I awoke, slowly, and sat up in the tavern bed. Oh, by the Rebel Prince's flames, I'd slept well. It had been ages since I had last laid my head to rest in a proper bed, and it was something I'd sorely missed in the interim. I swung my legs over the bed, as something began niggling at the back of my mind. I paid it no real need, though, as I stretched and collected my few loose possessions. It'd come to me of its own volition when the time was right.
Stepping out of the room, I turned and locked the door, then yawned as I allowed myself to float down the stairs. Call me old-fashioned, but I didn't exactly trust the new-fangled teleporters. Not since it became mandatory, 'Verse-wide, to swipe your i-dent card to use one. Smoakey himself barely used the thing either, but he was a pretty big guy, even for a bear.
I hovered, half-awake, to the bar, and requested a full Old Canterlot breakfast: thick, crispy bacon, (of the non-hay variety,) a medium fried egg, two halves of a fried tomato, lots of fried mushrooms, buttered toast, a few sausages, baked beans, and some glorious hashbrowns. This was accompanied by my favorite drink, which I called a "Ranger's Special." It'd become a bit popular over the last few decades, once I'd introduced it... Ah, good times.
I was finishing my third cup when the tavern door opened, and three kids walked in... three kids I recognized. I facepalmed. Crap. Had I really just been spouting details about my past yesterday? With everything going on right now? Crap, crap, crap! I was an idiot...
"Hey, Caldoric!" Said the Griffin. Cloudsnatcher, I think her name was... "How's it going?"
"Agreeable: Yes. Inquisitive: Did you sleep well?" Intoned A.L.E.X.
I raised an eyebrow at the young Glitch. "You ok yourself? You weren't speaking like that yesterday."
A.L.E.X.'s head drooped. "Ashamed: It's a fault in my code, hearkening back to the old days. Admission: It sometimes happens to me early in the morning like this. Hopeful: My subroutines should clear it up soon."
"So can we hurry up and get back to the story?" Zaka asked. I gave him a flat look in return.
"Can I have my breakfast first? I kind of just woke up..." I replied, as a yawn cut me off.
"Here's your order, Storm..." Said Smoakey, setting a plate down on the bar.
"Oh, thank you, man. You're a lifesaver. A shining beacon against the darkness for those who cry out in hunger..." I praised, and noted something different about him. He smelled like warm honey today, which was just unusual enough for me to notice... "Hey, you using a new cologne, Smoak?"
He nodded slowly. "Eeyup. Could barely get the missus offa me this mornin' after I put it on..."
"Well, that explains the cowlick..." Noted Cloudsnatcher. Smoakey's eyes widened marginally as he touched a paw to the fur on the back of his head, which was indeed sticking up noticeably. He ran a claw through the slightly matted area, smoothing it out, and gave the young Griffoness a grateful nod.
"You've got a bit o' one yersel'," he rumbled, and she touched a claw to her chest in mock insult.
"Oh, that's not a cowlick, that's my style, sir," she replied.
"Anyways," I said, "I could probably get back to the story while I'm eating..."
And so, grabbing my food and coffee (and some stuff for the kids, because I'm not heartless,) we made our way to the booth of the previous day, and I once again began to spin my tale.
"Now, where was I...?" I mock-wondered, through a mouthful of Hashbrowns. "Oh, yeah..."
~~~~
You know how, after you've held something that vibrates, like the handle of a lawn mower, for too long, and then release it, you get this sort of continued feeling of vibration in your hands? Or, failing that, if you continuously hold onto one of those joke gum packages that shock you when you try to take a piece of "gum"? Well, I had that sort of feeling all throughout my body, but gentler, and it felt pleasant as I floated there in the empty grey nothingness behind my eyelids.
I'd had this experience once before in my life, when I was younger, and having my adenoids removed, though I don't know why that had to happen. This time around, I was aware of having been here before, and like the first time, I was vaguely aware of what had been going on in the real world before I went under, though it didn't bother me too much. It wasn't happening to me, here and now, so what did it matter? I mean, I felt a little short of breath, but aside from that, I was content to stay where I was, out of the way, and let it happen.
