It was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining, there was a very light breeze, the birds were singing happily in the trees. For Early October, it was a gorgeous day, the kind of day that Amacia enjoyed the most.
When one looked at Amacia, the words to describe her often failed to accurately pin her down in any one aspect. The first issue of course was her height. For a harpy, she was rather short at 5'2. This might have had something to do with the fact that she was a chicken harpy. Her natural yellow and orange coloring was a pleasant sight to see, though she was hardly vain. Her brown and orange clothes had been claw-stitched, something she was rather proud of, seeing as most of her harpy brethren preferred to fly around naked.
Amacia's tail feathers swayed back and forth as she made her way through the Everfree, which had been a frightening experience for the young harpy. Cockatrices, manticores, parasprites and even bickering ponies. These were all very new to her, and she was sure that if she hadn't flown away from all of them she'd have died of a heart attack.
There had been many times she'd asked herself why she was travelling all this way, but the troubles of her people always came back to her. As a "bottom-feeder" as her sisters-in-arms liked to call her, she wasn't much use. She was a medical expert, a doctor, a healer. To the harpy tribes, roles likes Amacia's were looked down upon, as harpies were a brutal race where fighting and rough-housing were the norm. What was the use of rough-housing if you were just going to wrap up the bruises and make them disappear? Wounds were battle scars, best left to display proudly to show how tough one was.
But war had broken out, and the younglings were often left hungry as the hunters had to leave their respective jobs and join in the fight. Amacia was no hunter, and although she tried to take care of the younglings, she just didn't cut it as a hunter. And so, she was sent off to retrieve one of the best hunters that her tribe had ever seen, a runaway that had disappeared just over three months ago.
Tracking Sohl down had been very difficult. The eagle harpy had been very careful in covering her tracks and keeping her molting feathers from lying around. If it hadn't been for a very, very kind nymph that decided to spare her life instead of eating her, she would never have known where to look.
The walk through White Tail Woods had been a long one, but certainly a beautiful one. Her pit-stop at the waterfall as her path lead her down was beautiful, and had been a great place for a bath. Soon, she came to a constructed pathway that lead further into the valley, a pathway that eventually lead her out of the woods and face-to-face with a long, sloping valley that gave way to a mountain range where she could see a magnificent castle nestled carefully on one side of the jutting stone.
Amacia smiled happily as she picked up her pace and headed towards the town not two miles away. Her mission was finally in sight.
Choco Swirl continued on through work in the sour mood she'd been in since viewing the last bits of that video. While she tried to keep Mrs Cake happy and unaware of her growing want to return to Canterlot, away from this crazy town, the older earth mare had begun to pick up on Choco's bad mood. It was beginning to affect the mood in the kitchen, and training Pinkie Pie had taught Mrs Cake that a happy kitchen was a productive kitchen. Having the sour Choco Swirl in the kitchen was beginning to put a damper on the business.
Mrs Cake was about ready to have a talk with Choco when the front door chimed, signaling a new customer. Eager for a break from the downer pony, the older mare practically forced Choco Swirl to go see to the customer.
As Choco stepped through the double swinging doors to the lobby, she heard a quiet sniffling. Great, she thought. Now we've got cry-babies in...she paused in her grumpy musings as she saw an old friend from Canterlot."Oh my gosh! Lemon Pop!" she exclaimed. Said pegasus brought her head up as she heard a familiar voice to see her good friend Choco Swirl. The two knew each other well, as Lemon often frequented the store Choco worked at, the place where Lemon bought her beloved lemonade and brownies.
The two friends embraced, a concerned frown on Choco's face as Lemon buried her face in her friend's shoulder. As Choco rubbed Lemon's back, the red pegasus could hold it back no longer. With a familiar friend to vent and not care how messy she was, Lemon began to sob, her shoulders shaking. True to her role as a good friend, Choco held her friend and hugged her tighter until her younger friend was ready to talk.
After several minutes and a declining shaking of shoulders, Choco lifted Lemon's face to look in her eyes. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Why are you so upset?" She had other questions, of course, but these were the most important.
Lemon looked up at her friend with a look that said, 'Do I have to tell you?' After a stern look from Choco, Lemon sighed, but continued to lean into her friend. "Well...it's...kind of complicated. See, about a week and a half ago, I had to choose between two of my best friends. I don't want to get into how that started. A-anyway, I started to make my choice, but the friend I wanted to choose told me to choose the other, and I've been feeling so guilty about not choosing the other friend in the first place, so I ran away from my job."
