Chapter 1

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Manehattan had never felt so cold ever since Faltic had returned. A brief recess to Canterlot could never take away the familiarity that the grounded city held. Canterlot just felt too... sappy. The comparison of architecture could describe the ponies who lived there better than the vocabulary of those who resided atop the bowl on the side of a mountain.

It's the little things you notice when you're helping run an invasion.

It'd been a few short months since the invasion on Canterlot for the royal wedding. Of course, nopony had forgotten it really. News spread, the Royal Guard became methodically more organized, and awareness of changelings rose. However, it wasn't so dramatic in the common pony. After the press described the swarm as "back to where they came from," most ponies discussed it over a hobby, and went back to their life.

The dim casting of moonlight had just begun to show. The sidewalks around the outskirts of the city would blend perfectly into the street it ran alongside, would it not have been for the streetlights that dotted the path. Gentle, rhythmic hoofsteps patted the concrete, progressing towards a specific house in a long line of cookie-cutter designs. Stormy, a rich blue pegasus mare with striking brown eyes, and a brown mane tied in a loose ponytail trotted alongside a similar, lighter blue coated earth pony stallion with a blond wavy mane, Faltic. These features faded in and out with the passing of electric light. No carriages would be running so late, so walking back home was the next best thing.

Manehattan had been a long favorite of Faltic's. The densely packed skyscrapers could almost remind him of the Hive's staggeringly tall structure, the only difference was that there was so many. It's the very few enlisted as a scout who get to see these places of Equestria, let alone get to stay in them for extended periods of time.

Manehattan was dense, simple to catch a pony's love.

Definitely some ostentatious ponies up there. Wouldn't last a week in an actual city. It must have been a sense of pride for a more amicable location to toss banter at another one. Canterlot hardly had any structures that could qualify as a skyscraper; with what enormous cheat it already had of being halfway up a mountain. Nothing more than a castle and it's surrounding citizens. At least, that's what it was to his eyes. For now though, the horrendous invasion was over. It was debatable on whether or not if Faltic's mind had gotten past it.

Stepping in front of his mare, Faltic offered his invitation into the house, using the key to it he'd been trusted with to keep from earlier. With an open door and an overexaggerated wave of his hoof, the suddenly butler-like earth pony raised his chin and put on his best accent. "Right this way, ma'am."

The pegasus looked at him, holding her hoof to her mouth to muffle a giggle. Mannerisms always seemed to elude him. She knew any etiquette only showed when he was either making a joke, or to reassure her that he cares in moments he might be getting too rowdy. "A gentlepony, as always."

Stormy graciously accepted the open door to her brick-walled abode. Inside was nothing more than simple. A couch across from a box television, a carpet on the floor in front of it. A lamp stood by the door, and another adjacent to the dormant television. At least, that's what Faltic could believe he made out. Everything was a silhouette or a dark smudge, as if the night was invading the home, concealing every object it came in contact with.

Faltic half stepped in after Stormy, keeping the door from closing with a planted hoof.

"You going to be alright for the night?"

Turning and shifting weight as she crossed her forelegs, Stormy offered a warm smile. The flitting of her sepia iris' seemed to ignore any impact the lack of light had on her.

"Of course, don't worry about me. Today was the day I needed, and I'm glad to have spent it with you."

A natural grin managed itself across Faltic's face.

"I'm happy to hear. You take care and sleep well tonight?"

"After today? I'll sleep like a little filly. You get home safe.”

The next brief moment was spent wrapped in a hug, enjoying each others comforting warmth that spoke any more goodbyes that either could want to say. After breaking away, Faltic retreated from his half step into the house, and pulled the door shut with him.

Ughh..

After the door had clicked shut, Faltic was power-trotting in the opposite direction. Down some stairs off the concrete porch, and swiftly past the gated off front of the house. He didn't have a similar destination, no residence to return to.

Why does it have to be all the way out here?

It wasn't the longest trot to the forest outside of Manehattan, but it did the trick in making it seem like a hike, and in making a sour expression of those who were going to walk there.

Thankfully, the generous spacing between each street light played its part in masking the disguised changeling's visibly distasteful expression. Despite the late hour, other ponies still inhabited the near outskirts of the city. Sun or moon, anypony in Manehattan would be hard pressed to find a retreat from ponies.

The invasion debacle had left a noticeably lingering bitter taste, not only in those who participated in the incursion, but in the whole hive. To have taken it personally, no one had felt that more than Queen Chrysalis herself. To have the burden of fault on your shoulders, thankfully there were enough pairs of shoulders to carry it all.

It was an exhibition of strength in numbers. We certainly had our numbers. How could we have lost with so many? It has to be more individual than that, it can't be a we matter.

Of course, hive life had to move on, and changelings had to eat. Exactly what he had been doing for the past few days since returning to the city. Manehattan was and will always be where he scouted and fed the most. Something about the big city, density of ponies, and tall skylines that left a feeling of attachment.

Autopilot had long taken over. Faltic was so deep in the thoughts of the invasion that only now did he notice the scenery change. Buildings that stood on either side of him were now replaced by the swaying brush of trees. Though, still pressing forward as if he were on rails, it was almost certainly the reason why some crickets paused their nighttime chirping.

I'm still going to kill him when I see him. Some far off campsite, of all places.

It had, more or less, become an almost regular rendezvous. The few changelings who scouted Manehattan for love began to assemble in different locations. Typically an out of sight, darker area, alley, or room that one of them had managed to obtain. By technicality, it did go against the wishes of the Queen, who, despite having every iota of confidentiality blown out of the water just a few months ago, still wanted to retain some secrecy. However, such micromanagement did not succeed. Even changelings can only go so long without genuine interaction. Tricking normal ponies into hanging out with you? Easy. Having a genuine time together with someone who wants to keep company with you? Challenging.

Luna's moon had just started asserting itself in the night sky, taking its place among the twinkling stars. Taking a look back, the Manehattan city skyline had become shrouded by increasingly dense forestry. It would make sense, needing to be as far from view of the city as possible. And as far away from the ponies who live in it. Maybe there was some merit to hiking out to the middle of nowhere.

Thankfully, after what felt like eons of walking, the path began to grow more carved out, and uniform. As expected, coming around a small bend, a wood structure revealed itself from behind a hill that curved with the route. With what moonlight there was, a dark silhouette of a fence intersected the path ahead. Taking a moment of pause, and in a flashing spiral of fiery green, the light blue earth pony vanished, and a dark, rugged and pointy changeling stood. It looked safe to do so, with it being the dead of night, and with superior vision than an average pony, seeing better in the dark was no issue.

The wooden cabin lay dormant, dark, almost blending into the gloomy foliage of trees. The word ‘secluded’ almost didn't do justice in describing what first impressions there were. Taking the first steps to the fenced off path, Faltic noticed a small folded paper on the ground. With a faint arcane light, it was pulled up towards the changeling's face for better view.

Manehattan Campgrounds and Resort

Just beneath the wavy text, two ponies were pictured to be enjoying a walk in sunny nature, an almost unrealistic picturesque scene. The folds of the paper alluded to there being more imagery inside on the face of more paper. Most likely of a similar caliber.

The place has a brochure. How delightful.

While idly stuffing it into a front leg hole, the changeling unfurled two thin, buzzing wings and lifted himself over the impeding fence.

It wasn't the most explicit detailing on where in the grounds to meet up. Restel briefly went over a rough idea. Yes, Faltic could agree that the place does have benefits in hiding away anypony who might wander into it, but it wouldn't have hurt to specify where exactly, in however big of a place, to be.

Landing softly, and raggedly folding up his wings, his hooves returned to autopilot mode, walking with a confident air of familiarity, the same path continuing beneath him, and knowing there were others here... somewhere. As tempting as it was, and with how mockingly open it is, Faltic resisted the urge to invite himself into the wooden lodge off the side of the designated path.

It didn't take many automatically completed steps before the dirt path forked into two separate options. In the middle of the split trail, a sign stood, baring directions for whichever way was chosen.

Campsite right, beach and shed left. Uhh...

Deciding to spare the personal space around him whatever curses came to mind at the moment; "Eenie, meenie, miny, moe. Campsite." Other than proceeding on the right path directed by the sign, not another thought was put into the decision. Even after the short distance travelled, it was rather easy to notice the swift change in density of the nature that encompassed the path. No longer was the first building in sight anymore, nor the directional sign. Just a marked, winding path, trees, and the darkness of the night.

By chance, if no other changelings are found, maybe it would be a sound choice to spend the night in an established tent in the campsite.

Is this not one of those places? Don't you have to bring your own stuff?

Still continuing down a small incline, not a step was skipped as the brochure was snagged with magic from its crumpled spot within a leg hole. At the very least, the corners of Faltic’s vision became dotted with colorful foliage. Flowers of different colors and lengths began to appear alongside the path. Unfurling the paper before him, the brochure described of "sufficient space," and made claims of being the most "flowerful" in Equestria. All of which accompanied by sappy imagery of ponies pictured to enjoy the company of nature, or each other.

The only thing that snapped Faltic out of his lost thought was the brief, yet noticeable gap in the trees, and the turning-to-attention of his ears. Upon peering in-between the spacing, the scene was revealed; a light, illuminating the silhouetted backside of another pony. The angular shape of the figure's ears, and sharp edges made it quick to recognize that it was not an oddball pony who'd trespassed the property. It was another changeling that had trespassed the property.

Could've told me this was where we'd be.

Instead of approaching the gathering himself, why wouldn't there be a retort for lazily communicated plans? Careful enough not to make enough sound to alert the prying ears of the opposing changeling, Faltic crumpled the already abused brochure into a ball once more, albeit, more suited for being a projectile. With a quick flick of rapid magic, it took less than a second for the ball of paper to strike the dome of the previously undisturbed changeling, and come to rest on the ground.

"I'm here, halfwits."

Chapter 2

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Manehattan had never felt so comfortable ever since Restel had returned. The combined factors of the invasion preparation, being stationed in Canterlot, and the physical exhaustion of the incursion, the city couldn't put him more at ease. Canterlot did, however, have its taste of differences, both good and bad. Ponies appeared more meek when compared to those of Manehattan, and navigating the mountain-side city was almost similar to the grounded streets and sidewalks of his station.

It was a first, however, spending time in a neighboring property of the metropolis. Taking an excursion to a campsite for one of the Manehattan scout's irregular meetups, it broke the monotony of seeing tall, blocky structures everywhere. A dense capacity of trees, an abundance of flourishing flora, combined with an ambience of nature's white noise, can efficiently get one lost in their own experience of it all. Coincidentally, that is the current state of Restel. Sitting on top of a ground-ridden log in a small clearing of trees, waiting for Faltic to show up, lost in his own thoughts.

At least the invasion helped changelings see Equestria.

Since returning to scouting, nopony showed any signs of putting any thought or care about changelings. Surely, an announcement from Celestia, newspapers, passing rumors and gossip, anything from the royal guard, none seemed to tamper with the regular, daily lives of ponies.

These city ponyfolk. So carefree.

Or so, that's what Restel believed. As far as he could understand, the invasion went just fine. All orders were obeyed, commands given were carried out to near perfection. Near perfection. Only one such hiccup could cast the occasional haze of fog in the mind of one who'd more than gotten over the changeling invasion, even after being actively involved. Even more so, the subject of the hazy mind weather was not but a few feet from Restel.

