Corium and I left the gym as the time neared around noon. During that time, he'd continued to lead me through a variety of motions, calmly instructing and adjusting me physically. It was a different kind of training, I supposed, as we chatted during the process of repetition for each one.
I learned that Corium had been more than a simple scout during the time Chrysalis had been in charge. His missions had been more specific to target analysis and elimination. When I gulped at that, he assured me that by “elimination” he meant making sure that high priority targets were taken and cocooned so that an infiltration changeling could take their place as quickly as possible.
It hadn't always gone well and that's why he had training in hoof-to-hoof combat. Periodically, I noticed him wince in regret as he described his actions. During the Queen's reign, it was unheard of for a changeling to defy their monarch and many of them did things that they regretted, he told me. Personally, he preferred his station in life much more now as he tried to make up for everything he'd done.
A thought occurred to me as I glanced at him, “Corium? I'm just kind've curious, but during the invasion, what did you do?”
Pain.
That was the only word I had for the emotion that flashed across the changeling's face. I think I would have hurt him less if I'd actually struck him. I quickly backpedaled, “Never mind, that wasn't cool of me. I'm sorry, Corium.”
“Don't be,” he said softly, “sometimes we have to remember what we've done to find the strength to move forward. Where was I, Lucky? I was doing the worst part of the invasion. It was such a quiet thing at first. Canterlot had fallen long before we revealed ourselves and much of it was a direct consequence of the things I did.”
He took a deep breath and began to shift into various motions; a coping mechanism. He struggled with himself as he continued, “Let me tell you something, Lucky. If fortune favors you as much as you complain it does, then you will never find yourself in a position where you hold a pony's life in your hooves. You will never have a reason to hate yourself down to your core and you will never feel as empty as I did on the day I committed the sin that I have long since been forgiven for, but can't forgive myself for.”
Spinning in place, his hooves lashing out at unseen foes, “It was a task like so many before it. I slipped into Canterlot, right under the noses of the guards and citizens alike. I took many forms reaching the great castle that overlooked the world that your princesses ruled. I moved through those arching halls like a shadow, my constant hunger drawing me to her like a moth to the flame.”
I sat still, listening to Corium open up to me. I don't even think he realized I was still here. This was just his confession, “It was a task like all the others. I entered her quarters like a sickness before the purity that she was and is. The task was the same, but she was different.”
He turned to me, his eyes eerily hollow, “When I first laid eyes on Princess Cadence, I was conflicted. She bled love like an open wound and she gave it freely, nurtured it into something beautiful... and it was my task to take that away from all of you,” he chuckled bitterly, “if I hadn't been so damn good at my job, then none of you would have suffered at the hooves of my kind...
Nopony even knew she was gone. That's how seamless it was to slide an alicorn from her bed and replace her with a queen. I dragged a terrified, confused mare down into the depths of the earth to trap her there. Not even her husband-to-be was aware of anything at first and once Chrysalis spun her magic around him, he was never going to be.
Do you want to know the worst part, Lucky? She didn't hate me for it. She didn't lash out in anger, she didn't spit curses at me for what I was doing, and she didn't make any demands of me. I was prepared for those things because she wouldn't be the first to do so. I was even prepared for her to beg me to stop, to tell me that I didn't have to do it...
No... what the Princess of Love did to me was the worst thing. As I placed her in that love-forsaken cavern, she asked me a simple question that still resonates in me to this day. She asked me, 'why?' and I didn't have an answer for her. I still don't. No changeling dared challenge the might of the queen before Thorax... and all along, we could have...”
He slowed, coming to a stop and I could see his eyes misting over with tears that refused to fall. He met my gaze and gave a sad smile, “She may forgive me, all of Equestria might forgive me, but I can't forgive myself for what I did to an innocent mare who held all the love of the world at her beck and call but chose to share it with everypony... and that is why I am here, Lucky Signs. To make sure that nopony ever has to ask why and receive no answer...”
He stepped past me, murmuring, “Come, it's time we started our investigation rounds...” I fell in step behind him as we left the gym.
