//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: To Break a Changeling 
// Story: The League of Extraordinary Ponies 
// by Infinite Carnage 
//------------------------------//


“To call something an 'enhanced interrogation technique' doesn't alter the fact that we thought it was torture when the Japanese used it on American prisoners, we thought it was torture when the North Koreans used it, we thought it was torture when the Soviets used it. You know, it's almost the moral equivalent of saying that rape is an enhanced seduction technique.”


-          Ted Koppel


Chapter 5: To Break a Changeling


Nightmare Moon POV
Roughly 1000 years ago…

“That’s it! Keep your stance up,” I encouraged.

He was only three years old, but my son was already getting the hang of basic combat. Or, at least the proper stances. He was currently in a traditional fencing position. His back legs were firmly apart, his right foreleg was stretched out with the (fake) sword in his hoof, and his left foreleg was at his side. On top of form, this exercise taught two other things. Patience and endurance. Patience to stand there completely motionless, and endurance to see how long one could last. For a three year old colt, lasting five minutes was very impressive. Then again, at his age there was only so much I could teach. I yearned for the day I could throw him into combat scenarios, teaching him the best form of strategy in any situation.

Then he will be a mighty warrior for us. He shall serve us well.

He is our son, though. Not simply some tool. We must never forget that.

Did you forget the original reason you created him? He has always been a tool, whether you like it or not.

No, he…

“I’m sorry, mom.”

“Wha-“ I was knocked from my daze to find Carnage standing by my hooves. His head was pointed downwards in disappointment.

“I couldn’t last any longer,” he explained, “I had this really bad itch.” Ah, that would explain his disappointment. He feels like he failed me. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I wrapped him in my forelegs and hugged him softly. He happily returned the act of affection with a hug of his own.

“You did very well, my little moon. You did far better than expected of you, so take pride in that fact.” The door across us slowly opened to reveal General Putnam walking through. It was only my son and myself on the field, so I knew he wished to speak to me. He gave me a quick salute as I placed my son back down.

“I apologise for interrupting you, your majesty. However, I must speak with you in private.” The matter must have been of grave importance. I told Carnage to continue his exercises while I spoke to Putnam across the field. In a flash, we had teleported far enough so nopony could hear us.

“Speak freely, Putnam. Does this concern the location of Daedalus?”

“Afraid not. He’s gone missing. We lost him and his Changelings in that blasted Everfree, no way was I going to risk my ponies in there. Honestly, I think he’s as good as dead.” This pleased me slightly. I wouldn’t say I was a sadistic mare, but I had a tendency to get back at those who betrayed me. Daedalus had initially agreed to join us. We even shared a more… romantic relationship as the agreement was made. However, at the last minute, he backed out after his son Icarus was slain in battle by the solar guards. He claimed his eyes had been opened to what this war would be like for his changelings, and he refused to take any further part in it.

“A pity, but as you said, he is surely dead by now. What other news do you bring?”

“… Dusk is dead.”

Years of restraint and patience only barely stopped me from breaking down right there. Dusk, possibly the only pony I would ever truly love, was now dead. I wondered if I had heard him wrong, but when I turned to Putnam, the solemn look on his face said it all. It really hadn’t sunk in just yet, even though I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. I decided to get the inevitable over with.

“How did he die?” I asked without hesitation. To my relief, Putnam was straight to the point.

“His family had moved to the edge of the border and he received an unlucky arrow to the neck. It’s a damn shame, if you ask me. Sadly, his family wasted no time in defecting. Last we heard, they were going to continue their trade as apple farmers on Celestia’s side. Not sure what kind of success they’ll have though. Especially since they’re Earth ponies.”

I always suspected that Dusk’s wife never liked it here. The few times I met her, I knew she was uneasy about the Lunar republic. They were one of the few Earth pony families to arrive here that weren’t previously slaves. I couldn’t blame her fully though, as I imagine they must have received a deal from some solar guards as an easy way out. If they were telling the truth or not, I would probably never know.

“Is there anything else, Putnam?”

“No, your majesty. I should…”

I teleported him away without a moment’s thought. I was certain he wouldn’t hold it against me. To be honest though, I wasn’t sure what I should do next. I always had a plan, a way to fall back if something went wrong, but now, what was I meant to do? My head snapped towards my son standing perfectly still, and I felt a maternal calling inside me that ordered me to find comfort with him.

Before I knew it, I had teleported in front of him, grabbed him into a hug, and wept into his shoulder. I could never bring myself to understand the true reason I broke down like that, but maybe it was best he never knew. Deep down, there was another entity calling me. It said something to me that I couldn’t disagree with.

We can never lose another loved one again.

Never again.





Mr Carnage POV
The day after the first operation…

Today had been a rather boring day. At least it was compared to yesterday’s events. There was one thing I would have to give to the Illusive Pony. He trained his staff well. It had actually been the first time I saw any of the ponies working for him, apart from his assistant with the long mane. They all wore skin tight grey and white costumes with an odd yellow symbol on their chests. I couldn’t see any of their faces because of the helmets on their heads. They had arrived swiftly, taken all the Changelings into custody, and cleaned up all the mess within thirty minutes. Only a keen eyed detective would be able to tell there had been a fight there. I was thankful that Sherclop Pones was currently living in Trottingham.

We had gone home after that, only to be told that the Changeling we had intended to interrogate would require the rest of the night to recover before she was ready for any kind of questioning. With that, I had decided to retire for the night. But not before running into a particular DJ, who was stalking about the hallways.





Vinyl POV
3 hours after the operation…

Shit, there’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. I can’t believe I… I only meant to… I wasn’t trying to kill… damn it! Why is this bothering me so much? They were the bad guys, right? I mean, I know the Doctor is going to be pissed if he finds out that I was one of the ponies that killed one of them. I’ve seen plenty of dead ponies before, so why can’t I get that Changeling out of my head? Maybe I should just go see the Doc. I still doubt he ever sleeps. But I don’t know where in Tartarus he put his TARDIS. He’s probably trying to dodge me now, still trying to get out of seeing Tavi.

“Vinyl, what are you still doing up?” I nearly jumped out of skin when I heard somepony else behind me. I couldn’t help but squeak out a pathetic yelp. I had to curse the fact I had a white coat, because the blush on my cheeks was even more noticeable. I turned around, making sure my shades were still on, to find Carnage staring at me. Ugh, he must have seen me pacing back and forth.

“Oh, hey, what’s up chuckles?” I saw him scowl at me when I gave him a nickname.

“Chuckles?” He questioned.

“Yeah, it’s my new nickname for you. I heard Fade call you Jaws, so I thought I’d give you a nickname. Do you like it?”

“No.”

“Oh, how about the Carninator!”

“No.”

“Sir Carnage?”

“No.”

“Um… Carn?”

“Now you’re not even trying.”

“Ah, you suck. You’re like the least fun leader ever.”

