"True confidence is not what you take from someone to restore yourself, but what you give back to your critics because they need it more than you do."
~Shannon L. Alder

Three months earlier…

Pipp sat in the corner of her cell, squeezing her eyes shut and rocking back and forth. Images played in her head. Images of her friends laughing and having fun, without her. Images that weren't real. She tried to block them out, but they only came in more frequently. Her friends. Her sister. All as though they forgot about her.

She shook her head. No. They wouldn't. They loved her. She had to have faith. She had to have confidence that her friends would come for her. That they would help her. They'd do everything they could to help her without putting Equestria in danger.

"Izzy Moonbow. Sunny Starscout," She began to say like a mantra, as though reminding herself of her friends' names. "Misty Brightdawn. Sparky Sparkeroni. Zipp Storm," Pipp paused before saying the last name. "Hitch Trailblazer."

Pipp took a deep breath. She thought about the song she sang where she heard Hitch's voice. She tried singing it again and again, but she had yet to hear his voice. Did she really hear his voice or was she imagining it? Was she going crazy? Was this what crazy felt like?

The slot in the cell door opened and Pipp snapped her head up. A changeling put a meal through and Pipp rushed over as fast as she could. She tried to grab the changeling's hoof, but the changeling pulled it back before she could do so. Just like he always did. Damn it! She had to escape. She had to get out! Why couldn't she get out?!

She kicked her dinner tray, sending food flying all over the place. Tears began to leak down her face as she curled into a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth, sobbing into her hooves. Did they break her? Is this what breaking felt like? Was she ever going to see the sun again? Her friends? The love of her life? Was life worth living at this point?

"Thirty...thirty-one...thirty-two...thirty-three...thirty-four..." Pipp counted as she stared at the wall. Her episode of crazy was over, thank hoofness, and now she was just her usual zoned–out self. For some odd reason, counting helped her stay sane in this six-by-eight cell. "Thirty‐eight…thirty-nine…Fourty…"

In the time that she's been here, she couldn't help but feel bad for the changelings. With every interaction she's seen between Queen Vespula and her subjects, it's been nothing but threats and intimidation. That wasn't how a queen ought to rule. They should rule with compassion and kindness. They should put the well–being of their subjects first, not their own vengeful desires.

Pipp couldn't help but wonder what had happened to that drone. The one sent to Maretime Bay to make the deal with her friends. After Pipp found out that Zipp and Misty shattered the Unity Crystals, and Pipp boasted about how they already got away with it, and then Queen Vespula said Pipp would never see the light of day, Pipp was then forcefully escorted back to her cell.

But as they escorted her out, she overheard Queen Vespula ask how her friends knew the changelings needed their magic, and the drone answered it was because he accidentally let it slip. She didn't hear the rest of it because that was when she was escorted out of the throne room and the black stone door had closed behind her. But as she was walked down the hall, she heard Queen Vespula yell in fury.

She didn't have to know what happened to know that the drone was punished, judging by how angry Queen Vespula was. Despite being the ones holding her captive, Pipp held no real anger or resentment towards the changelings. From what she was able to grasp, all they were doing was following Queen Vespula's orders, like real drones. But, Pipp knew they weren't just mindless drones. Pipp didn't know what they were, besides what they called themselves, but she knew that there bug–like creatures had feelings. They were just buried deep deep down. It was evident in that one changeling's fear when he had to tell Vespula that their plans had failed and it was his fault.

Pipp heard something knock on the door three times. She sighed, knowing what that meant. She stood up, and walked to the corner of the cell farthest from the door, with her back facing the cold stone door.

Slowly, Pipp heard the door squeak open. She waited, listening closely to the hoofsteps walking into her cell, listening for the bucket of water as it sloshed a little back and forth. Pipp listened as her cell door closed, before plastering on a small smile that, to her surprise, was becoming more and more genuine.

