A new guiding Star

by Amethyst Sparkle

Plans

" I still don't think the changelings are in here, there are too many monsters capable of killing the entire hive living in the Everfree." Fluttershy protested as she led the Royal Guard Patrol out from her Cabin and into the Forest's direction.

Twilight had warned her ahead of time, but it still didn't get rid of her wariness when Shining Armor came into her doorstep asking to stay for the night before they went on their search party.

But at least the entire Hive was with her during this predicament, watching through her eyes and giving her silent support.

" We don't really know much about these monsters, Miss Fluttershy. We can't leave any stone unturned." Shining said with the seriousness of a TV detective who's confident just because he knows the script won't let him die.

" But you don't know the forest at all, Captain Shining Armor. Your chances of survival are-"

" We are the Canterlot Royal Guard, Miss Fluttershy. We can handle whatever the Everfree throws at us." Shining interrupted.

Fluttershy sighed. " Oh well, if you say so, Captain."

< Are you ready Loki? 324 and 18? >

< Ready when they are, Auntie Flutters! >

< We're ready! >

< Let's just do this before Shining's too far from the town. >

As Fluttershy finished her mental conversation, Loki went into action.

He looked at himself, as of searching for his weapon, until his eyes widened. He looked at the pony nearest to him.

" Uh, man? I forgot my spear at Miss Fluttershy's place. Think you can cover for me?" He asked.

The pony grunted and tilted his head as if telling him ' just go '.

Loki nodded in respect before running back, making sure his hooves were as loud as they can be.

This caused Shining Armor to look back.

" Where's he going?" He asked the troop.

" He forgot his spear, Captain. Must've been a rough morning for him." The pony who agreed to Loki's request said with a shrug.

Shining Armor sighed. " Well, we have no choice than to wait for him then. We need all the hooves we can get."

Fluttershy smiled internally. Great work as always.

Moments later, instead of a calm marching guard, what came back to the little group was Loki running with a panicked look on his face. He darted through the little crowd and towards Shining Armor.

The Captain frowned at this.

" What's gotten into-" He started, but was interrupted by Loki.

" Changelings! They're flying to Canterlot!" He yelped.

Shining instantly went on alert. " What kind?"

" The ones from the wedding. He's alone, but he's carrying somepony unconscious in a sack. Come! He's still in Ponyville Airspace!" He said urgently.

Without so much as an ounce of suspicion Shining Armor nodded at all the pegasi, and they instantly followed Loki as they shot through the skies, while the Unicorn and Earth pony soldiers ran right underneath them.

They completely forgot about dear old Fluttershy, who if they looked back at they would see a very, very amused smile.

------------

324 grunted as he bit harder on the mouth of the sack containing 18, trying not to make him fall from hundred meters to the ground.

< I could transform into something lighter, you know. > 18 said.

324 wanted to curse him but the entire hive and the nymphs would hear him.

< They need to see the pony shape against the sack, du- er, 18. > He retorted, barely able to hold himself back at calling 18 'dumbass'.

His ears twitched as he heard a chuckle from the sack.

< What's so funny? Do you WANT me to let go? > He practically growled.

The chuckle became louder.

< I know you wouldn't. But juuusst in case, I'll be a good little hostage now. Chill though, 324. > 18, based on the next sound 324 heard, snickered.

324 wanted to at least throw 18 off a cliff, but alas he couldn't. Not when all eyes of the Royal Guard are now successfully trained on him.

< Shining Armor's right below us, Uncle 324. They're planning on stealth following you. > Loki's voice said as it rang through his head.

< Stealth? I could see them from a mile away in the middle of the darkest night. Come on, how are they even Royal Guards!? >

< You can insult them later when we're out of the bag, Unc. Just continue acting suspicious. > Loki said probably with a smile on his face.

324 inhaled, then exhaled.

Focus on the mission first, then come up with the finest insults later.

The Infiltrator looked at his surroundings. He could see the beginning of the forest that separated Ponyville and the long way to Canterlot. It was wide, very wide, probably would take a few days to cross.

But he had wings, and he was going to take advantage of it.

324 relaxed his wings, trying to feel how strong the wind was. Air glided over the membrane, each telling a story. About how hot our cold it is. About which direction they came from. About how strong.

