//------------------------------// // Chapter 6-2: Morning in G3 Ponyville shines! And I know for absolute certain! That everything is certainly... fine? // Story: Minty Image // by mintgreenconspiracy //------------------------------// After a few minutes, Pinkie began to stir -- still looking disoriented -- with a really sorry expression on her face. "Have I just been using my pony friends all my life?" She said, looking down -- unwilling to leave the bed that she had been placed in. "Have I just been using Sunny Daze, and Sweetberry, and Razzaroo? Have I been stealing something from my friends every time we had a party?" She said to herself, self doubt and confusion swirling through her mind. "Was I taking from them instead of giving when I showed them the proper way to blow up balloons? Am I an ugly monster like the ones in my dreams?" She asked, her face filling with dismay, and her mind with inky darkness. "Am I going to go feral someday, and jump Sunny Daze while she's doing pony summersaults, or Sweetberry while she's baking, or Razzaroo while she's planning a party? Of course it could happen while -- " "You ok Pinkie, darling?" Rainbow asked, coming up the stairs, followed closely behind by Twilight. "I'm sorry for upsetting you, darling." She said, with dismay. "I just thought that it would better to tell you, then not, darling." She said, firmly -- though still apologetically, looking down. After a few seconds, she nodded her head, and approached her friend to give her a reassuring hug. Instead, Pinkie shook her head, crying into a pillow. "Don't come near me!" She demanded, her pink face turning red. "Who knows what I might do to you!" She whined. Crawling away from the other two ponies. "Who knows what would happen if you got too close to a monster like me!" She shouted, violently. "You aren't a monster Pinkie!" Twilight said, with a reassuring smile. "You shouldn't think that, Pinkie!" She said, firmly. "It isn't true!" Pinkie shook her head. "I feed on love Twilight!" She retorted, firmly. "I'm probably doing it now! I'm sucking you dry till you don't have any love left -- and you become an ice hearted monster! A monster just like me!" She said, breaking into uncontrollable sobs. Twilight shook her head. Should she tell Pinkie the good news first, or the news that would make her a better pony? Twilight shook her head again -- that was a silly thing to be debating. The poor thing was struggling enough! Twilight decided, coming to her senses. She didn't need a friendship lecture, no matter how much Twilight wanted to give one. What she needed was someone telling her that it would be ok. "You don't feed on love Pinkie!" Twilight said, telling her outright. "But don't mutant bug ponies feed on love?" Pinkie replied, confused. "And I thought you said I was a mutant bug pony?" She said, seething slightly -- wondering if Twilight was just leading her on. Twilight opened her mouth. To explain, but Rainbow got the first word in. "What she means to say is that, because you are half bug pony then you can feed on food like regular ponies -- not love. And I am not sure that you are even capable of extracting love in the same way." Rainbow said, with a smile. "I just think you're half bug pony nature manifests itself in making you extra empathetic, and giving you the ability to share your emotions with others, and it tends to make them see things your way, and be extra eager to please." "But what about you and Minty?" Pinkie asked, with concern. "Don't you feed on love." "I don't know, darling." Rainbow shook her head. "I certainly hope that we don't have to actively feed if we don't choose to. I would like to think that, right now, we have been feeding off the ambient love energy that the ponies are giving out, like I did in my dreams -- instead of actively robbing them of what belongs to them -- but even if that isn't the case, darling, Minty, we shant hurt them unless we choose to; and I shall endeavor never to do that." She said, with a smile -- causing Pinkie's smile to slowly reappear. "And I'm sure that that darling, Twilight, can find a way to help." She said giving a trusting smile to Twilight. Twilight opened her mouth to talk. "And even if that wasn't the case. Let me ask you a question, Pinkie." She said, sternly -- her face getting extra serious. "Ok?" Pinkie said, her Pink face still beet red from all the crying she had been doing. "What do you want to know, Twilight?" "Pinkie." Twilight reiterated, sternly. "Do you feel like a monster?" She asked, rhetorically. "Do you wish to hurt your