Equestria in Conflict - Discovering Home

The sun rose early in the morning for Ponyville, shining its light upon the landscape. John awoke quickly when the first rays of light pierced his window – and landed right on his face. He let out a small groan as he lay in bed, the light warming his face.

“I’ve got to move this bed.” He said, already planning it out in his half-asleep mind.

-=-=-

On the other side of town, Amethyst Star had just finished giving the orders for the day to her small group of Changelings. The plans were going into Phase One today. The first step was making everyone in authority disappear – Mayor Mare was in Amethyst’s house at the moment, with several other ponies, in a gel-induced sleep. Welded Seam and Raindrops had also been replaced and stored there, each with a drone that knew tis place in the plans.

When the time came, their disappearance – and the damage the drones would cause in the latter two’s positions – would create enough chaos to distract the Elements, in which time they would be captured or killed – Chrysalis had not been specific, simply telling Amethyst to ‘take them down’.

Speaking of which, she needed to ask clarification on several points. She opened up her connection with the Hive Mind, requesting a conversation with Chrysalis. Twenty seconds later, she got it.

“[What is it, my child?]”

‘[We are ready to implement Phase One. Key ponies have been replaced, and we have the powder.]’

“[Excellent. You have done much over the past ten years, my child. As when you were young, you have proven to be the best. You shall rise high in our new empire.]”

‘[Thank you, my Queen. On the other hoof, I have a question. When you said to ‘take down the Elements’, did you mean for me to capture them, or just kill them?]’

“[I do not care. Do what you see fit. Farewell, my Child. I am about to launch the invasion.]”

With that, the connection was cut. Her conversations with Chrysalis were often short and to the point, just the way she liked them. Amethyst Star smiled.

After all, she would be striking one of the first blows in the new war.

-=-=-

Three hundred and fifty miles to the south

Outside the main Changeling Hive

The massive outcropping of rock was jagged, the peak of it sticking high into the sky. The ground around the base was rough, with jagged valleys and sharp terrain. At the edge of the rock monolith and its outcroppings, the barren desert of the Badlands stretched on into the distance for at least a hundred miles.

Inside the cutting, deep valleys, and from the tops of the miniature ridges radiating out from the mountain, stood black spires, the only outside view most would get of the massive underground complex beneath the rock area, the only mark on the otherwise flat-to-rolling desert.

Inside of one of the small, jagged valleys, with high cliffs soaring on each side, a gateway opened. All around the edges of the massive area, similar doors were opening in the walls and floors of scattered valleys. Out of them, like an inevitable tide, Changelings began to pour through the valleys. The Captains and Lieutenants of the army began to rally their units, as the Majors and Generals formed up their groupings.

Within a half an hour, the nearly 40,000 Changelings began to split into their groups, each major unit with a target. Four major formations headed out, each with an area.

Their time to arrival? 20 hours.

-=-=-

Chrysalis looked out from her commanding room, near the top of the sharp peak. It had one large window that looked out, in the direction of Canterlot. Right now it showed her armies, appearing as a blue-and-black mass. Other colors dotted the groupings, either ponies or the commanding officers. Several ponies had joined their small army from the tiny colony, and she had put them in various positions in it, mostly headed towards the major cities. They would be good examples for the pony populations in those areas.

A Changeling clad in Cobalt armor stood beside her, looking out over her armies. He was her primary guard, the one she had maintained for the past many years. Cyan stripes down the length of his armor marked him as an expert in combat, one of the select few that she chose to receive the mark.

The armor alone showed the changes she had implemented after Canterlot. While at that city most of the Changelings went unarmored, to make them faster, as suited a small raid like it had been at the start, these days many of her Changelings wore armor, ranging from very basic, light chest plates, to heavy armor like the one next to her wore. Many still went without armor, to act as raiders and infiltrators (after all, armor still stays on after a transformation, and was too heavy to fly with for very large periods).

Her own daughter in Ponyville was about to implement Phase One. All around Equestria, mayors would start disappearing (she had already replaced most of them), attacks on vital infrastructure would begin, and the Elements would be taken out. Although she had no idea if the Elements would even work in a situation like this, she was not about to take a chance.

