Infiltrator 900 resisted the urge to pace around the throne room as he waited for the Queen to rise from her slumber.
The changeling ruler had been sleeping quite a lot during these past couple of months, delving more and more deeper into the Hivemind to make sure every Convert-to-be was under her complete and utter control.
That understandably took a lot out of the Queen's mental energy, causing this constant state of Slumber.
But while that helped in making sure her sanity did not get any lower than where it had been since the invasion, it made her physical body very vulnerable to a simple knife stab.
All it took was a poke on the right artery and she'd be dead without even a fight.
He would've normally order a few soldiers to guard the Queen, since despite his role he was her right hoof, but the 50 guards left that weren't chosen for the rebirth that went along with the conversion were occupied on making sure the pods were safe and free from damage.
Meaning not only was he to help oversee the entire operation, he was also to guard the Queen.
This stress only wanted him to pace more.
" Infiltrator... 900?" He snapped to attention at the yawning acknowledgment.
His Queen shakily stood up from her position on the throne, having laid on her belly for more on convenience than comfort. This only made him worry more since her body barely moved the last couple months.
" Yes, Your Grace. Permission to report." He saluted.
Chrysalis let out an annoyed snort, probably at having to wake up.
" You could not do this in the hivemind?" She drawled.
" I could not afford to break your concentration, your grace."
She smirked. " A wise decision. Very well. Permission granted."
" All pods are healthy and expected to hatch in the next couple of days. But due to the hardwork of the harvesters, that due date has been cut short to tomorrow evening." 900 recited.
Chrysalis' eyes snapped open. " Indeed? What caused this pleasant surprise?" She said almost giddily.
900 tried to ignore this behaviour. " They came back with thrice the amount of ponies than they usually brought because of Captain Shining Armor's absence in the field. He was last seen heading into the EverFree forest in search of our Hive."
Chrysalis cackled, the sound echoing eerily against the huge chamber. " Foolish little Captain. Our Hive is meant for a desolate but safe desert where we are the threat, not a lush forest with mysterious magic and competition on the food chain." She grinned, before looking back at her Right Hoof Ling.
" Anything else?"
900 shook his head. " Nothing else pertaining to the operation and the Ponies' Awareness. We are ready to attack by tomorrow's nightfall."
Chrysalis opened her wings suddenly, looking like she was making herself look larger than normal for dominance. Now that 900 thought about it, it was similar to what was that... meme that the youth of the ponies also joke around to be of Asserting Dominance, the T-pose or something like that.
" Wonderful. All is according to plan. We will have Equestria in our hooves by tomorrow night." She said in an almost majestic way before the image shattered at her giggling maniacally.
" And I'll finally have my revenge!" She snickered.
900 gulped silently as he watched the Queen laugh to herself and mumble incoherent words for a solid 30 seconds before she looked at him.
" You are dismissed." She said before reverting back to the disturbing behaviour.
900 bowed and left the room greatly concerned about his Queen's mental state than he was when he returned from routine check.
Now that the deadline was near he doubted she'd sleep again, and that giggling thing only confirmed that.
He wanted to sigh.
He hoped their victory would return her sanity.
----------------
" Any sightings? News? Disturbances related to the Assassin?" Shining Armor asked tiredly, exhaling through his nose.
He still couldn't believe that the thing escaped as soon as he left the room. While he was a bit suspicious of Princess Luna, he immediately shot it down to just the Princess wanting to save face, since Equestria was known for it's reluctance and complete avoidance of torture and violence to prisoners. After all he figured she'd have a bit of a grudge against the changelings too, considering her sister was defeated by their Queen. He doubted anyone would willingly help the monsters.
But why did the thing just had to escape after THAT incident? He was sure that now it won't delay it's mission to assassinate his wife with what he did.
It deserved it though. In fact it wasn't even enough compared to the nightmare he'd been through. That busted eye didn't even come close to him almost losing his wife, family, friends, and even Equestria to the monsters.
