Title:           Bug Bite (012) ((Changeling, Anon, Long Story))
Author:          NotScribble
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/VDeQCPv6
First Edit:      Sunday 10th of May 2015 12:13:45 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Monday 29th of August 2016 02:56:55 PM CDT

Original Thread
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https://archive.moe/mlp/thread/22926195/
 
 
 
Reviews and Comments
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Bug Bite by NotScribble
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>Edgy fucking OP about torture, but I had an itch to do a changeling story. It was also supposed to be much shorter.
 
 
 
 >"Ahhhhhhhh!"
>You are Anon, and-
>"We are running out of patience."
>"Uhhhhnnn..."
>"You have the power to stop this all, just give us what we want and you will be released."
>And you are currently standing outside of the 'questioning room,' where an unfortunate creature is being handled by the princess's personal guards.
>As you understand it, it's a changeling.
>Your knowledge on them is limited, but from you've been told, they attacked Canterlot before, and feed on love or something.
>"I... Can't-"
>"Can't or won't? Speak insect, and choose your words carefully."
>You can't figure out why something that feeds on love would be hostile.
>Seems counter-productive; like poisoning your own food.
>You lower your head as you consider things.
>The sunhorse commanded them to discover all they could, while emphasizing 'by any means.'
>She wouldn't be risking her citizens in another attack.
>You could tell it wasn't a call she enjoyed making, but it seemed to be for the greater good or some bullshit.
>"Won't- Ahhhhhhhh!! S-stop, please!"
>"You will give us what we want in time. Your suffering is prolonged needlessly. Just a location, that's all. It's that simple."
>There's a long silence, and you cringe a bit.
>You're honestly shocked any of the ponies in this world had this in them.
>Then again, you suppose no world is ever truly perfect.
>"A location... And then what? Look at me... Do you think I'm stupid enough to think you'd treat them any better?"
>"We do not enjoy this, how do you say, barbaric behavior. However, we must be sure your kind remains safely outside of our lands. Do not pretend as if your kind didn't strike the first blow."
>You hear a grunt of pain, and the distinct sound of exaggerated spitting.
>"I told you... Over and over... We were forced out of our land, and Queen Chrysalis led us to believe that the only way we could be safe was to take a new one. We didn't know anything about this place!"
>"Enough!"
>"Ahhhhhhhhhuhhhhh..."
 
>It would seem the guard has lost his patience.
>"We 'know' for a fact the insect queen had been planning this attack for many years. We 'know' she had close agents scouting our ranks and plotting a course of action. Do you think you are the first bug we have had in this room?"
>You hear the sound of multiple metallic objects clattering to the floor, followed by silence.
>"As I said, you will tell us what we need to know in time. Everyone always tells us what we need to know. I'll leave you for now."
>You step back a little as the door swings open, revealing a bloodied guard and his companion.
>"They always do."
>Once the door is closed, you walk with them for a short distance as they head towards what you assume is the washroom.
>At least, that's where you'd be heading.
"You guys sure take this seriously."
>The guards don't even bother looking up at you as you continue.
>"Of course, Anon. We must do our duty to protect our lands, even if the things we must do aren't... Favorable."
"Are the changelings really that dangerous?"
>The other guard nods, though the former seems to be the only one who ever speaks.
>"I'm well aware you did not arrive until after the fact, but much was destroyed very quickly. We can not risk a lapse in history."
>You nod.
>Shit like this wasn't exactly an uncommon theme back in your own world.
>However, this wasn't your world.
"You know, I've dealt with this sort of thing a lot back in my universe."
>The guard finally glances over your way with an intriguing look of both disbelief and curiosity.
"Oh?"
"Ya, but we had a lot more inventive ways of, uh, torturing prisoners to get information."
>A smirk escapes his lips as he looks forward once more.
>"You should share some of this knowledge during a more appropriate time."
"What if I just did it for you?"
>They both stop together, and he glances your way once more.
>"What do you mean?"
>You shrug.
"By any means, right? I think I can get what you want."
 
>He squints at you.
>Anon, the smartass, the prankster, the guy who never takes anything seriously regardless of who he is talking to, most especially royalty.
>Anon, the torturer?
>"I don't see how one with your, erm, reputation would accomplish this."
>You fold your arms and pump up your chest slightly.
>You're not exactly a big guy, but compared to even the largest ponies, you were very imposing.
"Leave that to me, but I want one thing."
>He rolls his eyes.
>"I do not expect you will be successful, but the princess herself suggested using every venue that presented itself, so we shall humor your notion. What is it you need?"
"Simple. I need you guys to stay away from that room until I'm finished. I'll come find you when I'm done with him."
>He releases a guffaw at your proposal.
>"You can not exp-"
>You bend over slightly and point between his eyes.
"And not just you guys. No one is allowed near that room while I work. Like I said, this is something I'm familiar with, and my methods make yours seem... Tame."
>He looks down your finger and gulps.
>Most of the time, you can't go two full sentences without busting out a grin or making a sarcastic remark, so this was brand new territory for them.
>It was also working.
>"Very well. We shall see to it you are not disturbed during your interrogation. Now, if you'll excuse us."
>You stand up straight once more with your hands in your pockets as they turn and walk away.
>You rock on your feet a few times before turning around to head back to the questioning room.
>There was work to do.
 
>Despite the way you built yourself up to those guards, you weren't entirely sure what you would do.
>Watching this sort of thing happen in movies was one thing.
>Being up close when it was actually happening was another thing entirely.
>This was your way of delaying that, or in the best case scenario, preventing it from happening again.
>How, though?
>You look up as you approach the large metallic door that stands against the otherwise pleasant decor.
>Maybe he would just tell you?
>Bullshit.
>Maybe you could promise him nothing would happen?
>Like he'd believe you, or you even had that power.
>You stop in front of the door and take a deep breath.
>Guess you'll have to figure it out as you go.
>With that thought, you pull open the door and step inside.
>The smell of the room reaches you before the sight of it does.
>You are instantly assaulted by the stench of blood, both old and new, followed by the sight of a blood-stained marble floor.
>It's a fairly large room, what you'd guess was a good 30 feet from wall to wall.
>Tables and assorted bondage devices were scattered about.
>For a brief moment, your mind jumps to S&M, but the sight of the changeling in question quickly drags your brain back to the reality of the situation.
>Before you was the battered remains of one changeling, chained up in an x-shaped fashion to a vertical table.
>Twilight was kind enough to force her knowledge all over you when you inquired about them once.
>It was a passing fancy, so most of the information went over your head.
>Along with your limited knowledge was a few rough sketches of what they looked like.
>This looked nothing like the pictures.
>You weren't careful to be quiet as you approached, but he didn't respond to your presence.
>Instead, he simply took a few slow, deep breaths.
>He then raised his head to about your stomach before quickly opening his eyes.
 
>There was a brief flash of determination reflected in them, which was instantly replaced by surprise as he flinched and raised his head to see your face.
>You're not sure what expression you were wearing, but it wasn't malice.
>You were simply observing his behavior and looking over the damage.
>His mouth slowly gaped open as he continued looking you over as well.
"Man, they really fucked you up."
>He flinched slightly at the sound of your voice, snapping him out of his trance.
>His eyes readopted the appearance of determination, though it was obviously accompanied by fear this time.
>"So they sent some giant freak to finish me off?"
>He closed his eyes and took one more deep breath.
>"I'm not telling you anything I haven't already told the other guards."
"That's nice."
>You mostly ignore what he was saying as you reach out and begin brushing your hand over his body, testing out his various textures.
>He sure felt strange, that was for sure.
>Hard, but with a little bit of give, almost like hardened leather.
>His wings, which reminded you of glass, was actually much softer than it appeared to be as well.
>Your reply, accompanied by this strange behavior, seemed to throw him off-guard.
>He opened his eyes once more and turned his head to the side.
>"What, uh... What are you doing?"
>You pull your hand away.
>Look at you, feeling up a restrained, battered prisoner.
>Creepy fuck.
"Oh, I just never seen a changeling before. I was curious."
>He looks you up and down once more before squinting a bit.
>"What are you supposed to be, exactly?"
"Hm? Oh, right."
>You look yourself over real quick.
>Obviously you know how you look, but it was somewhat of a reflex.
"I'm Anon, the only human on the planet."
>He lifts his head slightly.
>"Loyal to the ponies, I presume?"
>You shrug.
"Eh, kinda."
 
>"Kind of? Are you their servant? Their slave?"
"I'm what you might call a neutral party."
>He scoffs at your reply.
>"Neutral. You are under their employ, otherwise you would not be in here."
"This is where I appeared when I found myself in this world. It's not like I chose it. Anyway, they're not so bad most of the time."
>"Likely story. Spare my dignity and just get on with it."
>You take a step back and shrug.
"Look, I know you've been through some shit recently, but I'm not like that."
>"I know you're here to discover where the remnants of my squad are hidden. I can assure you I'll sooner die than give you their whereabouts."
"You'd rather die, huh?"
>You reach out and boop his nose.
>No real reason why, just your way of breaking tension.
>He took your tone as mocking, if his scowl was any indication.
>"Yes!"
>He barks at you.
>You stand back a bit and shake your head with a small grin.
"Amazing that they can't see you're acting just like they do."
>He lowers his tone a bit.
>"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Hm? Friendship and all that. Anyway, yes, I said I'd get the info they were looking-"
>He spits.
>"Neutral."
"Look, I don't know shit about you or your kind, alright? I'm only in here cuz I had to do... Something, I don't know."
>He doesn't reply.
>You turn and sit on a nearby table a short distance away.
"You have to give me something. How about why you were here?"
>"I'm here because I was discovered."
"You know what I meant."
>He frowns out you, but his expressions softens a bit.
>"Fine. My squad was sent to this area to search for remnants of our hive."
>You glance around a bit, and speak up when he doesn't continue.
"What, that's it? You're looking for your buddies?"
>"To put it simply, yes."
>You sit up and grab your chin, feigning as though you just solved some great mystery.
"Well they probably think that means you're gathering forces for another attack."
 
>"Of course that's what they think. That's what anyone would think! Urk..."
>He attempts to hunch over a bit in pain, but he's fully restrained.
"But that's not what you're doing, is it?"
>He stares at you for a moment, giving you an expression that screams are you serious.
>"Why ask questions you know how I'll answer?"
>You shrug.
"Just talking it out. Fuck."
>You rub the back of your neck and he slouches a bit.
"Okay, are there specific bugs you're looking for? Number? How long did you plan on being here?"
>He groans a bit.
>"Can't give you numbers, but yes, there were some specific personnel we were searching for."
>After taking a few short breaths, he speaks once more.
>"We we're only going to stay as long as it took to locate them."
>You lean forward on your legs.
"Why don't you just explain that to them, then?"
>He looks up and chuckles slightly.
>"Don't play stupid. Look at me."
>He glances down over his battered body.
>"I 'did' tell them. I've told them everything I've told you, and more. I even made promises that we would be on our way as soon as possible, but that's not what they want. They want everyone. They want to follow me to my group and then they want to take us all at once."
>He goes limp once more, slouching in his chains.
>"We suspect that's what happened to many of our other search parties. They just vanished. We thought we'd try our luck anyway, and now here I am."
>He looks up at you once more and looks you over carefully.
>"What about you, neutral? What's your stake in this?"
>You jump up off the table and walk around a little bit as you think.
"Honestly, usually I'm the troublemaker. Little shit, just bugging people for fun. Uh, no pun intended."
>He says nothing as he watches you walk about.
"But this time I feel like I have to play peace keeper, since you guys obviously have some history that neither side will look past."
 
>He nods.
>"And so we are at an impasse. They can't let me go because they think I'll just feed my hive information, and I refuse to give up my hive for my life."
>You nod in response.
"Right..."
>Well, someone had to make the first move then.
>Your usual stunts are more of a nuisance than a threat to national security, but fuck, you were low on options.
>He's not going to tell you where his buddies are, and they're not going to let him go.
>Goddamit.
>You walk over to him and lift up his head, forcing him to stare into your eyes.
>He glances around nervously for a moment and you squint harder.
"Alright, I'm going to try to help everyone here, but you're going to have to help me with that."
>He looks a bit worried.
>"What do you mean?"
"I want you to promise me that you'll find me after you get out and check on your friends."
>His eyes get a little shimmery and grow wider.
>"Are you saying you're going to let me go?"
>You groan slightly.
"Shut up and listen. I won't try to follow you once you're clear so you know I'm putting trust in you, but I want you to find me again afterwords so we can make sure all of you leave Equestria."
>He looks away for a moment before glaring back at you.
>"Wait, what if you just ambush me again once I find you?"
"For what? To bring you back here? That's a stupid fucking plan."
>He looks down.
>"Fair enough."
"Hey. I need that promise."
>He slowly looks back up at you, struggling to continue looking into your harsh glare.
>"You... Have my word."
>He seemed sincere enough.
>Fine then.
>You nod at him and circle around to deal with the locks.
>Old, conventional locks.
>Easy as shit to pick with your dextrous fingers and any small piece of metal.
>"So what's your plan on getting me out of here? I assume your princess doesn't know about this, and won't appreciate it."
>You roll your eyes as you pick open each lock.
"I sorta kinda make it up as I go. No one should be anywhere near this room, at least."
>"That's... Not comforting."
 
>You pick open the last lock and the chains fall free, along with your changeling acquaintance.
>He implants firmly into the marble below with a loud thud.
>You can hear him moaning softly, as if his lungs are merely deflating.
"Shit, sorry."
>He doesn't move.
>You walk around to kneel next to him before rolling him over on his side.
>He look up at you in pain.
>"Urr..."
"Good, you're fine."
>You stand up and cross your arms.
>He continues not moving, but finds his breath.
>"Yeah, I'm just lovely."
>After a moment, you clap your together and point down at him.
"Oh, well fuck, this should have been obvious. You can just change into a guard and we can walk out."
>He frowns and closes his eyes.
>You see a tiny spark of magic flicker on his horn, but nothing else.
>He sighs and opens his eyes again.
>"No good. I'm too weak to move, let alone cast magic."
>Shit.
>Oh, wait.
"Wait, don't you gain strength from, uh, love or something?"
>His frown grows as he looks up at you.
>"Something like that."
>You smile and hold your hands up.
"Well, then that's all we need to do. Love will power you up, right?"
>He stares up at you and squints a bit.
>"I don't like how excited you're getting over this."
>You shrug.
"C'mon, this is all new for me. First new thing I've had in a long time. It's exciting."
>You kneel down once more and place your hand on the side of his head.
>He wiggles his head to try to get your hand off, but it's no use.
"So, uh, how's it work? Does it have to be love? There's different kinds of love, you know. Will they all work? Just one type?"
>You can't help but glance lower for a moment and frown.
"It doesn't have to be... You know. That kind of love, does it?"
>He finally managed to flinch hard enough to get your hand off of him.
>"Will you shut up?"
 
>You remain kneeling near him, but shut your mouth and keep your hands to yourself.
>"It's very complicated, and I don't have time to explain all the finer details, but essentially any... 'Loving' emotion towards a changeling gives them energy and strength."
>You tilt your head slightly.
"Aww... Like a little love battery."
>He frowns at you once more.
>"Stop doing that."
>You ignore his objections and scoop him up into your arms, hugging him against your chest as you sit cross-legged on the floor.
"Shh, it's alright."
>His voice is muffled against your chest.
>"Stop it. I said stop it."
>You gently stroke his head.
"Don't make this weird."
>"It 'is' weird!"
"Don't fight it. Feel the love, man."
>You weren't sure if simply giving a legit fuck about him would count as 'love,' but it's all you had.
>Hugging him was just to help a bit.
>You tried imagining he was an adorable puppy.
>A large, black, chitinous puppy with huge aqua eyes and a foul disposition towards being hugged by humans he never met before.
>Perfect.
>He groans his opposition, but eventually stays quiet, and at one point you swear he nuzzled you a little.
>You weren't going to say anything, of course.
>Might ruin it.
>Finally, he coughs a few times and pushes you away gently.
>You stand up and brush off your shirt a little.
>Chitin flakes.
>He stretches a bit, and you can hear some of his limbs crack.
>It would appear he gained quite a bit of his strength back.
>Guess it worked.
>He still has all of his injuries, but at least now he can move.
"There. That wasn't so hard."
>He nods at you before his horn flashes green.
>When the light dies down, he appears to be a guard,
>A bruised and battered guard, but a guard nonetheless.
>He then spends a moment studying you inquisitively.
>You look down at yourself and then back up at him, holding out your arms.
"What?"
>"Strange. Usually the love siphoning process leaves the victim drained and fatigued."
"Meh, I don't feel any- Wait, the victim?"
 
>He turns away from you quickly and coughs a few times.
>"Uh, right, we should be escaping, right? Well, we'd better get to it. Don't want to get caught after all this, do we? Heh, no, that'd be terrible."
>With that he trots towards the door and stops just short of it before turning back to you.
>"Coming?"
>You roll your eyes and walk up to him.
"Fine, but we're gonna talk about this later."
>You put your hand on the door and begin mumbling under your breath.
"Pfft, victim. Fucking bug half my size making me a victim. I'd make him a victim, of my fist, to his face. His cute little black face."
>"Are you talking?"
"Your fucking face."
>You push the door open, and he tilts his head as you both exit into the hallway.
"Alright, so let me do the talking if we run into anyone."
>He limps along beside you as you slowly make your way through the twists and turns.
>You're honestly a bit surprised those guards obeyed your orders and kept the area clear.
>Lucky.
>"Anon? Where are you going?"
>You turn around a see another guard walk out from one of the side rooms.
>Think fast, dammit.
"Oh, me?"
>You glance around quickly before pointing at your changeling guard.
"I'm taking this guy tot he infirmary. The changeling escaped somehow and he attacked this guard before vanishing. I tried to catch him, but he moved too fast. Quick, go find the two guards that were supposed to be taking care of this and tell them to search the whole castle. He must be found!"
>"The changeling escaped? How?!"
"Now, dammit! Move!"
>He jumps a bit before running down the hall.
>"Great. Now they're going to ask where the guard is that was supposedly taken to the infirmary."
>You begin walking once more in silence.
"Shut up. We'll be out of here by then."
>He looks down.
>"I'll be out of here. You'll have to explain yourself."
>You shrug.
"I'll figure something out. It's what I do."
 
>You both continue without further incident.
>Before you know it, you're both standing quite a ways from the castle, completely out of sight.
"Huh. That was easier than I expected."
>After determining the area seemed secluded enough, your changeling acquaintance removed his disguise and sighed in relief.
>"Yes, that went much more smoothly than I had imagined."
>He stretches a bit once more, attempting to relieve himself of the knots throughout his body.
>You stare at him for a minute and he seems to ignore you.
>Or rather, he pretends not to notice.
"So..."
>"What?"
"What what? You know what."
>"Can't say that I do."
>You fold your arms.
"What was that about the victim being drained?"
>He looks nervous as he attempts to explain.
>"Oh, uh, that's just one of the side effects from having your love absorbed. Can't be helped."
>You frown at him.
>"What? It's nothing permanent. A good rest will pick them right back up. We're really lucky you didn't get fatigued. That would have made escaping a lot more difficult."
>You keep frowning, and he offers up a small chuckle and a weak grin.
"Right."
>"It all worked out though, didn't it?"
>He looks around a little and digs a bit at the ground for no apparent reason.
>"So, what happens now?"
"Now... I let you go gather up your friends and tell them to get ready to leave, and then you come back and find me so I can escort you all personally."
>He stops digging and looks back up at you.
>He seems a bit surprised.
>"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
>You nod at him.
>"Okay. How will I find you?"
>You look around a little.
"I'm sure you'll find me easy enough."
>He turns around and begins to walk away.
>"Alright then. I'll see you soon."
>You walk forward a few paces and hold up your hand.
"Hey wait, one last thing."
>He turns back and looks at you.
>"What?"
"What's your name?"
 
>He flinches a bit at the question.
>"M-my name?"
>You shrug.
"Ya, your name. You already know I'm Anon... and you are...?"
>He tilts his head a little as you wait patiently and awkwardly for a moment.
>You raise your eyebrows at the steadily growing wait time for such a simple question.
>Finally, he answers as if he's unsure how to respond.
>"We generally don't have individual titles. We are organized by natural capabilities and experience. I myself am part of Swarm Eleven, which is responsible for Swarms Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, and Thirty-Nine."
>You squint at him and scratch the back of your neck.
>He coughs once.
>"Strictly speaking, of course. You, uh, you'll keep all that to yourself, right?"
>Your arms fall limply to your sides.
"I don't even know what you just said."
>He sighs in relief.
>"That's probably for the best."
"Whatever."
>You snap your fingers a bit as you think.
"Okay, what should I call you, then?"
>He stares at you blankly.
>Now he definitely doesn't know how to respond.
>"I... Don't know names."
>You pace a little as you continue thinking.
"Fine, I'll just think of something to call you."
>He frowns at your proposal.
>"You're just going to 'give' me a name, like some lowly pet?"
>You roll your eyes at him.
"So you know even our pets have names, but you guys don't have them? Where does that put you on the totem pole? Hm?"
>He groans a bit, but says nothing, and you turn away before talking some more.
>Mostly to yourself.
"Besides, I need something to call you, and you're not exactly throwing out ideas."
>"Fine, get on with it. I'd prefer to be as far away from here as quickly as possible."
>You turn around and look him over.
"Fair enough. Hmm..."
>He sits in silence on the ground, staring at you as he awaits his new pet title.
 
>You clap your hands together.
"I got it. How about Kalakcha?"
>His expression quickly turns to confusion.
>"What? What is that?"
>You raise your shoulders a bit.
"It's a name."
>"A name? It sounds like you just cleared your throat."
"Kay, first of all, clearing my throat would sound a lot more phlemmy, and second, I still haven't heard you suggest anything."
>He rolls his eyes at you in frustration.
>"That's because it doesn't matter."
>He stands back up.
>"That word will be a suitable title which you may address me as from now on to fulfill your need for individuality. Can I go now?"
>You give a mocking partial bow.
"Very well, Kalakcha. You may go."
>He huffs a little as he turns around to leave.
>For a moment, he hesitates, but then trots away as briskly as his injuries allow him.
>You watch him until eventually he vanishes in the distance.
>Once he's gone, a realization dawns upon you.
>You just released the only prisoner they had to locate other bugs.
>A prisoner that they resorted to torturing in their desperation for information.
>A prisoner that only you had access to at the time of his disappearance.
>You take a deep breath and begin your walk back to the castle.
"I'm sure it's fine."
>Better think of a good excuse.
 
>Immediately upon entering the castle you are swarmed by multiple guards, among them are the two who performed the torture sessions.
>They're the first to speak up.
>"What happened?! How did you let him escape?"
>You put on your best annoyed face before replying.
"Look, I was making great headway with gathering information when I heard a guard knock on the door. I 'thought' I told everyone to stay the fuck away while I worked him over, so I pushed it wide open without thinking anything of it. I was instantly jumped by what I'm assuming was his friends, but they looked like guards."
>One of them chuckles mockingly.
>"Pfeh, you were over powered by a few changelings?"
>You glare at him, but it's far less effective than it used to be.
"They hit me as I turned around. I told the one guard I saw to leave, turned around to get back to work, and was hit from behind. They knocked me out clean with a cheap shot."
>You rub the back of your "tender" head.
"Next thing I knew, I was waking up to an empty room with a massive headache."
>"What about the injured guard?"
>You look over at the guard from earlier, who is giving you a genuinely concerned look.
"Oh, I left the room and found him in the hallway. Apparently he had tried to stop the changelings when they didn't reply to his questions, but with the element of surprise they made quick work of him."
>"Is he alright?"
>You nod.
"It turned out to be less serious than it seemed. He was sent home."
>You hear a cough come from one of the other guards.
>"Uh, sir. I worked the infirmary all day and I saw no such individual."
>You shrug.
"Well, of course you didn't. I sent him home myself once he insisted he was fine and I gave him a quick look-over."
>The guard in charge of the torturing steps forward.
>"The Princess will be furious once she discovers you lost our only prisoner. That was the only means we had to quickly discover the remaining insect forces in the area."
>You scratch your neck, giving it some thought.
 
"Just tell her it was my fault, and that I'm already working on fixing the whole thing."
>He frowns at you.
>His faith in you was completely shattered, but then again it wasn't his faith you needed.
"Tell her to trust me."
>"Very well. I won't stop you from signing your own death warrant."
>With that, most of the guards walk away, heading back to their regular duties or to brief and get new instructions from sunbutt and moonbutt.
>A few stay behind to ask you more details, more interested in what changelings look and fight like than getting actual results.
>They wanted some bar stories.
>You were more than happy to give them a few.
>You spent the remainder of the day lingering about the castle, waiting to be summoned by one of the princesses.
>Much to your surprise, no such summons came.
>With the day almost over, you elected to show yourself out and head home.
>You walk out of the castle and into the crisp, cool air of late dusk.
>The wind brushes past you as you make your way down the nearly empty road.
>Most of the folks in Canterlot are, to put it simply, snobs.
>They always turn in early.
>Rather quickly, you find yourself in front of your modest home.
>It's comfortable, nothing too fancy.
>It suits you just fine.
>With a deep sigh, you take in one last lung-full of the night air before walking inside.
>You kick off your shoes as you walk, allowing them to land wherever.
>They can wait till morning.
>You've had a long day.
>You grab a cup of water chug it down, and then make your way to your bedroom, rubbing your face all the while.
>"You were right. It was easy to find you."
>You stop in your tracks and pull your hands down away from your face just enough to look around.
>There, sitting near a shelf of your random crap, was Kalakcha.
>"You have a lot of strange items."
>Seems personal space wasn't something they knew about either, if the way he was snooping through your stuff was any indication.
 
"What the hell? Why are you here?"
>He turns and gives you a confused look.
>"You said to come find you again after I got back to my Swarm. So here I am."
>You bring your hands back up over your face and let our an audible moan.
"Not 'right' after you found them. I thought you'd be at least a full day from coming back, if you came back at all."
>He looks a little insulted, and his tone hints it just slightly as well.
>"If I came back? I gave you my word."
>You let your hands fall away from your face so you can use them to help emote your speech with various useless hand waves.
"Ya, you did, but c'mon, I just met you, and I don't know anything about changelings. I 'hoped' you'd stick to your word-"
>"And I did."
>You nod, too exhausted to deal with this shit right now.
"Yes, yes you did."
>You continue walking towards your room.
>Kalakcha sets down a few of your things before turning back to you.
>"Hey wait, what's the plan now?"
>You don't even turn to look at him as you walk towards your comfortable bed.
"Now the plan is to sleep. A lot."
>You wave one of your hands next to your head dismissively.
"In fact, I might just not wake up at all."
>"At all? But we need to leave, and the sooner the better."
>He begins following you, and his voice becomes slightly more frantic as he speaks.
>"We can't stay here. It's not safe! What if-"
"What if the moon exploded?"
>You turn off the lights on your way in.
>Soon, the moonlight is all that's providing light.
>He blinks at your question a few times before realizing that wasn't a real question.
>You unbutton your shirt and toss it to the side. Next come your pants and socks, then you happily slide into your soft, cool bed.
>It's welcoming embrace will soon take you off to dream land.
>"What are you doing?"
>Your reply only barely sounds coherent.
"Sleeping. I just said."
 
>Silence fills your dim room for a moment.
>"What should I do?"
"Go to sleep. I'm sure you can find the couch."
>Silence once more.
>"Oh. Yes, I suppose we could both benefit from some rest."
"Do you need a pillow or something?"
>More silence, and no reply comes.
>You lift your head for a second and open your eyes.
>He's no longer in the room.
"Guess not."
>With that, you lay back down and allow yourself to pass out.
 
>"Wake up, Anon. The morning is here."
>You hear the words, and feel something prodding your chest, but you refuse to believe it's happening.
>Still, it continues.
>"Hurry up, we're wasting time."
>Very slowly, and with great effort, you manage to open your crusty eyes enough to get an idea of what was going on.
>Kalakcha was standing on top of you, looking quite anxious.
>Mostly what you noticed was it was still dark.
>Goddamit.
>You roll over onto your side and curl up.
"Is not der."
>"What?"
"I said the sun isn't even up. Go back to sleep."
>You can feel him shift around a bit on your bed.
>"But I'm fully rested..."
>You take a deep breath and try to speak as you exhale.
"So find something to do."
>You can feel him sit on your bed.
>"What should I do?"
>You attempt to give what you think is an answer, but all that comes out are various incoherent guttural sounds.
>Eventually you feel jump jump off your bed and hear him land on the floor.
>Directly after that, you're fast asleep once more.
 
>All too soon, you're awoken once more by the sound of Kalakcha and his incessant prodding of your chest with his hoof.
>"The sun has risen. Will you wake up now?"
>You pry open your eyes once more, but this time you're greeted by a blinding light.
>Fucking sun.
"Uhhhhnnnn..."
>You manage to sit up and scratch various areas of your body while you attempt to gain the necessary strength required to make your way to the coffee brewer.
>"Forgive my insult, but you are very slow to rise. What if you were attacked?"
"What if the sun exploded?"
>He instantly frowns at you.
>Didn't have to think about it this time.
>You finally manage to push yourself out of your comfortable, inviting bed and make your way down to the kitchen.
>You can hear Kalakcha following you.
>He's likely eager to begin your trip, but as of this moment you have only one mission.
>Get coffee.
>You toss the ground up beans into your relatively large brewing machine, along with some water, and watch it come to life with magic.
>You never understood why certain stuff can just function with magic even though there's seemingly no source, but whatever.
>It gets you what you want.
>Before long you're pouring yourself a delicious cup of the deep black nectar.
>You hold it up to your face and take a deep inhale.
>A grin spreads across your face.
>Perfect.
>You take a small sip and turn around.
>Your brew had returned many of your senses back to normal, and with them you noticed something very odd.
>Luckily you manage to catch yourself before the cup clips from your hand.
"You... You cleaned?"
>You pan across your now immaculate house.
>It wasn't exactly a sty before, but there was plenty of shit that needed to be done that you kept putting off.
>Always tomorrow.
>"Your dwelling was very disorganized. It was... Troubling."
>You take another sip of your coffee and chuckle.
"You're a clean freak?"
>He gives you an inquisitive look.
>"I'm not sure I understand?"
>You shake your head.
"Nothing. Thanks."
 
>He nods.
>"When things are disorganized, you are more likely to make mistakes. Such is the case with all things."
"Wouldn't want to trip over a rogue pair of pants would I?"
>Your sarcastic remark gets a small grin out of him.
>Seems he's at least figuring out what humor is.
>"A bad tumble is all it would take."
"Oh hey, you made a funny."
>You take another drink of your coffee before turning around to find another cup.
>He observes as you set your cup down to pour more coffee into this new cup.
>"What is that?"
>Of course he doesn't know what coffee is.
>Poor guy.
"This is what we call necturu el guados, or in a real language, nectar of the gods."
>"It doesn't have a very pleasant smell..."
>You grab a few extra ingredients.
"Well, you're a bug. I bet you have a sweet tooth, dontcha?"
>"A what?"
>You finish assembling the now tan beverage, complete with cream and generous amounts of sugar, before passing it off to your little buddy.
>He takes it into his green aura and levitates it down to his muzzle where he gives it a few sniffs.
>He looks up at you with a grimace.
>You return to your own cup and raise it up.
"Cheers."
>You take another large sip of your life juice.
>He takes a tentative taste, fully expecting to be disgusted.
>You nod at him with a grin.
>With a few lip smacks, his eyes begin to shimmer and he smiles.
>"Oh, wow!"
>With that, he takes a much more generous sip.
"Not bad?"
>"I've never had anything like this. It has an amazing taste."
>Ya, sweet tooth.
"Glad you like it. Just wait till later when it makes you explode, not much unlike the sun and the moon."
>He rolls his eyes and continues drinking.
>"So, when shall we leave?"
>You shrug.
"After breakfast will be fine... You do eat normal food, right?"
>"I'm not sure what your normal food is."
>You think for a moment.
>It only takes a moment for the answer to become clear.
>Time for pancakes.
 
>You get to work immediately.
>A lifetime of laziness when it came to cooking had turned you into a master craftsman at a very select list of recipes.
>Pancakes was on that list, right up near the top.
>Kalakcha watches from across the room as you pull various dishes from multiple cupboards and begin tossing ingredients inside.
>It's a veritable storm of mixing and tossing things around.
>With a flip of a switch, your oven roars to life.
>You place down your well-worn frying pan and begin pouring in the mix.
>He's somewhat interested in your vigorous cooking display, but he's still too distracted by his coffee to pay too much attention.
>Before he knows it, you're dropping a stack of golden discs in front of him.
>They're so fluffy that they bounce when they hit his plate.
"Breakfast is served."
>He takes a sniff of yet another new bounty you've offered him that day, although this time he's far more trusting.
>"I'm sure this has a name as well?"
>You drop a stack on your own plate and take a seat.
"Of course. These are known as cakuru el la es pisso, or golden cakes in your tongue."
>He leans in a bit.
>"They look and smell decent."
>Before you can say anything else, he takes a quick bite of one of them and chews it for a bit.
>He swallows and then frowns.
>"It's not as good as the nectar of the gods you provided."
>You pick up a knife and the butter dish.
"No shit. Nothing is as good as the nectar of the gods, but this comes close. Besides, you forgot some things. Look."
>He watches you spread the butter across your golden pancakes and then promptly drown them in syrup.
>After you take your first bite, he mimics your action and takes another bite.
>Once again, his eyes light up.
>"Oh... Oh I see... They weren't fully assembled before, but now they're delicious!"
>You grin.
>This guy can make everything seem like a fucking miracle.
>It made you a little giddy seeing someone enjoy something you made for their first time.
"Glad-"
>*THUD THUD*
 
>Your sentence is cut short by a knock at your door.
>Instinctively, you stand up to go answer, but halfway there you remember your 'guest.'
>You turn around to see him happily munching his pancakes with his eyes closed.
>Seems he forgot where he was as well.
"Hey!"
>You hiss at him with a loud, raspy whisper.
>He opens his eyes and looks over at you.
>You point frantically at the door.
>His eyes go wide as the sudden realization floods over him.
>Too late to run, someone would likely notice.
>Can't just hide, they'd ask what the extra food and stuff was for.
>He looks at you pleadingly.
>You wave your hands up and down your body, mouthing the word 'change' silently at him.
>In a flash, he's once again the battered up guard from before.
>*THUD THUD*
"Ya, ya, I'm coming."
>You shout towards the door as you turn back around to go answer it.
>You hoped it was some random guard, here to check up on you and ask about yesterday, or maybe even one of your Canterlot friends here to pay you a random visit.
>As you opened the door, your heart sank, but you smiled anyway.
>Must remain calm.
>"Greetings, Anon. I thought I'd stop by so we could discuss what occurred at the castle in privacy."
>Perfectly.
>Calm.
>Screaming internally.
"Sure Sunbutt, come on in."
>She frowns at your nickname, but she's mostly grown used to it by now.
>As she steps inside and looks around, you close the door behind her.
"I'm surprised you found time for a personal visit."
>"Well, this is a very important matter. One that I feel deserves my full attention... Is that-"
>She looks into the dining area near the kitchen and sees the guard enjoying his pancakes.
>At least the delectable delights you saddles him with are keeping him distracted.
>"Hello?"
>She approaches him, and he looks up and swallows harshly.
>The fear in his eyes is apparent, even to you.
>Shit.
>More internal screaming through your outward smile.
 
>"P-princess Celestia..."
>He managed to spit the words out and he jumps out of his chair to kneel.
>She waves her hoof.
>"No, no, please, it's quite alright. You must be the guard that was injured in the attack that I heard about. I understand that you wish you take some time to recover."
>He looks up at her with a blank expression.
>"Uh..."
>You instantly cut in.
"Yes, that's exactly what I told him he should do. In fact, I invited him here so I could help him a bit. You know, take care of him while he heals. He's worse than he looks."
>With that, he stand sup fully and lifts up a hoof limply.
>"Y-yes Princess, I'm very sorry I couldn't make it back to my post."
>She holds up her hoof once more.
>"The health and well-being of my subjects is my foremost concern. Please get well before you return to the castle."
>He smiles a bit.
>"Thank you Princess."
"Uh, Celestia, as far as the incident you wanted to talk about is concerned, there's really not much more I can say other than what I've already told your other guards, especially since I was knocked out for most of the actual escape."
>She looks back around at you.
>"That is unfortunate, but luckily it would seem there is another in our midst who might have more of the story to tell."
>With that, she smiles down at Kalakcha, the battered castle guard.
>"Please share what you can recall. Anything you tell me, while it may seem insignificant, will assist me greatly."
>He looks a little nervous once again, but nods in response.
>"Very well, Princess."
>He sits back down on his chair and thinks for a bit.
>It looks like he's attempting to recall events, but you know better.
>You guys never even made up a story together.
>All they knew was what you told them.
>"I was on my regular patrol through the halls when I was approached by a strange looking individual."
>She tilts her head slightly.
>"Oh? Which halls?"
>Shit.
 
>"The... Uh... I'm sorry, I can't seem to recall my specific location at the time. Most of my memory is fuzzy because of what happened next."
>He rubs the back of his head.
>"You see, while this individual was getting my attention, I was struck from behind. All I remember after that was seeing Anon looking over my injuries. Once I regained my senses, he walked me out of the castle."
>The sun princess nods at him as he finishes his story.
>"It is very fortunate you were left alive, though I wonder why they attacked you so viciously after you were knocked unconscious, yet Anon hardly has a scratch."
>The observation catches him off-guard, but you answer for him.
"They probably have a grudge against your guards, what with the failed attack and all. They don't even know who I am... I think."
>She looks down at the ground.
>"Hmm, I suppose that is true, although you were the one in the torture chamber at the time, correct? I'm surprised they didn't blame you for the deed."
>You shrug.
"I'm just a lucky guy."
>She smiles at you.
>"That must be it."
>She then stares at your table covered in breakfast contents for a moment.
>"It seems I interrupted your meal. If this is all either of you can recall, then I shall be on my way."
>She turns around and begins walking towards the door.
"Sorry we couldn't be more help. I'm sure we'll figure something out, though."
>She nods in your direction as she continues walking.
>"Indeed. Thank you for your assistance."
>You leap in front of her to pull open the door so she doesn't have to.
>"Thank you Anon, have a pleasant day."
>She walks out onto your porch and turns around.
"No problem."
>"Oh, and one more thing. I'll be back to check up on our friend tomorrow to make sure he's doing alright. I feel awful that one of my subjects was hurt so severely, and in my own castle no less. See you then."
>With that, she turns back around and climbs into her golden chariot which is promptly pulled into the sky once she's seated.
 
>For a long time, you just stand there with the door open, staring at nothing.
>"Is she gone?"
>A familiar voice snaps you back to reality.
"What? Oh, ya, she's gone..."
>You close your door and turn around.
"But, uh..."
>He tilts his head and gives you a worried expression, still in guard form.
"She's going to come back tomorrow to check up on you."
>He lifts up a hoof in a questioning gesture.
>"But we're not going to be here tomorrow... Oh... No."
"Sorry, man."
>"No, we can't just stay here. She's going to figure it out eventually!"
>You shrug.
"Ya, well, if we suddenly vanish she's going to know what we did and I'm not sure how she'll react to that. I'd be royally fucked."
>He was very torn by this fact.
>One one hoof, staying put him in danger.
>On the other, leaving meant selling out Anon, the one who helped him in the first place.
>He groans.
"When did you tell your friends you'd be back?"
>He rubs his head.
>"I didn't give them a specific time, I merely said to expect us soon, but to leave and not come looking for me if we delayed too long."
>You raise an eyebrow.
"Expected to get thrown back into the torture room or something?"
>He rolls his eyes.
>"It's a basic contingency plan. I don't want any more of my Swarm being caught for the sake of one."
"Whatever you say."
>He looks down at the floor in silence, and you just stand there looking around your house for no discernible reason.
>You sigh deeply before speaking up once more.
"Well, should we finish breakfast?"
>He looks back up towards the table and smirks.
>"That sounds like a good idea."
 
>You both finish your breakfast in relative silence, thinking about what just happened and what it could mean.
>Perhaps you could go anyway and see to it they leave like you said you would.
>The princess couldn't be too angry if you got rid of them like she wanted, right?
>That was your original plan, but a new thought had been growing in your mind ever since last night when Kalakcha actually kept his word and returned.
>Making them all leave was a temporary solution.
>What if a permanent one could be found?
>You did say you wanted to help both sides, which means finding a way to help out the bugs.
>What you meant was helping him and his group, but now you think you could do more.
>All you needed was some time to figure shit out.
>Time which you were pretty sure would soon be in short supply.
>You look up from your half-finished food at him.
>Seems like he's been done eating for a while, but is still sitting there quietly staring at his empty dishes.
>You failed to notice before, but now you realize he's also still in his guard form.
"I think it's safe to change back now."
>He blinks a few times as if you broke a trance.
>In a flash of green light, he's back to his original self.
"There. That's better, right?"
>He shrugs.
>You frown.
>"So what's the new plan? Am I to remain here for an undetermined amount of time?"
>He finally looks up at you with concern in his eyes.
>You lean back in your chair a little and sigh.
"I don't really have a plan yet, but ya, I think you're going to be my guest for at least a while longer."
>He looks back down again.
>"It would also seem I have no choice in the matter. I appreciate that you want to help, but this has become just another type of prison."
>A prison?
"What do you mean?"
>"If I'm not free to leave when I wish, it's as if I'm still locked away."
 
