Everything is dark. My eyelids are like lead weights as I force them open.
I'm in the penthouse bedroom. Chrysalis isn't here. Neither is Mangus or Beakbreaker.
All is quiet.
I struggle to get out of bed, but instead of silently sliding out from between the sheets, I collapse to the floor with a loud thud.
I tense up.
No one comes in.
Lurching to my hooves, I grab the phone. Confound it, I don't know the number for Canterlot! I'll have to try the operat-
There's no dial tone.
I check the back of the phone and... Buck! The cable's been cut! Okay, okay, I can't panic. I'll head next door and use their phone.
Heading to the door, I crack it open and sneak into the living room.
“Good evening, my servant. You slept well, I hope?”
Chrysalis lounges on the sofa with a glass of sparkling champagne in her hoof, along with six Royal Guards from Canterlot. They rush over and surround me.
“These are your new guards,” Chrysalis says. “Your 'Princess' was kind enough to send them to protect you. After all, you are very valuable.”
At first glance, no one would be able to tell that these guards are imposters. But their eyes are like beasts, filled with a ferocity begging to be let out.
Chrysalis grins as green magic envelops and transforms her into the splitting image of Stonehoof. “Come, servant. It's time to get my crystal.”
The guards march, forcing me to keep pace, their angry glares leaving no doubt that they'll make things painful if I don't cooperate.
Chrysalis leads our group into the hall. “I don't need to remind you what should happen if you attract unwanted attention,” she says.
“Silverspeak!”
Beakbreaker! I turn as she jogs up behind us, and for a moment I forget all about Chrysalis and her schemes. Beakbreaker's alive, and with no sign of being the worse for wear. There's no trace of a cut across her flank, or any sign that she recalls anything that happened last night.
“Silverspeak cannot talk now,” Chrysalis says, her voice a perfect imitation of Stonehoof. “Must go-”
“He asked me to give him an update on his parents,” Beakbreaker says. “Surely he has time enough for that.”
My parents! They're here! Oh, thanks Celestia! I almost collapse to the floor and... Wait. I didn't ask Beakbreaker to give me updates on-
Oh no... There's a Changeling running round pretending to be me!
“Silverspeak, you okay?”
Chrysalis glares at me, her message clear: give away the deception, and Beakbreaker won't make it out of this hallway alive.
“Yes,” I say, forcing myself to pretend I know all about what she and I have been doing. “Just realized there was something I had to do earlier; been a busy day, you know.”
“Tell me about it. Anyway, the docs wanted me to let you know that the implants have been a complete success! They'll stay in recover overnight, but they should be much better tomorrow... Hey, you okay? I thought you'd be happy to hear that.”
I smile. “Oh, I'm just tired. That's all.”
“Well, you'll feel better after dinner. You did make those reservations, right?”
“Oh, uhh... Of course! I'll double check with Glasseye to see if he can pull a string or two to get us a good table."
Beakbreaker's confused. “You already did that.”
The guards tense up.
“Yes, yes," I quickly say. "But something came up. One rich couple had the gall to reserve the executive table. That threw things out of sync.”
“Oh... well, we could always eat somewhere else. Or at a less expensive table. After all, it's just a meal." Beakbreaker eyes the guards, unaware that the Queen of the Changelings is only a few feet away. “Please tell me they won't be hounding us while we eat.”
“I'm afraid so,” I say. “Luna's orders. They're here to keep me safe.”
“Well, could you have them be a little less pushy? Just because they're guarding you doesn't mean they have to be jerks to everyone else; Glasseye's been getting complaints all day long.”
“I'll make sure of it.”
Beakbreaker nods. “Alright. So, I'll meet you here in about an hour... Deal?”
I nod, even as I realize that it's probably not going to be me she'll be meeting.
“Alright then! And who knows? You might still have time to finish up that thing you needed to do.”
“We must go,” Chrysalis growls.
Beakbreaker glares at Chrysalis. “Fine." Then, to me, “See you later, Silverspeak!”
No! I can't let her get away! This is my only chance to let her know that something's wrong! I have to warn her, but how? I have to... Wait!
