Behind Blue Eyes in Equestria - Part 8

>The rest of the night you can barely sleep.

>Your thoughts race on the thrill of battle.

>Ending life is what you were made for. Your purpose in life.

>Equestria was just a setback for now.

>You'd soon be able to tear into a new foe.

>A lust for battle consumes your dreams.

>Every battle you've ever participated in, every marine you've gutted, every crewmember scorched, every bone crushed. It all flashed by.

>You were born to kill.

>But suddenly you're in the quaint town of Ponyville.

>The bright colours and enormous eyes give you pause.

>Your enormous suit can barely move.

>You feel sluggish.

>Separated.

>As if a hundred miles walls you off from every living thing.

>They smile and laugh and dance with each other.

>Your Terror Suit stands, silently.

>It does not interact with the p0nies.

>It is in the background, occasionally noted but looked upon with suspicion.

>It did not belong.

>The only trace of life was a pair of optic lenses, glowing blue.

>Your mind returns to its occupant. Its prisoner.

>Anonymous...

>"Anonymous..."

 

 

>Clink-clink.

>"Anonymous, wake up."

>Your eyes shoot open and you check your surroundings.

>The Changelings are still fresh in your mind.

>Your eyes search the room, they could be hiding--

>A bowl of soup is pushed into your vision, steaming.

>"I made some soup for you. Princess Celestia wants to see you here before you rush off into the caves."

>That would be helpful. You'd need a plan, and any intelligence she could offer would be most useful for a counterattack.

>"But even a big, strong, stal-- human like you needs a hearty meal once and a while. How often do you eat, anyway?"

"As much as you do, perhaps more."

>"I've only seen you eat maybe three times."

"My suit contains supplies that it feeds me via injection."

>"So you don't... actually eat?"

"I can eat, and my suit can process food items, however, injection is more efficient for nutrient intake."

>"And I thought -I- didn't get out much..."

>You blink your optics and stare at her.

>"Nevermind. Eat up!"

 

 

>You examine the wooden bowl and pick it up.

>SNAP.

>The bowl immediately breaks, spilling the soup on the floor.

>You bite your lip.

>Twilight looks downtrodden. She had worked hard on the meal.

>You curse your carelessness.

>Your fist balls, but you stifle the urge to slam it down.

>The table did not need to join the list of furniture casualties you had inflicted upon Equestria.

>Your temper flared.

>Why were you angry at such a trifle?

>It was a minor disappointment.

>A tiny concern in the scheme of things.

>Your eyes return to Twilight, who stares at the soup puddled on the floor.

"I apologize, I am still--"

>"No, no, it’s all right. I'll clean this up."

>Her magic levitates the liquid off the floor, and it is deposited in the nearby sink. She didn't even use any cleaning tools to clean the mess.

>Magic was indeed fascinating.

"Are you certain--"

>"It’s fine, Anon. Everyp0ny makes mistakes, it’s not a big deal, really," she turns with a smile on her face, then she giggles. "You're so clumsy, Anon."

"My armor is ill-designed for such things."

>"I figured that--"

>ClopClopClop.

>The door.

 

 

>Twilight trots over to reveal Rarity, who barges in past her.

>"When I heard what happened this morning, I had to come as fast as I could! Are either of you hurt? Oh what is that awful smell?"

>You assume your olfactory sensors had filtered out the smell of Changeling corpses.

>"Well Rarity, Anon was the one that saved me."

>Twilight points a hoof to you.

"I merely acted in accordance--"

>"You took on two of those awful creatures by yourself? AND you saved Twilight?"

>You nod your suit.

>Rarity catches her jaw during its race towards the floor.

>"You... I don't... how..."

"It is what I am for, Rarity."

>"Oh... my -hero-..." she trails off and shoots to your leg, wrapping two forelegs around it. "You put yourself in danger and think nothing of reward... oh you are just the knight in shin--" she stops herself, looking at Twilight.

>Twilight frowns at the display.

>You look downwards, bewildered.

>She's attached herself to your kneepad.

>Should I shake her off?

>*I recommend against it.

"Do all mares behave in such a way, Twilight?"

>"No," she replies flatly. "How unladylike."

>Rarity immediately retreats from your leg, horrified.

>"W-What? Oh, I was just--" she is frantic for an excuse. "I-I just thought--"

>"What's the matter with you, Rarity?"

>"Nothing! I just thought Anon... well, needs appreciation. He -is- a dashing new hero after all."

 

 

>You frown.

>Neither of those words described you at all.

>You were an unremarkable soldier, trained to horrify and mutilate your foes.

>You were everything that a shining hero was not.

>While the Union demanded high standards of morality, and that you abide by them... your work did not meet up with such requirements.

>You shift your weight uneasily.

>Thick silence pours into the room.

>A few moments later, a small fanfare is heard.

>"Oh! That must be the Princess. I-I should probably go... you have matters to discuss in private I assume," Rarity says. Twilight nods.