Her biggest problem would be Canterlot. Her army had managed to get that close last time by threading a needle between several small towns and going straight through the Everfree forest. That would not be the case this time. By design, her armies would be highly visible, and there was no telling if Shining Armor would put the shield up around Canterlot in time. She had recently lost contact with her forces there, so she assumed that her original plan to infiltrate the castle would fail. However, Canterlot would be easily isolated: Once the rest of Equestria had fallen, her forces could surround it and wait them out. It would be a long siege, but they would win in the end.

Her train of thought, however, was disrupted when she sensed four Changelings outside of her door, waiting. Her unique connection to the Hive Mind allowed her to sense her fellow Changelings, unlike them, who had no way of telling if a pony was real or in disguise unless the Changeling in question was connected to the Hive Mind currently. To her astonishment, she couldn’t sense the two other guards that normally stood outside her door. Seconds later, she found out why.

“Watch out!” The expert guard to her right said, turning towards the opening of the room as the iron door that blocked it started to dent noticeably. It suddenly broke in two down the middle, the pieces of it flying a couple feet into the room. Four Changelings without armor rushed in.

Her guard fired a medium-strength combat spell, the bolt incinerating two of the charging Changelings. Chrysalis fired a weak explosive one, hitting one of the remaining two dead-on, and blowing the other onto the ground. The guard was on it in seconds.

“Wait.” She said, causing the guard to pause as he was about to kill it. Her guard had pinned it to the floor, watching as it squirmed slightly, most likely born with little magical talent, for it didn’t even light up its twisted horn to attack. Chrysalis walked up to the Changeling, watching at it looked at her.

“Why do you and your fellow Changelings attack us? Answer me!” She demanded when the Changeling didn’t respond. To her surprise, it laughed.

“The ponies may not know it, but just like the small pony colony that you have here, there are some that do not approve of you. Even you should know this!” The small Changeling said, coughing suddenly, its laugher dying down. It looked at her with its blue eyes, seemingly peering into her, seeking answers. “You know, you might be more popular if you didn’t choose your path. I have seen what you have done, to Canterlot in particular, and to the small villages that you found. I have seen the dead, those that our Changeling Empire has killed. And for what? To feed?” It demanded.

“We do it to survive!” Chrysalis snapped, losing her dignified look. “I don’t suppose you have a better idea?”

The Changeling laughed. “How about what we have done for years? We blend in with the population living our lives. We have real names, not the numbers you give us. Your power will be at an end. Even now, one of ours will be informing the Princesses of Equestria of your movements. You’re already too late to…” He trailed off as he saw Chrysalis’s horn glowing.

“Not today, weakling.” Chrysalis said as she fired a combat spell at the Changeling. The guard moved back slightly as the Changeling was instantly killed, going limp on the floor.

Chrysalis was troubles, even after several dozen guards moved in and began cleaning up the room, even after watching her army begin to disappear in the distance.

How had she not known?

-=-=-

Cobalt Sky nervously paced around the small room, waiting for the time to come. He had scheduled a private conversation with the Princesses a week before, in accordance with their practice of allowing such meetings after the Day Court, for matters some ponies felt would better be discussed in private. The security was much thicker during these, although it was mainly outside of the room, for the private meetings were truly private, with Celestia alone in there.

The blue pegasus looked around for the clock. Finding it, he sighed. The time approached.

He was not nervous over what he had to say. Indeed, it had been in the planning for months. His life up to this point had consisted of secrets he could not tell, and things many ponies would not understand. But he had to do this, for the sake of Equestria, if not his parents.

“Hey,” One of the guards said. “You can go in. The Princess is expecting you.”

He nodded to the guard, quickly composing himself before walking in.

Celestia stood at the opposite end of the room. The doors closed behind him, signaling that the meeting would start. He nervously walked forward, doing a small bow in front of her.

“Hello, Cobalt Sky.” Celestia said warmly. “What was it you wanted to discuss? You can dispense with formalities; they are not needed in a private meeting.”

He nodded, before taking a deep breath. Looking up at her, he was ready to do this.

