Applebloom slowly woke up with a large yawn and wiped the sleep from her eyes, the small farm filly had woken after one of the greatest night’s sleep she had ever had in the past months. This was on account of the fact she was sleeping in an actual, well hospital bed but still it was far better than the makeshift sleeping area her and her friends would fashion up in the trees of the Everfree Forest.

There was also another reason she had slept so well, she actually felt safe. For the first time in the past year she didn’t have to sleep with one eye open incase whoever was on watch raised the alarm because of a monster or the occasional Caribou that would wander into the Everfree for some reason, or being woke up after just a few hours’ sleep to do her turn on watch.

The three fillies always took turns on who took what watch, first watch and last watch was always best as you got the most uninterrupted sleep but they needed to be fair so they rotated who got what watch each night so they all could take advantage of first and last watch.

But here in this weird lab they didn’t need to keep watch, they didn’t need to sleep with one eye open because there were a dozen other ponies here and they were safe behind a thick steel door. While the ponies here were strange, what with their funny way of speaking and the weird yellow suits they insisted on wearing around her and her friends the fact of the matter was they hadn’t done anything but give them food, a place to sleep and talk to them. The one called Dr. Cupcake even gave the three fillies some of the funny clothes they all wore when Scootaloo had asked about them.

Applebloom and her friend wore them now just without the mast on, that was clipped to the their shoulders and though the suits were made for adult ponies Applebloom had to admit she felt like some kind of comic book character while wearing the suit. She needed to remember to asked Dr. Cupcake or Dr. Atreus what Hazmat meant as that was apparently the name of these suits.

Yawning once more the small farm filly slipped off her bed and made her way to the small bathroom that was in one corner of the room. This room reminded the filly of Ponyville General only it had half a dozen beds in it instead of just one and the glass widows leading out to the hall instead of the outside were different, though being underground there wasn’t much to look at really.

Finishing up in the bathroom the filly exited the bathroom to find the rest of the Crusaders starting to wake up as well with Scootaloo sitting on the edge of her bed rubbing sleep from her eyes while Sweetie Belle yawned and stared straight ahead with unforced eyes clearing still half asleep.

One by one the other Crusaders used the restroom before they gathered at the small table in the room and took a seat. “I call this meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to order.” Applebloom said as she lightly banged her fist on the table. Even with all that had happened the three fillies kept up their daily meetings as an attempt to have something normal in their decidedly abnormal lives. Though unlike how it used to be where they planned how they were going to work on getting their Cutie Marks the CMC would plan out how they were going to survive that day.

“First order of business is to talk about what happened yesterday.” The yellow filly said.

“Well…”Sweetie Belle spoke up. “We managed to drive off that Manticor that had been stalking up since early morning.”

“Then we headed for our food stash.” Applebloom said.

“Where we ran into Dr. Atreus and his team and then came here where they gave us food and these awesome suits!” Scootaloo proclaimed as she poked at the suit she wore, the orange filly had been going on and on nonstop about how cool the suits were.

Applebloom nodded. “Right, now that that is out of the way, what are we going to do today?” She asked.

Before either of the other two could answer there was a soft hissing noise that signaled the door to the room was opening and allowing air to escape from the room and into the hallway. When the three fillies looked over at it they saw who they assumed was Dr. Cupcake, it was hard to tell what with her wearing the fully suit but since she was the main mare to have contact with the three fillies it was a safe bet it was her.

“Good morning you three did you sleep well?” The mare asked confirming it was indeed Dr. Cupcake by the muffled voice. In her hands she carried a two trays of food, this being eggs, half an apple and a glass of orange juice. Despite the eggs having a slightly funny taste, this being due to them apparently being powdered eggs as most of the food in the lab was powdered so as to store it for long periods of time, it still looked like the greatest meal you’d find at any of the five star restaurants you’d find in Canterlot to the three fillies.

Behind Dr. Atreus carried two trey of the same food in his hands and a third in his green mage and the Crusaders looked at the extra tried. “Will you be joining us Dr. Cupcake, Dr. Atreus?” Sweetie belle asked.

The mare shook her head. “No, but we do have more guests now besides you.” She said and as Dr. Atreus walked over to the table the three friends saw two other fillies staying back near the door. They were dressed in medical scrubs that had been cut short to fir on their smaller bodies and had been given sandals. The two new comers stood back near the door huddling close together and looking around as if they expected something in the room to leap out and attacked.

It wasn’t hard for the CMC to recognize the other two fillies. “Diamond Tiara? Silver Spoon? What in Tarnation are you doing here?” Applebloom asked as her and her friends stared in shock at the two fillies who had bullied them throughout their time in school.

At her words the other two fillies seemed to notice the other foals in the room and blinked in both surprise and recognition. “A-Applebloom? Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo? Is…..is that really you?” Diamond Tiara asked hesitantly.

