Celestia had called an emergency meeting of her military advisors, including Captain Shining Armor, The Lunar Guard Captain, and Spitfire of the Wonderbolts. All of them gathered around a circular table with a map of Canterlot and the surrounding area.
“You are no doubt wondering the nature of this meeting.” Celestia said. “One of our scouting patrols found a small Changeling cave, full of captured ponies.”
“What?” Shining Armor replied. “How many?”
“We aren’t sure.” Celestia replied. “The scouts couldn’t get too far into the cave without meeting resistance.”
“So what’s the plan Princess?” Darkstar asked. “We could easily send in a platoon to…”
“I’m just wondering what I’m doing here?” Spitfire asked. “It’s inside a cave. My Wonderbolts won’t be too effective in there.”
“I need you to support the main strike team that-” She was cut off by a red flame condensing into a scroll. She unrolled it and looked in it. “The main strike team has arrived.”
“Main strike team?” Shining Armor repeated. “What main…”
“That would be me Dented Armor.”
Shining Armor turned at the sound of his old nickname, walking through the door was a bright red Unicorn mare, her armor matching the color of her coat. Flanking her on either side were two red Pegasus, each held a lance in their war saddles pointing up towards the ceiling.
“I leave for one month to handle a situation in the Griffin Kingdom, and I miss not only a Princess’ wedding, but the first attack on Canterlot in nearly one thousand years.” She removed her helmet. “And all I got to do was help quell a rebellion.”
“Crimson Lance,” Shining Armor said, “Wonderful to see you again.”
“How have you been Armor?” She asked, her short orange mane perfectly fitting the shape of her helmet. “Been on a honeymoon with her yet?”
“Commander Crimson Lance,” Celestia said. “I’m glad to hear that the rebellion has been dealt with, but we have more pressing matters.”
Crimson Lance nodded. “The Captured ponies, I was briefed on the way.”
“So you are aware of the plan?” Celestia asked.
“Of course Princess.” She replied, the two Pegasus standing at attention. “My Lancers will get them out. Just tell me when and where.”
“Wouldn’t they want rest?” Darkstar asked. “They just came back from a month long campaign.”
“My Lancers are always ready.” She replied. “Half of them didn’t even see any action, and hearing about what happened in Canterlot, we’re craving for some action. Isn’t that right boys!”
The Two Pegasus saluted. “Yes Ma’am!”
“Well there we go.” Crimson said with a smile. “My team is ready no matter what we have to do.”
Celestia nodded. “I’m impressed Commander, the loyalty you get from your men can be inspiring.”
“I’m just a good leader Your Highness.” Crimson Lance said with a bow, “Just following in my Mother’s hoofsteps.” She walked up to the table, placing her helmet on it. “Now… Let’s go over the battle plans.”
Silver Shield was speaking to his old friend in the recently returned Lancers, Scarlet Dawn inside of the barracks, catching up with him.
“So how’s Sunny been?” Scarlet Dawn asked. “I haven’t seen him around lately.”
Silver looked down at his silvery coat. “He’s in the hospital.”
“What?” Scarlet replied. “What happened?”
“He was hurt by a Changeling during the invasion.” Silver replied. “Can’t remember anything…”
“Damn… I’m sorry Silver.” Scarlet replied, leaning his lance against the wall. “They make any progress on him?”
Silver shook his head. “They aren’t sure when he’ll remember anything, or even if he will…”
“Listen… Silver, is there anything I can…”
“Hey Wingless!”
Both of them looked up to see Night Glider flying above them. “You hear about Sunny?”
“Hey Bat Brain,” Scarlet said. “Long time no see.”
“Hey Crimson.” Night Glider replied, landing next to his brother. “Silver, they think they figured out what’s wrong with him.”
Silver’s eyes widened. “Well what is it? Don’t keep me waiting.”
“They didn’t tell me.” Night Glider replied. “But they said they needed to see you right away.”
“Then what in Tartarus are we waiting for?” Silver asked, grabbing his helmet in his magic. “Did they at least mention why?”
“Something about you being close to him or something.” Night Glider replied. “They kept most of it hidden from me for some reason, all I know is they took him from his room.”
“Sorry Scarlet.” Silver said back to him. “I’ve got a brother to see.”
