Chapter 22 - Being Batty isn't so bad
Midnight flew high above the city as Amy followed her. Neither actually knowing where the Griffon might be. Luckily, the Griffon was anything but subtle, and they soon found him with Narrow Gaze of all ponies, as well as a small pile of unconscious ponies.
“What happened here?” Midnight asked as she flew down, avoiding meeting Ace’s eyes for the moment. Narrow turned to the sudden arrivals and shrugged.
“Beats me, I only just got here.”
“These ruffians were quite strange,” Ace said. “They just attacked for no reason, and gave little to no response when I fought back.” He recalled that even when he attacked them, they showed no response in actually feeling any pain.
“Great, something to add to the string of suicides and the like,” Narrow sighed. “I really need that bucking vacation now. Well, thank you for the assist Instructor Ace. And I apologise for the way our city has treated you-”
“Ahahah!” Ace laughed loudly. “I haven’t had this much fun in a while, so fret not Fair Captain.” the Griffon tugged at his pink scarf and Midnight blinked as Narrow’s guards hauled the unconscious ponies away. Though they couldn’t know, Amy sensed something...
Or rather, couldn’t sense something. She looked at the smaller pegasus on her back and smiled at Scopey. “We’re gonna take a quick detour before we go to work, kay?” Amy less asked, more told the smaller mare. She hoped she was wrong. She really did.
“Mhmm,” Scope nodded. She’d ‘not-sensed’ it as well. This...this did not bode well.
“Um, Master?” Midnight giggled. “What’s...with the scarf?” she finally broke down laughing, tears running down her cheeks. Amy blinked, then walked over and gave the griffon a peck on the cheek before trotting after the unconscious ponies, leaving the full meaning of her actions behind to sink in.
“This scarf belongs to a very interesting mare and I happen to like it, despite how badly it clashes with my plumage.” The Griffon sniffed, as Midnight looked to him, then to the retreating pegasus mare.
“You mean... you...and her...” Midnight’s smile widened and she gave the Griffon a sultry stare. “Well, now isn’t that interesting. But, you know she’s...”
“I am aware, and that doesn't faze me, you should know that my student.” he gave her mane a ruffle. “She is beautiful inside and out and that is all I have to say on the matter.”
Midnight nodded and sighed. “Fine, I’m not fussed either way. And it’s good you could get somepony without my help for once.”
“I am the master after all,” Ace huffed.
“Remind me again who got all blushy and stammery over one of the other instructors?” Midnight asked innocently. “Hmm, I can’t quite place his name...”
“We agreed not to speak of the Starry Night Incident ever again!” Ace huffed once more. “Now is there a reason you came to look for me Midnight Song?”
The Thestral was so caught up in the moment, that she forgot why she had come in the first place. All that emotion came flooding back so fast that Scope let out a small gasp.
“Yeah, I’m still pretty pissed at you,” Midnight said, her voice having a bit of bite to it. “And...I understand why you did it, but it hurt, and not physically. I almost lost Ledger that day. And I almost lost my own life.”
Ace stopped, his eyes widening as he looked at her. Had he really caused all that?
“It’s not your fault, so don’t get your feathers in a ruffle,” Midnight sighed. “It was my words that hurt Ledger and my own stupidity that got me killed. But did you really have to take my Lyrica from me?”
Ace snorted, he was glad she wasn’t hurt, but he still took some of the blame. “I’m surprised that you haven’t realized it yet,” he said. “That I did no such thing.”
“W-What?” Midnight paused. “What do you mean? I can’t use Trance anymore!”
“No, you think you can’t,” Ace stated. “I can’t seal a skill like that. That would take actual magic. And last time I checked, I possess no horn.”
“What...?” Midnight repeated.
“The power of suggestion is a powerful thing Midnight,” Ace said. “You can use Trance all you like. You always have been able to. I just had you thinking you couldn’t.”
“So, mind over matter then?” Scope spoke up, trying to distract her thoughts.
“Exactly!” Ace smiled. “And the fact that you bought that so easily is proof you need more discipline and training,” the Griffon stated. “I... I am truly sorry for all that I have put you through. I am, but you must move forward. And I gave you a push... I just, gambled on the direction you would take.”
“No kidding,” Midnight said quietly. All was calm for a moment, before Midnight blurred and a hoof smacked right into Ace’s face, sending the large Griffon sprawling across the ground. he groaned as he picked himself up and shook his head.
“Right, I think I deserved that,” he chuckled dryly.
“You’re bucking right you did!” Midnight stated. “But now, now you can help me train again. Train to fight without using Trance. To use my Lyrica unaided.”
“That’s the plan,” Ace nodded, adjusting his new scarf. It felt...strange. Plus, it smelled like Amy/Cherry.
“And what’s up with that?” Midnight pointed a hoof at him. “How did Amy of all ponies get your damned scarf!”
“Ah...that,” Ace chuckled and waved a single extended claw back and forth. “That is a secret~”
Midnight’s frustrated scream could be heard for miles.
“And there you go, little filly! A double-decker strawberry and vanilla cone, with sprinkles on the inside so they don’t fall out!” Amy beamed at the unicorn filly as she hoofed the treat over. The smile and happiness the little filly radiated at receiving her treat was nearly sickeningly sweet to any changeling that wasn’t a Pink like Amy was.
Unfortunately, Scope was in the corner of the shop and felt the whole thing. She suppressed a shudder and looked at Amy.
“How can you eat that?” she asked. “I ate a whole bag of sugar once, and even that was like munching on salt compared to this.”
“It’s just what I do,” Amy said with a smile as the filly left. Amy looked at the clock and nodded. “Okay, I’m sorry everypony, but I need to go to lunch, and I’m taking my assistant with me as well. If you want to get a genuine Amethyst-crafted treat, I’ll be back in an hour!”
The disappointed moans of the little colts and fillies filled the air, and Amy almost stuck around to give them what they’d come for. Almost. Fortunately, Scope could be depended on to kill moments.
“Oh suck it up, she’ll be back soon. Or would you rather she take the whole day off instead?” Ah Scope, as blunt as a brick to the face. The shaking heads that greeted the smaller pegasus of the pair were almost a relief. And then she was on Amy’s back again.
“See you all soon~” Amy sing-songed as she trotted out of the ice-cream store. “Okay Scopey, which fast-food place do you want to hit up for lunch? You have about two minutes to pick one.”
“I’m wondering when I was demoted to everyone’s plush doll,” she said dryly. “I have four hooves and two wings you know.”
“Yup, but you’re too cute to be allowed to wander,” Amy said. “Somepony else might snatch you up and snuggle you instead of me. One minute thirty, by the way.”
