Chapter 2: Interrogation
The walk through the woods was quiet, but Crunch was used to quiet. Most of the time, he sat in his room fiddling with things. He enjoyed building new and odd things. As he walked, however, he didn't imagine new and wonderful things. Instead, he noticed how everything around him was silent, even though it had been full of life as he looked over it before. As he walked, he caught a glance of a deer. The deer saw him and promptly ran off, as did a squirrel next to it. Even the birds in the trees flew away as he neared.
The only company he truly had was his shadow, which was usually covered by the tree shadows. Every so often he would reach a clearing or meadow and enter it, just to feel the sunlight and see his shadow. Sunlight was new to him. The hive always glowed with an artificial magic light.
As he walked, he also noticed a feeling completely foreign to him: loneliness. He had never truly been lonely, as his mother had always been there for him. While it was true she had not loved him (as love was forbidden through Chrysalis's fear of another changeling tapping into it), she still had raised him. That was something one did not easily forget.
As well as those things, he noticed one thing most of all. Everything around him was slow. In the hive, there was no slacking off. Everypony always moved as fast as possible to be super productive. That was why, Crunch assumed, Chrysalis hadn't hesitated for more than a few seconds to decide to exile him. The hive was militaristic and swift. The world around him was more lax, which he found he kind of enjoyed. It was nice to be able to stop and catch your breath.
Crunch happened to come across one of those clearings just as the sun started to set. He looked at the colors in the sky and was mesmerized. He wanted to fly up and see it better, but his weak bug-like wings only buzzed behind him. He plopped down on the ground and looked up at the sky from his back. It was nice to get a break from all of that walking. He closed his eyes and relaxed, but almost immediately heard a gruff, but female voice.
"What are you doing here?" it said. Crunch just laid there until something held him down by the legs. He opened his eyes and saw a light blue pony with a rainbow mane.
"What... what do you want with me?" Crunch said, fear beginning to fill him. The pony's eyes widened and she loosened her grip a little.
"I didn't know you things could talk on your own." she said. Crunch took the opportunity and rolled out of her grip, quickly getting to his feet. He ran off into the wood, not bothering to get a sense of direction. He just wanted to get away from the pony before she did horrible things to him.
"Hey... HEY! Get back here!" the pegasus called after him. He looked back and saw her running after him. His wings buzzed and he cursed himself for never trying to make them usable. They would be very helpful if he had just worked them out more. He kept running at a full sprint through the forest, branches slapping his face, roots threatening to trip him up, until, finally, he collapsed, exhausted. He looked back and didn't see the pony.
"Oh, thank Chrysalis." he wheezed to himself.
"Don't thank anypony just yet." came the pony's voice. Crunch looked up to see the pony quickly dropping down on him from above. She held him down and put his forelegs behind his back. He was powerless against her.
"Why?" he asked quietly. "Why do you ponies hate us so much?" She either didn't hear him or didn't care, because she lifted him off the ground and began flying. As they ascended, Crunch hit his head on the branch of a tree. He saw a large amount of ponies in the town ahead of him, and the last thing he saw before he passed out was a gray pony far off. She had a yellow mane and caught his attention more than anything else. Before he could think about it, he fell into unconsciousness.
"Hey Twilight, I think he's waking up!" the pony said. He slowly opened his eyes, his head pounding. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could make out a familiar figure of a blue pony, as well as another purple pony coming into view. His vision cleared and he tried to sit up. Something held him back and as he looked at his legs, he saw thick leather straps holding him down onto a wooden table by all of his legs as well as his torso.
"What do you ponies want with me?" Crunch asked. It was beginning to become a monotonous question.
"A better question is 'Why are you lurking outside of Ponyville?'." the purple pony, Twilight said.
"Lurking? I was lurking? I was trying to take a nap!" Crunch said. "Why, in all of Equestria, would I be lurking outside of Ponyville if I knew I was close to it?"
"Rainbow Dash." Twilight said with pursed lips. "Is this true?"
"I, uh... Maybe?" Rainbow Dash said. She began to back away but was lfted into the air and brought back over by Twilight's magic.
"Listen, if you ponies are going to kill me, please just do it now." Crunch said. "Just... just have mercy and make it quick."
