Everfree Forest
"This isn't a good idea Twilight." Thunderlane said from the back of the herd consisting of Him, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Flutteryshy, Rainbow Dash and Spike was that currently walking through the Everfree on their way to the Castle of the two Sisters. Twilight was hoping to find more information there on the various Changelings breeds, especially the Juggernauts.
"Thunderlane, the girls and I have faced worse threats in the past like Nightmare Moon, Discord and Changelings. We'll be find against a few Timber Wolves." Twilight said back.
"Yea, any that come our way we'll give them a tail whooping." Rainbow said thrusting a hoof into the air.
"While ya are right Thunderlane, any of those walkin' plies of firewood will feel my applebucking hooves." Applejack said.
Thunderlane could only sigh, Twilight's curiosity had once again overrode her better judgement. From what Spike had told him this was a trait for hers since she was a filly; if there was something she didn't understand or there was knowledge to be gained the mare wouldn't stop 'till she was satisfied.
"At least somepony agrees with me." Spike, who was riding on Thunderlane's back, said scratching the base of said pony's ear, which Thunderlane leaned into while trying to keep his wings from going limp.
Spike, Thunderlane and Fluttershy had been against going into the forest due to the Timber Wolves and the possible Changeling presence while Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow believed they could handle any threat they came across. Rarity and Pinkie had agreed with the latter group, leaving a vote of five to three.
Thunderlane and Spike felt Fluttershy press up against them as they walked deeper into the forest.
"Are you feeling okay Thunderlane?" she asked in her quiet way.
"Better then before Flutters." Amazingly his injuries hadn't been as bad as everypony had thought, much to Rumble's relief, and after a bit of healing magic Thunder was back on his hooves.
They entered a clearing only to encounter a pack of 20 Timber Wolves, who spotted the ponies and dragon almost immediately.
"Oh boy, 20 wolves, great." Spike said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Come on Spike, 20 aren't a problem." Rainbow said rubbing her hooves together.
30 more came out of the bushes.
"Okay maybe a bit of a problem."
60 more with 4 big ones came out next.
"Can we run now?" Spike asked gripping Thunderlane's mane tight.
"RRRUUUUNNN!!!!" Twilight shouted.
The ponies and dragon took off back the way they with the army of Timber Wolves right behind them. They tore through the brush desperately trying to get some distance from the wolves. The ponies ducked under branches, leaped over bushes, and dodging rocks in their way while Spike held onto Thunderlane for dear life. After running at least a mile they came to a dead end.
"Ah great now what?" Rainbow asked.
"Rainbow, Thunderlane, go get help." Twilight said.
"And leave the rest of you here? No way in bucking Tartarus!" Thunderlane said.
"I'm 100% with Thunder on this, we aren't leaving you here!" Rainbow said landing.
When she landed they heard a creaking sound and the ground under them sunk a slightly. All eight of them had the same thought at the same time;
Oh no
The ground gave out beneath them, revealing it was a very old trapdoor leading into a long abandoned mine. The group landed in a large mine cart and it started to roll forward.
"Pinkie hit the breaks!" Twilight shouted.
She literally did just that, the handle for the brakes broke off, landing in the cart.
"I MEANT GRAB THE HANDLE AND PULL!!!"
The cart picked up speed and raced down the track, the ponies and dragon screaming at the top of their lungs.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHH!!!"
"WWWWWWEEEEEE!!!"
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hive Meeting Chamber
"And those are the two options we have my friends." Dragonfly said to his hive.
The Changelings had gathered to discuss their options, the Timber Wolves and the two Juggernauts had thrown their plans out the door and they now had to make a decision.
The hive was unsure how to proceed, but soon spoke their opinions. Dragonfly nodded in understanding, they would reveal themselves to the Ponies.
"Alright I only hope we don't regret this, now how to deliver this letter?"
Just then they heard what sounded like screaming.
"What the tartarus is that?!" Rhino asked.
"Sounds like it's coming for the tracks." Spotter said.
"Let's move." Dragonfly said running down the hall leading to the tracks, his hive right behind him.
The tracks was a series of mine cart rails that ran all over under the Everfree and even into Ponyville. The hive wasn't sure what they would do with the old track right now so they just left them alone for now. Dragonfly, Seeker, Rhino, Spotter and Darter stepped onto the tracks and faced to the right.
