Queen Chrysalis- Diamond Dog Ancestral Home- Colosseum
I tried to keep calm as I stared at the diamond dog before me, but with the little sleep I’d had and the tension in the air, I was anything but calm. How could I have let Hope talk me into fighting? Sure with Chrys I might have been fine, but on my own I had no idea what to do! There was quite a difference between watching a fight and actually participating in one. A truth I was facing head on.
Upon Blackie’s muzzle, the blood of Fang had dried and stained his fur and canines crimson. The diamond dog didn’t even look winded from the fight he had finished just a few minutes ago. Rather his stubby tail wagged behind him and he grinned creepily at me.
Radiant Hope had settled into her chair with Citheronia placed next to her on the floor. I guess she wasn’t worried about her trying to escape now? Whatever, all that mattered was she was safe, as much as she could be in the clutches of that vile unicorn. I couldn’t let her down. I couldn’t let what remained of our hive down! The big question though, was how would I beat Blackie with the little skill I had?
“We bets you don’t even last a minute, changeling.” Blackie smirked and then gave a hyena like laugh.
“We’ll see about that, mutt,” I snorted. He had a good point though. He wasn’t kept from using parts of himself like I was, and without Chrys my magic ability was… poor at the moment. His experience far surpassed my own as well.
“The fight you have all been waiting for shall begin soon!” the announcer shouted over the roar of the crowd. “Make sure to get your bets in before it is too late!”
My ears lowered at his words and I gulped. Would any of them bet on me? Colt, why was I even wondering about that! I should be worrying about the fight. I steadied my stance. My hooves dug into the sand to try to get some firm grounding, and I bared my fangs and tried to muster a menacing snarl, but probably looked more like a poodle trying to scare a shark.
Blackie just chuckled darkly and bared his fangs in another creepy grin. He didn’t seem worried at all, but then if he was Hope’s champion dog, he probably didn’t need to.
I jumped as the bell rang out and Blackie sprang at me. With a swipe of his right forepaw, he gouged a shallow wound along my barrel, just missing my wing, and knocked me to my hooves. A shriek of pain fell from my lips, as he turned to look at the crowd and slowly licked my blood from his claws. “Looks like we’re having changeling queen tonight!” he yelled and the crowd roared in delight.
My eyes fell on the wound and shuddered a little. Was I lucky it had only been shallow, or was he just playing with me? Whatever it was, my blood dripped slowly to the sand. Not red like the blood that stained Blackie’s muzzle but more a greenish-blue. Look at that, a true ‘blueblood’ royal.. I lied there and caught my breath for a moment as the dumb dog waved to the crowd. It was as if he thought I was already done. Well, buck that idea. I am NOT going down that easily!
I stumbled to my hooves, gritting my fangs at the pain of the dripping wound along my side. “Y-you’ll have to try harder than that if you plan on eating me,” I snarled. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. My eyes narrowed and fangs bared as he turned back to me.
“Then fight me, weakling!” he snapped and dived at me again. This time I was barely able to dodge his blow, but then gasped as he kicked out a back leg and knocked my left hind leg out from under me.
I rolled onto the ground once more, hissing as I felt the sand grind into my open wound. “Stupid mutt!” I growled, to which he just laughed. Must not lose hope. Too much is riding on my return, my survival.
Once again I rolled to my hooves and shook the sand from my body. I lowered my horn and with a battle cry charged at him. He swerved to the side and with a growl leaped onto my back and dug his claws into the back of my neck. I yelped in pain and fell to my side, dislodging him as I partially rolled over onto him.
With a push of his back paws against me, he wiggled out from underneath me, and stood before me with his fangs bared. I rose back to my hooves but cringed as the wounds he had opened across my neck stung and bled down over my chest.
I lashed out at him, but he pulled back just enough that my fangs caught only fur. He whipped forward and head butted me in the chest, knocking me to my hooves once more as I bit my lip to resist crying out in pain.
Once again I was back on the sandy floor with its sharp shards digging into my wounds. This was hopeless! I’m not a fighter. How can I ever hope to beat this brute? I blinked away tears as they pricked my eyes. No, no crying. I couldn’t show him weakness like that. Blackie circled around me, the lithe muscles in each leg rippled and shone when the light hit the blood splashed on them.
He slashed a paw at me and scraped a gouge out of my cheek, then spat at me. “Stupid weakling, other little ones put up better fight than you!” he chided. “Though we still feasted on them,” he grinned. “Just wish we had some ketchup.”
“They were not yours to touch!” I hissed, whipped my neck upwards and snapped at him. I couldn’t give up yet, even if it was useless. My fangs scraped against his paw before he managed to get it away. Hmm maybe I can do this? I rolled to my belly and then stood shakily.
“Too lates, already eaten,” he chortled and shook his paw I had snagged.
My eyes glowed at his words. “They will be the last meal you eat!” I yelled and charged at him, my neck lowered, whipping back and forth like a snake, fangs bared.
He dived between my legs, but not before I got a good bite into one of his hind legs and he yelped. I dug my fangs in deeper only for him to roll beneath me and knock my hooves out from under me again. My fangs slipped out of his leg as he rolled the opposite way of me and rose back to his paws.
I spat fur and blood from my mouth and curled my legs inward as he sprang at my exposed stomach, then pushed them outward and flipped him over and away from me when he got close enough. As I once again rose to my hooves, I watched him slide through the sand. I pawed a hoof through the sand and hissed at him again. It was time to take control of this battle, time to be the mama bear. No longer would these fiends hurt those under my care.
He struggled to his paws, his left hind leg held up away from the ground. He took in a deep breath and charged at me, though his gait was awkward with that injured back paw. Just before he reached me, I whipped around and bucked out my hind legs, a small grin formed on my lips as I felt them connect with flesh.
The mutt yelped and slid across the arena. He finally came to a stop against the far wall and rose shakily to his paws. I could see uncertainty in his eyes now, as he merely struggled to keep on his paws. I reared and let out a piercing neigh, lowered my head and charged. My hooves dug through the sand, the pound of each hoofstep filled my ears. That’s when I heard and felt the squelch, a grunt, and then everything went silent.
