Life of a Wanted Changeling Season 4: At Luck's End (Comment Driven Story)

by BrownDog77

Episode 95: Hope's Only Hope

Reunited Opening:

The crystal mare in front of you bites her lip, as if she’s unsure about something.

“Well? I’m waiting,” you grunt impatiently and she winces.

“Hey Daddy, take it easy alright? Things have kind of been hectic for us these last few days,” Nightshade says.

“Oh I’m sorry honey, it’s just that I’m more than a little miffed that everything we worked for got overturned and she apparently had something to do with it!” you grumble.

“Look, I can understand your frustrations, believe me I can,” Hope says as she slides off the side of Sombra’s bed. “Over the last few days my perspective of things has shifted, but for the last year I’d thought of you and Nightmare Moon as enemies that were keeping Sombra prisoner and-“

“Lady, I’m not keeping your boyfriend hostage! If you’d just talked to me and not created the Legion of Doom, you’d know that!” you chide the Crystal Pony.

“I know that now Mr. Bugze!” she shoots back with a frown. “But look at it from my point of view! I came back to the material plane after a thousand years looking for Sombra, and all I’d gathered was that he was eaten by you. If it weren’t for my friend reassuring me that he was still in your head, I would have…I don’t know what I would have done!”

“…Yeah, okay I can kind of see where you’re coming from…but still, you couldn’t have waited till after we got to enjoy being pardoned for more than 5 minutes?!” you grunt and Nightshade puts a hoof on yours.

“Dad, believe me, I’ve already chewed her out enough in the beginning,” she says sternly and Hope winces. “But she did help me keep Mommy safe after we all got blasted from the magic feedback, so give her some slack okay?”

You take a deep breath before sighing at that.

“Alright, fine, but I’ve still got a lot more chewing out for you in the future missy, you can bet on that,” you warn Hope and she frowns again.

“Fine, I accept that,” she monotones. She then glances back at Sombra’s rhythmic breathing before turning back to you.

Ponygamer12’s Comment

Loganic’s Comment

“To answer some of the more immediate questions you surely have, it’s been about a week since Chrysalis used that stallion’s artifact hodgepodge to separate you three.”

“A week?” you ask in surprise. “No wonder I was so thirsty.”

“Yes, Chrysalis almost immediately sent you to the dungeons after you passed out to, in her words, ‘Keep you safe and fresh,’” she says with a shiver.

“Fresh?” you repeat as you suddenly feel weirded out.

“Yeah, she was being really creepy and was rubbing your face and hair and at one point it looked like she was going to try and kiss you while you were asleep until I hit in her in the face with a magic missile,” Nightshade explains with a scowl and you raise an eyebrow.

“Wait, you were still conscious after the magical explosion?”

“Yeah…but I had like a really big headache, my ears were ringing, and I was super dizzy,” she explains. “I saw Celestia and Luna trying to sit up as well but then they got swarmed by changelings and everyone else was completely passed out. Then I saw that you, Mom and Sombra were separated and that gross lady was fawning over you and I got mad.”

“Nightshade is really quite powerful and durable as I’ve come to find out,” Hope chimes in. “Chrysalis getting blasted by her was even able to draw me away from my reverie in holding Sombra again.”

“So wait, hold on a second, you fought Chrysalis honey?” you ask in awe.

“No, not really,” she pouts. “I was able to get the one sucker punch on her and I felt really tired after that. Hope said it was that gun thing that separated you or something.”

“The device when fired not only separated you, Selena and Sombra, it sucked a lot of mana out of the air and from all inside, and once the process was finished, it released it all in one fell swoop,” Hope explains. “Even Chrysalis had been drained somewhat, despite being at the epicenter of the device, but not nearly as much as everyone else in that room.”

“Which is a shame because I really wanted to kick her flank right then and there,” Nightshade grumbles and crosses her legs. “But at least I was able to get the one hit in.”

“What happened after you blasted her honey?” you ask and she stiffens and scowls.

“She hissed at me and told all the changelings to get me and Mommy. Said we had to be made an example of when her “beloved” woke up,” she growls.

“Made an example of? That stupid little,” you grit your teeth before shaking your head. “And Beloved? What the buck is she smoking?”

“I don’t know if she’s been smoking anything per se, but that’s how she’s been referring to you since I met her,” Hope speaks up.

“Well it isn’t true! She lost that chance years ago…” you say with a bit of heat at the painful memories. “But she’s truly lost her marbles if she thinks that hurting Nightshade or Selena would ever make me join her!”

“Yes, I thought as much as well,” Hope nods. “None of my plans entailed killing anypony, and that was the first instance she started straying from the plan. I tried to interject and have her call that order off, but she spoke over me to her subordinates.”

“Yeah, the minute she said that, my shards burned bright, and even though I was tired, I dove onto Mommy before the changelings got her and teleported us away,” Nightshade relays before her ears droop. “I tried to get to you too Daddy, but Chrysalis pulled you away before I could reach you…”

“It’s alright honey, I don’t blame you,” you say giving her a little squeeze, which at least gets her ears to undroop. “So you teleported away?”

“Yeah, to this room actually,” she nods. “It was a random teleport and I didn’t have much energy after doing it. I kind of passed out next to Mommy on the floor here.”

“You passed out here?” you ask before looking to Hope. “Then how did you…?”

“Though time flowed differently for me, I’ve been with the Umbrum for over a thousand years, which is how I’m still alive,” Hope speaks up. “I’ve developed a connection with them so I was able to sense the Alicorn Amulet after things started getting…hectic.”

“Hectic?”

“After Nightshade disappeared with Selena, she went berserk and ordered all of her Changelings to spread out and find them,” Hope explains with a disturbed look. “I tried to get her to calm down since she had you again, which was all she’d wanted out of this partnership, but she dismissed me and said to stay out of her personal business and to tend to my part of the bargain.” At that last part she looks at Sombra.

“So…what happened after that?”

“After that, they gooped up everyone in the room except for you and took them down to the dungeons where they’d been keeping that handsome stallion she was impersonating and his allies,” she continues. “And while she was doing that, I decided to get Sombra somewhere safe, and that’s when I felt the presence of your filly and found her and her mother.”

“And, what, you decided to hide them? Just like that?” you ask perplexed and she nods.

“As I said, I didn’t want to actually hurt anyone. And after that broadcast when that terrorist attacked, I realized that Sombra must have cared for them as well.”

“She hid me and mom in that room then pulled the bookshelf in front of it,” Nightshade picks up. “I woke up a few days ago next to Mom, which itself was pretty amazing, but then I came out here, nearly bit Hope’s head off, and then realized she was trying to help us.”

“She’s not exaggerating either, she tried to bite my ears,” Hope winces and you look at your daughter who smirks.

“I might have been a bit angry,” she admits. “But yeah, Hope explained what was going on, and who she was and I realized that she was the mare Sombra’s always talked about loving, so I decided not to hurt her. I didn’t run down to free you either because I needed to protect Mommy and everyone else is still captured,”

The crystal mare blushes as Nightshade continues to talk, before she interrupts.

“Did…did he actually say that he loved me?” she asks sheepishly.

“On more than one occasion,” Nightshade smiles, which causes the mare to grin and look to the dark stallion with sparkling eyes.

“Alright, alright, enough with the goo goo eyes, what’s happened since then?” you interrupt and she startles.

“Oh, right, ahem,” she clears her throat. “After that, Chrysalis went a little wild trying to find these two, it’s all she’s been obsessing about. I want to move on and help free the Umbrum, but I still need Sombra to wake up.”

“Yeah, about that, why isn’t he already awake? Why did I wake up before him and Selena?” you question and she shrugs.

“I don’t know. I only vaguely know of how the device worked in the first place, but I believe it’s because you already had a body to begin with, while their’s had to be created.”

“Captain Jack when he explained it to me and Grandbuggy said that you three would probably need weeks to recover,” Nightshade explains before eying Hope. “Apparently, some changelings overheard our little discussion at the café.”

“Yes, some drones reported back to Chrysalis about this Jack’s device, which we thought would put less strain on my magical reserves, so they captured him,” Hope nods. “I’ve been using my healing magic to speed along their recovery, and I was even able to give some to you the few times I’ve snuck down to the dungeons. But even still, you waking up now means it won’t be long for them…at least I hope so.”

The smiling image of your “Friend” briefly flashes across your mind and you frown at that.

“There might be other factors,” you say without going into more detail.

“Well, whatever the case, my plans are on hold till Sombra wakes up, but with how erratic Chrysalis has been and how she’s let the weather conditions worsen, I’m not sure how much longer we can wait. Especially now that you’ve awoken.”

You nod at that, knowing full well that with how unhinged she’s gotten, Chrysalis would definitely come for you now that you’re awake.

“I’ve talked with Flim, Flam, Iron Will and Lightning Dust, and we’ve all agreed that things have gone too far, and that we need a plan of action,” she continues and you raise a brow.

Down With Chrysalis’s Comment

“Alright, I know exactly who those Evil Machine™ builders are,” you say with a shudder, remembering that horrifying Cider Season where Skynet almost became real. “But who are Iron Will and Lightning Dust?”

“Oh, well, when I put together my team, I needed individuals who had grievances with the Elements of Harmony since we figured we’d have to battle them as well. Iron Will is a minotaur that used to be a spokesperson, but he hasn’t gotten much work after Fluttershy got a refund from him.”

“I vaguely recall her talking about a minotaur built like a wrestler,” you ponder aloud. “But really? One bad review and he loses his business and swears revenge?”

“He’s really in it only for the money since he’s having some marital troubles,” Hope points out. “And Lightning Dust is a pegasus mare that got kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy thanks to Rainbow Dash.”

“Wait, seriously?” you question and she nods. “What sort of Mean Fillies kind of situation is that? Rainbow got her kicked out of school so she decided to help overthrow an entire nation?!”

“She really only joined because she wanted to fight Rainbow Dash, but things didn’t go according to plan,” Hope admits.

“I heard some stories when I was Ponyville,” Nightshade speaks up. “Apparently she was a reckless flier that caused a stunt that nearly got Twilight and the others killed, but Dash saved them and Spitfire kicked her out.”

“…Oh, well if Spitfire decided that, then clearly she’s a villain,” you nod after a moment of thought and Nightshade looks at you deadpanned.

“Seriously Daddy?”

“Look, just because the world has gone crazy doesn’t mean I’m not still a fan of hers,” you point out before looking to Hope. “So okay, we got a Wonderbolts Washout and a Struggling Motivational Speaker. Why did the Swindler Twins join?”

“Just like Iron Will, money. Plus they wanted to get back at the Apple Family and your Grandbuggy in the process.”

“What? What did Grandbuggy do?” you question.

“He ran them out of town when they were trying to peddle youth tonics to the old folks in Ponyville,” Nightshade says.

“Oh…well, they had that coming then,” you say and Nightshade agrees.

“Apparently, they’re also the reason why the changelings got freed as well,” she says and your eyes widen.

“What?!” you exclaim and Hope raises her hooves trying to shush you.

“Yes, yes, they built us a machine to bore through the wall of their prison. I needed Chrysalis’s force in order to ensure no unnecessary fighting or insurgency occurred,” she says and your eye twitches.

“So it’s thanks to Machines in all their evil evilness that Chrysalis is running free? Great, just great,” you huff and glare her down. “And nice job getting them involved, seems it’s working fantastically!”

“I had no idea she would become like this,” Hope says apologetically. “She said all she wanted was you, and I was inclined to give you to her after what you’d done to Sombra, but taking over and stalemating everything, how could I have known?”

“Not be so bucking naive?” you suggest with a growl to which she winces at. “Newsflash lady, Chrysalis overtook Canterlot all while boasting and singing about it disguised as Princess Cadence, and acting nothing like her. She nearly wiped out her elites and the three hundred at Appleloosa because she thought all was lost! She’s never been bucking stable while she’s been on the throne!”

“Okay, yes, there were some concerns I had about her…especially as of late with some of her actions,” she says with a disturbed wince.

“What, like enslaving an entire city and letting it freeze?”

“Well, that and that time a few days ago where she blasted one of her own drones with magic through a wall while me and the others were having a meeting with her,” she says rubbing the back of her neck.

“She blasted a drone?” you question disturbed.

“Yes, the poor thing needed medical attention from me. When we questioned her why, she said it was because he was badmouthing her “beloved” in front of her,” she says with a shake of her head. “Of course the soldier hadn’t said a word, and when we pointed that out she said she heard it through the Hive Mind.”

“The Hive Mi-But that no longer exists! I broke that!” you bark and she nods.

“I know, she’d even told me that herself after we freed her,” Hope says with a sigh. “But even so, I thought that once Sombra was revived, he would be more than a match for-“

You cut her off as you dash forward and grab her by the horn.

“Eep!” she shrieks as you invade her personal space. “Wait, I thought that you said you believed m-“ you silence her as you cover her mouth with your other hoof and glare and into her eyes.

“Dad! What the buck are you-“ Nightshade calls out, but you ignore her as you glare the mare in front of you down.

"Oh I do believe you, but I just wanted to make one thing clear with you," you growl threateningly as her eyes go wide. “I understand being lost after being gone for a thousand years, but from everything you’ve told me so far, you are the sole reason that crazy nutcase is free with her army, and why my family's happy ending was robbed from us at the very last moment, again! Once this is all over, we are going to have a very serious talk about how one can be dumber then the dirt they walk on. Then you can have a chat with Selena when she wakes up, then the Princesses, then the Elements, and then you’re going to give a public apology to the entire Crystal Empire for invading their home with a mentally unstable changeling queen and her army, and only then am I going to help you get a happy ending with ol' Sombra, got it?!"

You hear Nightshade gasp at your declaration, and Hope herself nods vigorously with widened, guilt filled eyes.

“Good, I just wanted that to be made clear before we move on,” you say as you release her and she gasps and backs away from you.

“I had already planned on offering apologies, you didn’t have to threaten me like that,” she pants eying you wearily.

“Yeah, but it’s good to hear it said aloud,” you scowl back, your heart hammering in anger.

“I see that even now being as weak as you are, you aren’t to be taken lightly,” she says rubbing her horn.

Daddy’s not weak,” Nightshade defends but you sigh.

“I don’t have my powers anymore Nightshade. Your mother and Sombra were the ones with the power, and now that they’re not in my head, I don’t really have much to offer,” you say and her jaw falls.

“Seriously?” she gapes.

“Seriously,” you nod solemnly and she suddenly looks nervous.

“Oh…oh boy,” she says rubbing the back of her neck.

“But you’re still a changeling aren’t you? Can’t you shapeshift into a large beast or something?” Hope asks and you frown.

“Only the strongest of the elite drones could do something like that. My old drill sergeant could actually turn into a bugbear and have the strength to match, but for most drones it doesn’t work like that. And I’ve never been able to transform because I’m a hybrid.”

“Oh…shoot, I’d hoped that we’d be able to disguise you for when Chrysalis inevitably finds out you’ve escaped your cell,” she admits.

“Well, I did still have a transformation potion in my Inventory, but I seem to have lost it. You know where it’s at?” you ask and she shakes her head.

“I’m sorry, I have no idea where your personal belongings are after you were taken to the dungeons,” she says.

“I’m surprised they let you keep your clothes on,” Nightshade admits.

“Might be that whole, keeping me “Fresh” thing that Chrysalis ordered,” you theorize. “But if that’s the case, then I’ve got jack all.”

Loganic’s Comment

Jayo Jack’s Comment

Ello Calebero’s Comment

“I’ve still got the Boomstick attached to my Power Pole,” Nightshade points out, just as Mangle pokes her head out of her Inventory, holding said weapon. “And Mangle as well.”

“Didn’t that thing have two heads back in the stadium?” you ask.

“She did, but she’s assmiliated herself well with the other Mangle Head, and now she’s just one headed and bigger.”

“Creepy,” you shudder. “But okay, that’s one weapon and a robot at my disposal, I can’t do much else, I never was good at magic.”

“Dad, you still have your sick Kung Fu moves right? Remember the No Shadow Kick and Falcon Punch?” she encourages.

“They aren’t going to pack as much a punch anymore…though I guess it’s something for the lower level enemies,” you think optimistically.

“Exactly, and you got the RCV Fus Ro Dah which you haven’t used in awhile,” she points out.

“Oh right, I did learn that in a self help book,” you say realizing you’re not completely useless.

“See? We can still get through this Dad…whatever it is we plan to do,” she encourages and you smile.

“Thanks honey,” you say with a nod before looking back to Hope. “So, what exactly is the plan?”

