King Of The Changelings

by Bluecatcinema

A Dark Journey

While most Changelings had embraced their new King after Sleight had saved them from Red Eclipse, one in particular had not. Indeed, when he heard that Sleight was to marry Chrysalis, he was beside himself with fury. Maybe it was still the adrenaline from the earlier fight with said pony that was pumping through his veins or the great perversion of his hive's ways, that he lashed out in anger, only to be repelled by Sazh of all Changelings, whose magic had picked the most inopportune time to awaken and blast him back. Outraged and humiliated, that Changeling left the hive, and marched off into the wilderness.

The Changeling's name was Char, the former Captain of the Changeling soldiers, and this is his story.

Char trudged through the swampland near the hive, still fuming over what had just happened.

"How could my brethren do zzzuch a thing?" He snarled. "Making that inferior zzztallion of a pony King? And for what? Zzztopping Red Eclipzzze? He only won by trickery! He did not defeat Red Eclipzzze in combat, like a true warrior! And he let him lived! Even then, he thinks that he, a pony, is worthy of our Queen, our hive?!" He slammed his hooves into the swamp. "NO! Of courzzze not! He izzz an inferior, belonging to a weak, pathetic zzzpeciezzz! He zzzhouldn't even be permitted to zzzet hoof in our hive, let alone rule it! Why am I the only Changeling to zzzee that?"

There was nopony around to answer Char's question.

"It'zzz hizzz damn carny ways...they all fallen for hizzz theatrics!" He spat, "I would see that runt Zzzazh falling for zzzuch a zzzcam...but the Queen? Wizel?" His anger dampered at the thought of the old bug, only to grow more furious, "I expected better from both of them. They zzzhould have cazzzt out that charlatan the moment he came here! Inzzztead, they embraced him! And the hive... the hive juzzzt let him do what he want. Not one of them objected to my humiliation, or took my zzzide... I thought I meant more to them..." He stopped for a minute... before grunting. "Well, I don't need any of them. If they want to zzzpit in the face of Changeling tradition, so be it! But I won't be a part of it! I'm not zzzticking around to watch that pretender run our hive into the ground! Thizzz Changeling'zzz going it alone!"

Char marched out of the swamp, intent on getting as far away from his homeland as possible.

Despite his boast, Char found himself growing more and more lonesome as the days passed by. Changelings were social creatures, after all, not suited to prolonged periods of isolation. He had heard that changelings that often go at it alone often lose their minds. Char didn't believe that, seeing it nothing more than a cautionary tale to scare larvas into not leaving the hive.

However, as he continued in his travels, his mind could not help but think of those he had left behind. He had it all: a respected position as head of the Changeling Guard, the respect of his peers, more Changeling mares than he can count, a legacy of combat skill, the Queen's trust, and of course, a nice, cushy den.

Now, all of that was gone, nothing but memories. Despite his outrage and contempt over his kind siding with Sleight, Char had plenty of friends there that he knew he would miss.

One in particular was Wizel. No one would know at first glance, knowing how cold and distant Char tended to be, but he and the old bug were closer than one would think. Char remembered being the biggest egg of his clutch, laid by Queen Thorax (a good while after Chrysalis), and when he hatched, he was taken under Wizel's wings, the old bug believing he would grow into a powerful warrior...

Char still remembered the words Wizel spoke to him.

Flashback...

A young Char, stood before Wizel, his shell still coming in, looking at him with big blue eyes.

"Young one, hear me well." Wizel declared. "You are tall and strong for your age. For that reason, I believe it is your destiny to grow into a mighty Changeling warrior."

"Really?" Char smiled.

"Really." Wizel nodded. "One day, you will take your place among our hive's soldier class. It will fall to you to help defend this hive and our Queen from enemies."

"Come now, Wizzy." Wizel's mate Hazel tutted. Uniquely among the Changelings of Chrysalis' hive, she bore a brownish color scheme, similar to a leaf in autumn. She was hatched in one of the last few batches of eggs laid by Chitin before her heir Thorax took her place, "Don't burden the little one with all this talk. He only hatched six months ago."

"But it's the truth, my love." Wizel declared. "Char must know what it means to be a soldier of this hive."

"I won't let you down." Char nodded. "I will zzzerve with honor and zzztrength."

"Just the kind of attitude I'd expect from a future soldier." Wizel smiled. "Your training will begin soon. I have faith you will do marvelously."

