Chapter XXXII: Changelings
Silence reign over the entire room as everypony just stared at the changeling among them. The bouncing ball itself was stopped by my magic as I stared at the changeling, my mind running over various ways to approach this situation. Finally I made a decision as I yelled, "Nopony is leaving this room! If anypony dares, I will stun them and have my recruits beat the living daylights out of them!" Glancing at Silver and my recruits, I continued, "Silver, go find the Royal Guard detachment if they haven't left Ponyville already. If they're still here, bring them over pronto. Midnight Breeze, Golden Sword, go find Twilight and alert her of the situation. Dusk Cloud and Stalwart Jack, you're with me, everypony else, form a perimeter around the volunteers."
As my recruits and Silver followed orders, I eyed the ponies in front of me, who were staring at one another with pupils the size of pinpricks. I just stared for a couple more minutes before all the ponies started to panic once more, causing me to scream, "Shut up or I'm going to shock you!" as I pulled out my taser and activated it. The ponies quickly quieted down when they saw the taser sparking, allowing me to address them in the ensuing silence. "Okay, since we found one changeling here, there is a possibility that there are more changelings among you. So... if you're a changeling, reveal yourself and you will face less severe consequences. However, if you stay in disguise until we discover the truth, well... let's say I'm one of the meanest ponies that you don't want to cross."
At first, everypony just either stared at me in fear as I glared at the entire group, or at each other in fear. Eventually though, one pony was suddenly engulfed in green flames, revealing their identity as a changeling. As everypony started backing away, the lone changeling raised its hooves up in the air. "I surrender."
As ponies just looked at the changeling in shock, I asked, "Fine, is there any other changelings that are here that want to give up as well?" Receiving no answer, I simply returned my attention to the changeling to say, "Well, since you have surrendered, would you give out your fellow comrades? Or are you loyal enough to keep your mouth shut for them?" With the changeling choosing to remain silent, I gave out a sigh as I ordered, "Just head over to your fellow changeling and stay still. Any funny business and we will get to see how well changelings react to being repetitively shocked."
Eyeing my taser, the changeling did as I commanded, moving over to its unconscious fellow. The resulting awkward silence was almost palpable. It didn't take long for another changeling to crack; a pegasus tried to flee via crashing through a window, only for Dusty Skies to intercept the disguised changeling. She impacted it before it even had a hope of touching the window, instead slamming the creature into the ceiling to knock it out. Afterwards, it didn't take long for the Elements to arrive along with Silver and the Royal Guard. It was at that point that we encountered a problem.
"What do you mean we have no way to check if a pony is a disguised changeling or not?" I furiously asked. The Elements, Silver, and I were in another room while my recruits and the Royal Guard were keeping an eye on the volunteers.
"Well, nopony ever came up with a spell that can expose them besides physical harm," Twilight answered frowning slightly.
"So you're telling me, after they invaded Canterlot and even somehow took out Princess Celestia... that we don't have the means to screen for them‽" I yelled.
"Madam, there have been efforts made into discovering a safe means for exposing changelings, but sadly despite the best efforts of our top researchers we haven't discovered the means yet," Silver said, causing me to rub the sides of my head with my forehooves.
"Okay, fine, we have no safe method. So what are we going to do about my volunteers then? Cause the only plan I have is to line them all up and let me zap them," I replied. Both Silver and Twilight didn't answer, with the latter appearing to be lost in thought.
"Isn't there a less painful way to expose them then zapping them?" Fluttershy meekly asked.
"Maybe, but my taser is less likely to cause any permanent damage and is better than bucking them in the face or something like that," I explained. My taser had received its Equestrian name after meeting up with that weird pony that kept on demanding the right to come up with the general names to the tech that was being developed or found. Not wanting to hear him whine about his stupid self-appointed job for the entire visit, I decided to go with it. "So... are we really going to just line them all up and zap all of them?"
"Well, like you said, your taser is the least damaging means we have," Twilight said, causing me to run a hoof down my face.
"This is going to be a long day..."
