> Battle For Holed Hearts
>  by David Silver
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1 - To Repeat, To Change
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had to move. He wanted to move. But it was cramped, and the walls were close together. He pressed at them, but they did not give. He was trapped, and he couldn't breathe. It was time to escape, or die, and that choice seemed simple enough to make.

He bashed on the wall of his prison. His hands didn't feel quite right, but they could strike just fine. Dull thumps echoed off his ears as he struggled. Without thinking it entirely through, he headbutted the surface. It felt like something at the edge of his face caught on the hard surface. It broke with the force of his impact, creating a splintered web of cracks that he desperately scrambled at, forcing it to become larger, breaking open to cool air that rushed into his space. He could breathe!

Pushing through that space, he fell forward, splatting to the ground. A large presence watched over him and others... like him? They were grubs, wriggling and hissing at one another. He had no mirror to check, but... he was one too. He had just been born as a changeling. Fortunately for him, he had a whole life to figure out what that meant.





"Sir!" He saluted sharply at the larger changeling in front of him.

"At ease." The larger nodded at him with a grunt. "The queen has no specific task for us today."

"As if she ever does." He had learned all about Queen Chrysalis.

"Shut your trap." The older changeling thopped him across the snout. "You're too young to do anything important anyway. Patrol." He pointed down a tunnel. "And you'd better be paying attention."

"Sir!" He had a name, as a human, a lifetime ago. That life had ended. The folks that believed in reincarnation were apparently right, but he was fairly sure forgetting that past life was part of the package. Too bad for them, as he remembered it. He remembered the tyrant he had worked so hard against, so hard he had become the tyrant. He had died that tyrant. To be born subject of a new one.

Figures. Was that karma? Whatever. He wasn't that man anymore. He was Perception Gap, a changeling in training. He had four hooves, usually, a horn, also usually, and two buzzing wings, usually. All of those were optional. He had freedom of form. He could become an elephant, or a fly, or a rock if he wanted. He was still learning the tips and tricks of it, but it was all within reach of his hooves, or whatever he put at the end of his arms that day.

Perception frowned as he squinted down the rocky hallway. There wasn't much to see, and there rarely was but the passing other changeling. He wore his 'natural' form, as did most of the others. It was the quickest way to be sure another creature was a changeling too. A pony could be a pony, or a changeling pretending to be a pony. A changeling? Nobody is going to imitate a changeling in their hive, not if they're remotely sane.

"Perception!" A large form ambled towards him with a big goofy grin. "Where ya been?"

Perception knew the changeling speaking, one of his doofy friends. "Good to see you, Mirage. On patrol, so I'm going to keep right walking."

"And I'll walk with you." The two of them were both young changelings, maybe in their middle teens? "If we see something, I'll let you take the credit." He hissed, tongue flicking in the air. "So no problems."

"You're too nice." That was meant literally to a point. Changelings that were too nice were often picked on. "What's new, Mirage?" He crept to the corner of an intersection and peeked down it, only to see three other changelings walking away. Nothing strange there.

"We're besties. The rest can suck it. Besides, we're brothers!" He meant that literally, in a sense. They were brothers in two ways. The most important was that they had come from the same brood of eggs. When they were helpless grubs, they were together. "Ain't nothing going to break us up!"

Perception Gap knew that, according to many changelings, Mirage was ripe for taking advantage of, then tossing aside. He was too nice, in all the literal sense. Perception decided against that. "It's good to have you."

Mirage squeezed him with a leg thrown over Perception's back in a fierce one-armed hug. "It's good to be here, and to have you back, bro!"

"I didn't go anyway," laughed Perception as he hurried a step ahead of his affectionate freind. "You know they'll get on both our cases if they see us being too chummy."

"Well, sucks for them." That was one reason Perception kept him around. He had that rebellious spark, even in the face of potential punishment. "I'll check that way." He pointed down a new hallway. "Meet up back here after?"

"Sounds good." They met with a firm clop of hoof to hoof. Yes, it was good to have friends, the sort you could trust when things got real tense. It was also good to not get in trouble for no good reason. He hurried back to his patrolling task.





"You!" It was impossible to miss the stern shout of their 'glorious leader'.

Perception hurried before her with a salute. "Sir!"

Her nose twisted. "No, that sounds odd. Forget I ever mentioned it. Go back to ma'am, or your royal highness, hmm... I like that." Chrysalis chuckled darkly, considering her prideful self. "I have an important job, and your overseer says you're up for the task. Is he wrong?"

A trick question. Saying no to that would get both Perception and his overseer in big trouble. "I am ready, Your Royal Highness."