Klaven, a particularly fresh recruit into scouting, was huddled into the camping spots accompanying tent. Although finding success in scavenging for love in Manehattan, the typical cold weather never failed to bother the new face. Despite already knowing what his response would be, Restel idle-mindedly spoke up to break the silence of the cold night air.

"What're you doing in the tent?"

"Looking for something to keep me warm, it's so cold." Klaven's response emitted from the tent. A brief moment later, Klaven stepped out from the tent, a wrinkled looking sleeping bag enveloping him up to his chest. Restel, finally picking up his head from thought, peered over at the half covered changeling.

"You look like an item too big for the shopping bag."

"If I'm too big for the bag, that means I'm an expensive item." Klaven said, as he took his seat, just at the edge of the opening to the tent.

Had it not been for for whatever just struck the side of Restel's head, a snarky comment of being fat would've been thrown across.

"I'm here, halfwits."

Faltic. Even without seeing him, his voice outlined him to be easily recognizable from other changelings. That, and they'd practically spent the better part of their years growing up together. Of all the other changelings in the hive, Faltic was, in opinion, the most reliable one Restel knew. Ironically enough, each were deployed to a different sector during the Canterlot invasion. Restel, with his underling, both at Canterlot and at this campsite, and Faltic with his... whoever was with him. Strangely, in the time since their occupancy at Canterlot, he'd never thought to ask about Faltic's side of the story. For the time being, however-

Turning to meet the paper throwing menace, "So you decided to throw paper at me to announce it?"

Faltic could hardly stifle a laugh as he walked to an adjacent, perpendicular piece of oak on the ground and took his seat on it. "I thought it was funny. Just as entertaining as you telling us to meet out here. Oh, and hi, Klaven. You look ridiculous."

Since becoming a scout, Klaven had only a chance to see Faltic once during the all hooves on board invasion. More often than not, he'd be seeing his higher up, Restel, for any minor complications in the field. Faltic appeared more experienced, and sustainable to be out in the big city for longer.

"But warm!"

In a dim, hazy ball of kelly green magic, the crumpled and well-travelled brochure floated its way back to its original owner. While putting no thought into undoing the advertisement back to its original form, Faltic grew a lot more mind to initiate conversation. "So... why here? Just out of curiosity." Only one pair of gradient tinted eyes turned to Restel. The other pair fixated on paper unfurling.

"Knew you'd ask that, but c'mon. I know it was a little bit of a walk, but it's so much nicer than, what, our usual alleys? Abandon train station? A house that pretty much could be described as rubble?"

Admittedly, something here did feel more pleasant than having a rogue chunk of housing fall on you. The only thing breaking Faltic's eye contact from his newfangled brochure was the weary, fanged smile that Restel was flashing him. "Sure, sure, whatever."

The second thought of conversation struck the mind of Faltic, but was quickly shot down, although considered. Too soon. Too soon to ask about it. Why not just strum a more casual chord? Klaven, however, decided to pick first.

"So... if we're out here, how come we haven't made a fire?"

All eyes turned attention to the single lantern sitting in the middle of the trio, a small flickering flame lingered inside of it. Restel, with his dashingly quick wits, prudently leaned forward and kicked it over, shattering the protective glass on a rock. A sturdy flame took form, already flickering and cracking. Of all the natural sounds of the outdoors could produce, this was the only one pony made. Each crack and pop piercing any monotony the forest had.

Thankfully, and with a swift motion of magic from the kicking culprit, a circle of rocks surrounded the fire, making it a comfortable inferno to lighten the faces, and temperature, of the changeling's group.

Faltic, although taking a glance away from reading about the camp, didn't pay much mind to it. Klaven was the only one paying full attention to the impromptu fire making.

Springing up from the aforementioned grocery bag, Klaven's mind was visibly ignited with the same fashion of the fire. "That reminds me. I found something before you guys got here." With some speed, and little coherence to his step, Klaven trotted off from their established spot. He was easily taken out of view from the still sitting duo by the blanketing of trees. Faltic shifted his head away from his impromptu reading, and towards his peer, giving him a slightly concerning raised brow.

Restel already knew what he was going to say. What's up with him? Blah blah blah. Best to get to the point.

"I know, don't ask. He's new, he tries." Puffing up his chest and flexing his arms, Restel put on his best mocking Faltic voice. "Big changeling Faltic can get his mind out of his "scout mode" while we're here and away from it all."

"Ah shut up." Restel could already see the hint of a smile creeping onto Faltic's face. It was always nice to see his character differ from the usual stoic, by-the-book self. It was also relaxing to know exactly what brought it out. A strong suit of Restel's; helping his long enduring friend never to stray so far into being boring. By and by, they'd both ended up in the same status in the changeling hive. Thankfully, Faltic had no plans to go higher, because Restel definitely did not have half the mind to even think about it. Anything more would be constant paperwork, daily responsibility crap, and any slip up would make you paranoid of getting the axe. It never hurt to try and enjoy yourself. Evidence of that lied in the fact that of the two hundred percent effort the duo put into getting to where they are, about one hundred twenty five was to Faltic's credit. To the seventy five that Restel claimed, part of that was keeping his buddy from growing so boring. Yes, when there was work that needed to be done, it got done. Then what, look for more? Boring.

"What is that, by the way?" Restel pointed out, giving a gesture towards the paper in Faltic's hooves.

"Ehh, some kind of ad for this place that I picked up on the way here. Descriptions, a map, dumb looking pictures. See?" Faltic leaned toward Restel, also tilting the paper. The picture came into view, and it was exactly as Faltic had described. Two ponies, frolicking within a thick surrounding of foliage as happy as can be. Above was some text that Restel didn't bother to try reading, as first impressions implied it would be as lame as the photography.

"Dumb."

"Yup."

Before anything else could be said, the scraping trudge of dirt could be heard as Klaven came back into view around the trees. In the dirt, dragging alongside of him was a long, rectangular board with a circular hole in it, and two short stilts. An identical one hovered in a green haze to his opposite side. A thin trail could be seen tracing back to where they were fetched from, as he was hauling one with a foreleg wrapped around it. "I found this! I think I know how to play it too. Seen it once before."

For the moment, Klaven had a silent crowd of two as they both observed. The first board was placed down right where he was first seen coming back. It lied at a slight angle upwards. As he kept the other board holstered in his arcane grip and started to walk in the opposite direction of the placed board, Faltic tried to conceal his growing interest with the obvious question. "So, how do you play?"

"Simple." Upon reaching a certain unknown distance from the already grounded board, the floating board came to rest facing head on to its twin. "So, you stand next to each other at one board, and you throw beanbags at the other board for points. If you land one on the board, it's one point. If you get one in the hole, it's three. If, say, I land three on the board and my opponent lands two, I get one point, since you can cancel each other out. Then you go over to the other side and repeat. First to twenty one wins."

Now was Restel's turn to speak up. "Where's the little bean bags then?"

"Had them in here." From inside the tent, eight small, square shaped beanbags levitated over to rest on the flat surface of the wooden board Klaven stood next to. Once the enveloped color of green faded from their silhouette, it was seen that four were red, and four were blue.

Restel leaned towards Faltic, nudging his arm. "We could play this with any one of his leg holes huh." Immediately, Faltic started to snort a laugh, and abruptly tried to stop it with holding his leg up to his mouth. It only muffled the sounds of trying to pull his composure back into place.

"So which two of us are playing if it's only two player?" Restel asked, a lingering smile on his face.

"Good question. Faltic?"

Doing a better job than Restel at keeping his smile down, Faltic avoided eye contact with Klaven. "Oh, no I'll play the winner. You two go first." Klaven's soon to be cornhole adversary eagerly jumped the opportunity, leaving Faltic alone in being the only one seated.

Amongst the chatter of the two talking about rules and how to play, Faltic's mind regressed to an earlier thought. It's eased down a little. Not such a bad time to ask. Again, about where exactly, and also what exactly, Restel and Klaven were doing during the invasion. The only prior interaction to intervention was staking out within the forests that rest beneath the looming city. A very brief interaction at that.

Thump.

"Damn, missed." Restel proclaimed.

Thwip.

"One for me!" Restel stared for a moment at Klaven's one red bag on the board, and his blue one on the ground. Restel gave it another shot-

Thump.

"Just short."

... A short pause, before-

Skshh... Followed by a dull thud.

"Ugh, slid off. Close though." Klaven said sadly.

Faltic was hardly watching, yet his ears flicked at attention to every sound the beanbags made upon contact.

Thwip!

"Hah! One for me!" Restel said excitedly.

"Zero, so far. I have one on, you have one on. So far they cancel out." Klaven explained.

Faltic finally turned his head towards the game. Two blue and one red beanbag lie on the ground, one of each color sat on the board.

Thunk.

"Straight in, three!" Klaven happily announced it to Restel.

"Ah get over yourself, watch this."

...Thump.

Klaven's chuckling followed after Restel's toss fell nowhere near the board.

Thwip!

"That's on, and makes it four to zero, Restel."

"Don't get too cocky, it's still early. I think I'm getting the hang of it."

As soon as the cornhole duo reached the other board, Faltic moved to the end of his log seat closer to the game, and let his mind speak for a moment. "Hey, Restel?"

During collecting his blue colored bags, Restel's head and ears perked up towards the questioning voice calling his name. "What's up?"

"Where were you during the invasion? I never really saw you after the forest, and I don't know why I never asked. What went down?"

Klaven, having already collected his red beanbags, paused for a moment and eyed his opponent.

"Uh, huh. Right, I never did see you after we went in I guess. If you want to know, I'll tell you. Even while I make a comeback here." Restel was still eyeing down the board in front of him as he spoke, and tossed his next beanbag.

...Thump. "Dammit!"

Chapter 3

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~~~~~ 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?

Chapter 4

View Online

Thump.

A red beanbag was intentionally thrown to the ground close to the board, collecting with two others in a pile on the ground. One red bag sat on its own on the board.

"Alright Restel, twenty to twenty-one. You need this one to at least cancel me out."

"I know!"

Faltic had gotten up from his spot on the log. Partially to stretch, partially to pay more attention to Restel's story, and partially to see who would win on this toss. For the last near twenty minutes, beanbags had been tossed through the air. Throughout it, the accuracy of which they landed on the board became more consistent.

Faltic stood a polite distance from the two and the tense moment. Restel's last blue beanbag was held up to his face, running a million mental calculations, picturing the bag landing on the board. Seemingly, the entire ambience of nature had gone silent. Any questions from the story he had just told were held to the back of both Klaven and Faltic's mind, just waiting for Restel to toss the bag.

Klaven's hoof lightly tapped the dirt impatiently.

After what felt like an hour, Restel reared back his foreleg and gave a sturdy toss. All three pairs of eyes followed the airborne bag as it flew.

...Thump.

The bag had landed just short of the board and had secured the one point victory for Klaven. All three reactions filled the air at once.

"AGH! Come on!"

"Yes! Haha!"

"Oooh, just short."

Restel turned to walk away from his defeat. "Ah I was coming back! You got lucky." He scooped up the well-worn paper brochure of the campground, and briskly opened it in front of his face as he sat back on the log where Faltic used to be.

