"Is it clear, Haze?" Cherry Twinkle asks, her soft-red magic wisping away from her horn as it drops the Changeling to the ground.

Mountain Haze and Cherry Twinkle. Mountain Haze, one of the younger Wonderbolts, better tasked at quiet-flying rather than outright speed, was assigned to this secret mission alongside Cherry Twinkle; one of Canterlot Universities most promising Unicorns, skilled in Levitation and Invisibility. Spy on the Queens, get what they can, get out; another, better equipped team would follow their findings after.

"Yeah, Cherry. They both left. The bug-one flew off, and the one that looks like Luna teleported, I think." Mountain Haze nods, looking at what the off-white, pinkish-maned Unicorn had brought in with her. She's dressed similarly to him; a Night-variant of an appropriation of the Wonderbolts outfit, goggles, and a hood, instead of a mask. "Said something about 'you two', but I remember seeing one of Chrysalis bugs bolt out of the room -- looked like this one, actually. We should be alone now."

Taking another glance around the eerily quiet bedroom, Haze can't help but marvel at the grandiosity of it. It's like a coarse mixture of the Changeling hives, and older-than-Canterlot stone construction. Stonework is imbibed by black hiveworks, intermingling the two. Paintings, trophies, statues, banners, curtains -- this place was the works. Not to mention the massive bed in the middle of the room.
"...Could fit like a dozen ponies on that thing." He mutters -- a soft red glow on his cheek pulls his attention back to Cherry.

"What did you hear, Haze? The only thing I was able to find was this weird Drone, waiting around outside the door. Once that Batpony left, I had to knock it around -- it was fast, almost got away." Cherry says quietly, giving the weird bug on the floor a nudge. It was small for a Changeling Drone, and had a weird, jello-like belly that contrasted their usual green and black, with an odd gold. It coughs, buzzing weakly, curling up -- several bruises cover its chitin, as well as a few cracks. Cherry was pretty potent with her telekinesis. "Won't speak, either."

Haze shakes his head at the bug. Weird, but not important. "They know. About the Plan, even that Twilight is leading it. They have a spy in the ranks, still -- I thought that new spell that Twilight and the Princesses cooked up was enough, but I guess not. They're already moving to make a trap, to try to lure them in." He whispers harshly, taking another cautious glance around.

Haze had kept a firm eye on the room. He knew he details. Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon; though he didn't expect them to be that close. Nightmare always spoke weird, in plurals or whatever, but it was just them, this weird bug -- he assumed Chrysalis liked to treat her Changelings in weird ways, since this looked like the one he saw bolt out of the room earlier. The Messenger left, the Evil Queens left... why was the fur on the back of his spine standing up?

"That's... oh, buck, Haze, that's really, really bad. We need to get back to Canterlot and warn them, now." Cherry says, glancing back at the Bedroom door. Still quiet. "Can we get out through the balcony, like we got in?"

Haze nods. "Yeah. You invisible us, I carry you -- but I can't carry two." He warns.

Cherry glances at him, confused, before he nods to the bug. She bites her lip. Buck. They were supposed to be entirely unseen, but the bug just wouldn't leave the door alone. She had to. And now...?

"We can't just leave it here." Cherry states. Haze agrees, nodding.

"But we can't take it, either. It'll slow us down -- and what we know is more important than a Changeling Drone as a prisoner. They never talk, anyway." Haze adds, two contemplating.

"...Do... we...?" Cherry trails off, the topic taking a morbid turn. "We can't just let it tell them we were here. Canterlot needs the counter-surprise, especially. If we can work around their trap..."

Haze sighs, a grim look taking his expression. "It's... just a Changeling. And this opportunity could turn the war, before it has a chance to break out again."

The two share a long look, Cherry's softly-pink eyes wide, looking to Haze for the answer. Innocent. Naive. That's why he liked her so much. After this, he should say something.
"I'll do it." Haze finally mutters, putting a hoof down. "We can stash it in behind something in here. Should buy enough time. I don't think they come here very often, anyway."