The empty greyness darkened around me as my feet found a solid surface, and gravity took hold of me. I opened my eyes to see I was standing in front of a cave entrance, and began walking aimlessly inside. The walls weren't too close for comfort, though they looked slightly unstable, being made of stones piled in an arch shaped tunnel.
It was at this time that I became aware of a bit of music playing around me, but thought nothing of it, since it was a song I liked. I continued walking as the chorus echoed around me, starting off the song itself:
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.
We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night...♪
Here, I began walking faster, having realized that the stones were actually heads, whose faces were looking at me... And they were primarily those of the "changelings" I'd been caught by.
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,♪
Oh, gods, they were SINGING! I began running, faster and faster past their alien faces...
♪And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright...♪
I was running pell-mell for the opening up ahead, panting hard...
♪We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,♪
I tripped, flying headlong and landing on my back, with my legs propped against the wall...
♪You'll be so happy just as long as you survive the night--♪
A face cut across my vision, upside down, and its eyes were wide with excitement. I recognized the light pink equine face, the insanely frizzy and curly dark-pink hair, those blue eyes, and that excitable attitude. It was the infamous "Pinkie Pie," to my chagrin. She got way all up in my personal space, squeezed my face with her hooves, and began singing:
♪Hey there! How ya doin'?
Nice to meet you, are you new in town?♪
A purple alicorn, wearing a tiara of sorts, butted in at this point, and continued where the pink one has left off as they both helped me upright:
♪Don't think I've seen you befo-ore,
It's great to see new faces around!♪
♪And if you'd like it, I can give a tour...♪
Added another pony, this one orange with a yellow mane and tail, and wearing a wide-brimmed hat, who was followed up by a shy-looking pastel yellow pegasus with light pink hair:
♪Of our enchanting wonderland;
New and improved, without the doors!♪
Wait, what? I quickly looked around, and saw as we walked down the road that the houses around us didn't have doors, only windows! The inhabitants were smiling and waving, but the smiles were forced, I could tell. Also, I somehow knew the windows were irrevocably locked from the outside, too. This was wrong...
♪There's no escape, but, then,
Who would wanna leave?♪
Asked the selfsame sky-blue pegasus I'd run into before.
♪It's a fan-tas-ti-cal paradise,
And it's not make-believe!♪
Said a haughty looking white unicorn with a curled purple mane and tail, as she gave a fancy little spin on one hind leg.
Great. My dreams had been invaded by the central characters of Ponyville.
♪I'm so glad to have another member of the band,♪
Said a new white unicorn, with a short, two-tone blue mane, a matching tail, and wearing a set of purple shades. I was pretty sure she was a DJ...
♪You're one of us now,♪
Announced a robotic alicorn, who turned into a Toa that looked like a hybrid of G2 Tahu's 2015 and 2016 forms, with a few modifications. He seemed vaguely familiar, too, though I couldn't remember why...
♪So let me take you by the hand!♪
Requested a new entity, who looked to be a fusion of a dragon and one of the local pony-types. He was mainly red, with orange accents. His right arm, from just below the shoulder, was robotic, and extended towards me in greeting. I hesitantly reached out to take it, and...
♪BUT WHAT IS THAT I SPY,♪
Asked another of the strange hybrids, whose features and colors were the exact opposite of the first, switching pony parts for dragon ones, and vice versa. I could tell her arms were entirely unaltered, as she grabbed my own right arm and twisted it to get a closer look...
♪WITH MY ROBOTIC EYE?♪
She looked up abruptly, staring me dead in the eyes with a hungry expression on her face. Indeed, I now saw that she had a scar over her left eyelid, and the eye itself was a cybernetic replacement, which emitted an evil-looking red glow as she bared her fangs. I was definitely starting to hyperventilate now, which I never did. My sides were hurting, too...
♪I THINK I SEE A BIT OF FLESH INSIDE THE NEW GUY!♪
Sang an effeminate yet feral-looking Draconic figure, who had just jumped on my back. I was nearly bowled over.
♪MAYBE HE ISN'T EVERYTHING THAT HE SEEMS...♪
Sang a green, bird-faced Toa I didn't recognize, who gave me a piercing look as he walked around me.