The night was passing, though it felt slow. Luna's moon hung almost to the center of the star filled sky. Dying embers started to form in the makeshift fire pit despite the flame still burning strong. Sometime during the well matched camp game (and Restel's story telling), a wind had started to pick up, blowing the already frigid air into a more piercing cold. A chill never bothered weathered changelings, so it was understood by two on why Klaven quickly went back inside of his sleeping bag. "Fun though! You played good. Now it's just cold again."

Faltic was the changeling with all the questions now. "How come you didn't get cold while playing?" That wasn't the one he wanted to ask, but it still checked one off the list.

"Well, call it adrenaline, or me just being immersed in the game to not worry about it."

Faltic seemed to accept that answer as he didn't dive into asking how cornhole caused adrenaline. Rather, he returned to sitting on his log seat beside Restel. It was now Restel's turn to have his face hidden by the brochure, and it was also Faltic's turn to speak since he'd been listening the past twenty or so minutes.

"You tell a long story, Restel"

It was just that easy to get Restel to put down the pamphlet.

"Well yeah, you asked for what happened, so I told you everything." The flyer was casually propped up towards his face as he talked, the shifting turquoise tint in his eyes showed he was still idly reading it as he responded.

"So you got a part time job during the invasion?"

"Technically yes, but really no. I never got paid for my time and I didn't see me anywhere on the schedule. I looked. But the guy who I was working as was. Can you believe he works until the AM's?"

Faltic turned his head up to the night sky in an attempt to gauge what time it was exactly. The moon was almost centered above their heads. With a flick of his wrist, and turning his head back down, Faltic looked at his bare foreleg's wrist.

I need a watch.

One of the red beanbags magically levitated over to the tent and came to rest in Klaven's hooves.

"Hey look-"

Both pairs of eyes turned to attention to Restel. He leaned the creased paper towards Faltic and pointed a hoof to the page.

"-There's more to this camp than just here, we could go hiking through it."

Whatever was on the paper was nothing Faltic hadn't already seen. Sure, there were the annoying pictures of happy-go-lucky ponies enjoying themselves, but that seemed to be what Faltic remembered most as opposed to the actual text. However, there was just one piece of text that he wouldn't forget.

"It says right next to where we are, the campgrounds, is the most "flowerful" hiking trail in Equestria."

Mainly because of how dumb it sounded. There wasn't a different way, or other words Faltic could use to describe it.

Klaven returned his attention to idly pondering the beanbag. "A flower trail sounds nice. Different than what we're doing now." What's in this thing?

Faltic didn't look fully amused by the idea. It was different, but the idea of succumbing to an advertisement made him feel all too easily persuaded.

"C'mon-" Restel stood, crumpling the paper up and stuffing it into a leg hole. "-I'll pick you out a flower that looks like you."

Faltic slowly followed Restel's lead in standing back up. "You won't find them here, those only grow in the Canterlot gardens."

"Any garden is the Canterlot garden if you treat it right." Restel walked his way over to the path that laid adjacent to the established camping spot. Faltic followed behind. Klaven, however, was a little lost for action. He didn't want to give up his warm sleeping bag, but walking with it would be a challenge.

"You have get out of that thing to walk you know."

Klaven looked over to Faltic, confident in his next move. "Oh I know, but I'm not leaving it behind."

Stepping outside of the bag, a green haze levitated it up in front of Klaven's face. It had caught the attention of Restel, as he had retreated from the marked path to come back and watch whatever his underling was doing. With some creativity, craftsmanship, and a little bit of sharpness to his horn, Klaven pierced four holes and cut circles of them in the flat bottom piece of the sleeping bag. Once the carving was done, the newly ventilated bag levitated open as Klaven tucked inside, filling each of the openings with one of his legs.

Both Faltic and Restel shared a look at each other while a contagious grin spread across their faces. Restel was the first to break their staring silence.

"I want to make fun of you, but this is just brilliant." His good intention jab was followed by a break into laughter, which shared the same contagiousness as his smile to Faltic. "Unbelievable job!"

Klaven only wore a smile, other than wearing the sleeping bag around his body with his legs sticking out. "You two stay laughing, stay cold. I'll be fine walking around now that the Manehattan cold won't be getting to me." With the small and continuous sounds of his new apparel swishing against itself as he walked, Klaven joined the hiking party.

Still recovering from their shared humor, and joined by their walking sleeping bag, the trio returned to the path. The moonlight could only do so much to light up the night. A dense packing of trees hampered the ability for anything to be visible around. While changelings did possess a superior ability to see in the dark than regular ponies, it was still a challenge in the darkest of places. Klaven was the first to notice that outside the range of their fire, it was near pitch black. "You have a light? You kicked our only one over for a fire."

"Yeah I got one." Restel's horn emitted a soft green haze, and a dim light shone on the tip of his horn. It wasn't amazing, but it did enough to make the area around them not completely black from darkness. "There was a map on that brochure too-" Another thing Faltic realized he'd neglected once he heard Restel mention it. "-Just to the left of here, if we follow the path, takes us straight through the flowerful trail."

Faltic firmly placed his hoof on Restel's shoulder and gave him his best stoic look. "If you say floweful one more time, I am going to bury you." Only about two seconds of eye contact was all Faltic could manage before breaking into a smile, shoving himself off of Restel and sharing a laugh with him.

Both Faltic and Klaven followed their guiding light down the path, leaving their original spot behind. The fire was dying, and cornhole wasn't going anywhere. Trees hung low, some almost encroached on the clearance to walk underneath them. The path was swerving left and right, seemingly abiding by the trees and going around their respective spots. As they walked, they could see different tent setups off the sides of the path. None of them showed any activity. Foliage was occasionally dotted alongside the route, but it was agreed among the three that even though there were flowers, it wasn't the flowerful path.

After a little bit of walking in silence, listening to nothing but the shifting ambience of nature, trees gently swaying in the chill breeze, and Klaven's swishing sleeping bag, thoughts of questions returned to Faltic's mind.

"Tell me the truth, was that really the first building you both stumbled into?"

Restel didn't turn his head, keeping the light focused down the path. "Yeah it was. Klaven was there too, he'll tell you." Faltic turned his head to Klaven, who nodded in response.

The path started to take a rise as the group slowly ascended over a small incline. Along the sides of the path, flowers began to appear more frequently in the dim light of Restel's horn.

"I'm just curious. It just sounded too insouciant."

"Insou-what?" Restel's guiding light shifted as he turned his head to give the side eye to Faltic.

Klaven spoke up. "I know what it means."

"Yeah? Then how come you don't ever say it like wise guy here?"

"It's not in my typical vocabulary. There's a lot of other simpler words to use."

"Faltic, what does it mean?"

It would've been easy for Faltic to take a sense of pride in knowing a word Restel didn't, but it was too petty. "It means being casual, nonchalant. It just sounded too easy."

"Noncha-what?"

Faltic heard the walking sleeping bag holding back a laugh and decided to give up. "Oh never mind!"

"Klaven, you should know he gets his fancy sounding words from all the rom-coms he reads." Restel turned his lighted horn back forward down the path.

"Chk- you read rom-coms?" Klaven was eyeing Faltic now. As the topic started to change into Faltic's genre of choice, the incline flattened out, and the trio stood atop the crest of their small hill. After being sheltered by trees and branches, they suddenly all parted and allowed the moonlight to cast its faint light on the area. As advertised, there were flowers. Lots of flowers. There was still the dirt pathing that cut through it all, but on either side was an ocean of flora of all different colors. Restel's light went dark, unneeded as the garden was naturally lit by Luna's grace.

Restel was the first to speak in the basking of the flowers. "Looks flowerful to me."

Faltic snapped his attention to him with a scowl, almost as quick as Klaven turned to him during the Canterlot invasion. "One of these flowers is going on your grave."

"Oh come on-" Restel started walking through the flower ocean on the path. "-Just one?"

Klaven had stopped along the side, admiring some of the green ones that were gently saturated by the moonlight. "I think any one of these flowers would compliment your grave very well."

"And I think-" Restel plucked a green flower with his mouth and toted it over to Faltic. Restel's green magic encased the flower as he hovered it towards Faltic's leg. "-Faltic should use this as his bookmark when he reads his next romance." The flower was neatly placed in one of Faltic's leg holes. There was zero amusement in the new flower bearers face. He gave Restel a deadpan look that could possibly wilt flowers on sight. However, it didn't wilt the expression of the gift horse.

Restel turned away, still wearing his proud smile. With just a moments hesitation, he turned his head back. "...Or give it to that girl I've seen you talking to back at the Hive."

"I don't need you as my wingpony!" Faltic's dead expression seemed to lift slightly. He raised his leg to take a look at the flower that had been placed in it. It didn't seem like a terrible idea. Something from outside of the Hive would make a great gift.

Klaven had been walking along in silence for a moment, it was a subject he didn't have much knowledge on. Relationships, that is. Though, he had read just one or two romance books in the past. "I think you should, it'd be cute!"

"Yeah Faltic, wouldn't hurt."

There was a bit of strain to his voice, but he was convinced enough. "Alright! I will! Now both of you calm down about it."

"My lips are zipped!" Restel gave a mock slash across his lips with a hoof, then turned to march back down the path. Before Faltic placed his first step to continue as well, his shoulder was nudged by something beside him. Klaven, who looked at him and motioned to wait, extended his hoof in front of his chest. Ahead, the path took a turn around a corner where Restel disappeared around, assisted by the dense packing of flowers.

"What?"

Klaven lowered his head slightly, speaking in a hushed voice. "You read Changeling Days too?" Faltic's expression immediately lifted, almost gasping at the mention. "Have I? Only four times!" There were only about ten romance/comedy books in the Hive's library, so it was easy to find a common book that somepony else had read. Though, with the dwindling interest to read, making sure somepony else actually indulged was the first step.

"Hah, good. Talk to you about it later, let's catch up." Klaven flicked his head forward and pressed on, followed by Faltic, who had a slightly springier step. In just a few quick strides, they'd rounded the bend and caught up to Restel as if they'd never stopped, and Restel spoke as if they'd never left. "Speaking of romance, Klaven, what happened to you?"

"What happened to me? When?”

"After you left with that pink chick. Did you put on the dress?"

Klaven wanted to bite back with his rebuttal- "Did you get paid for working?"

"Nope! Mentioned that earlier." -but it fell short. Well, if he wanted to know, then tonight would be a night of story telling.

"I'll tell you all about it when we stop again."

Faltic had his eyes the furthest down the lane. "Convenient, because I see a gazebo up ahead." Which there was. The light silhouette of a structure was just ahead. Thin support beams laced the sides, there was a flat roof, and an established floor rose slightly off the ground at the base of it. "Better be flowers on the other side of it, or this is quite a short walk."

"I'm more interested in Klaven's story."

For the time, their voices fell silent during the approach to the gazebo. Upon closer inspection, there were two ways into it, both with two steps to manage before reaching the interior under the roof. Actually, the roof wasn't even a roof. It was the foliage of vines and leaves strung across the top as a canopy. Even in the flower trail, you weren't immune to leaves looming above. Hanging from the wooden frames were two unlit lanterns on either side, just above the steps onto the floor.

"I got it." Faltic's horn lit, and a sizzling pop suddenly sparked a light green fire inside both of the lanterns. With light, the space under the roof was clearer, and green tinted. In the center was a small circular formation of stone, and a miniature statue of Manehattan's tallest building. "To Manehattan's founders." Klaven read the sign that was on the circular foundation of the building's statue.