friends?" She asked, the pink pony -- intending to make a point. "Well no." Pinkie replied, hesitantly. "But what wouldn't I still be a monster if I went around hurting them unintentionally?" She asked, still not sure she believed Twilight. Twilight sighed. Pinkie had her there, but the point still had to be made -- the pony had to be made to understand. "Was your goal to hurt them?" Twilight asked again, even more firmly than before. She waited for the pink pony's response. "Is that something you set out to do?" "Well no but..." Pinkie rebutted, being shushed by Twilight. "Then you're not a monster, and I'm sure your friends will forgive you!" She said, with a smile. "You just have to believe in yourself!" Twilight continued. "In the mean time, I'll talk to Zecora and see if we can come up with a potion for the three of you that will allow you to feed without taking another pony's love. Would that make you feel better?" "Yes please!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "But what if we do it unintentionally?" She asked, doubt creeping back in. "Zecora and I will come up with a solution to that too." She said, with a smile (of course, she'd have to go and talk to the zebra later on, but at least it seemed to put the pink pony at rest.) "In the meantime." She said, turning to Rainbow Dash. "Have you thought about what you three are doing next?" She asked, to see how much thought the blue pony had put into their plans. "Yes, darling." Rainbow said, frankly. "We need to see what those horrible monsters did to Ponyville." She said, flatly. "And we have to see for ourselves what happened to all our friends, including the unicorns that I don't remember meeting!" She said, firmly. "Well... up until now." She said, blushing slightly. "I'm a little worried," She replied, looking at her friends, and frowning slightly. "if both Wysteria and Rarity ended up at strange places... Then what happened to the others?" Twilight nodded happily. "Let me send another letter to Celestia telling her everything I learned about Wysteria from you, as well as your conditions -- if you wouldn't mind. " She said, with a smile -- eliciting a nod from the three G3 ponies in the room. While she was at it, she should also request that the princess find the other ponies. " I'll also ask her if she could spare some guards to help you get safely to your Ponyville." She said, planning the letter to make sure she got every possible detail in there. "Ok, darling." Rainbow said, with a smile. "Hopefully everyone is ok." She said, her mood slowly recovering. "And I hope that this Princess Celestia can help!" Twilight nodded. "I hope so too." She said, to Rainbow, raising her voice. "Spike! I need you to take a letter." "Ok!" Spike said eagerly, appearing in a puff of smoke -- out of, seemingly, nowhere. "What is it you needed me to say?" He asked, quill in claw (and parchment in other claw!) "Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight narrated to the dragon, who put the quill to the parchment, focusing intently on every word that came from the princess' mouth. ********** Belladonna purred, licking her lips. "So our pppprrrray has hidden themselves in this sad little hole?" She said, with a smile, eagerly awaiting the hunt. "But how do we plan to fetch the second bearor without Star Swirl's mirror?" Solanaceae smiled. "Leave that detail to me." he said, with a smirk. "If Star Swirl can turn a mirror into a portal -- then so can I!" He said, winking to the other two changelings -- slightly overconfident in his 'vastly superior changeling magic'. Phytolacca smirked, sharpening one of his needles against his horn; licking it for effect. "I'm just hoping the chosen bearor doesn't come willingly." He said, with a smirk, throwing the needle against a wall, causing it to crumble. "Careful!" Solanaceae cautioned, sharply. "That wall belongs to the hive -- and we don't condone the wanton destruction of hive property." "I suppose." Phytolacca replied, like a child who was just told that they couldn't have that second helping of ice cream. He stamped his hoof for a while, making like he was dancing. "Quiet!" Solanaceae ordered, his horn glowing vibrantly. "I'm trying to repeat a spell that has only been accomplished twice before." He said, with a frown -- his horn glowing multiple colors as he cast spell after spell. "So are you going to cast that spell or not?" Phytolacca said, impatiently. "I mean I have ponies to meet, -- " he said, with a sadistic smile. " -- and alicorns to hunt," he said, under his breath, already planning