My mind was racing with fear and panic as the two guards lead me to Shining Armor. How could they have escaped?! This is the fucking castle for crying out loud! Is it possible that the Queen sent someone to break them out? What will happen if Gezähnt tells Queen Chrysalis that I'm this M.I.A. Captain they were looking for? Will she try to take me back to the Changeling Kingdom against my will, or will she decide that it's too much of a risk to let me live at all? Calm down, Fragment, they might not have gotten far, so there's still a likely chance we will capture them again. But how did the they even escape from their cells? There must be a logical reason for them to be able to get out. Hopefully Shining Armor can tell me more. I thought as we walked. After a short time we came to the doors of the dungeon, which was now guarded by three guards.
Little late with the security. The dark grey Pegasus nodded and a guard opened the door. As we walked into the dungeon, I saw Striker, Blast Shield, Sinistar, Shining Armor, and a few guards I didn't recognize.
"And where were the two of you?!" Shining Armor shouted at two guards, who were barely able to stand through their fear of Shining Armor's rage. I noticed there was a guard holding an ice pack to the left side of his head sitting next to Gezähnt's cell, which like the other two Changelings' cells, was empty.
"We left to get coffee, Sir." One of them said with his head hanging low in shame.
"Both of you should know better than to leave only one guard to watch three prisoners!" Shining Armor yelled, then he took a deep breath trying to clam himself down. "How long were you two gone?"
"Not even five minutes, Sir, and when we got back we found Recoil unconscious and the Changelings were gone." The guard explained as Sinistar walked up to Shining armor and whispered something in his ear, then two of them walked away from the guards and began talking in private as Striker walked up to me.
"So aside from the obvious, what happened?" I asked as Striker shrugged.
"We have no idea, all we know is that those two guards left," Striker said pointing at the guards Shining Armor was just talking to. "and when they got back they found the third guard, who had been left to watch the Changelings, was out cold."
"What did the third guard say happened?"
"We haven't talked to him yet. When the other guards got back, one of them got an ice pack and the other told Shining Armor that the Changelings were gone, and Shining Armor got Sinistar and a few others before he got here."
"Is the forcefield for keeping them from getting outside?"
"Yeah. The castle is officially on lock down to make sure they don't get away."
"I bet the ponies outside are worried by the sudden forcefield." I said as Striker nodded. I looked and saw that Shining Armor and Sinistar were still talking, and neither one of them looked happy. "Any idea why they brought me into this? It's not like I have Changeling sensing powers. Not that I know of that is."
"No idea. I didn't even know you were coming. Hey, looks like they're about to start questioning the guard who was watching the Changelings." Striker said as Shining Armor and Sinistar walked up to the guard who was still holding the ice pack to his head. Me, Striker, and most of the guards in the room made a circle around the three of them.
"So, Recoil, can you tells us what happened?" Shining Armor asked.
"Not really. All I know is that about a minute after the others left to get coffee, something black hit my face, and when I woke up the Changelings were gone and I didn't have my coffee." Recoil said as Shining Armor sighed, then turned around to face the rest of the guards.
"Listen up everypony, I want this castle searched top to bottom. I don't know how dangerous these Changelings are, but I know that they are soldiers and they likely will try to take your lives. I want patrols throughout the castle in teams of three to five. Me and Sinistar are going to gather more guards and set up checkpoints around the castle's exits. Every team must have at least one Unicorn that knows the reveling spell, and if you find any of those Changelings, I want you to attempt to subdue them, we still need to do further interrogation. You two stay here, Striker, Blast Shield, you two with Fragment, and somepony get Recoil to the infirmary. Any questions?" Shining armor said as he and Sinistar watched for any hooves being raised, and after a few seconds a yellow earth pony raised his hoof.
"I have a request, Sir." He said as he put his hoof back down.
"What is it?" Shining Armor asked.
"I would prefer that Fragment does not get involved in this."
"What?" Me, Striker, and Shining Armor said. "And why don't you want Fragment getting involved?" Shining Armor asked as all eyes were now on this guard.
"I was told that Changelings have something called a 'Hive Mind' that they can use to communicate telepathically, and what if they can also use that to sense other Changelings? Then they'd be able to sense Fragment and therefore know we were close." He explained.