♪TIME TO INVESTIGATE
WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THE SEE-EAMS!♪
Decided a blue-green wolfish Toa, who had long, saber-tooth fangs, and Freddy Krueger style claws. He went to take a swipe at me, but before he could, the world dropped out from under me, and I fell into another tunnel. I began running, gasping for breath, followed by those I'd just seen.
The tunnel was again covered in changeling faces, once more singing the chorus:
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.
We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night!♪
I looked behind me, and saw what was practically an army of Bionicles and ponies that stretched to the horizon haring after me. The tunnel was gone, as if it never existed, but I could still hear the changelings singing...
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.
We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy just as long as you survive the night!♪
I tripped once more, and sprawled on my front. I looked up to see a small purple dragon named Spike flying around cherub style with tiny wings and a harp, and singing:
♪If you survive the niiiiiiiiiight...
Oh, I'll take you awaaaaaaaay...
To our enchanted land of play!♪
♪Forgive me for being suspicious,
Mischief's not on my brain,♪
Sang Discord, helping me up. I was feeling very sick, and it was getting no easier to breathe.
♪We're programmed to be pragmatic
If someone messes with the mainframe,♪
Chimed the Toa Nuva, Takanuva, Kapura, and Voriki.
♪It's not that we don't trust you...♪
Sang the strange, Tahu-like Toa from before.
♪'Cause we do! We love you, too!♪
Added an orange pegasus mare with a maroon mane and tail, who had just stepped out from behind the fire Toa.
♪It's just that... here in Equestria...?
Heh, heh...♪
Said another new Toa, who looked similar to the previous one, but taller, beefier, and he had silver, black, and gunmetal grey armor. He was also cracking his knuckles meaningfully.
♪We have a few rules...♪
♪AND IF YOU BREAK THEM,
WE WILL HAVE TO BREAK YOU
LIKE YOU BROKE OUR HEARTS!♪
Exclaimed a sudden crowd of various types of ponies to my left.
♪WE'LL BE FORCED TO REWIRE YOU,
AND REPAIR YOUR DAMAGE PARTS!♪
Finished another sudden crowd of Spherus Magnans to my right. I shrank away from them both.
"Now, you wouldn't want that,
And, frankly, neither would I..."
Recited the fire Toa from before, with a slight British accent...
♪But sometimes, to do some good,
You've gotta BE THE BAD GUY!♪
He grabbed my neck and slammed me against a wall, as two Hero Factory robots grabbed my upper arms. My sides were burning, and my chest felt too tight.
♪IN THIS WORLD WE PLAY,
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL STAY,♪
Announced the conglomeration of ponies, smiling.
♪AND WE WILL THROW OUR MOST
ELECTRIFYING SOIRE'E!♪
Concurred the Spherus Magnans, following suit.
♪FORMAL ATTIRE IS REQUIRED
FOR YOU TO TAKE PART...♪
Said the left robot, as I was frog-marched to my presumed doom.
♪YOU'VE GOT SOME SKIN THAT NEEDS
REMOVING BEFORE WE START!♪
Agreed the one on my right. I was suddenly pushed forward, and fell into darkness.
I closed my eyes as I fell, and the chorus of changeling voices returned, singing softly and gently.
♪...Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.♪
I could sense beings moving around me in the darkness, doing... something.
♪We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night!♪
»Mwa ha ha ha ha...« laughed a baritone, semi evil voice in my head... My eyes snapped open, and I saw Teridax at the foot of the operating table I was strapped to, with his clawed hand resting on top of the fire Toa's head. The Toa's eyes were heavily glazed, and Teridax's were an identical color to those of a changeling. As if they had noticed my attention, the voices of the changelings became louder and more intense as they sang.
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.
We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night!♪
All around me was everyone I'd seen since entering that first tunnel, except they all had the heads of changelings. They had begun removing pieces of my body, and replacing them with mismatched pieces from an untold variety of creatures. I struggled, trying to escape, to fight them, even to breathe, but to no avail...
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.♪
I began to grow weaker, struggling less and less, before giving in completely as they removed and replaced my face...