“Well it’s a good thing I’m not our leader, isn’t it? Now I asked you a question, why are you still up?” I bit my lip in frustration. Couldn’t he just drop it? I grunted and stomped my hoof on the ground, my annoyance was plain to see.

“It’s nothing, alright? I’m a night time mare. I do all my gigs at night so I usually sleep during the day is all.” I cleared my throat in confirmation, as a fake smile was plastered across my face. Hopefully he’d get the message and leave me alone. Instead, he trotted up to me and got right in my face. I couldn’t do anything as he swiped my glasses away from my eyes. I had a flashback to when we had attacked him in the alleyway. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten how intense he was. If he wanted to, he could cut and snap me like a twig without any effort. I felt just like I had before when he was using me as a shield. Confused, scared, and a tiny bit turned on.

Instead of grabbing me though, he just stared into my eyes like he was looking for something specific. I didn’t dare move in case he went into berserker mode. As cool as it was, I’d rather not end up as a red stain on the carpet. He seemed to have his fill of gazing into my eyes when he backed up a bit. He didn’t avert his gaze though as he kept on staring at me.

“You’re lying to me,” he stated bluntly, “tell me what’s bothering you. Now!”

This might surprise you, but I have a bit of an ego. I know, shocking isn’t it? But that’s the honest truth. So sometimes when somepony demands something from me that I don’t feel they’re entitled to, I kind of blow my lid.

‘Whoa, hold on. Did he just demand shit from me? I’m DJ PON-3! I am the best DJ living on this rock we call Equestria, and he’s trying to force me to spill my secrets? He’s got some nerve, he doesn’t even know me’.

“Fuck you! I do whatever I want! Get lost, you big fucking freak!” I was fuming when I turned away from him and began to walk down the opposite hall. I just had to cool off outside before I did something stupid, which, if you asked Tavi, was all the time. Then the blade that landed inches away from my face made stop dead in my tracks.

Planted in the wall I was trotting beside, was a blue crescent shaped blade. It looked just like the ones Carnage used before. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as I stole a glance at his right forearm to find a new blade was growing in the place where the old one used to be. I nearly wet myself right there. Honestly, I was so fucking scared, but even weirder, I was a little turned on again. Do I get my kicks on ponies that scare the crap out of me? I think Tavi was right when she said I should seriously start dating some normal ponies for a change.

“I-I did-n’t know they…” Carnage cut me off before I could finish.

“I can use them as daggers, and yes, they grow back rather quickly. Nopony ever explained to me how it works though. They’re just a part of me, like bone.” That must be so weird. When he said he was genetically modified he sure wasn’t kidding. I could feel his right hoof on my shoulder as he guided me to turn around. He was surprisingly gentle about it, and to my surprise, he handed me my glasses back to me. I wasted no time in covering my red eyes up, as they were the one sign that I wasn’t normal.

Ponies come in all shapes and sizes and a ridiculous amount of colours. I kind of feel sorry for some of the other races who always seem to be the same boring colours. They always look the same to me as well. Tavi keeps telling me off for saying that stuff, because apparently its racist, but I don’t get how, since I’m just saying what I see. It’s not like I’m trying to offend anypony. My point is that despite all the different colours were born with; nopony can be born with red eyes. It’s just impossible. I used to have purple eyes, but when I became a vampire, my eyes turned blood red. That’s the real reason I wear my shades. There are a lot of suspicious ponies out there and I don’t feel comfortable without them on.

“Y-you’re not going to hurt me, are you?” I must have looked so pathetic like that. Instead of scolding or striking me, he looked disappointed. Not at me though, but at himself.

“I’m sorry, Vinyl. I don’t know what came over me there. I think I’m still a little on edge from the last mission,” he said quietly. “I know exactly what you’re going through, and let me tell you this. You shouldn’t deal with it alone.”

“What do you mean? How do you-”

“That was the first time you’ve killed anypony, wasn’t it?”

‘Oh crap... he did know.’

“H-how did you know that?” I asked cautiously. In a matter of minutes, he turned me into a meek filly, receiving a lecture from her teacher.

“The look in your eyes was the exact same look I made when I killed for the first time.” I gasped out loud. It’s easy to forget that he was once a defenceless colt. Am I going to end up like Carnage? “Ponies tend to react differently when they kill for the first time. Very few are unaffected by the experience. Let me guess, you keep seeing the Changeling’s face?”

“Yeah, why is that? I mean. he was the bad guy. right?” I didn’t feel any anger or fear anymore. Instead, I was genuinely curious to why I felt like I did.

“The world is not black and white. Vinyl. It’s many shades of grey.”

“What does that mean?”

“You consider those Changelings to be the bad guys because they were working with the Templars. The reality is that those Changelings consider us the bad guys because we’re inadvertently stopping their species from advancing. At least, that’s how they probably view it. Hell, judging from that one Changeling, they didn’t even know who they were working with.”

“But were not the bad guys.”

“Bad guys, good guys, at the end of the day it’s all about perspective. How you view something may well be viewed differently by somepony else. The point is, despite the fact that you're trying to convince yourself that the Changeling was a bad guy, you still feel guilty for taking a life.”

I was never known for being a philosophical mare, but I actually kind of got what he was saying. I guess it’s like when Griffons eat meat. To us, it’s absolutely disgusting. To them, it’s just a way of life. Heck, they’re freaking carnivores so they have to eat meat or they’ll die. I suddenly felt even more childish than before. I never used to care about this stuff, but now I just felt ignorant. I’ve always hated when ponies say my type of music sucks when they don’t even give it a chance. Was I as bad as them?

“So, it’s kind of like walking in somepony else’s horseshoes?” I said in realisation.

“Somewhat. You’re on the right track. But I want you to understand something. The fact that you're feeling guilty is a good sign.”

“Why is that a good thing?” I asked in confusion. I thought the problem was that I felt guilty.

“It’s good because it means you’re not a sociopath. It means you have empathy and you haven’t become like me yet. When I kill, I don’t feel a thing. My mind has become numb to the whole experience and I would have to kill somepony close to me to get even a small reaction. The only reason I’m on edge is because I haven’t done it in so long. My advice, try to avoid killing as much as possible. Go for the knock out, not the finishing blow. You’ll keep your sanity then.”

“But how do I get rid of this guilt?” I asked with no small amount of desperation.

“That’s what friends are for. Loved ones and families can be a great support. Remind yourself that you’re fighting for them. Do you have anypony in Canterlot?”

“I’ve got my best friend, Tavi. I guess I’ve kind of got the Doctor, too.”

“Good, tomorrow you should visit her. It should get your mind off things.”

Well look at that. Carnage is smiling. I’ll take that as a good sign that things are looking up around the mansion.  Before I knew it, I instinctively gave Jaws a hug. I could feel him freeze up upon contact. I stole a look and saw a tinge of pink on his cheeks which caused me to chuckle a little.