"You adapt quickly, I admire that..." Chrysalis thumped a hoof on his chest. "Focus it on seeing my will done, and the hive will feast well, hm? I have quite the adventure coming up. If we see it done, hunger will become a faint memory for us, at least for a little while."

"Your Royal Highness." He'd heard her claim that before. Sometimes she was even right, but she was terrible at managing things. Their food slipped away, and the hive went back to being hungry in short order, if they ever stopped being hungry for a little while. "What do you wish of me?"

"Infiltration." She bared her fangs in a feral display. "You know the ponies, do you not? We've limited our actions with them, but that is to change. They're overflowing with love, our love. Let's take it back... I need to know everything going on in their capitol. I need to know their defenses. I need to know their weaknesses. I want every scrap of information you can dig up, and I want it yesterday."

"Your Royal Highness." He didn't say bye, or wait for another response. Doing so usually invited her anger. She was like any other tyrant, ready to snap at any hint of delay in getting what she wanted. He lifted on buzzing wings and flew away instead.

He had heard of the ponies. Few were the changelings that hadn't heard of them, and practiced imitating them, among other creatures. As he flew, a flash of green flames saw his form vanish, replaced with flapping wings instead of buzzing ones. He became a dark grey pegasus with bright cyan mane and tail. His 'cutie mark', as they called it, was a line with two circles  on it, towards the right side. The Perception Gap. He had felt quite clever when he thought that one up.

His fellow changelings had not gotten it. Being a changeling, his mark was entirely a creation of his own. It meant nothing, except it being something he picked. He wasn't imitating a specific pony. Good thing. Imitating specific creatures was a lot harder than being a literal new thing on the block.

The ponies didn't even blink when he moved in. They didn't object when he got a job. They only asked friendly questions, or ignored him, but mostly they were just casually friendly to his presence. They were open to infiltration, and with it, conquer. They would suffer and die beneath Chrysalis' hooves, fueled by the sweat and blood of the changelings under her, like himself.

Or he could change things. Change was what he was born to do... It was about time. She had a grand scheme he was helping her put together, but he had all the pieces... He could, and would, make it fall. It just took one missing step, a vital step. No tyrant toppler could hope to win without it, without a lot of power behind them. He was just one changeling, so raw power was out of the question.

"Mirage."

"Nice place." Mirage was seated on his couch, bouncing on its soft texture with an almost-giggle. "Infiltrators have the best job. The most dangerous... but so many perks! You don't even have to live around Chrysalis."

"Not while I'm on duty, which I am." Perception turned to his round friend. "Chrysalis, she gets in the way, doesn't she?"

"Sometimes... don't tell anyling I said that!" He covered his mouth as if it would somehow cover his words already spoken. "I don't want to get in trouble."

"This is my house, far away from her." He paced slowly in front of Mirage. "And her power doesn't reach here. She wants it to... But what if it never did?"

"How would that happen?" He lifted his ear fins at Perception. "It's your job to make that happen."

"Which I will do. I don't have to succeed... Think of it, Mirage... Think... We changelings could use some... new management."

He went tenser by the moment, grasping desperately at the idea that terrified him. "But we only have one queen!"

"Who says the next has to be a queen?" He rolled his eyes. "Not like we're bees. We have boys and girls. The 'Queen' could be a guy or girl."

"Oh..." He sat back, gnawing at one of the holes in his legs. "You're scaring me a little... Is... Is everything alright, Perception?"

"No." It was time to be blunt. "But we can make it better. Mirage, I want to stand, against her, but I need help. Will you be the fifth hoof I never had?"

His eyes widened. "Hey! I'm already your bestie." He thumped himself on the chest. "You don't even have to ask that."

Perception smiled. It was just as he hoped. Mirage was his loyal follower. "Good! Then this is what we have to do." He waved the portly changeling closer. "I have to stay here, but you don't. In fact, they'd think it was odd if you didn't go back. That works out for us."

"It does?"

"It does." He turned Mirage towards the door. "Because we're going to get new friends. Go back, find the right ones. I'll teach you how." Spotting potential rebels was a skill he had picked up a life ago. The right ones. The kinds he wanted under him. "Follow my instructions and we'll both win. The entire hive will celebrate, and Chrysalis will stop being a failure of a queen."

"How are you so smart?!" He stomped in place in frustration. "You don't think like... Like most changelings I know..."

Most changelings he knew probably weren't former dictators. "You got me because I think odd. I'm not under any delusion that this isn't the case. You like my oddness. I like your oddness. We'll both benefit from our powers combined. Do what I say and we'll both win. Hm, and the ponies too. Poor saps, they don't deserve Chrysalis taking everything they own." He knew that was more than physical things. Chrysalis would take their love and will and leave them all drive-less husks that would eventually just die, staring at nothing with no will to move. "Let's save our people."
> 2 - Attack on Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

He never stopped doing his job. To slack off would be to invite retribution, and they would bring his schemes to an end before they even properly began. The ponies would be distracted, eyes on the joyous wedding of two of their own, one a royal, so a big deal.

