Changeling's Story

Chapters

Ch 1: The Changing
Ch 2: First day on the job
Ch 3: The start of an empire
Ch 4: Back home
Ch 5: A crappy night for all
Ch 6: More diggers for The Hive
Ch 7: Cocoon's Dreams
Ch 8: They forgot Scootaloo

Ch 1: The Changing

This chapter was one of the first things I wrote, the chapters after this are much better!

Rarity was brushing her luscious, purple hair; when she heard an odd buzzing noise. Confused to what the noise might be she decided to take a look. She put down the hair brush and started to follow the sound. Rarity assumed it was Sweetie Belle getting her self into trouble when she remembered that Sweetie Belle was out, ever more confused now she followed the noise outside. What she could see in front of her rendered her paralysed, than it all went black.

“One down.”

Applejack was stomping through the fields, annoyed, at herself and at Big Mac. They had just had a fight about, you guessed it, apples. Applejack insisted that she do most of the work this season, but Big Mac. denied it, and it just exploded from there. As she continued through the fields she could see something black a few tree down. “Hello? Is anypony there?” It darted off before Applejack could give it a second thought. Than she was smashed in the back of the head, and collapsed.

“Two down, four to go.”

Rainbow Dash was going for her old speed record; most thinking creatures would think breaking the sound barrier was fast enough, but not for Rainbow. She was slightly aware of the laws of physics, but she just thought they were for eggheads and decided to ignore them. She kept pushing herself though the air, eyes closed and flapping her wings as fast as she possibly could. She opened her eyes for a split second to see a blue eyed creature, crashed, then was out cold.

“Half way there.”

Pinkie Pie had managed to confuse herself, somehow. The problem was her Pinkie sense had been going off all day, and Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been gone for about as long. For most ponies one day without seeing your friends is no concern, but this is Pinkie Pie. Her and the Cutie Mark Crusaders where on a quest, a quest to find Pinkies friends. After 20 minutes they gave up, Scootaloo convinced them that AJ, Rarity and Rainbow had only been gone for one day and were properly trying to do something in secret. “It’s time”, a snake like voice said in the bushes, three dark animals pounced, Pinkie and the CMC were out before a scream could be made.

“Just two left, and some extras my queen.”

Fluttershy, Twilight and basically the rest of Ponyville were on the hunt for Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Everypony are calling them the ‘list’, simply because everypony got sick of repeating their names over and over again. It had been a week since their disappearance and the only thing the disappearances have in common is that they’re gone. The search was going very slow, because everypony was terrified, there had been reports of changeling sightings all over Ponyville. Anypony with half a brain could figure out that these two things are related, so very quickly Twilight made the connection.

Her, Fluttershy and Spike were now nearing the Everfree Forest, and if Fluttershy had pants, they’d be brown by now, “I really, Really think we should turn back” she whimpered,

“Oh come on Fluttershy, if we give up now we might never find Rarity!” Spike said, obviously only looking forward to saving one pony.

“Fluttershy don’t worry, when we get to the Everfree Forest we’ll meet up with Zecora and be right out!” Twilight told Fluttershy in a calming tone.

“But Twilight, what about the, the, *gulp*, changelings”,

“Don’t worry girls! If trouble comes there’s always Spike!” A loud WOSH sound was made, “WHAT WAS THAT?!” Spike and Fluttershy said in unison, hugging each other.

Rainbow Dash stumbled out of a bush, she looked as if she had been attacked for 7 days strait, which she might have been. “G- Girls?” Rainbow Dash stuttered,

“Rainbow you’re ok!” Fluttershy and Twilight hugged Rainbow with the biggest hug ever performed. But something seemed off to Spike, why would Rainbow Dash be so close to Ponyville and not just fly back? She wouldn’t is the answer. Spike decided to take a bold move.

“That’s not Rainbow Dash! Why would Rainbow be so close to Ponyville and not just fly back?!”

“She wouldn’t” Said Rainbow in a raspy voice.

“Knew it! Wait? WHAT!?” Spike jumped back with Twilight and Fluttershy as Rainbow Dash morphed into a changeling before their very eyes. Her wings started to burn and began to resemble the wings of an insect, her teeth grew long and sharp, her eyes turned a mixture of blue and green, a horn which resembled black swiss cheese grew from her head, as a black exo’ skeleton grew over her blue fur, holes developed though her legs.

The once was Rainbow Dash knocked out Fluttershy before she had the chance to scream. Then she picked up the terrified Spike and throw him in the air, before Twilight could do anything what appeared to be Rarity with wings snatched Spike and was off in an instant. Everything was happening so fast Twilight could barely keep up, when she noticed a pair of hooves flying towards her face. Then she was out cold.

When Twilight woke she was tied up and couldn’t move; but she was still herself, which was a relief. She looked to her side to see Fluttershy in some kind of goo cacoon; Twilight had read about changelings before leaving and was terrified by this. When a pony is put in a changeling shell it means that the pony in question had all of its emotions drained, and was being transformed into a changeling. She was surprised that whoever was behind this hadn't done the same to her as Fluttershy.

She looked at her surroundings; she appeared to be in some kind of castle styled after a damp cave. All the walls were black with water dripping from them; the roof was about 5 stories high and also dripping water. Small windows where almost hidden at the top, what she could see out of them was what looked like that weather you’d find in the apocalypse. The sky was red with black clouds, lightning seemed to always be striking. “Beautiful isn’t it? I made it to suit my subjects.” Twilight knew that voice, it was Queen Chrysalis. Twilight had been so engulfed in looking at her surroundings she hadn't noticed anypony coming up to her.

“Why have you done this?” Twilight whispered, terrified.

“Imagine the power if I could wield the elements of harmony!”

“I’d rather not” Twilight thought maybe that was a very, extremely, apocalyptically stupid thing to say. But, she was 99% sure that she was going to die, so really anything goes.

“Oh, a smart ass. Girls please show Twilight to the cell she’ll be staying at. Don’t worry; I modelled it after the Canterlot Caves just for you.” Twilight should have been scared but she was tired, concurringly holding her head up had taken it out of her.

So instead of struggling she chose to take interest in the two ‘girls’ Chrysalis had sent to ‘escort’ her to the cell. Immediately she noticed something different to them compared to the other changelings, their horns where long and full of holes which meant royalty/power. But Twilight barely noticed this though; all SHE could see was the hair of the two changelings that were transporting her. One of the changelings had long blond hair in a ponytail with a large cowboy hat, just like Applejack’s. The other had long purple hair in slight curls, like Rarity’s.

“A-Applejack? Rarity? Is it really you?” They grabbed Twilight’s hind legs and flew off, obviously trying to make her as uncomfortable as possible. They seemed unfazed by the question she had asked them. Then, without warning, all three of them took off; the two changelings gripping Twilight just enough so she wouldn't fall. They flew out the Thrown room of the castle and down the hall. The unnamed changelings flew with such grace and speed you’d be fooled into thing they’d not be carrying a full sized mare. The trio buzzed around corners and down halls for at least 10 maybe 20 minutes before blasting out side into the world. The two flyers seemed to know exactly where they were going, making sharp turns with no hesitation, this made Twilight feel relieved. She knew that a week is nowhere near long enough for to flightless ponies to become ace flyers; or for two ponies to learn their way around a completely new land.

She looked up at the two flyers, “You two aren’t AJ and Rarity are you? You’re just two normal changelings who changed appearance to confuse me.” They looked at each other, than dropped Twilight. She fell, and screamed, a scream so loud that all the whole world shook as the sound wave hit. Everything slowed, just enough time to let Twilight have one last thought, ‘this is it. I’ve fought changelings, gods, dragons, and I’m going to fall to my death.’ There was a splat, and Twilight fell into a deep sleep.

Oddly enough, she woke. Just as Chrysalis had said, where she was did indeed look like the Canterlot Caves. There was just enough light for her to see, but she decided that using a small light spell couldn't hurt, she used about as much concentration as needed, nothing happened. So she used a little bit more, than more, and more. Until she gave up, obviously she couldn't wield magic, so she went to a reflective surface (which was everything) to see if it was a problem with her horn. She walked over to a large crystal to check.

What she could see made her stop; stop walking, stop thinking, stop feeling, stop hearing; it just made her stop. She appeared to be alright, but not her horn, her horn was not the same, everything about it was different. It was long, black and crocked, just like Chrysalis’ horn. She still had purple fur and mane with a pink streak down the middle. Her cutie mark was a star surrounded by other stars, resembling magic. But her horn, the horn, that horn.

A thought dove into her head, ‘if this is the horn of someone evil, maybe evil thoughts of some kind might power the horn. It’s worth a shot’. So she imagined the pleasure she had experienced when making Rainbow Dash look bad as Mare Do Well, the pleasure when turning Discord to stone, thoughts of what she was going to do to Chrysalis when she escaped. Though it wasn't very strong, a spark popped out the end of the horn, it had worked. Clearly, if she wanted to use magic with this horn, she’d have to relearn the basics than go on from there. She had no idea how to start, learning magic is hard enough. But teaching yourself, in a dark cave from scratch with deep knowledge of how a completely different type of magic works, that’s going to be impossible! But she was determined to get some kind of magic working, so she set to work.

After hours of toying around and just seeing if things work, she came to one conclusion. She’d have to forget everything she already knew about magic. The problem was every time she tried to use magic she just did what she was used to, which didn't work with this horn. But a much bigger problem was arising, all the other problems she had. She was tired, cold, hungry, thirsty, lonely, couldn't do magic; and most of all, she was scared.

She was still debating with herself if she really was in the Canterlot Caves, or just a place made to look like them. She was scared for her friends, it was blindingly obvious that her friends where being turned into changelings, which made her feel queasy. The thought of her friends being turned into emotion eating monsters made Twilight sick. So she tried thinking of something else to get the image out of her head.

Her mind immediately jumped to two topics, food and sleep. She was starving, if her maths was correct, she hadn't eaten in 2 days, making it dangers if she didn't eat soon. She was also exhorted, the last two times she at slept it was because of being hit in the head; and spending the day trying to relearn magic from scratch really takes it out of you.

What was more important food or sleep debate was answered for her, when a plate appeared in front of her. What was on the plate Twilight couldn't determine, it seemed to be black and blue sludge dumped on a plate. She walked up to it to get a closer look. Just as she reached the plate Chrysalis’ face appeared on every wall, “don’t worry Twilight,” Chrysalis said in a confusingly caring tone, “it’s not poisons, in fact it’s quite healthy.”

“Why would you want to feed me?” Twilight asked,

“Why would I want my prisoner to die? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?” Twilight was having trouble finding a flaw in Chrysalis logic. So she bent down to the ‘food’ and took a bite. It tasted like a bull’s balls had been burnt than farted on, but she had no other chose but to eat it, it seemed to quench her thrust so whatever it was it must have some kind of water replacement in it. When she finished her plate she went over to a corner and fell asleep. “That’s right my daughter,” Chrysalis said in a loving tone, “finish your plate, there’s lots more where that came from.” And with that, her image left the rocks, and Twilight was left to sleep.

When Twilight woke she felt refreshed, she was positive that was the best sleep she’d ever had, which was odd considering she fell asleep with her captor looking at her while on a rock in the cold. She didn't feel too hungry and she wasn't dead so whatever Chrysalis had given her the night before must have been some kind of food. Or at least she guessed it had been night, being in a cave made it impossible to tell what time of day it was.

She stood up to see if there was anything around apart from just rocks and crystals. But before that she decided to see if she could make any kind of light spell with the horn she had. To make the spell she concentrated really hard on something which she hated, and after a short time, her horn came to life. A light no brighter than a flame torch started shining from her head, she had done it. Somehow she managed to create a spell with magic she’d only been practising for a couple of hours. With the new gift of light she started to look at her surroundings.

It looked less like the Canterlot Caves than she first thought, you could tell it was inspired by them, but not made with a picture. As she looked around she noticed the size of the room, or, well, lack of it. The whole room was about 20m2 which may seem pretty big but it really wasn't. It was probably just big enough so you wouldn't get claustrophobia, just. It seemed to be about 10m tall, so it was quite a tall room. Twilight tried to see some kind of exit, even if it was on the roof, but no luck. There seemed to be no way in, or out. Which asked the question, how did she get in? No doors, no windows, no cracks, no out of place rooks, it was very weird.

Twilight thought she’d take that time of nothing to re-cap of what has happened to her over the last few days, ‘my friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike and I have been kidnapped by changelings, my friends have become changelings, I'm in a dark cold cave, my horn has become I horn of dark magic, I've taught myself dark magic, I ate the worst ‘food’ ever, and I was dropped from a deadly height and survived. That’s a lot to happen to just one mare in just a few days.’

