//------------------------------// // Ch 11: Tear Away // Story: Path of the Unforgiven // by HeatseekerX51 //------------------------------// Voice References for the Changeling Generals: http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/695148/changelings-voice-references The fever dream seemed to last for days. Flashes of memory and dream intertwined and became one another, voices and feelings, thoughts and pain all flowed from one to the next. But each time the internal cosmos of the subconscious settled, however briefly, he saw them again. There she was, the beautiful white Pegasus, brown hair, black wing-tips, sparkling blue eyes. Kneeling down by the edge of a pond, humming in soft, sweet undertones, she looks up to him with adoration and contentment. By now he and she had lived in the forest cottage for years, a life of which he knew neither wanting nor regret. If this life were water he would submerge himself in it for eternity. If it were a flame he would blissfully be consumed by it. Then through a spasm of desire and love, he now saw him. Trotting through the thick grass of the dell, the little unicorn colt glanced over to the eastern horizon. His little white body like his mother’s, his mane an untamed mess of blue hair sticking out, as fresh and pure as the early morning air that turned his breath to vapor. Then the darkness came, an isolation that permeated and soaked through the fur and into the bone. Another world around him, an alien existence of shadows and sickening green. He wasn’t supposed to be there, nopony was, but yet this was home. A nightmarish alteration of what he loved, a thieving doppelganger that he knew had swept aside the original and itself become the truth. There was no joy in this place, no pity, no comfort, and no love. And somewhere in this Byzantine horror, somewhere in a position just like his, awaited those that cried out for him to save them. But salvation would not come. With a long gasp of air, he awoke in the darkness. Through tired eyes that fought their own freedom, Wanderlust saw noting but himself in this chasm of limitless black. If ever a pony wondered what it must be like for the first thing in creation to gaze out upon the empty void, and see that it alone comprises all that is, Wanderlust now knew. He struggled against his constraint, but every wriggle and every strain was made null by the material that imprisoned him. Part of his face was exposed, an air current gently caressing his fur. He grunted as he tried to ignite his horn and blast himself free, but his power failed him, dying out as it was sapped away. A tear coalesced in his free eye, remembering again how powerless he had been the first time he had been in this position. “Ooooooo, he stirs….” Wanderlust’s heart froze upon hearing the voice. It had the audible consistency of slime, dripping with a lustful malevolence. From somewhere above him in the darkness she watched, he could feel her observing him, smelling him. Like a griffin’s talon, a chill went up his spine and brought with it an ingrained terror that fueled his palpitating breast. “My General tells me that you are an unusual pony. I wonder… Are you special? Or are you just strange?” He knew the voice well. Though it had never spoken to him directly before, he had heard it for years, echoing around him, laughing, screaming, muttering. He was afraid of it, but moreso, he hated it. “I know who you are.” Wanderlust spoke, his own voice shaking. “I know what you are.” “Do you?” the voice responded, taking a tone of interest. “Many can make that claim. That is not what makes you special. Now tell me why my trusted General would think you were special?” “I don’t give a damn what your general thinks!” Wanderlust started to fight even more against his restraints. “I know what you monsters are! I know what you do to ponies! I know what you did to me!” Something large scurried in the darkness, chitin armor clattering against wood. His breathing increased in rapidity, unable to move he strained his eye to track the sound. “Hmmmm… Well that is intriguing….” It was still hard to discern for sure, but it seemed the voice had now moved directly above him. “You think you know about what we are? What is it you think you know?” “You’re nothing but vile parasites!” He yelled into the shadows. “Oh, do go on.” the voice teased. “You feed of the love of others, you impersonate their wives, husbands, their children!” “That is part of the plan, yes.” “But that’s not the worst of it. You don’t just deceive and steal, those who you pretend to be are dragged back to your hive! Where you drain every last drop of their love away, until they’re nothing but empty husks!” “True, true. Even the ones who are most bursting with love eventually run dry. By then, well, they’re just not quite the same are they? They’re like dead trees; brittle, dusty, forgotten.” The cavalier attitude with which the voice spoke of the desiccation process caused Wanderlust to grind his teeth together so hard he felt they would splinter. “You feed on our love because your kind is sterile of it!” “Well… that’s not entirely true…” Embedded lyrics to help you follow along! Press play and keep reading! A misshapen vine of repulsive green muck dripped down from above him, an elastic quality preventing it from touching the floor. With some mechanism of bioluminescence, the slime started to glow from within, radiating out to reveal that some large object was spiraling down along its length. “I’m tearing away.” She sang. “Pieces are falling, I can’t seem to make them stay” She landed on the floor, her tall frame somewhat discernible, but her finer features remained obscured. “You run away… Faster and faster, you can’t seem to get away.” She wrapped a hoof around the length of glowing slime, and gave it a hard yank. All around her and filling the entire chamber, the green light expanded to reveal a space covered with feeding pods from top to bottom. The spaces in between them teeming with Changelings of all sizes. And in the center of it all, there she stood, Queen Chrysalis, head tilted to look down at Wanderlust with a mischievous smile. “Hope there’s a reason.” She said, strutting in a circle around him. “For questions unanswered, I just don’t see everything.” Suddenly her head was next to his, “Yes! I’m beside you!” she curled her long forked tongue around his cheek, “Tell me how does it feel to feel like this, just like I do?” She walked past him, wiping her tail across his face. She looked out over her subjects and smiled. “I, don’t care about anypone else but me, I don’t care about anypone. I don’t care about anypone else but me…” she turned back towards him, her eyes dead of emotion, “I, don’t care about anypone.” “Do I really want this?” She said, striding in between feeding pods. “Sometimes I scare myself, I just can’t let it go.” Landing in front of Wanderlust with a maniacal grin, she buzzed her wings in excitement. “Can you believe it?” She placed a hoof on his face, “Everything happens for reasons, I just don’t know.” She took her hoof away as if she were discarding him, walking away. “I don’t care about anypone but me, I don’t care about anypone.” Approaching the precipice of some ledge, Chrysalis’ horn came alive with energy. “I don’t care about anypone else but me, I, don’t care about anypone, or anything… BUT MEEEEE!!” She venomously screamed in Wanderlust‘s direction, a wall of green flame erupting from below to backlight her. “Damn I love me.” Chrysalis let herself drop of the ledge, but a second later was raised back up by a wave of her Changeling drones. She bodysurfed along their outstretched perforated hooves, being swung and pitched as if she were on a storm-tossed sea. Her face was in ecstasy to be supported by all her adoring spawn, Wanderlust could only watch on in revulsion at the display of perverse elation. Underneath, the drones gazed at her, mesmerized by the presence of their queen and mother, the multitude reacting as one mind, one collective organism to serve her every whim. In unison they formed a crest, with Chrysalis at the apex supported by the living throne. “I don’t care about anypone else but me, I don’t care about anypone.” She was carried back to the ledge, and set down. “I don’t care about anypone else but me. I, don’t care about anypone, or anything…” The Changeling queen stalked towards Wanderlust, her head lowered like a predator. “I don’t care about anypone else but me, I don’t care about anypone…” She stopped just inches away from his face, her gaze that of a total sociopath. “Lady…” Wanderlust said, “You’re insane.” At this Chrysalis merely grinned, raising her head to loom over him. “Come now, any ruler knows you have to be a bit of a monster to get things done.” She tilted her head, angling herself to his side, sniffing at him like an animal. Her nostril scrunched with the perception of some note. “There is something odd about you… let’s have a taste shall we?” Wanderlust’s eye widened in terror as her horn alighted, and her tongue formed a coil. Slowly, a vapor of pink mist fumed off of him, sucked into her salivating maw. She inhaled the smoke of love with a gasping sound, her eyes rolling back when she tasted the siphoned emotion. “Owwwwwww….” She shuddered in pleasure, her whole body quivering. “That… That was intoxicating! Varus was right, there is something special about you.” “His name is Wanderlust, my Queen.” From the shadows behind him, the Changeling general Varus stepped forward, two of his guard in lock-step at his flanks. “Apparently he’s newly arrived in Ponyville, but already making quite a stir with the Princess and her friends.” “General Scintillious Varus…” Chrysalis cooed, striding up to him to gently take his chin in her hoof. “My darling little bug, you’ve brought me a wonderful gift.” “Anything for mother.” He purred. “hmmm.. You do love your mother.” She said, “More so than your brother and sister I wonder?” Varus’s mouth contorted in a sneer, “Crassus and Magna don’t deserve your affection like I do. I know I serve you most faithfully.” “Speaking of serving me… How goes the operation in Ponyville?” Varus smiled. “All goes according to plan, Mother. The dragon messenger maintains cover, the outskirts of town have been secured, and replacement continues without delay.” Hearing that, Wanderlust cursed under his breath. As the Changelings were behind him, this was the first opportunity he had to examine his surroundings properly. The feeding pods were all occupied, tended to by changelings that buzzed from one to another, checking their integrity. He saw a number of ponies, but mostly to his surprise, he saw another race. “Deer…” He thought to himself. “She’s got nearly a hundred deer trapped.” “Like the new décor?” Chrysalis snickered, letting her tongue tickle his cheek. “I needed a new stronghold to