“Go on you crazy colts.” Scarlet said. “Go save your brother.”
Silver nodded at Night Glider, and the two of them ran from the barracks, heading towards the tall structure of the Hospital. They ran through the streets as the Sun was beginning to set, the few ponies in the streets were either Lunar Guards or Lancers, a few civilians here and there, but for the most part the streets were clear of ponies.
When they made it to the Hospital, the receptionist looked up at them. “Ah, Silver Shield, here for business or a family visit?” Callsign asked.
“I was told to come here.” Silver replied.
“Show me the appointment.” Callsign said at which Night Glider pulled a scroll from underneath his armor and showed it to her.
“Follow me.” Callsign replied, leading them towards the elevators. When all three of them were inside, she pulled a small blue crystal out of her mane. “What you see will surprise you at first. But do not do anything rash.”
Silver looked at her. “Like what?”
“Magic.” She said, placing the crystal into a small slot near the floor buttons, where the crystal began to glow bright blue, and the elevator began to move down.
“Aren’t we on the bottom floor?” Night Glider asked.
“We were.” Callsign replied. “But we need to go underground for this.”
Silver and Night Glider looked at each other as the elevator continued to move down, when the elevator dinged, Callsign placed the crystal back in her mane. “Now please stay calm.”
The door opened, and within a second, Silver had his horn glowing bright red. They were in some kind of Changeling hive. The Changelings didn’t pay them any attention and flew around the caves carrying clip boards, pens, a few carrying clear crystals.
“What did you do to my brother?” Silver hissed, looking at Callsign.
“Please. Calm yourself.” Callsign replied. “Your brother is safe. We needed to bring him down here for his, your own, and Queen Acari’s safety.”
“Give me one reason why I should trust you.” Silver said through his teeth. “Go on.”
“I took the Hippocratic Oath, I would never cause harm to a possible patient. However since you insist.” She turned to look at Silver. “My name is Callsign, I am twenty three years old, Communication Drone 45, and I have served Queen Cytes loyally for all those years and would never think to harm a pony.” She stepped out of the elevator. “Now please, follow me. The Queen has requested your presence.”
Night Glider walks after her, followed shortly by Silver, who kept his horn charged in case of attack.
They walked for a few minutes down the corridors, looking like the hospital above, but full of Changelings instead of ponies. When they began to slow, Silver could hear shouting coming from one of the rooms.
“You never thought to tell me about something like this!”
“Twilight… please I don’t want to…”
“I don’t even know if I can trust you anymore!”
When Silver walked up to the membrane, he saw two Unicorns and three changelings inside. A lavender unicorn was yelling at one of the Changelings while a small changeling played with the other. As he stepped through the membrane, he felt his horn’s magic cut off.
“How many more are you protecting?” Twilight asked the Changeling. “Well Shade?”
“None… Well… That’s not entirely true… Five…but they-” The Changeling turned to look at Silver with an orange lizard-like eye. “Silver?”
“Shade,” Silver replied, “Should have known this had something to do with you.”
“Who are they?” Twilight asked, looking Shade dead in his eyes. “Who!”
“One is a Queen, one is a Caretaker, one you already met, Him,” Shade pointed at the other Changeling. “And then him…” Shade pointed at Silver.
“I’m not a Changeling Shade.” Silver replied, removing his helmet. “What are we doing here?”
“Oh… It’s you…” The other Changeling said when he saw Silver. “From…Ponyville…”
“Wait… What happened in Ponyville?” Shade asked. “Darkblaze?”
The small Changeling ran up to Night Glider. “Ooo…” it said curiously, looking at his yellow eyes. “Shiny…”
“Echo,” Shade said. “Leave the nice Guard alone.”
“But Daddy… He looks funny.” Echo replied, pointing a small hoof at Night Glider. “He looks like a bat.”
Sapphire walked into the room. “Oh good, you’re all here.” She said, looking around the room. “Now… I need you three to leave.” She said pointing between Night Glider, Echo, and Twilight. “I need to be alone with them for a moment.”
Twilight looked at Shade. “This conversation isn’t over.”
“Yeah… Yeah…” He replied. “Just make sure Echo is safe.”
“Fine…” Twilight said. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”
“I’ll try not to.”
