//------------------------------// // The Final Day (BoS: Day Five) // Story: Of mercenaries and.... Ponies? // by Lion Tale //------------------------------// “Queen Chrysalis,” Nightmare Moon spoke after taking a bite from a clover and cheese sandwich. “How is it that the new magical source just disappeared in an instant?” “I don’t know your dark one,” Chrysalis grinned, she liked saying that; it gave the alicorn satisfaction that she was the villain and not supposedly Celestia. “But what I do know is that Discord had interfered with the battle yesterday along with the magical source. My spies told me that the source had some fetish with bombs and was a human male that did magic with his hands. They also told me that strange objects—that also allowed others to do magic—was dropped whenever one of the mercenaries was killed.” “And this is relevant why?” The alicorn asked. “It’s relevant because they had used this magic against each other and against the human necromancer, causing magical radiation. But the necromancer never died and therefore was never really killed,” Chrysalis felt a tap on her flank, notifying her of another spy giving her a report. “Excuse me dark one, I’m receiving another report from a spy.” The changeling queen walked out of the small, darkly decorated tent and out into the brightening sunrise. “What is it Grunt?” “We have received word that during the middle of the night, several changelings on our team have been slaughtered. We haven’t seen who murdered them, but we assume that it was the Solar Team that did so.” The armoured changeling spoke. “Also, some of the Lunar Team has appeared waiting to talk to the corrupted alicorn. They say that it’s only for her however.” “Fine, go inside and tell her that. If they need to talk to her personally, then it must be good.” Chrysalis walked away, leaving the smaller changeling to do his duty. Chrysalis walked to the edge of the camp, and watched as the sunrise rose over the skyscrapers and made the scattered pods with metallic larvae inside of them shine a bright emerald. She then watched as one of the pods split open as a newborn, fleshy, and dark grey changeling crawled out and yawned. The changeling then crawled and opened its eye slits, revealing cyan eyes with irises—a trait that no other changeling inherited other than one with a future ruler. “Come here youngling,” Chrysalis coaxed. The small creature feebly walked to the mother and leaned against her foreleg. The queen then picked up the baby and pressed him against her breast. “You are going to become the future of our race. Al though you’re too young to understand, eventually you’ll learn why.” She cradled the little baby and cooed as he mumbled softly. “Only two more years until you’re full growth, and then you’ll be able to make your own colony and we’ll rule together as mother and son.” The baby giggled, bringing warmth to the queen. Her eyes faintly watered as a nurse changeling appeared to take the newborn to the nursery. “Promise me that my official son gets to the nursery far from here. I don’t want him too close to the battlefield,” the nurse nodded, and opened her wings to fly. “I’ll be sure he gets the best, does district thirteen sound good?” the female changeling spoke, adjusting the small package on her back for flight. Chrysalis nodded, and wiped her eyes. “Now be gone, I don’t want you two to linger any longer; today is going to be really dangerous for anyone, including the peaceful.” The nurse then buzzed away as another changeling came and tapped her flank again. “What is it Grunt?” “Rumors are spreading that the corrupted alicorn is plotting against us,” he spoke with a salute. “And where did you hear this rumor?” “One of the changelings was walking by the tent holding the alicorn, and listened to their conversation. He then told other to be ready for a betrayal and watch their backs because they have a cloaking spy.” Chrysalis then looked behind her and searched for any faint distortion in the air. Seeing none, she then turned around and jumped in surprise; Grunt lay before her with an icicle in his back and his body was slowly turning into ice. The queen then looked around for the backstabbing spy and decided that running to her advisor was the better choice. She reached the tent, and opened the flap to found her highly trusted advisor backstabbed. Chrysalis then ran towards the alicorn’s tent