> A change(ling) in the Folk
>  by Kaiser Trinity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A change(ling) in the Folk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A change(ling) in the Folk


It is a sunny day in Canterlot. Birds are singing, some clouds draw their paths. It is a perfect day....the little cheering crowd and the drums that count my last minutes. They signal that it is time to drop the falling blade. Before it struck my head, I saw the part of my life, when I started to come into this situation, when I died first.
And I think that next to me, Zecora might thought the same...

*******

It all started 4 Years ago. I was a Changeling-Soldier in the rows of reservists. I was also there at the Canterlot-Assault. Everything I did there was for our own kind and for our Queen Chrysalis. With our defeat we felt humiliated, we couldn’t believe it. Back in our country we prepared for the revenge from Equestria...but for my own surprise,
it never came. Then some times later there was the start of an industrial revolution, we discovered the true potential of modern weapons, artillery, tanks, battleships and air fighters. Our Queen was very happy with the results that the new technology gave us. It was clear that a new war was just a matter of time and I was wondering if Friendship could survive a rain of high caliber shells. Unfortunately some of our kind weren’t happy with our plans and started to turn against it. Under the command of Thorax they founded their own party. I was a bit surprised that Chrysalis tolerated them even in the local parliaments. Most of them were against a new war or the way how we would use our newfound weapons.

On one night I was in a little tavern downtown of Vesalipolis only a few months before we unleashed hell on Equestria. I was sitting there in my dress uniform and drinked some whiskey. Then a changeling took a seat next to me, also in a uniform. I recognized his rank immediately, he was a lieutenant from the backup division that stayed behind
the lines at the Canterlot-Assault in case things didn’t go well. 
"A veteran from the assault on Canterlot, I don’t see you guys very much these days" he said to me. 
When I was lookingat his uniform I saw a button from the Thoraxian Party. 
"But a veteran like you who joined the Party from Thorax? You know that some of us joined it and don’t want to be recognized."
"True indeed. But I’m not a member like you might think. I was just there for a meeting they had. I wanted to know more about them." 
"Why? So far I know is that the Queen might tolerate them for now, but like in the very old days shortly after the Changelings were united, Chrysalis destroyed everyone who was against her." 
"That’s true, but let me tell you something I learned after all these years and especially after Canterlot: There are a lot of Assholes out in the world who think that they can rule the world, but there is the same amount
of Assholes who try everything to stop them. That means, even if we had success that day in Canterlot, someone would try to fuck us up. And we can be happy that they didn’t do their revenge." 
He drinked his ordered scotch fast, looked for a few seconds into his empty glass, put some money on the table and stood up. He turned to me. 
"War is in any kind cruel, but mostly as an aggressor. So, now we do our best to make war so cruel we can’t even imagine." "So you wanna say that we will attack Canterlot again?" 
"No, not just Canterlot. We attack the entire Continent. But if I know it correct, this time we don’t just fight them...if their plans work, our world will burn. Dust to dust!" 
When he walked out of the tavern I drink up my glass, payed and ran after him. He stopped when I reached him on the sidewalk.
"Why are you telling me this? You wouldn’t do it if you don’t know or trust me at all, what’s the point of this?" 
"To be honest I know a lot of the old soldiers like you are. Knowing about what happened, I know that the veterans know what war can bring to us, victory or their revenge. And with the new weapons, if we lose, our kind could be banned or extinct forever."
"So you try to get as many of us into the party from Thorax as possible to stop this?" 
"No, I disagree with almost every terms of their party, the only thing in common is the goal to stop another war...by the way, my name is Roaxon."
"Teyrces is my name..." 
I didn’t know what I should say more to him. He was smiling and gave me a card. 
"Meet me at this address at this time. See you soon."
When he was walking away, I was a little bit confused. What was that all about. He was trying to turn me against our Queen and her goals. If he would do that to a hardliner, they would put him into jail near Key Lake, or maybe even killing him, who knows...

At home I was looking into my mirror in my living room and asked myself what was more important. We, the changelings and our hive and empire, or our Queen, our own mother if you will. You are not a pathetic hardliner like the others in the cabinet of the Queen or in the empires security-system VOPS. Then I asked myself all of a sudden, aren’t we happy? We have a good life in our huge empire, beside the fact that we live under a strict ruler. But why do we need more. Isn’t this all we needed? Sure we drain the love from other creatures and we need love, but since we started to be a bit more nice to our self we didn’t feel so hungry for love anymore and it was kind of good...I took all of this questions with me in my bed, but maybe when I meet Roaxon in four days again, I might get some answers.

