An Exercise In Management

by Nameless Narrator

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Changelings, Random
Length: 166495

A simple drone "accidentally" failed to leave the Badlands hive for the invasion to Canterlot. He was only two weeks old, one of the clutch specifically created to break through the protective shield. Now starving, he's just trying to survive.

!!Woo, featured on 16.10.2018!! Thanks everyone.

It was supposed to be simple. After drone 200234 learned about the incoming invasion into ponyland's capital city of ponytown, or whatever the thing was called, his only dream consisted of finding a pony to suck (that's what we do, right?). Changeling drones normally don't own anything, nor are they allowed to take love on their own from captured prisoners, that is for infiltrators or warriors (smug buggers). Anyway, a drone's job is to do what it's told. So, this little guy ended up in a much unwanted position of leadership.

How? Well, it started like this...

(Suggestions or any comments are always welcome.)
AU - added AU tag for the origin of changelings story.

Published 2017-07-17 11:30:06 UTC
Last updated 2018-10-31 13:36:02 UTC

2: Onwards to the closest tunnel instead!

“Ow ow ow ow ow-”

Limping across the rocky floors of the changeling hive isn’t fun.

“-ow ow ow ow ow.”

My growling stomach isn’t helping.

“I could have been ammo, it’s not the best, but it’s still a career. Maybe I would have hit some soft part of that shield, crashed through, and landed on a pony, but nooooo. Some asshole warrior just HAD to close his eyes for a second while flying and now this.”

“Damn, what’s with my hoof? I wish I had some connection to the hive mind. Knowledge of basic medicine would come in handy right now.”

“Huh, it’s reeeeeally quiet. It’s never been this quiet. Am I really completely alone?”

The only light in here is some bioluminescent green goop on the walls. I think we make it… somehow. That’s one bad thing about reliance on the hive mind - I can’t recall anything important now that I really need it.

“Hmph, the skylights are too high to reach without wings. Come to think of it, I’ve never gone outside via the main entrance. Wait, why do we even have a ground entrance when we can fly? I mean, this way it can be easily used by ponies trying to infiltrate the hive for some strange reason.”

“On the other hoof, why would anyone want to come here anyway…? There’s nothing interesting around. I guess we’re not great at building design either. Anyway, which tunnel to take, the dingy dark one or one of the other ten dingy dark ones?”

“The dark and dingy one it is.”

Several caverns later, there’s a changeling silhouette sitting by a glowy blob at the entrance of yet another tunnel. Shockingly, a dingy and dark one.

“...old chitin husk maybe?”

It turns around, revealing itself not only as alive, but as a drone.

“Oh, hello!”

“Uhh, hi. What are you doing here? I thought everyone flew off.”

“My wings don’t work properly for some reason, so when everyone else left I stayed here. I tried waving my forelegs really hard, but I couldn’t fly. I think it’s because of all the holes.”

“You don’t have wings.”

“Oh, that would make sense.”

“You’re… not bothered by that?”

“Not really. I was a bit when it all went quiet, but I wasn’t scared at all because the queen told me to be a strong and brave drone so that I don’t go splat against the shield too easily.”

“So you’ve been just sitting here for last half an hour?”

“I didn’t want to wander around because I was really hungry.”

“That makes two of us. Hey, what’s your number?”

“Uhh, a lot? It started with three and there were a bunch of other numbers after it.”

The drone waves its hoof five times.

“Three and five more? Great, I outrank you!”

“Cool!”

“Wait, really? You’re not like mad because you can’t order me to transfer what little love I have stored to you?”

“We can do that?”

“How old are you?”

“Three days. the others told me I was really important because I would be in the first wave when the invasion comes.”

“...note to self - bash the nearest high-tier changeling’s head with a rock...”

“I can’t hear you too well if you mutter to yourself like that. My ears kind of ring since a warrior smacked me for not flying up fast enough.”

“But… you don’t have wings.”

“Well that answers why I didn’t fly up fast enough.”

“And he hit you even when he knew that.”

“Yeah, he even had an old pony spear. It was all rusty and jagged. A piece of it broke off when it hit my head. I still have it. It’s so cool!”

The drone reverently presents a short, rotting stick.

“It’s all mine, but… you can have it since you’re a lower number. Those are the rules, right? Uhh, can I at least look at it sometimes? I mean, it was something that was mine at some point. That counts for something.”

“You’ve never owned anything, did you? Come to think of it, neither did-”

“I used to have a really round rock, but I traded it with another drone for a piece of shiny goop when I was sent down to the hatchery to bring some eggs. It melted yesterday.”

“Uhm, well, I… you know what? You can keep the stick- spear bit. It’s yours. If anyone tries to take it away by force, poke them with it.”

“THANK YOU!”

So happy because I didn’t take away its broken stick. If it- he, let's say the drone is a he despite the lack of any characteristics, ever pokes anyone with it, it’ll just crumble anyway.

“I just can’t say no to the lifeless blue puppy eyes. Wait, give me the sti- spear for a moment. I promise I’ll give it back.”

With the bit of wood reluctantly handed to me, I scoop some glowing goo off the wall and give it back to the drone.

“Now you have a glowy spear bit.”

“OH MY GOSH! You are the best, boss!”

“Boss?”

“You’re a lower number, and there’s no one else around, so you’re in charge. If you want me to sit here I’ll sit as hard as I can.”

Yes, you can sit here until your love runs out and you leave nothing but a chitin shell. I’m pretty sure no one will care even if they return.

“You know… my foreleg is hurt, so if you want you can come with me and cast some light on the floor.”

“How do I do that? No one taught me how to magic.”

Not the smartest one, but neither am I. I doubt the higher-ups needed us to be.

“Just shove that wood in some empty hole-”

Nom!

“-not your mouth, leg hole. Good, that’ll do. Now you won’t drop it again if you need to talk and walk at the same time.”

“You’re a genius! Makes sense you got into the high ranks.”

“Alright, now walk in front of me so that I can limp at least a bit safely.”

“Alright, boss.”

My stomach growls louder.

“Damn it, it hurts even worse than before.”

“Are you okay, boss?”

“...weak...”

*Thud!*

“Boss? Boss! BOSS!”

Why does the rocky ground feel so soft now?

3: Onwards to the exit!

Queens and armies may fall, but the Hive will survive. Those who earn the loyalty of others are fit for leadership. There used to be many, they fought for supremacy. They didn’t understand that no matter how fractured we got, we would still be the Hive.

Wake up, young one.

“...unngh...”

“-ss?”

“Boss?”

“...mmphm?”

“Boss, you’ve been out for so long. At least I think it was long. I kinda fell asleep guarding you.”

“My stomach hurts. Wait, no, I recall it hurting. Now it feels... heavy?”

“Oh yeah, few hours after you fell asleep-”

“Unconscious due to wrecking agony.”

“-unconsh- asleep, your belly went all dark blue instead of black.”

“Oh no, I have changeling pox. I’m doomed. Noooo, now I’m gonna die in agony, all alone in the darkness.”

“I’m still here, boss, and my glowy spear butt still shimmers.”

“...all alone in the darkness would be better...”

“What was that, boss? Anyway, you grew belly armor like the big changelings have.”

“Holy ovipositor, you’re right! Why? Waaaaaait...”

I scratch my head, remembering the onset of itching amidst the stomach pain.

“Oh yeah, and you have a mane too now. It’s short and sticky, like velcro.”

The hay is a velcr-

A type of fastening tape consisting of opposing pieces of fabric, one piece with a dense arrangement of tiny nylon hooks and the other with a dense nylon pile, that interlock when pressed together, used as a closure on garments, luggage, etc., in place of buttons, zippers, and the like.

“THE HECK WAS THAT?!”

“Uhh, what, boss?”

“Can you feel the hive mind?”

“No, boss. None of the higher-ups are around. Hey, since you’re my boss now and have mane, tail, and armor, can I tap into you? Let me try.”

Out of nowhere, I can feel a tiny searching… moving little dot of pressure inside my head. Explaining mental phenomena is hard.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa, stop that. It feels really weird. I like my head being just mine.”

“No hive mind in there anyway, only you. I get scared of voices in my head too sometimes, but then I realize it’s just me thinking.”

“...I bet there’s a nice echo in there...”

“So, boss, what now?”

“How long was I out?”

“The skylights blinked once, and now it’s getting brighter again.”

“Over a day… and you didn’t drain and leave me?”

“You’re smart, boss, and you let me have my spear bit!”

“...and you consider that an answer in your head...?”

“I’m sorry, boss. I can’t make anything out when you mumble like that. My ears still ring a bit.”

“That’s intentional.”

“Oh, okay. Do you think I’ll ever be smart enough to know the hive secrets you do?”

“Hive s-? Oh, yeah, sure. I mean I was a drone yesterday, and now I look as if I was second in command of the whole hive. Work hard and you can do that too.”

“You think so? That’s exactly what the queen said.”

“...scratch that one...”

Why does that comment bother me so much?

“I mean you’re not that big. The queen was huuuge.”

“Thank you for reminding me. I’m absolutely certain she won’t use her huuuge hooves and huuuge horn overflowing with huuuge magical power to crush me into a tiiiny ball for… something if she ever sees me looking like this. I’m not sure what for, but I’ve never heard about a male changeling looking queen-like. Huh, king-like?”

“Boss-like.”

“Very helpful.”

“I try my best, boss.”

“Great, what did you say your number was?”

“Uhh, a lot?”

“Alright, we’ll sort that out later. Let’s get ou-OW!”

“Does your hoof still hurt?”

“No, I like randomly screaming in pain. It helps me deal with the unexpected loss of everything I’ve ever known.”

“Cool, should I try?”

“N-”

“OW! Hey, it does help. I don’t feel so alone anymore, or that might be because you’re here… or the echo.”

“...I could just drain this guy here and now and no one in the hive would fault me for it...”

“You’re so smart, boss.”

That idiot actually means it.

“Ow- forfuckingqueen’ssake!”

Contrary to popular belief, hitting the ground isn’t fun.

“I can carry you, boss, if you can’t walk. I used to carry eggs, and you’re not that big. I have a little love you can take if you need help healing the hoof.”

“I can see how much you’ve got left and if I drained you I’d have to carry you- wait, HOW can I see that?”

“Awww, I can’t do that. How does it look?”

“Like a little red sun in your barrel. Tiny one… I mean… really tiny… a dot more like.”

“I’m starving, boss. That’ll be it. But you can still take it, since, you know, you’re the boss. The queen always said the best thing a drone can do with its life is to give it for the hive.”

“Aaaand you’re fine with that? You’d just leave a hollow shell lying here if I told you to?”

“Uhh, yes?”

“...please don’t say it as if that mere question was some out of this world crazy suggestion...”

“Hey, the skylights are getting brighter.”

“It must be early morning. Fine, I’m not sticking around for no reason. Let me just wrap my foreleg around your neck like this so that I don’t walk on it and let’s go.”

“I have seven hoofsies now, and one of them glows.”

“Yes, yes, you do.”

The Hive will survive, no matter what shape or form.

I shudder. Why do I get the feeling that the invasion into pony lands didn’t go as planned?

5: Onwards towards danger!

“Hello, miss warrior!”

“...don’t talk to her, idiot...”

“Why, boss?”

“...because she’ll kill me. And lower your voice...”

“I… am not… deaf, and I can… hear you… whispering.”

“Don’t worry, boss.”

“Why? Killing is literally what they are made for.”

“Because her foreleg’s in that bush all the way over there , her belly plate is gone, and she has all these cracks in her chitin which can’t be healthy. Plus, we’re changelings too!”

“That means we’re food and no one will help us!”

“Don’t… underestimate me… drone...”

“EXACTLY! Let’s pretend we didn’t see anything, especially not the other two dead warriors in pieces strewn all around. Those are bite marks on their armor, and this one is missing a lot of teeth.”

“That only-”

“THAT DOESN’T MEAN SHE’S LESS DANGEROUS!”

“I appreciate… the proper… kind of respect...”

“Umm, you mean me or the boss?”

“I mean… the one trembling… in his… carapace...”

“Hey, I’m not trembling! My legs are just weak since I’m hungry.”

“She’s talking about me, and I don’t mind saying I’m halfway to gooping myself.”

“Does it glow?”

“How should I-?! Why do you even want to know?”

“My pokey spear bit went out some time ago. I liked it more when it shimmered.”

“Hrrrrgh… you, warrior!”

“Yes… drone...? Wait… no… what are… you?”

She opens her eyes glued with dried green blood wider for the first time. One is pure white, clearly damaged beyond repair, and her working one is an emerald green one with black pupil like ponies have.

“Ehhh, I’m no one important, just a drone. Yeah, nameless, easily forgettable drone.”

“Then I order both of you to come over here and give me all your love.”

The dummy whimpers, grasping his messy wooden stick, but his legs obey the order before his head can, which to be honest can’t be difficult. I, on the other hoof, feel none of the familiar pull of an order from a higher rank. In light of that revelation, I gather my courage.

“H- ho- ho- how ab- about n- no!”

My companion stops in his tracks.

“...what… did… you… s...”

“Boss, she’s healing! Her stump isn’t even bleeding anymore. What do we do?”

With utmost care bordering on paranoia, I approach the warrior breathing slower and slower.

“That’s called bleeding out.”

“That’s good, right? If she was bleeding in she’d pop like a balloon.”

“...what tragedy would that be...”

“Boss?”

“She’s dying like the last guy we found.”

“Then help her, boss! She’s big and tough and this forest looks full of mean things.”

“Like wh-”

Manticores - have the body of a lion, a scorpion's tail, and a pair of dragon-like wings., hydras - possess multiple heads, the exact number of which varies according to the source. Later versions of the Hydra reports add a regeneration feature to the monster. For every head chopped off, the Hydra would regrow a couple of heads. Hydras have poisonous breath and blood so virulent that even its scent is deadly, common wild beasts - wolves, bears, timberwolves-

“-STOP!”

“...boss?”

The hissing voices fade away, taking with them memories which aren’t mine, images of horrible creatures inhabiting this place-

-the Hayseed Swamp.

“...boss? I’m sorry I asked you to help her. Don’t be mad at me, I’m really sorry. I know you know better. I was stupid. You can have my spear stick if you want, but please don’t yell anymore. It… hurts. I’m really sorry.”

He’s sitting on the grass and grasping his head, the gooey stick lying in front of him. The warrior changeling is once again awake, giving me an exhausted look. I myself am gasping for breath, trying to sort through the aftereffects of the flurry of living memories.

“I felt… I was one… the one the hydra ate… the one the manticore stabbed… all of the ones exploring this deadly place… but I’m here… and now… me… drone… two, zero, zero.... something.”

“...in… terest… ing...”

The warrior’s whisper followed by a trail of warmth flowing from her to me is completely shocking. As if a bucket of ice water was poured over my head, I wake up and focus instantly.

“What- what are you doing?!”

There’s a searching presence inside my head again, but it’s not the dummy. This one is weak, but focused like a sharp blade.

“...the hive… must… go on. We are better… than the… traitors...”

“What are you talking about? Speak to me!”

Her whole body twitches, her mouth opens only to let a stream of green blood out-

“...as… you… com… man… d...”

-and her eyelids slowly close as her voice fades.

“No, no no no no, why did you say the same things the voices did? What do you know? EXPLAIN SOMETHING! Please!”

I stomp the ground in frustration.

“Fine, you know what? Be like that! I won’t let the only changeling around who knows something die on me without making at least SOME sense.”

I put my hoof on her cracked nose chitin, and pour several small sparks of love into her. I’m shortening my and dummy’s lives by at least a day, but she WILL TALK. The warrior spasms, and starts gasping for breath.

“Wh- what?”

“You know something about the voices. Tell me, please. Every time they scream my head hurts like it’s about to burst, but they know things. They- they… I’m not… umm... sure how to feel about your hoof on my muzzle. That smile is terrifying, though, teeth or no teeth.”

“She booped you, boss.”

“Y- y- y- y- yeah. You know w- what that m- means?”

“That she’s your friend, boss.”

“THAT SHE CAN MOVE AGAIN! RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!”

I turn around and bolt like a well-lubricated lightning. My existence is speed, supersonic burst of terror clearly translated into leg movement. It lasts only for a fraction of a second, though, before I smash my face into the ground.

“You are… twitchy.”

The voice is calm and curious.

“Please let go of my leg. I don’t want to be here! I’m just a drone, I don’t even have enough energy to last you for long. My chitin isn’t even tasty, I swear. The other guy’s exactly the same. We’re starving too, so if you eat us you won’t help yourself. I think I saw a pony that way! Big one, blind one too, with bandaged hooves. Won’t recognize a changeling if you hit him in the face. You could drain him for months-”

“Very. Twitchy.”

“Hey, let boss go. I mean, please.”

The idiot is actually holding the stick with his both forehooves, making short poking motions at the warrior. She chuckles, sits down, and pushes him with her single foreleg hard enough to flop on his backside.

“If this is your bodyguard, then I am sure I can top that-”

Wait, what?

“-boss.”

6: Onwards to horror!

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa, slow down a moment!”

“Isn’t this great, boss? She wants to be your bodyguard.”

“And you actually believe her?! What’s stopping her from stabbing us in the back the second we turn around?”

“She doesn’t have anything to stab us with, boss. Even if she took my spear piece she wouldn’t be able to do much harm. It’s really fragile… hehe, but it’s still mine.”

“Listen to the drone, ‘boss’. He’s thought of something you seem to be forgetting.”

She finally lets my hind leg go, which I use immediately to kick myself away from her. I can’t look threatening as I spin in the air and then shuffle backwards, but I muster all the desperate courage I can right now.

“L- l- like w- what?”

Despite her three legs, she’s blindingly fast. When I make the mistake of blinking, the warrior is already towering in front of me as my lids open.

“That if I wanted to squash you, I wouldn’t need to wait for you to turn around… boss.”

“See? She’s a nice lady warrior, boss.”

“No, she’s not. She probably ate at least a hundred other drones before she even got from the hive to this place.”

“That can’t be true! She’s all skinny, and her legs a thin and super long. Really pretty, actually.”

“We don’t get fat, idiot! That’s a pony thing.”

“What did you say, drone?”

“That you look really good despite the leg stump, miss… umm what is your rank?”

“Eight.”

“...we are so freaking dead...”

“You are squirming far too much for that.”

“...so mega dead...”

“Anyway, I didn’t do anything to any drones. Most of them just collapsed on their own.”

“...better than what the queen wanted to use them for… less than workers or chitin shields… just ammo...”

“Drones are supposed to work for the hive.”

“Agreed, boss. I liked carrying eggs, it helped pass time.”

“Shutup! Look, I’m a drone. I’ve been around for only two damn weeks and I’ve carried away enough empty husks into the rotting caves to realize that while there’s nothing wrong with working hard, there’s EVERYTHING wrong with losing all importance whenever a high-rank wants something else. Do you understand how little she cared? I can see into this idiot’s head and I could build a golf course in there. The newest drones weren’t even supposed to think properly, they were just a mass of bodies to blindly crash into some shield or whatever. If I was born like three days later I would be the same. To her, deep down, no one but herself meant anything. We were all just sacrifices. It wouldn’t matter if none of us survived the invasion as long as she won and had plenty of pony bodies to fill with new eggs. Did you think that being a single digit would make you different, more important to her? Heck no! Chrysalis IS NOT MY QUEEN!”

Only now I realize I’ve been rambling with cold sweat dripping down my muzzle and spine. Funny, I had no idea changelings had the proper glands. Considering Eight’s probably about to rip my head off and make it look at my corpse, I’ll have a unique chance for examination, albeit a short one.

Eight nods towards two of the bigger pieces of changeling remains “decorating” the clearing.

“You, drone, retrieve my leg from those two.”

The dummy’s legs move on reflex.

“Don’t you dare help her!”

He stops. Eight chuckles.

“And thus your order overrides mine… boss. You see, hive mind is a strange thing, and some say it has life of its own, separate from the changelings connected to it. Allow the drone to bring me my leg. I would do it myself, but for whatever reason I feel that leaving you… unsupervised is the wrong idea. You are very twitchy, as I said.”

“What’s stopping you from choking me to death with my own tail if you get the leg back?”

“What’s stopping me now?”

“...”

“...”

“That… that me and the dummy don’t have enough love between the two of us to take?”

“Which would change how exactly by me getting my leg back?”

“...”

“Oooh, I know that one! It wouldn’t at all, bo-”

“...bring her the damn leg...”

“On it!”

And so, he invites our untimely demise that much closer. Eight presses her separated foreleg against her stump, and with a spark of green light, the limb reconnects to her body. She takes few careful steps, each followed by a scowl.

“Hmph, weak and numb, but still better than keeling over on accident. Good job, drone.”

“Thanks, miss!”

“Alright, dummy?”

“Yes, boss?”

“This is an order - if- no, when she sucks me dry you are to run as fast as you can to some pony place and do anything you can to survive. Understood?”

“But she’s-”

“Understood?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Good. So what now, Eight? Do we continue this charade?”

She walks over to the closest piece of changeling corpse and kicks it.

“These two… do you know who they were?”

“Oh yes, I recognize that torso sawed in half, that’s- of course not! Judging from the chitin… shards they were pretty high ranks.”

“Nine and Eight, to be accurate. Yesterday, I was Ten. They ambushed me when we were passing above this swamp. After all, I was a lower rank, and they got… bored of messing with drones.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Oh?”

“You were a lower rank. You were weaker. All they needed was to order you to give yourself up you would have obeyed on instinct.”

“Top ranks don’t work like that… boss. That’s only true if the power difference is high enough. Any of the triple-digits could command you before… now, and double-digits could order any triple around. Top ten is a tier of… mostly equals, separated by skill and earned love.”

“Now I get it. Since we had so little love to go around in the hive, the difference between top ranks turned into pure skill.”

She gives me a satisfied and unbelievably smug smile.

“And I beat the two ‘above’ me in a one versus two scenario. Do you still have a problem with me being your bodyguard?”

“Yeah! Double now. Why do you care about us if you’re that good? Why not just find the closest sentient creature, drain it, and rejoin the invasion?”

“Queen’s power over her underlings is absolute. She can take anyone’s love if she has enough of her own, no matter their rank, and she also distributes it depending on need. No one other than a potential different queen can touch it. She is the hive’s final... reserve. I cannot drain you, and you gave your own love to me… willingly. Plus, the hive mind speaks to you.”

“How do you know?! The voices? I’ve been connected to the hive mind back in the Badlands and it’s never been like this. I just knew what I needed to know to work. No memories and changeling hissing talking to me.”

“Yes, the hive mind needs you for some reason, and I can get ‘into’ your head easily without being able to force you to do anything.”

“I can do that too, miss.”

“...bet you need signposts to get out...”

“Can you make some, please? Last time I forgot who I was for a while.”

“Do you want to know more, boss?”

“Yeah, none of this is making any sense, or enough sense.”

“Then I guess you have to keep me around until we gather enough love to… refresh my memory. I must have been knocked around by the two a lot more than I thought.”

“You’re kidding. Knowledge for… company?”

“Something like that.”

“Can we keep her, boss? Pleeeeeeease.”

“Is my eye twitching?”

“A lot, boss. Your veins are popping too.”

“Goo- what? We are changelings, you can’t see our veins.”

“I sure can. You have pony eyes like Eight here now. Dark blue, just like your mane and tail. Belly plate too.”

I pat my head. It’s all there. They aren’t crazy. I might be, but they aren’t.

“Fine, we’re taking her with us, but you’re buying her pet food and teaching her to use the litterbox.”

“Miss Eight, this is a swamp. You can relieve yourself anywhere if you need to. I’ll try to get you some love later… somehow… somewhere.”

“See, ‘boss’, I am already fully trained. Your underling did an excellent job in an incredibly short amount of time. You have an eye for picking the best.”

“...two of them… now there’s two of them...”

“There is a town northeast of here. We should head that way if we don’t want to starve.”

“How do you know?”

“The swamp route was carefully planned by infiltrators to avoid pony settlements and prevent a message getting to Canterlot before us. The place I remember was mentioned.”

“I hate listening to you, but I don’t want to run around blindly until we leave just hollow shells. I doubt any one of us has enough love to shapeshift and get some more.”

“I have a plan already.”

“...if she starts draining me, you run. Remember?”

“Clear as day, boss.”

“Then I guess we’re all set. Eight, lead the way, by which I mean - stomp the vegetation so that we can walk through easier. You DO have long legs.”

“Will do, my glorious leader.”

“You’re making fun of me.”

“Of course not, our sole ticket to a bright future.”

“Just be quiet.”

“...of course, King...”

“...Chrysalis is going to kill me so hard...”

Having no other choice, we trudge after Eight through the increasingly wet and hot growth.

***

It’s long past sunset when Eight stops out of nowhere and turns to me. I’m definitely not comfortable with her standing so close.

“The town is nearby, I can sense it.”

“Great, so what was your pl-”

*Crunch!*

“Why is everything spin-?”

*Thud!*

Darkness.

“M- m- m- m- miss, Eight?”

“I order you to give me all your love, drone.”

“Bu- but the boss said-”

“Come over here.”

“But miss-”

Her horn flickers with green light, drawing a tiny wisp of smoke out of the drone’s chest. He falls over, eyes bulging, gasping for breath, and legs helplessly twitching.

“Silence!”

He breathes out, and within few seconds he’s only a completely motionless, empty changeling body. He doesn’t breathe in again.

Eight looks around, and in a burst of emerald flames transforms into a pegasus mare with flowing black mane and light grey coat, keeping her signature long legs.

Without a word, she trots off into the night.

7: Onwards to "I hate you"!

“Uuuugh...”

“What… happened…?”

“I remember… Eight… and then-”

My dizzy attempts at standing up are cut short by the ice shower provided by my drone companion’s motionless, prone body.

“She punched me. Oh no...”

I start shaking the drone who doesn’t respond whatsoever.

“She said she couldn’t drain me, but she said nothing about this guy. DAMN IT! Why did I trust a high-rank? Why did HE beg me to trust her?”

The red dot of energy inside the drone is only barely noticeable. He’s as close to death as he can be without actually being a bare husk.

“Alright, alright, alright, I can still squeeze something out of myself. Just… hold on. You’ll be back on your hooves and failing to understand the world in no time. We drones have to work together. I have few drops to share, I must… uuuuurgh!”

No matter how much I focus or push, I have no love to transfer. I’m almost completely out, and my body knows that better than I do.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit! We could have just let her rot in that clearing. We could have drained her to make us last another day, but noooo… you had to get swayed by a pretty face. We are changelings, for queen’s sake! We exist to mislead and lie. I bet she didn’t even fight the other two. I bet she teamed up with one of them to drain the other, and then backstabbed her accomplice.”

A twig snaps behind me.

“I’m not sure whether to feel insulted, hurt… or angry. No, furious.”

She’s standing there, positively glowing with energy to my eyes. It’s not actually that much, but with how starved I am, she feels like a week’s worth of lunches.

“E- Eight? Heheheh… is feeling merciful an option?”

With an evil chuckle, she shoves me aside with the strength of a moving glacier, walks past me to the dummy, and touches his horn with her long one. The little spark of green light she sends out is absorbed by him, he whimpers like someone being woken up from deep sleep, twitches, and then jumps up, fully awake.

“Aaaah! You drained me and you punched the boss! Bad long leg lady! I’m not buying you pet food for that! I thought you were nice! I thought-”

His tirade continues as he smacks his forelegs ineffectively against her chest. Eight is watching him, corner of her mouth curling upwards. It’s the one where she does still have her fang, but that’s the least terrifying part.

“-and I was going to buy you a nice collar and-”

“You do realize that you keeping her as a pet was a joke, right?”

“YOU’RE OKAY, BOSS!”

Aaand now he’s hanging around my neck, poking my chin with his stubby horn.

“I wouldn’t mind a collar, but if someone’s going to chain me, it won’t be you, drone. So, ‘boss’, what’s our next course of action?”

“Don’t you ‘next course of action’ me! Explain yourself!”

“These are my legs, they are for moving around. This is a mouth, useful for eating. Next up, eyes. Helpful for not hitting trees on the way-”

“I’m starting to hate you...”

“You mean up until now you were just pretending? Well acted, you could have made a great infiltrator one day, oh glorious one.”

“EIGHT!”

“Oh alright. You’re no fun.”

“After being punched out for hours, waking up to see my only friend sucked dry, I think I have the right for some freaking ANSWERS!”

Eight raises an eyebrow.

“Friend...? Now that’s an interesting concept.”

“Look, he didn’t have to do anything for me, but he did, and I wanted company. He’s sure as heck more than a servant, but I can see how that would be a difficult idea to grasp for you.”

She frowns, and taps on dummy’s head who stops hugging me and backs away..

“Number, drone?”

“A lot, miss.”

“He’s three hundred thousand something, one of the newest clutch.”

“And you, my honorable leader?”

“Please stop calling me that.”

“I’ll make up new ones.”

“Grrrr...”

“Anyway, my King, you want answers. That goes for both of us, although our questions are vastly different. I’ll give you what burns you the most. I punched you because I needed you out cold and I didn’t have the liberty to take you with me. I couldn’t forcibly drain you, simply because it isn’t possible for me, and I needed love to infiltrate the town. Ordering dummy here to give me everything and then enter dormancy was the fastest option. I told you I could do a lot with very little, and while he could barely walk, with the same amount of love I was able to transform, get into a bar, seduce a pony, and bring you back a lot more. You, drone, feeling better?”

“The best I can remember, miss!”

“There you have it, my new… master and owner.”

“Did you have to say it in that sultry tone? You could make a statue go for a cold bath.”

“I AM the best.”

“...that’s what terrifies me…”

“There’s no need for that.”

“What do you want me for? Why do you hang around? Why, which makes the least sense, did you return and share the stolen love?”

She raises her foreleg and waves it from side to side.

“Nuh uh uh, you do something for me, I do something for you. You saved me… with some ‘lateral persuasion’, and I told you why I knocked you out. I do believe another service is required.”

“...hate hate hate hate...”

“Maybe only mild irritation, my future mate.”

“WHAAAAAAAT?!”

“Told you I could make up better ones. Trust me.”

“I don’t. Actually, less with everything you say.”

“Then you don’t want my answers? Darn, and I thought I had an excellent bargaining chip concerning the voices in your head.”

Sighing, I hang my head low in defeat.

“Just… just tell me… do you really know something or are you just leading me on?”

“I know… something. Whether it’s all you want to know, that’s a different question.”

“Fine then, fine! What do you want?”

“We hole up in this town for a while to recover, refill, and gain some information. I’m afraid your ‘voices’ mean that something went wrong with the invasion.”

“The whole ‘Hive will survive’ thing?”

She nods and looks at the last member of our trio quietly poking some tall blades of grass and watching them move. Come to think of it, until recently he’s seen only bare rocks, dirty water, and luminescent goo.

“You, drone… no, that won’t do. We need a name or at least a number for you.”

“Three hundred… thousand… a lot?”

“I think this one is for you, my breed steed.”

“PLEASE!” I facehoof, “Fine, I don’t know… Steve? Steve is a name. Griffon one, I think. Do you want it?”

“I’m alright with it if you want, boss, but I’d like a pony one more.”

“Sure, got anything in mind?”

He looks at his only property, at me, at the goopy broken piece of a spear again, then back at me.

“Poke Stick? That way everyone will know this is mine and that I own something!”

He and Eight… are they both like this because I gave them something? Is it that rare among changelings? Come to think of it, it might be. I never owned anything, and the more I think about it, the more sure I am I never would even if we won.

“How about something more changeling-y. Three, maybe?”

“Whoh- wha- huh- high rank? But I can’t beat up anyone?”

“Hey, you carried me on your back, almost. So that would make you second in command, but I’m keeping a spot free just in case. If it feels too weird you can call your transformation Poke Stick or something.”

“...you are the best, boss...”

“You’ve made him cry.”

“Yep, I’m the villain here, not you, miss Punch-a-lot.”

“I prefer Eight. No, that isn’t correct. I’d prefer One, but I need to prove to myself I can achieve that rank. What about you, King?”

“I’m not a king, a leader, or anything. I’m a drone, that’s all.”

“...owned by a drone… hnnnngh...”

“Why did you shiver like that?”

“N- no reason.”

“Riiiight.”

“I’m just cold from the love transfer, that’s all.”

“That didn’t sound-”

“Can we infiltrate the town while it’s still dark, King? Here-”

She grabs my foreleg and pulls it towards her chest. Immediately, I feel a rush of energy flowing from her to me. It stops soon, but it’s more than I’ve ever had.

“S- s- s- so m- much...”

My eyes must be sparkling or something. This is fresh, only slightly tainted by venom. So… revitalizing!

“You’re shaking like an addict getting a refill.”

“I’ve… I’ve never felt anything like this.”

“We need more, a LOT more, but it’s a start. My advice is to transform.”

Two green flashes later, Eight and Spear Poke or Poke Spear -wait, Poke Stick, right- assume their disguises as ponies. Eight is the slender, tall pegasus mare with coal-black mane and light grey coat again. Poke… Poke is a light blue, brown-maned colt who looks about… thirteen? I’m not good with pony age.

“Don’t you want to be an adult at least? It’s gonna be hard to get love looking like this.”

“I dunno, boss. This feels natural.”

Shrugging, I focus on my own new shape.

Nothing happens.

Over and over and over.

Nothing happens.

“Uhhh… I think something’s wrong with me.”

“A little performance anxiety?”

“I’ve never transformed before, there was no need. I just… I THINK I know how it goes, I just can’t do it. Damn...”

“Are you okay, boss?”

“Maybe that’s my defect? You’re not too bright, some drones could barely fly, and I guess I just can’t shapeshift. There’s no way I can get into town looking like this… but that’s okay… that’s okay. Eight gave me enough love to make it someplace bigger where I might go unnoticed. You can go with her and-”

“Do I have to punch you out again and carry you on my back?”

“...or tied under my belly with your head strapped between my thighs...”

“What was the second part? Nevermind. Look, you can blend in, I can’t. That’s a pretty bad trait for a CHANGEling.”

“Come on, boss, we can get you a… long raincoat or something, or maybe-”

“Or maybe I already thought about that eventuality and the guy I sucked dry owns a nice house? How about that, my just-a-drone King?”

“You expected this would happen?”

“Not to you, granted, but I did. Now, I hate to be pushy-”

“No, you bloody well don’t!”

“-Details, details. We NEED to get to his place under the cover of darkness more than before. Can you stop for a moment and trust me… please?”

“You’re not going to turns us in to ponies for reward and to divert attention from yourself?”

“I’ll buy you the best pet food I can, miss. Umm, if the boss gives me some money.”

“Now how can I resist an offer like that? Shiny collar, expensive bowl with my number on it-”

“Oh shut up, we’re going. Lead the way.”

With a deep and slow inwards laugh, Eight turns away from me and her tail swats my muzzle before she takes course for the supposed town still hidden in the darkness.

“I will, my owner, I will.”

8: Onwards to Infiltration!

We managed to sneak through the almost dead town without the few scattered street lamps proving any obstacle. We did get spotted by a pony across the street, but I hid behind Eight and we passed without any problem, though he did take a second look at Poke Stick, likely thinking about why a colt would be outside at this time of night.

Eight stops in front of a door of a small single-story house and knocks on it repeatedly. A bulky brown earthpony with blonde mane opens after few attempts, giving her a surprised and barely awake look.

“Oh hi again, Breeze. Did you forget something here-”

“Let us in.”

The pony’s eye go glassy, and he opens the door wide, not even twitching as I pass through. Eight wraps her forelegs around his neck and gives him a long, deep kiss. The fact that his neck bulges as her tongue digs deeper and deeper makes me feel a certain kind of way. She breaks the kiss, leaving a trail of green, sticky saliva dripping on the floor.

“Good, now go into the cellar, grab some blanket and wait for me.”

Without a word, he walks off.

“Alright, what’s the plan, King?”

“...can you do that tongue thing to me too…?”

“Unlike Poke here, I can hear you when you mutter to yourself.”

“I said nothing! Get your ears checked.”

“I totally heard you mumble, boss.”

“You be quiet too!”

Poke shoves his forelegs into his mouth.

“Yeph, boff. Oopf, forry, I shust talked. And mmgain.”

“QUIET!”

He freezes completely as he hears Eight’s raised voice.

“I wish I had that kind of authority.”

“You… will.”

“Just a figure of speech, Eight. I’m not your king or anything. On top of that, I’m pretty sure that if any changeling finds me they will bring me to Chrysalis who will be… curious. She likes to dissect things which interest her.”

“That’s just a rumor, she simply kills whoever she finds even remotely threatening. Ponies, however, will be eager to find out anything pertaining a race percieved to be hostile.”

“Caught between a rock and a hard place...”

“Not caught yet, but you should start thinking about a plan.”

“I had one! Get some love, start a life in disguise, get more love. Repeat until fed.”

“And then?”

“Repeat until fed up?”

“The queen planned the invasion so there could be more to life than that. We used to have culture, we used to be… more than parasites. At least that’s what the hive mind hinted at.”

“Look, I don’t mind pretending to be a… woodcutter or something, but that’s secondary to getting some love.”

“It’s not about pretending. We lost so much that we’ve become so single-minded, so focused on getting love that we can’t do anything else.”

“Miss Eight? I know I was supposed to stay quiet-”

“What is it?”

“I’d like to pretend I’m an infiltrator. I know it won’t work out at first, but I can learn over time.”

“That’s how ponies learn as foals, Three. We, sadly, rarely get second chances. Which brings us back to our current situation. How do we use this opportunity, King? We are undetected in a hostile town, but we have options. I wish we had a real infiltrator we could ask for the best course of action, but we don’t, so any ideas are welcome.”

Devour, spread, REBUILD!

I clutch my head.

“We must- we must- f- feast- no… no no no, that’s what got us into trouble the first time. We’re not big. We’re not like that. I’m not like that. Find someone else who will lead a war!”

We are the experience, we are the knowledge. We must conquer, we must enslave, that is the only way to survive!

“No! We mustn’t- we even can’t! That’s just not possible. There are THREE of us! What happened to the others? You KNOW! TELL ME! Stop screaming nonsense and just tell me...”

We will not allow you to endanger our survival. This is the only successful way!

“Successful? SUCCESSFUL?! Is hiding in the middle of the Badlands a SUCCESS? Is starving every day a success to you? Is using newborns as suicide squads A SUCCESS?”

Temporary measures taken for the greater good of the Hive. You cannot understand what changelings have gone through.

“You are trying to make that happen again!”

We must grow. We must overwhelm the other races. They will never accept a predator among them. Griffons and minotaurs kill us on sight, ponies and zebras will do so as soon as the news spread. Our survival must be ensured by force, that is the only way!

“N- no...”

“Boss, boss?”

I’m lying on the floor, and Three/Poke is shaking me.

“My head hurts...”

“He’s lost almost all his love. How?”

“They… they took it. They want me to fight… they need feeding… they will take it all away if I don’t obey...”

“Move, Three.”

“Yes, miss Eight.”

Eight’s nose touches mine, letting revitalizing warmth flow into me.

“Better?”

Groaning, I unsteadily stand up.

“Considerably. You know-”

I hesitate, then take a deep breath, and press my head against her neck. She’s still like a statue.

“-I’m sorry. No matter your motivation, you are my best bet for survival. If you ever need anything, you can tell me. I might say no, but at least I’ll know.”

“I need to know your plan to keep us alive, King.”

“I guess we need one now, do we?”

“The hivemind can be chaotic, but if your… guess is correct, then we need it more than ever.”

“Alright, alright. Is there somewhere we can sit around here?”

She nods, and leads us to a sparingly furnished living room. The couch and an armchair are enough for the three of us, though. To my utter shock, Eight sits Three down on the chair while she lies down next to me on the couch, putting her head into my lap.

“Wh- wh- wh- wh-”

“I can lick, or I can bite down. Your choice, my breeder King.”

“Hnnngh- our current situation isn’t the greatest, but I think we need to-”

Infiltrate.

“-get to know the town first. Eight, what do you know about the guy in the cellar?”

“He’s one of the two members of the local peacekeeping force.”

“Wow, you swiped an important guy. ”

“I pick my targets well.”

“That might not be the best thing, because anything wrong with him will get noticed.”

“Possibly, possibly not, King.”

“How come?”

“He was eager to prove himself to be far more than he really is. This town seems fairly peaceful, and I heard that they form a militia whenever something bigger crawls out of the swamps. It’s likely the police duo are just for show. I think I’ll be able to assume his place for few days without noticing. I’ll just have to dig in his head a bit for any close relatives living nearby.”

“You sure?”

“No, but I believe I can.”

“I… you know what? I’ll trust you on this one.”

“I won’t fail you, my King.”

“So, if you’re starting tomorrow- well, today, actually, then you should get digging soon.”

“As you command.”

She gets up, giving me a… smile? Weird.

“Wait, Eight.”

“Yes?”

“Are you sure our host isn’t going to cause a commotion when your venom wears off?”

“I’ll make sure, trust me.”

“Then… then take Three with you, please.”

“That would be directly detrimental to the mission.”

“...he deserves to see more in his life than a dank cave, Eight. Most drones never left the hive, and the ones I saw leave died immediately...”

“I will… do my best, King. Hey, Thre-”

She stops, looking at the now untransformed drone sleeping curled up in the armchair.

“-maybe in the morning.”

“Yeah. One more thing, Eight.”

“Hmm?”

“You’ll need all the love you can get for this so you don’t have to rush or be careless.”

It only takes some focus by now, and I feel my strength leaving me as I transfer most of the reserves Eight gave me back, and some to Three.

“Whoah, dizz-”

As I keel over, Eight catches me with her forelegs and lays me down on the couch.

“Sleep, King. Thank you for trusting me.”

“...mmph...”

“Trust between changelings is more valuable than love.”

She’s saying something, but I’m way too weak to understand it.

“You just did a very silly thing... again. I guess I'll just have to make sure that doesn't bite you in the plot too hard.”

9: Onwards to planning!

Voices on the edge of hearing make me open my eyes. Why am I lying on something really soft? I remember…

...oh, now I remember. The house, the knocked out police pony, the horrible dread stemming from the certainty that we are going to be found and our chitin violently stripped from our flesh either by ponies or by Chrysalis.

“No, stop touching that!”

“But my spear isn’t glowy anymore...”

“Damn it, Three, if you don’t stop shoving that thing there I’ll make a new one just for you!”

“Then I’ll be all glowy! Can I get one now?”

“No, that’s not what It- uuugh, go see if your boss is awake or something.”

“But you sent me to check up on him five minutes ago.”

“Feels a lot longer… just go.”

“On it, miss Eight.”

“And bring me some water.”

“Mhm.”

The undisguised drone trots up the stairs leading to the cellar a moment later, humming to himself.

All inside doors are open, giving me a clear view of the entry hallway, another two open doors leading who-knows-where, and the one Three has just come out of. His ears perk up when he notices me looking at him.

“Miss Eight, miss Eight, the boss is awake!”

“I’ll be right there!”

Three rushes over, tripping over the living room doorstep-

“Whaah?!”

-but he manages to untangle his legs in time not to fall. In the end of his dash, he stops in front of the couch as if nothing happened.

“Miss Eight wants to know-”

“If I’m awake, I know.”

“You’re so smart, boss.”

“I have ears. Good job with leaving the doors open, I wasn’t sure where I was until I heard Eight from downstairs. Speaking of which, what were you two doing there?”

“She put the pony into a cocoon she made.”

“Cool. How did she make it?”

He blushes. I had no idea chitin could turn red.

“Umm, it’s sorta weird… and she looked super sweaty and strange doing it. I can’t explain it right. Sorry, boss. Hey, you can ask if you can watch next time. I caught her doing it by accident and she was really mad, but you should be alright, since you’re the boss.”

“Which holes does it come from? I have to know for some reason, it’s been bugging me since the hive.”

“Umm… all of them?”

“Hurk-!”

“You okay, boss? You look green all of a sudden, almost as green as miss Eight when she was spinning the cocoon and slithering all over the pony.”

“...slithering? Damn my overactive imagination...”

“Aaaaanyway, Three, can you fill me in?”

“Like the pictures? I don’t think crayons can do that to our leg holes.”

“Fill me in on the situation- wait, what pictures?”

“Miss Eight found this paper thing-”

“Book.”

“-book, right. Sorry, boss, I tend to forget a lot when I’m not connected to the hive mind. I don’t know why, since you and miss Eight seem to be fine.”

“You’ll get better with practice, trust me.”

“...because I have no clue if it’s true...”

“Then I’ll try to remember as many things as I can, boss. So, miss Eight found a… colouring book… and she gave it to me.”

“Where? This place doesn’t look as if a foal lived here.”

“They had one in the… police station… waiting room. Hey, boss…?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I, as a drone, like miss Eight? I mean, she’s a single-digit and I’m three and a lot.”

“You can like whoever the heck you want, just don’t get annoying. Anyway, you’re a single-digit now too, so there’s no problem.”

“Am I?”

“Yeah, Three.”

“I thought I just forgot to tell you all the numbers afterwards.”

“No, under my bosshood you are number three. That’s all.”

He turns around on the spot, and bolts back into the cellar.

“Miss Eight, miss Eight, the boss said that now that I’m a low number I can tell you that I like how you’re nice to us, really pretty, and look weirdly great when all slippery and shiny from green goo-”

“My water?”

“-I’ll be right back!”

Running around as if he had energy to spare…

Waaaaait…

He looks decently fed, I feel good too, and Eight is making cocoons which is supposed to be fairly exhausting. All the curtains are drawn and the room is dark, but there are little to no remains of daylight coming through anyway. Did I sleep through the whole day and night?

“Looking presentable, my King.”

“Eigh- hnnnnngh!”

She’s dripping green goo on the carpet, her mane is sticking to her chitin with resin and sweat, I can’t help noticing her long tongue coiling inside her mouth cracked open as she breathes heavily in and out. She looks like a gorgeous mare returning from a night-long rave and smelling extremely… used.

What’s a r-

A large dance party at a nightclub, dance club or festival featuring performances by DJs, who select and mix a seamless flow of loud electronic dance music songs and tracks.

Yep, that’s about what my first thought was… plus some other activities low-rank drones normally don’t get to engage in.

“I’ll go wash myself in a bit-”

She lets her eyelids drop a little.

“-unless you’d prefer me walking like this around you.”

“Go, and you can use Three as a sponge if you want, I’m heaving trouble breathing as it is.”

“It’s fine for me, perhaps you just need to come a bit closer and sniff really deep. This stuff clears out the nostrils just right.”

I cross my hind legs for no reason. No reason at all.

“You know, how do we make goop anyway? The hive mind is kinda quiet about it.”

“I would love to show you, but I’m just so tired… I’ve already gooped all over Truncheon.”

“...suggestive...”

“That’s the name of the pony currently hanging in the cellar, King.”

“Ooof.”

“Although if you want to make it a little more literal-”

“Can you just go have a shower or something, please?”

“I have something crucial to tell you before I go, but I don’t mind you coming with me to kill two griffons with one stone.”

“Get to the point, or I’ll tell Three you’re his real mommy.”

“...you wouldn’t...”

“Imagine all the questions since he can’t reach whatever little shared knowledge we can.”

“...defeated by a drone… how humiliating… hnnngh...”

“Is Three drawing you a bath already or something? I distinctly heard a splash-”

“T- that must have been it, my King. Haha, smart little guy. A- anyway, back to my report.”

“Leave out the innuendos for a second, please. I’m in way over my head and you’re not making it easier to think clearly.”

To my complete surprise, she clicks all four of her hooves together before straightening up and saluting.

“Today, a changeling infiltrator was found lying in a small crater just outside of town. He is badly burned, broken… all over, and unconscious. He wasn’t alone, there have been four more scattered in the vicinity, but he’s the only one alive, or at least he still was when I left the station. Something must have gone terribly wrong in Canterlot, which would explain the hive mind desperately trying to dig into you.”

“And you want to...?”

“With your permission, I’d like to interrogate him and, depending on his information and personality, recruit him.”

“You know, I’d really like to avoid drawing attention, and having a changeling escape just after being caught isn’t the best idea.”

“Think of it like this - the more subordinates you gain, the less focused the hive mind will be on you. You can gain days or even weeks before you break under the pressure.”

“Wait, am I on a timer or something?!”

“Oops, looks like I shared a bit more than I wanted to.”

“...liar, you shared EXACTLY what you wanted to...”

“Heh.”

“Eight, orders! Bath, then get some info out of the captured infiltrator.”

“I hope there’s a good reward for doing all that.”

“I’ll have Three ready with a new shiny collar.”

“...hnnngh...”

10: Onwards... into one rather messed up head.

After some thorough cleaning, Eight returns far more presentable than before and smelling of lavender. Three is lying on the floor with a crayon stuck in his leg hole, drawing in his colouring book, clearly unbothered by green carrots, black ponies with bright blue eyes, and a dark blue bear he’s filling out. Hey, at least he got the sky, grass, and ground right.

“So, Eight, did you think of a plan?”

“Me? Isn’t that your job, King?”

“I mean, how the hay am I supposed to think of something when I’ve been asleep since we arrived and you knocked Truncheon out?”

“I apologize. I… it’s new to me...”

Her surprised and unusually meek response must mean I’m still asleep.

“What is?”

“Being asked for my opinion when under someone’s command.”

Sadly, now I understand completely. I never thought it would be the same for high-ranks, but it makes sense. The only one who mattered to Chrysalis was Chrysalis.

“Eight, I’m not leading anyone. There’s no reason for you to stay around me, but you’re doing it anyway. I need you a lot more than you need me. This is the first time I’m outside the hive, I can’t even shapeshift for some reason, and I’m not strong enough to ambush a pony. So please, give me every opinion and idea you’ve got, because I’m drawing blanks here.”

She stares. Now that I’ve shown weakness, I’m prey.

“We go down to the cellar and start repopulating the hive. I volunteer as a broodmoth-”

“Plans for interrogating the captured infiltrator.”

“Awww...”

Three raises a crayon before speaking up:

“I can poke him with my stick until he talks.”

“Three just had a better idea then you, Eight. THREE.”

“What did you expect? He outranks me.”

“...touche...”

“What goes around...”

“Plan, Eight, now!”

“Alright, I did think of something in the shower while I… I did think of something, You get inside me-”

“Chrysalisfuckingdammit!”

Are my veins popping? They must be popping.

Eight grins victoriously.

“You get inside my head and use my senses. That way you’ll be able to communicate with me while I go down to the station and wake the infiltrator up. I will need to suck you dry and force hibernation, because I’ll be using your power to make the guy presentable. He’s… demolished. I promise to revive you as soon as I get a refill.”

Paranoia strikes back. On the other hoof, if she wanted me dead I would be. No matter how much love she’s given me from what she stole over the day, I can see how much she has left and it’s enough to beat me to death with the couch I’m sitting on.

“Wait, can I do that? Drones can’t do that, can we?”

She leans in, pushing my chin upwards with her hoof.

“You are not a drone anymore. Drones don’t have secondary armor plates. Drones don’t have manes. Drones don’t have normal eyes. Drones can’t drain and redistribute love. Drones don’t have underlings. Drones aren’t the targets of hive mind’s attention.”

“Yeah, so why is all this happening? You know a lot, but you refuse to talk!”

“I… am piecing things together, and what the infiltrator has to say is important. Anyway, why are you so set on not being in charge? Most changelings would love having servants to satisfy their every whim. That was one of the reasons for the invasion after all.”

“We’re not in a good shape, Eight! I don’t have experience with… anything not related to carrying eggs from one place to another. We don’t have the luxury to make wrong decisions. If you obey me and I make a mistake you’ll die! It doesn’t matter if ponies catch you or if we waste what little love we have due to a bad plan. You will fail and it will be my fault.”

She narrows her eyes even more, and the corners of her mouth curl upwards, revealing her unbroken fang.

“Do you think Chrysalis would care?”

Is that all it takes? Three, Eight… is someone not treating them like disposable tools so important to them?

“No, I don’t think so. Alright, Eight, how do I do the mind sharing thing?”

“If my idea isn’t too far off, you should just want it, and the instinct will answer. The hive mind changed your body on more levels than the outer layer. Just, I don’t know, imagine yourself inside me.”

Of course the first damn image that goes through my head is me desperately trying not to fall off of her back while mounting her. It’s HER fault, not mine! Both for being too tall and too suggestive.

“...you don’t want that...”

“...oh yessss I do… hnnngh...”

She sits down next to me, forcefully guiding my head into her lap, which really doesn’t help my concentration. However, she just sits there, stroking my mane with my muzzle pressed firmly against her abdomen. I close my eyes.

When I open them again, everything looks much sharper, I can hear sounds I couldn’t hear before, I can smell goop from down in the cellar… and the ground is suddenly much further away.

I try to look at my foreleg, but it moves at glacial pace. Something is resisting, but I WANT to move my leg. Then the fighting presence weakens, and a feeling of raw pleasure rushes through my whole body.

“...yesss… oh heavens yess… this feels so good… so right… take control of me… break me… use me… remake me… make me a pet… a toy… a slave… anything you want… just break me harder… fuck my head up… make me think I’m a lowest rank drone… make me KNOW it… make me bow to you… breed me… make me into an egg sack… a bloated breeder… a mindless statue… fun for the whole hive… take away all my control and have drones mate with me… warrior broken so hard… fallen so deep... feels… so gooooood...”

That’s… Eight’s shaky whispering. Experimentally, I try to force her to stretch her foreleg despite her mind’s quickly wavering resistance.

“...aaaaaahhhhhh ...corrupt me… change me… own me...”

I feel like I could easily take over her body now. She’s not resisting willingly, only on basic survival instinct, so I… stop.

”Eight? Eight? Can you hear me- feel me- something?”

I- she suddenly quickly looks from side to side, taking a deep breath as if surfacing from deep water.

“Huh? King? Great, it worked!”

”Yes, it did. Rather… differently than I thought, but it did.”

“Excellent. I hope the connection will last long enough.”

“Who are you talking to, miss Eight? The boss fell asleep.”

She blinks, as if she completely forgot Three was there.

“Oh, heheh, ehm, you’ve been d- drawing there all the time?”

“Yes, you kept muttering and looked really weird, so I thought about tapping your leg or something, but then I told myself you knew what you were doing.”

“T- thanks for not disturbing me. It- it took a lot of focus.”

“No problem, miss. I’m glad you’re okay now.”

”No, she’s fucked up beyond your basic imagination.”

I realize I ‘said’ it.

“Y- you hear- ehm?! Three, the boss is in my head and Truncheon’s duty starts soon. Go check up on him while we sort things out here.”

“The boss is still lying in your lap, miss.”

“His corporeal body is, but through the shared mind- he needs a lot of energy to be able to talk to me when we’re at the station, so he’s resting.”

”Liar.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll be right back then.”

He trots off, leaving his crayons scattered around his drawing spot.

“So you heard it...”

”I did.”

“Not really a… warrior’s mentality.”

”Huh, I expected you to say I misheard or something.”

“No. I’m… like that. It’s what I crave.”

”That makes no sense to me.”

“Look, I don’t think it’s possible to explain. That’s who I-”

”No, what doesn’t make sense is the fact you weren’t rank one under Chrysalis. A perfect slave, one willing to be a THING if needed, and one able to demolish two lower numbers in a fight to the death on top of that? I’m honestly surprised she didn’t goo you up against the wall with only your backside sticking out for a day as a reward whenever you captured a pony.”

“...hnnngh… yesss...”

”CONTROL YOURSELF, EIGHT!”

I feel the shocking surge blasting through her at my words.

“Yes, my King. I am yours to control. Order me anything. You can order me what I’m against, you can order me to tell you everything I know or suspect, you can- ”

”No. You’re YOURS to control.”

“Huh?”

”I’m not Chrysalis. I actually value all you have to offer. You’re not just a warrior body for me to send into battle. You are allowed to be yourself.”

“Then you know what my real self wants… needs.”

”Maybe… but I have no clue how to deal with it. We’re trying to survive here, Eight. I’m not asking you to just forget all you want, but for now I need a different part of you.”

“...”

”Yes, I do realize I sound like Chrysalis right now - hey, tomorrow you’ll do all you want, tomorrow we’ll have all the food, today you will obey unquestioningly.”

“...yes...”

”But you offered this. This was your plan.”

“You’re right.”

”Please don’t sound so… dejected.”

“I’m not. I’m just… thinking.”

”We can go on with this favor basis you like. I do something for you, you do something for me and vice versa.”

“It’s a start. Anything goes…?”

”I’ll get some rubber gloves and a riding crop as soon as I can.”

“Hee hee hee.”

”Did you just giggle?”

“Definitely not-”

“Miss Eight, Truncheon is still hanging down there, unconscious.”

“Perfect.”

With care for my limp body, she jumps down from the couch, touches my chest, and concentrates. In response, my body curls up and I stop its instinctual resistance only to see through her eyes all of my love absorbed by Eight. So she can drain me if I’m not resisting.

What’s left on the couch is just an empty shell now. I have never felt so vulnerable.

‘My’ whole body tingles as Eight shapeshifts into the captured earthpony, and I’m taken along for a ride. If the love she sucked out of me was enough, we’ll soon know what happened with the invasion.

11: Onwards towards the first contact!

“Three, put those crayons away. We have to go.”

Three’s ears twitch at hearing Eight’s firm but calm voice, and the drone pops all the colourful pencils and crayons from various leg holes he’s jammed them into for easier access.

“The boss isn’t coming with us, miss Eight?”

“He is, just not physically.”

“He’s with us in spirit, I get it.”

“No, he’s inside my head and can see what I can see.”

“That’s so cool. Can I do that?”

“No.”

“Awww...”

“Not that I wouldn’t want you around to have… company, but drones simply can’t.”

“But the boss is a drone.”

“...”

”I’m waiting for that one, Eight.”

“He is not a drone anymore. He’s… grown up. Yeah, that.”

“He has a mane just like you, only not as chewed off and missing in spots.”

”Snrk-!”

“Oh shut up.”

“Sorry, miss Eight.”

“Not you, the King is distracting me. You can keep talking.”

”I wonder how long that permission’s gonna last.”

“Thank you, miss. I was just saying your mane looked really nice.”

“Nice. Chewed off and missing in spots is nice.”

“Yes, all fluffy and you never know what bit doesn’t have hair. Walking around you and looking at your head is like a surprise party.”

“...not sure whether to feel flattered or kill him...”

”He means well, which is shocking to say about a changeling.”

“Anyway, Three. We should go. If we get to the station early, I can pretend I was checking up on the infiltrator without Truncheon’s colleague getting suspicious. Disguise yourself.”

One more burst of green fire later, Three’s in his colt form, and joins us- Eight in the body of the large earthpony stallion known as Truncheon. Together, we- they- we step out into the bright morning outside of the town known as-

”What’s this place called?”

“...Wet Soil...”

-of the swamp settlement known as Wet Soil.

”Really...?”

“...earthpony town. They aren’t known for their imagination...”

”I can see that.”

I shiver inwardly as Eight passes by a pegasus who doesn’t give her a second glance. In fact, he actively avoids her gaze for some reason.

It’s unreal how different the world looks through somepony else’s eyes. Either Truncheon was in excellent physical shape, which he didn’t look like despite being a guardspony, or Eight kept some of her physical attributes through her transformation. That thought is even scarier, because with her every easy step, deep breath, sharp and clear look, I know how… absurdly weak, slow, and small I am.

”Eight, is it normal for ponies to be avoiding each other this much?”

“...definitely not. I noticed it yesterday and I think our Truncheon isn’t exactly a popular pony...”

”I thought you knew everything about him.”

“...why? No, how? I’m not an infiltrator, digging inside somepony’s head not my speciality. I talked to him in the bar, asked him few more things again in the cellar, and gained some general info about him, but I can’t do much more...”

”Sorry. To me, you high-ranks have always been these godlike beings able to do literally anything you wanted to me.”

“...I can let you do a lot of things to me...”

”Focuuuus, Eight.”

“...or what, you won’t whip me till I scream?”

”It’s the other way around, I think.”

“...heheh...”

“It’s always surprising to see you up for work on time, not to mention early, Truncheon. Did I inhale too much swamp gas yesterday and I’m hallucinating?”

A mature earthpony wearing a golden chain around his neck accompanied by a pegasus mare is the first one to talk to Eight, and his tone is clearly a mocking one. I feel a short bout of panic which is evenly split between me and Eight who nonetheless salutes.

“With the creature in our cells, ehm, mister-”

The earthpony taps meaningfully on his chain.

Mayoral chain usually used in towns.

”Mayor.”

“-Mayor, I thought it would be prudent to be around in case of any trouble.”

Both the earthpony and his mare companion blink, speechless for some reason. The Mayor’s face, however, contorts in barely hidden contempt in the end anyway.

“Don’t think this charade will save your sorry ass for long, Truncheon. I’ve had it with you-”

The mare clears her throat, stopping the Mayor.

“Dear, I hate to defend this good-for-nothing, but now is not the time. Perhaps our… guard is just rising to the occasion.”

“What are you-”

She jabs her hoof to the Mayor’s side, nodding to Three looking around, watching the few ponies awake this early.

“-I see.”

The Mayor’s wife, I guess, leans down to Three who gives her a bright smile.

“Hello there, little guy. What’s your name?”

“Pokey Stick, ma’am.”

Eight pats Three’s head.

“Ehm, he’s my… cousin, ma’am. I’m supposed to keep an eye on him while his parents are in Manehattan for some festival.”

“How old are you, Pokey?”

The drone/colt looks at his forelegs, shakes them several times, and looks back at the mare.

“Eleven.”

”Don’t add ‘days’, please don’t say days.”

“Working early, taking care of a family member. You should be careful, Truncheon, or somepony might think you’ve been replaced by a changeling yourself.”

“Ha haha hahahaha...”

Three hugs Eight’s foreleg, and pouts.

“My cousin’s not a fly pony.”

”He… he’s not stupid, right? That was… THE perfect move right now.”

The Mayor’s wife’s eyes go wide, before she opens her purse and rummages inside it.

“You are ADORABLE! Do you want a lollipop?”

“Nu-uh. It’s bad for my teeth, I need those sharp and bitey. Can I get a hug instead?”

“OF COURSE YOU CAN!”

She swipes Three into a bear hug, and I can see wisps of pink smoke draining from her into him.

“I like this place, E- cousin. The ponies here are super nice.”

“Haha, yeah. Now don’t be greedy and leave the friendly lady alone, Pokey.”

The mare puts Three down on the ground, the ‘colt’ never stopping beaming.

“My name is Pokey Stick because I have this really cool stick that glows.”

“Shouldn’t you call yourself Glowstick then, little guy?”

“You are a GENIUS, lady,” he pulls Eight’s leg, “Boss, boss, can I be Glowstick now?”

“Uhhh, yeah, sure.”

“He calls you ‘boss’?”

“Haha, it’s a game we play, Mayor. I hate to cut this short, but we really need to go. I’m showing ‘Glowstick’ here the station today.”

The Mayor narrows his eyes.

“...I’m watching you, Truncheon. You slip up one more time and your sorry ass is out no matter how friendly your little cousin is with my wife...”

“Understood, sir.”

Eight salutes, which makes the Mayor’s eye twitch, and starts walking away.

”Ooooooooooof!”

“...remind me to never tease Three about his rank again...”

”Do you think he did it… like… you know… like do you think that he planned it?”

“...I have absolutely no freaking idea...”

”So… we call him Glowstick now?”

“...I’ll call him my lord and saviour right now if he wants...”

”Glowstick it is.”

“Hey, uhh, Glowstick.”

“Yes, mis- Truncheon?”

“Good job. I’ll get you something nice when I get some money.”

“Can you goop over my stick so that it glows again?”

”The sad part is that this WASN’T an innuendo.”

“...I don’t even know anymore...”

12: Onwards to the cellar!

*Clink clink!*

The police station door finally closes behind us, and I can unclench my spiritual anus. I don’t know what would have happened to me if somepony caught Eight. I should ask at some point, but right now it seems like a terrible idea, because she kinda forgot to tell me one important thing. That, or I forgot.

“Hey, Trunch. You’re up early today. No, let me guess - haven’t gone to sleep yet?”

Truncheon isn’t the sole member of the Wet Soil police force. Behind the receptionist desk sits a female pegasus with black coat and sharply contrasting light blue mane and tail.

“Hi, Slipstream,” Eight yawns, “You’re right. I could use a nap.”

”What is she doing here?”

“...no idea. Thinking...”

“What? Not even a snappy remark? You MUST be out of it.”

“Haha, yeah.”

“Hey, who’s the little guy?”

Three runs over to the pegasus and offers a hoofshake.

“Hello, miss Slipstream! I’m Glowstick.”

“Uhhh, okay…?” Slipstream, confused by the sheer power of friendship in Three’s voice, shakes the outstretched foreleg.

“He’s my cousin. His parents are in Va-"

"Manehattan."

"-Manehattan for a festival or something. He arrived the night before yesterday.”

Slipstream gives Eight a knowing look.

“Oooh, so that’s why you’re making ‘that’ face.”

“Yeah, he's a hoofful. On top of that, the Mayor chewed me out on the way here. I need to check up on the creature downstairs. I doubt it’s in a shape to do anything, but I need to look as official as I can or he’ll have my ass.”

“He always says that.” Slipstream shrugs.

“I think this time he means it,” Eight yawns again, “I’ll have to skip the bar tonight. Sad day, sad day. Say, can you keep an eye on Glowstick while I’m in the cellar?” she leans to Slipstream’s ear, “He really doesn’t need to see that.”

“I’d love to, but with Mayor declaring unofficial emergency and you getting the day shift, lucky bastard, I’m dying to just drop dead. He actually made me go on the patrol at night, that asshole.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“I bet you are,” Slipstream rolls her eyes, “I can still smell the swamp gas. Oh screw it,” she pats Three’s head, “I’d like to hang out with you a bit more, Glowstick, but I need to get some beauty sleep.”

Slipstream tosses a keyring onto the desk and looks at Eight.

“The fort is yours, I’m out,” she walks towards the exit, “If I meet the Mayor, I’ll tell him to hire a batpony, the pompous-”

“Calm down, Slipstream. He was pissed off already.”

The pegasus shoots Eight a burning glare.

“Yeah, and whose fault is it, mister Stores-a-keg-of-beer-in-the-office-freezer?”

Eight sighs.

“Good night.”

“You too. Oh, and I fixed the bell on the door so that you have a moment to wake up when somepony comes. You’re welcome.”

She slams the door as she leaves.

*Clink clank clink clank!*

”Holy oozing holes, well freaking played, Eight!”

“...I’m still shaking. This is a job for an infiltrator, not me...”

”You did super well. How much did you know about Slipstream beforehoof?”

“We had a short chat yesterday, that’s all. I had no idea what she was talking about. No special shifts or anything. Damn, some days I regret not being an infiltrator able to chew through a pony’s brain in minute detail. Not for long, though. This way I can beat the snot out of the smug bastards.”

“Awww...” frowns Glowstick until now patiently listening to Eight’s mumbling, “I want to be one in the future.”

“You can always be the statistical error.”

“Uhh… what does static tickle mean?”

“It means that if you’re nice I can… tolerate you wanting to be an infiltrator. We could use one anyway. I prefer punching to talking.”

“I can give you a hoofrub. Is that nice?”

“After a good punching.”

“Does boss agree?”

“...well, do you?”

”Every minute we spend here chatting means a greater risk of somepony coming here for whatever reason.”

“The King says it’s okay.”

“Yay!”

”Seriously, stop screwing around. I don’t feel good. This being in your head thing is… making me dizzy. It’s getting difficult to focus. I can hear tHeM. TheY’rE geTtiNG cLosEr.”

“...King?”

”I'm a mind inside a mind with millions of mind swirling around. We’re like one of those Stalliongrad nesting dolls.”

“...what are those?”

”I don’t know, but THEY do. I don’t want to know, I want MY OWN experiences, not theirs, so please move your tight ass while I can still concentrate!”

“Three, orders!”

“Yes, miss Eight,” Three salutes in a fashion which would make any Royal Guard stab him on the spot out of sheer indignation.

“We’re going downstairs. Run in the back room and get me some paper and a quill.”

“On it!”

He disappears behind a bend in the hallway.

“I hope I didn’t need to tell him what those are.”

”He’ll be alright. It might take a while, but he’ll be back with it. We drones aren’t THAT stupid, you know?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, King. Even I feel… empty without the hive mind. I know how little I know compared to what I used to. Speaking of the hive mind, how are you?”

“The head I don’t currently have hurts like Tartarus, but it seems like they’ve stopped for now. They didn’t speak this time, they just wanted to… push inside. I think we have some time before the next attempt, though.”

“Then we need to recruit the infiltrator to spread the load. When we’re down there, let me do the talking.”

“I thought you were more the punching type.”

“I am, but you are too… nice. This isn’t a job for nice.”

”I got you and Three. That worked out somewhat alright.”

“Infiltrators are different. They are granted more autonomy and won’t hesitate to use you to gain power and influence if you show weakness.”

“Mhmm!”

Three returns with a sheet pad and pencil and spits those on the desk.

“I didn’t find a quill, but I faintly remember this can work too.”

“Good job, Three,” she pats his head.

“Thank you, miss Eight,” he beams.

Eight tears off a sheet of paper and writes down: Be right back.

We walk the opposite way down the hall from where Three ran off to get the writing implements. This guardhouse and police station in one is just a small house, and there can’t be much more room past the entrance, the office in the back, the cells we’re just passing by, and the stairs down. The unmarked door at the end of the hall must be either a bathroom or a janitor’s closet.

The cellar is a single room with half of it barred off to make another cell. The front half is full of stuff carelessly piled up by the walls as if hastily cleared out from the back part to make space for the prisoner.

Huh, that’s something I wouldn’t normally think of…

However, that particular mess isn’t important. The mess in the cell is.

A male changeling is lying there, legs bent and broken, green flesh pushed through wide cracks in the chitin. His barrel is a spiderweb of fractures covered in dried blood, and the sides of his muzzle are ripped, revealing a mouth with a majority if its teeth knocked out.

In short, I would never call a changeling demolished, but this one is close. What is an utter miracle is that when Eight opens the door and leans down to him, I can see his chest slowly going up and down.

She puts her horn to his vastly smaller one, letting a small green spark bounce between them. Then another, and another.

Eventually, the infiltrator’s body tenses up. His legs twist, crack, and return to a shape compatible with quadrupeds, sending drips of blood splattering over the floor. He unglues his one eye not crusted over with blood, and looks up from the floor.

“...I’m… alive?” he croaks.

13: Onwards to the Truth!

“Hello!” Three rushes over to the groaning changeling.

Huh. he can see through disguises.

“...a drone…?” he tries to move his legs, which do so at a glacial pace, “I order… you… to give me all… your love...”

“B-b-but I-” Glowstick turns to Eight, “Do I have to obey him too?”

”Don’t you DARE listen to the damn parasite! The nerve… to order that… just because Three’s a drone.”

“Definitely not,” Eight steps between Three and the infiltrator.

”If he as much as breathes funny, beat the everliving shit out of him, Eight.”

“With pleasure,” she cracks her fetlocks menacingly, “Now, infiltrator, I’ve given you enough love not to die on me while you talk. What happened in Canterlot?”

“You weren’t… there? What makes you… think you… can order me… warrior?”

“The fact that I have enough love to break your legs again, heal you up one more time, and then repeat it. Speak!”

“You won’t… make me talk… traitor. If you don’t know… what happened… you weren’t with the… Queen. Deserter... ”

“I wasn’t there because ranks nine and eight teamed up to attack me to drain my love, infiltrator. As you can see, I’m still here. Any more questions about who am I to interrogate you?”

“...rank e-eight?!” he starts coughing until a big was of blood a goo comes out, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry-”

Well, at least he cleared his throat so he can speak. Good first step. Plus, note to self - he’s damaged enough not to sense the power of another changeling. That can be useful.

“I strictily remember telling you to recount what happened during the invasion-” growls Eight.

”Hey, tell him Three’s gonna have a word with him.”

Eight freezes for a moment, then a grin grows on her muzzle as she comes to the same conclusion I did.

“-or better yet, I’ll let Three here ask you. You must be in worse shape than I thought to think he’s just a drone.”

“M-m-multi-layered disguise?” the infiltrator is trembling now.

“I’m Three!” the colt waves at him again.

The poor victim actually forces himself into a sitting position in an attempt to push himself away from Three.

“I didn’t mean- I deeply apologize- please don’t melt my brain. I don’t have any love to give- please...”

Eight stomps her hoof.

“I gave you just enough love to tell me what happened in Canterlot. I can easily take it back.”

The infiltrator whimpers. I would almost feel sorry for him if it wasn’t for his first reaction to Three.

“The Queen knew that when the attack starts, ponies would rush to hide inside the houses protected by magic, I was one of the select few sent in beforehoof to infiltrate the unicorn nobility and gain access to a safe house. It turned out different, because ponies somehow knew about the planned invasion, and put up a shield over all Canterlot. The Queen contacted us in time so that we could get to the magical anchors keeping the barrier up. We didn’t need to take out all of them, but only some which would make it possible for the first waves to break through.”

“Waves of drones...” comments Eight.

“The few left over, but mostly low-ranked warriors. We ate majority of the drones on the way to keep our strength up.”

”Punch him, will you?”

“...later. He wouldn’t survive it...”

“Anyway, the ponies didn’t know exactly what the threat was, so those of us tasked with preparing the ground for the attack already had ways to pass through the shielded train and road checkpoints. After we weakened the barrier the day before by damaging the anchors just enough to avoid noticing but enough to have an effect, we met up with the forces outside to have a good meal, and then we attacked.”

“Stop talking about devouring drones before I have to break your leg and shove it so far up your ass you can brush your teeth with it.”

“...what’s with you and drones, jeez...” he mutters, “...they’re only drones...”

”...just drones...”

“I heard that. Be very happy that I need you right now.”

“Ehm, well, yes… so, we returned to Canterlot before the main assault, took our places in the safe houses, and when ponies tried to hide there afterwards, we already had some servants ready to open the doors and let the army feast.”

“Aaand how did you end up here then?”

He shakes his head.

“I’m… I’m not sure. We captured some pony bigwigs trying to gain access to the castle vault for some reason. We even brought down the white alicorn princess. Everything was going great until… the explosion.”

“Explosion?”

“Ponies did something. I was stationed outside the castle while the high ranks were in the throne room itself with the Queen. She telepathically connected with all of us to join her in her moment of victory. She was celebrating our success when the pink alicorn appeared. The last thing I remember is her running to the captain of the guard… and then… everything hurt.”

He’s breathing heavily with glassy eyes looking into the past, reliving the obviously terrifying moment.

“Continue.”

He doesn’t react. Eight stomps her hoof again. This time he shakes his head.

“Keep going!”

“That’s pretty much it. The pink blast hit the Queen first, her pain paralyzing every changeling connected to her mind at that moment. Then the shockwave passed through the castle walls, picking changelings up and sending them flying into the sky. I saw some get splattered against buildings, some even caught on fire, but most of us...” he looks down, “We just flew upwards with our wings burning or disintegrating. I was flung so high I could see past the clouds, so far that everything was cold, and then… then I started falling. That’s the last thing I can recall.”

He’s just staring again, eyes blank. This time, though, same goes for Eight. She recovers first, though.

“So… everyone is… dead? The entire hive is… gone?”

The infiltrator shakes his head, hesitating.

“Those who didn’t fly as far as I did might be badly hurt but still alive. Unfortunately, they are also more likely to have been found by ponies by now.”

“Ponies killed everyone...” breathes out Eight.

”Eight.”

“They just murdered everyone. All we wanted was love to survive...”

”EIGHT!”

“Hmm?” she’s still not quite all there.

”I know this will sound horrible, but WE attacked. We didn’t try to negotiate or anything, we just attacked. You know the stories about changelings who ran off from the hive to find love on their own, about how they found a pony to live with for the rest of their lives. Chrysalis wanted to just cocoon everypony and use them like cattle. They didn’t matter to her, we didn’t matter to her. Her leadership led to this. I hate to say this, but we are at fault here.”

WRONG! NEGOTIATION?! DON’T MAKE US LAUGH! TO THEM WE ARE PARASITES TO BE BURNED, TO BE WIPED OUT!

SOLDIERS TO BE USED BY THE ACCURSED ALICORN CELESTIA AND THROWN AWAY WHEN NOT NEEDED!

THERE IS NO PEACE, THERE IS NO HOPE. THEY MUST BE DEVOURED FOR US TO LIVE!

”...n-no… n-n-no. We caused this… she planned this too long… so long that there were far too many of us in the end… she couldn’t sustain us. The huge army you want… killed us… drained all we had...”

Do NOT question our leadership! We are knowledge, we are experience, you are… a tool! Tool to make changelings more than slaves or monsters hiding in the darkness. Chrysalis failed us, but we have learned. We won’t make the same mistake twice.

Drowning… in a sea of boiling rage.

From them… and from Eight.

“...Eight… help...”

I lose access to Eight’s senses. Now I’m floating in complete darkness. Mouths full of teeth made of inky blackness growl and snap at me. They bark, they snarl-

-they stop and go completely silent.

Eight is standing in front of me, staring the closest head of a changeling queen down.

“I serve the hive,” she stands up tall and announces, “I serve to the best of my ability. My goal is our survival. I serve, you guide, the King decides. I protect, you advise, the King rules.”

Who do you think you are, warrior?!

“Unlike all of you, I’m still alive.”

The vision ends, I blink. Eight blinks.

“...my head...”

“Infiltrator, I’ll give you a choice. Join us, and you might live. Refuse, and I’ll either kill you outright or leave you with the love I already gave you to fend for yourself. If you join us, you will obey our King. If you don’t obey, I will break you. The rules are simple.”

“What king?”

“The boss, he’s really nice,” Three ignores his personal space, shoves his muzzle close to the infiltrator’s, and gives him a wide smile.

“AAAAH!” the wounded changeling scoots away, “Okay, okay, I’ll join! I’ll join! Anything is better than what ponies are going to do to changelings if they find us.”

Eight nods, putting her horn to his and letting another green spark flow between them.

“This should be enough to let you walk. Stay here. We’ll get you out at night-”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, ‘Truncheon’,” laughs Slipstream from the cellar entrance, accompanied by two exceedingly strong earthponies, each carrying a pitchfork, “You’re not too smart, bugs. Real Truncheon would never, EVER be this worried about work no matter what the Mayor would say. Also, you’re not enough of an asshole. I’d give the performance a three out of ten.”

Eight drops her disguise in a burst of fire, making the trio jump.

“Don’t blame me, I’m not an infiltrator. I can punch your muzzle so hard you’ll be shitting teeth for a week, though.”

14: Onwards to takeover!

Slipstream laughs.

“Bug living in some backwater hole can’t count to three, go figur-”

Eight doesn’t wait for the answer, lunging at the closest earthpony, knocking his pitchfork out of his hooves. In one fluid movement, she spins, and her hoof glows bright green right before connecting with the earthpony’s temple.

He drops like a log. So do the jaws of the other two, for a fraction of a second.

“Kill it! KILL IT!” screams Slipstream.

The other earthpony yelps and jumps when something taps on his leg. Glowstick takes a step away.

“Can I take a look at your stick? The boss gave me one that glowed, but it was old and a piece broke off of it when I hugged it.”

“Wha- boss- stick- wait, you’re one of THEM?!” the earthpony points his pitchfork at Three who shuffles further away.

Slipstream, narrowly avoiding a jab from Eight, yells:

“Of course it is! It’s another bug in disguise! Just STAB IT, you damn peasant!”

“Are you sure, it’s just a colt-”

“IT’S A SHAPSHIFT-oof,” her eyes roll upwards after a precise upper hook from Eight, and she keels over.

“Alright, one left,” Eight cracks her neck.

The earthpony, seeing the quick obliteration of his companions, drops the pitchfork, sits on his haunches, and raises his hooves.

“Please, don’t kill me. I have a family!”

Eight bares her teeth, growling.

“So? What would you do if a changeling said that to you?”

He whimpers, now trembling.

“I thought so,” Eight’s hoof shimmers with green light again as she cocks her foreleg back to possibly smash the pony’s skull.

“Wait, Eight.”

She stops without a word, waiting above the pony cowering with his muzzle hidden behind his forelegs.

”He didn’t want to hurt Three.”

“...that means his disguise worked...”

”I think this guy is just a pony… drone.”

“...farmer...”

”Yeah. He IS strong, but he’s not a fighter like you. Slipstream is a guard, and a somewhat observant one.”

“...remember that it's after the invasion. They WILL hunt us. They WILL execute stragglers...”

”I can’t simply kill him. He’s just trying to protect others.”

“...So am I, King. The best choice for us is to suck them dry and escape from town...”

”Actually… maybe not. We’ve got an infiltrator with us now.”

“...I’d prefer NOT putting our lives into the hooves of a changeling we just met...”

”I’m not. Give me control for a moment, please.”

“...fffff- yessss...”

I can practically feel Eight’s brain drip with submissive pleasure as I take a careful step forward in her body.

“Three?”

“Yes, miss Eight.”

“It’s me.”

“I know it’s you, miss Eight.”

“The boss.”

“Ooooh, right. What’s up, boss? Is miss Eight comfortable?”

“Like a good couch, totally. Now drop the disguise and listen.”

Glowstick turns into Three. The captured earthpony looks at him and shivers.

“I messed up. I messed up so much...”

“Maybe not,” I look into his wet eyes, “I can’t let you walk away after seeing this, though.”

He breaks down in tears. A strange sight from somepony of his size who looks as if he could split a tree in half with a good buck.

“You, infiltrator. What’s your rank?”

The changeling in question hobbles out of the temporary cell, slowly moving towards me.

“Four hundred and thirty-six.”

“Can you make it so that these three don’t recall what happened here?”

He pokes the unconscious Slipstream.

“Not like this. With some love, probably.”

I nod and turn back to the sobbing earthpony.

“If you cooperate, you’ll get through this and nopony you love will be hurt.”

He looks up at me, clearly not believing a word.

“But you said-”

I raise my hoof, he flinches and stops.

“You will feed Three here.”

“Feed?!” he looks at the drone significantly smaller than Eight or the infiltrator.

“It won’t kill you, just don’t resist.”

He hangs his head.

“Alright...”

“Three, go for it.”

Three climbs onto the sitting earthpony’s back, and bites his neck.

“Ow!” he panics at first, but has enough self-control not to swat Three away. After a moment, he calms down, his eyes now showing a dim green hue. I get ready to tear through his neck as he grabs Three, but he just holds him like he would a fresh nymph.

“You know, if you didn’t look so weird and buggy, you’d be almost as cute as my colt. You are a colt, right?”

“Mhm,” Three nods, “The boss said I could pick which one I would be, and I liked colt better.”

The flow of venom-tainted love from the earthpony to him is visible only for me, and it’s making me hungry.

“You know, you wanted my stick. Did you mean my pitchfork? Even after I wanted to stab you with it?”

“It’s cool and pointy! It would look awesome if miss Eight could make it glow.”

“Well, if I make it out of here, you can have it.”

“REALLY?!”

“Sure. It’s an old one I’m trying to use up. I have a better one for work at home.”

“You ponies aren’t so scary after all,” Three hugs him.

The earthpony returns it.

“We? You’re the ones with pointy teeth.”

Three burps, nuzzling the earthpony’s neck.

“I think I’m full. Thank you, mister pony.”

He drops back down onto the floor, walks a bit away, and then sits down.

“So full...”

“That wasn’t so bad,” the earthpony looks at me.

I nod.

“That’s just the beginning, and we don’t have time for hugging. Eight? Take over.”

Aaaand I’m back inside her head. The earthpony’s dizzy smile fades as he looks at Eight. Her expression must looks completely different when it’s me in charge.

“Alright, the King gave me an alternative to getting rid of you. Don’t resist, you’ll only make it worse. If you feel sleepy, it’s working.”

“Wha-”

Eight kisses the earthpony, burying her long tongue deep into his neck.

That goes on for about a minute, by the end of which she has to put the pony down as he loses all control over his body. The flow of love and now added lust is completely different from when Three was feeding - faster, stronger, and more forceful. In the end, the earthpony is out cold just like the others, only without the bruises.

“Not a bad start,” Eight licks her lips, “Makes me wonder if there’s something to how infiltrators do it.”

“Now drain the other two, but leave enough for the infiltrator to recover a little and be able to tamper with their memories.”

“Oooh, interesting idea. Alright.”

With Slipstream and the second earthpony unconscious already, they recieve just a bite in the neck and a hefty dose of venom as Eight drains them. She’s methodical and quick when she needs to.

“Infiltrator, take whatever love you need to recover enough so that you can make them forget what happened and plant some simple fake memories in them.”

“I understand, Eight,” he simply puts his horn to the already envenomed closest earthpony’s head, and lets the tainted love flow.

I look at Three dozing off, propped against a heap of some broken furniture, and then the three ponies. We’ll have to explain how they got here somehow.

Hmm, is that so?

”Hey, Eight, how about we give our infiltrator a name, or a rank?”

“Hey, infiltrator. The King wants to name you or give you a rank.”

“Hmm?” he looks at her, focused on his slowly healing chitin.

”Ten doesn’t sound bad, right?”

“...I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that...”

”He’s the only infiltrator we’ve got.”

“The King promotes you to rank ten.”

The infiltrator hiccups.

“T-Ten? T-t-t-that means I… I can get permission to… what is the highest noble in this place?”

“I suppose the Mayor,” Eight raises an eyebrow, “Why?”

“Low, but that’ll have to do. My speciality is royalty. There’s nothing sweeter than seducing some noble’s wife and making her my slave pet, then slowly taking over social ranks. The possibilities, the influence, the mares. All the power I can ever want. Haha hahahahaha! Sweet, soft, supple noble flesh, not tainted by work. But deep down, they are suuuch whorses in heat… ”

”Instant regrets. HUGE regrets.”

“...I can always just rip his head off...”

“Let’s keep that option on the table, sure.”

“All done,” Ten stands up all of a sudden, “All three of them will recall entering the police station, being warned about a possible danger from the swamp, and then they’ll wake up down here because it was ‘secret’ meeting so that other Wet Soil townfolk won’t panic.”

”Few minutes ago he had no idea where he was, now he knows our exact location, the name of this place, and likely what Slipstream had for dinner yesterday.”

“...basic infiltrator skills, King...”

”Now, how do we- ooooh, speaking of basic infiltration. I shouldn't know this, but the hive mind connection is somewhat open.”

I take over without asking this time, making Eight tremble with delight.

“Ten, you will take Slipstream’s place. With Eight posing as Truncheon, we’ll-”

“Have control over the whole local police force consisting of two goons. I understand rudimentary infiltration. Also, you’re not Eight. What’s going on?”

“I will explain later. Now shapeshift.”

In a burst of green fire, new Slipstream appears, taking a few steps with an annoyed expression.

“Meh, a mare. Uncomfortable, but workable. What do we do with the real one?”

“We have a base in Truncheon’s house. One more cocoon hanging in the cellar won’t make a difference. Now, help Eight drag the earthponies up. We’ll transport Slipstream when it gets dark. Can you dose her with enough venom to keep her out cold for that long?”

“Of course, but manual work? Come on, Eight is the warrior.”

“I helped you restore your legs, I can have Eight break them again. You might be rank ten now, but Eight got her place under Chrysalis. Don’t tempt me.”

“I don’t even know who or what you are, and you’re bossing me around.”

“I can order Three to have his way with you.”

He gulps, looking at the softly snoring drone.

“That’s not just a drone, right? That really IS a double-disguised infiltrator. Real Three as well, right? I KNOW they can mask their presence even from other changelings.”

“Heh, do you want to find out? I wonder if he could change your brain so that you go not for nobility, but for the lowest common ponies. Some earthponies digging whole day in the dirt-”

“Stop, STOP! Fine, fine, I’ll do what you want. It’s not like we have too much love anyway. Getting refilled in the middle of nowhere like this place isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Good. Now get dragging. Eight will help you.”

He sighs in utter disgust.

“...ugh, labor...”

15: Onwards to introductions!

I hear the door click, and open my eyes. My weak, inferior eyes. Damn, after a whole day inside Eight I sorta regret returning to this body. It’s so… slow, stiff, and weak.

It’s mine, though, and that counts.

What is something I couldn’t feel inside Eight is... ‘a tracker’ would be the best way to describe it. Even without seeing out of Truncheon’s living room, I know with absolute certainty that there are a common drone, a top-rank warrior, and a mediocre infiltrator entering the building.

I tapped out after the incident with Slipstream, and ‘fell asleep’ inside Eight. I don’t know if she noticed throughout the day, but if she did then she didn’t try anything to wake me up… or she did and failed. Anyway, I got some much needed sleep.

Experimentally, I try connecting with Eight, and her mind accepts me sharing her sight for a second without a problem… or without even noticing. Three is exactly the same, although for a moment my point of view is significantly lower. Ten, however, resists, and despite failing to interrupt my entry, I feel something like a mental steel wall preventing me from controlling him. Is that what Eight was talking about, the increased autonomy of infiltrators? I… think I could break through, but not without causing damage.

“What the heck?” I hear Ten from the hallway, “Stop that!”

Breaking the link, I realize I’m still inside my body. This was different from what we did with Eight, this was just me tapping into their sensory input without actually being there. I’ll have to explore the abilities of my new body over time. Now, since we’re in no apparent danger, I just stretch and yawn.

Damn, I’m weak. Oh yeah, I gave most of my love to Eight.

“Hey, King,” she enters the living room, dropping her disguise as Truncheon and smiling. Is she actually genuinely happy to see me?

“Hi, how was the day? I sorta shut down after you told the two earthponies the fake story. Wait, where’s Ten?”

“I sent him and Three to get Slipstream’s body down to the cellar. I’ll go make the cocoon in a minute. Before that-”

Without a warning she wraps her foreleg around my neck and kisses me. I feel overwhelming amount of love rush through my every vein and recharge me. I drink it like an addict getting his fix, gulping down a combination of love and Eight’s own dripping lust mixed with saliva.

I forcibly cut the flow of energy off, making Eight pull her tongue out of my throat.

“I’ve got more,” she gives me a questioning look.

“Keep it. You’re going to be out there among ponies. I can’t have you get in trouble because you get hungry or something.”

“I know how much I can survive on.”

“That’s an order, Eight.”

She closes her eyes, sighs, and then touches my nose with hers.

“I don’t trust Ten. I know how much love I need to deal with him in case he tries something, but I don’t want to leave you… vulnerable.”

I chuckle.

After the feeding, I feel completely different. I can see the specks of dust on the shelf hanging on the opposite wall of the living room, I can hear Ten dragging Slipstream across the floor in the cellar and muttering to himself.

“...making me work. Don’t have a drone to do it. I should be at a ball somewhere, getting ready to empty mine into some willing noblemare...”

“I can help you,” something clinks as if dropped on the floor when Three speaks out.

Ten practically yelps at the offer.

“No, nonononono, I’m fine. Thank you for the offer, Three. No reason to waste your energy on this miniscule task.”

My chuckle turns into a short laugh.

So this is how it works. The changeling types have a baseline of physical power which grows with love. I, as a K- whatever I am now, am completely dependent on how much love I’ve got inside me which means when I’m starving I’ll be vastly weaker than a warrior or infiltrator, but I think I can store much more love and use it to become stronger than any of them as long as it lasts.

I still can’t shapeshift for some reason, though.

“I’m alright, Eight. Besides, you’ll have Ten with you while I have to be sitting here. You’re the one in danger.”

She frowns and crosses her forelegs on her chest.

“I said my piece.”

I bow, putting my muzzle onto the carpet.

“Thank you.”

When I look up, she’s just staring, eyes open wide and jaw dropped.

That’s a lot of teeth. Do I have that much teeth now? Drones don’t have long muzzles, so our smile or surprise don’t usually look as if someone dropped a buzzsaw.

“So you are the King Eight kept droning about,” Ten, still disguised as Slipstream, finally enters the living room with Three in tow who in turn is dragging a pitchfork almost triple his size with his mouth and foreleg.

Do I try to look regal, or do I try to be myself?

”Low ranked infiltrator, a basic tool for minor love gathering. Use, then breed a better one.”

Shut. Up.

Though thank you for giving me my answer. I am me, I am not a bloodthirsty conduit for the hive mind.

Yet…

“I’m no king,” I admit, looking Ten in the eyes, “I was a drone who got hurt before even leaving the hive for the invasion. I fell unconscious and when I woke up I looked like this. I tried to follow the trail of dead drones eaten by higher ranks,” I narrow my eyes. Ten has the decency to look away, so he might not be a completely lost cause, “and I found Eight and Three.”

Eight facehoofs. Yes, I understand this seems like a terrible idea, but so did giving Eight love when she was dying in the first place.

“Now, Eight will call me a moron after this, but I’ll be straight with you. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m just trying to think of a course of action that won’t get us killed.”

Ten watches me, clearly thinking.

“I won’t force you to stay with us or obey me. You can keep Slipstream’s disguise, get fed in the bar tonight, and leave if you want. Oh, and one last thing - Three really is just a drone. He’s from one of the last clutches before the invasion just like I am. His rank is this high only because I refuse to call him two hundred thousand and something, and because he was the first guy I found and there was three in his rank somewhere, I think.”

Ten keeps staring.

“That’s all,” I add.

“So, it was you who took Eight over in the police station, and who got into my head when we arrived.”

“Yes.”

He rubs his chin.

“I can offer you my services… temporarily. I can get you love far better than she can,” he nods towards Eight, “No matter her rank. I was ‘made’ for it. In return - no manual labor like a commoner. I’m here to break fair maiden flanks, not wooden planks.”

“Have you actually ever gotten even close to a real noble, low rank?” interrupts Eight.

“I- well, I got some personal maids...” Ten withers under Eight’s burning gaze.

“Then let me add something the King didn’t say. He’s nice. I’m not. I don’t like you, I don’t trust you, and the only thing standing between you and me draining you until you’re a husk is the King.”

Ten looks in horror from her to me.

“If you help us, I’ll give you the best treatment i can. If you choose to leave, you’re free to do so just like I said. Eight only added one thing I didn’t think of. I have no intention of returning to Chrysalis. If you have a problem with it and try to… cause us trouble, then I’ll let Eight do whatever she wants with you. Or Three can hug you to death, both work. Those are my terms.”

Ten nods after a moment of thought.

“What’s the plan then?”

“For now, you and Eight take over the police. Keep an eye on anypony too focused on changelings. If you find another survivor of the explosion you spoke of, talk to them and try to recruit them. Gain as much love as you can, but keep it subtle. We’re not in a hurry, I think, but we need to recover. None of us are in a good shape. We might spend a week or a month here, don’t worry about that.”

“We’re going to need more changelings if we want to take the town over.”

“We DON’T want that, that’s the point. We need to settle in and see what ponies are doing after the invasion. Saving survivors takes priority right now. I don’t think cocooning the whole town is a good idea. Just do your duties well, blend in with the townsfolk, gain love. I’ll tap into your heads from time to time in order to see for myself since I can’t shapeshift and go outside.”

“Can we take over different ponies?”

“You’re not sleeping with the Mayor’s wife,” Eight stomps the floor, “While we’re in Wet Soil you’re Slipstream and that’s final! Oh, and since you’ve never bagged an ACTUAL noble, you’re still doing manual chores.”

I nod.

“I agree with Eight on this one.”

“B- but you won’t let me take the Mayor’s wife, and I have to be a mare! How can I get out of having to use my hooves?”

“Surprise me.”

16: Onwards to heroism!

I wake up.

No one is around? Why?

Dizzy, I get off of the bed. No one in the bedroom, no one in the living room-

“Eight? Three?”

-no one in the hall or the kitchen.

Only two green, bioluminescent cocoons are hanging from the ceiling of the cellar.

“Oh, wait… why am I panicking?”

I’m still not sure if changelings can sweat, but I wipe my forehead off nonetheless. Everything is fine, I’m just nervous what with being in the middle of enemy territory and so on. With that in mind, I return to the living room, careful not to venture too close to any windows. All the curtains are drawn, but caution is a must in a situation like this,

Alright, rewind, and focus.

The light is dimming outside, which means Eight and Three are likely finishing off their police duties, Ten must be either waking up or getting a ‘snack’ in a bar before Slipstream’s night shift, and I’m here inside Truncheon’s house just like in the past four days, alone...

...and kinda bored now that the waking panic has worn off.

“What to do? What to do?”

I’ve got just enough love not to be hungry. After the last time the hive mind drained me completely, I decided to keep both Eight and Three primed and filled as much as possible. Three was easy, actually, and after two days of Ten and Eight hunting in both Wet Soil bars he had so much love he could burst. Eight, though, was a bottomless hole as far as I could sense. Ten… he was actually a good reference point as an average changeling infiltrator and showed me how foolish my idea really was. What meant ‘topped off’ for Three and ‘rather full’ for myself, also meant ‘a barely sustaining meal’ for a normal changeling like him, and 'narrowly avoiding starvation’ for someone like Eight.

I thought my new body was made for storing love, but clearly that either isn’t the case, or it’s got waaaaays to go still. I just don’t know enough. Eight said I had queen-like, or king-like abilities, but I don’t feel like it whatsoever. Aside from the mind-sharing thing or hijacking a changeling’s eyes and ears I feel… like a drone. I don’t know how to fight and I can’t shapeshift. All I can do is carry stuff like I used to.

“If only the damn hive mind was useful for something more than insane screaming and sucking me dry,” I shake my head and lie down on the couch, “Maybe I could learn something. But noooo, it’s always BREED, COCOON PONIES, FIGHT, AND FEAST! If that’s the combined experience and will of changelings long gone then I’m not surprised the others settled for a drone who had a revolutionary idea that sticking together, listening to others, and not dying to be their leader.”

Anyway… since the best I can do right now is have a look at the others, let’s go for it. Connecting with Eight is the easiest, and when I open ‘my’ eyes again, I’m somewhere completely different.

The door to the police station slams open, and a breathless earthpony stumbles inside.

“The adventurers are causing trouble in the bar. You have to come help!” he gasps.

“Changeling hunters?” asks Eight and gives a sideways glance to Three who quickly backs off behind a corner leading to the office with a stack of papers he’s carrying.

“I don’t know, just some armed ponies. Come on, fast! They’re drunk and they’re breaking stuff.”

“Alright, let’s go,” Eight turns her head, “Glowstick, get behind the desk and if somepony comes tell them where I am.”

Three trots out from his cover, hops onto the receptionist desk chair, puts the stack of papers down, and salutes.

“Will do!”

“Which bar?” barks Eight at the pony.

“The Swamp Mug.”

“Right, out of the way,” she whizzes past the pony and into the evening streets of Wet Soil.

She’s lightning fast. I’ve never noticed, but whenever she can gallop in a straight line, she can clear a whole street within seconds. What’s more interesting is that while when I go a bit faster everything is blurry, she sees her surroundings with complete clarity.

Warriors, seriously. Next time I should examine how Ten sees the world a bit more in detail.

In less than five minutes, she’s on the other side of town, kicking the door open, and drawing the official truncheon with her mouth.

The crack of wood against the inside wall stops the commotion in the bar, every head turning towards her.

“Whuh gnng on hrr?” she spits the truncheon out and grabs it with her fetlock, “What’s going on here?”

“T-t-the b-bartender refused to serve them more b-beer- EEK!” explains a shaky waitress hiding behind an upturned table close to the entrance. She hides again as one of the armed ponies shoots her a glance.

“Heeeeeey,” starts one of the five ponies in light armors, “You’re the policepony here, right? We’re here to bring the captured changeling to Canterlot for bounty.”

They fan out around Eight, stepping over the broken tables and chairs as carefully as their drunk asses can. Eight examines each one, trying to buy some time to figure out her next step.

“On whose authority? The changeling is already in the hooves of the local peacekeeping force.”

“You?” a grey pegasus bounty hunter in leather vest pokes Eight’s chest, “In what shape does the bug have to be to stay locked up by YOU, heh.”

Eight grabs his foreleg.

“Assaulting a police officer, property damage, and,” she looks behind him at several earthponies bleeding from their muzzles, “attacking civilians or whatever that crime is called. Are you going to let yourself get arrested willingly?”

“Hey, this guy thinks he’s in the big league. Let’s show him-”

Eight flicks her fetlock holding the pegasus’.

CRUNCH!

“-ah aaaaaaah?”

The pegasus pales, stumbling backwards in shock while looking at his fetlock clearly attached only by tendons to this foreleg at this point.

In the background, hiding at the corner table, the Mayor hugging his wife facehoofs.

The biggest earthpony, brown and wearing a chainmail, bares his teeth.

“You messed with the wrong-”

One punch. Broken muzzle. Teeth rattling on the floor.

Eight doesn’t stop there, lunging behind the earthpony. It makes sense in the next second when something invisible hits the wounded bounty hunter from the side. Eight drops onto the floor, then slides under the collapsing earthpony’s legs, pouncing forward at the unicorn member of the group, his horn still glowing after the cast spell.

Eight rears on her hind legs, her foreleg flashes green, and I see the growing horror in the unicorn’s eyes.

The right hook connects with the unicorn’s horn.

Everyone watches the sharp bone bounce away from the wall. The last two bounty hunters realize they aren’t drunk enough to try to challenge the whirlwind of pain and crippling wounds that’s Eight, and drop their weapons.

“I want you out of the town within an hour. I don’t care if you have to CRAWL through the swamp or leave a bloody trail all the way back to Canterlot, but I’ll take one extra patrol tonight, and if I see you again… I’ll stomp your balls to paste.”

I can feel her tense up as the two untouched, at least physically, bounty hunters help the other three up, and carefully shuffle past Eight and out through the door.

“Don’t you DARE touch somepony unable to fight back ever again, filth.”

A random pony cautiously claps his hooves together.

More clapping, this time from multiple sources.

Thunderous clapping and stomping.