>That's a depressing thought, but not entirely true, either.
>You stand up to collect the dishes and start washing them off in the kitchen.
"Dunno what you're on about, but we don't have to stay here."
>Now it was his turn to be confused.
>"What do you mean?"
>You chuckle a bit.
"You're a changeling. As far as anyone knows, though, you're just some injured guard that I'm helping."
>He doesn't talk, so you continue.
"So you can go anywhere or do anything any guard could do- er, assuming you can keep up the appearance. How's that work, anyway?"
>His mood seems to lift a bit with this revelation.
>"That's true. What do you mean how does it work?"
>You finish drying off the last dish and put it in your cupboard before turning around and leaning against the counter.
"Like, does being in some other form consume a bunch of magic? Is it hard to sustain? Do you really change, or what?"
>He shrugs and changes back into a guard with a flash of green light.
>"It takes more magic to take a new form than one you've done before, but it does slowly drain your magic over time as you sustain the spell."
>With that, he hops up out of the chair and walks over to you.
>"It's also merely an illusion. See for yourself."
>He holds a hoof up to you.
>You bend down and take it in your hand.
>It looks exactly like a regular pony hoof no matter how hard you study it, but it feels just like his regular chitin.
"That's pretty cool."
>He pulls his hoof back lets the spell break.
>"The casual observer will think we're perfectly normal. We're meant to blend in, but if someone were to get too close, we might get caught."
>You nod.
"So how did you get caught, exactly?"
>He looks away and rubs the back of his neck
>"Oh, well, uh..."
>You prop up and eyebrow.
>"It's a little embarrassing..."
>You smirk.
>This should be good.
 
>He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.
>"I'm only telling you because I don't think you'll be sharing the story with anyone. Especially my swarm."
>You nod.
"Sure thing, man."
>"Fine. I was caught because..."
>You lean forward a bit and your smirk spreads into a full powered smile.
>"I fell asleep at my post."
>Your smile stays frozen on your face, but only because you don't believe that's the end.
>He looks up at you and grimaces.
>You circle your hand in the air in front of your chest, gesturing for him to continue.
>He remains silent.
"That's it?"
>Your smile finally fades.
>"Yes. It was disgraceful. I was supposed to be watching the area for guards out on patrol, but it had been the same spot for so many days and I never saw even a single guard in that time. I got sleepy one night and decided there wouldn't be any harm in resting my eyes for a bit. When I woke up, I was in shackles and being dragged to the castle by a pair of royal guards."
>You frown.
>The story you expected was a lot more juicy in multiple ways.
>Can't be helped, you guess.
"Well, that sucks I guess. I just thought it would have been something... Eh, nevermind."
>His ears perk up in curiousity.
>"You thought what?"
>Your turn to look nervous.
>You scratch the back of your neck.
"I just thought it would have been something more... I dunno, just worse?"
>He frowns.
>"There is nothing worse than failing to guard your post due to laziness."
>Agree to disagree.
"Sure. I can see why that bothers you."
>He tilts his head at you.
>"What exactly did you think could be worse?"
>You shrug.
"It's just... You just barely taught me that the whole changing thing is only an illusion. I thought maybe you got too close to someone, or someone got too close to you, or something."
 
>He sits back down in front of you.
>"We're a lot more careful than that. We don't walk too close to ponies or through crowded areas, but we also don't go out of our way to avoid them in a suspicious manner."
>That's not-
"That's good thinking."
>He shrugs.
>"It's common sense."
>For a moment you both just stand there in silence.
>You're the first to break it.
"Well then, what did you want to do? We can hang out here, but I don't have much. We could go somewhere else."
>You lean back against the counter once more while you wait for him to decide.
>"I actually spent most of my time on the outskirts of the city, waiting for signs of those we were searching for. I'm not sure what there is around here."
>You push yourself off the counter and give his head a quick rub, to which he gives you a confused and irritated look.
"So I should treat you like a tourist, then? That's fine. Just get dressed and we can head out."
>He doesn't catch that joke right away, but as you walk towards the door you see the flash of light in your peripheral vision.
>You pull open the door and he trots out in front of you as that familiar guard, favoring one leg over the other.
>Must still be injured.
>You close the door behind you and begin your trek.
>You make sure to walk slow enough that it won't strain him too much to keep up as he walks beside you.
>"So where are we going?"
>You slide your hands into your pockets.
"Not sure yet, what do you normally do for fun?"
>He grins a bit as he responds.
>"Well, my hive has a game most of us enjoy called capture the pony. Each team has a certain number of ponies on it, disguised changelings of course, and regular changelings, and each team tries to capture all the ponies on the other team first while keeping as many of their own ponies hidden."
"As entertaining as that sounds, I don't think that's something we can go do."
>He nods.
>"Agreed. I'm far too injured already to be playing such a game."
 
>You look over at him.
"What, you guys get hurt doing this?"
>He chuckles.
>"Only if you're slow enough to get caught, or bad at fighting. Even as a pretend pony you don't willingly let yourself get caught. Usually they're the ones that get damaged the most, though. They get teamed up on. We always make the newly initiated be the ponies."
>You can't help but imagine a bunch of these little guys tackling each other.
>You're sure it's plenty painful in practice, but it just looks so adorable in your mind.
"Sounds fun, at least."
>He looks up at you as you look ahead once more.
>"You should try it sometime. I'm sure you'd be a difficult opponent."
>You laugh a bit at the idea.
"Sure, but only if I get to be the little pony."
>He smiles.
>"That would make a very interesting game. You look easy enough to catch, but from what I've gathered you would be very difficult to subdue."
>You look back down at him once again.
"What'd you gather that makes you say that?"
>He looks away.
>"Oh, uh, nothing important... Just, big. You know, compared to us."
>That was obvious from the first moment he laid eyes on you and it scared the shit out of him.
>You shrug.
"That's not news."
>"Heh, well, that's all it would take, right?"
>You decide to brush it off for now.
>Mainly because you were already at your destination.
>You look up at the enourmous building and grin.
>Kalakcha looks up and tilts his head.
>"What is this place?"
>You nudge him out of the way of the main crowd walking in and out of the structure.
"This, my friend, is usually a boring equivalent of a cardboard box you forget about in your attic, but today it's going to be a fun journey of discovery."
 
>With your introduction out of the way, you somewhat rudely force the few ponies walking on the path out of the way.
>They forgive you a little when they notice you're only trying to keep the poor, injured guard from being run into by distracted ponies.
>The first place both of you look is up.
>In the ceiling there's a couple of deeply engraved symbols that anyone would recognize immediately as the rulers' cutie marks.
>The one of the sun is made of various warm colors of glass, giving it a fiery and bright appearance.
>The one of the moon is its counterpart with its cool colors, giving it a soothing moonlight appearance.
>Their design seems to make them look appropriate in either sun or moonlight.
>"Oh... The architecture is impressive, though the glass would be an easy entry point."
"Ignoring that and moving on."
>You gently nudge him to get him moving.
>He looks all around as he follows behind you, though it's hard to read what he's thinking.
>Most of the junk near the entrance is just old art and stuff.
>Nothing terribly interesting.
>Howeve, as you get further into one of the side rooms you begin seeing suits of armor and various weapons, as well as replicated battle scenes with history quotes on plaques.
>Nothing grisly.
>It was all the heroic sides of war.
>"I recognize much of this equipment. We were trained to use and defend against it."
>He walks up to a suit of what is labeled as "Pre-classical Era Armour" and begins tapping the plates.
>"See this? The overall design was supposed to offer more mobility and a lighter weight, but it came with a cost."
>He lifts a few plates with a hoof and turns around to look at you.
>If you didn't know any better, you'd say he was excited.
>"There's two key links under this single plate. If you severe both, this plate slides out and leaves a large open area on the back exposed."
 
>He glanced over at the next suit and trotted over before turning back to you.
>"This was the next version. It fixed a few of the old one's design flaws, but introduced new flaws."
>He one again lifts a few plates and points areas out to you.
>"See, they added extra materials in vital areas, hoping it would keep the key links safe. It did, but it also ended up hindering quick movements which is even more vital in battle. This particular design is pretty rare since it wasn't used for very long."
>By now a small group of ponies had started following you two around, listening to his insights and talking amongst themselves.
>He seems largely oblivious to them as he continues explaining things to you.
>"This suit right here changed how wars were fought. It was the first suit that could be worn by any race of ponies without interfering with their movement. It wasn't as great as a specialized suit would be, but this meant that any race could quickly craft large quantities of armor and it could be used by any of their allies."
>He taps it a few times before clicking a few plates into place, shifting how the side plates sit.
>He opened up a space where a pegasus could push his wings through and the plates would click back up into place under the wing.
>He takes a step back and grins.
>"It's a work of art."
>From inside the small crowd, you hear a voice of objection.
>"Um, pardon me sir. Under normal circumstances we wouldn't allow patrons to touch the displays, but it's not everyday we have a member of the royal guard itself giving history lessons."
>You both turn and see the pony speaking.
>From his stuffy appearance, you'd assume he's the curator.
>You look back at Kalakcha, who gives you a shrug.
 
>You give him the universal sign for "go for it," which is your basic thumbs up.
>Though now that you think about it, you doubt that has the same meaning here.
>"Uh, alright?"
>He moves on to the next set.
>This should be good.
>"Oh, this is a fairly modern changeling set."
>Must be very modern.
>It looks exactly like the set he has on when he's not in his guard form.
>At least to you.
>"The helmet sits apart from the chest plate to give the head the most movement, allowing them to look around quickly as they fly. The chest plate itself was designed to cover vital areas while having the least weight possible for maximum movement abilities and to reduce fatigue from traveling long distances."
>While he gave his lesson on armor, you glanced over the plaque sitting in front of the set.
>A few sentences that stood out were "recovered after the assault on Canterlot," as well as a few sentences that contradicted what he just explained.
"Uh, according to this, the armor is minimal because there's so many changelings and they have scarce any materials in their lands."
>He gives you an insulted look.
>"No, that's incorrect."
>You give him your best "shut up" expression before continuing.
"It was written by Canterlot's foremost changeling researcher. I think he knows what he's talking about."
>Apparently your hint went right over his head.
>"Whoever he is, he obviously doesn't know the first thing about changelings. The armor works with their naturally thick skin, as well as what I mentioned before. It has nothing to do with-"
>The curator steps forward and begins rubbing his chin with a hoof.
>"That's very fascinating. You seem to have a passion for changeling lore. We're you, perhaps, part of the defense against the changeling invasion?"
>He stammers on his explanation and gives the curator an inquisitive look.
 
>Time for you to intervene.
"Actually, yes, he was. In fact, he even got hurt recently while on duty while out fighting, uh, changelings, somewhere."
>You glare down at him.
"Isn't that right?"
>This time it seems to work as his expression and stance changes.
>"Uh, yes, I was. That's, uh, where I learned all of this. I watched them moving in battle. In the invasion."
>The smoothest.
>"The helmets are also only worn by squad leaders to-"
"I think we've talked enough about history for now. These ponies have places to be, I'm sure, and we have to get going or you'll be late."
>Before waiting for him or anyone else to respond, you begin pushing him away from the group.
>You hear the curator call behind you guys.
>"Erm, thanks for the informative lecture, sir!"
>After you get a short distance away he finally voices his objections.
>"I can't believe what they teach as fact here. If you don't know something for sure, you shouldn't be telling ponies it's true!"
>You glance around to make sure no one is in the immediate area before leaning down to his ear and whispering harshly.
"You're a changeling! You're supposed to be blending in, not teaching random ponies about shit only you would know!"
>You pull your head back up to normal height and continue walking.
>You expected he would sperg out a little over all their junk, not go full professor and draw a crowd.
>He looks up at you and his face softens a bit from the frustrated scowl it once was from his previous rant.
>"History is something I really enjoy, and it's important to me."
>He shrugs a little.
>"I guess I just got a little too excited. Honestly it was all information I shouldn't have been sharing. I Don't understand. I'm usually far more composed."
>You sigh in response and manage to grin once more.
"Look, it was all interesting, but at least pretend like you don't want to get caught. Hm?"
>Soon it becomes obvious you're heading for the front door.
>"Are we leaving already?"
 
>You nod as you approach the door.
"Well, I actually planned on this lasting at least a few hours, but things don't always go according to plan, do they?"
>He grimaces a bit.
>"I hope we can come back soon. I'd love to see more of this place."
>You push open the doors and let Kalakcha walk out ahead of you, being sure that no ponies bump into him.
"We'll see how it goes, but now I have no idea how we should waste the day."
>He turns back to you as you cross your arms in contimplation.
>"Waste it? Days should not be wasted. There is always a task you could be performing to better yourself."
>You can't help but to chuckle a bit at his remark.
>If only he knew how much time you waste.
>Practically a lifetime.
>Your smile fades slightly.
>Shit, you made yourself sad.
"So, uh, what do you suggest, then? Cuz this was pretty much my only plan."
>You sits in front of you and holds up a hoof to his head.
>"You should always have more than one plan as well, in case one doesn't work."
>You squint down at him is disbelief.
>He tilts his head for a moment as he searches your face for meaning before standing up and voicing his objections.
>"My situation was entirely different."
"Sure it was. Now, what do you want to do?"
>"It was."
>He begins looking around.
>"I'd very much like to revisit the box in the attic."
>You pinch the top of your nose.
"No, we can't just go back in already, and that's not really what it is. It's a museum."
>He nods slightly.
>"I see. If the museum isn't unavailable, then I'd like to go somewhere similar."
 
>You scratch your chin as you think about your next move.
>Everything else just feels kind of dry compared to the museum, and that was already pretty cut and dry.
>A couple places come to mind.
>You shrug.
"What about the library? They have history and stuff, though it's less in the interesting way and more in the wordy way."
>He tilts his head slightly as he ponders it.
>"The library, hm? There's a lot of history stored there. We may find something interesting."
>You begin walking in the library's direction.
"I wouldn't count on it, but it's still worth seeing at least once."
>You shove your hands into your pockets and begin letting your mind wander back to previous inquiries.
>Nothing about this entire situation was sitting well with you.
>To begin with, why were none of the other guards suspicious at all?
>They trust you quite a bit, but not even a question?
>Maybe they thought they'd be inulting you just by suggesting you might be a traitor.
>You nod to yourself in silence.
>Hm, that would be pretty insulting, if it wasn't true in a way.
>You also wonder why Kalakcha came back to easily.
>Sure, he gave you his word, but that's still quite a bit of trust on his part for getting next to nothing in return.
>He already had his freedom, why-
>"Just going to stay quiet all the way there?"
>You instantly lose your train of thought and look over at the disguised bug who was giving you a curious look.
>You shrug.
"Why, was there something on your mind?"
>He looks ahead once more.
>"Nothing in particular, but you seemed to be fairly focused on something."
>You scoff in response.
"And your idea was to interupt that?"
>He doesn't look up at you as you both keep walking side by side.
>"Sorry, that wasn't my intention, but would you like to share what it is?"
>You look ahead once more as well.
"We'll talk about it later. It's not important."
>That was bullshit, but you had to think a little more before you felt comfortable bringing up anything.
 
>He gives a small nod.
>"Well, alright then. What about this library? Is there anything special about it?"
>No.
"Sure there is. It's, like, entirely carved granite, or something. I'm not good at rocks."
>"Hm, I suppose that's somewhat impressive."
>You hold your hands palm-up a bit to your sides.
"I even heard rumors it contains picture books, but I won't hold my breath."
>Kalakcha tilts his head slightly and frowns.
>"What would one need with a book of pictures?"
>Your mind instantly turns to dirtier things, and you can't help but break a small grin at the question.
"Depends how lonely you're feeling."
>"Reading is usually done alone."
>This time you manage a chuckle to go with your shit eating grin.
"It sure is."
>He doesn't understand why you think that's funny, and you keep walking side by side in silence for a bit.
>Just before the urge to break it rises, you find yourself in front of the library.
>Meh.
"Here we are, the happiest place in Equestria."
>Kalakcha looks up at the looming structure.
>The outside almost seems to be carved from one solid piece of stone, complete with many intricate designs and patterns chiseled into the surface.
>"More impressive architecture. I have to give the ponies credit on their ability to turn the mundane into something interesting."
>You shrug.
"What, you guys don't have large rock structures where you're from?"
>He begins speaking as he approaches the walls to get a closer look.
>"Our buildings serve their function. There's no reason for it to do more."
>It probably looks like something straight out of communism.
>Rows and rows of identical square structures.
"Sounds boring as hell."
>You walk past him and push open the door.
>There's far less activity here than at the museum, and you're quite sure you know why.
>The only thing to find here is books.
"Shall we?"
 
>He walks inside in front of you, and you follow behind.
>Your nostrils instantly fill with that familiar odor of a thousand old and musty books.
"Might as well grab something new to read when I'm bored. Feel free to explore."
>You begin walking towards the section you always find the interesting books in.
>Interesting as in they teach you absolutely nothing.
>Adventure.
>"Wait, you read?"
>You're a bit surprised to hear his voice behind you as you round a corner.
>You turn your head a bit so you can just barely make out his figure following you.
"Well, I have a lot of spare time usually, and there's not a whole lot to do around here. The princess always wants me close enough that she can find me whenever she needs to."
>You begin running your fingers along the books.
"Otherwise I'd probably go out and see shit for myself."
>Kalakcha nods in contemplation.
>You pull out a few books and read the cliff notes in the back of each book, hoping to find something that strikes your fancy.
>"I see. So you're not unlike a prisoner yourself."
>You look up from your book and let that idea bounce around in your mind.
"I've, uh, never really thought of it that way."
>You place the book back where you found it, nodding to yourself as you finish slipping it back into place.
>Can't just leave whenever you want.
>The guards won't let you because of Celestia, and last time you snuck aboard the train all it accomplished was delaying the ride for everyone else.
>Constantly being checked up on.
>You'd think you were some sort of hospital patient with the amount of attention they give you.
"I guess I kinda am."
>Your plan for transporting Kalakcha back to wherever was a combination of using his ability to sneak around and your knowledge of guard routes.
>A bit underhanded, but a necessary risk.
>Besides, it gave you an excuse to get out of Canterlot for a bit.
 
>You look down at the disguised bug, who has been sitting and staring at you in silence as you thought things over.
>You give him a bit of a frown.
"Shouldn't you be finding some book on history or something?"
>He tilts his head and squints slightly.
>"Why does the princess need you to stay so close?"
>You pull out another random book and pretend to read part of it."
"Go find a damn book. It's why we're here."
>He gives you a final glance over before standing and wandering off.
>Did he strike a bit of a nerve, Anon?
>You sigh as you continue looking for anything that sounded remotely entertaining.
>Fantasy lore in Equestria was a bit odd, since what you normally view as monsters are now characters, and in some cases even normal races, like the gryphons.
>The only thing that seemed to remain consistent was that dragons were evil.
>Always.
>You listened to Spike complain about it a few times when Twilight visits Sunbutt.
>As far as you knew, he was her pet or something.
>Smart guy, but you felt a little bad for him after listening to what his normal days are.
>It made you feel a little better about yourself, though.
>Things can always be worse.
>You finally find a book that doesn't revolt you with its synopsis and make your way to the tables to give it a nice glance over, just to make sure.
>As you approach, you spot Kalakcha already seated at one, surrounded by open books.
>You take the seat across from him.
>Without looking up, he slides a book over to you.
>"I managed to find a picture book for you."
>It's an encyclopedia.
>You scoff and push it back to him.
"Ya, thanks."
 
>You look up at the odd assortment of books spread around the table.
"You're not actually reading all of these, are you?"
>He gives you a shrug.
>"Parts of them. There's only certain bits of information I need."
>The fuck?
"Whatever you say. Get what you need out of those because you can't take them all."
>You begin paging through the book, looking for keywords.
>Blah, blah blah...
>Seems interesting enough.
>Sold.
>You press the book shut and watch Kalakcha read.
>Were it anyone else, you'd think they were just fucking with you.
>Hell, he might be.
>You squint a bit as you think.
>Does he even have a sense of humor, though?
>He hasn't really went out of his way to make you laugh, but he hasn't really hated your humor, either.
>Do all changelings act this way?
>"Your staring is making me feel odd."
>Whether he has humor or not, he's fun to mess with.
"Odd in what way?"
>He frowns.
>"How many ways are there of feeling odd, and why would that matter?"
"Cuz if you might not want me to stop staring."
>He looks up at you.
>"I want you to stop staring."
>You grin.
"Alright."
>He looks back down at his books.
>You, of course, continue to stare.
>He lets out a sigh when he realizes you're not going to quit.
>"Don't you have a book to read?"
>You shake your head.
"Nah, this is for royal waiting rooms and bathrooms."
 
>You wave your hands across all his books.
"What about you? What's all this for?"
>He begins closing each book.
>"Nothing important, I was just curious."
>You wait a moment for him to continue, but he doesn't.
>You give a slight shrug.
"About?"
>"You know, this and that."
>You frown.
>He, however, breaks a small grin as he gathers up all the books and begins walking away.
>You lean back in your chair.
>Is this what you think it is?
>You prop up an eyebrow at him as he walks by to put all the books away.
"Did you just make a funny?"
>You stand up and smile as you follow him.
"And on purpose?"
>Book after book floats back into empty spaces on shelves as you follow him down the aisle.
>He doesn't look back at you.
>"You do it all the time, and you make it seem so enjoyable."
>You've met quite a few dry individuals in your day, and this one in particular really needed to lighten up.
>Sure, he was tortured a bit and now has you as a sort of probation officer, but he's always so damn dry and literal with everything.
>It was nice to see him attempt his first joke, even if it was shit.
"I make everything look enjoyable. Even the boring stuff, like testing all the royal food for poison without the royals knowing. They're just so busy and I'm more than happy to help out."
>He turns back to look at you.
>"Why would you do such a dangerous task?"
>You shrug.
>Well, he still needed work.
"Is joking going to become a habit for you? I don't want you getting used to all of this just so you can get lynched by your hive when you keep acting this way."
>He rolls his eyes and turns back around to finish placing back the last of the books.
 
>"I'm sure you'll find a way to get me caught before that becomes a problem."
>You cross your arms.
"Of the two of us, only one has gotten you caught so far."
>He cringes slightly as he turns back to you, all the books now in their proper place.
>You rap your fingers on your own book still clenched in your hand an give him a smug look.
>"I guess I can't argue with that."
>He walks towards you before rearing up a bit and giving your gut a loving hit with his foreleg.
>You can't help but to wrench forward as the air evacuates your lungs, supposedly because they are no longer safe.
"Ack!"
>He limps backwards a few steps and shakes his hoof.
>"Ah, that was a bad idea. My leg is still recovering."
>You attempt to suck it up and stand up straight like a big strong man.
"That'll learn ya. I hardly felt anything."
>You barely manage to cough out your sentence.
>You turn around and hide your pained expression as you walk away.
>It's always so much worse when you don't expect it.
>He follows behind you as you approach the front desk and check out your new time killing material.
>Out of the corner of your eye, you spot the clock hanging behind the clerk.
>Shit, it's almost lunch.
>The clerk smiles at you as she places the book into your hands.
>"Have a good day, Anon."
>You nod back at her.
"Ya, you too, and stop telling everyone I take these with me into the bathrooms. I keep getting weird looks."
>She giggles at you.
>"Then stop doing that."
>You quickly walk out the door, calling back to her.
"No."
>Kalakcha catches up to you right outside the building.
>"Why are you in such a hurry?"
>You look around at all the wandering ponies for no reason in particular, it was just something to keep you from having to look at him.
"I, uh, forgot to mention that, contrary to popular belief, I do, in fact, have friends, and we're going to have to meet them for lunch."
>You finally look down at him with a weak grin.
"Hope you're hungry."
 
>He stares back at you as his eyes fill with panic.
>"What do you mean we're meeting your friends for lunch? I don't want to be that close to someone else for any longer than I have to be."
>He tugs on your shirt.
>"Why can't we just go eat in your dwelling again? Just cook more golden cakes, and maybe brew more nectar of the gods?"
>You give him a shrug and grimace.
"Sorry, man. I meet these guys for lunch like every single day. They'll think it's weird if I don't show up, especially if they knew I was hanging out with you."
>The fear in his eyes is replaced rapidly by curiosity.
>"Why would I make a difference?"
>You begin walking.
>You'd really like to use a brisk pace because you're already running behind, but you know Kalakcha wouldn't be able to keep up that easily.
>Carrying him would probably also turn a few heads.
"Uh, no reason."
>He shakes his head as he walks beside you.
>"No, please tell me."
>You do your best to ignore him as you continue walking.
>Any information might scare him off.
>He sighs in defeat.
>"At least tell me what they're like."
>You think about it for a moment, and a small grin finds its way to your face.
>You cough once before replying.
"They're uh, they're a lot like you."
>Now his interest was piqued and he seemed almost as eager as you.
>Poor bastard.
 
>"What exactly makes them like me?"
>You shrug.
"I think you'll see it, too."
>He smiles a bit.
>"Well, they can't be that bad if they're a part of your clan."
>You tilt your head at the remark.
"I don't think I have a clan."
>"Your clutch? Your circle of brothers?"
"I think friends works just fine."
>He nods.
>"Very well."
>You approach your usual meeting location and attempt to hide your own nervousness.
>Don't need Kalakcha getting all freaked out for no reason.
>Well, some reasons.
>After a quick glance over the area, you easily spot them sitting at a table.
>You squint and frown.
"Those bastards."
>You rush over to the table.
>"Which ones are they?"
>Kalakcha tries to follow behind you as you weave around ponies, but he has a little difficulty.
>You quickly reach their table and slam your hand down to get their attention.
>They both look up at you, clearly laughing about some story they were in the middle of embellishing.
"What the hell? I'm like, a couple minutes late and you guys got food without me?"
>One of them points up at a nearby clock tower.
>"You're well over ten minutes late."
>He nods back and forth.
>"Buuut we did order food well over ten minutes ago."
>You all share a laugh as you spot Kalakcha struggle to push through the crowd.
>He stumbles a relatively short distance away from the table and comes to a stop.
"Dude, there's a couple guys I want you to meet."
>He gives you a look that nearly breaks your heart.
>You hold up your hands to him and motion towards your buddies.
"No, no, it's fine, it's-"
>Before you can finish, he's turned around and pushing is way back through the crowd.
 
>You turn back to your friends, who are leaning to the side so they can watch Kalakcha run away.
>With a reassuring smile, you do your best to play it off like this is totally normal.
"He's a bit shy. I'll be right back."
>You give them a few more reassuring gestures before turning and sprinting off towards him.
>He's easy enough to catch, what with his injuries and all.
>Or at least, so you thought.
>As you round a corner behind a building, you see him attempting to take flight, still in his guard form.
"Nope. Nope. Nope."
>He manages to get quite a few feet off the ground as you get within leaping range.
>With a great jump, you manage to snatch him out of the air and collapse with him to the ground, hugging him in your arms as he squirms around.
>"How could you do this? Let me go, I won't go back!"
>He's easy enough to hold onto, but his kicking is getting a bit irritating.
"Would you calm the hell down?"
>He continues squirming, and even attempts to do something with magic, but you're not sure what it was.
>"I said let me go!"
>You hug him tighter and get into a sitting position.
"Look, you're not moving until you calm down."
>The squirming slows a bit, though you suspect that's only because he's getting worn out.
>"I can't calm down while you're trying to hand me back to my enemies!"
"We already went over this once. What's the point of busting you out just to send you back, hm? That's stupid. Now calm down and think for a minute."
>He groans, but complies.
>The flailing around ceases and he goes quiet for a moment.
>"Well, then who are they?"
>You let him go, but remain seated.
>He climbs off of you and turns around to watch your eyes.
"They're my friends, like I said. Their day job is guarding a few halls in the castle."
>He sits down in front of you and frowns.
>"So why do you know them?"
>You stand up and brush yourself off.
"You know what? Why don't we talk about all of that after I introduce you to them."
 
>He gives you a stern look, but ultimately agrees.
>"Fine, but if things look suspicious I'm going to run again, and next time you won't catch me."
>You turn and begin walking back.
>He walks along beside you, reluctantly at first, but more confident as he goes.
"Whatever. We both know I'd catch you again."
>He gives you a defiant huff.
>"You're not as fast as you think."
"You're not as fast as you think."
>You repeat back to him with a sarcastic tinge.
>As you make your way back through the crowd and approach the table, you both adopt false smiles.
>One is busy chewing, but the other gives you both an odd look and props up an eyebrow.
>"So, uh, you're supposed to be a guard?"
>Kalakcha throws you a glare and whispers harshly.
>"What is that supposed to mean?"
>You ignore his question and push him forward.
"Yes, he's a great guard. A bit new, but he did take on some changelings himself, and nearly almost kind of didn't lose."
>They both nod in unison.
>The one who was chewing food speaks up first.
>"Ah, so you're the one they've been talking about around the halls."
>The other cuts in.
>"We heard Anon had to save your hide."
 
>Kalakcha stammers a bit at the accusation.
>"I'm, uh, w-well, not sure what to say."
>Once again, you step in for him.
"It wasn't as bad as he looks. Anyway, I guess I should introduce you all."
>You motion to the guard on your left.
"This big guy is White Wing. Even though he's a huge jerk on the outside, it's just to hide his soft and mushy heart."
>He shakes his head.
>"Don't let him fool ya, the outside is mushy, too."
>The other guard prods him with a hoof.
>"Maybe if ya didn't eat so much you wouldn't be so mushy."
>White Wing bats his hoof away and pushes him a bit.
"And then the other one is Light Breeze, and his ass may just about be as smart as mine."
>He performs a mocking bow with his head and a hoof.
>"I can only only hope that one day, I'm half as good as sensei."
>You turn back to Kalakcha.
"Guys, you've already heard of my friend here by his brave, heroic, valorous, honorable, and other such shit, deeds. His name is Kalakcha."
>White tilts his head and Light scratches his chin, commenting on this new information.
>"That's an odd name. You not from around here?"
>Kalakcha shrugs.
>"It's just what Anon calls me."
>Without thinking, you reach forward and slap him upside the head.
"Because that's his name, and yes, he's from the deep, deep, deep east. Like, I haven't even seen it on a map. I don't even think it has a name."
>They both give you an odd look, but they really don't care deep down, lucky for you.
 
>Light speaks up first.
>"Whatever you say Anon. I'm still not even fully convinced you came from another world."
>You nod.
"That's just fine, because I'm not fully convinced I came to another world."
>You take a seat and pat the seat next to you while looking back at Kalakcha.
>He gives an audible grunt, but approaches the table and sits next to you.
>Once he takes his seat, you finish your thought.
"I actually expect to wake up in a hospital any day now to hear about how I went into a coma after that bus hit me."
>White waves his hooves dismissively.
>"Ya, ya, we've heard this one, but this guy."
>He nods over at Kalakcha and grins.
>"We heard you actually got to fight, that must have been fun. I never get to see any action myself."
>He looks over at you, and you tilt your head towards them.
>After taking a deep breath, he speaks up.
>"Uh, yes, I battled some changelings. It was, fun."
>Jesus Christ, this guy is supposed to be an infiltrator?
>You give him a stern elbow to the side.
>He grits his teeth.
>"Oof, what I mean is they're lucky they caught me near the end of my shift, otherwise they'd be the ones limping around. They got the drop on me is all."
>White continues smiling and nodding like a smitten girl while Light leans back and sips a drink held in his wing.
>"You boys talk a big game, but Wing, that's the closest you've ever gotten to it. No shame in getting your posterior handed to you, Cowlick. It's not like anyone actually expects us to fight anything."
>White frowns and looks back over at Light.
>"We 'are' expected to fight, and win. It's what we train for."
>Light shakes his head while you and Kalakcha just watch the display in silence.
>"We've been over this a hundred times. There hasn't been a war in generations, everyone is soft. Closest thing we get to it is overhearing some bickering nobles and splitting up their gentle shoving match."
 
>White interjects.
>"What about that changeling invasion? That was recent enough. We coulda been there."
>Light scoffs in response.
>"Ya, and ended up like Cowlick over there, or worse, like every other guard who was part of that mess."
>He finishes off his drink and sets it down.
>"Face it, best we're good for is looking sexy in this uniform for all the pretty mares."
>With that said, he looks over at a couple passing by and gives them his best seductive wink.
>They giggle at each other and continue walking.
>White backhoofs him in the gut, causing him to lurch forward.
>"For a wise guy, ya sure are stupid sometimes."
>He rubs his stomach and sits back up to the table.
>"You know it's true. Anon, tell him."
>You shrug at White.
"He does look sexy in that uniform."
>They both chuckle a bit at your quip.
>White points at you with his hoof before replying.
>"If we get invaded again, we could just send you to the front lines."
"Why? So I can get my ass kicked?"
>Light shakes his head.
>"Nah, so you can kill them all with your killer jokes."
>The three of you chuckle a bit together at the horrible pun.
"Guess you'll be helping me, then, right?"
>White shakes his head next.
>"No, no, he can only make them run away. His jokes stink."
>Once again, you all share a laugh over the stupid pun.
"Okay, you'll be a team then."
>You look over at Kalakcha.
>He's been sitting in relative silence since the conversation began.
>Even though he hasn't been audibly laughing, he does have what appears to be a genuine smile on his face.
>A small one, but it's there.
 
>The two guards quickly notice you looking over at Kalakcha.
>This quickly results in all three of you staring at him.
>What little smile there was fades.
>Light scratches his chin.
>"You know, I thought Anon was just being a smartass when he called you shy, but I guess he wasn't lyin'. You haven't said a thing since you sat here."
>He glances between you all before speaking up.
>"Um, I actually talked about how much I'd make some changelings limp if we fought again, remember?"
>Light squints a bit, but White nods and defends him.
>"Right, he's probably still just a bit shaken up. He didn't even get attacked during an invasion, there was no way of expecting it."
>He slaps the table with his hoof.
>"But don't you worry none, you hang out with us and you'll be right as rain in no time."
>You wave your hand.
"Oh, no, that's not happening. He keeps hanging out with you guys he'll get just as crazy."
>They both lean back in unison.
>White makes an audible groan of disapproval with a smile, but Light speaks up.
>"What are you on about, Anon? You've enough crazies for all of Canterlot."
>He leans forward once more and looks over at Kalakcha.
>"Did this guy ever tell you how he got his job at the castle?"
>For the first time, Kalakcha shows genuine interest and leans forward.
>"No, he hasn't told me any of that stuff."
>Both guards look at each other and share a laugh just thinking about it.
>You wave your hands.
"I don't think he needs to hear that story."
>This only gets him more interested, and much to his delight, they're more than happy to tell.
>White continues laughing while Light collects himself.
>"No, it's great, he'll love it."
 
>You continue attempting to object to the imminent story, even though you know it's no use.
"I'm sure he doesn't care to hear about my boring day job."
>This time, Kalakcha jumps in.
>"Actually, I'd be really interested in hearing this, especially since it feels like you don't want me to."
>He looks over and gives you a devious grin.
>You sigh and rub the back of your neck.
>White slaps Light in the chest.
>"Go ahead, you're better at tellin' than I am."
>He pushes him away a bit in response.
>"I'm gettin' to it, hold the carriage."
>He smiles and leans in, speaking directly to Kalakcha.
>"Alright, so it's no secret that Anon is from somewhere far away. In fact, we've never seen anything like him before."
>You nod and circle your hands in the air, signalling him to get to the point.
>He's told this to everyone at least a dozen times.
>Personally, you don't see why it's so appealing, but the ponies seem to love it.
>Kalakcha answers him.
>"Yes, I gathered as much myself."
>Light nods and continues.
>"Right, so when he first arrived, he was held under close watch until we knew exactly who and what he was. Well, funny enough, it led to him working directly for Princess Celestia herself!"
>Kalakcha sits back and props up an eyebrow.
>"Wait, Anon works directly for Celestia?"
>White butts into the conversation, blurting out an instant reply.
>"Damn right he does, the bastard. Landed the job in under a year, too."
>Kalakcha begins shifting nervously before beginning the subtly slide off the bench.
>You reach out and wrap your arm around him, pulling him next to you with a firm grip.
"Isn't that interesting?"
>You smile down at him and he gives you a nervous laugh.
>"Heh, uh, ya, that's certainly, interesting."
 
>He asked for this, even if he didn't fully realize it at the time.
>You didn't want him to freak out, but now that you're past the point of no return, you're gonna have some fun.
>He pushes against you a bit, trying to pull himself free, but you hold him with ease.
>Light points over to Anon.
>"Go on, tell him the story. I always, uh, exaggerate. A bit."
>You nod and hold your hand palm out in front of you, as if painting an imaginary scene for Kalakcha.
"There I was, stuck hanging out in that boring as shit castle day in and day out. I wasn't allowed to leave until Celestia gave the all clear, so I had to find ways to entertain myself. That's when I first met these guys, since they're the only constant company in the castle-"
>White hits the table and laughs.
>"Liar! We we're just the only ones who would talk to you since nobles are far too proper and busy for a lowly peasant."
>You shrug.
"I'm sure they we're just nervous. Anyway, so we became friends over time, and even though I came to this new place, I'm still my old self."
>Light leans back and stretches.
>"More like you're just too dense to understand that the Princess could banish you at any moment if she desired."
"Shut up, man, I'm tellin' the story."
>You look back down at Kalakcha.
"See, I've never really... Cared much about things I think are bullshit. One of those was treating the Princesses like they're my gods or something. You know, bowing, saluting, worshiping, sacrificing virgins to, all that jazz."
>White speaks up once more.
>"It wouldn't kill ya to give them respect now and then."
>You shake Kalakcha a bit with your arm.
"We wouldn't want to take that chance, would we? So I just acted normal around her. At first, she seemed really surprised I would 'be so bold,' but she got used to it pretty quick. I suspect it's because she liked it, or I'm just super special."
>Light gives you a nod.
>"You're special, alright."
>You stick your tongue out at him like a child before continuing.
 
"Eventually, that just became the norm for me. No one else dared treat her with anything less than the highest regard. I suppose they thought because I was so different that I was some kind of special exception for some reason or another. Whatever her reasons, we became a bit like friends too... I think. Her sister is a lot harder to read, but I get the vibe that she only puts on a show because it's what she's been taught."
>White sneers at you.
>"Ya, she's a real delight, right before she unleashes dark magic all over the place and gobbles up all the kids."
>Light smacks him upside the head.
>"Don't be an ijut. Nightmare Moon was defeated."
>White rubs his head.
>"Says you. She'll be back, mark my words. That's why I took the day shift."
>You shake your head.
"You took the day job because you're too damn lazy to stay up at night. But anyway, stop interrupting so we can order some damn food."
>You sarcastically clear your throat before continuing.
"So on a day just like any other, I was heading to the dining hall to get some lunch. I gave a polite salute to the guard out front, and he held up his hoof to stop me. I was like don't worry, I'm just getting some grub, but he said the Princess was currently hosting an important meeting and didn't wish to be disturbed. I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed me with his magic and started pulling me away. I said okay, okay, fine, I'll go. He let me go, and that's when I struck."
>Kalakcha is looking up at you with wide eyes.
>"You attacked him?"
>You nod before holding up your finger, pointing towards the sky.
>He glances between your finger and you.
>With a grin, you quickly bring in your finger and press it against his nose.
"Boop."
>He blinks a few times and wiggles his nose before giving you a confused look.
"Exactly like that."
>Light chuckles.
>"Crazy enough for all of Canterlot, as I said."
>White grunts.
>"That stupid trick has worked on me more times than I care to say."
 
>You glance over at White.
"Well, you shoulda figured it out by now."
>He nods.
>"I know, I know, I just never see it comin'."
>You return your attention to your changeling friend.
"And neither did this guy. After I stunned him, I quickly slipped through the door and closed it behind me. I began casually walking towards the tables of food. The feast was a lot bigger than usual, and it smelled amazing."
>Kalakcha prods your chest.
>"What does boop mean?"
>You boop him once more, much to his displeasure.
"That's it. So I get close to these tables, right? Obviously I see Celestia right away, who is giving me a surprised look combined with something else. It might have been the burning rage of a thousand suns, or maybe gas, I'm not sure. It was obvious she didn't want me there a lot more than usual, but I was really hungry. I skipped breakfast, man, what could I do?"
>Light begins playing with the leftover ice at the bottom of his cup, swirling it around with his wing and staring at it.
>"You coulda waited, like any normal pony would."
>You snap your fingers and give him a satisfied grin.
"But I didn't. I walked right up to the table and sat down, on the table. Celestia gave me a harsh whisper asking me what I was doing in there and to get out. I shrugged and grabbed a few handfuls of nearby food and said I was hungry. That's when I noticed some weird couple sitting across from her. They we're pretty short compared to other royalty. Smaller than you guys, even."
>Light sets down his cup once more, thoroughly bored with his improvised toy.
>"They were the leaders of a small and distant country in the south on a good-will visit to Equestria. Keeping ties strong, and all that."
>It's at this point in time, you're finally approached by a waiter.
>You look over at him and do your best to hide your internal thought of 'it's about fucking time.'
"Oh good, we can order now. I'll have two- no, three egg sandwiches, and a big cup of green tea."
 
