"Ow! What did you do that for?"
Luna glared down at Pan, her chest heaving from exertion and her hoof stinging from having just slapped Pan. She'd forgotten how sturdy that carapace of his could be, and how weak she was in the form of a filly, but she felt that it was necessary that she bring him back to his senses.
Trying, and failing, to keep the emotion from her voice, she asked, "Do you have any idea... any idea at all... how worried everypony is about you?"
Suddenly looking ashamed, Pan said, "I... I realize that. I'm... I'm sorry. It's just..." The changeling gulped, then took a deep breath and admitted, "I... I've never had friends before. I'm... so scared that something might happen to them... and that it will be all my fault."
An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "Never? You've never had any friends before?" That was... unexpected. Pan was so kind, so generous, so... friendly. It seemed impossible that he would have never have had friends before now.
"Well," he said, correcting himself, "I guess Tragedy and Comedy count as friends, even if they are kind of distant: They're more like mentors, really. The other actors at the theatre weren't, since they'd have turned on me if they found out my true nature. And the Starsmith was sort of a friend, even if we only knew each other for three days. But, beyond that, no. After I was disowned and booted into the army, everybuggy avoided me as if I had the plague. And before that, my family was..." Pan stopped suddenly, then looked away.
Her eyes narrowing in suspicion, Luna asked, "Your family was what?"
Pan let out a long, long sigh, then said, "Of my entire family, which consisted of my mother, my father, my brother, and my fraternal twin sister, there was not a single one of them who could be considered truly decent, at least by pony standards. My mother, a member of another high house, bore three eggs for my father as part of an arranged marriage, then tried to murder him and all three of her offspring as part of a power play orchestrated by her 'true' house. My father killed her without hesitation, and purged two-thirds of the competing house in retaliation for their treachery." With a snort, Pan added, "If you looked up 'monster' in the dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of my father, strangling kittens while sitting atop a pile of changeling corpses. The only times he seemed to be happy was when he was either killing something, or when he was arranging the downfall of a rival. Beyond that, I never saw him demonstrate any emotion, even when I told him my brother had died."
Sorrowfully, Pan admitted, "My brother was my fiercest rival, and he attempted to kill me, in order to take over as the heir to the title of Lord Scorpion. Ultimately, he fell into the same trap he had pushed me into. While we both escaped, working together, Winter found us shortly afterwards, then killed my brother, and cursed me. And my sister..."
This was... beyond anything the princess had ever imagined. While she had known that in some places, there could be true monsters amongst the higher classes, it sounded as if Pan's family went above and beyond anything that she could have ever imagined. Afraid to pursue this line of questioning, but unable to stop herself, Luna asked, "And your sister?"
"Her name is Pandinus Magrettii, and the two of us were spawned in the same birthing. Since she was a female, she could only become the heir if both my brother and I died or were disowned. After my brother's death, she found out that I wasn't able to use magic," Pan said, "and told my father of it within five heartbeats of the discovery. While she did plead with my father to spare my life, it was only as part of a power play of her own: Within minutes of my father publicly disowning me, my sister struck him down, during the very ceremony where she was proclaimed his heir." With a grim little chuckle, he added, "The only reason she'd not struck me down as well was because of a little white lie I had told the rest of the swarm, that whoever killed me would be struck by Winter's curse in my stead. Since I was revealed to be without magical ability, and officially banished from House Scorpion besides, I was no longer a threat to her dominion over the House anyways: The precedents were clear regarding the rights of succession in that case, and besides, the aristocrats of the other high houses would never allow a 'commonborn' to rule a high house, even if I had been born an only child..."
"That is why I'm so scared of becoming something like them," Pan admitted, his voice strained. "It's because I am part of that kind of family, the kind that would not hesitate to destroy their own in order to gain power. Remorseless murderers, treacherous backstabbers, and scheming opportunists either contributed to my blood or shared it." Looking down at his hooves, sorrow written plainly upon his face, he continued, "Changelings are monsters, we've always been monsters, and we'll always be monsters. Who am I to think that I could be any different? That I could protect anypony I cared for? That instead of destroying everything around me like they did, that I could ever create anything meaningful here?"