Eight smiles as the sudden wave of adoration and some added lust from the shocked mares crashes against her.

So this is a real top ranked warrior…

...she’s only rank eight, and without that much love.

Note to self - don’t make her mad.

17: Onwards to suspicion...

“How’s it going, Eight?”

She looks up from the newspaper reporting the first public information regarding the attack on Canterlot. We, of course, know the changeling side of the story from Ten, but the pony recount is… sadly correct.

An army of unprovoked and unknown aggressors infiltrated high ranks of pony leadership, then assembled at night around the pony capital city of Canterlot, and attacked while the ponies were getting ready for a festival celebrating the marriage of… what’s a mar-

A meaningless name for a meaningless contract between two ponies deciding to foolishly spend their lives only together.

Thank you for that valuable input, hive pile- I mean hive mind.

-princess Mi Amore Cadenza and captain of the Royal Guard Shining Armor.

Mi Amore Cadenza means I Love Climax. How amusing. Yet, the genocide she caused will not remain unanswered.

Did Chrysalis even try to negotiate or something?

THERE IS NO NEGOTIATION, ONLY THEIR TOTAL SUBMISSION AS OUR-

Food, prey, livestock. I get it, you’re getting repetitive.

Do not presume you’re irreplaceable to us, DRONE!

I don’t, I just want to survive without getting eaten BY MY OWN KIND! In fact, if you could replace me with someone else right now so that I wouldn’t have to listen to your shouting that would be grand. Now if you excuse me, I want to talk to one of the first changelings who isn’t a total ass. I guess her connection to you must have gotten damaged at some point.

“...hmm, King? Is there any trouble?”

”No, surprisingly. Anything on your end?”

She hums quietly to herself, walks over to the doorside window, looks out, then returns to the receptionist’s deck.

“Maybe, maybe not. I can’t really tell.”

”Mind sharing? I’m getting bored here. Maybe my persepctive could… oh who am I kidding? I’ve been a drone my whole short life, and now I’m locked inside a house all the time. Nevermind, Eight. I trust you to figure it-”

“Three’s doing fine. I’ve taken the liberty of giving him some basic reading material so he can practice what little he knows and maybe learn more.”

“A book? Where did you-”

The bell above the entrance rings as the door opens.

Eight looks up from the newspaper to face a nervously smiling brown pegasus mare with green mane. She seems kinda familiar. What’s completely weird is the thin streak of affection flowing from her to Eight.

“Can I help you?”

The mare blushes, comes closer, and I can feel Eight tense up.

“I, well,” she puts her forelegs on the table and looks Eight in the eyes, “Will you go out with me tonight, mister, eeehm, Truncheon?”

WHAT?!

Eight sighs, shaking her head.

“You’re a lovely mare, but as long as there’s increased security status due to the changeling attack, I really should do everything I can to keep this place safe-”

The mare keeps looking Eight in the eyes. The changeling actually breaks the staring contest first.

“-which means extra patrols. I’m sorry.”

The mare looks half about to burst into laughter, and half disappointed. I can’t imagine why, because Eight’s diplomatic answer was perfect, I think.

“Alright, maybe later then,” the mare turns around, and before leaving blows Eight, who actually chokes on her own saliva out of sheer shock, a kiss, “Thank you for saving me at the bar, ‘Truncheon’.”

Oooh, one of the waitresses.

“That’s the third mare today, King,” Eight says after the door closes and she silently counts to five.

”What, really?”

“Yes,” Eight sighs, “I don’t mind the affection and lust they give me just by being close, in fact it’s been a while since I was this… sated, but I doubt me suddenly being this well-known is a good thing. Anyway, I’ve got loads of love to drop off for you tonight.”

“Eight, just do your job well until we’ve recovered, and then we can leave this place. The ponies here like you, and even I’m starting to think you’re not about to stab me in the back for some reason.”

“Oh don’t worry, King, I didn’t forget. I’ve got plans for you as well.”

”Thank you. My body is asleep and I still felt the chill run down my spine.”

“Biiig plans.”

”Uhhh, I gotta go, in case I pooped myself now. Bye.”

My sleeping body, thank you for welcoming me back.

I yawn, look around for any inappropriate mess, and when I find none I collapse yet again. Damn, this body really likes staying dormant when I have next to no love. Unfortunately, keeping myself dry is the only way to prevent the hive mind from taking everything again.

On the other hole, sleep is nice, warm, and totally not terrifying like Eight. Ironic, that she’s my lifeline and my biggest threat right now.

Anyway, back to the darkness.

Strange, I’m asleep and yet awake. I can feel time flow faster, and I can choose where I send my mind. Still, I know I’m building up a world from little fragments of what my changelings see and feel.

Wait, did I say my changelings?

I’m just a drone, and here it is - from little snapshots getting to me somehow, I know enough time has passed. I know that Eight is now on the way back here, that she left Three at the police station when Ten arrived disguised as Slipstream for the night shift, and that darkness has fallen upon Wet Soil.

Fine, I’m not only a drone, I’m now basically just a floating consciousness, so let’s go visit Ten.

“Oh, it’s you… King,” he yawns, reading through Eight’s daily report before grabbing his own from the stack of papers in the back office.

”Anything to report?”

“I woke up, I transformed into this blasted female body, I flew here, I checked Eight’s report, I’m talking to myself and pondering whether staying as a pile of nearly dead chitin would have been better than having to do all the work from past few days.”

”I’ll take that as no. Say, is this really so bad? I mean, Slipstream and Truncheon didn’t seem like the kind to do much, and all you do is go through two patrols around town and then sit here and read. Not counting Eight’s intervention yesterday.”

“Look,” he hisses, “this might be fine to you, but my speciality is infiltration, which means taking out the right target, then assuming control of his close ones, and then living off of them. Use them to gain status and contacts, repeat with somepony better. I am meant to have servants, not to pound pavement for hours on end. Once I help you and myself get out of this… hole, I’m headed to a bigger city where I can start anew.”

”Not going to try and find the hive?”

“If my own fate is any indication, there is no hive anymore. Maybe some mid-tier changelings survived, maybe some core around the Queen. With my real rank, If they find me… then I’m just food like you. No, I’m figuring out the details of my own plan, and I expect you to honor your part of the bargain… no, I’m expecting you to stab me in the back, and that’s why I won’t let you take control over me like you do with Eight. There, happy?”

”Is there any way I can persuade you that I’m not going to do that?”

Something clinks and clangs softly.

“Yeah, don’t kick me in the balls when the time comes. That’ll work,” Ten stops rummaging around the office drawers for various forms, looks at Three sitting in the corner and reading a magazine called Cosmare, and whispers, “...I know he’s here to spy on me and scramble my brain if I disobey. I’m not completely stupid...”

Alright, so he still doesn’t believe Three’s just a damaged drone. Well, there isn’t much I can do about that.

”Just do your best, and you’ll have no problems with me.”

“Heh, right...” Ten puts on the official guard armor, grabs the spear, and-

-finds two ponies waiting for him at the receptionist desk.

“Oh, can I help you?” he takes a step back as the Mayor and his wife look straight at him, well, technically her.

“We’re here to check the locked up changeling.”

Ten salutes.

“Umm, no can do, sir, ma’am. We recieved a memo about those… things and they supposedly can control your mind with just a look, or the tone of their voice, or by spitting at you.”

Which is obviously untrue, because both the Mayor and the mare with him are giving Ten less and less friendly stares.

“Your concern about our safety is encouraging, but we… insist,” says the Mayor, and his wife adds, “Or we might start thinking you aren’t exactly yourself, Slipstream.”

“I certainly am who I am, miss-”

”I’ve got an idea. Just stall them for a minute!”

I rapidly switch from Ten to Three.

”Hey, Three. I’ve got a vital mission for you. Lots of infiltrator points in it.”

“...wohoo...” he sits up on the chair and puts the magazine down.

”Why are you whispering?”

“...infiltrators are supposed to be sneaky, boss...”

”Great start. Ten is busy at the front desk keeping some ponies from discovering us. Distract them for a second, then pretend to go to the toilet, and sneak into the cellar. I’ll try to show you what to do next, but I’ll be inside Ten so the communication might be a bit fuzzy.”

“...I’ll do my best, boss...”

”No, you’ll do it right, Three. I believe in you.”

“...I won’t fail you, boss...”

My next quick transition makes me a little confused. I’m not used to switching between targets this often.

“-and I’ve been trained by the Royal Guards not to fall prey to possible mind altering magic, while you, no offence, are just civilians, and-” Ten is still running his mouth.

“Hello!” Three comes from behind the corner, “Oh, it’s mister Mayor and miss Mayor. Thank you for the hug, miss. It made me feel all better.”

“Ah, it’s...” the mare narrows her eyes, examining Three, “We decided on the name Glowstick last time, didn’t we?”

“Mhm, it’s great!” Three hugs her foreleg. She freezes. For some reason I don’t feel any affection like before. Something is… different, “I gotta go. Nature calls.”

“You’re keeping the colt here during night shift?” asks the Mayor in disbelief.

Ten shakes his head.

“I’ll take him home when I’m on patrol,” he taps his armor, “I was just about to go out when you arrived. Truncheon wanted a little privacy. It’s difficult to keep Glowstick occupied with his busy schedule and he wants a break, even if it’s few hours.”

From the corner of his eyes, I see Three slip into the cellar and close the door quietly behind him. Now, for the second part of my plan. I just hope Three understood the message and images I thought of and tried to send to him.

”Alright, Ten. You can let them into the cellar.”

“Slipstream, I won’t ask again!” the Mayor pokes Ten in his chest.

Ten sighs.

“Fine, just… just be really careful. You, as the Mayor of this town, would be the best changeling target if something bad happened. Follow me.”

He grabs the cell keys from the hook by the desk, and opens the heavy door, followed by the two ponies. I see him blink in surprise when he sees the heavily damaged changeling inside the cell.

Damn, Three’s transformation into broken Ten isn’t the best, but for ponies it might just work. They can’t be used to telling us apart. At least I had that problem with ponies. I could swear some are just recolors of others when I saw some for the first time through Eight’s eyes.

“See, he- it still hasn’t woken up,” Ten watches the duo come closer to the bars while closing the door, grabbing a leg chair and trying a practice slow swing with it.

”Wait for it, Ten. It gets better. This should stop them from coming here again. Let them approach.”

“Hmm,” Mayor’s wife tilts her head, “It looks like it’s still breathing, although slowly. Interesting, I almost believed it escaped, grouped up with another survivor, and took over our beloved peacekeeping duo.”

I can feel Ten’s hoof grip on the piece of wood tighten, and I don’t blame him. I almost crapped myself too. Is that mare some soldier in disguise or something?

“Graaaaawr!” Three suddenly lunges forwards, slamming his forelegs against the bars of the cell door. Both Mayor and the weird mare jump backwards.

That part was planned to show them the changeling, while heavily wounded, is still dangerous and to be kept in the hooves of the police. What part wasn’t planned, was the rusty hinges ripping off, and the whole barred door falling down on the floor.

Ten jumps in front of the duo, swings the chair leg-

*THWACK!*

-and hits Three in the head who immediately collapses on the floor. Then he turns around to the pale ponies.

“I… I think we might need… some budget for repairs… heheh...” he repeatedly turns his head from the ponies to Three and back.

“Yes,” the Mayor pushes the mare who is measuring both Ten and Three with a frown on her face backwards, “Uhh, yes yes yes… just keep that thing locked down here.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Ten looks at cellar exit, “Now, I’ve got to tie it to a pipe or something, so if you please...” he nods towards the door.

“Yes, yes,” the shaken Mayor repeats, “We’ll leave you to your… business.”

The two disappear without even closing the cellar door, and soon we hear the clanking of the doorbell.

”Stars above, Ten! Good reaction, but if he’s more than concussed, Eight and I will be really pissed off.”

“YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME WHAT YOU WERE PLANNING! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” Ten examines Three from all sides.

“Whheahhhmmm… I dun think I like sticks enymore...” the dizzy drone blinks several times, “Arr dey gone…?”

“Yes, the’ve left,” Ten nods.

“Oh gud- good,” Three rubs his head, then shapeshifts back into Glowstick, “Hey, boss, did I do well?”

”You did great, Three. You’ll make an amazing infiltrator one day.”

“Yaaay! Thank you, boss.”

“PLEASE DON’T EAT MY BRAIN!” Ten breaks into tears, kneeling before Three giving him a mildly confused stare, “I STILL HAVE NOBLEMARES TO PLOWWWWWW!”

Heh, and here I thought he hated manual labor.

Eeeeh, they can handle this. I can feel a terrible headache coming from all the switching and talking to more changelings at once.

Phew. Crisis hopefully averted.

18: Onwards towards true purpose.

“Hi, Eight!” I sit up on the couch, yawning and stretching my weak legs.

“Good evening, King,” she gives me a nod, and in a burst of green fire shapeshifts back to her changeling form, “Aaah, that feels so much better.”

Looks so much better too. I mean, we changelings look physically very similar on the first glance. Our primary method of recognizing one another is sensing the shape of one’s mind up close. For example, Eight’s feels like a sealed steel box with jelly under it, Three’s a little glowing white marble full of holes, and Ten’s is a shadow with pink shimmer at its core. I guess it wouldn’t make sense to anyone without our way of feeling others.

Physically, though, let’s say compared to a pony, Eight is nearly a head taller than an average mare, with long, slender legs, and a rather thin barrel despite her strength and speed. I wonder how she’s going to look if- when her belly armor grows back eventually. Judging by the dark pink colour of her mane reaching barely from the top of her head to the base of her ears and short, cropped tail, she clearly won’t be difficult to spot in her real form. What makes me shake whenever she looks at me are her eyes, though. Dark green, exactly like Chrysalis’.

“You’re looking… healthy.”

“I’ve met several other citizens during my late patrol. I don’t know why, but they are practically showering me with positive feelings. It can’t be just that one showdown at the bar, or the swamp creature... or the lost foal...” she walks over, sits down on the couch next to me, and presses her side against mine, “So, how do we do this? I’ve got a boatload of affection, even some purer love, and a ton of ideas on how to use the holes in my legs… and not only those,” she nibbles my ear.

“Umm, well, ehm, yeah, I can drain you just fine, you know. Like I’ve been doing this whole time.”

I was expecting some complaining, but Eight just chuckles, and says:

“Alright, let’s see how it goes.”

She’s planning something, she must be.

However, I’m starving, and my self-control is slowly losing to the needs of my body. Putting my horn to hers, I open all the channels I have, ready to receive the trickle… flow… torrent… tidal wave of positive emotions.

“Hnnh… s-s-slow d-d-d-down pleeeeeassse...” I can faintly feel myself collapse on the soft padding of the couch, but the sensation is buried under the numb burning of my body overflowing, “I c-c-can’t… hurts...”

“Oh no, my little King,” all I can see is Eight’s sadistic grin, “My weak, shy, slow, and terrified King. I told you I had plans for you, and you’re not getting out of those.”

“E-Ei...gh...t...” I groan, trying to stop myself from absorbing more, “Stop… ple...ase...”

I can feel HER inside my head, a weak pressure working against all my attempts at stopping the burning flow. I feel more and more bloated, every cell being filled to bursting.

“Nuh uh uh,” she just shakes her head, “Strong King, and a strong hive. You’ll make both, even if I have to push you a little.”

To my surprise, I regain control over my forelegs, and try to shove Eight away. She budges only a little.

“No… King… just me… I just want to… hide… and survive...” I feel sick, as if I’m going to throw up. I need to stop this. I don’t know what she’s doing or why, but this is killing me.

I summon all my willpower in one final desperate attempt to force Eight out of my head and make my body listen.

It fails, and suddenly, everything goes white.

“Owwwww...” I roll over, spot the carpet, and don’t fall down on it, held by a pair of black legs which push me back.

I feel so weak, so full, so… fat, so… hot. There’s something more now, some instinct I’ve never felt before. I can feel a strange urge, but I just don’t know what it is.

“Calm down, and let yourself get used to it. This is an immeasurably tiny fraction of power that Chrysalis is used to controlling,” I hear Eight’s now soothing voice, “There will be more, a lot more eventually.”

“What,” I gasp for breath, “did you do?”

“We can’t have a King barely able to control the amount of energy a warrior has,” she’s slowly stroking my mane, “I just sped things up a little. I knew your body could take it. Our little hive will grow stronger, I’ll make sure of it.”

OUR hive. There’s four of us and one wants to leave as soon as he can. There is no hive...

...and that’s what she wants to change. Does she want home? Then why with me? Why not take the energy and find Chrysalis’ high-tier core?

“Why… me...?”

She laughs and kisses my nose.

“Nu uh. We agreed on something for something. I did this for you, and when you do your part of the deal, I’ll tell you what you so desperately want to know, Now rest,” she fluffs the pillow under my head, “I know it can’t have been easy.”

“...do I look like a blob now?” I mumble, definitely feeling like one.

“You’ve never looked better, my King.”

“...I’m really mad at you right now...”

Her warm smile with a hint of playfulness fades.

“I… can understand that, but you needed a strong push,” she stands up, “I’ll go check on the cocoons in the cellar and let you think it over.”

I don’t stop her from leaving. Partially from not wanting to, and partially because I can feel myself passing out again. This time I end up floating in complete blackness, but conscious.

“Well well well, finally learning that changelings need a strong hoof to reign in their lust for power? It's to control or be controlled.”

The voice… I’ve heard it only twice in my short life.

Eight’s eyes glow in the darkness, but who materializes behind them isn’t her. It’s Chrysalis.

“They need to be controlled, otherwise they’ll turn on each other like the starving beasts they are. On each other, and then on you.”

I need ground. I need something to stand on so that I don’t break under that menacing and prideful gaze. Thankfully, my current unreal existence obeys, and when I stretch my legs I feel pressure under my hooves.

“YOU made us like that! YOU and your incompetent leadership!” I bark back. I only wish my voice wasn’t shaky and far more high-pitched than usual, “Most of us have never seen a pony up close to feed on. Everything we got was ten times regurgitated affection, the tiny bit the higher-ups could spare.”

“Insolent DRONE!” Chrysalis scowls, “You know NOTHING! I had more power than any queen before me, I had knowledge, I had so much control that you could never dream of-”

Hives, several spread across Equestria. Changeling armies sieging pony cities, their captured inhabitants being dragged in green cocoons underground, hypnotized, and forced to breed so there would be more to drain. Queen Chrysalis ruling from Equestria while the other proto-queen generals led the assault on the rest of the world - Carapace, Cryo, Mandible, Decima, and Shadowstep. Zebras fell, griffons fell, everyone was supposed to bow before Chrysalis, the most powerful changeling queen who has ever lived.

“-and I made the mistake of trusting them instead of breaking their minds. I thought their individuality would prove an asset instead of an obstacle-”

Changeling armies, fed and trained, taking their pony slaves and leaving under the command of their leaders.

“-but no. Cryo made a hive up north, trying to prey on dwarf ponies, yaks, and minotaurs.” Chrysalis shakes her head, “We aren’t built for polar activity, and she learned the hard way. However, that meant one less traitor I had to destroy. Carapace was loyal, and lay siege to Canterlot until her last breath which Celestia burned out of her. The damn alicorn made us what we are, and when she didn’t need us anymore we were to be wiped out.”

“What do you mean?”

A strange light pony with fly wings suffering in agony as his coat falls out, skin hardens into chitin, and a new commanding voice terrifies him by speaking directly into his brain-

“NO!” Chrysalis raises her voice, the vision fading, “This isn’t for him... yet. No, the betrayal and failure of my best led to our downfall. It was the first time all races united, albeit shortly, to completely destroy us. If it wasn’t for our patron, the only alicorn I would ever call an ally, they would have succeeded. Scream, the avatar of Lust, understood our needs, our plight. She told us where to hide, where Celestia’s accursed magic wouldn’t find us. With alicorn on our side, we knew we would eventually recover. My mistake was-”

Chrysalis would NEVER admit she made a mistake!

“You’re not Chrysalis. Hive pile again?”

The form of the changeling queen turns into shadow which blurs, and suddenly I’m surrounded by a circle of other tall and terrifying changelings.

“Hive mind,” they say in unison, “and watch your tongue!”

“Mind implies thought, calculation, and growth. You’re just a ball of rage and hurt pride!”

To my shock, they simply chuckle this time.

“You will learn. One day we’ll uncover the truth for you, and then you’ll understand that hatred and contempt for ponykind are the only way for us. Now, we have a different task for you. One which your Eight will definitely appreciate.”

“Nope, and don’t drag her into this! I don’t know if I can trust her after today, but she’s still better than you.”

“WE WILL GROW AND SPREAD! SHE PREPARED YOU FOR US, AND IT IS TIME YOU FULFILL YOUR ROLE!”

“Prep-”

“Hey, boss! You’re practically glowing. Ummm, can you goop over my pitchfork so I don’t have to bother miss Eight again?”

I wake up, gasping for breath.

“T-Three?” rolling over, I have enough presence of mind to stretch my legs and stop myself from falling off the couch on my own. Strange, I did that faster than I ever thought I could.

My brain hurts.

Out of the way, drone!

“Out of-” I shake my head, “No. Hi, Three,” the undisguised changeling waves at me, standing next to Slipstream, “Good job with the Mayor, Ten.”

“Your plan worked, I admit,” he says, nodding.

Get rid of them! We have more important things to do.

“Now return to your patr-” I clutch my head, “Stop it!”

“Are you okay, boss?” Three hops onto the couch. Strange, that in itself makes me feel a little better.

“Yeah. yeah. Hey, Ten.”

“Mhm?”

“I need you to get the Mayor off of our backs permanently.”

“Finally!” he throws his forelegs upwards, “Can I get his wife afterwards?”

“Not like that!” I roll my eyes. He’s incorrigible, “I’m going to give you some more love so that it’s possible to do. I need you to tear off pieces of your chitin after tonight’s patrol, and bring it to the Mayor as a proof you killed the changeling when he escaped after he and his wife agitated him or something.”

“Oh queen...” he pales, “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Look, if you have a better idea how to explain the changeling got away when the Mayor’s own wife almost saw through us, then by all means persuade them both, but you’d better do it by tomorrow, because I’m not keen on dealing with a bunch of guards sent our way. Eight can’t punch her way through an army… I think.”

Ten sighs.

“I’ll think of something,” he gasps when I simply send love his way without even touching him. That’s new, “Wow… that’s a lot, King.”

“It's so you don’t pass out from bloodloss or something. I don’t know if it’ll be enough for full regeneration, but I might have more later. Ponies seem to be keen on filling Eight to the brim for some reason.”

“Alright, alright. As I said, I’ll think of a good lie.”

“Can I get some too?” asks Three after Ten leaves.

GET RID OF HIM!

“Of course, Three. Here you go,” a small drop of what I have now is enough for his full meal, “Now go read or something,” I mentally locate Eight who is still in the cellar, “I’ve got important stuff to do.”

Finally.

Standing up from the couch, my legs lead me through Truncheon’s house and down the stairs. Why does my head throb so much, and why do I feel so full? Physically, I mean. Something shifts and bulges in the region of my abdomen, something I’ve never felt before, but it feels like a pulsating furnace. I don’t look away from Eight, though.

“Hmm, King?” Eight looks up from the cocoon she’s been examining, “Is there something-”

Finally, we will breed and...
“...spread,” I growl, pouncing at Eight.

***

Three heard a high-pitched scream from the cellar. Strange, there should only be the boss and miss Eight there at the moment. Well, miss Eight had said the boss was really jumpy when startled, and maybe she just told him some super top tier changeling secrets which weren’t for Three. It couldn’t hurt to take a look, just in case one of them slipped on miss Eight’s goop and now needed carrying up onto the soft bed or couch. Despite his dream of eventually becoming an infiltrator, Three was still just a drone, and drones knew how to carry stuff.

The door to the cellar slammed open as he was walking down the hallway, trailing crayons falling out from the holes in his legs everywhere. The stairs behind it were dark, but Three did spot a shadow crawl upwards.

“Help me, Three!” the boss, mouth and torso covered by green goo, dragged himself forward by his forelegs.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Three heard Eight’s voice, and with a jerk the boss began sliding backwards as if something grabbed him by his hind legs, and pulled him back into the darkness, “We’re nowhere close to being done, my King. I can still walk.”

“Aaaaaaaah!” the boss’ eyes grew wider, “I’m not ready. NOT AGAAAAIN!”

“Uhhh, are you okay, boss?” Three watched the boss disappear down the stairs. It looked to be happening against his will, but there was only miss Eight down there, and she was his bodyguard, and technically Three’s pet, although the boss took care of all the feeding and she didn’t need a litter box.

“HE’S FINE!” Three heard miss Eight, “AND HE WON’T BE LEAVING ANY TIME SOON! BUSY-”

“I’m n-” the boss’ voice got drowned and muffled, as if something soft covered his muzzle.

“Mmmm… much better use for your tongue,” Three heard miss Eight’s now quiet voice.

Three shrugged, closing the door, and returning to the living room. Whatever was going on down there was a high-tier changeling business, probably important planning for the future of their small group.

When they needed to carry something, they would know where to find him.

“Wheee, crayons!”

19: Onwards towards discovery!

Summoning all my remaining strength, I wobble up the cellar stairs, open the door unceremoniously with my patented face smash, and almost fall back down, gasping for breath.

Eight, beaming and spry despite her belly stretched to four times her normal slim size waltzes by. She desperately needs a shower, or maybe some acid bath to clean all the wet and already dried up stuff all over herself. Damn, considering how I stink, so do I.

“We’ll have to work or your stamina, King. I’m not bursting yet,” she nuzzles my neck, “But not bad for a first try,” humming, she opens the door to the bathroom, “Note to self, next time get him a whip- no, a lead pipe! Hnnngh… yessss...”

“Holy queen’s holes, she's crazy,” I mutter and stop myself, “Wait… no holes… no more holes...”

Do I call for Three to carry me off onto the couch? I don’t think I can make it there by myself.

As I poke my head into the living room, I see the drone sleeping on the floor, using a hole in his foreleg as a crayon holder, and drooling into his colouring book.

“...alright, I guess I’m in this on my own...” I sigh, shuffling and stumbling as quietly as I can towards the couch.

At least I don’t feel bloated to bursting anymore, and the hive pile is quiet. It must be early morning, which means we’ve been down there for at least eight hours. Eight hours full of Eight.

I collapse on the soft padding...

...and here it is, my sleep, by which I mean my floating consciousness. Can’t I simply shut down anymore? I could really use some good old deep rest.

Alright, I guess there is something still bothering me. Let’s check up on Ten to see what he did with the “escaped changeling”.

Ten limps into the town hall, vision hazy. The receptionist, a young unicorn mare, scowls.

“What is it, Slipstream?” then her attitude changes completely all of a sudden, and I can feel a small trickle of curious and yet warm interest flow from her to Ten, “I mean, good to see you,” she looks Ten up and down, “What happened? You look terrible.”

“I’d like to talk to the Mayor, please, if he’s already in. If not, I can pass out here until he’s back no problem.”

The receptionist mare chuckles, walking over to Ten. As he follows her circling around him, I can finally see the shape Ten is in. He’s not wearing his armor, so the cuts and bruises all over Slipstream’s body are visible. His neck is bandaged, with bloodstains covering it, same goes for his hips and the thighs of his hind legs.

“What happened to you?”

Ten looks from side to side, then whispers:

“Have you heard about the captured changeling?”

The mare gulps and nods.

“It escaped.”

She whimpers.

“Don’t worry,” Ten pats her head, “I chased it and killed it,” he shakes a bag on his back, “This is for the Mayor. Some remains so that he can decide what to do with them, whether to give them to some doctor for examination or something else.”

“Eeew,” the mare steps away, “I-I think I can fit you in right now. Just give me a second.”

“Can I… can I sit down somewhere where ponies won’t see this?” he shakes his bag.

“Oh- Oh yes, sure,” she nods at Ten, “Come with me. There’s a bench in the Mayor’s waiting room.”

She leads him upstairs where Ten slumps down onto a padded bench while the mare slips into the Mayor’s office.

One quick moment later, she walks out and gestures at Ten to go inside. With a grunt and a hiss of pain, Ten obliges, leaving the receptionist behind. To my surprise, the Mayor is already behind his desk this early, and accompanied by his pegasus wife who tilts her head as Ten enters. There’s something off about her, and I can’t make out what. What I DO notice is the mare’s lipstick smeared on the side of the Mayor’s neck.

“Inkwell said you had something important to tell me about the captured changeling,” the Mayor starts.

Ten tosses the gory bag on the carpet, grunting in pain again.

“I regret to inform you that he- it escaped. I think your visit agitated it, and the fact that I shackled its legs to the wall wasn’t enough.”

“You mean to tell me there’s a changeling running around, Slipstream?!”

The Mayor is clearly upset, while his wife looks… mildly amused?

“No, sir,” Ten points to his wounds, “I found it escaping through the window after I returned from dropping Glowstick off back at Truncheon’s house. It… it must have faked its state, because it bolted right out faster than I thought it could. I chased it out into the swamp where it turned on me,” Ten frowns, “I know I’m not a great fighter… I couldn’t knock it out and bring it back, it was just too feral. However, I wounded it, an in its rage it got caught in the shallows and sucked underground. I brought you back some pieces of its armor, so you can show it to a doctor or something and we can learn more about these creatures.”

“That’s quite… admirable,” the Mayor blinks. His wife leans to his ear and whispers something, “Right, right, can I see the bag?”

“Of course,” Ten salutes, and brings the bag closer. The Mayor examines it, slowly going green, then covers his mouth, “Blurrgh...”

His wife takes out a piece of chitinous chestplate, looks at it, then at Ten, then she nods and puts it back. Thankfully, Ten had the foresight to put the bandages on different parts of his body than from where the bits he just gave to the ponies were from. That also means he must be in crippling pain despite the transformation. I think he deserves some more love for this, although I don’t think I have any spare after Eight… don’tthinkaboutit…

“She’s got the right idea,” says the Mayor’s wife, “I’ll take this to Clean Cut immediately. I also think Slipstream here deserves a commendation, don’t you?”

“For letting the changeling escape?” the Mayor frowns.

“Come on, darling,” she rubs his head with her wing, “We woke the creature up when we wanted to see it despite her warning, and you know how little funding our police duo gets. I think they might be in for a little raise, considering their recent... unusually exemplary service record.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“With all due respect, can I go now? I need to lie down, and I still have a report to fill,” Ten blinks, gently swaying in place.

“Hun, will you lead our brave policepony out?” asks the Mayor.

“Of course. I’ll take the… ugh, bag to Clean Cut as I said. See you later,” she blows him a kiss.

The Mayor smiles and nods as the two leave.

“Excellent job, Slipstream,” she pats Ten with her wing, “I’d advise you to go to the doctor, but I get the feeling all you want to do now is have a rest.”

“You’re right, ma’am,” he salutes again, and leaves the mare behind him.

”Hey, Ten?”

“...mhmm?”

”Stop by. I don’t have much love, but I can spare what little I have. That way the hive pile won’t have anything to steal from me at least.”

“...that’s okay, I’ve still got a reasonable amount. I just need time to process it...” he yawns, “Damn, I could use a day off...”

”Good night, Ten.”

“...night...”

With that, I leave the stumbling changeling on his way to the station and then home.

Now I realize the worry because of which I wasn’t able to sleep was Ten’s, not my own. Strange. Even stranger, though, was the fact that when I tapped into him, he calmed down. Unlike Eight or Three, he can sense me, and while I thought he’d be annoyed, it seems like just my presence actually helped.

However, with that sorted out, I can finally do what I told Ten to do - sleep.

Good, old, relaxing, sl-

…
…
…

I hear something, just on the edge of consciousness, but it’s there. I also immediately know it’s not Eight, Ten, or Three, because I am fully aware of their locations. Eight is at the police station, and Ten is coming here to drop Three off. Huh, I must have slept for almost two days.

Creaking. Hoofsteps. A gasp.

Alright, awake and all legs accounted for. Jumping out in three… two… one…

Go!

“AH?!” comes from…

…the closest of the ten or so ponies surrounding the couch. From the corner of my eye, I see more of them in the hallway.

”Eight! EIGHT! HELP ME!”

I send her a little flash of what’s going on. She’s the strongest, and the easiest one to reach for some reason.

The ponies fan out, each one taking a step or two backwards. There’s the Mayor, his wife, one of the farmers whom Eight brutalized in the police station cellar - the nice one, some vaguely familiar ponies from the bar brawl Eight broke up, and many more. Now that I can see clearly, I count fifteen, and a lot of them are armed. Granted, mostly with pitchforks, clubs, or levitating knives, but in those numbers they won’t need proper weapons.

That’s a lot of ponies staring at me…

“Ehm, good job fitting all of you in here...”

Why did I say that? Well, at least now it’s clear they can’t bash my brain out because I clearly don’t have one.

“Who are you?” asks the Mayor, “I mean which one are you, Truncheon or Slipstream?”

His wife whispers something into his ear, and I lose sight of her as she leaves into the main hallway.

“Neither one,” there’s no reason to play out this charade. They clearly know about us. We screwed up at some point. What now, what now? Come ooooon, Eight, where are you? I need a real adult here.

“Do you always look like that?” asks the Mayor, nodding towards me.

“Like what? The chitin and the holes are kinda mandatory.”

“No, I’ve seen only one changeling before you, and it wasn’t so… sticky.”

I realize I’m still covered in green goo all over. I didn’t have time or energy to take a shower after I was… finally released from the cellar.

“Eheh,” I scratch my head, “That’s kinda Eight’s job.”

To my amazement and creeping horror, somepony from the back cheers.

“Who is Eight?”

Should I tell him? I might as well. Eight is either coming here to help, or she didn’t get the message… or she’s fleeing the town. They know Slipstream and Truncheon are changelings by now, so I guess there’s no point in covering.

“My… companion posing as Truncheon. How did you discover that something was off?”

I hear the door slam open, and the heads of the crowd turn around.

“AAAAAAH!” I hear Ten’s scream.

-Come.-

Wh- what was that?

Ten, his disguise gone, is led into the living room by Mayor’s wife and two other ponies.

“Hey, boss! There’s a bunch of ponies here,” Three in his changeling form as well is riding on the back of the undisturbed pegasus mare.

“Hun, what are you doing?” asks the Mayor, looking at his wife and the changeling on her back playing with the gold chain around her neck.

“You remember Glowstick, don't you? That little guy was a changeling too,” her wing rolls up, poking the drone, “The chitin feels rather strange, but it’s a living creature, albeit somewhat alien.”

“Hello!” Three waves at the Mayor, beaming. I wish I had his positivity.

I feel the strange daze lift from Ten, who turns his head from side to side, rears backwards, and with a cry of-

“I’m a lover, not a fighter!”

-rushes towards a window and jumps.

He is kicked backwards mid-air as the window shatters an instant before that, and Truncheon surrounded by a torrent of green fire crashes through it first, transforming into Eight. The flames swirl around her forelegs, forming chitinous saw blades just above her fetlocks. She lands, carefully dodging Ten under her hooves, and charges through ponies towards me. At the end of the two seconds which passed since her grand entrance, she’s standing with her back to me and growling at the now significantly wider half-circle of ponies in the room.

Eight bares her teeth like a brutal and feral beast.

“Touch my King, and I’ll make you eat your foals’ heads on spikes.”

20: Onwards to mystery.

“Glad you made it, Eight.”

Eight’s muscles tense up as she’s about to spring forward. I feel her intention as our minds link up again. She’s going to take the Mayor hostage and then we negotiate our escape.

-Freeze!-

Again?

Eight blinks, now completely motionless. I can sense the shock running through her as well as both Ten and Three.

Taking a long breath, at last I can feel my shaky legs move again.

“This is Eight, the one sitting on miss Mayor’s wife is Three, and the changeling clutching his chest and quietly weeping is Ten.”

A mare from the crowd carefully walks over to Eight who only stares at her.

“You know… you’re still better than Truncheon even when you look like this,” she gently touches Eight’s neck.

“Umm, what’s going on?” I ask, “I was expecting torches and pitchforks, but not exactly… like this. First, how did you find out something was off?”

The Mayor clears his throat.

“When Truncheon and Slipstream became polite, friendly, and competent.”

His statement is followed by group snickering.

“What?”

“You see, the two weren’t exactly the honorable type. They thought this was a cushy, out of the way job where they could push civilians around without doing too much. Whenever there was real trouble, they either ran away with an excuse of calling reinforcements while we had to form a militia, or when the trouble was so minor they were enough to stop it they milked it forever.”

“They extorted me!” calls out a stallion from the back, “Saying that I had to pay for extra protection. With daily donuts!”

“Truncheon groped me repeatedly when I was serving guests. One evening he caught me in the alley behind the bar as I was leaving, and... ” sniffles the waitress who touched Eight, "And whom can you talk to when they're the police...?"

“They left me to fight a pack of swamp rats alone,” a different stallion with a wooden foreleg steps forward, “I got bitten and lost a leg.”

The Mayor gives us a bitter smile.

“There are many more stories like that. Almost everypony here has some… experience with the two. Slipstream was lazy and incompetent foul-mouth, and Truncheon was… borderline criminal. However, there was one thing they were great at, and that was defending their position in front of an inspection. No matter what, I wasn’t able to get rid of them for the past few years.”

“I knew… the goody-goody approach of doing things well and being quiet was dumb...” Ten stops groaning, slowly picking himself up.

“Hey, we’re the good guys in this one!” proclaims Three, hopping off of his pegasus carrier and walking over to me. Nopony stops him.

“Which brings us to my main concern,” the Mayor’s tone goes darker, “How did you get here and what did you intend to do in Wet Soil. All we know is that your kind attacked Canterlot, and that we discovered one of you in a crater inside the swamp.”

“Look-”

Ten interrupts me. I feel a flicker of a message inside my head saying - trust me, I’m an infiltrator.

“The changeling you found is... gone. I brought you proof. Out of us four, only I was in Canterlot for the invasion-”

Ponies gasp and grip their weapons tighter. Ten continues:

“None of you will believe this, but the invasion was a necessity. Most of us died just flying to Canterlot. Trust me when I say that while you saw one of us near-death, there is…” Ten bares his fangs, growling to himself, “a long trail of corpses from our hive to your capital city. We were starving, you were food. That’s all there is to it, at least from my point of view. I’m sure the Queen had some other reason, but I can easily speak for the vast majority of changelings when I say that was it.”

“Did you… eat Truncheon and Slipstream?”

“We fed on them a little, yes,” I admit, “but we got most from you. Some of you seemed to really like Eight.”

“Yeah! He- she’s awesome,” cheers a young stallion in the back, “Can she teach me to fight like she did at the bar?”

“...kinda hot too. In a strange way.”

I heard the following whisper, and judging by the Mayor’s frozen expression, so did he.

“What do you mean by ‘got most from us’? Did you… kill somepony?”

“What? NO! What would be the point in that?” I scowl at the Mayor.

“What do you mean? Didn’t you say you ate us?”

We stare at each other in mutual confusion, until at least one of us realizes the problem.

“Our feeding on you isn’t fatal by any means, unless we extremely overdo it,” explains Eight, still cautiously watching the group, “If we forcibly drain you you might feel weak for a day or two, but that’s about it. Real Truncheon and Slipstream are cocooned in the cellar.”

“...cocconed...”

“...I felt a little cold afterwards...”

“...I’d let her drain me any day...”

Many more whispers from the group meld into one until somepony says what clearly is on everypony’s mind.

“Can you keep them down there a bit longer?”

“What do you mean?” asks Ten, currently casually standing by the broken window.

The Mayor clears his throat.

“Exactly what he said. I don’t know much about your feeding habits, but if they’re not fatal or cause crippling injuries, I doubt they’d be worse than what Truncheon and Slipstream have caused here,” he looks at Eight, “And we could definitely use a real police force.”

“Hey, boss, that’s so cool!” Three jumps into the air, “Can we? Can we? Can we? I’ve never been this full, and I don’t mind carrying stacks of paper at the station.”

“Well...” I mumble. Why not? More importantly, why isn’t hive pile screaming at me right now?

“No,” says Eight firmly, “I heavily advise against that, my King.”

“No,” agrees Ten, “That’s a dumb idea.”

I understand Ten’s position. After all, he wants to take out the Mayor, bang his wife, and then leave, but why Eight?

“Eight?”

“With all due respect, there are good reasons why all previous attempts at mass integration failed,” she turns her head from side to side to encompass the entire small crowd, “Right now we’re useful, but as soon as we aren’t we’ll be seen as monsters again. When the full testimonies of those who were in Canterlot during the invasion get printed in the newspapers, there won’t be any love or affection to eat here, and we’ll have to act like predators again. It always ends that way. We must take what we can get right now, not rely on some faint hope for the future-”

That’s exactly what the hive pile would say.

WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! UNLIKE YOU, SHE IS OLD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND.

Eight shakes her head.

“-You might be scared of us, but WE aren’t the problem as far as cooperation goes, at least not most of us.”

“We won’t get anywhere cooperation-wise if you disappear. You are the only non-hostile changelings we ponies know about,” the Mayor objects.

“And how do you know everything that’s happened since we took our place in this town isn’t a ploy to prepare the ground for mass enslavement or something?”

“...I’d let her enslave me...” comes from the back, “...still less nagging than my ex-wife...”

“Alright, who said that?” Eight gives the one slowly rising foreleg a burning glare, “Tonight, after my shift, if we’re still in town. You, your place, and me in my real form. Let’s see if you can get it up at all,” she grins, careful to show as much teeth as possible, “I could use a proper meal.”

“Ehm,” the Mayor’s stare towards the guilty stallion shuffling out into the hallway is no less searing, “We aren’t kicking you out. As for your possible grand enslavement plan… we’re cautiously optimistic. There was no reason for you to actually help us keep the town safe if you just wanted food. Speaking of which, how exactly do you really feed? You said you drain us, but how?”

“Ten?” Eight nods to the changeling innocently clearing the shards of broken glass from the window frame, “Stop trying to get out while we’re busy talking.”

“What? Me getting out and leaving you here? Noooo…” he withers under Eight’s gaze, “Right, feeding. The common practice is to replace somepony you love, pump you full of venom, then feast on their love while you live their life and force them do what you want. When their love becomes too weak, alter everypony’s memories and get out. Repeat.”

“...yep, still better than my ex...”

“See?” Eight tilts her head, looking at the Mayor, “You cannot trust us. I mean, you can trust US, because our cards are on the table, but you can’t trust us as changelings. Even if we EARN our love by protecting and helping you, there will always be voices stirring up problems, and you ponies are too easy to influence. After all, you still hate even other ponies sometimes straight up because of their race. How do you think it would be with US? Eventually… it always ends the same,” she sighs, looking down at the carpet for a moment, “In an angry mob. Take it any way you want, but I agree with what our queen wanted to do. I don’t agree with the way she did it, but I understand her point of view. Every older changeling does,” she looks at me, “If we go down the path you want, you’ll learn the hard way as well.”

“Can you sit down, miss Eight?” asks the waitress mare, stepping up again. Eight glances my way, I nod, and she sits down on the spot. The mare hugs her. One hesitant moment later, she’s not the only one. The farmer stallion she drained in the cellar embraces her as well, Three joins in…

I look at Ten currently pulling himself out through the window.

-Down.-

I feel the command myself, and Ten climbs back without a word and sits down. A mare I recognize as Mayor’s receptionist Inkwell sits down by him.

“You were posing as Slipstream, right?”

Ten nods.

“Thanks,” she gives him a peck on the cheek.

Uhh, did I miss something?

The Mayor’s wife observes Eight as the fluffy pile hugging her slowly disperses.

“You look different than the others,” she looks at Eight’s slightly distended belly, “And after I heard what you did at the bar and with the swamp crawlers… you don’t feel fat to me.”

Eight rubs her underbelly, soft smile on her muzzle.

“I’m full of eggs, courtesy of the boss here,” she winks at me, then at somepony in the back, “But I’m still up for tonight, you… pony.”

“WAY TO GO!” someone cheers again, “Both of you, I mean.”

“Ehm… thanks?” I mutter.

“That, however, brings us back to our main concern. What are you planning to do?” asks the pegasus.

“Good question, Hun,” the Mayor nods, “What now?”

I sigh. Staying here would solve so many things, but with hive pile connected directly to me, the time limit Eight thinks I’m on, and my promise to Ten, I think I need to take their decision.

“I… we have to leave. Eight was right. We still need to find out what happened to others from Canterlot. If everyone ended up like T- the changeling who landed in the swamp, we must help whomever we can. I don’t know, maybe we might find a place as welcoming as this town. If it isn’t a big problem, though, then I’d like to stay here until Eight bears her clutch or whatever is supposed to happen. I’m not an expert.”

The Mayor nods.

“Then you’re free to keep posing as Slipstream, Glowstick, Truncheon, and… I don’t think I’ve noticed any newcomer which would fit you,” he looks at me.

“I… can’t shapeshift. I don’t know why. I’ve been sleeping in this house and getting my info from Eight and Ten all this time.”

“Really?” his wife interrupts, circling around me, “That’s... interesting.”

“The word you were looking for is irritating,” I correct her. She chuckles.

“I doubt that’s something we can help with,” says the Mayor, “Anyway, as I said. You’re free to stay as long as you need to. Most ponies you’ve met are here and have seen your real forms, and some others who had bad experiences with our police duo are suspicious too. We’ll keep it secret as long as we can, but I have no doubts Royal Guards are now travelling around Equestria, looking for stragglers from Canterlot,” a draft ruffles his mane, “I’ll have somepony trustworthy sent to fix that window. I don’t know how familiar with pony culture you are, but entrances like miss Eight did earlier are frowned upon.”

“My ribs agree,” Ten scowls, rubbing his barrel. The mare sitting by his side whispers:

“...there’s no reason why only Eight’s evening has to be interesting...”

“EHM,” the Mayor’s wife clears her throat loudly, “With everything settled, we should leave. A crowd like this isn’t exactly the best way to keep a secret.”

On her suggestion, the ponies slowly clear out. Amusingly, nopony bothers asking further about real Truncheon and Slipstream.

The pegasus is the last pony to stay. She leans to my ear and whispers:

“...sloppy infiltration, trashy underlings, but it worked out. I really thought they would just torch the house and barricade the doors. All things considered, you’ve left a mess for me to clean up, but there’s a good side to it as well...”

“Wha- who-?” I blink as she leaves.

“Who are y-” Eight feels my shock, and reacts on instinct, rushing at the pegasus.

-Do not follow me!-

We all freeze, only able to breathe until we hear the door click. When we’re alone again, Eight asks:

“Should I tail her?”

I shake my head.

“I doubt we can, and she seemed on our side anyway.”

“That can easily change.”

“Any idea who she is?”

Eight shakes her head.

“I didn’t feel anything from her. Ten?”

He shrugs.

“Who, the pegasus mare? No clue. I couldn’t feel anything from her either. What’s wrong?”

“Three?” I grasp for straws.

“When she hugged me I felt better immediately!”

I sigh.

“Alright, I guess here’s the plan then. We do what we’ve been doing until now. We’re careful about any Royal Guards, and when Eight’s lays her eggs we get what love we can and move out. In the meantime, I’m open to suggestions as to WHERE exactly we go from here.”

“As you wish, my glorious King, mind-breaker, and breeder.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Yeah yeah leaving or something. Now... the mare’s a commoner, but I’m a little rusty anyway...”

22: Into the hole!

“Alright, that ain’t happening.”

Watching from distance the gold-armored ponies swarming around every single one of the long queue of caravans attempting to enter the city at the base of the mountain, I must agree with Ten’s assessment.

“Time for plan B?” asks Eight, “As in ‘be anywhere else but here’.”

“Hm? I thought you would be all for rescuing other members of the hive?” I raise my hood to look at her.

To explain, I look like a travelling mummy with a long hooded coat. Not being able to shapeshift sucks.

“I am counting pros and cons, and not coming to any reasonable result. Cutting our losses and starting a new hive seems a lot easier at the moment.”

“Still pissed off that two higher ranks ganged up on you and tried to eat you?”

“...more like that the only one who has ever cared enough to do something about it used to be a dumb drone...” she turns her head away, “I will follow your decision on the matter.”

I heard the quietly muttered first part anyway.

“Come on,” Ten grins, “You don’t think Chrysalis didn’t plan for the city being on lockdown? Not being able to walk through the main gate, or fly up to the upper city is just a minor setback. Although I must admit that the ponies are on a rather high alert considering how badly the attack ended for us,” he shrugs, “Oh well, plan B it is, as in ‘back door’.”

Eight lightens up.

“Excellent, let’s follow Ten’s instructions to the letter, my King.”

“Not that kind of back door,” Ten rolls his eyes, “Let’s go.”

Evening falls as we circle around the moutain. Not that it hampers any one of us, being a species naturally living in darkness. What it does make clear is that ponies are taking it even more seriously than the gate checkpoints showed. As if someone kicked a burning campfire, little dots of light are swarming around the upper city, making flight impossible even at night.

We stop at a random clearing in the forest surrounding the mountain like a big C everywhere but in the lower city.

Ten stomps the grass and moss until he’s satisfied, then his horn glows, and with a click he raises a hatch, revealing a staircase.

“What is this?” I look into the pitch blackness into which the stairs descend.

“Our plan B. Let’s get inside before some random guard notices the green light,” he ushers Eight in first, then Three and Four followed by me, and he closes the hatch himself. After testing if it’s closed tight, he takes the lead, “The upper city used to have a huge shield surrounding it. To break it, Chrysalis needed warriors and drones like Three. However, infiltrators like me needed easier access paths, and we discovered that there is a massive crystal mining complex spanning the whole mountain with exits pretty much everywhere. It was impractical to get an army in, but few individuals, as I said before, prepared the grounds for the attacks to succeed.”

“Aren’t there miners around or something?”

“Uhh, no,” Ten looks a little… nervous, “Definitely not ponies, no ponies around… at all. If I were you, though, I’d spend as little time in the main shaft as possible, and if you suddenly feel cold, or hear whispering in your head… run.”

I shiver. Three shuffles closer to Four, bumping into her with a saddlebag, and making her stumble.

“Ten?”

“Look, something is in the mines. Ponies don’t use them anymore, but the… thing is deadly. Slow, seemingly immortal, but absolutely deadly. We lost quite a few changelings working out the fine details. Chrysalis wanted to release it into the city before the invasion, but it doesn’t go outside.”

“What ‘it’ are you talking about?”

“I have no idea. It’s like a big blob of shadows. I saw it few times, and as per instructions, I ran the other way. It’s slow, so I survived. That’s all there is.”

I sigh.

“Alright, so an immortal shuffling mostrosity is in here with us. Any more surprises?”

“Shockingly, no,” Ten smiles, leading us through the web of tunnels and mine shafts with old equipment strewn around, “The mine complex is a great tool if you are careful.”

“And the city?” I ask, “I’ve never been here, and hive mind isn’t being useful at the moment. Eight?”

“Me neither, and my connection to our shared experience is mostly gone.”

“I see,” Ten nods, “Well, Canterlot consists of two cities, the lower one where most of the earthponies live. It’s a simple, dirty, farmer place, uninteresting to one like myself. The upper city is halfway up the mountain as you saw, and is connected to the lower one via train tracks, a winding caravan road, or the mine tunnels we’re using. Nobility lives in the upper city, plus a bunch of commoners taking care of the property. White mansions, well-dressed fertile noblemares ripe for taking, and even the… princesses who rule all ponykind.”

“Those sound like a good infiltration target,” I take a wild guess.

To my complete surprise, Ten blushes. Yes, it’s visible on the chitin and in the darkness lit only by the faint green light from his horn.

“Well, ehm, yes. I mean, someone of my tastes and specialization definitely COULD get close enough to the princesses to gain some influence, but… I mean she’s just so beautiful. I… I mean if I could keep her in a cocoon all for myself I wouldn’t even do it. It would be such a waste. That gorgeous white coat… our resin would only ruin it. That plot, it needs proper feeding, not starving in green, gooey prison. She deserves to be revered… worshipped… lusted after...” he wipes a string of from the corner of his mouth, “Nevermind.”

He stops on a crossroad, tapping his hoof on a wooden barrel with red markings, he aims the light coming from his horn into one tunnel which looks a lot better built than the shafts, more bricks and worked stone than beams and rough rock.

“What’s going on, Ten?”

“This is where we split up. That way leads to a cellar of an old mountainside house where you can set up a base. Before the invasion, our operations made ponies think this place was haunted, and whenever somepony came, we fled into the mines. After three or four exploration attempts, the ponies gave up. They have their own stories about the mines, and all they did was build a new wall blocking the tunnel off, which we switched for a fake one. One of the bricks on the left side is a button. If you push it, the wall will open.”

“Three, Four, go ahead and wait for us there,” orders Eight.

When Ten hears it, he frowns, and I spot quick a flicker of green around his forelegs.

“Alright,” I raise my hoof, “Thanks, Ten. You’ve been a great help, and I wish you only the best.”

His eyes dart from me to Eight, as if he’s waiting for something.

“You’re annoying, and much less useful than you think, but… you made this a little bit easier,” Eight nods with firm expression, “If the King is satisfied with your service, then so am I.”

Ten tilts his head.

“Wait, this wasn’t a trick all along? I really CAN go?”

“Uhh, yes? What did you think?”

He gives Eight a confused glance.

“When you sent the drones away and left your lapdog here, I thought you’d try to break my mind and make me serve.”

“Why would I do that? You held up your part of the bargain and helped us a ton. I know it was only for your own gain, but that counts. You didn’t stab us in the back in Wet Soil, why would I do it here and now?”

Ten closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and says:

“Alright, then send Eight away.”

“Eight, will you?”

She growls at Ten:

“If you do something funny with that explosive barrel, I promise I won’t rest until I find you, and give you to the ponies for examination… AFTER vivisection.”

She leaves, though, her tail aggressively whipping the air. Ten wipes his forehead, slowly breathing out.

“You do realize she’s going to become your worst problem if you ever do something she disagrees with, right? Fresh king or not, she can still knock you out and rip your legs off.”

“Look, without her I’m sure I’d have been hanged already. If nothing else, I owe her my life.”

“What are you going to do when she comes to collect?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to the river, or whatever the pony saying is?”

Ten presses his hoof against my chest.

“You seem like a nice guy, so I’m gonna give you one last piece of advice. Get rid of her as soon as you can, and do it… gently, or you’re dead. This might help you,” he puts his horn to mine, and I’m immediately assaulted by a torrent of memories.

“Wh- what?”

“That’s SOME of my infiltration experience. You can copy it to whomever you need. I suggest Four. Three is a waste of time.”

“Ten-”

“It’s up to you, but unless you want Royal Guards on your tail tomorrow, don’t send Three outside alone with my experience to do something. Make him a warrior if you need to, but don’t give him infiltrator assignments. He’s happy in your little group already anyway, so just let him do his thing, but keep an eye on him, always. As for Eight, she’d probably use it decently well, but you don’t want to put even more power over you into her hooves. That would just be stupid.”

I take a deep breath.

“Let me give you whatever little parting advice I can as well then, Ten. Trust others more. I know it’s difficult among changelings, I really do. On the other hoof, after I left the hive, I was open to an attack, but I trusted and helped others, and they… I don’t know where I’m going with this. I mean, without Chrysalis, all changelings I met were… survivable company. I doubt that would have been the case if I met you or Eight inside the hive, that’s all. Maybe each changeling isn’t the bad part, changelings together are.”

Ten chuckles.

“You’ll pay for this approach, just hope you’ll survive the lesson. Goodbye… boss.”

“Goodbye, Ten.”

He disappears into a different tunnel, and soon even the echo of his hoofsteps dies down.

Pondering his words, I return to my three remaining companions. They are examining what looks like a dusty old room hidden behind the fake wall. It doesn’t look as if there’s been anypony here for a long time.

“Hey, Three.”

“Heya, boss. Is Ten okay?” the drone is checking the state of his boots he got from Wet Soil like all of us did. Swamp travel supposedly ruins pony hooves, and we weren’t going to risk our chitin.

“He left. We promised him we’d help him get to Canterlot, and we did. In return, he was on our side in Wet Soil-”

“Oh yeah, a difficult choice - get killed by ponies or survive with us,” frowns Eight. I ignore her.

“-and now our deal is done. He’s got his business to sort out, and we’ve got ours. He gave me a little parting gift, which brings me to what I want to ask. Three, do you really want to be an infiltrator? You’re not-” I stop myself just in time, “You’re physically strong and tough, don’t you want to be a warrior like Eight?”

“Miss Eight is awesome, but I don’t like hurting anyone. If I’m an infiltrator, I can be like you, boss, and persuade changelings and ponies to be nice to each other, and not eat or stab our drones. But I’ll do what you need, boss. You helped me get out of the hive, and it’s fun hanging around you. Pony world is more interesting than carrying eggs, but that’s okay too.”

I sigh. He really isn’t made for Ten’s experience based on manipulation, lying, and taking out inconvenient targets without regrets.

Alright then, as much as I dislike doing this, I need an infiltrator, a proper one or a proper one in training.

“Come here, Four, will you?”

“Yes, boss,” she spent a lot of time with Three during the trip. Even her lack of balance sorted itself out a little. She gets some dizzy spells from time to time and putting too much weight on her back is a bad idea, but she learns fast.

My first time ‘using’ a changeling for some purpose. I put my horn to hers, and my instincts take over, making me pour Ten’s experience into her. It takes a lot longer than when Ten transferred it to me.

In the end, she clutches her head and sits down.

“Owww...”

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes… boss...” she yawns, “I’m just tired… all of a sudden.”

“Take a break. We’ll sort out what to do next.”

“T-Thanks...” she curls up in the corner, and in a moment her breathing slows down.

“Hmph,” Eight comes over, seemingly done with her exploration of the cellar, “For once I regret you not being like Chrysalis and just dominating Ten’s mind. An infiltrator is an infiltrator, even a low rank like him.”

I grit my teeth.

“Eight, how would you feel if I drained you of all your love, gave it to Ten, and then left you here to starve simply because resources were low and I needed infiltrator more than a warrior due to being in a hostile city in which one protector on my side would mean less than nothing? Eventually, I might return for you or maybe not if it didn’t benefit me, or if I simply forgot. Because that’s what Chrysalis would do.”

Eight turns away, hanging her head low.

“...I serve the hive...”

23: Into lower Canterlot!

Alright, we scouted out the abandoned house. It’s in a good shape, at least from the inside, the cellar door is reinforced, and judging by the layer of dust on everything it doesn’t look like anypony decided to live here in the few weeks between the invasion and now.

The main problem is love at the moment. As much as I’d like to send Four out for scouting purposes and to test Ten’s inherited experience, she wouldn’t be able to hold enough love to reasonably feed us even if she succeeded.

Unfortunately, that brings back Ten’s words of me being completely reliant on Eight. He was right.

Okay, let’s think of this as an opportunity. What is the good part about all this? How can I use this to gain at least some advantage?

I’m pacing back and forth through the one-room cellar, followed by three pairs of eyes.

“Eight?” I stop and slowly breathe out, “I know this will be extremely dangerous, but I have to send you out to hunt.”

“Will do,” she nods, “Right now?”

“I’m far from an expert on pony social life. What do you think?”

“Late evening like this is a good time, bars and taverns should be full even with ponies probably not comfortable going out late this soon after the invasion. Or unless there’s a curfew, but we won’t know until we try.”

Frowning. I decide the next step of action.

“Four, go dormant,” when she lies down on the floor, I drain most of her remaining love and transfer it to Three, “Three, you’ll be on guard. Your job is to wake me up if somepony tries to get inside the house-”

“Yes, boss!” he salutes.

“-There are copied keys in the main room, jam one into the lock so that it can’t be opened from the outside once Eight leaves. Decide on a password between the two of you. I’ll be riding in one of your heads anyway. Oh, and carry me somewhere safe after I do this.”

A bolt of green lightning sparks between my and Eight’s horns, and in the next instant I’m watching my body collapse on the floor from behind Eight’s eyes. Three does his best to catch me, but he’s smaller, and all he can do is stop me from smacking my head against the floor.

Idea good, execution lacking.

”Four, this way all you need to focus on are Ten’s experiences. Learn all you can, adapt them for yourself.”

I feel a tiny mental nod from the dormant drone lying curled up on the stone floor.

”Three, after you carry me off, hide Four in a different room just in case, then stay on watch until Eight returns or I tell you something different.”

“Sure thing, boss,” he begins hauling my body into a corner and hiding it under a pile of backpacks and saddlebags.

”Eight, ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” she mutters in response to my mental question.

”Then let’s go and see how the big city is doing.”

As the door clicks behind pegasus Eight, I feel her behavior shift completely. This isn’t a small town like Wet Soil from where she can always fight her way out. This is Canterlot where caution must be absolute. Eight is relaxed, breathing slowly and doing her best not to look out of place. It must be difficult, considering her disguise is a rather beautiful mare, at least judging by the reactions she usually got in Wet Soil.

However, while there are pairs of Royal Guards patrolling the streets, they are easy to spot and thus avoid in the darkness due to their glowing helmets. Point one, Eight’s night vision is perfect in comparison to that of trained guardsponies. Good to know.

Eight slows down as she passes by a guard duo stopping a solitary earthpony. One unicorn aims his horn at the citizen while the other one simply runs his own glowing blue along the earthpony’s neck.

“You’re free to go, sir,” says the Royal Guard, “If you spot somepony acting suspicious, just tell us. A quick scan is all it takes.”

Eight increases her pace ever so slightly.

”They have magic to spot changelings now? That’s bad, that’s REALLY bad.”

“...close range magic which leaves them vulnerable...”

”That’s why they work in pairs I bet. One scanning, and one ready to blow things up.”

“...indeed...”

I underestimated Eight. She might not be an infiltrator, but she’s got enough experience not to just crawl through dark places, but stride where she wants to be instead. Ten’s knowledge tells me that aside from some body language, Eight’s got all the main concepts right and her disguise would easily work anywhere not on high alert. The real test comes now, though, because Eight has finally found a suitable bar, and heads inside.

I was expecting the place to be half empty, but there are only few empty tables in the whole room. Earthponies and pegasi are mixing together and chatting. Most importantly, I spot three earthpony stallions clearly hitting on a pegasus and an earthpony mares sitting in the corner.

Eight smiles to herself, and like a lady with class walks over to the counter and jumps up onto a barstool.

”Shouldn’t you be looking for victims?”

“...trust me, this is far more effective. THEY are looking for victims...”

I know better than to argue.

She orders a drink and starts sipping it, looking dejectedly into the glass. After a moment, she downs it in one gulp and orders another one.

I stop myself from telling her to be careful with our scarce money. I have to remind myself that she, unlike myself, has done this before.

“Another one,” Eight kills her next glass.

She can’t be drinking just because I pissed her off, right?

“Rough day?” an earthpony sits on the next bar stool, another one follows from the other side.

I feel a corner of Eight’s mouth curl up. Then she lets out a loud sigh.

“Yeah, my friend was out in the street during the… attack. I came from Wet Soil to visit her. She’s still… not all there.”

“Oh dear,” the earthponies order drinks too, and another one for Eight who blinks when the fresh glass lands before her, “Here, this will help you forget, at least for tonight.”

“I’m just… scared,” Eight takes a sip, “I dun- I don’t want that to happen to me...”

“Don’t worry, miss,” the bigger earthpony throws his foreleg around Eight’s shoulders and whispers in her ear, “I was outside when it all happened, helping Royal Guards fight off the first wave. Trust me, I can swat a bug or two. You can sleep safely tonight, or maybe if you want to be extra safe-” he nods towards his buddy, “We’re big guys.”

Eight stops slumping on the stool, shaking her head vigorously and having to spread her wings to stop herself from falling over.

“I shud- should go ohm- home. All the way...”

“Come on,” the earthpony steadying her lowers his voice, “my apartment is two blocks away. Completely bug-free.”

Eight giggles, stumbling down from the stool. Thankfully, both earthponies are more than happy to guide her out of the bar, of course after paying for everything that was left. She spreads her wings, putting one around each earthpony’s back.

“Ol- Alright, big guys,” she leans her head onto the wingpony, “I don’t mind forgetting everything bad for tonight.”

“Oh don’t worry, you’re safe with us.”

“Mmmmm...” Eight moans and giggles quietly, her eyelids drooping.

***

Eight’s standing over the two unconscious earthponies with the biggest smiles on their muzzles, grinning.

“Not bad, not bad,” she mutters to herself, or to me. I did give her privacy, and jumped into Three, but that became boring rather quickly, so I connected with her again and tried to take in her mode of operation. After all, Ten shared his experience, so who’s to say I can’t do that with my own observations eventually? “Wake up!” she orders.

The two earthponies’ eyes open, and they obediently sit up.

“You will not mention to anypony else what happened tonight, and we’ll meet at the same bar in two days. Eat well, rest up, and I’ll try to top my performance tonight. You’ll look forward to it, won’t you?”

“Oh damn yes!” the ponies high hoof each other.

“Good boys. Now go to sleep, and forget this conversation. Remember the addiction, though, and think about me a lot.”

As the two earthponies fall asleep again, Eight rubs her full belly, and leaves into the gloom of early morning Canterlot.

”Well done, Eight.”

“Were you expecting anything less from me?”

”No, you’re the best companion I’ve got.”

“And if you ever find someone better?”

”I’ll… let them join our little group?”

She sighs.

“...nevermind...”

”Are you okay, Eight?”

“...it’s nothing...”

”Come on, what’s bothering you?”

“I said it’s NOTHING!” she stops.

“Are you okay, miss?” a Royal Guard steps out of an alley, levitating a cigarette.

Oh crap… why did we have to find a guy who stopped for a smoke?

“AH?!” Eight jumps up like a startled cat, rushing backwards and disappearing into the closest dark, narrow, guard-free passage.

I thought she’d keep on running, but she stops right behind the corner.

”What are you doing?”

“...shush...”

The Royal Guard nearly collides with Eight staring at him wide-eyed.

“Stay still, miss,” says the guard firmly.

“I- I’m sorry. You just jumped out, and I thought you were… one of the… things...” Eight just keeps staring blankly past the guard.

“I understand, miss, just calm down and let me scan you.”

“Me?!” Eight leans backwards.

“Yes, miss, it’s standard protocol. Just calm down, and it’ll take only few seconds.”

“Alright,” Eight breathes out, shifting her weight onto her hind legs.

The Royal Guard lowers his horn to her neck. With an upswing of her foreleg, Eight knocks his helmet off. The other foreleg connects with his now unprotected temple, and the unicorn’s head hits the wall.

”Wow, he actually flew a little. Is he dead?”

“Still breathing,” Eight clicks her teeth, “Pretty poor luck to find a freshly fed changeling on his own.”

”What do we do with him? We can’t just haul a Royal Guard around the city, even at this time of day.”

“Let me try something,” Eight undoes the helmet chin wraps already loosened by the first blow, and puts it on herself, “Hmm, uncomfortable, but it should work,” after few more attempts, she puts on the rest of the armor.

“Huh?” she looks around.

I can feel her discomfort, as if she was about to shapeshift, but not in the good changeling way. This feels heavy-hoofed, primitive, incomplete…

“Oh...” Eight looks at her now pristine white foreleg, then at the Royal Guard...

...who now has an orange coat and chestnut brown mane.

“Transformation magic in the armor? Or just an illusion?” she taps herself all over, “Nope, transformation.”

”Ooooh, so they AREN’T all the same white or grey ponies. Pity, the uniform guards are the closest thing to a changeling hive I’ve seen.”

“Yeah, I bet a lot of ponies think being white is the major qualification for the job.”

”Alright, what’s the plan with the unconscious guy then?”

“You’re the boss...” she answers non-commitally, “What happens to us is up to you.”

Damn it, and here was I thinking she wasn’t mad at me anymore.

”Let’s bring him home. We can squeeze him for love and information. Plus, we need to implant a cover story into him so that the Royal Guards aren’t looking for a random stranger who stole magical guard armor.”

“As you wish,” Eight hoists the unicorn onto her back, and in her Royal Guard disguise gets safely to our hideout.

”Hey, Three, Eight’s outside.”

“Oh hi, boss,” the drone whispers with enthusiasm, lying under the front windowsil, “There’s an armored pony carrying another pony outside. She looks super official! I read a story about a war where ponies hid into a bigger wooden pony and then surprised their enemies by jumping out, so I hid down here.”

I’m going to assume I’m missing some key details and not ask about any practical or impractical uses of such method of… I suppose combat.

”That’s Eight. We stole a Royal Guard armor and it turns out that those change how their wearers look. Let her in.”

Three shuffles to towards the door and unlocks it. A moment later Eight walks through, dropping the unconscious guard on the floor. Then she takes her armor off, turning back into a changeling.

”Keep an eye on the guard, Three.”

“Of course, boss.”

“This feel so much better,” Eight breathes out, carelessly tossing the armor pieces around, “Love distribution time, I guess.”

I wake up.

I feel weak, although I’m strong enough to get the pile of backpacks off of me and stand up. Strange, last time when I got sucked dry I had to wait for Eight, now I don’t. I wonder why…

Anyway, I meet Eight by the cellar door, pondering what to do now. I try to tap into her love reserves, but instead of the usual flow of love, I feel as if I got hit with a brick. A tasty one, but nonetheless a brick.

Is she THAT pissed off by what I told her after Ten left? It didn’t feel too… significant to me, honestly.

Eventually, I gather enough strength to connect with Eight properly and change her feeding attempts into what I need.

I tap into Four lying on the floor.

I tap into… Three…

...all the way…

...upstairs?

What?

Sending love his way, I ask:

”Three, how’s the refill going?”

I hear his hoofsteps, then he peeks inside the cellar.

“Sorry, boss. I can’t talk to you inside your head so I had to run off. I’m alright, thanks for the love. Now, if you don’t mind, I should be watching the pony.”

“Great, keep it up,” I encourage him, and he runs back up.

“Hmmm, I don’t need to be close to transfer love anymore,” I refill Four, who opens her eyes and takes a deep breath..

“I told you you weren’t a drone,” Eight shrugs, “It’s simple, you’re a King now, THE King to be accurate. You will be able to do things no other changeling can, and you will have power over the lives of your… tools.”

“You’re not a tool, Eight,” I look her in the eyes, “Neither are Three and Four.”

“Wrong,” her gaze hardens, “You came up with the idea of getting rid of me when you find somepony more useful.”

“I said that was something CHRYSALIS would do, not me!” I raise my voice.

“It occured to you that something like that was possible. For a moment, you thought like she does all the time.”

“I AM NOT CHRYSALIS!”

“No, you’re weak,” Eight frowns, “I thought you’d be different, but your friendly and peaceful approach was only because you had no power. Now that you’re getting knowledge, experience, and love, you’re growing up… into a real changeling.”

“Eight!”

“Prove me wrong! After you’re REALLY in a position of power, after you DO find or grow somepony more powerful or useful than I am, then show me what you REALLY believe in. When everything is on the line, will you risk failure for an… inferior tool?”

“Eight, I know how it feels to be a rank where no one cares whether you’re alive or not, and where you’re just food, a real tool, or amusement.”

“Which is why you can’t understand what I’m saying. Power changes everyone. Chrysalis was BORN for leadership, and even she had to make brutal decisions to appease the hive mind and to ensure our survival. Even she had to throw away everyone she relied on when they failed and became a burden. You know nothing about leadership and the hive, and yet you’re trying to lie to me and yourself that you’d avoid the pitfalls your BETTERS couldn’t,” she shakes her head, “Once the idea that we’re disposable crosses your mind, it doesn’t leave. When there are no resources left, when I am not the most powerful changeling around, when you have to choose… you will choose what’s right for the hive, not us little changelings.”

I… uhh… that’s a bit too much to handle at once. I really want to tell her she’s wrong, but she’ll know I’m lying. Survival instinct can kick in and make me act the way she described, hive mind can take control of me and ruin everything.

It dawns on me.

She’s right, but in the wrong way.

I transfer her message to Three and Four.

”EVERYONE, do you feel the same way Eight does?”

After a moment of thought, Four very carefully nods. Three doesn’t come back, I just hear his voice from upstairs:

“A little, boss, but that’s okay, because without you I’d be a husk inside the hive and wouldn’t get to meet miss Eight or the nice ponies from Wet Soil anyway.”

I AM too weak, too weak to resist the hive mind, and too weak to avoid the scenario Eight described.

We’ll have to change that then. The question is how…?

Eight originally said that to resist the hive mind I needed more changelings, and we’re here to find some and gain more details about the invasion, pony plans, and survivors.

The problem is that to avoid having to lose Eight like an inferior tool, I have to think about everyone in terms of what they are best tools for anyway.

“Eight, will you still obey me even though you think… what you think?”

“You can always force me. You know my… weakness. You can even make me want it,” Eight admits with a frown.

Then I will have to work with Eight from the position of power.

“Eight, orders,” I don’t wait for her to react, and simply make her sit down, feeling her short-lived panic and submissive pleasure, “Take a break. You’ve done more than your fair share already. Four, come with me.”

The drone follows me upstairs to the unconscious guard.

“First, take whatever love you need. We didn’t drain this one. Then I need you to implant a believable and foolproof story into his head. Eight isn’t the best with mental stuff, and you’ve got Ten’s knowledge, so improvise.”

“I don’t know much about how ponies treat each other, King,” Four taps her hooves nervously on the floor.

“You can do it. You’re our infiltrator now. Once I discover how to make the needed physical changes to you I’ll do it.”

“I’ll do all I can, King,” she nods.

“Perfect, I’m going outside.”

“Boss?” Three still carefully looking out of the window jumps up when he hears me say that.

“I don’t know anything about this place. I need at least something that’ll be my own knowledge. I’ll only be away for a while.”

“Should I… come as well?” asks Three, clearly worried.

“No, if anything suspicious happens, wake Eight up and get the hole out of here.”

“Will do,” Three salutes. Four joins him, “Good luck, boss.”

24: Into danger alone!

NOT ENSLAVING YOUR INFILTRATOR WAS FOOLISH!

I twitch as the booming voice in my head comes out of nowhere, my gold armor clanking. Thankfully, I look like a normal Royal Guard now, and the early morning streets of lower Canterlot are mostly empty.

Also, shut up, hive pile, or at least lower the volume. My head already hurts from trying to come up with a solution to un-piss off Eight, keep us alive, and spot some patterns in Royal Guard behaviour without approaching them.

We are unsure whether to be proud of you or get rid of you. You spread, you got close to the heart of the enemy, and yet you let a valuable resource go.

Ten kept his part of the deal. I kept mine.

And you lost an infiltrator in the process, endangering more of the hive’s tools.

Damn it, you’re talking like Eight.

We told you before - she knows what she’s talking about.

She’s wrong in this case. Ten was happy and shared his experiences with me which I can freely copy to anyone I want.

You could have easily ripped his mind out of his body, and in case you lost him simply put his copy into a fresh shell. No reason to waste time making a drone integrate its own and someone else’s memories.

Well, what’s done is done, and I don’t intend to do things your way, so bite me.

Then a punishment is in order. We need more energy, we need sustenance, YOU need sustenance.

I’m full-

I stop myself, realizing what’s about to happen, and quickly hide into a nearby alley. My legs go weak immediately. Stumbling, I collapse behind a dumpster.

The pull, the freezing black hole inside me grows, but this time I can feel my strength dissipate gradually rather than being emptied within an instant. Is it because I have far more energy?

Damn, I should have left more love stored inside Eight.

As soon as I think of Eight, I can FEEL her stir and gasp in her sleep. The pull ripping raw love out of me weakens a little.

It’s draining Eight through ME?! No no no no no!

Don’t think about-

Craaaaaap!

While the pressure put on me shrinks a bit again, I can clearly feel Three and Four losing their vitality.

”Everyone wake up and cut yourselves off, NOW!”

I hope my mental scream reaches them. I hope there IS actually a way to cut themselves off of me. I hope-

The pull slows down.

What is this?!

An image of Eight barking orders at Three and Four flashes in my head, the horns of all three glowing.

Smart one, that changeling. She should have been the new Queen.

What’s going on?

She threatens us, she DARES to threaten us?! CRUSH HER!

The collective voices of the hive mind grow more disorganized and chaotic.

She’s threatening to burn all her power in the process of stopping us from draining it from her. She’ll kill all of you rather than feed us. We’ll keep what we took for now, but don’t try this again. Next time we will just kill all of you if you resist. We CAN find a new connection, changelings. You are not vital, you are only the most convenient. Now go, steal more love to feed yourselves and us, grow and avenge our species… or die.

All mental links cut off. Everything is quiet. I’m all alone, trembling, and gasping for breath. Thanks ot Eight’s intervention, though, I have enough strength to at least walk.

I didn’t make it far out of our hideout, so at least it doesn’t take long to get back.

”Three, open the door.”

Nothing.

”Three?”

Silence. Nothing moves behind the dark windows.

”Four, are you there?”

The door opens, revealing Eight. I squeeze inside as fast as I can, dropping the shapeshifting armor. It feels good to be back.

“If you didn’t let Ten go, I could have used him to stop them from stealing more love. With only Three and Four at my disposal, I barely did something,” she states coldly, “Now we’re back to near zero.”

I sit down, resting my back against the wall.

“Where’s Three?”

“After your screw-up I sent him out to map the mine tunnels. We need a way to upper Canterlot. I might not be an infiltrator, but even I know that hunting for too long in one place is dangerous. We need to waylay suspicion.”

“You sent him alone into the haunted mines?!”

“Inside the hive, everyone has their purpose. Three is suited for this. As a drone, his underground sense of direction is the best, and if he gets caught then we have a better chance of survival than he without us-”

“I KNOW WHAT DRONES DO BEST! I also know how little high ranks care about us!”

“Three was the best tool for the job. I’m doing my best to keep you alive. It’s better if HE meets some deadly abomination than we do.”

“Alright, alright,” I breathe out, trying to calm down but still shaking, ”Can we drain the captured guard for now?”

“Four implanted a pretty good cover story into his head and led him away. Something about three drunk earthponies knocking him out and stealing his armor because they thought it was real gold,” she sighs, “You could have told me Ten shared a part of his mind with you. That amount of infiltration experience would have made things a little easier.”

Consolidation of power. We really should have made her the Queen while we still had the chance. On the other hole, after you’re gone, she’ll suffice.

“You are a warrior,” I growl, “A tool, as you like to say, to defend us. I decided Four would be our infiltrator, our specialist. You do your job, I’ll do mine, Three will do his best to do his, and Four will not fail at hers.”

Eight grinds her teeth, then she closes her eyes and opens them again.

“I await your orders, King.”

“You and Four will go out to gather love, separately. I barely dragged myself here, so I don’t have much choice but to go to sleep in the cellar... again.” I turn towards the smaller changeling looking through the window, “Four, you’ve been digging through Ten’s knowledge in detail, do you think you’ve got enough to go outside blindly and, more importantly, come back?”

Four looks around, clearly uncertain.

“I’m n- not sure, but it’s better than the grinder...”

“Uhh, grinder?”

“The grinder,” Eight walks around me, fangs showing, “I suppose it makes sense for an ex-drone not to know, your minds aren’t important enough to keep, after all-”

I nearly choke on my spit.

“-the grinder means destroying one changeling’s personality and body, draining their love completely, but keeping the refined experiences for later use. It’s usually reserved for useful but crippled changelings who can’t serve the hive properly anymore. We can’t keep making new changelings and losing them while they’re learning on their own. Not everything can be stored inside the hive mind, otherwise it would suck up all the hive’s love fairly soon-” she clamps her hoof over her mouth.

I see, so they need us to gather love for them. They aren’t “alive” anymore, but they still exist, and they are powerful. They are… memories which cling to life and drag the whole hive along with them.

Black depression hits me when I realize the gravity of what Eight unwillingly uncovered.

Chrysalis, the evil, tough, heartless queen.

Chrysalis had power I can’t even dream of, she had tens of thousands of changelings, yet she couldn’t stop the decline of the changeling race into a hoofful of starved and hunted individuals whose only chance was a suicide attack.

What chance do I have?

Pretending not to catch Eight’s blunder, I slowly get up and head down to the cellar. There, I hide behind the small wall of backpacks, and fall asleep, or what constitutes for sleep these days. Within a moment, I’m behind Four’s eyes, listening to Eight’s instructions.

“You need to be taller, and… rounder. Lust is our best bet, and with this body you won’t catch the eyes of anypony. When you’re in a bar, your plot needs to be bigger than the stool.”

“But according to Ten’s experience I should influence others more by body language and general behaviour than flat out looks,” objects Four, gently answering my mental intrusion by an internal poke.

“Look,” Eight sighs, “if we had time, or if the city wasn’t on high alert I would agree with you, but right now it’s gonna be extremely difficult to gather real love. Lust, on the other hole, is easy. Damn, walking with a gait means nothing if your swishing tail doesn’t reveal a good piece of meat now and then for interested stallions. Now grow that butt and make those teats hang, at least a bit. When ponies suckle, they are more vulnerable for some reason. Oh, and blond mane, long.”

Huh?

A confused touch comes through the mental link from Four to me. Can she use the connection the other way? That’s new.

Okay, time to be the arbiter in this case.

”Accept Eight’s transformation, Four. When you’re outside, make it a bit more modest, but she’s right in the need to be a bit rounder. I’ve been with her during her last feeding session, and I’ve seen what stallions go for. As far as overall behaviour goes, trust Ten’s experiences the most. He was scouting this city out before the invasion and knows his ponies.”

Four gives me a mental nod, then proceeds to shapeshift according to Eight’s instructions. In the end, she barely resembles her instinctive disguise, and is bound to attract a mob of drooling stallions as soon as she closes the door.

Thankfully, Eight goes off to hunt soon enough. Four, after waiting few minutes, drops the blond mane, shrinks her hips, albeit just a little, and does few minor adjustments of lipstick and eye shadow.

“Better?” she asks the empty room, then walks outside and checks herself against a window, “Hmm, maybe.”

”If I was a pony, I’d be stalking you already.”

Four giggles.

”I’ll be hanging inside you today just in case. Don’t take it the wrong way, but you’re the weak link at the moment.”

“Will you please check up on Three, King?”

CRAP! With all the new drama between Eight and me, I completely forgot about him. Damn Eight, sending Three into the mines after what Ten said...

”Definitely.”

I tap into Three.

There’s only cold, damp darkness.

25: Into their hearts!

The link still exists. I can’t see anything, but the link is still there.

”Three? Three!”

“Ugh...”

”THREE!”

“B-Boss? What happened?”

”I don’t know. Where are you?”

“Miss Eight sent me to scout the mines. I got into this huuuuge circular shaft with a hole in the middle, then I went up and explored some smaller tunnels, then I felt something taking my love away, and then I’m hearing you. Sorry, boss. I think I fell unconscious.”

”Don’t worry about that right now. By the way, why is it so dark? Do you have problems seeing?”

Three opens his eyes. I can now clearly see a well worked tunnel sloping upwards.

”Oh.”

“Better?”

”Definitely. How are you on the old love level?”

“I’m a bit tired, boss, but otherwise okay.”

”Can you get back?”

“Easily, I think. I’d like to see where this tunnel leads, though. I think it might be the big city up top. Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

”Definitely useful, true. Alright, keep scouting, but if you feel weak at all just come back. Eight and Four are hunting for love so we’ll get a refill soon.”

Hopefully.

“Cool. Oh, and one more thing. I think I saw the thingy Ten described. It moaned and shuffled, so I ran the other way and it was okay. It’s kinda slow… and it felt… sad. It’s weird, at first I wanted to hug it, then it threatened to take my soul. Boss, why did it want my boots when it didn’t have legs?”

”Maybe just in case it grew some. The ponies gave you a nice set.”

“I’ve got four, maybe I could have shared and then we’d have a new friend. I could call him Shuffles!”

”Uhh… maybe? You know what? Be careful with the scouting and leave Shuffles alone for now, alright?”

“Okay, boss. I’ll be back with a nice and detailed mine map for you.”

”With some luck, there will be a big helping of love waiting for you down here already.”

“Yaaaay!”

With that, Three starts moving up through the tunnel with a new skip in his step.

Phew, heart attack averted. Three is okay, so I can get some rest. Are there any urgent matters bothering one of my changelings?

I don’t feel anything other than cold, calculated focus from Eight, and anxiety mixed with curiosity from Four.

Goodnight, it’s been a long day. With a yawn, I finally drift off.

Fear strong enough to paralyze a changeling wakes me up. I don’t know how much time has passed, but it can’t have been much.

What’s going on?

"K-King?"

Four?

”Four? What’s wrong?”

Immediately tapping into her, the first thing I see is a drunk unicorn sitting on a chair shoved straight next to Four’s, his foul breath stinking their corner booth up.

"He isn’t a good target, King, but I can’t get rid of him. Ten’s experience mostly covers mares and they don’t act like this. Do I drain him or…?"

”Okay okay, I’ve got a dumb idea, but it might just work. Look around.”

As she quickly turns her head, I try to catch as much of her surroundings as possible. It’s early morning, there are few rare ponies walking behind the windows, and a Royal Guard is sitting by the counter, biting into a donut. Okay, Four's in some diner, maybe?

Hmm, judging by the chubbier shape of the earthpony, he’s not the Royal Guard, but a policepony. Ah, there’s the CPD badge!

Whoah, that wasn’t my knowledge… can I use Ten’s too, perhaps just as an instinct?

”Try asking that guy for help.”

"The guard?!"

”I’m getting the feeling that what the sleazy pony is trying to do to you isn’t exactly common pony behavior.”

"Okay, King."

“Com ooon, pretty ladee. The night shift’s been ruff. Just let me relaahx here a m’ment,” the unicorn leans against Four, putting his head on her shoulder. That, in itself, wouldn’t be much of a problem. The fact that he wrapped his foreleg around her waist and squeezed the thigh of her hind leg definitely is.

“Leave me alone, please,” Four raises her voice, and I spot the policepony move from the corner of her eye.

“Shhh, SHHH! Aw crap, yoo jus’ had ta play hard ta get. Git outta my way, bitch-” he shoves Four on the floor, scrambling to gain full control of what in his state must feel like seventeen legs.

The white police earthpony simply stretches one foreleg out and trips the unicorn who unceremoniously slides on the floor, and doesn’t get back up anymore. A moment later, we can hear his quiet snoring.

The policepony rolls his eyes. taking out metal cuffs, shoving the wasted unicorn towards his stool, and chaining him to it. Afterwards, he puts up his most comforting face when he finally notices Four staring at him, eyes wide.

“Are you okay, miss?”

She audibly gulps.

”Welp, answer the nice pony, Four.”

“I’m n- not sure...” she replies with absolute certainty, her heart beating like a jackhammer.

"Is there a chance he can’t reveal me in my disguise when he’s an earthpony, or can they use magic too?"

”As far as I know, they can’t. No clue whether there are some enchantments on their armor or something.”

Four quietly goes ‘eep!’ as the pony waves his foreleg in front of her face.

“Equestria to the pretty pony, everything is okay now.”

Four blinks, giving the policepony a meek smile.

“S- Sorry I was… scared. I still am...” once again, complete truth.

“Don’t worry, miss. We get ponies like these from time to time. Bad night, life isn’t going the way it should, or something else. Some time in the drunk tank in the company of their peers usually sorts them out,” he smiles at shaking Four who sqeaks when he pats her shoulder. He retracts his foreleg, “Oops, bad move on my part, all things considered. Miss, I’m not on duty yet, but I can escort you home if you want.”

“N- N- N- No!” she lowers her voice, “I mean no… I mean,” she takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, then smiles at the policepony, “I mean thank you,” she nods to the earthpony’s unfinished donut and coffee, “Can I just stay with you until you have to go?”

The pony looks taken aback. While the magical armor is making sure he’s the white-coated, blond guard like any other, it can’t cover the signs of aging, slight belly, and stubby beard. Ten’s experience immediately tells me that this pony is not and hasn’t been a point of a mare’s attention in a very long time, especially one as good-looking as Four's disguise.

On one hole, this will raise suspicion, on the other, Four’s attention might make him spill the beans about anything she might ask as long as she doesn’t screw up.

Four knows, and she knows I know she knows.

“Uhh, sure?” the earthpony looks away, then jumps onto his stool before pointing at the one next to him. Four sits down too, sighing.

“First the… black things, and then this...” she puts her chin on the counter, “Can’t everyone just stick together?”

”EVERYPONY!”

I feel Four tense up.

“That’s alright, miss. The city is safe now, and all surviving changelings are safely locked up at the castle,” the policepony gives her a reassuring smile.

Four’s ears perk up.

“Are you sure it’s safe? All of them? They got in once, didn’t they? I still recall the green slime… blue eyes staring at me...” she shudders, huddling closer to the earthpony.

He wraps his foreleg around her back.

“I understand, but don’t worry. At this point, we’re just patrolling the city in case we missed one or two. Every single one of the changelings is deep down in the castle dungeons, and most of them can barely move anyway.”

“I guess it’ll be hard looking at the sky the same way again,” Four mumbles.

“Yeah.”

Four puts her head on the pony’s shoulder.

“How long before you have to go?”

“Ten minutes, but… I can make it fifteen.”

“Thank you.”

"I think I’ll be fine now, King. Thank you for helping me."

”Take care, Four.”

"I’ll be back with all the information and make you proud."

She already did.

With Three and Four sorted out as much as I can, I try tapping into Eight.

”Eight-”

The connection cuts off immediately, and the hive mind's voice booms through my head.

OHOHO! SHE’S LEARNING. Definitely a Queen material. So hungry for rank, so hungry for power. Such a pity we missed her in the first place. There is still time, though.

You know what? Sure. Go for it, make HER the queen. It’s not as if I wanted this in the first place.

Oh we WOULD do that. However, only your willingness is not enough.

I hesitate to ask what more you need.

Your life, of course.

Expected that, to be honest.

To make it even more interesting, let us mention this. Your worthless little drone you so insultingly gave the rank of three to… what would happen to IT if real Eight was in charge? Would IT finally fulfill ITS destiny as a chitin shield, or would she simply stop wasting the hive’s love on IT?

Holes damn it!

Heh heh heh...

26: Into the spooky house!

Day four since we arrived in Canterlot.

Things are going… mixedly. Is that even a word? I mean ponies have loads of words, so it might be.

First, the good things.

Three has been relentlessly mapping the mine tunnels, and it turns out the complex is HUUUUGE! By now, we’ve managed to gain access to upper Canterlot sewers, a bunch of lower Canterlot houses, and…

...the castle.

No, I’m not kidding.

Midway through the mountain there are crystal veins ponies seemingly left so fast they didn’t even stop to pick up their equipment. Three was pretty shocked when he stuck his head up a hatch, and ended up facing a wooden pony wearing Royal Guard armor. The poor guy almost had a heart attack when he turned his head and saw another twenty.

Yep, that route leads to Canterlot castle armory.

Three quickly put one armor on, entered a long, crystalline hallway disguised as a Royal Guard, and looked out of a big ornate window down at upper Canterlot and loads of Royal Guards running around the lawns surrounding the castle.

Needless to say, Three nearly gooped himself when I sent him back there after he got back and he had to run away from “Shuffles” again. To my complete surprise, he wasn’t actually scared of the abomination itself, but more of the Royal Guards he might potentially meet.

On the bright side, now we’ve got a set of Royal Guard armor for everyone.

Eight is still mad at me, or maybe even more, as if it’s festering inside her. I’m mad at her too for showing her true colours. Hive mind’s constant pushing her forward isn’t helping matters. Now that I think of it, she really is what a Queen should be - driven, powerful, ruthless if need be…

I’m now sure that if she was in charge, all the nice ponies from Wet Soil would just be feeding a fresh army of changelings.

The thing is… her submissive desire doesn’t fit the bill. Although ever since Ten’s words she hasn’t shown even the slightest hint of it. Am I missing something? Anyway, I thought about it, and I think she overheard what Ten said, her senses are top notch after all, and put two and two together when I started acting more careful around her. I don’t know how to fix things. I liked it when she was happy playing my little pet while being my best source of advice.

On the bright side, if there is any, the time she’s not wasting talking to me she spends relentlessly hunting for love all over lower Canterlot. The network of contacts she’s made in such a short time is astounding, and since she’s never focusing on one particular area, she’s minimizing the risk of being noticed by guards.

Well, that’s Ten’s experience talking.

Speaking of which, Four has been doing the same, although on much smaller scale but with far crazier results.

She’s still on edge whenever she’s outside, and likes it when I’m riding inside her for comfort, but she doesn’t let her nerves stop her. Unlike Eight who is focused and methodical when hunting, Four feels looser when chatting up ponies, throwing out a smile here, a friendly nod there, and a wave or two even when she’s not going for the target.

By now, Four has met the middle-aged policepony who saved her from the drunkard twice, once even spending some time with him on patrol. We learned few important things from those encounters. One, only unicorns can scan changelings. Two, the police is separated from the Royal Guard, albeit they go through the same training initially, which means they are focusing more on crime than on changeling hunting. Three, they are still ponies, and Ground Brew. the policepony, was more than flattered by Four’s attention. Four, while she can’t hold nowhere enough love as Eight, it’s extremely easy for her to absorb and store it. Where it took Eight a wild night with two ponies to bring back a proper ‘chunk’ of lust capable of sustaining all of us for few days, Four’s gentle and friendly approach grants her genuine affection which tastes delicious. I’ve… never had anything like it before, not in the hive, nor from Eight’s hunts in Wet Soil.

In short, we’re in as good shape as we can be, I think, and it’s up to me to think of the next step.

***

My mental link flares up.

"King, we’ve got visitors."

“Whuh, what?” I mumble to myself, shoving saddlebags off of myself. Don’t ask, for some reason whenever I fall asleep either Three or Four cover me with them for warmth. I’m not sure why the two do that, but I guess it helps when I tend to lie on the ground most of the time.

I get all my legs under control while trying to answer the mental message from someone who has never talked to me like that before.

”Eight? How? You can talk to me now?”

"I have enough love to experiment. It’s tiring, but convenient. Just get upstairs fast, we need you moving. We might have to get out fast."

I trot up the stairs, and immediately drop on the floor when I spot Three crawling, Four hiding under a windowsil, and Eight quickly peeking through the drawn curtains.

It’s dark outside, so the beam of light immediately cast at the spot she’s been looking out from can’t be missed.

Eight immediately whispers:

“Three potential hostiles outside. They have been peeking through the windows and walking around the house since the sunset.”

“Are three a problem?” I whisper back, “We can always catch them and scramble their heads.”

“We don’t know if there isn’t anyone else outside waiting for their return. We don’t have any story prepared so that their memories would match, and Four and I would take hours to remake the memories of three ponies. My idea is to get out immediately despite it being obvious that someone has been in this house recently with all the disrupted layers of dust. What does your precious Ten say about situations like these?”

Aaaand here it is.

Actually, I’m not going to indulge her paranoia. What DOES Ten’s experience say about a situation like this?

“Ehm...” Four raises a hoof.

I grin at Eight.

“SHE is my Ten’s experience. Let’s hear it.”

Four withers a little with three pairs of eyes on her, Eight’s stare trying to burn new holes in her chitin. Keeping her voice low, she explains:

“If we can’t change their memories without leaving physical bite marks or other proof we’re behind it, then, if they are normal ponies, we can make them LIVE it. Ten knew a lot about pony culture, even what he calls ‘low culture’ and I’ve got an idea. Let’s start with the simple things, and if that fails, we’ll try the… stranger stuff. King, I’ll need you to coordinate us, I can’t speak to others directly via the mind links. Miss Eight, you’re first. Can you grab one more Royal Guard armor, please?”

Alright, let’s do this.

***

Quick Scoop, a white unicorn with simple brown mane and a cutie mark of a camera, stopped observing the supposedly haunted house and slunk back to a nearby alley.

Searchlight and Folded Paper, his companions - a blue-maned, yellow unicorn and an overall grey pegasus respectively, were already waiting there, eager to plunge into what could easily be a scoop, heh, of the year… aside from the changeling invasion itself, of course.

The crew, as they called themselves, were scouring lower Canterlot for haunted houses, paranormal activity, and magical anomalies for months, and they have found many - abandoned research labs, tentacles in the sewers under the pipes leading from upper Canterlot mage quarters, but nothing EXTREMELY unusual considering Canterlot was a city positively humming with magic. However, no real ghosts or spirits.

That was about to change.

The house they had in their sighs was known in the right circles for night lights, disappearances, strange noises, everything an aspiring ghost hunter needs, and the crew were finally ready to pull the trigger when over the past few days they actually saw some ponies go in and completely different ponies come out. They weren’t stupid. It was either ghosts, or those… changeling things from the invasion.

Either way, just a picture of two was all they needed for fame.

“Alright, boys,” whispered Quick Scoop, “this will be our crowning achievement. Ghosts or changelings. Either we’ll get to meet princess Celestia herself and get a royal reward for finding rogue changelings endangering Canterlot, or we’ll be in the news for capturing footage of real ghosts.”

“I don’t know,” Folded Paper hesitated, “If it’s really changelings, shouldn’t we get some muscle with us? Those things were terrifying.”

“Do you want some mudpony to take your glory, Folded? And that’s the best case scenario, because this is lower Canterlot and the dimwits have considered this place haunted for months and refuse to even go near it. If we got some superstitious idiot, he would leave us hanging anyway. Better not share the fame, boys.”

Reassured for a second, Folded Paper and Searchlight turned towards the house and-

“A-HEM!”

“EEP!” they both squeaked like little fillies.

Behind the trio stood a Royal Guard mare, carefully watching them.

“One would think you three checking out a house like that was the first step of a robbery,” she left the ‘question’ open-ended.

“Oh, definitely not, milady,” said Quick Scoop quickly, believing himself to be a smooth talker, especially with mares, “That house doesn’t belong to anypony, according to the property registry. It shouldn’t even be locked. We recently saw some ponies go in and out, and we think it could be-”

“Changelings!” Folded Paper burst out.

The guardsmare’s eyes narrowed.

“Changelings? That’s a serious allegation,” she readied her spear, “I have to check it out. You stay out here. This is my duty, and I can’t let civilians get hurt.”
Practically radiating readiness, the mare quickly cleared the distance towards the house, carefully opened the main door, and went inside.

“Celestia damn it,” cursed Quick Scoop, “Folded! Now she’s gonna get the credit if there really is something inside.”

“Eeeh,” Searchlight interrupted the pegasus opening his mouth to object, “Guys… do you see any light?”

He was right. Royal Guards always worked with their helmet light on at night. However, there was no light moving inside the house at all.

They waited five minutes, ten, twenty...

“Oh stars...” whispered Folded Paper, backing away, “She wasn’t a batpony. There’s no way she can see in the dark. We sent a Royal Guard to-”

“Shut up! This is perfect,” interrupted his lamentation Quick Scoop, “On top of everything, we now have a chance to save a Royal Guard mare. A hot one on top of that. Look, have your cameras and light spells ready. If there’s anything in the darkness inside, it sure as hay won’t like bright flashes. Let’s go!”

Clearly torn between the promise of fame and the threat of disappearing forever, Searchlight and Folded Paper followed him. When standing by the building’s facade, Searchlight shone a bright beam from his horn into the windows.

He could swear some of the curtains on the ground floor moved.

When the trio entered the dusty main room, they heard a faint hiss as if the entire building took a deep breath. Searchlight’s and Quick Scoop’s horns lit up with faint glow, the unicorns keeping their power flowing so that they were ready to unleash a burst of light in case they had to flee.

The door closed behind them on its own.

*Click.*

“Oh stars, oh stars, oh stars, oh stars!” Folded Paper started muttering. Quick Scoop smacked the back of his head.

“Gather yourself, Folded. This place is drafty as heck.”

Taking control of his breathing, Folded Paper had to admit Quick Scoop was right. Eventually he calmed down.

In the meantime, Searchlight was examining the main room, and returned with the result.

“Guys, the entire ground floor is just this room, a kitchen in the back, and the bathroom. There are stairs down to the cellar, and one staircase up. Dust is everywhere, but the floor is full of hoofmarks.”

“The guardsmare?” asked Quick Scoop.

“Unless she ran around like a maniac, then no.”

*Clink.*

*Clink.*

*Clink.*

*Thud.*

They all looked towards the staircase leading up. Two beams of light reflected off of…

...a golden Royal Guard helmet still rolling after the drop.

Folded Paper rushed towards the main door, fruitlessly tugging at the handle.

“It’s locked, it’s LOCKED!”

“Calm down, Folded!” Quick Scoop’s commanding voice didn’t work this time. The pegasus was hyperventilating an barely listening, “Ah screw him. That should teach us not to take non-unicorns with us. Searchlight, stay here with him and check out the kitchen and the bathroom. Keep an eye on the coward, alright? I’m going upstairs.”

“Y-You sure about that?”

“I know combat spells, bud. Don’t worry. When I get back, we’ll go down into the cellar. This place isn’t that big. Don’t forget - deep breaths, and steady aim,” Quick Scoop patted Searchlight’s back.

Searchlight took a long, slow breath, smiled back at Scoop, watched him levitate the Royal Guard helmet to Folded rocking back and forth by the door who hugged it as if his life depended on it, and kept watching until the light of Scoop’s horn disappeared upstairs.

Searchlight decided to check the bathroom first.

The room was fairly small, containing only a toilet, a sink, and a bathtub with a curtain drawn around it. Something was off. He stood stock still, thinking what could cause the tiny pang of panic. There was a minty hint in the air.

Why? There shouldn’t be anything other than dust or maybe mold, since there were wooden panels all over the walls everywhere.

Slowly, he shoved the shower curtain aside. The bathtub was covered with a faint layer of green… goop.

“Ectoplasm, or changeling goo?” Searchlight mumbled to himself.

“...play with us...”

His head snapped towards the bathroom door from where the quiet, high-pitched voices came from, then he heard the pitter-patter of tiny hooves.

”...be our new daddy...”

“D… daddy?”

”...our last one hurt us...”

