Night had blanketed the streets of Vanhoover as Beanstalk stood outside a popular sweet shop. Crème Noire laid on her back, trying to keep from falling asleep as the towering mare looked up at a clock inside Strawberry Sundae’s.

“What’s taking Verdant so long?” The ponytailed pony asked aloud as she tapped a hoof against the street.

“Beeeaaannnsss!!!” A panicked voice made her ears stand at attention as she saw Verdant in the distance rushing up the road towards her. As he drew closer, she saw a worried look on his face.

“Verdant, what’s going on?” Beans asked just before the short stallion skidded to a halt in front of her, huffing and puffing as he tried to catch his breath.

After several moments, Verdant had finally caught his breath and looked up to his dear girlfriend. “Have you seen any police or royal guards?!”

“What? No. Verdant, what’s wrong?” Beans asked as she stroked the worried stallion’s back.

“I… I ran into a kaiju sized changeling out in the woods,” Verdant replied as he looked into Bean’s blue eyes. “We need to warn the authorities and get somepony to deal with her, ASAP!”

“Verdant, calm down,” Beans stroked his back once more as she tried to sound comforting. “There’s no such thing as a-”

A thunderous boom echoed throughout the street as the two felt the ground shake. Crème Noire quickly woke up with a start.

“You were saying?” Verdant asked as he looked up at the mare who was now looking just as nervous as him.

More booms echoed throughout the city as the shakes felt like they were growing closer.

“I think High Gear might have something for this! Let’s go!” Beans exclaimed before she bit down on the scruff of Verdant’s neck and ran off towards the institute, carrying him like a mother cat would her kitten.

When the pair were halfway to the lab, they saw High Gear and Beta in her disguise rushing towards them as the steps drew closer.

“Guys, what the Tartarus is going on!” Gear screamed as she and Beta came to a halt in front of them.

“It’s a kaiju sized changeling called Stoneback, that’s what!” Verdant replied as Beans lowered him down to the sidewalk. “She’s been disguised as a castle out in the woods and I’m guessing she’s pissed I escaped her stomach.”

“Gear, please tell me you have something to stop this,” Beans asked as Beta started rapidly looking around for something.

“Several in fact,” Gear replied as the shaking almost knocked the ponies over. “We’ll need to get to the lab to-”

“Look out!” Beta screamed as she saw a massive gray pillar coming over the roof of the building they stood beside.

The stone-like pillar came hurtling down towards High Gear, only for Beta to push her out of the way.

While Gear bumped into the building’s wall, the pillar-like leg slammed down on Beta, leaving only her head while her body was crushed under hoof.

Beanstalk let out a bloodcurdling scream as Beta’s severed head rolled and came to a halt at her hooves.

“Cream!” Crème Noire shouted before she conjured a mystical fireball and tossed it at the leg, seemingly doing nothing at all to it.

Soon a second pillar-like leg crashed down ahead of the group in the street. It was then that far above them they saw the massive head of the colossal changeling, standing taller than Beanstalk did when affected by poison joke.

To the minor relief of the three ponies, Stoneback seemed not to notice them as she moved along to explore the city for prey.

When the leg that had crushed Beta moved away, Beanstalk was surprised to see crushed bits of plastic and metal amongst the faux-fur body. “Wait, was that grey mare a robot?”

“Automaton, but that’s not important right now,” High Gear quickly said as she picked up Beta’s head, her eyes now completely black. “We need to get to the institute, now!”

Verdant nodded while Beans swallowed as she watched Gear bite down on the mane of the severed head and run ahead of them.

After a few minutes, the trio arrived outside the institute, where they saw several ponies standing outside. The only ones that Verdant recognized were Pixel Flash and Double Helix.

Gently dropping Beta’s head onto the grass in front of them, High Gear began to bark at the gathered scientists. “Alright, everypony, listen up! I’ve been preparing for this sort of thing, just in case! Molly, Copper Top!”

“Yes, Ma’am!” A golden coated unicorn and a violet and brown maned mare stepped forward and saluted.

“I hope you have your stuff ready,” Gear said before turning to Beans and Crème Noire. “Beans, I’ve been having these two work on something.”

As she spoke, the golden coated mare took out what looked like two balls of candy. One was a light blue while the other was a pinkish-red.

“I’ve had them working on candies that should trigger your giant transformations. Blue for Beans and red for Crème Noire. I know it’s dangerous, but I want you two to take these and try to fight this changeling.” High Gear said as the golden mare levitated the candies over to the pony and Alcremie.

Looking at the candy in her hoof, Beanstalk nervously swallowed. “Please tell me you’ve got some plan other than just this.”

“Of course I do, but it’ll take a few minutes to set up,” High Gear replied as she comfortingly put a hoof on her friend’s foreleg. “I swear, we’ll do everything we can to try to get you out of there as soon as possible.”

“Alright,” Beanstalk said before she looked out towards the city, where she could see Stoneback out in the distance firing a volley of magical energy somewhere into the city. “I’ll do it, but I hope you guys can help out quickly.”

“Rest assured, we will,” High Gear stated as she gave Beans a comforting smile. “Once you’re by the sign for Pinto’s Beans, swallow the candies.”

“Got it,” Beans nodded before she turned about and darted towards the city. “Wish me luck!”

“Good luck!’ Several of the ponies shouted as she disappeared from their view.

“Right, now we have to enact the rest of my plan!” High Gear barked as Pix picked up Beta’s severed head in her magic. “Molly, you and Copper try to get whoever you can to shelter. The rest of you, follow me!”

Molly Cule and Copper Top saluted High Gear as she started to lead the ponies into the institute. In a matter of moments, the five ponies were crammed into one of the elevators.

As High Gear reached into her lab coat, Verdant turned to the yellow coated stallion beside him. “So, you’re the only pony here I’ve never met before.”

“Bunsen Burner, meet Verdant Range, my guinea pig,” High Gear said as she inserted the key into a small hole and turned it, making it whirr to life as the ponies felt themselves descend.

