//------------------------------//
// Episode 96: Cha Cha Real Smooth 
// Story: Life of a Wanted Changeling Season 4: At Luck's End (Comment Driven Story) 
// by BrownDog77 
//------------------------------//



“Oh, so you were in his unit huh?” Thorax asks with a hint of understanding, but you don’t answer him.

Your breathing becomes erratic as the red finned Elite Commander who made your life a living Tartarus in the army dances to the techno beat, his cold and calculating expression belaying his sick moves.

“Um, are you okay?” Thorax asks in concern, but it’s like his voice is a million miles away.




Puzzling Frost’s Comment




Nightslayer’s Comment




“Pushups,” you gasp out.

“Huh?”

“So many gorramned pushups!” you say with a shaky voice, the borrowed armor feeling heavier thanks to the memories.

“Oh, uh, well…” Thorax stammers.

“And the running, don’t get me started on that!” you complain, remembering the times you were forced to run, even during the flying exercises since you weren’t physically able too.

“I’ve heard he was tough on his troops…”

“Tough is one word! One time he said we were all doing well and gave us spaghetti for lunch! Then when we were all stuffed, he barged into the mess hall and told us we were mountain running! Three Miles Up! Three Miles Down!” you say as your eyes lose focus of the party and you are transported back to that horrible time. “So much vomit…”

“Oh, uh…”

“And not to mention just how vicious he could be, the things he said, the de-changelingization…” you trail off. Pharynx was a master of making you feel worse than useless, and though many in your unit went on to become an effective fighting force, some like you were dragged along reluctantly. Especially you.

“Okay, I realize now you have a history with my brother,” Thorax starts. “So definitely try to avoid him and-“

“Gorram right I’m avoiding him!” you snap back. “That jerk was mean to everyling sure, but he singled me out especially it seems!”

“What makes you say that?”

“He made me do PT for every little mishap no matter how small!” you growl. “’9001, your armor has a spot on it! 9001 your cot sheets aren’t well made enough! 9001, why do you have contraband in your footlocker?!’ It was just a doughnut!”

Thorax nervously looks around, but thankfully the music has drowned out your rant.

“Uh…to be fair, those are all infractions anyling would get in trouble for,” he points out and you grit your teeth.

“Okay fine! Maybe I wasn’t the best soldier, but on the flip side, I never wanted to be one!” you grumble. “He also didn’t stop the other recruits from tormenting me relentlessly! I got broken bones, bloody lips and swirlies, and he knew it was happening but he didn’t do a gorramned thing!”

You glare at the offending officer as he spins in place and moves his hooves around expertly and your blood boils even more.

“And look at him now! Now he’s able to cut loose, but when I tried to rap battle him, I got in trouble!”

“Wait, what?” Thorax asks taken aback and you sigh.

“I watched this awesome pony movie about the rapper M&M’s, and I thought I could try to diss him…” you trail off as you remember refusing to jog during flight practice and started beatboxing



“I actually remember hearing about that. He said that some dumbass tried to start a pony-esque musical number and he thought that they were suffering from brain damage,” Thorax admits and looks at you wearily and you purse your lips at that.

“Alright, I’ll admit I’m not the best rapper, but come on! I spent my youth playing video games and helping my Grandbuggy with his get rich quick schemes,” you defend, which only slightly lessens Thorax’s wary look.

“Uh huh…” he says, probably reconsidering throwing his hat in with you and you roll your eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. After that, I was forced to stand outside in the rain and keep mopping the ground because it was ‘still wet,’” you sigh and shake your head. “That stupid cloud kept dumping water all bucking night!”

Before he can say anything and before you can rant and rave more about your military history… 




Kichi’s Comment




Loganic’s Comment




A high pitched shout suddenly comes from all the stereos as the music lulls.

"Come on, Everyling, ARE YOU READY TO PARTY?!" a familiar looking Pink Pony asks the crowd.

"YEAH!!" answer back many changelings.

“What the buck?” you stammer in confusion.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" the mare chants.

"YEAH!!!!" the crowd responds.

“Then Turn It Up!!!” she hollers before pressing a button on the DJ booth and suddenly the speakers start to play dub-step.

“Woohoo!” the changelings cheer as they all start to dance to the catchy beat.

“Huh, don’t see that every day,” Thorax says truthfully and you look at him with your jaw agape.

“Yeah, no spit! What’s Pinkie Pie doing up there? I thought she was in Chrysalis’s personal trophy room or something?!” you blather. “I mean, I know we all say it’s Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie, but this just seems too much even for her!”

“Oh, Okay, I see where you might be lost,” Thorax nods in understanding. “That’s actually not the Element of Laughter up there.”

“It isn’t?!” you gasp and look back up at the Pink mare who giggles and bounces around convincingly. “You sure about that?”

“Oh yes, I’m positive,” he nods.

“So what, is that one of her clones I helped escape?” you ponder aloud. “I know from Shade that many of them have started new lives outside of Appleloosa, but how did one end up in the Hive? Was it a case of mistaken identity? Did she infiltrate them to save the original and got sidetracked? Did-“

“No, no nothing like that,” he interrupts and you look to him. “From what I’ve gathered that drone fought hoof to hoof with the Element of Laughter during the Canterlot Invasion. She critiqued his impersonation of her before blasting him with the Element of Magic, and he hasn’t been right in the head since.”

You look back at the figure who continues to operate the DJ booth with a big goofy grin, but now that you look closer, you can see the hint of changeling blue behind Pinkie’s baby blue eyes.

“Oh…well that’s kind of messed up then,” you say sympathetically.

“I agree, but hey, if there’s going to be a party at least they got the right changeling to spice it up,” Thorax shrugs. “I mean, his sister has told me that he doesn’t transform into the pink mare ALL the time, but it has become a habit.”

“Right…” you say before shaking your head and looking back to Pharynx who dances with the others, but is still stone faced. “But that strangeness aside, at least it’s dragged me out of the past.”

“That’s good at least,” Thorax nods. “Staying so focused on Pharynx would get us nowhere.”

“I mean, he’ll always be in the back of my mind while I’m planning, especially since he’s YOUR brother and all,” you hoofwave before shaking your head. “I thought you looked familiar…but still, trauma aside, let’s do what we came here to do.”




Ponygamer12’s Comment




WARGAMES’s Comment




Down With Chrysalis’s Comment




Haoryu Changer’s Comment




Puzzling Frost’s Comment




With your mind no longer stuck on your past trauma, you start to analyze and survey the Grand Ballroom, making notes on any and everything that could be useful to you. You take notes on the exits, the party activities, really anything and everything that you could possibly use to make a distraction and save Grandbuggy. It’s when your eyes land on the food tables that an idea forms and you smirk.

“What are you thinking sir?” Thorax asks. 

The buffet table has multiple punch bowls, and many changelings are drinking from them quite liberally. 

“That punch on the table, alcoholic or non?” you question him.

“Well, considering this is a party where many of us are technically still on duty, it’s just regular punch,” he says. “They got it out of the pony kitchens after all.”

“Excellent,” you say with a malicious smirk and he gulps.

“It is?”

“Yep, because right now noling’s expecting it to be anything but fruit juice, but we can change that,” you chuckle before looking to Thorax. “I said earlier we should keep our distance for when everything goes down, and we still should, but first I need your help with something.”

“Alright sir, what is it?” he offers.

“The royal kitchens I know don’t just have punch, the harder stuff is definitely in there. What we’re gonna do is discreetly grab the booze, and then dump it all into the punch bowls…” you tell him with a smirk and his eyes alight.

“Oh, I see, and while we’re at it, we put salt on the foods so that everyling will want more to drink, making them inebriated and allowing you and the others to escape easier,” he finishes, looking at you with praise. “Very clever.”

“Uh, y-yeah…precisely what I had in mind, heh heh,” you chuckle nervously, lying through your teeth and he raises an eyebrow.

“Was…was that not the plan?” he questions and you rub the back of your neck.

“…Okay, maybe I was thinking that we could get the alcohol content so high that I could light the punch bowls on fire and cast it out onto the dance floor like oil but…” you stop talking as you see Thorax looking more and more horrified. “But yeah, the drunkenness thing is better.”

“…Alright then,” he says once more with that unsure tone and you frown.

“Look, I’m not an arsonist! Wipe that look off your face!” you order and he winces.

“I never said that,” he defends.

“No, but you were thinking it, they’re always thinking it,” you say with shifty eyes looking at all the prudes who can’t appreciate the beautiful golden flames of life.

“What about the kids though?”

“Pardon?” you say coming out of your problematic musings.

“I said, what about the kids? They’re drinking the punch too,” he says pointing to a group of younglings partaking in the drinks. “And I don’t know if I’m comfortable with them getting drunk.”

You briefly flash back to the Hippie Commune where Nightshade got high and you shiver.

“Yeah, good point,” you nod. “Alright, what we’ll do is gather the ingredients and then we link up with Nightshade and have her distract the kids from drinking it long enough, sound good?”

“I guess,” he shrugs. “The last thing I want is my little cousin getting impaired.”

“Your little cousin?” you ask.

“Yeah, she’s over there in that group your daughter went towards,” he says pointing. Following his hoof you see your daughter chatting away with quite a few of the younger changelings, being the center of attention like always. Amongst them though you do see a slightly older youngling, possibly already a teenager with that same nervous energy you’ve come to associate with Thorax.

“The quiet looking one with the red tinged mane?” you ask and he nods.

“Yeah, her name’s Ocellus, she’s a good egg and I’d rather her not be caught up in anything bad,” he implores.

“Huh, well I’m sure she’ll be fine once Nightshade gets all the kids on her side,” you reckon as you start heading to the kitchen. “Heck, it looks like she’s already got them eating out of her hoof.”

And with that, you both enter the kitchens as nonchalantly as possible. Surprisingly, there are only a handful of drones utilizing the space, each one wearing a “borrowed” chef’s hat and apron. A few are baking baked goods, others are preparing hors d’oeuvres, and a few are actually trying their hoof at cooking meals.

“Huh, these guys seem very professional,” you mention to Thorax who nods.

“Most of them had infiltrated a culinary school in the past, and after being stuck in that castle prison for so long, they jumped at the chance to cook again,” he explains.

“Huh,” you say impressed as you see one filleting a fish of some kind and adding all kinds of seasonings to it. “Well, best not disturb them.”

“Indeed,” he agrees as you two slink your way towards the pantries and ice boxes to look for booze, and boy do you find the motherload.

“Holy…crap…” you breathe out mesmerized. There is a single room devoted entirely to alcohol, ranging from simple beer, all the way to high end wines, whiskeys, and other assorted spirits.

