//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Top Secret // Story: Pinkie and the Spy // by Guesswork //------------------------------// Introduction The hive was always warm, always buzzing, always alive. It was a strange place for a pony to be, but that's just what Mantid was: a pony, in disguise. None of the changelings living and working around him knew it. Nor did they suspect that with a combination of surgery, transmutation, and enchantment, Canterlot Intelligence had been giving the hive a little taste of its own medicine for three years now. Mantid crawled out of his sleeping pod and stretched his chitinous forelegs, yawning wide and smacking his mouthparts together. He scratched his bottom-plating and went to the porthole to look out into the rest of the hive. As usual, the workers flew to-and-fro, making deliveries and pickups. The green glow of the walls and pods was already halfway to day-cycle brightness; the only way to tell time this far underground. This was just one of a million things he'd had to get used to over the years. Deep cover did not even begin to describe what he'd seen and done. There was something else, too. Something that Canterlot Intel had not forseen: the wide-spread effects of Queen Chrysalis's exposure to Shining Armor's supernaturally-powerful love. In certain ways, it had changed the entire hive. In the sleeping pod behind him, another black shape stirred. "Click-click-chick-click-chitter," said a soft voice. "Sweetheart, come back to bed. It's your day off." "Click-hiss-chick-chitter," replied Mantid. "I have to go visit the Messaging Chamber in a few hours. Figured I'd just get up now, since I can't sleep anyway." "You never give yourself a break," said Cricket. "It drives me nuts." "You never give me a break, either," he said. She offered him a sleepy grin, and Mantid leaped into the air, his diaphanous wings buzzing as he swooped away from the window and back into the sleeping-pod with her. They looked into each others' eyes from inches away. "Never ever," he said. She reached up and pulled him into a gentle kiss. Their mouths fit together perfectly, like puzzle-pieces. Mantid and Cricket were made for each other. "Our offspring are going to have great work ethic," she said when their kiss ended, "but such high blood-pressure!" "We can worry about that some other day," he said with a chuckle. Then he noticed that she'd suddenly gotten very serious. "What?" he asked her. "What is it?" "Not some other day." She rubbed her belly. His compound eyes went wide. "What are you saying?" "We're pregnant." Her face was a mixture of joy and nervousness. "Mantid, we're pregnant!" "By Chrysalis!" he exclaimed, then he laughed like he'd never laughed before, letting his soul pour out in a flood of happiness. He kissed Cricket again and again, wrapped his forelegs around her smooth, cool body, feeling her twin-hearts beating with joy through her carapace. Years and years with Canterlot Intel, deep undercover in this alien place, in this alien body, and for the first time in his life, he knew why he'd been born. "I'm going to be a father," he breathed. "I love you," she said. "I love you too," he said, and if he were still a pony, he would have cried. But changelings can't cry, so he just held her even tighter. * * * Mantid was still high on happiness as he buzzed into the Messaging Chamber later that day. The changeling attendant sat behind a black-resin desk, bathed in light from the luminescent fungus growing overhead. "Hey there Mantid," said the attendant. "You look like you're in a good mood today." "Hey Beetle," said Mantid with a huge, beaming grin. "And yes, today is quite special." He looked around to make sure nobody else was listening, then decided that he didn't care. "The mate's pregnant! We've got eggs on the way!" "By Chrysalis, congratulations!!" exclaimed the attendant. "Hold on, I think I've got just the thing." It was his turn to look around surreptitiously. Then he reached into a resinous compartment behind the desk and pulled out two transluscent, golden roll-ups. "I can't smoke mine on duty, but you go right ahead." "A royal jelly cigar?" exclaimed Mantid. "You've got to be kidding! I can't accept that." "My friend, I will be so very pissed-off if you don't." Mantid laughed, then leaned in to take the roll-up. He placed it into his mouthparts and watched Beetle strike a crystal match. Once the roll was lit, Mantid took a few puffs. "Beetle, that is the stuff," he said, breathing the smoke out through his leg-holes. "Sweet, crisp. Amazing. I can't thank you enough." Beetle didn't light his royal-jelly, just chewed on the end. "You kidding