Pipp slowly turned around and sat in the corner, facing the changeling with a bucket and mop. For some reason, Queen Vespula demanded that Pipp's cell be cleaned every other day. Apparently, she had some sort of fetish against germs or something. She always wanted to keep every part of the castle clean, and apparently, she didn't trust Pipp enough to just throw a mop and bucket of water in and let her do it herself. So, she had another changeling come in to do it.

It was always the same changeling. Every time. He was the only living being she'd seen in the past however long it's been. After the fifth time, Pipp was desperate for somepony to talk to other than herself. So, Pipp began talking to the changeling, telling her about her life and herself. The changeling had remained quiet at first, but, one day, when he had walked in, Pipp was vocalizing, trying to find a good tune to make for a song. The next time he came in, he had asked Pipp to sing while he worked.

She was surprised but agreed. That was the first time he had spoken to her. After that, they formed a tedious bond. While protocol required Pipp to stay facing the corner, after Pipp sang to him as he worked, she was able to turn around to face him without him getting after her.

In that time, which was probably a couple of months, they would either sort of talk or she'd sing to him. When they'd talk, he'd ask her questions about her life. They weren't even questions the changelings could use against her, but questions about menial things. Like how it was to have a phone or to have a sister. Or what it was like to have a smoothie or run a beauty salon. Of course, Pipp would answer them all, despite how silly they sounded.

But, Pipp knew nothing about this changeling, not even his name. Whenever she'd try asking him questions about himself, he'd shut down and their interaction would be over for the rest of the time he was here. But, it didn't matter. She enjoyed the company. It was one of the only things that kept her sane. She was actually starting to look forward to his visits.

"Miss Pipp? Do…do you think you can sing to me today?" The changeling asked as he put the mop in the bucket, soaking it in water, and then mopping the floor.

"Of course. But, first, I need you to do something for me."

The changeling froze up, pausing briefly, but he didn't say anything. He was starting to shut down, she could tell.

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad or anything. It's just…did you know the changeling that was sent to Maretime Bay to make that deal with my friends?"

The changeling nodded. Good. This was progress.

"Well, I was wondering…what happened to him. I was just wondering because I know Queen Vespula was pretty angry and I was just hoping he's okay."

The changeling was silent for a long while before he finally said curtly. "He's in the dungeons."

Pipp had a feeling there was more to it than that, but Pipp didn't want to push. This was more than he talked about himself the whole time they started conversing. She didn't want to regress in their relationship.

So, Pipp began to sing to him:

You hear that sound?
Oooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

"Do, do, do, do." The changeling muttered to himself. The first time she sang this song to him, she had told him it was a call-and-response song. It took a couple of tries on different occasions but now he replied. Quietly, but still there.

The melody that's ringing out?
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.

"Ooh–hoo, ooh, ooh." The changeling mumbled to himself.

A special tune.
That keeps you true.
Your voice that speaks.
When no one sees.
So listen close.
Keep holding true
And sing the song that makes you.
Ooh, ooh, ooh

"Do. do. do."

You.

When the song ended, there was silence for a long while. Pipp didn't know if the changeling wanted her to sing another song or if he wanted to talk. Pipp was just about to open her mouth to sing him another song when he finally spoke.

"Why are you so nice to me?"

Pipp looked up at him, shocked. He had stopped mopping and was looking at her. When he realized she was looking at him, he quickly looked away.

"I'm sorry?"

"Why are you so nice to me?"

Pipp was confused by his question, but she answered it anyway, saying with a shrug, "Because that's what ponies do. We're nice to each other until we're given a reason not to be."

"But…why?"

Pipp was thoroughly confused. What in the hay was he getting at? "Because…it's the nice thing to do? Hasn't any creature ever been nice to you because it's the nice thing to do?"

The changeling shook his head. Pipp's heart felt for the changeling. To live his whole life in a castle full of other changelings like him and he's never once experienced somepony being nice to him. Pipp began to wonder how many other changelings were being deprived of one of the things Pipp always took for granted.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I've given you a reason not to be. I'm keeping you locked in here."

"No you're not," Pipp said sternly.

"Well, my kind is–"

"No. Your Queen is. She's the mastermind behind all of this," Pipp paused. "How many of you actually wanted to go through with this whole revenge plan thing your queen cooked up?"

