After dropping Scootaloo off at home — which was by the way, in downtown Ponyville — Dash flew as fast as she can towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Upon arriving however, Arvin was busy feeding the animals instead of the usual Fluttershy. He was humming himself a happy tune, it sounded like it belonged to that song he and Pinkie played; it was however, cut off when he muttered ‘do you want to build a snowman army? Please come out and play.’
Dash somewhat giggled at the silly antics, but it had gotten his attention. “Yes, what do you want?” he asked.
“Where’s Fluttershy?” she replied. “I need to talk to her about somepony.”
“Well,” the German put a finger to his chin. “Last I heard, she was eating candy in her room. But if you can speak to Fluttershy about it, you can speak about it to me. I’ll be sure to carry the news to her.”
Dash sighed and took a deep breath. “Tell Fluttershy that Richard is a changeling and I need somepony to talk to him about—“
Arvin placed a finger on Dash’s lips. “I’ll go deal with him, lead me to him. I am the medic after all.” He then went inside, but didn’t come out until five minutes later with his backpack and medigun.
Once they had arrived to where Richard was last seen, he was on the ground with his face in the dirt. Nearby, Cloud Kicker was standing next to him, trying to see if he was alive. Rainbow Dash flew towards Cloud Kicker and started to talk to her. Meanwhile, Arvin walked towards Richard and turned on the medigun. In less than ten seconds, Richard was back on his feet.
“Hey, do you remember those changelings back at Los Pegasus?” Richard said.
“Of course I do,” Arvin shuddered. “It’s still creepy that they were bugs instead of actual creatures; but what of them?”
“Well, I found this weapon,” Richard leaned closer. “And apparently after long usage, I also turn into a changeling.”
Arvin gasped, but then saw what Richard was mentioning when he shown Arvin how his arm changed. When he changed his arm however, his body also changed with him. Richard had a sort-of freak out, but it changed when he noticed the power of his body.
“I’ve tried other people,” Richard started. “And come to find out, I can basically do everybody, no matter what species.”
Arvin clapped his hands in glee. “Be Archimedes!”
Richard then, unceremoniously, changed into the dove that had been stuck inside of him for the longest time. “Can you hear me? Say yes or no.”
“Huh,” Arvin picked up Richard. “Looks like you can speak normally. And yes, I can hear you.”
Richard cooed, and then changed into Queen Chrysalis. Why he changed into this person, was to find out if anyone knew this person. Well, anypony since how they reacted to him, having changeling powers and all.
“Hey Richard,” Arvin spoke. “Do you think I use that bat to become a changeling also?”
Richard was having a hard time standing on all fours, but got the hang of it and put a hoof to his chin. He spoke in the changeling’s voice. “Sure why not? What harm would it do?” He then changed into Princess Celestia and then walked towards Cloud Kicker and Rainbow Dash — after he had handled the bat over to the medic. They didn’t notice him, so he just sat and watched the conversation turn into a heated argument.
“No!” Cloud Kicker yelled. “Just because you left him, doesn’t mean that you still have dibs over him!”
“I don’t care!” Dash stomped her hood to the ground. “I just went over my head, but he’s still Richard. At least, I thought he was,” She muttered.
“What do you mean, he was?” Cloud Kicker’s face turned from angry to curious.
“I was playing a game with him, and when I swung my bat at him, he also swung his and I got hit,” Kicker winced. “After I got up and tried to hit him again, he was looking at his arm and then I saw one of the only things that might give me nightmares for the longest time,” Dash’s lower lip quivered.
“Hey Dash,” Kicker placed a hoof on her back. “You don’t have to tell me what exactly happened, it’s alright.”
“No, I got to tell you,” Dash sat straight up. “The thing that would cause me to have nightmares would be that he is a changeling.”
Kicker gasped. “Well, can you tell me where he is so I can talk to him?”
“Yes, please do tell,” Richard finally spoke, startling the two mares.
“P-p-princess Celestia!” both mares bowed.
“Please, skip the introductions and tell me where he is.” On the inside, Richard was just dying with laughter. He tried very hard to keep a stern face, but it just difficult.
“H-he’s over the…“ Dash trailed off. She tried finding him where Arvin was, but he was just sitting alone, staring at the sky. “Well, he was over there.”