“Oh stars...” Searchlight crept out of the bathroom, accompanied by quiet laughter and more soft hoofsteps.

In the main room, he rushed towards Folded Paper who was still cradling the helmet. His eyes were glassy, and he didn’t seem to register Searchlight’s presence at all no matter how much he shook him.

”Ring around the rosie...”
Searchlight jumped up from Folded Paper, scanning the room for the voices.

”Pocket full of posies...”

The quiet singing seemed to be coming from the kitchen.

“Ghost foals,” Searchlight chuckled uncertainly to himself, “What’s the worst they can do?”

As he walked to the doorway, he desperately tried to forget all the movies he saw where the curious ponies were the ones who were never seen again.

“Fame, fame, fame, fame...” he kept repeating.

”Ashes, ashes, we all fall-” the voice changed into a low growl, “down!”

He peeked inside.

Two pairs of eyes looked back.

Two identical, white-eyed fillies stared at him, unblinking.

He levitated his camera.

”Ring around the rosie,” the spoke in perfect sync, ”the evil thing it knows me. Lost souls surround me-”

They took a perfect uniform step towards him.

”-the darkness, in which we drown?”

He bolted outside, tossing the camera at the apparitions.

”...I don’t know more lyyyyrics...”

Folded Paper was nowhere to be found, only the solitary helmet was still there, the only silent witness of what happened to his pegasus friend.

”...scary scary hmmm hmmm...”

Searchlight slammed into the door, too far gone to react to the strange change of lyrics. Despite the building looking in disrepair, the door was sturdy and barely shook when his weight slammed into it.

”...boo boo boo so spooky-”

“...be quiet, Three, you’ll ruin it...”
”...evil, needles, taxes- okay!”

Searchlight took one look over his shoulder, and saw the fillies glaring at him. With their next synchronized step, he screamed, and lunged through the closest window. Cut and bleeding, he rolled on the street, crying, and when he got back on all fours, he fled as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Quick Scoop pressed on in his search of the upper floor. He had heard the stomping hoofsteps downstairs, but he was also following a trail of disrupted dust, horn ready to blind or blast any threat.

The trail led to a bedroom, and when he opened the door, he saw the Royal Guard mare lying unconscious on the bed, armor still on.

Damn, she was hot! Fit, long-legged mare like that… Quick Scoop could barely stop himself from rushing inside and having an innocent grope under the guise of wanting to sling her over his back to carry her outside. That, in itself, would make this entire trip worth it.

However, Scoop still went inside with utmost care.

There was nothing much inside. The old bed, the mare, a wardrobe, a bedside table, nothing out of ordinary, so why did he feel so on edge?

Taking a deep breath, he tip-hoofed over to the Royal Guard, and put a hoof on her toned backside.

No reaction.

He kneaded the amazing mix of muscles and a thin layer of fat. Just the touch of such perfect body... she felt better than any mare before her. He spread her hind legs, and rubbed her lower belly, feeling the soft hair of her coat and the tight abs underneath.

“Having fun?”

“AH?!” Quick Scoop jumped backwards, blushing and stumbling when faced with the guardsmare’s dark green eyes…

...with strangely slit pupils. Not like a batpony, but similar.

The bedroom door closed behind Quick Scoop, revealing a second Royal Guard, this one a unicorn male.

“W-What’s going on?” he asked, head turning from one guard to the other.

“I guess you caught us,” the mare giggled, slowly and seductively standing up from the bed. She took her helmet off, and with a green telekinetic glow of her horn unbuckled the rest of her armor. When the golden greaves clinked on the floor, the mare changed. White coat was replaced by black chitin, unicorn horn shifted into a jagged one, only the eyes and long legs stayed the same. She stuck out her long tongue, letting it drop over halfway down the length of her neck, “Now, I’ll give you one chance to forget everything and just enjoy yourself.”

Scoop backed off, gathering energy into his horn. Damn changelings! He had to warn everypony.

“The Royal Guards will be looking for me if something happens.”

“Royal Guards?” the second guardspony laughed, “You still don’t get it, do you? There are no Royal Guards. This isn’t even real, pony,” he took his helmet and armor off as well, turning into a big changeling, this one adorned with dark blue belly plate on top of all other markings of the same colour, “We won. The invasion was a success. You’re inside a cocoon and we’re sucking love out of you already. My friend here,” the changeling nodded towards the mare, “just wants to make sure you enjoy it a little bit more, to soften you up, and make your love and lust that more… delicious.”

“You’re LYING, bugs!” Scoop shuffled backwards towards the door. Stupid flies, they didn’t even bother closing the door, they…

...as if they knew there was nowhere to run.

“Oh puh-lease,” the mare walked over to him, rubbing his muzzle with her hoof, “go and tell the guards. Or better yet, tell the princesses, I’m certain the queen could use a snack too. We’ve got almost every single one of you ponies cocooned and connected already. This is OUR world. Once we get the few pesky members of the resistance left, we’ll connect everypony in Equestria to the hive mind.”

“The Maretrix...” left Quick Scoop’s lips.

He let out a burst of light, successfully blinding the changelings. Charging up his horn again, he slammed the door open, hitting the male changeling square in the nose, and ran as fast as he could.

Away, downstairs.

There was nopony there. No Searchlight, no Folded Paper. Were they even real? He’d known them for so long, but were those memories real or were the implanted?

He had to run, he knew the truth, he was alone, but he WAS the resistance, the chosen one, and he would destroy them from the inside.

***

“What do we do with the last one?” asks Eight after Three simply leads completely catatonic Folded Paper out of the cellar.

“Four, messing with only one head can’t take that long, can it?”

“Depends on the level of detail, but this shouldn’t take more than few hours.”

“Alright, get on it. Then Eight will drop him off in the alley where she found them.”

Damn, my little infiltrator definitely deserves a reward for this one.

Author's Note

Clancy Javis, anyone?

27: Into unexplored territory!

Hive mind! HIVE MIND!

I feel the estabilishing link hit me like a torrent of cold water. Unlike the connections I feel with the others which are more akin to tethers, this one is always forced and makes me buckle under the crushing pressure of the changeling minds long gone.

This is new. What do you want from us, failure?

Am I a failure? In their ‘eyes’ I must be. Nevermind, we’re here to talk business, something they might approve of.

I need to know how to make an infiltrator.

Not letting an experienced one go is a good start, The hive mind chuckles with multiple voices.

Are you going to be helpful?

You refuse our… advice, and now-

I refuse your ORDERS. If the survival of changelings is even remotely your goal, you will help me.

The link cuts off before quickly returning in full force.

Infiltrators are the most difficult and powerful changelings. They require… sacrifices. You cannot simply hatch one from an egg unless you can give it constant access to love during the whole process. They need to consume brain matter of ponies in order to gain proper nutrition. Change your ovipositor into a spike, and inject an egg into a pony’s skull. Keep the corpse from deteriorating as well as you can. When the larva hatches, it will eat the brain tissue, and then you simply give it as steady supply of love as you can.

Hmmm…

And what if I wanted to change a drone into one?

Then it must devour memories, skills, experiences from numerous ponies. When it starts suffering from crippling headaches, fill it with love which will give it enough energy to evolve. It will either survive, or go insane in which case you scrap the drone, and try with a different one. If you see physical changes like the loss of mass and weaker chitin even when compared to a drone, you’ll know it’s working. Infiltrators rely far more on love reserves than physical build, but thanks to that even they can reach physical attributes of warriors without constant training. A perfect hive with enough love to feed everyone would not need warriors, because overcharged infiltrators could easily do their job. Unfortunately, the lack of love resulted in the need for… specialized physical tools.

I see. I never thought I would say this, but… thank you?

Do you seriously consider mere thanks to be enough? We require sustenance.

And right now I need all the love I can get to create a proper infiltrator in order to save the survivors of Chrysalis’ invasion.

I ‘feel’ a deep growl from the combined minds of the most powerful changeling rulers.

We will… remain patient for now. Do not fail us.

The link breaks completely. I wait for few moments to make sure it isn’t only a pause, but the voices don’t come back.

Hmmm… so they don’t know everything that’s going on. Can they only read my intentions or recent past from my head?

This explains Four’s natural disposition towards infiltration, though. We DID have enough love while Eight was pregnant, enough for us and multiple drones. When a high-tier warrior like Eight had enough love, the tiny eggs inside her had to be positively soaking in it. Plus, only Four hatched, and she ate the other eggs immediately.

Of course! Does the hive mind maybe only barely remember the times when changelings were thriving? Was there actually such time, an era without us hiding or at war with everyone?

Focus! That doesn’t matter right now. Four must already be halfway through the transformation process. She got enough love as an egg, and Ten’s compiled experiences did cause her painful headaches. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to make use of it at the time.

As much as I hate doing it, I think I need to overload her again, and sending her to absorb the memories of ponies isn’t the safest approach…

Oooh, I’ve got an idea, but it’s super risky. On the other hole, the hive mind’s comment about warriors might be just what I need to make this work.

I focus.

Eight tries to resist my intrusion into her head, but this time I break through. She panics, nearly stopping riding the stallion she’s feeding from right now.

”Eight, I need you.”

"What’s wrong?"

She never stops gyrating her hips accompanied by the drooling of the stallion under her.

”Umm… you know how I gave Four Ten’s infiltration experience? Now I need… yours.”

"WHAT?!"

”I need to transform her into a real infiltrator, and to do that I need your help.”

"Help? You want to get rid of me! First it’s knowledge, then it’s love, then it’s the grinder. The hive mind got to you, didn’t it? Hole no! You’re not getting any-"

”I am really sorry, Eight. Consider this a payback for you punching me out back in Wet Soil. You did it for the good of all of us, and I’m doing the same.”

Her resistance weakens the more I absorb her love via our link. She tries to break it repeatedly, but I don’t allow her. In the end, she’s completely under my control, pleasuring the stallion on autopilot as I dig through her mind.

It seems that what I felt to be words from the hive mind was in reality the knowledge of process and parts I would need to perform the transformation.

Unfortunately, when I’m done, nothing is like that time when I completely took control over Eight. She’s not gushing with pleasure. She’s quiet, distanced, with tears streaming from her eyes. Drained both physically and mentally.

I’ve got a lot to make up for. I guess this is what it means to be the king. For the ultimate good of the hive, I had to hurt Eight in a way no one else ever has… aside from Chrysalis maybe.

"I serve the hive…"

"I serve the hive…"

"I serve the hive…"

Eight just keeps repeating the mantra in her head.

”You’re the best companion I could have ever found.”

She doesn’t react.

"I serve the hive…"

"I serve the hive…"

I break the link.

***

Processing the information harvested from Eight and the hive mind, I come to the conclusion that no amount of love could make a low rank infiltrator a better protector than Eight is. There are limits to how much love our bodies can handle, and I’m about to test one of those.

”Four, come down here, will you?”

The drone on guard upstairs trots over, giving me a curious look.

“What’s going on, boss?”

“Boss?” I raise my eyebrow.

“K-King, I mean,” she panics, “I’ve been talking to Three a lot and-”

“Calm down, I don’t care what you call me. I’ve got a big mission for you.”

“Oh, what is it, King?”

“No boss?”

“No boss, King.”

I snicker.

“Alright. You’re smart and adaptive, Four, and we need a proper infiltrator. Eight can’t protect us and do all the information gathering on her own. Well, she probably could, but that would be a waste. I discovered a way to transform you into a real one. Being a drone doesn’t suit you.”

“B-But isn’t Three a higher rank… and more experienced?”

“By now you must know I’m not big on the old ranking system. Three is happy where he is, and you’ve got both the experience, and the physical potential. Plus, you like being outside.”

“Well, I do…” she takes a deep breath before looking me in the eyes, “Okay, King. What do I need to do?”

“Relax, and don’t panic if it hurts. I know you can do this.”

Closing her eyes, she opens the mental link to me on her own. She’s ready. The question is whether or not I am.

I hear her groan as I transfer Eight’s infiltration experience into her. She falls on the floor, clutching her head. What I took from Eight isn’t as organized and easy to absorb like what Ten prepared for me of his own free will. On the other hole, my incompetence might be exactly what Four needs - to be challenged by chaotic and incomplete information.

Opening my own love reserves, I bathe her in energy, forcing more and more inside her despite her grunts and squirming. Eventually, she begins drawing more herself, opening further channels and accepting all I can give easily. Before my eyes, green flames start licking her body, adding chitin here, lengthening her armor there, or taking away some mass around her barrel.

Her grey streaks on black chitin don’t change even after the process is over, though.

“Owwww...” she stands up, and immediately keels over. To my own surprise, I’m fast enough to catch her, “Heh. I’m sorry, King, I don’t think it worked. I guess I’m still the dizzy, stumbling, old me.”

“Not… really,” I help her until she can stand properly. She’s now Three’s size, albeit thinner. Her chitin clings more to her body instead of forming thicker protective plates like Three has, and her head looks more like that of a pony mare, although still made of segmented chitin, “How are you feeling?”

“As if I got hit by an ox cart… from the inside.”

Now I notice the biggest difference. Bodies can change, obviously. However, the mental link between me and Four is now strong, distinct, and feels like it can’t go away. Experimentally, I try to cut it off. It shrinks and becomes unobtrusive, but unlike before I know it’s active.

I frown. That’s going to steadily drain some energy.

“Four, can you drop the mental link, please?”

She focuses, and the link shrinks further into a tether. So, I can’t avoid losing love, but we can minimize it. On the plus side, I will now always know that she’s alive.

“This will take some time to get used to,” she shakes her head, “Anyway, what did you need to do that for? I feel a lot better… my head clearer,” she examines her forelegs and then the whole body, “Did it work? Am I a real infiltrator now?”

“Can you shapeshift?”

She does that in an instant. No billowing green fire, only a covert spark which runs through her chitin and changes everything.

“Wooooow,” her eyes go wide, “Sneaky. Alright, I’m ready,” she stretches her forelegs, “I feel so nice and loose!”

I watch the beaming changeling jump up and down, lose balance and smack into the floor, then without losing any enthusiasm do it again.

“Now, this will be extremely dangerous, and there’s no one who can give you information beforehoof, Four. I need you to start gathering information about the changeling prisoners. Location, possible access, everything.”

“Will do!” she salutes.

“Don’t you want to talk it over with-”

“Nope!” her wide smile never leaves her muzzle even when faced with such request, “I’ve got Ten’s and my own experience, Eight’s knowledge, and know exactly where to start.”

“Good luck, Four,” I shake my head, her smile infecting even me, “Most importantly - play it safe.”

“Don’t worry, King. I won’t fail you,” she walks off.

Yep, I do hear her trip on the top stair and hit the floor again. No, I don’t think she minds at all.

***

*SLAM!*

I immediately look out of Three’s eyes…

...into Eight’s.

Furious, burning, lit by the green glow of her horn.

“Where is that mind-raping worm?” Eight growls.

“Umm, we don’t have any new larva, miss Eight,” answers levitating Three, wiggling all four legs in the air.

She pulls Three closer to her face.

“I know you’re watching. Get your sorry ass up here right now!”

“I- I can’t really turn in the air with you holding me like this,” Three’s regrown wings buzz as he fights against Eight’s telekinetic grip.

“Not you!” she puts him down with surprising care.

That’s my cue to wobble up the stairs. I’m still not exactly myself after transforming Four and topping her off.

“Uhh, about what hap-” I raise my foreleg apologetically. Everything flashes green, then I hear a loud crash.

“MISS EIGHT!” yells shocked Three.

Owww… my side hurts. My head hurts. What’s that green stuff on the floor?

Cool, now there are two Eights coming towards me. Maybe one Sixteen then?

A pair of Threes jump between me and the Eights.

Heheh, are we playing cards?

“Out of the way, Three...” growls Eight.

“N-No, m-m-m-miss...” the drone’s looking up at Eight, his head barely at the height of her barrel.

Green glow envelops him, then Eight shoves him aside. I shake my head. The light show is making me dizzy. Where are the green puddles coming from?

“And stay out of this!” before she finishes the sentence, Three’s already between us again, “Damn it, Three! I ORDER you to get out.”

“Y-You can’t o-order me, miss E-Eight,” he looks uncertainly at me, then back, “I o-outrank you.”

Three turns his head in horror as he starts floating again, the green glow now centered around his neck.

“Then maybe,” Eight growls, “I want to climb up some ranks...”

His wings buzzing, Three flails his forelegs at Eight.

“B-Boss?” he tries to turn his head one-eighty and downwards towards me. Due to his lack of demonic possession, it doesn't work that well.

I wave at them. Everything is spinning.

“Hi, Threes. What’s up? Wait, you’re up. Eights, stop choking Threes, will you-” my head finally catches up with my mouth.

Eight threw me against the wall so hard she cracked my head. My side armor is full of spiderweb fractures.

She actually IS choking Three.

“Eight, put Three down!” I take a deep breath to fight against the dull beating inside my head.

“Why?” she dangles him in front of my face, “Maybe I want to take something important away from you after you did the same to me!”

“Eight, I COPIED some of your experience, that’s all.”

“SO THAT YOU CAN REPLACE ME!”

“NO, SO THAT I DON’T HAVE TO RISK YOUR LIFE IN A CITY GUARDED BY A WHOLE ARMY FOR EVERY LITTLE THING WE NEED!”

Expression unreadable, but certainly cold, Eight lowers Three on the floor. He’s unharmed, and immediately trots between us one more time. Eight ignores him this time.

“Wasn’t Ten’s knowledge enough? Why did you take my combat experience as well? Why did you do this?!”

Sighing, I hang my head.

“Because I didn’t know what to do the first time. I didn’t need your infiltration experience as such, I just needed as much knowledge as I could to pour into Four. I just… I copied what I could get my hooves on, Eight. I didn’t have time nor skill to pick little bits, so I took what I could. Honestly, Eight, what’s the problem? Why are you so afraid of losing all your power? I thought you were all about that?.”

“YES, TO SOMEONE I CAN TRUST! How can I ENJOY that all I want is to give you complete control when you’ll just get rid of me? When you can simply copy my mind and make a better me? One without this pesky… resistance.”

“STOP IT!” screams Three. We both look at him, “I mean… pretty please?”

Eight grins.

“What’s wrong, Three? Are you starting to realize your ‘boss’ will just copy your mind when you become inconvenient, and then replace you with a better drone? Face it, you’re not a smart one. Every competent ruler would have destroyed you and made a real drone.”

“EIGHT!” I scowl.

She leans back when faced with Three’s unexpected bright smile.

“I know, miss Eight, and I’m doing the best I can anyway. Boss even gave me enough love to regrow my wings. He gave you your leg back too! I wouldn’t be here without the boss, and neither would you. I wouldn’t get to see all the pretty colours, weird ponies and their ‘food’. I didn’t even know the reason I couldn’t fly was because my wings didn’t grow right. The world outside the hive is amazing, miss Eight. I don’t mind enjoying my borrowed time. The boss knows what he’s doing.”

No I don’t.

“No, he doesn’t!” Eight snaps her jaws at him, “Fine, if your stupid little head is fine with being a love storage for someone else, then so be it-”

What I’m going to do now is probably suicide, but I can’t stand her snarling at Three anymore.

I slap Eight. She stops, glaring at me.

Second five, I’m still not dead.

Six… ten…

I take a breath.

“You yourself said I should use the best tool for the job. I need Four to gather information about the captured changelings. I turned her into a real infiltrator. She doesn’t have the hooves-on experience you do, I know. Before you object, I’m going to throw at you another thing you said to me when you sent Three scout the mines - if something happens to her, it’s better her than us. I don’t believe it, but it’s YOUR logic. However, you know what was the most important, Eight?”

“What?”

“When I sent her out, she was the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”

“You sent me out because I was replaceable, miss Eight? You said you were busy,” Three gives her a disappointed look.

“Both things were true,” Eight looks away, frowning.

“Then why are you mad at the boss? You actually DID do what you’re only worried about him doing to you.”

Eight growls at him, opens her mouth, then closes it, saying nothing in the end.

“Eight,” I say quietly, “please, get some rest. I’ll check up on Four. She’ll need all the help she can get.”

I really should ask her for the love she took so that I can heal the bleeding, but if there’s something I’m certain of it’s that it would be the worst thing to do right now.

Without a word, Eight storms up the stairs to the upper floor.

My shaking legs give out. That was… horrible and terrifying.

“Three, can you drag me to the cellar just in case someone tries to come here?”

“Don’t worry, boss, I’m the drag king… boss.”

***

I can feel the bags being carefully arranged on top of me, and I can also sense Four going through Eight’s experience and comparing it to Ten’s and her own. She immediately notices that I’m in her head as well.

"Welcome back, boss."

”How is it going?”

Waaaaait…

Looking out of her eyes, I see a bar, but the ponies are rather… unique. Muscular, tired, and… armed.

”Four, why are you sitting in the corner of a GUARD BAR?”

"Where else could I find out the most about the captured changelings?"

”You DO realize you have to come back to us with that information, right?”

"Technically, I don’t, boss, since you’re in my head. Athough I’m planning to, don’t worry."

”So, what now? Are you just going to ask some pony about the changelings? I doubt it’ll be that simple.”

"I’ve got a plan, boss. Eight’s methods of seeking targets out are limited, but there’s something to them. I have no doubts that within few more minutes at most I’ll have somepony to talk to."

Aaaand here it comes. A muscular pegasus stallion, one of many in the bar, sits down on the chair across the small table from Four.

“Never seen you around here before, miss,” his voice betrays a hint of alcohol, but the look he gives Four is focused and not at all leery.

Four chuckles.

“It’s my first time here. I hope you don’t mind me being in your establishment.”

“Not at all, although usually the only ones drinking here are guards and policeponies. It helps being in the company of those who know how it feels to get hit by a brick in a dark alley.”

Four makes a circle with her hoof on the table before sipping from her glass.

“Ever since the attack… I don’t feel safe outside or at home. I tried hanging out in a mercenary bar, but those guys are too drunk and loud. I like it here, it’s quiet and there are a lot of armed ponies.”

“Mind if I speak freely, miss?”

Four leans backwards and smiles when faced with the stallion’s official tone.

“Of course.”

He grabs her hoof with both of his, gently patting it.

“We didn’t react well to the attack, I know, and without prince Shining Armor and princess Cadance it would have ended in a disaster, but you don’t have to be afraid. I’ve seen the changelings who got crushed against buildings or set on fire. Even they barely survived, well… a small fraction of them. Those who got blasted into the sky… well, remember that we’re halfway up a very high mountain. If some of those by some miracle survived the fall, I can say with certainty that they aren’t in any shape to cause trouble again.”

Oh, this is an UPPER Canterlot guard bar.

Four thinks for a moment, then gasps.

“Did you say they barely survived?” her eyes go wide, “They are still around?” there’s the slightest trembling in her voice.

“Calm down,” the pegasus stretches his wing out to Four, tickling her chin, “They are safely locked up in the castle dungeons. I saw them being brought in. They couldn’t move or talk. Most of them lost limbs and chunks of their… armor. As far as I know they don’t eat pony food, so they aren’t recovering. Trust me, they are barely conscious.”

“What if they’re just playing you? What if they run away again? They can be anypony...” Four whimpers, “They can change into a fly and get out through the window, or-”

The pegasus’ wing now pressed against her lips silences her rambling.

“Not a single one has done it yet. We don’t know to what degree they can change, but they can’t simply transform into anything. I’m not a unicorn, but-” he leans in to whisper into Four’s ear, “my friend is in the research team, and it seems that changelings can’t simply magic all their mass away. They can’t get out even through the bars, so there’s no chance of them getting out via the drains as a bug, and there are no windows underground.”

Four lets out a relieved sigh, relaxing a little. Then she looks from side to side before trotting around the table to the pegasus and taking her chair with her. Pushing it next to his, she jumps on it and leans against him.

“Can we stay like this for a while?” she mumbles, “Before I gather the courage to go home?”

He wraps his wing around her.

“Of course, miss.”

"I don’t like using his kindness to free those who wanted to hurt him, but it’s the easiest way, boss."

”Good job, Four. I’ll be right back.”

This time the link between us doesn’t fade completely when I hop inside Three’s head for a moment.

”Three, I’ve got a super important mission for you!”

“Yay!” the drone waves his forelegs, still sitting alone by the door, and listening for any potential intruders.

”Ponies have no clue how well we can shapeshift when we’ve got the love. There should be drains leading from the upper Canterlot sewers into the castle dungeons. It’ll be dangerous, but I need you to find them and see if we can fit in, and whether or not we have enough love to get the wounded moving.”

“I’ll be right on it! Do I wake miss Eight up to guard the door?”

”Let her sleep. She’ll need all her strength when we go there and arrange the escape.”

“Alright. I’m going then, boss.”

”Good luck, Three. AND DON’T TRY TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH SHUFFLES AGAIN!”

“But he’s cold and lonely… and he doesn’t even want my boots anymore.”

”Soul, Three, not a sole.”

“Uhhh…”

”Nevermind. Just stay safe, little buddy.”

“I’ll be right back with the map, and then we’ll have even more friends!”

Cracking an internal smile, I leave Three to his mission and return back to Four who is currently trying to get out of the bar.

Unfortunately, she’s being stared down by a stern, tall unicorn blocking the door.

“Your refusal is only making me more suspicious.”

”N-n-n-o, that’s o-okay, s-s-sir,” Four is trembling, this time for real.

“Commander,” the pegasus who’s been Four’s company until now salutes despite being off duty, “Will you please back off? I’m sure the nice lady will go through with the scan as soon as you stop looming over her like a furious minotaur.”

To my and Four’s surprise, the unicorn indeed does take a step back and even manage to conjure a friendly smile despite his scarred face.

“I guess you’re right, Starwing,” he nods, “Miss, the scan doesn’t hurt or anything, and it takes only a few seconds.”

Four takes a deep breath and nods. The ponies surrounding the duo sigh in relief as well.

"Any ideas, boss?"

”Ten could use this mental blast magic to stun somepony for few seconds. Can you do it too? Maybe the big guy when he’s defenseless, and then run as fast as you can?”

"I’ve never done it, but I may as well try."

As the unicorn lowers his head and his horn lights up, I feel a buildup of energy inside Four.

"Well, well, well…" an amused voice resonates through our link, one which doesn't belong to neither of us.

What?

”Four, is there someone else inside your head-”

My link to Four cuts off for a second.

When I once again look from out of her eyes, everypony inside the bar is staring blankly in front of them.

"What happened? Did I do it? I’m so tired…" Four's mind feels hazy with sudden exhaustion.

”Get out, Four!”

She’s limping. I realize she’s lost nearly all her stored energy.

Barely holding her transformation together, she starts hobbling on the long track back home. Again and again she keeps looking over her shoulder, but thankfully there’s nopony following her. Eventually, she gathers herself, hides in an alley, and uses her last remaining love to grow a pair of wings and lose her horn.

”What happened?”

"I… I don’t know. I couldn’t reproduce Ten’s spell so I just tried to push the pony away so that I could run, then I felt so weak… and then everything went white. My head hurts…"

”That was a crazy piece of magic, Four.”

"I just want to sleep…"

She lands near the house. Wings sure do shave the hour-long journey between the upper and lower cities into a quick trip.

“Hmm, I don’t recall YOU, little changeling. And here was me wondering why Royal Guards started running around with their heads scrambled. Tsk, tsk,” says a sultry female voice.

My link to Four cuts off completely. No matter what I try, I can reestabilish it, or even feel if Four is still alive.

“Four? FOUR! Uh oh...”

28: Into an unreasonable pact!

“Damn it!” I curse, pulling myself back on all fours, and rushing as fast as my tired self can up the cellar stairs.

”Eight! Trouble.”

Please, don’t ignore me.

I hear three loud crashes, each one signalling Eight’s jump down multiple stairs and cracking the wood in the place of impact.

She looks around, narrowing her eyes.

”What’s going on?” she says in a no-nonsense tone.

“Something happened to Four right outside,” I sneak towards the window.

The main door opens, and Four slinks inside. Eight watches her, scowling.

No… not her. Her eyes are locked on a spot behind her.

Nevermind.

“Four, what happened?”

She doesn’t react, only stares blankly at a wall like a doll.

A dusty vase in a corner flies through the air like a bullet…

...shattering mid-air behind Four.

The air at the spot where the vase would have gone through shimmers, gradually revealing…

...a changeling.

She’s about as tall as Eight. However, Eight is bulky around her barrel and hips due to the thick chitin armor of a warrior giving her a nice hourglass figure nonetheless. In the same way, her teeth are larger, fangs longer, her long legs are thicker, adorned with jagged chitin at the back of her fetlocks for surprise attacks, and her hooves larger to strike like a hammer. She has even grown her secondary dark purple belly plate back for even more combat resilience.

The new changeling is slim. Not in a skinny, starved way, though. Her chitin is sleek, each plate neatly fitting with the rest. Without the clearly visible segmentation it would look like smooth, slightly shiny skin. She’s not well-built like Eight, but she looks fit nonetheless. Sort of like the supermodel disguise Eight was teaching Four to use, without the overblown proportions. Her blond mane, tail, as well as the golden eyes and secondary armor only accentuate the feel. Like Eight and now me, she clearly is a royal changeling. Every step she takes, she daintily puts one leg in front of another like a real model on the catwalk. Eight might be a warrior, but this changeling…

...is a hunting predator.

“Good ears, watchdog,” she says with an amused smile. I shudder. Her teeth are like small needles. If Eight can bite through a brick, this one can bite through finely crafted chainmail like butter, “So you are the ones messing with guards’ heads.”

-Don’t bother moving, watchdog.-

I look at Eight, who looks as if she’s straining against a massive force in order to pounce at the other changeling.

“Yes, we are. We’re trying to find out what happened with the invasion, and save whoever can be saved-”

She bursts out laughing, tears streaking from her eyes.

”Eight, what’s going on?”

"I can’t… move…"

”Got any idea who she is?”

"I… I… she said she’ll kill you… if I tell. She’s in my… our heads. She’ll make me… do it…"

”Eight, I know you don’t trust me right now, but I trust you to do what’s right, and that we can stand against anything- why is she snickering?”

"Because I can hear you, little changelings. A mental link between a warrior and… fake king may as well be you screaming your thoughts in my face," the evil changeling simply speaks through OUR link.

”Eight, I ORDER you to tell me who she is!”

I’m starting to understand. The changeling isn’t forcing Eight to stay silent. Eight herself, in response to the threat, is.

“N-No...”

”Eight, if there is anyone whom I trust, then it’s you.”

”I d-d-don’t… trust… m-myself...” she groans through gritted teeth.

”Tell me, please.”

Eight stops resisting, taking a deep breath.

“My King, you’re making a horrible mistake. Although, it’s been refreshing knowing a changeling worth protecting despite your BLATANT STUPIDITY! Meet One, the right hoof of Queen Chrysalis, the head infiltrator, and the one high-tier changelings call ‘The Succubus’. Congratulations, you’ve just killed Three, Four, yourself, and me.”

One giggles.

”I like a changeling who can show proper respect.”

“Greetings, One,” I give her a deep bow, surprised that I can move, “Wait… Hun, One… clever. I KNEW the voice sounded familiar.”

One blinks several times, staring at me, then raises an eyebrow.

”You are full of surprises. First, you actually befriend ponies, although without me the ponies in Wet Soil wouldn’t have been so… trusting. And now, you’re polite even despite your watchdog revealing my threat. However, you are also full of love- well, lust mostly. Love too, though, and that is hard to get around here these days. Delicious… love...”

-Freeze, fake king!-

She walks over as I find myself paralyzed again, and licks my muzzle over an over, drooling over herself.

”Changeling love, too. Not stolen, but freely given,” she sniffs the air, “Some from the young infiltrator over there, more from… hmm, AHA! There was the suicide squad drone with you last time, wasn’t it? Heh… and no true love from your watchdog. Pity.”

I feel her needle jaws press against my neck.

”What happened to your little loving drone?” One purrs straight into my mind.

-Speak!-

“H-He’s sc-scouting out the mine tunnels,” I groan, trying in vain to resist One’s mental orders.

”Call him here. I don’t have time to hunt down stragglers.”

“N-No...”

-Obey!-

“N-N-N...” I feel my mental link to Three lighting up despite my mouth doing its best to say no.

It’s just… what I feel as words are commands as powerful as if Chrysalis herself said them. My body knows how to obey no matter what “evolution” I’ve been going through. One is linked directly to the minds of everyone around, asserting her influence as the second in command of the whole hive.

She’ll hurt Three. She’ll suck us all dry.

Chrysalis, though, was a tyrant. There actually WASN’T a second in command. There was Chrysalis, and there were the slaves. Some slaves infinitely more powerful than others, but slaves nonetheless.

One must know how to obey, and if she’s in my head…

-Hurt!-

One recoils, blinking. Eight, though, groans in pain, her breathing deepening immediately.

”Sorry, Eight.”

I’m not sure whether or not she feels my mental apology, but I just had to say it.

“What are you playing at, drone, faker?” sneers One.

-BOW!-

My legs immediately give out, and I kneel before One. Out of the corner of my eye I see Eight do the same. Well, she exists to be submissive and she still does it more reluctantly than I do. That kinda stings.

-Break!-

My order makes One wince before she bursts to open laughter. Eight drops on the floor, grunting in pain. Green blood pours from her muzzle as she must have bitten her tongue.

Eight is far more susceptible to my orders than One’s. Sadly, One barely feels any mental attack I try to conjure up.

One sighs.

”I guess I’ll just have to silence your little drone myself. He has to come back here at some point.”

-Submit!-

On my knees already, I feel my body focusing all my love and energy into my horn for easy access. It needs to be devoured by One, that’s its entire reason for existing. My body knows it now.

Wait, there IS something I can do. Well, not for myself, but I might save at least someone. Eight feels the orders I force onto others like One does stronger, and maybe if I can’t use the hurtful commands like One can, then…

Eight, if this works then it’s up to you what you choose to do. If I were you, though, I would run.

-Freedom.-

*Crunch!*

I barely catch the black blur before the cracking of chitin makes me grit my teeth in sympathy. The first one, I mean. With the second one accompanied by breaking wood I lean backwards in horror.

Eight, her hoof covered in green goo is standing above One who got punched in the head so hard she hit the floor with the other side, leaving a green smear and bits of chitin. On the floor, and eyes wide, the supreme changeling has no idea what happened, but recovers quickly and covers her muzzle with her forelegs right before the second blow from Eight arrives with the force of a freight train behind it.

After this punch, some of One’s teeth join the blood on the floor, and Eight puts her hoof on One’s horn, read to stomp it off.

”Wait...” groans One, and spits out more green blood.

”No way, parasite!” cracks start spreading through One’s glowing horn.

”No, please… I can be useful!”

“Wait, Eight,” I stop Eight about to execute One, or at least rob her of her magic forever.

She growls, but by One’s relieved breath I recognize that the pressure is off despite Eight’s hoof still on One’s horn.

”If you throw this one chance and get us killed, King, I’ll be so pissed off!”

“If you feel funny for even a second, Eight, do what you want with her,” I look at the wide-eyed changeling on the floor not daring to move, “Speak.”

”You’ll die if you keep going like this. I can prevent that,” says One as quickly as she can.

”Is that the best lie you’ve got?” Eight kicks One’s head. Not with any real strength behind it, just for attention.

”Gee, put your watchdog on a leash, fake king, will you?”

“Eight, kick her again,” I'm in no mood for nonsense.

”Oh for f-OW!” One clutches her head.

“You’re not being useful.”

I return One’s teared up gaze, trying to look as tough as possible. I don’t really want to torture her. If she’s evil, we need to get rid of her, but not deliberately slowly and painfully.

”You’re all running mostly on lust. The little shreds of true affection your infiltrator and the drone have aren’t enough to offset it. Pretty soon, you’ll suddenly get weaker and starve,” explains One.

”I’m calling bullshit. I’ve never even heard about that,” frowns Eight.

”Colour me surprised, warrior. I know everything about running the hive, and your little group has no chance if you kill me.”

“We’re about to rescue the changelings locked in the castle dungeons. I’m pretty sure some of them will know something useful without being powerful enough to stab us in the back at any point.”

”Please, I can help!” she pleads, now openly crying, ”I am the best. What do you want, pleasure, more love, power? I can teach you, I can make you more powerful than Chrysalis. Please, just don’t cripple or kill me...” she keeps sobbing.

It hurts seeing a changeling like this, no matter what she’s tried to do.

“Eight?!” I gasp as she kicks One again.

”She’s a hostile infiltrator, you idiot.”

I look at now snickering One, tears nowhere to be found anymore.

”Smart watchdog, ow- wait wait wait wait!” she grips Eight’s hoof with her forelegs in an attempt to stop Eight from stomping her horn off, ”I can really help, and I REALLY don’t want to lose my horn. I wasn’t lying about you starving.”

“We can’t trust you, One," I render my judgement, "I really don’t want to hurt you, but you caught Four and she’s still out of it. I’m not strong enough to resist you if you catch us off guard, and-”

”GIVE ME A SECOND!” One shrieks, ”Just make sure your watchdog doesn’t do anything stupid, will you?”

“Eight?” I raise my eyebrow.

”You’re testing my patience, both of you...” the warrior growls.

”Uhh, boss? I feel dizzy...” I hear Four who has until now been standing stock still, ”Um, who is that lady?”

“She’s the one who attacked and mind controlled you.”

”HEY!”

“Her rank is One.”

”Okay.”

“REAL One.”

”Eeep!” Four darts behind me.

“She came here to eat all of us.”

Four is just trembling now.

”Great, now you scared her,” One rolls her eyes, and accompanied by the exceedingly careful and faint glow of her horn a ring appears, ”Do you know what a suppressor is?”

I shake my head.

”When put on a horn, it completely blocks magic. This one is improved to work on changeling-specific abilities like transformation. If you put this on me, I won’t be able to use my powerful magic, my force commands, or shapeshift. That way you don’t have to be so afraid of me, although I appreciate the respect.”

”Don’t trust her,” Eight snarls, ”How do we even know if it works?”

”You can put it on to test it for yourse-OW!” Eight kicks One again, stopping her taunting.

”Over my dead body. If I put it on, likely literally.”

“Four, will you?” I tap the cowering changeling's head.

”Sure, boss,” she levitates the ring up, and screws it onto her horn. I immediately feel her link to me weaken, ”She’s right, boss. I can’t change. It feels really weird...”

”What’s stopping you from just taking it off?” Eight eyes Four suspiciously.

”Go on, try it,” One smirks. I don’t like that smirk.

“One, what’s going to h-” I’m far too suspicious to let this slide.

“Aaaaaaah?!” Four screams, bolts of lightning running through her forehead and forelegs as she touches the suppressor to unscrew it, “Ow ow ow ow…” she immediately stops.

”She can’t take it off by force or she’s ruin the spiral on her horn, and if she tries to unscrew it properly… well, this kind of painful feedback. Someone else has to take it physically off. Convinced?” One winks at me.

I carefully take the suppressor off of Four still blinking out of sync after the shock.

“Eight? Do we give One a chance?”

”Are you insane? You are freaking insane! Kill her RIGHT THE HOLE NOW!” she grinds her hoof against One’s horn again, ”And if your soft heart can’t. then I don’t have such problem. This is ONE we’re talking about.”

One sighs, closing her eyes. They shoot open as she feels the suppressor held in my telekinesis slip onto her horn and fix itself at its base. My grip fades as soon as it’s locked tight around it,

”YOU FREAKING- AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!” Eight screams in frustration, raises her hoof, and slams it down so hard the wooden floor shatters, ”STUPID, IDIOT, GONNA GET US KILLED, DAMN, STUPID, DUMB...”

She stomps around, punching the walls and yelling incoherently.

One, gasping for breath, is watching the destroyed floor few inches away from her horn.

”Pheeew… okay okay okay...” she rubs her cracked horn, careful to avoid touching the suppressor, ”I’d keep an eye on her if I were you.”

”WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP SAYING THAT?!” screams Eight, stomping up the stairs. I still hear the muted thuds, though.

“One, don’t question Eight. If there’s some changeling I trust, it’s her.”

”Hmmm...” One stands up, dusting herself off and trying to look calm and collected despite the disheveled mane, lost teeth, and the bleeding on both sides of her head, ”A-hem, alright then, I guess. You haven’t ordered your watchdog to kill me, so I guess I can... assist you for a while. Where do we start? I know some real sensitive parts of your body you have no clue about,” she leans in, whispering in my ear.

I slowly push her away.

“We start like this,” putting my horn to hers, I feel a faint link open. Within a moment, I realize the connection is fully under One’s control, and I’m only a temporary guest in her head who has no say in anything. She blinks, as I pour some love into her, but her cracked temples heal immediately, and her teeth regrow. What she can’t fix immediately is her horn, but the quick recovery is crazy anyway, “Whoah! You can do so much with such little love?” I step away in complete shock.

”I can do a lot with very little. I can do what you’d consider miracles when I’m fed. Now for my part of the bargain - I told you you’d starve if you kept going like this.”

“Yes,” I sit down, and so does One. Behind me, taking me into a hug, and licking my ear, “Uhh…?”

”Heh heh heh. Using me only for information would be such a waste, fake king,” she drags her teeth along my neck, leaving faint scratches in my chitin, ”Now tell me, what’s with the ranks? Your Four is frankly a no one. Three digit infiltrator at best.”

”Umm, well, I’m trying...” I twitch as Four speaks up. Under One’s ministrations, I completely forgot about my surroundings.

“One, please stop insulting my companions. Four can learn, and will get better at infiltration, and as a changeling,” I defend the little critter, if only to raise her spirits.

Four beams at One who simply raises an eyebrow.

”Insulting? I am merely… observing. I took your Four over. Even with a huge investment of love and time, she’ll become a low double-digit rank AT BEST. Calling her Four is an insult… both to me AND to your watchdog.”

”It’s okay if-” Four starts mumbling.

“Four, you’re Four. One, leave the ranks to me. If you want to stay around for a while, you can be One, but don’t bother others about it.”

To my surprise, One only shrugs. I know it because her barrel is pressed so tightly against my back I can feel her heartbeat.

”Alright, I was mostly just curious. As long as you don’t try to take my rank away, I don’t mind sticking to your… names. Mmmm, faint love from your Four. Delicious,” she licks my neck, ”Now, the love is important, and most of what I can sense from all of you is stolen lust. You’ll weaken and die if you keep this up. Venom-tainted love works, but it’s not good enough. Lust needs to be filtered through love, that’s why we’re not a species of whorses, no matter how much some used to call us that in the past.”

“What are you talking about?”

”Lust is delicious, lust is powerful, pure lust is poison. Delicious, addictive, deadly drug,” she whispers, ”But if you add love, there’s antidote. You boost yourself to keep you strong, but then you must cure yourself and defeat the addiction. If you can’t get enough love to offset all the lust you’re using to survive, you’ll die. You won’t even know it until your heart stops, until your legs fail to move, and then there’s no saving you anymore. Proper infiltrators don’t harvest through the crotch, but through the heart and mind. Without so much lust, your watchdog wouldn’t be so strong, but if she keeps going like this, she won’t even know it that she’s on her final mission until her heart stops right before her victorious strike,” she runs her hoof down my belly, ”However, building true love takes too much time, and stealing it poses a risk when you replace a pony. If you want to rescue the invasion survivors, then your food trouble will only get worse.”

“You were digging around in Four’s head a lot, weren’t you?”

”I can copy such an inexperienced infiltator within seconds, fake king. Even your watchdog’s mind wouldn’t take too long.”

Hmmm… I wonder. If One really is interested in helping, whether out of fear, amusement, or genuine interest, then she can be a priceless resource.

“How about you share a bit of your mind with Four?”

”Oh my? Teaching my secrets to your little newbie? That’s a bold request. What if I say no?”

“Uh, nothing?”

One stops groping me, stands up, walks around me, and frowns.

”You’re terrible at negotiating.”

“I... guess? I mean you told me about the lust thing, so we’re even. I’m just keeping you around because I’m terrified of you.”

She grins.

”Afraid of poor old me? My my, you should be shaking with lust and need, not fear. I can’t have that,” she chuckles, ”Alright, you, Four, I can’t go outside like this, but I can maintain a passive connection with you. Up for a practice run outside? You might be fun to play with.”

”Boss? She’s weird,” Four pouts.

“Do you think she can be a good teacher? I don’t doubt for a second she knows a lot,” I ask.

”And you’re exhausted from the mind blast I stunned the bar with through you,” One gives Four a smug grin, ”You need a refill. All of you do, especially after trying to resist me.”

“Four, you’ve got talent. Use One’s knowledge, but stay yourself. If you feel weird at all, tell me,” I take a deep breath, and slowly let it out, “One… please don’t hurt my changelings. I’m still leaning towards thinking this will bite me hard in the ass. Please, prove me and most of all Eight wrong.”

”Prove ME wrong, fake king, and I just might prove you wrong,” One laughs, walking over to Four and booping her nose, ”You’re coming with me.”

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, I go curl up into a corner, and lightly tap into Eight.

”Eight?”

"Are we or her dead yet?"

”Neither. She’s with us now and teaching Four how to infiltrate.”

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCC-"

*CRUNCH!*

Whoah, that one must have broken a wall.

30: Into prison!

Three little spiders crawl out of the narrow drain into a dim room with two planks covered by thin blankets serving as bunks on the opposite sides, and a thick wooden door reinforced with metal strips bearing the only connection to the outside world - a small, barred window. There’s a latch on the bottom as well, likely for shoving food inside, but it’s closed right now.

Two seemingly unconscious changelings, their chitin cracked all over and even peeled off in places, revealing green flesh, are lying on the beds, oblivious to the world around them.

”Three, go see in what shape they are. One will tell you what to look for.”

One of the spiders bursts out in green flames, transforming into a bulky changeling drone who immediately shuffles towards the closer prisoner.

At first, I didn’t think ponies could hold changelings, considering the drains with fairly wide space between the bars as well as the door window. However, every captured changeling is outfitted with the same suppressor One is, so shapeshifting is out of the question.

The other two spiders quickly make it up the door and through the window. In the meantime, Three has already taken the changelings’ suppressors off, and One transferred a bit of lust into them through Three, just enough to slowly wake up.

The Canterlot castle prison, or at least this part we know about from hypnotized guards and Three’s scouting, consists of one long, well-lit, grey hallway with a bunch of cells on the sides. It clearly isn’t a place to specifically hold changelings. At the moment, there are four guards scattered around, one standing by the main door, and three standing in intervals covering the whole hallway.

”Hmm, how do we do this? Any movement is sure to cause alarm.”

One chuckles inside my head and presumably the heads of the others.

”Heh, I’ll show you the power of properly used infiltrators, fake king, even the lowest ranks. Eight won’t have to move a muscle. Although it would be a good idea if she moved to the main entrance just in case Four screws this up.”

Four’s spider form faintly shimmers with green light, and gradually she in complete silence turns back into a changeling. However, her chitin reflects light in such way that aside from some slight visual distortion she may as well be invisible.

I feel One’s minor annoyance.

”Leaves a lot to be desired, but she learned the basics. Now let her work.”

The Royal Guard who is the furthest away winces when he feels twin thin fangs pierce his neck, blinks, and doesn’t react anymore, staring blankly at the wall.

After pumping venom into him for a little longer, Four releases her bite, and noiselessly walks over to the second one.

When she’s taking out the third guard, the one says:

“Hey, Solar Shield, what’s that behind you?” when Solar Shield doesn’t react, the guard takes his first and final step during this operation, “Sol-”

*Crunch!*

Dropping her spider form, Eight immediately deactivates the guard with a well-placed uppercut, catches him mid-fall, and quietly lays him down on the floor. After some searching, she holds up a full keyring, and tosses it to still invisible Four who immediately drops her reflective form.

She also drops the keys, realizing that in her shock she bit down too hard. Staring in horror at the Royal Guard now gurgling and foaming as blood pours out of his severed jugular, she mumbles:

”Wait… no... we’re changelings. They’re supposed to love me. We exist to be loved, not to kill.”

Thankfully, Eight comes over and snaps the guard’s neck to end his misery quickly. Four sits down, takes his helmet off, and keeps patting his head while staring into nowhere.

One by one, Eight and Three unlock the cells which hold all the thirty-two unconscious or completely shocked captured changelings, zapping love into every single one until…

...I realize that there’s one more mental link available than we started with. I carefully ‘poke’ at it, and it reacts.

Three opens the last door.

“Ten?” he asks, eyes wide.

”Three?” the infiltrator looking significantly healthier than most other changelings looks up, completely stumped.

Three unscrews Ten’s suppressor, then pokes his head out of the door.

”Hey, miss Eight, I found a friend!”

Eight peeks inside, and facehoofs.

”Great, you… If there was someone I was missing in my life it was ANOTHER paranoid infiltrator.”

Three grins at Ten, and unlocks his shackles.

”See, Ten? She missed you too!”

”I know I’ll probably regret asking, but how did YOU get caught?” Eight glares at him.

“That idiot got BOTH of us caught,” the rather healthy changeling sharing Ten’s cell scowls at him, “‘Assassination attempt’ on princess Celestia. Ass was definitely involved, though. The rest, not so much.”

”Don’t tell me you tried to seduce the supreme immortal ruler of ponykind, Ten? Because if you do, I might have to beat you to death with your own cock.”

“Please do,” the other changeling nods enthusiastically, “This idiot went there and just started yammering about how amazing she is. Someone used a wide scanning spell immediately and got me as well. When they broke his transformation he just stood there, staring at Celestia’s plot. Damn, Royal Guard life was sweet...”

”Ten, my hearing must be going, because I could swear the changeling just said that you-”

”YES, I WALKED UP TO PRINCESS CELESTIA AND TOLD HER THAT I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HER GLORIOUS PLOT ANYMORE! ARE YOU HAPPY?” Ten returns Eight's steel gaze.

With One’s help, I let Ten link up with the rest of us properly.

”Ten, I know that I’m supposed to be the boss, but daaaamn...”

It’s getting progressively harder to ignore One’s snickering. Fortunately, Eight isn’t in the mood for nonsense, and keeps her cool in a potential combat situation.

”I’ll castrate you later,” she facehoofs, releasing the second changeling, one of the very few in a good shape, ”You, rank?”

The changeling rubs his horn, experimenting with a bit of magical light.

“I haven’t been a part of the hive for a veeeery long time, lady. Don’t you go and rank me unless you want to hear ‘private Green Shield’.”

Eight’s horn flashes as she scans the changeling.

”Warrior, tier thousand-ish. Go help Three get the others out. He’ll show you our escape route. Or do you want to stay here until you starve?“

“Yeah yeah, I’m going,” the changeling frowns and leaves the cell.

Eight looks at Ten.

”As much as I want to leave you here, you hive-tearing bastard,” she hisses, ”The boss considers you a friend for some reason, and I can’t afford Celestia realizing that all she has to do is let you touch her plot and you’ll spill the beans about everything you know. Out!” she shoves him out of the cell.

”Well, I-” Ten hesitates.

”I can MAKE you unable to talk ever again.”

”Geez, you’ve got some serious anger issues. I heard I give pretty good massages-” Ten withers under Eight’s murderous glare, ”Nevermind.”

As Eight leaves the cell, she gives a single glance to Four who is sitting by the dead guard’s head, ineffectively poking her hooves into the torn neck in order to stop the bleeding. She doesn’t react when I enter her head this time. She feels completely blank.

”Four? Four!”

”He’s d-d-dead, boss...” she whimpers, ”I-I-I killed him.”

”Four, he would have done the same to you if he saw you.”

”But ponies are nice, at least most of them. What miss One showed me when I was hunting… how they treated me… they were all nice. For a moment when I bit him, I saw his life. He has an earthpony marefriend, Brown Leaf. They’ve been together for three years. They live in upper Canterlot. Being in the Royal Guard doesn’t pay that much, but together they managed to get a nice apartment.” she keeps reciting the pony’s history as if reading from a long script.

”Four, we need to get out. I’m sorry how this turned out, but-”

”I killed him, boss. His marefriend can’t afford to pay for their apartment on her own. They’re both young… for ponies, I mean. She’ll have to move back to a different city called ‘Vanhoover’ and live with her parents and get a job there. Her dream was to one day work in the castle as a maid because she adores princess Celestia and-”

I curse myself, because the first thing I feel is pride at Four being able to absorb every detail about the pony’s life within the second or two she had to bite him.

”FOUR!” I interrupt the still talking changeling, ”I. Am. Sorry. We all are here for you to talk to, but we need to get out. Every second we spend here means that little more energy wasted by the barely surviving changelings. If it helps, remember how Ten looked after he landed in Wet Soil- wait, you weren’t there.”

I transmit the image of broken Ten chained to the wall in the cellar of Wet Soil police station. This finally breaks Four out of her stupor.

”P-P-onies did that… to us?” Four scrambles on all fours, walking towards the cell we used to get inside through, ”B-But we just wanted some love… right?”

”We don’t know the details, because we haven’t been there. One, Ten, and the survivors we’re getting out of here were. From what I heard, we definitely didn’t come to Canterlot in peace.”

I’m not going to bother her with more details about the hive mind’s bloodlust.

”Alright, everyone accounted for?” I ask. I’m not able to link to any of the rescued changelings other than Ten.

Three answers before Eight can.

”Boss, I didn’t find any more while I was scouting the drains. I think the ponies kept all changelings in this part of the dungeon.”

”They obviously didn’t want to anypony to know about survivors to prevent possible panic. The city is in relative peace considering the invasion happened only few weeks ago and the guards are still on edge,” adds Eight, ”Whoever is behind this knows how to keep general population under control.”

”Okay, get home safe, and we’ll see if we have enough love to help all those guys.”

***

“One, what’s going on?” I ask, walking between the nine collapsed changelings foaming at the mouth and staring blankly at the ceiling while they shiver uncontrollably.

The ones who could still at least move have gone upstairs under Eight’s guidance. Three has been left behind in the mines to stay on watch for any ponies potentially on their tracks, saying he doesn’t mind playing with Shuffles.

No, don’t ask me how he made friends with some deadly abomination which made Chrysalis’ vanguard of infiltrators tiphoof around it, or IF he actually made friends with it come to think of it. He seems to be in his element down there in the tunnels, so as long as he doesn’t do anything stupid he can stay there.

”As I said, too much lust, too much damage, too little love,” One shrugs, ”So, fake king, what do we do? We don’t have the love to save them, because the transformations they needed to get through the small drains were too exhausting, and they won’t recover. Their bodies are shutting down, and they are painfully aware of all that’s happening. It’s your time to pretend you’re a real king right now, because this will happen to more of them soon. We don’t have the resources, and the ponies will be looking for us soon, because the escape won’t go unpunished. What are you going to do, Chrysalis? Let the hive slowly starve, or go for one last desperate move?” One grins, but there’s no humor in it.

“Are you sure we can’t help them?”

”I definitely can HELP them, I just can’t SAVE them. And no, I won’t do it without your direct order. This is your responsibility, and you must own it.”

Just like Eight, One knows the weight of this kind of ‘help’. Once again, I’m reminded of how inexperienced I am compared to them. Is there something to hive mind’s claims? Is there really no hope for peace and prosperity other than conquest?

I look at the dying changelings groaning in pain, tears streaking from their unseeing eyes.

Will this keep happening again and again?

Looking at the ground, I sigh.

“Can you kill them quickly, One?”

”In comparison to this?” she nods to a changeling who has just bitten his tongue off and starts choking on his own blood.

She watches him, but doesn’t move.

MY decision.

“End it, One. I can’t stand-” the noise, really. The gurgling, the wheezing and helpless grunting. The echoes of pain I feel even through their unlinked minds, “-this.”

One scowls at me and bares her fangs before moving.

”Then you better learn quickly, because ‘this’ has been our life for centuries,” she puts her foreleg to the choking changeling’s head. I’m expecting something fast and gruesome like when Eight snapped the guard’s neck, but all that happens is that the changeling immediately completely stops moving. One by one, she stops the misery of the others in the same way, and finally there is silence, ”Good job. Lesson one, Chrysalis, don’t waste resources on pointless endeavours.”

“Please don’t call me that.”

Her mirthless grin grows even colder and fills with cruelty.

”You’re repeating your steps, Chrysalis. The steps that led us to 'prosperity and happiness'.”

“Damn it,” I growl, punching the nearest wall.

I did exactly what One wanted me to, what was the smart choice.

Maybe that’s what Chrysalis did as well?

No. NO! I care about them. She didn’t care about anyone other than herself. No matter what I have to do I care about them, even those whose death I had to order.

Do I?

Was it so easy because I knew there was no helping them, that it was their best shot, or was it because I’m lying to myself now and I didn’t care about changelings I didn’t know and who would eat me just for the hole of it while I was still just a drone?

What if Chrysalis really made all the correct choices under her circumstances… and in the end was left only with the wrong one?

“I shouldn’t be in charge, One. I’m, just a drone. All I know is how to carry eggs.”

”You’ve got bigger things to worry about than what you’re supposed to be, Chrysalis.”

Unfortunately, she’s right.

”Oh don’t sigh like that,” One pats my back, ”If you get me some real love, I might buy you a little time.”

Yeah, but the only infiltrator who had the heart and innocence to gain real love is now unfocused and shaken. If I send out Eight for more lust, more might end like the nine dead here.

This is too much for me.

“One, I need your help.”

"Obviously.”

“Go talk to Four, please.”

”That’s something you should do.”

“I tried. It didn’t help. I think she needs someone who not only means well, but also knows what they’re talking about.”

”I’ll give it a shot, since you’re asking so nicely.”

31: Into restful sleep!

A lot of things happened since we got the changeling prisoners out of the dungeons, and thankfully very little from the side of the Royal Guards.

So, day six.

Our priority was to hunt for love this time, and Four has been doing an excellent job. A bit too good, to be honest, barely spending any time in our hideout other than to empty herself. Eight didn’t want to leave me alone with a bunch of unknown and potentially hostile hungry changelings. However, One intervened, saying we needed all the energy resources we could get, and that she herself could very easily protect me from a whole army of changelings this weak, suppressor or not.

By day three, I realized we weren’t getting enough. If all of us were healthy, Four’s efforts would keep us hungry but stable. Unfortunately, the wounds on nearly everyone drained our resources far too fast. I wanted to send Ten out as well, but One dragged him into the mines and told me to keep out both physically and mentally.

What surprised me the most was Eight’s failure. Hunting alone, the little scraps of love she could get were next to nothing. Strange, she can go out and seduce like an infiltrator, but real affection avoids her when she’s disguised. In Wet Soil it was different. Ponies admired her despite being afraid, and in the end genuinely liked her. In Canterlot on another lockdown? No chance. After an evening of furious grumbling, she grabbed Three without explanation, and they went outside together.

You can guess it, they did return with a bit more that day. With Eight’s instincts and caution to avoid the Royal Guards, and Three’s interest in ponies, those two supplementing Four have been harvesting enough to stop us from starving to death. Or would have been, because the previously mentioned health situation is still putting us on a timer.

However, what surprised me the most was a request from One to send Eight out in order to harvest as much lust as she could. She should be here shortly, and then I’ll get to see One’s big project.

Damn it, I hate not being able to help.

“Boss... can we talk?”

I open my eyes and peek from behind a wall of backpacks now marking what One calls my “executive corner”. Four is looking at me, head hung low, and ears splayed back

“Sure. I can’t do much to help right now anyway, so if you need to to talk then I’m all ears.”

”Thanks,” she steps over the bags, huddling to my side. I put my foreleg around her shoulders.

I haven’t realized it until now, I really haven’t. She’s… tiny. Compared to me, One, Eight… she’s just a small grey and black changeling. Yet, she knows more about the world than I do by now. Granted, I sort of “know” her experience thanks to my link even from times when I wasn’t directly inside her, but that’s different.

We sit there like that for a while.

”Boss, are we evil?”

Considering what the survivors told me about the invasion, about putting ponies into cocoons in front of their loved ones, about imprisoning one pony princess and attacking another…

To ponies, we are evil in the purest form. The thing is that when I think about Three who is now playing with few foals in some lower Canterlot public park under the supervision of Eight posing as a sexy single mom, or when I look at Four barely breathing while waiting for my answer… or even myself.

Ponies are similar to us with the added benefit of being food.

“You know, One might be,” I admit, hesitating, “She might easily hurt others for her own benefit. Even Eight, I guess, wouldn’t think twice about breaking some legs if it would make things easier for her. You and Three? No. I can’t imagine either of you finding a pony, getting rid of them, and taking their lover. Hurting others just for fun or going over corpses towards your goal? Never.”

”Boss, I killed a pony. I know so much about his life. I know what I ended.”

“Yes,” I admit, making her twitch and whimper, “Accidents happen,” I immediately hate myself for saying it so easily, “Four, I don’t want to stoke hatred, but look what they did to the changelings they caught. They were so close to going insane or dying from starvation.”

”Boss, they don’t know what to do with us. They are terrified of us. Yes, some hate us, but mostly due to that fear. They weren’t torturing the changelings, they just had no idea how to feed us. They can’t love on command.”

Damn…

“Look, Four, you aren’t evil. I know how you’ve been hunting for love, and you barely need venom to make the ponies whose lovers you replace for a single evening feed you. You keep them happy, and you return their partners unharmed. In few cases, I noticed you doing things your victims wanted that their partners wouldn’t do for them even when it threatened your disguise. Remember the unicorn mare who wanted to go to the art gallery for the first time, but didn’t want to go alone and her earthpony coltfriend was too stubborn? She got pretty suspicious when you didn’t recognize princess Luna.”

”Well, yeah…” Four breathes out, ”How do I avoid… more accidents, boss?”

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW? I’M JUST A DUMB DRONE WHO SITS INSIDE ALL DAY AND WATCHES OTHERS GO ON WITH THEIR LIVES!

I wish I could say that, I wish I could let it out, but I can’t. She needs leadership, not my problems on top of her own.

“By getting better, Four. If you learn as much as you can from One, you’ll think of plans that won’t involve killing even on accident. She was the best for a reason, I believe. In the hive, you got nothing for free, and if she reached the top rank, then she must know her infiltration well enough to avoid bloodshed, make ponies really love her, and protect her own kind,” it sounds so hollow, and I have trouble believing it myself, especially the parts about One’s nobility. It seems to be enough for Four, though, “If you combine her skill with your heart… well, I can’t say everything will be okay or easy, or even that you won’t have to kill anyone ever again, but you’ll make things better than they would be otherwise.”

I can’t tell her the truth. I can’t tell her that after my incompetence gets most of us killed her best option will be to snap a pony’s neck, bury them in the woods, and steal their lover for the rest of their life, or until guards start hunting her.

”Thanks, boss,” she stands up, smiling, and stretches her neck to nuzzle my nose, ”I won’t fail you again.”

I boop her.

“See that you don’t, because I’m a cruel changeling king who doesn’t tolerate failure, raaawr!” I boop her, grinning.

Giggling, she runs off upstairs.

As I lean against the wall, and close my eyes, I hear One’s voice. Looking around in panic, I realize it’s only inside my head. With my link growing stronger or something, I can’t make out the difference between words and thoughts anymore.

”Hey, Chrysalis, I’m done with my surprise. When Eight arrives, tell her to bring all the changelings down here, especially the ones who can’t move.”

I receive a flash of the mine map with directions. She and Ten are in a cavern only a minute or two away from the cellar entrance.

”Will do.”

Experimentally, I try to visit Ten’s head, and I’m immediately blocked off. A smart changeling would be suspicious by now. I don’t have much choice, though, unless I want to walk outside with a cardboard ‘Will carry egs 4 luv’ sign, and hope for the best.

Eventually, I sense a commotion between the changeling upstairs. It’s getting more and more difficult to follow the passage of time. A quick peek through Four’s eyes reveals Eight and Three coming back. Three’s got the faint scent of love around him while Eight is practically brimming with lust. What was she doing? Nevermind, no time for prying.

”Eight, Three. One and Ten are done with whatever they were doing in the mines. They want everyone to gather in a nearby cavern.”

Eight’s annoyance practically drips through the link.

”Great, now we’re trusting TWO hive-wrecking infiltrators. Well, Four’s gone anyway, so at least she’ll survive the inevitable betrayal. What do you suppose is waiting down there? Hungry Chrysalis who needs to recover her energy reserves?”

”I’ll go first so that you and Three have time to turn and get out.”

”OVER MY DRAINED CORPSE!”

Heh. Glad to know that even though she’s mad as hole at me, this is her instinctive reaction.

***

I enter the previously unremarkable cavern which now bears pony-tall green crystals scattered all over the floor, and some growing from the walls.

Aaand that’s pretty much it. While this place looks far more hive-y now, I don’t see why it was necessary for me to keep out, or even what this is for. I recall seeing these crystals back inside the hive a lot, though.

“Uh, pretty,” I raise an eyebrow when faced with beaming One and Ten who looks extremely harrassed in contrast, “Did you do this so that we had a place like home?” I hazard a guess.

”Do you really believe I would be stealing love from starving changelings for interior decorating?” One rolls her eyes.

Okay, breathe in, breathe out. I was wondering why we always had less love than I thought. I just thought someone was more hurt than I could see.

“I’m going to assume you wouldn’t risk other changelings dying for no reason, but I want an explanation fast,” I look around at entering changelings, and at Eight who is standing right behind me and staring One down, “What did you do?”

”She gooped me...” grumbles Ten.

”Oh don’t be a big larva,” One pats Ten’s head before giving me a smug smile, ”Glad you finally realized that there’s a method to my madness, Chrysalis. To show you, however, I need proper lust. I suppose my dear Eight has some.”

To my surprise, Eight obeys without comment. One’s horn flashes, and a slow golden shockwave of energy spreads through the cavern, each green crystal lighting up when touched by it.

I feel… love? All around us? No, not pure love, a mix.

Changelings lie down wherever there’s free space, basking in the energy permeating the returning darkness.

Now I understand how I used to be getting enough energy to work back in the hive without anyone feeding me directly. These things hold love, and…?

“One, do these crystals… no, goo blobs… generate love?” I ask, poking the closest love glowing thing and realizing it’s soft.

”To a degree,” One runs her hoof over my muzzle, ”Love breeds more love, and resonates. These love banks provide ambient energy, changelings who know how can tap into them directly so that you don’t have to feed them on your own, and they combine love and lust if crafted properly into good old nourishing mix,” she boops my nose with hers, ”Although I’d go for some one on one feeding any day.”

She suddenly disappears from my field of view.

”Alright, that’s enough,” Eight is still shoving One away, ”The King needs to decide on our next course of action. Stop distracting him.”

Eight’s warrior chitin can’t be offering enough protection against One’s laser glare as she’s being pushed sideways.

Having nothing smarter to do, I poke the goo “crystal” again.

“I had no idea that’s what the things did. I just thought they were there for lighting.”

”Obviously,” One answers after finally being far enough away from me for Eight’s liking, ”Why would anyone without the queen’s complete trust need to know the logistics of building a hive? The last thing changelings need in the current situation is a war between hives. Oh,” she beams at Eight, ”And only infiltrators have the know-how, of course. Lesser changelings like warriors don’t need and often can’t even process such complex knowledge.”

That actually makes sense. The infighting part, not the lesser changelings one.

To my surprise, Eight smiles back.

”You will slip up at some point, traitor, and then the King will order your death. I will make it painful and public.”

One waves her hoof.

”Oh pleeeease, with some love I’ll tie your hooves behind your back-”

“Stop,” I raise my voice just a little.

To my complete astonishment, both of them go quiet, simply looking around and avoiding each other’s eyes.

“How long are these things going to last?” I ask.

”With this little flow in and out? Two months give or take. If you’re talking about how much energy is there in them,” One thinks for a moment, ”Four days together without any explicit draining, just ambient expulsion. The more real love we get, the better resonance we’ll be getting, but it will degrade the crystals faster. I made them in a way which required the least amount of resources, which of course means they aren’t of the highest quality.”

“Great job. Now, whoever needs rest, go to sleep here. I have a request for whomever wants to help. I’m not going to force anyone, but it would help if some of you had the experience to go outside and help gather whatever lust, love, or information about what the guards are doing you can get. Anyone?”

Only three hesitant forelegs rise up.

I nod.

“Alright, Eight and Four will give you instructions. Return with whatever little you can get, just keep the risk at minimum. When others are back in some reasonable shape, we’ll consider our next step.”

Everyone goes off on their respective assignments, and I’m left with twenty sleeping or unconscious changelings, all bathing in the warm glow of the crystals. And One, of course, who starts noiselessly walking between them, tapping every single one’s forehead once. They all react by curling up and stopping all movement. I feel their faint mental presence, though, so I just ask:

“One?”

”I’m forcing them to hibernate. That will allow their bodies to focus everything on recovery without wasting energy on thinking, involuntary movements, and so on. Hmm,” she circles one heavily wounded bulky warrior, ”It looks like whoever survived until now is going to live. I am genuinely surprised. Twenty-three out of thirty-two. Not bad, not bad at all.”

“I… I think I owe you this,” I walk over to One who raises an eyebrow when I put my horn to hers. I could just transfer whatever little raw love I got from Four now, but she likes the physical contact or something. I’m not entirely sure about her. I keep only a little, and in the end I sit down by the nearest crystal, and close my eyes.

”Mmmm, delicious,” One licks her muzzle, ”but not enough. I think I’ll go ask little Four for seconds. Don’t worry,” she adds when I take a breath, ”By now, I’m well aware of how far I can push her.”

She leaves.

Next step, next step…

First, we heal everyone into walking condition, then our job in Canterlot is done. While a big city like this is great for love hunting, the threat of being found out is too high. We need a big city, but without the military presence, so somewhere without pony royalty. I’ll have to ask someone who knows at least something about the world. When we’re out, I intend to give the rescued changelings a choice to either leave or… damn, the hive mind has recently been suspiciously quiet. However, their hunger must be growing. I’m going to need all the mental power to resist their draining attempts.

I don’t want to force the rescued changelings to serve me, but…

...do I have to?

32: Into- no, get the hole out!

One's love cavern project worked wonders. By day two, even those changelings who were unconscious or unable to move the whole time woke up and started asking questions. The bad part was, of course, the energy drain. I had no idea how bad it would be. After all, until now Four and Eight were bringing enough love to keep us going and even recover. Over twenty other changelings in life-threatening condition was a completely different cup of tea. Until then, I had no idea how skilled Eight and One really were. The scraps of love the volunteering infiltrators got were barely enough to feed them, and I didn't dare to order them to primarily go for lust, because I was afraid they might still end up like the ones who died of overdose. Even Eight got sick yesterday afternoon, which cost us most of the love Four has been pulling in. Speaking of Four, under One's guidance, she's leagues better than the other infiltrators even despite her physical weakness. It's amazing what we can do if we cooperate. I wish the desperate need for survival wasn't the only thing able to force us to do so.

I'm making it sound worse than it is. We're recovering, but at snail's pace. Despite that, One has been growing more and more nervous.

After we got into their castle prison, freed the prisoners, and killed one of their guards albeit on accident, the ponies haven't made a single move.

"One, where is Three?" I ask just to pass time. I could tap into the drone myself, but I don't sense any panic or worry from him, so I don't waste the energy. The situation has made me a little more conservative.

"Playing with 'Shuffles' again. I tried telling him that a cursed amalgamation of souls created by echoes of blood magic and remnants of living hatred and revenge isn't a good friend, but I'm not the one giving orders around here. Officially, he's patrolling the mine tunnels. You know, the damn abomination killed seventy-six changelings before we realized it was indestructible and found a way around it. The fact that it doesn't seem to want to devour Three astounds me."

"He's smart enough not to get caught," I look out of the window. It's completely dark outside, with close to no lights from any windows from across the street, which means it must be very early morning.

"It actually did corner him twice already, and then it simply left. I would like to explore the phenomenon, but I have my doubts it would show me the same... mercy."

"Eight?"

"She came back few minutes ago. I'm pretty sure she's unloading in the healing cave. She refuses to report to me, and since you don't allow me to force myself inside her, you'll have to rely on my guesswork and whatever information she decides to share," One shrugs. Carefully put, One and Eight don't like each other much. Eight still thinks One will enslave all of us as soon as her suppressor is gone, and One considers Eight an insect with too much ego, I think. It doesn't help matters that if One was actually well-fed and unfettered, that's pretty much what Eight would be in comparison to her, and Eight knows it.

A shiver passes down my spine, followed by confusion and panic that’s not mine.

”Three?”

”Boss, BOOOOSSS!” the drone is screaming from the top of his lungs.

Tapping into him, I see a swirling black vortex of appearing and disappearing mouths viciously tearing into something. Three jumps straight inside, calling for me from the top of his lungs.

”THREE?!”

The living darkness lets him through, revealing a normal mine tunnel. Three quickly looks behind him-

“FACE THE LIGHT!” a heavily armored unicorn’s horn blasts the swirling shadows, which let out an unearthly screech, immediately rolling over the pony and spitting out a chewed out and drained corpse in shreds of steel and gold platemail.

“...your greed killed usss…”
“...your whips buried us here...”
“...your life feeds us...”
“...our hatred sustains us...”

”Boss, boss! Ponies are here and they’re really mad! Shuffles can’t hold them off much longer!”

“Everyone, be on your guard! We might be in danger,” I call out from my real mouth without leaving Three’s mind.

Okay, slowly, slowly. Ignore the necromantic abomination trying to protect my Three for some reason. Are those Royal Guards? No...

A beam of bright white light burns through Shuffles, and another armored unicorn jumps through the darkness before it reconstructs.

“Don’t let the bug escape!” comes an order from further back.

”Look, mister pony,” Three’s slowly backing away from the unicorn levitating a warhammer, ”If it’s about the prisoners, you didn’t know how to feed the poor guys anyway. They were starving,” the unicorn’s hammer begins to glow in tune with his horn, ”And Four is really sorry about your guard friend. She didn’t want to hurt him, it was an accident. She spent the whole day crying afterw-AAAH?!” Three barely dodges the flying weapon by a fumbled jump backwards.

”RUN, THREE!”

”Eeeeeeeep!” Three legs it.

“Focus your magic, paladins!” comes another order. This time, Shuffles’ ethereal scream feels less like pure rage, and more like agony.

A quick look backwards shows the unicorn right on Three’s tail, and a tentacle of raw dark magic ripping another unicorn in half before Three’s abominable friend bursts into mist, and flees through six more of these ‘paladins’ further into the mines, stopping only for a moment to rip a chunk out of one’s neck.

“KILL THE BUG!”

Rocks between Three’s hind legs erupt. scattering sharp shards of stone everywhere. Thankfully, Three’s drone carapace is tough, and he barely feels it.

”Boooooooooossssssssss!” Three’s leading the ponies straight to us.

Hmm, can we set up a trap-

I feel more panic from upstairs following the sound of breaking glass.

”Tsch! I knew this was too good to be true,” curses One and starts barking orders at the few changelings scattered on the ground floor of our hideout.

Damn it! They’re coming from everywhere. How did we not notice anything?

The main entrance shatters, scattering shards of wood everywhere. The first armored pony to burst through immediately meets Eight’s hind legs bucking him backwards. Guess unicorns CAN fly with enough of an incentive.

”Three, I need you to lead the guys chasing you around. They’re here too and we can’t deal with this many of them. They look like they know what they’re doing.”

”I dunno if I can, boss,” he calls out to the empty mine shafts as another bit of wall right in front of him shatters under a blast of magic, covering him in dust and shrapnel.

Damn it, I can’t make him risk his life like this.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

”You have to, Three. If we’re surrounded, we’ll all screwed.”

Cutting the link, I notice all changelings have cleared out already, save for Eight and One.

”We gotta go!” One shoves me backwards.

I feel the chaos from upstairs, and realize that from the six changelings there I can feel only two.

“There are changelings upstairs!” I object, very slowly backing off.

Something small breaks the window, immediately getting punted back by Eight standing right beside it.

One flash, explosion, and some screaming later, Eight quickly peeks out and smirks.

”That surprised them a bit. Let’s go, let’s go!” she rushes towards One and me, ”These guys are a bit too armored for my liking.”

”Ugh, amateur...” One rolls her eyes.

“Not a good time, you two,” I cut them off, “Eight, orders - go up there and save the-“ four of the links are already gone, ”DAMN IT- two changelings still alive.”

”SCREW WHOEVER IS UP THERE!” she roars in my face so loudly even One’s ears splay back, ”We can make more changelings whenever! You are important, they are just bodies. If they have to die so that you can survive, that’s the perfect use for them!”

“That was an order, Eight,” I say quietly, “Four is up there. Go.”

”You stupid BRAINDEAD, IDIOTIC, MORON-” she doesn’t stop screaming insults even while she’s stomping up the stairs to the upper floor.

One grabs my mane, and pulls hard.

”Well done, Chrysalis, mind breaking her to obey you, but now move your ass or we’ll all be sorry.”

“We should wait for them-”

”You mean give Eight THREE targets to protect instead of one?”

An earthpony almost as tall as One and about three times her bulk shimmering with protective magic charges through the entrance and straight at us. As he gets closer to One, she moves like a dancer to the side, trips him up in one fluid movement, grabs his forelegs, the two make a pirouette together on their hind legs right before One rams a thin, chitin spike growing out of her hoof through the visor of his helmet. The pony drops dead immediately.

”Your watchdog might prefer brutality, but I’d go for grace any day,” she smiles, throwing the paladin’s huge sword with wide blade towards the stairs up, ”NOW can we go?”

There’s some sense in her advice, as usual.

“They got Riot Breaker! MOVE! MOVE!” another pony peeks through the doorway, which is my cue to finally haul ass.

As One and I rush through the cellar, I toss two pairs of saddlebags onto her and myself. You never know when these will be useful.

“Damn, I hope Eight and Four will get out of there safely,” I send a mental image of five more paladins possibly waiting for her in the main room.

”Well, by forcing her to go save Four, you didn’t help it, really.”

“That’s the thing, One, I didn’t force myself into Eight’s head,” I smile back, “I didn’t have to.”

”I think I’ll start calling you the king of hearts, if we get out of this alive.”

And so, we run to the healing cave.

Thankfully, my link to Four is still active.

***

The poor infiltrator hiding under the bed struggles not to breathe as the door to the bedroom breaks, and she sees the heavy, spiked horseshoes stomp around.

“Two bugs down,” reports a deep, rumbling voice.

“No no no, I’ll go quiet-” the buzzing plea ends in a gurgle.

“Three down,” calls out a different one, “We should move, the downstairs group is encountering heavy resistance.”

“And the mines?” asks the deep voice.

“They fought off the blood magic anomaly, and are chasing a single changeling to prevent a warning. Commander doesn’t want a single one of them to get out.”

“Damn old idiot. Four dead already is too high of a cost for a favour...” grumbles the voice in the room. Then the pony says loudly, “Secure the main hall, the spell is showing another two signatures.”

“AAH!” comes from outside, quickly cut off.

“One signature,” mutters the paladin in the room, “Five dead, one left, if the spell is working correctly.”

A hoof grips the underside of the bedframe. Four bites into her own fetlock to stop the incoming whimper.

The bed flies up, slamming against the wall. Through Four’s teary eyes, I see another huge unicorn paladin, his oversized sword hovering next to him.

”I’m s-s-sorry,” Four doesn’t let her eyes off of him, speaking as fast as she can in a trembling voice, ”I di-didn’t m-m-mean to bite your pony fr-friend. That other pony s-saw me and I got scared and he knew I was there and I bit down and then he was bleeding and I tried to stop it but there was more and more and more and my hooves were too small to hold it all in and-” her eyes bulge as she floats upwards, her neck surrounded by a white glow.

The unicorn shakes his head.

“I know the old idiot doesn’t approve of the trials, but he used to be Celestia’s friend. He should trust her and Luna’s judgement,” he mumbles to himself before his eyes snap back to Four hanging limply in his telekinesis. Thanks to her hard carapace, the fact that he’s holding her by the neck doesn’t bother her too much, “Did you kill Bright Spear? The prison guard,” he adds when Four only wobbles her legs in the air.

Four hangs her head, and breathes out:

”Yes, I did. I’m really sorry. I know about his life, his marefriend, his family… I can’t forget… I didn’t want to do it, but the other guard saw me and-”

The unicorn shakes her, looking her straight in the eyes.

“How old are you, changeling?”

”T-Three weeks or so. I-I don’t r-r-remember much from when I was a larva.”

He growls to himself.

“Smiting darkness… not killing foals… freaking Star-”

Another paladin crashes through the wall, his head hanging only on several tendons as Eight covered in blood and dust dislodges a piece of broken door expertly rammed between his armor and helmet.

She growls, baring her fangs at the unicorn holding Four.

”You get one chance to put her down before I put you down.”

To her amazement, the unicorn actually sets Four on the floor.

Then he whistles.

Two more sharp whistles answer immediately.

However, as soon as the first one rings, Eight has already punched the paladin’s horn and is pummeling him while he’s trying to punch back as well as cover his head. He is too slow, though, inside his armor, so Eight trips him up, lands on him, presses a chitin blade growing from her hoof to his neck, and-

”Miss Eight, no, please!” yells Four.

The blade cuts the straps of the paladin’s helmet off, and in the next instant Eight’s other foreleg slams into his uncovered temple.

”On my back, Four, and hold tight!”

The comparatively tiny infiltrator wraps her forelegs around Eight’s neck.

The first paladin peeking through the hole in the wall faces his companion’s sword flying his way and being barely deflected by some protective magic barrier.

Eight receives my mental flash regarding the group of paladins rushing through the main entrance, and changes her course to the left from the stairs down.

”Four, I need to drain you.”

”O-Of course, miss Eight.”

I feel Eight’s surprise at the immediate and effortless transfer of energy initiated by Four.

Her hooves glow green, she stands up on her hind legs, and slams down as hard as she can.

The two HEAVILY armored paladins rushing towards her break through the crumbling floor as green shimmer around Eight signals her significantly dropping the density of her chitin and as such her weight. Grinning, she returns to the stairs and rushes down, levitating up the heavy sword lying on one of the final steps which One threw previously.

The paladins on the ground floor are still recovering from the ceiling as well as their two comrades dropping on them. A matter which Eight helps immediately by hacking at a broken wooden beam which wedged itself into a corner and until now has been providing the last remnants of support for the not-dropped chunks.

“Hey, two mor- aaaaaaaaaaaah?!”

The rumbling noise and cloud of dust follow Eight’s mad dash to the cellar.

***

One and I barrel through the tunnel mouth into our healing cavern where we’re immediately intercepted by Ten.

”What’s the plan? I woke everyone up, and split changelings into pairs who will carry those who can’t walk properly,” he reports.

“Great job, Ten,” I let out a relieved breath. At least something isn’t going horribly wrong. I grab One’s and mine saddlebags, and toss them to him, “Take the healing love thingies, put them in these, and get moving.”

He looks around.

”We can take only four in these, and there’s a bunch more. Shouldn’t we carry some?”

“We need to move as fast as we can. If there’s someone who can use telekinesis continuously then they can carry more, but otherwise leave the crystals here. The ponies are on our tails.”

Speaking of tails, I tap into Three who is gasping for breath, his legs pistoning as fast as they can. He can’t focus properly anymore, so the best I get out of him is an approximation of where he is inside the tunnel network.

I’m not leaving him behind.

“Ten, you’re leading the escape. I’m going to find Three and get him back. One?”

”Yes, Chrysalis?”

“First, stop calling me that! Second, are you getting out with the others, or are you coming with me?”

”The amount of resources and risk tied to saving your Three is insanely high compared to his value.”

“Not what I asked, One.”

Her eye twitches.

”You know, fake king, I think I’m starting to understand why your watchdog keeps screaming at you,” One sighs, ”Yeah yeah, we’re going to get Three.”

“Excellent,” I allow myself a quick grin, “Ten, get them out safely.”

He salutes.

”Now that’s an order I don’t mind obeying.”

Mad stomping echoes through the tunnels when nearly everyone is out of the cave, which soon reveals Eight galloping towards us with Four on her back, the little infiltrator beaming like a lighthouse.

The two stop in front of me, Eight’s now jagged paladin broadsword still hovering next to her.

”Got her back, safe and sound, but if she goes ‘wheeeee!’ while she’s hanging from my neck one more time I’ll have to gag her,” Eight takes a calmer breath.

Giggling Four jumps off of Eight’s back.

“Thank you, Eight,” I give her a quick bow, “Now I need you to lead the escape in case there are more ponies already waiting.”

She nods.

”Alright, let’s go.”

“Umm...” I start.

Eight turns back towards me, grinding her teeth.

”What… now…?!”

“Three isn’t back yet. One and I are about to go look for him.”

A thunderclap rumbles through the cave. Four is covering her head, I’m staring wide-eyed at the two hooves a short distance away from my muzzle, and Eight’s jaw drops when she realizes that her punch with the full weight of her behind it about to knock me out has been physically stopped by One’s casually raised single foreleg.

”You heard your orders, watchdog,” One shakes her foreleg, wincing as she examines the thin cracks in the chitin.

Eight, on the other hoof, is simply glaring at One with a mix of shock, awe, and pure horror.

“Eight, please, take Four and go. You are the best changeling to keep the wounded safe… or safer,” I plead.

One narrows her eyes as Eight walks close enough for her muzzle to touch mine.

”We will have WORDS, King. For now, if you want to live, don’t take her suppressor off no matter what, although… right now I’m seriously tempted by the idea of killing your enslaved ass,” with a furious huff, she pokes Four’s chest, ”We’re going.”

Four nods and silently follows Eight who breaks into run.

A quick mental tap reveals that Three is actually quite close. I mark a spot on his mental map where we should meet, and hope that his panicking mind picked up on it.

“Let’s go, One.”

”As you command, fake king,” she chuckles.

33: Into- nope, still not safe!

Not even a minute later, we reach the central mine shaft. The hoofsteps resonating through the depths reveal that the paladins are still giving chase. One has to admire their stamina considering they’ve been chasing Three this whole time while wearing their platemails.

“IT’S RUNNING BACK TO THE CONFLUX!”

“Get ready, One,” I whisper, and tap into Three.

He’s limping through the tunnel, hoofsteps in his wake. I feel the pain shooting through his left hind leg with every step.

That’s why they were able to keep up with him. His leg has been cut open.

”Three, when you get to the edge-”

He enters the wide open circular shaft and keeps running towards the edge of the wide abyss in the middle.

”-jump!”

“Boooooooooossssssssssssssssss!” he screams, jumping forward while flailing his legs.

“One, NOW!”

A golden aura envelops him, snatching him from the air and pulling him towards us on the lower floor right under from where he jumped. The paladins will have to take the long way around the whole shaft. I don’t think I saw a pegasus with them.

We’re just one level under the paladins, so we didn’t buy ourselves that much time, but anything is better than having them right on our backs.

”Owww, crap…" One rubs her horn. Some golden symbols on the circumference of her suppressor are lighting the darkness, ”Stupid thing.”

On reflex, I shoot some love into Three whose leg heals immediately, or at least the visible damage disappears. As I take my next step, my legs buckle, and I realize I’m gasping for breath.

That was a dumb idea. I’m almost out. In my rush I didn’t realize how low on love I was.

Don’t panic! Emegency plan, head, now!

“Three, orders. Run back through the healing cave and out of the mines via the tunnel we took when we first arrived. Eight, Ten, Four, and the others are already evacuating.”

”Alright, let’s go, boss!” he wants to pull me up. I stop him.

“We need to… buy all of you some more time.”

”But boss-”

“Three, that was an order. The longer you wait, the more time we need to buy. Besides, One is awesome and she’s got my back.”

Three bites his lower lip, then turns away.

”If you say so, boss,” he darts off.

One raises her eyebrow, watching the paladins descending the walkways on the other side of the central chasm.

”Touching, but I’m not one to give my life for others in a glorious final standoff.”

Contrary to her statement, she’s not actually moving.

I chuckle.

“Neither am I, but I don’t need you to have TWO targets to protect,” I raise my foreleg, and she pulls me back up on all fours, “Let’s see if we can lose them.”

”You’re learning.”

Walking as fast as I can, we return back to the healing cave. All we need to do now is…

...fight our way through seven more paladins arriving via the tunnel to our house, examining the green love crystals, and immediately turning their heads towards us.

Good, Three got through safely.

”I knew we were forgetting something,” says One nonchalantly. Her narrowed eyes betray her trying to solve the situation and failing to find a positive result.

Yeah, the paladins attacking the house got through the debris fallen from the second floor.

“Maybe picking a cave this close to the house wasn’t the best idea,” I comment. We are boned.

”Next time you can drag the wounded through half of the mines on your own.”

I look around, and can’t help chuckling,

“I’ll make some notes for my next life, One. Well, no matter what Eight might say, it’s been a pleasure knowing you,” I stand between One and the paladins forming a half-circle in front of us.

My mental link to One flares up.

”I can buy you few seconds, I think.”

”You can also take the damn thing off of my horn, you wannabe hero.”

I take a step backwards, bumping into One’s chest with my backside. Then I back off further around her as the circle of paladins grows tighter.

I reach for the suppressor around her horn, manage to do a single quick turn, then-

“AARGH!”

-everything blurs.

Pain whenever I take a breath. Stomping around. More paladins. Muffled sounds of everything.

Eventually, I can focus again. Unfortunately, the thing I focus on when I move my neck is a chunk of missing chitin on the right side of my barrel.

Ewww… green flesh and goo.

Fortunately, though, the paladins seem to be having trouble that don’t involve me, and for the moment I’m kinda forgotten.

Okay, back on all fours, slowly and carefully.

Eight’s sword which now looks more like a saw leaves a paladin corpse in its wake. She dodges backwards away from a flying hammer, a bolt of purple energy hitting her side turning her move into a half-baked cartwheel.

She’s holding the attention of five paladins who can’t easily get close to a target this fast, durable, strong, and agile at the same time, but they don’t need to. She’s backing off, trying not to get surrounded, because it’s clear even to me that if that happens, they’ll just blast her with magic again.

One is occupying the remaining two, staying on the defensive, and leading them away from me.

Suddenly, when I’m finally back up, she looks past the duo she’s fighting straight at me. I’m expecting a mental instruction or something, but nothing comes.

A paladin notices, immediately leaving her to his companion, and rushing towards me. I can hear the incoming hoofsteps from the tunnel through which we came back after rescuing Three, meaning that the other paladin group will be here immediately.

”Sorry for using you as a bait, but I’ll need the few seconds you promised,” One’s voice finally rings in my head.

The best I can do is back off from the rapidly approaching paladin levitating a spear.

Out of nowhere, electricity crawls through my chitin. The paladins slow their attack, and some look around.

The remaining pony who was fighting One is clutching his neck, trying to stop the growing stream of blood, while the changeling is grasping her horn while golden lightning dances around her and earths itself through her smoldering chitin.

”This is why they say-”

She screams in pain.

”-that if you want-”

Air fills with the heavy stench of burning flesh.

”-something done properly-”

Green links appear between the remaining love crystals and her horn, the shimmering goo quickly losing its light.

”-do it-”

Drips of glowing molten red metal run down her forehead like streams of sweat.

”-yourself!”

The main group of paladins arrives.

-Kill!-

The first new paladin to enter the cave turns around, and cleaves the head of the paladin behind him off.

“Wha-?” a unicorn charging magic against One screams as the earthpony protecting him from One knocks him on the ground before stomping his horn off.

“FOR THE PRINCESS! FOR THE LIGHT!” calls out a unicorn from the arriving group, his horn filling the cavern with warm white glow, “PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, MY BRETHREN! STEEL YOUR MINDS! BREAK YOUR SHACKLES!”

The light explodes, leaving confused paladins blinking and looking at the recent additions to the dead. They recover quickly, though.

-FREEZE!-

”Grab the King, watchdog!” One calls out, rushing towards our exit.

One’s non-violent order still works, stunning the paladins for a moment which Eight uses to bolt towards me and sling me over her back.

We run, but One stops by the tunnel mouth, the glow of her horn flaring.

”I KNEW you were still stealing the love we were bringing in,” Eight hisses at her.

One gives her a wide smile.

”You can thank me later, warhound.”

The ceiling rumbles.

The recovering paladins look up.

A rain of rocks greets them.

“RETREAT! RETREAT!” comes an order.

One’s eyes cross, and I realize even she’s nearing the end of her rope.

”I... tend to… agree,” she gasps for breath, ”Whoah?”

In a violent purple blur, she’s suddenly on Eight’s back slung next to me, our warrior’s hooves glowing green.

Eight gallops so fast the stomping of her hooves almost drowns the crumbling mine shaft. Suddenly, she slams her forelegs into the floor, turning around on the spot. One and I, of course, continue flying before tumbling across the rocks.

“Owwww...” I mutter, my head snapping up when I recall what just happened. One helps me get up, “EIGHT?!”

”Get… the hole… out...” she growls, holding a gigantic slab of the ceiling on her back, and clearly failing.

The chitin on her legs cracks. Her head and neck are horizontal with the floor as she stares at us.

“Wait, no!” I take a step towards her. The ceiling sinks lower, blasting dust everywhere and blocking my view.

Eight’s mental link is weak, and exhausted.

”I wonder… what rank… I could have had… for this...”

“EIGHT!” I scream, but back off as more cracks spread through the ceiling.

”Warhounds aren’t done when they’re tired. They’re done when their master says so!” One’s voice echoes through our minds. I feel a torrent of pure love leave her and blast Eight, and I finally realize the power difference between the two.

One keels over, stopping only when she hits my side and slides onto the floor.

For her, the love she had left wasn’t enough to solve the situation. For Eight, though...

Now sitting on her haunches, propping the enormous chunk of rock with her back, Eight begins dragging herself forward, sparks flying from her chitin grinding against stone. Step by step, with green blood trickling from the cracks in her carapace, she presses on. Stream of saliva dripping from her mouth turns to acid, hissing against the floor, but Eight keeps going.

Inch by inch.

The hellish apparition of blood, fractured chitin, dust, and raw stubborn rage reaches the end of the loose ceiling, and takes her final step.

Next explosion of dust heralds the end of our access and escape route. However, as the brown and grey mess settles, Eight leans down to One.

”Now can we kill her?” she says, voice weak and raspy. One limply waves her forelegs, barely able to cross them in front of her face.

“Eight!” I lightly smack her forehead.

”Good,” she bares her fangs, ”No one else is a challenge.”

With One on Eight’s back, we limp the through the last remnants of the tunnel, the part which isn’t directly under the mountain, and towards the inviting fresh night air.

Eight stops, dropping One on the grass. I freeze, tears welling in my eyes.

After all this. After all the pain and fighting…

There are six changelings left sitting or lying around between four dead paladins. Ten is one of them, staring at us, shaking. Four is sitting on the ground, weak and unable to move. A changeling warrior, one of those we rescued, is lying near her in a pool of blood and chitin shards.

Everyone looks drained. Everyone but Three. I feel no link, no life, no love from the motionless drone at all.

”What… happened?” whispers Eight first.

Ten pulls himself up on all fours, his head hung low.

”After Eight left, five double digits started draining everyone. We tried to stop them, but… none of us are… strong,” he looks at the survivors who turn their heads away, ”Three tried to stop them as soon as he came, saying you’re right behind him. That made them mad. They sucked him dry, and left.”

I fall on my plot.

“Eight… what do I do?” I bury my head in my hooves. As I gasp for breath, I feel something snap inside me, “Eight?” my voice is trembling.

”Yes, King?” she grits her teeth, looking into the distance.

“Find them.”

”Do you want… proof?”

“Don’t waste energy on bringing them back here. Return what love you can.”

Wordlessly, she melds with the darkness.

A deep breath as Four collapses on the grass makes me turn around. One taps her forehead, and Four’s body goes completely limp. She walks over to Three, and taps his muzzle and head several times. I sense a very minor transfer of love, and Three’s faint link reappears. He doesn’t react to anything I do, but the connection is still there. In the end, One taps his forehead again, and he goes limp like Ten, both now in dormant mode.

”I revived his mind. He’s not physically damaged, so that’s a plus,” One looks straight at me, ”Why is your lip all wibbly? No- NO! Don’t you DARE start crying on- oof!”

“Thank yoooouuuuu!” I blubber, now hanging on her with my forelegs wrapped around her neck.

”Look, hey, it’s not over. He still needs love, we all do. He’s just not dead right now. It’s not difficult to do if the changeling was in a good shape before, just completely energy inefficient when used on drones,” she tries to push me off. No chance. She looks at the group of stunned changelings when she hears Ten’s quiet chuckle, ”Someone tell him something, I’m choking here!”

”Let me just drink this in for a little longer,” Ten covers his muzzle with his hoof, ”The dreadful ONE, the hungry demon, Chrysalis’ personal enforcer having no clue what to do as a new changeling king somehow transformed from a DRONE is hanging on her neck, smearing tears and snot of pure joy all over her chitin. Aaaah...” he breathes out, ”life is fun.”

I can’t see it, but I know One’s eye must have just twitched.

”Ten, you’ll be the one carrying Three,” she threatens.

”Worth it,” Ten shrugs.

”AND whoever else can’t move.”

”Still worth it.”

One growls.

”BUT... can you do it without legs?”

”I wouldn’t make a good backpack,” Ten's grinning now.

”STOP HUGGING ME!” she finally manages to pry me off of her, ”Let’s leave it for later. I’ll show you more interesting methods of sharing love. Preferably with Eight watching from a cage, unable to do anything. That would be reeeeal fun.”

Why do I get the feeling that with One unleashed and unchained my headache will only get worse?

Well, if I live to experience it then I guess I shouldn’t complain.

Alright, time for an executive decision, since everyone is looking at me.

“Does anyone know a nearby pony settlement that WON’T be crawling with guards or these ‘paladins’?”

Ten raises his hoof.

”There’s a pony village a day’s worth-” he pauses, giving a sudden tired look to everyone in a terrible shape, ”two days’ worth of walking south. It’s sorta small, but mostly inhabited by earthponies so we should be able to outsmart them even in our shape. Ponytown… Ponycity… Ponyville, right!”

“Alright, everyone, let’s go.”

One points at Three, then at Ten who sighs and mutters:

”Damn… she wasn’t kidding.”

34: Into the hive mind!

My vision is hazy.

No, it’s not from the thing One called a distillery hiding somewhere in the middle of the massive apple orchard we’re passing through. It’s dark, likely very early morning of the second day since we fled Canterlot. The air is warm but fresh, and everything is deathly quiet aside from our stumbling steps.

*Thud!*

”Hey, hey!” I hear Ten’s weak voice, ”Boss, I’m not sure how to say it, but this guy can’t go on.”

At this point, who can?

“Can anyone carry-” I stop myself after I turn around and face the exhausted faces. I can see the love around them, or lack thereof, “No… we can’t.”

One and Ten are the only two who possibly could. Ten is already carrying Three, though, and One’s quick shake of her head kills that option immediately. She probably would do it if I insisted, but...

A CHANGELING OF HER CALIBER IS MAKING YOUR LEGS TREMBLE, WORM.

You know, I freely admit it this time.

“No, you can’t...” groans the changeling, conjuring a weak smile, “I know… you tried. I know my… situation. Whoever you are...”

He’s a warrior. Four-digit likely. Identification is an instinct I’m developing, I noticed. He’s a no one by the hive standards.

I don’t know what to say, so I just grip his hoof with mine.

“We haven’t been caught yet, and the Everfree forest can’t be too far, even for us. We can hole up there, and then send my infiltrators-”

He grips back. I can barely feel it.

“No. Once the invasion failed… I know I was gone. I served the hive, and I was found wanting. The fact that you got me… out of the prison… that you even tried… wasted your scarce resources… and then got us out under the guard onslaught...” his eyes tear up, “If you’re from the hive… I tried to protect… then it was worth it.”

He’s crazy. I barely did anything. Eight and One did all the heavy lifting, in Eight’s case literally.

“I just wanted to save myself, and I needed everyone I could get for that,” I admit, “That’s all.”

To my surprise, he simply chuckles.

“Tell that… to your... drone buddy...” he closes his eyes, “Speaking of which… you know what to do with me. I can’t… endanger your escape, and the little guy… doesn’t need that much. Plus… the guy carrying him won’t hold out much longer either.”

I raise my eyebrow, looking at One. She nods.

“Okay,” I breathe out, “One?”

She walks over, puts her horn to the warrior’s, and within a second he stops breathing. The miniscule transfer of love is depressing. She gestures at Ten to walk closer, and when he does she lets out a golden spark of energy, which drains into Three on his back.

I feel my mental link strengthen.

”Boss…?” Three opens his eyes, rolling over, and gradually standing up, ”Where are we?”

“Later, Three.”

”Sure, boss,” he sits back down, leaning against the nearest apple tree.

”We’re not done here,” One clears her throat, then spits a glob of green goo at the changeling corpse, ”We can’t allow anyone to know we were here.”

More spit covers the changeling who begins melting. Soon, One bites a chunk of his foreleg off and chews it accompanied by crunching making my stomach revolve.

Thankfully, I’m not the only one surprised, although I shouldn’t be at all. I saw high ranks eat drones far too many times. There is love pumping through our flesh and chitin to make it strong and resilient, love one can’t simply drain.

Well, not anymore for the poor changeling.

One is done quickly, and I can easily sense how helpful the meal was to her. I can also feel the overwhelming fear everywhere around. We are starving, and One is our most valuable member power-wise. Aside from Four and Three, they know they could be next. I’m happy nothing of that sort even crossed the mind of those two, I just wish I didn’t know for certain how intensely One thought about it.

On the other hole, if she wanted us dead, we would be. Eight still hasn’t returned from her hunt, and without her there’s no one even remotely able to stand against One.

“We should keep on moving then,” I sigh, “One?”

”Yeah, no one will find us, and we’re not far. The edge of the Everfree should be safe even for us. Ponies avoid the forest like the plague.”

Damn it, I’m tired. Everyone must be.

Following One’s yellow tail, I feel my eyelids drop. On some level, I know I’m still walking, yet here I am, in pitch darkness. The familiar many-faceted hissing voices enlighten me as to what’s going on soon:

NOW YOU UNDESTAND HOW FOOLISH YOUR PEACEFUL SOLUTION WAS.

