One Last Game

by Nonameknight

Prologue

Prologue

The events that transpired following the debacle at the royal wedding of Captain Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza in Canterlot had repercussions far beyond just the banishment of the changeling horde.

The scattered remnants of the chitinous armies found themselves lost and leaderless in the chaotic lands beyond the harmonious borders of the Kingdoms, flung far from the chains of command they were so perfectly bred to follow. The creatures lashed out in fear and confusion, cracking the fragile balance of peace in the outer nations, the unstable neighbors of Ponydom. Streams of refugees found their way into Equestria, fleeing the devious yet undirected creatures that found themselves trying to survive in the often fruitless outlands. The changelings found themselves facing ever more hostile and unwilling benefactors. But the fleeing refugees found a reception barely warmer.

The ponies of Equestria, their fragile concept of world peace shaken, were skeptical, and in some places outright hostile to the influx of foreign, eclectic cultures. The houses of the government and the royal family of the Princesses did little to sway this trend: in fact, they closed the borders to trade and travel, becoming isolationist as they tended the internal damage dealt by the massive compromise in security.

Celestia covered up the ruse the Changelings had pulled off, merely brushing it aside and maintaining her precious peace. Luna, though, perhaps to compensate for her helplessness during the invasion, personally set her guard to protecting the borders more and more thoroughly, enforcing the happy peace within.

And all the while, Changelings ran amok in the wilds and outlands.

The few drones that returned to their home were broken, their minds lost in their race for sustenance and survival. But there was a far worse problem.

The ones that never tried to return at all.

*****

“I’m running out of time.”

The creature hidden in the shadows muttered to herself as she gazed at the night sky, watching the stars twinkle. “They’re learning, while I grow weaker.”

She began to pace around the concealed terrace, mumbling and thinking to herself, processing plans as to how she was going to solve her problem.

“None of the Kinds would help me, knowing what we are.”

The creature halted her agitated pacing as a thought struck her.

“But what of something that doesn’t?”

Her pacing resumed as she went over the possible races who might help.

“Griffons? No, they remember us. It wasn't too long ago that they found us trying to steal love from some of their smaller towns. The minotaurs? No, they are too brutish and noticeable to help with this matter. This requires more...finesse.”

Her pacing once again stopped as she thought of something that would, at first glance, seem impossible. If anyone else had heard what she was thinking, they would have thought she was insane.

“What about something not of this world? Something that does not know about us or our ways. Something that would not fear us and would help us willingly.”

Her head turned and looked out at the stars, contemplative. “Something powerful...”

With a flutter of iridescent wings, the creature turned back to the shadows with a toothy grin. “I think I may have a solution...”

*****

In a faraway land, so far it didn’t even count as the same plane of existence, two people from completely different nations and backgrounds both leaned over completely different checkout counters, grasping eagerly at the small plastic covers and hoisting them into the air. At volumes way louder than their situations warranted, exclaimed loudly in tandem, “Fucking game of the year, meet the gamer of the century! FUCK YEAH!”

Author's Note:

Slightly edited, woohoo!
Props to Nonameknight for the original idea and all the help writing this introduction.

Regards
Quicksear