Four days past and I was meeting Roaxon in a little alley behind ForD’s Theater. It was a great and important day for us because the leader of the Dread League, Rosa Maledicta was coming for a special visit. The start of the meeting with our Queen was here in ForD’s Theater, which was a little ironic because inside this theater Forres Dincoln, a very secret politician, who helped Queen Chrysalis to unite our empire died there when a radical changeling from Greneclyf shot him from behind in his head. After Forres died, they wanted to remember him, so they build a statue in a park nearby and named the theater after him by using his signature he used when he signed contracts (ForD). But the ironic thing is that he had the nickname, the "Prince of Death" for sending even innocent to death if they didn’t joined the empire. And now the Queen of Death is watching a show from the same place Forres did...
"Thanks for coming" he said with a little smile when I approached him. 
"You know who is inside there right? The Queen of Death herself." 
"To be honest I don’t know why she is here. It’s new to me that our different nations apparently like each other." 
"They don’t do much. But we have a big defeat in common. A poor ground is perfect for a revolution you know. What I know is that Rosa Maledicta is here for a special reason. They want to adapt a special skill that vampires have to us changelings. If it has success it would change a lot.” 
Now I felt worried and interested at the same time. “Okay, but I wanna know, how do you know all this? Are you spying the higher politicians?” 
“No, but as I said, not all of us want a new war.” 
“And if the war comes? What then? Turning against our own kind Roaxon?” 
“Hell no. To be honest my group doesn’t know either. We are still planning all of it.” 
“Okay, but still I am here with you and you keep telling me everything, aren’t you worried that I talk all out?” 
“No, what do you know at all? For us it’s nothing to worry about. Also we are not like the Thoraxian organized, all together in a room and when day X comes, that all getting caught at once. No we don’t work so pathetic like all other politicians. But I was checking your file and I was looking after you some times to be honest. For us, you are good and don’t want another war, that’s all what counts for us.” 
I was looking into Roaxons eyes and didn’t know what to say. “Listen Teyrces, you may think that you are just a normal changeling, not popular or high in any society.” 
“Why do you believe that I would think about that?” 
“I can see that you struggle. Think over the pond and look at the other nations. I was reading about our enemies, the Mane 6. They were no one before they united. We all are no ones. But we can change that. The true power doesn’t come from the Queen or any politician, it is us, the changeling folks, just the normal ones who can change the future of this whole nation.” 
Suddenly loud noises came from inside the theater. “The show must have started. But Roaxon, why are we here?” 
“We are waiting for one of my friends, he hides himself inside and tries to get some information for us about what they are planning.” 
“Okay, and why am I here?” 
“So you can get some information as well and maybe you change your view.” 
Roaxon and I were waiting for some hours, waiting for what happens next. Then the crowd outside the theater cheered again when both Queens exited and left for the Great Queen's Tower of Vesalipolis. Then a changeling came out from a backdoor of the theater, gave Roaxon a sign, and walks to him. He whispered something in his ears, he made a very worried face. 
“Teyrces we have to cut it here. Do you know a safe place where we can talk?” 
“You can meet me in my loft, is that good enough?” 
“Yes that works. But we split from here, my friend here may have been spotted.” 
As he said I was moving on out of the alley on the main road and walked as inconspicuous as possible to my home. 

At around half past ten my doorbell ringed, it was Roaxon. “Sorry for the stress today. But that’s how it is in this nation, you never know where a spy is sitting.” 
“So what was going on inside?” 
“A huge deal. Rosa Maledicta gave our Queen Chrysalis information about a technique to drain more love-energy from our victims, by using our fangs.” 
“You wanna tell me that we become some sort of vampires?” 
“No, but with that, as far as I understood it right the way we drain love from others works, but they are still alive and have some left that we can’t drain with the usual way. But if a changeling uses his fangs, drinks the blood of his victim, he gets way more love from them, almost 100%. But our victim...this would not just knock them out or weaken them, they die and it’s not a nice death. Also the war will come, in only a few years, maybe months, the world will see hell on earth.” 
“And your group and the party of Thorax? Are you all just waiting?” 
“Yes and no… my team so far joins our army for now. We fight and try to survive, but if we see that our army has enough of this new cruel way, or if the war is lost for us, we will switch the side. I love my nation, but I also want to life, like the rest of us. We all know what we are doing. We even managed to make some friends outside of Canterlot.” 
“So we are friends now with our enemy? This time is such a strange time.” 
“Things are changing. It wasn’t easy to gain their trust of course, but they don’t even know what’s coming.” 

The rest of the evening we were talking about our ways in life, how I was working in just a little store after the failed assault, how he managed to make connections to Equestria and how he will move on if we win the war. He was talking very confident, but I saw that he was struggling on which side he should be and if he chooses, when should it happen. Just like me, in a few days my view changed. Politicians that decide about something we might don’t want to do. And here I am, talking with someone who has thoughts against our laws and dragged me into this. I guess it’s true that even a normal one can have a moment that changes everything. But so far, I choose to stay on the line and keep on living the normal life I have before war breaks out.

*******

A few months have passed. Like the other veterans, I was ordered back to active service again. We were trained to get us back up and be drilled for the fight. We also could choose to learn the new skill to drain more love. I was surprised that we could choose it, but it looked like that it is more powerful, but the drain takes longer and it lowers your defense.
They call this technique “Blood-Love”.  During the training I understood something else why we could choose. We didn’t have at all a pony alive to train this technique on, just some theories-classes and testing on some dummies. It would be a waste of time if we train it and it wouldn’t work on the battlefield. And kidnap a pony from Equestria isn’t that easy too. The Generals ordered that we try to train it, but the majority gets the standard-training and some
get as an extra the “Blood-Love-Technique”. When I saw how they drained it and heard what it can do, deep inside I was a bit shocked. This would turn us into barbarians. Since then I couldn’t sleep well anymore. Is this the part where our nation and our folk might die? And here I am, a part of it, like a member of a huge family, but still thinking, as me, as a literal no-one, I can’t stop this upcoming genocide all alone. Then something strokes my mind, the way now I think, like a rebel, someone who turns against the nation, the Queen and, if the most want war, then I turn against the most of my own kind. Am I a betrayer? A fool?… A sudden angry feeling overshadowed it all. NO, DON’T HOLD BACK. YOU ARE NOT A NOBODY. GET OUT THERE, DO YOUR SERVICE, FIGHT FOR YOUR NATION…

...and survive…

Then I fell asleep.