>The unicorn nods as he pens down the order with a floating pen into a floating notepad.
>"And for you, sir?"
>He looks up and looks towards Kalakcha, who's still tucked firmly under your arm.
>He glances between the waiter and you, as if unsure what to do.
>You give him a reassuring nod.
"Just tell him what you want. I'll cover it."
>With that, he looks over at the waiter.
>"Give me golden cakes."
>The waiter's pen presses against the paper, but doesn't move.
>He gives Kalakcha a confused look.
>"What was that?"
>You cough a bit.
"He said pancakes. He wants pancakes, with butter, and lots of syrup. And water, I guess."
>The waiter nods and leaves.
>"I'll be back with your food shortly."
>Kalakcha gives you the same confused look the waiter had moments ago.
>"Pancakes?"
>You shrug.
"Ya, I don't know what that was about. Weird, huh?"
>White leans forward.
>"Hey, finish your story. We can't sit here all day, ya know."
>You take a deep inhale and give him a sarcastic, high pitched reply.
"Shut up."
>After you exhale all the excess air, you continue normally.
"Where was I? The short guys, right? This guy and girl horse, both looked like miniature versions of you guys, only a little differently built, I guess. Either way, they we're both giving me the most dumb-struck look I've ever seen, and I've seen that look a lot."
>Light scoffs.
>"Can't imagine why."
"It's like they literally couldn't comprehend what was happening right in front of them."
>He cuts in once more.
>"I'm sitting right here and I can't, either. Who sits on a table, ever?"
>You give him a death stare along with your pointed finger.
>He shrugs.
"So I said hey, and kept eating. The female eventually talked to Celestia, asking her who and what I was. She overplayed a facehoof as she explained exactly that. She then followed up by asking if this was a normal occurrence. This time I answered and said that it wasn't. Usually there's not a feast."
 
>Both White and Light chuckle, while Kalakcha gives an audible gasp.
>"You disrespected them to such a great extent, it's a wonder you can still speak."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"I ate food near them, calm down."
>Light nods in agreement.
>"I'm with him. You may not get it, but every time I hear this story, I wonder how it's possible. We should see your mug plastered all over the moon by now."
>You give him a magical wink.
"They like me too much."
>Light shakes his head.
>"They really don't."
>You give him a shrug.
"Agree to disagree. So after that pretty flat joke, and some awkward silence with Celestia biting her lip and still giving me a strange look that might have been hate of some kind, the short guy cracked a smile. I gave him a friendly nod as he turned to Celestia and asked her if I was some sort of jester. She insisted I was simply a guest that causes more trouble than I'm worth. Kind of rude, I think, but what can you do?"
>Light once again speaks up.
>"Not act like a jester, for one thing."
>You shake your head.
"No, I refuse to do that. It's too important. So I began talking to this guy about where he's from, and soon the entire mood changed from stick-up-the-ass to naked-in-a-hot-tub. Celestia was surprised I think, but not angry. Everyone was laughing as they swapped various stories about the bullshit of being in charge. Random stuff you gotta deal with, and something about how everyone treats you like you can't possibly make mistakes, so you have to do your best to live up to that expectation, and everything is always so formal all the damn time, and it was just driving them nuts. They really enjoyed the chance to relax for once."
>White shakes his head.
>"I refuse to believe that part. The royals never act that way around us, and the time I tried acting that way I was reprimanded."
>You shrug.
"Ya, well, you guys are supposed to be serious. You're guards."
>He gives you an exaggerated huff in response.
 
"So after the dinner was over, Sunbutt pulled me aside to talk to me. After scolding me over being an idiot or something, she talked to me about working for her as an entertainer of some kind for the special guests she has. I forget the term she used, but-"
>Kalakcha cuts in, much to your surprise.
>"Diplomat?"
>You curl your lips thoughtfully and nod.
"Ya, I think that's it. So it became my job to keep royal guests happy using my unique skill set of not giving a shit what title they had. Apparently that task is damn-near impossible for ponies raised anywhere near royalty."
>All three of them nod in unison and mumble agreements.
>Kalakcha speaks up.
>"I couldn't imagine anyone treating my... Princess that way."
>Light smiles at him.
>"You and me both, but I've seen him do it. I wouldn't believe this guy a lick, otherwise. Still don't get it."
 
>You finally release your grip on Kalakcha and he slides back over to his spot, showing no signs of attempting to escape again.
"You don't need to get it. It's my job. What I don't get is how you guys can stand around in the same spot for so damn long."
>White gives you a dumbfounded look.
>"You know it's only four hours a day. Even someone as lazy as you could do that."
>Light nods.
>"Sides that, we get all sorts of entertaining stories being near the nobles all day."
>You chuckle a bit.
"Right, like that time those two young punks took up like half of Celestia's court time arguing over who had rightful ownership of a rock?"
>White shakes his head and smiles, but says nothing.
>Light completes your story.
>"And Celestia decreed the rock be split in half, and then they tried to start arguing over who got which half?"
>This time White cuts in.
>"So she sent both halves to the moon! Wish I was one of the guards that got to toss 'em out. I heard their expressions were priceless."
>You cover your face with your hand.
"Nobles, man."
>Light waves his hoof at you as an excited expression envelops his face.
>"Oh, wait, that reminds me of a new story I wanted to tell you. Almost forgot."
>He nods towards Kalakcha.
>"You should like this too."
>Kalakcha leans forward, smiling from the previous stories.
>"I should like it if it's anything like those other stories."
>Light shakes his head at him.
>"Nah, it's better."
>You prop your elbow up onto the table and lean on your hand, staring at Light as he speaks.
"Let's hear it. Something about Blueblood?"
>He continues.
>"It's about how that escaped changeling was caught in the first place."
 
>Your grin grows as quickly as Kalakcha's fades.
>He shakes his head.
>"You don't need to share that story."
>White gives him a comforting look.
>"Aw, don't let them changelings scare ya just cuz you had one bad experience. You'll gettem next time."
>Your grin could not possibly get any bigger.
>In fact, it was almost hurting your face.
"I'd be really interested in hearing this, especially since it feels like you don't want me to."
>You look over at the increasingly nervous disguised bug.
>He shoots you a look of contempt, but knows he can't stop the story, just as you couldn't.
>Light laughs.
>"It was great, mostly because of how weird it was."
>You bring up your other elbow to get into full interest stance.
"Do tell."
>You hear Kalakcha sigh next to you as Light continues.
>"So the way I hear it, this changeling was their easiest catch yet. It was almost confusing how it all played out."
>You chuckle a bit and glance over at Kalakcha, who is doing his best to avoid eye contact with anyone.
>Apparently the table top had just gotten very fascinating all the sudden.
>"A bunch of guards are claiming credit right now, so I'm not sure who it was, but they walked right up to this odd changeling who was just standing in the middle of town, not even disguised. I mean, it was dark, but still, no disguise at all, right in the middle of Canterlot? How daft can ya get?"
>You hear Kalakcha groan under his breath, soft enough that he probably thought no one else heard.
>"So he just trotted right up to this changeling to see what was going on, and right away this changeling begins scolding the guy, as if he'd just trampled all over his flower patch or something. He didn't catch most of it since the whole thing happened so quick and he was more concerned that there was a changeling just standing there, but after a minute of watching him rant, he just scooped him up with his telekinesis spell and carried him off to the castle!"
 
>Both of the guards look at each other as he finishes and begin laughing hysterically, trading impersonations of a surprised changeling.
>You lean back and give a very exaggerated laugh to join in, slapping Kalakcha in the shoulder with the back of your hand all the while.
>After a few slaps, he slowly turns to look at you before giving a nice sneer and his own mocking laughter.
"Isn't that just the best? Can you imagine?"
>You continue slapping him with the back of your hand until eventually he bats your hand away with his hoof.
>"I find it hard to imagine any changeling would do that without a very good reason."
>Light wipes his eye with a hoof.
>"Oh, do you? Why?"
>The laughter dies down to a few light laughs now and then.
>White pushes Light gently.
>"He was prolly just lookin' for love in all the wrong places."
>Kalakcha clears his throat.
>"Because they're not that stupid. They're actually a lot smarter than ponies think. A lot of them are probably even smarter than a lot of ponies."
>The laughter finishes dying completely, though some awkward smiles remain.
>Light shrugs.
>"Those changelings really did a number on you, didn't they? I was a bit confused why Anon decided to take it on himself to babysit you, but it makes sense now. I'm a bit worried myself."
>White taps the table with his hoof.
>"Kale, you can't let one lost battle get to you like this. Everyone gets knocked down sometimes. Except me, of course."
>He opens his mouth to say something in response, but no sound comes out.
>After a moment, he simply shuts it and remains silent, frowning as he looks away.
>Light prods White.
>"You never get knocked down because you never fight."
>At least the food arrived in time to break up the awkwardness.
>You begin digging into your sandwiches, but Kalakcha merely stares at his dish in silence.
>After a few moments, he reluctantly takes a bite.
>Despite his best efforts, it causes a small smile to appear on his face.
 
>You give him a gentle nudge in the side with your elbow and smile as well.
>As you chew, you begin thinking it over.
>It really doesn't make sense he would just stand there.
>He can't exactly tell you what happened right now, either.
>Maybe your buddies know a little more, though.
>You swallow your food and clear your throat a bit.
"So how did they find this changeling, anyway? Castle guards don't usually go out patrolling random areas of town."
>Kalakcha looks up while still chewing.
>Apparently he was interested in hearing this as well.
>Light rubs the back of his neck with his hoof, thanking back.
>"Hm, the way I remember it, someone told them they saw it lurking around town. They even told them exactly where to find him."
>Kalakcha stops chewing and looks over at you.
>You give him a shrug as Light continues.
>"The night guards complain to us all the time about how all of Canterlot has come running up to them at some point, screaming about a changeling they saw in the shadows, and how every single time they'd have to go check it out. Been happening since the attack. This time there was one, I guess."
>White huffs.
>"Bah, all they did was take it back to the castle. Shoulda roughed it up a bit for coming back after what they did."
>Light takes on a mocking voice as he makes fun of White.
>"Bleh, shoulda roughed it up, I'm so strong, I've killed like a thousand changelings by headbutting them into submission, everyone should fear me."
>White pokes light.
>"Oi, be a prick if ya want, but look what they did to Kale over there. A whole bunch of 'em ganged up on him, the cowards. They deserve whatever they get."
>Kalakcha chokes a bit on the food he was chewing and coughs a few times.
 
>You reach over and give him a few firm pats as he finishes coughing.
>"Uh, did they see who gave them the tip?"
>Light looks back over at Kalakcha and shrugs.
>"No idea, that's all I heard about it. The whole thing is weird. Funny, but still weird."
>White stretches a bit and flaps his wings gently.
>"There had to be more, since they busted that one out. I'm sure we'll find them soon enough."
>Light laughs.
>"Right, cuz all of them are just gonna stand around and ask guards to take 'em in."
 
>You shrug.
"Considering the one we had was tortured, I'd bet the other ones took off when they got him out."
>Light gives you an odd look.
>"Tortured?"
>White claps his hooves together and grins.
>"Oh, right! I bet they're off planning another attack! They probly want revenge after that. Breeze, you'd best get ready. Don't need you slackin' off in the next attack."
>Light ignores white and repeats his question to you.
>"Did you say tortured?"
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"They didn't tell anyone else? Hm, guess that'd make sense. Not exactly something you'd want spread around."
>You cough exaggeratedly into your fist.
"Erm, speaking of which-"
>He shrugs and interrupts your thought.
>"We all know nothing leaves this table. I'd have been kicked out of the castle by now."
>White prods Light once again.
>"Oi, weren't you listening?"
>He turns back to him and pokes him in return.
>"Were you listening, ya daft bastard? Bah, never mind. We need to get back. Good lunch, 'Non. Good talk new guy, maybe next time you'll even say three words."
>He nods at you both respectively before hopping up off the chair and taking flight.
>White sighs.
>"He didn't leave any bits, did he? I'm gonna give him a good thump when I catch up to him."
>He tosses a few bits onto the table before following suit and chasing after Light.
>Kalakcha looks over at you as you finish off your last sandwich.
>"I think I know what happened."
>You nod in response.
"Ya, White forgot that Light covered the past four meals they've had himself, and that he eats at least twice as much."
>He raises an eyebrow.
"That's like, eight meals or something. Where do you think he gets that much money?"
 
>Kalakcha pokes you with his hoof.
>"No, you fool. Listen."
>He leans in closer to you and gives a quick glance at his surroundings before continuing.
>You give him a mocking interested look and lean in next to him.
"Hm?"
>"A changeling told them where to find me."
>You frown at him and lean back.
"Pfft."
>He throws you a desperate look.
>"No, I'm serious."
>You shrug.
"Look, you already lied about how you were found."
>He frowns at you.
>"You lied about being neutral. Besides, I wasn't lying, it was just... Not the entire truth."
"Not the entire truth is lying, and I am neutral."
>He tilts his head at you.
>"How can you be neutral and work directly for the princess? That doesn't make sense!"
>His harsh whispers elicit a few head turns.
>He glances around before taking another bite of his pancakes.
>They were getting soggy.
"Did you completely miss that story? I got the job by not caring. I wouldn't exactly label that as brimming with loyalty."
>He doesn't seem to mind the sogginess, as he takes a few more bites before replying.
>"I guess it doesn't matter now, but we'll have to talk about this later, in a less public place."
>You nod.
"Ya, that'd be for the best."
>After he eats the last bite, he begins licking the remaining syrup off of his plate.
>A few ponies give him an odd look which he immediately notices, causing him to stop and sit up straight.
>"I think we're done here."
>You chuckle a bit.
"Ya, I think so, and I know our next stop."
 
>You place what you assume is the appropriate amount of bits on the table and stand to leave.
>Kalakcha climbs off the bench and limps behind you.
>"Where are we going next?"
>You place your hands in your pockets as you walk.
"Nowhere near as exciting as a museum and library, but I like it."
>He manages to get beside you and looks up with a curious expression.
>"Some place you like? What is it?"
>You shrug.
"Can't really describe it, you'll just have to wait."
>He looks forward and frowns.
>"Okay... What should we talk about then?"
>You continue staring forward as you walk.
"Who says we have to talk at all?"
>He thinks a moment before replying.
>"I like talking to you."
>You d'aww internally, but do your best to hide it.
"I guess walking in complete silence would feel weird. We could just stare at each other in silence."
>He tilts his head.
>"That seems much more strange."
"It might sound strange to you, but where I come from it has been used to decide many important political events. The weaker person blinks first, and thus must admit defeat and concede to the superior person."
>He shakes his head.
>"I don't see how that custom would work."
>You grin to yourself.
"I'll show you later I guess."
>He looks up at you.
>"Your species determined dominance based on who could stare longer?"
>You look down at him with that grin still plastered on your face.
"Something like that, and I'm undefeated."
>He squints at you a bit before looking forward once more.
>"Interesting. We have a much different method based on all manner of abilities. It's how our queen determines who fills which position."
>You look forward once more as well.
"Sounds dirty."
 
>He nods in agreement.
>"Yes, it can be very messy."
>You shake your head and laugh.
"I can only imagine."
>He looks back up at you.
>"You don't need to imagine, I can tell you how it works."
>You try to stifle your laughter with a few coughs and cover your mouth with your hand.
"I know how it works, but, uh, go ahead and explain anyway."
>"How would you know how it works? You've never met another changeling."
>You shrug.
"I'm good at guessing."
>He looks forward again in silence for a while.
>Eventually you look down at him.
"Well?"
>He looks at you.
>"What?"
>You hold you hands palm-up in front of you and raise your eyebrows.
>He shakes his head.
>"I don't understand."
>Your arms fall limp and you slide them back into your pockets.
"How do you guys determine positions?"
>He looks forward once more.
>"Why don't you guess?"
>You look to the side and smile at the opportunity.
"Well, alright."
>He looks up and ponders what you might say as you scratch your chin thoughtfully.
"Okay, bare with me, these are just guesses."
>He nods.
"I'd say she separates you guys into groups based on size, stamina, and performance. She would then place you guys into positions based on her specific needs. If you do well, you become one of her favorites and she gives you more specialized tasks."
>He raises an eyebrow and stares at you for a moment.
>"That's... Actually very close to how it works, yes."
>Oh for fucks sake, Kalakcha.
 
>Well, he effectively killed your joke.
>You'd be impressed if that was his intention.
"Yay for me. So where do you fit on that list?"
>He nods to himself.
>"I already mentioned I was a member of Swarm Eleven, do you remember?"
>Of course not.
"Of course I do."
>"Well, you're good at guessing. What do you think that means?"
>You shrug.
"Uh, that you guys took home the eleventh place trophy in bowling?"
>He flinches slightly.
>"What is bowling?"
"A game where old men play with balls."
>His face scrunches up at your reply.
"So your team is like, the eleventh best?"
>"Eh, something like that. Like you correctly guessed, we're divided into teams based on our strengths."
>This sparks your curiosity.
"Wait, so what does your team specialize in?"
>He looks down at the ground and gives a low groan.
>You prop up an eyebrow as you stare down at him.
>Eventually, he looks up at you and gives a nervous smile.
>"Uh... We, have... What I mean is, we're good at... Infiltration?"
>Somehow your eyebrow manages to prop itself up higher.
"So like-"
>He nods.
>"Yes."
>You hold one of your hands out palm-up.
"You just-"
>"Yes."
>You scratch your neck.
"So... I'm just-"
>He shakes his head.
>"No, not exactly."
>Were you guys even on the same page?
>He looks down.
>"This has all been... Odd. I haven't dealt with anything like this before."
>Your eyebrows return to normal.
>Anything like what?
 
>He nods to himself once more.
>"This whole mission has been strange since it began, but this is honestly something we should discuss when we aren't standing in the open."
>Right, never know who is listening.
"Fine."
>He begins looking around.
>There's not as many ponies in this area.
>"We've been walking for a while. We're not even in the town anymore. Where are we going?"
>You point over at a stone wall that rises up out of the grass a good six feet or so.
"Right there."
>Kalakcha stops walking.
>"You brought me to a wall? Does it have historical value?"
"Not exactly, but I'm sure it's old."
>He continues walking with you once more.
>"So why did we come here?"
>Once you reach the wall, you turn to look at him and pat it a few times.
"The wall isn't what we came to see. It's the other side that I like."
>You place both hands on the top and jump, carefully pulling yourself up into a sitting position.
>Kalakcha glances around to make sure he isn't being watched before flying up to you.
>Would seem strange for a unicorn to be flying for no obvious reason.
>Once he's up on the wall, he takes a seat next to you.
>You kick your legs a few times and lean forward, using your arms to prop yourself up on your legs.
"Looks pretty cool, right?"
>You had brought him to the edge of the structure holding up all of Canterlot.
>From here, you could see across most of Equestria.
>Despite what was in the world being vastly different from what your world had, looking out over it like this...
>It just looked like Earth.
>A mostly empty Earth, but still Earth.
>It had an odd comfort to it, knowing that even though you're in a different place now, it's still home.
>Not to mention the natural beauty itself.
>You sigh contentedly.
>Kalakcha shrugs.
>"I don't get it."
 
>You look over at him.
"What do you mean you don't get it? It's a nice view."
>He looks out over the landscape.
>"I suppose?"
>You look forward once more.
"Look, it's like walking to the edge of the sky. It's pretty cool."
>The edge you were on was one of the furthest points from the mountain the whole thing was attached to.
>Leaning forward and looking down, you could see the wall descend a ways before curving back towards town, completely disappearing from your point of view.
>The whole thing felt surreal every time.
>"You know I can fly, right?"
>You frown.
"Yes, I know you can fly."
>He shrugs again.
>"So you know I've had better views than this?"
>You nod.
"Yes, I know. I still really like it here. I thought you might, too."
>You continue sitting there, staring out over the landscape.
>Even the air seemed fresher here.
>Kalakcha continues looking around, occasionally looking over at you to see what you were looking at.
>He would then study that area as well.
>You're not sure how long you both just sat there looking around, but you really enjoyed it.
>More so because usually you don't have someone to share the spot with.
>Eventually he breaks the long silence.
>"Hm."
"Hm?"
>He nods.
>"This is actually a nice spot. Thanks for showing me."
>You shrug.
"Meh, it's okay."
>He grins and pokes your side with a hoof.
>You immediately tense up and dig your hands into the corner of the wall.
>He laughs.
"Dude, I can't fly."
>"Yes, I know."
 
>You relax a bit once more and look down.
"I've been doing a bit of thinking."
>You glance around.
>As far as you can tell, there's no one within a mile.
>Kalakcha nods at you.
>"That's good."
>You nod as well to yourself.
"Ya, well, you might not think so when I tell you what I've been thinking about."
>He looks over at you with concern.
>"With everything that's happened today, I'm sure you have a lot to say."
"Eh, kinda."
>You fidget with your fingers a bit.
"We need to work together to fix all this, and to do that we need to trust each other."
>He continues looking at you.
>"What do you mean? I do trust you."
>You look over at him in disbelief.
>"Well, I trust you, now. I won't be flying away anymore. I promise."
>You look back down at your hands.
"Sure. If we're going to trust each other, it also means we can't keep hiding information from each other."
>This causes him to look forward, staring off into the distance at nothing in particular.
>"Like what?"
>You think back once more.
>First question was obvious.
"Let's start with you telling me why you came back after I helped you escape?"
>He continues looking forward.
>"Because I said I would."
"What did I just say?"
>He looks back over at you, and you look up at him.
>With a sigh, he nods.
>"Okay. You were different."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"I... What?"
>He glances away.
>"Different than anything we've dealt with, and as far as the hive as a whole was concerned, that made you a priority target. We needed to learn more about you so we could figure out how much of a threat you were."
>You continue staring at him, and returns your look once more.
>"And I had the perfect in."
 
>You grin and shake your head as you look away.
"That makes a lot more sense than willingly walking back into your enemy's stronghold because you promised really hard that you would."
>"My duty to my hive is as an infiltrator. I was fulfilling my duty, that's all."
>He looks away once more.
>"At the time, I didn't care. I actually really wanted to just go back to my hive, but I was the best choice for this mission, and I couldn't return with two failed missions."
>He turns back and searches your face for a reaction.
>You're still grinning and thinking things over.
>Eventually you nod and look up at the sky.
>He tilts his head at you.
>"You're handling this news-"
"It's what I asked for."
>You look over at him and shrug your shoulders.
>He blinks a few times.
"So, what'd you learn about me? You almost let it slip a few times, already."
>Kalakcha shakes off the surprise and begins explaining everything to you quickly and concisely.
>You can't help but imagine this was rehearsed for a superior.
>"From what I've gathered you harness a natural resistance to our magic. I attempted a few different manipulation and mind-altering spells, and as far as I could tell, they had absolutely no effect."
>He shivers a bit.
>"It's unsettling information."
>This time you were less than happy to hear the explanation.
>You turn and look at him with a frown.
"Wait, you tried to mess with my head? When?"
>Your question snaps him out of his focused state and he glances at you once before looking away and scratching his neck.
>"Oh, well... You already know about the, love consumption in the castle. That should have weakened you and left you feeling fatigued."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"And?"
>He looks down and closes his eyes.
>"And... I tried to use some more advanced spells on you while you slept. Perception alteration... Mind control..."
"Mind control?"
>He flinches a bit, hesitates a moment, and then nods.
>His eyes remain shut tight.
 
>You slowly look away from him, mouth agape.
"Huh."
>Kalakcha opens his eyes slightly and turns his head just enough to see you.
>You let out a surprised single laugh, trying to process everything.
>Easy enough, since you know the other half of the story.
"It's a good thing mind control didn't work. I'd be a lot more boring with you controlling me."
>He opens his eyes the rest of the way and turns a little more in your direction.
>"Wh-"
"And it's not just your magic. It's magic in general. Well, at least all the magic I've run into, so don't feel too bad about your performance issues."
>He just keeps staring at you in silence.
"Now, from what 'I've' gathered, the stronger the spell is, the more resistant I am. Ever heard of Newton? Never mind, stupid question. Let's say you run into this wall. You represent a spell, this wall represents my resistance. You hit it, it hits you back, and no harm is done. Well, to the wall. Simple spells seem to still work alright, like telekinesis."
>He shrugs and finally speaks.
>"But my magic didn't hurt me."
"It's not a perfect example, and obviously magic works different than physical stuff."
>He nods and considers what you said.
>"Enough force could break through this wall, though."
>You flinch a bit at the response.
>True enough.
"I guess, but I haven't had that happen yet. I'm not about to go gather a bunch of unicorns and ask them to hit me with their best shot."
>"How do you do it?"
>You look up at the sky once more and kick your legs in rhythm.
"Dunno. Been that way since I got here. Apparently I surprised Celestia because she blasted me with something that threw me to the ground. I guess I was also supposed to stay there for a while, because she was surprised when I stood up and started running away."
 
>He grins at you.
>"Celestia herself attacked you? What happened?"
>You wave one hand in front of yourself as though advertising a product.
"I'm still here, and she doesn't attack me anymore. Obviously it all worked out."
>You look over at him and smile.
"Isn't this a lot more fun now?"
>"That's not how I would describe the situation."
"Hm."
>You think back once more.
"What did you mean when you said you think a changeling got you caught?"
>His smile fades and he looks away.
>"It's the only explanation that makes sense. You remember me saying I had two missions, right?"
>You shrug and look out across Equestria.
>"Well, the second one was to study you, but the original mission I had was finding a missing changeling."
"Ya, I recall you mentioning that before. Guess it's true then."
>"Yes, but it wasn't just any changeling. He is- was my lieutenant. It had taken a while to finally find him after he disappeared without reporting anything. He told me to meet him at a specific time and place, and that he would be disguised as a guard."
>You chuckle a bit.
>He sneers at you.
>"Amusing to you, painful to me, in more than one way."
>You nod.
"I'm sure being betrayed by your commander sucks."
>Kalakcha looks at you and shakes his head.
>"He's not my commander. He oversees the rest of our Swarm, and I oversee him."
>You look back over at him and prop up an eyebrow.
"Wait, so you're-"
>He nods.
>"Yes. I'm the leader of Swarm Eleven."
>You give him a shit eating grin.
"Well look at you, mister important."
 
>You give him a nudge with your elbow.
"And you've kept it secret this whole time. Should I start calling you by sir?"
>He grins at your response to his revelation.
>"We both know you wouldn't, even if I asked. Technically your position is above my own, anyway."
>He looks forward once more.
>"I do see the appeal of being treated like anyone else, now. It's... Comforting, knowing they only expect you to be happy."
>He frowns plainly at his next thought.
>"But I do still have responsibilities that can't be ignored."
>You shrug and look forward as well.
"That was the whole point of this conversation. Guess first we have to deal with this rogue changeling of yours. How did you find him or contact him?"
>"We have drop locations for information to be hidden and later picked up and passed to superiors. He passed me the time and location, as well as his current disguise. He made it sound urgent, and he was long overdue for a report, so I didn't delay. I should have been more cautious."
>You nod.
"But instead you started lecturing a castle guard. Shouldn't you have worn a disguise just in case?"
>He shakes his head.
>"No. If anyone other than the singular changeling is standing at a designated meeting area, the meeting is terminated. Being out of disguise is the only way we have to ensure we're really talking to who we think we're talking to."
>He cracks a small grin and looks at you.
>"You see what happens otherwise."
>You nod.
"Ya, you get your ass handed to you."
>Turning your head skyward, you think over the situation.
"So, you don't actually have a way to find him unless he just comes right out and tells you where he is?"
>He sighs.
>"The point of information drops is to reduce the chance of being caught. Unfortunately for us, that works both ways. If he doesn't want to be found, it will be very difficult to find him."
>You give him a firm slap in the back, much to his surprise.
"Don't worry, we'll figure something out. Just gotta think for a bit."
 
>He cringes a bit at the impact.
>Shit, forgot he was still a little worse for wear.
>"So that's it then? Don't worry, it'll be okay? I'm not comfortable hoping things simply work out."
>You turn and look at him.
>He looks anxious as hell.
"Why not? It's got you this far. Taking the time to think things through doesn't mean we're just hoping things work out."
>He adopts a look of annoyance as he responds with a grunt.
>"I can't believe I'm taking planning advice from someone like you."
>You turn and hop off the wall into the grass and begin dusting off your pants.
"Me either. Soon you'll probably think I know what I'm doing, and then we'll all be in trouble."
>He tilts his head.
>"Are you leaving? I thought you came here to think."
>As you finish dusting yourself off, you bend back and give your body a nice stretch.
"And I did. Now I'm gonna go home and relax."
>Kalakcha hops off the wall and lands next to you, folding forward slightly on one of his forelegs, but manages to keep himself standing.
>"Going to relax? After all of this?"
>You finish stretching and begin your journey home.
"Yup. You're gonna join me, right?"
>He groans and walks up next to you.
>"Do I have a choice?"
>You smile and fold your hands behind your head.
"Well, I think we established that you could jump over that wall and I couldn't catch you."
>He continues frowning and looking down at the ground as he walks.
>You look down at him and sigh.
"Look, I do my best thinking when I'm relaxed, and wandering around all over town isn't my idea of a relaxing time. You should try it sometime."
>"I don't usually have the luxury of relaxing."
"Well today you do, so stop moping."
>He looks up at you.
"You already carried out your first mission successfully. You know all about me. You're already halfway done and it's only been a day. So relax before I have to hug you into submission again."
>He looks away in protest.
>"That's not what happened."
>You flash him a smile.
"Don't push your luck."
 
>You watch as he attempts to hide his own meager grin, but fails to do so.
>A few moments of walking pass in relative silence as he attempts to have a brilliant breakthrough and you attempt not to think about anything.
>It hardly works for either of you.
>Once again, he's the first to break the silence.
>"How long do you plan on doing nothing?"
>You shrug.
"I haven't even made it home yet, so I haven't had the chance to do nothing."
>He grunts at your passiveness.
>"You know what I mean. You can't honestly believe you'll figure something out by doing nothing."
>You roll your eyes.
"We literally just had this discussion."
>"I know, I just can't figure out what your plan is, if you could even call it a plan."
>You sigh.
"Plan is to relax, so relax, again."
>He shakes his head.
>"We should be figuring out where the rogue might be. I know his general area, we could look for an anomaly, maybe someone who doesn't fit in. We could ask around if anyone new moved there recently? I'm sure someone knows if-"
>His voice is cut off with a surprised chirp as you scoop him up into your arms from behind.
>As expected, he kicks a few times and squirms, but you hold him easily enough.
"I told you."
>After the show of resistance, he voices his protest.
>"Put me down, ponies will think this is odd, let alone how humiliating this is by itself!"
>You hug him a bit tighter.
"Nope. Don't worry, if anyone asks I'll just assure them your injuries were giving you so much trouble that this was the only option left."
>He gives an exaggerated sigh before resigning to his fate.
>"I doubt this is ever an acceptable option for guards, injured or not."
>You chuckle a bit as you think about your time in the castle.
"You'd be surprised."
 
>He attempts to look up at you in surprise.
>"Do they just let you get away with anything? Are they that soft?"
>You pat his head, and he groans his oppositions.
"They're pretty soft, inside and out, but everyone needs a hug now and then, right little guy?"
>You seamlessly slip into baby talk.
"Who needed a wittle hug to save his wittle life fwom a wittle torture? Aww, that's right."
>He begins flailing once more.
>"Stop it!"
>You chuckle and stop patronizing him.
"Nah, it's almost always just to piss someone off. Everyone gets bored, and we deal with it in different ways."
>His flailing slows and quickly ceases as you get back to your usual self.
>"Almost always?"
>You look to the side.
"Uh, ya, well, some of them actually do just want a hug."
>Kalakcha thinks for a moment.
>"That seems strange."
"Hm? What does?"
>Once again, he attempts to look up at you.
>"Hugging is a symbol of affection, one shared between mates and family. It's a powerful producer of love."
>You look down at him.
"What? No. I mean, ya, I guess it is, but no. You don't have to be someone's mate to hug them. It just makes some of them feel, uh, comfortable."
>He looks down as he considers this.
>Jeez, has he really never dealt with loss before?
>Hm, what if he really only saw any form of hugging as a sign of affection?
>What if he thought you were coming onto him or some shit by holding him constantly?
>You cared and all, but you just met him less than a day ago.
>"I understand."
>You blink a few times.
"You do?"
>He nods in confirmation.
>"I know there's no reason I should feel this way, but you make me feel... Safe. Protected. Despite everything that's happening."
>A chill goes up your spine.
"Uh, thanks? I do what I can, heh."
>You force out some totally genuine laughter to cover up your unease.
>Even as you grew more tense, you could feel him grow more relaxed in your arms.
 
>"You were right, this can be comfortable."
>Sure.
"I'm glad you're relaxing now."
>You begin to stiffen up a bit, trying extra hard not to think anymore.
>About anything.
>Ever.
>As far as you're concerned, the universe just stopped existing.
>"Even so, I still can't help but think Celestia will find out soon."
>Fucking universe, reminding you that things exist.
"She's pretty smart, but I'm not sure what she knows. Best to assume she only knows what we've told her."
>Kalakcha looks off to the side.
>"That sounds like really wishful thinking."
>It was, but you didn't want him panicking.
>He's been looking for every excuse to bail, and you won't give him one.
>Right now, you both needed to get your heads straight and figure shit out.
>That's the only plan.
"Worrying won't make anything less true, it just makes it harder to think clearly."
>Speaking of worrying, you had a bug practically melting into your arms.
>A bug who feeds on love, and has been getting his fill around you.
>Does that say more about you or him?
>Thinking.
>You're doing that thing you weren't going to do.
>Focus on getting home.
>Relax.
>Figure shit out later.
>"That's oddly insightful."
>You frown.
"I can't be insightful?"
>He leans his head back and looks up at you with his big, false guard eyes.
>Part of you wished they were his real eyes.
>"Not really."
>He grins at you.
>You look down at him as a partial smile forms on your face.
>Fucking bug.
 
>A few odd looks from ponies who have come to expect this behavior from you later, you're throwing open your front door and carrying a bug over your threshold.
>You kick the door closed behind you and head to your couch before throwing yourself into its sweet embrace.
>A happy sigh escapes your mouth as you sink in.
>"Um..."
>Oh, right.
>You open your grip on Kalakcha, who awkwardly climbs off and sets himself down next to you.
>"Now can we talk about making some plans?"
>Your head lolls over to face him from the headrest of your couch.
"I literally just sat down."
>You stare up at your ceiling before closing your eyes and continuing your thought.
"Next time you can carry me everywhere."
>"I doubt I could lift you..."
>You smile lazily and shake your head.
>Soon enough you feel him prod your chest with his forehoof.
>"What do you think happened to my lieutenant?"
>You lazily open your eyes.
>"Do you think it's possible he betrayed the hive? What if he's working with Celestia?"
>Huh.
>Hadn't even considered that.
>Not that you could exactly come out and ask her.
>She certainly wouldn't come out and tell you, either.
>Dead end.
"Doesn't matter. If he is, there's no way we could know."
>You reach over and place your hand on his head.
"Now let me relax for a bit."
>He shrugs off your hand and climbs onto the floor, where he begins pacing.
>"His mission was so simple, all he had to do was track some unicorn nobles to find their supplier."
>You rub your face with both your hands.
>"He didn't even have to interact with anyone. Just stay in the shadows. Even fresh initiates could do that."
"Can't we just drop it for a little while?"
>He looks up at you.
>"What?"
>Too muffled apparently.
>You let your arms flop down to your sides and take a deep breath.
"I said I'm gonna go take a hot bath."
 
>You stand up and stretch a bit before walking towards your room to grab some fresh clothes and a towel.
>A hot bath is just what you needed right now, and the ponies had seen fit to install a fairly large one when your house was built.
>Something about accommodating your giant size, though you suspect they overestimated just a tad.
>It was almost exactly like a jacuzzi tub, minus the awesome water jets.
>Not that you were complaining.
>You turn back as you walk away and see the worried mess still pacing on the floor.
>Sighing, you turn around and hold your hand out palm up.
"You're just going to sit out here mumbling to yourself if I leave you alone, aren't you?"
>He scoffs in protest.
>"I don't need you treating me like some helpless newly hatched. I'll be fine. One of us has to figure something out, and I've already relaxed as you asked."
>He sure wasn't relaxed anymore.
>Not like you could force him anyway, and you were just exhausted enough not to care.
>Fuck it.
"Whatever you say, stay out here if you want. If you change your mind, I'm sure you can find me."
>You turn to continue your quest for bathing supplies, calling back as you round a corner.
"And you can take off that disguise now. Not like Celestia's gonna come breaking through my wall like kool-aid."
>As you grab your clothes and towel, you hear him call to you.
>"What is kool-aid?"
>You roll your eyes.
>Right.
>The human metaphors, man.
"An infamous murderer from my world who filled his body with the blood of the innocents. He would just come bursting through people's walls."
>With that, you make your way into the bathroom and draw some hot water.
>"That sounds terrifying."
>Perfect temperature for soaking.
>You strip off your clothes and climb in, settling down onto one of the steps and letting your legs dangle into the rapidly growing pool of hot water.
"It's worse than you're imagining, and he was never caught."
 
>It doesn't take long for the water to engulf your whole lower body, and you allow yourself to slouch and slide in up to your chest.
>Nice...
>You close your eyes, and soon your head manages to slip into the water, causing the world to melt around you.
>Unfortunately, the peace doesn't last very long.
>You open your eyes slightly and see a familiar gray figure with brilliant aqua eyes moving his mouth rapidly at you.
>A smile spreads across your face.
>You hear nothing but the sound of water pouring into more water.
>His mouth finally stops moving and he just stares at you.
>You don't respond.
>After a moment, he begins looking around your tub for something, and quickly following that you notice the water shut off.
>Oh well, you were going to do that soon anyway.
>Now you didn't have to move.
>He speaks once more, and this time you can hear his muffled concerns.
>You can't understand it of course.
>His eyes continue staring down at you as you float lazily in the soothing water.
>When you still don't respond, he finally gives up and leaves the side of the tub.
>Finally.
>Your smile grows larger and you close your eyes, breathing out a sigh of relief.
>No sooner do you finish exhaling than you feel a chitinous hoof pushing down on your face, forcing you underwater.
>Little faggot.
>You use your arms to push yourself back above the surface and cough a couple times before looking over at him.
>He grins at you.
>"Oh good, you're done. Did you hear an-"
>His voice is cut off by the water that rapidly surrounds his fully submerged body.
>He flails a few times underwater, and you let him go.
>As he surfaces, you laugh at him.
"Oh hey, you decided to join me after all."
 
>Now it's his turn to cough a few times as he dog paddles his way over to the step opposite yours and climbs onto it.
>He hoists himself up before turning to face you.
>You could tell he wanted to be mad, but between pushing you under water first and your goofy grin, he couldn't help but smile as well.
>"You didn't give me a choice."
>You shrug and sink mostly underwater once more.
"Sure I did. You could have stayed out in my living room and paced for a while."
>Now he frowns.
>"That's not productive."
>You sigh.
"Know what's productive?"
>There's a tint of snide to his reply.
>"Is it another thing that really isn't productive?"
"Relaxing."
>He rolls his eyes, or at least it seems that way to you.
>Those bug eyes that you missed seeing.
>"How did I know?"
>You sit up on the step and prop your arms on the sides of the tub.
"Why don't you give my process a chance?"
>"I told you, I can't."
"Ya you can, you just have to stop talking for a minute."
>You hold up one of your hands to lift a finger at each point.
"No talking, no thinking, no moving, and no groaning."
>He just blankly stares at you as you list off your commands.
>You prop up an eyebrow as you wait for him to say something, but he elects to simply continue staring in silence.
>With that, you get comfortable once more.
>A few minutes go by, and Kalakcha hasn't said anything.
>Every time you open your eyes, he's still staring at you with a frown, but he's doing everything else you said.
>It was beginning to feel creepy as fuck.
 
>You have to break the silence.
"It doesn't count as not thinking if you're thinking of all the ways to kill me."
>His expression and stance doesn't change.
>"I thought you said no talking, and I wasn't thinking about you that whole time."
>You grin again.
"Just part of it, then."
>For the first time since you gave him those orders, he looks away slightly.
>Were you a bit more observative, you'd almost say he looked embarrassed.
"How about this then. Just think about how the water feels."
>He looks down and moves his hoof through the water.
>"It's a bit too warm for me."
>You point at the faucet.
"So add some cold water, make yourself comfortable."
>He scoots over and turns it on for a bit until he feels comfortable, then shuts it back off.
"Better?"
>He runs his hoof through the water once more before nodding at you.
"Good. Now focus on that as you slip into the welcoming void."
>With nothing left to say, you slip most of the way into the water once more, only leaving your face exposed to the air.
>He attempts to mimic your action and succeeds to some degree, though he has to lay across the step rather than slide into the deep middle area.
>Silence and warmth engulfs him and a few moments later, a happy sigh escapes him.
>For the first time since you two met, he allows the world to melt away.
>Neither of you are sure how long you both laid there, but you're pretty sure you dozed off for a bit.
>When you became aware of your surroundings again, the water was noticeably colder.
>Still lukewarm, but nothing close to the warmth it once had.
>You sit up and look across the tub at the bug pone who is contentedly still laying on his back across that step, eyes closed and hooves curled up against his body.
>A smile forms on your face as you simply sit there and watch his slow breaths for a while longer.
 
