Kepler and his companion were barely able to land in the camp adjacent to the wreck before they were rushed into what appeared to be a freshly constructed building made from rough stone blocks and mortar. A guard escorted them through a collection of officers, who were going through various scrolls and schematics around the main space, before knocking on the large wooden door at the far end. The tercel stepped back as the door swung outward, barely giving Kepler and the disguised Chrysalis any time to step through before the door slammed behind the duo. This left them standing before the Oberst in all his terrifying glory.
The massive gryphon was sat behind a desk, like the one in his office back at the fort, with his rifle resting against the wall on his left. A single talon tapped on the surface of the wood as his eyes traveled between the two of them. Kepler swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as the tapping echoed around the small space. The tercel’s emotions were hidden behind an ironclad veneer as his gaze bore into Kepler’s.
“You have a lot of nerve coming back after disappearing like that.” The rumbling tone of Talonedge’s voice vibrated Kepler’s bones with each word. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t throw you in the stockade and let your puny body roast under the sun until it is a nice golden brown.”
Either the Oberst did not care that the fake Gloria was present in the room or was saving his wrath until had finished with Kepler. Either way, the stallion could tell he was walking on very thin ice.
“Sir,” Kepler stated with as much respect as he could muster. “I realize that we left without any notice and have since been gone for the better part of a month. I do not presume to make excuses for our absence, only to offer an explanation in tandem with a request on behalf of another.”
A single eye ridge rose slightly. “Go on.”
Kepler could not tell if the Oberst was genuinely interested in what he had to say or was just entertaining him until he could toss him out on his ear. Regardless, there was more than just his own life on the line.
“Vizefeldwebel Windcutter and I were planning to continue my flight lessons on the day we disappeared,” he explained. “However, we were unable to move forward with our plans when we were abducted by a strike force sent to capture me in an effort to learn more about my ship.”
Both eye ridges rose this time as the tapping of the talon froze mid-motion. “You were abducted? Explain yourself Leutnant zur See, and don’t leave anything out.”
Kepler bowed his head. “Yes sir. Gloria and I were taken by a group of creatures that refer to themselves as changelings, whereupon we were – Umm, sir? what are you doing?”
The Oberst had started moving as soon as the word “changeling” had left the stallion’s mouth, his claws moving to snare his primitive rifle from the wall as he leveled the barrel at Kepler’s chest. “Reveal your true self, changeling, or I won’t hesitate to remove your filth from my office by lethal means!”
Kepler found his next words catching in his throat as he stared down the Oberst’s weapon, his lips moving soundlessly as he tried to formulate a response. Luckily, his companion seemed to be in much better control of her mental faculties as she stepped forward with an audible sigh.
“Males,” she muttered as green flames began to slowly rise from the floor, removing the illusion hiding the Queen’s true form, as she came to a stop in front of Kepler and pushed the barrel of the Oberst’s rifle to one side. “Always so quick to resort to violence.”
Talonedge’s eyes widened in genuine fear as the royal changeling glared at him, his grip on the rifle tightening as he frowned. “What do you want, insect?”
“To think that I came all this way to return your precious pony to you,” Chrysalis mused, even as her hoof continued to hold the barrel at bay with what appeared to be minimal effort, “and this is the thanks I get? My, how the mighty have fallen if an officer of the Gryphon command can’t show gratitude for such a kind gesture.”
Talonedge growled as he jerked his weapon back and out of the Queen’s grip, leveling the barrel at her once again. “You know as well as I do that the pony behind you isn’t the Leutnant zur See. Why would you return such a valuable individual to us when it gains you nothing?”
Kepler opened his mouth to retort but was forestalled when the changeling’s horn began to glow. Before anyone could react, he felt a sharp pain on his left foreleg as a long but shallow cut was opened on his outer pastern. The stallion yelped as bright red blood began to flow from the wound, holding onto his bleeding leg as he sat down to avoid falling over. He looked up at the Queen for some form of explanation, only to stop in confusion as the Oberst walked around his desk and grabbed the injured limb. Kepler hissed in pain as the gryphon inspected the wound, even going so far as to give it a swift lick before spitting the offending liquid onto the floor next to Kepler.
The larger creature stared into Kepler’s eyes with such intensity that the stallion was frozen in place for several seconds, only remembering to breathe as Talonedge turned away and returned his gaze to the changeling royal behind him.
“So, you weren’t lying.” The statement was devoid of emotion save for a hint of curiosity. “And yet for the life of me, I can’t imagine why that would be the case.” He released Kepler’s limb as Chrysalis’ horn glowed once again, the wound sealing without leaving any hint that it had ever been. “Tell me, Your Highness, what could have possibly convinced you to bring this pony back to us when you know that there is very little to gain by doing so?”
