Rushing down the dark street in the night as the royal guards searched for the culprit of the robbery, she couldn't even catch her own breath as it might allow them to catch up. The "goods" ,or so some might call them, were safely tucked away in some satchels on her back weighing her down and also preventing her from making a getaway by flight. She couldn't anyway, somepony might see her in the air and then she would be in huge trouble if they knew that she was here.
Seeing a sewer entrance on the side of the street, she quickly unleashed what magic she had left in her horn and teleported on the other side of the bars. She ducked as the magic light from the tips of the guard's horns lit up the street. Her breath hid in her mouth slowly leaking out as the unicorns peered into the darkness ignoring the sewer entrance. When seeing nothing they rushed forward, higher along the road.
She gasped for the breath she had been holding and signed when she was sure the guards were faraway enough, she teleported out and quietly made for the next street. Timber Wolf Lane.
Seeing that no pony was around she walked into an alleyway between a bakery and a grocery store. Hastily, she climbed up some stairs leading to an abandoned apartment above the bakery. Knocking on the door five times, she waited for what seemed like hours of nervous pacing and heard shuffling.
A small mail door squeaked open and two pupil-less blue eyes stared at her for a second before the hatch closed and the sounds of locks opening could be heard. The dark wooden door creaked open. She hastily walked in and the door was immediately shut by a black figure. She carefully walked into the main room ignoring all the stares and dust in her eyes.
"Where were you!" He shouted at her as soon as she was noticed in the dimly lit room. The others were scattered about the place on pillows, sofas, and chairs. They all perked up and lifted their heads in interest. She shrunk back when his shouts pushed against her will to stay in her fixed position. She quickly tried explaining herself in defense-
"Sorry ..I-"
"I was THIS close to sending a search party for you! You're an hour late! What was so important that it couldn't wait until after this?" He interrupted her sentence. His voice made all of them who were nearby to wince at his loud and commanding voice. She looked like she was ready to cry. Tears began forming in her big pink eyes. His expression softened at her hurt expression. He sighed, obviously annoyed.
"I'm sorry...*sniffle* I..*hiccup* I'm re-*hic*...sorry.." She said as her voice was strained by the hiccups and crying. He softly walked over to her and lifted her chin to see his blue eyes to her pink eyes. Both had no hint of them ever containing pupils.
"It's okay cherry pie, I love you. You just really worried me. Just next time get here on time okay?" She nodded still brushing away the leftover tears.
The other black pony-like creatures smiled with their long fangs showing and their twisted looks of their hooves, horns and wings relaxed now that the tension was lifted off everyone's black shoulders. Their obvious changeling textures of their...well everything really, except some of them had different shell and eye colors if they came from a hive different from Chrysalis'. She looked up and said-
"Alright...dad."
~*~
Spark Wing watched as Throbbing Horn yelled at his daughter, and for once, his mate didn't stop him. Snaggletooth looked like a mess, but she got the job done. Two big satchels full of changeling eggs. Ten in total. She had heard that some ponies had found them in the Canterlot caverns after the invasion so they delivered them to the Canterlot Creature Research Center.
How they knew this? Well, let's just say not everypony you know and see is who they are supposed to be.
Obviously both Throbbing Horn and Wind Flutter found this inponmane. They sent Zipper and Gust storm to distract and wreck the place while Snaggletooth, being the youngest (and smallest) changeling, sneaked in and "kidnapped" the eggs.
Good thing too since many ponies had recently protested to smash the eggs and in the process, kill the changelings inside.
Zipper and Gust Storm got away but the Royal guards were hot on Snaggletooth's trail as she said. She had to make a break for it on hoof. To make sure no one saw her, she had to to run, not fly. Her magic was drained so she couldn't teleport back to base.
Zipper motioned for Spark Wing to come forward and she did. He crossed his horn with hers and sparked it. An aura of pink flowed to her horn as the love inside it fed her. Now she wasn't starving, but still needed more to be full. Every little bit of love counted as it was the only thing changelings could feast on. However that proved that nature itself meant for them having mouths only to communicate through hissing and buzzing sounds.
She smiled as the love left his body leaving him drained. She licked his cheek or where it would be if he had one. He wasn't steady on his feet so she rested him on her spot, a pile of fluffy pillows. She watched him sleep as the fireflies in the lamps flickered. After getting tired of watching him sleep for a bit, she scooted next to him and rested her head on his. She was about to close her eyes and try to get some sleep but some distant noise caught her attention. Normally she would ignore it, but for some strange reason it called to her.
