Behind a Shifting Mask

by Oddling

10 - Shadow Behind the Mask

Silver Skies casually walked along the edge of Ghastly Gorge once again. Though he toyed with the possibility of falling the last time he passed by, skirting the very edge of the cliff, he chose to be more reserved this time around. He stared ahead blankly as he progressed. Before long the mouth of the cave entered his field of view and he spotted the black forms of three changeling nymphs.

The familiar posture of Amethyst greeted Silver as he closed the distance. He came to a stop just a few paces away from her and eyed her with mild curiosity. She simply stared at him for a few moments before she sighed and turned her back to him. “Follow me, Silver Skies. I’ve been tasked with escorting you to the Queen’s chambers,” she said, clearly annoyed.

Silver let a small smile curve his lips and he followed behind her. “Thank you for the escort, Miss Amethyst.”

Amethyst stopped instantly and whirled around on him. She came nose-to-nose with the grey stallion and glared at him while he looked her in the eye calmly. She huffed through her nose and flipped around again. “Don’t act so cushy with me, Silver. I’m not doing this as a kindness to you,” she said firmly and resumed walking into the Hive.

Silver sighed, but the small smile lingered on his face. She’s really fierce… but it’s charming in a way, he thought and followed her.

The rest of the trip was quiet and uneventful, aside from a small group of young Changelings that had tried to ‘spy’ on the unicorn diplomat and his entourage. Though Amethyst did catch and reprimand them, it was a heartwarming experience. Her devotion to the Hive was on full display as she firmly, yet gently explained the seriousness of trying to tail them. In a way, it gave Silver the impression that Amethyst would make a good mother. That thought had been enough to put Silver in a slump, which actually caught the Changelings off guard – feeling disappointment flow off of the usually unreadable diplomat was a little jarring.

Once the young Changelings had been sent away, Amethyst resumed her duty of escorting the Equestrian diplomat to Queen Chrysalis’ chambers. As they progressed, she would sneak the occasional glance at Silver Skies. He looked lost in thought, yet managed to follow them without the slightest error – even when she would purposely change her walking speed. For the easily annoyed nymph, seeing Silver in such a state would have normally driven her to vocalize her opinion on it, but she held her tongue. There was something in his eye that did not sit right with her, and she knew it had to be something important if it was enough to make the unreadable unicorn give off such a melancholic aura.

The group soon arrived in the dome outside of the Queen’s chambers. Silver recognized that they had come to a stop and pulled himself from his thoughts. He looked to the guards outside of Chrysalis’ throne room. “Is Queen Chrysalis ready to see me?” he asked softly.

Amethyst sighed inwardly and went to confront Silver on his unusual emotional state when the doors to the grand chamber opened. She silently watched as Silver’s grey and white form left her side and disappeared into the darkness of her queen’s throne room.

Once inside, Silver calmly found his usual spot and looked up toward the stone seat of Chrysalis’ power. His eyes landed upon the Changeling Queen, and he instantly knew something was off. When he last saw her, they had become rather relaxed in each other’s presence. The lithe form before him held a tension in it, as if the Queen were ready to spring forth at a moment’s notice. Chrysalis’ acid green eyes held Silver in a fierce gaze, one that spoke volumes of how she was ready to engage him if he so much as made the faintest slip.

The low thud of the doors broke the silence of the room as they closed. Chrysalis’ magic flared and many silencing spells layered themselves upon the shut doors. The Changeling Queen narrowed her eyes and bared her fangs slightly as she rose from her throne. “Silver Skies,” she said calmly, “it is good to see you again. How did your efforts fare in Canterlot?”

Silver held his composure, even going so far as to coax his emotions to steadily reset as frequently as possible. He was not about to let himself miss any details of this conversation. There was something amiss, and he aimed to get to the root of it. “All things considered, I managed to accomplish all of my tasks without any trouble,” he replied calmly.

Chrysalis eyed Silver for a few moments as she pondered something. She then proceeded to slowly make her way down toward the grey unicorn. “What news do you have, then? Are the ponies of Equestria’s finest minds diligently working toward the salvation of my Changelings?” she asked while she slowly circled Silver Skies.

