Lunaverse: Galaxy Rangers - Secret Agent Dinky

by Rixizu

Chapter 11

Secret Agent Dinky
Chapter 11
by Rixizu

“Queen Chrysalis!” Thorax backed away in terror.

“Little traitor, I gave you one simple job, pretend to be a filly for a few weeks. What do you do? You reveal our presence to the ponies and almost ruin our plans!” spit flew from the creature pretending to be Applejack’s mouth. “I knew not eviscerating you the moment after you hatched was a mistake! You’ve always been nothing a disappointment!”

“Hey now!” Dinky said horrified. Dear Luna, how could anyone say such things to her child?

“Please, do anything you want to me!” Thorax bent on his knees. “Just don’t hurt Dinky!”

“You care about this one, do you?” Chrysalis gave Dinky an appraising look. “All the more reason to make her suffer!”

Dinky turned white. What the hay was she to do now? They couldn’t stop Chrysalis by themselves. Dinky’s eyes darted for something that might help her. The only thing near her was the ice cream they were eating.

“Please, um, can’t we talk about this?” Fluttershy said, still stuck to a wall. “If we all sit down and chat, maybe we can work out our differences!”

“Shut up!” Applejack spat green goo into Fluttershy’s face to prevent her from talking.

Dinky realized this was her chance. She grabbed her bowl of ice cream and hurled into Applejack’s face as she turned back to them. The queen whinnied in surprise.

“Quick, run!” Dinky grabbed Thorax by the hoof.

“What, but!” Thorax replied in protest. The thought of going against his queen terrified him to the core.

“Little brat!” Chrysalis rubbed the ice cream from her eye. “You’ll pay for this!”

“Run, now!” Dinky said tugging at her friend’s hoof harder. He got the message, and they darted out the front door that Applejack had left open.

“You’re not getting away!” In a flash,Chrysalis changed revealing her true form. She looked like a twisted version of an alicorn, all black with green stringy hair and a bent horn. Unlike Celestia or Luna, she had no kindness in her eyes, only cruelty and arrogant superiority. Her horn lit up and Dinky found herself stuck unable to move. She tried to twist and turn out of it pushing with everything she had but it was no use, like trying to get out of solid concrete.

“Get away!” She pleaded to Thorax. She was unable to do anything, but she could at least stop Chrysalis from hurting her friend.

“Dinky!” Thorax looked at her, terrified beyond words.

“Stay right there,” Chrysalis demanded, “I’ll deal with you in due time, little traitor. Don’t bother trying to escape. You are powerless to defy me!”

“No, don’t listen to her,” Dinky’s voice was oddly calm, “you’re free. You don’t have to do what she says any longer.”

Thorax looked conflicted not sure if he should fight or run. He didn’t want to abandon her.

Dinky winced in pain as the queen tightened her telekinetic grab. “No more out of you. If you try to escape, I’ll hurt your little friend. I can be very imaginative.” She used the word “friend” in a mocking tone.

“O-okay.” Thorax shrank defeated. Tears gathered at Dinky’s eyes. No, this wasn’t meant to happen! They were meant to save the day and everypony would be happy.

“Good.” Chrysalis chuckled pleased with herself. “Tell me, what were you up to?”

“Raindrops flew off to Cloudsdale so the pegasi could rain a cure down on everypony,” Thorax said, each word causing him visible pain.

“Ha! And I bet there’s no way you can stop her before it’s too late!” Dinky said gaining some bravado back.

Chrysalis cursed and paced. “This is worse than I thought. How did you get a cure?! It should have been impossible with your pathetic pony magic!”

“We know a very smart zebra!” Dinky said, a little smug.

“Insolent brat!” The queen threw her against a wall, Dinky reeled from the pain. Making a hacking sound she vomited a stream of green gunk over Dinky trapping her in the same way as Fluttershy. Any attempt to wiggle out of it proved impossible. Thorax rushed to her aid, but Chrysalis stuck him to the wall as well.

“I must get to Cloudsdale right away,” Chrysalis said, “if any of those pathetic ponies get free, my glorious plan is ruined. Even the pegasi ponies banding together would be disastrous! Cornicle! Amygdala!”