"Thank you, Wizel." Char smiled. "For you, and the Queen, I zzzwear I will alwayzzz be there to protect thizzz hive and the Changelingzzz within."

"I know you will, my boy." Wizel said with pride.

"Oh, Wizel." Hazel sighed. "I do find your loyalty to the hive endearing, but there is such a thing as going overboard."

"Can I help it if I want only the best for my home and fellow Changelings?" Wizel asked. "And you of course, my dear..."

"And I appreciate that." Hazel smiled. "But really, what could happen?"

"I don't know." Wizel admitted. "But we must be prepared for the worst. Which is why we need Changelings like Char in our army. Hence my taking him under my wing. A young Changeling of such potential requires guidance."

"And I can think of no better teacher than you, my dear." Hazel nuzzled him lovingly.

"Me neither." Char smiled. "I can't wait to get zzztarted!"

"Well, you have the right attitude for it, at least." Hazel chuckled. "I'm sure you will be a wonderful soldier some day. Just promise to be careful out there, okay? I'd hate for anything to happen to you in the line of duty."

"I'll be careful." Char nodded. "I promizzze."

"Good boy." Hazel smiled. "Wizzy made an excellent choice of student..."

"Thank you." Char beamed. "And I promizzze to zzzerve well. A true Changeling must be loyal to both hive and Queen, and I will prove myzzzelf a true Changeling!"

The present...

Char sighed nostalgically. Those were the good times, back when the world made sense. That was before Sleight came, and ruined everything. Things seemed so perfect. Wizel was a wise and encouraging mentor, never once letting Char forget that he had the utmost faith in his young charge. And Hazel... Hazel was easily one of the most kind and caring Changelings in the hive. Over time, Char came to see her as something of a mother figure. And Char continued on his path to becoming a soldier, steadfastly believing the Changeling doctrine that they were the "superior beings" and that ponies were beneath. Char's life had never been better.

Alas, cracks soon started to form in Char's personal paradise.

Char still remembered, about forty years later, when he was sent on his very first mission outside the hive. Chrysalis, his technically older sister, had recently became Queen, and it was to be a routine raid on a town to get more love for the hive...

Flashback...

One night, in one of the towns near the borders to the badlands, Char's group, led by none other than Hazel, were making their way through the alleyways...

"Zzztay clozzze, Hazel." Char instructed.

"I will." Hazel nodded. "Who knows what these ponies are capable of..."

"Heh." Char snorted. "They are inferior weaklingzzz."

"But we're in their town." Hazel pointed out. "We should be careful."

"Pleazzze." Char smirked. "Nothing thezzze poniezzz have could ever give uzzz trouble. Once we find our way to the town'zzz centre, we will zzzpread out, take on pony form, and zzztart draining the love out of thezzze foolzzz..."

Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the alleyway.

"Ahh!" Char yelled, blinded. "What izzz thizzz?"

The light was created by a rough-looking tan Unicorn stallion, several other brawny stallions behind him.

"I thought I heard something." He sneered. "Changelings. And plenty of them."

"Oh no." Hazel gasped.

The other soldiers froze, knowing they had been discovered.

"Too bad for you, we don't like bugs in our town." A gray Pegasus with a scar around his eye smirked. "Time to play exterminator."

"We should leave." Hazel told Char. "Now."

"Why?" Char sneered. "We can take them."

"Please, just listen to me, Char." Hazel pleaded.

Char looked into Hazel's imploring eyes.

"Okay..." He said grudgingly. "Troopzzz! Retreat!"

The Changelings took the air, ready to flee.

"Oh no you don't!" The Unicorn conjured a forcefield, stopping the Changelings in their tracks. "You're trapped like roaches! Get 'em!"

The Pegasi took to the air, ramming into the soldiers at top speed.

"Get behind me, Hazel!" Char urged. "I'll protect you from thizzz zzzcum!"

"That's rich coming from you, vermin." The scarred Pegasus sneered. "We're gonna stamp you out like the pests you are."

"We'll zzze about that." Char sneered. "Come get zzzome."

The Pegasus charged at Char, who struck him hard with his hoof. They scuffled in mid-air, each landing decent blows, until a bolt of Char's magic blasted the stallion out of the sky.

"Who'zzz the vermin now?" Char taunted him.

Suddenly, a bolt of magic from the Unicorn struck Char down.

"Ahhh!" He screeched, dropping to the ground.

"Still you." The Unicorn sneered.

"Char!" Hazel flew down to him.