She became hungry and tired again and a matter of seconds, her horn stopped making light and she collapsed. Making the dark magic required to create light with the horn had taken it out of Twilight. She looked up to see another plate of food in front of her; she dragged her self over to it and started eating. This time the sludge was green and yellow, but it still tasted pretty horrible. Chrysalis’ face covered all the rocks again, “How’s my prisoner? I see you managed to create some magic with that horn of yours?”

“It’s not my horn.” Twilight said, though it was on her head, it still wasn't hers.

“Of course it’s your horn, would you look at that! It looks just like my horn!” Chuckled Chrysalis,

“Why are you spying on me Chrysalis? And where are my friends?!” Demanded Twilight,

“You may call me Queen, not Chrysalis; and all you have to know about your friends is that they’re not dead.” Chrysalis snapped at Twilight, clearly annoyed at the tone Twilight had used on her just before. “Now eat up, it’s quite hard to prepare the food on this plate.” Twilight might have been terrified and hated Chrysalis guts, but she wasn't rude, and if Chrysalis had gone some trouble to get her food than she wasn't going to be ungrateful. So she finished her plate and went back to the corner where she a slept before, and fell asleep. “Little Twilight, don’t worry, you’ll fell different in the morning.” Just like before, Chrysalis disappeared and left Twilight to sleep.

As Twilight woke up she felt her emotions going wild; 2 seconds she’d be happy, than 5 seconds she’d be scared, than for 3 seconds she’d fell all brave and want to kick Chrysalis in the face. After about 5 minutes of this madness she managed to gain control over herself.

She walked over to one of the walls to see her reflection for two reasons; one, she wanted to see her hair, two, she wanted to see if she could use the dark magic to fix her hair. Like the first time she looked at her reflection, she stopped. Because of something she could see on the back of her head. She saw four antennae sticking out the back of her head in the shape of a crown. Only one other living creature had this, and the creature was Queen Chrysalis. Twilight was almost in shock, she now had the horn and crown of a royal changeling. She kept studying herself, checking for any other differences in herself. She had her mane, fur, cutie mark, tail, everything, everything but her horn; and now she had antennae, with no usage apart from making her freak out.

After some time to herself to think, Twilight decided that her crazy emotions had something to do with the crown on her head; and that the thing on the back of her head was more of a crown than antennae, and though it was different, it was her horn on her head. Though she had time to calm down, she was still very worked up. When her horn changed she was very distracted being in a new place and trying to comprehend that she had been captured by changelings. But now that it had been maybe 4 days, and she now had more changeling features, everything was starting to sink in, and instead of her emotions going all over the place she could only feel one, fear.

Fear for her friends, fear for Spike, fear for the CMC, and fear for herself. She didn't want to be a changeling; she didn't want to be one of Chrysalis mindless drones eating the emotions of helpless ponies. She sat down, and cried. She cried for what felt like hours, crying about her friends, about Spike, the CMC, everything she wasn't certain about she was scared and sad about, will anypony in Ponyville find and save her? Will the Princess? She didn't know.

Yet again, a plate with interesting coloured sludge appeared by Twilight, and Chrysalis’ face appeared all over the rocks, “Hello Twilight how’s i- what’s wrong?” Chrysalis asked in a voice that seemed to be genuine,

“Please Chrysalis, I just want to be alone” Twilight managed to say between sops,

“Twilight please, call me Queen and tell me what’s wrong.” Chrysalis’ tone made it seem that see was actually concerned,

“Why do you care? You lock me in a dungeon away from all my friends and don’t even give me an explanation why!”

Twilight’s tone was going from sad to angry as she talked to Chrysalis,

“It’ll all become clear later, know eat.” Twilight did as she was told, with tears of anger and sadness in her eyes she ate the pink and purple sludge in front of her, it didn't taste almost as bad as the first two times, but it was still pretty bad. When the food was gone she went back to the corner, and cried herself to sleep. “My poor little Twilight, you feel no one cares but they do; if only you trusted enough to stop crying.” Chrysalis face blinked off the rocks. Maybe it was just pure luck, but Twilight stopped crying.

Twilight woke up feeling happier than when she had gone to sleep. At some point though out the sleep she had stopped crying, and was now feeling good; but she didn't know why. Why should she be feeling good? She couldn't see a reason why, but for whatever reason, the thoughts that had made her so upset the night before seemed not so bad. She went over to a wall to look at herself.

Her crown seemed to be sticking up more; she thought the maybe her mood was reflected by the stability of her crown. Her horn didn't seem to mind her any more, she decided to see if she could create any magic, before she was even trying a light was being emitted by her horn; somehow, she had mastered dark magic, she was feeling so happy right now nothing was going to get her down. Nothing but her fangs and wings, that got her down, right down.

She jumped back so hard when she saw the wings and fangs that she smashed a rock behind her into a million pieces. Around her lower body was something the resembled a saddle, but it wasn't. No pony was quite positive about what it was or what it was for, but only changelings have it and it goes right around the body. There was no doubt in Twilight’s mind, she was becoming a changeling. But why this slow process? Why not just throw her in the cocoon thing with all her other friends, if only she knew.

But there was one thing that made Twilight feel slightly good about this, she wanted to fly; and now she has wings. Yes she had flown before, but that was always in a hot air balloon, where the wind chooses where you go for you. But with wings, you could fly where ever you wanted to go, ignoring the wind.

Now, Twilight isn't stupid, though she had been watching Pegasus fly for her whole life, she knew that she’d have use completely different tactics than them. Pegasus have the wings of a bird, meaning they can use long graceful flaps and glide; yet changelings have the wings of an insect, meaning that they have to flap very fast constantly to stay off the ground.

Knowing this Twilight stood in the middle of the room, and started buzzing her wings. Flapping wings was, an odd yet enjoyable experience. She needed very little concentration to get going; very slowly she started to lift from the ground. When she was in the air it was very hard to try and stay stable, almost imminently she flipped upside down, and flew into a wall. She flopped onto the ground with very little pain, she was stunned at how unpainful flying into a wall upside down was. She got back to her feet and tried again, this time a lot slower. She flapped her wings about half a strong as the first time, just enough to get off the ground. When she felt she was safely hovering above the ground she tried changing direction, she very slightly sifted her weight to the left, and she started slowly sliding to the left. Her first successful flight. She stopped buzzing and dropped 1 - 2 feet to the ground, just as she landed the plate appeared on the ground next to her, and Chrysalis’ face all over the walls.

“So I see you've calmed down since yesterday”

“Yes, queen” Both Twilight and Chrysalis were very confused at Twilight calling her ‘queen’. For whatever reason it just felt, right, to Twilight calling her queen; and Chrysalis was confused because she never thought Twilight would actually call her that.

“Umm… Ok, I mean, good. I’ve also noticed that you’ve been trying you luck at flying.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’m that good though.” Twilight found it oddly easy to talk with Chrysalis, she’d been the only thing that had made contact with her recently and Chrysalis seemed too actually care about her.

“Don’t worry about it, most first flyers can’t even get off the ground.” Chrysalis seemed to actually care about Twilight’s well being.

“Thanks for the support,” Twilight walked over to the food, orange and red. She took a bite, it tasted quite nice. See finished off the plate as always and went to her sleeping spot, then feel asleep.

“Twilight, you’re learning to enjoy it, but soon I will tell you.” Chrysalis’ face left the walls, and Twilight slept with a smile.

Twilight woke up after another confusingly great sleep. She got up and remembered last night, and was shocked to review how she had acted. Why had she called Chrysalis queen? Why had the sludge not tasted like crap? Why hadn’t she been angry to see Chrysalis? Why hadn’t she had a major freak out when seeing the wings and fangs? Why wasn’t she freaking out now? If she had a pen and some paper she’d be able to make the longest list ever, the ‘what’s wrong with my life?!’ list.

She didn’t even want to look at herself to see what other ways she’s becoming a shape shifting demon. She chose to take her mind off everything by practising her flying.

Slowly off the ground, very small turns, just start from the basics; then land. She did this for about an hour or so. She was slowly building her confidence in flying, start slow, learn slow, succeed by the end. After going to the same height, doing the same turn, then doing the same landing; she started to push herself. She went a little bit higher, then a little bit faster, turning sharper. After another hour she just went for it, she started to fly forwards. As she started drifting towards the wall she tried her luck at changing direction, it worked. She was flying. SHE WAS FLYING! She was so happy right now it was impossible, she was so pleased with herself! Taught herself to use dark magic AND how to fly! But there was a catch, a dark purple exo’ skeleton; unintentionally she’d flown over to one of the walls and looked at her own reflection.

She landed with a thump, not caring about hurting herself. Was she now a changeling? She didn’t feel like one, she thought the idea of eating emotions was sickening, but she looked like a changeling. Apart from one aspect, her eyes, her NORMAL purple eyes, HER eyes. There were two parts of Twilight left, her hair, and her eyes. Then she remembered something, her cutie mark, the part of her body that told everpony who she was, was gone. She couldn’t see her cutie mark, was it still there? Under that terrifying exo’ skeleton? If only she could check.

She picked up a rock using magic, and smashed where her cutie mark should be, nothing happened. She used all her might and smashed her bum, she was determined to see if there was her cutie mark under the dark shell. Half an hour of constant smashing, and nothing, not even a scratch. There was no way of checking, so she gave up.

For the next hour she just slowly buzzed around the room, what now? She could fly, she could do magic, everything a changeling could do, apart from one thing, change. But did she want to try it? Become a changeling? Twilight just didn't know. Poof*! Here was the plate, and Chrysalis' face to go with it.

“How are we today?” Chrysalis asked Twilight, not seeming to notice the fact that Twilight looked just like a changeling. Twilight just looked at her, she didn't want to talk. She walked over to her plate and started eating the grey and blue mush, today it tasted quite delicious; ether it was changing or Twilight was. Twilight finished her plate and licked it clean, it had an amazing taste and Twilight wanted to keep eating but it was done. So she went back to her corner and fell asleep sleep. “My little Twilight, coming along so well.” Chrysalis left, and Twilight slept.

Twilight woke up, happy. For some reason everyday she woke up happy and fine with the problems that had plagued her the night before, she looked like a changeling, so what! She still thought like herself, no matter what her appearance. There was still one thing she had to try though, change.

She had done all the other things changelings can do, why not try changing? But there was one drawback, she had no idea how. With flying she already knew how wings worked so that wasn’t too hard, and with magic; she had more knowledge on the subject than anypony else, so that wasn’t too hard ether. But changing shape? No pony knew how changelings did it; it wasn’t like anypony could just walk up and ask.

But Twilight decided just to make it up, so she closed her eyes started concentrating; thinking, believing she was something else, she imagined she was herself, she imagined she looked just like old Twilight. She opened her eyes to see no difference, “who am I kidding?” She asked herself, but she sounded odd, echo and snake like, just like a changeling. She was now certain on the idea of changing, she was a changeling, fine! Why not do what they’re famous for! And have the chance to be herself once again, even if it’s just a trick. She closed her eyes and started to not think she looked like Twilight, but believe she did, in her mind she looked and sounded just like Twilight, acted like her, talked like her, looked like her. She opened her eyes, and saw purple fur, she ran over to a wall to look at herself, short strait purple horn, magic cutie mark, no wings; she was Twilight again. “Oh my, I DID IT!!” She even sounded like Twilight, but she wasn’t Twilight.

She was a changeling, and you know what? WHO CARES! Not Twilight, as a changeling she could fly, she could still do magic, she could now even change shape. Now Chrysalis was her queen, so what? It’s not like Celestia would came and check on her every night to see if she was ok, or make sure she is feed. Chrysalis’ face didn’t appear on all the walls as normal; it appeared on just one, which see stepped out of as if it was a door. “I see you’re feeling well” said Chrysalis,

“Oh my queen, I’ve fully accepted being a changeling. But why this slow process? Why not put me in a cocoon with the others?”

Chrysalis looked at her lovingly, “I’ve always wanted a daughter, and I chose you because you had some of the strongest magic I’ve seen, and you were the only pony who could tell it was me, not Cadence; and I put you through this long process because it’s the only way to become a royal changeling; now the process has finished I want to adopt to as my daughter. So what to do you say?”

Twilight had no idea whether to go with Chrysalis or not. Yes she had just said that she accepted being a changeling, but did she? Why would she accept being some she was terrified of not 1 week ago. But she had to make up her mind, but how? The thoughts she’d had before about not caring, where they her thoughts? She knew she’d have to make a bold move, one that would mean changelings would attack Equestria and destroy everything. Twilight walked up to Chrysalis, and hugged her. “I do, mother” Twilight had made the choice, she decided that Chrysalis was one of the first ponies to make sure she was alright, she had feed her and supported her as she was freaking out. Twilight had decided a world and a pony she barely knew, and she was happy about it. She knew that Chrysalis would treat her with the respect and love she wanted.

