//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8 
// Story: Red Wings 
// by PropMaster 
//------------------------------//


- Chapter 8 -



Red lay prone in the dust of a massive windswept impact crater, peering into the scope on his rifle. Ace lay next to him, staring through a spyglass into the valley, where a massive chunk of lunar sediment sat in its center like a huge hill. Red glanced at his friend, Ace, and nodded quietly to him, gesturing to the area where his rifle was aimed.

It had been a moment of insane happenstance. Red and Ace had been doing a shakedown run on the newly repaired Score, flying out west over the Wastelands, and had flown into a stormfront, letting the batteries of the Score soak up some energy. They’d dropped down out of the stormfront to reorient themselves and navigate back to the city where Wendy was waiting for them, when they’d noticed something strange: lightning strikes coming from a point on the ground, blasting the side of a huge hill. They’d landed to take a look at the strange phenomenon. 

Approaching the area, Red had used his rifle’s scope as a spyglass, and, peering towards the area where massive plumes and arcs of electricity blasted the side of the hill, he had spotted the origin of the bizarre lightning: a copper gun of some kind, attached to a kite that was absorbing lightning strikes and channeling them down a wire to the device. The device shuddered and smoked, and with a final crackle of electricity it exploded into copper shrapnel.

Red frowned, shifting his view in the scope to the side, looking at the side of the rock that had been hit by the lightning. The hill had been scored by the electricity, carving a massive tunnel into the rock. Red suddenly gasped, eye widening.

Inside the cavernous mouth of the freshly created tunnel stood the last pony.

Red gestured to Ace and pointed to the hill. Ace shifted his position and adjusted the view through his spyglass, looking where Red was pointing, and his ears pricked forward. Red returned his eye to the rifle scope and watched as the pony trotted into the depths of the massive moon rock. Red moved to a crouch, glancing at Ace. “Did you see her?!”

Ace nodded, eyes wide with surprise. Red grinned fiercely. “Here’s the plan, then. We’ll just wait for the glue-stick here, and when she comes back out of the rock, I’ll take her down with the rifle.”

Ace’s head cocked to the side, staring into the cave for a moment. He gestured to Red and himself, and the pointed to the cave, his fingers making a walking motion. Red considered for a moment before replying. “No, we’ll stay here. Going in has too many unknowns. We know the score out here: one way in, one way out. She had to dig a tunnel to get in, so that means there aren’t any other entrances or exits. At least, none that she could find.”

Ace scowled and gestured up at the roiling stormfront overhead. Red frowned. “I didn’t even think about that.”

Rolling his eyes, Ace gestured to The Crimson Score, and then down at the hill, before pointing at the sky again. Red’s eye narrowed as he tried to decipher what Ace was conveying. “We go back to the Score if it gets too bad?”

Ace nodded, and Red smiled. “Okay, fine. We wait, and if things get too bad out here, we’ll go back to the Score and wait out the storm. The pony doesn’t have an airship, so she won’t be able to get very far.”

Ace smirked and clapped Red on the shoulder, and Red fought a mixture of excitement, awe, and an odd sense of unease. He shifted his position back, keeping his scope trained on the entrance into the hill.

The last pony was good as dead.





My eyes opened slowly, only to wince shut as harsh white light filtered through my squinting eyelids. I groaned slightly, shifting position and trying to ascertain where I was. Intense sounds and images flooded my mind.

Screaming changelings. The crunch of carapace. A tender kiss. The cold taste of chitin-covered lips. 

I gasped and sat up in bed, my reddened eyes shooting open and darting around the room wildly. Cadance sat at my bedside, staring at me with a mix of worry and delight. “Shining! You’re awake!”

I jerked backwards, falling out of bed with a grunt and landing on my haunches. I pushed away from her, breathing shallowly, heart pounding loud enough to send bass throbs into my ears. Was it her? How could I trust my eyes? It could be a trick. I scooted on my rump into a corner of the room.

“Shining?” she asked, eyes wide with concern.

I shivered. “St-stay away from me.”

She stood up quickly, and I cringed at the fast movement. She froze in place for a moment as confusion flashed across her face, replaced by a calm, uncertain smile. “I’m going to go get the doctor, okay? Will you be all right?”

I didn’t reply. I simply watched her, trying to make up my mind; trying to see through any disguise to the truth beneath. Cadance slowly backed away from me to the door and left. Alone, I relaxed, but only for a few moments. The door opened and a pony in a lab coat entered. He smiled reassuringly, his voice gentle. “Hello, Lieutenant Armor.”

“...Doctor Splint, how long was I out?”

“Three days, Lieutenant.”

My eyes widened in shock, but I didn’t say anything, weakly gesturing for the doctor to continue while I collected my thoughts. “We’ve been closely monitoring you, making certain the changeling queen did not damage your mind or enchant you in some manner,” Doctor Splint continued.

“And?”

The older stallion stated, calmly, “Aside from your lack of consciousness, which we determined was caused by absorbing too much magical energy into your horn, everything appears to check out. We’ll keep you here for a few more days, just to keep an eye on you and ensure you suffer no more adverse effects. You had a very trying experience in the test chambers, and you should take a little time to make sure you’re ready before going back to work. We have a few counselors on staff that you can talk to, as well.”

I shivered as a fresh wave of images came to me. “What happened to the changeling queen?”

“She is being treated for her injuries. We expect she’ll make a full recovery, thanks to your efforts.”

I closed my eyes and nodded slowly. “One more question, doctor.”

“Lieutenant?” 

I opened my eyes, focusing on the doctor. “Have you read the paper today, captain?”

Splint’s brow furrowed, meeting my gaze evenly. “Looks like Spitfire came in first at the Canterlot Derby, “ he replied, slowly and clearly.

I frowned, testing him with a different code phrase, “Have you read the paper today, lieutenant?”

The doctor raised a brow at me, but responded nonetheless. “The Canterlot Derby was cancelled on account of rain.”

“Have you read the paper today, sergeant?”

“Lieutenant?” he asked, uncertain.

“Answer me. Have you read the paper today, sergeant?”

Splint sighed. “Soarin’ and Silver Lining crashed on the last turn at the Canterlot Derby. Will that be all, Lieutenant, or would you like a blood sample?”