“I am not cute!!” Scope shouted. “And, I dunno. The only place I know of is Fredrick’s or that damnable Love Shack.”
“Well we’ve also got a Hay Burger here,” Amy pointed out. “They’ve got good food, but only physical stuff. At least they serve it up quick. And the Chop Shop does good salads fast if you ask for it fast. And yes, you are. You’re too adorable not to be. Fifty seconds.”
“Not cute and the Hay Burger will be fine I suppose. As long as it isn’t crowded.”
“It might be, and you’re too pretty not to be adorable, which automatically makes you cute as well,” Amy said with a smirk as she adjusted their trajectory for the Hay Burger.
“M’not pretty either,” Scope said. “Or else he’d-” she bit her lip and stopped talking. The Pink of all creatures did not need to know that.
“Oooh, Scopey has a crush,” Amy’s smile widened to the point where Scope could probably see it. “Well, just let Aunt Amy take care of setting you two lovebirds on a date then!” The bell dinged as Amy walked into the local Hay Burger, just in time for Scope’s rebuttal.
“You will do no such thing for a crush I do not have!” Scope stated loudly. “You will forget this entire conversation and never bring it up again. Got that?”
Amy giggled before replying. “Yeah, I can do that…” With a wave of one wing, the pink pegasus indicated the restaurant at large, which was half-full of patrons and a half-dozen workers, all of whom were staring at Scope like she was the most adorable thing ever.
“Buck me...” Scope blushed and hid behind her wings. But this only prompted everypony to ‘D’awww’ at the adorable scene.
“I AM NOT CUTE!” Scope yelled.
“Denying it just makes it more true~” Amy sang as she took her place in line. “Oooh, the deluxe salad looks good today, but then so do the burgers…”
“I’ll take...” Scope looked at the menu and facehooved. She noticed that the foals meals came with Daring Do toys...
No! She was not a foal and she certainly didn’t want any cool toys!
“I’ll...have a salad,” she said quietly.
“They’ve got a few options for that, Scopey,” Amy said as they moved up a place in line. “I’m going with a deluxe salad with a side of hay fries. What about you?”
“Fine, just get me the same,” she said, her sapphire eyes lingering on that figure...
“M’kay, if you’re suuuuure,” Amy said as they moved up again. After the next two ponies ordered, it’d be their turn...
And just like that, the pink Pegasus was at the counter. “I’ll take a Deluxe Salad combo and-”
“A Fantastic Filly Box!” Scope interjected as she looked at both her ride and the serving colt. “Don’t you judge me!!”
“-One Deluxe Salad combo and one Fantastic Filly Box,” Amy said without missing a beat, though her smile was as wide as it had ever been. The colt nodded and punched a few numbers into his register.
“That’ll be thirteen bits,” the colt said. Amy reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a ten and a five bit piece before hoofing both over.
“Keep the change,” the pony said with a grin. The colt looked taken aback for a moment, before nodding and handing the pink pegasus a ticket.
“You’re number seventy-five,” he informed the mare. “Anything to drink?”
“Nah,” Amy said. “We can pick something up while we run errands, or when we get back to work ourselves.” With that, the mare stood off to one side and waited for her number to be called.
Scope burned a bright red as she remained on her perch. “Don’t tell Midnight,” she said quietly.
“My lips are sealed,” Amy promised with a nod as number seventy was called. “...That goes for anything else you might want to say, but think it’d be too embarrassing to,” the pink pony eventually added.
“Thanks... but it’d never work anyway,” Scope said with a defeated tone. She managed a dry chuckle. “I doubt he has a foal complex anyway.”
“Aww, if whoever it is you’re interested in is understanding, I’m sure he’ll see past your exterior!” Amy said as number seventy-one retrieved her food. “Worked for me and Acey.”
“You and...ohh, so that’s what I sensed,” a small smile crossed her muzzle. “Careful though, I think Midnight plans to give you ‘The Talk’.”
“Pfft, I hang out with Violets, I can turn her talk back on her in thirty seconds flat,” the pegasus said as seventy-two walked out the door and seventy-three got called up. “Sooo, who’s the lucky fella to catch your eye? I promise not to tell anypony.”
Scope frowned, she figured that the Pink wouldn’t let up. And Midnight had made her promise to at least make one other friend. “You have to promise. And I mean a real, swear on your life promise that you will neither tell another soul, living or dead. And will not act on it unless I say so.”
“I promise not to reveal who your crush is in any way, shape, or form, to anypony living or dead. I swear on my grandmother’s grave,” Amy said, surprisingly serious as seventy-four’s number was called.
“R-Right, well...it’s-” she leaned in close to whisper her answer. About a certain drone and the feelings she may or may not have for him. And the ones for the others in his life.
“Ledger...”
Amy almost vibrated with glee at the answer, but then her number was called. Faster than the eye could follow, she was standing in front of the counter, ticket in hoof and being presented to the colt there. “Yup, that’s me!” she said.
The colt blinked twice, slowly, before just hoofing her her bag and going back to collect the next order. Amy put it on her back, right in front of Scope, and then walked out of the restaurant as she hummed a wordless tune.
“That...felt weird,” Scope said, placing a hoof to her mouth. “Please refrain from breaking any more laws of physics while you have a...urp. passenger...”
“It was just a flash step, not a blatant breaking of the laws of reality,” Amy chirped back. “That’s every third harvest moon. How’s the food looking, Scopey?”
“Not as satisfying as before,” she said, her face still a little green. “But I assume it’s as edible as hastily cooked, over processed food goes.”
“Yup, I have a lot of errands to run to make sure the ice-cream shop can keep up with all the fillies and colts that come in for one of my treats,” Amy said. “So I hafta grab a quick snack at places that do quick snacks and work through lunch. Hoof me some fries, filly!”
Scope just chuckled and passed down a satchel of fries. While she held her own her her other wing. Amy munched on the fries and seemed to be looking at the buildings passing by before she turned off the main strip and started walking towards the more...agriculture-focused part of the city.
“So, where are we going anyhow?” Scope asked, her ear giving a flick. Was there some rain coming?
“We need to hit up the ice-cream factory,” Amy said. “Part one is making sure the afternoon delivery comes on time. The owner’s a nice mare, but she forgets things every now and again. Happens when you get past seventy.”
“Ah,” Scope nodded. Ponies tended to do that when they got old. “Well, it would be terrible if a delivery was late,” she’d meant it as a joke but…
“Yup, cause then I’d have to march all the sad little colts and fillies down to the factory and give her their best sad-faces because they didn’t have any ice cream,” Amy nodded. “She told me not to do it again, otherwise she’d probably drop dead of a cuteness heart attack.”
