A New Day

  My face remained neutral, but my mind was filled if anger. It was mostly Locust and Mantis silently screaming in my ear. Mother of mine.

"I'm sorry, mother. I have so many here already, there may be no room. And how can I be sure you won't pull any tricks?"

"Daughter, my only daughter, as we speak I am down to only a dozen including myself. They are making their way to you. You are their only hope.

  When they arrive please don't deny them on my account. They only followed my orders."

"I won't."

"Goodbye, dear daughter. I hope we cross paths soon."

  Then like that, the lings eyes went back to its icy blue color. He shook his head and blinked several times.

"Excuse me, Queen Emerald. I do not know what got over me."

"It's quite alright. I got the message, you are free to return to Chrysalis or stay here with me."

"With all due respect, ma'am. I will return to my queen. She needs me."

  He trotted to the door, but before he left I placed two jars in his saddlebags. One for him and one for mother. She may have done me harm, but she is still my mother.

  Dinner went along as planned, everyling and pony had a bowl of soup, a plate of hay fries, and a small plate of chocolate.The ponies present didn't question why.

  Scootaloo had to other foals next to her, an earth pony and a unicorn. These must be those fillies she told me about. I guess she was explaining why she wasn't at school.

  My new lings chatted amongst themselves, mostly about who they will be sharing a room with. It's going to be hectic trying to remember all their names.

"Mom, this is Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Can they stay over tonight?"

"Maybe, if you eat all of your food."

  Then as quickly as she stood up, she went to her seat, sat down and scarfed down her plate. To easy. Each plate had some plink in it and Helix knows they need it.

  Twilight recognized it at once because she looked over at me with a major smile. Not her doing, the plink's. Everypony who came had a smile on their face.

  After a few hours, it was time for them to go home. My brood went to the sleeping rooms and I led the ponies up to the front door.  From what I can tell, Scootaloo never told The unicorn or earth pony about a sleepover.

"Apple Bloom these are changelings! We don't know if they are gonna feed off ya!"

"Sweetie Belle I have to agree with Applejack. No offense to Emerald, but they are brutes! You remember the wedding, I found you three under the wedding platform!"

  I looked down at the trio, they had pleading looks and seemed to beg me to help. I didn't really know what to do, but I wasn't paying much attention to them either.

  I sensed something at the door. I gave a small prayer to Helix and opened the door. There, Princess Luna, was standing once again in my door way.

"Emerald, we are happy to see you again, but we have brought bad news."

"Luna please come inside. We can talk in here."

  I moved to the side as she entered my home. I was about to shut the door when the captain shuffled inside. I sent a quick message to the hive.

"Captain."

"Lady Emerald."

  It was an awkward silence. The three fillies didn't huddle behind family, they instead were behind me. Twilight watched her brother horn at the ready.

  Her friends just sat around the room, though Applejack and Rarity kept looking over at me. It was Luna that broke the silence.

"My friends, today we have found a dozen changelings in Ponyville. From what we can tell, they are from Chrysalis. We do not know why they are swarming like this."

  Shining Armor spoke up.

"Before that my guard spotted a group of changelings flying over the forest. They landed and disappeared. Not disguised, but actually disappeared. You are the only mare in Equestria that knows about changelings."

"So you want me to see why?"

"Yes."

  Then Nymph trotted downstairs with Flutterwing in tow. Both, thank the Helix, were in disguise.

"Mom, Flutter won't share the blankets again!"

"Mom, he's being mean!"

  Shining Armor stood up and took Flutter in his magic. I stood in turn and placed a magic clamp that Mantis gave me, on his horn. Flutter dropped to the ground with a thud.

"What the? Emerald, is there a reason you dispelled my magic?"

"Yes, Captain. You were going to take Flutterwing in your custody without a warrant and break the law yourself. This changeling is not your enemy, nor are the ones your guards spotted."

"Then why are they here? They are swarming in groups now, we have the prison filled with the diaboluses. We need a new way to deal with them and this changeling is royalty to them."

"So you're going to dangle her on a string in front of their noses like a carrot."

"No, well, yes , wait. Look we don't have a choice. That Queen is going to be here soon and it will go to Infernus when she does."

"Then why not ask another queen to help."

"Are you insane! These things are not reasonable, they will tear you apart."

"We are not things! We are not monsters! We are living beings! And we have a right to live just as much as you!"

  Then it was all a blur. I was unconscious. I just hope my children were all right. Then I woke.

  It was dark, wet, and cold. My hooves were heavy and my horn couldn't feel form magic. I opened my eyes, I was in a cage. Around me were cages filled with at least five changelings each.

  I think there was a total of sixteen cages. I heard so many of them pray to Helix. It felt like all love was taken and smashed to bits. All I could feel was hatred, it turned my stomach inside-out.

  I stood as best as I could with shackles around my hooves. I looked to a small pool of liquid on  the ground. The face staring back was black with double-ringed eyes.

  I lifted a hoof to my mane, it was cut short, reaching to were my head meets my neck. I felt a pair of eyes behind me and turned. It was a stallion wearing purple armor.

"Now that you are awake, let's talk about your hive."

  I couldn't help it. I felt tears leaving my eyes. My broodlings, my home, my friends.....my children, they are alone. I could hear them in my mind. They were crying.