Chapter 19: Sudden but Inevitable
Chapter 19: Sudden but Inevitable
Turbulent, icy winds tugged at Sky as he flew swiftly, keeping pace with Princess Luna and the rapidly growing pack of guards. The Princess of the Night was grim faced, her wings carrying her at an impressive speed, and with her flew a chill darkness.
Weather pegasi, who moments earlier were rounding up the last of the clouds from the previous night’s showers, now scattered as a dark storm gathered. Sky could feel the tingle of electricity growing in the air even as Luna dove toward the city below.
A blinding flash ahead of them made Sky look away for a moment. When he looked back again, a brilliant flare of light showed over their destination. Celestia had teleported in ahead of them, the glow of her power radiating out over the city as she descended.
As they flew past the final roof-top, Luna back-winged, bringing her flight to a stop, and dropped to the street below. There was a flash and peal of thunder as her hooves struck ground, cracking several of the cobblestones, and she rose up to a proud, commanding stance, her wings held high. Sky landed just behind her, with Nictis and Rainbow Dash landing a moment later.
Celestia’s radiance had almost faded by the time Luna stepped up beside her. She wore similarly stern expressions as the guards bowed and greeted them. There were more than a dozen guards already gathered on the small, quiet back street, and dozens more were landing behind them.
Soon, those guards were ushering them into the small house. Sky hesitated for a moment before following the princesses in, and the others followed behind him; Luna had told them to come with her, and he was not about to stop now.
The stench of smoke hit his nose the moment he stepped into the entryway. Stepping through to the living room, they found it cluttered with the charred remains of several pieces of furniture. The wall of the room was badly charred in several places, and a thin haze of smoke clung to the air.
Finally, the princesses came to a halt, staring down at the unmoving form of a changeling.
Sky felt a chill pass through him at the sight. The changeling’s mouth lay slightly open, his eyes relaxed, calm, and unblinking. The only sign of violence was the complete lack of motion, and the small hole burned in the dorsal plate of his carapace, just above and behind his left wing.
Beside him, Dash inhaled sharply, her wings tensing.
“It was the smoke that drew the neighbors’ attention,” said the guard that had lead them in. “Some of the fires were still smouldering when we got here. Green flames.”
Nictis slowly stepped up beside Sky. He was staring at the fallen changeling. Hesitantly, he lowered his head until he was looking closely at the wound. A guard told him to not disturb the body, but he shook his head, and Celestia merely looked to him. After several seconds, he drew back. “It looks like he was killed by changeling magic.”
“He was,” Celestia stated, and Sky only then noticed that her horn was still glowing. “This wound was inflicted by changeling fire.”
Nictis nodded, his eyes fixed on the body. “...Then why did they leave him for us to find? Infiltrators burn evidence into ash, but he was left intact.”
Celestia looked to the guard who had led them in. “Sergeant, who is leading this investigation?”
The guard quickly lowered his head in a bow. “Apologies, Your Highness. We’re having difficulty locating any investigators who are experienced with such a crime.”
Nictis was still staring, breathing in carefully controlled breaths. He didn’t even seem to notice the feelings of concern sent his way until Sky spoke. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Nictis replied, though his tone was hollow and distant.
“You don’t sound--”
“This is far from the first time I’ve seen a dead changeling,” Nictis replied, turning his head away, though his movement was somewhat abrupt, almost twitchy. Sky looked away, to give him a moment. Rainbow Dash, he saw, had relaxed slightly, though it was easy enough to see that she was bothered by the scene. Still, she didn’t fixate, her eyes slowly wandering around, though inevitably returning back to the body.
Nictis’s ears perked up, and he turned back to the body, eying it carefully.
“What is it?” Sky asked.
Nictis was silent as he moved up to the downed changeling once again, slowly circling. As he did, Sky became acutely aware that they had the attention of every single pony in the room.
After a full circle, Nictis crouched down beside the body, his head lowered almost to the floor as he peered close. “...I don’t think he was in a fight,” he quietly said. “I don’t want to disturb him, in case there’s any information we can glean from his position, but I don’t see any signs of a struggle.”
Luna spoke out. “Dusk Wing.”
Sky barely restrained himself from jerking back as a pony stepped up beside him. He couldn’t help it; Luna’s personal guard were still a rare sight, enough that he still found it intensely unusual to see a pony with cat-like eyes and leathery wings.
The irony in his reaction didn’t help the feeling of shame at the situation, either.
“Your Highness?” Dusk Wing said, bowing his head.
“Find somepony to bring a camera in here,” Luna said. “Requisition one, if you must. We want everything in this room to be documented thoroughly.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He turned and hurried out the door.
When Sky looked back, he saw that Nictis had retreated away from the body, though he was still fixated on it. Sky sighed quietly, and looked to his other side. Rainbow Dash was slowly looking around the room, eyes lingering on each detail as they passed over the destroyed furniture and pock-marked walls.
Sky paused, frowning.
After a second, he lifted his wings, but quickly thought better of it; there was too much ash and dust to kick up by flying. Instead, he kept his hooves on the ground as he moved to the doorway to the next room. It led to a dining room, completely intact except for a single toppled stool. Walking back the way he came, he double-checked the entryway. Apart from a small spot where fire had burned through the wall in the living room, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
While he did so, he noted that Celestia was watching him. Returning, he met her gaze. “It looks like there was quite a fight in here, but nothing in the other rooms. It started and ended here.”
Celestia nodded, while Nictis’s ear twitched. “I don’t think he was part of that fight,” Nictis quietly noted. He tore his eyes away from the body to look toward the princesses. “He shows no sign of a fight, and was shot in the back at a shallow angle. I think he was either ambushed, or he was killed by someone he didn’t consider a threat.”
“Then there were at least two others,” Sky said, slowly looking around at the room. His eyes paused on one of the scorch marks along the outer wall, burnt through enough to get a tiny window to the outside. His ears perked up, and he quickly looked over each scorched section of wall. “Maybe three.”
Celestia was slowly nodding as she looked around as well, while Luna looked to Sky. “What do you see?”
“They’re different,” Sky replied. “The burns on the walls, the craters, they’re different sizes. Different powers. Look.” He gestured to the back wall of the room. “Those are all smaller than the others, and all on one side of the room, like a changeling throwing bolts from over there, near the entryway.”
“Must have been a heck of a fight,” Dash said. “That many spells in such a small space.”
Sky darted over to stand behind where the dead changeling had fallen. “That one,” he said pointing to the outer wall, then turned to point to the one beside the entryway door, “and that one, were much more powerful, enough to burn all the way through the wall. It looks like they were cast from here, probably by the same changeling that killed him.”
Nictis was slowly nodding as Sky looked over to another smoking crater high up on the wall, almost to the ceiling. “That one looks about the same size,” Sky noted, “but it looks like they were firing up at somepony who was flying, or maybe they were lying on the ground.”
He looked at the hole it had left, and tracked his eyes back along the path the bolt must have travelled. “And it looks like it came from that couch,” he said, pointing to the burnt-out mess of fabric and springs. “Which is also where the most powerful bolt struck.”
Even from there, he could see the scorched crater in the floor and the opening of a hole beneath the couch that was significantly larger than those in the wall. Nictis walked around him, moving to the couch.
“You have a keen eye,” Luna noted. Even after his regular visits with the princesses, he still felt a little thrill at the praise. “Is it uncommon for a changeling to vary the power of such a spell?”
“I think so,” Sky said, with only a slight hesitation. “If you’re in a fight, it’s much more important to form and release the spell quickly, rather than fine-tuning the power of it. I’d expect it to generally be consistent. Well, unless they consciously decide to go for more power, or they’re running out of magic.”
Luna nodded. “You seem quite knowledgeable in this form of combat magic.”
“Oh,” Sky said, shuffling his hooves. “Not really. It’s pretty basic magic. Most changelings know how to use it.”
“Fighting’s kind of like flying,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s why they had us practicing maneuvers so much at the Academy. When things get rough, you don’t always have time to think and change stuff up, so you practice all these different tricks until they’re reflexive. That way, you don’t have to think about what you do, you just do it. I mean, I figure it’s kind of the same way for magic, right?”
Sky nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Most of the time I use magic, I’m not really thinking about it. It just happens.”