“...Are you sure you’re not Chrysalis in disguise?” Scope deadpanned. This mare was evil…
“That’s what the little foals accused her of being when they heard it was her fault they didn’t have any ice-cream,” Amy said with a wink.
The great Queen Chrysalis, reduced to a foals joke. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Scope actually let out a genuine laugh at that thought. Once the factory came into view, Amy turned to the intercom and pushed one particular button.
One that Scope suspected had been installed just for her, as it was pink. The thing crackled before the pony on the other end sighed. “Come in, Miss Amy.”
“Thanks!” Amy said as the doors began to open. “Now, just let me do the talking, okay Scopey?”
“I have no business here,” Scope shrugged as she munched on her hay burger. Bleh! How could ponies stomach this crap? Still, a small smile crossed her muzzle as she beheld her prize, and Amy felt just the smallest bit of happiness emerge from the little nymph. Maybe she wouldn’t have to do much to call her ready for society after all.
“Ah, Miss Cream. Come to make sure your little customers are all well-fed little whippersnappers?” an elderly mare’s voice came from just to their right as the pair of them entered the factory. It was an Earth Pony, who had a coat with a color of milk and a mane and tail the color of cream. Hey eyes were butter-yellow and kind, despite the little barb she’d tossed Amy’s way.
“Yup,” Amy said with a nod as she trotted forward to give the old mare a gentle hug. “Just making sure since I’m working today and all. You know your memory isn’t what it used to be, Mrs. Swirl.”
“Oh, that’s true enough dear,” the mare said as she returned the hug. “The first thing to go is the memory. Followed by the memory.”
Amy laughed a little as she released the mare in charge. “So, my delivery?” the pink mare asked once they were both on their own hooves again.
“Yes yes, just let me check my clipboard here,” the white pony said as she dug into her saddlebags and flipped through the papers. Upon reaching one, she stopped and ran her hoof along a line. “Let’s see...Yes, the shipment is all set up...but only one of my delivery-colts is in today, the other called in sick. His partner says he’ll still be able to do it, it’ll just take him half an hour longer to reach you.”
“That’s fine,” Amy chimed as she reached out a hoof. “Pleasure doing business with you, Mrs Swirl, and I’ll do my best to hold out until he arrives.”
“As always, Miss Cream, you are a beacon of joy in my elder years,” the mare said as she put the clipboard away, before shaking Amy’s hoof. “Take care dear, and try to send that handsome colt around more often! I don’t get nearly as many chances to see young stallions anymore!”
“You might, but you may have aged prematurely after meeting Amy,” Scope chuckled, before realising she’d said that out loud.
“Oh don’t I know it,” the elderly mare said with a laugh. “I came by to watch her work once...I swear, she does things with ice-cream that are just...impossible! And sometimes she doesn’t need the ice-cream!”
“What can I say, I gotta be me,” Amy said with a shrug. “To be any less than the best me I can be would be a crime.”
“I think something broke in my head,” Scope groaned.
“And that’s the hallmark of working with Amy for too long,” the mare known as Cream nodded. “Fortunately, a bowl of ice-cream helps numb the pain.”
“I’ll get her one when we get back,” Amy chirped. “Take care, Mrs. Cream! See you again sometime!”
“Until next time, dear,” the mare said, waving as Amy trotted off to her next task.
“Let’s see...I’m running out of toppings, too, so I think I’ll hit up the candy store as well, pick up their broken stuff along with some sprinkles. Helps them, helps me, win/win,” the pink pony said aloud.
“AMETHYST CREAM!!” A voice screamed out, almost knocking Scope off of her back in surprise. The pegasus looked up and her eyes widened, before she stuffed the Daring toy in her bag as Midnight Song landed in front of them.
“Hiya Middy!” Amy said, reaching to give the Thestral mare a hug. She backed away however and pointed at her.
“No. Scarf. Explain. Now!” she stated. She was having none of Ace dicking her around with this. Amy reached one hoof up and batted at the scarf around her neck.
“Oh, this old thing?” she asked simply.
“Yes. That.” Midnight said. “Ace is being his usual enigmatic asshole of a self. So you will explain before I go postal and take over the city!”
“You want to know how I got this raggedy old scarf?” Amy asked, batting her eyes and using her cuteness against the mare to try and calm her down.
“Raggedy? I gave him that scarf!” Midnight said, a little miffed at the comment.
“You want to know how I got this scarf that will serve as a wonderful reminder of our time together, me and my Acey?” Amy asked. “The one that he’s promised to come back for?”
Scope almost smiled and she leaned in close. “If you can talk Midnight into silence. I will hang out with you any time you want for the rest of the week,” she whispered.
“Yes Miss Cream. I would very much like to know,” the Thestral said.
“Mkay!” Amy said with a smile. “But first you gotta promise not to be mad. And if you do get mad, I’m gonna ask Acey to be super-hard on you in training.”
“Hah! You mustn’t know him too well,” Midnight scoffed. “He doesn’t have an easy mode. It’s either Tartarus or nothing! But, yes, unless you hurt him to get it, or played a mean trick. I promise not to get mad.”
“Hmm...how about, if you get mad, then I want you to not say anything for an hour,” Amy said, her eyes landing on Scope, basically telling the nymph challenge accepted.
“Acceptable,” Midnight nodded. “But as I said, if it falls into the afore mentioned categories. I make no promises.”
“Deal,” Amy said, sticking her hoof out and waiting for Midnight to shake it. The Thestral accepted and waited for her response.
‘You cheating little...’ Scope pouted, now she was going to be stuck with this crazed mare all week!
“So you wanna know how I got the scarf, huh?” Amy said as she smiled at Midnight. “Well...I could go into graphic detail...but there might be foals around. Soooo, I’ll keep it simple for you.” She waited for Midnight to ask again.
Midnight gulped, she did not like where this was going. Amy waved a hoof at the mare opposite her. “Go on, ask me again,” she said with a wicked grin.
“W-What did you do?” Midnight asked hesitantly.
“I asked for it,” Amy said simply.
“...I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked him for the scarf after a, ahem, session,” Amy said, with only a slight blush. “And that’s that. All I ever had to do was ask for it. All anypony ever had to do was ask for it.”
“...I will tear off his bucking head and use it as a chamber pot,” Midnight muttered. And when Amy cleared her throat, she recalled the dare and zipped her lip. Didn’t stop the mental pictures though.
“And now I have you all week, Scopey!” Amy said to the mare on her back.
“Yay...” Scope said with the barest amount of enthusiasm she could muster.
