Of Friendships and Warships

“You have underestimated pony society, Captain James,” Celestia, “Now, whenever you are able to start sending it to hospitals over my country I can send you the supplies you request.”

“Thank you, Princess, we would have run out in several months. Now we no longer must worry about that for now,” Cutter said.

“Now onto more pressing issues,” Celestia said, “When that team of yours got out of that facility during the attack on Canterlot, they reported some kind of giant changeling that had attacked them. Think it was what attacked the team currently up north?”

“Possibly,” Cutter replied, “It certainly looked like it could throw a Warthog off a cliff. If it hadn’t taken a rocket, it might have been able to crush a Pelican.”

“And somehow let the queen be killed,” Celestia continued, “So the queen couldn’t be Chrysalis. After the second facility the found, they were attacked by a changeling horde.”

“The facilities and the changelings are connected, somehow,” Cutter said, “Possibly to the Spirit’s weapons being disabled as well? Even that mirror?”

“Mirror?” Celestia asked

“Shows cupcakes even though it should be showing Rainbow Dash. They have used a distraction based off that mirror before,” Cutter said. A pink pony burst into the room with cupcakes. “Just like this.”

“Guards, what is in the cupcakes?” Celestia asked the guards.

A guard knocked one of the cupcakes to the floor and replied, “Red paint, Princes. What shall we do with the imposter?”

“To the dungeon with him,” Celestia ordered, “Find out about other changelings.”

“We also have a changeling prisoner aboard the Spirit,” Kinsano said, “He is not very talkative. We haven’t learned anything about the horde from him. I doubt your methods of interrogation are going to produce different results.”

“I think I know a zebra that might be able to help,” Celestia said.

“Who?” Anders asked.

“Zecora,” Celestia replied, “She lives in the Everfree Forest.”

“Okay, then we go get her,” Cutter said, “Pelican’s ready for us anytime.”

“We won’t be taking the Pelican, we’ll go by train,” Celestia said.

“Why by train?” Kinsano asked.

“So we won’t frighten anypony,” Celestia replied.

“How soon do we leave?” Anders asked.

“Right now,” Celestia said.

=== ===

The group of four had been waiting at the Canterlot train station for more than an hour, when the train finally arrived. Once they had boarded and found seats Cutter said, “We’d have been there and back by know.”

“I know, but I’ve made my decision,” Celestia said, “And we are sticking with it.”

=== 1 hour earlier ===

The forest was dark underneath the canopy where the entrance to the facility lay hidden. Changelings, black like the shadows, lay in wait for whoever tried to approach. A queen was among them. A stubby winged aircraft was barely seen through a small gap. The aircraft touched down in a clearing a few hundred meters from the waiting ambush.

“Sheppard, sensors show a number of individuals surrounding the structure. Fragile barrels, as well,” Woolsey notified the team.

“Any idea as to what the contents are?” Sheppard asked.

“No, but try not to hit them. I have a feeling that we don’t want to know what is inside them,” Woolsey replied.

“We’ll keep it in mind,” Twilight answered. Then the ten of them started walking to the facility.

“You had better not put any timberwolves on fire,” Applejack growled.

“That was an accident, AJ,” Rarity reminded Applejack.

“What is the thing you’re holding, Aurelleah? It looks cool,” Rainbow asked.

“This?” Sheppard asked, and Rainbow nodded. “It is a Misriah Armory MA5B assault rifle with a underbarrel grenade launcher and custom flashlight mount,” Sheppard replied.

“Why do y-“ Twilight began saying.

“Movement ahead,” McKay interrupted, “Recommend finding cover.”

“Take cover in these trees, and prepare to engage,” Sheppard ordered. The four marines and six ponies hid behind the trees, waiting for the order to attack. Sheppard raised his rifle and aimed at the changeling queen he saw from his position. “Jackson, take Fluttershy and flank left. Carter, take Rarity and flank right. Pie, I need a distraction. I’ve got a queen.”

“Distraction?” Pinkie said pulling out her party cannon from somewhere, “I can throw them a party that they’ll never see coming!”

Pinkie sank into the ground with the cannon, then rose from the ground on the other side of the horde. She fired the party cannon, attracting the changelings to her location. Sheppard fired one round causing the queen to fall. Muzzle flashes from the left and right signaled other changelings falling, with an occasional purple beam throwing a changeling into a tree. After the gunfire stopped, Sheppard ran towards the fallen queen. The rest of the group also ran there.

“Woolsey, prepare for dust off. We’re heading back with a package. Make sure the Spirit has a medical team on standby,” Sheppard ordered the pilot over comms.

“Carter, Jackson, keep the queen alive and head to the dropship,” Sheppard once they had regrouped. “Dash, Sparkle, we’re going to the structure. If more changelings are there, we’ll deal with them.”

“Uh, sure,” Rainbow answered. The three then headed to the structure. There were no changelings in the area, but a white and black creature that looked like the ponies was there.

“Zecora! What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.

“I heard loud sound, and came to find the source,” Zecora replied. “Though it seems to have found me, instead.”

“Do you know how to get answers out of a changeling?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes,” Zecora replied.

“Do you need anything?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes,” Zecora replied again.

“Lead the way,” Sheppard said. Zecora started towards her hut. The team with Zecora left thirty minutes after arriving at Zecora’s hut.

=== ===

“We’re at her hut now,” Celestia said. “I don’t think she’s here right now.”

“Couldn’t hurt to knock,” Cutter said. He walked up to the wooden door and knocked three times. No one answered.

“Captain, Fireteam Atlantis reports capture of changeling queen successful,” an officer reported over comms.

“Guess we should head up to the Spirit of Fire, they might have Zecora with them,” Kinsano said.