“Wow, I guess it pays to be royalty huh?” Thorax quips and you nod.

“I’m just wondering if this is Cadence and Shining’s personal collection, or if this is for fancy parties or something,” you hypothesize.

“Either way, it’s what we came for,” he points out and you nod.

“Right, let’s take all of it,” you say as you grab a bottle of rum.

“Wait, ALL of it?” he asks taken aback and you grin at him with deranged eyes.

“Yyyyeeeesss…” you say creepily and he winces backward. “The spice must flow after all…”

“Um, I don’t think it’s feasible to incorporate ALL of the alcohol,” he tries to dissuade.

“Nonsense,” you hoofwave. “Booze for the masses is just like Filly Scout Cookies, you can never have enough.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a limit to both of those things, but alright,” he shrugs as he starts gathering some bottles.

“Actually, if I ever get my inventory back, I’ve got a Free Filly Scouts Cookies for life card, so that’s not entirely true,” you correct.

“You do?”

“Yeah, got it for buying so much I sent an entire troupe to Whinny Land before my daughter burned it down,” you say and he does a double take at that.

“Huh?”

“But they’re gazillionaires, so I’m sure it’s been rebuilt by now,” you shrug. “And that card even worked in the human world to help provide snacks for a concert.”

“Did you just say human?” he asks curiously.

“Yeah, it’s this whole thing I had going for awhile,” you say vaguely. “Once this is all over I can fill you in on the rest, but just know that somewhere in this castle is a horseshoe shaped mirror that leads to a horrifying land where apes rule the world.”

“That’s…that sounds terrifying,” he admits and you nod.

“Oh yeah, big time,” you agree before putting a hoof to your chin. “But hairless ape friends I made aside, maybe I could utilize the Filly Scout Card somehow.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if I can convince some drunken changelings that my inventory has a card to gather cookies that are technically made with love, then maybe they could go and try to pinch it, and if they do I can just knock them out and get all my stuff back!”

“I, uh, I don’t know if anyling would go for that, even in a drunken stupor,” he says apprehensively as he floats a bottle of schnapps to himself. “Queen Chrysalis is still scary.”

“True, which is why after the fact, we would definitely have to give them cookies for their sacrifice, otherwise it would be a war crime,” you say seriously as you pull out some amaretto. 




Kichi’s Comment




“No, I mean, Filly Scout cookies themselves would be a hard sell after the last incident,” he says with a shiver.

“Huh? What incident?” you say taken off guard by his tone.

“Well…” he trails off.


Some Time Before The Canterlot Invasion


*Knock Knock*

The sound of someone knocking on her chamber doors causes Queen Chrysalis to falter in her vocal practices for emulating Princess Cadence.

“Ugh! Again?! I Told You I Was Not To Be Disturbed!” she growls, but the knocking continues. Sighing, she walks over to the door.

“Buck it, I’ve got the voice down, I’ll practice her mannerisms after we capture and imprison her,” she grumbles to herself before opening the door dramatically.

“Now, who disturbs my serenity and-“

“Hello Ma’am, would you be willing to purchase some cookies?” asks a young earth pony filly in a green uniform, flanked by two other fillies in the same garb.

“…Huh?”

“I said would you like to buy some Filly Scout Cookies ma’am?” she asks again and the Queen seems dumbfounded.

“…You’re ponies,” she states.

“That’s right,” the filly nods.

“You’re ponies in the middle of my hive?”

“Yup, the walls sure got a lot of holes in them,” she nods.

“…Okay, this is just…what?” Chrysalis sputters putting a hoof to her forehead. “What are a bunch of pony children doing here?”

“Trying to sell cookies of course,” another of the fillies responds simply.

“No I mean, why here? How did you even get this far in without the guards stopping you?!”

“Oh, well, for as to why we’re here, we are really behind on our quota, and we don’t want to be the only troupe not going to Hurricane Harbor Splash Zone this year,” the last pony responds.

“Right, so we decided to branch out,” the little leader adds. “And as to how we got this far, we just kept selling to all the guards the further we travelled in and they pointed us to more customers.”

“…You can’t be serious,” Chrysalis deadpans.

“100% Ma’am!” the answers.

“My drones, allowed three pony children into the midst of our home, on the cusp of one our biggest military incursions we’ve ever attempted, simply because you sold them cookies?”

“Yes that sounds right,” one of the fillies nods.

“Their profit margins have really helped us,” another says.

“And if they like them so much, surely their queen would too right?”

“You know, on some level I admire your moxie, but on the other hoof I can’t help but be annoyed by the sheer stupidity on both sides that led to this,” Chrysalis grunts and rubs her temple. “I mean, we’re in the middle of the badlands, how did you even find this location?”

"Ma’am, we are the filly scouts, and neither snow, rain, tsunami or an army of enemy creatures can stop us from reaching our goals!” the first filly declares steadfastly before smiling again. “So, how many boxes can I put you down for? We’re currently running low on thin mints, but we’ve still got plenty of peanut butter, coconut clusters and fudge swirls left.”


 


The Present


“After that, the Hive had a surplus of cookies, and those fillies somehow left without a fight,” Thorax finishes.

“…Are you kidding me?” you sputter.

“No, not at all,” he reassures. “After that, she declared that no more Filly Scouts would be permitted in any of our bases.”

“So while me and the other scouts were hiding in those stuffy crystal caverns below Canterlot, you guys got to eat ALL of the cookies?”

“More like forced to for every meal right up until she infiltrated Canterlot herself and captured Princess Cadence,” he explains.

“Huh…I kind of thought her mood was a bit sour when she arrived,” you ponder before a thought comes to you.

Wait, are the Filly Scouts indirectly responsible for my first death?

It sounds stupid, but stupider things have happened to you, and you wouldn’t put it past Lady Luck to have it be that way. 

“Something on your mind Offender?” Thorax asks as you stare off into space.

“Nah, not much. Just wondering how much the Butterfly Effect really operates,” you state before shaking your head. “But that aside, I guess we’ll scrap the Filly Scout Cookie idea.”

“Probably for the best,” the younger changeling agrees.

“We’ll just stick to spiking everyone’s drinks and whatever chaos Nightshade can come up with the children,” you say as you start to walk with your first load of booze. “She’s probably already steps ahead in that process even as we speak.”



POV CHANGE: Nightshade



Okay, not sure how the buck I pulled this off, but it’s working I guess, you think nervously as several of the younglings surround you, their attention squarely on you. After walking away from your Dad and that skinny Thorax guy, you just casually integrated yourself into a group of the kids, just like you did back at school in Ponyville.

And just like back in Ponyville, just chatting, joking around and shooting the spit got you in their good graces. Though you do note that though there are some female changelings, including a very skittish looking one who is slightly taller than you, the majority of them are guys.

I suddenly feel an immense sensation of déjà vu, you ponder remembering how many Hearts and Hooves Day Cards you got before Daddy burned them all. With that thought, you nervously glance over in his direction, only to see him and Thorax walking into the kitchens.

Oh sure, go off for a snack and leave me behind why don’t you?! You think bitterly.

“-ow Falls?” a coltling asks drawing you out of your bitterness.

“What was that?” you ask.

“I asked if you were really there when the plant monster showed up at Rainbow Falls?” he asks again.

“Oh yeah, for sure, that was nuts,” you say with a hoofwave.

“I heard that’s when the miniature Nightmare Moon showed up, did you see her?” asks another one and your eye twitches.

“Y-Yeah I saw her,” you say. “And I think her name is Nightshade by the way.”

“I heard she’s very powerful and that that’s why the Queen wants her executed,” says one of the colts and you frown.

“Probably, I mean, she is pretty freaking powerful from what I saw,” you say with a strained tone.

“And from what my brother’s heard from some of the captured ponies, she stopped a flying glacier too,” says a fillyling.

“Yeesh, imagine when she grows up how dangerous she could be,” another one shivers and you frown.

“Hey now, I wouldn’t say ‘dangerous’ but-“

“Are you kidding? If even the Queen considers her a threat, you’re lucky you didn’t encounter her face to face,” another guy says.

“Um, I’m sure I would have been fine,” you grunt and try to change the topic. “But yeah, any of you guys seen the new movie with-“

“The fact that she’s still out there is why we’re all still waiting around though, least that’s what my sister said,” says one of the girls.

“Huh?” you ask.

“Yeah, that’s why the Queen’s letting the blizzard rage, so that she doesn’t have anywhere else to hide and no pony reinforcements can arrive,” nods a guy.

I think they’re giving that whackjob a little more credit than she deserves, you think sourly.

“Well, if that incredibly powerful and awesome filly shows up, just avoid her, that’s the best option,” you warn but one of the guys puffs his chest out.

“I bet I could take her on,” he says and you look at him deadpan.

“How you figure that?”

“She’d hesitate because I’m a kid, and when that happens, I’d kick her in the stomach and knock the wind out of her,” he says with surety and you raise a brow.

“Wow, really? That easy huh?” you monotone, reluctantly realizing that hurting another kid would in fact cause you to think twice.

“Oh you’re so full of it, she’d turn you into paste,” one of the other guys hits him on the shoulder with a laugh and everyone else starts laughing as well.

“Ha ha ha…yeah…” you unenthusiastically join in.

“Okay, maybe it wouldn’t be easy,” he admits. “But anyway, you wanna come with us and throw goo balls at the crystal ponies?”

“Huh?” you ask.

“Yeah, the ponies are all corralled in the surrounding buildings and we can throw goo balls at them for fun,” another kid says.

“Hey now, we really shouldn’t be doing things like that,” a slightly older changeling female says who has a red tint to her mane.

“Oh come on Ocellus, it’s harmless,” one of the fillies interjects.

“Exactly, so you wanna join? Um…What was your name again?” asks one of the guys.

“Um…” you stammer trying to come up with a good code name.

“Oh no you don’t!” another female changeling with a tinge of pink to her mane says suddenly invading your little entourage.

“Oh goodness,” Ocellus says as she lowers her head.

“Say what now?” you blather as the fillyling looks at you with open hostility, flanked by two bigger males that look like they got more muscles than brains.

"You! I don't know who are you, but you should get lost,” she says in a tone reminiscent of how Diamond and Silver used to speak. This causes you to scowl.

“The buck you say?”

“You heard me, who do you think you are, the queen?” she insinuates. “Strolling in here and acting aloof and hogging all the guys?"

Her tone grates on you and you scowl even harder.

“I fail to see how that’s my problem,” you challenge and she scoffs.