And on that day, two mares came to realise that amidst the eldritch horrors that inhabited the nightmares of gods, the ancient evils that filled the halls of Tartarus, or even against the monsters of the Everfree...
Amethyst Cream was more dangerous that all of them combined…
Ledger was content. Again. He liked this sensation. He could get used to it.
Work had been fruitful as he began offering much more reasonably priced shipping contracts than his competitors could afford to easily compete with, and even had a few ideas for special deals besides. The Ladies had gotten their still up and were beginning the process of brewing their own drinks, but it would be months before they would know if they were successful in any way...and they’d probably call for Apple Cider when they were.
And he was going home to cook dinner for the mares in his life, and hopefully, for once, go to sleep with both of them, and wake up with both of them.
Ledger greeted his landlord as he walked in and recieved an ‘Evening’ in return. The unicorn quickly ascended the steps to his apartment and opened his door, before closing and locking it behind him. Once he was certain that the door was locked, the drone shed his disguise, closed the window blinds from afar, and walked into the kitchen to begin looking for everything he’d need for dinner tonight. He was thinking...spaghetti and spinach pesto. He had a lot of the leaf lying around.
It wasn’t long before his door resounded with somepony knocking, and the scent of apples wafted in, more specifically, baked apples. Ledger poked his head out of the kitchen as he kept moving pots around. “Who is it?” he called out, preparing his disguise again just in case.
“Princess Cadence,” Apple Cider’s voice called through the door. “Let me in mah little lovebug~”
“I doubt she’d say that, but you pass,” Ledger said as he unlocked the door. “It’s open,” he said as he ducked back into the kitchen. The door clicked and the Earth Pony wandered into the kitchen, placing what appeared to be a freshly baked apple pie on the countertop.
“Ah made this once Fritter left,” she smiled. “Ah guess, ah got used to how full mah house has been lately. I got a little lonely...”
“And we will be there for you if you ask,” Ledger said, turning to the mare and giving her a kiss as he started filling a pot with water and pulling noodles from another cupboard.
“Ah’m a grown mare, and ah can’t call on you whenever ah get a little mopey. T’aint proper,” she said, her accent a little thicker. “Well, ah’m here now. So what can ah help with?”
“I’ve got most of this,” Ledger said with a hum. “Though...check in the pantry over there?” he said, indicating the larger-than-normal cupboard. “Midnight somehow got her hooves on some of Fredrick’s bread. I’m not sure if we have any left, but it’d be a good addition.”
“She...how did she-?” Fredrick’s bread was the stuff of legends. “You know whut? Ah will stop being surprised at whut that mare does one day.” She ducked her head into the cupboard and soon emerged with the bread, humming at the scent of it.
“Excellent!” Ledger said as he floated a saucer, a canister of olive oil, and a variety of herbs down. “Pick one,” he said, pointing at the herb blends as he filled the saucer with oil. “We’ve got a few that might taste good with that.”
“Hmm,” Cider sniffed each one and carefully considered her options. “This’un. It’s mellow, an’ would go with the spinach quite well.”
“Plus it wouldn’t overpower the herbs and cheese already in the bread,” Ledger pointed out. “Sounds great then.” With that, the other spice containers were floated back to his spice drawer as Ledger opened the canister that had the mix of oregano and pepper and sprinkled it over the oil a few times, trying to strike just the right balance. He used his magic to deftly slice the bread into more or less equal slices and looked at it, Cider, and the dipping oil. As if to say, ‘Go on, try some.’
She took the bread in her mouth and was about to take a bite when a devious thought entered her head. She leaned forward, with half of the bread in her mouth, the other sticking out. Her eyes gave a half-lidded stare as she leaned closer to Ledger. The stallion put up a hoof to block the kiss before looking at the oil.
“Much as I would love to kiss you, you should try the bread in the oil,” he said. “I want to make sure the combination meets your approval before a certain bat gets here. Then, sure, we can have sloppy makeouts. Promise.”
She munched and swallowed the bread with a frown. “Y’all were supposed to take the other half,” she pouted. “But it tastes nice. Couldn’t be better...well, it could have, but y’all bucked that idea in the face.”
“Oh?” Ledger said with a devious grin. “If it tasted that nice, I better get a sample.”
And that was about when Cider found her mouth being invaded by a changeling tongue, intent on gathering whatever lingered from the bread that she’d just eaten.
Despite her irritation, Cider kissed him back with a light hum. And once she pulled back and smacked her lips a few times, she smiled. “There, was that so hard~”
“Nope, I just wanted to make sure the dipping oil and bread combo met with your approval before engaging in anything distracting,” Ledger said as his horn stopped glowing. “And now that the water is on to boil, you have me until it does.”
“Well, what to do...” Cider hummed thoughtfully. “Well, a few ideas come ta mind~”
“Do they now,” Ledger asked as he raised his imaginary eyebrows. “And will I like these ideas?”
“Ah reckon you might,” she purred, placing a hoof on his chest and running her tongue along her lips. Ledger gulped, but smiled.
“Well then, Miss Cider, care to enlighten me?” he asked. This promised to be very...interesting.
At least until the door slammed open and Midnight and Scope strode in.
“We’re home!” the petite Pegasus called out.
“Ah...don’t...believe it...” Cider groaned. “Yer right, she is doing this on purpose.”
“Quick, check her nymph self for a cutie mark,” Ledger said. “It’s not a coincidence, it’s her talent to break nice moments into millions of pieces.”
“Ah have an idea, but it’ll make me a little selfish, is that alright?” she asked her lover with a wink and a wiggle of that tight little flank of hers. Ledger raised his non-existent eyebrows again before biting his lip as he thought about it. With a shrug, he nodded at Cider to give her the go-ahead.
She poked her head out of the kitchen door and gave the duo a friendly smile. “Ledger and I are making spaghetti fer dinner, but ran out of butter. Can y’all run to the store and get some?”
“But, we just got back...” Scope pouted, and Midnight didn’t respond due to her bet with Amy. She wouldn’t break it now. She’d find out...somehow. The Pegasus sighed and poked Midnight. “Let’s go, it’ll get dark soon.”
The Thestral sighed and the two left, as Cider smirked and looked back to Ledger with a hungry look as she turned the flame on the water down. “Now...where was I?”
~*~
“After all that, you’re still hungry?” Ledger teased before heading for the bathroom to do as he had been told.
“Fer some real food, yes,” Cider sighed. “And how is it my fault that you offer such a full meal each and every time?”
“Mares surround me and basically force their lust down my throat and ask how I’m as productive as I am,” Ledger muttered loudly from the bathroom. “Maybe if they stopped, I might not have as prodigious loads to offer.”
