> The Unforeseen
>  by Shadow Beast
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Act 1: It Begins With Death
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1:  The Fallen


He hit the hard ground and the first thing he felt was the cold, wet fluids dripping off of his coat.  He managed to get the liquid out of his eyes, and opened them to complete darkness.  In the cold came the pain, and his hoof lifted to his forehead, where it touched an unfamiliar horn.  A jittering noise startled him, and his foreleg stretched to his back to feel delicate wings... like a butterfly’s.  As he stared on into the pitch darkness, all he could do was try to remember what happened.  All of these new feelings... was he dead?  He couldn't even remember his own name...

A bright light interrupted his thoughts as an unseen door slammed open.  He tried to shield his eyes but his ghostly form was filled with holes.  A dark figure flickered out of view, then reappeared at his flank.  An unseen hoof jabbed him in the back, almost throwing him into the light.  Pushed past the threshold, the door slammed shut behind him. The shapes soon took new forms as his eyes adjusted to the light.  The creatures were black with bright blue eyes and menacing fangs and wings.  He realized he had been led astray by demons.  He looked around, seeing himself on a rather large staircase with the only source of light coming from an opening opposite the room he came from.  He looked down, and saw the staircase line the outer wall of a vast, spiraling chasm.  There was no doubt in his mind that this light was worth a leap of faith.  With wings spread and eyes closed he jumped from the stairs, flapping his new wings in an attempt to reach the bright blue sky beyond the archway.  

Suddenly everything stopped.  He opened his eyes, not feeling anything below him, and saw a bright green film around himself.  He was floating over the abyss, and whatever had ahold of him would determine whether he would fall or be saved.  He looked up, seeing his captor.  Another demon, this one with green, reptilian eyes, a more twisted horn, and two sets of fangs.  The demon seemed taller too, but that could have been the shadows playing tricks.  He could barely see anything with the sun in his eye, but he was able to make out a smirk on the monster’s face.  A low chuckle echoed off of the walls, and the changeling found himself flying once again, but backwards.  He hit the wall behind him hard, then fell to the ground.  His wings hurt and there was dirt in his mouth now.  As he tried to get up and spit dirt out at the same time he realized that these sensations of pain and taste could not transcend mortality; he was alive.  Suddenly a sharp pain in the back of his head shoved his consciousness back into the darkness.

He awoke once again, but this time the room was lit.  He surveyed the room to find several of the black creatures sitting around the room attacking various rocks, each marked in a different glyph that he didn't understand.  A hoof prodded the pony to his four feet, and he turned to find the creature with blue eyes staring back at him.

“What... what saved me?”  His voice was high pitched and sounded almost unnatural, yet somehow “right.”

“The wretched Assassin,” the monster responded in an almost identical voice.  “He cost me two parasprites... I thought he 
was going to drop your sorry flank into the pit.”  

“An assassin lives here?”

“You’ve got a lot of learning to do, Drone...”  The other was turning hostile.

“A Drone?  What am I, a bug?”

“You’re a Changeling like the rest of us, you idiot!”  The blue-eyed changeling was out of breath.

“What’s a ‘changeling?’”

The changeling swallowed his anger toward the Drone.  “It means you feed off of positive emotions now.  Other than that you are almost perfect,” the changeling’s hoof went to the Drone’s forehead then to either side, “you have both a horn and wings.”  The changeling gestured toward the rocks.  “This is where you will train for combat; outsiders won’t give us their love free of charge, you know...”

“I didn’t think ‘drones’ would do the fighting...”

“Drones are the lowest forms of life here.  You want respect, you will pass training and become a Soldier!”

“And what happens if I don’t pass?”

“You get killed... eventually.  Until then you’re just a Worker.  A pathetic little Worker.  There are ‘occupational hazards’ every day here in the Hive...”

“And somepony keeps track of all of this?”

“Nobody cares.  You’ll learn that soon enough.”

This theory of apathy that his commanding officer had told him could not escape the Drone’s mind as he toiled endlessly in the training grounds.  He worked up his new muscles, learned how to fly, and even figured out how to use basic magic and shapeshifting spells.  Comet attacks and horn thrusts, which were once difficult, were now performed effortlessly.  He even learned basic changeling literacy, and was able to differentiate the “magic” targets from the “comet” and “swarm” targets.  Soon enough he had earned the rank of Soldier, and a truth was revealed to him.  As he was promoted by his officer, he stood proud and firm.

“Get that stupid grin off of your face, Soldier!” the officer exclaimed, smacking the former Drone right in the snout with enough force to send the changeling to the ground.  “There’s still additional training you must receive!”

As much as the trainee wanted to question the officer’s authority, no words could escape his hurting snout.  He slowly got back up on all fours.  Feeling a strange substance in his snout of unusual taste, he spat it out.  His eyes widened as he saw a green glob of goo splattered on the floor.

“What is that?” the changeling asked his superior officer.

“Stay or go?” the expressionless officer said.

“What?”

“Train to stay in the Hive or train to leave?”

“You don’t even care, do you?”

“Soldier, you’re expendable.  My time isn’t.  Now answer or I’ll answer for you.”

The Soldier glared at his instructor.  “Go.”  Very little emotion left his snout.  “I don’t want to be stuck in this forsaken place.”

The officer chuckled.  “You see that goop on the ground there?”  The Soldier didn’t answer, almost enraged by the ignorance.  “Well, that’s your destiny.”  He turned toward the exit.  “Regulator!  You have a new trainee!”

A changeling slightly shorter than the officer trotted into the training ground.  Upon seeing the Soldier, his wings carried him quickly to the green goop on the ground.  A sniff and a hoof into it confirmed his suspicions.  With a nod from the officer, Regulator dragged the young changeling out of the training area and down the flight of stairs.  Short introductions sufficed as they trotted down the winding path.  “Who are you?” was the first question that came out of the changeling’s snout, but was not the first to come to mind.  

“Regulator.”  

“What’s that mean?”

“I’m a Breeder who takes care of the newborn Drones.”

“Then why am I here?  I’m a Soldier!”

“You’re also annoying,” Regulator responded with frustration in his voice.  “But that’s beside the point.  Your spit is quite 
fertile, and my peer believes you have Breeder potential... outside the Hive.”

“What’s a Breeder?”

“What’s a question?” Regulator asked in a sarcastic tone.  “Just shut up, Soldier... you ask one more question and I’ll kill you.”

Finally, they reached the bottom of the steps.  Below them the bottom of the Hive was deeper by a few feet.  Looking over the edge, the Soldier saw bright blue eyes staring back at him, but not a sound came from below.  The scent of Fear overwhelmed the Soldier’s senses and caused him to step back a few paces.

“You’re not here for the tour, idiot!”  Regulator took a brief glance to the eyes below, then turned right back toward the Soldier.  “Those things are called Workers.  They are what become of any Drone who disobeys conduct or fails combat training.”

“Those... they are changelings!  But why don’t the stairs reach them?”

Regulator’s black snout twisted in anger.  He charged the Soldier, pinning him up against a wall.  The only thing the Soldier could smell besides the stale breath of the changeling was its Rage.  

“If there’s one thing I hate more than excessive questions, it’s sympathy!”  

The Soldier hoped his Fear was indistinguishable from the Fear of the Workers.  He was wrong.  Regulator brought one hoof back, preparing to strike, but something caught his eye.  Both changelings looked up to see a green-eyed Assassin staring back at them.  The grip around the Soldier’s throat lifted.

“What are you looking at, you bastard?!” Regulator screamed at the silent changeling above.

The Assassin trotted down the stairs to join the two changelings.  His speed would imply that he had a lot of practice.  Finally he spoke, his voice was much deeper than the Soldier had expected: 

“You know, as an Assassin, I could tear your wings off just for looking at me the wrong way, let alone raising your foolish voice to me!”  

“You didn't do it to this little freak!” Regulator gestured toward the Soldier.

“I wasn't expecting him to try to escape.  For once in my life there was something... unforeseen.  I couldn’t let that just up and die!”  The Assassin smiled.  “You, on the other hoof...”

The Assassin took a step closer to Regulator.  The Breeder refused to budge, calling the Assassin’s bluff.  

“You’re not going to kill me.”

“Give me your left hoof.”

“What?” said Regulator, confused by this strange request.

“I’m sorry.”  The Assassin shook his head back and forth, as if sympathizing with the Breeder.  “I meant your right hoof.  I get those mixed up sometimes...”

“Why?”

“I need to know if you’re worth anything.  I’ve seen quite a few Breeders in my... visions.”

Regulator reluctantly agreed, lifting his right hoof.  The Assassin’s left hoof lifted it a bit higher and his green eyes scanned it very closely.  A smile creased his black snout, exposing a second set of fangs near the back.  

“The future smiles upon you, Breeder.  This is the kind of hoof that could hold a map... yes, the hoof of a Breeder Elite!”

“Elite?!”

“Would you like me to verify that?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s the difference between supposing and knowing,” the Assassin insisted.

“You bastard... this is why everyone hates you!  You dodge questions and spout words that neither make sense nor matter!”

“I’m sure the same could be said of all changelings.  At least, the ones that are stationed outside the Hive.  But you will never know that feeling, will you?”  A familiar smirk creased the left side of the Assassin’s face.  

Regulator addressed the Assassin by name this time.  “And another thing, Foresight!  You just keep contradicting yourself!  How can I be an Elite and still be in the Hive?”

The smirk was gone, replaced by the calm, emotionless snout from before.  “I said I needed to verify that you are indeed the Breeder from the vision; you declined.”

“I did no such thing.”

“So you want me to verify the prediction?”  There was a slight emphasis on “want” as though the Assassin actually cared what the Breeder thought.

Regulator thought for a moment, sighing and biting his left hoof as he contemplated the very strange offer.  He already had his right hoof read by the shady fortune teller, but what could “verify” possibly mean?  His left hoof lowered, and a slight nod of his head brought Foresight’s left hoof up, beckoning Regulator’s right hoof once more.  Upon the Breeder’s right hoof being placed on his left hoof again, a smile creased the Assassin’s snout revealing a second set of fangs toward the back.  His mouth slowly opened, and his tongue stretched toward Regulator’s hoof.  A short lick and the tongue went back into the Assassin’s mouth.   Their eyes met.  Light reflected off of the changeling spit on the Breeder’s hoof and then off of the Assassin’s eyes and fangs.  Within a second the changeling’s head ducked down as his fangs clamped down on the Breeder’s hoof.  Just as quickly he let go... though it was after a loud scream from Regulator and a strong punch to the nose.  

“What the hay did you do that for, you bastard!?”  His whole hoof overlapped the injured one.  Despite the commotion, there was no blood from the wound.  

“You’re not bleeding...”

The Assassin smiled.  “I can’t kill you now, you know,” he reassured, keeping Regulator from turning back toward his student.  “Change the present, and the past and future are to follow!  The scars from my bite marks just appeared in my vision!”

“So I will get the promotion?” the Breeder asked, choking back the pain in his hoof.

“Yes.  But one word of advice,” the Assassin warned, “If you ever lose something, never leave your pony form.  Without your pony form you’ll die.”

“That’s just common sense!” Regulator noted, half-doubting the Assassin’s expertise.  

“Mistaken senses will be harshly corrected,” Foresight added in an almost monotonous voice.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” the irritated Breeder asked.

“I will lead you to the gatekeepers, and then the face of darkness shall be revealed!  Sadly, I had shielded my eyes from such light... light that would smite the darkness!  But then the clouds would roll...”

Regulator prodded the Soldier into trotting past the Assassin while he was caught in a nonsensical speech about “darkness” and “light.”  He mentioned “forgiveness” which didn’t seem to fit into the story at all.  Even the Soldier stopped listening to the speech after that.

“What is wrong with that guy?” the Soldier dared to ask once they got out of earshot of the demented speaker.  

“You mean other than being a complete freak of nature?”  The Breeder kept trotting up the stairs.

“Well... yeah.”  The Soldier was unsure if he would get a clearer response, or if he could keep up with the Breeder for much longer.

Regulator smiled at the Soldier for the first time.  “He’s a bastard.  I’ve worked the line of hatching new changelings for over 1000 years in the Hive.  Then maybe a few hundred or so years ago this freak shows up and claims to be one of our own!  Sure... the Queen believed him, but I still say he’s the bastard son of some hive.  What really sucks is that I’ll actually owe him something if I get that promotion.”  His blue eyes fell to the fang marks on his right hoof.

“What makes you so sure?”  Before Regulator could answer, the Soldier clarified.  “...about him not belonging to the Hive, I mean.”

“O... right,” Regulator said, gathering his thoughts again.  “Well, besides all the future talk and gibberish... he came to us with no wings.  Just a couple stubs on his back like a common Worker!  Fun thing though... he had those green eyes of a high ranking Manipulator, and the mane color to match!”

“His mane’s a different color?”

“Funny.  Thought you were going to ask me what a Manipulator was.  O well, Manipulators are the leadership around here.  I report to one, your old supervisor Compass reports to one, and those Manipulators all report to the Queen.   She’s the brains behind all of our operations; she gets the final word on everything... especially naming changelings who have gone above and beyond their training!”

“Like you.”

“Exactly.”

“...and Foresight.”

A slight scent of Rage permeated from the Breeder.  “I think he just calls himself that.”

“So you were telling me about the mane color change...” the Soldier said to get the Breeder back into a relatively good mood.

“O, right!  Manipulators practice these awesome manipulation spells that slowly change their changeling forms that make 
them better at the spells.  It’s an infinite cycle that only the Queen has truly perfected, which is why she is so tall, has a long, bluish mane and those beautiful eyes.”

“Do you like her?”

“Of course!  Everyone here in the Hive does, not counting the Workers and Foresight since their opinions don’t matter.”  He rattled off that last part almost too quickly for the Soldier to understand.  “It’s almost a kind of law...”  Regulator’s head tilted to a side as though a thought had appeared in his mind, but he just shrugged it off, did a slight shake and kept trotting up the stairs.  

Finally they reached their destination: a door that seemed somehow familiar to the Soldier.  Upon opening it, he found multiple ponies laying unconscious inside.  Regulator pushed the Soldier all the way in and closed the door behind them.

“Are they still alive?”

Regulator just smiled.  “Of course.  They have to be alive before they can be killed!  Then their new life can begin.”

“New life?”

“Of course!  We’re turning their drab old pony forms into beautiful masterpieces of nature that is the changeling race!”

“And it begins with a death?”

The Breeder chuckled.  “You and your sympathies... very funny.  Now help me cover this pony with our own power!”  The changeling spat some green goop on a nearby incapacitated Earth pony.

“I don’t want to kill anypony here...”

“You sound as though this is a one-time thing!”  Regulator laughed.  “My diluted little changeling... you’re just getting started.  You’re a Breeder now.”



Chapter 2:  The Wait and the Scales


Night came.  The moonlight ricocheted off the walls of the Hive, and Breeder as he was now called was almost blinded when he trotted out of the Spawning room.  The Moon was full and was directly outside the cave-like entrance to the Hive.  In the Lunar light, the silhouette of the Assassin stood out.  Hovering on his wings outside as though waiting for something.  
Regulator’s voice broke up the changeling’s observing.  “Don’t get distracted.  The work may be done, but there may be more tomorrow!”

“And what do we do until then?” the Breeder asked, turning his head back to see Regulator close the door to the Spawning room.  

Regulator turned from the door and trotted to the changeling’s side.  “Sleep.  And before you ask, you’re bunking with me since you've been promoted to Breeder.  It’s a lot nicer than those slabs of rock you used to sleep on in combat training.”

“And why’s that?”

Regulator chuckled.  “...you come up with a question anyways!?  I don’t know if I should be angry or impressed!”  Another chuckle escaped his snout before he addressed the question.  “Oh... you’ll find out.  I won’t wait up for you, so are you coming to bed now or later?”

“...later.”  Breeder was more hungry than tired; the pains in his stomach were strong enough to keep him from relaxing.

“Later.”

As Breeder watched Regulator trot down the steps, he noted exactly which door he used.  Of course, he went to the first door after the Spawning room and trotted right inside!  A smile creased the changeling’s mouth, which was still sore from learning how to produce large amounts of the green goop that could turn a pony into a changeling.  

“Hey there... Breeder!”  The changeling turned to find the source of the voice only to find his officer from combat training.

“Hello, Compass,” Breeder replied sternly, unsure of the officer’s intentions.

“How’s the new rank treating you?”

“I didn’t think that mass murder would be part of my job description.”

The officer laughed.  His laugh slowed into a chuckle as he began to realize that the Breeder was serious.  “Don’t tell me you feel sorry for those... ‘ponies.’”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Breeder asked, slightly angry.

“What?”

“The way you said ‘ponies...’  Are you implying they aren’t really ponies?”

“The ‘ponies,’” he used the same inflection, “are of no use to us because of their lack of Love.  These are creatures that are commonly depressed for one reason or another and are often outcasts or recluses.  Saboteurs find them, take them to Breeders like you, and they’re shipped out here to be given a greater purpose!”

“Saboteurs?”  The Breeder used the same inflection that Compass had.

“Changelings who are very good at maintaining a particular form.  They scout out different areas and races for us so that we can find weaknesses and know exactly when and where to strike!”

“And where do Assassins come in?” Breeder asked, taking a casual glance toward the entrance before turning back to the officer.

“Oh, Assassins are just mentally unstable Soldiers!  They kill ponies instead of feed off of them.  Of course, no Assassin goes into battle without an Executioner.”

“What--”

“The equivalent to a General in pony terms.  Very few changelings make this exclusive rank, and those who do become some of the most brutal warriors the Hive has to offer.  It’s such an honor that many Executioners have two names!”  The changeling smiled as his thoughts became saturated by his desire, but reality soon returned to bring the sides of his mouth back down.  “I only made Elite; it means they considered me, but turned me down.”

