The Night Can Change

by BlueyWaifu

Chapter 3

~~~~~ A few months ago ~~~~~

If I remember correctly, on the poles of the planet, the year is split half and half with sunlight. For one half of the year, there is no sunset. The other, there is no sunrise. To live there, somepony would go insane within a week. At least, that's how I understand it. Thankfully, the changeling hive is nowhere near any place like that. The sun is nice, I like it. For a species that regularly has to hide and lives in an everchanging cave system, sometimes the sun felt like a luxury.

So while we are stationed under Canterlot (a massive bowl on the side of a mountain), inside a forest (tall trees, closely packed together), it feels like there's no sun at all.

A good chunk of the other squads of changelings have already gotten into position in their respective spots underneath Canterlot. The plan is to be spread out pretty much to the silhouette of the underside, just to make the flight up there shorter and less exhausting once the signal is given.

The signal, right. Already, we had our Queen up there, doing... whatever it was. Taking the spot of the bride of some wedding taking place today. Well, if anything, our signal to fly up and attack the bubblegum shield around Canterlot wouldn't be happening too soon, considering we just got here.

Since we left, my buddy Faltic, and new guy Klaven have been with me. Helping pass the time with chat, and verbally rehearsing our plans for invasion. Directions weren't tough, we just look for the city on the mountain and follow suit.

Hell, well, here we are. Klaven and I have a separate group from Faltic, heading in an opposite direction. "Hey, Klaven and I gotta split from you now. We'll see you up there?"

Faltic, as formal as he tried to present himself sometimes, visibly hesitated before looking back at me. "Yes sir, good luck." He offered me a faint salute, to which I reciprocated. After which, Faltic turned away, taking a few big strides to catch up with his unit.

Once we're back to scouting in Manehattan after this, I think I know a spot that'll keep his mind off his military work.

As soon as I turned away, following back my own squad's route I looked up, just to see where we were.

Completely separated, that's where. Despite already feeling like we'd been divided by miles through the woodsy sheet under Canterlot, the perspective of our distance only grew when seeing how much bigger the place looked when up close. Aside from being a scout, most changelings never get to see any major parts of Equestria. That's one of the benefits, if you asked me. Travelling, seeing places, it kept my eyes from going a solid grey with the boredom of looking at the same things all day. Oh, and the buzzing. Oh Chrysalis the buzzing.

For now, during the whole hive's trudge through the concealing canopy of trees, all I can hear is hoofsteps in every which way. Among some chatter, I'll make my own. "Klaven, how's our time looking?" He was given an easy thing to keep track of: our team being in position on time.

"We're making good time, we might even have time to kill when we arrive."

We passed by another small team of changelings in their position. Each spot was marked a few days prior to now, each with unique insignias. Our own mark is a pair of fangs carved into the flat face of a rock. More walking, only thing we've done all day.

I should make another attempt to drown out our hoofsteps.

"Think we'll see him up there?"

"Maybe? Never seen Canterlot before... Well, not from anywhere but below it."

I took another look up towards the underside of the foundation. Fair point. It'd be worth noting that we'd also never seen it without this, in my opinion, ugly looking pink, that also sparkles.

"Fangs!" There was a call from the front. My ears turned to attention while my head stayed still. That's me, fangs. I turned back to Klaven beside me. "That's us."

Just ahead of me, I could see some changelings start to separate from the pack, joining the general area around the carved marking in the rock. Klaven and I slipped over into the area as well. Very thankfully, I have him with me. Most changelings have a tendency to not make more than one friend, two maybe. This would be the most boring thing without someone to talk to.

I literally just described myself. Two friends. I need to make more.

Finally, we get to sit. We've only been walking ever since leaving the hive before sunrise. I slouched a little as I found my resting spot just beside the roots of a tree. Not the most comfortable, but leagues better than sitting on stone.

Klaven took his seat... on a rock. He looked visibly nervous. At least to me. I can tell he's trying to hide it. Me knowing him, I can see right through it. I adjusted my spot, and sat just next to his rock. "Feeling alright man?"

He was staring upwards. Only his ears gave attention to my question. We were told to keep an eye out for this signal, Klaven is being really proactive about it. I figure it's fine. Once one of the hundreds of us see it, it'll be a big chain reaction of everyone taking flight.

"Yeah, yeah. I am... Just nervous is all, you know?"

He is, understandably, very new to the changeling army. I think this is his first deployment. On such a big occasion, I could almost see the anxiousness seeping out of his body.

