Thunder was sound asleep, dreaming about some armoured pony suplexing a boulder. However, this dream was rudely interrupted as Quartz bucked him out of bed.

"Rise and shine," she said a terrifying grin across her face

Thunder dusted himself off and looked at Quartz "Well that was rude" he stated managing a yawn " you could have simply waited for me" he said walking around the bed to Quartz

"Time's a wasting, besides everyone's pretty busy today"

"Why," thunder asked if he recalled correctly Lisea and Beatrice were arguing about something yesterday. He recalled Beatrice's last words "Regardless if we do not reach a decision by tomorrow then it won't matter what we pick"

The words stuck in his head, what could she have meant. his train of thought was interrupted by Quartz again

"Hey eyes up here," she said as thunder soon realised he'd been staring at her feet the whole time

"s-sorry," he said as he began to think about what to do today. He figured a direct approach was better than nothing.

"So what are we doing today," Thunder asked as much as he felt guilty for leaving her yesterday it wasn't like he needed to be shepherded everywhere he went. However, he figured some guide around this place was better than none at all

Quartz smiled "I'm going to show you the green quarter, or rather Beatrice's section"

"Not that I'm ungrateful for the tour but I agree with commander Lisea, my skills would be best utilised with the soldiers and scouts," Thunder said though it seemed to fall on deaf ears

"Nah I'm sure you'll love the green sector so much you'll choose at as your permanent lodging"

Thunder sighed, she certainly seemed determined to show him it was better than the scarlet sector. But he still didn't feel convinced.

Eventually, they arrived at a gate of some sort with a green banner strung across it. An insignia of a sickle and wheat was printed onto it. Quartz and Thunder moved forward into the complex , while he was getting used to the aesthetic look of the village he was still slightly surprised at how well they'd used the space they were given, this went double for the Green section, the houses while not aesthetically different had various ponies and warehouses carrying materials to varying places and all exhuming work and co-operation.

"Is something happening? they all look very busy" Thunder asked

Quartz seemed to avoid the question "don't worry about that It's just because they're preparing for an operation" she was about to change the subject when Thunder pushed for an answer

"what's the operation what's going to happen," he asked looking at the ponies scurrying about loading carts and waggons.

Quartz looked saddened "Some ponies think it a better idea to try running to the surface and keep going. In search of some fairytale place called Equestria," she said with a flicker of anger in her eyes.

She walked into a building and Thunder followed, surprisingly this building had a door and windows-granted it was decorated with the colour green on the outside but it still stood out among the other buildings. Once inside Thunder felt as though he'd walked into a young fillies bedroom, there was a fluffy bed, bookshelves, a fire a few chairs and a modest-sized table the walls covered in a pink floral pattern with patches of the rock wall poking through.

"Make yourself at home," she said her mood changing instantly. she gestured to a chair, she walked to a chest and pulled out what looked like square blocks of apple.

They didn't have a shiny red coat like fresh apples ought to but instead a dull pink, it was the strangest looking apple Thunder had ever seen in fact he questioned whether it was even a fruit at all.

"umm, ya know it's rude to stare," she said rubbing her foreleg meekly "I know it ain't that much to look at, but it's good food 'round here"

Thunder opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and instead poked the "apple" curiously. Eventually, he came to the conclusion it was at least edible. He picked it up with his hoof and took a bite. He was pleasantly surprised, it wasn't an apple at all, in fact, it had a very raspberry flavour despite it being as tough as an apple if not tougher, but it was very juicy and he soon realised he had juice dribbling down his chin.

"Ah, sorry-" he said putting the food down, looking for something to wipe his face with. but quartz had already gone near him with a cloth scrap of some kind.

"Here let me get that for ya" quartz was very close to him a few inches away she scrubbed his face with a somewhat gentle and somewhat harsh scrubbing. At this distance Thunder realised how young she was, she looked just below his age and her purple eyes seemed to suck him into staring.

"There all done, I should have told you that they're a bit messy," she said stepping back with her cloth in hand "I don't mind but Beatrice hates juice stains on clothes, floors, a' faces"

As if on cue a voice cleared their throat from behind Thunder. Quartz jumped

"Gah! How long 'ave you been there," she said frantically.

"Since stains on floors and clothes and faces," the voice said, Thunder turned around revealing the pony to be none other than Beatrice.

