The night passed quickly, and Shade watched the sun as it rose over the horizon. He didn’t want to sleep; he was busy thinking about the day ahead of them. Off in the distance, he could see the large black clouds, covering the entirety of Ponyville. He was running through the plan, over and over again, making sure it would be fine.
“Captain Shade.”
Shade turned around to see Thorax flying up next to him. “Bit early for you to be up.”
“I never went to sleep,” Shade replied, “Too much going on.”
“I hope that doesn’t skewer your judgment,” Thorax replied. “You need a clear head if you want to survive.”
Shade sighed. “I’m fine…” Shade pulled out the small orange crystal from his leg, “So long as our two races tolerate each other, this should turn out fine.”
“Speaking of which,” Thorax said, “We’re beginning to board the train.”
Shade looked over towards the train station. “Go. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Not my fault if you get stuck with the storage car.” Thorax said. “We’re going to be separating the main Changeling force from the Pony force, to avoid any major hostilities.”
“Keep the communication officers with their squads.” Shade replied. “I want them to see each other as a unit, not as an extra wheel.”
Thorax nodded before flying off the tower.
Shade looked over towards Ponyville. “Meadow… Echo… I’m coming for both of you…”
“I expect the best from all of you.” Crimson said to her Lancers. “Follow your orders, and keep as many Changelings alive as you can, we don’t want to have unneeded bloodshed.”
“Yes Ma’am!”
“Good!” Crimson said. “I’ll see you all when this is over. Make me proud out there boys.”
“Well, Well, Well.” Mandible said walking up to Crimson, “Never thought I would see you avoiding conflict.”
Crimson turned to look at Mandible. “Not my idea.” Crimson replied. “Acari wants all of us to remain here. So I have to remain… but my Lancers can still fight, and they will help.”
“We will fight for Equestria; we will not give in that easily.” One of the Lancers said.
“Keep that attitude soldier; we’re going to need it.” Crimson said. “Now get in, we have a town to free.”
“Yes Ma’am!”
Sunstreak flew down to the train, now ready to depart from the station. He stepped into the train, where he saw the soldiers speaking with each other, and favorably the fact that the Changelings were actually joining into the conversations. He heard laughs, some shouting and various other things he considered standard in a military outfit.
Sunstreak walked back towards the rear of the train, where the Changelings were staying. Neither of them had any problem with this, as both Ponies and Changelings didn’t seem to enjoy to mingle with the others actual military force. And stepping through the train cars was almost like stepping into a totally separate world.
Unlike the Pony cars, the Changelings were silent, each one seeming to stare off into the distance. Even the hive mind was silent, each one seemingly focusing on the battle to come. Sunstreak walked through the cars with a slight feeling of unease from how the Changelings were so unlike the others.
Eventually he got to the back of the train, where the equipment was stored. Spare weapons, some armor replacements, and medical kits, anything they would need to be prepared for.
As the train began to pull out of the station, Sunstreak began to go over the plan. It wasn’t too complex, get off the train before reaching the Ponyville station, and survey the town for a bit before making any moves then deal with it as it comes…Easy right?
The only issue was what came after, almost none of the soldiers knew Ponyville’s layout, Ceymi had two or three days to set up as many ambushes as she needed, and the secrecy of their communication rested on a hunch. So all in all, it didn’t seem as though they had the higher ground, metaphorically or physically.
Then there was the issue of friendly fire with the Changelings, the fact that they had two hundred and fifty Changeling soldiers from the same hive meant that in a fight, it would be difficult to tell them apart.
Sunstreak sighed. “Hopefully those marks on the armor are visible enough…” On all of the Changelings’ armor, marks had been placed on it by them, some kind of green liquid that actually burned itself into their armor. It wasn’t much, but it was all they had.
Sunstreak decided to move to the back cabin, to watch the scenery go by as he returned to Ponyville. He got up from the ground and walked towards the last car, opening it he found something he didn’t expect at all.
When he walked into the car, he found a balloon just, floating in the middle of the room. “What?”
“SURPRISE!” Pinkie Pie said jumping out from behind a box and hugging Sunstreak.