"That's an interesting theory, but if they could do that then they probably would've sensed me when they were first brought to Canterlot." I said as everypony's attention followed whoever was talking. "The morning they were brought here, one of them used the Hive Mind to try to communicate with any Changelings in the area, but when I got into the interrogation room, he was pretty surprised to see me, so I don't think they can by any means sense other Changelings. The only reason I know they used the Hive Mind is because it hurt quite a bit when they did it."
"And why should we take your word for it?" A different guard asked.
"Because out of all of us I'm the one who would know?" I replied, unsure of why he was questioning me.
"And you'd know if that's true or not, and we wouldn't."
"Isn't that pretty much what I just said?" I said as Striker faced the other guard more directly and spoke.
"Are you implying something?" Striker said in a very serious tone.
"Yeah, I am. Why should we trust him to help us find the other Changelings? What if he let them out?"
"What?!" I yelled. How could he think I had something to do with this? I thought as Shining Armor stepped up.
"That's a big accusation with no evidence to support it." Shining Armor said with a glare.
"How else could they have gotten out? There's nothing they could have used to pick the locks and Recoil didn't have the key on him. There's no way they escaped without outside help." At this point, I was angry that he could so easily blame me for this, concerned that we were wasting time arguing, and worried by the fact I had a headache from out of nowhere that was growing fast.
"And how do you know the Queen didn't send a different Changeling to do it?" Striker asked.
"Because it'd be a lot easier to use the Changeling who's already in the castle. We've already established that they can communicate telepathically, so it wouldn't exactly be difficult to make a plan like that, would it?"
"I fought the Cockatrice with the guards, I saved a mare and her son from being killed, and I tried to help interrogate the Changelings. What makes you think I would help them and betray all of you after everything I've tried to do?" The pain rapidly increased and was joined by lightheadedness as the argument steadily escalated.
"What you tried to do? You tried to invade Canterlot and do Celestia knows what to everypony here. You're a Changeling, you're evil, and you shouldn't be trusted." He said with hate in his voice. I wanted to punch this guard, but I didn't and couldn't because it would only serve to further his point and the pain in my head was too much for me to fight. I tried to fight the pain, but as usual it was losing battle, and it wasn't long before I collapsed and fell unconscious...
My eyes were focused on a newspaper that was being held by another Changeling. I was reading a small article about a Changeling patrol being ambushed by Diamond Dogs. I was sitting on the floor surrounded by small wooden toys that seemed to be organized into a battle. My view of the Changeling in front of me was blocked by the paper he or she held, but I could see that it was sitting on a wooden rocking chair, and then I noticed I was pretty small compared to the Changeling in the chair, so I was probably much younger than in my other flashbacks.
"Grandpa?" I said in a voice that was a much higher pitch than usual. The other Changeling lowered the paper so he could see me. I saw that this Changeling wore glasses, had a chipped fang, and a dull looking horn.
"Yes, Dunkel?" My Grandfather asked. His voice was quite deep, even compared to Gezähnt's.
"Why do we have to fight?" I asked as he folded up the newspaper and set it beside his chair.
"Because we need to survive, and fighting is the only way we have." He said as he then picked up a glass mug of coffee and took a sip from it.
"But if we need to feed off of love, then shouldn't we make friends? Changelings can get along with Changelings from other hives, so why can't we get along with Griffins or Diamond Dogs?" I asked as my Grandfather smiled and picked me up with his magic and placed me on his lap.
"I can see you've thought this through." His smile became smaller as he continued to speak. "Well you see, Dunkel, the other races don't trust and don't like us because we feed on their love, and if we overfeed on it, then it destroys their ability to feel it."
"But we don't overfeed, so that's not a problem, right?" I asked with a tilt of my head.
"Unfortunately, just the fact that we can do something like that is enough reason to make our kind hated, so we survive in the shadows, taking on the form of those who are loved, and always having a powerful military ready to fight for the Changelings. Your Father was a very brave stallion, and he fought so you could have a life worth living." He explained to me as my ears flattened against my head at the mention of my Father.
"I miss him, Grandpa." I said as my Grandfather pulled me into a tight hug and a few tears rolled down my face.
"I know you do, Dunkel. I know you do..." His words echoed in my head as the darkness came over my vision again and the memory faded...
