//------------------------------//
// Emulation Armageddon, Act 1 
// Story: The Changeling Chronicles 
// by Shadow Beast 
//------------------------------//


The Changeling Chronicles



Book 3:  Emulation Armageddon



Author:  Shadow Beast


Preface:  Belly of the Beast
If you’re reading this, then you must want to learn of the past events that have most likely affected you and/or your family.  First, I would like to say that I had no part in helping Chrysalis invade Equestria a second time... I really would.  But I can’t.  This book shall serve as a formal apology to all of those who were hurt in some way involved with the horrific events surrounding what I’d like to call the “Emulation Armageddon.”  This book will once again be in third pony perspective.  I’d like to say “enjoy,” but we all know why you’re reading this.  You may end up reliving the nightmare as you read this text.  Prepare yourself.


Act 1:  New Beginnings

Chapter 1:  An Equestrian Changeling
Midnight Masquerade trotted out of the throne room a new... pony.  With Princess Celestia having forgiven him his horrible crimes against Equestria, a new sun was shining above the changeling’s head.  However, Midnight himself did not feel the same joy.  So many of his thoughts were of his own demise on the way back from the Hive; he wondered how he could forgive himself.  He went to the Archives and spent several weeks writing all that he had remembered from his travels.  Finally, it was complete; he submitted it posthaste and gracefully left the Archives for the second time. 
The black creature trotted outside, ready to take on the world and regain his ponydom.  He went to his suite in the castle, provided by the generous solar princess, and looked out the window.  Now that the princess had forgiven his past, the Canterlot air was much more bearable.  The sun was shining dimly outside as it made way for the fall of night.  As he breathed in the fresh city air, he contemplated his past.  His changeling training was coming back to him in memory.  Years of not using his body, and a brief moment of misusing his wings, had left most of his old strategies virtually meaningless to him.  Part of him wished he could still fight... this time for Equestria.
A knock on the door prodded his blue eyes back to reality.  He turned back toward the door and opened it with his green magic.  A familiar cream pegasus entered.  
“Hey, Midnight!”
“Greetings, Thunder Sword.  I didn’t expect you to drop in so soon...”
“Well, I thought I’d check in and see how my old friend was doing.”  He glanced towards window, then back to Masquerade; the changeling could smell his friend’s apprehension.
“I just got done with my second book.  It should be published in a couple days if everything goes well.”
Thunder smiled as he trotted into the center of the suite, his head constantly turning as he surveyed the room.  His gaze settled on an object that had been set upon the chair.  “Oh, is that a... bow?”
The changeling chuckled and his fangs reflected the light of the sun, “Oh yeah, that thing... I’ve signed up for some Archery lessons over at the local military school.”  He could sense the pegasus’s concern without even looking at his face.  “That’s all I’ve signed up for.  I saw some young colts using them and thought it looked fun... not to mention the wonders it could do for my magic-eye coordination!”
“Glad to see you’re making some effort to fit in,” Thunder replied, nodding in understanding.  “Celestia will be happy to hear about this.”
The changeling was glad to hear that.  “You ever use a bow, Thunder?  Any advice you could give me would be great... the class starts tomorrow and I’ve never even seen a bow before a couple days ago.”
The pegasus chuckled.  “I did once, but it never really worked for me.  Just keep a positive attitude and you’ll do fine.”  
“Thanks,” Midnight said sincerely.
The pegasus turned from the changeling and began trotting back to the door.  “Well, I’ve got to get back to my team.  We got a recon assignment coming up, and they’re interrupting all of our personal lives to fit it in.”
“First you have to protect a changeling, then you have to go on some random mission when you should be relaxing?!  Does Celestia know about all this?”
“She knows a lot more than she used to, but it’s fine.  Good luck in your Archery class tomorrow, and have a good night’s sleep!”
“Yeah, I’ll try... with the archery, I mean.  Good luck with your mission.  I’m sure it’ll be cakewalk for a pegasus with your skills!”
“Yeah... I’ll see you later, Midnight!”
“Later, Thunder!”
The door shut quietly behind Thunder in an aura of green as soon as he was clear.  The sunset lit the room in a dark orange.  Once again secluded in his room, Midnight stared out the window at the city streets in the twilight.  He felt exhausted and ready to turn in, but he stayed by the window.  He wanted to see the moon again before he had to sleep, just to bring back some good memories.  He could barely keep his head up as the sun finally disappeared behind the horizon.  The Moon was now in view... a full, pure white Moon that radiated dim light onto the city streets.  As Midnight looked up he wondered if there was a way to undo his old spell that hides Palomoono and the rest of the Luna’s kingdom, but he remembered how the kingdom’s visibility became a liability to the changelings that were still up there.  “Wait... why do I care about those stupid changelings?! They’re all jerks and thieves... just a bunch of backstabbers.”  His hatred of his own race subsided for a short moment as he realized that Equestria was probably better off not knowing of the Lunar kingdom.  This beautiful moon seemed pure and untainted.  “They can live in obscurity for the rest of eternity for all I care!  Chrysalis made me exterminate Earth ponies... made me lie to the Princesses!  I hate her!”  He caught his breath and tried to quell the rage.  He stopped talking to himself and turned from the window, closing it and the curtains behind him with his magic.  As the changeling lay awake in bed, he wondered if there was a way he could go back to the Moon... take back his old job and his old life.  There was no way he could do it without getting noticed by another changeling, which would probably cause another rebellion when they realized that Luna had lied to them.  As long as he was down here in Equestria, the changelings up there would stay loyal.  His eyes closed and he drifted into a deep sleep.