“Sorry about that. I’m sort of a touchy feely pony,” I said. I let go and he cleared his throat. I think he was trying to get his composure back and this caused me to giggle more. The usually calm Carnage was shaken by a mare’s touch.

“It’s alright, I just can’t remember the last time anypony hugged me before.” I devilish grin reach my lips when I realised that he was embarrassed.

“Oh really? Did you like it when I touched you?”

“Wh-what?” I moved in a couple of inches closer and this time it was my face in his face.

“I said did you like it when I touched you?” I asked again, a bit more seductively.

“… I have to go.”

‘Oh no you don’t.’ Before he could turn around, I wrapped my left foreleg around his right foreleg so we were interlocked. I pecked him on the cheek which caused him to blush even more.

“Relax, you’re hot and all, but I’m interested in a different kind of Stallion now a days. The kiss was a thank you for making me feel better.”

“Um… you’re welcome.” He began to rub the back of his head in confusion. It’s funny how the tables had turned.

“Anyway, you’re coming with me.”

“What? Where are we going?” I began to lead him down the hallway.

“I wasn’t lying when I said I was a night time mare. And you of all ponies must be a night time Stallion. So we’re going to go to one of my favourite clubs, get drunk, and have an awesome time.”

“B-b-but I-“

“Come on! Let me and my wubs guide you to a new state of awesomeness!”





Mr Carnage POV
Present…

I couldn’t remember much after that, except that I had indeed gotten drunk and I might have made out with a green mint pony obsessed with fingers or something like that. Vinyl seemed to have enjoyed herself, so I suppose that was what really mattered. I would simply have to take the hangover as a war injury. That night had shown me how I was very out of practice with mares. Vinyl’s constant flirting throughout the night was a reminder of that. I’m actually kind of glad she isn’t interested, but then again, she could have been lying. I was too embarrassed to tell. In any case, she isn’t here right now. The Doctor and her left an hour ago. Vinyl took my advice and went to visit her friend, Octavia, and she told me she was foalnapping the Doctor, as he was long overdue for a meeting. I didn’t ask for details that time around.

To my surprise, Shadow had left half an hour ago. I would have thought she’d be eager to participate in the interrogation, but she had explained to me that she had family matters to attend to elsewhere.





Shadow Heart POV
15 minutes ago…

On the dot, I could see my sister approach me from the distance. Like myself, she was punctual, organised, and adept in combat. It was no wonder as she was my twin. Apart from our colour schemes, we looked identical.

Many I have met in the past normally rant about some bad experience in their childhood, but I have absolutely no complaints. My parents showed me nothing but love and support, I grew up with my twin sister and we were inseparable. I got good grades in school and I joined the guard soon afterwards. However, we had joined a month after Princess Luna had returned and our personal induction by Celestia herself didn’t go as planned.

“I must say, I was very impressed by your skills, my little ponies. I can see why Captain Armour has recommended the pair of you to join the guard.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” my sister and I said in unison.

“So I’m happy to announce, that you, Angelic Soul, are officially a member of the solar guard.” My sister quickly bowed with a look of glee on her face, but something was off. Why did Celestia leave me out?

“Your majesty,” I dared to utter, “but may I ask… did I do something wrong?” She looked confused.

“Wrong? You have done nothing wrong. Whatever do you mean, young Shadow?”

“It’s just that you have inducted my sister, but not me.” A look of realisation hit her all of sudden and a motherly smile began to spread on her face. When I saw her smile, my heart warmed up inside.

“I apologise, Shadow Heart. I just realised that I forgot to explain. You will be joining the guard, but not my guard.” My sister seemed confused as well at this. There was another guard?

“Excuse me, your majesty, but what’s going on?” My sister asked in worry. Celestia lightly chucked and seemed to address somepony else in the room.

“You may come out now, Lulu.” In a blinding flash of light, a new figure appeared beside Celestia. Nopony had seen her since her return, and I remembered the sheer awe I felt just by gazing up at her. Princess Luna herself was standing in front of me and my sister, as she looked straight at me. I instinctively bowed at the sight of her, but she had other plans.

“Please rise, Shadow Heart. I wish to speak to you as an equal.” I did as I was told without a single word of complaint. Looking back, it was obvious what was going to happen, but the sheer shock of her arrival had jumbled my mind.

“Wh-what c-can I do fo-for you Prin-cess Luna.”

“Relax, you are not in trouble. I have a proposition for you.” During all of this, Princess Celestia had guided my sister to her side.

“A proposition?”

“Yes. No pony knows this yet, but I have been building up my old personal guard again.” I forced down a gasp. “I have received a surprisingly large number of volunteers from my sister’s guard, yet I am still low on numbers. I would like to offer you a place amongst my guard. Will you accept? If you do not wish to join, then you are free to join my sister in her guard.”

I didn’t know what to think. When I had entered the hall, I was certain I would be dedicating my life to Celestia. Now, Princess Luna herself has asked for me to join her instead. Part of me felt like I would be joining the dark side, but Nightmare Moon no longer existed. Celestia would not let her sister rejoin the throne if she felt she was still evil. I looked to my sister, who had a look of uncertainty as well. I was about to say no, but then it hit me. She had not asked my sister, she had not asked the hundred other potential guards we had trained with, she had asked me. In fact, she had not ordered me to join, she had not forced me to join, she had asked. In the end, I decided I should repay that with giving her a chance.

“Princess Luna, I accept.”

I worked with Princess Luna many a time after that day. I must confess that I would give my life for her. At first, I saw a mare to be feared. Now, I see a truly noble and passionate goddess. I truly believe if things had gone the other way and Celestia had been banished instead, we would have all turned out fine. Perhaps Equestria would have become even greater than it is now. My duties required me to follow her when needed, occasionally educate her on modern culture and ways, and remind her of current laws which I was adept in as well. I remember the time she tried to banish a noble to the Everfree and I had to tell her we didn’t do that anymore. Then again, it was Blueblood, so I nearly didn’t stop her.

My sister was mixed on my decision to join Luna. She raised no argument when I said I was going to see what it was like before fully committing, but once I decided to stay, she had some very choice words for me. Something along the line of, ‘how dare you work for the usurper?’ Or, ‘have you lost your mind?’ Despite my sisters loyalty to the royal family, she did not like or trust Princess Luna. I wish I could say it hasn’t strained our relationship, but if our last family get together was any indication, it certainly had.

“Could you pass the potatoes for me, dear?” My mother asked me from across the table.

“Yes mommy,” I instinctively replied and handed her the requested item. I would cringe in embarrassment if I called her ‘mommy’ in public, but mother has always insisted I should. Dad lightly chuckled to himself from the far end of the table, but I didn’t mind. He was daddy after all. My sister was sitting at the other end of table, lightly munching on some carrots.

