Hivemind Control

"Come on, Twilight!"

"You can do it!"

Twilight concentrated on her form, twisting and controlling the transformation as it coursed through her body, filling the crevices in her hooves, covering her shell with a thicker coat, and puffing up her mane and tail. With the encouragement from her friends, she fully shifted herself to her original shape and held it there. She looked just like herself again.

Cercus took a good, long look at her body, inspecting every square inch for imperfections. Of course, nopony knew Twilight's body quite like Twilight herself, but he knew the art of transformation, and that was what he needed to check for. All of the little details she may have forgotten, such as the exact placement of her cutie mark, or the image of her face. Looking in a mirror, a pony might remember something backward. However, Twilight managed to do a good job. Even the inside of her throat changed to the proper colour.

"Very well done," he smiled, tousling her mane. "Now, you are to keep this form active at all times. Under no circumstances are you to drop this form, except under direct orders from me."

"It's not like I was going to drop it, anyway," huffed Twilight. "The stigma against changelings in Equestria is still really strong. If Ponyville thought I was a changeling, which I suppose I am now in part, they certainly wouldn't accept my rule. Even if I did blow it, you'd probably have a backup plan, wouldn't you? I'm already staying in Canterlot with Celestia, aren't I?"

"That's right. You sent Spike back to Ponyville to prepare for your return."

"So that's everything, isn't it?" asked Applejack. "You three are ready to return home now?"

"I'm all packed," confirmed Rainbow. "Rarity has her stuff ready to pack up, and Twilight's belongings are ready to be packed up with Cercus' things."

"You're next," nodded Cercus to Applejack. "In about a month, if all goes well."

"I'll be packed up 'n ready to go," saluted Applejack.

"We may not be ready by then," warned Cercus. "It may be three months."

"I have faith in my friends," smiled Applejack. "They'll bring me back as soon as they can, I just know it."

"Me, too!" bounced Pinkie.

"They'll send for me when they're not busy," said Fluttershy, "if it's not too much trouble."

"As fast as we're able," promised Rainbow. "No way we're going to keep you here any longer than we have to."

They exchanged hugs, then the seven of them made their way up toward the room to pick up their belongings. On the way, Cercus selected five changelings to accompany them back to Ponyville. Two to pull the carriage, and three more to act as stand-ins for the ponies that they still could not bring. He sent them up to the surface to prepare the carriage that they'd be riding in.

As Rainbow had stated, it didn't take long to pack everything up. While neither Rarity nor Twilight was fond of the minimalist design, they had to admit that not having a lot of personal items definitely made it easier to pack. They were all cleared up and ready to go in only a few minutes. Despite being the reason it had been brought in, Twilight had asked to leave the horrible painting behind, as better ones were already waiting for her back in Ponyville, and even better, there were photographs. Those would spark much more joy.

By the time they made their way outside, with those not under command kept on leads by the gate guards, the carriage was ready, and copies of Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack were already waiting for them, with two Royal guardsponies pulling. With one final hug, Twilight, Rainbow and Rarity climbed into the carriage. Cercus was the last, shifting into the form of a gryphon. After all, the current story they were telling was an incursion on a gryphon holy site, so having a gryphon with them coming back was believable.

As the carriage took off toward Equestria, Twilight watched out the back window. After several minutes, she watched the distant specks that were Applejack, Pinkie and Fluttershy go back into the hive. She wondered how long it would be until they were all in one place again. Perhaps a year, perhaps less. All she knew for certain was that it would feel like an eternity before it was over.

She sat down next to Cercus. The carriage was surprisingly spacious, though she guessed it had to be. Three ponies and four changelings would be riding in it for a few days, and after they arrived in Canterlot, three more changelings would need to join them. On top of the two drivers, that made twelve total beings that would need to take part in this transport.

She sighed and rested her head on Cercus's shoulder. While she wasn't particularly fond of him, she had to keep close to him. He was the one who decided every aspect of her life from here onward, and keeping him happy was the only way to fight back. It was all she had, and she was glad just to have this little bit.

The trip back to Ponyville was uneventful and quiet. They'd stop every night, with Cercus taking the girls into one tent and leaving the other changelings to tend to themselves. Every morning, Cercus would administer Rarity's treatment in their tent, keeping her loyal to him. After lunch, he'd take Rainbow in front of everypony. She seemed to be adapting well, actively trying to make Cercus cum as much as possible, as fast as possible, as if it were some sort of competition. Perhaps it was a contest, in her eyes. If that was the case, she would probably fare the best out of the three of them, a thought that Twilight found encouraging. If she didn't have to worry about Rainbow Dash, and with Rarity helping her through the worst of it, Twilight had confidence that she would see her friends again, even if under less favourable circumstances.

Twilight's turn always came right before bed. Cercus would fill her up, give her a kiss, then fall asleep with his three concubines on top of him. Sometimes, Rarity and Rainbow would hold her hoof, reminding her in these moments that she was no longer alone. Her friends had been there when she needed them most, and they would stand by her side until the end of Eternity. It was for them that she could keep going. If she had left them behind when she went looking for the princesses, she'd have been alone in facing the hive, and she'd have long ago given up everything.