>When the time seems appropriate, you decide to nudge him with your foot.
>As much as you'd have liked to, you guys couldn't just stay in the tub forever.
>It would start to get weird, and cold, and you're not sure what kind of effects prolonged exposure to water has on bug chitin.
>Do they get pruny like skin does?
>He didn't feel any different with what your foot could tell you.
"Hey."
>You nudge him a few more times until he stirs.
>Eventually, his eyes lazily drift open and her turns his head slightly to look over at you.
>"Hm?"
>You nudge him once more, but he doesn't respond.
"I think we're done."
>He still doesn't move.
>"You know I can't hear you."
>Oh well.
>You pull the plug and the water level begins lowering rapidly.
>He should get the hint.
>He continues watching you lazily
>With a deep sigh, you stand up and stare at the ceiling as you stretch a bit.
>That was a fantastic soak.
>One that you've needed for a while now but never seemed to care enough to do.
>Shit you knew you needed to do always seemed to somehow end up at the end of your list of things you actually did.
>After your stretch you let your arms flop down and you look down to climb out.
>Kalakcha catches the corner of your eye.
>He's still staring at you.
>Far less lazily now.
>He seems fixated.
>Almost in a trance.
>You laugh internally as you already know what he's staring at, and this is far from the first time this exact scenario has occurred.
>Well, not exact, but close enough.
>Kinda.
 
>Equestrians are all comfortable with nudity.
>An idea that was as foreign as you were when you arrived.
>Over time though, you eventually got used to the idea.
>However, every now and then, someone gets a little more curious than usual.
>You are an alien to their world, after all.
>All new.
>After they sate their curiousity it's all business as usual.
>You'd be lying if you said you hadn't tried to sneak a peak at Kalakcha a few times.
>Not that you wanted that, it was just instinctual curiosity.
>Your eyes just wander on their own sometimes.
>So you can't blame him.
>You turn your head and smile down at him.
"Like what you see?"
>His trance all but explodes and lets out a tiny embarassed groan before allowing himself to roll from the step into the pool that remained in the center of the tub.
>He sinks to the bottom and doesn't try to resurface or move.
>Bubbles of air find their way to the surface before silently popping.
>You laugh to yourself and climb out.
>After you're all dried off and at least partially dressed in your leisure clothes, you look back into the tub.
>The water has drained, and the bug remains in the same position on the bottom.
>You grab a folded towel and whip it open as you walk back down into the tub.
>The soft fabric finds its way over his entire body as you lower it and then wrap your arms around both of them, effectively turning him into a bug burrito.
"C'mon, let's get you dried off."
>You hoist him up out of the tub and carry him out into your living room.
>The two of you end up on the couch once more.
>He's still held firmly in your arms wrapped inside the large towel.
 
>You sigh to yourself.
>There goes all that work to get him relaxed.
>Maybe you should try comforting him a bit?
>What can you say to make this less weird?
>A few moments pass and nothing is coming to mind.
>You can feel the little bug burrito slowly expand and retract with his breathing.
>He hasn't acknowledged anything has happened this whole time.
>Other than the slow breathing from both of you, it's been deathly quiet.
>"I have an idea!"
>The sudden burst of sound makes you jump.
"Holy shit."
>"You know what changelings feel like. All we have to do is get into a position where you can test each potential pony until you find him."
>What?
"Huh?"
>"You work for Celestia, which means you are considered high class by pony standards, which means you have access to the nobles, which means you can get close to the ones we marked and attempt to find my rogue lieutenant!"
>How the hell did he get from being too embarassed to talk to you to coming up with a solution to the missing bug problem?
"What happened? You acted like you died in the tub and now you're all hyped about finding this lieutenant again."
>"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been thinking this whole time."
>Right.
"So you're going to try to convince me you didn't sneak a peak at my ramrod and then groan as you died inside?"
>You hear him scoff.
>"Don't be perverse. That's not what happened. I was thinking."
"Oh, I'm sure you were thinking."
>"Indeed."
>You weren't going to just drop this forever, but for now there were more important matters to deal with than his potential fantasies involving you and whatever it is bugs fantasize about.
"Whatever. What was this plan?"
 
>He continues speaking from the warm embrace of your arms and the towel burrito.
>"As I said, simply touch each noble he might be until you find him. You'll know when you find him since you know how we feel."
>You bite your lip and look to the side as you consider this.
"Uh, I can't exactly walk around feeling up all the nobles. They all know I'm a bit weird, but I'm not that weird, not to mention Sunbutt would get flooded with complaints that she has to lecture me on."
>"It wouldn't have to be all of them. I'm sure he's still somewhere near his initial target. He would have to be here still in order to tell the guards where to find me."
>He chuckles lightly.
>"I can show you everyone we were supposed to follow. He has to be around them."
>You can feel him shift slightly.
>"Or, uh, one of them."
"One of them?"
>He coughs once in response.
>"He might have... Taken their place? He was only supposed to observe, but he's off the grid at this point. Anything is possible."
>You cringe a bit.
"It's gonna be really hard to justify helping you guys escape if some nobles ended up dead."
>"What? Oh, no, we don't kill ponies. At least, we haven't in a very long time."
>He shifts around once more.
>"He would simply, uh, make his target his mind slave and keep him hidden while he takes his place. That's all."
>His nervous laughter makes you wonder how often that happens.
"Guess it's okay if that's all."
>"It's not death."
>You hug him tighter.
"Please shut up. Let's focus on how I can actually find him rather than reasons I shouldn't be helping you at all."
>"We already went over that."
"No, I can't just go around touching everyone."
>"You can, you just need a good reason to."
 
>You hear Kalakcha release an exaggerated sigh.
>"I'm not asking you to be weird about it. A simple hoofshake would be enough for you to tell if something is wrong."
>You roll your eyes despite his inability to see you do it from where he is.
"I have no reason to do that, though, and I can't exactly start reintroducing myself to everyone and shake their hooves. I mean, I didn't even do that the first time I met them."
>There's a long pause before you hear him speak up again.
>You can hear the grin behind his voice.
>"That's perfect. Maybe it's time they met the new you."
>You don't like the sound of that.
>The hell does that even mean?
"You're not going to try to mind control me again, are you?"
>"No, you fool. You do not respect noble status. You do not even respect royal status. I'm saying now you've changed, and you do respect it, and you would like to start over by reintroducing yourself."
>You look off to the side.
"That's really retarded and doesn't sound like me at all."
>"It doesn't need to be you, it just needs to give you a reason to shake their hooves."
>That's not the point.
>No one is going to believe you suddenly changed for no reason.
>Not even the stupid nobles.
"That plan won't work. We'd need to-"
>Oh.
>Oh yes.
"Hmm..."
>You grin as the idea sprouts in your mind.
"You know who else would know what a changeling feels like?"
>"What?"
"Another changeling."
>There's another short pause as you sit their silently smiling at your own brilliance.
>"No."
"Oh, yes. We're going to introduce you to the ponies you saved from the terrifying changelings with your selfless acts of bravery and valor."
>"No."
"And of course they'd be more than happy to shake the hoof of someone that would sacrifice themself for such a noble cause."
>"No."
"Yes, dammit. It makes way more sense than me doing a complete one-eighty with my attitude."
 
>You feel him shift in your arms.
>"That's not the point. They'll know my hoof feels wrong. I'll get caught. We'll get caught."
"Nah. It'll be fine. Just, uh, try to keep a safe distance as you get close to everyone."
>"Do you realize how stupid that sounds?"
"No more stupid than your plan. What if you wore some armor so they could only touch your hooves?"
>He shakes his head around until the towel falls from around it.
>Turning it far enough to see you out of the corner of his eye, he speaks once more.
>"Do you think an injured guard would wear heavy armor to a social gathering?"
>You shrug.
"Duh."
>He blinks a few times.
>"What is duh? Is that yes?"
>You turn him a bit in your arms so he can look at you more easily.
"Yes, you idiot. Guards wear armor everywhere they go, and your injuries should be healed enough for you to do that tomorrow."
>He snorts.
>"Easy enough for one to say who isn't injured and won't be wearing the armor. Where will you be getting this armor? As a royal gaurd, I should already have my own."
>You think for a moment.
"Couldn't you just wear your bug armor and-"
>"No. They will likely feel my armor. It must be real."
>You roll your eyes.
"And where am I supposed to get royal armor? They don't just leave that stuff laying around, y'know."
>He squints at you.
>"You are very clever. I'm sure you can figure it out."
>Asshole.
>You have no idea where to begin procuring a set of royal armor.
>Suddenly he grins wide at you.
>"You were right. Relaxing really helped clear my mind. Look at all this progress we're making."
>You hold up a hand and point at him.
>Before he realizes what's happening, you press your finger onto his nose.
"Sure, if you want to call this progress. You're ignoring that there's not any kind of social event happening anytime soon, and there's not just spare guard armor everywhere, and Sunbutt will be stopping by tomorrow."
>He frowns at you.
>"Why would you do that?"
>You boop him once more.
"Cuz it's funny."
 
>His arms are still wrapped up too tight to bat your hand away, so he turns his head as best he can.
>"No, why would you attempt to undermine our progress like that?"
>You shrug.
"Not to mention there's no proof he's even still around here. He might have ditched this place as soon as he got you caught."
>He continues frowning at you in an attempt to communicate his contempt.
>"Doing nothing solves nothing. Even if we fail to find him we will succeed in making progress."
"How?"
>He pulls one of his hooves out from the towel with no small measure of effort and prods you in the chest.
>"Every pony we eliminate as a suspect is one less pony he could be. The list will narrow until we find him."
>You sigh.
"That's a perfect plan for someone who has an eternity to find his target. We're on a time limit."
>You tilt your head back slightly.
"Rephrase that. We're on an unknown time limit, which is the worst kind. Our time could be up at any time."
>He tilts his head at you.
>"One's time could be up at any time at all times."
>This time you prod his chest with a few fingers.
"Don't get all philisophical with me. You know what I mean. We need a plan that works quick."
>"That may not be an option. We have a plan that has a chance of working."
>You groan.
>"It's worth the attempt."
"I was really hoping the plan we came up with was going to be better than gee, I sure hope everything goes alright."
>Kalakcha closes his eyes and recites a phrase, as if he's said it thousands of times.
>"A plan only has as much chance for success as those carrying it out allow."
>You roll your eyes in response.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
>His eyes open once more.
>"It means everything should work just fine if you're not a fool."
>You sigh once more, but don't say anything.
>After a moment, he offers you a slight smile.
>"You should relax."
>Despite everything, you smile back.
>You're sure you'll figure something out.
>It's what you do.
 
>Shortly after your conversation ended, Kalakcha discovered he was being held in a towel wrapped in your arms and did his best to escape in the most nonchalant way he could manage.
>By nonchalant you mean he asked why you were still holding him.
>Surely he was dry by now.
>He attempted to pretend he wanted you to let him go, and you pretended you didn't care either way.
>After both of you ruse masters finished tricking each other flawlessly, he asked what you usually do around your house.
"You mean like in my free time or something?"
>He nods.
>"You don't seem to enjoy books enough for that to be all you do, and you clearly don't spend the rest of the time around town or at the castle."
>You smile a bit.
"Hm, would you like to see?"
>He tilts his head to the side in response.
>"I would not have asked if I did not wish to know."
>You shrug and turn around, beginning your short journey to your study.
>By study, you meant the spare room you had that you stored all your crap in.
"Sometimes people ask questions they don't really want to know the answer to."
>He follows behind you.
>"Why would anyone do that?"
"That's an excellent question. You should ask everyone who freaked out after asking me what I was doing in my locked room."
>"Wha-"
>His voice quickly trails off and he stops talking.
>You grin.
"Look how smart you are."
>You walk into your study and hold out your arm, welcoming him in.
"Of course, sometimes I lie. It's very rare, but it happens."
>He walks past you and looks around at the cluttered room.
>There's a pile of boxes near one wall, and a desk nearby that's completely covered in papers.
>Your wall is literally wallpapered in various parchments from earlier projects.
>It helps you keep track of what you've already done and what needs to be done.
>Kinda.
 
>Kalakcha looks up and down your walls before turning back to you.
>"What is all of this?"
>You hold one hand palm up and question him.
"Shouldn't you know? You searched my whole house, didn't you?"
>He shakes his head as he continues looking around.
>"No. I did a quick check to see if anyone else was here. When I was satisfied, I made my way to your entry room and began my more in-depth studying. You arrived shortly after."
"Well, whatever."
>You motion to all of your crap scattered around.
"This is the infiltrator gold mine. I'm sure soon enough you'll be absolutely convulsing with orgasms."
>He doesn't look over at you, but rather continues studying the walls.
>"I'll be what?"
"Nothing. So you heard my friends and I mention I'm not from around here, right?"
>He nods silently.
"You know, like from a whole different world."
>"Sure."
"A whole different universe, probably."
>You walk up next to him and begin pointing to the pages pinned all over your walls.
"Well, these are devices and machines we used in my world."
>His eyes slowly widen as he glances from page to page.
"I'm no engineer, so I don't actually know exactly how each one worked, but I drew what I could remember and what it was supposed to do. The least I could do was draw what it looked like and describe what it did, if nothing else."
>He begins pressing his hooves into the wall.
>"Wait, these are actual functining devices?"
>You nod.
"A lot of it is more advanced than anything in this world, but this place obviously relies on magic, so they didn't have the need to make most of this stuff driving them."
>Soon enough he can hardly contain his excitement as he shifts from spot to spot.
>He doesn't even finish looking over anything before moving on.
"So, ya, this is sort of how I spend all my spare time. It's kind of one of my only hobbies. That, and learning how to cook something new or exploring as far as I can now and then."
 
>As you finish your explanation, you take a seat and watch him shuffle around with a grin on your face.
>A few ponies you know used to get this excited, but the interest died down over time when they realized a lot of your devices had no practical use in their world.
>Every now and then something will pique their interest, but mostly it's just getting your legacy on paper.
>You are, and probably will always be, the last of your species after all.
>If no one else makes some records, no one will, and you can't let everything die with you.
>You sigh as you continue thinking to yourself, ignoring the lively sound of paper being moved all around.
>Soon enough, you're interupted by Kalakcha shoving a hooffull into your arms.
>He then points to each page as he asks about them.
>"What is this?"
>You look over the page and frown.
"Meh, just a lighter. You press this to release gas and then this circle of steel rubs against this tiny flint and makes a spark to light it, creating fire."
>You frown.
"Turns out unicorns can just create fire from magic, though."
>He tilts his head to the side.
>"Not everyone is a unicorn."
"Ya, well, I live in the unicorn capital. Besides, how would a pony use this with hooves?"
>"If it was made to work for your species, it can be remade to work for others."
>He pushes the paper off to the side to get at the one behidn it.
>"What about this one?"
>It only takes a glance for you to chuckle.
"Oh, this was just me practicing with a quill and ink. That shit was hard to learn even though it looks so simple."
>He looks disappointed.
>"Oh, I thought it was a complex device."
>You shrug.
"Well, it did lead to me drawing this first device."
>You flip through a few of the pages he brought to you until you find it.
"Here, see? It's called a ball-point pen, and as the name suggests the end is a ball."
>He looks up at you.
>"How would one write with a ball?"
 
"Well, the ball is super tiny, like almost a speck of dust, and it rolls ink from inside this storage chamber onto your paper as you drag it across."
>He pulls his head away from the page in awe.
>"Interesting. And these devices actually worked?"
>You grin at his reactions.
"Not only that, they were sold everywhere for super cheap. These were super common."
>This led into him questioning how anyone could create compact devices like these with such tiny parts and you having to explain what machines were.
>You both talked for the rest of the day in that room.
>Neither of you remembered, or even cared about having dinner.
>A yawn escapes your maw as you idly turn to look at your window.
>You suddenly became aware of the surrounding world for the first time since you showed him your study.
"Shit, it's getting really late."
>His own trance broke with yours as he looked towards your window.
>"Is it? Oh, is that a problem?"
>You stand up and stretch a bit.
"Hmm, not if you can just sleep in all day. Sunbutt is coming in the morning, remember?"
>He nods.
>"Yes, I remember."
>He looks around sadly at all the papers he didn't get to ask about yet.
>You sarcastically pat his head.
"There there young padiwan, we can pick this up some other time."
>He goes to brush your hand away, but you began walking before he reacted.
>"What is padiwan?"
>You wave your hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about it."
>As you walk through your house turning off the lights, Kalakcha seems to stay on your heels.
>He's not saying anything, though.
>Once you reach the end of your journey in your room, you turn to look down at the awkward bug.
>Seems he can't being himself to speak.
>He just looks from one side to the other at nothing in particular.
"So, uh, you gonna go to sleep tonight, or are you going to sneak back into my study and stay up all night?"
>He looks up at you.
>"Hm? Oh, I'll sleep, I suppose."
>You nod your approval.
"Alright, good."
 
>You begin your practiced ritual of throwing all your clothes to the floor so you may sleep unhindered in naught but your loose boxers.
>So liberating.
>You also can't help but notice Kalakcha is still standing in your doorway looking around awkwardly in silence.
>You look down at him with an unsure expression.
"Were you going to sleep on the couch, then?"
>He looks back up at you again.
>"That's where I slept last time, so it is likely. Sleep well, then."
>As he stands to turn to leave, you shrug and grin slightly.
"My bed is a lot more comfortable than that couch is, you know, if you wanted to share or something. It's a pretty big bed."
>He pauses for a moment before turning around.
>You can tell he's trying not to smile.
>"I can give it a try, to see how comfortable you claim it is."
>You roll your eyes and pull your covers back to slide inside as he gently hops up.
>He soon follows your example and climbs under your covers from the top and turns around under the covers before poking his head out and colapsing.
"How is it?"
>He moves around a bit to get comfortable before speaking.
>"It is nice. Thank you."
>You lean over and blow out the candle on your night stand before getting comfortable yourself.
>His back is pressing into yours as you drift off.
"Good to hear. Have a good night."
>He doesn't reply, and soon enough you're completely out.
 
>No interuptions.
>It would seem your bug friend decided not to wake you up over and over this time.
>You struggle to get your eyes open.
>With a little more effort, you manage to lazily open one of your crusty eyes.
>The light is low, but there.
>Must still be somewhat early.
>Your thoughts turn to your dreams.
>They're already mostly faded, but you can recall a few odd details.
>Better write them down after your coffee.
>Moonbutt always insists on you writing everything you can remember since apparently she can't go look personally.
>Much to her disappointment, she realized she can't get through your natural magical defense.
>You're not sure why she's so fascinated in dreams anyway.
>It's not like they mean an-
>Your thoughts are cut off as you notice your pillow move slightly.
>You look down and squeeze your arms a little tighter.
>Hm.
>That's not right.
>Your mind catches up all at once and you go completely still, unsure how to react.
>Sometime during the night, Kalakcha became your hugging pillow, and now he was currently wrapped in your arms.
>Still asleep, as far as you could tell.
>Thank God.
>"Are you awake now?"
>You cringe a bit.
>Guess he's not.
"I, uh, guess."
>You continue laying there as you are.
>For some reason, you think if you don't move he won't notice he's being cuddled by you.
>Surely the problem will just solve itself.
 
>"Will you create more nectar of the gods?"
>So much for that plan.
>You really suck at thinking when you wake up.
"Of course. I'm useless without it, heh."
>You offer a small, single laugh as you continue not moving.
>A few moments pass of you still not moving before he finally speaks up.
>"Will you release me? I can't move."
>You open your arms.
"Oh, was I holding you? I didn't notice. I thought it was a pillow, cuz you know, it'd be a little weird if I knew. So I didn't."
>After you release your prisoner, he climbs out from under the covers and stretches a bit.
>"You told me hugs weren't weird?"
>You quickly roll over to face away.
"And it's not weird, but I didn't know it was you. I thought it was a pillow, as I said."
>You quickly stand up and rub your face.
"I just need some co- er, uh, nectar of the gods. Then I'll be fine."
>He doesn't look up at you, but you wouldn't have noticed even if he did.
>You yank your leisure clothes on as quick as you can.
>"I'll meet you out there shortly. It is important to stretch your muscles after your body has been idle for so long in case swift action is needed."
"Sounds fine, see you out there in a bit."
>You attempt to look perfectly calm as you walk out of your room rubbing the back of your neck.
>Why do you care so much?
>Usually this kind of shit just makes you laugh.
>Must just be too early.
>You're sure you'll get over it soon enough.
>Just need that coffee.
>As you round the corner and catch sight of your glorious brewer, you feel something slam into your back.
>It's not enough to really hurt, but it sure didn't feel good.
 
>It causes you to lurch forward slightly as you catch your balance.
"What the f-"
>Another hit, this time to your side.
>You spin around in time to see a black blur heading towards you.
>Oh no you fucking don't.
>It slams into your stomach and you latch on with both hands as you fall to the ground.
>It's a damn changeling!
"What are-"
>Before you can finish, you see a green light right next to you that grabs your attention.
>There's another one.
>It looks like it's trying to use some sort of spell on you, but it's not working.
>You wriggle the changeling in your hands around so you can grip it with one arm so you can use your free arm to grab this other changeling.
>With a bit of manuevering, and surprise now on your side, you manage to get them both under control.
>One for each arm.
"Stop, dammit!"
>As you protest, yet another one begins attempting to kick you with his forelegs.
>You use your own legs to spin yourself around a bit and latch onto it with a scissor grip.
>It continues hitting you wherever it can land a blow, but is now trapped.
>That seems to be all of them.
"Kalakcha get your ass out here, I swear to God!"
>After that, all you can manage are gutteral, primal growls as your adrenaline builds up and your grips tighten.
>Small, hard hooves continue showering you in blows.
>After what feels like forever, you hear a familiar voice.
>"Swarm, cease function!"
>Instantaneously, they all stop moving.
>You keep your grip on them all, just in case.
 
"What the fuck? Who are these faggots?"
>He trots towards you and looks them over.
>"It is my swarm. Release them, they will not attack you again."
>BUllshit.
>They shouldn't have attacked you the first time.
>You tighten your grip a little more and they cry out a bit.
"Fuckers attack me in my own house!"
>One of them speaks up, a hint of pain behind his voice.
>"Commander?"
>Kalakcha says nothing.
>He simply observes you.
>With one final grunt, you release them all and stand up.
>One of them colapses onto his side, but the other two catch their balance and remain standing.
>With that, Kalakcha speaks up once more.
>"Why are you hear? I ordered you to remain in position until I came for you."
>The one that spoke up earlier speaks up once more.
>"Commander, you did not rendezvous with us last night as you said you would. We came to investigate to be sure you were not in danger."
>This seems to catch him off-guard, if the way he backs up slightly as he responds is any indication.
>"I was, busy. There was no need for-"
>"Commander, when you last made contact you informed us of potential danger and ordered us not to take risks concerning-"
>Kalakcha holds up a hoof.
>"Enough. I understand."
>You fold your arms and look at each changeling in turn.
"So I guess you told your little group to come rescue you from me if things went wrong."
>He turns and looks up at you with a nervous expression.
>"This was before I knew anything about you other than what a threat you were."
>He flinches at his own choice of words.
>"I mean, what threat you might pose to us- the hive, the hive as a whole."
>The other changelings look very confused as their leader stammers on his words.
>It just makes you smile.
 
>You turn around to continue your previous task before you were ambushed by Swarm Eleven.
"I guess all your mates will want some nectar of the gods, too?"
>No response.
>You can make out a muffled conversation between them, but don't care enough to listen in.
>He's probably explaining everything.
>Saves you the trouble.
>You rub your sore back a bit as you wait for the coffee to brew.
>Extra large batch today.
>You turn to look at them talking to one another.
>They seem to be making a lot of subtle and odd gestures as they speak.
"Don't suppose they have names either, hm?"
>Kalakcha looks up at you from his group.
>"What? Oh, no, they do not. Not any names like you are used to."
>He hesitates as he turns to speak to them again.
>With an unamused expression, he elects to look back your way again.
>"You're going to give them all names, aren't you?"
>You shrug at his question.
"If I have to."
>You give them a good once over from where you're standing.
>Huh.
>You didn't want to sound racist, but as far as you could tell they were all perfectly identical.
>How the hell are you supposed to give them all names when you can't even tell them apart?
>Maybe you'll figure something out.
>Maybe it won't even matter and they'll just leave soon.
"Are they planning on staying long? We're trying to keep a low profile, remember?"
>Kalakcha nods towards you.
>"Correct, I was updating them on our situation. They'll be leaving shortly."
>You sigh.
"How shortly?"
*THUD THUD*
 
>Fuck.
>There's the door.
>Fuck fuck fuck-
"Do they have any disguises?"
>You try your best to whisper quietly despite your panic.
>Kalakcha looks just as panicked as you, though the rest don't seem to fully understand what that knock means.
>They're looking to their commander for some orders.
>He shifts into his guard form.
>It's visually less injured than yesterday.
>You'd find this interesting if you weren't about to scream like a girl.
>His companions follow suit and copy his disguise.
>No.
>Goddamit no.
"You can't just fucking copy him, you need to look different."
*THUD THUD*
>You raise your voice so the pony at the door can hear.
"Ya, I just got up. Hold on dammit."
>They look around at each other before looking back up at you with a confused look.
>For fucks sake.
>Kalakcha responds to you.
>"They don't have individual guard disguises. They never needed one."
>You wave your arms frantically as you walk towards the door.
"Well make them use whatever they got, then. Now."
>You walk past your bug bud as he passes commands to his swarm.
>The room fills with dim flashes of green light.
>After you see the third flash you open your door as nonchalantly as you can manage.
>Before you stands Sunbutt in all her radiant morning glory.
>Fucking morning people, man.
"Sup Sunbutt."
>You speak through a false smile and invite her in.
 
>She nods at you.
>"Good morning, Anon. I know it's kind of early for you, but I have many stops to make today and wanted to make sure our friend is alright."
"Of course you do."
>You turn and motion to the group standing in your dining room, all standing in a row like soldiers.
>An injured guard, some earth pony you don't recognize, and two clearly noble unicorns.
>For fucks sake.
>Celestia steps inside and looks them over.
>"Oh, greetings. Anon didn't tell me he had so many guests."
>Just like an instant replay with Kalakcha, they all adopt expressions of fear.
>All except the commander, of course.
>He expected her visit this time.
>Pity his group did not.
>They do not speak, nor do they bow.
>They're not sure what to do anymore.
>Kalakcha steps forward slightly before bowing his head low.
>"Greetings, my princess."
>Upon seeing him bow, his swarm follows suit.
>She waves her hoof towards him just like last time.
>"There's no need for that, as I said before. How are you feeling? You appear to be fairing much better than just yesterday."
>He raises his head and nods.
>"Yes, princess, I feel much better. Thank you."
>She smiles.
>"I'm glad to hear that. It must be because Anon cares for you a great deal."
>Sunbutt almost seems like she's implying something.
>You and Kalakcha exchange glances.
>You probably just took it the wrong way.
"Well, I'm pretty good at relaxing. With my training he's done an amazing job at taking it easy. I dare say I've found an apprentice."
>She looks at you with a sly expression.
>"Oh, we don't need more than one of you, Anon."
 
>Her attention then turns to the others in the room.
>She tilts her head slightly.
>"So what brings the Bright couple to your home this early?"
>The who?
>She's staring directly at the unicorn nobles that have done and said nothing since her arrival.
>"You've hardly said a word. Have you been well since our last get together?"
>You stand a very short distance behind Sunbutt as she awaits a response, and you're desperately trying to give them the hand signals for say something you fucking retarded assholes.
>By some miracle, they seem to grasp the concept and each start acting more like nobles than scared imposters.
>One of them kneels slightly.
>"Indeed, Princess, we have faired quite well, and it is great to see you once more. It was merely an unexpected visit."
>The other steps in as well as if on queue.
>"We were just discussing the finer details of this attack with Anon, here. It would seem he's one of the only, er, ones with knowledge of the situation and we didn't want pony's imaginations to run wild with no answers."
>Wow.
>You stand there with a shocked expression.
>They actually managed to pull an explenation out of their asses.
>Celestia nods.
>"I understand perfectly. I had wanted to keep as much of this from reaching the public as possible for just such a reason. I would not like my subjects to begin panicking unnecessarily."
>The first one speaks up again.
>"We understand, and will do our best to keep such information to ourselves."
>Celestia scratches her chin lightly with her hoof.
>"Where exactly did you hear about it to begin with?"
>Right.
>Only the guards should have known anything, and they don't make this shit public.
>Not even a little.
>They both stammer slightly, caught off-guard.
>"Er, well..."
>You raise your hand.
"That was my fault. I let it slip when they asked about the injured guard I was walking around with."
 
>She turns her head back to you and frowns.
>"Anon, you know better than that."
>You shrug.
"It slipped."
>She doesn't look very pleased with you, but you expected as much.
>Loose lips sink ships and all that.
>It's one of her favorite lessons that she pounds into everyone in her service.
>"See that it doesn't happen again."
>You nod.
"I'll just try not to slip anymore."
>Last is the regular earth pony, who had no reason you could fathom to be there.
>Ever.
>Who the fuck even was that?
>She looks him up and down.
>"I'm sorry, I don't recognize you. Are you not a local resident?"
>The last bug scratches the back of his neck.
>"Uh... I..."
>Nothing.
>You were drawing a perfect blank, and from what you could gather from everyone else, so were they.
>Suddenly, Kalakcha slaps him in the shoulder with the back of one of his hooves.
>"This kind pony is the reason I healed up so quick. He sells herbal remedies and tonics."
>He grins and continues.
>"They really work!"
>The nervous earth pony gives a light chuckle.
>"Heh, yes, as I said they would. Natural healing."
>Celestia smiles at them.
>"Fascinating. You shall have to give me some samples when you can."
>He smiles back.
>"Oh, of course, p-princess."
>You're fairly impressed with the way he grabbed that last minute explenation.
>Guess that covers everything.
>You breath a sigh of relief.
>Sunbutt speaks up once more after looking around the room.
>"I see I interupted your morning breakfast once again."
 
>You give her an unamused look.
"What do you expect when you come barging in when the sun comes up?"
>She turns around and gives you a playful poke in the chest.
>"Actually, I expect you to get annoyed and call me by that disrespectful title."
>You grin at her and rub your chest.
"Guess you're pretty smart, then."
>She winks at you.
>"I'm far more intelligent than you think, Anon."
>Okay.
>She continues on towards your door.
>"I guess I'll be going, then. You have much to discuss, correct?"
>You place your hands into your pockets and shrug your shoulders.
"Not really. I thought the point was to keep it all a secret?"
>She turns her head back and nods.
>"Indeed."
>With that, her horn lights up that brilliant golden color and the door gently swings open.
>"Farewell, friends. It was good seeing you once more."
>Everyone says their individual goodbyes as she steps out your door.
>You turn back and look over everyone as they sigh and relax a bit.
>Once again, you have all somehow dodged a bullet.
>As you relax as well, you notice all their faces tense up once more and their gaze focus behind you.
>Hm?
>You turn around and see Celestia walk back into your home.
>She closes the door behind her with her magic and sighs.
>"You call me smart, but you must truly think me a fool."
>She looks very disappointed as she continues.
>"I have sent my chariot away, they won't bother us. I'll admit, I did have a bit of fun, but I'm sorry you think so little of me."
 
>Busted.
>You turn and look at your little group.
>They're not moving.
>They're not speaking.
>Even the commander now looks afraid.
>You turn back to her and sigh and offer a defeated grin.
"But it all sounded believable, right?"
>Her face stays solemn.
>"Anon... I was in the room."
>Your heart drops.
>Does she mean...?
>"The day you released that changeling. I was in the room for the entire process. What kind of cruel leader gives the command to inflict pain upon another if they won't even witness the consequences of their orders?"
>What kind of leader gives that kind of order to begin with?
>You frown.
>She closes her eyes as she continues.
>"I know what you're thinking, and the answer is far more simple than I would like. I was afraid and desperate for my subjects; that they would be attacked once more and I would not be able to stop it. The changelings, when prepared, are extremely efficient in what they do. However, it was also their efficiency that forced my hooves. What if through the suffering of one, multitudes could be spared?"
>Her eyes open once more.
>"But you were right. We are in a situation that neither side can win unless the game is changed. I wish for my subjects to be safe, but not at the expense of others."
>Her face goes stern as she finishes.
>"If they push me, I am prepared to push back. However, if there is even a small chance you can succeed in finding a different path, I am willing to cling to this hope. It is why I have merely observed your actions thus far."
>She stands there expressionless as she waits for you to respond.
>The changelings must have realized fleeing would be useless as well, since they haven't budged.
>You fold your arms and look down as you think.
"Why'd you come back and admit all this now?"
>She lowers her head.
>"I couldn't keep lying to you. Not if I truly wanted you to succeed."
>She tilts her head up to meet your eyes with a smirk.
>"Besides, I couldn't keep up the ruse of being fooled by you anymore."
 
>You poke your tongue out.
"You never let me have any fun."
>She stands up normally once more and looks over the changelings standing behind you.
>"The injured guard is a pony that hasn't worked in my castle for at least two years now. Do you really think I do not know every detail about every single guard in my own castle?"
>Kalakcha's eyes dart back and forth.
>She tilts her nose up slightly.
>"The Brights are currently away on business, and the last time we met it wasn't pleasant. They were complaining about the dull color of cobble used in the streets."
>The two fake unicorns looks at each other.
>Celestia tilts her head at the remaining changeling.
>"Honestly, I've never seen this pony in Equestria before. Where did you encounter him?"
>All eyes turn to him.
>He looks around and takes a few steps back.
>"Why are you all looking at me? It's just a pony I ran into on one of my first assignments. I wasn't even in Equestria."
>You shake your head.
"You used a disguise from some pony who isn't even from this continent?"
>He looks away and frowns.
>"I was told to use any disguise, and I like this one."
"You're an idiot."
>Kalakcha gives you a solemn look and sighs.
>"I suppose there's no reason to keep these disguises on, is there?"
>His horn lights up with a green glow for a moment, and in a flash of green light he's back to his regular self.
>You nod towards him and he bows his head slightly.
>"I can't promise any other changeling will trust either of you, but if Anon trusts you, then that will be enough for me. For now."
>Celestia winces.
>"I did not give the order lightly, you und-"
>"Please, princess. Leave it alone."
>He looks off to the side.
>Her head lowers slightly.
>"Very well."
 
>You turn and wave your hands dismissively.
"I'm glad we're all on the same page now, but it's time for my morning brew."
>As you pour a cup for yourself, you turn your head.
"You already had some, didn't you Sunbutt?"
>She nods as she takes a seat at your table.
>"Of course, though I would not object to another cup."
>You hear a few changelings exchange some muffled words of confusion.
>"Did he just call her..."
>"How is it he has not been slain for such disrespect?"
>"Sir, how shall we-"
>Kalakcha speaks up clearly, effectively interupting his swarms conversations.
>"Some nectar of the gods would be perfect, Anon."
>Oddly enough, he takes a seat right next to the princess.
>He also does his best to avoid eye contact.
"Ya, ya, all you moochers are lucky I always got plenty available."
>Celestia looks down at Kalakcha.
>"It's plain to me why you were made a commander. A great leader sets the example for others to follow, correct?"
>You chuckle under your breath.
>It seems all Kalakcha can manage to do right now is keep himself from passing out.
>You finish stirring all the cups and place the spoon in your sink.
"It's as if courage and valor made sweet love and he was the off-spring."
>He gives you a look you're able to interpret in place of an insult, but his expression softens as you carry their cups to the table.
>You motion the others over to the table by tilting your head from side to side.
"Don't worry, the guy with two hands and no magic will get them all. Come sit down."
>You frown as they approach the table.
"And take those stupid disguises off, you're not fooling anyone right now."
>Celestia bows her head slightly.
>"Such a well-spoken and gracious host."
>All the bugs take seats so that Kalakcha is between them and the princess.
>Nice of them to leave the other seat next to her for you.
>Green flashes light up the room one at a time as they reveal their true forms.
 
>You finish passing out the coffee and take your own seat as you take a deep inhale of the aroma.
>The world could be ending and it would still be a good day as long as you had your cup.
>The three of you begin to nurse your cups while the rest of the swarm sniffs at it tentatively.
>"Sir, what is this?"
>Kalakcha glances at him as he takes a sip.
>"Drink it."
"Didn't you hear him? It's called nectar of the gods."
>Celestia grins behind her cup.
>As they all take their turn testing it, their faces light up.
>You roll your eyes as they begin drinking it as fast as the heat will allow them.
"Maybe I should set up a shop near the changeling hive and become a millionaire. Starbucks will be excited that they have a branch in another dimension."
>Of course no one understood or cared about your reference.
>They didn't even appreciate that it could double as a horse pun.
>Besides the bugs hurriedly drinking their coffee, everyone was sitting in awkward silence.
>You sigh as you swirl the little remainder of your cup around.
>Celestia magically sets her cup down and turns to you.
>Her posture is always so formal.
>"I couldn't help but notice neither you nor your group of changelings left Equestria as you had originally planned."
>You put your cup down as well and look across the table at them.
"We had to change our plans a few times. First cuz you made sure he would still be here today."
>"It was actually my intention to get them to leave quicker. I see it had the opposite effect."
>You tilt your head at her.
"Turns out Kalakcha couldn't bring himself to abandon me."
>He looks down into his cup.
>"That's... Right."
>Celestia nods her approval.
>"Interesting."
"And second because apparently they didn't just come here to sight-see."
>The nearest changeling leans over to his commander.
>"Sir, should we be discussing-"
>"It's fine."
>Kalakcha looks up at Celestia.
>"My lieutenant went rogue and it is my primary mission to discover why and bring him back to my hive."
 
>As Kalakcha exlains the deal with his lieutenant to Celestia, you point across the table at the changeling nearest to his commander.
"I think I'll call you Mr. Sir."
>Kalakcha rolls his eyes as he continues.
>The changeling you are pointing at glances around before focusing on you.
>"You will, you what?"
"You haven't said a single sentence since I met you that didn't begin with sir, plus references are fun for me."
>He begins looking himself over.
"So your name is Mr. Sir from now on."
>"That does not sound like a real rank."
>His confusion makes you grin.
>You take another sip of coffee and point at the next changeling, continuing around the table.
"I dunno, Blindside?"
>He looks at his fellow swarm mates who are just as confused as he is.
>Kalakcha continues ignoring you to the best of his abilities.
>"For what purpose does this title serve?"
>You lean back a bit and scratch your chin.
"You're the one that hit me from behind, right?"
>The changeling next to him raises his hoof.
>"That, er, uh-"
"Anon."
>"Anon. That was me."
>You shrug.
"Close enough, and you'll be Abraham."
>Mr. Sir looks over his swarm before glaring at you.
>"What is the meaning of this? You have no authority to give us new titles."
"They're names. They're each your names forever and ever until you die or I lose track of who is who... Or get bored."
 
>Celestia interrupts Kalakcha to turn and speak to you.
>"You're not very creative when it comes to names, Anon. Do they not have their own names?"
>You set down your empty cup.
"Why don't you ask Kalakcha about how that works? Besides, you don't have any room to judge. Literally everything in Equestria is a horse pun."
>She closes her eyes and smiles.
>"Fair point."
>Kalakcha sighs and turns to his group.
>"As you know, ponies feel more comfortable referring to each other with informal titles, and apparently will grant such a title to anyone who does not have one."
>None of them seem too pleased.
>Mr. Sir is the first to speak up once again.
>"Sir, it's one thing to refer to us as our disguise's title when necessary, but to refer to us by anything other than our earned title on a personal level just feels... It's disrespectful, as well as demeaning."
>Kalkcha gives them all a stern look.
>"You will allow yourself to be referred to in whichever way your host deems fit. This mission has become something much larger than our swarm and their concerns. The outcome of upcoming events could very well have a great impact on our entire hive. Do I make myself clear?"
>He trails off under his breath.
>"Even if the names are foolish."
>They all nod in understanding.
>"Sir."
>Blindside coughs after the ordeal is settled.
>"I, kinda like, my, name..."
>Mr. Sir groans.
>Abraham looks up at you and attempts to break some of the tension.
>"This drink is most enjoyable."
"Want some more? I was about to get some myself."
>"I think I've had enough..."
>Blindside speaks up.
>"I'll have more."
>Kalakcha finishes explaining the situation to Celestia as you fill the cups.
>Gonna need all the energy you can get today.
>You're sure of it.
 