to figure if this is all true. On the way around her, several changelings—metallic and older versions—lay dead from backstabs with their partners looking for the murderous spy. The queen reached the tent and forced open the tent. The alicorn chuckled as Chrysalis entered the tent. “I’m afraid that this is the end of the line for you Queen Chrysalis,” Nightmare Moon spoke with a sinister smile. “You should be proud that I at least kept you alive for this long.” “Why would you do such a thing?” Chrysalis yelled in anger. “After all I’ve done to help protect you, you give me this?” “My dear, don’t worry about it,” the alicorn spoke from her wingback chair. “If anything, I could’ve made you anything more, but you have refused my other offer and therefore I had planned this; the fall of your dynasty.” “What do you mean I could’ve been more?” She asked. “It was just going to be a namesake! You remember that I have no room in heart for others, only myself and that’s final!” “When I met you back when we were teenagers, I had a simple crush for you!” The alicorn stood in frustration. “Now I know that was just a simple lie now. We could’ve been much more, but now all I see is that you just care about your own damned self! I envied you!” “Envied what exactly? That I had my own kingdom? That I starved nearly every single day after your banishment? Or did you envy the fact I could find love more than you?” Chrysalis bared her fangs. “Or are you just jealous that I am not dominated by a more publicly loved sister?” Nightmare Moon lounged over the table and grabbed ahold of the changeling’s metallic neck. “Don’t ever speak of my sister being more loved!” she growled. “I am the one who made her more loved! I did all the dirty work while her snooty self just sat on the throne and took all the credit! I should be the one loved, not her!” the alicorn pressed harder against the changeling’s neck, squeezing the tubing systems. “My sister is just a spoiled brat and there’s nothing she can do to stop me! I’ll be sure that your death is neither swift nor painless!” Nightmare Moon then lifted the changeling’s neck with magic and carried her out of the tent to tall wooden post. Several changelings watched and attempted to take action while their queen was being attacked. The alicorn casted a force field around her, blocking out all of the attackers and forcing them to watch and attempt to enter. François turned his head away from his murderous spree and to the commotion of the two immortals. He watched, and winced as the alicorn pinned the changeling queen to the wooden post with a nail to the back hooves; as if in crucifixion. Chrysalis screamed in pain as the steel nail grinded against her iron hooves. François then pulled out his Dead Ringer and slowly walked to the scene before him. The evil alicorn smiled, and conjured a flat wooden board. She then placed the board behind Chrysalis’ shoulder blades and placed a nail at the center. Nightmare Moon then grabbed another nail and forced the changeling to spread out her arms in an unnatural fashion. François grimaced as he recognized the fashion of torture that was going to happen. He then crouched and walked past the growing group of changelings around the field, and touched the dark bubble. The Frenchman then pressed his hand in, and entered. Another scream emancipated from Chrysalis as the second nail was making its way through the iron hoof. The spy then raised his borrowed Bushwacka and aimed the weapon to the alicorn’s chink in the armour. Chrysalis saw the spy and assisted him in making it more powerful by placing a spell on the weapon. The alicorn stopped, and turned her head to what the changeling was staring at. Suddenly, pain erupted from her back and fell to the ground as the kukri was lodged into her back. She screamed and fell to the floor, releasing the force field spell and releasing the spell on the final nail—which was on fire. Nightmare Moon then arched her back and attempted to keep screaming, but it came out as a croak. François backed away as a bright beam of light struck the corrupted alicorn from the sky. Dark swirls came from the alicorn and dissipated into the light. The colour of the alicorn’s coat grew a brighter blue as more of the darkness came from her. Slowly, as though being lifted from the stomach, Nightmare Moon rose towards the source of the light. But as quickly as it had appeared, the