//------------------------------// // Foals and Foolish Changelings // Story: Foal Necromancer // by Kytranis //------------------------------// It doesn't take too long to get to the kitchen. Granted I was dragging my hooves trying to find any changelings nearby but... nothing. They either only sent three or having dealt with all three has scared them really badly. “Excuse me...” I begin to say but when I see the head chef my words die in my throat. It's a hippogryph. Dark black plumage with a tan horse rear. The apron and ridiculous hat are certainly adding to the strange image. “Certainly! How can I help you little one? Feeling peckish?” He asks jovially with a huge grin on his face. “Actually I'm here for my new friend Bones here. I was wondering if there was anything that would be good for it here.” I say and he nods and smiles. “The corner cupboard over there has some dried cat food. Also if I remember correctly this is around the time little Rain-Drop brings her kitten in for some food.” He tells me pointing to the left side of the room. “Thank you, I'll hurry to be out of your way.” I tell him and he nods appreciatively before turning back to his work. It takes me no time at all to get to the proper cupboard and I find a bin blatantly labelled cat food with a few dishes stacked up beside it. I pull out the bin and the topmost dish. “Hey that's Mitten's dish!” A voice from behind me protests and both me and Bones look back to see a light yellow earth pony with a pale orange mane. She's only a little bigger than me. “Sorry about that.” I say sliding the dish over and reaching in for another. “That's her water dish.” the filly says and I sigh before sliding this one over too. I reach in for a third expecting her to lodge some kind of protest but she's quiet. I open the bin and learn that the cat food is a bunch of pellets that smells very vaguely like fish. I scoop some out with the dish and Bones practically jumps into it the moment it is on the floor. I reach into the cupboard again deciding that the little horror should have some water too. “So what's your name?” The filly asks and I shrug. She's not a changeling and it is just a child. “I'm Night-Shade. Who are you?” I ask her in return as I pull out a stool to climb upwards and turn on the water. She holds her kitten's dish up to me. I fill mine quickly and pass it to her and we exchange dishes. I then pass down hers and turn off the water before climbing down. “I'm Rain-Drop. Are you new around here?” she asks and I nod. “ Like is it your mommy or your daddy that works works in the castle?” she asks sounding a little too eager and... airheaded. “My mom does... my aunt too.” I tell her sorting things out in my head. May as well play the part of a kid to a kid right? “Really? What do they do?” she asks sounding way to eager to be talking to a complete stranger. “They're in administration.” I tell her and she looks confused for a moment. “Uhm... that's where they help make decisions and work with paper right?” she asks and I nod. “So they like help with laws right?” she asks and I nod. “Among other things. Without them around I'm pretty sure things would fall apart around here.” I say and Rain-Drop whistles. “Wow they must be super important! What are their names?” she asks just as Bones finishes up. I'm fairly sure cats don't normally eat that fast. I notice a bit of the food meld through Bone's skin and I realize it's been eating with more than it's mouth. “Luna and Celestia.” I say before carrying the two bowls to where I spotted the dishes being done by a younger looking unicorn stallion. “Excuse me, I just fed my kitten would you mind...” I ask with my voice trailing off. I'm trying to sound friendly and harmless. “Certainly little guy. Now go on and play somewhere.” he says with a smile. Nice guy, I hope he doesn't get replaced by a changeling. Now on the topic of changelings I feel one enter my passive sensing range. “Yes... play...” I state glancing in the direction of the approaching monster. “Come on Bones, time to go.” I say and the black kitten jumps up onto my back and stands on my head. “Hey wait a minute!” Rain-Drop says and tries to catch up as I leave the room. “Mew?” The green eyed monster named Bones asks and I shake my head. “If we try and stop her she'll insist anyways.” I say in a resigned tone. “Rain-Drop something bad is about to happen, it would be best if you got back into the kitchen.” I tell her as I exit the room. “What's about to happen?” She asks sounding confused. She seems a little dim which will make her hard to work with. “A changeling is coming from that way... and now another is coming from the other way.” I tell her just as a second changeling enters my sensory range. “What! A changeling!? How would you know that? Aren't they impossible to find?” She asks quickly and loudly causing both changelings to freeze. “Thank you for letting them know that I know. Now I have to go to them instead. Excuse me.” I say before walking quickly towards the nearer changeling. I'll kill the closer one and capture the further one. If I can experiment with them I may be able to figure out an easier way to expose the monsters. “W-wait! Don't leave