//------------------------------//
// 10 - Settling And Stalking 
// Story: Legends Of Ponyville 
// by mechafone 
//------------------------------//

Laser Reflex sighed as he surveyed the charred remains of his home. Thanks to the quick actions of the stallion that seemed to control ice, not all was lost in his home. For one, well...the only thing that actually survived was his house. It hadn't been burned to the ground, but everything inside had. All his possessions, gone. His couch, his bed, everything.

What was he going to do now? As he bemoaned his situation, the local crazy mare, Pinkie Pie, popped out from behind him suddenly, with a loud "HEY!", bouncing to land beside him. Reflex let out a shout of panic and fell over onto his side.

"Oh, Pinkie, it's you. Don't scare me like that, I've had a very rough day!" he said, a little meaner than he meant to. Pinkie Pie either didn't notice his tone or didn't care as she helped him up.

"Sorry to hear about your house Reflex I guess you'll need a place to stay did you know that Russet has a house and he has lots of room and you need to apologize for what you said to him anyway so whaddya say?" she said all in one breath so fast that it took Reflex a moment to catch up.

"Wh-wait a minute now, Pinkie, this is all very sudden, I-I mean Russet is a very..." he paused, trying to convey what he really meant. Of course, what he really meant was that he recently found out that Russet was gay and very, very into him. Not that he thought there was anything wrong with that, but he himself wasn't into stallions, and staying with Russet would make things awkward. But he still needed to apologize for yelling at him, so he supposed that Pinkie actually had a point.

Reflex glanced at Pinkie, who had gone silent, now staring at him with a patient smile. He sighed and bowed his head in defeat. He knew what he had to do. Pinkie Pie patted Reflex on the back comfortingly before hopping off down the street. Sometimes, that crazy mare made sense, and that in itself was crazy.

Well, I might as well go apologize and see how things go from there, he thought as he stood, then took flight off for Russet Hearts' home just a few town blocks away.



After a few knocks on the door, it opened to reveal not Russet himself, but his sometimes business partner, Rarity. The two of them stood there awkwardly, tensing as they both recalled the odd encounter earlier that day before Reflex went and made an ass out of himself in public and attacked Spark Storm.

Finally, Rarity took the initiative. There were things to talk about between them, but in Russet's home wasn't the place. "Laser Reflex," she began. She was putting her words together slowly and carefully, a sign, Reflex knew, that she was not pleased at all. "I'm afraid you and I have some unpleasant things to discuss the next we meet. Russet is inside, why don't you go and talk to him. I shall take my leave, sir."

Reflex sighed quietly and stepped aside so she could step outside. She stepped daintily out, her head inclined ever so slightly to show her manners. She paused at the top of the three-tier stairs leading to the street, a genuine look of concern on her face. "I do hope you can at least patch things up with your friend, Reflex. He is such a sweetheart. That's all he needs right now...a friend."

Reflex wasn't sure that was meant to be comforting or not. He was already starting to feel nervous going to talk to a pony that had harbored a crush on him for he didn't know how long. After a brief moment's pause, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Having been inside Russet's home before, he made his way down the hallway leading to the one room in the house that was lit, the living room.

"Rarity?" came Russet's voice from around the corner. "Who was there?" When Laser Reflex popped his head around the corner, Russet's cheeks burned and he tensed, an urge to panic rising in his throat. "...Oh...H-hllo, Laser." He swallowed his fear and stood shakily. He would not freak out in his own living room. "W-won't you please come in?"

Reflex sighed as quietly as possible as he stepped into the room. It wasn't a big room, but it wasn't that small, either. There was room for two long couches on either of the long walls, and a coffee table in the middle. A tasteful cabana lamp on the far corner of the room kept the light moderately bright, and the light fell on Russet's face just enough for Reflex to see tear stains on his cheeks.

The pegasus frowned at the sight of his tormented friend. How was he going to tell Russet that he had a monster in his house and he didn't want his friend to come over and get assaulted, like that poor unicorn mare had been? Things like that just didn't happen every day. Best way to do it, he concluded, was just to do it quickly, pull off the bandage in one movement.

"Look, Russet, I'm really sorry about yelling at you earlier. I wasn't angry with you, I was just in a big hurry. My mind was...well, it was somewhere else. Like, a long, long ways away. I was in a panicked frenzy. The last thing on my mind was to make you feel bad, or that I didn't want you around."

Russet stared blankly for a moment, then he sniffled quietly and rubbed at his eyes. After a moment he looked back up at Reflex and said, "Earlier you said you wanted me to stay away from your house. Was something dangerous happening there?"

"Well, yes..." Reflex said. He stood up from the couch and walked to the end of the room, fidgeting uncomfortably. He hated having to think about the vine-y, grabby creature that either wanted to kill him or molest him. Probably both. "There was a monster in my house, Russet." Reflex frowned at the way it sounded, but it was the truth. He turned around to face the unicorn. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. My house burned down today because a fight broke out between the monster and some really strange unicorns."