The fight was starting to turn in the stallions' favour. They had numbers on their side, and a brutality the Changelings were prepared for. One by one, the squad were brought down. As one soldier fell, an Earth Pony rushed over and stomped on his head, killing him.

"One bug squished, plenty to go." He sneered.

"Thizzz can't be happening." Char climbed to his hooves.

"But it is." The Unicorn sneered, hitting him with another blast. "You should never have come here bug."

"Char, get up!" Hazel urged. "We have to g- ahh!" She was suddenly dragged by her head webbing by the scarred Pegasus, who had recovered from his fall (though not without gaining another scar or two).

"Leaving so soon?" He smirked. "But we were just about to bring you to a special welcoming party."

"No!" Char yelled. "Let her go, you-"

The Unicorn blasted Char, knocking him down again.

"Grab as many of the vermin as you can." The Unicorn ordered. "We're gonna have some fun tonight."

The thugs started dragging away the downed squad members.

"Char, we have to go!" One of the soldiers urged.

"No! Not without Hazel!" Char yelled. "Or the others!"

"We can't do anything for her." Another soldier declared. "We would only give them more victims."

"I don't care!" Char yelled, lunging for the ponies.

"Stop him." The soldier yelled.

The other soldiers grabbed Char, pulling him along as they fled through the alley.

"No!" Char struggled to free himself. "Hazel! Hazel!"

"Char!" Hazel screamed. "Char!"

"Shuddup!" The Pegasus pulled on her mane.

"Ah!" Hazel yelled.

"Hazel!" Char roared, as he and the others vanished into the shadows.

The present...

Char's body trembled, hearing Hazel's screams still ringing in his head. At his age, he was privy to ponies and their ways, but the ponies that night were nothing like he had ever saw. Their eyes were filled with hate, their snouts contorted into a devilish sneer or a fiendish scowl, and their relentless brutality towards his kind. It was as if they were attacked by monsters, not ponies.

He would never admit it to anyone, but he was genuinely frightened. And that fear still lingered when he and the remainder of the group returned to the hive to report the disastrous raid, rendering him unable to speak when questioned by others... and then there was Wizel. He didn't know what to say to him when they told Wizel what had become of his mate. At first, Wizel was numb, as the news sunk in. Then he retreated back to his nest, wanting to be alone. Char only hoped that Hazel would be okay, and that she would be able to escape the ponies...

But alas, his hopes was dashed, as weeks later, he and a new group of soldier Changelings were tasked by Chrysalis to rescue those that were captured in the raid, as well as any bodies.

Whenever possible, Changelings would bring the bodies of their fallen back to the hive. They believed it was only fitting to bury them in the same place where they were born.

Char's only goal however was to bring Hazel home, so he can redeem himself and save his mentor's loved one... but by the time he and the group made their way to the place where they were keeping the imprisoned Changelings, which happened to be a disused warehouse (discovered by one of the scouts, who had "tagged" one of the thugs with a magic-based pheromone), they were greeted with a gruesome sight.

Changeling shells had been hung on the walls, some still leaking blood. To Char's revulsion, they had even found one of the shell-less carcasses, left to rot. Others were lucky enough to keep their shells, but they had brutally beaten to a pulp. And when they found Hazel...

Char shook his head. Even now, he still couldn't bring himself to remember the vivid details of what they did to her and her body. It was enough to make him sick to his stomach and the other soldiers to throw up.

Despite being downtrodden and traumatized by what he had seen in that 'hell', Char and the group were able to take all the bodies of their brethren and escape pony society before any pony could catch them and made their way back to the hive, their hearts heavy with the loss of their kin.

Flashback...

Wizel sat in a corner of his cave, having been told by the other soldiers about what happened to Hazel, without going into details about her death. Char was right there, trying to comfort him, but failing, as he too was sad.

"Wizel... I'm... I'm very zzzorry." Char whispered.

"I know how you feel, but you have nothing to be sorry for." Wizel murmured. "It wasn't your fault. Hazel was... dead before you got there. There was nothing you could have done."

"Nothing?" Char repeated, as his sorrow began turning into anger. "Nothing?! I could have done zzzomething! Hazel would had zzztill been alive if the otherzzz hadn't hold me back! I could have zzzaved her!"

"Please... Char..." Wizel moaned. "I know you are grieving like me... but don't blame your bretheren..."

