Note: This happens an hour after the last chapter.
(Human world)
The RED team is quite surprised seeing the BLU Demoman walking towards their base with a white flag. With the Respawn down and curious about why an enemy approaches them for the first time with a white flag are the two main factors to why the RED team hasn't already torn him to shreds with their bullets.
"What do you want?" RED Engineer calls out from the window, his gun ready in case this is a set-up.
More than relieved that the RED's at least are willing to hear him out instead of shooting him on sight as the others thought they would. "Do you still have your Medic?!" BLU Demo calls the man dressed in red, noticing the confused frown on the Engineer face so he decides to explain further to why he has come. "Our Sniper needs medical attention!"
Soldier almost knocks the quite baffled Engineer out from the half-open window in his action to tell Demoman of their condition to agree on this. "Only if I escort him!" Soldier cannot explain why but he is somehow seeing BLU Demo as a good pal, maybe it's those dream- he doesn't know but they have made him willing to give this enemy a chance.
Demo simply nods.
Okay, Spy's ramblings must hold some water then. Engineer thinks and heads into the base to explain Medic about this strange request. He finds the doctor at his desk with a load of papers around him but Medic hasn't filed a single paper; too deep in thoughts it seems. "Doc," Engineer calls, getting the doctor's attention. "BLU team is asking for you." Gesturing down to the now calmer but quietly rambling Spy about getting rid of someone the worst possible way. "BLU Spy did indeed get him."
Medic frowns deeply of this new facts, but like with those trapped in Ignis world, it seems RED and BLU has to make a ceasefire with one another here as well. "Let me get my things." He replies and grabs his medical bag before leaving the infirmary along with Engineer.
"Soldier will escort you."
"I would prefer Heavy, but we can't risk they kill one another." Medic remarks dryly of the thoughts having to deal with Soldier as well as the BLU's.
Engineer does not blame him, Soldier can do very stupid things and convince him what he is doing is of no use will only make Soldier the more determent on doing it. "What about Ignis then?" He asks, thinking that one at least won't blow anyone up after a small provocation.
"Better than Soldier."
Engineer heads out to find their immortal guest. He finds Ignis playing chess with Heavy; those two has gotten quite good friends it seems. "Ignis, could you keep Medic safe over at BLU base?"
Both Ignis and Heavy look over to him in surprise, Heavy's gaze quickly turns into mild disappointment but does not say anything.
Heavy may look and sound stupid, but he is actually a smart man and like Medic; he knows why he cannot accompany the doctor to the enemy base.
But what he can do; "Keep doctor safe." He tells Ignis hard. Said immortal salutes and heads over to meet up with Medic.
After have persuaded Soldier that Ignis is the better choice, the two walk out to where BLU Demo waits for them and after a quick nod between Medic and Demo in a silent agreement of not shooting each other in the face. The three head over to the BLU base. There Medic heads straight over to his counterparts infirmary and is surprised to see that BLU Medic also has a cage filled with doves- his doves in fact. His favorite Archimedes isn't there though, he does wonder if his dreams about him being a unicorn and having Archimedes resting on his head is real. He sort of hope so.
Would hate the fact he has lost his favorite dove. Anyway, back to the matter in hand. Medic checks the BLU Sniper's vital signs, the man is fine internally. Mentally however... Sniper is barely reacting to him and what little signs he does show reminds Medic about Spy before he went mental. Okay, this is pretty bad and like with Spy, this is something he cannot fix with medicine. With all his knowledge he has gathered from all his past experiments, he can do nothing to fix this and he hates feeling this useless. What good is he then?
"Ignis." He calls for the alicorn, annoyed that he has to call for help, but if anyone knows what is going on with Sniper and Spy, then it is him. The man walks past the bit nervous BLU's- Medic realizes they have no idea what is going on because Ignis has been staying in RED's base and thus only told them about where he sends the others and what the two sides are really for one another. Brushing those thoughts asides. "What are your thoughts on this?" He asks their new fire user.
Ignis right hand glow slightly from his magic, what his tracker spell catches is quite surprising. "Huh? Been over millennia I last stumbled upon a Changeling victim." He muses, but the memories of this species are not happy ones, in his eyes Changelings are annoying to fight with their shapeshifting ability and can be straight out deadly in larger hordes with their ability to absorb light magic.