Nictis had bent down near the couch, but then suddenly drew back, shaking his hoof and looking down at the ashes with a shocked expression.
“Still hot?” Sky asked.
Nictis slowly shook his head. “...I think this was another changeling.”
Sky blinked, then placed his hooves on the singed coffee table to peer down where Nictis was looking. There was plenty of ash and debris from the burnt-out couch, but he noted the large heap near the center, extending out into the space between the couch and coffee table. “...Or a pony,” he cautiously noted. “Either way, that’s a lot of ash.”
Luna peered at it, as well. “Could those fire-bolts have done this?”
Celestia was already shaking her head when Nictis answered. “No,” he said, wiping his hoof off on what remained of the arm-rest. “But... Infiltrators are taught to incinerate evidence so thoroughly that there’s nothing but ash left. That ash is too fine to be the result of a regular fire.”
Looking back to the body laid out on the floor, Sky asked, “So why didn’t they do the same to him?”
They all regarded the unmoving changeling.
After several second, Nictis turned away. “They must have left him for us. Maybe he’s someling important.”
Celestia spoke; despite her grim face, her voice was soft. “Once the scene has been investigated, we should find out. Chrysalis or one of her followers may be able to tell us who he was.” She paused for a moment before adding, “Unless she had something to do with this.”
“Not her,” Nictis said, turning back to look up to Celestia. “We captured a few Infiltrators. Fade seems competent and willing to answer questions. We should ask him if he knows who this is before giving Chrysalis any information.”
Celestia nodded. “Then once we are done here, I will have his body brought back to the castle. I hope you are able to find some answers.”
Nictis nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
“Good,” she said, and looked to Dash. “Could you find Miss Tea for me? Let her know what we have discussed here.”
“Miss Tea?” Dash asked, before recognition struck. “Oh, Subtle, yeah! You got it, princess!” She threw a quick salute, then gave a Sky a nod before trotting out of the room.
Celestia’s eyes drifted to the pile of ash, lingering for a moment before turning to leave as well, with Luna following along behind her. Sky stayed, slowly looking around the room as he imagined the fight that must have taken place here.
It wasn’t long until Nictis huffed out a breath and walked out of the room.
Sky hesitated for just a moment before following.
He found Nictis in the entryway, sitting on the bottom of the stairway. His posture was slack, and he seemed to just be staring down at the floor. He didn’t react at all to Sky’s approach until he spoke.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah,” Nictis dully replied. “I’ll be fine.”
Sky sat on the step beside him. “Bad memories?”
Nictis sighed, and nodded.
“Sorry,” Sky said, though he knew the feelings of sympathy would be more meaningful than anything he could say. “It’s just… worrying to see you like this.”
Appreciation met his senses. Nictis was silent for a long time before speaking, “Normally, I’d just put it all away in the background and keep going. I had to do that for years. Hide away my own feelings to show only what I needed to show. I guess lately I’ve been enjoying the freedom of not needing to do that anymore.” He gave a soft huff of amusement, a hint of a smile forming. “...For certain and rather generous definitions of ‘enjoy.’”
Sky smiled back, extending a wing to rest gently across Nictis’s back.
It was almost half an hour before the living room had been thoroughly photographed and notes made of every detail of the room and the changeling within it. The guards brought a cart with a canvas cover to the door, and discreetly placed the changeling within.
Sky and Nictis stepped out of the house to a day that was considerably brighter and warmer than when they arrived. The wild clouds that had gathered in the wake of Luna’s dramatic entrance had been quickly cleared by the hardworking weather ponies, leaving the sky clear.
The return trip was mostly uneventful, despite multiple guard checks. Four times they were stopped and scanned, and each time the sergeant leading them had to quietly inform the guards of their cargo. Each time, one of the guards peeked into the cart to ensure their cargo was what they claimed it was, and each time they nodded grimly to their companions when they cleared it to continue on. Security was tight.
They ended their journey in a Guard barracks. Rather than taking the body through the castle, Fade had been brought there to meet with them. The changeling was lying in a small room, and looked to Sky and Nictis with a measure of curiosity as they entered.
Nictis led the way, stepping forward. “Hello, Fade. How have you been?”
Fade’s tone was perfectly neutral. “As well as can be expected, given the circumstances. I assume you’re here to ask more questions?”
“Of course,” Nictis said, nodding. “Well, I have one bit of good news. Chrysalis is following through on her word, and is working out the final details of a peaceful arrangement between Equestria and the hive. You should be returned soon.”
Fade relaxed ever so slightly, and nodded. “That is good to hear,” he said, a hint of appreciation peeking out past the otherwise neutral emotions. It vanished a moment later. “But I assume that is only a lead-in to something else.”
Nictis gave a wry smile, and nodded. “It is. Unfortunately, it’s not as pleasant of news. We… found a changeling this morning. He’s been killed, and it looks as if it was done by another changeling.”
Fade’s expression remained fixed, his emotions carefully measured. “It seems your peace isn’t working out.”
“The peace is not in jeopardy,” Nictis replied. “Not unless Chrysalis is killing her own changelings here in Canterlot, and while I wouldn’t put it past her, circumstances make that seem extremely unlikely.”
“But not impossible,” Fade noted, eyes fixed on Nictis. “What, exactly, do you expect of me?”
“The changeling who died, we hoped you might recognize him. We don’t even know who he is.”
Fade’s head tilted slightly as he considered them. “...And you don’t want to ask Chrysalis, because you don’t want her to know that you have discovered this.”
Nictis gave a small smile. “However unlikely it is that she’s involved, we can’t entirely rule out the possibility.”
Fade looked away. For several seconds, he simply stared at the wall, silent, thinking. Finally, he nodded. “I will see if I recognize him. I can’t promise I will tell you any more than that.”
“Thank you,” Nictis said, and nodded to Sky.
Sky returned to the door, pushing it open. Lighting his horn, he lifted the sheet-covered litter, floating it into the room. He set it down beside Fade, and pulled back the sheet.
Fade sat there for a few moments before looking over. He looked completely disinterested at first, but as he drew in a breath and exhaled, his expression slowly slackened, ears steadily drooping. His eyes strayed downward to the wound, lingering on it for a long moment. Then he looked away from the body, staring at the wall again.
Nictis and Sky waited as Fade lay there, silent.
Finally, the other changeling spoke, his voice quiet and heavy. “His name is Sapphire. He was an Infiltrator. One of the good ones, too.”
Sky drew his head back, eyes widening. “Oh, no.”
Nicits’s ears had pinned back, and he looked to Sky with a pained expression. “Cara.”
“What’s that?” Fade asked, a flicker of irritation forming.
Nictis sighed, looking to the body anew. “Cara is a friend of ours,” he said, quietly. “He’d told of us an Infiltrator named Sapphire. They knew each other since they were nymphs. Sapphire was the reason he came to Equestria.”
The feeling of irritation grew, and Fade’s expression grew rigid. “Sapphire was loyal. He may have questioned established ideas, but he did so to seek better ways of doing things. He would not betray his queen and jeopardize the future of the hive for some princess’s ambition!”
Nictis stood his ground, unmoved in the face of the outburst. “And if that is so, then the truth must be something else. We don’t know why he was there, just that he was, and that another changeling killed him. The circumstance and reason is what we’re trying to figure out.”
Fade held his gaze for a few seconds before slowly relaxing and looking away. Inevitably, his eyes returned to Sapphire. When he finally spoke again, his voice was perfectly calm. “...Apologies. These past few days have been very unusual, and I believe it’s wearing on me.”
“I understand,” Nictis said. “Believe me, I do.”
Fade eyed him a moment before nodding. “So… what now?”
“I don’t know,” Nictis replied with a shrug, and sat down beside Fade. “Is there anything else you can think of that might help?”
Fade sighed, but considered the question. Eventually, however, he shook his head. “I have no idea why he would be there. It’s possible he was there against his will, though I can’t think of why Chittri would hold him. I certainly can’t think of any reason Sapphire would betray Chrysalis, especially when she’s arranging for peace. And I can’t think of why Chittri would kill him, and then leave him for you to find.”
“She does seem to be testing our reactions,” Nictis noted.
“Actually,” Sky said, “I don’t think she killed him.”
Both the other changelings looked at him, and he continued. “The spell-strike on the floor. It seems likely that the most powerful spell was Chittri’s, right? And if that’s so, it looks much more like she killed the changeling that killed Sapphire.”
