//------------------------------// // Freedom // Story: Antecedent // by Anonymous Pegasus //------------------------------// Blue eyes slid open, and Stardancer saw the world in a grain of sand. She saw every blade of grass. She saw how the eddies and swirls of the air molecules would wend their way through the blades of grass. The sun’s rays altered the way the air behaved, the photons cast off by the giant mass of burning gas intersecting with the wind in a way that only Stardancer could see. She saw everything at once, and nothing. There was so much information that it was impossible to process, like a filly’s first brave stab at algebra, trying to absorb the complicated information and failing utterly. Everything hurt. It felt like there was a sharp spike being driven between her ears, and her skull felt as though it were going to explode under the pounding headache putting unbearable pressure on her very mind itself. The sharp sting of a needle in her flank did nothing to jog Stardancer from her stupor. The unicorn was far too busy watching the dance of atomic particles around a single grain of dirt. Slowly, thought flooded back into her mind. She could actually think now, rather than process endless possibilities. Suddenly, Stardancer was aware of three guards around her, and an orderly in front, holding an empty syringe. The stinging in her rump became apparent, and she became acutely aware of the dryness of her throat. “Water...” Stardancer croaked, before coughing dryly at the effort, her head spinning. The orderly bounded away, coming back with a cup of water to hold at her lips. Stardancer let some of the water slip down her burning throat, much of it dribbling from the sides of her mouth. After one or two painful swallows, she collapsed again. Freedom! Firebrand flew in a tight circle, wings flapping hard and fast against the air. The burn in her muscles invigorated her, and she exulted in it. It had been days since she had been able to fly like this. Somehow, being constrained in any way made her antsy. Already, she was looking forwards to getting back to Cloudsdale and rejoining her interrupted training. It had been mid-trials when Raindrop dragged her off on this quest after the Elements of Harmony. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her underlings to get the trials right, it was more that there was a certain sense of pride in training the cadets herself; weeding out the good from the bad. All Firebrand was waiting for now was a meeting with Celestia, to be given actual permission to go back to Cloudsdale, as much as she wanted to just fly there immediately. After some more enthusiastic laps, the pegasus dropped back to earth, trotting along the grass in the courtyard of the Canterlot palace, before just sprawling out on her back. The pegasus’ wings were spread out against the grass, and her chest was heaving, with sweat matting  her fur. But there was a giant grin plastered on her muzzle as she stared up at the sky. “You look happy,” Remedy stated, appearing upside-down at the top of Firebrand’s field of view. The pegasus gave a goofy grin and stretched languidly, before sighing and just splaying out flat. “Endorphins.” Remedy gave a nod at that, and then sat down on her haunches, watching the pegasus. “Whatcha out here for?” Firebrand queried, rolling over onto her stomach and peering up at the nurse. “Oh I... uh... just thought you could use a drink is all,” Remedy said, extending a hoof with a water bottle in it. “Could I ever!” Firebrand said, taking the water bottle and swallowing down several mouthfuls before passing it back to the nurse. “Thanks.” “It’s no problem,” Remedy said, shifting awkwardly. A long silence stretching between them, before Remedy said, “Getting warmer, huh?” “Sure is,” Firebrand responded, watching the nurse with a raised brow. Once more, the pair lapsed into silence, before Firebrand perked an ear upwards. “Well?” “Well what?” Remedy asked, blinking once, nervously. “You didn’t just come out here to offer me some water,” Firebrand stated knowingly. Remedy’s eyes widened, and she stammered a moment. “N-no, I was just passing and you looked all hot and sweaty and oh for goddess’s sake. Fine!” The nurse huffed, tossing her mane. “I was kinda... kinda just getting up the courage to come say stuff to you.” “Well you’re here now, so spit it out,” Firebrand said with a grin. “I...” Remedy trailed off, staring down at her hooves. “I... just forget it.” Firebrand lifted a hoof, laying it on Remedy’s shoulder. “Tell me. You’ll feel better.” “I know... I just... I wanted you to know that I... well, I don’t want to murder you any more,” Remedy said with a sigh of relief. Firebrand slowly raised a brow at Remedy, before nodding gently. “Thank you for that, Remedy. That was a really good, emotional bonding moment between us.” “Was that a lie?” Remedy asked suddenly. “It was heavy, heavy sarcasm,” Firebrand said with a snort, tossing her