“Well, you have failed to keep him with you. I’m afraid that a punishment must be in place,” He said.
Dash eyes grew about twice its size. “I’m sorry!” she went to a begging position. “I’ll find him and get him back!”
“How can I trust you after failing?” He gave her an angry look to make her even more terrified. He then looked at Cloud Kicker. “I trust you more, find him, and then bring him here.”
She saluted, and then sped away towards Ponyville. Richard then looked at Arvin. “I want you keep watch over Rainbow Dash, I’ll trust you to do so.” He smiled and then winked.
Arvin looked at Richard, and then walked over to Dash and hugged her. He then started to calm Dash after her being terrified to death.
Richard then sat, looking over the small town. Would he want to continue doing this, cause more terror to Rainbow Dash for revenge, or just go downtown and scare even more people?
As he was making his decision, Cloud Kicker re-appeared with another pony. “I have found this other pony, she said she was the actual one, but I’m going to let you decide. I believe that it’s actually Richard, but I cannot tell.”
“Very well then,” Richard turned to see the new pony. “Hello, so I’m assuming you are the false pony.”
“No, I am not the fake one,” Celestia spoke, following Cloud Kicker. “Maybe it’s you that is the fake one.”
“So you say,” Richard put his disguised hoof to his chin. “Then tell me, did you know that Chrysalis is actually plotting to take over Ponyville to make sure that my team isn’t able to rest peacefully?” Richard didn’t know where this information came from, but somehow, he knew it was the truth. It had also contained strategies and some spies are placed throughout the small town. If anything, he could actually talk to and command them. It was like he suddenly got access to a system, like becoming a moderator of a very large website; something large like YouTube.
“You’re bluffing,” The real Celestia said. “Chrysalis wouldn’t…” She stopped, and then her jaw dropped.
“I’m right, I can assure you,” Richard said.
“And how you knew of my plans is virtually impossible,” a voice behind him spoke.
Richard slowly turned around, and saw that Queen Chrysalis was right behind him. “Holy crap, it’s the giant cockroach.”
The queen leered at Richard. “Now I know who you are, and before you hurt yourself; you are going to have to change back.”
Richard changed back to his human form, leaving Celestia with the biggest, bulging eyes she possibly ever had. With a team member a changeling, Chrysalis plotting an attack on Ponyville, making the attack happen on the same day, appearing in town just to talk to the team only to be attacked, and not getting her daily cake; who wouldn’t be surprised and evermore pissed at the one attacking?
Celestia walked slowly towards to the Changeling Queen, but before she got any closer; Richard transformed into a lion and jumped in front of the alicorn. “I’m going to stop you before you do anything foolish.”
Chrysalis chuckled. “Looks like the new changeling on my side.”
Richard turned to look at the Queen. “Who said that I was stopping her for you?”
The queen’s eyes grew larger, and then snuck a look at the sun goddess. She was virtually glowing and Celestia’s eyes were also flashing a bright white. Richard tried to push her away, but she seemed to get closer by inches. His paws were digging into the ground and were also leaving a skid mark.
Chrysalis backed away from Celestia, but somehow, it was terror that glued her stiffly in place. She tried lifting her hoof, and looked to see that there were actually vines tangled within the holes in the changeling’s hooves. She had called for some changeling to her side, but it would take a while for them to reach her. There wasn’t enough time to wait for them.
Celestia then grabbed Richard and tossed him at Arvin. Without the obstacle in the way, she tilted her head and then sprung at Chrysalis.
The changeling braced for impact by closing her eyes and pulling her head back. But a few moments too long passed and she didn’t feel any pain. Chrysalis slowly opened her eyes, and threw them open when she saw that Richard had speared by Celestia’s horn. He had his back to her, and Celestia’s horn was sticking out of the center of his back. The white, pearly horn was clean of blood; as if it couldn’t be tainted by anything due to how flawless it was.
She gasped; not only that she had been saved, but she also lost a changeling that she could’ve recruited to Nightmare Moon’s team. She leaped into the air, and told the changelings that were supposed to be saving her to stand down, and disperse back into the general population. Chrysalis would have to execute this plan later on, but instead, she’ll make it an all-out attack.