me!” Rain-Drop shouts and I wince. The changeling is definitely going to be ready. “If you just ducked into the kitchen you would be safe. Now you made it much more dangerous for the both of us!” I hiss at her, furious at the ditzy girl. “I'm sorry... I... get scared and I keep screwing up.” she says tearfully and I sigh as a changeling disguised as a guard comes around the corner. “Oh thank goodness! Guard he says there's two changelings somewhere nearby!” She half shouts rushing towards the armour clad monster. “Here we go.” I mutter as the guard grabs Rain-Drop and drops it's disguise. “You and your beast stay back or the filly dies!” It shouts at me. “You do realize that although you have bought yourself some time, that you have also made things much worse for yourself right?” I ask the creature which sneers. “Pin the other one, I want to study it.” I whisper and Bones runs off in the opposite direction, presumably to pin the other changeling. I hope. “It won't survive. One of our greatest spellcasters awaits your monster with a death spell.” The changeling says sneering at me. There's the sound of a quick scuffle and a bust of death energy. Bones only becomes stronger. The Changeling's eyes widen in terror. “Sorry but... it's just you and me.” I tell it as I slowly stretch out my aura to cover the both of them as it stares at me. “This changes nothing. Now the exchange is simple. You for the filly.” It hisses at me and I chuckle. “Interesting, how about a counter offer? The filly for your life.” I reply as I get ready to pull Rain-Drop into the aether. I have to time this right or the intimidation factor is gone. “How arrogant! The filly dies for your insolence!” It shouts out and I hear a commotion in the kitchen just as I pull Rain-Drop into the aether. I pull her towards myself as quickly as possible and pull her back into phase. “What's going on!? What happened?!” Rain-Drop screams as I rush forwards and tackle the changeling head on focusing death energies into my horn as I slam into it. It's lifted a little off the ground and flies back about a metre before coming down and collapsing into a dead heap. I hear the kitchen door slam open and there's some muttering. I calmly walk back to Rain-Drop. “You're not hurt are you? I don't use that trick often...” I ask before trailing off a little embarrassed. “You saved me...” she says sounding breathless. “Yep, now I gotta go check in on the prisoner.” I say walking back to her and examining her up and down. “You sure you're not hurt? It's not often that a Pony goes into the aether.”I tell her and she shakes her head. “No I... I'm fine... thank you.” she says still sounding completely stunned. “Good, now if you'll excuse me.” I say and I walk towards where Bones is. Sure enough the little monster has the bigger monster easily pinned down. “Good kitty.” I say grinning as the changeling stares at me in horror. “What are you?! How can you kill with a touch and see our very souls?” It asks it's voice quivering in terror. “I am Prince Charon, also known as Night-Shade. That is all the explanation you're getting. Now hold still or this will hurt.” I tell the creature walking up and putting my hoof on it's head. It can't move to resist so it closes it's eyes to face it's end with dignity. At which point I put it to sleep and sever it's connection to the rest of it's kind. This connection tries to repair itself right away so I place a little necrotic energy into the creature to stop that from happening. The kitchen staff are pouring out of the room and staring at the scene. The hippogryph has brought out a massive cleaver with him. “Hold on a moment. I'm taking this thing prisoner so I can better learn about their kind.” I say and I pull it into my aura. There's an uncomfortable shuffling as the kitchen staff watches the changeling disappear. “How are you doing this?”he asks and I chuckle in my throat. “It's soul magic... I'm just a dabbler though, true masters are downright terrifying.” I say with a shudder. I never even faced a master. I just ran and managed to get lucky and kill an apprentice. That's where I got the training scroll for the basics. “Anyways, is there anypony who can point me to a nearby lab or the like? I need to learn more about my... prisoner.” I say and wordlessly the cook points down the hallway. “Thank you. Come on Bones.” I say walking off in the relevant direction and the kitten is more than happy to follow. ... I have never been in this part of the castle before... I'm going to have to ask for directions again. I wander for a little more before running into another guard... with another changeling. “Oh for pities sake I can't even ask for directions without tripping over changelings now.” I gripe and Bones shoots off before anyone can say anything else. A quarter of a second later the kitten has tackled the huge 'earth pony' to the floor, and the sheer shock of what just happened causes it to drop it's disguise. A moment later and the changeling is slammed into a wall and a wing breaks off. Bones picks it up again and throws it into the opposite wall breaking the horn this time. “What's going on?” The pegasus guard asks shocked and I snort. “Bones