Reflection Mines.

[Vaan]

The situation seemed to lighten up bit as Vaan followed the young changeling. If things kept progressing at the rate they were now, he'd be out of these caves in no time. Of course, he still had to talk to the main changeling, but that wouldn't be too hard to pull off. It was a second chance to get things right and one he'd let Demetri take care of it personally.

With a relaxed sigh, the griffon flapped his wings to fly. His hand began to throb from the pain of it being out of place. With his other free hand, he reached into his bag and pulled out the little bit of roasted seed he had left.

[Queen Chrysalis]

Continuing to walk through the cave, the young changeling had stopped at the now obvious dead end. Judging from the angle of crystalized sharp rocks, this closure was relatively new. Placing a hoof on the rocks in front of him, Kah tried to keep an open mind. Lighting his horn and only able to produce enough magic for the tip, he was just too young to do any type of spell. Gulping and turning to the two, he offered a fake smile.

"Give it a bit. I called for help. My big brothers always know how to get through these caves"

[The Old Steed (R.I.P)]

"Called for help?" Demetri hissed, glaring at the child and looking around the caves, "He's calling for backup, so that he could have us killed." he growls, huffing through his snout.

"It makes no sense for the Queen to send us down here, then have one of her younglings let us out! This is madness, I tell you." He says to Vaan in a faintly whispered voice, though it wouldn't be much of a problem if the Changling heard; gives him more of a reason to kill him.

[Vaan]

Demetri did have a point that Vaan agreed with. It was hard to imagine being sent to prison only to be released as soon as you arrived. 'Perhaps the Queen wasn't all that bad,' Vaan thought,'Or this kid operates separate from his mother.'

"Yeah, this seems a bit fishy, "Vaan whispered to Demetri," But we have to play it cool; this kid is our only shot outta here. Look, my crossbow is loaded. If things go bad, I have the first shot. But only if things go bad."

Vaan turned his attention back to Kah as his light faded.

"Alright, older brothers. I wouldn't know about that; I'm the oldest of my siblings and typically the one called to help, "Vaan spoke, trying to lower the tension. He didn't want anything to escalate. 

[Legion Voice]

In a green flash in the room, something almost dust like had begun to fill in a small section of space as a figure soon stood out. Transporting here was a rarity, but a brother in need, is something they don't mess around with. Standing as the dust cleared from the mines, an average built and identical to the rest changeling had came out from behind the younger and shorter bug with a small smile. To the naked eye, most changelings looked exactly alike, but to their kind, there was many differences to go by. Shifting his light blue orbs to the small changeling, Legion Voice smiled before cocking his head at the odd faces along for the ride.

"Kah, how long have you been calling me? I've been out of town. Who are these creatures? Foes of the Queen I assume?" Unlike alot of changelings, this one could also speak equestrian, rather perfectly. Shifting his attention to the strangers, his gaze turned cold.

"Why are you here? You must have done something wrong for her to send you down here. It seemed she wanted you both to learn a lesson. Tell me, what lesson did you learn?"

[The Old Steed (R.I.P)]

"That your bug Queen prefers war over giving up her pride." Demetri says with a strong, confident voice. He puffed his chest out and glared at the newly arriving Changling. Demetri was a strong, well built Earth Stallion, if he wanted he could probably take the Changling and the kid. He gritted his teeth slightly.

"Lead us out of here, now or else thousands of your brothers will die for no reason at all." he threatens, conviction in his voice.

[Vaan]

Vaan, shocked at the stallion's words, looked towards him with an exasperated glare. He mentally sighed, thinking how he just pushed them miles away from getting out of these caves. Even though Vaan didn't like playing by someone else's rules, he knew he had to. Something needed to be done to counter those words and get him out.

"Excuse my pal," Vaan apologized while quickly stepping in front of Demetri, "The caves must be getting to him. He forgot one must lay aside their own pride also."

He took one step closer to the new changeling, trying to keep a friendly and calm demeanor even though the situation was getting to him; he felt like he needed a drink.

"My name is Vaan and we learned..." Vaan began yet stopped for a moment. He felt himself about to say along the lines of being a smart-aleck, but caught himeself," We learned that in front of the Queen, one must...keep things formal, not letting any personal feelings out. And to words things in a way that can not be taken out of context."

[Queen Chrysalis]

Smiling wide at the arrival of his big brother, Kah could hardly contain his excitement. Nuzzling into the changelings body despite his lecture to the others, the younger child pushed Legion Voice lightly to get his attention.