"You know what, you're right. I zzzhouldn't blame my brotherzzz..." Char shook his head, as he then snarled viciously. "It's their fault! Those damn poniezzz! They murdered Hazel and all the others they had captured, all in cold blood!"

"They... they had their reasons." Wizel said weakly, barely believing it himself. "They were afraid of us... they let their fear rule them... and slaughtered our kind like rabid beasts..." His voice turned into a slight snarl, but he bit back the rage. "They thought they were defending themselves..."

"Are you zzzerious?" Char gaped, well aware of Wizel's opinions on the ponies. "They took your wife away. They did unzzzpeakable thingzzz to her and our bretheren, and you are zzztill defending them? What excuse could you have for them to do thizzz to the one you loved?!"

"I... well..." Wizel tried to think of a reason, but fell short, his mind submerged by his misery.

"You're unbelievable..." Char's anger grew. "What would Hazel say if zzzhe heard you defending her killerzzz?!"

"Hazel wouldn't have wanted that." Wizel declared. "To have her memory tainted by anger. Even in mourning, I shouldn't allow himself to hate."

"You really believe that?" Char scowled. "How can you be zzzo impazzzive?"

"Hate will not bring Hazel back." Wizel declared. "So there's no point in indulging in it."

"Poniezzz murdered your wife!" Char yelled. "You zzzhould hate them!"

"But I won't." Wizel insisted.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Char snarled. "Did you even love her at all?!"

"That's enough!" Wizel suddenly roared. "Leave me be, now!"

Char stepped back, his face nearly faltering in hurt. Instantly, he just scowled.

"You know what, fine." Char growled. "Continue your delusionzzz of making nice with Hazel's killerzzz. But while you do that, I will be doing what I wazzz trained to do! Defend thizzz hive! I zzzwear on Hazel's grave, I will not lozzze any more of my bretheren and I will not zzzhow thozzze buckin' ponies the mercy they refuzzze to zzzhow Hazel. You'll zzzee how wrong you were, mark my wordzzz."

With that, Char stormed out of the room, leaving Wizel to mourn all by his lonesome.

The present...

Hazel's death had deeply affected Char. Though Char's resentment towards Wizel for not hating the ponies diminished over time, it did not vanish completely, leaving them estranged. Char knew himself that things would never be the same between him and Wizel, especially if he continued to sympathize with the ponies. In order to blot out the pain of losing Hazel and of his own failure, Char threw himself into his training, becoming more skilled by the day.

A couple more decades passed, and Char had risen up through the ranks of the soldier class, surpassing expectations of many older changelings, and even earning the approval of Chrysalis.

He had hoped that his success would do something to lift Wizel, who had been inconsolable in the years since Hazel's death, shutting himself away from everyone. But alas, the old changeling seem to be on a downward spiral, and with the way things had been going (what with the ponies becoming harsher on defending their lands from the Changelings), Char had a fear that Wizel would not be long for the world...

Then, Wizel decided to pay a visit to the nursery and brought home an egg of a defective larva... named Sazh.

Char snarled viciously.

Char had never liked Sazh. He had always believed the little runt had no business even being alive, his weakness tainting their great hive. He lack of size made him a joke of a Changeling, and his inability to perform magic, in Char's eyes, made him utterly useless. He still remembered the day he discovered Wizel had brought the egg home with him.

Flashback...

Wizel was in his corner of the hive, keeping a close eye on the egg...when Char came in.

"Zzzeriously?" Char snorted. "The zzztory I heard wazzz true? You brought thizzz reject here?"

"He's not a reject." Wizel said sternly as he glared at him. "And don't ever let me hear you say that word in my presence again."

"But... but..." Char spluttered. "What do we need with thizzz inferior zzzpecimen? Or the hive, for that matter?"

"I won't tolerate you using the word 'inferior' either." Wizel frowned.

"I don't understand why you're doing thizzz." Char scowled.

"Because this little one needs support." Wizel declared. "If raised properly, it will serve the hive well."

"If?" Char snorted. "'If' izzzn't good enough! You can't wazzzte perfectly good yearzzz on 'if'!"

"That is my choice to make." Wizel stated.

"But why do you even care?" Char challenged, "For yearzzz you have let countless defective eggzzz be drowned, and not even said a word, yet now, you make a fuzzz over this one? Why now?"

"Because I can no longer bare pointless loss of life." Wizel declared. "Each Changeling is essential to the hive, especially in these dark times. We need all the numbers we can, if we are to survive. You want the hive to survive, don't you?" He glared at Char.