“Hey!” Verdant barked while Double Helix held back a snicker.

“Verdant, meet Bunsen Burner, the lab’s bicycle,” High Gear added as the elevator continued its descent.

“Hey!” Bunsen exclaimed as a crimson tinge spread across his cheeks.

“Show of hooves. Who here has taken Bunsen for a ride?” Gear asked before she raised her hoof, followed shortly by Pixel Flash and Double Helix, making the stallion’s blush grow more intense.

“I’m not just here fox sex! I’m a highly skilled chemist!” Bunsen whined as the elevator slowed to a halt.

“Whatever, we’ve got more important things to deal with right now,” High Gear dismissively said as the elevator came to a halt. Looking up, Verdant saw the lights that indicated the floor read SL5.

As the doors opened up, everypony that wasn’t Pix and High Gear gasped at the sight before them.

The elevator opened to a metal catwalk attached to wires in the ceiling, but what drew everypony’s eye was the sight of what looked like a gigantic version of Beta with a few differences.

The first thing Verdant spotted that was different as the five stepped out onto the catwalk was the prominent red triangle between the machine’s eyes. Casting his eyes downward, he saw where the voicebox on Beta was replaced with a sealed cover of some kind. The gigantic metal mare had domed metal coverings over her shoulders while down below on the outer sides of the legs were thick panels that looked like they could flip up for some reason.

The last thing that caught his attention was the machine’s ‘cutie mark’. Rather than the B-01 that Beta sported, it was a large BMZ-01.

“You built a fucking Megazord?!” Double Helix exclaimed as she looked over the massive mechanical mare.

“I pitched it to Princess Celestia a few years ago,” High Gear said as she proceeded down the catwalk. “Considering how many threats we face like giant dragons and whatnot, a two-hundred and five foot battle machine would be useful.”

“I can get the painted on registration numbers for this thing,” Bunsen said as he adjusted the glasses on his snout before shifting his eyes from the cutie mark to the triangular mare on the face. “But what about that? How’d you con the princess into paying for that much paint?”

“Well, funny story about that…” High Gear chuckled as she reminisced.

***

In Canterlot, Princess Celestia was firmly seated upon her throne as she looked over the total estimate of what it would cost for High Gear’s defensive project, Project: Lightspeed.

“This does seem rather impressive, Dr. High Gear, but there’s one thing I question,” the alabaster princess said as she looked down at the hornless mare. “Is all the red paint truly necessary? The amount of paint needed for this machine could cover a house.”

“Oh, absolutely, your highness!” High Gear enthusiastically said. “The chromatic arrangement created by the light spectrum reflection and absorption of the paint would increase both the acceleration rate and maximum sustainable velocity of the machine by fifteen percent.”

“I… See…” The princess said, trying to hide her utter confusion at what High Gear had said. “Very well. Consider your project funded.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” High Gear bowed, doing what she could to hide her smirk. “Rest assured, this isn't a waste of money.”

***

Double Helix’s left eye twitched as she looked at the bespectacled mare. “You told her the red would make it go faster?!”

“Well I couldn’t say it was purely decorative, now could I?” High Gear replied as she turned her attention to Pixel Flash. “Pix, you don’t need to haul the whole head around. We just need her brain.”

“Ah, right. Sorry,” the mare with the tricolored mane said before she tore the false skin off Beta’s head and ejected the small plastic disk from inside the head before letting the head fall to the catwalk’s floor.

“Right, now everypony, follow me!” High Gear barked before rushing down the catwalk and heading to a bend that led to the back of the machine’s head.

The four ponies rushed along the high catwalk, where they could see High Gear opening up a door and going into the mech’s head.

When the four caught up with High Gear, they saw she was slipping into a red and white spandex-like suit complete with four white boots that she pulled from one of five storage lockers.

“I still can’t believe you conned the princess into paying for you to live out some foalhood fantasy of being a Pony Ranger,” Double Helix grumbled as High Gear stuffed her lab coat and glasses into the locker before grabbing a red helmet.

“Considering the city’s under attack by a giant monster, I’d say I was totally right to build a giant robot for this sort of thing,” High Gear quickly replied as she put the helmet over her head. “Making it Pony Ranger themed is just a fun bonus.

“Now suit up, everypony!” High Gear commanded as she started to open up the other lockers and tossing suits to her companions. Pix caught a blue suit while Helix got a black one. Bunsen got a yellow one that matched his coat, leaving Verdant with a pink one.

With only a sigh of mild annoyance, Verdant took off his vest and tossed it into a locker before slipping into his Pink Ranger outfit. “Does this make my flank look big?”

“Yes, but in a good way,” Pix replied as she slipped on her blue helmet. “Now c’mon. We’ve got a city to save.”

“This way!” High Gear exclaimed as she opened a door, revealing the second interior that was a replica of the cockpit of the Pony Rangers’ first Megazord.

“Are you serious with all this?! What’d you say to convince the princess to bankroll this giant toy and these suits?!” Double Helix shouted as she looked about the interior before taking her place at the console that matched her suit.

“She didn’t really notice anything about the cockpit, which is here if the primary operating system isn’t available,” High Gear replied as Pix gave her the floppy disk that she then slipped it into a narrow slot in the console. “As for the suits, I told her that would have a positive effect on the pilots’ brains by increasing serotonin levels.”

“...You told her it makes them happy?” Bunsen asked as he and the rest of the occupants took their seats. Soon, several panels began to light up.

“Well it sure as hay makes me happy,” Gear said as she excitedly rubbed her forehooves together.

“MEGAZORD SEQUENCE HAS BEEN INITIATED.” Beta’s voice loudly echoed as more lights activated.

“I assume that the changeling that stepped on me is still active?” The automaton’s voice said much more quietly.

“Oh yeah, so it’s time to head into battle and take that bad girl down!” High Gear replied from her chair, dramatically posing like the actors from the film serials.