"First off, never been on an actual deployment with the hive before. Second, why does it have to be this one, big, hyped up thing? I've been told ponies know what changelings are, but they've never seen the whole hive together." He finally stopped craning his neck looking up. Now he's looking to the currently thinning herd of changelings reaching their destination. It looked like everyone is almost in place.

"Ah you'll be fine. I've been on plenty of these things. Plus, you're with me."

That sounded a lot more reassuring in my head. Hopefully, for the time being, we can wait here and enjoy lowering tension and anxi-

"Signal! Let's go!"

The moment passed way too soon. Any changeling that was either sitting, or the few that were still walking, immediately took to the air. Some smashed their way through branches and leaves. All I can hear is the jarring sound of hundreds of little wings buzzing all at once. What exactly was the signal again? I don't know, but I was right about the chain reaction.

As I hurried to stand up, I already had my own pair of wings unfurled and ready to fly. Klaven, on the other hoof, looked very hesitant.

"You with me dude?" A majority of other changelings have already taken off. Very few remain grounded. One of which I could spot was being woken up from his sleep.

Wordlessly, Klaven stood up, and shook himself off. "Ready ready!"

"There you go!"

Almost in unison, we took off, straight up. Just before clearing the blanket of tree leaves, a branch decided to show up out of nowhere. Thankfully, half of my face is there to protect the rest of my body from harm as I broke the limb clean in two. As slightly dazed as I am, I can still keep my flying pace. Similar to how I am grateful for my life, I'm grateful for the fact that Klaven is a faster flyer than me, by that much. I didn't need him seeing me pick a splinter out of my snout after reassuring him that I have experience.

Beyond the trees, I would have expected a greater view of everything. The buzzing sound never left my ears from the forest. Hundreds of other changelings filled almost every inch of the air space that I could see. Some were so far off it looked like I could see their whole body through one of my leg holes. As I flew higher, more and more of Canterlot kept coming into view. As much as there was pink to obstruct my view, it was obvious that whoever built everything had a strong love for yellow and purple.

Structures were connected in fifty different ways, seemingly at random. Each one that I could see made the same fight for dominance in being the tallest. The vast majority pointed to the sky in a spire with some logo or crafted imaged attached to the top of it. I could see small dots of ponies below.

At this point, I knew Canterlot was just showing off. So much needless visuals. Keep it simple, like at the Hive. A hole in the wall that leads to your room.

Something about seeing the highest city from an even higher view made me forget what we were doing next. I snapped back to reality as I heard the first crash of another changeling slamming his full weight into the pink shield we surrounded. I looked around, seeing others follow his lead. As much as it didn't seem to budge, brute force is all we really have, isn't it? I looked over next to me, Klaven is still by me. I gave him my most polite smile, and gestured to the bubble. "Ladies first."

His scrunching brow was his only form of trying to keep a straight face, his creeping smile didn't help. Still, he didn't move an inch. "Age before beauty?"

"If you say one more thing, I'm throwing you into it myself." Klaven retorted to me.

...

"One more thing."

I could see his wings speed up just before he lunged for me. My more knowledgeable vision combined with my calculated movement, he only managed a swipe at me, and I stayed floating in the air. Turning around, he'd already recovered.

"Hey look! I made first impact!" He said. Right where he'd collided with the shield, there was a crack in it. Almost like glass. Klaven wore a smug grin on his face.

"I can do you one better." Reeling back just an inch, I dove in, putting all my speed and weight into my own impact. THUNK!

I will never admit that I may have just given myself a concussion.

I peeled myself off, and stood up on all fours again. I could hear Klaven snorting a laugh behind me. What? Oh. My brute force did nothing. Not even a dent. "That was just a test."

Buzzing my wings again, I flew just a little further back for this one. This one, I'll do with my eyes closed. Best not to see it coming. This time, not leading with my face, I took another plunge. I let my shoulder take first bite. THUNK!

"Egh.." I stood up, shaking myself off and rolling my shoulder. Looking down only made the laughter I heard grow louder in my ears. "Rrgh, nothing again?" I snapped my neck sharply to meet eyes with the clown that'd been hovering over me. "Alright! Why don't we just do this together then? No beauty or ladies first." I buzzed my wings to hover level with Klaven. It took him a moment to gain the composure to speak.

"Yeah yeah, cmon. On three. One, two-" He reared up on two, and I did the same. "-three!"

Immediately on three, he dove shoulder first into the shield, and collided with a hard Thump. I faked it, and lurched only a foot before stopping myself. Now I'm the one laughing. I watched him pick his head up and turn it. He first looked for any damage, then to try and find me. The realization hit him almost as hard as he hit the bubble, and he quickly buzzed his wings to reach me. My reassurance that he knows I don't mean it intentionally was his crooked smile as he buzzed back up. "Jerk!"