Kichi’s Comment

Ello Calebero’s Comment

Puzzlng Frost’s Comment

“That’s what we’ve got to figure out,” Hope says. “There are a lot of lives at stake, so we need to avoid things needlessly catastrophic.”

“Well that won’t be an issue with me anymore…” you trail off as you look to your daughter who pouts.

“What? I’m doing fine Dad, I didn’t go kicking the throne room doors in and curb stomping that ugly whorse these last few days have I?” she brags.

“No you haven’t, which I’m proud of you for the restraint, but we should avoid getting into a fight at all,” you say.

“I agree. She has the Elements of Harmony close to her and it would be a risk to their lives,” Hope nods and Nightshade looks weary.

“And Spike too, he’s with their group…”

“We’re not going to let anything happen to them,” you reassure her and look back to Hope.

“Gorramn right we’re not,” she nods and sighs again. “Which means I don’t get to cut loose unless it’s an emergency right?”

“Exactly,” you nod. “So what we really need to do is play it stealthy and get as many folks to safety before Chrysalis realizes I’m awake.”

“Yes, I’m thinking along those lines as well,” Hope nods. “Or at the very least, we get whoever we can out of the city and I can lead us to the Umbrum. They can take shelter there until Sombra is ready to free them, and then we’ll have more allies against the changelings.”

“Hmmm, kind of got the impression they might be peeved since it was the Crystal Ponies that imprisoned them. Are you sure they’d save the Empire?” you ask.

“Of course! They took me in after Sombra cursed the Empire and disappeared. I know that they’ll help any allies of myself or him,” she says with surety.

“Yeah I get that, but if they’re anything like how Sombra used to be…” you say with some hesitation.

“You don’t know them as I do, they’re sweet and kind and completely misunderstood, I’ve spent the better part of the last thousand years with them and they’ve never once shown any sign of evil they’re so wrongfully accused of.” Hope says with a smile.

“Why are so many people from a thousand years ago popping back up in recent years?” Nightshade wonders aloud. “I mean Mommy, Auntie Luna, Discord, Sombra…”

“Not to mention the Dazzling Sisters,” you point out before your expression falls, realizing you got them into this mess. “But yeah, we’ll discuss the strange appearances of ancient beings from a long time ago later, let’s just survive the current crisis now…though you do have a good point Nightshade.” She smiles at the compliment before turning to Hope.

“Well I guess I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since they’re the ones that are going to get the amulet out of my chest right?” she inquires.

“Yes, exactly. Though it might be a delicate process seeing how splintered it is in you,” Hope gestures to Nightshade’s chest.

“Alright, so if we can sneak out of the city, with some allies, you’ll be able to meet us out in the snow and lead us to the prison right?” you ask and she nods.

“Just like with how I was able to sense Nightshade, I’ll be able to sense the Umbrum again.”

“Okay, but sneaking out is going to be tough enough already. I mean, if I had my Inventory, I’d be able to go full on ninja. I’ve got dark clothing with the nobody cloak, the Jetstream Sam sword, shurikens, and my power glove’s got a grappling hook,” you list off, realizing that you really did have a ninja option for many years.

“We should definitely find your Inventory if we can…and not just because of the Ninja-ness,” Nightshade says in determination.

“Which again, I have no idea where it would be,” Hope repeats.

“Well the changeling guards that threw me in the cell might have a stash. There’s always a room or hole in the ground where they keep captured creature’s weapons or personal belongings, it’s just standard practice,” you instruct, remembering your time as part of the Hive Army.

"But barring my lack of dark clothes, a cardboard box would suffice,” you say as you look around the room, but unfortunately, you see no stray mobile cover.

"A cardboard box?" Hope questions incredulously.

“Yup, you get under it and move around, and when enemies are near, you stop and they won’t notice you,” you explain before sighing. “But that option is out too since it looks like no one’s moved from here recently.”

“I’m just confused why you would think such an action would work though?”

“You’d be surprised,” Nightshade interjects. “Heck, Greta was talking about how she did just that right before we had the big meeting…I hope she’s alright.”

“So do creatures in the future have bad eyesight or something?” Hope asks trying to make sense of that logic.

“More like they’re passively lazy. Believe me, in my time in the army, you don’t make unnecessary work for yourself like checking random boxes,” you point out.

“Ooookkkkaaaayyy,” she trails off. “I still don’t get it, but okay.”

“Well if there are other lazy changelings like you Dad, can you think of any that might be friendly enough to ally with us and let us know where it’s at?” Nightshade asks, though mostly sarcastically.

“I doubt it. Anyone who had doubts about her left on the TARDIS last year. These are all the ones I gave the choice to, and they chose her and her madness,” you say with a scowl.

“Yeah, I figured that, but just thought I’d ask,” Nightshade shrugs. “Really what we could use is Mr. Sentry and whatever other Canterlot forces showing up, but they’re a continent away.”

“Which again, would lead to a lot of violence and bloodshed,” Hope says sounding like she’s already had this conversation. “Besides, Chrysalis has already impersonated Celestia and turned away any aid from the south before it could even arrive.”

“Heh, despite being cuckoo, she’s still got some competent scheming,” you sigh.

“Ugh, if only Discord wasn’t powerless, he could’ve solved all of this!” Nightshade grunts and kicks at the ground.

“Even if he was fine and showed up, adding him might be explosive,” you theorize. “But since he is weak, he’s much safer back in Ponyville.”

A Few Days Ago in Ponyville

Discord sits withered in his bed at Fluttershy’s Cottage, horrified and looking out the window as countless ponies of all races scream as something big and red runs through the town, leaving ponies strewn about just as drained of magic and weak as him, only in their cases, they are missing their cutie marks.

Besides the animals that hide within the cottage, a few others have taken refuge from the mysterious beast that feeds, even as it runs from some nutjob in a white doctor’s coat.

The Ponyville Horde members, or what’s left of them hunker down with the drained god of chaos and each and every one them has the same thought.

“Where’s The Offender when you need him?”

Back With You (Present)

As with many times in your life, a sense of irony tickles at your nose, but you just scratch at it with your hoof. You’ve got bigger fish to fry than worry about Discord.

“But yeah, we’re gonna be short on allies, aside from the petty slighted team Hope put together,” you jab and she frowns.

“Can’t we just take others from the cocoons?” Nightshade asks and you shake your head.

“None of them are going to be combat ready once we open those. Heck, many of them are going to have trouble walking after being drained of love for so long,” you point out. “But we could probably free a few and get them out, the lighter the better.”

“You think even Pinkie would be drained?” asks Nightshade and you pause.

“Hmm, good point,” you say with a hoof to your chin. “Maybe we could summon her?”

"Summon the Element of Laughter?” Hope inquires. “I already told you, she’s in Chrysalis’s personal-“

"We could try to break a Pinkie Promise,” Nightshade interrupts.

“Hey yeah!” you say excitedly before your face droops. “But I don’t think we have any other promises kept with her. We kind of admitted everything at the meeting.”

“Maybe it could be just between us?” she says before a light bulb goes off above her head. “Because breaking a Pinkie Promise is the best way to lose the trust of a friend…”

Both you and Nightshade then look about the room expectantly while Hope raises an eyebrow feeling lost.

“What are you all waiting for?” she asks and both you and your daughter frown.

“Dang it! Thought for sure that would work!” she grunts.

“It was worth a shot honey,” you say with a sigh.

“Ugh! This must be that Shoo Out the Clowns Trope she was talking about for when things get serious,” she grumbles.

“What are you two talking about?”

“Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” you explain without explaining and her eye twitches. “You’ll understand if we can free her.”

“Again, she’s with Chrysalis directly along with the others, and as for your other captured friends I unfortunately don’t have any keys to the prison cells,” Hope says and your ears droop.

“Of course you don’t,” you sigh.

“Speaking of, how did you get out?” she inquires.

“My cell was just kind of unlocked,” you shrug and look down at the manacles you’re still wearing. “Also, any chance of getting these off me?”

“I don’t have any keys or anything, but it shouldn’t be too hard since these are just simple iron,” she says lighting up her horn, the glow encasing the chains. “But that is really strange that your cell was just open. It was one of the more secure ones down there.”

“Maybe we do have an ally that’s not captured?” Nightshade suggests.

Once more, the smile filled with wrongness of your “Friend” flashes in your mind’s eye and you shudder.

“That’s the optimistic thought…” you grumble and she looks at you curiously, but her attention is caught by several clicks.

“There we go, done and done,” Hope says with a grin as you feel the manacles slip off of all four of your hooves.

“Ahhhh, thank you,” you say with a sigh of satisfaction as your rub at the chaffed chitin.

“No problem,” she says holding the manacles in her magical grip like a trophy. Suddenly though, there is a strange tingling sensation that washes across all of you, and suddenly her magical aura pops out of existence and the manacles hit the floor.

“Huh, that was weird,” Hope says rubbing at her horn. “Must still be sore from when you grabbed my horn.”

“Sorry, but I had to make a point,” you shrug.

“Did anyone else feel that weird tingling?” Nightshade asks and you both look to her.

“Wait, that wasn’t just me?” you ask and she shakes her head.

“No. This feels…familiar…” she trails off.

“Maybe it’s the cold permeating the building, it was only a matter of time,” Hope sighs as she looks out a window.

“No, that was something else. That felt like at the stadium when-“ Nightshade starts, but your eyes widen and you put a hoof over her mouth as you hear approaching hoofsteps.

Down With Chrysalis’s Comment

Puzzling Frost’s Comment

Roker12’s Comment

Loganic’s Comment

Ello Calebero’s Comment

Haryou Changer’s Comment

“Someone’s coming,” you whisper to the both of them and Hope becomes nervous.

“All I’m saying is that I’m getting sick of the cold,” a male voice complains. “Why can’t the queen just hook that heart thing back up so those glass ponies can start producing love waves for us?”

“Oh what, and have us get blasted out like at the wedding? No thank you,” another male voice grumbles.

“All I’m saying is that it’s taking forever for that traitor to wake up, and I don’t want to patrol in the snow anymore,” the first voice grunts.

“Oh don’t even talk about that flankhole. He’s the sole reason the Queen is being irrational,” the second voice grunts back. “Would be better off if he just croaked so we could take all these love sacs and go somewhere warmer!”

“You kidding? She’d go even more berserk if that idiot died. Things will get better once she finds Nightmare Moon and the hybrid brat.”

Despite the increasing volume of their voices, you are taken aback by the banter. The speakers are obviously changelings, and so are the loyal faction, but it seems even they aren’t above griping and even criticizing their queen.

I guess breaking the Hive Mind influenced them even more than I thought, you ponder before scowling. But screw you guys! I’m not better off dead! And you’re not touching my girls!

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll complain later. Let’s get to the Hope lady and be done with it.”

“Quickly! Get in the next room and be quiet!” Hope urges through whisper as you all realize that they in fact are coming into this room.

Taking no chances, you pick up Nightshade and enter into Selena’s hideaway room. You then hear Hope say in confusion.

“What the hay?! Why won’t it-?”

You then hear the door in the other room open, as Hope gasps and shuffles around awkwardly.

There is a moment of silence where you and Nightshade dare not move a muscle behind your closed door. Your eyes dart between her, and Selena sleeping soundly in her bed as the silence seems to deafen everything.

“What are you doing?” asks changeling 1.

“N-Nothing! Just, uh, just looking for a book,” Hope lies sheepishly and you and Nightshade begin to sweat.

“…Was that door always there?” asks Changeling 2.

“…Yes,” Hope answers stiltedly and you have to restrain yourself from facehooving.

“Huh,” the first changeling says disinterestedly.

“This dumb palace has too many doors if you ask me, and stairs,” the second changeling mutters.

“So, um, what can I help you two with? Does Chrysalis need my assistance?” Hope says changing the subject.

“In a way I suppose,” guard 1 says as you hear clanking metal. “Now go ahead and put these on would ya?”

“Wh-What?! Why?!” Hope screeches. At that, you put your eye up to the key hole and peer through. Two changeling drones in full armor stand before the crystal mare, and one of them is holding a set of manacles just like the ones you were wearing.

Uh oh, you think nervously as the second guard coughs in to his hoof and says,

“By order of Queen Chrysalis, Supreme Ruler and future Empress of the Entire World, you are charged with Treason and will be marched before her benevolence,” he says as if reading off a cue card.

“Wha-Treason?! That’s ridiculous!” Hope declares.

“Ridiculous or not, it is her orders, please don’t fight,” guard 2 orders.

“We are partners in this endeavor and Sombra is the true king of this land! I helped you all escape!”

“Yeah, yeah, save it for the trial,” guard 1 snarks with a roll of his eyes. Hope then begins to panic and shuffle back into your door.

“You’re magic isn’t going to help you lady, those dampeners from the stadium have been refitted, so unless you’re a changeling, you ain’t escaping,” the guard says mater of factly as he advances on her.

“That’s what that was!” Nightshade whisper exclaims and you grit your teeth.

“Wait, come on now, let’s talk about this! Sombra isn’t going to like this when he wakes up!” she exclaims as she shuffles out of your sight towards the bed, with the first changeling following her at an easy pace.

“Don’t matter what he think, now-“

“Hey, she’s already got a pair of manacles here,” the second guard says pointing towards the bed. The first guard stops and they look at the chains that had previously held you.

Oops, you think with worry.

“What are you doing with a set of shackles like that?” Guard 1 asks Hope.

“Um…well you see…” she stammers and the second guard raises a brow.

“Either she’s into some kinky stuff, or she’s hiding something…or someone,” he says as he eyes your door.

Buck! You mentally panic.

“No, No Wait! Eep!” you hear Hope cry out as the first guard grabs a hold of her, and the second guard makes his way towards the door.

You glance at Nightshade, and then back at Selena lying on her bed and in a split decision, you push Nightshade back and exit the door before closing it behind you.

The two changeling guards both immediately halt in their actions as they stare at you with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Hope even pauses in shock still within the first guard’s grasp, wondering what it is you’re doing.

“Hey fellas, how about you let the mare go before things get ugly?” you bluff, trying to make it seem as if you’re still powerful.

This seems to knock both of them out of their stupor as the second one scowls and shouts,

“Traitor!”

“How did you get out of your cell?!” the first guard demands, while holding Hope tighter. “You let him out didn’t you? So that’s why the Queen-“

“I got out myself ya ding bats,” you declare as you stare them down. “Your precious Queen is just being loopy and ridiculous on her own.”

“It’s only because of you that she’s like this!” the second guard growls.

“Hey, don’t go laying that blame on me! I want nothing to do with her!” you say as your blood boils in anger.

“It’s because of you that some of the weaklings in our brood have started calling her the ‘Queen of Twisted Love!’ he barks back, actual anger in his eyes and you are taken aback.

“Wait, hold on, are you saying she’s feeding on tainted love?” you say in surprise and both guards snarl at you, which is all the answer you need. Though you may not have been the sharpest bug during your time in the Hive, you do still know some of the old taboos, one of which was how you should never feed on the Tainted Love of obsession, hunger and scorn. Unlike feasting on Love or Lust, Tainted Love is borderline poisonous and consuming it does no favors for the mentality of the eater.

From what little you’ve gathered, she’s certainly hitting all the checkpoints of the symptoms with her erraticness, but even more disturbing is the other implication.

She’s feeding from her own emotions…you realize in disgust as the two guards hiss at you. Now, drinking straight up poison is bad enough, but dipping into your own emotional supplies and feeding from them is essentially self cannibalism. Sweet Celestia, she’s eaten herself into madness…even more so than usual.

And while you realize just how far gone the queen has fallen, Guard 2 starts advancing on you

“Now that you’re finally awake, we can fix this mess you’ve made,” he growls and you scowl as the rage returns.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” you say holding your right hoof up threateningly. He actually pauses for a moment, before he smirks.

“Oh please, you have no power any more. The Queen said so after she removed Nightmare Moon and Sombra from your head.”

“That may be so, I am nowhere near as powerful as I once was,” you admit before smirking. “But the thing is, earlier I was listing off things I still have now that they’re both gone, and I only just now remembered a big one. I feel like you will find it quit shocking at just how 'powerless' I really am.”

“He’s bluffing, just grab him and we’ll get a promotion!” Guard 1 orders and Guard 2 starts moving again.

You glance to Hope who has wide worried eyes.

“I’m sorry in advance for this Hope,” you apologize before you thrust your hoof out and shout, “Would You Kindly Eat Lightning?!”

