Chapter 75
Amie woke underground, surrounded by terrified faces. She sat up violently, alertness returning instantly. More like the spell itself was an attack, suppressed only by her pregnancy until that moment.
She saw Tailslide first, then Mrs. Sobol, and at least a dozen of the “workers.” Despite their concern, no one got within ten feet of her, watching from well outside her ability to reach out and touch them.
But it was the pony who spoke first. "She's awake!" He reached for her, then stopped short, eyes snapping back to the stone beneath her. Amie followed his gaze, and soon found what frightened so many of her bugs.
The ground around her nest was covered in burning, glowing marks, the same she recognized from her casual study of unicorn magic. As she watched, they faded away, leaving lines scored a few centimeters into the ground. Where the pillows and sleeping bags crossed over, the spell melted right through.
But now the light faded, until it was dimmer than the propane spotlight Mrs. Sobol had brought.
"Impossible. That spell would kill her. No changeling could survive it." That was Kaya of course, watching through Natane as usual. Someone must've called her when the attack began. Not a bad idea, though it clearly hadn't gone anywhere. The queen had done nothing, until the spell ran its course.
Amie didn't feel bloated anymore. She wasn't stretched, swollen with eggs, or even in the post-birth recovery of a human mother. When she stood, her legs felt a little longer, the room a little smaller, but that was all. "She tried," Amie said, shaking out her mane. She smelled every bit as bad as an all-day birth suggested, though. Trapped in a spell, there was nothing her bugs could do for her.
"The princess... tried. Too bad for her, the spell she used wasn't just an assassination. They only wanted to judge the guilty. Turns out I don't qualify."
She stepped out, crossing over the fading spell diagram cut into the rock. As soon as she did, the remaining trapped light went out, without visible effect. Relief passed through the crowd, even her watching workers. Were they reflecting her own feelings back at her, or was this more? There were still campers and staff in there, deep down.
Tailslide embraced her, heedless of all the watching bugs. The depth of his relief went a long way towards restoring her strength, in a way that awful nightmare never could. "Thought it was the end. What the SMILE agent said... She was wrong."
She met his eyes, tears streaming down her face. "She wasn't wrong, Tailslide. Princess Luna... tried to execute me. There was this whole... judgment. Used my own memories. Failure, sorrow, and guilt. It hurt, being reminded of all the worst things that happened to me. But it wasn't the kind of pain that kills someone. Just..." She wiped her tears against his coat. It did little to help—he was just as covered in sweat and grime as she was.
"This does not match with... any of my experience on this matter. All who have been struck by similar spells before have fallen. But if Luna had your True Name, if she could find you with her dagger... I must speak to the Elders. This changes much."
Natane twitched, then her expression turned to confusion. "I am... oh. You've delivered, honored queen. I am happy to see it went well. Perhaps I should... return to the upper levels for the time being."
Amie nodded her permission. "Do that. I think my hunters in training still have questions for you."
The guest bug departed, leaving Amie surrounded by her own swarm. And Tailslide. But if any pony could cross that boundary, it was him.
She wanted time to be alone with him, and finally she had a chance to get it. After satisfying Mrs. Sobol that there were no leftover complications from her delivery, and one long tour through the hive. Rumors of her suffering some crippling illness or even death were already flowing, and she had to stop those before they could fester.
With her renewed health came a new flood of confidence to her bugs. She didn't explain what had really happened—no reason to fill them with fear over unknown enemies who could kill them from afar. Despite all that Amie had suffered in the process, Luna's attempt on her life was probably a good thing. She had denied Amie before, refused to believe what she said. But Amie still remembered her face, saw the despair mixed with certainty.
One of Equestria's diarch's knew about Amie's bugs. The princess had seen her world—seen the humanity of her campers before the Transit cursed them to be parasites. If anything could facilitate diplomacy between Stella Lacus and Equestria, this was it.
It was early morning by the time she was finally out of the mine. She'd rinsed off the worst of the dirt, but still felt disgusting in a way only hot water and caustic soap could cure. There was a place she could go for that, and a pony to go with her.
She resisted the temptation to be a bat again, if only because Tailslide's flying experience was useless on featherless wings. "Explain it again," she asked. "Half the kids can fly, and I can't. It's embarrassing!"
One lesson was hardly enough to learn such a complex skill. But Amie's determination was powerful now. With Tailslide's advice, she got off the ground more than once, fluttering up the freeway towards camp in short spurts. At least she had a wide, clear area to practice on, with plenty of space to correct mistakes.
Tailslide had never entered the camp's borders before. He landed as they approached, moving closer to her on the gravel road. Part of that was exhaustion—the pony had slept even less than she had, and needed it much more. But she felt his fear, even so.
"We watched this place from above... wondered what terrible things you were doing. Saw you kill things. You took animals into your kitchen and ate them. Sure they won't do that to me?"
