As Earth and Equestria are drawn closer together, Gatekeepers connecting to their other-world counterpart start to appear. This is the story of Rex, bound to Chrysalis as a Gatekeeper, and his quest for survival as a changeling on Earth.
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And.... you do not end it with an "and. ...." dame cliffhanger
You know, that's a really mean way to end a chapter. I want the next one really bad now.
3953643
Oh, cheer up. You only have to wait about 23 more hours!
3953667 Tis will be the only reason i wont hunt you down for making this cliffhanger other wise
3953667
Although I love daily updates, l know that more than 90% of authors can't keep going with them if the chapters have more than 1000 words. How long are you going to keep doing daily chapters?
3953676
I have three more unpublished chapters, two of which are un edited. The only reasons I was able to write this much are 1) I got snowed in just before valentine's break at school and 2) the valentine's chapter had to come first, delaying the release of my other chapters. As soon as school starts again, I will be slowed down.
This scene was everything I hoped it would be, really enjoyed the confrontation between them. Although, I thought most of the bar staff were changelings. Did they get transferred out? BTW, when Rex snapped his fingers, it looks like you forgot to delete the word confused when you replaced it with disappointed.
3953732
I fixed that.
Also, most of the (changeling) staff wasn't there yet, only arriving later in the evening. The chefs only needed to be there this early for kitchen prep and the occasional early bird customer.
You... you motherfucker...
I know that you are call wille 179 but maybe we need to call you {"Cliffhanger"} instead, for all the cliffhanger chapters you have given us. Now I need to see the next chapter more.
Keep up with the good Job you are doing.
Dragonfox
That was almost perfect. The only thing I didn't like was that Rex was kind of a push over, he might have been doing it on purpose at first but I would think he would at least get some more changeling in case something went wrong.
P.S: You jerk with your cliffhangers! Why you do dis?!
lol, the ending
3953667
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!
fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/236/5/b/cliffhanger_by_nimaru-d6jkgit.png
troll.me/images/american-psycho/ive-had-enough-of-these-fucking-cliffhangers.jpg
And finally Catherine sees the truth!
i feel like catherine will save him
You... you sick bastard... you enjoy it don't you?
3954401 She seems to be quite emotionally-motivated. And I'm starting to think that the people the gatekeepers bond to tend to be somewhat similar in personality, so Catherine will probably have some character traits in common with Gilda.
3953992 Well, the chapter title does say "novice king." In general, I find that Rex isn't very good at this. He depends greatly on having an inherent advantage and tends to botch everything that requires actual skill. I'd expect a gamer to be better than this, or at least Genre Savvy, but Nick did mention that he wasn't very good at games either. Accidental foreshadowing?
And these cliffhangers are really getting overused.
3954501
I would think that if he was that bad at it he would have been discovered as a magic user in the first chapter and certainty wouldn't get 200 changelings within I think its 2 years or somewhere around that time frame. If I got it right, then it will grow exponentially and soon have more hatched changelings than converted. I got the impression that Chrysalis took a millennium to get it to where she is at and that Rex will get there in less than half that time if he keeps going the way he is. Plus, what about the bank robbery and all that stuff? Took skill the way I saw it.
3954435
Exactly.
You better update now Mr.Author!
Everybrony here hates cliffhangers(dispite it being major intesifying).
Your forced to update soon Mr.Author, becuase a cliffhanger is never ment to be held for to long.
and if it is, thats bad pudding cups for you.
3954517 I didn't say that he was bad at it, just not good either. He didn't try very hard to hide his magic and mostly wasn't discovered because the few people who have investigated him didn't know to look for it. Plus the only way of detecting magic we know of so far is a geiger counter. 200 Changelings in 2 years is pretty good, but it could be better. Also, he hasn't developed his businesses as much as he should, putting all of his eggs in one basket with Greenfyre inc. and shell companies instead of spreading his businesses around, and one of his Changelings groups has been 'not yet implemented' for a while.
You also need to look at the circumstances. Chrysalis lived in a world filled with magic which could easily grow to counter her efforts and had to learn about Changelings entirely by herself. Rex had a lot of help from her, and his world doesn't have any knowledge of magic or defenses against it. He could do even better by taking advantage of this. And while I wouldn't call the bank robberies unskilled, all he did was lay out a very basic plan and use magic to deal with any problems. He didn't need to do better to rob the banks, but that simple power-through approach doesn't work so well for other things, especially like enemies with anti-magic rings.
My biggest issue with Rex is that he seems to lack any real planning. He doesn't put as much thought into short-term consequences as he should. Once humans find out about magic, they'll know that a gatekeeper was behind the robberies and will be hunting for him. If the people in that hospital were as sympathetic to Selene as those doctors seemed, there could be all kinds of nasty problems if anyone finds out about his involvement, and Selene is almost certain to hear of it eventually.
