Celestia's Finest: Hail to the Queen

[Miltonian]

Sniper finds himself, once more, in dream land. Though this time, his guide is different. Rem is bigger here, massive and shrouded in shadow. She swallows up the sky and her tendrils dig into the earth. But her face is still the same. She leads him down a passage, doors branching off every which way, each one labeled with a name, and reads off the engravings as she goes.

"And there's the one for Red Tape," she says, "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find...Ah! Here we are." She steps lightly over to a door made of black chitin with a sign that reads, "Keep out, Luna!" on it.

"Well!" Rem says, "I'm not Luna and neither are you! I'll wait outside. You go right on in and call me if you need me."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Right." Sniper rubbed at his chin. Under his breath, he added: "Because she obviously only wants one specific dreamwalker to stay away."

Still, there wasn't any backing out now. The stakes were high enough that they needed every possible advantage and that meant understanding Chrysalis. As much as Chrysalis could be understood, anyway.

Upon approaching the door, he paused to turn back to his guide.

"Rem, thank you again."

Then he resumed his farward stride. After knocking at the door, because it waa only polite, Sniper pushed it open and then stepped inside to whatever lay in store for him.

[Miltonian]

"Not a problem!" Rem says.

At his knock, the door swings open and he steps into an alien palace. Strange shapes and swirling architecture take the place of the traditional pony styles. Mosaics and tapestries adorn the floor and walls, a fountain trickles away in one corner, but in place of a throne, a reclining couch sits on a raised dais. On it sits Chrysalis, a grin on her face as she surveys the scene.

As Sniper steps into the scene, ponies fade in. Twilight Sparkle scrubs the floor with her hooves and a sponge. A random mare Sniper doesn't know feed Chrysalis grapes. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, trapped and frozen in crystal, make a very nice trophy over by the firepit. A few strong stallions fan the queen with palm leaves. And her changelings are everywhere.

Her eyes fall on Sniper. "Ah, Sniper. Perfect." She leans forward and grabs a military uniform with a changeling insignia on it. "Put this on," she says.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper took his time as he approached the dias. Take in everything, miss nothing, and get a feel for the overall situation. That was the order of the day. He carefully packed his emotions away in the back of his mind and left just enough slack to experience their influence. He couldn't afford a repeat Pins and Needles performance.

A thought came to mind. The Changelings had a psychic link. Was it possible for them all to share dreamspace or were all the Changelings mental projections? Rem could tell him later. For now, there were more immediate concerns.

"You once said that I wasn't an infiltrator, but a soldier." Sniper said. "That hasn't changed since your escape so I won't lead you on. I'm not a projection of your mind, Chrysalis. I'm the real Sniper Scope, and I can't wear your uniform. But I am relieved to see you're alright. I was concerned when I learned how you escaped."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis' smile fades and turns into a snarl. She springs from her throne and a suit of ornate armor materializes on her form. "Luna! I should have known. Thought that my defenses would hold you up longer! Show yourself!" Her horn lights up. "I'll fight you here and now!"

There is no response. Chrysalis' rage mounts.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper raised an eyebrow at Chrysalis' display. He noted it as interesting even as he moved to pacify the Changeling Queen.

"Princess Luna can't answer you because she isn't here." Sniper explained. "And I came here independently of her power and I came alone. There are other ways of walking the realm of dreams if you have the right mentor. I wanted to talk to you as a friend, Chrysalis. That's all."

He raised his hooves slowly to show he wasn't a threat.

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis' attention slowly turns from the shadows and back to Sniper. Her eyes are narrow and suspicious. "Other ways? I know of no such thing," she says. She steps down off the dais and stalks toward Sniper. "Tell me about these other ways."

The changelings in the room have stopped whatever they were doing and are also staring at him. He recognizes Pins and Needles among the crowd of faces.

[D.KnightSpider]

A quick, visual sweep of the Changeling crowd brought his attention back to Chrysalis. A familiar feeling, suppressed as it was, swept through the back of his mind. He'd blindly waded into matters that were more complex than expected. In over his head and fighting impossible odds. It was a familiar place for him.

"I have no magical understanding so I can't give you particulars on the technique. One of our new allies showed it to me. From what I understand, there are threads that connect us-- bonds of companionship. I was able to visit you in the realm of dreams by following those threads. It's a more limited technique than that of Princess Luna's magic, but I felt it worth the effort of using."