Silver, for his part, remained as calm as a pool of water in the deepest depths of a cave – keeping his gaze fixated forward, only letting his other senses keep track of the Changeling Queen. “Unfortunately, it would seem that I misplaced my trust in them. When presented with the description of your race’s dilemma, the board of magical research was at a loss. They simply didn’t understand the nature of your situation, even going as far as to outright deny any possibility to the chances of simply evaluating your curse-”

“So what you mean to say is that Equestria can’t uphold the previously agreed upon conditions?” Chrysalis countered abruptly from behind Silver, her slow and steady pace unfaltering.

Silver held back a sigh, knowing full well that things were entering a delicate state. He quickly went to reply, but Chrysalis was not done yet. “If that were to be the case, you of all ponies should be aware of the consequences. I will not be made a fool – especially not within my own throne room. However… you do have some time to consider your answer to my next question, so do choose your words carefully,” she said and paused for dramatic affect. “What is your true purpose here, Silver Skies?” she asked and came to a stop beside Silver… right in his blind spot.

Silver held his gaze firmly on a single spot in front of him. He could feel Chrysalis’ breath bearing down on his cheek and neck. A faint hum of power filled the air, letting him know that she had primed her magic in case she did not like his response. The diplomat took in a slow, steady breath and calmly opened his mouth. “I’m here to negotiate with you and form a peaceful relationship between our two nations,” he said.

Chrysalis swiftly positioned herself in front of Silver, shoving her face into his direct line of sight – her green eyes ablaze in an intimidating glow of raw power. “That is a lie and we both know it!” she hissed menacingly. “If that were the case, why would Celestia send a unicorn of your caliber here? Do you think I’m a fool? She sent a single pony, a unicorn with your magical power and convenient condition, to talk about peace? It seems to me that you were sent as a spy! You were even keen on learning so much about us!” she declared angrily, her horn aglow in her green magical aura.

Silver Skies inhaled deeply, clearing his mind in an attempt to calmly reply to the upset Changeling Queen when he felt a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach. His eyes widened slightly and his breath hitched in his throat. He clenched his jaw shut and fought against something stirring within him that he had not let out in a very long time.

Having had a front row seat to the odd change in the unicorn’s expression, Chrysalis took the shift in his demeanor as her succeeding in catching Silver off guard by revealing the truth. Her angry glare melted away into a sneer as she stood back up to her full height. “So… you really were sent as a spy. I suppose I should have expected nothing less from you ponies. It’s no surprise that you would be so heartless toward my kind, but to go so far as to pretend to care about our wellbeing – knowing what awaits us – is low. I can’t believe that I even-”

“Shut. UP!” Silver suddenly bellowed, a wave of magical power cascading off of his face. During her little monologue, Chrysalis had failed to notice the building anger emanating off of the now seething unicorn. Silver Skies was angry… very angry. He no longer tried to hold back his volatile magic, his right eye alight in magical purple flame. The grey stallion then stumbled backwards, almost as if he were trying to flee from something drunkenly and he groaned deeply as he shook his head.

Silver looked up again and met Chrysalis’ shocked gaze with his own angry one. “You think I’m some lowly spy? That I feel nothing for your Hive – for you? Did you even pay attention to the words you just blindly spat? Do you have any idea how much time I invested, trying to get those morons to open their conceited little brains, just to have them turn me away because my theories were ‘too outlandish’ for them to consider? I don’t know where you got the notion but I am NOT some petty, lie weaving, backstabbing coward! I care about your Hive’s future! Celestia bucking damn it – I can’t believe you would think-”

Silver’s face contorted in his rage and he staggered, as if something had hit him from the side. He let out a series of dark mutters before he reared back, took in a deep breath, and cracked his hoof against the side of his face. The room filled with the sound of his pained groan as Silver Skies plopped his rump down onto the floor and held his head in his hooves.

Chrysalis could only stare at the previously manic stallion. Though she did not notice it at first, she soon caught sight of odd, dark crystal flakes tinkling to the floor beneath Silver’s face. A very long, awkward silence filled the room as Silver eventually brought his temper under control.

