//------------------------------// // Rumble in the Desert // Story: Imprisonment of a Changeling // by Southern Wing //------------------------------// The sun beat down on the Third Equestrian Tank Platoon as they made their way down the dusty desert road. It had been two weeks since Chrysalis launched her attack on Celestia, and it was time for payback. “Can’t wait to kill me some changelings,” the commander of the column’s second tank said over comms. “Lieutenant Ironflank, zip it! I heard a Canterlot guard say the one they captured, he was fighting the attacking changelings,” his commander, Captain Steel Hide in the lead tank, scolded. “I don’t believe a word of it, sir. If these ‘nice’ changelings are actually on our side, why in Tartarus didn’t they tell us about the attack?” Ironflank scoffed. “Perhaps they didn’t know until it was too late,” Steel Hide commented. “That could be it.” “I doubt that.” “It’s not like--” Steel Hide was cut off by his tank becoming engulfed in flame. “Take cover!” Ironflank ordered as he took command. The last tank in the column also filled up with fire, as a tank charged the company from the right. It was similar in design to the prototype Germaney tanks at the end of the Second Equine War. “Traverse gun right!” “Traversing gun right,” his gunner responded, turning the gun to the right to meet the enemy tank. “Fire!” Ironflank shouted. The cannon fired and the shell struck the tank, destroying it. “Yes! Direct hit!” he exclaimed. “Three more tanks coming in, sir!” another tanker in the column shouted over the radio. “Where from?” Ironflank inquired. “Two from the right, one from the left. According to thermals, there are at least sixty enemy tanks left. We’re outnumbered and outgunned and trapped here.” “We’re fighting to the end,” Ironflank ordered. “Sir?” “That’s an order! Do what you can for the wounded, but I want everypony else fighting!” “He’s gonna get us all killed,” one tanker muttered under his breath. “What was that?” “Nothing, sir.” “It better have been nothing. If I…” Ironflank was cut off by all three of the approaching tanks exploding. The bewildered Equestrian soldiers looked around, but none of them had fired at the approaching tanks. “Look!” A medic pony pointed to an approaching dust cloud. Ahead of the cloud were no less than thirty five tanks. The group was comprised of Strussian, Japoneighse, and Equestrian tanks. “They don’t look like any of ours. Well, none we’re using now,” Ironflank’s gunner noted, looking through the scope. He then noted flashes from the dust cloud. A rain of shells came in, slamming the tanks attacking the Equestrian vehicles. This had the effect of all the hostile tanks turning to meet the incoming tanks, driving off at max speed. “Attach the dozer blade,” Ironflank shouted. A group of four unicorn soldiers used their magic to retrieve the bulldozer blade on the rear of his vehicle. The soldiers donned face masks as they started welding the dozer blade to the front of the tank. Meanwhile, the opposing changeling forces duked it out. “Take them out. We must prevent the ponies from taking any further losses,” the commander of the approaching harmonist tanks ordered. “Roger that.” The two forces continued, approaching until the mighty clash of changelings and armor began. “They’re drawing the fire away from us, but why?” Ironflank’s driver noted. “I bet they want to destroy us. They’re taking out the competition,” Ironflank sneered. “Sir, that doesn’t make sense!” “Shut it! I’m in command here!” “The captain’s right!” Ironflank’s gunner and loader argued at the same time. “Guess I’m alone in this tank for not firing on our potential allies,” Ironflank’s driver muttered under his breath. “What was that?” “Nothing, sir!” “Better have been nothing.” “Blade’s attached, sir!” one of the unicorn soldiers shouted. “Good. Get out of the way!” “Here we go, I guess.” “Move forward!” Ironflank drove forward, pushing the tank in front out of the way to make a path. With the path cleared, the Equestrian tanks rushed forward, coming from behind the lovist tanks. “Take them down!” “Yes, sir!” While the medics tended to the wounded, the rest of the Equestrian company began attacking the lovists. The battle turned fierce as tanks started ramming each other, turrets flying off tanks, and all the chaos of an epic battle went