“Thank you my daughter” Chrysalis touched Twilight’s horn with her own, Twilight’s eyes became tinted black and green while still having it's original purple, she was now fully a changeling, while still having some Twilight Sparkle,

“now let’s get my daughter some real food, not the condensed stuff I had made for pony consumption.”

“So I have been eating emotions, but why did it taste better everytime? Was it the emotion?”

“No my daughter, as you became more of a changeling you’re taste changed with it” Twilight should have been horrified knowing that she had been eating emotions, but how good they had tasted made it so she didn’t care, “So what do you say to us getting so some food?”

“I would love to mother,” and Twilight followed Chrysalis through the portal she had come from, right into her new life.

End of Chapter 1

Ch 2: First day on the job

“Thank you my daughter,” said the creature Twilight had just called mother. Twilight was scared, maybe this was a bad idea, and she should have said ‘no’. But Chrysalis was leaning in, for a kiss? Chrysalis’ horn hit Twilight’s, her eyes shot open, she could feel Chrysalis magic entering her; and she physically saw what she could become, what a changeling queen could do, everything she could do.

She blinked, and opened her eyes to a new world, her cell which looked like the Canterlot Caves was a simple illusion spell, though she still saw a small room of crystals, she could also see the green changeling slime the room was really made of.

She looked up her new mother and could feel and taste her love, sweet and filling. She looked into the eyes of the changeling and started feeding her, Twilight didn’t know how she was doing it, but she just knew that just looking into her mother’s eyes was filling.

“Now let’s get my daughter some real food, not the condensed stuff I had made for pony consumption.” Chrysalis said with a smile on her face, not and evil like saying, ‘you’re mine now,’ just a nice smile.

“So I have been eating emotions, but why did it taste better every time? Was it the emotion?” Twilight knew the answer; she just wanted to show Chrysalis that she was listening.

“No my daughter, as you became more of a changeling you’re taste changed with it.” Twilight would have been sick, she would have been horrified, but as a changeling it just didn’t concern her anymore. “So what do you say to us getting so some food?”

Twilight, though satisfied with what Chrysalis was giving her, wanted to see what maybe other emotions tasted like, or maybe what it was like harvesting love. “I would love to mother,” Chrysalis turned around and started to walk through the portal she had come from, and Twilight quickly followed.

She could see the portal, and she knew it was there, she almost had two different pictures of the world, one view as a changeling, feeling what was around, knowing everything’s true colours, and then there was, let’s say, pony view; looking around and seeing the world as it simply looked.

She and Chrysalis walked through the portal, the unfamiliar feel of changeling magic tingling over her, it was actually quite a nice, as if the portal was hugging her as she walked though. Usual portals are white, almost blinding to walk through, yet Chrysalis portal was a dark green, a colour Twilight had secretly liked, but now wasn’t ashamed.

They exited the portal and entered Chrysalis hive, Chrysalis took a deep, shuddering, breath. Twilight thought maybe something was wrong, “mother? Are you ok?” Twilight asked, concerned for Chrysalis.

“Yes, I’m terrific!” Chrysalis replied with a smile, “I’m back in my hive again; the love of my drones always gets me off guard.” Chrysalis took another deep breath.

Twilight looked away from Chrysalis and started to look at her surroundings. They appeared to be in a remote part of the hive; to the naked eye it was a rounded hall made of dark, green, thick, goo. But Twilight could see more, see could see all the hidden portals, like doorways in a normal hall. “Mother, where are we?”

“This is where the prisoner holding cells are kept; we use hidden portals so any normal pony here to be heroic can’t find anyone in particular.” How Chrysalis spoke, no spite, no hate, nothing of what Twilight would have expected from a Changeling queen.

“Just out of curiosity, what do you mean when you say, ‘get some real food’?” Twilight asked, feeling yet another wave of delicious love wash over her.

Chrysalis smiled and chuckled a bit as she watched Twilight stumble at the intake of unguarded love, “apart from that. Well, a newly born drone will have all the knowledge needed for changelings, but as a queen you needed to be independent, able to make decisions; and I didn’t just want a powerful drone so you don’t have the knowledge required. So I’m going to have to teach you.” No spite, no hate.

“Teach me, what exactly?” Twilight asked, excited and eager to learn more about being a changeling.

“The basics you haven’t taught yourself already; harvesting love, setting up your own hive. That sought of thing.” How Chrysalis spoke, Twilight felt that she could never be hurt by her.

“Mother, before we start, lessons, may I see my friends?” Asked Twilight, thinking about how she was going to explain this to her friends.

“I had almost forgotten; your friends are fine, I’d been leaving them for you.”

“May I see them?”

“Of course!” Chrysalis stopped, “they’re actually right here.” Said Chrysalis pointing at a portal next to her.

Twilight looked into the portal in question. See saw her 5 friends, in a small room, asleep. She concentrated on her changeling sight, “I thought they’d been, well, you know…” Twilight hesitated to say the rest, not feeling fully comfortable saying what she was thinking.

“I’d been leaving that for you.” Twilight gave her mother a puzzled look, “I should explain. As you know, a changeling queen will need to set up her own hive to live. And I thought maybe you’d like you friends to be your first drones.”

Twilight looked at Chrysalis with a face of shook, “T-turn my friends, into drones? Is there a way to, keep them as they are?”

“You mean, as ponies?” Asked Chrysalis, already confused to Twilight’s intentions.

“Why would I do that?” Said Twilight, with the raspy chattering of a usual changeling voice; Chrysalis hadn’t noticed that Twilight had been using her pony voice up ‘till now. “Being a changeling is great! I was hoping I could make them more, independent, than just drones.”

“Of course that’s possible! Just most queens prefer to have mindless drones; it’s more of a personal preference.”

“What’s the difference between mindless drones, and, umm, not mindless.” Asked Twilight,

“Well, it’s all personal preference. No matter what, a drone will always, happily, listen and obey their queen. It’s just a changeling queen’s ego, they believe every plan they ever have is completely genius; while mindless drones won’t question anything their queen says, while more independent drones will make suggestions, and queen’s egos would prefer to have no impacts.”

Twilight grew a huge smile, “that’s fantastic! I’ll be able to keep my friends and show them how magnificent this is!” Then she had a thought, “how’s Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“Oh, them! They are back at Ponyville. I never intended to get them as well, a quick memory change spell here, a quick teleport here, and no one suspects a thing.” Chrysalis smiled to herself. “But before anything, would you like to do training, or have the information planted into your mind and jump strait into being a changeling queen.”

Twilight thought for a second, “I’d like to go straight to my new life.”

Chrysalis horn lit up with green magic, she leaned towards Twilight and touched her jagged horn with her own.

Twilight’s pupils dilated; she gasped as knowledge of, harvesting love, flying like an ace, changeling spells of mind corruption, shape shifting to all shapes and sizes, and many other things. Her pupils grew to normal size as the information stopped flowing, and a smile spread across her face.

Chrysalis felt a huge wave of delicious, and fully unprotected, love, as Twilight hugged her. “Thank you mother, I can’t begin explaining how, amazing, all this is. And I can’t wait to share this with my friends!” Twilight looked at her mother with the eyes of a predator, the eyes of a changeling.

Twilight felt and equally powerful river of love hit her as Chrysalis hugged her back. “Oh Twilight, I’m so glad. I didn’t realise you’d enjoy it so much, I was scared I’d made a mistake, but apparently not. Twilight, I love you.”

Twilight can never remember being so happy, as a changeling queen herself, she knew how hard it was for a changeling queen to love anyone out of her hive; or any other changeling queens. “I love you to mother.” Twilight relist the hug her and Chrysalis had been in. “I know this is unrelated but… is there any way for me to get my sleep? I don’t want to start a hive feeling sleep deprived.”

“Of course, follow me.” Twilight began following Chrysalis to the room she’d be staying at; just narrowly missing watching a group of ponies wake up somewhere they’d rather not be at.

“Ya know I would have had ‘em!” Boasted Rainbow Dash, hovering in the air and throwing her front hooves around in punching actions, “they just took me by surprise!”

“Yes, we know dear,” said Rarity, setting on the ‘cleanest’ part of the gooey, changeling holding cell, “you’ve said that five times already.”

“Yeah, but…” Rainbow said, landing next to Pinkie Pie.

The five ponies had woken up twice after being attacked in Ponyville, once they’d found themselves in a normal jail cell, but then quickly found themselves knocked out again; then (about an hour ago) they’d woken up in, were ever this is. Small, circular, and made of dark green goop. Rarity wasn’t happy to be there.

The five ponies in question, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Fluttershy, were sitting in a circle, trying to figure out what’s going on.

They were well feed, they weren’t thirsty, the goo the cell was made out of was comfortable, and the temperature in the room was, nice.

Obviously their first thoughts were they’d been turned into changelings, but that was quickly ruled out because they’d tried feeding of love, all forms… but that’s in the past.

“Ah hope Twilight’s ok.” Applejack thought out loud.

“Uh yeah, I do… to.” Murmured Fluttershy,

“We all do dear, I just wish we knew what those, filthy changelings would want with Twilight.” Said Rarity, checking her tail to see if any of the goo had gotten into it.

“I hope that big meanie Chrysalis hasn’t done anything to her!” Huffed Pinkie.

“Don’t worry my friends,” said an airy voice that seemed to come from the walls.

The voice was familiar, far too familiar. The group of friends sat in shock, until Applejack spoke up, “Twi- Twilight? I- is that you?” Applejack asked, with a shaky voice,

“It will all become clear,” said the voice, fading away.

“Ok,” said Rainbow Dash, “that, was weird.”

Twilight was in a bed, weird for a changeling queen, they really don’t sleep; they latterly have their hive energize them, usually by, quite latterly, entwining themselves into their hive. But Twilight didn’t have a hive, so she had to make do.

Lying in a bed meant there was nothing to do, but think. So Twilight thought about how much her life had changed in such a short time. In her head was a mess, she was desperately trying to manage changeling hormones and the sudden intake of information.

But there was one thing she could try; she could try entwining herself with a hive, even if it wasn’t her hive. Her pores opened up and a sent was excreted. What can only be described as tentacles started slithering from the walls, stretching towards Twilight. Having two possible intentions, going to merge with Twilight to create one being, or going to kill the intruder.

They grabbed Twilight, and slithered into the holes in her legs. Poison or utter amazingness, poison or amazingness. The tentacles expanded and occupied all the space of Twilight’s leg holes.

She slipped into sleep, though her eyes opened, hypothetically. She could see every part of the hive, feel everything that was happening.

Chrysalis staggered, feeling a new, powerful, force enter her hive; automatically know what it was, “my little Twilight, I’m so proud.”

“We all do dear, I just wish we knew what those, filthy changelings would want with Twilight.” She heard Rarity’s voice call from a particular cell.

Twilight focused on the cell, and saw her five friends sitting in a circle. “I hope that big meanie Chrysalis hasn’t done anything to her!” She heard Pinkie Pie shout.

Twilight had two options: do nothing, or do something. Since she was a changeling and now the daughter of an enemy of Equestria, she decided that doing something couldn’t hurt. She fed her thoughts to the cell, releasing them to be heard in a only a small portion of Chrysalis’ hive, “Don’t worry my friends,” Twilight told them; she watched as they froze, she really should have given them a waring.

“Twi- Twilight? I- is that you?” She heard Applejack ask, her voice sounding as if she’d seen a ghost.

“It will all become clear,” Twilight told them, slipping into sleep.

As she fell into her blissful slumber, she heard one last thing, “Ok, that, was weird.”

Ch 3: The start of an empire

Twilight walked down the squishy hall, she watched as her children stopped to smile at her, to feed her. Twilight’s pleasure washed over her hive, glad that they’d satisfied their queen, the changelings went back to their duties in the hive.

Twilight awoke, smiling; soon, soon her dream will be real. Twilight rolled out of bed and landed on her hooves. She looked down, not too long ago those dark purple, holed, armed legs would have terrified her, but not anymore.

Twilight began walking towards the portal leading to the hive. She felt the slight flow of love fuelling her, 6 distinct flows, her friends and Chrysalis. She stepped out of the room she’d been staying in; she walked out to meet Chrysalis, “how’s my little changeling?” (That’s right, Narrators say what they want).

Chrysalis’ smile warmed Twilight up, love helping her temperature, “I’m fine, thank you mother. What are today’s plans?” Twilight asked, returning the smile and food her mother gave her.