"So... you eight wanted to infiltrate my squad," I said as I looked at the changelings sitting in front of me, their hooves in chains as we sat in the same room where I had the meeting with the Elements. After the meeting, we had to set it up so that the ponies didn't get mixed up as I zapped each one. Throughout the entire ordeal I had two of my recruits on either side of me just incase one of the disguised changelings decided to attack me. So while Twilight is dealing with telling Celestia about this incident and the Elements dealt with where the volunteers that stuck around were going to stay for the night, it allowed me time to question the changelings.
"Like anyling would tell you anything!" one changeling said with a sneer. Thankfully, while we lacked anything to prevent the changelings from casting magic, I had my entire squad with me just in case they decided to try any funny business.
"Do you really want to test that statement?" I said with an amused expression.
"You don't scare me! You ponies don't have the stomach to really torture us! What are you going to do, read me a boring story? Tickle me with feathers? I'll take on anything you can come up with!" the changeling declared as it gave me an over-confident grin.
After giving the changeling a deadpan stare for a few minutes, I finally replied, "Okay then, your funeral." I spun on a hoof to face the door, annoyed with the creature’s defiance. Earlier, I had sent Silver out with a list of things that I would need for my questioning, which thankfully he didn't second guess any of the objects I requested. The idiot kept its foolish grin while the others began to squirm a bit at my choice of words.
A moment later Silver arrived, carrying a bag on his back that he promptly put down. "I got all the ‘tools’ you requested madam."
Grabbing the bag, I rummaged through it while the changeling decided to egg me on. "Hah! What would a foal like you have gotten? Teddy bears? Itching po—is that a hammer?" the changeling asked, the tone of its voice changing when it saw me pulling a hammer out of the bag.
"Eeyup!" I answered before engulfing the hammer in my magical aura. Before the changeling could let out a word, I brought the hammer down on a nearby table, smashing it apart. "Were you going to add anything else to that list of yours?"
The braggart changeling only stared at the broken table, until another one blurted out, "You can't do this! We're your prisoners! We have rights!"
Tapping a hoof to my chin, I replied, "Hmm... you may have a point, if I knew what rights prisoners had. Not only that, but I have been known to be quite violent, enough to attempt to harm the princesses. Along with the fact that Pinkie is my caretaker, I think we can toss out any abuse I do to you lot on me being mentally unstable." A manic grin slowly etched its way over my face complete with pinprick eyes. While it is normally a good thing that Pinkie is rubbing off me, sometimes I can use that influence in a disturbing way. Turning my head, I gave each of the changelings a good look at my expression till it landed on a changeling that finally broke.
"Queen Chrysalis wanted us to find out all the secrets of this new military branch!" the changeling screamed in terror, before the others gave it a glare for cracking.
Frowning, I said, "Well, that is pretty obvious, don't you have more?" before pulling out a rather large knife from the bag. "Hmm... I wonder if anypony ever dissected a changeling before… Or is the word ‘vivisected’ when they are alive?"
The changeling that cracked once again proved to be the weak link. "The queen is also concerned about how Equestria and Equus itself could be in danger!"
"How come? I don't think the queen would be that concerned about the well-being of ponies as long as she can drain us of our love," I said with an eyebrow curiously raised, though I kept my eyes on the knife as I put on a show of inspecting it.
"We... were able to inform her of our debriefing. Learning that there are dangerous forces that could endanger all life on this world, she wanted a means to help keep our kind alive in case Equus does get invaded."
"Well, has she considered, well, asking if she could participate in defending the world with us?" I asked while putting the knife away. "What better defense is there then preventing an invasion if possible?"
"Bah, like you or anypony would actually allow us to be part of this military branch," another changeling said, only for me to laugh at him.
"Really? You think we wouldn't accept allies if it could mean the difference between victory or defeat?" I replied with an amused grin, that grew a bit at the shocked looks of the changelings, till one of them narrowed their eyes at me.
"Yeah right, why should we believe you? For all we know, this could be some big trick," the changeling declared, causing me to sigh before approaching it so I could stare it down.