“...That just raises more questions,” Nictis muttered.
“Not that disloyalty among traitors should be surprising,” Fade noted. At least he said it without a hint of condescension, whether he meant to imply anything or not.
“Depends entirely on their reasons,” Nictis said. “But something certainly went wrong.”
“Yes,” Fade said. “But I don’t think we’re going to be able to figure out what that was, not with what we have.”
A smile spread across Nictis’s face. “We?”
He and Fade looked to each other. After a moment, Fade looked away, sighing, and gave a weak shrug.
Eventually, their attention returned to Sapphire.
“...I guess we should get going,” Nictis finally said. “I’ll try to let you know if we find anything out.”
Fade nodded. “Thank you.”
Nictis stood as Sky replaced the sheet, levitating the litter once again. Together, they exited into the hall.
“Well,” Sky said, and Nictis nodded, but neither could find anything to say.
Eventually, Sky spoke again. “You should find Subtle, let her know what he said. I’m going to go talk with Cara.”
Nictis nodded. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Sky sighed. “I… I think I might want to find Fluttershy, too. I might need help on this one.”
“That would probably be a good idea,” Nictis said.
They lapsed into silence once again, looking down at the sheet-covered form.
Finally, Sky raised a hoof, placing it on Nictis’s shoulder. No words were exchanged, just the feelings of sympathy and support, and they parted ways.
Quite some time later, Sky opened the door to the Solstice Hall and stepped inside. The room was rather full. All four princesses were present, as were all of Twilight’s friends, save for Fluttershy. Nictis sat quietly beside Glitterbug. Subtle sat on the edge of the table, talking with Celestia and Luna.
Trip followed him in, shutting the door behind them. Skiris had elected to stay with Cara, but Trip had insisted on accompanying Sky.
Sky made his way around the room to slip into place beside Nictis. The other changeling looked to him with a weary expression. “How’s Cara doing?”
“He took it hard,” Sky replied. “He wouldn’t accept it at first, but he broke down pretty badly once he did. Fluttershy calmed him down, but he’s really torn up.”
Nictis slowly nodded. “It’s barely a week since he left the hive,” he said, quietly. “A lot’s happened to him.”
“Yeah.” Sky looked around the room, seeing many concerned faces. “So, what have I missed?”
“We’re waiting for Chrysalis to show up,” Nictis said, voice low. “Celestia and Luna decided it’s time to inform her of what happened, and… well, you’ll see.”
Sky frowned at him. “Really? You’re going to just dangle that out there to taunt me?”
A flickering sense of amusement played against Sky’s senses. “Eh, sometimes it’s nice to have a sense of the dramatic,” Nictis said. “Trust me, this should be good.”
Sky stared for several seconds. “You’re kind of evil, Niccy.”
A snicker from behind Sky drew his attention to Rainbow Dash, who was walking up to him. “Yeah, just a bit, but that’s what you get for missing out on all the boring talky stuff,” she said with a smirk.
“You do know I was comforting someone whose friend just died, right?” Sky asked, and the smirk immediately vanished.
“Err… yeah, sorry,” Dash said, awkwardly scratching at the back of her head.
Sky’s shoulders slumped at the sight. “Yeah, uh… that came out a little more harsh than I meant. Sorry. You were just trying to lighten the mood a bit.”
“And apparently doing a pretty bad job of it,” Dash replied, which drew a small smile from Sky. That prompted a small smile from her, as well. She sat down next to him, a wing resting gently along his side. “So, I guess we could tell you, if you really want.”
Sky considered it for a bit, but finally gave a soft snort of amusement and shook his head. “Eh, why spoil the surprise?” He leaned over and gave a quick nuzzle at her cheek, which immediately flushed red. He couldn’t help snickering a bit as she fluffed her wings and shifted her position, trying to pretend that absolutely nothing had happened.
Eventually, they settled in to wait, watching the ongoing discussion. Many words were exchanged, but little was said; it was mostly the same speculation on motives that they had already gone over before, with no resolution in sight.
It was, strangely, a relief when the doors opened to reveal Chrysalis. She strode in wearing an expression of tired irritation. Just a few steps into the room, she halted at the sight of the grim faces waiting her. “Oh, wonderful,” she said, frowning. “And just what did I do this time?”
Celestia stood, slowly spreading her wings. “We have found one of your wayward Infiltrators,” she said, her voice somber. “A changeling named Sapphire. He was killed.”
Chrysalis continued to frown at her for several seconds before speaking again. “I suppose you expect me to thank you?”
Celestia blinked, clearly surprised by the response. “Of course not.”
“Good,” Chrysalis replied. “Because I was almost tempted to.”
“Yeah, this is starting well,” Nictis muttered.
“But only ‘almost,’” Chrysalis said, a cold smile replacing her frown. “As happy as I am to hear that one of those traitors has died, I’m not going to thank you for taking the opportunity from me.”
Celestia’s expression had grown hard, her eyes narrowing. “We did not kill him,” she said. “It appears he was slain by his companions.”
“Ah,” Chrysalis replied. “And here I thought you were just being hypocritical again. Still, no matter. One traitor down, four more to go. I suppose it’s too optimistic to expect the rest to turn on each other and finish the job.”
“Chrysalis,” Celestia said, a warning tone to her voice. “We will not allow more loss of life to take place. We have called you here not to celebrate, but as a courtesy, to inform you of what has happened.”
“That’s too bad. For a moment it looked like you might have actually grown a spine,” Chrysalis said, which prompted Glitterbug to murmur something about a pseudo-spine as she continued writing in her journal. “I would think someone as old as you would understand the occasional need for violence, but very well. We wouldn’t want to hurt your fragile pony sensibilities. So, you’ve informed me of the traitor’s death. Is there any other good news you plan on sharing, or are you still as lost as you were yesterday?”
“Actually,” Celestia said, a hint of a smile appearing, “we may be very close to ending this.”
Luna stood then, her pose confident and regal as she stepped up to the table. “When Princess Chittri left your service, she also abandoned every resource you would have knowledge of. She had to find new places to hide, and she used what resources she had gathered to find them. Unfortunately for her, events have transpired which have given us clues as to her activities, and we have ponies who are very adept at uncovering patterns.”
Sky noticed that Subtle had, at some point, slipped away from the conversation, and now sat unobtrusively against the back wall.
“The safe houses she had chosen had one thing in common: their owners were all on vacation, leaving their homes empty. A bit more digging turned up a certain travel agency and ticket seller, whose records she had gained access to. Those records pointed to seven potential safe houses, two of which she had already used.
“Ten minutes ago, the Royal Guard raided these properties. One was occupied. Three changelings were waiting for our guards, and surrendered without a fight.” Luna smiled. “Princess Chittri is now alone.”
Chrysalis’s ears had perked up at the news, and she mulled over it for several seconds. “That is good,” she said, “but don’t go patting yourself on the back so soon. You still haven’t caught her, and it sounds like this was your only lead.”
“Which is precisely why we have been proactive in the matter,” Luna replied, her smile growing a bit sharper; despite the flat herbivorous teeth, Sky thought there was a predatory hint to her expression. “She must find a new hiding place, and we have taken the initiative to find the best places before she can. If she gives the slightest misstep, she will give herself away.”
She was met with a scoff. “So you’re counting on her being careless enough to walk right into your hooves? And here I was thinking Celestia was the naive one. All Chittri needs to do is impersonate a pony and laugh as you stare at a bunch of empty houses.”
Luna turned, and Sky almost lurched; he thought the look was directed at him until Nictis stood. “An impersonation requires much more than a physical disguise. That will only fool the most casual of acquaintances. Acquiring the knowledge necessary to convincingly impersonate a target at any length can take days, if not weeks. The difficulty is even greater when those around the target are aware of the possibility of impersonation. Between the actions of your impersonation, the news of the murder of a changeling Infiltrator, and the knowledge that the rogue changeling responsible remains free, the possibility is likely to be at the front of everypony’s minds.”
“Which also stresses the importance of resolving this quickly,” Celestia said. “Paranoia can produce terrible things.”
Chrysalis snorted softly. “Oh, yes, don’t want to scare your poor little ponies,” she said, leveling a cold smile at Celestia. “Though if this is your hope, maybe they should be scared. You couldn’t even sniff out an imposter when I was right under your nose.”