“Oh, Beakbreaker?”
Beakbreaker stops halfway down the hall. “Yes?”
Chrysalis glares at me once again.
“Almost forgot to ask... what's our password?”
Beakbreaker comes back. "Zebra grass," she whispers.
“Thanks," I say. "Just wanted to be sure." I turn on my charm to the lowest possible strength, the one I use when I only want to nudge things a certain way instead of trying to force someone to do what I want. “We should keep asking each other every now and then, just to be on the safe side.”
“I will.” Beakbreaker says. If my charm affected her, she's not showing it as she checks her watch. “Well, I'd better go get ready. See you in an hour!" She jogs down the hall. “Don't keep me waiting!”
I keep up my fake smile. “I won't.”
Beakbreaker turns a corner and vanishes.
Chrysalis is instantly in my face. “Your password. Give it to me. Now.”
“Luna's Majestic Night,” I say.
Chrysalis grins. “Your doppelganger will be pleased to hear it.”
I want to grin back, but I restrain myself.
The guards surround me once again, and I'm forced to follow them and Chrysalis down the hall. She shows no sign of realizing I used my charm, thank Celestia. I just hope Beakbreaker will realize what's going on when my doppelganger gives her the wrong password.
We reach an executive elevator, one reserved only for high-ranking TechInc personnel and guests. Chrysalis summons it, and we get inside as the doors part, and then close with a heavy thud as she sends us down.
“The time has come for you to fulfill your purpose, servant.”
***
The elevator ride down into Genesis' foundations takes several minutes.
“When we arrive, you will go to the vault,” Chrysalis says. “There you will persuade the guards that they are no longer necessary. Once they've been dealt with, you will open the vault.”
“And if I don't?”
“Then you will never see your parents or your zebra friend again.”
The elevator continues down.
The guards fidget, eager for a fight. Even Chrysalis has trouble staying composed.
“You're responsible for the deaths of thousands,” I say. “You know that, don't you?”
“And what if I am?”
“It didn't have to be like this." I turn on my charm, keeping it about mid-strength. “Even now you could stop all this. Explain why you did it. and we could help you.”
“Try your charm on me again, and I'll have your doppelganger stab your marefriend's eyes out.”
I go silent.
Chrysalis studies me. “Even now, when things are at their worst, you try to stop me, to get what you want... to save your family. In a way, you and I are not so different, pony.”
“I'm nothing like you.”
Chrysalis chuckles. “Are you? You were willing to do whatever was needed to get what you wanted. So did I. You're willing to do whatever is necessary to save those you love... as do I.”
“I don't murder thousands to get what I want.”
"Which is why you will never win. You don't have the strength to do what others won't."
The elevator eases to a stop. The doors slide open to reveal the tunnel leading to the crystal chamber. Fifteen other changelings wait for us, not bothering to disguise themselves upon seeing their queen.
“Go on, my servant,” Chrysalis says. “Lead the way.”
I do so, going as slowly as I can manage.
We reach the junction leading to the vault. I can hear small talk ahead.
“Promise me you won't kill the guards,” I say.
“You're in no position to demand anything."
Chrysalis kicks me into the junction. It's difficult to walk into the hall and past the guards on duty. The two that were talking among themselves go silent as I pass. Dozens of eyes follow me as I head to the vault, where Captain Shield Bearer's surprised to see me.
“Silverspeak. We weren't aware you would be visiting us.”
I've never wanted anything more than to not use my charm as I focus it to maximum power. “I am here to change the password, Captain."
Shield Bearer sees nothing wrong with my request. It's the usual time to do so, so she leads me to the massive gates and stands aside as I go to the lock and enter the code one tumbler at a time. I try to keep my mind empty, to not think of the guards around me. They're all just trying to do their job, trying to keep Equestria and their families safe-
A loud click, and the massive bolts slide back, unlocking the vault.
"Very good," Shield Bearer says. "Enter the new code, and we'll-”
She's hit by a magic blast.
I squeeze my eyes shut as a battle rages around me, trying desperately not to listen to the screams of pain and fear.