“MEGAZORD ACTIVATED.” Beta boomed as the screen in front of the ponies lit up, revealing the hangar bay was now illuminated by the megazord sized mecha mare’s eyes.

“Remotely accessing the hangar door,” the voice of Beta within the cockpit spoke as the five within prepared for movement.

“Let’s go, go, Pony Rangers!” High Gear exclaimed with more enthusiasm than Verdant had ever heard from her as he and the others felt the machine begin to move.

***

Ponies, griffons and others were screaming in terror as they ran through the streets, hoping to escape the colossal changeling that stomped through the city.

Despite how hungry she was, Stoneback was being strategic when it came to dealing with her city-sized buffet. She had started by destroying the pier and the airship terminal.

As the remains burned to cinders, Stoneback’s horn glowed a sickly green light as she stomped towards the train station. With it destroyed, the only possible way for her prey to escape would be under their own power.

The light coming from her curved, stone-like blade of a horn grew more intensely as she saw the train station coming into range.

As she began to tilt her head back to fire a massive emerald fireball, the changeling was surprised to hear a set of rapidly approaching hoofsteps.

Normally, the only hoofsteps she’d hear were…

“Hey, bug bitch!” Stoneback turned to face the oncoming roar, only to be struck in the face by a series of blobs of thick frosting.

Before the mighty changeling could wipe the cream from her face, another roar reached her ears. “You’re not wrecking my city!”

Stoneback felt a colossal hoof striking her in the muzzle with enough force to knock her into the air. The giant changeling was sent flying hundreds of feet, crashing into the now empty shopping district.

Stoneback started to wipe the cream from her eyes, something that she hadn’t seen in centuries. She was looking up at a pony that could nearly match her size. She looked rather embarrassed by the unintended destruction she had caused with her attack.

“Oh… Umm…” Beanstalk swallowed as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck. “They… probably have insurance.”

As emerald earth-pony chuckled to herself, Stoneback stood back up to stare her down. To Beanstalk’s surprise and fright, the vicious changeling that bared her fangs at her was a good deal taller than her. By the two-hundred foot earth pony’s estimate, she had to be at least fifty feet taller than her.

“Well… it’s not often I’m the short one…” Beans nervously said as she carefully tried to step back from the glowering creature staring her down.

“You will make a very filling meal,” Stoneback growled as she moved into a pouncing position. “And the rest of this city will make a nice appetizer.”

Beans swallowed and sweat poured down her brow like a waterfall as she curved her back steps to avoid buildings, revealing to the hungry changeling the creature she was carrying on her back.

Hidden by the earth pony’s neck and head was a creature that appeared to be made of cream on top of a five tier cake.

“Hmm… And now I’ve found dessert.” A smirk graced Stoneback’s face before she licked her lips.

“Creeee…Meeeee!” A large fireball began to form in front of Crème Noire before shooting it out, striking Stoneback directly in the face.

Once the smoke and flames had dissipated, Beanstalk and Crème Noire were horrified and shocked respectively by the fact that save for a few scorch marks, Stoneback was completely unharmed.

“Well, seems like that’s not very effective,” Beans mumbled as Stoneback darkly chuckled.

Stoneback leapt at the panicked pair, ready to bite down on Beanstalk’s throat.

“ROCKETS AWAY!”

Before Stoneback’s strike could land, a series of pony sized missiles struck the changeling in the eye. This provided enough of a distraction that allowed Beans to leap out of the way, sending her crashing into an empty street.

Turning to glare down who would dare to strike her, Stoneback was stunned by the appearance of a mare who seemed to be made entirely out of metal and plastic. Her appearance reminded her of some toys her avatar would see in store windows.

“Sorry we’re late, Beans!” High Gear’s voice came from the machine while its eyes stayed focused on the changeling. “You ready to squish this bug?”

“High Gear?” The giant earth pony was stunned by the mecha mare that appeared to be a smidge bigger than here. “When did my life turn into a Pony Ranger’s serial?!”

“Just now, but we’re ready to kick some buggy butt!” Gear’s voice rang out from the machine once more.

“So, do you have a sword you can summon for this thing?” Beans asked the mecha mare rolled her shoulders and stared down the changeling as she rose upright.

“Are you nuts?! Do you know how impractical it’d be to make a sword that size?” High Gear’s voice incredulously responded through the speakers.

“The princess shot down that part of the plan in budgeting, didn’t she?” Beans was somewhat surprised by the sound of Double Helix now coming from the machine’s unseen speakers.

“Shut it!” Gear’s voice grumbled as Stoneback glared at the oversized action figure.

“Guess I’ll be getting some iron in my diet.” The giant changeling grumbled as she charged towards the three giants.

As she drew close, ignoring the screams of the city’s inhabitants, Beta reared up onto her hindlegs and put her into a headlock.

“Beans, quick!” Pix’s voice echoed as Beta gritted her mechanical teeth. “Put Crème Noire down somewhere and help fight!”

“Right!” Bean said as she quickly looked around. Her eyes soon fell upon the nearby community center.

“Perfect!” Acting quickly as Beta tried to contain the struggling changeling, Beans rushed over to the domed center and placed the cake creature on top of it.

Just as Beans put Crème Noire down, she heard some loud yells. Turning about, she saw Beta had been tossed off the changeling, sending her crashing into the street.

“Here’s a bright idea for the next model, seatbelts!” Beans heard Verdant’s voice coming from the machine, stirring up a fury she had never felt before.

“DON’T HURT MY STALLION!” Beanstalk explosively roared as she rushed Stoneback, giving her a flying tackle that sent both of them to the ground. Before the changeling could start to get back up, Beans started to repeatedly slam her forehooves into her face.

***

The five ponies groaned in pain as they hobbled back into their seats, aching as they witnessed Bean’s beatdown on the bug.

“Any ideas to beat this thing besides ‘group up and hit it til it dies’?” Bunsen asked as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

“I actually do,” Beta’s voice answered, coming from the console. “I’ve been doing some deep penetrative scans of the changeling, trying to find any weaknesses. Interestingly, my scans so far show she’s radically different from what current research on the changeling says.”

