With Sebastian flying as fast as he could, it didn't take him long to carry his Charge back to Applewood and their place there, even weighed down by their luggage. As soon as he landed, he shifted Scootaloo to a seat before immediately checking the entire building for possible enemies. Seeing just how intense he was, Scootaloo remained silent until he calmed down. Thankfully, his chosen precautions took less than a minute. Once he was done, he returned to her side and began helping her out of the uncomfortable black gown. "Forgive my rudeness, My Lady," he murmured softly, plainly ready for a reprimand.
"Experts are very expensive to hire," Scootaloo replied simply. "Much more so if you ignore their advice. Though I do want that explanation now. What did you see that set you off like that?" Her eye widened as she noticed Sebastian's talons freeze momentarily with her veil. "That bad?"
"I believe it will be...especially difficult for you to hear," Sebastian offered gently. "I am uncertain how best to...soften the blow."
"Don't," Scootaloo ordered simply. "Give it to me straight. What happened atop the Tower of Life?"
Sebastian decided to give what he believed she would see as the most important information first. "The reason the stallion seemed to be in pain as he walked is because pieces of his living flesh had been surgically excised, replaced with bits of stitched on dead flesh, including a set of dead wings to complement his unicorn horn." He watched carefully as Scootaloo's entire body stiffened to the point fabric tore. "Sound familiar, My Lady?"
Scootaloo closed her eyes, clenching her teeth against the onslaught of memory. The unnatural silence in the manor. Deik-Beck malfunctioning. The scent of smoke and death. Her father's horn, her mother's wings...one corpse...and then the dark hooves seizing her, and a blinding green light...
"My Lady?" Sebastian coached, gently booping her nose to snap her out of her fugue.
Scootaloo shivered as she opened her eyes. "Yes...that sounds very familiar..." She took a few calming breaths, holding the memories in the calm part of her mind, where she kept her burning rage and hunger for vengeance, so they did not consume her mind and heart. Finally, a clue... "Go on."
"He went into the green fire and was consumed," Sebastian continued calmly, pleased to see Scootaloo had found her drive. "From out of the fire, something arose that wore his face, but appearing to be a rejuvenated alicorn. That is when I turned and withdrew as fast as possible."
Scootaloo nodded as she took it all in. "And why did that say we should run?" she inquired.
"There are very few beings in my experience that wear the faces of other beings," Sebastian explained calmly. "Fewer that do so after slaying the original wearer. Fewer still who can survive unharmed in magical fire that can consume magically charged mortal flesh. Of those that remained, this left two possibilities. Either the Order was enacting summonings on a grand scale, or the Entire Order are these creatures in disguise. While I would be fully capable of killing every living thing in that Monastery should you order it, I would not be able to do so while simultaneously protecting you from them. They would be able to get past me through sheer force of numbers...and if they killed you, the power of my Contract would break, and I would be banished."
Scootaloo nodded. "I suppose there is the possibility that you are right...but there's a more local possibility you hadn't considered."
Sebastian smiled softly. "I admit, my knowledge of this world's creatures is somewhat limited."
"Changeling magic manifests as green fire," Scootaloo explained. "Changelings feed off emotion. One hostile hive that attacked Equestria before fed off love. If these are Changelings, they appear to be feeding off grief and hope...and they've created a dangerous way to harvest all they could possibly want. They promise reunion with deceased loved ones, and being reborn with them as immortal alicorns...and enough individuals have seen these 'transformations' that rumors have spread and influenced the nobility." She frowned darkly. "And while the Nobles would feel it their duty to report threats...there isn't a noble alive who isn't envious of the Princesses and would pay anything for their power and immortality. It's the ultimate bait to infiltrate and claim Equestria for their own."
"You think this is the same hive?" Sebastian asked curiously.
"No," Scootaloo countered firmly. "Chrysalis was a genius tactician, but Dinky could beat her out in strategy. If she'd had half a brain, she'd have known trying to conquer a country was the worst way to nurture love to feed on. From the 'love is food' perspective, Equestria would have been a dead husk within a month if she'd succeeded, and she'd barely be able to reclaim the power she expended in the attempt. Admittedly, she did an excellent job following her plan through, even if said plan was utter folly." She turned to gaze out towards the desert. "This strategy is exceptionally well thought out, and we already know there are several outposts of this 'religion' working their 'wonders' on the ponies of Equestria. This isn't Chrysalis' MO."
"So it's another hive of Changelings," Sebastian concluded. "Should you not then report it to the Triarchs to deal with?"
"That's the last thing I should do," Scootaloo countered coldly.
Sebastian's crimson eyes narrowed as a wide grin crossed his beak. "Oh?" he inquired wickedly.
"And not just because it's the first lead I've had on what happened to my parents since I bound you to contract," Scootaloo pointed out. "Not all Changelings belong to hives. I should know, some work for the Wingshadow companies. But if it's known two Changeling Hives have made war on Equestria, any chance of peaceful Changeling integration goes right out the window. It would become enough of an active threat that it would become a witch hunt. That's the last thing a land founded on Harmony can afford." She turned to face Sebastian head on. "As such, the first step is to confer with the rogue Changelings in the companies, find out what they know both about this Hive and Hive structure...and then find a way to eradicate this Hive with none the wiser. Is that understood?"
Grinning widely, Sebastian went into a low bow. "Yes, My Lady."