Applebloom blinked as her once arrogant manner of speaking was noticeable absence, replaced with one of fear and hesitation as she and Silver Spoon kept glancing around the room. These were not the same bullies that her and her friends knew and she couldn’t even begin to guess what had happened to them and with what little she knew of the Caribou none of the CMC wanted to know.

“Yeah it’s us.” Scootaloo said as the trays of food were places on the table and the two doctors stepped away. “You know each other?” Dr. Atreus asked in his strange voice that had a slight hiss too it.

“Yeah we went to school with them. “Sweetie bell said not taking her eyes off the two scared foals.

Dr. Cupcake nodded. “Well then that’s good as it will make things a bit easier as they will be staying with us for a while.” She said and the CMC finally took their eyes off the other two fillies and looked at the doctor. “Can you three keep an eye on them?” She said.

The three fillies nodded. “You can count on use.” Scootaloo said.

Dr. Cupcake nodded once more. “Alright, if you need anything just hit he intercom by the door.” She said before hear and Dr. Atreus left the room to go do whatever it was they did here.

The three Crusaders looked at the two other foals who had quickly gotten out of the way of the two hazmat suited doctors as they left. “So….why don’t we you two come over and eat some food, you look mighty hungry.” Applebloom said.

Slowly the two former bullies approached the Crusaders as they watched them with friendly smiles.

<<>>

Dr. Atreus walked down the hall of the Everfree Lab; he had just left Dr. Cupcake who had volunteered to stay in the low security area of the lab in case the five children needed something which left Dr. Atreus to go to the High Security area of the lab.

Most of the other doctors were in that area already working on projects for the government or working with Dr. Vector on the BCD’s latest project simply called Project Caribou.

Dr. Atreus reached a heavy steel door with a keypad beside it and after punching in the ten digit security pass there was a pause as he heard several click of locks disengaging then with a beep from the keypad and a somewhat loud thud the door slowly started to open silently.

The changeling doctor stepped into the small airlock, this one was much smaller and simpler then the airlock that lead to the outside world as it only needed to ensure you didn’t walk out contaminated with the level five viruses housed within the high security area. After the door sealed behind him there was the sound of rushing air as the room pressurized to match the labs beyond.

After a few moments the glass doors slid open and Dr. Atreus’ ears were assaulted with a string of obscenities and threats of bodily harm being let forth by Subject MC-1. As Dr. Atreus walked in he could see the four subjects associated with Project Caribou housed inside of locked rooms with large observation windows so the doctors could monitor them.

Currently Subject MC-1 was strapped down to its bed as he had attacked the doctors upon waking up and thus needed to be restrained. The doctors of the lab were debating whether they should gag the subject as well as it had not stopped spouting threats and throwing curses at the doctors and it was very distracting to their work.

Subject MC-1 was the male Caribou who had been captured during the excursion into the town of Ponyville, he and the other subjects had been brought here and tripped of their clothing and dressed in medical gowns before being placed into the secure rooms. Their cloths and such were certainly all locked in secure biological containment cases for later study for possible new contagions.

As Dr. Atreus walked by Subject MC-1’s room he could feel the hatred so strongly it took all his will to not be sick from it, Changelings could not stomach extreme negative emotions like hatred and unbridled rage as it was like trying to eat spoiled food to them. However there was something under nether the hatred and anger currently directed at him, fear, and the subject was scared though he did not show it.

Past Subject MC-1’s room was Subject FC-1’s. The Female Caribou had stripped off her medical gown and sat curled in the corner far from it and the door and every now and then she ran her hand around her neck where the red collar had once been before the doctors removed it for study. All Dr. Atreus could feel from her room was pure fear at near panic levels and he made a mental note to see about getting the Subject a mild sedative to calm her.

Past the Caribou female’s room was Subject FP-1, this being the female pony that had been recovered. Unlike Subject FC-1, Subject FP-1 sat on her bed still wearing the medical gown given her and watched Dr. Atreus as he walked by the observation windows. The dark pink pony hadn’t said anything since waking up and Dr. Atreus could feel the fear emanating from her but there was also a sense of disbelief and relief as she absentmindedly ran a finger along where the black collar had rested around her neck.

Lastly Dr. Atreus walked past Subject MP-1’s room. The light brown stallion still wore his medical gown as he paced the length of the room and the strongest emotion emitting from the stallion was concern and worry but didn’t seem to be about his situation but towards a different target. Whatever the subject was worried about it must have been more important than the situation he found himself in as there was very little fear for himself, al his emotion were directed at something else besides himself for the most part.

When the stallion saw Dr. Atreus he stopped his pacing and approached the observation window. Tapping on it to get the doctors attention he spoke in a Trottingham accent. “I say whoever you are you must let me go, I have to get back to town. I don’t know why you have taken me but it is imperative I return to the town before too long.” He said.