Night Glider looked at his brother. “Wingless. Don’t do anything stupid.” Before he could reply Night Glider added. “This is for Sunglider. Remember that.”
Silver nodded at his brother, before Night Glider walked out of the blue membrane wall and down the hall, leaving Silver with the two Changelings.
“So…” Shade said, breaking the silence. “Who here knows what’s going on?”
Darkblaze shrugged, Silver shook his head, but Sapphire looked over all three of them. “You are all here to help fix Lieutenant Sunglider.” She replied.
“How?” Darkblaze asked. “I never met the stallion.”
“Sapphire, with all due respect,” Silver replied. “What is it doing here?”
“He Silver, What is HE doing here? To answer that question, I need to explain this as simply as possible.” Sapphire walked in between them.
“Sunglider’s memories are all trapped inside of Shade’s mind, a side effect of the full emotional drain he did during the invasion.” Shade looked embarrassed at the statement. “And from what Acari has researched, the only way to fix it is to gather two Changelings, each one a close friend to either Shade or Sunglider.”
“Darkblaze, you have known Shade longer than anypony else, and he has confided more in you than anypony could hope to pull from him forcefully, making you the obvious candidate.”
Darkblaze bowed. “I’m always happy to help Snake Eye.”
“And Silver Shield, you have been his brother for as long as you could remember, he protected you, and you protected him. You have been very close to him for as long as you’ve been alive. With the added bonus of being his brother, you were the obvious candidate.”
“I’m always willing to help Sunny.” Silver replied. “But…I’m not a Changeling.”
Sapphire walked up to him. “Yes… Silver, yes you are.” The look of shock on his face is impossible to put into words. “You have always been a Changeling, ever since your birth… You were adopted by your family and we had to place multiple enchantments on you to ensure you never found out… According to everypony, you are just a normal Unicorn Stallion. But to Changelings, you are a fuzzy patch. You have emotions, but they cannot be seen by another Changeling, a side effect of the spells.”
Silver backed away. “That…That’s impossible…” His eyes darted around, looking for something to convince himself that they were lying. “I remember everything…How can I be a Changeling?”
“She is telling the truth Silver.” Shade replied. “I found out you were a Changeling during the assassination attempt, he removed your disguise and you were ready to give up. I helped you.”
“Are you telling me,” Silver began. “That my entire life is nothing more than a lie? That everything that has happened in my life is just some…some…Cover!”
“Of course not Silver.” Sapphire replied. “Only you’re birth, birth certificate, real family, and name are lies. However you had none of those before your adoption, so no harm done.”
“No harm!” Silver replied angrily. “Why would you do something like that?”
“Because your parents couldn’t take care of you.” Sapphire explained. “They wanted for you to live a life where you could be whatever you wanted. Your Queen allowed it, and your foster family didn’t mind.”
“You don’t think this screws with my life?” Silver asked. “How am I supposed to be a Royal Guard, when I’m an enemy of my home?”
“Technically only we are enemies of your home.” Darkblaze replied, to which Shade elbowed him in the side.
“I know this is hard for you,” Sapphire replied, “But we need your help to save your brother. Afterwards, I will remove your memories of this meeting if you wish.”
Silver looked between the blue unicorn and the Changelings. “I’m only doing this to save my brother. Whatever I have to do, I will. I don’t give a damn if I am a Changeling or not. So long as my brother remembers me.”
Sapphire nodded. “Now… I am going to have to remove your disguise for this to work. Are you prepared to see your real form?”
Silver sighed. “Let’s get this over with…” There was a bright blue flash, and Silver looked down at himself. His silver coat replaced with black chitin, Holes in his hooves. Looking on his back, he saw a pair of red insect wings and a red backplate. “This… This is going to take some getting used to…”
“I had the same problem.” Shade replied. “Take baby steps.”
“If you three could follow me.” Sapphire said, levitating Silver’s helmet back to him. “We need to go somewhere more secluded. Acari needs somewhere she will not be disturbed.”
The three of them nodded to Sapphire and Silver placed his helmet back on, which seemed to perfectly fit even in his changeling form.
“I’ve been curious about something…” Darkblaze said, looking back at Silver, “How come only some of the Royal Guards armor change their colors and other remain how they are?”
