"Eh, caballo, you've been rather quiet since that pendejo ran off," Elvis addressed the rather silent unicorn. "In fact," he continued, "you were rather quiet when he was just talking out of his ass. Hell, you quizzed me like I was some sort of novela policíaca a while ago, and you didn't do the same to him? What's the deal?"
"Something's wrong," she stated flatly.
"That's no big surprise," Elvis replied, "Did you not hear his charla loco? The boy was cuckoo for Coco-Puffs. He knows nothing about the order of the universe."
"No that's not it. It's his arrival."
Elvis stopped, and looked to Twilight with a puzzled look plastered to his face. She stopped and turned back to Elvis and her friend and began to elaborate. "Unlike you and Bael, I could just barely feel the anomaly this time. Maybe it's because it was covered by the storm last night, but that doesn't explain Dumah either. When I questioned Rarity on where he came from, she said he appeared from a pillar of fire."
"Santo cielo."
"I don't know what you've just said, but the tone in your voice tells me you know how extraordinary this sounds. I have a few hypothesis' as to why you extra-equestrian creatures are appearing under stranger and stranger circumstances, but I can't be sure until I see it for myself."
"It is a bit of a puzzler," Pinkie interjected, "You don't think that whatever's pulling you guys in is trying to hide the new arrivals now, do you? Cause, that's not how you do surprises." She then looked to the sky. "YOU HEAR ME?! THAT'S NOT HOW YOU DO SURPRISES! WE ARE NOT SURPRISED!"
Ignoring Pinkie's short rant, Twilight gave her friend's suggestion some thought and felt it might have some merit. Shaking her head, she turned back to town and continued moving. "Anyway, it looks like I should try to double my efforts in my research if I want any hope to crack any of this. If I could just figure out how this anomaly is weaved and sequenced properly, I could at least have a more acute awareness if and when it could open again, aside from being able to send you home at your request. I don't mean to offend, but I don't feel too safe whenever a new and obviously dangerous being shows up out of nowhere with the innate ability to flatten a small village if they ever wanted to."
Picking up on the concern that related to him, Elvis gave a slight laugh and shook his head. "No, I get it. I'm a tad preocupado on the whole thing too. I don't know what that human can do, but it can't be good."
Upon reaching Ponyville, and with the grim topic behind them, Twilight decided to head back to the library to continue her research while Elvis and Pinkie left to see if the Cakes needed any help. As Twilight moved through town, she began making a mental checklist of the day's plans. She'd first have to have Spike pull out any books from the shelves that have to do with portal thesis and monsters of myth, and maybe some on magical objects just in case. Next, she'd need to go and talk to Fluttershy and postpone the training session she had with the nearby critters in preparation for the upcoming entertainment demonstration in Canterlot. At least Fluttershy might appreciate the announcement, Twilight thought. Though, even without the training to bog her down, Twilight knew one thing for certain.
"It's going to be a long day."
-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-
"You want me to lead your army?" questioned the cyborg.
The two darkly beings trekked forward through the forest on an unbeaten path as hundreds of drones followed, shrouding them in their camouflage to make them seem like mere bushes in the trees. To complete the illusion, a team of scouts kept a look out for potential spies and wanderers, while another team worked diligently to erase tracks and other evidence of their presence. Needless to say, the cavalcade of monsters were unnaturally thorough in their efforts to mask their existence.
"It's more that I want you to assist my brood and direct them in their march. If that qualifies as leadership, then so be it," the insectoid queen answered finally.
"Forgive me for being rude, but I don't think you understand what you're talking to." Monsoon stopped, causing the queen and her changelings to stop with him. "You can't possibly believe that I've ever been in a position significant enough to lead anything bigger than a small group. Where I come from, your majesty, I am a hired killer. And despite the prospect, I don't have any intention of going any higher in the ranks. It's not my place."
Chrysalis chuckled lightly, flashing a toothy smile in Monsoon's direction. "If you're worried that you won't be able to handle it, I assure you, my changelings are perfectly obedient. Five or five hundred of them, they will operate the same. Just pretend they are a small group, and you'll be perfectly fine."
Monsoon clicked his artificial tongue, not entirely convinced, but let the issue slide. "Fine, but I will require some things before we make this official."
"In due time, my guest," she cooed, before focusing on the rocky side of a mountain that cut off the forest they marched through. "First, I must welcome you to my current home..."
"Current?" Monsoon asked.