"I give you my word that the Princesses are not here, nor are they observing us." Sniper said.

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis' eyes remain narrow, but she retreats to her throne-couch and re-seats herself. "Very well," she says with a snort, "You have gained my attention. I would hope that you don't intend to waste it."

The other changelings crowd in close.

[D.KnightSpider]

The corner of his mouth dipped a few millimeters.

It was time to change assumptions and axioms, adapt and evolve. They were several contingencies removed from his initial expectations. The situation had to rerail soon or else he might end up doing more harm than good. Shift the viewpoint. Don't try to talk with Chrysalis the Changeling. Deal with Chrysalis the Queen.

"I would never intentionally waste your time. I respect you too much to do so." Sniper said as he held his ground against the Changelings. "There are few venues that would allow me to tell you how awestruck I was with your escape from Equestria. Hiding your true motivations behind a false temptation..."

Sniper allowed himself a thin, genuine smile. "... It was genius. Thank you for teaching me that technique. I wanted to express that properly."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis settles down a little, coming a down from her high alert and relaxing. "It was nothing," she says, "But you're welcome to study what lessons you can." The changelings around her cackle.

She pauses. With a sly tone, she says, "I would like to speak to Sniper Scope. Alone."

The changelings' laughter stops. One raises a hoof. "But...my Queen!"

"Do not question me," she says coldly, "And get out." The changelings rise as one and make themselves scarce. Chrysalis watches them go and sighs. She lays back on her couch. "Let's skip the flattery, Sniper. I can see through it. What do you want?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"It's not entirely flattery. When I learned of your initial deception, my instant reaction was to pound the table in excitement while exclaiming: 'She flat out played us!' I had to explain myself on that one."

Sniper took a single step forward and then held his position.

"Officially, I'm testing to see if we could talk through dreams-- there may be times when we don't want information passing through an intermediary. And to see if there is any other information you wish be passed onto us.

"Unofficially, I'm here to check on a friend. While I don't doubt your prowess, it was my anger that poisoned you. That makes me somewhat responsible. I'd also like to set up an agreement so that we could keep in contact without stepping on each other's dreams. We can meet like this until our Wasteland allies decide to part company with us. I can't dreamwalk without them. No magic and all."

He paused and then decided to add: "Despite everything, it is good to see you again, Chrysalis."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis studies him, open suspicion on her face. "You're happy," she says, "To see me." Her horn glows and Sniper feels himself lifted through the air and pulled close. Her eyes bore into his, searching him for any signs of deception. "...Fine then." She lets him drop.

"Well," she says, a too-sweet smile suddenly on her face, "I suppose we should sit down, have tea, chat about the weather, and all that other inane foalishness that friends do when they reunite. How have you been, Sniper?"

[D.KnightSpider]

The immediate honest answer was 'fighting off a flashback'. This was a dream, he knew that. But knowledge alone couldn't prevent an imaginary Chrysalis and fantasy Rarity from fusing together and throttling him. He was back on the ground before the vision was brought under control. Once he finished straightening himself, Sniper pressed a hoof to his throat to check for further magical containment. There was none. Relief.

"Outside of a damaged wing, which should heal up in a few days, I'm doing well. There's very little about which to complain." He said. "Aside from moving up in the world, which was quite the accomplishment, how are you doing?"

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis scoffs. "What a ridiculous question. How am I doing? I would think the answer is obvious. Every day is some new crisis and all this...technology is driving me up a wall. I can't get good information from the CPI's networks because the hackers are horrible infiltrators and the infiltrators don't know the first thing about computers. My guards are the worst collection of bumbling idiots I've seen in a long time and wouldn't know the first thing about changeling strategy if I wasn't here to teach them. I'm swimming in all of their problems, trying to get this grand scheme of mine to work."

Her mouth twists into a smile. "In other words, I love it. I'm doing things again, Sniper. Real things. And I have resources, a plan! Everything is perfect."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Well, they say that if you find a job you love, you'll never work another day in your life. That definitely seems to be true for you." It was a simple observation, but one he felt was fitting. He nodded politely. "You found a place that works for you. Congrats."

Was it the fact that she was needed or just the general fact of being back in the game that had her so chipper? He couldn't quite tell and he knew that danger of making assumptions. He also couldn't forget with whom he was dealing.