“So stop loving you then?” Cider called out as Midnight walked in, none the wiser of their fun. Or if she was, she wasn’t saying anything.
“Can do,” she called out, finally free of her speech embargo. “Sorry Ledger, you’re on your own now.”
“Whelp, guess it’s back to skimming off nerds at the library and the Strip if you two are cutting me off,” Ledger said as he walked out of the bathroom, waiting for them to realize that they had less leverage over him than they might think.
“Yeah, cause you were sooo happy with that life,” Midnight hummed. “Besides, do you honestly think we could do something like that to you?”
“I doubt Ledger will ever find himself alone again,” Scope said as she placed the butter they had bought into the fridge, before her wings gave a small twitch and she shot Cider a knowing smile. And that was the first time she’d really used his name like that so casually.
“You’re all mares or nymphs,” Ledger observed. “Short of raising the sun or moon, I don’t put anything past you. And at least the nerds were more filling when I could make the time to be there.”
“So you prefer smarter mares?” Cider questioned as she fished something from her saddlebags. When Ledger returned, he found her stirring the pasta, while wearing those cute reading glasses of hers. He gulped thickly and studiously looked away before replying.
“I...like the taste of smart ponies, specifically the taste of smart ponies learning something,” he honestly replied. “Though love is still a go-to for me as an excellent food source, and other positive emotions, while not as nutritious, will still feed me somewhat.”
“He likes those eureka moments,” Midnight pointed out. “Apparently somepony having an epiphany is delicious for some reason.”
“Just as I like Loyalty,” Scope said. “Like the loyalty you three have for one another. While not as strong as say, a really devoted Guard, it has the scent of love and trust that adds a nice kick to it.”
“Every color of ‘ling has their own taste,” Ledger explained as he sat at the table, tempted to go in and start making the pesto...but he knew better than to invade a kitchen Cider was in. Instead, he lit his horn up and carefully moved the dipping oil and bread out to the table so that Midnight could enjoy it as well. “And occasionally, alliances between Hives of varying colors spring up or fall apart because of what we eat.”
“It’s so weird, talking about emotions like this,” Cider said from the kitchen as Midnight nommed on some bread. “It makes me wonder what wine would go with each emotion.”
“Depends on what you’re in a mood for, though really, putting more than Love or Lust into food tends to end...interestingly,” Ledger said with a smirk. “We’ve experimented on our own, but I’ve no idea what all the spectrum of emotions would do if ponies could taste them the way we do.”
“Maybe like when you try a rainbow in it’s liquid form,” Midnight hummed. “Now, that is an experience you will never forget. No matter how hard you try.”
“Oh?” Ledger said, turning to Midnight. “So our old record of them being ‘spicier than the queen’s slurs’ is accurate?”
“You might say that,” Midnight shrugged, not really getting the comparison. “I’ll try and get some at some point. It’ll be interesting to see the reactions on a changeling.”
“Please do not use us for weird experiments,” Scope stated blandly as her ear twitched. There was that feeling again. She’d felt it ever since they had left for the store, and it didn’t sit right with her. It made her feel ill for some reason.
“I get enough experimentation with the pair of you and that spellbook I found, I’d rather any more experiments be conducted in a safe and clean environment,” Ledger said as he turned to the kitchen. “Need any help, Cider?”
“If y’all wouldn’t mind. Ah have no idea what you want done with this spinach,” she responded as Midnight moved towards her bedroom. Scope paced around the living room, her ears flat against her head, her wings buzzing irritably.
“Pesto,” Ledger said as he walked into the kitchen. “Gonna use some garlic and mince ‘em both up nice and fine. Make a nice, spicy green paste and use it like a sauce.”
“Hmm, that sound nice,” Cider said as she moved across the kitchen to grab a mixing bowl. As she brought it back, she frowned and her ears flicked. “And what is that noise? It’s like a nest of ornery hornets is buzzing in mah head.”
Ledger blinked before a look of dawning horror crossed his face. “Oh...no.” He passed the task over to Cider as he idly tested, then drained the noodles. “Scope. You hear that? That...discordant note that grates across your very soul?”
“Hear it? I feel it!?” she shouted. “My chitin itches, my wings won’t stop twitching and my head is killing me! What in the flying fuck is that!?”
“That...is the feeling that a really bad Black generates when it’s close enough,” Ledger said, his eyes not leaving the front door. “To be this strong without us seeing it, though? It’d have to be crazy strong.”
“A Black?” Cider blinked, rubbing a hoof to her head. “What the hay is that?”
“What about Midnight!?” Scope suddenly shouted.
“We don’t involve her, we keep her out of this as much as possible. We don’t want it finishing what Canterlot started,” Ledger said. “Cider, if you could be a dear and love me, that’d be swell. I might just have to fight for my life in a moment here.”
“Ah have never stopped loving you, and you’re being oddly calm for sumthin’ so bad sounding” she said as she kissed his cheek, while Scope managed to crawl in.
“If Cider...is feeling that...” she said through gritted teeth. “What...do you suppose...your emotionally sensitive marefriend is feeling!”
“Hopefully, she’ll stay out of the fight,” Ledger commented. “And believe me, I am panicking on the inside. However, seeing as how you’re still burned out from the dragon thing you did, it falls to me to do the combat. So I’m giving you a task, Miss Lens.”
“What is it,” she asked, as Cider backed into a corner, her eyes wide. Something felt really cold all of a sudden.
“Protect these mares,” Ledger said as he walked to the front door. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to them. The first moment you see an opening to get them out of this place, you damn well do it, then get Narrow here with the best of her Guard. No police, they’re not trained for this. Neither is the guard, but they at least stand a chance. Understood?”
“Count on it,” Scope Lens said, as she cast a reinforcement spell on herself.
It was then that Midnight emerged, wearing half of her armour and her blades, her entire body shook as she gave a nervous smile. Her eyes refused to focus in a single direction as her teeth chattered so hard she might end up biting her tongue
“Heh....heheheh...I-I can’t stop shaking...Is-Isn’t that funny....”
Ledger stopped and turned to Midnight, kissing her on the cheek and trying to project an aura of calm. “Midnight, love, I have bad news and good news. Bad news first, there’s a really bad Black on the way. Good news, I’m going to beat her chitin in for you. Promise.”
“Okay...have fun,” she replied deliriously. “Make sure...you keep her entrails. They’ll make nice Hearth's Warming decorations.”
“Meh, I was gonna save her head. It’d make a wonderful tree-topper,” Ledger said, hoping the joke would snap Midnight back to some form of sanity. Mostly by being worse.
She gave a light giggle, before Scope suddenly gave her a brutal smack upside the head.