The ponies just stared at him, bewildered.
"Kill you?" Twilight asked. "We're not going to kill you! We just want to get you out of here! But first we need to know what you were doing outside of Ponyville, alone."
"You were alone, right?" Rainbow Dash asked warily.
"I AM GETTING VERY CONFUSED BY THIS CONVERSATION!" Crunch yelled. The ponies stepped back away from him. "I'm sorry, I just... I'm confused. Why do you care so much about this? What could one changeling possibly do to hurt you?"
"Well, you guys normally kill us and steal our spot in life." Rainbow Dash said. Crunch stiffened and tried to sit up once more. One of the front leg straps broke and he removed the other one. He sat up and looked at Rainbow Dash.
"You wanted to know why I'm here? It's because I'm worthless." he said with malice in his voice. "I can't transform and I can't fly. I can't use my magic because I can't transform, so that's out of the question. I'm just a deer with holes in it. I can't do anything useful for society."
He flopped back down on the table and sighed.
"Whatever. All you changelings are just freaks in my eyes, and you're the first one to admit it." Rainbow said ruefully. This brought tears to Crunch's eyes. At the hive, he was shunned for not being able to fly and transform. They called him a freak on a daily basis. He couldn't believe that he was being tortured by his past even here. Twilight seemed to notice his tears.
"Are you okay?" she asked. He simply turned his head and stared at her, hatred deep in his eyes.
"I can't just go back home. I'm stuck with you evil, evil creatures and before I even get into town, I get knocked out and brought here, only to be insulted. I actually want you to kill me at this point." he said. "But, please, whatever you actuallly do... get that spawn of Discord out of here."
"Spawn of Discord? What- I -You're the evil one!" Rainbow Dash yelled indignantly. Still, she followed his wishes and stormed out of the room. As she opened the door, he realized he hadn't noticed the room around him. He was in a library, of all places.
"I'm sorry about her. She's just being... Rainbow Dash. That's pretty much all I can describe her with." Twilight said. "So, if what you're saying is true, your wings are useless, and you can't transform?"
"Yes, that's what I said. But before we go on, can I ask why you're being nice, but she has a very obvious extreme hatred for changelings?" Crunch said, wiping the tears from his eyes.
"Actually, I don't really know why. Not all ponies are that, as you put it, 'extreme' about it." Twilight explained. "I'm afraid that she's just not one for change, so it may take a long time for her to get used to a nice changeling."
"Great." he groaned. "You don't want to kill me, but I'll be pushed away by these ponies, too?"
"Well, maybe for a little while." Twilight replied meekly. "Here, let me get those straps for you."
She removed the straps from his torso and rear legs, succeeding in changing the subject.
"Well, do you know why you can't change?" Twilight asked him.
"No, and I don't want to know. I'm fine with not knowing. I'd rather not get scientific about my freakishness." Crunch said bluntly. He started towards the door, but was stopped by Twilight's hoof on his shoulder. She looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Please don't go. I would love to have you as company." she urged.
"And become your lab rat?" Crunch replied, distaste in his voice. "I don't think so."
Crunch opened the door and was treated to a kick to the face by Rainbow Dash.
"That's for calling me a Discord spawn!" she said, flying off. Crunch clutched his snout with one hoof, blood beginning to flow and pain beginning to start, and looked around Ponyville. It was less than a minute before a pony saw him and began screaming and running. All of the other ponies began doing the same.
This is going to be a loooooooooong exile... Crunch thought to himself as he began walking down a random street.
Poor Crunch.
>.> evil rd bein a jerk D:
1759587
Yeah, there's a back-story to be found somewhere as to why she's like that. I just haven't fished it out of the deep swamp of my imagination yet.
1759539
Yeah, the little guy's havin' a pretty bad time, isn't he?
I just thought I should mention that every story I write is based on an event in my real life. Just sayin.
Except for clopfics. Forever alone....
seems legit RD being the element of loyalty she would have a problem with anyone who might put her friends in danger and considering how changlings usually are towards ponies her scepticsism is understandable.
Yeah, I could totally see this happening, sadly.