"A story for another time." She then clicked and chittered, causing the mountain side to warp into a set of changelings that hid the entrance perfectly. Once again, Monsoon was mystified and slightly disturbed at how efficient and flawless their camouflage was. Even still, he remarked how he still couldn't pick up on their presence before they lost their disguises. Despite his awe, he followed the queen and her brood inside, deep into the cavern, illuminated by neon-green bulbs and veins that lined the rocky walls. As they continued deeper, the light became darker, forcing his automatic night vision to turn on which revealed a sight as extraordinary as it was potentially terrifying.
The long tunnel ended at a large chamber, lined to the brim with hundreds upon hundreds of changelings swarming the sides and walls like bees. Their oppressive chitters and hums drowned out any potential ambient sounds, creating a wall of thick white noise. It was then that their queen clicked something obviously loud and strong, causing the entire chamber to go quiet immediately. The only thing that could be heard then were the slow and rhythmic drips of water and air blowing through the tunnels.
"My children can be so noisy when they are without me for too long. Come, my friend, we have much to discuss." She then proceeded to one of the tunnels off to the side, ushering Monsoon to follow. Upon reaching their destination, he was greeted by a room properly lit with the same neon green that previously illuminated the the prior tunnels so dimly. Monsoon opted to turn off his night vision and gazed around his new location.
The chamber was relatively large, but obviously sparse with defining features. A carved stone object in the shape of a large table sat in the center, as a finely detailed stone map of the world he was now trapped in decorated the back wall. Drawn to it, Monsoon wandered closer, getting a better look at the obvious land formations. It was then he noticed the neon green darts that pinned certain locations, which were also marked with written labels in a language he couldn't discern. He gazed down to what looked like a small town etching surrounded by forests. It was then he noticed two particularly large spikes. One on the town itself, and the other situated at a nearby mountain range.
"Like it?"
Monsoon turned to the queen as she looked at the map he was at with fervor. "A child of mine made it. One of the very few of my brood I managed to find after my failed attempt in the capital of this country. His name is Black Tapestry," She turned to him. "Changelings don't normally have names unless they are particularly important, but he had an extraordinary talent for carving anything, from a world map with the finest detail to ascribing our history up to date. You'd think he'd have been a pony at birth with a skill like that."
Monsoon looked back to the map, not particularly interested in the queen's alleged sentimentality. Pointing to the large dart at the mountain range near the town, he spoke. "I'm guessing we're here."
She huffed, but replied with respect, "That is correct. The mountain range to the north of that accursed little town, Ponyville. Unicorn Range they call this place. Not particularly inventive of a location name if you ask me."
The cyborg took a good long look at the map of the world before him, seeing how very different it was to the world he knew. A phantom weight pressed against his shoulders as the situation fully sank in with the alien-shaped land masses displayed before him, marked with illegible hieroglyphs in key locations. Perhaps some study would allow him to read the new language, but he was in no rush. However, no matter what he could tell himself, no matter how much he believed that he must have meant to be here under these extraordinary circumstances, he couldn't help but feel lost and far too far away from home. He shook his head, and remembered Chrysalis' promise to him to help get him back. No matter how far fetched it seemed, he needed to try. It was his last chance of survival.
"Perhaps now is a good time to discuss our offer," she said, "Once you've agreed to lead us in the invasion, I'll do what I can to secure all resources to send you home after our little mission is successful."
Monsoon turned to her, crossing his arms as he addressed her once again, "I would like to remind you that you haven't disclosed your entire plan to me as of yet, and that I haven't told you what I'd need before I even dare to officially agree to this venture." He pondered his words carefully, before he settled on knowledge as the most urgent of his needs, which would give him a better idea of what he'd require in the long run. "I would like to know what sort of plan I'm supposed to headline. It would be much more preferable over taking a leap of faith among foxes like some march hare."
"Cutting me off would only delay the topic, guest," Chrysalis said with a hint of venom. Her gaze softened as she returned her attention to the map. "Besides, I was just getting to that." With a flourish of her magic, she retrieved a thin and lengthy rock and pointed it at the forest between their current location, and Ponyville. "I believe the best course of action would be to march from the forest. With the foliage before us, we'd be able to get close enough that they wouldn't be able to respond to our advances in due time. The town would be ours by the eve."
Monsoon mulled it over for a moment. If there was one thing he learned from being a part of a PMC, it was how to look over and analyze effective strategy. It was true that they would have the element of surprise. However, there was too much of a gap between Unicorn Range and the town, not even counting the apple orchard he was in, which had a considerable size to it as well. Monsoon felt that with that gap there, and the orchard itself, there would be too much distance out in the open that would risk their discovery. He then looked at the gap, noticing a set of markings akin to train tracks going towards the west, before another line of smaller mountains flanked the town. And there, just beyond that, he noticed a much darker patch below the town, with a considerable number of hieroglyphs dotting the area of the dark patch. "What about that?" Monsoon asked, pointing to the location.