"I hear the screams but I don't see anything." Spotter said leaning forward.
"Sounds like their coming close...er?!" Rhino said as he and the other four Changelings spun around, only for a large mine cart carrying seven ponies and one dragon to crash into them and send them flying into the cart on top of the ponies, then the cart chased against a cart on it's side which fell upside down on top of first cart. The cart sandwich continued down the tracks at full speed.
The rest of the Changelings quickly climbed into three carts (just one Juggernaut would fill a cart) and chased after the first one.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The First Cart
"Okay out of all the things I was expecting today, this isn't one of them."
"WHO'S STANDING ON MY TAIL?!"
"Sorry, Sorry."
"WHO HAS THEIR HOOF ON MY FLANK, THAT'S VERY RUDE?!"
"Sorry, it was an accident I swear".
"AH HA HA HA HA WHO'S HA HA HA TICKLING ME."
"I can't see anything."
"One second let me light my horn."
Seeker did that, to reveal a tangled up mess of Ponies, Changelings and one Dragon. Twilight had a hoof pressed against Rhino's tail, Spotter had his hoof against Rarity's flank, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Thunderlane were in an... awkward position, Spike was pressed against Applejack's soft belly and was trying to move while at the same tickling her. Pinkie was pressed side-to-side against Darter and Dragonfly and Seeker were pressed side-to-side against each other.
"Definitely not on my list today." Dragonfly muttered.
"CHANGL---" Rarity started to scream only for a green colored aura to appear around her mouth, courtesy of Dragonfly.
"Yes Changelings, " His voice laced with sarcasm. "now I'm going to let go of your mouth, and when I do, your not going to burst all our eardrums, okay?"
Rarity nodded and Dragonfly dispelled his magic. He then continued,
"Look, I know our kinds don't have the best relationship right now but you Ponies, and Dragon, should know that neither me nor my hive had anything to do with the invasion."
"How do we know your telling the truth." Rainbow demanded.
"I cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. I would do the motions it my forelegs weren't pinned."
The Ponies and Spike's jaws dropped.
"How do ya know that? Applejack asked with narrowed eyes.
"What? Pinkie here through me a party once when my mother brought me to Ponyville for one of her vacations and I learned it from her Applejack."
"How did ya know ma name?!"
"Does this look familiar?"
Green flame surrounded Dragonfly for a second, when it cleared a Pegasus with a silver coat, red mane and tail, red eyes and a cutie mark of a black dragonfly with red wings sat there.
"Ooh I remember you, I through a birthday party for you a few years ago." Pinkie said.
"Yes, and I know all of your names. Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Thunderlane. The Changeling Hives before the fall kept track of the Elements of Harmony bearers and their close friends."
There was a pause, finally Twilight asked, "So you know our names, could we ask yours?"
Dragonfly changed back.
"Sure, I'm Prince Dragonfly, you can just call me Dragonfly. The Changeling pressed against me is my advisor Seeker, The one who's tail your standing on is Commander Rhino, the one with his hoof on Rarity's flank is Spotter and the one Pinkie is pressed against is Darter."
"I'm so sorry Miss Rarity, I'd move my hoof if I could." Spotter said trying to move said limb.
"I'd hate to break this up but we are currently in a minecart traveling fast and gaining speed so could we wrap this up and get this other cart off so we can stop?!" Rhino said.
The top cart came off as Twilight, Dragonfly and Rhino used their magic to get it off. The lifted cart went crashing down another tunnel.
"Okay somecreature grab the brake and pull." Dragonfly said.
"You mean this brake?" Thunderlane asked holding the broken handle up.
Dragonfly looked at the handle, then double faced hoofed.
"You have got you kidding me."
"Ah guys, you might want to hold on to something." Spotter said.
"Why?" Applejack asked.
Her answer came as the cart started to dip down and slowly but surely began to pick up speed. They entered a large, open chamber with several tracks at various levels. Ahead of them was several loops of track.
"Why would that be even there?!" Twilight shouted.
"I don't know but I can't stand Roller Coasters!" Rarity shouted.
They hit the loops, what followed was a series of screaming, Rainbow shouting "THIS IS AWESOME!!", Pinkie shouting "WWWWWWWWEEEEEEEE THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!!, and Rarity shouting "STOP THE RIDE I WANT TO GET OFF!!"
