Spike woke to a dull, overcast morning. An unseasonable chill had touched the morning air.
He wiped the sleep from his eyes and forced himself up. Normally he’d rather sleep for a few more hours, but there was somepony he wanted to talk to, and he knew the longer he waited, the busier everypony would be.
It didn’t take long to find the pony he was looking for. Shining Armor was in the first place Spike thought to look, his command tent. To his surprise, however, Shining Armor wasn’t alone. “Princess Cadence?”
The Princess and Shining Armor looked up from where they sat.
“Spike,” Cadence said, standing and crossing the tent to give him a hug.
He returned it. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here in time,” he said.
“The evacuation of the Crystal Empire is almost complete,” Cadence said. “What’s more, the storm’s progression slowed in the past few days. At this rate it won’t get much closer to the crystal heart. The Crystal Guard can handle it from here.”
“And speaking of the Crystal Guard,” Shining Armor said, “She brought them with her. Well, except for those still handling the evacuation, of course.”
“That’s great!” Spike said. “Uh, but I didn’t notice any crystal ponies outside.”
“Well, they’re on their way, at least,” Cadence said. “I might have gotten a little eager and flown ahead.”
“But even if it takes another day or two, their timing is perfect,” Shining Armor said. “Princess Celestia has us preparing to attack Night’s End. Even with a weapon to use against Nocturne, we can’t just send one pony in to seal her away while fighting off an army at the same time. Not even Discord or one of the princesses. Especially not one of the princesses now.”
“So, we’re actually going to be able to do it,” Spike said. “We’re going to beat Nocturne. And get Twilight back?” His voice threatened to crack as he said the last part.
Cadence’s face softened, and she pulled him into another hug. “You’ll have her back before you know it. We all will.”
Spike returned the hug again.
*****
Mimic had returned to the form of Wind Rider to avoid unnecessary confusion. She currently sat with Thistleroot, eating breakfast, neither talking. The weight of the coming conflict had settled over the camp in the wake of the celebration yesterday.
Mimic sighed, breaking the silence. “It’s Scootaloo, isn’t it?”
Thistleroot paused chewing, then gave her a goofy grin and pointed a hoof at himself. “No, Thistleroot.”
Mimic arched an eyebrow. “No, I mean the other pony. The somepony else you mentioned when you thought my big secret as Wind Rider was a love confession. It’s Scootaloo, isn’t it?”
Thistleroot glanced over his shoulder, a touch of color coming to his cheeks. “Heh, I was hoping you hadn’t noticed that part.”
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
He shrugged. “Funny thing, it was actually Rosalia who made me realize it.”
“How so?”
“In Night’s end, she did this weird thing when I was talking about Scootaloo, where she looked at me, but it was like she was looking through me. I guess she was using her changeling vision or something.”
“That’s not a real thing.” Mimic paused. “Well, not for normal changelings. But we can kind of sense love, so I guess it’s possible that Rosalia might have developed a changeling vision. She’s done a lot of other crazy stuff.”
“Anyway, once she did that, she acted like she figured something out, and then she was counting on me acting to protect Scootaloo. Once I realized that, I guess it just kind of clicked.”
That sounded familiar, Mimic thought bitterly.
“What about you?” Thistleroot asked.
“What about me?”
“Well, we haven’t really talked about our lives before all this. Were there any changelings you liked?”
Mimic shook her head. “No, no changelings.” She hadn’t mean to emphasize the last word, it just happened. She mentally winced. “Maybe under different circumstances, I might have found someone I was interested in, but not in the hives. It wasn’t until I came to Equestria that I was shown kindness from someone that wasn’t immediate family.”
“Eh, I can see how that would put a damper on things. So, not even a date or anything?”
“Oh, sure, I went on plenty of them. All the time.”
“Oh,” Thistleroot said, blinking in surprise. “Huh, I would have thought... You’re being sarcastic, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
The two of them ate for several minutes in silence.
“So,” Thistleroot finally said. “Growing up in the hives really wasn’t any fun, was it?”
“No.” Hadn’t she made that perfectly clear?
