//------------------------------// // The deathly tune // Story: Homecoming // by seeker9709 //------------------------------// 10 Days Remaining Paperwork covered the small tabletop. A half-empty mug of coffee sat out next to the papers. Sunlight shone through the blinds before reaching the bleary-eyed unicorn who stared at the files. Though there were multiple names on the files, one name stood out in Shining Armor's mind. A certain grey mare was the focus of his thoughts. Her story just didn't check out. Shining had spent all night with a list of four ponies that seemed the most suspicious, and Octavia had been at the top of his list the entire time. According to the records, she was born in Manehatten, but after studying living, tax, and income records, nothing seemed to match. There were gaps in her life. She had been an orphan filly since she was a baby, and there were no records of parents or even loose family members. However, the orphanage that claimed to have raised her was shady at best and seemed to also have gaps in its records. The mistakes were few at first, but once Shining focused on them, they began to appear throughout the rest of her files like blemishes on what could have been a clean slate. Something was strange about this mare and her story, but Shining couldn't figure out what it was. Delving further into her files, the unicorn had practically forgotten about his other suspects. Instead, Octavia's name was the only that he could think of. It occupied his every thought like a parasite that had taken over his mind. Throughout the entire night, Shining had read through all of her files repeatedly. Occasionally he forced himself away from the musician to justify having the others present on his list. But after reading through their records, he quickly dismissed them and returned to hers. Nothing in their files was as interesting as what was in Octavia's. Shining couldn't help but feel confused at his lust for finding out more about the mare. It was as if he was drawn to her. He didn't desire her in a romantic manner, but he was frantic to find out more about her. He had never felt so strongly about a suspect before. He lifted up the mug of coffee which had been absently placed on another file. He took a sip before making a face at the cold liquid and placing the cup back down on an empty spot on the table. With a sigh, he turned back towards the cluttered and messy table. His hooves pressed against his forehead, massaging his aching temples. His eyes begged for rest as his head screamed for a pillow to lay on. His attention was called away, however, as the door to his bedroom gently swung open, signaling the waking of his wife. The pink alicorn strode through the doorway, quickly meeting Shining's bleary eyes. “Good morning.” He called to her with a tired smile. Cadence raised an eyebrow at her husband. “It could have been better with you.” She replied with a smile, now at her husband's side. “Why didn't you come to bed last night?” Her question was answered once she looked at the files scattered around their table. Her eyes scanned the pages for a moment before Shining gripped the pages in his magic. “Nothing, really.” He lied. “Just brought a bit of work home with me last night. Guess I got a bit carried away, huh?” He chuckled. The last part wasn't really a lie. He truly hadn't expected to be up all night with his 'research'. Cadence continued to try and read the pages, but only saw them for another moment before Shining gathered them together in a neat stack and placed them face-down on the other side of the table. “Don't worry about those. Just some personnel files. Nothing too serious.” Cadence cast a doubtful look at the unicorn, as he wearily smiled at her. “Well then. If they're nothing too serious, then there shouldn't be any harm in me seeing them.” Before Shining could protest, the stack of files and papers were enveloped in a pinkish glow as they levitated towards the alicorn. “Come on Cadence, give them back. They're nothing serious.” Shining reached out with his magic, but found her own repelling it. It was the magical version of a slap on the hoof. “They must be serious if you brought them home AND spent all night looking at them.” Cadence hummed to herself as she flipped through the pages. Cadence noticed one name in particular often repeated itself throughout the large stack. Shining was silent as Cadence worked her way through the pages, skimming over key details about each pony. “It seems that you've acquired quite a list.” Her head popped out from behind the pages, a teasing smile on her face. “A suspect list perhaps?” Shining made a physical grab for the papers, but Cadence flew out of reach with a single flap of her wings. “I thought that we were on a short 'stay-cation.' One that, might I add, was prompted by my aunts.” Cadence whirled around dramatically, one hoof touched to her mouth. “Now what could my