With that said a cascade of blue lighting flies from your outstretched limb and zapps the surprised guards and Hope. The all contort and spasm as it hits them, and you yourself shout in pain and cut the current off as your whole hoof fills with pins and needles.

Agh, it’s just like using them as a human without the glove, you think as you wave your hoof with a bit of smoke coming off of it, But at least chitin is more durable than fingers!

With both guards and the crystal mare dazed, you dash forth, ramming your shoulder into the guard holding her, knocking her out of his grasp.

“Oof!” she grunts as she hits the floor, but you now stand over her protectively. The two guards, still jittery after the shock try to round on you and attack at once, but you hold your hoof up again.

“Would You Kindly Ride The Lightning?!” you shout and once more, the pain in your hoof is immeasurable as the current flies forth and strikes your foes. You grit your teeth against the pain, even as it travels up your foreleg, as you continue pumping electricity into the two. After a few moments of them contorting and spasming in pain, you stop your attack and grip your foreleg with the other as it feels numb.

The two of them remain standing for a moment before they both breathe out a cloud of smoke and fall to the ground unconscious simultaneously.

You pant for a few silent moments as you grip your foreleg, shaking it back and forth, with even more smoke wafting from it.

“Hah…hah…Sweet Celestia that bucking hurts,” you pant. “I really need to get my glove back.”

“Wha…wha…?” Hope blathers behind you, causing you to look to her. She is wide eyed and confused, and her mane is a bit on end thanks to your earlier shock. “I thought you didn’t have any magical powers left?”

"Genetic mutation beats magic any day, look it up!” you say smugly, but then wince as feeling does start to trickle back through your limb, and it’s not pleasant. “But yeah, sorry about the friendly fire, it was the only option.”

“I…I suppose you’re right,” she says as she starts patting her hair down.

“Not usually, but in this instance-” you trail off as your breath catches in your throat momentarily and your heart gives a weird unsettling feeling thump. “Whoa, what the...?”

“Is something wrong?” Hope asks.

You put a hoof to your chest, but even before your hoof touches it, everything is back to normal. But even so, you can’t shake the feeling that you saw a brief flash of something orange through your cloak.

“Uh…nothing, just catching my breath,” you excuse.

“Are you okay Dad?” Nightshade asks as she opens the door as you help Hope up to her hooves.

“I’ll live,” you say before looking to the downed guards. “And they will too, but they’re not going to like it.”

“Okay…still not cool shoving me back while you got to go out and fight,” she pouts and you roll your eyes.

“You heard what they said Nightshade, the magic dampeners are down and-“ you are interrupted as green flame lights over her horn and she picks up the dropped manacles with it.

“I’m still part Changeling, remember?” she says as her eyes suddenly shift to pure blue. “I’m not all that powerless Daddy.”

“Oh right,” you say feeling dumb for forgetting such an oversight. “So do you have access to all of your power?”

“I feel like I’ve been drained kind of, like I can’t reach all of it? But I still got enough I think,” she says before looking down at the shards. “On the plus side, I feel a little less unbalanced after that fuzzy wave dampener thing. You really don’t know how paranoid you are till it goes away.”

“Well, small blessings then,” you say with a smirk.

“I still can’t believe Chrysalis has gone and done this,” Hope says feeling blindsided and you look at her incredulously.

“Really? Is it that surprising?” you snark and she lowers her ears.

“I guess not, but I didn’t think it would come so soon,” she says as she goes to Sombra’s bedside and takes his hoof. “If she’s accusing me of treason, then myself, my remaining allies and Sombra aren’t safe from this madness either.”

“No spit,” you say coldly. “Which means ALL of us gotta get moving now before it’s too late.”

She nods at this and puts a hoof on Sombra’s chest.

“He and Selena are still unconscious though, we can’t leave them behind.”

“No we can’t, so start making preparations. We wanna get ourselves and as many others as we can to the Umbrum place before the alarms are raised, because right now, none of us are gonna be able to beat Chrysalis.” you affirm and she nods.

“The Umbrum should be able to help us in that endeavor. Queen Rabia would be more than a match for her, even with these magic dampeners on,” she says.

“A Queen huh? So I’m guessing that’s Sombra’s mom he talked about?” you ask.

“Precisely,” she responds.

“Two Queens going at it huh? Sounds epic,” Nightshade says and you look at her with a grin.

“Well we’re gonna have to free the other one then so we can get this smackdown huh?” you ask before giving a pleasant smile. “But before that honey, would you like to help Daddy hide some changelings?”

“Buck yeah I would!” she says exuberantly before a thoughtful expression comes across her face. “So, are we gonna like, cocoon them? Because I don’t really know how to do that.”

“Neither do I actually,” you admit. “I really don’t think I can because of my pony genes, which is fine by me because I always thought it was gross.”

You then point down at the two sets of manacles lying on the ground.

“We’ll chain them up and gag them with something. Unfortunately I don’t have my handy duct tape, so we’ll just use bed sheets,” you say.

“Alright, I’ll get to tearing!” she salutes as she bounds over to Sombra’s bedside and starts tearing the expensive looking sheets into strips. And on one hoof, her enthusiasm over chaining the guards up is worrying, but on the other hoof it’s very practical.

After the two fried guards are chained up, gagged, blindfolded and stuck inside a wardrobe, you are almost ready to go.

“Oof, he is heavy,” Hope grunts as she struggles to lift Sombra from the bed without her magic.

“That’s why you gotta work out your regular muscles, a lot of unicorns rely too much on their magic,” Nightshade points out.

“Exactly,” you nod. “But go ahead and help her out honey, and I’ll grab your mother.”

“Okie dokie,” she nods and walks towards the struggling mare.

“No, no, lift with your knees, not your back!” she warns too little too late as she slips and Sombra falls on top of her.

“Heh,” you chuckle slightly as you make your way back into the hidden room. Upon reaching her bedside, without the urgent danger taking up your mind, it really truly strikes you that she is free.

Her dark blue and purple tinged mane isn’t moving at the moment, but it still flows across the pillows majestically. Her coal black fur is even darker than your own chitin, but even in shadows you would be hard pressed not to see her. Her draconic eyes may be hidden by her lids, but she is still as radiant and beautiful as she was in your mindscape…even more so if you have to admit it.

“Selena…” you breathe out as you take in her splendor, captivated. The situation may yet still be urgent, but you deserve a few moments with her after everything. “You, uh, you look great, heh heh.” Just as you did in the mindscape all those years ago when she was in her coma, you brush her mane out of her face and kneel by her bedside.

“I, uh…I really want you to wake up soon,” you tell her truthfully as she breathes in and out steadily. “Things are nuts like usual, but I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you were here by my side through it all.”

You then take her hoof in yours, and the weight of it makes it more significant in your mind. Plenty of times before in the mindscape did you two “touch” but it was all simulations of your brain. This…this is real. She is real. Of course she’s always been real, but she’s much more now. She’s really there with you in the waking world.

“…It might not have been on my terms, but I kept my promise,” you say with a grin as you squeeze her hoof. “And I’m gonna make sure we all live long enough to enjoy the benefits of being a real family. Any other rendezvous’ be damned.”

You then put her foreleg over your shoulder and begin to hoist her up to put on your back, and in the process, her chest touches yours and her head leans against yours. You pause for a moment as your heart skips a beat (not painfully this time) and you feel your face flush.

…Oh what the hay, you shrug as you take a moment to wrap your forelegs around her and give her a hug. She is warm, soft, and you can feel her heartbeat beating in her chest. That is the one thing that really separates this moment from the embraces you shared in the mindscape. She has a heart.

“Um…do you need a moment alone?” Nightshade’s voice interrupts the tender moment and your eyes widen. Pulling your head back, you look to your daughter standing next to Hope who has Sombra on her back, and both have grins on their faces.

“N-no, I’m good,” you stutter as you start moving to put her on your back again.

“Are you sure Dad?” Nightshade asks with a smirk. “Why don’t you try to wake Mommy up by giving her a kiss like in Sleeping Beauty?”

“Wha-I-I’m not gonna do that to her while she’s unconscious,” you stammer with a blush as you put her chest on to your back and wrap her forelegs with some cloth and put your head through them. “Besides, that’s just a fairy tale.”

“Trust me, I already tried, it didn’t work,” Hope says with a sigh and both you and Nightshade pause and look at her. “…What?”

“You kissed my mom to try and wake her up?” Nightshade asks feeling disturbed.

“What?! No! I meant I tried on Sombra!” she corrects with a flushed face.

“Oh…Yeah I guess that makes more sense,” Nightshade nods.

“Even still, the dude’s unconscious, seems kind of messed up,” you tell her plainly and she winces.

“It was just on the head! I want our real first kiss to be when we’re both awake!” she squeaks in embarrassment before frowning at you.

“Whatever you say lady,” you smirk as you adjust Selena on your back.

A Few Moments Later

After a few more teasing jabs at Sombra’s marefriend, you three have started to sneak around, avoiding Changeling patrols as you head towards the dungeons. Hope’s reasoning being that if guards were sent to bring her in, Flim, Flam, Will and Lightning might also have been brought in and might be there. You’ve had to hide in some empty rooms or in the shadows now and again, but so far it’s been good progress.

Thankfully, no drones are really on alert, and the patrols you have encountered are pretty standard fare. You even hear a bit more gossip and complaints. Mostly the usual drabble of how boring patrols are, what a huge piece of crap You are, how they’re worried about Chrysalis etc. One tidbit does catch your attention though.

“Why is it that we get stuck on patrol while everyone else gets to go to the party?” a female guard grumbles.

“Party?” you, Nightshade, and Hope all mouth to each other curiously from inside an empty room.

“Because you had to go and run your mouth in front of the Sergeant,” the male guard grunts. “Thanks for dragging me into that by the way!”

“Oh come on, you were complaining too! You went on and on about the stupid ponies out there,” she points out.

“Because the cold is forcing us to corral them more and more, at least I didn’t insult the Queen while Sarge was in earshot!” he shoots back.

“Oh please, he’s just taking his own frustrations out on us. You know how he gets.”

“Yeah, well if so he keeps it to himself and that’s why he’s at the party and we’re on boring duty!”

And the two of them keep arguing until their voices get quieter and quieter and you look to your daughter and Hope.

“So, there’s a party going on?” Nightshade asks confused.

“I guess?” you shrug and look to Hope who looks no more knowledgeable.

“First I’ve heard of it. I can’t begin to fathom why with how things have been going,” she says.

“Well, they say party, but it might be one of those mandatory recreation events,” you say with a frown. “Those things were such bullspit, they told us there would be food and drinks, and didn’t tell us that you actually had to pay for it! A freaking carrot dog was like 8 bits!”

“They were serving pony food to the Hive Army?” Nightshade questions.

“Not even full blooded changelings can survive off of love alone Shade,” you point out before shaking your head. “But that’s not important right now. If there is a big gathering, that means there will be lighter patrols which is a good thing for us. Means less to run away from for when the alarm inevitably gets thrown.”

“That’s actually a relief to hear,” Hope sighs as she again adjusts Sombra’s position on her back with a grunt.

“Also, did they say something about corralling ponies?” Nightshade asks. “What’s that about?”

“Well, the entire Empire wasn’t cocooned after all, Chrysalis didn’t have nearly as many resources or changeling power to do that,” Hope says and you raise a brow.

“Wait, she didn’t? Then where was everyone after we left the stadium?”

“Well, the guards were the ones that drones went for, and while the fight was going on, Chrysalis captured those not watching the games and then all those fleeing from your fight were corralled into certain buildings.”

“Why in the world would she do that?” you say not comprehending why Chrysalis would risk a factor like that, even through her madness.

“Because that had been at my behest,” Hope admits. “We still have the Crystal Heart, and in order for that to be useful, Crystal Ponies still need to be around. That’s why the weather hasn’t completely consumed us yet, we were using it sparingly, until Chrysalis decided she didn’t want to anymore.”

Being curious, Nightshade goes to a window in the room and looks out at the falling snow.

“So this is only from a few days?” she asks.

“Yes, and we don’t exactly have too many more of those left before we’re all covered in snow,” she nods.

“And still you were surprised when the crazy lady who’s letting the storm in betrayed you?” you deadpan and she droops her ears.

“…Really, I was betting everything on Sombra,” she sighs.

“Oh hey, I can actually see some of that corralling going on,” Nightshade says pointing out the window.

Walking over and glancing out, you see crowds of crystal ponies and the other three normal variety shuffling through the snow into buildings closer to the palace while changelings buzz around them. Looking out, you can clearly see the need for such measures since the surrounding outskirts, including the stadium are covered in ice and snow.

Hope sighs as she sees this and you frown. Changelings can survive in pretty harsh conditions, like the deserts and tundra, but those ponies aren’t going to last when everything eventually gets covered in ice.

“WINTER IS COMING! THE NIGHT WATCH HAS FAILED US! FEAR THE UMBRUM WALKERS! WINTER IS COMING!” a brown toned crystal pony with a long black mane and dressed in black furs shouts hysterically, even as the changeling drones drag him to keep him in line with the others.

“I don’t know if that guy’s noticed, but winter’s kind of already here,” Nightshade says.

“Hey, you can’t blame the guy for going a little stir crazy, his home has been invaded and is getting covered in ice for the second time,” you defend. “But now we know where to avoid sending the Umbrum since according to Sombra, they have a rocky history with the ponies.”

“They’ll help save them on my behalf if nothing else,” Hope says with surety.

“I’d rather not risk it,” you disagree. “I say when the Umbrum are kicking the changelings out, we get all the ponies on the train and get them out until things have cooled down a bit.”

“Things are already cool enough I think,” Nightshade snarks and you roll your eyes.

“You know what I meant!”

After that, you once more made your way down the corridors in this mandatory stealth section, at one point ending up in a hallway that was just all kinds of wrong.

Similarly to the stained glass halls in Canterlot Castle, it seems that Chrysalis has decided to have a mural hallway of her own. Only…

“What. The. Buck?” Nightshade grunts simply as she looks at all the tapestries hanging in disgust. She isn’t the only one as you physically recoil from some of them.

“I, uh…wha…?” you blather as you look around.

“…I honestly didn’t know about this,” Hope says in an apologetic tone as her own skin begins to crawl.

What surrounds you all is a very abridged, fictional, and straight up biased tapestry of your history with Chrysalis from your childhood to now. Fictional and biased because there are just straight up lies being depicted, like you and her kissing at Prom, you seemingly accepting the Nightmare Jewell willingly, you breaking down the prison walls and carrying her bridal style, and you and her on thrones resting upon the Elements, Princesses, and other creatures. Also a few more…explicit depictions of you and her which you immediately rip down before Nightshade can see.

Needless to say 'Avoiding Chrysalis’ is still your highest priority, but now for a few other reasons as well.

“Okay, let’s get out of here, find your friends, and we’ll come back and burn the rest of these tapestries after everything gets fixed,” you suggest.

“While I agree about moving on, I wouldn’t call Flim, Flam, Iron Will or Lightning Dust my friends exactly, we’re more just associates,” Hope corrects and you roll your eyes.

"Oh please, take it from personal experience but it is impossible to spend so much time with a single group of creatures without at least becoming frenemies with them. I should know, I've done it at least four times by now."

“I’ve never heard that term before, but I’m assuming it means friendly enemy?” she asks as you all leave that creepy hallway.

“Something like that. Practically all our frenemies are our friends now though,” Nightshade adds.

“…Yeah, still don’t get that one,” she shakes her head. “Look, we are all partners that joined together in furthering our own goals, but now the plan has changed and I owe that to them. Think about it like your relationship with Sombra.”

“Huh? But that’s just being friends, we’ve already been over this,” you explain and she looks at you incredulously.

“You would call Sombra your friend?” she asks skeptically.

“Yeah, I mean sure the guy’s a turd, but he’s alright since he’s mellowed out,” you nod.

“…You ate him and from what I understand kept him drugged within your mind for over a year.”

“True, we didn’t all start out on the right hoof, but things have gotten better. Even if he’s Tsundere about it, I know he’s got my back,” you say, slapping at the unconscious stallion’s cheek for emphasis.

“Hey! Quit that!” Hope chides and backs away from you.

“He’ll be fine, plus the guy has saved my hide more than once, and I’ve done the same for him, so we’re all even and squared over the times we tried to kill each other.”

“Okay, I understand that you’ve worked together, but I still don’t understand how you would call that friendship. From the transmissions of the stadium battle I know he considered you all allies but-“

“Trust us Hope, he is our friend,” Nightshade takes up the reins, hovering near Sombra as she also slaps at his cheek. “And while I’m sure he bonded with Daddy and Mommy in human land, I’m still his favorite.”