Rex doesn't seem to have any kind of long-term plan, for himself, his business, or his subjects. This could cause problems if he doesn't know what direction to take his efforts in. Particularly since he doesn't seem to be looking for allies outside of Chrysalis, and has already antagonized the Equestrians, who could have become his strongest allies with some careful negotiation. I greatly enjoy this story, but while Rex is good enough to pull of this role, he doesn't excel at it.
3954805
200 in 2 years. Thats 100 a year and that's about a new changeling every 3 days. Okay that could be better despite the fact that only he can convert them but it's pretty high up there I would think, considering that he has all of his kingly duties to perform.
As for the business, if my memory serves correctly, he has .75 million bucks per changeling. At this point I would think money isn't really the thing he's worried about.
From what Chrysalis has told Rex, most of what she can do is instinctual. This means that she probably had it all done in at most a year. Let's look back at what she can do shall we:
it goes on but those are the things she would know about within a year. Given all that I would think that Rex would have done much better in her position.
As for Rex is bad at planning and all that, how about when he made that plan for getting Selene. Oh, and he is awesome at making new spells.
He would do a lot better if he had an actual overall plan or some kind of actual goal besides "make sure the race is not dead".
So yeah, that's my argument. BEAT THAT!
I will find you... and i will kill you for that cliffhanger....
3954867 200 in 2 years is pretty good, and with Chrysalis' mine he doesn't need to worry about money. My main concern about his businesses is that he doesn't seem to have set any priority targets, such as companies and people that control services which could be used to protect the Changelings and give them more advantages and options. Since he didn't get the police chief before the time skip, we can infer that he hasn't been looking for political and authority figures to control either, which means he probably doesn't have many institutions (government or not) which he could manipulate.
The basic abilities may be instinctual, but Chrysalis still had to master using them and figure out the more advanced and imaginative uses herself. In the beginning, Will relied heavily on her advice, and that still didn't stop him from botching three early conversions, or the confusion as to what effects the various feeding methods had on people. He thought that if he just halfway rip-fed on someone they would recover, but the chapter he tried it clearly showed he was wrong. Not to mention that despite all his knowledge and caution, his full takeover of Sally still caused unintentional changes, even if it was something as minor as swearing.
Admittedly he is good at spellcrafting, and his plan for saving Selene was good. However, his selection of operation members left him with a murderous anti-human soldier, and he ended up murdering people. The way he handled the rescue is going to send a message about his character, which will cause problems between him, Selene, and anyone else who learns of it.
You're not taking this too seriously, are you? I just wanted to discuss the story. I'm sorry if I sounded angry or something.
3954981
Nah, it was just a joke.
I would still think that he would be able to learn all of those abilities/whatever within a year without completely blowing everything up. He found out about magic on accident and if Chrysalis wasn't around he would experiment until he would be able to at least levitate. He might not be able to teleport or anything like that without the books she gave him but he would still be able to get the basics down. There still might be the occasional accident, like that whole Sally-Anne thing, but he would still get it down. Same with the whole what they can feed on. Actually he might not get the passive feeding but he would get the other ones I'm pretty sure.
"Three early conversions"... I thought the only conversions he really wrote about was that one guy in the mob and Nick and those didn't really go wrong. Unless you mean the point we're at right now is still "early" in which forget I said anything.
As for the murder. Yeah, I got nothin, he screwed that up.
He does have that one mob guy that he converted so he knows whats goin on in the criminal underworld and I think that's as much as he needs from there. As for the government people. Chryisalis is just now starting to convert a lot of government ponies. She has a hive of... a lot, and she thinks that converting 20 of them is a lot during the invasion. I don't think that Rex is going to want that on his plate until the actual law making body will help him by a noticeable amount and that shouldn't happen until he is king of masses.
I agree that he would get that stuff down in a year, but he would be missing more advanced things which he sort of needs.
We didn't see the scenes, but during one of the later chapters (Sally-Anne's experiment, I think) Rex mentioned that the three converts didn't come out well. One was brain-dead, another had no self-awareness, and the one that would become Taruke had severe damage to his personality.
One person in the underground could give him a heads-up on criminal activity, but wouldn't be able to influence much. We don't really know how many ponies in Canterlot are involved in politics, so it's hard to judge what would be considered a lot there. However, I wasn't referring to taking control of legislation or anything big like that, it's too overt. Rather, he should go after figures who can use their abilities or authority to help the hive in smaller ways.
By having leaders or ranking members of an organization subtly lead others away from actions that could harm the hive and encourage plans that benefit them, Rex could avoid trouble such as what he found in the hospital. Hypothetically, if Selene had been in a hospital that Rex had a Changeling in, he could have already been informed of what was going on and could have exerted some influence in order to create a better escape route, allowing him to avoid having to make that choice.
