The next day came very soon and with it the time for action. The CMC, after completing their usual morning preparations, went to their clubhouse for a last quick discussion. Then they started to move the plan into action.
Fortunately, Granny Smith had to go to Appleloosa to deal with some important business and Big Macintosh accompanied her. Thanks to that, they could use the barn in Sweet Apple Acres to carry out their plan. After that, the team will be separated, while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle prepare the barn, until then Scootaloo finds the Element Bearers. This is easier to said than done. Finding Pinkie Pie is not easy (and if you're trying too hard, Pinkie will think that they play hide-and-seek, what make more harder to find her).
It helped a lot, that she searched for Rainbow Dash first, and after saying the message ("We would like to invite you, the other girls and Spike to a very special, exclusive party. Could you tell Pinkie Pie and Rarity about it?"), it was much easier to find and notify the other ponies. After hoofing to the last pony (to Fluttershy) the message, she soon returned to the barn, where the other two fillies, with the help of in the meantime arrived Zecora and the colt trio, they finished the party preparations.
Now all they had to do was to wait for the arrive of the guests and quietly hoped that things would go well.
The Mane Six slowly approached the barn, as they went, Pinkie Pie could not hold back her excitement and said:
"I'm so excited, we're official to a VIP party, isn’t it exciting? Yes? Yes?"
"You bet!" Said Spike.
"Do you have any idea what the three of them was up?" Asked Twilight, looking at the three fillies’s sisters (that is the sister of two and the third filly’s sister figure).
"I don’t know Twi, i just heard about it for the first time." Claimed Rainbow.
"I don’t know either what's on their minds, but recently, Apple Bloom behaves a little oddly." Spoke now Applejack.
"Well, now that you say, lately, Sweetie Belle seems to be somewhat "different", but I can not take my hoof on what it is." Joined to the conversation now Rarity.
"What do you mean Rarity?" Fluttershy asked in her silent, shy way.
"I don’t know for sure, i would say that its a kind of sister intuition." Rarity replied.
"This and that, the three have not done any knocks for a while." Said Applejack. The CMC, when they take something in their heads, it is usually quite noisy and/or goes with a lot of dirt. The fact that the three fillies seems to have restrained themselves made her a little concerned for her sister.
"Well, we will soon find out." Spike reported as the group approached the barn. As they came, they saw that the three fillies at the door noticed their approach, Because they waved them with a wide (maybe a little bit too wide) smile on their faces.
"It's good that you arrived! Get in and we can get started," said Apple Bloom.
"Apple Bloom, for the sake of the appletrees, what do you up to with your friends, what have you done?" Asked Appjalack her sister with a suspicious glance.
"No-nothing! We can’t just make a party, without accusing us that we put bad wood on the fire or that we are up to do something?" Asked back Apple Bloom a little annoyed.
"Come on!" So she started in. Applejack gave her another suspicious glance, then followed her inward, then the others followed too them. After they were all in, Scootaloo discreetly (but still quite noticeably) closed the door.
The first phase of the plan so far made good progress. After the three colts showed themselves to the Mane Six and Spike (even in their disguises), the fillies with the help of Zecora told them the cover story, that the three of them were adopted by the zebra and the CMC met the colts there and they became friends. Then they said that with this party they wanted to help them to get fit in, but because of their shy nature an official Pinkie Pie Party (all rights reserved!) would have frightened them.
This is fortunately worked, with the help of Zecora they was able to avoid the risky questions, while the three colts became acquainted with the six mare and one dragon. As time went by, the participants began to talk, eat and drink, play with one of the games or just enjoy the good company. The essence of the plan was, that they first allow them to became acquainted with the colts and to make friends with them, then they try to explain the details with some help from Zecora and that the three are completely harmless. Hopefully, the seven would give them enough time to explain, before they do something reckless.
But things rarely go as planned. As the group talked about random things, they heard an explosion. After they came to themselves they all rushed to the door to see what was happening. When they get out they saw something they did not expected. Changelings! Changelings attack Ponyville!
As the Mane Six started talking to each other about what to do, the CMC noticed the horror and shock at the three’s faces. Wood anxiously looked at the distant flying figures and frowned, Leaf’s body tensed while his wings fluttered. But Silver was in the worst state, his body apparently trembling, seemingly close to total panic.
When she saw this, Fluttershy set out to comfort the poor colt, followed by the CMC. But then the problem had happened. Silver was so overwhelmed with fear that he could not hold up his disguise. Fluttershy's face was filled with dismay and a little fear, as before her eyes the colt’s true self was revealed.