me, buddy? Forget about it. This is your day. Picked out any names, yet?" "I just found out this morning," he said. "What a surprise, right?" "My mate had eggs in her for three months before she told me. I think she was just in denial." "She's definitely risen to the occasion, though," noted Mantid. "Ladybird is a fine mother." "She sure is," said Beetle. "And Cricket is going to be amazing, I just know it." Then Beetle threw his claws in the air. "Look at me, taking up your precious time like this. You've actually got a message today. Top priority, from somewhere up in the hierarchy." "What??" Beetle looked at him, concerned. "Uh, you weren't expecting it?" A million thoughts raced through Mantid's mind at once. The royal jelly burned, forgotten. "Hey, Mantid," said Beetle. "Hive to Mantid, come in." Mantid's face became serene and placid again, and he gave Beetle a calm smile. "I'll take it in Vesicle One, please." "You got it, pal. And congratulations again!" Mantid tried to say thank you, but the words stuck in his throat. He waved instead, and walked in a daze towards the back of the Messaging Chamber. Vesicle One was a tiny, spherical room with a green-resin stump to sit on. Along one wall was a membrane stretched over a circular resin frame. This was the viewscreen. Mantid placed his claws into a recess under the screen and let the magic scan his carapace. After a moment, fluids moved in the walls and the membrane rippled, dimpled, and began displaying the message. He'd always marveled at how much more efficient this system was than the ponies' equivalent telegraph service. Of course the message wasn't from the hierarchy, or anywhere near Chrysalis's office. It had come from a line tap, somewhere in the hive. Another pony spy. Every Monday for three years, Mantid had stopped here at the Messaging Chamber to file his secret reports to Canterlot Intel, hiding them inside large amounts of outgoing files that he sent for his cover-job. He'd never received a return-message. It was just too risky. But here it was. And if they were contacting him now, that meant... ...that meant it was time to leave. Mantid placed his claws against the frame as his world swayed with unreality. It's too soon. * * * "Will you come with me?" Cricket just looked at him, overcome with shock past the point of words. "How can you even ask me that??" she shrieked at last. "You're a liar! You lied to me this whole time! This whole time!! You treated me like a fool!" Her beautiful, violet eyes filled with fury, and for a moment, Mantid thought she was going to start throwing things at him. Then she stormed over to the wall and fell against it for support, her knees buckling, wings drooping like wilting flower petals. How long has it been, thought Mantid, since I've seen a flower? "Just go," she said. "I'll... I'll have the eggs removed." "No!" he screamed, his hearts pounding. "Please... don't do that. That's so horrible." "How? Why?" She didn't even know what she was asking. She groaned in agony, but no tears came, because changelings can't cry. "None of this was on purpose," he said, realizing how brittle it sounded. But it was the truth. It had all just... happened. Nopony gets to choose whom they love. "You have to come with me. We can raise our offspring on the surface. I'll even stay like this for you. I won't have them change me back. I'm... I'm begging you, Cricket." "I'd be a criminal in your society. An outcast." "Nobody would have to know what you were, don't you see? What we were. We could be anypony we wanted!" "What about your Canterlot Intel buddies? We're at war! CI would put a blade in me as easily as shake my claw." "You can request asylum. Celestia will have to take you in. You don't understand, she's not like Chrysalis--" "Don't you dare say anything bad about the Queen," said Cricket. "Don't you dare! I don't even want to know what you've done to hurt my society. To hurt my hive!" He didn't say anything. He couldn't. "What about my work in the nursery chambers?" she continued. "What about my family? I have an entire life here!" "I know." "And so do you, Mantid, so do you!" "That's... that's just an alias. My real name is--" "No. Please, don't." "Okay." "Why can't you just stay here with me? Just... forget that you were ever a pony?" "If CI's back in town, my cover's blown. The warrior caste is probably already closing in on my trail." "You've led the warriors to me??" she asked with alarm. "You'll be fine. You can deny everything. Tell them you were used, heartbroken, that you had no idea." "Tell them the truth, in other words," she said in a flat tone. "I'm so sorry," he said. "Cricket, I'm so sorry I did