Chapter 5
Having left Twilight and making their way through the camp, Spike and Big Mac passed through the crowds of finely dressed and uniformed ponies who enjoyed the day. Blending in with the mixture of ponies, they passed through the paths; complimenting others and being bombarded with complimented themselves.
Spike, proud of his expensive suit of armor, stood tall as he could he wobbled in his stiff suit. Despite the memory of Twilight’s earlier scolding still fresh in his memories, Spike was sure that all the bits spent were totally worth the cost. Surely the amount of compliments that were being given was a great compensation for the hundred and fifty bits he spent?
Passing through the camp, they saw the dozens of camps that littered their path. From vendors who sold replica armor to those who sold memorabilia of the war, the vendor tents were packed with anything that had to do with the Changeling War.
Stopping by one of the tents, Spike couldn’t help but drool over a certain sword that was presented to him. Shining brightly and looking sharp, despite its now blunt edges, the swords was complimented and designed with a finely crafted crystal handle, which attracted the young dragon’s attention.
Said to be the actual sword wielded by an officer who served in the 1st Crystal Empire Regiment, the sword was a valuable piece, with history that placed it in many of the War’s important battles. But despite its interesting background and fascinating stories behind it, Spike could not care less to any of them, for he was more interested at the jewels that decorated it.
Just by looking at it, Spike knew that the handle had a delicious combination of crystals, as he couldn’t stop his mouth watering from the thought of its flavors. From red, blue, and white, the crystals christened the handle and called to him, as he started at it like a predator stalking its prey.
Spike felt the need to buy it, and he almost did, if it weren’t for Big Mac, who quickly pulled the young dragon away from the vendor’s booth.
Costing over two hundred bits, Spike did not have enough money to buy the sword. Knowing Spike, he would probably do something foolish or trade something important just to get what he wanted, so it was best to separate the dragon as soon as possible, before he got any ideas.
“Now Spike, from what you told me, Princess Twilight is already sore at you for spending her money and I don’t think you want to anger her any more than that’s needed…” Big Mac said, as he pulled the dragon away. “….besides, it would be a waste if that swords fell under your claws, cause you’ll just end up eating it.”
Seeing no problem with the logic and disappointed at the fact that he couldn’t get the sword, Spike tried his best to move along, giving one last glance to the delicious crystal handled sword.
Reaching the center of the camp, where various displays of weaponry were placed all over, the two moved towards a large and eye catching piece of war that seemed to attract the attention of most ponies there.
Made out of bronze and placed on top of a finely crafted wooden carriage, the weapon displayed was a large bore canon that was used during the Changeling War. The piece was large and bulky, so much that it made Big Mac look like a dwarf under its presence.
Brought out from Canterlot by the Royal Guard, the canon was said to be a veteran of many battles during the Changeling War, a true weapon that has seen combat. Graciously given by Princess Luna, as her contribution for the event, the canon stood proudly, attracting the attention of those who see it.
Looking up at it, Spike gazed at the weapon with great awe, as this powerful piece of warfare fought in the many battles he has read about. Similar to Pinkie’s party canon, the battle canon was a piece that was far larger and deadlier than the innocent version.
Capable of logging cast iron projectiles to great distances, the canon had brought fear and destruction to the enemy. It was no wonder that the Changelings were defeated only months after their invasion, as a weapon like this, fielded in battle, was a weapon that even a swarm of bugs could not defeat, especially when it switched to canister shot.
Reading the plaque that was attached to the carriage, Spike saw the battles that this canon took part in, from the opening shots at the outskirts of Appleloosa to the major engagement at Bedrock Plateau. Scrolling to the names of the battles, there was one battle that caught the dragon’s eye, as he brought all his attention to it, the battle of Red Sand Fields. The day when the Changelings just disappeared.
The battle, which took place in the last months of the war, was the last known engagement of the conflict. The Changelings were outfought and outgunned; their forces were on the verge of total annihilation. Surrounded and with no place to go, the Equestrian forces sent a demand of for their surrender, but no reply came. After two hours of waiting, the Equestrian canons were ordered to pound them to bits, while the troops were ordered to wait for the signal of advance, so that they could mop up the remains.