Interesting.... I was browsing stories appears that I've come across one of yours. I'll watch it, but just because it may hold clues to who you are.
NEED MOAR!
Changelings, as far as I know, never kill. They replace their foes to feed themselves. I just assumed they would use anti-memory spells. After all, a body is evidence. They can hide more effectively if the don't kill. And was the gray pegasus Derpy? It seems likely.
1762862
Everything gets explained about changelings (well, my version, anyways) later on. And as for the gray pegasus... You'll have to wait and see!
1762106
You'll have to wait. I mean, if that's okay with you...
1760852
Listen, Near. You have no clue what you're doing. I will defeat you, unlike the original Kira. I AM JUSTICE!
1759793
Bingo.
1760162
I'm confused at what you're saying. Help me out and explain it to me?
1762903
If you're any more sane than the previous Kira, I don't doubt your abilities. However, you fail to take into account that L has returned. I am waiting for him to wear you down, and when he loses, I'll come in for the kill. Literally. And your childish version of "Justice" is seen as wrong even by a child like me. You are the one who doesn't know what they're doing... SmilingShadowS. Or should I say BigBadFluttershy?
1762915
You have done your research, haven't you? Well, those are leads that will get you nowhere. L has already found them, and they got him no reliable information. Your move, toy addict.
1762927
Well, it 's simply a matter of determining which information is false, and which isn't. I've determined that you live in the United States, due to your language habits (not using chap, or mate. You also messaged me with color, not colour). As well, I've determined your approximate age (around seventeen) and your gender (male, of course.) the rest is merely a pool of lies. Try and come back from that, you sick murderer.
1763018
Near, Near, Near. Trying too hard. You're letting your emotions get the best of you! I've done my own research and figured out your real first name, as well as your password to this very site. From there I got your email (dymarideathnote@gmail.com) and information about you. You have a keen interest in old video games, and you appear also to have a fanfiction.net profile. In fact, you hacked into my profile and changed the email it was linked to. Not a smart idea, Near... or should I say Cooper? Keep trying, little boy. Keep trying.
1763036
Very good. I've changed all of my passwords now, however, so I hope you wrote that information down. I wonder, how is L coming along in this investigation
? I'll message him. He may be able to do better research than me. I'm a bit preoccupied right now.
1763045
He just posted a blog entry (As I'm sure you are well aware of). He mentioned investigating me. Making it public... might not be one his stupidest ideas, actually. This could be fun.
1763144
If this is, the killing of innocents and taking advantage of scared civilians, is your idea of "fun", we have a lot of differences between us. And I did in fact see his blog entry. That's all I have to say for now.
1763154
Even the great Near has typos, huh?
1763018 I came to the same conclusion Near. Well done.
1763219
I fell as though I'm missing something, though. Something... BIG... I can't quite put my finger on it, but I suppose I could try and research this Kira character some more.
1763243
I pity you, Near, so I'll give you a little hint, in the form of a poem.
"You try so hard but sadly, Near,
My age you said is off by two years
I know that you will close in soon,
But you''l fail worse than Nightmare Moon.
Give up now, give up all hope.
You're climbing up a very steep slope."
1763276
"Off by two years", So you are either 15 or 19.
"I know that you will close in soon" You are spying on my messages, as L and I have figured out.
"Climbing up a very steep slope" Perhaps giving a location clue?
And also, you made an error as well. "You"l". Karma's a bitch, ain't it?
1763298
Really? It's a shame. I was hoping to go by undetected while surveying you. Oh well. A minor inconvenience. As well, it's up to you do decide on which age is true. As for the steep slope section, that I will not reveal any info about.
And, yes, karma certainly is a bitch.
1763320
It was a very half-hearted attempt at getting into my profile. L figured it out before I did, but it was very quickly figured out. I forgive you, however, for hacking my profile.
1763329
Half-hearted is right. It was a meek distraction. I have bigger plans.
1759587 <.< evil rd bein a jerk :D
1763298 He's fifteen. Think about it. There are so many differences between those two ages. Nineteen is one of the biggest landmarks in a male's life. Consider that if he were fifteen he'd undoubtedly be a high school student. Good thing he told us exactly how wrong we were, Near. Also, consider what happened to Nightmare Moon. Kira is not alone. I'd be very careful.