Thistleroot was quiet for a long while, breakfast sitting forgotten. Finally he nodded almost imperceptibly, more to himself than to her. “Well, I can’t really compare the two with any empirical evidence myself, but I think you’ll like living in Canterlot. Once it gets rebuilt, of course. That might take a while.”
“Okay?” Mimic said.
“And I guess you’ve never gone apartment hunting before, so that’ll be something to look forward to. We’ll get you set up with something nice. Maybe a nice ficus to brighten it up.”
Mimic looked at him curiously before understanding dawned. She smiled. “That sounds nice.” She took another bite of breakfast, then paused. “I still don’t know what a ficus is.”
*****
Scootaloo found Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom sitting down for breakfast and joined them, ignoring food and clutching a hot cup of coffee in both hooves. The morning had turned chilly despite the month, and the sky was getting darker, threatening rain.
“Morning,” Sweetie Belle said groggily.
“Good morning,” Scootaloo said back.
“Sleep well?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Not really,” Scootaloo answered, stifling a yawn. “Too nervous.”
“Same,” Sweetie Belle said. “I couldn’t stop worrying about today, and I don’t even know what we’re going to be doing.”
“I don’t know what the plan is now, either,” Scootaloo admitted. “None of us are a match for Rosalia or Nocturne. From here on out, it’ll probably be up to Discord.”
“Why do ya sound kind of disappointed?” Apple Bloom asked. “From what Ah can see, we’ve as good as won.”
“I don’t know,” Scootaloo said. “I just don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”
“Well, Ah guess we’ll find out today.”
Scootaloo nodded. She hesitated, and then added, “If Discord is going to bring ponies with him to fight Nocturne, I’m going to volunteer.”
“Well, of course ya are,” Apple Bloom said matter-of-factly.
“Oh,” Scootaloo said, frowning. “I thought you would try to talk me out of it.”
Sweetie Belle shook her head.
“Please,” Apple Bloom said. “Once ya get an idea in yer head, there’s no getting it out.”
Scootaloo chuckled. “You’re one to talk.”
“After what happened yesterday, we knew you were going to want to go if you could,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Ah still don’t know if Ah trust Discord,” Apple Bloom said, “but he’s yer friend now, right?”
“So, of course you’re going to go,” Sweetie Belle said. “And we’re coming with you.”
Scootaloo didn’t manage the first word of her refusal before both of her friends had pressed a hoof against her lips, cutting her off.
“Either we all go, or none of us goes,” Apple Bloom said.
“We’re your friends too, after all,” Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo brushed their hooves away and smiled.
Sweetie Belle nodded. “I told you before, we’ll always be the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”
The promise brought back brief flashes of memory, of lazy summer days spent in a treehouse in Ponyville. “Yeah. You’re right.”
*****
Three immortals sat in the command tent. Celestia looked over what little information they had. Simple maps of the mountain range, mostly. A crude drawing of the mountain fortress provided by Spike.
“With the Crystal Guard, our current standing forces have almost doubled, but it will take two days for them to arrive and for us to get them organized,” Celestia said. “Even so, we’re still grossly outnumbered.”
“We will have to fight a defensive battle,” Luna said. “Rely on Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's barriers, force the changelings to fight us in equal numbered groups. We can use the mountainous terrain, forcing them to funnel themselves through crevices in order to go under the barriers, and then fight them with a height advantage.”
“And while that’s happening,” Discord said, waving the tablet with a casual indifference. “It’s a sound plan, but there’s a problem.”
“Yes,” Celestia said, her tone terse.
“This won’t be like the hives,” Discord said. “Rosalia won’t send out her army unless you prove yourself a credible threat. Your ponies will have to fight for real.”
“I know,” Celestia said.
“We are not naive fools, Discord,” Luna said. “We know what it is to fight so that the majority may experience peace. You should understand that as well as anypony.”
“True,” Discord said. “I hear our old battleground is something of a tourist attraction. Or no, what’s the opposite of that?”
“Regardless, the sooner you complete your part, the fewer ponies will get hurt.”
“Of course. And what about the second part of my plan?”
Luna’s expression darkened. Celestia said nothing.