“Well, Stoneback did say she was a mutant,” Verdant muttered as he watched his girlfriend’s hooves being caught by the giant beast before being pushed off. “Any thoughts?”

“I’m not done yet, but I’ll tell you the nanosecond I have a plan.” Beta replied as she rushed over to Bean’s side and helped pull her up. “Until then, we have to keep Stoneback busy.”

“Right then, I suggest charging up the C.P.C. while we try to fight her.” High Gear said as a display appeared in the upper corner of the screen, reading that the C.P.C. was at ninety-seven percent charge.

“Been on it since before the fight began,” Beta responded as she started to head towards Stoneback. “Also, who’s we? I’m doing all the fighting.”

***

When Stoneback saw the mechanical mare was headed towards her, she quickly picked up her pace and began to rush towards her.

Instead of trying to tackle her or impale her with her horn, Stoneback reared up on her hindlegs and tried to stomp down on the mecha mare’s head.

At the last second, Beta managed to duck out of the way, making Stoneback strike the street and break open the sewers.

Before she could pull her hooves from the collapsed section of sewer, Stoneback heard the rushing of hooves from Beanstalk just before the pony and mecha both punched her hard in the chest.

Stoneback was sent comically tumbling down the street before getting onto her hooves and charging once more.

“CREEEEEMMEEEE!” The Alcremie roared as seemingly from nowhere, humongous glowing green seeds crashed into the ground around Stoneback before exploding into glowing green mushrooms that sent the changeling tumbling back.

“Good job, Crème Noire!” Beans turned to congratulate the cake creature, only to be surprised by the sight of her glowing pink and rapidly shrinking down to her original size on top of the community center’s roof.

“Well… Crap…” Beans muttered loud enough that the entire city heard it before she saw Stoneback rushing towards her.

Beta quickly stepped in front of Beanstalk, grabbing onto the changeling’s forelegs. Stoneback rose onto her hindlegs as she tried to struggle out of the grapple.

“Hey, what does C.P.C. stand for?” Bunsen’s voice echoed through Beta’s sound systems as a large panel on her neck opened up, revealing an intense blue glowing light.

“CHARGED PARTICLE CANNON, FIRE!” High Gear yelled before the light coalesced into a beam, colliding with Stoneback’s chest.

The changeling furiously roared as she tried to resist the intense force of the cannon. Her efforts were for naught as Beta released her grip on her forelegs, letting the beam send her careening over a mile away, crashing into some far off warehouses.

***

“That… isn’t good…” High Gear muttered with a note of intense panic in her voice as she pressed a button on the console, telling Beta to stop broadcasting what was being said within the cockpit.

“What are you talking about? We sent that bug flying!” Double Helix complained as she leaned against her console to get a better look at the red clad mare.

“And that cannon should have punched a giant hole in her, if not vaporize her!” High Gear suddenly yelled, taking everypony in the cockpit aback. “The charged particle cannon is meant to be Beta’s ultimate weapon, she just tanked it!”

“Can we fire again?” Bunsen hurriedly asked as he looked over the panel in front of him, not being able to figure out what anything did.

“Negative,” Beta’s voice responded as her avatar appeared in a small box in the upper left corner of the viewscreen. “The cannon used up a massive amount of my power. I estimate that I have approximately half an hour’s worth of power remaining to fight, even if I divert power from non-critical systems.”

“Oh Faust…” Pixel Flash tried to wipe her forehead, only to remember her head was hidden behind a blue helmet. It was then that she saw Stoneback was starting to rise up in the distance, her face more furious than anything the unicorn had ever seen before. “Any good news?!”

“I believe I’ve identified a weakness thanks to my deep penetrative scans,” Beta replied as a display of the changeling appeared onscreen beside the avatar. A green dot appeared on part of the changeling’s belly.

“It seems her body’s magic and other energies are stored within a gland inside her oviducts. This is what apparently allows her to sustain herself despite there not being enough missing creatures reports to be able to feed her.

High Gear felt her stomach twisting into knots as Stoneback finished rising, the furious look on her face now twisted into a mad smile.

“Additionally, this gland has a major artery, so enough damage should cause a massive amount of hemorrhaging, causing her to die of internal bleeding in a matter of minutes.” Beta said as sweat began to pour down her avatar’s face as Stoneback slowly began to saunter towards her and Beans. “I suggest we use Operation: Eat Your Greens to stop her .”

“Oh, Faust dammit,” Verdant groaned as he slapped a hoof against his pink-clad forehead. “I don’t need to ask what the plan is to know what it means.”

“I don’t get it. What’s going on?” Bunsen asked as Verdant hopped out of his seat.

“We’re gonna recreate what happened in the Pony Rangers serial where they fought Hatchasaurus and Cardiotron by destroying the monster’s core from the inside,” High Gear answered as she spun around in her chair. “Verdant, there’s a bow and arrow set in the pink locker, along with a shoulder shield in the green locker. After that, grab the panel in the back right corner and pull it aside. This’ll take you to a ladder that’ll drop you into Beta’s mouth. You should be able to get to the gland through her cloaca at the end of the digestive tract.”

“This is the first point for the next sandwich,” Verdant grumbled as he went out the door, slamming it behind him.

“So, how long have you planned something like this?” Helix asked before turning her attention back to the view screen.

“Since I first met a pony that could survive a stomach,” High Gear replied. “Now, back to action!”

***

As Stoneback took slow deliberate steps towards the frightened earth pony and the stern looking machine, she slowly started to cackle as she stepped on buildings and savored the screams of the frightened ponies below her.

“Oh, I will savor this night.” The grin on Stoneback’s face made the changeling look unhinged. “Once I tear your heads off and feast on the green one’s flesh, I will slowly devour every single creature in this city! Starting with the young just to make their elders suffer!”

“Beans, hold her!” High Gear’s voice echoed from the massive machine mare before the emerald earth pony rushed at the changeling.