Then, ass quickly as it began, the fighting ends.
The hall goes silent.
Blood pools around my hooves.
Chrysalis kicks Shield Bearer's mangled body aside as she walks to me. “Well done.” Shoving me aside, she yanks the vault door open, revealing the Control Crystal floating inside, silently waiting for someone to utilize its powers.
Guards surround me as Chrysalis walks inside and places her hoof upon the crystal's surface. It glows, energy swirling within. Closing her eyes, Chrysalis loses herself in feeling that power.
“My servant has served his purpose,” Chrysalis says. “He needs a nice and quiet cell in the dungeon to rest.”
Spears are pressed into my skin.
“Tartarus will one day welcome you with open arms." I growl.
Chrysalis smiles. “Not likely.”
The guards force me down the hall, away from Chrysalis, the vault, and the crystal that will soon turn all of Equestria into a living nightmare.
***
The smell of blood soaks the air as I'm forced into the cell block. Changelings are already at work dragging bodies of the guards away while taking their armor for themselves. I barely have time to look before my guards shove me into the main hallway and to Mangus' empty cell. I'm forced inside, and the door's slammed shut behind me. As the locks are engaged, I see someone else being dragged down the hall.
“Unhand me you disgusting creatures!” Glasseye shouts as he's shoved into a cell across from mine. He struggles to his hooves as the door is shut and locked. “Come back here! I demand that you release me at once!"
The guards ignore him as they leave.
“Accursed imbeciles! I... Silverspeak?! What are you doing down here?!”
I can barely stand to look at him. “Guess.”
"They got you, too?"
I slump on the bunk. "It's a long story. How did they get you?"
"They swarmed my office and dragged me down here! But why?"
"Because we need you out of the way, that's why."
I turn as an all-too familiar face strolls into the hall with a small army of changelings at his back.
“Mangus!? You're behind this?!” Glasseye yells.
Mangus chuckles. “Guilty as charged.”
“Mark my words, when I get out of here-”
“You won't be getting out of here. And if you could, it won't make any difference, you old fool. Your double should be making his first orders right about now. He'll have your company's best secrets, technologies, and workers moved off this city.”
Glasseye can barely keep himself under control. “Stonehoof will stop you! She'll figure out that-”
“The real Stonehoof is lying in a shallow grave down in Saddle Lanka's forests. Her replacement, Queen Chrysalis, could care less that you're down here.”
All the color drains from Glassseye's face.
“Someone will find out,” I say. I'm not just going to stand here and listen to Mangus gloat.
“Who? Your little zebra friend? She's having the time of her life having dinner with you right now.”
I try to shove the image aside. “Then why have you come here? To gloat?”
“Of course! But also to thank you both for all your help." Mangus shakes his head. "You know, it really is amazing that this whole plan has gone so well so far. So many things had to fall into place: Queen Chrysalis disguises herself as the Saddle Arabian monarch after disposing of her, visits the Canterlot dungeons looking for someone who can help her bring Equestria down from the inside, and then finds me. And then she convinces Princess Luna to send me here, where you just happen to show up. When you put all the pieces together, it's like the universe wanted this to happen, which means that it wanted you to be here, at my mercy."
A changeling comes forward and gives Mangus a box. Yanking the lid off, he pulls out the bronze scepter from the special projects division. "Chrysalis saw this when investigating the city and figured it would be a fitting reward for her loyal servant. All I have to do is think what spell I want to cast, and it does so."
He closes his eyes. The gem glows and levitates Mangus a few feet off the ground.
“Cool, huh?”
“A just reward for a traitor,” I say.
“Traitor? To what? A kingdom that forces everyone to remain the way they are? Never allowing them to change?" Mangus chuckles as his hooves touch concrete once more. “This is about returning our world to its natural state, a state where everyone can go as far as they want, and do whatever they want. The strong vs. the weak. The powerful claiming what is rightly theirs: I'll be in charge of managing those who survive the coming purge. They'll become food for the changelings. We'll use that crystal to cast spells that let us control everyone's minds so they'll so full of love, and so eager to share it."