Chapter 2:  Precision and Strength
The door to the suite swung open, and the changeling trotted inside.  He headed straight for his bed, throwing his bow and quiver down on the chair and jumped, back first, onto the mattress.  The orange light from outside got into his eye, so he shut the door.  Now it was too dark, so he opened the curtains.  It had been two weeks since the class had started, and he was happy to be back home.  He looked up at the ceiling as thoughts flew through his head.  The Moon was coming out soon, but Midnight didn’t care this time.  The events of the day had worn him out, and he could now look back on that instead.  In fact, he could look back at the whole past week.  
The class had started out rather difficult, and it didn’t help that many of his classmates were more or less scared of him as his blue eyes scanned the room.  He made routine of visiting the donut shop after every class.  This reassured him that even if he wasn’t good at archery and/or everypony in the class wanted nothing to do with him, that he could still survive.  This was just for fun, after all.  When the day finally came for Midnight to actually shoot his bow, he was excited and a bit nervous.  He took his place at the range, along with everypony else, and lined up his first shot.  He stood up on his hind legs and readied his bow, his horn aglow.  He nocked the arrow in a green aura with the bow and concentrated on the center of the bullseye across from him.  He released his grasp on the arrow and bow string, launching the projectile.  It flew through the air and landed perfectly in the center... of the field.  
“Try pulling it back as hard as you can before releasing,” a deep voice said from his right.  Midnight turned to see an unfamiliar, dark green pegasus looking back at him.
“If you say so...” the changeling tried again, focusing his power into the arrow and string.  He closed his eyes as he released, but opened them quick enough to see the arrow soar up and over the target.  “Oops... guess I pulled it a bit too much,” he admitted.
“Try to remember that it’s not all about power, but accuracy as well.  You have to make sure it has the path as well as the power to get it there.” 
The changeling focused his mind on the target once again.  He concentrated on the center of the bullseye, and released for a third time.  The arrow struck the upper edge of the target.  Midnight looked on in disbelief.  He turned to face the brown eyes of his classmate.
“I actually hit the target!”  The changeling smiled.  “Thanks, friend.”
“No problem,” the pegasus replied, returning the smile.  “The name’s Hunter.”
“I’m... Midnight Masquerade,” the changeling said shyly, his true name still having a lingering, foreboding feeling. 
“‘Midnight Masquerade,’ huh?  That’s a mouthful.”  The green pegasus smiled in thought for a second before the idea popped into his head. “...would you mind if I just called you ‘Mask?’”
The changeling caught his tongue and calmly responded, “Whatever makes you happy.”  The two quadrupeds smiled for similar reasons.  The rest of the week passed rather quickly as Midnight’s new friendship yielded a more regular flow of energy.  Each day the two friends seemed to spend more and more time together, whether it was on the archery range or the donut shop after class. 
Finally the week came to an end, and Midnight lay on his bed.  He was exhausted, but happy.  He looked forward to what the next week had in store, putting aside his fears and doubts and finally enjoying his life for once.  He looked up toward the ceiling, not needing to see the Moon.  His bright blue eyes slowly came to a close and his smile slowly faded as the night came.  He fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter 3:  A New Dawn
After an uneventful weekend, class started up again and Midnight was eager to have some more fun on the range.  He met with Hunter outside the donut shop and they began their walk to the Academy as the sun rose overhead.  
“Is it just me or does that sun rise later each morning?” Midnight asked, his slight worry hidden behind a smile.
Hunter’s head turned from side to side until he saw a clock.  “Looks like it’s just you, Mask.  According to that store, the sun’s rising same time as it does every morning.”
“I guess I’m just more awake in the mornings now...”  the changeling surmised.
“I hope that helps your aim... you have yet to hit a perfect bullseye!”
“That really doesn’t matter to me, I’m just doing it for the fun of it all.  I need some relaxation after all I’ve been through.”
With that sentiment the two quadrupeds reached the Academy, only to be greeted by a unicorn guard.  The golden armored stallion explained to them that most of the teachers had been called to an emergency meeting so there would be no classes today.
“‘Emergency meeting?’” Hunter asked, “What, like an unscheduled teachers’ conference?”
“I believe it was scheduled, but due to a mailing list error the teachers were all alerted too late to get substitutes,” the gray unicorn explained.  “It’s some crazy, disorienting mix-up that gets me off of perimeter patrol and you guys out of class!  See?  It’s not all bad...”
“I didn’t think they let optimists into the Military,” Midnight commented, smiling at the unexpected silver lining.  
“Well, on a gorgeous day like today, it’s hard to stay upset too long.”
“True.  Well, we’ll let you get back to your job, sir!”  Hunter said, turning from the soldier.
“Thanks for the info.  I guess I’ll have to find something else to do for fun.”  The changeling turned from the unicorn and caught up to his pegasus friend.  He noticed something about his friend now that he had never before.  “So... I hope this isn’t rude... but what’s your cutie mark mean?  It looks like a regular leaf...”