I let my breath out in heavy gasps as something struggled before me. I felt claws scrape against my muzzle weakly but held my stance. It wasn’t until the struggle grew still that I felt the blood as it dripped down my horn and muzzle. I looked down to see a dark puddle of it as it slowly grew on the sand below. On shaky hooves I took a few steps backwards and winced as I felt the weight of the dead dog before me slip from my horn and into the growing puddle of blood.
My eyes grew wide and I stared hard at the bloody mess. A hole gaped through the upper half of his back, and I realized I must have speared him through the heart with my horn. My heart raced, my mouth grew dry, and the realization of what I had just done hit me full force. He was dead! I had killed someone! Oh colt, I had just killed someone!
I looked up at the crowd, their silence almost deafening as they all just stared at me, shock written on many of the faces I could see. Their eyes judging me, chastising me, staring into my soul. My eyes flicked from one face to another, my lower lip twitched, and my mouth hung open as I panted.
The sound of hooves clopping slowly together broke me from the dog’s stares, and I turned to see Radiant Hope with a smile on her face. “Excellent, excellent,” she crooned. “I didn’t think you were going to make it there for a while, but you proved me wrong.”
I glared at her and tried to swallow the pain and horror I felt. It was a huge ball of fear, guilt, and terror lodged in my throat. I coughed as I found it hard to even breathe. All of this, this feeling of wrongness that chilled my blood, this was all her fault!
“You,” I hissed and stepped over to her box seat. “I did your dirty work, what you asked,” I snarled. “Now, give me my daughter!” How I wanted to rip her to shreds for what she had done! No, no I couldn’t kill her. No, I was good. I didn’t kill people, ponies, or any creature for that matter! We had to get out of here. There was no way I could stay here any longer. Not with their stares. Not with the body. Not with the stench of blood that covered me like a blanket. My stomach roiled within me, and I was sure I would puke –if I could have, stupid equine anatomy-.
“Sorry, but no can do,” she smirked. “You haven’t beaten my champion yet.”
I blinked, once, twice, then gaped at her. “What the hay do you mean? He’s- he’s- he’s right over there!” I pointed a hoof back at the corpse. A few other dogs had it now, and began to drag it away. I watched as it passed through the dark tunnel, as I tried to keep to my hooves.
Hope let out a cackle and almost rolled out of her chair. “Blackie? My champion? As if!” she continued to laugh, a few of the diamond dogs in the stands joining her. “Oh dear, dear, Chrysalis. He was just today’s champion.”
“What?” I growled. No, please no! Could a changeling faint? As I sure felt like doing so!
“You need to prove yourself to face the Pit Champion, you silly changeling,” she giggled.
“What?” I huffed. “This isn’t a game Hope!” What kind of sick mind did she have? Enjoying vile events like this, it was just… just horrid! I shook my head as a bout of dizziness fell over me. The wound along my barrel still dripped blood into the sand below me, and my other wounds were not feeling much better. Hope’s little champion had done some serious damage to me it seemed.
She frowned down at me, “aw, is our little queen not having fun? Afraid to dirty your pretty mane?” Wrapped in her magic once more, she brought Citheronia up to her face and held her in her hooves. “Does mommy not really want her little filly?” she cooed at her. Citheronia whined and pushed her little hooves at Hope’s muzzle and struggled to get away.
“What do you have against us Hope?” I snapped and stomped a hoof. These mind games were so frustrating! “Is it just because I wouldn’t join you? Are you doing all this because of that?” I bit my cheek as pain shot through my leg. Perhaps stomping was not such a great idea right now. Faint spots danced in my vision and my hooves tingled as if they had fallen asleep.
“You really don’t recall?” she said softly as her eyes glowed red. “It is far more than simply rejecting me.”
What had I done to her? What had we done to her? I growled in frustration as I tried to think of something we had done. I couldn’t recall anything in the show, nor the comics. Must have been bad enough they left it out? I had no idea what it could be, but as the nausea that coursed through me increased with no way to reduce it I just couldn’t concentrate well enough to care.
“Forgive an old queen for being a little forgetful,” I snarled. “We’ve lived even longer than you after all.” Well, this body at least. I held a hoof to my forehead as the spots grew larger and almost blocked my entire vision.
“Well, I think we shall have plenty of time for you to remember,” Hope chuckled. “You are not leaving here anytime soon.”
“W-what?” I moaned and collapsed onto the sandy arena with my hooves sprawled out to the side.
I heard a soft popping sound and then a hoof placed below my muzzle forced me to look up at a smirking Hope. “Let’s just see how long you can last, shall we? Don’t let an old friend down now and die on me.” She dropped her hoof and trotted away from me. “Rover, Charlie, take her to the room I’ve had prepared for her,” Hope said softly.
I felt it as paws wrapped around me and began to drag me away. Panicked emotions coursed through me and I heard Citheronia begin to cry again. NO! I struggled to get out of the dog’s grasps, but to no avail as the spots blackened.
“Make sure she is nice and comfortable,” Hope said, though her voice was quieter than usual. “I’ll be in to see her soon.”
“Yes, Pointy Pony,” one of the dogs grunted and continued to drag me away. The last sound I heard as I fell into darkness was the keening cry of Citheronia.
Shiny’s Home- Shiny Whistle
“Why would you even go to the changeling hive?” Father growled and slammed the front door behind us. Luckily, Discord was nowhere to be found when the four of us arrived home, but that didn’t make things better. Father’s face was bright red as he let out a growl and poked a hoof to my chest. “They are our enemies. They tried to take control of us!”
“They were just hungry, and most of them are not that bad,” I sighed.
Father huffed and turned away. “Just the thing one of them would say. You are not my son.”
“Father, we already went through this,” I groaned and facehoofed. “Zenovia confirmed I am who I say I am.”
Velvet stepped over to me and wrapped a hoof around me. “You should tell him what you told me and Discord,” he whispered. “Maybe that will help?”
Didn’t really see how it would, but I couldn’t think of anything else. “Father, I… I went to find their hive, their… castle, because I fell for their Queen.”
“Fell in love with their QUEEN?” Father growled as he led the way into the living room. “Shiny, have we taught you nothing? Nor Princess Celestia?” he snapped and stomped a hoof. “We paid good bits to send you to her school. You had such good potential to be a great and powerful unicorn, to make something more of yourself, to make me proud, and this is what you do to repay us? Fall for some monster, a murderer? An enemy of Equestria!”