Silver, who had been looking at the new wings on his back, turned towards Darkblaze. “Ranks and preference. Low ranking Guards wear the fully enchanted armor. That variant changes the magic color, eye color, coat color, some even change the voice.”
“Once you rise up a bit, the armor enchantment can be modified, most of those I know of prefer wearing an enchanted helmet, myself included. Shows a bit of uniformity, unless you join a special force division. The Wonderbolts don’t have any kind of kind of enchantment, only really a lightning rod spell to keep them safe in storms. The Lancers are all required to wear the enchanted armor, and then the only time the Lunar Guard armor isn’t enchanted is when the Guards have the enchantment infused into them.”
“They can do that?” Shade asked. “Isn’t that kind of… Dangerous?”
“They dedicate their life to the force, the enchantment lets them stay awake during the night, but those who get the body enchantment become fully nocturnal. Usually only the Captains get that kind of enchantment though.”
“So what about Mares on the force?” Shade asked. “I mean in the Fiords, Females were usually on the battlefield as much as males were.”
“They aren’t as prevalent. Spitfire and Crimson Lance are the only Mares I know of who lead a squadron. Crimson leads the Lancers, and Spitfire leads the Wonderbolts.”
“Well… I guess when your main leaders are both females and are also gods, you don’t exactly need much else.” Shade replied. “This world has a lot of Female leaders…”
Sapphire looked back at him. “Is that a problem?”
“Uh… No. I just… Uh…” Shade looked surprised but calmed down quickly. “In the Fiords we had a council. Both males and Females were prevalent in the group. I’m just.... Stating an observation. Between all the Changeling Queens and the Princesses. There’s a lot of female monarchs… Just sayin’…”
Sapphire chuckled. “I understand Shade. The last male leaders of Equestria turned into either Crazed emperors or chaotic spirits. So… Maybe it’s for the best.”
Shade shrugged.
“Here we are.” Sapphire said as they came to a blue membrane, inside of which seemed to be a smaller crystal room in which were four separate gurneys, with their own IVs next to them. “I need you three to lay down on the gurneys. Acari will be here shortly to begin the procedure. After that… Well… We’ll monitor your vitals and make sure nothing goes wrong.”
“Like what?” Silver asked.
“No idea…” Sapphire said honestly. “Well… Get ready.”
“So we’re all agreed then?” Crimson Lance asked. “Shining Armor will keep them locked in, Spitfire, your Wonderbolts will stop any of them from getting out, from any possible location. Darkstar, you will help Armor stop the Changelings from getting out. While my Lancers and I enter the cave and clear it of Changelings.”
“How many Changelings do you expect will be in there?” Shining Armor asked. “Maybe we can get some information out of them.”
“We’ll try to keep as many alive as we can.” Crimson replied. “But if they attack, I’m not promising anything.”
“How come you’re the only one to get any action?” Darkstar asked aggressively.
“Oh…I’m sorry.” Crimson said staring him down. “I thought I was the only one with no members in the hospital right now. But I suppose if you want to risk more of your soldiers. Be my guest.”
“No comment…” Darkstar replied.
“Bat brain…” Crimson mumbled. “Now then… Get what soldiers you want to bring or those that are able. We’ll be mobilizing in an hour.” She pushed off the table, grabbing her helmet with her magic and walking towards the door. “Anypony not present is being left behind.”
She walked out of the room, her two Lancers following her. “Ensure that they don’t try anything. If she is in there, the Monarchy wants her first.”
One of the Pegasus saluted before taking off from the ground and flying through a window.
“You.” She said to the other. “Check on the hospital. I want to know how many we lost.”
The other Pegasus saluted and flew out of the open doors towards the hospital.
“Chrysalis… What in Tartarus were you planning? Pulling that stunt…”
Crimson Lance walked out of the castle, looking into the night sky. “So much wasted… Was it worth it…?”
“Are they ready?” Acari asked, walking down the halls of the hive.
“Yes Acari, I got them all settled in.” Sapphire replied. “Silver is still getting used to his new form, but I don’t think we should remove his memories again.”
Acari looked at her. “You want him to know?” She sighed. “You know how scarring that would be to him. He thinks he’s a Unicorn.”
Sapphire sighed. “I know… But it is his choice now.”
Acari nodded. “He will decide… After the operation, he will decide to live as a pony or as a Changeling.” She looked back at Sapphire. “Contact his family. I want their input on his decision.”