As Rainbow Dash noticed it, she exclaimed: "Changeling!"
At this the five mares started toward the three changelings (Fluttershy rather backed). But before they could get too close to them, Apple Bloom exclaimed, "STOOOP!" Then she stood defensively in front of the colts with her two friends and the zebra.
"Sweetie Belle! What are you doing! They are changelins!" Rarity cried out worriedly.
"But they are good changelings! They would not harm even a fly! "Sweetie cried to her sister.
"Did you know about this?!" Growled Applejack with an angry face.
"They may have brainwashed them!" Rainbow added with a similar look.
"That's not true!" Exclaimed now Scootaloo. When they tried to get closer to the colts, the four moved closer to them.
"We did not tell you, because we knew you would not listen to us! They are our friends!" Shouted Apple Bloom defiantly, her eyes almost as intense as her sister’s owns.
As the two groups began reasoning (understand it, to argue), Pinkie Pie was looking from one group to another, then back again, but her neck twisted and then started to spin like a humming top. For a moment, this distracted everypony, but as they were used to Pinkie's antics, they soon returned to the argument.
"My friends this is just a misunderstanding! Before judge, let us the things explaining!" Rhymed Zecora.
"Stop!" Twilight shouted. They all quit the arguement and turned to her. Twilight then turned her gaze over the gathered ponies. As she got at the changeling trio, her gaze became cautious and suspicious, but she said nothing. Finally, she took a deep breath, while doing a sweeping motion with one of her forelegs.
Then she said: "We do not have time for this now, Ponyville is under attack! There is no time to waste!" At this Rainbow and Applejack looked at her sullenly, but they nodded.
The CMC silently sighed to their little triumph, but it was quickly interrupted by the continuation: "But when we done with this, you have a lot to explain to us." Said Twilight toward the fillies and colts with a peremptory facial expression. At this Zecora answered with a slight nod.
Then she turned to her friends: "Okay everypony, lets go!" The other members of Mane Six started to follow her, though some was slower than the rest. But before they could get too far, for everypony’s surprise Silver stood before them with a frightened expression on his face, while he higgledy-piggledy wobbled with his little legs.
"Now what is?!" Rainbow asked irritatedly. His brothers turned to Silver and they just looked at each other for a few minutes.
"What are they doing?" Pinkie Pie asked confusedly.
"Telepathically speaking to each other," said Apple Bloom. Twilight looked at them with a curious glance, but remained silent.
Whatever happened between them, the other two changeling faces also showed concern.
"What's the problem?” Asked Sweetie Belle worriedly.
"They can not go out there," Wood said seriously. "Silver says it's a trap."
"What do you mean?" Asked Rarity. The others also turned towards the trio.
"Silver says the changelings are not in assault formation." Leaf explained.
"They are scattered in small groups as they keep moving, instead attack together."
"What does that mean?" Twilight asked. She did not understand son much about military tactics as her brother, but she saw the meaning of what he had said. While she concentrated heavily on watching what happening, she noticed that the changelings did not seize the ponies.
"They're just baits, they cause alarm, while avoiding direct confrontation, and then, if they've sparked the interest of the target, they begin to lure them, and then the hiding forces strike together." Wood explained.
"How do you know that?" Applejack asked.
"Silver was meant to be a warrior since his birth, and he knows the most about combat tactics amongst us," Leaf said.
"What should we do?" Asked Pinkie, turning to Twilight. Twilight looked at the three colts with a thoughtful face.
Ponyville was a complete chaos, changelings everywhere, while ponies screaming and running everywhere. The hiding members of the invaders were wondering, where their targets were. They felt something that was wrong. Suddenly there was a cry, but it was surprising, that it came from a changeling. As the invaders tried to arrange themselves through the hivemind, even more cries sounded from another areas.
Those who had the task of diversion finally was able to find the reason of the problem. The six ponies (though one of them were missing), who they should have been baited and captured, surprisingly for everypony successfully attacked the hiding elite teams.
Without the leaders and the elite soldiers, the drones (mostly trained for following orders and instinctive fighting) were not able to arrange themselves.
Slowly, the Mane Six (minus Fluttershy), with the help of some other brave ponies, were able to dispose the invading forces. Twilight quietly thanked the help of the three colts. If they do not tell to them about the fact, that changelings that could fit in the background can be discovered, if carefully and thoroughly searched for them. This information, together with the information about the combat use of the hivemind, they was able to work out a simple yet functional plan. Find the leaders, knock them off before they can react, then catch the confused drones. She did not want to think how things could have turned out, if they went blindly into the fight.