The only thing that made him regret picking up that knife was the monsters making him go down to their level. That thing was uncooperative, and the stress that it added to the already thin patience brought about by the now thousands of missing ponies and his sister's kidnapping forced him to commit violence.It wasn't his fault. The thing was asking, nay, begging to be beaten up.
His conscience wasn't eaten because of guilt at hurting a living creature, it was being eaten because he had to sully his hooves to get a taste of what it was like when he would finally have his revenge.
He has to admit it felt good, after the initial shock, to be the cause of a changeling's pain.
He did promise to make them feel what he felt.
Stormy shook his head. " No reports of anything involving the changeling. But I have a feeling it's still here in Canterlot."
Shining grunted. " Me too. I know it's going to try and kill Cadence again."
" Yep.." Stormy cleared his throat. " ...especially after what I heard you did."
" It deserved it. In fact, it wasn't even enough." Shining Armor said coldly.
" Dude, that's harsh. Just don't explode next time alright? We need that thing in one piece if we're going to find out where it's hive is." Stormy ruffled his wings. Shining hated changelings this much?
" Oh, I'm sure it just needs a mouth to talk." Shining blurted out before he could stop himself.
Stormy was frozen after hearing that comment from him, his eyes wide open. He did not just hear that from the Gentle, Loving Captain of the guards, right?
He visibly took a step back. " Oh ho ho ho, hey now. Don't go too far there, Captain." He gulped audibly. " An-Anyways, back to the thing, I heard Princess Luna healed it before it escaped."
Shining was a bit glad at the topic change. " I heard about that as well. But I still don't believe that after that, Princess Luna even sealed the cell with magic, mind you, it just disappeared."
The varying reports from different guards gave him a headache trying to figure out the real deal and the exaggerations.
" What went into your mind to station Newbies down there anyway?" Stormy asked.
Shining shrugged. " They were the closest to where we caught the thing, and I was still panicking over what it did to my wife. Can you blame me?"
Stormy chuckled quietly, still not letting go of THAT statement. " No, I'd be panicking too if I was in your position. But speaking of Cadence, did she notice anything unusual lately? Said anything about the feeling of being watched? You said it yourself the thing would definitely target your wife."
Shining nodded. " Yes, that's why I'm here in Canterlot and my boys are headed to the Badlands as we speak. She's with Princess Celestia in her office discussing something important to her assignment, before you ask why I'm not by her side. She had said she always would feel someone breathing down her neck or right behind her, following her everywhere."
Stormy whistled. " That's creepy. And my job's being a stalker in a sense, so that's saying something."
" Yeah, so after her discussion with the Princess I'm going to be her temporary guard replacing the actual ones until we catch the thing. And I'm making sure it won't escape again" Shining said.
Maybe I won't go for the eye this time.
Without a horn it can't cast magic and transform, right?
---------------
Infiltrator 900 gazed at the humongous glob of pulsating gel, feeling admiration and disgust at the same time.
A web of slime veins that covered every surface imaginable were connected to the Glob, siphoning love before exiting out tiny tunnels to distribute the emotion for the thousands of pods that needed sustenance.
It reminded him of a Heart, albeit a bigger, greener, grosser version of one.
He looked beside the repulsive mass of moving changeling saliva and instead observed the day's haul of Ponies.
3 soldiers were prodding a group of 12 unicorns, probably from Manehatten, their horns cut, closer to the thing.
900 watched as a soldier flew over to the Heart and tapped it's gelatinous surface thrice, instantly causing the gel organ to turn transparent, revealing the actual horror inside.
The other half of whatever amount of ponies collected lay dead in the Heart, empty husks sucked dry of all emotions. The earliest ones, at the very center, were nothing but bones, their organic material also absorbed.
The ponies screamed and started to panic, running around and even trying to fight the 3 soldiers.
The soldiers let them run around for a bit, before taking to the air and started picking off of the scattered group.
One by one the ponies' numbers dwindled as each catch was flown above the Heart and dropped, where the massive organ would immediately engulf them for their emotions.
In no less than 5 minutes all 12 ponies lie in the Heart, some unconscious, some still struggling to fight against the gel for freedom and breath.