My mother, Heavenly Shine, looked a lot more like my sister than me. In fact, I imagine my sister would look exactly like mom when she reached that age. Mother had a blonde mane and a white coat. Her cutie mark was a shiny golden aura, which represented her ability to cast light spells effectively. My sister and I picked up our Pegasus heritage from our father. His name was Crashing Thunder, as you might imagine, he was an expert thunder wrangler and his cutie mark, a black cloud, showed it. I had his coat and mane, so I was more of a Daddy’s girl growing up.

“So girls, how has guard duty been like?” My daddy asked, unable to hide his intrigue. Dad always wanted to be a guard, but he had a rough past that prevented him from joining. Mom and him met when she arrested him during a bar fight. They've never told me how they went from that to being lovers and I’ll probably never know.

“It has been an honour,” I answered with pride. Both mom and dad were equally surprised I ended up joining Luna’s guard. They were even more surprised when I came home with batwings. However, as they always have, they have shown me nothing but support throughout. “Just the other day I was…”

“… Plotting Equestria’s demise with the usurper?” We all turned to the end of the table where my sister was glaring daggers at me. Father looked utterly baffled but mother was fully aware of the situation that was brewing between us.

“Young lady, we will not have this at the dinner table,” mother scolded my sister, “You should be proud of Shadow’s success in the Luna Guard. Why, just the other day she was telling me that she’s being considered for the position of Luna’s personal guard…”

“MOTHER! She wasn’t supposed to know yet...” The damage had been done though. Despite the look of pride on daddy’s face, my sister’s venomous look had my full attention as it only grew worse.    

“Well good for you Shadow. It appears you have got every little thing you’ve ever wanted. WHILE I’VE BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE GUARD!”

She had flipped the table and stormed out shortly after her outburst. Mommy was practically in tears after seeing her like that. The next day we had learned that Shining Armour had given her a dishonourable discharge. Unsurprisingly, it involved Princess Luna. It turned out she had been spreading a number of untrue rumours about the Princess, and after an unprovoked attack on several Luna guards in a bar, Captain Armour deemed her mentally unfit, and discharged her. It didn’t give me any joy to see her like that and I haven’t spoken to her since. So you can imagine my surprise when I received a letter from her asking to meet me at this café.

Celestia’s sun was shining high in the sky and all of Canterlot seemed particularly beautiful today. I took these as good signs as my sister drew closer. She wasn’t wearing any clothes, which was a bit alien to me. I always remembered her wearing guard armour, or some other defensive material, but she approached me completely unclothed. There was no emotion on her face, but her mane was perfect like always and her wings were fully preened so she didn’t seem distressed or worried. Finally, she reached the table and greeted me.

“Hello, sister,” she said with no sign of emotion in her voice. It unnerved me with how expressionless she was.

“Hello, Angel. how are you?” I asked in sincerity. Whether she could tell if I was being sincere or not didn’t seem to matter as she took a seat opposite me. In her letter, she had requested I order her some tea before she arrived, just like she always liked it.

“I suppose I’m fine. Actually, I feel much better since last time we talked. The Canterlot wedding incident brought me back here and I have a new job.” She took a sip of her tea. It was a short sip, but as soon as she was done, she stared down at the brown liquid. “You remembered.”

“Pardon?”

“You remembered how I take my tea. Three sugars and some cream, just the way I like it.” She seemed to be reminiscing and normally, I would allow her to finish, but my curiosity got the better of me.

“You say you’ve gotten a new job. May I ask what it is?” She ignored me and continued on.

“I notice you’re wearing your armour. Are you expecting an attack?” A tiny blush of embarrassment reached my cheeks. I was so used to wearing the armour, and the battle from last night was still fresh in my mind, so I had opted to wear it here. I had received some funny looks from passers-by, but I was unfazed.

“Ah… uh, I was recently in a battle. You remember how I used to get?”

“… I thought you were on leave.”

“Pardon?”

“Mommy told me that you were on paid leave, because you’ve had zero vacation time since joining. Apparently, that isn’t the case.” She saw right through me. She always did, really. It was nigh impossible to hide something from your twin, and Angelic was no exception.

“Yes, I have taken part in a secret mission for the Princesses, one that I am not allowed to speak of. The truth is that they don’t actually know.”

“Then how can this be for the Princesses, dear sister?” she said her last word with extra emphasis, but the meaning was lost on me. Perhaps she was questioning my loyalty; it appeared that I would have to remind her of something we both learned in the guard.

“Sister, what was the unspoken thing that the Princesses always looked for in the guard.” She wasted no time in answering; she knew it all like the back of her hoof.

“They’ve always looked for ponies who can think for themselves.”

“Yes, they hate mindless drones. They like ingenuity and creativity. It is one of the reasons our armies are feared by the other races. I was informed of a threat to not only Princess Luna, but all of Equestria as well. I decided to join a group that is seeking to rid this threat by using my built up vacation time.”

“I see. Knowing you as I do, it is likely very serious.” Her gaze softened slightly as she appeared to reminisce again. If I had to guess, it was likely about our fillyhood together. Days that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Something occurred to me, though. she still hadn’t told me about this job she had acquired.

“Sister, I feel like you’re dodging the point of this meeting,” I said softly enough to gently coax her out of her daydream, “What is this job you recently gained?” She took a big gulp of her tea before revealing all.

“Well, its military work for sure. Just not the kind you would imagine, Sister. My mind has been opened to what horrors lay in this world. Tell me, why do you think I started to snap at you all those years ago?”

“It was because I joined Luna’s guard. Are you sure you wish to dig up such a painful memory?” She waved a hoof dismissively.

“Trust me, I am fine. The truth is… she scares me.”

“Who scares you?” My sister, scared of something? The thought alone seemed preposterous.

“Luna uses dark magic. That’s not conjecture, that is fact. By her own admittance, she has even delved into necromancy. A couple of days before I snapped at you the first time, myself and a group of other ponies were sent on a mission to Stalingrad.”

“Oh yes, I remember now. You were very excited, I believe.” She laughed at that. It was more of a forced laugh, but I didn’t see why it was funny.

“Yes, I was excited, wasn’t I? Now I wish I had fled instead.” I badly wanted to interject, but I risked upsetting her if I did. She seemed distraught about whatever happened there, so I would have to patiently wait for her to tell me first.

“We were sent to Brennenburg Castle. There had been reports of odd magic traces from the castle, so we were sent to investigate. When we arrived, everypony inside was dead.” I stifled a gasp, but I knew by my sister’s expression that it was even worse than I had thought. “There were cages where… innocent ponies had been tortured. The papers we found made little sense. Two ponies were trying to avoid some monster and somehow they thought torturing others would save them. They were after something called vitae, but we never got to look through enough to be sure what happened exactly. But… there was more.”

“There were these things. It’s almost impossible to describe what they were exactly, but they were worse than Tartarus itself. They were bipedal, and many were already dead. However, as we ventured in, we came across several who were still alive.” She quickly grabbed her tea and chugged the rest down. I imagine the scolding hot liquid was to distract her from the nightmarish creatures she must have seen in that castle. They were likely worse than I could imagine. “It was like… it was eating its own face. Its jaw hung loosely, and a single swipe could kill you in an instant. I can’t describe the creature any further without risking the possibility of breaking down right here. Ten of us entered that castle, six of us came out. Every evil in that wretched place was created by dark magic.”