But when they thought it was over, they noticed that one of the elite warriors who had previously managed to avoid them (by replacing himself with a nearby drone) was leading a small group away. Straight to Sweet Apple Acres!
Without hesitation they started to gallop, and when they got there they saw that, the changelings attacking the CMC, the three (again disguised) colts, Spike, Fluttershy and Zecora. Zecora with some very impressive display of agility and strength, with her own hooves was able to keep the attackers at bay, but still there was just too many of them. Meanwhile, Fluttershy tried to protect the little ponies and the little dragon from those who tried to get through the martial zebra.
The five ponies immediately rushed to help their friends. Together they quickly began to thining their rows. But during the fight the CMC drifted away from the others.
"APPLE BLOOM!", "SWEETIE BELLE!", "SCOOTALOO!" Shouted Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash at the same time. They tried to get to them, but the attackers cut their way. The mares watched with horror, as the three drone flown toward the fillies.
"YOU WILL NOT HURT THEM!" Cried a young, but strong and sharp voice, this cry was followed by a green magic ray that struck one of the attacking changelings. Although the beam did not too much damage to the target, it made him enough confused, so that two little figures smashed themselves to him, pushing his body to his two companions, so the three attackers had collapsed in a heap.
Following back the path of the beam, they saw Silver standing there with an angry look. The CMC was particularly surprised, considering how quiet and shy the black colt tends to be.
"Are you okay?" Asked Leaf worriedly, he and Wood stood protectively before the CMC.
"We're fine, thanks for the save!" said Scootaloo, who first pulled herself together from the shock.
Taking advantage of the dismay, the Mane Six and Zecora quickly knocked out the leader, and after a quick and one-sided fight, the last enemy lay unconsciously on the ground. Finally, the battle was over.
The invaders were defeated and placed in a safe place until they figured out what to do with them.
"I'm still not sure what to think. But I know you saved my sister and her friends. For that i thank you." Appjalack said with a warm smile.
After they calmed the residents of Ponyville, the whole team returned to Sweet Apple Acres.
Rainbow nodded in agreement, while Rarity said, "Applejack has right, we are all very grateful."
"And whitout your help, we would not have noticed the trap, just when it was too late." Said Twilight. Although she was still uncertain what to think, the three showed that they were reliable.
"We said it!" exclaimed Sweetie. When everyone looked at her, she blushed slightly and looked away.
"I hope you now let to us, to tell you the tale of truth?" Said Zecora toward the six mare.
The mares nodded and Pinkie with a smile added: "Of course, otherwise you surely could kick our flanks if we wouldn’t." Hereof everyone started to giggle.
Then the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with the support of Zecora and the changeling colts started telling the story...
The next day the princesses arrived with a group of Royal Guards, who immediately detained the invading forces and began their transfer to Canterlot. When things got a little rested, the Mane Six, together with the CMC, the three colts and Zecora, explained to the princesses what had happened, including the three young changelings’ roles in Ponyville's defense.
The princesses patiently hear out them, and after they expressed their sympathy for the colts, they agreed that the three could stay in Ponyville, under the supervision of Zecora.
They decided, that for now its better if Ponyville dosen’t know about their true self, but they had the chance to go to school and to do other normal things.
Soon Spike also befriended with the three changelings, and it turned out that they are coming out well. Silver, though he was still rarely talking directly, because of his shyness, but with some help from Fluttershy, he slowly began to open up.
One time, when the Change Brothers joined to the CMC for one of their (mis)adventures, Rarity jokingly commented, that they would make good pairs. At this the six began firecely deny this statement, with a strong blush on their faces, Scootaloo and Leaf picked up a retching expression, Wood and Apple Bloom tried to come up with a witty riposte, while Sweetie Belle and Silver were just confused with a big blush on their faces. Meanwhile, the others chuckled, seeing their reaction, but then the moods calmed down. Although from time to time, their sisters had teased them with this.
As time passed, the three changelings, happy with their new life, started hope that one day, they could share it with other changelings. They knew that not every hive was as cruel as Chrysalis’s or where they came from and that some hives would be more pleased with the peaceful coexistence, but they were afraid from the other hives and to reveal themselves to the ponies.
They hoped, that the changelings and the ponies at one day could live in peace and harmony. Yet they doesn’t knew that soon a big change will come, which could make their dream come true, in the form of a changeling called Thorax.
The End