The following days started as usual. Some food after getting up, morning training, army lessons, lunch, practical training till afternoon, some free time to do your own stuff, lunch at evening and then sleeping again. 
Then our instructor told us that we, our group is finished and until the war starts we can go home. I spend the night in the tavern where I met Roaxon. After some drinks someone tapped my shoulder, I turned around and it was Roaxon. 
“What are you doing here Roaxon? Is your group done as well?” 
“Yes, but not all. Like you, the veterans are finished earlier, the newbies still have training. As far as I know is that when the war starts, we stay behind them. Mostly the new ones trained the new method of killing innocent and they wanna test it. Do you wanna know what else they have tested Teyrces?” 
“Something special?” 
“They brought the power of the sun to the surface.” 
I was looking at him and didn’t understood anything he said. 
“Do you know what an atomic explosion is?” 
“Yes, I was reading something about it in a new book about newfound investments and technologies that our scientists have done.” 
“4 days ago near the cost of the Polar Bear Communes, they tested an atomic bomb. A scientist who is an old friend of me told me this with a big scare on his face. He told me what it can do and he knows that Equestria has some scientists too who worked on this field. This weapon can destroy entire cities with just a flash. Now think about it, if we drop it on Equestria, still loose the war and they might, just might have this weapon too!” 
“So you say it can destroy an entire city?” 
“Well it depends on some factors, but yes, it is very possible. But now, I really wish that we win the war. I don’t want to be erased of this world with the heat of the sun, burn your flesh and bones.” 
This indeed was true. We still have the option to win and not drop the bomb. But Queen Chrysalis is known for her kind of dealing with a bad defeat. Why waste such a potential. It can also shorten the war for us… or Equestria answers the same way.  
“Roaxon, looking at this… I think we have lost control over us and technologies.” 
Roaxon just looked into his glass and said nothing. All of a sudden a younger changeling ran into the tavern.

“TURN ON THE RADIO. OUR QUEEN HAD DECLARED WAR ON EQUESTRIA!!!!”

The bartender rushed to the radio and switched to the channel for national news and announcements. As he hit the right channel, all in the tavern where listen closely what the moderator was about to say. I wasn’t sure but I might have heard some scare in his voice.

“...strike came fast on May 1st 1015 at exactly 12 o’clock as our army marched with great power over the disorganized and total unprepared defending armies of Equestria. The Army-group Crystal who fights against the Crystal Empire achieved as well major victories. The little divisions against the Yaks, most of them paratroopers, even almost took the capital of Yakyakistan. The formal declaration of war against them came just in time before we start the attack. Queen Chrysalis announced that tomorrow at the Great Queen's Tower of Vesalipolis she makes a speech for us changelings. Right before the declaration for war was finished, her strong words reverberate through the parliament: “This is it. We have done everything that was necessary to start our revenge. I am proud to say that all of you did their part to push us this far, giving this war not just the meaning of revenge, but a proof who is supreme!” Our national security-systems VOPS discovered that our enemies, even if they are weak at the moment still could fight back with almost the same technologies that we have. The director of VOPS, Vaspier Orn Kladisium states that it could be possible that some of our kind warned Equestria or even give them plans and manuals to build weapons like we have. If that is true, the ones who are responsible won’t be able to sleep again. In this nation there is no room for treason. Your cries for distress die with you...”

The bartender turned the radio off. Roaxon was looking at me, I looked just in my glass, maybe someone could find it suspicious. The bartender looked to us, while the others went back to their seats. 
“Hey guys, it’s obvious that they will crush the Thoraxian Party first, aren’t they Teyrces?” 
“That’s for sure, but I don’t understand why they let them be in the parliament. For sure they would try to get some information and send them to Equestria.” 
“Even you two are in the military, this time I know more than you.” 
He said it with a little smile on his face. For me it’s not a surprise, maybe for Roaxon, I am not sure if he knows the bartender, my old pal and former undercover-agent Ciares.
“What I have heard from some old open doors that I still have in the backyard of the government is that our Queen tried to prevent a possible civil war that is additionally supported from Equestria. The Thoraxian Party got a lot of members and with them allowed in the parliaments they had to think that our Queen settled back for a new war. But not all of the Thoraxian Party where stupid. Some of them really sold some information to Equestria. Our leadership, they were not sure how far Equestria and the others were with building up their forces, so it was now or never.” 
Roaxon looked at Ciares, 
“Sounds like you know pretty much about this. Are you working in the government sometimes?” 
“I was working there. But I wasn’t happy how our leaders and the Queen acted after Canterlot. One led to another and I was forced to leave, but to say it a bit different, I never shut the door to their offices”, he said and winked to us.
“By the way, Ciares, are we just fighting against the three nations they said in the radio report?” 
“For now yes, right after the war started, today Queen Chrysalis ensured to the left countries like Olenia or Stalliongrad that we won’t attack them. During the following days they will sign a Non-aggression pact.” 
Roaxon turned to be a bit down. 
“They would be stupid if they think that they won’t be next. Just a matter of time, but only if we win the war. Looking at how much pain we let them feel. This time they will truly hate us.” 
I was starting to feel bad too. The time is ticking for us. Soon we have to left and go to the front line.
“Teyrces, no matter how this will end, I hope that you come home back alive.” 
“For sure Ciares, I will.”

When Roaxon and I left the tavern and went to our homes he was looking at me. 
“The bartender, who is that changeling? It seems that you two know each other well.” 
“Yes, Ciares and I know each other for a while. I met him after the Canterlot-Assault at the border to Olenia. We were a group of five soldiers. Some reindeer’s from Olenia attacked us all of a sudden.
It was the time when we had the Border-Conflict with Olenia about some old territories they still owe us. Three of us got badly injured. From cover, Ciares and two others from their Secret Services joined the fight. In a bad moment, a reindeer almost stroked him down from behind, but I was faster, hit the reindeer hard and then they run away. After that Ciares thanked me and we started to meet each other more and more. After he left the Secret Service, he opened the old tavern. Because a lot of old soldiers from the old guards met mainly in his tavern, it kind of became a little good place for us to meet some old friends again, talking about better times and so on.” 
“No wonder this place felt so nice for me… I have to move on from here. See you soon Teyrces.”

