Synch

by sunnypack

81 - Bone China Changeling Doll

Sometimes I like to walk out onto bridges and just watch the lifeblood of cities come and go. It’s fairly soothing looking at the steady pace of humans that fed the beast. At night it looked strangely beautiful and I bet from a high enough distance the highways would turn into a bright red and gold stream that washed through the intricate vessels of the land.

Imagine if you weren’t from there, imagine if you were from a time where things like that didn’t matter or were even within their dreams. Imagine if you from a whole different world, where things like that never existed.

That was what it felt like everyday for me. To suddenly find myself deep in an alien environment that was so different that it was beautiful, so strange that it was mesmerising, so out of this world that it was enchanting.

But knowing I was destroying it by existing.

-----

I didn’t really know what to say. My race was on the verge of future annihilation so I thought I knew exactly what Pseudo was feeling at the moment. Only, for her it had happened already. The pain was so plain I was at a loss to say anything even remotely comforting. I just fell into investigation, letting my science side take over.

“But if you are the last of your hive, how will you save it?” I asked tentatively, the cold touch of pity welling in the depths of my heart.

Pseudo’s eyes lost their intensity and a flustered blueness crept into her cheeks. Her wings fluttered a little as she turned to Celestia.

“We need a stallion”, she croaked, her eyes wavering.

Celestia didn’t look surprised, as I had expected. She looked sad instead.

“I’m sorry. I can guarantee your safety and freedom but I cannot pledge a stallion without first asking them”, she looked away. “It would be wrong to force them, no matter how noble the cause.”

I’ve seen Pseudo timid and courageous, shy and muted, but I have never seen her so furious.

“My Hive ends with me! My brood dies with me! My changelings are doomed to extinction! How could you be so callous?”

Celestia only looked on stoically, her eyes revealing only suggestion of tears.

“I’m sorry”, she repeated. “It is not my decision to make. You will have to ask each stallion in turn.”

Pseudo snorted in a rare display of impolite indignation.

“You know as well as I that that will never happen.”

Celestia bowed her head in sorrow.

“I know, little one, I know…”

Pseudo stood there for a few moments before stomping out.

I looked at Celestia feeling the urge to give her a stroke on her back, but I snatched my fingers away at the last moment. My heart stopped for a few beats when I saw the torn look on her face when I stopped.

“I understand why you are right, Celestia, just give it some time, we’ll find a solution”, I spoke to her in consolation.

“I will go after her, you are probably not who she will want to see right now.”

Celestia nodded, with tears finally flowing.

I headed for the double doors mechanically, my mind in a fuzz but stopped when Celestia’s voice called back to me.

“Even as years go by, these things never get any easier”, she admitted in a quiet voice.

“In a way I’m glad”, I responded not turning back.

“If it was ever easy for you, I think I would hate you.”

I felt a small bubble of mirth spring from deep within me.

“Be glad your heart is still as big as your age”, I laughed, closing the door behind me.

I heard a weak chuckle fade behind me as I chased after a broken changeling princess.

-----

Gruff tapped his claws on the wooden tabletop, his gaze fixed steadily on the map. The map was a cheap copy that could be purchased at any cartographer for a mere three bits but the information on it were more important to Gruff than any amount of bits.

Dotted along boundaries, caves, forests, hills, valleys and mountains, were small red markers that followed a strange pattern that only Gruff could see. Beneath the surface of Equestria was roiling political and underground current that swept beyond the borders of the pony nations and lodged firmly in all the sapient cultures of this world.

Gruff growled, sensing the movement of his opponents but lacking the power to stop the inevitable. All he could do was remain seated on his cobweb, subtly tipping the scales of power so that the world wouldn’t be plunged into eternal chaos. Chaos that would make the years of the draconequus seem like a heartfelt children’s tale.

Gael interrupted his brooding thoughts.

“Sir, we’re ready”, she announced, giving an appraising once over for the tired diamond dog.

Gruff gave a grunt of acknowledgement that sounded suspiciously like a dog’s growl. He absently toyed the edges of the map.

“I’ll be there in a moment”, he finally replied, his eyes unfocused.

Gael shrugged and retreated into the lounge room, where the others sat waiting.

“Come on Gruff!” an impatient voice yelled. “I’m itching for some action!”

Gael gave Solid a warning look.

“Sir has told me he will be out in a moment. Calm yourself, pony.”

Solid gave vent an annoyed breath.

“Whatever featherbrains, I’m ready to get this show on the road!”

Hardy gave a snort and held back the incensed griffon before she could tear the recalcitrant pony into tiny pony pieces.

“Ease there”, he whispered, his look a little sad. “Solid needs this or she’ll break.”

The griffon eyed the hard stallion that was unexpectedly nice to the rambunctious mare. Gael had only known Solid for a few days but already she was getting under her skin. She lost a friend to be sure, but boo hoo, everygriffon here has lost a friend… it was nothing new.

“If that mare keeps to herself and stops insulting Sir, I will let it go”, she growled, pushing Hardy to the side. Hardy accepted the ultimatum and trotted over to Solid to have a few words.

I felt the unwelcome tingle of foreboding creep up my arms, but I held back.

Gruff finally came from the room, loading his backpack with an assortment of goods that clinked and clanked as he walked over. His massive body seemed to keep the pony-and-a-half sized storage canvas sitting quite comfortably on his broad shoulders.

Lightning whistled, impressed but asked the question that was on half the minds in the room.

“That’s pretty astounding Gruff, but do you really need all that?”

Gruff eyed the young stallion, giving a sneaky grin.

“We’ll need everything for where we’re going”, he announced, drawing curious looks all around.

“And where are we going?” asked Gael with a faint trace of anticipation.

“The Emerald Ents”, Gruff replied, with a wicked grin.

“Oh good”, Solid shot back. “I always wanted to die in style.”

Author's Note:

As we work our way to the chapter where the protagonist is likely to die falling off great heights, we learn Gruff has his own plans to direct his own specialist team in an unknown mission. What are the other forces around Equestria? Why hasn't the necromancers (what's remaining of them) made their move yet? Where has Sharp disappeared off to?

These things will come in time.

Until then you'll have to wait with bated breath!

NB: Sometimes I feel like the stuff I put in 'Next Chapter' descriptions could be standalone stories in themselves. I'll probably cobble together a random anthology at some point.

Next Chapter: Two tombstones appear in Equestria bearing the names of our dear princesses. What could this mean? Where will this go? How the hay did this happen?

As always, my delightfully concrete and real readers, thanks for reading!

Comments

[Cavalorn]

Wow, so many chapters this fast, awesome.