But 900 knew it was futile. The Heart was made of the stickiest gel the farmers could grow, and it was semi-sentient as well.
Knowing just enough to know that all prey must be drained of all emotion before absorption of organic material.
Love must be acquired fresh.
The soldier who activated the Heart flew close once more, tapping it twice. The Heart lost it's transparency and the horror was once again concealed under a veil of dark green gel.
The three soldiers went back to the hole from which they came, and 900 was the only ling left in the Heart Chamber, still in the same position from when he came in and laid eyes on the monstrosity.
He couldn't help but give an involuntary shudder as he silently turned and backtracked, leaving the Heart alone to do it's thing.
Ever pulsating, ever absorbing.
-----------
"......Ponyville is evacuated safely to the Hive, everybody is still preparing for the battle to come, and everyone was given a role, the code, and that's all there is to know for now." Summer yawned as she finished her report after a quick tune in the bustling Hivemind. Everyling was scampering around reading everything they could get their hooves on, both from her Mom's knowledge to the Other Hivelings'.
It was like a very educational feeding frenzy for her siblings.
" You still remember the code, right?" She added.
They all figured that if it was going to be a battle between shapeshifters, there was going to be a lot of impersonating while magic, metal, fire and fangs clashed. They needed something subtle and can quickly be passed through communication not involving intonation and obvious body language. Something fast, and that the Other Hive Changelings couldn't copy even when they see it.
Luna, Celestia and Cadence, who was filled in of course, all blinked the word 'HI' in morse code that was way too fast to be even be thought to be other than just someone blinking rapidly to clear their eye.
" What code?" Luna said innocently.
Summer sent her some finger guns, shifting her hooves for effect with a grin. " Ey! They get it!"
" So when the battle comes we have to constantly check on who we're fighting with the code, right?" Cadence clarified.
" Yep! Even us, connected to a Hivemind where we can easily just ask without speaking. But from what we've experimented on, when one accesses the Hivemind they always either stop and stare into space or have a hard time focusing on both sides, which is a weakness during a battle where you're filled with adrenaline and under the threat of death. The code is much easier, and we have plenty of backup ones in case they catch up on it." Summer explained.
" You reported that Ponyville is evacuated?" Celestia asked.
" Yep again! It's empty, even!" Summer grinned.
" How come we haven't heard from Shining Armor's patrol then? An empty Ponyville would raise alarm." Luna pointed out.
Summer's grin widened. " Because we replaced the entire squad! Same with the ones heading for the Other Hive. They're all in the Guest Cave."
" They...aren't hurt, are they?" Cadence asked hesitantly.
" Not a scratch! In fact, the Ponies of Ponyville are probably explaining the entire thing to the poor guards. Maybe once the attack started they'd join in, too!"
" Everyone fights? What about the hive? Twilight's nymphs and eggs?" Cadence asked again.
Summer chuckled. " Didn't I say everyone has a role? Well, The Thestrals, All able-bodied Lings, The Elements and Mom fight, the Ponies of Ponyville protect the Hive, and the Foals...." She grinned excitedly.
" You're involving the little ones?!" Celestia said in alarm.
The excitement was not lost. " YEP! The little ones are going to be on field as well, as Medics! They take the wounded ones and bring them to the Bases around Canterlot that we planned on. They're small, and hardly noticeable. They're perfect!"
" But they're too young! What if they are used as hostage or get caught in the crossfire?" The Sun princess tried again.
" Oh, don't worry about it. They go by teams of four, a changeling, an earthpony, a unicorn and a pegasus. Earth Pony would bring the wagon for the wounded, pegasus would watch the sky, Changeling and unicorn protect the back and front. Perfect, as I've said. They have Uncle Spike watching over them specifically too, since he's joining the fight as well. And besides-"
She made her eyebrows go up and down.
" It's better to give them a job than to have them sneak out of the Hive and join in unannounced, right?"
Celestia sighed. Luna smiled. Cadence had a thoughtful frown on her face, still mulling over information. Her eyes washed over Summer's blue eye and scarred face.
Oh Shiny....