“It’s alright, Mask.  It’s kind of a long story... you see, my dad and I went hunting in Whitetail Woods one fall and my camouflage skills got me this thing!  Speaking of which, I know changelings don’t have cutie marks... so how do you guys know what your talent is?”
“It’s complicated,” Midnight answered, a negative connotation of his own “talent” sent his eyes to the ground as they continued trotting away from the school.  A question popped into his head, perking it back up.  “Where are we going now that class is cancelled?”
The pegasus looked to either side.  “I don’t know... is there some place you want to go?”
“Well, the donut shop isn't open for another hour, I was just going to trot back up to my suite.”
“Mind if I tag along?”
The door to the suite opened and in a green aura the window curtains parted, releasing morning light into the dark room.  After the two friends had entered the room, the door was then ensnared and closed gently behind him.  The changeling threw his equipment on the floor next to the chair, leaving room for his friend to rest.  The green pegasus sat down and the changeling leaned out the window, staring off into the streets of Canterlot.  The two friends made small talk for about fifteen minutes or so before there was a knock at the door.  With a nod from the Midnight, Hunter answered the door.  Three Royal Guards stood before him.  On either side was a white pegasus, the center--their captain--was a gray unicorn.  All of them wore traditional golden armor.
“We were told that we could find the one known as Shadow Beast here,”  the unicorn said in an emotionless voice.
“There’s nopony here by that name, I’m afra--”
“Wait, Hunter...” the changeling interrupted, having crossed the room from the window and now standing next to him.  He turned from his friend and stared into the guards’ eyes.  “I thought it was clear that my name is Midnight Masquerade!  I could make a complaint to Princess Celestia about this...”
The unicorn raised his hoof to silence him, but his blue eyes continued to glare at the guard as he began to speak.  “We heard you were good friends with a certain soldier... a ‘Thunder Sword.’  Is this true?”
“Everypony in the Royal Guard should know that I went on a mission with him and Shining Armor!”
“Is. He. Your. Friend?”
“Yes, since I can’t make it clear enough!”
The unicorn sighed, annoyed by the changeling’s attitude.  “We’ve got some bad news.”  He turned to Hunter, “Sir, you may want to step outside for a while, this is confidential information.”
“You don’t have to go anywhere, Hunter,” Midnight objected, “...if it was really ‘confidential’ I’d be called to a ‘confidential’ place.  Not a public area like my own suite!”
“Sirs, your cooperation would be greatly appreciated in these hard times.”
“We have no idea what’s going on around here!  Why don’t you give me some answers as to what these ‘hard times’ are and then I’ll be a bit more civil!?”
“That’s classified information, sir!  Now do you want to hear the bad news or not?”
“Yes.  And Hunter’s staying.  He won’t say anything, I promise.”
The unicorn sighed again, but had had enough arguing.  “I’m sorry Sha--er... Midnight.  Thunder Sword is dead.”
Hunter turned toward his changeling friend.  They stood in a state of shock.  He put a foreleg around the changeling.  “I’m sorry, Mask...”
“Don’t be.”
“What?”
“He’s lying.  They’re all lying.”
The officer’s anger showed on his face.  “I can assure you that Thunder Sword is dead.  He was killed in action.”
“I’ll keep denying you as long as you wear those pathetic costumes!” 
Hunter’s foreleg dropped back to the floor, he looked back and forth between the two parties.
The pegasi’s faces showed anger as well as their captain spoke, “These are the traditional golden plates of the Equestrian military!”
“And Thunder wore the silver plates of the nontraditional Reconnaissance team!”
The soldiers had heard enough.  In three bursts of green flame they showed their true forms.  The pegasi had simple changeling forms bearing little armor beyond a simple saddle.  Their leader, on the other hoof, had a much more sinister configuration.  Armor that Midnight had not seen for hundreds of years, but immediately remembered.
Midnight and Hunter backed away slowly from the three changelings in the door.  The black creatures began to step inside, and Midnight turned to his friend.  
“HUNTER! RUN!!”  
The two friends made a mad dash for the window, but were intercepted by the soldiers.  They pinned down the two Equestrians as their armored leader stepped forward.  Midnight shook off his attacker, only to receive a heavy hoof to the face.  He fell back to the floor, helpless.  The leader glared at him through his helmet, then turned toward Hunter.  All Midnight could do was watch as the two changelings pinned Hunter to the wall, and the armored changeling do what he does best.  Green goop erupted from the changeling’s snout, encasing the pegasus’s limbs in a sticky paste.  He kept pouring it on until the pony was completely encased in an inescapable cocoon.  
“That should keep him.  Now onto our primary objective!” the leader said, turning towards the weakened changeling on the floor.  He stopped, turned to his soldiers and gestured toward the door.  “I’ve got this one.  Secure the perimeter!”  The two changelings fled as the leader stood over Midnight.  
“What do you want from me?” Midnight asked.
“You know too much,” the changeling said, spitting more goop onto the changeling’s limbs.  “For some reason, Chrysalis wants you alive.  That’s the only thing saving you right now.”
“Taking hostages isn’t a breeder’s game...”
