Spike and Echo found themselves in a town with changelings and a killer in their midst, everyday somepony dies.
Spike and Echo find themselves in a town within the Everfree with unidentified changelings and a rouge psychopathic killer in their midst, and every day somepony dies. Can our protagonists defeat the forces of evil and save the day? Does it really matter in the end?
Since the dawn of civilization, people died all the time. But, life went on. A life alone cannot build empires, it is only when these lives come together when something wonderful occurs. But in turn, the life of an individual becomes worthless.
So, does it really matter?
Five years ago, a lost and broken dragon came into The Everfree Forest seeking guidance. What was originally planned to be a brief visit, became a life-altering moment. In two short weeks, it changed the life of the dragon from a quaint assistant, into a hardened warrior.
Together with a changeling, he saved a town from a psychopath bent on murder. A few lives were lost that day, and yet the town continued on. Those who fell slowly became yet another grain, lost in the falling sands of time.
And now, lives in another town are about to be changed by the dragon.
---
The manticore let out a feral roar of anger as it charged towards a changeling with a saber of radiating love magic and an adolescent dragon wielding a sharp sword. The beast didn’t even bother to jump around the thick forest bushes, all it cared about was killing its ever resisting prey under Celestia’s midday sun.
Echo, sliced off the manticore's entire paw like a hot butter knife with her glowing saber causing blood to splatter everywhere. She jumped in time to dodge the wave of crimson that sprayed from the manticore's missing paw.
Spike mimicked Echo’s move and cleave the manticore’s stinger with ease The beast bellowed in agonizing pain. He quickly ran towards its chest without hesitation, while Echo flew its back, with two swift stabs, they struck its heart and the manticore fell down with a very heavy ‘thud’
“Alrighty, another manticore down, do we have enough room in our bags to cut it up?” Echo asked causally to Spike who was cleaning his sword.
“I suggest that we make use of what’s inside the corpse. After all, the parts we sliced outside of its body is useless now, we only have so much space left,” Spike said offhandedly as he looked at his friend.
Echo nodded in agreement. “Welp let's get to work, we don't have all day." The two companions cut open the manticore’s corpse, taking out the organs first. Once all of its organs were set aside, they both carefully cut all of the flesh until there was nothing left but bone.
Echo took some pieces of the manticore’s fur. “The fur seems pretty useful to me, you have any room left?” Spike nodded simply as he opened his bag to check for room.With the job now done, both friends went back to camp.
Echo stood up putting down her little cumbersome bag. At the spit of the fire, Spike was roasting the manticore’s hind legs as their meal. Once the meat was done, Spike offered half of the manticore’s hind leg to Echo. She accepted his offer with a small thanks as she slid the bone into her deformed hoof and took a bite.
“No matter what other ponies say, manticore meat still tastes like chicken,” Spike said with his mouth full. “That saber, I’ve yet to see you use it once, what gives?”
Echo took another bite off of the severed leg of the beast. She took a moment to chew and swallow. Spike waited patiently while he reorganized his items. “I only found out recently that I could use the saber as a weapon. Apparently energy beams shot out by our horns is a thousand times weaker than what’s actually stored in our reserves. It can’t be used against changelings, But dragons...” she looked at Spike with a grin
“Well this is my internal reserve,” Echo said softly while staring at the glowing saber. Spike nodded simply, The changeling nodded in response as well, Spike mentally noted himself to secretly add “Do not piss off Echo” to his mental to-do list.
“Anyways, let me tell you what we will be doing this time” Echo said to Spike. The dragon paused whatever he was doing and looked at Echo with a smile, motioning her to continue. “We are visiting a town nearby.”
Once he finished packing , Spike closed his bag and swung it behind his back. He cleared his voice and asked. “Are there any towns in the Everfree?” Echo nodded, as she hitched on her saddlebags as well. “How come I never knew about this?” He asked. The changeling blushed as she smiled at Spike, rubbing her hooves together. . Spike noted her embarrassment with a small grin.
“I forgot to tell you?” Echo muttered timidly all of a sudden. After faintly hearing that, Spike fell onto his belly laughing , while Echo gave him a death glare.
“Everyone, I would gladly like to announce the mayor of Goodsprings 18 years running, Echo !” Spike announced, as he wiped a tear while addressing an imaginary audience.
“H-hey, it could happen to anyone! Being the mayor is hard you know!?” Echo snapped back. Spike just patted her back. Echo just huffed and began to walk with her head held high. Spike sterilized his claws -which have been stained by blood and other fluids dripping from the leg- with his own dragon fire before catching up to Echo.
---
Celestia groaned inwardly to herself as she teleported a rubbish bin in front of her, she perfectly caught whatever one-way mail was being sent to her. For some reason, Spike could not be reached, no matter how many times her ‘elite’ pegasus forces had searched areas in Equestria, they found nothing. Well, at least it was a relief that he was alive. But, the dragon was still lost within the Everfree.
“Oh Spike, I hope you will forgive them someday”, Celestia sighed, as she continued with her work.
---
“Sooo, other towns huh?” Spike asked Echo with a casual tone, the changeling rolled her eyes but smiled and asked Spike to get on with it already, “What other towns are there?” Echo paused for a second, thinking to herself.
She then looked around and found a log to sit on and patted the spot next to her. The changeling licked her lips, then started to list off the towns with her eyes looking at her upper right direction while her head tilted left slightly, a little adorable for a changeling that can kill a fricking manticore in under five minutes…
“Well there’s the Horse Town, a town run by ex-con artists, they use cards for currency. Ace of spades are worth approximately two hundred and fifty respect points in our current currency and that's worth five hundred bits in equestrian money, to the two of diamonds which is worth approximately five respect points, ten bits in equestrian money… fun fact, two brothers actually left the town fifteen years ago, back to civilisation,” the dragon nodded and motioned her to continue, head on his hands.
“Then there’s Dragon Side, a town filled with dragon traitors who actually support friendship. After you gave me your sword’s design, it was actually them who I got to forge your blade.’” Echo pointed a hoof at Spike’s sword. “They can’t resist a challenge, that's why I gave your blueprints to them. I said it once and I’ll say it again, smart design!” the dragon just puffed his chest at the complement.
“We then have Goodsprings, an ex-assassins town and Nice Neighbor, town filled with ‘late’ celebrities, both use respect points-." No wonder ponies don’t come back from the Everfree, Spike thought to himself. Echo then paused and let out a shiver before continuing with a much more quiet tone, Spike had to leaned in more to listen clearly.
“Finally, there’s voidlings, The voidlings… They are mysterious, and they hold all kinds of creatures, dragons, griffons, ponies, changelings and even minotaurs, but there’s one thing in common, they were all ‘saved’ by someone in the town itself, when their lives are at the lowest of the lows… I have no doubt you have seen them at least once…”
Spike’s eyes widened with surprise, and letting out a surprised “What?” he cannot recall meeting such people… then again they don't have nametags on their foreheads
Echo pressed on. “They are nice people, don't get me wrong. Yes, they control the single most recognized charity organization in the world. But, they are very good actors. They can somehow convince anyone to believe anything, from convincing you that you are secretly a mare and that your whole life is a lie.”
Spike shifted uncomfortably.
Echo looked at him with eyes filled with empathy, “When I first met you, your eyes were cyan, but now they’re emerald green. That's why I gave you a home in Goodsprings., Cyan eyes in the Everfree usually meant extreme sadness or ‘employee’ of the voidlings, both related to those creepy bastards.”
Spike nodded and stood up. “Well, let's forget about it. The less we think about the creeps, the more time we have to focus on the more important stuff. We’ve got better things to do than to tell stories.” Spike swept himself clean from the dust and stretched before Echo did the same.
“What town are we going to anyway?” Spike asked, after a few minutes of silence as they were walking. Echo mildly bit her bottom lip before replying with an uneasy tone.
“We are visiting Sleepy Hollow, a town filled with slightly unstable ponies, but they do want to recover from their… conditions.” Spike nodded as he took a bite of his cooked manticore meat he saved earlier. Echo levitated a chunk of meat out of Spike’s bag and cooked it by blasting it with a magical beam. It wasn’t a really healthy way to cook the manticore meat, judging by the look Spike was giving her. It would do. “And we are almost there so you might want to brace yourself, we’ve lost contact with the town a few weeks ago and I’m starting to get worried.”