*******

The day of the days was in form of a letter at my doorstep. Tomorrow on June 11th it was time to enter the war. I was in the same division as Roaxon, a lot of veterans from the Canterlot-Assault where in our division. This division is the head towards Canterlot. Looks like that the Queen wants that we get our revenge too.

As we left Vesalipolis in a train for us troops we were heading towards the front. After some short stops at Vraks and Sicarus, we went on to the first captured city, Acornage. Then from there to Whitebell we got the information that our troops got the big city Las Pegasus. Looking on the map the front until the border of the Crystal Kingdom went now from Las Pegasus to Shire with a little angel and around Marechester to Hedgewards. It was very impressive how far we have already come. But this won’t last long. The closer we got to Canterlot, the harder it got for us. And we could only got so far because we had air-superiority and a better prepared army. Now they got themselves almost together and slowed our process strongly.

During the ride some soldiers where keep listen to the radio. At the evening we reached our final destination, Marechester. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I will really start to kill someone, not just drain his power. I will wrest a life from a living being, someone innocent. I am surprised that the younger ones of us didn’t hesitate to kill other lives. Maybe it’s because of the more intense propaganda affecting them…
As we got out of the train we were heading towards the local barracks...well what was left of it. Marechester looked destroyed. There was no building without damage. From the distance at the outskirts you could see and hear artillery shells. Bombers flying over our heads towards the front and the trembling ground as some heavy tanks past us. The sky was gray, the air smelled like coal. The scene was very depressing.  Behind the barracks we met for our first briefing in a little sport hall. The Chief of Army Trimmel, an expert for fast maneuvers and attacks spoke to us.

“Hello and welcome Soldiers. I hope you all had a good travel. Now your time has come to get Canterlot. Tomorrow we are heading towards Canterlot in a short line. In direct corporation with our Military High Command for Infantry Thysbe and Logistics Expert Danus, we have developed a good plan. As our so called Veteran-Divisions march onward to Canterlot the other divisions keep us save from all sides while the Chief of Airforce Apantesis supports your heads from the sky. For the Infantry itself the newbies are dealing with all incoming forces. Basically they are the attackers while you, the Veteran-Division support and attack. If we have heavy resistance we move around them, but the main route is towards Canterlot. The last to say is…we know that you have seen and fight in a war. But this is different from what you have seen in Canterlot. Get your revenge, make the nation proud. Good luck, and see you in their Throne Room.”

No one said anything and just listened to Trimmel. When he was done, our Division-Leader send us to lunch. After that we went to our beds. I felt nervous. Sleeping here and not in my safe home. It could be my last night. I was never afraid of dying…but more when it could happen. Then I started to fall asleep.

“GET UP, EVERYONE GET UP!!! ATTACK ATTACK!!!”

When I heard these words, I was full of energy and woke up fast. As fast as possible I ran out of the barracks, took cover. Then someone yelled, 
“AIR-STRIKE!!!!” 
When I was looking up, I saw a group of planes, probably dive bombers, rushing down on us. For a second I thought that this is already the end. But I was lucky, six Sv. 109K4 Fighters intercepted them. They had to stop their attack on us and scattered. I looked over the wall I was taking cover from behind. On the horizon I could see more enemy planes, probably thirty or more. AA-Guns next to us opened fire on them.

Boom-Boom Boom-Boom reload Boom-Boom Boom-Boom

All I could here was this. Then someone dragged me down on the floor, it was Junkers, someone who also was there at the Canterlot-Assault. Between this and today I haven’t seen him much, but only more when we were training again.
“TEYRCES GET DOWN!… Lieutenant Roaxon got order from General Heinrich. We have to retreat and meet at the underground station Harmony-Road, it’s only two streets away from here.”
He got me up then we two headed towards the station. In an alley we stopped for a moment.
“Junkers, where is the rest of us? Are they all heading towards the station?” 
“Most of us. The Tank-Divisions stay here and defend Marechester. We try a move with the subway to get behind the enemy lines and start to attack them from the side so we can secure Marechester.” 
“Sounds good. Let’s go!”
We went on from behind a house we looked over to the entrance for the station. Suddenly a Pony-Division appeared. “Shit, they might surprise them from behind, they aren’t much, but we can’t let them may warn their army!” 
“Don’t worry Teyrces, they won’t, we surprise them first!” 
As he said it, he load his gun, flew and attacked them from above. They immediately started to fire at him, Junkers dodging their bullets with Zick-Zack, he could kill two, but a bullet hit his hoof and he started to fall. I rushed out of the corner, took my gun…….
The rest of them, three if I remember correctly, collapsed. Their bodies had holes everywhere. Junkers land hard on the ground, but he was still alive. 
“Teyrces, are you alright?” 
I was just looking at their dead bodies. “They tried to kill my friend...it was necessary…” I said to myself. My mood turned slightly cold. I thought it would feel bad…but I felt nothing. 
“I should ask you more Junkers if you are alright.” 
“Could be worse, I think that was a bad idea. Nevertheless, I got some bandages.” 
I helped him with that, put him up and we went down into the station.

“Tell me Teyrces, that gun you have, I have never seen it before, is it new?” 
“Yes, it is the planned successor of your Type-71. It is the new Araneae MAR-30.” 
“Why do you have this gun and how did you get it?” 
“Shortly after the training was finished, some of us, maybe 10 or 15 were selected to test a new gun for combat. This gun was awesome in training. She feels very advanced. If the results are good, they are gonna make them for all of the magical divisions.” 
“Boy, I wish I had this much luck. Anyway, we must be close. I think I can hear them down there.”