All Chrysalis had to do was replace that royal. She, that royal, was nice and sweet and easy to get along with. As targets went, a fairly straightforward one. All she had to do was play the part.

Perception snorted softly, having difficulty imagining Chrysalis pretending to be a sweet creature. Still, her husband to be was the one holding up the defensive barrier. Why, you might ask, would the changelings leak they were going to attack?

Chrysalis, of course. She gave bad orders, put 'lings in the wrong place, and they got spotted. She yelled at them afterwards, Perception heard, but the damage was done, and they erected the shield.

That was alright. He had his own agents, and they hadn't messed up yet. He just needed the perfect moment, and one ally on the other side. Mark against the ponies, only one of them seemed to even doubt the pony stand in. Chrysalis wasn't even doing that good of a job, but only one of them was noticing it. At least she was noticing it a lot.

Better luck, she seemed to be a pony of some import. Not a royal, but linked to them, and that was good enough, right? So when she, Twilight, was starting to get upset, he approached. She was slumped over a table, her friend having just abandoned her. "Rough day, isn't it?" He casually hopped up on the other side of the table from her. "It should be a joyous one."

Twilight pricked an ear, looking up from her boneless state on the table. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm being rude." Perception put a hoof on his fuzzy and fake chest. "Perception Gap, and I believe you."

Twilight pushed upright against the table. "You do?"

One of those magic things. Being there to trust in someone, even just to claim it, can really make someone's day. Pony, human, changeling, doesn't matter. "I do. She is not acting like herself. Completely out of character."

"Right?!" she blurted, coloring swiftly afterwards. "I don't understand... how only I see it... Everypony else is so swept up in the wedding, they're ignoring what's right in front of them!"

Like a changeling chatting directly with her? Perception wouldn't bring that up. "I know what's going on... and I have an idea how to make the others see."

Twilight's ears danced, hope shining in her eyes, but it dimmed. "Excuse me... but I don't know you. It's nice to meet a new pony and all, but... who am I talking to?"

"Perception Gap," he repeated. "And noticing that is my specialty." He pointed to the mark on his rump. "Noticing this is right up my alley."

Twilight leaned to the side to spot that mark. "Oh, a perception gap!" She actually understood the symbol! The first besides him to do so. "I see. Your cutie mark isn't lying to you, but how do I prove that and close that gap?" She brought her hooves together in a silent meeting.

"Now you're talking." He smiled in what they meant to be a kind way, but perhaps a step or two in a cunning way, an honest mistake really. "I know where the real Cadance is hidden." He would, he was the one that pointed out where she could be tucked away where none would find her, unless he told them, of course. Or if Chrysalis sent anyone else down there. But why would she do that?

Oh, how her eyes sparkled. "You do?! Where?" She leaned forward enough to shove several plates aside. "Tell me, please!"

He had her right where he wanted her. "One thing. You don't want to tell anypony about this."

"I don't? Why not? This is exactly what I'd want to tell them about."

"Not so fast." He held up a lone hoof. "If you do it now, you're just making more wild accusations without proof. Get Cadance, bring her. That will be all the proof in the world, and none of them can argue that."

He willed up a bit of parchment, a map already scrawled on it. "This will get you there."

"Why haven't you gone?" Not that she didn't bring the paper closer to herself. "If you know where she is."

"Noticing things is my specialty." Perception sat up tall. "Not spelunking. That looked way too dangerous for me, but I hear you're an adventurer. You can handle it, I bet."

Twilight looked over the map. "It starts... And... through that? Hm... This is a mildly dangerous path."

"Which you must travel twice, once with Cadance, but then everypony will know you were telling the truth." He nodded at his enemy agent. "Can you do it?"

"I have to!" She folded the paper and shoved it away in a pocket. "For Cadance's sake! For my brother's sake! Thank you." She offered a hoof towards him. "I owe you one."

Yes, she did... He knew better than to grind that in. "What are friends for?" He met her hoof with one of his own in a merry clop of union. "Good luck! Get her back."

"I will." She jumped down from her seat and dashed off to mount a rescue effort.

He chuckled softly to himself. Excellent. With her sent scurrying before the wedding, she should get back in time... But there were other steps to be taken.





"Ma'am!" Celestia nodded to the saluting guard and moved to walk past him in her stately way. "Ma'am." He put a hoof in front of her, arm with it. "We need to talk, Your Royal Highness."

