I Am NOT Twilight Sparkle!

Today has certainly taken an unknown turn which caught the ponies off guard, and that was a small infiltration force of changelings that tried to abduct Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and her circle of friends. Luckily, the ponies were able to fend the changelings off, and even capture them although now that leaves the question, what was their goal? Twilight and her friends, along with the collection of changelings they captured, decided to tell the princesses what had happened at the Castle of Friend. But upon their arrival to the castle the seven mare’s and Spike saw that the royal guards, and even the night guard, were armed in force, wielding weapons, and practically filling the hallway they had arrived in. And they all looked more determined than any of the ponies has ever seen them in.

“Princess Twilight!” one of the guards said as he skidded to a stop in front of the alicorns party, gasping as he saw the changeling filled bubble floating around the group. “It looks like you were ambushed by the changelings as well.”

“You mean they’re here to?!” Twilight said while her friends looked concerned. “How’s princess Celestia and princess Luna?”

“They’re both fine, and for the changelings that tried to abduct them, they’re all being held in a magically sealed jail cell.” The guard said as he moved to the side.

“If you want to leave the changelings with one of the other guards, I’ll take you to where the princesses are.”

The alicorn agreed to the suggestion, and allowed two other nearby unicorn guards to take the bubble, and haul them off to where the other changelings were being held in place. The party then followed the stallion through the castle, heading into the medical wing where they found the princesses, Shining Armor, a small platoon of guards and Thorax. The aforementioned princesses talking to the still bandaged up changeling, while getting a check from a grey unicorn stallion, who was hidden behind Celestia.

“Princesses.” Twilight said to get the attention of the other ponies.

“Twilight!” Celestia said in relief as she made her way over to the smaller alicorn. “Are you alright? Did any changelings attack you?”

“Yes. And we’ve brought the changelings here, but their being taken to where the others are being held.” Twilight replied as she nuzzled her mentor. “Do you know what these changeling are up to?”

“We were actually asking Thorax if he has any ideas.” Luna commented as she glances over to the stallion, who was just finished being re-bandaged. “Unfortunately, he has no idea of what they could be up to.”

“What about the changelings you caught?” Rainbow asked as she hovered above the group.