"Are you sure, Haze?" Cherry asks quietly. "...I won't say anything about it. We were in, we were out. Right?"

"Yeah. Just, uh... go wait by the curtains, and prepare the invisibility spell. I'll try to be quick, then we'll get out of here." He whispers, nodding solemnly. A guilty gaze flits to the Changeling, huddled in on itself, shivering. This was a last resort, but... it was just a Changeling. Nobody had to know.

Cherry sighs, the tension that had been building in her chest gone, relief clear on her face. She nods.
"Right... thank you, Haze. I--"

There's a rustle in the middle of the room. Before either can react, one of the frilly pillows from the bed pelts into Cherry's face with such force that it bursts on contact. Feathers and fluff explode into the air, Cheery shouting in shock, startled as she stumbles back, spitting feathers out of her mouth, hooves pawing at her face.

Hazes eyes flash open in panic, twisting to look at the mattress -- Buck. He should've listened to his gut. He knew he felt something wasn't right.

There's some kind of creature sitting up on the bed, emerged from the pile of blankets and pillows. Wait, there was another?! Haze swears under his breath, twisting around, stance widening, wings flaring out. He had to protect Cherry. It's his fault -- he only noticed the Queens and that Drone, not this... what the buck was it? How long had it been here?!

It rose slowly from the bed; it was tall. Taller than the Queens, or the Princesses. Haze feels a pit form in his stomach. He needs to get Cherry out, now. But how? He was the one that could fly. She could hover herself with telekinesis, but she'd be a sitting duck to the airborne patrols.

He glances to Cherry, whose still sputtering out feathers, dazed; panic thick in his voice. "Quick, to the window, now--"

Hazes' eyes snap back to the creature as he sees movement in his peripheral; only to find the creature already closed in on him. Haze hadn't correlated its height to its speed, he'd been too worried about Cherry. He tries to tense, to crouch low and launch towards the weird bipeds legs; if he can topple him, he can buy Cherry and him time to get out of there. Buck the Invisibility, they just need to go!

With a guttural roar, Haze steels his nerves and launches at the biped, aiming low.

His eyes widen as it steps to the side as soon as his wings take him off the ground, one of its legs rearing back.

"Cher--"

Anontios' foot rears back, before he drives it into the midsection of the charging Pegasi, sidestepping its obvious tell. Inexperienced, probably. It tries to shout something, but his limb meets it before it can utter anything fully, and the connection takes the wind out of its lungs. There's a heavy, meaty crunch on impact -- the Pegasus flies back, hitting the floor and sliding across it, before slamming against the wall, knocking over one of the Queens busts from its pedestal, cracking on the floor.

The Pegasus groans, one of its wings bent the wrong way. That should keep it down.

His gaze turns to the other -- now he's got a good look at it. A Unicorn, dressed similarly, though off-white with a pinkish mane sticking out of its hood. It's sputtering feathers and trying to use its magic to paw off the burst pillowcase.

In the meantime, he looks down at the third. The Nurse Drone. Taking a knee and carefully scooping it off the floor, ensuring he moves slowly as he slides his hands underneath it. It chitters in concern at first, but recognizes him quickly, pressing into his protective hold. Carried with one arm, leaving the other free, hand tensing into a closed fist. It wouldn't be good if his Queens Drone faced an ill end.

The Unicorn finally yanks the pillowcase off of itself, throwing it aside -- and it's eyes widen as it sees Anontios, knelt only a foot away, now holding the Changeling. She quickly glances around, taking a step back -- seeing the Pegasus on the ground, injured. The Unicorn chokes down a scream, biting her lip, instead coming out more as a worried yelp, face twisting back around to look at him.

Anontios slowly rises to his feet, watching the Unicorn, trying to decide how to handle the situation.

His lack of action only seems to panic it further -- it tries to slowly backpedal towards the Pegasus, horn glowing.