The changeling smiled.  “Chrysalis was right... you do have a good memory!  If you must know, I’m simply here to subdue you for the ones who will be coming soon.  They will deliver you to Chrysalis and I get promoted to executioner!”
Midnight chuckled to himself for two reasons.  “I was once an executioner...” he started, covertly using his magic on the bow he had placed on the floor a few feet away.  “I hated it.  It was lying and backstabbing all day!”  He released the arrow, planting it in the back of the changeling’s helmet.  As planned, the breeder turned to see what hit him, giving Midnight the chance to break free and surprise his opponent.  The Breeder was well trained in combat, but Midnight’s lighter frame allowed for easy dodges and counter attacks.  Their quarrel disrupted the neatness of the room... by the time the Breeder was finally thrown on his back there were papers and other supplies scattered everywhere.  
Midnight stood over his defeated opponent, scratches and bruises were visible on his body, but there was no serious damage done.  However, the Breeder refused to go quietly.  “I wasn’t lying about Thunder, you know!  My brother’s an Assassin!”
Midnight had heard enough.  Anger coursed through his body as he stood directly over the Breeder’s head.  As his rage took over, so did instinct.  His horn began to glow with powerful magic.  “W-What are you doing?!”  Even if rage had permitted the changeling to talk, Midnight had no answer.  He lowered his head and touched his horn to the Breeder’s.  A bright flash and a deafening scream soon turned to darkness and silence.

Chapter 4:  In a Cloak of Darkness
Midnight’s head ached as he opened his eyes.  The suite looked like it was hit with a tornado; chairs, desks, and lamps were knocked over and the floor was barely visible under a sheet of scattered folders, scrolls, books, and even broken glass.  The window he had loved so much had been closed and broken, revealing itself to be the source of the shards around him.  The curtains were torn, only helping to scatter the light in the dimly lit room.  He looked towards the wall where Hunter had been glued, but there was nothing there but an empty cocoon.  As Midnight tried to make sense of his surroundings, he found the body of the breeder that had attacked him; a scroll clutched in his hooves.  He used his magic to pull the paper from the fallen changeling only to find his old map of Equestria covered in crudely drawn lines going in different directions.  Before the changeling could make out the meaning, the Breeder began to stir.  Their eyes met, and the fallen arose with anger.  Midnight knew that whatever was on this map had to be important so he made a break for the door. 
“YOU’RE NOT GETTING AWAY THIS TIME!” the Breeder yelled, spitting a small amount of green onto the fleeing changeling’s rear hoof. 
Midnight struggled to get his hoof unstuck as his pursuer loomed closer.  He pulled his rear legs back as hard as he could, suspending his rear above his head.  With a look back he could see the Breeder was there, inhaling as it prepared to ensnare him and make his escape impossible.  
“Oh... no... you... Don’t!” 
The goop snapped and the changeling used this momentum to send his legs flying back in a strong buck.  His back hooves hit his pursuer, sending him onto his back yet again.  Midnight took the opportunity to swing the door open and, rather than take the stairs down, jumped from the height.  He curled into a ball in mid air, allowing him to land with a graceful roll, pop out, and hit the ground running.  He galloped as fast his changeling legs could take him toward the castle gate.  It was heavily fortified with two gatekeepers and at least a dozen guards on lookout from above.
Midnight made it to a gatekeeper and tried to catch his breath.  “Please... I have to see Princess Celestia immediately!  I’m being pursued...”
“Don’t listen to him!” a voice shouted from behind.  The changeling Breeder was back in his unicorn officer form.  “He’s misinformed, don’t let him into the castle!” 
Midnight panicked, and instinct took over.  “Enemy on my mark!” he yelled, sending a quick spell from his horn to the changeling, revealing the liar’s true form.  The changeling got up on his hind legs, examining his true forelegs in shock.  A whistle of a spear flying through the air could be heard, so Midnight covered his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see any more violence.  He still was able to hear the changeling’s deep throated scream, followed by a thud and the sound of green flames.  He looked up to see a spear on the road, surrounded by ash.  
“What are you guys looking at?  Let him in already!” a deep, familiar voice yelled from the top of the wall.  It was followed by some unfamiliar voices saying things like “you heard the captain” and “hurry up.”  Finally, the gate opened and Shining Armor stood on the other side, greeting the changeling as he entered, but blocking his path. 
“I need to see Princess Celestia!” Midnight said, still catching his breath.
“She’s a little busy right now,” Shining explained.  “Who was after you just now?”
“A Breeder Elite,” the changeling said, his mouth moving faster than his brain.
“A what?”
“A changeling soldier, sent by Chrys--er... the Queen herself!” His breath and thoughts finally caught up to his words.
One of the guards spoke too loud in the background.  “So the rumors are true... the changelings are invading!” 
“No one said that, soldier!” the captain answered.  He turned back to the changeling, “Are you okay?  You seem a bit more... blue.”
“‘Blue?’” Midnight said, a bit confused.  “I’m not that depressed anymore…”
“No, I mean your mane… it seems to get tinted blue a bit more every time I see you,”  Shining explained.  “…are you trying to copy my style?”
