//------------------------------// // chapter 6 // Story: The Deal of a Lifetime // by Killercraft //------------------------------// “That was interesting.” Said Fate as she watched Mantis and James walk to the palace that was quickly filling up with celebrating changelings. "Yea." said God as he took a bite of his ice cream cone. "This is mild to what we’ve seen before." Lucifer and God chuckled as they recalled the fond memory of James messing with elemental magic the first time. Luck looked at the old man. "What was with those piranhas?” She asked “Got a story behind those?” "Yes actually." Said Lucifer. “A few months into Equestria, he had to find a way to kill flying enemies 'cause he's a horrible shot. I don't know what he was thinking but apparently he thought it was a good idea to put hawk wings on a piranha. A few unneeded corpses later and he had the world's deadliest creature at his disposal." "Neat." She said as she watched James chug down a two-hundred year old bottle of wine, much to the chagrin of the changeling queen. A loud beeping sounded throughout the room causing everyone to jump, Fate looked at her watch and groaned. "Looks like my break is over, It was nice hanging out with you guys but I have to go. Maybe we can do this again?" "I know I am." said Luck as she got up from her seat. They both left, leaving the men on the couch watching three changelings, morphed into Minotaur, arm wrestle James. "Well... I'm bored. Wanna Mess with the humans some more?" Asked Lucifer. "Sure." And that's how the great Emu War came to be. ------------------------ The moon hung overhead as a squad of Changelings buzzed across the sea of green that was known as the Everfree. The Empress of the Changelings and some of her guards were flying to the Sapphire hive to discuss the love shortage due to Chrysalises humiliating defeat. The Empress and her changelings had white manes and tails with their chitin sagging like it was a size or two big on them, due to ruling one of the bigger hives in the land the Empress had to strictly ration love consumption. Even then, many changelings had died by giving their love to those who had need it most such as the injured and young. The Changelings landed at the portal tree to the Sapphire hive, a Scout trotted in front of the Empress and bowed. "Empress, there weren't any signs of anybody following us." He said. She nodded and pressed the code on the tree, stepping through the portal The Empress looked upon her daughters hive. The portal was placed so that visitors could see the entire kingdom and assess any notable problems, such as starvation or any noticeable destruction, which the Empress noted there was none of those that befell her eyes. This is quite odd. The Empress thought as she looked at the surprisingly healthy changelings below her. Many of these changelings should be half starved by now. Yet here they are, acting like nothing has happened to them. Looking more intensely at the surroundings she saw flowers of varying colors along the roads. There must be something important about those flowers, but what? She pondered. She was shaken by her thoughts by one of her guards calling her name. "Are you alright my Empress?" The Empress shook her head. "I am alright Captain. Let us go see my daughter." With a buzz of their wings they headed to the palace entrance, once there the guards bowed and and let the Empress and her entourage in. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "And that is how you make a crane." I say as I hold up the origami bird, showing it to the others around the table. Around me are my sisters who were once walking skeletons and have now been returned to their former glory. Mirror, queen of the Ruby hive, lifts hers and stared at it, the crane was perfect, mirror copy like her namesake. Her hive was the main infiltrators and made up most of the changelings that were around the world. Earwig, Queen of the Amethyst hive, crumpled her crane in anger as she missed a fold somewhere throughout the instructions. Her hive handled communications to the other hives and to changelings that impersonated famous figures that have little time to themselves. Jewel, Queen of the Gold hive, made the last crease of the crane. “I believe I got it.” She said as she observed the paper bird in her magic. Her hive was the main digger hive that has carved out most of the recent hives. “What is the purpose of this again?” “It can be many things.” I said simply. “A time waster, a little trick to show people, you can sell them, and if legends are true, make one thousand of these and you get a wish." Everyone in the room perked up at the sound of a free wish. "How do we know the legend is true? Has anyone even acquired the wish?" Earwig said disbelievingly as she crossed her forelegs together. "James did it, and with his wish, he saved every changeling in existence." Earwig said nothing as she picked up a piece of paper and tried again. "When are we going to meet this James, sis?" Jewel questioned, Mirror perked at the question. "Yes, why isn't our savior here?" She questioned. "He needed to cash in a Manticore bounty and check up on some people. Apparently he is also a writer." And with that said, a whole slew of new questions were made in seconds. Before any could be asked the door to the conference room opened and a guard that looked like a skeleton with a white main and tail stepped in. "Now presenting the Empress of the Changelings." Sounded the guard as a tall changeling with a long white mane and tail, that also looked like a skeleton, walked in with several guards at her side. "MOTHER!" My sisters and I shouted as we glomped our mother.