ever-busy husband be doing with a list of random ponies, all of whom are immigrants to Canterlot, while on a mandatory vacation from the Princesses?” She waked around the room with large, exaggerated steps while staring towards him with similarly exaggerated expressions. “So,” she began again, “Shining Armor, a list of possible suspects, all of whom only recently moved to Canterlot, and a recent event where Twilight Sparkle, said husband, Rainbow Dash, and myself were all involved. Seems a teensy bit convenient, doesn't it, Captain?” She quirked one eyebrow at the exasperated unicorn staring back at her. “You, Captain Shining Armor, are looking at possible suspects who could be keeping Twilight as a guest or hiding her here in Canterlot, right under our very noses.” The couple looked at each other for a few silent moments. Shining Armor stared, utterly defeated, at his wife, while she returned his stare with a triumphant and cocky smile. “Admit it, darling. I win.” Cadence called as she turned back towards their bedroom, waving the files in a teasing manner at her husband. Shining dropped back into his chair with a sigh. He rubbed his hooves against his temples yet again. “Alright, alright.” He called to the pink alicorn. “You win. I'll tell you, but only if you promise not to tell ANYPONY. Including Celestia and Luna.” In a blur of feathers Cadence was in front of Shining, kneeling at his hooves like a filly waiting for their grandfather to tell them a story. “I promise!” She said excitedly. Shining would have laughed at the adorable display had he not been so tired and stressed. The white unicorn took a deep breath. He so desperately wanted to keep Cadence out of the entire affair, but since she knew what he was doing, she would never leave him alone until he told her what he suspected. “A few nights ago, after the events at the market place, Twilight came here.” Cadence's smile disappeared in a moment, replaced by a look of shock. She covered her mouth with one hoof. “What do you mean she came here? She was in our house? Why didn't you wake me up? Don't you think I would have wanted to see her?” Shining held up one hoof, silencing the pink alicorn. “I still don't understand how, but suddenly she just showed up in the house. She wasn't here for long, a few minutes at best, but it's what she said that is the problem.” Shining took a deep breath before continuing. “She said that she was here on a mission. Something she had to do. She told me that she wants my help. Just my help.” He stated, seeing his wife's hopeful expression. “She didn't tell me what she was doing or why she was here. Just that she had something to do. She gave me a choice. Help her, and keep other ponies from being hurt, or don't help and risk others being hurt or possibly killed. Myself included.” Cadence looked, downcast, toward the floor. This was a serious matter, if Twilight would make such a blatant up-or-down statement. “Then...then we should help her, right? If she doesn't want anypony hurt, then she can't be that evil. She just wants to accomplish her mission. Then she can come back, right? She can stay this time. Velvet can hold her daughter again. Celestia and Luna can find out how she learned to use her magic. Maybe she could help that other filly, Sweetie Belle. Twilight can help her use her magic too, right?” Cadence rose from the floor. Her vision was lost in a thousand-yard stare as she began to pace. “Why are we even debating this, Shiny? We can get Twilight back. She can finally come back to us. She asked you for help, right? You must know how to find her, right? We can help her. She can have a family again. She can be safe again. I don't know why she did what she did in the northern town, but we can find out. She must have had a reason, right?” Shining winced at her mentioning the northern town. He had regretted telling her about that. It had to be as hard on her as it was on him to find out about Twilight the same way he had. “Cadence.” He said gently, calling the attention of his wife. She turned to him with a pain-stricken expression. “I don't know what to do either, Cadence. Twily didn't tell me a single thing about what she was doing. I don't know whether I should help her or not, but please, I am begging you not to worry about it. She said I still have time to decide. Besides...” The stallion stood, moving over towards Cadence. He put a protective hoof over her shoulder. “I could arrange for her to meet with the Princesses. We could talk it over with them. Maybe agree to a truce. She could agree to go into protective custody and tell us why she's come back.” The words seemed to go over Cadence's head. Slowly she lifted her head and nuzzled her husband. “You're right. She spoke to you. I won't force you to make a decision.” She planted her lips on his, holding the kiss for a few seconds before pulling away. A smile made its way onto her features. “Well then, you