“Well, I thought we could see how your friends are going; and see if we can get your hive started up.” Said Chrysalis, smiling.

“Great! I can’t wait to see my friends again!” Said Twilight, as she started to walk towards the prison cells, then she stopped, “wait; how do I tell my friends about,” she jested to herself, undisguised, “this?”

“Well,” said Chrysalis, smiling, “that my dear, is up to you.”

Twilight began thinking, hard. “Maybe they’d see the light in this dark shell; maybe they’ll embrace the change, and see it’s for the better.” Said Princess Twilight (she’s a changeling Princess, not a queen yet), looking her mother in the eye, “I’ll be strait with them, and if they don’t love their queen, my first five drones will!” Said the changeling princess, a predatory look in her eyes.

Chrysalis smiled at her daughter, she knew that she’d made the right choice in choosing a successor. “Come my daughter; let’s go meet your friends.”

It was Rainbow Dash and Applejack’s guarding hours. Sense they had all found themselves in a changeling prison, they’d decided that they should have guard times, while some are sleeping the others were on the lookout.

“So Dash, what do ya think them critters done with Twilight?” Asked Applejack, attempting to break the silence that had descended over the cell.

“No idea. But if that voice we heard a couple hours ago has anything to do with Twilight, something really creepy.” Said Rainbow, while lying down.

Applejack nudged Rainbow, “heads up, somepony’s comin’.”

Rainbow stood up and started walking to where her friends were sleeping, “better wake up the others. Hay, guys! Wake up! Somepony’s coming!” Cried Rainbow Dash.

“Not so loud dear,” said Rarity, “we are right next to you.”

The rest were standing up, wondering who could be so important that they had to be woken up. Applejack walked over to her friends. “So, umm, who is it?” Asked Fluttershy in a quiet voice.

“Me.” The group of friends heard a familiar voice; they turned around to see Chrysalis with a smaller changeling.

The other changeling was about 3 feet tall, like Twilight; it had a dark purple shell, not unlike Twilight’s coat; it’s mane and tail was strait and dark purple with a pink highlight, exactly like Twilight’s. “Who- Who are you?” Asked Applejack, terrified of the answer.

“AJ, don’t you recognise me?” Asked the smaller changeling, an evil smile spreading across her face.

“Ah think ah do, and that’s what worries meh.” Chrysalis hid a grin behind her hoof, noticing that ponies keep making dangerous comedic remarks in her hive.

“Don’t worry AJ, I’m sure we can change that.” Said the purple changeling, chuckling.

But that cocky remark made Rainbow snap, she charged Chrysalis, but the other changeling dropped a shield over herself and the queen. Rainbow Dash smacked her head painfully against the shield; she bunched back and shook her head, then stared daggers at Chrysalis.

“Alright, enough of your games! Where’s Twilight and what have you done with her?!” Demanded Rainbow, never taking her hateful gaze off the changeling queen.

Chrysalis smiled and looked down at the changeling princess, “well Rainbow Dash; she’s next to me, and I've shown her a new way of life, a better way.”

The friends gasped, all but Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who were now sharing the same hateful look at Chrysalis. “Well ah don’t buy that for a second, yur just tryin’ to trick us to make us lose hope or somethin’!” Said Applejack, slamming her hoof into the soft ground.

“What’s wrong Applejack?” Asked Twilight.

“How dare you use Twilight’s face you DEMON?!” Screamed Pinkie, anger pulsing from her being, “HOW DARE YOU TWO TRY AND TRICK US?! Sometimes I may be giggly, but I'm NOT STUPID! Now you two better buzz off before we show you the power we get from our love for our friends!” Everyone was blown back by the party pony’s outburst, all but Princess Twilight (Changeling princess, this is before Ep13).

Twilight easily picked up all her friends with magic, and started juggling them. “Well you see Pinkie,” Twilight began, realising that though the first half of this visit hadn't been great, she could still salvage it, “now that I, Twilight, am a changeling I can use love as power,” said Twilight, leaping into the pile of floating ponies adding herself to the madness, “and as you can see, I have a lot of it. ‘But where does it come from?’ you asked. Well that’s easy, you.” She said, focusing on Pinkie, “thanks to you all loving me, it’s given me the power to do, this!”

Twilight leaped out of the caracal of ponies, as her coat was being burned off by purple flames, she landed in her changeling form and turned to see her friends.

They were struggling hard against the changeling magic; they were floating to the top of the room. Once there a purple cocoon began to form around them.

“What the hay?!” She heard Applejack call as the cocoon began filling with light purple liquid.

“Sorry I had to go to these measures girls, but soon you’ll see it’s for the better.” And with that, Twilight began walking out of the room behind Chrysalis; just as she was exiting the room she heard one last cry from Rarity.

“No! Please! NOT THE FACE!”

Rainbow realised very quickly that she couldn't break out of this jelly pod. Her new concern was the water she was drowning in, only, she wasn't.

It was purple, a lightish purple, and… warm, pleasant, though Rainbow wasn't drowning, she was sure she’d start soon.

Mouth closed, her face started to become as purple as what she was in. Though it wouldn't help, she opened her mouth; bubbles came out, her air now gone.

The odd liquid filling her mouth, she relaxed, but she didn't know why. She wasn't drowning, yet again, she didn't know why. It tasted, weird, really weird; but not, bad. She had no idea what was going on, not a single idea of why all these things were happening floated through her head.

She suddenly felt tired, eyes slowly closing, a voice started talking to her in the back of her mind, ‘love the queen, and the queen loves back; obey the queen, and be rewarded; agree with queen, and be fulfilled; love the queen, and the queen loves back;’ completely panicking, Rainbow Dash fell hard into sleep.

Twilight watched as her friends slept peacefully, undergoing their beautiful transformations. She watched in awe as their coats slowly fell out, reviling the shining black shells underneath.

She gazed at the unicorn, wings sporting from her back, growing just slow enough to be unnoticeable. Her horn becoming black, and curved.

Twilight turned to head to see the two Pegasus, going through similar but different changes. Their feathers falling off and dissolving into the changeling hormones they were floating in. Miniature horns had begun sprouting from their heads, black and pointed.

She changed her focus to the Earth ponies. For whatever reason all of their coats had fallen out before anypony else’s, leaving them with no cutie mark and hair only on their heads. Baby horns were clearly visible on their heads. Wings just sprouting from their backs.

Twilight couldn’t believe how beautiful it all was, almost hypnotic. She began feeling and odd tingling sensation in her antennae, words forming in her mind through the tingling. “Ah love my queen, and mah queen loves meh; ah obey my queen, and I’ll be rewarded;” Applejack’s voice repeated in Twilight’s head.

Already her children were taking shape; soon she heard all five ponies’ voices chiming in the back of her mind. Yet in their sleep she saw them still struggling, her antennae silently buzzing as she sent a message to her drones, “no struggle needed, my friends, all you must do is love and listen, no struggle, just love.” She smiled again, watching as her friends stopped struggling, and just waited.

Applejack’s eyes shot open, pure purple. Twilight hadn't noticed that the horn on her head had fully grown, and that her wings were at full size.

Shortly after Pinkie Pie’s eyes flew open, then Rarity’s, then the Pegasus’. All of their eyes were purple, all of their coats had been replaced by hard shells, the only indication that any of them had been ponies where their rounded muzzles, and their hair.

In unison, they lowered their heads to the bottom of the pods, stuck their horns out of the pods, and then cut up. They all fell out and landed on their feet.

They turned to Twilight, and then bowed; their queen smiled as their love fuelled her.

First her friends, next was Ponyville.

Ch 4: Back home

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe she was bowing to her friend, who also doubles up as a changeling queen. All these thoughts were bombarding her head, things like, ‘love my queen,’ and ‘I shall always obey.’ Though she heard these in first person and in her voice she knew she couldn’t be thinking such insane thoughts. But they didn’t feel out of place. These crazy thoughts felt like hers, the reason she knew they weren’t was that 20 minutes ago, she would have easily killed a changeling, no regrets.

Yet know; she was one, and it felt great. Every part of her essence wanted to hate it, but the feeling of her friends love pulsing through her felt great, and the care from her queen was empowering; wait, no, Twilight, not queen. No, she can’t allow herself to be hypnotised by this madness, then a beautiful voice entered her ears.

“Come my children, follow.” Her lovely, purple, queen had spoken, and she must obey.

Rainbow lined up behind her sisters and queen, and followed her out the room.

She noticed that Applejack had broken from the line and slowed down. Rainbow Dash was wondering how AJ will be punished before she broke her out of her spell, “Rainbow, why are we doin’ this?”

The question court Rainbow off guard, the answer seemed simple, “because our que- we were ord-” now the answer seemed idiotic, “I’ve got no idea.” She deadpanned.

“Rainbow, Ah’m not goin’ to lie, Ah’m scared.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Then they heard a magnificent voice drift into their minds, ‘no fear, no worries, but love.’ A smile spread across Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s faces, and they kept following the line.

Spike sat in his best friend’s library, staring out the window at nothing in particular.

Behind him Shining Armor and many other royal guards carefully tore about every, single, thing, in the library. Any single thing that may explain why Twilight Sparkle was missing, or why her friends were also nowhere to be seen.

Shining angrily tore apart a cushion, “it changelings, Celestiadamn changelings took my Twily!”

One of the guards walked away from the shelf he was inspecting, went over to his caption, and put hoof onto his back in a calming manner, “sir, I know it’s a hard loss, and I now that changelings are most likely involved and your relationship with them isn’t great, but please don’t let you anger destroy any evidence.”

Shining Armor angrily stamped his hoofs in defeat, “I know, I know. But, agh! Changeling sightings, elements of harmony go missing, changeling sightings stop. Anypony could figure out what going on here!”

“Sir Armor! Please restrain you self! Why don’t you settle a little outside, and take the little dragon with you, he’s, ahh, affecting moral.” The guard said, staying as serious as ever.

“Fine. Men, continue work ‘till further noticed! Spike, let’s get some fresh air, and see if we can get some cupcakes.”

Spike got up, but didn’t say a word, and followed Shining Armor out the library.

A dumbfounded night guard slammed into Shining, he angry observed this most likely soon to be fired guard. No helmet, bloodshot eyes, messed up hair, all from lake of sleep, yet he had a smile on his face, “they’re here! We just spotted them coming of the Everfree!”

“What? Show me!” Screamed Armor, as Spike had already broken into a sprint.

A bit later the trio skidded to a hold behind a line of guards. As Spike court his breath, Shining stood tall to see over the white and blue line of ponies, he saw his LSBFF (little sister best friend forever) being followed by her friends, Shining pushed the guards apart has he rushed to his sister, “Twily!” he panted, galloping at top speed.

Twilight smiled equally as large as she rushed to meet her brother half way, “BBBFF!”

They threw themselves into a hug, Shining didn’t care that he was getting the grit and mud that covered Twilight all over his white coat, because he had his Twily back, his same little sister.

Twilight had never noticed the amount of emotions her older brother could feel at one time, then again, she had been gone for over a month; training changelings took some time, and was boring as Tartarus, but that’s behind her.

She looked over her crying brother to a stunned little dragon. A purple aura surrounded Spike and he floated over to join the hug between Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor, he happily joined in.

“Mhh,” she won’t be eating for weeks.

“What was that Twily?” Shining Armor leaned back and looked his sister in the eyes, ‘is that some green? Na, probably just my imagination.’

“Just happy to be home.” She said, with a beaming smile.

“You ok Twilight?” First time Spike had said anything for weeks, and it wasn’t fully positive. But he was concerned; Twilight was acting weird, even for her.

“Yeah, just, long trip.” Crap excuse, but she hoped it would do.

“Actually that raises a question,” Shining asked, Twilight already had an answer, “where HAVE you been for the last month or so?”

Twilight’s answer was pre-planned, “I don’t really want to talk about it right now.” She looked down and prodded the ground with her hoof, changelings, natural actors.

“Right, come on, let’s get you and you friends through quarantine and back home!” Shining said, starting his way back to Ponyville.

‘QUARANTINE!?’ Five buzzy voices suddenly screamed in Twilight’s mind.

‘Well, didn’t take long for our queen’s amazing plan to go bust.’ Rainbow thought, positive as ever.

‘Rainbow!’ Snapped Rarity, ‘our queen shall think of something. Miss?’

‘…’

‘Miss?!’

‘Just- just stay hopeful, and try to think for yourselves.’ Chimed Twilight’s mind in 5 heads; the 5 heads in question soon started to follow their queen and the captain of Celestia’s guard.

“So brother, what exactly do you mean by ‘quarantine’?” Twilight asked, slight fear in her voice.

Shining Armor chuckled and shook his head, “don’t worry, we’re not going to lock you and your friends away, just some tests, dark magic detection, mind control checks, changeling detection spells, routine stuff.”