She was silent for a moment and it gave me the chance to let it all sink in. It made so much sense why she had acted like she did. If only I had known, if only anypony truly knew. Maybe then I could have helped her get through it all. But I think I know what happened. It was all covered up. It was likely that Captain Armour wasn’t even aware of what truly happened. I just couldn’t see her being silent about it for so long any other way. Was it truly as bad as she said? I shudder to think what it was all truly about, but I doubt even the Illusive pony knows the full story.

She looked so fragile, like she could break down at a moment’s notice. The preening and grooming must have been a routine. A routine that helped keep her from going over the edge. Why didn’t she just talk to me about it? In her irrational state, did she try to blame Princess Luna? And by extension, me? This was all becoming too much to take. I took a sip of my tea to calm myself down, but I could feel my hoof start to tremble. Whether it was from anger or just purely how upset I was I couldn’t tell.

“I’m sure you can figure out the rest,” she continued. “I started to have nightmares which increased my paranoia. I was scared you might become corrupted or hurt by Luna when you signed up with her permanently. Things steadily grew worse and it got to the point where I was deemed unfit for duty to the crown. However, my new employer has given me a new direction, and helped me recover from my nightmares.”

“You still haven’t told me who you’re working for. Is this all I was brought here for?”

“No… I want to bury the hatchet with you.” She didn’t meet my eyes. Instead, she was looking down at the table in shame. “I took my problems out on you and that wasn’t right of me. My chance to be a member of the guard is gone now, but I can still redeem myself by protecting and acting in the best interests of all pony kind.”

That sounded very familiar. When I first met the Illusive pony, he said his group always acted in the best interest of pony kind. She couldn’t seriously be working for…

“I know you’re working for the Illusive pony. Well, I am as well.” I was thankful that I wasn’t drinking my tea at the time, because I might have spat it out in surprise.  To say I was shocked would be an understatement. It made sense my sister would want to work in a military fashion, but I never thought she would join an extremist group. The only reason I was working with the Illusive pony was to protect the Princesses, and then I would return to duty. This was madness.

“S-Sister,” I spluttered, “You cannot be serious!? How long have you been working for him?” A small mischievous smile which I rarely saw began to spread on her face.

“Shadow, who do you think it was that recommended you to the Illusive pony?”





Mr. Carnage POV
Present…

In any case, I had no time to worry about Shadow right now. Whatever it was that she had to settle, I’m sure it wasn’t too serious. When I woke up this morning, a thought occurred to me. It wasn’t about the interrogation, but rather, it was about the pony I was working for. Who was he really? What group did he represent? What were their goals and ambitions? What Ulysses had said the other day was still fresh in my mind, and it wouldn’t leave until I got the answers I needed. If Ulysses was correct, and the Illusive pony had his eyes on the throne, then I might have to intervene. Not for my aunt, but for Equestria as a whole. I might be bitter, but I’m not a fool. 

The interrogation had begun and it was being headed up by Spitfire. Guardian was to be in the room with her to act as intimidation, but I decided not to join them. With Silver and Ulysses there, I doubt she could escape very far if she tried. Fade wasn’t visible, but then again, he rarely was, so we all just assumed he was off enjoying himself. Instead, I decided to have a chat with this Illusive pony and find out more about who he was. I knocked on the door and immediately received a reply.

“Come in.” When I swung the door open, I was greeted with the pleasant sight of the impossible back wall. The blue sun, the twinkling stars, everything a great view needed to be truly memorable. I now understood why he had his back to the view. If he was to face it, he would be too distracted to work. Speaking of which, the Illusive pony’s desk was now gone and he was casually sitting in his swivel chair with a cigarette in one hoof and glass of brandy in the chairs holder. “Mr Carnage, what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I would like a word with you.” He pressed a button on his chair, and suddenly, a trap door opened and another chair popped up from it. Most would have been phased by the suddenness of the moment, but I was not. His free hoof pointed to the new chair so I cautiously sat on it.

“I notice that you’re not at the interrogation. You were the one who picked the Changeling to be interrogated. I would have thought you’d want to be there.”

“Normally, I would. However, I didn’t feel I was needed there. Spitfire is a drill sergeant. She can break anypony in. Besides which, I have some questions I wish to be answered.” He took a puff of his cigarette before answering. From the short time I’d talked to him before, I believe he uses the cigarette as a way of judging what a pony wants. The small break allows his mind to work and access the pony talking to him, perhaps trying to figure out their motives. Although a theory, what he said next helped support it.

“You wish to know more about myself and the organisation I represent, am I correct?” He got it in one try.

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I knew this question would come up sooner or later. The truth is there isn’t much I can tell you about myself. All I can say is that I seek the protection and advancement of all pony kind. As for my organisation, we are called Cerberus.”

“As in the three headed dog that guards Tartarus?”

“The very same. Cerberus is loyal, and it does it’s best to protect and guard Tartarus. That is what we do for all of Equestria. Then again, not everypony approves of my methods, but I had no delusions that they would.”

The name made some sense, and it was nice to have an actual title to give the group I was working for. Though, I couldn’t really see a three headed dog coming up with innovative tech.

“How big is Cerberus? How long has your group been going for?” Again, he took a puff of his cigarette and stared intently at me.

“We were once called Fox Hound about fifty years ago. My father was a pony who called himself Major Zero, and nopony knew his real name, not even myself. He was a member of Celestia’s royal guard, but left after some disagreements with her over technology. He wanted to set up a system called the ‘Patriots’. This system was to block out all the nobles from any say in government, but give them and ordinary citizens the illusion that they still had power. In reality, only Celestia and her most trusted associates would have had any say at all. Obviously, Celestia didn’t like the idea and rejected it. My father left the guard soon after.”

“So how did it go from that to setting up this organisation?”

“He didn’t start Fox Hound, that was his great grandfather. The truth is, the reason he left was because my grandfather had unexpectedly passed away.”

So that would mean the Illusive Pony’s great, great grandfather started Cerberus, but it used to be called Fox Hound. Unlike before, I was certain he was telling me the truth. He had no real reason to lie and this story didn’t seem as farfetched as the others he had told me. There was still something bothering me though.

“Were Fox Hound’s goals the same as Cerberus’ today?”

“Similar, but not exact. They were more of a military group with a large army at their disposal.”

“Sounds like Major Zero could have gone to war with Celestia.”

Then I saw something I did not expect. His eyebrows arched and the edges of his mouth pointed downwards for only a moment before returning to a neutral expression. The Illusive Pony had just grimaced. Ever since meeting this Stallion, he had been incredibly difficult to read. Like my eyes, they were unnatural and almost off putting to some. His face had nearly always been emotionless. I had indirectly struck a nerve, and I imagined that was something very difficult to do. He took a swig from his brandy and stretched his neck until we both heard a pop.