Stoneback moved to the side, moving out of the charging mare’s path. The grinning changeling began to charge her horn to fire at the now running Beta, only to feel tons of weight slam down upon her as Beanstalk leapt onto her back.

Beanstalk wrapped her forelegs around Stoneback’s throat just as Beta came to a halt in front of the towering changeling.

Stoneback tried to rear her head back to slam it into Beta’s metal forehead, but the mech rose up on her hindlegs and clasped her forelegs onto the sides of her head.

Suddenly, Beta’s head rushed forward and mashed her rubber lips against Stoneback’s own. The changeling was stunned by her sudden actions, and even more so as the mecha mare shoved her whale-sized tongue into her mouth, nearly hitting the back of her throat. She was so taken aback that she ended up swallowing some spit on reflex before Beta pulled away.

“Don’t you know you should buy a lady dinner first before you do that?” Stoneback sneered before she started to buck. After a few attempts, she had managed to knock Beanstalk off to the side, smashing some empty buildings.

Acting quickly, Stoneback tackled Beta, sending her toppling onto the street before she slammed her forelegs down against the metal casing of the machine mare.

Stoneback reared up for another strike when she heard Beanstalk rise up and start to bolt towards her. Leaping off of Beta, the massive changeling barely avoided a buck to the back of her head from the towering farm pony.

These two must be up to something. Stoneback thought to herself as Beans helped Beta get back up. They wouldn’t just prench kiss me unless they had a reason… Maybe they made me swallow something? Either way, I’d best birth another avatar to investigate.

As she commanded her body to create a new miniature body for her to control, Stoneback fell into a defensive stance and lit up her horn with burning green light.

***

Verdant didn’t need to wait long within Beta’s mouth as he adjusted the armored shoulderpads and bow on his back. Within a matter of moments, he felt the mechanical mare rushing towards the killer changeling.

Before he could take a breath to prepare himself, he felt the rubber tongue under him shooting forth, sending him forward into Stoneback’s bright green mouth. The sudden halt of Beta’s tongue sent him hurtling and skidding across Stoneback’s damp, forked tongue. He barely had time to notice the changeling’s massive dangling uvula above him when Stoneback suddenly swallowed him down.

As Verdant violently descended down the changeling’s esophagus, a display appeared in the upper left corner of his visor. It was a display of Beta’s cockpit with the four costumed ponies inside.

“Verdant, can you hear me in there?” High Gear asked just as Verdant grabbed onto the rippling wall of flesh.

“Yeah, I hear you,” Verdant replied as he briefly looked back up the changeling’s esophagus, where he could see the back of her uvula.

“Alright, the comm system’s working. You can see and hear us and we can see and hear what you hear,” the red clad doctor said as Verdant looked over his shoulder, seeing the valve to the changeling’s stomach. “Good luck, Verdant. You’re our best chance of beating this big bad beetle bitch.”

“Roger that, but I’m taking a vacation after this,” Verdant said as he let go of the esophageal wall, sending him freefalling just as the valve below opened up, letting him gently splash down into the stomach’s juices.

“Believe me, you’ll deserve it,” Pixel Flash said as the cockpit shook.

“After what he did with that sandwich, on top of what I pay him?!” High Gear barked at her blue ranger.

“He will if a certain red ranger doesn’t want to be sleeping on the couch for a week,” Pix replied as she crossed her forelegs.

“Urgh… fine.” Verdant could tell High Gear was pouting behind her helmet as he swam through the stomach juices and made his way to the valve that opened up to the changeling’s small intestines. “Good luck, Verdant. And may the power protect you.”

*snrk* “Nerd,” Helix snarked.

“Fuck you,” High Gear said before the feed in Verdant’s helmet cut out just as he took his first step into the organic waterslide that was Stoneback’s small intestine.

***

As High Gear turned off the cockpit camera and mic, the four ponies in the cockpit felt their stomachs lurch as Beta nimbly dodged out of the way of the fireballs that Stoneback was shooting at them.

“One bright side about her shooting at us is that this will tire her out sooner,” Beta’s avatar said as the cockpit view turned to where the magical fireballs landed, showing they had hit either wreckage or the sea.

“Any other back-up things for this thing?” Bunsen asked as he felt himself sweating under his helmet. “Like, maybe another zord or some other things?”

“How about you bring it up next time we have a budget meeting for the crown?” High Gear gritted her teeth as Beta and Beans rushed towards Stoneback, dodging fireballs all the way. “Besides, I don’t want to make another sentient machine just to make them fight, so we’d have to pilot it for real.”

“Which just raises the question of why we’re not back at the lab or something.” Helix snarked just as Beta ducked under a fireball.

The mecha mare’s display showed the image of the fireball striking the ground directly beside the lab, shattering windows and cracking some of the exterior with the sheer force it contained.

“And statement retracted,” Helix said before turning to High Gear. “Any bathrooms in here?”

“Bring it up at the next budget meeting!”

***

Verdant’s trip through the titanic changeling’s interior was somewhat accelerated thanks to the occasional strike to her exterior. After nearly fifteen minutes, Verdant had arrived in the fleshy green connection point of the bug’s body that was her cloaca.

“Heads up, guys!” Verdant exclaimed as he turned his attention away from Stoneback’s tightly clenched orifice before leaping down from her intestine and charging into her reproductive tract. “I'm getting close now! How’s the battle going outside?”

The upper corner of Verdant’s visor lit up before revealing the four ponies in a cockpit.

“Could be better, but so far, no more buildings have been… Nevermind, there goes the SubNeigh on Long Lake road,” High Gear said as she held onto her non-functional controls.

“Eh, no big loss. Just go to the one at the plaza instead,” Helix replied with a shrug before turning her attention to the battle. “Still, hope you put this bug down soon. I think Beta’s gonna break before we can break her hide.”

“Unlikely,” Beta’s avatar replied as she popped up in the upper right corner of Verdant’s vision. “I think it’s more likely that my power supply will run out before we can break the shell.”