" Do they at least know the code?" Celestia almost pleaded. Despite what Twilight, when she was young, and her first clutch proved of the capability of foals, they were still foals.
Her motherly nature was screaming at her.
To her relief Summer nodded. " Of course! It would be dumb to let them in on the Secret and only expose a part of it. Ya know, that thing were the more you try to avoid it the more it happens? Better just welcome it with open arms!"
" Thank the stars...." Celestia muttered.
" So, what will your plan be, Auntie Sunny?" Summer inquired, her report and QnA portion done. Princess Celestia blinked, surprised a bit that she was now answering questions instead of asking.
" For the attack? I would rally the Guard, of course. Shining Armor and his troop would jump at a chance to battle them, I bet." She said.
Summer smiled. " Great! It's all going according to Mom's plan then."
" Plan?" Cadence tilted her head.
" Remember how Mom wanted to change the Changelings' image? Well, this battle will make it very clear the the Amethyst Hive is against the Badlands Hive. We all agreed to always be lavender in whatever we shapeshifted into, even. It would also be a perfect slap to Uncle Armor." She rubbed her hooves evilly, before giving Cadence and apologetic look.
" Sorry, but it's better that Mom's revenge would be Shining Armor's own self-realization, than another wedding crash, right?"
Cadence chuckled bitterly. " I can't disagree with you there, but I don't like it that you're going to all this trouble keeping Shiny out of this. It would've been easier if he knew."
Luna shook her head. " Maybe, but not likely. If we revealed Twilight's Hive too early he would be an interference to the Hive's growth. He would be all over Twilight, and Dear Lord I don't even dare think what he'll come up to explain changeling culture."
" Also because to a Soldier, and the rest of Canterlot snobs," Summer snickered, " the best proof to show we're different is when they actually were there, and we're fighting on their side. There's no greater proof out there when it's literally happening around them."
" And after the Attack, ponies will be unable to deny the fact that the Amethyst Hive fought against the invading one." Celestia added.
Summer frowned a bit. " That's what I said."
Cadence sighed. Her husband was a sweet stallion, but she never thought he would be this... difficult to handle. Her own grudge against Changelings were now placed on the Badlands Hive alone courtesy of her enlightenment on the Secret, but even without it she had a feeling she'll accept Twilight's Hive after a thorough explanation.
Shining though.....
Luna, Celestia, and Summer looked at each other. They were starting to think that the way Shining Armor was behaving was putting doubts in Cadence's head.
Summer chuckled nervously as she trotted over to her aunt and put a hoof on her back.
" Hey now, I know Uncle Armor's acting like a piece of crap, but that's not who he is... I hope... That's why we're going to make him realize and see for himself his mistake! Think of it like, uh, a self-therapy session. He'll be fine." She, for the first time, forced a grin.
Cadence did not need to be a changeling to know Summer was doubting her own words.
--------------
Soldier 682 flew as quietly as he could in the deepest tunnels of the Hive, careful not to disturb the earliest pods.
He couldn't help but feel shivers travel up his spine upon seeing the almost complete Converts floating in green gel, eyes closed and hardly breathing. They looked very much like preserved dead bodies.
682 grunted as he shook his head to rid of the thoughts. He was a Soldier for Chrysalis' Sake! And Pods were normal even before this operation, so why did he feel fear just by passing through them?
It wasn't like they would just rise out and start to chase him, hungrily draining his love-
Dear God he should've had his memory erased of that particular incident.
" 682?"
He sharply turned his head to the sound, body tense, but relaxed when he saw who it was.
He flew over and landed softly, careful not to make a sound.
" You almost scared the love out of me, 576." He deadpanned.
Caretaker 576 giggled. " Wouldn't want that now, do we?"
" No. We don't." 682 chuckled. With all the love going in to the thousands upon thousands of Converts, it had been a bit of a hard time for the 150 remaining pure-bloods who weren't chosen for rebirth.
" At least we won't be required to join the Conquest." 576 grinned.
" Yeah, what a mercy. Do you have the goods?" 682 suddenly asked.