“I wouldn’t have to go through any of that if I didn’t have to feed YOU! I would have probably dragged myself to Wet Soil anyway and-”

NO TRANSFORMATION, NO LOVE, NO STRENGTH, NO SKILLS. YOU WOULD HAVE DIED LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. THIS IS YOUR ONLY PATH, AND NOW YOU HAVE LEARNED THAT THE ONLY WAY IS CONQUEST. ONE KNOWS, EIGHT KNOWS, YOU KNOW.

“We killed a pony on our way to prison, I can understand the attack,” I hang my head, “Just not the brutality. Why would they want to wipe us out…?”

LET US SHOW YOU THE TRUTH. LET US SHOW YOU WHAT WE CHANGELINGS REALLY ARE, AND WHY CELESTIA NEEDS US GONE. OUR DESTRUCTION IS THE ONLY WAY SHE CAN KEEP HER SLAVE PONIES FROM REBELLING.

The darkness shifts. Suddenly, I’m watching a huge city engulfed in flames from up high. Ponies are screaming and running away from bigger creatures that look like eagles crossed with lions.

GRIFFONS.

These ‘griffons’ tear through any ponies trying to mount a meaningful defense. There are thousands of them. No, tens of thousands, I realize when I look from my vantage point further into the distance where a wide blue expanse of the sea is partially covered by smoke from the burning city, that the black specks behind the smoke dotting the sea are ships.

THE PONY-GRIFFON WARS, ONE OF THE FIRST YEARS BEFORE WE TURNED THE TIDE, BEFORE CHANGELINGS EVEN EXISTED. NOT EVEN TWO ALICORNS COULD PROTECT THEIR LITTLE LAND FROM PREDATORY CARNIVORES SET ON CONQUEST.

“Do you see, Wistful?” I hear hard but motherly voice. When I turn my head, there’s a pure white alicorn clad in scorched golden armor adorned with the insignia of the sun standing next to me, “We can’t fight them. We aren’t ready.”

“But milady, how is this possible?” I- Wistful asks in a trembling voice, “You have dealt with chaos gods, alicorn rebellions, encroaching darkness. I understand that diplomacy has failed, but can’t zebras help us, dragons? Why us? We aren’t warriors like earthponies, we aren’t even good with magic like your unicorns, nor can we fly fast and high like pegasi.”

Celestia lets out a long, exhausted sigh as we look down from a watchtower set on a high hill overlooking the city under attack again. In a burst of gold and pink flames, a scroll appears. She unrolls it, and as she’s reading it, I can see tears well up in her eyes and drip on the parchment. She raises her hoof, her horseshoe glows with golden light as she presses it against the message, and when she lowers it the message disappears again.

“Because force has failed as well. dear Wistful,” says Celestia, wiping her eyes, “Dragons are working with the griffons now. Zebras have lost their coastal fortresses already. Your kind, Wistful, is my last hope for a counterattack. Otherwise...” she points towards the army marching through the city, killing everypony, “I’ll have to sign more orders like this.”

“What do you mean, mila-” Wistful’s eyes go wide in horror as the sky above the entire area starts boiling, “No, you can’t! Griffons are living creatures too. We can solve this.”

Celestia shakes her head.

“The council of wizardry offered their best to begin preparing for tactical spell strikes. Conventional magic and force hasn’t worked, you and your flutterponies are refusing to cooperate, and so I don’t have a choice anymore.”

A crackling BOOM resonates through Wistful’s very bones as a pillar of light and flames devours an enormous chunk of the shoreline, makes the sea boil, and the griffon fleet capsize. The shockwave comes soon after, threatening to blow the light flutterpony king away. Thankfully, Celestia’s strong wing keeps him steady.

When the light fades, all that remains is baked, orange ground.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THIS HAPPENED, WORM, WHERE CELESTIA’S TREACHERY STARTED?!

“...where...” I mutter.

AFTER THREE MORE STRIKES LIKE THIS WHICH WILL NOT STOP THE GRIFFON ARMIES ANYWAY, THIS ENTIRE AREA FROM THE EASTERN SHORE REACHING CLOSE TO THE CENTRAL EQUESTRIA WILL BE KNOWN AS THE BADLANDS. IT WILL NOT RECOVER FROM THE USED MAGIC FOR MORE THAN ONE AND A HALF THOUSAND YEARS.

“This won’t stop them, Wistful. They will spread, they will work in smaller groups, and they will prevail. We have bought ourselves time before they regroup and recover, but this is not the solution. We need to threaten THEM. We need a way to break their supply lines. We need a way to get the lay of their lands so that we can get unicorns capable of using this magic INTO their empire, because if we keep defending Equestria like this,” she takes in the barren landscape with a long, meaningful look, “there won’t be an Equestria to defend anymore.”

Wistful starts crying as he sits down on the floor.

“What you want is… inequine, milady. We are only a small, loving tribe.”

“You are Equestria’s citizens, and all the other tribes are already helping in this war in the best way they can.”

“YES, BUT YOU AREN’T MAKING THEM GIVE UP WHO THEY ARE!” Wistful points an accusing hoof at the alicorn.

“DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?!” Celestia screams back before lowering her voice,“Do you really think any of my ponies are a warlike species? Even pegasi are more competitve than bloodthirsty, and now every single tribe is doing their best to survive. What will you do? Will you just flee and let Equestria fall? Where will you go? Zebrica? They are crumbling faster than we are. Frozen north? Good luck dealing with the minotaurs. The unexplored west full of monsters? We carved Equestria out of chaos and madness, and you know it. You were there. What I’m asking of you is to do your fair share for our survival. None of us will be the same once this is over, but this way some might still be alive to see the end.”

Wistful closes his eyes, and joins every flutterpony within their mind. The interconnected species of healers, artists, and potion makers known for their strong empathy, so strong that worries of some were the worries of all. One’s joy was everyone’s, one’s pain affected the entire tribe. Their greatest strength, but also their weakness.

However, their physical frailty had to be eradicated if they were to survive this war.

“I will send the orders,” he say, head hung low, “Do you need us to gather in Canterlot?”

Celestia shakes her head.

“No, a secluded place will be better. If there are witnesses… my plan will cause more harm than good. However…”

“I know, I know- I must be first. I can’t let them escape this. I need to take direct control over my subjects.”

Celestia’s eyes glow green, her entire pristine body begins emitting dark smoke, and in the end pure darkness boils out of her horn, less like magic and more like liquid tar.

Wistful bows his head, and closes his eyes. This will be the end of flutterponies…

...but hopefully not ponies in general.

The world shatters in agony when he feels Celestia’s horn touch his forehead.

He senses panic as the darkness spreads from him to others, turning their empathic links into chains. Wistful knows the physical changes won’t happen immediately to prevent panic, and gives two orders.

The first one hits everyone but select few flutterponies, forcing them to gather in the castle south of Canterlot hidden deep in the forests.

The second order, however, targets the remaining few. The order is to flee somewhere safe, shrink themselves, and get away from Equestria, from this brutal reality. Lose the name flutterponies and pick a different one.

FLUTTERPONIES DISAPPEARED WITHIN A WEEK. OUR PEACE ENDED SO THAT CELESTIA GOT HERS. CHANGELINGS, AND BREEZIES. SHE WANTED QUICKLY SPREADING ASSASSINS, THE BEST INFILTRATORS, ADAPTIVE WARRIORS. WE BECAME EVERYTHING. WE EVOLVED BEYOND ANY OF HER PONIES. WE USED TO LOVE, NOW WE DEVOUR IT.

We used to be born from love, but we didn’t lose everything. It still sustains us.

Despite the situation, I can’t stop the corners of my mouth from curling up a little.

NO! WE WON THE WAR! WE BECAME THE FRONT LINES! WE BECAME THE TERRORS OF THE NIGHT! AND THEN CELESTIA SWEPT US UNDER A RUG SO THAT WE WOULDN’T TELL OTHERS ABOUT HER HERESY! WE WEREN’T HER DIRECT SUBJECTS. SHE WANTED US GONE, BUT WE WERE BORN FROM HER DARKNESS, SO WE CRAWLED BACK INTO IT. THE BADLANDS, THE PLACE WHERE KING WISTFUL CREATED OUR KIND, THE PLACE WHERE NOPONY DARES TO LIVE EVEN NOW BECAME OUR HOME.

WE ARE PERFECTION. WE ARE CHANGELINGS. WE ARE VENGEANCE.

“You are pretty fucking annoying, that’s what you are,” there's only one voice that can dispel the power of all the furious voices.

“One?” I whimper, feeling the vision -no, my own experience- end. I was there. I know how Wistful felt, I know his every fear.

I know less and less with each passing second, my own immediate experience turning back into long lost memories.

“You were following me like a zombie, so I popped in to see what’s going on. I guess this is the hive mind problem you and Eight kept so hush hush.”

FINALLY, SOME COMPETENT TOOL. YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WE SHOULD OPERATE AS CHANGELINGS!

“Ahh yes, the highly effective method of pissing everyone off and then starving to death. We tried that for-” her horn glows with golden light, revealing thirteen dark silhouettes in the blackness, “yep, thirteen queens and kings. After four hundred years of my own experience I’m open to trying something new.”

WE ARE NOT DEFEATED, THE FAILED INVASION WAS MERELY A SETBACK! LOOK WHERE THIS WORM’S APPROACH LED YOU.

One shrugs.

“Eh, merely a setback.”

DO NOT ANTAGONIZE US. YOUR RANK AND POWER ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO OUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.

One’s sudden grin kinda scares me.

“Try me!”

Holes help us!

Swirling darkness rolls over us like a tidal wave. Long jaws of changeling queens and kings grow out of it, snapping inches away from us.

Then a blast of golden light from One reveals the detailed features of the thirteen changelings surrounding us.

“My mind is a fortress, you relics of the past. You pretend to guide us, but you just refuse to admit that you’re dead. You drain our love to stay like this… not alive, but not dead enough. The hive wouldn’t be a starving hole if it wasn’t for YOU!” One snarls at them.

YOU, WORM. WE WILL FORGET YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS FOR NOW IF YOU FEED HER TO US. SHE IS WEAK AGAINST YOU, WE CAN SENSE IT. ORDER HER TO WITHDRAW HER PROTECTION, AND WE WILL GRANT YOU MORE EXPERIENCE, MORE INFORMATION, AND… WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO REGENERATE YOUR WINGS, REGAIN YOUR SHAPESHIFTING, AND RESTORE YOUR DRONE TO FULL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.

One freezes.

“Can they do that, One? Is it possible?”

After a moment of grinding her teeth, she admits:

“I believe they do have the knowledge.”

Three without mental flaws and with proper wings, same for myself. I wonder what would Eight say to that…

“One, orders.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Punch the closest changeling in the face for me, will you?”

YOU PATHETIC WORTHLESS DRONE!

One looks at me, scowling. It’s fake anger, though, because One’s mind is practically glowing with relief.

“Punch? Do I look like that brute Eight?”

The changeling rulers howl in unison, more smoke covering everything. Their mouths as large as we are form out of the smoke, about to devour us.

Their leg-long fangs scrape against One’s golden barrier protecting us both.

“My mind is a fortress. Whom I let in, gets in. Whom I refuse, stays out. I can outlast you. You will not get me now, and I SURE AS HOLE WON’T LET YOU ERODE US FOR CENTURIES LIKE YOU DID TO MY QUEEN!”

A purple flash comes from behind the wall of living darkness. A glowing spear of the same colour comes out, dragging one of the changeling queens’ body impaled on it.

“One, One, One… I admit my mind isn’t a fortress.”

Eight, a necklace of severed changeling horns around her neck, walks through the mist, kicks the body off of her spear, with one stomp crushes its head to paste, and grins at One.

“Because I ain’t a little bitch who hides behind walls.”

35: Together to the ruined castle!

I can feel their horror and rage. The chaotic wave of hatred surrounds me from all sides, rises like a pillar, and then crashes down.

My real eyes shoot open.

Realizing the apple orchard is behind us and a menacing treeline shows against the the dim light of morning, I must have been following One on autopilot for the entirety of my “vision”.

In the distance, there’s a small cottage surrounded by wide open pens. Thankfully, neither its inhabitant nor the possible animals living around it have noticed us yet.

”Equestria to King,” Eight pokes my nose, ”We’re almost in the Everfree. What’s our next step?”

Were the visions real? Did Eight really kill one of the memories of the ancient rulers?

I shake my head, dispersing the final stupor from the contact with the hive mind. Thankfully, One is leading the way without any problems.

We pass through the wall of trees in the gloomy forest, and sit down in a clearing few minutes later.

For some reason, I feel safe.

”Well,” One raises an eyebrow, ”What’s the grand plan? We’re hidden, as far as we know we haven’t been followed, and we’re near an enemy settlement with little to no protection.”

“Eight, did you find the… traitors?” I feel dirty calling someone a traitor. Maybe it’s aftermath of the vision, but I just… feel like I’m branding someone for disagreeing with what I wanted.

Then I recall Three’s loveless, freshly dead body. Image which would have been a reality without One.

Eight grins, shows as much teeth as she can, and twirls her new necklace of severed changeling horns.

”All of them,” she winks, tossing a filled pair of saddlebags on the grass, ”They even got these.”

The open bags reveal two love crystals, faintly shimmering in the dark. Every changeling shuffles closer to them.

”Plus, I got whatever love wasn’t spent in the fight. It’s not much, but right now it’s all we’ve got.”

Looking around at the circle of skinny changelings with their carapaces covered in spiderweb cracks, I realize they’ll have to wait even further.

“I think we’ve got only one option, and you’ll bite my head off when you hear it,” I sigh.

Eight licks my ear.

”Maybe just a nibble. After that daring escape from Canterlot, you deserve a little… leniency from me.”

”Pff, as if you even knew how to use your body properly,” One walks by, her tail wrapping around my neck before flicking Eight’s muzzle, ”Plus, a proper King needs to build a proper hive, which means the best genes possible,” One sticks her tongue out at Eight, ”Even a low-rank warrior like you must admit that I am the best potential broodmother here.”

Eight growls, but to my absolute shock, she hangs her head.

”Yes, you are.”

”Too proud for your own good, but smart enough to be honest. You’ll make a good mistress, although I doubt our King will ever have an itch I won’t be able to scratch, heh..” One chuckles in victory, but Eight is far from being defeated.

”I will do ANYTHING, you cheap, second-rate seductress. I doubt you can enjoy screaming in pain as your King and owner rips love straight from your flesh as roughly as possible. I know you, manipulator. You CRAVE power and influence. You don’t know how to properly submit… give up all control… and find your freedom at the end of a leash.”

Do I get a say in this, or will one of them drag me to some cellar again?

”Cheap? Second-rate? You-”

“Orders, you two,” I clear my throat, forcing my voice to stay firm. They hesitantly stop staring each other down, and face me, “The love Eight recovered plus the crystals mean we don’t have to leave anyone behind, but that’s about the extent of it. We need more, and before Eight beats me to death with my own foreleg, I’m sending out you, One. Grab whomever you need, and go to this... Ponyville. We can hole up here-”

”I advise against that,” says Eight, avoiding One’s refreshed glare.

“Eight, she is the best suited for-”

”We shouldn’t stay here, it’s too close to the edge of the forest, and as we saw before there’s somepony living nearby. There’s an abandoned castle several hours east from here, which would make a far superior base.”

“Sooo… for the record, you aren’t against One leading our infiltration attempts in Ponyville?”

Eight gives me a smug smile.

”Once she screws up, they’ll catch her, not me. One less love sponge to fill.”

One answers the smile with a grin of her own.

”King, I will require the assistance of Four and Ten. You said I could take anyone I needed. That, and considering the shape they are in we’ll need some love for the road.”

Eight’s smile withers instantly. One winks at her.

“Eight,” I look at her very carefully. To her honor, she walks over to Four, then Ten, and finally One, transferring a little love into each one.

Staring into One’s eyes, their muzzles touching, she nods slightly towards Four before tapping on her necklace. That little gesture was more terrifying than any war of words and posturing before.

She meant this one.

One puts a hoof under Eight’s chin…

...then kisses her, necks of both bulging from One’s thick tongue. Paralyzed Eight only stares with jaw dropped when One withdraws, and then gently shuts her mouth with her hoof, and pats her cheek.

”Mmm, just a little lust for you. You’re cranky when you’re hungry. Now be a good girl, and lead my King to the castle. I’ve got a hive to rebuild later.”

Reinvigorated, Ten, Four, and grinning One leave back the way we arrived.

”I’m gonna kill her...” whispers Eight, her shaking body mirroring the burning fury I sense from her mind.

“Eight…?” I ask quietly, “The castle?”

She takes a long breath in, then breathes out.

”Of course, my King.”

***

I was hoping for a bit more… cover than what the main entrance leading through somewhat open hallway straight into the throne room offers. It’s not like the one in our good old hive, but you can’t have everything when you’re on the run.

”What’s that, boss?” Three's poking the nearest stone.

Scratches on the wall? I shrug.

”Stone carvings from pre-Equestrian era. Considering this castle is about twelve hundred years old, I’d assume they’re fake,” Eight answers what I can't.

”You’re so smart, miss Eight,” Three nods.

”I’m not just a punching machine, Three.”

”But you’re so good at that too!”

”I strive for improvement in any way I can, Three.”

”Cool. Is that a pony?” Three's now examining something new, equine-looking.

”Full platemail armor. Only the shell part, but maybe serviceable. If One, cross my heart and totally hope that doesn’t happen, fails to get us some love, I might use it.”

”Looks heavy.”

[”It definitely is, but these are the best armors pony soldiers used to wear. Judging from the shape and the helmet, it’s an earthpony one.”

We reach the throne room despite Three jumping from side to side and asking about everything from worked stairs to gilded iron railings.

”Oooh, this pony looks scary. I didn’t know some have bat wings and pointy teeth.”

”That’s princess Luna from the days she rebelled against her sister Celestia,” Eight points at the torn tapestry lying in front of the throne the throne as a rug, ”She called herself Nightmare Moon at the time, then she disappeared. I don’t know what happened to her. Drawing random information from the hive mind isn’t easy. As far as I know, Celestia had this castle built for Luna while hers was the one in Canterlot.”

”That one looked a lot better.”

”Shockingly...”

”Can we make this our home, boss? It’s cool and shady, I can sense tunnels under our hooves, and there are ponies not too far away we can become friends with… maybe. The town looked small like Wet Soil, not huge like Canterlot, and those ponies liked us.”

Eight doesn’t answer this one, gesturing towards the throne. I frown, sitting down in front of it onto the shredded tapestry of Celestia instead. Can we?

“This does look like a good place to settle down, at least temporarily. We can’t do much anyway until One and the others return.”

”If she hasn’t eaten them already and ran off,” grumbles Eight.

“Come on, you don’t actually believe that, do you?” I raise my eyebrow.

”I… have my doubts about her,” she raises her hoof as I open my mouth to object, ”but for now she’s been doing her job… reasonably well. It would be prudent, however, if she remained last on the list of love filling.”

I choose to believe it’s because One would barely feel the amount of love required to fill up everyone else in our group put together, not because Eight hates her.

As everyone sits down, Three keeps walking around, sniffing various walls, tapping on the floor, and generally not acting as exhausted as I know he is.

“What’s going on, Three?”

”Can I go look around, boss? I like this place a lot.”

“Alright, try to find some cellar or cave we can use for healing, but avoid making trails in the dust, at least on the upper floors.”

”Wohoo!”

”Wait!” Eight interrupts Three's dash towards the nearest way out of the throne room. She walks over to the Luna’s tapestry, tears a long strip off, and tosses it at the drone, ”Use it like a cloak. It will disrupt the dust and hide hoofprints behind you.”

After few attempts with his mouth, Three manages to drape the tapestry piece over his back, then looks at Luna’s head on the side of his barrel.

”I’m a pony princess’ guard now!”

”Shoo! Your real King gave you an order,” Eight stomps the floor. When Three rushes off, faint smile grows on her muzzle, ”He’s doing his best to make our situation seem less grim, isn’t he?”

“I think that’s just how he really is. Drone life wasn’t… fun at any point. Before I left the hive, I didn’t know anything about… well, anything. Sky, grass, trees… nothing. All I knew was the layout of the hive, what deep caves to avoid, where to carry what others told me to carry, and that in case of emergency I’m food as it should be.”

”I see...”

“And without you, Eight, I wouldn’t get to know much more. So, I’m sorry if you feel like I don’t listen to you or that you aren’t MY number one. I just want to give One a chance, I want everyone to get the chance I got by pure luck thanks to meeting you. I know it will bite me in the ass at some point, but… we were happy in Wet Soil, the ponies were happy, and I believe that can happen again.”

Eight turns away, slowly walking towards the main entrance.

”I’m going on patrol, King. If there’s a threat around the castle, then I will find it and kick its teeth out, so that it can’t bite you in the ass. That’s my job.”

Chuckling to myself, I relax with my back resting against the base of the throne, and close my eyes. A moment later as I drift off to sleep, I open Three’s.

He giggles, booping a stone pony statue’s nose.

*Click.*

”Eeeee?” Three grabs the statue’s leg for balance as a circular section of the floor spins around along with the wall and the drone. When the movement stops, Three’s standing in a narrow, pitch black hallway, ”COOL!”

Without missing a beat, Three heads down the short hall and then a winding stone staircase leading further into the depths.

”Now THIS is a good healing cave,” his eyes go wide as he enters a replica of the throne room, only underground. The main difference aside from it being in much better shape than the upper one thanks to not being faced with the elements for ages, are long metal rails along the ceiling, and tapestries of ponies with bat wings hanging around.

”Agreed.”

”Welcome back, boss. This still isn’t a proper throne room like back home, but definitely better. Should I carry the love crystals and other changelings here?”

”Can you do that? We’re all exhausted.”

”I feel alright.”

Hmm… he actually is in a strangely good shape. That’s weird.

”Okay, go for it. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

”Miss One, Miss Eight, Four, and Ten are all doing their best. I’ll do what I can too.”

Over the next few hours, I follow Three running through the underground floors of the castle, mapping every nook and cranny. He eventually finds a much better place for healing - a simple small room into which about ten changelings could fit comfortably.

My surprise comes when he helps the first changeling get down there, and I feel his dissatisfaction with his job as the patient lies down.

”This won’t do,” he mumbles, poking the changeling’s chitin which gives in like normal skin.

”What are you doing?” I ask as he leaves the castle through the first hole in the wall he can find, and starts gathering grass into a makeshift bag made from his ‘cloak’.

He spits out grass and dirt.

”Surprise, boss,” and he just keeps going.

Well, it’s not like I’ll miss it, so I watch. When his ‘bag’ is full, he trots off back to the healing room where he arranges the grass into six makeshift softer spots.

”Beds?”

”Yeah. Everyone’s chitin is so weak it can’t be comfy lying on the stones, so I thought this would help.”

”Good idea, Three.”

Soon after, the hungry changelings plus the heavily wounded dormant warrior still somehow clinging to life are sleeping around the two glowing love crystals, faint green shimmer thinning the otherwise complete darkness in the room.

”Back to scouting, I guess,” Three wraps himself in the tapestry again, and brushes off some grass before stopping himself and mumbling, ”Wait, no. Ca… moo… flag-e?”

”Camouflage?”

”Yeah, that thing.”

Alarm goes off in my head, and I realize someone is shaking me. Wait, there shouldn’t be anyone in the throne room anymore.

“Huh? Back already, Eight?” I look up into the mouth full of sharp teeth, and into the two green eyes above.

”Already? It’s been half a day. Anyway, I think we have a problem.”

I link up everyone I can, which at this moment are only Three and Eight, and stand up.

“What problem?”

”I found two sets of pony tracks around the castle, each different. One set only passed by, and belonged to a zebra. I guess she’s some kind of local florist, because she kept taking samples of various flowers. She lives in a hollowed out tree not too far away from here, closer to the edge of the forest. If we want to take her out, it should be easy. However, that means-”

“That somepony might come looking for her, I get it,” I finish Eight’s thought, rewarded by her nod and a smile, “We’ll discuss it with the others when they get back.”

”Serviceable. Now, the reason I’m back is the second set of tracks. I caught sight of some green pony, but I chose to follow the zebra instead at first. However, when I returned to check the other target, I found the tracks leading here.”

“What?! Here like here into the throne room?” I gasp, “I’ve been asleep all this time, following Three.”

”Well, that was stupid,” she facehoofs, ”Anyway, no, not into the throne room itself. The pony went inside through a hole in the back. I circled around the castle in case they left, but found nothing. I’m pretty sure he or she is still here.”

“Oh dear,” I frown.

”Three, be careful!”

”I’m like a shadow, boss,” he mumbles.

Suddenly, hoofsteps.

”Hide!” whispers Eight, shoving us behind the throne.

”I can hear yooooooouuuuuuu!” comes a cheery voice from outside.

I peek out. Is that…?

Yep, judging by Eight’s scowl, it definitely is.

“One?”

”In the good old smooth chitin,” she enters the throne room, quickly followed by Four and Ten, both practically glowing with love.

”Well done, now shut the hole up, because we’ve got an intruder,” Eight waves her over, voice lowered.

My mental links to all three recover. Great, One can block me from an area now…

”Well, isn’t that your job, miss love and brute force conquer all?” One lightly smacks Eight over the head. Eight’s eye twitches, but she knows full well that right now One could tie Eight’s legs behind her back with a single flick of her horn, ”Don’t worry. Mama One’s here now, so you can go play soldiers in your corner until I’m done.”

”One...” Eight growls.

“Enough, One!” I raise my voice, walking between the two, “How did it go?”

”I would say well enough. Earthponies are easy targets, and it turns out that unicorns living among them for a long time aren’t much smarter, heh. We’ve got love, we’ve got lust… I even brought Ten back alive just to annoy your little pet,” she tilts her head to catch Eight’s glare, and sticks her tongue out, ”If she begs, I might actually share some spoils with her.”

“One, did you come here to gloat at our failure, or did you bring the love for us? You know no one here can force you to give it up.”

”I sure as all holes can try!” hisses Eight.

”Please do, I could use a good laugh.”

“One!” I stomp my hoof. Yep, I look as silly as this gesture is.

”Oh my little new king, how about a deal?” One grins, ”If miss Hundred- no, Thousand and eight here genuinely admits how low she is in comparison to myself, that I am the most worthy breeder here, and says her real rank, I’ll give you what I brought from Ponyville. If you can’t handle a low rank pet like her, meaning she won’t obey your order, why should someone as perfect as I serve you? In that case, I’ll leave you with Four and Ten, and you can grow your little hive out of the way of everyone. Or I might just decide to eat you all on a whim. It’s not as if you can stop me.”

I turn my head to Eight who is standing there, eyes closed, grinding her teeth, and shaking with powerless rage. She senses my focused presence inside her head, and her answer echoes through our link:

”I’ll do it if you order me, my King.”

Idiot.

“I won’t order you anything, Eight,” I say out loud, facing One down, “One, thank you for your help until now. So, are you leaving, or are we fighti-”

”I...” a trembling, weak voice comes from behind me, ”...am a nopony in comparison to you, One. If you are in the picture… I don’t deserve to breed, there is no need to use second-rate genes like mine,” Eight walks forward, staring at the floor. I can feel her pride crumbling with each word, ”My rank doesn’t matter, there is so much difference between us that it doesn’t matter whether I’m rank Eight or Eight million.”

One makes Eight look up into her eyes with her hoof, cruel smile on her lips.

”Don’t hide. Say that to my face so that I know you mean it.”

To my surprise, Eight smiles despite the tears in her eyes, and breathes out. It’s a smile of relief.

”I am the King’s tool. I don’t need a name, nor a rank. I am the extension of his will. His toy, his soldier, his shield, his pet. I am a thing, not an independent changeling,” Eight’s smile only grows wider as if a massive burden was lifted from her back, ”You are more powerful, more beautiful, more experienced, and better… but I am his, and that’s all that matters,” she finishes, and wipes her eyes, "at least to me. Thank you for making me realize it."

One bares her fangs. Through her still open link I sense that this hasn’t gone the way she hoped.

”Always find a way to one-up me...” One whispers, snarling at Eight, ”Well, that backfired completely. Alright, a promise is a promise,” her horn glows, filling me with an amount of energy that’s enough to nourish and heal everyone, ”Now, we still have one mistake to right… if you still want me?” she raises an eyebrow.

“Eight?” I nod at her, “Do we want her?”

”She’s been an excellent teacher to Four, and she’s a fountain of knowledge neither of us can possess. She’s also a greater threat than any ponies that chased us. I will support your decision, no matter what it is, and enforce it if you say so.”

“Coming from you, that’s a glowing endorsement,” I nod towards One, “Welcome back, One. Don’t scowl so hard. I have never seen anyone so disappointed with winning.”

”Winning, eh?” One sighs, ”Glad to be back… King.”

Eight looks at me, her expression not intense or teasing like always, but one completely peaceful, decorated with a soft, warm smile.

”Let’s find our pony intruder, my King, shall we?”

”Boss, boss, boss!” Three runs out a nearby hall, ”I found a medusa pony, I think! Like the one in my book. Well, the ones I used to have. She smells weird. Very herb-y. She’s all green and has thick brown snakes for hair.”

“Where?”

”Follow me!” he rushes off.

It doesn’t take long to find a room on the main floor without a broken roof. It’s fairly warm, there’s a small fireplace in its center, and of course a light green mare lying on a soft pillowy blob, sinking into it. She blows a small cloud of blue smoke from her mouth before greeting us with a surprised but friendly smile.

“Heyyy, black ponies. Wait, that’s not racist, is it? You look cool, but your chakras are all messed up. Come and relaaaax...”

Author's Note

And you thought I'd go with either Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy.
I'm about as predictable as Discord.

36: Together, coming up with ideas.

The scene must be out of this world.

Six changelings, our jaws dropped, staring at a green earthpony with reddish brown mane lying on what looks like a big bag filled with sand who is looking back with a dizzy smile. The entire small room is warm from the small fireplace in its center near which stands a weird metal contraption holding a bulbous glass container filled with billowing mist which the earthpony inhales via a long, thin tube the end of which she’s holding.

She blows out a rather well-crafted smoke ring.

”See, boss? Totally a medusa pony, snake mane and everything. Wait, will she turn us to stone?” Three clamps a foreleg over his eyes, ”Are you okay? Why is no one talking?”

“We’re alright, Three,” I watch the earthpony showing no signs of fear or aggression towards us, “And none of us are stoned, I think.”

”Yet!” One trots over to the earthpony who gives her a curious smile, ”Scoot over and pass the pipe.”

The pony shuffles aside, making enough space on the “bag” for the significantly larger changeling, then passes her the pipe. One inhales deeply, then blows out a blue-ish cloud from her nostrils.

”Smooooth...”

“One?” I wave my hoof at the unusually relaxed changeling.

“Two?” the earthpony grins at me.

”Three!” guess who raises his hoof as well.

”Uhh, Four. Boss, I think I know what’s going on,” Four nudges me.

”Obviously, we infiltrators would know,” Ten rolls his eyes, ”I’m not a fan, but the lower classes enjoy this kind of passtime- oops!” he realizes his mistake when One gives him a single raised eyebrow while partaking in more smoke from the pipe.

”Someone explain right now, or I’m certain the King will order me to make you talk soon,” Eight rubs her muzzle against my neck, ”And I’ll make sure you all know how much I enjoy his orders.”

Ooookay, Eight’s weirding me out now. I’m sure One broke something in her.

”Gee, leave it for the fetish dungeon you’ll inevitably build one day,” One only chuckles, ”Let’s start with the important thing - we’re not in any immediate danger, the stuff on this nice pony’s head aren’t snakes, but dreadlocks, and she won’t turn you to stone, but you might get stoned. Speaking of which, Eight, I heard sex on weed is amaaaazing. Just food for your thought.”

”Like… grass?” Eight furrows her brows, her thought apparently chewing like a hungry dragon.

One bursts out laughing, accompanied by Ten’s more distinguished snickering.

I lean down to Four’s ear.

“Are you sure we’re not in danger?”

”Definitely not from the pony, no. If she’s a distraction, though, then she’s doing a great job. I’m sure miss One thought about that possibility, though.”

“Care to explain what’s going on before I really have to order Eight to start punching randomly?”

”The glass thing is called a pipe. It uses heat to produce smoke by burning certain herbal or chemical substances,” Four waves her hoof around to show the strangely smelling mist all around, ”This ‘weed’ is a slang term for one of them - a slightly addictive relaxant which dulls pain and in minor doses helps to focus. In bigger doses it’ll make your head ache, though, and it might make you sick. From what I heard it’s mostly harmless or even useful when used properly. Basically alcohol, but causes less brain damage, and if you want my opinion it also smells a bit better. Oh yeah, and ponies get super hungry when they smoke it, hence the bags of chocolate hay wafers next to the… chair bag thingy.”

“I feel so dumb now, Four. You’ve learned so much in the few weeks of your life...”

”It’s not your fault, boss, that you can’t go outside. You’re welcome to tag along in my head any time.”

“Thanks, Four.”

I really should follow my infiltrators more. How can I make proper decisions when I know nothing about ponies?

“Come sit down. My name is Tree Hugger. You won’t all fit on the bean bag, but the small ones can sit in our laps,” the earthpony beckons at the floor next to her… bean bag chair. When we don’t move, her composure wavers for the first time, ”I’ve got enough snacks for everypony,” she nods to the sacks of wafers.

”Oh come on, we’re in no danger. Her mind is an open book,” we all feel One’s message in our heads, ”Do you really think I wouldn’t scan her head the second I saw her?”

I shrug.

“Alright, I guess there’s no reason to refuse a friendly invitation like this,” I sit down by the fireplace, “Although we don’t really eat your snacks, miss Tree Hugger.”

“Miss,” Tree Hugger giggles, “Just Tree Hugger. And what’s your name… names?”

“I am… well, I used to be called drone two hundred thousand… and… you know, I don’t remember anymore. Now these guys call me boss, or king for some reason-”

I introduce everyone. To my surprise, Tree Hugger doesn’t look too surprised by us having numbers instead of names like ponies.

“-and we are changelings, not ponies,” I add, wondering about her reaction.

“Oooooh,” Tree Hugger nods knowingly, “So that’s why your chakras are all weird and gloomy. So, you don’t eat chocolate wafers? I’ve got a pack of caramels in a bag somewhere. Not the cute earthpony from Ponyville, but the candy. Heheh, if only I had a pack of pony Caramels...”

“We eat love, or positive emotions like affection, friendship, lust… the list goes on,” I explain.

“Wooooow, that’s amazing,” Tree Hugger’s smile only grows wider, “I wish we all could live on love. The world would be such nice place,” out of nowhere, she she wraps her forelegs around One’s neck, and pulls herself into One’s lap, stretching up to boop her nose, “Don’t worry, I’ve got enough love for everypony… and everynotpony.”

“Alright, everyone, I guess we can take it easy for a moment.”

As soon as I say it, Eight sits down by my side, and Four eases herself into her lap. Three looks around, then hops into the bean bag chair. Tree Hugger immediately unwraps one of her forelegs from around One’s neck and puts it around Three’s.

”Now you’re Three Hugger, miss!” the drone chirps happily. I sense a quick transfer of love as Tree Hugger giggles.

Ten, however, shakes his head.

”I’ll go check up on the others, if you don’t mind. This isn’t exactly my kind of relaxation. If you ever get to the Ring of the Nibelungponies, call me.”

I nod, and he leaves.

“So, what are you doing in my hideout?” asks Tree Hugger, “I normally drop by Fluttershy’s cottage, but some of her animals are sick, so she has them inside, and they don’t like the smoke. They don’t know what they’re missing. Zecora’s stash is amazing.”

”We’re-”

”We’re just passing through,” One interrupts Three immediately, ”You stop here often then?”

“Once, twice a week. I prefer buying fresh supplies to storing them in my cellar,” Tree Hugger chomps on some wafers, then gives the bag to Three for safekeeping. He sniffs it, licks one, then shrugs and gives it to One who tosses it back inside, “Oh right, love. How does that work? I mean, how do you get love?”

In sync, we all look at One.

”Eh, we hunt. We can absorb it from ponies, shapeshift into somepony they love or they lust after. Usually it’s a one-night thing, then we gotta move so that we’re not found.”

“Wow, you can transform into other ponies? Waaaaait, you’re the guys from Canterlot!” Tree Hugger facehoofs, “I was there when you swarmed the place.”

Strangely enough, she seems more curious than afraid.

”Aaand you’re not screaming for help?” One tilts her head. Tree Hugger raises her foreleg, and pats Three’s head.

“You’re less scary up close when you’re not hissing and growling. So it was love you wanted, I see. Well, I love everypony who isn’t all nasty, so you’re fine in my book. Plus, that cocoon was mega comfy. I just wish it wasn’t so wet. It plays hell with my roll-ups.”

”She’s baked off her ass, king, but she isn’t kidding. We could get a good meal out of her,” One whispers inside my head.

”Don’t say that out loud, One. Let’s leave it as plan B.”

“Anyway,” Tree Hugger crawls off of One, and puts Three in her lap while taking his place, “I heard once that the really good hunters don’t chase prey, but wait for the prey to come to them.”

”It’s not that easy. We have to hide, hunt, and hide again.”

“I dunno. You said lust worked, right? Why don’t you build a brothel or night club somewhere? If you can transform into anypony, you’ll be loaded every day. And love… I mean it’s not like real love, but there are escort services. There’s a bunch of lonely souls who would just love company, even if only for a while. If you’re in it for the affection, you could do it cheap. Foal care, of course. I volunteered in an orphanage for few months, and the foals love anypony who really cares for them. Love resonates, you know? The more you give, the more you get. Oh, and pets, pets are great. Fluttershy could talk about her animals for days.”

”That would never work for the… whole… hive...” One stops, scrunching her nose, ”...ten… twenty… maybe…?” she whispers, looking at each of us.

”Huh?!” Three claps his hooves together, ”Shuffles! I wonder if he would like living in some nice cool cellar in this Ponytown place.”

”I don’t think they sell canned souls in Ponyville pet store.”

“Anyway,” Tree Hugger scratches Three behind the ear, “why don’t you try to find somepony for real? I mean, you really can be anypony, so it shouldn’t be hard to start off the relationship with the physical side. You seem pretty nice too.”

Once again, we all look at One. She knows the most about why plans like this never succeeded. Eight could say her fair share, but now she’s just sitting here, leaning against me with her head on my shoulder.

”It’s hard for a changeling to bond for life. We can live for centuries if we have love, and if everything doesn’t go well, love turns to habit and comfort, and those don’t feed us, not enough. I heard about changelings who escaped from the hive and… made a life for themselves, but those cases are rare.”

“Then… can’t you, like, love each other?”

The corner of One’s mouth curls up as she winks at me.

”Ooh yes, hard and fast.”

”Back off, harlot,” Eight sticks her tongue out at One, ”I obey my King to the letter. That’s who I am, and that’s what your dominant ego can’t fake.”

”Sure, but I know deep down drones, or ex-drones have that little part of them which desperately needs to be whipped and taken. Hmm… king as a pet. Shadow eminence One, that sounds… tempting.”

Three laughs, something none of us even remotely expected.

”The boss said miss Eight was my pet when we met her, but she didn’t have a litterbox and I didn’t feed her. Mostly she fed me. Wait, am I a pet? Can I get a pat?”

Eight stands up, circles around the fire, and pats Three who nuzzles her hoof. I sense a transfer of love, and Eight feels a little stronger. On the other hoof, if I can sense change in Eight, then Three should be exhausted now, but… he isn’t? Even he feels a little fuller.

What just happened?

“Love resonates...” I mutter to myself.

One takes a deep breath, then puffs another cloud.

”Ayyy, like love crystals, right?” her now unfocused eyes roll a bit backwards, ”I made them from my goo, and… I mean, what are we… right? We’re like… big blobs of goo… just with crunchy shell… like the crystals... like, you know, we resonate… you know… with each other.”

Aaand she’s out cold.

Tree Hugger puts her head into One’s lap, carefully puts the smoke hose down, and she’s asleep within a moment as well.

Three carefully jumps off of her.

”Boss, can I go outside? It’s too warm in here for me, and the smoke is making my head spin.”

“Sure,” I realize something and stomp my hoof, “Wait, how about you carry Tree Hugger to the cottage we saw when we arrived in the forest? I think it’s where her Fluttershy friend lives. It was right on the edge, and there were pens for loads of animals around.”

I know how much he liked ponies in Wet Soil, and the fact that he was the only one without any friend in Canterlot other than Shuffles was hard for him.

”CAN I?!” Three’s eyes go wide, he clamps his forelegs over his mouth to quieten down, ”Really? That’s awesome! There could be more ponies who might like us.”

”That’s pretty risky, boss,” comments Four, ”At least without taking care of Tree Hugger’s memories.”

I nod.

“It IS risky, Four, but there’s nothing negative for her to remember. Maybe she’ll be quiet about us, or maybe she’ll even say a good word or two to somepony.”

”Or maybe she’ll call the police, guards, or the paladins on us,” Eight frowns.

“For once, I thought about this possibility, Eight. You and Four will accompany Three, but stay hidden. Then Four will keep an eye on Tree Hugger, and you’ll have to patrol around the castle in detail. We’ll keep it up for few days and see what happens. Three has already found few emergency ways out of the castle through the underground tunnels.”

”That’s a lot of effort instead of just mucking up her head and letting her go-” Eight stops when I nod sideways to Three grinning like a foal on Hearth’s Warming. She sighs, but nods with a smile, ”Of course, my King. Four, Three, let’s go.”

37: Together in full company.

So far, my rather foolish plan of letting Three take Tree Hugger out of the forest hasn’t been a disaster. Quite the opposite, in fact. Three returned happy, Four hasn’t reported any unusual movement from Fluttershy’s cottage, and Eight used the received energy to practice against some wolf creatures made of wood which she called the timberwolves. Some were three times her size, and she still called them a warm up. I hesitate to imagine what she would consider a serious threat. Anyway, I rationed the love I got between the hungry changelings in the healing room, and followed One’s example by going to sleep.

As I drift back into consciousness, I feel strange warmth inside my stomach. I’m not hungry, I’m comfortable, and there’s nothing immediately bothering any of my changelings. I feel pretty good.

Yawning, I rub my eyes, and sit up.

The changelings we brought are sleeping peacefully around, the heavily wounded warrior is still dormant, his breathing a little deeper than before though, Three is lying on his back, tongue out, and his hind leg kicking from time to time.

Everything is peaceful for once.

A quick mental check up on other changelings reveals that it’s nighttime outside. Ten is teaching Four some card game while surrounded by ponies in what looks like a bar , One is singing, her voice few tones lower than normal, while ponies move out of the way whenever she walks through a different dimly lit room. I can’t help stopping by in her head, and listening for a while to the slow, haunting, and sad song.

”~So much is lost, so much disharmony. So much is lost, no voice of sympathy.~”

SONG OF THE HERETICS. SHE IS RISKING HER CHITIN IN CASE SOME UNICORN IN THE ROOM KNOWS ANCIENT HISTORY AND CAN PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER.

Shush.

I, however, do put two and two together thanks to hive mind’s comment, and realize this is an old changeling song wishing for the good old times when we lived love, not just ate it. Needless to say, hive mind’s presence completely spoiled my enjoyment, so I switch to Eight.

OH GODS… WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DESTROYED YOU SOONER...

From the hive’s memories, I recognize a chimera. From Eight’s mad grin, I recognize a chimera in mortal danger, its goat and lion heads smashed together and being choked by their own snake tail head wrapped around their necks.

”More heads, more teeth to punch out! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!”

Okay, that’s a bit too much groaning, choking, and blood for my no longer that peaceful morning.

So, everyone is alright. I stand up, stretch my legs, and leave the room, wandering the hallways of the crumbling castle randomly.

Was there something to what Tree Hugger suggested? Making ponies come to us instead of sending out hunting parties… hmmm. It would be dangerous. On the other hole, we wouldn’t risk getting hurt far away from home, and this place is full of secret passages and underground tunnels. I have no doubts that Three will uncover more when he gets going again.

The three ponies who tried to explore our house in Canterlot come to mind. Four’s scenario worked well with them. I think they had nothing to do with the paladin raid later. Maybe we could do something like that, spread a rumor which would make ponies want to explore the old castle, preferably in small groups.

Should we make them disappear afterwards? No no no, that would raise suspicion and draw danger here. Maybe we could make them come here, suck them dry over… let’s say a day, two at most, and them drop them off somewhere safe, possibly show them a good time? Tree Hugger did have that brothel idea. That way they might want to come back too.

No, a paid service is too big of a step and too much exposure this soon. However, just beating ponies up and putting them into cocoons isn’t that great either. So, we lure them in here with… something. Then we create another scenario, dangerous but tempting one… I’d have to talk to others if they have any good ideas. In the end we drain them, mess with their heads a bit- no, that won’t work. One said we left marks by messing with ponies’ memories, and doing this more often would definitely attract some unicorns. No, we would have to use good disguises and create a realistic experience.

I’m gonna need professionals for this one. I don’t have enough knowledge about pony customs, mentality, and culture.

One, you listening?

”A bit busy in the back room of the parlor, but I’m sure I can handle it.”

You weren’t with us when our Canterlot hideout was invaded the first time, but I’m sure someone either told you what happened, or you dug through someone’s head.

”Oh, the ghost hunters?”

I’m not sure whether to be proud or disappointed that you’re not even bothering to lie about it.

”FOUR TOLD ME! Well, after I found some clues in her head… and asked.”

Smooth. Rank one infiltrator here, everyone. Anyway, I had this idea after our session with Tree Hugger-

”Hmm, all I had was a massive headache, but do go on.”

She said that real hunters wait for the prey to come to them. How about we lure ponies to the castle, shapeshift into something interesting, and create an experience for them like with the… ghost hunters. Maybe a pleasant one instead of dreadful. Then we overpower them in disguise, drain them, and bring them let’s say to the edge of the Everfree so that they may try again.

I expect her to laugh, but all I get is a moment of silence, then:

”I… could spread rumors of some minor magical treasure. Nothing big enough to bring real adventurers, just some more curious civilians. And disguise, disguise… AH! You’ll be the dark warlock bad guy, I’ll be the summoned succubus. They’ll have to go through me to get to you and the treasure, I’ll capture them, have my fun, and then they’ll escape due to the unforseen mistake of jailor Three who leaves keys to the dungeon cells in plain sight and falls asleep. I’ve got just the right disguises in mind.”

I’m glad you’re into it.

”It’ll take some polishing, but if it works, I’ll be polishing a lot more than just our plans. One, king’s real succubus, demon magic and all. Beat this, Eight!”

A bit too much into it…

”Anyway, I’ll think of a proper rumor, and we’ll need advanced warning system, maybe Eight barking could work. This is going to be fun!”

I may have unleashed true horror upon this world.

***

As I wander through the throne room, I notice more echoes of hoofsteps. For a moment, I panic, and dart behind the throne. However, the faint mental links I feel closing in belong to changelings, namely the six changelings we’ve been nursing to health all this time. I peek out, trying to look as serious as I can after hiding, and walk out in the open.

The changelings fan out into a half circle around me. Uh oh…

“Do you need something?” I raise my eyebrow.

Two drones, three infiltrators, and… yeah, the reinforced and thicker chitin means the final one is a warrior.

“We want to talk,” says the one in front of me, an infiltrator of, I guess, triple digit rank.

“You’ve been waiting until now when I’m alone here, with no protection.”

“That was just in case you wouldn’t want to talk,” the infiltrator frowns. The entire group doesn’t seem too menacing despite being reasonably fed. The problem is that I’ve got no combat experience, a regrettable oversight on my part it seems, and I can’t just hop inside Eight and copy some of her skill, at least not in time.

Do I call for her at least? Or maybe for Three? He’s nearby.

No, definitely not Three. He’s been in more danger than a drone should throughout its life.

“I’m listening,” I sit on the throne. I’m bigger than any of them, I have more love than any single one of them, but all I’ve got now is that they likely see me as a king, no matter how weak.

“We want to leave,” they all take a step forward, ready to pounce.

Wait, is that it?

“Alright,” I shrug, “I was hoping to ask you for help, but I never got around to it. You are free to go if you want, though. You’ve never been prisoners or anything.”

The infiltrator speaking for the group straightens up, tilting his head.

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah. I came to Canterlot to find out what happened to the invasion and possibly help any survivors,” I bite my lip, “Unfortunately, you see how that worked out...”

“So… we can just go. No giving up all our love, or paying our debt, or anything?”

“As long as you don’t tell ponies where we’re hiding or lead anyone here, yes. One thing first, though,” I raise my hoof when they all frown, “Do you know how to resist feeding the hive mind?”

They all shrug or shake their head. I guessed as much, they are too low ranks to know about inner workings of the hive.

“To be honest, I don’t even know what you mean,” the infiltrator looks genuinely unhappy, “Before Canterlot, all I did was hunt in Appleloosa and immediately bring back all I got to the hive.”

Sighing, I nod.

“Fine, you can go. Got anything planned?”

“We’re heading back to Canterlot.”

“WHAT?!” I press my forelegs into the crumbled arm rests, pushing myself upwards. Nothing makes sense, “Why?”

He nods to the other infiltrators and the warrior.

“I guess no one told you because we were out cold most of the time, and then those ponies tried to kill us, out of us six only I and the drones were part of the invasion. These three,” he points at rest, “have lived in Canterlot from ten to thirty years give or take. Spice Rack here,” he pokes the warrior, “Has got a wife and two foals. It’s similar for the others. They didn’t replace anypony, they came and tried to live their lives in peace. Granted, Spice is the only one with a real family, but none of them were starving like us from the hive, nor were they a threat to anypony, they aren’t stupid. Chrysalis screwed us all hard!”

I’m getting the feeling that she wasn’t the hive’s real problem.

WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

Take a guess, you pile of hungry memories. Or better yet, take a dive from some really high cliff.

“But now the ponies will be after you!” I object, “You saw what happened in the caves.”

The warrior shakes his head.

“Can I speak, king?”

“Sure.”

“I have a changeling friend, and note that I’m saying I still have him, who told me to stay put in prison and wait for my trial. You see...” he thinks for a moment, “He told me that princess Luna, some of her Nightguards, and one strange bronze changeling are hosting trials for the survivors. They can sense if you speak the truth, and they allow the discovered changelings to integrate into their society. Under oversight at first, then as real citizens. That’s what happened to my friend. As Six hundred and thirty-seven here said, I’ve built a family and raised my own foals. I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine.”

“But you were all starving in prison. Some of you were almost dead.”

“Unfortunately so,” he nods, “The magic blast hurt and revealed every changeling in the city, and the ponies had no idea how to take care of us. No idea, but definitely not no intention. Some of their doctors tried, but all they could do was apply bandages. They don’t know the magic or surgery to repair chitin, and we were cut off of our sources of love.”

“And the paladins who attacked us?”

They look at each other, taking some nervous hoofsteps. The warrior takes charge again.

“I know the changeling trials are real, and so far I haven’t heard about anything like that happening. It could have had something to do with your prison break, or the fact that you killed a pony, but...” he sighs, “we have to risk it. We’d lose too much by trying to settle somewhere else, especially now when ponies are on high alert. And the three without any ties in Canterlot… well, they have everything to gain.”

The infiltrator suddenly walks closer, nods to the two drones, and whispers in my ear:

“Those drones were bred for the first wave. If I leave them on their own, they’ll die,” he takes a short pause, “Before the invasion I wouldn’t have given them a second thought, but thousands of these dummies suicided so that we had at least a tiny chance of getting through the shield. I’ve seen too many dead changelings, and I don’t want to see any more. I know I will, but if I can make it two less I’ll be happy. Do you understand?”

I chuckle to myself as I feel another mental link grow stronger.

”Good morning, Three.”

”Morning, boss! Hey, where is everyone?”

”We’re having a little talk in the throne room.”

”Do you need me?”

”Not right now.”

”Then I’ll go check the tunnels. I found a room where there’s this wooden thing with big black and white teeth that make noises when I poke them.”

”Sharp teeth?”

”Nope, all blunt.”

”Then just stay safe, Three.”

“Yeah, I do understand,” I pat the infiltrator’s shoulder, “Well, as I said, you’re free to go.”

He takes a step back, and bows.

“We owe you a lot. If you ever decide to return to Canterlot, we’ll vouch for you in the trials.”

“Thanks,” I just say. I’ve got far too many problems to deal with before that becomes an option, if ever, “Good luck, and goodbye.”

They all take a bow, and leave.

***

It took me few hours of wandering around to realize what I was forgetting.

Standing above the body of the broken warrior, I take in the damage. Even now, after the time spent dormant with us, shards of his chitin are missing. Thankfully, there are no spots where his flesh peeks out anymore, although slime does occasionally seep through the extensive cracks all over his carapace. His left eye is milky white, crossed with a deep scar which looks somewhat healed, making restoring the organ near impossible, at least in his current shape and with my lack of healing skills. He feels like a low rank, although his short, carpet-like, grey mane reveals he’s somewhere between that spot when changelings are uniform blue-eyed, black buggies, and individuals with tails, manes, and pony-ish eyes. What definitely looks imposing is the fact that he’s broader and taller than Eight or One. I know that as a warrior he’s been bred to look like this, and that our power isn’t exactly tied to our physical forms, but still… scary.

Putting the tip of my horn to his vastly longer one, I slowly let my love flow into him. I can’t pour energy into specific parts of his body to make his body react in the way I would want like One did when she restarted Three’s brain, but what I did learn was to go slowly, not just shove love inside someone.

By minute two of the transfer, I’m starting to sense a new open mind, and on reflex I peek inside.

As the warrior opens his working eye, I see myself out of it.

”How may I serve?” he says in a raspy voice. A simple question without any hint of malice, confusion, or anything really.

A TOOL READY TO BE USED!

Thank you for that insight. I was suspicious that would be the case. Well, better than if he was going after my throat.

“How are you feeling?” I stop feeding him, sensing that he’s nearly full. I’ve become so used to One and Eight never being really satisfied that it comes as a surprise now when I top a grown changeling off.

The biggest cracks in his armor close as he stands up, stretches his legs and neck, and salutes.

”With this amount of love, I’ll be in top shape in a day or two. The changelings who attacked me caused some internal wounds. The draining was worse, though.”

“That’s good. Now we need to talk about what to do with you. First, were you part of the invasion or did you live in Canterlot before?”

”Invasion. Front line right behind the drones.”

A low rank stormtrooper. Just another body meant to take the brunt of the pony defense.

“Umm, got any plans now?”

”I exist to serve the hive.”

I scratch my head.

“There… isn’t exactly a hive at the moment. What do you remember from the invasion?”

His brows furrow.

”I recall… a pony picking another pony up, and then a barrage of magic. Several other changelings retreated while I blocked the cast spells, but then I collapsed. I came to only when I felt something pick me up, set me on fire, and slam me into a wall. It was… pink, and felt like… love… angry love. Then nothing. I woke up behind bars few times, and then a changeling called Ten was telling me what to do in a cave under Canterlot.”

“I see. Well, did someone tell you that most changelings are probably dead, Chrysalis is nowhere to be found, and the hive as you knew it is gone?”

He ponders it for a moment.

”You’re the one leading this group of changelings, those who got us out of pony prison?”

“As much as I hate it, yes.”

”Do you need a warrior? My rank was Three hundred and ninety-two. If I can’t fight for the survival of changelings under queen Chrysalis, I can fight under you if you want me to.”

That’s actually not a bad rank. I’ve got three infiltrators, one drone, and one warrior right now. Three could use someone strong in case we need some manual labor, and Eight wouldn’t have to do all the patrolling and everything on her own. Plus, another changeling to help me resist the hive mind’s recently diminishing drain is what I needed in the first place.

In response to my mental prodding, his link opens completely without any resistance.

”Can you talk via the link?”

”It seems that… yes, I can. Strange, I’ve never done this before, and I don’t feel the hive mind’s knowledge,” he rubs his chin, and speaks, his muzzle not moving, ”Interesting, it looks like I got the basic knowledge straight through your link. Convenient, albeit a little taxing.”

A low rank warrior wouldn’t be too proficient with mental abilities. But hey, even Three learned just fine.

“Okay, you’ll need a new rank, though. There’s only few of us, so I’m keeping it simple. You’ll be Nine.”

”Yes, king,” he salutes, ”From now on, I’m Nine.”

“And don’t try to order anyone around, please. You’ll learn how it works here soon.”

”As you wish,” Nine bows, ”I serve and obey.”

On one hole, his approach weirds me out a bit, on the other… I’m glad I don’t have to deal with more big potential threats like One. Nine’s mind feels calm, focused, and ready.

Well, let’s see what Eight will think about him.

38: Together as one

Yawning, I quickly return from my dreamscape to reality, only to realize I’m curled up on the definitely insufficient throne, all my legs dangling from it in various angles. I needed a real rest. I wasn’t tired physically, or even drained of love. My head just hurt so bad from all the decisions and thinking that I could barely keep my eyes open after everything finally got sorted. Drones aren’t made for all this mental work.

So, time to find out what woke me up, because it wasn’t any mental contact or anything, just my real senses. Nine is standing stock still under the dias with the throne, silently staring at the main entrance, so it likely wasn’t him.

Hmmm… I hear two sets of hoofsteps.

A quick mental check reveals Eight returning from whatever she was doing today. Who is the second creature, though? Did she capture someone? It sounds like a pony.

It IS a pony, and it’s not Tree Hugger.

Behind Eight entering the throne room and striding towards me in full confidence shuffles a stallion wearing something tight and black, moonlight coming from the crumbled ceiling reflecting off of his strange clothing. I mean, ponies in clothes are unusual as it stands, but I haven’t seen anything like this before, although I feel as I could identify it if I dug through Ten’s memories enough. I really should find a way to make them mine, but I’m kinda worried that if I simply absorbed those I wouldn’t be just me anymore. On the other hole, Four seems to have coped with Ten’s just fine.

“Intruder?” I nod towards the pony shuffling behind Eight.

”Umm, not exactly,” Eight chuckles innocently, ”Remember Tree Hugger talking about getting a pet?”

“Please tell me you didn’t get a pony as a pet.”

”I got a pony… as a pet.”

I facehoof.

”I hate to point out that dogs can’t talk, specifically about our current whereabouts, and supposedly can love a lot as well.”

”Oh don’t worry, I’ll take care of him. Some mental triggers here, a whipping there, and he’ll be good.”

“Putting the ‘why’ aside for now, where did you even get him?”

”Why? Because I don’t want to rely solely on others to feed me, my King. As to where...”

“I’m all ears.”

”There’s this club in Ponyville called the Black Horseshoe. Earthpony names, right? It was evening when I arrived at the town for a snack and some scouting, and saw some pretty nifty clothes I wanted to try on in the window. A shapeshift or two and some… persuading the bouncer later, I got inside. You wouldn’t believe the lust and even love there… everything ripe for the taking. I saw this guy,” she slaps the stallion’s flank, making him moan, ”tied to this weird table with holes. Others in his position were being whipped and stuff, so I grabbed a wooden paddle lying around, and went to work. An hour or...” she looks uncertainly at the ceiling, ”two… three tops later, I was completely full, and he wanted to be my pet forever, so I decided why not? When One inevitably betrays us, I think a reserve juicebox would come in handy,” she shrugs.

My headache is coming back. This time it’s really difficult to persuade myself that Eight knows what she’s doing.

“Well, good for you. When the infiltrators come back, tell someone to dig through this guy’s head in case there’s someone who will miss him. Now,” I point at Nine whom Eight is sizing up already, “you might remember this guy as a lifeless pile of chitin, but now he’s Nine, and he’s ours. Seemingly without complaints.”

”Triple or even a quadruple digit warrior,” she circles around him, ”However, the fact that he has his own mane AND additional belly plating is super off. On top of that, he survived those kind of wounds while nearly starved to death. Tenacious, if nothing else.”

“Big, too.”

”It’s not about size, my King, it’s about how we use him.”

“Which brings us directly to you. Can you make something out of him?”

She pokes Nine, who remains standing still.

”A good flower pot,” she answers dismissively.

I roll my eyes.

“The more self-sufficient you make him, the more time he’ll spend on patrols and leave you with spare time.”

”Hmmm… so he’ll be the watchdog, and I’ll be your bodyguard. Personal bodyguard… one for you to do with as you please,” she suddenly beams, drooling a little, ”Alright, my King. Two pets in one day? Lucky me, but you do know what I really want, don’t you?”

Yeah, I do. To be honest, you deserve it for being by my side throughout everything.

Pushing myself into Eight’s head, I look out of her eyes at myself advancing towards her and saying:

“Kneel before your King.”

She hesitates, not believing what’s happening, so I force her. Her disbelief completely melts in comfort and warmth.

Wrapping her mane around my foreleg, I tug upwards, and kiss her.

Well... put our lips together, and mash them a bit.

The illusion breaks, and so does my horrible attempt at kissing.

“Sorry, that’s about as much as I know how to do,” I lean away as Eight stands back up, smile on her muzzle and her eyes wet a little. I don’t sense anything negative from her, though, “All my short life I thought you high ranks were complete assholes… and most of you were, to be honest, but I’m starting to think it was because Chrysalis made you fend for yourselves, made you fight each other just to barely scrape by. You and everyone else around me are… unique, but not bad at all. It makes me want to support you and see where it leads, even if it bites me in the ass eventually.”

Eight takes a forceful step forward, making me back off.

Another one.

Another one.

I stumble, and fall backwards on the throne where she leans so close to me that I feel her hot and heavy breath on my nose.

”I’ll be more than happy if I end up as a hole for you, ass or any other.”

Our mental link shifts again. In response, I reflexively try to move her hoof, and in surprise I realize it’s as easy as if I was moving mine. I can control her without any effort despite her power. She climbs atop my on the throne, plopping her wide behind into my lap.

”If you’re afraid your stup- kindness will bite you in the ass, then I’ll just have to kick the teeth out of anyone who wants to abuse it. You’re my king, my owner, and now a part of me. I am your body, you are my mind.”

She kisses me this time. She knows how to do it properly.

I feel my love well up, building along with hers. It’s as all that energy resonating between us could break me apart, but it never does. The kiss ends with both of us brimming with love.

Eight looks at Nine.

”Leave, both of you. Nine, keep an eye on him.”

With a nod, Nine tugs on the leash around the pony’s neck. When they’re gone, Eight runs her foreleg from my neck down to my underbelly. My body knows what she wants, I know what she wants, and this time I’m not too scared to do anything…

...I hope.

She licks my nose.

”Finally alone,” she whispers.

We, two broken changelings and the broken throne, finally form something complete.

***

”King, we’ve got a… curious situation.”

Without bothering to use my own body, I link up with Eight immediately. She’s currently crouched down in a bush somewhere in the forest outside, her chitin dark green with brown streaks, and watching what looks like a group of armed ponies in weird clothes.

There are five of them. A brown, green-maned earthpony wearing a leather vest, heavy iron horseshoes, a wood and leather helmet, and with a round wooden shield fastened to his foreleg. A blue pegasus with light grey mane wearing nothing other than a belt with three knives on it which look like some from Truncheon’s kitchen. A second earthpony, this one brown too, but with chocolate mane, and looking more muscular than the one in the front, as well as carrying a genuinely dangerous axe. Not one like the paladins had, though. This one is simple, with only one of the choppy bits. The last two members are unicorns. The grey, blue-maned stallion is clearly a wizard, judging by his white beard, a long stick with symbols carved into it, and a blue cape with stars sewn on it. Hmm… when do ponies grow beards? They all look pretty young. Wait, do beards come with wires holding them in place? Nevermind, a wizard is a wizard. I shouldn’t underestimate them. The final pony, a unicorn mare, is the only mare of the group. She’s wearing a gold coronet, and a see-through white corset with thin ribbons hanging from it, and getting stuck in the bushes with her every nervous step.

Damn it, did we get discovered already, Eight?

”Seems so. It looks like the rumor about an artefact in the old castle worked well enough.”

Too well...

”Hmm? What do you mean, King?”

They have TWO wizards, a big guy with a big axe-

”That’s a woodcutter’s axe, not a battleaxe. Horrible balance. He swings that thing once before I take it from him and shove it up his plot.”

Well, if he hits you-

”He won’t.”

Alright, I’m not going to argue about specifics of a one-on-one combat with a warrior wearing a necklace of rogue changeling horns.

Alright, I guess you can deal with the earthponies just fine, but what about the others? There’s a pegasus with knives. He can fly!

That sounded way smarter before I said it.

”Uhh, so can I? Plus, those are kitchen knives. Unless he hits me in the eye, those won’t even scratch me, and even then I wouldn’t sure… although… maybe he was cutting onions before...”

Alright, fine, okay… but two unicorns? Magic isn’t your strong side as far as I know. That guy’s staff has SIGILS on it! It could curse you so that your chitin rots, or that you go blind, or-

”Or those are griffon characters meaning ‘Fried chicken of three flavours’.”

Wait, what?

”That’s why I said this was a curious situation instead telling you to pack your lovely butt, grab Three by his ears, get out, and leave Nine as bait. These guys are YOUNG, barely twenty, which is very little in pony years, and unless I’m missing something crucial which I doubt, they aren’t exactly a threat. To Three, Four, or Ten, maybe. Nine and you, there’s always a chance since there are five of them. One and me? Not in a million years. If you want, I can just shapeshift into some brigand and knock them out, but I think they could be a good assessment of our trap. ”

If you’re so sure they’re harmless...

”I’m more than open to physical punishment if I’m wrong, my King. Spanking, preferrably. Choking’s good too, specifically on your royal scepter.”

I swear I can feel my unconscious body facehoof on its own.

Fine, let’s see where this goes.

40: Three's little adventure.

It’s been a long time since I could say this, and I hope I won’t jinx it by saying it out loud:

“Things are… stable,” I breathe out, curled up on the underground throne of the ruined castle, wrapped in some ancient tapestry depicting princess Luna.

A quick look from side to side reveals that my poor choice of words haven’t cause the sky to fall down on me… yet.

We’ve got enough love, and I’m not even counting lust anymore, because if there’s one thing my infiltrators seem to be good at getting, it’s that. Normally, I would even consider releasing some energy into the insatiable emptiness of the hive mind, but no. They are the enemy. I can’t appease them, especially if Eight killing one of the royal memories was real. I doubt it would be that easy, though.

No, we’ll need all the strength we can get if we’re to escape or fight when someone eventually finds us, or to resist the ancient rulers. That also means that I need to deal with the crippling headache which has been assaulting me for three days now. It took me a while to realize what’s wrong, and I think I’ve got it.

I haven’t slept at all.

Every time I wanted to, something was going on, someone was doing something important, and I was simply too curious or worried to let them be on their own. Now, I believe, I need to let my mind rest as much as my body has been. I need real sleep.

Alright, one final check-up.

One.

”I quite like this ‘Ponyville’. A quiet, simple town with lots of friendly folk,” she says, and takes a sip of something brown and smelling of lemons in a cup. A chubby blue earthpony mare with pink mane tied into a bun turns away from her table and walks behind a counter of some very colourful… shop. One licks her lips, watching the mare’s expansive backside jiggle with each step.

”Submissive, mother, loves her husband to death, but isn’t exactly satisfied, King. I think I’ll go for a bit thicker pillow tonight. If they’re receptive enough, maybe I’ll have fun with both of them.”

”Sorry to bother you, One. Just checking up on everyone before I go to bed. The headache is killing me.”

”Want me to come over and kiss the boo boo better? Kiss, lick, bite, suck… and a lot more...”

”Right now I just need real sleep, I think.”

”Too bad,” she shrugs, ”but you’d better say yes soon, or I’m taking you whether you want it or not. In the beginning, of course. When I start applying my… charm there’s no way you won’t want more.”

”Heh, I’ll look forward to it, One. Goodnight.”

”Night, King of hearts.”

I’m tempted to let her prove she’s as good as she keeps announcing, but for some reason I feel as if I should talk it over with Eight first. What will One do if she says no? What will I do if she says yes?

What will we do if she says she wants to join?

Ehm, nevermind. Four, what’s Four up to?

”Hello, boss,” her greeting echoes through my mind as soon as I tap into her. She’s getting really good under One’s supervision. Thankfully, without the constant seduction… yet.

Currently, she’s sitting in a sandbox and helping several foals build some structure. Oh, great…

There’s a sand house nearby, a rather well done sand castle, and what’s growing under Four’s hooves is a pile of sand full of holes. Well, I doubt the ponies will recognize a changeling hive anyway. Those who came into it never left.

”Heya, Four. How’s it going?”

”It’s alright. One’s in the Sugarcube Corner, Ten is trying to seduce some noblemare, and I’m playing here with foals. My cover story is that I’m a schoolteacher from Fillydelphia, and that I’m looking for a calmer place to stay. Oh, and tonight I’ll be bringing some love from the local teacher. She loves foals a bit too much, if you know what I mean, but genuinely. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt them, though, and when I met her yesterday after work she was a bit drunk and said I looked ‘barely legal but in the good way’.”

”So, no problems to report? No paladins sniffing around, no guards?”

”Nope! Great small town, really nice ponies. Reminds me of Wet Soil in a way, only bigger. I like it here.”

”Alright, have a nice day, Four. I’m going to bed.”

”Goodnight, boss.”

Do I even want to check on Ten? Yes, just in case.

“Are you saying that frilly flaps around the buttons is the latest Canterlot craze?” I hear a rather annoying, but very excited, high-pitched female voice.

”Definitely. Last time I saw lady Bronzeheart at the ball right before… you know what happened, she said the trend was just arriving from the Griffon Empire, and was here in Equestria to stay.”

“Oh my, really?” a white unicorn mare with purple mane and tail styled into a curl looks absolutely smitten with Ten’s story, “I’ll have to design an experimental piece, and I’ve got JUST THE RIGHT IDEA!” pieces of fabric start flying all over the room, “Mind helping me model it? The basic design will be-”

”No problem, no problem at all,” Ten remains unheard over the mare’s excited technical fashion-related droning.

”Any problems, King?”

”Not on my end, no. Four told me you were going after your usual nobility targets.”

”Learning from the great One, and still incorrect. Tsk, tsk,” Ten’s eyes narrow as he watches the unicorn rush around, ”I must admit, nobility kind of lost its… flavour.”

”How come? Ten, are you sick?”

”In a way, King. You see… I was there with princess Celestia herself. I saw her beauty… I… touched her. Even when she saw I was a changeling, even after the invasion, she didn’t… hate me. All her caring eyes showed was that she wanted to help me. King, I saw the ultimate beauty, and I was found wanting. Other nobles, every mare I’ve ever been with, might as well be dust under princess Celestia’s hooves. Once this is over, once I’ve become a better changeling… I must seek her out again, no matter what happens to me. ”

”Ten...”

Then it hits me. I understand him completely. For me, though, it wasn’t the beauty of some mare, but the wonder in Three’s eyes as he saw the sky outside the hive for the first time, Four’s first unsteady steps and her giggling whenever she loses balance and falls, Eight’s…

...just Eight.

”You’re a good changeling, Ten.”

”Not good enough, King,” he chuckles to himself, ”No, this mare isn’t just any conquest. Her name is Rarity, and she’s the element of Harmony, one of Equestria’s best… protectors, assassins… one of the greatest threats. For us, she could be the perfect bargaining chip. If you’re worried about food, King, I’ve got a meeting scheduled with the local Mayor. She’s a mature earthpony mare who looks like she’s all work and no fun, but when she lets herself go, she’ll do anything. Granted, right now all I’m getting from her are tons of lust, but she’s opening up to me.”

”Good luck, Ten, and don’t push yourself too hard. If this unicorn is as much of a threat as she’s supposed to be, there’s no reason to go for risky moves. We’re in alright shape right now.”

”Don’t worry, King. I don’t intend to do anything violent unless it’s the only remaining option. I’d have hard time explaining it to the princess eventually, after all.”

Alright, so what’s Eight up to?

Grasping the upper jaw of some maw looking as if it was made of wood, Eight pulls, and with crunching of dry branches and a hail of splinters, she rips the muzzle in half. The wolf-like creature she’s fighting turns into lifeless wood, crumbling on the forest floor.

There are three more piles surrounding her, which she observes with a bloodthirsty grin.

Dead timberwolves.

”Nine, you done?”

The bigger, bulky changeling warrior punches another one. His chitin is scarred, and I can see green blood seeping through some smaller cracks. He doesn’t let his wounds slow him as he rams into the stunned timberwolf, his sheer weight making the creature spin in the air and land on its back. With a flicker of green fire, Nine’s carapace grows lighter and he jumps onto the timberwolf’s ‘belly’. Another green flash, and Nine’s suddenly heavy and hard hoof crushes its head.

The changeling is gasping for breath, but a faint smile on his muzzle reveals the small touch of pride I can sense from him.

”Not bad for a pile of chitin. Hundred years from now, you might even do more than LOOK scary,” Eight’s harsh remark is lightened by her look clearly giving Nine praise.

”Doing what little I can to serve the hive, miss Eight,” Nine nods.

”Any problems, Eight?”

Eight glances at the piles of wood, kicking a branch at random.

”Just making sure Nine is more than just eye candy. One’s got a huuuge head start on me with Four, but I’m gonna make this guy a force to be reckoned with. That, or he’ll die trying!”

I know her well enough by now to know she wouldn’t just leave him if she needed a distraction to do something more important. On the other hole, that’s exactly what she wanted to do in Canterlot, and would have done if I didn’t tell her Four was in danger.

No, she wouldn’t do it. If she wasn’t invested in this, she wouldn’t bother training Nine, and she’d just let him stand guard at the castle.

”How is he, other than big and scary looking?”

”Weak. Classic low-class warrior suited for overpowering civilians, but I doubt he’d hold his own against an experienced guard, not to mention special task force like the paladins. He’s learning the basics, though. In-combat transformations, localized armor strengthening, finding vulnerabilities in unusual enemies, how not to waste energy basically. He’s not exactly flexible and suited for my style of combat, but he’s strong like a minotaur if he needs to be, and his real talent seems to be in taking blows. I swear that he-”

The piles of wood start glowing with eerie green shimmer. Suddenly hovering, they all float together and start reforming into a much larger wolf.

”We might have a problem,” Nine’s chitin toughens up again.

”The neighponies have the same expression for a problem and an opportunity. And this is your opportunity not to get eaten. Now chop chop, literally.”

”For the hive!” Nine charges the massive timberwolf.

Eh, they’ll be okay.

Three, what is Three doing?

The drone is standing in front of the throne, staring at me, his forelegs quietly tapping the floor.

“Hah?!” I sit up, opening my eyes.

”Sorry, boss. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“What’s wrong?”

”Nothing… nothing...”

“I’m listening.”

”Well… can I go outside?”

“Sure. Should I call Eight to go with you or something?”

”No, no. I mean, miss Eight is nice and all, but I’d like to go to the Horsietown and see ponies for myself. I didn’t get to talk to anypony in Canterlot, and I’d like to see if ponies around here are as nice as they were in Wet Soil. Miss Three Hugger seemed friendly enough.”

Well, I’ve got three changelings working in Ponyville now, and recently Eight had to go deeper into the forest to find any possible victim- threats. The problem is that I desperately need to sleep, and I won’t be able to hear Three and call for help if something happens.

I trust everyone else. Do I not trust him to take care of himself?

And here’s the truth. No, I don’t. The thing is, Four learned quickly, and Three’s been tagging along with Eight whenever possible. I would be scared outside, Three might not. He might do a lot better job than I would.

“Alright, Three, just be careful. I won’t be able to hear you and call anyone. The forest should be clear from here to the edge, and if you need help in Ponyville, One, Four, and Ten are there. You can sense them up close, right?”

”Mhm,” he nods.

“Then you’re free to go.”

”Thanks, boss!” he beams, nuzzles my hoof hanging from the throne, and gallops off.

I should stay awake longer, keep watch inside his head just i case-

NO, STOP! He. Can. Handle. It.

I need to sleep.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Goodnight.

***

Three, blue eyes bright as usual, trots out of the castle, No, not via the main gate, but rather through a small tunnel he found some time earlier which leads him to the surface so far away that the castle isn’t even visible. He stops, tilts his head, and looks around.

“Uhh, which way to Horsietown?” Three pouts, taps his hooves, and thinks, “Ah hah! These should be working now, right?”

His wings buzz experimentally. He hasn’t flown before, considering his wings regenerated recently, but changelings normally learned that quickly. Adding a bit more power to his… flapping, Three gradually lifts himself off the ground, smiling despite there being no one to see him.

“I gotta show boss when he wakes up!”

Now, the goal is to fly above the trees and see which way to the edge of the forest. He could try going by memory, but on their way to the castle Three was exhausted, hungry, and miss One was leading the way because it was dark, so he doesn’t remember that much.

Attempting to fly forward, one of Three’s wings misses a beat, tossing the changeling through the air into the nearest tree where he bounces off of the trunk and drops like a rock. Unharmed from the fall thanks to his chitin, Three shakes his head, dizzy.

“Alright, do I try again, or do I walk?”

Chill runs down Three’s chitin, as he hears a deep, melodic voice:

“Who is this strange creature that I see, sitting here and talking to a tree?”

Three turns his head to its source, and jumps on all fours when he spots a grey pony with black stripes, and aqua eyes. It’s a mare wearing some yellow rings around her neck and fetlocks, as well as a brown bag on a belt hugging her waist. She’s also armed with a stick, but the curious look in her eyes doesn’t give Three the impression that she’s about to attack.

She speaks funny, too. Bad guys don’t usually bother rhyming, right?

Three used to want to be an infiltrator before realizing how much he enjoys being underground, and now is his chance to dust off everything he learned from miss Eight in Wet Soil.

Recalling miss Eight’s description, Three arrives to the conclusion that this is the pony who lives in the forest, which means she might not know what happened in Canterlot, or at least how changelings look. That means that unless he changes in front of her, she won’t know he’s a changeling. Genius!

He waves his forelegs.

“Bzz bzz, I’m a fly.”

Perfect!

One corner of the mare’s mouth twitches.

“You sure can walk the walk, but flies definitely cannot talk.”

Plan B! Or continue plan A? Keep infiltrating, Three, keep infiltrating.

“My name is Three,” he says, “which means I’m three times smarter than a fly and because of that I can talk,” he stretches out his foreleg in greeting.

The mare blinks, carefully walking forward and shaking it.

“What, if I may ask, are you doing here, Three? This forest is a place where many beasts roam free.”

“I’m a bit lost. I want to go to Horsietown, but I got turned around and don’t know where the edge of the forest is. You said you lived here, do you know where to go?” Three giggles, “Hey, I’m all rhymey too now!”

“Horsie- you mean Ponyville?” the mare stops, frowning, “Guiding you is… indeed within my… skill. Phew,” she wipes her forehead, “My name is Zecora, and I know all local fauna and flora. Come with me, and the forest’s end you’ll soon see.”

Nodding, Three follows Zecora through the forest, trying to float again from time to time. The trees don’t make it easy. On the other hole, him being a step or two behind allows him to take a clearer look at the striped pony from all sides, and he comes to a strange conclusion.

Zecora looks a little like miss Eight. Her barrel is thicker than miss One’s, taking into account their different sizes, but lean and with easily visible muscles, her backside is really big but strong too, and her legs toned as well, which shows in the fact that unlike Three she doesn’t stumble whenever she steps into an unexpected hole. Plus her smile is really nice. Boss likes miss Eight, maybe he’d like miss Zecora too.

As the forest growth gets thinner, Three can’t help but ask:

“Are you going to Hors- Ponyville too, miss Zecora?”

She shakes her head.

“What I want is a flower that grows near, a blue plant other shamans fear. Any contact with it is a threat, its advantages, though, are worth a bit of dread.”

“Oooh, can I see?”

Zecora shrugs, and changes her course. Soon, the two arrive at a clearing filled with blooming blue flowers with short stalk and wide petals. The plants in the center of the clearing look bigger and more… ripe than the ones further from it.

“What now?” Three tries to pick the nearest flower, but stops when Zecora shakes her head.

“Poison joke affects strangely those who enter, yet I need to get the grown flowers from the center. The ground isn’t dangerous as such, I just need to be careful what I touch.”

Three’s eyes dart from Zecora to the bigger plants, then back. Wait, he can help! That way he’ll repay the nice mare for leading him here, AND she might want to see the boss as a friend later.

“Hey, miss Zecora, I can fly there and pick the poison joke for you,” without waiting for an answer, Three’s wings buzz again, and he slowly floats towards the thicker central growth, “Are any of these okay?”

Zecora nods, and Three begins plucking poison joke wherever he can reach, stacking the stalks into a hole in his foreleg. When he’s got a full bouquet in there, he carefully flies back to Zecora. Unfortunately, as he’s near the edge of the clearing, something tickles his nose, he sneezes, and his traitorous wings freeze up, dropping him into the blue field. He quickly scrambles back on all fours, and darts out.

Phew, nothing emerged to bite him, which means he’s okay. Three lets out a sigh of relief, presenting the blue flowers to Zecora who with utmost care grabs the stalks and shoves the harvested poison joke inside her bag.

“Are you okay, chan- little fly? Not suddenly feeling worse or strangely better?” Zecora pats his head, examining him from all angles, “I’m not gonna lie, unwanted contact with poison joke is no laughing matter.”

Three pokes his chest. Chitin okay, not feeling weak, love level absolutely fine.

“I’m alright, miss Zecora. This is the least I can do for you showing me the way out.”

The mare pats Three’s head.

“Then I must head off, as my house is in the forest deep, and these plants definitely well do not keep.”

“Bye!” Three waves at Zecora who waves back and trots off, “Nice lady,” he adds to himself, resuming his walk through the gradually brighter forest. Eventually, he’s outside where morning sun greets him, and behind fields covering the flatland everywhere the eye can see lies Three’s target - Ponyville.

In a burst of green fire, Three’s gone, his place taken by good old light blue, brown-maned little Glowstick.

***

Glowstick draws little to no looks from ponies roaming Ponyville streets, while he himself is interested in everything. Some ponies find it flattering, some act indifferent, and a moment ago a vendor selling some kind of yellow flowers gave him one. It wasn’t of much use, but it looked pretty, and the friendly mare’s smile tasted delicious.

“OMIGOSH!” an overly excited voice startles Three, followed by a pink mare with poofy mane appearing out of nowhere with some sort of a tube on wheels aimed at him, “YOUMUSTBENEWHERE-”

Three hiccups, then again. His leg twitches, shapeshifting into a tentacle which spins the tube around as he raises it to cover his mouth, and then turns back into a pony leg immediately.

*Boom!*

Colourful pieces of paper blast the pink mare’s face taking breath for more excited yammering, somehow coming out of her ears.

“Oops, sorry, miss,” Three looks at his forelegs with suspicion.

Oh no, he’s just attacked an earthpony with everyone else watching. He can say sorry a lot more later. Now he’ll be under suspicion and then they’ll all look at him closely, examine him and they’ll find out he’s a changeling and then the paladins will come for him again and and and-

Half-locked in his imagination, and half-watching in horror as the many-colored fragments floating in the air drop on the stunned sitting mare one by one.

Three darts off as fast as he can. Unfortunately, Ponyville streets are nothing like Canterlot, full of dark alleys where a changeling can hide. These are wide open, every house has at least a small lawn in front of it- AH HAH!

There’s an area with fence made of bushes sculpted like a wall. Three jumps over it, curls into a ball in the corner-

*Hic!*

-and the corner is suddenly decorated with a fresh bush only slightly taller than the wall.

A moment later, Three’s horror from the unexpected transformation only grows as he feels something inside him where nothing has been before and by all rights should not be.

The pink mare’s head slowly surfaces from the new bush’s thick growth, watching the street with narrow eyes. Where she got a khaki explorer's helmet in the meantime is beyond Three’s understanding.

“Hmmm...” she frowns in suspicion, crawling out of the branches seemingly intent on getting her away. When she starts walking away, her hind leg twitches, then her ears flop, followed by some sort of horrible spasm likely inconsistent with life which by no means stops the mare, “Nose scratch, left hind leg twitch, ear flop… twice, fetlocks rotate, right buttcheek squish, and barrel roll while standing still. That either means a friendly changeling disguised as a hiccuping bush or I’ve overdone it with sugar-” she mutters.

The branches on the incriminated bush slam against the mouth the bush definitely doesn’t have. The pink pony raises an eyebrow, hearing the sudden rustle.

“-but changelings here in Ponyville, with what princess Cadance did to them? And everypony knows there are no friendly ones. Although… I heard princess Luna had some super secret dealings in Canterlot recently… hmmm...”

With one final look around, the pink mare walks away, now with a definite lurking feel to her step.

“I, and only I… am the hide and seek champion of this town… nopony will outhide me.”

The bush breathes out in relief somehow-

*Hic!*

-and catches on green fire which harmlessly burns away as Three manages to stay in control of his definitely unwanted transformation this time.

“Whoah,” unfortunately, Three’s been spotted, “A burning bush. Now there’s either a horrible pervy joke behind this, some material for an even worse fantasy book, or the latest Zecora’s stash is laced with something seriously illegal.”

*Hic!*

“Celestia’s sweltering balls, a shapeshifting, hiccuping bush. Zecora, if I wanted shrooms, I would have asked for them- wait wait wait, it’s the little bugsy from the castle,” real Three suddenly stares into the slightly unfocused eyes of the familiar medusa pony peeking over the real live fence.

“Hello, it’s me, miss Three Hugger,” he waves at her, speaking quietly, “Umm, can you help me? I think the piece of my head that makes me change shape is mad at me.”

Tree Hugger scratches him behind the ear, turning her head around to see if anypony can see her, then jumps over the hedge.

“Wow, I remember you having holes in your legs, but blue spots? That’s new. Well, I can’t exactly recall too much, but...”

“Spots? What spo- AAH!” Three raises his black foreleg suddenly covered with bright blue dots, “Is it chitin rot, lust overdose, LOVE overdose, too much time underground, I’ve been stung by a Badlands scorpion at some point, right? I’ve seen drones melt from that! Waaaaaaaah!” suddenly sobbing Three hugs the green, dreaded- no, dreadlocked mare.

“Shh shh shh,” Tree Hugger pats his head comfortingly, “This looks like poison joke reaction. I got caught by those things once before on my way from Zecora’s and it made me sober for a week no matter what I did,” she shudders, “Horrible time. Did you by any chance walk through some blue flowers on the way here?”

*Hic!*

Tree Hugger is suddenly patting a quietly weeping cardboard box.

“Oh geez, that’s a box, Tree Hugger. Last time you were this baked, you started a bonfire in the middle of Ponyville and burned some branches from Twilight’s library,” yells a blue pegasus floating past lazily on a cloud above.

“Yeah yeah, miss twenty percent more coke,” Tree Hugger mutters to herself, “All-natural performance my ass,” out loud she just calls out, “You’re so funny, Rainbow Dash,” and adds, once again only to herself, “And I remember you getting dragged into the slammer for the night after slobbering all over Roseluck that evening.”

She waits until the pegasus is long way away, all while rubbing the box with her hoof.

“You still there, Three? I’m not really talking to a box, am I?”

“It’s still me, miss Hugger.”

*Hic!*

“Oof! Good to know the green fire doesn’t actually burn,” surprised Tree Hugger pulls her hoof away from once again real Three, “Kinda tickles, actually. Anyway, if it’s really a poison joke reaction then you need to go to the hospital. They know how to treat it… for ponies.”

“But they’ll see me like this!”

Tree Hugger frowns.

“Can’t you change back into a colt?”

“I can, but it can change me at any p-”

*Hic!*

Aaand Tree Hugger is now talking to a potted plant.

“Well, at least you’re easy to carry,” she puts potted Three on her back, “Try not to change into something really heavy next, I’m the… herbalist kind of earthpony, not the hauling kind.”

“I’ll do my- hnnngh!” the plant focuses, and nothing happens, “uh oh… I can’t change back.”

“Then the sooner we treat this the better. Off we go,” Tree Hugger trots off with urgency rarely associated with the chill pony.

Ponyville hospital isn’t far. Actually, considering the size of the town nothing is usually too far from anywhere. Anyway, some twenty minutes later, plus transformations into a chair, a cactus, and a fetching black saddlebag that would make Rarity’s eyes water with jealousy, Three’s sitting on a metal table with Tree Hugger watching while a new, still sleepy, white pony with pink mane and a red cross cutie mark is examining him carefully.

“Tree Hugger, you called me before my morning coffee for this?” the white mare gives Tree Hugger an exhausted, venomous stare.

Unfortunately, Three’s current form is that of a larger brick. Granted, it’s covered with blue spots, but still a brick.

“It’s a cha- pony, Reddy. He only looks like this because of poison joke. Can you fix him?”

‘Reddy’ sighs.

“Look, if this is some sort of prank like with Pinkie Pie’s special cookies, this time I’m gonna report you-” she stops, green hoof in her mouth.

“Shhh...” Tree Hugger leans closer, “You know how to treat poison joke sickness, you’ve done it to me before. If it’s really just a brick, I swear I’ll lay off all… fun substances for a month, plus no talking about chakras.”

“Alright, alright,” Reddy shakes her head, “I’ll go get the cure while you prep the bath,” she sniffs the air, “Maybe for yourself too.”

“My natural scent is the expression of my free spirit. I’ll take a dip in the lake later or something.”

“Your ‘free spirit’ is sending my patients to sleep. You’re getting a bath too!”

“NNNNEEEEEIGH!” Tree Hugger whinnies in protest.

“Get over here!” Reddy advances at her.

“You’re in this one on your own, little buddy!” Tree Hugger calls out to the brick in question, darting out of the emergency room.

“You little- uh, nevermind,” Reddy rolls her eyes, and taps the patient, “If you’re a real brick, I swear the hippocratic oath won’t stop me from breaking something.”

*Hic!*

Just as Three thought things couldn’t get any worse, his next hiccup turns him back into a changeling, now more blue than black.

“I’m not, miss Reddy,” he mumbles, head hung low.

“This… this is because of- of the p-p-poison joke too, r-right?” the mare backs slowly away.

Infiltrate, Three, infiltrate!

“...bzz ...bzz ...Imma fly...” he says weakly. So many transformations in such a short time, plus the fatigue from the illness finally catching up to him.

“Oh dear, I’m nurse Redheart, and-” the earthpony’s professional attitude shines through her fear, and she pats Three. After putting a glove on, of course. Three nuzzles it, hiccups, and Redheart pulls her foreleg out of a fresh pile of jungle vines, “-and I should really go get the cure immediately. Stay here on the table, and don’t move! That way I’ll recognize you no matter what you turn into when I get back. We don’t have a batch of the remedy in storage, but princess Celestia’s protege Twilight Sparkle knows how to make it.”

The nurse rushes out of the room. Three closes his eyes which the vines don’t have but still somehow allow him to see.

The door opens again, letting in three fillies wearing oversized white coats. The pile of vines hiccups, transforming into Glowstick.

“Hey, girls! It’s a real colt and he’s actually sick. Let’s have a look at him,” the leading doctor, a red-maned yellow filly, hobbles towards Three as the other two pull up a chair so that she can get onto the table.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders diagnostics team!” the three yell in unison, their happy voices dominated by a high-pitched one belonging to a white unicorn doctor with white and violet mane.

The third one, an orange pegasus doctor with purple mane carrying a walking stick for some reason circles around Three, rubs her chin, thinks for a while, then triumphantly jumps off of the table, the other two following.

“It’s lupus!” she announces.

The other two gasp before huddling together for a hushed conversation.

Three hiccups, and disappears completely.

“...gotta go, gotta go, gotta go...” he whispers to himself, trying to focus. The three doctors are so engrossed in their exchange that they don’t notice the door opening on its own and their disappeared patient.

“...gotta find miss One. This has all gone so wrong...” invisible Three plods through Ponyville, following the faint trail of a mind link. The only two positives of the situation are him being completely see-through, and the fresh air slowly clearing his head. Being around Tree Hugger and then at the weirdly smelling hospital definitely played a part in his dizziness, “The princess might be nice to ponies, but even her prosthesis probably won’t like changelings now.”

After several minutes of walking, Three freezes, hoping against all hope that he doesn’t hiccup again soon.

The pink mare he accidentally stunned earlier is passing by, now wearing a tall khaki hat, glasses, and a pipe. Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to be smoking anything. Three’s had enough of strange scents for one day.

The mare twitches again.

“Ear pop, mane standing on end, tail spinning, spine chill, left hind leg kicking towards northwest on its own...” she thinks for a moment, then narrows her eyes, “An invisible newcomer to Ponyville I have yet to throw a party for about a yard to my right and scared to his horseshoes!” with a bright smile, she jumps straight at Three, her forelegs clamping around his neck, “Gotcha!”

*Hic!*

Glowstick finds herself in the pink mare’s crushing embrace which lets up as soon as his invisibility ends. It was nice being able to do the trick miss One uses a lot, even if on accident.

“Hello,” Three looks at the ground, “I’m really sorry for hurting you when you startled me before. I swear it was an accident-” he realizes he’s licking a pink hoof all of a sudden.

“You just stunned me a bit, little guy. I haven’t seen you around here before. What’s your name?”

“Glowstck, I’m new here.”

“Well, Glowstick, it’s my job and absolute pleasure to welcome you to Ponyville, and as for everypony else, I want to throw you a party.”

“What, really?” Three raises an eyebrow, then beams brightly, “You mean you’re not mad at me?”

“Of course not, silly!” she pokes his nose, “Now, since we’ve had this misunderstanding and I scared you before, I think we need to combine the ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party with ‘I am super sorry for startling you’ part and have the biggest party of this week! EVERYPONY will be there.”

Uhh, all ponies around a changeling who can’t control his shapeshifting? Infiltrate, Three, infiltrate.

“Bzz, bzz- wait, not this time,” he shakes his head, “I’m not sure a big party like that would be the best idea, miss-”

“Pinkie Pie.”

“-Pinkie. I… I’d really like to get to know everyon- everypony, but a party would be a bit too overwhelming and-” Three stops as Pinkie’s normally poofy mane slowly goes flat like a deflated balloon, “-or… maybe just a small one with only few ponies?”

“DEAL!” she immediately hugs him again, “I gotta go get everything ready. See you at the Sugarcube Corner at eight,” she gallops away, “Your mom and dad are invited too, of cooooourse!”

“Where’s… nevermind,” Three stops, seeing that he’s talking to no one.

Now he can finally find miss One and go home. She’ll know what to do with the poison joke thingy, and- wait, he can’t! He made a promise to a pony, and now he has to keep it, otherwise he would sab- sabot- sa-bo-ta-ge any future attempts at talking.

Three pushes out his chest welling with newfound determination. For the alliance between Ponyville ponies and the boss!

*Hic!*

A new plain rock with a signpost sticking from it is suddenly standing in the middle of the street.

Or maybe a bit of rest would do him good too.

The signpost closes the eyes it doesn’t have, and yawns.

***

When Three wakes up in his inanimate form, he’s standing by the side of the road, not far from where he fell asleep.

On reflex, he changes back into Glowstick, then realizes what he’s just done.

“Eeee! I’m okay,” he notices more blue spots in his coat, “Uhh… or maybe not. Oh no… it’s dark already,” he starts trotting towards where the buildings seem more numerous to find any pony.

After asking some hurried questions, Three gets directions to a building looking like an oversized cupcake crossed with an ice cream cone. The lights are on inside, and there are multiple ponies visible through the windows. One quick knock later, Three’s ushered inside by a big blue earthpony mare with pink mane greeting him.

“Hey there, little one. You’re the guest Pinkie’s been talking about. What’s your name? I’m Cup Cake.”

“Glowstick, miss,” Three looks around at the bright decorations, generally various pieces of colorful paper glued or tied to the walls or the ceiling. Sadly, far too few in dark green and black. Those would really make him feel at home here.

“Are your parents coming? We’ve got enough place and sweets for everypony,” Cup Cake presents an actual cupcake to Three who sniffs it, then nuzzles the mare’s foreleg. To his surprise, she grabs him, and puts him on her back. She smells sweet, even her back is padded and warm, so Three just lies down on her and watches her walk around the shop, add some final finishing touches to the decorations, and pull out more cupcakes from some hot metal boxes.

“I don’t know. I kinda fell asleep after I met miss Pinkie and when I woke up it was dark already so I rushed here,” Three shifts on Cup Cake’s back, “You’re so soft...”

“Awww… don’t worry, Pinkie’s parties are famous, even small ones like this. Somepony is bound to tell them there’s one tonight. If not, I’ll walk you home afterwards if you want. Where are you from?”

An egg? No.

Changeling hive? Definitely not.

East…? Yeah, I went west from the castle. Nonono, the forest is supposedly scary and I can’t tell them we live in the old castle.

HAH! Got it.

“Canterlot, miss. We’ve recently moved here.”

“Oooh, fancy. I can understand you, though. Even the princess’ personal student lives here these days. Aside from the tourists, Ponyville is a great place to relax compared to the bustle of big city. Do you like it here?”

“Definitely! You ponies are really nice compared to some I’ve met before.”

“Bad experience with city folk?”

“Mhm, they broke into our- the house we lived in… and...” Three frowns.

“Bad memories, I understand. Well, Ponyville is a simple town. If you’re nice to ponies, they will be nice to you-”

The doorbell jingles.

“-well, you’ll learn for yourself soon. It’s eight, and the first guests must be here,” Three rides Cup Cake out of the kitchen, and spots several ponies already sitting around the tables in the main room. They look at Three who gives them a careful wave.

The bell above the door clinks again, this time letting in-

Three’s mental links flare up.

-One and Four.

Three perks up, jumping down from Cup Cake and rushing to miss One currently wearing a completely new transformation.

”Miss One, princess’ prostate is looking for me, because I’m all spotty, but that’s okay. Will you be my mommy tonight?”

One completely freezes, her mind resetting to factory settings. Three could swear he’s just heard some sort of cheerful jingle come from inside her.

”I’ve never done it with a drone yet, but it might be good practice,” she answers on reflex, ”Sure I can be your mommy for tonight, honey,” One leans down, nuzzling Three’s neck.

“Oh, you’re Glowstick’s mother, miss-?” Cup Cake walks over.

“Honeypot,” One gives the chubby mare a quick bow before pointing to Four, “And this is Mix, his sister.”

“Oooh, both unicorn and an earthpony foals, you and your husband must be lucky. If we knew there were two of you we definitely would have planned a bigger party, but Glowstick wanted something a little less over the top like Pinkie does most times.”

“Oh?” One looks at Three, “You wanted a party, did you?”

”The pink pony ambushed me and wanted to throw me a huge one in the center of Ponyville. I talked her out of it, totally infiltrating this place.”

“I tried to tell you, but-”

*Hic!*

Three shapeshifts into a stone pillar complete with a bird bath, much to the shock of everyone around.

”What the hole? Four, get ready to grab Three. I’ll start blasting brains in a minute.”

“Wait wait wait,” the talking stone ornament eases One’s combat pose a little, “I was at the hospital where miss Redheart told me I had something connected with poison joke, a blue flower growing on the edge of the forest. I helped some stripey grey pony lady pick it up, but I fell into them. I transform whenever I hiccup now.”

“Poison joke?!” Cup Cake gasps, “That’s terrible!” she hugs transformed Three, “Poor guy.”

The love transfer makes Four furrow her brows, and One relax further.

”You know, miss One. Maybe there is something to Three’s approach.”

”Four, the point is that it’s not ‘an approach’, he is genuinely like that, and it will hurt him eventually. Sometimes you can afford to be like that, but don’t forget that you always need to be in control of the situation, and have a plan B ready in case everything goes crotchtits up, which it will. Don’t forget this, Four. EVER.”

The doorbell rings again, and a black pegasus stallion in his twenties build like an athlete arrives, accompanying a smaller white pegasus with dark blue mane.

“Hello, Thunderlane, Rumble!” Cup Cake smiles at the duo, “Come in, come in! Our guest of honor is the pillar right now. Poison joke accident.”

“Geez, did anypony contact Twilight?” asks Thunderlane, “I can fly to the library and-”

“Oh don’t worry,” One approaches the pegasus with the grin of a hungry predator, “We’ve already set things up. Why doesn’t your-” her eyes flash green, “little brother join the others, and we get to know each other. I like to keep in shape, and by the looks of it so do you. If you tell me about some good spots in Ponyville,” she leans to his ear and whispers, “I’ll tell you about mine.”

Thunderlane’s wings twitch, and he accompanies One to a corner table.

Four walks behind the shop counter, and pokes Cup Cake.

“Ah, Mix, was it? Is there a problem? Other than your brother temporarily being a garden decoration?”

“Nothing, miss Cake. I’m just a bit too old for all this, and I don’t feel like going home yet. Would you mind if I watched you bake? Over the past few days I’ve never seen a pony leave your shop without a smile, and… I’d like to catch at least a little bit of that talent.”

“Ah hahahahah!” Cup Cake giggles, “Of course, my dear. I’m about to bake a fresh batch anyway.”

*Hic!*

The two turn their heads to a fresh open parasol stuck in the floor near the entrance.

”Are you really okay, Three?” Four sends a soft mental impulse towards the poor drone.

”Everypony is happy, it’s not too noisy in here, and the colts talking about some place called school where they gather every day to hear stories about the big world. I’d like to go there sometime. It’s nice.”

Yep, he’s okay.

***

Two hours later, the party is slowly winding down. After all, it doesn’t do for younglings to stay up late.

Sugarcube Corner door slams open, letting in a purple unicorn mare with two-tone mane, dark blue with a dim purple streak.

“WHERE IS HE?!”

Twilight looks around, grinding her teeth and gasping for breath until she notices a curiously empty armchair covered in blue spots in the middle of the room.

“Oh dear.”