is playing with its enemy.” I say just before the kitten grabs the changeling through a hole in its foot and drags it up the walls and into the ceiling where it slams the monster left and right like a demented pendulum before jumping hard to the ground and crushing the changeling. “Aren't we a showoff?” I ask the purring kitten which just shoots me a smug look. Somehow. “Mew.” Bones says and I raise an eyebrow. Of course I've got a grandstanding doom kitten for a familiar. Because, why not? “Is the kitten the threat?” The guard asks sounding scared. “No... the kitten protects me... to my eternal shame.” I admit and there's a heaving sound from Bones. “Oh you have got to be kidding me.” I mutter as I watch the kitten cough up a hairball right on the body. “You are just trying to rub things in now aren't you?” I ask and Bones nods at me. “Sorry about this.” I say to the guard and Bones shoots me a dirty look. Oh what now? Honestly... “Could you point me to the nearest lab?” I ask him and he points further down the hallway. “Have a nice day.” I say without much conviction and walk off. As I pass the corpse Bones jumps onto my back then my head. “Meow.” Bones says the moment the guard is out of earshot. “And? What's wrong with me being polite?” I ask it... or rather him. A female cat would be a bit more delicate in its accusations. “Mreow. Mew. Rrrrr.” Bones replies and I sigh. “As strange as the thought is I have no enemies here. So if I take care not to make any, things become easier.” I answer and Bones shakes his head rapidly. “Reow.” he tells me and I have to stop myself from swatting at him. “I know. That's why I'm going to examine a live one.” I tell the ornery kitten who huffs at me. “Mew?” Bones inquirers and I sigh a little. “Probably not, I don't have much experience modifying things. The phylactery was probably a fluke.” I tell the kitten who shakes his head and hisses at me. “Best case scenario, the changeling force is crippled to the point of helplessness. Worst case it blows up and kills us both.” I say and Bones starts glaring at me. “Oh relax. If it's strong enough to take you out it will be strong enough to take me out, phylactery or not.” I tell Bones trying to reassure him that if I do screw up that badly he's getting his revenge either way. “Mreooow...” he tells me and I sigh. “Fine. If it'll reassure you I'll give you more power.” I tell him and he meows happily before jumping off and sitting down right in front of me. I sigh at this and place my right hoof on his head before focusing on that part of myself... It's just so... well I wouldn't call it empty. But it is... but it isn't. Present through absence. Or the presence of absence... or the absence or presence? Still... it wasn't until I learned to look into souls that I figured out that people don't have an infinite hole inside them. Just me. “Mew?” Bones asks and I smile ruefully before pulling at the hole. The slow trickle erupts into a massive swell and I guide it all into the kitten. “FREOOWWW!” Bones screams out and I wince in pain as black smoke pours out of my hoof and into the kitten that now looks like it's made of black fire with two glowing green orbs. I cut off the flow after a few moments and the fire settles into the fuzzy furred little kitten. The eyes only dim, the glow remains. “Reow.” “I'm glad you enjoyed that.” I say dryly to the now preening kitten. “Now come on. Let's find a lab.” “Mew.” Bones says keeping pace with me. “That could be a problem. If that happens I'll need some manacles, chains, paper, a quill and inkwell. I can examine it on any old table, but a lab will have everything I know I need, and something for everything that will come up. Hopefully at least.” I explain and Bones hisses at me. “Yes I know the folly of hope.” I reassure Bones when a thought comes to me. “By the by... how in the hells do you know so much? You are a kitten for pities sake!” I ask my familiar as I come to a stop and Bones just freezes mid step. He looks completely confused. “Meow... mew.” Bones tells me and I scratch the side of my head, confused myself now. “That... doesn't make any sense. We're going to have to look into this further sometime soon.” I say and Bones looks a little offended. “Nothing personal, its just first things first. Changelings, then you, then me. Alright?” I offer and Bones considers for a moment before nodding. “So good we can agree.” I state calmly before walking off with kitten in tow. “Mew?” Bones asks and I think for a moment before peering into the aether. “No the changeling's fine. It's still asleep, and it should stay like that for a while.” I reply as we walk into sight of two more guards. I feel out for souls and they're both clean. “Excuse me! Could either of you show me to the nearest laboratory?” “Are you looking for somepony in one?” The nearer guard asks. I shake my head. “Than I'm afraid not.” he says and I frown. “Nothing personal. It's just that most of the labs have dangerous chemicals or energies in them.” he says and I sigh as Bones facepaws. “Then do you know anywhere I can get some rope?” I ask trying not to look angry or guilty. Either one will make my day much more difficult. “I'm not sure... the