“Just hold tight, everypony.” Verdant kept his eyes forward as he soon spotted where the oviduct split off. In the very center was a strange body part the pink-clad pony had never seen before, despite the amount of times he’d been inside another creature.

The shape was reminiscent of a heart, except it was covered by a multitude of veins. The sections noticeable beneath the thick layer all pulsed and glowed a neon green.

“Alright, time to pop this like a zit,” Verdant said as he slowed down and reached for one of the arrows at his side.

“RORAAAAUGH!” An ear splitting roar echoed through the chamber just as Verdant was tackled to the fleshy ground.

Looking up, he saw he was staring into the face of a snarling Stoneback just before she tried to stab her horn into Verdant’s visor. The shamrock stallion was barely able to avoid the blow before he could push up, knocking her off of him.

“Did you think I wouldn’t expect an internal assault, pony?!” When the pony sized Stoneback spoke, Verdant heard the giant’s changeling’s voice echoing her words in the distance. “I have not survived for centuries and feasted upon thousands just to be bested by a pony covered in spandex!”

“Maybe, but when was the last time you had to fight?” Verdant asked as he rolled onto his hooves.

Before the changeling could respond, Verdant bolted towards her, an arrow held in his foreleg as he leapt towards her.

Stoneback tried to fly up and out of the way but the stallion impacted her torso, knocking her to the floor with a faint squish.

Before Stoneback could rise back up, Verdant slammed his helmet-clad head against hers and followed up by slamming a hoof into her jaw.

The changeling snarled before trying to bite down on Verdant’s throat, only for him to block it with his boot-covered foreleg.

After struggling with his boot, Stoneback kicked Verdant in the stomach before letting go of her grip on his legwear and pushing him off her.

“You insignificant little morsel!” Stoneback growled as Verdant got back onto his forelegs. “There is nothing that can stop me! Not even the element bearers or the alicorns can stop me! I will crush you all and devour every single creature in this city! I will conquer and rise like-”

The boastful changeling was interrupted when the giant body shook like it was hit by a battleship, sending the pair tumbling inside before things started to settle.

As Verdant rose back onto his hooves, he saw that Stoneback was using her hooves to cover her crotch while the three mares in the cockpit view winced at something. “What’s going on?”

“Beans just bucked her in the foal hole, that’s what,” Pixel Flash said as Verdant got onto his hindlegs, preparing to fire an arrow at the wincing changeling. “Didn’t expect her to fight dirty.”

“Well, it’s time to end this!” Verdant said an instant before loosing the arrow towards the bug. However, to his surprise, Stoneback’s foreleg quickly rose up, stopping the arrow from striking her face. The head of the arrow was barely able to penetrate the chitin as it stood in place.

Just as a smirk started to form on the pained changeling’s face, the arrow began to glow before electricity surged over her. When the electricity died down, the changeling fell back with only the occasional twitch showing she was still alive.

“DAMMIT ALL!” Stoneback’s voice boomed like thunder all around as Verdant ran up to the unconscious smaller changeling. “NONE OF YOU WILL SURVIVE! ONCE I HATCH ANOTHER AVATAR, I WILL TEAR YOUR PINK FRIEND TO PIECES BEFORE I GORE AND DEVOUR YOU ALL!!!”

“Not happening!” Verdant replied before he quickly fell back onto his hindlegs and fired off a second arrow.

The arrow struck the pulsating gland, piercing the flesh and causing the green glow to briefly glow blue as it rapidly started to expand.

“And that’s my cue to exit!” He yelled as he looked down at Stoneback’s unconscious form, considering what the best thing to do was.

In the end, he tossed the changeling onto his back and decided to run as the gland continued to flash from electric pulses and expand.

Verdant ran through the oviduct, soon making it to the clenched orifice. He leapt onto the meaty ring, and quickly began to climb up towards the center.

Once he reached the highest point of the rim, he heard a wet, meaty explosion off in the distance. Looking back towards the oviduct, Verdant started to see an onrush of green blood starting to pour down towards him.

Looking back at the fleshy ring, it started to twitch and convulse.

Seeing the window of opportunity starting to close, Verdant swallowed before he charged forward. As the orifice started to close in on him, the shamrock stallion could see the city once more and that he was high above a building with a slanted roof.

Knowing his options were either taking a leap of faith or being crushed by a bug’s butthole, he jumped with Stoneback’s avatar on his back.

Slamming onto a tilted roof, he slid towards the edge. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he saw the edge drawing ever closer.

The pony and changeling both slid over the edge and tumbled. They soon struck an awning that tore under their weight, but slowed them enough that the two were mostly unharmed when Verdant landed on his belly.

As he rose to his hooves, several loud thuds came from the building behind him. Acting quickly, the pink-clad pony rushed around the corner, where he saw the giant Stoneback looking woozy as Beanstalk and Beta looked on.

After a few moments, Stoneback fell forward and slammed into the pavement. Her eyes slowly fell shut as the two standing giants cautiously approached.

“Good job, guys,” Verdant said as the cockpit display appeared in the corner of his helmet. “We still have some buildings left and the big bug’s down.”

“How’s the little bug, Verdant?” High Gear asked as she rose from her seat and started to leave the cockpit.

Verdant slumped down and gently let the smaller changeling slide off his back. With her carefully placed on the ground, he leaned close and heard her gently breathing.

“She’s still breathing,” Verdant replied as he looked up towards Beta and heard the sound of the mechanical mare raising a foreleg up towards the back of her head.

“Alright, Verdant, we’re coming down,” High Gear called through his helmet. As the giant metal foreleg moved back, he saw four spandex clad ponies in the massive hoof that were carefully lowered to the ground.

As the ponies hopped off the hoof, civilians slowly started to make their way towards the sight of the giant pony and massive mecha mare.

The first two that drew close to the five in spandex were a pair of ponies in blue police uniforms. Before the officers could ask a single question, a groaning reached their ears.

