The Revolutionary Six

Ocellus, Gallus, Yona, and Silverstream all were rushing as fast as they could toward the forest. Their friends were in danger, and it was more urgent than they initially thought if it took them this long to appear. Ocellus carried the suit she made for Sandbar, and Gallus carried a few more quivers for his arrows. Silverstream's chest plate was only made of one of the strongest, most durable metals in Equestria(thanks to Ocellus), and the fabric that covered the rest of her body was made of the same durable material that made the Spider-Suit. Ocellus was in her AARON armor, recolored black, and flew straight above Yona with Gallus and Silverstream.

The suit she made for Sandbar was made of extra durable fabric, and for the fibers, she took extra precaution by lining them with steel wool, which could take a little more damage than the fabric itself. The shield(which was carried in her mouth), she took the liberty to turn to some of the best authority figures she could find in the quickest manner possible.

Flash Magnus offered some great help in handing over his shield earlier, talking about how it was passed down to him, and how he'd be honored if he could return the favor to someone else who was willing to help Equestria. When Ocellus told him about the villains, however, he told her that he would run to get the pillars as fast as he could, as he couldn't take care of it on his own without anyone's help. Even as she insisted that he should go with her, he proceeded to remind her that the power of friendship is more powerful than that of a fully powered magic stealing centaur, and that he'd be back shortly.

As she ran through the woods and hid in the bushes while the other three went into battle, she decided to take some initiative and request her own help.

I know this might not explain much, but it's urgent, Thorax! my friends and I are currently in danger, and I might have enough time to explain a few things for you, but not a lot, so PAY ATTENTION, please!

Gallus, Sandbar, Silverstream, and Yona are all trying to cover for me while I write this, but Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and Tirek are here! We were trying to take them on head to head, but we can't without you! I know you're going to be angry at me after this, but I'll explain the rest later! My friends can't hold off much longer, and I'll need to go into battle soon.

Oh my goodness! Apparently Smolder is missing! I've gotta go out there soon, but--

Thorax! We need help! I'm okay right now, but I need you to gather the changeling hive, and--

The page was ripped off. Thorax dropped the paper. "Oh my gosh! Pharynx!" He rushed off the throne to go get his brother. The page of the letter she marked urgent was ripped off in the middle, and he was sure she was going to tell him where she was, and if the page was ripped before she could send it, that obviously meant she was in trouble.

Smolder lay on one of the seats of the dark, empty train. The repeated chugging sound was ringing in her ears as her eyes stretched open. The train was solemn, not a feeling in her numb body but the slow bump of the seat under her. Her vision was doubled, and her mind was derailed. How did she end up on the train? How would she get back? Would she ever get back? She had to be miles from the scene right about now. Probably at some of the most dangerous spots in Equestria.

Hugging her knees to her chest and leaning against the window, she allowed herself to slowly drift into unconsciousness. Hopefully, sometime before disaster began to reign, she'd be there, beside her friends. Hopefully...

Smolder's eyes shot open at the feeling of air brushing against the bloody scales of her cheeks. The cool wind attacked every inch of the scarlet liquid and dried it with ease. Nothing but the near flaring of feathered wings could be heard. The sound assaulted the air like Pinkie Pie's sour Yovidaphone. "Huh, thought it take forever for you to wake up." A similar voice called from above her. It was so surprisingly close, like, right above her. it sounded like-- like a familiar feathered friend.

"Gallus...?" She uttered in a half sigh of relief, but in slight agitation as well. "What're you doing over here? That train had me--"

"Halfway across Equestria? Nah. I was coasting in the sky looking for you and happened to find you on a bench at the train station. Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow are starting to get to the others. Ocellus tried to send a letter to the hive ruler, but she didn't exactly get to send the whole thing. Chrysalis was really eager to get her hooves on her. Reinforcements are on the way, but, we can't really hold off until then. We were really worried about you."

The dragoness coughed. "W-What about Yona?"

"We managed. Her and Silverstream are helping Ocellus and Sandbar with the baddies. What happened to you?"

Smolder wheezed once more. "That doesn't matter-" she struggled within Gallus' grasp, but he gripped tighter. "-is Ocellus okay?"

"Dude, seriously? Are you so fuckin in love with that bug that you don't even care about your own well being?" He chuckled. "That's a first. You've really got it bad."

"I didn't ask for your life story," she retorted, continuing to struggle within Gallus' grip. "I need to know if they're protecting her. It isn't just me, I swear! I-I mean, Chrysalis is a fuckin' slut for control of the hive, man! She'd kill her own offspring if she had to, including Ocellus."

"Whatever, just- promise me you'll be careful. I've gotta look over Silverstream, she needs me out there." He landed, laying Smolder in a bush a few feet from the action. "You've gotta take it easy right now. I don't think you can handle anymore stress."

"Are. you. fuckin'. kidding me!?" She stood up, wincing at the pain of her knees nearly buckling. "I'm not you guys' fuckin' toddler to look over! I can take care of myself, just let me help for once!" Smolder pointed an indignant claw at her feathery friend, who looked at her doubtfully, but with sympathy.

"Look, Smolder. Your knees are buckling, you've been walking in a limp, your face is bloody, and your suit is almost torn. Should I go on?" He stood in front of her, but she persisted with anger, pushing him aside and fiddling around her suit for her mask.

"Yeah, you should go on and fuck yourself, because I'm helping you guys." She pulled her mask down and swung through the bushes, and Gallus rolled his eyes before unfurling his wings and taking off after her.

Ocellus screeched out in pain, having hit the ground harshly as the dirt accumulated around her armor. Chrysalis had shot an energy beam at her, and was pinning her to the ground. She looked up in petrified fear at her former queen, who simply scowled down at her as she stamped her hoof. Ocellus winced and narrowed her eyes through her mask.