“We were actually going to go to interrogate them right now actually, but I sincerely doubt they’ll give up their queens plans so easily.” Celestia says in a weary tone, but she still seemed determine to make the attempt. But before the sisters departed for the cells to interrogate the changelings, they asked Twilight for the details on what happened to them.

~~~~~

At the south side of the castle, down in the rarely used dungeons, the two guards that were left in charge with the bubbled up changelings were making their way down the steps. Where upon reaching the bottom they made their way to the magically sealed jail cell, which was pretty hard to miss, as the entire cell itself was covered in a golden yellow and midnight blue magical field. Standing before the cell one of the unicorns used their magic to open the door, which the changelings inside tried to dog pile the ponies, but the magical field surrounding the large cell kept them at bay, allowing the guards to deposit the bubbled up insectoid equines inside. When the last changeling was placed inside the guards closed the cell door and left the changelings, and headed back upstairs. But as they did so the changeling were getting restless as they sat there in the cell.

“The queen is not going to be happy that we ALL failed our assignment!” one of the older ones said as he starts biting the tip of his hoof in a nervous fit.

“We should’ve been able to at least capture them. Especially Luna, she’s usually fast asleep in the day.” A younger changeling said as she scuffed the ground.

“Celestia also should’ve been easy to capture!” one of the male changelings said angerly. “She looked so much weaker than she did during the wedding, heck, she had this huge scar on her neck and chest. And she could barely stand or fly properly

“Well whatever the case…we better report this to the queen.”

A female changeling said as she reached behind her, and pulled out what looked like a jeweled beetle. Three of the other changelings also produced the same jeweled beetle, and once they did they placed them on the floor where they started to glow a bright green light. The four beetles then connected themselves via magical tethers, before they light surrounding the beetles floated upwards, swirling around like a vortex, and merging into a single ball of light, which then turned into a flat green surface. Where the image of queen Chrysalis appeared.

“Why are you contacting me already? Did you capture the ponies?” the changelings cringed, and some even hid behind others before one of them spoke up.

“…n-no your majesty…we ugh a-actually…failed in our…m-mission.” The changeling curled into herself as the queens face slowly devolved into a face of great irritation.

“So none of you were able to capture the ponies you were assigned to?” Chrysalis’s voice crackled with anger as her teeth and fangs grinded against each other. “…useless grubs!” the queen grumbled.

“All of you are so damn, USELESS!” the changelings cowered in fear as their queen screamed at them. “I gave you all simple assignments, gave you targets that you should easily capture. Especially the princesses if you overwhelm them! BUT YOU USELESS MAGOTS COULD’NT EVEN ACOMPLISH THIS!”

“Forgive us my queen, we will strive to do better!” one of the changelings said as he continued to cower in fear.

“Forget it! I’ll just have to come up with a different plan now since you botched this one up.” the queen then glared down at the collection of changelings in the sealed cell.

“I will deal with you all later once I come up with a new plan, in the meantime, you can rot in though cells until then!”

With that the queen canceled the communication, causing the magical surface to revert and delve back into the beetles. Seeing as their queen has announced them useless, and abandon them to rot in the ponies prison, the changelings all just laid there feeling miserable, alone…helpless. But before they could wallow in their new found sadness, a small cough got their attention and when they looked to see who it was, they found Thorax standing before the prison cell.

“What do you want traitor.” One of the changelings said as he tried to sound not so defeated, but only partially succeeding in the process.

“I came to ask you what is the queen up to, what is her plan?”

“I don’t see why we should tell you, you’re a traitor to the hive Thorax.” One of the mare’s said in an challenging tone. “You went against the queen!”

“Because she was torturing an innocent pony.” Thorax responded to the mare’s statement. “And as you just witnessed, the queen just left you here and even threaten all of you…why do you still listen and take orders from such a terrible leader?”

“…and what would you have us do?” in the back of the group, and old male changeling made his way to the front. Sitting down in front of Thorax, who did the same as the stallion started to talk.

“Without our queen the changelings will starve. She drives us to search for new sources of love, and ensures that the Hive is kept safe and secure. Even if our queen is harsh on her people, even to where she sentences them to a horrendous fate, she is our leader, and as her subjects we must always be loyal to her.”

“But there’s a difference to give a ruler your loyalty, and blindly following some creature who clearly is a dangerous ruler who inflicts suffering on her people.” Thorax challenged as he scooted closer to the cell door. “We all know how she treats changelings that fail their assigned tasks that she gave them.”

“Never the less grub. We cannot go against our queen, for if we do…we changelings will have no creature to govern us, and ensure that we will survive.”

“Then help us. me and the princess, if you help us stop Chrysalis I’m sure the princesses would be willing to look after the Hive.”

“HA!” one of the young changelings gaffed as she stomped a hoof on the ground. “And what makes you think that the princesses, the very ponies that we tried to abduct for the queens plans, would even consider accepting the changelings if we help you?”

“Why don’t we ask them.”

