//------------------------------// // 25 - Comfort... And War // Story: Change: The New Kingdom // by tom117z //------------------------------// Twilight was… Rundown? Sorrowful? Exhausted. Deeply, fundamentally, spiritually as well as physically, exhausted. And so, so much more. So much worse. Her soft bedsheets may as well have been a sea of nails digging into the scar that marred her form, each moment they provided comfort was another insult to the memory of one who could never know of comfort again. Who would never feel the sun on her face, the land beneath her hooves, the wind across her gossamer wings… Grey. Ash. Death. Lifeless. She herself felt but a step away. A cold nothingness coming to claim her, her form just waiting to stop and whither… But she could not. Would not. Too much was yet left undone. A council to call. A war to fight. Creatures to kill. Thirst. Hunger. A primal instinct she had not felt for a long time. Yet it was so much stronger now, beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Not even the likes of when her own mother was butchered by the traitorous Crudelis, cruelty artificially induced by the mental manipulations of Immortalis… But now the desire was her own, hers to own and utilise as she saw fit. A desire for vengeance. Death to those who stole an innocent life from the world. A life she had delivered. A life that had been hers to protect and cherish. A life stolen from her. From her. A crime for which a Changeling Queen could only respond by bathing in blood. And yet… here she was. Rather than doing any of that, she yet laid motionless atop those biting sheets. Coordinating, perhaps. Sending her drones here and there, controlling the flow of her hive, adding to the council preparations as was demanded of her. But her body remained idle. Little more than a soft sobbing radiating throughout her chambers, a force within her yet keeping the murderous rage barely contained and the sorrowful cries of a lavender pony yet dominant. If by a thread. Nature and nurture. Will and instinct. Changeling and pony. Two sides of a coin, once spinning in harmonious tandem, now careening through the air with no clear answer as to which would land as the victor. Or with any indication that balance could ever hope to be returned. Serene sorrow. Thunderous rage. So many thoughts. So many feelings. Avia was gone. Dead. Murdered. It was as if, in the briefest of moments in all of infinite existence, all of her hopes and dreams had just… ended. Colour drained from the world. One might’ve expected her to raise a hoof and find it blackened once more. All her struggles, all her victories… Every laugh, every tear… suddenly they just didn’t matter any longer. It was just the sorrow and rage, her equally grieving sides fighting within her. She was pathetic. A failure. She couldn’t protect her. She couldn’t even stand up and lead her hive. A Queen. A mother. A changeling. A pony. She couldn’t be any of those things! She was a frail, weak, useless thing! So spiteful and hate-filled. So lost and alone… Alone… “You shouldn’t be like this, you know. Alone right now, I mean.” Twilight, despite her state, couldn’t help but give a small yelp at the unexpected vocal intrusion. In a moment she shot up from the bed, wiping her tears away and glancing around to find the source of the familiar voice. Her eyes finally landed on the closed window, finding a large green eyeball staring at her from behind the magically protected glass. “Uh, hi, Twilight…” Spike’s muffled voice carefully greeted. “Um… can you open this? I don’t wanna break something… or get zapped by whatever magic is protecting this place and… um… yeah…” Twilight maintained her bewildered stare for several moments longer, her brain having to undergo something of a reboot to register the change in outside stimuli compared to her inward sense of loathing and loss. Eventually, however, recognition did dawn within her pupils and she darted forward to throw the window wide and meet the dragon face-to-face. “Spike!?” she opened up. “Wha- but- What are you doing here!?” “I mean… I never left,” he noticed sheepishly. “Or, well, I mean… Twilight, we’re all really worried. Shining and Cadance have tried to come and see you, but they couldn’t get in and said you wouldn’t respond. And when you didn’t come out…” Twilight turned, hiding her face from her old assistant. “I’ve been busy.” “I know. The drones have said you’ve been commanding them over the hive mind, but none of them have actually seen you either.” “Am I not entitled to privacy, Spike?” “No, that’s not what I- Twilight, please. You scaring us.” Her head lowered, if just a little. “...I have more to do. So if there’s nothing else…” Spike visibly wilted. “Twilight, I…” “Now just a minute!” Twilight gave a yelp for the second time in three minutes as a prismatic blur invaded her chambers and came to a stop, the pair now muzzle to