Fall of Equestria: two worlds collide

by Gray Kirin

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06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen.
Time 07: 00

It was pleasant in the forest in autumn. A light coolness, filled with the smells of earth, falling leaves and mushrooms. The rustle and whistle of the wind in the branches, swaying under his touch and gusts. The soft rustle of bright orange, yellow, and red leaves swirling in the air, slowly covering the ground with a dense carpet.

A strange distortion of the air appeared over an unremarkable clearing, as if over asphalt on a hot day. The haze trembled a little and left behind a radically black space boat.

Lyra came down from the ramp in hiking gear and a human in a deceptively light armored suit.

The Major strapped the folded beam smg onto magnets under the armor pack. Now no one from Equestria would recognize this as a weapon.
"Well, fillady Heartstrings, it's time to go. We don't have long to go, about three kilometers. I hope you remember what you need to do?”
“Yes, Yura, do not doubt... Oh, it's a pity now you will pull the "skin" of caribou again. You're such quite cute in my opinion,”
“What can I do, Lyra...”

The soldier, lean even in armor, was enveloped in a haze on the move, just like the boat. But human did not disappear into thin air, but took the form of a caribou two meters tall and with a turn of the shoulders not at every door. Only the voice remained the same, soft and insinuating.
“It's necessary. Although I am flattered by your assessment, but I probably earned the lion's share of sympathy by my own deeds?”

Lyra giggled as she followed. It was good that the disguise was now only visual, the Major did not imitate the mental background of caribou.. And there was no pressure on the brain and soul that came from real caribou.

Equa was worried about something else entirely now.

The loss of the horn was felt more acutely than ever. Now, in freedom, it turned her thoughts every second and made her want to grind teeth with anger or hide in a corner, mourn the loss. But Lyra somehow held on.

Like a tocsin, the thoughts that she and the human were now on their way to the changeling hive buzzed. A place, that every sapient, who has self-preservation, has always bypassed by the long road. But after the occupation, the rumors about the Hive became even more terrible.

But humans seemed to be either completely devoid of fear, or somehow knew that not everything was as bad as rumors say. Or all at once.

Smirnov carefully probed and listened to the surroundings. The magic of changelings and their characteristic mental background became more and more distinct and tangible.

These emanations enveloped everything in a smooth veil, like a mental fog. In which it became almost impossible to detect border guards by their auras. Only very long training sessions and auxiliary armor systems allowed them to detect the squad moving towards them.

Hive guards surrounded them silently and deftly. But they did not hurry to show themselves, studying the newcomers. And the soldier felt that the changelings were slightly puzzled by the situation.

So that the caribou, who are not liked here and express dislike with magic and poisoned arrows, will go directly to the hive himself? And to have a thick-horned equa walking next to him, without a collar, in clothes, and even with a short blade on her belt?

The situation is strange and requires understanding it. That was the calculation.

Finally, one of guards dropped the masking spell and appeared a few meters in front of the mint equa and a strange caribou, in place of which there was just an empty place in the mental background.

The changeling in dark green armor drew his saber from its scabbard, but kept it lowered for now.
“You have entered the lands of the Hive. Halt and identify yourself,”

Lyra hid behind the “caribou”, not even thinking to reach for the blade.
“Changelings. Sisters, save us...”
“Calmly, please. Hello, Commander. My name is Yuri Smirnov. My beautiful companion-Lyra Heartstrings,”

It was impossible to tell from the changeling's blue eyes where he was looking. But apparently he was studying Lyra. He looked at crippled unicorn, listened to her mental background. And he felt that the equa was not frightened by the proximity of the caribou, to whose shoulder she was naturally huddled.

And then he turned to Smirnov.
"That's not a caribou's name. And you're not a caribou,”

The lips of the "skin" stretched into a smile.
"We're all different, Commander. There are all sorts of caribou in the world,

The patrol Chief remained impenetrable. He just swung his saber a little. It was as if the changeling was debating whether to lead a strange "caribou" into the hive or kill it right there. But then he waved his hand.
“You come with us to the hive. And don't think about running - I have excellent archers.”

"Yuri" reassuringly hugged Lyra. At this moment, a wave of peace and encouragement for equa spread from the previously empty in the mental background “caribou”, which the changelings could not help but feel.