“Oh your types don’t, do they?” she grumbles.

“The Tartarus do you mean my type?” you say, not backing down.

“The types I don’t like,” she snarls. “I’ve never seen you in any of the classes or field training drills, and yet you think you can show up for this party and start hogging all the guys to yourself? Well think again!”

“Bitch please,” you say with a roll of your eyes and everyling around you gasps.

“What did you just call me?!” she asks in outrage.

“You heard me,” you say with a tiny smirk, echoing her earlier haughty statement. Before she has a chance to retort though, you continue. “You say you don’t like me, but I sure as Tartarus don’t like stuck up hoes like you. Just because I’m new you think you can order me around? Well, it don’t work like that sweetheart. Why don’t you run off back to your daddy you spoiled little brat!”

The whole group of kids around you are shocked and invested in your little spat. One of the guys even holds his hoof to his mouth and goes,

“Ooooohhhhhhh…”

“I-You-!” the other filly starts to blubber in embarrassment, gritting her teeth before looking to the two coltlings. “Don’t just stand there, get her!”

The muscle brains look from her to you and start to move forward, but they pause after you give them a malicious smile.

“Oh I wouldn’t do that if I were you boys,” you threaten and your tone actually gets them to stop and reconsider.

“Hugo! Brutus! What are you doing?!” she demands and they look at her reluctantly.

“She’s scary,” says one of them and the fillyling facehooves.

“Come on everyling, this is supposed to be a fun party, no need to be fighting,” Ocellus tries to interject again.

“Oh there won’t be a fight, no matter which decision they make,” you say with confidence which causes the two brutes to take steps back.

“I-You-Wha-Just!” the filly stammers.

“Minnie, please let’s all just calm down here?” Ocellus tries again.

“Yeah Minnie…calm down,” you say as you send out a menacing air slightly with what little access you have to your dark magic. It’s enough though as the filly seizes up in fear and falls backward onto the ground.

“EEP!” she shrieks as she falls on her butt and the two meatheads scamper back to her side. All the kids from before that crowded around you because of your newness are now even more intrigued and enthralled by your display of power.

“Wow,” even timid Ocellus whistles impressed.

“There we go, now how about we all just stop this Mean Fillies bullspit huh?” you order and the pink tinged mane fillyling gulps. “Good.”

The to the shock of everyling, you pace forward and offer a hoof up to her.

She looks at your limb rather confused for a bit, but with everyone watching she purses her lips and accepts. Pulling her to her hooves, you smirk and say,

“And another thing, I was just hanging out and having fun, I’m not ‘Hogging All the Guys’ as you said. What do you take me for? The Element of Generosity?” you say with a chuckle. Unfortunately, that joke goes over hers and most of the groups’ as they begin raising their eyebrows at that and you roll your eyes. “She’s a romance obsessed guy chaser.”

“Ahhh,” many of them nod in understanding.

“S-So you weren’t setting out to make a Harem for yourself?” Minnie asks, seeming embarrassed now.

“Oh buck no, I’ve read enough Manga to know that’s a bad idea,” you shudder. “Also, I’m not looking for a date or anything like that.”

“You’re not?” one of the guys asks, his ears drooping slightly.

“No! I’m just trying to hang out. Besides, I’ve…already got a special…someling…” you say as your cheeks flush and you avoid eye contact as the image of a certain purple drake flashes in your mind.

It’s not technically a lie, he is very special to me, you think as your mind gets all jumbled and stupid again.

“Oooohhh, this drama is real good,” another fillyling in the crowd gossips.

“Oh, I…I was mistaken,” she says as her power and influence has waned with your show of domination. “S-Sorry…”

And with that she kind of just shuffles away from the group into the party. Hugo and Brutus both look at each other before they shrug and follow after her.

“Wow, you actually got Minnie to back off, that’s impressive,” one of the gals says.

“Really? It didn’t seem like that big a deal,” you hoofwave even as you boast.

“No it really is, she’s been like that ever since the Appleloosa invasion,” one of the guys explains.

“Guess she felt she had to become a miniature version of her sister Vicky after the Offender made her disappear,” another girl says with a sigh.

“Say what now?” you say feeling blindsided. “Her sister was Vicky, as in THAT Vicky?”

“Yeah. Guess it’s not easy when your older sibling just disappears like that,” she nods. “And after such a big fight.”

“Or when a big part of the Hive just abandons everything!” one of the guys spits and suddenly the mood becomes downer.

“Hey, I’m sure they’re all fine,” Ocellus says optimistically.

“I still say The Traitor Offender sacrificed them all to Nightmare Moon for more power,” one of the guys says and you gasp in genuine shock.

“Oh not this again,” one of the girls rolls her eyes.

“Think about it, first the Hive Mind breaks, then the Appleloosa Invasion Fleet is beaten and disappears, then that other thousand leave the prison in that small blue box. It’s all demonic stuff I’m telling you!”

“That’s a little extreme,” you pout, feeling insulted for your parents.

“Oh really?” he counters. “Well why else would they all leave with that weakling who set our freedom back a year?”

“Yeah, that embarrassment really screwed us over,” a girl nods and you grit your teeth.

“And it’s only thanks to the Queen depowering him that he’s even captured,” another guy says.

“My dad says it’d be better if he were squashed because of what he’s done to the Queen.”

“What’s that traitor done to the Queen?”

“You didn’t hear? Well-“

And they all keep talking about your father as if he is a blight on the world, well, all of them except of that Ocellus girl, she just stays quiet, but the rest start to grate on your nerves.

You little punks, if you even had the slightest idea of what we’ve had to go through you-

“What’s this about traitors and weaklings?” a stern older voice suddenly says from behind you, and the conversation goes dead quiet.

“Um, nothing Sir Commander Sir!” one of the coltlings says nervously as all the other kids stand at attention. Slowly you turn your head and see above you a very, very intimidating changeling with red tinged fins.

“I see,” he says before looking to Ocellus and raising an eyebrow.

“…It wasn’t as bad as you think cousi-I mean Sergeant Pharynx,” she stammers. He just takes a moment to look over all of the younglings, his face betraying no emotions.

“When it comes to talks of traitors, there are only two that should be the topic of discussion,” he starts and points to Grandbuggy. “One is up there, and the other is being held in max security conditions.”




Down With Chrysalis’s Comment




You frown at that as from what you saw, no one even had a guard down below, least of all your Dad who just seemingly walked out of his cell. Before you can even think more on that though, one of the kids speaks up.

“Uh, yes sir, we were discussing the one locked up.”

“I see,” he nods before looking at you all sternly. “I believe I heard the terms embarrassment, weakling, and traitor, yet out of all three of those, only the last need apply.”

“Sir?” the kid says taken aback and you raise your own eyebrow.

“Drone 9001 is a traitor to the cause it’s true, but he is not weak nor is he an embarrassment,” he says with authority and everyling in the kid group looks bewildered.

“B-But sir, after all he’s done-“ a fillyling starts but he cuts her off.

“Precisely, look at all he’s done. In four years, he went from being an un-motivational low class private to one of the most powerful creatures in the land,” he instructs. “Though he abandoned The Hive, his accomplishments are nothing to deny. All that power, all those enemies defeated, it perfectly shows what we as a species can accomplish.”

Is…is he praising Daddy? You wonder in shock, not having expected that from someone so mean looking. All of the other kids seem just as flabbergasted as you, and he takes note of that.

“9001 is a traitor for his crimes against us, but his power level is something to aspire to young ones,” he says before scowling. “And the Queen agrees, which is why leniency has been shown to him.”

You can tell on that last bit that he most certainly doesn’t agree with that decision.

So even though you praise him, you still don’t like him eh? You theorize. Gods, adults are so freaking weird.

“Which is why, despite everything, we do not interfere,” he instructs.

“But then…what about that one?” Ocellus asks nervously pointing at Grandbuggy’s cocoon and he frowns.

“Specialist 117 is also a changeling to aspire to his accomplishments,” he responds. “Many decisive victories in the past for the former regime were all thanks to him. Still, he is a traitor for his involvement in the death of the former Queen.”

You genuinely gasp at that as all the other kids nod.

Grandbuggy got Chrysalis’s mom killed? You wonder in shock, looking to the old bug’s cocoon.

“And though he was once banished, the Queen has decreed that he be taken care of in a festive manner, hence why he will be used as a piñata,” he explains. “And no matter the grumbling or setbacks, we follow the orders of the crown. Understood?”

“Sir yes sir!” the kids all say in unison and salute, though not all of them are uniform in doing so.

“Very well, continue with your festivities,” he orders before he turns to you and you freeze momentarily.




Kichi’s Comment




"You,” he says in a strong tone, and you can’t help but stand at attention.

"Sir!" you salute just like you’ve seen in countless movies and games.

"At ease,” he orders before looking you up and down. “I came over here originally because I witnessed your spat with the other child.”

“Oh, well, that was no big deal sir,” you excuse while most of the other kids stealthily back away from the two of you. 

“I should say not, for someone of your skills. Able to weaponize killing intent at such a young age is impressive,” he praises and you are momentarily speechless.

“Oh, uh, thank you sir.”

“That being said, I’m curious as to how you obtained those skills, especially as I don’t recognize you, and believe me, I have a good memory for the gifted,” he says with a scrutinizing look and you suppress a gulp.

“Well, uh, if you really want to know sir, I sort of just learned it on my own,” you admit and he raises a brow.

“Really? Then how come you haven’t stood out in any of the Junior Training programs?”

“B-because sir, I haven’t been in any of the classes in the last four years sir,” you say rattling off excuses on the fly.

“You’ve been playing hooky?” he deduces and you shake your head.

“No sir, I’ve actually been separated from the Hive since the Wedding,” you lie and he seems taken aback.

“You were at the Wedding? I don’t recall younglings being brought along,” he says skeptically.

“Well, I wasn’t at the Wedding, I was actually stationed in Ponyville a few days before the wedding to spy on the Elements of Harmony,” you fib and he raises a brow.

“You were sent on an espionage mission? A child?” he inquires and you nod convincingly.

“Yes sir, I infiltrated the pony school house, and the superiors thought it would be a good idea since a kid acting like a kid would be the most convincing.” The lies come so naturally to you, you wonder briefly if you have a future in fiction writing, but even still Pharynx seems confused.

“Who was the superior who dreamed that one up? I haven’t heard of such a mission.”

“I mean, I was little when I was handed the orders by uh, Kichi I think his name was” you lie, picturing the Crimson Knight General and he seems even more befuddled.

“That pony culture obsessed Kichi sent you on this mission?” he asks with a wince.