"Fancy, yeah, but nowhere to sit." Restel was pacing around. "I guess I'll sit here." He said before making his own seat on the floor. With seemingly no other option, Klaven made his own seat as well. As he sat, his sleeping bag had finally stopped making the constant swishing sound, to the delight of two other pairs of ears.

Faltic was the last of the three to seat himself. Only momentarily was he leaning against the fence that skirted the edges of the gazebo floor. The only thing out there were more flowers and trees. Who could've guessed? The flowers were all somewhat recognizable with the moonlight, but once the trees appeared, it dove straight back into darkness.

"Alright dude, story time." Restel had intentionally scooted slightly closer to Klaven, giving him his full attention. Faltic, while his attention was directed to Klaven by his pointed ears, his eyes were looking down at the flower that had been picked for him. It sat comfortably in a leg hole.

"Yeah yeah I know." With some readjustment, Klaven reached into the improvised collar of his sleeping bag and retrieved his red beanbag.

"You carried that with you?"

Klaven's head shifted to Restel as he idly teetered the weight of the bag around in his hooves. "I did, I wanted to eventually find out what's in it."

"Fair enough, but go ahead."

Now that it was time for more questions to be answered, possibly not necessarily the ones he'd like to be answered, Faltic's head turned to the storyteller.

"Okay, so-"