>It takes some time, but together your odd party comes up with a plan to find this missing lieutenant.
>Everyone agrees that he is most likely still hiding among the nobles.
>As Celestia mentioned before, bugs can be extremely efficient when fully prepared for a mission.
>Unlike the improvised disguises and stories from the rest of this group, he had been studying his targets for quite a while.
>He has melded in flawlessly.
>The only clue your group has is his targets.
>He should be a pony that has some variety of tie to them.
>It could be a noble pony that has known one of them for a long time, or it could be a random worker at a storehouse they own.
>Whichever area he decided would give him the most access to what he wanted.
>Therein lies the problem your party had to overcome.
>You had to find him quietly.
>Sunbutt can't host some random party; that would seem odd.
>Your group can't just wander around together feeling up random ponies.
>They can't even stick together since you escorting four ponies around would surely tip him off.
>Sunbutt has assured you that she is the only one who knows Kalakcha is the injured guard, so at least you still have the edge.
>As far as the lieutenant should know, his commander is safely in the custody of the princess.
>The plan you finally all decided might work involves sending one bug into each area.
>You're supposed to keep your distance and help only if there is a need.
>Despite your improv skills falling short of fooling Sunbutt, she's sure you can handle a handful of regular ponies.
>If anyone asks, you'll come up with your own reasons for being wherever you happen to go.
>However, the bugs will be assigned positions by Celestia herself.
>She knows which ponies best provide access to each position, as well as the unspoken purpose that she will be able to keep tabs on each of them.
>When asked how she would provide the disguises and openings, she said to leave it to her.
>Each bug would have his chance.
 
>So here you were, eating breakfast at some terrible high-class outdoor resteraunt where you swear to God everything is soaked in perfume.
>Even the food.
>You take a deep drink of your lemon water.
>Especially the food.
>You watch out of the corner of your eye as a unwitting pony gets asked by royal guards for his expertise on a specific problem.
>In this case, emergency royal chariot repair.
>This particular pony apparently runs maintenance on many machines in Canterlot, or at least what passes as a machine in their world.
>They walk slowly past a small alley where a pair of eyes watch from the darkness.
>You note the subtle flash of green followed by a familiar pony emerging a short while afterwords.
>He walks onto the street with all the confidence one would expect from an ordinary citizen.
>You finish off your lemon water by swishing it around in your mouth for a bit.
>Sunbutt was insightful enough to give them at least a few quirks and personality traits of each target.
>Enough that they should pass as them for a while.
>Well, this part went off without a hitch.
>You pay for your "meal" and nonchalantly stroll away towards whatever might strike your fancy.
>In this case you end up browsing some expensive sculptures.
>They were all overpriced rocks to you, but for reasons unknown they were suddenly so fascinating that you just had to pull one of the artists away from the manager to ask him how he does it.
>He was more than happy to explain the difficulties of working with certain rocks, the sharp eye needed to craft every subtle detail that makes the whole, and the lack of appreciation for good artisans these days.
>Eventually you find yourself at the edge of the lot.
>The underappreciated artist is too busy describing the inspiration for a nearby piece to notice the very brief flash of green that came from nearby.
>It was nothing, anyway.
 
>After hearing his plight, you assure him that at least you can appreciate what he does and that nothing would make you happier than to treat him to a full day relaxing at the local spa.
>He's, of course, too humble to accept such an expensive gift, but reluctantly does so after you insist.
>You nod at him as he practically floats out of the rock lot towards a free day of full service paid for by yours truly, and by extension, by Sunbutt.
>You thrust your hands into your pockets as you wander off once more.
>According to Kalakcha, the particular supplies they were sent to track were somewhat exotic in nature.
>To be more specific, they were a certain mineral that are common to his old home land.
>In fact, it's the only place he knows of that one can obtain it, and somehow shipments of it have found their way into Canterlot and into quite a few expensive items.
>It would seem some rogue changeling has been making a bit of bits on the side without the hive knowing.
>You chuckle slightly at the prospect of it all.
>Some changeling went rogue, and then the changeling who was sent to find out who it was also went rogue.
>Maybe you can talk Kalakcha into going rogue to complete the chain for kicks.
>This mission could become legend among the changeling hive.
>The mission that can never be completed because every changeling that sets out to solve it ends up becoming part of the mystery.
>You glance around at a few trade wagons as they roll past you.
>If only things could be so fun.
>You note that none of these wagons seem to carry anything exotic.
>Most of them are full of fruits and flowers from various nearby areas.
>A few others carry closed crates with papers plastered to the sides labeled as common goods.
>A small handful are covered wagons that you know you can't stop to check, but at least they seem honest enough.
>Nothing strikes you as odd.
 
>You weren't really necessary for this part, but you thought you'd look around anyway to see what could be seen.
>Unfortunately it wasn't a whole lot.
>You watch "the artist" from before shaking the hooves of a few random nobles and fellow artists as they sit down to discuss whatever.
>Nothing happens.
>Your swarm had originally raised concerns with being touched by ponies, but you assured them that everyone believes what they can see over all else.
>Usually.
>You sigh.
>Would have been nice to end it so early in the day, but of course that couldn't happen.
>You wonder who the lucky one will be that gets to capture this enigma as you stroll away.
>If there's any justice in the universe, it will be Kalakcha himself.
>"The mechanic" has spent most of the day going from factory to factory, checking up on machinery and having idle conversations with acquaintances.
>He has no luck, but at least he also has no problems.
>"The collector" is currently meeting with some clients about acquiring some new center pieces for his gallery.
>Only the most exotic pieces will do.
>You sit on a nearby bench and watch in boredom.
>He's supposed to be some master infiltrator and spy.
>If he's worth a shit, he ditched this place as soon as he turned Kalakcha over.
>He had to have known they wouldn't just let that slide.
>It's been a long and frustratingly uneventful day.
>A few of the changelings had some close calls with some double takes upon contact, but luckily what you said held true.
>Seeing is believing.
>"The worker" has spent all day doing manual labor at the train depot, loading and unloading.
>You made sure Mr. Sir was the lucky one who got that assignment.
>Dude needs to lighten up.
>You whistle to yourself as your attention finds its way back to the collector.
>As his hooves clasp the hooves of one of the fellow aristocrats peddling wares, something odd seems to happen.
>They each exchange brief knowing glances at each other.
"Found you."
 
>You mutter under your breath as you stand up and walk around a corner before leaning back against the wall, waiting patiently.
>Even if they both know, it's still in both of their best interests not to draw attention to themselves.
>And so the ruse continues.
>You can't let him leave your sight or else he could simply change and disappear again.
>Mystery bug nods as he dismisses himself and cleverly lets slip the collector's keen interest in one of the other client's wares.
>He's gonna be stuck talking as his target walks away.
>Walks away towards the quieter part of town.
>Walks right in your direction.
>Walks right past you as you step out and easily catch him in just a couple of your relatively massive steps.
>You reach your hand down to touch his mane.
>Instead, you're met with the familiar feel of a bug fin.
>He looks to the side and then up at you.
"We need to talk."
>You say without looking down at him.
>As you both round a corner, he suddenly breaks into a sprint.
>He doesn't get far before you're both enveloped by a golden light and that sickening feeling of being turned inside out overtakes you.
>In a flash, you're both back in your own house.
>He slides to a stop and looks back at you.
>You shrug at him before clutching your gut and walking towards your couch to have a nice sit.
>Sunbutt was already waiting there as well, wearing that familiar expressionless face.
>As you collapse into the sitting position, he turns to sprint away once more only to be teleported back to the center of your room again.
>He stops running and grunts in frustration.
>After a few moments, his head falls in defeat and he turns to you both.
>"So I escaped from one just to fall prey to another."
>You take a deep breath and slowly exhale.
"Alright, so the first question wi-"
>"I won't be talking to either of you."
>He spits the words at you, and you simply nod in response.
 
"Anyway, first question will be who are you?"
>He doesn't respond.
>He simply sits down and stares straight forward.
>You look over at Sunbutt.
>She returns your look, but says nothing.
>True to her original plan, she wants you to be the one who handles this situation.
>You look back over at the fake pony in your living room.
"You could at least take off that disguise."
>He sighs, and a moment later the disguise flashes away, leaving behind an ordinary changeling.
>Why do they all have to look so identical?
"That feels better, right?"
>He resumes staring forward.
>You stand up and scratch your neck.
"Since you won't say who you are, could you at least tell me why you're here? Well, not 'here,' but in Canterlot?"
>Nothing.
>You watch him for a bit.
>He's like a statue.
>You frown at him.
"Gonna do this the hard way, hm? Some kind of tough guy?"
>Unfazed.
>You walk over to him and crouch down far enough that your eyes can meet.
"I've dealt with tough guys before. I'm sure a lot of them were tougher than you."
>His eyes finally move and meet yours, glaring harshly.
>You lean in slightly and stare back.
>A moment later, your index finger is pressing into his nose.
"Boop."
>He blinks in confusion as you grin at him.
>You hear a mild chuckle come from behind you.
>As you stand back up and turn around, you begin speaking once more.
"We know you're not working with your hive. We just want to know why."
>His head tilts slightly as he watches you walk a short distance before looking back at him.
>"You're very strange."
>His gaze turns to Celestia.
>"You successfully captured the changeling I informed you about. Did you not get everything you needed from him?"
>Celestia answers him.
>"He was not very forthcoming, even when harshly pressed."
>She looks off to the side and the changeling nods.
>"I see."
"We might just have to wait for a bit. I don't think he's gonna say anything until they get back."
 
>He scoffs in response.
>"Bringing your torturers here, then? They'll do you no good."
>You shrug.
"Something like that."
>His eyes close.
>"I've been prepared for this day for quite a while now. This is the price I must pay, and I accept it."
>Jesus guy.
"Calm down ya dramatic faggot. No one even knows what's gonna happen yet. Do I really strike you as the violent type?"
>He shakes his head.
>"No, you strike me as the unpredictable type, which is far more unsettling."
"You say unsettling, I say fun."
>He opens his eyes and looks up at you.
>"If you think conflict is a game, you're far more disturbing than I had originally thought."
>You cross your arms and take a seat once more.
"Let's just wait, okay?"
>"What could you possibly be waiting for that you believe will change the situation?"
>You really wanted Kalakcha to dramatically walk through the front door and say "me," but you knew he was still at least twenty minutes out.
>Missed opportunity.
>Mystery bug spends the majority of his time sitting still with his eyes closed.
>Likely preparing himself mentally for torture or whatever.
>Celestia hasn't said much of anything or moved really.
>She's extremely patient, but you would expect as much from a seemingly immortal being.
>You've been spending your time studying this guy.
>Despite carefully examining him, you couldn't spot any noticeable differences between him and Kalakcha.
>What if they end up in a scuffle and you don't know who to help?
>That could be annoying.
>You briefly imagine them standing side by side on a rainy rooftop with you pointing a gun at them.
>"You'll have to shoot us both just to be sure."
>One of them would step forward and say.
>The other would then retort.
>"Fuck that, remember the time I saw your junk in the bathtub? Cap this bitch."
>And then you'd shoot that other guy.
>You grin to yourself like a moron as the front door finally opens and a handful of unrelated ponies invite themselves in.
 
"Finally."
>Apparently they had ditched their high-class disguises for more common ones somewhere along the way.
>Guess Celestia taught them something after all.
>One of them briskly trots directly up to the mystery bug and without hesitation brings one of his forehooves back across his face.
>"You deserve a far more severe punishment, but this will suffice for now. My own desires need to be set aside."
>Mystery bug rubs his face for a moment and grins before shaking his head.
>"The thought that you might be working with them had crossed my mind, but only briefly. They must be truly desperate. How long did it take you to break and sell me out?"
>Instantly Kalakcha is on top of him, pressing his shoulders into the ground as his disguise flashes away.
>"Sell 'you' out? Was it not you who got me captured? Got me tortured?"
>"That does not give you free reign to destroy other hive members. You should have left me alone."
>He retorts.
>Kalakcha leans closer.
>"The Queen allows us to deal with insubordination in any way we see fit within our own swarm, 'swarm eleven lieutenant.'"
>As they glare at each other, you decide to butt in.
"So why did you do it?"
>Neither of them look up at you, but mystery bug replies.
>"Why would I tell you? Why would I tell anyone? My life is now forfeit."
>The rest of his swarm is patiently sitting on the sidelines.
>You're sure he told them not to get involved.
>On the other hand, technically they're both higher rank than them, so maybe they can't?
>Meh, doesn't matter.
"Like I said, nothing has been decided yet."
 
>Kalakcha shakes his head.
>"No, he's right about that. He will be severely punished for betraying a commanding officer, and I will be punished as well for acquiring the aid of an enemy to handle a private conflict."
>He looks back at you.
>"Technically speaking."
>You nod.
"Right."
>"It was for a girl."
>Everyone had all but forgotten Celestia was still there, and her voice rattled them all.
>"Correct? It was you who helped her."
>Everyone gives her an odd look, though mystery bug seems more surprised.
>Kalakcha speaks up.
>"What did he do?"
>She looks up as she thinks.
>"Some time ago, a strange new mineral had begun finding its way into Canterlot goods. As dark and hard as obsidian, without the shine. Most strange. I managed to trace its supply to a young lady who claimed they were gifts. It made her quite wealthy."
>She looks back down at him.
>"That was you. Then you say you were supposed to look into this matter, as this mysterious benefactor could affect your entire hive, but it was you, and you couldn't let her get caught."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"He betrayed his hive for a chick? Isn't that like, super cliche?"
>"It's sweet, in a way."
>Mystery bug allows his head to lay back as he loses focus and stares at nothing in particular.
 
>Kalakcha looks back down at him.
>"Is this true?"
>He takes a deep breath and sighs before focusing back on his commander.
>"Have you ever had love freely given to you? Not stolen, no tricks, given without sleight or secrets. She knows exactly what I am."
>He leans closer and squints a bit.
>"She knows exactly what we did. Why would she help me? Why does she care? I didn't understand."
>His head falls back again.
>"After our attack, I was blasted through some trees and severely injured. I could hardly move on my own, let alone sustain a disguise, and she found me there. I thought that this must surely be the end for me, but when my gaze met hers, she held no hatred for me in her eyes. They were full of concern."
>He chuckles slightly.
>"Heh, concern for an enemy's well being. It was absurd. But, she took me to her little cottage and helped me heal, and every day I had to look into those caring eyes. She should be full of malice, I thought, but she wasn't. It was almost torture in itself. I hated her. I hated everything about her."
>His eyes close.
>"Eventually, I could only hate myself. I don't deserve this. What am I to her? Just a monster. I'm no fool, I know what I am, but she loved me anyway. She kept telling me I could be better, that the kindest ponies are always those who have known suffering, and now I could be better. That 'I' could be better."
>His eyes open and he glares up at Kalakcha.
>"So I became better."
 
>A few moments pass in silence before he finishes.
>"Over time, we grew to love each other. Most don't even know changelings are capable of returning love, only consuming it. When it's stolen, it can't be returned. When it's given... Eventually I got the idea to help her in some way, and that's when this all started. I helped her. It will never be as much as she helped me, but it's all I could do. I knew there would be consequences, but I will gladly suffer them."
>Kalakcha shakes his head.
>"Why didn't you just tell me?"
>He looks up at him and frowns.
>"Would you even understand? How could you understand?"
>Kalakcha turns back and looks at you.
>Celestia follows his gaze and props up an eyebrow at you.
>You look at them both in confusion.
"What?"
 
>With a sigh, Kalakcha turns back to his old lieutenant.
>"I'll admit, I would have behaved exactly as you expected."
>He lowers his head.
>"I'm... not sure what to do anymore."
>The lieutenant lowers his head as Kalakcha continues.
>"I must complete my missions, which are not only passed down directly from The Queen, but a promise to this human that I would personally make sure we all left together when you were found."
>He nods in response.
>"I understand, sir. It can't be helped."
>Kalakcha backs up a little.
>"For what it's worth, I'm sorry it has to be this way."
>He turns to look at you.
>"When you are ready, we can fulfill our bargain."
>Celestia turns to you.
>"What exactly was this bargain?"
>You stand up and scratch your neck.
"I'm supposed to escort them all out of Equestria, to wherever their hive is. I'm not sure where it is. I just kind of assumed."
>"It is indeed outside the borders of Equestria."
>Kalakcha responds as he signals his swarm to get ready to depart.
"Is, uh, that guy gonna try to fight, or run or something?"
>Lieutenant shakes his head.
>"There would be no reason. Even if I escaped, it would just bring more of the hive down upon the one I care about."
>Celestia gives you a concerned look.
>"I'm not sure it is wise for you to do this. While some changelings may be an agreeable sort, the hive follows its queen, and she will- may not be as understanding."
>While the changelings talk among themselves, she pulls you close and whispers.
>"To be frank, she's evil. Pure evil."
>You gently push her away from you a bit and talk normally.
"C'mon, you guys said the same thing about that Discord guy and he's pretty fun to hang out with."
>She frowns in frustration.
>"Hm, Anon, this isn't the same thing."
 
>You shrug.
"Look, I'm supposed to find a way to broker some sort of peace agreement, right? I'm the, uh, that one guy-"
>"Diplomat."
>You nod towards Kalakcha.
"Thanks. I'm one of the diplomats which means this is kinda my job, on top of all those other reasons I'm going. You said it yourself, if there's any chance, we have to try."
>She looks to the side.
>"I did say that, but I do not think you fully grasp what you're volunteering for by going about it in such a straightforward manner."
"I can handle it. Maybe she'll even like me?"
>Kalakcha brushes past your leg.
>"She won't."
>You frown.
"Not helping."
>"Was I supposed to lie? Since your princess mentioned it, I must say I agree with her."
>Celestia looks embarrassed as he continues.
>"Our Queen will not tolerate your presence. It is likely she will drain you and discard you without you ever having a chance to say anything. I understand what you wish to accomplish, but I don't want you to go in with false expectations. I respect you too much to allow that."
>You cross your arms as they begin walking towards your door.
"Respect? I thought we were friends by now."
>The lieutenant scoffs at your remark.
>"Respect from a commander is almost kinship. You're practically an honorary member of the swarm."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"Oh, neat."
>"Our Queen will still kill you despite this."
>He finishes.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
 
>An hour of walking later, your little group of ordinary ponies find themselves at the edge of the border of Canterlot.
>This is the furthest you've ever been.
>After some more convincing, Celestia finally agreed to let you do this yourself and quickly teleported herself away.
>Knowing her, she's going to spy on you in some way.
>Nothing you can do about it; she's at least as stubborn as you, and a lot more clever.
>Living more than a handful of centuries will give you that edge.
>As you look around, you figure you're far enough away from civilization to talk more openly now.
"What do you guys suppose she's gonna want for peace?"
>Kalakcha replies.
>"What do you mean?"
"You know, what are her terms? Her, uh, demands, or whatever."
>"The submission and obedience of all her subjects, which would extend to allies as well."
>You curl your lip.
"Is that all? No wonder you guys don't have any allies."
>"Those who do not agree to the terms are removed."
>You rub your chin thoughtfully for a moment.
"Why would any of you follow a ruler like that?"
>The lieutenant looks down as Kalakcha responds once more.
>"It's not a disagreeable way to live. In return for unshakable loyalty, she makes sure we are always provided for. Is it too much to ask that your subjects trust and obey your commands as ruler?"
"What if you don't want to?"
>He thinks a moment on this, but the lieutenant speaks up first.
>"Then you don't, and you face the consequences of your actions."
>He looks over at his commander.
>"Or you do, and are rewarded."
 
>You shake your head.
"Seems like it'd be a lot easier to live with a ruler who-"
>This time, Kalakcha cuts you off.
>"Please, do not speak ill of my queen. I understand how you and your princess feel relative to how she rules compared to The Queen. However, you know very little about her, or our past. She has sacrificed more than she asks of us to keep everyone safe and alive."
>You reflect on this in silence for a moment.
>While it's true she may have done some shit to earn their respect in the past, there's no excuse for treating your followers like tools.
"I didn't mean for it to sound like I was insulting her or something. It's possible to talk about shit in a purely theoretical sense, you know."
>Kalakcha doesn't turn to look at you as everyone continues walking, though you note a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
>"We both know there is nothing theoretical about this conversation. For one who does not even show respect to his princess, I do not expect you to understand."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
"Whoa dude, back up a sec. I might not go through all the stupid secret handshakes and other shit, but when did I ever say I don't respect Sunbutt?"
>This time he turns to look at you.
>"That, you just did so again. That's just one example, and there are many more. Don't forget our lunch with those royal guards as well. Not even they respect your leaders-"
"No, wait."
>"And the attitude of subjects towards their leaders-"
"Hey."
>"Is a reflection of that leader's abilities to-"
"Alright, fucking stop."
>You stop walking and grab him by his shoulder so he stops as well.
>His expression hardly changes.
 
"You were just on about how I don't get it. Well, guess what? You don't get it, either. She's the leader, but she's not just our leader. She's my friend. Friends fuck with each other for fun because that's what friends do. It has nothing to do with respect or her abilities. As for the guards, they were talking about nobles that whole time, which as far as I'm concerned just means they're rich, and being rich doesn't automatically grant you respect. You gotta earn that shit, no matter who or what you are."
>You cross your arms.
"All it sounds like to me is your queen doesn't think of anyone as her friend. You're just a bunch of pawns."
>His swarm looks shocked and exchange nervous glances.
>Even the lieutenant seems a bit disturbed.
>Kalakcha's eyes narrow on you.
>"You would do well to stop insulting my Queen, human."
>You roll your eyes.
"Or what? You gonna kick my ass? I already beat three of your guys, I think I can handle two more little bugs."
>For what feels like forever, you both merely stare each other down.
>You're the first to break the silence.
"If you're not gonna fucking do anything, then at least keep walking. We're wasting time."
>You hold up a hand palm up in front of you.
>His hooves dig into the ground, but ultimately he turns from you and continues walking.
>The rest of the swarm are on his heels.
>They say nothing and try their best to keep a neutral expression.
>You shove your hands into your pockets and wait for them to gain a little distance before you continue.
>This peace is off to a fantastic start.
 
>What you would guess is about two hours pass is complete silence, save for the gentle thumping of hooves and feet on the hard soil.
>Your eyes haven't left Kalakcha since your argument.
>You're not sure you could catch them if they bolted from this distance back, but at this point that would suit you just fine.
>You wouldn't even try to catch them again.
>The lieutenant slows down a bit and allows himself to fall away from his group.
>You chuckle.
>Maybe he's gonna be the one who bolts.
>A few moments later, he's fallen far enough behind to be walking side by side with you.
>You don't acknowledge him, nor does he acknowledge you.
>He simply slips in and you walk side by side in silence for a few minutes.
>Eventually, he turns and looks up at you, studying your face.
>You do your best to continue ignoring him, but his staring begins to bother you.
>When you can't take anymore, you look down at him and give him a sarcastic smile.
"Can I help you with something?"
>No sooner do you finish speaking does he start.
>"He cares very deeply about the hive and thinks of our Queen as the embodiment of it. When you insult her, you're insulting everything he cares for."
>You look back up at Kalakcha walking in the distance, still using that regular pony disguise.
"Whatever."
>"I wanted you to understand-"
>You don't even look down at him as you speak once more.
"Or maybe you're trying to distract me so your buddies up there can set up some kind of ambush cuz you can't take me in a direct battle, hm?"
 
>He tilts his head slightly.
>"What?"
>You sigh and look down at him.
"I've had a lot of time to think back here."
>He nods and continues.
>"I wanted you to understand because I can tell he cares about you very deeply as well. I can't imagine how you managed to form such a connection in such a short period of time, but it's there."
>You prop up and eyebrow.
"Are you bullshitting me right now? How would you know that? You haven't even seen us do anything together except argue a while ago."
>He grins a bit and looks forward.
>"I don't need to. I've known the commander longer than anyone. It was no accident we were paired together in the same swarm, and while we don't normally use the term for ourselves, you could probably describe us as close friends."
>You can't help but blurt out a laugh.
"Ya, friends. Is that why you turned him over to some guards to go get tortured? I hope me and you aren't friends."
>His smile fades as he stops walking and looks at the ground.
>Your grin fades as well as you notice and turn back to look at him.
>"Have you ever loved anyone, Anon?"
>Hm.
>Not really.
>You've had a few crushes, but nothing serious.
>You shrug at him.
"Eh."
>"If you were forced to choose between your friends and the one you love, who do you think you would choose?"
>He doesn't wait for you to answer as he continues walking.
>You stand there as he passes by you.
>"It is a choice I hope you never have to make, because it is a choice that destroys you."
 
>You feel like shit as you quicken your pace and approach the lieutenant.
"Sorry man, I just wasn't thinking when I said that."
>He nods in response, and you continue walking side by side in silence once more.
>The rest of the swarm is still all together and keeping the same pace as ever.
>Kalakcha hasn't even turned to look back at you this whole time even though the others steal glances now and then.
>Whatever.
"So, tell me about this girl of yours."
>He doesn't hesitate to respond.
>"I will not. Celestia may know who she is, but that's where the list ends."
>You look away.
"Jesus dude, it's not like I'm gonna go hunt her down, and you can talk about her without mentioning her name."
>He doesn't say anything else for a while.
>"I noticed you couldn't help but give everyone their own name."
"Hm?"
>"She insisted I have one, too."
>You grin.
"Oh good, so you already have a name I can call you."
>He looks away.
>"It was a concept I didn't like when she told me everyone needed their own name. I already had a respected title; Swarm Lieutenant Eleven."
"Did you tell her that?"
>You speak sarcastically, but you don't think he got it.
>"No. That information should never be revealed to anyone outside of the hive, and since I couldn't tell her my title, she insisted on giving me my own personal name. After she used it for so long, I began to understand the significance of having a unique identity."
"You mean other than because it's practical?"
>He turns back to look at you.
>"Anyone can hold the title Swarm Lieutenant Eleven, but I will always be me, and therein is the significance of a name. It acknowledges my existence, not my profession."
>You look down at him.
"So what's your name?"
>He looks forward once more and practically glows with pride.
>"Bright Eyes."
 
>You grin at the silly name, but you can't help but feel happy for him when you see how proud he is to have it.
>At least she's more creative than you.
>References are the bottom of the barrel, and you scrape there quite often.
"That's a pretty cool name, Bright Eyes."
>His eyes close as he looks up slightly and takes a deep breath.
>"It feels great to hear my name."
>You never thought you'd hear someone say that who wasn't a narcissist or attention whore.
"If I keep saying it over and over, would it get awkward?"
>He seems to remember where he is as his eyes shoot open and his expression returns to neutral gear.
"Feel free to call the other swarm members by the names I gave them. It still bothers them, which is fun."
>He actually laughs a bit at what you said.
>"I'm sure my underlings will never like those names, but I have a feeling my commander will grow attached to his."
>You shrug.
"Part of that care thing your spider sense picked up? I'd say we're friends, but I'm beginning to doubt that will count for much once we get there."
>He frowns.
>"You are right. I failed to choose my hive over myself."
>He looks you in the eyes.
>They're full of sorrow.
>"He will not."
>You scratch your neck.
"How can you be so sure, though? He's a bit different now."
>He looks forward at his commander as he speaks.
>"I've known him nearly my entire life, and in all of that time... He never has."
>You look forward as well.
>"Why do you think I was made his lieutenant and he the commander?"
 
>The thought never really crossed your mind.
>You assumed he was just the better leader.
>That got you wondering, though.
>In a society where the matriarch demands complete control, who would she entrust with other leadership positions?
>A shiver crawls up your spine.
>Maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do.
>Do you?
>You have your doubts that it was all an act the entire time.
"I'm not sure what to think, but I don't think he's going to sell me out or anything. Guess I'll have to see."
>"And you will see."
>He looks back over at you and offers a weak grin.
>"You seem like a decent creature. I'll do what I can to help you, though I fear it will be very little."
>You mock him a bit.
"D'aww, that's sweet. Aren't you already going to be whipped for helping someone else, though? You should pace yourself Jesus."
>"Then we will suffer a bit together, won't we?"
>You give him a couple friendly slaps on the back and nod.
>You're currently feuding with your hubby, but at least you made a new bug friend in the meantime.
>This peace is back on track, kinda.
"How much further is this damn place? The sun's setting soon."
>He looks at the sky before looking at the surroundings.
>"It's usually a quarter-day's flight. This pace is extremely slow compared to that. We will have to stop for the night and continue in the morning. As for distance, I can only tell you when we've reached the halfway point."
"We're not even fucking halfway there?"
>You press your hands into your face and groan.
>Bright gives you an odd look.
>"It is outside of Equestria. How far did you expect that to be?"
 
>You let your arms flop to your sides.
"I don't fucking know. Ponies are small. I thought their land would be small, too."
>Now that you think about it some more, that's really stupid reasoning.
>"That is a very strange reason to make that assumption."
>Ya, fine.
>Of course, it is still relatively small if you guys can make it to a border from the center in only a couple days of walking.
>That's not even the size of one of your old states.
>"A species size does not determine their territory. Their strength does."
"That's not what I meant, but it doesn't matter. It was a stupid assumption."
 
>He nods in response.
>"As long as you understand."
>Ya, you get it.
>To tell the truth, you had been having a tough time thinking clearly lately.
>You can't quite figure out why.
>The only constant is Kalakcha.
>You briefly wonder if he had successfully altered your mind somehow.
>He said he wasn't able to, but now you're not sure how much was actually true.
>Rank eleven infiltrator had to count for something.
>"It's a bit strange you're in such a hurry to arrive somewhere that pain awaits you."
>Bright breaks your train of thought.
>Funny that their timing is always so impeccable for that.
"Well, like Sunbutt said, what if through the suffering of one, multitudes could be spared?"
>He looks over at you.
>"Your princess said that?"
>You nod.
"Ya, she did."
>It felt a little different now that you were using it to describe yourself.
>It dampened the heroic undertones somewhat and left a pit in your stomach.
>"I wasn't aware the Princess was ready to make such sacrifices."
>You weren't sure you were ready to make such a sacrifice, either.
>She tried to warn you, but that stubborn streak was too thick.
>Not like you could change your mind now.
>You thrust your hands deeper into your pockets and sigh.
>Closer to the point, you were perfectly capable of changing your mind now, but you won't.
>You won't.
 
>"I see the weight has finally caught up to you."
>You don't respond.
>There is no need.
>You look back up towards Kalakcha and company.
>They're quite a ways ahead of you both, and they seem to have stopped stealing glances.
>It's true his queen might be a faggot, but he still respects her.
>You handled it pretty poorly.
>You bring out one of your hands and slap yourself across the face.
>The action makes Bright flinch slightly and tilt his head up at you.
>You shake your head a bit and give a few strong blinks.
"I don't know what's been going on with me lately, but I need to get over it before we get there."
>"I'm not sure what you mean."
>You shake your head once more, but at a regular pace.
"No, it's not something you'd get, but it's something I'm gonna have to deal with."
>Shame you have no idea what "it" actually is, but you have roughly a day to figure it out.
>He's still looking up at you in silence.
>You look down at him and shrug.
"I'm supposed to play peace maker, right? Normally I'm pretty good at judging when it's alright to joke around, and more importantly, when it's a stupid idea to open my mouth at all."
>You look down at your feet as you walk.
"I've made a series of stupid choices recently and I don't know why."
>He nods and looks forward.
>"Is your decision one you now regret?"
>Yes.
>You scratch your neck.
>No.
>Your arm falls to your side.
"It shouldn't matter what I want if what's at stake effects so many."
>"What you want will be a factor whether you think it should be or not.
>He closes his eyes.
>"A plan only has as much chance for success as those carrying it out allow."
 
>You grin a bit.
"You're not the first one to tell me that."
>His eyes open once more and he nods.
>"I've heard it many times, myself. Do you understand what it means?"
>It was starting to make sense.
"I guess."
>"You don't need to guess. Its meaning is clear."
>He grabs your pant leg with his mouth so you stop and looks up at you.
>"If you think you will fail, then you are already doomed to fail. You are what decides whether or not you succeed."
>That's not entirely true, but you understood the principle.
>Plan for failure, and you fail.
>Plan for success, and you succeed.
>It's not exactly a new concept.
>In fact, you're pretty sure it's something a guidance counselor had said to you in grade school.
"I get it."
>He continues looking at you.
>His eyes narrow as you both continue walking side by side.
>You look down at him and meet his gaze.
"I get it."
>Satisfied, he nods and looks ahead once more.
>Why can't you shut off your brain?
"It's just-"
>Bright releases a load of air from his lungs and looks down.
"I can't help but wonder what'll happen if I fuck up. That argument with Kalakcha should have led to a fight, and we're already friends. What's gonna happen when-"
>"Stop."
>He doesn't look at you, and he doesn't say anything else.
>Neither do you.
 
>Night arrives fairly swiftly, and not long after that you find yourself a ways off the path in some small clearing, setting up a camp.
>Or what passes as a camp.
>Changelings aren't big on the luxuries you've come to expect in both your own world and the rich city of Canterlot.
>If it's not a necessity for survival, it isn't there.
>As you lay down your thin bedroll, it becomes even more obvious this is going to be a bad night.
>Kalakcha hasn't attempted to reconcile with you, nor you him.
>You briefly considered apologizing.
>After all, you were a bit out of line telling him his queen didn't give a fuck.
>You always change your mind when you remember his own insults to Princess Celestia.
>Your head gently falls against the slightly thicker padding at the top of your bedroll.
>This was only a step above sleeping on the dirt.
>You roll over and look at Kalakcha as he passes out orders to his swarm.
>His voice echoes in your mind.
>"You're no longer our host. We are yours. Therefore you will address us in a proper manner."
>He finishes passing out orders and turns to the side.
>For a brief moment, his eyes pass over you.
>He does a double take and looks back towards you.
>"I am Swarm Commander Eleven."
>His face grimaces a bit before he looks away once more.
>You roll over to face the other direction.
>"Until the order otherwise, this is Swarm Lieutenant Eleven."
>There's no fire, and even though it's pretty warm and you're fully clothed...
>"Swarm Scout Eleven. Swarm Forward Eleven. Swarm Runner Eleven."
>You still feel cold.
 
>Sleep comes and goes throughout the night.
>Apparently the swarm is sleeping in shifts.
>Every time you've checked, there's only been three sleeping anywhere near you, and almost always in difference positions.
>Guess they're always on edge.
>You roll over on your back and stare up at the stars.
>Unlike the landscape, the stars were entirely alien to you.
>Not a single cluster looked anything like it did on Earth.
>It was as discomforting as it was beautiful.
>There was almost no light forever in any direction.
>It made the sky look almost surreal.
>Your mind finally drifts back into darkness as you take in the sight.
>Luna was good at her job.
>"Wake up! We're moving."
>You flinch at the sudden shout and hoof pushed into your side.
>It's still completely dark outside, save for the light of the moon and stars.
>You look over at the changeling that had prodded you awake and give him a gentle slap in the side with the back of your hand.
"Don't do that shit. You could just ask."
>He looks to the side a bit.
>"Orders, Anon."
>You squint at him, but it doesn't help at all.
>Even in the light they all look identical.
>In the dark, you've found they all sound identical as well.
"Which one are you, then?"
>He doesn't reply, but turns to rejoin the others.
>You speak up loud enough for him to hear, both to help wake yourself up and to vent your frustration.
"From the way you act like a dick, I'm going to assume you're Mr. Sir!"
>"Swarm Forward Eleven."
 
>Once again, you flinch at the sudden sound.
>Jesus Christ.
>Perpetual darkness, early mornings, black bugs and loud noises shouldn't ever be put together.
>You turn to see another changeling standing nearby, looking you over.
"Whatever."
>He leans in and grins.
>"But yes, that was Mr. Sir."
>You rub the crap out of your eyes and sit up.
>He used your name, and isn't annoyed at you.
>Must be-
"Hey Bright."
>You say sleepily, a yawn at the edge of your words.
>He nods his head slightly.
>"Good morning, Anon. Pack your bag, the others are already heading to the road."
>Nice of him to stay behind to warn you.
>"I was ordered to make sure you, in his words, did not take all day to move your lazy ass."
>Or not.
>"As I understand it, you have a track record of being slow to rise."
"Ya, it's all over the news."
>You roll over onto your knees and get your bedroll all packed up.
>Once you stand, Bright nods at you.
>In a flash of green, he's the common traveler once again.
>You follow behind him as he trots briskly towards the main road.
>This must be the seventh layer of hell.
>So early the sun isn't even up.
>And no chance of having coffee.
 
>Unlike yesterday, Bright doesn't keep you company as you walk.
>The swarm sticks together a short distance in front of you.
>You enjoyed your talks, but now you had time to think.
>And until the sun peaks up over the distant mountains, that's exactly what you do.
>You needed to get out of your funk.
>Can't be so short-sighted when you talk to the queen.
>A lot rides on this, right?
>Suddenly a thought occurs.
>Not even Celestia was able to find a peaceful resolution, and she's immeasurably better at that than you are.
>This was the major leagues and you've only earned participation awards in the little leagues.
>How the fuck hadn't that been the first thing you thought about?
>Why the fuck-
>Oh.
>Shit.
>You look up from the road at the swarm doing their best to walk nonchalantly before you.
>Your pace quickens.
>The answer was practically thrown in your face more than once.
>As you near the rest of the group, you call out to your friend.
"Kalakcha!"
>You see him visibly twitch, but he doesn't look back at you.
>"Swarm Commander Eleven."
>You finally catch up and they take turns looking over at you.
>All except him.
"Hey, Kalakcha."
>"That is not my title."
"Ya, well, I'm not talking to Swarm Commander Eleven."
>He frowns as you get up next to him and look down.
>Still he avoids looking in your direction.
"I'm talking to my friend."
 
>He twitches again, but ultimately his face goes stern and he turns to look up at you.
>"I think you're confused."
>You shrug.
"Look, I get it now."
>He looks ahead once more and nods.
>"Good. Are you here to apologize for your outburst?"
>Faggot.
"Don't be a dick, we both said stupid shit."
>"I said nothing that wasn't true."
>He sure wasn't making this easy.
>You grit your teeth and try to bare it.
"Anyway, I don't think I've ever really thought about this as a whole."
>"I highly doubt you do much thinking at all."
>Okay, now he was just trying to provoke you.
"Will you listen for a minute?"
>"I've been listening this whole time. Speak."
"I made a lot of stupid decisions since we met-"
>He nods.
>"Indeed."
"This latest one being one of the worst-"
>"You don't need to convince me you make poor choices."
"The worst mistakes, and I didn't think about it but-"
>He looks up at you.
>"All this sounds like is you should be thinking more oft-"
>This time you can't help but raise your voice over him.
"I did it for you, you stupid piece of shit!"
>His mouth snaps shut and his eyes shrink as he pulls his head back.
 
"I broke you out of a fucking royal prison, that was stupid but it was to help-"
>You begin pointing harshly in random directions to emphasize your points.
"For fucks sake, I agreed to go talk to a batshit crazy queen who, by your own fucking admission, is going to just kill me when I show up!"
>You poke yourself in the chest as you continue.
"I didn't fucking do that for me, that's for damn sure. I just wanted to help..."
>You let your arm fall slowly to a relaxed position.
"I..."
>You take a slow, deep breath, and then slowly exhale as you look up at him.
>Being serious was uncomfortable territory, and you didn't like it one bit.
>But it needed to be done.
"And the worst part is..."
>You shrug and let your arms fall exaggeratedly to your sides and a weird smile finds its way to your face.
"I don't even fucking know why. I don't know why I did any of that shit anymore. It's not like we were friends when I found you- I don't even know if we're friends right now, or what you really think of me."
>With one last yell, you finish your thoughts.
"I don't fucking know anything, and it pisses me off!"
>As the last tiny echo of your voice finishes rolling in the distance, it goes deathly silent.
>The only sounds being made are the minor clops of small hooves and a pair of shoes on the hard dirt road.
>The path looks a bit blurry.
>You turn your head forward and quicken your pace slightly.
>That sucked.
 
>You try desperately to think of something funny in your own mind.
>Any distraction was welcome.
>Anything to help you forget how much you fucked up.
>You stare up into the sky.
>Almost no clouds, and the sun suggests the day was far from over.
>"You wanted to help everyone."
>You stop a moment and continue staring up.
>"That's what you told me."
>Kalakcha approaches your side alone.
>You turn to look at him.
>The rest of the swarm was a short distance back, waiting patiently.
>"You said you wanted to help everyone, that you had to do something."
>That's probably what you said.
>It didn't feel like it really mattered now.
>You found yourself oddly numb to it all.
>He smiles meekly at you.
>"It is... A very honorable trait, wanting to help those you care about in any way you can. It's nothing short of what a great leader strives for."
>Faggot.
>You grin slightly and look away.
"Don't do that."
>He left out that a great leader usually thinks about the whole picture, not just bits of it.
"We both know I'm not any sort of leader."
>He sits and nods towards you.
>"I believe one leader knows another when he sees one."
 
>You didn't really feel like pushing the issue and turning this into a back and forth of no I'm not and yes you are.
>He was trying to help you in his own way.
>Accept it and shut up.
>You nod at him.
"Thanks."
>He stands up and motions forward with one hoof.
>You turn and start walking once more, and he keeps pace beside you.
>For a long time, no one says anything.
>You simply enjoy the familiar company.
>You suspect he does the same.
>A little past what looks like mid-day, you hear Bright speak up behind you.
>"We just reached the halfway point."
>You sigh deeply as your head falls forward limply.
"Thanks, Bright."
>Kalakcha turns and look up at you.
>"You named my lieutenant as well?"
>Oh.
>Guess that wasn't supposed to be public knowledge.
>You nod.
"Yeah. We, uh, talked quite a bit yesterday and I needed something to call him by."
>He turns and looks back at his lieutenant who responds by rolling his eyes.
>Kalakcha nods at him and turns forward once more.
>"I see."
>He then looks up at you.
>"I understand that you separate personal and official titles in your mind, but try to remember that The Queen will not appreciate such behavior. You should get used to our real titles."
>You shrug.
"Sure thing, Kalakcha."
 