"A what?" BLU Scout asks.
The RED Medic turns to the obvious BLU's, thinking Ignis has some explaining to do. It takes the man some time, but when done, BLU's reaction is very much like RED's: startled beyond belief.
"They are still alive?" Heavy asks although it sounds way more like a statement, his next does as well. "And RED are other half of our soul?"
"That's right." Ignis nods to the three remaining BLU and points to the unconscious BLU Sniper. "That is why your Sniper is like this, his other part of the soul has been attacked by a Changeling."
"And what is a Changeling?" Demo asks, completely forgotten about his scrumpy at the moment.
"It's a sort of equine bug." Ignis explains the humans. "In their lava and first stage; a Changeling needs to constantly feed on others light magic- which is powered by positive emotions in order to gain enough strength for their metamorphic and final stage. Usually, the queen and king of the hive will keep their lava and first stage drones constant hunger in check by letting the metamorphic Changelings bring them the light magic they need. I think the one there attacked that man's other half of his soul must've encountered a rouge— it's a Changeling without a hive." He adds from the confused looks the mercenaries gives him. "A changeling without a hive cannot get enough light magic to metamorphic, so meeting one is always nasty business—don't worry, he should be fine in a week or so."
He wonders, "How does a Changeling look like?" Demo asks, for how this red-haired man explained a Changeling nature, it reminds him a bit of that thing he saw in his dreams about colorful horses. Perhaps those dreams are what RED Demo sees?
"Well, a Changeling is a shapeshifter, so you won't know you're looking at one until they drop the disguise on their own account or gets knocked out. But if you see one without a disguise then the one there attacked your Sniper would look like a black bug in shape of a horse with holes in its hooves. Their eyes are blue and lacking pupils- oh and their constant hunger for light magic makes them attack pretty much anything." Ignis explains and is about to explain how a metamorphic Changeling looks like but before he can.
"I have dreams about Spy being such a thing!" Demo says, his remaining eye wide in shock. "Bloody hell, he is a Changeling!"
Wait what? "Come again." Ignis frowns, why have a bearer of the Pillars been turned into a Changeling? Only the pony kind should bear the Pillars, it has always been like that.
"Spy is a Changeling." Demo repeats and if his dreams are from his counterpart then. "But he's not attacking anyone, he's gotten quite the nice guy."
Scout snorts hearing that. "Only when hell freezes over that back-stabbing scumbag turn into a 'nice' guy."
"Or come to a place filled with colorful ponies..." Medic muses under his breath, anyway better get back to base before the Administrator gets irritated enough to lure a new wave of robots their way. "There is nothing I can do for your Sniper. He is currently dealing with the effects RED Sniper is going through. All you can do for him is making sure he stays fed and hydrated. Hopefully, he will recover when RED Sniper does— oh and you better restrain him." For according to Spy's mumbling, BLU Spy did something towards him so there is a chance Sniper might attack someone when he wakes. The BLU's exchange looks with one another in confusions but does as Medic requested.
(early next morning)
So much pain, it hurts so much. And yet the dark side of him shrugs it off with the thought that he deserves it, that someone like him does not deserve happiness and also, in a twisted sense, if he does not deserves happiness; no one should. The sinister voices in his head kept him from thinking on those he cares about, kept him from fighting the darkness holding over him. He has become a cold, calculated infiltrator, a master of deceit. He has no loyalty, no care for anyone but those holding what he wants. That is the only reason why he obeys her, so he can get the food his body screams for every single second of his existence, adding to the pain he suffers from. These ponies will suffer, they will become food to end his agonizing hunger and he can find pride that he was the one who did it.
But alas, he is getting a bit ahead of himself.
He still needs to remove the conduit before the invasion starts, it will be easy enough to draw her in. After all, he made sure to put her guard down by pretending to be her loving brother. There is no need forcing her, all he can say is a small request and she will follow him willing right into the trap. Twilight won't know what hit her before it is too late and he will enjoy watching hope drain out from her eyes right before he kills her.