down. The smoke from the fires made vision difficult without assistance. The fires, coupled with the sun made the already hot day even hotter. The smell of gunpowder permeated the air. “Looks like the Equestrians are lending some help. Good to have them by our side,” the harmonist commander noted. “Yes it is, sir.” The lovist forces realized what was going on too late. The trap closed, and only three of their tanks were able to escape the trap, driving off at full speed. “Cowards! Why don’t they stand and fight?” Ironflank sneered in contempt. With the lovist tanks no longer an issue, the remaining twenty harmonist tanks began to pull away, Ironflank taking note of the command tank. “Line up a shot at their command tank.” “But sir! They risked their own tanks to help us. They lost tanks helping us!” Ironflank’s driver protested. “Gunner, open fire on the lead tank.” “Yes sir!” The gunner lined up a shot and fired the shell. It smacked into the lead harmonist tank and blew it apart and throwing the commander clear of the tank. The sudden attack caught the harmonist forces off guard. Several were destroyed in the explosions. “Return fire!” the harmonist’s second in command ordered. The remaining harmonist tanks fired on the Equestrian vehicles at point blank range. The savage fight only lasted a few minutes, but when it was over, several Equestrians and changelings were either dead or wounded. “Take these damned bugs prisoner and treat the wounded,” Ironflank snarled. “Inform Canterlot of our great success!” “Yes sir!” his subordinate replied. As Ironflank got out, he trotted up to a wounded half conscious changeling. “You! I assume you’re in command?” “I was in command dog,” the harmonist commander shot back. “Maybe you’re too much trouble, you know that?” “Sir, we’re on the line to command,” the radio officer called Ironflank. “Good. I have much good news to give them.” ”If you say so, sir,” the radio officer mumbled under his breath. “Is Ironflank always like this?” the harmonist commander asked the medic patching him up. “Forgive him. He lost his brother during the attack on Canterlot.” “I can understand that. A few of my brothers also died, and one was captured.” “So you changelings are all related?” the medic quizzed. “More or less. I was one of the oldest for my brood.” “I see, that’s interesting.” “Most ponies think that. I may be only a soldier, but I will say this. If you thought that fight against us was tough, just imagine what invading our hive would be like.” “Like if we had invaded Japony during the Second Equine War?” “Bingo. You’re right on the spot.” The harmonist commander winced as the morphine began to take effect. “I’d hate to take part in that,” the medic commented. “Also, we’d hate to fight that fight against ponies,” the harmonist commander responded. “If anything, we need to stand together against Chrysalis. Otherwise, we both lose.” “Choppers incoming for the wounded,” another medic announced as she spotted the first of the helicopters coming for the wounded. “What’s your name? Maybe when our governments are cooperating, we can get a drink?” the first medic asked. “Name’s Trestalka,” the harmonist commander said. “I’m Windy Saddle,” the medic replied as he loaded Trestalka on the first chopper, next to the wounded captain named Steel Hide. -------- As word of the battle got to Canterlot, Princess Celestia was busy meeting with several of the ponies from the battlefield. “So this changeling sacrificed himself to save you?” she inquired. “Yes. I’ve never seen anything like it!” the pony exclaimed. “He fought so furiously; it was almost like watching a Japoneighese samurai fight.” “Intriguing. What else can you tell me?” “Well, it seemed like they knew each other.” “I see. Thank you for the information,” she nodded. “You’re welcome, Your Majesty.” The soldier, Jet Set, and his wife bowed and left the room. “Is there anypony else with news to share?” Celestia asked her assistant. “The head of the Equestria Cruise Line is here to see you.” “Send him in.” Slatward Sailor, head of the Equestrian Cruise Line, trotted in and bowed. “Your Majesty,” he said. “Welcome. What is the news you have on the changeling threat?” “Yes… I knew that some of the changelings were good, but I was unable to share the information until now.” “Why is that?” Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow. “I was under oath not to divulge the information. You understand, right?” “I do. Are you aware how long this has been going on?” “A long time, Your Majesty.” “Being shifty will not help your case.” Before Slatward could answer, the doors burst open. A Royal Guard rushed over with a piece of paper. “Princess Celestia! News from one of our platoons!” the private said, hoofing the message over to the princess. Celestia took the message with her magic and looked it over. ”I’m sorry I have to cut this meeting short, Slatward.” She then glanced over to her assistant. “Cancel everything else today.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” she responded, crossing off everything else on the list. The sun princess made her way to the dungeon at once. She knew Wing would want to hear what happened. She only hoped that peace was still possible. In the meantime, Wing was eating the slop that passed for food in his cell. “Really need to make some… ‘adjustments’ to my current living conditions,” he muttered. He took another bite before he perked his ears up from the sound of hooffalls echoing in the walls. It didn’t take him to guess who his guest was. “Princess Celestia. A pleasure to see you again.” “I wish I were here under better circumstances,” Celestia admitted. That didn’t sound good to Wing. “What is it?” “We got word from one of our platoons that they were engaged by some of Chrysalis’ changelings. They attacked a group of tanks from what we believe to be your hive. That occurred after her troops were beaten off the path by your allies, from what we’ve gathered.” Wing was silent for a few moments. Suddenly, red magic started crackling in his cell despite the magic suppressing ring on his horn. His eyes turned a fiery red and he flew upwards, rushing at the cell door, red magic crackling all over his body. “WHAT?!” he shouted with absolute rage, his voice almost completely distorted. “What...” Celestia was unable to finish her sentence before he abruptly cut her off. “DON’T YOU INTERRUPT ME, PRINCESS! THERE ARE FAR WORSE THINGS YOU CAN ENCOUNTER! BE WARNED WE WILL DEMAND JUSTICE WHEN AND IF WE GAIN PEACEFUL RELATIONS!” Wing panted. The more he breathed, the weaker the crackling became. It finally died completely. “What was that?!” the alicorn demanded. “I apologize, Your Majesty. That was… is what happens when we changelings let anger take control of us. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it takes a high level unicorn or an alicorn to take us down if we can’t regain control ourselves.” Wing retreated back into the shadow of his cell. “And the bit about justice? Is there an explanation for that?” “That was true; we don’t react well to changeling lives being taken by non-changelings. I do know this: If incidents like this keep up, it will be a long time before ponies unaware of our kind are trusted.” “Does this happen for all emotions?” “Only when we lose control. Blue crackling means we’re sad, red crackling is anger, orange crackling is hate, etc.” “Hmm. That knowledge should be recorded when this war is over.” “We changelings are very emotional creatures.” “I only hope peace can be achieved,” Celestia thought as she left the prison. “As do I.” ----------- Meanwhile, far off in Wing’s hive, Queen Chiton and her advisors were discussing the latest incident. “Damn those ponies! The nerve of them attacking us while we came to help them!” the defense minister said. “Defense Minister, we couldn’t have known what ponykind would do when they first encountered our forces,” a second changeling retorted. “Hmpf, that’s because you’re not military like myself.” “General, while I appreciate your loyalty, I couldn’t know what ponies would do when they first encountered us,” Chiton retorted. “Apologies, Mother,” the general replied. “Noted. Although, I fear this incident will only serve to further divide the fragile.” Queen Chiton paused and looked toward the ceiling. “Leave me. I wish to be alone.” “Yes, Mother.” The advisors got up from the table and left Queen Chiton alone in her throne room. A few tears fell from her eyes, as a few crackles of blue magic swept across her body. More crackles also came to the changelings whose broodmates were lost on the battlefield. They mourned across the hive for the changelings lost in the tragic, unavoidable event.