“You seem to be under the impression that this was all my idea,” Chrysalis smugly replied as Talonedge sat back down behind his desk. “I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for the rather ambitious plan that our little associate concocted all on his own.”
“And what plan might that be?” The tercel’s eyes once again locked with Kepler’s as the stallion regained his composure.
Kepler made sure to keep his eyes locked with the Oberst’s as he spoke, lest the officer dismiss his words out of hand. “Well, you see sir, the changelings have a rather diverse and extensive library. While I was under their care, I was able to learn a lot about this world and the nations that inhabit it. Everything that I learned pointed towards two key points that helped me understand what I can do to help both nations prosper. The first is that both the Gryphon Empire and the changelings are being forced into conflict by food shortages. The second is that there is a nation that currently has more than enough food and resources to sustain both of yours, but you need help to match them in any form of open conflict. With my help, and cooperation between your species, you can take what you need to stabilize your kingdoms, with minimal risk to your citizens.”
“You talk of grand things, pony,” Talonedge groused, “but you have yet to tell me anything about which nation supposedly has these vast riches so ripe for the taking.”
“Equestria,” Chrysalis answered, smiling at Kepler as the Oberst reared back in shock. “This little pony certainly has big plans for being so new to our world. He says that with his ship, the gryphons and changelings can take what we need from the ponies with barely any effort. I think his imagination is outstripping his brain in some regards, but he is correct on one account.” The Queen’s gaze locked with the Oberst’s. “Our nations are both on the brink of collapse. If we do not do something, then we will lose everything we have fought so hard to gain, while those petulant little ponies sit on their fat, happy plots without a care in the world.”
It took a minute for Talonedge to regain his wits, but as he turned back to Kepler, his eyes narrowed in realization. “You’re serious. You’re actually serious.” For a moment, silence hung over the room like a thundercloud, only to be broken as the Oberst erupted with laughter.
Kepler glanced at Chrysalis in confusion, who simply smirked in return as the gryphon officer got himself under control. “You have spunk, little pony, I will give you that. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to hear of a plan so outlandish and yet so astoundingly simple!” Talonedge turned back to Chrysalis as he continued in a much more serious tone. “I presume that Vizefeldwebel Windcutter is still at your hive?”
Chrysalis’ grin turned predatory. “The hen will be staying in our care as collateral to ensure that the Lieutenant doesn’t betray our trust. Once he has upheld his end of the bargain, she will be released, unharmed and healthy.”
Kepler’s eyes widened slightly as the Oberst waved off the changeling’s words like they were nothing. “That hen wasn’t important in the grand scheme of things. If she can be of use ensuring that our mutual ally behaves himself, then I see no problem with letting her enjoy your ‘hospitality’ for a while longer.”
Kepler got the distinct feeling that he was being pushed out of his depth by powers beyond his control as the gryphon and changeling began talking about more specific details for the future. When a guard poked his head into the room and beckoned Kepler out with a claw, the stallion was more than willing to follow as the Oberst and Queen continued as if he had never been there.
Kepler was led to a tent just to the right of the new stone building, his escort staying silent as he was directed into the enclosure by a pointed talon. Inside, there was a mattress against the left wall with the rest of the space left bare. Kepler glanced behind him to see if the guard would follow him in, but sighed in relief as the flaps remained closed. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Kepler walked over to the mattress and climbed onto the surprisingly soft surface, his weary body losing the battle with sleep as his head came to rest on his forelegs. His tail curled around his hooves almost of its own accord, but he lacked the energy to care as his eyes slowly closed.
The last thought that crossed the stallion’s mind as he fell into the land of sleep, was about the friend he had left behind at the hive. The Oberst seemed perfectly willing to throw his soldiers’ lives away for the sake of an alliance, and for a moment, Kepler wondered if he had truly made the right decision. Doubt and fear for Gloria plagued his mind as he slipped into slumber, a nightmare taking form in his subconscious in response to his turbulent emotions.
Dark forms lurked just outside his range of vision, the chittering and clicking of the changeling language resonating in his ears. Kepler spun this way and that, looking for a way out of the darkness that had surrounded him. Yet something drew his hooves deeper, towards a gaping pit in the black which held his attention captive, even as his mind screamed to run away. The yawning maw of stone came into focus as he peered over the edge, the sickly green glow of changeling magic emanating from below as the horror before him came into focus.
Changeling drones were everywhere, climbing over the walls and in between the glowing pods that held their captives. Ponies of various shapes and sizes floated in the semi-translucent prisons along with several gryphons that he had come to know. Yet all of that paled in comparison to the pod in the center of the cluster, the emaciated form within barely recognizable as the formerly young and energetic hen he had come to call a friend.