"It's a lot of moving pieces-- especially if every Changeling shares Pins and Needles' peculiarities-- but you seem to have a handle on them."

[Miltonian]

She chuckles. She really is in a good mood, so it seems. "A queen must also be a mother to her subjects sometimes. That has not changed, no matter how many years it's been."

Chrysalis eyes him cannily. "Most of them. There are a few pieces left on the board that I'd like to be sure about," she says, "You're worried about the aftermath, aren't you? You and that insufferable Rainbow Dash would get along well. You're both loyal to a fault. She just couples it with her overbearing ego."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper shrugged. "The Commander and I have exchanged words three times. The first of which she tried to kill me and the second she tried to smash my face in. We're both alive at this point so that counts for something I suppose."

That was another relationship that he'd bucked up, but now wasn't the time for such thoughts. He forced them down. No distractions.

"Ponies worry when the status quo is threatened. You're impending the status quo so we worry. I'm concerned, yes, about what comes next. When the dust settles from taking down Polaris, I would prefer you not be the next target."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis looks away. "The...the first time hardly counts," she says with a wry chuckle.

She leans her head back and stares at the ceiling. There's a skylight above her, which shows four, bright stars slowly turning around each other. "When this is all over," she says, "I intend to be gone. I intend to go someplace where nopony from Equestria will ever find me. I'll never need to look up and fear the sun and moon again. Maybe I'll hide under the earth. Maybe I'll find some other world. But you won't see me ever again."

[D.KnightSpider]

An escape or a self-imposed exile?

"It's a marginally better alternative to getting shot in a war." The observation was frank. "I don't know what the limits to dreams are, or if I'll have the ability, but I'd be willing to find you again in that future. Maybe conjure up another game of Parasprite or something. You'd be good at Codewords."

There were so many avenues to pursue and he didn't have time to think about them. He had to trust his gut and hope for the best.

"Is that why you're working with them?" Sniper nodded at the skylight. "You fear Equestrians?"

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis snorts. "You're the only pony that's willingly sat down to play boardgames with me. If you can find me again, why not?"

She glares up at the sky. "Was working with them, yes. Then I discovered the truth and now, for the time being, old enemies are allies and allies enemies. The world doesn't make much sense anymore, but I am determined to come out on top."

There is a pause. A cold wind blows through the room. Her grip tightens on the arms of her couch. She glares up at the stars and bares her teeth at them. "And when I do, I will settle in a place where I cannot see the sky."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper moved forward to close the distance between himself and Chrysalis, although he left the Changeling Queen her personal space.

"We both want Polaris and Hyper Threat to pay for what they've done and the life they've taken from you. Where I'm permitted and able, I'll help you with that goal. Their threat has to be removed."

There were so many questions raised by her comments. But he couldn't press for too many details without alienating Chrysalis. Besides, he was here for a friend, but answers

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis chuckles darkly. "Pay? You use such tame terms, Sniper Scope." She looks back down and her eyes lock with his. There is madness there and in her smile. She slowly rises from her couch, stalking towards him. "Remove the threat? Please. I have a much better plan."

And then, she begins to sing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFWySfsws6I).

"I've been exiled." She takes one step forward. "Persecuted!" And another, head low and horn menacing him a little. In front of the throne, green mist flows upwards and forms a mirror of sorts. "Left alone with no defense! And when I think of what that BRUTE did!" The mirror flashes to show Hyper Thought's face, leering down at them. Chrysalis snarls. "I get a little tense!"

She draws herself up and smiles. "Ah, but I dream a dream so pretty, that I don't feel so depressed. And it soothes my inner kitty and helps me get some rest." One forehoof grabs Sniper and wraps around his shoulders, pulling him close. "The sound of that doctor's dying gasp, Andromeda squealing in my grasp! The stars themselves give a mournful cry! That's my lullaby!"

She looks down at Sniper and smirks. "Now the past I've tried forgetting. And my foes I could forgive. Trouble is, I know it's petty!" Her grip tightens and he feels his back pop. "But I hate to let them live!"

She loosens her grip and pats him on the head. "So I found myself some ponies who'll chase them up a tree. And the battle might be bloody, but... that kind of works for me."