576 nodded and opened his backplates, levitating 5 glowing, billiard-ball sized pink orbs. He handed it to the Soldier, who immediately grabbed one and stuck a fang into it.
Instantly the liquid flowed out, into his dry mouth and soon leaving an empty glass orb.
He shuddered with delight.
" Oh thank the first mother. It's been a long time since I ate that much love."
576 smiled. " I know. Now where's my bits?"
A bag of the said item almost hit him in the face, but he caught it just in time.
" There. Why would you need bits, anyway?" 682 grunted.
576 almost squeed as he felt the bag around with excited hooves. " I'm ditchin' this hive after they go to Canterlot! Be my own ling, start a family ya know? I'm tired of just following orders around."
682 frowned. " You want to have somepony? That's possible?"
576 nodded. " I have a clutchmate who did the same. Has a wife and two half-breeds now. And his family knows he's a ling too, but he's still loved. I want that, someone to love who actually loves me back."
" Pfft. Alrighty. Have your own way." 682 snorted at the idea. Ponies accepting changelings? Ha.
576 looked offended. " Hey, I didn't tell you this to get judged."
682 rolled his eyes. " Whatever. Now excuse me, this never happened."
He got up, but didn't notice a Love Orb in his magical grip embed itself in a nearby pod.
The orb immediately glowed as the pod absorbed the love inside, the light causing both changelings to freeze.
They watched in horror as it sank deeper into the gel.
" Shit-Shit-Shit get it out!" 576 panicked, buzzing his wings like he wanted to both fly away and help.
682 was already trying to pull it out. He was grunting in frustration, The orb refusing to acknowledge his effort.
" I'm trying! Shit if they notice this Love Orb container-!"
He immediately stopped talking when the pony inside moved. First a tail twitch, then a shiver, then an arm looking like it wanted to reach out for something.
It's chest suddenly rose, like he was inhaling air for the first time in his life.
Both changelings' gazes drifted up the pod, and almost screamed.
The Convert's eyes opened.
It started to kick and trash around, making them both back away.
" Fuck! I thought they were supposed to wake up tomorrow night!" 576 pointed out in fear.
" The Love Orb must've boosted it! It's one of the earliest batch!" 682 screamed back.
Dear God what would happen to them if Chrysalis knew?! Would she kill them, or maybe even chuck them into the Heart?!
The Convert broke out of the pod and landed with a thud on the floor, The gel cushioning it's fall. It instantly stood up, blue eyes freezing when it settled on the two drones.
It was tense silence before the Convert screamed.
" CHANGELINGS!" He yelled, startling the souls of everyling near the area.
He scrambled in the slime, trying to get up, before running to where 682 came, legs wobbling from not being used in months.
682 snapped out of his irrational fear.
" Catch it! The Queen might forgive us if we caught a non-brainwashed Convert!"
He slapped 576's shoulder as a signal for him to follow before he too ran, depositing the three remaining love orbs into his backplate.
576 blinked and shook his head. " Nah! I'm outta here!" He put his own bag of bits into his backplate before flying the opposite direction, overcome with fear.
----------
Infiltrator 900 froze when he felt a sudden shift in the Hivemind, a feeling he was all too familiar with during his long life.
A Convert has awoken, and it was panicking.
This early? What happened? Why is it scared? His Grace's spell would've made it a mindslave the moment it broke out of it's pod, programmed to just stand there until order was given.
He shook his head from his surprise and focused. Whatever was happening, it was his job to figure it out. And to do that he needed to catch that Convert.
----------
682 snapped at the Convert's tail, who was surprisingly fast despite it just waking up. It was screaming as it ran from him, like it was in pain.
It would've been hilarious if he wasn't the one chasing it.
" HELP! SOMEPONY HELP ME!" It shouted as it rounded a corner.
682 followed, but almost stopped when he picked up a familiar beat.
He examined the hallway they were running through, and it was the very same that led to the Heart.
Shit! If this guy did something to it then it would be his fault!
" STOP! CONVERT!" He yelled.