The thing is, Rex is doing just fine right now. He would be a lot better off if he focused his resources and goals, had influential leaders and service providers, and worked to create peace between himself and the ponies, but despite that he has done an okay job of being King. But that can change fast. He hasn't considered the future or the problems that can arise, doesn't have a resource buffer (besides money), most of his power is invested in Greenfyre Inc. alone, and his only ally is Chrysalis. Lots of RL businesses go under because they fail to look for problems ahead of time, and then don't adapt when they get into trouble. I've sat down and thought about all the problems that could come from his world and Equa, and I think that he is terribly underprepared for what could happen. His approach means that while he could adapt to and survive the changing situations, he won't be able to prevent a lot of the damage like if he had prepared properly.
3955075
3954981
Can I just butt in real quick and offer my two cents?
Rex is smart, but no genius. He's also impulsive and emotional, and has no prior political experience nor ambitions. He was thrown into an unexpected role with little choice on the matter.
Also, almost 90% of the hive members work in normal, everyday jobs. The businesses that I have mentioned in my notes are the explicitly changeling ones that are 100% changeling owned. Also, most of the converts right now are either love collectors or informants; they are just the eyes, ears, and mouths of the hive. He hasn't truely started bulking up in political/economic power, nor has he really flexed his own peronal muscles yet. A dozen changelings in the right places and with the right faces can do a huge amount of damage. Rex just hasn't had a reason to... yet.
Also, remember the scene where Rex explains that he took Selene to keep her out of government hands? He was projecting his own fears onto her. He's prone to overreacting, he's scared of being captured and dissected, and is surrounded by people in strange phychological situations.
Being a changeling tends to lower peoples' inhibitions because it empowers them to do something (magic) and gives them a way to escape punishment (magic + shifting), which brings out the worst in people, things that would normally be supressed. For instance, Slagteri, in my backstory for him, had always been a monster on the inside. Being a changeling just gave him a 'get out of jail free' card.
Part of Rex's problem is that he's trying to estabolish a magical community in a non-magical world while having to deal with many sudden emergencies or the plans of another. Ponies already dislike changelings, so during the wedding, he wasn't too concerned about making enemies because his hive was so small (10 lings) and he controlled the only gate. During Selene's rescue, it was a rush job because of the surprise and time sensitivity. In dealing with Catherine, he hadn't connected that she was "the girl with the griffin," and rushed in without backup.
(Do you have any idea how hard it is to write this comment without spoiling the next chapters?)
3955486 That would explain his lack of focus. Although a lot of that can be learned from video games, being a simulated experience, which is why I was surprised that a gamer wasn't better at this.
His problems tend to pop up quite quickly, but that's the nature of emergencies. And he has time to plan and prepare between most of them. To be honest, I would also do a lot of the things he has, but a bit differently. When he sent Twilight and Cadance back, he didn't explain that Changelings didn't exist just to trouble ponies, that they had lives and families of their own, or justify his involvement (starving is one of the worst ways someone can die). Similarly, when he had Selene open the portal, he didn't show any examples of being more than the monster they claimed he was, and his closing taunt distracted the other ponies from Celestia's dabbling in black magic and war crimes.
If he made an effort to minimize the ill effects of love draining, firmly established that he and Chrysalis ran two separate and different hives, and forced the ponies to accept that they weren't entirely innocent either, he might have been able to convince the princesses to draw up a peace treaty between themselves and him. A mutual protection pact wouldn't harm his interests much since Chrysalis probably has all the love she needs for now and can find other ways to gain it, while a vow of defense from the ponies would be a great asset if he ever needed someone else to help him.
3955486
Ooooooh.
3955337 He could probably get by with just the basics for now, at least until he has the resources to really go all sciency, not including money he's loaded right now.
The point of the he has that mob guy was that he doesn't really need to do much in the criminal world except know whats going on. And Willie here explained why he didn't go into the government. But just to add to it what else can he get from infiltrating the government besides the huge magical stuff that has been showing up recently which he has no idea how often they're going to happen or any info about it what so ever. So why gamble all the resources when you can just hope for the best and go with the short term way of infiltrating your way through the actual scene of the magical crime where they have every advantage because it's a magical crime scene and why hide magic there?
As for everything else I'm pretty sure Willie covered it. Oh, and I just kinda forgot about that one part with the three failed changelings .
3955662
How would he be able to convince them that he regretted helping the Griffin/Minotaur/all those races and wouldn't do it again?
I probably should have put all of these three into one comment huh?
3955794 He doesn't need more than information gathering in the black market or government right now, but I'm talking about having people in place for events like my hypothetical example with the hospital. Or Rex might do something that gets the police investigating him, and he could have someone like the police chief through them off track. Something like that.