On the outside it was 6 scruffy ponies, following a royal guard. On the inside it was 6 changelings, realising that survival was bleak, wetting themselves.

‘Well queen, if you have some amazing, life changing idea, now’s a good time to mention it.’ Rainbow doesn’t get that insects love their queen, does she?

Twilight turned her head to stair daggers at her, but simply saw Rainbow floating slightly above the ground, throwing her front hooves around near an astonished Scootaloo, ‘I can see you looking at me, oh, Scootaloo, I’m telling her about the dragons we had to fight.’

Rainbow felt a flurry of mental, disapproving, headshakes, ‘what I’m I supposed to say? “Hay kid, I just spent the last month learning how to best defeat Equestria.” That’ll go down well.’

Twilight turned her head back to Ponyville, ‘Rainbow. You are a very weird changeling.’

Shining turned to see Scootaloo, “what are you doing here? I thought the guards made it clear no coming out ‘till the all clear!”

“I’m sorry!” Said the orange filly, maintaining a smile, “just I couldn’t wait to hear Rainbow Dash’s stories!”

Shining turned his head back, “we’re now going to have to run you through the tests as well.”

“Eh, I don’t care,” stated Scootaloo, waving a hoof dismissively, “as long as I can hear more of Dash’s stories, I really don’t care.”

They arrived at the tent, assumingly the place intended for the test, ‘well, here goes nothin’.’ Applejack’s mind chimed.

‘Good luck everpo- everyling? Everychangeling? What are we supposed to say?’ Pinkie managed to find the most likely, least important thing ever.

They entered the green army tent, “I’ll go first,” said Scootaloo.

‘Alright everyling, mental exhale. Oh, and we’re going to say 'everyling'.’ Queen’s word was final.

“Alright miss if you could just step into the room, should only take a sec.” A voice called from behind a plastic wall, Scootaloo stepped through the door, the whole room lit up in a creamy white glow, “ ‘k, you’re clean. Go through the door and wait outside, next!”

The changelings looked at each other uncertainly.

“Alright,” said Shining, “me and Spike will go next.” Shining levitated Spike onto his back and walked through the door, same thing with Scootaloo happened.

“I doubted the captain and dragon had anything from leaving for 5 minutes, next!” The same voice from before called.

‘Better a drone than the queen.’ Rarity thought, as she began stepping through the slips of cloth (the door).

‘Be careful.’ Fluttershy thought.

“I know you probably feel nervous, don’t worry nothing will happen, unless, well I think you can finish that sentence.” The glow started.

Everyling held their breaths, seconds passed, one, two, three… The glow suddenly stopped, their expected the worst, the tester breathed in, “miss Rarity, you’re fine, through ya go. Who wants to go next?”

“I’ll go.” Twilight walked into the room, creamy glow, then walked out. As did the rest of the group.

Twilight lay in her bed, listening to the baby dragon sleep, well, attempting to. However Cadance got to sleep with Shining Armor’s snores will remain a mystery until the end of time.

Though Twilight wasn’t sleeping, she didn’t need to anyway. But she couldn’t get up, because she was ‘tired after a long trip’ and it would be weird if she went and had a stroll.

Still, she used this opportunity to think, to think about how weird she was when back in Chrysalis hive. She was sure it was hormones, or something about being in a hive.

Either way, on reflection she had been quite creepy; but that wasn’t that bad, her friends had, to word it creepily, her gift.

Ok, time to stop acting creepy, and think of her next move. She couldn’t change ALL of Ponyville, that’d be noticed in half a second yet she needed a hive, and Ponyville would be perfect, but she had to do it sneakily, and try and not do it forcefully.

Maybe somehow show then that being a changeling is better, that they’d be happier this way, but they’d probably never believe it. They’d think they’re all crazy and mind controlled or something stupid like that.

‘Ugh, being a changeling queen it proving tough already. So many different things to think about!’

‘Is something the matter, queen?’ What’s Rarity still doing up? Probably the same as Twilight, not much.

‘No, not at all! It’s actually good. I’m trying to think of how to get Ponyville without being forceful, or drawing attention to myself, and it’s so much fun!’

‘Oh, did someling say fun?! I love fun!’ Then there was Pinkie.

‘Hay, what’s goin’ on ‘ere?’ Now Applejack.

‘And the drawback shows itself…’ Rainbow quietly thought, out loud.

‘What was that dear?’

‘Well,’ she snarled, ‘unlike everyling else, I actually like sleep. And I don’t much appreciate being kept up all night.’ There was an anthem of mental eye rolls, ‘what?’

‘Rainbow,’ Twilight started, ‘why don’t you just block the mental communications until the morning?’

‘Wait; we can do that?! Sweet!’

‘Umm, you didn’t know? Did you pay any attention to what I was teaching you?!’

‘Guess.’ There was a ping* and Rainbow Dash left the mental conversation.

‘Oh, oh! I love guessing games! I guess… NO!’ Pinkie Pie buzzed up to Twilight’s window, and knocked. Twilight groaned, got up and opened it, “did I guess correct?!” Pinkie asked with a buzzy, changeling, voice.

Queen Twilight sighed, “Pinkie, go to bed.”

Pink haired changeling smiled and saluted, “yes ma'am!” Then she flew back to Sugar Cube Corner.

‘Well, girls, I think I’m going to go to bed now.’ Twilight thought.

She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

Ch 5: A crappy night for all

However Queen Twilight Sparkle got to sleep with Shining Armor’s snores will remain a mystery until the end of time; but hay, Twilight could do many confusing things now. ‘Good morning, everyling!’

‘Good morning, queen.’ Rarity sang.

‘Morning, queen! I made you cupcakes!’

‘… Pinkie, why did you make me cupcakes?’ Thou she had to admit, she did have a craving.

‘Well, I don’t know; but last night something told me to make you cupcakes, so I made some!’

‘So that explains why you’re up; but why is Rarity up?’

‘Well, queen, I was helping Pinkie make the cupcakes, I was seeing is we could use crushed gems enchanted with love to create said cupcakes, and I’m happy to say they were a great success!’

There was a grown as Spike’s bed shifted, sleeping beauty was rousing.

A purple flash filled the room as Queen Twilight was replaced by Twilight, waiting for her little dragon to wake.

The most amazing smell filled Twilight’s nose, as Spike chocked and flew out of his bed. He run to the window and opened it, then stuck his head out.

“Spike,” said Twilight, concerned, “what are you doing?”

Spike coughed a bit, “what did you eat while traveling? Something in you just isn’t right!”

“Spike, I didn’t fart, plus, I don’t smell anything.”

Spike pulled his head in and walk to the door, claws waving in front of his face. He opened the door to the main room and smelled, “hah, you’re right, smells like it’s coming from the kitchen.”

Twilight smelled for herself, the smell was beautiful, she guessed it was the cupcakes, “Spike, you go wake up Shining and I’ll make some breakfast.”

Spike trudged down the stairs and down to the basement where Shining Armor was staying.

Twilight followed her nose to the kitchen, when arriving she saw, latterly, glowing cupcakes on the bench. The smell filled her nose, and clouded her mind; they smelled amazing. Dark blue, with something purple and sparkling on top.

She picked one up with a purple glow of magic, and took an experimental taste. Her eyes shot open, then she devoured the rest of the cupcake. Then all the rest, nothing she’d ever tasted had ever been so delicious.

She heard a throat clearing behind her, she span her head round, face covered in purple, glowing crams.

“So…” said her brother, standing in the door way and rubbing his neck, “what are you doing?”

Twilight swallowed the whole cupcake in her throat, “I was eating cupcakes.”

“Okay… random. Leave any for me or Spike?” He asked, hopefully.

Twilight smiled nervously, “umm…”

“Wait, where did you get cupcakes?” He asked, curious.

“Well,” Twilight started, ‘help, suspenseful situation, need distraction!’

Half of Pinkie flew out of one of the top cabinets, she looked over to Shining, “Shining, I’m trying to make a surprise party for me and the others, and I was wondering if you could help!” ‘Is this alright, queen?’

‘Yes Pinkie, thank you.’ “Pinkie, you’re organising a surprise party, for our return, and you didn’t ask me to organise it?”

Spike walked into the room, claws on face and shaking his head. “There are SO many things wrong with that sentence.” Spike walked past the stallion and mare and into the heart of the kitchen, “cereal, sandwich, or pancakes?” He thought out loud.

Shining Armor decided to ignore the weirdness of the kitchen and focus on breakfast, “waffles?”

Spike waved his claws, “na, no waffles.”

“Oh hay! What is there?” Shining walked over to Spike and leaned over to look at the breakfast materials.

‘Thank you for the cupcakes, Pinkie. Now time for your breakfast!’ Twilight let her emotion guard down and love flowed into Pinkie.

Pinkie relaxed and smiled, “umm…” ‘Thanks queen!’ “I gotta go! I’m going to see if any of the guards can dance the tango!” Then she dove back into the cabinet.

Shining walk over to said cabinet and stuck his head in, “hay,” came his muffled voice, “there’s a tunnel behind here!” The moment he said this a pink flash pushed Shining away and blinded everypony, changeling, and dragon in the room.

He got back up to his feet and looked into the cabinet again, “… I’m going to forget this happened and just eat breakfast.”

First day back: nothing happened.

Second night: start of the hive.

Six glows were in Twilight basement, 2 hours before Twilight had insisted that Shining sleep upstairs, “because it’s so dark and cold down there!”

When in reality Twilight and friends where creating a changeling hive right under Ponyville, it was already well underway. They spent about an hour thinking about how to actually do it, until Rainbow had the idea that they change into Diamond Dogs and just dig, so four Diamond Dogs where digging like mad under Ponyville, while two changelings where observing and supervising.

The blue dog started to pant hard and slowed down, the orange one grew a smirk, “come on Rainbow! You ain’t gonna be beaten by Fluttershy, are ya?”

Rainbow Dash’s illusion disbanded and she collapsed on the spot, “ugh, Twi, can I have a break? I’m about to do just that.”

Twilight walked over to Rainbow and gave her a hoof up, “yes, of course, I have been working you a bit hard.”

Rainbow took Twilight’s hoof and hoisted herself up, “thanks.”

“Dash, why are you so tired?” Twilight asked, innocently.

“I was telling Scootaloo about our adventures in the dragon badlands.” Said Rainbow, stretching her muscles.

“And that was tiring?” Asked Twilight, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, it wouldn’t have been, if she hadn’t asked for diagrams.” Said Rainbow, lying down.

“She didn’t believe a word though, didn’t she?” Asked Applejack, changing into a pony to buck a particularly hard rock.

“Well, no, not at all… how’d ya know?” Questioned Rainbow, looking over at the orange pony.

“Oh,” SMASH* rock broken, “Apple Bloom told meh.” The changeling turned back into a Diamond Dog and continued digging.

Rainbow Dash stood and groaned, “uh, Twilight, can I go da bed?”

Twilight smiled, “of course you can, that goes to rest of you.” The changelings smiled and stopped, “great job girls, we’ll continue tomorrow night, good night, girls.”

“Night, queen.” The changelings said in unison, apart from Rainbow, who said ‘Twilight’.

Then they went home, and got some rest.

There were two reasons Spike hadn’t gone back to bed after a quick piss, one, he could find his blanky anywhere, two, he’d seen five changelings with interesting hair walk out of the basement, and generally made it difficult to sleep.

He heard a buzzy voice behind him, “good night, my little dragon.”

He felt his blanket land on top of him, then saw a Twilight like creature walk down stairs.

He hid under his blanket, his imagination must be going mad, his nightmares are getting out of control.

Ch 6: More diggers for The Hive

“Did your sister sleep last night?” Asked the little, white unicorn.

“No, an’ she didn’t go ta bed the night before ether!” replied the orange earth pony.

“Cutie Mark Crusader sleeping pills, yay…” yawned a small, orange Pegasus.

“Scootaloo, what’s wrong?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“I was up all night following Rainbow Dash, and she didn’t even do anything interesting, just whet to Twilight’s, stayed for a few hours, and then went home.” The little pony almost collapsed.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, then back at Scootaloo, “did you notice anything different?”

Scootaloo yawned, “na, it was too dark to see anything clearly, though I did see your sisters… and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at each other, as if one of their faces would have an explanation.

Scootaloo stood up, “sorry girls, I know it still the afternoon, but I’m going to go to bed.”

“Night, Scoots!”

“Night, girls.” Then she walked out of the clubhouse.

“Do you have any idea what’s goin’ on with our sisters an’ their friends?” Asked the orange pony.