Luna gently placed a hoof on Pan's shoulder, and said, "There's something that I need to tell you. I don't know if you'll believe it, but it's the honest truth."
-------------------------------
Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance were surprised to find Pen Stroke in bed, fast asleep, seeming little the worse for wear. More surprising, however, was the nurse that was tending to him. While she might not have been as immaculately beautiful as Dream Charmer, she was a definite knockout: She the sort of figure that most ponies would associate with a dancer, and the fact that she was a little dirty, a little disheveled, made her seem more... real than Dream Charmer. Most surprising, however, was Gold's reaction to her.
"Mama?"
Shaking her head sadly, the unicorn said, "That's twice today that I've been mistaken for a pony I've never met. I'm beginning to wonder if I might have had a twin sister I was never told of." With a polite bow, she said, "Tender Loving Care, at your service. I'll be looking after your father until he's feeling better." Looking at Gold Coin with a stern expression, she said, "I have to admit, I am a little disappointed: Vanishing all of a sudden while your father was so ill did no good for his peace of mind, nor his health. I promised that I'd wake him when you returned, but the chancellor needs all the sleep he can get..."
"I'm already awake," Pen Stroke said, with a weak chuckle, "and I do appreciate your concern, miss. We'll keep this short: It's well past my son's bedtime." Giving Gold Coin a look, the chancellor asked, "Were you able to find the identities of the assassins?"
The two youngsters nodded, and Shimmering Radiance said, "We did. We have a list of names, and an idea for how to use them. We'll give them to the emperor, and the plan we've got in mind, as soon as he's up."
The chancellor nodded, then said, "I wish you had waited until the morning to do this. There's not much to be done until after sunrise. The next time you two plan on going out this late, you had best take an adult with you, for my own peace of mind if nothing else. Now, to bed: You've got a big day ahead of you."
The two turned to leave, looking chastised. Before they exited the room, Pen Stroke said, "And well done. Both of you."
------------------------------
Golden Grace smiled as Dream Charmer entered his study. A smile on his face, he asked, "How did it go?"
With a giggle, the mare said, "Quite well, thank goodness. You were right, 'Urchin' did seek me out right away. Clever girl: She saw right away what Scarlet Wake was planning, and has come up with a rather... unconventional way of dealing with it." Easing onto a nearby chair, taking the weight off of her lame leg, she admitted, "Had I known how sharp a mind she had, I'd have sought her out and taken her in as my protege. Still, she's going to make the political world of the Crystal Empire, and probably all of Equestria, incredibly interesting when she matures."
Laughing aloud, he said, "Wonderful. Then we know who to turn to when we've both decided to retire." It was something that the two of them had discussed after Sombra's death: Golden Grace, even though he was in his twenties, understood that he would not be around forever, and he did wish to start a family with his fiancee in the near future: He would never be able to do so as long as the two of them had to maintain their double lives, since a member of the nobility and a royal heir would be considered extremely dangerous political entities. Hopefully, by the time this entire affair had resolved itself, the two of them would be able to prove they were no threat to the new emperor.
His expression turning more serious, Golden said, "We two mongeese will be leaving in the morning, my lady love, to spend a few days in the viper's nest. Are you ready?"
Dream Charmer's horn flared with magic, and her appearance changed. Where before there stood a sublimely beautiful lady, there was now a bespectacled, plain-looking mare who looked like she'd spent her entire life in a library: The royal heir had changed her appearance, through use of a spell, into that of Golden Grace's secretary, her cover for when she was not working as The Lame Horse. The only thing that the two had in common visually was that both shared a crooked hind leg.
"Ready," she said, grinning mischievously.
---------------------------
Pan's lack of expression after Luna had finished her explanation was even more worrying than his depression of just a few minutes ago. Learning that not only were his ancestors ponies, but that Pan could, potentially, become one himself was a revelation that likely had shaken the changeling to the core. It was clear that he was now in deep thought about something, but what could it be?