I don't think lying to them about regretting it would be a good idea. Rather, he could have made a case about Changelings being more than monsters, explain that he was hired to support the invasion and was convinced to help because of ponies' past transgressions against Changelings (like the starving of prisoners and shifting fabric), and draw attention to the ponies' more morally questionable actions.
They wouldn't accept him right away, but by presenting himself as a righteously angry civil leader and forcing the princesses to admit to war crimes when more humane (equine?) alternatives were available, he could create enough sympathy to convince them that they aren't dealing with an unreasoning monster, but someone concerned for his own people and of those similar to himself. If they still don't believe him, he could point out that he could have simply kept Cadance and forced her to use her love magic for his hive using Twilight as collateral instead of taking care of them and sending them back home.
After discussing their respective actions, he could offer to not support any further attacks and convince Chrysalis to do the same (they know that she was involved, though not to what extent) in exchange for protection from Equestrians should the need arise and better treatment for Changelings, or something along those lines. Then, by keeping in contact, they could get to know each other more and establish stronger ties in the future.
3956021
I doubt that they would listen to him. I mean why they listen to something that has been leaching off of them since the times of Discord and kidnaps ponies and kidnapped the element of magic and the goddess of love? Especially when, from their perspective, he's just trying to steal as much love from them as he can. He could be lying every word he says and could just be trying to infiltrate them to make them vulnerable to another invasion from that huge army that they think he's in cahoots with. He'd be all and rage quit before he could get any say in anything. It wouldn't be calmly discussing a peace treaty, it would be accusation after accusation, possibly from both sides. If it is from both sides it would actually be more likely to work. And he helped kill thousands of ponies in Canterlot, who would listen to a terrorist?
3956051 Okay, I think you skipped over some things. Suggesting a peace treaty comes last, after most of the discussion. First, he should establish his motivations, claiming that he became involved because of past actions against Changelings, and informing them that Changelings have lives and feelings as well. If they said he was just trying to get more love or brought up kidnapping Twilight and Cadance, Rex could point out how he could have just enslaved Cadance for her love magic by threatening Twilight instead of caring for them and sending them home.
Twilight can’t refute his accusation of them starving Changelings to death, because Cadance told her about it herself. The mention of the Black Archive books shocked everypony and shamed Celestia, which would prevent their emotions from interfering with their reasoning, and Celestia’s invention of the shifting fabric adds weight to his story. If she admits to it, she validates his story, and if she stays silent she still creates shock and doubt in the others. Even if she lies, Luna would probably pick up on it, and Rex would really only need to convince Celestia and Luna. While Twilight and her friends could still influence things, their opinions aren’t as vital as the princesses’.
By establishing that his actions were out of outraged vengeance and refuting the cliché arguments with facts from the pony princesses themselves, he could set it up so that the princesses could believe that he would be willing to stop acting against them if they no longer gave him reason to be angry with them. Furthermore, by getting him to sign a mutual defense pact, he would be agreeing to help prevent future troubles from Changelings. They would still be wary of him, but a chance at peace is far better than a certainty of acquiring an enemy. If it seemed like coexistence was at least possible, then I believe that Celestia would almost certainly agree, and Luna would probably agree if the treaty was feasible and reasonable enough.
Damn you and your cliffhangers
So rage/anger is literally burning to changelings if strong enough. Hmm..
So William/Rex is now without an arm? That kind of damage isn't going to just heal unless the changeling Kings/Queens are unique in the ability to regenerate. Sally-Anne wasn't healing from the damage done to her.
Also had a thought: Rex REALLY needs to send a few boxes of candy hearts to Chrysalis.
I personally find Dave the true monster. People with his kind of personalities deserve to have their limbs removed... their heads also.
3956294
I just don't understand how they would listen to Rex in the first place though. I mean, why not just sit down next to a portal that they can only get from being close to Chrysalis, which I forgot to mention, and calmly talk to a love eating monster who did all the stuff from what I said before. Every time they have talked to each other undisguised, someone has ended up yelling at the other. Whenever the ponies talk about changelings the either speak with fear and horror in their voice or spit it out like a curse. I just don't understand how they would actually be calm enough to take each other seriously and not get pissed at each other.
3956897 From the conversation the chapter showed, they listened just enough to pull it off. He wouldn't need them to accept it right away, just hear it and remember it later. The shock from the Black Archive books would curb their emotions, and refuting Twilight's accusations with the example of releasing Cadance and Celestia's involvement in the shifting fabric would backup his story. Also, Celestia and Luna are significantly more mature and calmer, and would be more willing to listen if a good case were presented instead of ignoring logic in favor of their own emotions.
3956869
Normal changelings can regenerate anything not related to brain damage. Rex and chrysalis have a stronger version of this power.