“Yes.”

“A child, all on her own?”

“Yes,” you nod.

“And you were separated for four years on your own after the Canterlot Invasion failed?”

“Yes sir,” you lie and he puts a hoof to his forehead.

“Oh of all the-I trained that moron and he went and did something so asinine as that?” he grumbles to himself before sighing.

“It, uh, it wasn’t so bad sir. I did infiltrate the town and integrated myself as a friend of the Element’s sisters,” you say and he sighs again.

“A mission you shouldn’t have been ordered to do in the first place,” he says. “Sending someling so young. And the reason you didn’t rejoin when we took over Ponyville a few years ago?”

“I, uh, I was actually shadowing The Ho-er-Drone 9001 when that happened,” you say, making yourself rub the back of your neck in false embarrassment.

“You were?” he asks with an appraising look.

“Yeah, he was the first changeling I ran into in a long time and I thought I could link up with him, but he kept causing ruckuses in public and I thought it was too dangerous,” you narrate. 

“Hmmph, sounds like something he would do,” he grunts and you raise a brow before continuing.

“By the time I got back to Ponyville, I’d missed the rest of the Hive and you were all imprisoned.”

He rubs at his temple and sighs again.

“And so you had to thrive in a Pony environment for four years by yourself huh? Relying on your own wits and intuition?”

“Yes sir,” you nod, sounding proud.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that youngling, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed,” he says with a smirk and you mentally sigh in relief over faking it till you make it. “My younger brother was also separated for four years, though he at least had had training.” 

“Yeah, but I think I managed well,” you admit. “I mean, those Elements of Harmony were something else. I don’t know if they’re blessed by Lady Luck, or the probabilities of chance or whatever, but they could sure be crazy.”

“You’re telling me,” he says with a roll of his eyes. “Seriously, 6 Mares that barely knew each other being chosen by mythical artifacts to stop a mythic alicorn. Seems too cut and clean.”

“And then they go on to be a thorn in the Hive’s plans and even fought the god of chaos, and the Purple one ascended,” you point out, trying to make your tone conversational.”

“Indeed,” he says with a shake of his head. “But however blessed or lucky they were, the Queen has them now. Still, we must remain vigilant even during these times of victory, because who knows what chaos may erupt.”

“I know right? Which is why I was surprised a party got thrown.”

“A necessary measure for morale, not even the best of the best can function without some sort of rewarding stimuli,” he nods before shaking his head and becoming serious once again. “But anyway seeing as how your mission is now over, I look forward to seeing you in the Junior Training Courses.”

“It would be an honor sir,” you fib and he nods. He is about to walk away, but he pauses.

“By the way, what is your name? I’ll pass it along to the other commanders to keep an eye on you, though personally I wouldn’t mind taking you as my personal apprentice,” he says and sweat beads on your brow.

“Oh, right, my name, heh heh,” you chuckle nervously. “It’s, uh…”

Think, think! What’s a changeling name? you mentally panic. Chrysalis, Thorax, Ocellus and Pharynx are all bug related things, thank you Ms. Cheerliee’s science class, but then there’s those that go by their pony code names like Sin and Vicky!

“Something wrong?” he inquires and you suppress yourself from jumping.

“N-not really, just been awhile that I’ve been able to say my name instead of a pony one, feels weird you know? Heh heh…” you stutter, but surprisingly he nods in understanding.

“It happens to the best of us who infiltrate for long periods of time.”

“Well that’s a relief. Then, uh, my name is…Antennae…” you say with a wince at how horribly generic it is, but it was the only bug part you could come up with.

“Ah, a traditional Hive name,” he nods in approval. “Unlike many clutch mothers naming their children to sound more Equestrian.”

“Thank you sir,” you say and he nods.

“Well anyway Junior Private Antennae, I look forward to your progress, enjoy the festivities, you’ve earned them.” He is about to walk away, before against your better judgment, you let curiosity take control.

“Before you go sir, can I ask you a question?”

“You may,” he nods and you bite your lip.

“It’s just…earlier you sounded like you had respect for the Offender, even though you also hate him? How do you do that?”

He pauses for a moment before answering.

“You can respect even an enemy if they have the potential,” he says with a scowl. “When I trained him, he was mostly wasted potential, but I tried like Tartarus to drag it out of him. I didn’t care about the consistency of his blood or what his Grandbug had done, all I cared about was the effort.”

“The effort?”

“Yes, for he never tried to improve or fight back against his tormentors whilst under my command…but it seems my lessons finally took place once he was on his own,” he says with small grunt. “And despite using that training to betray us, it was still very effective. I hope  your training will go much more swimmingly though.”

And with that, he walks off into the hustle and bustle of the party, and you feel as though a great weight has lifted from your shoulders.

Phew! Holy Crapbaskets that was stressful, you sigh in relief just as the other kids start to gather around you again. They all then start praising and congratulating you on your talk with Pharynx and how lucky you are and etc.

“Whoa, that was impressive,” Ocellus congratulates. “Not many changelings catch his eye like that.”

“Y-yeah, that’s great and everything,” you nod dismissively. “I think I’m gonna get some punch, but I’ll be back.”

And with that, you unceremoniously leave the group of kids to wet your whistle after such a stressful moment.

Only when you get there, you find your dad discretely pouring countless bottles of booze into each and every punch bowl while Thorax keeps a look out.

“What are you doing Daddy?” you whisper and he nearly jumps from shock.

“What?! I’m not doing any-Oh it’s you honey,” he sighs in relief. “You do well on making friends who want to cause chaos?”

“Um, sure?” you guess. “I mean, I was pretty popular before because I guess even as a changeling I’m pretty.”

“Of course you’re pretty honey, but still that’s interesting, gotta add some grubs to ‘The List,’” he grumbles and you roll your eyes.

“Whatever dad, I’m not interested in them anyway,” you admit and he sighs.

“Okay good, you keep being pure of heart like that honey,” he says as he dumps in a bottle of Vodka.

“Um, you didn’t answer my question, why are you putting alcohol in the punch?”

“Well isn’t it obvious?” he says with a shrug, opening up a bottle of tequila.

“…You wanna try to set the punch on fi-“

“NO! That’s not the plan! I never even thought about that!” he denies with shifty eyes, which causes you to smirk. “No, we’re just gonna get everyling drunk so it’s easier to get Grandbuggy out.

“Oh…okay,” you say somewhat sadly as you didn’t get to try any of the punch before it got spiked.




Haoryu’s Changer’s Comment




“Well, almost everyling, we don’t want the kids getting drunk,” Thorax points out and your dad pauses.

“Right, right,” he nods and looks to you. “Nightshade, I’m gonna need you to keep the little ones from partaking. I’m sure once all the adults start acting loopy, you can convince them to start pranking and getting in the way and stuff.”

“I mean, I’ll try, but maybe you should leave one bowl un-boozed just in case?” you suggest.

“No time honey, there’s just no time!” he says as he throws a now empty bottle behind him out a window. You sigh and roll your eyes at his antics.

“Alright, fine, whatever, maybe I can convince them it’s cursed and to look for bottles of root beer or cider or something,” you shrug.

“That’s the spirit honey,” he smiles and uncorks a bottle of wine.

“I think that might be enough,” Thorax advises.

“I’ll tell you when it’s enough!” Daddy argues back before looking back to you. “So yeah, go ahead and round up all the kids again baby, think you can do that?”

“Not a problem,” you boast. “I was popular before, but after that Pharynx guy praised me, they’ll definitely want to clamor around again.”

He pauses at that and looks at you worriedly.

“Pharynx spoke to you?” he says with a  tone filled with dread.

“Yeah, why? You know him?”

“Know him? Honey, that bug is the definition of evil incarnate with no redeeming qualities whatsoever,” he explains and Thorax frowns.

“That’s not true at all, he may be tough, but he’s still a good brother to me.”

“That’s bias in the system!” your dad sneers and you roll your eyes.

“Well whatever the case, he seemed alright with me, seems like a bigwig, and he also thinks your accomplishments are pretty cool,” you relay and your dad pauses in pouring in a big bottle of Tequila. He slowly turns to you and raises an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard that right, did you say Sergeant Pharynx, demonic Tartarus Spawn made flesh thought my accomplishments were cool?”

“Well, he didn’t say cool, but he scolded the other kids about calling you weak and an embarrassment,” you explain. “He said you were an example to strive for in terms of power.”

“…” your dad stares slack jawed at you and you think you’ve broken his brain.

“Daddy?”

“He said that?”

“Yes.”

“Sergeant Pharynx?”

“Yes Dad, I was right there,” you say with a roll of the eyes.

“I’m just…I’m just having a hard time processing that,” he admits.

“Pharynx respects power Mr. Offender, like a lot of the commanders,” Thorax explains.

“Yeah, and even though he still thinks you and Grandbuggy are traitors, he still respects your victories,” you add. “Also I got the impression he was hard on you because he wanted you to meet your true potential.”

“Huh…” your Dad says simply as he absentmindedly finishes pouring a jug of moonshine into the punch. “Well if that’s true he could have been a lot more straight forward than be a mysterious prick!”

“Speaking of, he said that it’s on Chrysalis’s orders that Grandbuggy be used as a piñata because he broke his banishment or something,” you inform

“Of course she would,” he sighs and grunts.

“Yeah…Pharynx said it’s cause Grandbuggy had something to do with the last Queen dying?” you ask apprehensively and he sighs again.

“Chrysalis’s mom died under mysterious circumstances, and everyling felt like Grandbuggy had something to do with it, but Chrysalis just decided to banish him instead of executing him,” he explains, wincing at the painful memories.

“Why did they think he had something to do with it?” you ask and he looks downcast at his reflection in the punch.

“Because it wasn’t too long after…your grandma and grandpa passed,” he says reluctantly and you stiffen.

“Oh…”

“They were deliberately sent on a suicide mission by the last queen, and after the funeral, Grandbuggy said he was gonna take a walk…” he says with his distant eyes. “And the next day the Queen was dead.”

Thorax sensing how awkward this moment is, does his best to look like he isn’t paying attention. It’s obvious to you both, but you don’t call him out on it. Seeing as how your dad is looking down, you walk over and place a hoof on his.

“S-sorry about bringing it up,” you apologize and he just shakes his head and rubs your mane.

“Nothing to be sorry about honey, it’s in the past,” he reassures. “Whether he actually did it or not, I never asked, but that doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that we get him out of here.”

“Right, right,” you nod and scratch at your mane. “Right, well if you’re gonna get the adults drunk I got an idea on how to use the kids.”