“So you’re a Soldier Elite?”  After a nod from the other changeling, Breeder was able to come up with another question.  “I’ve heard of Breeder Elites and now Soldier Elites... are there Assassin Elites?”

“Would you want to work under a General who believed everything was expendable?”
This thought brought a very grim image to the Breeder’s mind.  “...no.”

“Well there’s your answer!” Compass happily responded, hoping that it would be the last question.  Then a question of his own came to him.  “Why do you ask so much about Assassins?  They are all considered scum... you just don’t mess with them since they’re insane and would probably kill you.”

There was a short pause as Breeder was unsure how Compass would react.  “Foresight saved my life... I’m just wondering--”

“Let me stop you right there,” the Elite interrupted.  “Foresight is a wretch.  We found him a few hundred years back... trotted out of the woods to the north.  They say there wasn’t a single wing on him when we threw him down into the Pit.”

“You threw him down with the Workers?” Breeder asked, with Fear in his voice.  He was unsure if he was afraid for Foresight in this account, or afraid for himself as he had narrowly avoided such a fate.

“I didn’t personally... but a few days later the guy comes soaring right back out on a pair of brand new wings!”

“Wings grow back?”

Compass smiled.  “That’s just it, Breeder.  They don’t.”

There was another short pause as the changeling gathered his thoughts.  “So where do you think his new wings came from?”

“I don’t know.”  The Elite shook his head.  “I don’t want to know!”  A shiver traveled down the officer’s back as he remembered a small detail.  “Have you seen that wretch’s wings?”

“Yeah... they’re just changeling wings.”

“They are flawed.”  He turned around and spread his wings for comparison.  “You see the holes and rips?  They’re symmetrical.  They line up.  They don’t do this on that freak’s wings.”  The Elite turned back around.  “Sometimes I wonder if that wretch can even fly.”

“At least you guys found a job for him.”

“I guess...”  A smirk creased the right side of the changeling’s snout.  “Not that he actually does his job.”

“He’s... lazy?” 

“If he were lazy, he wouldn’t disappear.  Sometimes he’s in the Hive, other times he’s just... gone.  Some of us wonder if he’s in the Cult of Scales or something.”

“The what?”

Compass shook his head back and forth, as if shaking off a bad memory.  “Nothing... I gotta get going.”  He quickly trotted past the Breeder, but stopped a short moment to say one more thing.  “Stay out of trouble, Breeder.”  He descended the staircase and disappeared from the Breeder’s vision.  Of course, the Breeder didn’t care where Compass slept... he had greater things to discover.

The changeling trotted toward the entrance, and began to slowly exit to approach Foresight.  As he looked up, he was almost blinded again by the light from the Moon.  It caught him so off guard that he forgot about stealth, and a few misplaced hoofsteps and a soft grunt gave away his position very quickly.  His gaze returned from the Moon and found Foresight’s left eye as he had half turned his head around to see the source of the noise.  Upon making eye contact, Foresight simply rolled his eye and turned his head back toward the open wasteland outside.  Breeder stood silently for a few moments, before he began trotting a bit closer.  When he felt he was within earshot of the Assassin on the edge of the cliff, he finally spoke.

“How goes the night shift?” he said, awkwardly.

Foresight didn’t turn, and spoke with no emotion.  “Something unusual on the horizon.”

“What is it?”  Breeder took a few steps closer the Assassin standing near the very edge.

“Nothing dangerous... just smoke.  In the forest.  Caused by a fire yet to fully burn out.”

“Some campers?”  He moved a couple steps closer.

“They are coming.”

“Who is?”  Breeder now stood beside the Assassin.

“And he is leading them here...”  The faint smell of Fear wafted from the Assassin’s snout.

“Who is... ‘he?’”

“Shadow...” the Assassin said in a solemn tone, “he is a shadow... and I am waiting.”  The Assassin turned his head, almost bumping into the Breeder’s.  “Who are you?” asked Foresight.

“I’m... uh, Breeder.”  The Fear in his voice would assure that Foresight heard “uh” and not “a.”  

“You do not have a name?” Foresight said with so little emotion that one might perceive a statement instead of a question.

“Not yet.  Who are you?”

Foresight chuckled in a familiar manner.  “That’s not the right question.”

“What?”

The Assassin stretched his neck and cleared his throat as if preparing to give a speech.  “Sometimes life makes a monster,” he started, turning away from the Breeder and staring out toward the smoke from the forest.  “...or two,” he added.  “The question becomes,” he turned back to the changeling, ‘What are you?’”

“‘What are you?’” Breeder echoed.  “Regulator says you’re a bastard, and Compass says you’re a wretch... and the Hive calls you an Assassin.  But... who--er... what are you?” 

Foresight chuckled, two of his fangs shining in the moonlight.  He stopped when he noticed that Breeder seemed truly sincere.  His tone of voice became much more serious.  

“What am I?  Well it’s all about perspective.”  He turned from the changeling yet again, and stared into the wasteland.  

“Some look into a mirror and see a monster...”  His gaze lifted to the distant forest.  “Some look into a mirror and see the world...”  His gaze lifted to the Moon.  “The world looks at me and sees a monster with a mirror...”  His snout turned back to Breeder, twisted by the grin on its face.  “...but they do not realize that I am the mirror.”  

Breeder blinked a couple times.  “...what?”  

“You must be getting tired if you do not understand.”  The changeling turned back to the forest.  “Just get some rest...”

“That whole speech was just to get rid of me, wasn’t it?” the Breeder snapped back at him.  “You just made up a bunch of nonsense to get me to go away!”

“Life is what you make of it.  Truth is relative when tested by time.”

Breeder’s mouth opened to ask again, but decided against it.  He simply turned around and trotted away from the Assassin.  He had no way of knowing if he was trustworthy, but tomorrow would be a new day.  There was a chance that Foresight was right about him being too tired, but Breeder believed that the whole speech was gibberish and nonsense.  He found the second door from the top, and trotted inside his new room.  He closed the door behind him and began trying to lay down on the goopy slabs that made up the beds.  “At least he doesn’t work around the Hive...” he thought to himself as his laid down on the soft, greenish rock.  His eyes closed and he fell asleep.

Sunlight touched the changeling’s snout and reflected off the goop around him.  His eyes opened and he rolled off the slab to find the door was open.  As he shook himself awake, he noticed there was a changeling moving towards him.  A blink of his blue eyes cleared his vision and he was able to make out the face of Foresight.

“Good,” Foresight said.  “You’re awake.”

The Breeder’s hoof rubbed his aching head.  “Why do you have to have such a deep voice?” he asked.
Foresight suppressed a smile.  “You’re needed outside... Now.”

Before Breeder could truly get his bearings, Foresight’s magic lifted him to his four feet and pulled him closer.  Now on all four hooves, he followed behind the Assassin, his head still a bit achey from being awoken so early.  From the door, they trotted to the right, up the stairs, past the Hatchery, and out into the sunlight.  Waiting for them were several changelings that the Breeder did not recognize.  Turning from them, the changeling was finally able to see the faded blue mane of Foresight in the light of day.  His looks matched his voice.  

“Where is our Executioner?” Foresight asked the other changelings that were simply lounging outside.  

The three changelings looked up from their view of the wasteland, and simply smiled.  Then a changeling reached from behind and pulled Foresight around.  Foresight’s eyes met two similar eyes, and this changeling was slightly taller.  His mane was slightly darker, too.  

“The Queen wants to see you,” the new changeling said sternly, his voice slightly higher than Foresight’s.

“We were about to go on that mission--”

“I’ll brief the Breeder on the details while you make us late.  Now get going, you freak!”

With an irritated sigh, Foresight began trotting around the changeling and back into the cave.  A hind leg kicked him as he passed, prodding him deeper into the cave.  Despite the sound of pain, Foresight never turned around.  He descended the stairs as the changeling grabbed the Breeder and dragged him toward the cliff.  They stopped at the edge and the Breeder’s head was pointed toward a large plateau where several dragons were roosting.  

“You see those dragons?  That’s where we’re headed,” the changeling revealed.  “There are defectors there who have taken the forms of dragons, and they must be destroyed.”

“We have to fight other changelings?” the Breeder asked.  A changeling behind them chuckled.  

“The Queen believes the ‘Cult of Scales,’ as they call themselves, are planning to use their prey to attack the Hive,” the changeling beside Breeder explained, ignoring those behind them.  “We have to make sure every last defector on that plateau dies.  There’s no way around it.”

Suddenly, one of the changelings behind them spoke up, “You mean, we have to make sure that no changeling gets out alive.”  The changeling smiled.  “Admit it... this is a suicide mission.”

“We have an entire strike force!” the changeling said, raising his voice to the other.  “You are all well-trained Assassins, and I’m an Executioner!  Dragons may be a problem, but we have the skill to completely avoid conflict with them.”

“What about Foresight?” the Assassin asked.  “I thought he was only sent on suicide missions...”

The Executioner chuckled.  “Sure.  We’ll make sure an adult dragon notices him.”

“That could complicate the entire mission...” the Breeder noted.

“Oh, please,” the Executioner scoffed.  “Once we figure out the changelings, we just decloak them all!  I’m sure the dragons won’t mind a couple extra changelings in their meal.”

“What if Foresight sees the betrayal coming?”

The Executioner rolled his eyes and put a hoof on the Breeder’s shoulder.  “I hate to burst your little bubble, but Foresight’s a total liar.  The only thing he’s good at is night watch and killing some good Assassins.  I don’t know how you can fall for his ‘foresight’ act.”

The Breeder shook off the Executioner’s hoof.  “I guess I’m not a monster willing to backstab his own kind.”  

“‘Own kind?!’  Are you crazy?  He’s a total freak!” the Executioner was able to say as all the changelings burst into laughter.  “There was this one time, I had heard that he had killed Midnight Masquerade, and so I asked him about it...”  The laughter in the background stopped as the changelings now leaned forward in anticipation.  “You know what he told me?”  A short chuckle escaped one of the Assassin’s snouts as they continued listening.  “He told me he planned to take Midnight’s place!  But it doesn’t end there... the idiot claimed that Midnight’s still alive among the stars!”  The changelings burst into laughter, except for Breeder, who could only ask another question.

“Who’s ‘Midnight Masquerade?’”  

The changelings stopped laughing.  The Executioner’s voice was more serious than ever.  “Midnight Masquerade was an old hero to the changelings.  He was the first Executioner, and the best one.  He killed hundreds of ponies during his service, and the story goes that he let Chrysalis escape Canterlot at the fall of Chaos.  Nobody ever saw Midnight again, but his killing records have yet to be broken.”

“If nobody saw him again, why couldn’t he be alive?”

“Because he was the first Executioner!  The only thing that could separate him from his army would be death itself!”  

“Midnight is a role model to us all,” an Assassin added.  “I heard that he was born a unicorn, and as soon as he became a changeling he took his own brother’s form... by killing him!”  

“Hey!”  The Executioner was furious.  “It wasn’t his ‘brother;’ changelings are only brothers with other changelings.  It annoys the hay out of me when you guys say stuff like that... it’s like a pony associating with a tree!”

The changelings burst into laughter once again, all except for Breeder.  Foresight appeared from the Hive entrance, smiling. 

“What’s going on, Foresight?” the Breeder asked.

“I assume you were talking about Masquerade...”

“We already told him, you bastard!” the Executioner interrupted.

Foresight trotted past them all and sat at the edge of the cliff.  The smile never left his face.  “We should get going.”  His head moved from right to left as he scanned the area.  “He is coming.”

The Assassins laughed as the Executioner trotted toward the crazy changeling.  

“Listen, you freak!  I’ve had enough of your stupid word games, you’re an Assassin and I’m the Executioner, so you’ll do as I say!  Now speak in plain words and skip those stupid puzzles in your head!”

Foresight looked into the Executioner’s eyes without a hint of expression on his face.  “Elite.”

“For every time I have to ask you what you mean, I’m taking a parasprite from your rations, Assassin.”

“I’m an Assassin Elite now.  Chrysalis says that this will be a true test of my skills.”

“Assassin Elites don’t exist.  There can be no such rank in the Changeling Order...”

“Shouldn’t.  Assassin Elites shouldn’t exist.  She’s doing this to mock me and I believe you said we were late for this mission?  A suicide mission, of course, but I will not be so easily killed.”

The Executioner smiled and nodded, knowing that in the end there would be one less freak in the Hive tonight.  He rallied his Assassins as the Breeder was deep in thought.  He looked up at the Assassin Elite, and wondered why the Queen would distract from a mission just to mock a changeling deemed so worthless.  The Elite looked back at the Breeder and as their eyes met, the changeling realized why.  Somehow, a phrase popped into his head, as though placed there by Foresight...

“Of course that’s not all.  They’re all just too stupid to be worthy of the truth.”

The phrase bounced around in the Breeder’s head, and he wondered if telepathy was ever in the Elite’s training.

“Not formally.”

This is too good to be true.

“Thinks you.  I’ve had years to practice.”

Why are you doing this to me?

“Because you’re different.  You are the Unforeseen.”

You know you can’t predict everything.

“You tried to escape.  Do you know why that is?”

It was just... instincts.

“Hardly.  In a place where instincts are laws, it’s hard to believe that a rule breaker could have any.”

Are you calling me stupid?

“I’m calling you the Unforeseen.”

“Stop doing that!” the Breeder screamed, not realizing that he had said it out loud.  He looked around to find the Executioner glaring at Foresight, and the Assassins already in flight.  His head turned back around to see the Assassin Elite staring blankly back at the other changeling as if nothing was wrong.  

“Stop using word puzzles, Foresight,” the Breeder added.

“Did you ever figure out what I am?”

“You are whatever we call you!” the Executioner answered.

Foresight finally smiled.  “Exactly.”  A disapproving glance from the Executioner prompted the Assassin Elite to continue.  “I mean... we should get going.  We are late as it is!”

Within minutes of taking off the winged changelings flew across the open wastelands and rose up towards the top of plateau.  They stopped near the top, not going into sight of the dragons.  The Executioner nodded toward the Assassins, who assumed seemingly random, small dragon forms.  The Executioner himself donned a black dragon form; it made him slightly taller than the others.  The black dragon turned to the Breeder and Foresight.  

“You learned your forms, right?” he asked, in an attempt at a whisper with a naturally loud and deep voice. 

The Breeder trembled with the stress of not having any form to take.  The dragons would kill him on sight.  Foresight, sitting stoically, nodded and donned a red dragon form in a larger green blaze that took up the Breeder’s entire field of vision.

“Yes we have,” the Elite answered.

“But I--” Breeder pleaded in an unexpectedly deep voice.

Foresight simply smiled and turned to the green dragon that was once Breeder.  

“We have.”

“Good,” the black dragon said, his eyes focused on Foresight, the red dragon. “Go find an adult and get its attention.  I don’t know how long we’ll keep the defectors’ true forms exposed, so make sure it’s looking toward us.  We’ll gather the defectors, you’ll join us, and we’ll watch the fools burn together!”

After the short, red dragon spread his uneven wings and leaped into the air, the eyes of the Breeder were locked with the anger of the Executioner.  A crooked smile creased the dragon’s snout, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

“Breeder, you’re coming with us!”

The five changelings made their way into the dragons’ roost.  The plateau they had viewed from afar was revealed to have a large crater for the young ones to bask in.  Young dragons would be the right size for a changeling to mimic.  The Breeder’s eyes scanned the area around them; there were several young dragons roaming, as well as giant behemoths along the perimeter.

“Don’t make eye contact with the big ones...” the black Executioner warned.  “They won’t hesitate to burn you if you don’t keep your head down.”

The changeling squad made their way to a group of dragons that were about their size.  They appeared to be teenagers, but Breeder’s sense of smell would reveal them to be changelings.  The Executioner approached the leader, whose white form was slightly taller than his own.  The black dragon asked if him and his friends would be able to join the Cult of Scales, and the white revealed that there was an initiation required.  As he gathered his fellow cult members, a couple Assassins could not help but smile; everything was going according to plan.

Soon enough a small crowd of dragons of various colors but relatively similar height amassed around the team.  A deep growl reverberated throughout the small crater as Foresight’s red dragon form slid down into the crater to join the team.  As the red dragon took his place at Breeder’s side, stress and guilt overtook the changeling’s mind.  He could end a pony’s life with conversion and some assurance of a better life, but this was simple murder.  The cult leader began his speech, but it was simply droning in the background of the changeling’s thoughts.  

They’re going to kill every changeling here but themselves... they’ll betray Foresight... and I’ll become an accomplice...

“And you don’t think I’ve foreseen it?”

Get out of my head.  No... get out of this crater!

“I can’t just abandon my squad...”

Midnight did.

“Midnight died anyhow.”

“HEY!” the cult leader’s voice pierced through the silent conversation.  

“What?” Breeder shyly replied.

“You don’t seem to be paying attention.”  The white dragon’s fangs shone brighter than his scales as he spoke.  “Are you 
ready to earn your place among us?”

The changeling’s scaly green head turned to find the Executioner’s black snout slightly nodding.  The Breeder turned back to the white dragon, took a deep breath, and said the words “I’m ready” as calmly as possible.

In a flash the Cult of Scales were exposed as the strike force rose into the air, leaving Foresight and Breeder behind.  Red flame engulfed the cult leader and many others who were left exposed and stranded.  Somehow “Get down!” was able to come over all of the screams of burning changelings as Foresight tackled Breeder, narrowly saving him from another burst of flame from an adult dragon.  Breeder landed on his back, and opened his eyes to Foresight staring back at him.  He couldn’t speak, as every breath that didn’t come through his mouth would let in the scent of burning changeling flesh.  

“Don’t panic!  I’m getting you out of here!”

Green flames swirled around the Breeder, contrasting the dead, brown sky and the harsh, red dragonfire.  He closed his eyes in the chaos.  Then the heat, the screams, the light was all gone, and Breeder opened his eyes to the Hive’s interior.  Foresight had teleported him back home.  

