Chapter 37 - Magically Delicious
A rather large group stood on the train platform in Las Pegasus. Along with Midnight, Ledger and their family, Madam Gossip, her husbands and children, as well as Moon Song, Grissom and Moondancer were all leaving the city of sin.
Midnight hugged her parents, then looked at Moondancer, who was glancing around, before sighing slightly.
“Something wrong?” the batpony asked her friend.
“No,” she replied. “I uh, met a friend here...but I guess she’s busy...”
“I beg your pardon,” a familiar voice said from beyond the crowd of ponies. “Excuse me. Excuse me. Ah, there we are!” Soon a violet-eyed white mare made her presence known...as she launched herself at Moondancer for a hug. The unicorn caught her midleap in her magic as she beamed widely.
“I totally knew you’d come,” she smiled as she kissed the disguised changeling. “Hmm, no, you need something to remember me by...” The unicorn mare then kissed her, one that made Midnight cover Joyful’s eyes again.
“I’m ever so sorry,” Sugar said once they came up for air. “We’ve been looking for a really simple aging spell to help speed up the brewing process. One that doesn’t age things by decades, but just a month or two. Apparently that’s a novel idea. I looked up from the desk ten minutes ago and only just noticed the time.”
“I guess I can forgive you,” Moondancer giggled as Midnight all but appeared right beside her.
“So, I guess coming here isn’t the only coming she’s been doing hmm~?
Moondancer blinked. Oh. Right. Midnight Song was here.
“You are incorrigible Little Bat,” the mare sighed and Midnight hugged her tightly.
“I learned from the best Moonbutt.” Sugar got a wicked gleam to her eyes and leaned in to Midnight, to better whisper to the batpony. Something about four times and wearing out...
Moondancer turned a rather lovely shade of crimson as she floated out some paper and started scribbling down something while muttering under her breath.
“Let’s see, carry the four, extend the mana flow here, here, aaaaand here. Divide here and...no, divide here. Exploding is bad. Hmm, AH! ahHAH! Done!” She thrust the sheet into Sugar’s face.
“One modified Age Spell. A few months is what you wanted yes?”
“Oooh,” the mare said, her violet eyes dancing along it. “This will help us greatly. We ought to be able to produce our own cider with ease now...which will let us...test things. Wonderful things.” The sheet was carefully held with the mare’s own purple magic as she shot a smoldering look at her latest lover.
“You should come by sometime soon,” Sugar purred. “And taste the fruits of your efforts~”
“Oh I intend to,” Moondancer winked back at her. “You can count on that, my new friend~”
“I get the feeling that they’re more than friends!” Joyful said in a loud whisper to the Violet stallion she was riding.
“Perhaps so,” Wishful said as he use his magic to rub between the filly’s ears. The red, yellow, and blue stallions were keeping careful watch of their colts, making sure that they weren’t allowed within a few feet of each other on the ride back.
They only had the one train, after all.
Critical-Eye and Inspired-Dream, however…
“You did what?” the father asked of his daughter. The smaller green unicorn mare coughed and looked away before repeating her sentence.
“I applied for a visitor’s visa, father. And I only just got the letter back from the office that...they accepted. I’m going on a small trip.”
Silence descended across the platform as every disguised ‘ling turned to look at the green mare. Eventually Ledger stepped forward and looked his step-sibling in the eye. “You know what you’re getting yourself into?” he asked after a minute.
“Nope,” the mare replied with a shake of her head. “Half the journey is exploration after all. But I am certain I can handle most anything that comes up.”
“...Most,” Ledger said with a nod and a smile. “Okay, so you know better than to talk in absolutes, and you know enough to deal with most threats as well. If something happens?”
“Send a letter,” the mare responded instantly. “Asking for advice and help.”
Ledger looked at his step-father and nodded again. “Well, she passes my level of preparedness at least.”
When she was certain nopony was looking, Midnight moved up next to Critical and dropped something in her bag. A smaller pouch that contained a few items.
Like a small dagger and a protection potion~
“Never hurts to be prepared right?” she winked.
“Ounce of prevention or some such nonsense,” the mare replied with a similar wink.
Inspired-Dream was staring at the eldest son of their house before sighing. “You’re sure she’ll be safe?” he asked.
“Oh Tartarus no,” Ledger replied. “Equestria is home to some of the weirdest creatures you’ll see anywhere!” With that, Midnight was used as exhibit A. “I mean, take this Thestral. She loves me. I still consider that weird, but I’m not complaining.”
“Aw Levvy,” Midnight cooed. “I’m not sure if I should kiss you or punch you.” So, she did both, drawing him in for a kiss, before slugging his shoulder.
“That being said,” the brown unicorn continued after breaking the kiss and while rubbing his shoulder, “Typically the strange creatures are non-violent unless provoked, and while sis is very provoking-”
“I take issue with that statement,” the green mare interjected.
“-I doubt she’ll be able to provoke something to the point where it would want to hurt her without it warning her at least once. Besides me, of course.” Ledger finished. “As long as she keeps what few wits she has about herself-”
“Again, statement, issue,” Critical said, now glaring at her brother.
“-Then she should be fine.”
The stallion stared at Ledger for a moment longer before sighing. “And coming from you, that’s a compliment. Very well.” The older pony looked at his daughter with a stern glare. “I want letters every week, young lady.”
“Yes dad,” she grumbled.
“I mean it!”
“...yes, father,” she said with a more amicable tone. “I’ll write every week, I promise.”
“And you’re going to tell me about any and every pony you take an interest in,” the father said unashamedly.
“Dad!”
On that note, Scope stepped forward. She’d heard Critical mention this trip yesterday and prepared something for her. Hives above, she was actually becoming a nice Changeling.
“Here,” she said, levitating a small book out. “It’s a list of simple self-defense spells as well as my Teleport and Hive-mind spells. And yes, not even Ledger knows that last spell yet. But, they’re simple enough, even a Green should be able to cast them-”
“Thank you,” the green mare cut off Scope as she levitated the list over. “I’ll try and see if I can’t use them...and perhaps put my own touch on them as well. Utility is well and good, but there is something to be said for style.”
“Amen!” Moondancer called out.
“Like the time you styled my room in plaid?” Ledger deadpanned.
“You insulted my latest work at the time,” the mare defended. “Fair’s fair.”
“Plaid hmm, I would’ve gone with hot pink,” Moondancer hummed. “The kind that burns itself into your retinas for all time.”
“Hey, how’d you know what my room looked like after my first sugar-rush?” Joyful asked from atop the violet stallion. She peered at the unicorn mare with a suspicious glare. “Are you a spy or something?”
“Yes,” Moondancer replied without missing a beat. Midnight just shook her head as she dropped a present into Joyful’s bag. A little pouch of hardened candies for the trip home.
“Can’t forget my favourite little changeling now, can I?” she giggled.
“Nope!” the pink nymph said before hugging the Thestral. “I’m gonna miss you ponies. And it’ll be ages before I can get one of those visa thingies.”
“Four more years,” her father clarified.
“Like I said, ages!” the pink filly dramatized. Fake swoon and everything.
“Aw, then I’ll sing my little song and you’ll have to come running then,” Midnight giggled, hugging the little nymph back. The filly hummed at the attention before shaking her head.
“Doesn’t work if I’m not in the same city. I don’t hear it if I’m too far away.”
“I suppose we should be thankful she never really got too far then,” Madam Gossip observed as she made a mental note as to one of the limits to her daughter’s powers. “Who knows what she’d get up to if she slipped all means of calling her back.”
“All the ice-cream in the world!” Joyful declared.
“Celestia help us all,” Cider giggled, dreading that particular thought. Especially if she ever found out that coffee ice-cream was a thing.
Scope was still standing next to Critical and looked up. “I guess...you aren’t so bad,” she said with an indifferent tone. “I could tolerate being friends with you I suppose.”
“You’d not make a bad friend either, and I suppose I have no control over my brother’s love-life,” the mare grumbled in response. “...If he comes to any harm under your watch, I’m kicking his flank first, followed by yours, though.”
“If he gets hurt, it’ll most likely be his own stupid fault,” Scope said, looking at her utterly hopeless drone. “But...I’ll do what I can to make sure he doesn’t.”
“That’s all I can ask,” Critical said as she checked her bags again and nodded before standing up, intent on catching a different train now. “You...take care of them and yourself, okay?”
“I will, and same to you,” Scope nodded as she looked around, and once she was certain nopony was looking, she gave the green mare a quick hug. One she returned just as quickly before flashing a small smile and going on her way to the nearby shiny, crystalline train.
Ledger had told her of a certain Empire...with a certain painter…
There was a sound of a whistle blowing, and the Madam looked around before nodding and motioning towards their train. “That’s us, then. We’re headed south, then across the border.” She gave Grissom and Moon Song a smile before extending her hoof. “We really must meet again.”
“Indeed,” Moon Song replied, taking the mare’s hoof. “You should visit Canterlot sometime, it’s a beautiful city.”
“Perhaps when my brother has returned, I might visit with Wishful here, and swap stories about my son for your daughter,” the silver mare said with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
“That sounds wonderful, oh, the stories I could tell,” Moon giggled as Midnight felt her fur stand on end. This was the sign of the End Times right here. She moved next to Ledger and hugged him tightly.
