The Quiet Kid: Sicut Vult

by aegishailstorm

Skeleton In The Closest

"You know, it occurred to me that there's something that you, in my opinion don't value quite enough." Chrysalis frowned. But calmly responded with, " What do you mean?"

" Fresh air, the woods." Back where I'm from, there are people that ain't never even left the city they were born in. It's sad, when the Sierra Nevada mountain range and all its beauty was less than an hour away from most of them." He shuffled his feet as the grass underfoot turned to gravel. They were at the edge of a cliff. Way out on the horizon, just visible among the hills and woods, was the changeling hive. It's black spires casting ominous shadows across the landscape visible from miles away.

"Huh." Was Chrysalis's response. She didn't look all that interested in William's story. She just kept staring at that spire in the distance. "That's good for them."

"The sun's goin' down. Wanna pack up and bed down for the night... Or keep going?"

"Whatever's good by you." She responded.

"Hic manebus optime." The changeling cocked her head to one side in confusion. " What did you just say?"

"Here we shall remain, most excellently. It's a latin phrase. Here, let me tell you a story about one of the ancient nations back on my planet. It all started in this part of the world called the Mediterranean..."

Whilst William told tales of Ancient Rome and Greece and those who inhabited it to a intrepid changeling, far away in the Everfree forest, deep within an ancient bunker, Grogar the Necromancer plotted his next move against Equestria.

"How's your afternoon been?" Frosty asked as she trotted back into the cave with a picnic basket in her magical grasp. "I've been off gathering things to try and make this place less dreary." The unicorn had been persuaded by Grogar to help him escape Canterlot's magical vault and assist him in what he claimed was a mutually beneficial partnership. And, with no other choice, she accepted. Even if his callus attack on Canterlot had made her just the slightest bit skeptical.

"Yes, yes, that's all good and all. Put the hibiscus over there and the Daises over there." Grogar's bell glowed above the table at the center of the room. It had reassembled itself as soon as it had been brought into the cavern. It flickered brighter when he spoke.

"Now, what shall we do next?" Frosty asked.

"We must focus on reforming my physical body." Frosty nodded. " Yes, of course. But what about the new princess of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle? Or that Quiet Kid? I know for a fact that he was at the inauguration ceremony."

"I suppose we could work on threats to my-our rule first. Let's start with Ponyville. Now, let's see... How should I end them? Bombs, crossbow, magic? Fire is always a solid choice! No... I'd like to really mess with them!"

"Something to make them mad you mean?" A hoof stomp echoed through the cavern.

"Yes! There is a spell in my arsenal which can quite literally bring anger to life, bringing out the worst in a creature. The problem is, I can't cast it from here, it's far more complicated than a teleportation spell." Frosty Fields swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Don't worry, I'll show you how to manifest it. Then, it's just a matter of teleporting you to Ponyville. And boom! No more problem."

"Boom." Frosty murmured. "Ok, I can do it."

"Alright then, let's get started."

Back at William's camp in the woods, Chrysalis had collapsed on a bed roll as soon as William had brought one out. He had just about gotten into the backstory behind the Trojan war when she dozed off. William sat on a rock close to the edge by the cliff. Watching the sun go down in the west as he ate a chocolate bar.

"Ugh! This place is too rocky. I can't get any- Oh..." The changeling fluttered up and looked around. William had his rifle broken open in front of him, he was fiddling with the bolt carrier group. He noticed Chrysalis creeping up on him, and quickly snapped his gun back around and turned to meet her with open arms.

"How what your nap?" She groaned," Magic does not help with aching backs." William chuckled. " I can understand that. So, I take it you wanna go by dark? Pack up your things, I didn't even unpack mine. " As Chrysalis packed up her things, William donned a set of NVG's, and waited for Chrysalis to finish, taking up a spot by the cliff so the last rays of sunlight silhouetted him against the landscape.

"C'mon, let's go." He motioned forward and led her down the cliff." If we start now, we should make it to the edge of the desolation around the hive by... Morning if nothing slows us down." He waved forward and began making his way down the winding path that led down the cliff and into the surrounding wilderness.

"So, Chrysalis, you've gotta remember, your subjects have been 'reformed.' Please, I beg of you, don't try to rip 'em apart. Oh, and try not to berate them too much. You need to convince them that you're worth taking control of the hive. Got it?"

