//------------------------------// // Extra Chapter: Beware The Fluff! Tale of the Number Six Hero // Story: My Little Academia: Friendship is Heroic! // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------// Las Pegasus sparkled with neon and magic. Dirigibles carrying all manner of guests from the high rollers to the shaky addicts coasted above casinos filled with a similar clientele. They floated by spiraling towers of glass and steel where the gamblers and the broods they wooed or bought for the night came to enjoy prizes the roulette wheels and card tables below could not provide. A pair of stallions stumbled out of one of the countless casinos that lined the streets. It melded in with the rest of the strip in a cavalcade of lights and spells. Its only distinguishing factor was that sphinx theme that colored the walls like sandstone and got the waitresses dressed up like ancient Saddle Arabians. Nopony that came to the casino really cared about the historical discrepancy, unless it was to admire where the white cloth curved along a waitresses’ flanks. The stallions had had enough of that, especially with the mares at their sides. They each had a leg around a mare while their other legs wobbled in an attempt to balance out. With all the cider the stallions had drunk, that was no easy feat. Without the mares who, despite their heels and dresses, stood much firmer, both of the stallions would have been on the pavement. They may have not even made it out of the casino without security’s “help.” “C’nn baaab,” one of the stallions slurred. “We gosh za best prace on za shtr—Urp!” The mare could smell the cider and whatever the stallion had stuffed down his throat from the buffet. She did not pull back and instead batted her eyes in a manner that only came with practice. Her smile was also polished and even gave the other stallion a giddy red-faced grin. The mare in his grasp did not mind and displayed a similar smile. “You sure you can make it back, honey?” the mare asked, pouting out her lips and allowing a curl of her platinum mane to tumble across her face. The other mare leaned in close, nuzzling the stallion. Her cream-colored fur and feathers felt so soft and alluring against the stallion’s neck and barrel. Had he been a bit more sober, he might have girded his loins out of embarrassment.  The mare purred, “We can take you someplace closer.” “Awright!” one stallion belched while rising up to his hind legs. The mare’s grip kept him from crashing into the other pair. “Lesh do it!” the other stallion hooted. Both mares grinned. Securing their respective partner’s leg across their back, they led them on. They walked for a bit on the strip, but to the stallions it was just a blur of lights and sounds. Then, they turned down an alley and the jangling of bits and the howls of winners and losers grew distant. The drip from some place’s ventilation formed a small puddle. One of the stallions gave a throaty snort when he splashed through it and shuffled along. “We closh?” the other stallion asked. Buried beneath the cheap food and the mugs of cider, something in his thick head pinged that he should be alert to something. “Oh, this is good,” both of the mares giggled at the same time. Their heads twisted all the way around with sickening crunches. Their eyes were now a blazing emerald green that made the red flee from the stallions’ faces. They let out hisses and revealed elongated tongues that whipped through the air. Like their heads, the mares’ limbs rotated around in a series of snaps and crunches. Despite the stallions towering over them, the mares launched them off the ground and chucked them into a wall. They crumpled on top of each other in a heap. Licking their lips, the mares sent out a shower of green sparks, one from her horn and the other from where a horn would be despite being a pegasus. The sparks ignited an emerald blaze that consumed the mares and replaced them with two changelings. Their compound eyes and chitin gleamed with the glow of the outer street. One advanced closer to the unconscious stallions. “Not high quality,” it buzzed, “but easy to harvest.” “This town is too ea—” A large spherical shadow swooped down from the roofs and crashed into the changeling. It did not even have time to yelp before it was covered in thick, yet soft fur and carried away. “What that, Culicidae?” When it got no response, the changeling spun around but was just met with the adjacent wall. “Culicidae?” Just as the changeling lit up its horn in an effort to find its partner, the shadow from earlier swooped down. This time, it extended out a hoof from within the confines of its fur and bashed the changeling in the face. However, rather than a sharp crack, the sound produced was similar to that a rubber duck when squeezed. Regardless, the blow sent the changeling spinning through the air. Gritting its fangs, it spread its wings and halted itself. Its eyes met with the white lenses of a mask. “You! Meddler, your interference ends he—” “Shhhhh.” The changeling’s opponent closed the distance in an instant and caught it with an uppercut. Squeaks and hisses streamed out of the alley. A trio made up of a portly earth pony, a skinny unicorn missing a tooth, and a pegasus scanning the skyline for some imperceptible answer to why he now had a tattoo on his inner thigh of a female minotaur heard the commotion just as it died down. When they peered down the alley, they caught sight of the unconscious stallions and rushed over to assist, but came to a screeching halt at the sight of changelings. Even bound up in a large ball of pink fur, the changelings sent chills down the trio’s spines. Like the stallions, they were unconscious, with one riddled with welts, cracked chitin, and a few broken fangs. The