“Levvy? I’m scared.”
“I’m just worried,” Ledger said with a sigh. “Mom, please try to be tasteful with your stories.”
“No promises,” the mare sing-songed back. “But that will have to wait until later.” The stallions pulled their children and luggage onto the train as the mare shook Moon’s hoof. “Until next time?”
“Next time,” Moon smiled and Grissom gave a friendly wave to the family. The mare nodded at the Council-stallion before boarding herself, just as the doors were closed and the train began its journey.
“Ah, and while I do love my family,” Ledger said with a sigh. “It’s so much less stressful now that they’ve left.”
They spent the next half hour just chatting, up until the train to Canterlot arrived, Midnight sighed as her parents and a reluctant Moondancer boarded. She really wished she’d spent more time with them.
“Please promise you’ll write more often?” Moon said from the window of the train. “I’d like to hear what happens from you, rather than the newspaper.”
“Yeah, I promise,” Midnight replied, leaning up to give her mother and father a kiss on the cheek each. They looked down at Scope and Apple Cider, smiling at them.
“It was also nice to meet the two of you,” Moon said. “Can I count on you to keep my troublesome daughter out of trouble?”
“That there is a full-time job,” Cider chuckled and nodded. “But we’ll do our best, right Scopey?”
“That’s above my pay grade,” Scope said. “But I guess I can do that. Looking after her should seriously come with hazard pay though.”
“Try not to get into too much trouble Little Bat,” Moondancer smiled. “And that goes for you too, my sugary queen~”
“More often than not, trouble gets into me,” Sugar said as she blew a kiss to Moondancer. “I’ll make an effort to try, though. No promises~”
The train gave a sharp whistle, muffling whatever it was that Moondancer said in response, but it caused the nymph to turn and she had a massive blush on her face.
“There’s a story there, and I bet I’ll never find out what it is,” Midnight replied with a small frown.
“A Lady never kisses and tells,” the nymph said as she tried to fight the blush that had dominated her face.
“Ain’t ever stopped Midnight before,” Cider laughed. “Ah reckon she’d kiss, then write a book on it!”
“That was the basis for the Pony Sutra,” the white mare observed aloud as she finally got back to normal. Midnight then recalled why she had been running from these persistent Ladies for the last couple of days, but it seems that Moondancer had provided an excellent distraction.
“Do come back sometime soon?” the disguised ‘ling asked of Moondancer. “I’ve not had one quite like you before, and I would like a repeat performance sooner rather than later.”
“Count on it,” Moondancer smiled as she gave the nymph a pinch on the flank with her magic. “I have so much more to...study~”
“Mares and Gentlecolts, my former lover,” Midnight said, taking a slight bow.
“I like her,” Sugar said with a grin. “She’s fun.”
“That she is,” Midnight smiled as the train whistled again and pulled out from the station, whisking the last of their family away. It suddenly seemed a lot less crowded now, to the point it felt quite empty.
“Well, let’s go finish cleaning up after the damage,” Ledger sighed as he began leading his family back home. Cider nodded in agreement and the family headed home. There was work to be done after all.
A few days had passed since Ledger’s and Midnight’s families had left. Midnight and Scope had fallen back into work again. Catching bad guys, investigating crimes and minor disturbances. Even after the collapse of Toll Taker’s empire, Midnight had honestly thought there would be more to do, but the other crime families seemed content to remain quiet. Were they biding their time? Or were they too scared to incur the wrath that had brought Toll Taker to justice?
Scope was amazing at gathering any intel she needed, Midnight couldn’t figure out how she got said information, and whenever she asked, Scope just answered with a simple ‘That’s a secret’.
Ledger’s business seemed to be running smoothly. He’d secured a few contracts now, and some of the local businesses had come around and were now dealing with the new and vastly improved Pegasus Air. But most still had reservations, or were pressured by other families not to seek help. So exports were Ledger’s primary source of income right now.
The Crystal Empire visit had proven most profitable in that regard.
Cider’s farm was also doing well. The tree had arrived from the Empire and after a few days of touch-and-go, it seemed to take to the environment that Cider had provided. The seeds she had taken back with her from the trip had begun to sprout, and by this time next year, she should have nearly two dozen trees to work with. Still not enough for a large scale production, but it would create supply and demand, so prices could be inflated quite a bit.
Ace was settling into the quiet life as well. Midnight’s training was coming along nicely, his new job as a masseuse was proving to be quite popular, and he could now afford to be more picky with his clientele. He mostly stuck to physiotherapy for injuries and the occasional noble which he could charge a much higher rate for.
Above all else, he needed enough to buy some furniture that wasn’t pink.
And those bedsheets? The ones that seemed to swirl with a psychedelic pattern of nausea inducing colour? Those had met with an unfortunate fate.
He had absolutely nothing to do with that. Nope, not at all.
They had a nice, normal cream-coloured blanket now. But he compensated by letting the sheets remain pink.
Speaking of said bed, the griffon lay on it, idly playing with Cherry’s mane when a scroll flashed into existence above him. A black ribbon sealed with Celestia’s Mark meant that this was...not good. He snared the scroll with a claw and opened it, his eyes widening with each sentence that he read.
“Dear Kings of Old,” he murmured, his voice holding a small tremble and Cherry felt something he had never felt from the Griffon.
Intense fear…
“Acey, you’re scaring me,” the disguised ‘ling said, a tremble of fear in his own voice. Ace re-read the missive several times, to make sure this wasn’t all a nightmare.
“Cherry? I need you to do something very important for me now.”
“I’ll do anything for you, Acey,” Cherry said with a nod. “You know that.”
“Good, I need you to gather every changeling in the city, do not skip out on a single one alright? They need to be in that bar the Violets own and I need it done as soon as possible. Can you do that for me?”
“What’s got you so worried that you’re telling us to bug out, Acey?” Cherry asked, the seriousness of the situation overriding the humor in the pun he’d just used.
“Something that could very well be the end of Equestria,” he replied as he grabbed his scarf...before he placed it on Cherry’s back and took the faded pink one. “I need to go and get Midnight. Please do as I asked okay?”
“Okay Acey...but they’re going to want an answer. What do you want me to tell them?” the pegasus asked as he wrapped the griffon’s scarf around his neck.
“You remember that Black changeling?”
Cherry stuck his tongue out in response. “Bleh. Yeah. I remember him.”
“This is a thousand times worse.”
Cherry shuddered as he considered the idea. “What could be so bad?” he wondered aloud.
“The most dangerous resident of Tartarus is free...” Ace replied with a grim tone. “And Discord is helping him.”
The disguised pink changeling actually looked shocked and worried at that statement. “Not…” he started to ask, before gulping. “You’re...saying that…” He couldn’t force the words out.
Ace opened the door and paused as Cherry spoke. “I’m saying we were all fools to trust that insane Chimera...and now, I don’t know if Equestria...if all of Equus will survive...” He sighed as he closed the door behind him.
Cherry whimpered before taking off through a window and flying towards Pegasus Air. Ledger would want to know that his marefriend was being called on to fight...this.
Narrow Gaze buried her head in her hooves and sighed. “Okay Ace, give it to me straight. Exactly how much of a chance do we have here?”
“Optimistically, I’d like to say that we’ll be just fine,” he replied. “It’s hardly the first threat Equestria has faced, and I highly doubt it will be the last...”
“But?” Narrow asked. “I know there’s a but there.”
“But,” Midnight continued. “The Elements of Harmony don’t exist anymore...”
“Midnight!?” Ace shushed her, that was supposed to be a state secret. If word got out that the Elements were no more...
“Forget it Ace, this isn’t the time for that!” Midnight yelled back. “The Elements are gone, yes. But the Bearers of those Elements aren’t. We have four insanely powerful Alicorns, the EUP, the Royal Guard and most importantly...”
“Most importantly?” he queried.
“We have me!” Midnight giggled and Ace facepalmed, it still didn’t stop a small smile from crossing his face though.
“We need a plan of attack should he come here though,” Narrow nodded. “This demon might be tough enough, but how the flipping feathers do we deal with Discord?”
“Therein lies the problem,” Ace said. “He’s the master of chaos, he is unpredictable by definition and his magic seems to have no limits in what it can do. We are also unsure if anti-magic weapons will work on him.”
“This demon he’s with steals the magic from ponies, stripping them of even their Cutie Mark,” Midnight shuddered. “While they are left alive...what kind of life is that?”
“To be on the safe side, all our Guard will be outfitted with anti-magic weaponry and I will place the whole city on red-alert. The local PD should also be informed. They might not provide much help, but it’s better than nothing.” Narrow stood up and shook her head. “Okay, I’ll prepare that, what are you two going to do?”
“We need to find a safe place for the city’s other residents, hopefully somewhere they can hide from Discord. They’re beings that require magic to live...so if they get drained...” Midnight shuddered at the thought.
“Right, get on it!” Narrow nodded. “And may the Creators have mercy on us all...”
“I’m telling you mares, that’s exactly what Cherry told me,” Ledger said as he stood in front of a small party of violet-eyed mares. Once the pink pegasus had delivered the news that not only was Discord on a warpath, but that he was number two to Tartarus’ big bad slipping loose, he’d booked it over here as fast as he possibly could.
The others needed to be warned that a magic-draining fiend was on the loose. Again.
