Vinyl sat on the stage, glancing back and forth at the two royal mares. It had been two days since the rap battle, and the votes had finished coming in. She was reluctant to say anything, though, as the competitors seemed too engrossed to even notice her.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity to the white mare, the Changeling queen turned to her; a smug look on her face. “Tell us, little one. Tell us who won.”
Cadence turned as well, glaring at Chrysalis. “Yes, please do. I grow bored of waiting to see by how much she lost.”
“...actually...” Vinyl looked up at them, surprise clear on her face. “...Chrysalis won...”
The pink alicorn was shocked, to say the least. “...wh-what?”
“Apparently, that last couplet was enough for her to win...” She put her phone away, frowning slightly. “...well, it was close, at least.”
“This is just wonderful!” The queen laughed, head thrown back in glee. She turned to the princess, grinning maliciously. “Revenge is sweet, is it not?”
Cadence glared. “Just what are you planning to do, now?”
“Oh, you’ll find out.” She looked up and nodded. Four changelings dropped down from above, each one grabbing one of the pink pony’s legs. Chrysalis stepped forward, placing a hoof on her captive’s cheek. “You, and everyone else in this town.”
“What?!”
The queen just laughed once more, her horn glowing a sickly green. “You lose!” She fired a ball of light into the air, where it exploded into a shower of sparks.
As soon as the last of the flare evaporated, the air was filled with a monotonous droning. The sky grew dark, as if the sun had suddenly gone out.
Ponies in the streets looked up, worry clear on their faces. Worry changed to horror as multiple black forms descended upon the town. The ones who were in their homes barricaded the doors and windows, huddling with their loved ones as they waited for it to pass.
The ones out in the open weren’t so lucky. The changelings snatched up anypony they could find, taking them to the stage in town square. As soon as they were there, they sealed them away in glistening green cocoons.
Six ponies, however, wouldn’t have been safe from the swarm, even if they’d been in Princess Celestia’s castle. Six places were the main targets of the insectoid army.
Six mares were swiftly taken captive.
On one side of town, a pink filly and a forest green unicorn were walking down a path. The younger pony was sitting comfortably on the stallion’s back, giggling softly. “Thank you for spending the day with me, Rhino!” She took another lick of her ice cream cone as she held it carefully in her hooves. “It was also nice of you to buy this for me!”
The green stallion licked his own ice cream he held in front of him with his magic. “Well, it’s not like I didn’t get something out of it too, but you’re very welcome. I’ve been having a great time while I’ve been here.”
“I’m happy to hear that!” She giggled, beaming brightly at him. She looked up, a hoof to her chin as she thought for a moment, her smile slowly changing into a frown. “To be honest, I was worried that teaching my friend magic would be a hassle during your vacation. Not to mention that fight you had with sensei.”
“I don’t mind giving little lessons to young ones when they want them, I do it at home too.” He frowned slightly. “Wasn’t particularly happy about having to fight Octavia, but I feel all of us got closer because of it, so I guess it was worth it.” He tossed the cone in his mouth, having eaten all the ice cream from it.
She opened her mouth to respond, but a growing noise caught her attention. “...Rhino? Do you hear that?” She glanced around, wondering where it was coming from.
Rhino’s ears flicked, causing Specter to pop his head out of the pony’s mane. The stallion was silent for a moment before the fur along his spine stood straight up and he darted into the nearest alley. His voice reflected serious as he spoke, “Specter, Pinchy, hold onto me and try not to make any noise.” His ears were perked to their full extent as he muttered, “Not again...”
Pinchy nodded, wrapping her forelegs around his neck. She thought for a moment before her horn lit up almost imperceptibly. A few words in pink light appeared on the wall next to them: What is it, Rhino?
He moved into the shadow of one of the buildings next to the alley as green script appeared underneath the filly’s. Changelings. By the sound, almost as many as assaulted Canterlot. The script pauses a moment before continuing. Last time, my father and I boarded up the house and defended it until the barrier blasted them out... I don’t think there will be a barrier this time...
She started to tremble, her eyes darting around in panic. ...then...w-what’s going to happen?
His eyes darted back to her as a small circle appeared underneath her and attached her to his back. We stay safe, we don’t panic, and we play it by ear. Don’t immediately trust anypony you see, they could be changelings in disguise. He peeked out at the street and frowned before drawing his head back into the shadows. Any ideas?