Chapter 5

View Online

~~~~~ A few months ago, again ~~~~~

I couldn't believe what Restel just said. "Why don't you make him wear it?" Ugh. "It's just dress up." As much as I would like to get back at him, now wasn't the time. There's still an invasion at full swing out here. Only the initial drop had passed, and from what I could see, was it still at full swing? Changelings looked like they were getting bored. Several groups of them rested on steps to buildings, some were on top of roofs, and I could even see one lounging on a banner to a building. The other shops down the row were vandalized, marquees were ripped, some glass was shattered, and not a single outside piece of furniture stood upright. I guess everypony believes they fulfilled their part. So, what was Chrysalis doing? She had a role to fill too, or so I thought.

Hopefully I'll see if there's progress on whatever she's doing. For now, I'm worried about my own chitin as I'm away from the watch of any changeling. Technically, I'm not alone. This pink pegasus seems nice. She hasn't at all been aggressive, aside from her scary face, so maybe being told to put on some shiny necklace isn't as bad as fighting.

Not that I want to wear the things she bought. So many things I hope for right now, like this ending as quickly as possible. I'm even still disguised as this brightly pink pegasus.

She took initiative and started walking down the debris ridden road. All I could do was follow. At least, that's all I could think of doing. Again, I'm not alone. Yes, the rest of the Hive is here, but for the vast majority of them, I know this mare I'm walking with more than I know most of the changelings. Yet, I don't even know her name.

"Are these other changethings going to care about me out here?"

As much as I might not know the individual changelings, I know the habits of them. I am one. "They might, but I've got you covered."

"Good." My answer satisfied her. For now. My only hint of where we might be going would be back to her house. If I weren't a changeling, this would be a more formal occasion where I wouldn't be trying on her clothes... for her. I only know of pony formalities because of books I read, ones I'm not going to admit I read.

We continued on. The distance grew from where me and Restel had landed. Canterlot actually didn't look so bad. Similar to the Hive, it had quite twisty architecture. Buildings often ended their height with a spiraling tip. Though, I'd still prefer Manehattan.

"How long of a walk is it to your house?" It was the only attempt at small talk I could think of. It seemed very impolite to mention the weather when my Hive is raiding her city.

"Oh it's just a few minute walk. There's still time before my dinner date, so we'll manage."

"Right."

We fell silent again. It was surprisingly quiet for the sudden increase in population to the city. At least, ha, I was going to see more of the city than Restel. As far as I know, he's still stuck in that store. Our setting changed gradually as we continued down debris filled roads. She was surprisingly calm about all of this. No sense of urgency, panic, no rushing. I wonder if she knew something I didn't? Still, her out of place tranquility didn't help assuage my worries from being separated from Restel.

Buildings that were shaped more similarly to their adjacent structures started to line themselves up down the road. It looked familiar to the outskirts of Manehattan, where every homely building was near identical to one another. Though, these had more character to them.

"Just at the end of the row here."

It wasn't too far from our landing zone. I could even remember the way back from here.

Before we could make it to her destination, a duo of changelings buzzed down in front of us, landing heavily in our way.

"Hey! Where do you two think you're going?" One of them called out unnecessarily loudly. Shouldn't they be able to tell one of us two is a changeling? I thought that was a sense every changeling had. That, and we were identical twins.

Changelings, I know, have a faux sense of intimidation. With there being so many holes in our legs, we don't have much muscle. Intimidation of being a creepy figure works most of the time.

I stepped ahead of the pink pegasus and dropped my identical disguise with a green flash of flame. "She's with me, stave off your zest to interpose with others affairs and cede your pseudo prominence between us and our destination."

If there were ever a quiet moment in a full scale invasion, this was it. We could almost hear the cogs in their head trying to churn. A near visible spark of a failed attempt sparked from their forehead. "... Whatever, weirdo." With that, their wings buzzed as they flew away, off to blend in with the many other changelings loose in Canterlot.

Changelings also do not have strong vocabularies and can potentially be warded off by big words.

Even the pink pegasus beside me had mentally recoiled. "Dude. What?" I looked at her, waiting for her to continue her question, but she didn't. "What? I read sometimes."

"Sometimes. It sounds like you read a dictionary for fun."

I am not informing anypony, not even foreigners, about what I read.

It was my turn to take initiative in walking to her house as I stepped in front of her, looking back with a little grin. "You're about to put a dress on me, be nice."

Although I couldn't see, I could hear her snicker as she returned walking parallel to me. "Whatever."

Upon reaching her house at the end of the row, she had me hold her bag of apparel while she unlocked the front door. When we entered and I saw what was inside, I couldn't help but feel out of place. While yes, the Hive had just invaded quite the elite civilization of ponies, and I have seen the inside of a refined store, it never occurred to me how nicely the ponies lived. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. However, it did roughly align with my preconception about Canterlotians.

As much as my curiosity poked at me to see the whole house, she was already leading me down her orderly foyer into a side room. I could briefly see into her living room before being herded into another. Spacious, as if it could fit ten ponies along her multiple couches.

Inside the room I was led into, it was almost as sizeable as what I assumed was her living room. A neatly made bed, a closet, window to outside; these Canterlot houses are vastly different than Manehattan flats.

"Okay, so-" She had set the bag on the bed, already gingerly retrieving the sparkling necklace and similar shining earrings. "-go ahead and be me, we've got time to adjust anything to my outfit before he gets here."

Is it really a bad idea to jump out of windows? How hard can it be, really?

One wonderfully pink pegasus disguise later, I was standing once again as her living mirror.

Furthermore, one aquamarine blue summer dress later, I could see why she chose this color. I'd never been one to admire color combinations, but sky blue and pink? Worked well.

Still, the blinds were shut, nopony could see me except her. Good.

"These colors work really well, actually." I said as I looked myself over. By myself, I mean her, pretty much.

"Oh yeah? I was thinking the same thing." She responded.

Well, I figure for as long as I have to keep doing this, why not get a little into it?

She reached into the shopping bag with both of her wings, producing a necklace with a shining stone in the middle and earrings. I still hoped these blinds were shut tight.

****

There I was; an indispensable pawn in a full scale invasion of a city, populated by thousands. My orders were to lock down any pony activity. Cool.

Now here I am, upholding the disguise of a pink pegasus, wearing a light blue summer dress, shining necklace, and earrings. When, what, how, why was the transition of me going from a soldier drone to a life size dress-up doll?

Most of that could be answered with one word: Restel.

I made a mental note that if the opportunity ever arises, I'll get him back to the same degree.

But? It wasn't all bad. This pegasus girl and I bounced ideas and pleasantries off each other while I was the fully interactive mirror. This beat fighting, for sure. One extra piece we'd decided on was a bow in my... her mane, tying it up nicely to keep any strands out of the face.

The original pink pegasus before me practically squealed when I raised my head after she'd plucked earrings into my ears. "You look amazing! It'll look so good for our date."

I smiled and turned my head both ways. I couldn't quite see the earrings, but if they matched the dress, they matched anything. "You will look amazing in this, on your date."

She was patting out some small spots on the dress. "I know I will. I've never had the opportunity to see something on me like this."

It was still the one time I'd do this. "Uh huh. Like I said, just this one time I'm doing this."

"You seem to enjoy it, you helped a ton." She said that as if I wanted to do this.

"I did not want to-"

A doorbell rang through the house. I could almost say she turned pale as she became startled. Without a glance towards me, she ran out of the room, returning only a moment later, catching her breath and looking a little shaken. "Him, he's, he's here and I-, and he's out there."

Ah...

Hell.

Now was my turn to be worried. "Okay just, get this on and go!"

She'd ran over to the window, peering out the blinds, almost ignoring me. Her speech sped up significantly. "What time is it, how long have I wasted time, how long were we-"

I stopped her in her tracks, holding her shoulders at a hoofs length. "Hey! Calm down!" I showed her an exaggerated inhale of air, which she mimicked. We both released our breath slowly. Though, she still was catching her breath somewhat. "I'm calmer. I can't be, wait-"

Any impact I just had was just reverted. "Our reservation, it's very strict. If we're even a second too late they'll cancel us!"

Uptight.

The doorbell rang again. With our room's door now open and being close to the front door, a muffled voice sounded from the other side. In her panic, she blurted out. "Y-you go, in my spot!" She looked at me pleadingly, which quickly turned more thoughtful. "We'll find a way to swap back, excuse yourself at some point, and we'll switch. I just need you to manage the first part!"

Restel.

I took a step back and raised a defensive hoof. "Hey look, I'm not-" Her gaze had shifted, it made me stop talking. I thought that if I continued, I would probably die. How does the emotion of killing somepony culminate specifically in her face?

"-Okay! Okay. I'll cover for you, but whatever chance I get, I'm bailing."

"Fine, just go!" She was practically shoving me out of the room and to the front door of her house, which was a short drag.

If I'm doing this, I'm more ready now than I'll ever be. Would it be anything like those romance books?

"Oh!-" The pink mare's voice was hushed beside me, her head peeking around a corner. "-his name is-"

I'd already swung open the door. Name, Klaven, name! My head swiveled over to where her voice came from, but she'd vanished around the corner to hide herself. Before me stood a taller, orange stallion pegasus. His mane and tail were a matching brown color.

Of course he's also a pegasus.

Also of course, he was dressed up in his own dapper attire, the usual black suit a male would wear, but with an orange bowtie.

"H-" I coughed, realizing I was still talking as a changeling and not as her impression. "Hi." It was my best pink pegasus voice. Of course it was convincing. "How'd you make it over here? Y'know, changeling invasion."

"Oh it was easy. They don't really like when you fight back. That, and I might have just taken a very hidden backroad to your house."

Easy he says. I offered him a polite giggle for his very 'heroic' journey to get here.

"And you managed to keep the suit tidy. You flatter me." Good, maybe I can get some love food out of this too.

"Only the best. Now c'mon, I'll take you the same hidden way I took to get here."

I stepped outside, exuberating any confidence I could have. "Oh absolutely."

With my faux partner leading the way, the walk was admittedly quiet. There was passing small talk, and this route he was taking concealed us very well against the eyes of hundreds of droning changelings. However, it didn't put us out of earshot. The muffled ambience of changeling's wings buzzing and chatter loomed around us as we squeezed between buildings and scurried from cover to cover.

The trip was short. I still hadn't seen wherever the original pink pegasus had disappeared to. Hopefully she was close, and we would be switching places soon.

The first thing I noticed upon arrival was that the building looked like any other house that was on the row the pink one lived on. "Heh, doesn't look like a fancy restaurant."

"Oh, I thought I told you? Restaurants don't operate under changeling invasions, so we're just coming here to my house to eat. We're cooking together."

...I almost needed that ran by me again.

He opened the door and stood aside, allowing me to enter first. I was busy weighing my options. Nowhere to run without looking awkward, the original pink one wasn't here, and do I really want to ruin my first opportunity to be a wingpony?

But... he said cooking? Never have I ever. Maybe I could learn today.

Once inside, and to his kitchen, I was growing increasingly worried about how we were going to perform a clean switch. I was in way too deep. There is a backdoor, but that was too visible.

"I figure we make your favorite thing together: A homemade hayburger." He said as he began preparing the stove.

Miscellaneous kitchen utensils were proactively placed along the countertops. Each one looked completely foreign to me.

"Good grief..."

****

One ruined spatula, a burnt attempt at the hay patty, several mental curses at the dress I was wearing getting in the way, and a fire alarm later, a single hayburger had survived the onslaught of our cooking. It was basic, due to my inexperience. Cooking was hardly a thing in the Hive; our food isn't physical. Since burning my first attempt, my 'date' had relegated to focusing on helping me make my meal first before making his, so I sat at the table giving my hayburger a pensive stare.

I've never actually had one. No real need for it, but wouldn't hurt to try.

What snapped me out of my food induced thoughts was a sudden clack at the window beside the table I sat at. My head snapped up, the other pegasus was still busy preparing his own dinner. Turning towards the window almost made me jump out of my seat as I saw the next clack happen. A thrown pebble, which if there was no window, would've hit me in the face. Just outside, hiding in a bush was a camouflaged pink pegasus.

After stealing another quick look at the cooking orange pegasus to confirm he was still immersed, I creaked the window up just a smidge. I fully expected a tirade from her.

"How's it going?" She spoke in a hushed tone, which I mimicked.

"Never made a hayburger before, burnt my first couple tries too."

There was a curt pause before I continued.

"Hey, you didn't tell me you'd cancelled dining out, jerk."

She rolled her eyes fully over, slightly showing a sheepish grin. "I was panicking. Look, you better excuse yourself soon."

"What's a reasonable excuse?"

She thought on this for just a second. "I'll make one. You just play along when you see it."

My eyebrows furled slightly. Just play along, she says. "Sure, go for it."

With that, she ducked back into her bush. Her vivid pink coat did no justice to her attempted concealment. I could only watch as a pink, yellow, and purple shape shambled off. If I ever see her again, I'll definitely be making a joke about it.

Returning to my situation, the orange pegasus was just adding his final additions to his hayburger. He held it on a plate with his wing as he joined me at the table. "Not the fanciest thing to eat with our whole getup, but what do I know about making high class meals?"

I gave him my best soft smile. This guy was too cheesy. "Yeah well, I wouldn't want to eat anywhere else. Only somepony as debonair as you could make a hayburger a delicacy ." And now, I'm being too cheesy.

"Debo... what?"

"Oh nothing." Taking a page from his book, my pegasus wings held the hayburger before me as I took the first bite of my own creation.

As much as it wouldn’t sustain me, it was ironically tasteful. A little bit of give in the hay, I chose ketchup as my only dressing and cheese as the only extra. Perhaps I could add more in the future. Oh, possibly something wi-

Knock knock

The knock came all the way from the front door, it was barely audible.

“I’ll get it.” The orange pegasus excused himself to go answer the door.

Must be her. I’ll help once I finish this bite of hayburger.

However impolite it was, I continued to eat as the orange pegasus made his way to the front door. Not like he'd notice when he came back, and hopefully, it wouldn't be me here when he comes back.

"Would you stop eating my food?"

I flinched and nearly fell out of the seat as the sudden hushed voice of the pink pegasus emitted from right beside me. "Agh- when did you get in here?!" She almost cut me off as she raised a hoof to her lips. "Shush. I bought us some time."

I stood up, tilting my head down for her to remove the earrings in my ears and the bow in my mane.

"So what'd you do?" I asked. She was in the middle of plucking those shining earrings into place on her ears. "Oh, I found one of Flare's friends. Would you believe he's buddies with the guy who rang me up at the store?"

Flare, that's his name. And he knows the cashier that Restel is with? Canterlot looked big from above, but the residents sounded like a small town community.

With the bow and earrings into place for her, now came the dress. I shape-shifted back to my original changeling form. Her dress sagged a little more on my natural self as if I was wearing a filly's Nightmare Night ghost sheets. I’m not that much shorter than her, am I? Looking down, a small green flame was tickling the edge of a shoulder strap that I quickly blew out, shooting her a toothy smile afterwards. "What, you brought him here?"

"Yup.-" She said as she slipped into the aquamarine dress. "-I found him around The Hay Burger, which is just a quick fly from here. Told him I needed help, he agreed. He knows a lot more about me than I thought, so Flare must talk about me to him."

"Isn't that adorable." I said in a near baby-voice to her. She rolled her eyes at me again, not trying to hide her red-faced smile. "Oh shut up."

She climbed into her seat, and was tentatively looking at the bites I had taken out of the hayburger that was on her plate, and looked back at me disapprovingly.

"What? It was good. I made it myself." I said proudly.

"Yeah yeah, go continue your invasion now, you've played your part for me." She was dismissing me with the waving of her hoof.

I obediently took my leave outside to her side door to the backyard. Nothing had really changed out here. Changeling's still retained their visual boredom as we waited for whatever our Queen was doing.

I could go back to Restel, or I could see how the rest of this date goes, and how my wingpony skills worked?

No, I'll see her again, plus I'm no eavesdropper. At least, not intentionally. Surely Restel would like a familiar face with him once again.

Chapter 6

View Online

"...And then?"

"You know what happens next. Some big pink bubble shot us all off and away."

As amusing as Klaven's story was, Faltic still did not have any real answers about what went wrong. It was now a growing frustration. The original plan for Faltic was to meet here with these two and finally hear other perspectives about the invasion. At least a brief respite from his mind bothering him about it for some time. Yes, he was listening to what other changelings were doing , yet still, nothing pertained to how the shield came back and smote the Hive off.

Faltic had removed the green flower from his leg hole. Throughout Klaven's story, he'd kept his eyes busy admiring the petals. Upon first arrival to the campgrounds, Luna's moon hung to the east of the sky. It was now nearing the opposite end, signaling that Celestia's sun would soon begin to awaken the world in its light. Restel's gentle green fires began to ebb toward the end of Klaven's story.

"I would think you're a bookworm like Faltic here." Klaven was thankful his friends didn't open up with the low hanging fruit. He'd worn a dress and went on a half-date with a stallion. "I'll repeat what you said. You wanted to know, so I told you everything." Klaven rose from his spot and stretched as the unwelcome sound of his wearable sleeping bag began to swish on itself again. The time spent sitting felt as if it outweighed their trudging from place to place.

Restel rose to his full height and arched his back. "Fair enough. That makes two of us that have had story night." He glanced over to Faltic, who hadn't moved and remained silent.

Klaven already had one hoof down a step of the gazebo. "Well, let's follow the pattern: we walk to some new setting and pick up where we left off." With that, he stepped off and returned to the earthy ground.

"C'mon dude, your turn after some more walking." Restel waved his hoof towards where his underling had departed. Wordlessly, Faltic stood to follow.

When he's quiet, something's up. Restel had learned that long ago. There was a dearth of emotion on Faltic's face, aside from the subtle notion of his eyebrows drawing together. Disconcerting, if you were seeing it for the first time. The three stepped away from their second story location, and began to set out looking for their potential third. It was a relatively short walk before the marked path forked again. Just as before, a sign stood in the middle with directions.

Klaven looked at the other two, and spoke. "Right for lake access, left for the shed."

Faltic still remained silent despite Restel's internal opposition to it. "I think the shed. Looks like soon the moon will set and the sun will rise." Restel said.

"Guess you've got somewhere to be in the morning?" Klaven asked to Restel, seemingly the only one willing to have a conversation at the moment.

"Yeah, you could say that." The three started down the left choice of the dirt, where Restel took lead with his horn lit again. "I left a bed for this, shows how much I care about meeting you two out here." Restel had said it in a slightly sarcastic way with a wry smile, but he did mean it.

The trail to their next point of interest was more linear than their previous walks. The trees contradicted their usual behavior, and gave the hikers way more breathing room, not hanging their branches overhead.

Something felt oddly quieter this time around. Klaven hadn't yet seemed to notice. To be fair, he'd practically just met Faltic. Once again, the rest of the trek through the woods was silent. Passing conversations of wildlife was the only noise wafting through the night.

"Is that it there?" Klaven spoke up as he noticed another formation take shape in front of them.

"Looks like it."

Upon arriving, it lived up to the name. 'Shed.' A concrete floor replaced the earthy ground as a simple triangular roof hung overhead. Underneath it, three picnic tables were arranged parallel to one another.

"River view?" Klaven split from the three to investigate another sign planted at the crossroads of the path that they came from, and a new one that jutted off to the side of the shed.

"You go see about that, me and Faltic will sit here for a bit." Faltic had already done just that without Restel noticing somehow, taking his seat at the middle picnic table.

"Don't go telling the last story of the night without me." His back was turned to Restel, ready to vanish into the dark. Restel shot him a 'go already' look. "We won't."

With that, Klaven set off on his own.

Turning back to the now mute changeling, Restel made the move to sit on the opposite side of the picnic table. "If he gets lost, we can always listen for the sound of that Chrysalis-awful sleeping bag huh?"

No reaction. Silence.

Restel only just noticed the dormant candle sitting in the middle of the table between them, and decided to light it in his green flame, allowing his horn's light to wane.

"What did we do wrong?" Faltic suddenly spat out. Restel raised a brow in confusion.

"We didn't do anything wrong. We did exactly as told. I don't know what happened."

"You're trying to reassure me, but I'm not buying it."

Restel idly tapped his hooves to the table. "I know it was frustrating, but there's nothing we could've done."

A brief moment of silence. Those words echoed against the walls of Faltic's mind. Nothing we could've done. Was it true? They'd followed orders, not one pony interfered. It just all sounded too lackluster. From his perspective, Faltic had put more of his mind and efforts into the invasion than these two, possibly combined.

"It doesn't sound like you two did anything to me. Yeah, sure, tell me you followed our orders, but where was the effort?" Faltic wore a sharp glance that bore itself to the changeling sitting across from him.

In his defense, Restel started to look confused. "The effort? What did you want me to do?" It was almost senseless. What more could he have done? The commands to pick a spot and keep it on lockdown was fulfilled. Why was Faltic getting mad all of a sudden?

"Let me put it in more simple terms for you; why does both of your stories sound like you found the nearest hammock and rocked in it until we were all shot?"

This is ridiculous. Thought Restel. "You enjoyed listening to what we went through. I don't know why you're acting like this all of a sudden, like we were mooching or something."

Restel almost did a double take when he saw his underling standing along the edge of the shed. How long had he been standing there? "Hey dude. You find that river view?"

He nodded in response, keeping quiet. Most likely he'd heard some of their conversation. Restel stood, and started his way towards where the river view was. When he noticed there was a third one of them missing, he turned his head back to Faltic, who still sat. "You gonna join us?"

"No."

After lingering for just a moment longer, Restel shrugged, and started down the darkened path Klaven had disappeared into earlier.

*****

As per description by the sign, the river view offered those on it a broad spectacle of the river. A wide wooden shelf gently overhanging the side of a hill with the river coursing through the forest not too far below it. Similar to the shed, two picnic tables were there, along with a bench facing out to the view.

Restel had found his respite along the fence that guarded the ledge as he leaned on it, looking down at the river. Klaven had stayed silent up until them reaching this point.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was the argument about?" Klaven was speaking with caution, which was immediately assuaged by Restel's response.

"Ah I don't mind you asking. Faltic's just worried about something."

Klaven sat at the fence, looking out towards the river. Despite the moon making its retreat to the horizon line, the light it emitted still reflected off the current of water.

"Worried about what?" Klaven asked as timidly as he could, not wanting to overstep anything by pushing the matter.

"He says, like, our involvement sounds lazy and that there was more we could've done. It really came out of nowhere."

There was a minute of silence from the two. Klaven understood, somewhat. It did sounds like it came out of left field, but did Restel not just ditch Faltic in the middle of it?

"What time is it?" Restel asked. Klaven flicked his wrist before his face, looking down at just his holey leg. I need a watch... "I don't know. Uh-" He looked to the night sky to find the moon about to brush the tops of the trees on its descent. "-Looks almost time for the sun to start changing the color of the sky."

Restel hadn't moved. "Alright."

"Where is it do you have to be in the morning?"

"A bed. Specifically this one hotel bed that's on the twentieth floor of a hotel. Elevator was out of service, so, ugh, the walk down all those stairs."

Klaven turned his head to face Restel. "Hah, and you've been walking all night."

"Yup!" Restel smiled as he continued to peer out into the darkened scene of the river. "I can only hope it's back in service when I get back there. With my luck, it'll be another twenty floors of stairs." He finally shifted his attention away, and now looked to his underling. "Where do you gotta get back to?"

"I was actually nowhere important. Nopony to freak out if I wasn't around, sadly."

Restel sarcastically smiled at him. "What? You like freaking ponies out?"

Klaven gave his best look that said 'duh.' "Uh, yeah. It's funny."

"Good. You freak me out all the time." Restel laughed to himself, to which Klaven swiped at his leg. "Shut up!"

After some exchanged laughter, the two fell quiet again. The night's curtain call loomed in their minds, and their hangout would soon be over. There was still time, perhaps not so much for leisure, but time nonetheless. If there was anything Klaven could do to help, now would be the time to do it.

Klaven turned his focus straight to Restel. "Did you mean to leave Faltic by himself?"

Restel's head slumped just slightly. "Not intentionally." Klaven immediately followed up. "Shouldn't you go find out why exactly he's acting all weird?"

For the first time, Restel receded his weight from the fence and stood on all fours. He sighed. "Something to do with the invasion, I'm sure. He can be a perfectionist."

"Nothing wrong with that. Might just be bothering him is all." Klaven stood as well. "Plus, last story of the night. Let's go hear it."

*****

Faltic had been left alone under the roof of the shed. His cheek was held in his hoof, and his horn was mechanically flickering green fire to the candle on the table, just to blow the flame away. Just, how could we not have won? We practically did. Nothing made sense about it, and it seemed it never would make sense. I still don't know what the hell shot us all away like that. No word from the Queen, no gossip, not even any rumors to go by.

After casting his flame onto the candle this time, he decided to let it stay. A slow peek to outside of the shed showed that the night would be over soon. If the other two had to be somewhere, he didn't know. He did know, however, that there's not a bed, but a futon he has to get back to. Does a futon count as a bed? Yes, technically. There wouldn't be a need to sneak back in, but if he wasn't there, well, he wouldn't not want to be there.

As soon as his thoughts began to stray, it looked like they'd be coming back in the same fashion that Restel and Klaven showed up to the shed again. "The circus is back in town." Faltic hardly looked at them before deciding to watch his green candle be blown out by him again.

The returning two sat across from Faltic. "Dibs on ringleader." Restel said promptly, to Klaven's sarcastic distraught.

With each second of silence that passed, the awkwardness in the air grew denser. Restel wouldn't be having any of it. "Sorry, for walking out."

It grabbed Faltic's attention, since his eyes looked up from the candle. "It's fine." Silence again.

Still not having more silence, Restel spoke up again. "So what's up?"

Faltic sighed. "Eh. I just wanted it to go well." It was the expected answer, which had an easy response. "It did, really. We all followed suit with what we were told to do. We just, don't know how the bubble came back is all." Restel replied.

"Yeah, and that's what stumps me." Faltic said glumly. It was a successful invasion, until that point. The part that crept through Faltic's mind every now and then. Where suddenly, everything didn't work anymore.

Klaven was intently listening, but decided against joining the conversation. Though, realizing that they'd have to be leaving soon, now was the only reasonable time to. "Hey, Faltic. Why don't you tell us your invasion story? Let's clear your mind." Restel swiftly jumped the idea too. "Yeah dude, it is your turn after all."

Faltic gave them both a look over. With daytime approaching soon, the luxury of time wasn't as present as when the night began. "Alright alright, calm down. I'll tell you. After that, we're leaving."

Chapter 7

View Online