Yet, when the bombardment ceased and the forces advanced, they found no bodies and no remnants of the Changelings. It was as if they just disappeared. Weeks of searches proved fruitless and they soon gave up.
After the searched was stopped and no trace of the Changelings found, Equestria declared a victory over the Changelings, as the enemy faced no more threat to the nation.
But for some reason, despite the security the nation assured them, Spike couldn’t help but feel that the Changeling were still there, lying and waiting.
A pair of green eyes glowed within the thick forest, as Queen Chrysalis wore a sinister smile on her face. With wings twitching in glee, bussing in excitement, and body ready for a fight, the Changeling faced her drones, who waited for the command of their Queen.
Despite the fact that their numbers were thinned down, during the disastrous war against the ponies, Chrysalis was certain that this new plan of hers would work, as she had a sufficient number of drones with her to create a victorious day for her hive. With at least three dozen drones with her, she calculated that this force, no matter how small, could mount a quick strike upon the nearby village, enabling them to replenish in their supply of love and strengthen themselves, before retreating and hiding once more.
She knew that she didn’t have enough Changelings to start a new war against her enemy, but if she did quick strikes, raiding small places before falling back, then by the end of the year she would be able to grow a force that could once more bring fear to her enemy’s.
But before all of that, she must test if her ambitious plan would work. So she brought her Changelings here, to Ponyville, where she could try out her plan and filter out the possible mistakes that could occur.
Despite being the home of the newest Princess of Equestria, Chrysalis was determined to gain success here, as there were no members of the Royal Guard posted in this area. Even with a Princess in the vicinity, the only real threats to Changelings were the fierce fighters of the Guard. The Guard nearly destroyed her hive in the war and she was determined to avoid them as much as possible. But luckily for her, her scouts have reported that there was no Guard post in Ponyville.
With no Guards in the town, then they had fewer things to worry and cower about. With that fact known, she predicted that she could be able to mount the raid, get as much love as they can, before needing to pull out of the town.
Turning her gaze towards the eager, yet tired, Changelings who have gathered around her, she saw that they were ready and were just as determined as her, despite their weak state.
Having just arrived at the forest that was on the outskirts of the town, the Changelings were hungry and wanted to feed on love. Having deprived of their source of nourishment for weeks on end, her Changelings could barely fly to the designated zone, let alone transform and change to their disguises.
She herself had lost the ability to change form, as the teleportation spell she cast upon all of them to escape annihilation had taken all of the energy that was left within her. Weak and hungry, the Changelings were at risk of just disappearing and dying from starvation.
But with the new plan in hoof, Chrysalis was determined to bring nourishment back to her drones, as they would suck up as much love as they can during the raid. Gathered all around her and waiting for her order, the Changelings were ready to attack.
Seeing that her force was ready, she moved her gaze and brought her attention towards the town, their target. Moving towards the bushes and peeking out, she looked across the field to see their objective.
But instead of the town and its wooden structures alone, her eyes also fell to an odd set of tents that she saw, which were separating her and the town. The tents formed a wall of canvas between her and the town, as she found it odd and strange as to why they were there.
Her scouts never told her that there was a camping sight here, so it must have meant that those tents have been recently pitched.
Staring at it for a good while, she shook her head in disbelief.
She didn’t know what these tents were and thanks to its wall of canvas, she could not see through it. The sounds of ponies were evident and loud, but on what the ponies were doing, she didn’t know. If she was to figure out what was behind them, then she would have to go up close.
But with no energy to create a disguise, it would have been impossible to just walk up there and spy on them. No, she would need to sneak in and keep to the shadows.
Normally, this task would have been given to one of her drones. But seeing that they already have done much for her, she would have felt ashamed if she asked for them to do more. They had risked their lives for her, every single one of them, and now, the remaining drones were here, standing beside her.
Now it was time for her to repay their duty by doing a simple yet important task for them. So instead, she viewed it as her task to do the scouting, to scout and do her duty to make sure that the path she led them was clear for her Changelings. Like what she did in Canterlot, she would go ahead of the main force, making sure that it was safe for them,
Turning her head and looking back towards her drones, she saw the loyalty in their eyes and she couldn’t help but be proud of them.
“Stay here…” She ordered them. “…I’ll be back in a while. For its time for your Queen to do a little scouting of her own.”