Question A Changeling's Tale

A Changeling's Tale
A Whateley Universe story

~*~

The old stories of my people speak of the world we came from as a paradise that Eight Queens ruled with a strong and just hand. Four lesser kingdoms swore fidelity to them and over time the five kingdoms began being called the Court of the Five. At the center was the court of Wood with it's Sidhe nobles. The court of the East was the Burning Kingdom, ruled by capricious demons of smokeless fires. Opposite the Burning Kingdom was the Drowned Lands. Anything under water belonged to the Mermaid queens. The North was claimed by the dragons and their attendant virginal air maidens. The last court was the Court of Stone with it's slumbering Queen.

The world prospered under the Court, and they sought the stars, wanting to find what lay out there. In time Ways where opened allowing travel from the Homeworld and far distant colonies and outposts. We discovered other Peoples amid the stars and they joined with the Court in peace.

It was from the void between the stars that the Enemy came. What attracted the attention of the Enemy, drawing it to the Homeworld has been lost to time and memory, if it was ever known. They came not in peace, they came to annihilate. The Court rallied behind the Sidhe Queens and went to war. They drove the Enemy off the Homeworld, and sealed them back where they had come from... but it was a Pyrrhic victory as the Enemy left behind a trap. A trap that shattered the Life Givers, and cracked the foundation stones of the world. The anchors of the Ways had their energies twisted and strained, and when the paths collapsed reality collapsed with them.

The colonies and outposts where cut off from what once was and each other, or destroyed out right. Attempts where made to reestablish contact with the other colonies or the Homeworld, but nothing was ever established. And sending ships would take to long. Our Ancestors realized they needed to make their own way along in the verse. They planted a precious Life Bringer seed in hopes that later generations would feel the flow of life that had been lost when the First Life Bringers where destroyed. In the centuries since we have prospered in peace, hidden away from the galaxy at large...

Di'ar grinned as she turned her face into the morning sun as she stepped out of her home. With a bounce and a slight swagger in her step she headed down the street nodding to her neighbors as she passed. Most where of Wood Court decent like her, though more then a few, herself included, showed hybrid traits. It had been a necessity forced on the Colony long ago for them to have a wide enough pool of genetic stock and to adapt to their new worlds. Another thing that had been attempted was to increase the number of male children born to those of Sidhe stock, though the numbers where still way down, which made Di'ar very popular with the ladies. Di'ar knew some thankfully small towns allowed only the Court Pure to live. In those communities the number of women to men was so staggeringly out of proportion and that often the family of a male would set up stud fees for those who wished to procreate with 'Pure' stock.

Pushing the disgusting thought from her mind Di'ar entered the little store she liked and picked up a few things for a picnic lunch. “Morning Ms Zivyh.” she called to the tentacled woman who was stocking shelves.

“Morning to you too, dear. What are you up to this fine morning?”

“I was thinking of meeting up with friends and going hiking. Maybe find a private place to relax and go for a swim...” Di'ar replied as she bounced in place, tired of the chit chat and eager to begone.

“Mhmmm, I see. Well I hope you behave like a proper young lady on your hike with whoever you are going with.” the Sylla descended woman cautioned, her skin tone flashing warning colors.

“Mrs. Z, I'm not going to be hiking with a guy, I was gonna hook up with a few of my girl friends.” Di'ar replied, causing Ms Zivyh to frown.

The older woman's ability to read the energy impulses beings gave off , and her long years of life, telling her that Di'ar was hoping her companion would be the one to start being less then proper. Di'ar saw Ms Zivyh's skin tone change again, taking on muted colors of disappointment with a hint of betrayal.

“It's not what you're thinking.” the young woman whined as she shuffled from foot to foot under the old woman's gaze. “I'm trying to get Trakar and Lilloway to admit they're into each other...”

“Oh. Well then take some of this, they both enjoy the taste.” the shop keeper said adding a few bottles to Di'ar's carry bag

“Thanks Mrs Z!” Di'ar said with a grin. “I'll let you know how things go.”