Not only the commander, but the entire patrol was now convinced that it was not a caribou. And that it is better for the queen herself to deal with such a "miracle".

Which was only to the advantage of the human.

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
The time is 10: 02
Equestria.

The mobile infantry squad practiced actions on the ground. The rocky plateau provided a lot of opportunities for ambushes, traps and deceptive maneuvers, and the soldiers practiced either an assault and defense, or the pursuit of a single person or a group.

At one point, a signal came from the command post and the sergeant stopped the game, exactly at the moment when half of the squad "storming" the position was close to finishing the work.

“Spire-4 to the Bezzabotny. Five kilometers away from you, ships detected the opening of portal and the exit from it of about a hundred infantry units. Judging by the nature of the luminosity, this is a caribou. Inspect and report,”

“Bezzabotny to Spire-4, received you. So, troops! Games and fun are over, we are moving five kilometers to the south. Let's see what caribou forgot here,”

Infantrymen, abruptly becoming serious and plunged into a combat trance, stretched out in a chain and ran. Active camouflage systems of their armored suits were not as advanced as those of special forces soldiers, but they made detection very difficult. And it was simply impossible to notice them on the slope, overgrown with a sparse forest.

Soldiers reached the ridge, behind which ships detected someone’s presence, and lay down, not reaching a few meters to the edge. On sergeant’s command two riflemen crawl close to the ridge and carefully dragged fiber cameras on the ground.

The sergeant brought picture directly to the helmet screen. After a fraction of a second for the assessment, a call raced through the waves of the ether, already in the psychorange.

"Bezzabotny to Spire-4. We see caribou squad at your coordinates. Civilian prisoners were spotted. Awaiting orders."

Spire-4 was silent for a short time. There was a chill in the psycholink and the duty officer got in touch.

"How many prisoners do you see? Who is it?"

Bezzabotny reported that about a ten prisoners could be seen, all of them is equas. He can't say more precisely because of the orgy that the caribou staged.

The attendant said, that the boat would be there in ten minutes, and in four a fighter would come up to add a light if necessary. The squad is ordered to ensure the meeting of transport and the evacuation of prisoners. Caribou must be eleminated, as many as possible.

The sergeant loaded his underbarrel grenade launcher and reconnected to fiber cameras, assessing the situation beyond the ridge in more detail. Edgar Kingsley, his second-in-command, snorted.
"It will not even be a wipe, but an act of mercy. It's hard to live for such dumb retards. Orgy during the combat task, who could have even thought of such a thing?"

A plan of attack was quickly created. Who and where to hit, when and how to insure each other, how to cover equas until the boat approaches.

Bezzabotny lay down on the ridge, aimed a caribou in a fancy necklace of crystals, bones and other debris, enthusiastically using in aproud solitude a white equa-thestral. Most likely, a shaman, a dangerous bastard, that needs to be killed out first

The sergeant mentally grinned when, a fraction of a second later fighters confirmed capturing of targets, and the sniper reported that he was holding a second shaman.
"Good night, suckers. Squad, fire!"

Razers glared at caribou, who were standing three hundred meters away with their backs to the crest of the hill and were completely absorbed in the "fun" that was happening. They will never wait for their turn, a hole in the head calms very well.

After a short wave of bursts, humans raise from the ground and sent a single psychostrike towards the aliens. The suits amplifiers almost howled, pumping wave with additional energy. Not for long, but this wave caused the nearest caribou to freeze like salt pillars. Just to get their portions of X-rays and plasma.

At the same time, a plasma gun roared to the side on the ridge. Superheated ionized death struck caribou, who for some reason decided not to participate in the orgy, but to relax on the sidelines. Their rest will now last for a long time.

The sniper worked quickly and accurately, shooting everyone who somehow stood out from the motley gang and could pass for a leader. Josef Schwartz hit accurately and mercilessly, snapping caribou one by one.

Suddenly, a bluish light shone on the slope and the caribou vacationers, who survived the first bursts of the plasma gun, were covered by the translucent dome of the shield held by the third shaman. Having got rid of his vestments for the time of parking, he did not stand out in anything to interest the sniper, his psychobackground was shaded by two colleagues who were nearby. And for a rest, he settled down behind a boulder, which saved him from the first bursts.

