//------------------------------// // Chapter 52: What do the changelings want with me? // Story: The Hacker Pwny // by Chetzi //------------------------------// "Interesting. Vinyl's a hard one to figure out," Rarity said to me as we played Tic-tac-toe. "I don't know how much I could help you. I'd ask Octavia, she'd no more than me." I put an 'O' in the bottom right corner of the game bored. "I win... again," I said. She's downright horrible at this game. She hasn't won once. I even tried to force her into winning... and failed miserably. "Best fifty-eight out of one hundred and sixteen." I got up off the floor. "Eh, maybe another time. This is getting boring." "Now what?" The sky outside the window had already turned dark, rain dotting the glass. There was no thunder, just a bit of drizzle. It was maybe 7-ish at night. Even after all this time, there was still nothing Rarity and I could find to do that would be fun together. We talked about relationships a bit, but she always seemed overdramatic on things. That doesn't mean I didn't listen to her, I just questioned her logic. But as it turns out, logic doesn't dictate things. Rarity showed me that. It doesn't matter how cold, how heartless you are, there's still a good spot. Yes, I often act cold on the outside, and have no problem being renegade, and that's sometimes a good thing dealing with big problems, but I'm not always doing that. Sometimes, logic isn't all you need. Life has more value than a few numbers. It took me a while to understand exactly what Rarity was saying, but I think I get it now. Rarity may be overdramatic, but that might have been the only reason why I now see this. No, I'm not going to start acting stupid, abandoning all logic, but I now understand why I save so many people. I've had the choice to let so many people die, to just not care. And yet, I've done so much. I just didn't know why. And now I do, it's part of being human. Humans care for others, and I now know why. I feel... like I have a purpose now. A reason to push on, for more than just survival instincts. "It's getting kind of late, I should be heading to Vinyl's now, she'll probably be wanting to see me." I started walking out. "Thinking of Vinyl's feelings? You have learned. I guess today wasn't a waste. Oh, wait!" I stopped right in front of the door. "You're going to need an umbrella, you wouldn't want your new hair to get wet." My mane looks the same as it did when I first became a pony, there's no styling in it. "No, I'm fine. I can create one with magic." I opened the door, walked out halfway, turned my neck to look back, and smiled at Rarity. "Thanks." I walked out and closed the door. Because of my laziness, I subconsciencely incorporated magic into everyday life. Like I closed that door with magic, and forgot I even used magic. It's a nice alternative to NOT HAVING HANDS. But whatever, I formed a flat forcefield above me. The water dripped off, leaving me dry. It was a rather lonely trot back. I need to learn teleportation. I got opened Vinyl's door, to be met with a tackle. We tumbled out in the rain for a second, until we lost momentum and Vinyl laid on top. "Hey!" Vinyl exclaimed as rain held her mane down. A brief pause lingered in the air as I figured out what Vinyl was doing. "Err, hi. I guess this means you miss me." "You know it," Vinyl said right before she slowly kissed me. Our eyes closed, and drops of rain dripped off of Vinyl's face. After a few seconds, I broke the kiss and created a magic shield to get us out of the rain. I then proceed to push her off me and stand up. "I'd rather not be outside, it's cold and I'm wet." "I've noticed you always break off first." "Is that a problem? Are you trying to go farther?" "No, it's just not normal for stallions to break off first." "Since when is any of this normal?" "Heh, you're right. Besides, we can always continue this later." We then trotted into her house, and I shut the door. It was about ten degrees warmer, and felt nice. Vinyl levitated a kitchen cloth over to me. "Thanks." I dried myself off and laid down on a couch. My mane puffed up in an almost cartoon-like manner when I stopped drying it. Vinyl snickered at me. I held my hair back down with magic. "So," Vinyl said as she crawled on top of me. "How was today?" Her face was inches from mine as she looked me in the eyes. "It was okay, Rarity can be a good friend." "You never seem to have any extreme opinions. It's always, okay this, and I'm neutral this." "Well, not for everything." "And what's that?" "You," I said, as we locked lips. "Heh, aren't you nice," Vinyl said then resumed the tender kiss. My eyes fluttered open, and it looked like we both fell asleep on the coach. Vinyl was peacefully resting on top of me, her rhythmic breathing making her look cute. Her hair rustled as she breathed. I carefully levitated her off me, and placed her on the other couch. A deep yawn was the only sound she made, and it was clear she was still asleep. Wait, I didn't have nightmares. I slept... good. My mind feels calm, free from