Fool Moon, Part 30 (A Change of Heart.)

>Another scream rings out in the dripping caverns that compose the Changeling Hive.
>You smile with a mouth that is no longer your mouth as the Queen draws back, wings fluttering.
>Thin, green blood drips from her mouth, and she stumbles on her hole-ridden hooves.
>She struggles to speak, slurring her words.
>"A...Again."
>You are Anonymous, and you are burning.
>Pain flares through every one of your senses, and fires race through your mind, leaving you with crippling headaches that would leave you gasping.
>If you could gasp, that is.
>CHANGE.
>You refuse, and the pain intensifies.
>CHANGE. GIVE IN. LET US SLAY THIS INSECT AND MAKE OUR ESCAPE.
>No. You know what it will do once it's free.
>She won't be safe. Not from it. Not from you.
>YOU WILL LET YOUR LOVE FOR THAT WHITE TROLLOP KILL US?
>You let your shock flash through your thoughts.
>YES, WE ARE DYING, ANONYMOUS.
>You glance at the stumbling changeling queen. Every time she's tried to enter your thoughts, it's forced her back out.
>How could sh-
>NOT HER. YOUR POISON, YOUR VENOM. BREWED BY THAT ZEBRA AND SWALLOWED WITHOUT A THOUGHT.
>You feel the Queen make her way into your mind again, and the Dark Half casually slaps her back out, releasing another scream into the hive's air.
>It couldn't be that. The potion-
>WAS FORMED OF OUR DESIRE. THE GREENLING TRIED TO TWIST YOURS. THE POTION CANNOT COMPLETE IT. IT WILL CONSUME US, INSTEAD.
>The Changeling Queen slumps to her knees, gasping.
>Her horn glows, and the green goo you float in with it.
>The Dark Half's attention snaps away from you, leveling a ferocious grin on the Queen.
>The goo begins to slough away from your face, and you take in a deep breath.


>You feel it fish around for words in your head, and you distract it with questions.
>Namely, why is it in control?
>YOU ARE WEAK. TWISTED BY THE GREENLING'S WILL. I AM ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN HER AND DOMINATION OF US.
>"What ARE you?"
>You feel your head swivel around to look at the exhausted Queen, and your lips stretch in a terrifying smile.
>"How can you resist me? How can you HURT me?"
>You feel it's heart swell with sadistic joy, and you grab it's attention again.
>Why are we dying? Why was the potion enacting it's effects? How was it in control? If it was in control, why had you not changed yet?
>THE POTION SEEKS TO ENACT YOUR WISHES. I RULE OUR BODY BECAUSE YOUR WILL WAS WEAKENED BY THE GREENLING. AND WE CANNOT CHANGE, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT WISH IT.
>That made no sense. It was in control. How-
>YOU DEFEATED ME.
>But.
>YOU DEFEATED ME. YOU ARE THE ALPHA.
>Does that mean...
>It offers no further explanation.
>But still you burn inside your mind.
>YOUR WISHES ARE IN CONFLICT. YOU WISH TO SEE HER AGAIN. YOU WISH TO BE FREE. YOU WISH TO BE RID OF ME. YOU CANNOT HAVE ALL YOU DESIRE.
>Then what can you do?
>"WHAT ARE YOU?"
>You are both drawn from the discussion inside your mind to the furious eyes of the Changeling Queen.
>The Dark Half licks your lips and smiles.
"Human."
>"What do you want? Why do you fight?"
"We wish to be free."
>She smirks.
>"That will never happen. Surrender to me, Anonymous. Love me. Love the hive. Serve us, and-"
"Release us. Or we will bring this rocky hole down on your head."
>Her eyes widen, and you grab its attention again.
>It didn't answer the question.