revenge for the hive's little failure at that other strange town (well failure other than the collection of some magical goodies, but Phytolacca didn't much care for magical MacGuffins.) Solanaceae started swearing -- sweating profusely. If he didn't succeed, and his boss was forced to intervene, then he could kiss his position good-bye (and possibly other things as well -- including, possibly, his head.) No! He had no other choice! He had to get this portal open! He would prove that the changelings were superior to any pony, and that he was superior to any changeling! He decided, practicing a trick he learned from the lady while he was still training under her (and he hoped it worked, because if it didn't...) Belladonna hissed. "So are we going to get this show on the road, or not?" She said, contemplating her own search for the pony that had the misfortune of humiliating her back at that strange town (and she would make that pink pony with the wishing cutie mark sorry!) The changelings began to shout at their leader, louder and louder -- causing his face to scrunch, and his expression to become more angry. Solanaceae, finally, gave a sharp grunt -- about ready to scream at the childish ponies. Come on! He knew how to do this! The lady taught him this trick -- heck she showed it to him! He had to do it! He just needed a magic burst, that was all! He thought, his face scrunching with effort as he concentrating on his magic, forcing it into his horn. He concentrated on his thoughts, trying to force a magic burst by forcing them, making them race and whirl. After a few seconds, he could hear raucous laughing from his two compatriots. "It looks like our leader is going to have an aneurysm." Belladonna said, with a mocking chuckle, cleaning her face with her hoof. "Well it looks like we are getting another new leader!" Phytolacca said, dancing with enthusiasm. "I guess the lady didn't teach Solanaceae all her tricks after all!" He said, laughing maniacally. "I vote me for new leader!" "Shut up!" Solanaceae shouted, finally losing control of both his temper, and his twisted horn, as the magic burst he had hoped for arrived. "RARRRGGGGG!!!!" The mirror warped, and bend -- making horrible noises, slowly taking on a translucent color, before revealing an alien landscape covered in strange buildings for a second. Before shattering violently, into a million tiny crinkly bits. Solanaceae sweared, like a sailor -- as he was now covered in cuts and nicks, and more than a small amount of pain. "Well if you don't succeed!" Phytolacca said, with a smirk. "Try! Try again!" He said, taking a step out the room to plan his extracurricular activities. ********** Twilight smiled eagerly, having received the response to her second letter surprisingly promptly (much more promptly, in fact, than she expected.) The funny thing was, even as a princess, she still sometimes still suffered from a kind of fangirl syndrome towards her second mother. "Ok Spike!" She said, diligently, making sure to look her best. "Do I look like I'm presetable enough for a meeting with the princess?" Spike sighed, slapping his head. "You realize she isn't here right!" "Yeah I know." Twilight said, blushing slightly. "I forget sometimes." She said, with a smile. " I just, so badly, want to impress her!" Spike rolled his eyes with viger. "And you realize that you're a princess too right?" He said, with a smirk. "So you don't have to do the whole fangirl thing!" "Sure!" Twilight said, blushing again -- she hated to admit it, but he had a point! "So Spike!" She said, to the young drake. "What does Princess Celestia have to say?" She asked, eagerly, hovering closer to the young dragon then he liked. "Actually it's not Celestia." Spike said, in surprise. "It's...." He stammered, his eyes going as wide as saucers. "From Princess Luna!" "Princess Luna?" Twilight said, in amazement. "As in 'Princess Luna' Princess Luna?" She asked, in surprise, Luna never wrote, and never, ever, gave orders. Spike nodded, vigorously. "The one and only!" He said, shocked himself. Twilight quirked her eyebrows. "But why would Luna be sending me a response instead of Princess Celestia?" After all -- Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. Maybe she'll say in the letter." Twilight nodded. "That actually makes sense." She said, sheepishly. "What does Luna say?" Spike shrugged. "Shall we find out?" He said, his eyes scanning up and down the scroll. "Greetings Princess Twilight, (we shall save you the customary formalities) We have received your second letter, and wish to