Foresight...?

His mind was blank and his throat was dry.



Chapter 3:  The Outcasts


The Breeder trotted out into the sunlight in time to see the survivors of the strike force returning from the plateau in an organized flight pattern.  He stood there, waiting for them to touch down.  As they approached the cliff the Assassins backed off; their faces in shock as if they had seen a ghost.  The Executioner was not so easily intimidated.  

“Oh, there you are, Breeder!”  The changeling laughed.  “We had given you up for dead... but it looks like the mission was a complete success after all!  No more Cult of Scales, and no more Foresight!”

Breeder’s mouth stayed closed.  He could not find a single word to express his feelings of the mission’s horrific end.  He took a step closer to the Executioner, raising his head up quickly causing the Executioner to back up onto his hind legs to dodge the Breeder’s horn.  The Breeder quickly sprung to his own hind legs, and used his right foreleg to deliver a powerful jab into the changeling’s stomach.  His rage gone, the Breeder simply turned around began trotting away from the writhing creature on the cliff.  

“You think you can just walk away from me, you freak?!” the Executioner screamed through both pain and rage.  “The Queen is going to hear about this!”

Breeder continued to trot away.

“You think a blow to the chest will keep me down, you stupid breeder?!  I’m gonna break your face into two pieces!”
Breeder stopped.  Without turning around, he spoke solemnly.  “Foresight’s threats made more sense...”

He trotted back into the Hive and into the Breeding Room.  Regulator was waiting for him, his jaws still green and dripping from his most recent job:  an unconscious pony in a cocoon, waiting for a Worker to come and take him to the Hatchery.  

“What’s all the commotion?” he asked his trainee.  There wasn’t any noticeable concern in his voice.

“I think that’s my last mission outside...” Breeder answered.

“What?”  Regulator seemed serious this time.  “You don’t have much choice in this matter, Breeder.  You’ve already signed up for Outside training; there’s no turning back.”

“I just saw at least 10 other changelings just like us get burned alive in a dragons’ nest,” Breeder admitted.

“So the mission failed?”

“What?  No... the problem is that the mission was a success!” 

“Has Foresight gotten to you?  The Cult of Scales are a bunch of freaks who believe that creatures full of Greed and Rage can yield Love, we simply put them out of their misery before they could give all changelings a bad name!”

“...Foresight’s dead.”

Regulator smiled.  “About time those stupid Assassins did something right!”

Breeder held back the urge to punch yet another superior officer.  “Isn’t there something the Hive needs bred?”

Regulator calmed down a little, but couldn’t hide the smile on his face.  “Sure... get that unicorn over there.”

One unicorn-sized cocoon later, Breeder reclined on the ground and wiped the goop from his snout.  He was slightly surprised that the Executioner hadn’t come knocking on the door yet, and wondered if he was ever going to get revenge.  Finally, as though on cue, there was two strong knocks on the door.  Regulator looked up from his work, several strings of slime connecting his snout to the victims.  The door burst open, revealing two things:  One, an unfamiliar changeling with a strange package on its back; and Two, that the “knocks” were merely unsuccessful attempts at getting the door open.  

“What are you doing here?!” Regulator asked, mouth agape with some kind of shock at whoever bursted through the door.  

“Ah, Regulator!  It has been too long,” the changeling said in a pitch even higher than most newborn drones.  It laid its mysterious package, some kind of unconscious, feathered creature, on the ground.  “We have brought this griffin to be... prepared.  It is... how you say?  A celebratory feast.”

“We don’t prepare food anymore, and prey is scarce as it is!” Regulator explained.  “Now... if I’m not crazy and you are actually here, then you should probably see the Queen.  She’ll want to debrief you.”
The strange changeling sighed.  “Very well then... we shall return.”

After both the changeling and the echo of its high-pitched voice disappeared, Breeder turned to his teacher for some inquiry.

“Who was that?”

Regulator sighed, putting his hoof to his head as though suffering a headache.  “Vertigo.  Her name is Vertigo.”

“Vertigo?”  Breeder turned toward the unconscious griffin on the ground.  “And do I want to know what that is?”

“A griffin.  It’s half-lion, half-eagle, and doesn’t give off near as much love as ponies.”

“How’s that work?  She called this thing a feast...”

“It’s a top tier predator.  The only thing that makes it better than a dragon is the griffin’s omnivorous tendencies.  They actually have the capacity to love, but don’t use it nearly as often as the average pony would.”

This confused Breeder.  “So if this thing’s nothing compared to a pony, does that mean Vertigo doesn’t know what she’s talking about?”

“Somewhat.  The only reason she brought it here was to be ‘prepared.’”  Regulator winced.  “That’s something that hasn’t been practiced for centuries.  We stopped just a few years after Vertigo left for her ‘mission’ in the Griffin kingdom.”  He sighed.  “And before you ask, it involves subordinate changelings tearing live prey limb from limb before being quietly called off by a leader, who would feed off the gratefulness of the prey before its death.  So... it is a bountiful feast, but it only serves one and we don’t have enough prey to go around anymore.”

A slight Fear spread through the young Breeder.  He trotted to the door and poked his head out, only to see an angry, armored changeling coming towards him.  It pushed him back into the room. 

“We had forewarned of our return, but we bring disturbing news.”  An insidious smile creased Vertigo’s snout under the helmet.  “We have heard that you punched someone of my rank in the gut.  Admirable, yet foolish.  To pay for this crime...” She turned away from the Breeder and her horn lit as she looked over the various armaments on her back.  A helmet and saddle hovered from her and landed at the Breeder’s hooves as she continued.  “...you are to come with me and greet a surviving deserter.  He is not of Scales, but of the ponies.  He is said to have been born outside of the Hive.”

“Is that even possible?” Regulator asked the armored Executioner.

“That’s what we’re about to find out,” she answered.

After Breeder donned the armor, he followed Vertigo out of the room and up the stairs to the entrance, where two unicorns and a pegasus had just arrived.  Neither of the changelings recognized anypony out there, but there was a white unicorn in golden armor with a blue mane, a cream pegasus in silver armor with a blue and white mane, and a plum, unarmored unicorn with strange ears and eyes with a black and red mane.  The plum unicorn faced his companions, and broke the silence:

“You two have served your purpose.”  A sudden flash of green fire revealed the shameful defector.  “Now you’ll have to wait out here.  I don’t want you getting hurt.”  The common-looking changeling turned around, his blue eyes meeting the blue eyes of Vertigo before he continued.  “I made a deal with these two ponies; they got me here unharmed, so they’ll leave here unharmed.  Now, I want you to take me to Queen Chrysalis!”  

The two changelings were shocked.  How could somepony know the name of the Queen?  They looked over him a couple times, but couldn’t find any indication of rank or identity; he had to have been born outside of the Hive.  They looked at each other, and Vertigo took it upon herself to negotiate with the stranger.

“Heed our warning, outsider!  You should turn back... we know not whence you learned our great Queen’s name, but you are new to the Hive.  We will take you to the Queen if you insist, but you should take your ponies and leave while you can!”

“I’ve come too far to be deterred now!  Take me to Chrysalis!  And my friends better be here and unharmed... we still have unfinished business outside this cave.”

The outsider seemed more foolish than brave to the two changelings.  However, in a hushed whisper Vertigo explained to Breeder that the Queen had told them to oblige with whatever demands the deserter made.  They dared not question her judgment.

“Very well,” Vertigo obliged.  “Follow us.”	

Vertigo lead the two changelings into the Hive’s interior and down to the door to the throne room.  It was deeper than Breeder had ever gone, and they used their wings to get there the fastest.  The broken stairs from months before seemed to be completely repaired, but they were not nearly as pristine as the door.  The door itself was massive... and Breeder could only imagine what the changeling Queen looked like.  He turned impatiently to see if their guest was ready, but he was nowhere to be found.  Vertigo gestured above, where the sound of hoofsteps could be heard.  

“Why is he taking the stairs?” Breeder asked, quietly hoping to be able to see the throne room.

“Did you not see his wings?  They were broken,” the female Executioner explained in a hushed tone.  “Still attached, but utterly useless.  A shame.”

“Isn’t that how Foresight  arrived?”

“You speak of that nonsensical whelp that was thrown into the bottom of the Hive?”  She was in half disbelief.  “How can it be that you are aware of the existence of such a useless creature?”

“He only died today,” Breeder revealed with sorrow in his voice.

Vertigo chuckled a little, but the corners of her mouth wavered as she grew quiet.  Finally, they fell as she frowned at the news.  She turned from Breeder.

“A shame.  For some reason... he was so nice to me... when everyone else thought I was just an idiot.”  She shook her head violently, trying to lose the memories.  “It doesn’t matter now.  The guest will be arriving soon; we will open the doors and then we may mourn our friend.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s something they did in Griffin culture... they would think about their fallen who they cared about, and it made them feel better.”  She licked her lips.  “It was always a smorgasbord.”  

Breeder thought about the action and wondered if it would help changelings, but the hoofsteps grew louder than his own thoughts as the guest finally made his way to them.  They stood on either side of the large door, and it was then that Breeder realized it was a double door and quickly assisted Vertigo with magic.  The doors opened behind them, and the mysterious changeling trotted between them and into the throne room.  They closed the doors quickly and trotted back up the stairs with their work finally done.

“So what were you saying about Foresight?” Breeder asked as they trotted up the stairs to the armory. 
Vertigo sighed.  “Before we were sent on our mission to the realm of the Griffins, we were thought to be almost completely worthless.”

“Who’s ‘we?’”

“Just me.  Do Executioners no longer use the royal we when addressing subordinates?”

“I don’t think so...” Breeder answered, trying to remember if the strike team leader was using it.

She smiled after a sigh of relief.  “Then I suppose I can stop using it then.”

“What do you make of the defector?” Breeder asked, taking away Vertigo’s smile.  “How could he know the Queen’s name, when I’ve been raised here and still don’t know it?!”

“That is rather disturbing.  Perhaps he learned it from a member of the Cult of Scales?”

“That might explain it...”

“Not just ‘might,’” Vertigo insisted.  “I could smell the smoke on the ponies.”

“That could have just been me...” 

Vertigo sniffed her companion and shook her head.  “No... the scent was much stronger outside.”

They finally made it to the armory.  They removed their helmets and saddles and placed them in the appropriate rack.  Suddenly, a sharp pain struck Breeder’s head.  He held a hoof up to it in a futile attempt to soothe the pain.  It seemed like it wouldn’t stop.  Vertigo spoke, but he couldn’t hear her.  As the pain finally lifted, he was left with a kind of Fear and looked to his right.  Several spears lined the right wall of the Armory, and he picked one up.

“What are you doing?!” Vertigo asked, worried for the Breeder’s mental health.

“I’m not sure... but don’t worry.  I’m just going to hold this for a little while.”

“What good will that do you?”

“It just... feels right.  Like there’s something in my head telling me to do this.”

“You think it’ll make the pain go away?”

“Maybe...”

A loud, painful scream interrupted the changelings’ conversation.  They trotted toward the door out of the armory and looked down the stairs in an attempt to find the source.  A few hundred other changelings had the same idea.  Breeder turned from the commotion to notice a slight crack in the wall formed from the impact of the scream; he turned back when he heard the throne room doors slam open.  The defector galloped past them up the stairs, lifting his head slightly to notice the hundreds of changelings staring at him.  Alone and humiliated, he hid his shame under the plum unicorn skin he knew so well.  As he disappeared from the sight of Breeder, the Executioner from the morning arrived at the armory.

“Don’t tell me you’re going after him too?” he said, noticing Breeder’s spear.

Vertigo placed her hoof on his shoulder.  “You know you can’t go after him!  The Queen told us to do as he said...”

He shook her hoof off and glared at the two changelings.  He spread his wings and flew up in pursuit of the deserter.  Vertigo and Breeder quickly followed.  The mysterious changeling had already made it outside by the time they reached the entrance, and they could hear the voices of the ponies in the distance.  Vertigo tried again to persuade the Executioner.  

“The Queen never gave the order!  She has to give the order!  This ‘pony’ is...”

“Quiet!” the Executioner interrupted.  “I want to hear this...”

The mysterious changeling had walked past both of his companions.

“What?  No ‘hello?’” the white unicorn asked.  The Executioner’s fangs were bared.  

“No...” the defector answered.  “Just a goodbye.”  He turned from his companion and jumped off the cliff.

“Looks like he did my job for me!” the Executioner said with a laugh.  He turned toward the Breeder and noticed he was still holding the spear.  “Give me that!”

“What do you want it for?!” Vertigo asked, physically getting in between the two changelings as well.  “The defector’s already dead...”

“But that white one... he’s an enemy to the changelings!  He must be dealt with!”

“You’re not getting the spear!” Breeder answered, clutching it tightly between his hooves while propping himself upright on it.

“Then I will take it!” 

The Executioner charged, shoving Vertigo to the ground and out of the way while grabbing Breeder’s spear with his magic.  He ripped the weapon from his hooves and threw it in the direction of the white unicorn.  It struck with perfect accuracy... exactly where the unicorn had been standing a minute ago.  Now, he was descending the cliff in an attempt to catch up with the pegasus and their fallen friend.  The voices of the ponies at the bottom of the cliff could be heard as the Executioner trotted outside to retrieve the spear.  The voices below died down and the sound of hoofsteps replaced them.  The Executioner took a peek over the cliff to check on their progress, and smiled as he pulled the spear from the cliff with this magic.

Vertigo spoke his name with Fear in her voice.  “Plague... don’t you think you have bigger things to worry about than one suicidal changeling?”

“Like what?!” the Executioner said as he turned around.

He gasped.  Anger and Fear poured out of him as his greenish eyes met those of an Assassin.  ...Elite.  Foresight stood between Plague and Vertigo, panting from his treacherous climb to the entrance.  His wings were badly burned and quivered in the wind.  

“Your stupidity made my old war wound act up again...” he said without emotion.

“What war wound?” Plague asked, holding on to the spear.

“From my second voluntary suicide mission... of course, you weren’t alive then.”

“I remember when you first arrived in the Hive, you delusional fool!”

“Why did you take that spear?  I thought I told Breeder to hold onto it for me...”

“Your telepathy has a range.  Besides... what makes you think you can wield such a weapon?”

“If I am to take Midnight’s place, I would require such skills.”

Plague laughed.  “You stupid bastard.--” 

His sentence was interrupted by a large burst of magic hitting the ground next to him.  There was a small rock there previously... now there was a small pile of dust.

“Would you prefer a magic duel?” Foresight added, with a large smirk on his face.

“No thanks...”  The Executioner took a step away from the ashes of the rock.  “Hey, Breeder, get another spear!” he yelled from across the cliff.

“That won’t be necessary,” Foresight interjected.  “You can get your own spear.”

“But I have already got one!”

“You stole that one... give it back to me and get your own.”

Plague shook his head... until he noticed Foresight’s horn glowing brighter and brighter.  He dropped the spear and kicked it over to the Assassin Elite.  The Executioner began to carefully make his way around to get back inside.

“Why are you worried?” Foresight asked, seeing and smelling Plague’s nervous energy.  “I’d sooner send myself to a slow and painful death than stab you in the back!  ...but I am getting ahead of myself.”  

The Executioner took several more short steps, his Fear apparent to the three changelings watching him.  Breeder and Vertigo watched as Plague attempted to gallop back inside, only to be intercepted by Foresight.  The Assassin jumped on the Executioner’s back and pinned him to the ground.

“Not so nice being surprised, is it?!” he asked with a sinister smile on his face.  

“What did I ever do to you?!” the changeling pleaded.

Foresight stretched his burnt wings, which turned to ash and blew away with the wind.  “Excuse me?”  There was Anger in his voice this time.

“That wasn’t the plan...”

“You’re right!” Foresight gladly admitted.  “Your plan was to kill me.  I’m going to give you a good reason why that is a very bad idea...” he said grimly as he brought up the spear with his magic.  

With great force he brought the spear down on the changeling’s snout.  It went right through, pinning his snout to the ground and disabling him from speaking.  Plague’s wings flapped in futility under the weight of Foresight, who responded by ripping both wings off.  He replaced his missing wings with Plague’s, and a strange spell secured them to his body.  The newly healed Foresight got off of his foe and removed the spear from his snout.

“Now, I will only ask this once...  Your snout will heal with due time, but wings never grow back.  Do you wish to continue living?”

Plague rose in great pain.  He looked tiredly into the eyes of his opponent, and spat in his face.

“Very well...”

Foresight shoved the spear through Plague’s chest.  He crumbled into ash, which was blown away by the wind.  The Assassin retrieved the spear and trotted past the two spectators, disappearing into the depths of the Hive.

“What...”  Breeder gulped.  “What just happened?”

Vertigo put her hoof on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.  “Justice.”

Breeder went back to his quarters, hoping that it was all over.  The Queen summoned him the next morning, dashing his hopes only shortly after they were formed.  He proceeded through the large throne room doors, finally able to see what was on the other side.  The room was well lit through strange crystals located on the walls.  On the far side of the room was the throne.  Sitting upon the throne was a changeling more than twice Breeder’s size.  She had a long mane, no visible fangs, but even bigger wings.  She was beautiful.  Her voice rang out in a kind of condescending rage, like a mother scolding a child.

“So... Breeder.  Is there something you want to tell me?”

The changeling’s mind went blank with Fear.  “Nothing... nothing comes to mind.”

“Why is it that such a well-trained, veteran of combat is messing around with such inferior creatures?”

“What?”

“Vertigo and Foresight... they are both very stupid.  I would prefer that you break off any relationships you have with them.”
Breeder looked the changeling Queen in the eye.  He knew exactly what he wanted to say to her this time.  “Foresight saved my life.  Twice.  And I bet Vertigo would do the same... so No.”

“Very well then... how do you feel about murder?”