And many were telling the same story.

324 grinned. He found the perfect ride.

In less than a second, he closed his wings, and dived straight down.

< HOOOOLLLYY SH-! > 18 yelped but managed to shut himself off in time or he would've had earned himself a lecture from their Queen.

324 continued to dive down, the tops of the trees all ready to greet him painfully and perhaps fatally.

He grunted as he opened his wings just in time, shooting back up the air, successfully riding a strong breeze.

If it weren't for his Queen's pegasi genes starting to seep into their magic through her love his wings would've tore long ago and ripped completely off after that nose dive.

< Are you f-ing crazy!? What was that for?! >
18 asked, censoring himself.

This time it was 324 who chuckled, which was clear even with sack in his mouth.

< Loki! What did they think of my show? > He asked, ignoring 18's slight kicking.

< We're following you in that nose dive to ride the current you're using. That was awesome, by the way. > Loki replied.

324 grinned at both the news and what he was seeing. His little act helped a lot at speeding his travel, and the end of the massive forest just passed beneath him.

This was it.

The Badlands.

324 wanted so bad to look behind him to check if they were following, but that would be too suspicious.

So instead he bit the already wet sack and sped up, wanting to reach the place and begin his own investigation for Twilight.

He and 18 weren't just going to lead Shining Armor to the Other Hive, once they arrived they'd snoop around and see what their Old Queen was up to, and possibly rescue some of their brothers and sisters.

His ear twitched at a really heavy flap.

Dear God they were all but stealthy.

He really needed to talk to the Sun Princess at improving her guard. She could use some real soldiers fresh from their Hive, He knew some decent ones from the Underlings as well as Twilight's brood.

Suddenly the already harsh wasteland wind picked up, snapping the infiltrator from his thoughts, and 324 heard a rumble in the distance.

< Was that a sandstorm? > 18 asked quietly.

324 blinked, and looked at the approaching cloud of sand that almost camouflaged against the desert floor meters below him.

< Yep. >

< What are we going to do? Our eyes can only handle so much sand! > 18 said nervously.

Right. They almost barely got out of the hive before, and they didn't really practice their eyes at repelling what looks like a monster sandstorm.

Think. THINK.

Wait, Twilight might have a spell!

324 closed his eyes, and flew on autopilot as he went inside the Archives, instantly flitting through Twilight's shelves, looking through her arsenal of spells.

Books flew from the shelves to the floor, making quite an impressive pile. 324 just hoped Twilight would understand. It was in a dire situation, after all.

His ears twitched again and he sensed another presence in the Archives.

Was it 18? No. It was one of Twilight's brood, he could sense the ambient love from it.

He spared a glance and the familiar hoodie caught his eye.

" Summer?" He asked.

" Hey Unc! Been watching you in Canterlot. The spell you need is right in this book. Eye Guard, I think." She handed him a book, btwpurple cover and gold designs. Said book flew out of her hooves wrapped in a purple aura as 324's own hooves caught them.

He immediately read through it with the urgency of someone very hungry.

Summer resisted a chuckle at the sight of a panicking 324, but she acted calm when 324 halted at a particular page. He eyed the spell, and spared a smile at Summer.

" Thanks, Kiddo." He ruffled her hair before disappearing back to reality.

324 opened his eyes, and the Sandstorm was much clearer.

His horn immediately lit up in a lavender light, and a scuba dive goggles-like sheet formed over his eyes, albeit making the dessert look tinted purple, protecting his eyes.

He sent the spell quickly to 18, who he assumed cast it as well.

Just in time, too as they dove straight through the Cloud.

It was like sleeping in a pile of needles and syringes. It took all of 324's willpower to avoid scratching himself to death. It was very, very itchy. And Painful with a capital 'P'.

He heard 6 puffs occur behind him, indicating the Guard followed.

The wind was strong and threatened to bring him down, the sand was biting against his chitin, and he could feel tiny holes start to appear in his wings.

But he could almost see the end of it, and he will NOT disappoint his Queen.

Even if he knew she'll never be, he still didn't want her to worry.

After what felt like eternity in the storm, with a final flap, he burst through the cloud, and almost stopped in mid-air. While he was relieved that the itchiness stopped, it was immediately replaced by a sense of dread.

