It was another peaceful day in the city of Canterlot. But it was a day filled with excitement as preparations were being made everywhere for the grand wedding that was to come tomorrow. Ponies from across the land of Equestria were gathering for the occasion. Their expressions filled glee, non-stop chatter here and there, activity running rampant with still so much to do for the tourists and shopkeepers.

That day was going to be perfect.

It was a golden opportunity for a nefarious changeling queen. The circumstances couldn't be better. She positively predicted the outcome of her plans for her and her people. While everypony was busy being distracted by the festivities, her reinforcements were standing by in the outskirts of the city. Waiting for their leader to give the signal and readying their strike against the capital, scheming their plan of attack for when the time came.

For now, the bride in disguise would enjoy the luxuries of the castle and its humble servants. The adoration and compliments given to her so willingly gave her confidence that everything was going well and according to plan. As she looked down from the balcony of her current living quarters, the expression on her face had formed a sly grin. Canterlot was in for a big surprise.

Despite an increased amount of guards patrolling the city and the barrier around it, the supposed surprise was not really as big as it was already expected. However, the real surprise was something neither side could've foretold. The overwhelming end result will decisively have one side victorious and while the other will have its empire's fate change for possibly the worst.

One week earlier

Deep within the caves of mountain ranges far, far away from the castle city were old mines left abandoned for decades. Of course, with the outer layout of these mines, nopony would bother to explore them as many would believe there is nothing of value left inside the dead interiors. In actuality, they were home to the changelings. They have made it their home for quite some time now and have grown accustomed to it after many years of hard work of altering the cave's map to their needs and liking. Covering most of the entrances with shrubbery to hide them from outsiders and leaving the inconspicuous ones known only to themselves.

It was a more productive day than usual for the hive. Most were getting ready for their queen's big mission they had been briefed about. While some will have to stay behind to keep an eye on the place and attend to their daily duties. This included the caretaker changelings to watch over the young, the overseers who keep watch over the rations and populace, and the guards to keep all else in check. This also meant the prisoners in the dungeon that were kept below ground level.

Those changelings were some of the unfortunate ones who will not even partake in the queen's plunder of gathered love for the rest of the hive to feast on after her return from the raid. Guilty of wrongdoing and various other crimes deemed by their own kind, they've been sentenced to confinement behind bars until their eventual judgement by their superiors. Within cells that have been constructed by worker changelings, fitted with slate rocks broad enough to be used as either seating or bedding. It wasn't much for comfortability. Those above could care less as there was little to no pity taken for the ones down here.

However, some wishful mercy was about to be granted to one of these prisoners. A lone changeling wandered into the dungeons to see a friend of his in these dark corners of the hive, lit only by the torches and dimly glowing green fungi on the walls. This inmate he was about to visit was once esteemed as one the best of the best. Throughout his life, from one struggle after another with scars to prove it, he was considered to be an excellent candidate for the royal guard. Considerably worthy enough to stand next to the queen herself if more time had been spent in the military. But his status, as well as rank, went progressively downhill after his fellow soldiers and authorities started questioning his motives and tactics. Refusal of undertaking certain missions and questioning his orders were the last nerve the council had and ordered him out of commission from anymore work as a soldier and put into labor work. What got him into his current position was his latest assault on two guard changelings who thought it would be wise to shame and make light of his past failures.

Some still considered him a hero for his valiant efforts for saving others from dangerous situations and donating spare love energy to those still living impoverished from hunger.

Others knew him as the "dragon of the hive" for his violent lashings under his moments of anger.

While the rest called him a traitor for his recent deeds.

He was known throughout his peers as...

"Dirge. Psst. Hey, Dirge! You awake, buddy?" The lone changeling whispered into the cell to get the attention of his friend who was laying down on the rock bed, facing towards the wall. But his voice didn't seem reach him and attempted a different manner of getting his attention. He grabbed a pebble from the ground and gently threw it towards the back of Dirge's head.

This fortunately got his attention and lazily raised his head to look back towards his visitor. "Hmm?" Dirge moaned as he got a better look at who it was that came to see him.

"Uh... hi! I just came to see how you were doing." The changeling sat down, wanting to begin a conversation with him.

"Ozzie? You shouldn't be here." As Dirge calmly finished stating, he laid his head back down to how it was seconds ago.

Ozzie looked down at the ground in a disappointed mood. "I-I know. It's just... I can't believe they wouldn't even let you go on this trip. We were supposed to go together." He sighed as he looked up to him still laying there. "How did this happen?"

Dirge felt that he didn't need to tell him about everything that's been going on in his life lately. He paused for a moment before speaking up again. "Times change along with standards."

With a perplexed but saddened look now on Ozzie's face, he looked to his side. "I'm not gonna pretend to understand everything, but..." He tried to think of something to help lighten the mood. After less than half a minute of grumbling, thinking of something uplifting to cheer up Dirge from his depressive state, Ozzie's expression lit up with a smile. "Hey! Don't feel too down! I-I'll bring back some delicious love to share with ya! It's gonna be sweeter than anything else you've ever tasted!"