Spike looked at Echo and raised an eyebrow. “What?” the changeling asked, innocently. He just stared back at her longer with the same expression.
“You know I didn't sign up for this, right?” Spike asked. Eventually, the changeling lowered her head and smiled sheepishly. Spike just rolled his eyes and continued to walk the uneven ground in the untamed forest. “Let's get this over with, I want to go back to Goodspri-”
The sound of a tree branch snapping was heard nearby, interrupting the dragon’s sentence.
Both the changeling and the dragon instinctively dropped into a defensive position, only to find a purple alicorn facing the duo. Spike dropped his sword in disbelief and sadness. Before Twilight Sparkle could say a word, Echo hastily lept next to the purple alicorn. The changeling was looking dead straight into the alicorn’s eyes, along with her own, which were slightly glowing.
“I feel from your face, you're freaked by the flow of your blood which is fully fixable *snap* by focusing and following the flow my words as you’re flowing, flowing *snap*, which is why you’re focusing *snap* on my command, you got this far in life by listening to one voice the voice in your head my voice is the voice, sleep!”
Echo swiftly caught Twilight’s limp and hypnotized form, Spike could only look at the changeling with jaws on the ground as she softly whispered into the alicorn’s ear “When you wake up, you will find the urge to go back to your own home and do what you love best.”
Echo then slapped Twilight in the face,causing the alicorn mare to come back to reality. Once she did, Twilight Sparkle flew away in a random direction. “That was creepy as fuck, and please don't do it again,” Spike warned the now non-glowy eyed changeling. Echo, however, looked at Spike like he had grew a second head.
“Spike, she is responsible for me putting you back together for four years, and now it's only a year later and I don’t want to spend four more years doing all over again, well minus my identity crisis…” Spike sighed, oh well, Twilight DID break his heart once… And Rarity… Sure Spike can blame them both for indirectly putting him the this forest but it’s kind of his own fault as well…
“Fine”, Spike sighed softly.
---
After spending ten more minutes of walking, Spike and Echo made it to the edge of the town. Sleepy Hollow looked like Ponyville, more than anything Spike had imagined, other than the view of Canterlot. The building’s architecture looked practically identical, Spike felt a twinge of nostalgia crawling back into his brain.
An ambush of six ponies, four mares and two stallions, came holding axes with their mouths charging at Echo yelling “changeling!” or “kill the killer!” If it wasn't for Spike’s sword, Sleepy Hollow would have a new coat of changeling paint.
As Spike swiftly drew his sword, he defends the mayor who was next to him. Somehow nobody recognized. Echo was busy getting up on her hooves. Apparently, she had fell down on the floor from a forceful shove . After a few moments of steadying herself, Echo yelled at the top of her lungs as loud as she could. “SHUT UP!” The ambush team instantly stopped their attacks.
Spike took this opportunity to shout. “You can’t even recognize your sister town’s flipping mayor!? What's wrong with all of you ?!” The town’s ponies backed down and looked at each other. Spike looked at Echo and asked, “Are you ok?” Echo just nodded to Spike.
“An voidling messenger came in two weeks ago saying that a rogue virgin changeling queen is inside the Everfree looking for people to suck dry and start a hive. Since we used to be insane, we are more vulnerable to changeling magic, and we believe that one of us has gone back to… the old murderous ways, so forgive us for being a little jumpy and not recognizing you straight away.” A brown stallion, with a cream colored mane and yellow eyes, came up and said with a weird accent. He had a grim look on his face, putting emphasis on the word ‘changeling’.
Echo nodded slowly and skeptically as the stallion continued “Last month, we had a hundred of us. In the last two weeks, we had seventy seven beside us. Yesterday, we had forty one. Now today, we have thirty five voidling spellcasters who cast a hex spell that masked our occupation, so changelings cannot target important ponies like the gumshoe or the deceived without raising suspicion. But, we are still dropping in numbers. And fast."
Echo nodded, she then told the buck, “Go back and tell every pony to be on standby, I, as the mayor of Goodsprings will be in charge of finding your murderer and the queen for you. I will leave your orders at your desks at where you are suppose to work.” she instructed. He nodded and mouthed a small ‘thank you’ and his team followed him away.
“Are you sure you can do this?” Spike asked doubtfully. Echo just nodded softly. Spike still looked doubtful, so Echo patted his back with her own hole-ly hoof reassuringly
“Yes. Identity hex has been proven to work wonderfully among changelings and ponies alike, it disrupts the hive mind in changelings and I have watched entire colonies fade away into nothing more than an empty shell. Even the queens in the hive, after the effects of the spell, can just walk away without a single changeling noticing.” Spike nodded, despite having no idea what she was talking about.
“That's why I think voidling ponies should cast the hex, and I am confident that they want this changeling removed as much as these guys did.”
---
After an hour of putting their gear in a relatively safe place in the motel, both the changeling and the dragon ventured out into the small town. Everyone looked like they have suffered a lot, Spike even saw a mare with tears fresh in her eyes. Echo, on the other hand, just looked around without a care. Even humming a soft tune to herself.
At least that’s what the average pony would see when they looked at her, after living near her for five years, Spike can see right through Echo’s uninterested face. The changeling is seen keeping an eye on almost absolutely everything, ponies’ behavior, their reaction time and maybe the most of all, what's hiding under everyone’s face.
Spike let out an involuntary shiver as he thought back at when Echo had used this tactic, it was two years ago where a spy was found at Goodsprings. Needless to say, a spy’s corpse was found hanging near the edge of the town just two days later with the word “traitor” carved all over his body. It was not a pretty sight.
When Spike snapped out of the unpleasant memory, he notice yelling somewhere, Spike and Echo followed the noise, which eventually led them to a crowd near the center of the town. The small mob was all yelling the same thing repeatedly, “Kill it!”
And at the center of it all, was a mare with her hoofs bound to some lead weight, a rope around her thin neck on a elevated wooden platform. She had a green-blue coat and orange mane, she was crying so bad that her fiery yellow eyes was bloodshot. “I told you!” s he called out to the small crowd as they ‘boo’ed. Some threw rotten fruits at the bounded mare.
“I am innocent! I am just a shopkeeper!” she called out desperately. But the crowd was taking none of that, instead everyone collectively cheered as a pony wearing all black came onto the platform -her executioner- , Spike covered his mouth in shock while Echo was looking at the cheering crowd with little emotion on her face.
They’re killing their own hoping to find the changelings, the pony wearing a black cloak slowly approached the crying mare as the crowd cheered on for her approaching death, Spike couldn’t believe what he was seeing, everyone was so excited to kill her without knowing if she was their kind or not.
The pony gave a swift buck and the mare was pushed off the elevated platform, the mare was screaming in fear and terror when she fell. Soon, everyone would hear a bone-crunching snap and a life would be diminished…
…
…
Except it didn’t happen, the mare had her eyes shut, but she was not falling. The rope around her neck still had some distance before snapping in two , every single pony could hear her sobbing brokenly. The crowd was now stunned silent at what they are seeing, a pink glow surrounded the mare, preventing her to fall down anymore.
But what got the crowd's attention was a unicorn mare that stood calmly on the platform as if she had just popped out into existence, she stood tall on the platform with a smile.
The executioner, was also shocked that he wasn’t able to move an inch, like a deer caught on the spotlight. The mare had a light green coat and grass green mane and… cyan eyes. She was smiling a motherly smile that somehow gave Spike along with everyone in the crowd a shiver.
Mares weren’t suppose to have eyes with less emotion than a piece of metal. The green mare levitated the crying pony back onto the platform and gave the sobbing mess of a mare a much needed hug with her thin looking hooves, then the green pony then spoke in a soothing voice that promises nothing but love, “there there, you are ok” the crying mare just buried herself into her loving embrace like a mother comforting her crying child.
“N-not to interrupt or anything ms, but she is a changeling” the executioner said cautiously to the green mare who just looked up to him with her dead cyan eyes with absolutely no emotion that shot a chill up everyone’s spines, the stallion backed away slowly from her stare.
“Don't worry my dear, I will take care of it…” If the thing keep on saying things in such a creepy calm tones, Spike will have no doubt to want kick her out of the town… If he owns the town that is… The mysterious unicorn then stroke her hoof at the crying mare’s mane gently “why don't you tell me who are you?” She asked softly…
“I-I-my name is glory” the mare chocked before continuing “I am a shopkeeper” glory then looked up at her savior and the crowd was stunned once again, instead of yellow eyes like before, her eyes are slowly but surely changing color towards a shade of blue, the same blue as the green unicorn. “Please! You gotta believe me! I am not responsible for anypony's death!” she begged desperately holding onto her saviour.