>Everything twists.
>You are inside your mind again, not cognizant of the outside world.
>Everything is darkness and fire.
>Images, of green eyes in the dark, of Rarity's white coat and loving smile, images of fear and blood and the Prince's accursed smirk, all flash through your mind.
>And here, in the darkness, among your fears and memories, the Dark Half awaits. A wolf-thing, larger than life and darker than black, stalks around you, yellow eyes glaring into yours.
>YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO?
>Of course you did. You turned to follow the thing in your head, not bothering to vocalize.
>NOTHING. WE CAN DO NOTHING. WE WILL BURN AND DIE, TORN APART BY YOUR HEART'S SEPARATE DESIRES.
>To say that wasn't the answer you expected would be the understatement of the century.
>You would die?
>Even if you surrendered your mind?
>Just gave in to this...thing? This curse?
>SURRENDER IS UNBECOMING OF AN ALPHA. I AM NO CURSE. NO THING. BUT YES, EVEN IF I WAS GIVEN FREE REIGN, WE WOULD DIE.
>It grins ruthlessly.
>THE ZEBRA'S POISON WOULD SEE TO IT.
>You remembered her words.
>One of you had to win the war waging in your mind.
>You had won, had you not?
>YOUR VICTORY WAS HOLLOW. YOU BECAME WEAKER AND GAINED NOTHING FOR IT. DID YOU THINK CLAWS AND SCENT WERE THE EXTENT OF OUR POTENTIAL?
>Well if you die, at least you'd have the satisfaction of taking this monster down with you.
>It snorts, circling you again.
>SO EAGER TO DIE?
>No, but when there's no way to survive-
>THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID.
>It had said that you can do nothin-
>WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING, YES.
>So then-
>WE MUST CEASE TO BE WE. WE MUST BECOME ONE.


>What was it-
>The wolf-representation in your mind snarls and pounces on you, growling in your face.
>CEASE YOUR FEIGNED CONFUSION, YOUR PRATTLING, YOUR FEAR. YOU DISGUST ME!
>You snarl back up at it, furious. YOU disgusted IT? It was a monster, a beast, a mindless savage, nothing but mental hell imposed on you by a curse!
>I AM NO CURSE. IT IS YOUR WEAKNESS THAT HAS NEARLY SEEN US SLAIN. IT IS YOU WHO DIVIDED US, HIDING IN THE DARK FROM OUR GREATNESS!
>It slams a paw into your chest.
>WE SHARED THE SAME MOTHER. WE STOLE FROM THE SAME SHOPKEEPERS. WE FEARED THE SAME GUARDS. I AM MORE THAN YOUR BROTHER. I AM YOU.
>This thing made you KILL your mother! It ATE her, for God's sakes!
>WE KILLED HER. WE ATE HER. WE HATED HER, DID WE NOT? EVEN THOUGH WE CARED FOR HER, LOVED HER, WE HATED HER, ANONYMOUS.
>It was lying. Of course it was lying. You'd loved your mother. Just like you loved-
>THE WHITE ONE? DO YOU REALLY? ARE YOU NOT SIMPLE ENVIOUS OF HER? OF HER STATUS? HER WEALTH? HER BEAUTY? HER WILLPOWER?
>It was wrong, a treacherous little beast.
>You wanted it to stop talking now.
>It removes it's paw from your chest, and growls into your face.
>WE WILL DIE IN THIS HOLE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS. WE CANNOT STAY 'WE.'
>We have to become....me?
>THAT, OR DIE.
>What would you have to do?
>YOU MUST SURRENDER, AS I MUST. YOU MUST LET GO OF YOUR FEAR. EMBRACE MY STRENGTH, AS I EMBRACE YOUR WEAKNESS.
>RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH.
>ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE TRULY ONE, AND WE WILL BE.
>AND THE ZEBRA'S POISON WILL HAVE NO HOLD OVER US.
>And the changelings?
>WE WILL TEAR THEM APART.