"Alright, alright, for real this time." I counted this time. "One, two-" I reared up with the fullest intention to dive as if I'm going straight through this shield. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see that a lot of other changelings looked like they were doing the same thing. We'll see how it works. "-three!"

Aside from Klaven and I, every changeling I could see made the plunge at the same time. The sound of everyone's body slamming against glass came close to the heaviest bass I'd ever heard. As I picked my head up, a loud shattering sound filled my ears. With some slight panic, I buzzed my wings fast to get away from the shield. Hopefully Klaven did the same. All I could see around me was shattered pink glass falling from below me. As noisy as it was, I could hear some changelings still cheer for themselves. Some started their descent to Canterlot already.

"Hah, I loosened it up for us." Klaven said. I would've loved to oppose that statement.

"Uh huh. Let's get in there. With me now." We began our speedy descent. I picked our landing spot based on how complicated the street looked, to which I picked one that appeared the simplest. It seemed like we were already halfway there.

Oh right, and I can see Klaven's first meteor landing. Don't know why, but changelings hit the ground a lot harder than ponies can. Sometimes I wonder if that makes me fat.

A sharp green cone formed in front of me, my only indication that, if I didn't want to land face first, it was time to put my legs first. Doing just that made a booming landing for me. Once the green flames dispersed from around me, I immediately met eyes with some grey stallion and yellow mare couple. Intimidation? Yes. I'm not one to actually hurt someone unless I have to.

Before I could even bare my fangs at them, they took off running. Easy enough.

...Where did-

A very sudden booming crash smashed into the ground next to me, causing me to brace as if I was about to be punched. I turned my head to the source, and green flames were quickly fizzing out. It was Klaven. Definitely scuffed the landing. I took a light step out of my own divot to stand next to his. "You make it?"

Thankfully, Klaven stood from being slightly crumpled on the ground, and shook himself off. A few pebbles slid off of him. "I definitely messed up my landing. Why don't we ever practice those?"

While a fair question, it was over. Now is more of a time to find something or somewhere to put under changeling control. That's about as much as I understand that we need to do. Maintain control for Chrysalis to do her thing.

Every which way around me, the distant and close sounds of changeling's cratering the pavement kept me alert. Any ponies that were outside were scrambling for any form of safety. Amusing to watch, in a way. "You'll get it down. Where'd we land?"

Both of our eyes turned, with the same confusion. It was probably a stupid question. We'd never seen Canterlot until about twenty minutes ago. We'd landed on a sidewalk. There were some overturned tables and chairs, maybe from our hard landing. Down the whole street, an entire row of fancy looking buildings packed either side of the road. Some looked the same, some different. Few of which, there were changelings vandalizing and tearing those overhead things above doors. I, not being one for immediate destruction, decided I wanted to approach this a different way. I turned to the closest building to us as if I owned it. "Why don't we secure this one? Looks fancy."

Klaven looked the building up and down. He wasn't thinking about destroying it immediately, was he? "What, we go in?"

"Yes! Instead of securing it from the outside like the others, why don't we mix it up, and do it from the inside?"

He almost looked at me like I was crazy. Though something I said sounded convincing enough.

The front of said building had a large glass window on the front, so it was likely we'd already been seen. As if the rumbling and panic hadn't alerted whoever was inside enough. I couldn't quite see much of anything inside. Just next to it was the front door. "Just be a little careful. It doesn't look like ponies are fighting back at all, but you know, just to be sure."

He nodded at me, and stepped aside for me. Sure, let me go in first. As I stepped up to the door, I thought of all the things I could say. Sound cool, Restel. They've never seen a changeling before. Be authoritative, look badass. "Everypony stay the hell down, and none of you will get hurt."

I strongly shoved the door open, hyped up by my own pep-talk. As soon as the door swung open, I stepped halfway inside, puffing my chest out and putting on my best furrowed eyes.

"Everypony st-agh!" I suddenly got hit by what felt like a wall, and staggered back a step or two.

It was the door. What a first impression. I could hear Klaven holding back everything not to laugh.

This time, keeping my hoof on the door, I swung it open again, making sure to stop it before it hit the wall. There were two ponies inside, obviously I already grabbed their attention. Rather than a look of fear or shock, they just watched. I should've taken longer to regather myself.

"Hi." Quick, assess the room. Two deadpan eyes watched me. One of them stood behind a counter. Pegasus, a kind of light blue coat, nametag on his chest that looked way too small to read from here. Black hair with green highlights, or green hair with black highlights? White marble floor, white walls, tables with little knick-knacks and accessories scattered the room. I think we walked into a store? The second pony was a disturbingly pink pegasus as well. Her hair, purple and yellow, like everything else outside! Ugh. What is the obsession with-

"Uhh. Hi?"