There was plenty of pain coursing through my body as my eyes slowly opened and I rubbed my head as I thought about my new flashback. Dunkel... My name is Dunkel. I thought as it became apparent that I wasn't in a usual room. This room had two chairs, one of which I was in, a table, a single light in the center of the ceiling, and mirror on the wall ahead of me. "What the fuck...?" I mumbled as I sat straight up in my chair.
"You were out for awhile." I turned my head to the right and saw Striker was standing next to the door. "How're you feeling?" He asked as I looked around the room more.
"I feel like I've had enough flashbacks for today. Where are we?" I asked, thinking the room looked kind of familiar.
"This is the interrogation room." He said as my eyes widened.
"And... why am I here instead of my room or the infirmary?" That guard didn't actually convince them I helped the Changelings escape, did he?
I have no idea. After you passed out Shining Armor and the other guard kept arguing and Sinistar told me and Blast Shield to take you to the infirmary, but when we got you about halfway there, Sinistar told us that there was a change of plans and to take you here, I have no idea why though." Striker explained as the door opened and Princess Celestia walked in, causing me and Striker to quickly bow.
"Thank you Striker, now leave us to talk, please." Me and Striker weren't too sure about this, but Striker left the room anyway, leaving me and the Princess to talk. "There's something we need to talk about, Fragment." She said as she sat in the other chair.
"I didn't help the other Changelings escape! You need to believe me." I was in a minor state of panic in this situation. I wasn't sure if they were going to imprison me or something else, but I was scared nonetheless.
"I do believe you, Fragment, but that's not what this is about." I smelled the air to sense her emotions, and it consisted of confusion and concern.
"It's... It's not? Then why am I here?"
"While you were being brought to the infirmary, Sinistar told Shining Armor that he saw you at past four thirty this morning leaving the dungeon." My heart skipped a beat when I heard that. I didn't want to tell her about what Gezähnt told me, about the plan that got four innocent children killed and framed others for it. What would she think of me for doing all those things? The fact that we can kill carelessly as long as it helps ourselves only makes Changelings look worse. "I saw that something was bothering you at breakfast, but I didn't push it out of respect for your privacy, but now there are three prisoners of war free in the castle, you having been seen leaving the room where they were being held, there is a twenty minute time period where nopony can account for your whereabouts, and the guards think you had some involvement. If you want us to trust you then you need to tell me what's going on, Fragment." Princess Celestia said as I broke eye contact with her.
"I... I didn't tell anypony what was bothering me, because I just wanted to forget about it, and because... I did something horrible, Princess." I could feel tears coming to my eyes as I suddenly had a brief flashback of that moment. I saw those Griffins walking towards their convoy, they were only halfway back when a voice in my head commanded 'Open fire.' and the next thing I knew there was a swarm of dark green magic bolts blasting the Griffins, leaving their bloody bodies laying on the ground.
"It was in a flashback." I continued, trying not to have a meltdown and hoping I wouldn't have anymore memory flashes. "I was being tortured and interrogated by Griffins, having attempted to assassinate a Griffin Councilor." Princess Celestia's eyes widened in surprise when she heard that. "That's what woke me up the first time this morning, and I tried to forget about it, but when I fell back asleep I got another flashback where I was in a bar with that Changeling Gezähnt. I was depressed and kind of drunk because of something related to the Griffin Councilor from the other flashback, and I woke up again. I decided I might be able to get some sleep if I figured out what these flashbacks were about, and I thought that because Gezähnt was with me in the last flashback, he might have some information and could tell me what happened." Princess Celestia was listening very closely to what I was saying, and I think she noticed how emotional I was trying not to be.
"So I went to the dungeon to talk to Gezähnt, and he told me that the assassination was a distraction so that other Changelings could capture the Councilor's family and hold them for ransom, but that wasn't the real motive for what we were doing. That Councilor was an Imperial Diplomat who wanted to create an alliance between the Griffin Empire and Equestria, and with the Queen's plan to invade Canterlot only a few months away we couldn't let that happen. The plan was to capture his family and hold them for ransom as a cheep way to both gain resources and to get the Councilor into the open. After they gave us the gold for his family... we killed them." Though she didn't express it, I could smell the shock she felt. I guess coldblooded murder isn't something she had anticipated. "We killed the Councilor, his wife, and his kids. Four kids died because of what we did... I-I didn't want anyone to know that we did something like that, and I was afraid of what would happen if you or anypony found out... I-I couldn't sleep after what Gezähnt told me, a-and--" I then felt pressure on my left shoulder. I looked and saw a white hoof resting on it, so I looked up and saw Princess Celestia had come to my side of the table and put her hoof on me I guess in an attempt to comfort me.
