//------------------------------// // Chapter 38; A Shock // Story: The Wander Through Lands Unknown // by Tomas Lutwig //------------------------------// My eyes narrowed at the large changeling anger having already built to the point of overflowing. “What do you want Chrysalis?” I hissed between clenched teeth. The green lantern was shoved back into my face, this time slapping it a few times. “Give her majesty the respect she deserves!” The changeling holding the lantern hissed in response. Light burned my eyes making me close them until the the lantern was moved, revealing the Queen's face again. “I apologize, my dear changelings can be a bit protective of me.” Chrysalis said sporting a smile that made my skin crawl. “But back on topic. I believe that you may be able to help us Wanderer.” My eyes narrowed again, the little history I had on the changelings leading me to take anything this larger bug said with a grain of salt. “And how would that be... your majesty?” The creature holding the lantern relaxed, if only slightly, having been readying to hit me upside the head again with the lantern. “As you may of heard from the ponies while you were in your 'hoof camp' in Canterlot, we changelings were driven off years ago at the wedding of 'Prince Shining Armor', and 'Princess Cadence'.” Hatred edged into the Queen's voice as she spoke of the royal couple. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine at the thought of being on the receiving end of such malice. I opened my mouth to question my purpose in her plans, but after a breath she refocused on me. “After our defeat, we were severely weakened and launched into...” The Queen paused again, wearing a face that spoke of confusion before shaking her head. “Never you mind. We were launched far from Canterlot and many troops were injured. After a few nearly successful attacks on Ponyville, we gained enough love to resume gathering it from cities in Equestria in secret.” Queen Chrysalis turned away, seeming to inspect the chamber of faults. Opening my mouth I started, again, to try and ask my purpose in the plans, but was shot down again. “As it turns out though, after our attacks, your fellow guards had been instructed in spells to reveal changelings, and any suspicious activity is to reported, no matter how close the pony is” Chrysalis started, turning around to face me again, anger and annoyance showing in her eyes. “So we had to start searching for a new source of Love. None of us could believe what we found.” A smile formed on the Queen's face as I raised an eyebrow. “What did you find?” I managed to get out only to receive a lantern to the face. “We found a statue, but one like we had never seen before.” She started, excitement showing in her face. “This strange statue seemed to excrete love!” I blinked a few times, confused. 'How does that work? I thought only beings of higher intelligence could feel love' “It was a great surprise to us all” The changeling Queen nodded smiling, “Thusly I sent out a team to retrieve the strange statue, to harness it's love, to use it against the ponies.” Chrysalis' smile fell turning to a look of indifference as she looked back to the stone around us. “Unfortunately that fool Tirek found it first on his little escape from Tartarus. After that, those foalish Princesses took it, holding it at their castle, and it was out of our reach.” The smile returned to the Queen's face as she turned towards me. “Until now that is” I blinked, “What?” I managed to blurt out as Chrysalis looked me over, greed, or perhaps lust in her eyes. “That doesn't make any sense though, I don't love anyone here!” Queen Chrysalis stopped her evaluation, looking back to my face. “Oh? My this is a predicament then. Perhaps you'd be willing to love one of us? After what those ponies have done to you, you're no doub looking for a way out from under their hoof.” She said giving me a look that spoke of future intentions, if I gave in. A shudder ran down my spine again, “Your Majesty, I was being punished by Equestrian law, justly at that, for the murder of Tirek. As such I am to stay in the military until the time when my service is over.” I said shaking my head. “Are you sure Wanderer?” Chrysalis' voice was filled with implications. A bright green fire surrounded her flashing around her before revealing the form of Princess Celestia without her normal regalia. “We can become anyone you want.” My eyes went wide as 'Celestia' licked her lips. Turning, I stared at the stone wall suddenly incredibly interested in the stonework. “I'm good thanks. I have a bit of a personal preference to my own race.” Another flash of green light enveloped the room, and despite my better judgment I glanced over only to see a clotheless copy of myself only for it to stumble and fall on it's butt. A smile came to my face before I started laughing at the fallen copy who looked up at me with disdain in his eyes. The changeling holding the lantern went to help their Queen, but after a flash of green the tall changeling returned to her normal form, a grimace taking her face. “Very well Wanderer, if you'd prefer to be difficult, I have no issues with being the same. Rising from her place on the floor, Chrysalis approached, her twisted horn glowing a bright green. I pulled at my bonds again only for pain to lace up from my side. Pulling away from the horn I was met with stone against the back of my head before the tip of the horn touched my forehead. Blackness filled my eyes as images flashed before me. Fragments of memories from before, more solid memories of my first meeting of