Had I been thinking that long? A hoof pushed me aside, and Klaven stepped in beside me, being the first to fully enter the room. Did he know what to say?

"... Slow day?"

No.

I mentally shook myself and found the best words I could think of. "Look, we're changelings, we're invading Canterlot. What we're going to do is make sure you, and all your other ponyfolk don't do anything to intervene, understand?"

"Yeah, I've been watching your kind outside trash the place. You gonna wreck my store too?" The light blue one sounds like the owner. Was I going to thrash this place? No.

"No, no. I specifically told my underling here too that we're doing it differently than the others idea of keeping you still. While they thrash everything, we're taking a more, less destructive approach." I explained.

The pink one's ear twitched. "More, less destructive?"

"Yes, we're not going to trash the place."

"So, what're you gonna do?" The light blue store owner was really making me talk more about this than I wanted to.

"We're here to make sure nopony gets in the way of our Queen's work."

I'm getting tired of calling them by their color in my mind. Though, us doing small talk technically keeps them from doing anything, right? They don't even know what Chrysalis is doing, so they have no incentive to act.

"Yeah, Chrysalis is taking over the royal wedding today, and we're going to be fed for generations. We don't need you stopping it!"

Thank you, Klaven, for specifying.

"Well I would've gone, but I work today." The blue one said.

"And I've got a dinner date I'm shopping for. Going to that would just clog my schedule up." Said the pink one.

That explains things. We picked the best possible place to be. We're doing our job; not letting anypony interfere, and locking an area down. Check, and check. We'll know when Chrysalis is done. Changelings have a natural sense to understand the Queen and her orders. So then I guess we are just here until then. It's been a hot minute since we broke the shield and landed. Chrysalis has already been in there and should be done soon.

Klaven took the first strides in, walking around the various tables and shelves of clothing and accessories. If he had any bits to buy things, I'd have no clue where they came from. What reason would he have to buy this stuff anyway?

"You changelings aren't going to mess with my date, are you?" The pink one said. I took a step further inside, just to be more comfortably inserted in the room. It's really none of my business to stop that, only to prevent ponies like her from interrupting our plans. A fair trade. Klaven looked at me, but didn't turn his head.

"No. Our job is to keep you away from our Queen so she can pretty much take over. So if you don't stop us, I won't stop you." I responded.

I saw her initial tough expression lighten up at what I said. I didn't want to fight, so that was good. Klaven took his eyes off me and returned to browsing. What do we do now? Can't say we didn't do our job, we've got a pair of ponies who aren't going anywhere. I didn't think I'd get this far.

"What exactly is a changeling?" The store owner was making small talk now. Right, ponies don't exactly know what I am. That's good, it means I'm doing a great job with my disguises. Would it be smart to tell them? Klaven didn't sound like he shared my thoughts, as he spoke up to explain.

"Almost exactly as the name implies. We can change ourselves and you wouldn't even know it was me."

They know now.

The pegasus behind the counter's curiosity is getting the better of him. "Let me see it."

Klaven was more than happy to. I watched him walk over to the counter, and give a very brief look up and down of the employee. Not a second later, the extremely fast green fire blazed over his body. Once the burst had swirled away, there stood an exact copy of the curious pegasus. The only thing lacking was the appropriate name tag on his chest that I still couldn't see from over here.

The original of the twins stared for a moment. I know ponies look into mirrors at themselves, but is seeing an exact copy of yourself the same feeling? "Hah! Look at me! I knew I looked better than I do in the mirror!" My question was only slightly answered.

Across the room, the pink pegasus made her way closer to Klaven. I did the same, taking just a few steps to him.

"So you can just become somepony else?" Klaven looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

I think that gave her an idea. She quickly grabbed a pair of earrings and some necklace with a piece of jewelry in the middle. Both of which shined with an oddly bright sparkle. She approached disguised Klaven. I couldn't help but start to smile, I knew where this was going. Not a second after my first thought, our minds finally shared a thought today. Klaven almost recoiled a full step back.

"Change into me, this would be so much better than a mirror." Klaven, still a disguised store worker, just looked at her. "No, no, you're not making me-" He cut himself off.

If a facial expression could kill someone, I was looking at it, and she was wearing it.

It grew very quiet for a second before the next sound of a burst of flames happened. Now instead of two blue pegasi, there were two very pink pegasi. Immediately she held up earrings to her own copy's ears. Was she trying to see herself in it? What a good idea, I should give it to her.

