“Yes, yes she does.” Mirage said. “Maybe that is something you can help her with that as well?”

“I wouldn’t mind in the slightest actually.” I laughed a little. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister.”

“Wait, you never had siblings growing up?” A bewildered bug-queen asked.

“Yup.” I nodded. “Always been myself, mom, and dad.” I said.

“... Interesting.” Mirage stated, to herself than me or anyone else. “As far as I know, it is rare for any parents to bare just one child.”

“Eh, that’s kinda true. At least in some human cultures.” I said with a shrug.

“… I couldn't help but notice, from what you have just said, humans share some cultural ideals as ponies and changelings…”

“Yeah it is pretty weird.” I nodded agreeingly. “But, if what you said a while back really is true. Then it's more like ancient humans had some influence on some cultural ideals here.

“Indeed.” Mirage nodded. She went to talk some more; but a random changeling ran up to her. An almost frantic look etched onto its face.

“My Queen! Changelings of the Jade hive are attacking!” Jade hive?

“Jade hive!?” Mirage gasped. “How!? They were banished to the badlands!”

“We don't know! What should we do!?”

“Defend with everything we have. Escort Mimic to the safe room. I will be there shortly.” The changeling nodded and ran off while Mirage turned to me, but remembered something and shouted. “And make it your duty to keep any and all of the Jade hive from entering!”

I had an inkling as to who the queen of the ‘Jade hive’ was. And I pretty much knew what Mirage was gonna ask me before we even made eye contact.

“Want me to help?” I asked.

“If you would be so kind too.” Mirage smiled.

“Alright, just keep your changelings defending. And I'll go on the offensive.” The queen of… whatever the hell this hive calls itself, raised an eyebrow.

“A little ambitious, aren't we?”

“Meh,” I should shrugged, all nonchalant n’ crap. “I think I can at least scare them off.” I said while I start walking towards the entrance.

*And it might just give me the perfect reason to burn at least some of the forest down.*

We had just one, simple, task to do; invade the Ash hive and take all there love. They had no chance against our sheer numbers. All we had to do was break the damn barrier!

But, that, thing appeared.

It had some black box thing in its hands. And it somehow threw fire like an adult dragon.

I nearly lost all my children to that thing’s flames.

… I will massacre that thing for what it’s done.

“So that was Chrysalis?”

“Yes, but what confuses me is; why is she here?”

“No clue.”

“This is very concerning… If she is here… Oh dear.”

Heh, that rhymed.

“Another invasion or something?”

“Yes, that wretched idiot could be planning something like that.”

“Alright, you got any trackers?”

“... Yes, I do. Why do you ask?”

“‘Cause I want to hunt that bug down.”

“What!?”

“If what the both of us are thinking might be remotely true. Then that means she’s planning to invade and or take over the country we live in. I don’t know about you, but I very much like the state it’s in right now. So, can you have one of your trackers help me trahack her down?” Ah, good old word play.

“I… ah…. Yes. On the condition that my changeling will be returned home safely.”

“I can do that. So, who’s coming with me?”

How did that thing find us!? How-

No matter! We will kill that thing with everything we have!

It was pretty easy for Shade to find where Chrysalis was hanging out. Shade was the tracker Mirage assigned to me.

Anyway, Shade said it was a bit too easy that he found Chrysalis’s hideout. He said something about her expecting us to come here.

Anyway, after sending Shade back to Mirage via magical double, I hopped right into the small hole in the ground.

...

“Stay back you vile creature!” Chrysalis shouted me while shooting another bolt of magic at me. At this point the bolts were weak enough to not even leave a scorch mark on my body.

Either that, or my body is somehow gained resistance, or something, probably the former.

“I said stay back!” She had hissed. “I will not let you kill me or my nymphs!”

“I think it's a little too late for you kids.” I drone without any emotion. “Unless there are some hiding in the shadows.” I saw Chrysalis flinch just as five changelings with turquoise eyes leap out at me from different angles.

How I guessed that, you may ask? Well, it couldn't possibly be because there was a spirit occupying a certain gem telling me whenever there were any changelings nearby that I didn't see.