“Snap out of it! We have a situation and you need to think clearly... actually, thinking at all might be a good start!”
Midnight reeled from the sudden blow, and even though she still shivered, she nodded. “Y-Yeah, thanks... I ... needed that.”
“CoMe out..COme OuT, Wherever you Aaareeee~”
The voice of nightmares only cause Ledger to sigh and turn back to the front door. “I suggest the windows in the study, by the way,” he said conversationally. As though a voice that sounded like it came from Tartarus hadn’t just talked in their apartment building. “It at least connects to a fire-escape ladder that’ll work well for getting Cider out.”
“Are you sure?” Cider asked, her ears still flat. “A-Ah can help you know...”
“I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you,” Ledger said as he returned to standing in front of the door. “To...any of you. This is a Black. Something born of the darkest depths of hatred and cruelty in my homelands. As a noble, it is my duty to serve others, especially those I love. I will put myself on the line before I allow any harm to come to you. So...get the buck out of here. Run and never look back.”
“I...smell....FEAR! I...REMEMBER YOU~!”
“What the buck does that mean?” Scope asked. “Oh.....”
“Midnight, I am telling you, as a ‘ling, a duke, and as your coltfriend, to run and let me fight this fight for you.” Ledger had planted himself in the hallway and started casting a few barrier spells on the locked door. Hopefully the Black wouldn’t get...creative.
Scope all but shoved Midnight and Cider towards the study, as the walls of the apartment shook, a dark mist seeping under the door.
“ShE has...PoWer... I will..WiLl HAVE IT!!”
“You will find no purchase here, beast of shadows!” Ledger yelled in Changeish. “I am Duke Secret-Hoarder, wielder of knowledge your kind has forsaken in exchange for their short-sighted hatred and bigotry! Your fear and anger will be dispelled by my power, and you will go screaming back to your masters in the depths of Tartarus! Face me if you dare, you fucking Broodmother!”
There was nothing but silence, the mist ceased as Scope took this as a good omen and finished herding the mares.
Then the door exploded into countless pieces as well as most of the surrounding wall. What stood there amidst the ruined remains. Its dark eyes gleamed, dancing with mad glee as it focused on everything except Ledger.
“WheRE is ShEeeeeee~”
Ledger responded by dismissing his telekinesis that had made sure no fragments hit him or got past him...then unleashed a solid beam of ‘fuck you’ at the Black, to make sure he had its attention. On a pony, they would have gotten second-degree burns. Here, he could only hope to mildly annoy the opposing ‘ling, but that’s what he was after.
“I do believe I said something to the effect of ‘you can have her over my dead body,’ did I not?” Ledger observed when he was sure the Black was paying attention to him.
The Black paused as one eye focused on him. The detail of the catlike slit barely visible against the rest of the eye as the minor scratch left by Ledger’s attack healed.
“Well,” It’s voice turned sharper and a lot quieter. But somehow...wasn’t an improvement of the fear-factor. “I guess...I could use a light snack~”
“Oh no you don’t,” Ledger said as a thin, silvery bubble surrounded his form before vanishing. “We’ll be having none of that, thank you. Keep your grubby hooves off of my emotions, if you’d be so kind.”
“How...quaint,” The Black buzzed as it took a step forward. “I have met many... Silver-Tongued Traitor. You...are but an insect. That delicious morsel. I gained...so much! And yet, she has more to offer. With her. I will. BECOME A QUEEN!” It’s horn lit up as crimson energy lanced from it, vapourising the couch and most of the kitchen wall.
“Yeah, newsflash for you, I know how to deflect attacks,” Ledger said, his horn alight as well. “Also newsflash, that fool Chryssy tried the same thing, and we still don’t know where she landed. If you think this is gonna end any other way beyond me giving you more holes throughout your body, you’ve got another thing coming.” With that, Ledger reached out and started to yank on the Black’s legs, both to trip it up...and to start up his favorite pastime of pulling ponies to pieces.
The Black screamed as it’s leg was torn free, the ungodly howl echoing throughout the city. At least... it did.
Then...it started to laugh. As dark energise swirled around the leg and yanked it from Ledger’s grasp, re-attaching it as it gave a few stomps to test the newly regenerated limb.
”Ahhh, much. Better~”
Ledger’s only response was to stick the Black to a wall with it’s legs spread like butterflies were when they were pressed under glass...before pulling a large knife from the kitchen.
“And now, mares and stallions, I present to you, Equus Changeus, for the first time,” Ledger said with a smile that wasn’t kind at all as he drove the knife towards the Black’s torso. Normally, he’d not expect it to penetrate the armor.
That’s why he made sure to whip the knife around in speeds in excess of sane.
Black ichor flowed from the wound as the Changeling looked down, tilting it’s head.
“A...little to the left. I have a terrible itch there.”
“My apologies,” Ledger said as more knives started to float out. “I always confuse the position the heart is in. Just hold still, I’m sure I’ll get it this time.”
“Oh how precious...you think I still have one~” As the knife was yanked from the Black’s chest, a small gap in the armour showed an empty space inside it’s chest, swirling dark energy where the heart should have been. The wound closed and he smiled once more.
“Now...It’s time for my own party favour. I’m sure you’ll like it... It’s to DIE for~!” Energy built up in his horn again, as the whole building shook under the magical pressure he was emanating. Ledger responded the only way he knew how and sent the knives away, not wanting to know what’d happen if they got caught up in this.
The only thing worse than being blasted by dark magic was being blasted by dark magic and then stabbed. Having less knives around would help him with that goal.
It still didn’t stop the blast of energy shooting him through a wall and out into the street, the cackling Black soon following him.
“Well,” Ledger said as he slowly got to his hooves with a smile. “Thank you for allowing me to figure out what I’m going to need to do to destroy you.” Surprisingly, he looked better than he should have for a blast that big hitting him - not only had his armor helped cushion the blow, but he’d pumped a little extra magic into his barrier at the last possible moment as well. It...was probably why he was still standing.
And he would have been impaled by the dark spears that the Black flung at him, had a large Griffon not tackled the Changeling out of the way.
“Well now, seems you’ve picked an interesting fight,” Ace laughed as he set Ledger back down.
“Male Blacks can only be killed one way,” Ledger said as he shook his head to clear it. “They typically become fire-and-forget weapons filled with the blackest of magics employed by the Broodmothers. They also become insane over time. I have a spell to kill it, but it’s going to take time to charge. Think you can distract him?”
“Oh? I think I can!” Ace smirked, his beak split into a wide grin as the black stalked closer. The Griffon stood up to his full height, perhaps a little taller than the Black itself.
