Intervention 2.0 is currently happening in Anon's house. What's left of it.

...Well, it was supposed to.

Twilight had left to send a letter to Celestia. Celestia sent one back, affirming she would visit on the morrow, to help handle the situation. She even brought a bag of bits, to help fund his reconstruction efforts.

Celestia had arrived, stopping at Twilight's library. The pair went next door after greeting each-other, and rounding up the other Elements.

Twilight, sat beside Princess Celestia, sit where Anon's couch used to be. Both are... lightly upset.

Rainbow Dash showed, but quickly got irked.

Rarity showed, but is now concerned.

AppleJack also showed. She, like Rarity, is also concerned.

Fluttershy is currently tasking her birds with looking around.

Pinkie is... Celestia knows where. Actually, she doesn't, in this situation. She's somewhere, and it isn't here.

Alright, so everypony was here, right?

Yes.

Everyone?

No.

Anon? Is gone.

Barfy? Is gone.

The Changeling Elite? Is gone.

This? Is a problem.

"...NOBODY saw him? At all since yesterday?" Twilight mutters aloud, incredulous. Celestia is currently maintaining a solid three-minute long facehoof, going on four.

"Well, after you sent me away, I went to do some really important stuff!" Dash retorts, crossing her hooves.

"You took a nap." Applejack grunts.

"And? I need my rest." Dash brazenly defends herself.

"Well, Fluttershy is being a dear, and asking her birds if they've seen anything... alarming, with our little... are they runaways? Or do you think that the Changeling got them?" Rarity offers, worried.

"I bet they BOTH turned on him! And now they plan to SUCK HIM DRY!" Dash mocks.

Rarity slaps Dash, surprising the collection.

"Do NOT insult Barfy's character, Rainbow Dash. I will not STAND for such slander. Anon? Slander away, he can handle it, he's a stout sort; but you bite your tongue in regards to our little gold-belly, understood?" Rarity scolds, wagging a hoof in the surprised Dash's face, who holds her own reddening cheek.

Dash rubs her cheek, glancing away and muttering some form of quiet apology.

AppleJack whistles. "Didn't think you'd turn aroun' n' grow fond of th' thing."

"Of course I have, Darling; I even invited her to our next Spa trip." Rarity huffs, sitting back on her haunches, head tilted up properly.

"...Y' what now?"

"My Little Ponies, please." Princess Celestia cuts in, earning all eyes and ears. "Our poor Anon has been through much recently, and a fair amount of it has been at our own hooves."

A tentative, shamed nod circles around from the group. Except Rarity, who has literally done no wrong in this situation thus far, and holds her head high.

"...So, do we have any idea where they may have gone?" Celestia asks.

There's a collective head-shake from everyone.

...Except Rarity.

"I am... still surprised, that this is what you have chosen." The Changeling Elite Infiltrator, named Tremor, chitters.

"Yeah, well... I'm getting sick of these Ponies. At least you understood my humor enough to copy me convincingly." Anon grumbles, hands in pockets, kicking a rock along.

Barfy walks beside Anon, watching the rock with curiosity. Anon kicks it forward, into Barfy's path; aaaand she barfs on it, Anon's little rock now coated in a slime. THEN she tries to kick it, splatting goop around.

"...Not quite, Barfy, but good energy." Anon shrugs, scanning for another rock.

Slight context; Anon was defecting, to join the Changelings.

Let's provide some more information.

When Twilight left to go file her letter with Celestia, Anon decided that gap of no-pony, where Dash, AppleJack, and Twilight had fucked off was about as good of a gap as he was going to get. So, he packed the few things he still had that weren't busted up by the locals, untied the Infiltrator; and explained that he wanted to join the Changelings.

After being assured this wasn't some odd ploy to get information out of him... the Infiltrator agreed, and introduced himself. They departed shortly after, Barfy in tow. They did pause at the Boutique to inform one of the Elements, which was... odd, to Tremor, but she seems surprisingly alright with it. Rarity, he thinks her name was.

Tremor glances over, watching the pair interact. Originally, Tremor was assigned long-term surveillance of Ponyville, given it's vital location as home of the Elements. When giving his most recent report, he'd heard that a Nurse Drone had gone missing in the raid on Canterlot, and was expected to keep an eye out for it.