RED Spy mumbles out the thoughts of the other half of his soul, he is unable to know where the BLU Spy start and where his mind ends. For the first time after years of separation, their minds are tightly connected, in a twisted sense of irony, all thanks to the darkness controlling the BLU Spy. RED Spy is completely unaware of where he is and the German man standing beside him, all he sees is the hallways his other is walking down, following those foolish ponies he has tricked completely. "Soon, soon the conduit will be gone... the queen will reclaim this land... the darkness will return..." He mutters out, before returning back to the incoherent mumbling.
Medic does not like what Spy is saying, not one bit at all. He might not fully know what Spy is truly talking about, only that it sounds like if BLU Spy gets this conduit, then some sort of darkness will return. "What conduit?" He asks the mumbling Spy.
The barely conscious man snaps his eyes up to him, revealing his pupils have gotten disturbingly big as they fill all of his eyes now. Medic barely restrains himself from jumping away, but he does grab his bonesaw at this quite creepy sight. "What conduit?" He repeats to the man there is possessed by something he has no chance of fighting and that is what scares him. Medic can only hope that whatever is possing the two spies won't be able to leave its vessel and attack— if it can then they are so screwed,
A wicked smile appears on Spy's face. "A sweet little pony, soon her purple pelt will be tainted in red, her shining eyes frozen in horror when someone she trusted will take her life- sound familiar oh tormenter of the defenseless and innocent?" He asks mockingly and would've probably attacked if not for the restrains.
...Yes, that sounds awfully familiar, in more ways than Medic would like to admit... And now he knows who BLU Spy will kill. That unicorn he often sees in his dreams, smiling awkwardly after he has shared a bit of how twisted his mind has become but somehow still want to know the human behind the self-proclaimed monster.
"Twilight." Medic whispers, he may not know this Twilight in person, but he knows from the link with the BLU Medic that he is starting to consider her a friend. And if Spy's mumbling about her being a conduit is true, then without her; the Elements of Harmony, the possible only weapon against this threat- it won't work without her. "Scheiße! Ich halte die wichtigen Fakten, aber ich kann es nicht bringen, wo es darauf ankommt!" He curses on his father language and storms out from the infirmary.
"What is wrong?" Heavy asks Medic when he noticed the frustrated look the doctor has on his face, he only gets such a look if a project of his really went wrong or if someone mentions the Nazis. Neither has happened, so Heavy wonder if Spy's mumbling has revealed something bad. He stops Medic's walk, repeating his question. "Josef, what is wrong?" As it seems like Medic did not hear him the first time.
Medic only notices Heavy when the man's big hand lands on his shoulder and he hears his name being spoken, it takes him a moment to realize Heavy asked him a question and with a sigh, he explains to the big man what he has learned from Spy. "BLU Spy going to kill someone important— a pony named Twilight Sparkle."
Heavy admits that all of this links between their other and the lost members being in a world filled with colorful horses talk does go right over his head. But Heavy thinks he does not need to understand, he just has to accept it. "Can no one there stop other Spy?" He asks Medic, for honestly, what can they do here?
Medic pinches the bridge of his nose as he has, much to his frustrations come to the same conclusion. "I'm afraid not... what I got from Spy; his counterpart has them completely fooled. Sniper might've known but from how BLU Sniper is out cold, I say BLU Spy got our Sniper." And that is saying something for Sniper has been practically the only one besides from Pyro who could detect Spy when disguised or cloaked.
Heavy see, but still. "What can we do?" The only way they can do anything is that one of them goes to that place. "We can only bring message by go there."
True, but with the danger of them wanting to kill their counterpart for some strange reason looming over them, only two can go and that is Heavy and Scout— hold up, Scout. Could he be their answer? "Where's Ignis?" He demands, Medic knows he is running a high risk revealing this, but he will never forgive himself if Twilight dies. What he got from his other and Spy's rambling; the Elements of Harmony is the only object there can fight this darkness. That is why this darkness wants Twilight dead; she is the conduit of that ancient magic.
"In living room." Heavy replies and follows Medic as fast as he can which is hard as Medic is the second fastest of the team. Inside the living room, they find their immortal only with a half eye open from boredom watching television along with Scout. Medic does not waste a second asking. "Ignis, does love to family count as light magic?"