I exhaled slowly. “Yes. I’m sorry, doctor, but... I’m sure you can understand. The last thing I remember, I was in the test chamber with the changeling queen.”

He smiled at me. “Yes, I understand. I’d be a little wary if that was the last thing I remembered. I assure you, though, the facility has not been compromised. You fell unconscious rather quickly in the test chamber, and the changeling queen also passed out from the severity of her injuries. The guards carried you out and brought you here minutes later, and the changeling queen was unconscious the entire time. We’ve been slowly draining out the massive amount of mana you absorbed back down to stable levels.”

“How bad was it?”

“Frankly, Lieutenant Armor, we didn’t expect you to regain consciousness for weeks, maybe even months; you’re a very resilient stallion. Now, would you mind returning to your bed?”

With a weak chuckle, I moved out of the corner of the room and back into the hospital cot. I glanced out towards the door and frowned. “Oh, crap! Doctor Splint, could you let Cadance know it’s okay to come back in? I might have been panicking a bit when I woke up.”

“She told me,” he said, frowning. “Are you sure you’re fit to see her? Rest might be better for your stress levels.”

“Doctor,” I said with frank sincerity, “there’s nopony else in the world that I would rather see right now.”

Doctor Splint smiled and left the room. A minute later, Cadance cautiously peeked in from the doorway, her smile a fragile mask. I winced at her expression. “Cadance, I’m sorry. You... startled me. I had nightmares while I was out.”

She entered the room, wings opening nervously, and bit her lower lip. “Oh, Shining, it’s all right; I understand. You went through an awful accident. I shouldn’t have been so eager! I should have let you get your bearings.”

I shook my head and replied firmly, “No, it’s my fault, and I’m sorry.” I lowered my voice to a gentler tone. “I know that you would never hurt me, Cadance.”

Cadance smiled crookedly, then began to cry. Approaching the bed, she leaned in close, nuzzling me, and I stiffened, shocked by the contact. I reached up after a brief pause, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders, and returned the affectionate gesture. It might not have been very proper, but at that moment I didn’t care.

“I was afraid you’d never wake up, Shining. When they told me what had happened, how much magic you’d absorbed to stop that spell...” she spoke quietly between sharp intakes of air.

I was a bit surprised by how much she knew, but I figured that power and rank had privileges. “How much do you know about what happened?” I asked.

“I made them tell me everything. I told them that I’d already been briefed on the work going on here, and that I knew about the changelings.”

My suspicion confirmed, I exhaled slowly. I winced as my horn suddenly ached, but the pain passed within moments. Cadance smiled at me and placed a hoof gently on my cheek. “I heard that you saved the changeling queen, Shining.”

 I chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

Cadance giggled. “No need to be modest: you did a good thing, and I’m proud of you. Though your test didn’t go quite as planned, the Spell Locus worked, too.”

Belatedly, I realized I had been holding my breath ever since she’d placed her hoof on my cheek. I breathed in and coughed slightly, my cheeks reddening. “It did work, though I’d rather do future tests in a more... controlled environment.”

“Maybe this time without live test subjects?”

I snorted. “Definitely.”

Laughing softly, Cadance stepped away from my bedside, going to the small table by the side of my bed, and picked up something with her telekinesis, levitating the item over to rest on the bed next to me. “I have something for you, Lieutenant Shining Armor.”

Glancing down at the item, I immediately recognized the unmistakable shape of a medal box. My gaze shifted back to Cadance, and she smiled, pride evident in her posture and eyes. She opened the box and placed it before me, turning it so I could see inside.

Three items lay within: a writ, a medal, and a pair of silver clovers. My mouth dropped open. “Are those...?”

Cadance lifted the writ from the box, unrolled the small, gold-embossed scroll, and read it aloud. “This writ, by royal decree and through commendation of peers, declares that Lieutenant Shining Armor be elevated, forthwith, to the rank of Captain. This elevation of rank by deed and merit is to be made official upon the presentation of this writ, as decreed by Their Royal Highnesses, Princesses Celestia and Luna, Diarchs of Equestria.”

I sat up, laughing with delight. “Oh, wow.”

Cadance smiled. “Congratulations, Captain Shining Armor.”

I didn’t expect what came next. Cadance leaned in suddenly, and her lips brushed mine, delivering a chaste kiss before I could react. My eyes widened and I swallowed hard, staring up at her. I felt my heart race and my face redden. Cadance blushed as well, putting a hoof over her mouth to hide her smile like a demure schoolfilly. I finally managed to speak. “W-what was that for?”

“Bravery deserves its own reward.” She smirked, levitating the Bronze Star out of the box, “Oh, but I guess they gave you a medal for that already. My mistake!”

I steeled my nerves. “I guess I’ll just have to give it back, then?”

She giggled. “I don’t think you can give back a Bronze Star, Shining Armor.”

“I meant the kiss,“ I replied, my voice betraying a slightly uncertain tremble.

Cadance’s eyes widened, and she laughed. “Oh my, somepony’s grown bold.”

“Rank has its privileges,” I retorted smugly.

She smiled. “Very well, Captain. I suppose it’s only proper! After all, we can’t have your reputation tarnished by rumors of you stealing kiss—”

I didn’t let her finish. I sat up in bed, placing one hoof on her cheek and running it down her jawline as I leaned forward, returning the kiss with equal parts passion and nervous fumbling. After several long, wonderful moments, we broke apart; both of us breathing hard. Cadance laughed, delighted. On impulse, I planted a second, smaller kiss on her chin.

She smiled, taking a step back. “Done now?”

“Do I... have to be done?” I asked, hopefully.

She nodded slowly, her face returning to a more neutral smile. I sighed, smiling wistfully, and lay back in bed. She eyed me for a moment, the expression on her face unreadable, and then returned to my bedside, sitting down once more. I winced as my horn twinged, the pain a little sharper. Cadance noticed this time and frowned. “Everything all right?”