conduct my siege, luckily, the Kingdom of the Thicket provided just what I needed. Granted the locals weren’t the most welcoming, but, we came to terms rather quickly.” Wanderlust was hard pressed to think that any species would join sides with such a malignant breed of creature. “The Deer have betrayed their alliance with Celestia?” “Oh no, not in a million years. But I came to an agreement with their King, and after that the rest of them practically threw themselves at us. Why don’t you say hi to King Aspen?” Chrysalis extended a hoof to where a battered throne stood, parts of it broken and charred. Sitting in the seat was a single feeding pod, inside was the comatose form of a tall stag, white fur with light brown patches, and a crown of antlers. His face was stuck in a wince of pain, as if he were conscious of the precious vitality being farmed from him. At the foot of the throne, lay his royal adornments; a quartet of gold sabatons, a pair of antler cuffs, and the chest piece centered by the ruby valentine and tuft of purple fur. The Hart of the Forest had been conquered. “Once the king was in my grasp, the rest tried so valiantly to come to his rescue. Hmhmhmhm, but these brave recluses had no idea what they were facing in the Changeling hive, and before long, the Thicket was mine.” In sadness, Wanderlust reflected on the fact that yet another city had fallen to the Changeling menace. In the pods that surrounded him were whole families, generations of this tribe reduced to fodder for the hive. He could feel the fire in his chest burning. “Tell me, Wanderlust..” Chrysalis teased, “Of the ponies I’ve captured, do you recognize any?” She leveled her hoof over to where a fresh collection of pods sat clustered together by a window. Glaring at those trapped within, he saw among others a green unicorn, a bat pony, and a light blue unicorn. “Trixie…” He gasped, horrified to see her immersed in the vampiric liquid. “He was calling after her when we found him.” Varus explained, “I was given to think he cares for her a great deal.” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, coming around to give Wanderlust an eager smile. “So, you love her do you?” Again her horn lit-up, and she opened her mouth wide to pull another torrent of manifested love from him. He tried to resist the spell, but the strength of the changeling magic, and from none less than the queen was too forceful for him in the weakened state. “No…” Wanderlust cried, feeling his willpower failing him. “I won’t be your battery, I won’t live like this! Not again!” Chrysalis closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. “You amuse me Mr. Wanderlust. I think I’ll keep you around for a while.” Hock… tuuw! Spitting a glob of spit onto her cheek, Wanderlust glared at her. “I’ll see you rot in Tartarus you evil- GAH” A sneering Varus lashed out with a beam from his horn, striking Wanderlust in the side of his face. “Wretched pony! You will suffer for that disrespect! Your friends will suffer! And you will watch!” “I’m sure he will.” Chrysalis said coldly, wiping the slobber from her face. “In the meantime my little bugs, I have other matters to attend to. When I return, General Varus, I expect his spirit to be broken.” Varus and his attendants bowed their horns to the floor as she walked away. “It shall be done my Queen.” “And do take care to position the incoming pods where he can see them. We wouldn’t want our guest feeling lonely.” A chuckle began in the back of her throat, rising by the second until it became a laughter that echoed off the walls, filling the space with her mad joy. Wanderlust watched her disappear down a hall, leaving him with the Changeling soldiers, and an aching sorrow for what he knew she could do to a town like Ponyville. Since he could not move his head, General Varus had to step around to peer into his face. “You. You speak of having been our prisoner before.” He said suspiciously. “How is this possible? Where did this occur? If I find your answers acceptable, this will go relatively quickly.” Had he the ability to shake with rage, Wanderlust would barely be able to stand. “When I get out of this…” He growled through his teeth. “I’ll make every-single one of you pay for what you did to my family.” Varus was not impressed, his spotless eyes expressing only a narrowed gaze. “Unlikely.” The next thing Wanderlust remembered before blacking out, was the perforated hoof coming straight for his head. PONYVILLE Thunderlane was typically a quiet guy, minded his own business, helped take care of his family. He was no pony you’d ever see going out of his way to be noticed. Unless it concerned his little brother. “Rumble? Rumble where are you?” Pausing over the market district, the grey Pegasus stallion scanned for any clue to where is little brother might have gone. At first he thought that Rumble was just hanging out with his new friends, but by now with the sun going down, he should have been at the pick-up spot over an hour ago. Thunderlane could feel in his gut that something wasn’t right. The second shift weather-ponies were moving a new batch of rain clouds into place, a light shower planned for sometime tonight when third shift took over. A massive body of clouds to the west blocked a good deal of the setting sunlight, creating a surreal atmosphere from his vantage point. Climbing higher, he shifted his attention among each indication of movement, and at last, saw something helpful. Trotting mindfully through the streets of Ponyville, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash surrounded the now disguised Changeling which Rarity carried in her magic. He squirmed nervously as his involuntary bodyguards made sure to avoid crossing paths with anypony, a task they were thankful the incoming rain clouds aided. “I promise ya.” Applejack said out the side of her mouth, “As soon as we get our fillies back, we’ll take you straight to Princess Twilight, you’ll be safe there.” “I hope you’re right, for all our sakes.” The colt shuddered, trying to keep his head tucked between his shoulders. “What’s your name?” Pinkie asked in an uncharacteristically sober tone. “It’s Arthon.” “Arthon, how long have you been in town?” “Oh we’ve been here for weeks.” He admitted casually. “Ever since we moved our hive into the Everfree forest.” “Rarity, are you sure we shouldn’t split up and go tell Twilight?” Rainbow Dash complained, “She should know about this right now!” “She should know about it as soon as possible darling, but Applajack is right, with Changelings around we’d best stick together.” Rarity glanced sideways to where a small group of ponies were talking at a café table. Knowing that any pony they saw could be a Changeling unnerved her to no end, ponies she had known her whole life could turn on her in a second. “You’re not wrong.” Arthon whined. “I’m just a grub, the lowest rank of a Changeling. I only get told what I’m needed, there could be dozens more replacements that I don’t know about. Applejack poked her head around a corner, “So why you telling us all this by the way huh? Ain’t you betrayin’ the hive or something’?” Arthon grew a bit of a scowl; “You didn’t give me much choice when you abducted me. It wouldn’t mater if I told you anything, if we got caught now, they’d treat me like a traitor.” His face eased a bit, thinking of other motivation. “Plus, I don’t really want to see anypony get hurt. We’re all just so starving.” “Starving or not Arthon.” Rainbow began with emphasis. “If we find out you’re lying to us, I’m personally gonna-” “Shhh! Quiet!” Rarity hissed. Coming down to meet them, Thunderlane’s anxious appearance put them all on edge. Slowly, Rarity put Arthon down, trying to make it all appear as normal. “Hey you guys..” He greeted them with worry in his voice. “You haven’t seen my little brother Rumble or his friend Shady Daze around have you? I think they were hanging out with the Crusaders today.” The mares hesitated to answer for a number of reasons. Warning him about the Changelings could start a panic, making it hard to organize the resistance, and tip off the enemy. Worse, this Thunderlane himself could be a Changeling, and telling him too much would put them in immediate jeopardy. When they didn’t answer him, his façade of a grin folded into a frown. “I just… haven’t seen him in a while, and I’m getting kinda worried is all…” “We, um…” AJ started, unable to construct a coherent lie. “We were just, ah…” But Pinkie chimed in to save her. “We were just heading over to pick them up. They’re all at their friends house.” “Indeed!” Rarity added in, compounding the false narrative. “It seems they’ve gotten a bit carried away with their playing, and their crusader-ing, and ah… their little cohort here came to let us know.” Arthon, wide-eyed and tight-lipped, nodded his head. “Oh… alright.” Thunderlane said through a sigh of relief, “I’ll just tag along then and pick him up from-” Rainbow Dash put herself in between him and the direction they were heading, bracing a hoof on his chest with a painfully forced smile. “That’s ok Thunderlane, I can ah, drop him off for you.” For a moment he just blinked, but then he tried to get around her. “I appreciate it Rainbow Dash, but I really should-” Again she blocked him, “Ya see, he actually uh… Kinda wants me to fly him home for once.” Thunderlane was incredulous, but to Dash’s relief he stopped trying to bypass her. “What? What are you talking about?” “Scootaloo!” She exclaimed before a another thought came to her. “She said that Rumble was telling her that he’d like to have me give him a flying lesson sometime. So I figured I’d surprise him!” “He’s never told me anything about that.” Thunderlane sounded a bit wounded. “Yeah… I guess he didn’t want to feel bad or anything. You know, since I’m the most awesome flyer in Equestria and all.” Thunderlane looked at her for a few moments, and she saw the mixture of emotions fighting to be expressed. “Okay.” He said “I uh, guess I’m glad he wants to learn from the best.” “I’ll take care of him Thunderlane.” Rainbow said mostly to herself. “He’ll be home before you know it.” “Thanks Rainbow.” Thunderlane gave her one last nod, turned, and headed off. The girls watched him leave, the colorful Pegasus slumping her shoulders. Dash whipped around and fixed Arthon with a hard glare, her upper lip twitching. “I’ve know Thunderlane since Junior Speedsters Flight Camp, and I just lied to him about something very important. You’d better not be pulling our legs.” Some time later, the group arrived at the home of Button Mash and his mother. Knowing however, that it was no longer the authentic ponies who resided there, they approached with caution, circling around to the back of the house. The sun was nearly behind the western horizon, and only a few degrees of the fading light left to them. Pinkie Pie slide from cover