send condolences to the pony formerly known as the Changeling Princess Auroras -- currently known as Rainbow Dash. We only became aware of her friend's plights because of Princess Rarity ascension -- and wish to inform her that we are currently working tirelessly to locate them. So far, we have located most of them, though a few still remain lost, including Wysteria, whom, we are now aware -- thanks to Princess Twilight Sparkle --, has been located somewhere in Appleloosa; Lily Lightly, Whistle Wishes, and Brights Brightly, who have been taken into custody in Unicornia under the pretense of being spies for Equestria (this is why Princess Celestia is unavailable to respond to this letter, as she has been forced to go there personally to negotiate their release.), Sky Wishes -- whose whereabouts remains unknown. We have also yet to locate any of the Breezies (not to be confused with the ones that you met earlier this year, the Breezies I speak of look very different than those), or Heathspike, whom we are tirelessly searching for. As for Wysteria, we thank you for informing us of her ascendance -- this is both exciting, and very troubling news. However, we are also greatly dismayed by her nightmares, and her growing instability (as you are aware, Princess Twilight, if an alicorn's temperament becomes unstable or they are exposed to a negative emotion that is too strong or too large, then very, very, bad things can occur -- just ask ourselves.) And, as such, we now plan to go to Appleloosa immediately to escort her back to Canterlot (we had originally planned to make arrangements for Braeburn to escort her here.) So as a result, we are going ourselves (much to Kibitz dismay.) As for Rainbow, Pinkie, and Minty, I believe it would be most prudent for them to see what has become of their village, though I suspect they will not appreciate what they see. And as such, we have appointed some of your guard to the purpose of escorting them there -- I believe you are very familiar with one of them: one Flash Sentry." The letter said, causing Twilight to blush slightly -- she kind of liked Flash, though she wasn't sure if it was Flash she liked, or if she was still feeling that crush she had on Flash's counterpart, Brad. Nevertheless, the letter continued. "We believe this is prudent as you do not seem to need as many guards as my sister had originally anticipated -- she saw a vision of a grand castle for you and your friends, and the center of a new kingdom, however this has appeared to be only a dream. We must reiterate, Princess Twilight, that you are to continue to stay in Ponyville, especially since the queen's plan to eliminate her aunt has failed -- and she will, as such, most likely be looking for somepony else's blood instead. And, furthermore, you are also to continue Princess Rarity's training, as the small alicorn has at least as much magic as any of us -- and about as much control over it as a newborn foal (we do not know why the foal princess ascended, but she did and it is our responsibility to make sure she lives up to her new position.) Finally Princess Twilight, we wish to invite you to this years Grand Galloping -- " Twilight rolled her eyes. There was no way in Equestria that she was going back to that Celestia forsaken event -- not even for Princess Celestia.... Ok! She changed her mind, for the princess she would do this! Though she really didn't know why. ********** Solanaceae grinned, they said he couldn't do it! They said he didn't have it in him! Well he just proved them all wrong! He did it! He opened the gate -- and all it took was a bronze mirror (the most magical kind of mirror), a magic burst or four, and numerous tries -- although he was quite certain that even Star Swirl, himself, wasn't this successful when he cast the spell. A thousand years ago, give or take a century or ten. "I did it Celestia!" The aging unicorn stallion said, with a beaming smile -- as the mirror in front of him warped, and bent, an alien world showing, instead of his reflection. "And on my first try no less!" He said, puffing out his chest in pride at his latest accomplishment. "Of course, -- " he said, his face growing serious. " -- I suppose that, using a bronze mirror would have made this trick foal's play, but I feel that the extra clarity of glass will allow us to better observe without intervening." The unicorn said, in a moment of clarity. "And that is an excellent thing. Back in the present. "Whoopty doo!" Phytolacca said, unimpressed. "Should I give you a medal or something?" He said, giggling slightly. "So