Turning their attention to the source, they spotted the average sized changeling starting to stir.

“Ugh… Stupid ponies. I’m gonna…” Stoneback fell silent as she saw the Pony Rangers and approaching officers. Gritting her teeth, she attempted to move her mental control to her giant body, but to no avail. It appeared her original body was a gigantic corpse.

“I suggest you don’t do anything foolish,” one of the officers said as her horn glowed red and she pulled out a pair of hoofcuffs.

With a sigh, Stoneback held out her forelegs to the officer, allowing her to put the cuffs on her while the second officer placed a horn ring.

“Well everyone, we’ve saved the day,” High Gear excitedly said as the two officers started to lead Stoneback away. “Now, let’s get the Megazord back to the hangar and start to clean up this-”

The scientist was suddenly cut off as a bright flash of magenta appeared about twenty feet from the assembling crowd.

As the light faded, the forms of six ponies became visible with a pegasus quickly taking to the air above them.

“Alright everypony, I’m not missing a second kaiju fight!” The rainbow maned pegasus exclaimed as she looked about the scene. “Let’s kick this giant changeling’s… Oh, Faust dammit!”

From the crowd of six, an orange coated mare with a long bland mane and a wide-brimmed stetson stepped forth to survey the spandex clad ponies. “Are… are those the Pony Rangers?”

“I’m more surprised we’re ignoring the giant green pony and the megazord down the street!” A fluffy pink one said as she bounced over the spandex-clad ponies. “They seem to be the big heroes of this story while we’re just a cameo!”

A violet coated mare sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her snout. “Well, it seems this is the second time a giant monster has been beaten without our help. Is there anything we can do to try to help?”

“Well, unless you’re a construction crew, I don’t think so,” High Gear replied as she rubbed the back of her helmet clad chin. “Oh wait! Crème Noire’s still on top of the community center roof. Could you please get her back?”

With a sigh, the rainbow maned mare zipped off, returning a few seconds later with the cake creature in her hooves.

“At least things are settled now,” the violet mare said with a sigh. “Can you point us to the train station?”

“Hey, Verdant,” Double Helix whispered as she stepped towards the pink-clad pony. “I’ve got an experiment that needs a DNA sample that only a stallion can give and Bunsen turned me down. Wanna lend me a hoof by playing with yours?”

“Hmm… Gimme a sec,” Verdant said before he turned towards the gigantic form of Beanstalk. “Hey Beans, do you still feel up for desserts and stuff after you’re shrunken back?”

“NO THANKS, VERDANT,” The colossal mare replied as Beta started to head towards her hangar. “I’M FEELING A LITTLE TIRED. I THINK I’LL JUST GO TO BED AFTER THAT.”

“Alright then. G’night, Beans! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Verdant shouted back before facing Helix. “So, I guess I’m free to give you a sample.”

“Excellent,” Helix replied as she reached for the latches on her helmet. “Let’s get out of these things and head for the lab. Mine and the bathroom should still be intact.”

“Hey, no unmasking in public!” High Gear barked at the two, making her fellow rangers all roll their eyes before pulling off their helmets.

***

Far off in Canterlot, Princess Celestia was sleeping soundly in her plush bed. However, her sleep was disturbed by a rolled up letter appearing in a flash above her eyes before falling onto her snout.

With a tired groan, she picked up the letter and unfurled it. Her horn glowed with magenta light as she started to read it over.

Dear Princess Celestia.

My friends and I attempted to show up to stop a kaiju fight in Vanhoover after being informed about it by one Broadcast Signal, but unfortunately, we were too late. Fortunately, the city was saved by… and I can’t believe I’m writing this, the Pony Rangers and their Megazord.

However, Vanhoover did receive some serious damage, including the pier and airship port. I’m currently writing this from a hotel due to damage sustained in the battle to the train station and being too tired to try another long range teleport. Rainbow Dash is especially upset over not getting to fight a kaiju. The red ranger offered to send us back to Ponyville with her teleporter, but… suffice to say, I don’t really trust her machine.

Back on topic, it seems many Vanhoover residents have sustained damage to their homes and businesses. I thought it best to inform you of this as soon as possible.

~Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.

Princess Celestia slowly rolled out of her bed and squinted her eyes to look up at a grandfather clock against the wall, revealing it was three in the morning. She then let loose a sigh.

“There’s no way I’m getting back to sleep,” Celestia sighed before rubbing her snout with wing. “I’ll just pay for a Faust damn hotel. Last time was a pain in the ass.”

***

A little over two weeks after the decisive battle against Stoneback, Dr. Double Helix was making her way into her laboratory. She cautiously locked the door behind her before a wide grin spread across her face.

Once she was certain that the lab was secure, she made her way to the recording device on a nearby table. As she pressed the record button, the doctor ignored the groan coming from behind her.

“Double Helix audio log number one twenty-seven,” the mare said with a wide smile on her face as her magic opened up the fridge and pulled out a small glass container filled with a green fluid. “Multiple projects of mine have had leaps and bounds. While Bunsen has declined a gene sample donation, I was able to substitute it for another stallion’s. Now, Subject Alpha’s ovum has been fertilized with DNA from Subject Pea.

“In addition, I have decided to attempt to replicate Subject Alpha by taking one of my own ovums, removing the nucleus and replacing it with one of the cells I obtained during my time inside her. Currently, both fertilized ovums have been injected into my uterus and I have since confirmed pregnancy.

“As for Neutralized Predator, I’ve been able to take a large leap forward.” A wide grin spread across Helix’s muzzle as she looked over the container and levitated an empty syringe over to her side.

“Thanks to the blood sample I was able to discreetly take from the kaiju changeling’s corpse, I’ve been able to learn a great deal about changeling genes that should be able to help me with my project.” As Helix continued talking, she jabbed the syringe into the top of the container and began to draw the fluid into the syringe.

“I believe with this newest iteration of the DNA vector, thanks to a combination of the genes of ponies, Stoneback and my past subjects, that this will finally yield the desired result.”