The other guard gaped at him as if he had sprouted an extra head, and that head was singing a lively tune.

Celestia perked an ear at the talkative guard. "I am always available to talk, when I am not otherwise busy. Unfortunately, the plans for the wedding have been a constant distraction. Is it important?"

A testing question, Perception decided. One leaders asked, daring. Was it important enough to stop what she was already doing? "I'm afraid it is, ma'am."

She tensed. Her guards would only say that if they meant it. "Very well." She waved for the other guard to remain where they were. "This way." She brought him a short distance to a sitting room. A small table offered cookies and cakes and steaming tea, which she casually partook of as she sank to her haunches. "Now, tell me what's bothering you."

Ah, an actual queen, even if she didn't like being called that. It was nice to see one that acted the part. "Your Highness. A grave attack is being mounted against the city."

Celestia quirked an ear at him. "That's why we have the shield in place, is it not?"

"There are agents already beyond it." Not even a lie. Not even an exaggeration. He was one of them, facing her. "I can show you, ma'am, if you permit me."

"How?" She scowled, not at him specifically, but seemingly more at the situation. "Shining Armor's defenses cannot be breached."

"Unless..." He leaned forward with one of his calculating smiles. "The agents were already inside when he put it up. You Royal Highness, I ask that you not panic. The ponies should assume all is well."

"Of course...." She was looking at him with suspicion. "But how do you know this?"

"I will show you, once permitted." He brought his black arms together, metal-clad hooves clanging together. "Ma'am."

"Permission given," she stated in flat seriousness. "Show me."

So he did, green flames revealing him for a changeling, not a pony, and certainly not a guard. "Your highness."

She recoiled in surprise. "What are you?!"

She didn't already know a changeling on sight? A mark against her. "An existential threat, at least those that look like me, but not all of them." He hissclicked his tongue against his sharp teeth. "Our queen is busy making her moves, clumsily, but, given time, she will succeed, and you will fall. But I would rather--" Oops, Celestia's horn was glowing dangerously. "I am not your enemy."

"That there is any doubt is why we continue to speak." She directed a hoof at Perception. "Who are you and what are you? Speak the truth entirely!"

"There is little time for that... You are being watched. Resume your duties, but know that I am working on your behalf."

A tense moment passed, the two watching one another. She rose though. "Very well... I will at least have your name, your actual name."

"Perception Gap." He dipped his head at her low. "At your service. I am making my own moves to counter. Be ready to act, but don't look the part."

"I will continue to be a proper princess." She strode from the room with a kind smile, as if nothing of import had happened. "Poor thing," she whispered to the other guard. "He forgot his anniversary and needed a day off."

The other guard saluted sharply. "You are good to us, ma'am!" It was reason enough for Perception to trot away with the excuse given for him to leave with a sheepish expression as if he had a mare he needed to try and placate.





"Letter!" A postal pony handed him a scroll and tipped his hat. "Enjoy!" And off he flew to the next house.

Perception closed the door and willed the scroll to unfurl. This revealed the childish writing of his left-hoof 'ling.



Hello!

I did everything you said. It wasn't easy, but I did it! Some of them were really angry at me, but some of them weren't. None of them told on me.



Good. With Chrysalis running such a shoddy hive, he imagined few of them would be rushing to squeal to her.



There was one extra angry one. Pharynx. Be careful around that one. Really loyal, yelled at me for 'not having my mind on the hive'. It wasn't fun... He won't be joining us.



On the contrary, he sounded like an excellent recruit... But not for that first part, no...



I did my best! I think about ten or so loyal to us are on the mission to conquer Canterlot. I hope that's enough!



Only ten? That wasn't as many as Perception had hoped for... Still... It was at least something...



I miss you. When do we get to hang out again? Is your mission almost over?



He was loyal, but also kind of sappy. Perception smiled a little as he read those words. Treating friends right was a step he had missed in his past life. A mistake not to be repeated! He would make time for his friend as soon as he could.



A lot of the changelings are asking what you'll do for food when you're in charge. I didn't know, so I told them you had big ideas, but didn't go into it.



No specific promises, good... Just as he had instructed. He would feed his people. A tyrant that failed to feed his people was in constant danger. Only a poor one let his people's tummies rumble. What was he, Chrysalis? That she was so comically poor at meeting their basic needs was half the reason he could make the progress he had. If she was running a tight ship, things would be different.

The timeline was growing tight, but not too tight for him to pen a quick reply to his friend and ally, assuring him all was moving forward, and they would get some quality time together as soon as possible, in better circumstances ideally.

He just had to pull off the coup and not die in the process. He couldn't promise that. Few would-be tyrants could and not be lying.
> 3 - Crescendo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sir." Perception looked up at one of the few changelings beyond the barrier. "An incident."