Hope looks to Nightshade with a soft expression over how truthful and sincere her tone was.

“And…you would say you’re truly his friend?” she asks, still unsure but sounding a tad hopeful.

“Oh buck yeah, I’m the one who turned him good in the first place,” Nightshade brags. “At this point, he’s kind of like an uncle to me.”

“Huh?!” Hope gasps.

“Well I mean, he’s way older, so I wouldn’t call him my brother, but not old enough to be a grandpa, so yeah, uncle fits,” Nightshade explains. Hope looks dumbfounded from your daughter to you and you just shrug.

“Hey, there’s no arguing with the little lady once she’s made up her mind about things,” you admit before putting a hoof to your chin. “So would that make him kind of like my brother? I’ve never had one of those before. Siblings tend to argue and fight so…huh.”

“Wait a minute, the friend thing I was still on the ropes about, but now you’re pushing for brother?!” Hope blathers.

“I mean…I don’t know, my family is already kinds of weird, so…?” you shrug, strangely being okay with the idea.

"You heard the bug, Sombra's my uncle and there's nothing you or the legal system or the laws of nature can say otherwise,” Nightshade boasts with a smirk which causes Hope to gape like a fish. “ Actually...*gasp* that means you’re my aunt! Three aunts in only one year, that has got to be a new record!"

Hope blushes at the implications at that and starts to stutter adorably, at a loss for words.

"Now that I think about it, after all this is over, you think we should bring him to the next Apple Family reunion?” you mumble aloud.

“Why not?” Nightshade asks. “We’re already gonna be showing Mommy off to all our relatives, and it’ll be awesome if Cadence, Shining, Celestia and Luna showed up, I bet Babs’s face will be surprised.”

“Hold on a second, what are you talking about? You’re related to the Princesses?” Hope sputters.

“Of course! Mom and Dad made me, and Mom is we determined a kind of twin to Princess Luna, and since Cadence is their niece, it makes her my cousin,” she explains before her face contorts in realization. “Which in a way would make Sombra also Cadence’s uncle?”

“Let’s not go down that line of thinking,” you wave off noticing the flabbergasted crystal mare’s face. “I don’t think Cadence would want to think of that just now either.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right,” she nods. “But either way, even when Sombra starts doing his probation, we should still be close enough to him so he doesn’t get too lonely.”

“Oh I’m sure he’ll be catching up with Hope here since she’ll no doubt be doing probation as well for her part in this act of treason,” you point out.

“Wait a moment! Treason?! I was just trying to-“

“Oh right, she doesn’t have any day saving saved up yet,” Nightshade ignores her. “But I’m sure that after she helps us free the Umbrum, get the amulet out of me and kick Chrysalis’s butt she’ll have gained some brownie points.”

“What are brownie points?” Hope asks, but continues to get ignored.

“Good point sweetie,” you nod. “But I guess it couldn’t hurt for us to be around while they work off their debt. Being without you for so long was torturous enough for all of us.”

Hope lets out a sigh and looks to the stallion on her back.

“How did you manage to stay sane for two years with conversations like this?” she asks him.

“Hey, I resent that,” you huff.

“We are literally sneaking through enemy territory and you’re all planning family get togethers as if we’ve already won!” she exclaims.

“Hey, it pays to be somewhat optimistic, too much negativity is bad for you,” Nightshade argues.

“Yeah exactly. If you’re always a Debby Downer then-Oof!” you are cut off as you round a corner and run right smack dab into something.

“Oof!”

Or rather, someone.

Curse my lack of attentiveness!!! You mentally curse as you immediately jump back and aim your hoof at the creature in front of you threateningly while getting in front of Hope and Nightshade...only to be taken aback at what you see.

There before you is a small group of changelings....but all of them are covered with bruises or scratches of some kind all over their bodies. Some of them even have eye patches or wing casts. Leading them is a rather small changeling all things considered, looking no older then a teenager at best and wearing poorly fitted armor, and is the one you bumped into.

“Oh, uh pardon us, we’re just on…patrol! That’s right, patrol!” he stutters nervously. “We were just….wait a moment…”

The younger changeling’s mouth drops as he finally takes in the rest of your group, before his eyes focus squarely on your hair.

“Um, you didn’t see anything,” you say hoping your warbled tone might hypnotize him. “Just go about your patrol and-“

“It’s you isn’t it? The Hooded Offender?” he gasps, not in shock, but in awe. His eyes sparkle and a look of joy crosses his features which blindsides you once again.

“Uh…”

“Daddy?” Nightshade asks nervously, standing in a defensive position, and the changeling’s excited gaze turns to her.

“His alicorn daughter, and he’s carrying Nightmare Moon, it is him!” he says giddily before turning back to the others. “It’s your Enlightener!”

“Enlightener?” you ask confused at the strange title, but noling immediately answers you as the others in the group suddenly look as awed and excited as he was. He then quickly whips around and you brace yourself, not looking forward to having to punch a kid…but then he lowers his head in a bow.

“Yes! This is such great timing, I am so so so so so so so so glad to finally meet you properly Mr. Hooded Offender sir!"

You blink owlishly at a loss for words at that as the other injured changelings lower their heads as well.

You share a confused look with Hope and Nightshade before you turn back to the group in utter bafflement.

“What?!”

A Few More Moments Later

After finally realizing that this strange group wasn’t going to fight you or raise the alarm, you ended locating a vacant room and getting one of the less injured changelings to stand guard outside the door. The smaller changeling then started explaining what had just happened.

Apparently there was a sect of Changelings who, after being freed from the Hive Mind by the 'Enlightener,' wanted to take your offer to leave but stayed behind because they had some family who were still loyal to Chrysalis and they were worried about leaving them behind. They all wanted to change and be free like the others, but didn't want to risk their family disowning them or being hurt for 'betraying' the Hive So they stayed back and resisted the urge to change their ways in order to keep an eye on things.

“And apparently, things have only gotten worse for them since they’ve been freed…no offense,” he says to Hope who winces. “Her obsession with you has increased tenfold, and anyone who questions her gets reprogrammed.”

“That’s what happened to Meteor,” a changeling with a lighter green carapace says bitterly.

“Reprogrammed? I thought that kind of stuff ended after the last Queen died,” you say in disgust and the smaller changeling’s ear fins droop.

“It was supposed to…” he says sadly. “But now things have gotten out of hoof. The enlightened individuals tried to persuade their family members to leave with them ever since the snow stopped being warded off, and they were beaten and locked up awaiting reprogramming for their efforts.”

You frown at that, reprogramming was something that happened when the Hive Mind was still intact. You don’t even want to imagine what it’s like now.

“Thankfully, Thorax here snuck us out,” the changeling with the eye patch says.

“Thorax?” you ask the smaller changeling, something familiar itching at the back of your mind.

“Oh right, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Thorax,” he says sheepishly. “We, uh, we actually went to school together, though I doubt you remember me.”

It’s true, you don’t remember him at all, but at the same time there is something familiar about him.

“I was an underclassman when you, uh, when you had that incident at the prom,” he says and your eyes widen.

“Okay, hold on a second, that means you’re a lot older than you look,” you say looking him up and down and he chuckles nervously.

“I’ve never exactly been on the stronger side,” he admits.

“I know Chrysalis’s and Sin’s group used to pick on the weaker underclassmen when they decided to give me a break, maybe I saw you in the hallways or something because there is something familiar about you.”

“You might be thinking of my brother, we do look similar, even though he’s stronger,” he says sounding sad before shaking his head. “But that’s not important right now. We all knew you’d been captured, but we had no idea you were up and about. If you come with us, I can lead you all to safe passage with the others before they realize.”

“You know a way out of here?” you ask enthusiastically and he nods.

“Yes, I’ve actually been in the Crystal Empire for over a year, so I know some ins and outs,” he boasts and you raise a brow.

“Over a year? But we only freed you all a few months ago,” Hope says and Thorax turns to her with a grin.

“I was never in that prison,” he says and you look at him in surprise.

“Wait, you weren’t?” you ask and he shakes his head.

“I’ve actually been separated from the Hive since the Wedding Invasion,” he admits and you are stunned.

“What, like my Dad?” Nightshade asks.

“Well, not exactly. I’ve just kind of been hiding, taking love every now and again to survive until last year I heard about how this Empire had an artifact that radiated love for everyone, so I made my way here,” he says. “A week ago when the Equestria Games were going on, I relinked with the Hive after I saw them infiltrating the city.”

“So you joined back up only a week ago?” you ask and he nods looking disappointed. “I thought it’d be nice after being alone for so long, and it really was good seeing my brother again. But the Hive now is just…”

You see as his gaze lands the few injured changelings and you nod in understanding.

“After I saw how these lot were getting treated, I decided I’d help them escape, and I can do the same for you as well.”

“Okay, first of all, yes, that’s something we’re looking for,” you nod. “But instead of leading just them out into the wastes, we’ve got a plan.”

“Oh? What is it Mr. Offender?” he asks excitedly and you feel just as weirded out as that time when you first met the Horde fans.

“You see, she has some possible allies out in the snow,” you say pointing to Hope. “And when we help them, they’re going to help kick Chrysalis and her loyalists out of the Empire.”

“Ohhhh…” the changelings say in awe before Thorax raises an eyebrow.

“Wait, aren’t you allied with the Queen?”

“Not anymore since she’s accused me of treason,” Hope grunts and adjusts Sombra. “But that aside, we were hoping to find my acquaintances, do you know if anything’s happened to the other four that were allied with her?”

“Oh, you mean the ponies and the Minotaur?” asks the dual colored eyed looking changeling as they stick their head in through the door.

“Yes, precisely,” Hope nods.

“I heard some patrols gossiping while we were sneaking about how even lesser creatures got invited to the party,” they say and Hope looks inquisitive.

“That’s the second time we’ve heard about a party,” she points out.

“Yes, that was something cooked up by some of the commanders as a way to boost morale after…well…” he says gesturing to the injured. “Even my brother agreed with that decision.”

“So it’s a morale booster? Seriously?” you question and another of the changelings answers.

“It’s also kind of a way to celebrate taking over the Empire so easily since it’s the first win we’ve had in years,” they explain.

“And Chrysalis knows about this?” you ask skeptically.

“If she does, she doesn’t particularly care,” Thorax answers. “But the majority of changelings are there. There are still others holding out hope in secret that their families will change their mind, but for the most part it’s all loyalists.”

“…And do you think these other dissenters might still want to leave if say, a certain orange haired changeling was around?” you question and he beams.

“Oh, most assuredly,” Thorax nods.

“Oooh, maybe we could cause a revolt with them, I’m good at those,” Nightshade says rubbing her hooves together.

“We don’t have the numbers little one, not against the rest of the horde,” the eye patch wearing changeling points out.

“No, but if we get in contact with them and convince them to slip away, we could start getting things prepped for when the Umbrum are freed,” you ponder. “I mean, that train has got to be ready for all the evacuees once the battle starts.”

“Also it would be good to have allies on the inside releasing the prisoners and prepping them for transport,” Hope nods.

The group of changelings all look at each other before smirking.

“I wouldn’t mind throwing a wrench in the Queen’s plans as we exit stage left,” the green tinted female says.

“Exactly, and we’re gonna have to time it right so that we can get those dampeners down because the prisoners in those goop sacks are gonna be severely drained of energy as it is,” you affirm.

“Wait, they are?” Nightshade questions and you nod.

“I don’t get how it works, but it’s all about keeping the prisoner asleep and draining them. It takes about a day to recover your strength after being released, at least that’s what the instructors told us.”

“I can confirm that,” Thorax nods. “A released occupant will be in a similar state to inebriation. It’s a failsafe to ensure any escapees from getting far.”

“Wait a minute, then why were we heading down to the dungeons if anyone we release is gonna be drunk and unable to walk?” Nightshade inquires.

“Because those that are freshly gooped won’t be as bad, which is what Hope’s friends would be if they were captured,” you explain. “Also, around the dungeons is more than likely where my Inventory is.”

“Do any of you have the cell keys by chance?” Hope asks but all of them shake their heads.

“I’m sure someling knows someling who has them though,” Thorax ponders. “I did see a group moving the Princesses’ pods to the throne room not too long ago.”

“Wait, what?” you say in shock. “But I saw them in one of those cells along with my Grandbuggy when I woke up!”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but that’s what I saw,” he shrugs and you look at Hope.

“We’ve been sneaking around for not even an hour, so something’s up if they’re moving them. What’s in the throne room?”

“That’s where Chrysalis has set up her base as it were,” Hope explains. “She’s defiled the thrones in there to fit her aesthetic, and has all of the Elements of Harmony in their own cocoons decorating the place. Seems she’s adding the Princesses to that list now.”

“Oh, and I don’t know if it helps, there was a cocooned purple dragon with them too,” Thorax adds and Nightshade’s eyes go wide and color drains from her face.

“She’s got Spikey in her personal collection?” she asks with worry, and Thorax nods with a wince. Her expression then becomes maniacal as she looks to you. “Daddy, there’s a word Sweetie mentioned once starting with an ‘R’ that means assassinating royalty, you think that we can-“

“No honey, we’re not committing Regicide,” you sigh and she huffs and crosses her forelegs. “But on that note, if they dragged the Princesses away, there’s a chance no one knows I’m free yet since my cell was further down.”

“Oh definitely, the whole palace would be on alert if the Queen knew,” Thorax agrees. “But I get what you’re saying. We can help you check the dungeons, and anyone we find we can meet up at a designation where I can slip them out quietly.”

You look at a few of the more injured changelings and look back to him quizzically.

“I think these guys should get out first, they’re injured enough already,” you say.

“Hey now, some of us still got some spunk left,” a female changeling with one eye of green and the other of blue says.

“Yeah, if you need help, I’m still good to go,” eye patch says.

“We could go with him while you lead them out Thorax,” the green tinted one advises. “That way you can spread the word to the others and then meet back up with us.”

He bites his lip at that before sighs.

“I’m still on the trusted list, so I suppose that makes sense,” he nods. “Alright, I’ll have the injured gathered at the Train, and I’ll meet you after your dungeon search near the Flugelhorn storage room.”

“Flugelhorn storage?” Nightshade questions.

“Oh I know where that is, got lost in there last year,” you say, distantly remembering your dazed wandering around the castle with your chest wound still bleeding.

Hope’s mouth gapes before she turns her head to look at the unconscious stallion.

“You went and made that room for me? Even after I ran away?” she asks sounding mystified and awed again.

Ignoring that sickening sweetness, you look back to Thorax.

“Alright buddy, be careful getting these guys out and we’ll see you in Club Flugelhorn,” you order and he beams.

“Sir Yes Sir!” he salutes enthusiastically and gathers all the changelings that won’t be assisting you. “Oh wow, it’s like I’m on an actual mission.”

As he leaves the room, you look questioningly to the channeling with the eyepatch.

“I get the feeling he wasn’t exactly trusted with high end missions in the past,” he says with a shrug.

“Yeah, seems a little green if you ask me,” you nod before shaking your head. “But either way, he’s our best shot of getting out of this.”

“So, how do you wanna go about this?” asks the green tinted female.

“I know a bit of a roundabout way to the dungeons,” the dual colored eyed female says.

“Okay, then you’ll take point,” you order. “Also, I know you all must have real names and drone designations, but since time is off the essence and names are hard to remember, we’re gonna go by codenames.”

“Codenames?” asks the eye patched male.

“Yes. So let’s see, you’ll be Patches for obvious reasons,” you say to him and he frowns.

“Gee, way to remind me,” he grumbles.

“Just don’t trick us into falling down any holes for fake treasure and that name will be fine,” Nightshade says.

“What does that mean?” Hope asks not understanding the video game reference, but you ignore her and continue as you point to the dual eye colored one.

“And you’ll be Double Vision because of the sick eye thing you got going.”

“I’ve got heterochromia for your information, but fine,” she acquiesces.

“And finally…” you look over the green tinted female.

“Ooh! Let me name her Dad, please?” Nightshade begs and you sigh.

“Alright honey, what’s her designation?”

“Hmmm…” Nightshade says as she looks the changeling female up and down. “Well, she’s got some green on her. Recently there was this green dragon lady that squashed Grandbuggy back in the dragon lands, so I’ll go with her name, Emerald.”

“Grandbuggy did what now?”

“I don’t know, I think he might have stolen from her or used to date her or something,” she shrugs and you roll your eyes.

“Freaking old bug and his hormones,” you grumble.

“…I actually like Emerald, sounds kind of nice,” she says smiling at Nightshade.