An idea tickles his mind; born not of his head, but of the throbbing in his chest. Thoughts linger to his Queens words only moments prior. They wanted to lay a trap for the coming spies... perhaps a few hostages would be good bait. Anontios hums to himself in affirmation.

This would please them. The Unicorns eyes widen as he approaches, his face turning to a decided, cold expression. The magic around the Unicorn's horn begins to glow brightly, light scattering across the room.

There's another heavy crunch; a chunk of its horn tumbling across the floor, sputtering red sparks as the Unicorn slumps over, crying out in pain.

The main hall of the Castle of the Twin Queens is busier than usual. Mostly, it's the assembled Guard awaiting new orders, as their Queens quietly discuss the intricacies of their plan, translating them into orders.

Queen Nightmare Moon sits upon her Opulent, Regal Throne, enhancing her Royal Image. In her excitement, she'd gone from the Bath, to the Throne; well, she didn't need her armor right now. An urgent reaction to the news of an impending, attempted infiltration demanded just as swift of a response.

She glares down, a detachment of Thestral Guards, armed fiercely to match the Bat-accentuating armor they're donned in, kneel before her. A dozen; eleven Warriors, and a Leader; this one had bands of Blue streaked overtop its silver armor, the same hue as her own, to signify rank.

Moon glances beside, to her other, her most Cunning Compatriot.

Queen Chrysalis, sat upon her own Throne, styled unlike her old one in the Changeling Hives, and now a more pronounced, credible chair that matched a closer aesthetic to Nightmare Moons. In front of her; twenty Changelings, with one of them bearing a deep purple fin that ran down its head, signifying its elite status.

Chrysalis glances to her, and the two share a slow grin. Their forces were better than they'd ever been. Well fed, well trained, well armed. They could almost taste victory already.

The doors to the Throne Room, from deeper inside the Castle, slam open; several heads lift from their kneel, concerned, as the two Queens look behind their thrones, curious who would have the gall to slam a door in their presence.

It's Anontios. Beside him, limps the Nurse Drone. And he has unusual company, though they don't seem willing.

In each of his hands, a Pony dangles, his fists roughly clenching their Manes as anchors as he half-drags, half-carries them into the grand room. Both are dressed in full, near-black uniforms, one with a mask and one with a hood.

The Pegasus suffers a broken wing, blinking hard as it flits in and out of what is likely a concussion, judging by the dribble of red that runs down its forehead. Its words slur, unable to form cohesive thought.

The Unicorn has a broken horn, staring at the ground with distant, defeated eyes, simply hanging limp, hooves dragging on the floor. To shatter a Unicorns horn was akin to shatter their very spirit, a deeply depressive air having grasped the little pony.

The Queens, the Guards, and the attending Warriors watch as Anontios steps between their thrones, down the steps, positioning between the two kneeled squads, and turning to face the Queens. He gives both Queens a polite nod, before dropping both of the Ponies to the floor, taking an attentive stance and clasping his hands behind his back. The Nurse Drone slides beside Chrysalis' throne, sitting down and licking a hoof, smearing gold slime on itself with its tongue.

The Pegasus slumps fully to the floor, groaning and wincing. The Unicorn nearly does the same, but slowly pushes itself to sit properly on its haunches, its gaze locked downwards, avoiding eye contact.

Nightmare Moon glares suspiciously at the two, choosing a moment of silence first as she inspects them. Harsh, vibrant eyes take in their uniforms, their condition... their very presence in her castle. What joyous, devious excitement she'd been sharing with Chrysalis was gone in a mere moment, as her weapon deposits two runts in front of her with naut but a nod.

Chrysalis, however, leans in her throne, propping her head on her hoof. Her tongue slowly flicks out, tracing her lips, as a most cruel smile settles on her face. What a pity neither was in a condition to tremble in fear. One was already fighting for consciousness, and the other had already been broken.