>They day is mostly over now, and ever since your little rant things have been running smoothly.
>The most annoying part was eating on the move.
>Apparently the rest of the group didn't exactly require food to survive, which left you awkwardly pulling rations out of your pack as you walked.
>Other than that, you had learned quite a bit about the rest of the swarm.
>Blindside, who you came to understand was the scout, was great at hiding and remaining unseen as he moved.
>He was also the idiot who used a disguise from outside Equestrian borders to try to fool an immortal princess.
>You understand why his talent is not to be seen at all.
>Abraham was apparently the runner.
>He is responsible for moving messages from place to place; both making dead drops and picking them up.
>As his title implies, he's quick.
>And Mr. Sir, the forward-
"Sounds like you could sum it up by saying you're the muscle."
>He nods.
>"When a target needs to be subdued for any reason, I'm usually the one to do it."
>You scratch your chin.
"I guess that was you trying to do some sort of mind spell on me in my house, then."
>He looks away.
>"Erm, yes..."
>You grin slightly.
"Don't feel bad. I don't know what Kalakcha told you, but it's not your fault."
>He nods.
>"I understand you are resistant to all forms of magic."
>Huh.
>Guess they had been talking after all.
"Ya, pretty much."
>Bright speaks up.
"Most races rely on magic to solve their problems, which includes defeating foes. You could be a powerful threat, should you choose to be."
 
>Kalakcha adds to his thought.
>"This includes changelings. It is why it is most unsettling."
>No shrug.
"Ya, I get it, I'm a spooky guy. It bothered Celestia for a long time, too."
>You look down at them.
"It's not like it's something I try to do."
>Bright speaks up once more.
>"It matters not what your intentions are. Anyone who understands what you can do will see you as a threat."
>Both you and Kalakcha flinch at his bluntness.
>It's like he was calling you a damn dragon.
"I can resist magic, not destroy a whole army. I think you're blowing this out of proportion."
>Kalakcha shakes his head.
>"You're not thinking this through. You do not need to defeat an army to win, just its leader."
>He pulls his head back slightly with a gasp as he finishes his sentence.
>Guess he didn't realize what he was saying.
>Oh well, it was out there now.
"So you're saying I'm dangerous because I could pretty much just walk up to any powerful magic user and they couldn't stop me? Like a princess, or even a queen?"
>They don't reply, and you continue.
"It makes sense, I guess. I can see how that's, uh, unsettling news to anyone."
>You make your counter argument.
"But that's assuming I want to defeat anyone in the first place. I don't even take things seriously most of the time, and I only fight when I have to-"
>You quickly amend that thought.
"Which, by the way, is almost never."
>You nod to yourself.
"It doesn't matter what you can do. The only thing that matters is what you actually do."
 
>Kalakcha pats your leg a couple times as you walk.
>"We're not the ones you need to convince."
>True enough.
>It's not like that would be the first thing to be discussed anyway.
>Your own abilities would be an afterthought, at best.
>Something to be handled after the primary issue.
>That issue being why a queen and her army should even attempt to make amends when it's not in their best interest.
>They currently had the upper hand, all things considered.
>Celestia doesn't know where their hive is, and even if she did it would cost her too much to attack.
>That would only happen if she had no other alternative.
>This queen, on the other hand, could comfortably cause trouble for all of Equestria with little to no danger to herself or her subjects.
>They were masters at guerrilla warfare.
>They were only seen when they wanted to be seen.
>For Celestia, it must be like trying to catch smoke.
>It was beginning to make sense why she turned to such intense measures to begin with.
>So, Mr. diplomat, what were you going to do about it?
>You look down at your little group.
>Honorary member of Swarm Eleven.
>Seems like the first steps had already been taken.
>You're practically part of the hive.
>That had to count for something.
>You grin at them, and most of them smile back.
>At least, you hope it counts for something.
>Even though you were already told once it would not.
 
>The rest of the day was fairly uneventful.
>You passed only two trade caravans on your route, exchanged friendly greetings and continued your separate ways.
>You knew the day was over halfway done when Bright announced the halfway point, but part of you wished you'd still make it before nightfall.
>You were getting to the point where you just wanted it over with.
>It was starting to feel like watching a large truck coming directly at you from a long distance.
>You knew it was coming, but the wait was grating.
>Especially when you knew you couldn't get out of the way now.
>You were stuck.
>Stuck by your own choice, but stuck nonetheless.
>Before the sun sank too low, your group had left the road.
>You assumed it was to set up a camp, but now you realize that their hive most likely isn't part of the usual Equestrian trade route.
>It was close now.
>It had to be.
>Even the air felt different.
>You couldn't quite put your finger on it, but it just felt wrong.
>It was dark now, and soon you'd be setting up camp once more.
>Bright said he estimates your group will arrive sometime around noon tomorrow.
>As long as you arrived in the day, that was fine with you.
>You'd prefer not to walk into a potentially dangerous area in the dark.
>The logical side of your brain kept reminding you that it wouldn't actually make a difference either way, but you still hoped it'd be nice and bright outside.
>This time you're near the swarm as you lay out your bedroll.
>Kalakcha is once again passing out orders.
>As you suspected, he set up night watches in pairs that would switch out every couple hours.
>Apparently he would take two shifts himself.
 
>You lay across the bedroll on your back and fold your fingers under your head.
>With a deep sigh, you look over at the remaining group getting settled in.
>Their disguises were gone now, which meant you could no longer tell them apart.
>The only reason you knew it was Kalakcha, Blindside and Abraham was because you paid attention to who was taking what shifts.
>You cough once before you start speaking to get their attention.
"You know, you don't, uh..."
>They look over at you as you pause.
>This felt a bit awkward.
"You could sleep around me, if you want."
>A bit, huh?
>"Why?"
>You're not sure who asked.
"Well, it's not exactly cold or anything, but it's not that, uh, warm, either."
>One of them looks like he's trying not to laugh as you continue.
"And it might be more, you know, comfortable, for everyone."
>The one trying not to laugh has a full fledged shit-eating grin on his face now.
>He's the one that speaks this time.
>"Oh, would it be?"
>You frown and look up at the sky.
"It was just an offer. Do what you want."
>The sky is almost crystal clear tonight, offering an amazing view of the stars.
>You almost feel like you could fall right off the planet.
>Your thoughts are interrupted by the feeling of hooves pressing against your chest.
>Looking down, you see a smiling changeling lay down on top of you.
 
>That has to be Kalakcha.
"Oh, hey."
>He just continues watching you.
>"You could have just said I'm cold and my fragile body can't sleep without protection from the elements."
>You roll your eyes.
"That sounds way less manly."
>"Less so than stammering for excuses?"
>This wasn't one you could win.
>Instead, you look over at the other two giving you a confused look.
"Won't your men think you're being strange?"
>He looks over at them before returning his gaze to you.
>"No, I think not. They'll be joining us."
"My chest isn't that big..."
>You soon feel Blindside and Abraham lay down on either side of you.
>Oh, good.
"I'm glad this is perfectly normal and totally not weird at all."
>They say nothing.
"I was worried that just because I thought it was extremely weird that it was, but I guess not."
>Kalakcha pokes your chest lightly.
>"Do you remember when we first met?"
>You give him your best are you stupid expression.
"It was like four days ago."
>He nods.
>"Alright. Well, it's not something I really explained, but you, uh..."
>You prop up an eyebrow.
>"You've sort of been feeding my swarm since we left. So-"
"Awww."
>You interrupt him and give his head a little rub.
"It didn't even occur to me that I was the source of everyone's love."
>"Stop that."
"And now I got a whole handful of little love batteries."
>He bats your hand away and looks to the side.
 
>Between the warm comfort your swarm provides and the exhaustion of walking for over a full day, sleep quickly finds you.
>As with the previous night, however, it comes and goes throughout the night.
>"-Sleeping."
>Your mind finally realizes what's going on as you slip back into reality.
>Your eyes remain shut even as the conversation takes place near you.
>"I see. Do you still wish you begin your shift? If you'd prefer, I-"
>"That won't be necessary. I can handle it."
>You could still feel Kalakcha laying on your chest, as well as the two bodies still at your sides.
>One voice was coming from a short distance to your side, beyond where they laid.
>If you had to guess, you'd say it was Bright.
>The other was easy enough to determine.
>"As you wish."
>There's a brief pause before Bright speaks up once more.
>"I see why you've taken such a liking to this new creature so quickly. His effects are not much unlike what I experienced with- during my time in the forest."
>Another brief pause.
>Your effects?
>He continues once more.
>"It is... Intoxicating. Almost overpowering."
>You can't help but feel uncomfortable.
>That's a very weird way for anyone to describe anyone else.
>"So you feel it as well?"
>The voice comes from your chest.
>"I find myself second guessing my decisions. Wondering how deep the effects go. Am I making choices I would have made when my mission began, or has this somehow changed me?"
 
>"If you are changed, it isn't inherently bad. I'm nothing like my old self anymore, sir."
>You hear a mild chuckle from Bright before he continues.
>"Have you noticed how his arms embrace you? How you don't object? Even your wounds are fully healed."
>You instantly feel him wriggle from your grip and hop away, leaving the cold to rush in and replace him.
>"I see. Some time away to clear my head would serve me well."
>"Sir, I..."
>His voice hangs on that word, and he sighs.
>Kalakcha made a swift departure, wherever he trotted off to.
>You hear Bright slump down where he is in a huff.
>A few moments later, he speaks.
>"He doesn't understand, but then neither did I for a very long time."
>You don't respond.
>"It is overwhelming to feed on love freely given when you have spent your entire life stealing it. It's almost a scary experience- like you no longer control your own mind."
>You still don't respond, determined to keep up the ruse you're still asleep.
>"As a commander, that is unacceptable. This is why he resists. This is why everyone will suffer."
>That was pretty ominous.
>He doesn't say anything else, and after the words swirl in your mind for a while, the void eventually takes you once more.
 
>The next thing you're aware of is a hoof gently poking your side.
>"Anon, we're heading out soon."
>Your face scrunches up as you attempt to collect your brain from all corners of your mind.
>Once you're somewhat coherent, your eyes open in thin slits as you stare over at the changeling who awoke you.
"Mr. Sir?"
>He opens his mouth to say something, but no sound follows.
>Instead, he closes it once more and simply nods.
>With that, he stands and rejoins the others.
>You look to the other side before Bright has time to speak.
"And I figured you'd be here, too."
>He shrugs.
>"They were ongoing orders."
>You cough and nod a little.
"Isn't that nice."
>Of course, it's still fucking night, but it's not like you expected anything else.
>Field journal, day two, still no coffee and I'm about to murder everyone.
>You pull yourself up into a sitting position and find the strength to pack your bag up once more.
>You look around fro the ground.
"Where's Kalakcha?"
>It was dark, but you could still only see three shadowy figures a short distance away.
>"The commander decided to head out a little early. We'll catch up to him before we reach the hive."
>You throw your bag over your shoulder as you stand.
"Oh. Why'd he do that?"
>He frowns at you, but answers all the same.
>"He wanted some time to clear his head."
>You both knew the real reason, but you played along for no apparent reason as well.
"I guess he's as nervous about getting there as I am."
>With that, you both catch up with the other three and continue through the wilderness.
 
>As you walk, you can't seem to shake that same feeling you had yesterday.
>This whole place feels off.
>However, no matter how much you study everything and anything you can think of, you can't find anything actually wrong.
>Just a feeling that you couldn't shrug off.
>Once you catch up to the others, you look around a bit.
"How far ahead is Kalakcha?"
>None of them answer.
>Either they don't know, or they were told not to say.
>You felt a bit more comfortable with the situation when he was nearby.
>For now you suppose you would have to make due with present company.
"Alright, what about the hive itself? You guys never told me much about it."
>One of them speaks up.
>"It serves its purpose."
"Does it look nice?"
>A different one answers.
>"It is acceptable."
>Yeesh.
>You thrust your hands into your pockets and frown.
"Fine."
>Suddenly a thought strikes you and you look back down at your group.
>None of them were wearing their road disguises.
>Fucking early mornings causing you to miss even obvious details.
"Wait, why aren't any of you disguised?"
>"They are no longer required at this point. We are in our home territory."
>So?
"You can still be seen, can't you? Wouldn't that kind of give away your hiding location?"
>A few of them exchange glances, but say nothing.
>One of them turn and look up at you.
>"That has never been an issue."
 
>You want to press the matter, but you know they wouldn't give you any specifics anyway.
>Use your imagination.
>A race wants to stay hidden, what are they going to do about it?
>Some time passes and the sun peaks up over the mountains, offering you some dim view of the distance.
>Seems to be nothing but trees forever.
>Still no sign of Kalakcha.
"Are you sure we're going to meet up with him before we get to the hive?"
>They all nod individually.
>"Certainly."
>A different one adds.
>"We should meet with the commander once more shortly."
>How reassuring.
>Had you really affected him so badly that he felt the need to run off?
>Bright gave a vague explanation.
>Something about not feeling in control.
>What if you were like some sort of love drug?
>They couldn't help it or something.
>Was that it?
>Maybe it's a bit more complicated than that.
>Either way, you know you won't be getting any straight answers anytime soon.
>Just crack on.
 
>The sun is a decent ways in the sky when you finally spot a lone changeling waiting in the distance.
>That has to be him.
>You grin a bit as you approach, but his expression is stoic.
>It doesn't look like Kalakcha at all.
>You speak when you get to a comfortable distance.
"It's about time, I was starting to think you'd finished the journey solo."
>He doesn't respond to you.
>Instead, he speaks directly to the other changelings with you.
>"We are an hour out. Let's move."
>You frown.
"Well hello to you, too. What were you doing?"
>He turns and begins a brisk pace in the direction you were already heading.
>"It doesn't concern you."
>Was the only reply he gave.
>The rest of the group offers you a pity glance, while one of them stares at you a bit longer before shaking his head slightly.
>Cleared his head, huh?
>Seems more like he filled it with bullshit.
"Are you feeling okay?"
>He doesn't respond.
>In fact, he seems determined to pretend you don't exist.
"So you went ahead to think a bit and this is the answer you came up with? Ignore me and everything will be fine?"
>Still no response.
"What happened to if you do nothing, nothing will be done?"
>No response.
 
>You spend the next hour staring down at the bug formerly known as Kalakcha.
>Despite all of your efforts, he has ignored you.
>Even when you stood in his way to try to force a response, he simply flew over your head and continued his walk.
>Whatever his plan is, the keystone seems to be the wall he's built between you two.
>It's one of the worst plans you can think of for the goal you have in mind.
>Explaining it to him didn't work, either.
>He knows.
>You know he knows, and he knows you know he knows.
>Yet here he is.
>At last, you find yourself facing nothing particularly special.
>A large, mossy rock.
>You only take notice because the others have stopped around it.
>Between the dense trees everywhere and the other rocks you've passed, it's entirely unremarkable.
"Are we taking a break or something?"
>"We're here."
>You look around before propping up an eyebrow at the group.
"Where?"
>"The hive, of course."
>You look around again.
>You hear nothing.
>You see nothing.
"Uh."
>One of them taps a spot under the rock.
>Once you kneel down, you see a decent sized hole that leads up from under the rock.
>"Were you expecting some grand entrance?"
 
>You frown.
>Even crawling would be a bit difficult to manage, but possible.
>This was definitely made with these bugs in mind.
>They could walk almost comfortably through, but you...
>"You go first."
>You can tell it was Kalakcha who said it based on his effort to remain emotionless.
>Okay.
>You nod and approach before dropping down on your hands and knees to study the entrance.
>It was a bit damp, but fairly smooth.
>This rock had either been worked, or was well-worn.
>You begin crawling inside.
>Not even a foot up the steep incline it drops down into a steep decline.
>There's also no light.
"How the hell am I suppose to know where I'm going?"
>"It is a one-way path."
>A voice calls from behind you.
>That sure didn't help make things better.
>You thank every deity you know of that you're not claustrophobic.
>At least there's no pointy edges along the way.
"How much fu-"
>Your voice trails off as you spot something interesting.
>Light?
>As you get closer, you see a gentle blue glow emanating from the top of the tunnel.
>Upon closer inspection, it seems to be some kind of florescent moss clinging to all the cracks overhead.
>It's not bright by any means, but it's light enough that you can see a short distance.
"Wow, you guys have natural light?"
 
>You don't get a reply, but it was a rhetorical question.
>The further in you get, the more common this moss becomes.
>Not just blue, but also some greens and what almost looks like green-yellow.
>Eventually the tunnel opens up into a real hallway.
"Finally."
>You pull yourself out, stand up and brush off your clothes.
>Your knees are soaked, and other areas are damp, but you'll live.
>This dirt sure isn't leaving until you get a proper wash.
>After you crack your back, you look around.
>The hall seems to have a mostly flat and level floor with the walls arching randomly and curving in at varying heights before eventually meeting overhead.
>"This is our hive, and you are the first human to see it."
>You look down and see a changeling grinning up at you.
>Must be Bright.
"I'm honored."
>"Don't be."
>You hear a strange voice echo around you.
>You're not sure where it originated from, but it certainly wasn't your own group.
>"You are no more a guest here than I would be in Canterlot."
>It sounds unnatural.
>You can distinguish two voices that seem to be speaking in unison.
>A chill rides up your spine.
>"Aww, don't be so nervous human. I treat my enemies with a greater kindness than I would be shown."
>You look down at your group.
>None of them seem very nervous, save for Bright.
>He gives you a knowing look as you all continue walking through the hall.
 
>The hall seems to be as much a one-way path as the tunnel was.
>Eventually it opens up into a grand cavern.
>You can't help but look up in awe at the sight.
>It was like an underground canyon with various tunnels and stalactites scattered everywhere, all illuminated almost brightly by large quantities of that glowing moss.
"Whoa."
>Mhmhmhm... Do you like it, human? Living underground should be no excuse for my precious subjects to go without beautiful scenery."
>It did look fantastic, but with her voice echoing around you it really dampened the mood.
>You begin looking for a source, but there's nothing except the cavern.
>Your own group leaves your side and walks down deeper.
>You follow, afraid to be left alone down here.
>Amidst the sound of droplets falling into rocks and small puddles, you can hear what sounds like a gentle buzzing all around you.
>Finally, you find yourself looking up at what appears to be some stone steps leading up to a very extravagant stone throne.
>No sooner do you lay eyes on it does a large form drop in front of it.
>"So here you are."
>She studies you a bit before taking a seat on the throne.
>The throne offers enough light that you can see her fairly clearly.
>She obviously wants to be seen.
>"You do not look how I imagined, human, but tell me, do I meet your own expectations?"
>She grins widely at you, baring multiple sharp teeth in addition to the usual fangs.
>From what you could judge, she seemed to be almost as tall as you were.
>Almost identical to Sunbutt.
>Her appearance wasn't overly different from a regular changeling if it were combined with Celestia.
>The voice was the only thing that really bothered you about her.
 
>You bow your head slightly.
"Queen Chrysalis, right? It's a pleasure to meet you in person."
>She blinks at you with what you could only describe as bedroom eyes as she speaks seductively.
>"What a gentlecolt. Celestia has raised you well."
>She stands up and approaches you.
>"Surely the 'pleasure' is all mine. From what I understand, you are quite..."
>She stands directly in front of you before leaning in slightly.
>"Unique."
>She casually strolls around you as she continues, giving you a good look-over.
>"I have heard a fair amount about you-"
>She stops and taps her hoof to her chin before continuing.
>"Er, Anon, is it? Anyway, I have heard there is but one of you in the whole world."
>She almost looks disgusted by this notion.
>"This I refuse to believe. However..."
>She walks a short distance in front of you before turning to face you once more.
>Her eyes go wide as a grin spreads across her face.
>Her horn lights up in a brilliant light.
>You don't notice anything actually happen, though.
>After a moment, her horn ceases its glow and she chuckles.
>"Hmhmhm, marvelous! So the rumor was true."
>She sounds fairly giddy.
>"You are nearly immune to magic. A dangerous foe to be sure. Why would Celestia let you walk right into the enemy's den?"
>For the first time since she started her rambling, you speak up.
"I'm here to try to broker some manner of peace between Equestria and your hive."
 
>She frowns at you.
>"It was a rhetorical question. When I wish you to speak, I will demand it."
>She shakes her head slightly before readopting a grin.
>"Here you had listened to everything I had to say, so I will allow you the same favor. Speak as you please."
>Her eyes flutter as you continue.
"I, uh, I don't see you guys as enemies. I don't even know that much about you."
>"Hmhmhm..."
>You keep talking.
"I mean, I'm already friends with Swarm Eleven-"
>A twinge of agitation sparks in her eyes as she interrupts you.
>"Friends, you say? I fear you have overestimated your position here."
>She pulls her head back slightly.
>"But continue."
>You scratch the back of your neck.
"Well, call it what you want, I like them and helped them. I think we can continue helping each other if you give me a chance."
>Her eyes are practically glowing as she smiles down at you.
>"Indeed, I believe we can help each other as well..."
>She turns and flies back up to her throne before taking a seat once more.
>"I have given our situation much thought, Anon, and have made fair decisions accordingly."
>Oh good.
>You grin a bit.
"Let's hear it."
>Her eyes become increasingly malevolent as she stares down at you.
>Oh shit.
 
>"First, I shall deal with you, the princess's prized pet."
>No sooner does she finish speaking do you see hundreds of horns light up.
>Hundreds.
>Maybe thousands.
>You can't be sure.
>They're all around you.
>Chrysalis's horn joins the collective.
>You begin to feel a tingle in your brain, followed by a dark cloud that begins working its way in around your vision.
>As you look around, things begin to blur a bit, and you start to lose sensation in your whole body.
>Her voice echoes in your mind.
>It sounds so distant.
>"Resistant, but not immune."
>Your vision has gone completely dark, and you can feel what you would describe as worms wriggling all over your brain.
>The last thing you feel is your body slumping down to its knees.
"This... Su..."
>Your voice trails off on that last vowel.
>The last thing you hear is the queen's laughter echoing in the distance.
>And the last thought that crosses your mind is how much you regret everything.
 
. . .
 
>Anon's eyes relax into an empty stare, boasting a subtle green glow.
>He sits limply on his knees.
>Completely subdued.
>It's finally done.
>You are Swarm Commander Eleven, and you have just assisted in the capture of not only your rogue lieutenant, but this mysterious human.
>He must be very dangerous to give your Queen such pause alone.
>You knew she managed to defeat Celestia all on her own, yet here she requested the aid of the entire hive.
>It made you feel uneasy.
>She laughed with delight.
>"Hahaha! As I suspected, he was indeed strong, but none can stand against us."
>You watch as she flies from her throne to get a closer look at Anon.
>She leans in and stares into his eyes.
>Once she's satisfied, she turns to your Swarm before continuing.
>"That still leaves a few other matters unresolved."
>With a signal, your Swarm lines up beside you and stands at attention.
>She stands before you, but doesn't look down.
>"Swarm Lieutenant Eleven, I understand you were the individual responsible for supplying this mystery pony with materials found near our old hive; the very individual your Swarm was sent to find in the first place."
>Your lieutenant steps forward and bows deeply.
>"Yes, my Queen."
>She frowns.
>"I am disappointed in you, my beloved subject. That you would betray your hive for an outsider..."
>She takes a deep breath.
>"However, I also understand that she is responsible for your survival, and anyone who saves the life of one of my own deserves forgiveness."
>Your ears perk up a bit.
>Did your Queen just say...
>She continues.
>"In light of this, she will not be pursued or punished for causing your betrayal, but you are forbidden from future contact. Understood?"
 
>He nods with his head still bowed.
>"Yes, my Queen."
>She grins.
>"Excellent. Now that her matter is resolved, we can move onto you. I can not simply forgive such a grievous betrayal of my trust."
>She looks down at your lieutenant with contempt.
>"Swarm Lieutenant Eleven, you are hereby relieved of your rank. You will return to the living den immediately until I assign you a new task."
>"Yes, my Queen."
>With that, your former lieutenant flies away.
>You were sure he would be beaten for his transgressions against the hive, but your Queen can be merciful.
>"Swarm Commander Eleven."
>You bow your head.
"Yes, my Queen."
>"My dear commander, congratulations are in order. You successfully completed your primary mission, as well as this addendum mission from the field."
>Your eyes drift over to Anon for a moment.
>"However, I can not ignore that this success came with the cost of accepting aid from our enemies."
>You close your eyes before speaking.
"My Queen, if I may speak?"
>She nods.
>"Proceed, my commander."
>You lift your head.
"Thank you, my Queen. I would like to remind you that this human was the reason I survived as well."
>She looks down at you.
>She doesn't appear to be pleased.
 
>"I have taken this into consideration already. Was it not a member of Celestia's royal guards who captured you? Is Anon not working directly for Celestia? Anon will not be rewarded for setting free a prisoner they captured in the first place. He merely rectified the situation he was part of."
>She glares down at you.
>"Do you think my judgment is unjust, my dear commander?"
>It was solid reasoning.
"Not at all, my Queen. Thank you for being patient with me."
>She smiles.
>"There's a good commander. Now, there's still one final matter that needs resolved."
>She looks over at Anon.
>"You accepted aid from an enemy, thereby putting your own loyalty into question. Blood is also owed for your own harsh treatment."
>You were afraid this might happen, but you must always be faithful.
>Your Queen doesn't make decisions hastily.
>"Therefore, my dear commander, we will solve this problem with one action."
>You nod.
"Anything you wish, my Queen."
>She looks back towards you.
>"You will personally deliver attacks to this human until I am satisfied."
>Worse than you feared.
"My Queen?"
>She returns to her throne as she speaks.
>"You will attack this human as if he were attacking you. You must prove to me that I am still your Queen. No weapons, my dear commander. This is not a death sentence."
>As she takes her seat, she motions to you to proceed.
 
>You swiftly head over to Anon and look him over.
>He is still completely unresponsive due to the domination spell.
>His eyes continue staring forward at nothing.
>He says nothing.
>It feels strange seeing him like this.
>His words echo in your head.
>"I'd be a lot more boring with you controlling me."
>You feel your mouth twitch as a small smile grows.
>Wary of your surroundings, you're thankful your Queen can't see it.
>You glance at her once more.
>She simply stares down at you, waiting.
>You turn back to Anon and take a deep breath before driving your forehoof into his expressionless face.
>You can't help but remember hurting yourself by hitting his gut before.
>There's no pain in your leg this time.
>It's a sturdy blow.
>His head rocks back with your force, but limply falls back into place.
>No response from your Queen.
>You drive your forehoof into his face once more, and a nearly identical replay happens.
>No response from either of them.
>A bit of blood begins running from his nose.
>Again.
>And again.
>And again.
 
>You begin getting winded as you continue.
>He still has no expression.
>He should be reacting.
>He should make a stupid remark.
>He should fight back.
>Again.
>His eyes are so empty.
>Again.
>You feel something.
>Again.
>Hate.
>Again, harder than before.
>Burning hate.
>Harder.
>Why?
>Again.
>It's not coming from him.
>Again.
>It's not for him, either.
>Again.
>You begin breathing heavily as you continue, bits of drool escaping your mouth in the process.
>Hate for yourself?
>Again.
>Hate for your Queen for making you do this?
>Your eyes narrow and you leap onto your enemy, forcing him onto his back.
>You're exhausted, but you continue.
>Blow after blow.
>He did this.
>Everything was simple and clear before.
>For so many years there's never been a single doubt.
>Then this human...
>He makes you question your loyalty, your Queen, yourself.
>He is nothing but an enemy.
>Your vision gets hazy.
>"That will suffice for now, my dear commander."
>You hear your Queen call out from behind you.
>You turn to face her, wiping the various liquids from your face.
"Yes, my Queen."
 
>With one last glance at Anon, you see the extent of your damage.
>You hardly recognize his face, but he will live.
>Your Swarm looks at you with approval.
>They had not yet been fully affected by this human.
>Their judgment is still sound.
>Your Queen speaks to you once more.
>"Have your Swarm take Anon to the prison. Find an empty chamber, I do not wish for his presence to disrupt operations. This is a reward for his successful capture."
"Yes, my Queen."
>You motion to your remaining Swarm members to follow you to the human.
>Your horn lights up as you attempt to command him to stand.
>He doesn't respond.
"Help me command him to move."
>Your Swarm does as asked, as all your horns light up in unison.
>The human doesn't budge.
>It would seem that his resistance was still in effect, even if through the efforts of the hive one spell bypassed it.
>That would be a very inefficient way to command this slave.
>You must resort to manual labor.
"Lift him."
>Together, you all manage to get him hoisted off the ground and cart him off to his new home.
>He will be quite useful to your hive and your Queen, despite his actions.
>She seemed to have more plans for him.
 
>He weighed far more than you anticipated, and your Swarm is worn out by time he is locked in his cell.
>You are not yet certain what your Queen intends to do with a slave that can not be easily ordered about.
>At best, you can see him used as a bargaining bit to pry something from Celestia.
>You shrug away the thoughts.
>He's wasted enough of your time, and your Queen would certainly think of the greatest use for him on her own.
>You turn back once before heading out of the room behind your Swarm.
>Each chamber in the prison area contained a handful of cells that separated ponies, with the room dividing them further.
>This was necessary for the process of gathering their love to work.
>However, in this instance, he would remain alone in this room.
>You Swarm waits patiently just outside the room, still panting slightly.
"Well done. You are dismissed until tomorrow morning."
>There was still quite a few hours left in the day, but your Queen had no tasks for any of you currently, and they had earned some rest.
>Rest which they were more than happy to accept.
>They each nod at you before leaving.
>You take a moment and rub your face with your forehoof.
>A bit of dried blood flakes off and clings to your hoof.
>You look at it and frown.
>A bath would be necessary.
>You groan audibly.
>Ponies use bathes, which were inefficient and wasted time.
>You trot briskly towards the cleansing area.
>There were quite a few areas where water flowed naturally over the rocky caverns.
>Some were designated for drinking, others for cleansing.
>Simply standing under the flowing waters would suffice.
>You allow it to splash across your face for a time while you stare up at nothing.
>It almost felt odd to be back home.
 
>Perhaps you just needed to get back into your regular routine.
>Your Queen would find a suitable replacement for your lieutenant herself, but you still had other things to attend to.
>Swarm Twenty-Five should still be a few days away on their long-distance field mission.
>Swarm Twenty-Four will be overdue for a report soon on northern activity.
>Your Queen is a little more lenient on them, as it's sometimes difficult to travel in the frozen north, and other times the weather doesn't allow any travel at all.
>This still leaves Swarm Thirty-Nine who are probably in sore need of some training sessions.
>You look down and sigh as the water splashes across the back of your head.
>Their spirits were high, but their discipline... left much to be desired.
>You take a deep breath and find your resolve.
>A challenge might serve to keep your mind occupied until you feel like your old self again.
>With this in mind, you turn away from the gentle falls and shake some excess water free before walking towards your destination.
>They could only be in one of two areas.
>Either they're in the leisure area taking a break they did not earn, or they're in the training area practicing of their own volition.
>You frown.
>The answer was fairly obvious.
>Your Queen assured you that they have as much potential as any of the other Swarms, that all they needed was some of your influence.
>You scoff as you shake your head.
>Neither you nor your lieutenant ever needed extra attention to behave as-
>Your step falters a moment, but you continue.
>Nevermind that.
>Your Queen said it could be done, and so it can be.
 
>Soon enough you're standing in the leisure area.
>It had a very pleasant atmosphere.
>Glow Moss grew along the walls in almost deliberate patterns.
>As you look around, you notice the area is largely empty.
>Strange.
>The main hall seemed to have plenty of underlings when you arrived, so where was everyone?
>Across one of the many connecting areas you spot your targets.
>You approach them, and begin giving them orders as you get within earshot.
"Swarm Thirty-Nine, gather and be silent."
>You're able to finish crossing the room by the time they put in the effort to line up.
>The training hasn't even started and you're already annoyed.
>They gathered, but they certainly weren't silent.
>Swarm Forward Thirty-Nine breaks rank and steps towards you.
>"Swarm Commander Eleven! We heard the reports, are they true?"
"Get back in line."
>Swarm Commander Thirty-Nine steps out of rank next, followed by the rest of them.
>"Sir, please, this is rare news!"
>"Did you really fight the human?"
>"How strong is it really?"
>"Why did it travel with you here?"
>You frown and step forward.
"Swarm Thirty-Nine, get back in line."
>They reluctantly follow your order and reorganize themselves, though they are clearly still waiting for answers.
>Each of them are leaning forward with huge grins.
>You can't help but pull your hoof to your face and sigh.
>Perhaps this wasn't going to help get your mind off things after all.
 
>Their desire to listen to your tales were going to cause nothing but distractions, making this already difficult and irritating task that much more so.
>Your hoof lowers slightly.
>Then again...
>You resume your formal stance and return their grins.
"All of you have questions you want answered, and I want you to do some training. Therefore, I will answer one question each time your entire Swarm follows my orders."
>They all look at each other before bowing to you slightly.
>Excellent.
"Then my first order will be to move your hindquarters to the training area while maintaining rank."
>You walk out in front of them before a thought hits you.
>You whip your head around.
"Silently. You may ask when we get there."
>All of their mouths close in unison as they begin following you in a straight line.
>Facing forward once more, you grin to yourself.
>You've never had such a simple motivation to use on them before, and it was working so well.
>Though you actually had a question of your own.
>As you all march in line, you speak without turning your head.
"Do any of you know why the leisure area was so empty?"
>You keep walking and none of them answer.
>This time you turn back to look at them.
>They're all biting their lips.
>You sigh and face ahead once more.
"An order then. Swarm Commander Thirty-Nine, I order you to give me any information you have on the matter."
>After a moment, he speaks up.
>"Sir, from what I understand, many underlings are currently speaking to, well, your own Swarm. About the human. Did you not know?"
>You frown.
>The underlings aren't supposed to bother Swarm members in their personal chambers, especially about mission details.
"No, I was not aware of this."
>You continue walking a short distance before he speaks up once more.
>"Does that count as following an order? Will you answer my question now?"
"I already answered your question."
>You chuckle slightly to yourself as your march goes silent once more.
 
>Once you arrive, they're all standing in a straight line, waiting for you to say something.
>You hold out your hoof.
"Fine. You may ask something."
>Swarm Forward Thirty-Nine steps forward and opens his mouth, only to be promptly slapped in the chest with a backhoof from their Commander.
>He's the one that speaks up.
>"Why did that human help you if it was under the command of Celestia?"
>You sigh as you begin regretting your decision.
>The point of this was to help forget events, not recall them.
>You think over the reason it had given you.
"It thought it was helping everyone."
>The Runner speaks up from the side.
>"What do you mean, sir?"
>The Commander is next.
>"He didn't help just to try to follow you back to your Swarm?"
"Enough. One question per order followed, understood? Now..."
>Usually they handle training rather poorly, but today their teamwork is surprisingly adequate.
>Motivation can be a powerful tool.
>As promised, with the completion of each exercise correctly completed, you give them one question.
>After that first one, they begin talking among themselves before each one is asked with their commander delivering it for them.
>"Was it trying to learn about us to attack us?"
"No, I don't think that was its motivation."
>You frown.
>"Is it true its completely immune to love fatigue?"
"I... suppose. It's not something I tested."
>A bit of a lie.
>"Is it dangerous?"
"Yes, very dangerous. We would do well to be rid of it as soon as possible."
>You didn't need it corrupting other swarms.
>You were already lucky enough to resist its effects, and simpler minds might not.
>Your Queen probably suspected as much as well, which is why he was isolated.
 
>"Do you know if it's a male or female?"
>Despite your best efforts, your face scrunches slightly.
"It's a male."
>Even if they ask, you won't be explain details.
>Luckily they seem satisfied just knowing.
>The hours wear on and you're beginning to feel exhausted.
>More so than they seem to be, and they're the ones exercising.
>"What was its love like?"
>You stare blankly forward as they all look at you expectantly.
>This was enough for one day.
"I'm not sure what you mean, and I believe that will be all. Swarm Thirty-Nine, you are dismissed."
>You turn to leave, but they follow you.
>Their commander speaks up once again.
>"Sir, we heard the Queen had to test your loyalty due to its effects."
>Swarm Forward Thirty-Nine talks from behind the lieutenant.
>"Is that why he is dangerous?"
>This was beginning to get aggravating.
>You were definitely regretting your decision now.
>Their Runner's voice comes from the very back of the line.
>"It gave you love, even though it knew what you are?"
>This time you stop walking and look at the ground.
>Yes.
>Yes he did.
>Your face grimaces in disgust.
>But it was a poison.
"I dismissed your swarm. Leave me."
>You can still hear them mumbling to each other as you gain distance.
>At this point, all you really wanted was some time alone.
>You've endured enough today.
>The day just needed to end.
>Surely tomorrow would be better.
 
>You head to your personal quarters expecting a bit of silence and solitude, only to find the area buzzing with activity.
>Had you already forgotten the empty leisure area?
>You approached the center of the crowd to find your swarm members there, sharing stories with everyone about your mission.
>The questions were pouring in from every side.
>"Did you really get within hoof's reach of Celestia?"
>"Only a few got a good look at her during our last attack."
>"I've heard if you stand too close to their princess you die."
>Swarm Forward Eleven chuckles and begins speaking over the crowd.
>"She was in the same room as us, and the human. Both of them were sitting together. Just sitting there!"
>The crowd roared once again, but this time your Swarm caught sight of you and looked ashamed.
>"They didn't attack you?!"
>"How did you make it back out?"
>"You're a liar!"
>"No one believes this nonsense."
>"What did she smell like?"
>You glare down at your Swarm.
"You know not to divulge mission information, especially right after a mission is completed."
>"C'mon sir, this was a very special occasion! We were just-"
>Your Forward begins, but stops as you continue to stare him down.
>"I... Yes, sir."
>The crowd's noises die down as they realize the stories are about to stop.
"The rest of you, get out of the Swarm personal quarters. You should not be here."
>You yell over the crowd to make sure they all hear.
>They're a bit reluctant, but they begin to disperse.
>Your scout hesitates to speak.
>"The hive just wanted to learn about the human. It's something new."
>You opened your mouth to protest, but you knew they were right.
>This was the most interesting event since the Canterlot invasion, and by far more noteworthy.
>After all, no one liked discussing the failed invasion.
>Instead, you just continue on to the commander quarters.
>At last, a bit of solitude.
>You lie on your bunk and try to think about nothing.
 
>As you follow the patterns of light on the walls, one thing begins to become perfectly clear.
>It was impossible to think of nothing.
>Despite your will, you still found your mind wandering back in time.
>Events both recent and long passed trickle through.
>You would be a liar if you said losing your lieutenant didn't bother you, even if he betrayed the hive.
>There wasn't a time you could remember where he wasn't around.
>As far back as you could think, the two of you were doing menial chores together, and eventually training together.
>Up until today you were never completely sure why your Queen chose you to be the commander over him, but now you know she must have seen this potential for betrayal in him.
>Your Queen is very wise.
>You sigh deeply and push his image out of your mind.
>Surely he will still be useful in a different way.
>You can only guess who the Queen will choose as your new lieutenant.
>No one in particular comes to mind.
>Of course it's not really an issue you've ever considered.
>Nor will you now.
>You roll over and close your eyes.
>It's far too early to sleep, but you could still relax for a while.
>The air feels a little more chilly than you remember.
>Suddenly you feel a pair of arms embrace you, keeping you warm.
>So warm and comfortable.
>You don't want them to leg go.
>"Have a good night."
>Your eyes open and the warmth vanishes.
>A scowl finds its way to your face as you realize what just happened.
>In spite of everything, he was still in your head.
>You grit your teeth in anger, but as a few moments pass you find a tinge of sadness there as well.
 
. . .
 
>Sound.
>Is that sound?
>Your head is swimming as you struggle to have a coherent thought.
>Yes, that is what sound is.
>What is it?
>Everything is still dark, but you can hear something distant and muffled.
>It doesn't make any sense.
>Touch.
>Your nerves slowly give you new sensations.
>Are they new?
>They don't seem familiar.
>The ground is hard.
>Are you on the ground?
>What is that now?
>A distant spec.
>You struggle to focus and the spec grows larger.
>Light?
>You used to be able to see, right?
>The spec of light slowly shimmers and dances until a blurry image forms.
>More lights.
>What are they?
>The muffled sounds grow louder and the light grows brighter.
>All at once everything explodes to life and your mind is filled with nothing but pain.
>You try to scream, but no sound comes out, at least nothing you can hear.
>Your eyes clench shut once more, but the light is too bright to block out.
>The sound is too loud to bear.
>You try to move to get away from it, but you can't.
>Then it all fades.
>Your head is still throbbing, but the light has returned to a normal image.
>Sight.
>You regain the normal use of your senses, and can even think clearly now.
>The first thing you realize is you're laying on the cave floor, staring up at that weird glowing moss that lines the walls.
>The next thing that follows swiftly afterwords is the throbbing pain emanating from all over your head.
"Wher derf..."
>Those weren't words.
>You very gently raise an arm to very gently touch your face.
>Unfortunately, your arm doesn't cooperate and you end up slapping yourself, causing another wave of pain.
>As you groan mildly, you wonder what the hell could have happened.
>The last thing you can remember was that hall.
>Right?
 