Lo and behold, it arrived; in tow with the weird, bipedal 'Human'.

And then he cared for it. This... surprised Tremor. Few cared for Changelings willingly.

At first, he didn't even think it was the missing Nurse Drone, but another Changeling on tasking to infiltrate Ponyville. He'd broken into the already damaged Humans home, scoured his secrets, and made contact, hoping for information. When she could barely speak, however, he knew something was up.

Then, the Human confronted him; and Tremor could hear other Ponies approaching. In a panic, he assumed the Humans form, trying a bold usurpation of his position.

We know how that went.

But... it made Tremor feel bad for the Human. They almost fell for it, too. Which on one hoof; Tremor was proud of. On the other hoof... yikes.

At no point did he think the Human would have willingly agreed to return the Nurse Drone. Well... he didn't exactly. He wanted to defect, and come along.

Apparently, 'Barfy', as she had been... 'aptly named', had undergone... significant metamorphosis. Nurse Drones are usually miniature regenerative-goo generators, and little else. Merely weeks of being missing... and it had absorbed so much love, it was near the size of the standard Pony, her chitin a sheen similar to his own. An... Elite Nurse? Or a Fledgling Queen? Nurse... Queen?

That was for Queen Chrysalis to decide, when she got to view this... turn of events.

"So you wish to defect?" Tremor repeats, bringing up what Anon had discussed back in Ponyville.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm kind of sick of Ponies, man." Anon grumbles. That, and Barfy was interested in the idea of getting to go home, but only if Anon came along.

So, fuck it. Changeling time.

Right now, they're trudging through a forest as they slowly cross Equestria. During the day, they would stay low. During the night, the Changelings would fly, holding Anon's arms to carry him to get some proper distance.

"So what's your home like? Is it like that thing Barfy built in the corner of my house?" Anon prods, leaning to poke Tremor.

Tremor squints, tolerating it. Having read the Humans journal, he was aware of its general... oddities.
"The Changelings expansive hives run for miles underground the north-eastern wastes. To compare them is laughable."

"...No offense. Your hive-hole was aptly built for it's size, especially in that you are not a Building Drone." He adds towards Barfy. Nurse Drones were of the same rank of Elites, from their vital position as hive healers, even though they were not Elites themselves.

That... was another thing. There were workers drones. Nursery drones. Warrior drones. Builder drones. This nurse drone... built. Like a builder Drone.

Fledgling Queen may not be the most inaccurate assumption.

"...Thank." Barfy hacks.

Well, that and how Nurse Drones normally did not have vocal cords, communicating through wing-buzzing and noises instead.

Again, a topic for his Queen. Tremor was but the messenger. And the deliverer.

"So... you guys have your own Princess, right?" Anon asks, now softly punting another rock along with them.

"Queen Chrysalis." Tremor corrects. "Princess is a title for the weak."

"Right, like King Sombra. I dig it. Has some good zing to it." Anon nods.

Barfy gets a hold of the rock. It, too, is lost to slime.

"Do you? Queen Chrysalis is not like your... prissy, empathetic Princesses spouting harmony and drivel. She is for the Hive, of the Hive; her word is law." Tremor warns.

"Nah, I get that. Dictatorship? Monarchy? Oligarchy? She the only head bug?" Anon starts asking, curious.

He finds another rock. This time, skipping the middle man, he just hands the rock directly to Barfy.

She seems surprised. She inspects it, before carefully taking it with her magic.

She's now carrying the rock with them. Whatever floats your boat, Barfy.

"...Monarchy?" Tremor muses, glancing at Anon.
"Why is it you have such little issue with Changelings? You were there at the Canterlot attack, were you not? You know we seek to devour the love of creatures?"

"Oh, you guys aren't so bad. Like, really? Your crime is you want love? Everybody wants that. Not your fault you need to eat it to survive." Anon chuffs, hands in his pockets. If Barfy was anything to go by, they just needed a chance to actually get love, and not be stuck in a position needing to steal it.

"...Such empathy may not run in your favor, as much as you hope it will." Tremor warns cryptically.

"...Huh?"

