A camera screen blinks several times. And each moment, the view is with Chrysalis staring at the camera.
“Yes, that’s it!” The screen turns on, this time without stopping. “Heed the call of your Queen.”
The view stands up, appearing taller than the Changeling Queen in front of him. The camera turns left and right.
“Now,” - The camera looks down to Chrysalis - “What is your name?”
“My name… is Galgameth.”
Chrysalis’ wings start to buzz. “What do you despise the most?”
“…Ponies.”
Chrysalis reaches to his height, baring her teeth. “And what do you want to do?”
“Kill them… Kill them all.”
Chrysalis begins to laugh, her entire hive joining the chorus with their shrieks and buzzing. This was the Christening of the Changeling robot Galgameth. And who else to pilot the robot than Cogsworth himself.
Who immediately gets wakes up, panting rapidly as sweat drips down his fur. As he calms himself, he face palms himself, cursing to himself that it was a dream. But that dream would become a reality. What happened to him occurred in another world as well. He could wonder as he looks at the moon.
The moonlight shines through the holes of the spiraling Changeling hive. This time of day is not suitable for royal affairs, but Chrysalis has an affair of her own. In the lower reaches of her tower, the walls appeared gnarled with green slime dotting the floors and ceilings. Changeling cells don’t use bars to hold prisoners, they’re encased in fossilized saliva instead. One such chamber held her own, the one called Blackarachnia. After she recovers from the fight against the Umbrum, the violet, and black Changeling was beaten and sent to the dungeons with little rations.
“Blackarachnia.” Chrysalis’ war criminal turned her red eyes at her benevolent ruler “It has come to my attention that one of us has defected.”
“Another besides me?” Blackarachnia huffs, not bringing much of a threat to her queen.
“I present this opportunity: a hunt for this traitor with the bounty being your reinstatement to our ranks.” Glowing her crooked horn, Chrysalis fires at the hardened slime, releasing her captive. After a guard gives her a bowl of full rations, Blackarachnia scarfed it down like a hyena. Chrysalis takes delight in this as she waits for her prisoner to finish eating.
“Which one would you like for me to hunt?” She asks, licking the gruel from her black lips. For the first time in days, Blackarachnia walks beside her queen to a large, empty room. Though vacant, the banners and crevices signify this as Chrysalis’ audience chamber. “I will do whatever it takes to take down the traitor. Even if it means my life.”
“You won’t be going alone.” Chrysalis lights up her horn, summoning her subjects to her chamber, echoing the room with her chirps. “Who is the fiercest among you?”
“There is no greater ferocity than the Changeling Hive.” Echoed a deep voice. “But if you are to choose those among us.”
Immediately, three large figures descend to the floor, rising to their full height. Chrysalis turns her head to her subordinate, watching Blackarachnia draw a toothy smile. The one that accompanied her so long ago betrayed her and the hive. Now three beings that will go with her. The destruction possibilities are endless.
The day is like any other day here in the calm streets of Ponyville. Children going to school, their parents going to work, some with days off buying from other merchants. For the castle that they walk aside, there is much excitement from its chief resident, Princess Twilight Sparkle. To Spikes and Starlight’s Glimmer amusement, Twilight wore a large grin on her muzzle as she walked giddily on the edges of her hooves.
“Can’t stop thinking about it?” Starlight asks, trying to hold back her laughter as she looks at her mentor.
“Yes!” Twilight makes a little jump ahead of her companions. “This will be Flurry Heart’s first time in Ponyville! I’m so excited for all the fun activities we’ll have together.”
Hearing Twilight squee so delightfully had Starlight give a little chuckle. “Yeah, It’s a good thing Sunburst was able to neutralize her magic. Too bad he won’t be here.”
“Well, somepony’s gotta protect the Crystal Empire. Good thing Thorax is coming.” Spike rubs his hands, giving a small chuckle. “I have a lot of games planned for him.”
“Right.” Twilight presents him with yet another list. “But right now I need you to cross off anything I mention in this list.”
Spike groans while he grabs the list. Starlight chuckles as she parts ways from her friends. In the direction she walks, she waves at Sunset while the latter sips from a glass of grape juice. She walks down the stairs to the basement, now fully renovated with lanterns of fireflies to light her way. It’s been awhile since she talked to Trixie, and with her technology similar to the basements would make this just as easy as our Skype chats. But in the joyous atmosphere, her ears pick up a suspicious sound. She slowly continues her walk, taking notice of the sound becoming clear by the time she reaches the underground laboratory.
“Perhaps it hinges on what happens next.” Starlight peaks from the doorway, Cogsworth stood face to face with his hollow alter ego, Galgameth. With the top down spotlight, one could imagine this as an interrogation scene from a movie. “I don’t know what she has in store, but maybe it’s her, maybe it’s us. If you are made in another dimension, how easy will it be for Chrysalis to make others?”
The robot remained motionless, staring at its host with its dull eyes. A mere puppet no longer being played, that’s what the armor can do. It could answer if only for Chrysalis to tear it apart for scrap. If not the robot, then the bug that lives in the Crystal Empire. If he left, maybe there are answers.