Richard pulled himself off of Celestia’s horn, and in its place was gushing blood. Luckily, Arvin was nearby and had his medigun. But it was just a regular medigun and nothing special. Celestia started muttering curses under her breath, and they were coming along really good.
Soon, Richard was back on his feet, but he wobbled from the major loss of blood. He leaned on Celestia’s shoulder, but pushed away by a yellow aura. He tripped, and then fell into a randomly spawned wheelchair. Richard looked behind him, and saw a changeling with a smile. He said thank you, but it was the response that completely disturbed him.
“You’re welcome my lord,” it said. “You asked for my help did you not?”
Arvin walked up next to the changeling. “No, it was me.”
“I’m sorry my lord.” The changeling bowed then placed its forelegs on the handlebars.
Celestia stared into space, still surprised at them two.
“Hey Celestia,” Arvin said, waving a hand in her face. “You’re looking a bit, spaced out. No pun intended.”
“I do not see the pun. But yes, you could say my mind has completely—“
“Blown up?” Richard interrupted. “It’s when your mind completely blanks out or you have a complete realization of something; most of the time it ends up with you saying ‘what’.”
“Yes, although it happens rarely.” She shuffled her hooves. “But this time, I’m confused about this changeling that’s with you; how is it that both of you can control it?”
“I can answer that for you,” it said. “These two are my lords, because of their mass amount of knowledge. The more knowledge you have, higher the rank you are. Our queen is the queen because, well, we don’t have anyone that would match her knowledge. But now, these two could either take over the main hive, or they can be the king. But either way, these two are both of the same equivalent commanding rank as the queen.”
Celestia was taken aback with this new knowledge. “How are those two…” she trailed off. “And why you haven’t talked until now?
“First, I would probably have a reasonable explanation. But right now, all I have is just magic. Second, you just asked. Simply asking a changeling about culture is easy, no need to be ignorant. But sometimes, some of the changelings’ unspoken laws are sometimes never shared with others—which sometimes cross with the culture—, unless we were freely to talk about it with the consent of our commanders.”
“Well, Arvin and Richard,” she looked at both of them. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Both of the mercenaries looked at each other then looked at the changeling.
“Nah,” they both spoke at the same time. Then Arvin started to push Richard to Fluttershy’s cottage.
Meanwhile, Twilight and her friends were appearing over the hill. Apparently, from Rainbow Dash’s perspective; she left the group of fighters when Chrysalis appeared, and went to grab her friends. They had started to gather the elements, but Pinkie Pie decided to bring her flamethrower, and Rarity wanted to try her cloaking device to try and snuff about enemies. Instead, they had grabbed their weapons and whatnot. But what they had noticed was that how violent they had become.
As they had reached the top of the hill, Dash suddenly put the muzzle of her scattergun on the changeling’s neck.
“Whoa!” Richard yelled. “He’s with us!”
“I’m actually a female,” the changeling spoke. “And the name is Proxy, but everypony usually calls me Roxy.” She gulped, staring down the weapon.
“Is she a spy?” Dash pushed the weapon up Roxy’s chin. “She’ll be nothing but bug juice in a few seconds if she is.”
“Ah reckon that before you start shootin’,” Applejack said. “That it would be reasonable t’ ask her if she is.”
“Fine,” Dash back away slowly, but still kept her aim on Roxy. “Tell me, what is your name and why are you here?”
Roxy facehoofed. “Just call me Proxy for now and I’m here because my lords told me to help them.”
“Who are your lords?” Dash urged.
“My lords are him,” she pointed at Arvin then to Richard. “And him. He, Arvin, told me to help him with some trouble of his. The trouble was to help him, Richard, get to safety.”
Twilight and Co. looked shocked at this news, but Rainbow Dash decided to push matters into her own hooves. “Richard! How can I ever trust you if you keep doing these things?” she screamed and pointed the scattergun toward the Bostonian.
“Hell if I know,” he moaned, still doozy from the loos of blood. “Fluttershy,” the mare beeped. “Do you think I can crash at your place, and possibly heal up there? I need some blood in me.”
Fluttershy rushed to Richard’s wheelchair and started to push him. The changeling followed, but changed into a different pony — a crystal pony mind you.
Dash sat, and pouted. She would get that Boston boy one day, but how would she do it was a whole different matter.