Four soldiers and Bezzabotny, fixing bayonets, jumped on engines close to caribou who did not have time to orient themselves and sometimes to just pull out. The other four infantrymen also moved a little to the side, crushing deers that were huddled under the cover of their magician with fire.

This forced the shaman to go on the defensive and not think about attacking spells. The caribou, beads of sweat crawling down his temples, clutched his staff to his white knuckles, holding the fire of the plasma gunner and four shooters. And the area of the protective field was decreasing along with how his strength was running out.
The sniper, reaching out to the protective spell, and combining the sensations with what the sensors of the suit showed, passed it to the psycholink.
"I evaluated the shield. I can break throu and kill the shaman."
"While they are sitting, do not shoot. If they will run towards us or away from us- get out of the bastard."

Josef lowered the power of his rifle and joined the disturbing fire. But even on a half-charge, X-ray sniper rifle leave on the shield scorch marks, fading in few seconds.

Under the cover of their comrades, Bezzabotny and four soldiers landed nearby to the interrupted orgy. It is difficult to caribou, to maintain the mood when a plasma gun roars nearby and relatives fall dead, have killed under the beam.

When infantrymen came within striking distance, a quick and bloody melee boiled up on the slope. Caribou were extremely unpleasantly surprised by how quickly and deftly can move humans in their armored suits. Some barely had time to pull away from the equa or reach for a weapon, as they fell under the stab of a bayonet, punch of gun’s butt, armored boot or fist.

Humans did not stand on ceremony, did not slow down. Literally five caribou out of all those who "played" with equas were able to meet them normally. Only these five managed to pull away from the fillies, grab a sword, an axe or a hammer, and try to oppose something.

It turned out that the caribou frankly sucks. One was killed by the sergeant with a hit to the temple, without even letting him raise his axe. The second one got fingers in his eyes from Kingsley and collapsed with the bridge of his nose torn out. Simonov redirected the third’s caribou axe to the ground and twisted his neck. The fourth deer tried to move away to use magic, and "lucky" exposed himself to a shot at point-blank range from a plasma carbine. The sword of the fifth bounced off Volkov's protective field with a clang, and the caribou have hit in the chest with the butt of beamrifle, pushing through the ribs and stopping his heart.

Bezzabotny, realizing that the plasma gunner and the four covering ones would not be able to hold the caribou forever, who were collecting protective amulets from the bodies of fallen brothers and preparing to turn a more powerful synchronized shield. Sergeant barked to the equas, waving his hand towards the crest of the hill.

"Run! Over the hill, we'll cover you! Don't stand, move, move!”

The sergeant's roar, amplified by the suit's speakers, had an invigorating effect on equas, even beyond necessary. Even soldiers perceived it first with their spinal cord, and then with their head, and the frightened fillies did not even realize that they were rushing towards the crest of the hill.

After that, Shepovalov and Samukhin jumped next to fleeing ones. On the fly they discharged plasma carbines into the shaman's shield and reloaded.

Equas, from the sight of the infantrymen landing nearby, fell almost into a stupor. Soldiers in armored suits, for fillies unaccustomed to such a neighborhood, seemed like some kind of killer golems. First, they have slayed a hundred caribou, and now have come to their souls and ears. And there was too much driven-in fear, which made maresntense and shrink from the sight of the massive figures next them. For once, Shepovalov turned on the high-quality transmission on the speakers, so as not to frighten equas even more. Bezzabotny did not bother with this, giving the first command to run in the usual "metallic" tone. The medic couldn't do that.
"Don't stand there! Run on, we'll cover you!"

The white thestral with a delicate lilac mane clung to her white-maned friend, trembling and muttering something unintelligible under her nose. Legs of lilac-maned one gave way, and if not for the help of her companion, the equa, lost from fear, would have simply slid down on the rocks. Samukhin helped them up and dragged them over the crest of the hill, trying to cheer up, by saying that a fighter would come up and burn caribou to charcoal. Now, just a little bit left, some eighty seconds, and caribou will feel all evil-ness of precision engineering.