>You lay there staring at the spinning ceiling for a while.
>Slowly your memories begin to resurface, as if sand is falling away to reveal a picture.
>No.
>There was more.
>The hall led to a giant cavern of some kind.
>Then... then.
>You sit up.
"That dirty motherfucker."
>You instinctively grit your teeth as the sudden movement sends a bullet tearing through your brain.
>The feeling in your limbs seems to be returning to normal very quickly.
>You lift your arm once more to feel your head.
"What the fuck?"
>Lumps that weren't there before.
>Your face felt fat and heavy as hell.
>You look around for a way to see yourself, but the room is devoid of anything.
>Room?
>Once your brain catches up you realize you're in some sort of prison cell.
>A fucking prison cell?
"Did they fucking drag me in here on my face?"
>You attempt to stand and almost fail.
>Luckily blinding rage makes for a good crutch.
>You let out a yell as you charge and body slam into the bars.
"Ah! You pieces of shit!"
>After falling hard back down the ground and doing zero damage to what appear to be nothing more than sticks that were tied together, you begin to use your brain instead.
>Among the myriad of ideas that come to mind, one in particular bounces around louder than the rest.
>You should never have helped that fucking bug.
 
>While you sit there mumbling incoherent nonsense to yourself, you get an odd feeling that you're not alone.
>You lift your head and glance around.
>After a few sweeps, you actually notice a pair of eyes watching from a corner.
>Well now, that's some creepy looking shit.
>You immediately stand back up despite your protesting body and step back a few paces.
"Hello?"
>You calm down slightly when you realize whoever or whatever those eyes belong to is at least outside of your cage.
>Wait, why is that comforting?
>"Hello."
>It doesn't move from the shadowy corner.
>Okay.
"Uh, what are you?"
>As if on queue, the figure steps out into a lighter area so you can see his features.
>It looks like an ordinary mare.
>She's in her own cell next to yours.
>Oddly enough, they appear to be the only two cells in the room.
>Surely they'd have more areas for prisoners.
>"My name is Sugar Cane."
>It was really difficult to get an idea of her colors under blue and green lights, but her cutie mark was about what you expected.
>Literally sugar canes.
>Every time.
>She looked extremely ragged, as if she'd been there for years.
"How long have you been here?"
>You step forward slightly, and she steps back into the shadows.
>Oh, right, human.
"My name is Anon. I live in Canterlot."
>She peaks out once more.
>"Oh, Canterlot? I hear they have many, er, races there."
>Not really.
"Ya, they do. So how did you end up here?"
>You carefully sit down and quietly whimper as each bump sends a ripple through your head.
 
>She sits down and looks to the side.
>"I wandered a bit too far from my home into the nearby forest. I... I can't even remember where I lived."
>Her face scrunches up as she sobs quietly.
>"They just found me and captured me. I didn't even see them. When I woke up, I was here."
>She looks over at you with a pained expression.
>"I can't tell you how long I've been here because I don't know!"
>Her sobbing is much louder now.
>Shit, now look what you did.
>You scoot closer towards her and stop at the bars.
"Whoa, whoa, it's okay, uh, calm down okay?"
>Her sobbing only gets louder.
>"Everyone says it's okay, but it's not! It's never okay!"
>C'mon, think Anon.
"Trust me, we're going to get out of here. I don't plan on staying here."
>She sniffs and wipes her nose with her foreleg.
>"H-how do you plan to get out? No one ever gets out."
>Well, you had a few ideas.
>One more sunny than the rest, but you still weren't one-hundred percent on that one.
>Better to not raise her hopes for something that's not entirely certain.
"I have some friends who-"
>She cuts you off rather harshly.
>"Who aren't going to find you down here! I had some friends, too. No one came!"
>Yeesh.
>She looks down at the ground.
>"At least no one who could help me. They sometimes capture other ponies I knew. Now we're all just prisoners, and no one is coming."
>Her expression changes from pain and anger to something more stoic.
>Defeat.
>She's been here far too long.
 
>You lean closer to the bars.
"No, I have some friends who are already here."
>She wipes her leaking nose once more with her forehoof and scoots across the floor a bit closer to you.
>"Wuh... What do you mean?"
>You wince a bit at a flash of pain before glancing around.
>At least the pain had mostly gone from sharp stabs to a dull constant throbbing.
"I, uh, have a few... Bug friends."
>She leans away in disgust.
>"You're friends with these, these-!"
>You shush her.
"No, not all of them, just like five or so."
>She stands up and turns away from you, stomping the ground as she speaks.
>"Your 'friends' betrayed you, don't you see?! That's why you're here!"
>Well, not exactly.
>They all warned you multiple times that this is exactly what was going to happen.
>So you really can't blame them.
>It's the rest of the hive you hate.
>All blindly following that maniacal bitch Chrysalis.
"I doubt they wanted me to be here. They tried to tell me not to come, but here I am."
>For a moment, she seems confused as she looks back at you.
>"They warned you? Why would they-"
>She glances away and stops talking.
>"It was obviously part of their trick to get you here."
>It was probably too much to expect her to believe you anyway.
>She'd been here a while and you were new.
>You wouldn't believe you, either.
 
>You turn around and lean back against the bars.
"It's the truth, so just don't worry. I'm sure they'll help me get out."
>You weren't sure they could, even if they wanted to.
>But you expect they'd at least try.
>Maybe you can get one of them to talk to Kalakcha, and he can talk to his damn queen.
>Why did she even keep you here?
>You thought for sure you were dying back in that cavern.
>You chuckle a bit.
>She probably expects you to be a nice little hostage.
>She doesn't know you very well.
"If they can help me, I can help you."
>You don't turn to look at her, but you can hear her speaking from her shadowy corner.
>"You can't help me. No one can help me."
>You close your eyes.
"A plan only has as much chance for success as those carrying it out allow."
>You grin gently and delicately rub your face.
"So really it's up to them."
>She doesn't say much after that, but you imagine she's not one for conversation to begin with.
>Not that you blame her.
>You're a big scary creature and she's lost everyone she's ever known.
>It's a wonder she's not insane.
>You frown and quietly move further from the bars.
 
>Some time passes, though you're not quite sure how much.
>You're still not even sure how long you've been under whatever that spell was.
>You rub your face as you consider this.
>Just stubble.
>It couldn't have been for very long.
>You wince as you cross over some tender spots.
>Was that part of the spell?
>You waste some time studying the bars of your cell.
>They seem like ordinary sticks, but they feel impossibly dense.
>After some more cautious attempts at breaking them you finally give up.
>They weren't going anywhere.
>You're not sure when or how it happened, but it seems as though your prison-mate has also gone missing.
>If she was taken by some guards they were extremely quiet about it.
>She must be completely resigned to her fate.
>You grimace as you grip your stomach.
>Between the shitty daily rations you were living on during your journey and however much time you've already spent here, you were entirely famished.
>Do changelings even eat food in their hive?
>They ate when they were with you, but not on the way here.
>Surely it's not a requirement.
>They have pony prisoners though, so they must feed them something, right?
>You begin to think out-loud.
"Fuck, I bet they're going to bring me some hay or flowers-"
>"You would lose that bet."
 
>You jump at the sudden sound and quickly look for its source.
>A changeling with armored guards on either side approaches your cell with a small dish levitating beside him.
>He then floats the dish vertically between the bars, using his magic to hold the food in place.
>You reach out and take it.
>No.
>Is this...
"Is this meat?"
>What the hell?
>He nods.
>"Some birds, yes, and some leaves."
>You can scarcely believe it.
>Ponies never allow meat of any kind into their shops.
>In fact, you haven't had meat since you arrived in Equestria.
"Holy shit."
>The changeling grins at you while his guards remain more cautious.
>Almost afraid, you think.
>"I'm pleased it's something you'll eat. No one was sure what to give you, so we went with both."
>Oh my God.
>It smells like heaven.
>You're quite sure it's merely a fire roasted slab of bird flesh with zero seasoning, but it was the best thing you've smelled in a really long time.
>Without further hesitation you tear into it with a ravenous fury.
>You discard the leaves, however.
>"Yeah, I didn't think you'd want those, but I had orders."
>Drool and tiny bits of flesh find their way to your shirt as you go.
>"I'd also bring you some nectar of the gods, but no one knows what that is, either."
 
>You nearly drop your bowl thing at that statement.
>It's empty now anyway, so it wouldn't have done any damage.
>Actually it would have been a nice dramatic effect.
"Do I know you?"
>His grin lessens slightly as he levitates the dish out of your hands.
>"I'm a little disappointed you don't recognize me."
>You frown.
"If you know me then you know I think you all look and sound the same."
>Now it's his turn to frown.
>He attempts to push the bowl into the chest of one of the guards, but rather than take it he simply ignores it and it falls to the ground.
>Neither of them seem to care much, but the guard does seem a bit annoyed by this.
>"Even so you should be able to figure it out with the information you have. Are you really so simple?"
>You think for a bit.
>Kalakcha might have volunteered to bring you some food since he knew you best, or he got one of his men to do it.
>Might as well guess.
"Uh, Kaaaal-"
>You stretch out the syllables and stop as he props up an eyebrow.
>Oh, wait.
"Bright?"
>He grins and nods.
>The guards look a bit confused, but say nothing as they exchange questioning glances.
"I thought you were going to be executed or something."
 
>He huffs.
>"My Queen is not so merciless as to have me executed for my crimes, but my punishment was severe."
>He looks off to the side.
>"I have lost my rank among the Swarm."
>That's it?
>He got fired?
"That doesn't seem so bad."
>He grunts and turns back to you.
>"I was once the lieutenant of one of the most respected Swarms in the hive, and am now a mere slave herder. There is no lower rank."
>That still doesn't sound so bad.
>You take a moment to eye each guard.
>This seems to make them nervous.
"What's with the escort? Did they think I'd attack you?"
>Bright spits at the ground.
>"They aren't for you, they are for me. My Queen does not fully trust me again, and so they are here to make sure I don't do anything too... Ambitious."
>He flashes you a grin on that last word before turning away.
>"I suppose that's it for now. We may leave."
>Bright walks out of the room, leaving the two guards behind to look at you a moment longer.
>One turns to leave before the other, who stops the last guard with his back hoof and nods towards the bowl.
>The back guard rolls his eyes and takes the bowl with his telekinesis before they both leave.
>It's only after they're fully gone that you realize you should have asked some questions.
>Far too late now.
>For now all you could do is find something stupid to occupy your vast amounts of time with.
>Maybe it's time to start thinking of a plan.
 
 
. . .
 
 
>"It may interest you to know that Anon is doing just fine."
>Your former lieutenant speaks to you from the commander quarters entry way.
>Even laying down and facing away you could tell he was smiling about it.
>Your Queen was right to remove him.
>He's obviously too far gone now.
"How do you know this?"
>"I spoke to him myself."
>This causes you to turn and sit up to face him.
"There was to be no contact of any sort with this one!"
>You jump from your bunk and trot to him swiftly.
"Was that not clear?!"
>He bows his head to you slightly.
>"Direct orders from the Queen."
>Direct-
"Explain."
>He looks off to the side.
>"I have received my new assignment. I tend to the slaves."
>You take a step back.
"Our Queen...?"
>"Yes, and Anon is now a slave. It is my duty to keep him alive."
>The mention of his name bring you back to the more important matter.
"You can keep him alive without interacting with him."
>He chuckles at you.
>Arrogant.
>"I could, but I chose not to."
>You raises a forehoof off the ground as he continues.
>"You may hate him for reasons you think are justified, but they are not mine."
 
>You lean forward.
"It is entirely justified! His influence is a poison that soaks into your mind. We're supposed to control others, not they us."
>Why are you even speaking to him about it?
>His mind is lost.
>Without another word you push your way past him and move swiftly towards the throne room.
>Perhaps your Queen didn't understand the full extent of the situation.
>You needed to fix this before he caused any damage.
>Your Queen needs to amend her orders for the new slave herder.
>He should not be talking to that human.
>No one should be anywhere near him.
>Most especially not someone who was gladly on his side.
>You reach the throne room and call out for your Queen.
>"You seem panicked Swarm Commander Eleven, but that is no reason to act so disrespectfully."
>You bow deeply when her words reach you.
"I meant no disrespect, my Queen."
>She gently lands nearby on her throne before speaking once more.
>"Of course you didn't my beloved subject, it was an honest mistake. What is so urgent that you forgot your place?"
>Right, Anon.
>You lift your head just enough to see her as you speak.
"My Queen, I have heard a rumor that you are allowing the new slave herder to interact with the human."
>She waves her hoof.
>"It is no rumor, it is true."
>The word 'why' is shouted loudly in your mind, but you remain calm.
"My Queen, this human has a poisonous influence over all who stay near him. You must not-!"
>She stands and frowns down at you, causing you to cease your statement.
>"You would not presume to tell me what I must do, would you?"
 
>You bow deeply once more, breaking eye contact.
"No, of course not my Queen. I fear I misspoke. I intended only to stress the urgency of this situation. Anon can not be allowed to interact with anyone! It will destroy the hive!"
>She sits once more and ponders your words.
>When she says nothing for some time, you raise your head enough to see her once more.
>"Did this human not single-hoofedly feed your entire Swarm for multiple days?"
>You nod.
"Well, yes, but-"
>"And did he suffer any of the usual feeding fatigue the rest of our slaves exhibit?"
"No my Queen, he-"
>She laughs with delight before speaking once more.
>"It seems to me, my beloved commander, that we have found an unlimited supply of love."
>She can't!
"My Queen, his love is the poison! The hive-"
>"The hive is who I care for, and I will not discard such a boon so easily. You, as well as your own Swarm, have fed on his love for these few days and remain loyal."
>But not everyone in the hive is so resistant.
"My lieutenant-"
>"Was already affected by the influence of another before even meeting this human. I have him under constant guard."
>Your Queen isn't listening.
>How can she be so reckless?
>Before you can think of another protest, she continues speaking to you with a sly grin.
>"It may interest you to know that I have already probed the human for information. Swarm Scout Seven took care of it herself, and she did a marvelous job."
>You give her a look of disbelief.
>Not on purpose, but you couldn't help it.
>"Do not fret my commander, she is perfectly unharmed and is still completely loyal."
>She leans forward slightly as he grin twists into a scowl.
>"Do you believe this human is so powerful that he can turn my own hive against me? Is loyalty such a fickle thing to you?"
>That last part hits you like a kick to the gut.
"N... No, my Queen."
 
>She returns to a neutral stance but her scowl remains.
>”Then I trust that you will not waste my time with this again.”
>With that, she turns around and approaches her throne in slow strides.
>”Fear not my commander, I hold no illusions of keeping this human forever. Surely Celestia already knew he would not be leaving of his own will the moment he left her sight.”
>Your Queen giggles slightly at the idea.
>”She would not risk a direct attack and patrols have been multiplied substantially for this special occasion, but she will not suffer having her precious pet taken from her for any longer than she needs to.”
>Once she reaches her throne, she turns and sits down before looking back down at you.
>”However, until terms are met this human will help strengthen our hive.”
>You want to keep trying to convince her that this was a mistake, but she simply isn’t interested.
>There’s nothing more you can do.
>With a defeated expression on your face, you bow deeply once more and hold your eyes shut.
”I understand, my Queen.”
>”Good. Now leave me, your presence is no longer welcome for the moment.”
“Of course, my Queen.”
>Your hooves feel heavy as you turn to leave.
>While her intentions seem to make sense, you can’t shake the feeling that it would return to bite her.
>She had a good point, though.
>Love wasn’t exactly abundant lately.
>Even the usual rations had been cut in half over the last few months.
>Is it better to consume tainted food than it is to starve?
>You shake your head.
>Both seem to lead to the same end, but at least with one you won’t be hungry.
>As you approach the Swarm quarters and are pleased to see it is largely empty.
>The crowd hasn’t reassembled.
>Your own Swarm doesn’t seem to be here, either.
>It must be close to feeding time.
>With a frown you continue on to the commander quarters.
>You had lost your appetite since returning.
>Missing a meal wouldn’t hurt.
 
>"How did our Queen respond to your concerns?"
>You grimace as the sound of your old lieutenant's voice reverberates around you.
"That is none of your concern. Why are you still here?"
>He buzzes down and begins walking along side you.
>"I'm a little curious myself."
"You shouldn't be here. This area is for Swarm-"
>without warning he bumps into your side enough to knock you off balance.
>"Don't recite procedure to me."
>He sticks his tongue out as you throw him a harsh glare.
>You really weren't in the mood for games right now.
>"Guess it didn't go well. You're in one of your moods."
"I do not have a mood."
>"I've known you a long time, and you know that I know."
>You stop walking and turn to face him.
>He wasn't going to drop this.
>He knew you very well, and you knew him equally so.
 
"Fine. The Queen disregarded my concerns in favor of keeping the hive fed. It's not the decision I was hoping for, but it might be for the best."
>He tilts his head slightly.
>"Have you changed your mind then?"
>You look to the side.
>"My stance remains unchanged, but it is not my place to go against the will of the Queen. The human's influence is a poison being willfully consumed."
>Your old comrade wraps his hoof around your shoulder, much to your disapproval.
>However, no effort is made to stop him.
>"You are convinced he is a poison for your mind because he makes you think about things you didn't before. You're asking questions about yourself, and maybe even the Queen, correct?"
>You look away.
>"This is not some influence to your loyalty the human is forcing on you. He's not making you do anything, he simply showed you what was already there."
>Your mind was still swimming from all the recent events.
>Being uncertain was about the most frustrating thing in the world.
>"If there's a better way for everyone to live, shouldn't we find it?"
>He doesn't wait for you to respond before pulling away and giving you a final nod before turning to leave.
>"Just food for thought."
>As if you didn't already have enough to think about.
 
 
. . .
 
 
>You haven't come up with any new plans or theories despite your efforts.
>You're not sure how long you've been staring at the glowing moss on the ceiling, but it's been long enough that you're sure it's messing with your sight.
>"Are you still awake?"
>A familiar voice rouses you from your stupor.
>You sit up to discover the source is Sugar Cane.
>Your lips purse into a look of inquisition.
"Where did you go?"
>She tilts her head.
>"I didn't go anywhere. I've been in my corner."
"I'm pretty sure your cell was empty for a while."
>She flashes you a very subtle smile.
>"I'm pretty good at hiding now. I think that the less they see me the less they think of me, and so the less they..."
>Her voice trails off, and she shows no signs of finishing her thoughts.
"They what?"
>She looks down at her hooves.
>"The less they remind us of our place."
>With a small measure of hesitation, her eyes turn up towards you a few times before she speaks once more.
>"I can see you know what I'm talking about."
>Instinctively you point at your face.
"What, this? Why would they knock me out and then beat me?"
>She doesn't look back up at you as she speaks once more.
>"It is as I've said. To teach you that you have no value. The ones who take care of us are referred to as slave herders."
>You nod.
>Yes, Bright told you as much, but your point was more why would someone knock you out if they wanted to teach you a lesson?
>That kind of ruins the point of inflicting pain.
>"You are not a prisoner, you are a slave, and a slave's only value is what their master decides it is."
>She's so broken.
>You scoot as close as you can to her bars.
>She reacts by moving away an equal distance.
"Hey, your life is valuable no matter what they think, or even what you think."
>Super sappy, Anon.
>Despite this, she smiles meekly.
>"I appreciate your kind words. It's been a long time since I've heard any spoken to me."
>You shrug.
"We have to stick together, right?"
>She nods.
>"R-right."
 
>Some time passes with you and your cellmate talking idly about nothing at all.
>She seems sensitive about topics involving her personal life, so you avoid them the best you can.
"What's with these branches?"
>You gently hit the side of your fist against your cell "bars" causing them to vibrate deeply.
>She responds by raising an eyebrow.
>"What do you mean?"
"Well, they're like made of wood, right? How are they so tough?"
>She giggles slightly.
>One of the few times you've seen her do so.
>"They're made from Ironwood trees. They're every bit as strong as metal, although not as flexible."
"Ironwood, huh? We had something like that on Earth, but it was nothing like this."
>She nods.
>Just about everyone you've ever talked to about Earth are convinced it's in some remote part of their world.
>They refuse to believe you're from some other planet or dimension.
>Sugar seems to be one of the few who accept that it actually is its own world.
>She's opened up a bit more and explained how she used to dream of visiting other worlds.
>Maybe it's not so much that she actually believes you, but wants to believe you.
>Then again, maybe she just wants to escape this world.
>The distant sound of hooves trotting towards you catch your attention.
>Sugar backs up against the wall of her cell and begins to quietly mutter to herself.
>"No, no, no, no..."
>Before you realize what's going on, a small entourage of changeling guards are in her cell and escorting her out.
>"No! Please! I haven't done anything!"
>She attempts to grab the floor, but it's no use.
>You press your body against the bars.
"Why do you need to take her? Why don't you ever just take me?"
>One of the guards gives you a glance.
>"You're too dangerous to release."
>They easily over power her and carry her out.
>You watch helplessly as she disappears around the corner where you can't see, her yelling echoing all the while.
 
 
. . .
 
 
>Your Queen wouldn't listen, your old lieutenant is convinced Anon is actually a positive influence, and your Swarm?
>Well, your Swarm seems to only support your answers.
>They haven't given their own thoughts on the matter.
>As you enter the feeding area you spot them sitting near a few gatherers, sharing in today's bounty.
>You take a seat beside them as they each give you a salute.
>"Sir? We were beginning to think you weren't going to show up for your love rations."
>You look down at your hooves.
"I didn't plan to, and I'm here for another matter."
>They exchange looks and wait for you to continue.
"I need to know each of your feelings regarding Anon."
>Before they can speak, you hold up a hoof and make eye contact with them.
"I do not want to hear simple support for my decisions, I want to hear your actual thoughts."
>They all hesitate, but your Forward is the first to speak up.
>"Sir, forgive me for saying so, but I believe Anon was a valuable ally and it was a mistake to lock him away."
>That's a bit shocking to hear.
>At one point you did name him an honorary member of Swarm Eleven, but that was before everything happened.
>Your Scout speaks up next.
>"We still do not fully understand the situation, but nothing happened to warrant such treatment. Caution is welcome."
>The Runner goes last.
>"The human seems sincere to me."
>They all cringe slightly as they wait for your reprimands.
>You nod and look back down at your hooves.
"Thank you."
>Now you know everyone's true feelings, and to your surprise you're largely alone in thinking the human is an enemy.
>The Queen sees him as a tool, your Swarm sees him as an ally, and the new slave herder sees him as a friend.
>Perhaps he had a larger effect on them all than you had anticipated.
 
>Your thoughts are interrupted by a messenger.
>"Swarm Commander Eleven, I have news for you sir."
>With great effort, you manage to pull your head up and look over to meet his gaze.
"Speak."
>He nods.
>"I am to inform you that upon the successful return of Swarm Twenty-Four, barring any unforeseen events, Swarm Commander Twenty-Four will be promoted to Swarm Lieutenant Eleven."
>Oh, right.
>You frown.
"Message received and understood."
>He gives you a salute before buzzing away.
>Your Scout chuckles.
>"The Queen chose proper. That commander will be tough after such a long mission in the north."
>Your Runner adds to this.
>"This is true, but have they even reported back yet?"
>The thought of replacing your old lieutenant was something you had avoided thinking about.
>Even after everything, you still considered him as part of your Swarm in the back of your mind.
>This would make it official.
>He was no longer part of your Swarm, and he never would be again.
>It couldn't be helped.
>You sigh deeply.
"They will report when they are able, and the new lieutenant will make a great addition to our Swarm."
>There was no joy in your voice.
>It was flat and dead.
>Swarm Forward Eleven looks at you with concern.
>"Sir, were you hoping for someone else?"
>You shake your head.
"No, this was the correct choice."
>You stand up and turn away.
"Meet me on the training grounds once you're done. We had better prepare for our new arrival."
 
 
. . .
 
 
>You could never tell what time it was, but your internal clock was telling you it was getting late.
>You're not even sure you can trust it, though.
>It didn't matter either way.
>You were tired, and that was all you needed to know.
>As you begin to nod off some hoof steps heading towards your cell snap you out of your funk.
>It's the guards again.
>Once they get close enough, you can make out the shape of Sugar on their backs.
>She looks worse for wear.
>They throw open her cell and toss her inside dismissively.
>Her body rolls limply across the floor before coming to a stop facing away from you.
"Hey, what the fuck guys?"
>You really wish you could get to her to see if she was alright, but there was simply no way.
>The guards ignore you as they leave once more.
>You press your face between the bars facing her which causes you to clench your teeth in pain.
"Sugar Cane, hey."
>No response.
"Are you alright? Can you hear me?"
>Still no response at all.
>Perhaps it was best to let her rest anyway.
>Either she was passed out, or on the edge of it.
>You'll check on her when she's gained some of her strength back.
>From what you could see her sides were bruised.
>Her messy mane covered most of her head.
>Nothing you can do about it now.
>You're not sure how long you watched over her, but the next thing you realize you're curled up on the floor with your back against the bars.
 
>"Anon. Anon, are you awake?"
>You take a deep inhale as you push yourself around to see her.
"Sugar?"
>She smiles meekly.
>God, her fucking face.
"What the fuck did they do to you?"
>She lets out a chuckle, though there's no humor in it.
>It sounded painful.
>"Don't worry, I'm fine. It's not as bad as it looks."
>You instinctively reach through the bars towards her, wanting to embrace her or caress her a little just to comfort her a bit, but she shies away once more.
>"I-I prefer not being touched."
>You frown.
"I don't want to hurt you, I just thought you could use some friendly contact."
>You pull your arm back through and slump down.
"I'm surprised you still don't trust me at all."
>She stands up and shakes her head.
>"No, it's not that, honest. It just reminds me of the guards, that's all. I just don't like being touched."
>Even a friendly embrace scares her away.
>This seems a bit odd, but you suppose it has to do with her being beaten, or...
>They wouldn't...?
>You shake your head at the thought.
>You highly doubt they'd go that far, and you weren't about to ask.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
>She takes a seat and nods.
>"Yes, I'll be fine. I actually wanted to ask how you were doing? You were asleep for a long time."
 
>Some time passes and after a long silence, you look over to find Sugar missing once more.
>Hiding in the shadows of her cell, as usual.
>Some changelings must be coming soon.
>As if on queue, you hear some hooves echoing throughout the caves, getting closer.
>You sit up and see Bright come in with another bowl of food.
>Thank God.
"I'm glad to see you."
>He smiles.
>"Oh, so you recognize me today?"
>You shrug.
"No, but I used the information I had to figure it out."
>You also give a little wave to the guards that were escorting him, but they don't respond to you.
>He chuckles at your remark.
>"Well, here's breakfast. It's just bird this time. Sorry we don't have anything else for, uh, humans. Most of our food stores are for ponies."
"Whatever, this is great. I'm not gonna be able to eat meat again after I get back to Canterlot, so I guess this is kind of a silver lining."
>He tilts his head slightly as he passes you the bowl with telekinesis.
>"How are your wounds healing?"
>Oh, right, that bullshit.
>You grab the bowl and take a bite before responding.
"You know what? I was gonna ask you about that yesterday, but I forgot."
>"You were going to ask how your wounds were healing?"
"No, I wanted to know how my face got this way. Last thing I remember was the whole hive casting something on me, then I woke up in here like this."
>You shake your head.
"I bet your Queen told some fucking idiots to mess me up like they do all the other slaves."
>Bright rubs the fin along his head.
>"Well, you're partially right."
 
>You finish stripping the flesh off one bone before moving to the next one.
"What do you mean? Did they do it for fun then?"
>"Well, uh, all of us had our loyalty called into question when we got back."
>So?
"Okay?"
>He looks away.
>"Some more than others."
"Ya, you got demoted down to the bottom. I remember you complaining about it."
>He doesn't look back at you as he continues.
>"Not... me."
>Then the other four?
>What happened to them?
"So what did she do to the rest of your Swarm?"
>He finally makes eye contact with you once more with a frown on his face and pleading eyes.
>Wait.
"No way."
>He nods.
"No, they wouldn't stab me in the back. We're friends."
>"He had to prove he was still loyal to the Queen, and he did as I said he would."
>He?
"So it wasn't even the whole Swarm, it was just Kalakcha?"
>With some hesitation, he nods once more.
"That..."
>Your teeth clench, causing your face to throb in pain.
 
"That fucking piece of shit coward! Fucking backstabber!"
>"Wait-"
>You hold the remainder of your bird in one hand and fling the bowl into the wall with the other.
>While you may be pissed off, but you were also hungry.
"Where is he?! Why hasn't he been here to tell me himself? That fucking coward attacked me when I couldn't defend myself, and then doesn't even have the balls to tell me himself? I'm gonna kill him!"
>By now you're pacing back and forth in your little cage, fully unable to fulfill any of your threats.
>"Anon-"
"This whole fucking time I thought you guys were my friends. I thought that maybe the hive did this because your fucking psychotic Queen said so. I could understand that, but this? What the fuck man?"
>"Anon, I'm still your friend, okay? Calm down."
>When you turn to face him the guards are a fair distance away.
>Once more, his eyes are pleading to you.
>He glances at the guards, then back at you.
>"If you want to make a difference, you need to calm down, and you need to continue what you started."
>The fuck does that mean?
>One of the guards finally steps forward.
>"I think that's enough conversing with the slave. Get the dish and leave."
>Bright doesn't break eye contact with you as his horn lights up and the bowl floats back over to him.
>Without another word, he turns to leave with the guards in close tow behind him.
>You shout as he leaves.
"You tell him the next time I see him I'm gonna kick his ass! Tell him!"
>Your grip on the bars loosens over the next few minutes as your anger leaks away.
>A sigh escapes your lips.
>Fucking brilliant Anon.
>Throwing your tantrum solved everything didn't it?
>Your turn your back to the bars and slide down to the ground.
>Bad idea, they're shaped like regular branches.
 
>You ignore the new pain coming from your back for now.
>You'll deal with Kalakcha when time allows it, but for now you still had a job to do.
>That little outburst certainly isn't the way to form a diplomatic relation.
>Your fists clench.
>It's just so fucking infuriating.
>As you begin going over every insulting name you can think of in your mind, you hear Sugar's meek voice from the corner of her cell.
>"Are you..."
>She looks around a bit before trying again.
>"Are you okay?"
>Right, you had completely forgotten she was even here.
>She's probably scared shitless.
"Oh, ya, I was just mad. Don't worry about it, you're not one of the ponies I'm mad at."
>She nods.
>"I heard. It's the changelings, isn't it? I told you they betrayed you."
"Not all of them, just one."
>Suddenly venom fills her voice.
>"No, all of them did. Are you so blind you can not see everything they do is to deceive you?"
>Her voice softens slightly.
>"None of them can be trusted, but you can trust me, as I trust you. We have to stick together, that's what you said."
>You did say that, but you're not sure she understood what you meant.
>When you can help her, you will, but that doesn't mean throwing away everything else.
>"We're friends, aren't we?"
>She's now sitting on the ground waiting for a response.
>You turn your head to see her.
"Of course we're friends, but they're still my friends, too."
>Are they though?
>You weren't entirely sure.
>The only one you would bet on is Bright, but that was because you knew his whole story.
>Everyone else is a mystery.
>"How can you be so sure, after what they did to you?"
 
>Speaking of mystery, this mare sure had some strong opinions on your friends for not knowing them.
"Just because they're changelings doesn't mean they're automatically evil."
>Fire ignites in her eyes the likes of which you haven't seen thus far.
>She stands up and begins shouting.
>"Not evil? Have you seen what they've done to us? What they continue to do to us? Have you met a single changeling who wasn't?!"
"Yes."
>You speak flatly and it throws her off-guard a bit.
"Why do you care so much who I put my trust in? You used to be convinced we were stuck here anyway, so it shouldn't matter."
>She takes a step back.
>"I don't want them to hurt you anymore than they already have. You shouldn't trust them."
>You lean towards her and put weight on one of your arms.
"You want to insist I trust only you when you won't even get anywhere near me? I'm not an idiot. I'm sorry for whatever shit they put you through, but you haven't seen what I've seen. They don't have to be evil."
>She glances back and forth, and her voice gets more defensive.
>"I've told you why I won't get near you. I don't-"
"Like being touched, I got it. Even when I'm not reaching through the bars you treat me like I have a disease or something."
>You slump down once more and look off to the side.
>She steps forward once more.
>"We have to stick together."
"We 'are' stuck together."
>You felt bad for her, but you also wouldn't be able to make any progress with the changelings if you turned your back on all of them.
>Perhaps in time she would come around, but for now you just had to let her stew in her misery.
>"Wait."
>You glance over at her.
>"Can we maybe start over?"
 
>You prop up an eyebrow.
>Sugar Cane inches closer to your bars one baby step at a time.
>"If, you don't mind, I mean, starting over?"
"What did you have in mind?"
>She stops a few feet from your bars and looks down at her forehoof.
>"We could shake hooves and properly introduce ourselves?"
>Well that's the first civil thing she's said since you met her.
>You smile a bit as you scoot yourself across the cave floor.
"That sounds fine."
>She smiles weakly back at you as you reach an arm between the bars.
>After some minor hesitation, she finally places her hoof into your open palm and you gently grasp it.
"There, see? Easy as, uh..."
>She continues smiling at you as your smile fades.
"Uh..."
>That's not a pony hoof.
>That's not a pony hoof at all.
>You pull your hand back to yourself and rub your palm with your other hand.
>She continues smiling at you, but you look away.
>"Great, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. human."
>All at once the realization seems to dawn on you.
>Fucking idiot.
>Why else would changelings need slaves?
>It's not like they're using you for labor.
>It should have been obvious from the start, but there's just been so many distractions that the question never even crossed your mind.
>You look back up at her with surprise on your face.
>She struggles to keep the smile on her face.
"You're a changeling."
 
>She steps back in shock.
>"I'm a what?"
>You stand up and begin pacing.
"Oh my God, I'm such a fucking idiot."
>You turn around and point at her with your arm resting at your side.
"You. That's why you're here. You're here to get me to feel sorry for you so you can feed on my love."
>The smile completely leaves her face.
"All the slaves here are only here to provide your hive with love, aren't they?"
>It's a brilliant tactic, but sinister as all hell.
>Clever fucks.
>You don't even feel mad, which comes as a surprise to you.
>As you consider this, another thought occurs.
>Oh yes.
>They want love, and you're going to give it to them.
>With a flash of green her disguise falls away.
>Rather than continue speaking to you she seems to have forgotten you were here.
>She mutters bitterly to herself, angrily spitting out many choice words as she goes.
>"Of course the human knows what a changeling feels like, he knows changelings, but you can't just stay distant either and keep pretending like you care or the love is replaced by apathy. Why does the Queen always give me the hive assignments? Lazy lower ranks should be handling the slaves, I should be in the field where I belong, but no, no one else can handle a task this dangerous. We need a skilled infiltrator to keep the filthy human company so he has someone to pour love onto. Not just any changeling will do, it has to be you."
>As she rants, you sit by in awe.
>"Why? Because no one else knows how to act like a scared pony? Now I'm going to be saddled with this failure."
>For the first time since her rant began, she acknowledges your existence.
>"Are you at least as dangerous as the rumors say, human?"
>She blinks a few times before standing up to fully face you.
>"What is this? What are you doing?"
 
>It always feels weird to try to will love to them since to you it doesn't really feel like anything is happening, but since she's reacting it must be working.
>Bright suggested you continue what you started, and boy did you plan to.
>This could very well be the break you've been looking for.
>No more sitting by and hoping something happens.
>You now had the opportunity to take direct action, and from now on you would at every possible opportunity.
>As you continue looking down at the angry little changeling, she steps towards you slightly.
>"You're..."
>With that one word, she steps back a few paces and looks around.
>"You know I'm a changeling, yet you still provide love?"
>You roll your eyes.
"Did you completely ignore the part where I have changeling friends?"
>She grins nervously, but it vanishes instantly.
>"Yes, but I've never... I never imagined it was entirely true."
"You don't have to wear a disguise to get love, you could just ask."
>She sits down and looks up at you.
>"I've never been given love before. It's different."
>You nod and take a seat.
"Ya, I hear it's much better or something. I honestly can't say since I don't eat love."
>She looks to the side.
>"I'm ashamed I made such a stupid mistake. I've been on countless missions, and this was by far the most amateur move. In all that time, I've never experienced this sensation, either. It's..."
>She doesn't say another word.
>Instead, she closes her eyes and simply sits there with a smile on her face.
>It's pretty fucking cute.
 
>Hours pass with you and Sugar conversing about random shit.
>Her mood had increased significantly over that time.
>She shared stories of her old missions, and you shared stories of your old world.
>It turns out she was actually telling the truth about the other world part.
>She hung on your every word.
>Before either of you even realizes it, Bright has returned once more with your evening meal.
>He interrupts your conversation by speaking above you.
>"Well this is unexpected. Swarm Scout Seven without a disguise?"
>She gasps slightly and flinches at his voice.
>"Slave herder, is it feeding time already?"
>She hastily stands up and vanishes into the dark area of her cell, yelling some curse you didn't quite catch along the way.
"What?"
>The guards are a bit shocked as well, though far more than Bright.
>"Don't mind her, she's late to provide today's bounty to the hive. I trust it will be quite a feast, hm?"
>He grins at you knowingly.
"We talked, I guess."
>He scoffs.
>"I know a feast when I see one, Anon."
>His voice lowers for a moment.
>"I'm glad you took my advice."
>He then raises it once more and floats your dish through the bars into your hands.
>"I managed to get a root for you today, in addition to your usual meal. The guards weren't happy about it, but they still respect my previous services to the hive enough to let it slide."
>Both the guards look to the wayside and pretend like they didn't hear that.
>You look down at your own personal feast.
>The root he spoke of appeared to be a carrot of some kind, though it was difficult to tell under the green and blue lighting.
 
"I appreciate it, Bright."
>Once again the guards pretend they didn't hear that.
>As you chew your food a thought occurs.
"Are they gonna replace my old cell-mate now?"
>Bright shakes his head.
>"No, that would be pointless. The goal is to collect love from the slaves. Usually we separate pony partners and have a couple changelings play the role of the other partners. They naturally provide love this way and it's much easier to collect. If they ask a question or say something that might tip them off to our gatherers, we have guards standing by to collect them from their cell long enough for the other changeling to inquire about it with the other pony. They get their answer, everything keeps going smoothly."
>You lick your fingers before replying.
"Weird that you'd tell me all that. Isn't that like a trade secret?"
>He shrugs.
>"You're isolated, and you already know your partner is a changeling. Unless you somehow escape, you can cause no harm with this information."
"Fair enough."
>You still have a bit of food left.
>The guards seem a bit defensive still.
>Probably your little outburst topped with being the unstoppable human enemy thing.
>A grin crosses your face.
>More volunteers for the collective.
>With a bit of effort you begin willing them some love.
>Come on man, they helped score you a carrot.
>That's pretty great, right?
>You hope that's working.
>A moment later they give you an odd look.
>Bright props up an eyebrow at you, then turns to see his guards before looking back at you with his own grin.
>"How polite you are to work overtime."
 
"You guys work pretty hard, right? I've got a lot of extra love you can have."
>The odd situation coupled with how dorky you feel actually serves to make the process much easier.
>It's almost funny.
>Bright holds up a hoof to them.
>"Usually the guards eat last as their shifts change out, so I'm sure they're hungry."
>You frown.
"Last, huh? So you guys always get the leftovers. Well, how do you like it straight from the source?"
>Under the right circumstances you're quite sure this could be lines stolen from a gay porno.
>Regardless, it seems they're enjoying it.
>They're not as on edge as they usually are and they almost appear to not be pissed off at the world.
>One of the guards turns to Bright.
>"He truly does not suffer from feeding fatigue? Swarm Scout Seven has been in here far more often than most gatherers spend with their slaves, yet still he's conscious?"
>Obviously.
>Bright hits him with the back of his hoof lightly.
>"Help yourself."
"I'm sure I can handle two guards. I think you already get some each time you visit Bright, even when I don't try."
>He nods.
>"I've been foregoing my daily rations."
>Unlike your cell-mate, the guards don't really open up to you.
>They don't say anything else, they simply consume your love quietly for a bit.
>Once they've had their fill, they mumble out a thank you and hastily leave.
>You pass the empty food dish to Bright as he grins at you.
>"I think we're making progress. You know Swarm Eleven is only a tiny portion of this hive. Your freedom doesn't rely on them, or me."
>You're sure Bright is a large reason you're making any progress at all, even if he won't admit it.
"I feel the same way, but I think you play a bigger role than you think."
>She shakes his head.
>"You misunderstand my meaning. Sleep well, Anon."
>Before you can say anything else he's already rounded the corner.
>Why the hell does he always do that?
 
