Merciful Fate
He twisted around just in time to see a fist coming toward him. Lacking great reflexes, all Spike could do was brace himself for the impact. He was struck in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and forcing him tumbling back onto his behind. As he tried to catch his breath, he looked up to the laughing figure that just hit him. It was himself.
“Weakling.” The copy stated, he was no mirror image however. He was taller, thinner, had longer limbs, and his fangs were coming in. It was him alright, but he hadn't seen this since that time he let his greed take over. Spike stood slowly, not taking his eyes off his copy.
“Why'd you hit me?” The real Spike snarled, his blood boiling. He didn't know what was going on, but he had the sneaking suspicion that he would find out soon.
“'Cause you're weak. How can you protect your friends if you can't even fight yourself?” The copy replied, poking the true Spike's chest with his claw. This struck a cord in Spike, he knew he was weak, he always had been. That was one of the reasons everyone looked at him as a baby. “I'm here to help with that.” That surprised him.
“Help how?” Spike demanded, his first answer was nothing but a puff of smoke from his copy's nostrils.
“You're too small to do anything right now. See this?” The older Spike drawled, motioning to the heap of ponies. “They aren't dead, but they might as well be, they're locked in an endless daze without emotions.” Spike didn't know if he should have felt relieved, but he was, they weren't dead.
“What do I need to do?” Spike inquired, his voice firm and strong, the copy smirked despite himself.
“Just promise,” the copy started, holding out a hand to his younger self, “to stop the king at any cost.” Spike reached out to grasp his older copy's hand, as they clasped claws together his palm burned, he yelped and released the other's hand. He stared down at his palm, there was a number on it now, branded into his scales.
“Three?” He read off, confused. “What's this for?”
“Just some insurance.” The copy spoke cryptically, a malevolent smile on his face. “You'll need to hurry.”
Chrysalis watched in horror as the fire engulfed Spike, she wanted to run to the fire, to do something, but she was frozen in place by an unseen force. It was when she was beginning to lose hope that the fire started to die away.
Spike blew smoke from his nostrils, his slitted eyes adjusted to the sunlight from above. The fire was gone, and he stood unharmed. After all, he had survived belly-flopping into lava on one occasion, it didn't surprise him that his fire didn't do so much as leave a mark. What really surprised him was the fact that he had changed. He looked down at himself. He was all the world a mirror image of the older Spike he had just met.
“Spike?!” Chrysalis gaped at the older form he had taken up, just what had the fire done to him, she wondered. It was then that she realized she was no longer frozen in place, and she took this chance to gallop at top speed to Spike.
“Oof!” Spike wasn't expecting a full contact tackle from the changeling. The pair tumbled to the ground and rolled for a few feet before coming to a halt with Chrysalis pinning the dragon to the ground.
“What happened to you?” She questioned, either ignoring or not noticing the awkward position they lay in. Spike, on the other hand...
“Uhh, Ch-Chrys.” He stuttered, it being the only thing he could do with his mind so muddled by the close contact. This didn't go unnoticed by the changeling, who had the familiar taste touch her lips. Love. She suddenly felt uncomfortable about the situation.
“What is taking those nymphs so long?!” The king bellowed, his patience worn down to non-existence. He decided that, if one wants something done he must do it himself and stormed down the tunnels toward the food storage room. What he found there was not what he wanted to see.
“Empty?!” He screeched, his deep voice hitting an octave most wouldn't believe possible, even going so far as to crack. It was just that, empty. Nothing remained but the remnants of the slime the changelings used as bonds. The changeling king roared in rage, his magic exploding from his body and traveling outwards, the green tinted energy slamming into the rock walls around him.
The Elements of Harmony galloped through the forest at high speeds, weaving through trees and leaping over the underbrush and roots. Close behind them, the citizens of Ponyville and the changelings were doing much the same, with the strong carrying the emotionless. Nopony flew for fear of detection. The earth shook and they heard the sound of an explosion, this only made them increase their pace, but Twilight was curious.