The changelings had met him once before and...accounts varied. Some called him responsible for their kind even existing, others called him a iron-hooved tyrant and they his tax collectors.
They all agreed that the centaur was bad news, though.
“Are they certain that he is on the loose again?” Sugar asked.
“Celestia’s seal was on the scroll,” Ledger said with a grim nod. “We need to prepare. Do you think you could fit the ‘lings of the city in your tunnels?”
“Easily, and a few ponies as well. It’ll be cramped, but preferable to being outside if he’s loose.”
“Good,” Ledger sighed. “I’m going to go back and pick up a few belongings and Apple Cider, hopefully I’ll be able to convince her to come along and hide with me. Now all we need to do is hope that Discord can’t find the tunnels and wait out this whole mess.”
“...Yes, that sounds like as much of a plan one can make around the master of chaos,” one of the nymphs agreed. Sugar turned towards her nymphs and began issuing orders.
“Okay, each one of you has your emergency contact list. Go out and bring those ‘lings here, we’ll weather this storm together. I’ll bolster the Perception charms while you’re doing that.”
The mares assumed different disguises and quickly filtered out into the city, leaving Ledger and Sugar alone. With a quick nod exchanged between the pair of them, Ledger was off into the city again. He had a book to grab and mares to find. Hopefully he would find Scope or she would find him on his way back to the farm.
***
He was right in Scope finding him, the petite pegasus nearly bowled him over when she flew into him, her eyes wide.
“Ledger! Please tell me you know why Midnight is at home, looking like she’s preparing for war?”
Ledger sighed and whispered two words into the mare’s ear. He didn’t need the ponies knowing.
“Tirek’s loose.”
He then braced for her reaction, hoping she would have the sense of mind to not shout it to the heavens.
“Fuck me...” Scope spread her wings and shot off for home. Was Midnight seriously planning on fighting that monster?
Ledger sighed again and picked up his pace. At least now he knew where the mares were. Midnight was at home, getting ready to fight. Scope would probably be there in a moment, trying to stop her. And Cider would probably be there, wondering what the hay was going on.
Once he grabbed his book and told them all he knew where a refuge might be for a situation like this, he hoped that Cider, at least, would be reasonable and hide with him.
It did not pay to fight monsters. Cleaning up after them, yes, it paid well. But fighting them? Never.
Midnight adjusted a strap on her armour, frowning at the fact that this piece didn’t seem to bloody fit right! She continued growling at the inanimate object until Cider sighed and pulled the strap with her teeth, tightening it just right.
“Better?” she asked and Midnight nodded slowly. The Apple mare sighed again as she leaned against Midnight. “Why do y’all have to be such a durn fool?”
“I have to go Cidey, it’s my job,” she answered. “I have to protect you guys.”
Ledger provided an ample interruption at that point as he finally arrived home, panting and sweating from his runs across town. “Gimmie...a moment,” he said between breaths. “Or two. Or ten.”
“Did...you run? All the way here?” Midnight blinked.
“When y’all can just turn into a Pegasus?” Cider finished.
Ledger blinked before facehooving. “I knew I was forgetting something,” he muttered. “This whole situation has me seriously rattled.”
“Rattled or not,” Midnight said as she fixed her swords to her wings. “You, Scopey and Cidey are going to go hide now. Ace got another message from Princess Celestia...the last one he might get for a while. They have this insane plan which I can’t tell you about, but Tirek and Discord are going to be here soon...and Canterlot is their next stop.” She finished mounting the blades, her expression was still grim. “Ace is going to Canterlot, to act as vanguard there. I’m going to stall the two here as long as I can.”
Ledger looked the thestral in the eyes before grimly nodding. “I doubt I could stop you...but make me a promise? If everything you do seems to fail, if the anti-magic nature of your swords doesn’t stop him...if you seem to be losing, then please. Don’t keep the fight up. We have myths about this creature. And we never win in any of them. I’d rather trust in whatever Princess Celestia comes up with and have you...than not.” Some of those stories had...gruesome endings.
“I promise not to do anything foalish that will get me killed,” Midnight nodded, crossing her heart with a hoof. “Now hurry up and get to the club. I still have more preparations to make.”
“Can do,” Ledger said before looking at Scope. “If you’ve got everything you need, then what’re you still doing here?”
“You think I plan on leaving her alone to fight that thing!?’ Scope said almost too calmly. “I am not going to hide! Not this time!”
“Let me know how you plan to take down a magic-drainer,” Ledger said with just as straight a face. “I’m sure whatever plan you come up with will work so well. There’s a reason I said I would be hiding, as are most of the ‘lings in Las Pegasus.” Others were simply choosing to flee the city entire.
“Go,” Midnight said with a smile. “I’ll still be here when you get back, but...I might not be feeling too good.” She held the nymph close and hugged her. “Can I count on a cute little nurse to take care of me?”
“F-Fine!” Scope said with a light blush. “But...you’d better not die, or I’ll revive you and kill you myself! Got that?”
“Yes ma’am,” Midnight giggled as she hugged Cider, then moved to Ledger.
“Take care of them okay?” she whispered to him.
“Always. Take care of yourself?” he whispered back.
“Promise,” she replied back and let him go. She gave her family one last look as they left...
She hated lying like that…
“Okay,” Ledger said as he began leading the mares to the offices of the Love Shack. “Now remember, this is a crisis, Cider. Otherwise I wouldn’t be taking you here.” The tunnels naturally started in Sugar’s office, meaning they would have to see the nymph first before they began going underground.
“Ah still reckon that ah should be protecting mah farm,” Cider said as she followed him. “But ah promised Middy that I’d stay safe. So, let’s see what y’all have up yer non-existent sleeves.”
“The farm will recover if you’re there to help it recover,” Ledger pointed out before knocking twice on Sugar’s door and opening it. The mare herself turned, her horn aglow as she stopped facing...something to greet the party of three.
“Ah...Ledger, where’s miss Midnight?” she asked. “If you were to bring anypony down there, I would think it would be her as well as miss Cider there.”
“She’s buying us time,” Ledger said before nodding at that...same something. “You think you could stop with the Perception charm for long enough that we can focus on the tunnel and get down it?”
“...Yes, I suppose seeing where you’re going would be an advantage in that situation,” she agreed with a small chuckle. The glow on her horn died, and suddenly the mares could focus on the bookcase and the massive hole in the wall behind it that led into darkness.
“Whelp, this ain’t the first mare’s tunnel I’ve gone down,” Cider chuckled weakly. Somepony had to make up for a lack of Midnight.
“I appreciate the humor, dear, but we have a bit of a situation,” Sugar said as she stepped out of the way. “Quickly please.”
“After you, ladies,” Ledger said with a bow. “I want to talk with miss Darling anyways.” Cider sighed, but walked into the tunnel as Scope followed, leaving Ledger alone with the Violet.
“Yes?” she asked. Ledger decided to keep it equally short.
“Midnight’s buying us time, and I hope she’ll listen to what we said before we left. She might show up here, she might not. But in case she does, can you stick by the entrance? She’ll be wearing anti-magic gear, so you’ll have to drop the enchantment and let her find you rather than pull her in.”
Sugar winced at the thought. “If she shows up...and I don’t think she’s being followed? Then I’ll do my best to pull her in first. I’d rather not lower the enchantment for anything once we’re all in. I’d like to not find out what stories are true, thank you.”
“Fair enough,” Ledger agreed. “But if I find out you didn’t…”
“I’ll lay down and let you take your revenge without any fuss, dear. Now get in there. I’m waiting one more minute for any stragglers, then I’m joining you all.”
With that, Ledger walked into the tunnels as well. Time to hide from the end of the world.
It was so surreal, seeing the streets of Las Pegasus so quiet. Not a single pony, save for the small contingent of guards, could be seen walking the normally bustling Strip.
Midnight took a deep breath as Narrow walked up next to her.
“You ready for this?” she asked.
“Nope. You?”
“Not in the bucking slightest,” she admitted. “Tried to get Fredrick to leave the city...stubborn fool wouldn’t do it though.”
“At least I got mine to hide away,” Midnight nodded. “At least, I hope they are. I really hope they are...”
“Worried are we? Well, I guess you should be.” The voice appeared out of nowhere as Narrow and Midnight looked around, as Discord flashed into existence in front of them. “Top of the morning ladies. How are you doing on this fine day?”
“A lot better when your head is mounted on my spear!” Narrow spat at him.
“Oooh, this one’s feisty~” Discord chuckled, “and what about you my batty friend. Do you share her not-so-PG sentiment?”
Midnight just un-sheathed her blades and looked at him with a narrow-eyed glare. “Where’s Tirek?” she said. “Help us put him down, and I’m sure the Princess would forgive this.”
“Bah! I could care less what ol’ Sunbutt thinks,” Discord said. “But, if you think you can handle my new friend, then please, be my guest.” He pointed past them and the two mares turned, just as Tirek dropped the last Guard after draining him.
“Weak little fools!” his deep voice rumbled. “You stand no chance. Surrender yourselves to me and you may yet live!”
“You know, I’ve always wanted to try the casinos here,” Discord clapped his hands together. “Will you be alright here Tirek? I feel like playing for a while.”
“Get lost, I can handle myself,” the centaur replied and Discord vanished.