Russet gasped and shot to his feet. "Your house burned down?! That's terrible!" Laser Reflex's apology completely forgotten, Russet made up his mind right then and there. "I gather you don't have a place to stay? Well don't you worry, 'Flex. You can stay here with me, if you like, I don't mind at all. Just tell me what you need to settle in and I'll get it for you."

Reflex tensed for just a moment. He was afraid of this happening, but he had to admit that not having to go through the trouble of finding a place for the night would be nice. He finally let out a breath and gave his friend a genuine smile. "Thank you, Russet. I honestly don't deserve a friend like you. Uh, as of right now I don't actually have anything to pack..."

Russet smiled, his face brightening with excitement. "Oh don't you worry about a thing, 'Flex. Why don't you sit down and get comfortable?" He gestured for Reflex to sit when he made to follow Russet towards the door. "Oh you just sit right down and relax, Laser, I'm gonna go and pick up some things for you, some comforts and toiletries. When I get home we'll set up your guest room and I'll let you settle in the night, hm? Don't you worry, I'll take care of everything!"

And with that, the elated unicorn ran out of the house, leaving Reflex to sigh and settle down on the couch, and finally relax.



Spark Storm opened his eyes at the poking and prodding he was receiving. "Daddy, I am hungry!" a familiar voice said. He smiled. Whenever Orea used that title for him, it made him happy. The good feelings went away when he heard an older, seductive voice practically purring in his ear.

"Yes, daddy, wake up, we're hungry."

Spark Storm shot up in his bed, trying to deny the blush that the close proximity of the voice and the heat it left on his ear. His heart started beating fast, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he stared back at Ampelus, standing at his bedside. Orea sat on the bed between them, her back to him. Her mane and tail were rattling threateningly.

"Stay away from daddy!" she yelled. Ampelus looked unimpressed, but she made no move to harm either of them. Spark started to feel better when he spotted Sohl standing at the doorway to the upstairs bedroom. She didn't look ready to attack, but his trained eye noticed that she wasn't relaxed, either.

"What's all this?" Spark said. He kept his wings raised warningly; Ampelus remembered those from their first encounter, and their last, and she wasn't strong enough to contend with them right now. She kept herself calmly composed as she stepped away from the bed. Not one of the trio watching her relaxed.

"I am hungry. I believe we all are. None of you are willing to let me starve," she paused, glancing at Sohl, an amused smirk on both the female's faces. "She might be, though. Though she seems to have attained a comfy position amongst you, she is no less heartless than I am."

Spark snorted. Sohl wasn't...with a glance at the harpy, she shrugged. Though there were those that she loved and would sacrifice for, there were also others she could be brutal and cruel to with no remorse. He lowered his head as if to accept this fact. Sometimes, thought not often, it was easy to forget Sohl's true nature.

"Welp..." Spark said as he got up and stretched. He rested a hoof on Orea's back, calming her down enough to stop rattling. He glanced out the window, noting that the sky was getting lighter, the sun not yet risen. "If we're gonna do this, it has to be now, before the town wakes up. Orea, you're up here," he said, flapping his wings once. She complied, hopping up onto his back. He blanketed her in his wings, effectively hiding her from sight. "Sohl, if you're gonna fly out of town like that, you need to get some altitude first. Why don't you take Ampelus with you and see if she's afraid of heights?"

Sohl scowled at the idea of carrying the nymph, but when she noticed Ampelus whirl on Spark Storm with indignity written all over her body, the harpy smirked and stood to her full height, nearly brushing her head along the ceiling. "Sounds like fun, Sparky," she said, amusement lighting up her eyes. Ampelus turned to her, her ears drawing back in anger.

"I am not freight. I will not be carried like luggage!"

Sohl leaned over Ampelus, grinning widely to display the teeth that could easily rip through the nymph's body. "You don't have much of a choice, bitch. You're not leaving this tree house unless it's under cover, and you're too big to hide. You get a free ride," she paused as she lashed out and grabbed the nymph in one of her massive talons, the claws wrapping around Ampelus' waist. The nymph panicked and struggled until Sohl stomped her foot on the floor, taking Ampelus with it, slamming the nymph into the hardwood floor.

Sohl leaned over the nymph once again, her tall form pressing down into her captive. "I'd settle down if I were you, 'Ampy'. You're lucky we're inside a library, or I'd raise the volume a bit."

Ampelus did nothing to hide her disdain for the tall biped, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate. If they were going to let her feed, she needed to be smart about this situation. Taking her silence as her cue, Sohl walked to the window, clutching the nymph tightly within her talons, then leapt out the window and took to the skies quickly.

Spark followed close behind on the ground, running at full speed along the ground, Orea clinging tightly to his back in the cool late September air.



Orea latched herself onto the timberwolf, the creature snarling and snapping at the nymph. Orea was stronger, though, having gotten used to this feeding thing and learning to hunt thanks to Sohl's teachings. Before the wooden monster could reach her, she used her morphing abilities to wrap her front legs around the wolf's throat and snap it. The big wooden wolf fell lifeless to the ground, and Orea began to feed.

