Patriots of Equestria, Part 1

Thorax managed to get his message out as loud as he could, but Hopper who was now alone and desperate, ignored it. What's more, ever since he had managed to escape from the Crystal Empire, he could feel a sharp pain in his back from the firefight between he and the ponies set out to capture him and Thumper.

"Curse that, Starlight," he groaned as he felt the pain from the blast of magic Starlight fired at him. "Attacking me while I am trying to restore my queen to her rightful place? She will pay dearly for this when I return with my queen."

Nearing the town of Ponyville, the disguised Hopper got off the train with the throngs of guardsponies watching all of the passengers getting off the train with keen interest. Hopper was already beginning to feel very nervous and what's more, he was beginning to also lose his composure surrounding his disguise.

"No," he thought, as he struggled to maintain his disguise. "My body…it can't hold…my disguise. I cannot be discovered. Not now!"

Running into an empty shed, Hopper continued to try and force his body to maintain the pony body that he needed for this disguise. But, the pain in his back prevented him from doing so and he could no longer hold it in.

"Starlight Glimmer," growled Hopper, feeling himself give away his disguise as he collapsed on the floor. "When I get out of this, my queen will have your head in her throne room."

Hopper continued to moan slightly as he struggled to get back to his feet, his legs buckling. Being the true and dedicated Changeling soldier that he was, Hopper was not going to die here. In his mind, he was not going to be taken alive, much like he said in the confrontation with the ponies in the Crystal Empire. Still, he was a Changeling after all and he needed to feed on love.

"I need love to consume," he cried and no sooner did he say those words did he notice a pair of ponies walking past him. Opening his mouth, he took a deep breath and began to consume the love that the ponies had for his own desire. For several minutes, the love that the two ponies had inside of them entered his body. But, they seemingly took notice of what Hopper was doing and they ran off frightened. "Damn it! They couldn't give me all of it, but I have what I need for now."

Feeling his strength return, Hopper managed to rise to his feet and regain the strength in his legs. Still, he couldn't fly, but that didn't matter to him in the slightest.

…

But, little did he know that the two ponies that he had tried to consume of their love was already on the run.

"Did you feel that, Lyra?" asked a cream colored pony with candy colored hair. "He's here! I just know it!"

"The changeling that attacked the marathon, Bon Bon?" cried Lyra as they ran into a house not far from Ponyville town hall. "How could you be so sure it is him?"

"I sensed its presence," answered Bon Bon, who was also known by her real name, special agent Sweetie Drops. "But, I can't confront it directly, we need help from the proper authorities. This Changeling is dangerous and we can't simply confront it directly."

Looking out the window, Bon Bon noticed a guardspony walking by and motioned for him to come towards them. The guardspony saw the motioning and dashed over to them.

"What is it?" he cried walking in through the front door.

"He's here," Bon Bon whispered quietly. "And this is special agent Sweetie Drops talking, I know what I am talking about."

"Where did you see him?" he asked, acknowledging that this was one of Canterlot's secret agents talking to him.

"We didn't see him," answered Lyra, still frightened by the shadowy experience that she and Bon Bon had endured. "But, we felt our love for one another being drained away."

Heeding these words, the guard led Lyra and Bon Bon out of the house and back out into the open.

"The disturbance came from over here," said Bon Bon as she and Lyra led the guard back towards the house where Hopper was hiding. "Right through this window."

The guard peeked in and arming himself with his spear, raised his right front hoof and kicked open the door.

"CANTERLOT ROYAL GUARD! COME OUT AND SURRENDER NOW!" he shouted, but all that he heard was silence. "COME OUT AND SURRENDER NOW!"

The guard carefully walked around the house, even going up the stairs with the spear clutched tightly in the magical aura while Lyra and Bon Bon watched from downstairs. Going up the stairs, the guard searched every room of the house and he eventually came towards a bed that was unmade.

"He's here," he thought to himself. "Maybe in this room."

Taking his spear again, the guard walked over towards the bedroom closet and carefully opening the door, he looked through and saw nothing but clothes and other Knick knacks. Still, he had his thoughts and suspicions. Hastily leaving the bedroom, he ran downstairs and back towards Lyra and Bon Bon.

"Go back to your homes and stay there," he said to the two mares. "Lock your doors, lock your windows and don't come out until we say it is okay."

"What are you talking about?" asked Lyra confusingly.

"The wanted Changeling who attacked the marathon is definitely here in Ponyville," answered the guard. "We may not have orders to lock down the town yet, but it is highly likely that we will. Now go at once!"

Heeding his order, Lyra and Bon Bon dashed back to their house and the guard sent out a message which soon reached Instant Justice back in Manehattan. No sooner did Instant Justice get the message did he race into the hospital room where the princesses were being kept.

"Your highnesses," he said, bowing to them slightly. "I have received word that the wanted Changeling is in Ponyville."

Twilight's eyes widened at this for she knew her friends were being put in mortal danger as long as Hopper was on the loose in her hometown. But, being the true princess she was, Twilight kept her composure.

"What has he done so far?" asked Luna.

"He tried to absorb the love of two ponies," answered Instant Justice. "I think it is time that we keep him contained within Ponyville's borders. Shall I give the order for Ponyville to be locked down?"

Without any hesitation or thought, the four princesses were all in agreement to intensify the search for the wanted Changeling.

"Yes, Instant Justice," ordered Celestia, firmly. "You have my orders to secure Ponyville. Do so at once."

…

Meanwhile, back in the Crystal Empire, Starlight and her friends watched as Discord and Trixie were being loaded into pony drawn ambulances to be taken to Canterlot when they saw some of the guards mobilizing.

"What's going on?" asked Starlight, worriedly.

"He's been spotted in Ponyville," said one of the guards. "We are heading over there now."

All Starlight and her friends could do was stand wide eyed for a brief moment and then they all realized that the hunt was about to soon reach its climax…