As we reached the platform, we saw Roaxon and some other soldiers talking with General Heinrich and General Pharynx. “Thank god you did it”, said Roaxon to us when he saw us. Over our heads the ceiling vibrated a little bit, the sounds of gunfire, explosions and planes was even down here audible. Then General Heinrich stood up. 
“Listen, I got the news that Yakyakistan surrendered.” 
We were pretty surprised that it didn’t took that long. 
“The Yaks were strong in their capital, but as we secured the outskirts of their city and the rest of the army could walk in with almost no resistance, we were able to destroy their defense. After that, they surrendered.” 
Then General Pharynx interrupted Heinrich. 
“Indeed. Now the army can put pressure on the Crystal Kingdom from the north. This comes in a good time. The Crystal-Army is only half away from Snowybury. Hedgewards was easy captured, but Quebuck and Canterine where more difficult. They always tried to cut the front to Hedgewards. The current front line goes from the areas behind Hedgewards with a little left and right through Canterine and Snowybury up to former Yakyakistan. For us, our goal is the little city Blum, then we move to Luna Nova, split our forces to capture Cloudsdale and Ponyville and Bitterberry in the north. We try to surround Canterlot and cut their supplies. For now, we are moving in about 10 minutes.”

*******

As we moved through the subway tunnels no one was talking. It is pretty strange that the generals, a very important part of the army moves with the divisions along the front. But they had to, since Marechester isn’t safe for them. Then we found a maintenance room, big enough for our division with about forty changelings. We took a brake in there. Most of us took a nap. Then I went to Pharynx. 
“General Pharynx, do you have a moment for me?” 
“For now yes, what’s on your mind?” 
“Are you the brother of Thorax?” 
His view on me changed a bit darker, but he didn’t hesitate to answer. 
“Yes, I am. Why asking?” 
“Well I wonder what you think about the ways of your brother?” 
“Nothing good. In my eyes he turned into a fool, a dreamer who thinks that his ways are the right one. I disagree with all he thinks about us and our Queen. For me, if he would be our new leader, he would turn us into a weak and pathetic nation like the others. And now he is in the crosshair of the nation. In my opinion, if our Queen didn’t let them move into the parliaments, we would have a civil war here for sure. Well, we were lucky. And some of them, Thorax included thought that we won’t start a new war. The smarter ones of them really told some of Equestria about our plans, but they didn’t have much. Well our Queen and the rest aren’t that stupid. The day may come when the Thoraxian Party will be destroyed…and who knows what happens to Thorax. But I have to give him some credits for being able to form a pretty strong party here.” 
“But you wouldn’t sell him out, right? The government might think that you could have give your brother some information about the war plans, right?” 
“No, not at all. He might has stupid ideas and ideals, but he is still my brother. He is more than old enough and has to handle the consequences. If he sold some intel’s then it’s his own responsibility if he gets caught.” 
I was very surprised about that Pharynx talked so open about himself and his thoughts about his brother. But it didn’t seem to be that he understood any second thoughts about the war or that changelings like his brother have different perspectives. Well, we will see how it all goes on, I said to myself.

After we finished our break we went on to the surface. As we reached it, we found ourselves behind the outskirts of Marechester. The tunnel went the entire way under Marechester until here. The rest of the tracks might go further to Blum, one of our next targets. We left the tracks and hide behind a hill. On the top we could see over a field with trenches and destroyed war machines. 
Behind the trenches we spotted a base filled with ponies from Equestria. As Roaxon planned the way to move and beat them, while the generals talking and planning about the movements on Blum we heard gunfire from the trenches and screams. When we climbed back to the top with Roaxon I saw horror and terror at once. 
A big swarm of changelings rushed hissing into the base of them. I wished to not have seen it. They overrun the ponies, fixed them on the ground and rammed their fangs into their flesh. I looked through my binoculars, I could see blood run down their bodies as they turned into a corpse-pale and wrinkled shape. 
Screams of pain and scare and the aggressive hissing of the changelings. I thought for a moment I would be sick. When they have finished, we went down there and looked for survivors. I was lucky to find no one. I couldn’t bare to watch to see someone who would be still alive after this madness. Everything was silent. No voice, nothing. 
“Teyrces, this is the Blood-Love as they named it. This isn’t war anymore, it’s a genocide.” 
“Whatever Roaxon. I guess this is how it is.” 
“Are you alright, Teyrces?” 
Then I looked into his eyes, he saw the rising emptiness and apathy. I had to give up my concerns, now it’s me or them. But I knew from then that I can’t continue normal after the war. This was just the beginning of the long campaign.

Ash to ash, dust to dust.

*******

From here I can’t remember all exact details, especially of the other forces pushing against the Crystal Kingdom, or the forces in the south of Equestria. Anyway. It took us only four days to finally secure Marechester. Some small divisions from Equestria tried to invade the city during the night, but we could push them back. Batponies aren’t the only ones here who can fight in the dark night. 
After the front around Marechester stabilized, we planned to move on to Blum. During the travel to Blum something came into my mind. Why are we fighting against the army of Equestria and not Celestia, Luna, Discord or even the Mane 6? They have defeated us last time with their strong power, so where are they?...

We reached Blum pretty fast. It took us only a week to get there. As we entered the city some heavy house fights started. Then we got order to dig into the city. That was the sign that Equestria started a smart countermove but one of our Generals, General Lascor Erebidae, a pretty smart mind, thought ahead and guessed their plans good. 
They let us enter Blum, but then they attack from behind, cut the lines and surround us in the city. But they underestimate how fast our forces from Las Pegasus headed towards the north to us and how strongly our lines against counter attacks were. As the southern army reached Blum, one of the armies of Equestria were now completely surrounded. 
The older Generals preferred prisoners, but mostly, not all, newer Generals wanted to feed them to the Blood-Love. 