"Look, I don't give a damn if you're a changeling, a pony, a griffon, a zebra, a minotaur, or Discord himself. What I need is recruits that can handle my training and be ready to fight and kill when necessary. From what little we know of your species, your kind is predatory in nature, which would be of a benefit in your training if you were one of my recruits. What lies out there could be a very hostile and aggressive force, so we need to be able to answer their aggression with our own. The more natural fighters we can get our hooves on, the better. So even if I have to scream into Celestia's ear for hours on end, I will not pass up on any serious volunteers for my team. So tell me, do you think your queen would be willing to make an effort to end hostilities between our races and work together to safeguard our world?"
The changelings looked at each other in uncertainty, until one of them finally nodded. However, Mr. Loudmouth decided to press the issue when it said, "But how is she going to know about that?"
"Simple, I'm letting that changeling go," I replied as I pointed at the weak-willed one, causing all the changelings and everypony to gape at me in shock.
"Me? Wait, you're letting me go? Why?" the changeling meekly asked.
"Well, I don't know if we have a means to contact the queen, but I think letting one of you go to deliver my proposition might send her the message that I'm serious about this," I answered, before turning around to point a hoof at my recruits. "And I don't want to see any of you protesting or preventing this from happening. Equestria can't take the burden of fighting this war alone, we're going to need allies eventually, better sooner than later. Now, Silver Shield, Citrine Lemons, go free that changeling and escort it out of the town hall. If anypony tries to stop you, tell them that you're just following my orders."
The two gave me curt nods before following my instructions, but based on their expressions they rather just let that changeling remained in chains till somepony else came by to take care of them. "I hope you know what you're doing madam," Dusk said, eyeing the rest as the trio left the room. "You do know what the changelings have done, right?"
Shrugging, I answered, "Yeah, peace won't be easy to achieve, but we can't afford to be choosy about this. When war comes, and odds are it will come, we need as many soldiers as possible to just survive it. Besides, the changelings are the lesser evil compared to some of the interdimensional forces that exist out there."
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I can imagine Chrysalis wanting Aegis to be the diplomatic between the changelings and the ponies.
The lesser of two evils... good one. Let's see how much of an asset changelings will become.
6549484 Or maybe do anything not to be left alone in a room with her...
... and I was hoping to see Aegis bring a hammer to some changeling heads.
No hammer time?
"Like the Clorfores..." I joke. wodnerful chaptor!
Aether Motherfucking Aura, best captain ever
She counts as a captain, right?
Anyway, the changelings joined the brawl!
I absolutely love the fics that the changelings are on the "good side", I'm looking foward to see them in the training.
Also, Aether using Pinkie as an excuse made me laugh hard
6549484 her name is Aether, man. And you almost made me write Aegis as her name too
A pony who's ready to harm or torture is a scary thing to see. Well, let's see how it'll all end.
This works out twofold for Aether. One, she gets to look diplomatic and dangerous to Chrysalys. Two, she is out one liability for her squads. It's one thing to have a spy that will tell the opposition everything they know while managing to keep some secrets and make them believe what the spy wants them to believe. It's another to be a chicken that will crack and tell everything under the slightest hint of force...
6549547 Here's your hammer time.
Why can't people and ponies sympathize with a species who depend on love yet is feared?
And in the meantime, special lessons for the rest of the changelings: Bipedal locomotion to aid in disguising as a biped.
6549734 Yep!!
6549724 Why can't you sympathize with Xenomorphs? They only want to be close to your heart.
6549969 Exactly. They won't betray me because if they do, I'll stop loving them.
They know when to fix a relationship and exactly how far to push a subject.
Best relationship ever!
i read all of this in matt smiths voice
6550056 You do realize I was being sarcastic and tying it into the Alien movies? I mean, I like changelings as much as the next guy, but who knows what nightmarish stories exist about changelings in their world (conversion pods, draining ponies to husks, etc.). We'll just have to wait and see how this goes.
6549495 stealth, infiltration, intimidation, guerrilla tactics, trap placement in unexpected locations. Reconnaissance.
Detectable only by equipment.
Depending on author canon, they might have chameleon ability.
So the usual spy/infiltrator/survivalist playable characters.
6550177 I wonder if they are the pony version of the verma what's yha calliyts
Yes I know there cannon
6550107 good then you must be a fan of doctor who am i right
Am I the only one who thought that this is proof of Cupcakes actually happening? But with Aether playing Pinkie and some poor idiot (Blueblood) playing Rainbow?