~~~~~A few months ago, one last time~~~~~

"Yes sir, good luck."

I gave Restel a faint salute, hoping to visually wish him luck in whatever would occur up there, and turned back to keep pace with the rest of the changeling unit. There were no other changelings I knew, and if I had any prudence, I'd make quick pals with someling before we mobilized. First, though, came finding my mark.

"Hive!" The call came from the front of the group. Not my assigned mark, so I keep walking.

For the time that we'd marched through the forest beneath Canterlot, it had grown ever more dark. By now, we were positioned nearly directly underneath the capital of Equestria. Nearly underneath. All of our assigned spots with markings were just underneath the outer ring of the bowl that Canterlot sat upon, that way the flight up would be short.

But, everyling here knows all of this by now. Mentioning something about it now would be like saying I was cold in a cold room. My only complaint now would be that I'm expanding the distance between me and the only other two familiar changelings I know. It would be a long, silent invasion for me if I didn't change that.

The sound of our hooves trotting against the cluttered earthy ground was the only sound that my ears caught for what felt like forever. It only waned as others peeled off from the group to gather at their mark. A changeling at the front would make the occasional call for a mark, but none of them were mine. Not until he suddenly yelled "Queen's horn!"

That's me, and any other changeling that had it as their assigned spot. There couldn't be many more marks, there weren't many marching changelings left. A decent hoofful of us gathered at the Queen's horn that'd been carved into the bark of a tree.

I took my seat right next to the tree that bore the mark. The others that were here, well, they had someling to talk to. There was one thing to be grateful for at least; we were on the eastern side underneath Canterlot, so the near evening sun granted us some light to peer through the canopy of trees. Couldn't imagine what shade Restel and Klaven are sitting in right now. They would prob-

I was suddenly nudged on my shoulder. It snapped me out of my idle thoughts as I turned to look.

Nopony there. There was a light cackling from the opposite side of me. "You fell for it."

I turned and met eyes with other changeling who'd nudged me. He was hanging from the tree beside me, wearing a smug looking smile, as if his minor prank just landed on Celestia.

"Funny, but be real, that would work on anypony." I responded. The branch he hung from was actually quite low, and just above my head. He climbed back up to sit on the perch of the branch, looking down at me. "You must be anypony then. I'll call you any. My name's Frink." He leaned down to offer his hoof to me, to which I bumped with my own. "Faltic." I said.

"Got it. What're you doing sitting alone before the invasion?" Frink asked. I wondered if I really did look that isolated before responding. "My two friends are part of a different mark group, leaving me here without them." That got him to look at me quizzically. "Small world. Same situation here, my buddies are a part of the 'heart' mark group. Here I am in Queen's horn."

The heart group. I recalled them being on the complete opposite end of the forest. He really has been distanced too.

"So, I guess you're with me?" I asked. He chuckled. "You're just anypony, so it's you who's with me."

Whatever makes the invasion pass without immense boredom. "Pfft, whatever." I waved a dismissive hoof at him. Not in a stern, uptight way or anything, changelings get along with banter.

Frink finally left from his perch on the branch, and buzzed down to the ground, shaking off a few leaves that had caught his leg holes. "What were you doing up in the tree?" It was a reasonable question, I thought. Frink sauntered over to said tree, leaning against it casually. "It was shady, I don't much like being in the sun. Unless I have no other choice."

Looking at him now, he'd leaned against the tree opposite to the sun, where shade casted over his body. He continued. "Well, not much refuge from it once we start, or so I think."

"I'll get you one of those big brimmed hats for your sensitive chitin." I didn't know what those egregiously large hats ponies wore were called. Apparently, Frink knew. "A sunhat, Any."

Still calling me Any. He continued. "Once I get up there though, and beyond that bubble gum looking shield, I'm posting up either indoors or in a shady spot."

Well, our orders are to pretty much lock down an area, so as long as he's doing just that. "Fair enough." I said. It's also a plus to have someone with me through this. These groups were just a safety measure to make sure changelings were evenly spread among not only the pink barrier, but within the city as well, so that we had a majority of the city on lockdown for our Queen.

Frink sat at the base of the tree, lounging his back to it, forelegs behind his head and his hind ones kicked over another. The shade of the tree casted over him, as per the pattern of finding him in the shade. In a way, he reminded me of Restel: laid back, easy going, that sort of thing. Though, that's only half of it. Restel can be serious when the time comes, I'll find out if this one can do the same once the call is given to fly up.

That signal to begin our flight was taking a hot second. I'll just help kill more time. "So, who exactly is giving out our signal to start flying?" Frink turned his head to me and responded. "Oh, I know the guy. He's actually the backup since the original changeling in the position took another spot to already be in Canterlot before we begin." His head fell back to lounge in his arms again. That was interesting, I'll have to ask about it. "Then do you know where he is now? I'm sure he told you about what different things he'd be doing right now." I said.

A thought came to me. Why not a party of three? I've met one changeling that I could get along with for the time being, why not meet another? Restel and Klaven would surely be doing the same. At least I think.

Frink gave a perplexed look to the branches above him as he thought. "I... think he's currently stationed in the middle of this semi-circle we've formed around Canterlot's bowl. Just so him calling for us to start flying reaches as many changeling ears as it can." That couldn't be a long trek. It was difficult to look up and gauge just how much the distance would be to the middle of Canterlot's base when there's countless leaves and branches impeding on the view.

"Makes sense." Asking right away would sound rude, or like I didn't want to be here. I don't, not with unfamiliar changelings. Socialness is not a strength of mine.

Rather, he spoke up again. "Why, want to head over there?" He asked as he tilted his lounged head to the side to face me again. Ever so slightly, a smile began to tug at his mouth.