need to go to bed mister, it's been a late night.” She guided her husband to their bedroom. They laid down together for a few moments before Cadence made her way to the door. “I'm going to make breakfast. Do you want anything?” Shining shook his head lightly in response as he rolled over, pulling sheets over his body. Cadence pulled the door shut as she left the room, her giddy smile growing as the door knob clicked behind her. As soon as it had, Cadence's wings sprung to life. The alicorn propelled herself off of an open balcony and into the night air, not even waiting to get a cloak or coat for the cold morning. Though she had promised Shining Armor that she would not tell any pony, she never said anything about changelings. Later that evening Luna sat in her room, her front hooves folded as she stared at a small chess board, laying open on her desk. Her room was still mostly ruined from the explosion caused by Twilight, but the builders worked quickly and had repaired it so that it was liveable. The ceiling and wall were fixed with fresh wooden boards and bricks, providing the room with the darkness that Luna so loved. As princess of the night, it was where she best focused. Focus was what she needed as she considered the open board in front of her. Though her competitor would never move a physical piece, she had made her first move long ago. It was rare that a worthy competitor rose to challenge the alicorn Princesses, especially one like Twilight Sparkle. No matter how rare, the challenges would still arise and Luna almost always made a habit of devoting the majority of her time to solving them. Both their positions and celestial pieces meant something to them. Celestia's sun would look down on the ponies of Equestria, providing them with warmth in the cold and light to see and grow their crops, among other things. Luna, on the other hoof, watched over them during the night and provided the ponies with peaceful dreams, protecting them while they slept. Celestia was more of a social protector, while Luna handled most of the military affairs and business. Luna's strategic mind worked in her favor, which made her the better fighter, strategist, and military leader. The bat ponies who composed her night guard, as well as the occasional regular pony such as Rainbow Dash, were experts in stealth and covert operations, and mostly avoided basic guarding and patrolling. The sisters were not only vital to the ponies of Equestria, but to each other. While both sisters could function in both jobs, they were each more fit for their own task and gladly accepted their positions. Luna considered many possibilities as to why Twilight had returned, but couldn't decide what the mare once thought dead could be up too. The navy mare had also ruled out political assassination, as Equestria was simply too strong for that to be a viable option for one single pony. She had also ruled out invasion, as Canterlot was more defended now than it had been in hundreds of years, due to the changeling invasion. Though it was close to two years since the event, ponies were still frightened and paranoid about deception and invaders. Guards had found changelings hiding in Canterlot as many as six months after the invasion failed, leaving the ponies of Equestria scared, looking over their shoulders and watching from the corners of their eyes. Changelings would not be able to come into Equestria for a long while. It was possible, of course, that Twilight could be allied with the gryphons, dragons, or any number of creatures vying for power and expansion of their lands. The gryphons and dragons were the most likely to invade, as they were the strongest, smartest, and had the most to gain from the takeover of other creature's kingdoms. However, there were no political rumblings to indicate anything remiss between Equestria and their kingdoms. It was also possible that the Diamond Dogs could be making a grab for power, but they were extremely disorganized and the majority were slobbering fools. The brainless creatures only craved for their precious gems and hadn't staged a full-fledged invasion for thousands of years. In addition, Equestria's military was now at constant alert, and an invasion would be murderous for whoever dared to try. Finally, while the neighboring lands were plentiful in population, and strong, Equestria was without a doubt on top when it came to resources, land, and treasures. No, Luna thought to herself. This was something else. Something bigger. The only other species she knew of with the magic to speak to somepony telepathically or through dreams were the Elks from the far east and the Zebras who dwelled far into the Badlands, both of whom were extremely peaceful unless disturbed. They were notoriously powerful, but acted only in defense and had never staged an invasion or ever been successfully invaded. Twilight Sparkle served a master, and for that Luna had pity for