“Shh, hush now” the green mare assured her, patting her on the back “I believe you, why don't we get you out of this place? Get you some tea and let's talk about it.” She just nodded weakly. Then a flash of light later, they are gone only a puff of silvery smoke remains...
Every pony looked at each other before they started walking away, after a few minutes, only Spike and Echo remained in the clearing, Spike still can't believe what he just saw while Echo was wearing a thoughtful look on her face. She then started to walk towards the gumshoe's office a little west of where they are.
Spike followed but not before asking “What was THAT?” Spike pointed a thumb at the direction of the wooden platform Spike asked worriedly, Echo just continued walking, the thoughtful look never leaving her face.
--
“That was the voidlings ‘employing’ Spike” Echo finally said a fair distance away from the clearing still looking like sherlock holmes , Spike shifted uncomfortably “we are going to the gumshoe's office, drop a letter then we are going to pay a visit to the reporter and the watch pony…” Spike nodded and sighed as he caught on to the changeling.
Echo then took a glance at Spike at the corner of her eye, judging by his facial expression, Spike was confused and kind of afraid to ask her why, the changeling let out a long sigh and dropped her ‘not caring’ look and faced Spike directly.
“Listen, Spike” the dragon looked up at her, tilting his head slightly. “When we were at the gallows, I saw twelve ponies not constantly yelling or cheering at the mare’s death, three of them with cyan eyes, so they are out. That leaves us with nine suspects. Gumshoe can watch three at a time, not too much as to wear them out but not too little as to let those changeling escape.”
Spike then continues for her dryly“ same goes to the reporter and the watch pony I suppose?” Echo nodded, putting on her ‘not caring’ look once again. Spike sighed, “let's get this over with before this town officially creeps me out” Echo can't help but crack a small smile.
---
“So to summaries, we went to the gumshoe’s, watch ponies and reporter’s office within half an hour, but you don't want to ask for more help even if we can afford it? That’s almost three against nine,” Spike stated matter-of-factly, Echo just shifted in her bed.
“I know…” She muttered weakly under the sheets under her blanket, Spike could almost see her imaginary sigh saying in bold letters ‘self kicking in process’ “but asking more ponies to help will make the efforts useless due to every pony snooping around… I just don't know what to do” Echo covered her face with her hooves and blanket.
Spike grumbled then said in a clam voice, “don't worry too much, you will manage, at least you are trying to help…” Echo nodded to herself letting the sweet embrace of sleep take her away. Spike patted her back and did the same.
--at the other side of town--
A changeling drone landed in front of a mare who’s sitting on a pony’s body sucked dry of love.“My queen, I am sorry to report this but a very heavy barrier was placed around this town an hour ago, it’s somehow blocking all magic from going through” the mare then picked up the corpse and gave it a forceful buck, sending it flying through it’s former home crashing on the wall opposite of her with a thump.
The mare then shed her disguise, revealing herself to be a very tall changeling queen, who went by the name Tibia. She then hissed to the drone beside her “Don't you know how to fly around it?!” The changeling drone shooked weakly and coughed out some green goop and blood, and she started to shake her head.
“Yes my queen. But, the barrier covering the sky holds like a dome, there’s no way through. I’ve blasted it with my strongest spell, without trying to draw suspicion. I even tried lodge a ten hoof wide rock at it! There's not even a scratch, worst of all, it’s made of the most transparent glass I have ever seen, to any ponies out there, they may not even Notice it”
The drone then looked around and whispered in a hushed tone “maybe it’s one of the voilding’s doing” then it’s time for the queen to shook her head
She then asked in a commanding tone walking towards the female drone who was watching some distance away. “And what was that about that undisguised changeling?”
The second drone swallowed with a gulp nervously as she lowered her head, “She is always accompanied by a young dragon with superior sword skills. Beyond us and judging by how she was being treated, she will most likely to be the one in charge of finding us. ”
The queen just scowled. “ Well then, a traitor of the changelings who thinks she can find us? Understand? I don't want us to become extinct!"
“YES MY QUEEN” ---
‘Knock, knock’. Echo woke up and sat on her bed, she rubbed her eyes before giving out a giant yawn. Spike did the same on his bed as well. “Morning”, both said in unison, before letting out a small chuckle.
Echo levitated the mail that had been delivered to their front door, she tore open the letters and took the folded up piece of paper. It read:
Breaking news from the reporter:
Yesterday, I was given secret orders
to dish up some dirt on three different
ponies. After shifting through their
garbage, I’m sure that the one known
as Starlight Flutter is a dirty changeling
of some kind!
I hope this is useful.
-Reporter
After reading it, she levitated the letter to Spike, who was busy getting up from the bed. Echo then tore open the second letter with a flick of her horn. It read:
The Gumshoe Files
Hey boss,
So I got your orders and set out to
Investigate three ponies just like you
wanted.
I’m going to have to tell you,
the one known as April Shine happens
to be my incognito! But the one
known as Jolly Party however,
has evidence about her just doesn't
add up. I am sure someone might be
set to frame this fellow, changelings
don’t trick me that easily.
Hope this helps ya out!
-Gumshoe
They both finish their letters at the same time, Spike burnt his letter and walked into the kitchen, while Echo was still in her bed. She let out a yawn as she tore open another note.
The Sheriff's Office.
Greetings fellow mayor,
I am here to report on the status
of the town,
Sunny Hooves, Bubble Shy, and Merry dawn have been found
dead.One pony was stabbed five times with a knife and had her cutie mark
cut off as well. Two have had love drained out from their bodies, leaving
a pair of withered husks instead.
I hope we will be safe.
Anonymous Mayor.
Echo tore the note into two and muttered softly to herself. “I hope so too…” Spike walked out of the kitchen somehow wearing a small apron he got from who knows where. The changeling then tore open the final note, as she ate the leftover manticore meat.
The Watch Pony Log
As ordered, I kept my targets in my sight.
The one known as Starlight Flutter visited Bubble Shy.
Last night, while the other two targets slept
peacefully through the night, I can safely say that
they won't be doing any killing tonight. We will make sure of it.
End of report sir… or madam…
Echo tore the note apart as well as she got up from her bed, catching Spike by surprise. “ Alright Spike, we have changelings to find and a town to save from an insane murderer.” Both took their time to prepare and Echo put on her ‘I-don’t-care-look’ ’once again.
---
“So here it is, our suspect's humble home” Spike said sarcastically, the house was decorated with streamers and party balloons all over the exterior, to put it bluntly, Starlight Flutter’s house just sticks out like a sore thumb compare to other buildings around “let's knock to see if anyone’s home shall we?” Spike asked jokingly and playfully bowed motioning Echo to step up to the front door.
The changeling walked up and gave the door three gentle taps, her face showing the one of worry, she had dropped the ‘act’ after they’ve reached the neighborhood, and after a few seconds of what seems to be someone shuffling behind those doors and a few yelps, a small mare opened the door and she stepped cautiously out.
She had the ocean for her eyes and show for a coat, her mane was one of gold and orange her figure was the one which stallions kill for just to get on a date, Spike instantly got lost to her magnificent beauty “H-hello?” she asked in a voice so sweet it would make any songbird hang their heads in shame.
Echo was having none of that and said in her natural voice showing as little emotion as possible, this was not what she had expected, she was expecting a more… common look instead of a weak and attractive mare that sticks out
“Are you the one called Starlight Flitter?” Echo asked uncertainty saturated her tone of voice as she speaks, the white mare just nodded simply, Echo straightened up, calmed herself and said formally, “Starlight Flitter, you are hereby ordered to be hanged at noon by the conspiracy of murder” that snap Spike out of it.
The mare let out a laugh in a typical mare-ish tone “That's funny! You are funny,” she continued to laugh, but with each passing second, her laugh became more and more forced.
The mare slowly shrank up into a ball and began crying openly on the morning street, she then slowly crawls to Echo’s hole-ly hoof and begged for mercy denying that she had done anything close to hurting someone Spike just stared, honestly what can he do? He can’t kill her and Echo will not kill those who don’t post a threat to her.