“My head and horn still ache from taking in so much mana. It’s just a li—”





—grit his teeth as a flash of pain twinged from behind his eyepatch. Grumbling, he focused on his work, tightening down the nut securing the engine block in place. The interceptor was coming along. With Wendy’s help, he had made record time, and had spent off hours helping her in the shop, earning her assistance and bringing in the strips she needed for parts, plus a little extra. He smirked and straightened up slightly, yelping as he bumped his head against an overhanging piece of airframe, sending a sharp flash of—





I blinked, shaking my head to clear away the cobwebs. Cadance was leaning a little closer. “Are you all right, Shining? You drifted off for a second.”

Chuckling, I shrugged. “I think I’m okay. Nothing a little rest won’t fix, anyway.”

Cadance smiled uncertainly. “Okay then. I’ll leave you to get some rest. You take it easy, okay? I’m down the hall, so if you need anything, I’m close by.”

“Thank you, Cadance,” I said sincerely.

She turned and left, leaving behind only the slight scent of raspberries and Canterlot roses. I sighed, relaxing a bit and looking up toward the ceiling. I closed my eyes, smiling to myself.



 

Red exhaled slowly, staring through the scope. He and Ace had moved closer to the mouth of the cave, getting a better vantage point for shooting. It had been over an hour, with no sign of the pony leaving the giant moon rock. Red and Ace had taken a few extra minutes when they repositioned to camouflage themselves a bit, rolling in the ash and turning their coats a the same dull and dusty grey as the surrounding landscape. Now, they appeared to be two lumps of rock; blending with the ash and debris around them.

Shifting his position, Red rolled onto his back and sat up, stretching briefly. Ace took the rifle and kept an eye on the entrance to the cave. The waiting was tedious and boring, but the eventual payoff was sure to justify it. Catching the last pony off guard and ending her life meant he could return to his pack a hero. He’d have struck the death blow against the equine race, a blow for all those that suffered in the wake of The Feast of Gaia.

Red spoke softly to Ace. “Do you think this is the right way to do it?”

Ace glanced at Red, quirking an eyebrow quizzically.

“It just seems... anticlimactic. A bullet to the head, and that’s it?”

Shrugging, Ace glanced down into the scope again. Red sighed. “I mean... maybe we should just cripple her. Shoot her leg, and then go down and finish her off personally.”

Ace snorted, and passed Red the rifle with a look that said ‘it’s your call.’ Red frowned and lay prone again, sighting down to the cave, watching for any sign of movement. “Maybe that’s all it really needs to be. One shot, and the ponies are done, put out of their misery. It’s a kindness. After all, who would want to be the last of a dead race?”

Shaking his head, Ace closed his eyes, taking the chance to nap for a bit. Red tapped a claw on the stock of the rifle, waiting.





I woke up with a small gasp and glanced around. I relaxed, recognizing my room in the hospital wing. With a grunt, I sat up, stretching my legs with a wince. My joints felt stiff, so I slid off the bed and onto my hooves, standing carefully. I flexed my stiff muscles, enjoying the feeling of movement. I walked out of my room and into the hall, glancing around. The hospital wing was quiet, the nurse station empty. I shrugged to myself, turning to glance at the door to my room. A small chalkboard hung on the front of the door, declaring “Cpt. S. Armor - Resting - No Fluid Restrictions.”

Focusing my power, I carefully extended a field of telekinesis out to the piece of chalk. My horn gave a small throb of protest, making my eyes water a bit, but I persisted, levitating the chalk. I wrote clumsily “walking” where “resting” had been. I set the chalk back down and smiled. Progress!

I moved at a slow pace. My knees were stiff and my legs shook, but overall things seemed to be working. I wandered the hall, aimlessly taking turns, paying little attention to where I was going; instead I focused on the act of moving. My muscles strained a little, but I pushed through the soreness. Eventually they warmed up to the idea of walking, and the ache melted away.

As I turned a corner of a hallway, I found myself looking at two guards standing at a door at the end of the hall. The chalkboard on the door read “C.Q. - Restricted Access - Hostile Patient - 800 ml fluid restriction.”

I stared at the door for a moment, and then approached the guards. They both extended wings, blocking me. “Captain Armor. Glad to see you up and about, sir.”

“Thank you, Corporal Sky. If you don’t mind, who is in the room you’re guarding?”

The guards glanced at each other briefly, before Corporal Sky responded. “The changeling queen, Captain.”

Nodding, I gestured to the door. “Mind letting me through?”

Corporal Sky frowned. “She’s been very uncooperative, sir. I’d advise against it. The doctor was adamant that we keep access to her at a minimum.”

“I understand, Corporal, but I’d like to speak with her, if that’s all right.”

Corporal Sky sighed. “Permission to speak freely?”

I frowned. “Granted.”

“Sir, are you sure you’re up for it? You’ve been through a lot recently, and I’d hate for anything more to happen to you.”

Chuckling, I replied, “Your concern is noted, Corporal. Just think of this as... a bit of therapy.”

Corporal Sky nodded. “If you say so, Captain.”

The guards stepped aside, and I carefully opened the door. The room was dimly lit and cleared of furniture. A semi-opaque curtain separated the back half of the room from the front, and I could see a dark shape beyond. I approached the curtain, holding my breath, and reached for the material.

“Who is there?”

I froze as the changeling queen’s voice called from behind the curtain. She sounded perturbed.

“Doctor, if you’ve come to poke and prod at me again, I assure you, I am in no mood.”

I exhaled, stepping back, staring at the dark shape. It moved slightly closer, the sound of rasping metal coming with the approach.

“...Doctor?” her voice was curious now, rather than angry.

I glanced back at the door, considering a hasty retreat.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” said the queen.

I looked back to the curtain. Luminescent green eyes locked onto mine, and I shivered. She knew I was there. I steeled myself and reached out, drawing aside the curtain.

The changeling queen sat down, smiling slightly. Her torso and chest were wrapped securely in bandages, and her wings were tightly secured to her body. She wore heavy restraints around each leg, which appeared to restrict her movement to only the back half of the room, like a dog tied to a stake. 

She spoke first. “Hello, little pony.”

I observed her silently, my face impassive. Inwardly, I felt like fleeing. The queen chuckled, running a too-long tongue over her fangs. “I was hoping I’d get to see you again.”

I scowled. “Why?”