"Did she do something?" Perception scowled at the other changeling. He didn't specify who 'she' was, but it wasn't required.

"She decided to arrange 'back up' and assigned three ponies to guard the cave." They pointed where that was happening. "They might be missed from the wedding..."

"Right. Yes. I'm on it." He marched past the other changeling. They weren't in on his machinations. So far as they knew, they were doing their job to help make sure the takeover went smoothly. Why would she pull ponies out of position? It was another reason to do what he was doing. But first, a job.

He marched to the caves where, in theory, Twilight was busy winning her way through. She should have been on her way back, if it was all going according to plan. She didn't need to be interrupted.

"Stop right there!" demanded a pony, springing out from behind a rock, two others joining her. They had the glowing green eyes that told Perception what he needed to know. Chrysalis had used a sledgehammer for the job. "You don't belong here," insisted a bewitched Lyra, ears splayed back and a scowl on her face.

That kind of brute force had holes. They couldn't be overridden entirely, not that fast and not that easily. "Ladies, this isn't where the wedding is going to be."

Minuette blinked, confused. "Huh? Oh." She looked to the other two. "We're going to join later."

Twinkleshine bobbed her head. "And I'm going to catch the flowers and be next!" She giggled with joy, thinking of that future event.

Hole located. "Well, you don't want to miss that. Somepony's going to come through here." He pointed deeper into the caves. "And you should let them past, so you can get to the reception on time. I would hate for you to miss out."

All three gasped in horror. Lyra shook her head. "Yeah. That bouquet has my name on it! You heard the stallion."

Perception held up a hoof. "But you don't want her to get angry." They looked equally appalled at that idea. "So make it look legit, and give up as soon as they give you any reason to. You tried your best. I won't tell."

Minuette elbowed Perception. "No idea who you are, but you have some good ideas. Let's get this over with so we can get back to the wedding." All three mares cheered, united behind that idea of rejoining the festivities as quickly as possible.

Perception had no idea that he was the reason the mares would be defeated so easily by Twilight shortly. He trotted in a brisk jog out of the caves. "It should be starting... now." The actual wedding, well, not actually. The fake wedding. He moved to join it, slipping in among the many other ponies that gawked and stared at the big event. There was no time left, at least from what he saw of Shining Armor. Poor wretch was barely standing, and when he fell, the invasion would begin properly.

Ugh, they could have just... not. Chrysalis had an ideal spot to feed on the ponies for years without even being noticed. Nope, she wanted a grand feast and back to famine as soon as possible. He could feel the tension that most of the ponies around him were ignorant of. There was Celestia. She could feel it, he was certain, but she was a statespony, and she revealed none of it.

It was time for--

The doors slammed open, revealing Twilight and Cadance. "Imposter!" She leveled an accusing hoof at the false Cadance. "I have the real Cadance right here."

Cadance waved a shaking hoof at her stand-in. "She's a changeling. She takes the form of somepony you love and gains power by feeding off your love for them."

Now was the time any sane person would stand up to Twilight and call them the deceivers. Chrysalis didn't even try. She revealed herself as if everything was all done, laughing all the while. "Right you are, Princess. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!"

Cadance scowled with more strength than she actually had in her tired body. "They'll never get the chance! Shining Armor's protection spell will keep them from ever even reaching us!"

Chrysalis chuckled darkly. "Oh, I doubt that. Isn't that right, dear?

Shining Armor nodded numbly, clearly out of things. "Mm-hmm."

Queen Chrysalis chuckled with a wicked grin. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't want to go back to the caves, now do you?" She was looking at Cadance, victory in her eyes. "Ever since I took your place, I've been feeding off Shining Armor's love for you. Every moment he grows weaker and so does his spell. Even now, my minions are chipping away at it.

It was time. He knew it. Celestia knew it. She stepped forward. "You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you!"

He burst from the crowd, his own disguise wearing free as he drew a sword into view, clenched in his teeth.  He could see Celestia saw him, but her eyes were on Chrysalis. Good, she knew who her allies were. Ponies around him panicked and screamed, running in all directions. They didn't know him, and that was fine. Them leaving only made things simpler. 

Chrysalis was locked in a magical duel with Celestia, power flaring between them. "Get her," she hissed, clearly hoping he would end the fight for her.

He saw no good reason to do that, but he would get 'her'. Just the wrong her. "I'll protect you," he hissed, tongue flicking as he rushed to Chrysalis' side. It was dumb and not what she had asked. It was exactly what she expected from her minions. The duel was going her way, the energy inching towards Celestia dangerously.