whom should go through first?" He asked, giving a mischievous glance at Belladonna. "It would have to be somepony expendable! Somepony that isn't wanted, and won't be missed." He said, pointing at his fellow assassin with his tail. "Hmm...." He said, taking a thinking pose. "I wonder who that could be?" "Quiet!" Belladonna hissed, swiping her hoof at the giggling Phytolacca -- who dodged agily. "Well, I think that, maybe, it should be somepony stupid and gullible!" She said, with a sarcastic smile, to her boss. "Somepony that doesn't really belong here!" She said, indignantly. "Silence! Both of you!" Solanaceae shouted, grumbling angrily -- and cursing slightly. "You're squabbling is driving me crazy!" He said, his mane starting to get ruffled. They didn't stop, starting to quirrel louder. "Well maybe you should go first! You're nothing but an ugly old Mule!..." "Well you're nothing but a waste of space! An undignified lout who has no business being in the hive ... let along one of its great assassins!" "You know what I think? ..." "SILENCE!!!" He shouted, at the top of his lungs, stamping his feet violently. "You will both listen to me as I'm talking!" He commanded, using the pseudo royal semi-canterlot guardian voice. "Now sit down and shut up!" "Wow!" Phytolacca giggled, his face growing serious. "I remember that one." He said, switching from the face of a maniac, to an almost sorrowful expression. "Dad used to use that one on me all the time." He said, his voice trailing off. "But oh well..." He said, his mood bucking back up. "So what do you need boss?" He said, with a serious expression. Solanaceae smiled. "I think it's time for commander Raphanus to be given a chance to redeem himself." The assassin lead said, this time, himself, getting slightly sadistic. "Go and fetch him, Belladonna." He said, plainly, motioning for the lowest ranked assassin to do the dirty work. "Use force, if necessary! Just make sure he gets here!" "Very well..." She hissed, her voice getting soft. "But I'll remember this slight once I have enough witching potion to bring about regime change!" She said, leaving the room. "Treat me as an underling will you!!!" However, after a few minutes, she returned, dragging a trembling Raphanus by the tail. "The mouse didn't want to play." She said, as her pupils dilated, flattening like daggers. "So I had to convince him to show." She said, with satisfaction-- looking kind of like a cat that just caught a mouse. "What... What is it that you want?" The ex commander said, anxiously -- trembling slightly. "I apologize for my failures, but haven't I paid enough for them?" He asked, stuttering slightly. "Can't I just suffer in silence?" "Oh commander." Solanaceae said, with a wink. "Don't you want to be a commander again?" He said, making sure to get good and close to the commander. "Well yes sir." The young changeling responded, hesitantly. "But the prince said." He said, before being hushed by the assassin head. "Don't worry about the prince." Solanaceae said quietly, with a wink -- making good and sure to look him in the eye. "I'll put in a good word for you if you complete this one task." He said, with a reassuring smile. "... Maybe he'll even reinstate you." "What is it sir?" He asked, apprehensively. "What... What... What do you need?" He asked, wondering what he was signing himself up for. "Why it's simple." Phytolacca replied, giggling himself. "So simple that even you can do it." He said, winking again. "Just walk through the mirror... Nothing more." "Walk through the mirror?" The ex captain asked, with confusion. "Are you sure that's all?" The changeling asked with dismay. "There's nothing else?" "Yes! Just walk through, and then turn around and walk back!" Phytolacca said, with a mischievous smirk. "Simple right?" "I suppose so." the captain replied, gulping as he carefully stuck the tip of one of his hooves through the mirror (though he was expecting to touch the bronze surface.) "Just walk through?" He repeated himself, anxiously. "Oh come now?" Phytolacca said, with exasperation as he used his back hooves to buck the ex captain through the mirror. Phytolacca smirked, again. "Oh and captain!" He shouted into the mirror was the captain slowly transitioned between universes ('an improvement' that Solanaceae made 'fully intentionally'.) "Do make sure to take careful note of what lies beyond!" He shouted, putting his ear to the mirror to see if he could hear any blood curdling screams. When after a few seconds he couldn't hear any, the assassin looked down, and walked away sadly. "I