She made a pouty face. “Oh, come now, after what you did? After what we went through together? Who wouldn’t want to meet their savior?”

Turning around, I walked towards the door. “This was a mistake.”

“Then why are you here?”

I glanced over my shoulder. “I don’t know.”

“I do,” she replied.

Frowning, I turned to face her. “Oh really? Well, enlighten me then.”

The changeling queen laughed, “Such venom. I appreciate that... but I digress. You’re here because of what happened in the testing chamber. You’re wondering why you saved me. Why I didn’t kill you when I had every opportunity to do so.”

“What do you mean, ‘every opportunity to do so?’”

“Simply that, dear. You were unconscious in my clutches for several minutes. Your friends were too busy gathering reinforcements to come rushing in to save you. As a matter of fact, one of the generals suggested flooding the room with toxins and killing us both, for safety.”

“That’s not true!” I retorted, clenching my teeth.

Her eyes narrowed. “As a matter of fact, little pony, I saved your life. When I heard them consider flooding the room with poison, rather than risk giving me an opportunity to escape, I told them that I would cooperate.”

I was silent, staring at her with distrust. She smirked. “Be honest with yourself, dear. If you had been outside that room, with me locked in there and only one soldier at risk, what would you do? Would you kill us both, or risk more lives trying to rescue a single pony?”

There was nothing to say to that, no way to respond, though I felt a twinge of doubt. The changeling queen chuckled menacingly. “So, as you can see, I had plenty of opportunity. But I didn’t take it.”

“Why not?”

“Because a queen pays her debts,” she replied emphatically, stomping a hoof on the floor and causing her chains to rattle. “You saved me. More than that, you tried to save my drones, though you ultimately failed, poor dears. Don’t feel too bad about their loss, though; they all gladly died knowing they had protected me.”

I shivered. “Awfully callous of you.”

“Then allow me to put it another way, pony: I do not allow myself to get as attached to my drones as I used to. My children are ripped from me, used in experiments, destroyed for the purposes of ‘defense’ and ‘understanding.’ If I allowed myself to care, my mind would have shattered long ago.”

My eyes widened as I stared at her, and she met my gaze evenly. She smiled after a moment, her voice low as she spoke. “Didn’t think much about that, did you? You poor, naïve little pony. Every creature has a mother; it makes no difference that my children are many, while ponies have few.”

I turned away, unable to meet her gaze.

The changeling queen watched me in silence for several long moments. “So, this begs the question: why save me?” she asked, finally.

“Because you asked.”

She scoffed. “Perhaps I should ask to be released from these chains, and allowed to leave this awful place!” She laughed wryly at her own joke. “You’ll have to do better than that, little pony.”

I scowled. “Because you were afraid.”

Her frighteningly sharp smile dropped into an impassive expression. I continued, “You weren’t trying to trick me; you were truly afraid. When you called out to me, it wasn’t a ruse, it was pure, terrified desperation. You had nopony else to turn to, so you called on me. You begged.”

Standing, she took a step towards me. I held my ground. She stopped, her snout nearly touching mine, at the limit of her restraints. She spoke with quiet menace. “A queen does not beg.”

“You did.”

She hissed at me, showing her pointed teeth, but I didn’t move. She closed her mouth and chuckled spontaneously. “Hm... I like you; you’re not quite like the other ponies. I wonder what sets you apart?”

“I’m no different from any other pony.”

“Don’t be stupid. Any of the other ponies would have fled at the sight of me, let alone dare to be in my presence. Any of the others would have struck me or jabbed me with needles to calm and addle me. So tell me, what makes you so different?”

I stepped forward, within reach, and whispered in her ear, “I’m not afraid of you.”

She went quiet, completely still. I stayed where I was. After a moment, she took a step away, her eyes showing a modicum of respect. “So you aren’t. Then what is it that you fear, I wonder?”

The queen transformed before me with a flash of green magic. In her place stood a bandaged and shackled Cadance. I took a step back, flinching as my ears flattened atop my head. “Stop.”

“What’s the matter, Shining Armor?” asked the changeling queen’s voice, a smile spreading across Cadance’s beautiful face.

My eyes widened. “How...?”

“Don’t look so surprised. I got a good taste of you back in the test chamber.”

I shuddered, remembering the kiss. Of course she had.

The not-Cadance examined herself, an uncharacteristically cruel smirk on her lovely face. “This one is pretty, Lieutenant. Tell me, who is she? I may have gotten a taste, dear pony, but not enough of one to learn much other than her form.”

I refused to rise to her taunt. “Turn back.”

She laughed. “Struck a nerve, have I? Ah well, I suppose that you won’t tell me willingly. Unless, of course, you’d like to give me another kiss.”

Puckering her lips, the queen approached me again, and I took another step back, but found myself unable to look away. She laughed, her voice teasing. “Oh, look at that. You want her. Not so chivalrous, are we?”

“Shut up. I’d never—”

“Don’t fool yourself! Who is she, Lieutenant? Somepony above your station, perhaps? A love that is out of your reach?”

I said nothing, but something about my expression must have betrayed a hint, and the changeling queen smiled. “She is above you. Out of your class. Maybe even royal.” She examined the cutie mark on her flank. “Yes, I believe she is royal; only those of high blood gain such extravagant markings and colorations.” The changeling queen noticed something, and she laughed. “Oh, more than that, though! I nearly missed the wings beneath all these bandages! You’re not just in love with a royal, you’re in love with a princess.”

I scowled. “Leave her out of this.”

“I’m afraid I simply can’t help myself, Lieutenant. Even though you know my nature, you can’t help but love this form. Sad, really, how uncontrollable your base instincts are.” She giggled. “And your love is positively decadent.” Her eyes glowed green, and I shivered.

“I’m leaving,” I announced, and turned away.

“Shining Armor, don’t go!” Cadance’s voice pleaded with me. “I love you!”

“Don’t mock me!” I stood up, moving for the door.

“Come now, Shining. She may be above your station, but I’m not.”

I turned around, and was greeted by a view of Cadance, bent low in a lewd posture. “You’re sick,” I said, backing away and facing the door.

“Wait! Please!”

Cadance’s voice was gone, replaced by the Changeling Queen’s chilling tones. I stopped, not turning around, one hoof on the door. “What?”