----------
Infiltrator 900 skidded to a stop, avoiding just running off the tunnel and falling straight into the Heart below.
This was where the Convert was headed, now where was it?
His eyes immediately spotted the 3 soldiers who had fed the Heart again, indicated by it being transparent once more. It looked like they were just about to deactivate the Feeding process when a very girlish scream made them all freeze in place.
A Convert drone ran out of the tunnel the 3 soldiers came from with a Changeling tailing it, being absolutely hysterical.
And it was headed straight through the Heart.
--------------
Shit! The Heart!
" STOP!" 682 screamed in desperation. They have never tested feeding the Heart something other than ponies. God knows what Chrysalis would do to him if the result would pose a threat to the Operation.
It was feeding time too, his three siblings in the air covering their ears from the Convert's scream, who seemed like it didn't even noticed the Heart.
" STOP HIM!" He practically ordered.
But his siblings paid no mind, still writhing in pain from the unexpected ear-drum killer.
Before he knew it the Convert's scream was cut so suddenly, indicating he had dived right into the Heart's hungry gel.
And what followed next threw everyone near the heart against the walls.
------------
Infiltrator 900 yelped in pain as the love-shock wave hit him square in the chest, reminding him of the one in Canterlot.
Luckily it was a less agonizing version, and he was able to get up as quickly as he was thrown away.
What had happened?! One second the Convert was screaming, next it hit the Heart and the organ threw out a shockwave.
Infiltrator 900 wasted no time flying down to the four soldiers, who were also wondering what in Tartarus was happening.
" What is the meaning of this?!" He yelled angrily.
All four soldiers bowed stiffly at his presence, including the one that had followed the Convert. He must have had something to do with this.
He landed, then glared at them.
" Who is responsible for that Convert? Lying will get you nowhere."
No answer.
He snorted. " As the Queen's Right Hoof I demand the guilty soldier step forward!" The order instantly made the right stallion do as he commanded against his own will, his instincts compelling him to follow higher authority.
900 scowled at the perpetrator. " Number. Explain."
The soldier's lips appeared to move on their own judging from the scared look from his eyes.
" 682. A Love Orb I obtained from Caretaker 576 submerged itself in the Convert's pod, boosting it earlier than expected."
900 frowned at this. Perhaps the Pod was from an earlier batch?
< Infiltrator 900! The First Batch are all waking up! What happened to the Heart?! >
He flinched at the voice, but didn't have time to recover as another voice followed.
< Some of the Second Batch too! What is happening!?>
Voice after voice hit the Infiltrator, causing confusion to the soldiers watching him cringe in pain.
" Enough!" He yelled both in the Hivemind and outside, startling everyling to silence.
So the Convert carried enough love to finish the first batch's conversion, and some of the Second too, huh?
He looked at the guilty ling, a plan to explain everything forming in his mind.
He looked at the three Soldiers.
" Feed him to the Heart."
682 immediately backed away in shock. " WAIT! WHA-!"
The first soldier tried to grab hold of his arm, but 682 threw out a desperate punch before running away.
This was for naught as the other two just grabbed him together before flying over to the Organ and chucking him in.
" NO-!"
With a disgusting 'splotch' sound, 682 was engulfed in slime, and the absorption was instantaneous as another, albeit much smaller shockwave occurred, proving 900's guess.
Throwing a Convert or Changeling into the Heart would cause a significant boost enough to finish a whole Batch, due to the gathered love in their bodies that are either unused or stockpiled. For the Converts, their entire form is made of love, as evidence by the pony turning back to normal after being inside. For the Changeling, years of collected love flow through their veins, just waiting to be siphoned out.
< The Third to Fourth Batches are awakening as well!>
That does it then.
" If I may ask, what is happening sire?" The first soldier asked while rubbing a sore jaw.
900 sighed. " Well, the Conquest might happen earlier than expected."
The soldier blinked. " Wha-? How? When?"
" Tonight, I'm afraid."
-------------
Princess Celestia sighed as she watched the Sun almost touch the horizon.
It won't be long before she had to lower it to make way for the moon.