Seeing his old hive brought back unwanted memories, memories of a life that didn't even exist in his New Hive. No slavery, no love shortages, no punishments that were too cruel. There was always familial love waiting to feed even the slightest hunger, and most of all a Queen that CARED.

< 324, are you alright? > 18 asked.

The infiltrator snapped out of his reverie and growled. He was not going to let the old hive get to him. His new hive depended on this mission, and he was not going to DISAPPOINT them, he said so to himself before.

< Yes. >

324 tore his gaze from the towering black fortress and scanned his surroundings, before widening his eyes as he realized something.

The hive was right were he left it, that's true, but that sandstorm he passed through?

Yeah, it was encircling the entire hive.

There was no way his old Queen could sustain this spell for even a minute.

Nothing changed other than the Sandstorm barrier, the land was still a Crater with the hive in the center. He shook his head as he slowly descended.

As his hooves touched the ground, he heard 6 puffs erupt from the Sandstorm, a pause and another 6 puffs, indicating they went back to report to their Captain immediately.

Well, at least they're not THAT dumb.

Mission complete, Shining Armor's troop now has it's eyes on the Other Hive.

But it wasn't over yet for the two of them.

324 carefully walked behind a big boulder and let 18 out, carapace full of sand but their goggles worked their magic, dispelled for now until the next Sandstorm.

" I won't be getting into any sacks again, if I keep experiencing THAT." 18 coughed out, but a weak smile was on his face.

" Yeah, I feel ya. Are you ready? " He asked.

18 grinned. " For Twi. Now let's get into infiltrating! I have a feeling there's something sinister inside." He rubbed his hooves together eagerly.

324 smiled. " I know. It'll be your first since getting intelligence, and you want to test how much you've learned. But first," he pointed to his head. " I've got a niece to call."

18 nodded. " Alright, I still need to shake off sand. "

With that 324 took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was in the Archives again.

The feeling of the familiar place gave him comfort from the previous walk down memory lane, and he couldn't help but just stand still and tell himself the past was in the past, the proof right around him, before looking around for his goal.

" Summer?" He called.

" Over here!"

324 looked at the direction of the voice, and saw Summer materializing from thin air as she ran up to him.

" There you are!" He ruffled her hair, eliciting a giggle. The only changeling in the hive without an official role, being the Jack of all trades, backed away from him to avoid his ruffling hoof.

He grinned. " I need your help."

" Whatever can I do for you, Uncle 324?" She said in an overdramatic way, a smirk on her face.

" Connect through my eyes, and project what we see somewhere to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. We might find something they need to know."

Summer grinned in understanding as she saluted. " Right away!" Before disappearing.

324 was reminded that he really liked Twilight's brood. They proved themselves again and again that they were not slaves to their mother and were individuals with personalities they chose on their own. Something they were deprived of in the Old Hive.

324 reluctantly closed his eyes again, and he was back in the real world.

He blinked and looked around for his brother, whom he spotted just behind a tree shaking the last remnant of the sandstorm from his tail.

" Who'd you call?" 18 asked as he cane over, completely cleaned of sand.

" Summer. The Princesses will have to see this." He said.

" You're damn right. It'd be easier if they saw themselves and not rely on a spoken report. " 18 nodded.

Moments later 324 felt a presence riding behind his mind.

< They're both here with me. Princess Celestia says you can now proceed. > Summer reported.

324 nodded both to Summer and 18, signaling both that the game was on.

In flashes of lavender light both turned to snakes, slithering as subtly as they could closer to the hive.

The closer they got, the more confused 324 became. Usually there were a squadron of Soldiers completely filling up the airspace of the Hive, keeping it safe.

But the outside was completely deserted.

< Are you seeing this? > He turned his head to 18 as they crawled over a dune.

18 looked just as confused.

< I don't know. I've been an Underling my entire life. Are there supposed to be guards around here? > He asked.

324 nodded as they slithered into one of the entrances.

It was dimly lit by little green crystals littered on the ceilings, walls and floor. The gathering dust on their underbellies indicated that no one used this particular passage in a long time.

This puzzled the two changelings more as they trudged on, still tense in case they meet another ling.

After what felt like hours though in a pregnant silence, they finally reached the inner hive.

And both their eyes, plus everyone watching, widened.