The computer screen swiftly turns on, the blue interface blinking reading four hostile signatures reaching Ponyville at an alarming rate. Starlight watches the red dots careening across the screen, taking notice of another screen: ETA five minutes dropping fast.
“They’re coming.” Said Cogsworth without looking away from his battle suit.
Twilight and Spike stroll through the halls, checking off every known item on the agenda.
“Cakes?” Twilight asks, getting the young dragon to manipulate the scroll before promptly crossing it off with his ink quill.
“Check.”
“Party decor?”
“Check.”
With a surge of magic, Twilight opens the door to the library with no effort. “Invitations sent?”
Among the invites sent across Equestria, Dragon Lord Ember is on the list. With a chuckle, Spike crosses it off. “Check.”
So attentive is her checklist that Twilight exchanges a glance at Cosgrove reading a book.
“One Hipparion colt reading a…” - Twilight stops her walk, turning herself to give a peek at just the colt is reading. The page displayed a Royal Guard with a lance holstered against his left side. “This is new.”
“Oh,” - Cosgrove turns his attention from the book - “this is just a little research I’ve been doing.”
“Research?” Twilight asks, her ears drawn back slightly. “About knighthood?”
“She didn’t tell you?” Cosgrove draws his ears back fully. This is the big moment Twilight needed to hear. He takes a deep, ready to come clean. “I wasn’t accepted at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”
“But…” Twilight draws her ears back even further. “The invitation-”
“Was Celestia’s intention to give me a friendship lesson.” Cosgrove taps the tips of his middle hooves. “Far as we know, I’ll won’t be able to pass the tests they give out so randomly.”
Twilight lowers one eyebrow; the teacher she looked up to as a second mother does play tricks occasionally, but to a colt, why?
“Then what is the book for?”
“Hooflock offered me a position as his squire. I haven’t accepted it.” Seeing Twilight’s silence, the Hipparion closes the book, placing it into his saddle bag. “I’ll leave you alone.”
When he left the library, Twilight turns around and sits down. Her faithful assistant approached his closest friend cautiously, finding her face scrunched in anger and confusion. Twilight usually is angry when pushed to her full limit; this seems more of a grudge that something is placed in one of her master plans. Keeping to her silence, Spike licks his lips, coming up with a good explanation.
“You know, being a knight would be beneficial for this castle’s alumni.”
“Yes.” Twilight places her head on her hoof. “A fine specimen polishing horseshoes for a pony who would be dead soon.”
Spike narrows his eyes. “Twilight, maybe it’s for the better. Cosgrove’s risks his life just as we have. Besides, your brother served as captain before he married Cadence, remember?”
“Yes.” Twilight slowly turns her glare at Spike. “But I hoped he would amount to something. I hoped he had a few brains.” Twilight turned her glare away from her companion, who looks ahead to find the Sunset Shimmer peeking into the library while levitating a filled glass. He begins to sputter Twilight’s name as she continues. “Heh, guess the school really doesn’t a thing for circus ponies.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?!” Sunset throws the glass to the floor, getting her “roommates” attention. “You know just as well as I do that those tests are rigged for Unicorns.”
That remark gave Twilight an idea as she steps towards the doors, “Then I will just have to change the rules. Spike, get a-”
“Spike, wait.” Sunset interrupts, giving the room a cold silence. Spike cowered behind the chair, expecting the worst to happen. “Twilight, I don’t want you to make the decisions for Cosgrove.”
Twilight draws her wings forward. “So you are going to let him train to die?”
“He won’t be alone. If he wants to become a knight,” - Sunset brings herself to a tall posture - “I won’t miss it for the world.”
Still angered, but defeated, Twilight lowers her wings. If she can let Starlight have leeway when making new friends, then she can have Cosgrove make decisions for himself. “If that’s what he wants, then I’ll stop.”
A moment’s silence before the entire castle rumbled, shaking the loose pieces of the shattered glass. Deeper in the halls, Cosgrove staggers a little, moving his left hooves to regain his balance. In the underground basement, dust falls to the floor. Starlight lights up her horn, returning to the main floor just in time as Cosgrove ran towards the foyer. Twilight, Sunset, and Spike ran to the foyer, seeing part of Ponyville in smoke.
Near Rose’s flower shop and Derpy’s post office, ponies ran in all directions as a large robotic stag beetle crushed several buildings with his massive jaws. At Sugarcube Corner, a robotic praying mantis broke through the windows, reaching out with is large claws to grab the Cakes and some pastries. A third one, appearing as a pill bug, bounded up and down, smashing buildings and vehicles. Monitoring the progress, Blackarachnia hovers over the skyline as she hunts for the traitor.
“Thorax! We know of your betrayal!” She beckons. “Come out and surrender, or…”
The stag beetle lifts up a wagon without much effort, turning his attention to a few struggling Ponies. He prepares to toss the object before a series of violet, opal, and sky blue auras lift the wagon from the wrong hands and to a safe distance. The culprits behind this save is none other than Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer, soon being joined by the other Elements of Harmony.
“Leave this town at once!” Twilight warned, spreading her wings to add her demand.
But this did nothing to the three robotic insects as the Pill Bug rolls over a fruit cart and would have plowed them had they not moved away in time. The mantis quickly ascends to the air, snatching Fluttershy in her claws.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash soars down and grabs the insect by the head.
