Patriots of Equestria, Part 1

Upon his return to the Changeling Kingdom, all Thorax could think of was finding Hopper and Thumper. But, in order to do that, he needed the captives that sat in his dungeons to talk, to open up about Hopper and Thumper's plan. It was no sooner that he returned to his throne that one of the changelings questions Chrysalis' loyalists came darting into the throne room.

"One of the prisoners is willing to talk," said a reformed Changeling as Thorax rose to his feet. "He says that he is willing to betray Hopper and Thumper for the sake of Equestria."

"Bring him in," commanded Thorax and the Changeling motioned for several more reformed Changelings to bring the captive inside.

Upon being brought inside, the beaten and bruised Changeling was brought before Thorax and forced to stare up at him. Thorax could tell that he was frightened for his very life as he stepped down from the throne and looked down at him.

"Thorax," whimpered the captured Changeling, shaking so hard that his chains rattled. "I…wish to no longer…suffer the punishments for defending my comrades."

"Go on," said Thorax, quietly. "I'm listening."

"Hopper and Thumper," answered the Changeling, talking through ragged, deep breaths. "They…were…planning to have the Queen reclaim…her place. And, they…were going to plant more bombs…like they did at the marathon."

Thorax's eyes widened and while he was beginning to grow more and more desperate to stop this plot, he kept his emotions in check for the sake of the formerly tough minded Changeling that shook before him like a frightened baby pony.

"How many of these bombs were they going to set off?" asked Thorax. "What are they planning to do?"

"They…want to create a distraction," answered the Changeling. "Hopper and Thumper…want to set off bombs in every major city…in Equestria. So, that…while the attention would…focus on the bombings, they would have…no problem…in finding Chrysalis."

"Did you hear anything said about where Chrysalis is hiding?" asked Thorax.

"No," replied the Changeling. "No one…knows where she is…not even Hopper and Thumper themselves know where she is. But, they said they will not rest…until they find her."

Thorax took in this matter very seriously. He didn't know himself where Chrysalis was hiding, but he knew that time was still of the essence.

"Where are they now?" he asked.

"They are hiding…in Canterlot," answered the Changeling, weakly. "Planning to attack…Canterlot Castle."

With the words, Thorax activated his horns and sent out several flashes of light from them, summoning a majority of the Changelings who had reformed into the throne room. Landing in front of Thorax, they armed themselves with whatever magic that they could muster to prepare themselves for what was to come.

"I am sending you all to aide those in hunting for Hopper and Thumper," Thorax announced in a loud voice. "You will all fly to Canterlot and if you see Hopper and Thumper, do not rest until they are captured alive! They must not find Chrysalis and restore her to power! Now go and spread love to all who are affected by their actions!"

Heeding the calls of their new leader, the reformed Changeling departed the kingdom, heading towards Canterlot as fast as they could. Once they were gone, Thorax turned his attention to the captured Changeling.

"Will you learn to share love instead of taking it for yourself?" he asked and without saying another word, the Changeling nodded and Thorax turned his attention towards the Changelings holding him. "Then, release him at once from his bonds!"

Doing as his captors were told, the Changeling was freed from his bonds and releasing all of the love that had been inside of him, transformed into a reformed Changeling, completely healed of all the wounds he had sustained during the interrogations.

"I pledge my allegiance to you, Thorax," he said, bowing down to him. "I am willing to spread my love throughout all of Equestria!"

"Then, you may arise," said Thorax and the newly reformed Changeling left the throne room a freed creature. However, Thorax knew that this was only one Changeling who had been reformed. "Now, if only the others would do same."

…

Back in Canterlot, Starlight and her comrades stood before Instant Justice while he was keeping a family of ponies under house arrest for supposedly aiding the Changelings.

"Young mare, do you realize what is going on here?" asked Instant Justice in a quiet, irritable tone as he stepped towards Starlight. "Our leaders have been injured and who knows what these monsters will do next? However, I am more than willing to listen what you have to say."

"That's real touching of you, Mr. Minister," remarked Discord, holding out a hand puppet in Instant Justice's likeliness and playing with it. "Do you realize that my first true friend is among those ponies who were targeted for death? So, we aren't leaving from this spot until we say what we need to say to you!"

Instant Justice simply ignored Discord and instead focused all of his attention on Starlight and her friends.

"We witnessed the bombs going off," explained Sunset. "In fact, we both knew that something was very wrong."

"Then, why didn't you alert the nearest security officer?" cried Instant Justice, glaring at both Starlight and Sunset. "The marathon was very well guarded with Equestrian law enforcement!"

"We didn't want to cause a panic, Mr. Minister," protested Starlight. "In fact, the Changelings were disguised as normal ponies, so it would have been impossible to prevent a panic from happening! They even disguised themselves as Twilight and her friends…"

"I know what they did!" interrupted Instant Justice. "And in fact, I know why you are doing this. You want us to try and bargain with monsters that harmed so many ponies and offer them their friendship? I am sorry, young mare, but there will come a time where excessive force will be taken and this is one of those times. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to Canterlot castle to hear a briefing."

Instant Justice walked past Starlight, but Twilight Sparkle's personal protégé was not going to simply stand by.

"All we are saying is that we can help in the investigation," pleaded Starlight, teleporting herself and the others in front of him. "There is much more to these Changelings than even you will ever know, Mr. Minister! Let us help you!"

But, Instant Justice grunted and simply stayed focused on the task at hand.

"He just doesn't understand," cried Moon Dancer. "There really is more to the Changelings than meets the eye. Those poor ponies who are under house arrest didn't know what the Changelings were going to do."

Then, Starlight got herself an idea about how to clear the family's name as well as prove that they could help in the investigation.

"What about that Changeling Talisman?" she wondered. "I've got the feeling that the Changelings were disguised as normal ponies and they didn't know about it."

"What are you saying, Starlight?" asked Trixie and they all followed Starlight back to the house where the family was being held under heavy guard. "You don't mean…?"

"Yes, we need to talk to them directly," said Starlight, firmly as they walked up to the guards at the front door. "These ponies are just as victims in this as we all are."

She then looked to the two guards and then retreated to a back corner of the house that was unguarded, grabbing the others as well in her magical grip. Once the coast was clear, Starlight teleported them all into the house, startling the occupants inside.

"Who are you?!" cried the father.

"We can help clear your name in this matter," said Starlight. "Just tell us exactly what happened that got you in this situation."

The father pony wasn't sure what was going on, but the mother pony was very sure. As far as she was concerned, these were ponies that didn't want to see them in the situation that they were currently in.

"What can you do to help us?" asked the mother much to the father's shock and surprise.

"All we need is the whole truth," said Sunset. "And with your help, we can put an end to this reign of terror that we are all under."

So, the two ponies sighed and they led Starlight and her friends into the living room. They all knew that if Equestria's minister of justice wasn't going to listen or tell them anything, these ponies would and what they would say would hopefully be another step in the hunt for the Changeling monsters that, at that very moment, had completed their next engine of destruction to be carried out in Canterlot itself…