♪We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night!♪
Eventually, I was let up, and was assisted in hobbling over to a crystal mirror of sorts... I wasn't sure I wanted to see my reflection though. Knowing what'd happened to Vakama during his first return to Metru Nui...
♪Let's try to make it right,
Don't wanna start a fight,
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright.♪
A finger lifted my chin, forcing me to look in the mirror. There I stood, next to the fire Toa of earlier, whose arm was now draped over my shoulders as if we were old friends...
♪We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight,
You'll be so happy, just as long as you survive the night!♪
I was a complete mess. My mismatched body made Discord look normal by comparison. I was a monster. A freak. And my new face? It, too, was now that of a changeling. That, and the rest of my head. I could feel my eyes tearing up, but the face of my reflection did not follow suit. It's face remained cold and emotionless as I turned to look at my companion.
"I'm SURE you'll survive..."
Said the fire Toa, in a reassuring manner.
"Just... don't break the rules...
And... play nice!
And I'm sure that we'll all get along...
Ahahahah..."
It was here that he removed his strange Kanohi Hau, revealing that his head was really that of Queen Chrysalis.
"We'll be the best of friends..."
She leaned in close, and whispered:
"Forever!"
My eyes widened. "Nooooooooooo!" I screamed, and awoke.
~~~~
I came to, gasping for breath. My chest was on fire, and felt like it was being squeezed by metal bands. I had to act fast.
Taking as deep a breath as I could, I unfolded from my fetal position, and moved my right arm to try and claw at the outer shell. It moved sluggishly, and looked a bit strange through the murky goop I was submerged in. There was a tearing sensation, and the green wall before me split, spilling the entire contents of my ersatz prison. My whole body felt strange against the cold stone floor, but that was nothing compared to the more pressing issue. I still had a hard time with catching my breath, though it was a little easier now that there was no longer a viscous fluid compressing my chest. I dismissed the rebreather, no longer needing its services in the clear air, and it retracted from my mouth and nose once more.
Abruptly, there was a shadow hanging over me, which muttered darkly in Matoran. "He's barely breathing..." Said Roodaka, pulling something from her Hammerspace. I was fading back into oblivion, once more unable to draw breath. With a short, swift motion, she jabbed the item she had been holding into my chest(!), which was followed by *hissss...POP!*
I shot back to full awareness as I suddenly drew a deep, full breath, gasping in as much as my lungs could hold. For several moments, I allowed myself to just lie there, enjoying the simple act of being able to inhale without restriction. My breath came fast, and my vision cleared enough to see what she'd done.
There was a large hypodermic needle or something (minus the plunger,) stuck into my chest, which had presumably done... something...
Wait. Alarm bells were going off in my head, and had been since Roodaka had acted, but it had taken till now for me to realize what they were trying to tell me because I was so tired.
I raised my left arm to feel the black, slightly iridescent material that now covered my torso. Material which, as I now realized, the former Visorak Queen had plunged a large syringe into, and it rose and fell with each breath I took, like it was nothing...
"Wh-what..." I began, then stopped, coughing in surprise. My voice had dropped about half an octave, and sounded... well, "dangerous" was a close enough adjective for the situation.
"Your lungs collapsed because excess air was introduced into your chest cavity through the bite you received," explained Roodaka, "I just let it out. You should be grateful.""
I shook my head, still a little punch-drunk from the oxygen deprivation. "No," I croaked, "my... chest. What is this... stuff?" I gestured to my chest with my left arm, since my right one had that painful, tingly "waking up" feeling.
"Chitin," said Chrysalis, who rounded the bend in the tunnel, "as is to be-- Roodaka, what is that?" She gestured to the syringe.
"His lungs collapsed, and I rectified the situation," came the automatic reply. "But his blood pressure is still higher than it should be." At Chrysalis' stunned silence, Roodaka continued. "You pick up a few things when you work with a horde of mutagenic spiders for as long as I have. That, and I did some research on humans while we worked on this. They're amazingly fragile, when all's said and done."
"I thought you were joking..." Came the Changeling Queen's amazed response, as Roodaka removed the plunger-less syringe from my chest.