Dr. Atreus ignored the subject and the subject followed the doctor from the other side of glass till he reached the wall and was forced to stop. The Subject released a huff of frustration and Atreus could sense the worry and concern grow.

At the end of the hall was a door that lead into one of the labs and it was here that was Dr. Atreus’ destination.

Inputting the a six digit code the door opened with a soft click and the changeling doctor entered the lab where he saw three of his fellow BCD doctors examining the blood samples taken from Subjects while Dr. Vector monitored the subjects via closed circuit TV cameras set up in the corners of the room. These allowed the doctors to observe subjects without interfering with their actions.

Dr. Atreus saw that Subject MP-1 had resumed his pacing and was now wringing his hands as he did so. “The two new guests have been left with the CMC and Dr. Cupcake stayed behind to monitor them all.” Dr. Atreus reported to the head doctor.

Dr. Vector nodded. “Excellent, how were all five of them?” Dr. Vector asked not taking his eyes from the monitors, it was impossible to tell which the stallion was looking at behind his gasmask but he was definitely observing the behavior of the Subjects.

“The CMC seem to be calming down, the fear is mostly gone and has been replaced with excitement for the most part while the two new children are filled with nothing but fear.” Dr. Atreus replied. “The CMC seemed to have gone to school with the new guests so we don’t have to worry about them having to get used to each other.”

Dr. Vector nodded once more. “Excellent I am glad to hear that those three are doing well.” He said. “As for the other two let’s hope being with familiar faces will help them overcome whatever has happened to them in the town.”

Dr. Atreus nodded in agreement and moved to begin analyzing a blood sample when the perimeter alarm start to sound alerting everyone in the lab something had entered the hallways outside the main airlock.

Dr. Atreus and the rest of the doctors in the lab moved over to the monitors as Dr. Vector flipped to the CCTV camera set up in the hall near the stairs. Dr. Atreus had expected a manticor or a pack of Timberwolves as sometimes they braved the lower levels of the ruins where the BCD lab dwelled however that was not what the monitor show.

What was making its way down the rapidly was a female pegasus that was clutching something to her chest as she ran down the hall. It didn’t take long to see why she was running as a manticor pushed its way through the door that lead to the stairs and gave chase. Dr. Vector flipped to the camera near the door and saw the pegasus mare reach it and skid to a stop as she looked around in clear panic at finding the steel door blocking her path.

The mare moved to the corner and placed what she had been carrying there before turning to face the charging manticor after picking up a brick that had been laying on the ground and brandishing it as a weapon while her wings flared wide to make herself look bigger.

“That’s a child with her.” One of the other doctors said as they got a clear look at the small unicorn child the pegasus had been carrying. “What is she doing brining a child into the forest?”

“I have no idea.” Dr. Vector said. “However we are not going to stand by and allow them to become food for one of the beasts of the forest.” He said as he stood from the chair. And turned to face the four doctors with him. “Euthanize the Manticor Subject and retrieve the two pony subjects.”

“Yes Doctor.” Dr. Atreus and the other three said before turning and rushing to the door to obey the Chemical Trooper leader, they just hoped they could get there in time.

<<>>

Big Mac covered his mouth with his hand as he yawned while walking down the stairs. The large red stallion had ended up sleeping in a bit later then he normally slept do to not getting to bed till late though yesterday evening had been rather eventful so nopony could blame him for being a bit late to his chorus.

He could smell breakfast being cooked so he figured his sister was already awake which meant he’d probably get an earful for sleeping in but that was fine as it was a sense of normalcy within this messed up world he found himself in.

“Mornin’ AJ.” The stallion said as he rounded the corner into the dining room and blinked as he saw his sister and the other three mares’ he lived with sitting at the table. This was confusing as he could hear the sound of someone cooking in the kitchen. “Are they…”he said slowly.

Applejack nodded. “Woke up this morning to them already in the kitchen making food, said it was the least they could do seeing as we let them stay here without much fuss.” The orange pony said, her arms crossed over her breasts.

Big Mac nodded slowly as he thought about the houses strange new boarders. It was because of them the stallion and everyone had been up so late, it wasn’t every day you met a creature you never seen nor heard of in your entire life who claims to be part of something called the EDF MID and that they were there to observe the town of Ponyville and that they planned to later liberate it from the Caribou. Big Mac had to admit it all sounded rather crazy to him but the way these changelings poke made him think there was something more going on than just four strange shape shifters.

Big Mac had talked to them for a while and he knew there were things they weren’t telling him, such as just where they came from as he knew there had to be more of them because no way four people could liberate the entire town of Ponyville even if they were strange bug like shape shifters. However the leader Henra either deflected his questions to another subject or just outright changed in and ignored his questions.