The throne room is gone. One moment it's there and the next they are standing on the top of a mountain, looking down with the mirror beside them. "A symphony," Chrysalis continues, "Of angry growls." A swarm of changelings erupts from the shadows, battlecries on their lips. "A counterpoint of painful howls." Down below, screams of terror and fear fill the air. Chrysalis leans over the edge, eyes drinking it in and mouth spread into a crazed grin. "A symphony of death, oh my! See, that's my lullaby!"

She releases Sniper and stalks towards the mirror. With false affection, she places a hoof on it. "Sleep, my little termite. I mean, doctor nonpareil. One day coming very soon, you will see your queen!"

The mountain around her cracks and rises, carrying her up into the air. "The pounding of the drums of war! The thrill of gunfire's mighty roar! The joy of vengeance, justifiiiiied!" She rears onto her hind legs. "I can hear them cheering, My Queen, oh so sly! Payback time is nearing. Then our flag will fly, against a blood-red sky!"

The stars appear above her once more, but brighter. They grow and grow until the heavens can no longer support them and they fall screaming from their perches. The sharp rocks below leap up to greet them, graceful horns, wings, and legs shattering and turning into bloody patches of ruined flesh. Chrysalis laughs. "Oh that's. My. Luuullabyyyyy!" She falls backwards, giggling and laughing. The room returns to as it was.

She rises with a small smirk. "That's how I would put it."

[D.KnightSpider]

His tactical mind spun as the entire production was absorbed, catalogued and committed to memory. But occupied as his mind was he couldn't fully shutter his emotional spectrum. He stumbled backwards, giving ground and revealing his rattled state.collecting himself took a moment.

The Four Stars... had those been? He tried to work through what what he'd witnessed and apply some discernment to it. Was this an act? Something real? As with all things Chrysalis he couldn't tell.

"I'll, er, give you points for the production. That was very... moving." Deep breath. Steady the nerves. "Although I have to point out that a laser through the skull is much cleaner. Less collateral damage. But I get the feeling that's not one of your primary concerns."

He looked about the dream.

"So many Royals are concerned about these forces. Polaris. The Four Stars. Hard to believe it could get this bad."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis' smile is downright bloodthirsty. "What's the fun in that?" she says, "It's over too soon, which is far more than dear, old Hyper Thought deserves. I want to see him squirm." She giggles. "I'm going to tear him apart, piece by piece. I'll even record his screams and go to sleep listening to them every. Single. Night."

She rolls her eyes at his second statement. "Please. I'm sure if you can find this 'Polaris', the Elements of Harmony can blast him away. This is hardly the end of the world."

[D.KnightSpider]

Because that worked so well the last time they tried it.

"I've been told that the world ends at least once a week." Sniper said as he scratched a thought on his chin. "I guess after a while it becomes routine."

[Miltonian]

"Hm," Chrysalis mutters in agreement, "For the longest time, I was listed as a B-class threat because, although I'm clever beyond the dreams of the average pony, I did not possess the power to destroy the world." She shrugs. "But why would I even want that? I live here too."

[D.KnightSpider]

Once again, Sniper shrugged.

"You might be able to boil it all down to envy. It tends to blind creatures to the consequences of their actions. Some ponies might be able to resist its pull as long as they have a sense of consequence. But remove the consequence and they may act on it; a lot of ponies act in self-destructive ways because they're convinced they can beat the odds. I've yet to see one do it."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis glowers. "I would," she says, "Take offence to that little comment. But." She slowly grinds the next words out between clenched teeth. "I can't deny that it is true."

She calms a little, though her attitude is now a little frosty. "Well, friend, you've checked on me. I'm fine. So now with the pleasantries out of the way, will the EDF be joining me in my attack?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper's gaze fell on the back of his left foreleg. He shuddered ever so slightly before shaking off the feeling and returning his attention to Chrysalis.

"A decision hasn't come down from the Higher-Ups yet. Wire's death-trap missiles did a very good job of stealing every pony's focus. I'm guessing we'll receive more instructions tomorrow. Until we hear back, I can't say one way or the other."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis nods. "Well, so much for business." She shifts and relaxes again. "Since you went through so much trouble to find me, would you care for a game while you're here?"

[D.KnightSpider]

"I wouldn't mind at all." Sniper said. "Do you have any preference?"

