Horse of Cards

by Midnight Ice Cream

Twenty Second Chapter

What is this? We leave lunch with company. “Twilight, why are you following me?”

“I wanted to have lunch with you.” There is slight affection, a small appetizer for our meal. “I don’t think it’s fair that you always go off on your own.”

I look down at her. “Thank you for feeding me then.” I give her a smile, she returns it. “That was very considerate of you. Might I ask why you don’t do the same for Celestia?”

“She likes her privacy and to relax by herself. So do I, but I like spending time with my friends too.”

“Reasonable.”

We walk across Canterlot for a short while, nopony venturing to break the slightly awkward silence. “Erm, Chrysalis, how do you feed?”

“I feed on love.”

“Yes, but in practicality how?” Twilight takes out a notebook.

“We changelings absorb it, often at night. A simple walk on the street does it. If love is to be stored, we’d cocoon a pony and feed them lovely experiences, they’d give us love, we give them money. Right now I plan to go to the hive to pick up canned love. Normally I’d just stroll the streets and absorb it, but I have company. I will get a changeling to bring me some, and you a meal. Where do you wish to eat?”

“We could go to the garden.”

“That is appropriate.”

Twilight Sparkle and myself walk across the streets of Canterlot into a secluded part of the gardens. We prefer cities, more love. A pony would consider such a place beautiful, we would not. Pony aesthetics do not please us, all must be practical. Manehattan changelings feed well, Canterlot ones are more skinny. “I actually came here to settle some issues. I don’t think you’re a bad changeling, or a bad person. I just know that certain ponies have their issues with you.”

“I have apologised to Cadenza for my misdeeds in the past. I do not expect her to forgive.” We admit. “We have dangered ponies, and we are sorry. However we are no longer a threat. With time ponies will realise that.”

We enjoy our love, and Twilight enjoys her meal. There isn’t much conversation. “That’s a really mature outlook into everything.”

“All we can hope for is that this will not damage our political standing. It is mutually beneficial if we are treated well.”

“I agree, that’s one of the reasons I came here. I think we can be friends with changelings.” She beams, and takes a bite of her sandwich. Princess Twilight is proving useful.

“I hope that is the case. I’m glad you’re being so welcoming, I didn’t expect this, or even request it. The hive only expected to be tolerated, such a welcome is not becoming of the way we have treated you. You have my respect.”

There is a long silence. “What’s on your mind?” She asks.

“Legislation.” Another silence, there is still affection in the air, but it is being replaced with a degree of awkwardness. “More specifically the economics of changeling integration. We are discussing the practicalities of expansion, and how to avoid rogue changelings when there is such wide distribution.”

“May I ask you to explain some of this? I’d love to hear more.” The friendly emotion returns, we could feed on this. Besides, it is good to have Twilight on our side.

“Oh certainly!”

The ancient train pants its way slowly through the mountains. This poor old rust bucket really needs to retire. There are better trains of course, but I needed the earliest, so I took a freight. The depressing thing, is that this is one of the two freights a day that goes to the Llanceffyl mines. The rest are passenger trains that just pass by. I’ll admit though, the valley is absolutely gorgeous. I come out of the side with the natural mountain, a beautiful wasteland broken only by the occasional stream and the train track into the town. On the other side is the iron quarry, equally desolate, this mountain has rigid lines cut into it where ponies used to cut into the rock. By now this monster of iron is returning to nature, patches of a dull red have now become green as the grass has returned. There are crumbling smokestacks clawing at the sky, forgotten now, unused for years, probably unusable. There are old workshops, dead machinery left to rust, paint flaking off and proud walls covered with graffiti. It’s a sorry sight, only one workshop still produces, tiny puffs of smoke escaping from its tiny stack.

As I enter the town, it too is dead. Countless shops with “FOR SALE” pasted all over their windows. There are pubs with signs with paint so cracked that it’s hard to tell what the original image may have been. Ponies in tattered clothes gather around the one functional shop smoking cigarettes, and giving me strange glances. This place is a wreck. “Fock off Posh Cunt!” A shabby looking mare yells at me.

I walk up to that pony. “Where do I find the offices of Tree Hugger?”

“I told you to fock off you posh cunt!”

A middle aged stallion wearing a flat cap walks out of the shop. “Oh, now, now Prinder Prydferth, who taught you such rude language?” The stallion walks up to me, and takes off his cap. “I am Rhosyn Coch, one of the miners here. I am sorry for Prinder P. She is angry because she has lost her job in the quarry.”

“It’s a disgrace what’s happened here.” I say solemnly.

“Oh I agree ma’am. Llanceffyl is not what it used to be. I remember all of the pubs used to be full. We all had jobs you see. The new manager Missis Tree Hugger. She is not highly regarded in this town. But I will lead you to her. She will be in her office I’m sure.”

As I walk through the town Rhosyn Coch points out certain landmarks, and complains about how the town used to be bustling. “A lot of ponies have moved you see. I have always stayed loyal, I was born here, and I do not often go very far. I like Llaceffyl. and I know that one day it will get better.”

We stop at a three storey office complex. It’s white paint now peeled, the once proud “Llanceffyl Iron” would be unreadable if it was not for the indentations in metal sign. “I will leave you now. I’m sure you can find her office on your own. I have to get back to the misus as it is.”