Two undisguised changelings walked into Fluttershy’s house. One spoke in a growling scary voice. “Yes, my queen?”

“Cornicle, watch these two.” Chrysalis gave her captives a cruel smile that made Dinky’s blood turn cold. “I don’t have time to deal with you but don’t worry; the cruel and unusual torment will come soon enough!”

“Yes, my queen!” Cornicle replied with a salute.

“Amygdala, I want you to call my elite guard,” Chrysalis said, “we’re going to Cloudsdale after a rogue Ranger and one of those damn ponies is hard enough to deal with as it is.”

“Yes, my queen!” Amygdala replied.

“But what about the spiderpony?” Cornicle asked anxiously.

“What about her?” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t matter! She’s only a distraction! If that Ranger gets to Cloudsdale, we lose everything! I can deal with the spiderpony later. Keep her busy and guard over the ponies. Oh and watch out for any zebras.”

“Yes, my queen!” Amygdala glared at Cornicle for daring to question his queen and he shrunk, cowed by the rebuke. Chrysalis departed, leaving the three of them with the lone changeling guard.

Dinky struggled against her bonds. She knew that she couldn’t do anything to help Raindrops, but at least she could help Zecora. Besides, this was the perfect opportunity to locate the other Rangers. She imagined Chrysalis’s face when she returned, only to find five other Rangers to greet her. Struggle as she might, it was impossible to get out of the icky green substance. It didn’t smell much better either.

“Thorax, uh, any hints on getting free from this stuff?” Dinky asked.

“You can’t. It can only be broken up with changeling magic, and I doubt this guy let me do that on his watch.” Thorax replied downcast.

“Quiet you!” Cornicle said. “No more of your traitorous words, traitor! You’ve betrayed us enough, traitor! You’re lucky that our glorious queen has let you live your traitorous life live this bit longer. I would enjoy it while you can, traitor.”

Okay, we get it, he’s a traitor jeez. A thought struck her. “Our glorious leader?” Dinky asked incredulously. “She’s a total jerk!”

Cornicle stiffed. “You ponies wouldn’t understand the loving nature of our queen. She takes care of us.”

Bitterness filled Thorax’s voice. “And a lot of good that does. Because of her, we’re starving almost all the time.”

“Well, that’s about to change, traitor,” Cornicle said with a smug look, “soon, all of Equestria will be ours and we’ll never starve again.”

“Yeah, only scraps,” Thorax replied.

Cornicle gave Thorax a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Thorax looked away.

Cornicle truly looked at Thorax for the first time and what he saw startled him. Dinky too could see the difference. Her friend took so much healthier and fuller despite his injuries and the stresses of the last few days. There was something thin and skeletal about their changeling guard like he hadn’t eaten for days. Dinky felt sorry for Cornicle.

“How did you get so full?” Cornicle asked.

“I gave it to him,” Dinky said catching on to her friend’s point, “he’s been feeding on my friendship. I can give it to you too.”

Despite technically being her enemy, she couldn’t hate their guard. No, she disliked none of the other changelings. They were only trying to survive. Dinky could see that now. The only one she despised was their queen who was a nasty piece of work. She didn’t know if this would work, but she sent vague feelings of caring and warmth towards Cornicle. Much to her surprise, it had a visible effect.

Cornicle stood there with her eyes closed as if he was basking in the sun. Already he looked healthier and more alive. Their guard stared at her in wide-eyed amazement. “That was the tastiest love I’ve ever had,” Cornicle said, almost breathless.

“Love freely given is so much better than love stolen.” Dinky had no clue if this was true and it was only a blind guess on her part. Much to her relief, Cornicle was nodding.

“I see what you mean,” Cornicle said, “who knew ponies had this much love in them and you’ve only known me for a few minutes!”

Okay, now to risk everything.

“You don’t have to steal love, or invade Equestria,” Dinky said. “You could become friends with us and there would be no need for this prey and predator nonsense.”

Cornicle looked like he wanted to argue, but Dinky gave him more friendship. She had plenty to go around.