A slow, long smell of the air tickles Chrysalis' excitement even more. Panic, fear, the usual -- but there was a hint of love between these two. Oh, how positively juicy. Her feral grin widens.

The two assembled groups of Soldiers shift to make space for the sudden arrival, looking to the Queens expectantly.

"Anontios. What have you brought us?" Nightmare Moon asks dryly.

"...A gift." Chrysalis answers in his stead, gaining Nightmare Moons attention. "How very sweet of you, our Champion, to think of your Queens so dearly." She chitters, bemused.

Nightmare Moon, at first irritant at the interruption, clues in to Chrysalis' mood. She only gets like this when something is truly intriguing to her; and that's usually either something sadistic, or cunning. Moon tsks, tilting her head back and staring down the length of her snout. Very well, she'd let Chrysalis lead this one. She didn't get this way often, and she had tried to gift Moon with the Manticore fight. She would return the favor.

"Lurking in your chambers, revealed once you had departed." Anontios says simply, holding his stance. "Overheard your plans, and wished to inform your enemies."

Chrysalis excited smile, soon a feral grin, somehow stretches even wider with sadistic glee. This aura seems to feed the other Changelings, who begin sharing cruel smiles between each-other.

Nightmare Moon, on the other hand, finds her mood positively soured, radiating a hateful, sour aura. Several of her Thestrals shy away, glancing to each-other.

"So you have gifted us with captured Spies, dear Champion. But what of my poor Nurse Drone? For what reason does she bear injury? They did not... harm her, did they?" Chrysalis teases out, already fully aware of the answer. She wanted to make this as excruciating as possible. The Unicorn thought herself broken already? The Queen of the Changelings would show her the soul-shattering truth of just how much deeper she could fall.

With the Drone being referenced and referred to as a 'her', it seems to 'Ponyize' the Changeling to the Unicorn, who glares a quick, corner-of-the-eye glances towards the Drone, before looking back to the floor.

"They intended to silence her, permanently, to hide any trace of their presence. I intervened." Anontios states simply.

"Did they now? Celestias little Ponies?" Chrysalis hums, feigning shock and rocking a hoof back and forth. She tilts her head towards Nightmare Moon. "Dearest, Darkest Night -- do you think our plan would benefit from... Bait?" Chrysalis teases, flicking her tongue.

Nightmare Moon slowly glances over, the foulness of her mood practically radiating. She did not explode when she was angry. Not right away. Right now, it was bubbling. Broiling. Her Castle had been penetrated, her plans about to be leaked. It was only from their Weapons actions, that they did not find themselves in the distantly-familiar pits of failure. This deeply, deeply bothered Nightmare. All this success? All this work? For patrols to be circumvented, plans to be aired?

Never again.

"Assuredly, Queen Chrysalis. Their kind can't help but throw themselves into danger, lest a 'friend' be left wanting." She speaks firmly, quickly, harshly. There's no playfulness to her tone, like there is with Chryssi's.

"Hm. Glad we can agree. Oh, but -- eye for an eye, and all that. After all, we only need one bait. Anontios, dear? Kill the..." She trails off, pointing between each with a hoof. The Unicorns eyes go wide, but she continues to stare at the floor. "...Mm... The Pegasus. A young, sweet Unicorn-Mares screams will be much more luring."

Anontios turns, planting his foot against the barrel of the Pegasus. From the way the Pegasus grunts in reaction, he probably had a few busted ribs. Anontios begins to put pressure, pushing down on the injured Pony, who starts to groan louder in pain, hooves clawing at the floor.

"NO!" The Unicorn suddenly shouts, tears welled in her eyes.

Anontios glances to Chrysalis, who nods once. Anontios lifts his foot off, resuming his attentive stand.

Chrysalis is practically beaming. Perfect. Utterly, absolutely, devoutly, perfect. The emotions that were roiling off this Unicorn -- oh, the poor thing was far, far from broken. Yet.

