The first thing I felt as I woke was just disbelief. There was no way Rarity just stood and watched as somepony assaulted me, no, no way she actually signaled to them to start the assault. The second thing I felt, was the straps around my barrel holding me into some sort of bench, holding my wings together. Opening my eyes I found nothing but darkness awaiting me. Taking further stock I felt a soft, almost silken fabric on my face, soft enough that the blindfold was almost unnoticeable apart from the light it blocked. A pressure on my horn told me they likely had a magic blocker on my horn, but while useful for standard unicorns, they were often unable to hold back longer amounts of high magic usage. As I started to attempt to channel magic, forcing through the rapidly forming headache, the bench I was on suddenly spun round as if on a gyroscope, swinging me around randomly, disrupting my concentration and almost making me sick in the process.
“I am so sorry darling” came a chillingly familiar voice, “We were hoping you would still be asleep for this unpleasantness”. Rarity sounded genuinely upset, but then, she was free, walking around me, while I was bound. Or at least she sounded like Rarity.
“Queen Chrysalis, Couldn’t get my brother or the Princess so after me now?” I spat glaring at where her voice last came from. “My friends will realize Rarity and I are missing, they won’t fall for your changelings this time!” I hoped anyway, a small part of me reminding me they didn’t believe me at the wedding last time this bug was involved.
“We aren’t changelings Twilight, far from it, this is Rarity, just … not only Rarity” Came the response, from yet another direction. “You will understand soon enough, and I can’t tell you how sorry this makes us believe me, darling, if we had any choice we would have, but we can’t risk them going through with their original plan tomorrow.”
“What do you mean not only Rarity, and what original plan?” I asked more confused than ever, as the bench I was shifted, pulled to the side of the room with a distinctive blue, not green, glow. “Who is they? If that is you, you don’t have to do this Rarity, whatever it is, I’m your friend, we can talk through this” As I finished talking, I tried once again to force power through the block, only to get spun once again.
“You will find out in a minute, Twilight” Rarity replied as she twisted the board so I was lying on my back and pulled it onto something. “I just hope you will be able to forgive us, eventually” Struggling against the bonds I tried to look at what Rarity was pulling me onto, only for part of it to lower down and dunk my head under some, for lack of a better term, sludge.
My struggling increased as my head was submerged my new wings pushing instinctively at the bonds holding them down as I struggled to hold my breath and close my eyes, assuming this was some new changeling cocooning technique. I was so busy trying to focus on not swallowing and holding my breath I almost didn’t notice the movement at my ear, a light tickle of something brushing against it causing it to flick out only to encounter resistance as some mass pushed back and deeper into my ear.
The pain was the most noticeable thing next, a sharp sting radiating into my skull that just as rapidly as it came dissipated into a numb ache. After a couple of seconds, I was pulled out of the water and Rarity looked down at me. “Please treat her carefully Yilo, Rarity and I count her as a dear friend.”
I don’t think I have ever been as scared as I was then, I could still feel this dull ache emanating through my head as this … monster was boring its way into my skull, and this fake Rarity just stood over me, gloating. I tried to look up at Rarity, to open my mouth to ask her why, but nothing happened, my own body refused to act on what I wanted. This is it, I thought, The monster must be eating my brain now, first motor control, soon everything else.
<Please, Twilight, Do not be alarmed.> The thought was suddenly there in my head clear as day, I knew I didn’t think the sentence, yet it was there. <I am not eating you, you are safe. I am Yilo 9856, now if you excuse me, I need to make sure Rarity and Yeion know it went alright.> As I ‘heard’ this, I looked up to Rarity, except it wasn’t me doing it, this .. Thing was not only thinking into me, it could use my body too, I tried my hardest to move away but nothing I did registered. “I do not plan on mistreating my host.” ‘I’ said, sounding almost, offended. “I may not have planned to take a host, but it doesn’t mean I won’t do my best. ”.
<What do you mean mistreat me? > I tried directing a thought at the creature, trying to distract myself from hearing my voice without my input. <I think invading my skull would most definitely qualify in my book.> To my surprise, there was a distinct sense that my thought was heard.
<Some Yeerks, will mistreat their host, torture them, break them. To me, and other members of our group, that is barbaric. Something that shouldn’t be tolerated, let alone applauded as it currently is> The creature, Yilo, replied with a distinct note of disdain. <Just because I require the use of your body, doesn’t mean I have to make it any harder on you than necessary>
As we spoke, Rarity’s horn glowed, and the restraints one by one were released. I couldn’t help letting several questions bubble through my head <You require my body? Wait, does this mean there is one of your things in Rarity too? > I think in pure relief, My friend hadn’t betrayed me! She was stuck like I am … On second thought, that relief was premature.