"...Things are not as simple as they appear. Kindness will not solve what has been centuries of suffering for my people, nor will it wipe away what we have had to do." Tremor explains, blunter.

"Oh, well, duh. I dunno about Ponies, but we humans have learned to get over our grudges pretty quickly. I mean shit, look at Germany; you think the second world War might've knocked their rep for good, but here they are slinging cars and beer." Anon chortles.

Then Anon pauses, pausing to glance back at Tremor, who had completely stopped.

"...A second what?"

"Oh, buddy, keep up. Lemme give you a quick run down of Humanity's like... last century."

Twilight hadn't told anyone else, but in the first week, she'd placed a magical tracker on Anon. A soft pulse of her own magic that she would maintain every morning, allowing her to roughly feel where Anon was.

This was important, as Anon constantly got into trouble.

After the meeting, Princess Celestia tasked everyone with searching for Anon and Barfy.

Before she could start, Rarity had pulled her aside.

Barfy had informed her of their plans before they left; Rarity couldn't stop them, but she wanted Twilight to check on them. She didn't want to tell the whole group, as Anon... might not appreciate the entire squad rolling up.

Twilight stands atop her library, feeling for the familiar sense of her own magic. It was night; the perfect time for this.

...And there it was. They hadn't gone terribly far, but Rarity was right. He was already hours away from Ponyville.

Her magic encircling her, Twilight dissapears in a purple burst.

A swirl of purple magic forms, bursting apart as Twilight's form appears.

"Anon!" She shouts -- pausing.

Anon was sat against a tree.

On each side, a Changeling sat, getting their head pat.

Barfy looked content, leaning into it and purring softly.

The Infiltrator... looked traumatized, staring distantly, far far away. His eyes widen as he hears her voice, glancing around at the tree-tops.
"T-the TREES! THEY'RE--"

Anon grabs his head, pointing it at Twilight.
"Purple Pony, not 'Nam. Man, hearing about the middle east tomorrow is gonna mess you up."

The infiltrator groans, burying his head in his hooves.

"Hey Twilight." Anon finally acknowledges her.

Barfy does not, throwing her a Rarity-Quality sneer. Damn.

"...Anon, what are you doing? Why is the Changeling free? We all came to your house to find you, even Princess Celestia!" Twilight asks, worried, stepping closer.

"Ugh." Anon groans. "Good to know I left in time. I'm defecting."

"...What?"

"Yeah, I'm joining the Changelings."

"Anon, they ATTACKED you!"

"I'll give you a chance to make a better argument, considering I've been assaulted by more Pony-Hooves than Bug-Hooves." Anon tsks.

Twilight purses her lips, realizing just how bad things may have actually gotten.
"You, uh... really? You want to leave?"

"Yeah, kinda tired of getting my house, my door, my me kicked in. And for doing what? That whole friendship thing you guys go on about? It's cool when you rehabilitate the God of Chaos or whatever, but if I try to bring a bug home and make sure its safe, that a problem?" Anon crosses his arms. Barfy and Tremor are watching semi-silently, minus the soft 'Ooooo' they both make.

"W-well, I didn't know that-- I was --"

Anon raises an eyebrow.

"...I'm sorry, Anon." Twilight sighs, hanging her head.

"...Alright, you're forgiven." He huffs.

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, you mean well. Just stop blowing my shit up."

"Yeah, of course. Princess Celestia showed me I was... acting improperly."

Anon nods, a small silence filling their little clearing.

"...So, do you want me to help you come back? I can teleport you, or--" Twilight sighs, relieved. They'd probably have to tie up the Infiltrator again...

"Oh, fuck no. I'm still defecting."

"WHAT?!" Twilight exclaims.

"Yeah, apologies or not, I need a break from you guys. Just because I'm not gonna hold a grudge doesn't mean what happened, didn't happen." Anon retorts simply, leaning his head back.

"I...Anon, really? I'm... then I'm sorry, Anon. But I can't just--"

Twilight's eyes go wide as Anon holds up a rope. It's a long one.

Her eyes follow it. It trails slowly up the tree he's against, over a branch, down to the ground, and...

Ends in a loop under her hoof.

Anon yanks it, Twilight yelping loudly as she's pulled airborne by her back leg.

Author's Note