"What's the matter, little Pony? Can't stand to see your colt-friend die for your sake?" She teases, pointedly. The Unicorn doesn't respond, shivering, anxious, heart pounding. "You know... I am a Changeling. The Queen Changeling. An Emotivore. We sense emotions, feed off them. Particularly... Love." Chrysalis whispers out slowly, the Unicorn flinching at the word. "Which means, I know. Just how much he desperately cares for you."

The Unicorn slowly looks up, eyes trailing from the floor. "H-he... he?"

"Oh, so, so much. It seeps off him... not at all like it does you, for him. What a shame." Chrysalis hums, looking away towards one of the windows."

The Unicorn glances around in confusion. "W-What?"

"Anontios, kill the Unicorn. We can string the Pegasus up later." She states offhandedly, as if bored. Anontios nods, turning to the Unicorn. Her eyes widen, locking on the biped.

"N--no, NO! PLEASE!" She cries, stumbling back.

Chrysalis hums, letting her gaze flit back over to the pitiful thing.
"Well? What's it to be? We only need one of you, Pony. You, or the Pegasus?"

She stutters, glancing back between the Pegasus, Chrysalis, unable to answer.

"If he was the conscious one, he wouldn't hesitate to offer himself. Sad, isn't it? To love so fiercely, but not be loved in turn? Oh, but what do I know -- I only feed on the stuff." Chrysalis sighs, letting her head loll to a side dramatically.

"Decide, Queen Chrysalis. Before we smear them both across the floor. We tire of this." Nightmare Moon chimes in gruffly.

The Unicorn swallows, hard, visibly shaking, tears running down her face. "N-No, I... I love him, I wouldn't do that t-to him. B-but, I don't w-want to... I have a s-sister, she... I can't leave her..." She trails off, hyperventilating, settling deeper than it had.

Chrysalis smiles widely.

Time for the kill.

Slowly, the Insectid Matriarch saunters off her Throne, stepping down towards the Unicorn, who flinches back as Chrysalis starts to curl around her, like a snake, strangling its prey.
"Really? Well, my poor, sweet thing... perhaps something can... be arranged. I know of a fairly... popular, pair of commodities around here. The first? Information. The second? Compliance."

The Unicorn stares at Chrysalis' twisted grin, her off-white fur somehow paler. "I...I could never! I--"

Chrysalis tsks dismissively, nodding at Anontios. He turns, planting his foot against the Pegasus again. Hard. The Pegasus lets out a startled shout, writhing in pain under Anontios' foot, ribs threatening to splinter.

Chrysalis turns to look at the Unicorn. And every one of her expectations are beautifully met. It's like watching a whole world shatter in front of her eyes, an entire moral code, an entire personal mantra -- the entire wrappings of what it was to be, this little, white-and-pinkish pony. And it all. Crumbles. Apart.

She breaks. The light in her eyes practically turns dull, and the voice that follows it is but a hoarse whisper.

"Please. P-please, stop. I'll do it. A-anything. Don't h-hurt him." The Unicorn mumbles, face raw with tears.

But Chrysalis' face, staring down at this shattered mare?

Euphoria.

"No, Cherry... d-don't... let me... don't do this." The Pegasus suddenly mumbles out, eyes trying to open as the bipeds foot is taken off his torso.

And Chrysalis can practically taste when his heart breaks, eyes finding the state the Unicorn has fallen into.

Broken Horn. Broken Spirit. Broken Will. A shell to be used, nothing more.

Nightmare Moon sours slightly that she won't get to punish them further... but, emotional and mental anguish was Chrysalis' forte, while hers was physical. And physical pain, at this point, would do little but dull the severity of what Chrysalis had just forced that little mare to endure.

She'd have to settle for how Anontios crippled them, and how Chrissy broken them. A fractured horn was no light punishment for a unicorn, after all.

Chrysalis slowly climbs back to her Throne, placing her hindquarters gently on its seat as she joins her others side oncemore, her twisted game finished.