Spark Wing got up, careful not to wake Zipper, she trotted to the nearest window. It was intact except for a hole that seemed to leak the cold air in the abandoned apartment. Peeking carefully out the window she saw a royal carriage in the sky slowly descending toward the castle. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as it flew from view.
Scampering around all the laid changelings, Spark Wing made her way to Throbbing Horn who was laying down near Wind Flutter who was hiding a blush on her face. She gently nuzzled his hoof and he looked at her with stressed eyes. He smiled and looked almost...happy which was extremely rare for him. The stress really got to him sometimes. The two quickly and quietly ended their little love fest and blushed in embarrassment. Wind Flutter hastily got up and scampered away, almost bumping into Spark Wing. She quickly turned the corner of the room's entrance hiding the creeping blush on her soft face.
His expression turned serious as she neared him and Spark Wing leaned in and told him the news. His eyes widened and he hissed to her in the Changeling tongue, "Do you think they have a lead that could expose us?" It was obviously that worry leaked from his tired voice.
She shrugged and he told her to make sure all their look-outs were alert and not snoozing off. She went ahead and strolled toward Gust Storm and Snaggletooth.The two were quietly chatting about what they thought they should do with the eggs. Spark Wing couldn't quite hear it. They fell silent as she neared. Glancing around before saying anything, she concluded no one else was going to hear nearby. She leaned in to both of them and told the two young lings the news, excluding the part about the carriage. They nodded and she hissed, "Get to it!" They hastily rushed out to their posts and Spark Wing sighed.
'This is going to be a long night.'
~*~
Twilight landed on the smooth tiles of the palace courtyard and her friends (and Spike) followed suite. She motioned to the guards that they could go. They snorted and took off in the direction of Trottingham for whatever reason. She made sure to check her mental checklist again for anything she may have forgotten. When she first received Princess Celestia's letter, she thought (as usual) that is was life-threateningly urgent. However Celestia wrote to her asking her to come to Canterlot for some magic and changeling business. That made her even more uneasy.
"Okay girls, Princess Celestia asked us to stay here for a few days and she also told us to meet her in the throne room." Twilight told her friends. They all nodded except for Pinkie who seemed to be looking at something in the distance.
The girls and Spike started walking toward the castle and Pinkie too, but only after a few more seconds of staring at one of the walls surrounding the gardens from the rest of Canterlot. She continued with her friends but she couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching them.
"Maybe that's what Twitchy Tail, Itchy Hoof, and Drippy Nose stands for?" She wondered as her tail shook a little, her hoof needed to be scratched and her nose was dripping.
~*~
Gust Storm held his breath as the pink pony turned and left her gaze at him. Carefully peaking he saw she was no longer staring at his hiding spot behind the Garden walls. If she had seen him, they were done for. Hastily looking around, he flew off into the clouds which would shroud him from any suspecting eyes.
Hopefully he wouldn't run into any pegasi.
A/N:
Been trying to publish this for a while. It came to mind in a really weird Pokemon/Young Justice/Teen Titans/MLP crossover dream. Hope you like it! Read and review! It fuels my drive to update quicker!
-QA
Gust Storm carefully flew through the clouds, being extremely alert, and glancing around every few seconds. His bright blue eyes were clouded with anxiety. He slowly descended to see if he was any closer to Timber Wolf Lane. He saw that he already passed it and groaned. He turned around and began flying in that the other direction.
He started to feel less nervous until he heard a noise. I sounded like the flapping of ...... pegasus wings! Gust Storm furiously looked around but saw no being besides himself in the skies. The anxiety he locked away was now resurfacing and bubbling like crazy. The steady noise of flapping wings grew louder and he started to panic. He was barely keeping a straight path now as he was darting back and forth.
Somehow, he was biting his lips with his long fangs nervously. Not thinking of the consequences or risks, he sped up rapidly, his heart beating even faster. The flapping wouldn't stop however, and his bottled up anxiety and he screamed, not loudly, but still a scream. He rushed away from the clouds and shot downwards. He couldn't even stop now, he was out of control. His body was moving based on his panic and fear.