No, it definitely wasn't because of that. The changeling drones were just that easy to deal with.

The changelings were easy to deal with after a quick teleportation and a few magically ringed necks.

“Y-you monster!” Chrysalis stammered. “How can you do this!? Are kind will never thrive!”

“I'm already working on that.” I said. “The hive you were planning to invade? Kinda got started working them into pony society.”

“What!?” She gawked.

“Yeah, you could've ruined all the work me and a few friends put into that. Just so you know.” I hoist my flamethrower up and point it directly at her.

“W-wait!” She pleaded. “M-maybe… we can… Strike a deal? So to say?” I scoff.

“And what? You back-stab me after Whatever agreement we come to? Don't think so.” I said while I pulled the trigger.

Fwoosh!

Her screams of fiery agony filled the small cave. I tried to keep a blank look, just like the soldier I used to be. But, the facade faltered. I slowly found myself smiling by the time Chrysalis’s bloodcurdling screams died out. Her body nothing left but a little pile of charred bones and ashes. How her body burned so quickly, I have no idea. She was probably really dry.

Then a really fucked up idea came to mind.

I saw the bug’s skull lying there, eye sockets, horn, ear holes and all.

*Might as well bring back some evidence.* I pick up the skull with my magic and brought it over to myself. Huh, the lower jaw stayed attached. Did it melt or… No, it swings, then how..?

Nevermind, magic. Magic. Magic.

Anyway, with Chrysalis’s skull in my hands, and my flamethrower back home. I teleport back to Mirage’s hive.

“You, you really… You really just killed off an entire hive?” Mimic asked while looking at the skull in my hand. “All, by, yourself?” She punctuated with a skeptical look.

“Yes,” Mirage said. “I find it difficult to believe you accomplished such a feat by your lonesome.”

“That's not even the main thing!” Mimic snapped. “He killed off an entire hive by him-fucking-self!” She swung her arms at me like one of those wacky inflatable arm-waving tube man, things. As if shouting out what I did to the heavens like a pharaoh begging for god to bring his first born son back to him wasn't enough.

“Yeeees… The fact that you… did what you did, disturbs me.” Mirage told me.

“It does?” I asked out of confusion, they nodded. “Oh, then it's a good thing I'm with you then.”

“I… suppose.” Mirage hesitantly answered. “But, why are you taking this as you are? Are you not mortified at what you did?”

“Eh…” Came my brilliant reply. “A little, but then I remember I basically did it for you and the country we make ourselves home in. And it's not like it's the first time I had to kill. Remember the war I told you about?”

“Yeah, but we didn't think that was real!” Mimic yelled. “You really have no problem killing other living beings!?” I think about for a second, then shrug.

“As long as it's for the right reasons. Or if pros outweigh cons.”

Is it me, or am I radiating intelligence?

“Alright, I give up.” Mimic sighed. “I just wanna go home and forget this ever happened.”

“I agree. It has been a long day.” Mirage said while slowly walking away. I just nodded agreeingly.

“So we gonna go back to my place or are you staying here?” I asked Mimic when Mirage was out of earshot.

“Yeah…”

“You want me to teleport us home? You look pretty tired.” I offered.

“Please.”

“Ok.” I snapped my fingers, and in no time we were home getting ready for bed since it was pretty late. I saw Mimic was looking pretty stressed. Whether it was because of me committing partial genocide, or her talk with Mirage. Either way, I thought it’d be nice to offer a little massage before bed.

“Are you any good at it?” She asked.

“I think so. It's been a few years since I gave anyone a massage.”

“... Alright,” she said after some thought. “just, be gentle. Ok?” I smiled and got up to me knees in bed, while she rolled onto her belly.

“You got it.” *Damn, thought she go belly-up.*

-Oh well, no boob action tonight.-

*Shut up, you don't know what might happen.* I mentally grumbled while I start to gently rub along Mimic’s shoulders. Which elicited a few happy groans. The tense muscles underneath the tough, but somehow malleable, chitin relaxing under my ministrations.

“Ooooh~ Where did you learn this?” She sleepily asked.