“When ponies had no idea changelings existed,” Nictis pointed out. “And I should note that the flaws in your impersonation inevitably led to your discovery. Chittri will be faced with all of the disadvantages, yet none of the advantages. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible for her to find some safe haven, but the odds are stacked greatly against her. If she is in any way competent, she must know this.”
“Which is why,” Celestia said with a smile, “we must press this advantage. Her options are running out, so we will present her a new option. We would like you to contact her, and offer her leniency in exchange for turning herself in.”
“Never,” Chrysalis spat.
Celestia shook her head. “The offer is nothing more than you have already promised, Queen Chrysalis. I know you desire a far worse outcome for her than we will permit. All I am asking of you is to inform her of the arrangement we have already made.”
Chrysalis glared at her for several long seconds. Finally, she snorted, looking away. “Oh, fine. It’s still pointless.” She raised her head, horn glowing green, and held it there.
Nothing happened.
Eventually, the glow faded away, and she looked back to Celestia. “And she’s still not answering. Congratulations, Celestia, you’ve wasted a little bit more of my time and magic.”
“It was worth a try,” Celestia said with a shrug, seemingly unbothered by the failure.
Sky, however, was looking over to where Subtle sat, the pony’s attention turned to the small crystals she held in her hoof. After a few seconds, she sighed, looked over to him and Nictis, and shook her head.
“Funny how all your clever ideas are ‘worth a try’ when they all end up failing,” Chrysalis said with a roll of her eyes.
“You’re welcome to offer suggestions,” Celestia replied, “though I expect it’s all going to be moot soon enough.”
“You want my ideas?” Chrysalis said, giving a sharp-toothed grin. “Stop wasting time with these soft-hearted tactics. Take your guards, and sweep through this whole forsaken little city you love so much. March from one side of the city to the other, check every nook and crevice, every pony, and keep going until you’ve scoured the whole place clean.”
Nictis gave a sharp snort of amusement. “To find a foe who can fire-portal to avoid a slow, predictable advance like that.”
“Oh, please,” Chrysalis scoffed. “I know you’ve been tracking my communication spell. Are you really going to claim you can do that, but you can’t track a fire-portal as it’s being cast?”
“Assuming she portals somewhere we can catch her,” Nictis said. “She could go outside the city and fly off before we arrive, or into a previously cleared neighborhood and take up a pony guise.”
“Then round up everypony in the area!” Chrysalis snapped. “This isn’t that complicated!”
A tapping drew everyone’s attention to the doors, which stood open; Fleur de Lis stood there, giving a slightly embarrassed smile as she lowered her hoof to the ground. “Is this a bad time?”
Celestia offered a smile. “Ah, Fleur de Lis. A pleasure to see you again, and I am glad to see you in good health, but I’m afraid we are a bit preoccupied. I’m sorry, I had told Miss Primrose to hold all visitors until this evening--”
“Unless it were particularly important, yes,” Fleur replied with a smile. “And I believe it is.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
Accepting this as an invitation, Fleur strode gracefully into the room, though she gave Queen Chrysalis a wary glance and a wide berth. “Indeed. While I may have become a bit more deeply involved in certain events than I would have preferred, I believe I may be able to offer some measure of assistance, if you’d allow it.”
Celestia nodded. “Perhaps. What kind of assistance did you have in mind?”
Fleur paused, her smile fading. She drew in a breath and sighed, closing her eyes. There was the faintest tremble in her leg as she bowed down so low that her nose and horn touched the ground. “I offer my life, loyalty, and service to Equestria and its princesses, to be used in whatever manner you see fit.”
Sky leaped up to his hooves, as did several others around the room. Celestia’s expression, however, hadn’t changed at all.
“To begin with,” Celestia said, “you may dispense with the disguise.”
Green flames traced slowly up along the pristine white legs, burning away the soft coat to reveal the black, holed limbs beneath. The pony disguise was steadily stripped away to reveal a form every bit as lean and elegant, one that was clearly no drone. The fires revealed the teal mane and tail, as straight and simple as the queen’s, though shorter. The same flames finally died out at the point of her horn, also shorter than the queen’s, but with a very similar jagged pattern.
“You!” Chrysalis snarled, her horn lighting up with her own green fire.
Celestia’s expression hardly changed as she looked to the queen. “Chrysalis, stop. You will not strike her or anyone else within my kingdom. Equestria holds complete jurisdiction here; we have already agreed on this.”
Chrysalis held her glare, teeth bared. After a few tense moments she growled; the glow of her horn flickered out, and she raised her head to sneer back at Celestia. “And just what do you plan on doing with this filth?” she spat.
“I will ask her to explain herself,” Celestia said, “and then we shall decide.”
“More weak-willed nonsense,” Chrysalis growled. “Just be warned, princess. If you decide to offer some mockery of justice, the hive will not forget the insult.”
Celestia merely turned back to the changeling princess before her, who had not moved throughout the exchange. She hadn’t even opened her eyes. “Rise,” Celestia said.
The princess smoothly rose, moving with remarkable grace, Sky thought. She stood tall and confident, and only then opened her eyes; the same piercing, fiery green eyes as Chrysalis. She met Celestia’s gaze with a calm, even expression, rather than the haughty sneer of the queen.
Celestia considered her for several moments before speaking again. “I assume you are Princess Chittri, then?”
She dipped her muzzle slightly. “I am.”
“You have led us on quite a chase,” Celestia noted, her wings tucking neatly at her sides. “You have betrayed your sovereign, assaulted several of our subjects, and put the peace we have been working toward in jeopardy.”
“I have.”
“Why?”
“For many reasons,” Princess Chittri replied. Despite the seriousness of the situation and the attention focused on her, her voice remained perfectly calm. “Each act had its own reason behind it, which I felt, at the time, justified my actions.”
Chrysalis scoffed. “You can’t justify treason,” she growled, though she remained silent when Celestia fixed her with a look.
When Celestia looked back to Chittri, she asked, “And what were those reasons?”
There was several seconds of silent consideration before Chittri finally spoke. “My Infiltrators had told me much of Equestria’s treatment of changelings. We had mostly dismissed it as a trick, as Queen Chrysalis had declared it, but the evidence continued to mount. The idea that we might have a mistaken image of a population we were so deeply involved with infiltrating disturbed me. It was dangerous to our Infiltrators, and also very intriguing for its implications.
“I brought up these concerns with Queen Chrysalis, but she dismissed them out-of-hoof. I accepted her conclusion, but the reports continued to come in.
“I was pleased when she declared that I would accompany her to Canterlot. My excursions among ponies had been limited in scope before then. Never before had I the opportunity to conduct such an extensive infiltration of an urban center. I hoped that, here in the heart of your kingdom, I might be able to get a better understanding of things. I carried out Queen Chrysalis’s orders, but I also conducted my own operations. For that, I must admit one additional crime committed of my own volition that you did not mention: the abduction and impersonation of Fleur de Lis.”
Celestia nodded, as if mentally adding to the tally.
“I gathered data for several days, all of it seemingly confirming the reports I had received. I found Fleur de Lis’s mate to be particularly intriguing. I made cautious attempts to further Queen Chrysalis’s goal of increasing tensions through him--” Chrysalis bristled, baring her teeth “--but even though his love for Fleur was intense, even the most gentle of attempts pained him.
“I may have been able to doubt the reports of Infiltrators interpreting events that I was not present for, but I could see for certain that this was no trick. I informed Queen Chrysalis of my analysis, but she dismissed it as readily as we had both dismissed the reports of my Infiltrators. It left me uncertain of how to proceed.” Her eyes left Celestia for the first time since opening, darting over to look toward Nictis. It was the first change in her expression since she had began talking. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how hard it can be to accept that what you’ve been taught your whole life is nothing but a lie.”
Her eyes immediately returned to Celestia. “So I continued to investigate, putting aside the assumptions taught in the hive. I acquired a better view on the nature of ponies than I ever had before. Unfortunately, Queen Chrysalis’s plans called for a premature end to those investigations.”