The changeling shrugged. "I don't know. We don't really get a say. Will you sing for me again?" The changeling quickly said, looking away and continued mopping.

"Sure. But, first…what's your name?"

There was a long pause before the changeling finally answered, "Morphis."

Pipp smiled before she started singing the next song:

Hey, ponies, listen to me.
You gotta hear what I'm saying.
You got that sparkle deep inside…

Present Day…

Pipp walked the length of her cell, trying to grapple with everything Posey and Windy just said. She couldn't believe it. How deep did this changeling conspiracy go?

"Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this straight. Sprout is working for the changelings?"

Windy shrugged while Posey said, "We think so. We're not sure. All Hitch said in his letter was that he had reason to believe that Sprout was working for the enemy."

There was a moment of silence where nopony said anything while that sank in. Sprout was working for the changelings? Why? What would possess him to do that? What were the changelings offer him that he'd help the changelings take over Equestria?

"And…and Hitch and the others are…coming to rescue me?"

Posey shrugged. "Yeah. Well, us now, I guess."

Pipp sat down, feeling hope swell up inside her. Hope she was afraid to feel. Her friends found where she was. They came to help her?

It was then that Morphis walked in. Since he told Pipp his name three months ago, he had been walking in with his head held high. It made her smile every time. Except this time. This time it made her heart stop.

Since that day three months ago, Pipp and Morphis had really started to bond. He was a couple of years younger than Pipp, being only seventeen. He was a low-ranking private in the changeling army. Every changeling in the hive starting at sixteen had a place in the army. He wasn't close to any of his other littermates, except for one. His older sister. She was the only one who was ever semi–nice to him.

As soon as Morphis saw Posey and Windy, he paused and dropped his gaze. Windy and Posey noticed him and immediately stood up, Posey glaring daggers at him and Windy cowering next to Posey.

"Umm…hi," Morphis quickly said, looking down, just standing there, holding his mop and bucket. He glanced up at Pipp who gave him a weak smile.

"What do you want, bug," Posey spat out, still glaring at Morphis.

"Hey," Pipp ran between Morphis and Posey. Morphis was shy, kind, and sweet. He didn't have the personality to stand up to Posey. "Chill. He's not going to hurt us. He's just sent in here to clean. The Queen has some weird thing about germs."

Posey gave one more glared glance at Morphis. "Fine. If you say so. But, I'm watching you, bug."

It hurt Pipp to see Posey being so rude to Morphis. Morphis was such a nice changeling, and he didn't deserve the treatment Posey was giving him. But Pipp didn't say anything, though, she didn't understand why. She never had a problem standing up for herself or others when they needed it. Why couldn't she do that now for this innocent changeling?

Well, that was, until Posey said, "Ugh. He's so bug-like."

Pipp stepped closer to Posey. "Posey, why don't you lay off a bit? You don't need to be so rude," Pipp said softly.

"Are you defending him?!" Posey asked incredulously.

"No, I'm not, it's just that…" Pipp trailed off when she saw Morphis wilt a bit at that sentence.

He turned away and started mopping, not even looking at Pipp. He squeezed his eyes shut a bit before opening them, but this time, Pipp could see the mask of anger that clung to them.

Who was she? Pipp was a pony who stood up for others who needed it. She was Princess Pipp Petals. The pony who had the confidence to go against the flow, against the norm. She didn't just sit passively when a pony needed her help. Granted, Morphis wasn't a pony, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that he needed her help. And that was what she was going to give him.

"Wait. No. I take that back. I am defending him," Pipp said, standing up tall.

"You are?" Posey asked, to which Pipp nodded. "But why?"

"Because he's my friend!" Pipp declared confidently. She didn't even realize it until she had just said it. But it was true. She considered him her friend. That was all there was to it.

"He is?" Posey asked incredulously.

"I am?" Morphis echoed.

Pipp turned to the changeling, who was looking at her dumbfounded, all thoughts of cleaning forgotten. "You are. I didn't realize until now, and for that, I'm sorry. I consider you a friend. And, I hope you'll consider me one too?"