"And here I was coming here to see the new arrival and I find him and you mere inches away from each other. Honestly girl I thought even you had some decency" the elderly mare said in a condescending tone

"H-hey it weren't like that, he had some juice on his chin and I was rubbing it off!" she said in protest.

"I'm sure," she said almost ignoring quarts statement "Regardless, I am here for you" she pointed towards Thunder her hoof bopping his nose.

"Me?" Thunder questioned, "Why me? and besides I already agreed to spend the day with Quartz," he said, in the corner of his eye he saw Quartz smile a little.

"You will do nothing of the sort, time is too precious a commodity to be wasted exploring such frivolity".

Quartz looked confused by her choice of words and looked at Thunder with a puzzled look.

"Why what's happening," he said.

Beatrice shook her head "We are preparing to send a large number of our people through the cave's original entrance and scatter to the winds" she said nonchalantly.

Thunder shook his head "But changelings patrol this place they'll just be abducted or killed" he said calmly trying his best not to burst out with something irrational. it was mainly her tone of voice something about it irritated him. "Besides didn't you say yesterday we should stay".

Beatrice shrugged "I am staying its the people who want to go that are leaving, if they want to go then I won't stop them, fewer mouths to feed and fewer people to worry about being changelings" her words falling like marble slabs, she wasn't wrong. But at the same time to think like that...that way of thinking is how only those concerned with themselves think.

"What!" Quartz blurted out "Why would they do something so foolish," she said, Beatrice looked at Quartz.

"I'm sorry dear but if you saw the look in their eyes then you would see how determined they are. Unless you want to stop them, Perhaps it could be avoided if we had our own tunnel to the surface that could fit waggons and the like".

"But-".

"But such a tunnel doesn't exist and no matter how hard you try we must face the facts... I'm sorry my dear but we must do what is necessary and if they want to try their chances on the surface then I won't stop them".

Quartz couldn't find the words Beatrice wasn't wrong but that didn't mean she could just say things like that.

"But if they go out there it'll just be-" her eyes widened "wait who's going, don't tell me" she ran off out the door.

"Quartz wai-" Beatrice yelled but was only greeted by a slammed door. she sighed and sat down "She's too naive" she said.

Thunder looked at her curiously "Why do you talk like that" he said.

"Because if no-one is telling them how hard it is then they will start relaxing and when they least expect it we'll be overrun with changelings" she rubbed her forehead.

Thunder looked at the door "So why did you need me" he said "Since Quartz ran out the door I could either go after her or hear what you have to say".

"Heh," Beatrice chuckled a vile grin stretching from ear to ear "You've got that look in your eye, I can tell you've had to kill someone before. And I want you to do it again".

Thunder's eyes turned deathly serious "You what!" he glared.

"I want you to kill a pony for me," she said casually as if she wasn't asking much.

"Why would I ever agree to do something so VILE!" he kicked the table away.

"Because if you care about your family then you'll do as I say" her words pierced right through him.

"How do you-" .

"now-now dear don't be too upset, Unicorns have magic pegasus have flight. Earth ponies need an edge above the rest of them and as it just so happens I have some Information concerning some bat ponies, a child and a mare".

Thousands of thoughts now raced through his head they couldn't be they were in the forest with the other group, she must be bluffing...but if she wasn't.

"You're bluffing, my family are far away from here and they are-".

"Protected? safe? away from harm?, My dear unless they found canterlot then they are changeling food".

Thunder slammed his hooves into the ground "Don't you dare say that!" his fangs prominently showing and his wings flaring up.

"Changeling...food," she said all while remaining calm and seated.

Thunder was filled with rage, he thought the changelings were the enemy, not other ponies.

"You don't see that many bat ponies, I wonder will you take your chances...but, of course, I can't force you to do it so swear your loyalty".

"What?".

"Swear you loyalty to the green quarter, promise to always and eternally serve me and me alone" her words seemed to echo in his head and his vision became blurred he thought he saw a horn protrude from her head a black horn filled with holes. He felt his energy drain from him.

"It's...A...trap" he mumbled his head echoed with laughter then He fell and his vision turned black and fell unconscious.

Author's Note

Sorry for the wait, college has kept me busy. i'll try and get into routine with these chapters ^_^