the Elements, dreams, trapped within stone. My head felt like someone had left it in the microwave too long, pain threatening to split my skull. My vision swam as the Queen of the changelings pulled her horn away from me, sharp white teeth forming a smile before a bright green light filled the room. “It's alright Bret, go to sleep honey” Voices. Unmistakable. Familiar, but just out of reach. Blackness surrounded me swirling, pinprick lights showed themselves as I turned watching helplessly as my friend, my only companion drifted away. Her oxygen line cut by debris, by the time I reached her and returned her to the shuttle it would be too late. Despite the oncoming debris field, I gave my companion a quick and silent salute before turning to the shuttle, using the compressed Co2 canisters to propel myself. The white and black of the shuttle slowly mixed, swirling into a beautiful soft gray. The ceiling of the small motel was surprisingly clean, the soft gray paint working well with the oak colored furnishings. Sitting up in bed, I glanced around to see a bright turquoise wedding dress laying across the chair that stuck out from the small desk. My suit, or pieces of it, were strewn out on the floor around me. Blinking a few times, I rubbed sleep from my eyes. Turning, I looked at the sleeping form of my wife, her copper hair, a mess against the pillow, snaking out around her sticking lightly to her back and arms from sweat. A smile came to my face as I looked at her, an urge to hold her came, but was brushed off in lieu of letting her sleep. Straining myself, I arched over her face putting a light kiss on her cheek. A quiet “Mmmm” sounded from her as I got up out of the bed. Grabbing my clothes, I got dressed, forgoing the suit jacket and tie, I walked quietly into the bathroom checking myself over in the mirror. My scraggly beard that had been brushed and combed into submission for the ceremony had easily returned to it's previous state, sticking out in all directions. The dress shirt was wrinkled, as was the pair of pants, the leather belt being the smoothest part of the clothes making me chuckle quietly. Running a hand over my already thinning hair I let out a sigh before turning back to the bed. 'I'm glad you took me, I don't know if anyone else would've' I thought looking at Julia's sleeping form. Shaking my head, I drove the thought from my mind before making my way for the door. Quietly, I opened it feeling for the keycard in my pocket before walking through. The cement was cold on my bare feet, but the cool night air helped wake me up. I watched quietly, leaning on the railing, as cars drove by, the highway was the emptiest I had ever seen, even at four in the morning, if my pocket watch was to be believed. Looking above me the roof of the small motel didn't stick out far from the railing. Walking down past a few more rooms, I put a hand on one of the support pillars before putting my bare feet on the cold steel of the railing before hopping up. Reaching around, I grabbed the lip of the motel's roof, pulling on it a few times to test it before grabbing it with my other hand. Bracing myself on the support pillar with my feet, I pulled myself up, onto the motel's roof, the ceramic plates colder than even the steel making my feet burn slightly from the chill. Walking further up, I sat down on the peak of the motel's roof. The light of the city was nonexistent this far into the mountains, so the stars were painted across the sky as they were meant to be, without any light pollution from people working the night shift, or staying up late. Silently I wondered, 'What brought me here? To this point in my life?' The smile on my face had faded, turning instead to one of confusion. Memories of loneliness and questions if I would ever find even a good friend resurfaced. My heart ached as I looked into the sky, knowing my loving wife was in the room below me. I let out a tired sigh as I wondered. A shock ran through me jolting me before the feelings could embed themselves. 'That's right...' I thought, 'My wife is in the room below me' My smile returned with a vigor, 'I must be the luckiest guy on earth.' Sliding down the roof I dangled my legs over the edge of the roof, laying down against the slant. My eyes slowly started closing as I watched the cars go by. Voices made their way to my ears again making me groan. The sound of a heavy door quickly opening and slamming shut was heard, making me jolt and open my eyes. The colors swirled together making me blink. Reaching with my hands, I quickly found that I couldn't move my arms. Memories started flooding back. I let out another groan as pain laced up from my side, only adding to the mind numbing pain from my head. Blinking a few more times, my eyes cleared up revealing the dark stone blocks of my cell. I tried again to pull my arms from their bonds only to find that they were firmly bolted to the wall by way of a set of iron shackles. Blinking a few more times I looked again to the shackles, 'Did the changelings replace the goo with these? Maybe it's a more permanent restr-' I thought only for the door to start opening. Light shined in making me squint at the form. A tall equine form walked in, it's hair flowed in a wind I couldn't feel making my stomach drop more. Following it was a slightly shorter equine though with the same flowing mane. The door behind them was shut with a metallic clang. Horns ignited revealing angry faces, the sibling diarches. “Wanderer” Celestia's voice sounded, spitting my taken name like a bad taste from her mouth. “We have given you your chance, and you repayed us by throwing it in our faces. Your sentence of one thousand moons in stone was unable to be served, and thus it will be served here.” Shock replaced dread as I tried to open my mouth to retort, only to find it sealed shut. “We won't hear any more of your lies.” Luna's voice this time. “Your sentence will be served and it will be served alone” Struggling, I made muffled grunts and other noises behind my binding. 