Changelings sucked on the pod like leeches as Gloria shed tears of agony, her beak open in a silent cry as her body thrashed in its bindings. Kepler wanted to charge forward, beat the creatures from the pod with his bare hooves, even bite if it meant setting his friend free. But he was frozen, trapped in his own body as the shadowed forms of Chrysalis and Talonedge walked up on either side of him.
“Such a waste,” Talonedge growled in a tone edged with poison. “To think they could have served the new order with dignity and honor. Now look at them, traitors to the crown and good for little more than bug food.”
Kepler screamed, shouting with all his might, but his lips refused to make a sound, even as he felt the talons of the gryphon rest on his haunches. His body remained frozen as the Oberst pushed him over the edge and into the pit, the hisses of glee from below only amplifying his terror. Yet, just as he was about to hit the ground, a thunderous voice echoed through the dreamscape, shredding the darkness and replacing the pit with a soft field of grass.
“ENOUGH!”
Kepler slowly came to a stop, his hooves gently caressing the smooth turf while soft moonlight settled over him from a starlit sky above. For a moment he stood still, afraid that he might upset the calm that had settled in his mind if he moved.
“‘Tis alright, Our little pony.” The same voice from before, only softer, spoke up from behind him. “Thou art safe from thy fears this night. Please, turn thy head so we may converse face to face.”
Kepler slowly turned around, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light as he beheld something far beyond his wildest imaginings. Standing only a few paces in front of him was another pony, although this pony looked nothing like him, except for the most basic of details. While his wings were skin and bone, the two feathered appendages that rested upon the mare’s flanks were far larger. Her stature was almost half again taller than his own, with a long spiral horn jutting from her forehead. Her body was a deep midnight blue, contrasted by the obsidian regalia that adorned her hooves, chest, and head. Even her mane and tail were a far cry from his own, the strands sparkling like stars and waving in a breeze that only they could feel as two aquamarine eyes gazed back at him.
For a moment, they simply stared at one another, Kepler in awe and confusion, while the mare seemed to be waiting for him to speak. Finally, Kepler managed to get over his shock and looked around the moonlit field, taking stock of his surroundings.
“What is going on?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “I’ve never had a dream shift so suddenly before.”
“‘Tis natural to feel out of sorts when a dream changes suddenly.” The mare spoke, causing Kepler to jerk his head back around as his jaw hung open. The mare seemed confused by this, her tone shifting while she stepped forward, “Thou seem troubled by Our presence. Hath We not cleansed thy mind of thy terrors? Hath We –” The mare paused as she seemed to get a clearer look at Kepler, her eyes widening in turn as she took several steps back, her wings flaring wide in what Kepler could only assume was alarm. “Praise Our moon, what manner of black magic hath twisted thy body into this form?!”
Kepler could only glance down at himself before turning his gaze back to the pony before him. “Wait a minute, are you real? Are you, somehow, here in my mind?” The thought was rather terrifying, and Kepler saw darkness creeping up at the edges of the meadow before the mare’s horn ignited with a burst of bright blue light.
He watched as the energy washed away the darkness that had begun to warp and twist the dream around him, and he took several steps back as the mare attempted to approach him.
“S-Stay back!” Kepler cried as the mare came to a stop, his hooves lifting and somehow holding a Karabiner 98k rifle between himself and the pony. “I don’t know how you managed to get into my head, but I don’t care. Either you leave right now and never come back, or I’m going to see how much a dream rifle hurts when I shoot you!”
The mare’s expression morphed into one of even greater confusion as she slowly sat down on her haunches, her front hooves lifting in what Kepler assumed was a placating manner. “Peace, little pony. We only wish to ascertain what curse has befallen thee. Thou art obviously afraid, but We canst assure you We mean no harm.” The mare dropped her hooves to the ground before lifting one to her chest, bowing her head as she spoke. “We are Princess Luna, Guardian of Dreams, Raiser of the Moon, and Diarch of Equestria. ‘Tis obvious that thou art not familiar with Our dream magic, lest thou would not have reacted this way. Pray tell, what lands doth thou hail from to have never heard of Us?”
Kepler was still on edge, but at least the invader seemed to be of a peaceful sort, for now at least. He kept the rifle steady in his hooves, the familiar weight and balance helping to calm him further as he took stock of the situation. First point of business, apparently magic was far more powerful than he had first thought if a pony princess was able to enter his mind from a continent away. Secondly, his appearance was different enough from a regular pony that this princess thought he was cursed somehow. Thirdly, and most importantly, she did not seem to know anything other than what she had been able to see and hear, otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked about his origins.
Princess Luna waited patiently while Kepler sorted through his thoughts, her attention seeming to flip between him and his weapon in equal measure. Finally, the stallion got his brain organized enough to return to the situation at hand.