“You’re welcome,” she grins.

“Alright, so Patches, Double Vision and Emerald, let’s do this,” you command.

“Wait, don’t you all get code names?” asks Double Vision.

“Nah, everyone knows who we all are at this point,” you hoofwave. “And I’m pretty sure you know Hope here since she freed you all.”

The three recruits all look at each other before shrugging and silently agreeing that you have a point.

“Alright then,” Double Vision says before she sticks her head out the door for a moment. “It’s clear, let’s move.”

Sneaking, Sneaking, Sneaking

After wandering the halls, this time in a more effective manner thanks to your new companions knowing the layout, you reach a set of stairs and begin descending.

“So, since any allies would be in a drunken state, are we not gonna free anyone besides Hope’s friends if they’re there?” Nightshade asks.

“Granbuggy should be fine,” you say. “Changelings sometimes nap in pods from what I remember, and he should be able to bounce back relatively quickly.”

“Just so long as he’s got some love to consume,” Patches says with a nod.

“Oh he will, his family’s coming to his rescue,” you say with a smirk, but it quickly goes away as Double Vision opens a door at the bottom of the stairs, and you see the cells again. Once again, the image of that insane stallion calling himself your friend flashes through your mind, and you shiver, gripping Selena’s foreleg around your neck in comfort.

“Clear,” DV says and waves you in. The rest of you then enter and see some occupants of a few cells, though thankfully no one you recognize.

“Alright, which cell had your Grandbuggy and the Princesses?” asks Emerald.

“Umm, it was somewhere going right from my cell” you say pointing off in the direction. “I remember passing a stair well coming from the left, so it’s gotta be this way. I eventually hit a dead end and that’s where Jack, the CMC and Torchwood were.”

“You saw my friends?” Nightshade asks and you nod.

“We won’t be able to carry them now though,” Hope says and she frowns.

“And why not? They’re not so big, we could carry them!”

“We’re already hauling enough, erm, dead weight as it is,” Hope says gesturing to Sombra and Selena and Nightshade frowns.

“But what about the newbs? Surely they could carry 5 little fillies?” she argues and you put a hoof on her shoulder.

“Honey, she’s right. Even if he’s not as groggy, Grandbuggy is going to be enough for us to carry along while we’re still sneaking,” you say and she puffs her cheeks out.

“Fine!” she grunts and kicks at the floor before stomping down the corridor behind Double Vision.

With the atmosphere feeling awkward after that, you all make your way down the right tunnel, passing several cells filled with gooped creatures.

I don’t like the idea either honey, but we’ve gotta be practical here, you think sadly as you pass by more and more cells.

“It’s strange,” Double Vision says.

“What is?” you ask as you all pause.

“All these prisoners, and I’m not hearing, smelling or seeing any guards. Even with that little party going on, there should be someone down here,” she says sounding confused.

“Maybe they’re out looking for me?” You ask nervously and look around.

“Which in that case we need to be on higher alert,” Hope says panting under Sombra’s weight.

“Agreed,” you nod. “Emerald!”

“Uh, yes sir?” she asks taken off guard.

“I need you to carry Selena for me, at least until we know things are clear down here.”

“Oh, I can do that,” she says as if it’s no big deal and walks over to your side. As she starts to light up her horn though, you put a hoof on her shoulder and make her look you in the eye.

“Listen, this mare here is very, VERY important to me,” you say in a serious gruff voice which causes her pupils to shrink in nervousness. “So you best be careful and not drop her, do you understand me?”

“Uh, y-y-yes!” she stutters as you unintentionally send killing intent her way.

“Good,” you say as you gently hoof the unconscious mare off of you back and onto hers.

“Oof!” the greenish changeling grunts as she fully takes Selena’s weight and tries to keep her balance. “She’s heavier than she looks.”

You raise an eyebrow at that as she didn’t feel that heavy to you.

Guess my earth pony DNA and nearly four years of crazy work has made my body stronger, you theorize.

“Hey don’t call mommy fat!” Nightshade chides the changeling who flinches.

“I didn’t say she was fat, I said she was heavy!”

“Oh, I know form Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon about double meanings and backhooved compliments,” she grunts and the greenish changeling sighs.

Now with you guarding the rear, your hoof poised to let loose plasmids at any threat from behind, you continue your trek. Eventually you all come across the cell containing the demechanized Flag Burner and his Black Suns. All in all, their numbers were so few, they all fit in one cell.

“Hard to believe this guy gave us so much trouble,” you spit before looking to Hope. “By the way, did you lot have anything to do with this?”

“No, not exactly,” Hope admits. “We knew some sort of disruption was going to be taking place so that we could infiltrate and take over, but we had no idea it would be these terrorists.”

“They sure made assimilation easy for us though, just saying,” Patches points out.

“Yeah, well pass the word along, when we start releasing folks for evacuation, these guys can stay right here where they belong,” you grunt and continue walking past.

Eventually, you come to stand in front of the dungeon cell you know contained the Princesses and Grandbuggy from earlier. Only…

“He’s not here!” you shout as you look at the barren cell. He, along with the Princesses are gone. “It can’t have been more than an hour and they’ve been moved!”

“We didn’t see Specialist 117 in the group being delivered to the throne,” Emerald mentions.

“Wait, you didn’t?”

“Nope,” she says. “Someone as infamous as him would be hard to miss.”

“Well where in the buck is he then?” Nightshade grunts.

“Could he have broken out?” Hope suggests. “You said changelings can nap in these cocoons, so maybe when they took the princesses then-“

“No, the cocoon would still be here if that was the case,” you point out and frown. “That means someone took him.”

“But who? And for what purpose?” Hope questions.

“Well…not to sound mean, but there were some in the Hive that still resented 117,” Patches speaks up and you frown.

“Resented is one word for it,” you grumble, remembering your days in military training how some of the commanders took out their frustrations on you because of what Grandbuggy had done in the past.

“Maybe someone else broke out and took him with them?” Nightshade suggests, a little further ahead of your group.

“I don’t believe there are any other changelings aside from him that were captured down here though little one,” Double Vision points out.

“Yeah, and I get that, but I’m staring at some empty sacks in these cells over here,” she says sardonically and your head whips towards her.

“Wait, what?!”

And with that you all shuffle over to the next two cells, which contain a lot of Shade’s friends, including the Dazzlings, and Torchwood…or mostly all of them.

There are three sacks hanging that are currently empty.

“Huh, well I’ll be, three escapees,” Emerald whistles impressed.

“Daddy, who were in these pods?” Nightshade asks, giving a saddened look to her CMC friends resting behind the green membranes.

“A lot of our allies,” you say before pointing to the empty cocoon in the adjacent cell nestled between Aqua and Mia. “But this one I know for sure was Jack’s.”

“Well, they can’t have gone far,” Patches says. “Even if they were somehow able to break out they’ll still be drained and groggy.”

“Yeah, I know that, but Jack’s got this whole immortality thing so he might be able to bounce back faster,” you throw out.

“Did you just say immortal?” Hope asks in shock.

“Oh don’t be surprised, you’re over a thousand years old yourself,” you roll your eyes.

“That’s different! Time ran differently for me and-“

“Whatever! The point is if we can’t have Grandbuggy, we can at least have Jack. Heck, he might even know something if he broke out.”

“If he’s only been out for an hour, I can find him,” Double Vision says with confidence as she ignites her horn and her eyes glow.

“What’s she doing?” Hope asks and you shrug.

“She’s a tracker drone, she can detect heat signatures that other creatures leave behind,” Emerald explains, before sighing in relief as you take Selena back.

“Really?” you snark at the smaller changeling and she frowns

“Hey! I’m not built for heavy lifting like you! I’m better at stealth,” she defends in embarrassment.

“I think I have a better idea,” Nightshade says. The group sans Double look to her as her horn glows and suddenly Selena lifts off of you and floats towards your daughter.

“That might be effective in the short term Nightshade, but you still need access to your magic and-“ you start to point out, but she interrupts you.

“Mangle, open the bag,” she orders.

Suddenly, her inventory flap opens and a white mechanical paw gives a thumbs up just as Nightshade gently and carefully places her mother into the bag.

Added to the Inventory (Nightshade)

Selena (Sleeping/Recovering)

The others all stare aghast at this seeming witchcraft but you…you facehoof really hard, enough to leave a mark and groan in frustration.

“Why didn’t we think of that earlier?” you grumble, remembering how you’ve stored others in the past.

“To be fair, I only just remembered after seeing Greta,” Nightshade says pointing to the cocooned griffon. “That’s kind of how she ended up in our group after I forgot I put her unconscious body in there.”

“Well…good thinking Nightshade,” you compliment.

“Buck yeah it is,” she snarks and starts to lift Sombra off of Hope with her magic, but the crystal mare suddenly clings to him.

“Wait, no! I am not letting him out of my sight!” Hope all but growls like a dog protecting their pup.

“He’ll be fine, the bag is really big, and it’ll be much safer and easier to move around with him in there.” Nightshade argues. “I should know, I practically spent two years in Dad’s.”

Hope gives you a look that just says, ‘I question your parenting skills’ which causes you to roll your eyes.

“Look lady you can go in with him for all I care but even you have to admit carrying him around on your back is just slowing you down,” you challenge.

Hope opens her mouth to respond but sighs in defeat.

“Fine but I’m going in as well, I need to be there for him when he wakes up.”

“Great!” Nightshade chirps before quickly flying above both ponies with her bag opened above her head. Hope barely has a chance to react before both she and Sombra have the sack come down over their heads, followed by the rest of them. Your daughter finishes up the impromptu kidnapping by tilting the bag back upright and looking inside.

“Skreonk!” Mangle barks from within.

“Sorry Mangle, just keep watch over them for awhile okay? Especially Mommy.” She orders the robot fox before closing the saddlebag and putting it back on her back.

Added to the Inventory (Nightshade)

Radiant Hope

Sombra (Sleeping/Recovering)

Patches and Emerald still stare slack jawed at this strange occurrence, but no other explanation is offered to them, especially when Double Vision pipes up.

“If you guys are finished, I’ve got his trail, follow me!” she says motioning for you all to follow. The going is much faster since you’re no longer carrying unconscious ponies, but also because you don’t go very far as it is. After a quick sprint, you all wind up in front of an almost nondescript door that blends into the crystalline walls.

“Huh, guess he didn’t get that far after all,” you say matter of factly. “So what is this, a janitor’s closet?”

“I was only down here once, but I think this might be where they keep any items of value from the captured,” Patches says.

“Ha! I knew there’d be a Stash Hole!” you pump your hoof in validation. “Which means my Inventory is on the other side too.”

“How do we proceed? This Jack might make noise if he sees us changelings,” DV asks hesitantly.

“Then let me go in first, he’ll recognize a friendly face,” you say as you push her aside.

“Wait a second, there’s three other heat signatures behind that-“ she tries to advise, but you are already opening the door.

“Yo Jack we’re here to rescue- Whoa-Wha-Yow-*SLAM*OWW!” you shout in pain and surprise as your right foreleg is grabbed and swung over someone’s shoulder, causing you to go flank over tea kettle and slam onto your back onto the cold hard ground.

It happened so fast that no one really has time to register what just happened before suddenly there a pair of crossed yellow eyes enter your vision.

“Oh My Gosh! Bugze?! Oh no, are you okay?” Derpy says looking over to you in worry.

“...Still ow,” you groan.

“What’s going on?!” Patches demands.

“Ack! More Changelings!” a small male voice says from out of your vision.

“Well get to freezing and I’ll burn them!” another small male voice says.

“Calm down everyone, this is all just a misunderstanding,” a suave male voice says.

“I am so, so sorry Bugze, I just acted on instinct and…I’m sorry,” Derpy trails off before picking you up and dusting your clothes off.

“It’s okay Derpy, it’s okay,” you say as your shake your head to keep your eyes from spinning. As you do, your vision comes back into focus, and you see that in this supply room full of various trinkets and belongings, are three other individuals besides the wall eyed pegasus mare. There’s the ever flirtatious Captain Jack, the short red and grumpy Garble, and the cold and miserable looking Frost, all of them covered in green goo and looking like they haven’t slept in a week.

“Heh, talk about some rescue,” Jack snarks with a grin as the rest of your group enters the room.

“Wait, is it really the Offender? My eyes are still all blurry,” Frost says rubbing at his eyes with a groan, an icicle hanging out of his nostril.

“I don’t know if that’s him, but I can smell Nightshade,” Garble stays rubbing at his own eyes.

“Garble is that you? What do you mean you can smell me?!” Nightshade asks as she flies in, with a disturbed look. “Oh hi Jack! And hey, Frost and Derpy too?! You guys are alright!”

She then rushes forth and gives all three of them a hug.

“Ah watch the wings! That changeling goop stuck them to my sides and now they’re very sensitive!” Garble winces trying to pull away.

“Oh put up with it, this is penance for saying I smell!” she chides.

“I said I know your scent! I know everyone’s scent!” he complains.

“Yeah, go easy, we’re all still a little sore,” Frost coughs, with steam coming out of his mouth as he receives his hug.

“They really could use some bedrest, but hugs never hurt anypony,” Derpy smiles and patting your daughter’s head.

“I’m assuming these guys are with you?” Jack says looking at the three other changelings. He gives a wink to the females who blush in embarrassment and playful purr to Patches who looks away with a minor blush.

“Ugh, yes and a few other changelings are also with us,” you groan and rub at your wrist where Derpy grabbed and threw you.

“Sorry again,” Derpy apologizes.

“No worries,” you reassure before turning back to the immortal stallion. “But yeah, there’s this guy named Thorax that knows a few drones that wanna get out of this mess and are willing to help when the time is right.”

“Well, I don’t know what you consider to be the right time, but I’m guessing that means you have a plan?” he asks and you nod.

“Yeah we do,” you nod.

“Well I’d certainly like to hear it if you got the time,” he says, rubbing at his eyes momentarily.

“Right,” you nod before looking to DV. “Shut the door and keep an eye out.”

“Got it,” she salutes as she follows your orders.

Over the next few minutes, you fill Jack and the others in on what’s transpired and where you hope to go from there.

He just sits there in stunned silence for a good few seconds before coughing into his hoof.

“Well, I must say, I have missed A LOT since my meeting with Nightshade and Quick Fix,” he says looking to your daughter.

“Yeah, that’s pretty accurate,” she nods.

“I filled him in on as much as I knew, but I didn’t know everything,” Derpy explains. “On the plus side at least Selena’s got her body back.”

“Wait, what do you mean you explained?” you say looking to Derpy. “Also, how are you still so spry and awake and able to toss me like a ragdoll?”

“Yeah, when did you escape Ms. Derpy?” asks Nightshade.

“Oh I was never captured in the first place,” she says with a smug look.

“Huh?!” The three rouge changelings gasp and Jack rolls his eyes in amusement.

“Hey, you don’t spend years with a time traveler who constantly gets into dangerous universe-ending situations and not learn how to hold your own,” she brags, flexing a foreleg for emphasis. “When the stadium got taken over, I ran to help, but then I saw how the Changelings were taking over, so I went underground and gathered info.”

“Do you think she is that grey terror that demolished some of the troops during the Canterlot invasion?” Emerald whispers to Vision and Patches. That actually causes a tickle of remembrance at the back of your mind. Groggy and newly resurrected, you remembered some changelings shrieking about an opponent who escaped their clutches and beat them up before the Love Wave kicked in.

“So wait, Derpy, were you the one who freed Jack?” you ask and she nods.

“You betcha. I’ve been sneaking around this palace for some days now, looking for you, Quick Fix and Nightshade. The changelings are having a party or something today, so I took my chance to come on down and there’s like, no guards at all down here,” she explains and you shiver, remembering the earth pony stallion. “But then I saw you were gone and so were the Princesses and Quick Fix and I feared the worst, so I bet it all on Jack.”

“So you didn’t see Grandbuggy at all?” you all but plead and she regretfully shakes her head.

“Sorry Bugze, I’ve only just gotten Jack out, as well as these two,” she gestures to Garble and Frost who are huddled close to each other.

“Uh, no offense to the kids, but why did you free them and not Mia or Aqua?” you inquire and she looks to Jack expectantly. The stallion sighs before looking to you.

“For practicality,” he explains. “Ms. Do-Turner here freed me, and my powers will help me recover quicker, but with the picture she painted for me, I figured some creatures with some inherent species magic could be beneficial.”

“He said it’s because they could carry us,” Garble complains. “Which you normally wouldn’t if it weren’t for that stupid tree!”