“My father… had made such plans, but became distracted by an incident in Griffon country.”

“That must have been a pretty big distraction.”

“It was. Tell me, have you ever heard of the famous soldier, ‘Big Boss?’”

Big Boss was a legend. Pupil of the legendary Boss, master of close quarter combat, espionage expert, he had seen it all when it came to war. I already knew where this was leading. When I had my shop, I spent much of my time looking through the history that had passed me by when I was asleep. Fifty years ago, a Griffon general attempted to start a war with Equestria by launching a mysterious bomb on the capital. The Boss betrayed Equestria and defected to his side. The Griffons were unaware of what the general was doing, and Equestria was at a loss at what to do without risking the possibility of the general firing the weapon.

Then Big Boss arrived. His real name was Snake, Naked Snake. The story goes he launched a one pony offensive against the general. He snuck in, destroyed the weapon, killed the general and fought even his mentor, Boss. He was forced to kill her too. He escaped and was declared a hero by both sides. Celestia herself gave him a new title, Big Boss. The cogs had turned in my head, and a new realisation came to me.

“He was working for your father, wasn’t he?”  He nodded.

“When we had discovered the threat, my father sent our best soldier, Snake, to eliminate it. He, and several other professionals, helped supervise the mission and guide Snake to victory. He soon moved on from Celestia’s rejection and renamed the group Cerberus.”

“What ever happened to Big Boss?”

“Out of respect, I’d rather not say. He is no longer with us, let’s leave it at that. His son, Solid Snake, was meant to have joined you on your missions. However, a situation arose in Shadow Moses. A military base was located on the edge of Wolf country, and he was ordered there by his commander to investigate. He won’t be available, I’m afraid.”

Now that was interesting. How many ponies were meant to be here? The more we talked, the more I lost focus on the reasons I was here in the first place. It wasn’t really annoying, but everything he told me made me believe it was true. Perhaps it was the way he conveyed it, as there wasn’t a shred of doubt on his face or voice.

“So who else was meant to be here but didn’t make it?” As soon as the question was asked, the brown maned mare from the other day entered the room and placed a file on my lap. Without batting an eyelash, she trotted out of the room again. Who the hell was this mare? She seemed to be a personal assistant to the Illusive Pony.

“My apologies. Like yourself, she has been genetically modified. For different reasons, though. Anyway, you should find what you’re looking for in there.”

There was a lot to take in at once. Looking through a list of individuals where I only got bits and pieces of information from was slightly daunting, but one thing was clear: The stallion had done his homework again. There were at least fifty names in the folder. There was a mare called ‘Noto Shirogane’ from Neighpan. She was a detective who had an ability called, ‘Persona,’ but the description of it made little sense to me. The reason for her rejection was also listed, her gender confusion was seen as problematic and unstable so she was left out. I spotted the name ‘Solid Snake’ and judging by his record, it appeared he was the one who killed Big Boss. The reasons though, were classified.

Something kept popping up, though. In all the files, they mentioned ‘League Candidates.’ Was that what we were? I got distracted by one file that talked about what I can only describe as a type of monster. Little was on it, but they seemed to be from Tartarus itself.

“What is this ‘Darkspawn’ this page talks about? What are they?” That was the first time I ever saw a hint of nervousness crawl over the Illusive Pony’s face.

“Let’s just say, the less said about them, the better. Although, that does remind me that I will have to check in on the Grey Wardens again. I believe we’re drawing close to the next attack.” I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but quite frankly I didn’t care. “That file isn’t actually meant to be there. Would you kindly pass me it back?”

“Huh? Oh... sure.” I plucked the sheet of paper from the folder and handed it to the Illusive Pony. Illusive stared at the sheet for a brief moment before speaking again.

“Would you kindly. Powerful phrase, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Nothing, it isn’t important.”

I went back to looking through the files again. Daring Do, the mare I had encountered two years prior, was mentioned, but the reasons for her dismissal were left out. An older report mentioned a mare called Bell Swan. Apparently, she secretly organised a war between a clan of werewolves and vampires, which left many dead, including her two lovers, who were a werewolf and a vampire, respectively. She was deemed a sociopath by experts and locked away. Good, she sounded like a bitch. Nature Drake, Doctor Fate, the Gravity Queen, Ashe Williams, and even that rumoured vigilante in Manehattan, Batmare, were all listed in these documents. Funny thing though, they all said ‘League Candidate.’ What did that mean exactly?

“All these files have ‘League Candidate’ written in them. Is that what we are?” As usual, he took a puff of his cigarette before answering.

“That’s a codename created by my great, great grandfather Gulliver, the creator of Foxhound. After exploring the world and encountering things beyond our comprehension, he realised there were many things we did not know and did not understand, and these things could be potentially dangerous if not used the right way.”

“And this also constituted for weird ponies as well, right?”

“Yes. Officially, you are known as the ‘League of Extraordinary Ponies.’”

“I suppose the circus of freaks was already taken?” He ignored my dry remark and continued to explain.

“He brought together a group of individuals, including Manna Heart, Alan Quartermane, the original Invisible pony, Captain Nemo, and a rather large gentlepony by the name of Hide.” So we weren’t the first then, but evidence suggested this group was disbanded for one reason or another.

“So, how did they fare?”

“At first, well enough. They prevented threats from the likes of Fu Man Chu, but their conflicting personalities were their downfall during an alien threat. Nemo hated ponies, a lot. He was actually a griffon with a submarine, the first of its kind, but he was prejudiced against us. Miss Manna and Quatermane got on a little too well, if you catch my drift, but the real problem lay with the other two.”

“The Invisible Pony was a stallion called Griffon, who was ironically a pony. To put it bluntly, he was a rapist and a coward. The aliens were a different group, but they arrived during the P-COM initiative. They used tripod like ship to roam the earth as our planets environment was toxic to them. After witnessing their weapons first hand, Griffon felt we were doomed, so in order to spare himself, he formed an allegiance with the invaders. Hide, on the other hoof, was unpredictable. He was violent, vile and very cruel. But he was also exceptionally powerful. When the league had learned of Griffon’s betrayal and the attempted rape of a mare that Hide had cared for, well, as you might imagine, Mister Hide didn’t take too kindly to it. I won’t give you the details, but he killed Griffon, and soon after, Hide was killed by the aliens. Thankfully, the P-COM project pulled through and pushed back the invaders. The surviving members of the league went their separate ways after that, but to where, I don’t know.”

“So you’re ancestor Gulliver declared it a failure and shut down the project. Why would you bring it back then?”

Instead of smoking, he put the cigarette out, turned his chair the other way, and faced the cosmic view behind him. He must have been reminiscing. At least that was my best guest. I couldn’t see his face at all.

