When they arrived back at the castle, they had their travel bags packed and on their backs. “Okay, now Princess Celestia said that somepony’s meeting us at the entrance to the Everfree Forest, but who could she might’ve mentioned?” Twilight asked. “Hey! What’s that?!” Pinkie Pie asked excitedly pointing at a wagon that they familiarly knew. “I recognize that wagon. Doesn’t that belong to...?” Spike asked, until they were disturbed by a puff of smoke. “Behold! It is I, the Great and Powerful Trrrixie!” she shouted. “Trixie! You’re here!” Starlight said, as she went to hug her friend. “Yes. Princess Celestia sent me a letter about a rescue mission, I assume?” Trixie said. “It’s gonna sound bad, but it really is,” Starlight said. “Queen Chrysalis and the changelings are back. And they’ve foalnapped Thomas. We need to-“ She was interrupted by Trixie. “THEY TOOK MY DEARLY AND THOUGHTFUL NEPHEW?! How dare they?!”
“Yes!” Twilight said. “But we’re going to get him back, and you’re coming along,” Starlight said. “With you on our team, we can stop the changelings and save both our nephew and all of Equestria before it’s too late!”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie would be honored to join you! Just let me pack a few essentials,” she said, as she trotted inside her wagon to pack her bags, and when she came out, Trixie had some travel gear on her back. “I’m ready,” she said. “Lead the way, Thorax,” Twilight said, and then he led them through a safer part of the forest.
In the Changeling hive, Queen Chrysalis was standing before her army of hungry changelings that were lined up in rows and more rows of drones. She then paced back and forth as an evil grin was formed on her muzzle. Some of the drones fluttered their wings while some stayed on the ground while looking at their queen.
“My beloved changelings, soon we shall have our revenge as we continue to prepare to begin our strike against the Royal Sisters and her humble Elements of Harmony, and then begin our reigning conquest as the true rulers of all of Equestria!” she said. “After we have feasted on the love from our prisoner, we will take complete control of each region of Equestria until Canterlot is left, which will be my new region, and then all of the pitiful ponies will bow before my hooves! Our dream of a brand new changeling empire will soon come to be!” The changeling cheered in agreement. Chrysalis then stopped pacing, and then stood before her minions.
“And now, as promised. Let the feast begin,” she said, as she cackled and lit up her horn and shot many magical beams towards her drones, and then they were enveloped in her magical green aura and we’re now infused with the love from Thomas. Wide grins and snarls and laughs grew from their faces as they buzzed around and hovered into the air.
Chrysalis smiled proudly at her army as they were hovering and buzzing around with new strength and desire to feed on more love. She then crouched and hovered up to speak to them, “Now, my servants. In two days, we shall divide and conquer. And leave no region untouched, until we finally take our rightful place we truly deserve!” she then let out a loud cackle and her drones snickered and cackled with her. “Now, have fun around the hive, while I go check on the prisoner,” she said, and then the drones flew off and spread around the hive while others went into their holes to sleep, and then some went out to stand guard.
Chrysalis then lowered herself to the ground, and stopped fluttering her wings. “Phase two will soon be prepared. Now I must find a way to feed off more of the little one’s love since he is a strong-hearted child. And I know just how to do it,” she said, until she chuckled evilly as she continued to walk back to her throne.
Meanwhile, as they continued their journey, it got late later on, and as they sat by a warm campfire, Fluttershy was still worried about her little colt in the hooves of the changeling queen. “Are you still worried about him?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yes. I know you’re all trying to help keep me calm, but I’m really scared of losing my little colt. I’m the only mother he has,” Fluttershy said. “Hey, try to relax. Princess Luna will be there watching over us on our journey,” Twilight said. Fluttershy nodded, and then she smiled softly, until they put out the fire and then went to their group tent to sleep. When Fluttershy slept, she was sleeping peacefully with Princess Luna’s magic.
“I can’t bear to see Fluttershy’s heart break,” Rarity said. “Yeah, but she’ll come around,” Applejack said. “Let’s give her some time.” The mares nodded in agreement and then went to sleep. Fluttershy looked at Princess Luna’s moon one more time, “Please be okay, Thomas. Momma’s coming.” She then blow-kissed the moon and then went to sleep.
The next morning, they continued their journey to the Changeling Kingdom as Thorax continued to lead the way. “How much farther are we?” Spike asked. “Not far, if I remember, which I do, but it’s been a while after I ran away,” Thorax said.
Fluttershy was still heartbroken about the loss of her son, but her lips were pursued with anger. The others looked at her with concern as she kept looking down in both depression and frustration every time she took a step from each of her hooves. Rarity and Applejack trotted over to her. “Fluttershy darling, do you want to talk to us, or do you still need more time?” Rarity asked, as Applejack placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder.
Fluttershy then stopped and let out a deep sigh, as her eyes kept leaking with wet tears, “I can’t! Just leave me alone!” She trotted upward and then she kept walking. Rarity and Applejack felt worried about her, until Rarity felt her eyes starting to water with tears and wet mascara, “Oh, darling. We do know how much it feels to lose somepony close to you.”
“She’s right, ya know. We all felt the same way when you told us what our sisters told ya,” Applejack said. Rarity suddenly felt something gently clinging her neck, and then saw Fluttershy hugging her tightly, sobbing into her chest as she sat down on her haunches. “I know you do. It’s just too hard for me,” Fluttershy said, as she shook, and then Rarity gently wrapped her foreleg around her friend’s head and gently patted her soft mane. Fluttershy looked up at Rarity in the face. “I’m sorry, girls. I’m not mad at all of you. I’m just so worried about my precious... baby boy,” she said while whimpering. “OH, THOMAS!” She then cried into the white unicorn’s chest.
Rarity then embraced her friend’s head closer to her chest and then rubbed up and down on her back with her other hoof, “Shhhhhh shhhhhh... There, there, darling. You don’t need to apologize for being upset. We’re glad you took some time to talk to us,” Rarity said. “And I understand that you’re worried and upset about our darling little nephew, who is also your precious son, Fluttershy. We all are.” She then wiped Fluttershy’s tears with her hoof. “I know we said this already, but we’ll get the little feller back!” Applejack said. “If he’s still alive,” Rarity said.
The others, except Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax who looked through the map, trotted up to the three mares, and got into a group hug. “Yes, we will!” Fluttershy said. “Hey! Is that the place up ahead?! Because I thought it’d be kinda scary looking!” Rainbow Dash said, as she pointed to the Changeling hive up ahead. They all looked and saw it from afar. “Oh, my goodness!” Rarity said.
“I thought I’d be happy to never see this place again,” Thorax said. “That’s a lot of changelings to live in one big hive,” Twilight said. Starlight then walked over towards the edge, and tried to use her aura, but suddenly it faded away in a flash. “I think Thorax was right. This place is magic proof. Now we can’t use magic against her,” Starlight said. “Now, what do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Umm... panic?” Fluttershy said. “Do you wanna save your kid or not?!” Rainbow Dash asked. “Leave her alone, Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy’s in a really bad place! So I think we should all go in together, unless... Oh! Right! Thomas’s invisibility cloak!” Rarity said, as she took out the cloak and expanded it into group size, and then they got underneath the cloak. When they were ready, they went on ahead.