[Blazing's Entry]
Wow, has it been that long?
Another year passed without nothing out of ordinary happening if you don't count the changeling executions, another alicorn joining the princess ranks and some news of a land inhabited by a completely different kind of ponies suddenly appearing in the northern tundra.
So, nothing big.
Not much has been going on with me as well. After the failed invasion, which I kind of made possible, the Guard mages came up with a spell to identify changelings in disguise and the purge of Canterlot began. That wasn't the real problem though. Thinking about Solid Steel's words I used my ability to feel other changelings, and their victims, to help as well, with an ulterior motive though. Solid said that not all changelings are hostile and some just try to live without having to starve in the forest so whenever I found a changeling whose 'feeding' partner wasn't charmed or poisoned I enlisted the help of Choking and Sharp to persuade princess Luna to lead a small interrogation. I knew princess Celestia was too personally involved in the invasion not to think clearly and Luna's ability to detect lies gave me a little piece of calm I so desperately needed after half of Canterlot began looking at me funny. Of course, the changelings who we found hiding with their partner or with victim somewhere around suffered the same fate as the survivors of princess Cadence's spell.
The good thing about all this is that we were able to get the peaceful changelings to safety, either out of Canterlot or to previously purged zones, after they talked it out with their partners and it became clear they didn't just take somepony's life but created their own. Surprisingly, a lot of the couples already knew. Turns out that the best way to get the highest quality love is to take every breath just for your partner.
The executions were rough though. I know how it feels when the queen is in your head and while I have no doubts that a lot of changelings just wanted to feed without thinking about it but there was also a lot of those who were just drafted into the army without having a choice.
Now for the mundane matters.
I had to try and keep low profile for first few months but the guard status was a big enough shield not to get lynched on the street and all the places I regularly visit didn't have a problem with me. Joe just loves money and getting compliments for his fantastic pastries and Singer takes me as one of his regulars no matter how I look. Also, the bunch of drunks at Sole Regret are apparently mercenaries who have seen too much to stay sober and when I heard their stories about the invasion I really felt sorry for the changelings sent to take this place over. Home, sweet home.
The Royal Guard is in complete disarray. Thanks to the long lasting peace in Equestria, most of the guards never had to do much aside from breaking a bar brawl or walking infinite hours in a circle when patrolling the castle library. In truth, most of them just took the position to have just a little authority and it still pays better than usual hoofwork of loading airships or growing flowers. In short, most of the guards resigned and the entire Royal Guards is impossibly understaffed.
The Nightguard, on the other hoof, is almost intact. Batponies are usually serious and firm so none of them actually resigned. That doesn't mean none of them left though. From what I heard from princess Luna the night patrols took a heavy toll on most Nightguards and some of them went insane, expecting claws and teeth to jump at them behind every corner. It might seem princess Luna doesn't do much but with how terrible the effect of PTSD on all guards were, she has to sort the dreams of thousands of ponies so they don't die on the inside even now, when all fleshwounds are already gone. She's still fighting the invasion even an entire year later.
It's not all bad though.
Choking's been promoted again. If this goes on then she'll be Glorious High Command Supreme Warlord Princess of Equestria eventually. Funnily enough, she was the highest ranking guard in the only group of ponies who held their own during the fight which somehow translated into her being the leader and getting credit for the good outcome. We all owe her our lives, hehe.
Sharp Biscuit and Heavy Hoof seem to be in a stable, no pun intended, relationship. I have no idea whether or not it will last but I think they both were happy to find somepony like them and even if they break up it won't break their confidence. Heavy's finished his training and is now a drill sargeant like me but he trains earthponies who have interest in staff combat. Sharp is still Sharp, you can't go much higher than the Nightguard leader unless you slap a horn on him and declare him royalty.
Rising Thunder is a spear trainer, not much surprise there with his amount of skill and absolute lack of interest in rank. He still hates me though and I think it got worse for some reason. Thankfully we don't meet that often. Solid Steel is now in some special unit which is more unknown than Celestia's sex life so I haven't seen him in ages but if there is somepony capable of taking care of himself then it's him.
Not much more to say, really. With changes in command structure and guard rules dealing with how little of us there is my recruit classes changed a lot and since we had a little reminder of how important organized training really I've been reduced to mere sword trainer for unicorns.
Oh, one more thing. Nightmare Night is tonight, too bad I can't change into anything.
[End Entry]
"BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP"
The most annoying sound known to ponykind rouses me from sleep. That's nothing new though and my body reacts by itself and swings a leg closest to the sound, aiming under the bed.
"Mmmmrfz," I try to unglue my lips after the beeping of the alarm clock stops abruptly.
Another day, another chance to fail miserably. Don't get me wrong, I like my life the way it is but I know well enough that I just got really lucky. In truth, everything on my outside changed a lot since I arrived in Canterlot but the inside is still the same cesspool.
RISE AND SHINE, BUTTERCUP!
And now I get blamed in stereo. One wouldn't think that a voice on the inside of one's head could be loud enough to spring a horrible hangover headache but in this case one would be wrong.
"Owwwwwww," I groan and lick my lips. In shock I look at the mattress on my bed to see whether or not it's melting somewhere. Surprisingly, it isn't and, still spitting around from the taste, I realize the smell comes from my mouth.
A bottle of Rotgut, Equestria's finest brainmelter, stands empty next to the bed and causes memories to flood back. That's one thing about guards resigning - we get a going away party every few days and while I usually attend just to be polite, this time I forgot I haven't eaten anything most of the day. Being a changeling hybrid means I have to eat both normal food and energy albeit in varying amounts and Choking's visits to my lessons mean I get enough of the second to often forget about the first. So when I swiped a bottle from the party to drown the voice in my head pestering me about, well, everything I kind of forgot what hard liquor does to an empty stomach.
I look around to assess the situation around me which is always a good idea after blacking out hard. The drafty window letting in light from the outside is still covered by a makeshift drape, which I made from the one of two items which hold sentimental value for me - an old rug with long service of keeping me warm. The wobbly table, which I almost never use besides writing a diary entry, still has one of its legs propped by a book with a partially visible title 'Psychology for dummies: A pony's guide to-'. It's something I bought to help me deal with the exclusion after the invasion but as it is with all cheap self-help books, I got what I paid for.
"Oh crap," I curse to the empty air when I see the problem.
Evidently I was trying to repair a radiator that hasn't been working properly since the time I moved here. The chances of it working at all are less than zero now, considering the pile of parts lying on the floor. That explains the cold at least. Anything else? No, good. Making a mental note, which I forget immediately, I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
"You get uglier day after day," I say to the wannabe unicorn in the mirror.
At least there's something we can agree on.
I haven't changed at all though. Still the same bronze armor, still the embarrassing red corset and still the same colors. If I was a complete changeling then there would be some serious issues getting sorted right now. One can still dream.
Not when they are as drunk as you.
"Shut up," I agree in my own, special way.
"KNOCK KNOCK"
What now? The rent is paid for this month. Nopony ever visits this place and the mailpony always leaves the stuff downstairs at the entrance where the mailboxes are.
"I really don't need any more Cult of Discord pamphlets," I mumble.
"KNOCK KNOCK"
I roll my eyes. Even the most persistent annoyance will leave eventually when there's no answer. Whoever they are, they succeeded in robbing me of any will to bother with shaving.
"Royal Guard here on official business. Open the door or I will be authorized to use force!"