The grin on her face was one of manic victory, oh that delicious moment. She didn't expect that sword to stab into her side. Her magic guttered out in the shock of that betrayal, and Celestia's magic rushed in to fill the void, knocking both of them  back. Celestia had clearly not expected that as much as Chrysalis, and both were knocked clear by the sudden release of magic.

Perception lowered his sword at Chrysalis. "Give up, if you even know how."

She smashed his sword away with an iron hoof, springing to her hooves, blood tricking down her side, but still full of fight. "I will drain every last drop of love from you and leave you a dessicated husk!"

A shattering sound greeted them. Shining listed to the side against Cadance, his barrier coming down.

"We're with you." Twilight stood defiant against the queen of the changelings, her friends arrayed behind her. "Whoever you are."

Celestia was gathering herself up to her hooves, having been stunned but not knocked out. "Get the elements. I'll face her."

Good. He had backup, and that backup had a backup plan. Even as the mares raced off, he parried Chrysalis' wicked horn with his sword, magic sparking at the point of contact. "You lost before you even started this," he growled at her.

"You lost when you decided you could take me on!" Her magic wrapped around him like an iron vice and she threw her head, slamming Perception against a wall with a crunch. Magic was a lot harder to block or dodge.

Celestia crashed into her side, knocking her back. "Did you forget he isn't your only opponent today?"

"Celestia..." Chrysalis took a firm step forward, tail lashing. "I don't know how you talked one of my little drones onto your side, but it won't help you. That was especially rude, but I feel ready for more. That idiot filled me with enough love to take on two of you."

Changelings were filtering in. Many were attacking what ponies remained, capturing them as they had been commanded some time ago. But others came in to land beside the standing Perception. He spat out some green ichor from his injury. "Good to see you all. The plan is on."

"You only have to face one of me," calmly countered Celestia. "But I don't stand alone." Her eyes darted to Perception and his friends. "I didn't have to talk your people into turning against you. It seems you did a perfectly good job of that on your own."

"Queen!" A buzzing drone lowered in front of her. "We are--"

"Silence!" she roared, pointing at Perception. "We have traitors. Seize them!"

The drone saluted, other changelings swarming on the scene. It was time to battle. There was no subterfuge there. What could they become to throw one another off? They were all changelings, just those on Chrysalis' side, and those against her. They met in a wild clash of hooves and one sword.

With a bash, a hoof connected with the side of Perception's head, knocking his helmet free. He made the changeling regret that move with a sharp slice of his blade, forcing them back with a screech. "The ponies are already on our side."

"Glad something is," grunted one of his recruits, gathered by his friend. The larger changeling grabbed two of Chrysalis' faithful and smashed them together. "This is a big mess. You better know what you're doing, or I'll tear you apart before Chryssie had a chance."

"You'll have your chance." A wiry changeling was ducking back from a swinging hoof. "She's busy with the big pony."

"Watch as our 'great leader' struggles." Perception angled his head at where Celestia and Chrysalis were locked in battle. Her injury had helped even the odds. She still had an edge, but it wasn't the lofty mountain she had been on. "We can do better than that, my brothers and sisters."

"You attacked her!" hissed one, bringing in a spear to clash with Perception's sword. "Traitor!"

Perception pushed against that spear, turning it aside from jabbing him with a brutal kick at the changeling midsection. "So what if I did?! If she was half of what she claims she is, she would have stopped me. She keeps us hungry and desperate. Enough!"

Another spear was coming straight for Perception. There were too many for him to fight at once. Fortunately, a small form crashed against it from the side, knocking it off track. "Stop that!" called a possible female changeling. "He's fighting for us! Chrysalis is our enemy," she hissed. "Not him."

Celestia forced Chrysalis back with a great shove. "Your changelings are already in disarray."

"As if your ponies aren't." Chrysalis laughed manically as her people cocooned helpless ponies for later enjoyment. "How does it feel, knowing your entire kingdom is just a little snack for us."

Their magic met in a show of force and combatting wills. "We will not let... a tyrant like you... be the end of us."

"It is time, my breathen. It is time we took back our future in our own hooves." Perception raised a holed hoof into the air. "Chrysalis cannot feed us, so let us feed ourselves, together!"

One of the changelings facing them sneered. "She is about to feed us more than we ever knew!"

"And why--" Perception fell back to all fours. "--do you not know what it feels like to not be starving? What it feels to be content and, dare I say it, happy? Why do you not know what it feels like to know your grubs will never have to know the hunger in your belly? Can she offer that? Can she?!"
> 4 - Can You Do Better?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Easy to say." A changeling darted back from a swipe of Perception's blade and darted into the space behind it with a loud hiss. "What can you do about it?!"