Discord waited, but when it was clear neither Celestia nor her sister were going to comment, he gave an impatient groan. “Defeating Nocturne is possible, maybe. She knows we have the tablet, and I doubt Rosie’s been more than ten feet away from her since we got our hooves on it, so I’ll be fighting two on one. It’s still possible,” Discord paused, likely for emphasis. Always the overactor, Celestia thought. “But what will it cost?”
“Lives,” Celestia answered honestly. The thought twisted in her stomach. “And how many more will we lose if I allow you to gamble with our only weapon? Your haste in pulling us from the prison without opening it has already left us weakened. Luna and I will not be able to force the beasts of the Everfree back.”
Celestia hesitated, still not entirely sure herself what she would say next. “But, if we can end this without a single life lost...”
“If you want to win,” Discord said, “If you want to ensure the safety of your kingdom, your choice should be obvious. Send an army of ponies at Night’s End. Send me in with the weapon, along with Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. The two of them together can fight a changeling queen, leaving me to defeat Nocturne.”
Discord flipped the tablet over in his talons. “Of course, Rosalia is better than Chrysalis ever dreamed of being. One or both of them could end up dead. And without their magic to protect your army, the casualties would be enormous.”
“That is enough, Discord!” Luna barked. “Sister, don’t listen to him. He is as manipulative as ever.”
“Guilty,” Discord said, tipping an invisible hat to Luna. “Though manipulation and honesty aren’t mutually exclusive. You can sacrifice a few ponies to save the rest. All you have to do is compromise a thousand years of work and principles.”
“That’s enough, Discord,” Celestia said. She took a long breath, keeping her anger in check only through centuries of practice. “You’ve made your point.”
“And?”
“Gather the ponies you need and tell them. Tell them to be ready two days from now.”
Discord nodded and raised a taloned hand to snap. Before he could, a voice called from outside the tent, “Princess Celestia!”
Celestia rose as Shining Armor burst through the opening into the tent, followed by Princess Cadence and Spike.
“Princess Celestia,” Shining Armor gasped, trying to catch his breath and talk at the same time. “Scouts, from the North.”
“Changelings are on their way, moving fast,” Cadence said.
“How many?” Celestia asked.
“All of them!” Spike shouted.
“They probably have windigos too,” Cadence said. “It would explain why the storms in the North have stopped spreading.”
“Huh,” Discord said. “She’s trying to beat us to the punch. She wants to wipe you out preemptively. That is just so like her.”
“I thought you said she would fight defensively,” Celestia said.
“No, I said Rosalia would fight defensively. She’s the logical one.”
“Can we fight them without the Crystal Guard?” Celestia asked the room.
Luna and Shining Armor both shook their heads.
“Discord, can you?”
“Well, I suppose,” Discord said. “At least I could give you ponies some help, but taking on an army of changelings would be a bit much, even for me. Which is, of course, Nocturne’s goal. Either I help and tire myself out, giving her an opening, or I sit back and the changeling army wipes your forces out.”
A cold silence fell over the tent.
“What can we do?” Spike asked.
“We have to take out Rosalia, for one,” Discord said. “Even if I went and defeated Nocturne, it wouldn’t stop the changelings, but defeating Rosalia and she can no longer direct the overseers, which means the hordes will no longer act in concert with each other.”
“But she’ll be protected by Nocturne,” Celestia said.
“Yes. An ironic reversal of the problem we were discussing just a few minutes ago,” Discord noted. “Or...” He smiled at Celestia.
Celestia frowned. “You planned this, somehow, didn’t you?”
“You know, I actually didn’t,” Discord said, crossing a talon over his heart.
Celestia hesitated for only a moment before turning toward the tent exit. “Go, then. Shining Armor, gather as many ponies and guards as you can, and prepare defensive spells with Cadence. We will hold them off as long as we can.”
“Uh, what should i do?” Spike asked.
“Actually, funny you should ask,” Discord said, raising his talons and snapping. “You and I are going to fight Nocturne. Won’t that be fun?”
“Wait, we’re doing wha—” Discord and Spike disappeared in a flash of light.