“You can't control everyone," I say. "They'll resist you."
Mangus laughs. “You can't stop what's coming. It's inevitable." He smiles, a jeer of satisfaction and power. It's a smile without any compassion, warmth, or kindness.
It's a smile from someone who's never known any of those things.
And in a flash, a heartbeat, a single moment of clarity, the truth hits me.
“This isn't about making things right," I say. "It's all about you. You're a bully taking revenge on everyone who ever stood up to you.”
Mangus chuckles. “So says the pony who tried to become a god.”
“Only because I wanted to better myself! You just want power, and you don't care how you're going to get it." I shake my head. “I always thought you were a bully, Mangus, but now I see how wrong I was. You're aren't a bully. You're not even a spoiled brat. You know what you are? You're a psychopath. You've been one since the moment you were born. Now I know why your parents abandoned you: they finally realized this is what you'll always be: a cold, sadistic pony who only wants power over others, no matter the cost.”
Silence fills the hall. Even the changelings wait to see what happens.
Mangus is silent as he stares at me. I may have made a fatal mistake by infuriating my jailer, but I don't care. Any second now he's going to launch into a lecture on how wrong I am, or go onto one of those temper tantrums of his.
But he doesn't.
He smiles.
“You know what, Silverspeak? You're right. No point in denying it: I love the idea of watching you suffer. And that in less than a week I'll sit by Chrysalis' side, finally able to do everything I've always wanted."
Mangus walks to my cell, looking me over like a cat eyeing a mouse in a cage. “I already punished my parents. I wiped them off the face of this earth back in Saddle Lanka. I'll punish the Princesses for locking me away. I'll punish the Bearers for turning me to stone, and I'll punish everyone who ever tried to stop me from claiming what's mine... but you? I'll take everything from you. You family, your loved ones, everything. And I'll save you for last, so that before I destroy your mind, you can watch everyone you love be turned into mindless cattle.”
I slam my hooves into the plexiglass with all of my strength. “You want promises? Then I make this one: I'm going to kill you. No matter how long it takes, I. Will. Kill you.”
The hall goes silent.
Mangus chuckles. “Keep telling yourself that." Stepping away from my cell, Mangus turns to Glasseye. “It's going to take some time to move all your plans, equipment, and important personnel onto my ship. But don't worry; when I'm done, I'll come back for both of you. In the meantime, enjoy the peace and quiet. It's the last time you'll ever enjoy it.”
That quiet descends upon the hall as the main doors are shut, leaving Glasseye and myself alone in our cells.
***
I lose track of how long we sit in the all-consuming silence. There are no clocks here to tell us the time. There are no windows to let in the morning sun and the night sky, only artificial lights that always remain on. Such conditions would eventually drive a prisoner mad. Given time, it would drive me mad. But it won't. I'm too focused on figuring out how to escape this cell. It keeps me from thinking about what Mangus and Chrysalis are doing in the city above me, where I can't protect those I love. I go over the cell a dozen times, looking for cracks, chips in the walls, anything I can exploit. But there's nothing. It's too solid, too well built for a single pony to break out of on his or her own.
“Glasseye, is there any way out of these cells? A secret passage a switch, anything?”
Glasseye doesn't answer. He's barely moved since Mangus left.
“Glasseye, I'm sorry about Stonehoof, I really am, but if we don't get out of here a lot more ponies are going to die.”
The leader of TechInc turns to me. “How... how did I miss the signs? I should have figured out what was going on.”
“You couldn't have. You couldn't have stopped this.”
“But I could have! If only the sensors had been more refined, more calibrated, I could have-”
“Glasseye, focus! We have to get out of here. If we don't, Queen Chrysalis is going to use the Control Crystal to-”
“Wait, what? You don't mean-”
I nod. “She's on Genesis. She has the Crystal, and she's going to take over the minds of everyone in Equestria.”
“But... but how?! The Crystal's defenses were-”
“I did it, Glasseye." It hurts to admit it, but I can't leave him in the dark about what's happening. “I let her in. She threatened to torture Beakbreaker and my parents unless I cooperated." I survey my cell again, trying to find a weak spot. "Now, can we get out of here?”