“Well, at least this got a little easier,” Narrow said quietly and Midnight nodded. That was strange though, all it would take was a snap of Discord’s fingers and this fight would be over. Why did he leave? Was he truly that flippant?
Narrow lowered her spear and charged at Tirek, Midnight nodded and followed suit. Hopefully, they would stand half a chance...
The tunnels were pretty packed, but at least there was a little breathing room.
Until Discord popped in, right in front of Ledger.
“Aha! So this is where you’re all hiding. Mmm, quite clever I must say.”
Nobuggy dared to so much as breathe...except Ledger of course, who narrowed his eyes at the creature and spoke with enough venom in his voice to be mistaken for a spitting cobra. “If so much as one hair is out of place in Midnight’s mane, I will find out what your innards’ colors are.”
“Aw, how cute,” Discord cooed, ruffling his mane. “Celestia did say you were a serious one. But honestly, do you think you could follow up on that? I did just ensure that those icky Blacks won’t be a problem anymore. And from what I hear, you struggled to beat just one.”
“If it meant helping or, so help you, avenging Midnight, I would use you for teleportation practice,” Ledger said with a smile that was way too pointed. “How’s halfway between here and the center of the earth sound?”
“Hmm, not bad. I hear it’s quite lovely this time of year,” Discord chuckled as the tunnels shook with the sound of a muffled explosion. “Oooh, sounds like he’s really getting into it now. Wanna go and take a peek?”
“Sure!” Ledger replied chipperly. “You first.”
In a flash, Ledger and Discord were floating above the city, their see-through forms hovering in the sky.
“I do so love astral projections, don’t you?” Discord clapped. They looked down, just as Narrow missed an attack and Tirek snared her, draining the magic from her body with a vicious hiss.
“Oh, and now we’re down to one,” the mad god cackled.
“I wonder, if I strangle you like this, will you choke in real life?” Ledger mused aloud. “Actions have consequences, Discord. And if you think that...thing down there is your friend, then I have some ocean-front property in Canterlot to sell you.”
Another snap of his fingers, and Ledger was standing in the streets of Canterlot, which was now located on the west coast of Equestria, a wide beach stretched out before them.
“So, which one’s yours?” Discord asked.
“The one that has ‘gullible’ written on the ceiling,” Ledger deadpanned at the mad thing. “It might take you a while to find, but I’ll wait.”
Another flash, and they were back in Las Pegasus, just in time to see Midnight get pitched like a baseball, the Thestral tumbling down the street.
“Ohh, that looked like it hurt,” Discord winced as he looked at Tirek, whose hand smouldered from the touch. Well now, wasn’t that interesting.
Ledger hadn’t even noticed the reaction Tirek had had to the anti-magic metal, so focused he was on Midnight. Deciding to see if Midnight could hear him in any fashion when he was like this, the changeling walked up to her form and leaned down to whisper into her ear.
“Please Midnight...come back to us whole and alive.”
Midnight’s ear gave a flick, but her eyes never left Tirek. So, her blades could hurt him...but, he was already so powerful and...what was he doing now?
Tirek’s body glowed with a vicious red light, as magic begun to pour in from the city. Sweet Celestia...he didn’t even have to be near the pony to drain them!? He was sucking the life out of the whole city.
“I need...to end this,” she shakily got to her hooves. She looked in the direction of the club, and coincidently, happened to be looking the astral Ledger straight in the eyes. “Sorry Levvy...I guess...I couldn’t keep my promise...” She closed her eyes and faint, yet fond smile crossed her muzzle. “I love you Level Ledger...”
Tears stung her eyes as she spread her wings and focused her energy. This was her final technique, a forbidden move even Ace wasn’t aware that she knew about.
“The blade that severs life itself, I imbue all that I am...give all that I am...” The blades shone with an otherworldly light as she looked at the demon. He would not hurt her family. Not anypony! And if she had to give her life to save them, then so be it!
“I give all that I am. And take all that you are! Final technique. Alicorn Hunter!”
“Midnight!” Ledger all but screamed at his mare, hoping the sentiment of what he was about to say would get through to her. “Don’t DO this! Look at yourself, look at him! You’re barely holding yourself UP, he’s getting STRONGER! You CAN’T kill him as you are! And if you TRY, you’ll DIE! Don’t do this to us, Midnight!”
Discord watched, even as the pony used a skill that could kill an immortal. He didn’t think that anyone knew that skill anymore. Even so...
“We can’t have that now,” he muttered. “This isn’t how your story ends.” He raised a paw and snapped his fingers. Just as Midnight reached Tirek, she froze, giving the demon enough time to drain her dry. All the magic she had left her body, her Cutie Mark fading and vanishing…
“...Well, at least she’s alive,” Ledger ruefully admitted. “She’s not like us...or you. She’ll survive the loss of her magic.” Ledger cast a glare at the mad chimera. “And if need be, I’ll see about trying to replicate Tirek’s technique to get it back.”
“So dramatic,” Discord yawned. Though, he had to wonder to himself. Why did he save that mare’s life so readily? It’s not like he overly cared what happened to her...
Ledger looked back as Tirek turned away from the fallen Thestral...
Until she got back up!
“...Where...do you think...you’re going,” she said in a quiet tone. Her eyes were glazed over, devoid of almost all life...her magic was gone, along with her ability to fly. But she’d be damned if she was just going to roll over and accept it.
“My marefriend...hits harder than you do,” she continued, limping towards him, her blades felt so heavy she could barely lift them. “What’s the matter asshole? Afraid you’re gonna get Ti’wrecked?”
That pun was so bad, even the crickets didn’t feel like chirping.
“How about a bet, Discord?” Ledger asked, inspired by Midnight’s survival despite...everything. She really should have come back, or stopped...but apparently even if she died, she would just punch the ferrypony in the jaw and come back to them, such was her determination.
“I’m listening,” Discord mused, munching on astral popcorn.
“One wish, to be granted to the winner by the loser to the best of their abilities. I bet you that this whole thing is going to end in tears. That Tirek down there has no more interest in you than as a means to an end.” Like I did when I first met Midnight...
“Hmm, I’ll take that bet,” Discord hummed. This changeling was...intriguing.
Tirek stared at the advancing Thestral with a raised eyebrow. She was tenacious to the point of annoying.
“Well, I guess my kingdom could use a little pruning,” he replied as a massive amount of magical energy built up in his horns. The ground shook with the amount of power he was building. Forget Midnight, this would take out half the city. “I’ll let you die with honour at least.”
“...Just so you know, Discord, I’m fairly certain we’d have to survive to be able to collect on our bets,” Ledger observed. “Perhaps you should do something about that?”
“Hmm, perhaps, but if you died, then I’d win by default,” the mad god smiled as he looked at Ledger. “Well, I think time’s up for today. You’ve been a wonderful contestant. Thanks for playing!” With a snap of his fingers, Ledger was now staring at Scope, just as she punched him in the face.
“Ledger, wake the fuck up!” she screamed at him.
“OW!” he said before recalling the last thing he saw with Discord. “Everybuggy outta the way!” With that, he changed to his pegasus form and faced the right tunnel. He had a bat to save.
With a flexing of his new wings and a rush of air, Ledger was blasting past the gathered ‘lings and the few ponies in the know they’d tried to save. Tirek’s last attack had ignored the Perception charm, partially anyways. With one last push, he was past Sugar Darling, and burning all his stored love and magic in an effort to put more speed on.
He didn’t hold any particular fondness for most of Las Pegasus. Just three mare-shaped parts of it. And one of them was in serious danger.
And he be damned if he didn’t do everything in his power to save her.
The streets of Las Pegasus were a wreck. Shattered windows, lamp posts had been torn from the ground and when Ledger finally reached the site that he’d witnessed before, all that remained was a large smouldering crater and a few scattered bits of charred armour...
Golden Solar Guard armour.
“No,” Ledger muttered to himself. “No no no.” Nonetheless, he followed the trail of broken armor. Maybe...it had just fallen off and...wasn’t all that was left of her...
The armour was scattered everywhere, and near the edge of the crater, lay a broken, once-purple blade half melted in the ground. The magic attack had been so powerful, even those weapons had been about as effective as toothpicks. Ledger slowly looked into the crater, hoping, praying that she would be whole. Alive. She…
Nopony deserved this. Not any of them. Midnight’s fate...or the things Ledger was going through right now.
That was when he heard a faint sound, one coming from a nearby building. Upon inspection, he saw two mares, one thestral and one unicorn...the later was bleeding from a broken hind leg and several lacerations...and the bat...
She looked whole, though slightly singed.
“Fuck...ow...” Narrow groaned as she rolled over onto her side. Ledger slowly advanced, hardly daring to believe that this was reality.
“...Midnight? Narrow? You’re both alive?” he warily asked.
“Ledger?” Narrow blinked and then cried out in pain when she moved her leg. “Fuck! Argh, barely...Celestia that hurts.”
“Don’t do that again,” Ledger said as he came closer and inspected the wound before wincing and hissing in sympathy. “Oooh. I don’t dare use magic until I know he’s gone, otherwise I might draw his eye. And that’s something that needs to be seen to…”
Narrow pointed with a hoof, to a singed bag that lay nearby. “In there...first aid...” She groaned as she lay her head back down. She’d only barely been saved by Midnight. All she remembered was the bat grabbing her, then the explosion had knocked them into this building. Ledger opened the bag and winced again, this time at the half-destroyed contents.