Of course, I didn't take all of that in at first, because I was staring in mute horror at the rest of my body. It, too, had changed. My arms were laughable parodies of what they once had been. My right was now longer, and slightly bulkier, but it transitioned into a large crystalline blade at the wrist, with a sort of hand under the "hilt." My left, however, was more diminutive, almost runty in comparison. The fingers on both hands had small holes through them, similar to the legs of the changelings. Actually, my forearms had holes as well... and so did my lower legs.
"Wait, something's wrong..." Noted Chrysalis.
"He's in shock. It's also to be expected." Assured Roodaka, before turning her attention back to me. She bopped me lightly on the top of my head and said, "Hey, Terra-1 to Caldoric. Wake up." That got my attention.
"How'd you know...?"
"The guards told us," she explained, serenely. "Quite helpful of them, really."
"True," continued Chrysalis, "and young Midge seems quite taken with you for some reason. He has this strange obsession with you humans..."
I gave a single scoff of laughter, then returned the conversation to my predicament. "What the hell did you crazy-ass spider-bitches DO to me? What'd you hope to achieve with this?" I demanded.
The two of them shared a look, though it's meaning went over my head. Chrysalis was the first to break the silence.
"It seems there are some definitive defects in the latest venom formulation. His body looks deformed and his arms are mismatched--"
"That's the Hordika Venom, as I explained beforehand..."
"OK, but his right eye is still green--"
"Total Heterochromia Iridis, we knew it was a potential side effect..."
Chrysalis glared for a moment, then continued. "Fine. But he's still surly and impudent." Oh, so I was impudent, now? She didn't know the meaning of the word...
With no warning. I surged forward, aiming to stick the blade of my right arm into her throat. I never got there, because I was knocked back by a bolt of purple shadow energy, courtesy of Roodaka.
"See?" Asked Chrysalis, pointing my way.
I pretty much tuned out the conversation at this point, because I'd noticed something. As I'd been sliding along on my back, the stone floor had partially alleviated the itch on my right shoulder momentarily... So I began rubbing my back against the floor, desperate for release from the stupid itch.
The result was a pleasurable sensation along both shoulderblades, which waxed and waned with each time I scraped my back against the floor. I eventually made my way up to the wall, Roodaka and Chrysalis too busy arguing over the former's attack to notice what I was doing. I felt something tear on the right side of my back as I moved incautiously against a rough patch, but the sharp pain it caused was immediately eclipsed by the immense sense of release.
I felt air moving over the open spot; cool, clear air, contrasting sharply with the warmth of the pocket I'd just torn open. The constricted-arm feeling I'd been enduring recently had lessened on that side, and as I attempted moving the phantom appendage, I felt something shift in the torn pocket, pressed against my back.
Wings! I thought to myself, hopefully, and tried wresting the appendage further out. The tearing sensation returned, followed by a great, leathery *FLWOOMPH!* as the wing escaped its prison.
This had, of course, attracted the others' attention. As I scraped my other shoulderblade against the rough spot, they exclaimed with shock and surprise at the appearance of the new limb. With another leathery snap, my left wing entered play. That done, I sat down and began pulling at the remains of the wing sacs, which peeled off quite easily. And kept on peeling. In fact, the sacs seemed to have been covering my entire body like a second skin. Where I peeled it off, the dulled colors and matte areas of my chitinous skin were revealed to be shiny , bright, and smooth. It felt good, creepy as that sounds nowadays.
"He's... molting...?" Said a stunned Chrysalis, who looked at Roodaka for explanation. But she may as well have asked the wall for all all she got.
"That was... not expected." Stated Roodaka, intrigued.
"Wait, what's...?" Began Chrysalis, looking over my shoulder. I personally didn't care, because I felt a lot of tension leaving me, going... somewhere else. Tension I didn't even know I had. I leaned forward and laid down on my belly, spread-eagled on the cool stone floor, letting my wings enjoy the ambient chill, and their hard-won freedom.
"No way..." Breathed Chrysalis.
There was the stomping of someone coming over to my position, but I was tired, and didn't exactly care. It didn't bother me when I felt Roodaka's cold fingers press against the side of my neck for a moment, before being withdrawn. As she moved away, I felt her arm brush... some unknown part of me.
"His blood pressure's normalizing..." Said Roodaka.