“Pinkie?” Sunstreak said surprised. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Well, I wanted to see you at the Train station, but when I got there you weren’t there, so I waited a bit and then the train whistle blew so we climbed aboard the…”
“We?” Sunstreak asked looking around the room.
“Oh right…” Pinkie giggled. “We’re not supposed to be here. That’s why it was a surprise!”
“Howdy Sunstreak.” Applejack said walking out from behind another set of boxes, followed by Twilight and Rarity.
“What are you all doing here?” Sunstreak asked managing to push Pinkie off of him.
“Don’t be mad…” Twilight said. “But we wanted to come and help.”
Sunstreak transformed back into Shade, still hiding a majority of his armor, so it looked like standard Changeling armor now. “What?” He said shocked. “You snuck on board a military convoy, so that you could help fight?”
“Yup.” Applejack replied. “Sounds ‘bout right.”
“Anything else I should know?” Shade asked, deciding to do that before yelling at any of them.
“The Changelings came with us!” Pinkie said hopping over to the side of three boxes and pulling a very displeased Blackout from behind them.
“Put me down… Now!” Blackout said.
“Hey Snake Eye.” Darkblaze said hanging from the ceiling, a small white rabbit on his back.
“Is he still disguised as that rabbit?” Shade asked looking at the white fluff ball.
“Yup.” Darkblaze replied. “Hasn’t changed out of it yet.”
The Rabbit fell to the ground and transformed back into a Changeling. “Ow…”
“Anything else?” Shade asked.
“Rainbow Dash is outside the train!” Pinkie stuck her head out of a window and shouted, “DASHIE! SUNNY WANTS TO SEE YOU!”
The Cyan Pegasus in question opened the caboose door and walked in. “Yeah?”
“So… If all of you are here,” Shade began “Where’s Fluttershy?”
“She and Antenna are currently holed up in the Apartment.” Darkblaze replied. “Antenna wasn’t too thrilled by me coming here, but I figured I might as well fight for my home now right?”
“Fair enough…” Shade replied. “So whose idea was it to come here?”
“We all mutually agreed it would be the best course of action.” Twilight replied. “More so Blackout.”
“Acari may not want to come, but I’m not letting that stop me.” Blackout said. “I have a debt to repay for what they did to Haze.”
Pinkie squinted at Shade. “Hmmm….”
“Can I help you?” Shade replied, not sure what Pinkie was doing.
Pinkie gasped. “When did you get that snazzy new armor?”
“I’m a Captain of the Royal Guard.” Shade replied. “Anvil made it using the design plans of Dragon Dust’s armor.”
“You’re a Captain!” Pinkie squealed. “I need to start planning a-!”
“NO!” Shade snapped. “I don’t need a party right now! Party later! Saving Ponyville now!”
“Can I at least fire the Party Cannon?” Pinkie asked, pulling the aforementioned cannon out from behind a box.
Shade sighed. “Go for it…”
Pinkie pushed the button on the back of the Party Cannon creating a loud bang and showering the wall with confetti.
“Better?” Shade asked.
“Much.” Pinkie Pie replied.
“So… How far ahead did you guys plan this out?” Shade asked, looking at the group. “I mean… You got on the train. So what now?”
“Well… next was asking you if we could help, then possible pleading.” Twilight began listing off her plan, “Then trying to get you to say yes.”
Shade rubbed his chin. “Actually…” He said. “You may be able to help after all…”
“General Spine!” The Changeling Officer ran into the Throne room, out of breath.
“What is it soldier.” Spine demanded. “This had better be important.”
“I do hope so.” Ceymi added. “Otherwise you will have wasted both of our times.”
The Changeling bowed. “We have reports that the Equestrian military is coming to Ponyville.”
Ceymi laughed. “Excellent. The fools don’t know what they are getting themselves into.”
“My Queen,” The Changeling continued. “An unexpected storm has rolled in, if we attempt to fly through it, we may suffer-”
“It doesn’t concern me Soldier.” Ceymi replied. “We will send our workers through it.”
The Changeling looked up. “But… My Queen… They would not make it through the…”
“Are you disobeying me?” Ceymi asked, looking down at the Changeling. “Because that is what it sounds like you are doing.”