For the first time, One stops giving all her attention to Thunderlane, and a murderous scowl appears on her face. How easy it would be to have revenge here and now…

Pointless, too.

*Hic!*

The afflicted armchair transforms back into Three. Real Three.

Everyone gasps, One jump up, spilling her drink into Thunderlane’s lap.

“Don’t panic!” to One’s surprise, it’s Twilight who silences the rumbling and shocked whispers, “It’s just poison joke. I’ve got the remedy right here,” she levitates up a vial to show everyone, “Miss Cake, got a tub or- huh?” the corner of Twilight’s mouth curls up as Three jumps into the nearest cider barrel, and hides his head inside. Alcohol-free cider, of course, not that he would notice, “Don’t be scared, little guy. The medicine is just a bubble bath,” she nods to Cup Cake, “Warm water, please.”

Twilight can’t stop her smile from freezing a little as she lowers her foreleg into the barrel with a changeling inside it. The only thing stopping her from blowing things up is that this is all just a poison joke effect, nothing more. No ploy to take over Ponyville, destroy her friends, and restore Chrysalis to power. Just a colt who fell into a field of innocently looking blue flowers.

Twilight shudders, feeling the chitin against her hoof. To her credit, she doesn’t withdraw her foreleg even after she feels Glowstick shift inside the barrel, and notices him looking at her with the bright, blue, soulless eyes.

Actually, maybe not that soulless, come to think of it.

“Here’s the water, Twilight,” Cup Cake is there with the bucket that Twilight telekinetically grabs.

“Glowstick, I’m going to pour the water inside, and then add what I have in this vial. It’ll be bubbly, so keep your eyes closed, but it works fast.”

“Yes, miss Twilight,” Three nods, clamping his hooves over his eyes, and immediately sputtering as he breathes some of the poured water, “Blh… I’m soup.”

“Heheh,” Twilight giggles, uncorking the vial and emptying its contents inside. Thanks to Three’s messing around, the water becomes bubbly quickly, and all that soon remains is a black changeling, completely spotless, raising and lowering his foreleg, and beaming as he watches water flow from the holes.

“Hee hee hee,” he looks up...

...at the frozen glares of everypony.

Uhh, what did I do? Oh… infiltrate, Three, infiltrate…

“Bzz bzz- no, bad idea,” Three mutters.

Ah hah!

*Hic!*

And in a final burst of green flames, wet Glowstick is sitting inside the bubble bath barrel, watching the thawing expressions and slowly warming smiles aimed at him.

“Ahhh… this feels nice.”

”Four, take Three home afterwards. I’ve found the perfect target for tonight.”

”Yes, miss One.”

One looks at Thunderlane’s wet, sticky, and most importantly stacked crotch. As the pegasus catches her lidded stare, she licks her lips.

“My bad with the table. Luckily for you, I know just the right way to clean you up.”

Author's Note

Well, a lot of you wanted changelings in Ponyville, so here goes.

41: Together against the doom marine

“See, boss? You can see ALL the trees from up here!” Three waves his hoof around to encompass the breathtaking view, “Everything is pointy and green!”

I clear a spot of the floor from rubble littering the top of the broken castle turret to which Three’s finally found a safe way. The sea of green leaves covers everything, which on second thought makes sense because the turret isn’t too tall, but refreshing wind is blowing up here, I’ve had my rest, and Three’s happy, especially after his trip to Ponyville two days ago, so I’m not complaining about this vantage point not being overly useful.

“Peaceful,” I nod, looking around in case I spot some higher place of the castle that hasn’t crumbled due to the weight of time, but unfortunately it looks like this castle has much more space underground than above, “I wish we could stay here, maybe even rebuild bits the castle...”

Three huddles against my side, I give him a surprised look.

“Ponies like doing this a lot.”

“I wonder why...” on the other hole, unlike us they are soft. The best we can go for if we drop the density of our chitin and all its protection is kind of rubbery skin. At least that’s what I felt from others. After what One did to me, I’m just… solid.

WE CAN FIX THAT!

You can fix right off, if you know what I mean.

“Are you okay, boss? You still feel tired.”

“I’m scared, Three. Hive mind has been overall quiet recently, no sign of paladins despite our constant presence in Ponyville, nothing...”

“Maybe it’s over and we won!” he beams, “Ponyville ponies like us even if we have to disguise ourselves, miss One dropped a mountain on those bad ponies from Canterlot, and if the hive mind is quiet maybe you’ve proven you’re a good boss, which you are, boss. The best one!”

I wish I could believe at least a single one of those assumptions.

“Maybe you’re right, Three. Aren’t you scared that you’re wrong, though?”

To my surprise, his smile withers only slightly as he shakes his head. His tone is a lot more serious, however.

“Boss, miss One told me what was supposed to happen to me if I joined the invasion. I’m smart enough to know I live on borrowed time, I told you before. I know I’m not completely right in the head. I can’t think as fast as miss One or miss Eight or even Ten and Four. She also said that’s how I would be forever unless we had enough love for you to… remake me, fresh, working body and all, but then it wouldn’t be me anymore, right? Boss, I’m happy like this. If… if something bad happens, then it happens. You’ve given me time the Queen nor any amount of luck would. That means you’re more awesome than Chrysalis or a force of nature, and thanks to you I’m absolutely sure I’m the best Three out of all Threes who could have been. Besides, I’m not hungry and I’m having fun. I can’t think of a better life. The only thing I regret is not meeting more ponies in Canterlot, the city looked nice.”

I breathe out. There’s something to learn from those words, definitely.

”Yooo hooo!” One’s voice bubbles through my head, making me stand up. Three gives me a questioning glance.

“One’s back. I’ll go see what she wants.”

“Alright. Do you need me, boss?”

“Depending on what she wants, but likely not. Why don’t you go to Ponyville again and have fun with Four? Ten’s there in case things go south, and Tree Hugger didn’t seem to tell on us.”

“Yay!” his wings buzz excitedly, and a moment later he’s floating down through the forest canopy.

Well, for a drone he’s so full of love that I think he could drop and not suffer a scratch. I wonder how he does it. This morning he gave some to Eight, and didn’t feel even a little weaker.

Unfortunately for me, I have to climb down the broken spiral staircase and many more obstacles before I’m back in the ground floor throne room, facing a rather cheerful One.

“What’s up?”

Translation: What’s wrong?

“Oh nothing, nothing...” she pouts before jumping at me and shaking me by my shoulders, “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME WE HAD VISITORS? I HAVE MY SUCCUBUS TRANSFORMATION ALL THOUGHT OUT, WHIP, CORSET, LEATHERY WINGS AND TAIL, DEMONIC GLOW, EVERYTHING! Eight got to bang some young souls filled to the brim with hormones while I was chewing my mane out of boredom in that backwater hole. I wanted to show it off to you and you didn’t even call for me...”

Now she’s all sulky and giving me the kicked puppy, or in her case ‘the obliterated panda’ look, great...

“I promise that next time something happens and you’re within reach I’ll definitely let you know, alright? Besides, they weren’t any threat, only a group of ‘just legal enough’, as Eight called them, ponies pretending they’re warriors and wizards.”

“I could use a brush up on my acting skills...”

Coming from a rank one infiltrator spending time daily in a hostile environment, that’s not reassuring.

“As I said, you’re certainly going to be a part of our next… performance. Eight followed them out of the forest, and they seemed eager to rest up and try to defeat us again.”

”You both will get your chance soon enough,” Eight’s voice in our heads makes both me and One look around, ”We might have a problem.”

“Other then you being able to know what we’re doing without our knowledge?” One remarks.

”I’m connected to my King, One. I am his second body, and he is my mind.”

“Like ancient changeling warrior armies...” One’s eyes go wide, “Now there’s a level of enslavement I haven’t seen in centuries.”

”My willing submission, One, and my King’s willing acceptance.”

“To be honest, I had no idea what it actually meant, but Eight wanted it so much...” I chuckle when faced with One’s laser glare.

“Look, changeling armies of the old empire used to have combat commanders, infiltrators usually, and squad leaders for whom their warriors were simply puppets who did what more powerful minds of somepony else told them. Very effective, but basically enslavement, because this connection couldn’t be broken.”

“This isn’t one-sided, I think.”

”No, it’s not, but you’re close, One. By the way, thanks, without your… ultimatum I never would have realized how things should be. For that, I might even NOT kick your teeth out one day. Now shut up and let me explain what’s going one, both of you.”

One and I exchange glances, but say nothing. Images of heavily armored and definitely armed griffon barreling through the forest appear in our minds. The armor is steel with gold trimmings, covers vast majority of his body, and yet he’s moving as if he was wearing barely anything.

”He’s got a sword, two-handed for a griffon, a pistol and a DOUBLE-BARRELLED SHOTGUN, I had to pull that knowledge out of the hive mind because I had no clue what the damn thing was, and a freaking CHAINSAW! Any ideas why he’s headed straight towards the castle?”

“Uh oh...” One doesn’t stop her innocent whistle in time.

“One?”

“Who cares?” she waves her hoof dismissively, “The more important thing is how we stop him, right? Imperial Guard soldier or not, he won’t be immune to proper feminine wiles. Eight… I am one hundred percent sure we won’t need you, but juuuuuust in case...”

”I’m on my way right now,” Eight says immediately. It takes me a second to realize that there was no bickering this time, and that never before has One been uncertain about not needing Eight’s help.

*BOOM!* *THUD*

“What the hole was that?” I glare in disbelief at the entrance to the throne room.

“It sounded as if someone… kicked the remaining wing of the castle gate down, which then slammed against the floor. Anyway, hide somewhere, watch me work, and try not to drool,” One gives me a smile before her horn starts glowing green.

My usual hiding place behind the throne won’t offer much protection against someone determined to search the castle, so I rush up the side stairs onto the right balcony, carefully jumping over any holes. When I’m fairly safely hidden behind a pillar and with good view of downstairs, I peek out.

One’s transformation is complete now. She’s still basically pony shaped, but with significant differences. Two small horns adorning her head poke through her long, glistening, black mane sharing the color of her fresh bat-like wings. Like a true queen-tier changeling the black, segmented corset around her barrel makes her waist thin and accentuates her new, significantly thicker but still shapely hips and thighs befitting her amazonian figure. Her tail is long, thin, and hairless aside from a duster on its end, swishing around and revealing absolutely everything to every and any viewer behind her. And there is a lot to see, because she doesn’t possess any coat hair, only dark pink skin, shiny as if oiled up. She looks up at me, purses her plump, red lips, and blows me a kiss.

Her exotic visage contrasts sharply with the humongous griffon who clinks and clanks his way into the throne room, his helmeted head turning from side to side, hidden from my view completely aside from a see-through visor. His eyes stop on succubus One approaching him.

”I’m dying to see this...” I hear Eight’s voice in my head.

“My my,” One winks at the griffon, “such a perfect specimen. Powerful body that might possibly satisfy even my little lonely self,” her wing bends, rubbing the outline of her barrel and flank, “What? Were you expecting my master? You’ll have to go through me first,” she puts her foreleg on the griffon’s armor, and breathes out a cloud of pink smoke, “But why fight, when we can do something far more plea-WHAAH?!” she plops on her butt, shoved away by the griffon.

He pulls out two pistols, grabs one in each foreleg, and starts firing at random at the second floor. I hide as some dust from a shot off piece of pillar lands on me, and decide on watching the situation from One’s eyes only.

Frowning, she picks herself up, trots over to the still unloading griffon, and smacks his backplate with her wing.

“Come on, handsome, why hide that chiseled godlike perfection behind an armor when you can grab me instead of the pistols and-”

One actually flies off as the griffon swats her away with the back of his foreleg.

“I even did the leather wings, corset, and everything!” One screeches, her high-pitched tone drowning even the gunfire.

The griffon turns towards her, and pulls the shotgun from a holster on his back.

*Blam!*

*Blam!*

One actually blurs as she dodges the blasts by jumping to the side, and within a second she’s cleared the entire throne room and stopped by a hallway leading deeper into the castle.

“YOU DON’T WANT MY BODY? ARE YOU IMPOTENT, YOU BIRDBRAIN LOSER?!”

As the griffon soldier simply charges towards her, she disappears into the hallway.

”Wouldn’t it be easier to drop the disguise now, One?”

”Hmph,” as she runs, she shapeshifts back into the slim, fit, and ladylike changeling form, ”Mark my words, I WILL be using it on someone else soon, and they WILL FUCKING MELT UNDER THE FUCKING ONSLAUGHT OF MY FUCKING IRRESISTIBLE CHARM!”

Despite the situation, I can’t help grinning as I feel Eight laughing inside my head at One’s complete loss of control.

”Do we give stopping him one more shot, or do we just hide?”

”I’ll rip his dick off and shove it so far up his ass that the third generation of his ADOPTED children will still be gargling chicken balls!”

”Am I talking to One or Eight right now?”

”What the hole did you just say?!”
”What the hole did you just say?!”

”Nevermind...”

Standing up, I get on my way to find a safer path towards the fight in case I’m needed for something. Considering the physical state of the griffon and mental state of One, I’m secretly hoping I get lost.

As the griffon barges into the first room he finds and starts rummaging through the moldy and rotten… everything, One, breathing heavily and eyes bulging, rips the door off its hinges-

Not, not with her telekinesis, but with her forelegs.

-and breaks it against the griffon’s helmet. He turns around, unfazed, and aims his shotgun again.

*Click click!*

*BLAM!*

The blast resonates through the small room, an ancient guest bedroom or something, and One looks in disbelief at her bleeding foreleg she didn’t get out of the way and at the shards of chitin strewn around.

She shrugs.

“Meh, what’s few more holes at this point?” the leg heals immediately.

Wait, doesn’t the griffon have TWO shots?

*BLAM!*

One flies out of the doorway, this time hit directly into the chest.

“Ughhhh...” back in the hallway, she scrambles to all fours, “Alright, no more miss nice One.”

The griffon rushes out, kicking her away as he rumbles past her and into the next room. The sounds of shattering furniture are broken only by a fresh leonine roar:

“WHERE IS IT?!”

”One, Nine, let’s bait him into the armory like with the adventurers. That’s a decent place to fight.”

One gets up, and punches the griffon as he searches the fresh guest room, her petite hoof actually denting his armor.

The griffon slowly turns around, and pulls the largest mechanical contraption from his back. It looks like a box several hooves in size with a sawtoothed blade sticking out of it. He clicks a button, and the whole thing begins rumbling.

”Alright, I’m not dealing with a chainsaw in close range and without a proper amount of love,” One tosses a second door at the griffon whose new whirring weapon slices it to shreds mid-air as he runs after her.

Not even a minute later, Nine and I are setting up an ambush in the old armory. A bunch of ponnequins spread around the entrance, old weapons ready to be used, tables and shelves scattered everywhere to make the battle as hard for the griffon as possible. He’s fast, but not agile at all. Even Nine will have less trouble moving here than him.

When everything is ready, I’m waiting on the raised dais on the other end of the training grounds slash old armory from where supposedly instructors used to watch practicing soldiers. Nine is by the entrance, his chitin as reinforced as possible.

One kicks the front door open, flawlessly vaulting over the tables.

Behind her, everything starts breaking into dust and splinters as if a massive tree fell down in the middle of the forest, all punctuated by the roaring of the griffon’s weapon.

Then an unstoppable force meets previously immovable object in the form of Nine blocking the griffon’s path. The chainsaw screeches against Nine’s armor and stops in a shower of sparks. In the same second, the griffon puts it on the harness on his back while grabbing Nine’s neck with his other foreleg, and starts smashing his face into the nearest wall repeatedly.

“Nine!”

*Thud!*

“I’m-”

*Smack!*

“-okay-”

*Slam!*

“-for-”

*Crunch!*

“-now.”

The griffon grabs the nearest ponnequin by its neck too, and screams in its face:

“WHERE IS THE HOLY BLADE OF THE FIRST EMPEROR?!”

“One, what rumor did you spread to get ponies to come here?” I ask her as she’s standing by my side, watching the scene unfold.

“I wanted something super ancient that no one could track, and that would sound super cool! How was I supposed to know the griffon idiots REALLY lost it and would send a fully equipped Imperial Guard to get it back?!”

“Alright, alright. Warn everyone not to come back here for now and we’ll hide until he decides there’s not sword of whatever here-”

The regular beating of Nine’s head against the stone wall stops, followed by the noise of a giant hammer hitting a gong. The griffon flies across the room, crumbling into a heap by a wall before jumping back to all fours and then bringing the chainsaw back up.

As the dust settles around where he was a moment ago, I see Eight standing on her hind legs and slowly breathing out, her forelegs glowing green.

“Just in time, I see, my King,” she shoots One a smug smirk before tossing Nine all the way across the room towards us. The big warrior looks as if several buildings dropped on him, but stands up immediately.

“How are you feeling, Nine?”

“Scratched and a little dizzy, but mostly okay, King.”

The griffon charges at Eight, firing his pistol with zero effect as Eight’s chitin proves strong enough to deflect the bullets. It’s only a distraction, though, because when the griffon gets close enough, he swings his chainsaw which bites into Eight’s blocking foreleg. in horror, we all watch the spinning steel teeth break against the love-infused chitin, but slowly chew through despite the losses.

Eight’s severed foreleg hits the floor, her loss evened out by the chainsaw sputtering and stopping in a cloud of black smoke. Levitating her lost limb, Eight darts out of the room. The griffon punches off the head of the doorside pony statue and screams into its throat:

“WHERE IS THE BLADE?!”

”I’ve got an idea. Buy me time!” we hear Eight’s voice in our heads.

From the corner of my… mind, I see Eight put the severed foreleg against her stump and reattach it in a flash of green light. She shakes it, frowns and curses as pain shoots through her during her first few steps, and then bolts down the hallway.

“Time time time, buy some time...” I look around as the griffon examines his ruined chainsaw.

”One, what’s the chance that this overgrown chicken has actually SEEN the ancient sword?”

”In a picture maybe? Depends on when the Imperial idiots really lost it.”

Alright, time for a little gambit.

”One, Nine, save your strength and just follow me.”

Levitating up the least rusty looking of the ancient swords and making sure it glows in my telekinetic grip, I swing it, hoping it won’t break, and call out:

“YOU’LL NEVER GET THE-”

”What the hole did you call that thing, One?”

”The Holy Blade of the First Emperor.”

“-THE HOLY GRIFFON WHATEVER SWORD!”

”Our King thinking on the fly, everyone.”

”Shut up, One.”

The griffon’s eyes go wide behind the dust-covered visor, he opens his beak and screeches like a hunting eagle.

“Alright, RUN!” I don’t wait for One and Nine to react even for a second. If the stomping of the armored berserker isn’t enough of a clue for them, then nothing will be.

As we flee aimlessly through the castle hallways, followed by the hopefully slowly tiring out griffon, we hear Eight’s voice again:

”You’ll have to wound him somehow. He’s dumb as a brick. I saw him try to interrogate a some trees with cracks looking like faces on them out in the forest. Lead him to the throne room, it’s the next best place to fight.”

Slowing down to let the griffon catch up to us, we head to the upper throne room. Entering from a side entrance, I spot Eight already waiting by a load bearing pillar. She obviously wants to collapse the balcony on the enemy.

“Nine, help Eight,” I call out, and the warrior immediately joins her while One and I run towards the throne.

The griffon barrels through, Eight and Nine heave and immediately rush away to avoid the rain of crumbling masonry.

Rumbling of the shattered castle suffering one more wound eventually stops, and the clouds of dust settle.

“I kinda didn’t want to kill him, Eight...” I mutter.

“Good,” she doesn’t let her eyes wander from the heap of rubble.

A heap of rubble which suddenly shifts.

“You have got to be kidding me...” my jaw drops.

With a grunt, the largest flat chunk of the balcony moves. First tentatively, then with more and more force.

“There’s a good reason Griffon Imperial Legion soldiers are the most terrifying fighting force in the world. Emperor’s personal guard, however, looks like they’re on a completely different level,” even One raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed, “Now this is a toy I’d like to keep.”

“NOPE!”

“Hmph, thought so. I bet Eight could get one if she wanted, though...” she mumbles, sulking.

“A bit tougher than I thought, but we’re getting there, I think,” Eight watches the griffon in his now scratched and dented armor rise from the ruins, “One, I think I need your help. Do you have something with range in your repertoire?”

“I’m not exactly an offensive mage, but I can cook something up.”

“Good, wait for a clear shot.”

“Wait, I’ve got an idea that might not involve anyone killing anyone,” I levitate the ornamental sword again and almost physically feel the griffon’s eyes on it, “Hey, soldier!” with all my strength, I slash at the stone throne, which the old rusty sword doesn’t handle well and breaks into pieces, “There’s no sword here anymore, so you can go home.”

Eight facehoofs.

“That was so… dumb...” adds One.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!”

Umm… I goofed.

Like a boulder rolling through a tunnel, the griffon clears the distance between us, and rips the throne out of the floor.

Nine blocks the first swing of the new marble weapon which makes him fly off, chitin cracked and shattered now.

“One, now!” orders Eight as the griffon raises himself onto his hind legs to swing again.

A thin beam of green light from One’s horn pierces the armor as well as the griffon who winces and barely rolls out of the way as he drops the heavy throne, one foreleg stopping the bleeding. However, he’s soon back on all fours when he realizes that despite being shot clean through, the wound is nowhere near fatal.

“Good, now run!” Eight waves her hoof, and helps Nine get up as I and One flee once more. When she sees the griffon follow, she drops something, “Ah damn it! Not the instant healing potion!”

The griffon picks up the dropped big syringe filled with red fluid, and jams it into his foreleg without a second thought.

He takes several steps towards us.

Slower and slower.

Then he collapses.

Eight counts to ten, then takes a long breath and closes her eyes, leading the way back to the throne room with the now unconscious griffon.

I walk over as quietly as I can, and pick up the syringe. The word ‘HEALTH+’ is written on it, followed by the picture of a red heart with a smiley face.

“Eight?” I levitate it over to her, where she plucks it from the air.

“I had to write it in big letters, plus add the picture. I wasn’t sure he could read. It’s changeling tranquilizing venom and a bit of pony blood for the colour.”

“Where did you get it?”

“From the weird pony I brought. He likes tomatoes and when I inject venom into him. As much as I dislike farming, gotta have my own sources to refill from,” Eight shrugs as if anything that’s just happened was normal.

Eh, who am I to judge at this point?

One puts her horn to the griffon’s forehead, and focuses. Not even a minute later, which we spend by breathing heavily and hoping the crazy griffon won’t wake up, One raises her head again.

“I messed up with his head a little, birdbrains are easy. He’ll report to his superiors that there’s nothing inside this castle and that the Blade of the First Emperor had been moved to the Dragon Lands long time ago. He can go piss off dragons as much as he wants, that’ll teach him to ignore my seduction attempts...” she chuckles. Borderline crazy villain behaviour aside, that’s actually a good idea.

To my utter horror, Eight then flicks One’s horn with her foreleg.

“Looks like I outsmarted the number one infiltrator of the hive,” she gives One the smuggest grin I’ve ever seen.

One bares her needle-like teeth, and for a second I expect her to lunge at Eight. In the end she just says:

“Looks like neither of us could outfight a dumb, overgrown catbird straight up.”

Eight growls, and I can sense that both of them are genuinely mad…

...however, not at each other, but at themselves.

As the heavy silence and feelings of inadequacy linger, I tap my hoof against the griffon’s armor.

“We could use this, right, so that we don’t need to waste energy on reinforcing our chitin?”

Eight walks over, examining the sturdy platemail.

“Hmph, not really. It’s too big for me, on top of being so heavy that wearing it would drain me more than carapace reinforcement. Plus the strength I’d need to wear it without slowing me down. I’m naturally not built for something that useless,” she raises her eyebrow, “The flower pot, though… hey!”

Nine joins us, apparently not minding Eight’s nickname for him at all.

“Strip him,” Eight nods towards the griffon, and watches Nine take the soldiers armor off, ready to attack the griffon in case he proves resistant even to changeling venom. When Nine is done, One shows him how to put the heavy armor on.

“Nine’s innately stronger than I am, so he doesn’t need love for the power enhancements I use,” Eight taps her foreleg against the armored changeling, “How is it, draining?”

Nine walks around, trots for few seconds, then gives the air few experimental punches.

“A little. I can get used to it, though.”

“Catch!” One tosses him the griffon’s two-handed sword which Nine levitates up.

A slow, heavy swing later Nine adds:

“I will need practice.”

“You’ll get more than enough. The forest is a good place for it,” she suddenly grins, eyeing the griffon’s broken chainsaw, “One, any ideas how to fix that beauty?”

“I can ask around Ponyville,” One shrugs, casually levitating the griffon’s twin pistols, “I’ll need someone to make holsters for these anyway. Shotgun, King?” she winks at me.

My stomach revolves when I imagine what shooting that thing would do to a living, unarmored creature.

“No, thanks, and keep those away from Three. He’s curious about new things. We don’t want to be using any of those anyway. We don’t want to kill anyone, remember?”

One kicks the now stripped and incredibly muscular griffon.

“The fact that we all DO remember is lying here, King. If we wanted him straight up dead, he would be.”

Eight nods.

”Eight, will you be mad if I do this?”

I send her a little fraction of a mental picture.

”Maybe only a little,” she answers in my head, ”But go for it, I think she earned this one. Besides, I’m always up for a chuckle.”

“One?” I face the changeling.

“Yes?” she raises an eyebrow.

“Thank you for the help,” I nuzzle her nose, and watch the blush creep up her chitin as her eyes dart repeatedly from me to snickering Eight, “even if the succubus disguise didn’t work.”

One vanishes.

“Umm, One?” I ask the empty air, and feel my attempts at mental contact fizzle.

Eight puts her foreleg on my shoulder.

“She’s okay. She just needs some time to think.”

I give her a puzzled look.

“Did I do something wrong? I thought she’d be happy because she always said she wanted-”

I’m suddenly breathing into Eight’s hoof.

“I think you did everything just right, our King of Hearts.”

Author's Note

FINE, FINE, serious chapters will resume with the next one. :facehoof:

42: Together against the holy light.

I’m lying under the throne, the one in the underground throne room, because the griffon wrecked the upper one. We did put it back where it belongs, but it was wobbly, and the underground one reminds me of the hive anyway. Well, it’s not like there’s much nice to remind me of, but it was home, something we haven’t managed to build since then.

Hopefully, we will.

To my surprise, the attack of the furious griffon didn’t drain us as much as I expected, and after some rest, One went back to Ponyville, and Eight stayed with me, making me massage her previously severed foreleg. That kind of ended up with us sleeping under the throne wrapped in some surviving tapestries.

Just sleeping!

Which brings us to now, the everpresent, annoying now.

“Trying to sleep your way up to my rank again, I see,” One’s joking voice makes me open my eyes. I don’t question her ability to hide her presence from me anymore.

“Shove off, One,” Eight, lying draped over my barrel, yawns, “Don’t even try to tell me you haven’t spread your ass for Chrysalis for some bonus points. I’m pretty sure you’ve mothered several thousand drones by yourself.”

“Everything I did was for the hive. My position stems from my skills and dedication,” One’s jovial tone drops into the freezing territory immediately.

“Oral skills, in all senses of the word,” Eight grins, “‘Cause you never seem to shut up about it. Even against the paladins, you barely showed you’re even a little useful.”

Contrary to my fresh expectations regarding our rapidly shortening lifespan, One only takes a deep breath, and gives me a strangely tired look.

“King, I have a request,” she says.

“I’m not kicking Eight out just because you don’t like-”

“Top her off. You should have enough love and the capacity to store it by now.”

“What?” I ask, sitting up as Eight stretches her legs.

“Fill her up to the brim, King,” One repeats, “I think it’s time to give our little warrior here a bite of the reality sandwich.”

“Oh you are so on...” Eight’s grin only grows wider.

“Come on, this is a waste of love. I need you both!” I try to defuse the situation.

“King,” One raises her hoof, “I have asked for very little, and I have given you a lot. This is a personal request-”

“You took my ability to shapeshift away forever, One!” I hiss, “That is NOT very little.”

“WHAT?!” roars Eight, now ready to trample One to dust, “MY King, please agree to her request. I WILL destroy her.”

“I DON’T WANT YOU TO DESTROY HER, EIGHT! I WANT THIS NONSENSE TO STOP!”

“No, this needs a resolution once and for all,” says One calmly despite Eight’s fuming, “Eight against me, no physical or mental intervention from you, no orders, no words, nothing. I will explain why that is necessary once I show this… ‘Eight’ what she really is.”

I really wish you two obeyed me when it matters, not when you feel like it.

“...alright...” I hang my head, hoping against all hope that I’ll have enough love to prevent one of them from being killed. Eight puts her horn to mine.

Strangely enough, even now I’m not sure which one I’ll have to save. The best I can do is prepare a contingency plan.

”Four, Ten, get ready to come back to the castle with all the love you’ve gathered if I call within ten minutes.”

It can’t take too long, right?

The transfer is finished, for the first time from Eight’s side. She’s positively glowing with power, and just from her look I can easily see that if she was in this shape when the griffon attacked, she’d have beaten him to death with his own shotgun. Which is technically my fault, because I had no clue how much love I can really store these days.

“Do you want something too, One?” my voice is weak now, and I feel as if I was hauling a block of granite on my back.

“I won’t need it,” she growls, facing Eight, “Ready? Just asking so that you don’t have any excuse later about me surprising you. On the other hole, I know you by now. You’ll find something anyway.”

“Oh shut your cock hole, Chrysalis’ whorse.”

To my surprise, One only shakes her head.

“Let’s just settle this.”

Eight moves faster than I can see, darting towards One, and stopping several inches in front of the motionless changeling staring her down. I feel her muscles bulge, her love burn under the internal order to punch One’s head off, and yet she doesn’t move.

One raises her foreleg, then points at the floor.

“Heel!” she says in a calm tone.

Eight sits down on her haunches.

“Pant!”

Eight opens her muzzle, tongue obediently hanging out of it.

“Bark!”

“Woof woof!”

“Roll over!”

Eight ends on her back, legs spread. One steps on her chest without any sign of Eight’s resistance. I feel Eight’s mind protest, her love reserves dissipate as she musters all mental resistance she can, and it means absolutely nothing. I stay silent, though, as per One’s original request.

One grows a thing spike from her foreleg…

...and rams it into Eight’s throat.

Eight doesn’t move, doesn’t show any sign of pain other than grinding her teeth, only quietly bleeds on the floor.

“Heal!”

Eight’s wound disappears. One’s foreleg glows green…

...then she punts Eight by the head across the throne room where she leaves an imprint in the stone wall.

“Come!”

Eight obediently walks over to One.

“Head down!”

I finally feel a spark of fear from Eight.

Another empowered kick. This time Eight cartwheels in the air as she’s rammed into the wall again.

“Stand up!”

Bleeding Eight unsteadily gets back on all fours.

“Come!”

Eight walks over again.

“Head down!”

Like a prisoner ready for execution, Eight lowers her head. Do I stop it now?

One’s foreleg glows again, she cocks it back, ready for another kick…

...and simply slaps Eight who looks up at her in disbelief.

“Do you understand now?” asks One, “Not even your survival instinct can help you here. You are a warrior type changeling, you are not an individual. You belong to someone, and on your own you are weak… in here,” One taps her hoof against her temple, “That’s why I didn’t want the King to interfere. Under his orders you could fight me,” One takes a deep breath, “And on an even level of love, if you could ever hold that much, you would likely win. I’d say it would be seventy-thirty against me, I’m not completely defenseless without my mental power.”

Eight’s shock and newfound growing admiration seeps into me. I am personally just happy no one is dead despite Eight being rather badly hurt.

“I...” Eight closes her eyes, “am sorry.”

“In the old hive, doing this would have gotten you killed which, on a second thought, might be a waste. If you work on yourself, you might get to rank five. You don’t have it in you to go higher, in your head. Being cocky isn’t going to cut it. The highest ranked warrior during my four hundred years of life was Four, rather recent one as well. You are stronger and physically more efficient than him. You don’t have his training, his experience, or his skill, though, and definitely not his mental fortitude. However, if the King gives you an order, you will do it, I learned that the hard way when we first met, and I’ve been observing you since then. You being a willing slave of his, your need for submission to only him, can make you nearly immune to my mind control, which means I doubt even Chrysalis would be able to stop you for long. Under his orders, you could be One. On your own, Five at most. Take it as you want,” One pats Eight’s head, “I just wish I didn’t have to beat the facts into you. As the King said, it’s a waste of love, a waste I and infiltrators under me will have to refill now.”

Eight just stands there, staring at One in confusion. I sense she wants to say something, but she has no idea what. As One walks away, she turns her head to us and winks, smug grin on her muzzle.

“And yes, I did ‘spend quality time’ with Chrysalis, but it was a reward for gaining my rank, not a way to get it. Something our new King has yet to beat.”

She turns invisible, and leaves.

“Eight?” I look at the warrior staring at the ground. I’m not sure what I’m actually asking, to be honest. Probably whether or not she’s okay, despite clearly seeing that she isn’t and that we're both now sort of low on love. Her attempts to resist One’s control even when she was full burned her out hard.

She returns back to me, regenerating the most pressing cracks and wounds.

“I apologize for wasting the hive’s resources, my King. I won’t do it again.”

“I thought you two settled things when she blackmailed me with leaving.”

“She made me learn my place then. Now she made me admit my potential the hard way.”

“Come on, nothing is written in stone. I was supposed to be just a drone and look where I’m now. We have our own castle, as Three would point out immediately. I did things drones are not supposed to do with a high rank, and I’m successfully avoiding the hive’s top changeling attempts at doing those to me. If you try hard enough, train in the right way which someone as smart as you can find, you can be the best on your own.”

Eight tilts her head, looking at me, then pushes me down and throws the tapestry over us like a blanket.

“I don’t think I want that. I… would rather go the other path she showed me, not on my own. Me being the most powerful changeling ever, only under your orders. You should know that by now,” she crawls on top of me, nuzzling my nose, “Speaking of one-upping One, how about some more of the ‘things drones do not get to do’, hmm?’”

Love resonates. I finally realize what it really means.

That’s how we’ve managed to get so full, Eight, Three, and I. It wasn’t only thanks to One’s, Ten’s, and Four’s excellent job, it was this as well. Anyway, right now I’ve got a very, very hungry warrior who needs feeding.

***

I have to correct my statement regarding our home. We’ve been her for two weeks now. More and more, I feel like this castle is where we could stay forever. Ponyville locals are friendly enough, Tree Hugger definitely hasn’t blabbed about us, otherwise we’d have spotted something, One now has a part time job as a singer in one of the three Ponyville clubs. Ten has been rather mysterious ever since his admission that he’ll go see princess Celestia at some point, but he’s been working closely with the Mayor of Ponyville on some town development plans I don’t really understand. Four is now romantically involved with local teacher Cheerilee, don’t ask me how that happened, and while the affection is highly one-sided, Four likes the company, especially if it’s of someone who knows stuff about the world.

Nine and Eight have spent most of their time around the castle, training or hunting. Unsurprisingly, this part of the forest has become much safer place recently. Nine has been wearing the griffon plate armor all the time, getting used to it. At first, moving was a bit more draining for him, but he’s grown stronger over the few days and now he can use it without any additional energy expenditure. As for Eight, she’s full of love. Do I need to say more? No, I don’t think so. Well, just one thing. When Eight found out that she’s been getting fed more than she expected, she led her feeding pony back to Ponyville, scrambled his head to leave a steamy memory for him, erase any trace of us, and let him go.

What surprised me was Three’s occasional absence in the castle. It’s not as if I did instruct him to stay here, but it was still strange. When I visited his head out of sheer curiosity, I was completely stumped. He was in the company of a grey mare with black stripes whom Eight tracked when we first arrived at the castle… a ‘zebra’ she called her. Seemingly, the mare was satisfied with undisguised Three pretending he was a fly as he helped her gather various plants even deeper in the forest or carried her over ravines the zebra couldn’t easily cross. I sent Eight to track the zebra for some time, and she didn’t make any moves to report Three’s presence to anyone, so we dropped the observation.

And yet, even now I can’t help feeling that this has to end at some point, that everything is too good to be true.

It’s so late at night that it could be considered early morning, everyone is scattered around the castle minding their own business. One is teaching Four, distant, faint noises of something hard hitting something even harder echoing through the hallways tell me that Eight and Nine are busy as well, Ten remembered Three’s passtime from Wet Soil and bought him a colouring book with a basic set of crayons which Three’s now working on far more successfully than before. Granted, since he’s underground in the small room we used for healing the survivors where everything is lit by green crystals, the coloured pictures still look somewhat creepy, but at least he knows that not everything is dead and brown like in the Badlands before, and the equines in the pictures are more than black shells with blue eyes.

Ten is inside the same room, however his work is lit by the white glow of his horn. Plus, he’s not using crayons, obviously. He’s using watercolours, canvas, and various brushes to paint a full-body picture of a big white alicorn mare with sun on her fantasy-level oversized flanks whom I recognize from One and Ten’s memories as princess Celestia. Despite him scowling all the time, cursing, and occasionally stomping out into the hallway while mumbling ‘No no no no no, all wrong!’ to himself, he doesn’t feel too discouraged by his results.

Three’s ear twitches.

“Hmm?” the drone leaves his colouring project, and peeks into the hallway. Nothing. He scrunches his nose.

”What’s wrong, Three?”

“I dunno,” he mumbles, “I hear something, but I don’t hear anything...”

”I don’t understand.”

“Me neither,” Three switches to mental speech. I can’t hear anything out of his ears either, but…

...when I focus, I can feel the faintest vibrations of the stone floor underneath.

A really weak earthquake or something? No, too regular. Hoofsteps-regular.

Damn, can Three really feel somepony walking on stone floor before he can hear them? I was never able do that as a drone. In fact, I can’t do it even now.

Three carefully peeks behind a corner. His bright, blue eyes go saucer-wide as he looks up and up.

“Not again...” he recognizes the heavy gold-decorated platemail, and so do I.

”RUN, THREE, RUN!”

The unicorn armored from head to hoof and yet making no noise looks down at the changeling.

“Kill it!” he sounds old, but his order is firm and ruthless like his voice, “All units, move, they know we’re here!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Three’s voice echoes through the dark hallways lit only by the horns of the unicorns chasing him.

A magical flare scorches the floor under Three’s pumping hind legs. He feels the shrapnel bounce off of his chitin, and his tripping over the fresh dent in the floor is saved by the buzzing of his wings helping him keep balance. He dodges closer to the wall, only to get covered by a shower of dust and shattered rocks without slowing down.

“Celestia damn it, just RUIN the monster!” screams one of the paladins whose horn lights up repeatedly, and on the final attempt he grasps Three’s hind leg, brutally yanking him backwards so hard Three loses his footing and his head hits the floor.

“TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!” he calls out, and I realize he’s just next to the entrance to the healing cav- room.

“What the hole, Three-” Ten, annoyed frown on his face, walks outside only to see Three sliding towards the trio of heavily armored unicorns practically shimmering with magic.

“Ten, if you run now I’ll never forgive-”

”Oh SHUT UP!”

His own horn bursts into green flames, and the same aura envelops Three.

”Who do you think-”

The paladin’s eyes go wide as he loses grip on Three’s leg.

”-I am?!”

And the poor drone slingshots past Ten through the hallway far away from the paladins.

”Now you do YOUR job and link everyone up!”

Three gets up, unharmed, shakes his head, and then immediately follows Ten now galloping at full speed away from the fuming unicorns.

”Everyone, the paladins are attacking!”

One by one, I feel everyone’s link strengthen, and the little window of their minds capable of processing information others are seeing opens up.

The paladins are everywhere.

”Thanks, Ten, and sorry for doubting you. Now get over here to the throne room, Three knows all the secret routes.”

The drone slides into a halt, and boops a batpony statue that immediately spins around along with a plate of the floor, Ten, and Three. He takes a breath of relief inside the hidden passage, then the stones start grinding again.

Alright, the paladins know at least some of the routes too.

They should be here in few minutes.

”One, we’re regrouping in the throne room and getting the hole out of here.”

One steps in front of Four peeking out from behind her with curiosity, facing a different advancing trio of paladins.

”I. Don’t. Think. So.”

Golden glow envelops her horn.

”Because this time they made a huge mistake.”

”What?”

One grins, taking good care to show the paladins the dozens of small, needle-like teeth lining her mouth. Their advance slows down.

Air grows thick and heavy with power emanating from One.

”I’m not starving.”

“Four, cut yourself off as well as you can for a second,” says One, and I feel Four’s link to both myself and One weaken before hearing Four’s mental plea.

”Cut it off, boss, cut it off!”

I unlink Four and One.

-DIE!-

One paladin clutches his chestplate, grunts, chokes, and collapses on the floor. The other two stumble. A thin and bright beam of gold light sizzles against another paladin’s magically enhanced armor in the next instant. The protective magic fizzles, sparks, then gives in under the piercing spear of One’s magic which then cleaves its target in half.

The one paladin surviving the instant obliteration of his companions takes a step back.

“Not so easy when we’re not half dead from starvation and your treatment, is it?!” One growls, lowering her head and taking a step towards him.

“Princess Celestia, may your divine light protect me, or let me rest peacefully in its warm embrace,” says the paladin in one long breath out.

One’s horn lights up again…

...before Four jumps between the two, her head tilted upwards at the unicorn with his big sword levitating right next to him.

“Wait, miss One!” asks Four, taking a hesitant step towards the comparatively huge paladin, “I remember that voice. It’s you, isn’t it?” she walks a little closer again, stopping only when the paladin’s blade aims at her, “You found me back in Canterlot hiding under the bed.”

The sword doesn’t thrust, though.

“Four?” a simple word from One, “We don’t have time. These guys nearly killed Three, and are chasing him and Ten now on their way to the King. Eight and Nine are fighting another group.”

Four nods.

“Please, give yourself up, or miss One will have to... kill you. We’re only defending ourselves, we don’t want to hurt anypony.”

The paladin silently looks at each of his dead companions. Four hangs her head.

“Out of the over thirty changelings you attacked in Canterlot, there’s only seven of us left. Several returned to Canterlot to face the trials because they had lives of their own back there from before the invasion. Lives they built, not stole,” Four takes another step forward right into the floating sword. It backs off a little, “Please, don’t make miss One kill you.”

The sword flies back into its sheath on the unicorn’s broad back.

“Good,” One darts forward, spitting a glob of green goo at the unicorn’s horn poking through the helmet. A moment later it hardens, sealing his magic and telekinesis, “Now move your ass. I might have a soft spot for Four, but it’s a lot easier for me to end you than bother with questioning you later.”

One is damn scary!

Hmm, and so are the paladins following Ten and Three. How are Eight and Nine doing in the armory?

Eight grabs the armored paladin’s leg while sliding under him, heaves, and throws him into the second one with enough force to send them both tumbling away in one big ball. With her next breath, she's towering over them, cuts off the straps on one’s helmet, and crushes his muzzle with a single blow.

A blast of magic throws her away, the impact of which she easily balances with her wings, and lands on all fours. The unharmed paladin’s horn glows…

...until Eight blinks behind him, rearing on her hind legs, and…

...punches it off.

He screams in horror and agony when she grabs his head next, and rams her hoof into the frayed ends of the freshly split bone.

The third paladin of this group glances sideways, which gives Nine the opportunity to charge straight into him. His own weight and strength coupled with the magical griffon armor is enough to knock the unicorn over. All four of Nine’s hooves glow green as he tramples the enemy.

“BOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” I hear Three’s loud voice.

”Eight, Three, Ten, and I are in the underground throne room, but we can’t fight the paladins off, I think. We’re not exactly made for that.”

”On the way.”

Eight knocks the hornless paladin out by growing a claw and ramming it into the broken bone one last time.

“Nine, you finish this here. I gotta go help my King,” she doesn’t wait for an answer, already rushing off.

“Will do,” is his answer nonetheless.

I have to stop focusing on him as he keeps punching the paladin under him, hoping he’ll handle any magical surprise the two heavily wounded but still conscious unicorns might throw at him.

Three and Ten rush into the throne room, gasping for breath.

“One, Eight, and Four are on the way. Eight will get here first,” I announce what they might have missed from our links during their escape.

“Yeah, no time!” Ten yells while running through the throne room towards me, “They know the castle like the back of their hoof. They must- oh for Chrysalis’ cheese legs,” he stops. Through his eyes I see one paladin coming in via the main entrance. I myself see the one following Three arrive from the side hallway, and the last one appears on the balcony above us.

“Boss, they-” Three hides behind me, “Wait, I thought all of them were behind us.”

“Damn teleportation spells...” scowls Ten, “Alright, what now?”

“Now you die, monsters, for what you did in Canterlot, for all my companions you bugs have killed over the years, AND FOR WHAT YOU DID TO PUFF!” screams the unicorn from the balcony. His horn burns with fire, sending three flares towards us.

“Scatter!”

We run from the dropping projectiles.

*BOOM!*

My ears are ringing as I gather myself from the edge of a molten crater, red-hot, liquid stones dripping down my chitin. Thankfully, neither Ten nor Three were as slow as I was, and while the explosions flung them away, they only seem shaken.

If those things hit them…

My legs are trembling...

...and yet, the magma covering my armor feels almost cool.

“...why can’t you just leave us alone…?” I hiss, feeling acid drip from my mouth.

Everything inside me revolts. These… worms have hunted us down, killed- murdered MY changelings in cold blood.

This will not stand.

The love inside me boils, and overflows.

Green blast from my horn razes the balcony, shattering masonry, evaporating metal, and turning decorations to ash.

I turn my head, and half of the paladin advancing from the main entrance disappears, disintegrated by a wave of emerald light.

The paladin who was chasing Three disappears back into the side hallway, I hear a muffled scream followed by a ‘thud’ before he flies back.

Eight comes in and gives the paladin one more kick for good measure.

“Alright, whose skull do I... flatten... now...?” she slows down, examining the devastation.

The energy inside me calms down. I should feel exhausted after using this much, but I’m pretty fine, I think.

I look at the deep grooves burnt into solid rock, the dead unicorn, and the absolutely ruined second floor of the throne room from the rubble of which the surviving and conscious paladin is trying to free himself.

Eight trots over, pulls him out, punches him, punches him again, cuts his helmet off, then tosses him towards me.

Unlike the others, this paladin looks old. His white muzzle is covered with blood, and there isn’t much left of his blond mane that isn’t grey. The brown eyes, however, look at me without fear, only raw hatred.

“What now, my King?” asks Eight, still eyeing the destruction I caused.

“Why?” I ask the paladin, “Most of us weren’t part of the invasion, and from what information we gathered only few died in the whole city, and that was mostly on accident. All we did was free the changelings you imprisoned before they would starve to death because you didn’t know how to feed them. Then you came for us, and killed most of the survivors. We fled here, we didn’t hurt anypony, and… and here you are again. This-” I point at the death and destruction, “-is what it led to. Why?”

Nine arrives with three unicorns slung over his back, none of them dead. One and Four arrive a moment later, leading their captive.

The unicorn spits at the floor.

“This world will be a much better place without you in it. You ruined the city I’ve protected most of my life, you killed my apprentice who didn’t deserve it in the slightest, and through my service I had to fight so many of your kind who took place of my friends. I had to kill so many of my companions who were mind controlled by you or into whom you shapeshifted that I know you can never be trusted. I visited asylums filled with those whom you brainwashed and drained so much they didn’t recognize anypony anymore. I’ve been to the funerals of those who took their own lives due to the nightmares you inflicted on them. I KNOW you, monsters, and before this is over, the entire changeling race will remember the name Star Trail!”

I sigh.

“One, Eight, what do you think we should d-”

“Umm, boss?” Three raises a hoof, “Can I say something?”

“Sure.”

He walks over to Star Trail, and looks up into the sitting paladin’s eyes.

“I’m sure miss One and miss Eight will want to get rid of this threat once and for all, but that means more ponies will come, we will have to hurt more of them, or we will have to hide and starve like in the old hive before we have no other choice but to attack a town or a city again. I mean, we, changelings, have hurt many ponies. Even Four killed one by accident and is super sorry. The thing is that you ponies killed thousands of us just in Canterlot, and who knows how many before. I won’t even count those who simply starved because you ponies were so afraid of us only because how we look that you never gave us a chance to live in peace,” he stretches his foreleg towards Star Trail in a friendly gesture, “Ponies here in Ponyville don’t mind us, we didn’t kidnap anypony, and it was the same in Wet Soil. We are fed, and they aren’t hurt in any way. I know the mistrust will stay for a long time, and that we can’t end it here, but… can we build something new now? Maybe a chance to start fresh.”

Star Trail glares at the smaller hoof reaching up to him, takes a deep breath, closes his eyes…

…and his horn flashes.

Three can’t even squeak before a thick and sharp combat dagger rams through his eye right into his brain.

“I will not rest until I purge all of you from this world,” Star Trail stands up, pulling the dagger out of Three’s head with a horrendous squelching noise.

The crunch that follows signals metal and bones breaking when Eight grabs Star Trail by his foreleg and slams him against the floor so hard the armored foreleg remains in her grasp while Star Trail slides away, leaving a bloody trail.

Eight stomps over, her now acidic saliva burning the stone floor.

“...stop...”

Why is everything green?

Why am I walking forward covered in flames?

Why am I not trying to save Three?

Why all I want is to kill Star Trail?

“...One, heal Three...”

“He’s dead, my King. Even I can’t rebuild a broken brain.”

“...worthless...”

“...Eight, heal Three. That’s an ORDER...”

Her body twitches as she involuntarily walks over to Three with his head lying in a pool of blood and brain matter. She looks at me, closes her eyes, and shakes her head.

“...you said you’d obey me no matter what...”

“I’m sorry.”

“...liar...”

Star Trail’s body rises up wrapped in emerald fire. The paladin is screaming as his armor melts on his body. The glow enveloping him brightens around his legs, followed by cracking of breaking bones and bending metal.

“...I will erase every proof you’ve ever existed, monster...”

“Monster, ME?!” Star Trail’s screaming turns into mad laughter, “KILLER, PARASITE, ABOMINATION! YOU ARE THE LIVING DARKNESS MY PRINCESS NEVER MANAGED TO PURGE! BURN IN TARTARUS, YOU AND YOUR MINIONS!”

“...your princess made us, she put us through centuries of misery, and I will bring her your corpse...”

Love.

Irony, isn’t it?

Love bubbles through my horn, ready to break out and turn that vile pile of vomit into a black smear on the ground.

I don’t let it. Why?

Because Four jumps at the scorched paladin, green flash comes from her mouth, and she bites Star Trail’s horn off before jumping between him and me.

“Boss, Three was right. If WE don’t stop the cycle, no one will,” she points towards Star Trail’s horn lying on the floor, “He’s completely crippled now, boss. We can bring him to Ponyville, and someone can take him to Canterlot. I know most of you want this pony dead or you don’t care if he’s alive at least, but that’s it. The hatred or the indifference are all the cause. We are all creatures who just want to build a life. The invasion survivors said there were some trials where the princesses know if you’re telling the truth. We can clear our name, and explain what he did.”

“...he did it on the princess’ orders, you idiot...”

Why is she resisting me?

“No, he didn’t,” says the paladin One and Four captured, “These operations were a favor for Star Trail at first. After you dropped the mount Canterlot tunnels on us, we looked for you with the princess’ knowledge as one of multiple missions, but not on her orders. Princess Celestia didn’t order your death.”

“Hey, that’s awesome, boss!” we all freeze when we hear Three’s voice through our link. I look at his very, very dead body.

“Three?” there’s finally some life in my voice again, “Where are you?”

“Umm, I dunno, boss. It’s dark in here, like completely black, and there are a bunch of changelings who look like you, all big and with huge teeth. They’ve got crowns too. Hey, we need to get you a crown thingy as well soon. Wait, do bosses wear crowns?”

“Oh no...” I breathe out.

”Nine, Ten. Carry the paladins into the cells downstairs. If Star Trail bleeds out, then he bleeds out, I couldn’t care less. One, Eight, get me into the hive mind, NOW!”

Everyone rushes off, only One and Eight stay, their horns glowing.

WE DON’T THINK SO!

Everything goes dark. When I blink, I’m facing a group of changeling rulers fanned out with Three in their middle.

Unfortunately, One and Eight aren’t here.

NOW, HOW ABOUT WE HAVE A LITTLE CHAT?

“What do you want?”

WE ARE SURE YOU KNOW. YOU OWE US A LOT.

“Alright, give Three back and you can have my stored love, all of it.”

OH MY, BUT HIS BODY IS RUINED. YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A FRESH ONE, WIPE ITS MIND, AND THEN TRANSFER THIS DRONE’S PERSONALITY INTO IT. THE PROCESS IS… WASTEFUL. ALL THAT ONLY MEANS WE GET LESS LOVE THAT YOU OWE US.

“I will gather more, just give Three back.”

YOU DEFINITELY WILL, OR WE WILL HAVE TO REPEAT THIS LESSON.

The darkness under Three’s hooves begins boiling.

“Uhh, boss?” he panics, trying to push against the black tar swallowing him faster and faster.

“No, stop that!” I scream, darting forward for a second before being tossed back.

IT WOULD NOT BE MUCH OF A LESSON WITHOUT PROPER PUNISHMENT.

“NO!” I let out a shockwave of love which blasts the changeling memories away. Green glow envelops struggling Three as I pull with all my might while running to him.

Suddenly, my power fizzles out completely. I’m surrounded by changeling rulers, a glowing green lines connecting me with the horn of each one. I feel my love drain away, leaving me weak and fragile no matter how hard I try to push back against them sucking my dry.

I collapse, reaching towards Three with my shaking foreleg. The little drone has stopped struggling, and is now just looking at me and sinking.

“If you drain me, who will feed you? And if you take Three away, I will NEVER EVEN THINK about feeding you again!” I growl.

WE HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE MATTERS INTO OUR HOOVES. YOUR BODY WILL BE SUFFICIENT, YOUR PROBLEMATIC MIND… UNNECESSARY AT THIS POINT.

“Please no...” I don’t even have the strength to keep my leg raised.

Three hangs his head.

“Boss, I’m happy I got a chance to meet all those nice ponies, to see more than just dirt and caves, and to be more than a ball of chitin made to go crunch against a big magic shield. All that thanks to you, miss One, and miss Eight.”

“Three...”

“You’re a way better boss than all the meanies in here, don’t forget that! You brought changelings who hated ponies together and made them nicer. And Four, no pony can be nasty to her, because she’s the nicest and friendliest changelin-” the darkness swallows him.

INSOLENT LITTLE SHIT. GOOD RIDDANCE.

I feel everything shake. From the corner of my teared up eyes I see some purple and gold blurs that have no meaning anymore.

Darkness changes back into cold stone floor under me, and I simply lie there, empty. Something shakes me. I don’t react, there’s no reason.

I couldn’t care less.

Three’s link is completely out. He’s gone.

43: Together, facing regrets.

Quiet ‘tap tap tap’ of hoofsteps can be heard through the dungeon deep down under the Castle of Two Sisters, heralding the hesitant arrival of a small, thin female changeling whose chitin bears the black and grey streaked pattern resembling camouflage. As Four passes one of three locked cells, the hornless unicorn paladin inside scowls at her, and she looks away. Several cells further, Star Trail is unconscious but still alive despite the horrendous crippling wounds he suffered. Four isn’t exactly sure whether that is a good thing.

Her target, though, is the only captured paladin still in good health who looks up and narrows his eyes as Four stops on the other side of the bars. He’s tall, with muscles clearly defined under his white coat. He must be old, because his blond mane is filled with grey streaks like his very short beard, but he doesn’t look… withered. Four’s guess is something over forty, but in excellent shape. When he strides meaningfully towards the bars as well, Four backs off, completely overshadowed by the comparatively massive unicorn.

“What do you want?” he asks, hostility dripping from his voice.

Four has trouble stopping her voice, and herself as well, from trembling.

“I-I want to know… I want to know why you killed Three.”

“How about you come inside and ask me here? Maybe we can have a little chat about my dead comrades as well as the guard YOU murdered in Canterlot,” he grumbles.

Four whimpers, her shoulders sagging in tune with her ears.

“I already told you what happened...” she whispers, “I told you it was an accident. I told you I didn’t want to do it. The other guard scared me and I bit down on reflex. I just wanted to soften him up with my venom so that he’d fall asleep.”

The paladin points at a spot right in front of him.

“Then come over here and say it to my face, changeling.”

Four shakes her head.

“N-No...”

“Thought so...” he turns away, “Coward.”

“Y-YES!” Four takes a step forward, her voice squeaky, shaking, but now angry, “I am terrified of you! Why wouldn’t I be? You’re huge, you’re strong, and you hate me so much you want to kill me! What can I do? Most changelings would be terrified of you, and also completely defenseless. All you scary, evil ponies are like that. Normal drones aren’t much of a match against your big stallions. Only a hoofful of us can defend the rest against trained killers like you. Of course I am scared! You chased us down, you mercilessly killed some of us even if they tried to surrender. We just wanted to hide, and you’re on our tails again even though we didn’t do anything bad to anypony around here!”

“You think I am the scary one here?” the paladin leans back after Four’s outburst, “I can’t pretend I’m somepony else and then stab them in the back, I can’t mind control ponies, and I don’t have teeth sharp enough to bite through a magically enchanted platemail. I also didn’t attack Canterlot, I didn’t try to take over Equestrian royalty, and I didn’t knock princess Celestia out and put her into a damn cocoon!”

Four’s voice grows softer.

“...but neither did I.”

“What?”

“I told you before, I wasn’t even born before the invasion. The boss wasn’t there, miss Eight wasn’t there, Three wasn’t there… and your… friend just killed him… when all he wanted was more crayons for his colouring book and some ponies he could talk to because there were no colours in the old hive, no friends, no possessions, nothing. There was just hunger and the Queen...” Four sniffles and turns around, sobbing quietly, “I’m not old enough to have seen it, but everyone else knows.”

The paladin glares at her, then notices that in her angry monologue before, she walked over a little too close to the bars.

“AAAAH!” Four yelps when she feels a pony foreleg wrap around her barrel and pull her towards the prisoner, then his second one wraps around her neck…

...before she’s turned around and her back is pressed against the pony’s barrel and she feels him patting her head.

“Huh?”

“Are you trying to tell me that none of you were there during the invasion?” he asks, “How did you know about the prisoners then?”

Four, failing to wiggle out of his grasp, whimpers.

“No, Ten, Nine, and miss One were there,” she admits, “We learned about what happened from them. From Ten mostly. He said there was an explosion during the invasion which tossed him into a small town called Wet Soil where we found him. He really likes your princess Celestia. That’s the white one with the big backside, right? It’s a bit hard to sort through his memories and other information to compare how she looks with how he sees her.”

Behind her, one corner of the paladin’s mouth curls upwards.

“My name is Bright Star, little one. How about you tell me about your group?”

“I’m Four. I… don’t know how much I can tell you without asking miss One, miss Eight, or the boss, but...” Four stops, shaking her head, “No, Three was right. If we don’t end it… who will?” she takes a long breath, pressing her head harder against Bright Star’s hoof not stopping to pat her, “The first thing I remember are eggs all around me, and that I was really hungry. The boss and miss Eight were looking at me and arguing-”

Time flows as Four tells Bright Star everything, hoping against all events proving her wrong that this is a chance to maybe take the first step towards… if not peace then at least less hostility.

“-and then that… Star Trail pony killed Three. I doubt the boss will ever forgive you for that.”

At some point in the story, Bright Star stopped stroking Four’s head, and just sat there, eyes closed.

“Why did you have to kill Three?” asks Four again, “He didn’t do anything bad to anypony.”

Bright Star takes a long, deep breath.

“Have you ever heard about a town called Riverside, little- Four?”

Four shakes her head.

“I don’t think I could get anything even from Ten’s memories.”

Bright Star took a deep breath.

“It is… no, even few weeks ago it used to be a bustling little town similar to Wet Soil you mentioned, only north of Canterlot. However, unlike Wet Soil which sits in the middle of a swamp, Riverside was a rather prominent train stop for all travellers. Unfortunately for everypony there, it became the target of your queen and her servants who needed to replenish her forces after being defeated in Canterlot.”

“Oh no...” Four imagines how furious hungry Chrysalis had to be.

“There would have been no survivors were it not for a group of ponies… and a changeling.”

“Huh?”

“In short, at least from the official reports that I read, several hours after the invasion a female changeling landed in Star Trail’s backyard, blind and crippled. She was found by Puff, Star Trail’s… squire whom he tried to train to become a paladin one day. Star Trail loved the young stallion like his son. Anyway, I and the paladins who on Star Trail’s request joined the search for you in Canterlot, we have known Star Trail for decades, and we’ve gone through thick and thin, fought darkness, and saved innocents, because we are paladins. However, we often faced changelings, an enemy we could easily fight straight up, but an enemy we could never expect. Each of us lost too many friends to you, and that’s why when we heard some changelings survived the invasion and were responsible for rescuing the attackers from prison AND murdering a guard we answered Star Trail’s call for help even if he’s retired now. The princess didn’t know about the first operation, we don’t have to report all our activities to her.”

“How is that connected to Riverside?”

“I’m getting to it. You see, the changeling who dropped in Riverside called herself... Sixteen.”

“That’s a really high rank! Boss always says they are really nasty, but he likes miss Eight and miss One, and they are real old hive ranks, not like me. I’m Four only because it’s easier to remember than some five digit number. ”

“I’ll take your word for it for now. You’ll have to explain the numbers properly to me later. So, Sixteen was blind and crippled, but smart, and managed to survive Star Trail’s… interrogation,” Bright Star frowns for a moment, “Long story short, Riverside became the meeting spot for changeling survivors of the invasion for some reason, and your queen herself with the survivors took over the city. Sixteen, aided by some members of Riverside police force managed to escape and warn us in Canterlot in time to send paladins and Royal Guards there.”

“Why did she help you… and them?”

“She said that in her shape she’d just get ‘mulched’ even if she got back to the hive. Her words, not mine. Now, when we got to Riverside, we saw the cocoons we hoped never to see again, but thanks to Sixteen’s warning only few ponies went missing instead of the whole town.”

“I see, so Star Trail saw everyone from the town where he lived get hurt and that’s why he’s after us no matter what?”

“Not… exactly. I started the story talking about his squire… ex-squire, Puff.”

“Oh...” Four hung her head low, understanding now.

“Star Trail really lost it after Riverside and, honestly, I can’t blame him. His acquaintances hurt, the pony whom he considered family gone.”

Four shakes her head.

“I suppose there’s no use telling him that what he did to the boss was the same. Boss and Three were buddies from the old hive. They survived after everyone left, they saved miss Eight, they made friends in Wet Soil. Real pony friends. Three was one of the batch of front line drones who were supposed to suicide in order to crack Canterlot protective barrier. I… can’t put it into words how important Three was to the boss.”

“How old do you think I am, Four?”

“Umm, forty-something?”

“I’m much over a century old. Being a paladin so close to the alicorn of the sun and life has its advantages. I have outlived my grandfoals, and I know the pain of losing my family and friends, whether peacefully or violently. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. If more changelings were like you then we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Four closes her eyes, and pushes against Bright Star’s forelegs. To her mild surprise, he lets her go. She turns to face him.

“But how do you know if this is who I am? The most powerful changeling from the old hive other than the queen herself is teaching me infiltration. How do you know I’m not lying to you? How do you know I won’t turn into you and use your form to interrogate your friends?”

Bright Star grits his teeth.

“I… don’t,” he admits, “You fooled me completely.”

Four walks over to him, and presses her head against the confused unicorn’s chest through the bars. He waits, brows furrowed, uncertain whether to hug Four again or strangle her on the spot.

“I didn’t fool you,” she says quietly, “but this is what you ponies think whenever we changelings are mentioned. This is why no peace has ever happened before, says miss One.”

“Four, there ARE changelings who returned to their lives as themselves in Canterlot once we estabilished that they hadn’t replaced anypony. After the raid in Canterlot where I met you, I started digging into the details about the trials a little, and despite what happened, I think you could successfully plead your case before the princesses. It would take time, observation, and you’d likely won’t be allowed to transform, but it could work.”

“Lives as ponies...” mumbles Four, “Miss One has gone through few attempts like these over the centuries, and none worked. Starving changelings always realized that they had to remain disguised, or to be in control, otherwise they would die. You see, we’d die before we could build trust and feed. On top of that, miss One said we needed fresh love to avoid hunger, and according to her love fades over time, changes into comfort. What you’re saying gives me hope that there’s chance for at least some of us, but just your constant hunting, our need to shapeshift, and the fact that we need to change partners… thanks to that I know there’s no hope for all of us, and much less is we ever try to stay… us.”

Bright Star sighs, watching the dejected changeling talking to his chest, puts his foreleg under her chin, and starts scratching Four with the sharp tip of his hoof. He can’t help cracking a real smile this time when her eyes close almost automatically, and the tip of her tongue goes ‘blep!’ right out of her mouth.

“You might be right,” he says, unsure if the softly purring changeling is even listening to him, “Especially this soon after Canterlot, but I refuse to believe the trust problem can’t change over time.”

Four snaps out of her pleased trance, and shakes her head, blushing a little.

“From what miss One told me, the invasion happened exactly because there was no time anymore. When boss and Three got out of the hive, they followed a trail of dead changelings through the Badlands in hope to find everyone. As far as I know, about a third of the hive dropped dead just on the way to Canterlot. You’d have to ask the boss for details, but I doubt he’ll talk to you now, not after Star Trail killed Three...”

“I had no idea it was this bad,” Bright Star sighs, “I will never agree with what you did in Canterlot, but I can understand the desperation.”

The two sit there quietly for a moment, before Four stands up.

“I think I’ll go see if the boss doesn’t need anything. He’s hidden himself somewhere in the castle, blocked our links, and ordered even miss Eight to stay away. I don’t think he should be alone right now.”

“I don’t know anything about him, but give him my condolences.”

Four takes a breath as if she wants to say something more, but in the end she just turns around and leaves.

***

A gust of wind blows through my mane, and whispers in the treetops all around me. I’m sitting on the top of the broken turret Three showed me, my muzzle resting on the crenellation.

I could have prevented it. I SHOULD have prevented it. How could I have been so stupid and not ordered anyone to take care of Star Trail’s horn? It’s my fault Three’s dead. Others were fighting for me, and it was my job to tell them what to do so that we’d get out of danger alive. I failed.

Not feeling anyone other than Eight in my mind, as well as the fresh air are helping me clear my head a lot. I know I should have ordered her to dissolve and eat Three’s body like One did to hide our presence, but…

Eight finishes rearranging the ancient, rotten ponnequins in the castle armory. They are standing close to a small cot in the corner, all turned towards it with green smiles painted on in Eight’s blood. On the cot lies Three’s body wrapped in a ripped off piece of tapestry depicting the two princesses, his chitin cleaned up and the monstrously destroyed eye hidden behind a pirate eye patch.

Eight felt it was cheap, but I told her how much Three liked books about airships and pirates both in the sky and on the seas.

“Now you won’t be alone, even if we might have to leave,” whispers Eight, pointing at the ponnequins, and kisses Three’s forehead.

When she blinks, it’s my own eyes which open for me.

I hear a small piece of rubble behind me crumble, and Four pushes herself up through the pieces of rotten trap door. She dusts herself off, and gives me a hesitant smile.

“Hi, boss.”

“How did you find me?” I shouldn’t really ask. She’s a smart little cookie.

Says the changeling who is only some month or so older than she is…

She slowly walks over, looking at the forest canopy.

“Three often updated the castle map as he explored it both above and under the ground. I gave the place he tagged ‘I like it here!’ a shot. I guessed he must have taken you here too at some point. He showed me the way here once, but for me it was just… trees.”

“That’s the main difference between you two, and between Three and everyone else,” I prop my chin against the crenellation again, “He was still able to enjoy the simple things. We aren’t. Why are you here anyway, is someone in the castle again?”

She shakes her head, worms her way between me and the masonry I’m leaning against, and presses herself tightly against my chest.

“I want you to stop hiding, boss. You made sure no one other than miss Eight could easily find you, but that isn’t helping anyone. I can feel the others, it’s like a dark cloud hanging over everyone. Even Nine feels more stiff than usual. Closing yourself off like this is just hurting those who love you… all of us.”

I feel my eyes tearing up a little. However, a little spark of warmth and love is echoing between me and Four. It’s not the simple, pure joy Three could conjure up, but it’s genuine.

“Four, I don’t know what to do. I feel empty. Protecting Three was what was driving me all this time. I knew I wasn’t a real king or a leader, but at least I could help a drone like me be happy for a while. Now he’s dead, killed by ponies he found amazing, and it’s my fault. I should have ordered Eight to break Star Trail’s horn off immediately, but I didn’t. I failed both as a friend and as… the boss. None of you need me anymore, all of you are strong and smart enough to survive on your own. Three wasn’t. In fact, I am actually your biggest problem. The hive mind shared with me that they won’t try to negotiate anymore, they’ll destroy me and take my body over as soon as they can. They would have done it if it wasn’t for One and Eight stopping them as I was being sucked dry. The smartest thing you could do right now would be to find the darkest crypt you can find, lock me there, and let me starve to death with the core of the hive mind inside me,” I chuckle, “That would probably be less painful than sitting here, reminiscing about Three.”

I find myself on my back a short distance away with my chest stinging and two small hoofprints on my chitin as the green glow around Four’s forelegs fades away. She advances on me, frowning.

“What are you-”

She steps on my chest, and slaps me.

“SHUT UP!” she’s mad at me, I can feel it even through the locked link. I freely admit I have never been so scared of something so small, “Yeah, we might not need you for sheer survival anymore! So what?! We need you if we want a future that isn’t just hatred and fear. Don’t think even for a second that miss Eight or miss One would entertain the idea of being nice to ponies like they are now if it wasn’t for you! We would be predators, and they would be prey. Nothing more. And don’t even try to tell me miss Eight doesn’t need you. She IS you now, and you can’t take that back anymore. IF THE HIVE MIND WANTS WAR, IT WILL GET WAR!”

She’s standing on me, breathing heavily, and her now acidic saliva is hissing on the stones unpleasantly close to my head.

“Four?”

“DON’T INTERRUPT ME, BOSS, I’M REALLY MAD!”

I wait, but she doesn’t say anything else. Gradually, her spit stops hissing, and simply dries up.

“You done?”

Her breathing is slowly calming down. Her legs are shaking.

“I… I think so… boss...”

Sitting up, I scoop Four into a hug. She’s so light…

I sigh, and allow myself a small, partially fake smile. In my mind, I open up all my links to others.

“I guess we’re long past the point where we could just run, aren’t we? Well, I mean you. I never could.”

“Sorry, boss, for blowing up like that,” she nuzzles my chest, adding quietly, “but you were being really stupid.”

“I was. No matter what happens, we’ll have to deal with it,” I feel my words resonate through the links, “together.”

What returns to me is the feeling of collective relief. It looks like I was the one believing in me the least.

“Glad to have you back,” I feel my favourite second body answer. Eight is patrolling around the castle right now, and from what it looks like she’s following someone.

“Sorry for keeping you away, Eight.”

“YOU SHOULD BE! It’s not like you knew Three for much longer than I did,” she’s invisible, her hooves are transformed so that they make barely any noise, and yet I can hear a female voice near her say:

“Somepony must be tracking us. Our hair standeth on edge.”

I raise my eyebrow.

“What was that, Eight?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. We’ve got another group of five adventurers.”

“How dangerous?”

Her answer makes chill run down my back, and my chitin crawl.

“Call One.”

Author's Note

Bright Star sure knows his way around strange adorable female critters.

44: Together, facing our worst nightmare.

“What do you mean ‘call One’?!” my eyes bulge, and I stand up. Four, listening in to our mental conversation, and pretending she isn’t, is ready for my sudden movement, ”Should we get out of the castle?”

Eight frowns, still noiselessly following the group.

“We need the love, King, especially you,” she hesitates, “Although getting out is an order I will obey if you insist. Something about these guys doesn’t feel right.”

That makes me realize something huge. Eight got drained by the hive mind as well. I locked others out just in the nick of time, but I couldn’t disperse Eight’s link. She didn’t get hit as bad as I did, but she still is nowhere near the shape in which she fought the paladins. A fact which I didn’t help by keeping her away from me until now.

I focus on my love levels, and keep only enough to be able to move and link everyone up. The rest I immediately send to Eight. The transfers, even long distance ones, are growing easier and easier between the two of us.

“Alright, Eight. Keep an eye out on them while I contact One and Ten.”

“Will do, my favourite sulking breeder.”

To my surprise, Four standing next to me chuckles first, then gives me a meek smile. I just pat her head.

“Go down and be ready in case Eight needs something. I’ll wobble to the throne room myself, but it won’t be quick by any stretch of the imagination.”

“On it, boss. I’ve got an idea or two I’d like to try out.”

“No succubus costumes!”

“I wouldn’t dream of stealing miss One’s shtick,” she grins at me, and rushes down the turret staircase. I guess I should slowly follow.

“One!”

“Heeey, look who suddenly remembered he’s got a hive,” I can feel One raise an eyebrow while not skipping a beat in her conversation with Mayor Mare. What she’s doing in Ponyville town hall is beyond me, but I’m going to assume she had a good idea and leave it be. We’ve got bigger problems.

”Another group of adventurers is in the castle. Get you demonic ass over here as soon as you can.”

“I think I’ll have to pass this time. Ten built a good ground work with Mayor Mare about us ‘renting’ an empty house in Ponyville, and I’d like to ‘seal the deal’ as they say. I’ll have her squirming under me in few minutes.”

”One, Eight said she needed you here for this one.”

“WHAT?!” One takes a quick sip from her glass of water to cover her surprise, “I’ll be out of here in fifteen minutes. Whatever’s going on, you can last that long, right?”

”We’ll try.”

“Good, I’ll come fed and ready.”

”Bring Ten, just in case.”

Ten’s mental voice reaches me through the link immediately:

“I’ll be ready to come back in five.”

”Good, both of you. I’ll keep all of us linked up so that you don’t miss anything.”

“Boss,” Four’s voice is inside my head loud and clear, “I’ll lead the group through the castle like Three did last time. I also discovered that he kept updating our mental map with traps he found or prepared. They aren’t exactly dangerous, but can be annoying. I already sent Nine to the armory, and I’m plotting a good route there.”

”Good job. I’m wobbling to the lower throne room.”

I finally reach the underground castle hallways, and focus on Eight again. Moving my own body while existing partially inside someone else’s is still confusing, but I’m getting better.

The group Eight is tailing stops in front of the castle entrance, chatting.

There are five ponies like before, but this time they definitely don’t look like teenagers.

Their leader is a white earthpony mare as tall as Nine bearing a similar muscular build, with bright teal mane and tail. Unlike Nine, though, she’s clearly feminine to the max, resembling Eight a lot more in that respect. Broad-shouldered with tight waist, but her ample backside and thick thighs clearly show she could kick through a stone wall or crush some very happy stallion’s head between them. A set of chainmail “armor” - a strip around her chest, and a thong barely even visible in comparison to her plot, is totally not covering her. On her head, she’s wearing a silly metal circlet with two feathers sticking out of it, but the massive halberd she’s carrying on her back is definitely no joke. Twin cutie marks not even a blind changeling could miss adorn each of her unnaturally huge buttcheeks, each looking like an exploding star.

“We should be the one walking ahead, Supernova, for we can fly and we possess a natural score for locks and traps skill of ninety!” says a second mare, a smaller, dark blue one, flapping her wings and hovering above the group. Her voice is loud, boisterous, and she speaks weird.

“As you wish, Moonshine. Smart idea,” Supernova, the huge amazon, answers in a surprisingly friendly and motherly tone.

Moonshine frowns.

“However, we still object for our name to be that of some lowly peasant’s home beverage distilled from old socks.”

Moonshine is lithe, although still rather tall for a pony, especially a pegasus, despite not reaching anywhere close to Supernova’s height and thickness. However, unlike the earthpony whose “armor” can easily compete against some of One’s more interesting disguises, Moonshine is wearing a tight brown leather jacket covering her barrel as well as pants and high boots. Sheathed around her waist is a rapier, but her main weapons seem to be twin curved blades locked on her forelegs. Her cutie mark isn’t visible under her pants, but there are some white dots, likely stars, painted on them in the flank department. She’s all dark blue, with silver mane and tail.

Aaaand, she’s wearing a tricorn pirate hat for some reason. Note to self - have someone steal that for Three.

“I think it fits rather well,” says Supernova, chuckling.

“If thou say so, Superdough, ruler of sweet pastries. ‘Tis excellent that we agreed to join thou in this retreat, if only to see thou exercise for once.”

“Ladies, ladies,” says a pink unicorn mare, the third member of the group soothingly, “No arguing. We decided that all of us need to get away from everything after what happened in Canterlot. A nice, OnO themed, relaxing adventure with a just little hint of real danger will do us good. Plus, if you break the power seals I spent days crafting just for this I’ll won’t forgive you.”

Moonshine pokes the ‘cutie mark’ on her pants.

“We believed thine seals to be unbreakable, archmage Sunrise Radiance.”

The unicorn shrugs.

“For me, Golden Barrier, and Cotton Candy yes, for you and Supernova… eeeeh, probably not with the time I had. Still, no cheating! We’ll scour the castle for the Holy Blade of the First Emperor, and see if there’s any evil to smite. Stick to your class abilities no matter what.”

“Yarrr, we be in perrrrfect shape if our foe be multi-layered cake!” Moonshine switches from her weird speech into even weirder one, poking Supernova’s backside with one tip of her hat, “But bewarrre the dreaded el-salado!”

“You’re just jealous,” Supernova winks at her.

As the two begin to argue again, Sunrise Radiance facehoofs. I sympathize. I know how it feels to be the sane one between two mares going for each other’s throat.

Speaking of the sighing unicorn. As said before, she’s all pink with dark blue mane and tail. Thankfully, she’s normal sized for a mare underneath a tall, pointy dark blue hat with yellow stars and silver rim. She’s also wearing a cloak with the same pattern as the hat completely covering her body. No fake beard of a wizard staff, though.

The final two members of the group don’t look too interested in the constant chatter of the others, rubbing their muzzles and exchanging kisses instead.

I’m going to assume the blond earthpony stallion with light grey coat wearing a full plate armor with yellow shield painted on its flank is the previously mentioned Golden Barrier, and the yellow unicorn mare with pink, curly mane and tail he’s exchanging boops and kisses with is Cotton Candy. If it was the other way around It’d be plain weird. Anyway, there isn’t much to say about Golden Barrier. He’s a classic earthpony stallion, and unlike the griffon invader last time, he at least looks as if the heavy armor slowed him down. However, his steady steps on the uneven ground full of broken masonry and tree roots reveal he must be used to wearing it. There’s a steel shield hanging from his side, and a simple spear on his back.

Cotton Candy is almost as tall as Moonshine, which is to say bigger than the average unicorn mare, and she’s wearing a rather similar outfit to that of Glitterdust from the younger adventuring group - a flowy, see-through dress, albeit cut short to avoid the dreaded moments of getting entangled in anything and everything. Her cutie mark is a simple red cross, making me think she’s a medic or something.

Eight takes a step closer to the group, and Moonshine immediately freezes mid-insult.

“We feel something approaching,” she turns her head, brows furrowed.

Sunrise Radiance’s horn glows, before she shakes her head.

“No invisibility or other obfuscation magic around, Moonshine. I think you’re just on edge.”

Moonshine huffs indignantly, looks at the castle entrance broken to pieces, and smiles.

“Home, sweet home,” lazily, she floats through, “Onwards, to adventure, the mighty Ogres and Oubliettes heroine Moonshine goes! To treasure, to danger, to distinct lack of confectionery!”

Supernova, standing on top of the stairs leading towards the main gate, looks down at Sunrise Radiance watching her with mouth slightly ajar.

“This doesn’t fit me, does it?” Supernova frowns, idly kicking back with her hind leg and making the string of chainmail dig even deeper between her cheeks, “Maybe I should exercise more...”

“N-No!” Sunrise yelps before lowering her wizard hat to cover her face, “It looks perfect on you… I mean… I mean… it’s very authentic.”

“Well, if you think so, Sunrise,” Supernova smiles, entering the castle with new spring in her step. Also, with a jiggle. “Onwards then!”

The unicorn mage raises her hat again, revealing her beet red face and heavy breathing.

“We need to do this more often,” she whispers to herself, then turns her head towards the remaining two members who are currently busy taking turns kissing each other’s noses. She rolls her eyes, but can’t hide a happy smile, “Come on, you two. The old castle awaits.”

“Hmm?” they both look up as if noticing Sunrise for the first time, “Oh, right,” they say as one, and follow Sunrise inside, giggling like schoolfillies.

I feel Four’s voice.

“I’m ready. Miss Eight, I need you to get over here fast. It’s time for phase one,” Four sends us a location on the map inside one of the many secret tunnels, “I’ll explain what to do on the way.”

Eight shrugs, and takes a route different from the one the adventurers are taking. We lose them for a moment, but invisible Four finds them soon, carefully walking through the first floor hallways with Moonshine first, and Golden Barrier in the back being saccharine with Cotton Candy so much I’m certain I’m getting diabetes just by watching through Four’s eyes.

The long hallway is lined with stone statues, next to one of which Four is silently standing, watching the group about to pass her by, and counting.

“Three, two, one… now, miss Eight!” she sends the signal.

Green light envelops Eight who pushes a loose brick on the other side of the wall.

“AAH!” Cotton Candy yelps when a section of the floor and a wall quickly spins along with her, the pony statue, Four, and Eight. A second later, Cotton Candy is inside a secret passage along with Four while…

…another Cotton Candy is swaying in the main hallway, being caught by Golden Barrier.

“Whoah, that scared me,” she says in the earthpony’s embrace, “Thank you,” her eyes go wide, and I could swear they just sparked sparked from all the love disguised Eight just got. Golden Barrier attributes her moment of dizziness to the quick spin around the wall, thankfully.

Moonshine laughs.

“We arrrr pleased to see that ye olde secret tunnels arrr still working after so long. We knew we hired the best arrrrrchitects in Equestria.”

”You okay, Eight?”

Steadying herself, she nuzzles Golden Barrier’s neck, reveling in the energy building up inside her.

“Ohhhhh yesss…. very much so, my King.”

Still hidden inside the secret tunnel, real and extremely confused Cotton Candy tries to push various places of the wall which swallowed her. As she opens her mouth to call out, she feels sharp pain from her neck, and then there’s only sleepy peace and warm, comforting darkness.

Green shimmer lights the tunnel as Four appears, eyes wide.

“Oh no oh no oh no oh no no no no no no no...” she keeps mumbling, her mind flooded with Cotton Candy’s memories the flashes of which make absolutely no sense to me. Caverns, Canterlot, crystals, changelings, and fear permeating everything.

”Eight, link up with Four, now!”

I connect the two directly. Several seconds later, Four’s panic gradually subsides, and she sits down, rubbing her temples.

“This is bad,” she whimpers.

“Then it’s even more important not to make a mistake,” Eight answers mentally, “You’ve got a job to do, Four. FOCUS!”

The little infiltrator breathes in, then breathes out. She stands up, gives Cotton Candy a harsh look, then grows in size, and puts the unicorn on her back.

“Alright, to the dungeons, and away from the paladins,” Four rushes off as fast as she can with her cargo.

”Eight, what’s going on?”

“Thanks to ‘Golden Barrier’ loving ‘Cotton Candy’ so much, I’m getting a rather quick and complete refill.”

I know when my question is being avoided.

”With FOUR!”

“Look, King, right now I’ve got the love to process a lot of bad memories Four received far too fast through a single bite. Smart little infiltrator, she is. Maybe there is something to One being a good teacher when she wants to be. The last thing I need is you pestering me. If you trust me, you’ll give me some time and keep thinking of this operation as just another adventurer group. We can’t have you panic like Four.”

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WHY DOES NO ONE TELL ME ANYTHING?!

Breathe in…

Breathe out…

To my surprise, it’s Eight who speaks up first again:

“Good, now that you’re pissed off, you’re less likely to run away.”

”You know I CAN’T run away even if I wanted to. Shapeshifting, hive mind, stuff...”

Eight exchanges a kiss with Golden Barrier while following the trio of ponies actually taking the adventure seriously.

“I don’t know why, but I assume some gods of fate are laughing at us like crazy, my King. The ‘Cotton Candy’ mare is princess Mi Amore Cadenza whom Chrysalis imprisoned in old mining caverns inside Canterlot mountain. Golden Barrier is her husband Shining Armor, the captain of Canterlot Royal Guard. The mage of the group is Celestia’s apprentice Twilight Sparkle, and the two constantly bickering mares who could put me and One to shame are Celestia and Luna themselves.”

My knees buckle under me. Thankfully, by now I’m inside the throne room, so I just belly flop on the floor.

”We have to run.”

“The thing is, King, that they’re here to have a good time, to relax, to take a break from their duties. Plus, Shining Armor is giving me an overcharge I haven’t felt before. I’m half-tempted to keep him.”

”If anything goes wrong, they won’t need to send an army our way, Eight. You’re in a group with TWO ALICORNS.”

“And they have no clue what’s going on. As I said, panicking won’t help. I can’t simply disappear at this point, so we have to play this out for now and see what we can come up with. Plus, they seem to have used some sort of magic to keep their real power sealed for now.”

”I’ll brief One.”

Receiving a mental nod, I share everything I heard with One. I could really use a good idea or two right now because I’m drawing blanks.

“Agreed, King. We’re in deep shit. Stall them as long as you can, I’m almost there,” is all One says.

Thankfully, Four takes charge when the rest of us are being useless.

“HAHAAA! We spotted a foe!” announces Luna victoriously, stopping in mid-air while pointing her drawn rapier at…

...Four watching them from the end of the hall with eyes wide.

“A changeling?” asks Celestia, readying her halberd.

Shining Armor scowls.

“Damn this!” he readies his spear and shield, walking in front of Eight, “I won’t let them do anything to you this time, Cotton Candy.”

“This one looks different from the most. Not bulky at all, plus I haven’t seen a single changeling covered in grey streaks,” Twilight’s curiosity wins, and instead of charging a spell she levitates a notebook, immediately sketching Four.

“Nonetheless!” Luna darts towards the comparatively tiny changeling, “A weak foe is still a foe to be vanquished!”

“Eep!” Four squeaks, immediately disappearing behind the corner.

”Four, what are you doing?!”

“Trust me, boss! I’ve got an idea.”

With that, she waits near a door cracked open, sticks her tongue out at approaching Luna being closely followed by Celestia, and hops through the crack without touching the door itself.

Luna stops in front of it, looks down, looks up, and grins to herself. When she turns her head back to Celestia, the grin is gone, replaced by a deadly serious expression.

“Tharrr be no trap on the door, but who knows what might be lurking behind it. Go ahead, warrrrior!”

“Alright,” Celestia readies her halberd, rears on three legs, and charges right through the doorway, shattering the door in the process and…

*Clink* *Squelch!*

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Luna does a barrel roll in the air while pointing at Celestia, and laughing like crazy. The previously white mare is now covered in green goo slowly dripping from her entire body. Her formerly fluffy white coat now sticks directly to her figure, tightly hugging every contour of it.

“You knew!” hisses Celestia, picking up the now empty bucket that was balanced atop the door prior to her charge.

“We must have messed up ourrr locks and traps roll,” Luna bursts into a fresh fit of laughter when Celestia ineffectively scoops the goo from her mane, only managing to spread it all over her face, and fails to flick it off with her hoof.

“Oh Four, you sly little critter, so this was your next step...” I hear Eight’s voice in my head. From her eyes, I see Twilight staring, jaw dropped, at Celestia’s massive behind slimy and shiny from the goo. She doesn’t notice the small river of blood coming from one of her nostrils.

“Whoever prepared the bucket… thank you, thank you, thank you,” her whisper is audible only to Eight who grins when Twilight quickly levitates up a camera and snaps several photos.

Four peeks out of a guest room a little further down the hallway, completely unnoticed. She waves her hoof and clears her throat, which is still lost on Celestia swinging her halberd at laughing Luna flying above and taunting her. Twilight is completely out of it, her head following every jiggle of Celestia’s plot. Shining Armor seems to have relaxed, seeing that the trap wasn’t anything serious, and is nuzzling Eight’s neck again.

“Heeey!” Four raises her squeaky voice a little, and is ignored yet again.

Eight coughs and calls out, pointing her hoof at Four.

“Oh nooo, there’s the changeling!”

The bickering stops immediately, both royal sisters now rushing at Four, one flapping and one squelching. Twilight uses the chance to run just a little slower than Celestia, staying straight behind her and drooling.

“I’ll protect you, Candy,” whispers Shining Armor into Eight’s ear, “If Chrysalis is involved in this, we’ll make her regret ever setting her eyes on Canterlot.”

“My hero,” fawns Eight, internally fighting against the crashing waves of sarcasm needing to be voiced out loud.

“Careful, a trap door!” Luna flies over an unremarkable spot on the floor. Celestia jumps over it immediately, her landing jiggle setting off Twilight’s nosebleed again. Locked in her private student-teacher fantasy, Twilight steps right on the trap door and goes ‘whoosh!’ straight down.

“Aaaa-?!”

“Tw- Sunrise!” calls out Celestia, hearing Twilight’s scream quickly cut off. She leans into the dark pit, “Are you okay?”

“I- I think so… owowowow.”

“I’ll get her out!” Luna darts towards the trap door which closes in front of her muzzle. Her stomping on it yields nothing as it now looks like a solid piece of the stone floor again.

Down in the silent darkness, Twilight lights up her horn. Thankfully, this is only a simple square room seemingly without any exit, no spikes, no hidden saws, no deadly mechanisms like in Daring Do and the Temple of Unspeakably Gory Death.

“Huh… grass?” she raises an eyebrow, carefully poking the pile of moss, grass, and soft branches that cushioned her fall, “This is weird. Traps usually aren’t meant to just scare somepony...” she rubs her chin, leaning down to the pile to examine it closely, “Plus, this is all either fresh or few days old.”

Back up in the hallway, things are far less peaceful.

“We’ve got to save her!” Shining Armor beats against the trap door with his armored hooves to no avail.

Behind him, Eight watches the two panicking earthponies and one pegasus. After a moment, I hear her message:

“We need to sort this out. Divide and conquer only works if they stay divided. Has One finally lugged her bony ass in here?”

“I’LL SHOW YOU BONY, YOU MUSCLE-FOR-BRAINS!” my eyes cross as I hear the answer through a different link.

“Ah, good. Took you long enough,” answers Eight, unfazed, “I need you here right now,” a location on my mental map lights up immediately, “I’m sending you the plan. Same goes for you, Four.”

Several flashes of ideas and memories later, Four says:

“Will do, miss Eight.”

Back in reality, which means in the castle hallway, Eight points her hoof at the far end, and yells loud enough to drown the others arguing how best to save Twilight:

“LOOK! There’s the changeling again. She- it will know how to get to Sunrise!”

The group notice Four’s head peeking from behind the corner. When faced with three furious glares, Four-

“Eep!”

-trots off again, leaving the group only with the tapping of her hooves disappearing into the distance.

“Excellent idea, Cotton Candy!” Luna praises her, “Sunrise wasn’t hurt, we just need a way to get to her. Onwards!”

Worried, they follow the little infiltrator again.

***

Below them, Twilight finishes tapping on the walls of her prison, allowing herself a smug smirk when one section of the wall sounds different. This place definitely isn’t accessible only using wings or teleportation.

Huh, teleportation. Now, her character could cast translocation magic, but only using magic circles and preparation beforehoof. Of course, she could easily blink upwards, but that would be cheating and THAT ISN’T WHAT THIS RETREAT IS ALL ABOUT NO MATTER WHAT SOMEPONY MIGHT THINK.

Seriously, persuading the princesses, especially princess Celestia, not to undergo this as alicorns was a nightmare.

“Crazy workaholic...” she mumbles, “Aah?!”

The sudden flash of light subsides, revealing-

“Princess Celestia? Your seal. What are you-?” Twilight is silenced by a pristine white wing pressed against her muzzle.

The alicorn smiles at her softly, and Twilight can’t help noticing how the light of her horn slides against Celestia’s still gleaming, wet, gooey body. Not the wings, though, the beautiful, massive white wings she didn’t have when she ran through the booby-trapped door.

“My dearest student,” to Twilight’s surprise, Celestia looks at loss for words, “I… when you fell down here, when I couldn’t see you in the darkness… I panicked. I’m so sorry for breaking the seal you so meticulously crafted, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you down here, alone, possibly bleeding out on a spike. I apologize again for ruining your- our adventure.”

Celestia covers her face with her wing.

“I-” Twilight’s anger evaporates instantly. It’s obvious the princess only meant well, “I called out that I was okay.”

“I must have missed it, I’m sorry,” Celestia sits down and hangs her head low, wings now limp against her body. She notices them getting sticky, and flaps them ineffectively, only spreading the green liquid further over herself, “Oh damn, I messed this up for everypony. I just… all I could think of was you here, hurt,” she shakes her head, “I’m stupid. You’re not just my little student anymore, you’re a grown mare, powerful and beautiful.”

“B-Beautiful?” stutters Twilight, walking closer to Celestia.

“Without a shred of doubt,” the princess wraps her wings around Twilight who leans into the embrace, and whispers into her ear, her hot breath tickling the unicorn, “and I noticed you taking pictures of me.”

Twilight freezes, her world shattering. Now there’s no way she won’t be banished from Equestria. She broke the princess’ trust, and-

-she’s suddenly breathing Celestia’s scent mingling with the minty smell of the goo, her nose pressed right against the princess’ chest.

“It’s not the first time, is it?”

Twilight nods, her cheeks burning. Celestia grabs her hoof and guides it to her royal haunches.

Twilight looks up, eyes wide, into the blushing alicorn’s amethyst eyes.

“Princess?”

In a golden flash, Celestia’s wings are gone.

“Just… Supernova for now, my little Sunrise. Pictures of pretty princess can hardly match how a real amazon feels,” she pushes Twilight on her back.

“Oh gods...” Twilight breathes out, her forelegs kneading Supernova’s powerful chest muscles.

“Just goddess,” grins One, kissing absolutely ecstatic Twilight.

Author's Note

Welcome to the next episode of "How scheming can make things so vastly worse than blindly running away."

45: Together, facing ancient demigods.

Four pulls at a wooden stick put in place of a long-rotten torch into a holder on the wall, and a section of the wall slides away. Scorch marks of wild magic line the walls, the floor is covered in changeling goo, and in the middle of the small room lies the happiest pink unicorn Four has ever seen, huge-ass, likely literally considering Celestia’s proportions, grin lining her muzzle sticky with green goo and white fur.

Four can sense that One sucked Twilight dry in more sense than one, so she’s not worried the unicorn will wake up. She pokes her just in case with no reaction whatsoever.

“See? We can make you this happy all the time, even if it won’t be super real. YOU couldn’t tell the difference, and I know for sure you’d come do this daily if you could. But nooooo, you have to be MAD at us, because we’re EVIL and SCARY and HAVE HUGE SHARP TEETH! PFFBFBFT!” sulking Four sticks her tongue out at Twilight, slings her over her back, and hauls her off to the dungeons.

One floor higher, Celestia and Luna stop in front of a double door slightly ajar behind which they heard shuffling a moment ago.

“Did it go this way?” asks Celestia, sweat now mixing with changeling goo in her coat.

“I don’t know,” Luna frowns, examining the door, “I don’t hear anything further down the hall, so this is the only way, I think.”

“No bucket above the door this time?” asks Celestia. She turns her head to Shining and Eight, “Golden Ba- ugh, nevermind,” she rolls her eyes as she hears something along the lines of ‘No, I love you more’, and gives up.

“Definitely not,” Luna nods.

Celestia charges inside, immediately kicking over a bucket, slipping on its green contents, and sliding forward while leaving a goo trail behind her.

“Luuunaaaa...” she growls, trying to stand back up.

“Hey, don’t break character,” Luna’s giggling fit eventually ends, “Besides, you said ‘above the door’, not directly in front of it. Yarrr,” she adds, realizing she hasn’t done much character development recently.

“I wonder how the moon looks at this time of the year...” grumbles Celestia, finally regaining some footing on the sticky floor.

“Now now, let’s not be hasty,” Luna, casually floating above Celestia, points somewhere where Celestia can see only after wiping the gunk from her eyes, “Look, an enemy who isn’t running.”

Luna recognizes the castle armory, although for some reason all the ponnequins are stuck looking into one corner, and have smiles painted on.

Just like in the old days, the balcony from which ponies could observe the training Nightguards, a raised dais underneath where instructors used to watch.

“Ahhh… it’s all coming back.”

She stops admiring the familiar yet ancient scenery, and looks directly at the enemy.

It’s a bulky equine as tall as Celestia wearing what looks like a dented and damaged platemail of griffon Imperial Guard. He grasps the handle of a greatsword with the claws of one foreleg, and against all odds he unsheathes it as easily as if it was a normal weapon.

Narrowing her eyes, she notices the single bright teal eye watching their group through the helmet’s visor, the scales covering the top of his muzzle, and has to correct herself. No, not a normal pony, a dragonpony. That would explain the strength and size.

“A dracon? Looks like our castle is indeed a place of evil these days,” with a click of Luna’s fetlocks, twin curved blades slide out of her horseshoes.

The dragonpony clears his throat when it looks like his opposition is finally ready for him.

“I am… inquisitor Vindictus,” he says in deep, calm voice, “If you are here for the Holy Blade, then you have to prove your worth first.”

“Ha! And if we beat thee, thee shall tell us where our captive companion is now!” Luna lands victoriously, giving Vindictus a bloodthirsty grin.

“Alright, alright,” Celestia facehoofs like the responsible pony she is, “So what now? Do we go one by one, or as a group? Wouldn’t that be too easy?”

“Oooh oooh oooh!” bouncing on the spot, Luna raises her hoof like an overeager schoolfilly, “Wait, haven’t you read revised rulebook Twi- Sunrise gave use beforehoof?”

“I got to the character creation...” Celestia whistles innocently.

This time it’s Luna’s turn to roll her eyes.

“We fight as a group. This is obviously a mini boss,” she points at Vindictus calmly watching them while giving his sword a practice swing here and there. Catching Luna’s stare, he nods, “See, he doesn’t attack us until we get ready. HE knows the rules, sister, and he’s the bad guy! ”

Celestia sighs, examining her now more green than white coat.

“Fine, can we beat him up, grab Sunrise, and then find the nearest shower? I feel dirty in more ways than one.”

“Hmmm,” Luna rubs her chin, “we could make make a bit or two on the side if we let you join a wet mane contest.”

Celestia, immediately ready to end any discussion about her sister possibly pimping her out, turns to Shining Armor-

“So, you two- ughh… nevermind.”

-who is now nibbling on Eight’s ear, much to her pleased cooing.

“Mmmm, go oooon...” Eight moans, eliciting a long lick from Shining, his tongue going from her cheek to the ear tip.

“GAAAAAAH!” Celestia swings her halberd, “Alright, Moonshine, let’s introduce this minion or whatever to the business end of our weapons.”

“Mini-boss, Supernova, boss.”

Incoherent grumbling aside, Celestia’s pounce forward and overhead halberd swing is met with Vindictus’ greatsword. Sparks fly, and as soon as she lands, the dragonpony charges at her with his shoulder, making her bounce off of his armor.

Thankfully, as Celestia lands on her back, Luna is there to cover her, and attacks Vindictus from the air with a flurry of rapier stabs he can’t block due to his heavy weapon and has to back off.

On the floors deep down underneath the combatants, a small, black and grey-streaked changeling stops in front of Three’s “thing with black and white teeth”, gasping for breath.

“Oof,” Four waits for her breathing to calm down. Burning love running around the castle at unnatural speed, hauling big ponies across multiple floors, and planning the majority of what’s currently going on, is taking a toll on her, and I can’t afford to siphon love off of anyone else right now, “I never thought this knowledge would be useful, but good job packing this into the shared memories, Ten,” she sits down on a piece of rubble Three had apparently moved in front of the organ, positions her forelegs above the keys, and takes a deep breath.

*DUUUUUNNNNN!*

The rumbling tones resonate through the entire castle. I feel them shake the floor under my hooves. After the original burst of noise, a gradually building, energetic melody starts playing.

Through Nine’s eyes, I see Luna’s smile grow wider and wider.

“HAHAAAA!” Luna vigorously bumps her hoof in the air, “ The old organ still works! Crafted back when ‘Made in Equestria’ meant something. Now THIS melody gets the blood pumping, like the battle bards from my days!”

She dashes towards Vindictus so fast that even he can barely follow her. To his absolute shock, Luna’s rapier finds every hole in his armor, every niche, and every vulnerable spot. The much slower changeling-turned-dragonpony can only back off and swing his oversized sword in a body he hasn’t used much before. Fortunately for him, the scales underneath his armor are providing enough protection for Luna’s strikes to be fairly ineffective, if terrifyingly precise.

Nine knows he’s outmatched even without Celestia in range, but thanks to Eight’s training, he’s holding his own.

At least few more seconds.

The butt of Celestia’s halberd gets between his hind legs during his slow retreat, forcing him to sit down. In the next moment, Luna’s horseshoe blades barely miss his neck, instead knocking his helmet off. Vindictus looks at the blue princess first, but his eyes go wide when the sharp edge of Celestia’s weapon presses against his neck. Unlike Luna beaming with excitement from beating an opponent, Celestia is deadly serious when she asks:

“Where is Sunrise?”

Behind them, Eight gives Shining Armor a deep kiss before pushing him off, and standing up.

“Oh dear, oh dear. Perhaps we underestimated you...” her voice turns from Cadance’s into a deeper, sultry tone. Green fire begins burning around her fetlocks, gradually moving through her coat, incinerating Cotton Candy’s fragile form, and leaving behind a much stronger, fit, and deadlier form of the pegasus knight Black Rose clad in a revealing yet protective scale mail.