Amie rolled her eyes. "If you really thought that you would've stayed in Agate. We... we did have to hunt to survive. Rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, badgers, fish, birds..." She trailed off, looking away from him. "It's not what we're made for. It tasted awful, like all the terror and pain was frozen there in the seconds before they died. If I get my way, none of us will ever have to eat that again."
She rested up against him, slowing her pace. "Most campers have already moved into the mine. Now that they know how much Equestria hates us... it's mostly deserted up here. They make trips to carry things down, but that's it. The kids were already living in tents—a roof over their head is an improvement, even if it's made of rock."
The camp itself showed signs of this hasty evacuation. Many tents had blown over, or been dismantled completely, leaving naked wooden platforms where they once stood. Old human clothing, blankets, and other trash littered the gravel road, lost by campers making a hasty retreat.
There were still lights on in the multipurpose building, and the staff offices. Not the counselor’s cabin, which was the important thing. They reached the door, and Amie eased it open, flicking the lights on with her nose.
"Why is it all so... big?" Tailslide lingered in the doorway, sniffing. But for the intervening months since Amie's departure, the staff cabin had changed little. The downstairs was a huge breakroom/living room, where councilors could relax and recover from their difficult childcare responsibilities. Someone had left the TV on, playing through endless reruns of Nate's Stargate DVD collection. At least they didn't have a copy of Alien.
"Doesn't feel big when you look like we did." She gestured at the largest photograph framed on the wall, a huge “all staff” gathering taken at the beginning of the season. They were all smiling then, oblivious of the horrors waiting for them. "Felt pretty cramped in here. Shower's upstairs, come on."
He followed, glancing furtively to either side as they moved. "Aren't you worried..."
"What, that someone's hiding here?" She giggled. "Right. You can't... I can feel them." She tapped her head with one hoof. "There are no other changelings in this building. I'm not sure how long we have. But it has its own hot water, and that's the important thing."
All of Amie's problems weren't gone just because Equestria didn't kill her. But at least for a few hours, she could put them aside, and focus on something a little more familiar.
She stayed with Tailslide while he recovered, resting on one of many abandoned beds. With bugs who could go for days on a brief nap, they just didn't occupy the same position of significance to the campers.
While he rested, Amie could still visit the mine, watching through the eyes of workers as construction continued and supplies flowed inside. Her real fear—that Equestria was only waiting for Luna's spell to begin an all-out attack—didn't come true that day, or the next.
They returned to the mine before evening. Amie spent most of the trip in the air, albeit only gliding. But Tailslide was a good teacher, and she was a determined student. All she really needed was time, and she could rectify that missing skill.
She said her goodbyes to Tailslide the next morning. Amie hardly wanted him to leave—but his plan just made too much sense to ignore.
"The SMILE agent needs to know I'm okay. And if she doesn't know what happened with Princess Luna's spell, I'll tell her that too. It feels like we're so close! Equestria... might not understand you any better than before, but some of its leaders do. That's enough to start!"
"I hope so. Check in on the hunters while you're there, too. Just... be careful with Marcus."
The pegasus spread both wings, lifting off into the parking lot. "Why?"
"Pretty sure he... has a thing for me," she finished lamely. "And he's a changeling, he can sense your feelings for me."
Tailslide shrugged his wings. "Sure. But you should talk to him too. He should know that we're together." He took off, flying low over the road. Just because Amie couldn't see any watching pony patrol in the sky didn't mean there wasn't one. Tailslide would have to fly as carefully as any of her ponies, if he didn't want to end up captured and imprisoned by Commander Path.
Amie had more pressing concerns than one hunter with feelings for her, anyway. Wes's team had definitely reached Canterlot by then, and was probably waiting for her to step in and visit Ivy. Amie had put that off long enough.
So long as everyone still had enough to eat, she didn't have to worry about the camp decomposing into violent rebellion at any second. She had ponies she trusted to guard her quarters, while she strained her powers beyond anything she had used before. It was time to visit Canterlot.
She expected the transition to be difficult, and Amie wasn't disappointed. Even with her body healed and the privacy of her upstairs office, it took her considerable time and effort.
But Amie knew it was possible. If Kaya could reach Natane, then Amie could extend her influence to Canterlot. In the end, her success didn't come from endless focus and concentration, or even magical power expended. But when she reached, she found someone reaching back. Beth wanted to be found in that moment, strong enough for Amie to find her at last.
Beth wasn't in a good position, but boiling over with stress and anxiety. It took more of her will to push her mind through all that. She had to confront those feelings, accept them for herself, and give Beth a chance to rest.
There was no conversation between them—but Beth recognized her presence, and didn't fight her the way many of the bugs she healed had fought. She was used to this by now.
"Amie's going to be furious with us, Beth. Letting Wes leave on his own... we should've gone after him."