“Pony on my head-head-head!” The mantis spoke in robotic chirps. “Maneterror require Asis-sis-sis-tance.”
The stag beetle heeds Maneterror’s call, grasping Rainbow Dash in his jaws. The cyan Pegasus squirmed as she felt the pressure begin to pop some of her bones. Applejack uses her physical strength to pry apart the mouth, the force of which is like prying apart a stubborn door. Sunset takes notice of the pillbug rolling back at her. She surrounds it in an aura, getting him to disappear and reappear just to plow over the stag beetle. Released, Rainbow gasped for breath as her bones ached from the pressure.
“Where is the traitor!?” - The stag beetle slams his foot - “Where is Thorax!?”
“Silly,” - Pinkie chirps - “Thorax won’t be here for a few hours.”
“Pinkie!!” Yelled the others.
The stag beetle curled a little before raising a fist. “Lies! The traitor is here!”
The fist bursts into flames, extinguishing to show a naval mine. While the heroic equines remain baffled, the pillbug curls into a ball, while Maneterror and Blackarachnia get away. Getting the message, Starlight uses her power to draw forth a barrier large enough to encapsulate all of them. The stag beetle slams his transformed fist on the pavement, generating an explosion large enough to smother a city block in fire. In her daily walks from far away, Celestia easily saw the smoke. What was left from the explosion are a few burning houses, a crater, eight fainted ponies and a robotic stag beetle. The beast made a few rumbling chirps before getting his head thwacked.
“Ransack, you bolt brain!” Blackarachnia scolded. “This was a retrieval mission!”
“No, matter.” Ransack points to his fainted enemies. “Our adversaries have fainted, they will make great prizes for the Queen!”
“Not if what you did here leaves a clue for somepony up there!” Blackarachnia adds, pointing to the mountainous city known as Canterlot. Agreeing to this, the band of four bugs took to the Everfree Forest, where their trail will most likely be cold.
The following two hours dedicate to fixing up the town. What they lack in defense, they make up for with such a strong community, and the burnt roofs, demolished houses, and charred pavement removed. Though this did leave questions unanswered. Who were those three? And what purpose would they have with Thorax after he seceded from the Hive? The first question would be answered had the Galgameth not left a large tunnel in the library. It would be answered instead by Thorax himself as he, in his Crystal Hoof guise, arrived with Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and their daughter Flurry Heart.
“Twilight, what happened?” Shining Armor spoke in a confused, yet serious tone.
“Well” - Rainbow Dash flexes her ruffled wings - “we got four bugs rampaging Equestria.”
“Three of whom are robotic like Galgameth.” Twilight adds, adding a sense of worry for the Changeling in Pony’s clothing. It became more so when everypony turned to Thorax.
“It’s okay, buddy.” Spike reassured as he pats Thorax’ shoulder. “we have nothing against you.”
Aside from the nourishment of love, it does give him reassurance. Cadence and Twilight motion him to bring his hoof to his chest as he inhaled, bringing it out as he exhaled.
“After the siege at Canterlot, the loss it made to our, her, forces would take a few years to rebuild the army. Chrysalis figured that if she couldn’t make more of us, she would improve us. We raided junkyards, tech depots. We watched as she harvested our fallen brethren to form the one you know as Galgameth. But it couldn’t be piloted on its own, so Chrysalis needed test subjects.”
“Cogsworth.” Sunset Shimmer mutters.
“So those things that attacked Ponyville are the next batch?” Asks Applejack, pointing at the general direction of the Everfree Forest.
Thorax sits down, tapping the tips of his hooves as he recollects his past occupation. “Maybe, I left the hive after Galgameth was created.”
Shining Armor wraps his arm around Thorax. “Thank you. We’ll send this information to Princess Celestia immediately.”
Twilight turned to her small companion. “Spike, jot a note to Celestia.”
“Way ahead of you.” Spike responded, already writing halfway down the scroll.
In the wilds outside of Ponyville, Cogsworth had Galgameth perched on a cliff ledge, watching the conversation as if on television. Though Thorax has spoken, that doesn’t explain if there are more cyborg Changelings in production. He zooms the feed away from Ponyville, turning to the Everfree Forest. With an infrared screen, he finds three large heat signatures gathered in one area. Blackarachnia, Maneterror, Ransack, and the pillbug Retrax conversed with each other on how to salvage the mission.
“We will have to return with backup now that you’ve given us away.” Blackarachnia reasoned.
“And who will tell the Queen we returned empty-handed?” Ransack retorts, pushing his “supervisor’s” nose.
“Yes, the Queen has given us this big test, test, test.” Maneterror adds with a few distorted chirps.
Blackarachnia hissed, “If that colt didn’t rip out my horn, I could do it myself. We’ll just have to risk another assault, and this time” - she turns to the stag beetle - “give a warning the next time you use the punch!”
“That won’t be necessary.” The four Changelings turn to the source of the talk tearing through the forest. For the first time in days, Blackarachnia stood face to face with Galgameth. “I won’t allow you to go any further.”
“Well, there’s a prize worthy of the Queen.” Blackarachnia chuckles, getting her cohorts intrigued.
