13| Interlude 2: Ichor
Morning Glory strode with purpose down one of the many halls and passageways throughout Canterlot Castle.
He got an order from the higher-up that Princess Luna needed seeing to, so he began his practiced march through the one route in the maze of corridors that lead to her bedchambers.
He steeled his resolve and cleared his throat before knocking.
The door cracked ajar and a soft voice spoke from within. "Who is it?"
"Princess Luna? Her Majesty sent me to check on you." The door opened wider so Luna could talk to the guard properly.
"Why has my sister sent you to check on me when she knows perfectly well not to disturb me when I'm working? Let alone on a break."
The double doors on the opposite side of the room that lead outside were wide open, letting the cool night air waft in, brushing up against the curtains. Princess Luna sat outside on the dais of her tower, enjoying a cup of tea, and looking over the kingdom below.
Morning Glory noted several manilla folders sitting in a neat pile in one tray on the left of her desk, one open with its contents fanned out, a quill and ink, and a few more folders sitting in a tray on the right of the desk.
"I do apologise, Your Highness, but Celestia received word that there has been sightings of changelings in Ponyville. She believes there’s a connection between you and the Nightmare Moon incarnate that was here a few days ago; a matter I'm privy to." Princess Luna's head whipped around to stare at the guard with reserved disbelief. "That's why I'm here: the changelings may have gotten you and Nightmare Moon confused for whatever reason, thus the need to check on your safety."
The Lunar Princess let the news sink in for the moment before replying calmly. "While I appreciate the concern, I can defend myself against changelings if necessary. You may take your leave, if you please," she added with a small sense of annoyance in her voice.
"If you wish." The guard dipped low in a respectful bow and turned to leave.
"Oh, Guard Glory," Luna called back to him halfway to the door. "I must thank you for this tea you recommended," she said with a smile. "It has the perfect balance of aroma and flavour..." She took a small, quick sip. "...but may I ask you to request one of the maids to bring up another batch, but with some sugar this time?"
"Thank you, and I shall. Would you like me to take this empty pot to the kitchen?"
"No need; the maid can take it with her when she delivers the next pot."
Morning Glory gave an understanding nod before retreating out the door and down to the kitchen. Once there, he relayed the Princess' desire to one of the staff, who promptly set up the tray and went to boil water to steep the tea leaves in.
Once out of sight, he lifted his wing and took a small vial of clear, thin liquid out, holding it in his wings to begin with to pop the cork in the vial, then using his mouth to pour it over the half dozen or so sugar cubes laid out on an ornate napkin. The sugar soaked it up right away, not melting, nor did the silk napkin underneath dampen.
'Changeling nectar...' he darkly thought to himself. 'Sustenance for us, mild hallucinogen and sleep inducer for ponies.' Once done, he deliberately tossed the vial over his shoulder, where it fractured into small shards on the floor.
As the brewer came back with the pot of steaming tea, Morning Glory turned to leave. He pretended not to notice, and stepped on one of the shards, giving an audible grunt of pain.
"Are you alright?" the brewer called over to him.
"Th-there’s glass on the floor!" he declared, inspecting the ‘cut’ on his hoof, which was, in reality, an illusion.
"Glass!?" came the incredulous reply.
"Yes, Sweet Leaf, glass!" He stuck his hoof out to show a line of crimson snake down the softer tissue of the hoof. "Would you be so kind as to clean it up while I go see to the cut on my hoof?"
"Of course! My apologies! I will find out who it was that broke the cup and reprimand them for not cleaning it earlier."
"Good," Morning Glory replied slightly contemptuously. When Sweet Leaf darted off to fetch a dustpan and broom, with a flash of green fire, the guard turned into a chocolate-brown unicorn mare complete with maid outfit. Not a second too soon, Sweet Leaf returned with the appropriate tool to clean the shards.
"Oh, excuse me, Cocoa,” she said on seeing her colleague, “I need to clean this glass somepony broke. Would you please take the tray of tea and sugar over there to Princess Luna's quarters?"
"It will be my pleasure."
Two hours later, Morning Glory took flight and flew in the opposite direction from Canterlot Castle in the early hours of the morning. Disguised as a thestral guard instead of solar, he headed towards a seemingly inconspicuous mountain range. When he was a suitable distance away from the massive city, he shifted into his default changeling form.