“Yes, well since the magic inhibitors are on, having access to even a limited amount of fire and ice seemed practical,” Jack continues as if Garble hadn’t interrupted.

“I mean, I can still feel my powers and can still make things cold, but it’s like most of it’s been locked down and I can’t reach it,” Frost says, sneezing out an icy slush for emphasis.

“Bless you,” Nightshade says and he nods before wiping his nose.

“Okay, I can understand that, even in your weakened state you can still haul around a kid,” you nod in understanding. “Still, the first time I see Mia and Aqua in over a year and they’re all gooped up. How long have they been here?”

“They came with me when we traveled for the games,” Jack says. “We were keeping an eye on things, but I lost contact with them some days ago. Now we know why.”

“Aqua I can understand, but Mia?” you ask incredulously remembering how she was back in the other Equestria. . “Isn’t that a bit dangerous being so close to Shining or Cadence?”

“That’s what I said,” Derpy agrees.

“She’s made a lot of progress since you last saw her at the Appleloosa Invasion,” Jack explains, giving a side glance to the three changelings who rub the back of their necks awkwardly. “And I too had concerns, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She’s actually been near Shining and Cadence and had no reaction. She really is her own pony now.”

“Well at least that’s good to hear,” you sigh in relief. “I kind of told everyone about her before Chrysalis spoiled everything, but not exactly where she was at.”

“…Well, good thing nothing happened between them before you spilled those beans,” Jack says scratching at his chin.

“Who’s Mia? I’m losing track of all these pony names,” Garble asks.

“She’s that alternate universe Cadence I told you about that we brought back,” Nightshade answers. “She got a mind wipe and stuff?”

“Uh…” Garble trails off.

“I told you about the other world Garble!” she huffs and he just rolls his eyes.

“Nightshade, my head is still all fuzzy and my stomach hurts, give me a break would ya?” he groans.

“Oh fine,” she relents and turns back to Derpy. “So did you have a plan also Ms. Derpy?”

“Kind of? Really I was just going to get them out to recover outside the palace then wing it from there,” Derpy admits. “However I don’t have anything in the long run, it’s becoming more difficult for Chrysalis to keep the citizens occupied. That blizzard out there is making them lose ground every day.”

“I noticed. The ice and snow is getting worse by the minute, which is why we gotta kick the changelings out and get the Crystal Heart back from Chrysalis,” you say with a nod.

“My thoughts exactly,” Jack nods. “Especially since most of us aren’t changelings and can’t handle such weather.”

“I’m…I’m sorry,” the small blue colt interrupts with a sniffle at that.

“Huh?” you say taken aback as you turn to the kid and pause as his blurry eyes start to produce slush tears.

“Frost? What’s wrong?” Nightshade asks worriedly.

“Does your tummy hurt too?” Derpy asks putting a wing around him.

“I’m sorry,” he whimpers again. “I was supposed to keep the storm out with the Ocarina, but then the changelings swarmed us, and I couldn’t stop them and now everyone else is going to freeze to death!”

“Hey kid, it’s not your fault,” you try to comfort the poor colt.

“Yes, it is!” he shouts holding his head in his hooves, “If I hadn’t helped Flag Burner disrupt the games, everyone would’ve been better defended from Chrysalis and the storm wouldn’t be consuming the empire! It’s my village all over again!”

“Son, it doesn’t matter whether Flag Burner took over the stadium or not, the Changelings had already infiltrated before he made his move,” Derpy tries to explain.

“Yeah kid, and take it from someone who’s had many battles over thousands of years, anyone can get the drop on you,” Jack says sounding shameful.

“Yeah Frost, even I got knocked out, don’t beat yourself up over it,” Nightshade placates.

“I still should have done something though! Now I can’t because I lost the Ocarina and-“

“Hey, I heard yelling what’s going on out here?” Hope asks popping her head out from the bag on Nightshade’s back. Frost freezes as he stares at the mare wide eyed.

“Oh, I see we’ve found the handsome stallion,” she says looking to Jack and then Derpy, Garble and Frost. “And more allies as well?”

“Uh, yeah…” you nod to Hope as the colt continues to stare at her, rubbing at his eyes as if to get a better view. “Hope, this is Captain Jack, Ditzy “Derpy” Do-Turner, Garble and Frost. I’ve already explained the situation to them.”

“Oh, hello,” she waves. “Sorry about any inconvenience, but I’ll be helping to rectify that. Did any of you see a minotaur, a green pegasus with orange mane and two earth pony stallions with red and white manes?”

“Oh yeah, I saw them in the halls while I was sneaking around,” Derpy says and she turns to her.

“You did?! Where?!”

“They were heading towards that party last I saw since that’s where everyone is it seems,” Derpy answers.

“Oh no…” Hope says biting at her hoof. “Then they’re definitely gonna be captured for treason too and-“

“Wha?! Are you?!” Frost sputters as he takes a step back from the mare sticking out of the bag. Hope looks towards the colt wrapped by Derpy’s wing and raises an eyebrow at the frozen tears on his cheeks.

“Are you alright little one? I heard coming out of those cocoons could be disorientating, but does it cause pain?” she asks looking to you for confirmation but you just rub the back of your neck.

“Um…”

“N-No, it’s uh, I…” the windi-colt stutters with shaky breaths before pausing and composing himself. “I’m fine. I’m sorry I...I thought you were someone else. Excuse me for a moment.” He then stumbles out from Derpy’s wing and rests on a sack over in a corner.

“Oh…okay,” Hope says looking to the rest of you.

“Well that seemed heavy, what was that about?” Double Vision asks.

“Don’t know, but that kid’s radiating negative emotions,” Patches gags.

“Did I do something wrong?” Hope asks unsure of herself.

“Aside from taking over the Empire? No, not this time,” you say with a sigh.

“Yeah, he’s had it rough the past few days…or week I should say,” Nightshade sighs before lifting Hope out of the bag.

“Hey! I need to be near Som-“ she starts to complain.

“He’s safe with me lady, calm down,” Nightshade shushes. “I just need you to give the kid some space, you uh…you remind him of someone.”

Your daughter then goes over to the colt who is currently looking at an open locket.

“Ohhhh…” Derpy nods in understanding.

“Well with his vision blurred and her coloration, oof,” Jack says scratching at the back of his neck.

“What’s going on?” you ask Derpy.

“Yeah, I’m totally lost,” Garble says and Derpy covers his mouth and says in a hushed tone.

“That locket has a painting of his mother in it, she’s got the same coloration as Hope here,” she explains.

“And according to Nightshade that was 1,000 years ago and…oh…” you say awkwardly.

“Well things have gotten significantly awkward,” Emerald concludes as Nightshade pats the chilly colt on the shoulder.

You look empathetically at the kid, for you know exactly what it’s like to lose a mom.

“He’s still in that phase where he blames himself for everything, I know that feeling all too well,” you conclude with a sigh before shaking your head. “But dampened spirits aside, it’s time we got moving. We gotta get you lot with Thorax so we can start heading towards the Umbrum before Chrysalis notices.”

“What about Quick Fix?” Jack asks and you clench your eyes shut and sigh.

“We have no idea where he’s at, so all I can hope is that we find him after all this is over,” you say with a heavy heart. “But before we go, let’s find my Inventory so I can zap enemies without crippling myself.”

You then start to go through the shelves and sacks in the room, tossing out jewels and bits and other bits and bobbles.

“Um, Bugze?” Derpy speaks up.

“It’s not hard to find, it looks like Nightshade’s saddle bag and-“

“Bugze, you’re not going to find it in here,” she says and you pause.

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” you say as your optimism drops.

“I’ve seen your Inventory, and it’s not in here,” she says nervously, biting her lip.

“And, uh, where did you see it?” you ask dreading the answer.

“…Chrysalis has it in the throne room.”

There are a few seconds of silence after she declares that. Nothing snaps in your mind, but the rage still comes regardless.

“OH MOTHERBU-“

One Rant Later

After cursing up a storm and throwing a few priceless items around, you eventually get a hold of yourself. True throwing a tantrum isn’t all that helpful, but on the plus side at least it’s out of your system…for now. Also, since everyone is now focused on your childish behavior, the atmosphere has gotten lighter. Even Frost is distracted from his melancholy due to your yells.

“Feel better now?” Jack snarks and you nod.

“Yeah, yeah I’m good,” you lie. “All my gear, weapons and sentimental things are with my crazy ex-larvaehood friend, but yeah, I’m good.”

“Um, I’m sure we’ll get it back,” Hope tries to comfort but you give her a side glare.

“When we get to the Umbrum, we make it clear to them that my bag is off limits!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll make a note of that,” she relents, scratching at her mane.

“…Your dad is kind of…” Frost trails off and Nightshade sighs.

“Yeah, I know,” she nods.

“I found it hilarious to be honest,” Garble chuckles while the other three look at each other, wondering if they’ve perhaps made a mistake in following you.

“With all that yelling, even if I didn’t see any guards, we should probably go now,” Derpy suggests.

“Yeah yeah, just…just let me grab something helpful,” you say looking around. Eventually you see a crate with the Royal Guard logo on it. Opening it up, you find a mismatch of different pieces of armor, a few spears, and a bandolier with 10 smoke grenades on it.

“Hello there,” you say as you extract the crowd control device. “These could come in handy.”

Nightslayer’s Comment

“Well, they wouldn’t stop someone like me who can see heat signatures,” DV points out.

“No, but they can cause distractions, to help us blend into the shadows like Batmane,” you say before a thought comes to you. Looking over at the windi-colt next to your daughter a ridiculous idea comes to mind.

“Um, do you need something?” he asks nervously as you stare him down.

“Maybe,” you nod. “You said a lot of your magic is locked away, but you can still make things cold right?”

“Yeah, a little bit, why?” he asks.

“Okay, have you ever played any of the Batmane games by Rockstar?” you ask and he raises a brow.

“Uhhhh…” he trails off lost.

“Highly recommend them,” you say before dangling the grenades in front of him. “But in those games there’s an upgrade you get called a cryo-grenade that lets you freeze enemies. Think you can help a guy out?”

“Um, maybe?” he guesses and you raise a brow.

“Well if you can, it’ll go a long way towards getting back at the changelings that knocked you out,” you encourage and he steels his blurred eyes.

“Yeah! I can do it!” he says as he reaches for the grenades.

“Only do five, I still might have need for the smoke,” you say as you hand them to him. The colt then closes his hooves around one and closes his eyes in concentration, as steam comes from them.

“This might take a second, pushing the ice out is hard right now,” he says.

“That would be the dampeners,” Nightshade nods and looks to the rogue changelings. “Which your friends will turn off when the time is right, correct?”

“As long as Thorax spreads the word,” Emerald nods.

After a few moments of waiting, the colt hands you back the bandolier, and five of the ten have steam coming off them steadily. He can’t promise the intended result, but you won’t know until you try. You give him thanks, pat him on the back, and then you and your group exit the room, with the Changelings supporting Jack, Garble and Frost. There was actually an argument between DV and Emerald over who got to support Jack, which Emerald eventually won, but while they did argue, you turned to Derpy for one last thing.

“Hey Derpy?”

“Yes Bugze?”

“When you were sneaking around this last week, did you happen to see a brown earth pony stallion with a blonde mane and a fancy hat and suit? Got a cutie mark with laughing and frowning porcelain masks?” you ask, describing your “friend.”

“Hmm, nope, doesn’t ring any bells,” she admits. “Why? Who is he?”

“I don’t know,” you say. “He says he’s a friend, but…”

She looks at you quizzically as you trail off, but by then the argument is over.

“Let’s make haste everyone,” Hope encourages as she gets back into Nightshade’s inventory. “Call me if you need me.”

“Will do,” you say, and once more with DV in the lead, you make your way to the Flugelhorn Room, leaving behind the rest of your gooped allies and friends reluctantly.

At The Flugelhorn Room

You all arrive at your destination without encountering too many patrols, and upon opening the door, at first you think the instrument room is empty. After you all enter and close the door, one of the flugelhorns bursts into green flame and suddenly Thorax is before you all.

“Ah, glad you all made it,” he says happily as your jaw drops.

“What?” he asks at your shocked expression.

“You’re powerful enough to change into inanimate objects?” you ask in awe.

“Oh, well I wouldn’t call it powerful, it’s more of a knack of mine,” he says humbly.

“Bullspit dude! Most changelings can’t pull off that type of transformation!” you argue back. “You’ve definitely got some elite blood in you.”

“Yeah, well…” he shrugs, feeling awkward. He then coughs into his hoof. “Well, I see you’ve got some freed prisoners. The tunnel to the outside is actually behind that cabinet with the multicolored flugelhorns.”

“There’s always a secret tunnel,” Derpy says like it’s an old joke with Jack and Thorax freezes up.

“…The Grey Terror?” he asks hectically.

“Huh?” Derpy asks, but he just shakes his head after looking at the faces of the rogues.

“Oh, uh, nothing,” he chuckles nervously. “But like I was saying, this tunnel leads to the market district.”

“Oh fantastic, Thorax was it?” Jack asks.

“Yes, that’s me,” he says.

“Well, aren’t you a brave little drink of water,” he says laying on the charm and Thorax takes a step back.

“Oh, uh, thank you?” he guesses, not quite sure about the emotions radiating off of the stallion.

“Yes, yes, he’s great and all that,” you roll your eyes. “So have the others gotten out? And have you told the ones not ousted?”

“Well, the injured have made it out safely. With all the ponies being relocated, there’s lots of empty safe houses to use since the cold isn’t really a factor for us, which is where we’ll be heading to when we get out,” he explains. “And yes, I spoke with the others at the party, they don’t know the exact details, but they know that when the time is right to free the prisoners and start moving them towards the train.”

“Okay awesome,” Nightshade smiles. “I want my friends the CMC and Spike the Brave and Glorious Dragon to be at the front of that line when it all goes down!”

“Um, I’ll see what I can do,” he says nervously.

“Okay, so once we get to this safehouse, I’ll be able to lead us to our next stop,” Hope says with surety.

“Which according to Sombra was a big crystal in the middle of the snow,” Nightshade says before looking to Garble. “You think you can eat it Garb?”

“I don’t know, I think I learned my lesson chewing on crystalline structures,” he says warbly as he sits on Patches back.

“There won’t be any need for that, Queen Rabia will allow me in once I bring her long lost son,” Hope says with a smile sticking her head out of the Inventory. “And I’ll allow passage for those that join me as well.”

“Alright, sounds like a plan,” you say as you look to the cabinet hiding the tunnel. “And sorry we weren’t able to get to your friends in time.”

“They weren’t my…” she trails off before sighing sadly. “It’s fine, as long as we can free them afterwards it’ll all be worth it.”

“Actually, I saw your friends,” Thorax speaks up and her ears raise.

“You did?”

“Yes, I saw them heading to the party as I was leaving,” he says before looking at you anxiously.

“What?” you ask.

“I also saw your Grandbuggy.”

Flashback

Kichi’s Comment

Haryou Changer’s Comment

After having led the other injured Enlightened changelings through the tunnel, Thorax made his way to the Grand Ballroom where the party was being held. He still couldn’t believe that such a festivity could take place, but it was by order of his brother and the other commanders.

For the millionth time, he sighs as he thinks about how stubbornly devoted his brother is to the Queen. Even if he notes the irregularities of her recent behavior, he still steadfastly serves the crown.

“Which is why I won’t be able to leave with the others,” Thorax bemoans. And as he nears the Grand Ballroom, and the sound of music starts to echo down the halls, he pauses as he hears a group of voices just ahead of him around the corner.

"You know Flim, I know Queen Chrysalis is losing her marbles, but are we any better for going to this celebration?” an accented male voice says.

“Well for one Flam, it isn’t being thrown by her, and some of these drones are alright company,” a similar male voice responds.

“The buck they are! Creepy weirdoes keep challenging me to race their best out in the cold and making fun of me when I refuse!” an angry female voice growls.

“At least a blizzard is the least of our worries,” a deep male voice says. “Iron Will is just thankful the sun is still rising and setting after what we helped them do.”

Being curious, Thorax stealthily looks around the corner, and sees the creatures that allied with The Queen to take over the Crystal Empire.

“Yes, things have gotten quite out of hoof haven’t they?” Flim agrees. “But we just gotta be patient till our boss awakens her boyfriend and solves everything.”

“I don’t know brother, I think we might be pushing our luck on that front, I’ve seen what the bug queen has been doing to the throne room,” Flam disagrees. “Unless we can somehow make her a machine to take love from ponies without side-effects she isn’t going to be releasing any prisoners, gooped or otherwise.”

