//------------------------------//
// Sacrifice 
// Story: Spark 
// by Dragonas77 
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After the defeat of the Changelings in Canterlot, a great many things changed. Trust, for one. No one truly wanted to trust one another, even with their closest friends and family. The seeds of disloyalty had been spread across Equestria from this one incident, all stemming from the revelation of knowing about the Changelings. 

But, for a small period of time, the world didn't know. The news had not spread yet.

In this small window, the Changelings tried to make their own lives. After being separated from their Queen and flung across all of Equestria, they tried to band together with their fellow outcasts and enter into civilization. The towns were curious as to these new beings, but they did not turn them away, and welcomed them. 

But, only a few days later, news of the incident spread. Ponies began rejecting the Changelings who they had welcomed mere days ago. They refused to do business with them, hurled insults at them, and some even went as far as banishing them from town.

In Ponyville, Spark was one such Changeling who had tried to find his way into a new life, only to be rejected from the town. Spark, along with a band of a dozen of his fellow Changelings, had been driven out of town.

No matter what they said, or how much they explained that they were being controlled before, and were free now, not one pony listened to their story. They thought they were secretly trying to infiltrate them, even without transforming to take another shape. 

Since the town had essentially banned them, the group, led by Spark, lived on the very outskirts of the Everfree Forest. Over the course of a few nights, they assembled a crude wooden house from the branches of the forest. They could barely all fit inside the cramped quarters, and not one of them was comfortable. 

Each day, the group tried to make its way into the village to convince the people  of their peaceful intentions, but to no avail. They sought out the mayor of the town, who refused to see them, only giving them a single message through her secretary.

"I refuse to meet with insect scum like you lot, no matter what lies you spread of how peaceful you say you are."

After a week of trying to unsuccessfully turn the townfolk to their point of view, many in the group wished to turn to violence.

Spark, knowing this was not the way, interceeded and said, " No, that is exactly what they want us to do. To show them we are monsters. But I know of a way to change that, without resorting to revenge and killing. I have a plan."

The Changelings asked him what his plan was, but he refused to give them all the details. He would only tell them one thing, to help prepare his plan.

"Tomorrow, go seek out the newspaper of the town, the embassies to foreign lands, any place of political power, or that spreads stories to the world. Go to them, and tell them that 'something important' will happen at the town square at noon on the following day."

The Changelings were confused at the request, but complied to carry his request. They knew he was trying to help them all, any way he could. He hadn't let them down before, so they trusted him.

The next day came and the Changelings departed for town to carry Spark's message. They were ridiculed all the way through town, and the newspapers turned them away. The embassy decried them of being monsters out to get them. But still, they carried their message and told anyone within earshot, even though most people ignored them or insulted them.

The group returned home, and told Spark of the spreading of his message. 

"I am sorry you all had to endure that. But no more. That all changes tomorrow." he said cryptically.

As much as they pestered him for details on his plan, he refused to budge, saying nothing but to wait, and follow his word.

Morning arrived, and the Changelings went to enact the mysterious plan. The Changelings marched in two columns, six in each. Spark stood between the columns, wearing a dark cloak they had managed to barter for before being rejected by the townsfolk. The whole march through the town, they were insulted and told to leave. Various things were thrown at them, and some of the Changelings seem on the verge of lashing out, but with a touch and a look from Spark, they settled down and marched on. 

They arrived at the town center just before noon, and saw two young journalists from the newspaper, and one representative from the embassy. They were all so young, they were probably interns, sent out on this ridiculous request just to make sure nothing actually happens. But something was most certainly about to happen.

Spark motioned to the others to stop and said, "Please, my friends, form a circle around me, and don't let the others interfere. But please, do not interfere yourselves. I can't explain now, but you will see soon enough that our freedom is at hand."

With that, the others spread out in a 20 foot circle, with Spark standing alone in the middle.

In as loud of a voice as he could muster, he yelled, "People of Ponyville!"

Silence

"My friends and I have sought refuge within your town, yet you have shunned us for actions we had no choice in. We have sought to make peace with you, but you reject us each time. We have tried to live our own lives, but you won't let that happen."