"Big brother, that griffon has been incredibly nice to me. I say let him go. This one though is not learning what our mother is trying to teach" Now in the safety of his own kind, the young changeling spoke the truth.

[Legion Voice]

Turning to the stallion with an attitude off the bat, Legion's light blue eyes had shifted into more of a glare as his brother spoke. Stepping closer and having a horn start to dimly light, the older changeling was not going to waste time killing him. More so, with the amount of magic he didn't quite possess, it would be nearly impossible for him to get the other free otherwise. Strong as he was, Legion Voice was a lot of muscle and brains. Turning to the griffon with his lesson speech, the changeling nodded once.

"Very well. Griffon, come with me. Pony, you're going to be used for other purposes. Our Queen sends creatures down here for one reason only. To learn something. Not to punish, not to torture, to learn. Guys, if she had wanted you dead, you would already be dead. She doesn't like to play with her food. Someone probably, and I do mean probably, had a smart disrespecting mouth, and she shot you two down here. Being the official translator of our kind and lead of my team, I could hear you guys out and go from there. But threats would not be taken well. You pony, you are already on my to eat list. Be careful on your next words."

[The Old Steed (R.I.P)]

'Eat list'? Demetri's heart was pumping, and any filter that was left eroded long ago; he was known in the Last Locust for telling it how it was, and that mixed with the mood imprisonment gave him, he was one mean bean. He didn't like bugs, and he especially didn't like this one.

"Keeping me here is an act of war!" he states, stomping one of his front hooves down and pointing to the Locust insignia on the chest of his leather armor, "I was sent here as an emissary for the Last Locust, and if you imprison me here, I promise you that this mountain will crumble, and your kind will become extinct." he threatens again, taking a step towards the bug and shoving Vaan aside.

[Vaan]

"Demetri...think carefully about what you're doing, "Vaan said in a calm voice, recovering from the sudden push, "Just breathe, and settle down."

He walked back over to the stallion, trying one more time to get Demetri to see reason. Even though he felt it impossible.

"Look Deme, these guys have opened the door, just step through it," Vaan tried to explain, "Like I said earlier, we both have somewhere else to be and someone else to be with. I tried my best to stick with you, but if you don't see this light, I'll be forced to leave you. Don't make this harder than it is."

Vaan, in a show of companionship, offered his talon towards Demetri.

[The Old Steed (R.I.P)]

Being reminded to breath did help a little... Demetri took a few long breaths through his mouth and snout, then looked at the changling. Vaan's reminder of his special pony back at the base slowed his heartrate, and made him think a little.

Though he didn't trust the bugs - or even Vaan - he swallowed his pride and lowered his ears, staring down at the ground, "I apologize... the Queen is in a position of power, and I should respect that, whether or not I agree with her decisions... I --- don't like being locked up - not one bit, so please --- do lead us out of here."

[Legion Voice]

Hearing the griffon try to save his friend despite the attitude given to them both, Legion observed closely. The bond between creatures was getting stronger, and changelings were still on the lowest list on the magical friendship department. Wanting to change that in time, light blue eyes turned to the stallion that responded honestly. Despite his pride and hatred for their queen, he had indeed spoke the right words to allow him to live. Moving towards them both, the changeling had passed them as he reached the dead end they came up to. Placing a hoof on its hard caved surface, his horn glowed lightly as its magical waves shot towards the wall itself. Nodding to it with a smile, Legion Voice turned back to the two with a firm expression.

"This will take you back into the Throne room with the Queen. Simply walk through the portal."

[Vaan]

"HaHA! Nice!"cheered Vaan as he walked towards Legion and wrapped an arm around him, "You're not so bad. If we were in another situation, I might have drink with ya."

Vaan let go of the changeling, went to his stallion partner, and quickly swooped him into the air. Slowly, flying towards the exit, Vaan couldn't help humming an old griffin tune he heard from his ex-boss. He was glad to be free; he never had to see the caves again. Hopefully. Being trapped wasn't his idea of a good time. Plus, he could now continue with the whole reason he got in this situation.

The griffon reached the entrance of the portal. Its glow causing him to shy slightly from the light. Though, before he dived in he turned to Kah an gave an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, kid. Without ya, me or the ball of anger here would have eventually killed the other," Vaan said, giving Demetri a little shake," Anyway, cya around. Hopefully, somewhere else."

[The Old Steed (R.I.P)]

"Gh!" Demetri grunted as he was swooped up by the -- surprisingly strong griffon. He felt quiet a bit of embarrassment, being carried around like a child. He didn't look at the changling's again, either out of disdain or out of humiliation, perhaps both. He held his hooves up to his chest and pouted slightly.