“Please, don’t do this!” A weak voice said from behind the unicorn as she slowly turned to face her.

“Quite, Subject Eight,” Double Helix growled as she slowly approached something partially hidden from the door by a large cupboard.

In front of the purple unicorn was a changeling in an iron cage. She looked very weak, as if lifting her neck to face her captor was a great strain on her. “My name’s… not… Subject Eight… It’s… Switcheroo…”

“What you were before is irrelevant,” Double Helix spat as she drew closer, grabbing the changeling’s foreleg in her crimson magic. It didn’t take much effort due to how weak Switcheroo was. The captive insectoid could only glare as Helix applied some rubbing alcohol to her foreleg.

“What does matter is that you’re my test subject.” Helix jabbed the needle into Switcheroo’s foreleg, making her wince before the mad scientist pressed down on the plunger; injecting the green solution into the changeling’s bloodstream. “And if my research is correct and you’re very lucky, you’ll be the first in a new breed for your kind.

“If not,” Helix pulled the needle away before slapping the tiniest bandage she had on top of the injection site. “Well, corpse disposal is rather simple. I’ll simply need to find another of your kind to make Subject Nine then.”

“What is that stuff gonna do to me?” Switcheroo nervously asked as her eyes remained locked on her foreleg.

“I’ve injected you with a DNA vector. Think of it as a virus meant to overwrite your genes with the genes I want, making it that you’ll be able to sustain yourself off solid foods instead of feeding on love,” Helix answered as she stared down the changeling before turning back to the table with the recorder. “Note that based on past experience, this will be quite… Well, painful would be putting it lightly.”

The weak changeling swallowed as she nervously curled up. “Do… Do you have anything for it?”

“Of course I do,” the scientist replied as she reached her recorder. “I’ve had the room soundproofed. End log.”

Author's Note

Alticron: Welcome back to the final chapter of this trilogy. Hope you enjoyed the giant monster fight and Power Rangers homage in this.

Since this is a special chapter, I've got some special art for you.

First is a full body Beta's giant body.

Second is the entire cast who donning their Pony Ranger outfits.

And lastly, a special piece of art commissioned from Tsirta360 of Stoneback fighting Beta.

And with Tsitra360's excellent art shown off, it's time for the poll for the upcoming chapter.

1. Swift Snort (AP): Verdant is training with his fellow soldiers on Butterfly Island and we see one of the misadventures there.
2. Lovely Nights and New Beginnings (Alternate Ending): Verdant was called upon to impregnate Cadance with Shining Armor's sperm. Well over a year after his successful mission, Princess Cadance calls him back to the empire. What could she want this time?
3. Dating Delights: Verdant goes out on a date with a fancy mare he met during a dating service and things seem to go swimmingly... until he learns she's a cannibalistic serial killer with a shrinking fetish.
4. Betty: The Last Cutesaur: Verdant is recruited by Daring Do to explore an island full of long lost flora and fauna, only to encounter a creature that supposedly went extinct eons ago.
5. Bibinba's Inside Story: While playing Marinara Party with some friends of his, Verdant accidentally lands on the wrong space and finds himself staring down an imposing longma.
6. Double Trouble in the Fire: A teleportation accident ends up sending Verdant to another universe where he meets Dr. Overdrive and a green mare with a white muzzle named Shamrock Meadow. When the two try to get him back home, things go awry and the emerald pony pair end up in the kitchen of Spitfire.
7. Dragon of the Wastelands: In the wastelands that were ruined by mega spells, a small band of ponies wish to reach the town of New Griffonstone. To get there, they hire an odd unicorn mare who goes by the name of Verdant Range.
8. Dog Day Afternoon: On a day out, Verdant finds himself stumbling upon a patch of Shrinking Violets... and a rather hungry Diamond Dog.
9. Happy Hearts & Hooves Day (AP): Verdant wants to give Erica a wonderful Hearts & Hooves Day. After learning she has a fetish for shrinking and vore, he knows what he'll do to make his special somecreature happy.
10. Beanstalk Busts Out (EG): Set after "Into the Sunset", Beanstalk volunteers to try a candy made by a member of the science club with a supposed cheap substitute for mint. Too bad Molly Cule didn't see the plant she was using sparking or the paid attention to the fact it was blue.
11. Tales from the Mirrorverse - Digestions & Dragons: Set after the events of "Antacid's Creed", Verdant is assigned to Celestia's elite privateer, Magic Barrier. His first assignment: recover the treasure from a hibernating dragon's stomach.
12. A Changeling Among Us: Verdant and several others are taking a cruise to a tropical vacation hotspot, but something is going around the ship and killing the others on the boat. It seems that they'll have to keep the boat operational while finding whoever's the changeling imposter that's devouring the rest.
13. Sailing into the Blue: In the war with the griffins, Captain Barrier comes up with a plan to allow them to infiltrate the Griffin Kingdom and turn the tide of the war. All they need is a boat, Verdant's knowledge of anatomy and a lot of Shrinking Violet potion.
14. Into the Sunset (EG): An accident involving a flower cart and High Gear's teleporter leads to the teen to be shrunk again and finding himself stuck in a salad in Canterlot.
15. Ponies and Portals: Verdant is poached by a mare who is competing against High Gear's project by working on creating long range portal spell. However, things go wrong and Verdant finds not only is he shrunk, but his body has become a strange creature with weird appendages and clothes... along with being in a package of peanut butter and crackers.
16. A Dragon's Digestion Distress: The Vanhoover Institute gets an emergency call about a dragon suffering a dangerous intestinal blockage, so it's up to Verdant and a pick axe to try to save them.

Remember, only one vote per person. Also, from now on, votes that only have a number will no longer counted and even deleted. I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but I did this since it makes tallying the votes easier for me.

Next time, Verdant won't go too far. He ends up in the nearby city of Tall Tale when he ends up in The Bat's Breakfast. See ya then!