"This is madnezz! If Hazel were here, zzzhe'd-" Char started.

"She would agree with me." Wizel said fiercely. "Hazel was always open to help a Changeling in need. She would support me in this endeavor. And she would condemn you for the way you're acting."

"I guezzz we'll never know for zzzure, now will we?" Char spat.

"Speak for yourself." Wizel growled. "Hazel was my mate. I knew her as well as I know myself... I knew how much she wanted a child... and I promised myself that I will do right by her by raising this boy right." He glanced at the egg, rubbing it gently.

"You are only zzzetting yourself up for dizzappointment!" Char growled, his eye twitching at the gaze Wizel was giving the egg. "I have half a mind to tell the Queen about this!"

"Go ahead." Wizel snorted. "I am Chrysalis' uncle. Her opinion holds no sway over me. In fact, she may actually agree with me."

"Don't you utter zzzuch blazzzphemy!" Char spat. "The Queen would be on my zzzide!"

"You think I don't know my own niece?" Wizel frowned. "I know her better than I know you... or thought I did, at least."

"Coddling that reject will only lead to dizzzazzzter!" Char yelled.

"What did I tell you about using that word?" Wizel growled. "I must have been blind not to realise what a heartless fool you are!"

"It'zzz better than being a bleeding-heart idiot!" Char yelled.

"At least this idiot understands the value of life!" Wizel roared.

"I don't have time for thizzz." Char sneered. "Do whatever you want with that egg. Juzzzt keep the runt away from me."

Char once again stormed out of the room.

"Don't you worry about him, little one." Wizel stroked the egg. "He doesn't know what he's talking about..."

The present...

Form that point on, Char watched from afar with disgust as Wizel raised Sazh. Every time Char saw Sazh, he was repulsed by his lack of stature and underdeveloped horn. But deep down, it was more than that. As he watched Wizel and Sazh together, he would constantly see the smile on Wizel's face whenever he was around Sazh, the way he always watched over him, and even encouraging him the same way he once did with Char. Such a sight burned Char to the core, knowing that Wizel used to look upon him with those eyes and smile that smile. He refused to admit it... but he was jealous. Jealous of the love and attentiveness that a runt received which was once his... and he hated it. He hated that Wizel was coddling this runt. He hated the love he gaved him. And he hated Sazh.

But he wasn't going to let himself be jealous of a runt. Char decided to focus more and more on his work as a soldier. He finally rose to the rank of Captain, and even had his platoon of soldiers. He even went on to take part in the attack on Canterlot. It felt good to subjugate the weakling ponies. Char believed that they deserved it all, for their attacks on their rightful superiors, and personally, what they done to Hazel and his bretheren. This was the day he would finally avenge them all, and he was enjoying every second of it... unfortunately, his joy came to a abrupt end when he and the others were blasted out of Canterlot...

Flashback...

"Oh..." Char groaned, his body in tremendous pain, and for good reason too: he was embedded into a rock. "Mother...bucker..."

Char struggled to free himself. He succeeded, but fell to the ground. Cursing again, he got to his hooves, and looked around.

"Where am I?" He groaned. "Where are the otherzzz? What happened back there?"

Char started looking around the area. He soon found Wizel, face down in the dirt.

"Wizel!" He rushed over and lifted him up. "Wizel, are you-?"

"Ughhh." Wizel groaned.

"You're okay." Char smiled. "For a zzzecond there, I thought-"

"I'm okay, young one." Wizel smiled. "I'm touched you still care."

"Well, you zzztill are one of the hive..." Char admitted.

"Wait... where's Sazh?" Wizel looked around. "Have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't." Char said through gritted teeth.

"I hope he's not too far." Wizel noted. "Or too hurt."

"Whatever." Char snorted. "Thozzze mizzzerable poniezzz. How dare they do that to uzzz. Juzzzt ejecting uzzz from their city like trazzzh. They will pay for that! I zzzwear it..."

"Yes, yes." Wizel rolled his eyes. "But for now, let's focus on finding the others."

The present...

After the hive was gathered back together (including Sazh, to Char's annoyance), they began to rebuild. Char continued to hold a grudge over what had happened in Canterlot, hungering for the chance to make the ponies pay for what they did. When Chrysalis announced that the hive was to attack the Crystal Empire, Char was one of her most adamant supporters. He was determined to make these ponies pay, and he wasn't going to fail his fallen brethren again... but unfortunately, the attack ended the same way Canterlot did... except Char had his entire front half ran though a tree when he landed. That day left him really ticked...