He held a hoof to his forehead and let out a deep sigh. “Look, I know the Princess wants all her ponies to be friends with others, to share that power of friendship, but trying to befriend a villain? That was just asking for trouble. All befriending villains ever causes is chaos and destruction.”
“Not always, Father,” I muttered. “Along with math and magic and everything else I was taught there and by you, you always told me to care for others and be a good pony.” Though there was that time in Celestia’s class… but who could blame me there? All the colts in my class were crazy for our beautiful Princess when we got to the age where we started noticing the mares and fillies around us. She had quickly set us straight on that though. “Neither of you ever said anything about not falling for mares that were different from us, just to love all and be their friend. Well, I’ve done my best to do that. It’s worked out with Twilight and her friends too. They helped Princess Luna return to her senses. They helped Discord see the error of his ways.” Even if they were still working on that with Discord. Nopony was perfect after all. “I just wanted to, well, find them again and try to bring them that friendship.”
“Well you sure found them, didn’t you?” he snapped. “Now look what you started. Did you like the idea of becoming a slave to such creatures? Is that it? For them to suck the love right out of you until you were nothing but a dried up shell of a pony? It might have worked for Princess Luna and to an extent Discord, but they were a far different type of villain to those bugs.”
“I’m not the one who started this chaos,” I groaned. “Nor was I a slave to them. I was teaching them music with my penny whistles.” I pulled out the whistle Father had given me from my saddle bag. Even with the repairs Discord had made, the tin was still worn thin in places, the blue plastic of the mouthpiece scratched and chipped. I had loved that whistle nearly to ruin so many times over the years, but I could never replace it with a new one. Not when it was such a special gift from Father. Not when it had helped me get my cutie mark.
Father snorted and rolled his eyes. He didn’t even look at the whistle as I held it out to him. “Oh, trying to seduce their queen into loving you, was that it? Of course neither of my sons could just be normal,” he spat and tossed a hoof into the air. “Oh no, all your mother and I wanted was some grandfoals and for our foals to find love. What happens instead? One becomes a colt cuddler, the other crazed over a species whose primary goal is to lure ponies away with thoughts of exotic sex! Those bugs are incapable of love, don’t you realize that? They’ll use it, trick ponies into falling for them with a little flattery and fluttering of pretty eyelashes, and then you are never seen again! Any love you thought you saw them return, was nothing but an illusion.” Father paused a moment to catch his breath, one hoof held to his forehead as he breathed deeply through his mouth.
“Shiny, there were countless reports in the papers after the wedding, of ponies who have been betrayed by changelings pretending to love them. Then the moment their Queen gave the word, they left said ponies and didn’t look back. I just don’t want that to happen to you, my son. Either of you.” His gaze turned to Velvet as he sighed.
“I-I thought you liked Soarin’, Dad,” Velvet whispered and gazed down at the floor. Great, now Father was going after my brother too? Can’t he just accept us as we were?
“I like the Wonderbolts,” Father snorted.
“Solo, Honey,” Mother soothed and wrapped a wing around him. “I know we want grandfoals, but at least Velvet loves fellow ponies, right?”
“I suppose so,” he sighed. “Yet they both need to hear this.” Father turned back to me as his ears pinned back against his skull. “This… obsession you have with changelings son, it has got to stop! It’s not healthy.”
“I’m an adult Father,” I sighed. “I think I’m old enough to know how to pick my own friends and those I associate with.”
“Not if those you deem as ‘friends’ wouldn’t think twice about killing you,” he snapped. “Changelings are evil, deadly. If you want an exotic lover at least go for something like a Zebra! I don’t like them, but they are more pony than those bugs!”
“Just because they don’t have fur doesn’t make them wrong to love.” .
“That is not what I mean Shiny,” he growled. “How can you even trust one of them to really love you, hmm? They feed off of our love, right? A creature that needs love to survive I doubt can produce it on their own.”
“Why not?” I growled back.
“If they could produce their own, then why would they hide who they really are? Why pretend to be somepony’s coltfriend, or brother, or wife? All their kind do is lie about who they are. They grow up learning to lie and deceive, to do whatever it takes to feed off us. There is no way to know if their feelings are genuine or if they are just using you.” He turned away from me and sat down on the couch.
I guess he did have me there. Was that why Chryssy had really turned me away? Had she just been using me? Perhaps I had just become more than she wanted to deal with. She was dealing with a lot right now, a pony obsessed with her probably didn’t help with that.
“Do you not want us to love who we want to love, Dad?” Velvet whispered and curled his wings tight against his barrel.
“I want my colts to be safe,” he said. “The best way to do so is to find a good pony mare and settle down with her. Those bugs cannot love you, or anypony! All they love is food.”
“I just− I can’t− “ Velvet shook his head and plopped down on the La-z-colt across the room. “You’ve known I’ve liked colts for years! Why are you only just getting on my case about it now?”
“I always thought one of my sons would give me grandfoals,” Father huffed. “So now, when I find out the son I was counting on for that doesn’t want to continue our family line− “
“Are you really so obsessed with that?” I yelled. “Besides, who knows, perhaps I could give you grandfoals still− “
“Did you see any foals that were part bug while you were in their control?” Father interrupted.
“Well… no.”
“Did your ‘little friends’ have sex with their pony slaves?”
“None of us were slaves Dad!” Why couldn’t he get that through his head? “I’m not sure, probably?” Was it really my business what they did in their spare time?
“Then I would say it is safe to bet ponies and changelings are not compatible enough to produce a foal.” He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at me. “Why couldn’t I be blessed with normal sons?” he sighed.
“Solo, our sons are great in their own ways,” Mother said, sat down beside him, and wrapped a wing around him. “Both are wonderful musicians, are they not? Velvet has a huge group of fans for his music, and Shiny has his students.” She turned to look at me. “Students who have been missing you since you left. Do you plan to return to teaching them now that you are back? Go back to your studio?”
“Yeah, I suppose so, Mother,” I nodded. It would be something to keep my mind off Chryssy, though my changeling students -especially Nemoria and Acronicta- not so much. They were just as talented if not more so than many of the pony’s I had taught. Had Discord told them what happened yet?