“Um. The gauze is gone, sorry. As are the regular bandages. Some of the disinfecting stuff survived, and a painkiller as well. I could probably make a splint or something with all this rubble…”
“The disinfectant and the painkiller, that’ll do...for now...” Narrow was finding it harder to stay awake now. “Getting...cold...tired...”
“Oh no you don’t!” Ledger said as he gave her the painkiller and quickly rubbed the disinfectant on the cuts. The sharp, stinging pain would get her awake again.
“FFFFUUUOOWWWW!” Narrow howled, the scream causing Midnight to groan, but she still didn’t wake up. Other changelings had emerged from the shelter now, and it didn’t take long for Amy and Sugar to find Ledger. Scope had stayed behind to care for Cider.
“Ledgie?” Amy asked as she came a little closer. “Is that…”
“Get them both down there, we don’t know he’s gone yet,” Ledger said. “I’ll climb up a nearby building, see if I can’t see him from up there and report back. No magic of any sort if you can avoid it.”
“Got it,” Sugar said with a nod. “Some of the Oranges brought medical supplies, we can see to the injured down there pretty well.”
“Be careful with her,” Ledger said, leaving them to wonder which ‘her’ he’d been talking about as he looked around for the tallest building and set off for it. Amy lowered herself to the ground and Sugar walked over to face Narrow’s face.
“Okay dear, I’m going to have to move you to put you on Amy’s back,” she said, warning the mare of what was to come. “Brace yourself. I’ll try to avoid moving the leg directly, but it’s probably going to shift around a little.”
“Do...it...” she grunted and bit down on her forehoof. This was going to hurt like a bitch. When Sugar moved her, all Amy could hear was the mares muffled screams as she was put on her back, and the feeling of the blood flowing from her cuts seeped into her fur.
“S-Sorry...” Narrow panted lightly.
“It’s okay, I can take a shower later,” Amy chirped. Keeping an upbeat attitude was important. Even now. Especially now. “Miss Sugar, you okay with miss Midnight?”
“I’ve got her, dear,” the mare said. “I just hope she’ll be fine. She’s...breathing, but that’s about all I can say. Oh, I wish we could use magic right now. A diagnostic spell would help greatly.”
“See you back at the shelter!” the pink pegasus said before gently walking back towards the club, mindful of her passenger. Narrow groaned, but the painkillers were finally kicking in.
Midnight was still unconscious, it wasn't until Sugar tried to move her, that she noticed a bleeding wound on the back of her head. The disguised ‘ling gulped and put what was left of the gauze to the wound, hoping that by pressing against it gently to act as a makeshift bandage, that perhaps the wound wouldn’t get worse and get something in it. That maybe the act of something pushing against that wound, that Midnight might actually react to it. Just to be safe, Sugar tried calling out the Thestral’s name. “Midnight? Midnight dear?”
All she got in response was a low groan. Her ear flicked slightly and checking her eyes was a mistake. Those emerald eyes that were usually so full of life were now almost colourless. They seemed so dead…
“Midnight, you need to think about the things that matter to you,” Sugar said, hoping that the out-of-it bat would hear her even now. She’d noticed that the ponies they’d tried to save...did better when they were together, were capable of responding to simple questions and feeling more, when they remembered why life was worth living. “Midnight, think about your favorite food, your favorite ponies. Think about all the things you look forward to each day.” If she came back from...whatever this was, it’d make monitoring her mental state a lot easier, an important step for things like a head wound.
There was a brief moment where she looked straight at the mare, and the smallest of smiles crossed her muzzle. But in the blink of an eye, the moment was gone and Midnight was unconscious again.
“Think about Ledger...think about him holding you, kissing you, telling you he loves you,” Sugar pressed. “Hold it together...for him. I know it all seems dark dear...but as long as you have the ponies you care for by your side, everything else will work out. And I saw him just now dear. He needs you to be safe. Do it for him?”
There was no response. Just the sound of her steady but quiet breathing. Sugar tried again.
“Think about your herd, your parents. About going to sleep with Ledger and waking up with him. About the depth of their love and care for you...because they never stopped worrying about you for a second while you were up here. Think about the good things Midnight...come back to them. They need you again.”
Midnight stirred again as the nymph carried her back to the shelter. That voice in her head wouldn't shut up. She just wanted to sleep for a while.
But a question bugged her. One that the voice wouldn't shut up about...
...Who the buck was 'Ledger'?
“Come on, Midnight,” Sugar all but growled at the batpony as they entered the club again. “You can’t seriously have been hit that hard! You need to pull yourself back from this state. It’ll kill Scope and Cider to see you hurt, but to see you non-responsive like this? Ledger has never been...whatever he was a moment ago. Not even under Toll. I dread to think what a loyal Blue will think when she sees you so badly wounded, when she could have been helping...and Cider will need to see that their strong protector pulled through.”
"Nrgh...f'off...tryn, sleep..." Well, crude as it was...it was a start. Sugar pushed her advantage.
“I’ll let you sleep off a head wound when I’m certain it’s been treated properly,” the violet-eyed changeling said as they neared her office. “Now I’m going to ask a series of questions to make sure your mind is still in order after you decided to fight a magic-sucking demon. Name?”
"...songbat," came her reply.
“Rank in the Guard?”
"...awesome."
“Current relationships?” This was the clincher.
"...cactus, booze...snark."
Well, she supposed three answers was correct, and Sugar could even see how they might relate to actual ponies. Which was which was the question. Cider was obviously booze, and cactus and snark could be...interchangeably Ledger or Scope. “Just so you know, you break any of their hearts by not recognizing them, I am going to buck you upside the head until it works again,” she mock-threatened the Thestral mare.
"...mmm, mangoes...." the bathorse muttered as she nibbled on the nymphs mane. Figuring that was the best she would get, the changeling mare went down into the tunnels and began looking for an Orange to wrangle for the incoming Guard-captain, and one for herself as well.
She found a pair that had just moved on from comforting a pony family, thankfully. They agreed to see to the two new patients and the new conditions, which Sugar only now remembered to spread through their mock-up Hive down here.
Hopefully, Ledger wasn’t getting into trouble. Sugar would catch Tartarus as it was for bringing Midnight back in such a state. If he got hurt, she didn’t dare to think what Scope might do…
Ledger had climbed to the top of the biggest building in the area and was scoping the city out, looking to see if there was any sign of either Discord or Tirek. And that was when he had the stroke of madness.
Discord had seemed...amiable enough, or at least not openly hostile. Perhaps if asked a simple question, he’d give a simple answer? To try it out, the currently-a-pegasus cleared his throat and invoked the chaos spirit’s name. “Discord.”
There was no response though. Ledger tried again. “Discord?” If he didn’t answer after a third attempt, then he’d assume the pair of them left the city.
Again, no response. And that was when the sun suddenly flickered, like a dying lightbulb. And a plume of smoke could be seen rising from Canterlot.
“...Well I suppose it’s terrible of me to think this way, but if he’s after the alicorns now, then there’s no way Tirek or Discord are he-”
“Just thought I’d pop in and say hi,” Discord said cheerfully. Well, he was also conversing with Tirek in the throne room of Canterlot Palace as well. “Ohhh, and there goes the three pretty princesses to Tartarus. Oh well. So, my new buggy friend. What do you want that you had to call right now? I’m kind of in the middle of conquering Equestria.”
“...Just wanted to be sure that your ‘friend’ wasn’t here,” Ledger said as he got his heart under control. “We’ve got a lot of damage control to take care of, after all. It’d be nice if we could do it without worrying about our safety.”
"Hmm, well we might be kind of busy soon...oh? Oh that's not good." Discord summoned a top hat and tipped it to Ledger before disappearing. The disguised ‘ling took the proffered advice and flew down to the club’s entrance again. If Discord of all beings was worried, then he didn’t want to be above-ground for...whatever was worrying him.
A quick trot inside and into the tunnels saw him meeting face-to-face with Sugar Darling again. “How is she?” he asked the moment he was inside.
“Well the bleeding’s stopped, and she’s a little...dazed, but I think she’s okay,” the disguised nymph said. “Maybe you should see her and judge for yourself.”
Ledger nodded and followed the nymph to where the local ‘lings had assembled a makeshift hospital, to house the ponies and their own who had been injured, or in the case of the ponies, injured and drained. Ledger found a familiar batpony lying on her belly and blinking, all signs of the life and vitality she used to have gone thanks to what had happened. The pegasus stallion walked forward, paused, assumed his unicorn disguise, and sat in front of Midnight Song. One hoof stroked her cheek as he tried to gauge just how much like herself she still was.
“Midnight?” he softly asked. “Songbird?”
The Thestral looked at him, well, looked in his direction at least. Her eyes were glazed and she appeared to be looking at nothing in particular.
“Heh...birds are pretty...”
Ledger tensed up at her response, before sighing and dropping his disguise entire. The changeling’s natural form was on display to the thestral mare, in hopes that something, anything, might be sparked by the sight of it. “It’s me, Midnight. It’s your cuddlebug. Ledger. Why didn’t you come back when you could? Why...did you make me go looking for you?”