light stopped and the blue alicorn fell to the ground. François studied the alicorn, and noticed that not only she had changed coat colour, she had also changed features of her mane and face; the alicorn looked younger, if not more attractive. She lay sleeping on the ground, with only a rock to comfort her. The Frenchman picked her up and held her in his arms. He then walked away from the cross of Chrysalis and headed out the camp. With a small sleeping alicorn and the job he was assigned by her practically finished, what was he supposed to do? François thought, and decided that walking towards to the Brothel was probably the better option. (….) Well, at least it seemed like an idea that was good at the time. As soon as the Frenchman appeared at the brothel, the white alicorn named Celestia was waiting for him at the lobby and took the young-looking pony to a room. François then was forced to sit and wait for his leader to come back. He twiddled with his butterfly knife and waited patiently for the alicorn to re-appear. The small alicorn walked out, but there was a sense of energy around her, the kind you get from a young kid of thirteen. François then stood from his seat and bowed. Confused, the blue alicorn then walked next to the spy and sat next to him. “We are so sorry about everything,” She spoke in an archaic tone. “But we believe it can be fixed.” “What do you mean?” François said. “We mean that the things we have attempted to accomplish against our sister. Thou art free from our—our sister and we—quarrel. Art thou happy?” The alicorn said, looking for a response. Seeing none, she continued. “We digress; thou can call us Princess Luna, it is our royal name, and it shall be.” “Well, you might as well come with me,” François stood and adjusted his tie and suit. “You going to have to explain this to everyone else; and by that I mean the rest of your mercenaries that you’ve hired when you were Nightmare Moon.” “We have hired mercenaries?” Luna replied. “For what reason do we have to do so?” “You did so to play a ‘game’,” he quoted with his fingers, “Against your sister which happened to be the fight for Stalliongrad.” “So we started the quarrel that also included the mercenaries, all for a game?” She asked, shocked. “Very well ape-creature; we shall go and apologize to the rest and figure out what to do next, especially since that we have free time to do so.” Luna stood and headed out the door. “Come creature, we have not much time; I fear that an old friend of mine may appear.” “You mean Queen Chrysalis? The one you nearly crucified?” François opened the door, letting Luna walk through the door out of the whorehouse. “We did that?” She continued walking. “We feel that anything we’ve done ever since the banishment has been forgotten.” “Don’t worry,” François picked her up and put her on his back. “I’ll fill you in along the way.” “Why art thou doing this?” She looked at the ground, and suddenly decided that staying on here is the better idea. “You’re a young pony, so I’m assuming you need a piggyback ride so you won’t tire out once we get there.” “Very well ape-creature, onward my gallant steed!” Luna shouted. “Okay then, it all started back when we were in a town named Ponyville….” (..) “…And now we’re here.” Jacques finished, stopping at a hotel so unworn by battle. “So there, now you know how you’re sitting here getting a piggyback ride and me carrying you the whole way. Sound exciting doesn’t it?” He paused, and looked over his shoulder. François smiled at the scene before him; a peacefully sleeping Luna on his back. He jumped lightly, awaking the pony from her slumber, “Where are we?” “We’re at the hotel where the rest of the mercenaries are at. If you want to continue napping then just stay on my back and don’t worry about a thing.” “Okay,” She rested her head on his right shoulder and softly snored. He chuckled and entered the hotel. Once entering, he found Sniper napping with his hat covering his eyes and Jarvis the Scout messing around on his smartphone— most likely the casing part where he had installed a ball maze. François cleared his throat, “Jarvis, can you get the rest of our team together? It appears we have a situation on our hands,” He pointed at the alicorn sleeping on his shoulder. “Yea I got it,” he replied. “Also, that’s not a pony you just randomly adopted is it? Knowing you, you used to like that little