**
I was grateful that Corium could bounce back from his slump quickly. A little bit of a walk and he brightened up again, chatting my ear off about various shops that we passed by. It seemed like he knew everypony in the city despite the sheer achievement that would be. Despite this, I could see that his ears were constantly moving and his eyes took in everything around us.
I tried my best to keep an eye out as well, but with the vast amount of ponies in the city it was a fruitless endeavor. Finding a single criminal or even a group of criminals in this crowd was going to be all but impossible. Still, I was going to have to at least try while I was here, or Martial was going to have my head mounted on her wall as a warning to others.
Los Pegasus was as lively as it could get. Scattered among the tourists and natives, street performers and hype ponies made their living. I ended up tossing some bits to a performer that was a fair bit more... exotic. That changeling may not have been on par with Dawn in my mind, but hot damn, she could move that body in ways that made you stare.
Getting a thank you kiss on the cheek was pretty cool too and may have inspired others to give generously.
Somewhere along the line, Corium managed to snag us some hayburgers to scarf down as we walked. I wasn't sure when because it felt like he never left my side. I think he enjoyed it far too much with the way he dove into it with an eager smile. I had to admit that his chipper attitude was rubbing off on me and I found myself laughing with him at his antics. Ponies we passed probably thought I was crazy or (correctly guessed) new in town seeing as how most of them either were content or had lost horribly at one of the various casinos and were feeling down.
So when Corium came to a dead stop, his face turning serious, I was confused. I opened my mouth to ask him about it, but he beat me to the punch by pressing a hoof to my mouth, “Don't look now,” he whispered to me, his face returning to a smile, “but we just caught somepony in the act. Directly behind you, the pony in the hoodie. I need you to act like we're parting ways and bump into him. Not hard, just enough to get his attention.”
I blinked at him, but nodded slowly. He smiled widely, wrapping his hooves around me and stating loudly, “It was lovely catching up with you, my friend! Alas, I need to see to my business and I've no doubt kept you too long. Ta-ta!” He was definitely the better actor of the two of us as I idly waved and murmured a, “Yeah, see you around” in return.
Turning away, I immediately noticed the pony that Corium had been talking about. A turquoise colored stallion wearing a gray hoodie, his disheveled, tan mane just poking out from under the drawn hood. He was starting to move away from what appeared to be a street vendor with his head down.
Taking a deep breath, I moved after him, making sure not to run, but going fast enough to catch up. Corium just wanted me to bump him? I wasn't sure why, but he'd been very specific. So, as I passed by him, I snapped my head to the left like I'd heard something in the crowd of noisy ponies and gave him a light hip check.
The mystery stallion grunted as my unexpected motion threw him off balance. Scrambling to right himself, he whirled on me, letting me see the blood shot, green eyes beneath the hood. No horn and the hoodie was bunched up around wings, so he was an earth pony like me and he was... mad and nervous at the same time.
“Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going, you limp-dicked, bottom colt!” He shouted at my shrilly. Just below the age of adulthood and already throwing out vulgar insults at random ponies. What was the world coming to?
I blinked at him, able to show a bit of confusion thanks to his sudden outburst, “Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there,” I lied, “I thought I heard someone calling my name. Didn't mean to bump into you.”
“Yeah,” he shouted, his pupils narrowing dangerously, “well maybe you should get some glasses geezer! Almost made me drop my...” he trailed off, one hoof going to the pocket of his hoodie. His movements became frantic after a moment as he searched himself for something.
“Looking for this?” a familiar voice called out.
Corium stood a few steps away, one hoof raised with a bag of some kind of powder in it. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, “Hydra plant extract. Extremely powerful hallucinogen and just as illegal in Equestria. Now if only there were a member of the guard to... oh wait,” he stated in false realization, “there is one.” he chuckled, gesturing to me.
To his credit, the youth put two and two together fairly quickly. Looking between myself and Corium with wide eyes he thought for a moment and then bolted.
“After him!” Corium cried and we gave chase....