trio, having already had a long day, called the police. A short while later, the alley was cordoned off. An ambulance carried off the stallions while the police rolled the entwined changelings into a paddy wagon. One pony decked out in a detective’s hat and a beige coat looked over the scene and sucked on a sugar cube. There was pink fur everywhere, and more of it was left on the ground when the police struggled to shove the changelings into the wagon. “The Fluff strikes again and we’re left with the cleanup,” he muttered. He kicked away some nearby fur, but it caught on his leg. “Sheesh.” On the roof above, The Fluff stared down at the scene. Her cowl was dented from a lucky strike by the changeling. In the right light, it may have appeared like crumpled cardboard with black marker scribbled all over it. Of course, that would not account for the way it made her eyes appear pure white. Her silver cape fluttered in the wind, hiding how similar to a spray-painted blanket it appeared. Its clasp was lost in the massive amount of fur that gave The Fluff her name. The fur extended out in all directions—it even obscured her cutie mark. How a pony could move around at all with that much fur, much less as nimbly as The Fluff, could only be attributed to The Fluff’s talent— whatever that was. From within the confines of her fur, she produced a grappling hook and zipped off into the night. Just as the police and civilians below had been unaware of her, The Fluff had not noticed something glaring down at her from a nearby skyscraper. Slitted pupils overlaid over faded rounded ones watched The Fluff vanish amidst the lights and magic of the main strip. Fangs gnashed at the air. “Damn you, The Fluff.” ~~~ Far from the strip, in a tiny apartment adorned with pink furniture, pink wallpaper, and pink shag carpet, The Fluff slipped in through a window. With a content sigh, she removed her cowl and reached deep into her fur to unclasp her cape. Clicking a spot on the carpet, she caused a part of the wall to flip around, revealing two coat hooks. After she stowed away her cowl and cape, she hit the hidden switch again, flipping the wall back to normal. She was no longer The Fluff, but rather Fluffle Puff. Yawning, she shuffled through the combined living area-kitchen and into her bedroom. Before she allowed herself to flop onto the bed, she glanced at the calendar and inhaled sharply. Tomorrow’s date was encircled by red. With her heart racing, Fluffle Puff jumped onto her bed, which resembled an even larger version of her own fur, and snuggled under the covers. She shook with excitement but forced her eyes shut and wrapped her hooves around a stuffed taco with a face reminiscent of a cat’s and with nubs of tortilla protruding out of it like legs. Soon, her breathing slowed and she fell fast asleep, even with the thoughts of tomorrow summoning a wide smile to her face. ~~~ “Puff!” a co-worker called out. “The chief wants you!” Fluffle Puff spun with enough force to spin the camera dangling from her neck in a full circle around her head. She let the styrofoam cup she had been nibbling on drop to the floor and flung herself away from the coffee machine. As she sped off, her co-worker could only ponder how Puff managed to contain her massive amount of fur within her skirt and her green and red checkered vest or how she managed to wrap a bowtie around her neck. She dashed the thoughts as quickly as they had sprouted up and made her way over to get coffee. Somehow, despite her clearly seeing liquid in the pot, when she poured, grounds tumbled into her cup. Puff threw open the Editor-in-Chief’s door. Upon seeing a light blue stallion with a black mane that was nice and groomed save for a small curl that rested right above his brow, she smiled and gasped. Seeing Quick Wit assured her that the plan was going accordingly. “Puff?” Quick Wit pressed up his glasses. “Must be a big story if we’re both here.” “Damn straight.” The mustached stallion sitting in the large chair behind the desk chomped down on his toothpick. A plaque resting directly in front of him displayed Sharp Tongue above the title, Editor-in-Chief. His voice was deep and gravely from years of barking orders. Those years had also added streaks of grey and white to the sides of his brown mane. His eyes were still fierce though, today even more so. He reached under his desk and produced and unsealed envelope. Puff struggled to contain a giggle. “Puff, take a seat. Time is money, so I’m making this short and you better listen well.” While Puff took a seat, Sharp continued talking. “This morning we received this letter. Now, I know we get crap like this all the time, but this looks like the real deal. What we have here is an invitation to do an interview with The Fluff.” “Really?” Quick Wit raised an eyebrow. “But she never does interviews.” “And I’d be inclined to believe she still doesn’t if it wasn’t for this.” Sharp reached into the envelope and produced a clump of pink fur. “This was completely unsoiled when I opened up the letter, so the police or some punk couldn’t’ve sent it. Damn madmare, better ways to get my attention then spreading more of this gunk around town.” Puff wrinkled her nose at Sharp. “Oh, don’t give me that, Puff,” Sharp sighed. “Everypony knows The Fluff is a nuisance at best and a menace at worst. Hero ranking be Celestia-damned. The Fluff is an oldtimer with her secret identity and her bare-bones communication with the police. If I had my way, the Equestria Daily would be calling her a vigilante every day of the week and double that on Sundays!” Sharp’s toothpick snapped. He reached over to his dispenser and plopped another one between his teeth. “Rules are rules though, and there’s no way in Tartarus I’m passing up this chance. So, Quick