I don’t- There’s a pause in the script, and her hooves grip him more firmly. “Behind you!”
Rhino’s eyes locked onto the chitinous form approaching them from behind. His horn flared as he turned and a green glow surrounded the neck of the changeling. Suddenly the bug pony is slammed into the wall as the stallion applied more pressure to its neck. The creature panics, but soon falls unconscious with its windpipe gripped. The stallion kept the pressure on for a moment longer to be sure before releasing it and growling quietly. His script appeared again in the air in front of them. We aren’t safe here. My circle will keep you attached to me so they can’t take you... but we need a plan. It won’t be long until they find this one. He kicked the changeling’s head none too gently.
Maybe we can try to find Vinyl? She glanced around, nervous. She’s actually beaten a number of these things before...
Location, direction, and approximate distance?
Pinchy blinked at these words, slightly confused. ...um...her house, north of here, and...fifty meters?
Rhino peeked around the corner, looking north down the street. Record on the roof? He felt her nod against his neck. Close your eyes if you don’t want to be disoriented. His horn glowed as the trio suddenly disappeared and reappeared halfway to the house in another alley for a millisecond before disappearing again and ending up in the DJ’s front room.
A cello bow quickly found its way to his neck. “...oh. It’s you.” It got pulled away, the mare holding it giving him an even look. “I can’t think of any Changeling that can do that, so it must be you.” She moved over to a window, cautiously peering out. “I assume you know of the situation, Rhino?”
Rhino turned to check on the filly on his back as he responded, “All I know is that changelings are here, that’s enough to know what steps I had to take.” He turned to the mare with a suspicious glance. “How did you get a ring onto my horn in our fight?”
“You remember that stick that hit your head?” She smirked slightly. “I hid the ring on it. It was actually pure luck that it hit in a way to put it on your head.”
He nods. “Correct. It is you then, I had to be sure.” He turned away from the window. “Is Vi here as well?”
The gray mare nodded, pointing a hoof towards the door behind the staircase. “She’s in the basement. I can only assume that she’s planning on fighting that swarm.”
“Is this a safe place for Pinchy and Specter?”
“It should be.” She knocked a hoof against one of the bars in the window. “It’d be impossible to get in here once it goes into lockdown.”
The filly tapped the stallion’s cheek, a concerned look on her face. “...Rhino? Are you going out there?”
He looked back to her. “Maybe, maybe not. First priority was getting you safe, the rest of the planning starts now. Knowing who we can trust, secure locations, equipment, all that good stuff to help us survive.”
“Well, you can trust us.”
The basement door opens, revealing a white mare with a sheath and a sling on her back. “As for secure locations, you can’t get any more secure than this.” She turned to the side, smirking slightly. “...and they thought I was crazy for making his house Changeling-proof...”
A burgundy pegasus stepped out from behind the mare, metal and tubing adorning his body. “I know about a few places that have already been taken over by that swarm.” He pulled out a map and laid it out on the table, pointing to each place as he named it. “Golden Oaks Library, Carousel Boutique, Town Hall...” He hesitated for a moment before moving his hoof to the next spot. “...Fluttershy’s house...” Rhino growls quietly at that location. “...if I had to guess, they’re going after the Elements of Harmony...and their wielders...”
“What are we waiting for?” Vinyl started moving towards the front door, scowling. “Let’s teach those insects a lesson.”
“And get yourself captured in the process so you don’t end up helping anypony.” The green stallion stated bluntly. “We need a plan, rushing into things just increases the risk that Ponyville is lost completely. So, what else do we know about this invasion?”
“Well...” Octavia glanced out the window, getting a clear view of Town Hall. “Considering that they’re taking over, they’d probably want a place that’s central to the area.” She pointed a hoof at the building. “Look, there’s hardly any Changelings there. I believe that’s because they’ve already secured that area.”
“Taking out leaders will usually stop or at least throw the troops into disarray.” The stallion looks out the window again. “There’s no guarantee it’ll stop them, but it’ll help...should we succeed.” He sighs. “We either go now, or try to find others to help and run the risk of losing those we already have...” He turns to the group. “Opinions?”