Both Ignis and Scout look up in confusion, while Heavy, on the other hand, starts to understand what Medic is asking. The hints have been subtle but for those who listens and watches closely would see that Spy doesn't really hate Scout and all those insults were merely to throw off any suspicious. Heavy do spend a lot of time listing to the other team members, and after having spoken with Medic about it— who found the connection because he could see the biological resemble. Both have come the realization that Spy is Scout's father and hints over time have shown that Spy doesn't really hate the boy as everyone else thinks. If he truly did then he wouldn't' have agreed on teaching Scout how to be around women such as Miss Pauling or even put up with the boy's often very annoying shenanigans with only a few insults.
Confused by this sudden question, Ignis replies. "Yeah, love is the most powerful form of light magic. Why?"
Heavy and Medic exchange a look with one another, both knowing what this will mean but in order for their unspoken plan to happen, Ignis will have to transport Scout to that world. Heavy doubts Scout will like if he got told he is the son of the man he hates with a passion or does his job if just getting thrown into that world on his own. Perhaps it is best that he go with him, it will make it easier for RED team when they need to work together with BLU. "I will go." Heavy says.
Understanding by those simple words, Medic nods and although Heavy can easily restrain Scout so Ignis can transport them both, getting the kid to do his job will be a pain in the neck if it's for Spy's sake. So instead he says. "Hopefully you will be enough to save our fallen comrade." As hoped that gets Scout's attention.
"The hell are you two knucklehead talking about?" Scout asks, wondering where Heavy will go and on his own.
Heavy send him a small glance "I will go to other place. Help Sniper." with Medic adding. "From how BLU Sniper was when I intended to him, it seems our Sniper is in big trouble." That sounds really bad, Scout thinks and although he does not fancy the thought of going, he thinks he owes Sniper for sticking up to him more than once. Besides, Heavy is so slow that he won't be able to catch whoever has been foolish enough to hurt Snipes— and Scout is certain that is why they have this conversation around him... "Fuck I hate you guys..." Scout grumbles, more so when he gives in to their subtle request of giving them a hand. "Fine, I'll go too— but only because Heavy can't catch anything with that snail speed of his!" He retorts to Medic's smug smile.
Medic and Heavy both smiles over the victory, with the latter saying to Medic. "This might work." but know they can only hope Scout relation to Spy will help them out with that threat RED Spy indirectly warned them about.
Medic sure hopes so as well, only one way to find out. "Ignis, bring Heavy and Scout where you send the others."
Ignis blinks at this sudden command, but hey, he's not complaining; was thinking on teleporting them there anyway. "Okay." He shrugs but would like a bit preparation, oh and the last Pillar he felt. He jumps out from the couch with: "I would like that little lady went with you as well."
Scout blinks in his surprise hearing this. "Miss Pauling?" Which leads to the question. "Why?" Not that he complains, it will give him a chance to get her to know better and perhaps get them on that date they never got to after that bread monster attack.
Snatching a lighter from the kitchen table. "It was weak, but I sensed one of the lost Pillars of Virtue inside of her. Plus-" He smirks to the three mercenaries. "It will leave the statement to that evil woman that I am not one to messed around with."
Whatever the man says, Heavy simply shrugs and warns him. "Miss Pauling hard to get a hold on." and is wondering. "Can we bring weapons?"
"Hm, need to track her then..." Ignis muses and with the lighter as a source of fire. He summons his wings through his magic, turning to the three bit startled humans seeing what he has heard a lot of human calls an angel- no idea what that is- only they think he is one when he summons his wings. "No, your weapons will be left behind. So don't bother with that. I will send you there the moment I get hold on Miss Pauling, shouldn't take long." and after have walked out from the door, he takes to the sky.
With the man with the flaming angel wings gone, Scout turns to Heavy, still confused about why Heavy want them to that other world. "Why the hell us?"
Telling Scout the truth will only make the kid refuse to go, sure Scout might learn it on his own, but Medic much rather want that than dealing with Spy blackmailing him for life because of this. "Only you and Heavy have the other half of your souls nearby. And with the respawn still down, one wrong move and you will lose your other half forever." Medic explains the youngest of the team.
"We are best choice." Heavy eyes Scout with a small smirk. "But if tiny man too afraid, I will take BLU Scout."
That might be his other soul, but still. "Oh no you don't! If you take anyone then you take the better half of me!" Scout snaps, unaware he completely fell for it.