Midnight put a soft smile on her face and poked at his chest. “Silly buggy~” she giggled. Ledger sighed again. Time for the final idea he had. And if this didn’t work…
He was going to have words with a certain pair of so-called ‘gods’.
Gathering up his power and leaving himself enough to live with, barely, Ledger leaned forward and kissed Midnight. With that simple act, he pushed more magic out of himself than before in an effort to try and restore the mare.
Midnight’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment that spanned the blink of an eye, those eyes glimmered slightly. And on her flank, the crescent moon, wrapped in a musical stave flickered. But just like that, it was gone again.
But...something was different. A line of tears ran down her cheeks, but she made no indication to show she even knew or recognised that she was crying.
“Right…” Ledger panted as he felt his new lowered reserves. “Plan...go find Discord. Kick his ass. Use power to restore ponies. Bullshit something for Tirek.”
Scope walked over to Ledger and looked at Midnight, sighing softly. “So...her too then?”
“Yup,” Ledger nodded. “And I’m glad I stopped in Violet’s Hive in the lands now. It’s probably immoral to consider murdering a god, but I will strangle Discord blue when I have the damn chance. For Cider, Midnight…” Here he looked at Scope and smirked. “And even you. I would tear asunder everything. To keep you all safe. I failed once, but I won’t fail again.”
“Yes, how very noble of you,” Scope deadpanned. “Go and get yourself killed by an elder god and a demon that has the magic of almost every pony in Equestria. And when Midnight and Cider get better, I’ll tell them aaaalll about your heroic deeds.” Scope stepped closer as she glared at him, her pupiless eyes boring into him. “Or. You could stay here with the rest of us. Guide us on how to care for all the fallen ponies here in Las Pegasus!”
“...I...I could stay,” Ledger admitted. “But that was almost all my magic just now. And it did nothing to help her. If everything I’ve owned won’t help her, then of what use do you expect me to be?” The noble drone hung his head. “I...would consider staying if there was some indication it worked. As it stands, my best option is murdering a mad thing for his power and then coming up with a new plan.”
“How can you be so self-fucking-cent-” Scope had pulled her hoof back to punch him in his stupid face, when Midnight raised a hoof slowly...and placed it on Ledger’s chest.
“You’re nice,” she said softly, this time looking at him. “You should...help them...s’what I would do...”
Ledger slowly put his own chitinous hoof on her own before looking Midnight in the eyes. “I...fine. For you. We can try to help the ponies recover. But...they’re going to want to know how we kept our magic…”
Ledger sighed and looked at Scope. “Spread the word. No magic use of any sort outside the tunnels, to not draw Tirek’s eye. Everybuggy’s to look for drained ponies.” His mind formed plans. Sluggishly, but it still ticked on. “We’ll use the hospitals, clubs, anywhere that’s open to house them.”
He looked at Midnight and recalled how she’d just been. “We’ll need to make sure they have food and water, some...might not be able to provide for themselves. The guard and police will likely be injured, they get the hospital first. Oranges will have their hooves full seeing to them.”
The nearby changelings were actually listening to him talking out loud, planning out loud. Ledger was back to his normal self.
Mostly.
“And you,” he said looking back at Midnight from his staring at the ceiling. He’d been running some plans in his head, and now he paid attention to her again. “I’m going to look after your every need until you can look at me like you used to again.”
At this point, Ledger raised his voice with the literal last straw he had for helping his bat. “Somebuggy get me a mango!”
Several changelings blinked at the strange order, but none-the-less, the LP Hive became a buzz of activity. Orange changelings made for the hospital, patients there already would need to be checked on, and they would need to prepare for new arrivals.
Violets, Blues and Reds began to scour the city in search of anypony that needed help, while Greens hunted for supplies. Scope refused to leave Cider and Midnight, but Sugar insisted that she’d need all the help she could get.
However, what was more disconcerting than all of this...was Amy.
The bubbly pink changeling was awfully quiet. Too quiet.
Scope walked up the the nymph and gently poked her. “Hey? You...okay?”
“Acey said he was going to Canterlot,” the pink changeling said. “And he also said that after here, Canterlot was the only place left.” And then she did something that Pinks weren’t known for.
She sniffed and started to cry real tears. Tears of sorrow.
“If it’s this bad here,” She said with a small sob starting to make itself known in her voice. “Then...how bad is it where Acey is?”
This was...okay, Scope had no idea how to deal with this. She had never seen a Pink cry before. Not for real anyway.
“W-Well, maybe he’s doing okay?” Scope said softly. “I mean, it’s Ace we’re talking about. He’s prolly kicking Discord and Tirek’s faces in as we speak.”
“Midnight tried to take on one of them,” Amy said with another sob. “And he beat her. And he gets stronger with every bit of magic he drains. If he took out all the ponies in Las Pegasus...and took out every pony between him and the Princesses...then Acey…” At this she wailed, and something...flickered.
Her very color flickered for a moment.
Okay, what the hell was that. Scope backed away and bolted towards Ledger, grabbing at his arm.
“Ledger! Amy is doing something really weird...”
Ledger turned from Midnight and looked at the fluctuating Pink for a moment as his eyes widened. With a few quick steps, he was staring Amy in the eyes. “Amy,” he said calmly. “You need to calm down. Whatever fears you have about Ace are unfounded. You know he’s smarter than Midnight. He’ll come back to you if the fight is unbalanced against him.”
With another sob, followed by a sniffle, the pink changeling nodded. Slowly, her color stabilized...though it was definitely faded now. It used to be a bright, eye-searing pink.
Now it was barely salmon-pink.
‘Okay Ledger,’ Scope said into his head using her magic. ‘What in the flipping feathers was that? I have never seen a Changeling change colour like that except for...oh...no bucking way...’
‘It would appear there are mysteries and legends surrounding the Blacks that we do not know,’ Ledger replied as he held the changeling that felt for them all. ‘Are you really surprised, though? Considering the way the majority of them in the homeland have been behaving these past centuries?’
‘Ledger, I can barely tolerate her as a Pink...if she turns Black...’
‘Then I will use my spell again, if she turns that black...but think. Besides from her sorrow, did she feel wrong? I’m starting to draw a conclusion here, Scope...’
‘You know, I think it’ll be a cold day in Tartarus when you ‘don’t’ think about something Ledger.’
‘...And let’s hope it’s an especially chilly one when we finally figure out how to fight Tirek,’ Ledger said before forcibly turning his attention away from the mental conversation. “Okay, Amy...I have a mission for you.”
She looked up at him with eyes that still held a bit of tears. “A mission?”
Ledger nodded. “Mmhmm. I think the colts and fillies could do with some cheap ice-cream to raise their spirits.”
At this, she bristled. “Cheap? Cheap?! You would charge for ice-cream in a crisis like this one?!”
Before anybuggy else could stop her, the pink changeling was her pegasus self again and shouting loud enough to make Luna proud from Tartarus. “FREE ICE-CREAM AT AMY AND CHERRY’S!” she bellowed into the tunnels. The only thing that deafened that roar was the one that the smaller ponies threw up in response. Amy was soon leading a small party of small ponies out to declare war on the ice-cream empire.
There would be no survivors.
By the time the sun had set on the city, it was sort of back in order...well, save for a bunch of Changelings running about. While it was nerve-wracking to see hordes of them undisguised out in the open, if they became ponies, then they might draw Tirek back to the city. Even magic usage was cut to a state of ‘Only if you absolutely have to’.
“You know,” Scope mused as she stood out on the street. “If anypony saw this, it would look like we invaded the city and won.”
“...We should probably do something about that,” Ledger said as he looked at the damage the centaur had left behind. “Maybe fixing up the city will help improve our image beyond helping the ponies cope with this whole situation?”
“Yeah, but we’re run pretty thin as is,” Scope pointed out. “Can we really afford to repair the city, and look after everypony in it?”
“We’ve found almost everypony, right?” Ledger pointed out. “I mean, they weren’t moving too far from wherever they were, and we managed to get them moved to a place where we could look after them, right?”
“True, but some of them are pretty hurt,” Scope said, looking at the stars. They seemed...duller than normal. “Up a ladder or setting a beartrap is a terrible time to have part of your soul sucked out.”
“Fair point, but that’s why the oranges and violets are teaming up. Between the two colors, they know pony anatomy better than almost any of us.” Ledger then pointed at one rather memorable pothole. “I’d rather the other bugs that are full of energy and have nothing to do manage to do something constructive rather than add any more destructive problems.”
“Well, I suppose fixing a city instead of destroying one will be a novel idea for some of us,” Scope chuckled. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do and get some changelings to help out.”
It was around then that Sugar Darling came running up to them.
“Ledger! Scope! You need to come quick. It’s Midnight!”
Ledger braced himself and then asked the question, even as he prepared to run as fast as he could. “Good news or bad news?”
“You really should determine that for yourself,” Sugar nodded as Scope already flashed her horn and the two teleported to the hospital room that Midnight and Cider shared.
Upon arrival, the bed-bound batpony bore a curious expression at the flash of light that produced two changelings.
“Oh...hey...Levvy, Scopey...”
“...Midnight?” Ledger asked slowly. “You...remember us?”
“S’hard,” Midnight groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and putting a hoof to her head. “But...I could, never forget the ones I love...”