“I prefer avoiding murder, ma'am.”

“That’s not very good, considering you don’t have the mental capacity to be anything more than an Assassin!”  

“A what?!” the new Assassin asked, struck with disbelief and Fear at his new rank.  The Queen ignored his feelings.

“Now what do I call a foolish assassin that refuses to do what it’s told and doesn’t like killing?” the tall changeling thought aloud.  “It should be something ironic... something that shows your lack of intelligence... ah yes!  ‘Mercy!’”

“What?!” Mercy asked in futility.

“You shall be known as Mercy the Assassin from now on!”

“Is... is there anyway that I can get my old rank back?”

The Queen thought to herself for a short moment, and smiled.

“Maybe.”
> Act 2: An Assassin Called Mercy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1:  Domestic Dogma


Mercy trotted out of the throne room, unsure of where this new mission would take him.  The Queen had informed him of another defector of the Hive:  a lone Executioner that had been tracked to a hospital in a remote village of ponies.  It was originally going to be another task for Vertigo, but the circumstances had changed.  What surprised Mercy the most about the briefing was the primary objective:  the capture of the nameless Executioner.  The Queen believes the changeling is simply lost, and will come back to the Hive if given the chance.  If the changeling refuses, lethal force is encouraged.  The worst place for a defector to be would be a pony hospital.  If the pair follows through, a promotion would be in order... which is exactly what Mercy needs to become a breeder again.

As he trotted up the stairs, he noticed Foresight meddling in the armory.  Upon further inspection, he was simply replacing the spear from earlier.  Mercy trotted quickly past him and up the stairs, where he found Vertigo waiting for him.

“There you are, Breeder... I’ve been waiting.”

“I’m... I’m an Assassin now...” Mercy said, still resenting his new rank.


The news worried the Executioner.  “Did she give you a name?”

“...Mercy.  My name is Mercy.”

“Well...”  Vertigo tried to shake off the connotation.  “You don’t have to go by ‘Mercy’ around friends if you don’t want to...”

“Thanks,” the changeling replied, shyly looking over his shoulder.

“What’s the matter?”

He sighed, then turned and looked her in the eyes.  “What do you know about Foresight?”

“He’s something... that’s all I can say.”  She chuckled.  “He was thrown to the bottom of the Hive with the Workers who, as you already know, don’t have wings.  Then a few days passed and he comes out with brand new wings... and it wasn’t until today that I learned just how he pulled it off.”  A frown invaded her face.  “I suppose that’s what is so magical about legends... you only see the good and never stop to think about what had gone so wrong.” 

She sighed.  Then turned to the door beside her.  “You think we should find some good disguises?”

Mercy nodded, and the two changelings trotted through the door and into the Breeding Room.  “Take your pick” he said, looking around.  “I’ll take this white Earth pony over here.”

Vertigo stared at the griffin she had carried inside, now trapped in a cocoon.  She shook her head, knowing that ponies would never fall for it.  She trotted over to a light yellow pegasus.  

“This should work...”

They donned the forms of the ponies, then went back to their changeling forms.  The pony village was a long ways away, but the disguises were now firmly put in their heads for when they needed to use them.  The two changelings trotted into the morning light.  As they trotted toward the edge, a changeling appeared at the Hive’s entrance.  Mercy turned for a split second to confirm its identity.  It was Foresight.

“What do you want?” Vertigo asked, not turning around.

“You two are going to a hospital, yes?”

“Yeah...”

“Could you do me a favor?  Those dragons managed to take something from me, and now I need a replacement.”

“And what’s that?” Vertigo asked hesitantly, almost expecting some nonsensical answer.

Foresight sighed and stabbed at the ground with his hoof.  “I need an eye-patch.”

Mercy turned around, tilting and turning his head to check.  “Umm... you still have both your eyes.”

“How I wish that still was the plan... I should have foreseen this.”  Another sigh left his snout as he stared at the dirt.  

Suddenly, his head perked up again.  “Get me two eye-patches.”

“You definitely have both of your eyes...”

“I’m going to lose one.  I need you to keep a spare with you... just to be safe.”

“Going to lose one what?” Vertigo asked, growing tired of the games.  “An eye or an eye-patch?”

“Are you going to help me or not?!” Foresight demanded to know.

Mercy took a step towards him.  “Yes, we’ll help you.  Then we can call it even for you saving my life and never have to talk to each other again!”

Foresight took a step back, unsure of what he had done.  “I...  Thank you.”  He forced a smile.  “I’m sorry to say I had planned to take the spare eye-patch when the Hive crumbles to dust, but I’ll take it with the other one if you don’t want to hold on to it.”

“The Hive’s never going to crumble to dust!” Vertigo snapped.  

A frown fought the smile on Foresight’s face.  “I have told you all that you need to know.”  He turned and trotted back into the Hive while the two changelings flew into the horizon.

The flight to the remote village took several hours, but it would have been several days if they hadn’t had wings.  They landed in the forest near the town so that nopony would see their true forms.  They donned their pony forms quietly, and Mercy broke the silence.

“It feels weird... I was taught in basic that I would need an alias for this kind of mission, but ‘Mercy’ works.”

“‘Vertigo’ works too,” she admitted.  “It’s the Queen’s way of punishing those who don’t see things her way.”  

“Because ponies are inferior?”

Vertigo nodded.  The two turned and made their way out of the forest.  They found themselves facing a large hospital, complete with a security guard at the door.

“Why are there guards at a hospital?” Mercy asked, confused.

“They must know we’re coming for the deserter...” Vertigo assumed.

The white Earth pony and light yellow pegasus were able to trot inside with no problem.  Now they had to find the defector and drag him out.  This proved more difficult than they thought, as the lead had no specifics on what the changeling looked like now.  

“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked the two guests.  The white pony gulped as they trotted to the desk.

“We’re looking for a... friend,” the yellow pegasus said, scratching her mane with her hoof.

The light blue Earth pony behind the desk smiled.  “And what’s the name?”

The pegasus turned to her companion, then back to the receptionist.  Mercy chuckled nervously while Vertigo was thinking.  “Well... it’s a friend... of a friend, you see.  Our friend told us to check on them and we... well, this is awkward... we can’t remember their name.”

“Huh...”  The receptionist seemed to buy it.  “Well do you know what they look like?”

Vertigo turned to Mercy, who smiled and answered the question.

“We met once before... though I can’t quite place the face.”  He inhaled deeply through his nose.  “But I’m sure we would know them if we saw them.”

“Same here.  We’re terrible with memory, but we were the closest friends to this hospital.”  She inhaled deeply through her nose.   

“I see...” the blue Earth pony said, there was no sign of Fear in her voice.  She looked over to one of the security guards and nodded for them to come over.  “This officer will escort you through the facility.  Do you know what the friend of your friend was brought in here for?”

Vertigo thought for a few seconds.  “Mail travels very slowly... we were supposed to see if they’re alright, but the letter said nothing about why they were in here.”  She pretended to be scared, and the guard’s presence helped.  “W-we just don’t know... all the letter said was that they were admitted here... but we can’t leave our friend in the dark!”

“So you have no idea where to start?”

Mercy trotted around, sniffing the air until a familiar scent pointed him in a general direction.  “How about there?” he said, pointing to the hallway on his right.

“I don’t think you want to start there,” the receptionist warned after a brief glance down the hallway.

“Why not?” Mercy asked, hiding his Fear of the answer.

“That’s the Psychiatric Ward,” the blue pony responded quickly.

“We have to start somewhere...” Vertigo reasoned.  “It would be rude to keep you any longer.”

The blue pony sighed and turned to the brown Earth pony guard.  “Take them down the hall, but don’t let them into any of the... rooms.”

“What if we find our friend...’s friend?” Mercy asked the receptionist, almost forgetting the cover.  

“Do you really think they would be admitted for psychiatric care?  We haven’t had a new patient in that ward for months now!”  Slight Fear could be heard in her voice.

“Mail moves really slow...” Vertigo reaffirmed.

“Not that slow...” the guard answered.

“Can’t we just check and prove you right?” Mercy insisted.

“Fine,” the guard said gruffly.  “Follow quickly and don’t make eye contact with any of the patients.”

The three ponies trotted down the hallway.  Vertigo and Mercy kept their snouts facing straight ahead, their noses doing the searching.  When behind enemy lines, changelings could identify each other through scent.  Of course, this still has its limits.  And though they wanted to concentrate on scent, their ears would pick up rather disturbing things as well.  Screaming, laughing, and even barking in the distance echoed through the hall as they reached the end of the tour.  Finally, a strong scent lead them from the side of the guard to a door.  The door was reinforced, even more than the others.  As the guard turned to join them, Vertigo pleaded innocence.

“What’s behind this door?”  She put her ear to it, hearing an animalistic whimpering sound.  

“It’s one of our more... stricken patients.  Extremely delusional, possibly dangerous.”

“Possibly dangerous?” Mercy questioned.  “Everypony is possibly dangerous... why does this one get a reinforced door?”

“She has a history of escaping.  We can’t take any chances...”

“Can we please see her?”

“If we can’t, and she is our friend’s friend,” Vertigo added, “you’re going to be spending the next hour or so guiding us through room after room for nothing!” 

The brown Earth pony looked at the two and then back at the door.  He repeated this process several times before finally sighing, and unlocking it.  The door creaked as it opened towards them, and the light yellow pegasus trotted inside.  The whimpering she heard was coming from a frightened Earth pony in the corner.  She was light blue with a unkept gray mane.  The pony trembled until she saw the two ponies.  She got up and began barking at them, wagging her pony tail like a dog.

“What the hay...” Mercy said under his breath.

Vertigo trotted closer to her to confirm her suspicions.

“Is it your friend?” the impatient guard asked.

The dog-pony growled at Vertigo, causing her to back up.  She turned to the guard.

“Yes.  Yes it is my friend...”  A tear formed in her eye.  The guard was unsure how to react.  “Could you... could you give us some time?  Alone?  Please?”  She sniffed as her tear began running down her face.

“Sure... just yell if you need anything.”

Mercy trotted up to his friend’s side.  “Do you really know this...” he paused to check that the guard had gone out of hearing range.  “...changeling?”  

“Night Jumper.  Saboteur Elite.  Sent on a mission to find changeling defectors in Equestria... she never returned.”

“...how long ago was that?”

“About 400 years ago.” 

“That’s longer than you’ve been gone.”

Vertigo nodded as more tears rolled down her face.  Night saw her sadness and began whimpering.  

“Are we going to take her back like this?”  Mercy’s eyes shifted between the two ponies.  “It’s that or... kill her.”

“Kill my best friend, or watch her suffer under the labors of the Queen as a Worker?” 

“But she’d still be alive...”

“Until an Assassin bumps her off a ledge... or just stabs her.”  She turned with cold eyes to her companion.  “There’s no way to save her...  I don’t know what to do!”

“Let’s just leave her here then.  ‘Sabotage the enemy’ by making them take care of a useless changeling.”

Finally tears stopped coming.  “What?”  There was Rage in her voice.

“That’s what we’ll tell the Queen.  She’ll only understand if we call her that...”

Vertigo finally calmed down.  “Okay.  We’ll leave her here.  Go get the guard.”  With her tears wiped from her eyes, the pegasus spoke with no emotion.

The guard and Mercy returned to find the yellow pegasus stroking the pony’s gray mane.  With one last “Goodbye” and even a “See you again” she turned from what was left of her friend and smiled.  She joined the two ponies and, after the guard locked the door again, made their way back to their lobby.  Once they reached the receptionist, Mercy trotted up to the desk.  

“Can I help you?” she asked, trying to hide irritation.

“I almost forgot... a couple of my friends got into some trouble.  Do you have a couple eye-patches I could have?”

Her response was monotonous.  “Sorry... I can’t give anypony an eye-patch without an examination first.”

“I see...”

Mercy turned from the desk and trotted out of the hospital with Vertigo.  Neither of their objectives were truly completed, but there was nothing more they could do.  Mercy’s eyes focused on the dirt beneath his hooves as they trotted slowly toward the Everfree forest.

“Cheer up, Mercy,” Vertigo said.  “I’m sure our ‘friend’ doesn't actually need the eye-patches.”

“Did you say you were looking for eye-patches?” a cheerful voice interjected.  Mercy raised his head to find a pink Earth pony beaming at him.

“Yeah...”  Mercy looked around nervously.  “Why do you ask?”

“Well I’ve never met you two around here, and if I’ve never met you that must mean you’re new, but if you two are sad and new then you must be alone, but you’re not alone because you have each other...”  The mare continued to rant in her high pitched, cheerful voice while the changelings looked at each other in confusion.  

“What about the eye-patches?”  Mercy interrupted, his ears growing tired.

The pink pony stopped talking for a second, in which her curly mane continued to bounce as though she were.  “Oooh... right!”  She paused again.  “What eye-patches?”

“Our friend needs an eye-patch,” Vertigo explained, sensing Mercy’s distress.  “The hospital couldn’t spare one.”

“Oh, that’s easy!” the pink pony exclaimed with enough happiness to gorge a changeling.  “I have eye-patches stashed all over Ponyville, in case of eye emergencies!”  She ran to a nearby bush and pulled out an eye-patch.  She gave the eye-patch to Vertigo.

“Thank you, miss...” Vertigo replied hesitantly.

“Please, call me Pinkie Pie!”

“Well, thank you, Pinkie Pie!” Vertigo repeated.  “Now I’m afraid we’ll have to be going.  We’ve acquired all that we’ve come here for.”

“But you just got here...”

“This was never meant to be a holiday.  We have to get going or we’ll fall behind schedule.”  

“Will you come back?”

“Sure,” Vertigo lied, pulling Mercy as they quickly trotted toward the forest.

“Great!  It’s always nice to have new changeling friends!”

The pair stopped in their tracks.  They stood there in silence, attempting to comprehend what they just heard.  The pink pony continued to talk.

“Maybe I’ll invite Shadow!  Oh... but I don’t know where he lives.  I know!  I’ll go see Twilight and she if she knows!  See you later, you guys!”  

The sound of hoofsteps carried Pinkie Pie away as the two changelings stood there facing the other direction.  Finally, they turned around to find nopony around.  They trotted forward again and disappeared into the Everfree forest.  With their objectives completed for the most part, they were ready to get some answers.  They had just met some of the craziest ponies they would ever meet, and now they would turn to the craziest changeling they’ve ever met.


Chapter 2:  Building Blocks of Destruction


The two changelings landed on the cliff, and Foresight came out to meet them.  Despite seeing the eye-patch carried by Mercy, the Assassin Elite did not seem very happy.  There was no emotion.  Vertigo trotted up to him until he was forced to back up a step.  The stress of the mission seemed to have worn her patience.

“Alright, you!”  she said with Rage in her voice.  “I know what you do... you just sit around here... pretending to be worthless but eavesdropping.  Always watching.  Always listening.  It’s time for you to start talking for once in your pathetic life!”

“O spare me, Angel of Death!” Foresight replied, with too much condescension and too little Fear.  “I know you are not threatening me; I’m not the only one who hears rumors around here...”

“SHUT UP!” she screamed, ensuring that the Elite couldn’t ramble.  “How did the Queen know about the institutionalized changeling ‘defector?’”

“You speak of Night Jumper, yes?  Poor gal hasn’t been the same since confronting Discord... and suffering for it.”

“Discord’s been gone for over 1000 years... so you start making sense, or I’ll rip that waste of a tongue right out of your mouth!”

“I don’t respond well to threats,” Foresight warned.  “I have as many clear answers as I have regrets.  I avoid bringing either topics to light.”

“You’re an Assassin!” she almost screamed.  “...ELITE!  How can you possibly have a concept of Regret?”

The Assassin Elite seemed to ignore her.  “Light destroys darkness, but there will be survivors; rocks create shadow.”

“Are you calling me an idiot?!”

“Is he?” Mercy asked, unsure how Vertigo made any sense of Foresight’s gibberish.

The Executioner sighed.  “He’s saying that light is like his answers, our questions are the darkness, and we’re too thick to fully understand it.”

“That’s... one interpretation,” Foresight said smugly.

“Enough of your condescension!  What happened to Night Jumper?”

“You want something of value from me, then I must have something of value to me from you,” the Elite explained.  “For each eye-patch you provide, you get one true answer.”

“Alright... here!” Mercy yelled, pushing the eye-patch into Foresight’s chest with his magic.  “Now... tell me why you saved me.”

“What?!” escaped the snouts of the other changelings.

“You heard me.  You killed that one Executioner in cold blood, stole the wings on your back, and are rumored to have killed even more Assassins... so why save me?  Why save me knowing that this is the kind of place I would have to live?”

Foresight couldn’t look Mercy in the eye.  He held the eyepatch in his hoof and stared at it, judging its true worth.  His eyes met the Assassin’s only briefly, then his entire head turned and shook, as if shaking off a bad dream.

“You remind me of someone...” he finally said, turning to look him in the eyes.  “Falling... failing to heed common sense... He was an innocent life that I regretted taking.”

“Me... a changeling... reminded you of that?” Mercy wondered.

Foresight smiled with an honest face, something that even Vertigo had not seen before.  

“Yes, Breeder.”

He doesn’t know my name... weird.

Foresight’s smile disappeared.  His head shook again for some reason.  He turned to Vertigo.
“If you brought the other eye-patch, I’ll answer a question for you too...”

“We only got one,” the Executioner explained.  “If you want another one, you’ll have to see Pinkie Pie in Ponyville.”

Foresight burst out in laughter for a brief moment before covering his mouth.  

“What’s so funny?” Vertigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She scared you, didn’t she?”

“Of course... but how do you know of this Earth pony?”

“Sorry, I can only give you one straight answer for the information.”

Vertigo took a short moment to think.  “How did the Queen find out about Night Jumper?”

“Remember that changeling defector with the purple coat?”

“Plum.”

“What?”

“The coat was plum, not purple.”  She smiled.