the mare. She had been 'taken' at such a young age that her mind could have been warped and twisted in many ways. The filly had unbelievable power that had lain dormant, and somepony had found out when neither Luna nor Celestia even knew. Some pony of incredible power had found Twilight and done something to her, bending the mare to their will. Luna still hoped that something could be done for her. There might be some way to save her and bring the old Twilight Sparkle back. She might even be reunited with her family. And yet, as she stared at the board trying to predict the next move, she doubted her thoughts. Something seemed off about the mare. She had been shown to have her own vigilantist agenda and sense of justice and judgment. She even had multiple personalities dictating her thoughts to her. It was unknown to the sisters how much of her thoughts were hers and not her 'Master's' or those of her her split personalities. As Luna stared at the chess pieces, a hoof knocked against the large doors to her room. “Luna?” Celestia called out to her younger sister. “It's growing late. Are you okay?” Luna perked up. She had completely forgotten about the moon. “Yes, Celestia. I got carried away. Please, come in.” A moment later the door opened. Celestia squinted her eyes, trying to locate the Princess of the Night in the darkness. Luna pulled open the curtains on her balcony, letting light back into the near pitch-black room. The sun was setting, and golden light cascaded beautifully across the mountains and the Everfree Forest. Though Luna loved her night-sky tapestries more, she still had great respect for her sister's sun, just as Celestia held respect for her moon and stars. They stood together on the balcony, their horns glowing as the sun and moon rose and set respectively into the skyline. For a moment, the pair shone in tandem, the light from both spilling across the land. If not for the looming threat at hoof, they would have considered the twilight beautiful. But now it only caused them more worry, as if the celestial bodies they controlled mocked them. Celestia turned back, walking into the room. She regarded the still-open chess board with great concern. “We have to find her, sister.” The elder alicorn mused. “Something is going to happen, and it's going to be big. Right now, with Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash out of the game, we are at a disadvantage.” Celestia picked up two of the pieces and held them in her magic at eye level. The pieces were a rook and knight. Luna pulled the polished wooden tokens away from her sister. She regarded them with a frown. “Believe me, Celestia. I know.” Luna glared at the board. If there was one thing she hated, it was losing. It was her greatest weakness, one she had learned from many times. She could never let her pride get the best of her. Hubris was even deadlier than the sharpest dagger or the heaviest sword. This inability to accept defeat was one of many ways in which she related to Rainbow Dash. “I fear something greater is approaching. Something even worse than Twilight Sparkle. I feel she is simply the first pawn in this game.” One black pawn was gripped in Luna's magic and rose from the board before stopping and floating evenly in between the two sisters. “The first move in any game is the greatest. It begins the battle. It's the first step in any strategy and can mean the difference between life...” She place the piece back onto the board, moving it one space ahead. “And death.” Celestia finished, staring at the pawn as if it were the greatest weapon she had ever known. Night time It was darker than it had been the past few nights. There had been a decent cloud cover previously, although it was still light enough to allow for moonbeams to shine down on Canterlot. Tonight, however, was different. Clouds had moved in as soon as the sun set and now dominated the sky, extinguishing the light from the moon and causing shadows to cascade down the mountainside and run through the streets. It was unsettling to watch as the light slowly disappeared. Within an hour of the sun setting, the shadows had devoured the light and enveloped the now-sleeping city. Even for Chip it was a scary thought. He, Mirror, and Switch had been sent out by Cadence a few hours ago. When Cadence had come to the three changelings that morning, she had been so giddy that she looked like she was about to shoot through the ceiling. Though they were surprised by her strange mood, they were quick to listen, just as they always did. For the past few weeks they had been scouting from clouds, rooftops, and alleyways. This time, Cadence had sent them off with specific destinations in mind. Apparently she thought that somepony was hiding Twilight Sparkle away in Canterlot. Though he had never interacted with her personally when they were in the hive, Chip knew that the mare could survive on her own. He thought it quite