The infantyman was saying anything, just so that equas would listen to him and move their feet.

Bezzabotny and the squad were left against a scattered, almost defeated detachment of caribou. But the half-hundred was still a danger, at least for the fleeing equas. The sergeant gave the command to shoot so as not to allow caribou to gather and organize. On an open slope, at a distance that was constantly kept by infantrymen covering each other and heavy shooters, caribou had no chance.

But nevertheless, caribou was soaked in something that later went down in the history of soldiers' folklore for a long time, as an outstanding example of idiocy, incompatible with life. The application was not sent to the Darwin committee only because of secrecy.

The shaman, holding the shield, sent a ten caribou to intercept fleeing equas. Providing warriors with some kind of amulet from his own. He could do no more, holding the shield under the disturbing fire with obvious tension.

The selected ten, having removed the protective amulets they from their near fallen brethren, moved forward. Hiding behind a collective shield spell that extinguished single beam and plasma hits, caribou even briefly believed in the success of the chase.

Infantrymen appreciated such an act of suicidal idiocy. The plasma gunner jumped to a new position, and gave a long burst, cutting off caribou from their prey. The protective field was gnawed through by bundles of razer shots and psychostrikes. Incendiary and fragmentation grenades flew across the caribou, set up to delay the explosion in order to pass over the shield and work under it.

The suicide of the hunting group almost succeeded when the sergeant's psycholink pricked, notifying that the fighter had come to the firing distance and was waiting for target indications. The sergeant gave to the pilot a tip about the caribou trapped under the dome, wanting to finish them as soon as possible.

At this time, Shepovalov and Samukhin, having given turns for warning, lay down on the ridge, covering fleeing equas.

The slope flared up simultaneously in two places.

Under the feet of the suicidal ten, already battered, grenades explode, scattering an incendiary mixture and throwing out streams of shrapnel. Everyone who was under the shield died instantly.

Fighter's lasers and plasma bursts splashed with super-solar light, striking caribou, sheltering behind the shield. Cannons, designed to burn through the armor of starships and penetrate their protective fields, did not even notice the shield held by the caribou shaman.

The deer that came under the fighter's fire were scattered like dolls and ground. Few rose, immediately caught under fire from the infantrymen

A few seconds later, the fighter, shrouded in a cone of fog, passed with a thunderous roar at low level and abruptly climbed up, turning around and preparing to attack again. But it was no longer necessary.

Bezzabotny, glancing at the black triangle of the machine floating in the sky, throw into the psycholink.
"Simonov, Mortimer, inspect the place, finish off survivors."

Soldiers jumped on the engines to caribou, who came under fighter’s shot. Among bodies mutilated, scorched, crushed of explosions lay a mortally wounded, but still breathing caribou. Who came here for new conquests, for new loot, for new slaves. And the last thing, he saw in his life, is a plasma carbine in human’s hands

Soldiers, holding the shield over equas, received a signal that everything was clear and no one was threatening their wards anymore. Wanting to calm mares, who were lost and on the verge of panic, the medic opened his helmet and told them the sergeant's words that the last caribou had just finished. And he introduced himself as Comrade Shepovalov, if someone needed to contact him.

Then, without raising his voice, Shepovalov asked if anyone from equas needed help. One violet-colored earth filly in black accessories asked abnormally quietly if there were any painkillers. Looking at the way this equa was walking, the medic was at a loss to guess how she even managed to get here.

The medic slapped a transparent strip of rapid test on her shoulder. When it did not show any reaction, he put the injection and switched to other equas. Someone allowed himself to be examined without fear like a mint unicorn with a pink mane, someone huddled like a carrot-red pegasus with lush white curls, someone simply shrank into a ball, not reacting to external stimuli, up to the collar that was unbuttoned and thrown away, like a lilac-maned thestral. Which continued to shake and ask some Cantata to hold on and not give up.

Looking at her Mark, violin and bow against the background of the full moon, the medic assumed that she was encouraging herself. And with the help of her white-maned friend, who introduced herself as Deep Desire, the man was able to examine the trembling thestral.

In general, equas were in quite acceptable condition. Several abrasions, several bruises of unpleasant origin, one hoof knocked down after running on a rocky slope. For the infantry medic, it was not even a routine, but something that could be done without the participation of the brain at all.