Foresight tried to ignore her again.  “His name was Shadow.  The Queen asked me if I knew anything about him, as some scouts had spotted his little convoy heading our way, and I told her how to get into his head and steal his memories.”

“Why?”

Foresight thought for a couple seconds, then smiled.  “To come out on top, one must sacrifice a lot.  That means ev’rything.”

“O... right.”  Vertigo chuckled.  “Only one free answer.”

“I’ve kept you long enough,” Foresight said, smiling.  “The Queen will want to see you for your debriefing.  ...again.”

“Some things never change...”

“Don’t remind me.”  Foresight looked down at his new eyepatch and trotted to the side.

The two changelings made their way down the stairs to the Throne Room.  The doors opened to the Queen on her throne.  Her smile was ominous; she expected the news of their failure.  She spoke as they trotted closer; her voice echoed in its condescending tone:

“I see you approach me empty hoofed.  Did you dispose of our little defector?”

“It was Night Jumper,” the Executioner answered.  “A lost Saboteur Elite from--”

“That wasn’t what I asked of you, Vertigo.”  

“She had gone completely insane, your highness,” Mercy added.  “There’s no way they’ll get any information from her, and she’d only be a burden if we brought her back here...”

“I don’t remember an opinion being part of your briefing...”

“We just thought it would be more strategic to keep her there!” Mercy pleaded.  “She’ll weigh down the ponies, allowing us an advantage!”

The Queen smiled.  Mercy couldn’t tell if his argument had changed anything.  He turned to Vertigo, only to see a tear roll down her cheek.  

Mercy turned back toward the Queen.  “About my promotion...?”

“Declined.”

“But a true Assassin would have just killed her!  Doesn’t this show that--”

“SILENCE!” she yelled, raising a hoof at the Assassin.  Her gaze lifted from the two changelings and centered on the door.  A changeling stood there, with a familiar stance and smile to match.  “What do you want?”

“You wanted me to report any more happenings?  Well, I have something that was overlooked.”  The source of the voice trotted into view.  It was Foresight.

“Enlighten me...” she condescended.

“I have foreseen the fall of one of Midnight Masquerade’s friends... a pegasus named Thunder Sword.  He has been slain in battle by a group of Assassins who, sadly enough, won’t be coming back to the Hive.”

“You intrude on a debriefing to inform me of a possible failure?”

“An opportunity.  The pegasus worked for a classified section of the Equestrian military; Midnight is yet unaware of these events.”  Foresight smiled as the Queen contemplated the idea.

“So, we send in a team to inform him, which will weaken his resolve, allowing for his capture.”

“A great idea!” the Elite said, almost optimistically.

“Of course it is!  All of my ideas are... Now, who should go on this mission?”  She turned to Foresight.  “Any ideas?”  

“I’m sure whatever decision you make is the right one!”

“I asked for an opinion, not a fact,” the Queen said harshly.

The Elite stretched in an attempt to work out the stress.  “Umm... well... Midnight’s got an amazing--no, a pretty good memory.  I’d send someone who specializes in stuff that he is not familiar with, such as breeding.”

The Queen looked Mercy in the eye.  “Well, then... looks like a new opportunity indeed.”  Mercy’s eyes met the Queen’s empty stare and tried to turn back to Foresight for some support.  “...Mmm...Breeder!”  The “Breeder” stopped and looked back at her.  “Go get your superior officer, Regulator.  Tell him I have a job for him... and a promotion.”

Mercy left the changelings with the Queen... and the door open.  As he trotted slowly up the stairs, he could overhear a short conversation.

“You didn’t... we had a deal, Chrysalis!” Foresight’s voice cried out.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Foresight.  I can assure you that I did no such thing!” the Queen’s voice responded.

“I explicitly told you to never call a changeling that!”

“What’s wrong with ‘Regulator?’”

Mercy chuckled to himself and ignored the rest of the conversation.  He had to deliver the news to Regulator soon or the Queen might find some other demeaning job for him.


Chapter 3:  The Counter


Vertigo and Mercy waited by the armory while Regulator and Foresight finished their meeting with the Queen.  Without any new missions being given to them, they were told simply to wait.  For some reason, Vertigo seemed to be avoiding his eye contact.

“What’s wrong?”

“How the Queen treats all of us,” she replied, still avoiding eye contact.  “It’s no wonder there are so many defectors.”

“But how many survive?”

“What are you two saying about the Queen?” an unfamiliar force interrupted.  The two changelings turned to find a Soldier wearing unfamiliar armor.  

“Who are you?” Vertigo asked.

“I should ask you the same question...”

“Listen, Soldier!” she stood up and began staring the changeling down.  “Not only did I ask first, but I am an Executioner with several hundred recorded kills.  And that’s just griffins!  Creatures twice the size of you and twice as deadly.”

“I... I see.” The changeling gulped.  “I’m sorry... I only arrived here last night with the others.  We’ve been gone for about 1000 years.”

“1000 years...” Vertigo mouthed in contemplation.  She shook herself out of it and continued to stare at the subordinate.   “And where have you been all this time?”

“A faraway city, now a mere shadow of its former self.”

“How far away?” Mercy asked.  “Which way?”

“Well...” the changeling scratched his head.  “How you say?  North?”

“The Griffins are north of here...” Vertigo said.  “Well, Northeast of these Badlands.”  She looked at the Soldier.  “What form had you taken?”

The changeling breathed in and green fire concealed his form.  He was now a strange-looking pony.  His eyes were slit like a Manipulators, much like the Queen’s even.  His ears seemed to have excess fur on them, and he had bat-like wings spread from his sides.  Vertigo looked over the pony, unsure where she had seen the features before.  Another strange pegasus-shaped changeling joined him.  

“And who are you?” the new one asked.

“I am Vertigo.  Executioner.”

“Your voice is a bit high-pitched...”

“I’m a female Executioner,” she explained with slight irritation.

“You think you’re as good as our Queen?”  The pair chuckled.  One of them looked into the eyes of Vertigo glaring at them.   “I suppose there’s no harm done,” one explained, straightening up.

“So how did you guys find your way here?”

“The Queen called to us from afar.  Her time is at hoof!  We will--”

The other jabbed his friend with his hoof.  “That line’s overdone.”

The sound of large doors slamming shut and wings fluttering shook the changelings out of their conversation.  Regulator appeared at Mercy’s side, beaming and shaking with excitement.  

“I’m out of here, Breeder!” he exclaimed with newfound joy.  “I’ve been promoted to Breeder Elite!  The bastard was right!”

The two strange pegasi exchanged a glance.  “What ‘bastard?’”

“Foresight...” Regulator said, barely turning around.  He obviously didn’t care much for newcomers.  

“O good,” one of them answered, breathing a sigh of relief.  “For a second we thought Midnight Masquerade was still alive!”

“Of course Midnight’s still alive!” the Breeder Elite said, turning around to face the pegasi this time.  “My main objective is capturing him!  What made you think he was dead?”

“The pony princess of the Moon announced that he had been executed.  Makes sense it was just a farce to keep us changelings scared!”

“It actually did about the opposite,” the other added.  “After what he did to Night Jumper...”

“What?!” Vertigo demanded to know.

“O... you were that other...”

“Yes,” the Executioner admitted.  “What happened to her?”

“We’re pretty sure Midnight...” the one’s voice trailed off in a sad tone.

“...killed her,” the other added, having more courage than his partner.

“Well then... I suppose Foresight and I will have to have a little chat then.”

“About what?” the ever familiar voice sounded from behind the group.

“Well, what did the Queen say?” Regulator asked Foresight as he trotted forward.

“She kindly obliged.  I hate to say we are even.  So... thank you, I guess.”

Breeder Elite smiled.  “Great!  Do you have an assignment yet?”

“As I have foreseen,” he turned to Mercy.  “Breeder, you will join me.  A long quest awaits.”

“Why would I join you?” the Assassin asked him.

“Because I’ve been promoted back to my original stance.  I’m an Executioner again!” Foresight revealed, smiling.  The smile faded quickly and his tone grew somber.  “...thanks to the newly dubbed Elite’s testimony.”

“Great... another insane Executioner...” murmured one of the pegasi.

“What did you just say about me?” Foresight said, trotting forward to stand between the two pegasi and the three other changelings.

“Not you...” one of them pleaded.  “It was Midnight Masquerade.  Completely insane changeling.”

“How would you judge his intentions?”

“What?” they both asked.

“In times of hardship, it is a challenge to choose,” Foresight took a breath.  “...’tween good and evil.” 

“Well, he was definitely out to kill us changelings like some deranged freak,” one of them answered.

Foresight stomped towards the two pegasi.  With a single spell both of their changeling forms were back.  He ripped their armor off with his magic.  They both pleaded for mercy as they lifted off of the ground.  Regulator looked on at the spectacle, laughing to himself.  Foresight levitated them over the pit.  Vertigo held Mercy back, unsure of what had upset the male Executioner.  With a slight tilt of the head, the two ensnared changelings’ wings snapped off.  They screamed in futility, and were then let go.  Their screams echoed quieter and quieter as they fell before being cut off by a loud thud.  Regulator peeked over the edge, putting his ear out to try to hear any whining.  He laughed at the silence and trotted up the steps to the Breeding Room to prepare for departure.  

“Mercy,” Vertigo whispered, with slight fear in her voice.  “I want you to follow after Regulator, just get to the room and stay there.  I’ll distract Foresight.”

Mercy nodded, and Vertigo confronted Foresight.  

“What has gotten into you?!  What happened to the changeling I once knew?  The one who would help the weak and the new...”

“You think I could have sympathized with those two?”  Foresight lifted a piece of their armor from the ground with his magic.  “They were not worth the Lunar armor on their back!”  The green aura flashed and swirled as the armor was reduced an unrecognizable mass.  “I don’t know what you’re so upset about,” he said, horn still aglow.  “There’s a hundred more where that came from!”  A focused beam from his horn further reduced the metal to ash, which gently landed on the ground.

Mercy used the bright lights as a distraction to try to sneak past the commotion.  As he passed behind him, Foresight’s head turned and his green eye focused on the blues of Mercy.  A high pitched voice caught his ears and turned his head back around.  

“What do have against Mercy!?” Vertigo screamed at him.  Mercy trotted quickly away, only getting Foresight’s attention for a split second longer.  “He’s an innocent Assassin just as...” her voice grew quiet in Fear of those around them.  She leaned in and whispered to Foresight, “...just as oppressed by the Queen as we have been.”  

“He’s dead already.  There is nothing you can do... I have foreseen it.”

“But you said he was ‘the Unforeseen!’” 

Foresight sighed.  He looked pulled out the eyepatch they had given him and stared at it for a few moments, spacing out into thought.  “...I didn’t realize...”  He shook his head and put the patch away.  “I have to go.  I’m escorting Regulator and his team into Canterlot; if I don’t help them get inside, then I’ll never be able to get in myself.”

Vertigo crooked her head, but decided not to question it.  She nodded in compliance.  “Just go...”

Foresight turned and trotted up the stairs, meeting Regulator and Mercy at the door.  He turned to Mercy first.
“I must go with Regulator.  If the mission fails, I’ve got a back up plan that I will send to you.  If the mission is a success... well, what I do doesn’t matter.”  

He turned with a frown to Regulator and simply nodded.  The two trotted up the steps to the light outside, where two Assassins were waiting.  They spread their wings and disappeared into the horizon.  

All was quiet for a week.


Chapter 4: Deep Scars

Mercy trotted down the steps, in no hurry to get to the throne room.  As he passed the armory, he could see Vertigo with yet another team of Assassins preparing for their next mission.  It was always a new team.  Her last team was probably lazing about somewhere, just idle while Vertigo never got a chance to stop working.  All of these thoughts passed through Mercy’s mind, but were not enough to take his mind off of what Foresight wanted him to tell the Queen.  There was a complication in the mission; not only did Regulator fail to capture Midnight Masquerade, but the defector killed him and his team.  This mysterious changeling seemed more deadly every time something came up about him... Mercy wondered why Foresight was so obsessed with the guy.  He shook the thought out of his mind, realizing a darker truth that resurfaced in his brain.  Foresight said that even worse than the murder of Regulator and his team was the fact that Midnight had gotten ahold of the battle plans for the second Changeling invasion of Equestria.  Mercy knew there had to be a reason for Midnight’s “War Hero” stature in the Hive, but had no idea how effective the guy really was until now.  He continued trotting down the steps, unsure of what the Queen would do.  Finally, he reached those dreaded double doors, and they slowly opened to him.  He trotted inside, unsure of his future.

“What news do you have, Mercy?” the Queen asked.  Her condescending tone was lighter than usual, as if actually expecting something from the Assassin.

“Foresight told me to inform you that Regulator has ultimately failed his mission,” he said, with Fear in his voice.

“What is the damage?”  Her voice was commanding.

“Regulator’s dead.  The two Assassins are dead.  And Midnight has obtained our invasion plans.”

“Ah... the Counter,” she mumbled to herself.  “I doubt Masquerade understands what he has gotten a hold of... but it won’t be long before he figures it out,” she explained to Mercy.  “This gives us time to prepare.  Tell Foresight to keep an eye on Midnight.”  She grinned as if a sinister thought had sprung to mind.  “As a token of my appreciation, you are promoted to Breeder.  Get a team of Assassins on standby and add that if Masquerade were to try anything, you and that team are ready.  I can’t have any of my changelings going against their own race, especially not in the middle of an invasion!”

“Yes, ma’am...” the Breeder called Mercy said as he turned to trot out of the throne room.

“And one more thing...” the Queen said in an almost polite tone.  “Don’t tell Vertigo any of this... she has enough to worry about with her current mission already in motion.  This news should not affect her in any way for the time being so don’t worry about her.”

“Of course, ma’am.”  Mercy said, almost completely sure that she was lying.  He trotted outside and began climbing the steps once again.

Vertigo’s missions have always been excuses to keep her outside of the Hive.  Behind her back he had heard the voices of changelings always saying how useless she was.  Officers in the pony military were almost always male, so a female Executioner was seen as a waste of talent.  As Mercy trotted past the now empty armory, he was almost relieved.  Though part of him felt guilty that he wasn’t able to warn the Executioner of the enemy’s new strength, he wasn’t sure he wanted to bare any bad news.  He simply hoped she had what it took to defeat whatever obstacles the ponies would put in her way.  He spread his wings and flew to the top of the Hive.  Trotting outside, he found the lazy Assassins who had no responsibilities.

“Who wants a chance to kill Midnight Masquerade?” he asked them.  

Two of the changelings simply laughed and laid back down.  The other three got up and trotted over curiously.  

“Midnight Masquerade is alive,” Mercy explained.  “If you want a chance to take him down, just stick by me.  I’ll relay the orders between us and the Executioner.”

“And who are you in all of this?” one of them asked.

“I’m the Breeder on this mission.”

“And when do we strike?” another asked.

“I’m not sure... I’m not as gifted as our Executioner, Foresight.”

The changelings looked at each other.  Even the couple basking in the sunlight were unsure of how the bastard changeling could lead such a major mission.  They looked at the Breeder, seeing his promise as a second in command, but also as someone who actually respected the freak that had been guarding this entrance for so long.  

“A chance to finally break some bones?”  The Assassin smiled.  “I’m in.”

The other two changelings backed off, but the two basking ones took their places.  “This mission should be simple if they’ve got that freak leading us...”

Mercy ignored their remark and told the three to stick around the entrance as much as possible until the time to act was revealed.  

Foresight, if you can hear me... I’ve got a team of three Assassins and myself as a Breeder here as back up.  Please respond.

“Three Assassins?  And a Breeder?”  Painful laughter echoed through Mercy’s brain.  “I have foreseen it all.  I told Regulator you guys would be going through Everfree Forest; go there covertly and ambush the team sent to intercept you.  Do not bring weapons, common magic can kill these ponies easily.  The attack will begin in approximately 24 hours.  Be ready.”

Will the attack be successful?

“As Nightmare Moon would say: nothing shall interfere with our plans.”  

Who’s Nightmare Moon?

“The lesser sibling.  Jealousy is dangerous.  It’s what makes monsters.”

Sibling of who?

“The sovereign leader of the ponies, of course!  What do they teach you in training?!”

Was it a little brother?

“QUIET!  Her name was Luna.  Little Sister.  Enough questions, Breeder...”

My name is Mercy.

“...”

Is there something wrong with my name?

“...everything.”

What?

“You had so much promise... The Unforeseen!  But no... you have to be Mercy.”

You know what’s going to happen to me?

“I have foreseen terrible things.  Your death is one of them.”

Will I die on this mission?

“I cannot tell you that.”

Why?

“Because once you know your own future, it cannot be changed.  Knowing another’s, however...”

So you’re trying to save me?  Again?

“You do not deserve what will happen to you... but you will be given a second chance.  ...maybe.”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“I’m sorry, my once unforeseen friend.  I must go now... there is much preparation required for this next step.”

Mercy’s head grew silent.  He turned to the Assassins, who were staring at him in confusement and awe.  He told the three about their mission. 

“No weapons?” one of them responded.  “In the Everfree Forest?  I’d ask if he were crazy, but I already know...”

“He’s foreseen this fight, you know,” Mercy explained.  “Just as he foresaw that defector’s arrival.”

“Yeah, sure he did,” one of them replied with obvious sarcasm.  The others chuckled.  

The changelings made their way to the Everfree forest, unsure of what lie ahead of them.  Mercy trusted in Foresight’s guidance, and the Executioner returned the favor with constant updates on the group’s movements and weaknesses.

“A storm burnt the wing of one of the pegasi... he’ll be first victim.  His coat is blue.”

Any other targets of interest?

“There is another changeling defector present.  Born of the Elite.”

Elite?  You mean Regulator.

“Affirmative.  Without formal magic training, he is powerless.”

Alright, so we’ll target the changelings with magic.