“Trust me Apple Bloom, if I knew, I’d say.” Said Sweetie Belle, flopping down onto her stomach.

“We could ask ‘em why they’re staying up so late!” Suggested Apple Bloom.

“No, that would look weird… we should follow them if they go somewhere like last night.” Said Sweetie Belle.

“Should we go get Scootaloo?” Asked Apple Bloom.

“Na, she’s tired, let’s let her sleep. But now let’s make a game plan.”

“Sweetie Belle, this really isn’t a plan.” Said Apple Bloom, crouching in a bush outside Twilight’s library.

“Yeah, it’s not amazing.” Said Shining Armor, crouching with the two fillies and baby dragon in the bush.

“What’s wrong with it? We wait to see if anypony comes, then sneak in after them.” Stated Sweetie Belle .

“What wrong with it is,” started Spike, “ if nopony comes, we’re going to be spending the night in a bush.” He said, looking annoyed.

“Shh,” said Sweetie Belle, “somepony’s coming!” She whispered.

Sure enough, five pony shapes were walking towards the library, one had the most recognisable puffy hair in Equestria. Yet something was wrong, these ‘ponies’ had, holes? In their legs?

“Changelings?” Shining proceeded to curse under his breath, “ok, we’ve gotta see what’s going on here.”

A pon- changeling opened the door, and beckoned the changelings inside, “don’t worry about Spike and Shining,” said a creepily familiar voice, “they’re out tonight, we can dig with no interruptions.”

The changelings walked into the library.

“What the bucking horse shoes is going on.”

Shining Armor glared at the little dragon, “Spike, I should be angry at you for saying such things, but, I’m thinking the same thing.”

“Come on,” said Sweetie Belle, “let’s go investigate.”

Rainbow’s ears twitched as she heard hoof steps, Rarity’s nostrils flared as she smelt 3 ponies and a dragon, Twilight looked down the tunnel and back to where the library lay, ‘I believe we should be expecting some compony.’

‘So, fight? Hide? What’s the plan?’ Rainbow Dash asked, obviously putting ‘fight’ first.

‘Hide, do whatever seems natural.’ Twilight became a fly and buzzed up to the roof.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy became rats and ran into a small hole in the wall.

Applejack became a cockroach and scuttled underneath a rock.

‘So uncouth.’ Rarity became a butterfly and fluttered to the roof with Twilight. Everyling thought this was more of a Fluttershy thing to do. But then they became more interested in Pinkie Pie’s disguise.

‘Pinkie, less conspicuous! A pink bouncy ball doesn’t quite fit the surroundings!’ Twilight gave more of an order than anything else.

‘Oops, sorry queen!’ Pinkie became a fly and flew over to where Applejack was hiding, and sat on top of the rock.

Yet six changing changelings meant six large purple columns of magic fire, which also meant lots and lots of light.

“Hay, did you guys see that?” Called the voice of a young dragon.

“Yeah, kinda looked like the flame thingy that shot off the changelings when they changed shape.” This voice was grown up, deep, commanding, the perfect voice to fit a tough, army commander.

‘Not looking amazing for us, shall I start digging the graves? Oh wait; we’ve been doing that for the past 2 days.’ The little rat felt pain shoot through itself, it squeaked in pain.

‘Rainbow Dash. Shut. Up.’

‘S-sorry, queen…’ She said, as she crawled into a small ball.

A young voice could be heard, it had a southern accent, Applejack cursed to herself, “did you guys hear that, sounded like a rat.”

“Yeah!” Said another young voice, yet it had a squeak to it, it was Rarity’s time to curse, “let’s go check it out.”

The small group rounded another corner.

“How huge is this place? Finding anything in here would be a challenge, let alone a small rat.” Said Shining, losing hope of ever finding the changelings underneath Ponyville.

“If Twilight and her friends WERE replaced by changelings, then they could only have been digging for a few days, I wonder if they have shovels for hooves…” Said Spike, gaining confidence the longer he stayed in this seemingly impossible amount of tunnels.

Then, dead end. 30 minutes, and nothing to show for it, but then, another shriek, it sounded like a rat, in pain.

“Hay, did ja guys hear that?” Said Apple Bloom, as a little rat cursed itself for sitting on its own tail.

“Sounded like it came from over there.” Said the large stallion.

The small group trotted over to a small hole in the wall where two small rats lay. Shining leaned down to the hole, “don’t worry, we won’t hurt you.” He said in a calming tone.

If only the rat felt the same way; the rat leaped into the air. A column of purple fire engulfed it, and a purple changeling with a rainbow coloured mane and full purple eyes tackled the large pony to the ground with ease.

Soon three other changelings appeared out of nowhere and tackled the rest of the party to the ground.

Apple Bloom strained her head to see what was on top of her, “Applejack? Is that you?!” Asked the little earth pony, terrified.

“Sorry if this hurts sugarcube, but I can’t have ya runnin’ round screamin’.” Said the blond changeling, in a deep, recognisable, accent.

Shining Armor struggled under the rainbow haired changeling, “who sent you? Does Chrysalis really believe she can try again? The idiot.” He shouted, looking the general direction of the changelings.

“You may be my brother, but I will not let you insult my mother.”

The voice was far too familiar, it sounded reliving yet painful to Shining; he turned his head to see if his fears were true; walking over to him was a changeling, about as tall has him if not bigger, strait purple hair with a pink highlight, deep purple armour instead of fur, yet it’s eyes, it was obviously the queen.

“Twilight? Oh, buck.” Said the large stallion.

“Now Shiny,” said Twilight, gesturing over to the three children, struggling as if their lives depended on it, “please don’t swear in front in front of the children.”

“I don’t have to listen to you!” He shouted, trying to make himself look strong and commanding.

“Oh, is that so,” said the purple changeling queen, “well,” she continued, leaning down to Shining’s ear, “I’m sure we can change that.” She whispered.

The changeling queen stood and looked over to the other changelings, “I sure all my children can confirm that.”

Spike started to struggle harder, and even tried to use some fire, “oh,” said Twilight, “why are we struggling so hard over here?” She started to walk over to the baby dragon.

The rainbow haired changeling leaned down to her captive, “hay Shining, sorry ‘bout Twilight, she usually isn’t this creepy.” She whispered to him.

Shining Armor powered up his horn, maybe, just maybe…

Rainbow Dash gurgled then spat some purple goo on his horn, “something I did pay attention to in class.” She grinned to herself.

Shining looked disappointed, “how did you do that?” He asked her.

“What? Spitting that goo stuff? Glands in the back of my mouth.” She looked over to where the over changelings were, and smiled, “word of advice, if you accept it early, it’ll be a more enjoyable experience; but it’s different for everypony, so don’t quote me.”

Shining looked at the changeling as if she’d spoken in another language, but what she did next only confused him further: she got off him.

Yet before he could stand, he was lifted off the ground, and brought to the celling. A purple cocoon, thing, started to develop around him.

Soon he was in a hard, purple, pocket. The pocket began filling with a purple liquid, it raised to the top of the cocoon, filling Shining’s nose and mouth.

He started losing consciousness, but before he did a foreign thought filled his head, ‘you shall make a fine brute for your queen.’

Ch 7: Cocoon's Dreams

Shining Armor shot up; he’d just been put in a cocoon by his sister, and has now woken up. He looked around, black, everywhere, nothing but black.

He looked down at his hooves, 100% visible, so wherever he was wasn’t dark, just, black.

Then, something started to materialize in front of him, the Crystal Castle, A.K.A, his home.

He took a sceptical step forward, he started moving towards the castle, black is surprisingly easy to walk on.

He slowly opens the door, and pokes his head in, it’s, the same. Nothing’s different. Yet something felt off, not bad, but different.

He walked in fully and turned on the lights, everything looked the same, this was still the same old public reception. Yet something still felt wrong.

This was a dream, he knew that, but his dreams usually were filled with ponies, but now everything was deserted.

He walked to the privet part of the castle, the part where he and Cadance live.

He pushed the door open, their living room, the same. AHH! Something was wrong, what was it!

He smelt something, it smelt good. He walked inside, and closed the door behind himself. He followed his nose to the kitchen, where he saw Cadance cooking. More specifically, she was cooking cupcakes.

She turned and looked at Shining, then smiled, “hello, Shiny! I’ve made some cupcakes.” She pulled them out of the oven, “try some!”

He took the cupcake with his magic, ‘hah, I have magic again.’ He thought as he took an uneasy bite. He savoured the bite, nothing could compare to how amazing this single bite was. Sadly, he could barely taste the rest of the cupcake, because he stuffed it all in his mouth, one go.

“Cadance, that cupcake was amazing, what did you make it out of?” Shining asked, wondering how this dream was going to shape itself.

The princess walked over to Shining, and kissed his cheek, “I made it with love.”

The kiss felt warm, and he could almost taste something. That’s when it clicked, ‘made with love’, the warm feeling from the kiss, what Twilight had said, ‘for your queen.’ And the cocoon he was just put in, in this dream, he was turning into a changeling.

Cadance look at him, concerned, “Shining? What’s wrong? Did those flanks at the guard tease you with the picture of you with crystal fur?” She leaned over and hugged him, “don’t worry, the queen can take of them.” She said, stroking his hair.

This calmed Shining, until a realisation, “don’t you mean the princess?” He feared the worse, and that’s what he got.

Cadance held her concerned look, “Shining, are you feeling ok? I’m talking about Twilight Sparkle, queen of the hive.”

Shining seemed relaxed by this, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath; but his eyes shot open as the words made sense of themselves.

Shining leaped away from his wife, and backed up against the wall.

“Shining, please tell me what’s wrong?” The voice sounded similar, and that’s was the problem, it was similar, not the same.

He looked over at Cadance, in her place was a changeling, purple exo’ skeleton and purple eyes, yet her hair, cream, purple and pink, flowing down to her legs where it curls up. And her height, ~4 feet, just like Cadance, but, this was a dream, and that was a changeling.

“Shiny,” said the changeling, “if you tell me what’s wrong, then I can help.”

Shining Armor didn't even try to communicate, he leaped out the window into the infinite blacks of his dream, “Shining, stop!” Cried that changeling; but Shining just kept running into the blackness, black was good, black meant nothing, and nothing was good.

After about 10 minutes, he decided that he was clear of anything that could be dangerous. He sat down on the blackness to catch his breath.

“I’m so sorry.” He turned his head to see Twilight.

He leaped back and charged his horn for an attack.

Twilight sighed, “Shining, discharge the attack and sit back down.”

Though that’s the exact opposite to what he wanted, he felt his horn power down, and then sat. “W-wh-wha-w-what?” He stammered.

“I’m so sorry Shining, your body’s already changed, now it’s time for you mind.” She smiled, “but trust me, BBBFF, it’ll be just fine.”

His body not responding, he couldn’t run, but maybe he could talk his way out of this? “Why are you doing this? I can’t see the upside to any of this.” He didn’t actually now what ‘this’ is, but he was hoping to find out.

“I know it sounds weird, and it may seem wrong, but as a changeling queen I need a hive, and a hive needs drones.” She said, stepping towards the stallion.

“So that’s it, when I wake up from this crazy dream, I’m going to be your drone? A mindless servant to my sister, agh, it’s like you’re in kinder garden all over again.” Said the Shining Armor, no longer struggling against his own body.

“Mindless? Do you think I’m some kind of monster?” She asked, hurt filling her voice.

“I’m sorry Twilight, but you did use the word drone, so I assumed…” He lay down on his stomach, “ah! This is insane! Why am I talking with a changeling? And why is she my little sister?!” He shouted, putting his hooves over his eyes in frustration.

Twilight walked over to her brother, and then hugged him.

The hug made Shining feel warm, and he could taste something delicious on his tongue. He sighed, “I guess I’m going to have to call you queen now, aren’t I?”

Twilight leaned back and looked into Shining’s eyes, “you Shiny, can call me Twilight.”

“Twilight,” said Shining Armor, his eyes filling with purple, “I love you.”

Twilight leaned back into the hug, “I know Shining, I know.”

Sweetie Belle looked around at the infinite blackness, “hello? Helllllooo? Anypony there?”

“Sweetie Belle, is that you?” She heard Apple Bloom’s voice call in the distance. She looked over to where the voice came from, and saw a small orange shape in the distance, she saw its head turn, “Sweetie Belle!” It called.

“Apple Bloom!” She called back.

Apple Bloom started galloping, just to see the little white shape start galloping as well.

They met each other half way, and started to hug; but Apple Bloom very quickly pulled out. “Wait a minute, how I know that you’re not one of those changelings?” Apple Bloom asked.

Sweetie Belle frowned, “wait, how do I know you’re not one of those changelings?”