Echo then started to walk away to the sheriff's office to do the paperwork, giving the mare a buck, knocking her out. She carried the fallen mare on her back and began to walk to her destination.
---
An hour later when Echo left the building after the admiralty boring paperwork session and she was greeted by a crowd who had gathered at the entrance of the building all of them wearing angry expressions, one mare by the name of Jolly Party if Echo remembered correctly came up front and silenced the crowd waving a hoof up in the air.
“ARE YOU THE ONE WHO HAVE FALSELY ACCUSED OUR DEAR STARLIGHT OF MURDER?!?!” she angrily yelled at the undisguised changeling so loudly Echo was sure she can hear ringing inside her head, the crowd also shouted insults at Echo, who in turn, hid a smile under her calm mask.
The changeling just straightened out and tidied herself and said coldly “Starlight Flitter are ordered to be hanged at noon by the conspiracy of murder for a reaso-” before Echo can finish her sentence, jolly with the look of absolute fury on her face punched Echo in the snout, sending her sprawling back into the building.
“She already told us everything, you are just jealous of how beautiful she is and you would never be like a fraction of her, THAT’S WHY YOU WANT TO KILL MY SWEET DAUGHTER ISN’T IT?!?!” she yelled on top of her lungs the ponies outside seems to agree with her.
“That’s true! She said it herself that she would kill me because I looked slightly better than her” Starlight Flitter added suddenly, adding fuel to the burning rage inside each of the ponies nearby, she then looked around “How can we trust a changeling to solve our problems? She is probably one of them!” she cried out.
Then the same brown stallion with a cream-colored mane and yellow eyes walked up to Echo’s still fallen forum and said coldly “you are not welcome here you filthy changeling get out while we still let you.” His right eye twitched, Echo sighed as she stood up and grabbed the stallion so they are looking at each other face to face.
“If you think for just a second that I would leave misguided innocents to die here, you are dead wrong, you are smarter than this Jack, listen closely” she whispered in the stallion’s ear and walked outside once again, he just smirked knowingly for just a second before he turned around and glared at the changeling…
“-he is just here to slowly kill us off one by one-” Echo found Starlight outside the sheriff's office spreading lies, she will not allow this any further, not when lives are at stake, she grabbed starlight by the mane and dragged her to a open area, everypony followed, eventually she found a big open space and bumped the struggling mare at the center,
“SEE?!?!” she cried on the floor and slowly got up “she’s here to kill me! Please don't let her do it! I’m Innocent!” the everypony roared and started throwing objects at Echo, she doged expertly around the sluggish projectiles, “Don’t let her get awa-”Starlight Flitter shouted then the town was silenced by a wet sound of a sword slicing through a neck.
The small mare stood there gagging as a clear line can be seen, blood was rushing out of the cut but it’s not red, instead, it’s sickly green. And there stood Spike behind Starlight Flitter, he was holding a sword painted by… Changeling blood, the ‘mare’ fell onto the ground as her head was separated from her body and a blue fire engulfed the body the head slowly rolled away.
What’s left was a corpse of a changeling clearly different from Echo, it’s shell was still black, sure but it’s eyes are a deep blue color, then as if on cue jolly party appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Echo boldly up to meet the mare eye to eye since Echo was slightly shorter than the others.
“What have you done to my daughter you changeling?!?” a brown hoof struck jolly at the neck, she looked back furiously before fainting and falling to the ground letting Echo go in the process, Echo then flew up above the crowd who’s been stunned silent by the change of event.
“I am the mayor of the town goodsprings, the second largest town in the everfree just behind the voidlings itself, I became the mayor because those people there TRUSTED me, some time ago, a killer went into MY town and think he can kill those under MY protection, his decaying corpse can still be seen hanging there in the town entrance.” Echo said, everypony listened closely afraid at what she might do otherwise.
“If I really want you all to die, I would not have come here, undisguised no less, I came here because I cannot watch innocents simply die without reason, admittedly I need them to survive, so I want you all to go home and think about who you should trust!” the changeling shouted on top of her lungs above the crowd
“A mayor who’s been protecting a small town for twenty years?” she asked loudly as everyone flinched back a little “Or your ‘friend’ that might be a changeling imposter?” Echo finished with a dark undertone. The crowd simply just disappeared with their heads hung low,
She then looked at Jack and smiled softly. “Lock her up J." echo ordered casually. The stallion gave Echo a salute before hauling jolly to a building next to the sheriff's office.
"changed your face again eh? Took me a while but there’s no mistaking these old sad twitchy eye.” Echo added a few moments later. He just smiles, and tapped his heart two times -a sign of respect maybe?- before resuming his work, Spike can only assume it to be a prison cell.
“Changed your face?” Spike asked the changeling casually, facing the corpse, watching it slowly burn away into ash, slowly being blown away by the wind, changeling bodies tend to do that, or else they would’ve been found ages ago.
“We used to travel together, back when I was younger, me and him used to be wanderers. , We saw the world in a different perspective , he was the hard eyed realist, I’m the dreamy eyed idealist, both wanted to change the world in some ways, he used the most advanced magic of the time to alter his form every once in awhile when he’d fucked up… Well that’s what he told me anyway” Echo closed her eyes and chuckled softly.
“Eventually he met a mare and settled down in a town named Hoofington, ten years later his mare died and he was crushed, finally drove him insane five years later, he then settled down again in a small village inside everfree, guess I’ve finally found him, can’t believe it's been thirty years since we’ve last met…” Echo has a distant look in her eye when she uttered those words.
Spike turned and looked back at the dissolving corpse “You really care for them?” the dragon asked, his voice sounded empty. Echo just shuts her eyes and nodded once. “I'm curious, where did you come from, didn't you have a hive of your own also?”
Echo chuckled for the first time since she’s been here, “I’m an assassin, all you need to know is my queen uses me so much on her prime, one day she was killed when I’m gone, -heh- I was so young back then” Echo said with a hint of nostalgia in her tone.
“And what's the point of looking like a queen if there’s no changeling to rule over?” she added sadly to herself, Spike of course, heard that. Echo then turned around and walked away as the last bits of changeling flesh was dissolved into ash.
“So, who’s our next target?” Spike asked as the two of them walked around the town for the tenth time, everyone gave them uneasy looks as they walked by, none chose to even look them in the eye. Echo shrugged as she looked around.
“I’m not that sure yet, but I think we should split up, cover more ground this way” Echo said a little louder than usual, “and draw them out more easily” Echo added quietly to Spike. The dragon nodded and walked in another direction with little more to say. Echo did the same with a sigh as well
---Elsewhere---
To say the queen was furious would be one of the biggest understatement of the year, she sat there in the middle of the room, gritting her teeth together, if looks can kill, everything in front of her would have been ash, “T-T-THAT BITCH!” She screamed lobbing a dinner plate at the wall, shattering it to a thousand clattering pieces.
“How many have of us died because of these ponies!?” she looks around the house, trying to find something else to exert her anger onto but almost everything is smashed to pieces.
“She let out a sigh as anger drifted away to sadness, a drop of tear dropped down her face” her anger burning itself out like a fire running out of oxygen. “My children… my dear children, please Live on… That's all I ever want you all to do...”
“I will get you for this dragon...” she said grimly as she took a piece of metal and bend it to a disfigured shape.
After an hour or so of walking alone something tackled Spike from behind catching him off guard, he swiftly turned around and gave the black shape a punch with his clenched fist, the thing jumped off and landed some distance away.
Spike took the opportunity to turn around and face his attacker, readying himself for a fight, what or who he saw was not what he was expecting, there stood Echo, with the look of pure unfiltered haterade on her face.
“YOU!” She screamed, It sounded like she was on the verge to rip Spike in half, and by her behaviour just now, she probably will, a couple of ponies stopped what they are doing and glanced at the two facing each other.
“Echo what the FUCK!?” Spike shouted with surprise, drawing his swords and point it at Echo, the enraged changeling just charged Spike, the dragon expertly dodged her attack, they traded blows for a few seconds before Spike swatted the changeling away.
“Where are you just now?” she said through gritted teeth, razor-sharp fangs showing for all to see, she got up in a defensive position growling like an untamed beast ready to pounce on its prey.
“Been walking everywhere, define ‘just now’” Spike replied, composing himself, it came out calm and collected. The two warriors begin to circle each other, each on very high alert and constantly calculating a way to take down their opponent, Spike wants to disable or knock out the changeling, Echo wanted answers from the dragon.