“...If I promise not to do that again, will you come back?”

“Why should I?”

There was a pause. “Because you’re the only one that’s ever treated me like something more than an object.”

I glanced over my shoulder. The queen sat at the far end of the room, her ears canted back and her expression apologetic. I scowled. “I should leave.”

“Please don’t,” she pleaded.

“Why do you care?”

“Why do you?” she retorted.

I paused, confused. “What?”

“Why do you care about me at all, Lieutenant Armor? You could have let me be crushed to death in that test chamber. You could have not come here and visited me.”

Frowning, I turned and sat down in front of the door. “I saved you because not saving you would have been wrong. Nopony should die like that. I understand that sacrifice is necessary sometimes, but what was happening in the test chamber was cruel, unnecessary, and it was my fault it was happening. Doing nothing would have gone against everything I stand for and believe in. If I had done nothing, I’d never be able to look Cadance in the eye.”

The changeling queen nodded, a small smile on her face. “I see. That still doesn’t explain why you’re here now, though.”

I hesitated, wincing as pain shot down my horn and into my head. “Is it strange to say that I found you interesting? You’re the first changeling that I’ve ever met that was more... intelligent than a drone.”

The queen smirked. “My subjects are not ones for deep conversation.”

I chuckled. “I’ve spent so much time trying to learn about changelings, but nothing prepared me for you.”

Shifting slightly, the changeling queen stood up. “You are an interesting pony, Lieutenant Armor.” A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed, and suddenly she spoke again. “I apologize for my earlier behavior.”

I blinked, startled. “What?”

She muttered something under her breath, and cleared her throat, speaking slowly and clearly. “I said I am sorry. I shouldn’t have mocked and taunted you with your heart’s desire. It is in my nature to want to dominate, and... well, it had been some time since I fed in any meaningful way.”

I hesitated, considering what she said carefully before replying. “Just don’t do it again.”

“I can’t promise I won’t, but I will try to... restrain myself. If you were dying of thirst in the desert and somepony offered you water, would you not drink greedily?”

My horn began to ache, making my head swim a little. Shrugging away my discomfort, I stood up. “I suppose.”

“Where are you going?” the changeling queen asked.

“Away. I need to rest. I was unconscious for several days because of all the energy I absorbed stopping the spell, and I still haven’t recovered.” I stumbled slightly as my horn throbbed with pain.

“You look unwell, Lieutenant,” she said, curiosity suffusing her voice.

I snorted. “I’m fine, just dizzy.”

Standing, the queen took a step towards me. “You should wait until it passes before you exert yourself moving, Lieutenant.”

My knees grew suddenly weak, and I sat down with a grunt. I felt like I was going to be sick, and my horn felt hot. “M-maybe that’s not such a b-bad idea.” I gritted my teeth. “My horn is burning.”

The changeling queen chuckled. “Hm, interesting. Shall I kiss it and make it better?”

I glared at her, and she smirked, shrugging. “Just a joke, Lieutenant.”

“W-well, it’s not... appreciated at th—



	

—winced slightly, rubbing at his eyepatch. Red spat off to the side, grumbling under his breath, and sat back, crossing his arms as he surveyed the construction. The wings had come together nicely, and the body of the airframe was fully covered. Wendy stood on a stepladder, dangling off of it with her upper body deep inside the engine of the interceptor. Red nodded, calling out, “Looking good, Wendy. Another stormfront of work and we’ll be taking her out for a test flight.”

Wendy’s oil-smeared face glanced back at Red, and she grinned. “That sounds like a good plan to me.”

Red moved around to the other side of the interceptor, running a paw over the sleek wings, and then ducked underneath the engine compartment, peering up into the guts of his partially assembled ship.

“Whoops! Look out below!”

Glancing up, Red jerked his head back just in time to avoid a socket wrench hitting him right in his good eye. His hind paw hit a patch of grease, and he slipped, his back legs whipping out from underneath him as his head made contact with the decking of The Crimson Score’s hangar area with a—



	

—gasp, I opened my eyes. I was on the ground, still in the changeling queen’s room. I rolled over onto my side and sat up with a grunt. The queen stared at me evenly, a frown on her face. “Oh good, you’re awake. I was afraid I was going to have to call the guards, and believe me when I say that they would not appreciate how the situation would have appeared. I’d rather not have to explain your twitching, unconscious body on the floor of my room.”

I spat off to the side and shook my head, reaching up and tapping the tip of my horn. The pain had passed, replaced with a dull ache. “I appreciate your concern.”

The changeling queen snorted. “Can you blame me? I like having only two sets of shackles and some limited mobility. Imagine what they’d do if they thought I’d knocked you out cold?”

Standing up slowly, wary of any weakness, I made for the door. “I need to go rest.”

“Hope you feel better, Lieutenant. At at the very least, have the dignity not to pass out on my floor next time you visit.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” I replied wryly.

I opened the door and let it close behind me. The two guards eyed me. Corporal Sky spoke up. “Sir?”

“I’m all right, Corporal.”

“It got a little loud in there, sir.”

I frowned. “Nothing to be concerned about. As you were, Corporal Sky.”

I trotted away and back down the hall, doing my best to retrace my steps and return to my room. I eventually encountered a nurse, who gladly escorted me back to my room. 

Cadance was waiting for me when I returned. I shivered slightly when I saw her, my mind flashing back to the queen’s transformation, but I suppressed that uneasy feeling and smiled at her. “My lady?”

She grinned. “I came to check up on you, and you were gone. So, I decided to wait.”

I approached her. “Thank you for your concern, my lady. I hope you didn’t wait long?”

“Oh, no, it’s all right. I don’t mind,” she replied.

I brushed past her and sat down on the bed, lying back to rest. Cadance quietly watched me, a pensive expression on her face. Breaking the silence, I said, “I have a question.”

Cadance, whose gaze had grown slightly unfocused, perked up and looked me in the eyes. “Yes?”

“How were you able to get time away from your duties in Canterlot? I’m very grateful you’re here, but it’s not like... well, royal guards get injured in the line of duty all the time, and they don’t usually have Princesses coming to visit them.”