guilt. I don't remember the last time I was free to sleep. At this point, I don't care. Let's just get through another day. Wait, something's wrong. Call it intuition, which I downright hate, but I feel like something is following me. I stealthily looked around me, finding nothing out of the ordinary. I walked around buildings, and through streets, until I found only one thing that was still with me. A stallion, generic blue Earth pony. I walked past one more house, and quickly hid to the side. The pony trotted past me, and I tackled him. "Who are you!?" I demanded. The stallion showed a fake sense of bravery. I could tell he was afraid. I lifted him up with magic, and slammed him into the side of the house. "I am not playing. I saw you follow me. Now, tell me who you are before you know the torture I know of." The pony still didn't look scared, nor say anything. Fine, he asked for it. "My favorite torture method is where you get put into a large metal tank, and then I put a fire underneath it. The metal will keep getting hotter, and hotter, until your skin is boiling and your eyes are melting. And you will leave dead. But that's not that worst part, you're stuck in this thing for days." A noticeable sweat drop went down his face. He still didn't say anything. Looks like he wants to hear more. "What if I stick a sharp, thick, rusted, and splintered metal pole in your flank, and keep pushing until it goes through your mouth? And then leave it there, until you bleed out in the next few hours?" "I'll talk I'll talk!" He finally confessed. I still had him slammed against the wall, and no one was watching. "I'm... Uh, it would better to just show you." The stallion morphed into a changeling. I slammed a hoof into the wall, next to his head. "What are you doing here?! Changelings are being hunted down, and why are you following me?!" "We need help... The queen asked for you." I formed a sharp blade with magic, and pressed it against his throat. I hate changelings. They don't deserve to live. Creatures that manipulate others shouldn't exist. "And why should I help?" The blade dug deeper into his neck. "Just hear her out! Please! I'm begging you, don't hurt me!" "Shut up or else I'll cut your vocal cords out, and I won't need to tell you that. If you wanted to see me, sneaking up on me and trying to deceive me into helping will only get you killed." I released him from the wall and walked off. "But what will I tell the queen?!" I stopped, turned my neck to look at him, and glared. "Tell her to go fuck herself." I then went back to walking off. I can't stand creatures like these. I put the events behind me, and continued on with my day. Let's see, I believe today I need suffer through Pinkie. Oh, goodie. This'll fun. As I went up to the bakery, I saw Pinkie Pie race out from the building, holding a basket in her teeth. She completely ignored me as she went past. I looked back at the house Pinkie dashed out of, to find another Pinkie Pie there, badly icing cupcakes. Another changeling. They're not even trying. I levitated the door open, and trotted over to the changeling disguised as her. Pinkie Pie can't make cupcakes that bad, whoever this is must have tricked her into an emergency delivery. "I already said no. Get somepony else," I told him. The place was void of other life, and the changeling morphed into normal form. He looked different, a higher rank maybe, and much tougher. "The queen isn't taking no for an answer. Will you doom us our freedom? Just because we were born like this?" "I know it's not your fault you turned out like this, but, it doesn't matter. Your race feeds on others, and manipulates them into it. Launching a full-scale assault isn't the way to appear friendly, and be wanted aboveground." "We did't have a choice." The changeling charged at me, and bit me in the neck. His sharp teeth sunk deep, injecting mind numbing poison. The world started to spin, but I was stronger than any poison. "Get, OFF!" I sent a shockwave of magic out, making the changeling crash into the ceiling. The world swirled, but I held firm. I started to lose feeling in my legs. "We need your help, whether you want to or not." I wobbled on my hooves, not ready to fall just yet. I shook my head, trying to get some clarity. The changeling charged back at me, and bit me a second time. I pushed him off with the little strength I had left. The second dose worked quickly, but I was determined to keep going. "How are you still standing!?" The changeling asked. "I... refuse... to give up." The changeling charged at me again, but this time I formed a shield between me and him. He crashed into, causing it to shatter, but he looked stun. With the little coordination I had, I ran up to him and slammed him back a few feet. Tables and chairs were overturned in the fight. I stumbled forward, and the changeling got another bite in. "No..." I said as the world faded into darkness. "Three bites. That's enough to kill ponies. I hope you didn't just die," was the last thing I heard before slipping away from reality.