But Dirge did not budge from his position. "Don't bother." He said with his same tone of voice as before.

This led Ozzie back to his previous emotion. Drooping his head and ears when he heard his response. "You're my best friend, Dirge. I hate seeing you this way..." The depression now infecting him as well, he suddenly felt a hoof to his head and then gently getting rubbed. He looked up with one eye to see Dirge standing in front of him.

"Spare no concern over me. You do what you feel is right." Dirge said with a reassuring tone this time as he removed his hoof off of Ozzie. There were small but noticeable smiles on each others' faces. "Make your elders proud." With that, he turned around, walking back to his bed, and laid back onto his original position.

Disregarding his first bit of given "advice", Ozzie still held worry over him. Making one last attempt at raising both their spirits, he exclaimed but with weaker enthusiasm in his voice:

"Once they let you outta this dump... let's go on harvesting missions together. Just like old times, okay?"

But no response came.

Feeling like there's nothing else he could do for him, Ozzie turned to leave and exit the dungeon. He couldn't stay any longer without risking getting caught by any guards on patrol. With one last look towards Dirge behind him, he whispered to him "I'll make you proud too." Picking up the pace on his walking, Ozzie left to prepare for the journey ahead of him.

With his friend's presence now gone, Dirge felt regret. Guilt taking him over once again. As much as he opposed the queen's plan to take over an entire kingdom, he couldn't stomach the thought of putting down his partner's nor the rest of the hive's faith by voicing his knowingly unpopular opinion on the whole matter. They were already living off of the low amount of rations left as it is. Most of it being consumed as investment for the huge amount of love energy the expedition was hoping to return with.

Having nothing else to do inside his cell all day, the only thing Dirge could do was sleep away his time while trying to shut off his thoughts on memories still lingering in his mind. At least until his sentence was decided and carried out.

Six months prior

On a small village settlement miles away from the hive, with the moon shining luminously in the night sky, a team of changelings lurking in the shadows were currently undergoing a stealth operation. To them, it was just another mission. Impersonate a set of townsfolk, retrieve the love energy from the specified targets, and leave no traces of their tracks before heading back.

Meanwhile, another group of changelings on top of a hill within viewing distance of the village lay waiting for their next set of orders while watching their comrades from afar. One of them standing taller than rest was in charge of overlooking the progress and succession of the mission.

"Squad leader!" A scout unit approached them from their side. "The perimeter is secure. We're clear to move in!"
Their leader turned his attention from the scout and onto the village. He scanned the view to confirm his claim. After a short moment of looking around their surroundings, he felt the confidence to issue his next order.

"Dirge, sir. We're ready." The changelings behind him casted their magic and shifted into their designated forms. An orange mare with a green and mint colored mane with pigtails and green eyes. One stallion with cream colored fur, long brown mane, and blue eyes. Another a with yellow coat, short blue mane, and brown eyes. All of them earth ponies with apples in their cutie marks.

Dirge looked over their disguises for any inconsistencies. To make sure there weren't any holes left in their hooves or their eyes didn't remain unchanged. He was training the rookies after all. It wasn't his forte, but somebody had to do it.

"Before you begin, I want to make something clear." Dirge stood in front of them with a stern display of authority. "We've been on this mission for several days now. I will not have it botched with less than acceptable results and have my time wasted for nothing." As he affirmed his statement, he closed in face to face range of the disguised stallion standing in the middle of the group. "Am I clear on this?" Glaring at him, waiting for his response.

He nodded nervously after a slow gulp.

Dirge could sense their fear. True, it was a sign of respect from the lower ranks, but he didn't want them going into this mission preoccupied with thoughts of punishments, distracted by fear. In a more composed manner, he made another statement to calm their nerves and reassure their own confidence.

"Accomplishment of this mission with a successful outcome... and you may look forward to a promotion and nourishment in your bellies."

The group, upon hearing this, gasped with delight and saluted to their squad leader to show their now increased self-esteem.

"For the hive!" They said in unison.

Dirge gave a small grin to their acts. "And remember to stay in character." Turning to his scout still standing by, he now gave out his next command. "Have Team A rendezvous back to this area." Then pointing his hoof towards the other group now ready for action. "Team B..."

They motioned their flanks back and stretched themselves as if ready to pounce.

Dirge waved his hoof towards the village. "Move out." With that, they ran down from the hill and into secluded areas. Still remaining incognito until the right moment.

While supervising their movements, Dirge was suddenly interrupted by a shout behind him, calling for his attention. Viewing back, he saw two of his scouts with what looked like a pony in their custody.

"Squad leader! We found this one skulking around behind a tree!" The changeling said as the pony was struggling to free himself from the hooves gripping him. This stallion had a dark crimson colored coat and short black mane and tail.

"Please! I-I didn't mean nothin'! I swear I won't tell nopony if ya'll lemme go! Just--!!" A hoof was planted on his mouth before he could finish with his plea. "Hnnggmmp mmph mmmmph!"

"Quiet, you fool!" The changeling shushing him to prevent him from making anymore noise. "What should we do with him, sir?" Asking in a slightly sinister tone, he grabbed a stick near him and pointed it towards the pony's throat. "Silence him for good, perhaps? We wouldn't want him squeal to his friends and jeopardize all we've worked for, now do we?"