6549513 thats a bit harsh. maybe breaking some kneecaps would be better.
Im suprised the Changelings still think Aether wouldnt hur them, given each and every one of them was violently and viciously electrocuted by her into unconciousness, when she Didnt know what they were and was just aiming indiscriminately.
After all, a few smackdowns with The Chair for a warm up might just impress on them just how hard said chair is.
Well, at least Twilight now has a changeling detection system. electrocute everyone using Discharge.
6550365 I can easily see that happening.
6550120 I hope she gets a changeling butler.
6549625 she is more commander.
6549969
That's like comparing someone who picks apples to a lumberjack, both need trees, but only one kills them.
6551227 I was merely drawing comparisons between bug-like creatures of horror in respective societies. One plants a chest-burster in you and the other steals your family off to live in a pod to fuel their own kind (The Matrix) then replaces them in your life, slowly draining your very life source (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, vampires, generic monsters). Yeah, I'd say there is ground for the ponies to fear them. Oh, let's not forget that their leader one-hit K.O.'ed the closest thing they have to a living god (skipping the part where a horngasm took out their army).
6550275 yes and so far peter pecaldi is my favorite Doctor
Hilarious, I could just imagine that XD
I demand Hammer Time!
*looks below*
6549701
You... I like you... a lot! :D
To the authr, awesome job on this chapter!
HAHA!
Aether... I like you, hehee.
6552169 oh yes the newest doctor i personally like matt smith and the one right before him
6549589 "Dirty moneygrubbing clorfores. Tried to clorf me right out of my money. Blew those bastards up is what I did"
6556333 my feelings exactly
MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR MOAR
I approve on getting the Changelings in on this, they are to useful to ignore. Now what they also need is a dragon.... Ultimate air support.
As you've your own editors, I'll refrain from touching on the grammar and spelling issues.
I wasn't under the impression that our hero[ine] used the -pony forms of the pronouns? In fact, I thought AA'd made a point of not doing so. Might be getting confused with another fanfiction, though.edit: Nevermind, this is brought up next chapter. And, because AA's learning the language from ponies, it's only natural she'd be using the language as they do.Vivisection [so here "vivisected"] would make for a much nastier threat.
Well, she is right.
Aether is, I see, literally bringing the hammer down.
6549495
You may not have thought about this but queen chrysalis was not evil, she was trying to help find a way for the changelings to survive.
A very pragmatic notion, but only time will tell whether or not Chrysalis is willing to put any effort into it.
Every time I read that line I think "every thing in Warhammer 40k."
Now I remember why I put this book down. I don't want to read about a sadistic asshole. Even if he gets better, I do not want to read it to get there.
There is good reasons to have rules of combat. What is the point of winning when you become what you hate?
While interesting, the combat he is teaching would only be effective at the squad level. Call it street urchin style. For anything more than a specialist squad it would be disastrous for protecting the country. The main army needs to adapt but this isn't the answer.
The writing is good, just disagree with the subject mater.
7602742 RoEs only matter when both sides agree to them. Otherwise, one side is disadvantaged and the other has Carte blanche. Is Aether a little sadistic, sure. But preparing to fight and asymmetric war is dirty business.
7345862 Ha! Sorry, but these guys don't compare.
40k is easily the most overpowered universe that is still balanced with itself. It has the most Xenophobic being in existence. It has people that have no sympathy at all for the destruction of Star Systems. It has Tyranids, Necrons, and Orks.
And, honestly, the Imperium is fine. Id say Ghazkull is the biggest threat, and well, good luck getting him.
7846128 Dude, really? It's clearly the 'Nids. Fuckin' Orks.
6549484 Indeed.
Loved the story so far, great work.
7602742
Yep, and it's the reason I'm bailing now before this unlikable shithead of an OC makes me want to punch them even more.
I saw a spell used to show someone’s true form in this story. https://www.fimfiction.net/story/89791/11/how-my-little-brother-became-an-alicorn/before-royalty It was somewhere in this chapter but I don’t know where but it was sometime during this.
I like that line!!