~*~

A ship dropped out of FTL at the edge of the system, braking as it sped past the orbit of the outer
most planet. The craft had seen better days, and had started it's like out as a simple medium weight cargo hauler. Then it was captured by pirates and weapons and armor where added. It closed in on the fourth planet with it's double moons, deploying several shuttles that dropped into the atmosphere as the mother craft hid behind the largest of the two moons.

~*~

Di'ar waved to her friend when she spotted Lilloway waiting for her along the path to the swimming pool they had planned on picnicking at. The other girl brushed at the grass like fur that covered her goat legs, her little tail twitching. “Thank you sooo much for this Di! I was almost roped into sitting my sister's kids.” the Satyr girl said with a shudder which Di'ar mimicked. The twin male satyrs where hell on hooves that had driven off more then one sitter. “She got Meddy instead.” Lillow added with a slightly evil grin. “If she can lock eyes with them...”

“They'll behave for the rest of the day.” Di'ar finished. She'd been on the receiving end of the older girl's gorgon stare before and remembered what it felt like having her muscles lock up on her until she was released.

“Yup!” Lillow said popping her word happily as she did a small jig. “So what's the plan?”

“I was thinking a little swimming, some sunning ourselves at the top of the falls...” Di'ar replied as she wiggled her fingers at her friend as they came to the pristine pool of water with it's spring fed waterfall. Lilloway let out a yelp of surprise as bother her and Di'ar's clothing disappeared.

Instantly Lilloway clasped her hands over her crotch as she stamped her hooves in anger. “You know I never go bottomless!” the satyr girl snapped as she glared at her friend.

“Lil, you need to get over this if you're ever going to get... well anyone.” Di'ar said with a sigh as she stepped over to her friend and removed her hands from between her legs. A humiliated flush swept over Lilloway's features as the penis sheath that was melded with her vagina was exposed. “Everyone knows from health class that one in seven hundred female satyr are born with a pseudo-penis. It's a genetic quark from the blending that lets there be female satyrs. You's is just a bit longer then most. I think it's cute, though you really need a tan down there.”

Lilloway snorted as she shook her head. “Need I remind you? I burn unlike you. I don't wanna experience any kind of burn down there. My ears will hurt enough.”

Di'ar rolled her eyes and pulled out a bottle from her pack. “Sunscreen. I knew you'd bring up your fair skin and planned ahead. Now do you wanna apply it, or do I have to?”

That got the expected flush across Lilloway's cheeks as she snatched the bottle from Di'ar's hand. “I am going to put this on away from you.” she muttered as she stalked off behind some thick bushes.

“Cast a privacy spell before you do.” Di'ar teased knowing that once Lilloway started touching herself down there she'd be at it for a while due to the Satyr species's over abundance of nerve endings and drop of a hat insatiable arousal. “And as you have no interest in girls and won't want me to lend a hand, I'm gonna to take a dip.”

~*~

>Remember, we are after pleasure and labor slaves, so stunners only, and if you have to get hands on, don't damage the merchandise too badly.< came over the coms as Afterglow Spark glanced back at her five Pony band of raiders. >If you do, you will end up as part of our cargo.<

>You heard the Lady, girls.< the purple Royal caste said as she ran a oiled rag over her horn and checked her more conventional weapons. >This should be a cake walk. They don't have anything to detect our landing. We're to eliminate whatever defenses they have on the ground and round them all up so we can load them in the Celeste when it lands.<

>Darling, we have done this how many times?< Common mused from where she lounged, and Afterglow gave her guard and attendant a nod.

>True, but the last job we had someone screw up and get demoted.< All eyes turned to Chimera Scurry who was as flat as a colt. The blue flier huffed and crossed her arms over her non-existent chest.

>I still say that those systems were not what we where told about.< she snapped.

>Then how come Flitter Brash got through with no issue?< Rustic Standard asked innocently as she brushed some crumbs off her humongous upper breasts, while the meal packet sat on her cantaloupe sized lower breasts. Afterglow didn't understand how Rustic could live with breasts so large she needed to wear a harness to keep them all under control and supported. Afterglow mentally shook her head at the orange pony. Rustic's breasts were a record among their people, as most accepted a promotion from the ranks of the Common Stock to one of the others and had their bust size reset well before they reached the point of Rustic's. But Rustic was content to remain a Common Stock ground trooper, though she did demand the enhancements that were her due her actions. Still the mare's strength was astonishing, rivaling that of her brother's, who was about three feet taller then Rustic was, with no augmentation, so Afterglow allowed her to remain so.

