Sleight the Mystifying and Extraordinary

by Bluecatcinema

Face To Face

Back at the Changeling village, Sleight was talking with Wizel.

"So, uh... how long do you guys live for?" He asked. "I mean, according to Chrysalis, you are number 256..."

"Well, Sleight, a changeling is a lot different from a pony, and not just because we can take the form of any being we choose. I for one happen to be over 700 years old." Wizel explained.

"700?!" Sleight gaped, "What... how is this even possible? You should look like skin and bone right now!"

"By your ponies' standards, maybe... but by Changeling standards, I'm practically your somewhat old middle-aged stallion." Wizel mused.

"What about Sazh and Chrysalis?!" Sleight sputtered.

"Sazh is still pretty young at the age of forty. Chrysalis herself on the other hoof is about three hundred... and quite amazingly still young."

"I am not understanding this whole age system of yours." Sleight shook his head.

"Don't try to. It is something that only a Changeling can comprehend. Given the right conditions, a Changeling could live for hundreds of years, and for the queens, five times that much." Wizel explained.

"Right conditions?" Sleight repeated.

"Yes. You know that we feed on love, right?" Wizel asked.

"Right." Sleight nodded.

"Well, let me put this in a way that is simple to understand... love is like a life force to us changelings. We feed on it to sate our hunger, yes... but when we do, it rejuvenates us, filling us with a special kind of energy that continuously lengthens our lifespan. However, when one goes without love for a while... our lifespans dramatically decreases to rather meager numbers." Wizel's expression went grim…

"Like with the whole hostility between you and the ponies a few years back." Sleight recalled. "You guys were like public enemies number one!"

"Yes... not a proud moment in the history of Changelings..." Wizel shook his head glumly. "The ponies simply feared and hated something that they couldn't understand, and love for our species had practically plummeted in that period. Chrysalis had only just become queen of the hive when the love had begun to dwindle, and Changelings were dying left and right, whether it be of a shortened lifespan or of starvation... and when she heard that the Princess of Love was getting married... she thought she had found the solution... and well, you know the rest."

"I don't understand though..." Sleight muttered, "Why didn't she just come to Celestia for help?"

"And what? Admit that we were creatures incapable of surviving on our own?" Wizel countered. "We Changelings are a very prideful race... and you know how pride usually leads to downfalls..."

"Is there anything else you need to know?" Wizel asked.

"Actually, yeah." Sleight nodded. "I mean, you guys are now on better terms with the ponies. If you all are in so much trouble, why don't you just ask Princess Celestia for help now? I'm sure she could-"

"Queen Chrysalis believes Celestia has done enough for us already, by giving us this territory." Wizel reveals. "She does not wish to burden her further. That, and she didn't want to be seen as a queen incapable of running her own kingdom. You know what they say, a country and race is only as strong as the ones who run it. You understand, right?"

"I guess..." Sleight shrugged.

"I know it seems rather fool-hardy, but the queen does take after her mother and grandmother…" Wizel sighed, before giving a rather sly grin. "In more than one way, hubba-hubba…" He gave a chortle.

"You are one strange old bug." Sleight declared.

"Hey, there was a way for me to live 700 years, and I took it." Wizel defended proudly.

A Changeling mother walked by with her larva, who looked close to pupating.

"Bless you, great one!" The mother told Sleight. "All our hopes are with you!"

"Uh, thanks!" Sleight smiled.

"I just know you're gonna that mean ol' Red Eclipse who's boss!" The larva added. "You're gonna save us all, right?"

"Right..." Sleight said awkwardly. It was starting to dawn on him how much the Changelings were counting on him. From what he'd heard, Red Eclipse was one tough customer. What if he couldn't help the Changelings beat him? What would happen to all their hopes then?

"Is something wrong, Sleight?" Sazh asked, joining his side.

"Oh, nothing." Sleight smiled weakly. "It's just... what if I really can't help you guys? What if nothing I can do will stop Red Eclipse?"

"I have faith in you, Sleight." Sazh smiled. "I know you'll knock him dead."

A high-pitched buzzing suddenly rang out.

"What's that noise?" Sleight cringed, covering his ears.

"The alarm!" Sazh gasped. "Trouble's coming!"

They followed the sound to the front of the village, where a group of intimidating ponies came in, toting a hidden package, led by Twitch. As the Changelings and Sleight gathered in apprehension, Red Eclipse then made his entrance, towering over his minions.

The Earth Pony's stature intimidated most of the Changelings, and Sleight himself. His blood-red coat and short blackish gray mane stood out amongst the paler colors around him. His right eye was covered by an eyepatch, and the other was a vivid gold. A rusted shoulder guard adorned his left shoulder, and his Cutie Mark was of a lunar eclipse with a red, slitted eye within the darkness. He had a disgruntled look on his face, as if something incredibly foul-smelling was right under his nose.

A quiver of fear ran through Sleight…

'Holy crud… that's Red Eclipse?!' He despaired on the inside.

Queen Chrysalis stepped forward.

"What is your business here?" She demanded.