“I still say we just convince her to only keep a few prisoners and let the others go before we all freeze to death,” Lightning Dust says hovering above the rest. “I mean, do we really need that stupid Rainbow Dash and her stupid cocksure attitude that ruins everything?!”

“Even if they caused you strife, you don’t take another’s life!” Iron Will declares, causing them all to pause and look at him. “Sorry, force of habit. But yes, Iron Will says that no one deserves to die just for minor inconveniences. We all took this too far as it is.”

“Ugh, fine, but I’m not helping Rainbow Dash when the time comes,” Lightning Dust huffs.

“Fine, but Iron Will will help whoever he can. I know I needed the money, but Iron Will can’t look his family in the eye if he let’s someone perish,” he says guiltily.

“Hey now, keep your voice down big guy,” Flim advises.

“A lot of these bugs are tattle tales, so watch your mouth,” Flam agrees.

“If we wanna avoid the bugs, then why are we going to the party?” Lightning Dust grunts.

“Well for one, I’m hungry,” Flim starts.

“And secondly, it’s a good place to see who any detractors might be in their midst,” Flam finishes.

“If Radiant Hope’s special somepony doesn’t wake soon, we might need their help before the blizzard covers the palace,” Iron Will nods.

“Ugh, I hate espionage stuff,” Lightning Dust grumbles. “Hope ain’t even here to help! She’s too busy drooling over that Sombra guy!”

“Hey now, if it’s True Love you find, you never leave their bedside!” Iron Will monologues.

“…That didn’t even really rhyme,” she deadpans.

And as the four continue their talking and walking, Thorax follows behind stealthily. Once they enter the Grand Ballroom, he gives it a few moments before he himself enters. The music is loud, and the emotions are mostly high as changelings dance and drink and eat pony food.

And while navigating the party, whispering in the ears of hidden Enlightened members, he spots his brother entering from another door, dragging a green cocoon with him.

“Soldiers, we have ourselves a piñata!” he declares, and everyling cheers and scowls at the traitor trapped inside. An old bug who is just as infamous for his accomplishments, as well as his fall from grace.

“Oh no,” Thorax says worriedly as they hang Specialist 117’s cocoon from the rafters.

Back to the Present

“The Buck You Say?!” you growl angrily as he finishes describing what he saw. “They’re stringing Grandbuggy up as a bucking piñata?!”

“What’s a piñata?” Frost asks Garble.

“It’s this little horse thing made from paper that they have children murder and eat it’s candy insides,” the dragon explains.

“…Holy crap,” he mutters.

“Why is your brother being such a flankhole?!” Nightshade chides Thorax who’s ear fins wilt.

“Hey, he may be a bit of a zealot, but he’s still my brother!” he weakly defends and you feel like a blood vessel is going to break in your head.

“Yeah, well he’s going to get my Grandbuggy killed!” you shoot back before turning to Derpy. “Change of plans, I’m going after him.”

“What?! But Bugze you-“

“Everyone else is being strung up as ornaments, but Grandbuggy is in some real danger!” you argue back. “And I’m not going to let the old bug die on me again, not like this!”

“He’s right Derpy,” Jack says surprising both you and her.

“Jack?” she asks and he sighs.

“Quick Fix is in a jam right now. He’s surrounded by countless devotees of Chrysalis, many of which have no sympathies for banished changelings like him,” he explains before looking to you. “You’re right Bugze, you’ve got to go save him.”

“Gorramn right I do!” you growl and turn to Thorax. “You! Take me to the party!”

“B-but the tunnel, and the safe hou-“

“Give Double Vision the directions, she’s good at tracking!” you order.

“Who?” he asks.

“Me,” she says raising her hoof. “He decided to give out code names.”

“Oh, but still…” he argues back, feeling conflicted.

“You heard my Dad, give them the directions,” Nightshade chimes in. “And once you do you are going to lead us to that stupid party!”

“Nightshade! You can’t go too,” Hope says aghast.

“The Tartarus I can’t!” she grunts and looks you right in the eye, challenging you to disagree. And your old honed fatherly instincts do want to challenge that, you want to keep her safe. But you know that after this last year, and especially this last week, she is far more capable than you ever imagined.

“The last thing I’m doing is letting her out of my sight again, besides, I need my back up,” you say giving her a grin, to which she returns in gusto. Jack smirks at that before turning to Thorax.

“You heard the little lady, get to directing sweet cheeks.”

“Um…okay,” Thorax says nervously as he walks over to Double Vision.

“Wait, we can’t split up! You have Sombra, and, and-“ Hope tries to argue, and all Nightshade does is simply lift the stallion from her bag and plop him back onto her.

“Oof!” she grunts, her knees almost buckling.

“If you really love him, then nothing bad will happen to him with you,” Nightshade quips and closes the bag flap.

Removed from the Inventory (Nightshade)

Radiant Hope
Sombra

“Emerald, Patches, you lot help her carry him, and get Jack and the others to safety, Derpy will guard you if there’s any trouble,” you order.

“Uh, okay,” Emerald says adjusting her grip on Jack.

“Can do,” Patches nods.

“This is insane! What if you get caught?! Chrysalis wants all of you most of all!” Hope sputters.

“Yeah, I know,” you say with resolve. “Which is why if we don’t come out within the hour, you’re gonna have to lead the others towards the Umbrum.”

“I…but…” she stammers.

“You said it yourself, Sombra’s the only one gonna be able to free them, so if we fail, you know what you have to do,” you tell her. After a few moments of staring at you in shock, she closes her mouth and gives a curt nod.

“Alright, but don’t you dare get caught,” she advises and you give a grin of false bravado.

“I don’t plan on it. And just to put your mind at ease, I’ll help get your friends out of there too.”

This time, she doesn’t even deny her friendship to her group of allies, instead she just puts a hoof on your shoulder.

“Please be careful, for if you do consider Sombra your brother, then I can’t have him lose any of you.”

“And we don’t want to lose him either,” Nightshade says looking at Sombra. “Keep him safe, and also the rest of my friends.”

“I’ll try,” she says as she adjusts her grip.

Nightshade then nods and looks to Garble and Frost.

“Guys, we’re splitting the party again. I know you’re still out of it, but if you get into trouble, just listen to Derpy or Jack and spew out some fire or ice in whatever direction they tell you.”

“Gah, I feel so useless,” Garble laments. “But alright.”

“Hey, if you help them, we’re one step closer to saving Ember, Greta and all the rest,” you reassure and he actually grins at that.

“Alright, alright, I’m doing it. Not like I have a choice,” he grumbles, though she can tell he’s putting on airs. She then looks to the windicolt.

“And Frost, don’t push yourself too hard. We’re all going to solve this, together alright? You’re not in this alone.”

“…Okay,” he says after a few moments of staring at her blearily. “And I can handle the cold, it never really bothered me anyway.”

“…Did you just make a reference?” she asks and he raises a brow.

“Huh? To what?”

“To that Whinny movie about the Ice and…never mind,” Nightshade shakes her head. “Just keep your chin up and know you got backup.”

“Okay, I believe you,” he says looking to the assembled group.

“Alright, I’m ready,” Thorax says after he’s done relaying the info to DV.

“Then there’s no time to waste,” Jack says before looking to you. “Bugze, play it safe and smart, you can’t just smash everything anymore.”

“Yeah, I already know that,” you say with a roll of your eyes. “I know I was never good at it, but infiltration is the word of the day.”

“What do you mean?” asks Derpy. You then look to Thorax and say,

“Hey, lend me your armor.”

“Huh?” he says in surprise.

“If I’m going into a party, I can’t show up as I am can I?” you say rubbing a hoof through your mane.

“Oh, right,” he nods before he starts taking off his helmet and chest pieces and other armor bits.

"Ooh, tantalizing,” Jack quips before Derpy smacks him upside the head.

“Down boy,” she chastises before looking to you.

“Bugze, Nightshade…good luck,” she says with sincerity.

“Heh, since when have I ever had that?” you quip as you take off your outfit and store it in Nightshade’s Inventory.

Added to the Inventory (Nightshade)

4^th Doctor’s Scarf
Deadpool Logo Shirt
El Hunko White and Purple Dress Pants
Nobody Cloak
Stetson

“We’ll make due,” Nightshade says as suddenly green flame surrounds her, and for the first time, you see your little filly in a pure changeling form, though like with most females of your species, her mane still remains.

“Never had a chance to utilize this till now,” she admits showing off her pronounced canines and tapping on her chitonous flesh. “Still, think I prefer having skin and fur.”

“You get used to it,” you say as you start donning Thorax’s armor. “But either way, no matter what form you take, you’re still so freaking adorable!”

“Aww, thanks Daddy,” she says smiling from the compliment.

Once you don the changeling helmet, hiding your orange spiky mane, you look to the others as they make their way through the hidden tunnel. The last to go through is Hope as she turns around briefly, giving you both a forlorn look. She then enters and drags the shelf in place behind her.

“Alright, no turning back now,” you say in determination looking to your daughter.

“No turning back now,” she agrees and pats the bag. “And even if things go sour, I ain’t letting noling touch Mommy.”

“That’s my girl,” you say with pride before turning to the even more skinny looking armorless Thorax.

“Alright, lead on,” you order.

“R-right,” he nods and scampers over to the door.

To The Party!!!

Now with you and Nightshade in disguise, you three were able to make it to the Grand Ballroom quickly, with no patrols even giving you a second glance.

It’s been so long since you’ve worn the armor, and you really don’t miss it you realize as you keep having to readjust the helmet and shoes.

Nightshade for her part looks completely natural, looking like she’s in the peak of larvaehood, and Thorax assured you two that there were other hatchlings amongst the Hive, even at the party.

With all that info and with the haste of your trek, you now find yourself looking in through doors of the Ballroom, and you see just how epic and popping the celebration is.

It’s been a long time since you’ve seen Changelings in this number having any sort of party, the last one coming to your mind being Prom.

You suppress a shudder of rage at that memory, but it does little good as you grit your teeth at a certain site. Still hanging from the rafters, trapped in his cocoon, is the old bug who raised you, darkly dreaming without a care in the world.

“Oh good, they haven’t done anything yet,” Thorax sighs in relief.

“And they’re not going to,” you spit before trying to calm yourself.

“Getting him out of there without anyling seeing is going to be a chore daddy,” Nightshade assesses and you nod.

“We might have to cause some distractions and subterfuge,” you relay as your eyes wander the party, spotting a few kids. “Maybe you could stir up the other hatchlings, kids love causing chaos after all.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Nightshade nods and starts making her way towards the younglings.

“Alright,” you say confident that she’ll be alright and you look to Thorax, who’s trying to make himself blend into the wall.

“Now, where are Hope’s friends?” you ask and he points to a corner. Looking over at what seems to be a food table are the Evil Machine™ twins, a buff as all Tartarus minotaur, and some pegasus mare who looks even more arrogant than Rainbow Dash, which you didn’t think was possible.

“It looks like they’re being watched as well,” Thorax says, pointing out some changelings who are not so subtly standing near them, as if to keep them from running off.

“Probably waiting for orders to bring them in as well,” you ponder before turning to him “It’ll be important for you to distance yourself from us so that you don’t get in trouble, but before we split, you got any advice?”

“Yeah, avoid him,” Thorax says pointing to the dance floor. Your eyes follow his line of sight and you freeze suddenly as you see a changeling with purple eyes dancing. The fact that he can cut a rug though is secondary to why you are so surprised and shocked.

"That's my brother, Pharynx,” Thorax explains and you mouth gapes. "He's a Sergeant who's still loyal and very, very dangerous to his enemies."

“That’s not just your brother,” you say in genuine fear. “That’s my old drill instructor!”

And as the party music keeps thumping, you can’t help but relive some traumatizing moments from your military career.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Reunited Ending:

Author's Note:

Because why wouldn’t he be?

Hey Hive-Mind,

Well, I went and took another month to give you another chapter and I feel terrible for doing so. Like I said in my blog, I’ve been taking care of a new Dachshund puppy that was more or less sprung onto me. I love the little guy, but he’s still a very needy puppy that’s got a lot of training ahead of him, and it’s exhausting work. Still, I feel like I could have gotten this chapter out last week if I had pushed myself, but I didn’t, and for that I’m sorry.

But anyway, looks like Bugze and Nightshade have come to a Changeling Party in the midst of all this madness. Can they get Grandbuggy and Hope’s allies out and join up with the others without incident? You tell me.

Hopefully I’ll be able to get the next chapter out without it taking a month, but depending on how things go for me this week, I might possibly end up moving and getting a better paying job, so we’ll just have to play it by ear. Either way, I’ll see you all next chapter.

Hope you have fun,
Brown Dog.

SIEGE OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE COMIC ARC

NIGHTSHADE’S INVENTORY

Weapons

Power Pole combined with Boomstick (Black Staff with Red Crystal. Causes shockwaves when slammed)

Miscellaneous

Assorted Movies, Videogames and Videogame Systems

Mangle Prime: Fusion of Plush Mangle and the Mangle Head = Double the Lovability.

Selena (Sleeping/Recovering)

Bugze’s Combined Persona Outfit:

4^th Doctor’s Scarf, Deadpool Logo Shirt, El Hunko White and Purple Dress Pants, Nobody Cloak, Stetson

BUGZE’S INVENTORY (CURRENTLY MISSING)

Weapons

Jet Stream Sam Sword (Reversed High Frequency Blade)

Knock Out Luna Plushie

Ninja Stars (15)

Power Glove (Plasmid/Vigor Channel with Grappling Hook Attachment.

Second Law: (Air Shotgun)

Tazer

Hover Board: (Catches Fire For Like, No Reason)

Disguises (Human)

Awesome JoJo Outfit: Currently Wearing (Jotora’s Outfit from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)

Smokey Joe Outfit: (Rain Slicker, Smelly Do Rag with Weed symbols)

Disguises (Equine)

Baker Sylvester Tennant (Brown overcoat, Yell and black striped pants, White panama hat, face mask,)

Crimson Vengeance: (Alucard Hat, Immortan Joe Mask, Vash the Stampede Coat, red pants)

El Hunko (Fancy Clothes with purple top hat

Stetson Hat with Orange Bandana

Miscellaneous

Blueprints: CHS, Crystal Prep

Bounty Hunter License

Brown Money Pouch: (45 Bits, a Few Hundred Human Dollars)

Cell Phone

Free Filly Scout Cookies For Life Card

Gameboy (Human Equivalent of Joy Boy)

Grandbuggy and Granny Smith Photo

Grandbuggy with Your Mother Photo

Instant Mail Transfer Container: (Cadence Direct Line)

Multi-cable

Patching Supplies (Vice-Grips, Duct Tape, WD-40)

Pink Lover’s Jewell Necklace

Powers and Spells List

Sapphire Shores Signed Photo (Probably Worth a Lot)

Solar Powered Charger

Trixie’s Black and White Bear Plushie: (Never Forget)

Potion Stash

Healing Potion (6)

Molotov Cocktail (3)

Stink Bomb (3)

Transformation/Disguise Potion (4)

Comments

[WARGAMES]

Right, we need a distraction, and not just any small one. Have someone replace all the drinks with 70% alcohol or something like that, then acting drunk, spill alcohol everywhere, all over the place, and abuse the ability to accidentally set everything on fire

[Dklett]

The Apple family is now absolutely massive considering they're now related to all Umbrums through Bugzy and Nightshade

[Loganic]

A pinkie pie clone somehow turned into a changeling or is thought to be a changeling stuck in a pinkie pie disguise or just a random pinkie pie clone is at the party making it a better party. And someone brings up to Lightning dust that she got kicked out of the wonder bolts for almost killing 5-6 of equestrias heroes and that if they did die she would have most likely had her life ruined forever instead of just being kicked out of the wonderbolts.

[Ponygamer12]

Bugze surveys the party and see what is currently going on and what is available near him that could be used as a distraction to get grandbuggy out of there and as well something to be useful for later.