“What was that?” She asked, fear edging it's way into her voice. A changeling galloped up to meet her, even with her going at full tilt he caught up and he was carrying two ponies.
“That would be 'his highness.'” The changeling spit the title like it tasted vile, his voice was a slightly deeper hiss then the other drones. Twilight judged, by the way he carried himself and his armor, he must have been a higher ranking officer then the other drones. “He never knew how to control himself.”
“Um, excuse me, but, who are you?” Twilight wondered, this changeling seemed familiar.
“Captain Culcidae of royal guard. We've already met.” He replied, this just raised more questions. “I'll give you my life story later, if we make it through this. The king isn't known for letting his food get away easily.” The captain slowed his pace slightly and fell back to his changeling subordinates.
“Where are we even goin'?” Applejack called, Fluttershy draped over her back.
“Away from that cave.” She answered, though she had no real idea. They couldn't go back to Ponyville, the king knew where that was. They couldn't go to Canterlot, it was too far and half of them couldn't make that trip. That's when they arrived. The large stone and metal gates that had been there since anyone could remember, deep in the Everfree. The reason this forest was so dangerous.
“The Gates of Tartarus.” Rarity breathed as they all gathered at the gate. It wasn't long before it got very crowded.
“Gates of who?” Rainbow Dash questioned, earning looks from her friends. “What?”
“Tartarus is a big, bad place with loooots of creepy, crawly, monsters!” Pinkie informed happily.
“We're not going in there, are we?” A stallion asked, frantic from the whole situation.
The king snaked his way out of the rubble, he emerged unharmed. Sure, it was his fault the cave collapsed, but that didn't help his mood at all.
“Traitors.” He seethed, taking flight over the trees and scanning the ground below. He would find them, and make them see that he was not one to be crossed.
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i love this story
i cant wait the see what else changed about spike
also first
Nicely done. I do like the concept of traitors within the changeling empire. It makes me think that there are some that chose normal lives and their friends, neighbors and families may never know that they are shape-shifting hell-spawn with a heart of gold.
singleblink.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/shit-just-got-real.gif
Yes I do have a gif for most situations.
507993
Diary of a Changeling, coming this summer?~
508003
sure why not and the director is Edgar Wright(Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim and Hot Fuzz). Yeah, I can actually see that as a spin off fic to this one. He's works a 9-5 job, has a loving wife and kids, great neighbors and best friends, the only issue is he's secretly a traitor to the changeling empire.
This sets up for alot of stuff....
What is the meaning of the number branded on Spike?
What horrible beasts will our heroes run into in the halls of Tartarus?
What will the King do he catches up with our heroes?
And when the heck are Chrys and Spike gonna figure out their feelings for each other and make out already!?!?!?
Find out in the next exciting installment of The Changeling Wars!!!
508035
Oh, you thought this was gonna be short like the first one? Nope.
Also, I've heard the saying "love is blind" but the they're going, love might be deaf and stupid too.~
508062
Yeah, I can also see love being figured out at awkward times. Heck, I can just picture how the mane six would react if those two crazy love birds started kissing.......
"oh my"
"Now that just ain't right"
"How scandalous!"
"Man, even I couldn't see this one coming"
"Dude! nice!"
"I wanna look away....but I can't...."
heheheheh.....
504688 right, my bad
For some reason, something is making me think of a "food store" for changelings. Yeah, there would be some meat, but imagine if they found a way to change emotions into a food or liquid state.
"One gallon of this high quality gloominess is worth eleven bits, sir."
508594
If it were that easy, we'd have a completely different finale.
MOAR FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA MOAR!
Great story and I didn't see the gates coming into play, good blindside there can't wait to see what happens.
Ah, now I remember why this chapter title is familiar. It's the name of an old metal band, except they spelled it Mercyful Fate. Nothing to say about the story though, just commenting on title.
510761
Hahah, you caught me. I'm an unimaginative brony when it comes to titles so I just name the chapters after things that are happening as I type them. During that chapter, I was listening to their song Evil.