Almost half of the surrounded ponies of Equestria got a touch of fear and horror, as the Swarm came out of nowhere and committed the Blood-Love on them. A bullet was nothing compared to this. We all could hear the screams miles away. I wonder if the Blood-Love has any corruptive affects on the ones who uses it. 
You need a strong mind to resist the seduction of power and force. After this and only a few prisoners we moved on to get Blum in our hoofs. Getting Blum was surprisingly easy after we encircled their army south of us. Later, it was getting difficult to defend Blum. They didn’t send any divisions to Blum, but their Airforce, which was very strong. Gaining the air superiority wasn’t easy. Our Fighters had to do a lot to get the Equestrian Airforce out of our sky. 
It was certain that they had to recover from that defeat at Blum. Moving onwards to Luna Nova, we saw that ground resistance wasn’t that strong anymore, but mostly in the south and north around Riverpool and Whinnyapolis. This was because a lot of military factories were more around Canterlot, especially in the south. It might be possible that they know that we try to encircle Canterlot and now they try to slow us down, so they can use the time to make Canterlot an unbeatable fortress with guns, artillery and what else not. 

As we reached Luna Nova, we had to withstand a heavy rain of artillery shells. So even Luna Nova was a Fortress, it was a taste of what awaits us in Canterlot. It was to dangerous to try to avoid the rain of shells, so we retreated back to a save distance. 
Our plan was to use a rain of bombs against them. Unfortunately, we had to wait for our Airforce, since most of them where at other fronts or defending us from the Airforce from Equestria. After two days the first wave of bombers flew over Luna Nova. 
It took three runs to destroy enough artillery positions. In Luna Nova, there was no stone on the other. When we entered the city, most of it was abandoned but I saw corpses that didn’t wear a uniform. 
For a moment I thought that they might have run out of materials, but it changed when I saw the toys, children, mothers and fathers in their destroyed homes. All dead. The worst was the smell of burned flesh. 
After what happened in Marechester I felt how I turned more and more down. Killing soldiers and seeing the Blood-Love from time to time, it hadn’t a great effect on me anymore. But this, this had a bigger meaning. 
I knew that civilians might be killed during the war but seeing it now with your own eyes and worst, if their dead eyes look to you…for me, as a changeling, they were the enemies. But I knew that this could also be a changeling family, it could be us too. But for now, I have to stay strong. This is the only thing I can do now.   

After some time, Luna Nova was under our control. Now it was time to plan the strike against Ponyville and Bitterberry. Three forces, one south, one north and one towards Canterlot. In the final moments, Heinrich and Pharynx told us that some of the divisions that should attack Canterlot, including me, had to help in the south against Cloudsdale. 
The attack against Canterlot was now for a short time stopped until Cloudsdale was ours. As we prepared for the final assault we got news that the capital of the Crystal Kingdom, Crystal City is now under siege.  
As we prepared to head towards Cloudsdale, our Generals changed the plans again a bit. Our big division is gonna be split into two parts. One continuous the attack on Cloudsdale with the help of some more divisions from the southern front. The other half helps in Bitterberry. Within this other half also was Roaxon. 
On the evening when he moved on, he came to me and said, “We meet again at Canterlot Teyrces. Look out, I don’t wanna capture it alone.” 
“And your own movements with your group?” 
“Don’t worry, we see how it all goes. Well, see you.” 
As we left, I come to think that I have never seen anyone of his group, neither I know who is a member...am I really a part of his coming actions or just a follower? No no, ask him when he is back.

At the gates to Cloudsdale we marched on with a heavy artillery barrage. It wasn’t that effective as we fought, well mostly Cloudsdale is made of clouds. So we used Plan B, attack them directly. With support from Fighters, we flew up into the City, for our own surprise, it was empty. We and our Division-Leader couldn’t understand.  

All of a sudden someone screamed: 
“DEATH FROM ABOVE!” 
As I looked up, I saw a huge amount of Pegasi heading towards us. They were carry something. We tried to shoot them down, no success. Then they dropped their load. A flash and a wall of fire was falling down on us. 
I thought for a moment, this is it. Then someone pushed me into a house next to me. Outside, the wall of fire pressed on the streets and burned everyone to ashes. The walls couldn’t resist the fire and it was hitting me too. I felt the burn, the heat, the pain. Above my head the ceiling collapsed, then it went all black for me…

*******

“Wake up, wake up…please wake up…”
I could hear a voice. Then when I slowly opened my eyes, it was Junkers beside the bed I was laying in. 
“What…..what happened Junkers. Where am I?” 
“Something bad happened. They dropped Napalm-Bombs on your division. The rest of us could only watch. We had to wait a few hours until we finally could get up there. We found you under some wreckage. One of the Soldiers, Renichs was his name, saved your life. His body protected the most heat from you. He didn’t made it. Then we brought you with other injured here to Ponyville.” 
“I am in Ponyville? How long did I passed out?” 
“Maybe about a little more than a week. You weren’t the only ones. Pegasi dropped all around our fronts Napalm-Bombs. Our Queen was furious. She said that the consequences will hit them very hard. One of them was the early attack on Canterlot. But...maybe you wanna see it outside.” 
When I stood up, my left hoof felt bad. It was burned up to my knee but could still move it. Outside, it was afternoon and it was raining. Ponyville was nothing more than a dark decayed and bombed place. In the distance I was able to see the rest of Cloudsdale. Then all of a sudden, Trimmel was standing in the middle of the place, looking at us and saying, 
“It’s better for you to look away now.”  

