The train screeched to a halt as it stopped in the Crystal Empire station, but there was a slight problem. Changeling guards were surrounding the area. The girls and Spike looked through the train window trying to figure out how they were going to get pass them.
Rainbow Dash suggested, "I say we go out there and pound em'!"
Applejack pointed, "But there's too many of them! We can't just take them head on!"
Rarity suddenly piped up, "I've got it! We wear costumes!"
Pinkie bounced, "Ooh, yeah! I'll be a ninja!" in a flash she wore a ninja costume.
Applejack cringed and suggested, "Maybe wear something less conspicuous?"
Rarity exclaimed, "Ooh! I have just the thing!"
In minutes, they were wearing different costumes. Pinkie was dressed as an old lady wearing glasses with a wig. Fluttershy wore glasses too and a gray mustache with a trench coat and hat. Rainbow Dash was dressed like a pop star with sunglasses. Rarity wore a handkerchief over her head and light sunglasses. Applejack wore a ten-gallon hat, an ascot, and a dark mustache. Flurry Heart simply wore a pink dress to cover her wings and a hat to hide her horn. But Spike's costume was the most outlandish of the lot. He wore a feminine kimono with a dark wig, white makeup all over his face and bright red lipstick while carrying a fan.
He shouted indignantly, "Why couldn't I wear a mustache too?! Why did I have to wear this?!"
Rarity replied, "Because Spikey, this helps hides your true species as you are the Dragon Warrior. You'd be easily recognizable if you wore something simpler like the rest of us."
Applejack groaned, "I hate to say it, but she's right…"
He grumbled, "At least you got the mustache…"
"Well, you can have it after we take back the Empire."
"But it won't be the same…" he said in near whiny tone.
She sighed and started moving. One-by-one, they got off the train, with Spike going last and held the fan to his face acting flirtatious which caught the eye of one changeling guard in which Spike used his fan to smack the changeling as he said in a high voice, "Fresh!"
Once they were passed the train station they entered into the Crystal Empire only to see more changelings out on patrols and terrorizing the citizens. The sight made their blood boil but it was imperative that they stick to their plan. Flurry told them, "Come on! I know a short cut!" she led them down streets, past crystal buildings until she stopped halfway at a building that was close to the castle.
They could see two changeling guards were near the Crystal Heart which was lacking luster given the state the Empire was in right now.
"How are we supposed to get past them?" Rarity inquired.
Rainbow Dash looked around their surroundings and spotted barrels beside them, her eyes lit up and turned to Flurry, "Kid, I'm going to need your help on this…"
In moments a tiny barrel rolled to where the two changelings were as one said, "Aw, it's cute."
Flurry busted out then while saying in an offended tone, "Cute?!" she blasted at them knocking them out. "I'll have you know that I am adorable!"
The girls and Spike ran to her.
"Great job, sugar cube!" Applejack beamed.
Flurry smiled as she said, "Let's go!" she flew into her long time home that was currently occupied by invaders. The Elements and the Dragon Warrior were right behind her.
Once they found themselves in the dungeons, Pinkie volunteered, "I'll keep a lookout, and at the first sign of trouble, I'll give you the signal," she gave a comedic shriek.
Spike smirked, "You mean like Rarity does?"
Pinkie motioned, "Heck, yeah!"
Rarity was appalled, "Excuse me, when have I ever made that sound?!"
Flurry called out, "Come on, Mommy and Daddy are over here!"
They went down the rows of cells until they found Cadence and Shining Armor.
"Mommy! Daddy!"
The royal couple saw their daughter and exclaimed, "Flurry!"
Cadence expressed in concern, "Sweetie, what are you doing here? It's too dangerous!"
Spike came up and said, "That may be but she has been a huge help to us."
Shiny and Cady gaped at the costume the dragon was wearing with Shining saying, "Spike? Is that you? Why in Equestria are you dressed like that?"
He deadpanned, "Wasn't my idea…"
Applejack explained, "We had to disguise ourselves to get pass the changelings."
Rarity motioned, "And lucky for you, I have extras to spare!" she held out two outfits and handed them to the couple through the bars.
Shining inquired, "So what's the plan?" as he put on a fedora, trench coat, and sunglasses.
