“This isn't good.” Shining Armor said. “This means that my sister and Spike were...”
“You adversarial neighborhood Changeling soldiers!” Shining Armor and the Crusaders plus Rainbow Dash turned around and saw two arachnid-like changelings that looked a lot different than the ones that were fought at Shining Armors wedding. They had eight spidery legs and long fangs dripping with an acidy substance.
“Get behind me team.” Shining Armor said. “Rainbow free Trixie.”
“Got it.” Rainbow dashed towards the rookie unicorn guard and freed her. The five ponies stayed behind Shining Armor. As he strategically circled the two changelings into the room where the Serum was once in and the ponies were in the hallway.
“The four civilians run for it, Lulamoon cover them.”
“But...” Trixie started.
“That's an order!” Shining Armor yelled as he was pounced on by the bigger of the changelings. The other one charged at Trixie who started to gallop with the other ponies, firing mystic bolts from her horn at them. The chiton-covered spindly legs of the spider got vaporized into sickly green glowing blood. However the legs suddenly regenerated. Trixie gulped and galloped faster and caught up to the four civilian ponies.
“We got to get back to the train, that will lead us to Ponyville.” Sweetie Belle said. Applebloom and Scootaloo nodded. “They probably will loose us in a crowd. Plus they're mooks. They will also pause to report to the King Cocoon and Queen Crysalis.”
“Hold on Fillies.” Rainbow Dash huffed. “What if the conductor is a changeling. Who knows how many Changelings are in Equestria now?”
“True, I mean think about it. If they have infiltrated Canterlot, Ponyville and the other cities would've been a piece of cake.” Trixie said. “I have a place in the Everfree Forest that I used before I was recruited by Shining Armor we can use for our base. We won't be able to trust anypony in Ponyville.”
“Makes sense.” Rainbow Dash replied. The ponies unanimously deviated from their original course and ran straight for the forest.
“Do you think Babs Seed can be trusted?”Applebloom asked her elders.
“Possibly, the Changelings are probably aiming towards the high ranking ponies. Babs is a filly just like you four.” Trixie answered. The six ponies stopped as they entered the Everfree Forest to recover from running. “I must get back to Canterlot and try to discern ponies from changelings. Here's a map to my old house. Stay safe.” Trixie said as she gave a map to Rainbow Dash, threw down some green powder and gallopped away. The five civilian ponies were alone and defenseless.
“We have to find this place soon.” Dinky said looking over at Rainbow Dash's map. “I think the Changelings will come and look for us in here soon.”
“If they haven't already started looking in here.” Scootaloo said as she looked down and saw some prints that looked insectoid that were coupled with a trail of green slime between them.
“This isn't good.” Applebloom said. “Where is the house Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow Dash swallowed, she knew she had to be responsible and couldn't mess up. She never had any responsibilty that was this high stakes. She had to make every choice matter on what she did. She was needed in this group of five. She looked at her map, realizing that Trixie's old house was the direction that the prints went in.
“The choice is yours Chief.” Scootaloo told Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash nodded.
“Stay here you four.” Rainbow Dash said as she jumped off the ledge they were on and focused her mind. She had to get into the groove to pull off a low altitude Sonic Rainboom. “There's no need to fear. Rainbow Dash is here.” She visioned her zooming through the air like she always did when she performed this artistic ariel ability. She started to gallop then leapt and quickly thrusted herself and her wings flapped quickly and she suddenly activated the Sonic Rainboom not even a meter above the ground. With the speed she gathered and was going at she ran literally through the Changeling soldiers, cleaving them in half as she was covered in green blood. Rainbow Dash motioned to the Crusaders to advance.
“Well there's Trixie's old place.” Dinky said as she walked in followed by her friends and finally Rainbow Dash. The knob in the tree was small but serviceable as a base. Rainbow Dash looked through the closets and found a box of candy canes. However, Rainbow Dash realized from some reading she did from Twilight's bookshelf that these were Communication Canes, a confection that allowed communication mentally to all who have eaten them. She gave one to each of the Crusaders and one to herself.
“Consider everybody, even your parents compromised.” Rainbow Dash said as she started to munch on her cane. “Now let's head back to Ponyville and pretend nothing happened. But there is trouble in the wind so don't let your guard down.” The five trotted into Ponyville and Rainbow Dash left the Crusaders to their own devices so she can clear the sky of clouds. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were crestfallen that they had to fight against an invasion where they could trust no one. Maybe not even themselves. The hung their heads low and they accidently bumped into the friendly neighborhood Garbagepony, Street Sweeper. Sweeping away with his multi-colored dust bin and broom.
“Hello me good smiling friends.” Street Sweeper chuckled to the Crusaders. Street Sweeper was a kind, old, Earth Pony stallion who wore coveralls of a dark blue color and wore an engineer's hat that covered his mane. He always was there for the Crusaders when they were teased due to their blank flanks sometimes even sayting he was a blank flank himself. However, the Crusaders assumed he was just humoring them. “Why the long faces?”
“You wouldn't believe us if we told you.” Applebloom told Street Sweeper.
“Try me, this old stallion has seem some weird things in his life.” Street Sweeper said. Applebloom cleared her throat and was about to explain but she was interrupted by Dinky.
“Changelings are invading Equestria secretly and we have no idea who to trust. Not even our parents.” Dinky spilled. Street Sweeper raised an eyebrow.
“Don't be silly. The Changelings have realized that they can't defeat Equestria. First good old Captain Equestria defeated them then Cadance defeated them. They can't possibly try again.” Street Sweeper said. “Go home and I'm sure your parents will help you sort out your overactive imaginations.” With those words the four Crusaders returned to their respective homes. Nervous about school the next day.