was really hoping that the mirror would've failed the first time." He said, scuffing his hoof against the ground. "Oh well!!! We have a bearor to find!" He said, grabbing some of his things, and doing a cannonball through the mirror. ********** Twilight blushed, looking at her old crush. "Hello Brad..." She said, uncomfortably. "So... Um..." she said, looking away -- her cheeks reddening slightly. "How's things going." "Well... You know..." Flash Sentry said, himself looking away -- his own cheeks reddening slightly. "I've been busy... You know... With... Guard stuff." He said, awkwardly now. (Don't think he hadn't noticed her call him 'Brad'! He hadn't even been to that other world before, and he already hated his counterpart! Especially since his counterpart had stolen Twilight from him! But don't worry! He had a plan to win her back! A plan so secret that I'm not allowed to talk about it! No siree bob! -- Ok maybe his talk of plans was overrated... But Flash was still determined!) "So... Um... What brings you here?" Twilight asked, uncomfortably, already knowing the true answer. It was more difficult to talk to the pegasus then she thought. "Well... Um..." The Pegasus replied. "I'm here to escort Lady Rainbow, her great cousin, and her daughter to that alternate Ponyville." He said, motioning to the chariot, that had already been filled with a giggling Pinkie, and an eager Minty. "We're just waiting for Lady Rainbow." He said, calmly -- hoping she would show up shortly. "Oh I can't wait!" Minty said to Pinkie, with a smile. "We get to ride on a chariot!" She said, eagerly. "And it's being driven by two really real for real pegasus ponies!" She said, getting a careful look at her guards, and blushing noticeably. "And stallions to boot!" She said, turning quickly away -- the red in her face growing more obvious (they didn't have that many stallions in their Ponyville, and so it was kind of an odd experience for the mint green pony.) "Really real for real pegasus ponies?" The guards asked, looking at each other -- exchanging confused expressions, what were these strange ponies talking about? "Don't worry." Twilight said, calming down for a minute. "I'll get her!" She said, looking to the door of the library, waiting impatiently. "Rainbow!" She shouted towards the library, waiting for the earth pony's response. "Are you ready to go yet?" "In a minute, Twilight darling!" Rainbow shouted back."I have a few more things to pack and then we can be on our way!" She shouted back, to sounds of rustling coming from inside. "Remember Twilight, darling, perfection is never ready -- it just... happens!" After a couple of minutes, Twilight blushed with embarrassment, giving out a nervous giggle -- glancing back and forth between Flash Sentry, and the other two guards, and the library. "One moment please." She said, quickly galloped back into the library. "I'll... be... right back!" She said, with an embarrassed smile. "So? How long do you think they'll take?" Minty said, with an oblivious smile. "Well..." Pinkie said, thoughtfully, chin to bottom of muzzle. "Rainbow does have a habit of overpacking. she said, remembering the trip to Unicornia that she had never actually done. What could heard next was arguing. "But darling! I need all these things! How would I ever survive without them!" A pony that sounded a lot of like Rainbow said, defensively. "I mean to say, darling, what if we need them, and they simply aren't around?" "You don't need them! This isn't a vacation!" A pony that sounded a lot like Twilight said, sternly -- like a principle to an unruly student. "Your home might not even still be there!" She said, putting a hoof to her mouth, with a blush -- that was probably a poor thing to leak. "And, besides -- " she said, resuming her lecture. " -- there's no way all those suitcases can fit into that chariot!" The voice said, even more sternly. "Oh! I know, darling." The voice said, starting to get sad. "But I was hoping to bring something back to my friends, and your darling Rarity has left me with so many darling gifts, it would be a shame to leave them all behind!" The voice said, apparently feeling sorry to be leaving her friend already. "Well you'll be coming back to get them!" Twilight's voice boomed over the sounds of midday. "But you'll have to wait until you get back from that other Ponyville!" The voice said, starting to get soft again. "Couldn't I carry one small handbag!" Rainbow's voice begged, desperately. "I carried it in my dreams about going to some dragon's home Whimsey-something-or-another! So