It’s a standoff, one robot augmented earth pony against a lame Changeling and her three cohorts. He draws a spiral grenade, releasing the payload at them. Being the most heavily armored, Retrax balled up, letting the missiles hit him. He spins like a screeching tire, rushing at him and flattening several trees. Cogsworth looks up to find Ransack in the air, fist morphed into a warhead.
“The Queen will not be denied!” He roars before slamming the warhead to the ground, igniting their part of the forest. Seeing it at this distance, Twilight and her companions rush towards the fire. When the flames parted, Cogsworth laid on the ground, struggling to get the machine up to no avail. Maneterror cackles as she and Ransack lifts the unconscious robot.
“Return to the Hive.” Blackarachnia orders, getting them to move through the untouched areas of the forest. Once again having to douse the fires, all that is left is a large clearing of burnt wood and grass. Starlight does pick up some pieces of a spiral grenade.
“Canterlot, we have a problem.” Starlight mutters.
Regrouping in the castle, the throne bearers watch the Cutie Map form a hologram of the Changeling Hive far away in the Badlands. Shining Armor returned to his kingdom, well underway to form his siege army.
“So what are we waiting for?” Rainbow Dash flutters around the projection. “Let’s go full force and get Cogsworth out of there.”
“No, Rainbow.” Twilight retorts. “We need to wait for a plan from Princess Celestia.”
“Plan?” Applejack raises a hoof. “To sit here while Chrysalis makes more robo-bugs?”
“Well, at least there will be plenty to smash.” Pinkie Pie adds, hoping to lighten the mood. It only adds delight to Rainbow while the others gave her the look.
“Eww….” Rarity gags.
At a distance, Sunset and Starlight watch their friends discuss their options. The orange Unicorn turns away towards the underground laboratory. Starlight takes one more glance before joining her.
“Can’t you track him like you do with Cosgrove?” The pink-lavender Pony asks.
“That magic is best used for families with one child.” Sunset stops, exchanging a glare at Starlight. “Unless you can do so with many children?”
While her skills do rival that of Twilight’s, Starlight wishes not to answer that lest the two cause a commotion. The two continue to walk, Sunset holding her head down.
“Hey, Twilight will find a solution. She always does.”
Sunset exchanges another glare. “Always? You don’t know Twilight like I do.”
Starlight stops following her friend, ears turning slowly. She only met Twilight twice before being taken in as a protege. What did Twilight do between their two encounters? Or for that matter, what did she do before they first met? The answer will have to wait, for today has made larger problems.
Cogsworth slowly opens his eyes to a duly lit room. Earthen in nature, though the holes told him it isn’t the library. The muffled chirping outside the walls adds to his whereabouts. At on wall was a bed of finely grown moss in an otherwise dry chamber. The mechanic tries to move; looking down, he finds his front hooves encased in hardened saliva. Turning around, Cogsworth rolls his eyes at how his paralyzed hindquarters were positioned before being encased.
“I see you are awake.” Cogsworth turns his head to see Chrysalis looking out the carved cave leading to the Badlands. She turns her head to him. “Of course, you weren’t the company I was expecting.”
Cogsworth narrows his eyes at the Queen as she approaches him. “What do you want?”
“Oh, nothing much.” - Chrysalis lifts his head - “I just need the diagnostics of my stolen property.”
“Why? You made three others.” Cogsworth asks with his brow raised.
“True.” Chrysalis steps back, walking over to the original battle armor. “But they are far from perfect. When you defected with the suit, the original schematics for the armor was also stolen. My engineers tried to replicate the armor,” - She looks to her right, finding a few skulls of her people adorning the wall - “But with little success.”
“And you want me to help you develop an army of doomsday weapons before tossing me out?” Cogsworth would turn around had his hooves not been cemented by fossilized saliva. What would have insulted Chrysalis only made her chuckle. “What’s so funny?”
“You think so small, child.” Chrysalis releases Cogsworth from his shackle; without a wheelchair or harness, he could only support his body with his front hooves. “An army means nothing when you don’t have a strategy. When I strategize, I think big.”
Levitating him to the windowsill, Cogsworth widened his purple eyes and his red fur paled. Outside Chrysalis’ chambers is a hangar; dozens upon hundreds of worker drones worked their damnedest on a large robot. When seen from their point of view, it resembled a lobster with a reptilian head. Underneath the dorsal plane, its heavy body is supported by four thick vertical legs.
“I must be mad if I’m going to help you!” Cogsworth turned his head around, seeing the Queen with her head turned to him as well, the left part of her lips curled slightly upwards.
“Since the suit’s creation, our advances in technology has proven beneficial to us. Workers can slave for days without food or water. Guards can stand for seventy-two hours straight without food or sleep. Even our most wounded get’s healed quickly,” - Chrysalis douses the levitation spell, causing the colt to fall with a loud thud. As he rubs his tail section, she adds, - “including nerve tissue.”
Seeing him turn his attention so quickly, Chrysalis now has him hooked. The moment Screwball gave him his hind legs again was one of the happiest moments and now Cogsworth’s given the chance to make it a full reality. To support his weight on all four hooves, running as fast as his classmates. It’s such a sweet deal, too sweet as It’s basically dealing with the devil. He looks to the floor, coming up with a decision.