to cover, a bush, to a tree, to a rock half her size that she disappeared behind. Walking quietly but hurriedly, the others followed behind her, each of them keeping an eye out to make sure they were left alone. “You sure this is where they took ‘em?” Asked Applejack, behind her the floating Arthon nodded. “I saw the others march them in there. I know we use some of the outer houses to store pods for easy feeding.” Hopeful, the girls came up to the back door, Rarity standing on her hind legs to peek in through a window. Inside she saw only darkness, no light, no indication of anything animate or inanimate that might be waiting for them. “The lights are out.” She whispered as the others passed behind her. “I can’t see anything in there.” Rainbow crept to the door, and testing the knob, found that it was unlocked. She pushed it ajar slowly, careful not to let the door creak, and moved her head inside. Given the aid of the weak light behind her, she could make out the outlines of the furnishings, a couch, table, rug, but not much else. Determined but still afraid, she swallowed a gulp of her trepidation and forced herself bodily into the room. The first thing to greet her as she entered, was a strange musky smell, like something organic gone stale, not quite repulsive, but not very pleasant. Why is it so dark in here? She wondered, her superior Pegasus vision piercing the shadows, their job cut out for them because most of the other shades were closed, leaving the house in pitch darkness. Suddenly a light manifested, illuminating the room in a soft white light. Coming up beside Rainbow, Rarity let her glowing horn show them just how empty the place was. The pale unicorn shivered. “This house is positively chilling, it’s like nopony’s lived here for weeks.” The four mares spread out into the other rooms, but each came back disappointed. “Let’s check upstairs.” Applejack suggested. The light on the flight of stairs cast a long shadow of bars against the wall. It’s a good thing Fluttershy isn’t here, she wanted to say. That girl’d be scared stiffer than a chicken in a fox’s den. Arthon, who now rode atop Pinkie’s back, sunk his head as he gazed about the ground floor. Incapable of leaving anypony alone to suffer in fear, Pinkie used the curl of her mane to give him a comforting caress, whispering back to him. “Don’t worry little guy, when this is all over, I’ll throw you the ‘Welcome to Ponyville party’ you never got.” Arthon stared at her incredulously, marveling at the smile she gave him. Still leading the way, Rainbow thought of a chapter from a Daring Do book, when the heroin had to creep her way through the lair of a tribe of hostile pigmies. What lay ahead for the adventurer was a priceless statuette of an Alicorn carved from a giant pearl. Upstairs, what Rainbow hoped to find was infinitely more valuable. Briefly her mind flashed to the meeting with the author in cognito, and wondered what stones might be uncovered in the investigation. Yearling’s warning that Wanderlust wasn’t being truthful about himself seemed to have been justified, but now the Changelings had thrust a new dimension onto things. Maybe he was secretive for good reasons? Maybe he could be trusted? Those where questions to think on later, right now the children were in need of rescuing. She beat her wings ever so gently, just enough to keep her afloat as she went up the stairs. The threshold of the second floor remained an impenetrable wall of darkness, beyond which might as well exist all manner of monster and demon. She glanced over to the pictures that hung on the wall, happy pictures of Button Mash and his mother. How they managed to live in a house that became this terrifying at night baffled her. Rainbow imagined that when the real ponies were here, there was much more life and love. Rarity stayed close behind the Pegasus, her mind unencumbered by the miscellaneous, and focused solely on recovering her little sister. It was unthinkable for her, morbid beyond contemplation that they should find the children trapped in the Changeling pods. To see their innocent faces being drained of love, enslaved to the ravenous hive was more horrible a fear than anything this empty house could conjure. And so she proceeded on undeterred. Finally reaching the top of the staircase, Rainbow Dash hesitated, as if the darkness was more than just a construct of structural circumstances, but rather passage through would deliver her to some alien dimension. Rarity pressed on however, walking past Rainbow to enter and breaking the spell. Standing alone for a moment in the upper floor, her light shone that the room was surprisingly empty. Marks in the carpet told where furniture had been positioned, and light spaces on the walls where pictures had been hung. She swung her horn around and made the disturbing discovery that all of the room’s fixtures had been piled in one corner. In no particular order, the couches and chairs stood out from the indiscriminate layering of framed pictures, cushions, toys, and other household items. “Freaky-Deaky…” Rarity was so startled by Pinkie Pie’s sudden intrusion to the quiet, that she shut her eyes and froze in place, not even breathing. Slowly, very methodically, she exhaled, and opened her eyes to see Pinkie standing next to her, still staring at the corner. “Pinkie, dear, could you please not startle me in a dark and spooky room please?” “I’m sorry Rarity.” Pinkie apologized. “I honestly thought you’d already seen the scariest thing in here.” “What?” Pinkie pointed her hoof towards the ceiling, where the outline of several roundish objects Rarity now saw hanging above their heads. In the moment she tried to perceive some greater detail, a droplet of something slimy fell down and splashed onto her nose. And that was entirely too much. With a yelp, her light went out and she tried to turn and flee, only to collide into the oncoming Applejack. With a series of grunts and banging sounds, they fumbled in the darkness. Then things went quiet for a few seconds. The next sound, being a small but sharp click, coincided with the entire room being lighted. Standing next to the light switch, Rainbow looked on with puzzlement at the tangled heap of orange and alabaster limbs. “Found the light.” She said unenthusiastically. “That’s all we’ll find here.” The sadness in Arthon’s vice drew then all up to the ceiling where several empty feeding pods were attached. Each of them looked like a broken egg, with a portion smashed open, a few languid trails of the inner goo reaching down from the edges. “We’re too late… they’ve been moved to the hive!” The revelation giving Applejack some extra motivation, she leaped to her hooves, face twisted in worry. “But you said they keep some ponies around for easy access!” “They do!” Arthon yelled defensively, cowering where he sat on Pinkie’s back. “Something must have changed! Either Queen Mother is calling them all in, they know that they’ve got the little sisters of the Element bearers, or… Oh no, or they found out I was bringing you here! The pods are still dripping! They’ve been gone less than an hour!” “Then we can delay no longer!” Rarity cried out, marching right back down the stairs they’d just come. “We have to tell Twilight and get the band together right this instant! If we’re going against the Changelings, we’re going to need all the help we can get.” THE OCCUPIED KINGDOM OF THE THICKET Oooooo…… this is getting old. Wanderlust opened his eye painfully, bruised and swollen as it was from the blow earlier. Before him, staring straight back was the expressionless Changeling, General Scintillious Varus. Another, unadorned one was speaking something into his ear, too low for Wanderlust to hear any, but when finished, Varus grew a contented grin. “How good that you are awake.” Varus welcomed, dismissing the other with a raised hoof. “I was just being told about some of your activities in town. You’ve been very busy in your short stay. Quite concerned with the Element bearers, and one in particular.” Through the throbbing pain in his face, Wanderlust glared at him, unwilling to show even an ounce of weakness, certainly not in front of a Changeling. “Yeah? What do you care?” Varus narrowed his gaze, “It’s a very curious thing, wouldn’t you say? You seem to have one layer of intrigue after another.” The Changeling general never broke his stare as he maneuvered around to the opposite side, out of Wanderlust’s field of vision. “I will ask you again about your claim of prior contact with us. Should you continue to be… disagreeable, then I will employ more coercive measures.” His body was immobile, but his insides were a tumult. The unicorn bared his teeth in a savage smile. “I’ve had worse then anything your scrawny behind can dish out. Bring it on you little parasite.” Varus’ horn alighted, and the feeding pod around Wanderlust matched it. Wanderlust’s eye went wide in a second. A scream started to form in the back of his throat, it began low, more of a sustained heavy exhale. Then it grew, magnified, until it rattled his teeth. Still resolute in defying his captors demands, he bore the pain for the duration. When it was over, Varus tilted his head as he pursed his lips. “Now speak plainly, in what manner did you encounter us before?” “Go…” Wanderlust said through his grimace. “…skewer yourself!” Without another word, Varus turned the pain back on. The process repeated itself for the next few hours, the general asking one question, Wanderlust insulting him, and another stretch of agony. Over time, Varus’ patience began to falter, the questions becoming angrier, the punishment erratic in it’s application. But through it all the stallion’s determination remained, his resolve hardened under the pressure. Eventually, a frustrated Varus simply walked away from his prisoner, concluding at last that these familiar techniques were not working. He turned to face away from Wanderlust, his upper snout twitching, several beads of sweat trickling down his chitin. “huaa…huaa…” Wanderlust breathed heavy, his nerves and muscles exhausted from hours of withstanding the Changeling’s lash. “What’s a matter?” He grunted. “Huh? When are we gonna finish this warm-up and get to the good stuff?” A seething Varus twisted back around, his tongue extended in a ireful hiss. “The good stuff indeed!” Varus marched right up, nose-to-nose with Wanderlust, “Who are you that you can resist? Hmm? By what means do you persist?” “You wanna know my secret?” Wanderlust asked, drawing him in closer. “I demand it!” As Varus leaned an ear closer to Wanderlust’s mouth, his desire to extract anything from this pony blinded his better sense. “I really,” Wanderlust started. “really, hate Changelings.” Varus recoiled, glaring at him with a sneer, “You’ll eat your words!” The pod lit up again, and another round of torturous magic