>"Well then, I really should be going. Will I see you again, Sir Anonymous?"

"I plan to return. Perhaps we shall find each other’s company once more."

>Rarity claps her hooves together before leaving, her tail lightly swatting to the side as she flits her head back to peer at you once more before leaving.

>You grimace.

>The flames must have caused psychological damage.

 

 

>You wait for a few moments and are greeted by Princess Celestia.

>Shining Armor is also with her, eyeing you cautiously.

>Guards flank the door outside and the windows, securing the meeting.

>"Twilight Sparkle, my best student..."

>"Princess!"

>The two p0nies embrace and nuzzle one another.

>"When you sent me the letter detailing the attack, I was very worried," Celestia tells her.

>"It did get tense for a moment, but, Anon was here and had everything under control."

>Celestia and Shining glance at you.

>"If it weren't for him... well, I don't know what would have happened."

>"Anon," Shining interjects. "Um, I know I've been very suspicious, but after all I've heard about you..." he pauses.  "I guess I was wrong."

"My armor is not for show, Shining Armor. Your suspicions were not baseless."

>He nods thoughtfully. "Well, we've brought everything we know about the Changelings, but I'm not sure what you're planning."

"We shall see in a moment."

>With that, Celestia sits next to Twilight as Shining Armor briefs you on Changelings.

>He starts with what they look like, how they can change shape, their speech, and how they feed upon love.

>Pearl found such a nutrition source fascinating.

>Next, he details what's known about the caves. Changelings live in underground caverns in a sort of hive, constructing tall spires and hollowing out stalactites all lighted with bioluminescence.

>Next he details their society. The vast majority of Changelings you were already familiar with, they were similar to p0nies except pure black with jagged forms and insectoid wings.

>These were the mainstay of Changelings; they served the same way p0nies did, as workers, soldiers, artisans and things of that nature.

>The other kind of Changeling, the Queens, are much more powerful.

 

 

>"They resemble Alicorns, like Princess Celestia," he explains. "The Queen that led the attack on Canterlot even overpowered the Princess... she was able to detain my wife and take her place, fooling everyp0ny... I cannot understate their power and how dangerous they are."

>You blink your optics.

"There is more than one?"

>"Yes, there are two that we know of. Chrysalis, the queen that attacked Canterlot... she's the ruler of the Changelings. The other we know of... I think she is more of a baron or lieutenant, her name is Thrystra."

>Your helmet tilts to the side.

"What are their responsibilities?"

>"Well, we believe Chrysalis to be their ruler, a counterpart to Princess Celestia, if you will," Shining explains. "Thrystra we think is a lesser leader; she was the one that we met when we first learned of Changelings."

>"She was hedonistic, always preferring to play games with us than really speak," Celestia added. "She was in charge of meeting our dignitary, but no relationship ever came of it."

>You pause for a moment.

"Where is this... Thrystra?"

>"She met with us at some kind of... I guess you could call it a club. She said it was her home."

>Shining Armor spreads out a map on the table, detailing what was known about the caves.

>The metal you require sits in the back of your mind, you had other focuses.

>"Do you plan to go after Thrystra, Anon?"

"I do."

>"I do not want to escalate this conflict. I will not send my little p0nies to wa--"

"Ma'am, my specialty is terror. While I excel at ending lives, I am much more efficient at sowing fear. If I can intimidate this under lord, morale amongst the fighting force will drop sharply. Their will to fight is my target, as I cannot exterminate every last one."

>Celestia appears uneasy, but she accepts your plan.

 

 

>The meeting wraps up quickly and the Princess wishes you well on your journey. She had really hoped to avoid conflict, but she believed that your plan may shock the senses of the Changelings and avoid conflict in the long run, rather than simply hiding from it.

>You clench your fists. It felt good to have a battle plan again.

>You're walking with Twilight and Rarity to the edge of a mountain range. Apparently there was a cave nearby that would allow you entry.

>As you stomped next to Twilight while Rarity trotted opposite.

>Your eyes studied the crude map that had been drawn of the cave system.

>You knew of a target, this... club.

>"Anon, what exactly do you plan to do?"

"Leaders are effective because they have the appearance of knowing what to do, and are calm in the face of danger. If both of these qualities are disrupted, their troops will lose faith. What's more, if I am successful, Thrystra will hesitate to launch a counterattack. She will remember what response was provoked through their actions on you, and widening the conflict will provoke even greater response."

>"So you want her to think that even the smallest action will be a bad decision?"

"That is correct. And this fear will cause her troops' morale to crumble, so even if another attack is launched, the Changeling troops will remember that their dear leaders fear reprisal, and they will fight less effectively."

>Psychological warfare... quite capable of eliminating a foe.

>"So nop0ny will have to fight, then?"

"That is the goal."

 

 

>"Wow, Anon."

>You tilt your helmet.

>"I mean, you've really only just arrived here, and already you're putting yourself in harm's way to help us."