Kichi’s Comment




“Oh? You got a plan that quickly huh?” he says with a smirk, thankful to be changing the subject.

“Eh what can I say? I got a lot of smarts from Mommy,” you boast.

“Dang right you d-Hey wait a second, just from your mom? What about me?” he asks sounding a little offended. You just give him a deadpan look and say,

“ ‘Here is my meat shield, there are many like it but this one is mine,’ “ you quote and he purses his lips and looks away in embarrassment.

“Okay, point taken, at least you got my sense of humor,” he grunts and you giggle.

“Buck yeah I did," you nod before getting serious again. “But anyway, my idea is this. Once the adults get sufficiently sauced, I’ll release Mangle to hack the DJ booth and get everyone on the dance floor.”

“Wait, how are you gonna get EVERYONE on the dance floor?” he asks curiously.

“Daddy, no one can resist The Cha Cha Slide,” you say with confidence and you see his eyes alight in understanding.

“Ooohhh…you devious little filly,” he says with a malicious grin and you giggle evilly.

“Exactly, and when you got a bunch of drunken adults, swaying and trying to do the moves, they’ll be stumbling everywhere and falling down, and I’ll get the other kids to start tripping and pushing them around. I predict more than a few will have to go to the bathroom and upchuck and many more might have to sit the rest of the party out.”

“That would leave a lot less changelings looking up at Grandbuggy if they’re all sick,” he nods.

“Eyup, and in all the craziness we can get him out of here,” you finish and he beams at you.

“Okay, yes you definitely got your mother’s smarts, I never would have thought of that,” he admits and pats you on the head.

"Umm... I think I’ll let all the other dissenters know to avoid the punch as well,” Thorax says just as the latest dance song comes to an end and several changelings start heading towards the snack table. “But I like the plan, good luck you two.”

And as he wanders off into the crowd and others start to eat and drink.

“Oooh, the punch tastes much better now,” one lady says.

“I know right?” a guy says as he slurps down a cup.

You look up at your father questioningly at that and he leans down and whispers,

“When it comes to many tastes outside of emotions, many changelings only really register extremes,” he explains.

“But wouldn’t they notice the alcohol then?” you whisper back.

“On some level, but it’s masked by all that sugar I dumped in before,” he smirks.

“...You know, I take it back, I probably did get some smarts from you too daddy,” you say plainly and he looks touched.

“Ah, thanks honey,” he praises. “But run along now and go get your minions situated.”

“Alright, and what are you gonna do?” you ask and you see him looking towards the only other non changelings in this ballroom.

“I gotta go let Hope’s friends know what’s about to go down,” he says with a reluctant sigh.




Down With Chrysalis’s Comment




Loganic’s Comment





POV CHANGE: Bugze (You)



After informing her of that, you and Nightshade split the party once again. She going off to her youngling friends, and you making your way over to the rest of Hope’s Legion of Doom.

You are still somewhat rattled from Nightshade asking about the past, but you are determined to move on. All introspection and serious discussions can happen when everyling is safe. A cursory glance at all the different punch bowls you spiked proves that your brew is getting pretty popular, but now you gotta make sure everyone else is on the same page.

As you near the group at their lone separate table full of snacks and unspiked drinks, you can’t help but frown at the twin stallions.

You blasphemous heralds of the Machines! How dare you use technology to release Chrysalis and the rest? I bet if you were given enough time, you would create the mechanical monstrosities of mankind known as Buses and Airplanes! You mentally rant. Well I can tell you this for free, if I get you out of this I’m going to ensure you never create another- 

“I say brother of mine, why is that changeling glaring at us?” Flim asks his brother breaking you out of your inner ramblings.

“I say brother of mine, I surely don’t know,” Flam answers and now the minotaur and pegasus are looking at you.

“Um, hi,” you wave awkwardly. “Listen, try to act natural, I’m here to-“

“Wait a second, I recognize that voice!” Flam says with widened eyes.

“Yes, and that scowl is the same one on that jerk that broke our Cider creation two years ago!” Flim says in understanding as the minotaur and pegasus look at curiously and your face pales.

“Okay, okay, calm down! I-“

“You’re the Hood-Mmph!” both brothers attempt to speak, but both are thankfully silenced as the minotaur wraps his hands around their snouts.

“Know the time and the place if you don’t want egg on your face!” he shushes them and looks around nervously, as do you. Thankfully with the music bumping again, and the increased amount of giggles from the punch drinkers, noling heard that outburst.

“Thanks big guy, but act more discreet,” you inform as you stand off to the side of them, not looking at them directly. The minotaur nods and releases the two brothers who look a bit sheepish.

“Sorry, but it’s just, you never forget a voice like that,” Flam says.

“Screaming about the evils of machines and the like while sabotaging our creations,” Flim grunts.

“I understand that, but remain calm and collected,” the minotaur orders.

“Wait, hold on, is this really the guy?” the pegasus mare asks in a loud whisper her eyes darting to you and him repeatedly.

“Yes, I’m the guy,” you say out of the side of your mouth. “I’m working with Hope and if you all want to remain free, you’ll shut up and listen to what I have to say.”

They all stiffen at that and you continue.

“Right now you’ve got eyes on you from a few guards,” you say to them.

“Wait, those dudes that have not so subtly been checking me out this whole time?” the pegasus asks.

“They’re not ‘checking you out’ they’re keeping an eye on you and awaiting orders from Chrysalis,” you scoff.

“Orders for what?” Flim asks.

“To arrest you, just like they tried to do to Hope.”

“WHAT?!” the mare exclaims, which does get some of the watchers to glance at her.

“Uh, I said that potato salad absolutely can be incorporated into a healthy diet if you’re looking for gains,” the minotaur says a bit loudly, suddenly flexing and glaring down the mare. “Darn music is so loud.”

The look outs seem to accept this little display as Lightning Dust chuckles nervously and they don’t focus too intently.

“S-sorry, but what do you mean they tried to arrest Hope?”

“It’s like I just said, Chrysalis has accused her of treason and she’ll do the same to you before long,” you explain.

“But why would she do that?” asks Flam.

“Because she’s insane, and you lot threw your stupid hats in with her,” you growl and they both wince at that. “But seriously, she’s been falling off the wagon with letting the storms in, and Hope decided enough was enough.”

“Well that’s to be expected, we knew something bad was gonna happen sooner or later, what with that miniature ice age going on outside,” Iron Will sighs.

“Yes, but this soon? I feel totally unprepared,” Flim says worriedly.

“And treason? What the buck?!” Dust grunts and glances at the lookouts. “We gonna have to fight our way out of here?”

“Don’t be so hasty now Dust, the Offender wouldn’t have come here if that’s the case,” Iron Will informs, before addressing you. “So I guessing that you have a plan sir?”

“Uh, yeah I do…” you say taken off guard. “But yeah, what’s happening is…”

And with that, you give them a quick rundown on what’s happened since Hope nearly got arrested till now. 

“So in conclusion, avoid the punch, get ready for the signal in song change, and when the chaos starts happening slip out and head to the Flugelhorn room and we’ll all get out of the palace together.”

You give a quick side glance to the group and see that their reactions seem somewhat understanding and accepting of the whole situation.

“So…you in?”

“Well, I suppose we don’t really have a choice,” Flam shrugs.

“We do brother, but the other choice is being arrested by a dictator, so I like the idea of this Umbrum prison,” Flim adds.

“Yo, as long as I live another day to get to show up that stupid Rainbow Dash, I’m game,” Lightning Dust nods.

“We’ll follow this plan Mr. Offender,” Iron Will says. “And even if the others don’t say it, thanks for thinking of including us.”

“Well, you all were here and I had to get my Grandbuggy anyway,” you shrug. “But uh, yeah, you guys are a lot more reasonable than I thought for folks that joined up with the Legion of Doom.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Iron Will nods with a sigh. “Unlike the others, I had no score to settle, just needed money for family. Not a good excuse I know, but it is what it is.”

“Hey, we wanted the money too,” Flim and Flam say.

“Yeah, but ya’ll wanted to get back at the farmer pony too,” the minotaur argues back and they wince.

“Really?” you ask confused. “Cause Hope said you also joined because you resented Fluttershy for ruining your business?”

“I hold no ill will towards her, the customer is always right after all,” he grunts. “It’s something that she tried to entice me with, but my business failings are all my own.”

“Oh, uh…huh,” you say pleasantly surprised.

For a big intimidating looking dude, he’s really agreeable, you think.

“Not to mention your speeches during that got broadcast during the games were prime material and very inspirational! The motivational speaker in me would be remised if I didn’t follow your lead.”

“I…okay then,” you say going with it.

“We’ll go along because it’s our best shot, but you still owe us for the Cider Squeezy,” Flam threatens and you roll your eyes.

“Yeah, we’re still in the red for that little stunt, also not helped because the one in the cocoon up there didn’t let us sell our youth tonic,” Flim grumbles.

“Oh put a sock in it you technomancers,” you sigh.

“Personally, I got nothing for or against ya, but I appreciate how in the past you beat up Rainbow Dash,” Lightning Dust smirks.

“You really gotta let that anger go,” Iron Will instructs.

“The whorse ruined my chances of being a Wonderbolt, so buck no!” she growls back.

“And again, you did that to yourself with that wreckless stunt,” Iron Will sighs.

“Yeah Lightning, even though we’re not the biggest fans of them, you did almost accidentally kill 4 out of the 6 Elements of Harmony,” Flim points out.

“Killing national heroes would have done a lot worse for your reputation,” Flam finishes and she gapes at all of them.

“We literally helped imprison those same mares in a bucking coup, and you wanna lecture me on that?!”

“To be fair, they had a higher chance of death from your stunt than this one,” Iron Will instructs and she covers her face in her wings and groans.

“Alright, alright, you lot just keep arguing like that, that way the look outs won’t think anything’s up,” you instruct. “When the Cha Cha Slide comes on, that’s when it’ll all go down.”

“Ooh, I love that song and dance,” Iron Will says happily.

“Resist it’s temptation!” you order sternly and they all nod. “Alright, I’m gonna slink off now so-“

“Hey, one more thing before you go,” Lightning Dust interrupts and your eye twitches.

“Yes?”

“When we all joined up, we got intel briefings on you and it said a lot of mares wanted to jump your bones including Rainbow Dash right?” she asks and you cough and sputter taken off guard.

“I, uh, well I mean there were a lot of aggressive mares in that regard yes,” you say in embarrassment.

She then looks at you with very scrutinizing eyes for a few moments. 