Smirking slyly, Cadance replied, “I used the excuse of bringing you your medals. I also called in a few favors; being a Princess can be useful, sometimes.”

I grinned at her. “Well, I appreciate it, my lady.”

“There’s something else, too!” Cadance suddenly exclaimed. “Now that you’re a Captain, and your Spell Locus is working, you can move out of this facility and work closer to Canterlot once the testing is complete.”

Smiling, I sat up in bed. “I’d like to be closer to home. The work I’ve done here has been... well, it’s undoubtedly been important, but it’d be great to be back in Canterlot.”

“I’ve heard that Captain Irontail is getting close to retiring, which means that his position will be open soon. Wouldn’t it be exciting if you could get his job?”

I blinked, surprised by this announcement. “Captain of the Royal Guard. That would be exciting. With this most recent promotion, it’s definitely a possibility as well.”

“I’d like it if you were back in Canterlot, Shining. I miss our walks in the rose gardens.”

“I’ve missed them too.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, thinking about the future. I watched Cadance out of the corner of my eye, simply taking in her presence and relaxing. She seemed to notice and smiled at me. “I’ll let you rest, Shining. I’m afraid that I have to leave soon, but I’ll be certain to visit before I go.”

I nodded to her, yawning suddenly. I covered my mouth with a hoof, stifling my exhalation, as Princess Cadance turned to leave. “Wait,” I blurted.

Cadance turned around, giving me a quizzical look. I felt my cheeks grow hot. “...Don’t go. Not yet.”

She laughed gently, returning to my bedside and sitting down. I grinned at her and shifted slightly, getting into a more comfortable position, and I closed my eyes, relaxing and enjoying the peaceful moment. 

I could smell the Canterlot Rose Garden in her mane, and could feel the warmth of her presence nearby. For the first time, I felt more at home than I had in weeks. Cadance’s voice caught me off guard as she hummed a soft tune. The melody lulled me, and I sighed as I felt some of the tension of the last few days bleed away. She began to sing, quietly.

“Flicker of the firelight,
Wind in the vines,
Stars in the heavens,
A moon that shines.
A place where ponies gather,
To leave their worries behind,
A place where ponies gather,
To make friends of all kinds.
So give me the light of hearthfire,
Warm and bright,
Give me some friends to share it,
I’ll stay here all night.
For love is for those who find it,
And I’ve found mine right here.
You and me and the hearthfire,
And songs we love to hear...”



I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep until I opened my eyes and discovered that Cadance was gone. I stared at the empty space she’d been in, her faint scent still lingering in the air, and I sighed. Things had to go back to the way they were, at least for now. However, with my promotion to captain, it meant new opportunities. The possibility to raise myself above my station and finally be worthy of...

I shook my head and snorted, sitting up. I winced as my horn throbbed, but I ignored the pain, got to my hooves and walked to the adjoining bathroom: a simple stall with a shower, hidden behind a clear curtain that was set into the ceiling. I stepped into the shower and turned on the water. I’d been languishing in bed for days, and I needed to feel clean and clear my head.

The water hitting my muzzle shocked my senses, waking me up quickly, and I blew some errant droplets out of my nostrils. I sat down heavily on my haunches and grabbed some soap from a tiny bottle tucked into an alcove in the shower. I lathered myself carefully, using my telekinesis. My energy felt strained with only that gentle application of arcane power, and my horn twinged once or twice, like a sore muscle being stretched.

I closed my eyes, leaning into the spray, and when I opened them again, acid-green eyes stared at me from the other side of the curtain.

I yelped, scrambling to my hooves. The eyes were gone, but the echo of a familiar chuckle rang in my ears. I scowled.





“What was that?” I demanded, standing before the changeling queen once more, my mane still damp from my hasty exit from the shower.

“What was what?” she replied, her tone amused.

I scowled. “A moment ago, you did something. What have you done to me? Have you enchanted me? Is it a spell? What?”

I approached her, my eyes narrowing to slits as I peered at her. She was easily a head and shoulders taller than I, but she took a few steps back. She sneered, “I can’t possibly imagine what you’re talking about, Lieutenant Armor.”

“Cut the crap. You were spying on me.”

“I did no such thing.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my mane, sending droplets of water flying around the room. The changeling queen made a disgusted face as some moisture spattered her carapace. “If you’re planning on torturing me with water, pony, you’re going to have to do better than that.”

I sat down, making sure that I was out of her reach. “Fine. You don’t want to tell me? That’s fine. I’ll just wait.”

The changeling queen chuckled. “How juvenile.”

“I grew up with a younger sister.”

“How interesting,” she purred sarcastically. “Tell me more about your boring pony life full of magic and friendship.”

“I’m very patient,” I murmured, smirking.

“I can see that,” she muttered.

I didn’t speak. She tried to engage me. “I can outwait you, Lieutenant.”

I allowed the silence to stretch a while longer, before saying. “I’ll just stay here.”

“Feel free to stay,” she retorted.

I added, “Waiting.”

“By all means, take your time,” she said.

“Asking you questions.”

“It won’t do you any good!”

“Being annoying,” I said, turning to look at the opposite wall.

The changeling queen hissed at me, but I didn’t move, knowing I’d judged the distance properly to place myself just out of her grasp. “Or you could just tell me what you did, and I’ll leave,” I said, still not looking at her.

She spat on the back of my head, and I reached up, wiping the green goop out of my mane with careful nonchalance and flicking it onto the floor. Suddenly, green eyes pierced my own, filling my vision, and I leapt up, spinning around. “There! What did you do?”

The changeling queen snarled at me. “You’re losing your mind, pony. I’m doing nothing.”

“You’re doing something. I could see your eyes, just now, and earlier, in the shower.”

The changeling queen snorted, her face shifting suddenly from anger to amusement. “Oh my. Thinking of me in the shower, Lieutenant? How unseemly.” She fanned her face with a hoof in an exaggerated manner. “What would your pretty pony princess think?”

I scowled, staring at her. “Maybe you’re right,” I declared suddenly, smirking.

Her eyes widened, and she laughed incredulously. “What?”

“Maybe I was just thinking of you.”

She smirked. “Don’t flatter me.”