Where to treat with a disinfectant, where to spray an aerobandage and inject nanites, where to stick an express test and inject an anesthetic. Many equas were openly happy about the last. The medic spat and said that after what was done to them on the slope, he would give an anesthetic to everyone.

A shadow slid across the ground and the soft hum of the boat’s engines was heard. The pilot brought machine directly to the slope where equas and Infantrymen were gathered.

Stones crunched under the chassis and the lowered ramp. Four pony medics immediately jumped out on the slope, rushing to the equas. Those, seeing such a thing, were completely lost. First, killer golems, then this. It's not an easy day.

Up close, the ponies produced a calming effect on equas. Especially for those who had previously worn purple collars. Hug a medic who puts a healing compress on your bruises? Easy sas pie. Refuse to detach and be brought into the boat in this state? Nothing complicated.

Equas reached out to the ponies, who exuded warmth and hope. Giving, if not peace of mind, then at least soothing disheveled feelings. When fillies pulled out from under the seats clothes that were urgently cut at the spaceport for the liberated, equas did not argue and did not clench, putting on an underwear and light jumpsuits. Someone had difficulties with magnetic fasteners, even when someone had her tail tangled, but equas was glad oportunity to get dressed.

The thestral, who was still muttering requests to Cantata not to give up, had to be dressed in a jump suit by the unicorn healer and Shepovalov. And also sit in a chair and fasten her seat belts.

When the boat took off, the lilac-mane fell silent, staring blankly in front of her. Even the promises of the medic, that they would immediately go to the restoration operations of the wings and horns upon landing in the Crystal Empire, which noticeably pleased the rest of equas, had no effect on her.

Deep, who was sitting next to her, hugged the white thestral, stroking her mane.
"It's going to be okay, Violin. Everything will be alright,"

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Fallen Equestria
Time 14: 10

The office looked like either the inside of a huge hollow, or a bright cave. All the furniture here seemed to have been grown at the same time as the interior and had smooth outlines that were pleasant to the eye. Along one of the walls of black stone, pierced with veins of all shades of green, aquamarine and blue, a small waterfall ran, cooing fervently in a bowl with water lilies under it.

Smirnov, still wearing his disguise, was sitting opposite the Queen at a massive green chitin table shaped like a lush inflorescence.
It might have seemed careless of Chrysalis to be alone with a stranger like this. But the Major knew perfectly well what the queen was capable of and knew that it was anything but carelessness.

And Chrysalis understood perfectly well that Smirnov understood.
"So, Yuri Smirnov, I want you to take your true form. Don't make excuses, who better than me to see that someone is hiding behind a disguise,"
"Caribou" with a strange name Yuri shrugged his shoulders.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. However, I warn you, my appearance may confuse you at first,"

Hearing this, the Queen only grinned, flashing her impressive fangs.
"How considerate, though. Don't keep me waiting, or I'll take the hassle out of you myself,"

Turning off the camouflage system, the Major grinned under his helmet. Would the Queen try to do this herself...

Chrysalis looked somewhat surprised at the man in light armored suit po sitting in front of her. The emptiness instead of emotions and a mental background, a deaf impenetrable visor caused a very definite association in the queen.
"It's amazing. A golem capable of disguise. Who created you?"

Smirnov first raised his visor, letting the Queen look at him.
"Your Majesty, soldiers are sometimes called golems when someone wants to offend them with their own effectiveness. That's not the best nickname,"

With Chrysalis' eyebrows rising, the Major lifted the helmet and lowered it to his knees. A slight smile touched his lips.
"And we have destroyed all our creators to one. Not wanting to put up with the situation of their slaves,"

Chrysalis leaned back in her chair and gave the Major a long, searching look. Neither from her face, nor from her posture, nor from her mental background, it was impossible to understand that she was experiencing anxiety.

The destruction of their own creators could be bragging and an attempt to intimidate. And it could be true.
"A human, then. I guessed that you are not a myth, there are too many characteristic details in stories about you. Do you really reject slavery so harshly?"
"Exactly so, Your Majesty, not acceptable at all"
"Why did you come to my hive?"
"Your Majesty, my superiors and command think that we have something to offer to each other,"

The Queen chuckled, feeling the conversation gradually return to its usual course. Which can be controlled, guided and played.