Glasseye doesn't answer, struggling to process everything I've just told him.
“Glasseye!”
“We... We can't. We built these cells in the city's bedrock and made sure each cell was escape proof.”
“What about magic? Can't you teleport out of there?”
“The walls and doors are lined with anti-magic spells.”
Buck!
Glasseye tries to smile. “Cheer up, my good lad. Someone's bound to notice that our doppelgangers aren't ourselves, put two and two together, and raise the alarm.”
He coughs.
“Someone will realize something's-"
He coughs again, but more violently. He tries to wipe his mouth so as to not attract attention, but he can't hide the blood on his hoof.
“Glasseye?”
It takes a few moments for Glasseye to stop his coughing. “It's my medicine," he says. "I wasn't able to take a shot before the changelings snatched me...”
Glasseye coughs again, and this time he can't stop.
Celestia, there's got to be a way out of here! But how? We can't use our magic, and at this point we can't hope on anyone else coming to our rescue-
Wait...
“Glasseye, I think I've got a plan.”
“I'm... all ears,” he coughs.
“I think our best chance to get out of here is when Mangus comes back to get us. He and his goons are going to get us out of these cells. When that happens, you need to pretend to have a heart attack, a stroke, anything. Fall and make as much noise as you can. Distract Mangus long enough for me to leap forward and break his neck.”
Though his coughs, Glasseye manages to smile. “Simple... but what if he has us restrained? Or if he uses magic to get us out?”
I shake my head. “Then we're screwed.”
Glasseye nods, and it seems our plan is finalized. If I can take Mangus out quickly, the changelings will be disoriented and unsure what to do; with all the adrenaline flowing, and knowing what'll happen to Beakbreaker and my parents if we fail, taking them out should be relatively straightforward.
All we can do now is wait.
***
Time passes. I wait. So does Glasseye. If I didn't have a plan on what to do when the time comes, I'd go mad from fear. But even with a plan of action, doubt still creeps in. What if Mangus decides to take the safe way out and make sure I can't hurt him? He knows I'll try to attack him. He'll probably threaten to torture Beakbreaker and my parents, though that only gives me more incentive to kill him. But if I fail, he'll go through on his promise-
I shake my head. I've got to focus. Just get out of the cell and kill Mangus. That's all I have to do.
The silence is broken by an elevator opening. Hoofsteps echo through the hall.
Glasseye looks up.
This is it.
Several changelings walk past our cells and take up positions as Mangus finally makes his appearance, now wearing my suit of armor, complete with those leg blasters.
“Well, we're all packed and ready to depart,” Mangus says, “and you two get free seats on my ship. Your parents are already on board, Silverspeak. I'm sure you're eager to see them, so just come along nice and slow, and you might make it aboard in one piece.”
“Where's Beakbreaker?” I ask.
“Oh, she'll be along soon enough.”
The changelings open the door to my cell.
“Now, be a good little pony and come along.”
The changelings open Glasseye's cell door. I take my time getting up, trying to not look in Glasseye's direction as he wobbles to his feet. I hope that's an act.
“You want me to come in and drag you out?” Mangus asks. “I'd be happy to.”
I leave the cell. Changelings surround me, their spears at the ready. Tartarus; I had hoped they wouldn't have the weapons. No time for that now; all that matters is Mangus. Kill him, and the changelings will be too stunned to react right away.
Glasseye exits his cell.
Come on...
“Well, let's get going. Don't want to-”
Glasseye stops. He coughs, chokes, and gives an ear-splitting screech as he grabs his chest and falls.
Every changeling spins to see what the problem is. So, too, does Mangus, taking his eyes off me for a split second.
A second is all I need.
I hurl myself at Mangus, screaming to psyche myself up as I rear back for a killing blow, tendons and muscles stretched to the breaking point.
Mangus hears me coming and turns, but I'm too close for him to swing his scepter or blast me with his magic.
Yes!
Something hits me in the chest and shoves me aside.
No!