binding ensued. “Oh give it a rest already Varus.” The unexpected female voice caught the General’s attention. In one simple sentence, it was nagging, condescending, and thoroughly annoyed. Stepping out from a hall, another Changeling, likewise adorned in armor that bespoke a rank of privilege, approached. Much to Varus’ apparent irritation. “You’ve been at this for hours brother, clearly your methods, like all your other achievements, are lacking.” Varus scowled, “He’s an unusually difficult pony, Magna, I’ll give him that. But hardly unbreakable, Nopony is.” “Be that as it may, you’re wasting time. I’m going to take a crack at him.” She came around to where she and Wanderlust could take each other’s measure, and studied him for a few moments before coming a few steps closer. “I am General Pernicia Magna.” “So are you this clown’s sister or something?” Wanderlust asked with no little bit of insolence. Magna curled the side of her mouth into a small grin. “All Changelings are brother and sisters, one big happy, starving family.” “Well why don’t you all just starve a little longer.” He suggested. “Then maybe you and I might get along.” Magna allowed her smile to spread, and she placed a hoof gently on his swollen eye socket. “I’m not a brute like he is, Mr. Wanderlust, but I have my own methods. So if you tell me what I want to know, I can see to it that you’re taken care of since our queen has taken such a liking to you.” “Is that an invitation?” “It could be.” Magna teased, “Just tell me about your previous encounter with us, and we’ll see.” “Well in that case…” Wanderlust paused a few moments, as if to gather his thoughts. “Why don’t you choke on a rock.” In a flash her smile vanished, “Fine. We’ll do things the fun way.” Magna consumed herself in green fire, and when it dissipated, she stood transformed into Trixie, and fixed him with a sad grimace. “Is that what you want to see me do Wanderlust?” She whined in a mock plead. “Do you want to see me choke?” Wanderlust didn’t respond, he just continued to glare. The faux Trixie raised her hooves to her throat, and began to make gagging sounds, wincing in the pain of imagined asphyxiation. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps, her eyes locked onto his. He tried to avert his gaze, but she threw herself over the pod in dramatic fashion, pawing at her neck desperately. Unable to avoid the sight, he shut his available eye; she was beginning to get under his fur, and she knew it. “Help me Wanderlust, helllp meee…” She begged with a tiny hoarse voice. Reaching out, she laid a hoof on his cheek to weakly caress it. “Pleeeeease Wanderlust…. I [gasp] love [gasp] you…” She let her hoof fall away, and collapsed bodily to the floor beside him with a final exhalation, splaying herself out limply. Wanderlust took deep breaths, trying not to look, but he couldn’t stop a tear from rolling down. The tear fell from his cheek, rippling momentarily as it broke free, and descended to the ground with an imperceptible splash. The imposter tilted her head up, and saw the tiny spot of moisture. “Are you crying?” She asked, sounding surprised. “You’re crying aren’t you?!” She loosed a wicked laugh as she wriggled on the floor. “You stallions are such saps for a pretty face, and you love this one so much don’t you?” “Shut up.” Wanderlust muttered between clenched teeth. “Tell me, what is it you love most about this mare? Is it the way she bats her eyes? Is it how she flicks her mane in your direction?” “Rot in Tartarus.” He cursed. “Come on… A handsome guy like you, and pretty young thing like this? Don’t lie to me and say you’ve never thought about spending a nice, warm night together, having her nestled against your big strong chest.” The words cut into Wanderlust’s mind, reaching back into his memories of winter nights spent with Trixie. She was just a filly, and her whole little body was curled up in the crook of his foreleg. “Did she look up at you with her doe eyes by the firelight? Hmm? Did you lean down, and, giver her a little-” “SCUM OF THE EARTH!” Wanderlust bellowed. “Now you‘re speaking my language!.” Trixie rose to stand, using her hoof to pry his eyelid open. “Call me names. Get all worked up.” She bit her lip and smiled. “I’ve got a pet name for you.” She leaned in and whispered into his ear, letting her nose just barely touch his lobe. “Did she call you ‘Daddy’?” Wanderlust’s eye popped open, dilated and seething with rage. For a few heartbeats the two stared at one another so close they could see the tiny details in the iris. His breathing calmed, coming in measured cadence, and he refused to give her any sign of breaking. This was not the result she was expecting, and she craned her neck away and examined him curiously. “You won’t say, but I can tell the time you spent with us before did a real number on you, didn’t it? “Brilliant deduction Magna.” Varus chimed sarcastically from where he was lounging against the pod containing the green unicorn. “Your methods are truly far superior to mine.” Green fire washed over Magna, and her true form was revealed, scowling at her changeling brother. “I got further with him than you did after your hours of wasting time.” Returning her attention to Wanderlust, Magna went through her appraisal with a cold tone. “Clearly your boast is true, no pony could harbor such animosity and tenacity on a bluff. I believe you were a provender at some point, but that’s not the source of your anger is it? No, I’ve seen ponies dragged into feeding pods kicking and screaming more times than I can count. The stink of fear is enough to make your eyes water. But you, puzzle box that you are, you’re like another creature entirely.” She stalked around behind him, sniffing like a dog. “You have the very distinct scent of hatred coming from you, and that by itself is unusual in the extreme for you ponies.” Magna faced him, not in a teasing manner, not to goad him, but like a scientist examining a specimen. “Your kind is typically so full of love, and joy, and tolerance it makes me sick.” She dragged her nose across his fur, taking a long whiff, and shook her head when she finished. “There’s nothing in you that wants to be friends with us, nothing that sees us as basically good, nothing in you that fears us. Nothing in you but hate.” Magna turned her head towards Varus with a smugly raised eyebrow. “I think that’s an accurate assessment.” “Not entirely.” Wanderlust’s mouth twitched, and both Changeling Generals were curious to listen to him. “I look at you, and your right, I feel an indescribable amount of hate. But there’s something else, something you can’t sniff-out as easily as a base emotion, something a bit more nuanced.” “Oh?” Varus asked. “And what would that be?” “The anticipatory satisfaction of knowing my revenge is nigh.” At first the Changelings balked, then Magna began to chuckle. “That’s hilarious!” She taunted, using her extended tongue to tickle his swollen eye socket. “You’re in the middle of our Hive! There’s no escape, no hope, no revenge for you here.” But Varus was calm, the tumblers of his mind falling into place. “You were right Magna, at least about one thing.” He stepped in front of her, “It’s not for himself that he’s filled with such animosity, he lost somepony or somponies very close to him. Family, I’m guessing.” “Indeed Varus.” Magna grinned. “That sounds about right. But who could it have been? His parents, maybe?” “No, no, no.” Varus countered, the confidence in his voice growing. “It must have been much dearer. I’m thinking, a wife, and at least one child.” It was minute, almost undetectable, but a wince in Wanderlust’s face betrayed him. “And there we have it.” The Changelings bared their fangs in triumph. “Join me, will you sister?” “I’d be delighted.” Magna conceded. Together their horns glowed bright, and Wanderlust’s pain began again. LONG AGO, ON THE OPEN SEA I remember the waves were mild, the breeze cool, and the only sound on the ship was the creaking of the hull. We were all low to the deck, keeping as low a profile as possible. I was positioned near to the bow, for my job was important, and I like all the others, waited on baited breath for the signal. A few paces beside me, Salty Veins glanced over to give me a reserved nod. In front of me Ruffles flexed his wings very slowly, careful not to be too noticeable. Some of the others, like Barnacle, Lofty Thoughts, and Sea Strand, were just as eager as I was to be free of this uncomfortable position, but we all knew the timing had to be precise. Ahead of us huddled up just behind the prow, Captain Skorn stared out, not moving a muscle, not making a sound. When he felt the time was right, he’d give us the command and signal, and every one of us would be put into action. One week tomorrow will mark my twelfth year as a part of the Red Talon’s crew. Twelve years since they dragged me off the island, and saved me from a lonely fate. Twelve years of being Sable Star, the name I had given myself to christen this new life of mine, and leave behind the sorrows of my past. Twelve years of searching for the means to fulfill a mission I swore my life to, and redeem my honor to those I had failed. But at the outset, this had been more happenstance than anything. I had never planned to spend years as a pirate, roaming the seas for plunder. No, this was a pastime for me, a means to an end, until I at last could take my destiny in hoof. Until I could find Honalee. I remember when the decision was made that the Red Talon would be my vehicle along this path of mine. It was made somewhat in the moment, a gamble, and looking back, the consequences of my pick would change the lives of many more than just the banished Prince Æclypse. TWELVE YEARS PRIOR I had only been with the crew a short time, when we got into that brawl on Consta Servaro. We stumbled out of the tavern at nightfall, Ruffles, Salty Veins, and I. Laughing as hard as our lungs could allow, we had just come to the end of hours of drinking and revelry. I had come back downstairs from my encounter with the mare, and it would be weeks before it occurred to me that I never asked her name beforehoof. Greeted by my comrades upon my glorious and staggering return, we then enjoined ourselves to humorous stories and bawdy songs. Captain Skorn had compensated the owner Ogham Scratch, for the damages done in the fight, and aside from a few scratches in the beams, and the table I had destroyed, we were in good standing. The ambitious captain had departed us earlier to attend his own business, leaving the three of us to our own devices. “So then… So then my sister, right…” Ruffles had been drunk for hours at this point, and he’d been trying to tell me the same story about his sister for the past 40 minutes. Though he had yet to get past the first sentence. The Pegasus was still stammering on when Salty got