"Why don't you make him wear it?"

Never have I ever seen a head turn so fast to me. I was too busy wearing a smile across my whole face as I watched the original pink pegasus process my idea.

Her face lit up as she gasped. "That's a great idea! You, you're coming with me."

Coming with her? She can't do it here? Not that it might be faster, but I wanted to see her dress up Klaven. She hurried over to the counter and set her two accessories down before returning back to a rack with hanging dresses. Klaven was shooting any dagger he could from his eyes at me and shaking his head. My only response was my immature (yet justified) giggling.

She pulled a sky blue dress from the rack with a little examination, and made a short walk back to the counter to place it with the two others. From under her wing, she pulled a small pouch of what I could only assume were bits.

"Ah, it'll be forty-two bits. Good luck with that date, too. Tell Flare I said hey."

As she set the whole bag of bits on the counter, she started collecting her things. "Perfect, thank you. I'll tell him! There's fifty in there, You can keep the rest."

As much of a spectator I'm being right now, this is pretty entertaining. All of her newly bought clothing went under her wing, and her next step was towards Klaven, who was still in disguise as her. "You're with me, c'mon."

As she extended a hoof for his, he recoiled his leg back, just out of her reach. "I said I'm not-"

The killing look returned. There's a lot of firsts for me today. Again, never had I seen a facial expression shut somepony down like that. I didn't even realize it, but my laughing stopped in the moment as well. "... one time." Klaven said.

"You'll be fine, it's just dress up." I'd take dress up over a fight, or just being hurt any day. Not saying I want to, just if there was a choice. Klaven got out lucky. We both did really, this being where we landed.

Without the hoof holding this time, the original pink pegasus started making her way out the store with her changeling twin following behind. As he passed, I spoke. "Tell me all about it later." Nothing on his face looked amused at all. I say his, but he still wore it as hers.

Would it be weird that there were two of the same pony walking outside? I wouldn't think so considering the mass invasion going on. Ponies should be worried about their own hide before they start to question twins going down the road.

Just me and this cashier now.

"Ah sweet, extra eight bits!"

She did leave behind some extra. Since I have no real need for bits, I couldn't relate to his excitement for them. I hope this isn't going to be as awkward as I think it'll be. Just two of us in here doing what? Staring at each other?

"Hey, do me a solid?" A solid, like, a favor?

He'd already began moving out from behind the counter with his eight new bits. "What?"

"Would you change into me and take my spot while I go grab some food? Been starving my whole shift."

I regret thinking earlier that Klaven got off easy.

"Why would I do that?" I had to ask, because well, why would I? No need for bits, there's nopony here to serve-

"C'mon, I'll get you something too while I'm out."

-and I don't need to eat actual food. Though, does he know that? Not if he's offering something. The guy is hungry, I'm hungry. I'm invading Canterlot for its extreme bounty of love here, he's going to go invade the nearest hayburger for its extreme bounty of calories. Fine. Klaven made a fair trade, now it's my turn to make my fair trade.

"Ugh, fine." I didn't even need to look at him to know the details of my change, I'd seen him enough. With a quick and easy green flare of fire, I emerged as an exact copy of him.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna be long." Could I trust that? "Oh, and yeah, if somepony does happen to show up, ringing them up is simple. Just point the scan thing at the barcode and tell them how much it is total. Nopony should be here though, your invasion and all. I'll be back!"

With that, he swooped out of the door. Am I doing my job now, when the two ponies we were looking over just up and left? Why am I so full of questions now?

Alright, no more questioning things. Canterlot ponies are just really easy going it seems. Whatever.

I made my way back to the counter and walked behind it. It looked more simple up front. From behind, many little cubby holes were filled with various, random looking items. Multiple bags of different sizes hung from a hook. The "scan thing" sat on the empty space on the counter top in front of me. I picked it up with a hoof. It had a trigger.

Click.

A tiny red line lit up in front of it. Cool, I guess. I turned it around and waved it on me, just watching the red line pass by on my disguised coat. Continuing with raising it, I pointed it straight into my eye, thinking I'll see where the light came from. I did, but it hurt. I fumbled to set the "thing" back onto the counter and winced as my eye scrunch closed for a second. "Stupid." I was both referring to the red light, and me for pointing it at myself.

What I also noticed on the counter was his name tag. I can finally have a name for him rather than "blue pegasus." Unfortunately I never caught the pink ones name and-

Here I am again, calling her the pink one.

Might as well wear his name tag to really sell my disguise, not before reading the name first. I picked it up and turned it to me.

Hello, my name is
Weo

What kind of name was Weo?

Author's Note:

A change from third to first person.