interesting that there was the possibility of her staying with another pony. Chip did not personally believe that she would do such a thing. She was extremely solitary, and he had never seen her speak with anypony in the hive other than Chrysalis. It would be unlikely for her to rely on another pony. But then again, she had shown herself to be rather spiteful towards the changelings in the past. Chip thought that she was just angry at the world in particular. Growing up with changelings could leave quite an impact on a pony, but the young changeling didn't blame her for not liking it. Food was scarce, sympathy was unwanted, and love was a commodity. Though changelings used it as a food source, love was something precious to ponykind as well. Without love, a pony could change into something else, something darker. It was possible for a simple unicorn to be love-starved just like a changeling. The impact it left could be devastating to both mind and soul. That was why the changelings were afraid. They were born into that lifestyle. It practically flowed through their veins. But a regular pony would be different. It had molded Twilight, shaped her, changed her. Made her into something new. Something different. Chip heard a ringing in his head. His horn glowed dimly for a moment before Mirror spoke in his mind. 'Hey Chip, you there?' Despite neither of them speaking aloud, Mirror's words were hushed and her tone was low. 'Yeah, Mirror. What's going on?' Chip returned to his sister. She sounded worried, but calm. 'I don't know. Switch thinks that he saw something near Rue De Harmony. It could be nothing, but go and check it out.' Suddenly the ringing returned to silence, and Chip knew that she had severed the link. The changeling couldn't help but sigh to himself as he flew from roof to roof. Ponies always had such dumb and simple names to give to things. Roads, cities, streets, and even other ponies. If only they new how UN-harmonious their world was. Even their country was self-indulgent. Equestria. Chip would bet his horn and wings that there were fewer ponies in this country than a quarter of the other species that resided here as well. But it didn't matter. They were a rather thick-headed species and Chip doubted that would change any time soon. It took less than a minute for Chip to reach the street. He crouched down on one of the rooftops, scanning the street with keen eyes. Nothing seemed out of place or wrong. A large stallion coated in golden armour walked down the street, a lantern held in his outstretched wing. The stallion swept the lantern about, causing Chip to duck down to avoid detection. As the stallion passed, Chip gave a quick glance to the passing pony. His horn and eyes glowed slightly, searching the guard with subtle magic, but soon dimmed again. The stallion was just a regular pony, nothing worth investigating. Chip made his way to a small side street, then traveled between a row of houses. His horn glowed again, and his body shimmered as his eyes turned a deeper shade of blue, giving him vision in the dark. The changeling slowly crept through the ally, staying inside the shadows despite the invisible shroud surrounding him. If he could see Twilight, then there was the possibility that she would also be able to see him. As he walked, there came the small creak of a door just a few yards down the side-street. Chip ducked behind a large dumpster out of habit. He hadn't seen anypony in his peripheral vision as he was moving, and he was sure that if it was a pony, they hadn't noticed his presence. Slowly, he leaned out from behind the dumpster enough to look with one eye. There was nothing visible in front of him that could have made the noise, but he wasn't sure yet. He took a deep breath before his eyes glowed brighter for a moment. At the end of the tunnel was a pony. Despite his magical vision, the pony was still dark. They almost seemed to be a walking shadow. Chip had only seen them for a moment before they turned the corner, but he would bet anything that it was Twilight. Canterlot was practically crime-free, making it very safe to move around freely throughout the city, and the magic surrounding the strange pony was stronger thn a normal invisibility spell. That was a changeling spell surrounding the pony. Chip could tell just by looking at it. He hadn't even felt the aura or signature of the magic, but it was obvious to him where she had learned it. Twilight Sparkle had been right in front of him. He had to be quick now. 