>I don't know.< Chimera sniffed as she shot a dirty look to the smaller yellow and pink flier who pretended to ignore the blue mare as she covertly called attention to her upper breasts, which were the size of Rustic's lower pair, and their lemon sized lower siblings. Flitter had been rewarded with the enhancements for pulling off both her part and Chimera's part of the last plan.

>We've been assigned this village here. This looks like the best place to corral the natives.< Superfluous Digit Three Point One Four cut in, holding out a digital tablet, before things could get ugly between the two fliers.

Eyeing the terrain Afterglow nodded. >All right, here's how we're going to take this place...<

~*~

“Feeling more comfortable?” Di'ar said with a smirk as she and Lillow lounged in the sun warmed water.

“Mhm.” Lillow hummed back, her eyes closed, chin barely out of the water.

“Good... cause here comes Trakar.” Di'ar said quickly as her and Lillow's pointy ears picked up on the sound of a body moving along the path to the pool. Lillow let out a gleep of fear, and she looked around frantically for something to cover up with. Unfortunately for her Di'ar's carry all was to far away from the water to easily get to, Di'ar had already magiced away their clothing, and the tree's leaves close at hand where just to small to hide anything from sight.

“Gah, DI!!!” Lillow snapped before sinking down deeper into the water until just the top of her green head and horns could be seen.

“You're gonna need to come up for air...” Di'ar said in a sing song voice just as Trakar emerged from the underbrush. He was naked from the waist up giving the girls a fine view of his lean, but hard body. Di'ar heard Lillow make a little sound of appreciation as the satyr girl's eyes peeped above the water. Around his waist he wore a kilt like garment held up by a belt with numerous pouches. A long snake like tail emerged from the bottom of the kilt, and disappeared into the underbrush. Its length covered in iridescent blue and cream scales. His face was very Sidhe like with large almond shaped eyes, sharp cheek bones and a pointed chin, it held touched of a reptilian nature as well. Trakar's eyes where brilliant gold orbs with slip pulps. His ears where pointed, but also ribbed and scalloped, almost reminiscent of a fish fin. A pair of fine boned wings flared out for a moment as he moved into the sunlight, then pulled in tight against his back.

“Morning Di... Oh, hello Lillow, I almost didn't see you there.” the Melusian descended young man said as he dipped down to be closer to their level. “Beautiful day for a romp in the woods. I'm glad you invited me to join you.”

“Yes, yes it is.” Di'ar said ignoring the water plants Lillow was encouraging to drag her under. “Care to join us for a dip before we eat?”

“I...” Trakar hesitated for a second, which was long enough for Di'ar to magic off his kilt. From the corner of her eye she saw Lillow's eyes go wide as the satyr girl took in Trakar's naked form. For his part Trakar gave Di'ar an 'I am not amused.' look before sliding into the water.

“What did you do?” Lillow hissed into Di'ar's ear as she latched onto the dark skinned sidhe girl and dragged her across the pool away from Trakar. “Why does he have a...”

Di'ar rolled her eyes and cast a privacy spell over the two of them. “I knew I should have sat next to you in health class to keep you awake. He's of Melusine decent, and like you they have funky looking junk. All Mels are physically female on the outside, but the males, like Trak, are different internally. When he wants to be the male in the relationship, things will come out of their den so to speak.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh... and the synapse sparks.” Di'ar sighed as a look of understanding lit Lillow's features, and she felt a wave of hormones and magic roll off her friend. Letting the privacy spell drop Di'ar made her way to the edge of the pool as Lillow moved to flirt with Trakar. And Trakar being the species he was, was unaffected by Lillow's satyr wiles and returned the flirting instead of jumping right to sex.

“You two pretend I offered some believable excuse to leave you two... if you actually where paying any attention to me.” Di'ar said as she pulled herself from the water. As her and the other two's clothing appeared in a pile Di'ar added, to herself “Mission accomplished. Lillow will have to seal the deal herself.”