muzzle. Twilight stared dumbly at Rainow Dash, barely noticing Spike’s shout of protest and that of several other voices as the middle-aged pegasus stared her down with no sign of budging from her position. “Ya know, Spike went through a lot of trouble to round us all back up after what happened!” the mare started. “So, okay, as crappy as things are right now, please don’t take it out on him!” “Rainbow Dash!” Applejack’s voice called out from behind the Changeling Queen. “What are y-” “Give me a minute, AJ!” Rainbow shot back, not breaking her stare even as tears started to breach it. “With Avia… Dammit, Twilight I’m so sorry. I can’t… For this to happen after everything, it pisses me off! That bit I get, how damned angry you gotta be! So of course we all came running, and of course Spike got us here quicker! But no matter how things are, you don’t get to lock yourself up and… and… torture yourself! You don’t get to do that to yourself and the people who love you! So for Celestia’s sake, Twilight, stop arguing and let us hug you.” Twilight was silent. Her gaze remained locked with the grimacing pegasus, her eyes angry and pleading as tears rolled down her cyan cheeks. She felt like she’d just been slapped, the pegasus’ words cutting into her like a blade. Or perhaps a pail of icy water, as whatever it was provided enough of a shock to the system for her scar, for the moment, to cease its torment. Twilight finally took notice of the other ponies around her, the Bearers of Harmony having jumped from the great dragon’s back and into the room, said dragon now biting his lip and looking between the pair facing off before them. The others, meanwhile, held similar looks of apprehension at the confrontation. Twilight returned her eyes to Rainbow, the orbs welling up as the dam burst with her body moving forward on autopilot and fulfilling the pegasus’ wish. “Why does it always take a Rainbow Dash to knock my head straight…?” She allowed herself a slight chuckle. “Why do you bother with me…?” “‘Cos you need us,” she replied between her own tears, returning the hug. “Even when you don’t want us to be here.” “Ah coulda told you that, jus’ with a bit more tact,” Applejack gently derided the mare, marching forward and placing a hoof onto Twilight’s shoulder. “But she does speak for us too. We’re here, sugarcube. And not goin’ anywhere, ya here?” “So I see,” Twilight responded. “Spike… You…” “I had to do something…” he said. “I can’t… see you like this… I know we can’t fix this. But since I’m too big to come in there and hug you myself, I had to find some ponies who could.” “And we were happy he did. This is… this…” Fluttershy choked down a sob. “We can’t believe it. It’s… not fair…” Twilight regarded the yellow pony. “Did you… The Crusaders, did they…?” “...They wanted to come, but we told ‘em to stay put,” Applejack explained. “We told them about Avia. Their hearts broke at the news, they’d been so close…” Rarity noted. “Darling, this whole thing is… Whatever it is you’re doing, we want to go with you.” “With me? Girls, a council has been called. And you’re all, well…” “Kinda getting old, huh?” Pinkie Pie fiddled with a stray grey hair in her mane. “Yeaaah, but if I can still juggle twenty-five and a third parties, two dozen cakes and a set of four walls at a time, I can totally deal with whatever you guys do there… Besides, Lil’ Cheese has things in hoof back in Ponyville. Ya stuck with us as always, Queenie!” “Yup, can’t get rid of us,” Rainbow concurred. “So shout, cry and do whatever you else you need to do, just do it with us. Because being alone sucks, like, really bad. And if I let you do that I’d need to kick my own ass.” “Oh, I know you would,” Twilight conceded. “...Thanks. Really, all of you. I… think I’m alright now, at least for the next few minutes. Seeing you all here… It hurts, it hurts so bad and I… If I lost control I could… I need you here. Please stay…” “Oh, that was a certainty. Didn’t we just say so?” Rarity pointed out. “Heh, right. Okay… I can do this… The Crusaders, when this is done… I should see them, Avia would have wanted…” “There’s no rush,” Applejack said gently. “We gotcha.” “Thanks… girls…” Twilight’s horn lit up, dragging the little ponies into a pile of comfort that didn’t seem to hurt like the rest. With them, it was always… different. And the ravenous beast within seemed to be quelled somewhat. If only a little, and however temporary. Nothing could rid the hurt in her being. Nothing. But at least at that moment, she could share that load with those willing the bear it. “Twilight, there’s one other thing…” Spike eventually spoke up, despite his clear longing to join in the pile. “The others wanted to see you about more… official things. Some of the drones tried to bring it up but couldn’t get a response from you.” She did vaguely recall something about that, seemingly so insignificant at the time. “Where do I need to go?” she