But not as ticked as that day that caused him tremendous outrage: the day when Chrysalis agreed to make peace with Princess Celestia. Char was sickened by that development, and he made sure others knew it too.

Flashback...

Char was ranting at Wizel over the recent peace treaty.

"It's dizzzguzzzting!" He spat. "It's intolerable! It's-"

"The Queen's decision." Wizel declared. "She decided that we may in fact be better off living in harmony with the ponies instead of our two species being enemies. Faust knows how worst off we would be if we continued living the way we did."

"But it goezzz againzzzt everything we believe in!" Char roared. "We are the zzzuperior beingzzz! We zzzhould not be making peace with inferiorzzz!"

"Chrysalis clearly sees otherwise." Wizel declared. "And I agree with her. Acting as enemies has gained us nothing. Only by burying the hatchet can we move on to a better tomorrow."

"Pacifizzztic nonsense." Char spat.

"That 'nonsense' is what the Queen believes." Wizel frowned. "Do you think she is a fool?"

"Well, I..." Char stuttered.

"You said yourself, once upon a time, that a true Changeling must be loyal to both hive and Queen." Wizel recalled. "Now, prove it."

"Whatever." Char spat, turning away. "I zzztill zzzay thizzz izzz a bad idea..."

Not so long later, Char felt his beliefs had been proven, as Red Eclipse and his minion began to victimise their kind.

"What zzzay you now, Wizel?" He sneered, after news of the deaths of two scouts reached them. "Where are our zzz-called pony friendzzz when we need them?"

"Chrysalis agreed to peace, but she does not wish to use our new friends as a crutch." Wizel declared.

"Zzzo zzzhe hazzzn't completely taken leave of her zzzenzzzezzz." Char declared. "A comforting thought..."

"Or not." Wizel frowned. "Without aid, we may not be able to fend off the attacks from this band of twisted ponies."

"I'm guezzzing they didn't get the memo about the peace treaty." Char snorted. "We don't need help anyway. And certainly not from a pony."

"So you say." Wizel declared. "But what about the prophecy?"

"That ridiculouzzz tall tale from your 'incident'?" Char spat. "That is utter twaddle! A pathetic lie created by some pony-loving defect!"

"That's your opinion." Wizel retorted. "I happen to believe the prophecy will come to pass."

"Then you are a fool." Char snorted. "We don't need some legendary dezzzcendant of zzzome pony trickzzzter to protect uzzz. We will zzztop thozzze foolzzz ourzzzelvezzz."

"I hope you're right, young one." Wizel sighed. "I really do..."

The present...

As it turned out, Char was wrong. Sleight's help was what turned the tide against Red Eclipse. Char was revolted to think that a pony had managed to save them all. He was even more so when he heard that Chrysalis intended to make him her King. He attacked Sleight, seeking to stop such a gross perversion of everything the hive stood for, when Sazh suddenly unleashed a burst of magic, knocking him away. The idea that the Changeling he had reviled as a "powerless runt" could have done that to him was equally repugnant. But the worst part was when the others attempted to imprison him. His own kind had sided with the outsider and reject. That was the last straw. He could not bear to stay any longer in a hive that condoned such sickening acts, so he left, never to return.

"Enjoy your new 'King', foolzzz." He spat. "But I'm making myzzzelf zzzcarce. Maybe I can find zzzome real Changelingzzz out there..."

As he continued onward, Char heard some commotion nearby. Instinctively, he changed form, becoming a ram (an ideal form; both innocuous and built to protect itself), and snuck over to the source of the noise.

Char realised he was close to a small pony village He saw a cart operated by two stallions, very alike in appearance, with red and white manes; The Flim-Flam Brothers. The two conponies were promoting their latest product.

"Step right up, folks!" Flim declared, waving a bottle of amber liquid.

"Today only, we have a one-of-a-kind wonder product you can't live without!" Flam added.

A small crowd of ponies gathered around.

"That's right, fillies and gentlecolts!" Flim smirked. "This special tonic will fill you up with energy! You'll be able to do the work of ten!"

The crowd gasped in wonder.

"Made from only the finest ingredients, our wonder tonic will keep you strong and healthy, guaranteed!" Flam declared. He unscrewed the bottle and took a sip. "Mmm-mmm! Good tasting, and good for you!"

