//------------------------------// // Capture Successful Heart Not Included // Story: Castle Crushers // by Ebonysdagger //------------------------------// “Enough.” Luna’s magic sprung to life slamming the changelings to the floor. At the booming voice of his mistress the Noctourne stepped back and looked to her. “What is your purpose here within mine castle?” The moon goddess’s eyes glowed with pure power as she stared down those who had dared to trespass into her former home and interrupt her Twilight Time. Twilight watched Luna handily bind the changelings to the floor taking mental notes on what it appears she is doing and theorizing on how. She knew Luna was the more battle ready and inclined sister but was not aware she could so easily hold down multiple targets in an instant. Perhaps those theories she had about Luna controlling gravitational effects held true after all as she did not even see a glow around the changelings binding them in place. A large changeling, in fact the largest present and the only one in armor, managed to work his jaw enough to answer. “Feeding. We smelled food and merely began to search for it. We were unaware of its source.” “Truly? Your kind once more trespasses upon the lands of my subjects and admits you are here to feed upon them. You dare?” The force holding the changelings to the ground seems to almost double given the cracks forming beneath them. “Commander, bind them all. We will be taking them with us back to Canterlot.” The Noctourne nodded in response and proceeds, somehow unimpeded by Luna’s gravity field, to bind the hooves of all the changelings that have been captured. He also placed a horn ring on all five of them to prevent them from using magic, hopefully. The changelings say nothing but the commander internally chuckled at this attempt to keep them under control. “Luna, I’m not sure how secured this makes them. We don’t know if they need their horns to shape shift or if it’s even magic on their part. For all we know they can alter their form at whim even with their magic bound. After all I doubt one of those could keep you from turning into mist or any of your other forms.” The changeling commander’s already blood ran even colder at their bane’s logic being spoken aloud. “Good point. Then let us take them somewhere more… comfortable.” Deep beneath the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters one could find sections that had hardly been affected by the passage of time. Oh sure there were cobwebs from spiders and mold from neglect but hardly any rubble or debris to be found. These rooms and hallways made up what was once the castle’s dungeon. While not exactly a bright and cheer place to go on a date as Luna noted and grumbled to herself, unless your lover was particularly kinky anyway, it would serve tonight. Luna’s magic and the Noctourne’s blade did their job of escorting their captures into one of the still functioning magic blocking cells. These cells had been used to hold unicorn and other similar magically powered dissidents in the past during the early part of the sisters’ reign. Not all the formerly noble unicorns had been happy about losing their royal status and influence to two upstart alicorns to say nothing of the non pony races vitriol at the new rulers influence. They also had the bonus of using a field of energy rather than iron bars to contain their prisoners so no need to worry about the changelings turning into snakes or something to slip through. A blast of Luna’s magic to a gem on the wall beside the cell springing the barrier to life once their prisoners were inside. “There, this should hold you and keep your powers in check. Now then, explain!” Luna looked at the changelings contained within. Her face barely changed from her usual neutral expression but it might as well have been carved from obsidian for the intensity it portrayed was cutting. Luna’s guard and Twilight both shrunk away from the look upon her face. Few things caused an instinctive fear in ponies than the wrath of Luna. Twilight may know her as a friend and fellow scholar but she also knew her history and the wrath the moon princess was famous for bringing down upon her enemies was not something easily forgotten. The guard, while more familiar with his mistress’s moods, merely wanted to wait to bring to her attention his reason for being here lest he get her angry at himself by drawing any attention to himself. “We were merely seeking food. My unit and I have been trying to make it back to the hive for some time now. We’ve spent months recuperating after being dashed almost to pieces by that barrier during the Canterlot invasion. Once we were all healed up enough to move we began our trek home. We were merely passing through these woods and sensed food. As such we began to search for it. We were only hungry, nothing more.” The changeling commander answered from a suitably cowed position within the cell. Luna’s glare hardly let up on the outside but on the inside she was panicking. ‘Perhaps questioning them with Twilight present is not wise. I should perhaps wait until she is not here least they explain my plans to her. I will not let some bugs confess my love before I do.’ “Very well. You will be my guests here for the moment. I do seem to have more important things to address right now anyway.” Luna turned her gaze from the changelings and her visage softens as she looks upon Twilight. The poor young alicorn was doing all she could not to hide as her instincts were telling her so Luna tried to convey a more mellow mood for her sake. “Come, let us three step back into the fresh air for a moment and calm ourselves. Then we can begin to plan what to do next.” Luna suggested to her companions who nodded and joined her on the journey top side. “Ah, I never do feel comfortable in dungeons.” Twilight spoke aloud once all were topside. “I know why they are needed but they always make me feel horrified that we have to use them.” “Just remember that it is the better choice to take prisoners than the alternative.” Luna answered speaking from experience. As Twilight shuddered as she knew what the alternative is the lunar sister turned to her soldier. “Thank you for stopping them from sneaking up on us. Now what were you doing here? I am pretty sure I did not order a silent detail to follow me.” “Mistress I came to you to let you know some of the locals had seen changelings nearby recently. A few of us had decided to be nearby in case you needed anything. We felt it was wise to be ready given all the activity in this area. A lucky thing I did too. I happened to spot these ones crawling on the ceiling of the room you found us in as I was rushing to inform you.” The Noctourne answered. “I see. Good job then. Anything else to report to me? Know of anything happening in Canterlot? I know I assigned some of you to observe if anything untoward happened.” “Nothing, mistress.” As this conversation occurred under the light of the moon in the old courtyard no one took note of the green cocoon in what used to be Celestia’s room or its occasional twitching. The changeling commander in his cell and his queen miles upon miles away smiled at a plan unfolding.