“What is going on here, Solace?”
Blue Flame was standing between the new arrivals and the second search team, trying to buy Rarity time. It had happened so fast only the unicorn reacted, but her magical hold on the boulders Solace had sent their way was pure instinct and it took all her concentration to just keep them in the air, to say nothing of setting the heavy rocks down safely.
Solace sneered at them. “You are traitors and shall be dealt with as such.”
Rainbow flew over by Blue Flame. “First off, we haven't done anything wrong and secondly,” she took a deep breath before rising her voice, “we aren't even a part of your silly nation so we've betrayed nopony!”
Solace's chin quivered, but before anything more could be said she sent another valley of rocks swirling around them.
“Rarity?” Blue Flame looked behind him to see with horror that the unicorn was just setting down the first boulders and looked about ready to collapse. He bit out some unknown word that didn't sound like anything polite.
Rainbow glared through the rock streaked wind at the smirking Solace. Even at top speed the pegasus knew she wouldn't make it safely through that dangerous wall. Closing her eyes with a groan she screamed at the top of her voice, “Discord!”
With a pop the Draconiquus appeared in the eye of the boulder storm with them. He looked around with a pleasant smile. “Yes, Rainbow Dash?”
She gestured around her. “Get rid of this – this magic wall!”
Discord's jaw dropped and he put a hand to his chest dramatically. “Why, Rainbow, is that any way to ask a friend to do something for you?”
Gritting her teeth, Rainbow added, “Please.”
The draconiquus sighed and gave her a critical eye. “Hm, well it's not that great, but I'll take it. It's a big step for you, after all.”
He then turned towards the wind and snapped. All wind ceased and the rocks tumbled to the ground harmlessly. Solace stared in shock for a second before her horn began to glow again. With a sigh of boredom, Discord snapped again and an oversized top hat appeared once more and covered the pony's entire head.
Discord burst out laughing as the pegasus surrounded their unicorn leader and tired, without success, to remove the hat.
Rainbow came closer to them, assuming a commanding pose. “Listen, Solace. I'll have Disocrd remove the hat, but no more attacking us, got it?”
The hat bobbed up and down in a sad manner. Rainbow looked over at Discord. He shrugged and snapped, the hat disappearing as quickly as it came. Solace's mane was messed up and her mouth was set in a firm line.
“Alright then,” Rainbow tried to get closer, but the pegasus guards came between her and Solace. The blue speed-lover snarled at them and glared through their wings at the robed unicorn. “You got orders to get rid of us, didn't you Solace?”
The unicorn was silent.
Blue Flame walked over towards Rainbow. “The Emperor ordered it, right? But why?”
The unicorn remained silent.
Rainbow turned towards the male pegasus in frustration. “What's going on?”
Blue Flame shook his head. “I'm not sure...”
“Perhaps I can aid you in seeking an explanation.”
All eyes rose to see the changling queen slowly descending from the sky, the nervous sentry that had been worried about her at her side. She looked over the many rocks all about, Rarity panting for air with Pinkie trying desperately to make her smile using a wide variety of mustaches, Applejack looking bewildered and the two blue hued pegasus' tense forms. She frowned as she turned her eyes back towards the second “search” party.
“Let me take a guess,” she murmured darkly, slowing walking towards them. “Your emperor thinks we're some kind of evil infestation. And you were about to provide the cure, weren't you?”
Before she could get too close to Solace the pegasus on her team bravely shot towards the changling queen. Chrysalis' horn glowed a bright neon green and immediately a thick green ooze clung to their wings, dropping each towards the ground. She then continued walking forward calmly, her gait slow and deliberate.
Solace looked absolutely terrified and as soon as the changling queen got too close, she attempted to make a run for it.
With zap, Chrysalis transported herself right in front of the runaway. She looked down at her with a toothy grin, Solace's eyes growing wide.
“I believe,” the queen whispered, “you have made a mess of this cave entrance. That was rude of you. You should clean up before you leave.”
Solace was silent a moment before letting a blood curdling scream. Chrysalis flinched away, giving Solance the chance she needed. Like a lightning bolt she was gone, headed for the city at top speed. Her pegasus guards just watched her leave in shock.
Blue Flame took his chance before they had time to think too much.
“Fall in!” the pegasus commanded.
The guards looked at him in slight confusion, but automatically fell into a line.
Blue Flame began to walk casually up and down their line as the sentry changling went to his queen and asked if he should pursue Solace.
The queen shook her head, keeping careful watch over the newest arrivals' line. “The emperor will find this all out eventually. Conflict is not something it seems we can avoid at this point. We knew this was coming.”
“Listen up!” Blue Flame commanded, stopping with a firm stance before the line of pegasus. “Princess Lily has decided to begin negotiations with this darkling hive. Our job is to protect and care for her highness.” He glared at the line. “Is that a problem for any of you?”
The whole line shook their heads furiously.
Blue Flame released them from his glare. “Good. Now fall into position behind me. We're returning to our post beside the princess.”
The deep blue pegasus exchanged a wink with Rainbow before leading the troops back through the tunnel. Just as all the others began to slowly file in behind them, a bright blue flash whipped by them all, straight into the cavern.
“Was that,” Applejack murmured, repositioning Rarity's leg on her shoulders so as to better support her friend, “a bird?”