this to us. I never thought... I never thought we would... that I..." "Just stop," she said. "Stop and get out." He looked at her one last time, unbearable amounts of every emotion killing him. He felt like he was dying. "I'll be at the place next-door to where we met. I'll be there for twenty-five minutes." Telling her this was a horrible risk. Unconscionable. But there was absolutely no alternative. "Twenty-five minutes. Then I'll be gone. I love you. If we don't see each other again, just please believe that I never lied to you about that." Her breathing was ragged, like she was about to let out a sob or a scream of anger. But she said nothing. He tossed his silk satchel over his back and left. * * * Pinkie and the Spy * * * Chapter 1 Pinkie Pie snorted with fury, pawing a hoof at the ground. Sweat poured in rivulets down her neck. Her muscles-- unaccustomed to the rigors of physical combat-- were so wracked by fatigued that it took a conscious effort to remain standing. But she had to win. She just had to! It was time for desperate measures. "Planning to attack anytime today?" taunted Rainbow Dash, bouncing on her hooves. She was wearing her cap, but she'd removed her whistle for this exercise. "'Cause if you just plan on eyeballing me, I'll mail you an 8x10 glossy and save us both the afternoon." "Jeez, give me a second, Dashie!" puffed Pinkie. "I'm thinking up a battle cry." Dash arched an eyebrow. "Do you really think Discord or Chrysalis would give you that chance?" "Kawai-i-i-i-i-i-i-i!" screamed Pinkie Pie, launching herself forward. She devoured the ten paces between them in two powerful gallops and leaped up into a flying back-kick. Dash dodged to the side and grabbed Pinkie's ankle in midair, pivoting like a shot put thrower. Pinkie flipped head-over-hooves and slammed down onto her back, rolling out on the gym floor. "You telegraphed again," said Dash walking over to help her up. But Pinkie wasn't there anymore, just a cardboard cutout of the smiling, waving pony. The cutout tipped over and fell flat. "You've got to be kidding me," growled Dash. She turned to the apparently empty gym. "No powers, Pinkie Pie! That was the deal!" "Oh, Dashie," came a voice from directly behind her. "I don't have any powers, I'm just a pastry chef!" Dash spun around. "Pinkie! Stand still for just one --whooop!" Pinkie yanked a long rug out from underneath Dash, sending the blue pegasus flipping backwards to crash onto her head. The rug had almost certainly not been there a moment before. Dash leaped up into the air, snorting with fury, "You're not following the rules! We're supposed to be practicing pure hoof-to-hoof combat." "Okay, okay, sorry!" said Pinkie. She put her dukes up. "Come at me, sister!" Dash landed on the ground and charged Pinkie at a gallop. But just as Dash grew near, Pinkie held up a hoof and screamed, "Waaaaiit!" The rainbow pegasus barely screeched to a halt. "What?? What??" "Got to put my hard-hat on," said Pinkie. She placed a plastic yellow helmet on her head. "Can't be too careful about rockslides and all." "Pinkie..." said Dash in a warning tone. "Okay, I'm ready! Attack if you really, really want to." Rainbow Dash reared back a hoof to strike, then dove away, curling into a ball. She peeked upwards with a single eye. Nothing. Alright, alright, she thought, leaping back to her hooves and charging at Pinkie. Dash was less than a meter away from her target when a quarter-ton of rocks fell from above and crashed down upon her. One, last, tiny rock hit Pinkie's hard-hat with a clack. "Wow!" said Pinkie. "Good thing I put this on!" Dash crawled out from under the rocks. She was scuffed and bruised but otherwise okay. "You..." she wheezed, "are a gosh-darn, dirty cheater." "And you love me anyway!" "Pinkie, this isn't some game," said Dash, standing up and dusting herself off. "One of these days, the Elements are going to have to fight something that can take our magic away, or scramble it. That's what Twilight said, anyway. My pegasus magic, Twilight's unicorn magic, your... your... whatever it is that you have..." "Attention Deficit Disorder?" "Whatever. The point is: we have to learn how to fight in all styles, including hoof-to-hoof." "Easy for you to say, Dashie," said Pinkie Pie. "You always win then." "You're still doing better than Twilight. She's just so small. She has a lot of trouble matching even medium-weight mares like myself without her magic. Celestia forbid she has to brawl with a griffon or a mule someday. We have to be ready for anything." "What about Rarity?" "Rarity hates to get her mane messed-up," said Dash, "but she practices Tai-Chi to relax and she's taken a