However his body was smart enough to not crash into the ground. He stopped inches before the cobblestone street. Then he dropped like a bowling ball. His face smashed into the hard, cruel stone. He swore that one of his fangs were chipped. He gently rubbed his now bruised cheek. That was going to be sore in the morning. His entire body was covered in bruises. Luckily they were only noticeable if you looked carefully.
Panic took control of him again and he glanced around and up, before rushing up the streets towards the alleyway. He ducked into it and rushed up the stairs. Gust Storm pounded his hooves against the door five times showing his desperate need to get inside. One of the changeling's eyes peeked through and opened the door, after unlocking all the locks, quickly.
He literally leaped into the room all eyes turned to him. Throbbing Horn narrowed his eyes.
He walked up to him and sternly demanded, "What happened." Gust Storm gathered himself and told him about his said "encounter".
Throbbing Horn was furious but also glad they had this information now. He told all changelings to avoid the elements of harmony. No changeling was to go out alone or near the Canterlot Castle.
"Now everyling get their rest, tomorrow we need to be on alert."
With a collective nod and hiss in approval all the changelings started laying down or seeking a new spot to sleep on. Zipper groggily laid down next to Spark Wing who had placed herself on three extremely soft pillows. As his head felt the silky fabric of the cushion, his eyes drooped and she scooted her head even closer to his own. He drifted off with happy feelings.
~*~
"Princess Celestia, is there a specific reason why you called us here so urgently?" Twilight asked as they started following Celestia to who knows where.
"Yes actually. Have you seen the recent news from Canterlot?" She inquired to her student.
"Well no, but- I mean, I never really was interested in those newspapers, but if you want me to research them I will-...oh no, you told me to do so in advance didn't you? I must have totally forgotten, as Spike and me were really busy this past week with reorganizing the new Star Swirl the Bearded section of our library! No, no, no, no! I'm always prepared, well except for the Crystal Empire incident, but-"
Twilight's worry and speak was stopped by Celestia's white hoof gently placed on her mouth. The Alicorn spoke calmly compared to her panicked student.
"Do not worry yourself Twilight, I was not asking so much of you. I was just wondering." With that she removed her hoof from Twilight's mouth.
"Like I was saying, if you had read the news, which I never asked you to, you would have noticed the recent riots at the Canterlot Creature Research Center. Some royal guards had discovered some changeling eggs in the Canterlot caverns soon after the invasion as most ponies were at a certain wedding-" She paused to wink, which they all got. "-yet I never got the chance to actually see them myself. I knew you probably would want to study as much as those scientists will allow you to-"
"I'd love to princess!" Twilight squealed in delight. Her friends and Spike rolled their eyes. She nodded and motioned for them to crowd two carriages. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity crowded one, while Twilight, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Princess Celestia went and sat in the other.
The rest of their flight they chatted casually until they reached land. They all got off and started walking toward their destination.
"It should be just around this corn-" Celestia stopped her sentence dead in its tracks. Her eyes were wide and her pupils tiny. The others followed her gaze until their eyes matched. Some of them had wide open mouths as well.
In front of them was the Research Center. In flames with chemicals leaking out and smoke piling from it. Ponies outside were screaming and running around crazily, ignoring the Royal Guards who were attempting to calm them. Many fireponies were working at the flames with their hoses while some scientists were outside in medical stretchers or just in shock. Applejack was the first to speak,
"What in tarnation?"
With that the eight rushed to the scene. Celestia was going to question the guards while she told the others to help as they could. Rainbow Dash and Applejack helped ponies trapped under the rubble. Fluttershy was currently fussing over all the injured animals that they had there, with Spike assisting her. Pinkie was trying to get some of the hot chocolate that they were giving to the ponies. Rarity was complaining that the medical tents had too many reoccurring color schemes. Meanwhile Twilight had met up with Celestia to question some of the scientists. They entered one of the tents.
She decided to walk up to a green coated unicorn mare who was on a stretcher as she had a twisted ankle. She looked up to them. She tried bowing to the princess but failed and it ended up looking like a nod.
"Hello, could we ask you some questions?" She asked the mare.
