“Hmm… I’m thinking the Changling Hive, the audience wanted that one the most,” Spike said.
“I’m still getting used to you being able to see them,” Discord said.
“Well get used to it, we’re going to be seeing a lot of that from here on out,” Spike said before snapping his fingers and teleporting.
Only to end up on the peak of an upsidedown mountain.
“Huh? Didn’t I aim for the Changling Hive?” Spike said confusedly.
“You're forgetting Spike, this world is consumed in absolute Chaos, the landscape has changed,” Discord said.
“Then how do we get there?” Spike complained.
“I don’t know, this is chaos beyond me,” Discord said before going into thought. “Although, if we can find a way to trace the hives signature we can attune it to us and locate it… problem is we need a Changling for that,” Discord said.
“Isn’t chaos meant to break the rules?” Spike complained.
“Even chaos magic has rules Spike, no changing that,” Discord said.
“Great! Where do we find a Changling….” Spike said trying to think if there were any Changlings left near the school, but as far as he’s concerned many of them have yet to integrate out of the hive.
“Hmm if only there were more that lived in…town…wait… I GOT IT!” Spike said.
“Spike, I can read your mind, You're not seriously thinking of going back to Ponyville are you? If Chaos sees us the whole operation is kaput,” Discord said warningly.
“There’s a Changling that lives there though, if they never left since Cranky’s wedding, then we have our source!” Spike said.
“That’s literally a one out of a million chance, what if they left at some point, or during the attempted takeover by Chrysalis?” Discord said.
“Well, do you have any better ideas?” Spike said knowing he doesn’t.
“Oh… fine! But if everything gets botched it’s on you,” Discord said.
“Alright,” Spike said flying off towards the direction of Ponyville at the speed of Rainbow Dash and leaving a plaid contrail.
“Alright, we need a plan to avoid being detected by Chaos,” Spike said.
“I could make a cursory scan of Ponyville to detect any Changlings, I am a spirit now so I shouldn’t emit enough chaos magic to be detected, but there is a risk that Chaos will sense something is amiss if he senses an outside chaos signature such as yourself so close, we need to keep hidden,” Discord said.
“Got it,” Spike said as Ponyville soon appeared over the crest of some trees and he got behind a giant rock.
“Ok Discord, get searching,” Spike said.
“Ok,” Discord said before flying into town.
“Ok, it’ll be okay… please work,” Spike said keeping an eye peeled for Chaos.
Discord floated through the distorted town, he looked to see multiple objects with pony legs walking around and in random directions.
“Ok, if I were a lingering Changling, where would I hide?” Discord said before flying around and through multiple walls, seeing various sights.
“Let’s see a room smothered in honey, nope, a room with ponies that have random animal heads… nope,” Discord mumbled as he floated through each wall of each building.
Discord then poked his head in the Mayor's office but hurriedly pulled it out “Gonna pretend I didn’t see that,” Discord said leaving.
Spike teleported from one cover to another, one boulder he was behind turned out to be a giant snail that immediately started singing something called the star-spangled banner, what luck.
Spike hid in a tree and poked his head out.
“No sign of Chaos,” Spike muttered.
As Spike made his way to another cover he felt a change in the atmosphere of the area.
“Is it him?” Spike asked before seeing a light in the forest, Spike knew he shouldn’t but something in him urged him to investigate, making himself invisible he snuck into the multicolored bushes and approached the light.
And he saw a strange sight indeed.
Strange hybrid animals seemed to be guarding a giant pink sphere with a butterfly on it.
“Is that where Fluttershy is?” Spike asked.
He saw a flamingo with a snake neck and head, a bear with rabbit legs, and even a giant flying fish.
They all had this zombie look in their eyes, which can only mean Chaos is having them guard it.
Then Spike heard a noise and he looked up and saw Chaos descending, he eep’ed and hid quickly.
Peeking out he saw Chaos hovering around Fluttershy’s prison.
“Be unkind… hate everyone… when you get blocked show them you rock…try being mean for a change…” Chaos muttered as he hovered around the sphere.
“He’s trying to convince her to give up on kindness,” Spike said.
Discord had flown around town at least three times, but no sign of the Changeling.
“I guess I was right, no Changelings,” Discord said as he flew around, not a single building had a Changling.