She paused, a hint of a frown touching her lips for a moment before she continued. “We had discussed many plans before coming to Canterlot. There were many secondary and emergency plans, to account for any possibility. One was a measure of last resort. Queen Chrysalis would arrange to recall her Infiltrators from the city of Canterlot and bring them to the castle, as a sign of peace. Once there, we would strike from within, using shock and confusion to capture or eliminate the princesses and any other ponies of authority.”
“That is enough!” Chrysalis snarled, her horn lighting up once again, but she jerked back as Celestia stepped between them.
“That is enough,” Celestia said, much more calmly. “The knowledge that you sought to bring us harm is hardly news, yet we have still been willing to negotiate with you. If you can not calm yourself, then we will have to remove you from this room until we have finished.”
Chrysalis glared back at her, though the glow of her horn faded once more. “We’ll see, princess.”
Celestia turned back to Chittri, giving her a nod to continue. Chrysalis, however, glared at the back of Celestia’s head as if she were strongly considering striking her. Then again, with Luna’s hawkish gaze and small but eager smile, Sky doubted Chrysalis would get the opportunity.
Chittri relaxed almost imperceptibly. So she wasn’t completely emotionless, Sky noted. She had tensed up at the angry outburst from the queen; she simply hid it well. “It was a risky plan,” she continued. “We knew even before coming here that it was a plan of last resort. It would take days for our army to arrive in force, and we would be attacking a foe that was alert and aware of our presence. After my time here in the city, observing ponies, I recognized that it would be completely futile. Even if we were to take out all four princesses, I suspected it would not be enough to break Equestria.
“When Queen Chrysalis gave the command to bring every changeling in the city to her, I believed she intended to carry out that plan. I voiced my concerns, but she curtly dismissed them, and refused to answer when I inquired as to her intentions. I believed she was about to take us down a path that would likely end in our destruction.”
She paused then, her expression faltering ever so slightly. Hesitantly, she turned to Chrysalis, bowing her head. “I misjudged you and your intentions. For that, I apologize.”
Chrysalis simply snorted dismissively and turned away.
Chittri’s eyes drifted down, ears drooping just a touch. Then she blinked, her calm expression returning as she turned back to Celestia. “I drew my most trusted Infiltrators to me, ones who had all started seeing the truth. I wanted to be absolutely certain, so I set out to gather more information. I had to know for sure if ponies were really as willing to accept changelings as they seemed. And so, I attacked your subjects.”
She bowed her head. “I did not intend them harm, though I had to make it appear as if I did. It was not their pain I sought, but their reaction.”
Celestia frowned a little, but didn’t interrupt.
Raising her head again, Chittri continued. “I started with Rainbow Dash and… Sky.” The corner of her mouth crept upward. “Rainbow Dash is held up by some as an exemplar of loyalty, and I wished to test how far that loyalty extended.”
“You could have asked,” Dash called out. “You know, instead of throwing a freaking table at us!”
“My apologies,” Chittri said, inclining her head. “Fear has a way of showing one’s true self. I know anyone can put on an act, but when you force someone to react on instinct, you strip away the layers of logic and conscious decision, and we can see the reality of what lies beneath.” That hint of a smile returned. “And what I saw was a pony who threw herself in harm’s way to protect a changeling she cared for.”
Rainbow Dash scowled, though Sky felt her wings shift in discomfort. “Yeah, so what? I’d do the same for any of my friends.”
Surprisingly, there was no more restraint in Chittri’s expression; she smiled openly, inclining her head a bit more. “And that speaks even more to the quality of your character.”
Dash simply sat there and frowned, seemingly uncertain of how to take that.
“Next was Spark and Nictis,” Chittri said, her smile lingering faintly. “I had to get close, to see just how true their relationship was. They have had a tumultuous past, but I could see they both care profoundly for each other. And I saw that, when threatened, they both tried to protect the other in their own way. Despite the pain they’ve experienced, they are still willing to trust each other.”
Nictis had gone completely still. He wasn’t angry. Actually, Sky wasn’t certain exactly what the other changeling was feeling. Then again, that might have been the point.
“And while I wouldn’t count Fleur de Lis and Fancy Pants’s reunion to be an attack, it is of a similar vein. After impersonating her for a week, I wished to see how their reunion went. I was not disappointed.”
Celestia slowly nodded. “You seem to have had good intentions for much of what you’ve done,” she noted, “but you have still caused quite a bit of harm through your actions, harm that could have easily been avoided. There’s also the matter of what happened to Sapphire.”
The remains of Chittri’s smile faded away, her expression softening. “Sapphire… was my fault.” Her expression hardened again. “But I did not kill him. He was struck down by a changeling named Gloom, who I slew in turn.”
Sky noticed that Chrysalis had gone very rigid, a look of alarm crossing her expression.
“Who was Gloom,” Celestia asked, “and why did he kill Sapphire?”
“He was one of three specially trained assassins,” Chittri replied, while Chrysalis glared at her with a look of murderous fury. “Eclipse, Umbra, and Gloom. They were one of Queen Chrysalis’s contingency plans, in the event that the hive and Equestria were to engage in hostilities. Each one was trained to assassinate a specific pony: the Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle, respectively.”
Sky could have sworn the temperature in the room plummeted several degrees.
Chrysalis seemed to notice the reaction, too. “Oh, what? So I had backup plans. It’s not like you didn’t have plans for getting rid of me, as you’ve made a point of reminding me so many times!”
Cadance gave a faint snort, glaring flatly at Chrysalis. “I’m not sure if I should be relieved or insulted to not be included on that list, but both of those are probably expecting too much of you.”
Chrysalis sneered back at her. “Oh, don’t you worry, princess. I was planning on dealing with you myself.”
“Chrysalis, stop it.” Rather than sounding angry, Celestia merely sounded tired. “It’s no surprise that you would stoop to such low measures, though I should stress that our peace agreement will demand the end of any such plotting.”
“Of course,” Chrysalis growled.
“What I want to know now,” Celestia said, a hint of heat entering her voice, “is why your assassins have killed someone here in my city.”
“As would I,” Chrysalis replied, turning a sharp glare on Princess Chittri. “Because I sure as tartarus didn’t authorize them to leave the hive!”
“And that is one of the multiple reasons I have come here today,” Chittri calmly replied.
Celestia frowned. “Go on.”
“First,” Chittri said, bowing her head to Celestia, “I came to offer myself up in atonement for the mistakes I have made. I was sincere in my pledge to you, Princess Celestia. I will serve you in any way you desire, and accept any punishment you should offer. I do this not out of hope for mercy, but with the hope that I can repair any damage I have caused to the hive and Equestria through my actions.”
She raised her head again to meet Celestia’s gaze. “My second reason is because of the growing difficulty of remaining hidden. Every action I took resulted in two more options being closed to me. You had a very clever pony stalking my every move.” She gave a smile, small but sly. “Perhaps when we’re done with this, you could allow me to talk with them somewhere private? I think it would be quite interesting to sit down and discuss the opposing sides of our little engagement over a friendly cup of tea.”
Sitting at the back wall, Subtle’s expression tightened, as if she was unable to decide if the scene was humorous or horrifying. The emotions Sky sensed seemed mostly in the former.
“And the third reason,” Chittri continued, “is the same reason that the assassins had come here. Gloom did not come here to kill me, or my Infiltrators. He came expecting me to help him.” She turned to look to Chrysalis. “It seems I am not the only princess of the hive who has betrayed you.”
Chrysalis stared at her, fury and alarm conflicting in her emotions. “What?!”
“Princess Chara has seized control of the hive,” Chittri calmly replied, “And sent the assassins to acquire my aid in eliminating the princesses and yourself.”
Twilight leaped to her hooves. “Don’t you think you could have told us that a bit earlier?!”
“My apologies, princess,” Chittri said with a bow of her head, though she was smiling again. “But Infiltrators are taught that information is a weapon, and like all weapons, it can be hard to resist the occasional dramatic flourish.”
“Enough!” Chrysalis snapped, and took a step toward Chittri. “Explain. Now!”
For once, Celestia said nothing at Chrysalis’s outburst, though she kept a close eye on her.
Chittri seemed unfazed, although Sky thought she stood a little more rigidly at the queen’s approach. “We met Gloom last night. He and the other assassins had been prowling the city looking for us, and we met almost by accident. If either of us had been less perceptive, we might have never noticed each other.