"Instead, you treat us as wolves hidden among your ranks. As soldiers looking to stab you in the back. Do you not understand the bond is broken? That we are free of her oppression now? We think freely for the first time in our lives, and all we want is to live as you have lived all your lives."

In a softer voice, "But you won't let that happen, will you?"

Louder again, "Perhaps this will show you what lengths we will go to. To prove that we mean peace, we will die for it."

Shocked, everyone, including the other Changelings, looked on as Spark laid down, legs folded under him, and made as if to change his form. The green flames engulfed him, but a new form didn't come. He held himself in that inbetween state, and let the magical fire engulf him.
Horrified, some of the townfolk tried to get at him to put him out, but the Changelings held thim back. They themselves wanted to save him, but they respected his wishes, and silently cried. Some in the crowd turned away, others ran to their loved ones, some of the press ran back to their headquarters, and one lone Orange mare, who had just been doing her daily routine of selling apples at her stand, ran toward the library.

He did not scream for he had no pain left to give in his shattered heart. He had given up on the world ever accepting his race again, unless something drastic happened. And he was that 'Something Drastic'.

He thought back on his life, all his years. The lives he had lived in the forms he had taken.

With each memory of a life he had lived, he involuntarily transformed into that form, still engulfed in the magical flame.

He cycled through griffons, random background ponies, and even the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. 

But he did not even notice. All he thought of was the good we was doing, of the sacrifice he would make, so his brethren might live in peace. All he saw was an encroaching blackness, with a pinprick of light drawing ever closer. 

It was at this point that a purple pony ran headlong toward the circle of Changelings. She jumped, and attempted to get into the ring, but the Changelings flew forward to block her. So, with a burst of magic, she blinked out of existence, and reappeared right next to the immolated Changeling.

Twilight Sparkle, in all her glory, drew forth on her magic, and extinguished the magical flames. But, when the flames were gone, she knew she was too late. 

The damage was done, and he was not long for this world. Another minute, maybe two at the most.

She knelt down on his right side, reached her hooves around him to cradle him, and cried into his burned body.

"Why?" was all she said, muttering it over and over. She simply could not understand why someone would ever do this to themselves.

Weakly, and so only Twilight could hear, he croaked out, "So my kind may live in peace. So you may see we are not the monsters you think us to be. So you see we are but mortal beings of the flesh. And so you see that I will die to let them have a chance at their own lives." With that, he relaxed, faintly smiled, and went limp in her grip.

Twilight screamed like she had never screamed before in all her life. All of Ponyville, and parts as far as Canterlot could hear the cry of the Bearer of the Element of Magic. No one dared move to comfort her, they just stood there in their circle, watching and listening as Twilight howled to all the world her frustration at the senseless death, and her inability to stop it. 

For over an hour she lay there holding the limp form, begging with all the powers that be to save him. To somehow bring him back. But she knew it was impossible, even as she tried healing his wounds over and over. A part of her died that day, part of her innocence in this world was forever gone. She held him, screaming to the world of the injustice of the act, how unnecessary it was, and that no one deserved a fate such as this, until Princesses Celestia and Luna flew down from on Canterlot, having heard her cry.

They dragged Twilight away from the body, and gave the body to the fellow Changelings. The Princesses brought Twilight back to her treehouse, and talked with her. For many hours on end, the Princesses explained to Twilight about death, about the Changelings position, and about why he had done such an act. All throughout the talking, Twilight could not calm herself, as she was racked with sobs constantly.

After many hours, and with the Princesses needing to leave to perform their royal duties, they left. Twilight was calmer, and had learned much over the past few hours, even through the blinding haze of tears and sniffles. Most importantly, she had come to a conclusion, with the help of, and blessing from the Princesses. She herself would make sure this would never happen again. She sent out word to every city within Equestrian borders, in a declaration of peace toward all non-hostile Changelings. 

With Twilight's help, she secured the remaining Changelings in Equestria lives of their own. They would lived as if they were any other Equestrian citizen, save for not being able to legally deceive others with their appearances. So, with Twilight's help, she made sure his death was not in vain, that his display of total willingness to suffer and die for his cause resulted in what was necessary, and needed. 

And it all started with a Spark.