"No doubt you've all heard of me by now." Red Eclipse smirked. "But for the sake of courtesy, allow me to properly introduce myself: I am Red Eclipse."

A few Changelings murmured in fear.

"Yes, my children have told me all about you…" Chrysalis declared, as her glare darkened. "I do not know what it is you want… but as far as I am concerned, you are the enemy, and therefore, aren't welcome here!" A few of the bolder Changelings hissed to emphasize her point.

Red Eclipse was not deterred, "Funny, I could say the very same thing about the lot of you."

"What is it that you want?" Wizel snapped, taking his place aside the queen. "Because I highly doubt you are here to 'make nice' with us."

"Ah yes." Red Eclipse nodded, as he gave a quick glance back at Twitch. "A little 'birdie' with a nervous tic had brought to my attention that there was a pony among you that's 'prophesized' to stop me."

"So what there is? What is it to you?" Chrysalis asked with venom in her voice.

"Now, now, there's no need to be testy, Queenie…all I ask is where is this pony that's supposed to quote unquote 'stand against me…'" Red Eclipse nonchalantly shrugged.

From behind a couple of Changelings, Sazh and Sleight watched, as Sleight was horrified by the size of Red. He tried to discreetly back away.

"Okay, Sleight, now is your time to show him what you are made of." Sazh declared.

"Are you nuts?!" Sleight gulped. "He's huge! I can't fight him!"

"Oh, sure you can!" Sazh smiled. "Just use your fancy card magic and you'll send him running! Now get out there!"

Sazh bucked Sleight out into the open.

"GAH!" Sleight landed in the clearing that Red and Chrysalis were in. He was quick to regain poise.

"Who is this?" Red Eclipse asked, clearly unimpressed.

"Allow me to introduce you to Sleight... The Mystifying and Extraordinary, and the pony that will be your downfall." Chrysalis announced.

"...I wouldn't necessarily say 'downfall'..." Sleight said timidly.

"Really?" Red Eclipse smirked as he approached Sleight. "So, you are the wizard that the feeble old Changeling rambled on about in his prophecy?"

"Uh, yes... and I take it that you are... Red Eclipse." Sleight shuddered. "Sleight Gambit, nice to meet you."

Red Eclipse was silent for a moment... then suddenly, he began to laugh. The Changelings and Red's ponies were confused, Twitch moreso. Eventually, he stopped.

"Oh, Sleight. Oh, Sleight, Sleight, Sleight..." He wiped a tear from his eye.

"Did I say something funny?" Sleight asked.

"No... but I'll admit, when Twitch came to me, rambling and sputtering about some 'all-powerful wizard', it certainly had me concerned for a bit." Red Eclipse smiled. "So much, that I came all this way just to meet him... and instead..." His smile turned into a sneer. "...I am met with this weakling?" He turned to Twitch. "Remind me to maim you once we're done here."

Twitch gulped.

Sleight frowned in offense. "Now wait just a moment. Sure, I might not be Starswirl, but you can't tell the strength of a pony just by looking at him!"

"Please. I have come face to face with many ponies in my lifetime. I happen to have a knack for knowing these kind of things…" Red Eclipse sneered.

"Well then, you obviously hadn't heard of me. I am the wizard of the prophecy, and I will protect these Changelings from you!" Sleight barked, now incensed by this pony's attitude.

"Really? Tell me, Sleight, what are these pathetic creatures to you, exactly? Because you obviously aren't in it for the money…" The Changelings hissed in offense, "And I would be sick to my stomach to consider that you actually have feelings for some of these mongrels…"

"Hey, my reasons to help these Changelings are my business." Sleight growled, tipping his hat. "Why do you care either way?"

"Because, while I may be seen as a cruel war monger, I would hate to have to put down a fellow pony because he got it in his head that he's some glorified 'hero'…" Red Eclipse shrugged. "And a pathetic one at that…" His men chuckled darkly.

"Well..." Sleight tried to rebut. "I am a 'hero' and if you do not stop with this whole 'racist' angle you have going here, I will have to make you stop!"

"Heh, scary…" Red mocked, as he faced all the Changelings. "You bugs must really be desperate. Putting all your bets on a single, pathetic, and rather showy Unicorn…" He then walked up to Chrysalis. "You'd think a 'queen' would have more dignity then that. Even a filthy bug queen."

"I will only ask you one more time…" Chrysalis growled. "Leave these lands-"

Red Eclipse slapped Chrysalis before she could finish.

"Yeah, like an ugly wretch like you has a say in what I do…" Red sneered.

"Hey!" Sleight leapt forward. "Leave her alone!"

"Like bugs, do you?" Red Eclipse smirked. "Come on then, hero. Give me your best shot."

"Take this!" Sleight flung his cards at Red Eclipse, who, displaying great speed for his size, jumped aside.

Sleight threw more cards at Red, hoping to blind him, but Red simply kicked and stomped the cards (Even tearing some up with his bare teeth).

"Peh!" Red spit out a few torn cards. "Card tricks won't save your hide!"