“Two eyewitnesses reported that you broke into a house and stole all their gems for your consumption and burnt their house down, so I’m going to ask you once and only once more, WHERE ARE YOU JUST NOW?!” on the outside Spike looked fine but on the inside of Spike’s head, he was starting to get a little annoyed as well.
His gaze shifted upward and true enough, a trial of smoke rose up from one of the houses at the far side of town. Spike opened his mouth and said slowly “I did not break into any houses, let alone burn anything down, you have my word”
Echo snarled “How can I know that you are Spike the dragon and not an imposter?” The changeling asked never taking her eyes off Spike’s deep emerald eyes.
Spike looked behind her and there’s another Echo that looked identical to the one before him, still glaring daggers but the changeling farthest away from Spike had a pink glowing saber, only the real Echo can do that.
And so, Spike Sneezed hard, “I’m sorry, I’m allergic to bullshit” that caught her off guard before a pink glowing saber attempted to cut through the changeling’s hind leg, the Echo imposter jumped away with a hiss and ran into an alleyway some distance away.
Spike gave chase but when he got there the changeling was gone, all that’s left was an empty dumpster, someone approached and patted Spike on the shoulder, the dragon sighed and said softly “It got away."
“I can see that” a very familiar voice was heard, one that was definitely not Echo, Spike turned his head in surprise, who greeted his vision was not one Spike expected to see at all, Spike had not even thought about her since he entered the forest five years ago, before Spike stood Fluttershy…
“F-FLUTTERSHY?!?!” Spike half asked half yelled at the yellow mare, she just nodded calmly and that brought Spike’s brain to a complete halt. She smiles and opens her mouth but was interrupted by another Echo galloping at their direction.
“Spike, you ok? I-I missed” Echo -the real one- asked with panic and worry as she rushed up to meet Spike, checking the young dragon if there are any injuries on him “I came as soon as I could When I heard myself shouting, I ran into an imposter you and fought him away, he escaped too tough...”
“He is alright Ms. Echo, I have made sure of it,” Fluttershy said softly and gave the weary changeling a reassuring smile, while Spike was still confused, Echo breathed a sigh of relief her posture relaxed significantly. And gave Fluttershy a pat on the shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” Spike asked with narrowed eyes and a voice saturated with suspicion, “better yet, why would you leave your cozy cottage and enter a forest filled with danger without a fully grown bear with you?” Echo took note of this little bit of information Spike slipped.
Fluttershy’s expression did not change the slightest, but Echo shivered as the emotion of the mare changed from nothing -which is not common for ponies in and on itself- to compassion instantly -which is also an anomaly amongst ponies to change so swiftly- “look into my eyes” Spike was confused for a moment before it struck him like a solid brick wall to the face all suspicion melted away…
His eyes widen and he pointed a finger at the yellow mare “you are one of them…A Voidling” she smiles and only nodded once, Echo looked on with interest and curiosity, “Is that why you are not in Ponyville when I need you most?” Spike asked with anger clear from his tone.
--- Five years ago, Ponyville Fluttershy’s Cottage, Fluttershy’s P.O.V---
“Are you sure that this is a wise choice?” Fluttershy asked the gray mare in front of her with uncertainty, Mrs Tech was pouring some cold tea into the mare’s cup in front of her and did the same to her own cup.
Tech nodded sadly and replied “I’m afraid so” and took a sip of her cup, savoring the cold tea, It’s not normal but for some reason, she really really likes her beverages ice cold.
“But Spike would ask Rarity out soon, deploying me to Cloudsdale this time of the year, is really the best option? I mean can we just send a unit there to man the outpost here instead?” Fluttershy countered.
“Cloudsdale outpost is currently having a skeleton crew working their ass off to keep the base running, they seriously need all the help they can get” Tech let out a long sigh. “This feels so wrong at so many levels F, but all available units are manning the orbital defense systems now, we cannot spare anyone”
“Yeah, fair point” Fluttershy muttered, taking a sip of her tea… getting ready to pack up for her trip.
The gray mare laughs and said casually “don't blame yourself too much, I’ve already planted two simple override AI into the two artifacts we can track down ,we cannot spend months in a wild goose chase finding the wiped units, and Flu-773-r5hy you have a skeleton crew to help” Fluttershy just nodded to herself…
“Welp, It’s been emotional, I have units to encourage, love to make, a daughter to take care of and a fleet of battleships controlled space Genghis khan 2.0 to shoot down before they shower us with nukes” A portal opened behind her and she hopped through without any words.
Fluttershy can’t help but rolled her eyes, “border worlds everypony”
--- Present day, Sleepy Hollow, Spike’s P.O.V---
Fluttershy sighed “There are things I need to do at the time, I am sorry but I cannot leave my family's side while they need me the most” Spike let out a huff upon hearing that the yellow pegasus then approached Spike and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.
Spike shied away and gave Fluttershy a glare “I can see your reason for not being there but you still did not show up at the moment I need you most, I know it’s selfish of me but I am still upset about it” the pegasus just nodded and took to the air, disappearing between two buildings…
Echo then approached Spike cautiously, his emotion was a mess right now and his face was dark, she carefully approaches Spike and touched him on the back, offering at least a little comfort, Spike then glanced at Echo, his eyes dull and lifeless, before slowly walks towards the motel they have been staying at without a word…
---
“Spike?” Echo asked as he peeked into the small motel room she can feel Spike inside but she cannot see him, the room was completely dark “Spike? Are you ok?” Echo took a cautious step forward into the dark room…
“No, I’m not” replied Spike, his tone empty and distant, “She was a voidling all along, I’ve known her for years, She was shy and reserved, not a person like you said those voidlings are, yet here she is, how much of it was just an act?”
“Spike, you must not let those feelings get into your head, Voidlings are everywhere, they are ‘found’ all around the world, in fact, one in fifty equestrian is a Voidling, They… well for people who ran the biggest charity on equis, they can’t be all that bad right?” Echo said with uncertainty clear in her voice.
“I was lied to again and again, Echo...:” the dragon brought his claws to cover his face, deep in his own swirling emotions, the changeling in turn just bit her lip, unsure of what to do.
“I- I am not sure how to respond to that, Spike…” Echo whispered with a lowered head, he just grunted and shifts away, “W-We have been living together for so long, It hurts to see you like this…” He said nothing, Echo had enough, with a quick motion that rivals timberwolves the changeling grab hold of Spike's shoulders and spun him around to face her.
Their eyes stared into each other’s for a second, Spike was the first to look away and said in a quiet tone “Leave me alone Echo, I’d just need a little time” Echo let out a growl, grab ahold of Spike’s head, the changeling then headbutted the dragon so hard Spike was thrown a small distance away
she then looked away and said in a small shaky tone, she was trying to get back into control “Spike, your old life is behind you already, Please… I-I know it’s painful to get over your past suffering but if you don't, it will consume you…” Echo found it harder and harder to stay calm as her changeling nature begin to take effect.
Spike sat up and rubbed his throbbing forehead, he opened his mouth but was interrupted by Echo before he can say anything “You have to start looking at the future instead of the past” Echo said while staring at Spike’s emerald greens Spike attempted to look away again but was stopped by Echo’s hooves
“You don't understand, I-I used to like her, not as a lover but as a close friend- she was one of my best friends but she did not show up at the time of need I-”
“LOOK at me!” Echo yelled angrily she cannot resist Spike’s emotion anymore, his emotion was too strong Echo cannot help but mimic “I am an outcast, MY OWN FAMILY, abandoned me when my queen died, I had Kept the husk that was my hive for over ten years, waiting... NO... ONE... CAME…BACK...”
Echo snarled and showed her sharp teeth, eyes glowing an eerie blue“I was alone, too afraid to change, to accept that my queen died… I too was stuck in the past for ten years… then Jack came to raid my home, he is the reason I left my hive...” Echo sighed sadly to herself
Spike’s anger and sorrow diminished somewhat giving Echo the ability to control her own emotions once more, the changeling muttered softly making eye contact once again “Spike, four years now, you are stuck in the past, a place where things can never change, no matter how hard you think about, so come on… live for today because the past was gone and tomorrow may never come” that gave Spike a pause...
“Alright, lets...”