Dirge raised his hoof in protest of this suggestion. "Stay your hoof! We're not here to cause any casualties!" Lowering his hoof, he countered by making a point. "Besides, who's going to believe him when he tries to convince the village that their residents aren't really who they say they are? He has no proof and I doubt these ponies have the intellectuality to even process this witness' visual testimony."

With their hostage still trying to break free while making muffled noises under his breaths, the stick that was pointing at his throat was lowered away from him.

Dirge turned his attention back to his soldiers below. "Merely knock him unconscious and drag him away from here. Then hide the body. This should be simple enough, even for you."

The changeling, however, did not feel satisfied with his new orders. He still believed this pony was a great risk to the mission. Not to mention it wasn't unheard of for changelings who felt this way to 'dispose' prisoners like this, for similar reasons.

Having the stick still on hoof, it was raised to strike the skin below. The other changeling still grappling the pony noticed this. "Hey, what're you--?"

Dirge, still on watch, perked up his ears as he heard unsettling sounds behind him.

"Grrrrraaahh!!" The stallion was soon gasping for air and coughing blood after his throat was stabbed. His grip now loosened, he dropped to the ground.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Shocked and upset at this turn of events, Dirge angrily looked at the scout who was holding a bloody stick. "Why did you--!?"

"I had to!" Exclaimed the now stained in blood changeling. "I couldn't let this one just get away and ruin everything!" Along with making his own angry expression. "Have you gone soft!?" He added with a tone of disappointment.

Gritting his teeth, growling, Dirge threw a punch at the changeling. Knocking him off his hooves and a small distance away. "I will NOT tolerate insubordination! I gave you a direct order to dispose of him carefully and you disobeyed in favor of your own foolish execution!"

Rubbing his cheek from the pain, the changeling staggered to get up and looked at his leader. Wondering why his commander couldn't comprehend this used method when it was already done before. "B-but...! It should be excusable! In fact, I've once heard--"

"Excusable? Have you no regard for the life of others?" Dirge sternly said. Now gazing at the corpse still flowing with blood. "Clearly not. But while you're under MY command, you will follow my EVERY order without question! And I expect you to do so to the letter."

He had to change his directives in order to handle this new situation. Trying to calm his mood as to not let his current emotions disrupt his flow of thinking, he issued all scouts still under his presence a new task. Planting his hoof to his face then sounding off a rough sigh. "Damn it. Just... dispose of it quickly. I don't care if you have to pluck every single blade of grass stained with blood, you will clear these tracks before any pony can find this mess."

So, with their clean up duty now in session, the few changelings left unhappily nodded and gathered around the body. Lifting and carrying it away into the nearby forest.

As for Dirge, he looked to the ground, sighing, and closed his eyes. He had gone on many missions before. Experienced a number of losses, both expectantly and ones uncalled for. But each time it happened, he still couldn't bear them. Whether changeling or otherwise. As much as he tried to prevent needless deaths when he had the chance, all he could do was hide his shame under his everyday, somber face.

"I'm sorry."

Present Day

Tossing and turning in his sleep, Dirge's attempts at peaceful slumber were in vain. Now arising from his aching back, yawning as he got up. Still putting up with the occasional nightmares plaguing his dreams, he found it pointless to lay back down. It didn't help that his mattress was made of stone.

It felt like weeks had gone by and there was still no word of the queen's return. Sitting wide awake on his bed, Dirge could sense the hive still feeling emptier than usual. They must have sent search parties to look for Chrysalis and the other changelings that were part of the attack. He could only hope that Ozzie was alright as it was all he could do under his powerless spot.

"Hey!" Said the prisoner next to Dirge's cell. "When are we getting some grub!? I'm starving over here!" He yelled out as he shook the bars.

"Pipe down!" Said the guard in traditional blue armor approaching them. "You're just going to have to hold out a while longer."

"This just ain't fair!" The inmate protested. "Why do we gotta hold out while the brass 'n' grunts get all the food!? Seriously!"

"Well..." The guard began sarcastically. "If you hadn't done what you'd done, maybe you wouldn't be down here." He said bluntly.

"Oh, screw you! I coulda been deserving of all that if I hadn't got caught!" The prisoner expressed, irritated and crossed his hooves as he looked away from him.

"Umbrae, any word yet?" Dirge asked the guard as his attention was now on him.

Umbrae sighed. "Listen, I just said to--"

Dirge cleared his throat loudly. Using his head to point above himself.

"Oh." Umbrae looked away for a second before looking back at Dirge. "No. Nothing. As far as I know, they're still searching."

"Then, could it possibly mean they've...?"

Both of them looked down and became worried.

"Let's hope not." Umbrae said. Trying to dismiss the thought of what could be the worst scenario.

It didn't need to be said. Something had obviously gone wrong.

Author's Note

Since this is my first time writing a fanfiction or anything else like it for the matter, I would appreciate any helpful criticism to better improve the story and dialogue for later chapters.

Thanks and I hope you enjoy.