“No… My Queen. I am merely…”
“Then do as you are told!” Ceymi ordered. “When the Equestrians attempt to take back the town, send our workers through it.”
“Yes… My Queen… It shall be done…” The Changeling bowed before stepping out of the room.
Ceymi looked at Spine. “Are the creatures tame yet?”
“No Ceymi.” Spine replied. “They are still as violent as when they were first captured.”
Ceymi looked at the wall, covered with the pink memory crystals; she levitated one over to her. “When the workers fail, and they will fail, I wish for you and your team to release those creatures on the town, and if the workers begin to fall back, send in the creatures.” Ceymi shattered the crystal in her magical grip. “I have no place for cowards in my Hive.”
“Of course my Queen.” Spine replied he began to walk out of the throne room.
“And love,” Spine turned around. “If you see my Mother’s pet project, be sure to kill it where it stands.”
Spine smiled. “It will be done, My Love.”
“Make sure the child can watch I always enjoy hearing her squirm.”
“Of course Queen Ceymi.” Spine bowed before walking out of the throne room.
Ceymi took another of the memory Crystals off the wall and looked into it. “So mother… Who is the weak Queen now?”
Spine descended the Hive, heading to where the two Fillies were held captive, he had visited the two of them before, to feed off of the Unicorn, her love was sweet, but waning. She served her purpose, but she would be kept alive, at least until Nymph’s death, then he would kill her.
“So how are the two food sources doing today?” Spine asked the Changeling he placed in charge of guarding the two fillies.
“The Nymph is going to die if she doesn’t get some Love.” The Guard replied. “The scraps we’ve been giving her aren’t enough.”
“Very well…” Spine grunted. “Give her enough to last another day. After that we won’t have to deal with either of them.”
“So the reject is coming?” the Guard asked.
“Him and the rest of his pathetic allies,” Spine replied. “I came to make sure they could watch as Nymph dies by my hooves.”
The Guard shrugged. “Go for it.” He opened the green membrane separating the two rooms.
Inside, Meadow was looking over at Echo who was clenching at her stomach. “So…Hungry…” Echo said. “Daddy…”
“Your Daddy won’t be saving either of you.” Spine said as he stepped into the room. “He is going to die today.”
“You’re lying!” Meadow shouted. “Mr. Shade will rescue us, and when he does he’s going to make sure that-!” Meadow was silenced by Spine’s teeth slamming shut if front of her face.
“No. He will die! In fact, he is coming here as we speak.” Spine broke off a crystal from the wall and levitated it in front of both of them. The Crystal turned green and projected an image of a train caboose. “Now be good little girls and watch as Nymph tries to save his precious village.” Spine began to fly towards the exit. “Don’t worry, after he dies, you won’t get a chance to mourn.”
Spine flew out of the chamber, leaving Meadow and Echo with the projection of a train.
“Daddy…” Echo said weakly. “He’s gonna…be okay right?”
“I hope so Echo…” Meadow replied. “Please be okay Shade…”
“Alright, so you all know what I want you to do.” Shade stated. “All I need is one final thing, Twilight, come with me.”
Shade led Twilight into the next train car, where they could be left alone. “I’m going to teach you a spell.”
“Shade, I don’t think now is the best time for some magic practice.” Twilight replied.
“Well we have no armor in your size, and this is the next best thing.” Shade replied removing his helmet. “Besides, you should be able to get this spell mastered in a jiffy. It’s an old mage spell, meant to help protect them from physical blows as a substitute for armor.”
“Oo…” Twilight replied. ‘I’m intrigued.”
“I knew you would be.” Shade replied. “Now think of it like your Shield spell, only much more focused. Instead of projecting the force field around yourself in a bubble. You need to think of it as if it were only inches away from your skin.”
“I… Don’t know…” Twilight replied. “That is a pretty specific spell….”
“I’ll show you then.” Shade closed his eyes, while he hadn’t done this in quite a while, he still remembered how to do it. The only issue was not transforming while doing it… He tried to focus on the look of standard Changeling armor and after a few moments of focus, he felt the spell begin to take effect.
