Escape From Canterlot

by No one is home


Letters in the Dark - Shadefire, Night Shift, ? ? ?

Greetings Comrade Night Shift,

Our plans are proceeding according to schedule.  The unfortunate loss of Diane Pastel has presented a complication, but not an insurmountable one.  My young student is nearly as valuable to our cause as a martyr as she was as a leader.  Perhaps more so, given her predilection towards violence.  Still, it’s hard to argue that your sister was not an expert in inspiring fear.

Unfortunately her loss leaves us one queen short of a true hive.  Now, calm down and count to ten before you read this next part…

Did you count to ten?

I know how you feel about the matter, but the fact is we need your sister back.  Diane represented a true alternative to the Sun Queen Approved “Changeling Evolution”.  You all do.  Changelings who feed on fear… it is a true blessing of the shadows within’ we dwell.  Without a proper queen we simply cannot reliably keep your sisters in line or even loyal to your father’s cause.  The Day Breaker has her own pet changeling queen, even if she’s a pony-sympathizing would-be unicorn.  Have you ever wondered which role she was faking first?  That miserably inept drone Thorax has somehow managed to fool even other changelings into thinking he’s some sort of “Changeling King”.  Even Nightmare Moon has that sterile <i>thing</i>, Moth.

The point is that we need Diane back.  I know, I know, she broke three of your legs.  And you were almost arrested.  But I took care of that and I took care of you.  And just think at the risk I’m taking here.  If… no, not if, when… when Diane learns the truth about her supportive school teacher, Ms. Shadefire, who she trusted and looked up to… well, I’d just as soon be long dead and buried in secret so my grave can’t be violated when that happens.  Which leaves us with quite the conundrum.  We need Diane Pastel, as symbol, and as a hive mother.  But, let’s be honest, she’s going to murder us both.  I think we both know that.

There’s a vacant changeling-shaped hole in our operating structure, and what we need is a replacement for Diane.  Someone we can mold to our purposes more easily.  Fortunately I know of a mare in Manehatten who specializes in filling pony shaped holes.  The shadows will no longer hide behind the night.

In Darkness Remain,

Shadefire

-=-=-=-=-

Councilor Shadefire,

The Council has considered very carefully your proposal.  We concur that this new evolution of “Nightmare Changelings”, if that is indeed what they are, should be welcomed as kindred spirits in the shadows that bind us.  However we cannot condone their criminal activities in any fashion.  The umbrum have gained at least a measure of tolerance within pony society.

The Council of Shadows agrees that Celestia’s actions in disbanding the Canterlot hive sent a clear message to the non-ponies of this city, and we cannot deny that her message was clear.  The pony changeling queen was not deemed suitable to enter the royal herd until she converted.  While our you, the chosen representative of our kind, were denied out of hoof.  The pony’s have made it clear that those who do not embrace their path of rainbows and friendship will remain in the shadows.

However, the shadows are where we dwell.  When they cast us into the dark, my daughter, they only send us home.  I know you have taken this rejection personally, but remember it was never about you personally.  To the Silver Prince it was a political proposal, he did not reject you, he rejected all of us.  And he sent us home, unfit for the light.  It has been a bitter pill to swallow, but will cannot risk our fragile peace for a point of wounded pride.

Therefor on the matter of Dragonfly Diane Noone and her so-called “shadow hive”, we shall not aid them in their ambitions, nor will aid you in your’s wherein the Shadow Hive is concerned.  However, we also shall not in any way hinder any of their activities nor yours.  We shall wait, and we shall see.  So Rules the Council of Shadows.

Walk in Darkness Dear Daughter,

Moon Pyre, Umbrum High Councilor

-=-=-=-=-

Shadefire,

I can send Sweet Shift and Split Shift to contact this mare in Manehattan.  The Doppler Twins would probably be a better fit, but I want to move them from spying on Chrysalis’ remaining loyalists to subverting the runt king’s hive.  Honestly, all the bitch queen has left at this point are he mostly loyal followers and those few drones who are too stupid to shake her influence enough to defect to another hive by now.  She can be the pony’s problem.  Let them worry about the “scary” rogue changelings.  The more they worry about them, the less they worry about us.

We have bigger problems right now.  My darling, naive little sister has run off to join the circus, or the freak show, specifically.  Honestly, it was either gonna be that or that wuss’s hive.  Ugh, why couldn’t Pharanx have been the one to revolt against Chrysalis?  The point is, Switch wasn’t ever going to be on our side.  But as distasteful as I find it, Thorax’s hive would be way less hard to infiltrate when the time comes to take back the offspring of the Unspoken Prince.  Zilia Pastel is clearly on of ours.  I will send you word when the twins have achieved results in Manehattan.

Sincerly,

Nightshift #2 Noone

-=-=-=-=-

Report #123

Z-978 and Zilia Pastel remain separated from the goat.  They have been delayed indefinitely in Ponyville awaiting correspondence, but at present have no leads as to the status and where abouts of the hostage.

More importantly they have been joined by a member of the royal family.  Specifically, Moonbeam, the adopted son of Princess Luna’s own adopted daughter.  It would be foolish to assume they are not under royal surveillance.  The steps they’ve taken to prevent this are laughable.  They asked the colt’s mother to please not tell the princesses.  Damned pony world is getting to poor Jimmy Jack, I think.

End Report