"When I awaken," he said, breaking the silence, "I will need to do some research: I have sneaking suspicion that I'll need to confirm. I cannot say if it is connected to the current situation, but it is something I'll need to verify for my own peace of mind." A smile slowly spreading across his face, Pan added, "In the meantime, I think that a change of character is in order."
Raising an eyebrow, Luna asked, "A change of character?"
Nodding, Pan said, "All this time, I've been playing the part of the good king, via King Arthur. Sadly, while certainly a good griffin, Arthur was terribly blind in a number of areas. He was too... naive. His inability to see any threat less subtle than an invading army was what ultimately led to the first united griffin kingdom being destroyed from the inside by his illegitimate son, Mordred. If I am going to rule over the Crystal Ponies and at the same time ferret out this traitor and bring him to justice, I'll need to take on a different persona. I'd like your help in picking out the right one."
After a moment, Luna nodded and said, "I''ll help any way I can."
--------------------------
Nopony looked at the two guards outside the door to his family's quarters within Scarlet Wake's estate. He asked, confusion clear upon his face, "What is the meaning of this?"
He had heard two members of the kitchen staff discussing a proclamation that the emperor had made, one that had changed everything: If Nopony were to inform the emperor of Scarlet Wake's transgressions, not only would the aide face no legal penalties for doing so, but he would be rewarded. He had planned to take his wife and daughters away this very night, and throw himself at the emperor's hooves, begging forgiveness.
But the two guards, who never had been station here before, now barred his path. Worse, these were amongst the worst guards in Wake's employ: a pair of hulking, brutish criminals only saved from the headspony's axe due to the baron having paid a significant amount to overturn the judge's death warrant, on the condition that the two served as Scarlet's enforcers. Both of them were murderers, and one of them was known to have taken a delight in murdering young fillies in front of their parents.
Nopony had a suspicion regarding what was happening here, and it was nothing good...
"Ah, Nopony," a terribly familiar voice said behind him, with a dreadfully cheerful tone, "Just the pony I was looking for!"
Turning around, Nopony saw Scarlet Wake advancing behind him, all smiles. Right away, the aide knew that something was wrong. "I apologize for the guards, but I feel that they are a necessity: The city is on edge after the assassination attempt today. Since I value your continued assistance during such trying times, I decided that I should place a pair of guards here at your quarters, for their protection." With each word, Scarlet Wake had drawn closer and closer. Now they were face to face, an unnerving prospect, given the baron's smile. Placing a comradely hoof on Nopony's shoulder, the Scarlet said, "After all, I know how precious your family is to you, and that you'd do anything to keep them safe... right?"
Nopony calculated the odds of being able to kill Scarlet Wake, plus the two guards, without getting killed himself in the process. The odds, sadly, were small: While Nopony was in very good shape for his age, he was past forty, and Scarlet Wake was half his age. Worse, while Nopony lacked any knowledge of combat magic, Scarlet Wake was something of a virtuoso in that field, especially in the use of pain spells. With surprise on his side, Nopony might have succeeded in landing a fatal wound, but that would leave the two guards, either one alone would be more than a match for the older unicorn. And if any of the three survived, Nopony's wife and daughters would pay dearly for it...
"Yes, milord, that is true," Nopony said, resigned.
"Wonderful," Scarlet Wake said, his grin almost manic in its cheerfulness. "Now, go spend the night with your wife and daughters. Be ready to get up bright and early. Golden Grace and his entourage have decided to grace us with their presence. It seems that he's a little bit worried about recent troubles himself, and has elected to marshal together our collective forces until these assassins have been brought to justice. I am certain that everypony will feel much safer once those traitors have been caught and executed."
----------------------------------
Celestia gave a sigh, as she waited for Luna to reappear. The princess swore to herself that, after this, she'd never complain about having to attend another meeting of the Ministy Of Silly Trots ever again: After the last week, and the events of just the last forty-eight hours, she would have given her left hoof for an hour of boredom that didn't have any underlying tension to it...
With a sudden pop, Luna reappeared, looking none the worse for wear. Smiling cheerfully, she said, "Mission accomplished."
Stretching, Pan said, "Ah, jeez, was I really out that long? This is terribly embarrassing. A thousand pardons, your highness."