“No.  Midnight is too powerful and will probably kill anyone who attacks him like that.”

Well, how are we going to tell them apart?

“I will see about a sabotage.  An allergy will mask his sense of smell, and coat him in green.”

Wait... how do you know what Masquerade’s allergic to?

“Some would call it an obsession, others call it intelligence.  I call it vanity.”

O right, because you want to take the guy’s place...

“No, because it’s worthless information.”

The Breeder silenced his mind and relayed the identifying details of the changeling defectors as well as their soon-to-be first blood.  One of the Assassins immediately volunteered to take the first kill, and a short quarrel ensued among them.  Upon thinking about the situation, an answer appeared in his mind from his superior.

“Hey!” he yelled, breaking up the fight.  “Whoever gets the first kill won’t get any greater honor but you won’t a get a single extra kill either.  Everyone else gets to work on the soldiers.”

One was singled out from the others and forced to take the role.

“Sometimes I regret killing those guys... their lack of intelligence is almost entertaining.”

You fit the Executioner role pretty well then.

“...”

It’s a shame you don’t tell me how much time we have to converse.

“So what’s your role in all of this?” the frontline Assassin asked.

“Well,” Mercy stalled...

“The military chef seems weak.  He’s your target, Mercy.  It’s the smallest tent.  I predict an easy victory with minimal damage.”

“I’m going after the chef.  He sounds like an easy target,” he explained to the changeling.

“You don’t like challenges?” 

“I don’t like murder...”

“No wonder you’re called ‘Mercy!’” he laughed.  

With the rising sun, the changelings found the camp where their leader was staying.  They could not see Foresight, but he somehow knew they had arrived.  They saw a blue pegasus with a wounded wing, and Mercy gestured to the Assassin.  Before the pony could trot into the safety of a tent, a loud cry of the Assassin surprised him, followed by the sound of bones breaking as he crushed the pegasus’s spine.  The other soldiers appeared from their tents in an attempt to help, and the other Assassins flew in for the kills.  Looking for the frontline Assassin, Mercy only saw a pile of ash.  A pink Earth pony medic rushed out of the tent to the fallen pony’s side, only to be met by a one-eyed unicorn wearing a familiar eyepatch.  They both looked at the pony’s body and then to the ash.

“This was foreseen... finish it.”

Foresight shook himself out of the psychic trance and pulled the medic back into the tent.  Mercy stood alone in the forest, watching his team fighting the soldiers and winning.  He found the smallest tent, and felt uneasy about his first duel with a pony.  He relaxed and reminded himself of the intel that Foresight had given to him.  He charged, his horn aglow and struck the pony inside.  The orange Earth pony got back up, his back to the changeling.  The chef spun around faster than the changeling could react.  With the swipe of a large butcher knife there was burning pain from the tip of the changeling’s snout to his cheek.  Hooves lifted Mercy’s upper body up, allowing the blade in the pony’s mouth to slash the changeling’s chest.  The chef threw the fallen Breeder out of the camp and left him to die.  

How could this have gone so wrong...

“And how are you still alive?  I thought the chef would have killed you by now...”

What?  You said the fight was going to be easy!

“For him...”

Him?  What about us?!  What about your team?

“Midnight killed that first Assassin, is killing another one, and will figure out who I am and kill me.  This was never a victory for the team...”

Then why did you wrap me into this?

“I couldn’t have you interfering with my plans.”

Your plans?  What happened to OUR plans?

“I was using the royal we then... just like Nightmare Moon used to.”

You bastard...

“Don’t remind me.”

Do you have any idea how much this hurts?

“Goodbye, Mercy.  If I see you again... it will be too soon.”

Mercy attempted to trot away from it all.  The pain is his face and chest hindered him, and he hoped that it was not marking his demise and he pushed himself closer to the Hive inch by inch.  His wings spread and slowly carried him through the forest.  He did not know where he was going, but at the moment it didn’t seem to matter.  He saw a cave in the distance and a feeling of Peace came over him.  He flew inside, unaware of its inhabitants.  He turned to find several other changelings in the cave with him.  A familiar, high pitched voice greeted him:

“What are you doing here, Mercy?” Vertigo asked, shocked at his wounds.

“Foresight... he predicted our defeat... and did nothing,” Mercy explained, weak and out of breath from his afflictions.

“I should have known he was up to something...” she said, shaking her head.  “I’m going back to the Hive to report this to the Queen.”  She put a hoof on Mercy’s shoulder.  “You stay here and rest.”

She turned from the changeling and left with her team to go to the Hive.  This left Mercy to feed off of the Love of life in the Everfree forest.  She returned after about a day, with news from the Queen:  Foresight is now wanted for death with a reward almost equal to Midnight Masquerade’s, and a full scale invasion of Equestria’s capital is underway.

It was time to invade Canterlot.


Chapter 5:  When That Great Tower Falls


The two changelings stood at the entrance to the cave, waiting for further instructions and reinforcements.  Screams echoed from the direction of the camp, and strange lights flickered from the tops of the trees.

“Looks like Midnight found him...” Mercy observed, still weak from the previous day’s attacks.  

“If we see that bastard again, it’ll be too soon.”  Vertigo was hard to read... a strange mixture of Anger and Sadness.

“Something wrong?” her friend asked.

“I just never expected him to turn on us like that,” the Executioner explained.  “He’s never abused his gift before.”

“Why doesn’t anyone else believe he can see the future?”

“The Queen.  She believes him completely but fears for her own popularity should his talent be recognized by everyone else in the Hive.”

“I’d ask why he’s trying to kill me, but I feel like she’s to blame for that too.”

“That’s a much harder accusation to make.”

“Why’s that?”

“Foresight told me that he liked you from the start because he didn’t truly recognize you.”  She smiled, turning from Mercy and looking out over the forest.  “It was good to know that he was open enough to not fear the unforeseen.”  She turned back to Mercy.  “It hurts to think that knowing your name would turn him against you...”

“What difference does my name make?”

“When he learned you were called ‘Mercy,’ he became extremely agitated.  Turns out he foresaw the death of ‘an assassin called Mercy.’”  She sighed.  “His obsession with Midnight Masquerade and his lack of patience with inevitable events makes me question his true integrity now.”

“...did he say how?” Mercy asked, shyly.
A frown creased the Executioner’s face.  “No.  He was worried I would tell you, making it an inevitability.”  

“So he tries to stop me from dying... by sending me to my death?”

Vertigo laughed.  “I guess so.”  The smile quickly faded.  

The sound of wings interrupted the changelings’ conversation as an army appeared at the cave.  The Queen herself appeared before the changelings, and gave them new orders:  The two of them would have to find a way into Canterlot and take down the shield.  

“But how are we supposed to be able to take a forcefield down?” Mercy asked.

“That is your problem; I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”  The Queen chuckled and trotted to the back of the cave.

The two changelings made their way out of the cave and to the outer perimeter of Canterlot.  They trotted cautiously up to the shield, unsure of how they would breach it.  A touch of the shield felt like it was made of rubber, and the changeling hooves bounced back toward their owners. 

“I hear a spell similar to this defeated the Swarm a few months before my return,” Vertigo said, prodding the shield with her hoof just to see the fluctuations in the texture.

“You should stop touching it like that,” Mercy warned.  “Its purpose is to warn the ponies of intruders, and if they see the wall moving like that...”

Vertigo turned her head to her companion, smiling with her hoof still poking at the shield.  “That’s exactly why I’m doing it.”  The smile faded.  “Now, don your pony form.  Somepony must have seen the spell fluctuate.”

Three royal guards investigated the breach in the shield to find a white Earth pony and a griffin.  The griffin’s clenched claw was beating against their precious shield, as if knocking on a door.   

“What are you doing here?” the unicorn guard asked.  

“Please help us!” Vertigo yelled, feigning distress.  “There are changelings after us!”

The guards looked at one another, then attempted to peek around the griffin.

“Please!  We don’t have much time!” she screamed, putting a stop to the soldier’s curiosity.

After a short discussion amongst the soldiers, the unicorn guard opened a small rift in the shield.  The griffin and the pony stepped through.  

“Are you two alright?” the unicorn asked.

“Thanks to you... yes,” Vertigo said, pretending to be out of breath.  

“So you saw the changelings?” the unicorn asked.  He removed his helmet, revealing a light yellow coat and a lime green mane.  The mane alternated in lime green and light green.  His brown eyes looked into the eyes of the pony.

“Yes,” Mercy answered shyly, not used to answering questions while undercover.   

“Did any of them have a purple coat and a black and red mane?”

“You mean Shadow?” Mercy asked, wondering how a common guard could know the smart defector that had visited them a few weeks ago.

The unicorn chuckled.  “Nah... his name’s Midnight Masquerade.”  

“What!?” Vertigo said, interrupting the guard and distracting them from Mercy’s shocked countenance.  Realizing everypony was now looking at her, she calmed down.  “Well... that explains a lot.”

“If Midnight was the changeling you saw, then you should be okay.”

“Anything but...” Mercy said, remembering the death of his team.  “I mean... we haven’t seen him recently.  There were several hostile changelings rushing at us, so we had to escape.  But now we’re safe.”

“Did they use any weapons?  I hear they use weapons...”

“Mirage!” a booming voice yelled from a distance.  A taller unicorn trotted into view, obviously a superior officer.  “Are you hassling refugees?”

“I prefer the term ‘interviewing,’ sir.”

“Interrogations?  You have no right to question these two!”

“But the two have seen the changelings, I just wanted to know...”

“You need to get your head out of the fiction section and into the real world!”

“Changelings are not fictitious, sir...”

“I never said they were!  But you can’t go around asking about changelings that don’t exist!”

“You’re one to talk...”

“Excuse me!?”

“You’re asking about the flying feathers I give...”

“If you weren’t at the top of your class, Mirage, I would kick your sorry flank to the street in a heartbeat!  Once I get a chance to transfer you out of my troop, I’m taking it.”  He gestured the three guards away, and Mirage reluctantly followed orders.  The officer turned to the griffin and pony.  “Sorry you had to see that... now, would you like to report what you saw to the princess?”

“We have a choice?” Vertigo asked, sounding as confused as she felt.

“Of course!  I’m not sure how they do things where you come from...”

“Which way to the castle?” Mercy asked.

The officer gestured toward the tallest tower visible.  The two changelings thanked him for the information and made their way there.  Inside the throne room was a large crowd of ponies in between them and the princess.  Rather than wait in line for a while, they decided to take a short walk through the Canterlot Sculpture Gardens.  The grass beneath their hooves was confusing Mercy; it seemed too soft to actually be grass.  Vertigo’s eyes were on the statues, almost as though she were searching for something.

“And not a single image of a griffin...”

“Is that why you wanted to see this place?” Mercy asked her, barely able to take his attention off of the grass.

Vertigo didn’t respond, causing Mercy to look up and see her staring at a very strange statue.  He trotted closer, seeing that the sculpture was of some kind of monster.  It had parts of many creatures all put together, and the only thing remotely pony-ish about it was the face of the monster.  The strangest part was the pose of the beast:  it looked scared.

“The more time I spend in this culture, the more it confuses me,” Vertigo said, looking over the details of the sculpture.  She turned to Mercy.  “What do you think it means?”

“Judging by the fact that it has pieces of monsters all over its body, I’d say it symbolizes the worst enemy of the ponies... or all of them.  Probably all of them.  The fact that it’s scared shows how little these ponies have to fear.  It’s almost like a gargoyle or something.”

The griffin chuckled.  “That’s an interesting analysis.  Now do you want to know what it really is?” she asked the pony, smiling.  

Mercy nodded his head, unsure if he really wanted to know.

She looked over the statue.  “This monster is called Discord.  He is the physical embodiment of chaos and disharmony.  He transcends most forms of reality and has wanted nothing more than see this world burn.”  She turned to her friend.  “He is also the king of the changelings.”

“What?”

“His chaotic magic was a major influence on the spells used by his subjects.  Eventually they turned formless and began to hunger for love instead of pony food.  We burned in our own personal Tartarus thanks to this monster... it wasn’t until the pony royalty turned him to stone that we were able to become an independent race.”  She smiled.  “That moment is remembered as the first great fall of the changelings.  Seeing our king fall caused a lot of defection.  Foresight eventually returned to the Hive, but Midnight never came back.”

“You say the ponies turned him to stone... does that mean that this sculpture is really... him?”

“Yes,” Vertigo said in an almost emotionless tone.

“Why would they keep him among common statues?”

“Why does the Queen keep me on tedious, if not overly dangerous, missions?  Why do our Workers live at the bottom of the Hive--the place we put our trash?”  Vertigo turned to Mercy.  “Because there is a surface to every society, and the darker side is always hidden.  The Queen tells us we are better than the ponies, but how can we be when the ponies destroyed the monster that made us?”

“Foresight would have said the same thing...”

“Foresight would have used a more cryptic wording... he always loved complicating things.”  She chuckled, turning away from both her friend and the statue.  “You know... there was a time when he was more open.  It was only after a few years after I met him that he started going insane.  He told me about Discord, since I wasn’t around to experience it, and he was very polite compared to most Executioners.  He even sided with me when others began to mock my feminine pony form.  Then he started losing it... before long he started having night terrors and visions of the future.  I caught him staring at the many cocoons in the Hatchery one night.  He reached through the goop and pulled a book out of a dead pony’s hooves.”  She turned back to her friend.  “It was a poetry book.  Foreign in nature... from a faraway land.  None of them rhymed, but he said there was a simplicity to them that could calm him down.  They were called ‘Haiku.’”

“Never heard of it...”

“It’s strange to say the least.  Basically, you start with five syllables then move on to seven, then end with five again.  He would always speak in Haiku whenever he felt a lot of pressure.”  She smiled in remembrance.  “I never did find out where he learned to read pony writing... the book was in a text that changelings his age couldn’t recognize.”

“Nothing about Foresight ever made sense,” Mercy admitted.

“He’s definitely not an ordinary changeling.  I’d like to think that we’re not either.”

“You’re beginning to hate our own race?”

“Just the Queen.  But there is nothing I can do... except follow orders and hope for the best.”  

Vertigo sighed, and Mercy looked back toward the castle.  The two changelings began to make their way back inside when they noticed a pink beam of magic striking the city’s shield, empowering it.  

“That’s the source of the shield?” Mercy asked, looking for a second opinion.

“Must be.  Let’s seek it out!”

The two changelings made their way toward the source of the light.  The beam disappeared very shortly after it strengthened the shield, so they galloped by memory.  At the spot they found a Royal Guard captain, alone.  He rested on a bench in golden armor, exhausted.

“We must be sure that he is the source,” Vertigo whispered to Mercy.

“I have an idea...” the pony said, trotting out of cover.  The captain looked up, and crooked his head as he wondered who was approaching him.  “Excuse me, sir... but are you responsible for this amazing shield protecting us all?”

The white unicorn smiled.  “Yeah, I am.  It’s my duty to make sure this city is protected.”

Mercy smiled back, exposing his fangs.  “Thank you for making my life so much easier.”

The Assassin spat his goop on the unicorn, ensnaring him.  The Executioner looked to the sky and, after a short while, watched the shield drop completely.  They stood by the guard for almost an hour until the Queen’s invasion force finally appeared.  It would not be long until the capital fell.  The two changelings fled, leaving the captain to slowly work his way out of the goop with no time to warn his troops.  

“Just keep moving!  It won’t be much longer before one of his inferiors shows up,” Vertigo reasoned as they made their way back into the castle.

“What if he catches up to us?” Mercy asked, as he reluctantly trotted with her.

As the Executioner galloped, she looked toward the sky and the thousands of changelings swooping in.  “I think he’ll have bigger problems than a couple of changelings whose job is done.”

“Then where are we going?” 

“The Queen wants us in the throne room; that’s where the strongest and most final line of the pony defense will be.”

Mercy continued to lag a little behind, until he turned to see the white unicorn guard chasing after him.   The two quickly made their way into the throne room, using their wings to fly over the evacuating ponies.  This only slowed the pursuer down, as he pushed through the crowds and joined his fellow soldiers in their defense.  Two larger ponies about as big as the Queen attempted to blast the Swarm with powerful magic, but the number of changelings was overwhelming.  A while passed and the ponies did not give up.  The throne room doors swung open and six ponies and two changelings joined the fray.  Changeling reinforcements swarmed in as well, overpowering the ponies and gathering the survivors into the middle of the room.  With their quest at an end, the two changelings trotted out of the throne room.  Their place was taken by the Queen herself, who would send the final blow to the pony’s government.  A complete takeover of the castle was underway; next would be the rest of Canterlot, then all of Equestria.  Mercy stopped to admire some of the stained glass while Vertigo continued out and into the gardens once again.  Her hooves cushioned by the green grass, she noticed a dark brown stallion with a black mane looking over the statue that was Discord.  Sniffing the once fresh air, Vertigo realized that this pony was actually a changeling in disguise.  She trotted closer to him.

“What are you doing out here?  ...and in disguise?” she asked.

The changeling’s brown head turned so that he could see her with his left eye.  “Why should I answer?  I should ask you the same thing, Executioner.”  A smirk creased the left side of his stallion face.

“Foresight?!  I don’t why I keep mourning your death when you just keep coming back!”

“You cannot expect me to die when I still have a job to do here.”  

He smiled, turning to face her.  This revealed a large “scar” over his right eye: a hole in his disguise through which his true changeling eye could be seen.  Areas where his changeling skin met his pony form was lit up in bright green, the color of changeling magic.  The pattern the bright green made was that of an explosion.

“What happened to you?” Vertigo asked, concerned and almost disgusted by the scar.

“This is that battle scar I had mentioned earlier.  It’s why I need an eye-patch,” Foresight explained.  “I got this a long time ago... even before my servitude to Discord.  Then some idiot thought it’d be fun to feed me to some dragons, and the scar opened up again.”