Father just shook his head. “That may be true, but both have abandoned their talents to follow their lustful dreams,” he snorted. “Most stallions Shiny’s age obsess over normal things like sports. It might not be the best obsession, but I’d rather that than this! No though, you just had to be different didn’t you?” he huffed as he glared at me. “Now look what you’ve done.”
“What, father? What have I done?” I yelled and stomped a hoof.
“Is it not obvious? If you really are my son, you’ve been taken in by those demons ability to give you any fantasy you want.”
“What?” I gasped. “Father, I haven’t done anything like you are thinking.”
“You haven’t let those demons feed off of you in return for sex?”
“NO!” I yelled and facehoofed. “Yes I did let Chryssy feed off of me, but we haven’t had sex!” Sure I may have thought of it at times, especially when her scent was strong around me, but that didn’t mean I acted on it.
“You still let her exploit you though,” he huffed. “Keep you prisoner, locked in her castle to be fed upon.”
“Her feeding on me was my choice Father. I care for her enough to want her well fed. I wasn’t locked up either.”
“Could you have left, if you wanted to?” Father countered.
“Well…” I paused, then turned away when he nodded.
“If they wouldn’t have let you leave, then you were a prisoner, a captive, food even. Another point, it is their job to trick ponies into willingly let them feed on them. It’s part of their… schtick ”
“Noling ever fed on me there,” I said. “As a professor, I was protected from that. She only fed on me while we traveled, and even then she was reluctant to”
“Would of just been a matter of time,” he snorted.
“They treat the ponies that live there well too,” I said as I turned back around. “Not as prisoners. They are well fed, given their own rooms, given jobs outside of feeding− “
“Then you were all slaves to them instead? Does that make it any better?” he growled. “Those slanderous bugs probably solicit inappropriate behavior with their slaves as well.”
“What?” I gasped.
“You heard me,” he snapped. “They find ponies like yourself who want excitement in their sexual lives. I doubt you didn’t give into those whims and sleep with one of those whorses. How am I to find you a bride now, hmm?”
My mouth gaped open as I just blinked at him in shock. “Father, I− “
“That is enough Solo,” Mother said firmly and held a hoof to Father’s chest. “Must we continue with this? I want grandfoals as much as you, but well if our son wants to love a monster well that is his choice.”
You too Mother? I sighed and closed my eyes. At least she was a little nicer about it.
She turned to look at me, stood, and smiled softly at me. “Even if you are a pony, Shiny, and I’d love pretty little grandfoals, I just want you to be happy.”
“She’s right father,” Velvet nodded. “Isn’t our happiness what matters most?” he grinned softly at me.
I closed my eyes and looked away from them all. How could I continue to face this attitude of my father? He didn’t even think I was really me. He didn’t understand. Perhaps nopony really did. I was even beginning to wonder if I even understood.
“Yes Honey,” Mom murmured and nuzzled against dad’s cheek. That usually worked to calm him down. She had kept mostly silent through our fight, but from the look she gave father — a small frown and her ears tilted slightly downward — I was sure she was upset with him. “I know you are angry Solo, but taking it out on our sons isn’t going to solve anything. We are all tired, please give them a break? The Shiny before us is our son, and you know that.”
“I still do not agree with his foalish actions,” he grumbled.
“Yes, I know father,” I said. There was no use arguing with him anymore, never had been. Sure I might have studied changelings behind his back, but when he got an idea in his head he wouldn’t let it go. If I wanted to get to sleep anytime soon, it was better to just let him blow off his anger.
“What’s even worse, you got your sister involved and now she is gone!” he snapped and stomped a hoof on the floor. Not this again! “Does anypony know where she is? No! Is she still alive? Who knows? If anything has happened to my baby filly it is on your head!”
“I KNOW father!” I cried, the tears pricked at my eyes at his words. Colt how much I knew that. If we never find her, it will forever be with me. My stupid plans, stupid ideas, stupid choices.… I’d never be able to forgive myself. How could I? She looked up to me, loved me, and all I have done is let her down.
The tears started to flow, I couldn’t help it, as I curled up on the floor in the living room and shivered. Colt just look at me. I’m weak, useless. I can’t even stand up to all this shouting and ridicule from my father. How could I have ever hoped to be with someone as wonderful as her? A leader? Somepony for others to look up to?
“Solo, can’t you see he’s been through enough lately?” Mother said quietly and nuzzled against father.
“So has my little filly,” he huffed and pulled away from her. “Yet whatever has happened to her, I can’t be there to comfort her. I can’t calm her fears or sorrows.” He turned away from both of us and sighed. “Nor stop her from being hurt or worse, killed.”
“We’ll find her dad,” Velvet said, stood, trotted over to Father, and hugged him close with one wing. “We have an extra set of eyes to look now. Perhaps if we followed Shiny’s hoofsteps, we would find her on the way?”
“Maybe,” he huffed. “That still doesn’t excuse running away.”
“I’m a grown stallion father,” I groaned and wiped at my eyes. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“Of course I want you to be happy,” he nodded, “and normal grandfoals. What’s wrong with settling down with some normal mare?”
“Ugh, forget it,” I sighed and waved a hoof at him. “Are you done yelling at me? May I just go to my room?”
“Of course Shiny,” Mother said and smiled softly at me. “You and Velvet have both had a very hard day I imagine? Get some sleep, things will be better in the morning.”
Not likely. Velvet and I gave Mother a hug and then trotted up the stairs. I followed him into his room to grab my pillow and blankets, and noticed Discord’s hammock was still attached to the ceiling.
“Sorry about dad, Shiny,” Velvet sighed and sat down on his bed. “He just doesn’t know her. Not like you… seem to at least.”
“I’m sorry too Velvet,” I murmured and rolled my blanket into a ball with my magic. “If it wasn’t for me, Father wouldn’t be getting on your case for liking stallions.”
“I’m used to it Shiny,” he whispered. “Not from Dad, but others. ‘Oh, you like stallions? Why can’t you like mares?’ they say,” he snorts. “‘There are already so few stallions in Equestria, why make it harder for a mare to find one by keeping one for your own?’” he grabbed his pillow up in his hooves and tossed it across the room. “I can’t help who I am!”