“I mostly taught myself, and a little bit comes from videos I've seen.”

“Really? Ah~ What for? I don't mean to sound mean or anything, but you don't look like a masseur.”

“I pretty much learned just enough to help out my parents when they had arthritis. An old friend told me massaging the joints helped ease the overall pain.”

“Oh… I'm sorry.”

“Eh, don't worry about it. I like talking about happy memories.”

“Oh, ok…” Mimic trailed off as I was getting down to her lower back, being mindful of her wings. I rubbed and pressed against the increasingly relaxing muscles until I heard a soft snore from the changeling. I smiled and laid down next as best as I could without waking her up. And she must've been a heavy sleeper since I practically wrapped her in the best tender embrace I could manage.

I was proven wrong when she turned over and wrapped me in her arms.

“Mmm I love you Ember…” She mumbled. So she talks and moves around a lot in her sleep… How come she didn't do that the first time we slept together? Eh, whatever, I need some sleep too.

“I love you too, Mimic.” I replied with a little smooch on her nose. She giggled at the sensation before I fell asleep.

I look around the white, barren expanse of my dreamscape.

“Huh, here again?”

“Ember?” That sounded like Mimic. The hell..?

“Mimic?” Why is she part of my dream?

“What the tartarus are you doing in my dream?” Ok, maybe not.

“Me!? The hell you doing in my dream? I see you enough during the day.” I sarcastically retorted.

“Becau- wait.” Mimic paused. “You would never say that in my dreams.”

“Same goes for you too. The hell’s going on?”

“‘Tis a rare sight to see two share thine dreams.” A random voice seemingly from the sky said. Both of us look up and see that Luna’s here.

Huh, so it isn’t all an elaborate dream.

“Who's that?” Mimic asked.

“Princess Luna.” I answered.

“Greeti-” Luna never got to finish her salutation since Mimic darted towards me to hide behind me. I turn my head and watch as she quivers while she death-grips me from behind.

“W-why is she here?” She fearfully asked.

“Relax Mimic, she’s just visiting.” I turn to Luna. “Right?” Luna saw the look on my face and nodded hastily.

“Indeed.” She said. “We were merely interested to see who were sharing a single dream.” She took a glance at Mimic. Then regarded me with a reserved expression. “Is she a changeling?” I nodded. “We see, sister has told us about thy… ‘mission’ as she called it. We commend thee for making such a noble effort.” I nodded again, and Luna put her attention to Mimic. “Do not fret. We are great friends with Ember the human. We look forward to meeting again in a more… formal setting.”

“O-ok.” Mimic said meekly. Luna smiled and started fading.

“Until then,” The night pony shot me a knowing look. “best wishes.”

“Thank you.” I said right before she faded away completely.

“Th-that was one of the princesses?” Mimic asked.

“Yeah, weren't you paying attention?” Mimic let go of me and glared at me when I turned around.

“No! I was busy being scared out of my mind!”

“But we're technically in both our minds at the moment. So…” That little comment earned me a punch to the shoulder. It was worth it.

“It's not funny!” Definitely is. “I thought she was here to do Mother knows what!”

“Mimic, come on. You really think Luna would come to our dream and do… whatever you think she would do to you?”

“Yes!”

“Then it would've been over my dead body.” I said. “She'd have to go through me before she lay a single ha- hoof on you.” As I spoke, I stepped close to Mimic and put her hands in mine, to show how serious and sincere I was. It made her blush and look away bashfully with a little smile playing on her lips.

Bonus points.

“Damn you Ember. You always know what to say.” She sighed. “You make it hard to stay mad at you.” I chuckled a little at that.

“When you got my kind of experience, you know a thing or two about saying the right thing.” I said with a decent amount of humor.

“Says the guy who said he wanted to fuck my throat-pussy.”

“That sounded sexy in my mind, at the time.”

“But it still stunk.”

“I know… So, what do you feeling doing since we’re sharing the same dream?” I asked changing the subject.

“I don’t know, you have any ideas?” She asked.

“Hmmm… ever heard of a vore fetish?”