Choco tilted her head, a little confused. "So...This job that you do...is it what you mentioned to me a while back? Something about "protecting Equestria" from bad things?" Lemon nodded. Choco rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Uh huh. Honestly, Lemon, how many times are you going to -" Choco stopped right there. For the first time, Choco Swirl's knowledge that the kingdom was perfectly safe was questioned. The last two days had been eye-opening for her. Monsters did exist, and they existed here, in this town.
Taking this knowledge into account, Choco Swirl felt nervous again. So what Lemon Pop had told her was true; she was like...monster police, or something like that. "O-ok," Choco began, staring down at her friend who was returning the gaze with some concern. "So...what exactly happened to make you choose between your friends?"
Lemon Pop pursed her lips in a cute little pout as she glared at the wall, as if it were it's fault for causing all this trouble. "Why? Because the Princess decided that training Sapphire Snow for eight years to be a leader wasn't good enough. No, she decided that after all her sacrifice, all her troubles and the loss of her parents just wasn't enough. She had to go and give it to that jerk Spark Storm!"
Lemon Pop let out a gasp as she found herself on the floor. After picking herself up, she looked at Choco Swirl, who had backed away several hoof-lengths with a look of horror on her face. "S...Spark Storm? N-not a dark pegasus with a wicked-long pair of wings, blue with black?" Choco demanded.
"Well...yes. How do you know him?" Lemon Pop asked.
Choco Swirl sat down after a moment, her eyes wide as she connected all the dots. Spark Storm. This was all about Spark Storm. The monsters in town. Laser Reflex's camera and video, spying on him. Laser having been hired by some "scary" ponies. Spark Storm was a monster hunter, and he was in turn being hunted by monsters.
Choco ran a hoof through her mane. How was she supposed to react to this, or deal with it for that matter? If everything she had experienced was true, if everything all lead up to Spark Storm, then Lemon Pop's friend was in trouble. But a monster hunter could take care of himself, right? Wait...if Spark Storm was a monster hunter, and Lemon Pop was in the same field, then Lemon herself was a "detestable" monster hunter herself. Choco frowned as she looked at the sweetest, most hyper mare she had ever known. Did this information change how she looked at Lemon Pop? Were years of friendship suddenly changed?
No. Not with the way Lemon Pop was looking at her. She needed a friend, and Choco intended to continue to be the good friend she always was. Screw the monsters, her friend, who always bought from her store, who always stopped to talk to her and listen when she needed somepony to listen, needed her help. She stepped forward and rested a couple of supportive hooves on Lemon's shoulders. "Sweetie, listen..."
Anorax practically skipped along as he made his way through town. After his encounter with the changeling mare, he'd been practically walking on air. He might as well have been, with the way he used his wings to keep him from putting his full weight on the ground. As he came around the corner, he came to a stop as he noticed the library. Lyra was there, wasn't she? He really needed to tell somepony about what he'd just experienced.
As he approached the library, he began to feel tense. There were several strong sources of emotion inside the library, a bit packed from the usual. Not only that, but at least three sources were unfamiliar. He knew Spark Storm and Lyra were inside, but...wait. One of those three were vaguely familiar. As he stopped short of the door, it hit him full-force: the changeling mare that approached him was inside. His heart began to beat much harder than he thought possible, to the point that he knew she must've known he was outside.
With a trembling hoof, Anorax pushed open the library door and came face to face with her, that beautiful blue pegasus mare, keeping that beautiful changeling mare hidden. As the two stood facing each other, their emotions rose. The two smiled at each other for the longest time, until a cleared throat grabbed Anorax' attention. "Uh, Anorax? I take it you've met our new friends, but we're kind've on a mission here. Need to move out."
Anorax broke his stare with an embarrassed blush and backed away as Spark Storm emerged from the library, followed by Emerald Skies, Laser Reflex, whom Anorax had seen around town but not met, and then the tallest mare he'd ever seen. She was wrapped tightly in what looked to be a travelling cloak...or a large pair of drapes. The look in her eyes chilled him to the bone, and his first instinct on making eye contact was to prepare himself for survival. Just what kind of creature was this, she certainly wasn't a pony! He backed away from her as she passed, certain he heard her murmur something about more food.