"Me?" He parried a violently jabbed horn, turning it aside in time to jump out of the way of a larger changeling. "Not much. Together, we have the power. We, as changelings, are overdue to take our future in our own hooves!" The time for subtlety had passed. He either secured the support of other changelings, or his coup would end there.

Celestia suddenly vanished, winking to a spot nearby. The magic Chrysalis had been throwing scorched and destroyed the spot she had been standing in. "I will give any changeling that sees the error of their ways a full pardon," she called out, the room shaking with her booming royal voice. "We will seek no punishment against any that ceases this path now."

A changeling that was attacking Perception Gap and his few allies hesitated, glancing around. They turned on another changeling and tackled them to the ground. "The reign of Queen Chrysalis is over!"

They were the first, but far from the last. Every changeling that switched sides was another reason for the rest to consider doing the same. It was not a rout. Chrysalis' influence wasn't so tenuous that it would all collapse so easily, but a wedge had been planted.

Outside, the Mane Six battled fiercely against the changelings, but the changelings were also battling the changelings. Celestia's booming mandate had reached them, loud and crisp, and its effects were rippling behind the sound like a secondary wave of confusion and disorder among their ranks. Instead of being captured, they were making progress towards where the elements were stored. 

Inside, Cadance reached Shining's side, cradling her injured and drained would-be husband. "Are you alright?"

He had his ears pinned. "I'm the worst husband ever..."

"Shh..." Cadance stroked him slowly. "Monster attacks get you a pass, but only the first time. Shh..."

Elsewhere, a filly took a slow shaking step back from a ferally grinning changeling. "Get away," she muttered weakly, too scared to shout properly.

"From lunch? Nah..." The changeling lunged at the filly, inspiring her to let out a piercing wail of terror, but it was too late and both knew it.

That he would be roughly tackled to the side was not in the plan. "Get out of my way." He shoved the other changeling, and got punched for his effort. "Idiot!"

"One of us is an idiot, and it isn't me." The other changeling shoved him back. "The queen of the ponies is giving anyling that stops fighting amnesty."

"So what?!" hissed the changeling that had been interrupted so close to securing his meal. The little filly had already dashed off. "Chrysalis will destroy her, then you! What use is a pardon from a deposed ruler?"

"Can't you feel it?" The other changeling's wings buzzed with agitation. "It's in the air... Something new is coming, and I'm going to be on the right side of it."

"Death is always the right side, eventually." The changeling looked perhaps a bit too proud of his retort. "Let's get you there." He lunged with teeth bared, the two going down in a wrestling and biting contest for the future of the city, and of changeling kind in general.

What neither could predict was the power of love. Starved of his partner's true presence, malnourished and drained, Shining Armor was a sponge for the true warmth and care being shown to him. He swelled with it and began to echo it, refilling and rebounding. Both of them shimmered with a more powerful connection than ever they had before. Cadance's magic wove between them, focusing on that connection between them and strenghtening the bond. Through it, she could restore him, and she was doing just that as they began to float into the air.

Celestia's magic bolt was turned aside with a vicious swipe of Chrysalis' horn. "You can't win. The traitors will be subdued and nothing will change. Nothing. Do you not understand?"

But Celestia was smiling in that gentle and knowing way she had a habit of. "You already lost."

"I will wipe that smile off your face." Chrysalis fired new bursts of power, knocking the princess back step by step. "You're not nearly powerful enough to stop me."

"I never had to be." A flare of power stopped one shot against its stiff bubble before fading away. "My little ponies are ever my true source of power, and you let them succeed for me."

"What's she saying?" The heavyset changeling on Perception's side threw back three changelings at once. "Did she lose it?"

Perception heaved for breath, battered and bruised, but not yet defeated. "The ponies... may be fools at time... but their princess has built a nation and defended it for long enough for them to forget the specific time... She knows something..."

Cadance and Shining's eyes filled with the luminous power of their connection, feeding Shining. She put her entire faith in him, keeping none of it back for herself. It was his time to shine, and he was ready to do so, shuddering with the gifted power. His horn brilliantly shined, but it was not alone. Its glow combined with hers, forming a heart in the air above them as his magic took sudden shape, a new bubble expanding rapidly outwards at the speed of thought.

Chrysalis leaped for Celestia, teeth wide, face a grimace of anger and hatred. None of it helped when she collided with the expanding wall, thrown back as surely as the other changelings.

But not all the changelings. Many were spared the assault that ejected others, some violently, but all the others inexorably. Thrown out, ejected, they were carried away. The sphere escaped out windows and up chimnies, and carried the changelings away on that current. They could but scream and flail as they were carried away.