'Guys. I think I found her. I'm leaving a signal that you and Cadence can find in this alley. Do not respond.' As soon as he had finished, he severed the link and ran deeper into the passageway. His horn glowed and a spark of magic jumped from it to the alley wall. The young changeling reached the end of the corridor, following Twilight's path while trying to remain as stealthy as possible. As he turned the corner, his eyes flashed again for just a brief moment. This time he saw her fully, and stealthily moved to the side to observe her completely. The purple mare crept through the alley, saddlebags strapped to her sides while her long mane hung loose. Her eyes, while wide open to scout the streets, were dark and tired. Her face sagged as she stared ahead. Though he couldn't help but feel a shred of sympathy for the tired looking mare, he knew who she was and to never underestimate her. After only a moment, she shot across the street in front of her. She quickly ducked back into the shadows of another alley across the narrow way. Instead of following behind, the changeling jumped onto the roof of the building next to him. He ran across the top and another buzz of his wings sent him to the roof across the street, directly above where Twilight had gone. His eyes flashed, assuring him that Twilight was still below him. At this point she could be aware of his presence, and a sudden disappearance by the powerful mare could mean death for the young changeling. Instead of constantly watching her, which would cause the seeing spell to give off a more powerful signature, he would watch her in snippets instead. Similar to taking photographs every few seconds. Dangerous? Yes. But still safer than constantly watching her and giving away his position immediately. As Chip followed Twilight, he couldn't help but feel that something seemed off about the mare as she walked through the alleyway. Her body seemed to sway as she walked, as if performing some peculiar dance to music that only she could hear. It was strange to watch and sent shivers down Chip's spine. With each step, her strange movements grew larger and more exaggerated. He had never seen anything like it before. Twilight's head lulled from side to side and her steps seemed perfectly timed with each sway of her head. A strange tune escaped from her lips. The low hum was so silent that Chip strained to hear the notes. Her entire body seemed to ripple as she moved to the tune she sung. As she rounded another corner, Chip had to sprint quickly over the space between the rooftops to catch up with her. Soon the changeling was again on the same path, but when he looked to see if she was still there he found only empty air. The changeling's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the empty alley . Though he couldn't find Twilight, he could still hear the music which had come from the mare. The tune grew louder and louder as Chip’s head snapped back and forth, desperately searching for Twilight. To the changeling's utter horror, every few moments in between notes of the strange hum, he heard laughter. Not regular laughter. It was... filly-like at first. But soon grew deeper. In only a few moments, the voice had transformed. It was not a laugh of happiness or joy, but the laugh of a murderer about to make their kill. In a flash, the changeling spun around and launched himself into the air. Now he was sure that he had been found. Twilight was simply toying with him. Despite his attempts to flee, he knew that he wouldn't be able to escape. In a moment of panic, he sent out a message to anypony who could hear it. Not just Cadence or his siblings, but anypony who could have heard it. The changeling called out, both with his voice and mind, 'Help me!' Then a flash of light hit him from behind, paralyzing his wings mid-flight and causing the changeling to drop out of the sky. The impact was a hard one, instantly knocking the wind out of the changeling. As he landed, he heard the snapping of bones and immediately pain flooded his every thought. His vision went red as blood spilled from his forehead into his left eye. The changeling gave a groan of pain. He tried to move his hooves, wanting to run, or even crawl away from his soon-to-be killer. But he found himself unable to do so. His hooves didn't respond and the pain that he felt was so intense that he could barely think straight. Slowly, his body was encased in a purple light. With no will or ability to fight, his body was shifted around so that he saw Twilight standing over him. Her eyes were a solid black color that seemed to pierce his very soul. She no longer sung the strange tune as she faced the changeling. She looked at Chip with a pitying smile, as if she was assuring him that he would be okay, even though he doubted he would survive the next few minutes. She simultaneously walked towards Chip while also pulling the changeling towards herself. His eyelids felt heavy as blood loss and pain took their toll on the his body. Now death seemed to be a comforting sleep instead of a horrifying idea. A sleep that would encompass him, taking away his pain and suffering. Before the changeling's world went dark he heard gentle words, as if she was trying not to wake a sleeping filly. Words that made him want to fall asleep even faster. “Now what should we do with you?”