She was in a tiny, dirty room, with a single narrow bed off to one side. A naked bulb in the ceiling filled the room with yellow light.
"Beth? We could still catch the express, try to follow him."
Amie changed, leaving the simple pegasus form Beth had used, and retaking one she hadn't used in weeks—Rain Fly, the pony who first made friends with Ivy. "Hello, Rick. Sorry I took so long." She stretched, but the gesture just wasn't as satisfying without wings. "What did you say about my brother?"
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Uh oh. Can Amie contact Wes telepathically?
Rather focus on Luna then Amie right now
Something tells me she is gonna be pissed.
Now that Luna knew about Amie's innocence, Equestria, at least its military and secret service should no longer be too much of a threat. At least I fail to see why Luna would allow them to actively try to eradicate Stella Lacus. Although the process was unpleasant to say the least, surviving Luna's judgment was probably one of Amie's biggest victories to date.
So of course now she had to suffer a more personal setback. It's only fair, I suppose.
you know I keep finding moments like this one that should have ponies think that all is not as it seems like with the door in this chapter how earlier tailside ask.
I really like watching them interact with what for them pretty much alien stuff
Killing animals to eat is an horrendous crime. But murdering individuals for belonging to the wrong specie is fine.
11639525
ya there is a lot of hypocrisy from the ponies especially when it hits that he pretty much dating one so like wtf how are you in a relationship with someone that your sure is going or at least friends slash the same race like by now he should know that things aren't that simply makes me laugh when I remember her calling him brave
I thought Wes would at least wait to see the issues of the camp resolved before he considered leaving. Wonder what convinced him to leave in the middle of things. It'll be important to check on him. He might get some protection from his form since he doesn't look like the typical changeling but that'll be brushed aside as a disguise by the ignorant or the zealous if they ever suspect changeling. Worse, he might be marked as more dangerous because of his rarity.
Other than that, it's a good idea to check in with SMILE. It'll take time for Luna to spread the word, but it can't hurt to spread it a little faster. It runs the risk of encountering Path or his soldiers but there's already a risk he'll send a force to attack the camp. The benefits are very worth the dangers.
Ponies being a bit squeamish about carnivores makes sense, but stories making it a full on moral hangup over other species doing it always annoy me. Griffons are right there, as is most of nature including nearly all pets.
I feel like this Equestria forgot Griffons, Hippogriffs, Dragons, Diamond Dogs, and Abyssinians exists. Or at least the casual royal guards who forgot about their non-herbivorous neighbours.
That Judgement spell is the magic equivalent to the movie's, The Minority Report (2002), dystopian policing.
The princesses got to reform how they think of such spells further since this is dealing with parties whose nature is completely normal but abhorrent to ponies. Which the spell's autonomy is even more prone to misfire and unintended outcomes.
Considering they relied on the Elements of Harmony rather than other alternatives... this is a huge undertaking to convince the masses otherwise.
11639506
that quite naive, there no guarantee that the force guarding the mountain wont attack, it commander might ignore Luna order and go rogue "for the betterment of equestria", believing she been compromised by changeling magic, the Bias against changeling is that strong, and Luna authority is quite weak because of her being nightmare moon and only just returned to equestria, in this scenario by the time she stepped in a lot of damage could be done.
while there hope, it better to not let Amie' guard down, until there official promise of no hostilities
Oh bother, more things getting in the way of what's been planned. Now Amie's going to have to choose between checking up with Ivy or following her brother.
Also, and this might contradict things that may have been explicitly stated, but I kinda got the idea into my head that Stella Lacus and Agate lay somewhere to the North of Canterlot. But if Canterlot sits between Agate and the Crystal Empire, that obviously can't be. Was it ever stated where this story takes place in relation to everything else?
Speaking of hervibore fears, I could have easily imagined the dream knife being designed in such a way that any carnivores would be found guilty just by existing. It is a spell made by a herbivore, after all, and I would imagine the values of the creator would influence the behaviour of the spell. It's a stroke of luck that that isn't the case here.
Edit: And exactly how many hives have they genocided with this spell? Apparently it's been used a couple of times. I'm also confused how the timeline here works out. I thought Luna was unfamiliar with changelings until after she returned from her banishment. Was someone else originally responsible for it?
11639569
Then that is treason (insert Palpatine jokes here). Even if Luna didn’t have Celestia’s authority she was still the co-ruler and most likely had Celestia’s full support on the matter. Disobeying her orders should not be thinkable should Equestria military and secret service still had a working chain of command. I don’t remember if Equestria had telegraphs or something similar but Luna’s orders should arrive within days even if it had to be delivered by train or pegasi, after which any active provocation from Equestria’s side should be utterly unreasonable. I’m not saying Starscribe would never pull out this kind of trope just to make the story more exciting, but unless they could provide a very convincing reason, it’s gonna be another dreamblade for me.
