I Am NOT Twilight Sparkle!

After she came back from Canterlot Twilight had intended to gather all of her friends up, and tell them about the information she got from when Luna delved into the changelings mind. However aside from Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie, Rarity and Rainbow were out of town on business. So when the came back the next day Twilight gathered up all of her friends and told them what she knew about Zack’s current situation, and needless to say they were none to thrilled about hearing their friend is being held captive by Chrysalis. And the following day only made them all feel even worst when Celestia sent a letter to Twilight, and described what the changeling, Thorax, said about what the queen was going to use her for.

“I’m tired of waiting! I say we go and find the changeling hive ourselves, storm the joint, and bust the queens ugly mug and take Zack back!”

Spike all but shouted as he stood up on the map table. Ever since Twilight came back to the castle, and rounded up all of her friends and explained the situation that she was told that Zack was in, they were all basically up in arms into rescuing Zack. Spike most of all.

“We can’t do anything right now Spike.” Twilight quickly said as she picked her assistant up, and placed him back on his own throne.

“We need to find a way to even infiltrate the changeling hive first, and then we have to find a way around that magic absorbing throne, not to mention the entire changeling hive.”

“Then let’s just bring the entire royal guard with us.” Rainbow said as she smacked a hoof onto the table.

“Yeah. If we get the help of all of the royal guard, then, maybe we can save Zack.” Fluttershy said as she agreed with Rainbow’s idea.

“Even with all the royal guards with us, we still can’t just blindly rush into this.” The alicorn said as she tried to keep her friends calm. “If we do, then things would only get worse for Zack.”

“She’s right girls.” Applejack said. “We gotta think about this, and come up with a plan.”

“Applejack’s right.”

Everypony turned to look at Pinkie Pie, whose usual pink fur, mane, and tail has been dulled in color and less vibrant. Even the mare’s mane and tail were far less puffy and curly. Ever since Zack had disappeared, and she’s been awaken from her state of unconsciousness, the pink mare hasn’t been herself, instead of a happy smile, a bubbly attitude, or even her weird randomness charm…she’s been…quiet. Ever since she woke up from her coma like state, the only things she’s been doing is getting rest, and helping around Sugarcube Corner where she can. Other than that, Pinkie hasn’t been acting like herself.

“If we just go barreling into this like we usually do, we could make things worse for Zack, like having the changeling queen doing something horrible to her to make us go away.” A shiver ran down all the ponies, and dragons, spines as they all imagined what Chrysalis would do to Zack in retaliation.

“I agree with both Pinkie Applejack. We’ll let the princesses figure out how to go about this, and when the time comes we’ll provide whatever assistance we can.” Rarity follows up getting nods from Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie, and Starlight and Fluttershy. Rainbow and Spike also nodded, after a little bit of a delay.

“Well now that you all know what’s going on, let’s hang back and wait to see what comes next.”

The group nodded in agreement as to what they were going do for the time being, and after discussing a few more issues and topics Twilight’s circle of friends made their way out of the castle, and headed back to their places of work/home. while Twilight, Starlight, and Spike remained in the castle, sitting around the map table. All of them still looking very exasperated, and depressed.

“I can’t stand just sitting around here like this Twilight!” Spike said in agitated tone. “We should at least be doing something, instead of just waiting around.”

“I know Spike, I’m not exactly thrilled about this either, but…there’s not much else we can do at the moment.” Twilight says as she leans over the table, head being held in her hooves.

“I’m just curious if we can actually trust this changeling that you’ve talked to. what if him being injured the way he was is some daring plan?” Starlight said, a little skeptical of the changelings actual motives.

“Luna delved deep into his mind, and from what she saw, and how he acted towards Celestia and Luna when he woke up…I think we can trust him.” Twilight said as she steps up from her throne.

“I just hope Celestia and Luna can take what Thorax has told them, and figure out a way to get Zack back.”

The violet alicorn then made her way to the throne rooms door, followed by Spike and Starlight, but as they stepped through the double doors something caught all of their attention. A looming shadow on the floor before them. just as the trio looked up to see what was creating the shadow, they all saw their friends trapped in green cocoons…and several changelings diving towards them! before the changelings came in contact with the trio, Twilight acted on instinct and brought up a shield, but instead of using it just as a means of protection, the alicorn poured more magic into the spell causing the dome shield to expand it outward, colliding with the changelings and knocking them up into the air rather forcibly.

“We need to catch them quickly! Otherwise the queens plan will fail!”

One of the changelings shouted as he divebombed again, but this time zipping around so that none of the ponies, or dragon, could tell where he would attack from. But as the changelings continued with their attack, the two ponies and dragon were readied for a fight, but as they did so, a thought came to Twilight as she brought up another shield as a pair of changelings collided with it.

‘What are these changelings up to? and…are we the only ones being attacked?!’

~~Canterlot~~

The castle was a bundle of activity today! A small infiltration group of changelings managed to sneak into the castle, blend in with the staff and wormed their way towards both Celestia’s and Luna’s chambers. Now of course the two sisters were startled by the sudden attack, but they wouldn’t be such easy targets. Luna was going all out as she was using all of her power to repel the changelings attacking her, and while the royal guard did try and aide her, but like the prior invasion they didn’t stand much of a chance against the changelings, especially now that their not holding back in their attempts to capture the princesses. While Luna was able to hold her own, Celestia was not doing to bad herself despite her current physical injuries hampering her performance a little, and like with her sister the guards try and help their princess and unfortunately make no difference.