Wit, I want you to meet with The Fluff at three o’clock sharp today at Greasy Spoon’s. If she’s a no-show, we’ll run a story…” Sharp raised his hooves and spread them out wide. “‘“Hero” Abuses Fame to Mislead Reporters.’” Puff blew a raspberry at Sharp. “Well until you get me that interview, I’ll say whatever I want to say about The Fluff.” Sharp jabbed his toothpick in Puff’s direction. “That’s where you come in, Puff. We’re a respected newspaper, so I want proof! I want pictures!” He slammed a hoof down, shaking the table. “Stay outside, hide in the Greasy Spoon, or whatever! I don’t care as long as you get me pictures of The Fluff! Am I clear?” “Yes, sir,” Quick Wit replied. Puff gave a softer raspberry and saluted. “Good.” Sharp furrowed his brow at the pair. “Well, what are you waiting for? A raise? Get back to work!” Quick and Puff skedaddled out of the office. When they were a safe distance away, Quick let his breath out and allowed his slight gut to show through his ocean-blue jacket. Yet, a smile spread across his face. “Puff, can you believe it?” Puff rigorously nodded her head. “Well, you are the only mare in the city that’s managed to get a decent picture of her,” Quick chuckled. His eyes widened and glistened. “But to actually get to interview the number six hero… this’ll make our careers! And maybe…” Quick lowered her head, pulled Puff close, and whispered in her ear, “…get our jerk of a boss to see that The Fluff is just looking out for us in the best way she can.” Puff gasped and wrapped her legs around Quick, producing a squeak. Quick blushed and quickly pushed Puff away. “Puff, you know you can’t do that. It’s not proper.” Puff blew a raspberry. “Well, that’s very sweet, but you know romance isn’t really a part of my life right now, especially with co-workers.” Quick abruptly spun around. “Well, I’m gonna head out around two-fifteen. You go a few minutes later just to be safe. The Fluff may have set up an interview, but I bet she’s still camera-shy, so we don’t want to spook her.” Puff let out another raspberry. The response got a laugh out of Quick. “Yes, I think it’s a little silly for a mare that fights criminals and worse to be afraid of a camera, but heroes can be an eccentric bunch. Good luck with the rest of your work.” ~~~ Quick walked into Greasy Spoon’s, scanned around, but noticed nothing out of place. At two forty-five in the afternoon, the clientele was sparse enough that he could hear the kween of decades-old fans. Instead of taking his usual seat at the bar like he did when he and Puff went to recover after a long day of work, he scooted into one of the booths near the back of the restaurant. From there, he had a clear view of the kitchen, the fire escape, and the front door. A waitress approached, coffee pot floating beside her. “Off work early today, hun?” Quick shook a hoof before a drop could fall into his cup. “Still on duty, Split, and I’m gonna need my nerves. Could actually use a little privacy too.” He slipped a few bits out of his jacket. “I really appreciate your service.” Lickety Split grinned. “Always happy to serve with a smile.” She trotted away and left Quick to pull his quill, inkwell, and notepad out of his suitcase. After pushing up his glasses, he wetted the quill and tested it on the pad. Satisfied, he set his materials aside and focused on watching the restaurant. There were only a few other customers at the time. Too early for the regulars to come in for a cheap meal after a long day of making sure Las Pegasus kept working or to scarf down something before their night shifts began. Too late for the wayward tourist recovering from a night of too much cider and gambling. That left the addicts taking the sporadic break and the police about to go on or just getting off patrols. A few of the former group were gathered at the bar or quietly stirring around some coffee at a table. There were four cops at different booths across the restaurant. Given that one booth was chugging down coffee while the other was munching on pie, Quick could guess which was about to start and which one had just ended their patrol. Then, the fire escape opened, but the alarm did not sound. A bulky spherical specimen of a pony struggled to get through the door, but managed to do so with a pop. She silently rolled across the restaurant and came to a stop right in front of Quick’s booth. She was clothed in a massive trench coat that stretched over her fluffy frame. A combination of a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a sickness mask obscured her face. The vibrant pink fur was unmistakable though. “Uh…” Quick glanced left and right, and then leaned forward to whisper, “The Fluff?” The Fluff nodded. Quick drew back and extended a leg to the opposite side of the booth. “Why don’t you have a seat?” The Fluff saddled up into the booth and slid in until she was directly opposite of Quick. He gulped and prepared his quill and notes. He also glimpsed a camera peeking through the blinds and thanked the stars for Puff. “So, Fluff— is just Fluff okay?” Receiving a nod, Quick continued, “You’re one of Equestria’s top heroes, how does that honor make you feel?” Fluff reached into the inner fold of her coat and produced a piece of notebook paper. The edges had been chewed on and, when Quick took it, he saw that several colors of crayon had been scrawled over it to form a letter. It’s a grand honor to be given a rank, but things like that have never mattered to me, the note read. Protecting citizens, especially the ones down on their luck, is all I’ve ever wanted to do with my talent. “That’s very admirable and a good message to send to the next generation of heroes.” Quick smiled. “Your methods though have sometimes been called old fashioned. Is there a reason