---
Spike and Echo both woke up at the same time, both entangled together a knock was heard as the morning letters slipped in, celestia’s sun shine outside the window as yesterday's events came flooding back to their heads, The changeling yelped and jumped off the bed, “Oh I am so sorry, Spike I-I don’t know what went over me” the changeling was silenced by a claw to her mouth.
Spike rolled his eyes and took the hoof away, saying bluntly “your mail is here and we have a killer and changelings to find, let's talk later ok” Echo nodded slowly and picked up the letters on the floor, she tore one opened and began to read…
The watch pony log #2
As ordered, I kept my targets in my sight,
The one known as Lavender Singer visited Shuffle Step
Last night while the other two targets slept through the night
End of report sir… Or madam…
Echo sighed and tore open another letter…
Breaking news from the reporter
Yesterday I was given secret orders
to dish up some dirt on three different
ponies, after sifting through their
garbage,Shuffle Step’s garbage bin…
was filled blood and dried up skin…
I think I found The killer
I hope this is useful.
-Reporter
Echo then breeze through the town’s new population names,
Lily Melody, Jack paire Lavender Singer, Meadow Flitter Breezy Lightning, April shine Magical Star, Night Twister Shadow Charm, Silent Shadow Chocolate Twirl, Platinum Star River Song, Mr. Key Tech
unfortunately, Lavender singer was killed yesterday.
Her body cut opened and her mark missing
-fellow mayor
Echo let out a breath she didn't know she held Spike than showed up -wearing the same arpon that magically appeared- holding a huge slice of meat, upon closer inspection it’s just soy that looked like meat “Can’t find any real meat here, so I will have to make do” The changeling sighed and ate her breakfast…
After a few minutes of both enjoying each other’s company, Echo stood up and let out a long sigh, as fun as last night might be, they still have a job to do, the changeling calmly said to Spike “we have ourselves a killer, his name is Shuffle Step, one murder was committed yesterday, thank goodness for only one...”
Spike nods and sterilized his hands, Celestia groaned again in canterlot due to the food crumples that was sent, “ well let's get the killer!” Spike exclaimed and walked out the small room, Fluttershy immediately greeted Spike’s vision, but Fluttershy looked very tired, there are a few scratches on her body that Spike was absolutely sure was not there yesterday she swayed from side to side with bags under her eyes.
“Consider yourself very lucky, I am the reason the town did not have any more murdered people” Fluttershy weakly said while Echo eased herself out of the doorway occupied by the yellow mare, upon seeing her, Fluttershy collapse into a hole that appears out of thin air and a huge ‘thump’ was heard inside the small room, It’s soon followed by intense snoring, Spike looked back and found Fluttershy had somehow teleported onto his bed and now was sleeping like a filly…
“What was that about?” Echo asked with a puzzled expression painted on her face, Spike sighed and rubbed his temples, Echo wisely choose to drop the subject, muttering “Ponies sometimes…” before moving on towards the sheriff's office.
---
Mad giggles was heard across the opening, the black pony bucked Shuffle Step off the platform and soon, a bone-crunching snap was heard and the laughing instantly stopped but the mad smile was still on the stallion’s face, with his dead eyes wide open, staring into nothingness beyond the crowd of ponies, all of the shifted uncomfortably and talked amongst themselves.
Echo stepped up to the stage and yelled “Listen up!” The crowd of ponies eventually silenced and stared at the changeling on the gallows “your killer has been taken care of!” The small town collectively cheered, “ we only have a few changelings left and they have nothing to lose, so be on your highest guard when you meet anyone” Everyone nodded and began walk off.
A dagger flew by Echo’s head and she caught it with her hoof faster then any eye can blink, the changeling looked at the knife and it had a note tied to it, she than pull out the dagger which is embedded in her hoof half an inch deep, on the note was words written in… blood… Echo swiftly read the words scribbled on the piece of paper…
Changeling, you have gave us nothing but trouble
I as the queen of my hive will not let you hinder
My hive’s progress to expand any longer. you will be challenged
By me, Queen Tibia to a battle, if you foolishly choose
To find us one by one,we will kill five of you each night.
Think quickly the first target would be Your dragon, I am a
Queen of my words, swords cannot
Fight emotional magic,I will slowly drain him
hidden away, he will be an emotionless husk by
Tomorrow, time is ticking...
Echo’s face turned grim, Spike did not read the letter as it was incinerated,but all it took was a glance at Echo and he knew, Echo was pissed she let out a scream that can make manticores hide away in fear and she charged to the center of the town. Her outburst was so sudden, Spike found himself lost in his mind constantly screaming “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?” over and over again.
It took Spike nearly three seconds to realize what just happened and he immediately went after Echo but she was nowhere to be seen, Spike took off as well, by the brief time he had been here he knew a short walk to town square, he can find her there if he climb to the top floor and look for her , he turned the corner and dashed through the alleyway as fast as he could, before crashing into a filly that felt like a solid brick wall…
---
“Uhh, howdy?” the filly said uncertainly and she looked at Spike curiously, Spike slowly got up rubbing his head…
“what?“ Spike asked slowly then stood up he then added “or more accurately… oww” the filly walked over to him and check if he’s ok
“I am sorry but I have to go, sorry for hitting you” Spike rushed off again.
The filly gave him a curious look and walked away but not before saying “ fountain”
---
Spike stopped his tracks when he saw the changeling, Echo was standing near the fountain looking like she was about to commit genocide, looking around for her targets, just when Spike was trying to approach, six undisguised changeling flew into view, without even thinking, Echo charges at the six with speeds of a freight train, almost like an enraged bull charging at the moving cape.
If Echo have a clear head she would NOT CHARGE INTO A FUCKING DISADVANTAGE WHERE SHE IS OUT NUMBERED 5 TO 1 Spike screamed internally to himself
The changelings scattered and landed on the ground in a hexagonal shape with small thuds. Then the queen taunts loudly up to Echo, “you have to do better than that”, Echo let out a growl and charged towards the fountain. The other changelings did nothing to stop her, it’s their mistake, Spike ducked away once the sledgehammer that is his thoughts came to him.
A giant Boom was heard and a splash, the six changelings tried to run once they realize what was about to happen but the water had already reached them. The three changelings swiftly got up and as expected, their wings were useless until they dried up again, Echo emerged from the shattered fountain, only partly wet and with pure rage burning in her hot glowing blue eyes
“You Dare, to came into the everfree, MY home, commit murder, The people under MY protection and make them suffer just for the sake of it?!?!” Echo growled through gritted teeth, as she kept her pace , walking to queen Tibia, showing no interest to the two drones, they gave up on surrounding Echo to protect the queen immediately once they realize that Echo can do can do a lot of damage if they cannot fly away or dodge.
Unbeknownst to to Echo, a seventh drone was there hidden in an alleyway directly opposite to Spike, holding a sword, “queen knows basic tactics, heavy battle sword eh? Killing her with her own game” Spike muttered, both the assassin and Spike locked eyes and the changeling charged at Spike instead of his most likely original target.
By some miracle, Echo did not notice it, A perception filter perhaps? Or she ignored him entirely. Spike did not have the time to think as he swiftly drew his sword and defended himself from the storm of blade slashes coming his way. The changeling is fast and there is no doubt about it. Swords clash with mighty clings and clangs, Spike ran away from Echo and the three changelings with the forth on his tail.
Spike ran for a few minutes, away from the seven -most likely fighting- changeling, when he thought that he was a fair distance away, he looked back at his target who is still chasing him, only to be instantly thrown back by a powerful punch, landing near a house with a heavy thud.
He then swiftly moved his head away to avoid the sword, it hit the wooden frame with a THUNK, small wooden splinters flew everywhere as the sword was now embedded into the framing of the house, the changeling did not waste time as he grabbed Spike by the leg and slammed him to the wall since he is lighter than the changeling.
He was then ready to give the dragon a new breathing hole through the head but Spike swiftly dodge the killing blow, he jumped away and their swords met once again with a loud clang, Spike shoves the changeling away and attempt to slash him open, it defended against his attacks perfectly. The changeling took powerful swings too but was also blocked by Spike’s counter attacks…
Then a changeling got a lucky hit and that blew Spike away to the middle of the street, it then lept towards Spike to finish him but he dodged the sword but only barely, missing by just a hair’s width, he can even feel the air moved by the sword, Spike kicked the changeling away to give himself a little breathing room.