Looking back over my left shoulder, I saw another set of wings UNFOLDING behind me, but these were insectoid, akin to those of a dragonfly; long and slender. Blood was slowly being pumped into the transparent set, which was apparently the source of my relieved tension. I sighed, and closed my eyes. By this point, I was completely done with today, and all I wanted was a good night's sleep. Or, a happy thought, maybe I was already asleep, and when I woke up, I'd find this whole encounter had been a weird dream.
"Wow..." Muttered Chrysalis, "he tired out quickly... Let's get him in a cell. One of the nicer ones, for now."
"Fuck you," I said, half-heartedly. Man, I was tired.
"And we'll post a guard," added Roodaka, a wry smile playing across her countenance.
I nodded off for a little bit, and woke up on a semi-solid surface in another chamber. Looking about, I saw Chrysalis leaving through some sort of door flap thing, so I charged before it could close. She caught me in her magic, however, and somewhat gently pressed me against the wall.
"Sleep, Caldoric. It'll be better for you if you do," she told me. I merely snarled in response. I wasn't sure where this sudden anger was coming from, but I was pretty sure it wasn't unjustified. "Oh, well," she sighed, "I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this..."
She set me back down where I had woken up, and held me there as she began singing a slow song.
♪Come, little changeling, I'll take thee away,
Into a land of enchantment...
Come little changeling, the time's come to play,
Here in my caverns of shadows...♪
The melody was somehow familiar to me, yet foreign at the same time. As she continued singing, I found myself slipping into a light doze, tranquility stealing over me out of nowhere.
I woke once again with a jerk a few moments later, just in time to see her disappearing through the doorway as the flap thingy closed. I rushed to the doorway, but the translucent green barrier had sealed itself somehow. There was no moving it from this side.
I tried kicking, scratching, punching, anything I could think of, but to no avail. In frustration, I stabbed at the barrier with my bladed arm, and was surprised when the blade passed through it, but stopped at my fist. I withdrew it, and stored that info for later.
I moved back into the center of the chamber, and began thinking. There was no going through that barrier, but maybe there was a way around it?
I looked around the small cell, lightly illuminated by the "door," but there was nothing but a giant shelf mushroom on one wall-- wait, had I just been lying on that?! Yuck!
Momentarily grossed out, I returned to the task at hand. Perhaps I could dig my way out? Yeah, maybe...
I tried to summon my digging claws, but... they didn't show! I couldn't even feel my Hammerspace very well, let alone access it. This was bad...
There was a shift in the lighting, and I turned to see the door had become crystal clear. Behind it, with one hoof raised to touch the edge of the doorway, was a smallish changeling. He looked guiltily up and down the corridor, as if it was doing something it knew full well that it shouldn't be.
"Caldoric?" It whispered at last. "It's me, Midge!" I raised an eyebrow. "No, really! I'm here to get you ou-- Aaaugh!"
Midge was blasted to the right of the door and out of sight by a beam of green energy. From the left came another, larger changeling, wearing armor and an angry look. "I am highly disappointed in you, Midge," said Nymph, "I half expected something like this from you, but I had hoped I was wrong." His horn lit up, and he shook his head. "So be it. You like humans so much? Then you can be with them, for all I care."
With a jerk of Nymph's head, Midge was sent flying through the barrier and into me, bowling me over. "I wash my hooves of you, Midge. I give up on trying to keep you out of trouble. It's time you saw the repercussions of the path you now tread." Nymph dipped his head, and I'm not entirely sure, but I think I might have seen something glisten as it fell from his face. The world may never know. "And to think I once called you brother..." He walked away, and the door returned to its former translucency.
Midge sniffled a little, a disbelieving look on his strange face. "B--brother...!" He whimpered, "N--no! Don't leave...!" He sagged, then leaned against me for support.
Awkwardly, being careful of his wings, I put my left arm across his shoulders and did my best to console him. Even my left wing, acting on its own, loosely draped itself around him. ♪Lean on me,♪ I sang, softly, ♪when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on...♪ Midge smiled a little.
"I'm sure he doesn't really mean it..." I told him, reassuringly. "He's probably just trying to 'scare you straight,' or something."