Medic and Heavy exchange an amused look how easy it is persuading this kid. Turning back to the annoyed speedster. "Good, let us eat. Immortal man will not be back soon." Heavy says, also thinking that they probably won't get anything to eat for a while in that other world if they have to chase BLU Spy down.
***
(two hours later)
Everyone from RED is now up and sort of happy that today seems to be a day without fighting, something they all need, yes even Soldier. Fighting all the time is very exhausting both mentally and externally, not that the Administrator would know about that. She has more than once tried to remove their already few off hours.
Their moment of calmness breaks of the sound something breaking.
"It's the BLUs!" Soldier shouts and runs to fetch his weapons, but no, their invader proves to be Ignis— who apparently forgot to use a door and instead decides to crash through the already broken roof, holding a very dismayed Miss Pauling in his arms.
"Howdy there, Miss Pauling." Engineer greets her casually, already knowing what is going to happen from what Medic has told them. He then sends their immortal guest a small glare. "Use the door the next time." He got enough to repair already without Ignis destroying more of their roof.
Ignis laughs sheepishly, he turns to Heavy and Scout. "Ready?" They nod, leave the table and stand in the middle of the room.
"Guys, what is going on?" Miss Pauling demands, she has been doing very important missions for Helen when Ignis suddenly snatched her and that winged man has refused to tell her anything.
Medic fills up his cup of tea. "Something about you has a Pillar of Virtue inside and Ignis wants it back to his world." With Soldier, now returned from the armory saluting her. "Nice trip men!"
Oh, they gotta be kidding! Miss Pauling shoots Ignis a glare, although far from an intimidating one, for honestly: what can she do against someone who is four thousand years old? "Don't you dare!" She let out a yelp when he throws her over to the two, caught by Heavy. Before she can away, the wings of flames from Ignis surrounds them in a ring of fire.
"Oh, I dare alright." Ignis grins and with a two fingered wave, he has seen Demo do when he blew up a bunch of robots. "Have a nice trip!" and the flames teleports them to his world.
Engineer eyes the spot where the three disappeared, then returns back to his newspaper. "Well, at least you didn't burn the floor."
"You are trying my patience Ignis."The Administrator voice suddenly speaks through the megaphones, making every remaining mercenary look up from whatever they are doing.
"That's what happens when you tick off an alicorn soldier." Ignis retorts back, dismissing his magic and his wings disappear again. "You should've known you were playing with fire when you decided to blackmail me. "
So Helen noticed, but she's not really afraid of this immortal being. Everything point at that Ignis is not the man going out to kill out of spite. Although this spitting in her face by keep on removing her people is getting very irritated, more so when he had the gall in taking her most loyal assistance. But as much she would like to torment him, she can do little against him with the powers he possesses. She does wonder if she can put his immortality against him though. Has to study up on that. But for now, all she can do is punish the mercenaries for this act."RED because you didn't lift a finger to stop Ignis from removing two of your members and my assistance: you won't be allowed any leave. Any attempt doing so and you won't ever be able to show your faces in public."
The remaining of RED all tense up hearing this, anger fuming off of them hearing they won't be able to get a bit away from the battlefield nor see their families.
Turning the switch to the BLU base, she tells those there."You broke protocol by asking the RED team for aid."The BLU's snap their attention to the speakers, dreading she would've known this. Helen doesn't care if they had a good reason for doing it. If the BLU Sniper died for real then she would've found a new one. Doing the soul split treatment is a pain and expensive though, but it has spared her time in finding two people with the same skill set."For that, you won't leave the base until the lost RED and BLU has been returned. Any attempt leaving for any reason and you won't ever be able to show your faces in public."The BLU's exchanges look with one another, both horrified that they won't be able to leave their base or battlefield and wondering how they are supposed to make their other souls return in order to leave this place again.
Helen then does so both teams can hear her."Your break is over, go out and fight!"She turns on the respawn machine again."Your respawn is back, so if I see any of you holding back."
Begrudgingly, RED and BLU leave their base and run out to return the war games, all swearing curses of the punishment the Administrator gave them. The only one not fighting is Ignis, instead, the alicorn stands on the RED building, watching the two sides fight and cannot help but think about the civil war he once was part of. Except for this mini-war before him has no reason to really be fought.