“Does an eye-patch cover that whole thing up?”

“Yes... but I can’t see through an eye-patch.”  He chuckled to himself.  “I’m cursed.”

“The only curse is the fact that you’re a changeling!” she said, wondering if it wasn’t true about herself.

“You’re starting to think like me!”  He beamed.  “...well, like Midnight.   I’m a bit more... complex,” he added, having a difficult time finding a good adjective.  

“Foresight,” Vertigo said in a somber tone.  “You said a few weeks back that the Hive would crumble to dust.  Now, I never wanted to believe you, but there was always something that did.  Perhaps part of me still trusts you just as you trusted me those centuries ago... back when I was rising through the ranks and you only trusted that I was still your friend.”  She sighed.  “What I’m getting at is... the Hive.  Is it actually going to fall?  Or were you alluding to this mission we’ve just completed?  Is the Queen finally going to rule Equestria?”

“That’s what I like about you, Vertigo,” Foresight said, smiling and dodging the questions.  “You complicate the simple things and simplify the complicated things!”  

“Answer the questions!” Vertigo almost screamed, not taking “no” for an answer.

“Do you really believe that being a changeling is like a curse?”

“...I don’t know,” she admitted.

“They say our ancestors became something greater than the ponies...”

“And you say that you were one of the first.”

“Well, in a stretch of the term, one could put Midnight into my ancestry.”

“Midnight’s your father?!” she gasped.  “But how does that even work...”

“Such a simple realization... I expected no less.  I have said thousands of times how I do not belong here,” he added, trotting closer to Vertigo.  

He put a hoof to her shoulder and leaned in so that his mouth was next to her ear.  He whispered quietly the Where and the How of his illegitimate birth, as well as his plans for the future.  He stepped away from the changeling, chuckling at her shocked reaction.

“So many times they called me a bastard... and all along they were correct.”

“But why tell me this?” she asked, shaking her head as if wanting to forget what she had heard.  “...if it is true, why reveal it to me?”

“Two reasons:  the first is the Trust that you had mentioned earlier, and the second is the fact that Mercy is dead.”
Vertigo frowned.

“He is dead, right?” Foresight asked, becoming uneasy.  The Executioner remained silent.  “Vertigo, answer me!”

A loud crash from inside the castle would answer a few questions.  A shockwave of magic flashed through the walls, revealing Foresight’s changeling form completely and pulling the two changelings into the castle with enough force to lift them into the air screaming.  The thousands of other changelings were screaming and swirling too as they were pulled into the light.  With a flash, the changelings found themselves teleported back to their Hive.  But there were too many occupants now, and too much noise for the walls to hold.  Being within the first thousand to fall in, Foresight and Vertigo climbed the stairs from the bottom in a race for the exit.  The stairs cracked and crumbled from being bombarded by the thousands of screams.  Despite it all, Foresight managed to make it to the top with Vertigo just behind him.  She turned to find that Mercy had followed her up the stairs, and turned back to see a spell just before its impact.  She fell a few feet down to a ledge below, and Foresight flew out of the crumbling Hive as Mercy tried to help her up.

“Just leave me!  You have to stop Foresight!”

“Stop him from what?”

“He told me everything!  He’s going to kill himself before the end of the year!”

“What is it to me if he lives or dies?”

“He saved your life twice now, Mercy!  And only tried to take it once, so you still owe him!  Please... you have to find him and talk him out of it!”

“Alright,” Mercy obliged, seeing its importance to Vertigo.

A large beam of magic shot up toward the ceiling, destroying it.  Mercy flew quickly through what was left of the stairs, dodging the new rubble, and making his way out of the Hive as it collapsed.  From the sky, he saw two ponies arrive.  He recognized one as the deserter from earlier:  Midnight Masquerade.  The Queen attempted to stop their escape, knocking out Midnight’s friend and blasting Midnight’s right eye with a strong beam of magic.  It didn’t stop him, and another spell destroyed the entry of the Hive, trapping the Queen beneath the collapsing rock.  ...along with Vertigo.  He looked up to see Foresight also hovering at this altitude, as if waiting for something.  He turned to see Mercy there, and his face filled with Rage.  His horn glowed green as he chased the Assassin away from the Hive.  A successful shot sent Mercy spiraling down into the Everfree forest, crash landing with a broken wing.  He looked to see a smiling Foresight flying back toward the Hive.  Mercy got back up and began trotting through the forest in search of help.

He was alone.
> Act 3: Endlessly Falling
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1:  A Few Steps into the Darkness


Mercy trotted through the Everfree forest, unsure of where he would go.  With his wing broken and the Hive destroyed, there was no one he could turn to now.  The noises of beasts echoed through the forest, and the glowing eyes of monsters followed him from the darkness.  The mystery and danger of the Everfree forest scared the changeling more than the dragons that had tried to kill him that month or so ago.  Fallen branches broke under the weight of monsters hiding around him.  He trotted deeper, a little bit faster with each step.  The sounds kept with him.  He hoped it was just the trees and that there was no danger nearby.  He was wrong. 

A low growl from behind caused the changeling to curiously and anxiously turn his head.  A large creature not unlike a wolf, but made up of branches and leaves approached him from the bushes.  It was followed by several others.  The creatures began to chase the changeling, who had no choice but to gallop as fast as possible.  Mercy wished that his wing had not broken so he could just fly away.  Pain came to his wing.  He began to remember the beginning of his changeling life... how beautiful he thought the wing was in total darkness.  Now it was damaged and worthless, as ugly as the pursuing creatures and just as beneficial to his life expectancy.  Despite the pain and the weariness, he kept running.  A cold, pungent air that was the monster’s breath chilled his flank but only made the changeling gallop faster than before.  The trees made it difficult for him to see the way forward, and the sound of gnashing teeth and wooden paws striking the ground did not help this perception.  

Finally, he saw what looked to be a clearing up ahead, where sunlight shone through the darkness of the trees.  He galloped towards it, unaware of what lay ahead.  Distracted by the light, he tripped and fell to the ground.  He turned to see what had caused him to stumble, only to see the three monsters behind him be hoisted into the air by a net.  His gaze lowered, settling on the trip-wire that had caused him to fall.  He took the moment to sigh in relief.  Then a blow to the back of the head sent him into darkness.

Mercy awoke in a daze, unable to move his legs.  A rope had been tied around him.  He is in a room of some sort, resting on something soft and plush under his ensnared hide.  Looking around, it seemed like a large couch in somepony’s house.  There was a fireplace across from him.  The monsters remained trapped in the net, motionless.  Mercy wondered if it were some kind of defense mechanism, or if his mind was playing tricks and it was just a bag of wood.  But it was the same net.  

“O good,” a feminine, but strong voice interrupted.  “You’re awake.”  There was a slight twang in the voice, but it was off and on, as though half of the accent was trying to be hidden.  Mercy couldn’t tell which half. 

Mercy turned his head to find the source of the voice, only to find a black coated mare sitting in a seat he had not seen.  Blood red swirls marked her legs, giving an illusion of splashing.  Her flank beared the mark of a dream-catcher with owl feathers, and her eyes were greenish blue.  Her mane alternated black and red as it made its way from the top of her head to the back of her neck.  She smiled insincerely.  

Mercy looked at her in Fear, as they had been warned in Basic Training about ponies with black and red coloring.  They were rare indeed, but this is what would make them terrible disguises.  The way they stand out in a crowd would make a changeling more easily spotted, and these ponies do not normally keep to themselves.  It would be as dangerous as taking the form of a princess or any other pony with both wings and a horn.  The worst part is that the colors blend to create less than happy thoughts.  The ponies themselves yield much less love than others, and some changelings would prefer griffins to these creatures.  It was even rumored that there was a black and red alicorn that corrupted all it touched.  

“What do you want from me?” Mercy asked, hiding his Fear and struggling in an attempt to get out of his ropes.

“A changeling with a broken wing goes galloping onto my land with a pack of timberwolves and demands an explanation from me?” she scoffed.  “So what do they call you?”

“My name is Mercy,” he answered.  He maintained a serious tone, not wanting to give any sign of weakness.

“Is that a family name?”

“What’s a family?” Mercy asked.  The term sparked a strange feeling... but he couldn’t place the definition.  

“It’s who you are related to,” she explained,  like your parents and siblings.”

“We don’t have parents,” he said, getting another strange stigma from the word.  “We’re born from cocoons.”

“Well, I suppose a family can be just the ponies you really care about...”

“There is one changeling...”

“The Queen?” she asked, slightly condescending.

“No... I’m actually part of a small group that doesn’t care too much for the Queen,” Mercy explained.

“Not all changelings follow the Queen?” the mare asked, sounding confused.

“That’s right... although anyone who defects is likely to get killed.”

“So how many are you?”

“Three of us...”

“So they’re your family?”

“Were my family,” the changeling corrected.  “One of my friends has turned against me.  He’s tried to kill me twice now...”

“Well, you’re safe here... for what it’s worth.”

“It’s not worth much...”  His gaze went back to the ropes around his limbs.

“So I’m guessing this one ‘friend’ of yours is the reason you have the broken wing?”

“Pretty much.  The timberwolves didn’t help either...”

“You’re not planning some kind of invasion or anything?” she said, cautiously approaching her captive.

“Definitely not.  We just failed no more than a day ago.  The entire Hive collapsed.”

“That so?”  The mare thought for a few seconds, then untied the changeling.  “I suppose you’re not going to harm me, then.”

Mercy sat up on the couch.  “...I never got your name.”

“...Nightshade.  I try to keep my name a secret since I don’t trust most ponies.”

“But you live in the middle of Everfree and can practically hunt the supernatural predators!  What’s there to be scared of?”

“Monsters are easy... you just gotta be the best monster.  The concept’s simple enough:  the best monster is the one who can keep on killing without getting caught herself.  Of course, that doesn’t work with politics.  Everything beyond that is just conspiracies and the true monsters that make me look like a first-time camper.”

“You don’t trust your own government?” Mercy asked, wondering if ponies were just as bad off as changelings.

“Definitely not.”  She shook her head.  “There’s a lot of conspirators in there.  So tell me, changeling, how did your Queen get into the royal wedding?”

“The Wedding Invasion?  That happened a few weeks before I hatched from my cocoon, and so I have no idea...”

“Shame... thought I’d finally get a straight answer.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I really need to get on my way again soon.  That changeling that harmed me is out to kill himself... and the one changeling I trust wants me to stop him.”

“That sounds... stupid.  You could stay here...”

“I have an obligation,” Mercy explained, slightly anxious to get out of the pony’s house.  “He’s still part of my family.”

“I suppose that’s true,” she said.  “If it were my family, I’d probably turn down shelter to go save them too.”  She smiled at the changeling.  “Good luck, Mercy.”

“Have a safe life, Nightshade.”

Mercy trotted out into the forest, and after about five hours of trotting he found himself in an open field.  Canterlot could be seen in the distance, and he felt that it may be the best place for him to start.  Another changeling watched his approach.

“Mercy?” Vertigo said from afar.


Chapter 2:  Three Deaths


Mercy turned to see his old friend fly down from above the trees.  

“Vertigo?” he said in disbelief.  “How did you get out of the Hive?”

“Foresight... he used a teleportation spell to get me out, but didn’t help anyone else.  He looked me right in the eye and told me to just run away... run back to the griffin kingdom I know so well.”  She sighed.  “But I can’t do that... I won’t just run away!  Not when my friend is going to take his own life.  I lost Night Jumper... I'm not losing him!”

“Why didn’t you follow him?  Or try to talk him out of it at least?”

“He teleported away as soon as his last word was said.  He didn’t even wait for my reply...”

“How is he going to take his own life?” Mercy asked, wondering where they should go.

“He told me that his death would come before the end of the year... and I asked him if he could stop it, and he told me that he would be the one to take his own life,” she sighed in exasperation.  “He gave no details...”

“If he’s foreseen it, then there won’t be a way to stop it.”

“What do you mean?”

“He once told me that if you have seen your own fate, there is no way to stop it... but if you see another’s, then there’s a chance.”

“Then we do have a chance!” Vertigo said excitedly.

“But he’s seen it... it’s unavoidable.”

“Yes, but we have as well!  Meaning it is avoidable if we intervene!”

Mercy thought about the implications of changing the future, and shrugged off the more terrifying ideas.  “Where should we start looking?”

“I’m not sure...” she said, scanning the horizon.  “There!” she said, spotting out the castle in Canterlot.  “If I know him, he’ll be hiding somewhere around there...”

The two changelings headed for the capital city of Equestria, donning their pony forms in fear of what may lie ahead.  Without a giant shield covering the city, it was very easy for them to get inside.  They wandered the streets, but did not find a single sign of Foresight’s presence.  

A month passed as they blended in, eavesdropping on the ponies until the first clue came to pass:  The Canterlot Archives received a new entry...

The Earth pony and pegasus slyly made their way inside the greatest database in Equestria after hearing of a mysterious article posted in the... fiction section.  Without any better leads, they agreed there could be worse things to do.  After searching the halls and finally locating the shelf of the newest entry, they were shocked to find a story that was not fake at all.  It was a pony, very gifted, that would end up saving Equestria, nay... the whole world with their heroic deeds!  Parallel in almost every way to the legends passed down by the changelings.  Yes, the changelings have stories of “Daring Do,” but this entry was quickly stowed aside.  Then they found the newest entry, titled the third book in a series of “The Changeling Chronicles,” by a “Shadow Beast.”  

“Who’s this traitor?” Vertigo asked.

“That pink pony spoke of a shadow... hay, so did Foresight at one point.  I think it’s just a pen name for the deserter Masquerade.”  

“That would make sense,” she said, skimming the second book in the series.  “Funny how the truth sits right here on dusty shelves.”

“The shelves aren’t that dusty...” Mercy noted after wiping the underside of one with his hoof.

“Well, all three books look barely worn compared to the Do stories... it’d be a shame if it weren’t a relief.”  She put the second book on the shelf and began skimming the third.  “It seems Foresight was a bit closer to Masquerade than we thought...”

“He did say that he wanted to take the changeling’s place.”

“But that was before Masquerade was vilified... Strange, it seems he knew he would desert all along.  And worse than that:  He says he’ll be catching up to that changeling...”

“So if we want to find Foresight... we have to track down the changeling who destroyed the Hive.”

“And delivered victory to the ponies!” Vertigo added.  She skimmed the last couple pages in hopes of another clue.  “It says here that he’s on the Moon now...”  She looked up from the book to see Mercy glaring at her.  “Oh, don’t blame me!  Besides, I heard that the ruler of the Moon... a ‘Luna’ or something... she’s been in Canterlot the past couple of weeks.  We have to hope that Masquerade came here as well.”

Vertigo and Mercy made their way to the castle in hopes of getting a glimpse of Luna and her associates.  Stalking Masquerade would be all they would need to find Foresight.  Peeking through a window, they found Luna... and Celestia, the ruler of Equestria.  They eavesdropped on their conversation.

“It has been a full day since they have departed,” Luna said.  “How do we know they have not failed?”

“Do not worry, little sister, Twilight will succeed.  ...But is it Twilight you’re really worried about?”

“Midnight left for the Crystal Empire a week ago.  He said his stalker wanted to meet him one last time.  I only allowed him to leave because I believed the Empire would be safe by now...”

“Looks like we’ve got our answer,” Vertigo whispered with Fear in her voice.

The two made their way to the train station and asked for a couple tickets to the Empire.  The price was steep, but not having to do any grocery shopping in an entire month was able to cover it.  They boarded and the train slowly started on its way.  

“The Crystal Empire sounds rather... vague,” Mercy said, breaking the boring silence of the commute.  “How are we going to find Masquerade when we get there?”

“It’s not as big as it sounds... the years have shrunken a once beautiful nation into a single capital city.”  Vertigo’s eyes avoided Mercy, and her Fear was difficult to hide.  “I would dare to assume that Masquerade would venture to the great castle in the epi...center.  Of the city.”

“Is there something wrong?” Mercy finally asked.

Vertigo sighed, and her eyes turned to her companion.  “I’ve been told... there was a huge war between a changeling hive and the crystal ponies.  The Crystal Empire generates more love than even Equestria, but it had a dark secret.  A great, evil monster appeared during the hive’s siege, and wiped out the changelings with a single spell.  The few survivors joined Chrysalis’s Hive and passed on their plight.  Foresight and I were some of the very few who actually believed their tales.”

“You think the monster is still there?” Mercy asked, now with Fear in his voice as well.

“Not even the rulers of Equestria were sure this place was safe,” she said, solemnly.  

The train screeched to a halt on the icy rails; they had reached their destination.  The two changelings departed, looking onward into an endless blizzard and hearing nothing but the ice cold wind until the train’s engine screamed again.  In the distance was a flicker of light, the Crystal Empire.  The two began to gallop through the snow towards it.

“I can smell it from here!  Once we breach the Empire’s perimeter, we should be fine!” Vertigo yelled over the wind to Mercy.

“Good thing too!  Of all the times for me to have a broken wing...” he said, his hooves cold in the snow.

A bellowing howl froze the changelings in the snow.  They turned to find a cloud of black smoke with two flaming green eyes.  The stench of Fear and Rage filled the air to the point that Mercy could not tell who it was coming from.  The eyes reached out of the darkness on a large head not unlike a unicorn’s.  It’s horn glowed a bright red and his eyes smoked in a strange shade of purple.  Fangs could be seen as it opened its mouth to emit a growl, and its horn bubbled with dark magic so foul that Mercy could feel his stomach churn.  With a flash of green, their changeling forms were exposed, and the monster screamed with displeasure.

“CHANGELINGS?!” it said in the deepest voice the changelings had ever heard.  “I HATE CHANGELINGS!”

“Mercy, RUN!” Vertigo screamed.

Without hesitation, the changeling turned and galloped as fast as he could towards the light.  The light grew closer and closer.  His legs and breath became weaker and slower.  His ears became alert to new noises.  