The group sat in silence for a few moments before the sophisticated mare spoke up. “I’d like some reinforcements, but I’m not sure I want to lose anypony.” She stood up, turning to the emerald stallion. “I suppose we’ll have to go now. I really can’t think of anypony who could help us, anyways. At least, anypony that hasn’t already been captured.” Pinchy raised a hoof, but Octavia stopped her, her expression softening. “You’re a bright student, Berry, but you’re not ready. Not yet.”
The filly slumped in her spot on the tall stallion’s back, pouting. She glanced at her idol, reaching a hoof into the bag on her back. “Rhino?”
He softened the serious expression he had put on since they first heard the buzzing. “Yes?”
She held out her hoof, a black piece of metal carefully balanced on it. “...in case you need it...”
He smiled as he levitates the kunai and puts it in his own bags. “Thanks Pinchy...”
She smiled back, gently nuzzling his cheek. “Please be safe, Rhino...”
The unicorn closest to the door cleared her throat, smirking cheekily. “Sorry to interrupt your little heart-to-heart, but the longer we wait, the more of Ponyville is lost.”
Enigma placed a metal-clad hoof on the other stallion’s shoulder, concern clear on his face. “Are you ready?”
Rhino ended the spell keeping the filly attached to him as he sets her and Specter down. “Stay safe you two.” He closed his eyes and they came open determined. “Ready.”
Vinyl nodded, opening the door to reveal a yellow mare. She blinked, staring in surprise at the unexpected visitor. “...‘Shy? What the hay...?”
The disheveled pegasus stumbled into the house, her legs trembling. The door closed behind her, audibly locking. “T-thank goodness...I-I’ve been knocking for three minutes...”
Pinchy approached, her head tilted to one side. “Miss Fluttershy? Can I help you with your cheek?” The mare nodded, and the filly gently put a glowing hoof on her cheek. “This will only take a second...” Her eyes narrowed, and her hoof glowed brighter. “...imposter.”
Before anything else could be said, the yellow pony’s head suddenly snapped back, her now-limp body falling to the floor. Pinchy turned to the others, a proud smile on her face. “One more down.” She blinked, taking in their stunned stares. “...what?”
Rhino said slowly, “...I really hope you can explain what tipped you off that was a changeling... otherwise you just knocked out Fluttershy.”
She tilted her head at him, frowning slightly. “...you didn’t see that?”
He raised an eyebrow at her expectantly.
She motioned a hoof at the prone form. “There was some kind of...distortion around her.” She poked at one of the hooves. “The kind I’d normally see from an illusion. When I touched her cheek, it clinched my suspicions. Her fur felt different than it normally did - more like cotton than velvet.”
Right at that moment, a green flame moved across the pegasus’s form, yellow fur being replaced with black carapace as it went.
Rhino appraised the unconscious changeling before turning to the filly with a smile. “Excellent job.” He looked to Vinyl. “Got any rope or something?”
The disk jockey nodded, pointing towards the hall closet. “I’ve got a number of yards for use on stage. Help yourself.”
The stallion floated out the rope and began binding the changeling. He tied the forehooves and backhooves in pairs, then the pairs to each other. He then tied the wings down, the muzzle shut, that to the hooves, then finished up by tying the changeling to one of the bars on the windows so that it hangs above the floor. “That should hold it for now.”
Vinyl motioned towards the door. “We’d better get moving. Don’t want any more changelings trying to trick us, right?” She grinned, looking at the green stallion. “Lead the way, Rhy.”
He gave the geared-up mare a questioning look. “Why am I leading the way?”
She quirked an eyebrow at him. “You’re the one with the plan, right?”
He sighed. “You count ‘defeat their leader’ as a plan? Well, I guess it’s more than we had a moment ago.” He peeked out the window. “We’ll have to move fast...now!” With that, the door was swiftly yanked open, the group of ponies swiftly rushing outside.
As soon as everypony had left, the pink filly grabbed a scrap of parchment and began to write on it.
Specter, still with his headset on, looked at the filly curiously. “Do I want to know what you’re up to?”
She glanced over at him, a determined look on her face. “I’m not gonna sit here and do nothing.” She moved over to the door, briefly opening it before she returned to her spot next to the squirrel. “...I don’t want them to go out there on their own...”