[Puzzling Frost]

Cue a flashback of Bugze's time with Pharynx

[TallFreak]

Some time into the party, Pharynx should announce that it's time to brake the pinata. Bugze will somehow get dragged into it and when it's his turn, he rips open the cocoon with the bat by hitting it. Quick Fix falls out bruised and unconscious but still alive

[Kichi]

"Wait, I have a plan so that Daddy can enter" Say Nightshade suddenly as she return with Bugze and the others

"Wait? That quick? And what is wrong with the plan that I had in mind of you mixing with the youngsters?" Ask Bugze surprised

"I guess I got some genius from mom side, and we are still following that plan, is just that I found a excuse for you to enter" Comment Nightshade

"Wait, you say I'm not a genius?" Ask Bugze a little offended

"Daddy, I really like you, and while we both hate lady luck, you had your skin saved many times thanks to luck that other things" Say Nightshade trying to calm Bugze

"Come on, I'm not that bad, right?" Bugze look at the others trying to find a good answer, only for Nightshade to answer

"Here is my meat shield, there are many meat shields..." Began to quote Nightshade only for Bugze to look down embarrassed

"Umm... I think you are very good 'Enlightener'" Say Thorax trying to cheer Bugze.

"We don't have much time, so just listen, while I'm at the party, I will let Mangle out, he will hack the music, then you appear as the technician and look as if you repair the machine, meanwhile following your plan, I will try to convince the others that the party is not funny is we don't destroy everything, like how miss Twilight told me about the Great Galloping Gala, that should be enough distraction for others to try to free Grandbuggy" Say Nightshade to Bugze and the others.

"As long as this don't turn into a toga party" Comment Bugze as he remember crazy parties in the past
------------------

Sorry, not a big inspiration, maybe later I write more

[Haoryu Changer]

10822688

What about the kids though?

"Nightshade, make sure no one drinks!"

Que Nightshade going around telling all the young ones it's cursed drinks.

[Kichi]

'Okay, Nightshade, it's time, now, think like a changeling, we need to help Daddy and Grandbuggy and the others' Thought Nightshade like a mantra as she walked to the party and the other changelings.

A couple of minutes later, Nightshade was not sure how, but she had become very popular among the young colt hatchlings and some filly hatchlings, she managed to act as if she was uninterested while basking in the glory and giving a couple orders, feeling herself more and more easy trying to 'think like a changeling', that was until a young filly changeling followed by two colts that looked to have more muscle that brain, somehow Nightshade could feel that she was coming to give trouble.

"You! I don't know who are you, but you should get lost, do you think you are the queen, acting aloof and taking all the colts?" Asked the filly changeling

"And why should that be your problem?" Ask Nightshade

"Because I don't like fillies like you, I don't know how you managed to ensnare all those colts to like you, and I don't even remember seeing you during any class or training but if you think you can come and take all the colts for yourself, you should think it again" Say the filly changeling threatening Nightshade and glaring at her trying to scare her only to fail.

"And do you think a little hatchling like you can tell me what to do?" Asked Nightshade without worry as she was not scared because compared to many of the dangers she managed to see and the adventures she had with her daddy, a spoiled filly was nothing for her.

"I will teach you what happens to fillies like you! Hugo, Brutus, teach her a lesson!" Say the filly to the muscled changeling colts behind her.

The two of them approached Nightshade wanting to fight only for Nightshade to evade very easy their punch and copy her daddy with a uppercut knocking who Nightshade guessed was Hugo while she jumped using him as a plataform and hit the other, Brutus, with a axe-kick knocking him and then throwing them away with a falcon punch.

"You... You... Wait until I tell my big sister!" Shouted the filly changeling running away.

'Did I go too far?' Thought Nightshade for a moment before discarding the idea as something stupid.

Soon after that, Nightshade become even more popular around the young hatchling and some more grown up after they managed to see her fight, with more changelings commenting about the short fight, as Nightshade listened to the whispers she managed to get together that the filly was Minnie, the little sister of Vicky and the colts were the little brother of Mongo, and how they disappeared mysteriously after the battle in Appleloosa with a great number of changelings.

Before she could think about anything, Pharynx approached her position, while acting uninterested, Nightshade was hoping Pharynx was not approaching for her, after listening to Thorax and her daddy stories she was not sure if she could fool him

"You..." Said Pharynx in a clear voice as he stopped in front of her and looked at her eyes

"I don't recognize you... And believe me, I have a good memory..." Said Pharynx without stopping looking at Nightshade.

"Sir!" Nightshade put a salute at best as she could

"At ease! I watched your fight before, and I have to say you did very well, too well in fact, and yet I can't remember seeing you during training or practice, specially someone with your talent to fight" Say Pharynx, and just as Nightshade thought it was over, she got back her guts and glared back.

"If you really want to know, 'Sir', I was in a special mission for almost four years, since the Wedding Fiasco" Say Nightshade as she put emphasis in the 'Sir' part, she was not sure why she was suddenly cocky but that was not important in that moment.

"A secret mission you say? And how exactly is that I was not informed?" Ask Pharynx to Nightshade

"How could I know 'Sir'? Maybe the paperwork was lost or maybe they thought it was not important for you to know, or they were above your grade, just like the events of Appleloosa, I was spying the named bearers of the Elements of Harmony and just recently the mission was put in Hiatus as they were captured" Say Nightshade making many changelings gasp at the tone of Nightshade

"Do you know with who are you talking? And are you not a little young to go on secret missions?" Asked Pharynx looking at Nightshade

"I know you are my superior, but with all respect, I just managed to return from the mission and got a little vacation before I need to return back, and as if I'm young or not, that was precisely the reason I was recruited, after I managed to catch the eye of a superior, I was suggested to be part of the mission in the last moment, as I quote "No one could suspect a filly to be a spy", from what I managed to get, the add to the plan was suggested by a changeling named Kichi who give the suggestion to whoever was in charge of the operation and was accepted. As three of the element bearers had little sisters it was easy to enter their circle and listen to information" Said Nightshade with a poker face even if inside she wanted to throw up for suggesting that she could betray the crusaders and agreeing with that Kichi that she was told by her daddy.

"I see... I should check about it, and I can guess your story could be right, why is your mission in Hiatus instead of completed or failed?" Ask Pharynx

"With all the respect to the queen for great plan..." Began Nightshade only to be stopped by Pharynx

"Stop brown-nosing and go to the point" Ordered Pharynx with a tone that suggested no non-sense

"The elements seems to have to be the divine blessing of Luck, or maybe Chance or Destiny... Whoever it is, they seem to get lucky, I mean, six mares that they meet themselves half a day before, suddenly are chosen by mythical artifacts that can stop a enraged alicorn with the power of friendship, then there is also the Wedding Fiasco and how they managed to defeat the plans of the Queen, then it was the Lord of Chaos, The Crystal Empire, the ascension of the purple unicorn to alicornhood and the meeting with the Hooded Offender who is called by some as 'The Enlightener' and somehow nothing happened to them... Is not hard to believe that something is going to happen and they will be free again" Say Nightshade in a calm voice narrating the things.

"So, you think that somehow, they will get free?" Ask Pharynx

"That, or somehow the Hooded Offender will get them free, but at the end of the day, it seems as if the world itself want them to win, and when that happens, my mission will continue" Add Nightshade

"You know what?" Ask Pharynx

"What?" Ask Nightshade at Pharynx question

"I like you... If you manage to stay a couple of days more with the hive, find me... I think I found someling that could become my next apprentice, you have guts and you know how to fight... In a couple of years I can see you being a general in the hive" Say Pharynx offering her hoof as Nightshade accepted it with a smile.

After that Pharynx left Nightshade and walked to another place in the party while Nightshade used that moment to give a signal to give a signal to Mangle and try to stop the radio with the music

10822821

As the music stop and Bugze enter with Thorax acting as the technician, one of the changelings suddenly call the attention of everyone

"Come on, Everyling, ARE YOU READY FOR PARTY!" Shouted the changeling as it transformed into Pinkie Pie

"YEAH!!" Shout many changelings

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Shouted the Pinkie Changeling who after some questions, Nightshade learned it was a changeling that infiltrated a group of Pinkie Clones and got crazy yet somehow learned their ways

"YEAH!!!!" Shouted more changelings as the Pinkie changeling took a new equipment from her equipment and began to play dub-step

-------
I stopped watching around season 5 so I know almost nothing of Pharynx, so if he is a little OOC, sorry.

[WARGAMES]

The perfect distraction

[WARGAMES]

We can lure out the inventory by pretending to be the filly scouts and offering cookies. Have someone else mention that Bugze had like a lifetime pass, and if they take the bait, follow them

but before you knock them out, do give them the cookies, otherwise you've committed a war crime

[Kichi]

I can imagine the scene
10835853

*Knock Knock*

The sound of someone knocking the door awake Chrysalis of a fantasy that was not related to her and Bugze together in the bed as he was reciting bad poetry and very bad jokes to her.

"Who is knocking?" Ask Chrysalis angry at the door

"Filly Scouts! Could you want some cookies?" Say what seem to be a young voice through the door

"What the... Filly Scout? Seriously? Where are the guards? How did they let you pass?" Ask Chrysalis as she asked precisely to not be disturbed and knew she put a couple of changeling to guard the door to avoid anyone from stopping her fantasies with a changeling that was not Bugze.

"We bribed them with a bag of Cookies" Say the young voice honestly as if it was not important. Making Chrysalis groan

"Let me get this clear, you bribed my guards with a bag of cookies" Say Chrysalis with all the patience and control she could muster, something that was very rare lately

"A bag of cookies for each guard Miss Chrysalis" Clarified the Filly Scout voice

"Right... HOW THE HELL COULD MY GUARDS BE BRIBED WITH A BAG OF COOKIES AND HOW THE HELL CAN YOU KNOW WHERE IS OUR HIDDEN BASE?" Shout Chrysalis very angry

"We are the filly scouts, and nothing can stop us from selling cookies, neither snow, rain, a tsunami or a army will slow us from selling cookies... We sell Cookies to Seaponies and Alicorns, and we are expanding now and selling cookies to Changeling Queens and other changelings, after this we plan to even include Griffons, nothing stop the filly scouts... And no, we did not copy from the mailpony, they copy us" Say the voice of the filly scout

"Yay!" Add another young voice

Chrysalis muttered about inept guards and security before talking again. "And why do you think I could want some cookies?" Ask Chrysalis trying to calm herself

"Because we are proud in our new named group the Bugze Scouts of our cookies and how we make them with a ton of love, and changelings like love, right?" Ask the Filly Scout with a innocent tone

"Did you say Bugze Scouts?" Ask Chrysalis surprised

"Oh yeah, he is our patron, it's thanks to him that we managed to expand, he even have a Filly Scout coupon of 'Free Filly Scouts Coupon for Life' thanks to his last donation" Say the voice of the filly scout trough the door

[Nightslayer]

Flashback

Bugzy remembers pharynx as his childhood Billy as well. Bugzy remember he's getting pushed around a lot by pharynx in larva School Military Academy. ( AKA you can name it something else. it's a suggestion.)

Bugzy always gotten being called names and swirlies and broken bones well getting laughed at by pharynx and his posse.

One day Bugzy had enough and he dissed pharynx in the classroom with a rap song.

(edit if you want to know the song name it's Eminem bully)

And he still got attacked afterward

[Loganic]

10830099
It’s the Changeling Pinkie told “Meh I’ve seen better” when he shapeshifter into her. Lol

[Down with Chrysalis]

Unlike most of the Hive, Pharynx's displeasure for Bugze does not stem from his status ad a hybrid or his Grandbuggy's defiance against the previous Queen. Instead, it comes from the fact that Bugze was completely lacking any motivation to be a proper solider for the Changeling Empire like his fellow bugs, and instead spent his time lazing about or sneaking off to goof around. Pharynx was disgusted by the bullying that occurred, as it was a disgrace to the warrior standard he held, but he did nothing to stop it as a means to 'encourage' Bugze to get off his flank and do something. He had the mentality that if he wanted to put an end to something, then he had to stand up and end it himself. He was always disappointed in Bugze when he constantly failed to do so, hence his harsh nature on him. To 'toughen him up' and all that.

Course Bugze never knew this and just saw him as another tormentor of his youth, so he is understandably surprised when he hears Pharynx arguing in his defense with some other changelings. From what Bugze can tell, Pharynx is still firmly agasint him for causing the Queen to become so tainted, but that he will not tolerate mockery of Bugze's feats through the years. As much as a 'disgrace' he is to the changeling name, he is still a changeling who managed to fight off impossible odds for over four years. It showcases that the changelings are not a species to mess with, and by belittling these accomplishments they are spitting dirt on the changeling name as a species.

...or at least something like this, as I wanna showcase that Pharynx while loyal to Chrysalis values changeling honor and strength above all else. And that he has a reluctant amount of respect for Bugze regardless of his actions for the amount of power he managed to wield and use throughout the years.

---

Bugze makes his way over to Hope's friends, and almost immediately the Film Flam brothers recognize the changeling. Thankfully, Iron Will manages to subtly stuff their mouths before their reactions could tip off the nearby changelings. Lighting demands to know what Bugze is doing there, and as subtly as possible he tells them of Chrysalis's betrayal while pointing out the changelings watching them.

The brothers start to freak out while Lighting gets pissed off and is almost about to do something reckless, but like before Iron Will manages to corral the three idiots to stop them from blowing their cover. Iron Will, in a surprisingly respectful manner, asks Bugze what's the plan to get them out of their unharmed and to stop Chrysalis from sending the empire into a early ice age.

Bugze is surprised at how cooperative the minitour is being given he's apart of the revenge group and asks him about it, to which he clarifies that he was only in it for the money and not to harm any creature, something Chrysalis clearly has no problems doing. He also mentions how he was moved by what he saw in the video projections and knew that if any creature could put an end to things, it would be Bugze.

Moved slightly by this, Bugze gives them a quick explanation about the situation before giving out the plan. Basically he wants the four of them to separate and isolate the changelings watching them before taking them out (by themselves or with the help from the others, leave that up to you guys) while the others grab Grandbuggy during the distraction. When they ask what it is, Bugze just eyes the punch bowl evilly before saying how they'll know.

Also, Lighting shamelessly flirts with Bugze the whole time. Either cause she knows Rainbow is crushing on him or because she is just that similar to Rainbow that she even digs the same creatures she does. Either way its time for Bugze to awkwardly handle a shameless flirt while trying to get a plan out, and eventually making him miss Aloe's advances since at least they were 'subtle' in comparison.

Cue Aloe sneezing back in Ponyville sneezing and exclaiming how her man is talking about her...which gets her and whoever she's with caught by the big old nasty currently terrorizing the town.

---

The buffet table has multiple punch bowls, and Bugze decides to use them to cause his distraction. The first one he dumps a homemade laxative into, which the ingredients for were just so conveniently among the food at the buffet table. The other two he spikes with a whole bunch of alcohol that just so happened to be nearby.

Once the drinks and laxatives kick in and chaos starts to spread, Bugze waits for the right moment to strike. That moment comes up when Pharynx sets off a magic blast to get the bugs attentions and to get them to calm down. However, as soon as he finishes Bugze singles the others to cut the lights, and once everyling starts freaking out once more Bugze lights one of the spiked punch bowls on fire and well...

This scene happens, and the room descends into more chaos.

---

During the chaos Nightshade takes this chance to snatch Grandbuggy into her Inventory, while Bugze and the others start taking changelings out one by one Arkhay style. The grunts start panicking in fear of the Offender, and spew some lines that are eerily similar to the henchmen from the Arkham games.

When theirs only a few left Pharynx has had enough and loudly shouts,

"ENOUGH!"

Suddenly the lights come back on, and Bugze is faced to face with his old drill Sargent. The two stare each other down in a tense silence, neither saying a word.

And then.....well thats up to you to decide? Isn't that right, my dear friend.....*malicious twisted smile*

[Puzzling Frost]

Don’t really have much and detailed ideas so I’m just gonna put out ideas.

1. Before bugze, nightshade and thorax run of to do their thing. A timid teenaged changeling comes up to you all, Ocellus! She’s happy her older cousin thorax is here and thorax does a quick introduction for you and nightshade. Thorax quickly tells you that she’s a good grub and shouldn’t be harmed. Having a rare moment of older sibling/cousin protectiveness and showing off a commanding nature. Showing off his similarities to Pharynx, making bugze pause. Nightshade, happy to meet a fellow nice changeling around her age drags her into the chaos she will cause with the younger grubs.

2. When bugze eventually is revealed he attempts to have a dance off with pharynx to distract him while thorax gets grandbuggy, he also does this to calm his own nerves about facing his former drill instructor. But pharynx is having none of it, showing off his no nonsense attitude he disregards the dance and starts barking orders for your capture. Still going with the rhythm of the background music bugze decides to embrace his inner yakuza and starts dance fighting like a mad dog.

Making sure to fight off his foes while looking stylish as all heck.

[Puzzling Frost]

10845631
Also nightshade bumps into Hope’s group and tries to get them out before things go crazy