“I’ll do it.” Cogsworth looks up to the Queen. “But you’d figure I say that, didn’t you?”
Indeed, Chrysalis did keep a firm grin. Sure, she doesn’t have the traitor she wants, but she has another traitor who just as well fits the bill for her plans. Chrysalis lead the colt to one section of the Hive was dedicated to their technological advances; among such tech was a stolen supercomputer, one of the first of many. Galgameth is hooked to said computer, with Cogsworth hooked as well to activate the robot’s operations. The colt requested that he do this alone, for this operation is like a Unicorn meditating. He opens one eye, looking to find that forty-five percent of the upload is complete. A slow progress, along with being alone, is the perfect opportunity to do some leaks. He activates a satellite relay, transmitting the schematics to the only other place he knows with similar tech.
That message is instantly received in the computers in the underground basement. Starlight, Sunset, Cosgrove, and Dapplewood are illuminated as the long list of coding is presented before them. Sunset scrolls a few pages down, silently reading,
“Project: Cykor
Length: Eighty meters
Height: thirty-five meters.
Mass: thirty tons
Weaponry: A tail stinger capable of firing artificial lightning, pincers capable of crushing steel, thick armor based on that of the so-called Monster Zero.
Status: forty-eight percent complete and rising.”
“Sweet Celestia…” Sunset mutters. If Celestia and Luna had trouble with the monster that terrorized Equestria just after Tirek did, then what chance would they have if there are going to be more than one of this Cykor model?
“Twilight needs to know this!” Starlight begins to run, bumping into Sunset teleporting before her.
“Twilight and her friends will be easily recognizable to Chrysalis. We are more unrecognizable.
”We?“ Starlight jerks her head back. ”We’re going to just go into the Hive and stop them?“
”Not altogether.“ Sunset lifts a hoof at her. ”You will gather what help you can, infiltrate the Hive and get Cogsworth out of there.“
She motions Cosgrove to follow her. Whatever plan Sunset has, Starlight isn’t that keen on. Sure she is powerful, rivaling even Twilight’s. But running into enemy territory, that’s a challenge. Aside from Trixie, who else could qualify for her ragtag team? She turns to Dapplewood, who simply sat down and scratches his muzzle.
”That’s two.“ Starlight surrounds the dinosaur in an aura, levitating him as she makes her way out of the basement.
Sunset and Cosgrove walked throughout the Everfree Forest, to where exactly not even Sunset would tell him. The orange Unicorn didn’t speak much since her argument with Twilight. She had no right to talk him like that, nor should she decide how he should spend his years. Cosgrove kept his silence as well, at the very least he had other support.
”Why are we in the Everfree Forest?“ Cosgrove asked, breaking the uneasy silence.
Sunset stops her walk, giving a deep breath. ”Recruiting our own monster.“ - She turns her head around. - ”If we can find him.“
Cosgrove’s ears drew forward. It’s been awhile since he’s seen the annual migrations, having gone through several adventures since. They continued to walk through the forest, feeling the ground begin to shake beneath their hooves. When they reach a foggy clearing, they stop. Seeing a dark silhouette approaching them, Cosgrove took out an object he hadn’t used in so long: a bassoon. Coming out of the fog was a Brobdingnag, a yearling about six meters tall. As it walked ahead, other yearlings and older adults emerge from the fog. Some have smaller heads than the dominant big heads, females maybe? Cosgrove places his lips on the reed, playing a gentle note. Either the herd ignores this lack of practice session or this was a different herd from the one Schnookums joined, Cosgrove continues to play. When the last animal in the herd crossed the clearing, so too went the drowning rumbling of the march. Believing their journey for not, they turn around to make their way home when a large shadow looms. For such a threatening presence, the Hipparion curled a cheerful smile instead.
”Hello, old friend.“ Cosgrove greeted.
With Dapplewood by her side, Starlight sat next to the Cutie Map in the middle of a conversation.
”What I’m asking for many others wouldn’t even dream of doing. I understand if you want to back out.“ Starlight drinks a bit of grape juice through a straw. ”Will you help us?“
Starlight’s proposed posse sat before her. From left to right are as follows: Gabby, Thorax, Zephyr Breeze, Trixie, and Maud. Being her first friend in a long while, Trixie lifts herself.
”The great and powerful Trrrixie“ - Trixie pauses for dramatic effect, then sits down and raises her hoof - ”will be very honored to defend her home.“
”I’m not the heroic type.“ Zephyr slurps from a straw. ”But for my Flutter Butter, I’ll do my best.“
”As first Gryphon to be a Cutie Mark Crusader, I’m in.“ Gabby answers with a salute from both her claws and her wings.
Characteristic of her, Maud kept her blank expression and spoke in an equally dull tone, ”Do you have a plan?“
Starlight taps the tips of her hooves. ”With Thorax with us, I was thinking…“
It’s near sundown in the barren wastes near the Changeling Hive. Thorax, in the most unlikely of places he would want to return, pulled a rope snaring four Ponies, a Gryphon, and a Dinosaur draped in brown cloaks. As he nears the entrance, he tries to hide his fear, lest his former acquaintances at the door get suspicious and turn him in as well. When he is at the entrance, the guards cross his path with their spears.