himself around to supporting Ruffles with his body. “I’m gonna get this little flyer somewhere he can sleep it off.” Salty wasn’t much better off then us, but he was older and handled his drink with the maturity of his age. “You got some thinking to do I imagine. Take the rest of the time to yerself, we’ll be shoving off the morning after next. If you care to join us that is.” “I may see you there Salty.” I told him as I began to walk away. “Or I may not. Have a good night.” Parting with a trade of nods, I turned to continue my exploration of the island hamlet. My coming around to the rear of the tavern happened to coincide with Ogham Scratch pushing out the broken and mangled wreckage of our battle with the griffins. I felt bad that my bumbling had caused some of the damage, and so wanted to offer some kind of help. He was nudging the pile through the door and towards what I assumed was his trash collection. I took the broken pieces in my magic and deposited them into the wooden pen with other bits of discarded material. Ogham didn’t thank me right away, instead he gave me a hard look. “If ye be wantin’ a thanks, ye might have considered not breakin’ the bloody table in the first place.” Not knowing how to quite respond to that, I choked on my words, and tried to lower my face from his gaze. Sensing my discomfort, he snorted in amusement. “Ah, don’t you go making to big a fuss of it boy’o. Hardly be the first bit of furniture got broke in there. And the truth of it be, that them eagle griffins had been a thorn in the side of us regular folk for weeks. Thinkin’ they was runnin’ the island they did.” “Oh.” Was all I managed to blurt out before I almost lost balance. Ogham chuckled at the sight, and extended a hoof to help steady me. “Ya know lad, we could use a fella like you around here, seeing as how you knocked that buzzard clear across the room while ye was fool’drunk. Lad like you could do real nice for yourself here.” It may have been the drink, it may have been the light of the moon, but somehow I knew that I was being faced with a decision that would set the course of my life. Staying here meant rebuilding a life, making friends and becoming part of the community. Could I do that a third time? Could I anchor myself to this place like I had done in Aquileia? Or, I could escape back out to sea. I could continue to search the world and carry out the promise I made, chasing a legend. But would it be worth it, even if it were possible? This island offered an escape, a tempting alternative to the life of hardship and danger that promised to be my future if I stayed on this path. But right then I was too tired and tipsy to think straight, much less give a thought like that the consideration it deserved. “Uh, let me think about it.” I told him as I headed on down the street. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Most likely he understood my condition, and he probably thought I hadn’t even retained a thing he said. Ogham nodded his head. “Aye lad, ‘till tomorrow.” The sway of the drink was beginning to take back control, and with every step I felt myself losing the struggle against sleep. I walked through the neighborhoods for some time I could not recall, and eventually found my way to the beach. There was a rock jutting out of the sand, pockmarked by years of exposure to the corrosive salt spray. Letting out a long breath I lowered myself down next to it for support, I sat in the sand and began humming a tune. I had picked it up from Luna, and never has it left me. She told me of a song she would sing as she traveled through the dreamscape, on her own special pursuit. For ever since the defeat of the chaos demon, the Alicorn sisters had become gods among us. Due to Celestia’s attributes she had emerged the general favorite, the bringer of the dawn, statuesque and beautiful, avatar of the warm and life-giving sun. Luna, architect of the night, however had received a much different following. Her work was done in the dark, while the world was aslumber and resting. By herself she crafted the night, sky twinkling and alive with a thousand and more lights, constellations and nebulae, works of astounding art that stretched across the firmament. She had expressed to me feeling of not being appreciated for her work, that she felt the ponies of Equestria ignored all she did for them. I told her that she got the better of the arrangements than her sister. For while Celestia got to raise the sun, it was a jealous light that would tolerate no other beside it. Luna’s light was more generous, and shared the sky with all its little friends. That is why, if the moon were ever in danger, or needed help, the stars would aid it. But she did not need me to find joy in her own activities. She revealed one night that she found a special love for all the lonely little fillies and colts, whom she felt a bond with. It was often her nights fun to visit them in their dreams, and bring them along as she soared the astral plane. Unicorn, Earth Ponies, they could all fly with her among the clouds under the soft gaze of the moon. She called them, her ‘Children of the Night’. I like to think she would have made a wonderful wife and mother. I know my parents would have loved her, and Thule would have blessed her as their new queen. Looking up to the moon, at that strange silhouette, I wondered what kind of life she was living now, if she was happy. “Come little children, I’ll take thee away.” I sung to myself, eyes closed and rocking side to side. “Into a land of enchantment. Come little children, the time’s come to play, here in my garden of shadows.” I don’t think I got to the end of the song before I slumped over asleep. Awaking late the next morning with a headache and no small amount of sand stuck to my mouth, I opened my eyes in surprise. It took me a few moments, but I finally remembered where I was, and parts of what had occurred the night previously. Peering out through the matted hair of my mane, for a few minutes I watched the waves splash against the sun lit shore. At some point during my unconsciousness, I had rolled onto the sand and nestled myself into a groove. A seagull that had perched itself on my flank squawked in protest as I tried to right myself, batting me a few times with its wings as it took off. I waved a hoof at it lazily to no effect, and got my hooves under me. I washed myself in the surf, wading out far enough for the waves to crash against my chest. It felt good to be immersed in the water without my life being at stake. The tropical sea was warm and therapeutic, not quite like the hot baths back in the castle, but enjoyable nonetheless. The closest ocean access to Thule was the twin bays to the northwest, rocky and frigid they were hardly suitable for leisure. Refreshing as this was, I had to get under some freshwater soon or else I’d be stuck walking around with fine sand in every crevice. I made my way back into town in search of a proper shower, and found one for pay a block from the square. A breakfast of delicious ripe fruit and imported Trottingham oats at a nearby inn left me contented enough to do more exploring for the remainder of the day. The town only occupied a small part of Consta Servaro, the rest of it being jungle and mountainous. Like the island I had washed ashore on, I was fascinated by the variety of the environment here. Plants as green and thick as I never would have dreamed of filled my vision, small animals, birds and monkeys all around me. Hiking the slope that overlooked the hamlet, I was able to take in the incredible sight of the tiny make-shift civilization bordered by the grand scope of the ocean. I could imagine how Thule might have looked early on in its creation, in the days of our ancient ancestors, back in the time of Durin. Sitting above it all and admiring the view, much like I had done back home, I thought very hard about whether to keep on with Skorn, find somepony else to take me further, or stay here and start again. Part of me wanted to stay, here on this little isle of paradise, and move on from all the pain. But others parts of me wanted something else; they wanted a quest, they wanted stimulation, they wanted justice. Hours must have drifted by for me as I sat there, and if not the soreness of my rump, than the urge to take my mind of the matter drove me to get up and go back into town. As I wandered through the outskirts, I thought about how right mother had been to contain my mane in those bracelets. The afternoon had become windy, and my hair was possessed by an untamed spirit that fought to obscure my every move. Reaching out with my magic, I grabbed a green bandana from off a clothesline and used it to bind my mane, securing it for good into a tail. I made a mental note to leave some payment for the owner when I got the chance. “Hello stranger.” I looked over to my left to see the mare from last night watching me, she hung about in the shade of a two-story white clay building, smiling. Her accent was as foreign to me as anything I had encountered on this island, and she spoke with soft pronunciation. “Hello again.” I greeted her, bowing my horn. She giggled at the sight, covering her mouth in a bashfulness I found hard to believe. With light brown fur, a black mane that hung over half her face, and a rather delicate frame, she sauntered over. “We’ve met in every way but formally.” She mused, petting my chest and staring up at me with hazel eyes. “I’m Soyeux, pleased to make your acquaintance.” Soyeux presented me with a curtsy, displaying her icon of a shiny pillow. I admit I didn’t quite understand the meaning. Not to be outdone, I put my right hoof forward, and leaned the rest of my body back and down, lowering my horn until it was parallel with the extended limb in a proper Thulian bow. “I am Sable Star, likewise.” “Tout à fait juste.” She said with a degree of approval. After our belated introduction, I went on to spend the larger part of the remaining day with her. She toured me through the aspiring society, showing me all the different features that had been collected here by the motley inhabitants. Market goods from as far away as the Ponesian Empire sat side-by-side with trinkets from Saddle Arabia and the Forbidden Jungle. Dialects of Equestrian and a dozen more languages chattering with one another in business, argument, and conversation. More than that, she showed me parts of the island that were surely the source of many a pony’s fantasy. Waterfalls that shimmered with rainbows, a black pool surround by greenery so thick it looked like an eye. There was even a spot, a hidden alcove where she said that a patient and cautious pony could catch sight of Mermares when they came to sun themselves. I had never heard of such a creature before, and her description of them left me spellbound. Pony-like, but with bodies closer to fish, they were alleged to be beautiful to look upon, more colorful than those of us on land, and whose songs filled the blue depths with ethereal grace. Her flirtation was of course, pervasive. She constantly touched me, smiled at me, used her tail to brush against my fur. Since I had regained my inhibitions I was able to keep her at bay for the most part, but every now and then she would steal a kiss from me that I didn’t bother pulling away from. It wasn’t that her affection was unwanted, I was quite happy to feel this kind of connection again. Rather, I didn’t want her to entertain the idea that I’d be around after today if I chose not to. “Will you be leaving tomorrow?” She asked me as we walked along the beach. The sun was in the course of setting, and cast the whole horizon in a fiery red-orange gradient. The waved crashed onto the shore in a regular rhythm, the foam of the crests washing around our hooves. “Possibly.” I admitted. “Or I could stay.” “Are you not part of Captain Skorn’s crew?” “Only recently, he rescued me from being stranded. This is the first port we’ve come to since, now I can choose to stay with him or take my chances elsewhere.” “Oh.” I could hear the displeasure in her voice, “Then you are not decided yet?” “They leave in the morning, that’s my deadline to commit.