“Honestly, changeling... I can’t seem to get you out of my head.” I took a step closer to her, now nearly within her reach.

“...Changeling?” she asked, sounding unimpressed.

“What else am I supposed to call you?”

“Call me Chrysalis. All my favorite playthings do.”

“Chrysalis... I dream about you, I think, but when I wake up, I can’t remember anything.”

She laughed. “I have that effect on ponies.” She licked her lips, showing her fangs. “Especially stallions.”

I exhaled, stepping closer, within her reach. “That kiss...”

“Yes?”

“I... I think...” I faltered, and then shook my head. “No. It’s wrong.”

“You’ll soon think otherwise.” Her eyes flashed green and her horn exploded with an acidic aura. Green energy blasted towards me, and smashed into the transparent shield I’d erected around myself. The power sparked off the shield and sputtered around my head viciously, before abating. Chrysalis collapsed to the ground, sides heaving with exertion and eyes filled with anger. I slid to my haunches as my horn sent waves of pain into my skull and down my spine. I managed to get to my feet and stagger a few steps out of her reach before dropping the shield and sitting down heavily, clenching my teeth as pain threatened render me unconscious. Flickers of ash and dust, a wide open plain, a barren hill with a cave. The feel of a rifle in my paws, the cold scope pressing against my brow as I wait for the pony to emerge. Ace snores, suddenly, and I blink, gasping and groaning, falling to my side.

What was that? More strange dreams?

The changeling queen, Chrysalis, snarled at me from the floor. “You think you’re clever, pony? You didn’t plan that out very well, did you?”

I spat, trying to get the sudden taste of copper out of my mouth. I’d bitten my tongue at some point. “To be fair, you just drained any power you’d been storing on my shield... and unlike you, my magic recharges, while you have to feed to get yours back.”

“Damn you,” she spat, her entire body shivering suddenly. “Damn you, pony.”

The pain in my horn abated, leaving me sick and weakened. I didn’t trust myself to stand. Instead, I lay on the cold floor and waited for the nausea to pass. 

Chrysalis snarled to herself, or perhaps at me, her body twitching. “Pony,” she hissed.

I didn’t respond, focusing solely on controlling my uncomfortably churning stomach.

 “Pony,” she rasped again.

“What?”

“Pony, I hurt.”

I chuckled weakly. “Serves you right. With you weakened, I won’t have to worry about you messing with my head.”

“I... I need...” she fell silent, and I glanced at her shaking form.

“Not buying it.”

She didn’t reply, the shaking growing more severe, her chitin plates rattling against the stone floor. I sat up, groaning slightly as my head throbbed. I managed to get to my hooves. “It’s been fun, but I think I might need medical attention. Good luck with the hunger pangs.”

Chrysalis didn’t respond, and I pushed open the door to her room and slowly walked out, feeling completely drained. The guards glanced at me, looking concerned. “Sir?”

“The changeling queen might need to see the doctor. Don’t trust her, though. She tried to attack me.”

“Yes, sir.”



I lay in bed several hours later, resting. My entire body ached from the strain of maintaining the shield spell earlier. My horn in particular was especially sore, giving me an awful headache.

“You caused quite a mess earlier, Captain Armor. I hope you realize that.”

I glanced up, only to spot Doctor Splint standing at the end of my bed. He didn’t look very happy. “Hey Doc. What’d I do?”

“I think you know very well what you did,” Splint replied, eyes narrowing slightly.

I sat up, sighing. “I was getting flashes of the changeling queen’s presence earlier. Felt like a scrying spell of some sort, like she was watching me. So, I made her show her hoof and use the rest of her power trying to dominate me. Problem solved.”

“That may be, but you left her wholly drained of energy. She nearly died from the stress and strain of using up all her power. We just managed to get her stabilized.”

I winced. “I... didn’t know.”

Doctor Splint scowled. “In the future, Captain, let me handle my patients. She was already severely weakened by her injuries. You very nearly pushed her over the edge.”

“I’m sorry, Doctor Splint. I won’t let it happen again. I just... I wanted to face her; take care of it myself.” I shook my head. “Is she going to be all right?”

“She’s still very weak; drifting in and out of consciousness. We haven’t been able to get her to feed in any significant way, so she’s still in critical condition.”

I nodded, feeling a little ill. “Again, I’m very sorry. I’ll avoid aggravating her in the future.”

Doctor Splint nodded, reaching out and taking a look at my charts and the nurses’ reports. “Regardless, how are you feeling?”

“Not great. My whole body aches, especially my horn.”

“Have you used magic recently?” asked Doctor Splint, giving me a knowing look.

“Yes,” I replied, wilting a little under his scrutinizing gaze. “I used a shield spell when Chrysalis tried to cast a domination spell on me.”

Doctor Splint facehoofed, shaking his head. “Captain, please! You need to take it easy! Anything more than extremely minor telekinesis could exacerbate your condition. Your control of arcane powers are going to be shaky at best for a few more weeks. Using complicated spells could cause any number of things to happen, including sending you back into a coma.”

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” I lay back, putting a hoof on my forehead. “I seem to be making bad decisions lately.”

“Well, stop it. With all due respect, you’re not making my job any easier, Captain.”

I chuckled weakly in reply, and Doctor Splint scribbled some notes on my chart. “Anything else, Captain Armor?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her. Just... weaken her. Make it so she couldn’t do... whatever it was she’d been doing to me,” I said.

“What, exactly, did you think she was doing to you?” said Doctor Splint, his gaze growing a bit icy. “The room she is in is warded against magic, in order to keep her contained. If she was at full strength, she might have been able to project a spell out of there, but at the cost of a vast amount of power. As she was, though, I doubt she had the energy to do much except affect things within the confines of the room.”

I sat up quickly, ignoring the brief stab of pain that shot down my spine, and stared at Doctor Splint, my mouth hanging open. “You mean... she couldn’t have been able to do anything to me outside of her room?”

Doctor Splint nodded. “As far as I can tell, it’d be impossible, Captain Armor.”

Covering my face with both hooves, I flopped back on my bed with a groan. “I’m such an idiot. Of course her room would be warded.”