Velvet turned back to me, gave a deep sigh, and wrapped me in a hug. “Just like you bro. If you like changelings, well then I say go for it!”
“Thanks bro,” I whispered and returned the hug. At least Velvet was on my side. He understood, and still cared for me. Why couldn’t Father just do the same? Was it that hard to believe a changeling could be good? That I could see the good in them, even their Queen? All the more reason to get away again.
. “He’s right about one thing though, Velvet,” I sniffed and grabbed my own pillow. “If Dew is d-dead−”
“She’s not.”
“How would you know?” I mumbled. “Nopony has seen her. There are no leads to where she might be.” I’d done so much damage with my crazy ideas. I’d hurt Mother and Velvet all because I wanted to go find the changelings. If Dew hadn’t followed me, she’d still be here, safe in her room.
“Call it big brother, sibling intuition or something,” he said and hugged me close again. “She’ll return to us, one way or another. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said and nestled my head against his own. I’d sure missed these times, the comfort of my older brother. The older we grew, the less time we had for each other. “Remember that time out in White Tail woods, during that thunderstorm?”
“When that branch broke off and smashed half our tent?” he chuckled.
I nodded. “Think I was even younger than Dew back then.”
“Yeah, you were,” he said. “It scared you so bad I had to share my sleeping bag with you so you could fall asleep.”
“I wish our problems were as silly as a broken tree branch still,” I sighed.
Velvet ruffled my mane with a hoof. “All part of growing up Shiny, everything gets harder.” He put a hoof beneath my muzzle and gently pushed it toward him. “I know life seems like you’ve taken a trip to Tartarus right now, but I do believe you will pull through. You have more strength in you than you know, and you know what?”
“No, what?”
“All you gotta do is tap into it,” he grinned and booped my muzzle. “Let’s get some sleep, shall we? Then we can figure out a new plan to search for Dew.”
“I’ll try,” I said. Colt though, how was I going to sleep when Chryssy was likely in danger? I might not know what she or Dew were going through right now, but with all Hope had done so far, I still feared for the changeling queen. Now, no matter if I wanted to stay or go, I would just have to try to stay. No matter what Father did, no matter what happened to Chryssy. For to hurt Mother and Velvet again, well, I just couldn’t bear the thought. I wouldn’t be another lost foal.
As I turned toward the door, I paused and looked back at Velvet. “Thanks for being here for me bro,” I said. “Back at the palace too. It’s good to know you still got my back.”
He plopped down on the bed, stretched out his wings and then winked at me. “What are big brothers for, if not to help their baby brothers?”
“Goodnight, sleep well,” I said and with a small chuckle made my way to my own room.
Outside of Sage Grove- Spot
Once again a noise close by woke me from my sleep, this time it sounded like someling had stumbled in the bushes around our campsite. Thankfully, I was on top of our cuddle pile this time, so I lifted off of my friends and hovered in the air. I searched the woods nearby as my heart thumped wildly in my chest. Had one of the diamond dogs caught up with us? It was still quite dark in this wooded area, but I could hear a few birds as they rustled in their nests and started their morning songs.
“H-hello?” I whispered as the sound came again. A low growl followed it. My ears dropped and I stayed hovering, if it was one of those dogs, it couldn’t reach me from here… hopefully.
“Who is that?” a voice grunted that sounded awfully familiar.
My eyes opened wide as a grin formed on my face. Videre stepped out of the bushes nearby, only to collapse with a loud groan as he entered the clearing. “Vidi!” I yelled, dove down toward him, and landed by his muzzle. As I took in all the wounds over his body and his blood covered armor, I gasped in horror. He really was missing a wing! Where it used to be, was now nothing but dried blood.
“S-Spot, is that you?” he moaned and opened his eyes.
I nodded. “Yes, yes it’s me,” I said and stepped nervously in place. He really needed some help, now! “Everyling! Everyling!” I shouted and let out short, quick breaths as I looked around me. “Videre made it! He’s here!”
Many a ling and pony groaned and stirred in their sleep, their gaze fell on the two of us and many of them shook the sleep from their eyes. Crambus was over to us the quickest and held a hoof out to Videre to help him up.
“Thanks,” Videre groaned and leaned against Crambus.
“Of course,” he whispered and turned to me. “Spot, go find a pony to feed Videre some of its love. Anypony will do for now.”
I nodded and raced into the crowd of onlookers, most still curled up on the ground. The first pony I came to was a yellow unicorn mare with a pale blue mane. Somehow, she was still asleep. “Hey, hey, wake up!” I yelled as I placed my hooves on her and shook her awake. “Videre needs you!”
“Huh?” she moaned and let out a yawn, then turned her face to look at me. “I’m not on the menu yet, I fed someling just yesterday,” she sighed and let out another yawn as she stretched out her hooves.
“Crambus says it doesn’t matter,” I said and grabbed one of her hooves. “Please, Videre really needs you!” I gave her my best ‘puppy dog eyes’ as I hugged said hoof between my own.
“Fine, let’s go,” she sighed and followed me back toward where I had left Videre.
“He’s gone,” I heard Videre mumble as we drew closer. He looked up as we arrived and gestured the mare closer. I watched her eyes take in his wounds, her ears fell backwards and I could hear her heartbeat quicken. Yet she nodded, gulped and stepped forward.
I paused in my hoofsteps as I took in Videre’s words. No, NO he can’t be gone! Someling else, he must be speaking of someling else. Yes, that was it.
Videre took the mare in his hooves as Crambus supported him in his magic, and dug his fangs into her throat. She let out a yelp, but was then quiet as he began to feed. I wasn’t worried about her, for we all are taught how to feed by fang at an early age. Ponies, especially unicorns –or Alicorns, as our Queen explained to us in a lesson shortly after the wedding- have very strong sources of magic under their jugular veins.
I had yet to feed by fang, but then that was usually the class a year above me that learned how to do it in practice, rather than out of a book. Videre was good at it though, he’d find the ley line before he did much damage.
He took the feeding slow, even though my hooves itched to learn more. Appy had to still be alive, he just had to! Nothing could kill him, he was my hero! Heroes are not supposed to die! I paced back and forth, my gaze turned every few seconds to Videre to see if he was done, only to let out a sigh and look back at the ground when I saw him still feeding.