"I understand, if those cowards want to play dress up and act like Pinkie Pie-" William turned around.

"Understandable. Listen, when I met Throax and the others a few months back, I didn't know what to say. It was a mixture of anger, confusion, and not trying to burst out in laughter. Oh, I should mention, your eyes glow in the dark."

"What?"

"Yep. It's obvious, even though these. They're shimmering." Chrysalis looked at him concernedly," Are you telling the truth?"

"Indeed I am." The changeling mumbled to herself and floated up off the ground. She floated away from William, off into the bushes.

"Hey! You're going the wrong way." He hurried after her as she seemed to aimlessly wander off. He walked over and took a look. Her pupils were wide open, she seemed almost catatonic. William gave her a poke with a bayonet, and she snapped out of it and fell to the ground.

"Agh! Huh- What?"

"Snap out of it. What's going on with you?"

"I... Don't know." William facepalmed, "Well then, let's keep on going. I'm not sure changelings are supposed to be taking Tylenol anyhow."

"Pray tell, what is Tylenol?" William laughed, "Ma'am, that's on a need-to-know basis and you don't need to know." He rolled his shoulders and pushed his way through the bushes.

About an hour later of William and Chrysalis wandering through the woods in awkward silence, when it was suddenly shattered by an earsplitting roar. Then several more.

"Manticore's!" Chrysalis shouted in a hushed whisper. "Where is it?" William responded," Get out into the open! Don't let them get behind you!" He examined the magazine in his gun. "M855, green tips. Don't run. They'll think you're prey." He flipped up his NOD's and swapped to a Surefire light on his rifle, resting his finger on the pressure switch.

"Here kitty kitty!" He flashed his light out into the darkness. He caught the glint of a set of fangs. Followed by what sounded like the flapping of leathery wings.

"If there are any noncombatants out there, respond now!" He paced backwards. Then let of a round over the treetops. Birds went flying off in panic, but still the manticores remained. Growling and seemingly even more aggressive than before. William wanted to swap over to thermals to scan the treeline, but he didn't want to be left without a long gun should they come at him. These creatures were the size of pickup trucks. And their scorpion tails were nasty and could rip a pony's leg off in the right spot.

Deciding that he had given enough warning, he started spraying back and forth into the bushes. The flash hider did little to obscure the blasts and cracks of his rifle that sent shadows dancing across the ground as William emptied his gun's magazine. He pressed the magazine release, and with a flick of his wrist, sent the P-mag flying off into the darkness. Quickly, he replaced it with a 60 round drum, hitting the bolt release with his left thumb whilst he grabbed his pistol with the other hand via a cross draw and let several .45 ACP rounds off into the bush. He reholstered with his sidearm and brought his rifle back up.

"Agh! William! Why don't you just tear off my ears while you're at it!?" Chrysalis clutched her ears angrily. Gunfire and sensitive equine, or insectoid ears didn't mix at all. She hissed at the manticores as William kept backing away. A manticore came right up out of the bushes and moved to pounce, William stitched it from tail to maw with a half dozen rounds, and it toppled over, he swung his gun around and clipped 2 more as they darted past.

"It's a whole damn pack!" He tossed a concussive grenade off in the general direction of the creatures. He almost laughed when he got the result he wanted. A lot of yelps and howls of pain, alongside running in the opposite direction.

"What are these things doing out here!? I was told that this forest is supposed to be peaceful!" He paused for a moment, then realized the irony of the situation.

"It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no fortunate son!" He cackled softly.

"Oh, surely you would think to leave some fun for me too?" Chrysalis morphed herself into a manticore. Marked only by her glowing green eyes.

"Alright, I think I've routed them. Quick, let's get out of here before-" He whipped his gun around and spotted a timber wolf stalking him. He swapped over to a sawn-off Remington 870 and lobbed a round of dubble odd buckshot through its body, turning it into little more than splinters.

"Go go go go!!!" William broke out into another sprint he threw more grenades behind him. " Bang! Bang! Bang!" More manticores and timber wolves gone. The broke through the treeline at a rock outcropping. The flurry of grenades gave him just enough time to swap over to a thermal sight. He whipped it around to gun down the one on the rock. But noticed something off about it's heat signature, it was all muddled.

"Chrysalis, can ya help me out with this?" She roared at the creature. And, in a flash of green flame, the manticore up on the outcropping morphed into a changeling with red markings.