I enter the lobby of this building. An annoyed weary stallion approaches me, “I told Tree Hugger that she had an appointment. She didn’t listen.” His accent doesn’t sound local at all. He sighs. “You must be Diamond Tiara of Rich Enterprises. A pleasure to meet you.” He speaks in a very monotone voice. “I am Ore Furnace.” He sighs again. “I have worked for this company for twenty seven years as a bookeeper, and more recently a personal assistant. I’m sure Tree Hugger will accept your company.” He takes me through the building. Ore Furnace looks at me as I enter her office with a face of what can only be described as pity.

Tree Hugger seems to be meditating. She’s sat on a beanbag in what looks to be a dreadfully uncomfortable position. There isn’t another chair in the room, only another beanbag. “Miss Tree Hugger.”

“Yo!” She slowly opens her eyes. “Woah, you need to sit down dude.”

I shrug, and take a seat in one of those bean bags. “I came to discuss the purchase of your ore.”

“Woah dude, you gotta chill.”

This is going to be a long meeting. This mine really needs new management.

*****

Ahhhh, that is nice. Silver Spoon really can give a massage. I sip my gin and tonic. “How did it go?” She asks.

“You would not believe. I had to sit through hours of her bullshit before we even got to anything interesting. Eventually I got a contract in, but it’s incredibly flimsy. I don’t trust her guarantee.”

“Yes, but what can you do?”

I sip my drink again. “If a friendship lesson got that cunt into her position, it can get her out. I need that fucking iron! She doesn’t even seem concerned with making money.”

“Why is that?”

“Well her father had to give the mine away because of a friendship lesson. You would not believe how much damage that has caused. This job is proving harder than I thought it would be.”

“Diamond, I love you and everything, but it is a failing industry.”

“I will make it profitable! I will prove my worth!” I drink the rest of my glass. “Don’t get so fucking smug Silver.” I stand up. “I’m going for a walk!”

“It’s nearly midnight.”

“I need to clear my head.” I scream. “I need a punching bag!”

“You don’t!”

“Oh shut up!”

I slam the door on my way out.

*****

Most ponies who would visit Baltimare at night, especially those with the amount of money available as me, would probably visit the decent nightlife they have. It’s a typical vibrant city, perhaps not as popular a destination as Las Pegasus or Manehattan and perhaps a little more rough around the edges, but still it has all of the things that ponies like about cities. Well fuck those ponies. Beneath the facade of nightclubs, cheap casinos and bars his place is a shithole, full of crime unemployment and pony misery.

I take a stroll to my factory. It’s empty now, but it is beautiful. The machines all neatly lined up, designed for perfect efficiency. Every single little cog built to pour that wonderful silvery metal, all of it silent. I look at the empty factory, the only sound is the churning of the emergency generators machines. I can’t help but feel sorry for the place. I want to breathe life back into the poor thing. With that, I have my determination back, and walk silently home.

When I return, Silver is asleep and all of the lights are off. As silently as I can, I take off my suit and crawl into bed.

“You smell terrified, perhaps you should calm down.” The giant changeling looks down at me with what I can only describe as pity. “Why did you come here?” She picks me up with her magic, I simply crawl into a ball. Chrysalis walks me outside of her hive. “You really shouldn’t do that. If you wanted to speak to me, you could speak to me. You didn’t need to get into a panic attack.” She places me gently on the floor. I’m still hyperventilating. “Perhaps you should talk to me somewhere more comfortable?” She suggests.

“Where?” Is all I’m able to get out.

“Let me get you a drink Miss Soda, you need one.” All I can do is nod. I’m practically frozen stiff. Chrysalis sits me on a bench. I’ve been able to cope with her presence before, but not this kind of interaction. I just refer her to Earthheart, that’s it. I barely notice as a changeling appears before me and presents me a bottle of soda. “We didn’t know what you liked.”

“Th-thanks.”

“I want to apologise personally for your father, and for any other pain that we have inflicted upon you.” I think I see genuine sorrow in those horrible green eyes. “I remember the event well. It was terrible, it was never our intent to kill ponies. We were starving, we needed food.” Another changeling appears with a cigarette for me. “Do you smoke?” I shake my head. “We thought it’d calm you. Cigarettes have no effect on changelings. They do cause damage, but that is negated by our magic. Simply put, it slips right through us. Like food or alcohol. So if a changeling is ever drunk, chances are, he’s deceiving you.” I do not look at Chrysalis, only into the distant mountains. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, you are a very brave pony Sparkling Soda. It is admirable. The fact that you go to me like this. I can smell so much fear, but you still continue. I admire that. What I hope to happen is that you’ll become more and more comfortable with my presence slowly. It’s not going to happen in one big gulp. So now, I suggest you sleep.”

“No.” I whimper. “Stay.”

“Very well.” She doesn’t speak, but I accept her presence. Soon enough a changeling appears and covers me in a blanket.

“Do changelings sleep?”

“Only to conserve energy. You needn’t worry about me getting tired.”

“I had always thought that I’d be butchered.”

“I know. But in reality we’d have harvested you for love.” She gently pats me. “No more. You are safe now.”

“Logically I see that.”

“If we were going to exploit this situation, we’d have done so months ago. Before the army was ready.” I do not respond. It’s late, I’m tired. “You’ve got some serious guts in falling asleep now.” I suppose I have. My eyes close, just for five minutes. Just for five minutes.