“My deepest apologies, Queen Chrysalis,” said Silver Skies as soon as he felt confident enough to speak calmly and kept his eyes closed and his head bowed. “I haven’t lost control of myself like that in quite some time. You are probably stunned and wondering exactly what… that was. But I must stress this first… I have not, am not, and never will be a spy. I’m a diplomat,” he said and looked up to meet Chrysalis’ gaze with a look of steely determination.

“You shared part of your past with me on our last meeting… I shall return the favor, in kind – if only to clear up this misunderstanding,” Silver said stoically, as his eye drifted off into memory. “When I was young, I was enrolled into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I was an avid learner, which still shows through to this day, and I dabbled in all forms of magic. My favorite magical subjects were Advanced Telekinesis, Transmogrification and Teleportation. I studied harder than any other students, even reaching the top of the entire school… but it was all in vain in the end. One day, during the annual magic fair, I decided to try an improvised spell. My research project on display was one on the theory of advanced telepathy and it’s uses and implications, but what I wanted to wow everyone with was far more intricate. I was going to amaze the audience with a new spell. A spell that would improve the world in ways that I could only imagine! Sadly, I was too young and naïve… I failed to take into account that I was only a young colt and that the required amount of magic to accomplish my goal far exceeded my capacity,” Silver paused in his tale and turned his face to show Chrysalis the right side of his face.

“I tried to combine a teleportation spell with a theoretical time manipulation spell. In a way, you could say I was successful. The reason my mind continuously reverts to a calm state is due to the time manipulation spell that is permanently active. But it’s not only my mind that reverts. My current age, according to my real birth certificate, is one hundred and three. I’ve been a full grown stallion since I awoke after I cast the spell,” he said and sighed to signify he was done speaking.

Chrysalis sat quietly and took in every detail of his tale but something still nagged at her. There was more to his story than he wanted to share, but she was not about to let him end his explanation just yet. “That doesn’t explain that power you just displayed,” she said firmly.

Silver Skies sighed again in defeat and hung his head. “That was something that came as a surprise to me later on,” he began. “Like many colts, even though I had an adult body, I was stuck in a state of denial after the accident. I was positive I could reverse the spell. I retraced my steps, and formulated a counter spell, then proceeded to undo what I had done to myself. Again… my naivety got the better of me. You’ve heard of King Sombra, correct?” he said, turning his attention to the Changeling Queen, who nodded in response.

Silver nodded slowly as well, taking in a breath before continuing. “The spell I created to counter my other spell had a twist involved. It, outside of my knowledge, was a dark magic spell. Ironically, it was almost the same one that the old tyrant used, for it opened up a portal to a realm of unbridled hatred and magic. To my dismay… I unknowingly entered into a pact with a dark god. He bestowed his malice-laced power upon me, knowing that I’d bring destruction to my world. When I was allowed to return home, I came back as a… true embodiment of rage and hate. It was only thanks to Princess Celestia that my dark powers were sealed away, and once they were, my little mishap from before is what kept them sealed. My mind’s constant reverting keeps my emotions in check, which kept my power secured and prevents it from feeding off of my anger… until today,” said Silver and he looked away from Chrysalis.

Chrysalis rose up to her full height once more, only this time she held an air of genuine curiosity. “And what was it about today that made things different?” she asked levelly.

Silver Skies glanced to the Changeling Queen then back to the side. “Are you aware of the natural pheromones you produce?” he asked Chrysalis.

Chrysalis cocked a brow, but stayed silent. Silver huffed softly and looked back to her. “I thought so,” he said and stood up with a groan. “It took me most of the other day to realize it, but your kind release a pheromone. It causes ponies to experience heightened emotions. And, as I just discovered, your own anger caused you to release a lot more than normal. I breathed in a large quantity when you came up to me… which was overwhelming. My minor irritation escalated into a full on raging tangent within seconds. Again, I am truly sorry for that,” silver finished and bowed his head.

Chrysalis went to respond to his apology with a slightly snide remark, but her voice fell short as she watched Silver’s bow continue downward. The stallion’s face collided with the floor roughly, followed by the rest of his body as he collapsed. Without thinking, Chrysalis rushed to him and placed her hoof on his shoulder. “What is wrong? Why did you fall?” she asked, though it was more of a demand.

Silver moaned softly, an act that showed just how out of sorts he still was. He started to pant as he lay on the firm floor of the throne room. “Forgive me… it took a lot of my strength to regain my senses. I think I may have overdone it when I hit myself, as well.”