“So how long will you be working?” Sapphire asked.
“The crystal mentions three hours, aside from that, I’m unsure.” Acari replied. “Just prepare enough emotional energy for each of them, and once I am finished, make sure that you activate their disguises before bringing them back up to the main hospital, we don’t need anypony freaking out.”
The two of them walked into the chamber, the mini crystal chamber inside covered the three unconscious Changelings and single Pegasus were laying around in a cross sign, with a single space between them for Acari.
“The crystal prevents all sound correct?”
Sapphire’s disguise vanished as she stepped through the membrane. “Yes. The outside is coated with a membrane to stop any sound from entering via vibrations on its outer surface.”
“Nice work Cytes.” Acari replied. “When is the Raid on the Pony stockpile supposed to be?”
“It should be starting soon.” Cytes replied.
“Remember… I must not be disturbed. So keep it quiet after the attack.”
“Be careful Acari.” Cytes said. “I don’t want to bury two Queens in one month.”
“I’m not who you should be worrying about.” Acari replied, before stepping through the crystal, at which the entire structure hardened.
Cytes looked on as Acari took her place in the middle of the unconscious patients. Her horn began to glow, as four thin pink tendrils snaked from the tip of her horn and seemed to pierce through the skulls of each of them. Leaving a small pink ripple where they pierced. Acari’s eyes began to glow pure pink, as though a spot light replaced her eyes.
Cytes walked out of the chamber. “I need two guards on Acari, Nopony is allowed to enter that chamber. Understood?”
Cytes felt a collection of affirmative messages sent back to her by her Hive.
“Acari… I hope you know what you’re doing…”
“LANCERS READY!” Crimson shouted back at her company of soldiers.
“READY!”
“Pegasi in front! Clear the aerial threats. Earth Ponies and Unicorns, follow after. Detain as many as you can! No revenge schemes! If I catch one of you doing something like that, I’ll have your Flank!” Crimson lowered her helmet’s visor.
“Wait for the signal from Spitfire!”
There was a large fork of lightning into the clear night sky.
“LANCERS! MOVE IN!”
The Pegasus opened their wings and flew into the cave’s entrance, their lances attached to their war saddles, helping them keep their hooves free as they flew through the cave, knocking the sparse Changelings to the ground.
As Crimson followed after the Pegasus, she made sure her soldiers didn’t do anything rash. They listened to her orders, so she had very little to worry about.
“How many?” She asked one of her lieutenants.
“So far, we have twenty three Changelings detained.”
“Any casualties?” She asked flipping up her visor.
“So far we have only three Changelings killed, however they attempted to bite into their necks.”
“So it was unavoidable…” She let out a sigh. “It’s better than I thought we would have…”
“Commander!” One of the unicorns ran up to her.
“What is it Private?”
“We’re having trouble getting into one of the chambers. We believe there to be Changelings inside.”
Crimson sighed. “Must I do everything for you recruits?” She mumbled. “Lead the way private.”
Crimson was led to a cave entrance that appeared to be blocked by a large rock, held in place by some kind of green crystal material. “Please tell me you at least attempted to move it before dragging me down here.”
“Of course Ma’am. But the crystal seems to absorb magic and it’s sticking it to the wall making it too strong to move.”
“Then break through it.”
“The rock is reinforced by some kind of spell, we can’t break it.”
Crimson rolled her eyes. “Join up with the rest of your squad. I’ll handle this rock.”
The Private saluted before running back down the cavern, leaving Crimson alone with the rock. “Clever Caretaker aren’t you….”
She removed her helmet, placing it next to her. Before turning her attention to the rock. It perfectly fit into the hole, almost as though someone had cut the chamber out recently. She aimed her horn at the green crystal surrounding the stone, and with a red beam from her horn, began to cut through it. “Not clever enough…”
Once the crystal around the stone was cut, she replaced her helmet and moved the stone using her magic.
The chamber beyond was oddly quiet, not a sound was emanating from it. Crimson lowered her lance and walked into the room, heightening her senses for any sign of movement. The dark chamber made it difficult, so she sent a hovering orb of light into the center of the chamber, casting the white light along the walls.