kids show when it aired back in the eighty’s” The Frenchman coughed, “No, it’s something bigger. To put it shortly, this is our boss.” “No shit?” Sniper asked behind his hat. “I thought our boss was darker looking, bigger, and have a feel of evil around her. Are you sure this is our boss?” “I’m sure, now get the rest of the team together so we can discuss about what we’re going to do about her,” François then gently lain the napping alicorn on a couch nearby. “If anything, we should be getting ready in case her partner gets here.” “What do you mean? Did Chrysalis find out it was me that murdered them?” Sniper asked, grabbing the Bushwacka from the spy. “Because if she did then I might as well get this weapon sharpened.” “No, but I think she’s assuming that since Princess Luna—our boss’ new name—has grown more weaker, it’ll be a great chance to attack.” “Attack who now?” Engineer appeared with a Australium wrench. “This little pony here,” Jacques pointed the sleeping pony. “Well,” Jarvis appeared, giving the Frenchman a pat on the back. “I think everyone is here, Medic is waking up just now. It seems like the female changeling that had to sleep with him had sure given him a one-two.” “Spare me the details you heathen,” Heavy said from behind Demoman. “Alright then,” Jarvis said. “But what they exactly did is-“ “Scout, now not the time,” François placed a hand on his mouth. “If I can get everyone’s attention; this meeting is all about our boss, the little sleeping pony who’s sleeping here.” The sudden attack of questions flooded the spy. He waved his hands to calm them down. “If you can calm down, I just want to say that yes it our boss, don’t deny it. And secondly, she’s really weak so we must protect her from any kind of harm. And finally, we must prepare in case of an attack by Chrysalis.” “Why?” Demoman asked. “Did she find out about the betrayal?” “Yes and no; she did find out that they were killed, but never found who though. The bug was also attacked by yours truly,” He pointed to Luna, “When she was Nightmare Moon.” “So what do you mean when she was?” Medic raised his hand, and pulled up his pants with another. “She’s now calls herself Princess Luna, and wants us to do the same. Any suggestions on what we should do?” “I say we should just give the poor kid to her sister and she can handle it,” Jarvis shrugged. “But what’s stopping from Chrysalis attacking the Solar Team?” Soldier said from the back. “We can’t just out the blame on them.” “Shut up Solly!” Jarvis replied. “We can if we want.” “Actually,” François said. “He does have a point; if they attack the Solar Team and defeat them, then who’s going to stop the changeling swarm from attacking Celestia when she’s only protecting Luna?” “Are you saying we should team with those dweebs and help defend the swarm from attacking Canterlot?” Jarvis said curiously. “Because if that’s what we’re doing, then that’s either the stupidest idea you’ve ever made or the best one.” “Don’t worry about it Scout,” Sniper placed a hand on his shoulder. “If we don’t make it, then at least we died in honour.” “In pride!” Soldier saluted. “In glory!” Heavy clenched his fists. “In justice!” Pyro shook his phlogistinator above his head. “And all the booze in the world!” Demoman shook his crate of rum above his head; silence. “What, got to have a drink sometime in your life.” “Not now Demoman,” François held his hand out. “So the decision is final, we’ll team up with the Solar Team and help them defend against the upcoming swarm; any objections?” “Yea,” Jarvis raised his hand. “Think they could give me a new hat? I’m starting to hate this burning milkman hat.” (..) “No,” Richard crossed his arms. “Why not? I give you unusual milkman cap for your titanium pillar of hats,” Jarvis begged. “It’s not really that hard of a choice!” “I know it’s not, that’s why I’m saying no.” “Fine,” Jarvis walked away. “And don’t come begging for me to trade you milkman hat! I’m pretty sure you don’t even have the trade.” “I do, it’s just that I don’t want to wear the hat,” Richard pulled out a bottle of Solar Beam fizzy soda and popped open the cap. “But you, you should just try and open a crate instead. It’ll be better for you.” “Hey Lunar Scout!” Dash yelled. “I’ll take that hat and I’ll trade it for this Unusual Peace Team Captain. Also, I want you to give me the change for it also. It should be more than at least seventy