>You're starting to get tired and Swarm Scout Seven still hasn't come back.
>You roll your head to look over at her cell from your back.
>Maybe she got in trouble or something?
>There were at least a couple reasons you could think of.
>You frown.
>Maybe your stunt with the guards was too much and they're going to cut you off from the hive.
>In any case, the cave seems far more silent than usual.
>Suddenly there's a flash of golden light.
>You blink and lift your head up to look around.
>Fuck, you must really be tired.
>You open your mouth to speak but are stopped before you begin.
>The sickening feeling of being flipped inside out overtakes you and the next thing you know you're under the night sky.
>You roll over on your stomach and dry heave once.
"Shit..."
>"Anon, stand up, we need to move quickly."
>That voice.
>You push yourself to your feet and turn to see her.
>Celestia herself.
"Am I asleep?"
>She gasps and presses a hoof against your cheek.
>"What have they done to you?"
>You flinch and step back in pain.
"Gah, don't touch it. I just fell down the stairs."
>She gives you a confused look.
>"This is not the time for jokes, we must leave immediately."
"Wa-"
>Once again you're interrupted by that same feeling.
>You're not sure how far she moved you both, but you know she can't keep that up.
>You grab your stomach.
"Stop it."
>"There's no time, I'm sorry."
>Her horn lights up once more but you quickly throw your arms around her, breaking her concentration.
"You're gonna ruin it!"
>You whisper harshly.
 
>She doesn't try to push you away as she speaks once more.
>"I'm sorry I couldn't reach you sooner, but I could not risk being caught. I had to be extra cautious."
>No, not that.
"I don't blame you, just listen for a sec."
>Her horn stops glowing and you continue.
"I want to leave, I really, really do. God I do, but... I, just can't."
>Celestia frowns.
>"Please, we must go."
>You shake your head and grimace.
"Listen. I've had a lot of time to think. I haven't done a single important thing since I got here. I mean, I've done shit everyone tells me is important, but I've never felt like it was. But this, this is the first thing I've been a part of that really feels like it matters, so I gotta do it."
>"You don't have to do this alone. We can leave and try something else. Maybe-"
>You squeeze your arms tighter.
>She was trying to do what she thought would be best, but then so were you.
>This was indeed something only you could do.
>You weren't sure how you knew, but you felt it as clearly as you felt her under your arms.
>She lowers her head around your back and you hear her whisper an apology.
"It's alright, I can do this. You've just got to trust me."
>She pulls away and nods, her eyes glistening slightly.
>"I do trust you."
>She looks away.
>"Anon, I can't risk a second rescue attempt. If this is the path you choose, there will be no going back."
>You take a step back and sigh deeply before nodding.
"I get it."
>She smiles weakly.
"How are my friends in Canterlot holding up?"
>"As far as anypony save my sister is concerned, you're on a long distance diplomatic visit to a foreign land."
>She winks.
>"Not entirely untrue."
>With that she nods her head.
>"Please, at least try to keep yourself safe."
"Ya, I walk down those stairs slowly now."
>She wipes her face and her horn lights up.
>A moment later you're back in your cell and hugging your gut.
>No one seems to be the wiser.
 
>You slowly open your eyes in an attempt to will yourself awake.
>As your vision clears you're met with the gaze of a few dozen eyes.
>You flinch and throw yourself backwards instinctively.
"Jesus Christ!"
>All the eyes flinch along with you.
>You work yourself up to your feet and realize it's just a bunch of changelings.
>Seems to be seven or so.
>You gently rub your face with your hand.
"Holy shit, don't stare at me when I'm asleep. That's disturbing as fuck."
>The all look around at each other before looking back at you.
>"We are sorry. Did not mean to disturb human."
>The hell is up with their speech?
>They all stare at you like they're expecting something.
>You shrug your shoulders.
"Did you need something?"
>A couple of them grin and some others look off to the side.
>"You share love, yes?"
>Rumors must spread fast in an enclosed community.
>That's gonna be really helpful.
>You adopt a wide grin.
"Well sure."
>A few others grin at your response, a look of excitement in their eyes.
>"I hear guard say You give love to changelings, but did not think it was real."
>You take a seat and take a deep breath.
>If only you could convert love into coffee.
 
>To your surprise, giving out love comes relatively easy this time.
>It was always pretty simple, but you didn't even really have to will yourself to do it for these little guys.
>They just look so happy to be there.
>They ask a variety of random questions while they sit there with you.
>Some want to get a closer look at your hands, some wanted to know why you only had hair on part of your body, etc.
>The questions were a bit simplistic, but amusing.
>They didn't really seem all that interested in the same aspects everyone else had been.
>That is to say, they didn't care about your ability to fight, that you work for Celestia or even your affinity for magic resistance.
>It was a little weird, but not an unwelcome change of pace.
>This continues on up until Bright shows up with your breakfast.
>While he seems delighted to see the handful of changelings hanging out with you, his guards are decidedly less thrilled.
>Letting it slip that you provide easy access love probably wasn't intended.
>To the guards' relief, it's Bright who ends up shooing them away.
>In presence of the guards, they make a hasty exit.
"They weren't hurting anything."
>Bright waves a hoof dismissively.
>"They've had plenty, trust me. Besides, I only get to talk to you twice a day and I don't need them interrupting me."
>He passes you your humble dish of food.
>No carrot today.
>You look up him and he shrugs.
>"We can't always get everything."
>Oh well.
>You begin eating and prop up your eyebrow at Bright.
"What's up with their speech?"
>He chuckles a little.
"I don't want to sound rude, but I think they might be retarded."
>"No, it's a simple explanation. They just never need to talk. The ones who only perform manual labor, usually hunters and most gatherers, are fully capable of working together without speaking. Call it a sixth sense."
"You don't let them talk to each other?"
>"They can, they're simply focused on their tasks."
 
>He holds up a hoof to himself.
>"Infiltrators- er, ex-infiltrators like myself need to be able to speak convincingly, and so we practice daily. In fact most Swarms must. They do not."
>You swallow and shrug.
"I suppose that makes sense. No one's gonna believe you're a real pony talking like they do."
>You glance over at the guards.
"What's the point of the guards if you end up talking to me about all this hive business anyway?"
>The guards frown and Bright glances back at them before responding to you.
>"They're here to ensure I do not release you. Nothing more. As far as the Queen is concerned my interactions with you have been a success since love is still flowing into the hive. Had I nurtured your hatred towards the hive I am sure I would not be here."
>A thought crosses your mind.
"How many other slaves do you guys have?"
>He cringes slightly, but looks up and taps a hoof against his chin.
>"I believe we have twenty-three sets of ponies, maybe five single ponies, and a couple single gryphons."
>He shakes his head.
>"The gryphons are hardly worth the effort. They offer minimal love, but when you're desperate you make it work."
>That's more than you had anticipated.
>Now it's not just for the changelings, but for their slaves too.
>Considering they've been low on love you figured they had hardly any slaves or something.
"Why do you even need to capture anyone? I've known many ponies for a long time and they seem like they'd give you guys love if you just asked."
>He looks down at his hooves.
>"We've always done it this way. Ponies fear and hate us because we capture them for love, and so we must capture them for love."
>Sounds like a self-perpetuating problem.
>A loop that you set out to break.
 
>He spits at the ground.
>"Calling what we collect love is an insult to love. I've had a taste of real love. What we have here is bitter and sour."
>He gives you a half grin.
>"If you weren't here, I would likely choose to starve. While the love you provide isn't nearly as sweet as, well, you know, it is still much better than the love collected from our other slaves."
>Ya, ya.
>Obviously there's a difference between friendship-love and love-love.
>With your meal finished, you begin offering more love to the guards in hopes they'll overlook your ongoing discussion with Bright.
>They don't seem to mind.
>"You know, I helped her make those things she sold."
>He taps a hoof to his chin thoughtfully.
>"Actually, I think it was the first time I ever really made anything at all."
>You pass him your empty dish.
"You didn't even help build this cave? Or these cage things?"
>"No, that's the task for lower ranks."
>He rolls his eyes.
>"Well, lower than Swarms."
>You shrug.
"You guys seem to just survive. Survival is about consuming, living is about adding something to the world."
>He looks off to the side as he considers this.
>"That's an odd bit of insight."
>You frown.
"How come everyone is surprised when I say something smart?"
>Bright looks at you once more.
>"It's your attitude and humor. It's very misleading. With so little on the surface most won't expect anything underneath."
>It's not that misleading.
>He even said it with a serious face.
>Faggot.
"Whatever. So Swarms are like the top of the ladder I guess? You always talk like they are."
>He nods.
>"The Swarms answer only to the Queen and are free to do as they wish most of the time. Even on missions they are left to their own devices. Guardians of the hive are below Swarms and are usually the first to be recruited into their ranks."
 
>He holds out a hoof and looks up.
>"Then you have hunters who caught that meal you ate and capture ponies who wander too deep into our territory, then gatherers. They gather whatever supplies the hive needs. Food, water, those ironwood branches, roots, you get it."
>Bright sighs and puts his hoof down.
>"Then at the very bottom you have Slave Herders."
>You lean forward slightly.
"Why are slave herders at the bottom? Seems like that's kind of an important job if you need love to survive."
>He looks over at you.
>"Every task is important in its own way. While every other rank serves the hive directly, Slave Herders cater directly to the slaves. We serve the slaves as much as our hive."
>His horn lights up and your dish levitates and spins around.
>"Therefore we are the lowest."
>You weren't sure what to make of that.
>It made some logical sense in its own way.
>With that, Bright stands up and looks over at his guards.
>They appear satiated.
>"I should leave. We've talked longer than usual today."
>You stand up as well.
"Oh, uh, alright. Later, Bright."
>He turns around before he leaves and flashes you a smile.
>"Keep up the good work Anon."
>He then vanishes around the corner along with his guards.
>"You both get along very well."
>You jump slightly at the unexpected voice.
>"Yes, I was listening in the whole time. Sorry, it's my nature."
>The voice is coming from "Sugar Cane's" cage.
>You finally spot her and she walks from her dark corner.
"Meh. I was actually wondering where you went last night."
>She takes a seat near the bars of your cage.
>"My Queen requested my presence. She wanted all of the details on the situation with you, and wanted me to continue gathering love for the hive."
 
>Was that even necessary?
>You sit down once more a slight distance from her.
"She needs you to do it personally? Aren't you some high ranked Swarm scout?"
>She rolls her eyes.
>"Yes, I am, and my Queen tasked me to continue this personally. My Queen thinks it is best to keep things as they are, since it's working."
>She lifts a hoof and nods towards the room entrance.
>"Although I do not believe it is entirely necessary, I will do as my Queen wills."
>You follow her hoof and spot the changelings piling into the room.
>They all gather around your cage cautiously.
>Only a couple look excited, the rest look like they'd rather not be there.
>"You already know our hive has been starving for a long time. See how desperate they are?"
>She chuckles slightly.
>"If you stood up and shouted at them, I'm sure they would scatter."
>You frown at her.
"I'm not an asshole, I'm a dick. There's an important difference."
>She leans her head back.
>"I don't understand your metaphor, but it sounds repulsive."
>You try to ignore her and focus on the growing group of changelings surrounding your cage.
>It's almost starting to seem like the cage is there to protect you from them, not the other way around.
>This is mildly off-putting.
>Regardless, with a bit of willpower you get the love flowing once more.
>Your cell-mate grins wryly.
>"Ah, so you do intend to feed the hive directly. It's fascinating that you are capable of such an act."
>She scoots a bit closer.
>"Well, since we are going to be keeping each other company for the foreseeable future, would you like to continue where we left off?"
>She tries her best to appear passive about it, but you know she wants to hear more about Earth.
"I guess."
 
 
. . .
 
 
>How long has it been since Anon was captured?
>You believe you're going on week five now.
>The usually dense crowd taking up the feeding hall seems to have thinned out significantly over that time.
>Your Swarm sits around a gatherer alongside you for their daily rations.
>They've gotten quieter over that period as well.
>You look over at them.
"Swarm Twenty-Four managed to get a message through. They were hit by a severe storm, but are still alive."
>A couple of them nod in response.
>You look down at your hooves, and then casually look around the room.
"The hive is a lot more active than usual. Everyone is trotting or buzzing around."
>Your Swarm exchange glances.
>Swarm Runner Eleven doesn't look up as he speaks.
>"As it turns out, Anon has been providing more love for this hive than the rest of our slaves combined, and it's much higher quality."
>Swarm Forward Eleven slaps him in the side with the back of his hoof and mutters to him.
>"Don't mention the human in front of the commander."
>You're not a fool.
>You know they discuss Anon when you're not around.
>Perhaps it was time to deal with this.
"It's fine."
>They all look your way for a moment.
"I can't deny that Anon has greatly helped this hive. The evidence is everywhere. I'm not so desperate that I would willingly shut my eyes to it."
>Swarm Scout Eleven speaks up once more.
>"Sir, I didn't mean to imply-"
>You hold up a hoof and he stops.
"I've been thinking a lot about this whole situation, and I've reached a point where a decision needs to be made."
 
>You look down at the ground.
"For a long time I wondered if what I felt around Anon was an illusion caused by his influence. A poison to cause me to betray my Queen. The more I consider it, the more I realize I have been outside of his presence since we arrived and I still feel the same way when I think about the short time we spent together."
>This time you look up at them.
"I've concluded that it was not an illusion, and that causes me equal distress because it means I was questioning our Queen by my own choice."
>They all look away and you continue.
"My Queen's will has always been my will, therefore when my desires went directly against our Queen's desires, mine were ignored."
>You sigh deeply and take a moment.
>Your Swarm waits patiently and quietly for you to continue.
>Finally, you build up the will to say what needs to be said.
>Your ultimatum.
"I need to decide if I serve the hive, or if I serve our Queen."
>They go wide-eyed at your statement.
>Swarm Forward Eleven speaks up.
>"S-sir, you-"
"You will get a chance to speak your mind, just be silent a moment."
>You can tell he really wishes to speak, but he obeys your order.
"There was never a time before now that I considered the possibility that those would be two separate masters. As of now, it has been made clear. Anon was correct. We need to break our cycle. Our way of life is not sustainable, and a Queen who only knows war will see everything burn."
>You grimace.
"I truly wish to continue serving our Queen, but if she does not have the hive's interests at heart then we are indeed nothing but pawns."
 
>With your mind spoken, you allow your Swarm to say what they wish.
>You nod at Swarm Forward Eleven.
>He looks at your other two Swarm members and sighs before looking back at you.
>"Sir, we have served alongside you for years. In all of that time, you have never spoken in such a way. You have also always chosen the best paths to take."
>He looks down for a moment and then meets your gaze once more.
>"Sir, I trust you to make the correct choice, but it must be your choice alone."
>You look at your Runner and Scout.
>They each nod at you.
>"Agreed."
>That's it then.
>Make your choice Swarm Commander Eleven.
>You look down and close your eyes.
>Your Queen has sacrificed so much to keep your hive alive.
>Her decisions have always been just.
>She claims that every action she takes is for the sake of the hive as a whole.
>Anon has never lied to you in the short time you knew him.
>His desire to help your hive as a whole has proven to be sincere.
>He has also sacrificed a fair amount to keep your hive alive.
>It's not even his hive to sacrifice for, yet he carries the burden willingly.
>You were happier than you have been in a very long time.
>Anon truly serves your hive.
>You let go of every last bit of doubt you still had, and all your fears go along with it.
>Your eyes open.
>Your choice was made, and you had never felt so free.
 
"Continue as you were, I need to go."
>You stand up and briskly make your way towards Anon's cell.
>You feel so light.
>A smile finds its way to your face as you get closer.
>Would he be happy to see you?
>Your old lieutenant- your friend informed you that Anon knew it was you who delivered his punishment.
>Maybe you could pretend to be someone else and see how he reacts to you wanting to see him?
>He never stopped talking about how he couldn't tell any changelings apart.
>You're stopped by a sizeable crowd around his cell that extended all the way out into the hall.
>There's not even room to walk into the room.
>You take a step back and your mouth falls open.
>How long had this been going on without you knowing?
>You knew more and more changelings had been making this a habit, but you didn't realize how many.
>All things considered, you're glad your Queen ignored your cautions.
>She even ignored this growing popularity because she thought it was part of her plan.
>She was right in that Anon made the hive stronger, but it was not in the way she had expected.
>You push your way through the crowd to get into the room.
>Many of them part willingly when they realize who you are, but you don't wait.
>In minute you find yourself inside the cell room.
>Anon is leaning against the bars and laughing about something being said near him.
>He looks up and his eyes meet yours.
>You stop in your tracks.
>His smile fades instantly.
>"Kalakcha."
>That was a name you hadn't heard spoken out-loud in long while.
>It felt amazing to hear it again.
>You only wished it had been under better circumstances.
 
>Wait, how did he recognize you?
>You look down at yourself.
>No disguise.
>"Don't be surprised, you're just the only changeling left in the hive who hasn't been in here."
>He leans back and folds his arms.
>"Including your own Swarm."
>You frown.
"I'm not disguised, how-"
>"Look, I've been in a tiny cage for a long damn time. I don't even know how long anymore, and that whole time the only company I've had are changelings. When you stare at nothing but changelings for eighteen hours a day every single day you start to notice differences."
>Oh.
>You look down.
"I came to apologize. I was wrong."
>Nothing but silence.
>Eventually you look back up at him.
>He's just standing there looking down at you.
"That's all?"
>What?
>You tilt your head in confusion.
>He shrugs.
>"You didn't come to hang out? Get some love? Talk about stupid shit?"
>What was going on?
>His smile comes back.
>"C'mon man, don't give me that look. I forgave you like a couple weeks ago."
>He leans forward and rests his face between the bars and his arms fall through limply.
>"As far as I'm concerned, it was a really stupid, cowardly, pathetic pile of shit who beat my face in. Not my friend."
>You take a moment to let that sink in before smiling back at him.
"I think so, too."
 
>He motions to all of the changelings around him.
>"So I've been encouraging everyone to make up their own names. I only know like half of them, but I think in a few more weeks I'll have them all down."
>You prop up and eyebrow.
"Have you truly named every changeling in the hive now?"
>He waves a hand dismissively at you.
>"Pffft, no. They all made up their own names, like I said. Hell, even Swarm Scout Seven got in on it. She goes by Amena now or something."
>He tilts his head to the packed cell next to him.
>"She used to sit in there, but I haven't seen her in a few days. They eventually just opened up her cell to fit more changelings into the room."
>He looks around at everyone.
>"It's kinda weird to try to imagine how I couldn't tell anyone apart before. It seems kind of obvious now."
>As nice as this reunion has been, you need to get down to the mission.
"Anon, I didn't just come to apologize."
>He nods.
>"Ya, I know. I was kidding."
"No, I mean I'd like to discuss how exactly you plan to create a truce between Equestria and our hive?"
>He grabs the bars and leans back with an exaggerated sigh.
>"I've thought a lot about that as well, and the first thing we need to do is break this endless loop you have here of feeding on ponies so that they fear you so that you need to capture them and so on."
>Yes, that was obvious.
"But how?"
>He grins and motions to you.
>"I was actually thinking we could use our relationship as an example for what could exist between ponies and changelings."
>You absently take a step back and feel a bit embarrassed.
"What do you mean?"
 
>He squints at you.
>"Cuz we're friends."
>Right.
>Of course.
>Friends.
"So you will try to convince everyone that everyone can be friends?"
>He nods slightly.
>"Well, ya, something like that."
>That's a very vague plan.
>He continues.
>"All of the details about what it will take to do that will have to be decided with Chrysalis and the princesses. I'm just a diplomat. I don't think I can make any official terms on my own."
>That makes more sense.
>"Of course none of that can happen until we actually get a meeting planned between them all, so that's my current plan."
"Arrange a meeting?"
>You nod and tap your chin.
"Yes, that seems like the only choice to move forward."
>He gently knocks on his bars.
>"I can't arrange a meeting from here."
>But maybe you can.
>You give him one last determined nod.
"I'll see if I can arrange the meeting between my Queen and the pony princesses. Surely our Queen will see reason with this."
>You turn and begin trotting towards the throne room.
>As you exit the room you hear Anon call behind you.
>"I'll just wait here then."
>Many of the changelings who overheard your conversation follow behind you.
>They're very interested in hearing what the Queen has to say on the subject.
>Perhaps the first step ever will be taken towards a lasting peace.
>You reach the throne room quickly enough and spot your Queen already perched on her throne.
>She's clearly in an excellent mood.
>Good, maybe that will help.
 
>She sees you approaching and giggles.
>"Mhmhm, my faithful commander. The human has made our hive stronger than ever! He's done more than I ever dreamed possible. It's quite remarkable."
>She grins down at you.
>"You worried needlessly. We are already strong enough to launch another attack on Canterlot."
>She squints and looks to the side.
>"Yes, but this time we will emerge victorious. I've learned much from my mistakes."
>You stand at the foot of her throne and bow deeply.
>Just speak your mind.
"My Queen, I would suggest we use Anon's invitation and-"
>She laughs and cuts you off.
>"Oh my, yes, we could use Anon as our ticket into Canterlot. They'd never-"
>You cut her off by continuing.
"In an attempt to create peace between our hive and Equestria."
>She glares down at you.
>"You dare interrupt me?
>She blinks a few times.
>"Did you just suggest I bow down to the princesses of Equestria? Has your loyalty faltered, my commander?"
>You remain with your head bowed.
"No, my Queen. As always my loyalty lies with you and our hive, but this decision benefits our hive as a whole. Continuing to wage war would be a fruitless endeavor when an alternative is offered."
>You look up at her and speak clearly.
"Surely you want what is best for the hive. If lives on both sides might be saved, should we not at least attempt to travel that path?"
>Your gut wrenched.
>You had just trapped your own Queen.
>If she chose war simply to sate her own pride at the cost of the hive then it would prove she cared for herself above everyone else.
>She smiles down at you, but her eyes are filled with malice.
>Your Queen knows this as well, and the room is packed with changelings.
 
>"Of course, my loyal commander. I will always choose the path that benefits the hive if I am able."
>She places a hoof under your chin and lifts your head to meet her eyes.
>Her gaze pierces into your very soul.
>"Thank you for your suggestion. I will consider it very, very thoroughly."
>Instantly the whole hive erupts in cheering.
>Both you and your Queen are thrown off-guard.
>Apparently they took that as a yes, but you knew what it really meant.
>She would find a way to disregard your idea in a way that seemed to benefit the hive more than this, but now it was too late.
>Far too late.
>She looks around at her changelings who are shouting random praises.
>"The Queen will save us all!"
>"Queen of peace!"
>"Chrysalis will forever be known as the Queen who ended the eternal war with the ponies!"
>Your Queen keeps her smile and waves at her subjects.
>"Yes, of course my little ones. I will attempt to make peace with Equestria, if it is possible."
>She looks back down at you.
>"In what way did you intend to bring that plan into fruition, my dear commander?"
>You stand up straight.
"My Queen, the human Anon has stated he can arrange a meeting for the terms of peace between yourself and the princesses of Equestria."
>She frowns.
>"Am I to travel into their territory alone and vulnerable to attack?"
"You will be safe. Anon is honorable."
>She squints at you.
>"Perhaps you trust this human and his princesses, but I do not. I will make my own arrangements to secure my safety. In the meantime..."
>She tries to look happy.
>"You may free the human. Tell him I accept his terms and will meet with the princesses to discuss terms of peace."
 
 
. . .
 
 
>There's suddenly a lot of commotion around your cage.
>It's hard to understand what's happening because everyone is talking to you at the same time in their broken speech.
>Moments later a couple guards enter the room as the crowd parts for them to pass.
>They unlock your door and swing it open.
>One of them speaks.
>"The Queen accepts your terms. She awaits you in the throne room to discuss matters further."
>You stand there in the middle of your cell.
>Dumbfounded.
>Really?
>Everyone stood around waiting for you to make a move, all with looks of delight on their faces.
>Had the day really come?
>You step through your cell door and look down at everyone.
"Finally."
>You pat a few of them on the head as you walk by, but they don't seem to mind.
>The guards lead the way and you follow closely behind.
>It feels like the entire hive is buzzing around you.
>Between the chatter and the beating of their wings you can hardly hear anything.
>Along the way you spot Kalakcha as he was heading your way.
>He grins at you, and you grin back at him.
>Once he gets close to you, you thrust your fist down and drop to a knee so the blow connects firmly into his foreleg shoulder.
>Many changelings jump back and gasp.
>He collapses to the ground for a moment, but stands back up.
"I thought that might make both of us feel better."
>He looks up at you with a half grin and nods.
>"Yes, a little."
>You rub your hand a bit and continue walking with him.
>Punching chitin might not have been your best decision.
>After quite a distance you eventually reach the throne room.
>The guards stand on either side and let you pass them.
>As you enter you spot Chrysalis on her throne.
>For a very brief moment it's as though she's staring death directly into you, but as quickly as it appears, it vanishes behind a false smile.
>"Anon, you may approach my throne. We have matters to discuss."
 
>You do as she says and walk up to her throne.
>You even bow to her once again to show respect once you stop.
"Queen Chrysalis."
>"Listen carefully Anon, as I want to make myself perfectly clear."
>she leans her head down towards you and speaks slowly.
>"One of my Swarms will be joining me on my journey to Canterlot. They will be my royal escort. Swarm Commander Eleven shall be joining us as well."
>She reached out a foreleg and wraps it around you before pulling you in close.
>Despite the proximity, she still speaks loud enough for the hive to hear.
>"Swarms One through Three will be keeping a very close eye on events between here and Canterlot. You will not find them, I assure you. Should I be betrayed and imprisoned or worse, the entire hive will raze as much of Equestria as it can manage. No army can stop such an event."
>She squints at you.
>"Am I making myself perfectly clear to you, Anon?"
>Her leg tightens around your side.
>You nod in response.
>She smiles at you.
>"Excellent. Then let us be off."
>She pushes you away and flies into the darkness out of sight.
>Kalakcha tugs on your shirt.
>You look down at him and he tilts his head towards one of the connecting caverns.
>He turns and walks towards it and you follow.
"Are we leaving right now?"
>Kalakcha nods but doesn't turn around.
>"Yes. The Queen will use her royal exit. We will have to leave the way we came in."
>That fucking tiny tunnel.
"Great."
 
>"Swarm Five will be our Queen's royal escort. Unlike many of the lower ranking Swarms, Five has only one purpose. Combat."
>You frown.
"Expecting a fight?"
>He hesitates in his steps before speaking once more.
>"I'm honestly not sure what to expect anymore."
>That's not very reassuring.
>"We got this far on luck."
>"And a ton of love didn't hurt your chances, either."
>You both turn to see Bright standing in the crowd seeing you off through the caverns.
>You grin at him.
"Well it was lovely."
>Kalakcha nods to him.
>"I'd like to talk to you when I return."
>He nods in response.
>"We have much to discuss, I'm sure."
>You eventually make your way up through the various tunnels until you see a light you haven't seen in a very long time.
>Sunlight.
>It was a bit dim, but it was there shining up into the entrance of the tunnel.
"Can't wait to see the sun again."
>Kalakcha laughs a bit.
>"You shouldn't look at the sun. You'll ruin your sight."
>Fucking bug.
 
>As you round the top area and crawl into the light, you instantly curl into the fetal position and cover your face.
"Jesus fucking Christ!"
>"What's wrong?"
>You pull your hands away from your face just enough to let in a tiny bit of light.
>Even with your eyes shut tight it was too fucking bright.
"I've been in a dark cave for at least a month, what do you think is wrong?"
>Tears stream down your face.
>"What's wrong with the human?"
>You recognize Chrysalis's voice as she approaches your group.
>You can also hear her laughing with her mouth closed.
"I'm fine, I just need a minute."
>Kalakcha pats your back.
>Chrysalis speaks once more.
>"I was led to believe you were a powerful and dangerous being, Anon, yet here you are subdued by sunlight."
>Asshole.
>You struggle to your feet and pull your hands away from your face completely.
>With a lot of effort, you also manage to prop open one eye slightly.
"Let's just get going."
>Chrysalis laughs once more and coddles you.
>"No human, we can wait until you recover from this brutal attack."
>You open the other eye slightly.
>Fucking bright as fuck.
>You scream internally.
"Start walking, I'll keep up."
 
>She rolls her eyes.
>"Ridiculous. The Queen of the changelings, walking? We shall be riding in my royal chariot."
>You laugh slightly.
"You have a royal chariot?"
>She scoffs.
>"And why wouldn't I?"
>Your eyes open a little more.
>You can see her frowning at you.
"I just didn't think you'd have some large obvious chariot to fly around in the sky with."
>She's starting to look irritated.
>"Why does it surprise you that I would have the same transportation as any other member of royalty?"
>You feel Kalakcha slap your leg.
"I didn't mean to offend you, I just thought you tried to remain hidden."
>She looks away.
>"I do not need to remain hidden at all times. Now, if you are done crying we should leave."
>She's the first to climb into the chariot.
>There's an entirely separate section at the back that's seated higher than the rest.
>Most of Swarm Five get attached to the holsters and prepare for the flight.
>There's room for four to pull, so Kalakcha and the Swarm Commander Five sit in the chariot in either side of you.
>Kalakcha does his best not to look at you very often during your trip while that Swarm Five guy hasn't looked away the entire time.
>It's starting to make you feel weird.
>You finally look over at him.
"Can I help you with something?"
>He says nothing.
"Is there something on my face?"
>Still nothing.
>You grin slyly at him.
"See something you like?"
>He says nothing, but you hear Kalakcha cough.
 
>Eventually you just ignore him.
>Chrysalis seems to enjoy your discomfort.
>Half a day by flight, if you recall correctly from your journey to the hive.
>Looking at the sun's position in the sky relative to when you started, you'd assume you're getting pretty close.
>You hope.
>"Royal Canterlot guards heading straight towards us."
>Kalakcha points his hoof off to the side.
>You lean over the top of him and look where he was pointing.
>Sure enough, out in the distance you see their brilliant golden armor shining in the sun as they make their way hastily towards your group.
"We're not even in viewing distance of Canterlot yet, what are they doing way out here?"
>Chrysalis rolls her eyes.
>"Obviously they're a long distance patrol unit. Do you know so little about tactics?"
>She glances their way, but then looks forward once more.
>"There's likely two more staying further behind in case something happens so they can report back to Celestia."
>You ignore her and continue leaning towards them.
>Once they get within range you wave them closer.
>They exchange looks and then approach your chariot.
>"Anon?! Why are you traveling with changelings?"
>They look over at Chrysalis who is completely ignoring them.
"We're on our way to Canterlot to have a peace summit with the princesses."
>The guards look at each other and then back at you with a scowl.
>"A likely story. Prove you are really Anon."
>Right.
>Sure.
>You grin at them.
"You've both come to me for a nice hug at different times. Yours lasted far longer than it should have and-"
>He waves his hooves.
>"That's enough- that's good enough. We will escort you the rest of the way."
>Finally you get a reaction out of captain cranky sitting next to you as he laughs at the guards.
 
>Kalakcha gives you a knowing look and you shrug.
>It doesn't take long for Canterlot to come into view, and the closer you get the larger your royal guard escort grows.
>Apparently Chrysalis was right.
>A few other guards had flown ahead to report the news.
>Once you arrive in front of the castle you are met by an entire legion of guards.
>Chrysalis chuckles.
>"All of this just for me? I'm flattered."
>She climbs out of the chariot and her escort joins at her side.
>You follow a bit behind next to Kalakcha.
>Many of the guards form a circle and escort your group inside.
>You lean down to Kalakcha and speak quietly.
"I wasn't expecting an army."
>He looks over at you.
>"Really? I was."
>It doesn't take long to reach the main hall.
>The guards wait out front and inform Chrysalis the princesses are expecting her inside.
>She leaves Swarm Five outside with the guards, but you and Kalakcha both go in with her.
>At the very heart of the room you see the familiar faces of the four pony princesses of Equestria.
>Celestia's gaze meets yours and she gives you a look of relief and joy.
>Luna appears fairly neutral, as always.
>Both Cadance and Twilight seem very unhappy to be there.
>The door shuts behind your group with a loud thud that reverberates through the hall.
>After the echo dies down, it's dead silence.
 
>Your group begins approaching the ponies.
>Before anyone can even say anything, you spot Cadance's horn light up.
>Fuck!
>Without hesitation you throw yourself between her and Chrysalis just in time to be blasted by a magic bolt in the back.
"What the fuck Cadance?"
>Chrysalis giggles and talks in a loud and amused voice.
>"You're not still upset about that ordeal with your husband, are you? I'll admit, he was one of the more handsome slaves I fed upon."
>You hear her shout in response.
>"I haven't forgotten your last visit, and I certainly haven't forgiven you!"
>This is going to escalate quickly if you don't stop it right now.
"Cadance, ple-"
>Another magic bolt blasts your back, knocking you forward into Chrysalis who promptly pushes you back off of her.
>You feel a draft on your back.
"Stop destroying my clothes! I can't just go down to the fucking pony mart and buy these you know!"
>Next you hear Twilight yelling.
>"I haven't forgotten what you did to my brother, and your clothes were already ruined Anon."
"No, they were just super dirty. I could have washed them."
>"ENOUGH!"
>The entire room shakes from what can only be Celestia's royal Canterlot voice.
>Everyone steps back slightly.
>Even Chrysalis is silent.
>Luna is the only one who seems unaffected.
>You stand beside Chrysalis and Kalakcha stands a bit behind you for safety.
>Celestia continues in a normal tone as she turns to face Cadance and Twilight.
>"This is a peace summit. You will respect that, or you will be ejected from this meeting. Any further outbursts will not be tolerated. Is that understood?"
>You could swear you could see bits of fire leaking from here eyes as she stared them down.
>Both of them look down and agree.
>Kalakcha looks up at you and speaks quietly.
>"Your clothes are completely ruined back here."
 
>Chrysalis laughs once more.
>"Thank you Celestia for putting them in their place. They clearly have no respect for their betters."
>Celestia isn't some child who is brought down by simple taunts, you know that better than anyone.
>You've tried in every way you know how in the past.
>She steps back once more alongside the other princesses.
>"Anon, have you made any promises to the changelings we need to honor?"
>You had that ability after all?
>To what extent, though?
>Whatever, doesn't matter now.
>You step forward.
"Not really, I wasn't aware I had that authority. The only promise I made was that Chrysalis would get to meet with you all and be heard."
>Chrysalis wastes no time stepping forward as well, bumping you out of her way in the process.
>"I have plenty of demands. My first demand is a humble one. I wish only to recieve the treatment befitting royalty."
>The princesses aren't quite sure what she means by that, so she continues.
>"Is not the customary greeting for visiting royalty a bow? Where are your manners?"
>Celestia replies calmly.
>"It is customary for both members of royalty to bow to each other, yes."
>Chrysalis looks insulted.
>"After that outburst and being attacked not once, but twice in a meeting of peace, I am still here out of the kindness of my heart. I bow to no one."
>Fucking bitch is just looking for an excuse to go back to the hive and say she tried.
>"Is it too much to ask the most powerful beings in Equestria to be humble and treat others with respect?"
>You can see the livid expressions on Cadance and Twilight's face.
>Both Celestia and Luna don't seem nearly as affected.
>They've been around far too long to let a little pride ruin anything.
>Celestia bows first, and the rest of the princesses follow.
>"Greetings Chrysalis, and welcome to our city."
>Chrysalis giggles with delight as a huge genuine smile finds its way to her face.
>"Wonderful. Perhaps this peace idea might be better than I expected."
 
>Chrysalis continues before they even rise.
>"I would also demand you as well as your subjects refer to me as Queen Chrysalis at all times. I should be treated as any other member of royalty is treated when they visit your city."
>Alright.
>You step forward.
"Queen Chrysalis, you need to listen to counter demands."
>She's actually in a good mood.
>She giggles to herself once more, and turns to Anon a moment later.
>"Hm? Oh, yes, of course."
>She waves a hoof dismissively.
>"You may proceed."
>Celestia wastes no time speaking up.
>"You must release every slave your hive is holding captive immediately, and I prohibit the capture of any denizens of Equestria."
>Chrysalis instantly loses her smile.
>She stomps a hoof on the ground.
>"I will not. My hive needs love to survive. You are condemning us to death."
>Celestia counters.
>"We will find a permanent solution for that which will benefit all."
>She thinks a moment.
>"To that end, changelings will be allowed in Canterlot as long as they remain undisguised. In time, love shall be given freely."
>She adds to this.
>"From now on, love is not to be stolen."
>Once again, Chrysalis objects.
>"We may very well starve to death before this supposed new source is found and well before anypony would give us love freely."
>You cough.
"I could provide the love your hive needs to survive until the negative stigma ponies have for changelings wears off."
 
>Celestia smiles at you and nods.
>Chrysalis thinks for a moment and reluctantly agrees.
>Finally Twilight steps forward.
>"I would like an apology for your previous transgressions against all of-"
>"Yes, I am truly sorry for my capture of this city and subjugation of your captain."
>Twilight blinks.
>Cadance doesn't look very convinced, either.
>Chrysalis continues with a slight grin.
>"Now, if you would be so kind as to apologize for your own attack?"
>Her grin grows into a smile as she blinks seductively at them.
>Twilight and Cadance exchange glances, but together they bow their heads slightly and apologize for their outburst.
>"Apology accepted. Our hive will need its own sovereign land to build upon as we continue relations with Equestria."
>This time Celestia refuses.
>"No, you will not be recognized as a sovereign territory. Any land you reside on will be part of Equestria, and there is plenty of land to choose from."
>Chrysalis doesn't look very pleased, but she also doesn't look as annoyed as she usually does.
>"I will only agree to this if the land is prime for development."
>You nod.
"I think I know the perfect spot."
>Celestia looks at you.
>"We will leave it to you then. Assist them in their relocation."
>Sure, you love helping people move.
>For free.
>Luna finally says something.
>"Whom shall we recognize as the primary diplomat for the changelings?"
>Chrysalis doesn't even turn to look at him as she speaks.
>"My former Swarm Commander Eleven shall now be recognized as our diplomat for our relations with ponies."
 
>You look down at him, and he seems a bit surprised at his sudden job change.
>You, on the other hand, kind of expected it.
>He made this possible, and in all likeliness she would prefer to purge him from her Swarm ranks for insubordination.
>Clever girl.
>You smile down at him.
"Guess that means we're gonna have to hang out and discuss what each group needs from time to time."
>He nods.
>Celestia looks around the room at everyone.
>No one looks like they plan to say anything else.
>She nods.
>"If that is everything, and all of the terms are understood and accepted, then we will conclude this peace summit."
>Still no one speaks up.
>Chrysalis seems especially satisfied.
>She looks at you as she turns to leave and holds a hoof under your chin.
>"I suppose you and I will be spending a lot of quality time together in the near future."
>She licks her lips and continues walking.
>Kalakcha gives you a confused look and you shrug and shake your head.
"Guess we'll meet up again soon and figure out all the smaller details."
>Kalakcha rubs the back of his neck.
>"I suppose so."
>He looks back up at you.
>"I look forward to working together with you, Anon."
>You grin and give him a gentle punch to the side.
"Until then."
 
>It's been a few weeks since the peace summit in Canterlot, and to everyone's surprise Chrysalis kept all of her promises.
>She also seems to make up any excuse she can to visit Canterlot to receive her royal treatment.
>The slaves were all released and the royal guards of Canterlot assisted in the return to their homes.
>You spent quite a bit of time around the hive as they worked on their new home, providing all the love they needed.
>Luckily it was far closer to Canterlot this time, so it wasn't such an inconvenience.
>You even had your morning coffee.
>Today you were sitting at your favorite spot along the outer wall of Canterlot, looking out into the distance at the new budding changeling town along the mountain near the river.
>You take a deep breath of the fresh and and sigh contentedly.
>Kalakcha lands gently nearby and watches along with you.
>Neither of you say anything, you simply enjoy each others company in silence.
>He spends a lot of his spare time volunteering at the museum.
>Funny enough, he also got that plaque removed stating all those lies about changeling armor and replaced it with real facts.
>You do what you've always done.
>Relax, mess with ponies, attempt to describe old Earth tech on paper...
>But now you also do something else.
>Something you've wanted to do since you arrived.
>You smile.
>You get to explore the land at will.
>Well, not quite at will.
>You still have royal duties to perform, but there's a lot of free time.
>Kalakcha usually accompanies you on your hunt for artifacts.
>The search is almost always fruitless, but it's always great to you.
>Sometimes you don't think it matters what you're doing, as long as you're doing it with that little bug.
>You're sure he feels the same way.
 
The End
 
 
http://thedrizzle404.deviantart.com/art/Bug-Bite-631321409
 
 
Epilogue
 
 
>You leap over a fallen tree, lungs absolutely burning.
>"Why would you do that?!"
>Kalakcha lands next to you and you both continue running.
"I was just curious, holy shit! He could have just said no!"
>A roar is heard nearby.
"It's not like I can ask Spike, he's like a kid or some shit!"
>You both zig-zag through some rocks.
>"You didn't have to ask at all! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
>You look over your shoulder and spot the dragon in pursuit with your peripheral vision.
>Fuck, fuck, fuck!
>"Why must we always enter dragon caves?"
"Not every fucking cave is a dragon cave!"
>"Enough of them are that we shouldn't be going into them!"
"Why don't you just fly?"
>Another roar is heard nearby.
>"And get roasted out of the air?"
>You look over your shoulder once again and see the dragon taking a deep breath.
>Quickly, you sweep Kalakcha up into your arms and curl your body around him on the ground.
>Seconds later a fiery blast sweeps over your body.
>You both yell until it stops.
>Once it stops, you're surprised to find yourself unharmed.
>You stand up and the remainder of your clothes falls to the ground in a charred heap.
>You look down and laugh nervously.
"Hey, dragonfire is magic based! Ha!"
>"He can still eat us, run!"
>You continue running, hoping either you'll find cover or the dragon will lose interest.
>Just another day.