"That's the Everfree. It's exceptionally dangerous. I've made it a personal order to my kind to avoid going into that nightmare as often as possible. The magic there is as ancient as it is wild."
"I suspect even your foes would refuse to step foot in there?"
Chrysalis stopped, and looked to Monsoon with glaring eyes. "What are you implying?"
"A pincer attack." Then, he snatched the stone stick from the Queen's magical grasp, and pointed back at Unicorn range. "Half the army would place themselves here as you suggested, while the other half, which I will lead, will cross here," He pointed the the set of tracks, "and here," he pointed to the smaller mountain range near Ponyville, "and we will set ourselves here in Everfree. Once we are in position, we will fire a signal, and attack in sync with your half."
"That's..." She stopped for a moment, looking closely at the map, imagining the step by step her guest provided, before locking her eyes on that accursed forest, "... extremely risky. I WILL repeat myself for your benefit. Everfree Forest is DANGEROUS. As Queen of my hive, I FORBID you to lead my children to such a dire location."
"I have lived in dire locations, your majesty. I grew up on the killing fields. I have seen ground stained with blood and scorched by war. I've fought to survive on streets far more harsh your over-saturated land could possibly throw at me. If your children cannot follow then they deserve to-"
"ENOUGH!" The Queen commanded with the utmost authority. Monsoon stood stoic and sturdy, as if he were just a statue, complimenting his unnatural physique.
"The point is: if you want me to lead, you're going to have to make some sacrifices to your own personal comforts and fears. After all, I'm here because YOU asked me to do this, not the other way around."
Silence oppressed the room like a thick fog before Chrysalis sighed. "I think," she started, "you need some perspective on these situations. There are reasons why I don't want my children to go there. There are reasons why I've been so patient with your attitude so far, and why I want to help you."
She walked past Monsoon, right towards the exit of the room, before beckoning him to follow. With nothing better to do, the cyborg obeyed, filing out to the main chamber and towards a new tunnel behind Chrysalis' hoofsteps. Trekking down the darkness, Monsoon's night vision kicked in once again as he watched his royal benefactor lead him through the black. In moments, they reached a new room. This one was far larger than the last and far more dimly lit, with only one changeling present as it chipped away at the corner of the wall. Upon realizing the changeling was no longer alone, it skittered away like a cockroach, leaving the Queen and Monsoon the only occupants.
"Where are we now?" Monsoon asked, feeling rather curt.
"Perhaps the most important room to the both of us." She looked up to the massive wall that faced the exit they came from. Then, with another flourish, her horn ignited, and the whole room gradually lit from bottom to top, showing the exquisite detail of the wall of interest. Instead of a map of the other room, this one depicted images of their kind, with minor different details, and a different type of equine that faced against an image of the queen. "This here is the history of my kind... This is why the world is so unnatural now. This is why those poor, deluded fools of foals know not what they've been perpetuating for so long. This is why I want to fix it."
"Fix it? I figured you detested them, with how you've been talking about those creatures at least."
She chuckled lightly. "No, my dear guest, I don't hate them. I hate what they've become over the years. I hate what they've been conditioned to think." She looked to Monsoon. "They've strayed from the course of nature. For how long is a mystery to me. I only know it was before my time."
It was then that Queen Chrysalis' wing's opened, and she took flight, reaching the top of the chamber and the top of the monument. She let her hoof brush against one of the images, a depiction of herself in a more magnificent stature, gently. "It was then that our arrival punctuated the fate of this country... this world. A society of control and artificial peace. A masquerade on such a massive scale that shuns the strange and the dangerous, even if they need something crucial to survive. Even if we were never dangerous in the first place, the moment they found out what we needed, we were branded as freaks and monsters."
"And, what did you need?" Monsoon asked, genuinely curious.
"Love."
Monsoon clicked his tongue and shook his head in disappointment. "Oh, please. What a pathetic concept, to need love. Nothing more than a hollow concept branching from-"
"Love is tangible to us!" she barked, glaring down at him.
Monsoon paused, and looked to her with a quizzical gaze.
"It may be nothing more than a concept of mutual affection to others like yourself, but to us changelings, it is the essence of life. Love is as physical of a requirement as hay is to ponies or meat is to carnivores, or water to all! To be broad, most emotions in general are nourishment for us. We thrive on what others feel. But love is the most powerful. The most revitalizing and the strongest keystone to our survival." She turned back to the monolith. "It is that need that tore our veil from grace."