“Surround the princess and subdue her! we need to capture her for the queens plan!” one changeling shouted as he shoulder tackled a earth pony guard, slamming the stallion into a wall and knocking him out.

“Princess you need to flee!” one of the unicorn guards warned as he fired a magic blast, striking one of the changelings, but then immediately gets blind sided by another. Getting a hoof kicking into the side of his head.

“No!” Celestia half-shouted as she watched the last guard that came to her defense fall to the ground.

“Now you have no pony left to defend you princess, and considering how weak you appear to be, you can’t hold all of us off on your own.”

One of the ten armored changelings chortled as he, and his comrades, slowly made their way to the princess. And as they corned the alabaster alicorn, whose left leg and wing were start to twitch and convulse, as the overstimulation of battle causes Celestia to drop to the floor. But before the changelings could truly capture the fallen princess, a black blur came zooming in out of a nearby hallway, slamming into the closest changeling, sending him flying a few feet. Now standing in front of both Celestia and the other changelings, fangs bared and hissing at the other chiton clad insect equines, stood…

“Thorax!” the leader of the infiltration squad hissed as he, and the other changelings bared their fangs. “How are you alive traitor?!”

“Because of the kindness of the ponies, that’s how.” Thorax said as he stood his ground, even if his body was shaking like a leaf. Partially out of fear, and partially because he’s still physically weak.

“Thorax you shouldn’t be up and about, your still to injured to be moving around.” Celestia warned as she tried to stand, but her convulsing leg kept her from able to stand up.

Before Thorax could respond to Celestia’s warning, one of the changelings lunged at Thorax, who used what little strength he has to meet him mid-way, where they began biting and kicking each other. however the fight quickly turned one sided as the rest of the changelings ganged up on Thorax. Giving one big flap of her wings, Celestia launched herself at the group, using her sheer size to disrupt the group, interrupting the gang up before they really dealt a lot of damage to the lone traitor. Then as the infiltrators flew back she sent out a volley of magical projectiles that upon connecting with the changelings, shocked them with yellow sparks. Causing the ten changelings to shriek in pain before dropping to the floor, electricity arcing around them.

“Thorax!” Celestia said as she turned to look at the changeling, seeing that he only scuffed up a little.

“I’m fine.” Thorax said as he drops the floor, his legs giving out as he starts panting heavily.

“I told you were still not well enough to be moving around.”

“I know. but when I sensed the other changelings coming, I knew they were up to something and I had to warn you.”

“Then you should’ve sent Shining Armor to inform us.”

“He has.” Celestia turned to the other end of the hallway after hearing her sister’s voice, and was now seeing her and Shining Armor coming towards them. “Sister, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Shining take Thorax back to the medical wing, we will deal with the changelings.” Celestia said as she manages to stand up, leg still twitching slightly.

“Right.” Shining saluted as he trotted over to Thorax, and levitated him up into the air.

“Come on hero, let’s get you back in bed.” as the two stallions left, Celestia approached one of the changelings who was trying to move, but their bodies wouldn’t do as they wanted.

“Now tell us, what is it that Chrysalis is planning, and what is planning to use Zack for!” the alabaster alicorn said in a very stern, almost angered tone. But the changeling didn’t seem to be in the mood for talking, as he only hissed and snarled at the princess.

“Very well then. If you will not talk, we’ll just have to make it so that you will in do time.” Celestia says as she starts gathering up the changelings in her magic aura.

“I just hope these are the only infiltrators we’ll have to deal with.” Luna says as she goes and collects the ones that she left paralyzed in her quarters, and the connecting hallway.

~~Castle of Friendship~~

At Twilight’s castle the seven changelings that attacked the princess, Starlight and Spike, were all knocked out thanks to sleep spell and being contained in a floating bubble. While Twilight was helping her cocooned friends down, who weren’t to happy being covered in green sludge and slime.

“Yuck! It’s all over my mane, tail and fur! it’s going to take me hours to get it all out.” Rarity whined as she tried to get the sticky green substance out of her coat, but it was proving more difficult.

“Just who were these guys?” Rainbow asked as she tried to shake the sludge off her, but only ending up to sling around her body more, especially around her wings.

“I don’t know, but whoever they are, I’m certain they were sent here for a reason.”

Applejack said as she tried to give her setson a good few shakes, and ending up causing the slime to splat her in the face. that’s when Spike belched and coughed up a scroll. As the ponies trapped in the cocoon tried to get themselves cleaned off, Spike took the scroll into his claws the little dragon silently read only the first paragraph, before gasping. When he did, the seven mare’s looked at the small dragon, and saw that he has a very worried look on his face, which made them all feel even more anxious.

“Changeling’s have attacked both Celestia and Luna, and they’ve gotten all of theirs locked up.”

“Then we better tell them what happed here. And show them the changeling’s that attacked us.” Twilight says as she used her magic to take hold of the bubble.

“Gather around everypony, and I’ll teleport us to the castle.”

The six other ponies, and Spike did as the princess said, and in the flash of purple light the entire group vanished and re-appeared in the main hall of the castles lobby. Once they were at the castle, the group started wandering around and searched for the princesses, so they could tell the two royals about what has happened to them.