There was a bright flash for a nanosecond, before it vanished, leaving Shade with a green corporeal variation of normal Changeling armor along his body. “Oooo…”
Shade opened his eyes and the spell cut off. “Sorry… I haven’t used it in this body and it is draining me…”
“No problem Shade. Let me try it.” Twilight focused, on it but the only thing she managed to do was make a force field around her. “Hold on… I can…”
Shade was going to interrupt her, but before he got the chance, she cast the spell four more times.
“This should be working.” Twilight said. “What am I doing wrong?”
“You’re focusing on the shield aspect, focus on the armor aspect.” Shade explained. “Focus on…” Shade tapped his chin. “Your brother’s armor for instance.”
“You sure about that?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” Shade replied plainly. “You need to try and imagine yourself wearing the armor, before casting the spell. Now this alone took me a few weeks to learn, and a few months to master, but I have faith in you.”
“How can you tell?” Twilight asked.
“Twilight,” Shade began. “I’ve lived around a magic wielder my whole life, she taught other mages and I watched sometimes. My mom taught me how to pick out those with potential, and those who would need to be pushed along, you definitely have potential for whatever you need. Just try.”
Most of the hour long ride was spent with Twilight attempting the spell, and failing for the most part, she managed to get small sparks of it, that almost instantly failed.
“Don’t get stressed out,” Shade said, “You have to let it come naturally, don’t force it.”
The other door towards the Changeling cars opened. “Hey Shade you… Twily?”
“Shiny?” Twilight said looking towards the entrant. Shining Armor was standing there.
“What are you doing here?” Shining Armor asked, looking at Shade.
“I had nothing to do with this.” Shade answered. “I just came here to watch the scenery go by and found her and a bunch of friends…”
“Twily, are your friends on this train too?”
“Um… yes,” Twilight replied unsure. “We decided to come along…”
“I already gave them the shtick. No point repeating it.”
“You’re okay with this?” Shining Armor asked in disbelief.
“Hey. You should have seen what they did in Canterlot.” Shade replied. “Well… I didn’t see it either, but I saw the aftermath. That was a lot of unconscious changelings.”
Twilight blushed. “Most of that was actually Pinkie Pie… You see she…”
Shade held up his hoof. “I don’t want to know… I’m sure I’ll figure it out.” Shade looked at the two of them. “I can tell you two are going to do a brother sister argument here, so I’ll just go into the other car while you two…Do…whatever.”
Shade managed to slink into the other car before the two began arguing, and he saw that not much had changed in the few days he had been absent, Applejack was still distancing herself from any of the other Changelings, Pinkie was jumping everywhere, and Darkblaze was lounging on the ceiling.
Shade sighed and shook his head. “Some things never change.”
“So how’d teaching Twilight that spell go?” Darkblaze asked.
“Well… She’s getting the hang of it…”
“In other words it failed.”
“Yeah…” Shade replied, he looked up to see Pinkie staring right at the still unnamed changeling. “Hey, why don’t you show Pinkie that disguise of yours? I’m sure she would love it.”
“Are…You sure?”
“Oh right!” Darkblaze slapped himself. “I promised to introduce you to her!”
“Huh?” Pinkie replied.
Darkblaze flipped over and flew down to them. “Pinkie, this Changeling has a very… specific habit. He likes to see ponies happy. I thought of you.”
Darkblaze nudged the Changeling, who took this as his cue to disguise. Upon seeing the White and yellow version of herself with wings, she gasped loudly.
“Ohmygosh! You look just like her!” Pinkie said quickly. Eliciting confusion for everyone.
“Looks like who sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
“My Great-Great-Great-Grandma!” She reached into her mane and pulled out a photo book, flipping through it and finding a black and white photo of what looked exactly like Pinkie, with wings. “Her name was Surprise!” She gasped. “Hey maybe that should be your name! You could come work with me at Sugarcube Corner! Then we could throw parties every day to-!”
“Pinkie… I think you broke him…” Darkblaze said, looking at the newly dubbed ‘Surprise’ who was just staring at Pinkie in shock.
“You…You want me…To work with… You?”