"Oh, then maybe a couple of dice will!" Sleight roared, as he threw a pair right at him… only for Red to catch it with his hoof.

"I think not…" Red chuckled darkly, as he squeezed the dice, making a small boom in his clutched hoof.

Sleight, getting desperate, reached for another pair of trick dice. In an instant, Red was upon him, grabbing his hoof before he could throw them.

"No more tricks." Red snarled. "Let's see how well you fight like a stallion!"

Red punctuated the last word with a cross hoof. Sleight went down, then scrambled to his hooves.

"Gah…" Sleight gasped, rubbing his jaw. Trying to recover, he tried throwing his own punch at Red's face… but the moment his hoof met Red's face, it felt like it had hit a concrete wall.

"Holy mother of-" Sleight stifled a curse, as he held his hurt hoof. "What the buck do they feed you?!"

"The blood and guts of weaklings like you!" Red roared. "Now, let me show you what real battle is all about!"

Sleight let out a growl as he tried to throw another punch, but Red caught it, and held it fast, allowing him to punch Sleight over and over again. The Changelings looked on in shock, none of them brave enough to step in.

Red blasted Sleight back with his last punch, as the now bruised pony slowly rose to his feet.

"Come on, surely this isn't all you have to offer, is it?" Red taunted.

The magician pony, more desperate than ever, began firing beams of magic at the evil pony. Unfortunately, each beam seemed to bounce off Red, barely leaving scratches behind.

"How disappointing." Red shook his head.

Sleight pulled up another deck of cards, and was about to throw them, but Red quickly ran towards him and clutched his horn, and with a vicious swing of his head, gave him a massive head butt, knocking off his hat. Sleight went down once more, and Red rained down punches on him.

"Unbelievable… this is your savior?!" Red roared out to all the Changelings around him. "Surely you jest! This pony is no savior! He's a weakling!" He kicked Sleight. "A cheap trickster!" He kicked him again. "Nothing but a pathetic sideshow act!" He kicked him real hard.

Chrysalis only watched on in horror as Sleight kept getting kicked by Red Eclipse, as well as Sazh and Wizel. Sazh tried to go to Sleight, only to be stopped by Wizel.

"What are you doing?" Sazh snarled. "I have to help Sleight!"

"Help him how?" Wizel asked. "What can you do against that fiend?"

Sazh stood down, seething with impotent fury.

Finally, Red picked Sleight up, and with a heave, threw him through the nearest hut. Sleight let out a weak groan, as all of his body was now hurting…

"Well, I've had my fun..." Red shrugged. "Unless you Changelings have another 'wizard', it's about time I finished this."

Red walked towards the destroyed hut, and picked up the bruised Sleight. He was about to finish him off when…

"Stop!" Chrysalis yelled, desperation and fear ringing clear in her voice. "You're proven your point! Now leave him be!"

Red glanced back at the queen, and then at the weakened wizard, moaning in his hoof. "Whatever you say, queenie." Red snorted, as he unceremoniously dropped Sleight to the ground. "Besides, I almost forgot, I brought something to show you."

Red nodded to Twitch, who had the others, open the packing, revealing a large and rather ominous cannon.

"You like?" Red asked. "There's plenty more where that came from."

The Changelings looked on in horror.

"You Changelings have no place in this territory, let alone Equestria, or the world." Red spat. "And for being so stupid as to challenge me, I give you this choice: to leave here and never return… or die."

Red signal the stallions by the cannon. They set it off, destroying a nearby hut, prompting the changelings to screech in horror.

"Consider that an example!" Red sneered. "I will return in three days with all my ponies and arsenal to purge this land." He looked down at Sleight's battered body. "Unless of course, your little 'prophecy' comes true… if not, then I highly suggest that you run. Not that it will make any difference… for no matter how far you run… I will find you… and I will eradicate your very being… keep that in mind…"

Red spat on the ground before turning and leaving, his minions in tow.

"G-great speech, boss." Twitch shamelessly compliment him. "Really..."

"Zip it." Red growled. "I've still got half a mind to tear you apart for making me come out here, just for that loser."

"Y-yes, boss." Twitch trembled.

Chrysalis was left breathless and admittedly terrified, and Sazh and Wizel were dumbstruck.

"Oh Faust…" Chrysalis whispered, almost reduced to tears.

"This was what I feared…" Wizel muttered.

"Sleight…" Sazh murmured.

Sleight, struggled to his hooves, aching all over. He could feel the eyes of every Changeling looking at him, shocked at how their prophesized hero had been so utterly crushed. Their hopes had been shattered, thanks to him. Sleight felt lower than low.

"…I've failed…" Sleight muttered to himself, tears coming to his eyes.

Comments

[Perteks]

Chrysalis didn't fight back uh what? That was strange like hell, she got punched and did nothing.

[danick]

Let's wait for round 2

[Razzy]

4506789 I'm quite sure ask the changelings are really low on energy, keeping only enough to avoid shortening their lives and giving the rest to the larvae.

Cya
Raziel-chan