Spark Storm and Ampelus stood side by side, watching her, both with varying degrees of comfort. "Hmph." Spark Storm glanced sideways at Ampelus, both annoyed and cautious. "I underestimated you, Storm-Bringer," the nymph said, turning to look the pegasus in the eye. "You are indeed as much a monster as the rest of us, teaching young Orea to be the murderous creature she should be."

Spark Storm narrowed his eyes, but kept his anger in check. He wouldn't be giving Ampelus the satisfaction of making him fly off the handle with words. "She's not a monster like you," he said, turning to face the nymph. "This is nature. You remember that, don't you? Your mother tried to teach you that, though I'm not sure how successful she was in getting that past your thick head and your nymphonmanic tendencies."

Ampelus' grassy fur bristled on end as she took a step closer to the pegasus, looking down her muzzle at him. "That is also a part of nature. You should be finding that out soon enough." A seductive smile fell over her face as she tilted her head to inspect him closer. "You should be growing soon, shouldn't you? You were too young the last time I saw you, but you have indeed grown. A young welp like you should..." she stopped, her eyes widening as she began to look around in wild panic.

Thinking this a trick, Spark raised his wings, ready for anothing. "I'm not buying it, Ampelus. Cut it out with the theat-"

Spark was cut off as Ampelus raised a hoof to his mouth. She leaned in, a very serious glare in her eyes as she whispered one word that changed his mood: "Changelings."

Spark froze, then reached up to remove her hoof from his mouth. "...You're not trying to pull one over on me, are you?"

A fierce glare from Ampelus told him she wasn't trying to trick him. He turned his head ever so slightly and called to Orea. When she ran over, he tucked a hoof over her and whispered into her ear. "Orea, do you feel anything? Anything familiar in the area that you can't see?"

The tiny nymph thought for a moment, her head and ears tilting back and forth. Finally, she lifted her head with a smile and said, "Anorax!"

Spark's blood ran cold. Sohl was still out hunting, and they needed to get out of the area as quickly as possible. He picked Orea up and set her on his back, his wings closing around her to keep her still. "'Anorax'? What does that mean?" Ampelus asked, her voice hushed and strained.

"It means you're right," Spark told her. He turned back towards Ponyville, though he walked slowly and with purpose. Ampelus followed him, but she was anxious to pick up speed. "Just relax," he said, though he himself was aching to start running. "Running like mad isn't going to help us. Just walk as calmly as you can and we'll get out of this."

Ampelus frowned. When did the welp get balls like this? She started to calm down, earning a smile from Orea from under Spark's wings. "Impressive, Storm-Bringer. You have grown."



As the trio got further and further away, a small group in the trees watched. A certain red earth pony sighed, then reached out and hit the nearest Changeling. "Ow! What did you hit me for?!" she demanded.

"I told you I wanted to do this on my own!" Fire Lotus retorted. "I work better alone, your 'queen' should have let me handle this mission unsupervised."

"Your tone is insolent!" said the largest of the Changelings, a male that stood nearly two heads taller than the earth pony. "If you don't show our que-"

"They're getting away!" hissed the Changeling Fire Lotus hit, bouncing up and down excitedly. "We must capture them!" She spread her wings and leapt into the air, only to be brought down and anchored to the ground with a kunai stuck in one of her leg holes.

"No!" Fire Lotus hissed as she came close, grabbing her kunai and resting a hoof on the Changeling's head. "I told you, this is reconnaissance. Info-gathering. I get it; I've heard the legend. Kill all the nymphs, get your pretty glamour bodies back. Have any of you ever seen what that even looks like?"

"Well..." the female Changeling began, then looked back at the large male. He only shrugged. The others didn't look so sure, either, one of them scratching their heads in wonder. "Th-the thing is, the only one among us old enough to remember the legend is our queen..."

"Well isn't that typical," Fire Lotus said with a sadistic tone in her voice. "I'll bet she's just using that as an excuse to keep you all in line. It's what I would do," she added, laughing appreciatively. She found herself grabbed by the scruff of her neck and pulled close to an angry Changeling male.

"You will learn to speak of our Queen with respect, even if I have to beat it into you!" he snarled. Fire Lotus smiled, then pressed on his chest to push herself up, then came down, using the sudden shift in weight to flip the bigger creature over her back as she came down on her hooves, sending the big Changeling flying back-first into a tree. The resounding crack was heard through the forest. He groaned pitifully as the assassin stepped close to him and knelt down, pressing a kunai to his throat.

"And you're going to have to learn that I have a dirty mouth. I don't respect those in authority, and it won't be the last time I insult your queen. But if you touch me again without my permission, I'm going to have myself a science lesson..." she paused, dragging the knife slowly down the Changeling's chest, the point making a horrible screeching noise as it proceeded down his carapace. "...and I'll see what makes you tick. Understand?"

The big Changeling felt very small as he nodded. Fire Lotus merely snorted as she slipped her kunai back into it's hiding place. "Good...now, we keep following them. Those two nymphs can sense you, so you stay back away from me. Watch me from afar if you have to, but don't get in my way again!"

The five Changelings all exchanged looks as Fire Lotus continued to follow the three now nearly out of sight. They waited for three minutes, then started to follow her once more.