“Forgive me for not realizing what was going on, Princess,” Kepler stated as he lowered the rifle, “I am a stranger in these lands and did not know that magic was powerful enough to allow others to enter my mind.”
“‘Tis an ability that only We possess,” Luna stated as she stood to her full height again. “We are the Guardian of Dreams, such that none of Our ponies suffer ills upon their slumber. We would be remiss if we let even one of Our little ponies suffer during Our nights and not do anything to stop it.” She glanced once again at his rifle. “‘Tis a very interesting device thou hast. We know not of its make nor origin, yet it must be very familiar to thee for it to be so clear in thy mind. Please, explain how thy weapon works. We would be dishonest if We didst not admit that We are curious.”
Given that Kepler planned to give the gryphons and changelings the ability to fabricate his rifle, telling this Princess Luna how it worked would be an exercise in foolishness.
“I’m afraid I don’t know how it works on a fundamental level,” Kepler lied, “I simply know how to use it in the most basic of functions. I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I couldn’t begin to explain the finer details to you or anyone else as it is simply beyond my understanding.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Do not think Us a fool, young stallion. We are familiar with how a dream manifests objects that are familiar to the dreamer. One cannot fabricate a tool in the dreamscape with that degree of clarity if one is unfamiliar with its construction as the object relies on the will of the dreamer rather than knowledge. For thee to have created such a detailed construct, thou must know thy tool inside and out as well as how each piece functions.”
“Damn,” Kepler thought as he realized he was out of his element. Apparently, this princess was smarter than she looked, archaic way of speaking aside. “Very well, Your Highness. If you wish to know more then I will gladly demonstrate.”
Before the mare could react, Kepler lifted the rifle and racked the bolt once to chamber a round. Her eyes widened as his barrel centered on her face, her mouth opening in a cry of fear as her horn ignited. Kepler’s hoof may not have been able to fit inside a standard trigger guard, but given this was a dream; it didn’t matter. The rifle kicked back into his shoulder as the muzzle flash illuminated the area around them, the echoing crack of the round ringing in his ears as the mare before him vanished like dust in the wind.
Kepler had just enough time to lower his rifle and cycle the action before the world around him faded into darkness, his senses failing as the miasma overtook his mind.
The shock of waking up would have toppled the stallion off the mattress and onto the floor, had his extended wings not arrested his roll before he could make it over the edge. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around the tent, his mind awash with terror and wonder in equal measure.
“Did that really just happen?” he asked himself, lifting his hooves to his chest as he visualized the rifle he had used in the dream. While the memory of the weapon was not as fresh as it once had been, the feeling and weight were still familiar enough for him to recognize immediately. He slowly lowered his hooved back to the mattress, his wings folding over his flanks as his heart slowly calmed. “That was far too detailed to be an ordinary dream. I don’t know how that happened, but I know for a fact I’m not going to let her get the drop on me again.”
His resolution secure in his mind, Kepler glanced at the tent flaps as he pondered his next move. Sleeping was out of the question, but with the dim light of dawn barely illuminating the outside, he didn’t feel like starting his day working for the gryphons either. Finally, he let a gusty sigh escape his lips as he hopped off the mattress, his hooves carrying him through the tent flaps as he blinked in the rising dawn. His guard from the day before was still standing next to the opening of the tent, although the young tercel had apparently fallen asleep on shift if the lax position of his seated form was any indication. Kepler entertained the idea of waking the poor boy before his superiors found him, but was unable to act before an echoing bugle call sounded from the roof of the stone building.
Kepler bemoaned his chance for some fun slipping away as the tercel snapped out of his sleep, his armor rattling as he jerked his head left and right before stopping on Kepler’s nearby form. Kepler simply jerked his head in the direction of the ship’s wreck as the forms of gryphons appeared from the other tents, the guard glancing in the same direction before nodding agreement. The duo began the short march to the beached ship as the engineers and other specialists grumbled and complained about getting up early. The rising sun in the cloudless sky promised a bright new day as the morning rays reflected off of the metal plating of Kepler’s ship. He couldn’t help the small smile that found its way to his lips as he gazed upon his nation’s pride and joy, his heart lifting with some measure of hope as he remembered the king’s words.
“Someday,” he whispered to himself as he rested a hoof against the plating of the hull, “I’ll see you sail upon the seas again. We just have some work to do in the meantime.”
He turned around as he spotted the engineers and enchanters gathering behind him, their eyes full of questions and excitement as they waited for him to share more about how his mighty ship worked. The stallion sighed as he stepped forward, knowing that there was a long road ahead of him before he could truly call this world home.
He just hoped that there would still be a place willing to accept him once this was all over.