No wonder the hive seemed dead when they arrived.

Filling up every wall space imaginable were all the missing ponies taken from Canterlot the past few months.

Cocooned in chrysalises to be converted, all connected by a web of greeb veins, probably to distribute love equally. The web of veins all conjoined near the top, indicating whatever their love source was it was situated on the higher levels of the hive.

What was worrying is that this entire chamber they saw was only about a fourth of the hive. The structure continued down the layers of earth and had an uncountable number of tunnels crisscrossing and conjoining.

If every wall space was decorated with the ponies, then the amount of changelings to arise at the same moment would definitely break some kind of record.

And so will reverting them all back into ponies, if it was even possible.

< Dear God. It's supposed to be forbidden. > 18 whispered.

< So is infecting by bite. > 324 said helplessly as he turned back into a changeling and circled around the chamber, trying to drink in more information.

18 followed his example but went to the closest Convert-to-be and lit his horn. He rested it gently on the cocoon, closed his eyes and breathed in.

324 flew over to him and watched as 18's face turned to panic.

" They're too far down the Converting process. Freeing them from the pod would kill them immediately." He said sadly.

324 gave out a shuddering sigh.

He then looked up, staring at the veins. " What about up there? I assume that's where the love source is, If the veins conjoining upward was any indication."

18 shook his head. " Did you notice no ling's around to care for these? It's because they already are well past the sensitive stages of Convertion. The caretakers and guards are probably deeper down, with the younger pods, and putting the love source powering the entire operation somewhere that can be penetrated easily is just dumb."

324 sighed. " Down we go then."

18 nodded. " Come, as a former Underling I know a lot of secret passages." He flew to a spot in the opposite wall of their current position and lit his horn.

A circular aura appeared and when 18 pulled, there was a circular tunnel waiting for proper use.

----------

" Sister, do you see this?!" Luna exclaimed as she watched the cocooned ponies from a video-like projection Summer had conjured upon the wall by her horn.

Their resident changeling's eyes were closed, she was using 324's after all, but everything they're seeing was showed via the very clear projection. There was Audio too, meaning Summer also was using 324's ears.

Celestia was just frozen in her seat, her eyes never leaving the footage.

" My poor ponies...." She put a hoof to her mouth and felt a a tear threatening to fall.

" That's why Chrysalis' changelings were kidnapping as many ponies as they can! They want to convert them into changelings themselves!" Luna concluded angrily.

" But why?!" Celestia asked as the projection showed 324 entering the tunnel with 18, pulling their gazes away from the Converts-to be.

" Probably to up their numbers. They're planning on some sort of attack." Luna guessed with a frown.

The Sun princess widened her eyes." Do you think they know about Twilight?"

" Twilight Sparkle have yet to inform us about her brood getting attacked by the other changelings. They seem to be as clueless about it as Shining Armor. "

Luna straightened up her posture. " Speaking of the Captain, Phase 1 of the plan is done. Infiltrator 324 and Mage 18 are inside the old hive, meaning the guards who followed them probably went back to report. The Captain would either send a letter to inform us, or come here personally."

Celestia sighed. " Knowing him he'll send a letter then charge ahead because of his hatred for Chrysalis. "

Luna snickered. " I wish I could see his face when he sees the pods. I wonder what outlandish idea he will come up then."

Silence reigned as Luna's words began to sink, and horror slowly spread on both their faces.

" Shining's gonna kill them all. " Was Summer's quiet but still snarky voice, still able to hear the conversation despite watching and listening to two separate places at the same time.

Celestia wanted to scream.

Luna wanted to kick something.

" Already warned my Uncles. Don't worry, they didn't realize too. They're panicking as much as you two." Summer giggled.

-----------------

As soon as Summer's warning registered in 324's brain, he stopped cold in the tunnel, and so did 18. They had successfully steered Shining Armor from their hive, but they didn't know that in the Other Hive the ponies captured would be in a vulnerable state. Shining Armor's hatred for changelings would cause him to 'rescue' the Converts-to-be, and when he realizes they died from the 'rescuing' he'd make up some crazy reason that'll make him and the ignorant public more un-accepting of changelings.

Of all obstacles to encounter when integrating in Pony society Shining Armor had to be one.

18 turned to him despite the tight space with a panicked look on his face.