”Business?“ Asks the guard to his left.
”I“ - Thorax coughs to change his voice; he had to play this carefully, speaking in his regular voice will raise suspicions, so he tries again in a deeper voice - ”I have prisoners, stragglers from a nearby caravan.“
The two Changelings look at each other, getting their spears upright as they let them in. So far so good, but the gig can’t be held forever. Starlight sneaks a peak to her left, seeing the project their ”hosts“ were creating for years. A sight to behold, the lighter lavender Unicorn stops to look further when she is forcefully tugged to continue her long walk. Since Thorax left after the first robot is completed, he tries his best to find where the operation happened. Beneath their hoods, they notice a series of flashing lights up above. Determined that this is the room, they shift their direction towards the room, the one obstacle remaining between them and Cogsworth is a single Changeling soldier.
”Halt!“ The soldier orders, getting the band of unlikely heroes to stop. ”Prisoners should be sent to the lower catacombs.“
”Our queen has requested these… Ingrates“ - Thorax pulls the rope - ”to be slaves of our esteemed guest.“
The soldier raises his brow, shifts his head to look at the others down the line. Before Thorax could add any further, the soldier lowers his spear.
”You’re not a soldier and we don’t take slaves.“ The soldier steps forward, pointing the spear at Thorax’s throat ”You try to hard to sound tough.“ - He then goes to the other prisoners - ”Even if we did the prisoners are too frail to serve in our menial labor. Who are you, really?“
Zephyr Breeze was the first to lift his head, casting off the hood from his head.
”I hate to be a whiny baby right now, but do we have a Plan B?“
In a split second, Trixie snaps the bind with a knife spreads her arms as she slaps a smoke bomb on the ground. Blinded by the smoke, the second Mare Do Well charges forth, giving the Changeling a punch with her left hoof. Then with a sharp turn, Trixie gave the beast a roundhouse to the head. The guard knocked out, she pickpockets him, bringing the key to the lock.
”An intelligent guard.“ Starlight turns her attention to said guard for a while then continues to the room. ”Never saw that one coming.“
Maud Pie stood by the entrance as her companions enter the chamber. Hearing the various hoof steps and claw-clacking, Cogsworth opens his eyes. The fact that Starlight even brought a herbivorous Dinosaur made him raise an eyebrow. He would expect his other friends to come bust him out, but then again they are well-known enough that they couldn’t step one hoof into Changeling territory. He shifts his eyes to Gabby, lifting one of the many utensils a Changeling scientist used. Starlight assists him with unlocking the robot from the supercomputer.
”So this is what they did to you? Cut you open?“
”Yeah.“ Cogsworth answers, detaching the last cord from the computer.
From her distance, Maud kept her stoic expression before backhanding the recovering Changeling. Cogsworth aims the Plasma Cannon at the supercomputer, which now read seventy percent completion. With a few blasts, he ends the progress of the doomsday programming. His heart-felt a little heavy, but he shrugs it off before joining his posse on their daring escape. Hearing a small chirping, and a set of glowing blue eyes, the group started to run in a panic (or at least most, as Maud still kept her stoic expression). Even in the air, Thorax, Gabby and Zephyr Breeze couldn’t escape as hundreds upon thousands of Changelings surrounded them. The hissing and chirping of the populace died over, giving the large chamber an eery silence as they kept their firm glares.
”Galgameth.“ A voice echoes the hallway. Looking behind them, the numbers made a path for the Queen. ”I’m quite disappointed, I was actually considering getting you to walk again. I was wrong. And Thorax, how have you still survived, only to meet your death today.“
”Your Highness,“ - Thorax walks towards his former mistress, getting his former comrades on edge - ”we don’t have to fight others to feed their love. Befriending them helps us! We can survive without a war!“
His mentioning of such an alternate source of energy fell on deaf ears. Chrysalis cackles, her subjects snickering with her.
”Oh, you pathetic soul. If you became hatched a millennium ago, that would have worked so well.“ Chrysalis turns one drone to her. ”But today, such free-spirited minds are only one in every thousand hatched.“
Thorax draws his horn-like ears when Cogsworth bridges between the good Changeling and the Queen.
”You’re still too late, we’ve destroyed your little science project.“ - He points a pincer at Chrysalis - ”You lose!“
Insulted or not, Chrysalis kept a straight face as she lit up her horn. In the darkness, a series of green lights define the outline of Cykor. It opens it’s eyes, letting out a mechanical roar. Seeing Cogsworth’s flabbergasted face, Chrysalis lets out a cruel chuckle.
”Did you think we’d be monitoring and recording your progress?“ - The massive war machine behind her begins to move, shaking the earth with each heavy footstep. - ”No? Pity.“
Chrysalis begins to ascend, letting her horde come closer. With a clap from her perforated hooves, they begin their attack when a yellow beam of light smites a column of them. Both hero and villain look to the entrance; Princess Celestia stood in a proud stance, the Elements of Harmony behind her, and a whole army of Royal Guards behind them. Chrysalis bares her teeth before charging at the eldest Alicorn, locking her crooked horn with the Princess’. The Royal Guard and Changeling drones, sans Thorax, collide with each other; hooves smacking faces, teeth digging into skin, spears lodged into ribs. Keeping a close-knit formation, the Mane Six rejoin with Starlight and her posse.