They both sat down and started to think, then Apple Bloom had an idea. “I know! Do your best Scootaloo impression!”

Both of the fillies started acting like chickens, and then fell over giggling.

“Apple Bloom?”

“Yeah, Sweetie Belle?”

“Yeah.”

The two ponies sat for a while, not sure what to say or do.

“So,” Sweetie Belle started, “where are we?”

“Uhh,” attempted Apple Bloom, looking into the blackness, “Ah think we’re in a dream…”

“Aaaaaaaapple Bloooooom…” They heard a voice whisper in the distance.

“Seeeeeeeeeetie Beeeeeeelle…” The heard another voice whisper in the distance.

The two fillies look at each other, then over to where the whispers had come from.

They saw two silhouettes off in the distance; it was like the tiniest slivers of light shining over the shapes. They were pony shaped, one seemed to be wearing a hat, and the other’s mane look at be about a billion bits and 8 hours.

“Applejack?” Cried Apple Bloom.

“Rarity?” Shouted Sweetie Belle.

“Come clooooseeerrr…” The voices whispered, despite the distance they were perfect audible.

The fillies looked at each other yet again, “Sweetie Belle,” said Apple Bloom, voice shaking, “I don’t know about this…”

Sweetie Belle put on the most reassuring smile she could, “This is a dream, remember? Nothing can hurt us in here!”

Apple Bloom smiled, and she and Sweetie Belle started to walk over to the distant shapes.

But quickly, a complication came around, every time the fillies took a step forward; the shapes took a step back. They galloped forward, they galloped back. They jumped forward, they jumped back. They stopped, they stopped.

“Hay!” Shouted Apple Bloom, “what is this?”

There was a puff of smoke where the shadows were standing. They appeared running next to the fillies, there where an infinite number of the large creatures run circles around the fillies. Just inside the circle in front of the fillies the creatures seemed to be playing Patty Cake.

“Working all day, playing all night; being a changeling just feels so right!” The shadows sang.

A large purple flash filled the fillies’ eyes, and then light suddenly disappeared, as did the pony shadows.

“Sweetie Belle,” said Apple Bloom, “Ah hope ya don’t dream like this, ‘cos this isn’t my dream.”

“I don’t dream weird things like this, if that’s what you mean.” Said Sweetie Belle, looking around for any sign of the weird shadow creatures.

But a thought struck her mind, “Why are we sharing a dream? Last thing I remember was waiting outside the library with Shining Armor and Spike.”

Apple Bloom rested her head on her hooves, “those weird shadow things said somethin’ ‘bout, ‘bein’ changelings’. What do ya think that’s about?”

“Wait, Changelings! That’s it! Rarity and her friends, those changelings! Those cocoon things they put us into!” Said Sweetie Belle, leaping in the air from the excitement of discovering what was going on. Yet she quickly fell back down, reason one, ‘gravity’, and two, she realised what she’d actually discovered.

“Ohh!” They heard a voice call; the two fillies turned their heads to find Rarity, “little Sweetie Belle’s grown so fast!”

“Yep!” They heard Applejack say, who had now appeared next to Rarity, “don’t forget Apple Bloom, she figured out it’s a dream!”

The two mares began walking towards the stunned fillies, purple flames licking at their hooves. As the young ponies began stepping back, that flames intensified, until a huge purple column of fire surrounded the two larger ponies, though through the whole process they kept walking forwards, and the little fillies kept walking backwards.

In the placed of Rarity and Applejack stood two creatures, both a deep purple, holes through their mane and legs, and bright purple consuming their whole eyes.

“Changelings.” The two fillies whispered under their breath.

But they quickly noticed something, the changeling replacing Applejack’s hair was blond, tied into a pony tail, and was wearing a large hat atop her head, just like the farm pony.

And changearity’s hair was purple, and styled in large curls, quite like a curtain dress maker.

The fillies back into a wall, where it came from in unknown, but behind them was a large wall, from the looks of it, it seemed like it should have come from a tunnel, tall, yet curved from bottom to top. It was covered in a green, sticky substance.

Applejack smiled as she watched her younger sister struggle with the hive resin, much in the same way she’d struggle with tree sap, “we may ‘ave a purple queen, yet changelin’s can’t escape green forever.”

To Apple Bloom the voice was terrifying, it had an accent, it was strong and feminine, but it sounded as if it had a second voice, cold, raspy, and overall dreadful.

“The ‘purple queen’, hah? I prefer Twilight.” A large changeling shimmered into existence; she stood at least 4 feet tall, though she was quite slim, and in some respects, beautiful.

Behind her stood 4 other changelings, one was 5 feet tall, and had more muscles than Big Mac, and the other 3 looked like normal mares, one with rainbow hair, one had light pink hair, thick and flowing, and the other had pink hair, it was ether pink and fluffy, or cotton candy. Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

The little fillies knew that escape was futile, yet, everything’s worth a try. The little fillies ran down the wall of the tunnel narrowly missing the changelings, galloping at full speed they heard Rarity cry, “Sweetie Belle, wait! It’s me Rari-” Her voice was drowned out by theirown hoof beats.

Yet changelings don’t need verbal communication, ‘girls, this is Twilight, try and not have a freak out.’

Both of the little ponies stopped dead in their tracks, “hay, Sweetie Belle. Did ya hear that?”

“Uhh…”

‘The answer you’re looking for is, ‘yes’. The physical is over, which includes is silly telepathy thing, the last thing left is your mental, yet that’s up to you.’

Sweetie Belle felt warmth spread everywhere in her body, a sweet taste spilled onto her tongue.

She turned her head to see Rarity hugging her, yet her changeling body wasn’t scaring Sweetie Belle, “oh Sweetie Belle! Don’t run off into the hive like that, the hive mind hasn’t been set up yet, only a total genius with a map could fathom this maze out!”

Sweetie Belle found herself returning the embrace, “Rarity? Is it really you?” She asked in small voice.

“Yes my little sister, I’m so sorry for scaring you earlier. I don’t know what got into me.” Replied Rarity, stroking her little sister’s mane.

“Rarity, what’s happening? Is Twilight my queen now?” Sweetie Belle asked, relaxing in her sister’s hooves.

“We’ll explain everything when you wake up.” Said Rarity, smiling.

Sweetie Belle began closing her eyes, “Twilight, queen…” She smiled, falling out of her dream.

The changelings lifted their glowing horns from the cocoons of the little changelings, smiling as they began their struggling.

“How much longer now, my queen?” Asked Rarity.

The little changelings’ eyes shot open as their struggles intensified.

Twilight smiled, “if I had to make an educated guess, I’d say about 5 seconds ago.”

The cocooned changelings began striking the cocoons with their hooves, desperately attempting to get to their sisters and queen.

Applejack bent down and plunged her horn forward, then threw herself upward; simulating the motions she used to break out of her own cocoon.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stabbed their horns out of the cocoons, purple liquid spilling out of the hole as the cut grew large enough for the fillies to spill out.

They stood and looked around, they turned to see Queen Twilight, and then they bowed.

Though Apple Bloom, not compensating the weight of the surprisingly heavy horn, fell flat on her face.

Twilight giggled, her horn glowed as she lifted Apple Bloom back to her feet, “hatchlings are so cute.” Twilight cooed.

Sweetie Belle looked at Twilight with a raised eyebrow, “so are we called, ‘hatchlings’ instead of fillies now, my queen?”

Twilight smiled, “yes, until you reach maturity you are hatchlings.”

The hatchlings felt the love of their sisters as a physical power, and a beautiful taste. Yet now they could also feel the love of the other changelings, and their own love for them.

They smiled, “will we be able to spread this to all of Ponyville?” Asked Apple Bloom.

Twilight’s smile broadened, “of course!”

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom pressed their head together, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER CHANGELINGS, YAY!” They cried.

“Came,” said Twilight, walking to the exit of the many tunnels, “tomorrow shall be a big day for all of Ponyville!”

The changelings began following their queen to the outside world.

Behind them, two eyes in a cocoon shot open, a, very much still, baby dragon watched as the changelings left the pony-made caves.

Spike waited until he believed they had left. He shoved his claw out of the failed cocoon, and cut his way out.

He quietly snuck out of the caves and into the streets of Ponyville.

Ch 8: They forgot Scootaloo

Heavily inspired by this ( http://www.fimfiction.net/story/91206/diamond-tiara-versus-the-changeling-invasion ) freaking amazing story. Actually, don't read my crap, read that instead. -

Scootaloo rode into town, little wings buzzing so fast she could almost take off, so it quite annoyed her when she didn’t.

A week prior to now Scootaloo asked Zecora for a sleep potion. Zecora voiced her concerns yet Scootaloo had told her that she wasn’t a baby anymore, while that is true the sleep potion had still knocked the little pony out for a whole week.

Scootaloo must remember to write Zecora a card saying something like ‘thanks for feeding me and generally keeping me alive’.

As she entered the small town she noticed that all the guards that Celestia and Luna sent where all still here; and all the ponies had a large smile and their face, and a spring in his/her step.

Scootaloo was wondering why all the ponies looked so happy, so, consequently, she ploughed straight into Colgate.

They both fell back onto their backs, thumping into the ground. Scootaloo could have sworn she saw the tiniest of purple flames lick the bottom of the older mare’s hooves, but she shook her head and dismissed it as a trick of the light.

Colgate sat up and rubbed her head, she opened her eyes, which grew wide in shock as her mouth opened a bit from looking at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo responded to this by scooting back a little and raising an eyebrow.

The blue unicorn shook her head and returned to normal, “sorry Scootaloo, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

Scootaloo waved her hoof dismissively, “no, don’t be sorry, it was my fault, I wasn’t paying attention.” She looked around as the ponies, who had stopped to look at her, “hay Colgate, did anything happen to Ponyville in the week I was away?”

Colgate bit her lip, Scootaloo was certain her teeth looked shaper. Then Colgate seemed to jump a little, as if getting an idea, “hay Scootaloo, I think you best see Twilight, she’d be able to explain it better than me.” The blue mare looked at the other ponies, they nodded their heads slightly, “sorry Scootaloo, gotta go, places to go, ponies to see.” Then she shoot up, and galloped away, all the ponies around the orange filly started to walk away.

Scootaloo got back onto her scooter, something did happen in Ponyville, and if Twilight knew what, then Scootaloo was going to find out.

Colgate raced towards the local library, though she could have used the mental link, she felt her queen should hear this news in person.

She skidded to a holt outside of the large tree, and slammed her hooves on the rough wooden door, chest heaving heavily after the long run.

Just as the door opened, she collapsed.

Twilight looked down at the mare, “rise.” She said flatly, she’s starting to hate it when her changelings bow to her.

“I’m… puff … not … heave … bowing.” Colgate managed; she took a deep breath, stood up, and regained her composure, “I come baring a message, my queen.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow, “yes?”

“Well, umm, we, err,” she looked to the ground, and prodded it with her hoof, “we forgot Scootaloo…” She said in a small voice.

“Oh. Oh well, I hope you at least attempted to bring her here.”

Colgate nodded, “she asked if something had happened in Ponyville while she was away, I told her you’d be able to explain best.”

Twilight smiled, “thank you, Colgate. You’ve done well.” Twilight leaned over and hugged the changeling, letting Colgate take some love as a reward.

“Humm,” Colgate smiled, “thank you, my queen.”

Twilight smiled back, “good work shall be rewarded, and you did good work.” Twilight broke the hug, and stepped back, “now, I want you to go about your daily life, I don’t want of the Royal Guard that’s left, or Scootaloo, to become suspicious before their time. I shall send the same order though the message link, yet many ‘lings have the link shut off, so I want you to tell as many ‘lings as possible. Oh, and if you see Spike, tell him I worried, he broke out of his cocoon before his change, and I have good reason to believe he’s making assumptions.”

Colgate bowed, “yes, my queen.” She said, before running off.

“And stop bowing!” Called Twilight, before walking back into the library.

Scootaloo was riding near the side of the road, trying her best not to stare as the guards and ponies interacted in a way the filly thought she’d never see in her life. One terrifying example was the social interaction she was watching right now, Big Mac and Shining Armor, Big Mac was looking quite serious, and Shining looked just the same. Scootaloo hoped against hope that they didn’t notice that she’s yet, in her life, to obey.

To obey, the road laws.

Breathe in. She buzzed past them; they turned their heads to look at the passing filly, they showed slight interest, but turned back to their conversation. Breathe out.

A consequence for breathing out was not being able to gasp when dark hooves reached from a brush, grabbed her, and pulled her in.

She attempted to scream but a hoof was jammed into her mouth.

She looked at her captors, and was tanking back by a wave of shock.