"It is what I am for."

>"Still, you don't have to--"

"It is what I am for."

>"But it isn't your prob--"

>Your boot thuds on the dirt path and you stop to face Twilight.

>You blink your optics.

>Your gauntlet slams against your chest plate.

>Your arm-blades slide forward, glinting in the sun.

>You widen into an attack stance.

"I cannot harvest apples and speak on clothing forever, Twilight. This is what I am for."

>Twilight nods, though a frown darkens her face.

>"I can't imagine what its like, not knowing a moment of peace."

>You have no answer.

>"You're a true hero, Anon..." Rarity says dreamily.

>Her eyes flutter.

>Your stomach churns.

>A long hike later, Twilight stands on the threshold of the cave, looking into the darkness.

>She kicks at the scraggly grass, pensive.

>"Are you sure you want to go alone?" she asks.

>"Y-You can't simply walk into such a place!" Rarity adds, shocked.

"You saw Canterlot. There will be many more Changelings inside this hole. It is better if I go alone."

>Neither of your companions want to leave.

"I will return successful."

>"All right, just... be careful."

>You trudge into the darkness, leaving the pair of p0nies behind.

 

 

"Engage mission systems."

>A timer appears in the corner of your HUD, giving you a mission time, as well as the time of day.

>Your reactor hums, flowing power into your actuators for more responsive movement.

>You practice bringing your weapons to bear quickly, as well as turning around.

>Fighting with a combat suit was difficult, as your weapons were primarily based around your arm-blades and Linebreaker.

>Since your flamer had no fuel, it was worthless.

>Against foes with ranged weapons, you had to rely on your armor to protect you, as you would never be able to catch a fast-moving enemy.

>At least these caves would help funnel...

>You emerge into an enormous cavern.

>The misty expanse stretches for miles and miles, supported by massive spires and columns.

>A muted silver lines every surface, illuminating in perfectly straight lines and stylized angles against slick black stone.

>Your map updates quickly with the flood of new information.

>Pillars of light search the emptiness in a lazy light-show, spreading light through the inky darkness.

>You can see Changelings flit about the dark spires, but the contrast between the black, shiny rock and the silver light makes them hard to see.

>Your computer identifies your target.

>It is a two-pronged spire, with a brightly shining bubble on the opposite side.

>The front is illuminated brightly in a language you can't identify.

>You stomp towards the flashing lights.

 

 

>It was lucky that Changelings could fly, as you slipped into the hive undetected.

>The Changelings appeared to prefer flying between spires, rather than walking along the ground.

>That made infiltration much easier.

>You avoid the sweeping lights as much as possible as you shoulder past the tight quarters of the floor.

>Thumph, thumph.

>Your suit attempts to lighten your footfalls as much as possible.

>You push past another pillar and are greeted with a clearing.

>On the opposite side is your target.

>The front door is enormous, guarded by two larger Changelings who hold back a small crowd.

>"Come on... let me in! I'm supposed to be at this party!"

>You can hear a low thumping sound: you guessed it was some kind of music from inside.

>The bouncer eyes the Changeling closely, and then opens the door.

>Loud, alien music blares from inside, and is muted once more as the door closes.

>"What! You let HIM in but not me!?"

>"Get lost, pal."

>A few of the Changelings scamper away in disappointment, taking wing and leaving the scene.

>Only a small crowd of hopefuls remain.

>This was your chance.

>You brace yourself, but a pink, flashing dot stops you.

>Pearl points out the columns of light that trace across the open plaza, as well as the other establishments surrounding.

>She also notes the security flanking the angular lighted door.

>*"It is possible they do not know who you are. It may be worth it to infiltrate using standard channels," she suggests.

 

 

>You stand up and stomp towards the door calmly.

>The Changelings eye you suspiciously, but none of them attack you.

>You walk past the closest one. No action.

>A few more. Nothing happens.

>No attacks come as you move up the steps to the door.

>You stop directly in front of the bouncer.

>"Yeah... what the hell are you?"

>You say nothing, instead pointing your optics towards the door.

>The bouncer's eyes narrow, trying to discern any sort of intent.

>You know he will find none.

>"What do you want?"

"I am here to see Thrystra."

>"You and every other 'ling here," he snarls.

"Your tone is inappropriate."

>"And I think the look of you is 'inappropriate', buddy."

>Your optics turn towards the Changeling, staring directly into his eyes.

>You turn up their intensity slightly.

"I am here to see Thrystra. I will not tolerate rudeness."

>"That's gonna be a 'no'. Get lost."

>Your boot slams down bare inches from the Changeling's feet.

>He leaps into the air, leaving behind a strange spittle.

"I will not tolerate rudeness."

>"Chrysalis' sake, man, you shit all over the steps. Let the bastard in."

>The doors open, showering you with music.

>You stomp past the pair of guards.

>They close the heavy doors behind you.

>Your fists clench.

>You were inside.