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that she drifted away from me slightly, her vision averted in the opposite direction. “Is our island not to your liking? Am I not to your liking?” “What?” I stopped us both on the spot, and turned her head to face me. “This island is a beautiful paradise, Soyeux. I have very much enjoyed my time here.” Putting the frog of my hoof against her cheek, I stared into her. “And I have very much enjoyed my time with you.” “But you think there is something better for you if you leave?” “Not exactly. I made a promise, a vow to somepony that I would make things right, that I would not fail them a second time. If I choose to keep that promise, I don’t know where the path will lead me, or how long it will take, but I know it won’t be as nice as Consta Servaro with you.” “If you made a promise… you should keep it.” Nudging my hoof away from her face, she looked instead to the ocean. “For what is a stallion without his honor? Of what character is a vow-breaker?” No words came to me in response, and I stood there silently watching the wind blow through her mane. “This island is a place where ponies come who have their freedom in the truest sense, who are lierated from obligation, free from the ties that bind them to greater things. Ponies come here to live as those forgotten, and to forget.” She turned back to me, “If you really have made such a promise, then you do not belong here. Go. Your destiny lies far away from this escape.” I cannot say that I loved Soyeux, I only knew her a day. But when she walked away from me on that beach, I felt something. There was an ache in my chest, and a sweet pity for her. I never saw her again after that, not that I ever went back to Consta Servaro, but I did wonder how she spent the rest of her days there. My decision was all but pronounced, and there was just one last thing I needed before speaking it aloud. I needed to find Skorn. Arriving back in the city just as the stars were beginning to come out, I heard a raucous laughter echoing from the docks. There I found most of the Red Talon crew sitting around a bonfire, Skorn as usual in the center perched atop a cargo box. My fellows spotted my approach and welcomed me with a loud cheer. “Ahoy lads! Look who it be!” Skorn yelled, “Our very own half-drowned sea-rat, Sable Star!” Again they cheered, this time with a bit more comedy. Salty Veins sat to Skorn’s right, and I could see his lip curl into a smirk. “So what of it then?” The Captain asked me. “Come to tell us goodbye? Bon voy-a-ge?” I knew my decision was already made, so I wanted to make a bit of fun out of it. “Well Captain, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought… and I am leaning your way.. But…” At the sound of my hesitation, the crew repeated the word in friendly mockery. “But, I could use just a little more convincing.” Skorn’s eyes widened, for I had just thrown down the challenge, and he rose from his seat wearing a manic grin from ear to ear. “More convincing you say? More convincing? Well, for me, there’s nothing more persuadin’ than personal testimony. So allow me to attest to the quality and, vivacity of this work from me own life story.” Skorn extended his arms to silence the crowd, and cleared his throat. Lyrics are embedded, but you will have to bear through the extra stuff in the video. Press play and keep reading! “You see… When I was just a chick, looking for my true vocation, my father said: “Now son, this choice deserves deliberation. Now you could be a doctor, or perhaps a financier, my lad why not consider a more challenging career?” “Hey, ho, ho” The crew began in chorus. “You’ll cruise to foreign shores, and you’ll keep your mind and body sound by working out of doors.” “True friendship and adventure is what we can’t live without.” Skorn sung. “And when you’re a professional pirate.” The rest announced before Barnacle leaned over my shoulder: “That’s what the job’s about.” “Upstage lads!” Skorn called out as he flew up to the end of the mainyard. “This is my only number!” “Now take Sir Fancy Cake, the griffins all despise him. But to the Trottish he’s a hero, and they idolize him. It’s how you look at buccaneers that makes them bad or good, and I see us as members of a noble brotherhood!” Skorn leaped off, and glided above our heads, Ruffles and Grey Skies joining him in trail. “Hey, ho, ho.” the crew sang. “We’re honorable stallions we. And before we lose our temper we will always count to three.” “On occasion, there may be somepony you have to execute.” Skorn clutched a unicorn by his haunches, holding one of his talons to his throat. “But when you’re a professional pirate…” “You don’t have to wear a suit.” Everypony looked to Grey Skies, who had spoken out. He met their gazes with confusion. “What?” Now the others began to offer their own stories: “I could have been a surgeon, I like taking things apart!” “I could have been a lawyer, but I just had too much heart.” “I could have been in politics” Grey Skies admitted “’Cause I’ve always been a big spender.” “And me,” Salty cut in, “I could have been, a contender.” The crew all nodded in agreement. Skorn landed among the crew, “Some say the pirates steal and should be feared and hated. I say we’re victims of bad press, it’s all exaggerated. We’d never stab you in the back, we’d never lie or cheat.” He flared his wings and threw them around the shoulders of those next to him. “Were just about the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet!” The Captain gave me a happy, glowing expression. “Like I said Sable, life of freedom, life of adventure, life of treasure! Tell me true lad, do you really think you’d be happy here? Living out the rest of yer days in this place, bored out of yer skull? That ain’t for you Sable Star! That ain’t what’s written in yer storybook! No sirs, I know there something greater out there in the big wide world for you, and you’ll never find it playing it safe, taking the easy way!” It was true, what I really wanted was somewhere out there, all I had to do was go find it. The others crowded around me with encouraging pats on the shoulders. “Hey, ho, ho, it’s one for all for one. And we’ll share and share alike with you and treat you like a son. We’re gentlecolts of fortune and that’s what we’re proud to be, and when you’re a professional pirate…” “You’ll be honest, brave and free.” Skorn proclaimed from above the fire. “The soul of decency. You’ll be loyal and fair, and on the square, and most importantly…” “When you’re a professional pirate,” He and the rest of the Red Talon said, “You’re always in the best of company!” I smirked at Skorn, and he knew he had a new shipmate. He glided down next to me, and continued to walk on to the dock. “Well if that ain’t a solid testimony, I don’t know what is.” I followed behind him, “Captain, there was one thing.” “Or really? What might that be?” We reached the end of the dock, away from the rest of the crew, and I decided to tell him what my true mission was. “I’m joining the Red Talon for a specific reason. There’s something I’m looking for.” “We’re all looking for something lad. Tell me, What is it that you be after?” “It’s called the Crimson Treasure.” I could hear the air sucking into his nose, a clear sign that he knew what I was talking about. “The Crimson Treasure…” He repeated the title with a drawn-out awe. “Folks been looking for that since folks could look. I appreciate ‘yer spirit, but ain’t nopony found it, ‘cause nopony knows where it is.” “I do.” I said. “Or at least I‘ve got a pretty good lead.” Skorn’s countenance twisted from the confliction of several emotions, excitement, caution, suspicion, curiosity. “And how might you be knowing such a thing?” “Let’s just say, a little birdie told me.” “Little birdie huh?” Skorn tried to look intimidating, but the growing anticipation was too powerful. “Just where did your little birdie say the Crimson Treasure was?” “On an island called Honalee.” ALMOST TWELVE YEARS LATER I let out a smooth exhale, more than ready, excited. The main mast of the other ship came closer into view, sailing straight into range. An Equestrian merchant ship, likely bound for the port at Horse Shoe Bay, and laden down with all manner of trade goods was a target of opportunity. We were all well practiced at this, and by now this was all but a game to us, a sport for us to compete in. “Steady lads.” Salty told us, knowing from his own years of experience. “Any second now.” I flexed my neck, to knock out any kinks that might impede my magic, I hated to have distractions when I went to work. The other ship was approaching warily, merchants knew perfectly well of the dangers of pirates. But maybe they thought we were in need of help, that we were the sheep, and not the wolf. I cannot say how I felt about plundering a ship meant for Equestria. It might be appropriate that I feel remorse for doing this, frankly however, I felt nothing. As a Thulian, there was never a great connection to the southern lands, so it wasn’t like I was stealing from anypony I knew. Plus, I suspect it must have stuck in Celestia’s craw. Which made me smile. Like I was smiling now. The masts of the other ship turned in our direction at last, they had taken the bait. I took a few deep breaths, steeled my nerves, and concentrated on the spell I and the other unicorns would have to cast the moment captain gave the order. Up ahead, Skorn’s tail began to snake from side-to-side, his tell that he was about to make the call. I don’t know what it is, but whenever we do