Still despite it all the famer never got the feeling the four of them weren’t lying when they said they were against the caribou and were there to help. In the end, after a near three hour discussion, Big Mac had decided to allow them to stay as long as they didn’t cause any trouble or interfere in the running of the far. Though when he said he didn’t have room for the four of them in the house, with the other three mares living her in Applebloom’s old room that left just the single guest room it was Henra who said that wasn’t a problem as they were used to being together as it was their way/ Big Mac wasn’t sure what that mean but sure enough two of them went up to the room to set things up, what that mean the stallion didn’t know as Henra wouldn’t tell him, but he did stay and chat with the ponies in the room. Mostly about the Caribou and what they all knew which wasn’t much as they kept their heads down so as not to draw attention to themselves.

Though allowing four people who said to be from the army and that they plan to liberate the town was the exact opposite of keeping your head down and not causing trouble but….well Big Mac simply wanted things to go back to how they were before when the world wasn’t so crazy and if these four said they could do it then he was throwing his proverbial hat in the ring with them.

But that was his decision and he wouldn’t make if for the others so he allowed the four of them to decide. Roseluck agreed immediately but that was probably because she went for this whole “ownership thing and was agreeing because Big Mac had. The other hadn’t been so ready to agree to this and were very uncomfortable with the idea.

Henra told them they could ask him whatever they wanted and he would tell them what he could but that something’s needed to remain secret for safety reason. Over the next two hours of questions and talks the other agreed with Applejack being the easiest to convince do to wanting to kick the Caribou’s flanks and send them packing out of Equestria.

With all that out of the way and with it being well after midnight the group of conspirators all headed to bed with Henra and the female changeling joining the other two in the room, only pausing to ask that the farmer not enter the room unless given express permission to do so. With that everyone retire for the night.

As the large red stallion stood there thinking of yesterday’s events the female changeling, dressed in a black jumpsuit and sturdy looking boots walked out with plates, forks, knives and various other items to set the table. “Ah you are awake Mr. Mac, did you sleep well?” She asked in that voice that had a slight hiss to it all four of them seemed to have.

The farmer nodded before looking at the changeling female. “So what all you four doing in there?” He asked.

“I believe you ponies call it making breakfast.” The female, Big Mac believed she was called Frinta though he only heard her name once and that was near the start of the discussion.

“We do but why are y’all makin’ it?” Applejack asked.

“As we said before it is as a thank you for allowing us to use your farm as an observation post, we know it puts all of you at great risk and so we will help out a bit around her as a sort of rent.” She said.

“That’s mighty kind of you.” Big Mac said.

“It’s not out of kindness, its respect; anyone willing to fight back against these disgusting bastards is worth respect in my book.” Frinta said with a nod towards the large red stallion.

After she was finished setting the table Henra and the other two changelings walked out of the kitchens with a large platter of pancakes, a few apples and some non-alcoholic sider in a pitcher between them. “Good morning Mr. Mac it is good to hear that you slept well.” Henra said with a small smile as he used his magic to divide up the food so everyone had a decent amount of pancakes, an apple and a glass of cider with the pitcher resting in the middle for anyone who wanted a refill.

“How did you know I slept well?” Big Mac asked curiously.

“Ah Mr. Mac that would be telling now wouldn’t it, we have to keep some secrets now don’t we?” He said and chuckled at what was clearly a joke as all they seemed to do was keep secrets. With that he took a seat on one side of the table alongside the other four and Big Mac realized they had found the other leafs for the table to make it as long as it could be to accommodate all of them.

Big Mac walked over and took his normal seat beside his sister and Henra lifted his glass of cider. “A toast to new friends for it is always a good thing to make new friends is it not Mr. Mac?”

Big Mac nodded his head in agreement and raised his own glass towards Henra and the other all did the same a bit confused at the overly formal gesture but it was just one of many things about these changelings that was strange. “Yes it is. “He said after taking a sip of his drink. “And call me Big Mac, Mr. is far too formal.” He said.

Henra nodded. “Very well Big Mac as you wish. “He said as he sipped his drink. “By the way I assume that care of apples is bound for town yes?” he asked as he slowly ate his meal.

Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup.” He said as he ate as well.

Henra nodded. “Excellent, I wonder if Frinta might accompany you into town to take a closer look, if that is alright with you of course.” He said.

Big Mac slowly chewed on his bite of pancake as he thought. “Don’t matter to me but how is she going to go into town, everypony knows I don’t have any does” he said.

Frinta smiled and looked over at Roseluck before being wrapped in green flame startling the ponies at the table for a moment. When the flame vanished Roseluck was sitting where the changeling female had been siting dressed in the same clothing as Frinta. “Oh don’t worry. “ The Roseluck copy said in the mare’s voice with a smirk. “We are highly skilled infiltrators, getting in places we should be is our specialty.”

Author's Note

And things are being put in motion, and the Caribou have no idea who they are dealing with....