buds.” “Wow Skittles,” Richard patted her on the back and snatched the hat to place on his head. “Nice to know that you are learning fast when it comes to trading items. Also, I think that you’re taking advantage of him.” She chuckled and whispered into his ear. “I am, but don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to have a bad reputation in my new profession.” “Well,” he whispered back. “Make sure that it’s kept reasonable like right now, if it goes over at least one-hundred buds then you need to bring it down.” “How does sixty-five buds sound?” Dash nudged his chest. “It sounds great, but no more of that,” Richard pushed her slightly away, “Thing you were just doing to me.” “What? Don’t like snuggles? Everyone else does.” “I don’t,” Nick said, leaning in his chair grabbing the bottle from Richard’s hand. “Also, the Scout is trying to get your attention.” “One minute!” Dash yelled. “But yea, why don’t you two like snuggles? They’re the best feeling you can get after a long bad day, especially with a lover!” She clasped her hands together and sighed in a dream-like trance. “Who cares?” Jarvis appeared beside Richard. “Snuggles are great sometimes yea, but not all the time. I’m sure these two haven’t even properly taken at least one snuggle right. But I digress, I got at least seventy-five buds worth of keys and refined metals. Is now a good time to trade?” “Yea, here,” Rainbow Dash snatched the hat from top of Richard’s head and placed it on top of the Jarvis’ head. He then in return tossed a bag that clinked when it landed in her hoof. “Also, you need to tell everyone else about how good of a trader I am!” “By the way,” Richard rested an arm on Dash’s head. “Why are so passionate about snuggles?” “Who said snuggles?” Fluttershy squee’d. “I love snuggles!” the newly ecstatic pegasus then stood next to Nick and jumped to his lap. The sniper moaned and rolled his eyes as she dug herself a comfortable pad. Richard facepalmed, “Please tell me that not every single pony likes snuggles.” “Well,” Fluttershy turned her head away and blushed, “Only the ponies that are couples, single, or adults.” She pressed the tips of her hooves together. “That’s basically ninety percent of all of Equestria!” Dell commented as he walked by, carrying a white and yellow toolbox. “Yea but, any idea who doesn’t like being snuggled?” Richard rubbed his arm, then his head. He then scratched his leg then his back. “Jesus Christ! I think one of you might have fleas!” “Personally, I think it’s Fluttershy,” Dash joked. “I blame her pet bunny.” “Angel doesn’t have fleas!” The butter pegasus replied defensively. “I make sure he stays clean and I make sure I’m flea-free.” “Well,” Richard parted a patch of fur, revealing a small bug crawling on her skin. “That confirms it, you have fleas!” He jumped away, “Please tell your friends to leave and to not infest other people!” “I’m for sure they won’t come to harm anyone,” Fluttershy spoke. “But they do need to leave.” She then leaned into her coat and whispered. A minute passed before Fluttershy spoke. “They left and decided that they’ll infest a changeling instead.” “Don’t they know that most of the changelings are now cyborgs?” “I doubt it, but I’d rather they found out themselves,” the normally shy pegasus said. “At least they left, that’s all that counts.” “True,” Richard finished. Suddenly, Applejack and a Lunar Engineer came budging through the group. “What’s going on?” He said, getting out of the way. “We need to prepare for oncoming attack of the changeling swarm!” Applejack said, running up the stairs to her room. “Jacques and François went to the camp and heard that they’re going to attack tomorrow at noon.” “All of us need to prepare?” Nick asked. “If so, then I need to get my jars filled.” He brushed the pony lying on his lap off, and stood. “So tomorrow’s the big official day for the final battle?” Dash took a sip from her bottle of soda. “And here I thought we were just going to have one final push for the city.” François appeared with Luna on his shoulders and her head just peaking over the Frenchman’s head. “I and Jacques will escort this alicorn to Canterlot where we’ll help Celestia protect her.” He said. “Her sister is taking us, but the rest of you,” He addressed the group of scrambling humans and ponies. “You guys will get things set up for tomorrow. It’s only noon; so we need to hurry up and get