“I recently came in contact with an old friend,” he began, “by the name of Fury. Like myself, he is the leader of a specialised group. Unlike me, he is backed by Celestia. He was telling me about a plan of his called ‘the Avengers Initiative.’ I assume you’ve heard the rumours of a sudden increase in vigilante activity?”

Heard? It was all over the papers. Ever since Stark escaped his Changeling prison it’s been one rumour after another. A mare dressed like a bat stalking the streets of Manehatten.  The old legend of Captain Equestria. A pony with the powers of a spider. A blue mare that can create objects from light. The list was growing more and more and I was wondering when it would inevitably blow up. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was all true.

“Anyway, as you might have guessed, it’s all true. He believes that bringing together a group of individuals with different and unique abilities might just be able to coexist long enough to prevent a catastrophe. As he told me though, it’s an old fashioned notion. He’s putting it on the back burner for now. However, it inspired me to look into this again. I’ve spent many weeks assembling this group, and all we were missing was a leader. Until now.”

It was the way he said it, and the way he motioned towards me, that made me realise what my role truly was. Yesterday, I had wondered why I was really here. Everything that I could provide was already covered for, but now I knew. He wanted me to lead the group. I berated myself for not seeing it sooner, as this was obviously what he had been leading to this entire time. I wanted to respond, but the right words wouldn’t come out. Instead, the Illusive Pony kept talking.

“Silver informed me you performed exactly as we expected. When you reached the Changeling hideout, you gave orders for an effective strategy against them that quickly neutralised any threat with minimal damages and casualties. You’re a natural leader, whether you like to admit it or not.”

He had me there. To my own surprise, any attempt to argue the matter was quickly extinguished. Looking over the group, I suppose I was the best candidate to lead. Guardian and Ulysses were both loners. I imagine the Doctor only ever had a few ponies around him at a time, Vinyl was very inexperienced in combat, and Spitfire was an excellent leader, but she too lacked actual combat experience. Fade was too busy checking out plots while Shadow’s guard detail usually involved her working alone.

Then there was Silver. Honestly, I didn’t why she couldn’t lead at first, but then it hit me. Despite how easily she could warm up to you, and despite how well she could read ponies, she herself was a loner. From what she had told me before, I realised that Assassins normally carried out missions alone. Despite all her positive qualities, even she wanted me to be the leader. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but I knew fighting it would do me no good. I either accept it, or walk out. And I had seen too much at this point to just simply walk away.

“Fine, but if something goes wrong, I refuse to be held responsible for it,” I growled at the end. He nodded, and despite his face showing no expression, I could sense satisfaction beaming off of him.

“Excellent. I would recommend you head over to the interrogation now and receive an update. I am confident in Spitfire’s ability, but it couldn’t hurt to check on what’s happening.” I made no argument as I headed for the door, but something gave me pause. Something I remembered that I wanted to ask.

“Hey, before I go… I need to ask you something.” “Oh bloody hell, how do I get around to even doing this.” He looked up at me. His expression was no different than the usual expressionless face he wore constantly, but I could detect a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

“Yes, what is it?” He asked in response. I let out a long sigh before getting straight to it.

“Look, you can get me things, no questions asked, right?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I want a steak. Or some chicken, or a fish, something with some meat on it. And nopony else on this team can know.” He paused for only two seconds before I got his response.

“I should have known from your teeth. I assume you we’re also trained to eat meat if you landed in enemy territory with no other option, am I correct?” I simply nodded and he seemed satisfied. “Very well, I shall acquire you some from a Griffon vendor in Canterlot.”

“Thanks, I used to get some from a shop in Trottingham. I told the Griffon at the register my marefriend was a Griffon, as it was the only excuse I could think of to get any.”

“There’s no need to explain. I will have some food sent up to your room tonight. Now, I think its best you find out what’s going on with your team, leader.” I would have to get used to being called that, I suppose. I just didn’t want the responsibility on my hooves. I thought I was passed all that, but in the end, life has come full circle, and I found myself in charge of a unit again.

I took his suggestion though, and headed for the interrogation. As soon as I got out of the door, I composed myself to move forward, but then I was stopped by a mare that was right beside me. Silver was standing right next to me, with a cheeky grin plastered on her face. She must have been listening in on our conversation.

“So, our leader eats meat,” she stated to nopony in particular, “that’s kind of kinky.”

“Kinky? What the hell did she get up to in her spare time?” I brushed off the shock of her being there, and her attempt to flabbergast me, and got straight to the point.

“Was there a particular reason you were listening in on my conversation?” She shrugged her shoulders in response.

“Old habits die hard, I suppose. I’ve got to get info somehow, and this was easier than just asking.”

“Well at least you’re honest about being a sneaky bitch.” She feigned mock hurt by clutching her hoof to her chest and prepared to swoon.

“Oh, you cruel Stallion, how could you say such hurtful things?” As she fell backwards, I knew she would stop herself if I didn’t catch her. She was trained for that kind of thing. However, I acted on instinct and caught her before she hit the floor. She fluttered her eyelashes at me, and cooed in appreciation.

“My hero. Protecting me from the mean old ground. How can I ever repay you?” I let her drop. Her head smacked against the floor and she threw her hoofs up to clutch at the pain. She’d be fine. Why did I do that though? She knew I’d catch her, she knew I wouldn’t let her drop. So I did something she wouldn’t expect. My little way of fucking with her. I stood over her as she lay on the floor.

“You can start by giving me an update on the interrogation. You just came from there, right?” She snorted at me in annoyance but did as she was asked.

“Yeah, we haven’t got very far though. Spitfire is doing it by the book, and honestly, she should have cracked by now. There can be only one reason why she hasn’t spilled anything yet.”

“What’s that?” I asked with genuine interest.

“She feels like she has nothing to lose. You must have noticed it too, but, the Changeling that blew himself up was her father. Must have been quite a shock to her, the poor thing.”

“Damn, what could we do, then?”

“We did get one thing from her though, her name is Mimic.”

“Mimic?”

“Yep, but that’s about it. But don’t worry. I have an idea, leader.”

“… What is it?”





Guardian POV
5 minutes later…

I missed my tree. A month ago, if you had told me that I would leave three fillies who were obsessed with finding their cutie marks to look after the thing I hold most dear to my heart, then I would have thought you were mad. I was tempted to ask a more responsible adult like Twilight, but her previous betrayal was fresh in my mind. Applejack was a better choice. Especially when I had to engage her in something called a ‘Pinkie Promise.’ Apparently, breaking one was not good for your health or sanity. I made her swear not to touch the tree, and make sure nopony disturbed it. I also made a clear pathway from their farm to the tree so they would not get lost. On top of that, Zecora, another resident of the forest, offered her services as well. I suppose I could have received worse help.

