Twilight sat, somber and stern-faced, in the middle of her bedroom floor. Her horn glowing, she continued to project her magical power along the walls, floor, and ceiling. It was a spell she had long ago perfected to keep herself sequestered during marathon study sessions that occurred the day and night before a test. It completely silenced all outside sound, sight, and smell, and blocked any such things from escaping as well.

In this case, it was being used to keep the smell of sex from permeating the library and so that Pinkie's screams could not be heard out in the town. The transformation from Earth Pony to Changeling seemed to be incredibly painful, despite the numbing effects of Twilight's venom. The pink party pony would occasionally shriek and writhe on the bed, soaked in fluids, patches of her fur falling out in giant clumps as her skin was covered in a hard black carapace. Twilight noted, with a small smile, that it gleamed slightly pink in the right light.

Casting her thoughts inward, she visualized the hive connection in her mind as a small glowing stone in her hooves, tendrils of light reaching out to the eight unhatched eggs laying safely in the cave beneath the ruins. A new one, pink and brighter than the others slowly grew and attached itself to a silhouette of her friend.

"Pinkie? Can you hear me?"

"Twi... Twilight? What's happening? Every part of my body is on fire! It feels like I fell into the sun."

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. I didn't think it would hurt that much if I bit you. My venom has a numbing effect. I guess I miscalculated the amount of pain the transformation would cause. I'm really sorry," The young queen thought, and sent the feeling of sadness inside across the connection as well.

There was a brief pulse of forgiveness and even some happiness over the connection, "I... I know it will be worth it in the end... Do I have to call you 'my queen' now? Or can I still call you Twilight?"

"You can call me whatever you want, Pinkie, as long as I'm still your friend. You're part of the hive, but you're still you inside."

"That's true, converted conscripts can choose to fully integrate to the hive mind and become drones or keep their uniqueness. Most simply become drones because they came to us out of a desire to end their lives without actually killing themselves."

"That's... very sad. I had no idea it was that hard for some ponies."

"Well with me around, it'll be a party all the time for everypony!"

"Unless it's time to sleep, Pinkie."

"I suppose even Changelings need sleep... Hey, this conversation is really distracting me from the burning heat of a thousand fire-y suns as they cook my innards, we should play a game!"

"Actually, Pinkie, that's a good idea, you should play with Chrysalis, I need to do a few things," Twilight said and slipped back into the real world for a moment. Standing, with the two other mares talking in the back of her mind like some idle thoughts that needed to be examined later, she resumed her normal Twilight Sparkle form and stepped out of the bedroom, "Owlowiscious! Come here, please!"

The brown horned owl quickly swooped down and landed on a shelf across the hall, "Who?"

"You, silly! I need you to take a letter to my friends."

"Who?"

"Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. Pinkie's already here."

"Who?"

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight sighed, "Anyway," she said as she finished writing down what she had to say before making exact copies of the letter and stacking them in a small basket, "Take these to them, please, and then hurry back here. I have to tell everypony something very important and I don't want to wait any longer."

Owlowiscious nodded in his own weird way and took flight with the letters in tow. Twilight watched him go before descending the stairs to the main library and arranging some pillows so that everypony would be comfortable. Once that was finished, she returned upstairs and re-entered her bedroom.

Pinkie lay on the bed, twitching occasionally, much of her fur having fallen off and laying in pink clumps around her blackened form. Her mane had gone from brilliantly pink and poofy to flat and filled with holes like her own. The last time Twilight had seen her friend's mane flat she had been very nearly insane with jealousy. She hoped it was just because changeling hair didn't have the same body and that her friend hadn't been permanently scarred by the process.

A light buzzing filled the air as her wings grew in and unfurled, testing themselves instinctually. Twilight smiled and began to clean the room, mopping up various fluids and replacing the sheets and Pinkie finished her transformation. She felt a tug at the back of her mind and allowed herself to return to the mental conference chamber she had created, "How's it going, ladies?"

"Very well, her transformation is nearly complete and she should be waking soon."

"This is going to be so awesome! So what'd you write in your letter to our friends? Just an invitation or did you tell them anything about us?"

"I just told them I had very important news and no it could not wait until tomorrow. I also added an addendum to Applejack's letter to bring Big Mac, I think I have an idea about how to break his addiction without killing him or turning him into a Changeling."

"Oh?" The former leader asked as Twilight sent the information to her imprint directly, "Oh! Genius! Why didn't I think of that? Gradual dilution should definitely work."

Twilight smiled and nodded, slipping back to the real world and going over to nudge Pinkie upright as her new eyes slowly opened, "Hey there."

"Hi!" the new changeling said, then blinked, "Whoa! I sound so weird! Like me, but, like everyone ever too!"

"Yes, your vocal chords are more varied now," Twilight said, returning to her changeling form, "Mine does it too."

"Oh, wow, you look great like that! How do I look?" The bouncy little bug asked, bounding to a mirror mounted on the wall, "Neat! Though my mane is all flat now..." She said, frowning a bit before a bright flash of, Twilight noted this with curiosity, pink flames returned the familiar poofy mane of a particularly pink party pony, "That's better!"

Twilight couldn't help but grin with her friend as she dropped the shield and gathered everything to be taken down to the trash. She hesitated, and then grabbed the bucket that still held the remains of the former queen.

"Finally going to get rid of that gunk?"

"Yes, once I show it to the others," Twilight replied, sending her entire plan to the imprint.

"Well, my dear, I wish you luck."

Author's Note

I hate writing that damn owl's name, but he was the only one left in the library.

I know, it's short, but I have more plans for the next chapter. Lots of words about ponies and changelings and secrets.