The Threat of Change

Silence watched the two stallions guard the great wooden door as he drew closer. He had found the route to the dungeon's entrance from another, who he hadn't taken the care in remembering the name of, as he withdrew his blade and hid the body. The guards by the door snapped to attention and crossed their spears before the doors, barring Silence's way, forcing him to stop.

"It's urgent business that I see her," Silence said, unconcerned by the hard glares now directed at him.

"You know the procedure - Operation Solar Flare is in effect. No one enters," one guard said gruffly.

Silence hesitated and then pulled out a metal card with a name inscribed on it. He lifted it up and offered it to the guard and allowed him to take it. The fool of a soldier he'd looted the card from mentioned he was one of few who were allowed into the dungeons during the lockdown and Silence was wary to steal the card before leaving.

"...Lighthoof, alright... this seems legit, sorry about that. In you go," the guard said with a grumble and returned the card to it's 'owner'.

Lighthoof, so that was his name, Silence thought, tucking the card away and as the two opened the doors he left them behind and followed down into the darkness.

~~~~~

Celestia....

Celestia stared at her hole-filled hooves. She had been staring at them for hours, lost in her mind. Indeed she was lost, her mind slipping. She couldn't tell if it was day or night, she couldn't tell where her sun was. She could hear her however. Her presence seemed to be growing stronger in the princess's mind and the words, comforting and re-assuring in their own way.

I will save you...

Slowly, but surely, she lifted her head - if only to show she was still alive and breathing. A unique sound passed her ears, the sound she had come to ignore like the sound of wind. The buzz and flicker of translucent wings attached to her back had at first irritated her, but now it was nothing but normal.

I will end the suffering...

Not that she really knew what was normal anymore.

No pain, no fear...

It wasn't that the transformation was altering her mind - it was destroying it. It was fractured, primal urges replacing logic and true sentience. So when the grating sound of the jail door opened and in walked two figures, a red-maned nightguard and a teal bat-pony, Celestia reacted in standing herself up and lowering her head, thin silky mane touching the ground, lips curled back in a snarl and jagged horn pointed threateningly towards the intruders.

You will survive all this...

Obey...

She had learnt last time the red-maned stallion came in, that using magic resulted in a sharp shock from the strange metal around her neck and it was far from pleasant.

Obey me!

She locked eyes onto the teal pony as it advanced closer to the bars and peered in.

Obey the Hive!

Her lips sealed and her eyes softened ever so slightly as she lifted her head and watched the pony, in a much more relaxed way. She didn't break eye contact from the pony and failed to notice the strange, unnerving look the red-maned pony was giving her.

Escape!

The teal bat-pony lifted a hoof to the bars and then pushed it through, Celestia lifting her own and closed her eyes, pressing it against the other's. Both visibly shivered at the touch and a surge of magic passed through Celestia, massing around her neck, green magic swirling around in even twirls around the collar, through her flesh and around again. There was the sound of hoofsteps, most likely the red maned stallion, and then a click as the collar's clasp snapped and it fell to the floor with a light clack, ringing in the dungeon.

The hoofsteps became louder and were quickly joined by the red maned one's voice, "what are you doing?!"

There was a crack of thunder, a cry and then the sound of something being thrown against the wall. Celestia opened her eyes and briefly stared at the teal pony and then down to the anti-magic collar that lay broken at her feet. With a maddened grin green magic enveloped her horn and she thrust herself upwards, using her magic to snap the chains that bound her hooves and neck. The cuffs remained, broken chain dangling along the ground, as she re-directed her magic to the metal bars keeping her prisoner, summoning a sickly green scythe and slicing the bars in a great circle. They fell away, clattering loudly to the ground and rolling away, as Celestia emerged from her prison.

She glanced down at the red maned stallion who had got back on his hooves and gave him a warning glare, that he did not heed. Unsheathing his sword he lunged towards the teal pony but was caught off guard by Celestia's magic and thrown against the wall for the second time and she watched his terrified gaze as the changeling princess descended upon him.

~~~~~

Somewhere in the dark of a cave, the only source of light being the bright green glow of crystals, large paws traveled over the hard ground.

One chance...

The creature rounded a corner, two more following closely behind.

Just one chance...

"AAAAAAH!!!"