But not for long, it charged once again slashing ruthlessly at Spike who in turn either dodge or block its endless attacks, they traded blow after blow, finally the changeling slashed Spike straight across the chest, blood began to pour across the wound, the changeling quickly slammed a hoof at Spike’s chest, knocking the air out of him and pinning him down…
It jumped straight up to the sky and charged its sword with boiling hot magical energy, Spike shakily points the hilt his sword towards the falling changeling and squeezed hard on the hilt.
BANG
The changeling’s sword instantly stopped glowing as the top of it’s horn was torn right off by the carefully engineered shrapnel, it hit the ground where Spike once was before, Spike stood up shakily, the look of agonizing pain was clear on his face and points the blade at its throat a look of realization dawned on it’s face and he relaxed. The world suddenly paused, a feeling Spike knew all too well...
“mr Sssssspike…” the voice of fluttershy called out from everywhere, her forum, now wearing a tidy suit slowly faded into Spike’s view
“I realise that this is not the best moment for a heart to heart… but I have to wait for your… friend… ha… were otherwise occupied…” there was a blinding flash and Spike found himself staring at the frozen form of Echo, righteous anger burned in her eyes as she and the other changelings fought.....
“there was a time where she cared nothing but herself” fluttershy explained as she walked over to Echo and brushed something off of her shoulder, “where her only experience with ponykind is hatred aiming at her down to her core.”
“when we cut her away from queen Mesothorax” she let out a small laugh that bare no joy “we acted in the face of objection that she is just a mere grub and have no practical use to us, I have learned to ignore these liars when” she paused for a moment “Trading with them… was the only option” a white light blinded Spike temporary again and he found himself staring at the the small town of goodsprings with all it’s medieval looking types of housing...
The mare then said besides Spike who is still rooted in place “still, we are not those who break our adopted children, and I remain confident that she can do so much more than managing a few dozen people…” yet another flash and he found himself in front of her in a futuristic office, sitting behind a very strange table with black polished glass as it’s surface and white frame.
“that's why I must make you do something minor owed for your own survival… see her safely back to goodsprings, mr Spike… I wish I can do more than forcing you to do this but I have agreed to abide by certain… restrictions…” she and the office faded from view and Spike found himself in front of the unconscious changeling he was fighting, with his previous wound was healed...
---Meanwhile---
Echo scowled at queen Tibia and the two remaining bodyguards, she charged at them with unmatched and due to their still soaked wings, their movements are slow and sloppy, because if that, Echo had made a few solid punches on the queen and even a lucky bite on the left bodyguard, the right took the opening and bucked her away.
She crashed into a cart and it splintered into small pieces of wood Echo then took one of the wagon handles and charged again, using it as a quite effective melee weapon, they tried to scatter again but to no avail, one changeling was knocked out by a single blow who is now laying out of the way, while the other two are holding on for dear life…
“Not so hot now huh, Tibia?” Echo asked mockingly, her glowing eyes glued to the queen who’s too busy avoiding Echo’s attacks
Every time a changeling charges their horn, something very heavy would fly in their direction, they quick to learn that magic against Echo is useless, Echo kicked at the direction of the queen’s face with breakneck speeds but she can dodge her attacks just as quickly and return the favour, after a a few minutes of continuous fighting however, Echo can sense that queen Tibia is getting tired.
“You can go FUCK yourself!” the queen exclaimed as she flung away Echo’s weapon. And stabbed her in the chest with her long and jagged horn, Echo gasped and collapsed onto the ground, Tibia then let out a laugh as she looks at the fallen changeling before her.
she then uses her magic to grab Echo by her neck and began to squeeze as hard as she can, audible cracks was heard as cracks begin to form around Echo’s neck, her carapace started to give under the pressure, Echo’s hooves limped and eventually fell onto her sides her eyes ominus glow faded.
The queen then threw the changeling down onto the dirt hard and begin to laugh “behold your saviour has fallen under the hooves of queen Tibia!”
A scream was heard but it was not one of the ponies in goodsprings, no... Tibia recognizes where that scream came from, it was one of her children, she looked at the direction of the scream and found Echo with her mouth wide open.
One of her children trapped earlier by Echo was screaming in agony as energy wafted into Echo’s mouth. The queen can only watch as one of her child gets her life sucked out of her own body, stunned by what is happening before her.
Echo slowly got up, her body partly restored and proceed to fight once again. “You MONSTER!” It was the queen’s time to be on the offensive.
Echo did a roundhouse kick that sent the queen flying and crashing into a building, screams of terror came out of the house a second later. It was hideous fighting Tibia to be honest. The leftover changeling pounced on Echo’s back and sank it’s teeth into Echo’s ear, an ankle to the chest knocked it out cold as well.
The queen quickly recovered and got ready to fight once again “COME ON!” both yelled in unison before charging at each other, Echo let out a punch but Tibia grabs it with her two forehooves attempting to snap it in half, Echo used that to pull the queen towards her and a knee to the stomach saved her hoof.
Echo threw Tibia a short distance away and prepared to diveler the final blow the queen’s head, but it moved away just as her hoof struck the floor with a heavy thud, a swift buck to the face flinged her back. It was Tibia’s turn to charge.
To the queens credit, she knows how to fight, her forehooves landed on either side of Echo’s head with heavy thuds that send dirt flying up, but was swiftly swept away by the changeling followed by a swift blow to the stomach by her elbow, cracking her carapace.
Tibia staggered back with a pained expression clenching her cracked stomach Echo ran towards her with murder painted on her face, the queen duck away swiftly, their lungs burned and their bodies begged them to stop.
Echo was about to finish her when the queen held up a shaking hoof, “Stop!” that surprised Echo and she did what Tibia said, only to find out that she is not talking to her, but a changeling behind Echo who was on the verge of collapsing, holding a pathetic piece of wood, prepared to sacrifice itself for it’s queen.
“I surrender, I submit...” Tibia said as she lowered her head. “Just don't hurt my children anymore, and I will do whatever you please” she said through gritted teeth,Echo paused for a second, Spike rushed out of an alleyway with his weapons but was surprised by the lack of action.
Echo then said in a cold voice directed to the queen, “step out of it, or I will kill them all” Spike walked up to Echo and raised his eyebrow “explain later” Echo whispered to Spike when he got close enough.
The queen nodded and she stood up to her full height, she then open her mouth wide and a crack was heard, soon followed by a hiss as lower her jaw cracked into two, the crack split down towards her ribs as two sides begin to separate like a sliding door, showing the queen’s insides for all to see, a trail of steam wafted out soon after.
A lot blood flowed through the huge opening but Spike was used to blood at this point, that is not the case for a few towns ponies watching through their windows however, sounds of vomiting was heard inside of houses all around.
Then, a changeling drone stepped out shakily like a newborn deer, she, and it’s definitely a she, bowed to Echo, leaving the shell of the queen behind, what's left is Tibia but not the queen she was before.
Echo leans in close to Spike and whispered “A changeling queen’s body is like a throne, while some queens also have a throne that they can sit on, the body provided the power, any changeling can just hop in now and be the queen”
Spike raised an eyebrow once again, sheathing his swords, he then asked Echo in a questioning tone “so why don't you go inside now? I mean, you can protect a lot more people while you are a queen” but Echo shaked her head as she glares back at Tibia who is still bowing.
“It’s not that easy” Echo whispered “didn’t you see the blood? That's all Tibia’s blood, if I step in there now, my body would need to produce a lot more blood and energy than it’s used to and get the body working properly, weakening me for at least three months, then I would be in heat like ponies for at least half a year where I need constant care or love to prevent me from going brain dead”
“Lets sort this out later, we still have her to deal with” Spike replied, pointing a finger at Tibia, and found five more changelings bowing behind her in a neat triangle.
Echo straighten up and asked formally and coldly “did anyone of you have a say in the murder of these people?” Echo gestured to the houses, implying the people inside said homes,
“No they-” Tibia said softly and was instantly punched across the face by Echo who glared at her fuming.
“I DID NOT ASK YOU A QUESTION!!!” Echo yelled at Tibia who was thrown back a short distance away, she got up and returned to her original place and bowed once again, saying nothing
“No we did not” one of the drones said timidily. Echo nodded as she began to circle around the changelings like a sargent looking for any disloyalty amongst his or her solders.
“Is this all of you?” Echo asked Tibia in that cold voice once again, hoof thumping against the ground, as she waited for an answer in front of Tibia once again.