Even from that distance, Char could smell the tonic in the wind. He recognised the odor as a mixture of chalkwood tree sap, orange juice, and pear juice.

'What nonzzzenzzze.' He thought. 'None of that can keep you zzztrong and healthy. At leazzzt, not to the extent they claim...'

The ponies clamoured around the brothers, totally suckered by their phony product.

'Unbelievable.' Char sneered. 'The poniezzz would lie to their own kind, just for thizzz... currency of theirs. And the onezzz who fall for thezzze liezzz truly are gullible foolzzz. What more proof doezzz one need that their kind is debauched and degenerate?'

Char departed the scene with distaste. As soon as he was far enough away from the settlement, he changed back to his regular form.

"I zzzuppozzze I zzzhould get uzzzed to zzzeeing the poniezzz and their backwardzzz wayzzz." He snorted. "But not too often, though..."

As Wizel continued his solitary travels, he saw more examples of the dark side of pony kind. At one point, he witnessed a logging crew cutting down a forest.

'And they had the nerve to call uzzz monzzzterzzz.' He scowled. 'They would tear down treezzz, zzzimply so they can burn the remainzzz to warm their homezzz... which are alzzzo made out of felled treezzz!'

One evening, as he walked down a country road, disguised as an Earth Pony (to his disgust), Char saw a Unicorn mare attacked by a brawny Pegasus stallion.

"Gimme your purse, lady!" The Pegasus snarled.

"No! Stop!" The Unicorn struggled.

"Shaddap!" The Pegasus struck her hard, knocking her to the ground. He removed a Bit bag from out of the purse, then tossed the purse to the ground. "Pleasure doin' business with ya."

The Pegasus departed, leaving the distraught Unicorn mare on the ground.

'How can these ponies have developed so much, when they clearly have no care for each other?' Char sneered. 'Changelings live and work as one. We do not steal from each other, for we have share in our hive's wealth. These ponies and their greed disgust me...'

Things only got worse from there. Though Char strived to stay as far away from the ponies as possible, he quite often found himself in the wrong place at the right time, and witnessed many more atrocities over the years.

He saw greedy land-grabbers forcing other species, like Griffons and Buffalo, out of their homes, ponies hunting endangered animals and locking them in zoos, mothers being abandoned by their husbands, ponies killing each other over minor disputes, and- most vile of all in his eyes- A bunch of redneck ponies ponies slaughtering a small group of juvenile Changelings for fun. Char tried to stop that last atrocity, but he was too outnumbered, barely escaping with his life.

Slowly but surely, those experiences took their toll on Char, and his opinions on ponies dropped ever lower.

'They're a million timezzz worzzze than I ever thought they were.' Char scowled, as he resided in a makeshift lair outside of Trottingham. 'Zzzelfish, zzzelf-abzzzorbed, zzzelf-centred... Zzzleight's character suddenly seems atypical. How could the Queen betray our proud traditionzzz by marrying a member of such a dezzzpicable, vile zzzpeciezzz?'

Char kept on stewing in his hatred and resentment. One day, he saw a pony throw a newspaper into a trash can. He would have paid it no mind, if not for the picture of Chrysalis and Sleight on the front page.

"What izzz thizzz?" He frowned, pulling the paper out of the trash can and examining it. "'King Zzzleight and Queen Chryzzzalizzz to attend royal zzzummit'?" He tore up the paper. "How dare you? How dare you continue to mingle our zzzpeciezzz with theirzzz? I won't zzztand for thizzz any more!"

Char left his ramshackle den, and made a beeline for Canterlot.

'I've had enough of thizzz.' He scowled. 'It'zzz time the hive returnzzz to the old wayzzz, without zzzome vile pony in charge. I will make that happen, no matter who zzztandzzz in my way. You'll zzzee, Wizel. You'll zzzee I wazzz right all along...'

Char continued moving towards Canterlot, a malicious scheme forming in his mind. His hatred had finally pushed him over the edge. He was going to see things go back to the way they were, when the world made sense, no matter what. And woebetide any, pony or Changeling, who stood in his way...

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

6620075 ...Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[HolyCross9]

I'm guess this occurs before the events of "Growing Pains."

[danick]

I imagine char with the voice of Gabriel Belmont

[Razzy]

Well, ponies are dicks, surprised he didn't know it before. They think the world revolves around them and it's their god given right to take anything any other race has.

I'm kinda disappointed the changelings didn't turn to be extremely cruel to any pony they capture.