~*~

Shenanigans the Dangerous and Extremely Competent mulled over her self granted title and made a mental note to work on it as her team's drop shuttle descended on the hapless planet below. She glared at the shuttle descending ahead of them as it contained the Usurper, her Nemesis, the one who rejected Shenanigan's clear superiority in all thing...

Her horn glowed faintly and so did the eyes of her troops. >Afterglow's group is going to run into trouble with the natives and we will be rushing to rescue her, only to arrive to darn late.< Shen said her voice weaving its way into the minds of of her herd, brainwashing them to see Afterglow's herd as the native species and letting them know that hostile natives needed eliminated.

~*~

In the Celeste's throne room/command center an Alicorn mare leaned back as she eyeballed the trajectory plots for all of the shuttles. Off to one side her mate was lightly tapping a hoof on the floor trying to not look impatient. >My lady, why couldn't we observe this in your chambers like we usually do?<

>Because I thought you might wish to witness your sister's first real leadership challenge, my Dark Champion...<

Luster Shroud shrugged. >I've never protected that bossy brat from herself and those she made enemies of. I'm surprised she managed pull together a herd of her own. Then again, she likely uses her horn to...<

Salacity Rhythm cast him an amused smirk, >I seem to remember a few times you've let me use my horn on you. I am sure you enjoyed it when our roles where reversed.<

>I did, my lady, that is true. But I so missed my... horn when you were using yours.< he replied as he saddled closer to the Senior Mare the Herd.

The rest of the bridge crew focused on their controls, doing their best to ignore the flirting which, if past experience was any indication, would escalate to foreplay then outright public sex in a few moments. There was a quiet betting pool amid the crew on how soon either [candace] would grow bored with Luster or get knocked up. Well trained in their tasks, as each raiding herd landed, the bridge crew brought up the images relayed from the Seer Stones each Pony warrior wore around their necks. When Salacity grew bored with the male who was now ministering to her needs, she would be able to watch the bands in real time and from their point of view.

~*~

Di'ar froze as she felt a shifting in the currents of the lay lines, trying to make sense of the ripples created by other magic users drawing on them. Her people had learned long ago to use their internal supplies as much as they could, as early on if they had drawn on the free flowing essence as they had on Earth, they would have rendered their new world barren and lifeless before the Life Giver had grown to a point that it could sustain them. Few drew on the free flowing essence unless it was an emergency, and yet many beings where now. And sloppily at that.

A swirl of ink on her wrist pulsed with energy and the air shimmered over it like a water spray rainbow. “Alert, alert; we are under attack. Aliens have landed. All trained warriors are to assemble and repel them. Civilians are required to get to shelter and to remain there until it is clear.” came an emergency broadcast, which began to repeat until Di'ar muted it. Glancing back in the direction of her friends Di'ar debated going back to them. They had likely heard the same broadcast as she had, and they'd be going to ground, as if there was anyone who could disappear into the woods it was Lillow.

Her choice was taken from her as a streak of sickly green light sizzled past her, missing by inches. Di'ar stumbled back and tripped over something, which likely saved her as several more green blasts zinged through where she had been standing.

>Damn it, our orders are to take them alive!< a purple being snapped as she stepped from the undergrowth. Di'ar blinked at the strange words coming out of the muzzle of the hooved female alien. The Sidhe drank in the dark colored curve hugging cover alls, and ugly looking silver weapon which the alien held with one end pressed to her shoulder. A wickedly sharp horn jutted from the alien's brow.

>Wasn't us Glow.< another voice hissed as a much larger, in more ways then height, orange skinned being said as she poked out of cover. Di'ar saw the one called Glow's eyes go wide as she let out what sounded like a curse just before she was struck in the shoulder by a green blast. She screamed in pain before dropping down across Di'ar's still prone form, thick pink blood spilling across Di'ar's flesh.

>HA!! The Transcendent and Captivating Shenanigan got you, you faker!< a new female voice crowed as a blue and silver creature popped her head out of cover as several expressionless members of her species emerged from cover. >The rest of you can serve Shenanigan, if you wish to live. Just step out and hand over your weapons...<

>Like buck we will. Get the upstart, girls!< The large orange female snapped as she let loose with blue energy blasts from her weapon. Di'ar winced as blasts streaked over her head, grateful she had apparently been forgotten. Her living shield seemed to be in shock, her large purple eyes slightly glazed, her breathing shallow. Di'ar hastily cast a shield spell over herself, though she feared she had also included the prone alien within it as well.