"Sure, let's do something different than this lot." I gave a half gesture to the rest of the changelings that were assorted around the horn marking.

Something different, for sure. Frink stood up and was already starting his way into the forest. A direction that I could only assume one other changeling had gone. Before disappearing into the foliage, I looked back at our group... no, they're not going to care.

*****

Frink not only went out of sight to the group, but to me as well. As soon as I'd ruffled past a few bushes, and admittedly, almost tripped on a root protruding the ground, I still hadn't seen where he went.

I stopped in a semi-open space in the vegetation. Enough wandering. "Frink?"

Silence. The trees had already fully masked the wafting sound of changeling hooves and chatter.

"Frink, where'd you go?" I said it a little louder than last time. Though this time, there was a response. Not in the form of words, rather, a branch above me rustling heavily. I met him in a tree, I'll likely find him in one again.

Sure enough, out leapt the sun hating changeling from one of the million trees. He landed directly on top of a boulder , puffing his chest out sternly, as if he were the king of all forest kind. However, this time seeing him, he had a hat on.

Admittedly, I did flinch when he dove down, but I don't think he noticed.

"Did I scare you, Any?" Or maybe he did.

I looked up to him, giving just a small mocking smile. "Not at all, king of the jungle. What's with the hat?" It had a droopy full brim, and two strings hanging down either side of his face. He lifted a hoof to point at it. "This is my bucket hat. It gives me great resistance to the sun and offers me comfort. Not to mention, stylish." He shook his head to let the strings freely sway to the motion.

"Hah, some king."

His immediate response was a look of offense as his hoof hit his chest as it swelled with mock pride again. "It's my crown, and I don't see you wearing one."

I'm not, because I don't have such quarrel with a celestial body, or a passion for darkness. It wasn't until now that I'd realized his position on the rock was completely saturated in shade. If a pony with an untrained eye were to look in his direction, they'd be liable to miss him standing there. I also saw that his horn speared through the top of the hat.

"Don't need one to be a king."

Frink scoffed quietly. "A king of losers."

I shook my head, hiding a creeping smile as I resumed our trek for us, walking past his rocky pedestal. "Whatever. This is still the right way, yeah?" Frink leapt down and landed just ahead of me, pressing onward. "Yup, he said right in the middle of every mark and group of changelings."

It couldn't be much further now, surely. Despite our hike's short duration, it felt as if we'd travelled miles with how isolated from other changelings we'd become. Being around so many of them all the time, even short distances are a great respite.

We fell into a silence as I followed his path through the ever darkening forest. Only darkening because of how much further we progressed underneath Canterlot, leaving much less sunlight to poke in wherever it could. It definitely made this changeling happy. The less light we had, the more spring got into his step.

It wasn't a long silence.

"Signal! Let's go!"

I flinched a little. Frink didn't say it, I didn't say it. An immediate cacophony of buzzing followed.

Frink turned to me with a sheepish grin. "Guess we're too slow."

"Pfft, you're too slow." I retorted. Frink bent his front legs slightly, unfurling his insectoid wings. "Says the king of losers!" He shot up in flight, breaking through the tree line.

If it's a race up there he wants, it's a race he'll get.

*****

We were among the last hoofful of changelings to reach the bubble before we'd overwhelmed it. Flying from nearly the center of underneath Canterlot gave me a first hoof answer as to why we gathered at the edges. I was starting to lose the pacing of my breathing by the time we reached the top. That, on top of the impromptu race Frink and I had. He was a surprisingly fast flyer. We touched down in Canterlot in what looked like somepony's expansive backyard, leaving two visually egregious craters in the grass.

Expansive, maybe. Big enough for us to land and have room to spare.

Frink's bucket hat had managed to stay firmly on his head. Not a ray of sunshine touched his face. The strings were also fastened under his chin now.

Despite landing in somepony's backyard, there was still a pony in it. Originally, I'd thought we aimed for the street in front of this house, but it can be hard to aim these comet-like landings.

The stranger we dropped in on didn't look startled, just a little more dirty after having, well, dirt flung in every direction. Twice.

He was a slightly darker blue than the sky on the coat, and I could swear that his navy blue mane reflected purple in the sun. The whole scene was laid out for us: This blue earth pony sat on a stool before a picket fence, back towards us, a paintbrush in his mouth, and a bucket of white paint beside him on the ground.

Just one pony. I would've preferred more to shut down. Well, there is the house, whoever owns this yard is sure to be in it. Maybe more than one.

Frink tilted his head to me. I returned his look and shrugged. Frink spoke up before I did, and stepped to the side of the earth pony, peering at him. "Hey! What's happening here?" If it was all he could think of saying, I don't blame him.

I'd have expected more of a reaction from the stranger. I stepped in on the other side of the unbothered pony. With no response, he was nodding his head, running his paintbrush along the fence. I couldn't read any expression on him other than concentration.

It would've been an awkward silence, if it weren't for the distant sounds of other changeling's crashing into Canterlot. Now was my turn to speak. "You really like working on that fence, huh?" That finally provoked a reaction. The strange blue earth pony spat out the paintbrush in the pail, turned to me, and spoke. "You callin' this work?" It sure looked like it. I never painted a fence voluntarily. Well, I've also never painted a fence. "Yeah? Are you saying it's, not?"

The fence painter shook his head at me. "Might be, might not. But, this is 'bout the best thing I've done today." On the other side of this pony, Frink looked like he was holding back from laughing. "Whatever. You know there's a whole invasion going on? Well, our invasion on your homeland." And now, the earth pony turned to look at Frink. "Ya think I live here? With all the nose-raised high-society ponies? Nah."

Frink wasn't having any of it. It was a little amusing to watch. "Oh come on. You're trying to tell us painting a fence is the best thing you've done today?" Patience, as much of a virtue as it is, was ebbing on Frink. The earth pony sat up straighter and looked back and forth to both of us as he spoke. "Yup. Not everyday y'get to paint a fence. I'm enjoying it. When was the last time y'all did this?"

Me, never. Frink, I don't know. "I... can't say I've done it." Frink said. So, same as me. The painter crossed his forelegs across his chest and shook his head. "Y'see what I mean now? You fellas don't enjoy when you get to do somethin' you don't normally do." That was the tipping point for Frink. I could almost see his brain change his functions. Frink extended a hoof for the paintbrush that rest in the pail. "Agh, I'll show you-" Frink was cut off by the earth pony swatting his intruding leg away, to which the blue pony snatched the brush in his own hoof. "Nuh-uh. Y'see in that house here?-" He gestured the brush to the house connected to the yard. "-Ms. Rainsoul is very particular 'bout how this fence is painted, and very particular 'bout who does it."

My own amusement of watching Frink lose his temperament didn't stop me from questioning that. "So what makes you so special, huh?" The pony in question turned his eyes back to the fence. "Well, she built this fence herself. It's been here for years. Through rain or shine, good times and bad. She is really proud of this here." He broadly gestured once more to the extending fence. "I bet you I'm 'bout the only pony this side of Equestria that could do this. Hell, maybe even in all of Equestria that could do this. I'm one in a million I tell ya."

A lightbulb turned on in Frink's head, I could see it. But, immediately after, the light was smothered. Even his brain would hate light. "Well, we're not really from Equestria. Right, Any?"

He'll get over calling me Any anytime now. It was a sound reason though. "Yeah, we're not Equestrians. We don't pledge allegiance to your flag." The earth pony's lips curled in a quizzical look. "Ehh, I s'pose I could maybe see what a non-Equestrian can bring to the table, er, fence. But I'll need to see it worth my while to give this up, y'know?"

Frink briefly rubbed his chin with his hoof. Once more, a lightbulb was lit in Frink's mind, then was immediately snuffed due to light pollution. "How about this?-" A green swirl of fire washed over him as he changed. Once the fire cleared, there stood an exact copy of the blue earth pony we'd run into. Except, with a bucket hat on top. Frink held up his now blue leg and smiled. "-Huh?"

The painter gave the disguised changeling a look over. After a second, he shook his head. "C'mon now. You can look like me, but that don't provide me nothin'." Frink's smile dropped, and stamped his hoof down. "Of course it does! I take your spot, and Ms. Rain-whatever doesn't even know you've taken a break."

"Hm-" Another quizzical donned the original earth pony's face. "-Well, I have been meanin' to take a short break." He gestured broadly down the row of the fence. Only about half of this side was whitewashed. "As you can see, already done a lot, and the sun don't help none."

Frink blew a raspberry. "Tell me about it."

It was at this point, the original pony's eyes elevated to Frink's head. "Say... I'll relinquish this to you-" he grabbed the paintbrush in his hoof. "-if you both provide me a little break, but I'll need somethin' from both of you."

I couldn't help but agree about wanting a break. We haven't been up here for too long, yet the sultry air was already setting in. No telling how long this pony was here for before we landed. Disguised Frink turned his eyes to me, where I met his gaze and shrugged. "And what do you need?" I said.

"From you-" The original earth pony said as he turned to look at me. "-Need you to go inside, find me some water. Ms. Rainsoul in there will surely help, but if you can't find her, you know what a kitchen is."

I nodded. "...Uh huh."

He then turned back to Frink, who still donned his disguise. "And you, you can take over, but-" he pointed a hoof towards Frink's head. "I want to wear that hat."

Frink took a step back and shielded his chest with his blue leg. His face looked as if somepony had just slapped his own mother. In this case: the Queen. I know he has a clear distaste for the sun, and will stay out of it by any means, but the more the scope of his vendetta grew, the more amusing it was to me. So naturally, I was smiling at his immediate reaction.

"No, no, no no. Hell no. Hey-" I watched Frink look sternly at me. "-Don't laugh at me."

My smile from his reaction didn't falter for a second. "Oh I'm not, believe me. Not yet." I said.

Frink marched around the now silent earth pony, right for me. It looked as if the painter was just as entertained as I was, but was concealing it in a better fashion. The disguised changeling prodded his hoof at my chest. "Alright Any, how about you stay here and take over, I'll go get the water, hm?"

By then I couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. "Fine, fine. Anything to protect your sensitive chitin." With his hoof still to my chest, I flared up a fiery green swirl around myself and shifted into the earth pony's looks. As expected, Frink retracted his blue leg away from me quick. "Agh-" He shook his hoof. "-You did that on purpose."

I didn't bother to hold back my amused giggle. "I might've. Don't go putting your hoof near a fire hazard next time." Frink lightly stamped his fire-warmed hoof back to the ground. "Whatever. You'll take the painting while I get the water, right?"

I nodded to him. "Sure, sure. You go on ahead inside. You've been working hard all day."

"Whatever, Any!" Frink tossed his precious hat at the original earth pony, to which he caught and placed it on his head. The hole cut out from Frink's horn didn't seem to bother him, nor did he appear to notice. Roughly three seconds later, Frink had already disappeared inside the house across the lawn.

"What a guy." The original said. He continued as he offered me his paintbrush. "Well, this is for you." I took it from him in my own blue hoof. He got up from his stool, stretched, and began trotting over to an umbrella that'd been opened in the corner of the backyard. "If'n you need me, I'll be over here on lunch break."

I couldn't pry my eyes away from watching him take his lounge in a reclined pool chair. There was no pool. And... lunch? He's got no food. Oh well...

Oh, well, he has glasses on and a book now.

Dip the paintbrush into the pail, make smooth strokes onto the fence.