As I looked at Cloudsdale, a huge flash and a big grumble followed by a loud shockwave seemed to tear the sky apart. I covered my eyes with my hoofs, but I could see through them, I saw my bones, it was that bright. The wave of fast and hot moving air almost forced me to the ground. Then when the flash was gone, all I saw was a big mushroom cloud. 
“That was an Atomic-Bomb!” 
Junkers was shocked as well. Then with a dark grin on his face, Trimmel pointed to Canterlot. I understood what he meant to say. 
“No, you are kidding me, it can’t…” 

B O O M 

Behind the Palace of Canterlot another flash wrapped the city into the atomics hot veil. The shadow of the Palace was barely visible. The earth was shaking. Then all was quit. The last sounds of the bomb vanished, no one said anything.
I couldn’t watch it anymore. I went back into my bed, Junkers followed. The last thing for the day he said was: 
“Now we brought hell on this world...” 

After some days, the government of Equestria in Canterlot called for peace negotiations. They saw the power of atoms. A nuclear winter came over the region around their capitol. Cloudsdale was gone and Canterlot was also in a very bad shape. The second bomb was dropped far enough behind, so it wouldn’t destroy the city. 
So far I know diplomats from both sides met in Baltimare to end the war...well I hope so. I still didn’t understood why their princesses didn’t helped their army, or the Mane 6. But that wasn’t the only weird thing. 
More and more of us became sick. Some of their skins became darker than before and peeled off. Others had to vomit. Even Junkers turned a bit sick. One day, I was walking through Canterlot. 
One progress was made, the changelings could roam free in Equestria and elsewhere, basically it was the start of their capitulation. I was walking through the thin snow and it was still summer, but the sky was still dark and grey. I reached a marketplace. Everything was silent. Except some corpses laying near an alley and some wind, there was nothing. The city was dead...maybe just like me. Then I heard footsteps behind me, it was Roaxon. 
“Teyrces, for us. It is time. Follow me.” 

I said nothing. I didn’t know what I should say anyway. We were walking into the Everfree Forest, very strange, but I didn’t bother. We reached a wooden bridge, behind it, a big old castle in ruins.  
“I know this castle. The two princesses lived here centuries ago, right?” 
“Yes. Teyrces, I hope it wasn’t bad for you or your injuries?” 
“No Roaxon, it’s all good.” 
As we walked inside I felt a warm feeling. Behind me, the first sun rays shined through the clouds. It felt very good somehow. Then I heard voices as we walked deeper inside the castle. When we entered the old Throne Hall I saw something very unlikely. 
A huge crowd sitting next to tables, fireplaces or beds. Weapons of all kinds on the walls. Tactical maps and planning boards, this place really seemed to be turned into a military base. As I looked into the crowd I saw unicorns, pegasi, earthponies, even some changelings. 
From the last I was extremely surprised who was there. One of them was Marshall Synovial and even Thorax next to him at a table. At the other side was a zebra and….JUNKERS???

“Let’s go Teyrces.” 
At the table they looked to me, still I was surprised. 
“Welcome Teyrces. Surprised to see me?” 
“Yes Junkers, what is this all?” 
“We are a unity in diversity merged with Zecoras Resistance.” 
Then the Zebra named Zecora looked at me. 
“We try to safe the world. That’s why we made this unique horde. I hope you trust us as we will you, but I think we will tell you what happened and is very true!” 
I took a seat next to all, then they all started to tell. 

In the past, it was clear that a new war was coming. The party of Thorax was a try to prevent it. Marshall Synovial thought the same way, but at least start a war against Olenia to get some old territories back. So after Canterlot, he founded with some other changelings from that time a little group to start someday a coup. 
But the war started sooner than expected. Thorax had to hide, since we were fighting, in our country the VOPS started raids on the Thoraxian Party. It became even worse because the Blood-Love showed more and more of its disadvantages. If someone used it in a short period of time and too much, the user will get headaches, more violent and worst, looses his mind and kills everything in his path. 
Some got affected by this, others could control it, others had no problems. The ones who lost their mind died or got shot. This was kept as a secret. And a lot in the higher positions knew about this, but didn’t do anything to stop it, because it was too effective. Then there was the lack of action of the princesses of Equestria and other high tiers. 

The reason for start was the promise of Queen Chrysalis herself wouldn’t interfere into battles. She also kind of tricked Equestria. When the war started, she told them that she had the atomic bomb, but won’t use it if they won’t interfere as well. 
She wanted to show that the changelings will be supreme over any other race. The problem was that at Cloudsdale and a little bit before, the fraction of Pegasi got more and more aggressive because they knew that their home Cloudsdale was next. So they used their special Weapon, Napalm-Bombs. 
Chrysalis knew about this weapon too, it kind of was a trade off, since Equestria wasn’t far enough to make atomic bombs. Both Queens and Princesses, so the A-Bomb and cruel weapons like Gas and Napalm-Bombs wont be used, but they didn’t knew about the Blood-Love. 

But as said the Pegasi used it to get revenge on us. Queen Chrysalis saw it as a good reason to use the A-Bomb. But she also knew that after that the Princesses might start to act in the war, so she dropped a second right after near Canterlot as a warning signal. 
Posthaste after the attack, Equestria asked for negotiations. This was not just because they feared to get hit by more A-Bombs, but they also knew the detriment of the Bomb, the Fallout. We didn’t tested the A-Bomb at all on land, just in the ocean. The Bomb produces radiation. And materials can get “radiated” from the Bomb. 
If that stuff falls down from the sky during an atomic winter or just rain, all it touches gets radiated. This destroys your body, you feel sick, you vomit, your skin dies, your mane falls off. 
And then, you life with pain, you might have luck or you die cruely. Now our changeling-soldiers suffer because of this. Right after the first tests our scientists warned everyone at the high tiers not use the weapon or at least if no one is close to it. That means, that our Queen killed her own subjects. That was enough for us.