“I led him to one of the homes I had secured, and he demanded to know what has been happening. I informed him of events as neutrally as possible. At first, I left out my parting of ways with Queen Chrysalis, but then he hinted at the subject, as if trying to convince me to do so. I took the chance of revealing my betrayal, and it paid off; he was pleased. He said that Princess Chara had heard of Queen Chrysalis’s plans to accept peace with Equestria, and was convinced that she had been corrupted. She believes that peace with ponies will lead to the hive being little more than a second-rate territory of Equestria, or worse, that the hive will be completely destroyed, consumed by Equestria.”
Chrysalis stared at her, tense and furious, though with the way her eyes darted in thought, she seemed uncertain of where to direct that rage.
“I pressed him for information,” Chittri said. “As it turns out, Chara fully expected me to help her. I suppose I had done plenty to give her that impression.”
Chrysalis finally let out an angry snort. “I guess traitors recognize their own kind.”
“No,” Chittri said. “It was not a question of loyalty, but of ideology and ideals. She thought I was of a like mind on ponies. She loathes them, considers them worth nothing but the bit of love one can suck out of them. I, of course, fostered the impression that I shared those views.” She gave a small smile. “I have long since learned that the easiest way to improve someone’s impression of you is to support their opinions.”
Chrysalis reined in her fury to level a skeptical look her way. “And I suppose you did the same to me, didn’t you?”
Chittri’s smile grew a fraction. “Of course not.”
Chrysalis was silent for several seconds before coldly growling, “Get on with the story.”
“Once I had gotten all I could through subtle means,” Chittri said, “I tried more direct methods. I pushed too far. At some point, he realized my intentions. He struck Sapphire in the back and turned on me. We were able to subdue him for a while, but he broke free again and tried to kill me, so I struck him down.
“The other assassins fled. Eclipse was wounded by Lazuli, but he and Umbra escaped the city. From what I was able to get out of Gloom, their mission had been dependent on my support; without the aid of local Infiltrators to get them into place, their chances of success were minimal. Therefore, they are almost certainly returning to the hive, to inform Princess Chara that she does not have the support of the Infiltrators that she had expected.”
Chittri inclined her head after the last word, as if signifying that her story was complete.
After a couple seconds, Chrysalis wheeled around with an angry snarl, stomping her hooves as she stormed off several paces. While the queen stewed in her fury, Celestia spoke. “What will Princess Chara do now?”
“She is an extremist,” Chittri replied. “She has all of the fury and ruthlessness of Queen Chrysalis, but she lacks her degree of pride. She would rather see the hive dispersed and hidden than to have it subjected to an Equestrian hegemony, and she will kill any number of ponies it takes in order to do so. I expect the first of those deaths will occur the moment Eclipse and Umbra return to the hive.”
Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “And why do you think that?”
Chittri considered a moment before replying. “Before we left, Princess Chara had offered Queen Chrysalis some ideas of how to pressure Equestria. One was the suggestion that queen Chrysalis go to the feeding chamber, select the most worn out and depleted pony, and behead them. She suggested bringing their head here to present to you, as a clear demonstration of what will happen should Equestria try to subjugate the hive. When I say that she is ruthless, that is the kind of ruthlessness I mean.”
Celestia slowly drew her head back, eyes narrowing further. There was a fire to her expression, and after a moment, she turned to look at Chrysalis. “Is this true?”
“Yes,” Chrysalis hissed, and then noticing Celestia’s expression, rolled her eyes. “I obviously said no, didn’t I?”
Celestia continued to glare for a moment before looking away and calling out. “Guards!”
The doors opened almost immediately, the two armored unicorns stepping in.
“Find Captain Aegis,” Celestia commanded. “Tell him to report to me immediately; lives are at stake.”
As the guards bowed and hurried off to carry out her order, Chittri spoke. “As impressive as your army can be, I am afraid they may be a bit too much of a blunt instrument. Princess Chara will execute the prisoners she holds if the battle turns against her. She may have many talents, but bluffing is not one of them.”
“We do not plan on launching a full-scale invasion,” Celestia said.
“Yes,” Luna agreed. “We have many skilled ponies who could conduct a rescue operation.”
“I do not doubt the skill of your ponies,” Chittri said, “nor their courage. However, a rescue operation would require detailed knowledge, meticulous planning, and perfect execution. If the hive has even the slightest knowledge that they are being attacked, ponies will die. What you need is subtlety.” She inclined her head slightly. “And it seems to me that, when it comes to subtlety, you have a better option at hoof.”
“You want us to send you?” Celestia asked, an eyebrow raised skeptically.
“No,” Chittri said. “I’m suggesting that you have the bulk of the hive’s Infiltrators here, within your castle. Changelings who have trained, many for their whole lives, in the arts of deception, impersonation, and infiltration. If you need a team to slip into the depths of the hive and extract the prisoners within, without a single changeling in the hive knowing, they are the ones you should send.”
Then she gave a faint, sly smile. “Though I would be immodest enough to claim that my skill would likely benefit such an endeavor.”
Chrysalis had stopped her raging, and instead stood still, staring at Chittri as she mulled over what was just said. Celestia, meanwhile, exchanged a look with Luna, who was wearing an amused smile. “It does seem like an ideal solution,” the younger sister said.
Celestia considered it a moment longer before looking to Chrysalis. “Would you agree to this?”
“To rescuing your ponies from my own subjects?” Chrysalis sharply replied. “No. But I will gladly send them to deal with Chara.”
Chittri nodded to the queen. “Rescuing the prisoners would be essentially pointless if Chara remains in control. With no reason to remain in the hive, she could flee with those whose loyalty she has obtained. She would become a festering problem. Instead of killing a few dozen in a day, she might have years. Any mission that starts with the rescue of those prisoners would need to end with her capture.”
Chrysalis glared at Chittri, but finally looked back to Celestia. “Fine. I never should have gotten involved with you stupid ponies. It’s been nothing but one disaster after another. I just want to be done with it. Just don’t pretend like you’re doing me a favor by letting me take care of my own problem while you sit around being useless.”
“On the contrary,” Chittri said, earning a sharp glare from Chrysalis once again. “Equestria can offer the most vital piece of this mission: transportation. The team would have to arrive well before these assassins do. It will be a long and gruelling flight, and they will need to arrive in good enough condition to carry out their mission. Eclipse and Umbra have no such restriction; so long as they arrive at the hive, it does not matter how exhausted they are.”
Celestia nodded. “I could offer the Royal Guard’s chariots to carry the team, and capable fliers to pull them.”
“A kind offer,” Chittri said, “though I’m afraid it would not be sufficient. These assassins were chosen from among the best the hive had to offer, and are in peak physical condition. They will fly swiftly and without rest until they reach their destination. Eclipse may have been injured, but I do not expect it to slow him much. Even if it did, Umbra may fly ahead. It is unlikely that your chariots would be able to reach the hive before one of them arrives with their warning, and even if they could, there would not be enough time to conduct the rescue.” The sly smile had returned. “But once again, I would offer that you have a better option.”
A few confused looks were exchanged as ponies tried to figure out what she meant. Then Rainbow Dash spoke out. “Oh, yeah! Twilight can totally use her cheater magic to teleport everyone like she did last night!”
“Rainbow!” Twilight objected, looking alarmed at the very thought. “The hive is hundreds of miles away. I’d have to take dozens of smaller jumps, maybe more. I’d still be lucky to make it that far on my own. There’s no way I could take others, too!”
Chittri’s sly smile held. “I was thinking of an option that would be significantly less draining,” she said, and inclined her head to the side, eyes turning to Nictis.
Nictis blinked in surprise, then bristled, his wings buzzing angrily. “No!”
Chittri’s smile grew. “It would--”
“No!” Nictis shouted, stepping forward. “You are not pulling that!”
“Your dedication to Spark Wheel’s safety is admirable,” Chittri said, “but you know there is only one method of transportation that could reach the hive quicker than a swift flier.”
Twilight looked questioningly at Chittri. “You’re talking about his flying machine?”
“I am,” Chittri replied with a nod. “A fast, tireless machine. It flew from Manechester to here in a couple of hours. It could reach the hive hours before Eclipse and Umbra, giving the infiltration team enough time to conduct their mission.”
“It can’t carry a team,” Nictis growled. “It only has two seats.”