Finally, finally he let the mare go, and a nearby pony came to get her and wrap bandages around her wounded neck. She looked a little pale, but she would be fine. Now to find out!
“Videre!” I yelled and ran back over to him.
“Thanks kid,” he groaned and wiped a few drops of blood from his lips. Most of his wounds seemed to have healed, but the missing wing remained absent. He rubbed at the hole where it had once been and grimaced.
“Spot, let’s give him some room,” Crambus whispered as he led Videre further into camp.
“But, but−” I sputtered, to which he put a hoof to my muzzle.
“Dawn is almost here,” Crambus said then turned to the rest of the group. “Everyling go back to sleep for a little longer. We’ll start to prepare to leave for Sage Grove in an hour.”
“Please,” I begged and continued after them. “I must know. Where is Appy?”
Videre cringed at my words, his jaw set as he breathed heavily through his nostrils. He turned to look at me, and I could see tears as they pricked his eyes. “Spot, I’m sorry. Apatelodes is dead.”
“No, no he can’t be!” I wailed and shook my head, tears dripped down my cheeks and over my muzzle. Videre just glared at me as I cried, he almost seemed angry at me!
“Spot, it’s been a long night,” he growled. “He’s gone and there is nothing we can do about it, so shut the hay up and go get some sleep!” He hurried away as Crambus called after him. Crambus frowned slightly at me, then trotted after the fled Videre. Many of those who had awoken followed after them and just shook their heads at me. The rest plopped back down in their places and closed their eyes.
I stood there, stunned for a moment that Videre had yelled at me. What had I done wrong? Was it bad to want to know? It hit me that I would never see Appy’s smiling muzzle again, and I fell to the ground, covered my head with my hooves, and sobbed.
Why? Why did he have to die? He was brave, fearless, strong… he should have been able to survive! He had been fine last time I saw him! I needed him, he was like a father to me. He cared for me when my parents never returned from Canterlot. He held me while I cried and thought noling could ever love me again like they had. Without him, I was just another body in the hive.
What was I going to do now? Even with all the books I’d read, all the lessons I’d learned, pain like this… it wasn’t something a pony’s love could fix. Sure it was tasty, but it couldn’t heal my broken heart. “Oh Appy,” I moaned and wiped my muzzle on a hoof. “Why did you leave me?”
I continued to cry, curled up in a ball where I had collapsed, as bird song grew louder around me. It didn’t matter though, and I wished the dawn would stay away. If the new day never came, I could continue to hope I would see him again. Feel his hooves embrace me to comfort me. With the light it would become clear he was gone for good, as well as who knew how many of the rest of our hive.
Shiny’s Home- Shiny Whistle
I tossed my pillow and blankets on my bed and closed the door behind me. Nothing had changed in my room since I was last here, before my adventure began. My walls the rich red-orange of tomato soup, a black wooden bookcase full of not only sheet music from my favorite songs, my own work as well as pieces my parents had performed for their own careers, but adventure stories I would devour when I was younger. Now here I was, in the middle of an adventure of my own.
My horn lit as I arranged my tan colored blankets and tucked them in, then placed my pillow at the head of the bed. Would I even feel like sleeping anymore? Maybe, I was kind of tired. More hungry than tired though, but I had nothing to snack on up here, and didn’t dare sneak down into the kitchen for something. I wouldn’t be surprised if my parents were still down there.
I sat my saddlebags on the floor near the foot of my bed and then plopped onto my desk chair. The night was quiet around me. I couldn’t even hear Velvet snoring, which he often did. All I was left with were my thoughts, and they weren’t making anything better. I was a failure at so many levels. The mare I loved thought me a foal and not worthy of being by her side. My father thought of me as a failure, not only for falling in love with a creature that likely wouldn’t give him grandfoals, but for leading my sister away from home, to where she was now lost to us. With that, I had failed Dew as well.
Dew expected me to care for her, comfort her, be there for her. When we were younger, while Velvet was off making a name for himself with his music, I had been at home foalsitting for Dew when I wasn’t in classes. She would sit on my bed and sing while I worked on homework, or she’d make hoofpainting drawings to hang on the fridge. In every way, she was my little sister best friend forever, and now she was gone.
I shook my head and tried to make such thoughts leave, but if I wasn’t thinking of Dew, I was thinking of Chryssy. At least with Dew, I would hope she was out there still searching for me. Yet, with Chryssy, I knew things would not be going well. If she still lived, she was likely going through even worse heartache than I was. Did any of the hive survive? Had they escaped Hope’s wrath? Was Apatelodes okay? Sure we might not have gotten along, but I knew Chryssy cared for him. She cared so much for all her subjects. How could I ever hope to live up to her standards?
“Still so upset, are you Shiny?” Discord said as he popped into my room.
“Discord, I’m really not in the mood,” I growled softly. I turned to look at him and let out a deep sigh. “Still refuse to go help Chryssy?”
Discord nodded, “like I said before, when she is ready for my help, she knows to call. Just because I’m Lord of Chaos doesn’t mean I break my word,” he huffed.
“What if she’s unable to call? What if she is laying dying somewhere and you could help her but don’t because of your stupid rules? What if−”
Discord put a paw to my muzzle and shook his head. “Enough ‘what if’s’ Shiny. If you love her as much as you claim, you need to trust her.” He removed his paw and folded his arms together. “Of course, learning some diplomacy wouldn’t hurt either,” he muttered. “Be the pony she needs, that her changelings need. You want her to like you? Find somewhere her surviving changelings can live. Get ponies like your father to twist their little brains around and accept them.”
“I do trust her!” I yelled and stomped my hoof. “It’s Hope I don’t trust.” He was right on that though. What did I know of diplomacy? Other than the little we learned in Celestia’s school. As for changing ponies minds, how the hay was I to do that? “Any ideas on how to do that?” I grumbled and shook my head. My stomach let out a loud gurgle, and I held a hoof to it.
“Ooooh, is lovercolt hungry?” Discord beamed. “I can fix that!” He snapped his clawed fingers and upon my desk appeared a plate of eclairs, their scent quickly filled the air and I felt my mouth water. I reached for one, then paused and looked back at him.
“No funny business right? These are normal?”