There were none.

He was alone.

He turned around to see Vertigo facing the monster.  Its horn bubbled.  Her head turned for one last look at her friend Mercy.  Her figure shook in the distance, but not from the cold.  She opened her mouth, as if to scream, but green goop poured out instead.  Her body convulsed even more.  More goop to seeped from her eyes, ears, and nose.  The holes in her legs leaked.  She slowly collapsed into a bubbling puddle.  

The very little that was left of her body turned to ash and blew away with the wind.  

Mercy’s breathing grew erratic.  The eyes of the monster that had just murdered his best friend now set its fearsome gaze upon him.  

He turned and fled.  

He galloped even faster than his legs could normally carry him, but the monster was gaining distance.  With one last jump and a painful fluttering of his wings he passed through the barrier.  He turned with newfound strength to see the shield.

It flickered.  The dark cloud moved closer.

It flickered again.  The dark cloud was just inches away now.  

It stabilized.  

With a sigh of relief he turned from the shield and made his way toward the castle.  Without a crystal pony form or even his earth pony form, he was happy to find that the residents seemed to be having a large festival.  This left a large gap in the castle’s defense, allowing Mercy to enter without any problem.  He carefully and cautiously made his way through the shining corridors of the castle, until he came across the throne room.  For some reason, a large shadow was cast by the throne over a poorly placed stairwell.  He wondered how anyone was supposed to get an audience with the Queen with the stairs in the middle of the floor.  The darkness itself seemed to not be caused by a lack of light, but an overabundance of Rage and Fear; it was almost sickening.  Looking down the hole, he could hear voices.  Both seemed oddly familiar, but he could not make out the words.  Mercy made his way down the rocky steps, eventually getting within eavesdropping range of the two characters at the bottom.  He realized they were changeling voices.

“...now you are ready to destroy us!”

“That’s not even possible, you doppelganger!” 

“Nonsense!  Just look at this door... it’s so perfect in its design!”

“What’s on the other side?  What spell did you use?!”  Fear filled the air, but it could have just been the dark aura encasing the staircase.

“A time spell,” the familiar voice said calmly.  “...on a crystal door!  Don’t you see it?!” as the voice grew more excited, Mercy finally recognized Foresight’s voice.  The other must’ve been Midnight.

“All I see is a glowing wall... explain how this is helping us ‘catch up.’”

“The time spell is a temporary fix, but put through the multiplicative powers of the Crystals and strewn out across the Door, we have created a portal to the past!”

“And anything that goes through it stays there... but this door was only guarded by darkness and a staircase, it can’t be that powerful...”

“Actually, it’s a beautiful fail-safe that I’m using to create this portal.  You see, if a changeling tried to force it open with magic, the levitation power would be amplified and the door would simply fly around the room.  If it is charged with Fear or Hate, which can be triggered remotely by Sombra, then it becomes a gateway to a changeling’s imminent doom.  It was the perfect defense to stop us from getting to the Crystal Heart, an artifact that could keep an entire changeling civilization going for eons.  Love and Light must be put into the door to put it on the same plane as the Crystal Heart, but no changeling would dare pay such a price.”

“Ingenious.  If not completely disturbing...  What kind of magic does he use to kill the changelings?”

“Well, Sombra has the capacity to take away Love and Light in all he surveys.  These are essential nutrients for a changeling, so if one were to come in contact with Sombra’s magic, well... have you ever put salt on a slug?”

“That sounds... painful.”

“I’ve heard it’s more pain than a thousand lives can handle... and that was from just a witness!”

“And if this time spell doesn’t work?”

“Midnight Masquerade!  You’re going to look your old friend in the eye and ask if it doesn’t work?!”

“Well...”  Midnight had a realization.  “Wait, what do you mean, ‘old?’  Is that ‘former’ or ‘faithful?’”

“You will ask yourself that in overdue time and the answer will still be unclear.”
Masquerade sighed.  “Is there a reason why I’m even bothering going into the past?  I mean... if you failed your mission then--”

“There was a troublesome assassin attempting to track me down.  I made sure you did not follow the same fate.”

“Is that a guarantee?”

“On this side of the gate, there are no guarantees.”

“Fair enough.”

“I sense your despair, but just remember:  It’s me you’re going to kill in the past.  Then every failure and every war we’ve been a part of will no longer matter!  And many ponies will get a second chance at life!  Remember that...”

Mercy peeked over the edge of the stairs.  Midnight did not look Foresight in the eyes, but simply nodded and trotted through the door.  With a bright flash he was gone, and yet the door still glowed as if the portal’s energy wasn’t fully used.  Foresight stared at it, crooking his head to the side, then slowly looking down at his hooves as if expecting himself to fade away at any moment.  

Mercy trotted down the stairs with full weight in his steps.  Foresight turned to the source of the noise, only to find his worst nightmare had become reality.

Mercy looked him in the eye, infuriated.  “You coward!  Is this how you try to kill yourself?!  By sending someone else to do it?!”

“You’re not supposed to be here!  You were never supposed to be here!” Foresight almost screamed.

“Did you really think that killing yourself was the answer?  After all the good things you did for Vertigo and me...”

“Vertigo... she was one of the few I genuinely saved.  I wanted to see her prosper so badly, but of course, I probably never will.”

“Vertigo and I came to save you, you realize?  That monster outside cornered us...”  The shock on Foresight’s face turned to pure horror.  “She sacrificed herself to get me here... to stop you.”

“I told her everything to make sure she didn’t follow me!”  A large frown bent the changelings snout.  “And she wastes her last breath on you...”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why I was chuckling when I saved your sorry flank from the pit?  It’s because at that moment I realized that I had seen you before:  the face of every other I had saved that didn’t mean anything to the Hive.  You were falling, and the only way to save you is to send you flying.  Both are means of travel by air, but with exception to you... well, you die either way!  There’s no saving you!  I just wanted to see how angry I could make the Hive...”  A terrified chuckle echoed from Foresight’s snout.  “But then Vertigo returned... she took you under her guidance.  That is the only thing that saved you.  Then you were named ‘Mercy,’ a term I had forbade the Queen to ever use for a name!  I couldn’t risk anypony named Mercy ever existing!  She back-stabbed me... like she’s done countless times before in my past lives... so I send you to the chef, because he would kill the Breeder of my team, but there’s that scar!  Across your chest!  Ready to be intersected... why can’t you just die and let me die!  Chrysalis killed me, now it’s my turn to kill myself before I ultimately destroy myself!  Don’t make me suffer death three times... I don’t think I can take three deaths!”

Shocked and slightly demoralized by his former friend’s speech, Mercy got on his knees.  “Alright,” he said in a somber tone.  “Fine.  If you want me gone, I’ll go.  But only if it means that you live to see tomorrow.”

“After everything I said... everything I’ve done... why do you still want me alive?!”

“You saved my life.  Twice.  I owe you more than I can give.  Now why don’t you don your pony form and just trot out of here?”

After a pause, Foresight’s head went down.  He nodded.  With a flash of green, the plum coat and black and red mane of Midnight covered up Foresight’s body.  “And you call me a coward...” he said, chuckling.  “With that poor fool gone, I get to take his place!”

“What about your eye?” Mercy asked, noticing the large, hideous gap of magic in his pony face.

“That answer will come in due time, my old friend,” he said, turning back toward the glowing portal.  “For now, you must hold up your end of the bargain.  If you want to die without hope, go through that door.  If you want a chance to survive, and watch me fade away, close the door.”

“Will you survive?  ...if I go through the Door?”

“Of course,” Foresight answered, smiling.

“Will you live your life to the fullest?”

There was a short pause.  His smile began to fade.  “...Sure.”

“No regrets?  Just living the dream that you deserve?”

There was a much longer pause.  “.........okay,” he answered with a straight face. 

A tear dripped down the pony side of Foresight’s face.  It looked away as Mercy turned toward him.  He turned from Foresight to the door.  He nodded in ultimate understanding.  He trotted toward the glowing door, and slowly put a hoof through it.  Feeling no pain, he walked into the blinding light.

Mercy was gone.

The dark wall was once again visible, just as he found the Door earlier with Midnight at his side.  The crystals bubbled.  He trotted up to the dark Door with his eyes closed.  Eye contact would result in his death.  His magic grabbed the Door, and he was ready to slam it shut.  But then he asked himself why.  Why couldn’t it just end here?  Why would his double failure stop him from just ending it?  Two voices fought within the mind.  For the first time he owned both voices... and the mind.

Why would you fear your third death?  Just open your eyes, you fool!  End it now!

No... wait... Mercy... He never wanted to hurt me...

He doesn’t understand!  Only you understand!  This goes beyond any of them!  Open your eyes to the Truth and open your eyes to death!  It’s the same thing!

No... I can’t...

DO IT!  Feel Death’s embrace!

He opened his eyes to the darkness.  The sharpest pain he had ever felt coursed through his eyes.  He turned from the darkness, slamming the door behind him with his magic.  His entire body screamed at him.  The battle in his mind raged on.

It’s done!  Why do you resist it?  You’ll finally be free!

Mercy... Mercy had faith in me!  Why can’t I have faith in me?!

What are you talking about?!  You are worthless!  Pathetic!  You are nothing!

And who said that?  What did I do?!

His body writhed in agony.  His vision grew blurry.  His bluish mane fell out tuft by tuft.

You worked so hard only to fail.  You try to help the hopeless--

Mercy had more hope in him than even Vertigo!  I didn’t try; I succeeded!

And how long can you keep lying to yourself?

Mercy has faith in me!  Why can’t you?!

I am you... you are me...

No, you’re not a part of me... not anymore.   You’re from that monster that only tried to kill me!  ...the Draconequus!

His legs grew weary.  His wings began to burn.

You’re still going to die no matter what!

His head throbbed in pain.  His changeling horn snapped in half.

This is the end...

Yes it is...  Goodbye, Foresight.  I hate you...

The changeling collapsed to the ground.  His mouth opened and his lower fangs fell out.  Green goop leaked from his mouth.  The last thing he could hear was the screams of the crystal ponies at the fair.  

Then there was silence.

Foresight died.


Chapter 3:  Through the Crystal Door


Mercy’s hooves once again struck cold, snow-covered ground.  He trotted forward a few steps to find much warmer ground.  Dirt lay beneath his hooves, completely infertile.  He looked up to see clouds of strange colors flying through the sky and the sun and moon moving erratically as well.  Was this is a place beyond time?  Had he broken the gate when he passed through it?

“MONSTER!”

The cry snapped Mercy out of his trance.  He galloped toward the source of the noise, only to find Midnight Masquerade attempting to hide his eye from two armed pony guards.   The guards did not seem to care to believe Midnight’s cover story. One of them lunged at him with a spear.  The changeling dodged it, then grabbed the spear with his magic.  With a quick counterattack, the now unarmed pony was stabbed through the neck.  A quick flurry of attacks saw the other bashed in the head, causing him to stand upright and expose his chest for Masquerade to embed the spear.  The impaled guard collapsed dead on the ground.  Midnight's eyes dodged the blood as his hooves dodged the bodies.  His head turned either way to ensure there were no witnesses. Mercy caught up to him.  Midnight’s head turned slightly so that his left eye could spy the changeling.  

“A scar?” Midnight muttered under his breath.  

“You must be Midnight Masquerade.”

“I will deny that.  Who are you to know such things and have a battle scar?” he asked in a cold tone of voice as his head turned completely, revealing an exposed changeling eye very similar to Foresight’s.

“Where did you get that scar?  It looks like Foresight’s...”

“O, I see!  You must be that Assassin that he was warning me about!” he noticed, taking a few more seconds to get back on topic.  “...If you must know, Chrysalis gave this to me when I got kicked out of the Hive as it fell.  Probably because I’m the one who caused it to fall.”  A frown on Mercy’s face provoked him.  “And I suppose your Queen never told you why I’m wanted?  I must say, you must be awfully stupid to follow me here.”

Rather than explain the situation and probably get his throat stabbed, Mercy decided to try to negotiate.  “I swore to my Queen that I would stop you.  But you have a point.  If this is the past, then my efforts would be meaningless.”

“Maybe you’re not such a waste... I could use your skills!”  Masquerade’s horn shone with green magic as a spear floated in between the two and dropped.  “Why don’t you help me kill Foresight?  He helped me intercept the invasion force and is the reason we’re both stuck in the past!  With him dead here... well, we’d be sent back to the present!  Slightly altered, I’m sure... but for the better!”

“But if he is the reason we are here, and we kill him... how does he die in this ‘better reality?’” Mercy noticed.

“You should stop over-thinking things,” Masquerade said plainly.  

“But why do this if you’d be forced to do it again?  Wouldn’t this make an endless loop or something?!” 

“I told you to stop over-thinking it!  From what I understand, time travel doesn’t work that way...”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“Then I would know.”  Masquerade’s ears perked up and he glared at the changeling.  “If you think your stupid mind games are going to stop me from killing Foresight, you’re wrong.”

“It seems like this whole place is like a mind game...” Mercy said, as a large building floated effortlessly in the air a few paces ahead.  “What happened to this place?”

“Discord happened.  Now, do you want to help me kill Foresight or not?”

“Why do you even need my help?  I heard you were a ruthless killing machine back in the day...”

“Don’t remind me...” he said, with Regret in his voice.  “It’s just that my wings have been broken for a while, and I know that young Foresight could be in any of these floating buildings.”

“I have a broken wing too,” Mercy admitted, wondering if the standard wing was really this fragile.  “So I guess I can’t help you.”  He turned and began to trot away, hopeful that he could flank the former Executioner when he was least suspecting it.

“Wait!” Masquerade cried out.  He caught up to Mercy and attempted to explain.  “Foresight warned me that the spell he put on the Door had  a side effect, so I won’t actually be able to touch him.  Doing so would cause a paradox that could actually be harmful... but you shouldn’t have a problem since you went through after me!  It’s just the residual magic covering me that would conflict with Foresight’s... horn, or something... like that.  I think that’s what he said.”

“So I really have to kill Foresight...”

“You have the privilege,” Midnight corrected.  “I’ve been assured that the Hive doesn’t care much for him... it’s mostly an assumption.”

“He wasn’t that bad to me...”

“Let’s stop talking about him,” Midnight promptly interrupted.  “He was a nightmare to me back in Canterlot.  I’m only here because... well, I lost my job on the Moon and he promised to leave me alone after this.  I hadn’t realized the new nightmare I’d be facing.”

“I think he looked up to you...”

“You mean he was jealous of me?” he corrected again.  “The fool thinks too much of the past.”

This confused Mercy; two months ago he would have sworn that Foresight only knew Midnight through the stories they’d tell.  “How far back to you two go, exactly?” 

“All the way back,” Midnight answered as if it were nothing.  “There’s not much more than that... and I prefer to not know about his more recent endeavors.  When he dies today, none of it will matter anyways.”

The two changelings wandered the deformed land, sticking to cover to avoid detection by the few able guards.  Eventually, they found other changelings.  All of them looked like drones, but one of them caught Midnight’s eye.  

“There he is!  Just go to him and kill him with the spear!”  His voice was too excited for Mercy’s liking.

“How do you know that’s him?  It could be any--”

“It’s him,” Midnight interrupted.  “Foresight told me before I came in here and I have a very good memory.”

“Can you remember why you aren’t supposed to touch him?” Mercy challenged.

Midnight snarled at him.  “What are insinuating?!  You think I’m a coward like him?  Of course I’m going to pay more attention to the details of where he is rather than dwell on how I can’t touch him!”

“Then why go through all the trouble of coming here?”

“I knew I could work something out!  I’m not as stupid as you are...”

“You just get some lackey to do your work because you’re ‘smarter’ than them?”  Mercy chuckled.  “You’re no better than the Queen!”

Midnight tackled Mercy. They fought through the senseless streets.  The Assassin continued to insult the Executioner, knowing that Foresight could escape if Masquerade was too distracted.  A guard saw the two fighting and attempted to intervene with his spear.  The weapon found itself lodged within its own wielder again, but pulled out this time to face a traitor.  

“Last chance, you waste of ash...” Midnight said, out of breath with few scratches from the scuffle.  “You kill Foresight, or I kill you.”

“I’m not going to kill anyone!  You’re worse than the Queen for trying to--”

The spear thrusted into Mercy’s beaten body, stopping his breath.  He fell to the ground, spear still inside his chest.  Midnight stood over him with a demented grin on his face.  

The unearned sense of satisfaction left him unaware to the monster suddenly behind him.  It was a beast unlike any other, but like every other at the same time.  A mismatched array of creature parts making up the ruler of this chaotic world: Discord.  

“O how funny!” the monster laughed.  “You come to my land and defend yourself, only to kill what could have been your only friend!”  He rested the arm of an eagle on the Executioner’s head, somehow removing the changeling’s pony form.  “And here I thought changelings were so boring...” 

“He’s not my friend.  He doesn’t even have a name!” he defended.

Discord chuckled.  “Let’s see about that!”

“My name... is Mercy.”  The Assassin couldn’t control what came out of his mouth, but something told him that it was the only thing keeping him alive.

“You see?!  Perfectly innocent!”  Discord laughed.

Midnight shook his head in Regret.  “No... he wanted to kill me!”

Mercy’s mouth moved again.  “No... just to stop you... to save Foresight...”

“What have I done?” the Executioner wondered, with the scent of Fear matching his Regret.

“Sounds like you’ve learned a valuable lesson!  Everypony is expendable!” Discord said, looking straight into the changeling’s eyes.  

Midnight’s head shook in denial.  The monster behind him disappeared.  With a bright flash, the changeling’s horn grew longer, and his mane turned completely blue.  He turned to the fallen changeling, smiled, and trotted away.  It would be the last thing that Mercy would see.  

Darkness clouded his vision.  

All went numb.  

That familiar image stayed in his head until his final second passed.

Foresight?!

...