'What the hell is going on?! Th-this has to be a changeling trick! That's it!' I thought, eyes still wide at the two sisters. “After your thousand moons is served, we will return. If you are right in mind and able, we will consider returning you to the Everfree Forest.” The Solar Princess said before turning to her sister, “Luna, could you wait outside, I would have a word alone with the prisoner” A worried look crossed over the darker alicorn's features before she nodded. Light again shown in as the door was opened, nearly blinding me again, before being shut the metal clanging together. “Was all of that a ruse?” Celestia's voice rang out again, a tone of hurt in her voice. “I take it James was just someone you knew? Sundance didn't even know you by that and she was closer to you!” Anger started seeping into the Solar diarch's voice making my eyes go wide. The Alicorn had let her horn die after her sister opened the door, the small plinking of water sounded beside her labored breathing. “I thought we were actually friend, I had thought, just perhaps, after all these years...” The princess trailed off as she choked. After a moment she cleared her voice, “Goodbye Wanderer.” The tone of Celestia's voice made my stomach threaten to fall through my bowels in one final attempt at a movement. I strained against the lock on my mouth, trying, fighting against the restraints, noise sounded, but it was muffled and complete gibberish. I strained against my bindings even as the door slammed shut. Not ready to lose my friend. Hanging from the wall was starting to make my arms burn, but the pain was ignored in favor of wondering what I had done. 'The last thing I can remember was blurting out my murder of Tirek to Applebloom... Is- is that what caused this?' Looking around my cell I let out a groan through my mouth restraints. Hours ago my rampant mind had made me reevaluate the possibility of this being a changeling ploy. 'Perhaps they had made me do something...' I thought looking around the cell again, for something substantial. Silently praying that someone or something would turn up to get me out of the bonds. My eyes started drooping, the pain from my arms having numbed to nothing more than a dull feeling that something was at either side. 'Why do these things happen to me?' I questioned before letting my head droop, the bindings over my mouth touching my chest. Consciousness faded as sounds made their way into my cell. Light came as well, but it did nothing save brighten up the lids of my eyes if only slightly. Feelings faded as something touched my head. Green. Everything was green. Holding the electrode in my hand the heavy feeling of the leather jacket against the thin material of my t-shirt beneath it. Heavy leather gloves made my hands large and clumsy, but as the stick burned against the metal it made little difference. The bright green light from the arc swirled, taking everything with it into brightness, nearly white. Opening my eyes, the sun tried it's best to burn them out of my skull before I put a hand up, covering the celestial body. Cheerful screams of children came to my ears before a familiar woman's voice sounded. “Bret, what are you doing? Put on some sunscreen before you turn into a lobster” Julia's voice rang out before something impacted my stomach making me jump. I looked over to the woman, my woman. A green two piece swimsuit covering the important parts while a large sunhat sat on her head. Under one of her arms was a large blue and white beach umbrella with a small cooler hanging from her hand. “Well maybe I'm already a lobster!” I countered shaping my hands like a pair of claws, closing and opening them a few times. The look on her face changed to one of disapproval thinly hiding happiness, “Bret don't you dare, I still need to put this stuff down.” Her empty hand was thrust out in a futile attempt to keep me away. Quickly, I leapt from the sand, under her protective hand, and latched onto the small amount of fat that could be found at either side of her midsection. “Raaaah!” My battle cry was laced with laughter as I tickled the woman making her drop the two items in her attempts to pry my hands from her. “Bret! Stop it! People are staring!” She managed through giggles. Bypassing her hands completely I blew a raspberry on her stomach making her giggles only louder as she pushed with both hands against my head. “Julia! You know this isn't that kind of beach!” I said quietly, looking up at her face and stopping my attempts to make her laugh. “Though I won't be against going to jail if you're going to be in the cell too” A blush played across the young woman's face before she covered her mouth with a hand. Looking away she playfully smacked me. “Jesus Bret, you're a dog” Falling away from her with the slap, I rose holding my hands out like claws again, “I'd say more a werewolf than a dog!” Julia held out a hand again as I advanced, “Bret c'mon, we need to get the umbrella set up.” She took off running, dodging around beach goers and children. Not one much for losing, I followed the young woman, laughing dodging around civilians in my personal tickle war against my wife.