The temptation to try and conjure one had been strong earlier. But since he didn't know whether it would work or how Chrysalis would respond, he'd abstained.

[Miltonian]

"Well I do have a growing fondness for chess," Chrysalis says, "Though I am open to, hmm, suggestions." She seems relaxed now, like a great cat laying in the sun. All that power and strength can be roused in a moment, but right now she is in a friendly mood.

[D.KnightSpider]

"Since this is your dream, it would have to be something with which you're already familiar." Sniper observed. "So chess would suffice. Although, hm, given our outside situation and goals Whisk would also be appropriate."

There was no sense in unnecessarily poking a sleeping lion.

[Miltonian]

She shrugs. "Chess it is then. Though I should warn you, I have improved." She smiles wolfishly at him.

And she has. They play several games, each matching their best wits against the other.

[roll0] Games

But all good things must come to an end. Chrysalis lets out a yawn. "As strange as it is to say, it is late," she says.

[D.KnightSpider]

[roll0] VS 12

That she was practicing was obvious. Apparently, he'd poked a nerve during that last game.

"I suppose it is." Sniper admitted, more to take than hint than because he had any idea of what time it was. He did have a promise to keep with Rem, however. He stood up slowly. "Before I go, a question for you. We've heard rumors of a Changeling working for Polaris who calls herself Delusion. With your mental link, do you think you can find her?"

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis looks intrigued by this new information. "Is that so?" she says, a hint of a smile on her face. It is not a friendly or pleased smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I'll, hmm, look into that."

She reclines on her throne. "Safe travels, Sniper Scope."

[D.KnightSpider]

"And the same to you." Sniper replied.

His contemplative gaze traveled to the ceiling and the Four Stars. Here's hoping this would work.

"Tandy, it's time for me to go." He gave the signal as previously instructed. Of course, he didn't want to use Rem's real name and give Chrysalis any more information than absolutely necessary. Every bit of obfuscation helped.

[Miltonian]

In response to Sniper's call, the sky opens up into a giant, bloodshot eye. Chrysalis leaps to her hooves, taken off-guard. "By the Hi--" Black tendrils shoot down from above and wrap Sniper Scope up like a mummy. The world disappears into shadow. He has the brief sensation of being yanked up and into the air before he is back outside Chrysalis' door.

"Welcome back!" Rem says with a pleasant smile and mischievous chuckle.

[D.KnightSpider]

There was no containing it. Sniper broke down into a fit of laughter that took several moments to pass. The look on Chrysalis' face? Hilarious. No doubt about it. He'd be answering for that one the next time they met, but it was, too borrow a phrase, totally worth it.

"You have a wicked sense of humor, Rem." Sniper informed her as he sobered. "Don't let any pony tell you otherwise."

While he'd requested that Princess Luna refrain from entering his dreams, he couldn't do anything should the Princess of the Moon decide to spy on them. He hoped Rem would remember that. Telling some pony not to do anything was a sure-fire way to provoke curiosity.

"That was a very informative trip so it was well worth it." Calming breath. "And I'm ready when you are."

[Miltonian]

Rem's grin widens. She bows deeply. "Thank you, thank you. I try." She puffs up her chest and struts a little. "Yes, it was very...informative." She chuckles. "I think I learned something tonight!"

She strides towards him, sizing him up. "Well, I could go for the low-hanging fruit," she says, morphing into a drop-dead gorgeous mare as the scenery dissolves into a romantically laid-out bedroom. "But I have the feeling you're a bit worn out on that one. So perhaps we should work on something else for tonight?"

[D.KnightSpider]

If his expression didn't signal his unease, Sniper's splayed forelegs certainly did as he fell into the instinctive fight or flight posture inherent to ponies. An elevated pulse churned up unease within his gut.

There was going to be a long wait time for any other response.

[Miltonian]

"I'll take that as a 'yes please let's start with something else'," Rem says, "Though we will be revisiting this sometime." The room fades and returns to neutral black. Rem returns to her normal, mouthless self. Her eyes bore into his. "Let's see...what to do, what to do?"

That sickening grin comes over her face again. "I know. Sniper Scope, are you ready?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper slowly came out of his living rigor mortise. That was... Rem was very, very good at what she did. He took a moment to collect his thoughts and bearings before noddong slowly.

"Y-yes." Steady. Fire up side determination. Sniper reminded himself that he could do this. "Yes. I'm ready."