Oh Wes, of all the times, he choose now to leave. Wonder if it's something about the vision, or maybe he felt like he couldn't postpone it for longer.
This setback aside, Amie is in a good position for surviving Luna's dream attack.
11639589
true it would be treason but in Commander Path mind it patriotism, maybe he alone see the order to stand down, and lies says it a order to attack, no one in his command would question it,secret service would inform Luna but by the time they get orders to stop him, blood would be spilled
11639569
11639589
Going by what we have seen of him, I think he will attack. He seems to be the sort that has to be right no matter what. He'll try to come up with any logic to convince himself that whatever evidence that proves him wrong is false or fake. And that's on top of any, honestly justfiable, paranoia of shape-shifting infiltrators messing around.
Well, Amie lived. Now, what will Luna do? And how will Celestia react?
Of course, there's the question I'm curious to get an answer to:
Will Wes run into Thorax on his way to the Crystal Empire?
things look to be going the right way but just what has Wes gotten up to?
amazing chapter.
11639541
Plus his sister left him where he would be safe until she could back for him. He knows that and yet he runs off while they are still trying to get peace. This is going make things harder not better because the minute they find out about the changelings they aren't going to want to listen anymore than Luna did. Despite no record of anypony going missing and I'm sure they found a way to check for their magic they still kept going. The changelings will be less inclined towards peace considering the ponies think they need to be exterminated and peace will be down the drain before you can count to ten. Amie will have a lot of trouble forgiving the ponies if anything happens to her brother.
11639717
Somewhat justified. Remember the camp never ever even gave the nearby ponies any mind and the ponies never tried to talk with them.
11639821
Very true, but this is post-invasion, and the ponies don't have all the facts about changelings. If the ponies are anything like humans, fearing what they don't understand will come just as easily to them as it does to us.
11639851
True but except for a few failed attempts at peace they never made any effort on understanding the species. The changelings weren't going to race up to them with open arms when ponies aren't the most friendly species to begin with and the wedding didn't help matters any.
What did I say? Sympathy! Names! Human names must carry POWER. And Wes and Amie just gave them away.
11639564
It's likely not the meat that is making the ponies squeamish, but the fact that they're changelings. The dead animals are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. They may have even wondered if they were consuming pony meat,
11639589
Equestria doesn't even need tech. Dream magic.
11639717
Then Path was as good a commander as Albrecht a president.
11639890
Luna could do that, sure, but I doubt this method of communication can be regularly used in governmental and military affairs. For all we know Luna's dream powers might not be well known among ordinary ponies and they wouldn't take anything happening in their dreams seriously.
Wes leaving on his own can't be good but Amie will have to speak with Ivy first before she can do something about her brother's departure. I suspect that Wes is going to the Crystal Empire given what we already know.
Onward, to the friendliest xenophobic town in Equestria!
don't you mean "Changelings" or "Campers"?
11639473
No she can't. That's why she didn't want him to go alone.
As others have noted, revolted horror at the act of carnivory is more than a little ridiculous given that ponies have pet cats, which are obligate carnivores. And they raise pigs for some reason. And eat eggs by the truckload in the form of assorted baked goods. And fish. And...
Okay, yeah, the point's thoroughly made at this point. Aside from that, excellent work with Amie casually getting on with her day after this unimaginable feat. (And of course Wes wandered off on his own. He does tend to do that.) Looking forward to the finale... but wow, that has a lot of ground to cover. I wouldn't be surprised if this one ends on a sequel hook.
11641679
Yeah ponies are really too hung up on meat eating considering how much are they being eaten on a daily basis before they realize how ridiculous they are are.
11641444
I’m not using it as a “the reader should invent explanations”, I’m using it as a “give the author the benefit of the doubt”. We’ve seen very little of the sisters as a whole, and so far the impressions we’ve gotten of the ponies as a whole is that they’re more militaristic in some aspects and quite a bit more violent in a “human” sort of manner in others. The fact that the soldiers were willing to attack unprovoked, without any warning other than a war cry, should give an indication that the ponies we’re dealing with are more violent than we would initially expect from canon.
Just because it’s not explicitly stated that “Oh, Luna didn’t go to the moon,” doesn’t mean that it’s not a fact of the story. Not everything can be explicitly stated, and sometimes in a story there’s simply not a place to say anything, so you just have to hope readers will give you the benefit of the doubt with your version of events until you can give them the reasoning.
Again, I’m not saying that the readers need to create their own story for why this is happening just for the AU tag, I’m saying that instead of saying “OMG THIS ISN’T HOW LUNA WOULD ACT” Instead say “I wonder why Luna is acting this way?” Because to put it simply it may not be explained yet.
Wes left on his own... welp, he's done for, Amie's gonna kill him-