it should be ok right!?" The voice shouted, trying to appeal to Twilight's sensibilities. "Um! Rainbow!" Pinkie shouted, politely -- at the library. "Whimsey Weatherby!" She shouted, correcting her friend. "No! Not even that!" Twilight's voice said, beginning to sound agitated as Rainbow's voice continued to argue with her. "And if you don't head out there right now I'm going to use my magic to make sure you get there!" The voice shouted, as the sounds of a stamping hoof could be heard. "But daring!" The voice argued, before scuffling could be heard, and Rainbow shot out a window of the library landing into the cabin of the chariot. "Ouch!!!" Rainbow exclaimed sorely. "I hardly believe that was necessary, darling!" She shouted, with agitation, looking back at the library. "You could've just asked!" She said, to a faint chuckling by Pinkie. "Well..." The pink pony said, with bemusement. "She kind of did, darling." She said, chuckling slightly -- winking at her friend. "I suppose so, darling." Rainbow replied, waving her hair back and forth, ostentatiously. "I suppose so." She said, crossing her front legs Flash chuckled silently in front of them. "Well do you wish to go ladies?" He said, gallantly. Rainbow frowned. "Couldn't I grab a thing or three first?" She asked Flash Sentry -- hoping that he would say yes, where Twilight didn't. "Sorry Rainbow." Flash said, with a sigh -- it didn't feel very gallant to say no, did it? "I think Twilight's right in this case! We should be carrying as little weight as possible, in case we have to leave in a hurry." He said, remembering that the town had been attacked by changelings. Flash smiled, and winked. "But don't worry ladies! We'll be there and back before you know it!" He said, chivalrously. "Why of course." Pinkie said, with an odd smile, looking at the stallion. "Shall we be on our way?" She asked, battering her eyes slightly. ********** Belladonna looked on. She didn't know why, but she hated these strange bipeds, or rather, she couldn't remember why. She stood there, trying to remember why. Till it finally occurred to her when a group of three humans passed by: an older blond female, a younger redhead male, and the youngest of the brood, another blond female -- all with blue eyes. "Ahh yes!!!" This is why I hate these creatures. She said, recalling the scene. "She reminds me of the one who ruined me!" The old changeling said, with a frown. "The one who ruined Rep!" She had ample witch weed potion (or witching potion as she called it.) That is, until her incompetent assistant let the Bushwoolies escape -- which invariably, left her no choice but to look elsewhere for a source of labor to make her witching potion (an otherwise time consuming, and dangerous, process.) So naturally the nearby pony kingdom came to mind. A kingdom whose inhabitants were peaceful, timid, and otherwise easy to manipulate (especially when their queen wasn't around, which was when they were especially vulnerable.) And seeing that their deity unicorn queen was m.i.a., she lept at the opportunity, whipping up a doozie of a snowstorm -- and in the middle of spring no less -- with the purpose of captured those ponies in a giant ball of ice and snow, a task she more or less accomplished, sadly, having to use most of her remaining witching potion to do. Oh well, she felt quite proud none the less, sucking in a snow ball filled with the pathetic, whimpering, collection of quadrupedal creatures -- creatures soon to man the machines necessary to produce her witching potion. That was until SHE showed up! The blond female with the blue eyes! That female human wh -- (Tut tut tut! Temper! Temper!) "Ok Rainbow! Do your stuff!" She shouted, brandishing an artifact that summoned a rainbow which not just blew away her clouds and snow, but also knocked her onto her back, not just once but twice. Things quickly disintegrated from there, until she was left dangling over a vat of her own witching potion -- begging for mercy from those ridiculous quadrupedal creatures!. But today she would change things! She would change it! She could get revenge on that girl and -- "Remember Belladonna!" Solanaceae said, sternly, putting a... What were these weird things? They were like hooves, but much more flexible, with strange things dangling off the edge... Anyway, he put his weird hoof thing on her wither. "We are here to fetch the bearer for our employer, not revenge!" He said, pushing her towards the door. "Save your personal vendettas for later." "I suppose so!" The old changeling said, looking more like a cross