" It's you!" The changeling cried, pointing at Chrysalis, who transformed back into her regular form and laughed. "Why, of course it's me! I wish to speak to your 'leader', whoever that may be. Thorax, I would presume?" The changeling turned to William. " And you, your name is William, correct?" He hissed.

"Indeed it is, and I take it you're Pharynx?" The changeling nodded in affirmation. " Yes, it is. Your reputation precedes you, Quiet Kid." William grinned.

"Heh, I've always wanted to hear that!" He thought to himself. " Well? Let's go!" He waved his finger in a circle, and kept walking.

"It isn't a good reputation!" Pharynx protested. William chackled again. " Of course it isn't, but I couldn't care less!"

"So... How's the whole 'reformation' thing a-going?" He got no response but a grunt. "Understandable." He broke open an MRE stuffed with chocolate and crackers and began to eat away with his night vision on, being careful not to scratch the lenses.

"What is that?" Both changelings turned to him. " Like I said," He paused to swallow, "Need to know basis. Besides... Don't ya'll feed off love or what not?"

"Well, yes?" He looked up at Chrysalis in fear. She didn't even acknowledge it. " Indeed I do, but with you and all of those ponies around me all the time. I haven't had to sink my fangs into anyone for quite some time now." William paused and glanced over at her. " What was that?"

"Oh, nothing!" William groaned and tugged on the cuffs of his OCP pattern camouflage. "It's what, a hour out from here? Hey, hey! Any chance we could teleport back out of here once we're done? Hello!?"

"That's all?"

"You'll be fine- fineish." Grogar replied. " Just cast and run. I'll bring you back once it's been done."

In a flash of blue light, Frosty Fields was brought from Grogar's bunker out to Ponyville. She appeared on the southern side of town, just past the bridge.

"Oh well... Now, what did he say about this? Ah yes! I've got to escalate a conflict, then cast it. And... Run? Oh well, doesn't sound too hard." She began trotting along, walking past town hall and into town. With nothing but porch lanterns and the glow of the moon overhead to light her way. She looked around nervously. Though, being that she wasn't a giant wizard goat, but rather an average looking unicorn mare. She blended in much better.

"I told you too stop buying barley! For Celestia's sake! Just get whole wheat or oats from now on!" A female voice cried from inside a house.

"What about sourdough?" A male voice responded. It was a family argument, nothing really to be worried about, but it would do well enough. She ignited her horn with the spell pattern given to her by Grogar. Her horn started up glowing in it's typical greyish color, but then began to faintly spark red.

"Oh, this is so stupid!" Frosty thought to herself as she walked up to the front door and knocked gently, whisking her tail uncomfortably as she awaited a response.

"Yes?" The mare came to the door, as soon as she had cracked open the door, Frosty panicked and sent the spell flying through the door and right into the family. A flash of red light later. And the door slammed shut. She could hear the sounds of screaming and furniture smashing inside.

"Oh my! Time to leave I suppose!" Frosty galloped off.

William strolled behind and let Pharynx and Chrysalis let go on ahead. "I'm tired, I'm full so I can't eat to stay up. I'm drowsy to no end, my bones hurt, the soles of my feet hurt." He complained. The two floating changelings stared back at him. Probably expecting him to apologize for his complaining. William said nothing. It was a long while, and William had been forced to walk it all but they finally made it to the cliff overlook just outside of the changeling hive.

"Damn. You've made some renovations. The desert wasteland was now dotted with all manner of plants, and the very tip of the spire seemed to be missing. On top of that, said wasteland seemed to be far larger than he had originally observed. In the distance, more rocky spires rose up from desert. The thing was that unlike the deserts farther south, this one had to be in the low sixties, just below what some psychopath decided would be considered 'room temperature'. He paused out at the edge of the cliff, and with a snap of his finger, changed into a flat dark earth jacket and Wrangler jeans with the silhouette of a devil lizard and crossed rifles adorning the left side of the jacket. He tugged on his belt and then walked out ahead of Pharynx.

"So, this is where ya live, huh?" Pharynx nodded. "Who- how did you do that?"

"Oh, magic. That simple, nothing more."

"Nothing more? How could you say that? It's awesome!" Pharynx shouted. His voice drew the attention of several more camouflaged. Changelings, who stared at Chrysalis with a mixture of shock and terror. Although William suspected that they though the same of him.