She hoped the previous ruler of the hive couldn't tell she was a changeling, or else she'd go harder on her than she would've before. Given that she used to be training to be a changeling drone, she hoped that she wasn't using any tactics she was taught, or else Chrysalis might've caught onto that. Before she knew it, Chrysalis flicked her tongue and tasted her emotions.

Firstly, changeling emotions were very different from any other creatures'. It always, no matter the flavor, had this strange tanginess to it. Be it sugary or spicy, -or everything nice-y- it always had a little tinge of flavor to it, to tell who was who. Though Chrysalis couldn't tell who she was assailing, she could definitely tell; it was in fact a changeling. Smiling, she continued to gloat and soak in her new coming victory.

"Look at what you've become. So weak. Has Thorax let down the hive so badly that would-be drone like you is so feeble?"

She cowered and whimpered under the taller bug, but Chrysalis only laughed. "Really? And of all the things you--"
Ocellus fired a beam at her before she could finish. The blast his Chrysalis square in the stomach, and her chitin carried a light burn mark where it had hit her. She made an impact with the ground, just as Ocellus did. When Ocellus began to take charge, however, Chrysalis' eyes widened with anger and fear, something she never would admit to feeling in her whole life.

The metal bug hovered in the air attempting to finish her off reluctantly. Raising her hooves, she let out a battle cry and fired the beams straight out of her armored hooves. Chrysalis could do little to stop it, but instead teleported out of the way. Ocellus looked around confusedly, but then screamed in surprise once she felt pressure and heat on her back. That dirty, dirty bug. She was the worst, and Ocellus had to face her.

Tirek and Yona butted heads while Sandbar was letting off at his back. When he had finally managed to get his armor on, things were becoming less and less painful by the second. The empty spaces where the whips hit him was starting to become numb, unless someone had touched or struck it. He wrapped his forelegs around the centaur's neck and tugged on it as hard as he could, but to no avail.

Tirek whirled around, and, before Yona could move, he struck with his hindlegs and straight in between her eyes. She shrieked in pain and tumbled over. "Yona!" Sandbar bellowed. "Woah!" Tirek had taken advantage of his enemy's recent startling to pull out his whips and lashed them around him. Sandbar shouted in pain as Tirek continued to swing him around, and right into Yona, sending them both into a tree.

Smolder stumbled from the bushes, her legs limp. The first thing she had to do was help some creature, especially Ocellus, that was, if she could find her. Still looking around, she came across Sandbar and Yona, who decided to seek another creature’s help.

Yona rammed straight into her, her fear evidently taking over her anger and leaving her un-transformed. When all three of them tumbled into the bushes, Smolder grumbled, and Sandbar shook.

“What the hell—?!” She spat, leaving the two on top of her stunned. Sandbar turned to her with a smile, and so did Yona.

“Smolder okay!” She gasped, hugging tightly to the dragon below her with Sandbar getting caught in her grasp, but he didn’t complain.

“Yeah! What happened to you? I was trying to get you to—“

“No time to explain, just- let me go!” She struggled under the heavy body weights of the pony and yak combined, and then limped from the leaves of the bushes. Dusting herself off, Smolder looked back at the two with a soft gaze. “Sorry. You two okay?”

They both nodded, but with reluctancy. Both Yona and Sandbar exchanged equally concerned looks and shifted their gaze back to Smolder. “Dragon feeling okay?” Yona asked, the first speak out of any of them since the long pause of silence.

“You’re kind of... limping.” Sandbar continued after Yona. Smolder looked around nervously, and then stomped her foot on the ground. She whimpered and growled even after that, but ignored it anyway.

“I’m. Fine. Just give me some space, okay? I need to go out there, and I can’t sit this one out. Not this time—! Argh!” Smolder was smitten by another load of body weight. The creature groaned in pain as they buried their face into her chest.

“Ocellus?” Smolder looked down at the changeling, whose mask withdrew and revealed the familiar features it carried.

“Smolder?! She gasped. “Oh my gosh!” Ocellus cried, clinging tightly to her dragon mate. “You’re okay! ...Or I’m assuming you’re okay? Are you okay?”

“Uh—“ Smolder began to answer, but Ocellus was already giving her an unnecessary surprise checkup as a side-serve to her rambling.

“What happened to you?”

Smolder groaned at this question, because it was in fact the exact same question Sandbar asked her when they had first encountered.

“That’s the same thing I asked her before.” He droned, rolling his eyes. Yona looked at him with an arched brow, and Smolder glared at him defensively. “Sorry...”

Ocellus cupped her hooves around her lover’s face, bringing Smolder’s gaze to her. “You’re not answering my question.” Smolder looked at her in slight nervousness, but then sighed.

“Look-“ she brushed Ocellus’ hooves off her cheeks, standing up and pulling her mask down. “-If I told you, you’d probably just stick me to the side and refuse to let me help. That’s why I don’t tell you anything.” With that, she swung from the bushes, leaving Ocellus, Yona, and Sandbar still in the same bush.

Ocellus turned away from the foliage with a wince. She sighed soon after, and then looked up and Sandbar and Yona. “I have to go help. I don’t know about Smolder right now, but... I have to keep some sort of tabs on Gallus and Silver.” She turned back to leave, but Yona put a hoof on her shoulder, draining every bit of movement from her body.

“Bad idea,” Yona uttered, shaking her head solemnly. “If Ocellus go out there without plan, it might get dangerous.”

Sandbar nodded. “She’s right. We might have to retreat soon, wait for some help.”