Shifting Priorities

by FaelaArts

Discovered[SR]

Knock Knock Knock, the sound swept though Syth dream and he groaned.

“WHO IS IT” he shouted, eyes still closed as he rolled out of the blankets and rubbed his eyes before opening them.

“It’s Twilight, open up!” He blinked, and his disguise dissolved onto his changeling body as he unlocked the door and opened it. He blinked in surprise as something came down and slammed into his horn, hard. He cried out in pain and held his horn. He didn’t notice that his disguise didn’t even waver as he held his horn and stood up, glaring furiously at the purple unicorn, who seemed surprised to see him.

“Oh my god I-I thought the changeling had come again and-“he cut her off with an angry glare.

“Yeah!? Well why don’t I come over there and smack YOU in the horn!? Or why not next time use a spell instead of that stupid pan!” She winced, and her ears flopped down and she glanced at the floor. He sighed, knowing she had only been worried for him, and he forgave her, wincing as the pain faded to a dull throbbing.

“Now I have a headache, this is going to make today just horrible.” Twilight raised her head and tilted it, before smiling and gently touching his head, her horn gently glowing, and suddenly the pain was gone.

“I just remembered I learned a spell to heal minor injuries, and I've got some good news. So forgiven?” He lowered his hoof, and sighed as the pain faded and rolled his eyes.

“Fine, but I expect no more ‘checking’ if I’m a changeling ok?” Twilight frowned, but nodded as a smile returned and it grew as she spoke some hopeful words.

"So what's the good news that you have?" Twilight grinned, and held up a ticket for the train.

"The trains nearly fixed, in one or two days you can finally go home!" Skid smiled and they shared a little victory moment.

"That's great Twilight, awesome good news." Twilight giggled.

“So, what would this thing to do today be?” she asked him, he meerly chuckled and pointed to her horn.

“It involves a certain skill you seem to be quite adept in.” Her smile turned into an open mouth and eyes that spoke of untold joy. He couldn’t help but feel amused as she dragged him downstairs and into the living room and gently plopped him down. She took her own seat and motioned for him to begin.

“So how does the spell work?” He mused for a moment, thinking of how he actually did it.

“I can’t be entirely sure, like I said I’ve always known how to do it. I think it’s like I send a thin line of my magic toward you.” He closed his eyes as he slowly did so, as if trying to forcefully make the process slower.

“Then It connects with your head and dissipates inside until it finds…” he trailed off as he began needing more concentration.

’Whatever that is, aha there we go.’ He smiled at her and she blinked as she realised he could hear her thoughts. He let her feel the connection for a moment, before severing the magic.

“Well…I’d rather you didn’t practice on me, but there’s no one else to practice on so…” Twilight raise a hoof before putting it down.

“Before that, what was that language you spoke and that strange spell you fired at that Halfling?” He twitched, before answering carefully.

“A very powerful spell, and one that is kind of a taboo” he answered honestly, she frowned but nodded.

“Well, you were only saving your life, so I won’t tell anyone about it, but if it’s taboo you shouldn’t use it.” He nodded knowingly; conveniently ignoring the fact using telepathy on a pony was taboo. With the mater taken care of, Twilight closed her eyes and began to concentrate, at first the magic was too strong and it only hit his head and made him fall off the couch. However after that Twilight gradually began to lessen the magic until it was only the barest hint, barely enough for a basic glow spell, and carefully sent it toward Skid. He closed his eyes, and shivered as someone tried connecting with him that was not his queen.

“That’s it…closer close just a little-ARRRG” he screeched as she connected with a very PERSONAL part of his mind, his memories, and got a brief flash of what he had lived. For Twilight, she saw three distinct images from Skid’s pov.

Bowing before Chrysalis as she connected with him the first time; mere days after hatching.

Learning to transform into ponies using a live subject to learn from.

Falling toward Canterlot with changelings around, but not seeing them. All she could see was the brief knowledge they were there, while Skid focused on the fisherman.

Skid snapped her magic away from him, the equivalent of a magical slap to the face and took a few steps back.

“I-It’s not what it looks like!” It took Twilight a few moments to absorb what she saw, before her angry gaze centred on him and her horn began to glow. He took another step back but was not quick enough to stop getting tackled by Twilight and the spell she used to reveal changelings being used on him. He struggled, pleading with her not to do it, but she would not listen and his true self was laid bare and she stepped away. Standing up, he backed away once again, and then paused as she said nothing.

“So, you’ve been a changeling this entire time. It all makes sense now; the telepathy, the lack of knowing about food, the strangeness.” Skid flinched, and took another step back.

“Strangeness, but I thought we were friend-“she cut him off, and he could see the hurt in her eyes.

“Tell me Skid; after you finished your mission, what were you going to do with the information? Give it to HER?” He winced at the poison dripping from her mouth as she spoke, and he didn’t answer.

“I thought so, you were never our friend to begin with, and you were only a puppet to get what she wants.” Twilight turned, and walked out the door, leaving Skid alone, and empty. He closed his eyes for a moment, and let himself mourn something that could have never been.

“No one loves a changeling” he told himself before his eyes grew cold and he let go of his sense of self, once again returning to being a simple changeling hive mind. 666 threw his connection out, and connected with his queen remarkably easily.

“That took longer than I expected 666, for you to realise the folly of your actions.”

“Yes, my Liege.”

“Have you learned their weaknesses?”

“Yes my Liege, I will send over the memories right now.” Within a few moments, all he had learned about the 6 had been given to his queen, and a plan was prepared to go ahead at the speed of light. Tomorrow, the city would burn, but for tonight he was a huge target.

”Return to me 666, it is time for a promotion.” He hadn’t even noticed his armour growing in.

Comments

[reader238]

so either 666 will stand with crissy and attack or he will betray her