“Not at all.  I don’t even pay attention to my mane since it’s so short.”  Midnight’s eyes went to the sky above, his mane not long enough to obscure his vision and provide an answer.  Worried, he looked back at Shining.  “Is it really getting… blue?”
“Yeah... but don’t worry about it.  It looks good on you!”
“…that’s exactly what I’m afraid of…” the changeling mumbled to himself.
“What was that?” 
“Nothing… I just really want to talk to Princess Celestia!”
“Well she’s kinda busy, and I don’t think that—”
“What’s this I hear about a changeling at the Castle gate?!” a loud, masculine new voice yelled out.  The soldiers around saluted as this new unicorn walked out amongst them.  Even Shining saluted as the stallion approached the changeling.  “At ease, Captain Armor.”  The unicorn turned towards Midnight for a second before going back to the Captain.  “I thought the changeling was taken down on sight… why is he still alive?  We can’t trust their kind here, so if he’s not going down, he’s going out!”
“Excuse me?” Midnight said angrily.  “I thought I was dealing with Canterlot’s best… but if this is how you’re going to treat me, well… I don’t need your help anyways!  I can’t believe that Celestia would have such ignorant guards around here.”
Midnight turned to leave, but Shining stopped him and explained the situation further to both the pony and the changeling.  What Midnight thought was a random leader in the Solar Guard was actually the pony behind many of the more special branches of the military, and very highly ranked.  “The Colonel” was all he was known as, since his name was classified.  The Colonel snatched the scroll from Midnight first chance he got… even before the changeling could decipher its meaning.  Somehow the pony knew immediately what was on it and hurried back inside the Castle for a few brief moments before returning with a few extra guards. 
“Armor, Masquerade… you two have been summoned by the Princesses.  You are to proceed into the throne room immediately.  These soldiers shall take your place, Armor.”  The Colonel’s head turned as he set his eyes onto every guard on station.  “Keep up the good work, everypony!”
The two ponies and the changeling trotted into the throne room.  Neither Shining nor Midnight would have guessed it would be so busy.  Among what appeared to be military officials, the only other notable guests were the six heroes bearing the Elements of Harmony and… Princess Luna.  Midnight grew nervous at this sight, especially since this was the middle of the day.  Luna would have to have come here a night in advance, leaving her subjects alone on the Moon.  She was going out of her way again...
As the changelings approached, Midnight had expected Celestia to greet them, but instead she turned to her sister and friends.  “Everypony, I’d like you to meet Midnight Masquerade.  You’ve never formally met.”  Midnight shyly waved at his old ruler, and the six ponies that got him sent here.  While everypony else seemed genuinely happy to see him again, the pink pony appeared a bit concerned.  Barely hearing his name allowed the changeling to make out what she said under her breath:  “Midnight Masquerade!?  Shoot, now I’ll have to rewrite that Welcome Song…”  Her rainbow-maned friend couldn’t help but smile, and their purple leader rolled her eyes.
“Princess Celestia,” Midnight started, “can I please get some answers as to what exactly is going on?”
“You don’t know?!” the Colonel answered before Celestia could speak.  He looked back at the princess upon realizing what he had done, and she was glaring at him.  “The... scroll.” He passed the map to Celestia, shrugging off her gaze with the scent of Pride seeping from within.  
With the Colonel still by her side, Celestia spoke, “This scroll you gave us, Midnight.  It has explained what was once hidden behind rumors.  Many of our military outposts along the border have gone dark, and we still have not heard back from many of our reconnaissance teams.”
“How does that old map tell you any of that?”
“These lines.  They illustrate the movement of military forces.”
“Battle plans?!” Midnight realized.  He found himself at a loss for words, and breath.
“Yes.  The movements match the attacks on our nation; now that we have the rest of their plans, we can start a counter-attack.”  She turned toward Shining Armor.  “Captain, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to use your Protection Spell again.”
“No problem, your highness!”
Celestia turned back to Midnight.  “As for you, I want you out in Canterlot looking for any bad changelings that may already be here.  The city is...”  Celestia’s sentence faded into silence as she turned back to Armor.  He looked back at her, confused.  Then it hit him.
“Now?”
“Please.”
The unicorn’s horn glowed in a bright pink, then shot skyward to form a spherical barrier around all of Canterlot.  Celestia turned back to Midnight.  “The city is completely enclosed now, so nopony will be entering or leaving without somepony knowing about it.  We just need to be sure the changelings don't fool us the same way twice.”
“Understood, your highness,” Midnight said, accepting his responsibilities.  “There is one thing that’s bothering me now, though...”
“What is that?”
The changeling’s blue eyes missed Celestia’s and settled on the princess's sister.  “How can you be here?”
Luna sighed as she contemplated the truth of the matter.  She looked towards her sister, who nodded back at her, prodding her to tell her former subject why she was here.  For a short moment, the changeling could see fear in the eyes of the Lunar princess, but the reassurance of her sister dispelled it.  She looked at the him with a kind of familiar sadness that was so familiar to his changeling tongue--Regret.
“...What happened?” the changeling asked, unsure that he wanted the answer.
“They’re gone.”  Her admittance caused the Fear in her eyes to reappear.  Midnight’s warrior instincts told him that her fear was of him.  
“Who’s gone?” he asked, fearing he already knew the answer.