"Prepare a Cell for them in the Dungeons, and hold them there. Have one of our Thestral healers ensure they will not die, and nothing more. This... 'Cherry' and her willing cooperation will decide the severity of their fates.

Several Thestrals and Changeling guards split off to escort the new prisoners, dragging them into the depths of the Twin Queens castle. The Pegasus weakly protests, but the Unicorn trudges along willingly, staring far, far into the distance, even as the Pegasus tries to call her name.

The rest of the gathered Soldiers break off to perform their tasked duties. Preparation for the Canterlot infiltration attempt -- now renewed with prime bait. The flight patrols above the fog, and the path through the castle to the dungeon, would be lightly guarded. Then, trapped in the bowels of the stoney spire... they would find themselves unable to leave.

"A remarkable gift you have given us, our Champion. Such a... tumultuous treat. A hostile act warded. One of my prized Nurse Drones, saved. And both culprits, brought to me. To us." Chrysalis hums, borderline sing-song. Her gaze flits to Nightmare Moon, a playful smile taking her face. Moon stares back, but eventually a slow, dry chuckle escapes her. There was still plenty of reason to be upset... but once again, the scales of balance swerve in their favor.

"You served us dutifully, Anontios. We did not order you to do anything, and you acted in our best interests nonetheless. You handled this... quite, quite well. We only wish we'd had a chance to break them ourselves, but... Chrysalis had that covered, once you had softened them up." Nightmare Moon notes, snorting softly. "Return to your station. Court is to begin, and we can find a... suitable reward, for your services, later."

This gets a teasing grin from Chrysalis, but an eye-roll from Nightmare Moon. "Not what we meant, Chryssi."

"Oh, for how long, our Terrifying Tyrant? We both know how that thought process will go." Chrysalis teases back, which Nightmare Moon ignores.

Anontios slowly scales the steps again, taking his place between their Thrones. The Nurse Bug shifts slightly, scooting to sit against his foot, unnoticed by either Queen.

Chrysalis rode a Euphoric high for the next several hours; while her kind feeds on love, she was a sadistic, conniving sort, and to so brutally shatter a young, innocent will? It showed she was in true, perfect form, and that their Champion -- Moons Weapon, her Toy -- while not exactly what was advertised in ancient scripture, was already proving worthwhile.

Nightmare Moon flitted between annoyance that she wasn't able to handle it herself, and a muted pleasure from knowing that her and her others investment already worked to serve them, even beyond their orders. Protection of their plans, their people; dutiful, perfect servitude. She hums, spending most of court musing on what 'Reward' she might supply.

Anontios feels nothing. No excitement at the prospect of reward, no sadistic glee at inflicting pain, no ambition for the plans of the unfolding future. He is empty.

The dull, fiery pulsing in his chest, where his heart should be; the only thing he can feel. It tells him to feel Pride. His Queens are pleased with him. He has served them. He has been loyal.

The pulsing stings, like daring to touch an open flame. His lip twitches.

He feels the Nurse Bug nestle against his leg, still smearing golden goop on its own hoof with its tongue. His sight over the Throne Room, and his cold, hard stance, falters for a moment as he looks down.

It stares up at him, with its big, emerald, pupiless eyes. Appreciation.

The stinging in his chest begins to fade.

Both Queens lean over the side of their Thrones, resting their shoulders and necks against each side of his torso. The soft fur of Nightmare Moon on his left, the chitinous flesh of Chrysalid on his right, both their heads leaning against his shoulders. Their unique warmths, their scents. Their affections, that he had earned.

The stinging in his chest disappears.

The doors to the front of the Throne Room open, pushed open by dutiful Changelings, as a mixture of Batpony and Bug enter the hall. The Twin Queens shift to properly rest upon their royal seats, flicking Anontios, and each-other, a knowing glance, as Court is slated to begin.

Their Desires. His Will. As it shall always be. For what else is one to do, for the creatures they love?

Author's Note