“Alright, so what have we here?” he grinned as he stepped closer. “Big, black and ugly as sin. At least Chrysalis was cute~”
The Black chuckled, not really paying the bird much heed. “Move hatchling! I wish to consume that little bug there. Then that delectable mare~”
“Ah, now you see, I have a small problem with that. And you do as well.”
“Oh, I fail to see how I-” His speech was cut off as Ace blurred, before a vicious right hook smashed the Blacks face, sending him sprawling down the street. The Griffon glared at him as he cracked his knuckles.
“Kinda hard to eat with a broken jaw.”
The Black pulled himself back up, his loose jaw clicking back into place as a vicious smile appeared on its muzzle. “Cute...”
“It can regenerate?” Ace inquired.
“And it doesn’t have a heart, I’m willing to bet it’s running on pure black magic by now,” Ledger said as silver wisps floated around him. A few ponies had stopped to watch the fight, fascinated despite the threat to their safety...and well-being.
“So, I don’t have to hold back then?” Ace smiled as his blood raced. For the first time in forever, he would get to fight at full strength? “Oh...I think I’m going to enjoy this~”
“You have no power. Stay and die. Or flee, and cling to your precious mortality for a while longer.”
“Just remember, I can kill it. The most you can do is wear it down. When you think it won’t be able to break out of your grasp again, pin it nearby and I’ll start giving him what he deserves.”
Ace nodded and looked at the crowd, towards a pink pegasus mare somewhere amidst the sea of ponies that had gathered. “No problems there... I have something to fight for as well.”
Thankfully, Narrow Gaze had arrived with her Guards to keep the public back and started to try and clear the ponies out of the area entirely. The fact that two of the combatants were Chnagelings really worked to her advantage, and soon, the three fighters found their fellow beings pressed well back out of the line of collateral damage.
The Black’s horn lit up, but Ace was already well within his personal space, one quick blow to the horn while a second at the base of the neck, where the carapace was weak. the Black stumbled, and Ace used the moment to let out a beastial roar.
“Beat Rush!”
Blow after blow hammered the Black’s chitinous armour, hairline cracks forming along it’s surface. By the time the Griffon struck, he had already moved and was striking again. Endless blows rained down, and once he finally ceased, the Black stumbled back, though his manic grin still split his muzzle.
The Griffon drew back a fist, his eyes narrowed as he read the magical flow and the attack he’d set up.
“Beat Burst!”
A single, decisive blow to the chest. Anypony near could almost feel the shockwave from the impact. There was a pause, and then the cracked armour shattered like glass. The Black screamed as the armour was blown from his body, black ichor flowing from countless open wounds as he collapsed to the curb.
Ace took a single jump into the air, as he drew back his fist once more.
“May the gods have mercy on your blackened soul. Beat End!”
He dove, as his fist slammed into the Changeling’s head and drove it into a small crater. More ichor sprayed into the air as his head all but exploded from the impact. Several ponies screamed from the brutal fatality, some even losing their previous meal as Ace stepped back, giving his talon a few shakes.
“Try getting up from that,” he said. Yet already, he could see wounds closing, bleeding slowing…
But it would not be enough. Ledger, with no small amount of silver flames dancing behind him, walked to the crater, looked down at the occupant within, and sighed.
“You were a fool, to sacrifice your color in exchange for the power they offered,” the whole drone said. “You lost so much, in exchange for nothing. Every color has done something, or has something, unique to them, save the Blacks.”
The drone in the crater twitched a little, but not enough to present a serious threat. Ledger just...kept talking. Apparently, he had decided to educate the Black.
“The Violets wrote the Pony Sutra, the ultimate tool for them to use to gain their preferred food. And they kept adding more tomes to it for all the races of Equus. The Blues have a vow of undying loyalty, in the sense that they would rather die than break their vow.”
Ledger drew a little closer to the drone as the flames around him danced wildly, in response to his anger. “The Greens created a tome filled with such inspiration, such creativity, that if you aren’t a Changeling, you are likely to be driven mad with the need to create if you read it. The Yellows are brave enough to charge into fights with adult dragons, and the nobles are smart enough to win! There’s a reason their Hive has the houses of their Nobles decorated with the bones of dragons!”
At this point, Ledger was sitting right in front of the Black...who, except for his armor, looked mostly whole again. “The Oranges are so kind, so caring. They know how to treat any wound on any species. The Reds? Their Duty, their Honor, goes beyond death itself. It’s why their elites are called The Deathless. They would march and die at the command of their Queen. It’s even said that when their Kings and Queens are put to rest below their Hive...they’re not dead. They’re just waiting. And you can’t break a Pink’s happy demeanor.”
Ledger closed his eyes...and actually smiled. “And you’ve pushed me into revealing the secret of the line of Royal Silvers. It’s a known fact that every Silver, when they come of age, begins filling a book their parents give them with every interesting fact they come across. But for the royalty? Their books...are a little special.”
Ledger had been glad indeed that the book his uncle gave him all those years ago had revealed its secret. And now he knew the last words his uncle had said to him, knew what they meant. ‘If there ever comes a time when you are facing a threat of such bleakness, such darkness, so black all light seems to vanish...the book will help you. I promise.’
“I am a servant of the flames of knowledge, one who learns to help others progress,” Ledger intoned, and the flames...gathered. From around him, into a fireball above him. “Where there is knowledge, there is no need to fear. Where there is understanding, there is no need to hate. And when I am in need, the Blackness is burned away and cleansed by that which I serve.”
“YoU ThiNk! YOu cAN. STOP ME!?” The Black laughed as his body nearly completed it’s healing process. “You are weak. You are pathetic. YOU ARE POWERLESS!!” It’s dark eyes scanned the crowd and it laughed.
“You think...you can save them? All of them?” Several ponies looked at the pair, a variety of emotions filled the air but one stood above all of them.
Fear.
“I’ll do my damndest to try,” Ledger said as he pointed a hoof at the abomination before him. “Go back to the darkness from whence you were spawned! I am Duke Secret-Hoarder, and I tell you this now, Colorless! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME IN THIS WORLD!” With that, the silver fireball flew and hit it’s target...and clung, not going out until it knew its task was done.
The Black screamed in agony, as parents turned their child’s heads away, covering their ears of the sounds that would undoubtedly cause nightmares for weeks. Behind Narrow Gaze and her wall of Guards, Midnight Song shivered, trying to blocks the sounds, trying to block the shame of her own inability to do anything.
“You Think...This will end?” Even as he burned, that dark voice carried on the winds to every ear that listened. “We. Will. Come for you! We. Will CONSUME YOU! Run. Hide. The Darkness. WILL DEVOUR YOOUUUUUU!!!” With a final unholy howl, the Black changeling ceased to be...reduced to naught but dying embers.