Oh gods, please don’t let her join in on that train! I’ve had quite enough of mares chasing me because of that stupid Lover’s Jewell and-

“Nah,” she says suddenly with a shake of her head.

“Nah?” you echo back

“Yeah, nah, I can’t see the appeal.”

“Huh?”

“I was thinking maybe of doing something in that regard to piss Dash off later, but…” she trails off and gags a bit. “Yeah, no, you ain’t doing anything for me.”

Surprisingly that comment feels a little hurtful, mostly to your pride.

Ah who needs ya, I already got the prettiest mare in the world at the top of my list anyway, you mentally grumble as you say aloud,

“Oh, uh alright then. But yeah, wait for the dance and be ready.”

And as you walk away, leaving the four to argue amongst themselves, you reflect on some things.

You know, in the long run, it’s probably best she has the same mentality as Twilight. If she had found me attractive I always risk having another Aloe in the mix, and noling wants that.


Back in Ponyville



The masseuse sneezes weakly as she and countless others lie in cots in the town hall. Many like her have been drained of their magic and as a result their cutie marks have disappeared. It’s been a few days, but the monster responsible swept through town, with only some members of the Horde having escaped it’s wrath. Those few are now the ones caring for the majority.

From what little she’s heard, Canterlot was next in line for the big red beast, and they fared no better. Whatever that red ape horse thing was, it continued to head north.

And she, like many of the weakened, think it has something to do with the Hooded Offender showing up during the Equestria Games Broadcast.


 


Back With You



After awhile of ensuring that quite a few changelings have had the chance to consume more punch, including putting more salt on all of the snack foods, you eventually see the fruits of your labor.

More than half of the party goers are swaying, have flushed cheeks, are laughing way too loudly and just generally acting as if they were at a college frat party. After tripping over a drone who’s had way too much, and giving privacy to a guy and gal making out behind a curtain, you know for sure that the time has finally come.

Okay, now all I have to do is relink with Nightshade, have her scary fox robot do her thing and then we can get Grandbuggy out of he-




Skiny_Boy’s Comment




“Alright everyling, it’s time to break the piñata!” your old drill sergeant’s voice echoes throughout the ballroom, followed by several drunken cheers.

Buck! You think anxiously as you see the cocoon holding your Grandbug get lowered and changelings start making their way towards it.

Buck, buck, buck! You think anxiously as your eyes dart around the room. You’ve run out of time and you need to enact the plan fast. You eventually make eye contact with your disguised daughter and you see the same look of anxiety and panic on her face.

You quickly motion for her to enact the plan, as well as mouthing the words “Do it” over and over again and she quickly nods.

She reaches into her inventory, and pulls out the mecha-pet and sets her down on the ground amidst all the moving bodies.

“Deploying friend. Friend deployed,” you swear you hear her say, but you don’t dwell on it. You have to make sure noling beats on Grandbuggy before the music starts.

“Alright, gather around, single file, SINGLE FILE! What’s the matter with you all? You’re acting like you’re inebriated!” Pharynx growls as he tries to get the swaying masses to shape up, with little success. Using this to your advantage, you get to the front of the line and salute.

“Sir! I would love the first strike sir!” you say somewhat nervously, panting a bit and he actually smirks.

“Nice to see some enthusiasm private, though you’re still in uniform,” he points out and you grit your teeth.

“Um, my patrol just got done sir, and I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” you lie, finding it kind of strange to be lying to your old sergeant once again. He stares at you scrutinizing for a moment and you gulp before he just nods his head.

“Very well, it’d be better to have someone with their head on straight to show the rest of these morons how it’s done,” he says gesturing to the rowdy crowd behind you. “I swear, if I find out someling smuggled alcohol in here they’re going to be on latrine duty for months!”

“Mmmm,” you whine, biting your tongue, but he doesn’t notice.

“Alright you lot, as many of you know, this here is former Specialist 117, a great soldier in the previous regime, though turned traitor in his later years.”

“Boooooo!” the crowd chants and you have to bite your tongue to keep from scowling.

“For his crimes, he was banished, but with his recent actions, and on order of Queen Chrysalis herself, he is to be made an example of!”

“Yeeeaaaahhhh!!!!” the crowd cheers, some actually bowling over onto the ground, which causes Pharynx to scowl slightly.

“Now, everyling will get exactly one whack a piece,” he instructs. “We will damage him through the cocoon first and we will continue even when it breaks and he falls out. And if he dies, he dies.”

You nearly crack your teeth at how hard you are clenching them, but you sweat and strain to not let it show on your face.

Hurry up Mangle, hurry up! You think hectically as Pharynx turns to you and holds out a baseball bat.

“Go ahead private, do your thing,” he orders and ushers you forward. Reluctantly, you take the bat and step up to the green semi transparent cocoon.

The old bug who raised you floats inside, his trusty bowler still affixed to his skull. His eyes are shut, and you can see the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest as he slumbers, unaware of the crowd willing and waiting to turn him into mush.

You feel sick to your stomach as you stand before him. Sure you’ve decked him once or twice since he came back into your life, but this situation is nothing like those love taps. Even if you’re buying time, you can’t comprehend intentionally starting the conga line that would lead to his death.

“Well? What are you waiting for private?” Pharynx urges and you begin to sweat bullets.

“Just, uh, just looking for the optimal area of impact sir,” you excuse and he frowns.

“Okay, but hurry up, we have plenty more to get through!” he snaps and you shudder.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods, you think wearily as you raise the bat, your eyes darting all over the cocoon for a weak spot. Really, the only logical place would be towards the bottom, right below his head. If I can cut that part open, I can make him fall out and get him out of here! But without the music, everyling will join in on beating him and-




Down With Chrysalis’s Comment




WARGAMES’s Comment




Kichi’s Comment




Puzzling Frost’s Comment




Suddenly the speakers on the DJ booth fill with static and feedback which causes everyling to clutch at their ears. You see as the Pinkie disguised changeling looks confused at their set up, but you can see a white and pink paw from underneath it and you smirk.



“-nd and this t…We’re going to get funky, Funky,” the lyrics of the catchy song stabilize and suddenly everyling, drunk or not perk up as the beat gets going.

“Oh Buck Yeah!” a drunken changeling in line cheers as he starts bobbing his head.

“I love this song!” a female changeling shrieks.

“Woohoo!” the crowd cheers as they all line up, ignoring the piñata execution.

“Hey! Wait just a second!” Pharynx calls out. “We’re just about to-“

“Come on old bugs! Let’s dance!” you hear Nightshade’s voice declare followed by the cacophony of youngling cheers.

“Everypony clop your hooves!” the song demands and everyling does just that to the rhythm, ignoring everything else. Even you momentarily get caught up in it, but thankfully holding a baseball bat keeps you from joining in.

“Hey! Fall in you-“ Pharynx starts, but it’s too late.

“Slide to the left,
Take it back now ya’ll.
One hop this time!”

The vast majority of the partygoers stumble and laugh as they start to do the movements the song demands.

Heh, I wonder what would happen if Aria, Adagio and Sonata sang this with their mind control powers, you wonder briefly before focusing on the matter at hoof. You look back to where Hope’s friends are sitting and see as they are looking towards you and gesturing to all the dancing changelings. You nod your head in the affirmative and the minotaur’s eyes thankfully gets it.

You then see as he gathers the other three and they start dancing as well, only they are making their way towards the exit as they do the motions.

One less thing to worry about, you sigh in relief before turning back to Grandbuggy. Alright, with everyling dancing, I can put some ice on this bat and cut the sack much easi-

“Hold up a second private, we’ll wait till these fools are done before we start in on the whacking,” Pharynx orders you, holding up a hoof and you stare at him incredulously.

Seriously? How can you resist this temptress of a song? Even I feel wrong for not dancing! You mentally screech as yet another roadblock gets in your way.

“Um, er…” you blather, but you can’t come up with anything valid to change his mind. Now panicking, you look back to the crowd as you see Nightshade’s group of kids making the adults trip, or pushing them into others, causing them to fall. Thanks to the booze, the adults keep laughing, and some even get back up and keep dancing.

“Left hoof let’s stomp.
Right hoof let’s stomp.”

Sweating now, you look over to where Nightshade is. She looks at you questioningly, holding her forelegs out, silently asking what’s taking you so long.

You just gesture your head towards your former drill sergeant and you see her frown, even as she trips a drunk. You then see her head dart towards one of the snack tables before her eyes widen and she looks back at you with a trollish grin.

Oh crapbaskets, I know that look, you think with some dread, but you really don’t have time to look a gift horse in the mouth at this point, so you give her a nod. Whatever you’re gonna do honey, do it! 

And with that, you see her dash towards the DJ booth. You lose her trajectory for a moment, but then you catch a glimpse of her diving under the snack table, along with something white and pink.

“Look at them all, infatuated by mediocre pony music,” Pharynx shakes his head in disgust. “This was supposed to be a dry celebration, but clearly someone has disobeyed orders.”

“M-maybe someone spiked the punch and the others didn’t know?” you suggest and he shakes his head.

“I doubt that, even with our dulled taste to pony food, you’d have to know what you were drinking. No, those insubordinates out there knew full well what they were imbibing.”

This causes you to pause in thought for a moment as you look to all the drunken rabble as they laugh and carry on.

…Huh, I guess after all the hardships they’ve been through, they really all did just want a drink, you guess. You then see a flicker of light towards the snack table and you see Nightshade looking at you intently while holding a box of matches.

Your eyes widen briefly in understanding as she uses her magic to strike several of the matches at the same time and throw them towards the punch bowls.

And just as the chorus to the song gets to,

“Freeze!”

The lights suddenly go out and the music stops. For a brief moment there is confusion, but then the matches all strike your various spiked punch bowls and they all alight like beacons in the darkness.

“Ooooohhhh,” the crowd says in awe as the fire illuminates the tables. 

“What in the Tartarus?!” Pharynx exclaims as his eyes catch something else. Suddenly, from behind the tables, a large two headed figure unfurls, made up of twisting wires and steel, yet covered here and there with pink and white fur. Standing well over 9 feet tall, Mangleloid holds her paws up to the air as the drunken changelings gasp and even a few scuttle back in fear. Even Hope’s friends, now in the exit doorway can’t help but pause and look at this mechanical monstrosity.

The two headed fox robot then opens up it’s jaws, and suddenly the techno lights begin strobing again as the music returns.

“Everypony clop your hooves!”

Mangle then starts clapping her paws together and all of the partygoers then all start laughing, hooting and hollering as they join back in on the dance.

Dang, Nightshade’s got a flair for the dramatic…definitely got that one from me, you realize as you see now that Pharynx is most assuredly distracted.