[Miltonian]

"Then let's begin."

The world changes around Sniper Scope. He finds himself sitting up in a bed. Everything seems bigger. Or perhaps, he's smaller. Yes, that must be it. The details fade in slowly. The toys, the walls, the sheets. He remembers this place. His old bedroom, from before their last move. He's a colt again.

[D.KnightSpider]

Old emotions resurfaced and brought a scowl to his face. He remembered how it was back then: the frustration of having a Special Talent that he couldn't use-- that he wasn't allowed to use. It was all so unfair. The others got to use their abilities whenever they wanted. He couldn't.

And it was all so easy. None of them knew, really understood, how fragile the world was. If he could just give things a little nudge here or there... It made him angry just thinking about it. There were so many ponies that deserved it, too.

The severity of the emotion startled him.

...

Where was every pony?

Sniper pushed off of the bed and dropped to the floor. He approached the bedroom door.

[Miltonian]

Sniper steps over old toys, books, and games, all the things that his parents had bought him to, he expected, cheer him up and distract him from his harsh reality. But something was wrong. They were covered in dust, as if untouched in ages. Every step left a print in the floor and kicked up a small cloud.

He heard sounds of laughter downstairs. Down in the living room. His parents were laughing and there was a third one he couldn't identify.

[D.KnightSpider]

Unease crept into his heart. Sniper probed his memories and childhood logic trying to make things right. Nothing came to mind.

Something told him to stay hidden and he listened to it. He crept down the hallway to the staircase, trying to remain a quiet as possible. The desire for his old spying spot surprised him, but he clung to the familiarity. Was it still there on the landing?

[Miltonian]

The old spot is there. And so is a new bedroom, one that wasn't there before. A sign, written in foalish letters, read "Tracer Bullet's Room: Keep Out!" The laughter from downstairs grows louder and more distinct as he nears the balcony.

His parents are sitting on the couch, playing with a dark-coated colt about the right age to get his cutie mark, though his flank is still blank. They are having a wonderful time.

[D.KnightSpider]

The sign stared back at him. Tracer Bullet. Sniper probed his mind. The name meant nothing to him. The room meant nothing to him. No foal had ever stayed with them long enough to have his own room and he didn't have any sibling. Well, not that he knew of.

No. No way. He would have known or picked up something if they were going to have another child.

Unless they didn't want him to know.

That was silly. Why wouldn't...

The breathe froze in his throat As he watched the scene unfold below him.

[Miltonian]

"Ooh! Daddy!" the colt says, who Sniper can assume is this 'Tracer Bullet', "I forgot to tell you. I got an 'A' on my math test from last week!"

His father chuckles. "Good for you, sport. Brains and brawn, that's my boy." He ruffles Tracer's mane and the colt giggles.

His mother smirks and hands them both a glass of wine (well, grape juice for Tracer). "Let's have a toast," she says, "To new beginnings and the best son in the world."

They cheer and clink their glasses together.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper rocked back on his hind legs. His dad never, ever complimented... him. But he wasn't Tracer. Tracer was the son they really wanted.

Anger pushed him down the stairs before the tears took over. The impulse to murder Tracer evaporated into horror and despair. Each step felt like an eternity as fear froze his legs. There was nothing good waiting for him down there, but here was still the fragile little hope that everything could be fixed. He hadn't yet learned to take the abuses and injustices of life without complaint.

A cautious peek around the banister exposed him to the happy little family. His family.

He tried calling to them.

"M-mom? Da--?"

His voice broke.

[Miltonian]

The laughter stops. The family freezes. The lights flicker and go out, leaving only the cold moonlight from the window to illuminate the scene. A scream pierces the night. The sound of fluttering wings and cries for help rises and fades within seconds. And when everything's settled once more, three skeletons lay where the happy family once sat, each with a perfect, round circle scorched through their skulls.

[D.KnightSpider]

The blood froze in his veins. A slack jaw gaped open.

No.

No. No. No.

He didn't do this. He couldn't have done this.

Would any pony ever believe him?

Sniper bolted and fled.