asked him. “The war room. There’s something big happening.” And just like that, an extra ebb of the beast stirred once more. “Ignis.” Twilight strode into the war room with a purpose, reluctantly leaving her friends at the door when they were stopped by the guards. This was, of course, much to their severe disgruntlement, but they were insistent that what lay within wasn’t for their eyes unless the princesses said otherwise. With little option but a pointless argument, Twilight continued on alone. Said princesses were already within, accompanied only by the two Captains of the Guard and Shining Armor. They all looked at Twilight with a mix of apprehension, relief and pity as she made her way to the table. It was something she did her best to ignore, but they were as piercing as they were grating. “I’m fine,” she announced without any kind of prompt. Cadence stepped forward. “Twily, you-” “I’m fine,” she repeated the lie. “What’s happening? What has Ignis done now?” They all looked between one another, Princess Luna looking almost desperate to speak. Yet she was silenced by a stern look from her older sister, who then turned to Twilight with a practised smile. “If anything, I am glad to see you are up. If there is nothing you wish to discuss, then let us move to the immediate matter.” The projection on the table shifted, highlighting Equestria’s western shoreline; Vanhoover, Las Pegasus, Hoofington… And there, across the ocean, little inconsistently marked blips moving dangerously close to their borders. “They’re coming,” Twilight noted. “It would be the indication,” Valiant said. “Our scouts have noted several vessels on approach, all of unknown classification.” “I’d like to think their separation from the world would render them rather less advanced,” Vladimir remarked. “Though I’m almost afraid to get my hopes up.” “This can’t be all of them,” Shining Armor noted. “They’re too sporadic. Inconsistent formations…” “Several scouts have failed to report in, so I assume they were lost doing their duty,” Luna said, her voice low and tired. “There are likely more we have yet to ascertain. But I believe we can make a fairly accurate hypothesis as to their intent.” “Smaller groups at the front,” Vladimir contributed. “Larger forces at the back. They’re going to probe our defences first with the small fish, then try and batter us once they know how to hurt us.” “The largest known force is heading for Vanhoover,” Shining continued. “If they get it, it would be quite the foothold in our territory. Defensive positions on the Smokey Mountains, free reign of the Unicorn Range, and train lines directly to Canterlot and the Crystal Empire.” “What about Las Pegasus? It would serve as their gateway into all of Southern Equestria,” Celestia enquired. “True, but they have less to gain,” Valiant pointed out. “A few small towns, a rock farm, a train connection to Vanhoover and Ponyville.” “Ponyville would put them on Canterlot’s doorstep,” Twilight pointed out, bristling at the thought of harm once again befalling her former home. “It’s a prime location to stage an attack on the capital.” “Yes, but with several more steps to get there,” the pegasus replied. “Not to mention the difficulty they’re bound to have securing Las Pegasus due to its layered nature. They have no experience dealing with cloud cities, giving our pegasus fighters a prime defensive point in the upper districts.” “They probably hope to go straight for our heart,” Shining concurred. “Take Vanhoover, take Canterlot.” Celestia gave a contemplative hum. “And all those small coastal towns bound to be drawn into the fighting… We should send one of our esteemed captains to oversee the defensive effort in Vanhoover. And, I should think, to coordinate evacuation efforts in smaller locations.” “I’ll go,” Vladimir volunteered. “I can also manage,” Valiant contested. “No offence, but I have the experience and the epic blade wing.” He grinned, extending the deadly points from his prosthetic in demonstration. “If that’s acceptable.” Luna nodded. “If that is your wish, I bid you a safe return.” “Always. I’d like to take some of our EUP auxiliaries with me, shore up our defences. We know so little about their military strength, I don’t want to leave things to chance. Assuming our eastern borders can spare them.” “Unless they have the time to navigate the globe from the opposite direction, going through zebra, griffon and changeling territory, among others…” noted the Prince of the Crystal Empire. “The changeling hives that way would give us fair warning even if they were to attempt it.” With that comment, Celestia’s expression turned far more dour. “Yes, the changelings… Twilight, how goes preparations of the Council?” “We’re due to gather soon, the Queens are responding positively. All goes well, we should gain infiltrator units and overall reinforcement on all our defensive positions. Why?” “I have come into