What was once a battlefield became suddenly quiet. Perception fell to a knee, the other legs looking ready to give out. He was still there. His friends, still there. Some other changelings he didn't know personally were also still there. They were just as confused as he was, gauging from their slow craning necks, all trying to comprehend what had just happened so quickly.

The battle for Canterlot had ended. The ponies had won, protecting their land.

Celestia shook herself out, regaining what composure she had lost in the conflict. Though marked with the violent struggle, she managed to put on the face of the Eternal Princess quickly. "My ponies, we are saved. Let us resume our celebration for not only those who are to be wed, but those who are our saviors."

Cheering erupted, deafening and pure as ponies stomped and clapped in equal fervor for the couple that slowly settled back on the ground. They were all too happy to accept the happy ending given to them. Celestia had declared a happy ending, and that was all they required.

Outside, Twilight blinked at the sudden stop in the fierce battle to get to the elements. All the changelings that had stood in their way, swept up and away... But some still remained. She approached one on unsure hooves. "Hello?"

The changeling hissed at her, wings flared out like an animal trying to look as big as it could to dissuade a predator, but they did not flee, nor attack. "What do you want?!"

"A good question..." Twilight glanced at her recovering friends and the many changelings that looked just as exhausted from the exchange. Cheering reached her ears from inside the castle. "It sounds like things are... finished, but you're still here." She inclined her head. "I heard Princess Celestia's promise." She was pretty sure all of Canterlot had heard it.

"And now you will attack us... The tables have turned, again... And you can easily brush us aside." The changeling took a slow step back, glaring at Twilight with obvious apprehension. "I would if our situations were reversed."

But Twilight smiled, bright and friendly. "But I am a pony. The princess has made a decree. Until she rescinds it, it is the law of the land. All crimes you may have... had a part in, she forgave them all." She offered a hoof to the scared, but dangerous, creature. "Do you accept that?"

Pinkie bounced up, hooves cycling through the air. "Ooo! Say yes, please! You're all super fun!"

The changeling peered at Pinkie with amazing doubt. "You were just fighting with us for the survival of your species, and you find that 'fun'?"

Pinkie inclined her head. "But you don't want to fight with us, and that changing thing you do is pretty cool!" The logic was simple to The Pink One, as confusing as it was for the changelings, more of them paying attention to the exchange. "So say yes. Let's be friends!"

Inside, Celestia allowed her ponies to cheer and celebrate. She was approaching a specific changeling, one weak and tired. She felt just about the same, but was better at hiding the fact. "You did a very brave thing. You are very clever and very brave, but I admit, I cannot be sure of your motivation."

Perception erupted in green flames, taking his pony form with ears pinned back. "My people have suffered enough... your majesty..." It was easier to call Celestia that. It wasn't forced, like Chrysalis. She deserved it without asking for it. "I ask for one thing and one thing alone for our service today."

Celestia skewed her ears forward at him. "What would that thing be?" Wealth? Glory? Power? A thousand petty rewards flitted through her mind. They were all easy to give, but the idea of them being asked for saddened her. Perhaps he would surprise her? She could but hope. "I will listen."

Perception forced his way to his hooves, shaking a little with fatigue, but standing properly. "I request land. Not for myself, but for my people. We will forge a place for ourselves among your ponies."

Celestia raised a brow. "I cannot allow that." She could see his wince and his frown. He was ready to fight, but she was not done. "A foreign country in the middle of my own? No... That simply will not do. Any new municipality that exists within the boundaries of Equestria must be a part of Equestria. It may set new laws, but they must also follow the laws of Equestria as a whole. I cannot have a pony traveling within Equestria suddenly not be in the protection of the laws I set for them."

Perception's brows raised together. That was not an outright denial. In fact... "Then we may have land, to have a new city?"

"There are matters to discuss, and issues to resolve." She waved at Perception and his friends. "See to their injuries, and the guards. I want every injured creature escorted, gently, to the infirmary. What is your name?"

"Perception Gap." He dipped his head. "At your service."

"Tell the others," boomed Celestia, removing the need for anypony to tell anycreature else. "Perception Gap has won the changelings today. The specifics need discussion, but they are to be treated as guests."

Changelings everywhere let out a relieved noise, be that a sigh or a rough cheer. The ponies  would not arrest them, even if the changelings had attacked in the first place. Perception's allies closed with him, those strong enough to help him move, allowing him to rest against them. They were moving off with laughter and cheers.

The future was uncertain, but that they had won a victory seemed clear enough. What the next day would bring, none could say, but it was free of Queen Chrysalis, and that was worth cheering about at the least.

"Bro!" Mirage lowered on fluttering wings with his usual silly smile. He wasn't hurt at all. "I got here as quick as I could... Where's everyling else?"