“We don’t have to serve Queen Chrysalis,” Thorax said, “she’s been nothing but mean and cruel to us our entire lives! Left us almost starving!”

“Shut up, traitor!” Cornicle shouted, but Dinky could tell that Cornicle’s heart wasn’t in it and he was considering her words.

She didn’t know if this would work in reality. Ponies might not want to give them their love at all, but it was worth a try. Her mother had always said that you didn’t know who might become a friend if you didn’t at least talk to them. Besides, it was better to at least attempt to a forge a peace between the two than cynically say it was impossible and not even try.

Cornicle’s face twisted in indecision and Dinky didn’t try to push the issue. She waited for him to come up with his own answer. If he wanted to forge this alliance, then he had to decide by himself.

“Wait here.” Cornicle walked out the door leaving them alone.

“Uh, now what?” Thorax asked.

Had they failed and Cornicle was reporting them to the other changelings? A few minutes passed and Cornicle returned with a confused changeling.

“Feed her too,” Cornicle said to Dinky. “I want to see if you can do it to other changelings.”

“What’s going on?” The other changeling said only to freeze as Dinky sent her friendship and she too basked in Dinky’s warm emotions.

Cornicle smirked. “I think this might work.”

---

“We can’t go against the queen!” One changeling said.

“But if we do, free love!” Another replied.

“The queen’s a jerk.” Yet another said breaking out into tears. “She’s never really been there for me. How can a grub grow up without the emotion support they need?”

“Come on, we’ve been living in the wilderness for like forever!” A changeling crossed her legs. “What if Princess Luna can give us a better life?”

“These are stupid and treasonous words! It will not work!” snarled one changeling before shrinking back as the rest of the room turned towards him.

They snuck glances at Dinky who waved at them as she sipped at her malt. After getting down from Fluttershy’s wall, she suggested they hold a pizza party at Sugarcube Corner while they discussed the issue. It worked better than expected and every changeling in Ponyville came. Pinkie, of course, hosted the event. She had a secret cache at the ready in case she needed an impromptu pizza party. It only took half an hour to get the festivities ready. It took a little prompting for the changeling to attend the party. They assumed it was a trap. It was one, a trap of friendship! It turned out that changelings really like pizza. Thorax, Zecora, and Fluttershy, and Banana Peel sat next to her enjoying their own slices of pizza. Thankfully, Banana Peel was in her pony disguise and the changelings assumed she was only another pony.

“This was a great idea Dinky!” Thorax said after diving into another piece of dandelion pizza. “You ponies sure have great food.” Dinky winced. It reminded her how little the changelings had. They usual fed off of mushrooms and moss when they weren’t eating love. What a way to live.

She watched as some other changelings enjoyed the youth center part of Sugarcube Corner. She laughed as a changeling messed up a dive and belly flopped into the pool. She preferred this to fighting and running for her life. She petted Philip as he jumped up next her and laughed as he gave her a few doggie kisses.

“Truly, a marvelous sight,” Zecora said, “when enemies can sit down and talk instead of fight.”

“Oh yes.” Fluttershy nodded. “They’re rather cute once you get to know them.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Banana Peel picked at her pizza bummed about not getting to eat any changelings. Sadly, they didn't have any toppings that suited her fancy.

After an hour, the party died down, and they were ready to discuss serious matters. Cornicle acted as the spokeschangeling for the group that wanted to join Dinky. It was bigger than Dinky had expected. Unfortunately, not every changeling agreed and another sizable group of changelings wanted to stay with their queen led by a changeling called Scapula.

“You can’t be serious.” Scapula said in a hissing voice. “Our first duty is to Queen Chrysalis. She is our mother and protector. She gives us hardships to keep us strong! These ponies will only make us weak with their friendship and ice cream.” The changelings with him nodded their agreement and glared daggers at the dissenters.

“We have nothing!” Cornicle replied. “We’ve lived in squalor for too long! Look around you. Can any of us go back to living in caves after this?

“Yeah!” A changeling said. “They have pizza!”

“And they have carpets!” Another changeling added. This statement made some Scapula’s side falter. One even moved to Cornicle’s side right away.