for that?” Another note was passed across the table. A little red could be seen poking out from the edges of Fluff’s mask. I’ve always been a shy pony, but I didn’t want that to get in the way of heroics. So, I based myself off the older generations of heroes, before we were more regulated. While he read, Quick jotted down his own notes. “Interesting. Your efforts to keep Las Pegasus safe are praise-worthy, but they’ve also earned you some detractors. Do you have anything to say to them?” I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused, read a third note. I try to keep collateral damage to a minimum, and I’d never wanted to be a bother to the police. That said, I am concerned with the recent uptick in changeling activity in the area. As a hero, I’ve alerted the Agency about the problem and requested that proper precautions be taken. “Yes, we’ve run a few stories on that as well.” Quick pushed up his glasses. Everything was going smoothly, but his heart still raced and a bit of sweat collected on his brow. “Given your secrecy, there have been a lot of rumors about you. Perhaps you can address a few, like the idea that you’re actually a pegasus with incredible cloud sculpting ability?” Fluff shook her head and raised a hoof to her mouth. “Sorry.” Quick bowed his head. “I suppose we can’t get everything out of you.” Another note was passed across the table. Quick blinked since he had not asked another question. Raising a brow, he began to read to note. My fault too. It’s a security matter, but I’ll try to answer any questions you might have, Mr. Wit. Fluff raised her hooves to her face and shook her head. Then, with a trembling leg, she gave another note to Quick. Actually, I should be honest, I didn’t want to do this interview with just anypony. I wanted to do it with you. “Me?” Quick glanced up at Fluff, down at the note, and then back at Fluff. His brow furrowed but his lip dangled loose. “Uh, I’m afraid I don’t follow.” The mask and the glasses did nothing now to hide the blush on Fluff’s face. Instead of reaching into her coat, this time, she reached into her own fur and produced a note. It was nibbled into the shape of a heart. Quick felt a bit of heat rush to his muzzle when he took it. The note was all in pink. I think you’re really sweet, Mr. Wit, it read. You always write nice articles and you look cool while you’re on the job. I want to see you more if you’re okay with that. “Oh… oh my.” He loosened up his jacket and fanned his neck. “This is a bit unexpected, Fluff. I’m not against the idea, you certainly are an admirable mare, but it would be a little awkward if we continued to meet like this.” Fluff dashed another note across the table. I understand. I’m just really embarrassed about revealing my secret identity. Maybe after a few dates? Is that okay? “Um…” Across the table, Fluff had pressed her hooves up against her sunglasses and was shaking like a school-filly asking her crush out. Quick took a deep breath. “Okay, Fluff, I understand. I’m a little skeptical—part of being a reporter—but you are an admirable hero after all.” Fluff gasped, slid across the table, and pulled Quick into a hug. Quick blushed at the sudden contact while eyeing his inkwell, which Fluff was bumping up against and pushing close to the edge. Detangling himself from Fluff, he grabbed the inkwell and placed it in center of the table. Taking a breath to calm himself, he straightened his jacket and looked directly at Fluff. “Well, I think I have enough for my report. This has been quite a surprising interview, Fluff, but I’ll be happy to write about it. Oh, how should I contact you?” Fluff jabbed in the direction of the camera. “Got it,” said Quick. “So, you’ll leave a message for Puff then?” Fluff nodded her head a few times and then hummed. Her entire body vibrated along to the tune as she scooted up the side of the booth, over it, and vroomed out the fire escape. Quick blinked at the exit, shook his head, and made sure his notes were in order. Then, he collapsed back against the booth. “Split?” he called out. “I’ll have that coffee now.” Outside, Fluff shuffled away. She gave a trailing piece of her fur a yank, her camera flew over to her, and vanished into her fur. Ripping off her coat, hat, glasses, and mask, she displayed a massive smile and pranced along. ~~~ With his mug of coffee drained and his stomach filled with a piece of pie, Quick leaned back and basked in the day’s events. When the bell over the entrance jingled, he looked over and was greeted by Puff skipping over to his booth. “Looks like things went well on your end too,” Quick chuckled. Puff nodded her head. “Great.” As Puff slid into the booth, Quick slid out of it. “Get whatever you want, Puff. It’s on me. I think we’ve got a great story to celebrate. I’ll be right back, just gotta hit the stallion’s room.” Quick strode back to the restroom and locked the door. It was a small place with just one urinal and a stall, but he still checked to make sure nopony else was inside. Then, he went to the sink and bowed his head. “What a day, what a day,” he said with a grin. “To think The Fluff has a crush a me, and a genuine one at that. Now that’d be a Tartarus of a story to sell.” Quick laughed. It started out small, but soon grew in volume. As it did, his voice rose several octaves while gaining a second tone to it. With a sickle-like sneer, he looked at himself in the mirror. Blazing green eyes with slitted pupils overlaid over dull spherical ones gleamed back at him. “Too bad your story will end so soon,” Quick cackled. “I may not have gotten everything out of you, Fluff, but now you’ve given me a weak spot. Oh, this is rich! Chihahahaha!” ~~~ “It’s crap.” Sharp Tongue slapped the stack of papers and photos down on the table. Leaning back, he glanced down his muzzle at Quick and Puff. “‘Despite her secretive demeanor, The Fluff’s desire to protect the innocent shines through.’ Bah! Save it for Hearth’s Warming. I wanted an exposé, not a love letter!” Quick summoned a blush to his face while Puff got out of her chair and glared at Sharp. Pressing her lips together, she blew hard enough to send bits of spittle onto the desk. “Oh yeah?” Sharp fired back. “I can get another photographer, and she’ll be less demanding than you!” Puff continued to blow. “Equestria Employment Opportunity Commission? Those numbskulls?” Sharp snorted. “Who do think checks to make sure they’re not blowing smoke and harming honest business ponies?” Puff tensed up, inhaled, and let out a small raspberry. While Quick put up a front of losing color, Sharp genuinely paled. “Now, Puff,” Sharp said with the fire gone from his voice, “no need to bring the Missus into this.” Blowing another raspberry, Puff sat back down and crossed her forelegs over her chest. “‘Course the article’s fine grammatically,” Sharp replied. “I’m no hack. It just goes against the paper to be so laudatory of a pseudo-vigilante.” Puff gave two quick raspberries. Sharp leaned forward, bracing himself against the table with his legs. He rubbed his temples. “Okay-okay, but don’t think this will be a regular thing. It’s important we get this story right and get an open line to The Fluff, much as I hate to admit it. The other papers will be champing at the bit to get at her, but Sharp Tongue ain’t giving it up easy and neither is this paper!” Sharp enunciated his last sentence with a slap to his desk that echoed through the air. “Now, get on with the rest of your work,” he ordered. “Equestria doesn’t stop for just one story and neither does the Equestria Daily!” Quick and Puff scuttled out of the room. With their backs turned to Sharp, he could not see the grins on their faces. When they were clear of his office, they burst out laughing. “Celestia’s mane, Fluff,” Quick chortled. “You’d give stallions a run for their money with the balls you showed back there.” Puff blushed and flexed a hoof at Quick. “But seriously…” Quick bowed his head. “Thank you. I would’ve hated to completely redo the article into a smear piece. Leave that sucking up to the interns.” They both had a good laugh at that. “Anyway, what say we grab a good meal and a drink after work today?” Quick suggested. “The real deal, not just the crud from Spoon’s. Stuff ain’t good for your health.” Puff stuck out her tongue. “Okay, so maybe the pies are the best in the city,” Quick admitted. “But I want to celebrate.” Puff nodded and jumped a few inches off the ground. “Great.” Quick grinned. “I’ll think of someplace real nice, not just one of those glitzy rip-offs.” ~~~ “Ah.” Quick Wit gave one foreleg a shake, and then the other. Alongside Puff, he walked along the street with the Equestria Daily building growing further and further away. Already, the street lights were on and the revelers were strutting about. “It’s gonna be a hay of a day tomorrow when the story breaks. Wish I could see the looks on the Pony Express’s staff’s faces.” Puff giggled, but then turned to Quick with a furrowed brow. She let out a small raspberry. Quick looked to the dusky sky— there were a few stars out, but his eyes seemed to be looking elsewhere. “I’m not sure when I’ll see Fluff again. Gotta admit, it’s pretty crazy that she asked me out.” When Puff raspberried in reply, Quick blushed. “Well, I couldn’t just say no to her. Who says no to a top ten hero?” Quick shook his head. “To be honest, the way she acted was kinda cu—” Puff’s ears twitched when she heard something buzz. With a gasp, she flung herself at Quick, but a blast of emerald fire caught her into the chest and knocked her through an adjacent window. “Pu—” Quick’s scream was cut off when an armored hoof bashed him in the face. A changeling bared its fangs at him as he fell into its grasp and went limp. Another changeling raced over and grabbed Quick’s hind legs. Puff rose out of the inside of a casino and shook off the shards of glass. Her hooves flew up to her mouth when she spotted the changelings darting away with Quick in their hooves. She raced forward, but stopped when she spotted markings burned into the ground. Her heart raced. Find The Fluff! it ordered. Tell anypony else and your friend is as good as glue! We’ll be waiting for her at the Thaumic Testing Grounds. Just as Puff finished reading the message, it burst into green flames, leaving only a black smudge behind. One of the gamblers stepped out through the hole and put a hoof on Puff. “You okay, Miss? Don’t worry, we’ll call the poli—” Puff galloped away, leaving the gambler to call out to her, but she did not heed him. She bolted forward for a few blocks until she was certain she was clear of the crime scene and then she swerved into an alley. She tore off her skirt and vest, revealing her cape underneath. Untying her bowtie, it morphed from red to black and unfolded into her mask. Donning the mantle of The Fluff, she raced off to rescue Quick Wit. ~~~ The wind howled and kicked up dust just a few miles away from Las Pegasus proper. The roads that led out in this direction were worn and covered in sand. A collection of buildings poked out from the desert, their unlit and rusted frames a stark contrast to the Las Pegasus glow that could be seen from miles away. The wind rattled the metal roof of one of the buildings— a large hangar that had housed dirigibles and other aircraft in decades long past. Now, the floor was covered in dirt and sand and the windows were smashed in. Besides the moon seeping in, the only source of light were a sea of compound blue eyes and pair of piercing green ones. “It is taking her some