[Miltonian]

He runs through his house, a house he should know well. And everything seems familiar as he passes it, though he knows intellectually that there is no way he could still be running unless the house was a mile long. But each time he looks back or to the side, he sees the living room, a little different each time. Shadows grow darker. The wallpaper begins to peel. The television cracks and falls to the floor. The couch rots away under his parent's skeletons. Boards appear on the windows. Cobwebs infest the corners. He runs until he is too tired to run. And that room, that horrible room, is right in front of him.

He feels a presence behind him, tall, dark, and menacing.

[D.KnightSpider]

His collapsing legs sprawled him across the floor.

I didn't do it...

Sniper buried his face behind his hooves. His tried to block out the foreboding presence by closing his eyes to it.

"I- I didn't do it." He whimpered.

[Miltonian]

Sniper feels a cold chill travel up his back. "No," a voice says. A hoof lands on his shoulders and spins him around. Iron-tight muscles hold him in place, staring right into the face of...of...

"I DID," Feral screams.

[D.KnightSpider]

As did Sniper. Sniper screamed in terror and guilt as he stared into that twisted reflection of his face. He screamed until his lungs failed and he was left a quivering, sobbing, rasping mess.

Then the rage hit.

"You killed my family." Saying the words helped steady him. His features hardened. "You killed them! I'll kill you! Do you hear me? I'll kill you!"

[Miltonian]

Feral's eyes take on a sinister, burning light. He grips Sniper Scope harder, bruising the muscle and maybe the bone. "You little punk," he sneers, "Always holding me back." When he smiles, his teeth are razor sharp, like pictures Sniper's seen of monstrous fish that live in the depths of the ocean. "Well no longer."

He opens his mouth wide, tilting his head and preparing to go for the throat.

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper screamed again. Terror washed away his anger and rage.

"Let me go!!"

Sobs escaped him. He tried to pry himself loose.

Celestia-- Luna-- some pony-- any pony--

Help.

"Please..."

He didn't want to die.

[Miltonian]

The dream comes to an abrupt end. Sniper is himself again, whole and unhurt. He is absolutely fine (barring the mental trauma he just went through). Rem stands in front of him, regarding him solemnly.

"I'm..." She chokes. "I'm so...sorry. I...I have to do..." She takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Let's...let's try and make something good come out of this. Why were you afraid?"

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper's answer wasn't immediate. Before he could say anything he had to calm down and collect himself. And he had get used to being an adult again.

He rolled upright, off of the floor, and then spoke in quiet tones.

"I-- I wasn't the nicest foal in the world after getting my Cutie Mark." Deep breath. "I was good at something that I was never allowed to use. Something that everyone despised. It made me angry. And scared. I lashed out and got into fights, I had an attitude and became very abusive."

His teeth ground into his lip. But he was committed. There wasn't any stopping now.

"It all came to a head when I found out th-that my mother hated me. I drove her to despise me. I tried to change after that but it never stuck. Finding out that my talent was killing and that Mom hated me. It-- I started to think that there was something wrong with me. Something fundamentally broken. And if any pony ever found out how broken..."

His spirit broke. Sniper blinked back tears as he acknowledged the recesses of his heart.

"That they'd replace me."

[Miltonian]

Rem listens very carefully to everything Sniper has to say. When he is done, she hesitates before saying anything. "Sniper Scope," she says after long deliberation, "Has anyone, in real life, ever replaced you? Intentionally, that is. Beyond the normal 'drifting apart' that I believe happens to everypony."

[D.KnightSpider]

The question elicited a humorless smile from the assassin.

"Outside of my attempts to set my ex-marefriend up with another stallion, not to my knowledge. Up until recently, I've kept my distance from others so being rejected or replaced wouldn't be an issue. I, well, I've come to realize that isn't a healthy thing to do."

Sniper rubbed at the back of his head. The rabbit hole there was very deep.

[Miltonian]

"Well, at least you're honest," Rem says with a chuckle, "For the record, I've never encountered a pony so willing to help something like me. So at the very least, you're irreplaceable in my eyes." She thinks for a moment. "Can you think of anyone else who could not replace you, if you left?"

[D.KnightSpider]

An honest answer required a moment's thought. Among the squad, he was the weakest link and the most easily replacable. Brazen, Rose and Love all had unique secondary skills they could bring to their missions that had made the difference time and again. The only thing he was good for was bringing overwhelming force to bear against a single target. Any other stallion with a gun could do the same thing.

Outside of the squad his life was a barren desert. He had no connections and no prospects... except for one little oasis.