1763785
But, you have to wonder, why? It's as if he wants us to catch him! Why is he telling us these things and setting us on the right path?
1763806
Possibly because I'm so clumsy? I give away too many clues? Yes, I read the message. You are no closer to cornering me than you are at apprehending Batman.
1763806 If he's not fifteen that's unfortunate, but I it is still reasonable to assume that he is a student. I can even prove he's a student and that he's NOT nineteen, if it comes to that. I do not base all of my assumptions on his word.
1763835
Understood. I will have to do some more background checks on his usernames and see what pops up. I'll also look into his emails and find out where they take me. Kira, you are going DOWN.
1763843
Well, well, well. It looks like someone has finally stepped up to the challenge for real. This is going to be better than I expected.
1763835
School... Perhaps. I may just give you another hint... Let's see if you earn it.
1763873
Honneydewp243. You play Minecraft on a friend's account. You also have adopted the username on many sites. You are on a site called Vizzed, where you frequently play Pokemon and other retro video games. That further leads me to believe that you are fifteen years old. And west coast it is, huh? You should thank Regidar for getting that out of you. Ever closer, Kira. Ever closer.
1763912
Very clever, Near. Very clever indeed. It's true, all of it. There are still a few holes to fill, but we'll see how long it takes you to fill those. And as for the hint, well, you figured it out for yourself. Good work.
So no one panics, or just you Near. I have to leave somewhere to gather some PHYSICAL evidence for a few hours. I will return. I hope I turn up something. Take this however you will either of you. And well done Near, you've gotten farther than me.
1763997 I certainly look forward to this evidence you speak of, L. It seems promising. Let's just see how far it takes you on discovering who I really am.
Good going so far, but Twilight seems a bit... off.
It's mostly this line:
Just some odd mixed signals, that's all.
1766806
She just wasn't quite sure of what to do with him. As far as she knew, changelings didn't even have personalities until that point. At the season 2 closer, she was just blasting them and killing them on sight, so she might have wanted to kill him, but when she saw that he was a 'good' pony, she wasn't sure what to do.
She does have a bias, and is trying to get past it in the name of friendship, but as of now she is hiding it so as not to hurt his feelings. She can tell he's
pretty broken already and doesn't want to break him even more.
She's just confused overall, as a changeling with feelings kinda rocked her world.
1766882
)
Fair point, and I'll admit, I never thought of something as straightforward as Twilight simply being unsure of what to do.
(Though for the sake of being pedantic, I don't think Twi was *killing* Changelings in the big fight scene in the finale.
1767042
It is true that it's a kids show and she may have been sending them to god knows where, but I haven't fond a reliable source of information on that subject itself. I notice she did the same thing with the extra Pinkie Pies. Perhaps she sent them to a mirror world?
And a very well deserved facehoof indeed.
1767073
Um, Twi was using magic bolts against the Changelings; they just went flying off screen like they'd been hit with kinetic force.
There wasn't a "ZAP! they're gone spell, IIRC.
1767219
It does that a lot. I still wonder about the Pinkies, though...
Well, thanks for clearing that up for me! I watch on my PC, and I guess it just skipped those frames or something.
Crunch, be cafeful what you say to women. They always get you back in way way or another.
1770317
You just made my day, sir. You just made my day.
poor crunch...
and please, please, PLEASE continue with this story. dont let it die out like so many many other stories!
also, if crunch just walked outside and was bucked on the nose, did twilight and friends even care?
1773358
I'm releasing chapter 3 tomorrow! Calm down!
1773374
Well, they don't quite know yet, but she could be getting the scolding of a lifetime. She could also be praised for her courage. You'll have to wait and see.
1763912>>1763997>>1763276 All of you have NOTHING on my laptop.It's a modern Death note. Everytime I write something, Somebody DIES, without fail. My cousin, 3 neighbours, A friend of mine who collects Armour lost his cat the same day I wrote something, etc. What do you guys have to say about that?
1767281 Probably a spell to "Send them back where they came from".
1775863 Oh my...! I.... don't believe you.
1775876 Check my blog. It's been happening for almost a year. *creepy grin*