"Of course. I guess it started with me and a friend of mine, Honey Comb, checking on some manticore cubs when we heard something at the front. We rushed over there of course. Apparently two ponies had started up a really bad riot. It was even more worse than the previous ones. Pretty much all the scientists were at the front trying to calm them, but then they started throwing things at us." She paused to see their expressions. She quickly added,
"Just ordinary things such as eggs, toilet paper, but they also started using bricks at one point. We just couldn't control them, but then that's when the chaos started. Something blew up the entire left wing and there were explosive chemicals there, so the fire spread to the rest of the building. Not only that but the security was breached. I alone went to see who was caught on tape, but then something jumped me. I didn't get a good look but I know it was a light blue unicorn mare and that she had taken something from the laboratories. She was quite the strong mare too, she knocked me out before running into Honey Comb. He told me, before he fainted, that she was definitely carrying something but she really did a number on him. He's still in a coma.."
"Thank you for your time Miss.."
"Electric Guitar."
"Yes, thank you Miss Guitar. Twilight, shall we go?" Twilight nodded and they both exited the tent.
~*~
Looking over at the wreckage and ponies from behind a brick wall, Throbbing Horn narrowed his eyes. In a burst of green fire, he reverted from a Pegasus to his changeling form. He flew off back to the abandoned apartment and carefully snuck in. He made sure no one saw him and he laid down on an arm chair that wasn't occupied.
~*~
The next morning proved uneventful, except for Twilight and her friends. "The real reason I brought you all here was to help search and rid Canterlot of any and all changelings that may still be here." Celestia told the seven.
"But Princess, I thought all the changelings were expelled by Shining Armor and Cadence's spell!" Twilight exclaimed.
"I thought so too, but due to recent events and this-" She stopped to show them that day's newspapers. It read: CHANGELING EGGS STOLEN FROM LAB! A collective gasp was heard from all of them excluding the princess.
" I suspect some changelings are still hidden."
It was Rainbow Dash who spoke this time. "How can they be here if the spell blasted them to the borders of Equestria?"
"I assume they came after all the changeling fear was mostly diminished, as it was possible since both the seven of you and Cadence and Shining Armor were busy at the Crystal Empire, so-"
Applejack realized and said, "That left an opening for them to jump right in!"
Twilight's eyes widened in realization as well and said, "Princess, what should we do? Should I cast another spell to get rid of any left over changelings or possible spies! Or maybe just a spell to expose them so we can interrogate any remaining ones?"
"Actually I want you seven to do undercover work, not public at all. A rumor that changelings are in Canterlot will cause panic and you will most likely get the best results from private information. I will give you each assignments and areas to cover. Twilight I want you to investigate the Research Center and question the ponies there that night. Fluttershy, you will assist her, when that's done Twilight, you will return to me for the next instructions and Fluttershy will join Pinkie Pie in her search, which by the way will be checking abandoned buildings for any hiding changelings." Pinkie Pie nodded in understanding.
"Now you three go on." Celestia paused to allow the said three to start their assignments. Pinkie bounced, Twilight galloped and Fluttershy cowardly walked to start their missions. Turning to the others she continued, "As for Rainbow Dash, you will...."
That was all Twilight heard as they exited the castle and began to accomplish their goals.
After saying goodbye to Pinkie, the unicorn and pegasus made their way back to the research center.
~*~
As pinkie began happily hopping toward an abandoned factory at the end of the street, she spotted something. No somePONY. A light blue unicorn that looked like a teenmareger. She was glancing around suspiciously and then made her nervous way toward the direction of the...Research Center? All of a sudden her tail was twitchy, her hoof was itchy and her nose was dripping. She smiled evilly.
"Gotcha miss super-spying pants!" As she followed the mare secretly inching toward where Twilight and Fluttershy were.
~*~
When Throbbing Horn told her the mission he was reluctant but she was excited. Her goal, eliminate Electric Guitar before she remembers who attacked her and get out before anypony notices.
She took her usual pony disguise; A light blue unicorn mare with a blonde mane and a pine tree cutie mark. She would change that after the mission. After leaving the base, she calmly walked through the market crowds in attempt to get to the center. Well as calmly as she could. Most changelings hated crowds when they were disguised because it made them naturally nervous of being exposed and they didn't like being so close to other ponies.
She took a deep breath and almost choked on her own air. She had seen a pink pony carefully following her, not just a normal pony, but one of the elements. She was onto her and she needed to lose her. She started running as if she "suspected" she was being followed and Pinkie took the bait. The idea was to confuse the pink mare and lose in in the crowds, however, it did not turn out the way she thought it would. She ran under a peace of furniture some workers were hauling through the crowd and Pinkie jumped over it. She pushed past people as if panicked and Pinkie jumped through them. She even crashed into a two windows while going through a house and Pinkie followed soon after.