As she passed, he also noticed the large pink and yellow harpy eagle resting on the tall mare's back, along with the familiar ball of blue and green that the eagle constantly carried in it's talons whenever they went out. The next to emerge were Lyra and Spark's little brother, Chrome Spectrum, both of whom looked a little miffed. Anorax was sure they were both giving off something akin to resentment, but he wasn't sure and at the moment he didn't care. He waited as patiently as possible as the mare that had changed everything stepped through the door. While she gave off the same excitement as he did, she seemed apprehensive.
Anorax tried not to let this bother him as he turned to face Spark Storm and the others. "Uh, a mission? Maybe I can help?" he offered. Spark grinned, his wings twitching with excitement.
"Right. We're putting together a rescue mission. Russet Hearts has been taken captive by changelings, and we're going...to..." Spark trailed off. He didn't need a changeling's intuition to catch the mood coming off the halfling. Madalah especially seemed more and more dismayed by Anorax's look and mood.
"Wait, " Anorax said, his ears pressed down hard against his head. He glared at Spark Storm, his head slowly turning in Madalah's direction. "Who did? Why would they-"
"We did." Madalah's voice was very quiet, barely above a whisper. The poor mare trembled as a child that knew she had been caught doing something terrible, and she knew she was wrong. "We came for Laser Reflex."
Kecnik watched quietly as Madalah's happiness quickly ebbed away as Anorax turned to face her. The whole group was silent as the two faced each other, and while not all of them felt the emotions between them as Kecnik could, it was obvious that a happy situation between the two was quickly becoming one-sided guilt, as well as one-sided anger.
Madalah eyes began to tear up as she felt Anorax' anger. This wasn't the reunion that she was hoping for, not at all.
Quickly deciding to step in, Spark Storm approached his old friend. "Anorax, take it easy, all right? I don't know what happened between you two, but I've spoken with them...it wasn't intentional. And these two aren't even part of the "hive" anymore."
Anorax turned on Spark, his eyes blazing with anger. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"It means the hive wants us dead." Anorax turned once again, this time to look up at the towering Kecnik. There was a look there in his eyes, a look of pain. Whether he shared in Madalah's guilt and sadness wasn't clear to Anorax. "They mean to kill us. We betrayed them, and we will help you get your friend back."
Anorax frowned deeper, his gaze falling to the ground. This whole situation stank. He knew Russet Hearts well. He was the sweetest stallion in all Ponyville. Why him? Why was he dragged into this? He had too many questions and uncertainties, but one thing he was certain about: His father was right. Changelings in Ponyville was a bad thing. His glare rose to meet Kecnik, then Madalah, and his words ran clear among the group. "Fine. I'll help you guys get Russet home...and then I want the changelings gone."
As he turned his back on Madalah and Kecnik, he fought the crumbling despair of the mare behind him. He didn't need his halfling senses to feel her tremble, or to hear the barely contained sob she issued forth. Anorax walked past Spark, who watched in stunned silence. After noticing that Anorax wasn't stopping to wait for the group, he whistled back at the others. "Come on," he said quietly, as if speaking too loud could break the already fragile changeling mare. "Lyra?" He said, giving the unicorn a glare. "Get my brother someplace where you can keep an eye on him. I don't want him or you following us!"
Chrome sat down on his haunches and crossed his forelegs over his chest, like a child that had just been given a time out, which technically he had been, and from his own brother! He snorted with displeasure as he watched the mismatched group take off at a run down through the center of town, with Kecnik and Madalah in the lead. Lyra as well looked like she was upset, her eyes narrowed and fixed on Spark Storm as he disappeared down the corner. This was so unfair.
Spark Storm and his comrades ran down through the center of town. With Madalah and Kecnic leading them in the direction of the hive, Spark began to slow down and position himself at the back of the group. Something told him he'd need to watch their backs. As the group turned a corner, the ponies, changelings and nymphs alike spread out, making a space between them to pass a tall unicorn mare standing in the middle of the street. As they did, her horn lit up and a barely noticeable stallion, a perfect visual copy of Spark Storm issued from her and followed after the group. Spark, having been behind his group, was the only one to notice this and he came to a screeching halt just a few meters in front of the unicorn.