time, my queen,” one of the changelings murmured. “She will come,” Chrysalis replied in her normal voice while still retaining Quick Wit’s form. She sat in the middle of the hangar, bound to a chair. “I don’t know how, but she was aware of Fluffle Puff taking photos of her, so she must keep an eye out for her. Plus, she’s been able to stop a majority of our feedings lately. We’ve caused too much of a ruckus for her not to notice.” A reverberating clang echoed through the air. The army of changelings stiffened. Chrysalis furrowed her brow and blinked to turn her eyes for piercing green to deep hazel. Everyone turned their attention to a door up above that led into the hangar. Something behind the door slammed into it, creating a sizeable dent in the metal before launching it off its rusted hinges. Some changelings buzzed out of the way to avoid the door when it crashed to the ground. The Fluff stood atop the gangway that led down to the ground floor. Her scowl made a few of the changelings at the vanguard shiver, but with Chrysalis at their backs, they stood firmly in place. “Fluff!” Chrysalis called out in Quick’s voice. “Why? They’re going to kill you!” “Oh,” the hive spoke in unison, “we’ll do much worse than that.” The entire hangar lit up with a flash of green, forcing Fluff to blink. In that brief moment, Chrysalis slipped out of her bonds. When Fluff’s eyes cleared, the hive of changelings had been replaced with a sea of Quick Wits. “Help us, Fluff!” half of them cried. “Die, Fluff!” the other half screeched. Fluff took a deep breath and then plunged into the sea of Quick Wits. They instantly piled on her. From afar, Chrysalis grinned. It’s over, Fluff. Even with all your powers, you’re still just a pony, and a pony’s greatest weakness is her heart. You’ll never be able to go all out against my changelings while they look like your crush. Meanwhile, I’ll make sure they drain you nice and slow. I’m going to sa— The heap of Quick Wits Fluff had been buried under was blasted apart. Changelings, stripped of their disguises, were thrown across the hangar. The Fluff stood enclosed by the remaining changelings with her fur whipping about in thick trails of fluff. The rest of the hive was stunned for a second, before they collectively screeched and flew at her. The first wave was bashed to the left. The second was bashed to the right. “Damn,” Chrysalis cursed. She glared down at her suit and then at the changelings closest to her. “She must have planted something on me. Find it!” You cunning bitch, Chrysalis thought. I should have known you’d take precautions for your special somepony. But, the numbers are on my side, we’ll wear you down whether it’s through draining or sheer force! Ahead, more and more changelings were being chucked in all directions by the pink tendrils. They whipped around The Fluff in a maelstrom that was both destructive and stunning. It reminded Chrysalis of her time in Neighpon when she had drained many a noblepony. The thought was quickly dashed away by the fact that The Fluff’s momentum was not slowing. Chrysalis tensed when she realized her hive was actually getting blown away at a faster rate the closer The Fluff got to her. She ground her teeth. “Hurry, you fools!” Chrysalis snapped. She could not see The Fluff yet, but her eyes followed the path of destruction The Fluff was blazing straight toward them. So, this is the power of a top ten hero. “M-my queen,” the changeling to her left choked out, “We cannot find anything.” “There must be something!” Chrysalis hissed. “I would have known if it was a spell, so there must b—” The wall of changelings ahead of them was blasted apart by two massive tails of fur. The Fluff locked sights on Chrysalis and gasped. Retracting her fur back to its regular spherical shape, she galloped full force at Chrysalis without hesitation. Changelings swarmed her from all sides, but she outpaced them and tackled Chrysalis into a hug. Before Chrysalis could react, The Fluff bent down, nuzzled her, and licked her cheek. Something caused the licked spot to glow neon pink. Chrysalis howled in pain while a look of confusion fell upon Fluff’s face. With her cheek sizzling, Chrysalis glared up at Fluff with eyes that flared with emerald flames. “Fluff!” she growled. She reached out and clamped onto The Fluff. Smoke rose out of where her hooves latched onto Fluff. “How, Fluff? How have you done this!?” Chrysalis roared and sent out a blast of flame that knocked her changelings back. Fluff was still in her grasp, now covered in soot. She blinked and beheld Chrysalis’s true form. The shock only lasted a moment before Chrysalis spread her wings and launched the both of them into the air. She bolted upward and shot straight through the aged roof. In the night sky, high above the ground, she angled her gnarled horn at The Fluff and blasted her with a burning emerald beam. She allowed The Fluff to fly out of her hooves but kept blasting her with the beam until The Fluff cratered into the ground. With a snort, she glided to the ground and glared down at The Fluff. “Never send a drone to do a queen’s job.” Just as Chrysalis turned, the ground shook and The Fluff shot up out of the crater, flipped through the air, and landed across from Chrysalis. Chrysalis snarled and lit up her horn, but The Fluff closed the distance before Chrysalis could finish the spell and decked her right in the schnoz. Chrysalis went tumbling while The Fluff shook off the soot, revealing the only signs of damage to be a few dents in her cowl and some small tears in her cape. Chrysalis shot out her wings, stopping her fall. With a crack of her neck, she glared at The Fluff while the rest of her body rotated around match up with her head. She landed back on the ground and raked a hoof across the dust. The chitin on her right cheek was cracked and riddled with bubbles. “What did you do, Fluff?” she snarled. “No physical trace. No spells. Nothing! How did you track me?” A gust of wind carried The Fluff’s raspberry across the battlefield. Chrysalis wrinkled her nose. “‘The real Quick Wit?’ You idiot, there never was a Quick Wit! It was just me! I even had you, the number six hero, eating out of my hoof!” The Fluff stared at Chrysalis for a moment before letting out a small sniffle. Chrysalis snickered. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m the changeling queen, you fool. You think I give a flying feather about love for anything else but food?” A fluffy hoof jabbed at Chrysalis’s chest before The Fluff let out a sharp raspberry. “Yes, all of it,” Chrysalis replied with a grin. “I can’t tell you how many times I just wanted to blast my boss out the window.” Another raspberry, this time softer. “Puff?” Chrysalis chuckled. “The biggest fool of them all. I could have probably drained her too if I wasn’t going after yo—” The Fluff rocketed off the ground while humming her lips and bashed Chrysalis in the face. The blow ran down her head and made her whole body quiver. A few tears spilled out from under The Fluff’s mask and dropped into the dusty ground below. Once again, Chrysalis stopped herself midair, but this time she hacked. Her chest still shook when the rest of her body stilled. With eyes blazing bright, she pulled back her right hoof and then shot it forward in a spire of flame. It burst out of the flames as a slimy tentacle with a mass of hooked appendages at the end. She raked it at The Fluff, but The Fluff bounced off the ground—far higher than an earth pony normally could—and then zoomed at Chrysalis. Chrysalis held up her other foreleg and morphed it into a thick scaly arm that radiated heat. Her tentacle whipped back to grab The Fluff while the claw raced down to rend her to pieces. The Fluff snorted and shot out masses of her fur that prevented the tentacle from latching onto her main body and absorbed the blow from the claws. Taking advantage of her position, she flipped around and kneed Chrysalis in the face. A bit of green-blue ichor went flying from Chrysalis’s mouth. The Fluff spiraled backwards through the air while Chrysalis staggered. The Fluff landed on one leg with her other hind leg raised and her forelegs pointed upwards giving her a vague resemblance to a crane. Chrysalis wiped away the ichor streaming from her lip and snorted. She rose up onto her hind legs and consumed her lower body in an emerald inferno. Eight legs that glistened like freshly sharpened blades pierced the ground. An armor-plated tail rose into the sky, the stinger at its tip dripping with poison. The ground it fell on hissed and sizzled. Another burst of flame turned Chrysalis’s right foreleg into a claw as big as her torso while her left morphed into a mass of writhing tentacles. Her fangs lengthened and her mane shot up like it was made of flame, revealing three additional pairs of eyes. “This ends here, Fluff!” Chrysalis roared. She then stampeded at The Fluff, her legs moving like a locomotive. The Fluff jumped back, but Chrysalis’s tentacles shot out and wrapped around her. The Fluff tried to send out her fur, only for Chrysalis to bash both The Fluff and her own tentacles with the claw. The blow dazed The Fluff long enough for Chrysalis to bring her claw around The Fluff and squeeze. She constricted as hard as she could, but all she produced was a squeak from The Fluff. “Defiant brat!” Chrysalis’s stinger reared back and then shot down. The Fluff swerved at the last second, getting the stinger stuck in her fur instead of her face. The area hit smoked and The Fluff let out a sharp cry. Chrysalis grinned. “Ha! And some of the dumber drones thought you were invincible!” The Fluff gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. Taking a breath, she unclenched her jaw while the stinger sank deeper into her fur, discoloring it as it burrowed further. “What’s wrong?” Chrysalis mocked. “Giving up?” With the poison corroding away The Fluff’s fur, Chrysalis pressed in with her claw, but was still met with resistance. Then, she felt the claw being pushed back. She now realized her tail was buried up to its second joint even though she was not pushing it any deeper. Rather, The Fluff’s fur was growing out in all directions. With a muffled snap, The Fluff’s cape blew away while the fur growing out of her face contorted her mask and shoved it out of the way. When it too was tossed into the air by the combination of the fur and the wind, Chrysalis reared back. “Puff!?” she shrieked. She then gnashed her fangs. Her grip on Fluffle Puff was slipping. “Damn you! It doesn’t matter who you really are! You’ve been a thorn in my side too long!” Her horn lit up. “Now die!” The Fluff’s eyes flared open as she let out a soft raspberry. Her fur exploded in a blast of pink that washed over Chrysalis. Her claw was forced open and the lower half bent back with a sharp crack and then a wet squelch. Her stinger was wrenched out of its joints and went flying along with three of Chrysalis’s legs. The nearby buildings shook and the hangar, along with some of the other buildings, collapsed under the weight of a wave of fur. Chrysalis tried to dig her remaining legs into the ground, but fur latched onto them and the rest of her body. She tried to roar in defiance, but the sound of countless tons of fur flying out at supersonic speed swallowed up her protests. The attack launched her off her legs. Then, a piece of fur smacked her in the face and everything went dark. ~~~ In a flash reminiscent of the days when the Thaumic Testing Grounds were used for developing spells of unparalleled