"I'm sorry, Fragment." I could smell guilt coming from her as I still fought to hold back the tears of my own guilt. "You don't have to talk about it anymore." Princess Celestia said softly as she held me lightly. After a few minutes of silently crying, I regained my composer and spoke.
"So am I going to help find the Changelings?" I asked trying desperately to change the subject.
"Shining Armor and Sinistar haven't decided yet, they wanted to know why you were in the dungeon before they made a final decision." She said with a small frown as she looked up from me to the mirror, which I knew was one-way.
"They've been listening the whole time, haven't they?" I asked as I looked up to the window and saw Princess Celestia nod towards it. "I'm going back to my room. If you need me, you know where to find me." I said as I got up and started walking towards the door.
"I understand." I heard Princess Celestia say as I opened the door and left. After I shut the door, I stood there for a moment thinking about everything that was going on, and then I saw the door to the observation room open and Striker walk out, then towards me. But then I started walking away and back to my room.
What will they think of me now? I helped get innocent Griffins killed. Children nonetheless. How could they look at me the same way after that? I don't know what scares me more; the fact that they know what I did, or the fact that they so easily decided to interrogate me. Yes, it is suspicious to be in the dungeon with the Changelings just a few hours before they escaped, but after everything I've done they still just assumed that because I'm a Changeling I helped the others escape, even though there's medical evidence that I have Amnesia and I therefore have no legitimate obligation to help them. I thought as I walked through the hallways, and after a short time I reached my room. I walked in and closed the door behind me, then I got onto my bed and quietly thought to myself as I waited for word of anything. I laid on my side, facing the wall as I let the time pass, but it wasn't even a minute before I felt somepony's hoof on my shoulder. "I don't want to talk right now, Striker." I said as the hoof was removed.
"It's rude to call someone a name that isn't their's." My eyes widened and I instantly turned around when I heard that.
"Gezähnt." I said as Gezähnt wore an almost sinister smile. "How did you know this was my room?"
"That's not important right now, brother. And I'm surprised you're not asking how we escaped, or trying to tell the ponies that I'm here." He said as I got off my bed, he walked over to the door, and locked it.
"What do you want? I'm sure you're not here to turn yourself back in to the guards." I said as I tried to think of some way to signal for help.
"You've seen how weak their trust in you is, brother, how they blamed and interrogated you with little to no hesitation."
"How did you know they interrogated me?" He simply chuckled to the question. "What do you want, Gezähnt?"
"I want you to come with us. Back to the Hive. There's so much you have left behind, your family, your friends--"
"Friends like you? I'd rather not."
"Can you so easily say the same about your family? And I may not be a good Changeling but I am a good friend."
"I want you to stop trying to use my family as a way to manipulate me."
"Dammit, brother, why isn't your family more important than this? You've gotten flashbacks that have only showed you that I am right, and you still try to deny it."
"I've remembered a lot in the week and a half I've had Amnesia, and do you know what I've remembered? I've remembered fighting, being tortured, and getting drunk because of the things we've done. I remember that my Father died in the Changeling--"
"You've remembered your Father?" Gezähnt asked with risen brow.
"My grandfather told me he died fighting so I could have a life worth living. I also know what 'Dun' is short for now." I couldn't really read Gezähnt face, so I had no hint to what he was thinking.
"Dunkel..." He said almost contently. "Tell my what makes returning to the Hive such a bad thing. Something that doesn't include the phrase 'betray the ponies' or anything that even remotely sounds like it."
"I would be a soldier, serve Chrysalis, and I'll have no one to turn to."
"You have a family, you wouldn't have to rejoin the army if you didn't want to, we could teach you everything you have forgotten, and there are more benefits than that." Gezähnt told me as he walked a little closer to me.
"If all that's true then why can't I just come back to the Hive on my own instead of you trying so hard to make me do it? And on the point of my family... Do you actually think we'd ever be a family again? I'd be a stranger to them and they'd be strangers to me. No matter how hard anyone tries, they can't make us a true family again, because without my memories... everyone is a stranger to me..." I realized just how depressing that idea was as I said it out loud.