“I got a good, close look at the machine,” Chittri said. “It has ample open space within the frame. Currently it’s used to hold a small amount of cargo, but it could hold much more. There should be room for a team of at least half a dozen changelings. More, if they’re not terribly concerned with comfort.”
Nictis hissed, but did not argue with her.
Chittri tilted her head, and changed tactics. “Shouldn’t he be allowed make his own decision?”
“Don’t!” Nictis snarled, and Sky saw a tremble of rage go through him. “Don’t even try to do that.”
Celestia stepped over to him, lowering her head. Her voice was soft and gentle. “Nictis.” He went silent as he looked up to her. “I understand the desire to protect the ones you care for, but we must take care not to smother them with that protection. You will not do him any favors by refusing him this choice.”
Nictis slowly shook his head. “No, I… I won’t… I won’t ask him.” He shuddered, eyes sinking to the floor. His voice was suddenly weak. “...Someone else can.”
Sky felt the feeling of desperation directed his way, and he spoke up. “I’ll ask him, if you’d like?”
Nictis didn’t look up. He simply nodded.
Celestia nodded as well. “Thank you.” Rising to her full height once more, she slowly looked around the room; she looked over Princess Chittri, Queen Chrysalis, the other princesses of Equestria, and the scattering of ponies and changelings. Then she turned her gaze back to Nictis. “There is one more favor I would like to ask of you, if you are willing.”
Nictis looked up again, blinking a couple times; Sky saw the hint of moisture at the corners of his eyes, though the other changeling held his expression firm and neutral.
Celestia offered a small smile. “I hear from many sources that you are among the most talented Infiltrators alive, and the most talented of those who claim loyalty to Equestria. I would like you to lead this mission.”
Nictis’s eyes widened.
“Will you accept this responsibility?”
Nictis stared for several seconds, his mouth creeping open. Finally, he swallowed, took a deep breath, and put on a calm, controlled expression. “I will.”
“I will not,” Chrysalis cut in. “You do not have authority over my Infiltrators, princess.”
“There are enough changelings living in Equestria to form a capable team, especially if the Infiltrators who followed Princess Chittri still follow her.” Chrysalis’s eyes widened, but her oncoming furious reply was held off as Celestia raised a hoof. “But I have a better idea. A compromise. A team selected from among the best changelings of both our nations. We each have our own goals; I propose that we work toward those goals, together.”
Chrysalis shut her mouth, regarding Celestia with a suspicious eye. After a moment, she gave an angry snort, and nodded, baring her teeth in a cold smile. “Very well, princess. I accept.”
A moment later her smile faltered. She blinked, then leveled a flat glare at Celestia. “You just had to make this another of your stupid friendship lessons, didn’t you?”
Celestia smiled, a hint of laughter coloring her voice. “We all have our weaknesses, Queen Chrysalis.”
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So... I have to admit I'm just a little bit nervous, now
The one problem with writing a story like this, where there's so much going on in the background, is that it means a significant factor of the story is hidden away until later. So much of what came before depends on how well thought-out and executed that one element is done. We're almost two hundred thousand words in (Holy crap!
), and coming up to a key moment that can make or break most of it.
I personally like it, but it's still kind of unnerving to have so much hanging on a single scene.
And if nothing else, I've really enjoyed all the speculation!
I just have to say, while I'm enjoying the story greatly if ANYTHING happens to Spark and Nictis....I don't know where you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.
Once again, you prove why you are the absolute best changeling writer!
Honestly, Without a Hive is to date my most read story on this site so far(I have even downloaded it to my kindle), and every time I see this story in the featured menu, I just drop everything just to read it. I wouldn't be lying if I said that your writing has influenced me to improve on my own stories. Truth be told the amount of detail and effort you show in dialogue(internal and external), characters and sheer world building that you do is absolutely staggering, to the point that I have had to reread it sometimes just to get everything. And THAT, is the mark of an excellent story.
i.imgur.com/BbSJzow.gif
6354005 I I can't take you serious with that adorable avatar xD
That's one heck of a Chekov.
Of course, this all seems nice and dramatic... but why did Chittiri incinerate the body of the assassin? What did she gain from that? If she was planning on continuing to hide, that would make sense, but it would mean she wasn't planning on handing herself over, which means she was willing to let those prisoners die. If she WAS going to reveal herself soon, then she had no reason to destroy the evidence since Chrysalis could corroborate the story that Gloom wasn't meant to be in Equestria and him being so represents a traitorous action on Cara's part. It's the one detail that doesn't fit.
> inb4 It's a Trap.
You like the speculation? Well I feel like I must point out how incredibly suspicious literally everything Chittri said and did was. There's so many little problems I can see that individually might be nothing but all together sends off warning bells in my head that I'm not sure how long it would take me to list them all out. Everything she says actually reminds me of Nictis throughout the series, every word and motion carefully chosen, leading the conversation at each turn, and especially how despite all she said only came forward when there was no other option.
Suffice to say she just waltzed in and caused a huge upset that all relies on her words alone and doesn't seem to be challenged. The only thing I can determine as absolute fact is that two changelings were killed in an apparent struggle, -the only one of which that can be identified was struck down from behind- and that three specific assassins exist. Everything else at this point is the hearsay of what I'd say is a cunning and until now 'traitorous' changeling.
But hey that's just speculation and I doubt Celestia would send anyone out until at least some of this is properly substantiated anyway, just seems like there's way too much room for deceit with everything Chittri was about this chapter, either way I see interesting times ahead.
It's gettin good!
6354005
Pfft, I'm not worried. Nictis has better skills, he can take care of you, easy. Well, unless something happens to him. Or Spark, I suppose; he wouldn't be too happy with me then. Hmm... touche.
And just because it amuses me, one of the courses I had originally considered for Nictis involved him delivering a very similar threat to Chrysalis, warning her against doing anything against Spark. Delivered in her quarters, in the middle of the night, after bouncing balled-up papers off her head until she woke up. All to make it clear that he absolutely could have killed her in her sleep, had he wanted to, and that Spark was the only thing keeping him from doing so.
Plus it would have been a good opportunity for him to reflect on his necklace, on Spark being something of a "moral compass", and the symbology therein.
But as much as I liked the concept, the story really didn't go that way. As appealing as the threat might have been, he wanted to do the clever Infiltrator manipulation. But when Chrysalis remarked that it'd be very, very easy for her to make him be "a monster" again... she was probably a bit closer than either of them would have liked.
Aww, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it! It's been a lot of fun writing, and I'm always happy to know other people enjoy it, too. I--
6354215
I, uh... I...
(
)
Im wondering if one way or another Chara will never see Celestia alive.
Fly man, fly.
Please return seats to the upright position and fasten all seatbelts until staff tell you it is safe to move. Thank you for flying Changeling Airways.
I have to Second DustyTrails. If you do horrible thinks to Spark or Nictus I will be so mad. I'm not sure if I can describe how mad.
I love when my more optimistic predictions turn out right. Add one more princess to the friendship ponypile!
Another amazing chapter, I see.^^ Honestly, it's amazing fics like this that got me into trying to think up my own headcanon for Changelings, like the part 1 and 2 I have here and here.
Ok, I was not expecting Chittri to be a secret good guy. That was a nice twist.
But I was worried about Chara as soon as Chrysalis mentioned her as an extremist. I will have my popcorn ready for the next update, and my torch and pitchfork ready for the possibility of disaster. I hear some other people are already getting ready for the angry mob, and I wouldn't want to be left out.
6354523
Rabble Rouser needs to set up shop in my comments section.
6354609
He would certainly fit right in. At least until Princess Nictis comes and tells us that everything is k again.
6354282
I was thinking that by the end too.
-Why didn't Chittri answer Chrysalis' mental messages? (We actually need Tea's report on the results of those spells.)
-Why did the "bad guy" get incinerated and the "good guy" get left for everyone to find? We need to talk to her other underlings.
-Why would the assassins, on a mission to set a plan into motion, turn on their hosts when it became obvious they were working at cross purposes? IE, why did the situation start with Sapphire's death? Did it start with it?
-Nobody trust's Chrysalis because she's proven herself devious and manipulative. Nobody should trust Chittri because she's still a complete unknown.
-And after all, it's been shown again and again that changelings have been indoctrinated into thinking ponies are their enemies. How's it going to look to the hive if an in-progress pony-backed infiltration is trying to remove both their leader pro tem and their food stores?