“That’s…that’s the machine of the Nightmare Moon child,” he gasps as he takes a few steps away from Grandbuggy, watching as Mangle starts to go low with everyling else. “She’s gotta be here, this must be a ploy or something.”

And while he starts to freak out a bit, you go up to the cocoon.

Well, I can’t risk using a Frost Grenade since I don’t know if it will freeze all the way through or not, you reckon before sighing. Genetic Modification it is then.

And with that you put your bare hoof up to the bottom edge of it and prep yourself for pain.

“Would You Kindly Cool It?” you whisper. Sure enough, the Ice Plasmid activates, and your hoof hurts like a mother bucker. You feel as some of your chitin cracks and your midnight blue blood flows out, only to immediately be flash frozen. Groaning in pain, you hold on long enough for the bottom part of the cocoon to become nice and icy before shutting the flow off.

Buck! You mentally shout as your numb and bloodied hoof back and forth. Really gonna need that stupid glove back sooner rather than later.

Taking up the bat one hoofed now, you swing with all of your might just as everyling hops twice, including Mangle. The ice shattering is covered up by the cacophony of stomps, and Grandbuggy immediately flops out of the sack and onto the ground. He is a little thinner looking, but he is still breathing and most importantly alive.

“Everyling! Stop dancing with that thing!” Pharynx shouts, but he is drowned out by the reverie. With him still distracted, you start to pull Grandbuggy away from the cocoon, and as you do.

Mangle then starts grooving and dancing through the crowd many laughing and diving out of the way as the behemoth makes it’s way towards the exit, where Hope’s crew gets the memo and bugs out.

“What in the world is going on today?!” Pharynx shouts pulling at his ears, which lets you get further away. Then, suddenly as if out of thin air, Nightshade is by your side.

“I’ll take Grandbuggy,” she says as she quickly stuffs the old bug into her inventory.


Added to the Inventory (Nightshade)

Grandbuggy (Passed Out)


“Good thinking honey, but what do we do about your robot now?” you say pointing to the current center of attention.

“Don’t worry, she’s about to make a run for it,” she explains. “I told her to get outside the palace and make a ruckus before eventually meeting us at the train station.”

“Oh, well I guess the cold won’t affect her I guess,” you shrug and Nightshade nods.

“Get ready dad, I saw Hope’s friends book it, so I’m gonna slip ahead and lead them to the Flugelhorn room.”

“Alright honey, be careful,” you say as you pat her on the back.

“One can only hope Daddy,” she smirks and pats your arm before she runs off and slips out the door, just as the song finally comes to an end and the crowd cheers. With that cue, Mangle suddenly throws her arms out wide before both heads spin and a strangely off kilter tune comes from the mouths. The crowd silences and watches in awe before the giant robot barrels through them all and dives out the door.

“Don’t just stand there! After it!” Pharynx orders. Though the majority of drones are in no state to follow orders, some still have their wits about them and they run out after your daughter’s unconventional pet.

He then turns to you.

“That means you too private! Get out there and-Where’s 117?!” he says looking to the empty sack with ice shards all around it.

“I-I don’t know sir! I lost the bat in the commotion and then the giant monster showed up and-“

“Oh That’s Just Great!” he hollers and his eyes blaze in an intensity you remember all to well. “The Nightmare Moon brat is behind this! I know she is! We have to…to…”

He trails off as he suddenly looks at you with a quizzical look.

“Uh, sir? I know you’re stressed, but perhaps if we follow the robot then-“

“Blue blood…” he breathes out and suddenly the back of your neck prickles with goosebumps. You follow his line of sight to your cracked hoof, and the blood is no longer frozen.

Oh buckballs, you think in dread as your former sergeant looks back up at your face looking stern and serious.

“Oh, n-no this isn’t blood. This is, uh, blueberry juice! There was some pie at one of the tables and-“

“I never caught your name private, what was it again?” he asks suddenly, stone-faced belaying no emotions.

“Oh, uh, well it’s-it’s uh…Thor…Rynx…Lis…“

“…You’ve gotten better at lying, but you never did do well under pressure 9001,” he interrupts as his eyes narrow. As he does so, the lighting changes once more and the Pinkieling starts playing more techno stuff. The crowd all around you continues to party, not knowing the intense staredown between you and your former superior.

“…Alright, you know what? There’s something I always wanted to say to you,” you growl, dropping the act.

“Let me guess, ‘Buck Me’?”

“Buck y-Hey! Don’t steal my thunder!” you yelp and he just shakes his head in disappointment.

“You’re not the first to get too big for his britches, I’ve heard it all before,” he monotones.

“Yeah, well, I bet you weren’t prepared for THIS!” you shout as you pull out a smoke grenade and throw it at your feet…but there is not explosion or sudden smokescreen. “Huh?”

Looking down, you see as the grenade you pulled is encased in Pharynx’s magic, keeping the weapon from detonating.

“Really?” he exposits and you sweat.

“Uh, how about Ice then you-OW!” you shout as he decks you right in the nose and you fall to the ground.

“If you’re gonna fight, fight, don’t talk,” he reprimands before kicking you in the stomach.

“OOF!” you grunt in pain before gritting your teeth and lashing out at his leg, but he retracts it.

“Oh that’s what you want huh? Well buddy you’re in a bad spot with me down here!” you declare as you suddenly start giving some rad break dancing moves. “I’ll kick your flank with my sick dance fighting skills. So square up you miserable-“

“Enough!” he barks sternly as he quickly transforms into a bug bear and immediately pins you to the ground.

“GAK!” you grunt out in pain as the crowd cheers and continues dancing. “What? But that’s cheating that’s-Hrk”

He puts more pressure on you as he leans the ursine face close to yours.

“We all know you’ve become weakened,” the bear mouth growls. “And though I may admire the power and skill you displayed these last 4 years, when it comes down to it, you still haven’t had the stupid beaten out of ya.”

“Would you kindl-Urk…” you are cut off as he places a thumb like appendage to your throat, cutting off your oxygen flow.

“Yeah, no, we know about the plasmids too. The Elite 5 were outfitted with them last year for Appleloosa before you ruined everything,” he says sternly as you start to see spots in front of your eyes. “Now, I don’t care where the old bug or the Nightmare child went, but right now you are going to see the Queen.”

Your blood drains even more at that and you try to struggle, but he only squeezes tighter.

Oh buck, oh buck, oh buck oh buck oh bu-

“Sleep now 9001, you’ll awaken shortly,” he orders and puts the pressure on. With your vision going black, your eyes dart around the room, and through the dancing crowd of drunks, you swear you catch the image of a cutie mark with two porcelain masks.

“Honestly, why would you think that would work?! You have no real power anymore ya idiot! Still, the delightful pain continues, heh heh heh…” your “Friend’s” words somehow, impossibly echo within your mind. And before all goes black, you know you see the maniacal grin of that mysterious brown earth pony.


POV CHANGE: Nightshade


 

“Buck, Buck Buck!” you curse as you watch a freaking Bug Bear carrying your unconcious dad down the hallway.

Why the buck didn’t you get out Dad?! Mangle made the huge distraction and everything! You think with gritted teeth.

After slipping out of the party, you had caught up with Hope’s friends. They had been a bit weary of you at first until you showed them you pony form, and they recognized you as The Offender’s daughter. The Flim Flam brothers especially remembered you from the fight at Rainbow Falls, so they quickly fell in line and listened to you. You gave them the directions to get to the Flugelhorn room and you all started to make your way there, but you started going slower and slower, hanging back to wait for Daddy. But he didn’t show.

You eventually told the group to go on as you doubled back, and that is when you saw the monster emerging with him. At first you were a tad confused by it’s presence, but then you saw it speak to some changeling guards who had not been at the party.

“9001 has been captured, keep an eye out for his associates. I will be taking him to the Queen,” he ordered in a voice that sounded like a much deeper version of that Pharynx guy.

“Bucking Buckballs!” you curse kick at the ground as the transformed changeling takes your father away.

What the buck am I supposed to do now?! You panic. I still got some of my powers left, but taking on Chrysalis and all those guards right now is just gonna get me, Mommy and Grandbuggy captured again! I-I just need to-I need to…GYAGH!!!

Clenching your teeth and holding in all the screams you want to let out, you shake your head and run back towards Hope’s group.

If I get captured now, this would have been all for nothing! You think angrily. I’ll just get those dorks out of the palace and have them take Grandbuggy and Mommy with them. That way, it will just be me taking the risk to save Daddy!

With that plan in mind, you fly down the hallways just as fast as your little wings can take you.
Eventually, you do get within sight of the Legion of Doom again, but there’s a problem. They are entering the wrong door.

“Hey wait! That’s not the flugel-“ you start to say, but the door closes and you facehoof. “Bucking, GRRR.” Cursing their poor coordination, you fly to the other door, passing the flugelhorn room as you do so. Looking left and right for patrols and seeing none, you immediately open the door and step inside.

“I told you, it was the third door from the corner not the…fourth…door…” you trail off as you see the three ponies and one minotaur staring in awe at a giant horseshoe shaped mirror.

“See, I told you there weren’t no instruments in here!” Lightning Dust reprimands the others before she goes back to staring at the mirror.

“We heard you the first time,” Flam says absentmindedly.

“And most assuredly the second time,” Flim adds, his eyes still trained on the mirror.

“Right, yes, this clearly isn’t the way out…” Iron Will nods, though he can’t help but stare as well.

“This is…this is the mirror Twilight used to get to the human world,” you say remembering Spike’s description of it.

“Humans huh? So it’s a fantasy land?” Lightning Dust snarks.

“Oh it’s real alright, my Daddy could have exited this way if he’d waited or if this one lady got redeemed and-Oh right! Daddy!” you shriek as you tear your eyes away from the interplanetary portal.

“Huh? What about your father little filly?” Iron Will asks at your worried tone, breaking his eyes away from the glass.

“He got captured and is being taken to Chrysalis!” you yelp, and that is enough for the rest to break out of their reverie.

“The Offender got captured?” Flam asks.

“And he’s being taken to Chrysalis right now?” Flim asks.

“Oh buck, he’s so screwed,” Lightning Dust says with a shiver before Will slaps her upside the head. “Ow!”

“Don’t be so callous, that’s this little girl’s father!”

“I wasn’t doing it on purpose, but come on Will, you know just like the rest of us how obsessive she talked about that guy!” she shoots back and Iron Will winces.

“Th-That’s true…”

“Precisely!” you interrupt. “Which is why I need you to take Grandbuggy and My Mommy, get into the Flugelhorn room and use the secret passage so that I can go back and save him!”