But as he was leaving Discord paused and wondered about how they were going to find the Hive without them… Spike will be pretty disappointed… “I suppose I could attempt a full town scan with what magic I still possess in spirit form, but that runs the risk of us being found out…” Discord tried to think of what to do…
‘Discord,’ Spike’s echoing voice said in his head.
“Yes, Spike?” Discord responded.
“I found Fluttershy,” Spike said.
“What? Where?” Discord asked.
“She’s in a magical prison,” Spike said.
“I know that,” Discord said.
“But her animals are being used as guard dogs, and I think I can hear her crying, are you going to give up just because of this?” Spike questioned.
“...Touche,” Discord said before using his now-limited chaos magic to scan for signatures.
“Thought he needed convincing,” Spike said sounding satisfied.
“Hmm? Who’s there?” Chaos demanded before vanishing.
“Discord, hide! He’s coming!” Spike said.
“Almost there…” Discord said as he continued scanning, and the scan led to one place, a marriage hall.
“Huh? I already checked- crap!” Discord quickly flew into a building and hid and at the same time Chaos popped up and looked around.
“Hmm…. Must have been nothing,” Chaos said as he floated back to Fluttershy’s location.
Discord popped his head out of the house and sighed before flying to the marriage hall, he got in there and looked around thoroughly.
“I don’t get it, the signs pointed here…” Discord said as he looked under a floating chair.
As he looked around he saw the podium and he scratched his chin before sneaking over there and knocking on the floor beneath the podium… it was hollow…
“I get it…” Discord said.
Spike was sneaking back to his hiding spot in the trees, he climbed a tree and hid in the leaves.
“Discord, come in, have you found the Changeling we need?” Spike asked when he got no response he tried again “Discord? Discord where are you?” Spike said.
Fearing the worst he got ready to go in after him.
Until he saw Discord running through town with a tuba.
“I found him!” Discord shouted and behind him were several rabbit bears.
“Crap their out here too?!” Spike said, he didn’t like it but if they are caught out here then it’s all over!
Spike teleported into town and grabbed Discord and teleported away, he also teleported the Rabbit bears.
Spike wound up back at the cave of harmony.
“Spike?” Harmony said running to him, but pausing before getting too close as the light would hurt him.
“I’m fine! Quickly! We have company!” Spike said turning to the several rabbit bears who looked confused as to where they were before recentering their attention on them.
“Very well,” Harmony exuded her light and bathed the creatures in it while Discord covered Spike.
When the light extinguished there were a couple of rabbits and bears who looked dazed and they collapsed.
“It was wise to bring them here, they could have revealed your presence, Spike, were you successful in your initial goal?” Harmony asked.
“Yes, we were!” Discord said before shoving the tuba in Harmony’s hooves.
“What is this?” She asked.
“A Changeling, apparently he hid underneath there from all the hysteria,” Discord explained.
“Alright,” Harmony then used her magic to turn the tuba back into a Changling.
The Light blue Changling then hit the ground and got up slowly.
“Ugh… what happened?” He asked.
“We did,” Spike said approaching him.
“What are you?” he asked warily.
“Oh come on, I’m not so deformed that nobody will recognize me right?” Spike asked.
“He is Spike, Twilight's loyal assistant,” Harmony said.
“Aren’t you Twilight?” The Changling asked.
“No I’m-” Harmony began but Spike cut her off.
“We’re getting off track, point is your hives in trouble Discord gave me his powers and now I’m going to save everyone, I need your help,” Spike said.
“How can I help?” The Changeling asked.
“I…How can he help Discord?” Spike asked.
“We take a sample of his DNA and use it to trace wherever there are a lot of Changelings,” Discord said.
“Ok, what’s your name?” Spike asked.
“Kevin,” Buzz said.
“Cool, we need a DNA sample to find and help your people,” Spike said.
“How do I know this isn’t a trick?” He said warily.
Spike sighed “Look, Thorax initiated a no-shift day to learn to teach the hive to learn to appreciate themselves, I helped set that up and have yet to tell Twilight,” Spike said.
“...Thorax did say the only one he told about this was his friend, Spike, so you are Spike? What happened?” Kevin asked.
“Not important! Just trust me!” Spike said.
“Ok ok,” Kevin said getting up and breaking off a piece of his chitin, “I was overdue for a shed anyways,” Thorax said.