”Starlight!?“ Twilight spoke in a surprised, yet irritated tone.
”It was Sunset’s idea!“ Starlight yells before firing a charged shot at an ambushing Changeling.
The large steps became louder when a column-like foreleg steps out of the shadows. While an ally to the Changelings, the mechanical beast caused friendly fire as the massive feet crushed both Changeling and Ponykind. Its claws and tail carved pieces from the walls, adding more to the casualties. Soon, it crashes through the front door, entering the outside desert. With one large object plodding towards Canterlot, Celestia’s forces draws back as some the Royal Guards focus their attention on slowing Down Cykor. Twilight tries to give chase, but the Changelings in the air were as big a problem as gnats.
”I can’t get to it.“ Twilight grunts, blasting Changeling after another.
Cogsworth turns to Thorax. ”You want to earn your share of friendship?“
Getting the idea, the friendly Changeling buzzes his wings. Seeing him in the air, Cogsworth ignites his thrusters, barreling through the swarm before resorting to his plasma cannons to mow through the thinning crowd. Landing on the beast’s back, the colt and the bug both made their way towards the front. They are stopped by Blackarachnia, Ransack, Maneterror, and Retrax bounding on the hull.
”Ready for round two, traitor?“ Blackarachnia hisses.
”The Queen will have excellent trophies.“ Ransack clicks his massive jaws before ascending to the air, slamming his fist to the hull with a large shockwave.
Learning his lesson regarding fighting three at once, Cogsworth opted the use of the Plasma Cannon. He dodges the charging strikes of Ransack, firing at his carapace and rolling away from another charge before turning over to Maneterror raising her claws. Dodging the strike at full force, the robot mantis’ claws dug into Cykor’s metallic hide. Cogsworth turns his machine’s top half, finding Retrax rolling towards him. The mechanic gives a salute, jetting himself out-of-the-way of the rolling Changeling. Both her arms torn from her torso, Maneterror and Retrax fall off the mechanical beast. Ransack makes another jump at Galgameth, lodging a fist into a thruster. Aiming his tail stinger carefully, Cogsworth stabs into Ransack’s back. The stag beetle circuits buzz and crackle before shutting down. Curious, he pulls the body towards him, using the pincers to pull apart the hatch. Unlike how he is one separate entity connected by wires, the Changeling, appearing in a larval stage, is completely fused. Deprived of its source of power, the pulsing mass lost consciousness.
Thorax and Blackarachnia circle each other, slapping the sharp edges of their hooves and biting their necks. Between one genetic mutation to another, Thorax’s similar skin color to his former comrades camouflaged him as he flew in circles around her. The violet Changeling soon became dizzy, trying to return her vision back to normal. As she does, she finds Thorax hovering before her, leaned backwards and giving her a good smack on her hornless head.
Cogsworth tears through the fractured hull, jumping inside with guns drawn. For such an important weapon of mass destruction, there’s very little security. Pulling the guns away, he barrels through the doors. Busting the last door he finds the being who augmented him through cruel torture. Now it’s his turn to give back the favor.
”Queen Chrysalis…“ He has Galgameth draw a sword. ”You’re finished!“
Cogsworth charges forth, screaming like a mad bull at the inattentive Queen. When he is at striking distance, two biomechanical arms stretch from the walls and grab the machines shoulders. Cogsworth tries to move forward, but the arms are much too strong. The Queen turns around, this time with a more irritated look on her snout.
”You didn’t think that I would create something so powerful such as you and never have a way to control it?“ Chrysalis returns to her post. ”Now, sit there like a good servant while I claim my victory.“
Cogsworth couldn’t help but remain motionless as Cykor turns around, raising its tail. The pincer lights up, unleashing a stream of lightning that scorched both Royal Guard and Changeling upon touch. Charging up another shot, Cykor fires in a half circle. Chrysalis begins to laugh at her progress when her ears pick up a beeping sound. While there are hundreds of thousands of smaller signatures, at ”six o’clock“ there is a larger body signature.
Emerging from the hill was Schnookums. His bruised body now thirty-eight meters tall from head to toe, and about ten meters longer from snout to tail, the beast gave a suitable sounding bellow. Cykor turns around, answering his call with a roar. At his heel, Cosgrove stretches his leg, giving his surrogate son a good petting.
”Knock it dead, kid.“ He says as an opal aura surrounds him, getting him to a safer distance as the beast continues his walk to his new enemy.
In a surprising turn of speed and grace, Cykor rears on its hind legs before bounding towards Schnookums. It then clasps the Brobdingnags wrists and began pushing forward, displacing the sand dunes. Schnookums clasps his bony mask together, slamming his head so hard it made a massive hole in the hull. The repto-insect curls its tail at him, illuminating the red monster before firing another stream of lightning at Schnookum’ chest.
