The New Substitutes

by Chemtest

Path

Chrysalis sits on a tree branch, hidden behind the leaves, watching the limo pull away. She frowns deeply, until she hears the leaves next to her shudder, “Report, Morph.”

The student nods, “Yes, my Queen. Discord is chatting with the one named Timber. Sombra and Tirek are setting up their tent. Celestia is directing the students, and Luna has already fallen asleep in her own tent.”

She nods, “And what of that businessman?”

Morph smiles, “Filthy Rich, my Queen. He is an investor from a nearby town. Quite famous as well. Rumor has it that this camp is in debt to him.”

Chrysalis follows the limo with her eyes, “Parasite. See if you can isolate the one known as Gloriosa. We have business to discuss.”

Morph nods, “Immediately, my Queen.”

He drops down from the tree, and scans the surrounding area for the camp director. He smiles slightly as he spots her, and begins to walk over to her.

He pauses as an arm wraps around him, “Hey there, Morph, how’s it going?”

Morph’s eye twitches as he looks at the hand resting on his shoulder, “Twist, how nice.”

Twist grins, “I try. So, Morph, what say me and you go pick out a tent?”

Morph reaches up, and takes the hand off his shoulder, “What makes you think I would ever tent with you?”

Twist smiles, “Who else is going to tent with you, a girl? Ha, not in a million years, Morph, and not for any time after. Besides, I’m all that’s left. Unless you want to tent with that neckbeard over there. And trust me, you’d choke faster next to him than a soldier in World War One.”

Morph frowns, “I think I would rather die than tent with you.”

Twist smirks, “Why not both at once?” He begins to drag Morph to a nearby tent, “Come on, Morph, you’re being over dramatic.”

Morph shakes his head, “I think I’m being the perfect amount of dramatic. We aren’t friends, Twist.”

Twist nods, “But we used to be.”

Morph narrows his eyes, “The last time we were friends, we could barely speak.”

Twist smiles, “True, but I always think there’s the ability to rekindle stuff. Come on, Morph, is it truly going to kill you to tent with me?”

He nods, “It might.”

Twist frowns, “You’re being obtuse. I’ve already got all of your stuff in the tent.”

Morph wrenches his hand from Twist’s grasp, “You mean you stole my stuff and are now blackmailing me in order to get it back?”

Twist smirks, “Geez, you make it sound so complicated. I set your stuff up in my tent, and now I’m inviting you in.”

Morph sighs, “Fine, I’ll tent with you. But if you don’t mind, I was just about to ask the camp director a question.”

Twist grins, “You mean Gloriosa? She walked into the woods while we were talking.”

Morph’s eyes widen, “She did what?” He looks back, only to find her gone, “Oh no.”

Twist smiles, “Oh yeah. Chrysalis can have her plans, Morph, but I’m offering you plausible deniability. Take it.”

Morph looks back at Twist, “How-“

Twist nods, “I have eyes and ears everywhere, my friend. I’m not about to allow you to assist in what is possibly Thursday the Twenty-Second.”

Morph pushes Twist inside the tent, moving in after him and surrounding the entire tent with a green glow. He glares at Twist, “You dare to imply my Queen might murder someone?”

Twist spins, and sits on his cot, lounging back, “Yep. Wouldn’t be the first time one of her kind has.”

Morph steps forward, “You know nothing about my Queen!”

Twist smirks, “Geez, dude, you’ve been whipped. You know she’s, like, hundreds of years old, right?”

Morph growls, “I- you- don’t you dare!”

Twist shrugs, “I think you’re the one here who doesn’t know anything, Morph. She’s a traitor, one who could destroy life as we know it.”

Morph’s eyes narrow, and he holds a hand behind his back as a knife is summoned into it, “You don’t know anything.”

Twist grins, “Actually, I know quite a lot. Discord told me all about her on the way over. A surprise attack against Equestria, during a wedding of all times, as she disguised herself as the bride. Many years of mistreating her subjects and raiding caravans. I’m making it so you aren’t in trouble when the guillotine is brought down upon her.”

Morph steps closer, “You still don’t know anything.”

Twist shrugs, “Maybe I don’t. But stabbing me isn’t going to help that.”

Morph glares, and lets the knife disappear.

Twist slowly stands up, “Now, how about we go do something fun?”