between an anthropomorphic cat and a fairy princess. "But let's hope we find our pppprrrray quickly -- otherwise I can't guarantee anything!" "Fair enough!" Solanaceae replied, with a smile. "We'll split up! And signal the others when you locate the target." He said, creating a small ball of magic in his finger. Apparently his kind kept their magic, even in this weird world -- a very useful thing! Despite the fact that they were relatively odd looking, looking more like fairies and less like humans. "Sounds fair to me." Phytolacca replied, with a chuckle. "But hopefully you don't mind if I play with our mark a little bit before I turn them over?" He said, getting scowls and head shakes from his colleagues. "Oh come on guys! Can't a stallion have a little fun?" "No!" Solanaceae replied flatly, his eyes turning fierce. "We want to enter and leave without being seen! The goal is to not have Celestia getting word of our movements until it's too late." He said, grinning malevolently. "Fine!" Phytolacca replied, crossing his arms. "These creatures do have some interesting expressions they can do." He thought to himself with a chuckle (for those who are wondering: it's easy for master actors like the changelings to pick up the movements and motions of the humans, and it didn't hurt that one of the three already was well aware with the intricacies of bipedal movement.) ********** "So where are all those strange creatures that we saw earlier?" Phytolacca asked, inquisitively, turning to his leader. "Did they all run away?" "Unlikely." Solanaceae replied, carefully peering into the windows of the building -- looking for signs of life. "I doubt they even suspected anything, either. But I'm not sure, though, is where they went -- or why. Maybe they hibernate during the day and --? " "Hey!" A large muscular bipedal stallion said, walking up from behind. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the day?" He asked, the rather large nose ring, that he was wearing, glowing in the light. "Do you have your hall passes?" He asked, crossing his arms, an authoritarian expression on his face. "Hall passes?" Solanaceae asked, with curiosity. "Yeah!" The large male replied, amplifying his voice, for effect. "This is a closed campus! And that means that you can't just leave the campus during the middle of the day!" He groused, poking one of the assassin's in the chest with his finger. "And truancy is not permitted at any time!" "Truancy?" Phytolacca replied, laughing wildly. "So this is a school?" He said, with a chuckle. "Fascinating!" He replied, concocting a plan. "If you laugh at me, then I wrath -- " The male started, before breathing in. "Remember your anger management classes, Iron Will -- besides these are only students." The male thought to himself, starting to count. "Terribly sorry!" Solanaceae replied, taking on a very sad expression. "But we're new at this school, and we seem to have gotten the hours wrong." He said, scuffing his feet. "So maybe just let us go this time, and we'll find out which classes we are taking and..." He said, giving a silent signal to his partner, which was returned by his partner. The old stallion gave out a deep belly laugh. "THAT old excuse again." He said, cuffing his head, with his hand. "Oh come on? You think I'm really that stupid!" He said, grabbing both changelings by the shirts. "You two boys are coming with me to see the principal." He shouted, not seeing the needle the onyx assassin was juggling in his hand. Phytolacca smirked at his leader. "Principal huh?" He thought, putting the needle back in his pocket and sending a telepathic message to his young leader. "This should be interesting. You must be working on a plan, though I don't know how the old bat is supposed to help us find the bearer." "Oh you'll see." Solanaceae thought, with a smirk -- sending his response to his friend. "Not originally, but, now, I think I already have a feeling I know how we are going to find the bearer -- you don't become leader of an elite group of assassin's such as ours without knowing something of the outside world -- and even if I'm wrong, then we can get some leverage -- incase they get cold hooves." "Oh! Ho! Ho! Ho! You are a smart one." Phytolacca exclaimed with glee, eliciting a confused expression from the hall monitor. "What kind of mischief are you two up to, anyway?" The hall monitor asked, once again having to count to control his temper."I don't like mischief!" He said, his voice giving a guttural growl. "Oh you'll see..." Phytolacca said to himself, quietly. "You'll see..."