After the loops Spotter pointed and said, "Broken track ahead!"
"Hit that switch!" Twilight ordered, pointing a track switch.
"ON IT!" Rhino said taking aim and firing a bolt of magic at the switch, setting it to the left tunnel.
"Isn't this the tunnel that leads to Ponyville?" Darter asked.
"Yes it is, looks like we're meeting the Princesses sooner then we thought." Rhino said.
"I just want to add that the rest of our hive is right behind us." Spotter said.
"Twilight, you ready for this?" Dragonfly asked.
"No I'm not."
"Good, because I'm not either. Everycreature hold on!"
"Your mother always said "make an entrance" but I don't think this is what she meant." Seeker said bracing himself.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ponyville
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T FIND THEM?!" Shining Armor shouted at the top of his lungs at a few of the Guards.
"That just it sir, Twilight, her friends and Thunderlane have disappeared. We think they may gone into Everfree forest."
Shining facehoofed, "Twily, that curiosity is going to get you killed one day." He muttered under his breath.
Black Death turned to his squad, who had shown up not to long ago.
"Prepare to move out. We need to find them before the wolves do."
The squad saluted, and then everypony heard a loud "INCOMING!!!"
The cart had shot out of an formerly covered entrance up on the mountain and was currently falling to the ground. It hit on an angle which send it's seven Ponies, one Dragon and, much to the surprise of the Ponies on the ground who dove for cover, five Changelings flying.
Thunderlane at a point suddenly dropped straight down on to his back, Rhino landing on him.
"Sorry Thunderlane."
"It's okay but that was weird."
Just then the rest of Dragonfly's hive showed up with the nymphs flying from the first cart when it stuck something.
"GRAB THE NYMPHS!!!" A Healer shouted flying to grab them followed by the Drones.
Spartan flew off his cart and landed on top of Thunderlane and Rhino. He stood up as the two gasped for air then give him a nasty glare.
"Sorry."
Titan, who being a little heavier, stayed on his cart and turned to catch the nymphs the other Changelings couldn't grab in time. He caught them but didn't notice that he was headed straight towards a house due for demolition, which was where the rest of the first cart's riders, except Spotter and Darter who landed nearby, had landed in. They looked up to see the massive Juggernaut coming towards them, FAST. They screamed.
BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM
Everycreature, Pony and Changeling, winced as the house collapsed.
"Their gotta feel that in the morning." Cloud Chaser said.
"You only want to get hit by a Juggernaut once. Trust me, I found that out the hard way." Rhino said.
"TWILIGHT!!" Shining Armor and Princesses Celestria and Cadance rush to the wreckage. Titan emerged with the nymphs, and somehow a freaked out Fluttershy, atop his head. Rarity, Spike and Pinkie came out a little dizzy, Applejack was rubbing her back, Twilight and Seeker were rubbing their heads and Dragonfly came out looking very dizzy and unsteady. Rainbow shot out of the wreak shouting;
"That was AWESOME!!" She punched Applejack in the shoulder playfully. "Who's up for round two?"
The others just glared at her, she lowered herself to the ground. "Okay I get it." She said holding up her hooves.
Shining, Cadance and Celestria wrapped Twilight up in a three way hug. Shining then grabbed her head and looked her in the eye.
"Twilight Sparkle, What the Buck were you thinking?!"
"Big Bother I..."
"Don't you ever do that to me again!"
He then wrapped her in another hug.
"I'm just so glad your okay."
Cadance joined in on the hug.
Celestria looked over to the Royal and Advisor Changelings. The Royal looked at her.
"Princess Celestria?" He asked.
"Yes." She said in a neutral tone.
"I have a message for you." He said pulling it out and handing it to her.
She took the message in her magic still looking at the Royal.
"Okay now that's been done let's say we take a ten minute break and sort ourselves out." Dragonfly said then passed out with a thud.
"Dragonfly?" Seeker asked shaking his shoulder.
Rhino looked at his Prince for a minute, turned and shouted,
"Darter! get some water!"
Rhino looked over again and turned again.
"Bring the water, the smelling salts everything bring it!"
Rhino looked back then shouted while running,
"Oh crap, GET THE MOON PIES!!!"
"Get the moon pies? Princess Luna asked.
"Their his favorite snack, it was the first treat his father give him." Spotter answered.