"If we fought, I promise you I would have won." Demetri grumbles, groaning slightly from the shaking.

[Legion Voice]

Ponies..' The changeling couldn't wrap his head around the whole thing. They were greedy, selfish creatures who only wished to be rich, why did his mother care so much about them? Offering a smile to the griffons words, he was something else. Not pony, not bird, his personality was fsr greater then other griffons he had come in contact with. Still, watching them start to go through the portal, a realization struck the stallion. If the Queen didn't realize they had help, she would send them right back. Sighing.and offering a wave to Kah, Legion Voice lept through the portal, as they all begun to enter, the magical transportation would surely close directly after.

[Exit Legion Voice & others to Throne room]

[Correctional Forces]

[Enter Mathew Clayton & Soldier]

Teleporting into what looked like an endless maze, one soldier was left as Max's body was soon dumped on the cold hard floor. Brushing off his table before pushing it aside, the silent officer had lit up his horn with a somewhat different aura then the rest. Starting to actually heal Mathew enough to get a reaction from him in time, the changeling awaited any sign of movement. Keeping his distance however, the creature knew better then to get too close to a pony such as this one.

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

Mathews body would lay on the cold hard crystal floor. His eyes would flutter a bit with his back and hooves in a great amount of pain. Max would let out small grumbles and ache noises as he started to try and move his own body. He has no recollection of the last 30 minutes. "Where...Ow.. Where am I?" he could see his reflection on the crystal and he looked even worst then he felt. "And why do I look like a cart carrying rocks smashed into me and then all the rocks collapsed on me?"

[Correctional Forces]

Cocking his head as if not understanding why the stallion didn't remember his brief interaction with the guards, the changeling had sighed in irritation.

"Attacking a royal guard. Penalty iss death. End of day."

Stopping his healing process and walking over to the crystal wall, the soldier's brutal honesty was clear. Glancing back one last time, the disgusted creature had suddenly vanished.

[Exit Correctional Officer]

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

Mathew looked up as the changeling vanished behind the wall. "Wait I attacked somepony?!" he extended his hoof towards the wall and then it slowly dipped back down the ground. He tried madly to recall the last hour or two, but Max couldn't figure it out.

His body still hurt like getting a sack of rocks dropped on your back from 8 stories up. He weakishly looked around. "Hello? Is any other pony there?"

[Queen Chrysalis]

[Enter Queen Chrysalis]

"There is indeed"

Stepping out from the shadows, a tall figure stood in his eye view. Holed from the hooves up, her unique body structure was not something you saw everyday. Menacing with facial expressions alone, the Queen of Equestria stood before Mathew with a glare that could freeze even the strongest of soldiers. Not caring to await a response from the lost creature, Chrysalis stepped closer. Revealing more of herself as she eyed over his poor body condition, thoughts strung to life as her cranium processed what to do with such a pathetic stallion in her grasp.

"You are suffering my child. For you do not remember attacking my own. Tell me, what do you remember?"

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

Max was startled by the sudden appearance of The Queen of the Changelings herself. He watched her approach frozen by her presence a bit. Mathew starts to try and remember as hard as he could "Uh.. Uhh.. The last thing I can remember is walking out of the medical room and then sudden blackness." he struggled to bring his thoughts to words. "But I did not attack a guard. Ms."

[Queen Chrysalis]

Hearing the stallion out on his claims, the Queen remained silent. While his words seemed to match up with his emotional levels, something wasn't factoring into the story line. Stepping closer before placing a hoof out to silence him, Chrysalis studied him closely. Not seeming like a dangerous pony, the queen tried to understand him the best she could. Wanting to offer him a fair trial, her hoof moved to actually touch his forehead.

"You do not remember. But perhaps I can show you."

Touching his forehead as a green flowing aura appeared over her horn, a screen had begun to appear within arms reach. Closing her own eyes as the magically lightened screen begun to stream a virtual memory before them, her eyes flickered awake. Motioning for him to watch as her horn continued to flow its magical energy, the screen before them had played out exactly what had happened back up in her palace walls.

"You see, you were not actually in control. You are but a puppet to your past emotions."

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

As Max watched the screen and what was unfolding. Mathew watched as he openly attacked the changeling for no reason what so ever. "So I have PTSD?" he looked at his own hooves as they shook a little. "so...So I am a threat to others and myself?" Max thought for a second..."And my family..."