I hit the floor. Something wet splashes my legs. Blood. My blood. One of the changelings stabbed me. But I don't feel it; I see the wound, but it doesn't register. I can't think about it. I leap back up, but the changelings pile onto me.
No, no, no!
I lash out, kicking and punching as hard and as fast as I can. I've got to get to Mangus, got to get him before it's too-
A flash of blue light blasts the changelings across the hall. No longer acting, Glasseye charges Mangus, firing again and again. Mangus conjures a shield, forced to go on the defensive as Glasseye tries to overwhelm him with magic. The changelings who haven't been blasted unconscious hesitate, torn between helping Mangus and fighting me. I take that opportunity to grab a spear and skewer the closest changeling, yelling as I yank it free and stab another in the neck.
Glasseye's shots force Mangus to the gate, where he fires one enormous blast that nearly shatters Mangus' shield, knocking him onto his back.
“Glasseye, now!” I yell. He has a single moment in which he fire the spell that will end Mangus... But he doesn't take it. He can't. He's panting. Glasseye's not a young pony anymore, and firing those spells has drained him. The last one has brought him to the point of exhaustion. But he breathes deep, readying himself for that last strike, that last blow.
Leaping up, Mangus fires a blast from his scepter, and Glasseye's hurled through the air, smashing into a wall with a loud crack and then to the floor with a pained cry.
“Glasseye!" Kicking the closest changeling away, I hurl my spear towards Mangus, but he deflects it with a spell and fires another. An invisible force hits me like a runaway train and hammers me into the wall so hard that I can't breathe as I collapse.
Mangus floats Glasseye into the air, where he tries to break free, firing off another shot. Mangus sweats as he conjures a spell.
I... I have to hit him when his back is turned, when he's too focused on the spells.
Mangus shakes his scepter, snapping a barbed spike into place at its bottom.
A swing, and the barb is plunged deep into Glasseye's chest.
“No!”
I can barely feel my body as Mangus knocks me away with another blast, spraying Glasseye's blood across the wall as the scepter's yanked free. But I don't hit the wall. I'm stopped in mid-air, left to struggle as Mangus walks towards me.
“Should have known you'd try something like this,” Mangus growls. “You know something, Silverspeak? You're more trouble than you're worth.”
He thrusts the scepter forward, and my entire body locks up.
No! No, no, no! Mom, Dad, Beakbreaker, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I wasn't-
The pressure around me builds. It grows; oh Celestia, he's going to crush me! Wait... wait, the pressure. It's stopped. No, it's still going, but only around my... my...
My nec-
A snap.
Pain. Pain, all consuming pain, searing, burning, a red-hot axe in my neck... and then it's gone.
I plunge to the floor in a heap.
Mangus looks me over.
The plunges the barbed spike into me.
I shriek and squeeze my eyes shut... But there's no pain. Did he miss? I look bac-
The scepter's embedded in my thigh. Blood trickles out, but there's no pain, even as Mangus twists his scepter out, dragging blood and skin with it. Mangus stabs me again and again; I want to scream, but there's still no pain, or even feeling.
I can't feel the spike.
I... I can't feel my body!
I try to kick my legs. They don't move. I try to lift my body, to turn, to twist, to thrash about.
A force I can't feel drags me across the floor and back into the cell. Glasseye's dragged in moments later. The door is swung shut, and Mangus casts a spell on it, the edges burning hot, the light momentarily blinding me before fading away to reveal edges that have been welded together.
“I would have enjoyed making you squirm,” Mangus says. “I would have loved cutting you open, piece by piece, but I'll leave you here, instead. If you're lucky, you'll bleed to death. If not... Well..." He smiles. “You'll find out soon enough. But either way, you can die knowing that because you were stupid enough to try and kill me, I'll make your family's deaths nice and slow.”
He backs up. The scepter goes up, and a spell shatters the light above me. Another spell and a light dies in the hallway. Then another, and another, until only a single light remains, illuminating Mangus as he glares at me.
“Goodbye, Silverspeak. And good riddance.”
He leaves the light and melts into the dark.
A moment later, and a spell destroys the light, plunging everything into a silent, all-consuming darkness.