“Thousands.  Thousands of my subjects.  Changelings.  All of them... probably.”  Luna’s voice was unusually quiet, she was hiding something from him.  The changeling could sense her apprehension.
Celestia cut into the conversation.  “Midnight, did you tell the Queen of the changelings about Palomoono?”
“No. Not a word!  I don’t know how she found out... I mean, her signal is relatively weak that far away!  In order to actually get into their heads, she’d need to know their names.”
A deep voice came from the crowd.  “She knew your name.”  The Colonel stepped in once again.  “Of course, you were something special!  An Executioner!”
“The first... Executioner,” the changeling added, shuddering at his own title... and all that it implied.
“Any clue as to how she could learn the ‘names’ of some Drones or Soldiers?”
The changeling’s eyes wandered throughout the room as his mind tried to find an answer.  His eyes hit the map and everything suddenly came together in his mind.  “ME?!” the answer exploded from the changeling’s mouth.  Rage shook the changeling’s head and neck, twisting and turning as thoughts swirled inside his mind.  He breathed heavily and his heart raced.  He reared up on his hind legs, landing with a heavy stomp.  “Chrysalis!  She used me!  She gave me back my old memories, and took what she wanted from my new ones!  No wonder I couldn’t forget my travels...”  He paused for a moment to catch his breath.  “She’ll pay for this!”
“I’m sure she will!” the Colonel said.
Celestia and Luna whispered into each other’s ears, but the changeling’s attention was soon drawn from them.  The throne room doors swung open, and a pair of unicorn guards galloped in.  They attempted to catch their breath as they explained the situation:
“Cel-Celestia... we...”
“We saw a ch...changeling!”
“He took off... into the air!”
“He was... fast!”
“Real fast...”
A burst of magic from Shining’s horn signaled a reinforcement to the spell.  “I doubt he’ll be getting away,” the Captain assured them.
There was a loud shudder in the group of six heroes.  The ponies, princesses, and changeling turned to see the pink pony’s tail shaking unnaturally.  “Twitchy tail!” she exclaimed, much to her friends’ alarm.  Everypony else in the room seemed unsure of how to react to the spectacle... until the purple leader screamed “Everypony, duck and cover!”
Everypony ducked to the floor and covered their heads for no apparent reason.  A loud crash could be heard as one of the throne room’s stained glass windows shattered.  The soldiers inspected the projectile only to find a curled up, shaking mass with two fangs and bright blue eyes filled with fear.  
“We got a changeling over here!” one of the guards exclaimed, hiding most of his fear.  
Spears closed in around the unbridled changeling.  Midnight broke through to investigate.  The crashed changeling saw his saddled counterpart and calmed down for some reason.  The once-chattering fangs now moved with the mouth as it opened, releasing an unfamiliar voice... and a familiar name.  
“...Mask?”

Chapter 5:  The Hunted
Two changelings walked through the streets of Canterlot.  The Equestrian seal on the one’s saddle caught the sunlight as he turned toward his winged friend.  Questions were piling up in the Equestrian’s mind.
“So... you’re a... changeling.”
“Yeah?  From what I hear, you should know how that all works.”
“That’s actually what’s bothering me right now.   You changed in a matter of a few hours;  I’ve never seen such a rapid transformation!”
“So?”
“There’s something you’re not telling me, Hunter...” 
“What’s there to tell?!” the changeling said, taking offense to his pony name being used.
“You helped me in Archery class... in fact, you were pretty much my only friend at that place!  ...or so I thought.”
“Please,” the changeling moaned. “That was a pony, I’m a changeling now.”
“Just like you’ve always wanted...” Midnight added.
“Excuse me?” the changeling said, angry and slightly confused.
“You heard me.  You didn’t care about me as a pony... you just thought it’d be cool to know a changeling.  To be a changeling.”
“You can’t possibly know that!”
“I was like you once,” Midnight explained.  “I hated being a pony; I hated everypony.  I wanted something more...”
The changeling stared at his “friend,” amazed at his memory.  “Y-you remember being a pony?!”
“It’s amazing what a memory spell can do, right?”  
“Yeah, I saw...”
“...what?  When?”
“Back in that cocoon!  You used a memory spell on that brute to get those battle plans!”
“I... did?”  Midnight’s memory was still a blur when it came to that fight.  
“You don’t know?”
“Instinct took over...”
“Do you think you could replicate the spell?  We could gather more intelligence!”
“‘We?’  Listen, Hunter... there’s not going to be a ‘we.’”  The changelings stopped walking and the unbridled changeling turned in confusion to his old friend.  Midnight spoke before Hunter had a chance to question.  “Why do you think we’re out here?  You’re a newborn changeling... you’re a liability to us.  Fortunately you’re also innocent.  That’s the only thing keeping you alive right now.  You can stay in my suite if you need to, but just try to stay out of trouble.”
Midnight turned from his former friend to slip back into the castle, but he didn’t get very far.  Hunter refused to go away so easily.  “I’m a ‘liability...’  says the guy who can’t even fly!”
Midnight stopped, and looked back at him.  “Says the guy who crash landed into Canterlot castle!”
“Only because of that protection spell!” Hunter explained.  “When I saw the guards, I flew away so fast that I hit that shield and bounced off... straight into the castle.”