>Could you do it?
>Sacrifice your humanity?
>Sacrifice who you were as a person, your very identity?
>Essentially, you were being asked to die.
>A small death, but a death nonetheless.
>DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE ANY LESS FOR ME?
>That's when you realize it.
>This thing that shares your mind is scared.
>More than that, it's terrified.
>It snarls at you, sensing your thoughts, but doesn't contradict you.
>OUR ONLY OPTIONS ARE DEATH.
>Domination.
>AND HARMONY.
>You look up, and find the wolf already looking down at you.
>WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?
>You can't make a decision like this.
>You can't just ACCEPT a monster into your mind, into your soul.
>What would you become?
>What new horror would such harmony spawn?
>Would it care at all for the mare you loved? Would it just be a greedier dark half, content with murder and thievery and spreading strife?
>You couldn't unleash that upon the world. Not yet. Not without...thinking it over, at least.
>SO YOU CHOOSE DEATH? VERY WELL.
>All at once, you return to the real world.
>Chrysalis is eyeing you warily from the other end of the room.
>The Dark Half is laughing with your voice.
>The Queen looks terrified, rightfully so. She turns and shouts into the caves behind her.
>"Feed the prisoner. I want him attended to by three guards at all time. We will resume...later."
"Run little Queen. Run."
>She freezes, shivering, while the thing wearing your face smiles.
>And you continue to burn.

Rarity's Perspective.

>Patience, you believed, was a virtue.
>You sigh and set down your cup of tea, deliberately ignoring the jarring sound your chains make as you shift your body.
>You had more pressing concerns than a little bit of metal.
>Even if it WAS unbearably tacky.
>You sigh, open your eyes, and get ready for another conversation with your guard.
"Razor, dear?"
>The massive green "pony" turns one orange-yellow eye on you in disgust.
>"Are you a glutton for punishment, pony? You know the consequences of speaking out of turn."
>You did know them.
>The massive shiner on your left eye attested to that.
>Not to mention the burns on your back hoof...
>But you couldn't let this go. The pain in your body was nothing compared to the pain in your mind.
>The pain of not knowing.
"Why do you follow him?"
>Razor rolls off of his hooves, growling deep in his throat.
>He absentmindedly chews on a strip of what you PRAY isn't pony as he approaches, his sharp teeth flashing as he glares at you.
>"Should I ruin your OTHER eye? Blueblood disliked me marring your 'beauty' the first time, but if you continue to test me, I'll blind you."
>You look up at him and smile, pointing your horn at the bloody hole where his left eye once was.
>Before Anonymous stabbed him in it, of course.
>You don't even see the green hoof as it slams into your face and knocks you onto the floor.
>For a moment, everything's haze. You can taste blood in your mouth.
>You come to your hooves with a clanking of chains.
"I thought dragons were proud? What do you gain by serving something as 'inferior' as a pony?"
>The shadow of the green monster leans over you.


"Do you fear him?"
>The question gives Razor pause, and the massive green monster tips his head to one side, as if in thought.
>"Of Blueblood? No. He is a schemer, a thinker, an adequate ruler for creatures as soft-skinned as your race."
"If not fear, then why?"
>"He has promised me vengeance upon you, the thieves of my hoard. Always, it is ponies and their servants who come sneaking into the homes of dragons, to steal and pollute. No more."
"Your greed is so great you would implicate your entire race as a menace to mine, just to enthrone Blueblood?"
>Razor snort.
>"Why would that matter? Ponies are naught but insects to my kind. Should you ever grow the stones to attack my people, we will burn Equestria to the ground."
>He smiles, as if relishing the day, before glaring at you again.
>"Now return to your meal, and be silent. The food grows cold, and Blueblood will visit you soon."
>You return to your seat, daintily composing yourself and tossing your hair over your black eye.
>You will not give them the satisfaction of seeing the results of their brutishness.
"Why do you help him, Razor? Why are you content with him keeping me here? Why not kill me yourself?"
>Razor snorts.
>"You are his."
>Your eyes flash angrily, and you glare at the dragon.
"I am most certainly NOT."
>"By my kind's customs, you most certainly are. He defeated your mate and ran him off. You belong to him, now, unless your mate returned and challenged hi-"
>Razor cuts himself off, and you feel a smile growing on your face.
>You quickly drop into a neutral expresison as the dragon shakes his head.
>"That would be impossible, of course. Your mate is dead."
"Did you see it?"