“Princess Celestia.” He said. “I… Have something to tell you that may shock you. But please, hear me out.”

Celestia blinked at him, before leaning forward a bit. “Go on…”

“For some time in Equestria there has been a community of Changelings who are not aligned with Chrysalis. My mother was one of them.”

Celestia twitched a bit before nodding.

“I have come before you today to make you aware of the existence of this group, as well as to the fact that we are opposed to Chrysalis.”

“Go on…” Celestia said after a few moments, her composure never breaking.

“Chrysalis is beginning a new invasion of Equestria, only to conquer the entire country, not just Canterlot. It is beginning now, and friends of ours are attempting to take Chrysalis out of the fight.” Cobalt cocked his head slightly, and Celestia could sense a brief magical exchange, similar to the Hive Mind, take place. “The attempt has failed. It begins tomorrow.”

“How did our anti-Changeling spells fail to detect you?” Celestia asked after a moment.

“I am a hybrid: half pony, half Changeling.”

“I seem to be finding plenty of those lately.” Celestia said sarcastically.

“We know.” Cobalt Sky said. Seeing the look of surprise on her face, he quickly replied. “We noticed the moment the only Changeling group in the capital came under attack. We know who Sapphire is, and what she is. We have our sources, just like Chrysalis does. However, she does not know about us. Yet.”

Celestia looked up for a moment, before turning to him. “I can see that you are telling the truth. Spells are useful for that, are they not? I shall instruct Luna to alert the guards. In the meantime, will you take me to your group? I wish to meet with them.”

Cobalt Sky thought for a moment, before nodding. Minutes later, Celestia followed the blue pegasus through the side streets of Canterlot. Ponies glanced up in awe as she passed, but she paid no attention to them, instead focusing on following the pony in front of her.

They arrived in front of a small, normal building. It was two stories tall, but Celestia could sense that there were a number of lower levels under the building. Cobalt Sky softly knocked on the door. It was opened slightly moments later by an orange mare unicorn, who conferred with Cobalt for a few second, glancing up at her once or twice. Ten seconds in, the door opened all the way, and Celestia walked in after Cobalt.

The house seemed normal, probably was in every respect except for the underground portion. To her surprise, moments after the door was closed, a dark green pegasus walked into the room.

“Welcome, Celestia.” He said. “I assume Cobalt told you about us, and didn’t get blasted apart? Ah, ignore me. I suppose you’re wondering why I asked my son to contact you?”

“Your son?” Celestia asked. “Does that make the other pegasus…”

Moments later, the pegasus mare standing beside them was enveloped in a green fire. Celestia twitched slightly as the Changeling appeared. Old instincts, apparently, died hard.

“Yes, I am a Changeling. And Cobalt’s mother.” The Changeling explained in what was obviously a mare’s voice, free of the normal Changeling accent. “Before you ask, there are about half a dozen such couples in the city. There are several hundred Changelings in Equestria at the moment not affiliated with Chrysalis. Some have joined our group, but some simply stay isolated, choosing to play out their lives in their own way.”

“Does your group have a name?” Celestia asked.

The Changeling shook its head. “No name is needed. Names attract attention, and that is the last thing we need.”

“How did you survive the invasion?”

“We hid underground and activated a shield spell. How do you think Chrysalis’s deep cover agents coped, as well as ours? The love barrier passed right over the shield.”

Celestia blinked. “There are more of you and them? Infiltrating us?”

“Of course.” The Changeling said. “There are several of ours in the guard, although Chrysalis has yet to infiltrate there. The oath they take in this city? The one where they test their loyalty via a truth spell? None of her agents have managed to pass it. Ours have because we truthfully believe in it.”

Celestia was taken aback. This was far too much to take in, especially for one day. Pony-Changeling hybrids? An upcoming attack on Equestria? Changelings that wanted to aid them?

“I think I’ll be going now.” Celestia said. “If you ever need to contact me again, just send Cobalt Sky up. Farewell, my subjects, for I consider you all, Changelings and ponies, part of Equestria.” With that, she walked out of the door and headed for the castle. It was time to begin planning.

They had less than a day.