“Why Shiny, how dare you accuse me of trying to joke when you are feeling blue,” he frowned and snapped his fingers, which turned himself blue.
“When do you ever not joke around?” I grumbled and shook my head.
“Just have an éclair Shiny,” he said and with another snap of his fingers returned to his normal coloration. “As for the rest, I know you can figure it out,” he said as he tapped my muzzle with one claw.
I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes, but nodded and grabbed one up in my magic. With the first bite I was lost in a world of sugary, buttery greatness. “These taste just like Donut Joe’s, maybe better!” I beamed and quickly finished the first one. “You didn’t steal them from him, did you?”
“Of course not,” Discord chuckled. “He actually got the recipe from me, I perfected it a long, long time ago. Then somepony found it and gave it to him,” he huffed.
“Oh, well….” I didn’t know what to say to that.
“Let me show you something, dear Shiny,” he chuckled and grabbed the plate off my desk. He tipped it over and poured the rest of the eclairs into his mouth and swallowed.
“Wha-what? Discord! I thought you said those were for me?” I whined.
He placed the plate back on the desk and just grinned at me. A moment later there was a little popping sound and the plate was once more filled with delicious Eclairs.
My mouth dropped open in shock, and I gaped at them for a moment. “T-the plate… not an infinity plate is it?”
Discord chuckled and nodded. “Of course, dear little Shiny,” he crooned and patted his claw against my back. “A little gift from me, now you’ll never run out of sweets. But,” he said and picked me up in his magic. “Don’t let that get to your stomach,” he chuckled and patted his lion’s paw against my stomach. “After all, we don’t want you getting all chubby from too many sweets, now, do we?”
“Discord!” I pushed his paw away as he sat me back down and scowled at him. “I’m not some doll! Don’t treat me like one!” I groaned, shook my head and let out a loud sigh as I settled back into the chair. “Thanks, though, for the eclairs. Just, paws off, okay?” It might not fill the holes I had inside of me, but was nice to have still.
“Of course,” he said as his paw and claw popped off his wrists and skittered across the floor to the corner, whining a little as they faced it. “Anytime,” he winked. Totally unapologetic.
I levitated over another éclair, took a small bite, and then licked my lips. “So, Discord, did you have a specific reason for coming here? You know, besides well… to give me the plate.”
Discord snapped his fingers from the corner, his paw and claw returning to his wrists, as his hammock popped onto my ceiling. He glided over to it and grabbed a book from the folds, then plopped down inside of it to read. “Oh you know, just some light reading,” he smirked.
It was then that I noticed the book he grasped in his paw: a dark grey cover, thick with little bits of newspaper sticking out here and there, and though it had no title, it didn’t need one. “Where did you get that?” I asked and tried to pull it from his paw. “That’s mine!”
“Oh I know, and so fascinating!” he beamed. “One would think you a little Twilight Sparkle, Shiny, with how well you studied up for your trip.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Yeah, sure. Most of the information ended up wrong though. I knew so little, and even though I didn’t think changelings bad, I’m sure I sound like the opposite. ”
He rolled out of the hammock and dropped back to the floor, a claw placed in the book to mark his place. “True, whoever wrote these articles was very misinformed!” he shook his head and tsked. “I think a few of your interpretations were quite spot on though,” he said and handed the book to me. “Page forty-nine has some excellent remarks!”
As Discord settled back into his hammock, I flipped to page forty-nine. Across from it was an article dated about one year ago, when a dozen changelings had been found and captured in some brothel on the outskirts of Canterlot. I looked up at Discord for a moment, then back to the book and settled down to read.
From all I have read and studied so far: all the articles, press releases, stories other ponies have told me, and everything else I’ve been able to get my hooves on, something doesn’t seem quite right. Sure it makes sense for changelings to hide in a brothel, easy love right? Yet, there is no mention of them killing anypony. Why not let them stay, if they are not doing any real harm? Does them lying about their true selves in a place like that make them bad?
Also, what has become of their Queen? Has she gone into hiding? Did she survive the blast that sent them far away from Canterlot? I haven’t heard a single story, or read any articles, of her being spotted since the wedding. Can her kind even survive without her? There is still so much we don’t know. None of the captured changelings are talking. Not that I blame them, one should be loyal to one's friends and family. I’d probably do the same in their horseshoes.
Perhaps they harbor the chance for friendship with ponies. Perhaps they can even have a true relationship with one. I just feel they can’t all be heartless beasts. If they are shown some kindness, understanding even, we might not need to be enemies. Maybe a little music would heal the hurt between our two species. After all, somepony once said music can soothe the wild beast. Even if they are not ‘wild’ per se, music is good for the soul. The only question is, how to bring music to them?
I closed the book and fell back against the backrest of my chair. “Already tried to bring music to them Discord,” I sighed. “Look what came of that? Ugh I was so naive back then.”
Discord chortled and rolled over in his hammock. “I just thought it might be enlightening,” he smirked as his tail flicked back and forth below him.
“Whatever,” I sighed, opened my desk drawer, and stuck the book inside. I took another look at the delicious pastries on my desk and pushed away. “Well, I’m going to try to get some sleep,” I muttered and crawled into my bed. The eclairs could wait until morning.
“Sleep well then, Shiny,” Discord crooned and rocked back and forth in his hammock.
“Yeah, well,” I huffed and pulled the covers over my head. Like that was going to happen.
Queen Chrysalis- Diamond Dog Ancestral Home- Colosseum
I awoke to a bright light surrounding me, wrapped around me like a warm blanket. With a groan, I opened my eyes and looked into the eyes of pure evil. Hope smirked down at me. Her horn lit up red. “Finally, you’ve awoken,” she snorted. As the magic disappeared around her horn, I felt the warmth and light around me fall away. “Some ‘strong and mighty Queen’,” she said and rolled her eyes.
“Well excuse me if I’m not in top fighting form, after what you have done,” I snapped and tried to rise, only to feel a little woozy as I did so. I held a hoof to my forehead and let out a moan. I had been placed on a pile of itchy straw covered in dried blood beneath me, though the rest of it didn’t look much better.
“I just healed you, don’t go hurting yourself again,” Hope growled, but then grinned back down at me. Colt was that grin creepy!
“Oh? Now why would you do that,” I huffed.