“That’s enough out of you, then,” Chrysalis said firmly and she lit up her horn. Green magic flowed through her jagged cranial appendage, wafting out and slowly passing over the still form of the pony diplomat.

Silver closed his good eye completely, but his scarred one did not shut all the way. He did what he could to steady his breathing, an attempt to slow his heartbeat. Though it was no easy feat, he was able to maintain a measure of calmness over himself, despite the closeness of the Changeling Queen and her pheromones. Silver was slightly amused, in hindsight, that he could become putty in somepony else’s hooves once he was tired enough; something that helped to ease him into calmness.

The two stayed relatively still, aside from the subtle head movements from Queen Chrysalis as she adjusted her neck to better scan Silver’s body. It soon occurred to the grey stallion that his fatigue was slowly melting away as Chrysalis’ magic flowed over him. How curious, he thought while peeking at her with his good eye. She’s actually spending her own magic in order to mend me body’s condition.

Chrysalis caught the little peek of his eyes, but remained fixated on easing her magic into his body. Though the main reason for her doing it was simply to help him, a thought that seemed to both disgust and satisfy some small part of her, it was not the only thing fueling her efforts. She sought something within him. A small glance into the inner workings of his mind, perhaps? Or maybe she simply wanted to feel his emotions at the source? Whatever the reason, she felt compelled to feel a stronger connection to Silver Skies, if only to gleam a better understanding of his true nature.

After some long minutes had passed, Silver felt well enough to sit upright. He went to rise, but found Chrysalis’ hoof press firmly against him to keep him pinned. The Changeling Queen leaned down, the glow of her horn fading to a light glimmer of green. “Before I allow you up, you have to answer one more question for me,” she said calmly.

Silver nodded his head and locked his red gaze with her green. “Ask what you wish, then.”

Chrysalis relaxed her hold on him, keeping her hoof in contact with his shoulder. “Can I truly trust in you, Silver Skies?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered, not wasting a single precious moment to even think about his answer.

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes critically. “That one word is so easy to say… but I still have my doubts.”

“Then what must I do to prove myself to you?” Silver asked calmly, though there was a slight pleading tone to his voice.

Chrysalis’ expression softened as she thought on his question. Then an idea sparked in her mind and she removed her hoof from Silver’s shoulder. “Enter into a binding contract with me. I have a few of the magical scrolls, ones my Infiltrators had come across when we invaded Canterlot, and they should provide satisfactory for my needs,” she said.

Silver nodded and slowly got to his hooves. He then looked to Chrysalis with firm resolve. “I’ll agree to using one of those scrolls, but I will not permit the usage of my free will, neither will my loyalty to Equestria to be questioned or manipulated. The agreement will bind me to being openly honest with you in any and all diplomatic and political aspects, and I shall see to it that your hive does receive the help it requires – even if I’m the only one providing aid. Do those terms satisfy you, Queen Chrysalis?”

The Changeling Queen mulled over the details for a few moments. She nodded once. “I do believe that your terms would suffice. Follow me and we shall nitpick over the finer details while we compose the deed properly.”

Silver Skies nodded and followed Chrysalis from the room. Once he was sure the situation had finally settled he let out a long, quiet sigh. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he realized that he had just taken a big step forward, despite having the mat yanked out from under him just a short while ago. In a strange way… it felt good to finally tell sompony else about his past, though he did not know exactly what Chrysalis’ opinion on the matter was yet. Still, she was the first one he had told about his past outside of the ponies that had been present all those years back, which now only included Princess Celestia.

Hopefully I can continue to stay on the Queen’s good side from now on, Silver thought as they exited the chamber.

Author's Note:

Kind of makes you wonder how the good General would have reacted if he had really upset Silver.

There we have it folks, the chink in Silver Skies' armor. His own emotions are his weakness, as well as what give him strength. Hope this was a good chapter for you all. I've fallen behind on Chapter 11, but I'm trying to keep the story flowing. Work's been keeping me mentally drained. The next release might be late, but look forward to it.

As always, I hope you enjoyed the read.

Comments

[Razzy]

Welp, that went well.

Good job, Silverpants.