janitors are more likely to know that.” he says and I sigh. “Thanks anyways.” I say before walking off. “Mrow.” Bones states and I nod. This is getting annoying. “Right. If this next attempt fails... I don't know, I'll have you pin it down as I examine it or something.” I say and Bones shoots me a look. “I'll try and find some tuna or something to make up for it.” “Mya!” Bones cheers out. “How would you know to prefer salmon over tuna? Oh forget it! Fine! If you have to pin the changeling down I'll find some salmon for you.” I rant and Bones starts snickering at me. We walk side by side through the palace for a while and I start slowing down a little. “We're well past time for the changelings to try again...” I note and Bones starts quickly looking around before shrugging. “Yea I can't sense any either.” “Mew.” Bones tells me and I nod. “Yea. That's what I'm afraid of.” I tell him looking around. “If it comes to that than I want you to clear out anything friendly. Throwing around necrotic energy on a wide scale is just plain dangerous.” “Mrown...” Bones points out and I roll my eyes in their sockets. He catches the movement and looks put out. “Well not to us, but to normal living things it's very dangerous.” I tell the kitten and he gives me a look that tells me that was not the answer he was looking for. “Also I don't want to kill something by accident and start some idiot cycle of revenge. It would be nice if I could keep my problems to just changelings.” I say and Bones nods before walking again. I decide to just follow since I'm not one hundred percent sure where the nearest janitor is. “Mew.” Bones says after a few minutes. “You should be a bit more patient.” I tell the kitten and he hisses at me. “So? We're both children now.” “Reow.” Bones counters me and I have to nod. “Alright point. You've always been a child. I had a reprieve from it.” I admit and Bones nods. Twenty minutes pass in silence and we find no one. I know the castle is huge, but this is ridiculous. After a bit I finally hear some hoofsteps. Unfortunately it's Rain-Drop, not a janitor. “Night Shade!” she shouts out when she spots me and I hear a small stampede as an entire swarm of foals comes racing around the corner! “Good gods!” I exclaim as they race over and surround me. They then begin talking. A lot. “Alright time out! First thing first. What happened to Bones?” I ask looking around and spotting the kitten getting cuddled by a pale yellow and pink filly. “Now, one question at a time. I have only one pair of ears and one mouth.” “Are you really a prince?” Rain-Drop asks and I nod. “I am, Luna is my mother.” I tell her and she gets stars in her eyes. “Did you really beat a changeling with one hit!?” A dark green colt with red hair asks excitedly. “It was actually two. I have a special spell which lets me hurt things inside, but I need to touch them first. Changelings are only strong on the outside so even a small hit inside kills them.” I tell him and he smiles hugely. “How come we've never seen you before?” A different colt asks, this one is larger than the rest and is grey with blue hair and has a pen for a marking on his flank. “I'm new around here. I was adopted only a couple days ago.” I say and he blinks. “I was found a few days ago and taken to a hospital. Everything before that is a nightmare.” I say trying to dodge questions of my past. I realize that I screwed up the moment it's out of my mouth though. Still if I stick to it was a nightmare every time it might work... I hope. “Wow... what happened?” One of them who I can't see asks and before I can spot who it was they're quiet again. I simply flair my torn wings and then I tap my horn stump with a hoof. “I don't want to talk about.” I say and do my best to look dejected. I hang my head, my wings droop and I paw the ground a little. “Mew.” Bones says and I have to fight down a grin. Good to know they're eating it up. I look up in time to see the kitten jump out of the fillies' grip and run over to me. He jumps up onto my back and nuzzles the back of my neck. He can really sell a performance. “Are you going to be okay?” Rain-Drop asks and I give her a small smile. Time to really drive this home. I lift my headband up and everything fades to black for a moment. There's some gasps when they see the patches over my eyes. “I'm getting better. Tomorrow I'll even have my eyes back!” I say pumping in far more excitement than the situation actually warrants. “Whoa...” a colt says sounding a little awed. “That's awesome, what happened?” “It was a long time ago. It's going to be weird to be using actual eyes to see.” I explain before deliberately mumbling off. “What happened to the changeling? Rain-Drop said you made a changeling disappear!” Another one shouts and I scratch the back of my neck as Bones jumps on top of my head. “Uhm... well there's a type of magic that's really weird. I can use a bit of it but not much. It let's me hold things without actually holding them. I'm doing that to the changeling.” I say trying to sound bashful. “That's so cool! How does it work?!” Most of them shout and I sigh. How do you explain aura manipulation, minor dimensional phasing, the duality of the spirit