Now at the moment Queen Chrysalis and others are talking with the Princesses from Equestria and the Mane 6 in Baltimare. At the moment we have an armistice, but more is that Equestria, the Crystal Kingdom and Yakyakistan is mostly under control of our government. We try to attack Baltimare and capture Queen Chrysalis. 
Then Synovial takes over and forms a Military Junta to make peace with the Continent. If this has success we secretly help Equestria to rebuild all and the other changelings don’t think that we try to ally with Equestria or something like that. And for the rest, we are still looking into that.  

“As you see, we try our best and not just sip here tea. We bring back the balance once more, as it should be like before.”, said Zecora to me. 
“Yes Zecora. But I still believe that we should have both at the top, my party to calm down the folk and Synovial for military security.” 
“Can you finally shut up Thorax?! No one cares about your stupid day dreams and fantasy about harmony, friendship and what not! We wont change our culture because you think it’s the only way!”, said Synovial. Roaxon and Junkers agreed to this. 
“Hold on. Junkers, just like me, you witnessed the Fallout and I saw you feeling sick and all.” 
“Yes, but like you, I wasn’t out much. I stayed most time inside. I got some radiation but Zecora has good stuff to heal your body a bit better. She will look for you later too if that is okay.” 
“Yes sure. But apart from this. For us changelings that are here...are we traitors? We sure are in their eyes and maybe for sure if we try to overthrow our Queen.” 
“Teyrces, it’s for the best for us changelings. When the time is right then we will tell the truth about the war.”, said Thorax confidently. 

After the meeting I got myself a place to sleep for the night. At around midnight, I woke up, it was hard to fall asleep, so instead I went on the old wall, took a seat and looked over the forest. The sky was almost clear, the stars and the moon shined bright and reflected on the white and grey snow. In the distance was Canterlot, but there where almost no lights on. 
“Can’t sleep well?” It was Thorax, he took a seat next to me. “It really hurts to see what happened to this land.” 
“You have no idea Thorax. And to make it clear, I won’t support you if it is why you are here…” 
“No Teyrces, but I can understand it. I was surprised for myself that I got so many followers in my party. I won’t try to become King or any like that. If it’s necessary I will leave the country and go somewhere else.” 
“Your brother talked with me, you know?” 
“Yes my brother...I canunderstand him why he is fighting…” 
“Well I think I try to sleep again...good night Thorax.” 
I didn’t want to talk about this thing anymore...but deep inside I knew I might struggle between Harmony and Culture in the future… but for now I didn’t wanna care about it, then in my bed I could finally start to sleep. 

ALARM ALARM ALARM!!!  

WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!!!

Like in war, I woke up fast and looked around me. As fast as I could I took my gun. From above a horde of changelings rushed down on us. I aimed at them…but I couldn’t bring myself to shoot at them. So I tried to hide instead. Inside the castle it was pure hell. I run trough a big room which must have been a library before. Onwards through shaking hallways and cold rooms. I get into another hall and wasn't alone here. Everyone was fighting for their lives.
I see some changelings used the Blood-Love on ponies and even on changelings. Different in war, I started to feel pure cold fear. I looked around for an exit. All of a sudden a changeling hit me from behind with a metal rod and I fell to the ground. Before I passed out I could see one of them shoot Synovial in his head and wounded Roaxon in the background….then all went black….

*******

My senses came back when I started to hear a cheering crowd of changelings. My slowly opened eyes saw a big crowd of changelings, the sun in the sky and next to me Zecora, Thorax and some other ponies. I must be on a scaffold, above me the blade of death. And I remember how I ended up here…

Then in front of me is the leader of VOPS himself slowly appearing, Vaspier Orn Kladisium. 
“Well, look at this piece of traitors. Even the Queen has no time to see your worthless death. And you Thorax, did you thought you could escape from us?” 
“No, but I would never do this to my own folk, you dirty monster! Even killing Synovial and using something so cruel like the Blood-Love on changelings.” 
“Thorax here is right, aren’t the dead one, one of your kind?” says Zecora under fury. 
“Pff… well, I would care, but I don’t have mercy for betrayers. But it is still sad to see so many veterans here...Well, anyway, we have a lot to execute and I have a tight schedule today.” 
Then he looks to the executioner. 
“Their last words shall be heard. Then on my word, drop the blade.” 
“Understood.” says the executioner, 
but …..something is strange...I remember this voice...
”So, traitors, your last words?” 

B A N G

All of us are trying to not be overwhelmed. A shocked staring Vaspier collapses with a hole in his head on the floor. Blood spreads out on the dais. The crowd turned silent and just watches, when the executioner steps in front of us, with his smoking golden revolver in his left hoof. 
“I told you to come home alive didn’t I?” 
He turns around to me, then I recognize him, Roaxon is just astonished and so was I. 
“CIARES?! What the hell are you doing here?!?!” 


“I get you out of here. Now, what you say? You all wanna be a part of something great?”



It was the moment were I got a second chance. But after looking at it all. Our nation, my kind, the war and all other races out there...we may have different views and maybe a war is the only way…

But no. Even if. War should never be the answer. As well as playing with your own folk
and use it like it has just a worth of a cheap replacement. 
But I am more than this, we all are. We have our own will and choose our 
own ways. Still there comes the day, when someone will attack us. As a proud changeling, I am willing to sacrifice my life for my nation and my fellow changeling family. 
We may all wanna go down in history, but I don’t wanna go down
as the one of a race who destroyed the world.

~/ Teyrces, a normal Changeling \~


The End

********

for now


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