mane. “Anyhow, now that I got that off my chest!” Remedy said brightly, rising to her hooves. “Woah back, pony,” Firebrand said, grabbing at Remedy’s tail. “Is that the best you can do? ‘I don’t want to murder you’?” Remedy grimaced. “I’m afraid so.” “Oh I think you can do better,” Firebrand said with a shake of her head. “And you have until... let’s say seven o’clock to think up better. Front gates. Capiche?” Remedy blinked, staring at the pegasus over her shoulder. “Are you... are you asking me on a date?” “You say that as though such a thing would be insane,” Firebrand said calmly. “I’m a changeling,” Remedy hissed. “I know,” Firebrand stated with a sly grin. “There are so many naughty things we could do, what with you having the power to shapeshift...” Remedy blinked once, slowly shaking her head. “I don’t what’s more off-putting, the fact that you’re making sexual allusions or the fact that it’s the freaking element of honesty that’s doing it!” “I think you should be equally disturbed by both,” Firebrand said, waving a hoof. “Now shoo. And don’t you dare stand me up.” “So, have you made your decision yet?” Chitin asked calmly. Celestia sighed once, and then shook her head. “I... I am leaning towards setting you free. I realise I could hardly hold you captive if you wished to escape. Chrysalis taught me that when I fought her. But I have... reservations.” “Scared that we’ll make a big secret plot to overthrow you, quietly taking out key positions and replacing them with changelings?” Chitin put forth rather bluntly. The princess nodded once. “The thought had crossed my mind.” Chitin sighed in response. “No matter what I say, the threat will always be there that my kind is capable of these things.” “That is exactly what bothers me,” Celestia admitted quietly. “After all is said and done... your kind has all the power.” “Limit our power,” Chitin stated, tossing her mane. “I will acquiesce to any security measures you wish to put in place, within reason.” “Tell me how you think this will work, Chitin. What do you think will happen? How will your kind even survive? There are... nearly two hundred changelings. How will all of them feed?” Celestia asked, watching the changeling queen carefully. “I already told you my proposal,” Chitin said, waving a hoof calmly. “My kind will offer yours a service. In return for that service, as a result of that service, we will take from your kind, the gift of your love; and our continued existence.” “How often must your kind feed?” Celestia asked carefully. Chitin gave a thoughtful sound at that, biting her bottom lip. “Once a fortnight, at least. That is bare minimum, and it would require quite a lot of energy to sate a changeling after that. Of course, we can absorb far more love than that... but a fortnight’s worth is what it takes so that we don’t... hunger.” “So you expect to get nearly two hundred ponies coming through here once every fortnight?” Celestia asked flatly. Chitin shook her head at that. “No, Celestia. We could take what we need from far fewer ponies, and spread it out amongst ourselves. I think one ‘session’ would be enough to garner energy for five ponies.” Celestia blinked once. “For the full two weeks?” The changeling nodded. “Indeed. Though undue exertion is liable to put a greater strain on a changeling’s energy reserves.” Celestia gave a thoughtful sound. “And how many changelings would you think it would require to keep your kind sated?” “If we had the cooperation of ponies, I think maybe a dozen changelings would be able to safely take energy and distribute it to others,” Chitin said, tapping her chin with a hoof. “Are there any dangers?” Celestia queried warily. “There are always dangers,” Chitin replied bluntly. “When we do this, we are actively draining magic from our targets. The magic makes them more... pliable. But it also greatly increases the amount of energy drained. Originally, this magic was mainly used so that our kind could quickly slip in while a pony’s spouse was away, drain energy from them, and then leave quickly. If a pony were to visit too many times in a short period of time...” the queen trailed off and shrugged helplessly. “They would become quite drained and lethargic. Depression and death would follow.” Celestia shuddered. “And how am I to protect my guards and other ponies from your magic? I can hardly line them all up in front of the Elements of Harmony.” “I will help you develop methods to sense changelings and shield yourself from our magics. I am determined to make this work,” Chitin said, placing a hoof against her own chest in a sincere way. “You can stop us from becoming enemies, Celestia. Give us a chance...” Celestia pursed her lips, looking the changeling queen up and down once, before she sighed and rose to her hooves. The cell door slid open, and Celestia stepped out of it. Pausing at the entryway, the princess looked back over her shoulder, raising a brow back at the changeling. “Well? Are you coming?”