"I think... the only other pony that fits the criteria is Diamond Hope-- a filly we rescued from a bad situation. She's been the only thing keeping me going at times. She's the only thing that kept me in the EDF at times." He frowned as a portion of his dream came back to him. It wasn't a flattering memory. "Because when you get down to it, I'm a lot better at hiding from personal problems than facing them. With her around I-- I couldn't do that."

He pawed at the ground. That explained his mounting desire to drink. He wanted to hide from his problems, however temporarily. There had been a lot of problems lately.

[Miltonian]

Rem, not being a true mind reader, doesn't contest that point. She nods. "The innocence of children is both a beautiful and terrible thing to behold. I remember a quote that Wire was fond of. 'Children are barbarians in need of civilizing'. I don't think it was original to him, though."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Wire strikes me as one of the last ponies from whom you'd want advice." Sniper noted.

The urge to move around struck him. Sniper rose and paced back and forth as his thoughts catalogued and sorted themselves into the proper mental bins. There had to be a way to verbalize them. It all came down to finding proper ways of expressing them.

"I, well, I have a bad habit, tendency, of dressing self-destructive behavior up in nobles goals to disguise the fact that I'm hurting myself. In this case, there's-- there's a lot of evil inside me." An image of his nightmare twin, the same from the dream, came to mind and he shuddered. "I told myself that I was protecting others from that evil by cutting myself off and refusing to get close to them. But that wasn't it at all, was it? Deep down..."

He needed a moment to collect himself. Forcing all of his baggage into the light was difficult. But it had to be done, it was the only way he could heal.

"... Deep down it was because I was afraid. Afraid that if any pony saw that evil they'd turn against me and that was it. I'd be cast out at best or killed at worst. But you can't hide what you are, can you? It'll come out in one fashion or another and when I lost control of it, I wound up hurting others. Those occasions re-enforced my initial belief that I couldn't trust myself and had to keep my distance, which just set me up for more failure."

A headshake signaled his bewilderment. "Hard to believe I didn't see it until now."

[Miltonian]

Rem smiles. "Well, I'm glad that I've been able to help. I was...I was worried that this wouldn't work and I'd be left with alone with the fact that I...I just prey on ponies. But if this is helping then..." She smiles. "I can be a good pony."

[D.KnightSpider]

Sniper shook off his own problems and refocused on Rem. He was rambling, again, and it was time to shut up about himself. He circled around to approach her.

"I don't want you to feel bad about tonight, Rem. Not in any way. Yes, you terrified me and it wasn't pleasant, but it was a fear that I needed to face. Now, I can start making some changes in the waking world and do a better job there."

His tone softened as he looked at her.

"I've seen monsters up close. I've been a monster. You're not a monster, Rem. You have too much heart to be one. Please don't ever lose sight of that."

Right. Rem had mentioned that she'd learned something interesting tonight. Sniper made a note to ask about that when the time was right.

[Miltonian]

Rem smiles again. And for once, it's not one of her nauseating ones, but a genuine, beautiful one. "Thank you, Sniper Scope." She takes a deep breath and sighs contentedly. "Well, I think we've made as much progress as we can reasonably expect tonight. And I am full now. Quite full. So unless you have anything else, I can leave you to your rest."

[D.KnightSpider]

"The only thing left is idle curiosity on my part." Sniper said. "You said, earlier that you learned something interesting. Do you mind if I ask what it was?"

[Miltonian]

Rem pauses for a moment and looks uneasy. "I'll...um, I'll tell you later. I need to think about it. Study it a bit more before I'm ready to share it. Make sure I'm, er, not off-base, as the saying goes."

[D.KnightSpider]

"Fair enough. I won't pry, then." Sniper said. He didn't hold her hesitation against her.

It looked like their business was concluded so Sniper dipped his head in a polite nod.

"Have a good night, Rem."

[Miltonian]

Rem smiles again. She reaches up and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Goodnight, Sniper Scope." And then, she fades away and he is left to his rest and his dreams.

[D.KnightSpider]

Two kisses in a day. The world was coming to an end.

Still, he couldn't help but note the difference between the two. One was frustrating, the other...

Sniper let the thought dissolve in the realization that his mind was his own again. Fatigue carried him into sleep and whatever torments his subconscious had in store for the night.