>"Hmm?"
"Did you see him die?"
>"No."
>Razor's expression grows very dark.
>You keep poking him for answers.
"So you serve him for a vengeance you didn't even get to carry out?"
>Razor growls.
"Such a poor little serving drake, kept enslaved by a promise never ke-"
>His hoof catches you in the stomach, this time, but you roll with the blow, curling up so you can keep speaking to him from the ground.
"He stole from you and humiliated you, and you didn't even get to WATCH him die? He must be laughing, Razor. Laughing at the poor little lizard who couldn't."
>Razor's remaining eye is burning in it's socket, and you know that you would be ash right now if he was in his true shape.
>"I will see him die. I will burn him to ashes myself and devour his baked bones."
>There it was again.
>A giddy feeling enters your heart, even as you watch Razor lift a hoof over you.
"It's not Blueblood you're afraid of, is it?"
>The dragon-turned-pony pauses.
>"What?"
"It's Anonymous. You're scared of him. Terrified. That's why you avoided him that night, at the party. You ran, like a cow-"
>"I AM AFRAID OF NOTHING. I AM RAZORFANG!"
"Oh, you fear him. He hurt you, Razor. You're terrified of him."
>The dragon's eyes gleam, furious and deadly.
"He's coming for you, Razor. He's coming for you. Wherever Blueblood has him, he'll escape. And he'll come for you first. And he'll put you in the ground."
>The first blow rains down, and you grit your teeth against the pain.
>Your lips open in a wide smile, even as a hoof slams into your stomach.
>Because the dragon hadn't contradicted you.
>Anonymous was alive. He was alive, and the dragon still feared him.

Bon-Bon's perspective.

>Fillydelphia stank.
>Right down to it's bones, the city stank.
>It smelled like old iron, piss, and fear.
>You idly rub at your nose as you trot next to Sparkler.
>A Filly cheesesub would be FANTASTIC right about now.
>Conversation had long since died between the pair of you.
>You were both being told you had to kill.
>You did it to keep your loved one safe, and she did it because she WANTED to do it.
>"This is where they're staying."
>A purple hoof raises past your head, and you follow it to...
>A house of white stone and red brick, a clean bastion in Filly's filthy streets.
>Your stomach grumbles.
>"What's the matter?"
"No love here to feed on. Or regular food, even. I'm hungry."
>"I wasn't aware your kind could eat regular food."
"You're unaware of a lot of things."
>Sparkler scowls.
>"Hilarious. No, really. My sides are splitting with mirth."
"I honestly don't believe you've ever laughed. Is this..."
>"Their summer home, yes. The mother is out gathering groceries. The father is drinking with two of his friends and one of Blueblood's spies."
"How will we-"
>"The filly is inside. We go in, kill her, take her head, and we get out. The father and mother I'll kill on my own. Your presence won't be required."
"Just for..."
>"Just for this, yes. If I have to bring you, you will be useful. You're going in as a familiar face."
>You gulp.
>"Do you remember a little filly named Scootaloo?"
"She's...she runs around Ponyville, yea-"
>"You're going to take her shape, and lead the target to me."
>Her horn glows, and she pulls what looks like a crossbow out of a side satchel.
>"It'll be quick.



>You could do this.
>You reached up a trembling orange hoof and knocked on the door.
>You had to do this.
>You hear the sound of running hooves from behind the door, before it peaks open, revealing a pair of green eyes.
>"...Scootaloo!?"
>Your mind struggles to find the little filly's voice.
"Uh...hey, Sweetie!"
>"What are YOU doing here!? And what's wrong with your voice?"
>SHIT.
>You can't do this. You can't do this. Not a filly.
"Nothing...just a little cold, is all."
>"Oh! Come on in, then!"
>You glance over your shoulder, your eyes immediately finding the cold purple of Sparkler's, even as she hides in the alley.
>The crossbow is leveled.
>Several things go through your mind at that moment.
>You know what you have to do.
"Sure thing, Sweetie! Thanks!"
>You trot past her as she lets you in, swiftly closing the door behind you.
>Sweetie trots backwards, smiling.
>"It's good to see you, Scoots! It's been a while since all that crazy vampony stuff! What're you doing in Filly?"
>You do your best to shrug nonchalantly.
"You know...stuff. Visiting the family and all. I heard you were in town and wanted to hang out!"
>Sweetie Belle giggles at you.
>"Oh! Well come on, you can come and see the inside of the hou-"
>She cuts herself off, freezing mid-trot.
>She turns around, eyeing you suspiciously.
>"Scoots?"
"Yeah?"
>"Did you say...visiting the family?"
>A cold flush washes over you as the thought occurs to you.
>You've never seen Scootaloo's parents.
>IF she didn't have any...
>You sigh, heavily, and Sweetie Belle backs away.
"I didn't want to do this. Remember that."
>You change.

Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l2WzaZfXsE
>Green light flares in the elaborate hallway of the summer home, and Sweetie Belle recoils in fear as you assume your true form.
>She starts screaming immediately, and you sigh as she turns and runs.
>She's not fast enough. She never could be.
>You run her down easily, your wings fluttering as you pin the filly with one holed hoof.
"Sweetie? Sweetie, I need you to calm down."
>"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
"Sweetie, please!"
>Your voice shifts on the second sentence, and Sweetie freezes for a moment.
>She looks up at you, her brows furrowing in confusion.
>"...Miss Bon-Bon?"
>You do your best to smile reassuringly.
"It's me, Sweetie. Bon-Bon. I'm not gonna hurt you."
>"You...you're a changeling?"
>You give her a little nod.
>"Why...why are you here?"
>You frown.
"I just need to...talk to your parents. Yes."
>She looks at the hoof pinning her, then back into your eyes.
>"Then why are you keeping me held down? And why are you pretending to be Miss Bon-Bon? She's a nice mare, even if Mom calls her a filly-fooler behind her back! She wouldn't do anything like this!"
>A spasm of anger runs through you at that accursed term, and you grind your fangs together.
>Maybe you should-
>No. No, think of Lyra. You have to keep Lyra safe.
>Your stomach rumbles as you think, and you glance down at Sweetie Belle.
>Sparkler had lied to you, hadn't she?
>She would not make this quick.
>She hated Rarity, hated it enough that you could taste it every time she got close. She would make her sister's death slow.
>You could make it quick.
>"Miss Changeling? What're you-"
>You open your mouth, revealing your fangs.
>Sweetie Belle screams.

Sparkler's perspective.
>This wasn't going to plan.
>The changeling was supposed to lead the filly out of the house so you could get a clean shot.
>If Bon-Bon botched this kill for you Lyra would suffer for it.
>She knew that.
>So why did she go inside with the target?
>The door to the mansion opens.
>A dazed looking Bon-Bon stumbles out.
>Still in changeling form.
>Alarm spikes through you, and you glance around at the street, looking for prying eyes or suspicious ponies.
>There are none, thank Platinum.
>You return your gaze to Bon-Bon as she stumbles towards you, crossing the street and walking into the alley, a goofy smile on her face.
>And blood on her mouth.
"...What did you do?"
>Bon-Bon's eyes focus blearily on you.
>"Whuzzat?"
"What did you do, you filthy bug!?"
>She blinks once, and then lets out a quiet belch.
>"I was hungry."
"So you..."
>Horrified anger fills you as you look at the bloodied changeling.
>Bon-Bon shrugs.
>"You said make it quick! I was STARVING! And she was just so full of love!"
"I didn't know your kind...ate..."
>Bon-Bon's eyes grow steely.
>"There's a lot you don't know about changelings, Sparkler."
>You regain your composure, clearing your throat.
"Well, yes. It seems so. Did you at least preserve her head?"
>Bon Bon shifts her hooves.
>"I was REALLY hungry."
>You scowl, and Bon Bon puffs out her cheeks, shifting around with her mouth as if searching for something.
>A moment later, she lowers her head and spits something into the dirt.
>A bloodied lock of purple and pink hair, covered in changeling spit.
"Well. That's not a head..."
>"But it'll do, right?"
"It should."
>You smile at the bloodied lock. Yes, that would do nicely.