The three suddenly came to an abrupt stop, the two smaller looking up at their leader, waiting for an order. The shout was soon accompanied by a shriek and the leader of the three slowly advanced.

"Where did you- Ah! Get off me!"

The voice was undoubtedly changeling, the strange two-tone voice clearly audible as the three figures closed the distance and flattened their bodies against the cave wall, out of sight, as further shrieks and cries were heard, followed by green light flashing every now and then.

"How-" another flash, "DARE you," and another, accompanied by burning smell, "touch her!"

The cries of the Changeling ceased and the leader of the trio dared to peer around the corner with green eyes. There, in the center of the cavern, was a small purple and green creature he had seen once before. Pulling a grey paw up to the wall corner and shifting himself around he moved into view.

The little dragon was panting heavily, his chest heaving with each breath. The scales on his chest and right shoulder were scorched and still smoking, but from the scene around him, it was clear he had been the victor and the dog could do nothing but stare, with what might have been called admiration.

~~~~~

Spike's breathing slowed and he dared lift his gaze. It fell on the black body before him, scorched and burnt, lifeless.

I...

He turned to his right, the one who had been named Stem hung by the wall, a shard of glowing green crystal having impaled him through the chest.

..killed.. them...

The dragon shook his head, his breathing quickening again and his body shaking. Murder. Slowly he turned to face the one who he'd done all this for. It wasn't his intention to kill them, but after they insulted Twilight and then nearly killed Rarity as a threat to make him stand down, his fury got the better of him and the Changelings learnt just how much more Dragon Fire hurts compared to unicorn magic. Regardless, it was still murder even if those he killed were monsters, and it would stay on his conscience for a long while yet.

"Rarity..."

He began towards her but was immediately stopped as the sound of paw steps were heard behind him. Fearful additional changelings had arrived, he shot around to find green eyes staring at him in the dark. He stumbled backwards and furrowed his brow.

"You wont hurt her!"

"We wish it not," the thing in the dark said, with a rather high voice despite it having whispered. The little dragon stammered for a moment - he knew that voice.

The creature came out of the shadows, the green light of the crystals now revealing his form.

"Rover."

The diamond dog smiled and took several careful steps forward, "silly dragon, bugs are stupid, but this is home to them. They die, more will come."

"What are you doing here?"

Spike watched Rover carefully, standing guard of the unicorn behind him. The dog turned away and with a whistle, two more dogs came into view. One had a dark grey, almost black coat with yellow eyes, the other a silver coat with darker grey markings and both wearing almost identical armour. Spike took another step back. Changelings - that was one thing, but diamond dogs?

Rover seemed to sense his unease as he responded, "fear us not, but I may ask you the same thing"

The dragon stifled a laugh and narrowed his eyes, "yeah right - I remember what happened last time we met... and why I am here is none of your concern, dog!."

Rover's face hardened and his ears shifted back, "bugs imprison us, make us slaves. We will help."

"Slaves?"

Rover let out a slight growl but turned away as Spike gave him a questioning look. The dragon thought it over and turned back to Rarity. She was still unconscious but the bleeding had at least stopped. If the dogs had been slaves, that meant Rover and the other two had escaped.

"You escaped?"

"Yes. But stay here longer and they will find us."

"I don't know if I can trust you... but..."

"We can carry her."

~~~~~

Unbeknownst to the now deceased Stem and Tenae, Chassis had in fact returned - and long before they had.

Entering a large cavern, glowing green crystals sprouting out of the ground, out of the walls lighting the area, the badly injured changeling stumbled towards the hive's throne room. Two guards drew spears as he approached and he regarded them harshly, "get ou-out of my.... my way, I'm h-urrk-here to s-see her high-hhrk-ness."

"She's not here."

"Th-then why the Tar-artarus are... hrrk.... are you g-guarding the d-damn roo...room?" Chasis choked out, his one good eye narrowing at the two guards. Had changelings the ability to bleed, he'd be covered and most likely would have already died of blood-loss. But the guards merely grunted a response and held their weapons firm.

"Where... hrrk... where is s-sh--" Chassis began but never finished as he slumped to the ground, his wounds finally getting the better of him, far too severe for his limited supply of love to heal. One of the guards lowered his spear and nudged the limp changeling and when no response was given, signaled another to come collect and take him away. Standing back in position, spear by his side, he whispered a single word under his breath.

"Canterlot."