“Those are traitorous words.” Scapula spat out. “Turn against our wondrous queen and you doom the changeling race.”

The two groups bickered for another ten minutes. Dinky spent that time trying to figure out the best way to resolve this. She couldn’t fault the changelings that wanted to stay loyal to their mother and queen despite how wicked her might be.

“Oh my.” Fluttershy’s ears dropped. “At this rate, they might fight forever!”

Dinky had to agree. Neither side wanted to budge from their position. Moving them from there would be insurmountable. She didn’t want to cause a fracture in the changeling race. She needed to find common ground between the two groups. That was the only way to solve this.

“So, um. Do you have to live in a cave and be half-starved to be strong?” Dinky asked.

Scapula straightened proud and confident. “Hard life makes a strong changeling. It is our way, pony.”

“Yeah, says you!” One of Cornicle’s group said and Scapula glared daggers at her.

“Well, I suppose we could help with that.” Dinky pointed to the exercise equipment. “The Equestrian army has a great training plan!”

Much to Dinky’s surprise, Scapula considered her words, examining the weights with much interest. He lifted one and nodded in satisfaction. He smirked.

“These are nice, so we will take them for ourselves.” Scapula said. “It is the Changeling way. You ponies build, we take. All the more reason to make you ponies our slaves!You misunderstand, little pony.” Scapula continued. “I’m not like those weak fools over there. You won’t tempt me so easily. You’re right that our kind has been living in squalor for too long. I say we shouldn’t stay in the shadows taking and eating like pathetic parasites anymore. No, we changelings should be conquerors which is our right. Don’t be tempted so by these ponies with their pretty little gifts. If we want something, I say we take it!”

Many of the changelings cheered and Dinky realized to her horror that Scapula’s words touched many of the changelings in the room. Scapula was a leader and had to power to sway others to his will. She had to do something.

“If you do that, ponies will fight back!” Dinky replied. “It will create a bloody conflict that will cause countless deaths!”

Scapula stood taller and prouder. “All the better! It makes the prize even more worth it. War brings strength!”

“War brings only death!” Dinky glared at the larger changeling. She wouldn’t let his size or muscles make her back down. She’d read about Equestrian wars and even gone to the war museums. It left a strong impression on her young mind. To her, war only created pain and suffering and to celebrate it was pure foalishness.

“How many changeling and ponies have to die for his great conquest of yours!” Dinky glared at Scapula right in the eyes.

“For glory, no cost is too great!” Scapula replied. “Besides, we’ve almost won, anyway.”

“Gah!” Dinky couldn’t believe this. This muscle head would ruin everything! “You have won nothing yet! We ponies will never give up. We will fight you to our last breath!”

Scapula gave her a skeptical look. “Really?”

“Yeah, really!” Dinky replied annoyed. “Ponies never give up!”

“Ponies are small and weak.” Scapula let out a derisive snort. “You can’t win.”

“Yeah, we can!” Dinky said.

“No, you can’t.”

“Yes, we can!”

“No, you can’t.”

“Yes, we can!” Dinky had enough of this stupid changeling’s posturing. “I bet even I could totally beat you in a fight if I wanted to! So there!”

Scapula considered this and brightened. “Ah, perfect! That will solve everything.”

“Er, what now?” Dinky asked.

“I accept your challenge.” Scapula slammed a hoof against his chest. “Beat me in a fight to the death and my side will happily join yours.”

“What?! What?!” Dinky cried out in alarm.

Comments

[RainbowDoubleDash]

I need to get out of the habit of dropping fun remarks in the Google Docs, as it leaves me without much to say in the comments.

Oh, here's something.

“Ponies are small and weak.”

I mean, I'll grant that he's talking to Dinky, but isn't the average changeling about the same size as the average pony? Pharynx was the same size as Starlight and Trixie, anyway...then again he's probably just trying to nettle her.

[Talon and Thorn]

9646728

I think it's suggested that Scapula is a larger than average changeling and fairly muscular so from his perspective ponies are small are weak, but them so are most Changelings as well but he's probably not keen to point that out right now.