"H--how d'you know?" Midge asked, switching to a "you don't understand" look. "You haven't lived with him like I have. He was never proud of me. I was always trying to follow in his hoofsteps, to be like him, but he only considered me a pest." Midge ran a hoof under his nose, sniffed, then continued. "He only got worse after he joined the army."
I nodded sagely. "At least you had a brother..." I said. "I'm rather jealous. All I got was a younger sister who thinks she's gotta boss me around. I mean, I love her to death, but I swear she's starting to take after our mom."
"Yeah," Midge scoffed, "my little sister, Gnat, did the same thing with our brother after our parents..." He trailed off, and his head drooped. "Our parents..." He said again, in a softer voice, then broke down in quiet sobs.
"There there..." I said, "don't think about that right now. Think about this: your brother's just trying to help you get stronger! He wants you to follow your own path, not just be a carbon copy of him."
"By saying... that?"
"He didn't mean what be said." I answered, but I wasn't completely sure that was the case. "My mom did something similar when I was younger. I threatened to run away for some stupid reason or another, so she basically said 'Fine, then go. Get lost.' and tossed me out in the back yard, locking the back door behind me."
"She did that?" Midge asked, incredulous. I merely nodded, and continued.
"Yep. I don't remember how long I was out there, but I do know I tried to get my sister to open the door and let me back in. She didn't, obviously, because mom told her not to or something. It wasn't until after my dad came home and unlocked the back door that I was let back inside."
"Wow," said Midge, "harsh."
"Yeah, well, that's my mom for ya. It's part of her whole 'control' thing." I decided it was time to change the subject. "So, how do we get outta here?"
"We can't," replied Midge, downcast. "It's impossible."
"Nonsense," I replied. "Nothing's impossible, only improbable. Besides, if what little I know about the show is anything to go by, this world's supposed to run on cliff hangers and happy endings, with semi-simple story arcs."
"Uh..."
"Meaning, there's always a way out of any situation for the good guys, if they just try."
"Ah...! Do-- This isn't a story!"
"Says the person whose species shares a name with a mythological race back on Earth," I countered. "I refuse to give up hope. Now, what's this door thingy made of?"
Midge blinked. "Um... Magic."
This gave me pause. "What," I said at last, in a flat tone.
"Magic. Just like how we make those 'cocoons,' and the tents."
"But... I... Your hooves, I thought..." I stuttered.
"Oh, these?" Asked Midge, raising a leg. "Yeah, we... we do that sometimes, as a sort of psychological weapon. Under normal circumstances, or I'd we're in a hurry, we just use our magic in the usual way, like anypony else." I winced at the phrase.
"I see. But it feels so... real, so smooth..." I trailed off. "Too smooth..."
"Yeah, it's something Chrysalis' been working on for a while now. It's a special variant of what we normally use, mixed with some kind of shield spell."
"A shield spell, huh?" I said, fingering my chin. According to the books I'd skimmed through, shield spells could, with care, be broken.
"That's what I said. And it's strong, too. Not even our most powerful kicks or spells have managed to even crack it, let alone shatter it."
"Doesn't shatter... doesn't shatter... because..." I searched for an answer, then looked up in surprise. "Because it isn't there!"
"What?" Asked Midge, startled. "Y-yes, it is! Are you--"
"There's no barrier that can't be brought down. So, if it's still standing, then... It can't be real! See?" And with that, I plunged my whole arm through the barrier, with nary a ripple. "Stop believing in it, and it simply disappears!"
To prove my point, I stepped completely through the barrier and into the corridor. Looking back, I saw that the barrier was clear from this side, and Midge was coming closer to my position, perplexed. I couldn't pass up this opportunity...
As he placed a hoof on the barrier, I shoved my face through it and shouted "Boo!" He immediately fell over backwards in shock, and I doubled over, laughing like crazy.
"Shut up!" He hissed, getting back up. "Somepony will hear you!"
I calmed down. "Yeah, yeah, just get over here." I reached through the barrier, grabbed his hoof, and pulled him through. "Let's go." And so we set off up the corridor, Midge leading the way.
"Halt!" Cried a voice behind us, and we spun around to see who it was.