“So you can fly,” Midnight continued as he turned all the way around.  “There are pegasi in the military too, you know... so you’re not very special.”
“But wouldn’t you want a flying changeling to help you out?”
“We’d still need a pony anyways, Hunter!  We’re not gonna feed ourselves!”
“But--”
“I’ve heard enough!”  Midnight struck the ground with his hoof.  “Just go home!”
The two changelings finally parted ways, oblivious to the prying eyes that were watching them fight.  Shadows moved in Midnight’s peripheral, but the changeling was too upset to care.  He turned back one last time to see Hunter disappear around a corner, and shrugged off all the nagging doubts.  He had a job to do.  Everypony does.  But when the path forward is unclear or obstructed, one can easily be lead astray.  Midnight shrugged that thought off too.

Chapter 6:  A Discarded Blade  
Morning came and Midnight found himself trotting in formation with two unicorn soldiers.  Their orders were simple: Find the two changelings that got away.  Since the Protection Spell was up, the changelings had nowhere to go, so they must be hiding in Canterlot somewhere.  As they made their way down the street, ponies hiding in their houses, the changeling could feel eyes watching them pass.  The first few hours weren’t out of the ordinary, until a familiar scent wafted into his black snout.  Soon they were encircled as the three changelings spun around the squad quickly with their wings in ambush.  Three on three were unexpected odds, and aerial combat was not the forte of anypony.  Midnight and the unicorns stuck together and attempted to zap the changelings with their magic.  Nothing worked.  The changelings were too fast to get a good lock on.
Suddenly the changelings flew toward the sun, and burned a bright green.  They charged the ponies in a meteor-like frenzy.  Midnight and the Squad Leader stuck together, successfully dodging the changelings’ maneuvers.  Their friend, now terrified by the green blaze that beleaguered them, deserted his friends in the hopes of survival.  He didn’t get far before one of the “comets” struck him head-on, throwing him to the ground.  Another changeling joined his friend as they inspected the incapacitated unicorn, feeding off of his love of life like the parasites they were.  The green blur that cut the other two ponies off from their downed friend suddenly changed direction, and with great speed knocked down the two other changelings.  They got back up, prepared to take down the traitor.  Unfortunately for them, the odds had changed to three on two and they were overwhelmed.  The Squad Leader’s spell reduced the two changelings to piles of ash.
Midnight turned to the “good” changeling.  “You’ve got quite a bit of explaining to do... Hunter!”
Hunter looked into the familiar eyes of the saddled changeling.  “You can thank me!  It was my idea to ambush you guys.  If it weren’t for me, these two jerks might’ve taken more lives!”
Midnight glared at his former friend, then looked back at the incapacitated unicorn.  After inspecting the body, and rejected the love of life from his own, he turned to the Squad Leader.  “He’s unconscious.  He needs medical attention soon,” he looks over his shoulder at the other changeling, “before it can get any worse.”
“Say whatever you want, Mask!  The fact is that those two bad guys are gone!”
Masquerade was sick of it, but tried to hide his anger under sarcasm.  “Yeah. Great! Two ‘bad guys’ get killed off!  That’s totally gonna make a dent in the changeling army of hundreds of thousands!”
Hunter may have acted foolish, but he was no idiot.  “Can the sarcasm, will ya!?  I was trying to help you out!”
“Well, getting somepony badly injured is a pretty funny way of helping!”
Suddenly the Squad Leader stepped in with a loud, irritated voice,“Will you two cut it out!?”  He turned to Midnight, “You know as well as I do that what happened was not his fault!” He gestured toward the changeling, then to the downed soldier.  “Our friend here was supposed to stay with the group, even in times of peril!  It was his own cowardice and insubordination that cost him his head!”  He turned toward Hunter.  “And you!  What you did was rather cunning and impressive!  I think we might have a use for someone like you in these dark times!”
“You mean... you’ll let me help in the fight?!” the changeling asked excitedly.
“We’ll see,” Midnight said.  He had to walk past him in order to return to Celestia, so he closed his right eye so he wouldn’t have to look at the traitor.  That’s all Hunter was in Midnight’s eyes.  He hated being a changeling, and the fact that Hunter seemed to love it so much only made it worse.

Chapter 7:  The Suffering
The Squad Leader and the two changelings headed into the castle to report back to Celestia.  The other unicorn had been taken to the Canterlot hospital; he wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while.  The Colonel greeted them, explaining that he would be debriefing them as Princess Celestia was too busy.  He quickly dismissed the Squad Leader, pointing him towards another officer who would give him his next mission.  The changelings were forced to explain what had happened.  Between their two reports, the Colonel was able to hatch a plan.  
“I’m not working with Hunter,” Midnight insisted.
“This is a direct assignment; you can’t just say ‘no,’” the Colonel replied sternly.
“Well, I just did!  And I don’t remember ever signing up for the military!”
“You have helped the military before.  You’ve saved the lives of countless soldiers with your writings!  You cannot possibly want to turn down such... direct, positive action!”
“I’m not working with Hunter.”
The Colonel turned to Hunter, who responded quickly:  “I’m not working without Mask.”  Hunter prodded his friend, smiling.  Midnight didn’t even look at him as he shrugged off the gesture.  