“Rest in peace, my wayward brother,” Ledger said with a sigh as he looked at the ash. “I know it was not you, but the thing riding you that said that. And I do wish...it had not come to that spell...that you had not fallen too far. I...didn’t even know what it would do beyond stop you. I wouldn’t wish that sort of death on any but my worst foes.”
Now that it appeared to be over, it was then that the ponies of Las Pegasus started to panic. Most screamed, running every which way as several started to advance on Ledger, bearing makeshift weapons or charging spells. At least, they were until a wall of Guard surrounded the Changeling.
“Citizens of Las Pegasus!” Narrow’s voice boomed with magic amplification. “The threat has been dealt with. Please return to you homes. I repeat, the threat is over. Return to your homes!”
Most still panicked, but it was more subdued. The advancing mob was held back as Narrow turned to Ledger.
“Get your mares and get to the station. Now!”
Ledger nodded and looked at Midnight, mouthing the word station at her, hoping she would understand. With another thought, he was consumed in silver flame and looked like an old pegasus guise of his, with a green coat and a red mane. He’d never be able to use it again, but he never used it much to begin with once he came up with the other one. The drone looked at Narrow and flapped his wings, as if to ask her opinion on his idea.
“Its fine, just go. We can handle this crowd.” She grunted as countless ponies rushed forward, crying and screaming.
Aerial Ace landed nearby, a pink pegasus in his arms. “It would be a good idea to abscond this place. Midnight might not be thinking clearly. Grab her and let’s go.”
Ledger nodded and took off, hoping that Midnight...or Scope pushing Midnight, would follow. He didn’t think he could lift either her or Cider. Much less all three. With as much wingpower as he could muster, Ledger aimed for the Guard station, to wait this whole thing out.
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Ledger and Ace were epic in the fight with the black changeling?
would be interesting to see a fight of a Black Vs Pink...
6511239
6527436 Indeed, it would
Ledger is entering a deathmatch with one of the most dangerous creatures in existence... and still can't escape the horrible puns.
Also, Ace's involvement was disappointingly short. Make no mistake, it was cool and all, but it was basically three moves and we saw little to no examples of the Black's fighting prowess, other than that one laser.
Hopefully the bread's okay.
Ok I need to ask. Just how big is scope? because I though her disguise was just a regular Pegasus. Also just how old is everyone? I'm getting confused.
I wish we could get some art of all the characters. That would be awesome.
6528423
I would say only slightly bigger than a filly.
orig00.deviantart.net/24fd/f/2014/294/a/9/minty_root_s_pony_size_and_anatomy_chart__v2__by_mintyroot-d83px5z.jpg
This was a very interesting chapter. I like this story.
Oh hell, Ace is Zell Dincht.
Best character ever.
#BlackLivesMatter
Driven to madness, eh? That's neat!
Now, is the madness gradual?
Can one forcibly be turned to black?
If the madness is gradual, do they have rational thought, like "maybe I shouldn't be draining all the emotions of these creatures, oops"?
Good news, a Black was destroyed. Bad news, a Black was sent to destroy.
The battle maybe could have been fleshed out more, it felt kinda hollow despite the high stakes.
Keep going! ;)
6529234 That comment is bound to start some SJW flame war...
6527997 Derp, double post, muh bad.
That line was from the Black, but don't you know in order to have an epic battle you either need to do one of three things
1. Be punny.
2. Be so edgy that reading the monologue makes your eyes bleed and peel like onions.
3. Be Luke's Father... Yes, I went there.
I have to say that was a good chapter. It leaves me wanting more so Keep up the good work you are doing.
Dragonfox
“Ah...that,” Ace chuckled and waved a single extended claw back and forth. “That is a secret~”
Slayers references now? Wow, that's going back a ways.
This could either be a really good thing for pony and changeling relations or really bad. The good will be in the long term, short term is gonna be very very bad. Still the fact that he rattled off all the changeling color traits in front of a crowd like that was a good subconscious PR move. Can't wait for the next chapter.
Because of this story I like my Wednesdays. Keep up the good work.
Wow, epic fight. Ace owned that Black.
Scope is just too cute.
I wonder who the Black was talking about... I'm being Scope.
Another reason to love Ace.
SO... FREAKING.... AWESOME!!!!! I'm getting the same chills I first got when I watched The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time and Gandalf did his whole "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" defiance of the Balrog. Pure epic win. I'm also thinking Ledger was channeling a bit of Green Lantern.
6533888 Who doesn't love Xelloss?! <3 <3
7112191
I despise Xellos. Zelgadis and/or Goury for the win.
...
"CRITICAL BRAIN FAILURE!!! CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!"
"FORMATING BRAIN... ... ... FORMAT FAILED, BRAIN INFECTED BY CUTENESS BUG. SHUTTING DOWN PERMANENTLY... HAVE A CUTE DAY."
well buck that just happened.
I loved the explanation of different Colors of changelings
Now just one question--
ARE THERE RAINBOW CHANGELINGS AND CAN I BE ONE?!
Fantastic Filly Box...
...DAAAWWWWWW...
Honestly, Ive despised Scope when she appeared for the first time but she quickly becomes my most favorite character.
All in all very good story so far.
Personally I wouldnt mind side clop scenes to be integrated into story itself or at least to have proper links at right places inside chapter. They are evidently part of story and so far they are nicely done, so I dont see them as really intruding
Also I would like to ask the authors:
that notions about Herds and interspecies relationships... it is coincidence or have you been inspired by Xenophiles guide to Equestria? ( not sure if I made the tittle exactly right)
that business with Ace's scarf made me think of the online comic "Girl Genius", where they were fighting over a fancy hat:
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20100519
nobody else has posted this, so...
Yet in the previous chapter:
Continuity error?
reminds me of the OC of YouTuber Lightning Bliss:
Do do da do Doo, I'm a chargin' my attack.
Wait, so the hive that attacked Canterlot was supposed to be the creative hive? . . . WHAT?!? How was that supposed to . . . Huh?
I kinda wish that the Black wasn't a bad guy here. They could just have a nice massage session!
You would've thought that the ponies wouldn't be so hostile towards Level, as they most likely heard Ledger's words for the Black.
I found an oof
Huh, that's pretty smart
Black Changeling...
Epic chapter ♡ Brilliant event!
First epic bossfight / confrontation with more to come 👍
For them its quite the life changing event...
For Daring Do it would be Frieday
Drained dry of emotions huh...
Epic fight, awesome end♤♡