The day had been uneventful, especially after that Secret Meeting with her sister and her two nieces. The day went on as it normally would, being painfully dull despite Summer's presence in her office during paperwork hours and Shining Armor's paranoia induced Patrols around the Castle grounds.
At least it had a little difference.
" Banana?"
Celestia blinked as the fruit in question suddenly invaded her vision, wrapped in lavender magic.
She looked at Summer with an eyebrow raised.
" You look hungry." She said simply.
Understanding, Celestia chuckled as her golden magic replaced the lavender of it's grasp upon the yellow fruit, peeling it before she took a small bite.
The sweet taste filled her mouth, and she gave the young changeling a thankful nod.
Summer grinned, blue eye sparkling as always. " You're welcome! Knew a little snack would cheer you up just a bit. Speaking of that, what's making you frown, Auntie Sunny?" She asked with a head tilt.
Celestia finished the banana, teleporting it's skin to the trash can, before answering. " Just the upcoming attack, dear niece. Just because we know it's approaching does not exactly mean we should lower our guard."
" What if you knew the exact date? Would you be less worried?"
Celestia fluttered her wings. " That would be worse. Because we would have to avoid giving any hints that we know, preparation or otherwise, for it would cause the enemy to change dates."
Summer clicked her tongue. " So either way you're worried because you can't prepare?"
Celestia nodded. " Exactly. In fact the only reason I am slightly less worried is because while I can't prepare, you can. We have the Element of Surprise on our side."
" Pinkie Pie? Oh wait, she's the Element of Laughter." Summer waited expectantly, and got her response via a small smile on her Aunt's muzzle.
" Yay! I got her to smile!" She clapped her hooves. " Don't worry anymore about the attack, Auntie Sunny. Despite their numbers, Brain always wins against Brawn."
Celestia just kept smiling. " Thank you, Summer."
The changeling shrugged. " It's my job. I'm the only person in this palace that's not emotional. Someone's got to be the Punching Bag or Pillow, ya know?"
" Are you sure that's your true reason for your shenanigans other than it's entertaining?" Princess Celestia grinned.
Summer returned the gesture. " That too. Besides, it's hard not to laugh whenever I get Aunt Luna angry. She knows a lot of old-timey curses that are very funny to hear."
The Sun Princess giggled. " That's my sister alright."
Summer smiled after seeing that. " And THAT, means my job here is done. I got ya out of your reverie with food, I made you chuckle, grin, smile, and giggle. You're clear to rest now, Auntie!" She hugged the alicorn, who was a bit startled at the declaration, but then returned it after understanding.
" You always know what to say." She said.
Summer broke the hug. " Of course! What kind of niece would I be?"
She then started to push the elder mare out of the office.
" Now set the Sun and go to bed! We can't have you tired with the attack oncoming yeah? I still have to go make sure Aunt Cadence had a stalker. Gotta keep Uncle Shining grounded!"
Celestia laughed at Summer's tiny frame pushing against her own. She complied to the order, walking out of the office and to the hallway.
" Alright, Alright warden!" She teased.
Since the day Summer came, no day in the palace ended without either laughs or cries of anguish.
She was a very weird changeling.
--------
Princess Cadence stared at the statue in the fountain, trying her hardest not to laugh out loud.
Perched on the statue's horn was a gray butterfly, perfectly hidden in the dim light of the rising moon.
The lights of the Castle didn't reach this part of the garden too, which just made it the best hiding spot.
She never thought she'd say this, but Summer had to be her favorite stalker.
She made sure Cadence would know where she was, making it painfully obvious sometimes, just to make her laugh or chuckle when others wouldn't even bat an eye at her presence.
" Why are we even here, Cady? It's very dark, the assassin could be anywhere."
Cadence almost nodded. He couldn't be more right, she thought as she smiled at the butterfly.
" I just wanted to take a stroll, Shiny. I have been cooped up in the hotel for months." She reasoned to her stallion.
Shining Armor grunted. " I understand, but there's an assassin out here! You would be safer inside, and you could stroll there! The hallways are long enough, the windows give beautiful views of the city."