Applejack said, "Twilight wants to get you two out so she, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna can do a full assault to take the Empire back."
Cadence dressed in a trench coat as well and wore a large chapeau said in uncertainty, "But are they sure that's the wisest course of action?"
Shining Armor pointed, "It'll be once I take charge of the guard again."
Applejack instructed, "Okay, your highnesses, you might want to step away from the door."
Cadence and Shining didn't waste a second as Applejack used her hind legs to kick the cell door down.
Spike smirked, "That never gets old."
Once the couple was out of the cell, Flurry embraced them as they returned it. They began to move out the dungeons carefully and when they were almost outside, Pinkie did a quick once over before whispering, "All clear!" When they passed the Crystal Heart, Cadence looked back in worry.
"I knew she was lying… She doesn't want the Heart to be powered for fear it could get rid of her and her little monsters…"
They continued to walk while keeping a low profile. Meanwhile, Thorax disguised as an adolescent crystal pony had spotted the group. The other changelings on patrol ignored them but that was because of the queen's orders. Had the queen not told them to stay away they would have most likely surrounded them at this moment given the huge amount of love displayed by the royal couple and their daughter and Thorax could also sense some unrequited love coming from the group but it was hard to pin the source.
The plan was to give them a false sense of hope and then the changelings would make their move of going after them. And if all goes well they would separate and Thorax would have the dragon right where the queen wanted him to.
Beside him another changeling who was disguised as a crystal pony told him, "Remember, the queen is counting on you to find his weaknesses… So it's up to you to make sure we win and I don't think I need to tell you what with happen if you fail…"
Thorax sighed and nodded.
"As such the queen is depending on you so she can conquer all of Equestria so don't you dare disappoint her. Because if you fail we all fail…"
"I know… I know…"
"Just remember that because it's time."
Sure enough, he saw the secret signal going around the changelings as they started moving in on the group…
"Run!" Applejack told them as they started to split up. Rarity and Fluttershy took off in one direction, Rainbow and Pinkie went off in another, and Cadence, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart ran off together with changelings right behind them. Applejack and Spike threw off their costumes at the changelings to buy them a moment's time but as they ran Applejack got tackled by a bunch of them.
Spike skidded himself to stop and called out, "Applejack!"
She yelled out, "Go, Spike! I'll be fine!" she punched at the bug-ponies.
"I'm not leaving you!" he ran toward them only to be blinded by the swarm and when they cleared out of the way, he saw them carrying Applejack off toward the palace. "No…" he uttered.
"Quick! This way!" called a voice.
Spike turned to see a colt beckoning him to come in an alleyway. Spike could hear buzzing in the distance and knew he had no choice and ducked into the alley.
"Thanks, whoever-you-are."
"My name is…" he looked around before settling on, "Crystal… Hoof."
"Well, thank you, Crystal Hoof, those changelings can really sneak up on you…"
Crystal Hoof stammered, "R-right… sure…"
"It must have been awful for you when they had laid siege to your home…"
"Y-yeah…" he gulped.
"But don't worry. Once I get back to my friends, we'll free you from them."
"Yeah, I saw they took that mare you tried to help… Is she your girlfriend?"
Spike blushed and stuttered, "N-no! She's just my friend! One of my best friends in fact!"
But Thorax's sense told him otherwise. Obviously the dragon did have some feelings toward the mare but something was preventing him from expressing it.
Spike shook his head to change the subject, "Anyway, I got to help her but I need to find the others, that is if they haven't been captured as well…" he pleaded, "I know you would be risking a lot if you did this, but I really need your help to get around the Empire."
Crystal Hoof inquired, "You really want me to help you?"
"Yes. And I would be so grateful if you did."
Thorax knew by doing this he would still be following his queen's orders but he felt torn. The dragon has been nothing but nice and he only wants to help his friends, of course a part of him knew he wouldn't be acting like this had he known Thorax's true form but some part of him actually felt tempted to reveal himself. But he couldn't do that, not when his kind was counting on him to deliver. Instead he replied, "I'll help you."
Spike took his hoof and shook it, "Thank you. This means so much to me."
Crystal Hoof merely nodded as he poked his head out the alleyway and motioned, "Follow me."