Di'ar closed her eyes, sorting through the spells she knew for one that might help her survive. What came to mind was self fortification spell; a darker spell that if you used another's blood to cast it would grant you their strengths. Moving slowly she dipped her fingers into the alien's blood, murmuring words that left her tongue tasting ash, shit, and blood.

Glow let out a scream of pain as her blood began to burn within her veins, and the pain jolted her out of her shock. Seeing purple, literally, Glow lashed out at Di'ar, who's skin was burning with Amethyst fire, driving a four fingered fist into sidhe girl's stomach. Di'ar's spell ended in a woosh of air, and the young caster felt the energies of it spread out into the world instead of flowing through her body. Misdirected energies swept through the area finding purchase in several insects and a leather winged night-flier.

The beetles shivered and split their shells as the magical energy warped their forms, forcing them into a shape that blended the alien's form with that of their insecticidal origins.

Di'ar's eyes went wide as a large black-green alien form lumbered from the forest. It had the same form as the aliens, but it was naked save for the dark chitinous armor. While twisted in form, and armor plated, the beast was clearly male. It's eyes glowed green and it had a feral intelligence in them. The sides of it's muzzle where stretched into jagged, venom dripping mandibles, and it had a second set of arms over the original pair that where shaped like scythes. Gossamer wings buzzed briefly behind it before settling under a smooth shell. A jagged spur of a horn thrust up from it's forehead.

Afterglow's horn and eyes pulsed pink, and her jaw dropped. >Eternal night...< she breathed. >What a marvelous thing you have created for me.< she finished looking down at Di'ar with a lustful gaze. Di'ar saw Glow's hoof come back, but failed to block the kick from impacting on the side of her head, dropping her in darkness.

Afterglow could hear her girls open fire on what she suspected where more of the magically warped creatures. She lined up her shot and dropped the beast with a shots to it's head and body. Smirking she approached, marveling over the specimen laid out before her. It was still alive, in spite of the lethal energies she had hit it with! She had never seen anything like what was happening...

>Shenanigan's got you now.< the blue Equest said as she pressed her weapon under Afterglow's tail, causing her to jump in surprise.

>You and what army?< Glow asked slowly, a smirk on her lips. Glow had know for a long time the blue witch was no where in her power range, and the twit was proving it. If Shenanigan was half the practitioner she believed herself to be, she wouldn't have limited her herd they way she had. Instead she had left them unable to defend themselves as the twisted beetles butchered them.

>Shenanigan alone is enough to... Errk!<

>I don't think so sugah britches.< Rustic smirked as she picked Shen up by her horn with one hand. The other crushed Shen's weapon with ease. The rest of Afterglow's herd stepped into view, looking a little bloodied, but triumphant.

>Thank you Rustic. Chimera retrieve the remains of Shen's herd. Their death was of no fault of their own, just this ones. Put the remains and the native in the shuttle. Rustic, Three Point, gather the rest of these and put them in the air lock. Hopefully we won't have to vent them into space.< she nudged her insecticidal trophy. >I want them taken to my laboratory so I can study them for my report to Salacity.< Glow ordered, frowning some. >Where's Brash?<

The herd medic stumbled from the forest at that moment, shivering and cowering under her mantled wings. >It is to bright...< she hissed, a pitiful tone in her voice as she turned reddening eyes to Afterglow. Glow noted a bite mark on her herd sister's neck and that the feathers of Brash's wings were beginning to fall out. Brash's hide was also loosing it's color. A light gray colored hand emerged and clasped Brash's shoulder, and the medic stiffened as a bat winged Pergusi stepped out, and drew her to him. The claws that tipped his fingers shredded her jumpsuit's armored fabric. She let out a whimper as Glow picked up on the fact her sister was going into heat.

>Well, this should be interesting...< Glow mused as Brash presented herself to the altered primitive beast. >Brash, take your stallion back to the shuttle and enjoy yourself.<