//------------------------------// // Heart Attack // Story: Just Another Rogue: of Shadows // by Tattered Ribbon //------------------------------// As Ribbon worked away on the strange metal she couldn’t help but wonder where the Princess had got it. The plate metal the Princess had given her had a teal moon engraved on it, she half wondered if this was a remnant of Nightmare Moon, she could have asked, but she felt it would be rude, What if it belonged to Princess Luna. As she worked and let her mind drift "Hey, you’re that blacksmith I heard they called in to study my armor!" The loud sound startled her and made her jump, Tattered turned around and froze, wide-eyed in awe and fear. Its the bucking Nightmare… The Nightmare stared at her and said "Something wrong?" tilting her head, as if in confusion. In her shook she accidentally dropped the guise by instinct for her more protective and agile form. Which only made the matter worse. The Nightmare look as though she was trying to hold a poker face but Ribbon knew better "A shapeshifter? Fascinating..." Despite her words Ribbon could feel the rising panic and interest the Nightmare was holding. Dropping the Hammer she held in her mouth she panicked and tried to run for the door, "Don't eat me! I don't taste good!" but in her eager hurry to work on the new metal or laziness, she had left tools on the ground and had now tripped on one as soon she rounded the Anvil and landed face down and hooves out in front of her. The Nightmare just continued stare at her now with a face a disbelief and disgust "Ew, why would I eat something capable of rational thought?" As Nightmare spoke she moved and now blocked the door to the windowless room. Tattered backed away until her back touched the cold Anvil "Please don't kill me-he-heee!" Nightmare facehoofed and said "Wow. Just wow. Even the foreigners think I'm some kind of monster." Nightmare sighed and sat down, "Can we please talk about this like rational beings?" "I-I am, that's why I'm b-begging for my l-life!" said with tears now forming in her eyes. *Wham!* Tattered could only look on as the Nightmare hit her own head and the floor. With force, yet seemed unfazed. "For the love of god. I do not indent to hurt you in any way." "Y-you're not?" "Correct." "But, why?" "I'm not that so called Nightmare Moon, I may look like her, but that was because she turned me into a 'Perfect host'” "S-so, you gave me that metal plate?" Just starting to calm down from her newest panic attack and near life experience. Who knew your heart could beat faster the blood can move. "Yes, that was me. I actually condensed my, miasma, for lack of a better term, to form it" "Miasma?" She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "I would show you, but you need to promise me you won't freak out, because even to me it's kinda creepy" "I've seen a lot of creepy." And true she has. She even once saw the last Queen, Queen Mantis, eat one of her mates. "Very well" The temperature -Which was very warm before because of the forge- dropped and a purple-ish mist left ‘Nightmares’ body and coiled around her foreleg to her hoof where something started growing. It was black and seemed to absorb the light from the room before a ‘shink’ sound was made, and the shadow orb broke leaving behind an azure metal ball that she then placed on the floor. During the ordeal Ribbon had dove behind the Anvil to put something, anything between her and the eerie feeling "That was very creepy. Please don't do that again." ‘Nightmare’ just smiled at her "I told you so." A few awkward moments of silence passed before she felt it was her that needed to break the silence "If you're not going to kill me, can you not tell anypony about me? I don't want to have to start over again." ‘Nightmare’ noded "Certainly. Why would I throw my only friend here out to the hounds?" Did she not know? how could she not know? "Most ponies think of Changelings as... parasites." Ribbon suddenly found the floor behind the Anvil very interesting. The dark mare gave a huff of annoyance "Most ponies are racist bigots. they fear anything different from themselves" "It's not JUST the ponies. Griffins and dragons try to... to eat us" "Thats disgusting! Eating a fellow sapient is unforgivable!" Ribbon look up and smelled the rampant disgust as ‘Nightmare’ muttered under her breath. The only words Ribbon picked up on are 'glorified pigeons' and 'when I get my hooves on those'… something. "How did you not know any of that? I mean, I know Changelings are a rare myth for ponies but..." she trailed off not wanting to continue. ‘Nightmare’ seemed to think about what to say next "Tell me... What do you know about the Multiverse theory?" “Multi-what?” "there are an infinite number of universe, every one ever so slightly different from the next" She paused, probable to make sure Ribbon was listening, there wasn’t much else to do "I was from one of those alternate universes until the Nightmare decided to drag me across the space between them, to here, where she warped my body into what you see now." "... I've heard crackpot theories before, but that's pretty hard to believe." Ribbon fixed ‘Nightmare’ with a blank look, "It would be easier to say you have Amnesia." "That wouldn't explain how I can't figure out how to use my wings, I don't believe that’s something you can just forget." "If you're an Alien, and not really an Alicorn, you shouldn’t be able to use magic either right?" With firm Logic and a slightly smug look. Clearly the mood from before now forgotten. "Magic doesn't require extra limbs, and so far i've only been able to use telekinesis. and anyway..." After a long winded spiral about this thing called the ‘internet’ Ribbon realized she was either beyond bucking insane, and filled with delusions, or telling the truth. "OKAY! You’re either insane like the Queen or you really are telling the truth. I'll believe you for now." "Queen?" "Kind of like Celestia for Changelings. I've, kind ah turned rogue and ran. That's why I don't want to start over." ‘Nightmare’ just looked and blinked at her like she was dumb struck by some thought "shes a power hungry maniac bent on world domination isn't she?" "The Queens before her were better. Much better." "That sounds about right." Then ‘Nightmare’ did something Ribbon never thought she would hear, she giggled. "Say, I never did introduce myself, did I? my names Chitsuki." "Drone scout number 2-27," With a flash Ribbon donned her normal disguise. A pegasus with a tan coat and a now messy two-tone light and dark gray mane and tail, her hair pin long since fallen off "also know as Tattered Ribbon." Before anything else could be said both her and Chitsuki’s ears flicked to the door, the sound of hoofsteps echoed from down the hall. "You should go, I have work to do." Chitsuki paused before opening the door "Hope to see you again sometime Ribbon!" The sphere of azure metal bumped into Ribbons hoof, thinking Chitsuki knocked it into her on the way out. "I wonder if I'll have some left over? I could use it." “Use it for what?” “AHHHHH!” Whoever just snuck up on Ribbon managed to scare the Changeling turned Pegasus into the air. Looking down she saw Twilight with an apologetic look “Couldn’t you clear your throat or something?” “Sorry, but the Princess and I wanted to know if you found anything?” “Hello my little pony, have you managed to find anything about Chitsuki’s Armor?” Ribbon had to make sure to focus on keeping her disguise this time. “S-sure thing Princess”