Interviews With Equestrians

by Jmaster49

Subject 92: This Is Bugging Me

As promised, Ms. Yearling did explain the details of the enemy she was after as we made our way through the forest. The little bits and pieces of what I heard somehow managed to shock me, even after all I had been through thus far.

“...hold on a second,” I said as we walked along another path, “You mean to tell me that the portals to the human world have caused problems here too?”

Yearling--er, Ms. Do replied coldly, “Essentially. What it basically amounts to, is the fact that strange monsters have started to appear in the forests thanks to the weird combination of human magic mixed with our own. Twilight has assigned me to take on whatever I find. It’s a win-win since I can still write more books out of it for folks like Dash.”

Ah yes. Her fanbase was still rather large. While I wasn’t as big a fan as Rainbow, I did have the occasional Daring Do book. Though, I preferred the titles in which she approached situations tactically, meticulously. The action-based ones were alright, but nothing gets me more excited than a pony who has to put everything on the line based on just how stealthy they can be, lest they mess everything up.

Anyhow, the fact that she was able to still work while also writing about her experiences was a nice little way for things to keep going as they always have. Who knows? Maybe Cozy and I would be featured in the next issue should things go well?

“Hehe…”

Nah, I wouldn’t make for an interesting storybook character.

Cozy noticed that I was giggling, and gave me a nudge with her tail. “What are you laughing at, old man?”

“Hm?” I cleared my throat, and made something up on the spot. “Oh. I was just laughing at how...weak our enemies have to be to resort to using interdimensional magic to cause a threat. Does anyone else know about this, Ms. Do?”

“Nope. I know keeping secrets from the public isn’t exactly ideal, but it helps keep everyone safe...and also doesn’t spoil the end of my books.”

My hoof met my forehead. Seriously? Monetary gain? Meh, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but I did not endorse that mindset. But I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. It sounded as if Ms. Do truly cared about the safety of her fellow ponies and creatures.

Cozy spoke up. “Oooh...if that’s the case, then I wonder where the next magical portal is,” she said as her wings flapped in excitement.

“Shh.” Daring Do stopped in the middle of the path, and silently flew up into the sky. I watched her, and she appeared to have gazed at something in the distance. After a moment or two, she came back down to see us. “Alright. I’ve got something you both cover my six, and stand by.”

I nodded. “A friend of mine is going to show up fairly soon for backup in case things get bad. Cozy,” I turned my head to the pink pegasus, “you fly up, and watch over me.”

“Roger,” she replied with a nod before she took off.

Things must have been very dicey if they started off like this. But with Cozy having the ability to fly off at the first sign of danger, it put me a bit more at ease. Though, I still wondered just what exactly could cause things to pop off in such a way.

“Psst. Up here,” Ms. Do called out to me, “I can hear movement up ahead. So be careful.”

Exciting! I gave an assured nod, and started to follow. Through the earth, I could feel a sense of uncertainty and dread. A feeling that reminded me of something that I often experienced in my youth. But that was strange. Just what sort of magic could instill this type of fear within me? I needed to stay alert above all else.

Ms. Do was certainly confident. She moved, and slid around the area as if she knew it like the back of her hoof. Most impressive indeed. She came to a stop behind a set of bushes. “Listen…”

My ear flicked, and I took a moment to listen. I heard what sounded like the flapping of insect wings followed by the sloshing around of some wet, sticky material. The extremely dense level of magic that I felt through the ground had it narrowed down to a few possible things in my head.

And I liked none of them.

“...It sounds eerily familiar,” I said, “Is it possible that it’s that...pond?”

The adventurer pegasus looked at me with an inquisitive stare. “You know about it too?”

I paused for a moment, and looked down at the ground. “...Unfortunately, yes I do. It’s another one of those hidden terrors of Equestria that you can’t find in a book. And what’s scary is that it’s a fairly recent one too.”

Ms. Do sighed. “Alright. The fact that you know what we’re dealing with here makes this a bit easier. But at the same time, I don’t want that young mare’s heart broken. If this crap gets rough, you get your flank out of here,” she put a hoof on my chest while she stared me down, “Understand?”

I was in no position to refuse the order. After all, she was the more experienced one. “Of course,” I replied, “I won’t make any foolish choices that’d result in Cozy losing the one pony that cares about her the most.”

“Alright then...follow my lead.”

It was exciting to say the least. Ms. Do flew on ahead and scouted the area like the daring mare she was. But my concerns were more aimed at the magical sensation I could feel. I honestly didn’t hope that I was correct, because it meant that something--or someone--very dangerous was nearby, and we were walking into something that we weren’t prepared for.

And yet, at the same time, this wasn’t a situation that we could simply stand idle about, and sweep under the rug. Something was about to happen, something bad. And part of me wished that Twilight had informed me about this much sooner so that I could look into it. But gah. No time for that. Daring had already made her way through some trees and into another clearing.

She stopped dead in her tracks, and I saw her jaw drop. “...It’s worse than I thought.”

I stopped next to her and laid my eyes on it.

The magical, acidic pond that gave birth to Queen Chrysalis and the Changeling race.

“No way,” I mumbled as I stared at the pit of green, bubbling liquid in the middle of the open field. “Just how...why hasn’t this been...grr! We need to destroy this thing immediately!”