“You can’t be serious!” Flim and Flam say at once.

“Dead Bucking Serious!” you shout back.

“Little fi-“

“It’s Nightshade!” you bark.

“N-Nightshade,” Will corrects, “Queen Chrysalis has been sucking all of the juice out of the Crystal Heart for days and personally wants to have you executed.”

“So the buck what?! I’m the only one who can do anything because of those magical dampeners! My Mom and Grandbuggy are sleeping, and Sombra’s currently being dragged through the snow, and it’s all ultimately Hope’s and your guys’ fault for helping that stupid evil wench in the first place!”

They all wince at that, as they should.

“Listen kid, it’s not going to do you any good if you run in their by yourself without any real power!” Lightning tries to reason.

“I KNOW THAT!!!” you shout with tears starting to stream down your eyes. “But what other choice do I have?!

All the adults look at one another, at a loss for words.

“That’s what I thought!” you growl. “So, unless you know where I can find a bunch of hidden magical things, then I’ve got to…to…”

They look at you confused as you trail off.

“Um, Nightshade?” Will asks in a gentle tone, but you ignore him as you remember three days ago when you all had that big pow wow with the Princesses, and the tales your dad told.

There ARE a bunch of full powered magical sources, you realize as your eyes land back on the horseshoe mirror. Magic that the dampeners haven’t gotten to.

“The kid’s shocked and overwhelmed,” Iron Will says sounding guilty. 

“We should just drag her with us and we can plan later,” Lightning Dust suggests.

“I don’t know if that’s possible,” Flam says.

“This filly is more powerful than either of us, even with her power dampened,” Flim advises.

Daddy said the human versions of the Elements had magic within them, and that there were also magic stones that gave power too, you remember his tales. But how am I supposed to get to them? Twilight said it took like 30 Moons to open, and I can’t count on luck for that Sunset lady to conveniently open it up right now so how?

“Then build a machine or something to hold her, isn’t that what you two are good at?” Lightning Dust complains and your eyes widen. You look about the room and see all kinds of observational and mechanical doo-dads that were no doubt set up by Twilight Sparkle herself. You remember Spike talking about how she was thinking of getting around the 30 Moon waiting time through technology, she even said so during the meeting.

MACHINES!!! You dad voices echoes from your memories.

“That’s it!” you declare suddenly and they all get startled.

“What? What’s it?” Will asks but you turn to the two ponies in their fancy hats.

“You two! Swindler Twins!”

“We’re not swindlers!” Flam huffs.

“Yes, we are legitimate busi-“ Flim starts, but you cut him off.

“Whatever! Look, you two are good with creating machines of all kinds yes?”

They all swell with pride at that and pose.

“We should say we are,” they say in unison.

“Good, because right now I think you two are gonna get a head start in the interdimensional travel business,” you say as you point to all the tools and mechanical pieces around the room.

“Huh? What are you getting at kid?” Dust asks confused.

“It’s simple, we all help the showpony’s get this portal to the Human World open!” you declare as you alight your horn and start pushing the three ponies towards it.

“Wait, hold on, we’re gonna what?” Flim asks.

“That sounds like a tall order to fill,” Flam gaps.

“Just finish what Princess Twilight’s already started, she’s sure to have notes around here,” you order. “Now hurry up, time works differently over there, but I still want this working before Chrysalis gets her filthy hooves on my Daddy!”

“Why exactly are we doing Nightshade?” Will asks in concern.

“Because my Dad’s got friends on the other side,” you respond seriously.



Back During The Events of the Party


 


POV CHANGE: Sombra


Cold. That is the first sensation that you take note of. It is a familiar presence, the frozen bite of the tundra wind and snow. It’s one you’ve felt from your earliest childhood all the way to your conquest as king, and even during your lowliest moments trapped within the mindscape of a simplistic changeling.

But there is something different about this cold, and you can’t quite put your hoof on it. Really it’s hard to put your hoof on anything since your thoughts are still a jumbled mess, but the sensations around your body are slowly bringing you to clarity.

Wait…body? You wonder.

Sure enough, the moment you think this, you can take note of your hooves, your legs, your tail, even your luxurious flowing mane. This isn’t a sensation brought about by the illusions of the mindscape, this is real.

How do I have a body? Did I escape? Did the roach die and release me? No, we were at a meeting weren’t we? We met with the rulers of Equestria then there was a bright light and…

“Please understand Queen Rabia, he needs time to recover and these other creatures could use sanctuary.”

…Hope? You think as your mind leaves the mist a little bit more. You would know that voice anywhere. But that’s not possible, she’s been gone for a thousand years. She couldn’t possibly be…unless…

After the bright light and the intense pain of being reformed, you do recall hearing her voice then as well, and feeling her hooves supporting your neck.

Unless I’ve made it to the afterlife, you theorize before your body shivers. But why would Tartarus be so cold? And why would a good soul like hers be here?

“We cannot risk him becoming trapped in here with us,” a distorted feminine voice says as if over some great distance and the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end as you recognize it. “The key to our freedom still lies within him and within the Empire.”

It’s the voice that changed everything for you and set you down the path of vengeance, anger and torment that led you to this very moment.

Wait…could it be I’m not dead? You wonder as you start to feel more and more of your body as the nerve endings begin to come online, one after the other.

“I…I see, then what about the others?” Hope’s voice implores. “These creatures are but the first of many that we hope to free from the Changeling Queen’s hold.”

“Hmmm, refugees is it?”

“Why not consider it potential friends, benefits pending,” a suave male voice says.

“I…don’t quite understand your tone pony…” the dark voice says sounding confused.

“Well I’d be willing to teach you all about it Ma’am, put a pretty face to that pretty voice,” he says in a sly tone.

“Um…”

“Jack, for goodness sake,” another feminine voice sighs.

“This is the Queen Mr.! Don’t be trying…That!” Hope’s voice squeaks and your eye brows knit together as the stupidity of the situation starts to clarify in your mind.

“Yo Frosty, am I missing some pony cues or was that dude hitting on that rock?” a young voice asks.

“It’s not Frosty! There’s no Y at the end,” another young male voice grumbles.

“Oh whatever, answer the question!”

“I…I’m pretty sure it’s what you’re thinking dragon, unless ponies in this day and age can marry crystals or something.”

“I wouldn’t put it past them, I saw some weirdoes out in Applewood,” the other voice shudders.

Okay, something idiotic is going on, and I don’t hear the cockroach’s voice, something’s amiss!

With all of your willpower, you slowly open your eyes. At first, you see many blurred shapes of different colors all around you surrounded by white, but as your vision focuses, you understand the scene.

You are in what looks like a large improvised igloo made primarily out of ice. Touching said ice is what looks like a blue colt, though parts of his body seem to be translucent and wispy. At the center is that small red dragon Nightshade always beat on, keeping a fire lit. Surrounding the small fire are more than a dozen injured changelings, who huddle together for warmth. At the far end of the enclosure are three ponies standing in front of a familiar looking red crystalline spire.

One is a very handsome stallion with a cocky grin on his face, the other is a light blue pegasus mare with bubbles for a cutie mark, and last but not least…

“Hope?” you gasp out, your breath steaming in front of you, and suddenly all eyes are on you.

“Ah, he awakens…” the voice from the crystal says sounding pleased.

“Huh, it seems being close to his own kind has helped speed up his recovery,” the handsome stallion theorizes, but you only barely hear him as your eyes do not leave the crystal mare who’s eyes begin to well up with tears.

“Sombra…” she breathes out, giving you the saddest, most heartbreaking smile you’ve ever seen.

“How…how…?” you gasp, as you try to discern if this is an illusion or a dream, but you don’t have long to ponder as the mare leaps across the igloo and wraps her hooves around your neck.

“Sombraaaa~” she bawls as she grips you tight and buries her face into your neck. Any thoughts you had of this being an illusion are now fully gone as you realize, with one hundred percent sincerity, that this is in fact the real Radiant Hope.

“I…I…” you sputter, at a loss for words as your own tears well up, and the only thing you can do is grip the mare back just as enthusiastically with your new body.

“Oooh, that’s a good flavor coming off them,” a changeling with an eyepatch says as suddenly, the changelings around you all opening their mouths and licking at the air.

“Ew, what the buck?” the small dragon gags, but you drown them out. You don’t know how or why, but she’s back. She’s back and that’s all that matters in this moment.

“I missed you,” she sniffles in your ear.

“I…missed you too.”

 


POV Change: Nightshade


 

Surprisingly, attaching mechanical components to an ancient magical mirror to create a passage to another dimension was really freaking fast and easy. You don’t know whether this is more of a testament to Flim and Flam’s ingenuity, or whether Twilight leaves that good of notes, but either way, it worked.

The mirror, while beautiful and mesmerizing before is now full on enchanting with it’s surface shimmering like water.

“Flam?” Flim asks.

“Yes Flim?” Flam answers.

“I do believe we’ve just expanded our business potential.”

“Iron Will…doesn’t know what to say…” the minotaur sputters in awe.

“This thing’s pretty baller, not gonna lie,” Lightning Dust says “eloquently.”

“Yeah it is,” you say with wide eyes.

“And we’re really gonna go through that? To another dimension?” Iron Will asks.

“Eyup, unless of course you wanna wait here and risk getting arrested for treason,” you shrug.

“I vote not that,” Flim says.

“Yeah, me as well,” Flam adds.

“Smart decision,” you nod. And with that, you go to the entrance door and lock it with your magic, before pulling several crates and mechanical scrap in front of it.

“Ah, pretty smart there covering our rear,” Iron Will praises as he helps you.

“If we were smarter, we would have done this while those dudes were building the dang thing,” you mutter. After you’re finished, you stand back in front of the glistening surface, and despite your earlier words, you can’t help but feel awed.  “A-anyway, from what my dad told me, this shouldn’t hurt, but it will feel weird.”

“What will?” asks Lightning Dust.

“Getting turned into a human,” you say.

“Wait, wha-YAH!” Lightning shrieks as you push her in.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Iron Will bellows as you do the same to him.

“Can’t we get a countdown fi-AH!” Flim and Flam shriek as they all disappear.

Left all alone, you take a deep breath before you look back over your shoulder.

“I’ll be back Daddy, just hold out until I bring the cavalry,” you say aloud. You then turn back to the mirror and with all of your resolve, you slowly walk towards it. First you stick your hooves through, and though it reflects like water, it isn’t wet. Taking one last deep breath, you place your face through the portal...

WHAT DO YOU DO?