"What are you doing here!?" William recognized the voice. " Thorax!" The changeling materialized out of a wall and gawked at Chrysalis. He looked just like William remembered from Twilight's 'School of Friendship'. Green with orange highlights and strange antlers. It looked like he'd been attacked by a 5 year old with a glitter bucket who'd watched to much well... My Little Pony.

"What, are you doing here?" His voice sounded like he was trying to determine whether to blast her to bits or give her a big hug. He assumed that he probably wasn't capable of the first one. And was too scared to try the second one.

"I have come here-" William cleared his throat.

"She's causing a ruckus in Ponyville, and she doesn't necessarily like living with ponies. I made the trip with her because she wanted back into the hive.

"Indeed I most certainly do." Chrysalis responded.

"And why should we? She kept our entire hive enslaved and subjugated for the better part of who knows how long!" Pharynx counted. William chuckled. " That don't mean she hasn't changed since, have ya seen Discord?" He set his gloved hand on Chrysalis's shoulder. She pushed him away.

"Give her a chance, try to get to know her. I'm off to try'n find a place to get some sleep." Chrysalis went off in one direction, still surrounded by a crowd of very confused looking changelings. William sat down on a rock and unpacked his bed roll, lit by the glow of the various green bio lamps and torches around him. He was quick to pass out to the sound of crickets and the distant commotion of the hive.

William awoke to the sound of shouting, "Huh!? Oww! What-" Something kicked him right out of bed. Angered, he shot up and grabbed his rifle. The sun had just about begun to rise in the east. The creature that had kicked him was Chrysalis by the looks of things. Trying to back away from an angry crowd.

"Why did you come back here? You're worse than Pharynx was!" One of them asked, stomping their hoof. It took William no time at all to figure out what had gone wrong.

"Ok, ok, everyone, please wait. Explain what happened to me. Do it calmly! One at a time!" He pointed to Pharynx first. "Oh, not much. She blew up our... Ugh, feeling's forum. Sent a magic charge flying right into the center of it all. The crater's still smoldering."

"In my defense, it was perhaps the most pathetic thing I have ever seen! I can't believe that you were all once my subjects." William scratched his chin and rubbed his tired eyes. "Gee, no wonder you abandoned them when they transformed. But listen, she's still one of you. And she tried to care for you the best she could. Even if that meant attacking ponies to steal emotions of all things! I went over this with Chrysalis, you'd have benefited more had you approached Equestria with a proposition for a mutually beneficial alliance rather than going to war and leading yourselves right into the crosshairs of my guns." There was a murmur in the crowd. William continued talking.

"Those of you who have gone up against me in combat, and survived. And you know who you are. Will understand what I'm talking about."

"That may be so, but what about her? What proof do we have that she isn't just going to turn around and do what she did before?"

"My word and Her's. Nothing more, nothing less." Thorax sighed. "Alright, we'll give her a chance."

"Thank you." Chrysalis replied. It was perhaps one of the few times he had ever heard her try to be sincere. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something off. The changeling's eyes were glowing again. Her body was engulfed in a flash of light. Much brighter than a normal transformation.

"She's transforming!" Thorax exclaimed. William watched intentively as Chrysalis floated back down. She looked almost the same, except for the holes in her legs and horn, which had disappeared. And, she wore a bright smile on her face. Which immediately faded back into indifference, and then turned back into a smile.

"Thank you for bringing me back to my hive William. Truly, it means a lot." William paused for a moment. " Show of hooves, who'd like Chrysalis to stay now?" They all went up this time.

"Well that was much simpler than I had thought it would be. Sure glad this wasn't some kind of 'skeleton in the closet situation and you could just get straight to the point."

"Oh, but I have had them in the past. They make good chewtoys for Dimond dogs." William blinked. "Good for you, now... Should I stay or should I go." He laughed again.

"Do what you want, you've earned it for bringing Chrysalis back to us." Thorax replied. Pharynx crept up next to him. " Hey, question... Can I have one of those whatever you call it?"

"My rifles? No-" Before William could finish his sentence, he was teleported away by Chrysalis. And reappeared back in Ponyville as if nothing had happened in the first place.

But, as William looked around, he noticed that the streets were eerily quiet, especially for 9:30 in the morning.

"I've got a damn bad feeling about this."