this, I always feel the most peculiar calm come over me. Feeling no more worried about the whole affair than if I were about to buy something for dinner. Captain Skorn’s wings flared, the first signal. At once, myself and the rest of the unicorns lit our horns, and enwrapped the ship’s hull in our magic, surging it forward in the water. Once we got up to a proper speed, the Captain would give second signal, and the trap would be sprung. Under us I felt the ship cutting through the water, and after so long I could judge fairly well when we had gained enough momentum, it would only be a few seconds until… Captain Skorn drew his saber, and turning, pointed back to the rest of us. “HOIST THE BLACK FLAG!” A warcry went up from the rest of us and we quickly got to our hooves and prepared ourselves for the assault. Grey Skies, who had hidden himself in the crow’s nest the whole time leapt out, cable clenched between his teeth, and raised the black flag, which bore the image of a griffin’s skull above two crossed sabers in white. I joined Skorn at the bow, ready to carry out my individual task. The other ship, now seeing that they had been lured into an ambush, turned hard to starboard in an effort to outrun us. Beside the fact that a merchant ship was hardly built for speed, my job was to persuade them otherwise. “Put a shot through their foresail.” The Captain ordered. Eyeballing the physics of the projectile, I built-up the power in my horn, and fired a concentrated sphere of magic that punched right through their foresail, making it clear that if I could hit that, I could hit the rest of their ship. “Fine shot Sable.” Skorn commended. “Now one for the mizzenmast.” I fired another magical cannon ball that shredded their rear sail. With the holes in their sails starting to slow them down, the Red Talon would easily catch up. Standing next to Captain Skorn, behind me the crew chomping at the bit, I watched the ponies on the other ship scramble to keep away from us. I could send a shot into their hull, but that might damage whatever cargo they held, or worse, sink them altogether. Skorn patted me on the shoulder with his wing. “This shouldn’t take too long, a last minute bit of fun. After this, it’s straight sailing on to Honalee.” After so many years searching, scraping every tavern and every grizzled old sailor for the slightest morsel of information, we had finally been able to set course for the fabled island. It had taken me nearly dying to get it, but if the rest of the legend were true, these long years of sacrifice would all be worth it. “Aye Captain, and the Crimson Treasure awaits us.” We came up alongside the merchant ship, and boarded them, and plundered them ragged. Among their cargo, I discovered a crate of tea bound for Canterlot, bearing the royal icon of Princess Celestia. I garnered more than a few curious stares as I laughed when I chucked it into the ocean. TWILIGHT’S CASTLE TODAY In Twilight’s library, both she and Spike lounged under the shimmering light of the chandelier created from the roots of the Golden Oaks Library. Outside, the patter of the light rain on the castle walls provided an ambient noise to accompany their reading. Twilight was curled up on a couch with several books before her, one of the Thule books centered in the company of her works on old Equestrian. She knew the languages were too different for her to translate one from the other, but if she could find any words that may have been used in common, then she might be able to figure something out by placing some context. At an angle behind her, Spike laid back in a cushioned basket, perfectly large and round enough for him to fit snugly into. He held a book in front of himself, a work on the history of Canterlot, and every so often made a small, unobtrusive noise to signal that he was learning something. In truth however, he kept peeking over the top of the pages to check on what the Princess was doing. It was his job to keep tabs on her, and report anything important back to the hive. This changeling that had taken Spike’s place had been specially chosen and trained for the task. Ultimately he served the Queen Mother, but this particular operation fell under the command of Chrysalis’ oldest and most trusted general, Brutalico Crassus. Part of his training for this had been how to simulate the ability to send a scroll via magical fire. The flame-breath was just as much an imitation as the rest of his appearance, but it was real Changeling magic that sent the scroll back to the Queen. A difficult trick for him to learn, but his species was built to adapt. For the past few hours since assuming his identity, he had watched the Princess consume herself in researching a group of ancient texts. While it was perfectly in line with what he had been briefed to expect from the known autodidact, it was still mind-numbingly boring to sit through her voluntary study hall for hours on end. He hadn’t been able to discern if the books contained anything important beyond some historical curiosity, so he made a mental note to inspect them later on when he got the chance. Going through the ancient Thule book, Twilight found that it was mostly diagrams, with brief descriptions next to them. There was a paragraph here and there, but nothing more than that, with some bearing short notes in Old Equestrian. She flipped to the page she had seen before, the one featuring a long hall and a dais of two thrones, labeled Cynn ond Cwen. She tried to pronounce the words in her mind, and as she did so, she realized that these must be the thrones for a King and a Queen. Did we get the words for king and queen from them? It was an interesting question, prior to Celestia and Luna, Equestria had nopony bearing the status, and they had taken the title of Princess. The only kings Twilight could think of, were King Bullion, father of Princess Platinum, and King Sombra. Both of whom were from the Unicorn tribe. Now that is interesting… She thought. On the next page was a depiction of two more thrones, one on each page facing the other. The one throne on the left was heavy looking, and decorated with carvings of intricate knots and stylized unicorns. The other was not as ornate, but bore swords at each side, and its back was in the shape of a massive shield bearing the same sword piercing the sun-wheel crest she saw in Canterlot. She was trying to read the inscription underneath, when the sound of her front doors bursting open downstairs caught both she and Spike by surprise. She heard Rarity and Applejack yelling her name, and a parade of hooves scrambling through the foyer. She traded a worried glance with her adoptive little brother, before hurrying out of the room. Spike’s nerves tensed for a heartbeat, but a practiced discipline reasserted itself, and he followed behind her. Trotting down the stairs, Twilight found the four others waiting for her, each of them terribly anxious. “What is it?” She asked, looking between them for some ready sign. Before they answered her, Rainbow Dash and Applejack hesitated warily considering what they were about to say. “First thing Twilight.” Rainbow said severely. “What did you tell me was your favorite style of learning?” Confused, Twilight furrowed her brow. “Rainbow, what is this?” “Please darling.” Rarity chimed, “Answer the question.” Still not quite understanding the implications, Twilight relaxed her shoulders, “Flash cards. My favorite style is flash cards.” The others all let out a collective sigh of relief, Rarity even hugged her. “Oh it’s so wonderful to hear that.” Twilight accepted the hug with a perfunctory pat on the back. Watching from where he paused on the stairs, Spike clutched at the railing, realizing immediately why they had asked her a personal question. But how had they found out? “Twilight, you remember our little friend.” Pinkie Pie used the curl of her bang to reach into her bushy mane, and extract a little colt from within. Arthon waved meekly at the princess he had met previously. Spike glared at the Changeling grub, scratching his claws into the crystal of the railing. “Our sisters are missing.” Applejack began. “Them and their little friends dun been ponynapped!” “Ponynapped?!” Twilight asked incredulously. “By who?” All heads turned towards Arthon, who let out a nervous exhale before immolating himself in green fire. Sitting on Pinkie’s back, was the smallest changeling Twilight had ever seen. “Uh, hi. I’m Arthon.” “You…” Twilight gaped, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re the one Wanderlust was chasing! He was trying to warn us about you!” “It’s the Changelings Twilight. They’re in town, replaced Celestia knows how many ponies, and they got our girls!” Applejack extended a hoof in Arthon’s direction. “Arthon here tried to lead us to ‘em, but we were too late. He thinks they were taken back to the hive in the Everfree.” Her chest tightened, and her breathing become short, Twilight resorted to the breathing technique Cadence had shown her. “Ok…. Ok…. Ok… First, we have to let Princess Celestia know, then we go looking. Spike! Take a letter.” His intelligence briefing had told him that the dragon slave was often ordered to record the inane and saccharine letters of the Princess, so he was prepared with an inked quill and a sheet of parchment at her request. “Ready.” “Dear Princess Celestia. Changeling invasion in Ponyville, send help immediately. Yours, Twilight.” Spike dotted the letter, rolled it up, and employed his imitation spell. He knew full well that it was going nowhere near Canterlot. Twilight turned to her friends, a plan of action falling into place. “Rainbow Dash, round up the other Pegasus you trust, and have them sweep over the Everfree.” “You got it!” Loyalty responded before bolting off in a blur. “I think it’s safe to assume Wanderlust went into the forest.” Twilight continued. “And so will we. If he hasn’t been captured already, he’ll be a big help.” In the midst of being terrified for her sister, Rarity felt a pang of guilt over the newcomer. Why hadn’t he just told us? She asked herself. Teleporting Spike into her back and leading the rest of them out the front door and into a gallop, Twilight was confident of their success. They’d beaten everything thrown their way thus far, and somepony would have to turn back time if they wanted to get the better of her and her friends. Arthon glanced over to the other non-pony in the group, curious about the diminutive dragon. At first Spike returned the curiosity with courtesy, using the turn of the head to see if any of the others were looking too closely at him. Then with a quick glance, he locked eyes with Arthon, and a green shimmer rippled across them. The hopeful demeanor of the Changeling grub vanished in a second, replaced by a stoic dread. He might get away with saying they forced him here, but with