it sounded like gibberish.
 
Angry overcame her body, she started to cry and she started to punch him senselessly. Until she got tried and got off of him and for some reason, she felt happy. She felt powerful enough to take on the world. She thought that’s what dad and those males must feel when abuse women. The unbelievable amount of cruelty she displayed made her hunger for more. Under her rule the roles of who dominated did a 180, as females abused male by the help of the law. That worker survived and now serves under her as her strongest warrior, Nitro.”

All I could say to her was “Wow! You couldn’t have told us that, after we beat her.” Toka said “Yeah, I know right?” Rain said “Well, I feel bad now. But that does not change what she is doing wrong.” Shadow sighed and said “Let’s take her out and decide later what to do.” Saphyre said “Okay, but do we have a plan?” I nodded, then remember something of grave importance "Before we do all that, there is something really important need to ask you Saphyre. Will you go on a date with me?” Without a second thought she shaked her head saying no saying “I don’t want us to be distracted in the fight”. I asked what about later and she said "No, I’m not interested.” Rain hit me in the arm saying “Seriously, you would ask her that now? The 6 of us are about fight an army.” I shrugged saying "It was a part of the deal to helping get your friends back. I figured since we are making it miracles happen today, I figured I try to get one early but no dice.” Saphyre glared at a Rain from what I said. Ariel walked in and asked "Are you ready? Also sister, it will be the six of us taking her and her guards down. Don’t worry, I got to a plan. ”