and it's difference from the soul, to children? “It's really hard to explain... you really need to feel it happen, and I'm already holding the monster...” I tell them and there's a chorus of disappointed awes. “But I used it on Rain-Drop to pull her out of danger. How did it feel?” “Well it was uhm... sort of like I went somewhere without moving and feeling wind on my face without there being any air. I felt... switched but nothing was different and everything was made of coloured smoke and stuck in clouds of it too.” Rain-Drop takes a huge breath “It was like totally weird because a cloud picked me up and carried me to a green storm of smoke and then I felt everything switch again and I was back!” Rain-Drop finishes explaining and I grin. It was... simplistic and ignorant of what all of that truly means but it was accurate. “That's just weird... are you sure you didn't dream that up Drops-Things?” one of the colts asks and Rain-Drop looks hurt. “Yea it is Drops-Things after all...” someone else says and murmuring starts going around the collected foals. Time to end this. “I was kinda looking for something when you all showed up you know...” I say trying to break this all up. It was probably the wrong thing to say but something needs to happen. “What were you looking for?” Rain-Drop asks and it's rather obvious, to me at least, that she's desperate to change the subject. “Some rope, do you know where I can find some?” I ask trying to be as pleasant as possible. I just want away from these kids at this point. “Yea sure. This way!” Rain-Drop says before dashing off. I shrug and follow, the two of us quickly leave the group behind. She slows down a few turns later when we are well out of earshot. “Are you alright?” I ask as she shakes a little. The mental image of her peeling her face off to show me that she's some kind of advanced changeling I can't detect gives me pause. She sobs. “I'm sorry it's just that... they always... sorry.” she says as she chokes back some tears. She's sensitive, just bloody perfect. I also can't get her to shut up without exposing myself either. “It's... not your fault?” I say lamely trying to stop the inevitable within my limits. This is going to fail so miserably. “Yes it is... I just keep messing up all the time! No matter what I try the only thing I can do right is feed Mittens!” she half yells out before starting to cry and I'm just... what the hell do I do with this? “Ahm... would you like to help me then?” I ask awkwardly. No! No! That is not what to do with this! She's just going to get scared and tell the whole planet what I'm up to! “...What are you planning?” She asks after staring at me for a few moments. I don't want to tell her but if I lie and she agrees than I have to waste time. But what if... I mean... what if? “I'm going to be experimenting with a changeling I caught. Since they won't let me in a lab I'll need some help. Bones can hold it down but I might need somepony to take notes or fetch things while I work with the monster. Would you like to help with that?” I ask and she puts a hoof to her lower lip and looks like she's thinking deeply. If she does anything other then agree or think I'm joking than I'm in trouble. “So like the doctor's helper from Frankenpony?” she asks and I quirk an eyebrow. “The helper from who?” I ask and Bones sighs from on top of my head. “You're kidding.” I state tilting my head up to try and see the kitten which takes a few steps forwards to look down on me. “Mew, mia, mroar.” Bones states explaining who the helper is and my jaw drops. “If it's classic literature how in the hells does a cat know it deeply enough to explain it?!” I demand my voice a little shrill. What is with this damn cat!? “You said a bad word...” Rain-Drop says looking stunned. “Alright look. I will need some help to figure out more about changelings. I'll take all the blame if we get caught and if it works only good things will happen. Do you want to help?” I ask again and she looks left to right as if afraid to be caught. Well... at least what I suggested is so strange that there's no way they're going to believe her when she tells someone. “Alright. I'll help.” she says and my eyebrows go up. That was... a little too easy... but I am dealing with a child... alright... I'll see how long this works. “Great! First things first, we'll need some rope, a stack of parchment, a quill and inkwell.” I tell her and she nods. “Alright, I know where to get all that.” Rain-Drop tells me and I nod with a smile. She starts walking looking a little nervous. “If you don't really want to help you don't have to.” I tell her and she pauses and looks pensive. “No I... I want to help.” She says sounding shy and I raise an eyebrow. She's scared and yet is going through with it. She has a fair amount of depth. I have to rely on her so she damn well better have more to her than an easily hurt vapid child. I feel like I've gotten roped into something, but I did all the scheming. I hate being a child. If I were an adult I could simply take over a room and do this on my own. I do have a phylactery though... so I doubt it could be too bad. Not to mention Bones is absurdly powerful... This should work.