" Are you saying you won't be able to protect me?" She asked playfully.
" No, I'm saying I want not to have a reason to protect you at all! It's better that you're safe and without a monster following you around." Shining mumbled.
Cadence sighed softly as she stopped and looked at her stallion.
" I'll be fine, dear. The assassin won't get me this time." She said with a soft smile.
Shining narrowed his eyes. " What makes you say that?"
She lightly slapped his shoulder. " Because you're here, dummy."
She expected Shining Armor to lighten up after that sentence, because it was cheesy but true. But all she got was him looking quite offended.
" So you're saying it's my fault?!" He asked with his tone an octave higher.
Cadence almost jumped and backed away.
" Wh-What?"
" That the assassin got to you? It's my fault now, huh?!" Shining angrily stomped his hoof.
Cadence frowned. " Dear, that's not what I was saying!"
" Good! For a second there I thought you sided THEM!" He practically roared.
" What?! Who? Shiny, are you alright?" The poor alicorn hesitantly asked. She wasn't expecting for this conversation to stray very far from where she wanted it to go.
She wanted to ease her husband's worries with a few light teases, ease his heart and then lead him back into the Castle for dinner.
But she didn't expect for him to blow up out of nowhere.
" Tch. Never...Nevermind. I'm just...worried." He mumbled, deflating a bit.
Cadence gulped and tentatively placed a wing across his back.
" I'm sorry.... I'm just stressed, ya know? With this Assassin gallavanting around, Twily and those thousands of ponies still missing.... All because of THEM." He growled.
Cadence wanted to assume the 'Them' were the Badlands Hive, but deep inside she knew that wasn't the case. It was ALL the changelings.
His heart and mind were so clouded with anger that Cadence could not deny anymore that Twilight's plan was the only thing that would change his opinion of the other changelings.
Seeing the evidence for himself would be the only hope she would have to getting her husband back from hate.
" We'll find them soon. I just know it." She said confidently, having knowing the truth.
" Oh, I'll make sure of that, I promise." He snorted.
Cadence flinched when he slapped her wing away from his back and straightened his posture, looking at the moon, which had risen a bit since she saw it.
" It's getting late. Let's head back." He practically ordered.
She sighed as she allowed herself to be escorted out of the garden, but not before looking back at the statue in the fountain.
She widened her eyes.
Summer was not there.
" Shining...." She said carefully, voice laced with a bit of fear, hoping her suspicions were incorrect.
Twilight said the attack would still be days away, right?
The stallion raised an eyebrow as he turned around.
" What is it?" He asked, voice a mix of concern and annoyance.
She was about to answer when suddenly two lavender paws wrapped around her waist and lifted her up in the air, eliciting a curse word from Shining Armor as she was brought higher and higher up in the air.
She started to struggle, even lighting up her horn when a very familiar voice stopped her attempts to break free.
" LOOK DOWN!"
Cadence instead looked the opposite way to confirm that it was indeed Summer, shifted in the form of a lavender Jaquin from those old stories she would read to Twilight every night. Her blue and purple eyes remained as stubbornly as her cutiemark during shifts.
" LOOK DOWN DAMN IT!"
Cadence finally complied and wished she didn't.
Canterlot was ablaze in green flames, smoke rising to reach even their height in the sky. Screams echoed from below as black figures flitted about the city, abundant in numbers and carpeting the capital.
Magical explosions occured every now and then, and were the reason for her snapping out of her frightened trance.
" I-I THOUGHT THEY WOULD ATTACK A COUPLE OF DAYS FROM NOW?!" She managed.
Summer's chest vibrated with excited laughter.
" APPARENTLY THEY HAD A BOOST OF SOME KIND, SO NOW IT'S HERE!"
" DID YOU-"
" ALREADY DID! THEY'RE COMING, AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET THEM. GET READY FOR THE FIGHT OF YOUR LIFE, AUNT CADENCE!"
Summer sped up her flight towards Ponyville, and Cadence could see lights of teleportation spells happening in the EverFree.
" LET'S BUCKLE INTO IT!"