“No, I knocked one out a few blocks away” Spike whispered into Echo’s ear, the former queen just nodded and instantly got bucked away once again, Tibia grunted as she walked back to her original position and did the same as before, she bowed.
“N-no, we have two whom I don't know where they are” Tibia said eventually. Echo nodded.
“Since you’ve lied to me, they will face death by drowning” Echo said offhandedly as if those changelings are nothing but worthless trash.
that got Tibia’s attention, she quickly fell to her knees and begged for forgiveness “No! please! I-I promise I won't lie anymore! Spare them! T-take my life instead, don't kill them please! I beg you! Don't kill my children!” Echo swatted her away.
“Tell that to the mothers whom you’ve killed, whom you’ve ordered others to feed on” Tibia choked, the then returned to her bowing position once again without protest, head hung low.
“You are not actually gonna kill them are you?” Spike asked softly in Echo’s ear
“Oh no! You are right Spike, fire should be more painful! I will be sure to force Tibia to watch her own sons and daughters die in a fire, screaming in pain” Echo announced, a few of the changelings shuddered as they felt what their queen is feeling inside.
Spike took the hint and continued to ask softly “Well ok, I trust your judgement about keeping them alive, I assume the others who was only following orders will be spared too?”
“Yes, none would be more painful than fire, but we need to make sure it’s burning a small distance away, to prolong the pain” Echo made sure that Tibia can hear her and feel the feeling inside of her she had put up, righteous anger...
Echo then whispered to Spike when she saw Tibia cried for her children, of what they will endure because of her actions, and made sure that she is not eavesdropping.
“I am quite torn on this, on one hand they have killed our people, a thirst for revenge should be a normal thing, but on the other, the changeling race is almost extinct while ponies are still going to be fine if a few of them dies, ponies have killed far more changelings than the other way around”
Spike replied to Echo a few moments later “Enough blood have been spilled already, revenge won't make those who have fallen come back to life, if we kill just because of the dead, what’s the difference between us and the monsters we label them as?”
Echo nodded and proceed to beat the former queen once again, not enough to kill her but enough to injure, Echo then asked smoothly in Tibia’s ear, “You sure you will do anything for your children?”
Tibia nodded fiercely “YES! They are just acting with MY orders, I told them to feed on your people, I-” she choked on her words and shifted “I will face full responsibility, kill me if you must...”
Echo threw her a small blade she got from Spike in front of the queen “prove it, prove it that you are a changeling of your words” Tibia took the blade without hesitation and attempt to stab herself in the heart, but was stopped by Echo’s magic by the last second...
Echo smiled eventually, yanking the knife away and returned it to Spike “That's a coward’s way of doing things, if you screw up, you die… No… here in the everfree, lives are precious, we know how it feels to be on the other side of the fence. Dying is not a punishment we give to those with hope” Tibia’s head snap up to meet Echo’s eyes…
“You wanted a safe place to start a hive,I believe the badlands are out of your reach now, considering the new changeling reformation.” Tibia nodded slowly and with difficulty. “A mother willing to die for her children, I understand your motivation and you all are good at killing, so I have an offer for you…” Echo helped Tibia up.
“Join us… in the town of assassins, you will be respected there, you will be given a home, space to grow, however you will be judged by the people of this town first, murder is still a crime, but I can guarantee that we are better than killing those who oppose us I wish you the best of luck.”
---
“Tibia, you have murdered a lot of our people, while we understand your motives and acknowledge our previous deeds of killing your children as well, murder is still a crime, so every surviving member of this town decided that you should pay your crimes by labor, a month with each victim whom you’ve killed.” she just nodded as she accepts her punishment for her children’s survival…
Echo gave herself a pat on the back, Tibia must pay for the wrong she’s have done but at least, blood will not be spilled in the name of “justice”, she walked out of the small courtroom as the judge continued to name her other smaller punishments, no medical help for a few months, stuff like that.
Spike greeted her outside along with 12 of the other changelings, Echo gave them a nod and motioned them to follow, they walked back to their motel quietly, neither one spoke a word, then a drone asked Echo with a feminine tone “so… what now?”
Echo hums for a few seconds before saying “now we go back to the motel and pick up our things, then we go back to Goodsprings, we can get you set up with houses of your own, jobs, food ect…” Echo paused for a few seconds “is this all of you?” Echo asked suddenly.
The same drone replied a second later “yes, at leasts we are the one’s left, we cannot leave our hideout as per queen’s orders, Ms” The drones said head hung low… in fact, all changelings looked like they’ve been enslaved with the exception to Echo herself...
Echo gave herself a slap, surprising everyone including Spike “where’s my manners, my name is Caliber Echo, but call me Echo is enough, some even call me CEO but I don't like being called that” The Drone nodded and continued to walk with her head down, and who can blame them? They just woke up and was told that there’s a new changeling in charge.
“Spike gave Echo a poke and whispered into her ear “Head down, looks like hell, do something?” the changeling looked back at the changelings following them
“What do you think of your mother?” Echo asked casually a few changelings perked up. Upon hearing that, almost everyone have an answer of their own.
“She’s stubborn… she loves us all and she wish to save us from extinction, our previous queen, Mesothorax, is a tyrant that cared nothing but herself, so she grew a new queen’s body in secret” the drone on the right said, then she grunted and clutched her stomach, Spike motioned her to go on.
“She then faked her own death in the lower hives where the queen won’t visit to recover the ascension to queendom, hundreds of lower hive drones aided in our escape, we have lost countless for our freedom. And we would be a goner if it wasn't for a… a…” the drone cringed and clutches her stomach harder, they have been doing that a lot lately.
Before anyone can even blink, a pink saber formed my Echo was held in front of her, every changeling stared at it, unable to take their eyes off the glowing reservoir of pure love energy. “Go ahead” Echo said coolly “I can tell you all are hungry, take all you need”
The changelings bowed gratefully before they open their mouth, wisps of energy began to waft away from the saber into the mouths of the hungry changelings like smoke, the saber itself however did not change a bit nor did its glow faltered. The changelings stopped their feeding a minute later.
fulfilled smiles on their faces, Echo’s hoof formed back into normal Spike then told the changeling to continue. Some changelings felt a little light headed, some said that they have not been this full since the day they were born
She cleared her throat “well something came… they have weapons that can kill a changeling by a flip of a switch, they helped us escape… not sure how they know where and when we will revolt, we have lost them in a terrible storm when they got buried in a landslide a few days later... ”
She paused for a bit “we, we tried to save them but… we cannot even find their corpses… then it all went downhill, some want to be the queen themselves, some got killed by creatures by being arrogant and when we finally got here, we got butchered, only the most loyal of us now remains” she motions to the group.
She then stopped walking, the drone then said shakily “Ms Echo, I… I don't think I can ever see you as my queen…” Echo looked back at the group of changelings “We are very grateful for your help and food… but you beat up our queen, our savour… to get the title-” Echo was face to face with her before she can finish her sentence, who was stuttering at the intimidating changeling.
“Firstly, I do not want to be your queen. Secondly, it’s your ‘saviour’s idea to start killing people, we just did what we can to save ourselves… Finally, if I ever want to be your queen, I would at least tell you to call me Queen Caliber instead of Echo” every changeling in the group let out sigh of relief.
“So, come with me to goodsprings, your mother will be back a few years later. That's all I am asking you to do understand? Don't you want to make your mother proud by greeting her with a warm house and love you’ve earned yourselves?” Echo asked cooly
“Yes ms Echo” all changelings said in unison, she rolled her eyes and went on
Spike walked up to Echo with a smile “well here we are, no more trouble from this town, what’s next?” Spike asked her with a smile…
“I am feeling… adventurous” Echo replied with a grin.
---
And so it was the mayor of goodsprings ventured forth from her home, intent on solving the mystery of sleepy hollow which have gone silent for weeks.
Thankfully when given the choice of killing someone’s mother Taking away a life, Spike helped her chose the better ending, not for the town. But everyone involved… The changelings with all their flaws, are allowed to live on, given a second chance by the mayor…
Tibia, the leader of the changelings, came back from sleepy hollow, tired and alone, her children greeted her with a warm party inside one of their houses, she lived on her own life knowing that he had at least saved some of her children from a tyrant.
And so it ends the story of sleepy hollow, for now... But in this world, millions of stories are being told, sometimes they cross and sometimes they don’t, no one will exactly know what the future have in store, only the sands of time can tell...