certain… intelligence. Intelligence that suggests that one of the Changeling Queens may be working with King Ignis to see Equestria defeated.” The mood immediately soured throughout the room, reactions ranging from shock, anger and, for some, tired acceptance. For Twilight, her pupils immediately dilated as her body tensed dangerously. “...Who?” “I don’t know. I hope to find out, and soon. But there is reason to believe that The New Kingdom was spurred from isolationism to warfare by outside interference. Whether by infiltration or negotiation I cannot say, but manipulation almost certainly.” “Which would mean Ignis isn’t the mastermind of this conflict,” Luna muttered with horrific realisation. “We’ve all been playing into another villain’s hooves.” Twilight’s eyes drifted down to the map, staring down at the tiny dots representing Ignis’ forces, unblinking. Another Changeling Queen would follow in the wake of Crudelis… Another to spur all she offered, all the blood and tears she had poured into helping her people! In strengthening them within and without, building bonds of friendship with other nations! Emerging them from slow decline into bountiful prosperity, without a single death required! And still, STILL, they would choose the blade!? To sneak, to beguile, to lie and murder!? To kill her daughter. As they had killed her mother long ago. Chrysalis. Avia. She would find this traitor. And then, without mercy, she would- “Twilight?” “Hm?” Twilight realised all eyes were on her, staring with clear caution and concern. And then, following some of those stares, she found her hoof pressing into the projection hard enough that the table had cracked beneath the pressure. She remained silent a moment, pulling her rage back into its ill-contained box before slowly removing her hoof with a sigh of regret. “...If there is a traitor among them, then this gathering is all the more important,” the Queen stated. “We’ll flush them out, assuming you haven’t by that time. I’ll speak with Cocoon, I believe I can trust at least her. She’s always been a voice of support, like Draco before her. A friend. Her daughter, Queen Insecta, as well.” Celestia studied her daughter figure for a few moments, radiating a motherly concern that, for the moment, she was hard-pressed to rein in. She finally coughed into a hoof. “Indeed. You must also have suspects in mind.” “I won’t rule out any of the others, but to varying degrees,” she replied. “Germanica, Vulgaris, Imperious, Tempora, Antennae… Some of those has shown overt dissatisfaction at one time or another, though others have since seemed to warm to our new reality. But any could be hiding an agenda behind false smiles, we are good at that.” “So I remember, you always insisted so sincerely that the cookie jar emptied itself,” Shining gently teased his sister. She levelled him a stare, though inwardly appreciated the nostalgia. It almost felt… normal. “Right…” She cleared her throat. “Others are lower on the list of suspects, so I’ll start with the few I’ve listed.” “You will be careful?” Cadence asked of her. “If one did start this, they’re probably going to target you specifically. And they’ll know you’ll be looking for them.” “Don’t worry, I’m not the naive princess I once was. I’ve long learned the ways of the Council.” “I know. But I worry, it’s my job.” “And mine,” Shining concurred. “I can come with you.” “No,” she gently rebuffed. “I appreciate it, Shiny. I do. But you’re going to be needed here, and this is strictly a changeling affair. At least as far as the Council is concerned. If anything changes I’ll inform one of my drones in the embassy.” “I’ll keep an ear out. Just… don’t do anything… Twilight-y.” “...What?” “You know… Impulsive. Rash. Prone to freakouts. Books.” “Okay, stop. I’m not twelve. Anymore,” she shot back. “Secondly… shut up!” “Hey, I got you to smile. I win.” Even in the darkest of her depths, why did he know what buttons he needed to push… “I hate you.” “Nope. You don’t.” Celestia couldn’t help but feel a small amount of weight lift from her shoulders at the jovial display of siblinghood and, hopefully, it was an omen that suggested Twilight’s mental state could yet stabilise. And yet, her eyes couldn’t help but drift back to the damaged projection… “Then I think we know what we’re all doing,” she announced. “Myself, Captain Valiant, Cadance, Shining Armor and Luna will remain here to monitor things. Captain Vladimir will lead a contingent to reinforce our shoreline defences. Twilight will lead some of her changelings to the First Hive to gain their support.” “I’ll of course be taking my husband,” Twilight added. “Carduus will continue to oversee the Equestrian Hive, and will remotely direct our own forces in while I focus on the Changeling Queens.” “Very well. Good luck to all of you.” With that, and a flash of her horn, the flickering projection ended and with it the meeting concluded.