Thorax then looked to his right, which the other changelings tried to do as well, but their field of view was somewhat limited. However the captured changelings heard a menagerie of hoof steps trotting about. That’s when the three princesses, and Twilights friends came walking into view, surprising the changelings in the cell. However the other six ponies plus Spike remained at the side of the cell, while Celestia, Luna, and Twilight joined Thorax in sitting in front of the captured changelings.

“How long have they’ve been there?” one of the other changelings asked.

“We all came down here just as your making contact with Chrysalis.” Celestia says as she lays down.

“And as to whether or not we help the Hive if we bring Chrysalis to justice, then yes. We will.” The changelings seemed greatly unconvinced about this promise, which Celestia took notice of.

“I assure you that I am not lying to you, or trying to deceive you. after hearing and see what has happened to Thorax, and the threat that she just made you, I can’t stand by and let her continue to do this to her own subjects.”

“And so you and your fellow princesses are willing to look after over five-thousand changelings, and provide the necessary love energy that our race needs in order to survive?” the old changeling asked as he narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Not only that, but if we dethrone the queen she would most likely exile all of us if we banded together, can you provide homes or a plot of land to house that many changelings?”

Neither of the princess, nor the other ponies in the prison couldn’t really say anything, cause the old changeling had some very good points. Even if the changelings were to help the ponies over throw their queen, she would spend every effort to get her revenge, and if she takes her throne back she would undoubtedly exile all those who betrayed her. if not outright kill them. And even if they did bring in Chrysalis, lock her so she wouldn’t hurt any pony, that would just leave the changelings without a leader to guide them, and help provide for them. not to mention there would be no way that the ponies could provide housing, lively hoods, security and other facets of life, the royal treasury wouldn’t be able to cover such a cost. Then there’s the love energy that the changelings need. While Thorax did explain to the princesses that changelings can eat other foods, its love energy that gives them vitality, and the energy they need in order to prosper as a species.

“Right now…I’m not sure if we can do anything to ensure that the changeling Hive will live on.” Celestia says in a low tone, eyes down casted as she tries to come up with something.

“However, given time, and I promise as one of Equestria’s royals, I will ensure that the changeling hive will not be destroyed.”

“It all sounds like empty and false promises.” One of the females said.

“Perhaps for now. But if my sister promises you that she will take care of the changelings, then she will do everything in her power and authority to help you all.”

The changelings looked at each other with great skepticism, as well as uncertainty. After all this is uncharted territory they’re bordering on, as a changeling Hive never betrays their queen, even if it’s for the good of the Hive as a whole. Once the changelings have finished with their silent conversation, the old stallion looked ahead and stared into the three alicorns eyes, his dull blue eyes shimmering with great determination. But they still possessed a sense of worry within them.

“We will tell you what the queen’s original plan was, and provide with what little assistance we can, but only if you can keep your promise in ensuring that our Hive will thrive.” Celestia, Luna, and Twilight all gave nods and finalized their promise. “Then we have an accord. Help us changelings find a better life.”

~~Bad Lands Hive~~

High up in the Bad Lands Hive, in Queen Chrysalis private the chambers the leader of the changelings, is pacing about the room. trying to think of another way to accomplish the plan she has, although nothing different was coming to mind. And no new plan was coming to her to try and take over the kingdom of Equestria, which only frustrated her even more so.

“Those worthless grubs are so useless, and now I have to figure out another way to try and take the princesses out.” Chrysalis continued to pace about the room, trying again and again to try and come up with an alternative, but still nothing was forthcoming.

Relenting under the fact she is coming up with nothing, the queen gave out an exasperated sigh before making her way to the bed. where she belly flopped onto the mattress, and burying her face into the side of Zack’s belly, which as of late has not only become an honorary pillow for the queen. But has grown in bulk just a little. And as the queen laid on the bed, face pressed against the soft warm bulge, the queens head shifted to the side allowing the queen to look over to the sleeping face of the alicorn. As she lightly snores and twitches in her sleep, wings fidgeting every now and then, and tail flopping about and spreading her musk about.

“If only the other alicorns were as easy to capture as you were.” the queen groans as she then rolls onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as she continues on.

“But mark my words, I will have this country under my rule…and who knows…perhaps I’ll try and rule all of Equus.”

With the events of the day not going in her favor, and that a new plan wasn’t coming to her, the queen decided to rest up and try to plot something else later. But before she nods off for a nap, the queen rolls back onto her stomach, and then starts draining the love energy out of Zack, causing the alicorn to jostle around her sleep more. And as the queen drains the love from the alicorn, the violet ponies coat, mane, and tail started to loose a very small amount of their color. once Chrysalis has drained enough of love for the time being, the queen got into a comfort spot and began to nod off, hoping that a new plan will appear sometime later today.