Encasing himself in a green aura, Thorax sent Blackarachnia figuratively flying into the swarm. He turns to Cykor approaching the downed Brobdingnag. If the battle outside isn’t scary enough, encountering his former supervisor in the battle will. But if Cogsworth hasn’t taken Chrysalis down by now, who else will? He gathers his courage, and divebombs into the damaged carapace, moving into the cockpit. Another chip off her shoulder, Chrysalis wasted no time to strike back at her former servant. In a small room occupied with a large robot, Thorax’ size is his salvation as he dodges her blasts. With a buzz from his wings, he makes a leap at his Queen, slashing her on the chest. He does so again, slashing her legs. Chrysalis has enough of this and wraps Thorax in an aura. Her glare sent shivers down his spine.
Unable to get Galgameth to break the hold of the robot arms, Cogsworth had to do the last thing he had on his mind. Unhooking himself from the machine, the red colt climbs the hull, balancing himself as Chrysalis hovers backward. With a push of his forelimbs, the mechanic lands on the Queen. Her concentration broken, Thorax frees himself from Chrysalis’ grip. He watches the Queen struggle as Cogsworth held with an iron grip.
”Shut down the arms!“ Cogsworth orders, turning his attention back to Chrysalis trying to throw him off.
Thorax turns to the controls, from which he is clearly stumped. The buttons aren’t labeled, nor are there any levers and switches. The kind Changeling isn’t the violent type, but when in Rome, wherever that is. He slams his hooves on the interface, sending sparks throughout the room. Not only does it release Galgameth, but it also causes a chain reaction to Cykor.
The mechanical beast howls in agony, thrashing its head and tail around wildly. Schnookums slowly recovers, letting out a bellow and approaches his enemy. Inside Cykor, Chrysalis bites down on Cogsworth’s hoof, tugging him to her front side. Unlike Thorax, the mechanic still kept his angered expression.
”I had enough out of the both of you!“ Chrysalis screams before extending her fangs, not paying attention to the colt looking towards the controls.
”Just the two of us?“
Chrysalis closes her mouth, swiftly tilting her head just in time to see her view covered in shades of crimson. Schnookums reaches to the head, shifting his weight enough to tumble Cykor to its back. Pinning one foot on the abdomen, the Brobdingnag proceeds to tear the head from the body. Cogsworth tries to get in the battle armor, but without it being held by the arms, it falls down, bringing down a fleeing Chrysalis. As Schnookums tosses the head aside, the colt tumbles around before Thorax catches him and flies out from the back. With one more slam of his great head, Schnookums tore off the power source, slaying the Changelings master weapon.
Around the same time, the drones stopped moving, save for the ones that are born with a higher IQ than the others. They turn to their left, moving towards a specific spot like ants to a cookie. Confused, both princess’s, the Elements of Harmony, and Starlights posse turn to the marching Changelings. Galgameth had fallen flat on the ground, beneath him a twitching hoof. Her faithful subjects turn the cyborg, letting out a painful wail at the sight of their comatose queen. Blackarachnia turns to her enemies, ready for one last push.
”Take the Queen to the hive.“ She ascends, looking at Princess Celestia. ”We’re finished here.“
It took five workers to lift the crushed body. The soldiers drop their spears and join the fallen Queen. As they walk towards the hive, the Royal Guards begin to cheer. Some went a little too far, cursing and jeering at the losing army. The cockpit turned over, Cogsworth hooks himself into Galgameth once more. From a distance, Sunset and Cosgrove watch the cheering army before watching the bruised Schnookums leave for his herd. Wherever they are is unknown.
While the victory is rewarding to Equestrians, the aftermath is a little bittersweet in Ponyville. One evening in the Library, Sunset sat in front of the fireplace, a stern look fixed to her face. The only part of her head that moved was her ear turning to the sounds of hoof steps. Behind her was Twilight Sparkle, who also bore a similar look on her face. The former Unicorn sits in the chair next to Sunset’s, keeping her gaze to the fire.
”Are we even?“ Twilight asks, not moving her head. She hears her partner take a deep breath.
”Even.“ Sunset levitates a teacup to her friend. ”Tea?“
Twilight accepts her offer, replacing the opal aura with her violet one. Drawing it to her mouth, she then takes a small sip. Sunset fills up the other cup, levitating it to her own snout to take a sip. From a distance, their friends and students Starlight and Cosgrove watch in silence. With the castle, not his home, the Hipparion turns away from the opened door. Outside the castle, he walks a distance towards his home before stopping and giving the crystalline building a look. No matter the good days, even they had their bad moments. There isn’t any other way.
The effort from the Changelings repaired their hive like it was brand new. But their accomplishment is short-lived. The horde gathered in the audience chamber, echoing the room with soft chirps from their wings. As they are adept climbers, many roosted on the walls, turning their heads to look down. Chrysalis laid on a patch of moss in the moonlight, unconscious but alive. They keep their silence as Blackarachnia steps into the moonlight. She rubs the still breathing body before lowering head.
”Long live Queen Chrysalis…“ Blackarachnia mutters before turning her head to a part of the crowd. They part, allowing a group of workers to approach the fallen queen with stolen technology. The violet Changeling slowly lifts her lips, forming a crooked smile.
”All. Hail. Blackarachnia.“
