Following our brief visit to the Drumlin Hay we soon found ourselves in a small box canyon where a number of targets were set up along with Sunset’s test equipment. Nor were we the only ponies out there. The place was a firing range for the Guard and there were a half dozen unicorns practicing take-down bursts on dummies.
“Sunset?” I prompted while casting my gaze at the equipment.
“I wasn’t going to ask you until I knew everything worked. Hang on, let me get everything up and running.”
“Alright,” I replied followed by waiting while she ran around getting things ready. When she’d finished she fired a burst of her own manna and then checked the readout.
“OK, ready. Nova, if you can just stand in the box marked and fire off a burst at the target?”
“Can do,” I offered and walked over to the indicated spot.
I centered myself, willed up the Earth Manna, drew in the Pegasi manna, wrapped that up with my unicorn manna, and finally mixed in the Foxfire. This was followed by stamping my front hooves while dropping my head, horn on target, and letting loose a burst of raw energy.
Now to be true, at that moment I hadn’t been acting on instinct. I wasn’t doing everything within the space of a couple of seconds as I’d done before. No, I’d taken my good sweet time. The last thing I wanted to do was to embarrass myself in front of my senior.
My eyes grew in surprise at the size of the burst I’d just set loose.
Not a sound followed the blast save for the occasional rock rolling down the embankment where the target had slammed against the wall and rebounded. What was left of the target lay smoldering on the ground where it had come to rest.
“So, was that it or did you just blow your whole wad in one go?” Tsuki teased.
“I blame you for supercharging me,” I offered. “It’s never had that kind of power before and I’ve still more. A lot more.”
“That was beautiful,” Prince Prometheus said softly. “A little ball of chaos set loose at your bidding.”
“Seriously?” Tsuki asked.
“Chaos magic is, after all, just a bunch of different forms of magic all mixed together,” he explained. “That’s why it’s so difficult to control.”
“So if I were to try to duplicate that, there might be… unintended consequences?” Sunset asked cautiously.
“So long as there is no intent to shape it, you should end up with that raw destructive punch every time,” He explained. “Just be careful you don’t turn yourself into another Discord. Or worse yet, Cosmos.”
“I’ll take that into consideration.”
“Let me give that a go,” Tsuki announced, trotted up, stood a few paces off from where I was, and let fire a burst of her own.
It reminded me far too well of the plasma charge fired by a certain near-omnipotent machine from Star Trek the motion picture.
A moment later we were running for it as rock showered down on us. Which was just as well being it was almost lunchtime anyway.
“Dear sweet Celestia,” one of the guards said under his breath when we’d stopped running.
I burst into laughter followed by every pony joining in.
“Um, Sunset?” Princes Diana – Fluttershy asked demurely. “You’re equipment, will it be alright?”
“Well…” Sunset began. Her word was slow and drawn out. "I placed a fair amount of protection charms on everything, but after that blast? Who knows?”
“Why don’t we go clean up, get lunch, and then we can dig everything out after lunch,” Cadance suggested.
“I hate to say it, but you’re probably right,” Sunset relented.
“Princesses,” A Sargent prompted. “Perhaps we should have Engineering look things over first? Might not be safe after that.”
“That is a thought,” Louise replied just as a security team came galloping up the path. They slowed on seeing us, and then stopped a few paces away.
“Gentle ponies,” Luna said greeting them, Princess Tsuki tried out Nova’s little trick, and brought down a sizable chunk of the target zone. Aside from that, every pony is fine.” She looked to the guards that were with us at the range. “Every pony is fine, are we not? Every pony accounted for?”
After a quick headcount we came up short one, and rushed back. We’d find our missing individual struggling under a green shield barrier, rocks threatening to crush him.
He was protecting Sunset’s recording gear that was on the firing line. As for the target zone, everything had been covered under a rock slide.
“Corporal Hooves, I can replace my gear,” Sunset protested. “I can’t replace you.”
“This is Corporal Idol hooves, he’s OK,” I offered to my counterpart who was eyeing him suspiciously. I stepped up close to her and whispered, “He’s an outcast.”
“Oh, that’s alright then, I guess. Do you have a way to differentiate between outcasts, friendly gatherers, and potential hostiles?”
Tsuki’s comment had generated a panicked look on Idol’s face.
“Idol, it’s alright,” I offered reassuringly.
“I’ve found that having Lings on the payroll to be very beneficial,” Tsuki offered in a conspiratorial whisper with a big grin on her face.
“Ling? Are you saying he’s a ling?” Luna hissed. “One of my guards is a Changeling?!”
“Mom, it’s alright,” I insisted.
“Alright!?” Luna exclaimed.
“A-ten...hut!” Tsuki ordered followed by Idol, every guard on the premises, and embarrassingly enough, myself, all snapping to the position of attention. Tsuki smiled. “Can’t fake that. He’s one of your guards, and if he truly is an outcast, he doesn’t take orders from Chrysalis. - Idol, you swore an oath when you joined did you not?”
“Yes Ma’am!” Idol replied. His training was winning out over any trepidation over being so easily spotted.