"I want you to come back so badly because I know the things that could happen to you if they decide they've had enough of you. And at least in the Hive you wouldn't need to hide who you are. No one would discriminate you, and no one would hate or fear you. You would be treated fairly." Gezähnt said. I opened my mouth, but I couldn't think of a comeback. I tried to organize something, but was interrupted by a sudden pain and loud humming inside my head. I dropped to the floor and clutched my head with my forehooves, but Gezähnt appeared to be listening closely, so I figured that one of the others was using the Hive Mind. After a moment, it stopped and I slowly got back up. "It seems I've run out time. You need to make your choice now, Dunkel. Stay here and take your chances with Equestria, or come with me, to your home, and your family. Please, Dunkel, come with me." There was silence as his words sank in. I didn't want to just leave all the friends I had made behind.
"If you see Saphir... tell her I'm sorry." I said at last. Gezähnt nodded slowly and turned to leave... Then I attacked, lunging at him and slamming him into the wall. "I didn't say I was just going to let you walk out of he--" Pain and that humming shot through my head as I fell to the floor.
"It would have been less painful if you did." Gezähnt said as he unlocked and opened the door, and then was knocked to the floor.
"Striker?" I said as I stood back up and Striker looked up from Gezähnt to me.
"I was trying to talk to you before but you came back here--"
"Striker, lookout!" Striker didn't have enough time to react as Gezähnt jumped back up and bit Striker's neck, causing Striker to grunt in pain as blood ran down his chest. I would've blasted Gezähnt, but with his teeth in Striker's neck I'd have done more damage to Striker than Gezähnt, so I did the only other thing I could think of and I bit the back of Gezähnt's neck near his burnt off neck spines, making him release Striker. Gezähnt flipped onto his back with me under him creating a cracking sound, with my teeth no longer attached to his neck, he got up and punched me in the face. Hard. I spat out some blood and tried to get back up, only to get kicked in the chest by Gezähnt. I tried to catch my breath and saw Striker quickly get back up jab Gezähnt in his chest then punch him in the face, but when Striker attempted to punch Gezähnt again, Gezähnt punched the still bleeding neck wound, causing a small spray of blood to mist the air. Gezähnt punched Striker's chest then did some kind of spin kick, hitting Striker's head and knocking him over, then Gezähnt sprinted out of the room, leaving me and Striker wounded.
Striker got back up and helped me get back up. "Come on, we might be able to catch him if--" He tried to say as he coughed up some blood.
"Striker, you need medical attention. Look how much you're bleeding. Come on, we're getting you to the infirmary." I said as I charged the teleportation spell. Because of how many times I had been in the infirmary, it was easy to visualize, and in a moment we were in the room in the infirmary where I had been, and there was conveniently a nurse standing in the doorway. "Striker needs medical attention." I said as the nurse quickly grabbed some bandages from a nearby desk and began wrapping it around Striker's neck.
"What happened to him?" The nurse asked as I prepared to teleport.
"He was bitten by a Changeling." I said as I teleported back to my room. I ran out into the hallway looking for any signs of Gezähnt, and found a small trail of blood leading off to the training room. The blood must be from me biting his neck. I thought as I ran as fast as I could following the blood towards the training room, then I saw Shining Armor, Sinistar, and two others walking through the halls. "Shining Armor!" I yelled as they turned to look at me. "Me and Striker found injured one of the Changelings and based on the blood trail it's heading for the training room." I said as they started running towards me.
"Where's Striker now?" Shining Armor asked as we ran.
"The changeling bit his neck, so I teleported him to the infirmary and made sure somepony was with him when I came back." I explained as we came to the training room's doors, which were closed. There was a small amount of blood smeared on the door.
"Be ready for anything." Sinistar said as Shining Armor swiftly opened the doors. We charged in a whole three feet before we stopped at what we saw. On the floor in the center in a growing pool of blood, was one of the escaped Changelings, coughing up some blood. It's neck spines were intact, so it wasn't Gezähnt, and it looked bigger than Hofnarr, which just left Jäger. We ran up to him unsure of what to do. Once we got to him, we saw there was some kind of dagger stabbed into his chest. So much of it was in only the handle was visible.