I couldn't expect to be seeing Frink anytime soon. If I know him, with what little time I've spent with him, he'd probably find a way to stay in the house as long as possible, just to catch all the shade he could.

Sure enough, that is what he's doing. At least, the staying in the shade part. I saw him standing at the backdoor, not an inch of him beyond the frame. He was still that earth pony, but his horn had reappeared, and was lit with hazy green magic. In its grasp was a red solo cup, presumably filled with water. I paused mid-stroke to see how he'd do this.

It was actually very simple how he did it. The cup floated itself across the air of the lawn, wrapped in a green light. I watched it glide towards the lounging earth pony, and land softly on the ground next to his chair. I looked back to Frink. "Real smart." I called out to him, putting on the same smirk I'd given him earlier.

Dip the paintbrush, make the fence more white.

He looked right back at me. "I always am." He yelled back at me from across the lawn.

Painting a fence was actually quite calming, in a way. The further down the row I got, the more I appreciated how well it looked. Frink wasn't vying for his turn or anything, he was content with the shelter of the house. Even if he wanted in, there was only one paintbrush.

Something about all of this, the work, the hot air, my mind felt like it had just snapped in half when I remembered something.

Wasn't I helping an invasion?

Chapter 8

View Online

"You can draw from your imagination what happened last." Faltic said. His head was supported by his hoof on his cheek.

What would soon be the changeling trio's curtain call was starting to show its first signs. The sky was no longer a solid black, and the dotted stars began to fade away to the point where only the brightest were still visible. Gentle flushes of orange crept above the skyline to the east, like embers of a fire.

Both Restel and Klaven had been attentive for the duration of Faltic's story. Though, the more it went on, and the more detail was told, both of them couldn't help but wonder the same thoughts. Faltic's story sounded no more accomplishing than their own tales of what happened. Was it really going to be this anticlimactic?

The pair of listening changelings turned to one another and shared a look, almost as an attempt to telepathically question the other. Though, to add to Restel's confusion, Klaven had cracked a smile to him. Restel was the first to break the inaudible conversation to turn to Faltic. "So you... painted a fence?"

Faltic straitened his posture and sat upright, nodding his head once. "Yes."

Restel was silent again. Klaven was no help, as all he was doing was grinning maniacally. "So then let me get this straight-" Restel started. He clasped both his hooves in front of his mouth before continuing. "-You did just about the same things we did. Y'know, make sure nopony did anything to interfere, maybe slack with it a little, and get caught up in your own business. Yet you complain about us?"

Faltic sat in formal silence, and offered his friend a fanged smile. Restel, on the other hoof, was now peering quizzically at Faltic. I'm confused... Why is he smiling?.. Why is Klaven still smiling?

Everything formal about Faltic's posture all came crashing down in one moment; the morning air was filled with the sounds of his boisterous laughter. Restel could not be more indifferent about his reaction to whatever his friends were getting at.

For one short break of his laughter, Faltic spoke. "I played you all night, I didn't do anything either!" Restel had had enough of one thing, and that one thing was sitting next to him and joining in on the laughing. Klaven was given a shove by his partner. "Oh cut it out! What am I missing here?" Restel said it with a hint of desperation in his tone.

"Well-" Faltic began. "-I told you I can lighten up for these things. I also know you think I'm sometimes a hard-ass, so I played into that. Jerk." His laughing had died down to only chuckling after his words. Restel's deadpan expression couldn't hold for more than a second or two seeing Faltic like this, and quickly turned into a sarcastic laugh, yet with a genuine grin. He knew Faltic has, is, and still will be the most serious of the three, it will just always catch him off guard when he isn't.

Faltic continued again, this time pointing his hoof at Klaven. "I don't know why he's laughing though."

Klaven still wore his smile proudly. "Because you fell for the oldest trick in the book. Literally, too." Faltic waved his pointing hoof dismissively at Klaven's remark, but he had his own to shoot back. "Oh whatever. You played dress-up with a pretty pink pegasus." Faltic rose from the table, stretching on his way off of the seat. He jerked his head in the general direction of Manehattan while looking at the other two, who then followed suit.

"I did, so what?" Klaven inquired. Faltic was quick to shoot back. "And liked it." That earned a slight laugh from Restel.

The three began their last hike through the camp, leaving the shed and returning once more to the dirt path that lined the earth. Trees returned to either side of the three, making the sky obstructed by various branches and leaves.

Thankfully, having to hear Klaven's sleeping bag swish with his trotting would be over soon.

"I did not like it." Klaven nearly mumbled. Restel was quick to jump on that. "Then what was with the compliments and suggestions? You were technically talking about yourself."

Try as Klaven might to defend himself, he couldn't hold back his lips from curling into a helpless smile. "Oh shut up. It was to help her for her date, and she appreciated it." Even Faltic joined in on the banter. "Hah, 'her' date. It was practically your date for half of it."

The sun had yet to show itself, but the eastern sky was everchanging with morning colors, and birds were already out singing. "Well, at least I had a date, and food to go with it. I didn't have a date with something like a job, or a fence." It was Klaven's last defense, trying to change the subject, and it worked. Restel, wanting to jab back at Faltic, immediately picked up on that. "Ha! Yeah, at least I wasn't tricked into something boring, like painting."

"Oh whatever-" Faltic began. He turned to look at Klaven. "-You hear this guy? The audacity to call painting boring when he became a part time employee." It was amusing to two of three changelings. The third, however, puffed his chest with mock pride. "I'll have you know, they owe me bits. It is literally illegal if they withhold them from me." Klaven chuckled at that statement and replied. "Yeah, like you're going to be showing your face there anytime soon." Faltic also joined. "Never!"

Both Faltic and Klaven enjoyed the brief tangent of poking fun at Restel, who was snidely mimicking them back. Even still, it was hard not to have a bona fide enjoyment for the night. It wasn't but once every so often there was an opportunity to get together. Many things had to align, ends had to meet, locations had to be agreed upon, so forth. For returning to Manehattan, though, was to return back to daily monotony. Not one of that a typical pony experiences.

"Like you were getting paid to paint a fence?-" Restel fought back. "-You gave that guy a free break, and did his work for him." Klaven, sensing now was a good time to jump in, spoke up too. "C'mon Faltic, how did you not see how that would play out?"

Faltic blew a raspberry at the air. "Klaven, I've never read whatever book you think that comes from. Restel, shut up." Restel played his fake offended look and looked to Klaven. "Listen to him, painter boy telling me to shut up." To which, Klaven couldn't help but hold his hoof to his mouth to muffle his chuckle. Faltic raised his head and looked skyward, heaving a playful sigh. "I helped him, we all helped somepony. I just happen to help somepony who enjoys being a... what's the word I'm looking for, Restel?"

"The word I call you because you read?"

"Yes."

"A nerd?"

"Exactly. I helped somepony who enjoys being a nerd on his breaks. You-" Faltic gestured his hoof to Restel. "Helped somepony take a break from his job, and you-" Faltic gestured to Klaven. "-helped a damsel in distress by being a dress-up doll." The trio shared their own amusement about their tales of varying embarrassment. The path leading back to the campgrounds' entrance was longer than usual. It rivalled the length of the flower trail that led them to the shed for Klaven's story. There wasn't anything noteworthy this time, other than the sky no longer held stars within it. Only, clouds were now visible as sunlight slowly suffused over.

"So Klaven,-" Restel began, to which Klaven perked his head and ears towards him. "-you gonna take that sleeping bag off? Or wear it back to Manehattan?"

Klaven looked back at himself, which was all covered in nylon. "I mean, I liked it. It worked for tonight. I wasn't cold."

Faltic leaned his head into the conversation. "You know jackets exist. I'll get you one using the cashier's part time bits."

The ex-cashier spoke with his snout held higher than usual. "Go ahead, but I expect you to pay me back. With interest."

"Oh whatever." Faltic shot back. To Klaven, it was all true, what Restel said. Wearing a sleeping bag back to Manehattan would look tacky and wouldn't blend in at all. It would have to be time to part with the temporary warmth. The daytime would cover for him, at the very least, until he found himself a more permanent, eye pleasing, less ear-grating solution.

"Yeah it's time to ditch this thing." Klaven said as he started to try and get it off. Try, being the key word. It was quickly learned that trying to force a front leg out of the makeshift hole for it was futile, and almost made him trip, so Klaven stopped in his tracks to try further. Once again, he had an audience of two for him and his sleeping bag as Faltic and Restel stopped to watch.

Klaven only managed one foreleg out after he'd taken a seat, and combined his physical strength with a touch of magical power. After that, the rest of the escape came much easier, and once he was out, the bag was hurled off into the foliage of trees, but not before a little red beanbag was retrieved from within. Klaven caught his two audience members looking at him, both wearing amused smiles. It didn't make Klaven falter in the slightest, as he kept walking past them, beanbag in hoof. "Out of sight out of mind." Klaven said. Restel and Faltic met eyes, and it was Restel who cracked first into stifling his laughter before picking back up after their new leader.

The entrance building and gate were coming into view as they rounded a bend. As trees became less frequent, the break in them allowed Manehattan's skyline to show itself. "I think I'll put this on my wall." Restel stated as they approached the gate. "That crumpled up brochure? Really?-" Faltic questioned. "-Like, frame it?"

Restel seemed to like the idea with his tone. "Yeah! I'll fold it open, and frame it right next to my bed. My bed being the one I'm mooching in. I've got a pretty solid hold on my love target." Klaven eyed the crumpled paper that was still stuffed in Restel's leg hole. "But it's all crushed up."

"That's fine by me. Means it was with us all night." Restel was confident in that. He was met by Faltic blowing a raspberry at him. "You're too sentimental."

The fence was no hinderance, just as when Faltic had first arrived. It was no hassle to spread their wings and buzz clean over it to the other side. "Too sentimental. Look at what you've got." Restel pointed out the green flower that was still nestled into his leg hole. "Yeah, what of it?"

"Gonna give it to that chick you've been on about?" Restel was sly with his words, and even nudged Faltic on the shoulder. Klaven, as well, was looking with a slight hint of anticipation for the answer.

"If I say yes, will you both stop looking at me like that?" Restel turned to look at his underling, not knowing he was eavesdropping, to which Klaven twisted his look in a different direction. "Huh? What?"

Restel put his attention back to Faltic. "I'm not looking at you like anything, and neither is he. But you know I'll find out eventually."

Faltic gave one hearty 'hah.' "I'd love to see you try."

The campground's entrance was long behind the trio, and Manehattan lie ahead. The sun was only now beginning to show more of its colors as it continued to bring the morning over the horizon. "Oh I will. I'll see you later today, maybe." Restel said as he unfurled his ragged wings and buzzed into the air, disappearing into the slight distance as the cover of trees soon became the blanket of buildings. It was the urban outskirts of Manehattan, nothing as busy as the heartland center of the city, so it was still safe to be flying.

Klaven looked up after him. "I should go too, we stay pretty close to each other."

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure I'll see you same time I do him." It was almost a reflection of how Restel had disappeared back into the city, just as a changeling should: unnoticed.

The morning was shaping up to be kind of nice in Faltic's eyes. Instead of flying, trotting back didn't seem so bad. A quick flash of green fire, and one usual disguise later, it was back into Manehattan monotony.

The Night Can Change

by BlueyWaifu

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8