There was something off about the changeling. It wasn't something that Celestia could put into words, nor was it something that seemed sinister, but it was definitely there. The way the emperor held himself was subtly different from before.
Celestia, after a moment's hesitation, asked, "Are you alright, Pan?"
The changeling and Luna shared a brief look, seeming to smile at a shared joke that only the two of them would get, then Pan said, "I've never felt better."
NEW CHAPTER UP! NEXT CHAPTER, STUFF WILL GET A BIT CRAZY!!!
I think you want "viper's next" to be "viper's nest", but a good read none-the-less.
Somehow you got me thinking about how dreams are, and all the different pathways connecting the various ideas and regions of the brain. Almost like a dance or a snowstorm of activity flickering behind our unconscious eyes.
... why does Discord come to mind?
seriously author. he dies soon. he is literaly written to be the antithesis of everything i value in life. he needs to burn.picgifs.com/games-gifs/games-gifs/star-wars-the-old-republic/picgifs-star-wars-the-old-republic-2197432.gif
I have a feeling that Nopony is probably going to die in the next cahpter. But on the plus side, we see a new character being acted, wonder who's it going to be?
Oh noes oh! Not teh crazy! Anything but teh crazy!
(We've kinda already GOT a TON of crazy, so do you have any boredom instead? Maybe a little bit of normalcy? No? Oh, very well then... Go on.)
4587406 Hoh boy o.o
Can I have a knife to stab Scarlet Wake with please? Also, yay Pan's awake!
PLEASE DON'T KILL NOPONY
4587462
Correct, thanks
I have a question: if he turned the hate-love converter on, wouldn't the device be the one killing him? And Winter wouldn't die, just be incapacitated as long as the device is in range from my understanding.
4587472
I will kill my villains when I am ready to, and in as spectacular a fashion as I choose. Just remember, the longer the buildup, the more spectacular the downfall becomes.
4587491
You think this is crazy? There haven't been any explosions yet! Just wait: The things I have planned
I hope Nopony doesn't die! I'm just starting to like him. Also, I'm fairly certain this is one of the rare times a double negative is acceptable.
Ministry of Silly Trots? Please! After all, one does not silly trot into Mordor.
Wonder who this new persona is based off. I doubly wonder how Nopony learned of the new laws; he wasn't exactly there, so who did he hear it from?
Also, fucking Scarlet Wake. Just go all Uber-Love-Powered Changeling on him already, Pan!
I sure hope Scarlet Wake isn't the only and single most annoying and frustrating villian in the story...I meant that I hope Scarlet Wake problem isn't going to last the entire freaking story... A portion, yes, but, an entire story will make it very frustrating....
You could say that Pan is the white sheep of a black family.
4587553
The portion of Nopony's story, second paragraph, practically the first sentence.
4587556
I have it on the best authority that he'll be... dealt with by the time Winter takes center stage.
]Request Assassins
Assassins ready. Please provide target name.
]Target Scarlet Wake
Searching for Target. . .
Target found
Dispatching Assassins. . .
Error: You do not have jurisdiction in this area.
]Echo god dammit.
god dammit.
So yet another story that has the changelings as monsters.
The alternative would have the ponies in their stead.
Bah... Other than that, a fine show thus far I suppose.
Also, i could see where you were going with the now deleted chapter
of the mimic of a mimic. Pity. It could have been used to great effect here if you somehow posted
the plot points of these chapters from just across each other.
Perhaps eventually there will be some epic rewrite or some bigger plot twist that will enhance the story or something along
those lines.
For now, I shall sit here waiting on the sidelines.
4587572 *Bitch slaps continuously*
*Does the same*
>Ecocat<
~Dectodog~
4587589
Not all changelings are monsters, as is demonstrated by Pan. However, a distressing majority of the changeling leadership is comprised of monsters.
Time for Pan to pull a Sombra.
4587597
4587406
I look forward to seeing your definition of "a bit crazy." And yay! The Emperor is back!
4587552
This sentence makes me angry. You know why? Because the double negative is syntactically correct.