power, the desert was turned bright pink. The buildings that were left standing leaned backwards under the weight of a vast sea of pink fur that had overcome them. It spread across the ground like the densest of carpets. Not a rock or shrub within the entire facility was left uncovered. Fluffle Puff’s discarded cape fluttered to the ground and landed in the middle of the fluffy decimation. Something shuffled under it and Puff stuck her head out. Her deep pink mane was now visible and she shivered in the desert night’s air. Popping out of the mass of shed fur, she clenched the cape tight around her now visibly small frame and wobbled across the shaggy surface until she came to a building. Chrysalis was plastered to it with only her face and the nubs of her hooves showing. Regaining consciousness and catching sight of Puff, she struggled in vain against the fur. When she realized she was trapped, she hissed, “Damn you! Damn you!” Puff lowered her head and sighed. A tear dripped down her face. “What?” Chrysalis growled. Puff raised a shaking hoof, jabbed at a few spots in the air, and then drew a heart shape. Despite her confinement, Chrysalis snarled, “Don’t lie to me! You never knew the real me! You’re just another fool that fell in love with an illusion!” With tears streaming down her face, Puff advanced toward Chrysalis. The act made Chrysalis pale. “No,” she called out, her voice now shaky. “Stay away!” Even while Chrysalis struggled, Puff drew closer. When she was within inches of Chrysalis, she extended out a hoof and caressed Chrysalis’s left cheek while summoning a shaky smile to her face. The point of contact sizzled and Chrysalis howled in pain. Puff leaned closer. “No! Chrysalis roared. With a sharp crack, she tore her horn free, a jagged spilt now running the length of it. A pillar of flames surrounded her and knocked Puff back. From nearby, the changelings that had not been flattened by the collapse of the hangar or caught in the fur watched the fight with widened eyes. “Retreat!” they screeched in unison. Green flames sprouted up here and there around then testing ground. Puff laid on the ground where she had fallen and stared at the smoldering spot Chrysalis had left. Her lower lip pushed out and fresh tears welled up in her eyes. ~~~ “Puff,” Sharp Tongue sighed. He was sunken into his seat, the chair making him look smaller than normal. The greys and whites in his mane had seemed more pronounced lately. “I know things have been tough with what happened to Quick Wit, so take a break.” Puff half-heartedly blew a raspberry. “No, no.” Sharp shook his head, but without the usual vigor he displayed when turning down a deal. “We can cover The Fluff some other time. Number…” He chomped down hard on his toothpick. “… number one rule of this business: when your staff—when your friend—gets involved, you do not make it about what the hero or whoever could or couldn’t have done.” He turned from Puff and glanced out the window. “I admit it, I don’t like The Fluff, but you can’t look at that scene and say she didn’t give it her all to save Quick. When a hero lays it all on the line like that, any criticism is just petty. There will be other chances to catch that madmare flubbing up, but that’s not today. At this point, the only thing I can say is I’m glad you only lost a bit of your fur when they attacked you and Quick. Go home, Puff, and get some rest.” Another weak raspberry and then Puff was out the door. A few minutes later, she was shuffling down the street, eyes to the ground. Las Pegasus’s streets were practically empty in the middle of a weekday, so Puff found herself alone with her thoughts. That was, until she heard a shriek from a nearby alley. In the shadowy confines, a stallion decked out in a vibrant white suit stood over a whimpering mare. She was covered in bruises and a bit of blood dribbled from her nose. “Trying to take a little off the top?” the stallion growled. He raised up his gold-shod hoof. “Well, you can take as much gold as you want from thi—” A raspberry cut him off and a pair of whitened eyes glared at him through the shadows. ~~~ “Rah!” Chrysalis smacked the nearest pillar with enough force to fracture it at the point of impact. Huffing, she looked around her throne room with its cracked and broken pillars, its scorched walls and floor, and its flickering lighting. With a snort, she fell back onto her throne. In front of her laid the one untouched part of the throne room: a large glassy sphere mounted on a spire that resembled three entwined versions of Chrysalis’s horn. She looked at her warped reflection and snarled at the crack on her right cheek. The pink sheen on her left cheek made her scowl even more. No matter how much magic she summoned to it, it always reverted back to pink unless she took something else’s form. Even her horn was mending faster than the damage to her face. As she sat on her throne and ruminated, her reflection faded away when the sphere lit up. A large equal sign replaced it. “What?” Chrysalis hissed. “I need some drones,” a voice said through the sphere. Chrysalis bared her fangs at the sphere. “Now is not a good time.” “I can make it an even worse time,” the voice countered. “Don’t worry, I won’t be blindly taking on a top ranked hero, just enlightening a few ponies of the error of their ways.” “Bah, if you wanted slaves, a mind control spell would be so mu—” Teal aura clasped Chrysalis’s mane, ripped her out of her throne, and flung her to the floor. “Send the drones, or licking your wounds will be the least of your problems.” The voice’s owner waited a moment for Chrysalis to get back on her hooves. Her eyes blazed green, but she kept her mouth clenched. “Oh, don’t be like that. I’ve got a job for you too. You’re going to love it.”