moving! Let’s go, let’s go!” (…) “Hey Richard,” Dash whispered from her side of the bed. The moonlight shone into the window with the faint orange glow of a harvest moon. Dark shadows of scattered clouds covered some of the large moon, cutting it in half like a wedge plowing through. “Yea skittles?” “Do you think we’ll survive tomorrow?” The pegasus spoke in a hushed tone. “I’m legitimately scared, like I mean, so scared that you’re sure that you are scared.” “So,” Richard reached for the lamp at his nightstand and pulled the cord. “What are you scared about?” “I’m scared of actually dying. I’m not sure that tomorrow we’ll make it, the total defense I mean.” She sighed and rose. “I hate losing, but I don’t think we have a choice other than losing to them.” “You mean that we might actually fail our duty tomorrow?” Richard grabbed the cup of water sitting next to him. He sipped, and seeing that the pegasus was on the verge of tears, he hugged her. “Don’t worry about it. Whatever happens; happens for a reason.” “So what if we lose? Do we have a chance that it was supposed to happen?” “It probably was, there might be someone that’ll help us leave it.” Richard held the pony closer. “At least you have a chance of saying your goodbyes.” “You mean?” she trailed off. “You don’t know a way to get back?” “I don’t, but maybe the pony that brought us here does.” Richard rubbed the top of her head. He chuckled. “Any confessions that you need to make before tomorrow happens?” “A couple,” Rainbow Dash wiped a tear from her eye. “The first one is that; I’m actually a soft pony on the inside. But if you tell anyone that after I die and you’re still alive; I’ll be sure that you’re the first one I haunt!” She chuckled and softly punched his arm. “So the second one is?” “The second one is that I love you,” she said bluntly. “Well shit,” Richard nodded. “I knew that one; you made it kind of obvious on the train ride here. Besides, your emotions are kind of hard to not notice. I see you blush sometimes, and I also see you lose concentration at times when I appear.” The pegasus awed, “Am I that readable; because if I am, then I need to force up my game.” “You are,” He rubbed her head again and scratched between her ears, getting a sigh of contentment. “But I still one problem I want to confess.” “What?” “I’m actually scared of rainbows.” “…” A minute of silence passed. It was so quiet that a mouse could be heard within the walls. Dash then smirked at this new information and was struggling to stop herself from laughing. “Go ahead,” Richard smiled. “You can laugh all about it.” She suddenly roared with laughter, like an overflown river finally escaping a dam. Richard continued to smile at himself and shook his head. “You… You… ahaha!” She laughed, a tear falling from her eye. “My sides are hurting, oh Celestia! Ahaha!” Dash fell to the floor, rolling. “Do I need to get Fluttershy here? Sounds like I need to,” Richard stood from his bed. “No,” Dash wheezed. “I’m okay; just let me take a break.” She climbed back on top the bed, clutching her stomach. “So let me get this straight, you are scared of rainbows?” the scout nodded. “Huh, so no wonder you didn’t really like me in the beginning and avoided me.” She yawned. “All that laughing at your flank got me tired. Let’s get some sleep. I feel loads better after admitting that second one.” “Yea, we better,” Richard then turned off his lamp and covered himself with the blankets. “You don’t even want to ask why?” he whispered. “No, if you’re sleeping on the same bed as me then that means your fears are basically gone, right?” the multicoloured pegasus concluded. “Your right; it is gone!” He gasped. “Thanks Skittles for helping me, uh¬-ish.” “No problem,” Dash smirked in the darkness. “Also, call me Dashie; you’ve earned it,” A pause. “So can I be little spoon?” “What?” Richard turned around on the bed, facing the pony. With begging eyes, she closed her hooves together and gave a pleading look. “Okay fine, if anyone finds us like this; I swear to the flying spaghetti monster that I’ll make it look like you drugged me.” “Deal,” The pegasus scooted closer to the scout’s front side. “Could you please place your arm over me, I like that way,” Richard grunted. “Thanks,” she turned off her lamp and made herself comfortable for the night. “Good night,” she whispered. With a grunt, Richard pulled his pillow closer to his head and slept.