an agent standing next to him there was no way he was going to escape some measure of punishment. Arthon faced forward, trying to think of how he might avoid such a horrible fate as awaited those who betrayed the hive. Then again, the Element Bearers had sworn to his protection, and they had defeated many powerful beings. As the group made their way through the town on a determined course towards the forest, Applejacked noticed how quiet the streets were. In fact, the only sound to be heard was the beating of their hooves as they ran. But the thought evaporated as quickly as it had come, pushed out by the drive to rescue Applebloom. From the shadows, many pairs of eyes watched them. THE THICKET “I grow tired of torturing this pony Varus.” The Changeling Generals Magna and Varus lounged themselves between feeding pods, their boredom with this interminable task wearing on them. Varus hung his head, letting it rest atop the pod. “Queen Mother wants him broken, and broken he shall be, no matter how long it takes.” Scrunching her face with annoyance, Magna lit her horn again, and sent another throb of searing pain into Wanderlust. Much to her chagrin however, the defiant pony had stopped crying out some time ago, and now merely grunted and moaned. Never once however, in the hours they had been working him over, had he cried out for mercy, had he pleaded for them to stop. Perhaps they had reduced him to a stupor, it wasn’t unknown to them that prolonged interrogation could render a pony incapable of thinking clearly. Magna had seen more than a few ponies succumb to the combined psychological and physical effects and left a drooling moron. “What makes you think there’s anything left of him to break? He can’t even string two words together.” She used her hoof to nudge Wanderlust, achieving no significant response. “What exactly were you trying to break?” Varus strode over to inspect Wanderlust’s twitching and half-closed eye, leveling with it to search for some useful hint, moving his head back and forth. “Perhaps we just bent him really far…” “GENERALS!” Magna and Varus whipped around to see Queen Chrysalis fluttering herself over the ledge, and levitating a scroll next to her. “Mother.” both of her children said as they lowered their horns to the floor. “Slight change of plans my bugs.” Landing, the queen unfurled the parchment for them to see. “Our timetable must be moved up, Princess Twilight and her little friends are aware of our presence.” “I will move my legions into position.” Varus said as they both raised their heads. “The train-track will be disabled, and we maintain security on all paths out of town.” Magna puffed out her chest, “My agents already have control of the weather factory, and are ready to sabotage it upon command. We have also achieved 40% replacement in Cloudsdale. The skies over Ponyville belong to us.” Chrysalis smiled. “Excellent work my bugs. Soon, we will control the heart of Equestria, and then we will strike out at Canterlot. This time, Celestia won’t have her minions to do her fighting for her.” The Changeling queen raised an eyebrow in the direction of Wanderlust. “Now tell me, what of our guest? Have you been gracious hosts?” “None more to be found in all the land.” Varus bragged. “He proved stubborn for a while, but even his impressive tenacity had its end.” “Hmm.” leaning down, Chrysalis screwed her mouth in slight disappointment. “And here I had hoped for a more interesting thrall. He would have made a fine concubine. Oh well.” “He’s faking, mother.” Marching into the chamber, a third Changeling general entered, this one a head taller than Varus and Magna, and wearing thicker armor with a helmet topped by a row of curved antennae. “I’ve been watching my dear siblings toy with your food. A hummingbird could have withstood their childish jabs.” Magna and Varus bristled, but Chrysalis smiled warmly. “Crassus, my eldest. Why do you speak so ill of your brother and sister?” Coming to a stop beside his fellows, Brutalico Crassus bowed his head before explaining himself. “I know far better than they a broken pony. It has a stench of degradation, of pain and sorrow.” Crassus leaned over to sniff at Wanderlust. “This one still endures.” “A jealous lie!” Varus barked, taking an aggressive posture towards his brother. “He seeks to undermine me because I brought you such a succulent prize!” Unintimidated, Crassus stared down at him. “Jealous? Of you? You’ve managed to capture a rare specimen, true, no doubt with the aid of your entire legion.” Varus’ angry façade faltered. “Do not think I am not perfectly aware of the trouble you went through to acquire him.” The scolding tone of Crassus cowed the smaller general. “He mowed down a dozen or more of your drones before he fell. I’m surprised you were able to do so at all without alerting the entire countryside with your incompetence.” The truth of the rebuke weighed like a millstone on Varus, and he turned to shield himself from his brother’s gaze. But Crassus was not finished with him, and moved in to impose his stature. “Did you think that you could break such a foe with your base attempt at coercion? One that has survived our interment once before?” “Now Crassus.” Chrysalis interjected with a voice as smooth as melted chocolate. “Your younger brother has much to learn. Be an example to him, give him the benefit of your experience.” Magna had to put a hoof across her mouth to suppress a chuckle at her brother’s castigation. It did not go unnoticed by Crassus, who turned his attention to her. “And you, swaggering up to him with your undeserved vanity. Your taunting has only hardened him further. Congratulations on achieving exactly the opposite of what you wanted.” Her smirk faded, and she retreated into a spiteful sulk. “So how exactly would you attempt to break his resistance might I ask? Oh magnificent and favored brother.” Crassus raised his left forehoof, and beckoned forth from the shadows four of his drones, who carried between them a long rod from which hung several feeding pods, some large and some small. They came to a stop for his inspection, and he selected one of the smaller pods, attaching the sticky stem to his hoof. He strode over to Wanderlust, and stared straight into the exposed eye. “I know you can hear me, so listen carefully. I’m am not going to waste my time punishing you, because you do not fear us. Instead, I will punish her.” Crassus held up the pod he carried on his hoof, showing the comatose Sweetie Belle inside. Wanderlust’s eye rotated to fixate on her peacefully slumbering face, and Crassus saw the alarm rising, widening his eyelids. “…no…” Wanderlust murmured weakly. “Yes, and I will do everything to her that they have been doing to you and more, if I find your cooperation anything less than forthcoming.” Crassus lit his horn, threatening to inflict the grotesque torment on the filly. “Do I make myself clear?” Chrysalis watched on with great interest, she enjoyed watching her children vie for her approval, seeing how ruthless and cutthroat they would become. Now between the three of them stood this proving stone, which they used as a means to show-up the other two. Try as Wanderlust might to remain defiant, to keep strong despite the pain and delirium, he knew he would suffer it again every day if it meant sparing another child this damnation. He would not allow what happened to his son to happen to Sweetie Belle. “What do you want to know?” He growled, surrendering at last. Crassus raised his head in triumph, his siblings lowering theirs in defeat. “Tell me where we held you before.” Wanderlust hesitated a bit longer before muttering something through his clenched teeth. Curious, and possessing an iota of sympathy for the pony’s imposition, Crassus angled his ear close to Wanderlust’s mouth. “What was that?” Again Wanderlust spoke just low enough that only Crassus could hear. As if he had been stung, the Changeling general recoiled, glaring incredulously at the reluctant stallion. “What was it? What did he say?” Magna asked. Crassus glanced over to Varus before sneering in repugnance at Wanderlust. “It appears I owe you an apology Varus. You have broken his mind.” “Crassus.” The Queen began, “What did he say?” “Gibberish, Mother.” Crassus told her with dismissive finality. “The incoherency of a pony driven into senselessness.” “Another time then.” Chrysalis said, refocusing her priority. “Right now I need you three to enact the next stage of our operation. Varus, Magna, you have your orders.” “Right away Mother.” bowed Varus. “Yes Mother.” Magna cooed. Both of the junior Generals took off, their wings a blur of motion. “Crassus, go ahead and take the town.” Queen Chrysalis commanded. “I want them good and scared when I get there.” Crassus smiled. “Consider it done.” OUTSKIRTS OF PONYVILLE If there was any pegasus Rainbow Dash trusted, it was Fluttershy. Coming to a stop at the door to her foal-hood friend’s cottage, the cyan flyer banged on the door, eager to get the sixth member of their special fellowship into the action. “Fluttershy! Open up!” No answer. Looking around, the secluded property was as quite as it ever was at night. “Come on Fluttershy! We got important saving Equestria business to take care of!” Inside, there finally came signs of life. The rustling of locks gave way to a crack between the door and the frame, out from which peeked a sliver of pastel yellow fur, with a pair of tired eyes. “Rainbow Dash?” She said sleepily. “I was just settling in for a-” “No time to sleep around Fluttershy!” Dash exclaimed, muscling her way across the threshold and into the dark room. “Ponyville is in danger!” Fluttershy backed away from her forceful friend, adjusting the robe she wore. “Oh my… What kind of danger?” “The Changeling kind Flutters, and right now we got missing fillies and Celestia-knows who else pony-napped into the Everfree forest! That’s why I need you and the other pegasai to help me.” Nervous as always, the lithe animal keeper retreated back towards her bedroom. “Ok, um, just let me tell my friends that I’ll be going out. I wouldn’t want them to get worried.” Rolling her eyes as she followed inside, Rainbow groaned. “I’m sure your little furry friends will be just fine.” When the door suddenly slammed shut behind her, Dash squealed in fright, finding herself immersed in complete darkness. “Oh, sorry about that. Is this better?” Fluttershy’s voice remained calm. When the light came back on, she was standing in the center of a room full of Changelings, giving her friend a contentedly happy expression. Dash’s face fell, and she could do little more than stare despondently as her doomed situation dawned on her. “…not really…” Outside the cottage, the pale moonlight cast everything in a soft, dreamlike quality. It was only broken by the brilliant flash of green light from the windows.