"Who did this?" Shining armor asked as Jäger coughed more blood, then Jäger looked at me.
"C-come... closer..." He said weakly. I wasn't sure what he was planing, but I brought my left ear next to him so I could hear, then, using whatever strength he had left, Jäger wrapped both of his forelegs around my neck and touched his horn to mine, there was a bright green glow when he did that, and I felt power begin flowing into me. None of us had time to do anything, because after only about five seconds, he let go and fell to the floor.
"What just happened?" A guard asked as Sinistar examined Jäger's corpse.
"He's dead." Sinistar said as he stood back up and picked up a black feather that had been stained by Jäger's blood. "And it seems a Pegasus had something to do with it. But what did he do to you?" Sinistar said as he gave the feather to Shining Armor and looked at me.
"He... he transferred his power to me." I wasn't sure why, but that is definitely what he did. It felt good to have the extra power, but I had no idea why he gave it to me.
"Strange..." Sinistar said as Shining Armor tucked the feather into his armor.
"You two, stay here and make sure that nothing touches that body. Sinistar, you tell Princess Celestia what happened and do as she says. Fragment, you're coming with me." Shining Armor said as he began following a trail of blood that lead out of a different door. "We're going to find the other Changelings." I began following Shining Armor as Sinistar flew off the way we came and the remaining two guards stood by Jäger's body. Me and Shining Armor walked through the hallways following the still going trail of blood.
"Isn't this heading back to the dungeon?" I asked as I looked around to see if there were any traces of a Changeling.
"Looks like it, but why would any of them go back there? And why is there so much blood?"
"I bit Gezähnt's neck when me and Striker were fighting him, so if this is Gezähnt's trail I think a bleeding neck would explain it." I said as the dungeon came into view. "Seems he was coming back here after all." I said as we charged towards the door. Shining Armor opened the door quickly and as we entered we saw two knocked out guards and blood leading back into Gezähnt's cell.
"Be ready for anything." Shining Armor said as we slowly walked towards Gezähnt's cell, then we quickly moved in front of the cell's door and looked into it. In the middle of the cell was another unconscious guard. We slowly walked over to him when suddenly the gate behind us slammed shut. We turned around and saw Gezähnt standing at the cell door with a dark smile on his face and some kind of cloth wrapped around his neck. I turned to the Gezähnt's bed and saw that the bed sheet was missing,then back to Gezähnt.
"Took the bed sheet as a substitute gauze. Clever." I said as I charged and fired two Magic Bolts which Gezähnt quickly avoided. Gezähnt then ran back out of the dungeon.
"We can teleport out, come on." I said as Shining Armor's horn began to glow, and in a flash of light we were out side the dungeon's doors.
"Great. Now there's no blood to follow." Shining Armor said as we looked around and found no trace of Gezähnt.
"What's the plan now?" I asked as we continued walking down the hallway.
"I guess we just keep looking like before. How did you and Striker find that Changeling?"
"Well, he actually found me, I just said we found him because it was faster to explain."
"What do you mean he found you?" Shining Armor asked as we took a left down a hallway.
"After my... questioning, I went back to my room to lay down, but I think Gezähnt was waiting for me. He tried to convince me to help him and the other Changelings to escape and come with them back to the Hive, but we got into a physical fight which I easily lost, then Striker came in and the two of us fought Gezähnt some, but he still got away and gave Striker a pretty bad neck bite. Gezähnt is a dirty fighter." I said as we walked. After some time of finding no trace of Gezähnt or Hofnarr, Shining Armor decided that we would just have to wait for them to make a move of some kind. He told me that guards would be stationed at my room in case Gezähnt tried to make contact with me again, which I doubted. Also extra guards would be assigned to places where food was being kept to make sure they'd didn't get any. They'd have to try to get food at some point. I'd had enough of this day, so I was planing on just reading until it was time to eat, however, when I had almost gotten back to my room, Blast Shield came up to me.
"Fragment, you're not going to like this." He said. He smelled nervous about something, but I had no idea what.
"What's going on?" I asked already thinking it was Gezähnt's fault.
"Striker's condition has gotten worse. A lot worse."
"What?! How? He was just bitten."
"That's the thing, that bite was poisonous." My eye widened at that. If Striker dies because of this, I'll kill Gezähnt if I get the chance.