“You would have died otherwise,” she said cooly. “Now, I can’t have that, can I? If you die, you won’t get all that you deserve. Death now would be giving you a treat. No, I have much more planned for you.” Hope lowered her head until we were eye to eye. “The path to remembrance is dark and bloody.”
“Why not just remind me what you think I have forgotten?” I grumbled and glared up at her. A soft whine came from behind Hope, and I leaned sideways to look.
The ‘room’ was small, when I stood, the roof would likely be only inches from the tip of my horn. A single torch was lit by the door, which was more-so just a hole in the wall. Besides that though the place wasn’t much to look at. Below the torch, huddled next to the wall, was Citheronia. Her big, blue eyes flicked between me and Hope and her tiny body shivered. “What have you done to my daughter?” I hissed.
Hope huffed and wrapped Citheronia up in her magic. The poor filly chirped in fright as she was brought over to us and plopped back on the ground, though Hope still held her in her magic. “Well if you want a reminder, you’ll have to continue to fight.” She wrapped a hoof around the poor filly and grinned. “As for your daughter, it would greatly benefit her if you comply,” she cackled softly.
My heart plummeted at her words. She wanted me to kill again. No, I couldn’t! Chrys had even said we rarely killed anyone –wait, my eyes grew even wider at the thought, I guess that meant she had at least once? Colt, Chrys, I could really use you right now! How does one deal with stuff like this? “So, you want me to fight your champion now, is that it?”
Hope shook her head. “Oh no, you are not ready to fight him yet. You want your daughter back? You want to learn more? Well, remember more,” she sneered. “Then you will have to keep fighting.” She rubbed a hoof over Citheronia’s short mane and gripped the little filly close to her.. “One down, many more to go. If you keep winning, then you will face my true champion.”
Oh how dare she touch her like that! I bared my fangs as Citheronia tried to squirm away from Hope’s grip, but she just held the little filly all the tighter. “Let her go,” I snarled. “I won the battle, didn’t I? So remove your filthy hooves from her!”
“Should you really be speaking to me that way, Your Highness?” Hope whispered as her eyes flashed red. “I hold both of your lives in my hooves right now.”
My ears twitched as I felt Citheronia’s presence connect with me again. It felt… reassuring, comforting even. Her beautiful blue eyes stared up at me, bright with the shimmer of tears. She might not understand entirely what was going on, but she knew ‘mommy’ was very upset. Even in Hope’s grip, she still tried to comfort her mommy. Colt, I sure didn’t deserve such understanding. I’d be less surprised if she hated me for what I had done. Yet, all she wanted was to help me “Thanks,” I sent her way and turned to face Hope once more.
“Pardon me,” I said cooly and narrowed my eyes at her. Hope was right. I had been foolish coming here alone and now both Citheronia and I had to pay for it. What strength I had received from Jim was pretty much gone now. That didn’t mean I couldn’t reason with her though.
At least until I gained back my strength. I’d get out of here soon as I could. Two could play at this game, right? “So, you want me to continue to fight, correct?”
Hope nodded, “Correct.” She lowered her ears and scowled at me. “Not thinking of trying to run, are you?”
“I already told you, I’m not leaving without my daughter.”
“Then my keeping her far away from you would be for the best,” she smirked and wrapped Citheronia in her magic again as she levitated her back over by the door. Citheronia’s muzzle wrinkled as she flew away from me, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she began to cry again.
“No, please!” I begged and held a hoof out toward the poor filly. She had already shed so many tears tonight, I just couldn’t stand to see her cry more. I felt tears prick my own eyes and fall down my own cheeks. So much for holding in my tears. “She needs me,” I whined.
“Oh how the mighty fall,” Hope chuckled and put a hoof to my chin. “Tears, Chrysalis? It seems you’re even weaker than I thought. Fine, I can be… charitable.” She removed her hoof and brought Citheronia closer to me again. “If you win, the little brat can stay with you. I don’t need an even worse headache.”
“Thank you,” I whispered and reached my hooves out for the little filly.
Hope slapped my hooves away and levitated Citheronia back over by the door and dropped her to the floor. Before I could make a move she wrapped her magic around my horn and wrenched me back against the wall, one of her forehooves to my chest and the other the hollow of my throat as I cried out in pain.
“I hold the power, don’t forget that,” she hissed. “Without me, your wounds cannot be healed in time, and you will die. I control those mutts out there, and can order them to kill you if I so desire.” Hope put a little more pressure to the hoof against my throat and I let out a cough as I struggled to breathe. “If you don’t behave and fight, I can make sure your ‘little princess’ suffers a slow and painful death!”
She stepped away from me, released her magical hold on my horn, and watched as I collapsed back into the bloody straw. Hope closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, put a hoof to her chest and then held it out as she released the breath. After she repeated the motions a few times her eyes snapped back open. “You will know the pain, the sorrow, and the trials I have been through because of you.”
“What have I done to you?” I moaned as I looked up at her and winced in pain as I rolled to my belly. She might have healed me, but there was still much that could be healed better.
“You will soon learn,” she hissed and her eyes glowed red for a moment again. “Until then, have your little brat.” Once again she grabbed Citheronia up in her magic and placed her before me. “Here’s the deal: you win, she can stay with you and fill your nights with shrieks and howls. You get food, healed, just enough love for the two of you to survive, and a bath every now and then.”
“If I lose?” I asked as I swept Citheronia closer to me and felt her little body shiver against my own.
Hope huffed. “When you lose: I’ll still heal you, at least until you are sufficiently punished. The brat is placed elsewhere, and you get half of what you really need to survive. I’ll decide when you are ready to face tougher opponents and eventually my champion. Agreed?”
I sat up tall as I could with my recovering wounds and glared up at Hope. Seemed too easy. I mean I took out Fang, I could continue that right? No, what was I thinking? That meant continuing to kill! Could I really do that? Yes, I had to, for Citheronia’s sake. I’d continue to win, and get us out of here. What other choice did I have?
“Agreed,” I growled and nodded. “The only way I’m leaving here without my daughter, is if I’m no longer breathing.” Though I truly hoped it wouldn’t come to that. I wrapped my hooves a little tighter around Citheronia and felt her snuggle up with her little hooves wrapped around me as well.
“Then let the games begin,” Hope grinned.