She was actually catching up to her! She quickened her pace and made a break for the center which was now in sight. She ran around corners, jumped onto roofs and ponies but Pinkie was still catching up with her.
As her hooves met the cobblestone ground in front of the Research Center, she jumped through the lobby doors since the explosions that she caused yesterday only took the left wing while everything else was only damaged a little. She ran past the pony at the front who yelled for her to stop and made her way to a certain unicorn who was in one of the rooms. She stopped at a hallway. Now she just needed to figure out which door she was behind...
~*~
"So you don't have anymore information for us Electric Guitar?" Twilight asked the mare who was currently writing observations of the Hydra scales.
"Sorry but I already told you everything I know and the security footage was stolen last night." She answered.
"Alright. Fluttershy let's go." She turned to face the said pony who was cuddling a manticore cub. "Okay Twilight."
She put the cub back in its pen and they both thanked Guitar for her time.
As they left the room, a blue mare ran past them almost running into them. "Hey be careful!" The pony stopped and glared at them only to change the said expression into fear as she realized who they were. But she then saw a glimpse of the mare she was looking for in the room they exited, she quickly smiled and said, "Oh sorry, but thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit again!" The strange unicorn pushed them out of the hallway and right into the lobby where a pink pony was running at a very high speed and couldn't stop.
Well let's just say that Twilight could barely keep herself from spinning around dizzily.
"Pinkie! What are you doing! All of you!" She yelled at what seemed to be three pinkie pies in front of her. Pinkie slowly got off of the two that she had just crashed into.
"Oh hey Twilight, Fluttershy. Guess what? I finally found the miss spy-" Pinkie paused. "..Oh my gosh! Where is she? Which way did she go!" She frantically looked around for the unicorn mare.
"Who?" Fluttershy asked as she got up. Twilight was just as confused.
"The SPY!" She shouted loudly. "She was running away and I almost had her! She must have gone that way!" With that Pinkie sped down the hallway which the two had just came from. They looked at each other uncertainly before exiting the building to wait for their friend outside.
~*~
"Here we go." Snaggletooth smiled as she saw the room she was seeking. Room 37. With Electric Guitar all by herself in there. Carefully peeking inside and looking around the hallway, she changed from her casual disguise to an exact copy of Electric Guitar. Actually all that changed was her cutie mark, to Guitar's. Her disguise already looked exactly like the scientist mare. Grinning evilly, she stepped into the room as the door creaked open.
The said mare did not even look up. Obviously she assumed it was another scientist.
"Barb Wire, I told you, I'm fine and everything is quiet, nothing to worry about." Her suspicions were confirmed.
She crept up to the unicorn and raised her hoof. She whispered, "I'm sorry."
~*~
Pinkie crept in the hallway and shifted from both of the walls. She peeked into a door that said Room 32. It was empty. Quickly moving to the next she peeked into it and only saw some guardpony with a barbed wire cutie mark. Then something rushed to her ears. The sounds of a...struggle! She raced to all of the doors opening them quickly but finding nothing, until only Room 37 was left. The pink mare was about to burst it open, when a Blue unicorn came out calmly. They both stared at each other in shock and silence for a few moments before the mare said," Um hello, sorry can't chat I have to check on Barb Wire, so uh...bye!" She nervously shut the door and proceeded to the lobby.
"Wierd. Mission accomplished, spy has retreated." She happily bounced back to outside where her friends would be waiting not noticing the door creaking slowly open as a pile of ash could be seen.
~*~
Snaggletooth hid behind a wall before changing back and flying swiftly between the clouds trying to disguise herself as much as possible. When she saw Timber Wolf Lane below her, in a burst of green fire, she was now a white pegasus. She dived and calmly landed near the alley entrance. She waited for any wandering eyes to glance at her before turning away to do whatever they were on this street for.
She glanced around one last time before walking into the alleyway. When reaching the door, she did the routine and dropped her disguise. She was let in and turned to her father and said, "Mission accomplished." She said with an evil grin as she transformed into Electric Guitar as if to prove her point.
A/N:
Sorry for the wait, I have ten ideas for fic's that I am writing right now including one based on the last episode on Saturday ;)
(Not Twilicorn)
And a couple of crossover ides too.
I'm see you all later!
-QA