A feminine screech previously thought incompatible with the heavily armored stallion next to Eight pierces the air, and Shining Armor collapses on the floor into fetal position, covering his head, and mumbling over and over:

“Green fire, green goo everywhere, my wife isn’t real, changelings everywhere, nothing is real, we’re still in Canterlot, all of us in cocoons, Chrysalis, Chrysalis, Chrysalis...”

Eight raises an eyebrow, and curiously gives Shining a soft kick which he doesn’t seem to register at all.

“Weird...”

“A changeling?” Celestia turns away from Nine, swinging the butt of her halberd against his temple. He goes down like a log. When he hears Celestia’s hoofsteps move a little away, he cracks his working eye open, and starts shuffling away.

“Step away from him, monster!” Luna lands in front of Black Rose.

“Monster?” I feel red hot fire bubbling inside Eight.

”Eight?”

Suddenly growling, she looks as if she’s about to rip Luna in half. However, when she moves, it’s not forward but to the side, carefully dodging between the ponnequins silently staring into the corner.

Green glow appears where Black Rose’s horn would be if she had one, and to my surprise she levitates Three’s body up.

Celestia, walking decisively towards her, stops when she notices that the drone definitely isn’t sleeping.

“I am a monster?” Eight hisses, “I didn’t send assassins for anyone! When I face my enemy, I do it one on one,” she bares her teeth, “This is- WAS Three, and since he can’t rest surrounded by the ponies he liked, we did the best we could in this cold hole,” with utmost care, she puts Three back down, “The most innocent victim of the murderers you sent for us, Celestia!”

Eight blurs. I have to switch to Nine’s eye, because I can’t make anything out of what I’m seeing.

The halberd gets pried out of Celestia’s forelegs in an instant before a burning hoofprint appears on her side. Like a rocket, the white amazon crashes into the armory wall, cracking her head against the stones.

In a tornado of emerald flames, Eight in her changeling form appears under Celestia even before she hits the floor, green glow intensifying around the mare’s neck. She bares her fangs:

“Despite what many might say, I am not a killer,” she growls at the concussed princess, “But you are tempting me.”

Celestia flies in a fluid arc straight against the opposite wall, this time face first.

Luna materializes from a cloud of shadows behind Eight, swiping at her with the hoof blades and receiving a rib-cracking kick immediately. She gathers herself, looks down at the droplets of blood on the floor, and touches her bleeding mouth.

Faced with Eight’s murderous scowl, she closes her eyes.

“You will regret touching my sister, changeling, and I will have to apologize to Twilight later.”

A shockwave of divine power tosses Eight away like a doll, and knocks down all ponnequins. Where Moonshine has been standing before now towers a dark blue alicorn with starry mane and the cutie mark of the moon. Her eyes are glowing pools of white as she glares at Eight...

...who looks at Luna, then at the pile of ponnequins covering Three’s body, then back at Luna.

“The only thing I regret is my own weakness,” curved blades grow around Eight’s fetlocks, and roaring emerald flames cover her whole body, not heralding a transformation but a perpetual aura searing the stones underneath her and making the air hiss.

The strongest surviving changeling warrior filled to the brim with Shining Armor’s true love for Cadance charges at the alicorn of the Moon.

”One, I need you to help Eight. She’s fighting-”

“I know,” is One’s answer, “and I’m not going to. Thanks to the hothead revealing herself, we’ll soon have to deal with two pissed off alicorns, and her love won’t last long against that. Four’s plan has gone crotchtits up, time for mommy One to save the day.”

To my surprise, from her eyes I see the armory and Ten standing next to her, visible unlike her. She’s able to process the hectic battle between Luna and Eight as well as send me the information via her own link.

“Ten, drag him to the closest guest room,” she points at mumbling and catatonic Shining Armor before walking over and knocking him unconscious with a smack against his neck. The infiltrator looks up at her with question in his eyes. She only replies, “No venom. Reasons.”

She continues with orders via the mind link.

“Nine, stop pretending and get out. If Celestia breaks her seal too, you will be even more useless than now. You, Four, and Ten after he gets Shining Armor out find the King in the throne room and wait for me.”

“What about Eight?”

“She’ll have to reap what she sowed.”

”One, she’s just furious about Three’s death. I can relate in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Yet you weren’t the one to order her to punch Celestia’s head off. She did it entirely of her own free will. Overrated concept for weak changelings, if you ask me, which you don’t.”

”Come on, One. I thought you two sorted things out.”

“Well sorrr-yyy if I don’t just wave off the fact that she’s likely just got us if not killed then at least evicted from this castle, and just risk my life helping her dumb ass. Now shut up and let me work! I know you trust me enough to argue but not order me around, so let’s pretend we’ve had the usual argument and you lost.”

With one last look around the armory, she leaves for the guest room where Ten dragged Shining Armor to and marked on the map.

It’s not far, and when One closes the door, she gives the unconscious stallion a quick look.

“Heh, considering how much you overcharged Eight with love for your wife, I’m beginning to see why you were the original target,” mutters One, sits down, and closes her eyes.

Flames of transformation take her, but this process is slow, as if gradually sculpting perfection itself, chipping away at any impurities one by one. The new reflection in the large mirror on the wall horrifies me.

Standing in the guest room with Shining Armor, her perfectly fitting segmented black chitin, green belly plating, and teal mane swaying in the draft coming from the broken window is queen Chrysalis, as gorgeous as she is terrifying. Through the new eyes, much older ones, I see Shining Armor as a glowing sun of swirling love and lust in perfectly identified amounts, and realize that maybe aside from our first encounter in Canterlot where Eight threatened this changeling’s horn I was never in control. The amount of knowledge and power she possesses is beyond my understanding.

Green glow envelops Shining’s armor, taking off piece by piece, as Chrysalis walks over to the bed and straddles the now naked pony’s barrel.

Licking the inner side of Shining’s ear, Chrysalis smiles as the still magically shapeshifted unicorn looks at her with absolute horror in his eyes. However, that expression doesn’t match what I see through Chrysalis’ eyes.

There is pure, undiluted lust.

“I know she must have implanted something LASTING into you, triggers, needs, and I also know she didn’t always look like your wife in the bedroom. Now give me all you’ve got, Shining Armor. Show me what form, what body you really want to breed deep down. Prove your devotion to your one true Queen. Let your addiction to her loose, your wife will never know.”

”O-One? Chrysalis…?”

“Oh, fooled you as well, did I? No no, it’s just me, the good old One. Now let me work. If I’m to save you from two alicorns without killing them, I’m going to need to be FINALLY full for once.”

With those words, I find myself kicked out of One’s head and back into my body.

It’s One, not Chrysalis. Chrysalis wouldn’t care, she wouldn’t help us. She would eat us and simply make more changelings. It’s One.

But she knew everything about the queen. The buzzing voice, the demeanor, the echo of her words inside my head. If I didn’t know there was someone as One, I wouldn’t have doubted for a second that I was locked inside Chrysalis’s mind.

Well, since One’s link is locked for me, I focus on Eight’s.

My perfect warrior roundhouse kicks Luna into the air so hard she breaks the stone railing on the balcony overlooking the armory.

“Enough is enough,” I hear Celestia’s calm voice. The ‘earthpony’ is striding towards Eight, her entire body glowing, “I don’t know what assassins you were talking about, but I will not allow this violence to continue.”

“YOU STARTED ALL THIS!” screams Eight, and blinks towards Celestia, about to flatten her muzzle.

All of sudden, she’s struggling against impossibly powerful telekinesis rivaling her own strength, and looking into sad, amethyst eyes not belonging to Supernova, but to the alicorn of the Sun herself.

Eight has managed to force both princesses to break Twilight’s seals. Unfortunately, just like One said, she’s now about to face two alicorns at once, and the stolen love won’t last forever.

I feel Eight’s battle trance waver under the onslaught of doubts as Luna teleports behind her, her rapier flying in the air. A quick buck with both hind legs backwards disrupts the alicorn’s attack as well as allows Eight to propel herself straight at Celestia, the two landing in a ball on the floor.

To my surprise, Eight disappears and reappears several steps away, and same goes for Celestia. They both look at each other, then at Luna whose smile is borderline insane.

“Now now, sister. Don’t be greedy,” she says, “Changelings are involved, and obviously they managed to split us from Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor. You should go look for them, and let me deal with this,” Luna cracks her neck, “After all, I haven’t had a proper workout like this in a thousand years.”

“Be careful, sister, she is powerful,” Celestia doesn’t let her eyes wander away from Eight as she back out of the armory.

Celestia’s halberd glows blue, and flies over to Luna.

“Finally, a properly meaty weapon. We enjoy good subterfuge and stealth, but a proper brawl is unmatched! I will show you true power from when Equestria was far from peace, changeling.”

The flames surrounding Eight go away, instead seeping into her chitin, reinforcing an upgrading her armor based on previous combat experience with Luna.

“We are the reason Equestria still exists, alicorn, your sister’s guilt and curse. We will not be forgotten, and we will NEVER be destroyed!” she hisses. This time, though, she doesn’t attack immediately, circling around Luna instead.

“We’ll see about that,” Luna attacks, quickly punching Eight’s throat. That is only a distraction, though, as when the unharmed changeling jumps backwards, a crushing overhead swing from Luna’s floating halberd stops only when meeting Eight’s crossed forelegs, the impact sending sparks everywhere, and forcing Eight to sit on her haunches.

In one quick spin, Luna smashes the butt of the halberd into Eight’s chest, sending her flying away. Eight recovers quickly enough to avoid being cleaved in half by the alicorn rapidly flying towards her, telekinetically grabbing Luna’s wing, and twisting. Leading Luna’s unwanted dive into the wall, Eight follows her immediately, and runs a blade quickly growing from her foreleg through Luna’s heart.

The alicorn distorts like a bad projection. Eight instantly turns around, only to face bleeding Luna’s halberd swinging her way.

To my surprise, Eight fluidly avoids the blade, but instead of attacking Luna, she kicks to the side.

Her leg impacts against something, the air shimmers, and reveals Luna spinning in the air, blood streaming from her muzzle. Even before the alicorn hits the floor, Eight is above her.

A mistake.

Bloody and bruised, Luna grabs Eight’s neck, and with a quick flap of her wings reverses the position of the two right before they land. The fraction of a second of Eight’s surprise gives her enough time to cock her glowing foreleg back, the horseshoe blades to extend, and to descend.

My link to Eight disappears.

I open my eyes, gasping for breath.

“No...” I shake my head, trying to blink any incoming tears away, “This isn’t happening. First Three, now Eight? This can’t be real.”

”Four, get to the armory right the hole now, and BE CAREFUL!”

“Will do,” she answers. I feel her creeping exhaustion, but there’s not time to argue now.

”One, Eight’s… Eight is… Eight...”

To my surprise, One answers:

“Yeah, that’s why you don’t mess with Luna. The really old hive memories are good for something at least.”

”Can’t you be comforting for once?”

“Not my job, definitely not my job. Now, Celestia will be on your way. Now that she can use her magic fully, she’ll track you down soon. You have to distract her.”

”HOW?! I’m not going to throw others at her anymore.”

“Then I suggest you try juggling. Maybe that will help.”

”One? ONE!”

Nothing.

“HOLES DAMN IT!” I curse so loud it makes Ten and Nine twitch.

”Meeep! Meeep meep meep meep!”

Why is Four whimpering in panic through the mind link?

One look through her eyes sends a chill down my spine. The two alicorn sisters are facing one another only a short distance away from Four, divine power swirling around them.

“Luna...”

“Ehm, Celestia… if thou are who thou make thyself to be.”

“A castle full of changelings, and every member of our group gets gradually dragged off,” Celestia raises an eyebrow, “Yet, you are here and victorious… sister.”

“What is thine favourite cake?”

“Quadruple-layered chocolate and strawberry.”

“HA!” Luna points her hoof accusingly, “My sister would NEVER touch a strawberry cake unless it was the last confectionery on Equus!”

“Oh you know me so well, Luna,” smiles Celestia, “You are correct, it’s chocolate and banana, with the little added spiciness of eggnog. And this way I can be sure you really are you.”

Luna gives her sister a hug, slipping back into speaking like a normal pony.

“I’m glad you’re okay, sister.”

“What happened with the changeling?”

“I cast an isolation spell while I questioned her so that nopony would spy on us. I didn’t get anything other than her trying to stop me from getting into my old throne room. She didn’t say anything about Twilight and the others, though.”

Celestia frowns.

“Then we’ll have to ask whoever is in charge of this. Let’s go!”

The two alicorns rush off, leaving invisible and trembling Four behind.

“B-B-Boss?” she mumbles, not caring that she’s talking to herself, “S-S-Speak t-to m-m-me, p-please.”

”You’ve done great, Four. Not even two alicorns could find you. One would be proud.”

“R-Really?” she asks.

“Sure I am, Four. Cool head counts for far more than sheer power,” we both hear One’s voice, “Now go do your King’s bidding while he’s busy dealing with the two sisters.”

“MORE CHANGELINGS!” I hear, and this time I mean hear hear with my own ears. Sadly, I have to also open my own eyes and face this with my real body.

I step off of the throne, hopefully trembling far less than I feel like I am.

“Ten, get behind me,” I lower my voice.

“No, King,” he takes a deep breath, and with determined look steps between me and the approaching princesses who stop when Ten moves, “I would make a pathetic creature out of myself in front of both you and her.”

“Ten, life is worth more than dignity, honor, and all that nonsense.”

He chuckles, shaking his head.

“We are more than bugs, parasites intent on survival at any cost. Funny, I never thought I’d say that under Chrysalis.”

“Alright, let’s cut to the chase,” Luna flaps her wings, levitating her halberd, “What did you do to the others, insect?!”

INSECT! PARASITE! WHAT DO THESE MURDERERS THINK ABOUT THEMSELVES?-

“-you killed us by millions,” my mouth opens, hissing, “You broke us, used us, discarded us, but you could NOT bury us,” I regain control, but for once I agree with the fury of voices howling inside my head, ”Your murderers, your paladins hunted us down in Canterlot, and then here again. We did NOTHING to you. Even the single pony Four killed was a sheer accident while we wanted to rescue those of us starving to death in your dungeons. But no, your hunters found most of them in the end, didn’t they?” I shake my head, “We could have forgiven the slaughter you caused in Canterlot, but then you just had to come here and kill Three. THREE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, FOAL MURDERER CELESTIA?” and then I laugh as tears stream down my muzzle, “But that wasn’t enough for you, RIGHT? THAT BLUE BITCH KILLED EIGHT AND ALL WE WANTED WAS A PEACEFUL PLACE TO LIVE! So here you are, two alicorns with bloodstained hooves, and here I am, the worthless leader who couldn’t save a single simple drone and a warrior loyal to the ends of Equus. If you want everything, then-”

TAKE IT!

Whatever love I have ignites as I shoulder charge Luna who dodges, tripping me up. Rolling on the floor, I shoot a blast of fire at her which she disperses with a mere flap of her wing.

“What did you do with the others?” she repeats, jabbing my chest with the butt of her halberd.

“Nothing, compared to yo-”

Sharp pain shoots from my muzzle. Luna’s weapon flies up, ready to strike me again.

“Leave him be,” several green bolts hit Luna from behind doing nothing other than making her turn her head towards the offender, Ten.

His eyes go wide when Celestia steps towards him.

Nine is in no shape to fight after the original clash with the two, but does what he can to hobble next to Ten and look menacing in his griffon armor.

“You… I remember you,” Celestia tilts her head, “You are the one from my bedroom. After the invasion.”

It’s time for Ten’s jaw to drop.

“Y-You can tell us apart… princess?” he shakes his head, “Look, I apologize for what happened, but I had no intention of ever harming you or anypony close to you. What the King said was true, we weren’t part of the invasion, well, some of us were, but we really just want peace. I’ve been working with local Mayor and I think she knows who I am and she’s alright with it. Ponies can live with us-” his accelerating speech unfortunately gets interrupted as soon as I feel a familiar pressure in my head again.

“GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

*Thud!*

*Thud!*

*THUD!*

With an earth shattering rumble, Eight crashes through a wall and rams into Luna before the alicorn can open her mouth. A set of holes in the walls lets me see all the way to the stairs leading into the upper floors where a small black and grey head is peeking through. Four notices me trying to get up, and waves at me.

“Found miss Eight, boss!” I hear her cheerful voice in my head.

Luna takes flight to avoid the changeling furiously pummeling her. That proves to be a mistake, as Eight, her eyes bloodshot, looks for something to reach her that isn’t her wings.

“Oh holes...” my eyes go wide as she kicks a thick stone pillar propping the side balcony, then breaks it off completely and swings it at completely stunned Luna, swatting her from the air.

Her sister’s scream of pain breaks Celestia’s stupor, and as soon as her horn lights up, Eight reacts by grabbing the nearest piece of rubble from the previous fight with the paladins, and lobs it like a comet at the white princess.

It shatters as Celestia blasts it with her magic, and lowers her horn to shoot again. The light intensifies, and a golden flare flies at Eight.

Another link disappears.

Celestia looks at smoldering Ten, his chitin burned and cracked all over, standing between her and Eight. He slowly keels over.

The pillar previously breaking Luna’s ribs flies through the air, hitting stunned Celestia from the front, and shattering along with what have to be some alicorn bones against the wall.

Celestia coughs blood, crawling out of the pile of rubble, panically looking around for another attack…

...which isn’t coming.

Eight is barely standing, her love reserves and adrenaline finally depleted from the prolonged battle. The alicorns’ worst wounds, however, are regenerating in front of our eyes. Slowly but surely.

As Luna’s broken bones crack and reset under the power of healing magic, Celestia finds her way out of the rubble, wincing with every breath.

“You killed Ten,” my voice is flat and dead as I stumble towards the scorched changeling, “You were his idol and hero...” I trip, fall, and stand up again, “They were right… the hive memories were absolutely right about you...”

Luna’s magic fixes the worst wounds, and she starts advancing at me, halberd ready.

“Wha-” her eyes go wide as blood suddenly squirts from the side of her neck, and trickles down something that the alicorn can’t sense by any means.

She struggles only for few seconds before her eyes take on green hue, and she calms down.

As light of Luna’s horn reflects off of the wobbling air next to her, One appears, licking Luna’s neck and then her lips.

“A real demigod completely in my power. Imagine all the fun I could have right now with any of you,” she laughs, “Finally, a queen with an iron hoof, obedient princesses underneath her, and a soft king by her side,” she winks at me, “What do you say, King of Hearts, do we leave this silly castle and go rule the world with our new toys?” she slaps Luna’s butt.

In a flash of magic, Celestia’s visage changes back to her pristine white self, and the tip of her horn lights up brighter. The glow dies down when Luna steps up, her face completely serious.

“Nu uh,” One grins at Celestia.

“What I’ll inflict on you if you dare harm my sister will go down in history, bug,” growls Celestia.

One laughs again, but this time there’s a surprising touch of hysteria in it.

“Worse than torture? Worse than starvation-induced insanity? Worse than the pain I still feel from my King after what the murderers you sent did to the most innocent one of us? Worse than death?” her voice turns into a deadly hiss, ”Don’t you dare move, whorse, or I’ll make HER kill you. She’s a better fighter than anyone here and you know it. I also KNOW she kicked your ass before you sent her to the moon with the Elements.”

“So what now? Do you make us fight for your sadistic amusement?”

“As much as you deserve to either kill your sister or die by her hoof, I’m far too practical for that, and I assume my King has other plans for you,” One clears her throat, “Orders, everyone! Nine, grab Ten and get out right now. King, you too. Eight, you lazy ass, stop passing out and help your King move-”

I’m suddenly being propped up by one exhausted changeling definitely not using me as a crutch.

“-Four-”

“I’ll catch up with you later, miss One.”

One raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t object.

“-Now, Celestia. We are going to leave, and you aren’t going to follow us. We will leave Luna standing somewhere in Ponyville. Of course, if someone does follow us, I might just stick to my original world domination plan. Any questions?”

“How can I trust you?” Celestia narrows her eyes.

“Go take a look at what your paladins did to the dead drone in the armory who foolishly asked my King to try to be friends with them. Four and Eight even painted smiles on the damn ponnequins around him so that he wouldn’t be here forgotten, sad, and alone. Pointless, if you ask me, due to the dead part. Do I need to say more?”

Celestia bites her lip.

“Go… just please don’t hurt my sister.”

One flicks Luna’s ear.

“You heard the war criminal lady, everyone, we’re leaving.”

We shuffle and limp away, having once again to flee a place we wanted to call home. This time, however, we’ve likely started a war. As One and Luna pass by Celestia watching them like a hawk, One stick her tongue out at her.

“Seriously, it’s like broken glass passing through my veins. Don’t give my King more reasons to be depressed, I’m bad at comforting others. My way of solving problems is to make them disappear forever.”

One and Luna wait in the throne room until I signal that we’re all outside. Well, aside from Four.

Experimentally, I look out of her eyes. I know she knows I’m there, but she doesn’t react to my intrusion.

Finally alone, Celestia sighs and hangs her head.

“E-hm,” Four clears her throat, peeking out of the hallway through which we all left, “miss princess?”

The white alicorn furrows her brows as she spots the changeling positively tiny in comparison to her.

“Your- Your friends are okay. They and the paladins who survived are locked in the old cells downstairs. I left the keys in the mouth of a scary pony with sharp teeth and bat wings near the entrance.”

Four’s foreleg glows golden. She squeaks, and fights against it. The telekinesis isn’t strong or harmful, and after few attempts Four frees herself. She gives Celestia one final pout before going invisible and trotting off.

She catches up with us as we’re outside the castle.

“Hop on,” says One, and Four jump on her back.

So, with Ten on Nine’s back, Four on One’s, and Eight and myself propping against each other for support, we’re once again on the road.

I look one final time at the castle which was the home we hoped to build new life in. Late afternoon sun is bathing our surroundings in warm light, and the peaceful aura of the abandoned castle almost makes me forget what just happened.

The good thing is that we’re all still alive. Ten is badly hurt, but he’ll live.

The bad thing... will this keep happening? More paladins, more attacks, more mistrust. Now that I’ve seen with my own eyes how little Celestia and Luna are open to talking, I understand how foolish I was. On top of everything, attacking the royals like we pulled off likely means war.

Hive mind, hunger, the royals, and paladins.

I sigh, and look forward towards the forest, and the uncertain future.

“Rest in peace, Three.”

46: Seeking escape route.

By the time we’re out of the Everfree Forest, the evening is upon us. Strangely enough, there’s no moon yet despite it being dark. Probably some trick of the seasons or something. Unfortunately, even the fresh shroud of shadows can’t be enough to cover me if we walk through Ponyville.

“Do we… walk around?” I ask no one in particular, watching the yellow dots of light all over Ponyville further ahead.

I can physically feel Eight staring daggers at One. The target changeling already filled with holes either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care.

“We could sneak our way through…?” for the first time I feel like she’s run out of ideas.

“We could pretend the boss is a prisoner and princess blueberry here is escorting us to the train station. We are taking the train somewhere, right?” Four adds her idea to the mix.

“Definitely. We can’t afford to wait for a caravan in the open,” nods One, snickering, “Princess blueberry? Good one, you’re learning.”

Four beams for a moment, then immediately withers under my surprised and Eight’s intense stares.

“All of these would be a hypothetical questions,” hisses Eight, “if you didn’t cripple my King by messing with his brain, One. If he was still able to shapeshift, we wouldn’t be standing here and yammering on while Celestia herself is stewing in the castle and designing a personalized torture chamber for each of us.”

One shoots Eight an annoyed glance.

“Oh my holes, I had no idea your real talent wouldn’t be fighting, but seeing into alternative timelines and their outcomes!” she fakes a gasp, putting her hoof to her chest, “Please tell me, omniscient Eight, how will our journey end?”

Eight only growls, knowing full well that One is the only currently not drained changeling of our group.

“She does have a point, One,” I say with a hint of bitterness. To my complete shock, One frowns and looks away.

Then she sighs.

“Can you honestly tell me that after Three died you wouldn’t have run off and hidden somewhere in hopes that the hive mind would starve along with you?” her question, slow like a probing scalpel, actually hits the problem with the same surgical precision.

“No...” I’m forced to admit.

We stand in silence for some time before Ten clears his throat. We all look at Nine carrying him on his back.

“I wasn’t expecting to have to be the reasonable one here tonight...” he chuckles, “One, mind fixing me so that I can at least walk? I’ve got an idea.”

“King?” she asks, “I’m our only source of love at the moment. What are your orders?”

Yep, she really only obeys me when she wants to or when it can have amusingly embarrassing consequences.

“Go for it,” I shrug, “Any idea is better than standing here, hoping that I won’t get caught pretending to be a tree sneaking through Ponyville after dark, or being a public spectacle thanks to having a changeling being escorted by one of the royal sisters around.”

One simply puts her horn to Ten’s, transfers a small portion of love to him, and then helps him fix his burned carapace. He crawls off of Nine’s back, experimentally stomps his hooves, and then shapeshifts into a pegasus in shapes of brown.

“Damn, it itches so bad even in a different body,” he starts scratching himself and goes on for a while before realizing it and stopping, “Ehm, anyway, I’ll be back in few minutes.”

After he disappears into the shadows, we look around and sit down. From the distance, nopony will be able to distinguish me from a pony, so we can easily pass for a group of campers. Four crawls once again into my lap, which is a lot weirder this time because she’s in her pegasus disguise which certainly is an age category bigger than she normally is, although with changelings it's always hard to tell. The soft skin and coat make ponies a lot cuddlier, though.

“Do you think he’s coming back?” asks Eight when the few minutes turn into twenty and keep going.

I could check up on him, but I can feel his link which means he can’t be too far, I think. I haven’t experimented with limits of connecting to others yet. It’s time I show that I trust him, and let him do his thing unsupervised.

One nods towards Eight's necklace made from traitorous changeling horns.

“I doubt he wants to end up like that.”

Silence lingers as more time passes, and eventually we can see a solitary pony walk towards us with two bags on his back.

“Sorry it took so long,” Ten apologizes, and throws one of the bags on the grass, “Clothes for you, King. I had to stop by Rarity’s place for these. I’ve been planning this as a surprise for some time.”

Curious, I examine the pieces of clothing. White, somewhat stretchy pants. A simple shirt of the same color, and a short, sea blue jacket with buttons in front made from some tough fabric. What’s the most important is the soft, covering hood the jacket sports.

“Aside from the shirt, those are mare’s clothes, Ten,” One raises an eyebrow, “I’ve got my opinions about our King, but...”

Ten rolls his eyes.

“Rarity isn’t a botched lobotomy patient, One. If I told her I needed clothes for my stallion friend of the King’s proportions, she would have immediately asked where I stashed a previously unknown alicorn. The idea behind these is that they were supposed to be for princess Luna in case she wanted to walk around somewhat unnoticed. They’re stretchy enough to fit the King, so don’t sweat it.”

Ten’s absolutely right. Without waiting for anyone else’s opinion, I start putting the clothes on. It takes forever, considering it’s my first time, but eventually I’m tightly wrapped in the airy but covering fabric.

“Surprisingly… comfortable,” I turn my head to observe the result. One is staring with her jaw dropped, Ten is nodding with a smug smile, Four is circling around me, poking and tugging at various bits, Nine is… being Nine, and Eight…

...is standing there, blood dripping from one of her nostrils.

I wave my hoof.

“Are you okay, Eight?”

“Ok- wh- you-” she stutters, “Nnngh.”

One covers her muzzle.

“Me Eight, me not smart, me smash, me hunt, me see mate, me snu snu,” One stops when Eight, red as a tomato, turns her head so fast her neck cracks.

“Disguise universally approved then?” Ten raises an eyebrow, grinning more and more.

I’m confused. They seem to be fine with my clothes, and by my standards they look covering enough.

“Yes,” I nod, “Let’s go. There’s an alicorn princess on our backs, and it’s not the one watching us with an amused smile.”

I was surprised One’s venom could keep control over an alicorn for so long, but I guess that’s why it took her so long to drain enough love to prepare it before joining the battle in the first place. Thankfully, the moon princess doesn’t seem to have any intention of resisting at this point, and she follows us as we finally gather enough courage to enter Ponyville.

All of the lucky stars shining on the world tonight must be on our side, because aside from few glances our way and some happy waving at Luna who smiles and waves back no one tries to stop us during our trip to the train station.

One studies the train schedule.

“Hmm… Appleloosa,” she looks at the late evening train that is mostly empty, but is carrying a lot of tree trunks, coal, and other natural goods in the back wagons, “Alright, everyone. Get on, I’ll go grab the tickets.”

“Do we really want to go to that dry hole?” asks Ten, “I know it’s close to the hive, but at this point do we really want to find some other organized group?”

“Get on!” One repeats sternly. Everyone’s eyes turn to me.

Wait, since when am I the actual authority?

As soon as I nod, Four darts inside, followed by the others. We wait in the hallway while I have a quick look from One’s eyes.

“Six tickets to Appleloosa, private coupe,” she says to the salespony behind the counter who smiles and simply gives them to her without asking for payment. Turning to leave, she blows the pony a kiss, smiling as he crumbles into his chair.

She stops by Luna cautiously watching her.

“Stay here until your sister finds you, and hopefully we won’t see each other again. Our King isn’t Chrysalis, and we’re not your enemy unless you make us be one. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the drone your thugs killed, but the others loved him. I don’t think I’m capable of that after living for so long. I’m happy when things are stable, and I’m happy when I’m in control. It hurts me when you hurt them, though.”

To my and One’s surprise, we see Luna smile.

“Part of love is giving up total control, building peace together, and sharing the pain even if it’s not yours. You’re in love, changeling, you just need to admit it. And from what I’ve seen of your group, you and the strong one got it hard.”

One freezes. I feel her go completely blank, which has never happened before.

”One, get on! The train is leaving.”

My order is the only thing inside her head as she rushes off towards the open door. Without a word, or a thought for that matter, she hands me tickets.

“Uhh, Ten?” I show him the pieces of paper, "These are important in some way, I suppose?"

“There’s a number on those, we’ve got to find it. Come on,” he trots off.

I’m still mesmerized by the idea of One so completely stumped that she allows herself to be led with the smallest mental touch. Sadly, I don’t have the time to explore this new powerful and strangely docile infiltrator, because Ten calls me via his link and shows me the way to our coupe, and by the time we sit down onto the padded benches the gears in One’s head gradually resume turning.

“So, Appleloosa...” Ten sighs, “Far from the princess, far from anywhere, really.”

“Oh cheer up,” One waves her hoof, plops her back on the floor, and traces few lines in the air with her hoof, “It’s a hole where everyone knows everyone, worse than Wet Soil. Not a good place for us. We’ll go there and then catch a train to some real place. The only reason I chose this one was because Luna was with us, and I didn’t intend to mess with a head holding hundred times more memories than I do. Only to save time, of course, not because I couldn’t craft an illusion that would confuse an alicorn,” she adds. Funny, I believe her.

“So, what now?” I ask.

“Well, that’s up to you, really,” One shrugs, “But my suggestion is to scout out the train in case of trouble, and think about a much better place where we could disappear.”

“Hmm...” I’ve got an idea, “One, Ten. Can you two put together a map of Equestria and the knowledge you’ve got about various cities and share it with us? That way we can all come up with ideas about different places.”

“Definitely.”
“Yeah, sure.”

“Then please do it tomorrow. Now, though, I think we need some sleep.”

“What about the train safety?” One starts getting up.

“No, we’ve been through a lot and we need rest. Go to bed, that’s an order, One.”

“E-hm!” Ten opens his other bag, and tosses a bedroll on the floor, “Who is sleeping where?”

“I’m fine with the floor,” I say.

“Over my hollow chitin,” he shakes his head, “I may have spent far too much time with Rarity over past few days, but those clothes indeed are a work of art. Since you can’t take them off in case of ticket check, you’re not sleeping on the dirty floor.”

“Then I’ll take the bedroll,” I shrug.

“And obviously, because stuff can happen while you’re sleeping, you’ll need additional protection, King, just in case. I volunteer,” Eight sits down next to the bedroll.

“Of course, and because not even this pile of muscles here is big enough to cover you completely with anything other than her ego, I’ll take the other half,” One rolls over, sits up, and crosses her forelegs on her chest, challenging the gaze of Eight’s narrowed eyes.

Shaking my head, I just lie down on the bedroll. A moment later I’m being crushed by two vice grips from both sides.

“FULL COVERAGE!” a third, smaller body lands on us, Four’s chest fluff now obscuring my vision.

“Should I join too?” asks Nine.

Oh dear holes no!

He’s still the huge, and most importantly very heavy, dragonpony. Not that him changing back into a changeling would help whatsoever.

“Nnngmmhmmh!” my objections are muffled by Four’s coat.

“Heh,” I head his single chuckle before the bench creaks as he stretches all over it.

All I feel from Ten is a faint transfer of love to me.

”I got a little bit in Ponyville just in case. Share it with the others, King, it’ll help everyone recover while asleep.”

Well, everyone did their job, so I guess it’s time I do mine. Now, what is the minimum amount everyone needs to get better? I siphon off a little bit here, add some there, and before I know it everyone’s breathing slows down, and the rhythmic thudding of the train sends us to sleep.

***

It’s noon the next day, and I’m certainly happy that Rarity’s clothes are light and despite being rather tight they don’t add to the searing dry heat everywhere around.

We’re sitting inside a bar, or a saloon, in Appleloosa, nursing a glass of water each. One is reading the train schedule, Eight is keeping an eye on the door, Four is chatting with the bartender about this place while being linked to us, Nine is looking menacing in case someone was trying to listen in on us, and Ten is helping One think of our next stop.

“Port Stripes?” One asks casually.

“Do we want to sail south and go hide among zebras? The paladins wouldn’t chase us there,” Ten sighs, “It could work, but the chances of me ever sorting things out between me and the princess would go down the drain.”

“No, too hot, too dry, too… tribal. Would be easy to take over even for us, but not worth it. I prefer proper civilization and cities, although zeebs do have one huuuge advantage on ponies.”

”What is it?” asks Four, listening to us while taking in the bartender’s tale about previously angry buffalos now being friends of the Appleloosa citizens.

I don’t catch the One’s answer, but Four does a spit take, spraying her drink over the bartender, and saving the situation by a quick, choked:

“They tried to stomp the entire town?”

Thankfully, the bartender has no clue that Four’s outburst has no connection to his story, and keeps going.

”THAT big?! I’m not sure I would want that...” Four’s shaky mental voice is accompanied by her shock resonating through our links.

”Then what DO you want, Four?” asks One, fluidly switching to mental speech. No one skips a beat, although to any observer, if there was one, we look as if we’ve all suddenly gone quiet.

”I… I dunno. I kinda like things as they are, although I miss Three a lot. You’re all here with me. I don’t know what I could want more.”

One smirks, jabbing her hoof into the printed out copy of the train schedule.

”Well, I think I’ve found just the right place where you can find out. Aaand maybe where even our King wouldn’t have to hide… eventually.”

“Oh?” I can’t contain my curiosity, “Is there actually a species that doesn’t want to wipe us out?”

“Probably not, we’re parasitic, backstabbing assholes physically invested in world domination. Anyway, there is a place where we could be an interesting novelty, though,” snickers One, suddenly chipper.

She points to a name on the list, and pings a city on our mental map of Equestria.

”Las Pegasus?” I tilt my head.”Is that where pegasi live or something? What does Las mean?”

One just snickers. As I look around to gain any semblance of understanding, I see Ten rubbing his chin.

“Hmm… now that IS an interesting idea. It’s possible it will fail spectacularly, but if there’s a place where we might have a chance, that’s it. However, we will need gold. Lots of it. That place is expensive.”

”Who needs gold when you’ve got mind control?” One waves her hoof.

”Those who have to pay taxes and rent. Money and invoices don’t just disappear,” Ten cools her down, ”Or… am I wrong in assuming we want more than just hide in a cellar somewhere and hunt in Las Pegasus' numerous night clubs after dark?”

”You’re absolutely right, Ten,” I nod, ”This time we want to build something. If possible, something that might eventually show ponies there’s no need to fear us… if they’re on our good side. I have no idea what, but that’s why I’ve got my trusted advisors who actually do have some experience with the world.”

One finishes her drink, stretches in her chair, and pulls few coins she stole on the way here out of now her own fresh saddlebag.

“Hey, bartender, another round, will you?”

“Sure thing, ma’am!” the earthpony calls out before apologizing to Four, “I’ll be right back. Business calls.”

”The train leaves in the evening, and it’s a three day ride. This time we’ll really need to scout out the area and drain ponies on the way. Has anyone done anything like this before - changing targets, limited time, close quarters, groups of ponies knowing each other well?”

A chorus of negative answers from everyone but Ten is her, well, answer, so One continues:

”Listen up then. Mommy One’s gonna teach you some fun tricks...”

***

“What in the actual hole is this…?” I whisper, not daring to step off of the train onto the platform in Las Pegasus.

“‘Ey, buddy, ya blockin’ tha door ‘ere!” a fat, aging earthpony shoves me out, and barrels past me. Barely keeping my balance, I convert my fall down the short steps into a hopefully graceful guided… walk. All that while keeping my hood drawn over most of my face.

That can’t be enough, there are bright lights everywhere.

“I could have that fatass disappear and his family hanging in a cocoon in few hours,” Eight growls into my ear after jumping straight to me with a flap of her wings, “Just say the word.”

A quiet ‘tap tap tap’ followed by a gasp and an influx of wonder coming through Four’s mind link shows her reaction is similar to mine, only with more amazement and less annoyance.

“Uhhh… the word is a resounding ‘no’, Eight,” her offer along with the rude pony’s pushing finally break my stunned stupor. However, the fact that Las Pegasus is completely over the top remains. I was… completely wrong when I thought from the name that this would be just some pegasus city.

We’re on the train station, which is the only place where the sanity of a normal world still holds against the crashing waves of thousands of tourists, horrible musicians, and street spectacles. Ponies are everywhere, rolling in droves towards massive buildings in shapes I haven’t seen in Canterlot nor Ponyville.

Like seriously, I can see a giant pyramid the top of which has been made into a pony head in the distance. If we’re looking for some oddity a little closer, then there’s a pony painted white standing on his hind legs nearby, pretending to be stuck in an invisible box. Why?

I dislike this place instantly, but I clearly understand why One and Ten thought this would be a good idea. While we’re somewhat easy to notice in the crowd due to how tall compared to normal ponies I, Eight, One, and especially Nine are, we’re not the flashiest spectacle around by far.

At least that’s what I think until two spears cross in front of my face, a duo of stern looking Royal Guards examining me as I try to exit the train platform.

”One, Eight?”

“Please take your hood off, sir,” says one of the guards politely, but his tone leaves no wiggle room for any excuses.

”Damn, your legs, boss,” I hear Four, “There’s nothing covering your fetlocks, and the stretchy pants sag a little into your holes. Why didn’t we notice it before?!”

Hmm, that backfired quickly.

Even hmm-er, I’m not panicking. We can deal with two Royal Guards easily, the problem is what comes next. Do we hide, or do we take the first train away from here?

The guards grow slightly impatient when I slowly reach for my hood. From their glances at my legs, I know they know.

My hood is forcibly drawn back, and I turn my head in horror at One scowling at the gasping guard duo.

“Thank you VERY MUCH, you royal idiots,” she walks between them, and whispers loud enough for only two of them to hear in the chaos, which translates to her just slightly lowering her voice, “for ruining the surprise of our new Canterlot-based attraction. Don’t worry, it’s just a costume made from well worked silicone and latex. I understand why you did it, good eye, colts, but if you don’t piss off right now we will sue the armor off of your asses for damages!”

As much as I’d like to monitor One’s progress in stopping us from being mobbed with torches and pitchforks, I’ve got my own set of problems with the gasping and yelping ponies everywhere around.

“-a changeling!”
“-a big one-”
“-what is it doing here-”
“-don’t be an idiot, it’s not a real changeling-”
“-looks terrifying-”
“-the eyes and teeth-”
“-can I ride him, mommy?”
“-what? No no no no, get back here! Sonofabi-”

Wait, what was the last one?

I look down at a filly tugging on the hem of my jacket with her mouth. The tiny cream coloured pegasus’ eyes go wide, and when she sees me notice her she stops chewing my clothes and drops to all fours.

“Are you a real changeling, sir?” she asks.

”Agree!” I feel One’s voice in my head.

“As real as it gets, little filly.”

“Woooooooooow! Do you really eat ponies-” she can’t finish the dreaded question before a mare who is clearly her mother scoops her away with one foreleg and gives me an extremely nervous smile.

“Eheheh, we’re really sorry for bothering you-”

This time she’s interrupted by Eight who takes a step towards her and clears her throat.

“The changeling ride isn’t open yet. You’ll have to wait few days before you’ll get your turn,” she narrows her eyes, staring the mare down.

“The… ride?” the mother asks. The filly, using the moment of her mom’s surprise to wiggle out of her grasp, darts towards me, presents a small pouch with bits, and says with a pleading pout:

“I got twenty bits, sir.”

From the corner of my eye, I see a hungry smirk appear on Eight’s muzzle.

“ALRIGHT!” she yells out loudly all of a sudden, “THE PREVIEW OF THE BRAND NEW AND UNIQUE REAL CHANGELING RIDE IS OPEN RIGHT NOW FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! TWENTY BITS A POP,” she slaps my flank, “BE A GOOD BUGPONY AND HISS FOR THE NICE FILLY!”

*Hisssss!*

I transform my saliva to sizzle when it hits the ground, making the nearest ponies back off. However, while the more mature ones are still confused, the foals are rushing towards me in droves.

“Alley-oop!” Eight scoops the filly up with her wing, and accompanied by the buzzing of the mare’s own small set she puts her on my back.

“Whoooah, it’s so hard and smooth!” she squeaks, poking my neck. Mentally shrugging, I walk around in a circle and stick my tongue at everyone, making sure to show as much teeth as possible.

“I wanna ride him too!” an earthpony colt yelling from his father’s back and swinging a rather well done cardboard sword tied to his foreleg, “I’ll tame the big scary toothy changeling!”

One, seemingly done with the Royal Guards, leans to the colt.

“Riding a stallion, eh, little one. Isn’t that more for the mare-” Eight’s hoof inside her mouth stops One’s totally inappropriate comment, much to the thankful sigh of the father.

“Hey, filly, your time’s up, we’ve got a second customer,” she winks at the slightly blushing dad who presents the required bits.

“Yaaaay!” the young earthpony jumps down from his original ride and tries vigorously to jump atop me with no success.

I raise my eyebrow at him.

“I thought you were strong enough to tame the terrifying monster, or was I wrong?” I hiss. He pouts, then bounces up again. This time I’m ready to bend my knees a bit and allow him to grab my neck and crawl his way up. Rarity’s clothes are getting absolutely ruined by the dirty small hooves, but I realize something…

...I’m filling up.

They are scared, both the foals and the parents…

...but they’re loving this.

Pretending to struggle against the colt’s attempts at keeping me still, I sense surprise and a sudden surge of pleasure from Eight.

Her foreleg is still inside One’s mouth, but through her I can clearly feel One’s tongue licking and teasing the frog of her hoof. Eight quickly pulls out with a wet pop which One answers with a playful wink.

Hah, I’ve got an idea. Give me a sec, and keep doing the rides, One trots off.

Not three minutes later, she returns with the duo of guards, and whispers to them again:

“So, boys, as we agreed. You make this look more official, and it’s five percent from the profit for each of you.”

They nod, and start walking through the crowds.

“Official business, everypony!” they stay nearby, making sure not to push any interested tourists away, “If the monster goes wild, we’ll be sure to take care of the situation. Go and have fun while we’re looking after you!”

The does it. Even the parents are now trying to poke me, feel my chitin, or fight one another to see me up close.

I could have never expected things to work out like this. EVER.

“See? Now nopony will dare say that you are NOT a changeling out loud in fear of disappointing their foals, but they know it’s true… for a given value of true,” One laughs inside my head. I’m so used to it at this point that I find her presence comforting.

“EVERYPONY! WE’RE OFF TO THE PROMENADE, WHICH OF COURSE DOESN’T MEAN THE EVENT IS OVER! LET’S GOOOO!” Eight roars, spurring cheers from the tourists waiting for their turn.

Some careful flailing later, I shake the disappointed colt off, and bare my fangs at him.

“Maybe you’ll tame me next time, earthpony! HA HA HA HAAAA!” with as evil of a laughter as I can conjure up, I let another foal on my back, and accompanied by my group and the Royal Guards we head off to the main promenade leading through the entire city.

”Pimping your King out, Eight, I didn’t think you had it in you.” One laughs again.

I can almost feel Eight blush.

”Shut uuuup!”

Author's Note

King's clothes are based on the Blue Wolf set from Lineage 2 on a female dark elf model.

47: Seeking shelter

As doubtful as I was of this plan, it’s working. Foals have been riding on my back or ‘wrestling’ against my hoof, and no one has left with anything other than laughter. Granted, it’s somewhat mentally exhausting, but from the love and joy filling the air around us I’ve managed to refill everyone to the point where the fights in the castle are nothing but a horrible memory.

Finally, however, One and Eight sense that I’m too tired to keep up a good show.

“AND THAT’S IT FOR TODAY, EVERYPONY!” calls out Eight after I let another young colt slide off of my back. Her stern stare doesn’t allow anyone to complain, so the crowd around us disperses with nothing worse than disappointed mumbling and few questions about when we’ll be doing this again, which Ten handles expertly by saying something about business preparations and not revealing trump cards too early.

I, for one, just enjoy the quiet, which, of course, means the loud shouting and the general cacophony of noise associated with the flow of tourists through Las Pegasus, but it’s not aimed at us, and I’m finally not being pulled by the ears which also helps.

What surprises me the most is that apparently we’ve become a rather famous attraction, and ponies pass me by with nothing more than a glance as if I was one of them. And maybe that’s exactly what it is, to them I am one of them… a pony very well disguised as a changeling.

One thanks the duo of cooperative guards who split a rather large sum of money she gives them, and leave.

“Now that’s quite the payout,” she jingles the hefty bag of coins before starting to split it into the few saddlebags and satchels we’ve got.

“How much?” asks Ten.

“I stopped counting at around seven hundred bits,” One shrugs and looks at the sky, “Which was about two hours ago. Hmmm...”

“You’re not thinking we should do this daily, right?” I give her a weary smile.

“Heh, no. Maybe once a week so that the novelty doesn’t wear off too fast,” she’s finally done splitting the money, “No, I was thinking that we could find a place to sleep without having to hijack some. It would be a good idea to start looking around, no matter how willing I’m to explore the night life of this place. How about that, King?”

“I could definitely use a quiet corner, my head is pounding.”

“Alright, everyone, you heard the King. If you see a hotel or something, let me know.”

We only take few steps before I sense some apprehension.

Four is standing on her hind legs, her forelegs placed atop a counter of a stand with ‘Be the strongest pony alive!’ banner, and a terrifying amount of stuffed toys in the back. Next to it stands some sort of a high vertical ruler with a giant mallet lying next to its base.

”What’s going on, Four?”

”I think Nine needs some help. I stopped by to take a look at the plushies and… he got ambushed.”

Nine’s dragon pony disguise clearly isn’t enough to deter a fresh batch of ponies interested in his exotic physique as well as the overly hairy unicorn stand owner pestering him, pretty much the exact opposite.

“Come ooon, sir. Somepony as well-built as you are can’t be afraid of a little challenge?” his grin clearly shows that there’s something not completely genuine about whatever the stand is. From all the clues I can deduce it’s a contest of strength of some sort.

To be honest, what IS the problem?

”Everyone, let’s spread out a little in case of any trouble. Nine?”

”I’m unsure what to do. He wants some of the money I received in exchange for… a spectacle, I assume.”

Why is the stand owner circling Nine and making chicken noises now?

“Can’t disappoint all those adoring mares, can we?” he sneers, poking Nine’s side, “Or maybe all this is just fat, eh?”

There must be a strategy behind making fun of someone over twice one’s size, twenty times the visible muscle, and likely hundred times the effective strength.

”Meh, we can spare the few bits. You’ll either have to do it, punch the annoying pony out, or leave the crowd hanging, which could prove a disadvantage to Eight using me as bait again later. They know you’re with us.”

“I DID NO SUCH THING… KING!” to her credit, Eight doesn’t look me in the eye.

“Alright,” Nine finally answers the stall pony, much to the cheering of the crowd, “What do I do?”

No one could miss the victorious glint in the pony’s eye as he points to the mallet and the vertical pole next to it.

“Simple, really. You grab the hammer and smack the pad as hard as you can. It shoots the ball upwards to measure your strength. If you can make it hit the gong on the top, you’ll get your bits back and you can choose any plushie you want.”

“And if I can’t?” Nine walks over to the mallet, and toys with the handle a bit.

The owner points at horizontal lines painted on the pole in regular intervals.

“If you can reach the first one, you can get a small plushie, but that shouldn’t be on your mind at all, the next one is a medium, and the top one is one of the princesses. For you, though, wouldn’t the adoration of the crowd and those gorgeous mares,” he winks at a trio of rather fetching earthponies openly ogling Nine, “be the right goal?” he has to stand up on his hind legs to lean up to Nine’s ear and whisper, “And you might prove you’re strong enough to handle all three of them at once, eh?”

“Hmm...” Nine wraps the claws of his foreleg around the handle of the mallet.

For the first time, the crowd goes completely silent when Nine effortlessly picks it up with one foreleg and hoists it on his shoulder. He stands up on his hind legs, grabs the handle with both forelegs now, much to the dropped jaw of the stand owner, and-

*BONNNNNNNGGGGG!*

-the metal measuring ball shoots out so fast it takes the gong with it to the skies.

The crowd erupts when Nine carefully puts the mallet down, and pats the owner’s head.

“Did I win?”

“M-M-Magic… must be m-m-m-magic- cheating-”

Nine grabs the pony by the hem of his shirt, and pulls him to his eye height.

“I’m a little bit insulted by that.”

He puts the owner back down, scoops the bits he paid for his chance from the counter, walks into the stand, and grabs a life-sized princess Celestia toy.

“For you,” he says to Four whose eyes go saucer-wide.

“M-me?” she sags a bit under the weight of the plushie twice her size before stumbling towards us.

Nine is about to follow, when the three mares previously only watching surround him.

“Those are some powerful muscles, handsome...” one breathes heavily while rubbing her hoof against Nine’s chest, “How about you let us examine them… in private?”

”I think we’re safe to leave,” One chuckles through our links, ”Nine, we’ll book you a separate room in the Black Sheep,” she pings a location of some hotel within sight, ”but you’re sharing the lust tomorrow. I never thought I’d be full of love without a bit of good old dripping base desire. Ewww, all healthy food.”

”Umm, miss One?” I hear confused Nine, ”What do I-”

”Just let them have their fun with you, big guy, and if you really need help, talk directly to me. We’re LEAVING!”

And just like that, she pings the hotel again, and cuts Nine off while chuckling to herself.

”I’m not a fan of you messing with one of us while in dangerous territory, One.”

”Lighten up, the best way to teach a foal to swim is by throwing it in the water.”

”Full of angry paladin sharks who want to cut its head off?”

”Makes them learn really fast.”

With a long sigh, I reassure myself that One has changed since we met her in Canterlot. She’s messing around, but she wouldn’t leave Nine alone if she thought he was in real danger. On the other hoof, she’s not the protective type, which together mean that Nine should be fine unless he does something really stupid to endanger himself and possibly all of us. Plus, my link to Nine is slowly recovering from One’s block, and I can faintly feel his confusion coupled with curiosity.

Alright, time to go.

Huh, why is my foreleg refusing to move?

An earthpony colt who can’t be more than seven years old, I’ve gotten a lot of practice at guessing pony age today, is wrapped around my shin and fetlock. When I look down, he looks up, waves his forelegs, and goes:

“Eeeeh...”

”Ideas, anyone?” I reach out to my group who are all watching the colt. One with a raised eyebrow, Ten with barely contained boredom, squished Four from underneath her massive plushie, and Eight as if he was a ticking paladin bomb with teeth in disguise.

”The water shark thing works really well for uninvited guests too,” One offers a rather permanent solution.

“Eeeeh!” the colt repeats when I lean down to him, trying to reach for my nose.

“Is the changeling ride still open?!” a pegasus mare gasping for breath followed by an earthpony stallion push through the everlasting crowds.

“Nope,” Eight scoops the colt up with her wing. He goes ‘Eeeh!’ and tries to use his newfound height to crawl towards me, “Closed for tod- hey!” the colt jumps from Eight’s back with absolutely zero chance of getting onto mine, but thankfully Eight catches him in time and gives him to his father, “What’s wrong with him?”

The stallion hangs his head.

“He’s just a bit… slow.”

The mother looks away, nodding.

“And all he wants is a ride?” I ask while walking over.

“We’ve been trying to get to you for a while, but there was always such crowd,” she pats the colt’s head with her wing, “and he gets nervous when we’re waiting. We didn’t want to cause a scene.”

The green glow of my telekinesis envelops the colt who carefully flies up from his dad’s back, giggles, and starts flapping his forelegs in the air.

“Eeeh! Eeeh! Eeeh!”

Judging by his grin, I don’t think he’s scared. When he’s at my head height, he grabs my nose.

“I can’t really do the changeling show if you’re holding me like this.”

“Eeeh?”

Levitating him a little way away, I show him my teeth and hiss quietly. His eyes go wide, he whimpers, and for a moment I think I’ve made a mistake. When I smile apologetically, he beams and resumes flapping his forelegs in the air. He doesn’t see me as evil, maybe scary sometimes, but not evil, and just a smile is enough to make him happy… for a while. I put him on my back where he grabs my neck and starts nibbling on my mane as I circle around.

“Alrig-” One takes a step towards the parents, reaching for her money pouch.

”If you ask them for money, One, I’m personally kicking you out of the group and then down from the tallest building I can find.”

She looks at me, blinking.

”I’m not kidding.”

”I’m sorry we can’t bring Three back,” is all she says. Eight might be a part of me now, but One’s analytical mind disassembled me in such detail that she now knows me better than I know myself.

The father approaches One with a pouch of bits. I almost expect her to take it while saying something along the lines of her not asking for it but them offering, which makes her words even more shocking:

“No need to pay for a ride that’s closed,” the corner of her mouth curls up. Both parents have no idea what to do, so they just look around, trying not to ruin the moment, until I grab the colt from my back and make him float over to them.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” the father bows his head a little. I lean down to them, and whisper:

“Next time you read a newspaper story about Canterlot, remember that not everything you see is a costume,” I smile. Expression after expression rush across their faces, but in the end I think they understand what I was trying to say.

Now we can leave. Weird, I’ve never felt this sad and happy at the same.

YOUR FOOLISH ATTEMPTS MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE YOU DESTROY EVERYTHING!

I clutch my head, and grit my teeth as the dull pain of hive mind’s presence grows stronger yet again. One leans to my ear and whispers:

“I can’t say this through our links, but Eight’s fight against Luna gave me an idea. Please, hold on a little longer, King.”

***

Six of us, one room inside the Black Sheep, fifteen minutes later. Yes, I am counting the Celestia plushie instead of Nine, they’re the same size. My headache is getting worse, and somehow it feels like it’s caused by many screaming voices on the edge of hearing. My best guess is that the hive mind is super pissed about what we pulled off today, but for some reason they’re failing to talk to me directly. Still, the migraine is annoying.

There are two beds made to fit a single pony each in our room, and thus it makes perfect sense for us to by lying on the pulled out mattresses on the floor. We’re all in our changeling forms, the curtains are drawn, and the door is locked. Eight is draped over my barrel, thinking about something with her forelegs crossed under her chin.

”Kinda wish we got more than two rooms, King. There’s no reason why Nine should be the only one having fun tonight.”

”It’s not like anything we’d do would bother anyone here anyway.”

”It would be great to tease One only able to watch, but she’ll probably start giving me tips, and then I’d have to kill her for real. Plus, I know you didn’t mean it.”

”Yeah, I don’t think I’d be comfortable in that situation either… if only because I know I could use any tips One would toss my way.”

”Experimentation and exploration is fun too, my beloved breeder drone.”

The only outside effect of the quick mental conversation is the corner of Eight’s mouth slightly curling up.

On the other side of the room, One is sitting wrapped around Four, her horn flashing from time to time in tune with golden glow appearing on various spots of Four’s body. The small infiltrator is too tiny to reach even to One’s chin, but her back is pressed tightly against One’s abdomen.

”I can’t help feeling like a hostage, boss,” I feel Four’s whisper, and see One’s mouth tremble. To my surprise, Four continues, “And I know you’re listening, miss One.”

Long tongue extends from One’s mouth, licks Four’s nose, and retracts without One even opening her eyes.

”What are you two doing anyway?”

”Just checking up on the little smartass,” answers One, ”She’s learning a bit too fast and she's been trying advanced infiltrator body enhancements without my supervision. Unfortunately, while she’s absolutely fine in her head, to fix her body we’d have to remake her, and we don’t have the… capabilities at the moment.”

”The hive mind said something about remaking Three before sucking me dry. What does the process entail exactly?”

”In simple terms it means that you need to store a changeling’s mind somewhere away from their body, destroy the body, give birth to or steal a new one while wiping away its original inhabitant, and put the mind into the new one. It is time consuming and extremely difficult. Even blank changeling bodies don’t always adapt their brains to a new mind pattern well.”

”But it’s possible, right? Four’s frail because of my lack of knowledge, love, and skill. Fixing that should be worth it-”

If I had somehow managed to fix Three’s head, then he wouldn’t have been my Three anymore. HE knew it.

”-if you want it, Four, I mean.”

”Not tripping over everything would be great,” Four looks up at One’s chin, then at me, ”and not having to burn love on carrying anything heavier than a book.”

”Then it’s settled. One, you yourself said that you had too much love-”

”We don’t have anywhere to put Four’s mind, or did you forget what the hive memories did with Three? Four has, I freely admit, surpassed all my expectations, but she’s by far not disciplined and powerful enough to fend for herself against the hive memories, especially without an anchor to the physical world which means her body.”

”So before we even think about fixing any single changeling, we need to fix… the hive.”

”Exactly.”

I sigh. Eight nuzzles my hoof.

”Out of curiosity, One. Could that method be used to fix me? Shapeshifting ability and with it my wings?”

One waits before very carefully answering:

”In theory, yes.”

So why-? No, no, something is completely wrong about that idea. If that was possible, then…

...then why wouldn’t the hive memories, the old changeling rulers simply reincarnate themselves? I think One knows the answer.

”One, why didn’t some ancient changeling queen do that to save herself?”

One chuckles, but suddenly looks rather crestfallen.

”They tried. The thing is… whom do you trust in a species fractured into hives fighting for power and rapidly diminishing resources? You need someone powerful to perform the rebirth, and that someone is more likely to devour all your love and experience than to serve under you for much longer, especially if you yourself are a warmongering asshole dictator. Honestly, the only two- three changeling rulers throughout the ages maybe worth giving another shot would be...”

This makes me curious, because despite the hive mind’s visions I know far too little about us, so I just wait.

”Wistful himself, I believe, but… he’s not a warrior, he’s a kind, gentle soul not suited for these times of starvation and war, picking who will live and who will die for the greater good.”

”Is?”

”Was,” One corrects herself. However, in the same way she can read me, I think I’ve gotten better at understanding her. There’s more she isn’t telling me, but now is not the right time, so I’ll let it slide, ”Then I think Shadowstep, the amethyst queen. As much as I dislike her, she’s the one ruler we won’t find in the hive mind. Cold, calculating, loyal to the ends of Equus, master strategist. If there was someone who could have lead the hive to world domination, it was her. However, she left the hive mind during the great wars so that her memory wouldn’t drain the energy of the already stretched changeling empire.”

Funny, she sounds exactly like One, or how One used to be when we met her. Shadowstep, one of the changeling generals under Chrysalis and her mother during the time when changelings fought a bloody war against… everyone, really. The one who supposedly died in the deserts of the Griffon Empire, hunted down along with her legion.

”You said there were three worthwhile rulers?”

”Eeeh, I’m still on edge about the third one,” she sticks her tongue out at me and winks, returning to telekinetically poking Four.

Wait, she meant me?!

Anyway, everyone seems okay. Ten?

Ten is lying in the corner, being the small spoon for the Celestia plushie. He notices me looking.

“What? Four gave her- it to me...” he turns around to avoid my stare, which unfortunately means his muzzle is now buried in the plushie’s fluffy chest.

“Practicing for the real deal?” I ask.

“What- I- never- how dare-” he takes a deep breath in, then out, “King, it’s just a fantasy. I know that even in our group I am the lowest rank now, and I don’t measure it by your favor. Little Four doesn’t have my experience and cool head, but she can do a lot more complicated stuff than I can. Nine… you’ll always need someone to punch someone else in a pinch, so he’s necessary. I… am not. I realized it when I was thinking about returning to Canterlot and facing the trials. What do I have to offer the princess? Nothing. I’m not interested in being a baker or something. I can pretend to be one, I can seduce a mare to refill me every night, but… in the end I am just a parasite, a liar, a cheat… an infiltrator, and even if I’m as generous to myself as I can be… a below average one. Let me be in peace with my imagination, King, that’s all I want.”

“Ten-”

“King, let’s not make it worse by spouting empty platitudes.”

“Ten-”

“King, PLEASE-”

“TEN!” I lower my voice again, “You don’t think you’re worth the princess’ attention, I get it. Not a single day goes by when I don’t think that I survived until this point by sheer luck, that I’m not worth Eight’s… affection-”

“Love, you idiot,” she corrects me openly.

“-that I don’t deserve One’s advice, or that it’s not a miracle that someone as awesome as Four could come partly from myself. I know I’m not worth any of this, but here we are, and you’re with us. Damn, considering One hasn’t fed you to the paladins when she had the chance to buy herself few seconds, then even she must think you’re a worthwhile companion, and that’s a pretty high bar.”

“Mostly because he couldn’t buy me even that little,” One smirks, “but what the King is saying is somewhat true. You are… less of an annoyance than you used to be, which means at least some progress. One or two thousand years in the future you might warrant some of Celestia’s attention-”

“Well, thanks… I guess?”

“-and luckily for you, she might be waiting, because you’re both conditionally immortal. In the meantime, hump your toy or something. I know from personal experience that that ass is definitely life-sized.”

Groaning, Ten turns away from us, and covers himself with the plushie’s wing. However, I feel a faint:

“Thank you,” inside my head.

“OH GODS RAM ME, MY BEAUTIFUL DRAGON! MAKE ME YOUR WHOARD!”

As one, we turn our heads towards the right wall, a very thin one as we’re finding out.

“YES, YESSS! STRETCH ME LIKE AN OLD SOCK, WITH YOUR GLORIOUS-!”

Did Nine find a zebra somewhere?

“Umm,” Four furrows her brows, “are they-”

“Practicing yoga!” I blurt out.

One raises an eyebrow, likely subtracting points from my ‘maybe worth resurrecting’ score. Four giggles, though.

“I AM YOUR SHIP, BOARD ME!”

“Boss, that would have worked before you asked miss One to teach me. A little late for trying to save my innocence now.”

“TIME TO LAY THE DRAGON!”

“Inspiring, aren’t they?” Eight winks at me.

“Can I order you to punch me unconscious, Eight?”

“CALL ME VLAD, THE IMPALER!”

Holes damn it, Nine...

“I can send you to sleep in much better ways.”

“Heeeey! Be quiet, will you?” Four bangs against the wall.

“DRILL, BABY, DRILL!”

One spits out two globs of quickly hardening slime, molds them for a moment, then shoves them in her ears.

A blissful smile spreads on her face. Eight immediately does the same, then goops out two ear plugs for me as well. Four gets a pair from One, and with an expression of utter disgust, Ten makes some for himself as well.

“Aaahhhh...”

Life’s goo.

48: Seeking home

Afternoon of day two in Las Pegasus after a restful sleep definitely not disturbed by any loud nighttime activities. We ended up all well fed yesterday, but after the events at the castle, then having to constantly stay on edge on the train, and in the end moving around the city in plain sight, we were also mentally exhausted beyond any reasonable point.

Someone knocks on our door, and a quick scan of everyone’s status reveals it’s Nine, his dragonpony form looking extremely disheveled but happy. I wonder if such low rank warriors like him had access to anything like last night back in the hive. I doubt that, actually, but it appears he handled it well, because he’s practically glowing with absorbed lust.

He quickly walks inside to avoid anyone seeing a bunch of resting changelings.

“Candyyyy!” One wakes up, transforms, and jumps at him in the same second, waking dizzy Four in the process. Nine is physically taken aback by the ‘pegasus’ now licking his muzzle, but stays still in his good old stoic stance despite the lust draining from him with each touch of One’s tongue.

“One, stop eating my warriors,” I raise my head, careful not to disturb Eight.

“She can eat my ass whenever...” mumbles my living blanket.

One stops, clears her throat, and pats Nine’s head.

“Got a bit carried away there. I haven’t had much chance to enjoy something really delicious since Ponyville,” she licks her lips, “And by the looks of it, you had a lot of fun last night, first timer.”

“Thank you for the tips, miss One.”

Huh? Did something happen after we went to sleep? Nevermind, Nine’s happy and that’s all that matters.

“What’s the plan for today, King? Ah, damn it!” asks Ten, waking up and looking in horror at a green trail of drool now staining plush Celestia’s neck.

“I’d say the usual. I hide somewhere, Nine stands guard, the rest of you explore and gather information? We don’t know practically anything about this city despite yesterday, or maybe because we had no chance to spread out due to what happened. Any better ideas?”

“Yes,” says One. Who else, right? “A little improvement, if nothing else. I’ve got an idea, but I need Ten for it. By the way, you can go outside with Eight, Nine, and Four like yesterday, King. One can never have enough bits in this town.”

“Mind sharing your secret plan, One?”

“And spoil the surprise? Come on!” she smiles. After recent events, though, it annoys me far too much. We might have the royals on our backs any minute in case they managed to track us, and she’s still like this.

“One, hazarding with lives of everyone isn’t a game!” I stand up, staring her down, which is kinda hard since she’s taller, but I’m angry so I’m allowed to, “I need to at least have a general idea what you’re planning so that I can maybe think of something in case stuff goes wrong like last time when your Holy Blade story brought a griffon who sawed Eight’s leg off, and then the freaking princesses, the newlyweds whose wedding Chrysalis crashed, and a freaking Element of Harmony! I know you don’t trust me to think of anything useful, but I can’t keep working with instructions that are just ‘get to the throne room and survive until I think of a way to save the day’! It was your idea to scheme around taking control of Luna and blackmailing our way out instead of just fleeing,” a horrifying thought comes to mind, “And the changelings from Canterlot did say Luna was leading the trials because she knows if you’re telling the truth. What if the ponies think she’s compromised now and won’t allow more trials because they can’t trust Luna? What if what you did robbed us of any chance for eventual peace? Do you think Celestia will want to talk to us ever again after you joked about world domination and threatened you’ll have Luna kill her or the other way around?”

Everyone’s jaws and eyes are wide open, but none rivals One’s. She looks torn between being horrified and about to cry. I must have either hit a nerve about something she knew and hoped we wouldn’t think about, or something she herself hasn’t realized until now.

“I’m… sorry...” she sniffles, suddenly trembling.

I was expecting something along the lines of “I gave you a chance to save your lives so they’re mine to take away, ha ha ha haaa!” so all I can do in response to her choked out apology is walk over and prop my head against her neck.

“Look, I don’t want to be needlessly mean to anyone, One. I know we got where we are now thanks to everyone, but mostly you and Eight. Sorry, guys, but it’s true. The way you mess around can be grating, but all I’m asking is that you don’t do it when the only thing barely stable in our lives is this room, and we’ve got it rented just for few more hours.”

“If I personally screwed up something this big under Chrysalis, my rank wouldn’t have protected me against the grinder, King. It wouldn’t end in demotion, it would end in… end.”

“Calm down, One, or I’ll start calling you Two,” I boop her nose, her tongue flops out. She herself seems taken aback by that.

“Heh, maybe being One under Chrysalis isn’t enough for One under you,” she lowers her head.

“Look, I trust you. I know you know what’s right and you’ll do it in the end. I just don’t want to be afraid for everyone’s life all the time, or at least add you to the growing list of reasons.”

She closes her eyes, wipes them, then looks sterly at everyone as if saying “this didn’t happen”. What warms me up inside is that she doesn’t blow up when everyone else’s stares clearly convey the answer “yeah, it very much did, we all saw it, and we know you’re not gonna eat us anymore”.

“As much as I’d like to take credit for my idea, Ten’s groundwork made it even remotely possible. His dealings with Mayor Mare led him to trails of her real business. She’s as much the Mayor of a small town as a minor criminal businesspony with operations all over Equestria including Las Pegasus. That was one of the reasons I decided on this place, because I hoped we could use Ten’s knowledge about her shady dealings to our advantage. We’ve got the contents of her head, most passwords, contacts, risks, Ten did a great job. I want to use that knowledge to take over a small money laundering operation here. That way we’d get a place to stay, and if we do it correctly we could persuade Mayor Mare to cut her losses, and not look too hard into what happened. My plan for today was to sit down somewhere with Ten and talk things through. Keeping secrets about one’s knowledge and operations is a… survival trait. Being useful under Chrysalis meant staying alive.”

I nod.

“Alright, plan accepted. Four, Nine, explore Las Pegasus. Four’s in charge if you somehow get separated. Always stay linked up if possible in case of anything, we’ve got the love. Eight, there are foals to amuse outside. Let’s roll!”

Twenty minutes later, Eight is parading me on a leash through the main promenade as I fake attempts to shake off a colt who pretends he’s a Royal Guard slaying a monster. Eh, it’s not peace, but it’s a start. I feel hive mind protesting, wanting me to tear the pony apart in front of his crying parents, but screw them.

“I’m not sure I like this,” I point at the leash around my neck.

“Trust me, I’d be a lot happier if I was the one on the leash. Now try to look scary and imposing, that worried-and-want-to-be-nice look won’t cut it here,” she whispers back.

*HISSSSSSSSS!*

“Yaaaaaay!” cheer the foals waiting for their turn, “Now do the trick where you spit on the road and it melts!” calls out one.

I don’t know how to feel about that.

***

Yet another day of the hive mind screaming at me that I’m a disgrace to changeling species and trying to get inside my head… or out of my head, in whatever weird way it works, is over. Eight is leading me to a cafe which Ten picked out, ponies are looking at me as we pass by, because I’m not wearing any clothes today other than a cardboard sign around my neck reading ‘Totally real changeling ride closed!’, and we’re about to meet with everyone and discuss what One and Ten managed to plan out.

The cafe is a small corner establishment whose unicorn owner behind the counter drops a glass when she sees me come through the door.

“Wh- whuh- wha?”

Eight raises her wing.

“Two espressos, please!” and without batting an eyelid she walks over to the table where others are already sitting, immediately pulling a chair for me.

To the store owner’s credit, the two cups she brings over almost immediately are trembling only a little.

“Aaaah,” I stretch my legs, “damn, this costume is heavy. Can’t wait to go home and take it off.”

The cups stop shaking before they touch the table.

“That’s a very convincing costume, if you don’t mind me saying,” she winces when I look at her.

“Thanks,” I smile, “It took a while to make, but it’s paying off in the public tests.”

“Yeah,” Eight adds, “At first, I thought it would be too scary, but foals seem to love it. We’ve been giving rides today and yesterday.”

“Really?”

“Yeah-” One begins weaving a story about a group of street performers coming together to start a show in Las Pegasus, and use the element of changelings while it is still fresh in ponies’ minds.

The real conversation, however, is going on without words.

”Alright, One, Ten, what did you two come up with?”

”We checked out one of Mayor Mare’s fronts, this little haunted house she uses to store and move fake goods and apparently club scene drugs. To her credit, she knows how to make money without actually being a public threat. The official story is that it’s one of the side street businesses barely keeping themselves afloat in the big city, but in reality they barely get any customers, and can pay rent only thanks to Mayor Mare’s money. If we want to take it over without paperwork or the threat of the guards, we likely can. Ten?”

”Mayor Mare isn’t afraid of the local guards, and it’s easy to see why considering One was able to fool them into thinking the King is just a changeling costume. Granted, few bits on the side helped them not to investigate in any detail. That’s how Mayor Mare operates. HOWEVER, her main concern is to avoid being discovered by the EIS, commonly known as ‘eyes’.”

”ICE?”

”No, those chase down zebras in the south. They’re called like that because zeebs hate cold.”

”You lost me there, Ten, and judging by the confusion I can feel from everyone else, I’m not alone.”

One, still casually chatting with the shop owner along with others, explains:

”EIS - the Equestrian Intelligence Service is a special forces group investigating everything from national security to drug trafficking. They’re pretty secretive about their operations, and good at hiding their targets. Even Chrysalis managed to get only two infiltrators among them. That plays into our cards, because it’s extremely unlikely Mayor Mare has any contacts there, and that she’ll try to find out what happened after we storm the place disguised as EIS agents, especially if we help matters by catching one of the supervisors, and force him to write a report to the good old MM that EIS discovered the place and it would be a good idea she didn’t risk proving any connection to herself.”

”Sounds neat. It also sounds like we’ll have to fight some ponies.”

”It’s a bit worse than that, because there’s only few of us, and we’ll need everyone,” she looks at Four, ”and I mean EVERYONE but you, King.”

Spurred by more customers coming and at peace with me being in her shop, the owner returns back behind the counter. One nods to the backpack by her chair, opens it, and pulls out the griffon pistols as well as the shotgun. The lack of sag from the bag proves the griffon and paladin weapons are there as well.

”Only disguises won’t be enough, however. Well, they could be, but I don’t want to leave anything to chance. EIS agents do have access to advanced weaponry unknown to Equestria, which griffon pistols, especially those for the Imperial Guard, are. We’ve got paladin swords as well, the golden decorations are easy to see. Sadly, we can’t use Nine’s Imperial Guard armor. Everyone needs to be armed, and able to show it. That goes for you as well.”

One pistol floats over to Four who whimpers.

”I… I… I can’t miss One. Not even for you or for the boss… I’m sorry,” Four shakes her head, pushing the gun back to One, ”I don’t want to have more blood on my hooves. I don’t believe being like that is a good idea, and I can’t forget what I did… I’m sorry...”

”Calm down, I know you, you little idiot. It’s not loaded. Four, these ponies are thugs. Don’t be afraid to rough them up. I know I’ve been teaching you to talk, shapeshift, plan, and control your way out of things, but a lady needs to know how to throw a punch when necessary. You’ll have to use your horn. As long as you don’t kill or cripple anyone, go nuts.”

”Miss One, I killed a TRAINED GUARD on accident. If these ponies are just some guys hired to look strong, then I might end up… you know what...”

”As long as you stick to punching and kicking, that won’t repeat itself. Nothing sharp, no offensive magic, no killer mind control. Consider this a lesson in restraint, Four. You will need to defend yourself at some point. This will be a good practice on how not to do it fatally.”

”Boss, please?”

Her pleading eyes hurt my heart, but I agree with One, at least on the latter point.

”Four, One is right about the need to protect yourself in case you can’t talk your way out of things. You know some stunning tricks, and mind control which isn’t deadly like One’s, don’t you? Then you’ll just have to wave the pistol around for effect. Think of it like this, One trusts you not to screw up, and she wouldn’t be asking you to come if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.”

”Exactly!” One nods, ”The problem is that EIS aren’t known for giving warnings. or being sloppy. We need to cover almost every escape route. Thankfully, we had a ‘chat’ with few of the ‘employees’ and we know all the ways out they do. We just need to leave one and only one open so that we look diligent, but not perfect.”

She sends us plans of the building showing where everyone should enter, then the disguises we have to use, me excluded of course. She ends with:

”Any questions?”

Not really, the haunted house is a small, two-story building sandwiched between two more. Nine will have to enter through the front door, Four and Ten from the back window, One will take second floor back window, and Eight will take the second floor front one. Our goals is to force everyone to escape on the roof from which they’re going to spread out and either fly away or use the fire escapes of adjacent buildings to disappear.

Using Rarity’s cleaned outfit, not sure where or who took the time to do it, I hide in an alley near our target building while the others look around for any prying eyes, and then quickly shapeshift into bigger, stronger, and bulkier forms including black suits with gold and white E.I.S. sown on the sleeves. Eight and One are pegasi, which fits their normal type of disguise, Nine is a hippogriff, the kind with pony head so that he can use poisonous bites as well as the shotgun, and Ten as well as Four are unicorns so that they can freely use magic without sparking any suspicions about them possibly not being who they look like.

The operation is supposed to be a quick in and… well, not out but rather stay in, capture the target, a red unicorn stallion with the cutie mark of a bag of coins, play with his memories, and make him think he escaped. The longer it takes, the bigger chance of them recovering from panic and starting to fight, which is what we want to avoid.

Nine kicks the front door open.

“EIS. Don’t move!” he roars, rearing on his hind legs and pumping his weapon.

The pegasus receptionist’s “It’s closed” comes out on reflex before he kicks the desk over and makes it slide towards Nine who punches it in half.

“IT’S THE COPS!” screams the pegasus still not believing his own eyes.

The sounds of shattering windows come from all over the house, making him click his teeth and immediately gallop away. Nine breaks the nearest door open, revealing an empty bathroom.

”One target running up the stairs.”

”Good job, Nine, keep searching the ground floor and meet up with Four and Ten,” I quickly check what the duo in question are doing.

“EIS, don’t move!” the two ‘agents’ break out of what One’s mental link identifies as a laundry room, Four immediately facing an earthpony hoof going her way.

-Freeze!-

Four’s reaction is instant, and while I don’t feel any effect on myself like I normally do from One’s, the pony’s blow doesn’t connect, and Four’s floating gun smacks him in the face. Unfortunately, there’s a second pony in the bigger room behind the door who charges at Four as well.

He stops when faced with the barrel of Ten’s floating pistol. The trigger moves, the gun roars, and a piece of the opposite wall shatters.

“Up against the wall and spread ‘em before I blow your head off!” growls Ten. The threat lacks the desired effect, as the now terrified pony screams and gallops off while his companion flips a switch on the wall, plunging the room into complete darkness. My changelings don’t care, but it’s important they can now slow down and give the ponies time to clear out without raising suspicion that it’s our real goal.

Upstairs, Eight has just ‘randomly’ kicked a pony so hard he flew halfway across the hall, landing totally on accident near the small door leading to the stairs on the roof. He coughs up blood, scrambling to the floor.

”We don’t want a corpse on our hooves.”

”They’re not the smartest, so I gave that guy a hard clue. Don’t worry, these thugs are tough.”

She rams the nearest door open, checking the empty room to give those escaping from downstairs time to clear out.

By that time, One’s already raising her mouth from a confused red unicorn’s muzzle, his eyes glowing green.

“Now be a good colt and write quickly. You already know how you managed to escape the EIS raid.”

He immediately scribbles several hurried and smudged words on the paper, and presents it to One.

“Stamped, coded, just leave it at the post office."

“Good colt, now prove to your friends you’re a real hero and get out!”

He shoves One away, vaulting over the table and darting through the hallway. He yelps when he notices Eight coming out of an empty room, and with all the speed he can muster uses the roof stairs just like all his cronies before.

Twenty minutes later, after we’ve checked out the whole place once again, this time without thrashing it, the haunted house is empty, and Nine in his previous dragon pony form is doing his best to fix the front door with Ten’s instructions.

To my complete surprise, when Nine looks up from unscrewing a partially kicked out hinge, he finds himself facing a filly and her mother.

“See, mom? It is the big scaly pony with the changeling! What are you doing here, mister pony? Are you fixing this haunted house?” she purses her lips, “Are you a ghost?” a tiny hoof pokes Nine’s nose, “Nope, all real!”

“Sorry for bothering you,” the filly’s mother steps closer when Nine looks up from the small pony to the slightly less small pony, “We met yesterday on the changeling ride.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nine shakes her hoof, then pats the filly’s head, “Can I help you? We’ve recently purchased this house, and we want to… make it work here in the big city.”

“Then I wish you the best of luck, and...” she leans in to Nine’s ear, “Cereal Spot, my daughter, loved the changeling disguise, and said that she’d come ride again and again if you could make a changeling versions of a princess, with a dress and everything.”

”King?”

”Exactly, KING, not QUEEN. I’m not wearing frilly stuff, Eight and One are already making fun of me thanks to Rarity’s outfit.”

“Changeling princess, eh?” Nine smiles at the mare, then winks at the filly, “We’ll think about that. First, we have a lot to work on here, this place is in horrible shape.”

“Then we’ll leave you to it. Good luck! Say goodbye to the nice pony, Spotty.”

“Bye, mister big!”

“Goodbye,” expending a little love, Nine readjusts the bent hinge with his forelegs and checks it against the holes in the door frame, “Hmm… could work.”

”Changeling princess, eh?” I feel Ten’s snicker.

”Ten, I’ll make you transform into me and give you to One to play with.”

”Considering I actually DO know what some of the things she wants to do to you mean, I think I’ll drop the suggestions now. Being around nobility for so long gives me good insight into less common… practices.”

”Eeep!”

”Eeep indeed, King. Eeep indeed.”

49: Seeking silence

I wake up on a pile of changelings, or more accurately in a pile of changelings, with One and Eight on each of my sides, and Four sleeping across all of us as if we were a bed. Ten is nearby, drooling into plush Celestia’s chest fluff. He’ll be so mad he’s ruining the toy beyond the point of cleaning when he wakes up. We might want to make a custom one for him eventually, one that could survive changeling spit.

A quick mental check reveals that Nine is patrolling through the house, checking the broken windows and glass carefully scattered under them for any signs of possible intruders. For now, it seems that none of Mayor Mare’s associates deemed it smart to return to the scene of crime.

Turning my head, I gulp when see twin golden eyes staring at me. It seems that no matter how light my mental touch of everyone was, it woke One up.

“Any plans for today, King, or do we send the foals to play outside and have some real fun?”

“...backoffthot...” snores still half unconscious Eight.

“The permanent link between the two of you is kinda annoying,” One pouts, but doesn’t seem really disappointed, “If things keep going like this, I’m gonna need a plush you to call my own.”

“I’ll add it to the order for Ten’s new Celestia.”

One looks at the sleeping changeling in question.

“Meh, just a neck. For a ‘nobility hunter’ he’s surprisingly innocent regarding Sunbutt in a way. Nevermind, what do we do today, then?”

Damn One, making me use my brain this soon after waking up.

“How about we keep doing what we’ve done until now? We’re well fed, and no one is trying to kill us.”

“Hmmm...” One doesn’t seem convinced, “I’m not the one to look into a gift changeling’s mouth, but I think we shouldn’t have you walking around in the open regularly.”

“How come?”

“Two reasons,” her voice gains the good old lecturing tone, “First, unless Star Trail and his zealots starved in the castle dungeons-”

Which I know they didn’t, thanks to Four telling Celestia about them.

“-then they’ll be on our tails eventually. All it takes is a wrong word at the wrong time. You being regularly outside makes you a much easier target.”

“Alright, agreed. And the second reason?”

“I assume we’ll want to use this place as more than just shelter, right? If not only because an abandoned house in Las Pegasus would bring unwanted eyes to us.”

“I was thinking we could become sort of an attraction, maybe this house could be a front like Mayor Mare used it - a business barely keeping itself afloat while being our base from which you and the others can go out and hunt.”

“That’s not an option,” mumbles Ten, looking at us with barely open eyes, “We’ll have to find a way to make money if we want to keep this place. This isn’t Ponyville where you could just build your own house. We’re near the main promenade, so we’ll have to pay rent to the city, and soon.”

“Is what we got from the changeling rides enough?” I wish I had any idea how much money any pony things cost.

“Not even close,” Ten shakes his head, “but that’s just because we’ve been doing parlor tricks until now. Now, though, we have the parlor. The question is what we do with it...”

“Changeling rides inside don’t feel like the best idea,” I comment.

“Depends on what kind of rides,” Ten shrugs, “Nine could give you some pointers.”

“You want to make this place into a brothel, really?” One raises an eyebrow, “I was expecting a more interesting idea from you.”

“Sometimes the simplest solution is the best. THE perfect place for extracting lust, and if we gain some love on the side to dilute it and avoid the unwanted effects, we’ll be good. I’m not exactly stoked about it, but it’s simple, and it would work, although I think we’d need more changelings to be effective.”

From my links gradually lighting up, I can sense everyone is listening now, although Eight looks as if she’s fast asleep, Four’s ears are twitching, and Nine is still patrolling.

“As much as I’d enjoy spawning the first proper clutch of our little hive,” One winks at me, “the brothel bears a lot of risks. Shady and often violent ponies here on daily basis, dealing with trafficking rings around the city, and… somehow even I can’t force myself to send Four to service a half-drunk earthpony five times her size. I must be sick. As simple and effective the idea is, it means a rut in more senses than the good one. So let’s put it on the back burner, and leave it there until it catches on fire and dies in Tartarus.”

“I agree with One. Guess I’m getting sick too,” Eight speaks out, “A brothel is means to an end, a poor changeling’s simplest way to get low quality food. Basic survival. To achieve a better end, we might need to use better means. Plus, I’d rather not share my personal stress reliever with anyone,” she pats my barrel. Then to my horror she sticks the tip of her tongue out at One, “Well, I might be flexible in very special cases...”

“Four?” I ask for everyone’s opinion ”Nine?”

“I mean,” the small infiltrator shifts to hug One’s foreleg and find a better place to lie on three other changelings, “it would be an experience, and I made out with miss Cheerilee in Ponyville several times and we both enjoyed it. I’m not exactly against it, but the way you described it scares me.”

“Yeeeeah,” Ten stretches his legs, “Four, there’s a world of difference between an innately sweet mare who just happens to love underage or young colts, and basically only wants to make them happy in more ways that her job allows while benefiting in the process, and stallion who’s unhappy with his life and wants to empty his balls into a willing… or unwilling… receptacle. In the worst cases, the clients can get violent because they think they can get more than they paid for. I have seen changelings who got choked to death with a pillow, and you know what the worst part was?”

Four whimpers. Ten gives her a sad glance.

“When she lost her disguise, none of the ponies cared about what happened, because she was a changeling.”

“...that’s horrible...” Four looks about to cry. Not a good thing to see this early into the day.

“That’s why I said we’d need more changelings to keep an eye on things.”

”There are only three usable rooms on the top floor, one of which is an office. Majority of the ground floor is taken by the connected rooms for the guided haunted house tour. Plus, there’s only one cellar downstairs which is rather small.”

When I finally realize what Nine’s message means, I come to the conclusion that Nine is actually much smarter than he shows. We can’t use the house as is for the brothel even if we wanted to. Our money could be enough, I’ll have to check later with Ten, to repair the windows and doors, but I seriously doubt it will suffice for any big rebuilding.

“Hmmm,” One hums after a moment of silence, “There IS a way we could combine what we’re good at, meaning feasting on ponies, and eliminate most of the risks associated with a brothel. How about a dance stage, like a nightclub or cabaret?”

“Hey, that’s a great idea!” Four looks immensely pleased with that idea.

“Really?” Ten raises an eyebrow, “I thought I scared you enough with the idea of drunk ponies touching you.”

“You did, but this is different!” objects Four, “It’s dancing in disguises, pretty or sexy! I don’t know if I would be any good at it, but miss Eight is coordinated enough to do anything. Miss One is great at singing, and I know you can play the piano really well, Ten. Nine could be the bouncer, sexy one too so that mares can have someone’s flank to slap, and I could, I dunno, bring ponies drinks and stuff. It’s not like being alone in a room with someone nasty. And if we find someone really worth it, miss One could take them into the broom closet and have fun or something.”

“I know you’re all into it,” Eight clears her throat, “and while teaching someone as unstable on all fours as Four to pole dance could potentially be hilarious, it doesn’t change the main problem which Nine identified. We don’t have enough space without a complete rebuilding of both floors. On top of that, and it makes sense for a warrior to notice it first,” she can’t help herself to take a jab at the infiltrators, “but logistics, everyone, logistics! Food, drinks, that all belongs to a nightclub. We’ll need contacts, suppliers… and a completely different set of rooms that we have now. Well spotted, Nine.”

”Thank you, miss Eight.”

Everyone looks a little crestfallen after that rather good idea got shot down.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t work up to it, right?” I try to lighten the mood, “We just need something simpler first to get the money for repairs and rebuilding… and possibly few more changelings. Please don’t look at me as if I was a ripe piece of love ready for taking, One.”

Love isn’t piece-able, but you get the drift.

”If rebuilding is such a problem, why not use the current premises?” asks Nine ”A haunted house suits our nature pretty well. It wouldn’t be the best for feeding, but if we scared enough ponies and gained renown we could draw in a good number of clients. Possibly enough to pay rent plus some extra to eventually be able to afford the reconstruction. Boss in his real body could help too, because everyone will think it’s just the disguise. On top of that, ponies we’ve met before might realize what the preview miss Eight talked about was for.”

Yep, Nine’s definitely waaay smarter than he looks.

“Great idea. We’ll need to sit down, plan the route, and come up with more ideas than just a house of changelings. We could make it more hive-like. As interesting as pony architecture is, a good black and green hole is home.”

“It’s a good way to practice transformations, definitely, but as Nine said, it lacks the potential to gain love, or at least reasonable amount of it,” One adds her opinion, “There is a way to gain both money and love, and possibly still use this base as home. The risk is quite high, though. We could start an escort service. It’s basically prostitution but without the ending up dead in a ditch part.”

“How is that different from the brothel?” I ask when Eight and Four exchange confused looks, and One taps her hoof against the floor.

“A lot. Escort service isn’t just about sex, it’s about company, and it’s way more expensive, which helps filter out the bad clients. Basically, you have a list of ponies and their preferences, and the clients choose who they’d want to accompany them either to a dinner or some event. If things go well, the client is satisfied, and the escort agreeable, they bang in the end, or do whatever afterwards. They pay either way. Consider it a training for Four or anyone else really in adaptation to new situations and places, and experimenting with fake personality profiles.”

“It really doesn’t filter out the bad guys as much as you’d think,” Ten looks uncertain about the idea, “It’s easy to pretend to be a reasonable guy and after you’re alone you… stop pretending. Trust me, I fed from a lot of escorts like that when I was among the nobility, and being played with by a changeling is drastically better than what some real bigwigs did to the mares,” he shudders, “Let’s not risk that.”

An idea comes to mind. Why change everything when we already have some experience with what we want to do?

“Guys, since we’ve got some rooms, why don’t we do what we did in the castle? Sexy dungeon adventure. It could be for, let’s say, groups of three to five ponies, they’d have to overcome some challenges, and if they succeeded they would fight evil Eight who would knock them out, then chain them up in the cellar, and have her way with them. In the end, she could mess with their memories. They would be chained and under venom down there, so they wouldn’t be any threat to anyone feeding from them. We could switch the bosses and bad ends depending on what disguise who would want to try.”

“Yes and no,” One clicks her teeth, “On one hole, we know it works, and it makes ponies want to come again. On the other… space, space, space. Granted, we could start small, but...” huge smile suddenly spreads on her face, “Guys, the main problem isn’t space as such, but that the space is full of useless small rooms. How about we hollow out the entire house, and turn it into the hive? We can dig tunnels underground that no one would notice, and we could make it into the sexy adventure like King wants. Imagine it,” she makes a half circle with her hoof around her, “A group of ponies captured by changelings, the very few who can fight their way out of a cocoon must survive and get out to warn others about the incoming invasion!”

“That way they’ll think we’re just exploiting recent history, and not that we’re changelings for real...” Eight starts smiling as well, “And we could use the losers one by one for love by using some unfulfilled fantasy of theirs. We’ll get love, space, renown, and home that looks like home while still saving on materials and money for repairs. We’ll have mortar and goo aplenty.”

”We can dig new escape routes only we will know. There will be no building plans other than our mental map, so no chance of paladins or anyone entering from anywhere other than the main building,” Nine adds his opinion.

“And when the attraction is closed, we’ll be the cleaning staff and owners,” Four frowns, “But the boss will have to keep hiding anyway.”

“Not necessarily,” Ten speaks up, “if anyone spots him, we can always say he’s wearing the promotional changeling costume, or that he’s going to the changing room to take it off. We’re going to need furniture, and some strong hooves to start breaking the walls and making goo and mortar mix. One, do you have any knowledge on hive building?”

“All of it, but you and Eight should think of a proper layout-”

Everyone turn their heads at One, jaws agape. She facehoofs.

“-not because you can do better, idiots. I’ll be busy. You can do well enough.”

“Hey, and in the evenings we can make a nightclub out of the place!” Four claps her hooves together, “Ten can play the piano, miss One can sing, and miss Eight can dance.”

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves,” One cools her down, “We don’t have the money to pay rent. It’s up to Ten to find out when we’re due, and then we have to do the most with what little we have. I’d like to avoid robbing other places if I can.”

This has turned out surprisingly well. There will of course be problems on the way, but we’ve got the main idea down. All that remains is...

“Everyone, tasks for now. Ten, is there a way to find out when, how much, and to whom we owe money?”

“I can go to the town hall and ask around. That’s no problem.”

“Nine, Eight, identify structural weaknesses of this house, decide what and in which order we can break, explore the surrounding streets, and plan where we’ll be making new rooms underground.”

“I wish we had a drone for that...” Eight sighs, “My tremor sense isn’t the best. Hey, flower pot, you’re basically just a huge ass drone playing soldiers, right?”

”In comparison to you, yes,” Nine answers calmly, ”My tremor sense is reasonable.”

“Perfect, I’ll be down there in a second,” Eight kisses me and trots off. Ten leaves a moment later after carefully putting Celestia’s plush into the corner.

One nods at Four.

“Four, you’re a smart cookie, and good at getting love where no other changeling would find some. You’ll have to go out.”

“What about you, One?” I ask, “That’s something you should do yourself.”

She shakes her head.

“I… I’ll need you to leave me alone for some time. I have a job for you too, King. I’m going to bundle some of my cash flow and business knowledge and share it with you. If possible, try to find something in the ledgers in the main office what might helps us dig some money out somewhere.”

“Thanks, One, but you know what I said about your secrets.”

She closes her eyes, and bites her lower lip.

“This time it’s necessary. You’ll understand when I explain later.”

The seriousness of her voice shuts me up. Her tears yesterday weren’t fake. I believe her.

BELIEVING A CHANGELING THIS CLOSE TO BEING A QUEEN? FOOLISH DRONE! HER TIME IS COMING, AND SHE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT PROPER RULER IS.

I. Believe. Her.

DO YOU BELIEVE HER ENOUGH TO TRUST OTHERS’ LIVES TO HER?

…
…
…

Yes, I do.

Hive mind’s voices fade, leaving only a grueling headache. Again.

After rubbing my temples, I stand up. A new sharp spike of pain and some really weird formulas and expressions in my head signals One’s business knowledge arriving.

“Now, if you don’t mind,” One gently bites my ear, and licks the tiny speck of blood off, “I need to find a quiet room. Don’t disturb me unless it actually is an immediate life or death situation.”

“You’re going to play changeling queen after ordering everyone around, right?” I wink at her, grinning.

“Something like that, King.”

I’m left with Four, and as she stretches as well, I notice something possibly important but definitely weird.

“Four, where are your holes?”

“I thought miss Eight already taught you the basics, boss,” she snickers.

“Being around One IS rubbing off on you. On the other hole, Eight isn’t much better.”

“Heheh. Sorry. boss,” she raises each leg one by one, “Dunno, I guess they must have filled up recently. I know I still had some back in the castle.”

Hmm, to my mind’s eye she does look like a little, glowing, love-filled sun. It’s similar to how Three used to be, and he pretty much didn’t need feeding in the end. I know it has something to do with love resonating between the members of our group, but so far the only really big examples are Three and Four. Eight is fuller around me without any feeding, and One doesn’t seem to be losing too much energy either. Come to think of it, Nine and Ten are the only changelings whose love levels aren’t too stable… just like it should be, actually. Self-sufficient changelings are unheard of, and yet In my short life I’ve seen two.

Oh well, this isn’t a problem I can solve on my own. The thing is… it’s not a problem at all, and I definitely wouldn’t want to solve it if it was anyway.

With a shrug, I send Four off, find my way into the main office, and sigh when I look at the shelves full of thick ledgers.

“Okay, when reading, you start from the top left and go right,” I pick the first book, which proves to be full of numbers mostly, “I’m bored already.”

***

After hours of reading and trying to find any inconsistencies according to One’s knowledge, I have to stop due to the dull, pounding headache that’s been growing ever since I was left alone. At this point, it feels as if someone was slowly and carefully hammering a spike through my skull.

I need a break. I need a place that feels like home, maybe that will help.

Like a zombie, I plod through the house, avoiding windows, Eight, and Nine. They’ve got enough work on their hooves already. Driven by pure instinct, I end up in the cellar, which unlike before hosts a crumbled section of a wall revealing some previously hidden hinges and a door. It’s cold, it’s dark, and all it’s missing is some bioluminescent goo to feel like the good old hive.

And an asshole high rank yelling at me, that would complete the picture. Let’s not get too nostalgic here, it wasn’t good by any measure.

Curious about the new room that must be the result of Eight and Nine’s exploration, I open the door with the lock already kicked off.

“Huh...” my curiosity helps me forget the pain for a moment. The room has just enough space for me to walk between two long metal shelves on the sides hosting things I can barely recognize or understand the value of. Without One’s link available, I can’t really ask for an explanation, and everyone else is either busy, doesn’t know enough, or the headache doesn’t let me focus enough to link up with them. The ones that actually know about the world are out there, doing their job. Shocking, I know.

Small pony figurines are on one shelf, princesses and supposedly other royals or important public figures. I chuckle to myself when I lean closer on a faint suspicion, and notice a spot without dust in the front line of various tiny Celestias. Eight or Nine must have taken one recently to give to Ten later. Kinda warms my heart, to be honest.

So, possibly tourist souvenirs? Why would this place need those? I would at least expect hidden weapons in case of what we did happened, but no, only pony souvenirs of varying sizes, small chests with gems made of colored glass, and some weird eggs. Something for griffons perhaps?

I levitate one of the painted eggs up. It’s sort of heavy, but that might be the headache talking. I shake it in case there’s life inside or something. After all, I know all about how carrying eggs feels, albeit changeling ones.

“Ow!” I wince, as another pulse of pain disrupts my telekinesis and makes me drop it. The egg breaks into a heap of shards and white powder, “Ah, damn it!”

I poke the small pile with my hoof, and then lick it. The powder doesn’t taste like anything I’ve ever had in my mouth before, so I sniff it. It tingles a little. Itching powder maybe? I put my nose into the pile and sniff it again.

“Whoah!” I feel as if lightning crackled through my entire body, in a good way. Suddenly, it’s as if my headache got pushed back, and I can at least walk without slumping. After I snort the whole content of the egg, I feel great, SO LIGHT! EVERYTHING IS AMAZING, IS THERE MORE? I’VE NEVER HAD SO MUCH ENERGY BEFORE.

WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT, I BREAK THE TOP OF ANOTHER EGG, AND BEAM WHEN I SEE MORE OF THE WHITE POWDER INSIDE. THIS IS GOING TO HELP A TON! THE WORLD BLURS WHEN I RUSH BACK UPSTAIRS TO THE OFFICE, AND START READING THE LEDGERS AGAIN. HAHAAAAA, NOT EVEN THE SILLY NUMBERS CAN STOP ME NOW! I CAN DO ANYTHING.

WHAT?! WHERE DID ALL THE POWDER GO? I’VE ONLY GONE THROUGH THIRTEEN OF THE LEDGERS…

...as I stand up, I realize the blurring hasn’t stopped, that it’s afternoon already, the office lamp is burning my eyes, I’m shaking, my breathing is unnaturally shallow, and my heart is jackhammering like an earthpony worker nearing the deadline.

“...what the?” comes out of my now parched throat.

YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN, WORM, AND NOW YOU’RE FINALLY OURS!

“..whuh..?” drool drips from my open mouth. Why are there black spots at the edge of my vision, and why are the voices yelling all the time?

YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND, AND YOUR CHANGELINGS!

I clutch my head, which has the unexpected side effect of me crashing on the floor. I feel as if a saw is splitting my skull open.

The hive mind.

YOU, AND ALL THOSE WHO HELPED YOU WILL SUFFER. WE WILL USE THEM TO REGAIN OUR POWER, REBUILD A TRUE HIVE, AND WE’LL KEEP YOU AROUND TO WATCH! WATCH AS YOUR EIGHT BECOMES A TRUE SLAVE, WATCH AS THE LAZY TRAITORS WHO SHOULD BE REBUILDING OUR EMPIRE ALREADY SERVE THEIR PURPOSE, AND WATCH AS WE CRUSH YOUR LITTLE CRIPPLED REJECT FOUR AND USE HER BODY MASS TO MAKE REAL CHANGELINGS! THEN YOU WILL REGRET EVER OPPOSING US, WORM!

Everything hurts, everything is dark…

WHAT? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR BODY? WHY IS NOTHING WORKING HERE? WHAT DID YOU DO, WORM?!

***

I wake up feeling as if my eyelids and tongue were made of sandpaper. The headache is gone, though.

“Uhh, why am I on the floor?” I scratch my head, getting back on all fours.

“My question exactly,” comments One, not stopping to poke my side, “And where did you get this assload of cocaine?”

“Coc-what?” I follow her pointing foreleg to the white powder scattered all over the desk.

“Nevermind that,” she shakes her head, now looking directly into my eyes, “Huh, so it works on us in our normal form too? Neat!”

“I… I don’t know what’s going on. My head hurt, I remember going to the cellar to feel like back in the hive… then I found a room full of toys and eggs, I broke one on accident, and it was full of this powder that made the headache go away and helped me go though the books faster.”