Spark Storm stared at the unicorn mare before him. Even without the wings, he knew instantly who she was. The kiss that blinded him and put him to sleep while Princess Cadance and Twilight Sparkle fought for their lives suddenly burned on his lips. He glared at the disguised alicorn, and spat on the ground. This gesture was completely understood and completely amused her.
Shimmering Oasis smiled down at Spark Storm with a wide grin as her horn lit up. A thick, golden dust issued from it and covered her body. When it fell off her again, her wings were visible once more, revealing her true form to the whole town. Ponies lined the streets as the denizens of Ponyville began whispering amongst each other. Since when was there another alicorn besides the Princess? Some whispers decried the existence of another, others spoke praises of her beauty. Spark Storm was much too focused on her to pay attention to the rumors quickly spreading through the streets. Shimmering Oasis didn't seem to care either way.
Finally, Spark Storm spoke. "You. What are you doing here? Something tells me you're here with the changelings."
"Perceptive," Shimmering Oasis spoke, her voice barely containing the excitement she felt after having waited as long as she had for this. "You may indeed assume that I am involved with them."
Spark's wings twitched with agitation. The last he'd seen Shimmering Oasis, she was under arrest for treason and attempted murder and a whole slew of felonies that would take days to list. How she'd gotten out of prison wasn't nearly so important as..."Why are you here? Why did you come to me? Are you a little confused?" Spark asked with a hint of a sneer. "I'm not the one that put you down last time, that was Princess Cadance."
"Oh, I know," she responded sweetly. "But you're not so dim-witted this time around, are you? Your guard is up, your defenses as well as your offenses are sharper. The first time I saw you, you defended your ship from a lightning storm and even turned my offense back upon me. You were dangerous then, you are much more so now. It only makes sense to remove the knight from the board before attacking the queen."
That did it. The ponies in the entire area began whispering among themselves. Was this alicorn here to attack the royal family in Canterlot? Who was she? Why was she really here? Who was that colt behind her? This last whisper struck Spark Storm. He hadn't seen anypony else here. Seeing the look on his face, Shimmering Oasis stepped to the side, revealing the young firey unicorn.
Shadow Heart opened his mouth in quiet shock as he finally laid eyes on Spark Storm. The pegasus did the same, eyes narrowed. Shadow Heart swallowed hard as the two continued to stare each other down. Finally, Shadow Heart took a tentative step forward. This was his chance, the chance he'd been waiting for. If he could just talk to Spark Storm, get some kind of positive reaction from him, then he'd know which side he really wanted to fight for.
Shadow Heart's heart raced as he looked between Shimmering Oasis and Spark Storm, but the princess simply gave him the most patient smile. He never could figure her out. After a few more moment's debate, he approached Spark Storm slowly, a look of cautious hope on his face. "Spark Storm...I've wanted to talk to you for a long time, but I never got the chance. I know who you are. Please, I need to know...is there a place among the Fighters for me?"
"No," came the immediate answer. Shadow Heart stared at Spark. He wasn't sure if he'd heard that right. "You? A little worthless worm like you? Of course not. You're in my way now, you'd be in my way then."
The young unicorn was struck by Spark's words. Did he really mean that? Had he been wrong about Spark Storm all this time?...Was this a trick? A trick being played on him by Shimmering Oasis? And yet he knew it couldn't be, his magic absorbing powers weren't detecting a spell on him. No, those were Spark Storm's real words. Tears threatened to appear in Shadow Heart's eyes as he backed away from Spark Storm, who just stared at him in that cold, callous way.
When he reached Shimmering Oasis, he looked up at her with a bitter frown and a guilty conscience. "I...I'm sorry, Princess. I had to be sure. I'm sure now. I belong with you and I'll do what needs to be done." Shimmering Oasis just smiled that ambiguous smile of hers, then leaned down to kiss the unicorn's forehead tenderly. Shadow Heart nearly fell into tears once more at this show of love and affection, and after betraying her trust, he felt he didn't deserve it. He took it all in readily, though. After being alone for so long, having somepony to look after him felt too good to reject.
"You are my knight, Shadow Heart. I will leave this battle to you." the alicorn told him. Shadow Heart immediately shot her a look of alarm.