<I am hardly a thing> came back a tone of thought that had an almost audible sniff at the end of it. <And yes, Rarity is, as is our oxymoron of a term, a Pony-Controller. However, while indeed she has not betrayed you, she is a voluntary host>
<What do you mean, voluntary? Rarity would never do a thing like that.> I replied. <She wouldn’t betray her friends to you creatures.> Yilo moved me off the bench carefully. As disturbing as this was, I couldn’t help but let my mind race with thoughts on how this could happen, what kind of species would evolve to control a pony’s body like this?
<We didn’t evolve to control ponies, Twilight. We can control most creatures with a big enough cranial capacity.> Those words from the weird parasite sent my head into a spin, a multi-species parasite was always a rare thing.
<You mean like Saddle Arabians? Or more different species, like Griffons> I responded, Not even bothering to count the dragons, everypony knows they are not vulnerable to the same class parasite as ponies. The response to this seemed, delayed for a moment, I could have sworn I felt a strong feeling of, indecision, and almost guilt come from that spot of my mind the voice of this .. yeerk, came from.
Before he could answer, Rarity, or the thing in her, nudged me. “Come on you two, you can get to know each other on your own time, for now, I need to do a rush job, as it were, on measuring your changes before you return home.” She said, bringing out her measuring tape. “This won’t take long darling, just stand still” Rarity with this, started measuring in her usual whirlwind of pace when the subject comes to fashion. “I do wish I actually had all this time to measure you, your measurements have definitely been thrown off by those wonderful wings of yours.” She said, noting down the measurements as they come “Why you are almost a full centimeter taller! This changes all your dresses, you simply must let me redesign your dresses for this”
“Of course Rarity, and how much will it cost this time?” My voice replied. At this I couldn’t help but mentally grin at the obvious mistake, thinking that, Yilo hasn’t studied me or my friends well enough to play my role.
“Come now Yilo, If you are going to try and act in character, as it were, at least wait until you have had chance to fully get to know Twilight, the very thought of her asking how much I would charge her for this, it’s insulting!” Rarity chided, with a soft humph and upturned nose. “You two need to get home and get to work, I am sure Twilight has lots of questions to ask, and you have a lot to learn “ Rarity started ushering me, and Yilo I suppose, to the basement door “And I have a lot of work to do on starting your first new dress” she says opening the door. “Do come back tomorrow for more complicated measurements Darling”
<Rarity really would do your dress for free?> Yilo asked as we walked back to the library. <I know they are known as the Element of Generosity, but still.>
My resolve to not answer any of his questions rapidly crumbled at the last words there. <Rarity, Rarity is the Element of Generosity, not the parasite you have controlling her. You things don’t know the meaning of the term.>
A soft feeling of exasperation and, something that felt like but couldn’t be sympathy, came from Yilo’s corner of my head. <Twilight, Rarity has been partnered with Yeion since before you met her. I don’t understand magic, none of us do quite yet, but it still counts her as generous, even with Yeion’s involvement.>
Shock at that answer filled me. <Since the beginning? But she … > I fell to silence, unable to comprehend how long my friend, was one of these things.
<Please don’t worry Twilight,> Yilo thought, in a comforting manner. <You do know Rarity, unlike the main Empire’s feeling on things, our particular group believes in sharing control, not taking it. Not only have you likely spoken to Rarity, not Yeion quite a few times, it is them together as a partnership, that is the pony you became friends with.>
<I certinately feel shared with> I grumble. <I just love how you asked me to share with you>
<We regret having to take action like this Twilight, it was this or watching as someone less interested in coexistence, and good treatment was ‘chosen’ to infest you. As it were, we burned several assets to make sure I was chosen for this>
Getting through the door to the Library, Yilo paused for a minute, a soft sense of hesitation coming from him. <Would, Would you like to be in control to get yourself to bed? I can’t offer this all the time, and not when around other yeerks not in the movement, but, if you work with me, I can use a lot less harsh control, and we can get to know each other better?>
At this, I almost nodded before thinking, but stopping myself, I instead asked <Why should I be helping you? >
Yilo sighed. <I suppose without context, you don’t know. Tonight I will get myself aquatinted with your life, then tomorrow is the first time meeting with the non-movement yeerks, I hope after meeting them you can see who the actual villains are in this, and may be willing to work with me more.> He hesitated, <I just, Please know, what you see tomorrow? It’s why the movement exists, it is what we want to stop in favor of coexistence>