Sunrise at Moon Watch

“The Savior?” Robert asked, settling to his haunches.

“The Princess of Love has the power to save our species. This is what some of us believe. Queen Chrysalis believes draining her power is the key to this. I am not one of those who agrees.” the changeling shrugged.

“Then why kidnap her?” Robert picked up on the question Shining had been about to ask.

“Queen commands. We obey.”

“You love her.”

“Queen is life. Through her all are born. Through her, the hive may be restored. The queen lives, the hive lives.”

“The ponies taken are safe?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Home.”

“Where is home? The hive?”

“Home is home.”

“Show me.”

“How... oh.”

“I see. Yes, I understand.” Robert turned to Shining. “They're in one of the old Thunderwall forts.”

“Oh no.”

“We will do what we can, but you must continue to be The Savior. Tell them he is ill.” he waved a paw at Shining. “Keep the faith, and I will see that The Savior receives the message.”

“Thank you.” the changeling shifted, once more Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

“So what now?” Spike asked.

“We'll need help. The Thunderwall forts are all but impenetrable.” Shining said. “And we don't know which one.”

“Are there maps?”

“Yes, in the military archives. I can't get to them though. I don't work there any more.” Shining said.

“Leave that to me.” Robert said. “See if you can get to Celestia or Luna. If they've not been taken, they might be able to help.”

“Right. Who else?”

“Around here? Discord, but I don't know how to get in touch with him.”

“Leave that to me.” Spike said. “Fluttershy showed me how.”

“I know of two others.”

“If you're thinking of who I think you're thinking, remember what I said.”

“What did he say?” Spike asked.

“That if he ever saw him again, he'd be an earth pony.”

“I meant it.”

“I know. He's still at home for a reason.”

“Good.”

“Let's head for Canterlot. Spike, can you meet us?”

“Yeah, Discord can take us.”

“Good.” Shining's horn flared. Spike stared at the spot they'd left from, then turned and headed out the door.

Fluttershy's cottage was empty, as Spike had expected. The lamp was on the table, and Spike crossed carefully to it. He took a deep, calming breath, just like Twilight had taught him, then inhaled.

“Spike!” the purple reptile choked on his dragon fire. He spun to face Pipsqueak, and surprisingly, Big Mac slamming the door behind themselves. “You gotta help hide us.”

“Eeyup.”

“Hide you? From? Oh..” Spike flicked his glances around, watching hordes of mares approach. “Into the cellar.” he pointed. The pair dove through the hatch, and Spike shifted a carpet over the entrance. Then he turned to the door and opened it. The herd of mares skittered to a stop just before running him over, piling up against one another in their haste to stop. One or two of them dropped their camouflage for an instant, before restoring it,but Spike pretended not to notice. “Can I help you ladies with something?”

“Oh, umm...” Roseluck paused.

“We were wondering where those two hunks got to?” Said a voice he couldn't identify, somewhere in the crowd.

“Yeah, they're cute.” said Scootaloo from the front. Spike choked back a sentiment that the impersnator wasn't doing a very good job.

“I just saw them heading into the Everfree.” looks of disbelief flowed through the crowd. “Said they were going to wait it out with the others.”

“Others!” The herd charged away into the forest. Spike waited for them to go, and then closed and locked the door. A few moments more to lock the windows and draw the drapes, and he knocked softly on the cellar.

e“Coast is clear.” he called. A moment later, Big Mac and Pipsqueak popped out of the cellar.

“Spike, what in tarnation is goin' on?” Big Mac asked.

“It's kind of a long story.”

Twilight groaned, and raised her head. Immediately, she learned this was a bad idea as the world began spinning. Instinctively, she ignited her horn to provide a steady point of reference. This was an even worse idea. The inhibitor ring clamped around her horn absorbed the spell and fed part of it back into her horn. She yelped in pain, and tried to back away from her horn. It didn't work, and in any case she only went a step or two before backing into something else. She turned, regretting it immediately, but found herself staring at Princess Celestia.