[Queen Chrysalis]

"That is correct."

Shutting down the magically enhanced screen, Queen Chrysalis found opportunity in his words. Stepping away to gaze around her trial room as it were, green judgemental orbs shifted back to his position with a cold truthful approach.

"You are a danger to everyone. Your presence is nothing short of a sign. If you desire to live, I can help you suppress these feelings of hate and despair. That is, If you are willing to give yourself up completely. The old you is gone Mathew, it is time to make a change. If you want to see tomorrow, rise above this weakness and turn it into a strenth."

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

Mathew looked the Queen dead in the face with a not so pleasant stare. "What would become of me if I was to give myself completely over to you? Would the visions stop?"

Max's head wandered and stared off against the reflection of himself and Chrysalis. "Would the pain be gone...? Would...Would I still remember those I hold dear to me.. or will they be..." he doesn't complete his question as he stared into the eyes of a figment of his brain watching him from behind the Queens body on the reflection of the stones.

Max begins to tense up a bit and it is clearly visible. "Wil...Will I remember...her"

[Queen Chrysalis]

Sitting herself down as her height continued to size around his own, the Queen of Equestria had listened wholeheartedly to his words. Deep and riddled with internal pain, Max's words seeped the emotions through waves. Sensing his nerves and the uneasy decision he was about to make, Chrysalis offered her sincerest voice, her heart going out to him.

"Do you wish to remember her? Everything can stop. If that is what you choose. Your mind wiped of the pain and sorrow, leaving only the happy memories to begin to fill in its place. The life you once had is gone, but that does not mean your new one is over. Start anew, under my hoof, and together we can do great things. You'll have a job, a home and a reason to live. All it takes, is a little faith and a wave good bye to the pain."

[Mathew Clayton (Max)]

Max didn't want to forget though he wanted to remember them. "The only thing is if you leave the happy memories it's just going to lead to more heart ache... more issues.." Mathew was in a pickle of a situation.

Max thought a bit weighing each option on the table... His eyes would occasionally dart back and forth between the dark small figure and the dark tall queen.

Max let out a long groaning sound "Take it all away!"

[Queen Chrysalis]

"As you wish."

Standing up and observing his last painful moments, the Queen of Equestria offered nothing but a pat to his back. Proud of him for getting rid of the memories that made him weak, his fighting form would be of great use to her. He would suffer no more. Flashing green throughout the darkend cave, Chrysalis's horn burned bright. Darker in color, waves of what looked like copper wire had begun to swirl throughout her aura, leaving nothing to the imagination.

"On this day, Mathew Clayton is no more. On this day, you will be cleansed of this haunting pain. Awaken new and fill the void you once considered a life. From now on, you will be mine."

Due to the complexity of the spell she was chanting, only willing participants were able to become effected by its hold. By these hard and stressful standards, the spell's power would only grow.engulfing Mathew into her aura, his body would feel the sharp wire pulling at his fur. From all angles, although incredibly painful, he did not bleed. Tightening up, the stallion would begin to feel a burning heat, as if he were being set on fire. Unlike any physical pain that he may have experienced, this was by far in the top ranks.

Struggling from the surrealistic pain herself, the spell had always managed to become a double edged sword. Hissing lightly as sweat poured from the Queen's veins, her pantings were obvious, she felt his pain too. Shaking at her core, the transition needed a few minutes more. With this in mind, Chrysalis held on. Burning brighter, the mare's horn had given Max a final blast of power. Unwrapping him of his coils, the stallion would be healed of his previous injuries from the days in the desert, his body anew. Wiped clean of his memories, a new one was put in its place.

In his new mind, Mathew was saved by the Queen. After being chased down by the rebellious group of hideaways for his kindness and attempts to make peace between the two, he would then have served the Queen from that moment on. Training her soldiers and protecting the nation from these ponies, he was loved by all on the new side of 'good'.

Completing the spell before collapsing onto the floor, the Queen of ghe changelings needed immediate rest. Panting and moving a hoof to advise her assistant to get to the pony about to wake up, for thr first time in forever, Chrysalis was weakened to the floor.

"Show him to the kitchen. He m-ust be starving."

[Correctional Forces]

Panic, sheer panic set in as the agent and changeling to the Queen watched her fall to the floor. Galloping to her aid in seconds, her next words had him more concerned then she knew. While wanting to hesitate and help his mother instead, the soldier knew it wasn't wise to disobey. Rushing to the stallion instead, the changeling attempted to help pick him up off the floor.

"Sir, let us get you food for your hard work."