4587526 very well author. but it better be agonizing in it's brutality, and waking-up-early-but-not-having-to-get-up-because-you-realize-it's-a-saturday in it's satisfaction. i want his hope destroyed. then his spirit broken. then his head smashed, in like this!
lll
(warning, game of thrones season episode 8 season 4 spoilers, and special effects orribleness of a bloody nature, you've been warned.)
V
x4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/see+i+like+the+image+of+ser+gregor+leaving+a+_9828d787c49b806226657b2f8ccc86bd.gif
Dang ... this chapter really adds some new layers. Pan's family is utterly fucked up ... it's like the Hapsburgs and the Borgias combined ... on crack! Interesting how immersed in the character he assumes Pan gets ... wonder who he's channeling after he wakes up. Golden Grace and Dream Charmer ... interesting couple, but it works. Interesting to see Gold Coin mistake Widowmaker/TLC for his mom briefly ... though I do find it ironic that the most nurturing character yet shown is an assassin by trade. Glad to see Pen Stroke proud of Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance, too. Uh oh ... how is Nopony going to get out of this one? Is he? Can he at least get the family out? Whew ... at least Pan's up ... and presumably a bit more genre savvy ... now to see how this all collides ...
Has he taken on the role of Celestia?
A new character? Odysseus comes to mind.
Just gonna predict something... Scarlet Wake would have been the founding patriarch of the House Scorpion. Either that or a rival House.
4587583 Sorry if I guess a major plot point, but are you saying/implying that Scarlet Wake might be... Winter's way into the Empire?
4587638 for your literary pain. " No that ain't not no good"
I really hope Pan doesn't try and change his race just to make himself happy or whatever
4587530 Does this mean there will be a Mr. Torque Flexington pony? Because those are the only explosions that are ever worth it.
I really wonder about PanĀ“s new chose persona.
4587599 just like real life
4587883 I hope he does change his race, if only to impregnate Luna. "Changlings can only reproduce within their own race" after all.
4587941 No, Luna needs to change into a changeling instead.
4587941 I'd only accept a race-change if there's a sex scene but that seems unlikely
Ooh, brilliant. I hadn't really thought about Pan's power to "Fall Into Character," but now that I see it actually affects how he thinks in a way, I'm really intrigued.
Now, what is this persona named...the last one was Arthur, so I imagine that another king or emperor will be who Pan is fashioned after...hmm. For some reason I want to say Caesar, but that seems to be more like Sombra.
Ah well. I'm writing in anticipation for the next chapter!
Also, I'm pretty sure you get featured pretty much every update...good show!
4587406 THANKS. THIS IS A FUN READ SO FAR.
What king will he be... what king will he be?
ooooh! I'm so excited to find out!
I get the feeling that, if one were to trace the bloodline of House Scorpion (and possibly a few others) back through the Prime timeline, they would all be descended from Scarlet Wake.
And Speaking of Scarlet's fate, many seem to be of the opinion that he needs to die.
I disagree.
Death is too good for him.
What he needs is an eternal-life-sentence in Tartarus as Sombra's personal stress-reliever (AKA the Royal Punching Bag).
Seriously, dude's a douche.
4587583 Ah...ok.
...
...
...
*Insert 'Winter is coming'*
He's becoming Hoovelock Vetinari isn't he?
4588235 I vote he becomes the royal fluffer myself. ;)
I really enjoyed this chapter. I cant wait to see what persona Pan chose in order to deal with Scarlet. Also, I wonder what happened to Pan's sister? You, sir, are a great storyteller and I hope the next chapter comes soon.
4588466
As interesting as that would be, I'm fairly certain that's the political equivalent of god mode.
Hilarious in its own way, but I don't think there would be much challenge left for Pan.
4588675 I be t he is playing Hamlet. Scarlet will spy on him and Luna having sexy-fun-times together, making Pan so angry he murders Scarlet. The Royal Pony Sisters and Gold Coin will get concerned for the future of the empire, and try to off him subtly. Stuff goes wrong, and the four of them die together, leaving the Lame Horse as the sole heir to the throne.