"M-me? But my powers, they don't always work, I-I might-"
"Shh," she shushed him gently, a hoof on his lips. "You can do this. It's all..." she leaned down, touching her horn to his "...willpower." A spark from her horn flew into his, a light that flew like an electric current along a wire into his brain. It ran along the circuits that wired his magic to his brain, and removed the block that kept him from using his powers at their full capacity, a mental block that had sat there since his parents deaths.
Shimmering Oasis moved away from him now as Shadow Heart's body took on a dim, black glow. The unicorn could feel his unique magic-sucking power activating at it's fullest, and he was filled with a confidence and anger as he'd never felt before, and it was all going to fall on Spark Storm.
As the pegasus and unicorn stepped forward, wings ablaze with electricity and horn glowing an ominous black, frightened whispers erupted from the crowd, garnering the attention of both combatants. Spark Storm frowned and turned to the townsponies, and shouted, "What are you all doing?! Get back, get out of here!"
A loud, amused laugh erupted from Shimmering Oasis as she raised her horn to the sky. "Don't be so dramatic, Spark Storm. Allow me to clear the field." Spark stared at the alicorn in horror, then closed his eyes tightly as a bright, white circle of light appeared at the tip of her horn. "Look, look you little ponies!" she called joyously. "Look!...and sleep." As the last word slipped from her lips, the light branched out over the street, covering that entire section of town.
Ponies everywhere began to fall asleep, falling to the ground where they stood. Some even fell asleep standing up, but all who had seen the light lost consciousness, minus one unicorn whose magic ate the spell as it approached him, and Spark Storm who had wisely hidden his gaze. Spark looked up again in shock. Shimmering Oasis had put dozens of ponies to sleep with one spell. He'd forgotten just how powerful she was. She had commanded three powerful dragons back in Neippon, it shouldn't have come as a surprise what she could do to normal ponies.
"Now, good knights, there will be no more distractions!" the alicorn announced excitedly. "Shadow Heart, my boy, go to battle for me!"
The unicorn needed no prompting. His horn lit up with a stronger blackness, a dark mist issuing from his horn. Spark Storm's wings continued to charge, a concerned frown on his face. If only Shadow Heart had reacted positively to his invitation...
The library was quiet and devoid of life as Fluttershy slipped inside, an eager smile on her face. She'd been so taken with Chrome Spectrum when they'd first met that going to see him was one of the things she looked forward to most during school. "Hello!" she called into the big, empty library. She frowned when she received no answer. She was sure he would be here today. Perhaps he was downstairs?
As Cheerilee and Angelica's class had left, the library was indeed empty. As Fluttershy reemerged from the depths of the basement (she hadn't gotten very far, it was dark down there after all), she sighed and made for the door. It was stuck, and stuck fast. After trying the door a few more times, she noticed something wedged inbetween the door and the floor, it looked like a little hoop attached to a blade.
As Fluttershy's mind began to race, she felt a presence behind her. She whirled around and came face to face with a patiently smiling Fire Lotus.
It wasn't Fluttershy's timid nature that told her to get away. It wasn't the fact that the strange red mare held a knife in her mouth. Something about the earth pony terrified Fluttershy to the core. She immediately took off into the and made for the window, but not before she felt something cold and hard attached to a rope wrap around her left rear leg. It pulled tight and the young pegasus fell to the floor.
"Leave me alone, please!" Fluttershy cried as she tried to take to the air again. This time another rope flew around her waist, and she was again pulled to the floor. Her wings were tied together, and finally her front legs. She struggled madly until the earth mare pounced on top of her and held one of the knives against her throat.
"Shhh," Fire Lotus whispered almost tenderly. "You're a pretty little thing, I would hate to get blood all over your pretty coat." Fluttershy silenced, tears of fright falling and pattering onto the library floor.
"That's better. Now be quiet. I'm not going to hurt you if I don't have to, but I won't hesitate to ground you for life and take your beautiful wings. You're coming with me, little pegasus." Fire Lotus spoke as she laid down on the younger pony, holding her against the floor as she grabbed a small cloth from a pouch and soaked it with a small bottle of liquid.
"Wh...what do you want with me?" Fluttershy asked with the barest of whispers.
"Insurance," the earth mare whispered back to her before covering Fluttershy's mouth with the cloth, causing the pegasus to struggle into she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.