The hoof belonged to one of the Night Guard; his bat wings lay limp next to his body, as if he didn’t have the will to simply retract them. His helmet was nowhere to be seen, and his dark blue mane was tattered and messy, as was his even darker blue coat.

Next to him stood Spike, the baby dragon looking rather depressed.

Before Scootaloo could think the Night Guard hit her with a spell, her whole body felt weird yet otherwise unharmed.

Before she could even think again the Guards hoof was out of her mouth and around her small body.

“Oh thank all of the gods that the changeling queen hasn’t gotten all of Ponyville!” He whispered cheerfully, yet he was obviously nervous about being found.

“Wait,” started Scootaloo, before being ‘shushed’, “sorry, but what’s this about a changeling queen? And ‘gotten all of Ponyville’?”

“Lady Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s personal student, and the other Elements of Harmony, you know how they’d disappeared for over a month?” Asked the guard.

“Yeah…” nodded Scootaloo.

“And how the Guard was asked to go to Ponyville, some went looking for them, and others stayed and did other things?”

Scootaloo nodded again.

“Well, my name is Well Checked, and I am the guy in charge of quarantine. When they first returned, I scanned them, to see it there was anything weird or wrong…” He swallowed back tears, “I let them enter Ponyville, and I thought it was fine!” He almost broke from whispering, but managed to hold himself. “So you can imagine the shock I experienced when Shining Armor led us into the changeling hive, he told us it was a capture mission, and we must go all at once to show our strength, “he slammed his hoofs into the soft dirt, “the bastard was talking out of his ass. He- it was leading us to its queen, we were about to attack when Shining’s voice told us to stop, by reflex we did, and in the half a second we had stopped, almost all of us were thrown into cocoon thing, I was the only pony to escape.” He slumped down.

“So,” said Scootaloo, “what do we do now?”

“Well that’s obvious,” said Well Checked, “we need to get back to Canterlot, warn Princess Celestia, panic because we’ve lost the Guard, ya know? All the usual stuff.”

Well Checked began grinning like a mad pony, Scootaloo recoiled a bit and raised an eyebrow.

“It was his attempt at a joke.” Spike said flatly.

“Oh.” Said Scootaloo, nodding slightly.

“What? In the Royal Guard, ‘specially the Night Guard, no pony has a sense of humour, so over time you just forget how to make jokes, pile of ass isn’t it?” Said Well Checked, when he was a young colt he’d always love a laugh, and he’s trying to get back into the habit. “But that stuff about going to Canterlot and stuff was serious.” Well Checked whispered.

“Yeah but…” started Scootaloo, “I was told to go to Twilight’s, so I-”

“No!” said Well Checked, breaking his whispering, “She’s the queen!” He shouted.

“Hay!” They heard a voice call, “what’s happening in that bush?!”

“Steel, no…” whispered Well Checked.

“What is it Steel Bronze?” Shining Armor’s voice called.

‘Steel Bronze? What kind of name is that?!’ Was the first thought to run through Spike and Scootaloo’s heads.

“I heard something in the bushes sir! I think it might be the dragon and Well Checked!” Steel Bronze called back to Shining Armor.

The bushes parted and the dark grey head of a Night Guard popped in, Spike and Well Checked recoiled in a way Scootaloo didn’t understand.

Steel Bronze smiled at the other Night Guard, “hay buddy.”

Before the earth pony knew what was happening, a Pegasus’ head had connected with his. The ‘earth pony’ flew back and landed on his rump, a column of purple flames surrounded the Night Guard, in his place sat a changeling.

The Changeling looked to be 4 feet tall, and looked to be all muscles, “agh! It took all morning to get this disguise up!” He groaned.

“Screw sneaking! RUN!” Screamed Well Checked, and that’s exactly was the small group did.

Twilight sat in her hive and updated her book. She grinned to herself, HER hive, HER book.

Her room in the hive was beautiful, the walls were made of the soft, green slimy stuff that changelings are so fond of, though Twilight did have to admit, it was growing on her, especially if she didn’t move for a while.

But she does think she likes her bed too much. It was a deep purple, and was actually just a softer version of her walls, but she didn’t mind much, she didn’t sleep much anyway. Love was her power, and her hive was built off the love she felt for Ponyville and all of its ponies, so there was a lot of love to throw around.

The rest of her room was the same basic style, either purple or green, squishy, and soft.

The book she was writing was about changelings and how they worked, hence the title, ‘Changelings, and how they work’.

Changeling queens feel greater compassion to her changelings when fully connected to her hive/hive mind. When she is fully connected for the first time her hormones go out of control, making her seem irritable and more commanding than she normally is.

Every changeling in said hive is connected to the hive mind, using the hive mind the queen can order them to any task she feels. The hive mind is different to the mental link, any order that is given through the hive mind a changeling will obey, without a second thought.

The hive mind is directly connected to the queen, she has complete control over the hive mind, meaning she has complete control over every changeling in the hive.

The hive mind is a physical object, and shares basic looks with support columns. It is black, and widens out at its base and top.

Twilight stopped, ‘what else have I learnt… oh! Of course!’

Changelings have three basic types, which are very similar to ponies. And a fourth which also has a very close relation to its pony cousin.

The most common type is the ‘acrobat’, which is very similar to the Pegasus. Their main ability is flight, and while they can use magic, flying is where they feel at home. They are the fastest changeling, have the most mobility, and are middle when it comes to basic strength/toughness.

The second most common changeling is the ‘mage’, with are very close to unicorns. They strength is magic, they are the second best shape shifters, and are still able to fly at respectable speeds, yet are not very agile. Their strength/toughness is the worst out of all changelings, yet they are still stronger than most averages ponies.

The third type of changelings are named ‘brutes’, they are not very common in changeling society, as a queen must specifically chose a brute to be born, as they are most commonly guard/military. They are very sloppy when it comes to flight and magic, and can usually only choose one disguise which they must practise thoroughly on. Though their strength/toughness leaves nothing to the imagination. They stand at ~4 – 5 feet tall, being only beaten by the queen in basic height. They share a close resemblance to earth ponies.

The rarest type of changeling is the queen, being very similar to Alicorns.

Twilight was forced out of her writing by a knock on her door, well, she didn’t have a door, and changelings didn’t knock.

What she in fact had was a thinner wall, which opened if commanded to do so. And the changeling didn’t knock as such, what they actually did was sent a signal through the hive mind to let whoever know they’re there.

She stood up and walked over to the ‘door’, as the ‘door’ opened she stood tall, and, well, ladylike, as Rarity would put it.

The ‘door’ opened to reveal one of her guards. HA! HER guard, she felt like Celestia, even her height had advanced, making her 5 feet tall.

“My queen!” Panted the guard, dropping, thanks to this morning, Twilight wasn’t sure if he was bowing, or simply tired. “The Pegasus, dragon and Night Guard were found… Then lost…” He put his hooves over his eyes, awaiting punishment.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “I’m not sure if either the princess used to punish you, or if it’s some changeling instinct, but I’m not going to punish you.”

The guard took his hooves and looked up at his queen gratefully, “Th- thank you, my queen!” He said, before running off to do... something.

Twilight watched as he ran off, as if trying to get as far away as possible, “huh, odd.”

Scootaloo was confused, very confused. Here she was, hiding with a crazy Night Guard who was convinced that changelings can change ponies to their own, have taken over Ponyville, and that Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic, Princess Celestia’s personal student, and all round awesome pony, is their queen. Yet Spike was backing him, so Scootaloo didn’t run off just yet.

Oh, and there were the hordes of ponies sweeping the streets looking for them, they were all acting odd, the only pony acting normal was Pinkie Pie, meaning Pinkie Pie was acting like a tragedy of science.

The pink pony jumped above the crowds, “this is,” she fell, but just jumped again, “just like,” fall, jump, “The Truman Show!”

The trio were hiding in a small shadowed alleyway, hoping that changelings don’t have dark vision or a good sense of smell. They were 100% sure changelings had both of those and more, but they hadn’t been found yet, so they just stayed quiet and still.

Well Checked looked down the alleyway for the uptenth time, “guys, I think we should go for it,” he whispered, “ya know, just sneak down and hope.”

Spike and Scootaloo nodded, and they began slowly heading down the alley.

As they reached the end of the alley Scootaloo heard all they she knew, two were distorted and very creepy, and the other was her own.

“Come on girls!” She heard her voice call out, “we may only be hatchlings, but we can find these guys better than any grown up!”

Scootaloo poked her head out of the alley before Well Checked could object, what she saw almost stopped her heart in shock.

She saw two dark purple changelings, both around her size, one had dark red hair, with a large green bow, the other with very well looked after dark purple and pink hair.

The one with red hair sighed, “Thanks, Diamond, but,” it said to the second Scootaloo with a southern twang, “I know yer just tryin’ to help, but, ah can still see you under there, and not Scoots...”

The second Scootaloo was surrounded by a column of purple flames. When they subsided there stood another changeling, much like the others only with a purple and white mane, on which sat a diamond tiara.

“Apple Bloom, what’s wrong? I know this is something more than me not being a perfect Scootaloo.”

Apple Bloom flopped down onto her stomach, “ah really do appreciate ya tryin’ ta make me and Sweetie feel better, it’s just.” She looked up at the other changeling with large, fully purple eyes, which had tears just begging to be let go, “What if she’s scared of us? what if she doesn't want to be friends anymore...”

Diamond Tiara leaned down and hugged Apple Bloom, “there, there,” she cooed, “there’s no need for tears, if the hive can bring us together, than you have nothing to worry about apart from becoming better friends.”

“Ya- ya really think so?”

Diamond smiled, “I know so.”

Sweetie Belle stuck her head in the air, her muzzle twitched a bit, “hay!” She called, “I think I smell something!”

“Oh bugger...” cursed Well Checked under his breath.

“Oh, yes! I smell something too! Something in the alleyway, it smells like, hmm... wet fur, a little salt...” Said Diamond Tiara.

“I’m going straight to triple bugger...”

“Come on, let’s go check it out!” Said Apple Bloom standing up and drying her tears.

“Ahh! Deca bugger! Quick, get on my black! We’re flyin’ the hell outa here!” Shouted Well Checked! Scootaloo and Spike scrambled onto the Night Guards back, who with two mighty flaps, he and the two children were gliding off.

Apple Bloom looked up to see her best friend running from her, “Scootaloo! Wait!” She cried, “please,” she said quietly, “don’t go...” Her and Sweetie Belle’s heads drooped to the ground.

Diamond Tiara might not have been friends with them long, but friends they were nonetheless, and she wasn’t going to stand around while they cried their eyes out. She might not have had much practice, but she was going to give it a go.

Her wings started buzzing, and sweat began dripping from her head has she started to lift.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom opened their eyes to see a floating Diamond Tiara with a disapproving face.

“Come on, you two! They’re getting away!”

The two changelings wiped their eyes and put on determined faces, then they buzzed up to met Diamond, and then the chase began.

Scootaloo, yet again, was confused.

“Well Checked, are you sure these guys are bad? They did really seem like my friends.”

“Trust me. Your friends died the moment they were put in the cocoons.”

“What?! But- but, I know those are my friends, I just know it!”

“Listen, the moment they became part of the purple queens hive they died, and they’re never comei-”

Spike punched the back of his head, not strong enough to knock him out, but strong enough to hurt.

“Ya know what?” Said Spike angrily, “you can shut your bucking face!”

Scootaloo gasped, she never expected to hear something like this from the normally level headed dragon.

“Well Checked, where’ve known each other for only a week, and whole bucking time you been an ass!”

Well Checked turned his head to look directly at his passengers, his eyes began to glow blue, and his expression grew angry, “all right, enough pretending.”

Spike and Scootaloo edged as far backwards as possible.

“I can see you’re confused so I’ll give you the facts, the blue hive of Manehattan’s queen, Queen Starstruck, has promised me a new life, and now I’ve got two ponies to share it with.” Well Checked said coldly.

“Wait, so it’s safe to be part of Twilight’s hive?” Scootaloo asked, shaking.

“Of course it’s safe! What do you think would happen?!” He shouted.

“Well, umm...”

A large gust of wind blew the trio. Scootaloo’s survival instinct kicked in, while Spike’s didn’t. So while Scootaloo kluang on for dear life, Spike tumbled off.

“AHHH!!!” Spike screamed as he fell, he was quickly catched by three small changelings, who with the added weight, fell to the ground.

Spike sat up and looked over to the changelings, who he quickly recognized to be his friends. “Thank for breaking my fall.” He smiled.

“Don’t mention it.” Said Apple Bloom, smiling back.

But just as they started to smile properly, they heard a voice, “Spike, girls! HELP!” Scootaloo’s voice called.

They looked up, just to see a small orange speck, disappearing into the clouds.