Although, in the back of my mind, I really hope Chittri's genuine. I really want to see a certain conversation:
"So, Nictis, you knew Ceymi. Tell me about her."
And that’s why I love this story, every time I think I got the plot all figured out you send us a new twist. Good Job!
Anyone else here think there should be some Cara/Biggs shipping? Biggs strikes me as the “care giver” type with his early possessiveness of Spark. Cara is going to need some snuggles after loosening his friend Sapphire.
Nyronus/Shachza; My theory Chittri burned up the assassin because she was pissed. Sapphire and Chittri where more than just co-workers ^.^
6354828
An idle thought I had was what if Chittri, as the younger, relatively inexperienced replacement for Ceymi, hasn't as fully adopted her predecessor's self-distancing from ponies? Wouldn't it be juicy to find out that she's joined the growing ranks of changelings who've got any eye for somepony?
6354244
Fancy meeting you here... but I concur. It is quite hard to take seriously.
6353895
Another great chapter. I look forward to the next installment of my favorite narrative on fimfic.
6353895 The question I always ask about things like this is how much flexibility does the story have? How often do you get better theories from the peanut gallery and actually work them into the story.
She knows they can track her communication spell?
6354986
Right, I didn't have that scene, so that looked like an ass-pull. Sorry. I wrote it thinking that I'd had the scene where Chrysalis knows it, but I forgot that I changed course and that scene never happened. So I tweaked the current chapter to include her reveal here:
Fairly often. The general path of the story has remained the same, but some comments made me realize there was a slightly better way of doing something, so I'd tweak what I was doing a little. Nothing that's dramatically changed the flow of the story, but stuff that improves it in small ways. There's also times that it would remind me I needed to address something that seemed obvious to me, as the writer, but might be completely opaque to the reader. Actually, that already came up with the comments to this chapter, which led me to tweaking some things in the next chapter when I realized I had left out some details I had meant to include (Oops!)
6355085
Hmm.
I've forgotten, how do they detect if a changeling is pretending to be a different changeling?
Do they simply detect a changeling, regardless of whether they're shifted or not or is there a spell that forcibly strips away the disguise?
Aaaaand... Chapter rollover scene transition...
Spark: "Wait, what is this, and when did I build it?"
6355686
In this, dispelling magic can dispel a changeling's shape-shifting and return them to their original form. It's also considered fairly rude to cast on people, since I also have dispelling magic disrupts the targets magic, making it hard to cast the spell again for a short time (Nictis had problems with that in Without a Hive). There's no known way to detect that someone is a changeling while disguised, though I could certainly see Twilight developing something, given enough time.
Though I suppose if you were scanning the magic of a changeling disguised as a unicorn and using telekinesis, you'd be able to tell that it was changeling magic... but at that point, you might as well have cast a dispel on them, anyway. And the green magic can raise suspicion, too.
The green magic is one reason I kinda wish the note that had been passed to Sky was different. Originally, "Fleur" was going to deliver the note in-person, and I was going to have her reach into her (fancy designer) saddle-bag and pull it out with her teeth before tossing it at Sky's hooves and walking, as a subtle clue as to her nature. But, in the end, it seemed both awkward to arrange and far too risky, since she'd have to get away before Sky opens and reads the note.
6353895 I think you did all right. Chittri's stated motivations are reasonable enough, and if anyone questions how reasonable it is that they led to her claimed actions, well, who says characters have to act perfectly sensibly?
Also, you nailed the ending.
heheh we do all have our own weaknesses XD well written.
I propose that up to ten lings can get stuffed into the craft without harm, but that much weight could make flying difficult. Maybe they could also make an airplane trailer with a chariot chain?
Keep going! ;)
Really good chapter. I didn't really see that coming. Nictis and spark better be OK at the end of this.
There is no single word to sufficiently describe why I continue to love this fic, so here's 1001:
vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/mlpfanart/images/8/80/Brilliant_Letter_Spike_by_Arlyoff.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121219172516
*continues making notes*
What? I'm not planning anything
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I like to think that in order to maintain the disguise at least a part of the spell needs to linger on the changeling, but at the same time that single part has a miniscule giveaway that's highly unlikely to be found under magic scans and the like. Maybe that giveaway hides in some kind of background magic noise that exists in their world. Or maybe by metaphorically poking and prodding with magic at the spell's subject in the right way it can invoke a defining magical reaction that the disguise's user may or may not notice and that magic scans can pick up to tell you that he/she's a changeling.
6354258 I'm getting this weird dirty dozen/hogans heroes vibe from this, with a little A/B team tossed in. With them hog tying and body checking chekov into backseat, bound, gagged, and drugged.
Nictus is tragedy. The only forseeable outcome of this story is Spark's death.
6362556
This story isn't tagged as a tragedy. God I hope it stays that way.
6354873
I've been thinking that ever since she attacked Sky and Dash in the bar. She's been spying on, harassing, and infiltrating specifically couples this whole time. At least three times that we know of, and the ponies in the dress shop that Nictis couldn't rule out? Another couple. And Rabble Rouser is involved with a changeling whose identity we don't know. (But that may not be relevant.)
Excitement. RISING!
6362556
Congratulations: you just made me feel physically ill!
Not to justify Chrysalis' actions or general bitchiness, but Equestrian hegemony via cultural assimilation does seem to be a rather genuine concern. Brought about in large part due to her own decisions admittedly, but still.
I really hope they aren't just accepting what she's saying at face value.
Because she's either surprisingly genuine, or this is a plot to gain Equestria's trust. She comes in right before Celestia sends her forces to root out and find her, offers them an explanation that explains seemingly everything with her as the good guy, and brings up another character who's really the bad guy and needs to be stopped. This is either a trap, or she's made some really stupid decisions before now.
Immediate bonus points to you for the Firefly quote in the title. This chapter will have betrayal! (and, possibly, dinosaurs)
...and that's exactly the problem. Traumatic memories resurfacing?
A stray shot?
Meaning, the high-powered one was probably the princess they were looking for?
Oh. Yikes
Yess... everything surrounding that mare is quite... misty
Yup. Because her blasts are more powerful.
Hmm. Multiple changelings, a firefight... and this one is probably not on the princess' side. So then that means he was probably shot in the back by someone he trusted. Betrayed.
Sudden but inevitable?
That is, if there weren't more of them.
Hoooboy. She goes right ahead and assumes they killed him
Wellllp now. Is this the wayward princess, then?
...crap. Those things were experiments of her. Seeing if the ponies were serious about this. Even after all this, it's still Chrysalis who's planning to betray them all
Oh. Yikes. Changeling politics. Only slightly less vicious than your average mafioso
Shameless, isn't she? Of course, she just requested political asylum, so realistically there's nothing Chrysalis can do to her
Hee. Cheater magic
Um. But that thing was never designed for passengers, was it? Isn't it just a two-seater?
Well, he isn't one of your infiltrators
Hah!
Oh. Forgot to add this to the end. Derp
Remarks and corrections:
> You have lead us on quite a chase," Celestia noted
The only 'lead' pronounced as 'led' is the metal
Things are getting so intense!
Chrysalis should really have kept some spies in the Changeling Hive or at least someling to keep her informed of what's going on. It seems her pride has blinded her to the fact that the failed invasion has weakened her position and an ambitious princess might seek to take advantage. I would think that Celestia and Luna would be able to provide the energy for the teleport if a machine was not available.
I mean, that kind of is the plan here.
Ohohohoho, must admit I did not see most of those twists coming. But definitely enjoying them, because once revealed it's easily remembered that you did make hints leading up to the reveals, very well done!
Gotta say I dig Chittri, I like her mixture of cold and calculated view on things adding in the appreciation of pony empathy. Giving Whisper vibes with her speech showing her thought pattern, although obviously Whisper would never go full on with that kind of risky "experiments". That said, Chittri is following the Nictis path by having less pony experience until finally facing the alternatives to the point of view they have had forced on them through their training.
Anyways, Imma read on! Enjoying the story still, both the big picture as well as the little things and the character growths. Very good!
Well, this was expected. The moment Chrysalis revealed the existence and attitudes of Chara, another betrayal once Chrysalis’ peace plans reached the hive was inevitable.