“Who is your sovereign, answer true or so help me I’ll throw you in Tartarus right now!” Tsuki ordered.
He did not hesitate a moment. “Princess Celestia, Ma’am!”
“A fine lad that,” Tsuki offered. She was absolutely beaming.
“Seriously?” Mom said sounding somewhat bemused. “Is he the only one or are there more?”
“I’m the only one, Ma’am,” Idol supplied. “I turn out any ling who tries to pass themselves off as a guard. To be a Royal Guard one must join in the proper way and do the training.”
“Well, that’s reassuring… I guess,” Mom said dryly.
“Now, Idol Hooves,” Tsuki began in a softer tone. “What I’m going to tell you is very important. The Changelings are under a curse placed on them, more than likely, by King Sombra. A curse intended to cause disorder.
“Idol, to break that curse along with any hold Queen Chrysalis may still have on you, you need to give all your love, willingly, freely without remorse, without holding back. I can’t order you to do it, you have to want it.”
I couldn't help but wonder if he’d go through with it.
“It’d be for the sake of order,” I offered while hoping the various fan fictions about him were correct. Idol worshiped order.
We waited as he mulled it over. Waited, and waited.
“I suppose it’s understandable if you don’t want to try it,” I offered. “You’re still good by me.”
“Ma’am, I’m standing at attention,” He pointed out.
Rules. Idol couldn't break the rules. When standing at attention you can’t do much of anything until told to do otherwise.
Mom started chuckling.
“At ease, Idol,” Tsuki said with a smile on her face.
Idol shifted to a more relaxed position. He seemed to think about it for a moment when suddenly he rose up into the air while being enveloped in light. I’d a feeling of love wash over me as a silvery chrysalis formed around him.
“He still had his armor on,” Louise stated sounding concerned.
“Is that a bad thing?” Princes Shy asked.
“No idea,” Tsuki replied.
We got our answer a moment later when our new changeling had revealed himself. Or was it herself? Idol had gone from a semi-dark gray to velvety dark forest green with tiny golden flecks. His golden armor now shined like the sun itself, and fit extremely tight. Idol was almost out of uniform and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t going to hear any complaints out of the stallions. There was no sign of holes in Idols' legs and their horn was now looking far more like a Kirin than a unicorn. Idol was also quite a bit taller now too.
“I… it worked,” Idol offered and without thinking, removed the armor to get a better look at themself. Thin golden pinstripes ran the length of Idol’s elytra and they had gossamer wings as golden as the armor. And yes, Idol was most decidedly female. He’d become a queen.
“Idol, as gorgeous as you are,” Mom offered, “.. you should probably switch back to your unicorn form.”
“Alright, at ease the rest of you and listen up,” Tsuki called out. “No one is to speak a word of this!”
Idol’s pony form was now dark forest green. And very much a mare. A very good-looking mare.
“Idol, you need to adjust that color,” I suggested.
“It always made sense to just use my natural color,” She offered sheepishly. A moment later she was back to her gray and put her armor back on. When she’d done adjusting to fit back into the armor she looked at her comrades in arms expectantly.
“If we can work with the lings who are willing to give us a chance and be true friends, it will be for our mutual benefit,” mom said to the assembled guards. I’ve no doubt the very idea was warring with her common sense, but she wasn’t the pony she had been a thousand years ago and it was time to try for the brass ring. Then again, Mom was typically the one to take risks and try new ideas. “Can we count on your support?”
“With all due respect Ma’am,” a Sargent said slow-like. “Just how many like him, or her, are there in Canterlot and can we trust their word?”
“Ha, there’s only one Idol Hooves,” Offered a corporal. “And any time Idol volunteers information you can rest assured it's accurate.”
“I have a list of lings in Canterlot,” Idol offered. “This, this is so liberating. I feel that for the first time in my life I can think with a clear head. And others like me have been cast out. Before, I would never have dreamed of openly admitting any of this, but I know now, I understand now. I have friends. All of you are my friends. We are all in the service of Equestria. If I can share this gift with as many lings as I can we will all benefit.”
“This is very important,” I offered as I stepped towards the group.
“There is one more thing,” Idol offered. “My former queen, her behavior, I’m to understand, has been somewhat contrary to order.”
“One of the storms I warned about,” I offered, making sure everyone present heard. I could only hope that these few, this band of brothers would understand. “We now have a way to prepare and possibly even prevent that storm from ever happening.”
“I want to share this gift I have received to my fellow Lings, but if Queen Chrysalis finds out in her current state of mind she will try to stop us.”
I kind of felt like everything was happening all at once as I witnessed the guards gathered that day all agreeing to our little conspiracy. It kind of made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
“So how long do you think it’ll take Idol to realize he’s a she now?” Cadance asked as we made our way back to the castle.
“Meh, Changelings are fluid,” I offered.
“Best table this before we are overheard,” Tsuki cautioned.
“Not so sure I’m quite ready to explain to my sister that we’ve just sponsored a new Changeling Queen,” Mom offered in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Maybe she doesn’t need to know?” I suggested and I wasn’t hearing any pony saying we should.