“...You could have just given me a drop of blood or spat in my hand,” Spike said grossed out when he hoofed him a piece of his carapace.
“No way I’m giving my blood to a random person,” Kevin said.
“I said I’m… never mind, thanks,” Spike said taking the chitin and leaving.
“Good luck Spike!” Harmony said.
“I will,” Spike said rentering the chaos-infected world.
“Alright, I think I’ve assimilated enough knowledge to do this,” Spike said before focusing and the chitin glowed and then formed a light sphere and floated away quickly.
“Ok!” Spike said floating after it.
It went by surprisingly fast and Spike ultimately found himself at Ghastly Gorge, Spike went up to it and looked around before spotting something ahead that made his mouth drop.
“What the?!” Spike said.
The Hive had legs and was moving across the Gorge towards him, Spike had to float away to avoid being stepped on.
As Spike looked on he saw the moving hive and knew one thing, the first leg of his journey… is on something with legs…
Spike then flew after the hive and landed on an outer edge.
“Oook, never been in a moving castle before, hope Thorax and the others are alright,” Spike said as he moved into there.
He went through some tunnels and entered another and another…
“I think we’re lost,” Spike said.
“In a world of chaos, getting lost is easy, it’s finding the way out that is tricky,” Discord said.
“Alright, where do I go?” Spike asked.
“Well, maybe-” Discord was cut off by a distorted voice.
“Ksejdaehjdaiohjdiohjdneowrf” A voice suddenly spoke from the dark.
“Huh?!” Spike and Discord said as they saw something approaching.
“Ready yourself, Spike, there’s no telling what it could be,” Discord said.
“Ok,” Spike said.
The being entered their view… and it was a goose.
“Huh? A goose?” Spike asked.
“Pqwjdakasjdlakdajmikw,” The goose said before a flash of fire turned it into a tiger.
“Whoa!” Spike teleported as the tiger pounced, the tiger turned and tried to pounce again but it flashed once more and turned into a mouse and tumbled at Spike’s feet.
“Huh? What’s happening?” Spike asked before hearing more garble from the tunnel and turning to see more random animals.
“KHJDFHOILAWSJDIOAS,” A polar bear said.
“LAJSNLASKDLJADDIJOJENWUIEH” a bird tweeted.
“Oanjoiadjsiopdajiophdfjaodw,” a…giant ant said?
Suddenly the animals all shifted again.
“I think… their all Changelings, and they're trapped in some kind of neverending shift involving animals?” Discord said.
“How’d you figure that?” Spike asked retreating down another tunnel to avoid the animals trying to capture him.
“I can understand a little of their chaotic babble,” Discord said and Spike looked at him. “It’s my one hundred and fifty-fourth language,” Discord shrugged.
“Well, then why are they attacking us?!” Spike yelled as he ran.
“Because their minds are being affected by Chaos! We need to get moving! Teleport!” Discord said.
“Where?!” Spike asked.
“Anywhere!” Discord said.
Spike snapped his fingers and teleported as a jaguar nearly got his tail.
Spike wound up in a tunnel that was divided in two.
“Whew, I think we lost them,” Spike said as he continued on, picking the left path.
“Yeah,” Discord said.
Maybe float ahead just in case, I don’t want to be surprised again,” Spike said.
“Alright, just don’t expect much help,” Discord said as he flew down the corridor.
“Wait! I didn’t mean to leave me alone!” Spike said running after him.
Spike ran for what felt like a few minutes before he saw Discord around a corner of a cave exit, and Discord waved for him to pause.
“What?” Spike said.
“Chaos really messed up the place,” Discord said as he looked ahead into the main hive room.
Spike peeked around him and saw something unsettling.
“What happened here?” Spike said as he saw what looked like a giant bug monster and a dozen other Changelings with animal heads pushing carts full of crystal into a tunnel.
The room was a giant throne room yet it had no ceiling and it was raining multicolored rain.
“Odd,” Spike said before noticing the giant beetle-like bug and seeing similarities to an old friend.
“Wait a minute, that monster is Thorax!” Spike gasped.
“Hmm, did he do something with his hair?” Discord asked.
“What do we do?” Spike asked warily.
“Don’t look at me, you’re the one who’s friends with the guy,” Discord said.
“Hmm… I got an idea then, one so crazy I’d say you're rubbing off on me,” Spike said.
“What?” Discord asked.