" Shit. " Was all he said.

324 waited for Miss Pinkie Pie's voice to say something like ' NO CURSING IN MY CHRISTIAN SERVER! ' or that creepy whisper of ' OMAE WA MOU, SHINDEIROU ' before slapping the curser with a hoof encrusted in cupcake frosting.

But thank God nothing happened.

" I know. We can't finish the mission with him around." 324 mumbled.

" We'd have to protect the Converts-to-be from him while making sure the guards down below won't notice out presence. Because if they do they'll know theres a rival of Queen Chrysalis because we joined her. And also protecting the ponies would make Shining armor think we're one of Chrysalis." 18 muttered back.

324 sighed. " The PURR-fect cherry on top."

18 blinked then raised an eyebrow. " Really?"

324 waves the concern away. " I pun when SHIT's about to go down. I know, nothing about this is PUNny, but we have no choice but to deal with Shining Armor's CRAP. "

18 tried to ignore the absurdity of this situation. " Yeah, what do you suggest we do?"

324 grunted. " First we'd have to intercept him and hold him in the Sandstorm Barrier as he crosses as long as possible. Then we'd have to.... Princess Celestia I hope you're listening, let Princess Cadence in on this."

" WHAT!? That's suicide! If she knows then he knows and who knows what he'll do to our Queen!" 18 practically shrieked.

" Look! I know it sounds crazy, but hear this: If there's anything Princess Cadence loves more that Shining Armor it's Twilight. If she knows Shining Armor might hurt Twilight there's a high chance she won't tell. And if there's anything Shining Armor values than revenge on changelings it's his wife. If she makes something up that will make him go home and actually plan before raiding the Old Hive, which we WON'T allow but it'll also buy us time to prepare, we'll be able to save the Converts-to-be even for a short while." 324 reasoned.

18 looked at 324 incredulously, then deeper into his eyes to reach Princess Celestia. The unspoken question was answered by Summer through the Hivemind.

< They say it's A-okay. >

The mage sighed heavily, dragging his hoof down his face. 324 looked at him with baited breath. Most of his little last-minute plan involved 18's magic. The success of it relied greatly on the young mage's approval.

324 relaxed when 18 looked at him with a resigned expression.

" Let's fuck shit up."

324 grinned. " That's the spirit! Now we just have to go find Shining. Besides, we can both kick his ass now."

18 had a small smile. " You should have started with that. I've been waiting for an opportunity to set his tail on eternal fire. "

" Let's go, and hope the Princesses at Canterlot can convince Princess Cadence, wherever she may be." The Infiltrator said as they began to back track.

< We're on it. Just keep Uncle Shin-Shin occupied. Kick him for me in the balls, will you? >

324 cackled as quietly as he could. " You didn't have to ask!"

Comments

[Edguy0009]

Things certainly have gotten interesting.

[Commander Darklight]

seriously celestia just strip his ass of his guard rank temporarily and get him some damn fuckin help before the idiot does somthing he wil truly regret (like killing one of twis hive, "Hell hath no fury like a mothers wrath")

[JCY2k16]

Silence reigned as Luna's words began to sink, and horror slowly spread on both their faces.

" Shining's gonna kill them all. " Was Summer's quiet but still snarky voice, still able to hear the conversation despite watching and listening to two separate places at the same time.

Celestia wanted to scream.

Luna wanted to kick something.

" Already warned my Uncles. Don't worry, they didn't realize too. They're panicking as much as you two." Summer giggled.

You know. I now wonder what Nicole Oliver would sound like if she screamed.

[HF Fury]

My question is: WTF is Cadence doing while her husband is acting like a psycho?. If I remember correctly she saw when Twilight was bit and that everything started with that. All things considered I hope Shining Armor loses the marriage along with his command status.

[Edguy0009]

9598893
I was trying to be funny.

[Edguy0009]

9598721
Loss of command: maybe. loss of marriage: No as he hasn't done something VERY serious.

[FridayPie]

9598382
Angry Leedora from SG-1? (It's her, it's Nicole)

Funny thing, Celestia is somewhat like that character in a way.

[Quiznak]

By now, I'm just thinking; poor Shining Armour, little sisters can be right little terrors, especially if they have a bunch of child-minions running around.