He approached a small, winding valley, with many rocky overhangs. He flew as close as he could to the north end and began flying down the center of the valley, known to the hive as The Granite Passage, for the sheer abundance of the hard rock.
Because of the caverns running through the hills, the entrance to the hive was subject to change to confuse anyone looking for it. Changelings though, through antennae on the top of their heads, are able to detect the main entrance when they get close enough, .
He felt a sensation pull him towards a face in one of the cliffs, and flew straight into it. He passed through a magically generated illusion barrier with ease, settling down on the other side.
"I trust you were successful in acquiring what I asked for?"
Morning Glory parted a section of his carapace, levitating out a vial that was substantially bigger than the one that held the nectar, only this one held a more viscous liquid.
"Perfect," Chrysalis hummed in satisfaction.
"I don't understand why you have me fetching this, when you can easily draw what you need from one of the captives."
"It is not as simple as that. The spell requires four, very specific ingredients. Each acts as a catalyst to the one preceding it. It’s better you don’t know what it is I’m making." Chrysalis sent the vial to her private quarters with a flash of sickly green fire. "As a reward, and because you like living up to your namesake, you may choose one of the female consorts to do with as you please."
Morning Glory's face lit up, a grin plastered across his face. "Thank you, My Queen."
‘That out of the way, I need to seek out Woola for the task I have in mind for her…’
In hindsight, changelings are probably some of the more scarier bastards in the show.
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6275699 THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR NOTICING!!!!
I put that in there on purpose
6275715
Holy shit guys pinkie is cotton-eyed joe!!!
Mind = Blown
6276416 i.imgur.com/JvJIm0d.png
6275715
Dang. He said it first. Also, I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if changelings from MLP looked like they do in Supernatural. Nightmare fuel.
*sees changeling pic*
Oh for the love of God, WHERE'S THE FLAMETHROWER?????!!!!!
*Sees Changeling Pic* Mmph mm m mmh MH!
*W+M1's it down like a good pyro.*
6277217
6276459
6276416
Heh. He's got you there.
this story is really getting better as it goes.
and as to the Author's Note: I am impressed I figured I was the only one to remember the changelings from supernatural.
Harts Fire
6280404 To toss you and other readers a bone here, the name of the second interlude is a clue as to what Chrysalis wanted from Luna, and what it's got to do with Joseph.
Huh. Never saw changelings so overpowered like this. But everyone has own headcanons, right?
um, this probably should've come up earlier, like, way WAY earlier, but....shouldn't the title of the fic be "A Nightmare came to life." ?
6289982 I don't understand why you would think so?
6290539
It sounds catchy?
Dunno, i just feel like "X entity comes to life" sounds better than "X entity come to life". Doesn't it sound a little weird? Or maybe there's some ominous vibes i'm not feeling. I've been dying to point out my title preference since forever now, so...there you go : P
Lovely update btw. Keep it up.
6290623 Well 'Nightmare' is referring to several things, so I'm going to leave it as-is thank you.
6371558 OH GOD I LOVE YOU!
EIGHT MONTHS LATER AND SOMEONE FINALLY PICKS UP ON THE REFERENCE!!!!
YOU SIR, DESERVE A MEDAL!
6280376 Forgive the belated response, but I'm now replying to your comment because the final draft of Chapter 12 has been completed and is awaiting proofing and editing. It currently sits at 6500 words.
Yes, I do agree with you on that. I read over it and I could have condensed a few things here and there.
How does one remember that which has been erased? It's counterproductive. I made bold the last half of your sentence I quoted because that's the entire point: erasing memories.
I address this in the upcoming chapter.
Because Nightmare's a total cunt who's trying to regain control of her body. She has to be careful what 'doors she closes' because I've said in a previous chapter that closing and opening the wrong ones will do Nightmare and Joseph harm. Imagine if Nightmare closed the wrong one and they both became potato. What if she opened a different one and Joseph suddenly started destroying stuff with magic, thus forcing Celestia's hoof?
Strictly as on observation, people aren't taking into account the entirety of what's going on, rather than glossing over some details and focusing on others; like the memory thing everyone's been pointing out. It's a matter of becoming jaded enough so that nothing comes as a surprise anymore.
Meh. Ok :P
Morning Glory? Like its namesake... That poor mare just had the life choked out of her.
So yeah didn't need to sleep anyway...
I wonder what their plan is, their feed until only a husk is left makes me belive its nothing good at all.