“No kidding, that reading should have lasted you a week, not a day.”

“Then I… my head hurt again...” I try to recall what happened, “Hive mind said something… but I felt really sick for some reason,” clutching my head, I try to make sense of the pain, blurs, and incoherent yelling that may or may not have been mine.

I find my muzzle pressed against One’s chest chitin.

“Now now, that’s not important, my King,” I feel calm spread through me from touching the cool surface, “What is important is that you obey me and only me now, alright?”

For some reason, I feel like everything is okay. The link between me and One grows stronger than ever before, and I feel her powerful presence inside my head.

“Follow me, and on the way you can ask Ten to stay outside tonight and try to look for someone who would buy some cocaine.”

“Yes, One,” I stand up, and follow the mare, eyes firmly locked on her tail swishing from side to side. She’s doing something to my head…

...spinning webs.

“Silly King, I’m not a spider, I’m a changeling,” she digs through my recent memories while I follow her through the house, eyes barely open. I don’t need them, though, I see all I need from hers.

Through me, she contacts Ten:

”Hey, Ten. When you’re done with the bureaucracy go check some nightclubs or any other place where you can get rid off few kilos of cocaine. Oh, and you can stay outside as long as you want. Nine and Eight will be busy rebuilding anyway.”

”Will do, King,”

One chuckles to herself. One would say evilly, but do I trust her after all. Why wouldn’t I?

”Four, same goes for you,” she uses me to speak again, ”Stay outside with Ten. He might be dealing with some shady characters and could need help.”

Alright, boss.

We end up in the upstairs room that One previously locked herself in. Changeling goo is staining the walls, forming symbols, circles, triangles, weird squiggles that mean nothing to me.

“Now, if I called Eight through you she’d know something isn’t as it should be, which is why you’re going to do it yourself. Right, hmmm, King?” she leads me into the middle of several concentric circles on the floor.

I just do what she wants me to do. It must be important, otherwise she wouldn’t want me to do it. It would be easier if I didn’t feel so… slow. Both in the head and body.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” she makes me sit down, “That’s just my venom and control coursing through you. You like being led, don’t you? Deep down you know you are a drone, and that thinking is better left to the high ranks.”

“Mhm...” I mumble, my eyes closing on their own.

”Eight, come over here, will you?”

”I’ll be right there,” is her immediate answer, “I could use a break anyway.”

“Perfect,” chuckles One, “Now to get you ready,” she levitates a glass of something green and honey-like, “Drink.”

My forelegs move without my input as I grab the hovering glass and down the contents. Sweet, minty, so heavy that everything starts spinning.

“So glad I’m… sitting down… heheh,” I give her empty glass back, “What was it?”

“My goo. It will make your mind easier to work with, and allow me to use all your love reserves as if they were mine.”

“Playing queen, One?” I chuckle.

“I’m not playing, my King of Hearts, that’s who I am in everything but official rank,” she licks my face, “Just like you know you are just a drone in the wrong body.”

“I guess you’re right...” I breathe out, she hugs me again, and I calm down, “Shhh, you just need someone to help you think, someone who knows how things should be. Now we just have to prepare Eight.”

The door clicks open, and Eight enters.

“What’s going on?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Order her to walk into the circle,” commands One.

“King?” Eight takes a step backwards.

“Come to me, Eight,” I say.

“...king?” I feel her straining against my words, “One, what did you do?!”

”Come here, Eight.”

She breathes out, having no chance to resist, and sits down by my side.

“Perfect,” One’s expression turns serious. Her horn flares, golden glow bathing the room and making shadows dance. The green circles and runes light up in response, and green web crawls across the walls of the room until it imprisons us completely.

My links to everyone other than Eight and One cut off completely. They’re not weak or anything, it’s as if I’ve never had any connection to any other changelings. From Eight’s growl, I assume it’s the same for her.

One walks to us, and sits down as well.

“I need you two to trust me. You, King, I’ve prepared already. You’re mine. Eight, it’s your turn.”

“You used him to lure me here… you used my love a trust, One,” Eight scowls, “And now you’ve cut everyone else off.”

One nods.

“When Luna used the isolation spell back in the castle to cut you off and interrogate you, it gave me an idea. It took me all this time to dig through your memories using the King’s link. I had to keep what I was doing completely secret, because I couldn’t afford you two trying to stop me. King has been suffering headaches since our fight with the alicorns. I know you know. What you don’t know is that those were attempts of the hive mind to push through. You know their last threats, right? That they’ll take over his body and mind, and use him as their avatar here in the real world. If he broke, they’d be able to use your bastardized link to obtain the best changeling warrior alive for their needs. I had to act unpredictable, I had to make sure you weren’t certain whether or not I would betray you and take over in which case they would try to negotiate with me,” she smiles, booping my nose, and her voice grows warmer, “Sometimes you made me looking evil really difficult, my one true King.”

“He tried to hide the headaches from me,” Eight nods, “Idiot.”

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“This,” One makes a circle with her foreleg to encompass the entire room, “is what I came up with. I can’t simply use such complex magic through my horn like Luna can, I’m not a trained spellcaster, but this will work. And… I took too long. The hive memories broke through and took control of the King. Due to absolutely unbelievable stroke of luck, the King found a hidden stash of cocaine and overdosed on it so the body they took was just shutting down,” she snickers, “I had to put King’s mind through the wringer a little to stabilize him before they tried something again, and make him my… doll.”

“So you want to keep him here, cut off from us, so that the hive mind can’t reach us through them?” Eight furrows her brows.

“Honey, if I want to drag him off to the cellar and show him that what you did to him last time was just a drop in the sea of pleasure and insane debauchery I can offer, then there needs to be a him for me to take. No, I don’t want to keep him locked here. The reason for the two of us being inside the magical barrier, is not so that the hive mind can’t attack us, it is so that they have nowhere to run from us,” One bares her fangs, “Get ready, Eight, because if you wanted a way to measure if you’re worth your rank, there will never be a better one than this. It’s up to us to finally take the fight to them,” One’s horn flashes again, and our links grow so strong they form visible threads between our horns, “And no matter what happens, don’t forget who the true enemy has been from the beginning.”

Everything goes pitch black as we’re suddenly else-and possibly not-where.

I take a long, deep draft of the cool air I can remember from the hive. I can think clearly, the headache is completely gone, and not even the weird effects of the cocaine thing remain. I finally feel like myself. Unfortunately, I can’t see anything, as if I was standing in a sea of ink.

A sea of ink that can boil at any moment under my legs and devour me like it did to Three.

The memory makes me bare my fangs. This is the landscape of the hive mind, the seat of what little power they still have. The old rulers are in here somewhere, and judging by their egos, they won’t be hiding for long.

Links? Two lines appear in the air, each one leading in a different direction. I can’t recognize which is which, and neither can I look from One or Eight’s eyes. What to do? What to do? I don’t think straight up walking through this not-place will serve any point.

“A fake king without subordinates and knowledge. What use are you?” sneers an amused voice followed by a changeling queen I’ve never seen before. She looks similar to Chrysalis, queen-tier changelings usually do I suppose, but she’s bulkier, her back plate is blood red just like her eyes, mane, and tail which looks like a scorpion stinger. Her fangs protruding from her mouth are long and thin, and she has claws on each of her forelegs.

A warrior Queen if I can hazard a guess. What does it mean?

Paralytic poison, no complex magic, chitin impenetrable via non-magical weapons, can likely tear me in half with her forelegs. The true amount of love they can in reality have at the moment won’t mean anything. This is their world, where they are as powerful as they were in their prime.

I blink as the new knowledge floods my mind.

“I don’t see any changelings working for you either,” I raise my voice. My bravado fails completely as she advances, making me back off.

“Yet...” she smiles, stretching every clearly defined muscle of her body, “Your Eight will be the perfect specimen to mother my new body. Unlike the other memories here, I want more than just a power fantasy. I want power reality.”

“Which queen are you, anyway?” I ask, trying to stall until help arrives. I don’t dare think that no one might be coming. Oh great, now I thought that.

Crap.

“Third queen Bloodlust,” she proudly taps her chitin, “These days I admit the name is rather cheap, but it shows how we felt about ponies at the time. We can make rivers run red again, though.”

She pounces at me. I dart to the side.

He claws leave grooves in the darkness where she lands, but I lose balance when her tail hits me straight up.

“This… THIS is what millennia of change and adaptation produced?” she laughs, watching me get back up.

“Not really, this is what you made from a drone because you queens made us fight the entire world and led us to near extinction,” I back off again. The bad thing is that she as a warrior pretty much knows how I can move, is faster…

...and likely smarter, to be frank.

“Several mistakes along the timeline, true,” she shrugs, “but now that there is no real ruler, we can finally start over!”

She lunges, I instinctively jump backwards...

...only to back off into… her?

Colors light my vision.

I blink, finding myself on my side, head lying in a pool of blood.

“Ugh...” pushing myself up makes my stomach revolve. Alright, alright, fighting is out of question.

“Eight, EIGHT, eip-?” I call out.

Once again, she suddenly stands in front of me, and her tail wraps around my neck, picking me up. As stated before, this isn’t too dangerous for changelings in comparison to ponies, but I feel my chitin crack under the pressure of her grip.

“So, ladies, who wants a turn first?” she asks no one in particular.

At least that’s what I think at first, before eleven more shapes come out of the living darkness. A grey queen very similar to One with green acidic veins running through her chitin drags her needle teeth along my chitin which melts with their faintest touch, leaving deep scars burned into it.

“Holy holes, lady, brush your teeth sometimes!” I wiggle in Bloodlust’s grasp.

“I am queen Shroud,” she hisses, “the second ruler, and you will address me with proper respect, at least for the few seconds before we dissolve your mind.”

“Hey, hey, HEY!” an irritated and thank all the holes familiar voice makes Shroud close her mouth, “I will be the one eating our King, and there are much better parts than his chitin, grandma!” One unceremoniously shoves some blue queen so hard she lands on the floor. The only thing stopping the gasping others from ripping One apart must be sheer shock that someone would dare do that.

The grip around my neck loosens up, and I drop on the ‘floor’ along with…

… the severed half of Bloodlust’s tail spraying blood all over me.

“Ewww…” I shake it off.

To my horror, Bloodlust simply raises an eyebrow, levitates the chunk back to her, and reconnects it with the rest. Her amused smile remains when her red eyes meet dark green ones of Eight.

“I will polish any blemish on his chitin with your entrails, you undead monstrosity,” growls Eight, “Sorry for the delay, King, One and I had… words.”

“Yeah, she apparently doesn’t shut up unless she’s got a cock in her mouth,” retorts One, “Specifically yours, King. I’ll have to do something about your shapeshifting so that you can grow one more and I don’t feel left out,” she rubs her chin, “Eeeh, three more just to be on the safe side.”

“You insolent-” the blue queen jumps up, stomping the ground so hard I can feel the shockwaves. Another warrior it seems.

“Oh shut up, relic of the past that should stay buried,” One rolls her eyes, “Queen Mandible, number eight, died by being killed by rebels led by her daughter Venom,” she nods to a green queen nearby, “good old number nine who invaded the dragon lands. You know, for a pile of charred dragon shit you look lively.”

Both queens hiss, and Mandible’s wide swing misses One by a hair while she’s avoiding acidic spray coming from Venom’s mouth. Half a second later, Mandible finds her eyeball and brain skewered by a chitin spike quickly sliding back into One’s foreleg. The queen’s corpse crumbles on the floor and disappears.

“My dear walking corpses,” One happily claps her hooves together, “You’ve been a thorn in our side for far too long, and-”

*Crunch!*

One flies off after a crushing blow by Mandible.

“You talk too much, little infiltrator. Let’s see how you fare when I rip your tongue out of your throat.”

One jumps on all fours, chipper as ever.

“Now how did you survive- no, you didn’t!” she grins, “There’s three of us in the isolation zone, which means three copies of all of you. You heard that, muscle for brains? You gotta kill each of them three times!”

Eight cracks her neck.

“Finally. Ever since Luna I thought I was getting rusty.”

“The only rust you’ll-”

Another gasp runs through the crowd when charging Bloodlust faces Eight’s punching hoof, answering the age old question about what happens when changeling head meets a cargo train at full speed.

I‘ve never seen someone’s skull being rammed into their ribcage through the neckhole before. Neat, in a horrifying way.

“Every enemy you defeated while brimming with love.” hisses Eight, flicking her fetlock to get rid of Bloodlust’s brain matter, “Every fight you fought at full power. I had to do all that with nothing, Queens. You can’t even begin to imagine how powerful we really are now that our true King brought us back from the brink of starvation.”

Casually, One spits a glob of goo into Venom’s opening mouth about to send a fresh spray of acid One’s way. The green queen gurgles and paws at her neck as it melts from the inside until eventually Venom’s head drops on the floor and the rest of her collapses into a liquifying heap.

“Exactly. You’re forgetting one important thing,” One’s jovial tone suddenly grows cold, “We’ve been tempered by your failures! We survived hunger your hatred and greed brought upon us, we had to fight with no love to spare, we had to hide when the rest of the world united to destroy us, we had to defend what little we had left when they won, all that while starving and crippled. We are evolution, as you said, we are perfection. We are revenge, but not against Celestia. We should thank her for making us way more than the pussies we used to be. We are revenge against YOU. You drained the hive’s love to stay alive even when millions of changelings over the ages died of starvation. We would have never gotten to this situation if we didn’t have to support YOUR fat asses.”

“WE ARE KNOWLEDGE, WE ARE THE PAST! YOUR DEAD DRONES AND PATHETIC WORTHLESS DISPOSABLE CHANGELINGS MEAN NOTHING COMPARED TO US!”

“And we are-” One’s monologue is cut short by Bloodlust’s carcass hitting second Venom so hard it breaks the green queen’s neck, both corpses rolling away on the floor.

“-the future!” Eight winks at One, her forelegs covered in gore.

“Oh fuck off, I was having an epic speech!” yells One.

“Oh sorryyyyy,” Eight fakes a pout, “I must have missed that while twisting Bloodlust’s head off three times already. Speaking of which, who’s next? Hey, landwhale, Mandible or whatever,” Eight spanks her butt, “This is what I call properly thick, you overgrown dung beetle.”

The hive memories howl as one, rage filling the air like a physical force. One and Eight, laughing like maniacs, rise to protect me against millenia of hive experience.

I know saying that is cheap, but all Tartarus breaks loose.

***

My ears pop, and suddenly I’m elsewhere, and I can’t see anyone.

“Divide and conquer, eh?” I mutter, “Should I be afraid?”

“Oh you definitely should,” says a buzzing voice behind me.

I know this one.

Barely stopping myself from instinctively bowing, I turn around, and bite my lip as I confirm my worst nightmare. No, not the one where all my holes grow eyeballs and teeth and then I try to eat everyone.

The worse one.

Chrysalis chuckles to herself as if she could see through me, which she probably can.

Alright, alright, don’t panic. One and Eight are strong, and I believe in them. All I need to do is last long enough before they come for me. There’s no way I can fight someone with centuries of experience, not me with my… second month.

“Correct,” Chrysalis laughs, “At least you know that. However, as much as it might shock you, I’m not here to fight. As easy as it would be to crush you under normal circumstances, I doubt I could manage to do so in time.”

“What?” I furrow my brows, still backing off. This stinks of a trap.

“A trap maybe. For you? No,” her horn flashes, and I’m suddenly looking through her eyes, “I know how to control this ‘place’, you don’t. If you’re going to die by someone’s hoof today, it won’t be mine.”

As little as I trust her, I don’t have much choice.

“That’s a good drone,” I hear, and focus on the scene in front of me.

Two identical pairs of slit, dark green eyes look at each other. One set is vastly older, sad about the horrors she had seen throughout her life, but brimming with self-confidence and pride about being able to deal with more. The other pair is younger, full of fire, and the bared fangs of the muzzle underneath promise there will be no mercy.

Chrysalis stands her ground, taller than Eight slowly circling around her.

“I admit I made a mistake not recognizing your… fervor sooner,” Chrysalis doesn’t let her eyes wander from Eight, “Under me, you could have easily been One. Aaah… the invasion would have been a complete success if I hadn’t surrounded myself with incompetents,” she shakes her head, “I could have given you training, knowledge, everything. If only I hadn’t been so foolish.”

That takes Eight off guard, making her stop for a moment. I want to call out not to trust Chrysalis, but I can’t.

“That’s not for you to decide, drone,” says the Chrysalis inside my head, or in the head of which I am. This place is weird.

“Me, One?” asks Eight.

“Look at yourself,” she waves her hoof, making the darkness shift and reveal the piles of broken limbs and gore, the remnants of changeling queens Eight defeated, “See how powerful you really are.”

No, not defeated, massacred.

“I am a warrior, Chrysalis, and I fight for my King. You are in the way.”

“A King who would waste your talents on rank Eight, who would allow current One to blind you to your true potential, who wouldn’t want you to grow further-ugh?!”

Chrysalis squints at the claws suddenly stopping her from opening her muzzle.

“Trying to tempt a simple slave, Chrysalis?” Eight’s other foreleg grows claws as well, grabs Chrysalis’ horn, and twists, grinning at the muffled scream. Then she drops the queen on the ground.

“Slave… you can be so much more,” Chrysalis groans, crawling away from Eight, “You could easily be the next q-” she gasps when Eight’s now re-hoofed foreleg pushes her head against the floor.

“I know it must eat a power hungry bug like you inside, mother,” Eight kicks Chrysalis’ chest, making her body flail from the force while still pinning her head in one spot, “but I am exactly who and what I want to be.”

*Crunch!*

Turning away from Chrysalis’ crushed skull, Eight whistles to herself, “Been waiting a while to do that, really. Now, where are the other two? My family therapy session isn’t over yet.”

The scene shifts away from Eight, and I once more feel Chrysalis’ words.

“That girl’s got some issues. To be honest, I had no idea she knew who her mother was.”

“Does it matter?” I ask, facing the teal queen seemingly lost in thought, “I’m pretty sure I come from one of your eggs too.”

“Ugh,” she sticks her tongue out, “Don’t remind me.”

I roll my eyes.

“What I mean by that is that we had like two pony broodmothers before the invasion, so you used whatever changeling who could survive it. You’re the mother of a lot of changelings.”

Chrysalis facehoofs.

“You don’t know even this. You see, mass breeding is good and all, but when a queen wants a proper offspring, she grabs the best gene source she can find, and bears the egg herself. Eight was my last attempt, some fifty years back. After few not entirely successful infiltration attempts, ponies increased security measures all over southern Equestria, and our hunger got worse. So, to protect my hive just in case something happened to me, I tried creating a new potential queen. Unfortunately, Eight was straight up born as a warrior during time when we desperately needed infiltrators, and her mental… deficiency completely ruled her out as a leader. I’m glad it didn’t stop her, now that I’ve seen what and who she’s growing into.”

“You know,” I realize there’s something I’ve been curious about for a while, “Why hasn’t there been any changeling kings since Wistful?”

“Anger, mostly,” Chrysalis answers openly, much to my surprise, “At first we- they wanted to bury everything which led us to becoming changelings, which meant Wistful’s… weakness, male leadership, any possible cooperation with ponies. The first queens were ruthless, brutal… and lacked any sort of charm, to be completely honest. It took a lot of beating to hammer the slab of steel we used to be into the sharp weapon we are now,” her expression brightens up, and with a flash of her horn I’m once again watching a scene which isn’t us, “Now shut up, here goes my second test. My weak daughter aside, this is the true judgement about you.”

One, whistling innocently, looks straight at whatever invisible and incorporeal form Chrysalis and I are occupying, and grins. From the darkness steps out the third Chrysalis, her dominant gaze locked at One whose grin freezes and immediately shatters.

“Ch-Chrysalis?” she takes a step back.

“Well well well, my once faithful One has become a traitor to the hive,” buzzes Chrysalis, “You look surprised, as if you didn’t think I would be here.”

“I-”

“And don’t forget for a second that I am your queen, not the drone you could barely keep from ruining everything.”

One’s shoulders sag.

“I didn’t think you would be here. I expected only the dead queens. In fact, considering that I survived the explosion and the fall, it didn’t occur me for a second that you wouldn’t.”

“What did or did not happen in the real world doesn’t matter right now, One,” Chrysalis walks over, and the green glow of her telekinesis grabs One’s chin and makes her look up into Chrysalis’ eyes, “I copied my mind into the hive mind during the flight. We jumped from changeling to barely living changeling in order to find a host that wouldn’t be in direct danger until we ended up following the trail of almost starved corpses back into the hive. The body we chose is here, and it’s up to you to help your queen rise again, One. You can gain the honors and rewards you deserve, something the twerp you’re working with now cannot begin to provide you.”

“I...”

“Hesitant, One?” Chrysalis presses her, “I know what he’s been depriving you of, something he can’t give you no matter what, and the one thing you truly want deep down - my body.”

One’s breathing quickens.

“Ch-Chrysalis, you must know the best that if the real Chrysalis is alive, then all this would cause would be a new war between hives. We can’t afford that.”

“We can work together in these trying times, even with my real self, and at least I’d finally have someone intelligent to talk to. However, is the risk of failed cooperation worth the possibility of Chrysalis not surviving the fall? Would you sacrifice the only chance of this hive returning to its greatness?”

To my surprise, the darkness echoes with One’s sudden slightly hysterical laughter which makes Chrysalis back off.

“Greatness? GREATNESS?!” she wipes a string of spittle from her mouth, “Oh honey, Chrysalis IS alive. What happened in Riverside is exactly her modus operandi - rough, hasty, not thought through, and in short completely braindead. I honestly feel ashamed she called herself infiltrator like myself. If she wasn’t THE perfect lay, I would have left the hive centuries ago.”

”Ouch!” mutters the Chrysalis inside my head, ”And here was I thinking tempting her to destroy you in my favor would be easier than Eight. Well, I guess my plan failed again. Maybe there is something to what One just said.”

One continues after winking in my direction again. Does she know we’re watching?

”That would mean she knows at least as much about the nature and inner workings of the hive mind as we do, which is strange considering she’s never been a queen.”

“Oh, and don’t tell Four I know about her chat with the paladin, she might get scared of me knowing her head can as well be mine. I can’t have that-ghh?!” she looks down at the spike coming from Chrysalis’ hoof lodged in her throat. With a flick of her fetlock and a burst of green light, the spike shifts into a blade and slashes One’s neck and skull in half.

“Impressive, impressive,” One appears again, lounging on Chrysalis’ back. she looks at her sliced body, “Ewww...”

Both Chrysalis’ gasp.

“How?”
”How?”

“You think you’re the only ones who have three lives here?” One smirks, “Granted, doing this on the first try wasn’t easy, but I was curious if I could do that, and where’s the fun in not risking one’s life, right?”

I wonder for a moment why Chrysalis hasn’t attacked again, and then I realize she can’t. One is holding Chrysalis completely paralyzed.

“...how?” Chrysalis groans again.

One slides off, and slaps Chrysalis’ flank.

“I’m Just. That. Good,” she laughs, “Now, I’d love to keep you around for my own fun. I wish I could give you a real body to play with, or three, and some limited thinking to use your equipment properly, but I can’t have you or any other queen trying to eat my King. it’s time to finish the spring cleaning this place needed for millennia. Open your mouth, Chryssie.”

The paralyzed queen obeys as One leans in for a kiss. I hear slurping, goo drips from both muzzles, and soon Chrysalis begins spasming despite the holding effect. Her body boils from the neck down, her chitin cracks and hisses as acid makes her eventually deflate like a balloon. Only then One breaks the kiss of death, and drops the head on the floor.

I return to my own version of Chrysalis who shudders.

“Well, it looks like I failed,” she doesn’t look angry or disappointed, rather the opposite, “After ages of powerful rulers, smartest infiltrator queens, best mental controllers and intrigue spinners. Warrior queens, great heroes, army commanders, unstoppable slayers. Maybe now it’s time for a drone king, someone who knows the value of hard work and knows how to stick together when all the powerful world around is against him and his subordinates. Oh well, before the two find us, I’d like to give you a small tip - if you ever find my good living self, don’t try to talk to her.”

“What do you mean?”

“She wouldn’t have seen the loyalty, the borderline fanaticism you inspire in your changelings. It’s in your nature to care, it’s in my nature to command and control. She wouldn’t understand, I know I wouldn’t before seeing your journey up until now. Your existence would be a sign of personal failure to her, and while One and Eight could protect you from a direct attack or an assassination attempt, Chrysalis wouldn’t stop scheming. A life under constant threat to you and your loved ones isn’t a happy life. I know that far too well.”

I hated her, all this time I hated her. It was warranted, all of it, but watching her hive mind memory now I think she could have changed, she was just beaten down by life thrown at her by those before her, weighed down by ancient memories not admitting they were dead.

“Thank you for the advice, my queen,” I bow.

“See? Now that’s the respect I deserve,” she chuckles, “Anyway, my time is running short, and I can definitely feel pain in this body, so I’d like you to kill me. Seeing what the two wanted to do to me sort of put things in perspective. I know you can’t shapeshift, but let me show you how to focus love a bit,” she puts her horn to mine, and several ideas flash through it. A second later, a burning emerald blade of pure love grows from my fetlock, “Now come on, make it quick. One and Eight will be here soon, so let’s make you look a little more badass.”

“What? I-” she falls over and drags me onto herself.

“It needs a bit more focus to be sharper, but the burning effect is pretty neat- LET ME GO, WORM, OR I WILL TEAR YOUR HEART OUT AND FIST YOU WITH IT!”

*Whoosh!*

Chrysalis’ still grinning head splits cleanly from her neck, leaving me sitting on her barrel. A second later her body dissipates into nothing.

I look behind me, and make the love blade disappear.

Two completely jaw-dropped changelings are staring at me, eyes bulging.

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-?”
“Ughhhh….?”

“I missed you two too,” I stand up, smiling at them.

They bow. They both actually bow.

“So, what now?” I force myself not to laugh, “Are we done? I don’t feel any different.”

“We killed everyone,” One shakes her head, “Well, almost everyone. There’s one ‘place’ I was hiding from you, one last changeling ruler.”

Darkness shifts, Eight assumes a combat stance, and we appear in front of a solitary slumped figure. A quiet and definitely male voice asks:

“Oh? Did you finally make some friends, One?” he chuckles, “Heh heh, or maybe even more?”

Eight and I look at One who blushes.

“This… this is my King, and she’s his-”

“-lover and a part of him,” the changeling finishes One’s sentence without hesitation, “which bothers you. Not much, but it does. You want to be like her, but you’re still not sure, still not ready. Competition is good, One, jealousy isn’t.”

He looks up, and I’m faced with pink eyes, pony eyes on a changeling, eyes which are ancient even when compared to Chrysalis. I’m not completely stupid, and from the changeling’s lack of horn, the two antennae on his head, and a set of bright gossamer wings feeling as if they light up the surrounding darkness, I realize this must be Wistful.

Unlike the others, I don’t feel any animosity from him.

One sighs, giving Wistful a pout.

“I guess it’s a bit more difficult to hide things from you than from them.”

“I am an empath, little one. It’s my nature. What brings you here today? More stories? More knowledge?”

“We’re here to kill you,” One completely breaks the warm atmosphere.

Or so I think until Wistful quietly laughs to himself.

“So it’s finally time, is it? What about the others?”

“Dead. We made sure of it. You are the last memory left.”

“The final link to the hive’s past,” he sighs, looking at his hole-less forelegs, “I would almost say it would be a pity. Almost,” he ends up in a growl, but when he speaks up again, his voice is calm and friendly, “However, will you grant this old changeling his final wish?”

“What do you-” starts One.

“Yes,” I say.

“Heh heh heh, a careful one, isn’t she?” Wistful winks at me, “She would make an excellent queen… a century or two ago,” he rubs his chin as if remembering something, “Right, right, my wish. It’s very simple. I want you to listen, all of you. You are wrapped in sadness and hatred, and I must admit that unlike other memories here I haven’t been following your journey too closely, but I know enough. Celestia is not the villain they made her out to be.”

“What?!” One raises her voice.
“Hmm?” Eight just her eyebrow.
“The hive mind- I mean you- I mean they showed me what happened, they told me what it led to,” I stutter out.

“They showed you what they needed you to see. They didn’t lie, they just picked the bits that suited their goal - either making you angry and afraid enough to continue their warmongering. The part with taking your body over was just desperate, to be honest. As if those idiots could ever work together on something, heh,” Wistful takes a deep breath, “They showed you how Celestia transformed us using my link to my subjects, they showed you the war we were made to stop. What they didn’t show you was what happened afterwards. Sit down, and close your eyes.”

As we do, foreign images and feelings begin flowing through me in tune with Wistful’s words.

“The war was over. Griffons retreated back behind the ocean. Equestria was in shambles, but the Griffon Empire ended up far worse. The use of further tactical spell strikes within Equestria was unnecessary after our involvement, and all unicorn forces focused their magic on targets in the Empire, nuking entire city states with far more power than the initial strike in the Badlands. To this day, those places are just lifeless ashen deserts, while we managed to bring new life into our home. Unfortunately, the war efforts of rulers after me ruined what we began rebuilding. You see, with Equestria destroyed, terrified, and poor it was my decision to move to the Badlands. We had love for each other, we didn’t need normal food, and in a sense that was our birthplace. Many of us served as relief throughout Equestria, both mental by giving those who lost their loved ones a chance to say final goodbyes, share that last kiss, or simply play pretend for a while. It wasn’t Celestia’s fault this changed, she’s been trying to protect us all that time, but unfortunately she knew politics better than we ever did. Other nations deemed the spell strikes a war crime, pushing for Celestia to step down. Power hungry nobles worked against her as well. She wasn’t in a position where she could afford more enemies or a civil war on top of everything. We became the scapegoats, the monsters in the dark, the stories they spread, just one of the enemy’s tools. Not that it stopped us. We helped around like before, only disguised. The right ponies knew. Unfortunately, ponies don’t live long, but propaganda and power struggles do. Celestia had enough trouble with stabilizing the country, and the eventual younger generations were susceptible to stories about those they didn’t know much about. The queens after me blamed Celestia for not letting us return to the light, me for starting our battle, and they grew bitter. We empaths took the fear and disgust we now invoked hard, we couldn’t handle feeling those emotions everywhere, and they infected us. Ironically, if we were as emotionally cold and distant as we grew to be today, we could have stayed true to our purpose without succumbing to the hate others felt for us. Life is full of its little jokes, I suppose. Anyway, we could be here forever, reliving ancient history, but what really matters is learning from it, looking towards tomorrow, but living now. Please give Celestia a chance. I refuse to believe she changed so much that what her paladins did was done purely on her orders. She often made bad decisions, everyone does, but never straight up evil ones, even against her enemies. She’s got this strange tendency of trying to make friends with whomever she can, plus a plot that could make a statue turn its head,” he chuckles, shaking his head, “I lost track again. That’s how you know you are too old to stay. I guess it’s time to leave then. It warms my heart that I’ve lived, or un-lived, long enough to meet someone not completely mired in my kind’s hateful history,” he yawns, laying down on the floor, “I can finally… take… a nap...”

His eyes close, and the boiling darkness underneath takes him.

I blink.

I look at the green runic circles holding the isolation spell together. Then at the walls of the small room One chose for this.

It’s so quiet.

Too quiet.

I start shaking. I’ve never felt this alone. No voice, no outer knowledge, there’s nothing. I don’t know anything, I can’t hear anyone.

I whimper. It’s cold, so cold. I hug my barrel to keep some warmth and knowledge inside me. I know nothing, I am nothing, I’m alone.

Eight hugs me. I can’t feel it. I can see her, but is she really there? She’s speaking, but I can’t hear anything. Why isn’t there anything in my head? WHY AM I SO EMPTY?!

One grabs my shoulders and pushes me on my back.

“It’ll be okay.”

I can hear her, I can feel the buzzing undertone of her voice resonate within my head. There’s more than just me.

“It’ll be okay.”

Her words echo through my skull, through my links, and wash away the panic. I’m not alone inside my head. There’s not just me. We understand each other. I feel some disappointment from Eight, but mostly she’s happy that I’m gradually feeling better, even though she was powerless to do anything and One had to help.

“It’ll be okay.”

When the flow of emotions, tidbits of knowledge, and current mood of others into myself is restored, Eight hugs me again, pushing One away.

“Come on, Eight, don’t be like that,” I resist, only a little, though, grab One by her foreleg, and pull her into a group hug, “You said you had to act cold not to alert the hive memories. How about now?”

To my shock, she grabs Eight’s head and kisses her with a devilish twinkle in her eyes.

“We’ll start with a little show, King, and then I will make you both scream my name!”

“What, you mean like ‘Oh, screw you, One!’?. I’m sure we’ve had that moment far too many times already,” quips the still somewhat rattled Eight, immediately re-rattled by One’s fresh peck on the lips.

“Hey-” another one.

“Stop-” and one more.

“I’ll ki-” this time One pushes Eight on the floor as well.

“Hmmm?” One hums, adding one final kiss for good measure.

Eight scowls.

“Fine, she means it this time,” she tosses One off of herself, “Now go transform yourself into Celestia and play with Ten or something.”

Chuckling, One helps Eight on all fours, and both of them stumble. After I push myself up, they catch me before I crumble back on the floor.

“Whoah?”

We’re all STARVING.

With a rub of her hoof, One breaks the closest magic circle, and all my links light up, filling me with relief. No one’s talking, though.

Mystery gets resolved when the second I open the door I’m tossed back by a small black and grey projectile hurled my way. With the help of my two live crutches, I manage to stay on all fours, but the four legs clamped around my neck and chest speak more than anything Four could say via the link.

Three days, I feel Ten’s words, I was starting to get worried.

With an exhausted smile, I pat Four’s head pressed hard against my chitin.

“We’re back, everyone, and we’re free.”

50: Seeking a chance.

Bright Star stared into his glass of water, hoping against all hope that the meeting this time wouldn’t be bad news. Unfortunately, throughout his long, long life he’d learned that good news were rare commodity in the paladin circles generally called only when the worst of the worst threats emerged.

“Another changeling attack, Resolute?” he asked the second paladin currently sitting down to the table with a mug of beer.

“Yeah,” the other unicorn nodded. He was wearing the white and gold paladin full plate armor as well, leaving only his blue-maned, white head uncovered, with his helmet lying on the table next to his drink, “Stalliongrad slums. Twenty-six missing. A police report said few witnesses saw a huge caravan leaving the eastern platform outside of schedule. After comparing what the caravan should have been according to ponies who knew the owner and what really left, we suspect it’s the changeling queen and the attackers from Riverside. All local police attempts at following the caravan failed.”

“Celestia damn it!” Bright Star sighed, “This complicates things, especially the trials.”

Resolute shrugged.

“Can’t say I care, really. We’re at war with the bugs right now. They should be in camps where we can keep an eye on them, not be allowed to live among us, waiting to strike.”

“I believe in princess Luna’s and Blazing Light’s judgement about them. They’ve been doing good job so far, and we haven’t had any trouble with the changelings who passed the trials,” objected Bright Star.

“I have my reservations about trusting a pony-turned-changeling, especially the one responsible for actually allowing Chrysalis to take princess Cadenza’s place and gain control of the Royal Guard captain. And now, with princess Luna compromised, the trials are over.”

“Temporarily,” Bright Star nodded, “I spoke with princess Celestia about cooperating with the safe changelings in regard of feeding those who are awaiting trial. Unfortunately, after she got us out of the castle, she wasn’t exactly open to discussion. How is princess Luna anyway?”

“Being watched, but not showing any suspicious behavior yet.”

“At least some good news.”

“Definitely,” Resolute nodded, “I can already see the newspaper headlines in a day or two. Princess Celestia is already under pressure from the nobility vultures who are using this to make her seem weak and gain power for themselves. She doesn’t deserve this.”

“Agreed,” a rougher, new voice made the two paladins look up at Star Trail. Bright Star’s eyes went wide, “And that’s why it’s up to us to stop it.”

The third paladin wasn’t the oldest by far, that honor belonged to Bright Star in his hundred and forties. Serving so close to the immortal alicorn of the Sun and Life-giving Warmth for so long granted certain paladins some serious resistance to aging. Star Trail wasn’t even a paladin anymore, having received his discharge several years ago, and during his service he hadn’t made it to the upper echelons anyway, resulting in the look appropriate to his sixties. Now, however, to Bright Star he looked downright alien. His silver mane glowed as if from the inside, and his legs previously ruined beyond the help of standard medicine by the changelings were pitch black with veins of flame-orange running through them. Also, they were working, as shown by the unicorn having walked in on his own. Such feat of healing magic must have taken the powers of many unicorns or-

Bright Star closed his eyes, and felt the area around them with his horn instead. As expected, Star Trail’s legs were enveloped by dark smoke usually being symptomatic of dark magic. Bright Star was the last pony to object against the use of dark magic by competent and sane users, but the main source of his worry was an amulet on Star Trail’s neck depicting a black alicorn head and chest with spread wings. To Bright Star’s arcane vision, the amulet practically burned with red flames.

-a sacrifice.

“The alicorn amulet?” Bright Star raised an eyebrow, “I didn’t take you to be one to mess with dark magic.”

“You’re the one to talk, mister ‘there is only power, no light or darkness’,” Star Trail grinned when Bright Star shrugged, faced with his own saying, “And don’t look at me like that, I sacrificed some of my own remaining years. I already used my last paladin request to grant Puff squirehood and future paladin post, so I can’t ask for longer life like you. Look at how that turned out...” Star Trail’s grin turned upside down immediately.

“Look, I liked that overgrown colt too, which is why I’m here now. Still, the alicorn amulet is a restricted weapon.”

“I took it up with Celestia herself, and reminded her what the changelings did to us in Canterlot and the Castle of Two Sisters. Princess Luna’s predicament only helped my case. She knows about our previous investigation, even if it involved me, which is technically… well, let’s not get technical about this. I got the access to the arcane armory and was granted the use of the alicorn amulet for this mission only.”

Bright Star was suspicious that Star Trail couldn’t have told princess Celestia everything, but after what the report about princess Luna being mind controlled said, he couldn’t be sure. Anyway, taking his concerns up with the princess herself wouldn’t be useful, because second-hoof witness of what a changeling had said would mean very little, especially this soon after the castle events. Things needed to cool down a little.

“You can’t just wear it, Star Trail,” Resolute pushed a chair out for Star Trail, “Or do I take it as a sign you know where the changelings are, and that we’re leaving?”

“Exactly, Resolute,” the elderly paladin nodded, “Unfortunately, the bugs caused so many losses to the paladins that we’re stretched, and since this is an... investigation with complications, not a combat operation, officially, we won’t get any reinforcements anymore. So, are you two still in?”

“Yeah,” Resolute nodded, “I didn’t crawl, half-crushed, out of a mine tunnel rubble to let the changelings get out of it free.”

“I really wish we could solve this without bloodshed, but you two need someone with sanity around.”

Bright Star sighed. Time for things to cool down was apparently a luxury these days.

“Heh,” Star Trail chuckled, “Princess Luna said the changelings spoke about going to Manehattan and then escaping into the Griffon Empire. We’ve got a long way ahead of us.”

***

Ground Coffee, an aging earthpony stallion, was walking through the streets of Las Pegasus with a clear goal in his mind, but unfortunately without a direction. He’d spent several hours over the past few days searching, and he knew full well how unlikely he was to succeed. While Las Pegasus wasn’t a big city like Manehattan or Canterlot, it was always packed to the brim, and… a changeling would be near impossible to find. However, there was something filling him with vigor whenever his will wavered.

“Eeeeh!” his son Bubblegum on his back suddenly started bouncing up and down, pointing into one of the less prominent streets of Las Pegasus.

Coffee turned his head to see what had gripped his easily excitable colt.

An enormous dragonpony holding a brush with still dripping grey paint was measuring the facade of what Coffee faintly recalled used to be some cheap haunted house while a young unicorn mare levitated up a smaller brush, shoved its tip into a bucket presumably filled with paint, and added a finishing touch here and there.

She looked familiar too, but the dragonpony was a definite clue. Spurred by his son’s eager “eeeh!”, Coffee headed towards the duo. When he got closer, he realized that the duo wasn’t chatting, they were singing along with more voices coming from various rooms of the haunted house.

The first thing Coffee heard came from the upper floor window:

“I never claimed to be a leader, my mistakes are all written in goop. One always claims to be perfect, but armed ponies make me go poop. Our flaws are what makes us special, they bond us and keep us strong! Our flaws are what brought us together, and we’ll bite whoever thinks it’s wrong.”

“They say that I'm a big shot, that my egos the size of Sunbutt. My confidence comes off as cocky. But my best part is my soft green cu- heart.”

"Sure, I can be a drama queen. All nobles know it’s true."

“And I exist to fight, tease, and please, and there's no such thing as being too pervy too! Cause'!”

“We’re not flawless, we’re work in progress. We’ve got fangs, and we’ve got holes, but it’s out love that makes us whole. Yeah! We’re not flawless, we’re work in progress. So tell me what flaws you got too, Cause' I still like what's flawed about you.”

"Miss One thinks I'm a little too nervous.
That I’m a scaredy cat.
But I’m learning from her so much!
And I don’t want to turn out bad."

“It took me a while to learn how, and now fight for the new hive I shall.”

“Because no buggy can survive alone, AND WE’LL GIVE THE PALADINS HELL!”

“We’re not flawless, we’re work in progress. We’ve got fangs, and we’ve got holes, but it’s our love that makes us whole. Yeah! We’re not flawless, we’re work in progress. So tell me what flaws you got too, Cause' I still like what's flawed about you.”

“Eeh eeeeh eeh eeeeh! Eh eh eh eeeh eeeh!” Bubblegum’s wordless noises quietened down into humming as the two ‘ponies’ in front of the haunted house noticed Ground Coffee approaching.

“Hello,” Coffee raised his hoof, which the unicorn mare shook, “If memory serves, you’re the ponies with the changeling, right? Changeling costume I mean.”

Suddenly, without doing anything but looking straight at Coffee, the quiet dragon pony looked vastly more menacing. After a moment of silence, as if talking to someone inside his head, he smiled.

“You’re right, but we’ve been busy for the past few days repairing this house, so we haven’t had time for more rides. I can call the boss if you want one, though. I mean, if the little one wants it,” said the unicorn.

“Oh, no no no,” Coffee shook his head, put Bubblegum down, and took his saddlebag off, “I overheard the first time that the rides were a promotion for some attraction, and considering how Bubble and other foals liked it, I wanted to give you this,” he presented a pamphlet.

“The Las Pegasus tour guide review group,” read the mare, “What’s new and hot edition. Until the end of the month… three critics… all new places… the winners will be declared on the first of next month, and promoted in City Of Gold? What’s City Of Gold?”

“The official Las Pegasus tourist guide magazine,” explained Coffee.

“That does sound helpful,” the dragonpony added his two bits to the conversation.

“I don’t know,” the mare frowned, “We’d have to sign up for this tomorrow, and we’d have only by the end of the week to finish the reconstruction. I don’t think we’re ready-”

“THE SONG, REMEMBER THE SONG!” someone screamed out of the window.

The mare blushed, and took the pamphlet.

“I’ll talk it out with the others. Thank you very much, mister…?”

“Ground Coffee.”

Smiling, the mare disappeared inside.

“Bubble-” Ground Coffee noticed his son trying to crawl up the rather confused dragonpony’s foreleg, “Sorry, sir. Bubble, come here!”

Suddenly gripped by his barrel, Bubblegum started waving his forelegs as the dragonpony raised him off the ground, and blowing air at him.

“Hmm?” pondering the situation for a second, the dragonpony let out a thin plume of fire from his mouth into the air. Bubblegum’s eyes went wide and his smile reached proportions usually seen only before a careless beach swimmer disappeared.

“Come on, Bubble,” Ground Coffee received his happy son back, who immediately took his place on his dad’s back, “The nice lady said she didn’t have much time, and we don’t want to waste more of it. See you later, mister…?”

The dragonpony froze.

“Erm, umm… Vindictus?”

“Oh, a griffon name? Interesting. Anyway, good luck in the contest.”

“Thank you,” Vindictus waved at him, then returned to finishing the paint job on the house facade.

***

Never ask One “what if” questions. She has this nasty habit of answering them.

I learned that the hard way when she explained what would have happened if our love ran out before we purged all the hive memories. It went like this:

“One, we almost burned through all our love fighting the hive mind without even knowing it. What if we took too long?”

“Then Four would have tackle-hugged someone with much less sunny disposition than us. The old rulers were spoiled by the amount of love they were getting all the time, and they had no problem sending imperfect changelings to the grinder, or doing the job on their own. I’m pretty sure they’d made us watch too.”

Seriously, can’t she ever be comforting? I’m pretty sure she enjoys watching me go pale or green whenever she describes something horrific.

Sadist.

Anyway, the past few days were busy with us gathering love in any way we could, and also cautiously promoting the adventure trip we were gradually building in and under the repurposed haunted house. Thankfully, Ten managed to sell the cocaine and other less illegal goods Mayor Mare’s goons were storing in the hidden cellar, giving us the resources to pay the city rent, and do some basic reconstruction work on the place. We still had to cut corners whenever possible, and do a lot of the work on our own, but that was fine because One and Eight seduced some of the workers we hired for the primary rebuilding while I was digging the tunnels underground, drained them, had fun with their heads, and then stored the stolen know-how into the clean hive mind for everyone to use. Since then, Nine has been doing most of the hard work while Ten’s eye for detail and decorating led to a house transformation beyond everything I hoped for. It’s basic, but for now it’s more than enough.

Four opens the office door, and puts a flier on my official work desk. I’m not sure what work the desk is for, but One insisted that I, as the leader, had my own office and a desk. We’re still working on the strewn papers and writing supplies for that buried-in-work look, because Ten said looking busy was more important for a manager than actually doing something useful.

“So, what do we do, boss?”

“I say we take the chance,” comes from under the desk, followed by Eight smacking her head against it and cursing.

“What were you doing down there, miss Eight?” asks Four.

“Nothing, yet,” she grins, “Just practicing for later. There’s woefully little space. Speaking of which, can we get some secretary clothes as some point? Short skirt, glasses, low cut top, don’t bother with panties.”

“Everyone, do you think we can finish some basic version of our idea by the end of the week?”

”We might have enough love,” comes from One, ”Four won’t be digging with us anyway, so I think it’s time for her to learn the lust part of infiltration. Ten, Eight, you up for some good old plowing?”

”Ugh,” I can practically feel Ten roll his eyes through the link, ”Okay, okay, I’ll go seduce some lonely mares for cheap lust.”

”I think miss One is right,” Four’s voice is a bit shaky, ”I’ve been successful with love and affection, but since we’ll need a lot of energy quickly, I’ll do my part. Miss Eight, miss One, can you give me some more pointers about seduction?”

”Honey, with your genuine interest in ponies and the look we’ll make you wear you’ll be able to walk up to a straight mare and she’ll be your pet for the rest of her life even without venom,” I feel One grin.

”We?” asks Eight, ”Are my ears working right?”

”You have your uses, now back under the desk!” chuckles One.

”Can’t, you’re hogging all the space.”

As they start bickering again, I weaken all my links, and stand up from the desk. A second later Four takes a peek over it, only to see One grinning back at her.

“Don’t ask,” I shake my head, “At this point it would be less weird if they actually did something, but they just sat there and bickered for the past twenty minutes. I’m going downstairs to try out an idea.”

With everyone’s roles clear, I find myself in the small complex of tunnels under the haunted house. It’s going to have to get a lot bigger in a very short time for what we have in mind.

How?

I tap on the wall of an unfinished tunnel, and feel the sound resonate through the ground. The sewer system seems to be down and to the left, either that, or a round hallway of sorts. There’s some sort of a cellar to the right, and the little tremors die out straight ahead, absorbed by the soft ground.

“Alright,” I focus my love around my forehooves. It would be way better if I could shapeshift them straight up, but beggars can’t be choosers. Green glow envelops my fetlocks, forming a stair-like shape under which the soft wall melts like butter. Unfortunately, this means we’ll need something to reinforce the soil.

”One, I’m gonna need a lot of goo if we’re to build fast. I can dig easily if I burn love, but the tunnels will collapse. Las Pegasus isn’t exactly built on rocky ground.”

”Don’t worry, King. Just get me the new edition of Playmare, and I’ll make sure you have all the goo you can ever need.”

”Ten, what’s Playm-”

”She’s just kidding, King. I’m sure all she needs at this point is you to strike a good pose wearing Rarity’s clothes. Isn’t that right, One?” he answers immediately.

”M- Maybe...” I can feel her bleeding nose already.

Sighing, I shift the shaped love around my fetlocks a little, and try to dig again. This time a practically cleave through the ground.

“King or not, I’ve still got the drone thing down to a D.”

Grinning, I get ready to finally do what I was made for, literally.

***

What we needed took forever anyway, but as I stand in one of the larger caverns now spreading under this section of Las Pegasus and send the updated map to everyone via our links, I can’t stop smiling to myself.

It’s not completely pitch black thanks to the green crystals lining the walls, not that it would be a problem for any of us, but our victims would have trouble getting out, and that’s what we don’t want. Bioluminescent shimmer of walls with thin veins of green goo criss-crossing them for structural stability should make it possible even for ponies to gain a faint sense of where they are underground, and I purposefully made every cavern unique in a way so that keen eyes will not get lost easily. The entire underground looks less and less like square hallways and more like round tunnels the further away from the house cellar you are as well.

I am exhausted and energized at the same time. I’ve received and burned through so much lust in the last few days that I was worried I’d get poisoned like the prisoners in Canterlot, but the underlying stream of love coming not from outside but from my changelings made sure we’re not having to deal with it. It makes me think how things might have worked out for Chrysalis and the old hive if changelings learned to love each other and share.

“Hmmm, finally feels like home,” One’s soft hoofsteps echo through the cavern followed by a second, heavier and louder set.

“I enjoy a soft bed like anyone else,” Eight looks around, one corner of her mouth curling upwards, “but this does make me a little nostalgic. All that’s missing is the quiet buzzing of thousands other changelings, eggs strewn around, moaning, bloated pony broodmares, and constant paranoia and hunger… eeeh, scratch the last part.”

One nuzzles my neck, to the light surprise of both me and Eight.

“You’re basically radiating ‘ pure happy’.”

“I am happy. It’s been a very long time since I felt useful. Linking you up and rationing love is something, but this,” I take a deep breath, “I really enjoyed this.”

“Well, deep down you’re still a drone, no matter what happened until now, hmm?”

“I doubt you’d have to go too deep down, really.”

One’s smile immediately turns into a devious smirk.

“Well then, ehm, as a drone… you’re supposed to obey us infiltrators, aaaand I kinda want someone to play with.”

I look at Eight who’s giving One a flat stare. She raises an eyebrow when she notices.

“Do I tie her up here so that we can get some rest, King?”

One just pokes Eight’s nose, not losing her enthusiasm whatsoever, much to her annoyed scrunch.

“Kinky, but if I’m getting dommed by someone, it’s gonna be the boss, not you.”

Did I hear her right? One look at Eight who’s now watching One with tilted head proves I did. For the first time, One’s resolve wavers a little when she notices our puzzled stares and adds:

“What?”

“You called him boss, not king?”

One thinks for a second, then shrugs.

“Huh… if the cock fits, I sits.”

Eight huffs and facehoofs.

“Alright, ALRIGHT, I can’t take it anymore. Yes, you can have him for tonight, One!” she rolls her eyes in the end, “Just return him in one piece and BEFORE the group of critics arrive.”

Why are One’s eyes glowing?

“Do I get a say in this?” I ask quietly.

“What do you think?”
“What do you think?”

Not sure if I should be happy they are finally seeing eye to eye, or to preemptively lament my pelvis, so I choose both. On the other hole, One is significantly lighter than Eight, so it’s not my bones that might be in danger this time.

Why did a shiver run down my spine when I thought that?

“Ehh… for the good of the hive then?” I give up. It’s not as if Eight hasn’t taught me some tricks to survive this. If I get a couple of five-minute breaks and a lot of water to drink, I might even wake up tomorrow.

“Alright, One-AAAAAH?!”

She’s staring at me like a hungry cannibal mass murderer in a fully equipped butcher shop cellar with a bunch of ponies tied up. Eyes wide and twitching, thick string of drool coming from the corners of her mouth open to proportions unseen before.

Golden glow envelops me, raising me from the ground, and I follow suddenly galloping One into the nearest tunnel mouth.

“We need more drones? We’ll make more drones!” One laughs like a maniac with me flying in tow.

...mommy…

***

“Oww...” I try to say, which comes out much less coherent as something like: “Wnngh...”

On the second attempt at pushing myself up I manage to get a hoof height off the ground before dropping like a rock again.

I was soooooo wrong about One. Specifically about the part where I thought that spending night with her would be less intense and hectic than with Eight. My body isn’t working properly, and it’s not only because I’m deathly tired. She made me do things Eight couldn’t even imagine. My head hurts from venom overdose, because One wasn’t kidding about wanting a toy to play with. I think I faintly recall me being frozen like a statue while One invited herself to everything my body had. I now also understand why they called her a succubus back in the hive. She loves forcibly ripping love out of others, then returning it back. Again, and again, and again. It hurt so much, I know it did, but the way she messed with my head…

...I begged her to do it over and over in the end.

Speaking of playing with my head, I don’t even know what parts of what we did were real. No, wrong phrasing. What I meant was what part of what we did actually happened down here in the tunnels. Everything was real, every touch, every thrust, every second of agony and ecstasy, even if parts of it happened only in our heads.

“Aaaah!” One stretches her legs, smiling at me, this time not in a scary way, “Next time we’ve got to try something more interesting. All this vanilla stuff tonight was sweet, but I need a bit more to get my blood flowing properly. If you agree, groan,” she jabs her foreleg into my side.

“Owwww...”

“Perfect!” she stops, as if suddenly noticing something. With one foreleg, she rubs her belly, “Huh, a fertilized drone egg the first try. Well done, boss. Ahhh, the humiliation of an infiltrator of my status being made to carry a mere drone egg, Eight would explode just hearing about it. Speaking of which, where is she? I gotta tell her every juicy detail and watch her steam.”

I finally get my mouth working. Turns out my throat was still clogged with One’s goo.

“Just make sure to stop taunting her before your inevitable fight destroys what we spent last 3 days building.”

“Pff, she’ll thank me after you use all I taught you on her… boss. Hmm, still feels strange coming out of my mouth. Nevermind, the important part is not what’s coming out, but who’s coming in. Heh.”

She trots off, just like that, humming a happy tune. Everything goes blissfully quiet, at least until I hear Eight’s:

“YOU DID WHAT TO HIS WHAT?!”

I let my cheek rest against the cold ground. Oh dark tunnel, you understand me.

Short time later, quiet clip clop of hooves approaches, and with all my remaining strength, I raise my head. Faced with a meek smile of Four, warmth spreads through me. Just being near her is enough to refresh me a little without having to drain her at this point. She shapeshifts into a larger form, and levitates me on her back.

“Ehm,” she says as she carefully walks through the tunnels towards the house cellar, “I was watching the whole thing.”

“I don’t know why, but I feel like I should scold you. It’s not like few weeks old infiltrators weren’t normally being sent to ensnare ponies at large back in the hive. Makes no sense.”

“It’s a pony thing, boss, and I don’t mind anyway. Lust is tasty and all, but love is… warm inside.”

The words ‘warm inside’ make my stomach revolve with memories from last night, but the heat seeping from Four and slowly reinvigorating me is washing the memories away. Just like Three, she’s generating love on her own, but unlike Three it’s not a general love for everything, this is aimed towards me. I love that little critter too. To be honest, I love everyone in my group in a way.

“I’m pretty full, boss. You don’t need to feed me right now,” Four says out of nowhere.

“I’m not. Well, I’m not trying to. I guess I just love you, Four, somehow. If it’s a pony thing, then we might be less different from them than the old hive rulers made us think.”

“I love you too, boss. We all do.”

Eventually, she walks the final steps to my office where she drops me off onto the soft carpet.

“The critics will be here in the evening, and everything is as ready as it can be. Get some rest.”

“Thanks, Four,” I mumble into the carpet, my eyes closing already.

“No problem… dad.”

The door closes, and with it do my links to others.

Author's Note

I can't help it, I love the Flawless song.

And I wonder if anyone gets Bright Star's saying about power. I mean to what videogame character it's a reference to.

So yeah, not much happening in this one, but hey, it can't be all fighting all the time.

51: Seeking victims

They were well-known, even infamous, one might say. They were the hope and dread of small businesses and starting up ventures in Las Pegasus. The three of them held the power to ruin dreams or make them come true with only few written words.

Sharp Tongue, a white unicorn in his forties with black mane, tail, and a stubby goatee whose narrowed eyes scanned every detail of the freshly painted facade of the previously haunted house. In his wide-brimmed hat and a trench coat he looked as if he was getting ready for a burglary.

“Is this the right place?” he ticked something off on the notepad hovering in front of him, “The haunted house that was here before was an utter failure, but at least it didn’t look like an apartment building with stunted growth.”

Scathing Review, the second critic, was a young, blue, brown-maned pegasus wearing an orange sweater. Well, young at least in comparison to others. In the recent part of his twenty-three years, he’d earned a reputation for brutally pointing out every mistake his victims, the new attractions, made.

“Grey house, brown door. Couldn’t get more unremarkable if they tried,” he sneered.

Firm Fair, the only mare in the group as well as an earthpony, knocked on the door immediately. Her coat was brown, heavily contrasting with her platinum mane. Like Sharp Tongue, she was in her early forties, but unlike the fragile unicorn, she was an earthpony who prided herself on her shape for her age. After all, how would she judge the effort of others if she didn’t put any into herself?

“It does look unimpressive, definitely, but I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt first. Their shtick is supposed to be a changeling operation hidden in Las Pegasus. They couldn’t simply write that above the door in bold letters, could they?”

They were… the critics.

Sharp Tongue and Scathing Review exchanged glances, and their hesitant nod said everything it needed. Firm Fair had raised a valid point, but the city newbies usually hadn’t thought about these details according to their vast experience.

The door was opened by a light blue unicorn mare who couldn’t even be twenty. She gave them a puzzled stare before looking as if she suddenly realized something important.

“Oooh, you’re the visitors. Right, right,” she ushered them inside into a carpeted hallway painted in warm shades of brown and wine red and scarcely lit by electric lamps shaped like torches by each inside door frame. With a flick of the unicorn’s horn, the main entrance shut behind the Firm Fair, somehow blocking all outside noise, and thus plunging the group into eerie silence, “Toilets are the first door on the left, and the changing room is right next to it. You can leave your things in the lockers there. If you need anything, I’ll be right here,” she walked behind a desk in an alcove right by the entrance, and sat down to some open book.

The changing space was a simple, narrow, oblong, white room with ten lockers on one side and two long benches on the other. Firm Fair wasn’t wearing anything, so she quickly tossed her saddlebag to the nearest locker, keeping only a notepad and a pen both hanging on a string around her neck.

“Nature calls,” she said, darting outside. Furrowing her brows, she noticed the receptionist wasn’t at her desk, and that the heavy locks on the main door were all locked. Shiver ran down her spine when a small part of her allowed itself to believe that all this could just have been a clever changeling trap. After all, nopony would believe any changelings to be stupid enough to do something like this, something completely in the open. Her critic part, however, was quickly adding points to the establishment. If she was to be honest with herself, she couldn’t wait for whatever came next, as the details were gripping already.

After doing her business in the bathroom, Firm Fair was washing her hooves and saw a reflection of the receptionist in the mirror above the sink. The reflection stopped, licked her lips, and stared.

“Can I h-” Firm Fair turned around. There was nopony there, making the earthpony raise an eyebrow, “Magic, eh?” Attractions normally employed unicorns to add some flair, so she wasn’t overly disturbed by-

When she turned back to the mirror, the receptionist was still there, winked at her, and blew her a kiss. Firm Fair chuckled.

Her grin froze in the next second when she heard in her ear:

“Such a strong earthpony. We’ll make you into the perfect broodmare.”

She turned around, saw a mouth full of fangs with a pair of bright blue eyes above it, and then everything went dark.

***

Scathing Review’s eyes opened up on cue as a different part of him caught the sound of echoing hoofsteps.

“Mmmph!” he tried to scream through something completely covering his muzzle aside from his nostrils when faced with strange dark green eyes open wide and watching him.

“Of course the young and vigorous one would wake up first,” chuckled the definitely very female changeling to whom the eyes belonged. Yes, yes, eyes. Review’s gaze definitely wasn’t slipping all over her perfectly sculpted chitin to the wide hips and toned hind thighs the changeling was presenting by leaning her head towards him tied on the ground with her hind legs pushing her backside up into the air, “and judging by the way you’re looking at me, you wouldn’t be averse to some proper feeding, hmm? Young lust is so delicious.”

“Mhmmm?” Review’s confused and completely lost objection was fighting a losing battle when the changeling turned around and flicked his head with her tail, giving him a teasing eyeful.

“Or maybe I’ll let you stew a bit. Once you’re so full of lust that you’re about to pop, then I’ll have a nibble or… a suck.”

Review struggled against his bonds as well as against his barely responsive body. He recalled putting his belonging into a locker while keeping his notepad on his person, then Firm Fair went outside, some hot pegasus mare came in, and then… he was here. Thanks to his normally blunt and, even he had to admit, downright grating attitude as well as unremarkable looks he wasn’t exactly a coltfriend material, and despite the alien feel of the changeling she definitely had all the right proportions and parts to make his blood boil, especially her mention of sucking.

However, he considered himself a young professional, if nothing else, and he had a job to do. This was an attraction… it had to be. No changelings would be stupid enough to advertise their plan and location in the freaking newbie examination forms. With his body gradually starting to listen to him again, he struggled against his bonds. His muzzle was full of-

He squinted, his stomach revolving.

-some green gel. The same substance was gluing his hooves to the ground and tying his wings to his barrel like a belt. He tried sucking on the minty-tasting mass in his mouth which gave in a little, and a quick push with his hind leg proved that the gel or goo wasn’t too tough. However, he froze completely and his mind went blank when he spotted a drip of what had to be the same goo, although still less solid, flowing down the inner side of the changeling’s hind thigh.

“Now now, even the unicorn is up,” she leaned down to Sharp Tongue, her pose giving Scathing Review more and more reasons to consider being changeling food forever a good idea, “You unicorns are always trouble, hence this,” she poked the goo covering his horn. With a quick lick, she made the Sharp Tongue’s gag disappear, “I’m more hunter than a farmer, but Scathing Review over there with his lack of luck regarding mares will be ripe in few days on his own. You, on the other hole, aren’t as useful. Your family, though, mister Sharp Tongue, is a different story,” in a burst of green fire, she transformed into Sharp Tongue, her/his pose immediately making Review turn his head away.

“If you think basic illusion magic and tying your customers up is a good way to achieve positive ratings then you’re wrong,” the unicorn returned his own annoyed glare, “and give me back my notepad!”

“Oh my, you fell for it hook, line, and sinker,” the changeling shapeshifted into herself again, “Your daughter, Summer Daze, likes lemon ice cream and spending time with you playing durak, a card game from Stalliongrad rarely played in central or southern Equestria. What a delicious filly, such love for her dad. Your wife, Greenhouse, is a little peeved with you regarding a patch of magnolias you accidentally stepped into last week after an evening out drinking with your friends. Don’t worry, whomever our King sends after them will make sure to apologize properly, cultivate your family’s love for you, and then feast on them as long as they can last.”

Sharp Tongue froze. Nopony should know that sort of details. They can’t have contacted his family, there was no way that some new operation coming to Las Pegasus could perform a check this thorough in such short time.

However, he’d heard something about changelings being able to tamper with pony minds.

“Disappearing ponies won’t go unnoticed!” scowled Sharp Tongue.

“Correct!” the changeling beamed at him happily, “But none of you three will disappear, won't you? Sharp Tongue will return as a better husband and father. Scathing Review will come back with an excellent story about our establishment, annoying as ever, but maybe a little more famous and friendly to his few fans who want to get more… intimate. And Firm Fair does have a family to deal with too. The fact that she’ll likely be the first broodmare of the changeling who’s going to take her place is just an added hilarious bonus,” she nodded towards a green cocoon hanging from the ceiling nearby.

“You… I’ll… we’ll...” Sharp Tongue pushed against his bonds with all his might to no avail.

“You’re in a tunnel complex under Las Pegasus, there’s no way you’re getting out. Now, all this talking has made me a bit peckish,” she walked over to Review, and licked the side of his muzzle, inadvertently melting a little bit off of the gag. The young stallion himself felt as if something deep within was being sucked away, immediately replaced by a strange chill. The changeling moaned, winked at him, and rubbed her plot, “There are much better ways we can feed from you, but this will have to suffice for now. Don’t worry, soon you’ll have this for as long as you want, and once you get a taste, you’ll forget about everything else.”

A growl from Sharp Tongue made her look up and show him her sharp fangs before going still as if she was listening to something.

“Hmm… more visitors?” she muttered to herself before frowning and trotting away into one of the several tunnels.

Finally in peace and awake, Sharp Tongue came to a very important conclusion which was that his constant squirming and pushing was making the bonds around his fetlocks loose. Judging by the nod Review exchanged with him as he tried to free himself over and over, his attempt was working as well.

The longest minute or two in their lives later, both of them managed to stand up, and Sharp Tongue pulled the goop off of Review’s mouth. They allowed each other a victorious smile before trying to release Review’s wings and Tongue’s horn, and failing miserably. No matter what, that specific gel wouldn’t budge.

“Hmm, looks like the changelings did a good job sealing our magic and flight, but didn’t bother securing our legs,” the older unicorn analyzed the situation.

“Can’t blame them, I can barely see here, and what I see I don’t like,” Review tried to stop his voice from shaking, “There are no markings, no signs for the tunnels. Who knows how deep under Las Pegasus we are? Who knows if we’re even still in Las Pegasus? What if-”

“Calm down,” Tongue looked around, his eyes getting used to the dim green shimmer coming from faintly glowing crystals set in the walls. What Review had said wasn’t exactly correct. While the tunnels weren’t marked in any way he could recognize, there was a thick stalagmite in the middle of the cavern holding four crystals. Sharp Tongue walked over to it, and poked one crystal from all sides, “We could make something we recognize,” with some pressure, the crystal gave in, leaving an imprint of his hoof on its surface, “These things are made from the goo too.”

“Huh...” Review walked over to the nearest wall, and pulled a crystal out. It kept glowing in his mouth. He shuddered at the idea of the changeling… making all these, and it wasn’t entirely out of disgust. With the added light, he rushed over to the cocoon nearest to where they’d been ‘tied up’, and recognized Firm Fair’s body floating in some sort of gel head down. A careful prod revealed the cocoon to be rather soft, “Hey, Tongue, help me over here. I break the thing and you catch Firm. On three. One, two, three!”

The older unicorn wasn’t built to catch an earthpony, even a mare, as well as a small waterfall of slime coming along with her from the bottom of the broken cocoon, so he did his best to cushion Firm Fair’s short drop, much to Review’s snickering.

Firm Fair began coughing immediately, awake and gooped.

Sharp Tongue got up, covered Firm’s mouth to quieten her sputtering down a little, and listened to what had put him on edge.

Buzzing.

Very quiet hoofsteps and buzzing. Somepony had to be coming to check up on them.

“Quick,” he whispered, “Fair, we’re-”

“Imprisoned by changelings, I know,” the mare wiped her muzzle, “Ewww!”

“Just be happy you don’t know where the goo came from...” muttered Review.

“FOCUS!” hissed Tongue, “Fair, are you okay?”

“One of them got me in the bathroom,” she touched her neck, wincing as she got to a small bite mark there, “I’m as okay as I can be considering they went for my throat. Where are we?”

Review shared everything they’d heard from the changeling mare, and what they discovered until now.

“Smart way to lure ponies in, to be honest,” Firm Fair frowned, “And if they make us give this place a good review, then more victims will come in voluntarily,” she looked up at more green cocoons hanging from the ceiling out of reach without wings or magic, “You know, I read something about a town recently attacked by changelings… do you think those are… ponies?”

“Look, we have to warn somepony,” Tongue nodded to the ceiling cocoons, “We can’t get up there, but we can get to the authorities… maybe. There can’t be too many of the changelings, otherwise they’d have stationed a permanent guard in this room-”

More buzzing and hoofsteps were coming from one tunnel, finally making them rush into the opposite one.

“-or maybe we just caught the shift change. Move!”

Tiphoofing through the green gloom, they couldn’t shake off the feeling of somepony or something watching their every step. The not so distant buzzing of wings and likely changelings stayed with them, and they weren’t getting rid of the hoofsteps which had originally forced them to flee. Sound travelled weird through the underground tunnels, and after less than a minute the critics had no idea whether they were getting away from them or running straight towards some incoming patrol.

Soon, they arrived in another cavern, this one with a narrower stalagmite in the middle able to fit only three illuminating crystals.

“This cave does look different,” whispered Sharp Tongue, nodding to the central outcropping of stone, “Firm Fair, can you feel if the ground is sloping upwards or something?”

The mare pursed her lips, tapping on the uneven flooring.

“I’m an earthpony, not a dwarf pony,” she frowned, “but I think we’ve walked upwards a little.”

“Good, the house must be connected-”

Slow clapping interrupted the hushed conversation, followed by hoofsteps coming out of the mouth of the tunnel across the cavern from the critics.

“Smart ponies,” a thin female changeling of Review’s unimpressive size stepped out of the darkness, her chitin shifting from some sort of grainy see-through camouflage into standard black, and grew razor sharp claws on her forelegs, “Next time I’ll tell those idiot guards to cut your limbs off first. This isn’t a tourist attraction.”

“Technically-” Scathing Review’s raised foreleg got hit by a green glob of spit immediately and as soon as he put it on the ground it got stuck.

“You were saying?” the changeling advanced on the trio.

Sharp Tongue tried to use at least a light spell to temporarily blind the creature until sweat formed on his brow, but his horn encased in the green substance failed to as much as spark. Firm Fair charged, though, eyes locked on the enemy. The yoga classes proved immeasurably useful as a quick bend sideways allowed her to dodge another glob of immobilizing spit without slowing down…

...then the changeling simply tripped her, suddenly growing in size and gaining reach. One spit later, Sharp Tongue’s foreleg was stuck to the ground as well, and the bugpony stood victoriously with his fetlock on Firm Fair’s back.

“Now back to the cocoons with-” sudden sounds of multiple hoofsteps coming from the tunnel she’d arrived through made her turn her head, “What the-?”

A blast of golden light blinded everyone for a second, and when Firm Fair blinked away the tears she realized she could stand up again. The changeling was lying under the central stalagmite, groaning with her back chitin cracked.

“No one harms my little ponies,” said a voice Firm Fair had never heard before anywhere other than from the radio.

“Your Highness?!” Sharp Tongue gasped.

Princess Celestia, in all her glory, stood before them wearing a white armor with golden trimmings which looked like griffon heads for some reason. By her sides were two big unicorns, one levitating a big sword crossed with a chainsaw, and one a sleek metal tube no- twin tubes with a wooden handle curving down on one end.

The paladin with the chain sword, his or her features completely obstructed by the heavy suit of plate mail walked over-

“Let me sort this out,” a deep male voice calmed Firm Fair and the others down while Review watched everyone with narrowed eyes.

-and with a quick flick of his horn he allowed Tongue and Review’s forelegs to move again.

“What’s going on here? You, your Highness, in person…?” the oldest critic asked, slightly in loss for words. His eyes darted from the smoldering changeling on the ground to the princess.

“These changelings are responsible for the recent disturbance in Canterlot. They must have hidden in the mountain mines after we repelled the main invasion force. My paladins have been looking for them for a long time, and we’ve finally tracked them here to Las Pegasus. I have no idea how they managed to mine so much space in such short time, but you’re lucky we found you.”

Sharp Tongue narrowed his eyes. This felt real, the paladins felt real, the princess definitely felt real, but a lingering thought returned - wasn’t it all just a performance?

“How can we believe you’re the real princess and not another changeling in disguise?” he asked with care. If this really was just a performance, and he couldn’t be sure at this point, then suspension of disbelief was vital, but if they really fell for a changeling ploy then anything he’d say would just be wasting time.

The princess sighed.

“You can’t, as much as I want to tell you otherwise. We’ve devised an experimental spell to return changelings into their original forms, but there’s no time to teach you, and anything I would do might seem only as coloured lights to you. Look, changelings don’t need money, they need love and… lust. You came here for free or for cheap, I suppose, right?”

“We’re critics, we’re supposed to evaluate this new… attraction.”

With a nod, Celestia frowned.

“They would take ponies with families,” her eyes stopped on Sharp Tongue and Firm Fair before moving to Scathing Review, “or those full of vigor.”

Sharp Tongue wanted to probe further, but a thought seemingly out of nowhere crept forward in his head. An image as if from outside, and yet managing to capture all his fears. His wife kissing a black, chitinous monster with the same comforting look she gave him whenever he returned home exhausted.

His stomach revolved, and as he saw the dread etched on Firm Fair’s face he quickly realized he wasn’t alone.

“Have you seen any more ponies around?” Celestia continued, “We need to save whomever we can. I don’t know how many changelings are around, but it can’t be much. We’ve fought our way through several, but their leader hasn’t shown up yet.”

“There was no need to take risks after your guards and paladins failed repeatedly,” announced a new voice coming from a side tunnel, revealing a pair of changelings - a dark blue maned male with a small crown ornament on his head, and a larger, fit and toned female with red wine-coloured mane, tail, and additional belly armor. The male continued, “especially when I knew we’d get you to come here at some point.”

The princess and the paladins positioned themselves between the critics and who either had to be the changeling leader or someone with weird taste in headgear.

“You… this time I won’t let you escape like in Canterlot or the old castle,” growled Celestia, summoning a heavy halberd out of nowhere, “I will make sure you never harm any of my little ponies again!”

Author's Note

Unexpected trouble!

52: Seeking victi- customers

The King raised his foreleg. Green fire sprouted from all around his fetlock, forming a burning blade.

“We didn’t want things to end like this. Eight, deal with the paladins.”

“With pleasure,” she growled, “Show me what you got, hornheads.”

The female warrior pounced at the trio, Celestia teleported straight behind the King, and Scathing Review hid behind Firm Fair on reflex, which the mare answered with a disgusted frown.

The King, facing the alicorn, bared his fangs in a cruel grin.

“You will become a perfect addition to my hive after your mind breaks from being a toy for all my changelings.”

He had to immediately jump away as a blast of golden light shattered the ground where he’d stood an instant ago. The princess didn’t relent in her physical and magical assault, immediately using her wings to cover the gained ground and swing the halberd at the King. Firm Fair gasped when sparks flew as the changeling blocked the blow about to slash him in half with his own magical edge.

“We gotta help somehow!” hissed Review.

“Then stop hiding and watching my backside,” Fair answered, still frowning.

That’s all the time she had before one of the paladins landed in front of her, and the female changeling called… Eight straight on him.

“Aaah!” Firm Fair recoiled and backed off over Review who got very intimately acquainted with earthpony plot when Eight snapped her jaws at her. Sensing no threat from the civilians, Eight quickly buried her fangs into the paladin’s neck before rolling to the side to avoid another blast of white light from the second one.

Unfortunately, while Celestia held her own and pressured the King hard, the now solitary paladin had no chance against the changeling warrior. Few punches later, his helmet flew away, and his neck got acquainted with Eight’s fangs as well.

“Rise, my slaves,” she laughed.

The two paladins rose like zombies, their eyes glowing with green hue.

“RUN AWAY! INFORM MY SISTER!” was all Celestia could shout before being struck to the side so hard she crashed against the cavern wall, one of her wings now bent out of shape. She wiped a stream of blood from her mouth, “FLEE, YOU FOOLS!”

That was the last straw.

Seeing their princess battered and bleeding as well as the two paladins slowly but steadily walking towards them, the trio of critics followed Sharp Tongue’s lead and broke into gallop.

“The princess came that way,” Sharp Tongue pointed his horn towards a hopefully empty tunnel from which Celestia had arrived, “it should lead outside!”

“But the princ-” Scathing Review looked back one final time, and pure horror made way on his face as he saw the King’s burning blade hit the princess’ side, cleaving the armor in a splatter of blood. One whimper later, he was following Firm Fair’s tail through the dimly lit tunnel.

Eventually, all noises but their hoofsteps and heavy breathing died down, and the group realized they got lost again… if they ever actually had the right direction. In another cavern, this one with a central pillar leading all the way up instead of a simple stalagmite, they finally stopped, listening intently.

Buzzing and distant hoofsteps, that was all they could head. No imminent danger.

“Let’s… try to be… quiet now...” Review gasped for breath, “We don’t know… where we’re… running...”

“I’m all for… the sneaky… approach,” agreed Sharp Tongue.

“You’re seriously out of shape,” muttered the only earthpony of the group, giving them a soft smile to raise the morale, “but you’re right. Stomping around isn’t the best way. Unfortunately, I think we got turned around somewhere because now that I’ve got a moment to think of it I'm sure the last tunnel was sloping downwards.”

“Damn it!” cursed Review, kicking the central pillar. Sharp Tongue smacked the pegasus’ head.

“No. Noise.”

Doing their best not to panic or break down, the group examined each tunnel leading out, and discovered one leading upwards which they hadn’t arrived through. Unfortunately…

“No...” Review breathed out, despair in his voice gaining traction, “No no no no no.”

In the next cavern hung another changeling cocoon, this one shiny, crystalline, and most importantly - fresh. Inside it, in a green bath, floated princess Celestia, head down and lifeless.

“Maybe we can get her out,” Firm Fair tapped on the cocoon, cocked her foreleg back, and punched it as hard as she could.

It didn’t budge at all.

“I’m pretty sure they’ll take more precautions with her than they did with you,” commented Review.

“Oh shut up, you nitwit. I haven’t seen you do anything other than whine today,” growled Firm Fair at the pegasus.

“Calm down, both of you,” Sharp Tongue scowled, “Nothing changes. We still need to get out, and as the princess said - tell princess Luna what happened. Look!” his erratic head turning revealed several pickaxes, a hammer, and some other tools likely used for mining, not that he knew how they were supposed to be used, but they looked weapon-y.

“Uhh… how about no?” objected Review, “As we noticed before, there can’t be many changelings, but those who are here just took out a princess and two paladins. I doubt we can fight our way out, by which I mean that trying it would be the dumbest and probably the last idea we have. Plus, running or sneaking while lugging around a sledgehammer is definitely the zero out of ten option.”

Firm Fair rolled her eyes, and grabbed said implement. It was heavy, but not overwhelming, and it would definitely help “explain” things in case they found some weaker changeling or a blocked door.

“Hit a gym sometimes, Review. Besides, how about we try this?” she rose on her hind legs, and swung the weapon at Celestia’s cocoon. It started swaying violently, but after they made it stop it was barely scratched.

Sharp Tongue shook his head.

“This could work, but you’d get exhausted before someone came to check up on her.”

“Too late, snacks!” a cheery voice came from one tunnel, revealing the maniacally grinning changeling warrior Eight, “And put that sledgehammer down, those toys aren’t for foals,” she walked over to Celestia’s cocoon, and gave it a long lick, “Mmmm… the love she feels for all you ponies is making me stronger than ever before. I just have to suck her dry few more times before we turn her into one of us,” she gave the cocoon a final kiss, “Alright, you aren’t alicorns, but I think I can squeeze a lot from you three anyway, especially the young one. Let me offer you something. You come with me willingly and I’ll show you the time of your life. On top of that, you’ll buy your friends some time to run around like headless chickens.”

Review, shaken from the display with Celestia already, was halfway through saying yes before everything suddenly spun around. Stunned, he touched his stinging cheek and looked into furious Firm Fair’s eyes.

“Don’t trust her, you horny id- colt.”

And then they galloped again. Tunnel after tunnel, cavern after cavern they followed Firm Fair’s lead so that they’d keep heading upwards. Buzzing and hoofsteps behind them gave them previously undiscovered strength as they ran for their lives.

“Good… the ground is softer,” Firm Fair called out in between breaths, “We must be close.”

As if on cue, they arrived in another cavern, this one with actual stairs leading up from the exit on the other side. Unfortunately once again…

“You didn’t think you could run, really…?” grinning Eight was already waiting there.

Unlike the others, Firm Fair didn’t slow down.

“RUN, JUST BUCKING RUN!”

Eight raised an eyebrow at the silly earthpony trying to run past her, then her eyes bulged when Firm Fair’s entire weight along with the hammer rammed into her.

“Firm Fair-” Sharp Tongue croaked, gasping.

“RUN STRAIGHT UP!” she screamed, and found herself looking into the most beautiful dark green eyes she’d ever seen.

“Mmmm,” she heard a voice that resonated through her head, crept down her spine, and all the way through her body, making her limbs go limp, “All mine. I appreciate strong earthpony broodmares, and I’ll make sure to ‘appreciate’ you every single day for years to come.”

Calm, warm, happy, and ready to begin her new life as Eight's egg sack, Firm Fair completely forgot her family and kissed the changeling.

Finally seeing a door, Sharp Tongue rammed through it, and found himself in what had to be some sort of a dark cellar. Review collapsed on the floor next to him, unable to run anymore. Unlike the tunnels, this place lacked any sort of illumination, crystals or otherwise.

The unicorn felt something strange in his horn, and as he touched it he realized that some of the goop neutralizing his magic must have finally fallen off. He couldn’t focus properly in his shape, but he might-

“Waaaaait!” he heard Firm Fair’s voice coming from the tunnel.

“How stupid do you think I am, bugs?” he grumbled, and concentrated as much as he could.

-cast some minor offensive spell.

A purple bolt of force hit Firm Fair in the chest, making her slow down.

“What... are you... doing?” gasped Review.

“Smart hornhead, but not smart enough,” not-Firm Fair grinned, and rushed forward again.

“Damn!” cursed Sharp Tongue a moment before Review slammed the door closed and rammed a metal bar into two hinges on this side of the door to stop it from opening, “Oh, well noticed!”

“Yeah… now how do we… escape?” Review’s breathing was slowly calming down.

“There’s a chance we locked most of the changelings down there, and I can use my magic a little. If we’re inside the house, we can get out. The place looked tiny from outside.”

“Alright, alright.”

With the help of a faint light spell, Sharp Tongue found the thankfully unlocked door outside, and shut the magic off immediately when he saw complete darkness in the hallway outside.

One silent step. Two silent steps.

The floor was carpeted, which meant they had to be in the main hallway. Just one door had to lay between them and freedom. The changelings wouldn’t follow them in the streets, even at night. Las Pegasus never went dark outside.

Glowing blue eyes opened about a pony length away from Sharp Tongue.

“No!” yelped Review, pouncing forward and tackling a finally pony-sized and confused changeling revealed by a reactive flash of light from Sharp Tongue’s horn.

“The door! Run!” screamed the unicorn, shoving the pegasus off of the changeling and quickly helping him get up.

The locks and latches were all open.

Freedom. Finally, freedom!

Scathing Review followed by Sharp Tongue crashed through the door.

“Say cheeselegs!”

Three flashes of totally mundane light from all sides blinded the duo surrounded by a group of… ponies?

No, they couldn’t be ponies. There was no way they were ponies. No way. No way. No way.

Completely stumped, Sharp Tongue levitated a presented photo of himself and Review, utter horror mixed with relief etched deep into their face.

They weren’t outside. Instead, they were in some sort of a… night club? Stage with poles, tables scattered around the dimly lit room, and…

...of course, the ponies surrounding them and grinning.

“So, did you like it?” asked a mare Sharp Tongue faintly recalled being the receptionist.

“Wh- Whu- What?”

“The ‘Adventure Under The Hive’... adventure,” said the King, slowly arriving through the backstage door, “The title is a work in progress. Hey, Black Rose, come help me get this thing off, will you?” he shook his forelegs, pawing at his neck, “Stuck again… crappy Stalliongrad design.”

“Waaaaaaait...” Review’s eye twitched as his mind gradually caught up with the situation.

“Awww, I wish I could have been in the photo,” the duo heard Firm Fair’s voice as the mare reclined in a chair while sipping some dark drink through a straw and smirking at one of the pictures of the horrified duo, “but alas, I had to be the hero, didn’t I?”

“Firm Fair?” Sharp Tongue walked over and poked the mare in the chest.

“It’s me, it’s me for real,” she swatted his hoof away, and pointed to an empty chair, “Long Island ice tea? I think you need something for the nerves. We all do.”

“HEY, BOSS!” an arriving unicorn mare yelled across the room, dragging a green and slimy princess Celestia… plush toy? “This will cost a fortune to clean, can we let it just hang there for the next groups?”

“We’ll have to rethink the Celestia and paladin sequence, but yeah!” the ‘changeling’ still fighting with his suit answered.

“Hey there,” a newcomer brown pegasus mare who could easily pass for a strong fitness model pulled a chair, and sat down to the group with her own Long Island, “So, did you have fun?”

“You must be Eight,” Firm Fair looked into her green eyes, “Look, umm, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me and-”

“Black Rose, but Eight is alright too,” the mare smiled at Firm Fair, and waved her hoof dismissively, “and don’t worry about what happened ‘under the hive’. Heh, name drop. Life threatening situation, high pressure, lust-obsessed species, all's fair down there, as we say.”

“This… was all… fake...” Review finally stumbled over into the final empty chair, “Can I have a drink too?”

“Are you over eighteen?” Black Rose raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I am.”

“He is,” nodded Firm Fair, “although you’d never guess from how he acts.”

“Hey!”

“Four, one more Long Island here, will you?” Black Rose leaned back in her chair and yelled.

“On it!” answered the receptionist, walking over to the bar where a unicorn was already pouring quite liberal quantities of alcohol into a tall glass with ice and straws.

“Eeeeeight! I don’t want to be a changeling for the rest of my life,” the King was now apparently trying to pry his head off.

Chuckling, Black Rose or Eight stood up, and whispered into Firm Fair’s ear:

“Though if you want something new we can do some cave exploration together in private.”

Seeing the earthpony choke on her drink, Black Rose left laughing, and led the desperate King out.

The receptionist slash waitress brought Review’s nerve tonic, and was stopped from leaving by Sharp Tongue’s hoof.

“Can I help you?” she asked, clearly a little nervous.

“The changelings...”

“Umm, I don’t know into how much detail I can go, but aside from the boss it was all illusion magic, that’s why we couldn’t let you use your magic. Speaking of which,” she spat on a piece of cloth and rubbed Sharp Tongue’s horn. The unicorn felt his magic sense and power return immediately, “Here, good as new. You too, sir,” she did the same to the green hoop around Review’s barrel, which broke in one spot, and then took it off. Review stretched his wings.

“Ooof, I finally feel like a real pony again. So, what now?”

“Well, if you want to stay and chat about our attraction a bit you can, but we need to clean up the cellars and get mentally ready for your opinions.”

Sharp Tongue sipped his drink.

“Then I think I’ll polish off this one and go. I’m a bit old to be running around like that.”

“You did great,” Four smiled and left.

Review relaxed in his chair, and took a deep sip.

“I think I speak for all of us when I say… holy shit!”

***

It’s been a nerve-wracking week. For the first three days, Eight and Nine have been standing guard while One patrolled the streets around the house. Afterwards, I decided on resuming our normal operations. After all, the more love and lust we gathered, the better off we would be in case something really happened.

Right now, I’m digging the first escape tunnel designed by Ten which leads straight out of Las Pegasus. We’ve got several connected to various cellars or sewers of the city, but this one will be the direct route out.

”Hey, boss!” Four’s gentle touch reverberates through our link, ”I’m almost home, and I’ve got the new issue of City of Gold. I didn’t look inside yet, I swear.”

Wiping my brow, I leave the tunnels, and get back into the house where I see undisguised Four already entering the club room.

“So, anything about us?” I ask as the little changeling drops her saddlebag on the table, and levitates a rolled up magazine.

“Let’s see, let’s see,” she flips the pages, “So, number one… Sunshine’s Solar Sanctuary. Alright, we’re not number one, so who cares. Number two, Pelvis’ Palace. No,” Four stops, and a sudden wide smile threatens the top of her head falling off, “Number three, Adventure Under the Hive,” she scans the page long review and the experiences of the critics, “Excellent, daring idea… changeling costumes astonishingly accurate, but over the top… chitin plots don’t jiggle that much… makes evil Eight look more like a trophy bimbo than a savage warrior...”

“Bimbo, BIMBO?!” Eight’s eyes bulge, “Unbelievable costume?”

“Told you in Canterlot already that your transformations were overdone, miss Eight,” Four sticks her tongue out at Eight.

“I’m still peeved about this...” Ten shakes the Celestia plushie standing next to his chair. Sadly, the alicorn even while dry would now easily hide in a forest or grassland unlike the real princess.

“Uhh, maybe they’ll make a moss green alicorn at some point?” chuckles Four.

“Hmph, gimme that!” sulking Ten makes the magazine fly over to him, “Realistic sense of danger… can’t trust even your own companions… not sure if worth coming more times, but one hundred percent once, though... ah here! We eagerly recommend this to any and all ponies in good shape. Recommended age rating - thirteen to sixty-five. Four stars out of five. All three critics agree that this adventure will get your heart rate up and leave you with an experience you will unlikely forget,” Ten allows himself a smile too, “Well done, everyone, I suppose. Ruined plushie or not.”

Suddenly, I feel energy rising and pouring through our links.

“They loved us, they loved us, theylovedustheylovedus!” Four gives Eight standing next to her a crushing hug which surprises even the warrior, “They loved us for us, they loved us for what we were!”

And it comes.

All my links flare up with the purest love for all of us coming from the tiny infiltrator. In front of my eyes, I feel it rush into Ten, his entire body glowing, his wings losing holes and gaining colour as well as his chitin turning grass green. Same thing happens to Nine as his eyes turn bright purple.

Then One smacks Four in the back of her head, and transformations and everything other than the warm flow of pure love stops.

“No one’s getting glitterbugged on my watch,” One says simply, much to Eight’s vigorous nodding.

“What are you talking about? Why did everyone look so colourful for a while?” I ask.

“You don’t wanna know. It’s fate worse than death,” answers Eight, and this time it’s One who nods in agreement.

You know what? I’m too happy to care at the moment, especially on the occasion when Eight and One see eye to eye on something.

Huh?

I lean down to Eight’s forelegs and examine them from all sides.

“Eight, you don’t have holes anymore. None of you do.”

A horrified expression crosses Eight’s face before she grins.

“Still got the important ones, my delicious lover. Wanna give them a spin?”

“This is… intriguing,” One hums, “Wistful’s original changelings didn’t have them, they started appearing in later generations. However,” in a burst of green fire, she makes holes in her forelegs reappear, “life without cup holders isn’t life worth living,” she pops a glass of soda into the hole and takes a sip.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Three did have some great ideas.”

53: Seeking vengeance

Wow, has it really been three weeks already since the visit by the critics? Time sure flies when you’re busy.

Things have been absolutely crazy. The second day after the City Of Gold article came out we thought it had failed, but on day three…

There was a queue of ponies already waiting, filling the side alley to the brim. That day we’ve been working from sunrise to the long dark hours of the night, repeating the scenario and changing the details on the fly depending on the reactions of the visitors. Also, after one attempt at letting in a ten-pony group and having to catch escapees several times after some were already sipping a drink at the bar, we decided five ponies at most were optimal.

Some week or so later, we’ve had the thing up and running as well as fueling us despite keeping us busy. We even had to limit to three groups a day just so that we could keep on doing changeling stuff like upgrading the tunnel network under the city, making Four practice infiltration, giving Ten time to learn to fake accounting properly, and most importantly getting ready to expand to the nightclub territory.

At this point, we’ve got things set up for the long run. The reservation list is full for months and ponies are still asking for more. Our prices are low enough so that pretty much anyone can try us out, and we’re flexible about that anyway, considering the love and lust we’re gaining from this venture. We have a good money reserve from Mayor Mare’s drug deals despite One having kept a large part of the stash for herself, and we’re about to get everything set up for a proper nightclub performance, for which we sadly needed pony artificers again, because as much as I like the dank hallways of the underground hive, they’re not a place for ponies to have a good time. The basic ground floor room with a stage we prepared for the original visit of the critics was just to create the illusion of a proper establishment, now we need something real.

There are three kinds of adventure scenarios we’re playing out depending on the group, because we decided that limiting entry based on the fitness range of ponies would only limit our options. If the ponies are capable of fighting, we leave some mining tools near their prison so that if they’re smart they can free themselves, find their way to “Nine the Titan”, then chase Four until “Dark Knight Black Rose” stops them, and if they get past her, either by sneaking, running, or fighting so hard she’d have to hurt them for real if she wanted to win, they get to face me, the dark changeling warlock, and my succubus.

You guessed it, One hasn’t given up on that idea. Once they either get defeated, or someone sacrifices themselves to be One’s plaything while the others get past me, they’re out. There are variations, but this is the main route. For example, I once ended my summoning ritual - me making some green painted goop on the floor of the cavern glow with eldritch green shimmer with having an entire small demon army at my disposal. You know, I wasn’t surprised by Eight joining. That was only a matter of time. It was Ten as a young and fit incubus, Nine as a massive, red centaur demon who immediately captivated the two mares of the group, and Four as a seductive coatless demonette wearing only some sort of strings who almost made me choke on my own goop.

Sometimes I feel like they mess with me as much as with the ponies. Anyway, that encounter ended with all the ponies losing, but definitely feeling like winners in the end. “Bad” ends are the best, it seems.

That was only one scenario, though. The groups who wouldn’t be much of a fight, either due to age, fitness, or general discrepancy between members got a stealthy escape sequence. They had to sneak through tunnels, avoid patrols, crawl under changelings on the ceiling hugging fake cocoons, and finding Celestia herself helplessly hanging there who would use her magic to telepathically tell them to get out and tell Luna what happened. It was Ten’s now irrevocably ruined plushie and One did the mental talking, but it felt real enough. If they got caught, they immediately lost a member who got dragged off and later found in a cocoon too. If someone from the group caught the eye of my infiltrators either by being interesting or especially full of love or lust, a swarm-

I’ve got five changelings at my disposal, don’t debate ‘swarm’ too much.

-of changelings immediately grabbed them and left. While these groups were the most common and generally the least interesting, they can DRINK. I definitely wasn’t expecting a group of “survivors” down that much alcohol immediately after while chatting with us still in “costumes”.

Oh yeah, after the random demon army scenario, Four got asked on a date.

Escort service idea ho!

Anyway, what surprised me the most was the last age group - the elderly. I didn’t think they would be good for more than money, but Four proved me wrong faster than you could say “visiting grandfoals”. Those damn old ponies are an enigma. They could conjure up endless supply of love when Four changed into a grandfoal of theirs. They could argue with Ten about politics afterwards for HOURS, yell at each other, threaten to do to him what they did to the griffons during the war-

No, I don’t know which war, especially when Equestria has been peaceful for some two centuries, our invasion excluded, ehm.

-and in the end consider him part of the family.

And the damn grandmothers?! I thought lust normally dripped from teenagers full of hormones, but the way they practically stripped scales from Nine with their eyes just to see his rippling muscles better was terrifying. At this point I’m absolutely certain that the fact that they spilled their drinks over him over and over had nothing to do with shaky hooves or weak telekinesis.

You know, when a changeling as tall as Celestia and three times her muscles tells you he feels like a piece of meat hanging in front of starving griffons it changes your perspective on things.

Ponies are weird. Anyway, the final kind of groups who couldn’t fight at all or run too much got saved in the end by heroic Celestia herself who defeated Black Rose and led them out of the hive. One and Eight used those sessions more for practice than just for show, but the audience loved the realism and lighting effects. Guess who had to reconstruct the tunnels afterwards.

We still haven’t thought of everything regarding the nightclub performances though. That’s what we’ll have to sort out this week while we’re closed and the pony workers are rebuilding the ground floor properly.

Knocking on the door of my office makes me stop updating the mental map of the tunnel network and open my eyes. On pure instinct, I already know who’s knocking.

“Come in, Ten.”

I’m not sure why he didn’t just use the hive link to talk to me, especially when we have more than enough energy, but it’s his choice.

“Hello, King,” he enters, and bows.

“Why so official, Ten?”

He looks around, taps his hoof on the carpet, and generally looks far more apprehensive than ever before. I give him time. It’s not as if I have anywhere to be. Our official business is over for the day, and I’m not going to be digging downstairs anymore until we get a hold of the behavior patterns of the construction ponies once they start working tomorrow.

“I… I think it’s finally time, King.”

“For?” I raise an eyebrow, “Come on, Ten. I don’t bite.”

“I want to leave, King,” he blurts out. I blink.

“Huh?” it takes me a moment to wrap my head around the idea, “What? Why? Is it about One teasing you about the plush Celestia? I can tell her to stop. Well, I can ask her to stop. I mean… suggest it would be a good idea she stopped.”

He raises his hoof, cracking a small smile.

“Nothing like that, but close. I want to go to Canterlot and take part in the trials. It’s been long enough for princess Celestia to maybe trust her sister to lead the trials again, and while I wish you the best, King, I want to see if I’m good enough. Every minute of every day, it keeps nagging me. What would she say? Am I worthy of even standing near her, or is everything I did before, the fact that I opened the vaults where ponies were hiding before the invasion for changelings something that will make me a villain in her eyes no matter what? Am I-”

He stops immediately when I raise my head from the desk, and stand up.

“Ten, I don’t want to let you go, I really don’t.”

He hangs his head, his smile turning bitter.

“I… understand...” he whispers.

“And do you know why?”

He looks up. I continue:

“Because you are definitely worth it. I wouldn’t want you to stay here if you weren’t a good changeling. It hurts me to let you go, but it would hurt me more if I forced you to stay. You’ve gone a long way from the changeling we all kinda...”

“Hated? Wanted to kick in the balls because I absolutely deserved it?”

“Umm… yes.”

Ten chuckles, letting out a relieved sigh afterwards.

“King, think of it like this - if you consider me worthwhile, then I might be good enough to show to princess Celestia that there is hope for our little hive. Who knows? Maybe when I come back I’ll come not as Ten, the infiltrator, but Ten, the ambassador of peace.”

“That would be amazing, Ten.”

“But that means passing the trial first.”

”Passing the trials and surviving a month or two first while observing the situation and finding your place,” Eight corrects him mentally through our links.

”I wanted this to be between the King and myself, Eight,” frowns Ten.

”Permanent link, remember? There’s nothing you can keep from me if you tell it to him and vice versa. Besides, it’s not like I would try to stop you. While I’m pretty sure Celestia will punch you in the face the second she sees you, I doubt she’ll go as far as to execute you.”

”Aaaand I find it difficult to stop myself from giving advice to the less skilled,” a new voice belonging to One joins the conversation, ”She recognized you before, and she definitely will now. You’ll have to watch your back, see who’s trailing you, and be completely sure you don’t lead anypony to us if they let you come back.”

”Privacy, One?” Ten rolls his eyes, ”And King, you could have told me she was listening too.”

”Oh I wasn’t spying through the boss, I’m inside your head, Ten. Anyway, good luck with Sunbutt, and if she decides to kill you in the end for real, tell her you want to go with her sitting on your face.”

Ten blushes immediately.

”T- That would be a dream come true, no reason to hide it by now.”

”You know...” One sounds thoughtful for a second, ”You do deserve some reward for not being a total asshole anymore. How about I turn into her and show you what sunset looks like from underneath as a preview?”

Total silence.

”I- I- I-” Ten takes a deep breath, ”Thank you for the offer, One, but no. This isn’t just about… that. I need her judgement more than her body.”

”Gee, everyone’s a saint these days,” chuckles One, ”Let me tell you one final thing, though, Ten. You are the one who will have to decide whether you are who you want to be in the end. You will judge yourself on whether you are better than before, and your opinion will be the one making the difference. Celestia’s praise will sound as hollow as the boss’ if you’re not ready to believe it.”

Ten only stands there for a moment before speaking.

”I still have to know, One. I.. think you’re right, but I won’t know until I see for myself. I need to meet princess Celestia on my own.”

I switch to talking over the links so that everyone knows my… orders.

”Then take whatever money you need to get to Canterlot. Nine will escort you to the train station. Are you leaving today?”

”If there isn’t anything pressing you need me to do, then yes.”

I walk over to him, and give him a hug.

”If Celestia isn’t reasonable, we’ll come for you, Ten.”

“That means more to me than you can ever guess, King.”

”Goodbye, Ten.”

”Goodbye, everyone.”

”HEY!” we hear rather annoyed Four, ”I’m on the way back, but I won’t make it in time. Someone hug Ten for me!”

”Lewd hug?” asks One.

”Normal hug, but strong. Nine, you do it! I want to hear Ten’s chitin creak. If you have to carry him to the train afterwards then so be it.”

”As soon as he gets down here, I’ll get right on it,” I can practically feel Nine smile as he answers.

”Heheh, goodbye, Ten,” says Four.

”Stay safe, Four. It would be a shame if the King lost the second best infiltrator I have ever seen.”

With the air of finality, the door behind Ten closes, leaving me alone in the office.

***

“Alright, mind telling me what you’re doing?” I hear a muffled voice outside my office. Tapping into everyone reveals it’s One’s, and she’s reacting to Four walking by her side, head lowered and staring at her distended belly.

Oh, I completely forgot to mention it before. One’s belly is now round with the solitary drone egg, and her full, hanging teats are a marvel to behold, overloaded with dripping deliciousness. Eight’s words, not mine. If you don’t believe me, ask her and watch her chitin blush as she vigorously denies ever mentioning it. Anyway, judging by One’s looks, the egg should be ready any time soon.

“Nothing, miss One,” with utmost care, she pokes One’s side, “I’m just… well… did miss Eight look like this when she was carrying me too?”

”Hole no! I actually have proper muscles. My abs were so tight you could barely notice how my well-emptied breeder did a great job making you,” Eight takes a jab at One immediately.