Life has a way of taking you down paths you would have never suspected you’d end up at. A being as old as I should have known that, but I ignorantly believed I would safely guard my tree till the end of my days. My tree was called ‘Abor Lunae.’ But to the tongue of ponies, it is called ‘the tree of life.’ Now I find myself as glorified muscle in order to protect it. I stood imposingly beside a table in a soundproof room. Before me was a changeling who identified herself as Mimic. She was being drilled by a pony I now identified as ‘partner.’ Her name was Spitfire.

“Rookie, let me tell you straight up, that silence technique you're pulling right now isn’t going to do you any favours. I’m sure my friend here would agree.”

She motioned a hoof towards me, and in response, the changeling gulped.  Despite her obvious fear of me, she did not utter a single word. Obviously the fear tactic wasn’t going to work, but Spitfire had insisted that torture wouldn’t be necessary. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being nothing more than a thing in a room, but I had no desire to argue. The sooner this was all finished, the better. I could tell that Spitfire was coming up short. Credit where credit is due, I imagine ponies would have said something by now. The only reason we got a name was because she pushed for one so much, but now she was out of options.

And I was out patience.

Her disapproval of more extreme tactics no longer concerned me. If fear was not good enough, then pain would have to suffice. Mere seconds before I prepared to strike, the door opened to reveal our new leader. Before we started the interrogation, Silver informed us that Carnage was now officially leading us, much to Spitfire’s apparent annoyance. I was indifferent about the decision. He at least seemed competent enough, and I was not interested in leading us, so I merely responded with a grunt. For some reason, Silver had laughed at this and said ‘I thought you would say something like that.’ The mare was beginning to annoy me. In any case, the arrival of Carnage was unexpected and halted my assault for the moment. He walked in with confidence and purpose as he approached the Wonderbolt.

“Spitfire, you’re relieved,” he informed her, “I’m taking over from you.” I could see Silver swiftly enter and lead a stunned Spitfire away from the interrogation. As a captain, I imagine it was unusual for her to be told that she was ‘relieved’ of anything. As the door shut, I could barely make out an angry mutter from her. Carnage regarded me with a nod and sat down where Spitfire had previously been sitting.

“Well then, I assume you remember me.” She didn’t have to reply, the glare she was giving him was more than enough to qualify as a confirmation. “Well, let me be frank with you. Right now you feel like you have nothing to lose since your father's dead. Am I right?”

“You’re wrong.”

A statement. He had drawn an actual statement from her. I was not aware she had lost kin in the attack, and his theory was sound, yet she had denied it. It did not come off as a desperate lie; rather she was stating a fact.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“You are right that I have nothing to lose, but not because I lost my father. He may have been my dad, but he was an arrogant fool. He was one of the things stopping me from reaching my goal.”

“And what is your goal?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Why shouldn’t you tell me? You have nothing to lose, after all.”

Her left eye began to twitch slightly. Generally a sign of madness, but this appeared to be out of frustration. He had an excellent point though, and I think she knew it too. What would she care at this point since she had apparently lost everything? The logic was sound enough, and judging by her response, his argument had worked.

“I-I was trying to leave Chrysalis’ group. When we had joined her hive, we were promised that we wouldn’t have to hide anymore. I thought we were going to reveal ourselves to the other races, but she attacked the capital of Equestria! It was too late when I realised that I had joined an extremist group, but dad had gotten sucked into it all. Damn her, she’s not even a queen. She’s so egotistical that she even declared… herself…”

She caught her tongue in her mouth when she saw Carnage’s scowl. I was under the impression that the one leading the invasion of Canterlot was indeed a queen, but according to this changeling, that wasn’t the case.

“What do you mean she isn’t a queen?” He muttered darkly, but loud enough so she could hear it. This time the fear tactic worked perfectly.

“L-let me explain. We have ten rulers comprised of five kings and five queens. They all rule over different parts of the planet and have their own hive. There is one in the border of Equestria, but it doesn’t belong to Chrysalis. It’s my old ruler’s, Daedalus. Chrysalis was upset when she failed the royalty test.”

“Royalty test?”

“Yes. It’s a test all Changelings go through to see if they are worthy of building their own hive or ruling over the one they already live in. Chrysalis was the daughter of Queen Chryseis, the ruler of the wastelands. Despite being a princess, she failed the test and became bitter. When you pass the test you become… different.”

“Different?”

“You change. Instead of four legs you get two and these weird long things at the end of your hoofs. You become bipedal and extremely powerful. Also, like an alicorn, you become immortal. Daedalus is as old as the princesses.”

This was a testament of how little anypony knew about these changelings. I have only ever encountered a few before in the Everfree. I’d never even suspected that there was a hive there. The forest was a mysterious place to be sure. If I couldn’t sense my tree, I am certain I would have lost it by now. With what we had been told, would this mean we are merely dealing with a bitter princess? Then again, these Templars were involved somehow, but their final goal was still a mystery to us.

I was amused with the scene before me. With such little effort, he had broken her and all her secrets were pouring out. Spitfire was likely sweating bullets behind the one way mirror. Then it occurred to me. This was Silver’s doing. Her obvious talent of reading ponies was evident even to me. She saw right through this changeling and had our new leader pick her apart. Clever.

“So that’s what you wanted then. To wash your hooves of the dirt you found yourself in, and start again.” She nodded weakly as tears began to form in her eyes. She shook her head to clear her mind.

“I know what happens next. I’m gonna get locked up, or killed or…”

“… Not necessarily.” My head snapped towards our ‘leader’ as he sat before her, expressionless. Perhaps he was mimicking the Illusive Pony, but what did he mean by ‘not necessarily?’ “I suppose it depends on what you tell me. What were you up to?” She wiped any stray tears and did her best to compose herself.

“Well... We were just meant to transport the shipments out of Canterlot. I don’t know where the new hive is. I was meant to be told when the shipments were prepared by the delivery lings.” Then she was useless to us. If she could not… “but, I remember our next assignment. We were meant to track down this changeling defector who was hiding in Ponyville.”

Well that was something.

“What do you mean? Defector of whom?” Pressed Carnage.

“We believed a Changeling broke off from the hive and went on his own. He became quite delusional and sought out a place to hide. We tracked him to Ponyville where the elements resided. Chrysalis believed he was hiding in the one place we wouldn’t dare go.”

“Well then, Mimic, could you help us find this Changeling?”

“Um… yeah.”

“Then you may have earned your freedom.” She cocked her head to the side in confusion. “This Changeling came from your hive, right? The new one you weren’t aware of the location of.” She nodded weakly. “If you help us find him, you will be set free.”

For a moment, I thought she would explode in her seat, but she was able to contain herself by fiddling with her hooves. Sadly, we may require her, and Ponyville was close to my home. I would have to keep an eye on her. Perhaps this Carnage was more competent than I thought.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Excellent, but before we do anything else, what was your group transporting? We now that it’s some kind of metal, but we haven’t looked at it yet.”

“You don’t know? It’s the leftover pieces of those Cybermen from their invasion.”

After hearing that, all I could think about was how the Doctor would react to this news.