The mythical race, the inventors, who, according to the messenger, destroyed their own creators, wanted to trade. How nice it is sometimes to meet the familiar in the unknown and new.
"Wonderful, Yuri, just wonderful. Voice what humen want to offer changelings. And I'll tell you what we can give in return,"
"In the plural - humans, Your Majesty. And first, medical technologies and services, which you will undoubtedly find use for the benefit of the Hive. And the release of all changelings and half-bloods who are now enslaved in the territory controlled by caribou,"
"It sounds nice, but it only seems that you are sharing the skin of an undead maulwurf. There are more than one hundred of my children and many thousands of half-bloods scattered around Equestria. The amount of work is enormous,"

Smirnov barely smiled.
"Humanity has solved even more difficult tasks. I assure you, before the end of the year, everyone who wants to return to the Hive will be here. All others will be free from enslavers,"

The prospects drawn by a human could not but please the Queen. She felt all too well what was happening to her changelings in the occupied country. She remembered too well the reports from the scouts about what was happening with the half-bloods, who, despite everything, she also considered her wards.

And now before her sat a chance for well-being and salvation for all her children and subjects who were languishing in captivity. A fabulous chance, a magical one, who came in the guise of a mythical creature. Offering, as if at the wave of a horn, or the click of armored fingers, to get rid of troubles.

Chrysalis would not have lasted so long on the throne if she did not understand that this simply does not happen for free.
"I take this as a full-fledged promise, Yuri. And now tell me, what does your command want in exchange for the freedom of my children and halflings?"

"So that you can share your knowledge about the magic of emotions and mental techniques. And some of their products. Of course, for an appropriate fee, Your Majesty,"

The Queen smiled quite dazzlingly, showing the envoy satisfaction and willingness to cooperate.
"Then, I think we will agree,"

Leaning on the table, changeling openly examined the humsn sitting in front of her. During the conversation, there was no time for that, because trying to see what is hidden under the mental emptiness and the crust of gray ice required too much attention. The Queen became interested.

And Smirnov decided to finish her off.
"And also, the command is thinking about one combination… In which you can find something very pleasant for yourself personally,"
"I'm all attention. What did the inventors and scientists intend to please Chrysalis itself?"
"You are aware of what Princess Cadence and Shining Armor have done. We don't need them, and were initially planned to get rid of them… But you can use them in other ways, Your Majesty,"

Chrysalis's smile grew wider and more carnivorous, and a green fire flared up in her eyes. The legends about the ingenuity of people turned out to be true.

Let this also be an "undone skin" for now. But the possibility, in addition to freeing everyone for whom she considered herself responsible, to get her hands on the two equins, because of which they suffered, pleased the Queen. Very pleased.

Chrysalis telekinesis lowered a dark bottle and a couple of thin glasses to the table. The changeling's voice became soft and cooing as she poured the blue wine.
"I admit, this "combination" is really pleasant. And I will definitely find a little room for such dear guests,"

Smirnov caught the glass that floated up to him and gently touched the liquid with his finger. The armor obediently released a bundle of the finest fibers that collected information about the composition of the wine. Chrysalis snorted maliciously at the Major's manipulations.
"Are you trying to find poison in it?"
"I'm trying to determine whether it is not in itself a poison for me. We have different biochemistry, Your Majesty,"

Taking his finger out of the glass, Smirnov smiled at the queen. The wine did not contain anything dangerous for humans, neither toxins, nor "mirror" amino acids, nor magical weaves.
"Still, a momentary misunderstanding is better than accidentally slaughter, don't you think?"
"Indeed. And how do you feel about premeditated murders?"
"I approve it as a radical and powerful method of communication between sapient ones. But it is necessary to apply such measures deliberately,"

The Queen took a sip of wine and licked her lips, shooting a forked tongue. Perhaps this evening can become even more interesting. If an ambassador even takes a sip of wine, Chrysalis will be able to push everything in the right direction a little.

In the end, Smirnov himself came to her hive and offered exchange and trade. So soon he will get acquainted with the traditional ways of fixing deals for changelings.