To that, Morphis nodded.

"Don't you know what those…those monsters did?! To you?! To Hitch?! To all of Equestria?! They took magic away!"

Morphis snapped his head up. "No, we didn't! You did that all by yourself!" Morphis argued.

"How dare you?! Is this who you're calling your friend? A bug who lies!"

"Morphis isn't lying! Zipp and Misty took magic away!" Pipp defended. "They did it to save Equestria! To keep the changelings from feeding on it!"

"Yeah. To keep your friend from feeding on it. And that's if that's even true. What reason would Sheriff Hitch have to lie to us? "

"Look, I don't know. All I know is that Morphis is different. Heck, maybe they're all different. Maybe their just following their Queen's orders. The point is, Morphis here is kind, a–and sweet, and even a little shy. He's nothing like Queen Vespula."

Pipp's Cutie mark began to shine, but the two of the three ponies were too involved with listening to what Pipp had to say to notice, and Pipp was too busy saying it to notice either. Morphis noticed though, but he didn't say anything. He had no idea what it meant. All he knew was that he couldn't tell his Queen about it. Not if he wanted to keep his new friend safe. And, oddly there was a small feeling in his gut not to tell Pipp either. He didn't know why, but he thought it best to listen.

"Maybe none of them are. Queen Vespula rules with such an iron hoof, that none of them have the chance to be what they could be. I'm sure if Morphis had another chance at life, without a dictative Queen, he'd do something different. He wouldn't be evil. He…he reminds me so much of Misty. All he needs is a chance, just like she did. And he'll shine brighter than the sun."

Both Posey and Windy gave her weary looks.

"C'mon, guys. Don't you trust me?"

Posey and Windy sighed, looking at each other before Windy said, "Alright if you're sure."

"Windy. Are you crazy?! Do you know what that is?!"

Windy gave Posey a look. "If that's what Sunny said about unicorns and pegasi, we wouldn't even be friends, Posey. We probably wouldn't even know each other. I don't know about you, but my life is so much better now that I met you. Most ponies don't understand your harsh nature, Posey, but…I do. If I asked somepony to give you a chance like Pipp is asking for this changeling, I'd want them to say yes. Wouldn't you?"

Posey opened her mouth to say something, only to close it again. While Posey didn't want to admit it, Windy had a point. Posey sighed, softly closing her eyes.

"Windy?" Windy tilted her head at Posey. "I hate you."

Windy smiled while Pipp's Cutie mark shone brightly before dimming back to nothing. As though it didn't glow at all, while Morphis gained more friends that day than he had his whole life.

Author's Note

Oookay, so I know I said that the mane six, minus Pipp (seriously, I don't know what to call them since they're technically not the mane five cause Misty's with them and it's not like Pipp is dead…yet), was going to infiltrate next chapter, in the last chapter, (sry if that didn't make sense) but as I was writing the next chapter, I realized I was going back and forth between the ending and the present so much, that I completely forgot about Pipp. Yes, I know, the five of them are going through this whole ordeal just to save her, but I was so focused on them, that I forgot to give Pipp her special cutie mark moment.

Plus, I was reading back on the story just to make sure my imagination doesn't take me too far and I realized I wanted to add in this scene but I completely forgot. And I was thinking about the ending and realized that the ending I wanted to do would make no sense without these scenes.

So, instead of just changing the ending like a normal person, I decided to be stubborn and spend all day trying to integrate these scenes into the story, deciding that combinging it with Pipp's special cutie mark moment would be a great idea! (Me thanking my past self for leaving the whole Posey and Windy getting captured as a cliff hanger thing)

*sigh*

I'm a mess, okay.

Alright. Now we're halfway. I'm halfway done with the next chapter. Now I just need to go back to that chapter, finish it, edit it, and publish it, and then things can go back to what was planned. I promise that the five are going to infiltrate the castle this time. At least now when the ending comes you'll know what the hell is going on.

Onto the next chapter!

Hakuna Matata