“You may want to take up the offer for counseling,” said Doctor Splint evenly. “A fair number of ponies report similar episodes after coming in prolonged contact with changelings, and especially changeling queens.”

I nodded, unable to look the doctor in the eyes. “Yes, sir. I think that’s a good idea.”

Doctor Splint set my charts back at the foot of my bed. “And, Captain? Take it easy. The more rest you get, the better you’ll feel.”

“Thank you, Doctor Splint.”

The doctor trotted out, leaving me alone with my embarrassment and apparent psychosis. I rolled onto my side, growling to myself. “Damn it. Great way to start off my career as a Captain.”

After stewing in my guilt for a few moments, I finally closed my eyes, trying to rest. The doctor was right: I needed to recover and focus on myself instead of the changeling queen. “Tomorrow I’ll visit her and apologize.”

With that in mind, I tried to sleep.





Red awoke with a snort as the ground began to rumble and quake beneath him. Ace was already on his feet, glancing around with a panicked look on his face. Red got to his knees, gasping in awe as the massive hill trembled, as if a giant beast had awoken within and was shaking the mountainous chunk of lunar sediment.

From the mouth of the cave, as thunder rumbled overhead from the passing stormfront, a massive, echoing explosion issued forth, preceded only moments before by a squealing, slightly singed equine form. Red fell to the ground, covering his head, as chunks of debris spewed from the mouth of the cave. He opened his eyes as the entire hill collapsed in on itself, obscuring the area in a cloud of thick white dust and ashen particulate.

Red lay there for several moments, dumbstruck, as the hill sunk into the center of the crater, leaving little trace of its existence other than a smoking pile of jagged rock. A dozen yards away, the last pony sat, staring at the remains of the massive piece of the moon. Red stared at her, breathlessly. 

Wings.

She had wings.

The pony’s beautiful wings stretched, suddenly flaring out, as she screamed at the rubble. 

“Aaaah—Aaaaah!” She hopped up to her hooves and roared into the destruction left behind her. “I swear to all that is holy in this cockeyed universe, why can't it ever be... frickin'... simple?!”

Red gaped at her, his brain trying to process a sudden bundle of conflicting emotions. Ace nudged him urgently, and Red suddenly remembered his purpose.

“You know what? Screw it! I have better places to be!” shouted the pony, apparently at nothing. She threw her bags into the ashes at her hooves, and produced two odd objects: a jar full of green light, and a femur bone. 

Red brought the rifle up, his paws suddenly unsteady. He exhaled, trying to bring himself under control.

“Screw you!” snarled the pony, kicking briefly at the remains of the lightning gun. “Screw you!” she spat at the bone in her hoof. Red blinked with confusion as the last pony shattered the bone over her head, sending swirls of ash and bone fragments cascading over her body. 

Overhead, the storm rumbled, lightning crackling and thunder roaring.

Red exhaled again, the shaking in his paws ceasing. This was it. He aligned the crosshairs of the scope with the pony’s chest, briefly, before aiming a bit higher towards her slender and less heavily armored neck. One shot. Clean kill.

“And most of all, screw you!” the pony roared up at the sky, gripping the jar of green flame in both hooves. “I don’t need your incessant crap! I’m going stargazing and nopony can stop me!”

Red squeezed the trigger, just as the pony screamed an unintelligible word. She was enveloped in a bloom of green fire that whooshed out of the jar, and the next moment she was simply gone.

Red stared at the spot where the last pony had stood. He waited, patiently, for something to happen. 

Nothing did.

Ace was similarly silent, his jaw hanging open. The two Diamond Dogs shared a glance of incomprehension, dumbstruck by the turn of events.

“What in Gaia’s name just happened?” asked Red.

Ace shook his head. Even if he could speak, there were no words to articulate what they had seen.

Red gesticulated fiercely towards the ashes. “What in Tartarus was that crap? Magic? Was that—”

A sudden, sick feeling lurched through Red’s guts, leaving him breathless. “Oh... oh merciful Gaia. That was the spell.”

Red stood up, but his skull suddenly felt like it had shattered, split in two, rent asunder by the horn stabbed into his brain. He was on the ground, but he didn’t remember when he’d fallen over. His eye saw nothing but green, and he felt nothing but heat and pain.

Ace knelt next to Red, reaching out to steady his companion as he writhed on the ground. Green electricity began sparking off his dusty coat, and Ace pulled his paws away and leapt back. After a moment, Red’s body grew still, and Ace approached him again, shaking him, trying to revive his unconscious friend. Red groaned, shifting. “Let me rest,” he murmured.

Ace sat back, watching Red, before reaching out and prodding him again. Red grumbled and his eye opened, blinking blearily up at Ace. “... nng... what?”

Ace frowned at him. Red’s eye focused, and he sat up, screaming. He slid on his butt in the dust, scrambling away from Ace. Ace stood up, and followed his friend, his frown becoming a concerned expression.

Red got to all fours, stumbled, and went face-first into the dust, yelping. He tried to get up again, his limbs seeming to not work correctly. Ace scowled at Red, and Red shouted, in panic “Get away from me! How did I get here? Where am I? Who are you?”

Ace lunged forward, catching up to the panicking Diamond Dog, and threw a solid right-cross into Red’s jaw, laying him out flat. Ace stood over Red, panting slightly and shaking the sting out his fist. Electricity crackled overhead, setting Ace’s fur on end. 

Red lolled on the ground, barely conscious. Ace leaned down and picked up his confused companion, hoisting him over one shoulder as he began hiking back towards The Crimson Score. Red grumbled and gained consciousness briefly, struggling in Ace’s grip. “Mmph... whoever you are, you’re in a lot of trouble. You’re violating so many treaties we’ve established with the Diamond Dogs. When Princess Celestia finds out about this, she’ll—ungh!”

Red grunted as Ace reached around and clocked him on the back of the skull with his fist, sending him back into unconsciousness. Ace sighed as Red went limp. He didn’t enjoy doing that, but the alternative of carrying a struggling and confused Red all the way up the crater did not appeal to him in the least. After he got to the Score, he’d fly Red back to Wendy’s shop. Maybe she’d know what to do. 




	


Special Thanks To: Ponky, Skirts, Raz, Brian, Warden, and Worsty