Meanwhile, Celestia stared at the humans, and changeling, walking away. More specifically Arvin and was interested how he could command these creatures. But she had got her answer when the German morphed into a dove and sat on Richard’s shoulder. Not that Celestia was admitting it, but she might have a crush on the fellow. Need to have a nice dinner with him, she mused, but it can wait, after beating my sister that is.
“Celestia!” Twilight’s voice broke her free of her thoughts. “Are you hurt?”
The princess chuckled. “No, of course not my little ponies. But what I do need is—,“ her stomach rumbled. “Well, I guess my body spoke for me.”
“We can take you to Sugarcube Corner,” Twilight beamed then saw her rifle strap next to her. “After we put these new weapons away.”
So my plans are working. Now all I need is somepony to make more weapons for them, and maybe a new name for the team to go on the list as well, Celestia contemplated.
As Celestia reached the gingerbread building, she secretly hoped that she would at least receive some cake. But not too much, wouldn’t need to have Ponyville all over me about this. She then looked at her flanks. Maybe it is true I’m becoming quite… What am I thinking? I’m not getting fat! Celestia then walked inside the bakery. Maybe I’ll have just a few.
Apparently, Celestia has never heard of the infamous drinking phrase of having ‘just a few’ could end up being more than what she wanted. And it has done just that.
(…..)
Tavish awoken to a fierce growl in the small tree-home; when he opened his eyes, he found a manticore staring right back at him. He slowly looked to his left and reached for his Unusual Scotsman Skullcutter that was next to the bed, but the creature rested a paw on the bed, and jumped up to it. It then stared into his eyes, and started to walk in circles.
Tavish was confused, but then figured out its entire plan when it had lain down on his legs, and slept. He then looked to his right, and saw the little zebra cuddling next to him. She had her face close to his and if she scooted a tad bit closer, he might’ve accidentally kissed her. Her legs were also holding his body close to her and he had an arm over her. It might’ve been romantic if it was a human.
Never in a million years would he have ever thought of being in this situation. But as would life would have it, it would never give him a proper moment of sense.
So that’s where he had been for the next ten hours, with a lion-bat-scorpion hybrid sleeping on his legs, and a zebra cuddling closely to him. It was until that he decided that a bathroom break might’ve been really helpful at this moment. So Tavish raised his upper body up, leaving the poor zebra trying to find another cuddle buddy. So he had placed his teddy bear next to her. Almost instantly, like when a Venus flytrap finds food, she grabbed the bear.
The Scotsman chuckled, but then remembered about the large hybrid. He poked it, and then it reacted by waving its left paw at him. Tavish shook the creature, and it had yawned.
It stretched itself by curving its back and yawned again. When the manticore opened its eyes, it had seen the Demoman. But unlike the other times it had appeared — this exact same manticore entered the house at least twenty times and counting — it didn’t leave this time. Instead, it had rubbed its head next to Tavish’s chest and purred.
The Demoman sat there, and then pushed the big cat off of his legs and got off the bed. He still didn’t believe the creature liked him, or why, but at least it didn’t act in surprise and dashed away like the usual.
After finishing his daily bathroom duties, he walked out, and saw something that nearly gave him a heart attack.
There was the zebra hugging the bear and sitting in front of the door, and was wearing a nightgown the he had given her; a maroon one-piece. Apparently, it had matched her stripes and colors, so he found it easy to have it made for her.
But it wasn’t just the clothing and the bear; it was the facial expression that she had. The zebra — Tavish suddenly remembered her name, Zecora — had somehow made her eyes the largest she ever had. Whether it was the combination of the round eyes, or the small twinkles like a puppy, or the small and innocent face; but whatever it was, it just made her adorable.
But Zecora completed the innocent figure just by speaking. “Please come back to bed, I miss you.” She quivered her lower lip and made her eyes even bigger. If she could pull it off right, this act could’ve been a decent weapon for mass destruction, and would possibly murder millions with heart attacks.
I know someone who can weaponize this. I think it’s Jacques that does it, or is it Jennifer? He looked at Zecora again. Yea, I’m saying it’s Jennifer that does it. He walked back to bed with the zebra, and feel right back to sleep. Complete with her cuddling his right side again.
(…..)
The pyromaniac was eating a cupcake. She was having a wonderful day just relaxing, with the cotton candy pony gone; she could’ve reached nirvana.