Daring offered a suggestion. “Well, I don’t know if there’s much that we can do on our own. It’d be best if we leave it be and report it to Twilight so that she can purge it with magic.”

Hmph. I absolutely abhorred the idea of leaving something halfway completed, especially to resort to magic. But Daring had a point. As is, there wasn’t much us, or Cozy could do. At best, we could try and plug it up, but even then, we’d have no clue as to what could happen if anything were to drop in.

“Gah...fine. I understand since we have a very limited number of options in this scenario. Now where’s the kid…”

That’s when Cozy flew back down to us. “Guys!” she squealed with a nervous flap of her wings, “Caballeron is here!”

Daring tilted her head. “What? Since when? Where is he?!”

Cozy pointed over to the pit of acid. “While I was in the air, I saw his body limp, and on the ground unconscious not too far from here. I think it has something to do with this lake…”

Limp? Unconscious? But that would me...no, no. How is that possible?! She was currently still a statue! Okay, calm down. Think this through, detective. “This is just a hunch, but it’s entirely possible that the magic that Daring Do had been talking about has somehow created a portal near this lake. We need to find it, and shut it down immediately. Then we can worry about the lake later.” I looked at the pink pegasus, “Cozy, go with Daring Do and collect Caballeron’s body. I’ll stay here, and watch over this pond so nothing crazy happens.”

“Are you gonna be fine doing that?” asked Ms. Do, “You’re gonna be all alone--where’s that friend of yours that you claimed was gonna show up?”

I answered quickly. “Somepony has to watch our backs to make sure nothing crazy occurs from this stuff. Go on. It won’t take much effort to close a portal and recover a body. And he will. He has a habit of...making an entrance when he wants.”

Cozy nodded, and flew up. “Alright. If we hurry, we can be back in time to get you, and we can be out of here as soon as possible.”

Daring Do sighed, and took off with her. “We’ll be back soon.”

And so they were off. Of course, I knew full well what I did when I sent them away. I was doing it to spare them for what I knew was about to rise out of that lake. The entire time, I could feel it through the earth. A massive amount of magic stirring, ready to burst with power and unleash itself upon the land in a fit of rage to take back what they thought was rightfully theirs.

I took a deep breath, and called out to it.

“You’ve got a lot of balls to appear out of the blue. The Changelings are all good with us now. You have no chance of thriving.”

A guttural, feminine voice growled from beneath the surface of the pond. Her voice came up with a demonic sort of echo. “...You have good skills to have sensed me. Too bad it will do you no good since I intend to take Equestria back for myself, and revive my ‘other half.’” The being rose from the lake, a dark blue (evil) changeling that was about the size of a regular pony. Not as big as Chrysalis, but her magic aura was still threatening all the same with rows and rows of shark-like teeth, and soulless, jet black eyes. The long, flowing mane of dull green made her look attractive in the creepiest way possible. “That idiot Starswirl made it too easy by leaving this place open and not telling anypony...hehehe.”

Disgusting.

Comments

[Neo4K]

A guttural, feminine voice growled from beneath the surface of the pond. Her voice came up with a demonic sort of echo. “...You have good skills to have sensed me. Too bad it will do you no good since I intend to take Equestria back for myself, and revive my ‘other half.’” The being rose from the lake, a dark blue (evil) changeling that was about the size of a regular pony. Not as big as Chrysalis, but her magic aura was still threatening all the same with rows and rows of shark-like teeth, and soulless, jet black eyes. The long, flowing mane of dull green made her look attractive in the creepiest way possible. “That idiot Starswirl made it too easy by leaving this place open and not telling anypony...hehehe.”

😟 So that lake gave birth to the changelings? And if that thing isn't Chrysalis, then who or what is it?

[Jmaster49]

10528695
Yup. It's from the comics!

Starswirl never mentioned it to anyone, so now we have a new bug problem. Wait and see!

[GamePlayer64]

The magical, acidic pond that gave birth to Queen Chrysalis and the Changeling race.

Are they gonna to destroy the birth place of Changelings?! What if and I’m saying what if, that pool holds a magical connection to all Changelings and if destroyed, it creates a backlash that would hurt them?

A guttural, feminine voice growled from beneath the surface of the pond. Her voice came up with a demonic sort of echo. “...You have good skills to have sensed me. Too bad it will do you no good since I intend to take Equestria back for myself, and revive my ‘other half.’” The being rose from the lake, a dark blue (evil) changeling that was about the size of a regular pony. Not as big as Chrysalis, but her magic aura was still threatening all the same with rows and rows of shark-like teeth, and soulless, jet black eyes. The long, flowing mane of dull green made her look attractive in the creepiest way possible. “That idiot Starswirl made it too easy by leaving this place open and not telling anypony...hehehe.”

A new hive of Changelings have been born and their gonna get rid of them. Is existing for being the opposite of Harmony a crime? I mean... maybe some enemies in Equestria are necessary since under Twilight’s rule; ponies who help her beat Tirek, Cozy & Chrysalis are going bad.

[Jmaster49]

10528712
Very good questions that will be answered shortly. She hasn't done anything wrong...yet.

[Ciphers]

10523034
i wonder if Twilight can kill off Svengallop easily like that,why don't do the same to Chrysalis,or Tirek?
I mean,they both being a great threat to Equestria,both unredeemed
maybe Twilight want some decoration or tropy for her garden