“I don’t want ‘direct, positive action,’” Midnight explained.  “My methods... my preferred methods... are always indirect.  Writing those stories and working for Luna were the most positive things I’ve done in my life.  In contrast, the direct methods--teaming up with Trixie, visiting the Changeling Hive, working for Chrysalis, getting those battle plans--have always resulted in suffering!”
“But look at yourself!  You’ve come out of all those things virtually unharmed!  Not a single bruise or scar, despite the confrontations!  And you forgot to mention the parasprites and dragons you encountered!  Sure, your wings may be broken, but that was your own mistake!  Not the doing of an enemy...” the Colonel reminded.
“Come on, Mask!” Hunter said.  “If you’re half the changeling that I’ve heard about, then you can--”
“Go.”
“What?”  Hunter turned to the Colonel, confused.
“I said, ‘go.’”
“Not without Mask!”
“Hunter, may I remind you that you are a full time student at our local academy, meaning you have already signed up for the armed forces!  ‘Go’ is a direct order from the utmost authority outside of royalty; I suggest you follow it or face rather harsh consequences.”
Hunter finally shut up and left Midnight alone with the Colonel.  He was pointed in the direction of a one-eyed officer who would give him further orders.  Midnight almost felt sorry for the conscripted changeling, but he still hadn’t forgiven him.  The Colonel attempted to persuade Midnight into joining the fight, but he refused to listen.  Finally the high ranking unicorn gave up, and left for a meeting he was “late for.”  He assured the changeling that they would talk later before he departed, but the changeling didn’t care.  Midnight trotted out onto a balcony of the castle, unsure of where to go.  The suite was wrecked, and the Colonel could easily deny him a bunk tonight since he was no longer taking part in the military’s operations.  He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice the pony approaching him.  A beautiful, familiar voice derailed his train of thought; he turned to find Princess Luna herself.  He immediately fell to the ground in a humble bow.
“Arise... Midnight.” Luna said in a soft voice not unlike her sister’s.  “I did not mean to startle you.”
Midnight rose, “It’s fine, Princess Luna.”
“Just ‘Luna.’”
“Well, Luna.  It’s nice to see you again after all these months.”
“Are you alright?  I read your books...”
“I’m fine,” Midnight sternly insisted.
“That’s just what I said when I rejoined my sister a few years ago.”  
The changeling’s head went to the ground.  “You don’t know... you didn’t do it first hoof.  You didn’t cause what’s happening right now.”
“In my madness, I caused a war that divided the ponies.  I still have some regrets, and the changelings returning to their Queen doesn’t help.  It doesn’t matter to me that I didn’t do it first hoof.  In fact, I think it’s worse that I was the one in charge!”
“In all honesty, Luna... I hated being under your tyrannical rule.”  The changeling’s head rose and his eyes met Luna’s.  “But when you came back to us... well, I still miss it...”
“Thank you for your honesty.  Which reminds me... I heard of your friend Thunder Sword...”
“I know already.  He’s dead; a changeling Assassin got him.”
“You’ll be happy to know that he’s still alive.  He’s being treated at the local hospital as we speak.  He just got admitted this morning.  He’s badly hurt, but alive.  You should visit him!”
Midnight shook his head.  “If a changeling Assassin was able to get word to his brother, then there is no hope.  Thunder’s not going to make it and I won’t visit him.”
Luna refused to give up.  “What about your other friend, then... the new changeling?”
“Hunter is a jerk.  He used me to learn more about the changelings and finally become one.  I don’t want to have a thing to do with him.”
“Maybe he looks up to you?  Perhaps you were the one who convinced him to become a changeling by being a good friend.”
These ideas confused Midnight on multiple levels.  “How can you be so positive?”
“It’s just an assumption.  I’m really not sure if I’m right or not...”
“Sorry... I should have phrased that better.  How can you be so optimistic?”
“Look out there, Midnight.”  Luna trotted closer to the edge of the balcony and gestured toward the city of Canterlot.  “Evil has tried again and again to get rid off these peaceful streets and all of its ponies.  Yet here it stands, despite everything.  Chaos, disharmony, war, dragons, monsters, the Moon itself...”
“And now changelings.”
“Canterlot is but the capital of Equestria, a vast land covered with nice ponies.  There are so many enemies, and so few ponies willing to stand up and fight.”
“I don’t know if I can, Luna... Hunter never denied my suspicions of him just using me.  I’m not sure if I can forgive him.”
“Can you try?  You two working together would give Equestria a fighting chance.  The changelings are desperate, and their newly acquired strength is... overwhelming.”
“Alright, Luna... I’ll try.”
“Another thing,” Luna paused a while before continuing.  “Are you doing something with your mane?”
“Yeah... it started getting blue.  It’s a side effect of a spell I’ve been using.  It’s only going to get worse if the Colonel wants more battle plans.”
A Lunar guard trotted in, causing Luna to step away from the edge of the balcony.  The news was urgent, so the two friends had to say goodbye once again.  Princess Luna disappeared behind the walls of the castle, and the changeling was left outside.  He looked over the edge of the balcony, knowing who would come looking for him next.  He knew what would be asked of him, and what his answer would be.  Midnight took a deep breath as he looked down at the streets below.
He waited.