“Princess, what?” she paused as she realized Celestia too was wearing an inhibitor. Her eyes went wild for a moment, taking in the surroundings. They were in a medium sized cell, which her examination discovered also held Cadance and Luna.

“We have been captured.” Luna said, sounding not only unsurprised, but also curiously unbothered by the predicament.

“By who?” Twilight asked. “Why? HOW?”

“Who? I do not know. Nor the answer to either of the other questions.” Celestia admitted, eyes glowing softly. “But whomever it is, is draining my power somehow.”

“As they are mine sister.” Luna acknowledged. “How, I have yet to work out.” the tone of her voice said that she was busy doing just that.

“They're doing the same to me.” Cadance added. “I suspect who it might be, but I have been over ruled.” she sounded less than amused that it had been the case. Luna snorted.

“You always suspect the changelings.” Luna said sourly. “I do not know yet if you are wrong or not however, and so I reserve judgment.”

“They would not dare again.” Celestia spoke. “They were defeated soundly before, and would not dare attack so boldly again.” There was an edge in her voice. Twilight swallowed.

“My sister takes not well to captivity. It offends her, and causes her to seek vengeance.” Luna said, a hint of teasing in her voice. Celestia laughed softly.

“I seem to recall not so long ago that you sought vengeance at the end of imprisonment.” Celestia said fondly. “During which I spent a rather lovely day admiring my sun first hoofed.”

“I do not have the slightest idea what you are speaking of.” Luna said, examining a hoof. Celestia laughed again.

“Good to see captives in such good spirits.” Four heads turned to the cell door, saw the Changeling queen, and sighed. “Not the response I anticipated.”

“We're already quite sure you're aware you're not going to get away with this.” Celestia shrugged.

“There's no point in explaining it to you.” Luna added.

“Yet again.” Twilight offered, sounding like a teacher talking to a particularly dense student.

“The others will save us.” Cadance nodded.

“The others? Oh my. You think I captured only the princesses?” Chrysalis waved a potted hoof off to the side. “I took every single female of your land. Quite the impressive feat, if I do say so. The number of drones required, oh, it took a very long time.” two drones drug a big mirror into place.

“Look out, she's going to put on a fashion show!” Twilight fainted dramatically against Luna.

“Ha ha.” Chrysalis tone was desert dry. “Not at all, I simply wish to show proof of the hopelessness of your situation.” she waved a hoof over the mirror, and a scene flickered to life. Hundreds upon hundreds of ponies, unicorns with inhibitors, earth ponies under harness, and pegasi flying in unison, straining to move a huge chunk of some kind of chitinous construction material into place, all guarded by changelings. “Not a single one of your friends escaped.” The scene flickered from Rarity to Applejack and Pinkie to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

“The stallions will save us.” Cadance offered helpfully. Chrysalis laughed so hard she slipped on the stone floor, and fell, hooves kicking into the air.

“That is quite rich indeed.” said the queen when she recovered herself. “Your stallions are so enthralled with their new mares, they'll never think twice, never know anything is even wrong. In short, I have won.”

“And when the sun and moon do not move?” Celestia asked.

“I have thought even of that. The rings you wear allow your replacements to move the heavens as the pair of you do. And our dear Cadance's allows her double to create love the same way she does. Soon enough no stallion will even have time to consider any problem with their new situation.” she was smug as a bug in a position of absolute confidence in her power. Twilight Sparkle, for all the other things she was, was ultimately a very intelligent pony, something inherent and not suppressible by magical means. So the rock she kicked with a hind leg hit Chrysalis square between the eyes. The changeling yelped in pain, and then snarled. “Very well then, perhaps I will remember to send down some food.” she turned, and attempted to stomp off, only to trip over the changeling drones. Luna chuckled at the slapstick stylings of the amazing Chrysalis.

“So, how do we get out of here?” Cadance asked.

“I have no idea.” Celestia admitted.

“I might.” Twilight nodded, and began scratching in the dirt.