“Uh Yeah!” Pinkie said as if it was obvious. “You love making ponies smile, you have the look, and… wait…”
Pinkie reached into Surprise’s mane, before pulling out a couple of balloons. “Aha! You are perfect for the job!” Pinkie pulled Surprise into a hug.
“Hey great job Surprise!” Darkblaze said. “Looks like you just got yourself a family.”
Surprise was processing this information. “I…Family…We…” Surprise was surrounded in a yellow flame and returned to his Changeling form, falling to the ground unconscious.
“What was that about?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Short version, he never had a family, he never had a Hive, so this is the closest thing he’s had.” Darkblaze replied. “I guess it is a bit of a shock for him.”
“Is he going to be okay?” Pinkie asked. “His eyes are kind of bugging out.”
“No… that’s just how they normally look.” Shade replied. “But he is drooling.”
Surprise suddenly jolted up and pulled Pinkie into a strong hug. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” He said changing into his pony form. “You won’t regret this I promise!”
Pinkie’s eyes bulged out of her head before Surprise let go and she seemed to deflate to the ground before instantly re-inflating and jumping around. “Oo! I’ve got to plan a MASSIVE party! For all the Changelings! For Saving Meadow! Now for a new friend!”
“And now we have two of them…” Darkblaze sighed. “Maybe this will be better as I get used to it.”
The door to the train opened up and Shining Armor walked in. “I’m not happy about this, but I’ll accept it. If they get hurt, you have to deal with me.”
“Got it.” Shade replied.
“Now…” Shining Armor sighed. “Back to the first reason why I came here. We’re almost to Ponyville.”
Shade looked back at Tornado. “Get going buddy. I need you up there.”
Tornado Dust saluted and flew out of the car.
Shade turned back to Shining Armor. “Get the Strike Teams ready. Tornado Dust will act as a leader for some of the forward strikes.”
“Why is that?” Shining Armor asked.
“Because he has years more experience with the Hive mind, and I trust him to deliver the correct orders.” Shade replied. “Now… I trust you to handle the placement of the Bearers, they already know what I expect from them.”
“And that is?”
“Stay away from anything that is a huge threat.” Shade replied. “I don’t want any of them getting killed because they were doing something dumb.”
Pinkie was smiling. “I’ve got a big surprise… I’m not going to tell you what…”
“I never asked.” Shade said. “I probably will later though.”
“I’m ready to crack some Changelings.” Rainbow said, slamming her forehooves together causing both Surprise and Blackout to shiver. “Oh… Sorry…”
“Just don’t get us confused in the fight.” Blackout replied. “Or I will show you what changelings do to traitors”
Rainbow Dash gulped.
“Hey! Hey! Save it for the Ceymi!” Shade replied. “Captain Armor, get the rest of the strike teams to the clouds, and prep the rest of them for the attack.”
“Alright, I hope you know what we’re doing…” Shining Armor replied.
“So do I captain…” Shade replied. “I just hope this isn’t some kind of elaborate trick…”
Spine paced along the line of makeshift soldiers, Workers, Couriers, any Changelings they could get were given armor, and orders to kill. Many of them were shaking.
“Scout 137. Report!”
A small Changeling came up to him. “The Ponies are entering the city in a few minutes.”
“How are the Handlers doing?”
Spine walked next to a set of five reinforced metal boxes, each one with a large Changeling next to it. The boxes were making a high-pitched screeching sound and rattling constantly.
Spine smiled. “Excellent…” Spine looked back at the makeshift army. “All of you, remember, do this and save those of you who betrayed our one true Queen. Remember that they wish to destroy your family. Let them believe they are hold the higher ground, before we pull it from away from them.”
The Changelings saluted.
“Remember, Ceymi will not allow any cowards. If you run, we will hunt you down.”
The Changelings all hissed in disgust at the thought.
“We attack once they walk into the trap.” Spine smiled. “Then it will be easy pickings…” Spine looked back at the army. “If you find the traitor who calls himself ‘Shade’ bring him to me. He is a high value target.”
“Yes sir!”
Spine smirked. “You are all loyal soldiers. Ceymi will reward your loyalty! Now let’s see how well these Equestrians can stand against the Swarm!”