“Right, it’s official, pass the word along,” Ledger said to Scope as though she weren’t going to stick around. “Massive magical infusions help, but we’re talking truly massive infusions. All the more reason to kill a certain spirit and take his magic.”
“Why?” Midnight asked as she looked around, her glazed eyes blinking slowly. “I used that...I should be dead...is Tirek dead? Am I really dead? Being dead is...exhausting.”
“Nope,” Ledger said as he walked forward, before giving the batpony a small kiss. Once he pulled back, Ledger educated his mare. “He stopped you from hurting his new ‘friend’. And then Tirek drained you. And then you kept going. At that point, I don’t know what happened, but I’m guessing that Tirek tried to blast you, and you tried to block it with your swords. You’re not dead, but I wouldn’t want to be you right now.”
“I...” Midnight groaned again as she held her head. “Too much magic...tried to save Narrow...did I...is she-?”
Ledger looked at Scope, as he’d lost track of the Captain during the whole relocation from below to above.
“She was alright as far as her injuries went,” Scope said. “But her broken leg got infected. It took a lot of magic, but at least she didn’t lose it. She’s safe thanks to you Mistress.”
“...cool,” Midnight murmured. “M’tired...gonna...sleep...”
As the thestral nodded off, Ledger walked over to his final mare and kissed her as well. “Hey there, sweet pony,” Ledger teased. “You okay?”
Cider didn’t move, her eyes not moving from the wall in front of her. Even her breathing was soft, just enough to not require life support.
“She’s the same as almost all the other ponies,” Scope said sadly. “Doesn’t talk, move...we had to hook up an IV just so she won’t die...”
Ledger growled at that and turned to look at Scope. “I’m tapped out for spare magic. But if you helped, I might be able to get something flowing in her again. Whaddya say?”
“...bet you would,” Midnight murmured in her sleep.
“And I’m happy to see that you’re impossible to put down,” Ledger said in response to Midnight’s reply, not looking away from Scope. “Seriously, we’ll try it with her, and if it works, then we’ll make it a fucking prescription if we have to. But I want...I want all my mares back.” One hoof reached out to the smaller ‘ling. “Help me, please?”
Scope frowned at him. “You’re a logical drone. So look at the facts. Ponies in this city outnumber us ten to one. It took all you had, just to get Midnight back to a barely functioning level. And we can’t feed off of ponies that don’t feel anything! If we do this to all of them, then this city will die.” She reached up and touched his hoof, syncing her magic with his. “I want them back. But...we have to keep this secret. We can’t help them all Ledger. So will it be the few, or the many?”
“I reject the no-win scenario and substitute my own,” Ledger replied as he felt the power flow into him. “You’re assuming we stay. I say we feed the ponies magic enough to get them functional, then escort them south across the border. Find sanctuary in the lands. A few changelings go with them at a time, we rotate out the help we have for those with power enough to feed them from the lands. Or we could just stick around and feed ponies one by one until they’re functional again, then slowly feed off of them until we can save another and another.” The magic filled him, and Ledger pushed it to his lips before saying his last statement for the moment.
“I refuse to leave behind a single pony as long as we have options.” With that, he kissed Apple Cider and pushed everything he could into her.
Like Midnight, she showed a brief glimpse of recognition...but quickly returned to her zoned-out state. But unlike Midnight her Cutie Mark didn’t flicker.
“Did...it work?” Scope asked tiredly as she fell to the floor. So much magic all at once was incredibly taxing.
“We won’t know until later,” Ledger said with a sigh. “We’ve planted the seed, but now it’s out of our hooves. ...On that note, is somebuggy watching Cider Falls?”
“I don’t...think so,” Scope panted as she tried to get to her hooves. “I was...planning to go later...”
“Maybe we can see about getting my step-brothers to watch it again,” the silver changeling mused.
“Are you trying to get killed?” Scope asked as she looked at Cider, but the mare had no response. The nymph sighed and shook her head. “This is so hard. Why? Why did this have to happen?”
“Because Discord was a bucker,” Ledger pointed out. “He could have stopped this at any point in time with a snap of his claws, and he chose to help Tirek instead. Fortunately we have a very large desert that I will use to bury him if he shows his face again.”
"I'll start digging," Scope muttered. She looked at the mares that she loved, the ones that loved her back. "Well, let’s go and check on the farm. Cider will tan our chitin if we let anything happen to it."
“Agreed,” Ledger said with a sigh as he looked at the farmmare in question. “...If you can hear us, Cider, we love you, and we’ll take care of Cider Falls until you can again.”
Ledger wasn’t sure if he expected a reply or not. And maybe that tiny smile on the mare’s face was just his hopeful thoughts playing tricks on him. But he figured that he'd remain hopeful.
Scope gave the two mares one last look, before leaving the room, Ledger following suit soon after. He just knew that even with Scope there...It was going to feel so empty at Cider’s place.
Scope gave the farm a full inspection once they got there, and thankfully, it seemed to be untouched. Tirek’s magic draining only seemed to affect ponies, so the crystal buried in her greenhouse was still fine.
Ledger was inside preparing dinner, but even then, his heart just didn’t seem to be in it. Scope trotted inside, and went to drop her disguise, but realised she was already in her true form. The habit had been there though.
“Is it sad that I consider my transformed state more normal than this one?” she asked idly as she sat at the smaller kitchen table. It didn’t make much sense to use the larger one in the dining room.
“Not really,” Ledger replied as he barely avoided burning their spinach. “Considering who we live with and where we live, it’s perfectly normal. We transform almost all the time to blend in around here, so it’s only natural that we think of our favored disguises as natural. Helps with blending in.”
"I guess," Scope sighed. "All of this has me feeling so... discombobulated. So, I've decided not to think. I'm just gonna take things as they come."
“A fair idea,” Ledger agreed, before grabbing some plates and putting the spinach on it. “I think that’s fried enough. And I think the garlic agrees with me. I also don’t think I could stomach much more beyond it right now, I’m so...worried. Frazzled. Frayed, in general.”
"Yeah, but those ponies probably have some sparkly rainbow magic that'll save the day." Scope just poked at her plate with a fork. "Hell, things can’t get any worse right?"
“The operative word in your statement is ‘magic,’” Ledger deadpanned at her. “Remind me what Tirek’s main food seems to be? I think things aren’t going to get any better by wishing or casting for a solution.”
"Well, I choose to remain optimistic," Scope put a forkful in her mouth and frowned. "I think you killed the spinach..."
“Yeah, it’s normally much better than this,” the drone sighed. “And I choose to remain realistic. What few records the Violets had were...interesting. I didn’t know Discord was an actual being when I was reading them, but there’s a reason I’ve been harping on about him.”
"Well, I could use a cheerful bedtime story," Scope snarked. "Enlighten me O' Great Silver."
“Discord is the spirit, the essence of chaos and disharmony,” Level Ledger said as he waved his fork around during his tale in an attempt to illustrate or emphasize key points. “His very nature is random, unpredictable, and chaotic. The time before last, when he was free to roam, he paid a small...trip to the Lands as, he called it, ‘a vacation.’”
"And what happened then?" Scope leaned across the table slightly.
“He paid a visit to each major Hive. I think he’s responsible for the unrest in the Red’s tombs, and the Yellows had their decorative dragon bones switched around and animated, but they switched them back easily once they put them down again.” Ledger leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Silver and Green had their Great Archive and Halls of Great Works exchanged. I don’t know what, if anything, he did to Blue or Orange. And Pink was gone by then because of the rising Blacks. All the others merely wrote this down as ‘in the age of Chaos,’ but Violet actually had his name written down. And it’s there that I found out...Discord’s weakness.”
Scope frowned. Did something that powerful even have a weakness? "Okay, enlighten me. Is it some powerful ancient artifact hidden deep within a hidden temple? A weapon made by the gods themselves?" Scopey was getting a little excited now. And perhaps she’d read a few too many Daring Do books.
“It’s us,” Ledger said simply, a smile on his face as he watched her boundless enthusiasm at the idea of a mighty quest.
Scope's elation deflated like balloon in a room full of needles. "....seriously?"
Ledger smirked even more and pulled his saddlebags over before retrieving his book and flipping through some of the earlier pages. Coming across a violet-marked one, he cleared his throat and adopted an impressive storyteller’s voice. “In the Age of Chaos, when all other Hives were beleaguered by the random happenings that seemed determined to demean them, a mischievous mismatched spirit did appear before the queen of the Violets. It identified itself as Discord, master of this Age of Chaos, and said it would rain down chocolate and gum up the streets with taffy if his demands were not met. The Queen, intrigued, asked him what such a mighty and powerful spirit could possibly want of them. The question stumped Discord for some time, and when he finally had an answer, the stunned silence told him what the Queen thought of his asking for one night with her only daughter.”
Scope just sat there. For a good long while, she didn't even blink as her brain slowly rebooted.
"Um........wat?"
“Yeah apparently Discord wanted to get some,” Ledger said with a small laugh. “I’ll skip over the raunchier details...which they actually chronicled,” here the drone blushed at some of them. “But here’s the important bit.” Ledger cleared his throat again and adopted that storyteller voice once more. “‘The Princess did find that feeding off the spirit’s apparent lust was not an easy feat. His very nature seemed to shift and change from one moment to the next. She found she had to match her nature, her way of thinking with his, in order to feed from him at all. But once she did...he did not have to be feeling lust for her to feed from him.’”