But it was suddenly interrupted when she was taking a bite out of the cupcake, and she suddenly sneezed. The result ended with her arm twitching and smashed the icing on her face.
Jennifer had a weird feeling that someone was talking about her, and in an unpleasant way.
She wiped the icing away from her face, and went out a nearby door. It had led to the outside world and all the ponies with it.
Jennifer walked out of Sugarcube Corner, and saw the large white pony from the party walking this way. The pyro forgot her name, but she knew it was something everyone said at least on an everyday basis.
She walked away in her usual outfit, towards the mammoth oak tree, better known as the library. It had contained the usual things that a library contains, including comic books apparently. She found it by going through the fiction section. It was behind the really weird human books, could’ve been called fanfiction if it hasn’t already, written by a pony named Lyra Heartstrings. Half the time, the fanfiction was something similar to ’50 Shades of Grey’. But on a human and pony basis.
Jennifer liked the creativity, but it was just that so many were published almost instantly after the Las Vegas battle; which was at least ten days ago! She sighed — she had long since reached the front door —and entered the tree. Jennifer made a straight beeline towards the new comic section. Not many ponies used to come here, but since that the comic section has been found, it has grown at least a tad bit more of popularity. But at the moment, it was empty. Not even the dragon or the pony was here.
Her fingers filed through every single comic book until she had reached the newest issue of ‘The Power Ponies’. It’s the one where Mane-iac, the villain, had been captured by the ponies, but a new villain appeared and is now helping Mane-iac escape. The villain’s name hasn’t been released yet, or his appearance which is but a shadow, but Jennifer is hoping that it’s at least an awesome name like Magneto, Kronos, or at least Harley Quinn.
Jennifer was so absorbed in the comic, that she didn’t notice Spike was reading over her shoulder. Of course, once she reached the last page — the supervillain was named Medusa, and the same traits to, but very much like Poison Ivy in a way, and now the Power Ponies have to face her in the next issue; which unfortunately wouldn’t come out until next week — Jennifer lifted her arms to stretch, but ended up hitting the dragon in the face with her forearm.
“Ouch!” Spike yelped.
“Oops, sorry dude,” she said. “Didn’t mean to do it, you were reading over my shoulder. Besides, you could’ve waited for me to finish reading this.”
“Nah,” the dragon was still rubbing his hurt nose. “I’ve already read it once it had appeared in the section. I get to read every issue just because I live here.”
“Good for you,” she gave him a thumbs up. “Now I’m going to ask why you haven’t decided to own more comic books.”
“Twilight said something about comics not being an actual book, and decided not to get any more except Power Ponies for the sake of me.” Spike crossed his arms.
Jennifer chuckled, and then walked out the door of the library. This day was starting to turn into an average day so far; calm, relaxing, and the ability to go down into disaster. Very much like a fire. This fire, by some force of nature, caused it turn into a wild forest fire.
And it had all started by a changeling with an envelope that was signed by Richard. She wanted to talk to him of course, but not now, she was just starting to like this day as a relaxing as possible!
“So be it,” She muttered, grabbing and opening the note. It had told her to visit Fluttershy’s cottage; she was hoping not visit that bunny ever again, that rabbit spooked her a bit.
The changeling stood in front still, awaiting a response from the pyromaniac. “So what’ll be? Will you go or not?”
Jennifer jumped, and then remembered about talking creatures here. “Yea, I’ll be going.”
“Alright, be ready in twenty and I’ll meet you here,” the creature left, walking in a random direction.
So what do I have to do in twenty minutes? Might as well patch up and at least dress up a tad bit more. She looked at her orange pants. Okay never mind, I’ll just add a decent shirt and maybe some jeans, how does blue, skinny jeans sound left brain? Good? Good.
Jennifer walked back towards Sugarcube Corner to get ready for anything. Most likely a smart-comment from Richard about her cross-dressing as a male; and probably make a comment about how skinny she is and how she could fit inside the old pyro suit, considering how big it was.
She put on her jeans, and wore a pink plaid shirt. She walked out to where she was meeting the changeling, and while rolling the sleeves to the elbow, the changeling reappeared and told her to follow.
This day, might’ve gone better if she had bacon and some steak to go along with it.