I kind of miss having some semblance of privacy inside my own head, but Eight’s permanent presence does have its perks.

Elsewhere, Eight with a devious smile lowers her hoof between her hind legs, and I grit my teeth as faint phantom pleasure makes my nerves light up as well. She’s crazy, I tell you, but she’s mine.

”Some stallions actually enjoy rubbing and playing with a big round belly filled to the brim,” One swings her hips, making her pendulous teats follow the movement, ”especially if they get these beauties in the deal as well. Maybe we should ask the boss to render his judgement on this one.”

”Please don’t. There’s not a good answer to this one.”

To my surprise, it’s Four who giggles and puts her ear to One’s side.

“You’re not gonna hear anything,” says the head infiltrator, “we’re not ponies. There’s an egg inside me, not a growing foal,” she rubs Four’s head, “Now scoot, I’ve got something important to talk to the boss about, and there’s no one by the main door in case someone wants to make final reservations before we close the theater for the week.”

“Is Nine on the way back?” asks Four.

“Ten wanted to buy some things for the road. Nine will be back in about an hour. Walking through Las Pegasus in the evening on hoof is a pain in the plot.”

“Alright,” Four walks off, and One enters my office, this time undisturbed.

“Something important, eh?” I raise an eyebrow at her, “Does it have something to do with you carrying the egg while brimming with love for way longer than Eight did?”

“Nah,” One waves her hoof dismissively, “that just saves me the hassle having to buy a dragon sized butt plug to walk around with. Next time we have to make a warrior, I want to try something bigger.”

If that wasn’t a joke, I’m scared.

”The best warrior genes are right here,” Eight answers before I can open my mouth again, ”you’re getting only infiltrators or drones.”

”Hey, that’s not fair, boss. Eight got to make an infiltrator! I want to carry a warrior.”

”You’re not using changeling eggs as sex toys, One.”

”Details details. Besides, the egg still inside me says otherwise,” she chuckles, but then her voice grows completely serious, ”That’s not why I’m here, though.”

“What’s going on, One?”

She hums to herself, paces around for a moment, then drops this bombshell:

“Now that we’ve purged the hive mind, I can restore your ability to shapeshift.”

“What?!” my jaw drops. I completely forgot about that. Also, about something else, “Wait, does that mean you can heal Four’s balance problems too?”

The pure joyful smile gracing One’s lips as she leans over the desk to me is somewhat strange, if only for its rarity.

“Eventually, eventually. You’ve been inside the hive mind multiple times, and you’ve always returned on instinct, which is why I think I can safely keep your mind there for some time. Four would need proper training which wouldn’t be difficult now, but time-consuming. The fact that you asked that first tells me I was right. No, you first. You need experience with ponies to make the right decisions, and you need the ability to impact events more than just by commanding us. Also, I want to see more of the love blade ability, it’s pretty cool. I can mimic it, but you’re doing it almost like Chrysalis could including her colour.”

It’s a dilemma in a way, which such an obviously beneficial offer shouldn’t be.

”What’s bothering you?” asks Eight, ”and don’t worry about her listening in on this one. I’m as much inside your head as I can. Don’t talk using the link, just think about what worries you.”

It’s bothered me for a while, Eight. Ever since I talked to Three about it what seems like ages ago now. What would have happened if I fixed his brain? If we somehow managed to let him grow into a fully fledged drone instead of the… living battering ram Chrysalis needed him to be for the invasion, would it still be him? Will I still be me if I have the option of… changing?

”You’ve changed before, haven’t you?”

No, Eight, I haven’t. I mean not completely. As a drone, all I ever needed was to shapeshift my hooves to dig better or my back to carry better. I never had the love to… try things out. Then whatever the hive mind did stopped me from transforming, and afterwards One directly damaged my brain. I don’t care about a different body, but… will I still stay if I can… run?

”That hurts, my love.”

The dejected tone rips into me harder than anything ever before…

...which in the end is all I need to hear, really.

Losing all of them would be far more agonizing than anything else that can happen. I can’t run away anymore, no matter if I’ll be able to change or not.

The door quietly clicks open again, and lets Eight in. She tilts her head a little, and smiles. She knows, and she knows that I know. There’s only one thing I can say right now:

“What do I need to do, One?”

”I promise I’ll do my best to be a good king for all of you.”

“You already are good, I wouldn’t have stayed if you weren’t, but better is always… better. Imagine how much fun we could have if you could shapeshift boss junior down there into what dragons have,” One winks at me.

“Size, One, size! I’d be more dong than ling.”

One’s expression turns into smugness of magnitude never seen before as she nods towards Eight…

...who is drooling, her jaw dropped and saliva freely dripping on the carpet, hissing, and turning into pink vapor forming hearts in the air.

Suddenly, she shakes her head, grabs One by her shoulders, and starts shaking her.

“Do it, One, do it, DO IT! I want it YESTERDAY!”

I have to assert mental pressure to make Eight stop, which rebounds back into me as sheer submissive pleasure as she realizes what I’m doing.

“Well,” One breathes a sigh of relief, “I believe my idea has been universally accepted. It won’t be all fun and games for us, though. What’s going to happen is that your body will be rebuilt to that of a drone and grown into your current one. I’m sorry, I wasn’t lying when I said no one could repair the deep brain damage I caused to you. The only way is to start over. Physically, of course. It is a complicated process, obviously, and it might take a lot of time.”

“What do you call a lot of time? Days, a week?”

“It could take years, boss, or weeks if you’re lucky, and you will be out for most of it. I don’t know. I know how to do it from Wistful’s shared knowledge, but no one has ever done it in my lifetime. We simply never had the love. Your mind will be safe within our hive mind, and since the body will be yours, it’s extremely unlikely it will reject your eventual return.”

“Extremely unlikely?” I ask.

One shifts on her hooves.

“The chance of that happening is… not zero. If that was the case we’d need to grow a completely new body, clear it, and give your mind another chance to get settled in. Something the old rulers never could, but you’ve got something they didn’t.”

“What?”

“Changelings you can trust to take care of you until it works.”

In the end, this doesn’t change my decision at all.

“Alright One. As I said before - what do I need to do?”

“Let’s go down to the tunnels and find a comfy spot. I don’t want to ruin the office in case someone from the reconstruction group comes looking for you.”

***

Huh, so One can ooze goo from literally every orifice of her body including the hair-thin cracks between her chitin plates, her eyeballs, ears, leg holes, and the frogs of her hooves.

Lewd. Creepy, but lewd.

Anyway, not even twenty minutes later, I’m floating in a rapidly hardening crystalline cocoon which, judging from the mind-blowing amount of energy One‘s just sacrificed, could withstand being thrown into a volcano.

”Now relax. As your body slowly dissolves, your mind will get the hint and store itself within us. I can see the flakes of your chitin already peeling off, and it will only get faster. For a short time, your mind will be working as normal, and then it will go into hibernation.”

From the eyes of Eight standing next to exhausted and heavily breathing One, I see my fetlock chitin dissipate, leaving exposed green flesh.

”Kinda gross for what belongs in the category of the pinnacle of changeling powers. I hope no one curious finds me and pokes the cocoon with a stick.”

”I poured pretty much all my love into it, boss. It’s nearly impervious to non-magical damage, and it would take serious magic to break it,” smiles One, ”Eight and Four will have to work hard to help me regain even a fraction of my energy,” she yawns, ”Damn…”

”Well, I guess you are in charge, One. Temporary Queen.”

The corner of her mouth curls up before she yawns again.

”Aaah… all the ways in which I’m gonna make Eight serve me will be fun.”

”One, I’m am the property of my King. I will do anything to keep him safe, no matter what you say. You are no more in charge of me than Nine is.”

”Gee, lighten up. All I’m saying is that the days of transferring love with a thought are over. I’ll lick all the energy I need out of you.”

Eight walks over to my cocoon, and gives it a kiss.

”I can work with that, I think.”

”Good,” One takes a deep breath and raises her voice, “Orders, Eight. You’ll stay here and guard the boss’ cocoon until I need you. Your overall priority, however, is to make sure he survives until the process is over NO MATTER WHAT. If I order you anything which endangers that goal, you will assume I’ve gone crazy, evil, or that someone is pretending to be me, and continue your primary mission. Is that clear?”

Eight’s eyes go wide for a second, and my beloved warrior nods to acknowledge my slightly less beloved but still up there infiltrator.

“Yes… Queen.”

“Heh, I never thought I’d hear those words, especially from you,” One sticks her tongue out at Eight.

Sudden burning sense of raw dread cleaves through our linked up mind, leaving a behind a chill slowly crawling our spines. From the other two changeling’s frozen expressions, I know immediately I’m not the only one feeling it. All my reflexes kick in, and in the next instant I’m looking through Ten’s eyes.

Everything is shimmering red. There are ponies in a spreading circle everywhere around, gasping at the duo of undisguised changelings.

“Get the other one,” growls a voice I hoped never to hear again.

”Ten, RUN!”

”N-No!” he objects, forcing my attention towards the scene in front of him.

Nine is standing in front of him, motionless with one foreleg covering his eyes from a wide cone of crimson glow.

”Nine, move!”

”I… can’t...”

His chitin is disintegrating one molecular layer after another despite his love reserves burning fast to defend against the magic. I quickly realize that if he moves forward, which means lowers his foreleg from his face, his eyes will evaporate instantly.

Star Trail in front of him grins, and the blood red glow of his horn pulses in tune with an amulet hanging around his neck.

”Ten, get out!”

”I can’t leave him here. He doesn’t stand a chance!”

”GET OUT!” I order.

The paralyzed changeling regains some control when Bright Star darts towards him, yelling:

“Get the big guy! I’ll deal with this one.”

Ten jumps into the screaming crowd, and as soon as he’s out of reach of the red glow, he shapeshifts into a pony.

“Help him, Resolute!” orders Star Trail.

“NO!” they hear Bright Star’s voice, “They know you’re here now. You two get to their hideout as fast as you can! HEY, PONIES, CALL OUT THE NEW SHAPE OF THE CHANGELING!”

I feel Ten bite his lip when someone yells:

“YELLOW UNICORN WITH RED MANE!”

Pain shoots through me.

”Nine!”

The warrior’s severed foreleg is lying on the ground, which is the last thing I see before he goes blind. I can still feel him spasming on the ground in agony under the effects of Star Trail’s destructive magic dissolving his body.

”He’s… much stronger… than before...”

”Nine, I’ll send Eight to-”

“Urk-” he gags as something slits his unprotected throat open.

”King… it was an honor… to serve you… but now… you must… run...”

Well that’s gonna be bloody fucking hard inside that cocoon!

”NINE? NINE!”

The link goes dark, and I reappear inside Ten gasping for breath after yet another transformation. The entire thing can’t have lasted more than thirty seconds.

“BROWN EARTHPONY WITH BLACK TAIL AND SUN CUTIE MARK!”

“Choke on a dick!” growls Ten, pushing through the crowd into a dark alley. If there’s a way he can shake off Bright Star then it’s by getting away from the crowds.

As soon as shadows hide him, he turns into a dark green mare and-

Golden aura envelops him and slams him against a wall behind a dumpster, knocking the breath out of him. Bright Star in his full armor managed to catch up with light Ten, which is a miracle in itself, but then the paladin says:

“I need you to help me stop this! Get to Upper Canterlot and wait for me in a mercenary bar called Sole Regret. Paladins and Royal Guards don’t check the place, because there are enough blades on everyone as is.”

“Wha…?” Ten opens his mouth, kicking Bright Star in his chestplate.

“Get. To. Canterlot!” the paladin growls, “I know you changelings can communicate over long distances somehow. Tell the others Star Trail and Resolute know where they are, and you can’t fight Star Trail right now. He’s got the alicorn amulet and by now he must have killed the big changeling whose lifeforce gives him even more power.”

“But One and Eight kicked even the princess’ asses back in the castle,” says still confused Ten.

“I doubt you made Celestia or Luna use dark magic or their divine powers, otherwise you wouldn’t be here anymore, and neither would the castle. I know you don’t trust me, but if you want some sort of justice for this, GET TO CANTERLOT!” Bright Star hisses, “I gotta try to salvage what is still possible.”

Without waiting, the paladin gallops out of the alley yelling:

“WRONG PONY! HAS ANYPONY SEEN THE CHANGELING?!”

”King, what od I do?”

”Canterlot!”

”What about you?”

”We’ll do what we-”

Rumbling and a loud crash resonating all the way down here comes from the front door. The bastards had to know exactly where we are. Damn teleportation magic!

A loud high-pitched scream rips through my, One’s, and Eight’s hearts.

I completely forgot Four was on the receptionist duty, and she doesn’t keep an ear on the links all the time like One does.

”Eight, get to-”

I only get a quick peek from Four’s eyes before I see a wide blade stab her through the neck, and with a powerful swing followed by a shower of blood toss her away into a rapidly growing green pool.

“Small fries down, now for the dangerous ones.”

My link to Four shuts down.

“Fuck!” curses One, “Exactly at the wrong time. Eight, get the cocoon out! I’ll buy you time. These bastards clearly know their teleport spells and can track us now somehow, but they can’t know the layout.”

”Don’t you dare, Eight! Help One fight!”

”King...” she actually hesitates.

”DON’T YOU DARE DISOBEY ME NOW! HELP HER!”

“Eight, I know you value the boss far more than me or anyone else maybe barring Four, and the little critter is dead. You’re the only one full of love, and you’ll need all of it to keep him safe. Get out, start over, infiltrate, hide, and RIP THAT FUCKING PALADIN IN HALF IF I DON’T MANAGE TO!”

”Eight, I will never forgive you if you run.”

She bites her lip so hard blood drips on the floor, and the echo of pain ruins my attempt at controlling her.

“I’m sorry.”

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she levitates my cocoon on her back, and gallops away through the dark tunnels.

”Damn it, Eight, no!”

I realize she can’t hear me anymore. I must be slowly going into hibernation as One said I soon would. All I can do is watch now.

Through One’s ears, I hear two sets of hoofsteps rushing through the caves, and feel energy coursing through her horn. She’s fully focused on her remaining love, not reacting to my mental touch at all.

”Those paladin assholes will regret ever fucking with MY hive!” she mutters through her ragged breaths.

A faint echo of more pain makes me leave her immediately.

”Four? FOUR!” if I had eyes, I would be tearing up now as I look out from those of the small infiltrator.

“Damn it, no...” Bright Star’s wet eyes come to view as he cradles Four who whimpers quietly. His horn lights up, healing magic flowing through the changeling slowly soothing the pain, “I can’t heal the wound. The dark magic from the amulet is far stronger than what I can deal with.”

However, as Four’s breathing slows down, it’s not because she’s dying, it’s because the pain-numbing magic allows her to focus on the love inside her.

It was shock, of course. Four isn’t used to pain at all, but she’s as full of love as a changeling can be. My surprise mirrors Bright Star’s as he sees the wound close, the red echo of the amulet’s magic dissipating.

“Mister Star… what’s going on...? I remember a sword… and...” shaking Four stops when Bright Star pats her head.

I have to tell Eight Four is okay and Bright Star is on our side. There is still hope.

She can’t hear me. No matter what I do she can’t hear me anymore. I feel her every breath, but she closed herself off, and I'm too weak get through anymore.

“Is there a place where you can hide?” asks Bright Star.

“I… can turn… invisible...”

“That won’t be enough, with the amulet’s power, you can’t hope that Star Trail and Resolute will just miss you.”

“There are… lockers...” she nods weakly to the changing room for the customers.

“That'll have to do,” Bright Star smears Four’s blood to look as if she crawled out through the main entrance, and carries her into the changing room where he shoves her into a locker. Four promptly disappears, “Huh, nifty. Maybe he won’t find you considering I can’t feel any magic. Now stay quiet no matter. I will come back for you.”

“Help the boss and everyone, please...” Four whispers.

“I can’t,” Bright Star shakes his head, “I just hope I can help at least you,” he slams the locker shut, locks it, and rushes off.

With a whimper, Four closes her eyes, and hugs her chest with her forelegs.

By the time Bright Star and Resolute enter the correct underground cavern following a red trail leading to One, the master infiltrator is already calm and ready, changeling magic coursing through every fiber of her being.

“Here you are, monster...” Star Trail recognizes her. Of course he would.

-KILL!-

Behind him, Resolute’s heavy blade flies up, about to slash Star Trail in half. The alicorn amulet glows.

“Remember your wows, Resolute! Your loyalty is to Celestia and Equestria! Destroy the monster.”

“I… can’t...” Resolute groans, the red glow of the amulet coursing through him. If this wasn’t such a horrible situation, I would be absolutely stunned by One’s mental abilities being on a such level, “I… need… her. I can’t… hurt… her.”

“Then die,” says Star Trail calmly, “Your service will be remembered. I will tell the princess you died valiantly.”

“Wha-?” Resolute drops on the ground, red wisps coming from his body and being absorbed by the amulet around Star Trail’s neck.

The old paladin cracks his neck.

“No more toys for you to use, just the two of us.”

“True,” One shrugs, “I should have asked the boss to buy me some more dildos to choke you to death with.”

Star Trail only laughs, sending out a red ray of energy which leaves a searing groove in the ground where One…

...isn’t anymore.

She reappears next to him, easily biting through his neck armor and the flesh underneath. A sudden burst of blinding crimson glow makes her take a step back and on reflex avoid immediately healed Star Trail’s flying sword.

The ground trembles. Nothing more happens.

“Hmm,” One now again circling around Star Trail frowns, “The boss sure knows how to build his tunnels. The one time you need him to be bad at something and he’s a master...”

From the corner of her eyes, I see what has to be the light of Bright Star’s horn arriving through the tunnel.

”Don’t kill Bright Star!” I give it my last shot. I have no idea whether One registered me or not, though.

“Star Trail, she’s pregnant!” the approaching paladin calls out, “You’re powerful enough to restrain her. You don’t have to kill-”

“Well noticed, Bright Star,” chuckles Star Trail, “I thought she was just fat from ALL THE PONIES SHE DEVOURED!”

He disappears. One looks around. A flying sword covered in swirling crimson lightning runs her through from underneath.

One screams as the pain from the burning blade slices her belly in half along with the egg almost ready to hatch inside her. Star Trail lying on his back under her kicks upwards with his legs covered in shadow flames.

One collapses, clutching her barrel.

“Boss’ egg,,, boss’ egg… boss’ egg...” she sobs. I can barely stay inside her mind through all the chaos, “Please no… our egg… no... anything but that...” she tries to reach for the broken egg covered in her guts lying nearby.

The ground trembles again.

“You buried my brothers under the mountain,” growls Star Trail, “You tried to bury me here,” the glow of his horn grows stronger, “Then I will squash you like the bug you are. Bright Star, I’ll teleport outside,” the ceiling starts breaking in chunks crashing on the floor.

“Star Trail, we can-” the paladin jumps backwards as part of the cavern crumbles, cutting him off from One and Star Trail.

“Well, he’s a smart unicorn,” Star Trail smiles, “Too soft, but smart. One of the best I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Anyway, I’d like to torture you for a while, maybe make you eat that bastard egg of yours, but it looks like you’re bleeding out too fast, so let’s get to the squashing-”

Like lightning, One’s foreleg shapeshifts into a blade which severs Star Trail’s necklace. As the alicorn amulet drops on the ground, a final pulse from One’s horn shakes the underground once more.

Rumbling follows, covering everything in dust.

To my surprise, I can still see from One’s eyes. What I see, however, is a rock which severed her head from her body.

”Huh. I seem to be missing some… bits. Time... for... plan… B. Do I have… a plan… B…? Fuck...”

Everything goes dark.

The ground is shaking, whimpering Four is lying in a stuck locker as she hears the house masonry crumble around her. Suddenly, the door flips open, revealing Bright Star.

“Damn, wrong locker?” he pokes his hoof inside, touching invisible Four’s crossed forelegs, “Oof, thank Celestia! Come here, little one.”

He works by touch, because Four refuses to appear, and he sits the changeling on his back. A part of nearby wall cracks and crumbles.

“Aw crap,” his horn flashes…

...and he reappears outside the house, backing off.

With one final rumble, the entire building collapses, and the houses around as well as the street sink several feet down.

Next to him, Star Trail reappears in a flash of light. Four’s legs clamp around Bright Star’s neck.

“What happened to the amulet?” Bright Star nods to Star Trail’s neck.

“That bitch managed to cut it off. I call it a worthwhile sacrifice, though. We destroyed the changeling who took control of princess Luna, and if there was anyone else underground or in the house... well, it crushed her, so the others didn’t stand a chance. Besides, the tracking spell enhanced by the amulet showed only her in a large area. We won.”

“I doubt Resolute would call it a victory. What happened to him? I just saw his body.”

“She took control of him. He resisted until the end, then he killed himself rather than attack me.”

“I will inform his family.”

“Thank you, Bright Star. You are a good paladin, a true protector of Equestria.”

Bright Star just turns around and starts walking away.

“I don’t think I believe that anymore,” he mutters under his breath. Aloud he says, “See you in Canterlot, Star Trail. I need a drink.”

“I will inform the princess about our success.”

With those words, darkness of hibernation finally catches up with me.

Author's Note

Nameless Library at its finest.

The End: Seeking justice

Bright Star followed by a grey unicorn stallion entered the Canterlot castle grounds. He waved back at few saluting recruits and training soldiers, but his eyes were firmly locked on a small but high-profile gathering near the service entrance of the castle. The group of paladins and Royal Guards made space for him to walk through right towards princess Celestia and Star Trail.

“-the highest honor which can be bestowed upon a civilian, the High Emblem of the Sun. You deserve it, Star Trail, despite our recent disagreement regarding events in Riverside.”

“Are you sure about that, your Highness?” Bright Star walked into the empty circle reserved for Celestia and the unicorn being honored.

“Bright Star?” asked both the princess and Star Trail.

“Your Highness, sorry for interrupting the ceremony, but I would like to use my last earned paladin request today, and before you frown at me in the disappointed way you sometimes do, there IS a good reason why I’m doing it right now.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, and her eyes stopped on the unicorn by Bright Star’s side.

“I am listening.”

Bright star nodded to his companion who took a deep breath, and with a wave of green fire shapeshifted into a changeling.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed, but the princess said nothing.

“You too,” Bright Star said to no one, “Come on.”

His armor lost its sag as if a tiny amount of pressure was lifted from his back followed by the grass of the lawn bending next to him, and with a wobble of air, a smaller grey and black streaked changeling appeared, giving Celestia a frightened stare as she hid under Bright Star’s belly.

Ten bowed before the princess, his eyes darting from her to…

...now absolutely livid Star Trail grinding his teeth.

Bright Star, on the other hoof, was completely undisturbed by the spears of the guards aimed at him and his companions.

“Your Highness, my request is that you keep on listening. You know some of the reports about recent paladin investigation regarding a group of changelings in Canterlot. I know you met them back in the old castle, but it’s time you learned the whole story. I want justice, and that can only come if you know everything,” he shoved Four from underneath him and towards Celestia. The tiny changeling tried to look even smaller until the princess put a hoof under her chin and made her look up.

“You told me where to find the paladins back in the castle. Without you, they might have starved, and Star Trail would definitely have died of his wounds.”

The angry look Ten shot to Four didn’t go unnoticed, but the older changeling just shook his head in the end. Four would have to live with that guilt for a long time, if they survived today. There was no reason to make her feel even worse. Sometimes good intentions breed the worst results, just like Three’s offer of peace led to his death.

Four nodded, but just stood there with her mouth open, quiet. Ten cleared his throat.

“Then maybe it’s up to me to start, if only because I met the boss, Three, and Eight before Four was born...”

He talked about Wet Soil, about the help they provided to the Mayor at the time being controlled by disguised One. He talked about the villagers eventually finding out who the changelings were and offering them a place to live. He talked about Four being born, a physically frail changeling who would have never been allowed to survive in the hive.

Spurred by Ten speaking, Four finally found her voice and talked about their trip to Canterlot. She spoke about the scouting, meeting One, how she accidentally killed the Royal Guard in prison. She didn’t try to defend herself, she just explained everything. The starvation, the fear, and in the end the escape from the attacking paladins who she thought were after them because of the dead guard.

This was time for Bright Star to correct her:

“The dead guard was… the trigger. With events in Riverside and some reports from Canterlot police about suspicious behaviour, especially a ghost story by a local group of nutjobs, we expected some changelings to still be around, but originally we wanted to wait for further hostilities before doing anything. We hoped that the trials would eventually become known among those scarce changelings who just got dragged into things. With the guard’s death and the escape of the prisoners, Star Trail’s old friends probably had a chat with him about recent events, and eventually they rallied more and more paladins for an investigation. We found the old house in lower Canterlot, and eventually discovered old building plans including the now closed mining complex inside the mountain. After some planning, we launched an attack. Nothing we did was illegal, your Highness, despite Star Trail’s unofficial help as an ex-paladin being… unadvised. However, what we did was wrong. When we attacked, most changelings couldn’t defend themselves. Tempers were still flared so soon after the invasion, I understand, but the fact that most of my brethren killed those who could barely move sickens me even now. But I understand, because among the changelings there were few who were a real threat which we learned in the tunnels and later in the old castle. Unfortunately, my brothers who did hesitate to slaughter the changelings during the crucial moments aren’t here anymore. I was lucky that little Four here stopped a changeling warrior by the name Eight from killing me outright,” he scratched Four under her chin, conjuring a weak smile on her face and making her stick her tongue out. She withdrew it when he poked it, now looking at the grass under her hooves, embarrassed, “I still believe that if some of my… overzealous friends haven’t killed changelings indiscriminately, there wouldn’t have been a need for the tragedy which decimated the paladin ranks deep in the old mine tunnels,” Bright Star sighed, “That was our first operation against this group, one which I can still defend in my mind as being… right. However, then the castle happened.”

He nodded to Ten who, with Four adding details here and there, recounted the group’s escape to the Castle of Two Sisters, the deaths of the changeling prisoners, their experiences in Ponyville, and Three making friends with Zecora and Tree Hugger. When Four mentioned Three, her story slowed down and everyone got very, very quiet.

“I was there, your Highness. The most powerful changeling by the name or rank One killed two of my friends instantly, and the little one here saved me once again. At that time, though, while most of us thought we were following murderers due to what happened in the tunnel, I was fully aware of our own role in this aggression, and I wanted to find out more, without bloodshed if possible. We drastically underestimated how strong the changelings got in the meantime. We didn’t meet starving group like in Canterlot. We faced changelings who, according to what Four here described, were somewhat willingly fed by real affection of Ponyville citizens.”

“THERE WAS NOTHING REAL ABOUT IT!” yelled Star Trail, “MIND CONTROLLING MONSTERS!”

“Be quiet, Star Trail,” said Celestia with completely stone face, “Bright Star is damning himself with this testimony, but if he believes it worth telling, I will listen.”

After taking a deep breath, Bright Star continued:

“The changelings gathered those of us who survived their retaliation, and to our surprise we were offered… friendship. Unfortunately, Star Trail killed a changeling by the name Three in cold blood. It is my understanding that when you visited the old castle, your Highness, with your extended family, you weren’t a target nor an enemy until… until one of the changelings who loved the deceased Three blew up in rage when you said something you couldn’t have known to be… damning, if I’m honest. Meanwhile, I had a chat with Four in the cell which illuminated some things for me. We weren’t going after an organized force of Chrysalis’ stragglers. We were attacking a group who tried to save others from our own lack of knowledge about changelings, and who wouldn’t have been better off at all if Chrysalis found them. Regretfully, you know what happened in the castle way better than I do.”

Celestia only nodded, and looked at Four who spoke up next.

“We never wanted to hurt you, princess Luna, or anypony else. We didn’t even know who you were when you first entered the castle. We just thought we would make your visit an adventure you would enjoy, that we would take you or some of you out for a while, feed a little, and you’d go home happy, maybe a little confused about what happened. We liked the place a lot,” Four hung her head low, “But when I bit princess Cadance, I learned who she was, and we had to improvise. We split you up, and knocked you out while feeding. Ask the purple unicorn… Sprinkle or something?”

“Twilight. Sparkle,” said Celestia through gritted teeth.

“Yeah her. Miss One changed into you when she fed from her, and you should have seen how much love she had for you. She was so happy when miss One allowed her to play out a lot of fantasies regarding you and your… umm… backside.”

Ten tried his best not to snicker despite the gravity of the situation.

“Continue,” said Celestia, shooting him a quick glance which served as a cold shower.

“Then we split Shiny… Armor...?”

“Shining Armor,” Bright Star corrected Four, “The captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Mhm. Miss One identified that queen Chrysalis still left some mental triggers in him, and used them to gain enough love to make venom which would allow her to control somepony as powerful as your sister or you.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed. Four, being the good little infiltrator she was, hastily continued:

“It was necessary! Everything went wrong. The boss wanted to just flee at first, but it was miss One’s idea to give you a normal adventure. If miss Eight didn’t mess up, nothing bad would have happened to you. We didn’t want a fight, I mean a real one, but when miss Eight made you and princess Luna go all alicorn and scary, we knew someone would get really badly hurt if it continued. The way miss One solved it was the best,” Four raised her hoof when Celestia opened her mouth, “She shouldn’t have said any of the world domination stuff. We enjoyed how things were. I liked ponies in Ponyville. Nine and miss Eight had fun practicing against the hydras and manticores in the forest. Everyone liked it there, but we had to leave. As you know, we found our place in Las Pegasus where ponies thought we were a new tourist attraction. Ask them if they were mad!” Four raised her voice, now scowling at Celestia, “We’ve been doing the Adventure Under the Hive for weeks and everyone was happy! A pony even asked me on a date, when I was a changeling! Everything was fine until that guy,” with shaking hoof, she pointed at Star Trail measuring her with a scowl of his own, “and one more kicked the front door open an stabbed me. If it wasn’t for Bright Star a moment later I...” she ‘eep’ed and went quiet.

“Your Highness, I don’t know what Star Trail told you to gain the alicorn amulet, but his actions caused the sinking of several streets and houses, massive property damage, pony injuries, and… changeling murders. He disintegrated a changeling called Nine in the streets and would have done the same to Ten here if I didn’t save him. He mercilessly attacked Four, and thankfully she’s way tougher than she looks so I managed to help her when I teleported to their house. In the tunnels underground, he killed a pregnant changeling mare. What happened to the others I don’t know. I’m afraid that whatever tunnels they managed to dig under Las Pegasus crumbled under Star Trail’s magic, and they got crushed. Whatever Star Trail told you… can’t have been all. I refuse to believe a pony whom I’ve served for over a century would have sanctioned this in full knowledge,” he aimed a defiant stare at the princess, “That isn’t you.”

His courage wavered faced with what he saw. Celestia’s eyes were nothing but golden holes into the heart of the sun. The tips of her normally rainbow mane burst into flames, ethereal cinders landing on the green grass around her.

“Bright Star,” she said, her motherly voice gone, replaced by barely contained cold fury, “You are hereby banished from the paladin order. You will give me the names of every still alive paladin who joined your operations after what happened inside mount Canterlot. They will lose their position and rewards as well. The dead paladins will be stripped from paladin records, and all benefits to their families will be revoked.”

Bright Star lowered his head. He knew he deserved this or more for his part in the tragedy. He would provide the names as requested, justice had to be served.

“Yes, your Highness.”

“Hey, you can’t do that!” squeaked Four, advancing on Celestia and only stopping when faced with a pair of Royal Guard spears aimed at her, “He’s the good guy-”

“Be quiet,” said Celestia now looking at Star Trail, “And youuuu… I gave you your last chance after the incident with miss Half-hearted Fury, Star Trail. This, however, is the last straw. You stand accused of high treason, of ruining a chance for peace with changelings. The witnesses have spoken. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Star Trail scowled, but didn’t cower in face of the furious sun.

“Do not negotiate with the bugs, your Highness. Remember the dead, remember the insane, remember the horror. DESTROY THEM!”

“I judge thee guilty then, Star Trail. Not of treason only against me, but against your paladin brethren, may their souls rest in peace. Without your fanaticism, no bloodshed was necessary, and many could still be alive. Your property will be seized, your titles stripped completely this time, and in the history of the order your name will be under the enemy,” Celestia turned her back to him, “Today, I believe Puff is better off gone than seeing his mentor turn into the twisted hateful monstrosity you are.”

“HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE MERE WORDS OF THE MONSTERS AND THEIR SYMPATHIZER?!” screamed Star Trail.

A cooler and deeper voice answered.

“She can’t,” air next to Celestia wobbled, and a midnight blue alicorn appeared, “but we can. They haven’t said lies or purposely omitted facts. You are guilty, traitor. Face your judgement with what little dignity you have left, or without it. It matters not to us. Guards, take him away. He will rot in prison while his possessions will help those he hurt in what little way they can.”

“Umm, what about us, your Highness… Highnesses?” asked Bright Star.

“You will stay in the castle until you give me the requested names,” said Celestia, “then I will decide your future. You paladin career, however, is over. My sister will take care of the changelings. Guards, do your job.”

The Royal Guards around split into two groups. One escorted Bright Star away via the service entrance, and a larger one led Star Trail through the main castle entrance. Four and Ten, without a spoken word, followed princess Luna down into the dungeons.

“I have called my friends over for you. You will face the trial now,” she nodded towards one room to which Ten entered. Four tilted her head and saw a batpony mare and a bronze… changeling?

“Who are-?”

“Over here, little one,” Luna entered the next room with steel-plated walls, a table, and two simple stools to one of which she pointed. Four jumped up on it, “Now, I have heard your story, and I clearly remember what happened between my old castle and the train station in Ponyville, no matter what you might think-”

”Hmph!“

Four froze completely.

“-That’s why I sent the paladins on a wild goose chase to Manehattan first. Regretfully, it wasn’t enough. Before I go next door and help my friends interrogate Ten, I’ll tell you you passed. Your fervor and words were enough for me, which is why I believe we can forfeit the initial examination in your case-”

”Princess, princess… you might be smart, but you can’t hold a candle to the Queen.“

“However, we still can’t let you just roam free, which is why you will need a guardian, and despite my better judgement, I think I’ve got just the right… ponies. They will be here shortly, don’t worry.”

Four nodded, barely listening, and Luna left.

It couldn’t be real.

”Don’t underestimate me, Four. I learn very, very quickly when I have to.“

”MISS ONE?!“

”In the flesh, metaphorically speaking.“

”Where are you speaking to me from? I thought you got crushed. Wait, Bright Star said you got stabbed.“

”Well, with my last breaths I felt a mind I could use in range - yours. Contrary to popular belief, there is no need for more changelings to form a hive mind. A single strong one is enough. Yes, I DO realize I’m now what we spent days fighting, don’t even think about mentioning it.“

”Won’t it drain me like the old rulers did to the hive?“

”It will require some… special arrangements, but we’ll manage. I have no intention of becoming a parasite like them. Consider this a symbiotic relationship - I will teach you, and you will grow in power rarely seen among changelings. In return, you will keep me alive until you can spawn me a new body. I intend to carve my own destiny, not rob you of yours. This… is just a temporary setback.“

”Alright,“ said Four with a smile, ”I don’t like being alone anyway.“

”That’s the spirit.“

Four’s smile withered.

”Miss One, what happened to the boss and miss Eight? I couldn’t listen because everything hurt...“

”I don’t know. I ordered Eight to keep herself and the boss safe, and I’m certain they made it out before the earthquake, but Eight is smart. While the boss is hibernating, no one will find them. She will hide him on the bottom of the sea if she has to.“

”We are going to look, right?“

”Eventually, Four. You are too weak and unskilled now, but eventually.“

”Promise?“

”Yes, I promise.“

The cell door opened, letting in a grey-maned changeling mare wearing a silk band covering her eyes, and a grey pegasus stallion with brown mane.

”Ooooh, she looks familiar. One of the higher ranks under Chrysalis.“

“I’m Half-hearted Fury, and this walking dildo is Common Crest. Say hi!” said the changeling, "Hey, Crest, is she pretty like me, or is she one of those who when they give head it counts as anal?"

“Hello... Four, was it?” asked the pegasus, rolling his eyes, and continued after Four’s nervous nod, “We’ll have to give you a real name, but that can wait.”

”Nah, I’ve got an idea. Ugly duckling wouldn’t work, but from a piece of coal into my beautiful and precious little thing. I’m sure Eight and the boss would agree. How does Gem sound? “

”I like Four, but I guess numbers don’t sit well with ponies. Gem is nice and short.“

“Mhm, what about Gem?” Four nodded, “Are you supposed to be my guardians?”

“That’s a lovely name actually… Gem,” Crest tried the word, seemingly liking it.

“Yep, we’re the guardians!” Fury beamed, “I’ve wanted a daughter I can properly corrupt for a while, but Crest isn’t ready to be a father yet.”

”Corrupt? Oh honey, you have no idea who you’re dealing with. Anyway, Four- ehm, Gem, cheers! To the beginning of a unique relationship.“

Author's Note

Thank you for reading and all the feedback.
If you want a little more of a backstory, you can read "Hard to Find The Right Words", if not, then it was a pleasure having this many readers for the first (and likely the last) time. Absolutely crazy. :raritystarry:

PS: Celestia really wasn't such an ass, but she simply never had the accurate knowledge of the events until the end. Everything she knew about the paladin activities was from reports that came after each tragedy, and those painted a grim picture of our group as heartless killers. At least until Bright Star grew a pair and saved credible witnesses who told their story under Luna's oversight, and the old moonpie is really good at seeing through lies.

In fact, let's have a quick review of the story from Celestia's point of view.
--report 1--
P: "Yo, solar thighs, we found the lings who killed a guard and let the prisoners out. They can't be up to any good."
C: "Try hugging, if not work, kick ass."
ST: "Hugging failed!"
P: "But we didn't even try."
ST: "Hugging. Failed. Asskicking time!"
--report 2--
P: "Sunslut, bug bitches didn't want hugs, they just hissed at us. They dropped mountain on us, we ded."
C: "U wot m8?! Find them."
ST: "Sure thing. No one harms Equestria's citizens."
C: "Hey, ST, wtf are you doing here, you old fart? This is pally business."
ST: "Changeling combat expert, praise the thighs!"
C: "Eh, whatevs, my best got smooshed by half dead bugs, they clearly need the help."
--report 3--
C: "Where the F are my pallys. I'm bored and want to watch them fight to the death."
TS: "I've got an idea, let's roleplay."
C: "Fine, I'll be in the shower and you're the pizza delivery this time. Who's on top?"
TS: "No, that one later. You've been so stressed from the ling stuff, let's take a break by playing DnD live."
C: "Neeeeeeerd! Fine, let's go, but if I must suffer, then Luna comes too. And bring the two idiots too. Banging for weeks without a break can't be healthy, alicorn of love or not."
In the castle:
C: "Oh ffs, angry bugs. Who's got a can of Raid? Oh look, paladins! Hey, flashlights, y u ded?"
ST: "Got rekt by lings. They stronk, they bad, they mad."
--report 4--
ST: "Sunnybuns, Luna's drunk. We're going after the lings."
C: "Yeah, that'll work."
ST: "Gimme BFG."
C: "No."
ST: "Gimme BFG."
C: "No."
ST: "The lings ate your sister and Twibright."
C: "Oh fuk 'em, that's MY job."
ST: "Wot?"
C: "BFG authorized."
--report 5--
BS: "Star Trail is a crazy racist."
C: "So?"
BS: "Eats foals for dinner."
C: "That's MY job!"
BS: "Wot?"
ST: "Wot?"
4: "Wot?"
C: "Kick Star Trail in his wrinkly old nuts."
ST: "Muh dragonballlllZ!"
C: "BS, snitches get stitches."
BS: "Woo, free healthcare!"
C: "4, I'm not gonna eat you." *wink wink*
4: "Eeep!"
Fury: "Insert epic one liner here."
1: "Death can't out-epic this ling, bitch!"
THE END

PPS: Some of you thought the boss would be Thorax in the end. I actually DID think about it a long time ago, but then I came ot the conclusion that the other changelings wouldn't fit into the known universe. Plus, I rewatched Thorax' chapters, and despite the fact that I like the technicolor deer a little, he's a giant pussy. No matter how it looks. boss wasn't.

1: Onwards to Foodterlot!

Soon, my children. Soon, we shall FEAST!

“Owww… my head.”

“You heard that too, 200234, right? It’s not just another migraine?”

“Yeah, I just wish she didn’t yell so much. I get it, she’s happy.”

“I can’t be too mad at her, to be honest. My stomach’s growling a lot louder than yesterday.”

“Well, it’s not your fault she got mad at the last prisoner telling her her mane looks like a torn, moldy tablecloth. We could have squeezed some more love out of him.”

“What did she do to him?”

“The usual - the single digit warriors had some fun with him before she sucked him dry and then filled the mentally butchered body with eggs.”

“Does that work? I thought our eggs needed at least ambient love to hatch.”

“Apparently it does, since you’re one of them. Either she’s pretty bad at sucking, which would explain why she needed to use magic to gain affection of her Canterlot pony guard, or we don’t know that much about our biology. I mean, both are pretty likely. From what I gathered our queen is the ‘lay as many eggs as you can and hope for the best’ type.”

“How did she become a queen anyway?”

“Why are you asking me? I’m like two weeks old.”

“Well, I’m ONE week old, and you’re pretty much the only changeling to ever tell me something other than ‘Get back to work!’ or ‘Your job is to obey. If you don’t like it you can kiss the grinder on the way out!’.”

“Uhh, what’s a grinder?”

“Go tell that warrior his chitin looks moldy and that he handles his spear like pony you-know-what and he’ll tell you.”

“I don’t speak high changeling.”

“Do you speak punch?”

“I… think I’ll cherish my ignorance.”

“Anyway, the queen did sound more agitated than usual, maybe this time she’s for real?”

“I don’t know. Last time she promised us a good meal we swarmed some tiny village. There were like twenty ponies living there in total. It turned out the infiltrator who reported the situation didn’t have access to the math part of the hive mind.”

“Oh, what happened?”

“I recall it clearly as if it was just last week… because it was, actually. The queen woke the reserves from their dormancy, infused them with our little remaining love, and five thousand of us flew outside under the cover of darkness.”

“That sounds like a massive waste of energy, especially when love is so scarce right now.”

“Yeeeeeah. At first we thought we hit the wrong town, since there were like five buildings in total, but the infiltrator was adamant. A bit confused why we needed that many changelings for that operation, but sure of himself. When we landed, it was pretty clear that unless the ponies were exceptionally tiny or gods at playing yoga tetris with themselves, there was no way the projected amount would fit into those few houses.”

“The queen wasn’t happy, was she?”

“Noooope.”

“The infiltrator got tossed into the grinder, right?”

“No, she just whipped him to death with his own tail still attached.”

“Wait, is that even possible? I mean, it just reaches our back chitin.”

“It… took a while, I met the drone who got to braid the tail for better whippage, though. He's sort of a celebrity now.”

“How do you know all that anyway?”

“She made us watch the whole thing in the gathering cave. Three days of her furiously flapping his tail against his back plate. He fell asleep like three times despite her screaming, saying his legs hurt from all the standing up. In the end, I think he died of boredom, or burst bladder since, you know, he wasn’t allowed to go to the bathcave.”

“That sounds like an even worse waste of energy.”

“Our queen isn’t the smartest when things don’t go her way.”

Fly, FLY! Onwards to Canterlot!

“Well, 200234, this is our big moment. The capital city of ponies. We will never starve again. Next time I see you, I won’t be just a drone 300548, but a warrior, maybe even with a triple-digit rank and my own herd of pony slaves.”

He… she… it... buzzes off like the optimist it is.

“Is anyone else getting the idea that this is only going to make things worse?”

“MOVE, DRONE! Buzz those wings. We need ones like you to crash through that huge shield around the city.”

“Why do you warriors like yelling so much?”

“BEST PART OF OUR CHARM, WORM!”

*Gulp.*

“Wait, did you say shield, as in hard… thick… thingy?”

“Definitely harder than your drone chitin, but with enough of you as fodder, we’ll eventually break through.”

“But I thought we’d just win and then munch some ponies...”

“I mean, I guess some of you drones MIGHT survive and enjoy some delicious pony love, not this ten times regurgitated minor affection we get served here.”

My stomach rumbles just at the mention of that tiniest drip of food.

“I’m so hungry...”

“Then I have excellent news for you, drone.”

“Really, you’ll give me some for the road?”

Well, I tried.

“Hahahaha! Don’t be silly. Take it like this, though. Whether you go splat against the barrier or you survive until the end, you won’t be hungry tomorrow anymore.”

“Hey, that’s grea- waaaaait...”

“No, no more waiting. MOVE!”

He-

“Ouch!”

-smacks me with the butt of his rotting and rusted spear before buzzing off as well, mixing into the clouds of changelings leaving through the hive’s skylights.

“...aand now he’s gone too, smug bastard. Oh well, it’s not like I have a choice...”

“...I just wish I could move my wings a bit better. So damn hungry. She could have fed us at least a bit before we leave the Badlands. I wonder how many of us will drop on the way to Canterlot...”

“Oh well, up and away!”

Flapping my wings, get off of the cold floor.

“Out of the way, worm!”

Someone very warrior-y rams into me from behind-

“Aaaaaa?”

-and I kiss the ground.

“Oww, damn it! You didn’t have to bodyslam me from behind.”

“True. That was entirely voluntaryyyyyyyy!”

“...holy moly, changelings are assholes...”

Goodbye, Badlands. Goodbye, starvation and misery! Tomorrow we dine in Canterlot!

The overwhelming buzzing grows distant.

“Wait… wait for me! My hoof got stuck when he knocked me from the air. It’s kind of bent, but I can still shuffle!”

The constant whispering in my head accompanied by clicking of moving changelings goes unnaturally… quiet.

“He tore my wing too?! Damn warriors and their spiky carapaces.”

“Anyone still around? If you carry me to Canterlot you can use me as ammo against the shield!”

My new answer is almost complete silence disrupted only by the faintest buzzing of wings.

“I’ll take my chances rather than stay here! Because… you know… potential love.”

Complete silence.

“Anyone? Badlands scorpions excluded.”

“I want lunch too...”

4: Onwards through the Badlands!

Hours later, we finally reach a ground-level hole leading outside.

“That’s… really, really bad.”

We don’t need a guide to know in which direction the swarm left, not with the changeling corpses dotting the barren landscape everywhere around far too regularly.

“Boss, I don’t think they’re sleeping.”

“They might be better off than us.”

“I’m not so sure...”

“They died quickly. We’re about to starve.”

“Can we salvage something? I mean, every drop of love counts now.”

“There’s nothing in the vicinity, I can feel the sucking emptiness. They’re all drones, too. Do you see an infiltrator or a warrior anywhere?”

“No.”

“We weren’t only supposed to be ammo or front line. We drones were also a meal if any of the higher class needed it.”

“But the queen said we’d all snack on ponies...”

“And then didn’t even give the smallest ones of us enough love to make it out of the Badlands. That, or some warriors or infiltrators got peckish pretty fast.”

“Thank you, boss.”

“Huh?”

“For not eating me.”

“Who would help me hobble along if I ate you?”

“If you drained me you could heal the hoof.”

“I know you’re just trying to be helpful, but stop it for now. Anyway, we’ll end up like them if we don’t move.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that.”

“...I’m not sure if I want to hear this one...”

“They died from falling, neither of us has working wings.”

“...yep, called it...”

“You sigh a lot, boss.”

“Just the horrible fate of our race weighing on me. Yep, that’s all it is. Come on, I can’t stand looking at this graveyard. Damn, if only the ground wasn’t so hard and cracked.”

“At least it’s all flat.”

“Gotta count the small blessings, true. Let’s follow the… trail. Maybe we’ll find some survivors.”

“Oh, are we going to get a group to ambush some pony with?”

“Either that, or if they are beyond saving… drain them. It’ll be faster and less painful for them, and beneficial for us.”

“Alright, boss...”

“You sound pretty unhappy with that.”

“Well, I thought… since you helped me perhaps you can help more drones. Maybe we could reunite with the hive if you lead us.”

“First, there is no more of you I could lead even if I wanted to, and as I said I’m sure the queen will suck me dry as soon as she spots me, and not in the good way. But if it helps, I can drop you off with some straggler group if we find one. I’ll try to jump a pony myself and then, if I’m lucky, start a life in disguise.”

“Maybe I can go with you and we can make a new hive?”

“Don’t even start… as soon as I steal enough love, I’m losing this body and moving into the closest ponytown, ponycity or whatever they call those things in some hot new shape that mares will jump at.”

The sun moves and moves as we follow the trail of death towards what finally looks like a forest.

“A welcome change from the barren landscape.”

“And I can’t even see dead changelings anymore, boss.”

I randomly move few branches of the nearby undergrowth away.

“Riiight in this bush.”

“Awww...”

“I can… feel them. Yes, there are less of them, but still far too many. It seems like the weakest ones dropped off immediately, and whoever survived the Badlands flight had a good chance of making it.”

“This doesn’t look like a ‘good’ chance to me.”

“Better than what the others got.”

“...unngh...”

The drone rushes off through the veil of leaves and bushes.

“Boss, boss, this one is alive!”

“Ow… ow… ow… you really didn’t have to run away like that. Trudging through this is even worse than walking back home. Ow… ow… ow… oh...”

There indeed is a spiky warrior changeling lying in the grass next to the up and down bouncing drone. Part of him. Good seventy percent of a changeling I would say. No, that's not supposed to be good.

“...hrrrgh...”

“His foreleg is missing, one eye is a gooey mess, most of his head is broken chitin and green flesh, and he’s been speared through by a branch.”

“But he’s still alive! Aren’t warriors cool?”

There is love flowing through the warrior clearly on the brink of death, more then my drone companion and I have put together. That’s not saying much, since we’re about to drop in few more hours too.

“You can help him, boss, right?”

Oh hey, the missing leg is up there in the canopy.

“Uhh, how? It’s a miracle he didn’t bleed out already, and he’s clearly mostly braindead. There’s no way I can- I… I can help him. I can stop the pain.”

“See, boss? I knew you were amazing.”

“Turn around, please.”

“Oh, why?”

“Secret top-tier changeling powers.”

“You can do that?!”

“Yeah, totally.”

He turns away as I touch the dying warrior’s head with my horn. There’s no way all this love should be wasted on keeping him barely alive and in agony for hours. Who knows? Perhaps he was responsible for some of the drone corpses we passed.

“I’m done.”

“Great, what’s our new friend’s- boss, he’s not moving.”

“I told you I’d stop his pain, not that I would save him. Even if I had enough energy, I wouldn’t know how. At least this way he didn’t suffer while wasting away.”

“He’s in a better place now, where nothing hurts and ponies are trusting and love a lot. He doesn’t even have to transform anymore to get food, but he can if he wants to.”

“Where did you get that bullsh- that idea?”

“I think the queen said it once when she visited the hatchery. She said that if you die you go to heaven so you shouldn’t be afraid to do what the hive needs you to do.”

“...this guy is about as old as I am. Chrysalis wasn’t raising new hive members in the last clutches, she was raising a dumb, trusting suicide horde. She was fine with the amount of high-tier changelings she already had...”

I really can’t tell the guy that.

“Yes, yes. He’s currently feeding off of some pony princess in changeling heaven. Totally.”

“Good job, boss. I’m sure he’ll thank you if you ever meet there.”

“Yeeeeeeeeah… suuuure, let's not rush there. Hey, you know what? You’ve been a great helper and I’m certain you’re hungry. Do you want a drop or two?”

“But you’re hurt, boss, and you said you were nearly out yourself.”

“I... I found out it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I still can’t heal myself, but my stomach isn’t cramping anymore. Come closer.”

It only takes some focus, but my stubby horn lets out few puffs of pink steam which are immediately absorbed by his.

“Woooo, I feel so much better!”

“Really? I didn’t give you that much.”

“Absolutely! My stomach still hurts, but I don’t see blurry anymore and it doesn’t sting when I breathe.”

Internal facehoof initiated.

“Next time you’re about to pass out, please tell me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you too much since you’re the boss and I’m just a drone.”

“Well, I need you to help me keep moving. I don’t want to have to carry you if you drop due to exhaustion.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll stay where I lie down and wait until you come back with help.”

How can you trust another changeling after what you’ve seen in past hours? There’s no reason for me to ever return for you if you’re not useful.

“Let’s just go.”

Not even ten minutes of carefully choosing the least painful forest path later, we arrive to a clearing.

“T-there’s blood everywhere, b-boss. A-a-and two dead warriors.”

“I’m afraid the dead ones are the least of our problems.”

There’s a queen-tier warrior changeling sitting with her back against a tree, watching us with narrowed eyes. Her chitin is full of cracks and bloodied, and I can feel very little love inside her, but despite that she still looks dangerous. Top warriors can supposedly do amazing things with almost no energy, and this one feels like a single-digit.

“Who... are... you…?”

She definitely doesn’t sound friendly.

21: Onwards to goodbyes!

“Are you enjoying this?” asks Ten before entering the town hall, “I mean, spying on me. I’m not gonna betray you since you’re my best bet of getting out of here and into Canterlot.”

”I’m killing time, Ten, and observing how ponies react to us. I can’t simply walk out in the open, no matter what the Mayor said, and Eight is busy in the cellar.”

“That’s where you should be then- HI, Inkwell!” Ten stop muttering, lets the door close behind him, and approaches the momentarily blushing receptionist.

“Uh, hello Slipstream, Glowstick. Reports again? Has it been another week?”

“Hello, miss Inkwell,” Three waves at her, careful not to drop the filled binder on his back.

Inkwell’s ears splay back, her hooves tapping a nervous melody on her work desk.

“Does it mean… that you’re free tonight?”

“I wanted to go buy some more crayons with miss-” Ten shoves his fetlock into Three’s mouth, and says in a low tone:

“I’m a horribly busy… pony, and I could use a good receptionist to help me arrange my time better,” he leans in to Inkwell, “Hey, Three, go give the Mayor the reports. I’m gonna have a short chat with Inkwell here about… evening scheduling lessons.”

“Okay, Ten,” he trots off upstairs.

By now, Inkwell is positively melting under Slipstream’s breath tickling her muzzle.

“Do we have to wait until the evening?” she breathes out slowly.

“What’s in that closet behind you?” Ten nods to the side hallway leading deeper into the building.

“Copying room.”

“Soundproof?”

“Very!” Inkwell grabs a notice reading ‘5 minute break’, and tosses it carelessly on her desk.

”Have fun, Ten.”

I grin to myself, and jump into Three’s head.

It’s shockingly easy by now. I get the feeling that if I focused a bit more I could speak to both of them at the same time.

Humming a quiet tune, the drone knocks on the Mayor’s door.

“Come in!”

As Three enters, I realize this might actually be the first time I don’t see Hun by the pony’s side.

“Good evening, Glowstick.”

“Evening, mister Mayor. I’ve got the weekly reports from Ten and Eight here. Ten is busy downstairs with miss Inkwell, something about copying schedules or… I’m not sure, to be honest,” he drops the binder on the Mayor’s desk, “Here you go! How’s miss Hun?”

“Uhh, who?”

“Your mare… pony-”

”The changeling who wrapped him around her hoof.”

“-the chan- am I supposed to say that, boss?-”

”Say wife.”

“-wife. Thanks, boss.”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Glowstick. Literally, it sounds as if you’re talking to two ponies and yourself at once.”

“Sorry, mister Mayor. The boss is in my head, listening in. He doesn’t want to go out too much, saying he’d scare ponies who don’t know about him.”

“I see. And the wife thing?”

“Umm, this pegasus mare called Hun?”

“Never heard the name.”

“She-”

”Let it go, Three.”

Huh, so it’s clear that Hun was a changeling and after we got discovered she covered her tracks and left. Considering she managed to influence everypony involved with us, there wouldn’t be much point in looking for her. She proved clearly that she was an infiltrator way above my Ten, since he had no idea what was even going on when we got confronted.

Did Chrysalis set up a safety net before the invasion in case it failed? No, that’s impossible. That’s not her at all, neither the forethought, nor the caring.

A neutral changeling who escaped from the hive long time ago living here? Possibly, as that would explain the extent of her control over the ponies, but I doubt she would disappear if that was the case.

Another survivor from Canterlot who landed around here before we arrived? It’s all guesswork, but I’d go with this one. However, why would she bother helping? Changelings ARE assholes, no way around it.

Are they? Eight is great, weird and with motives of her own, but great. Ten… kinda reinforces the whole asshole thing. Three is a drone, and drones are alright.

Grrr, NOW I could use the hive pile’s knowledge, and I’m getting nothing.

Asspile.

“-nevermind. Can I help you with something, mister Mayor? I’m not supposed to be walking around town on my own in case there are Royal Guards in disguise, and Ten is busy filling some forms… I think.”

”Filling Inkwell more likely.”

“Like with more ink, boss?”

”Uhh, sure. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

“Okay. Sorry, mister Mayor. The boss said he won’t interrupt anymore unless it’s really important.”

“You could fetch me something from the kitchen downstairs. Do you know how to make tea?”

“Uhh, I think I remember that one from the book I got. I stand up on my hind legs like this, then spread my forelegs like this. Right? Or is that a Y?”

The corners of Mayor’s mouth twitch.

“I mean tea ponies drink. Dried leaves in hot water.”

“That potted plant looks pretty dry,” Three points to a doubtlessly suffering flora specimen in the corner of the office.

“Alright!” the Mayor raises his foreleg and voice, “Go down to the kitchen grab a pitcher or something, fill it with water- COLD water, and pour it over the soil in the flower pot. Can you do that?”

“Sure thing, mister Mayor!”

“King...” I hear a strained voice, immediately losing connection with Three and jumping off of the couch.

Eight is in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Her belly is absurdly distended, reaching under her knees.

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?

Did I completely miss it? She was disguised as Truncheon most of the time, but I must have seen her… physically I mean.

Didn’t I?

I was mentally jumping between my companions, and sleeping a lot.

I didn’t really see Eight for over a week, did I?

Holes damn it!

“Are you okay, Eight?” I rush over, helping to keep the strained changeling steady, “You don’t look okay. You look very much NOT okay. What-”

She puts her nose to mine, shutting me up.

“Cellar. We can’t make mess… here… hnngh...” she grits her teeth, slowly turning around and careful not to trip, “I could use some help… unloading...”

The damn staircase.

“What now?” I panic, “Do I shake you so that they fall out easier?!”

Okay, drone! You’ve been around broodmares about to lay eggs before, both changeling ones and the precious few captured ponies. They need care, they need love, they DEFINITELY SHOULDN’T BE MOVING!

“Right here, Eight!” I order, getting a grip on myself and making sure she doesn’t slip on the last step She obediently spreads her legs into some crippled version of a squat.

“Hnnngh...” she closes her eyes, her whole body tensing up to push.

We don’t have soft goop where she can lie down, and I don’t have the time to make some fast… or knowledge, to be frank. Fine, more love it is then. Touching her horn with mine, I let the love flow from me to her with utmost care. The last thing she needs now is having to focus on balancing the incoming energy as well.

This isn’t how it was done in the hive. There, the broodmothers already looking more like limp egg sacks than changelings were able to easily contain far more mass than Eight, and let the eggs easily slip out. The surviving pony ones stretched into unnatural proportions as well who had been used for years mostly only whimpered, if even that. There were no complications, no love needed to make the laying easier.

Eight… Eight is in pain. I feel the echo of her suffering in my mind through the link between us.

The first egg is out.

Less pain now, more calm.

Another one.

No pain anymore, only relaxation and pleasant stretching.

And another one.

“Mmmmmm...” Eight moans, smile growing on her muzzle. Is she… enjoying it now?

Two more eggs slip out in succession.

“Aaaaaaah!”

I have to break the mental link so that at least I can think clearly while Eight is boiling in pleasure. She’s trembling and moaning, letting egg after egg out with wet squelching.

“I’m pretty sure I’m not needed here at this point,” I mumble, taking a step back.

“You could choke me with your ovipositor while I let out the last few eggs, allowing me to breathe only when I’m a good pet, and then immediately refill my belly so much that this time I wouldn’t move at all. Afterwards, you could chain me to the radiator and use me like a toy,” Eight’s eyes are rolled back, but the wild grin on her muzzle only grows as she heavily breathes out the words, shivering all over.

“Toy? You mean like the plushie Three got from Inkwell and which he now hugs in his sleep, or his colouring books?”

With one final egg dropping on the messy green pile, Eight comes down from her high and stands back up.

“Mmmm… now I get why broodmothers love this so much,” she turns to me, tilting her head, then shaking it, “You just be yourself, my King. I could use a little breather- whoah!”

Her foreleg fails to support her weight when she tries to take the first step up from the cellar. I catch her and guide her fall into a partially controlled sit.

Hmm, something is wrong with the eggs. Only one of them is a glowing blob of love. All of the others are…

“Empty,” Eight notices me looking, “We’ll have to work on your self-control.”

“Drones never breed, we aren’t built to breed! There is no reason for us to do so.”

Eight chuckles quietly.

“Well, warriors usually aren’t broodmothers either, but we’ll make it work. I can’t wait,” she pushes herself up again with a grunt, “Both the filling, and the laying.”

“So where do we put the-”

The only living egg cracks.

“What’s wrong now?” I groan.

Nothing, you pathetic excuse of a leader! There is enough love around, so the larva doesn’t need to absorb some ambient scraps of energy for days before hatching.

“Hmm,” Eight stumbles over to the white grub that starts munching on the broken bits of the egg it just crawled out off, “Seems okay. Hungry, definitely.”

“Should I give it more love?”

“Why are you asking me? I was born as a warrior, not a caretaker, and without access to the chapters of hive mind knowledge I’ve never needed before I can only guess.”

“You’ve got at least SOME experience! I just carried the eggs where they told me.”

“Then this is going to be a learning experience for both of us. If it fails, You know I’m always up for a refill.”

“You’re enjoying this far more than anyone would expect.”

“I just do what’s best for the new hive,” she winks at me, “Or you’re just THAT addictive, my King.”

I look away. No one could handle Eight’s hungry glare.

“Uhh, what happened to the eggs?” I blink, staring in disbelief at the gooey mess with just one bright green crystalline blob on the floor, “Did we break something?”

Larvae, swarming by thousands greedily devour their own eggs and any remains of those belonging to the weak ones who get pushed aside. They immediately throw up, forming green cocoons around themselves. Dozens of ponies are shackled on the sides of the huge breeding cavern, all positively gushing venom-forced love draining into the fresh cocoons. Minutes later, a new army of infiltrators and warriors is born, ready to devour the pony world.

This is how it is NORMALLY supposed to be, not this pathetic waiting and slow care. Take resources, spawn more soldiers, form their minds, finally enact our revenge for Celestia’s abominable heresy.

The blob cracks, and a fresh changeling drone pops out, still with a bit of solid goop on its small head. I feel a fresh mind opening for me, and estabilish a link on instinct.

I expected something like Three, but this feels different. Inexperienced, confused, and not developed yet, but definitely not sluggish. It doesn’t know words yet, and still I can feel it instinctively bowing before me and strengthening the mental link on its own.

Physically, the drone looks rather strange. It’s a changeling alright, though slender, long-legged, which it must have taken after Eight, and its chitin is heavily streaked with grey bits.

It stares at me, head slightly tilted.

“Eight, any ideas?”

She nods, stepping forward.

“Drone, shapeshift.”

With a burst of green fire, the drone shifts into a young mare, teenage maybe, I’m not an expert on ponies. Grey and black with aqua pony eyes, but still a pony.

Great, a fresh drone can do what I can’t.

And with another ‘poof’ she turns back. I sense her intent not to waste energy, liking the little critter already.

“Checks out,” Eight shrugs, “I guess name is in order then.”

“Four.”

“...come again...”

“I said her name would be Four. She’s a drone like Three, and I’m keeping the two slots open just in case,” I explain.

“No,” Eight coughs, “I mean that now that I’m lower rank than TWO drones, I’m not sure whether to be angry or come again.”

Pervert.

Can that even apply to changelings? We’re kinda love and lust predators.

There are worse ones. FAR worse. It comes with the territory.

Holes help me...

“Aaanyway, what do you think about her?”

Eight walks straight up to Four, and pokes her side.

“Eee- ehah?” Four’s eyes widen in shock, she flails her legs, trying to keep balance, runs to the side to control her fall, and eventually keels over, “Oww...”

Eight, clearly taken aback by the almost comical performance, just stands there, mouth agape.

Four stands up, her eyes cross, and stumbles again, this time luckily not falling.

“Dzz...” she tries to say something, “Diz- zee?” and after taking a deep breath, and a desperate look, she adds a proper explanation, “Dizzy.”

Eight pokes Four again, this time catching her as she easily loses balance.

“Mentally, she’s okay. Physically, not so much. I’d say she’s the similar to Three, only the exact opposite.”

“What do you mean?”

“Three is physically in a great shape for a drone now that he’s well fed. Mentally, he’s… you know. Chrysalis wanted him to be like that. I’m not sure how molding new changelings works from the king’s perspective, and by not sure I mean I have absolutely no idea, but if I were to hazard a guess I would say that deep down you didn’t want some new drone to end up like Three. This is what you got.”

I shuffle close to Four calmly watching me as if she had nothing to do but to wait for my orders, which is likely the case.

I softly poke her.

“Huh?” she stumbles backwards, grabbing my foreleg with hers for support.

Poor, unfinished creature.

“Drones shouldn’t be in charge...” I whisper.

“A-hem!” Eight clears her throat, “She lacks coordination, physical strength, or durability. I would heavily advise against using her as a warrior eventually. However, if we require an infiltrator, perhaps when we might have to get rid of Ten, she could be an alternative. One preferable to Three, to be honest.”

I hate to agree, but I’d hang before ordering Three to stop learning about infiltration from Ten.

“What do YOU want to be, Four?”

She looks around, carefully raising each of her legs.

“Drone,” with utmost focus, she maintains balance on three legs as she scoops an uneaten quarter of an egg with one foreleg, “Can carry.”

I catch her as she begins keeling over. The determination never leaves her scrunched muzzle, though.

“We’ll… think of something. Eight?”

“Yes, King?”

“Are you in any shape to show her around? If she can transform she can go outside. Evening like now might be a good time.”

“I’m okay. The laying was a bit of a surprise, but I’m absolutely fine.”

“Then go for it. Do you need more love?”

“With one more mouth to feed, I wouldn’t go around overcharging others too much if I were you. Don’t worry, we’ll be alright.”

***

”Ten?”

He jerks awake, then pulls the blanket over… Inkwell, of course.

“You know, an hour ago I would have been really pissed off by this.”

”We’re leaving tomorrow.”

He gets off of the bed, walking through an apartment I don’t know.

“Where?”

”Canterlot.”

“Why the sudden change of mind? Weren’t you against going straight into the danger zone?”

”Yeah, but I got an insight into the hive mind when Four hatched. They want an army like they used to have. They want to keep conquering again, I don’t.”

“Obviously. We’ve known that, though, for a while.”

”Eight says I need more changelings to spread the hive mind’s load between. The problem is that now that Eight gave birth to Four, they are pleased with my growth and are trying to gain control over me faster. My approach accidentally worked in exactly the way they needed. We gained love the new way, they just want to use it to get an army and power the old way.”

“You’re not giving me a good case for staying with you instead of getting the hole out of here on my own.”

”You want to get to Canterlot, and after I thought about it I need to get there too. There’s a better chance of some changelings surviving your magic explosion there than those who dropped down like a comet in the middle of nowhere like you did.”

“You’re missing the point that ponies would kill them all. I’m expecting changeling heads on spikes all around the city.”

”I’m expecting prisoners.”

“YOU WANT TO-” he shoves a hoof into his mouth, “You want to go to Canterlot, infiltrate the Royal Guard, and then snatch possible changeling prisoners from under Celestia’s nose?!”

”Well, nopony would think anyone would be stupid enough to try that.”

“I AGREE with them!”

”I’ll tell Eight to inform the Mayor later, you spend what time you have left with Inkwell. Or do you want to stay here with her? I won’t stop you.”

He huffs indignantly.

“Me? With a commoner? Don’t make fun of me just because you’re temporarily in charge. Now get out of my head.”

Slowly releasing the link, the last thing I see is Ten staring at sleeping Inkwell and mumbling:

“Holes damn it…!”

***

Disguised, equipped with saddlebags and even a sword in case of Eight, and carrying supplies for the trip, we head off to Canterlot.

Of course, not without a gift to those who fed and supported us, even if not completely of their own free will.

I don’t know the details, but I ordered Ten to screw with Truncheon’s and Slipstream’s heads, making them want nothing more than to resign and move to some far away place the Mayor suggested called Vanhoover.

With my head heavy, and not only due to the coat covering me from horn to tail, I follow Ten equipped with a map of Equestria full of resting spots and safer routes.

Our goal - Canterlot.

Hive mind is hungry.

The clock is ticking.

29: Into the upper sewers!

An alert inside my head wakes me up, and I immediately tap into the surprised mind of Three. In the next instant I’m looking through his eyes, and into the golden ones of One.

”What’s up, Three?”

”Hello, snack,” One tilts her head, examining Three.

”Boss? I think she wants to eat me,” the drone takes a step away from the vastly taller changeling.

”A changeling fairly full of love, a drone on top of it. It’s been a long time since I saw that.”

”Umm, I can share some, miss… but who are you?”

”Share some?” she shows Three her wide, needle smile, ”I could eat you all up, little drone.”

”Boss? Should I call miss Eight? I don’t think this lady likes me.”

One darts in and licks his nose. Three yelps and falls on his butt.

”But I DO like you. So much that I could suck you dry on the spot.”

”Uh… I don’t think boss would want that.”

”Three, mind if I take control for a moment?”

"Sure thing, boss," he touches my mind lightly. Is he learning to communicate like the others?

I take a step in Three’s small hooves.

”One, stop scaring him. If you want some love, you can share, but don’t forget that what’s a little lick to you might completely-”

”Drain him? Of course I know. I’m just playing, fake king,” she answers, completely unfazed by my takeover, ”I’m working with Four right now, and I need to pass time somehow. Mind returning the drone? He’s fun.”

”One’s on probation, Three. If she does something too weird, just tell Eight and she’ll sort things out. Oh, and if she asks you to take the ring on her horn off, tell me or Eight immediately.”

"Sure thing, boss."

Three hugs One’s leg. Her eyes bulge.

”You said you wanted some love, right? Boss said I could share, and I’ve got enough, I think.”

Tapping into One, I send a warning.

”He’s a small drone, One. Both he and I have very bad experience with high ranks. Be careful.”

"Yes yes yes."

She’s already kissing absolutely stunned Three’s scrunched nose, taking away his energy with surprising care. He quickly goes limp in her one-legged embrace, and she pulls away.

”Happy, snack? I know I am.”

”Whmmmhm,” Three’s making some strange, confused tapdance with his forelegs, not really focusing on anything.

Alright, time to stop messing around.

”How long was I out?”

"Twenty-eight hours."

”One, can you not answer when I’m talking to someone else?”

"Your conversations via the hive link are to me as if you were talking normally. Is it different for you?"

”Yes, I need to transmit to others one by one unless I specifically focus to say things to everyone.”

"Hmm, I guess I shouldn’t expect much from you then. Anyway, you got your answer. However, mass communication is extremely useful when planning something, maybe something such as the breaking into the Royal Guard prison?"

How did she know that’s what I was going to ask about next?

Nevermind.

”Everyone, Three is back with the mine plans. Can you come back here? I don’t want to waste our energy talking in this fashion.”

"Give me an hour, King. I’m busy harvesting. By the way, did One already stage a coup and is eating your brain?" asks Eight.

I ignore her snide remark.

"I’m on the way back already, boss, and I’ve got some real love for you all," announces Four.

“I’m already here, boss,” says Three out loud, watching me as I sit up from my new sleeping corner.

“Now, let’s see how resourceful you really are,” One looks straight at me.

“Three,” I nod at him, “Did you find a way in?”

“Yes, boss, and even more. I can lead you to-hey!” he shakes his head, looking around, “What’s going on?”

“Calm down,” One rolls her eyes, “I’m inside your head. Stop resisting and I’ll show you something interesting.”

“Okay, miss One,” he quietly sits down next to her.

Moments later, I can feel One’s presence inside my head, reaching deep and putting something in.

All of a sudden, I know exactly where Three’s been, and I know the layout of the tunnels as if it was me who scouted it.

“This will make explaining the route easier,” One winks at me, “I’m transmitting to Four as well. Oh, and Eight too, no matter how much she’s trying to stop me,” she grins, “Heh, warriors...”

"I’ll break your horn off this time and shove it so far up your ass no one will spot any difference!"

Eight’s mental threat goes unanswered.

“Three, go on,” I gesture at Three to continue.

“Alright, boss.”

One walks behind me, sits down, and wraps her forelegs around my barrel. The next thing I feel is my link to everyone strengthen immensely, but also take far less power to maintain. I know Three’s next real words will be resonating within every mind I’m connected to along with the tunnel complex map.

”Four’s information was right. The mining tunnels lead all the way up to upper Canterlot sewers. All we need to do is go into the central shaft, walk about halfway up, and follow a certain tunnel directly to the sewer system. I found more tunnels connected to it, but they have been boarded up and I didn’t want to draw attention by breaking the walls or barricades. If we want to, we can get to the upper sewers from more places that way. The entire eastern edge of the sewers, I think, belongs to the castle. It took me a while to crawl through everything as a spider, but I got it. I found the prison. I even spent few hours around the other changelings in case I triggered some alarm, and nothing happened. We can get there if we’re tiny and can crawl up a vertical pipe. They are being held in separate cells, and there’s…” he stops for a moment to think, shortly looking at his hooves, counting, and then blushing, “thirty-two of them. I don’t know how we’re supposed to get the others out, boss. They’re in a really bad shape,” Three sighs, “Little more than shells. I doubt we can pump them with enough love to make everyone transform. Changing into something so small takes a lot of love.”

“Hmmm...” I hum. What to do? What to do? “One, any ideas?”

”Me? Are you asking your prisoner for help?”

“One, you’re not a prisoner. I hope you can be a friend, but for now you’re almost making me goop myself whenever you show me something new you can do.”

”Ooh, I like that,” she smiles, and licks my ear, “Ideas, ideas… are the changelings hurt, or just empty? Any high ranks?”

"Both hurt and starving, miss One, and I don’t think there’s any changeling like you or miss Eight there,” frowns Three.

One clicks her teeth.

”Four is returning with a lot of real love. Hah!” she laughs out of nowhere, “And your watchdog is practically brimming with lust, trying to one up my teachings. She must have boned half of Canterlot to get that much. Kinda impressive, even I must admit. We’ve got few options. One, we can keep the raw love for ourselves to be as powerful as possible in case something goes wrong. Then we use Eight’s lust to temporarily overcharge the low ranks so that they can transform. We get them here safely, and then decide on our next step. After the pure lust runs out, some will die of exhaustion, but we’ll be alright. Option two, we combine our love with lust to create a vast quantity of proper nourishing energy, and then we feed the prisoners over the course of several days to make them recover. It will be risky, and we won’t have any real burst power in case of trouble, but I’m pretty sure all prisoners will survive the extraction. I… wouldn’t recommend this one. I’ve gone through Three’s memories and looked for any signs of power, and most of the changelings won’t be of any major use. The investment of time and energy compared to their possible use is… heavily disproportional. Third option is to use our love to feed them, heal them quickly, and get them out. This is the easiest route which will keep all of the prisoners alive. However, this brings the obvious problem of them being well-fed instead of us. If they choose to eat us as an easy source of more energy, it won’t be easy to fight them off. If I wanted to bother with rescuing others at all, I’d choose option one. It’s the smart choice.”

“Eight?” I ask, knowing she can hear me even if I talk normally.

"I hate to agree with the changeling who will inevitably betray and kill us. Using our precious resources for shreds of information that might not even help us isn’t a good idea. I say we lust them up, and keep the ones who survive around to help with your hive mind problem."

“Hive mind problem?” One raises an eyebrow, squeezing me tighter.

“Later,” I try to pry her off of myself, which she answers by wrapping her hind legs around my belly as well. Breathing gets significantly harder. After a moment her grip on me eases up, “Three, what do you think?”

”I don’t know, boss. I’d like to help as many friends as I can, but we both know the higher ranks aren’t too nice,” he looks at One, examining her from head to the hind legs binding me, ”On the other hole, miss Eight is awesome, and miss One seems to like you too. I think we should feed the prisoners properly and get them out as safely as we can. After all, even if ponies realize something is going on, we’ll likely know more about the situation than them and can change the plan.”

The door opens, and Four enters, dropping her unicorn disguise. She’s practically glowing with love, real love with barely any venom behind it. I’m drooling, and I can’t help myself at all.

“Four?”

”Normally, I’d agree with Three, but after the mess miss One and I made with the guards, they might get suspicious as soon as they find ANYTHING out of place. Maybe we can use the better part of the presented options, and combine them. We rush in, charge the prisoners with lust, an in case some start collapsing, we give them a good helping of love? I’ve got loads. I can barely hold it."

”Don’t worry, I can take care of that.”

“Back off, One.”

She freezes, letting out a quiet growl only I can hear. Nothing more happens, though.

“One, is Four’s solution possible? You know the most about changeling anatomy and health,” I ask despite her apparent disagreement.

"Says who? I know exactly where to punch for maximum pain. I offer a demonstration for both you and One as soon as I get back," Eight growls.

Once again, her input is left unanswered.

”In theory, it could work,” One admits, ”It wouldn’t save the weakest ones who collapse, but it might save… some. It’s not worth it, though. Not at all. If you want information, I could copy the prisoners’ minds through Four well enough to gain a good idea about what happened.”

“I must save them, One. It’s connected to the ‘hive mind problem’ Eight mentioned. We’re going with Four’s idea.”

”You’re making me extremely curious,” she squeezes me harder and bites my neck.

“You know what? I’ll tell you all about it if you stop chewing on me. We need to wait for Eight anyway.”

The terrifying teeth leave my chitin.

”I am one big ear.”

***

“Wait, WHAT?!” yells One, “I EARNED it! I EARNED most of it!”

Furious One standing and screaming in my face is pretty scary. The only reason I’m not running away is that I’m surrounded by everyone else, and I’m at least sixty percent sure Eight would punch One in the face rather than me.

“One, I know you earned the love. You and Four, but you won’t be going on the rescue mission. Eight, Four, and Three will.”

”I used MY experience and knowledge for which I risked MY life over and over in the hive. The love is MINE! Fill them with lust your whorse dog brought if you must, but I DESERVE the love!”

“One, I am giving up most of what I’ve got as well. I don’t need it, they do.”

”You stupid creature! I was responsible for your survival in the hive, for the survival of ALL OF YOU. I and infiltrators directly under me worked day after day so that our workers had at least SOME love to spread among you. I saved your sorry asses in Wet Soil! I WANT MY LOVE!”

”So, do I finally get to kill her?” asks Eight with a grin.

”Don’t you DARE touch me, warrior,” One snarls at her, “Ring or not, I will make you eat your fake king.”

One forgot to break the link between all of us off, so I know that she can’t do that, and that Eight’s treat genuinely scared her.

“Eight, no,” I sigh, “One, calm down. I told you my reasoning, and I think it’s sound.”

”Screw your reasons! You’re just playing favorites.”

Focusing, I draw some love from Four, and give it to One. She calms down a little, but never looks away from Eight who is watching her with an amused grin showing her fangs. Considering how much love and lust she’s got inside her, I don’t doubt that right now she could rip One in half.

”Alright, alright,” One starts pacing back and forth, then she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, ”I may have… overreacted a little.”

”You do realize that if you did this in front of Chrysalis you’d be dead by now, right?” sneers Eight, ”And speaking of playing favourites, who did you sleep with to get the top rank?”

“EVERYONE! That’s my job, you muscle-for-brains. I worked hard for my rank. It took me centuries to get it. You will NOT spout this nonsense again,” One’s voice ends in a venomous hiss, ”You can’t imagine what I endured to get that power. You think rank eight is something? You. Are. A. WORM! PATHETIC LITTLE NOTHING!”

“ENOUGH!” I interrupt Eight taking a breath to doubtlessly egg One on even more. Both of them look at me, making the situation suddenly extremely dangerous. Where and when did I get the courage to stare two of the highest ranks down? Either of them can quickly and very physically remind me that I’m just some drone who got forcibly transformed without knowledge or power,“We are here to rescue the invasion survivors before ponies torture them and learn too much about us changelings. I know neither of you particularly cares about us low ranks, but I do. Someone has to. You both agreed to go along with it, so now shut it and do what you must to make sure this operation succeeds! One, I don’t doubt that we’ll be running away from Canterlot afterwards, so you are free to leave if you want when this is done, I promise,” I have to try really hard not to allow my voice to tremble.

“Wooo, go boss!” Three cheers for my suicidal courage.

To my surprise, it’s One who reacts first, clearing her throat.

“I may have overreacted a little, as I said, but you’ve got long way to go if you want to earn my trust, fake king. For now, I will help you, but I expect you to fill me to the brim as soon as you can,” she playfully snaps her jaws in front of my muzzle.

“I’ll make sure no one is starving, and THEN I can indulge your need for love as much as you want,” I look straight into her eyes.

”Huh, who’s talking about love?”

”HEY, that’s my line!” objects Eight, ”I am number two of this hive-”

Oh, great. Drones aren’t allowed to even think about breeding, but once you grow a belly plate, all the mares grow crazy. Damn high ranks…

Although considering what Eight is into… One… oh holes...

I shudder, recalling those blurry moments in the cellar under Trunechon’s house.

”Agreed, you definitely are a steaming pile of horsesh-” sneers One.

”Okay, that’s it! I’ll show you how warriors deal with minor inconveniences like you.”

”Oh bring it on!” laughs One.

Amidst the furious threats, I hear a faint:

”Should we do something?” from my little infiltrator.

Four, standing next to Three, is looking from her spot by the closest window at the two big changelings snarling at one another. Thankfully, they haven’t unleased the apocalypse yet.

”I dun wanna die...” sqeaks Three.

“A-HEM!” I raise my voice. To my complete astonishment, One and Eight look at me again. I nod towards the cellar stairs, “Rescuing the survivors, remember? You know, the big PLAN.”

Eight straightens up, and salutes:

“Three, Four, let’s go!”

“One?” I ask.

”With that thing on my horn,” she carefully pokes the suppressor, ”I can’t do much. Still, faker here can’t make a proper link so I will be connecting all of you. When you’re inside the upper sewers, we’ll estabilish the communications. No need to waste energy while you’re just running through the mines.”

“Good luck, everyone,” I smile at the leaving trio.

Finally, silence. Nothing moves for some time, and the only thing I can hear is One’s breathing as she once again sits behind me and wraps her forelegs around my barrel. We simply wait as minutes pass.

”Hmm, they are finally far enough,” mumbles One, and I immediately feel her searching presence inside my head.

I can’t push her away.

Suddenly…

“Aaargh!” my eyes cross from the pain from behind my forehead. My nose starts bleeding, and I can barely focus with the agonizing pounding in my skull, “Whah?”

One doesn’t let me keel over.

”Just making sure you stay true to your word, fake king. Thanks to me, you almost had enough real love to fix that little part of your damaged brain that allowed you to shapshift. But what then? What would you do when you no longer needed your underlings for survival? Would you simply find a pony to replace, and disappear? Now you can’t.”

“Owwww… what?” I groan, clutching my head as another spike of pain shoots through it.

”I destroyed your shapeshifting ability for good. I had to wait until the others were too far to stop me, or too far for you to quickly show them what I was doing,” she stands up, circling around me.

“So… what now…?” I stand up to face her, tears streaming from my eyes. The best I can do is resist whatever One wants to do for a second or two while standing, “Are you going to eat me?”

”Oh no,” she waves her foreleg dismissively, ”What happens now is entirely up to you. You can connect to others, and tell them what I did, in which case I’ll simply walk away as your potential enemy. OR you can stay quiet about this, everything will keep going as it was. None of them have to know that the new reason why you won’t ever be able to shapeshift is me, and I will keep helping you with your silly rescue plan.”

“But… why did you do it?” I croak, slowly gaining control over myself through the pain.

”Consider it an ‘insurance policy’ against your fear and possible selfishness. Without your happy little troupe, you’re dead. Ponies fear us, griffons despise us, minotaurs kill us on sight. Without an escape plan, you don’t have much choice but to work around your group, fake king. Rule, or starve.”

She’s right in saying that from practical standpoint nothing changes right now. My endgame does, though… all I wanted was to get rid of the hive mind, and heal enough to hide and feed among ponies.

Alright, alright, don’t panic! Take it one breath at a time.

THINK!

One, right now it’s important to stop ponies from learning enough about us to use some blanket magic to uncover any hiding changelings. Two, according to Eight’s plan, I need more changelings to help me protect myself against the hive mind. Three, no one deserves to endure the torture of slow starvation and go insane from it.

That means the rescue operation is still the foremost priority.

“One, link us. We’ve got changelings to save.”

”As you wish, fake king.”

Immediately, I’m seeing everything the three changelings are. It’s confusing at first, but it seems I’m made for it now, so after few minutes I stop suffering from the effects of ‘being’ in five places at once, and simply become them.

I understand. I am the hive, and they are my eyes, ears, and limbs.

39: Together, facing a raid boss.

Windstorm, Hoofcrusher, Unbreakable, Xz’lat the Omnipotent, and the daughter of the fairy queen herself Glitterdust, the heroes of Equestria about whom many ballads had been written, stopped when Glitterdust’s outfit got once again tangled in a bush.

“Damn it, Bright Shine-” cursed Glitterdust, trying to free herself for the thousandth time.

The other unicorn hissed at her.

“XZ’LAT the Omnipotent, Glitter!” he waved his levitating runic staff of arcane power menacingly, “Why didn’t you cut the flowy bits off anyway? You knew this would be a forest mission.”

“You said a castle! You don’t get your ‘flowy bits’ stuck in a castle all the time, otherwise old princesses wouldn’t be wearing dresses all the time,” Glitterdust pouted, finally able to move again after a quick telekinetic assistance.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of princess Celestia in a dress. All she wears are those golden jewels with amethysts-”

“PRINCESSES WEAR DRESSES!” screeched Glitterust, her stare burning holes in the other unicorn.

Windstorm poked Xz’lat’s side.

“Let’s move. I don’t know if it’s a timberwolf or something else, but I swear I feel eyes on me.”

That feeling didn’t leave Windstorm until they finally saw the crumbled castle wall. That was when Xz’lat cleared his throat, and pronounced loud and clear:

“This is exactly it, the good old five-pony dungeon, just like in Ogres and Oubliettes. The lady mentioned a warlock and a succubus, so we can expect at least one knight, and possibly some henchponies or undead. He didn’t sound too powerful, so we’ve got a shot. Worst case, we learn the strat and progress the dungeon later on the weekend. If you’re all free, I mean.”

“U-U-Undead?”

“You’re doing that necrophobia drawback really well for a barbarian, Hoofcrusher. Really sets the mood.” Xz’lat winked at the earthpony with the big axe.

“Umm, guys,” Glitterdust levitated up her wand of fairy curses, “Are you sure OnO rules apply to real world? I mean, what if real adventurers don’t get a second chance?”

Everypony gasped at her heretical suggestion. Xz’lat shook his head.

“Nonsense, Glitter. OnO ruleset is based on the experiences of real adventurers in order to provide maximum immersion and authenticity.”

“That’s their sales pitch, definitely...” mumbled Glitter, her worry crushed under the enthusiasm of her party members. The menacing castle ahead, however, made her legs shake. With a determined frown, she lit up her horn to banish the forest shadows.

Stupid castle… scaring her like that…

There probably wasn’t anything inside anyway, and the old mare at the inn was just lying, but Glitter had to admit this would eventually make for a great adventure.

But…

If they did find the Holy Blade of the First Griffon Emperor, whatever it was, somewhere in the ruins of princess Luna’s old castle, they would be real heroes. They would get an audience with the actual princess, maybe both of them. That thought kept her going through the annoying forest, and even go along with Bright Shine’s stupid adventurer name.

“What do we do?” asked Unbreakable, raising his shield, “Charge through the front gate like a proper raid?”

“No no no no no!” Xz’lat shook his head vigorously, “The front entrance is always for the big twenty or even forty-pony raids. Small groups go from the back to prepare the assault. Like the Castle of the Dragon Lord campaign we finally finished last month. We must start small, and then,” his eyes glazed over as he pointed into nowhere, “the proper main event!”

“We don’t have forty ponies,” frowned Glitter, “We never get more than seven players for any adventure. We’d need something like the live action event in Manehattan last year.”

“Oh yeah...” Windstorm grinned, “The mare playing the zebra queen was so hot! I mean-” he corrected himself when Glitter shoot him a dirty glance, “I mean the accuracy of her costume was perfect.”

“I remember you examining the painted stripes up close for a mighty long time,” Glitter narrowed her eyes. Windstorm just shrugged.

“And it survived my scrutiny, making me give the event five stars afterwards. Definitely worth the bits.”

Xz’lat the Omnipotent cleared his throat.

“Once we manage a victory here, we’ll show our friends that we’re not nerds and they’ll want to join too! Imagine, an ancient griffon sword plus some low tier enchanter- I mean a powerful dark mage we can totally take on. Maybe we can even wrest the summoning spell from him, and take his succubus as a servant.”

“Where would you keep her? It’s already bad when we’re doing a long campaign and have to sleep all in your room.”

“Windy- I mean Windstorm has room in the cloud house, don’t you? Or you can always make more.”

“For a succubus? Heck-” he leaned in to Xz’lat’s ear, “You’re sharing the control spell, right?”

“You bet!” the archmage whispered back.

“Heck yeah!” Windstorm announced his decision, making Glitter shake her head.

“Magnificient!” Xz’lat pointed his staff at the nearest hole in the wall, “Onwards then, my brave companions!”

The not too bright day in the forest became even dimmer when the group entered the gloomy castle hallways. Their demeanor changed, all five ponies suddenly looking alert and far more… prepared. Unicorn horns glowed, Unbreakable took the front while Hoofbreaker secured the group’s back, and Windstorm hovered in the air, scouting for traps.

They knew exactly what they were doing. After all, they had done it dozens of times before.

Suddenly, Windstorm stopped, carefully landing on the dusty stones, turned his head, and mouthed:

“Hoofsteps. One.”

Unicorns dimmed their light spells, earthponies gripped their implements, and everyone squinted towards the end of the hallway from where louder and louder hoofsteps were approaching.

“So, I’m an evil henchpony, and the boss said I was supposed to lead the good guys...” a small pony figure came from behind a corner, mumbling to himself, “Hunched back, check. Muttering, check. Evil laughter… hee hee? I should have asked miss Ei- AAH?!” the pony literally jumped on the spot when he noticed the group.

“A goblin pony! GET HIM!” called out Xz’lat in the most commanding tone he could quickly muster.

This was shaping up great! Goblin ponies were the weakest of foes, only dangerous in larger groups, and the castle halls were the best for fighting against larger numbers.

His horn flared, and a bolt of fire flew out of the tip of his staff, charring the stones at the goblin pony’s forehooves. The creature shrieked, immediately darting back from where it came from.

“Follow him!”

The group didn’t need Xz’lat’s order to rush after the goblin.

The first hallway, they caught the glimpse of the goblin already clearing another corner. The second hallway, they lost him completely.

“Damn, he’s quick,” Windstorm gasped for breath after the quick mad flight, “What now? Wait! That door is open, and I’m not hearing any more hoofsteps,” lowering his voice, he flew back to the approaching group, “I think he’s hiding somewhere in there,” he pointed at the door.

“Alright, let’s move,” Xz’lat nodded, “Tanks first.”

The two earthponies grinned at each other before bursting into…

...a large open stone room with a balcony on the other end, and some rotten ponnequins strewn around. An ancient armory plus a training room, perhaps?

Xz’lat immediately knew this was one of the places where to look for an ancient sword.

HOWEVER, the goblin was nowhere to be found. Instead, what waited for them in the center of the open area was a-

“A ch-ch-ch-ch changeling!” yelped Glitter, backing off immediately.

Indeed, an overbearing, broadly-built changeling, all black armor plates, long horn, short, grey crew cut, and additional grey armor plate around his stomach, was standing still, measuring the group with his one blue, unblinking eye.

“We gotta go, we gotta go,” Glitter panicked, “You read what they did to Canterlot. They put ponies into-”

“Pull yourself together,” Xz’lat ground his teeth, the focusing. A moment later, shimmering orange barrier surrounded each member of the group. Glitter took a long breath, shuffling closer to her brother. He struck the ground with the bottom of his staff, making sparks fly from the impact, and pushed forward through the others to have a clear look at the changeling, “You, monster. What do you know about the Holy Blade of the First Griffon Emperor?”

“HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!” booming laughter came from the balcony above, revealing a gorgeous amazonian pegasus wearing a rusty ancient black armor covered in ruined moon symbol and bat wing motif, “How do you like my pet? You’ll have to go through him first if you want the pleasure of facing me. Once I break you, maybe my master will reward me with his loving touch...”

“Did we get it wrong? Is she the boss, and the changeling the servant?” whispered Windstorm to Xz’lat.

“She’s hot as balls too. I’m not complaining,” Xz’lat snickered back, “And a pegasus can fit into your cloud house as well.”

Xz’lat turned to face his compatriots.

“Okay, so the miniboss rules are that unless we aggro him he won’t go after us. So, you know the positions, right?”

Everyone nodded.

“Wait, one more question! Do you have an enrage timer?” Xz’lat wanted to make sure everything about the encounter was clear.

“Yes, that question just halved it,” the pegasus impatiently tapped her hoof against the railing.

“Let’s do this! Tank, go!”

Unbreakable heroically charged towards the changeling who reared on his hind legs, and punched his shield. Even with the protective magic, the crushing blow made Unbreakable back off and yelp in pain.

Hoofbreaker came from the side, making the changeling roll away to dodge the mighty axe blow which made the earthpony himself lose his balance for a moment.

Thankfully, Windstorm was there with a powerful flap of his wings, using the high ceiling to divebomb the rising changeling.

Glitterdust, being the good healer she was, immediately ran towards Unbreakable, casting a mild numbing spell on his shield-holding foreleg before darting back.

“Buy me time!” Xz’lat called out, focusing more and more power into his staff.

The changeling was back on all fours again, swatting Windstorm away, and charging at Hoofbreaker. Glitter had to leave the group’s tank to immediately tend to the pegasus who got the wind knocked out of him with a single attack.

“I was just… careless...” the pegasus groaned when the relaxing magic started flowing from Glitter’s horn to his body.

The changeling reached Hoofbreaker who had to block an uppercut with his axe which unfortunately made him hang by it around the changeling’s hoof. No amount of earthpony kicking made the enemy seemingly made of stone budge, and all Hoofbreaker could do was hold on to his weapon before being flung aside as if he weighed nothing.

“Tank, start tanking!” screamed Glitter.

“Trying to!” Unbreakable charged on his three legs, his shield raised. Finally, his earthpony weight made the changeling stumble a little, and take notice of him, “Uh oh.”

His shield shattered under the wide swing down which sent Unbreakable on the floor.

“Damn it!” Glitter stomped her hoof, sending a telekinetic shove the changeling’s way with zero effect, “Are we gonna wipe on the first miniboss?”

Xz’lat grinned.

“No, we’re not.”

He unleashed his spell - a beam of fire scorching stones and incinerating old ponnequins in its way. The changeling shielded his face. He held second after second.

Then Xz’lat’s magic fizzled, the wizard blinded by the light of the spell as well as by exhausted sweat dripping from his brow. When he tripped over his robe, Glitter was there to catch him.

“Whuh, how?”

When he could think again, he saw the changeling simply standing there, his carapace glowing red.

“WELL DONE, ADVENTURERS. I GUESS YOU ARE WORTH MY TIME!” the pegasus pounced from the balcony, landing on her slender, long legs without wincing despite not spreading her wings to cushion her drop. She nodded to a ponnequin pile on the side of the room from behind which the goblin pony crept out, “Minion, lead my pet away before they break him. Then come back for their… corpses.”

“Yes, miss Eight- I mean,” he thought for a moment, “Dark knight Black Rose.”

He poked the glowing changeling, and hissed when his hoof touched the still burning carapace.

“Come on, Nine.”

“Ow,” said the changeling simply, poking his burning armor too.

The adventurers let the minion and the changeling leave. After all, they were the noble heroes. Their job wasn’t to execute the defenseless, even if they were evil.

“Wohoo, first real boss!” Windstorm pumped his hoof in the air.

Xz’lat blinked out of sync.

“Wait, there’s more?” he was swaying, barely able to stand after such magic expenditure, “Maybe we should retreat for now?”

The door to the armory closed behind them.

“I don’t think so,” Black Rose began advancing towards them.

That woke Xz’lat up. Her bloodthirsty grin made him, for a moment, rethink the idea of adventuring, and settle for something simple, something without sexy armored amazons who looked as if they could break his neck between their thighs. To his credit, he was fast enough to recognize danger.

“Tank, TANK! TAUNT HER OR SOMETHING! DRAW AGGRO!”

“Hey, lady!” called out Unbreakable. Black Rose ignored him, “HEY!” another failure as she kept advancing on Xz’lat made him go for his ultimate taunting ability. He smacked Black Rose’s butt right where the back plate of the armor ended.

She finally turned her head, narrowing her eyes. Yep, that had always worked on mares.

“Black Rose, you’re too muscular to be called a mare, and no nice stallion will ever want you because they’ll be scared! Maybe only some homo who’d mistake you for a stallion!” he recalled the first part of Black Rose’s evil monologue, “Hah, perhaps that’s what your master you want so much is!”

Black Rose’s eye twitched. Time stopped for just a little bit.

Xz’lat’s jaw dropped as he saw a freshly adult earthpony twice his weight being repeatedly swung in sweeping arcs around by his hind leg and smashed against the floor. Hoofbreaker tried to help, only to receive a forced kiss by thrown Unbreakable.

“I’LL SHOW YOU HOMO!” screamed Black Rose.

“That taunt worked better than expected...” mumbled Xz’lat, stll dizzy.

“...I need healing...” was all Unbreakable managed to say while flying by.

Then his world shut down.

Sqeaking of rusty hinges woke Xz’lat up unspecified amount of time later.

“Whuh?” his eyes shot open, but he could barely move. Through bars, he saw his friends, each in one from a line of cells. What was much worse, though, was Black Rose towering over him.

“For your failure, you will face the ancient punishment ritual of snu-snu,” she announced.

Xz’lat’s pupils turned to pin pricks.

“Snu? That’s… that could be… maybe from ancient griffon… or from the Stalliongrad area… possibly… something with fire... what is th-”

Black Rose’s armor clanked on the floor.

Xz’lat’s jaw dropped, accompanied by something he’s never seen from a mare before - a hungry, devious, and most importantly seductive grin.

Black Rose gave one quick glance everypony’s way.

“All of you.”

While Glitter gulped...

...more and more incredulous grins grew on the stallions’ muzzles.

***

Just as Three’s done with affixing the final glowing green glob of goo to the wall, he hears noises echo through the dark underground.

”Hey, boss, I think they finally got out and they’re really following the lights.”

Good job, Three. Can you quickly check if they left the keys in the prison?

”Juuust a second,” he boops the nose of a batpony statue which immediately spins around along with him, then he trots down the secret passage, and opens a hidden door in one of the dungeon cells. After a quick look, he says, ”Yep, they just tossed the keyring on the floor.”

Well done, Three. I don’t know about you but I was so nervous my head hurts. I’ll check up on Eight.

”I’ll go see Nine in the healing room. He didn’t like being set on fire much, but he’s tough.”

Three still wants to find a way to thank Nine for helping him against the traitors when we were fleeing Canterlot. When he finds one, I’ll be happy to join. Too bad Nine doesn’t seem to want much… or anything really. Oh well, he’ll get used to how things work here.

Eight, how are things on your end?

It’s pretty weird looking out of her eyes and not seeing her body or hearing any hoofsteps. Useful, though, considering she’s walking only few pony lengths away from the last member of the adventurer group.

”They’re following Three’s trail out without thinking. They’ll be out of the castle in no time without wandering and snooping around.”

Out of curiosity, since when can you turn invisible?

”One taught Four, I ordered her to teach me. Warrior carapace isn’t really made for it, so it leaves me rather… squishy, but let’s not act as if what One calls the pinnacle of her skill is something unnatural. This ‘invisibility’ is just chitin density and surface manipulation, nothing mystical.”

I’m pretty sure One never made that claim, but I’m not going to push it.

Alright, just make sure they get out, ‘Black Rose’. I’ll just tag along.

”Will do, King.”

Noiselessly, she simply follows the group.

“I can’t believe it was so easy to escape,” whispers Glitter.

Xz’lat just shrugs.

“A thoughtless jailor is crucial to a proper dungeon crawl. Page thirty-two of the original OnO rulebook. Now, let’s regroup, hone our skills, and try again. We wiped on the first boss, but that was all a learning experience. Nothing can be perfect on the first try.”

“You really want to go back there?”

“Yeah, duh. You don’t?”

Glitter only blushed.

“Black Rose was perfect...” mumbles Hoofcrusher, licking his lips, “My hips still hurt.”

They all look at him. He adds:

“From the fight, I mean.”

“My flank hurts too… from the fight,” Glitterdust blushes so hard she must catch on fire any moment now, “...hurts good...”

Xz’lat whistles innocently.

“Let’s come up with a plan, and defeat her next time!”

Windstorm clears his throat, happy as he finally recognizes a familiar castle hallway.

“Do we have to…?”

Now he is the target of four shocked stares.

“You don’t want to come back? Do you remember how long her tongue was?” asks Unbreakable.

Hovering in the air, Windstorm rubs his forelegs together.

“I meant… do we have to... win?”

They all hear a chuckle from behind, but when they look there’s nopony there, only darkness.

Probably just the wind.