Scope's frown deepened as she tried and failed to make sense of that. All she could think about was what might have been in 'those' records. "So...what are you getting at?"
Ledger snapped his book shut, and the grin on his face was nothing short of malicious. “I’m saying if you can be random. Chaotic. Or just crazy enough for long enough...you can feed from Discord even if he’s not being particularly loyal right now. Changelings are his weakness, only we don’t know it because most of us are still quite aware of what he did to the homelands, and are afraid of him doing the same to us. It’s why I was being so...weird in the tunnels. I’d hoped to match him enough to feed from him.”
“Ah, and I’m guessing that didn’t work out so well,” Scope poked at her not-so-great meal. Too bad Fredrick was also a zombie most likely. “Well, I still think everything will be fine. At least...” Her voice got quieter as she looked at Ledger. “That’s...what I wanna believe.”
Ledger merely stepped out from his side of the small table and held his forelegs apart, offering a hug silently. Scope just nodded and accepted the offer, as the two changeling’s held one another, silently praying that their family would make it out okay.
The hospital was quiet, mostly due to the patients being not very chatty. The Orange changeling’s held a small, rotating shift to keep an eye on them, but it’s not like they were going anywhere right?
However, beside a certain Thestral’s bed, two figures stood beside it, watching her with gleaming golden eyes.
“Is this her?”
“Makes it hard to tell without a Mark, but the green eyes are a dead giveaway.”
“Should we really move her in this condition? That demon really did a number on this nation.”
“Not our problem. The Duke’s orders are absolute. You know what’ll happen to us if we fail. I’d rather take our chances pissing off all the bugs here then incur his anger.”
“True enough,” the second figure stepped forward, her fangs glinting in the moonlight as the Thestral mare looked down at Midnight. “I don’t see what’s so special about you. But Duke Shadow-Wing wants you, and so Duke Shadow-Wing will get you.”
“Time to go home Midnight Song.”
The pair left the room, carrying the unconscious bat on their backs. Neither even bothered to see the glazed pair of azure eyes watching them...
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What the buck?? sooo many updates. I like it... ANOTHER!!!
No... no no no no no. You ended it on that?! *much internal rage*
Yeah... and I thought I couldn't wait for this story anymore than I already did...
Thanks for the update!!
aand now someone is going to find out exactly why changelings are the worst security threat in existance... well this will be... fun...
Oh hell no! they did not just kidnap Midnight!
Oh, this is nice. Another slice of the life of Midnight and friends. I wonder what crazy shenanigans they will get up to toda...Suddenly Tirek!
RIP the Duke Shadow-Wing
Ledger's got a Discord Deal to cash in on here shortly.
Well, Roamania was a nice country, I will miss it.
That is a lie. No it probably wasn't nice with the nobles it produced, and I will not miss a place we have only heard bad things about. Midnight Song was the best thing to come out of Roamania and technically she's an Equestrian so just fuck them.
But yeah, relations with Roamania are going to be horrible when it is learned that a Roamanian Duke used a national and possibly world crisis to abduct an in-no-shape-to-be-moved Equestrian citizen so he could forcibly marry her. Changelings and Ponies will be going to war against Roamania, assuming Tirek is dealt with before Ledger & Co. finish razing that country.
well... that was one hell of a ride... I DEMAND MOAR... NOW... Plz
Cutie marks are like Lucky Charms. Both are magically delicious.
Discord, when they forgive you, the first thing Ledger will order you to do is kick their asses and kill that Duke.
will the shit jest hit the fan
OK, I love this story, but I have to ask this. Where the hell did Midnight actually managed to learn a supposedly legendary technique capable of killing immortals that not even Ace knows? Seriously, with the anti magic equipment and the technique I'm surprised that she's not the highest ranked pony in Celestia's military considering that it'd make her powerful enough to take down Celestia or Luna if they were to ever become evil. If it weren't for the fact that this story is so well written and Midnight is a great character, I'd call Mary Sue.
when did tirek drain apple cider since she was on the tunnels with them
Wouldnt crazy Pinks be capable of keeping up with Discord?
I suspect some Fat Dark, is going to be meeting a Thin White shortly after Tirek gets to meet the Double Rainbow.
Oh wow, noble-murdering time!
Wow, that Duke is really quite daft isn't he. Assuming everything goes canon with Tirek and Discord, Ledger will have a wish from the god of chaos. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, seeing as who it's from. Ack. I do wonder if Midnight will crumble to the Duke even after her rehabilitation with Ledger, Cider and Scope. Meh, the hellcat will probably get locked up for the Duke's own safety as his pride refuses to let her go.
Well the thestrals will be paying hell for taking Midnight.
6838127
Ace knows the technique. Midnight said that Ace didn't know that she knew the technique. Plus that ability is supposed to be be deadly to use. Given what Midnight recited as she started the attack, it is a bit ridiculous that it can kill an immortal (theoretically) but the user is supposed to die which does lower it on the OP scale alot. Only reason Midnight survived was Discord's intervention stopping her.
Wouldn't one of the violets notice them tacking Midnight? Considering they were all searching for her so they could f#ck her.
Fillies and gentlecolts, I give you Ledger when he finds out...
UH...Which part of the chapter said that the pair of eyes at the ending there belong to the noble from Roamania?
... Okay, so every one is in agreement, every one between Level Ledger/Secret-Hoarder and the duke of Roamania is joining Level, or finding out the exact temperature a fire has to be to turn silver. Because he is not going to be livid. He is going to be incandescent with rage.
I still don't understand kidnapping her. It would create an international incident such that war would likely be declared and supported by the citizens. Further, changelings will probably have the support of the Equestrian government based on humanitarian aid (ponytarian aid?) and that would allow open support and infiltration with the possibility of learning enough secrets to give further reason to invade, if not provide an army that could be anyone. It's not like bat ponies can cast easy identifying magic like unicorns. Oh that mercenary unicorn you hired that "knows" a revealing spell, ya that's actually a changeling who infiltrated you.
6839148 Duke Shadow-Wing he is clearly stupid and Petty that said I don't I don't think he has any idea that Midnight's father has control over the changelings in Equestria that's most likely closely guarded Secret or that midnight is dating a noble Changeling or that midnight is so high rank in the royal guard or how incredibly dangerous she is. No as far as he is aware she is simply somemare who dared humiliate him by not marrying him.
6839505
Which makes him both incompetent and stupid. Whoever was supposed to train him on the duties of a Duke of the country either didn't do a good job or he really is that stupid. If he really is that stupid, it's why meritocracy or, at least to some extent although corruption can hurt this, why republics are better (there are no true, full democracies because that would never work on a large scale or I can't figure out a practical way to do it).
.....*preparing the graves for the lackeys of the duke and the duke himself* diggy diggy hole. *finish and take out glassing beam from space.* ready to fry some stupid noble thestrals!
"Apocalypse scenario? Perfect time to enact my petty revenge plan! I can get my satisfaction before everything I know gets destroyed or taken from me!"
Yeah... hope you like getting turned inside out Duke...
...sloooooooowly.
6841495 Welp. My joke is ruined.
Well, how the thestral agents avoided the mass magic drain AND avoid the lings staffing the hospital will likely remain unaddressed, I am wondering if they're aware of the butt whopping heading their way. Assuming she doesn't freeze in terror first...
Keep going! ;)
I think the only appropriate response to that ending...
i.imgur.com/7Pu0l61.jpg
So much writing. Once I found this story it took me almost 24 hours to read it all.
Welp, so much for Roamania. Won't be missed.
Ah, nice, so changelings are vulnerable to magic drain, but Discord is vulnerable to them.
The scenes with them preparing for Tirek's coming were really tense.
Daaang... Tirek as Discord's cat's paw? Or as cover for a minor genocide?
6838386 I think it was when they discovered that Terik didn't have to be right there to drain someone? But that raises the question as to why the Changelings weren't drained with Cider then...
6892202
I am in the mood to rip and tear Duke Shadow-Wing apart
Here's hoping one ass-hat gets killed very painfully.
wow. this is only the second story i've found on this site that tells about Tirek's rampage from a different perspective. the other was "a change in fashion", and coincidentally also has a Changeling protagonist, she tries to make a living as a fashion model in Manehattan.
Celestia felt a cold shiver go up her spine for no apparent reason.
You clearly don't have much of a brain then, if that is you conclusion
6839687
*Brings Covenant CSO-supercarrier*
"Burn their mongrel hides!"
Wow what a desaster overall...
Wow... That Duke just killed himself with that action...
Corresponds to Ledger, Cider and Scope, I guess? Hard to stifle my own giggles.
oh, THIS reminds me of a story called "The Twilight Enigma", where Twilight replicated Tirek's technique and stole Discord's magic!
BUT...that made her start, well, acting like Discord, which got her into trouble, and she needed help from Celestia, Luna, AND Cadance to straighten things out!
Truly impressive how this mighty Duke can be deluded or uninformed enough to think he get away with it.
Midnight Dong is friend to all Alicorns, a valuable elite soldier and involved with powerful Changelings.
He doomed himself at best, his power structrure and everypony in it as worst...
Changelings. Sugary delicacies. Before train travel.
RIP train.