Her ears picked up a clanking sound, like something dropping onto the stone floor. She turned towards it and walked nearer, lowering her lance in case of a fight.
As she got nearer to the source of the sound, something new hit her ears, a slight crumbling from behind. She whipped around to see a Changeling preparing to bite into her.
She quickly took her lance and hit the changeling with the side of it, sending it flying into a wall. Before it could steady itself, she pointed the lance’s tip up to its throat.
“Yield.” Crimson said to her. “And I will spare your life.”
The Changeling hissed at her.
“Is that anyway to treat a Queen?” Crimson asked. To which the Changeling’s eyes widened.
“Pupa….”
Crimson moved the lance’s tip. “Now explain why you attempted to kill me.”
“I-I was only following orders.”
“What order is that?”
“Emergency Plan Thirty Five.”
Crimson raised the lance’s tip to point at the ceiling. “Evacuate the children… How many?”
The Changeling got up from the floor. “I’ve been looking over twelve of them for the past three weeks.”
“Three weeks?” Pupa repeated. “You’ve been here since the invasion?”
The Changeling nodded. “I’ve been doing my part to ensure the safety of the Hives.”
“Show me.” Pupa replied.
“Children! It’s safe to come out.”
From where the sound resonated originally, a few small Changelings walked out of a small cave, perfectly hiding them. Each one was from a separate Hive.
“Where do you work?”
“I-I work at the orphanage.”
“A love moth? Working at a place like that?”
The Changeling was comforting one of the Nymphs. “It’s not much, but I take care of those whose families either cannot effectively take care of them, or die. Do you have any water?”
Crimson pulled her canteen out of her war saddle and levitated it over to her. She quickly grabbed it and greedily drank it. “Thank you…”
“How long have you been here?” Crimson asked.
“Two weeks…” She replied. “When I came here… My hive threw me and the Nymphs in here. They’ve been giving us barely enough to survive… So I gave my rations to the Nymphs.”
Crimson looked surprised. “You’ve gone two weeks without food?”
The Changeling nodded. “When you began your attack, my Hive sealed us in here… and I was worried about them getting killed, so I…”
“You don’t need to tell me.” Crimson said. “I’ll ensure they aren’t harmed. CAPTAIN!”
A red Pegasus flew into the chamber. “Yes My Queen?”
“Get a squad to help this Caretaker and the Nymphs.” She said. “They are not to be harmed, and they are in desperate need of food and water. Ensure they get it.”
“Yes Ma’am!” The Pegasus said with a salute. “Squad three, Report!”
“Keep an eye on them Captain.” Crimson Lance said, lowering her lance and walking towards the cave entrance. “I want those Nymphs unharmed. Anypony who does is getting Court Marshaled.”
The Pegasus bowed. “You have my word Commander. They will not be harmed.”
“Good. I’ll have your Carapace otherwise.” Crimson replied, walking out of the chamber.
“Report!”
“Ma’am, we have fifty Changeling prisoners.”
“And the ponies?”
“Fifty-nine prisoners have been located.”
“One for each Changeling…” Crimson stated. “Which one has the highest rank?”
“A Captain.”
“And the Caretaker?”
“They’re safe.”
Crimson Lance looked at the Changeling prisoners, each one contained inside of a magical cell. “Casualties?”
“We lost three, they lost seven.” The unicorn replied. “We’ve made an estimate that the Commander escaped before the attack, along with one of the pods.”
Crimson cursed under her breath. “Any ideas where they went?”
The Unicorn shook his head. “No idea Ma’am. There’s no trace of them. We only know two of them escaped before the shield was placed due to the missing pod and information from the prisoners.”
“You will never find them!” One of the Changelings shouted. “We will die before we betray our Queen!”
Crimson lowered her Lance to the Changeling’s throat. “I can help with that.”
“You might as well traitor.” The Changeling replied.
“Traitor?” Crimson repeated. “I am a Queen. You have no room to speak to me like one of your lowly Workers.”
“Commander,” Her lieutenant walked up to her. “We’ve cleared the cave, there’s no sign of any other Changelings.”
“Then get Shining Armor and Darkstar in here. We are going to need help getting everypony out.”
The Pegasus saluted. “At once Ma’am.”
“Now… Tell me,” She said to the Changeling, inching the tip of the Lance closer. “Who did they take?”