lot of dance lessons. It's coming pretty naturally to her." "Well, jeez!" said Pinkie. "I must be doing better than Fluttershy at least!" Dash glanced to the side and didn't answer. "What?" asked Pinkie. "Uh, she beat the stuffing out of me." "What??" "See, she's got this friend who's a bear--" "I thought that was a lie!" said Pinkie. "So that I wouldn't find out about my birthday party that time!" "Nope," said Dash. "She really knows a bear. With a bad back. A bear with a bad back. So, she took this combat-chiropractic course through the mail--" "She knows a bear??" "Yes!" said Dash again. "But you know what? I don't really want to talk about it. Let's just say that after my last training session with Fluttershy, I needed a real chiropractor. Now help me clean up; we're all done for the day." The mares set Dash's home-gym in order, then wandered back down the hallway of her cloud-house to the kitchen. Dash poured herself a soy-protein booster and took a sip. "Hey, want to go drinking with me and AJ tonight?" "Where you going?" "Some place called the Feed Trough. I have to warn you, it's AJ's pick. It has an actual spittoon." "Sounds like fun, but I've already got plans. Agent and I are taking the overnight train to Manehattan." Dash cocked her head. "You're still with that guy?" "Three months on Friday!" Dash whistled. "That's pretty much the make-it-or-break-it point. Either self-disclosure happens or it's time to move on." Pinkie stared at her for a moment. "Moose?" "You should listen to me, wise-guy. Self-disclosure. Honesty. You know, 'cause you're not on best-behavior anymore. My book said it usually happens after three months." "You're so nerdy now, Rainbow Dash. Twilight made you into a big nerd!" The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? Well, your coltfriend has a weird name." "You know it's not his name, it's his alias." "Pinkie, if he doesn't have any other name, then Agent is his name." "No," said Pinkie firmly. "He has a real name. It's a secret, and one of these days, I'll find out what it is." "And then the magic will be gone!" said Dash. "Poof! Anyway, he's too old for you." "He's only thirty-two! You and I are twenty-seven, or did you forget again?" "Every chance I get," said Dash, bemused. "But I wasn't talking about age, I was talking about oldness. And 'the Agent,' so-called, is nothing but a geezer in a young colt's body. He's a starched suit, Pinkie!" "He's a secret spy-pony is what he is!" said Pinkie, with a touch of real irritation. "He's in great shape, he's really smart, and he could probably beat you in a hoof-to-hoof fight, even with your powers. If all of that doesn't twirl your tail, then you must be holding out for the pony messiah or something." Dash looked at her, surprised, then broke into a smug grin. "You know, all this time I assumed this was just another one of your weird flings. But Pinkie... you're sprung!!" "Sprung? I'm not sprung! Who's sprung? Not me!" "You're sprung," said Dash. "Holy crap. Over a joyless government cog." "Phooey on you," said Pinkie, waving a dismissive hoof. "You're only bad-mouthing him because you're jealous you have to share me with somepony else now. But don't worry, Dashie, you're still my best friend!" Pinkie beamed at her. Dash crossed her forelegs and didn't say anything for a moment. Then she turned back to the sink and started washing the dishes. "He really must be something special." "He's nice to me," said Pinkie. "He makes me feel good about myself." Dash sighed. "Well, if he breaks your heart, I'm going to zap him with my Element of Loyalty beam." "We'll make it a double-barreled shot," said Pinkie. "Okay?" "Okay. Have fun on your vacation." "Oh, it's not a vacation, silly," said Pinkie. "It's a top-secret mission! So don't tell anypony, okay?" Dash looked up at her. "You're kidding." "I am so not kidding," stated Pinkie for the record. "We're going to investigate rumors of an enemy spy-ring operating in the city. I'm officially his bodyguard! Isn't that exciting?" "I thought your super-spy could kill ponies with his bare-hooves." "He says I'm a non-lethal solution." "Then he must not know you very well, after all," said Dash with a snort. "Have fun, don't get killed." "Rules, rules, rules," grumbled Pinkie Pie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Picture Credit: http://img09.deviantart.net/02e2/i/2012/112/6/f/chrysalis_hive_wallpaper_by_purpletoad-d4x9oa4.png http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/017/7/9/pinkiepie_heart_pony_set_by_sk8pants-d4mn0it.png http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/198/3/2/cb_pinkie_pie_wallpaper_by_internationaltck-d57nlzk.jpg