//------------------------------//
// Captured 
// Story: Aftermath: A Changeling's Punishment 
// by Kastrinn 
//------------------------------//

	A bright flash cascaded across the sky, blinding almost everypony, with screams heard all around Canterlot
As I flew across the sky, I saw few fellow changeling soldiers pass by me, presumably dead, and heard screams of the frighten ponies. Defeat was clear, and all the time and preparations we had taken was all for nothing, it was all for shit. 	



 		"My fellow Changelings," a voice had yelled, one with confidence and power, "It is time we strike against Canterlot, and feed off of Celestia's precious little ponies." Now every Changelings attention was towards their queen, Queen Chrysalis. "We have waited many years for this moment, we have trained and fought for the power we needed to win, and we now have the strength to do so, and the right moment. General Ballose, start the briefing."  I looked up and started to make my way up to her when I was called.

Looking over the crowd of Changelings, I swallowed hard, then cleared my throat, ready to give my speech. "Ahem- As our scouts have reported, there will be a wedding held for Princess Miamore Cadenza and Princess Celestia's head Captain, Shining Armour. This is a dangerous mission for Canterlot will be guarded 24/7, and sources say there's even a dome protecting the kingdom from any attack." I paused, catching my breath. "So in order to get in, Queen Chrysalis will infiltrate Canterlot while we wait for her command to strike. Once the order is made, Canterlot will be ours!" Yelling towards the end for more enthusiasm, and the crowd cheering with pride. Then I felt a hoof touch my shoulder, and a whisper in my ear.

"I will trusting you will keep a good lead for the army." Queen Chrysalis whispered in my ear, then lifting her hoof from my shoulder and called out, "We will fly at night, and you all shall wait for Canterlot to be ours!"




I laid motionless, finally on the ground after our defeat, fellow soldiers dead around me. I noticed Canterlot Guards were checking bodies for any life, until they found me. I didn't resist, nor could I hear what they were saying, but it was probably that they found a live Changeling to keep prisoner for interrogations. I knew this was my end and they wouldn't make it quick. But soon my thoughts were interrupted with being knocked out by one of the guards.



	I looked at Chrysalis, forming doubt with the attack plans. Wanting to form words he couldn't speak.

"What is it, Bellose? If you wish to speak then do, until then you are wasting my time." She said coldly, looking at me. I could see in her eyes that she was confident in her plan, but was clouded by it.

"What if we fail, what will we do then. With the fact the The Elements of Harmony is now-"I started to speak up, but was harshly interrupted by the Queen.

"There will be none, and we will claim victory. If you so claim, just know I took the time to MAKE THIS HAPPEN!" She yelled, loud enough that half the hive could hear. But then she took back her composure. "I have laid out every detail to it's extent, I even made sure to train every one of you all to withstand their tricks to getting information about us, and out of every Changeling you had endured the most without breaking." She pointed to the scars on my chest, looking pleased. "Now, if you're done whining like a little foal, leave my presence."

Taking what she had said, I tried covering my doubt with it, and went out of her chambers and stared at the crowd of changeling celebrating their soon to be victory. Walking down the pathway to the barracks when I was greeted with a familiar face, and voice.

"General Bellose, Sir, would you like to join me for a  drink.......sir?" the feminine voice asked nervously. This was even the first time I had heard he speak of me, though I've seen her around getting flustered when I looked at her directly.

"Sure, Sargent. I might as well get a few drinks to prepare myself for the attack on Canterlot." I replied, trying to get the thoughts of failure away from my mind.

Her face lit up as soon as I went to join her, motioning to follow her to the dining area of the hive, where most of the Changelings were to celebrate before the invasion. I walked over where the Sargent was sitting, her motioning me to sit next to her. As for the night before tomorrow night, steam blow off was good right?

"General.....I toast for victory!" She held her drink for a toast, and I joined along with her for it was good etiquette. After taking her drink, she told me this into my ear, "Sir, I say we should get more acquainted on a personal level, so you can stop with the Sargent and call me Xia."

I will be honest that I did not expect this from her.... I mean Xia. From what I could tell, she was a good soldier, not one to step out of rank for anything. "Sargent....Xia, this isn't a good time to be doing this sort of stuff. This...this is just-" I was cut off by her taking a little nibble out of my ear, in which I pulled back immediately.

"What's wrong General" she asked in a sultry voice, "We do this to sort of stuff when we're out hunting, does that mean we can't have a little fun with our own species?" She ran her hoof up against my chest, stopping at my chin. "I do like my stallions with some battle scars." 

I stopped Xia right there, showing her that it wasn't the time at the moment. "Xia, I can't, I need to be focused for the invasion, so I'll have to decline your offer." Once I said that, I knew she wasn't all to happy for a "no" as an answer. So before she could do anything else, "As General of the Changeling army, I order you to your chambers for the night." I told her.

She huffed, walking away and not looking back. Then the bartender grabbed her glass, cleaning it and putting it back on the shelf, then elbowed me. "Seems like her mood was killed, I would've agreed with her motives though, if you catch my drift." he said patting my back before tending to the other Changelings. 

I just sighed, walking back to my chambers, preparing for the fight ahead of us.



I could feel discomfort, like standing on the back of my hooves, and could feel cold air and smell the musky air filled with blood and dust. When my eyes were open, I saw a few Canterlot Guards, cell bars, and a lit torch on the wall. I tried moving a little, soon seeing that I was shackled against the wall, then I tried using magic, but there was a anti-magic ring on my horn. Seeing that there wasn't any thing good to this, I decided to make a pleasant conversation. "Hey, don't you ever feel like you could be doing something more productive, instead of standing. I know I do, want to hear it?" 

They just stood silent, one guard swishing his tail.

"I could be unshackled and be ripping your throats out, watching die a slow and miserable death." I stated, be honest about it. But that hit one of their nerves because he kicked the cell, erupting a sound that echoed through out the dungeon.

But then there was something new that I could "enjoy". I heard a door open and hoof steps coming near me. And the smell was bad enough, royalty, the pampered sent after a day at the spa or something like that. But what disgusted me the most was the new pony in view.

"I see you've made your self acquainted with your new home, Changeling." The last word she said was oozing with hatred. "You see, you've made things for me a lot more harder for me and Princess Luna." 

"Aw, and I thought you'd like the new setup we planned for you, it was perfect I must say, I'm disappointed you don't like it, Princess Celestia." I said with sarcasm, spitting at the floor trying to seem bad ass, but she wasn't having. "So, execution for me then, to show every Changeling what would happen if we mess with you?"

"No, I wouldn't quite say so, but I'll offer you a deal, You give us important information, and you'll live until you've dried out your usefulness, and if you don't comply, we'll use any force if necessary." Celestia replied, and what she said wasn't a cheap trick to get what she wanted.