The edge of Ponyville was crammed full of ponies, with a huge amount of tension and anticipation in the air. Everypony had answered the call of Princess Twilight Sparkle - Stallion, mare, colt, filly and even foal alike were gathered at the very edge of the town district, looking in the sky to the south. Earth and Unicorn ponies were nervously shuffling on their hooves and whilst some of the Pegasi were hovering, others were too worried to fly.

Twilight stood at the front alone looking out, her wings spread to make herself seem as impressive and regal as possible. Everypony was looking to her, their Princess in resident to be their rock during the coming moments, and it weighed heavy on her back Not even Tom was this heavy, and he was an massive rock Twilight thought to herself, trying to calm herself down by remembering all the triumphs in her life.

Suddenly a small black cloud was visible on the horizon, the Alicorns impressive eyesight spotting it first. It was too late to change plans now...the Changelings were on their way and would arrive soon. Everything had been planned for, she just need to have faith.

Faith The word rolled around her head a bit. Everypony had always had faith in her, even as a young filly.
- First there was her parents, who had faith that the money they would spend to even get her into the School for Gifted Unicorns wouldn’t be wasted.
- Then Celestia put her faith first as her student, but also the Princess had the faith to put her very freedom in Twilights hooves during Nightmare Moon’s return. Twilight always wondered what would have happened if Nightmare Moon had not been defeated - where was Celestia all that time?
- Then her friends had shown faith in Twilight time and time again since, and she had shown faith in them. Together they had overcome everything from arguments over how to make the perfect s'mores, to defeating gods of chaos.
- In fact, the only time everypony didn’t have faith in her in turned out Twilight was right all along, at her brothers wedding. Okay, everything worked out in the end, and it gave her her wings, but it was a close call and she did have to endure that night - a night she would never forget. Of course she would never burnden her friends and family by telling them the details.
- Recently, even Discord had shown her faith by confiding in the new Princess. He was struggling to adapt to a normal life, and couldn’t trust the Royal Sisters. But he trusted Twilight for reasons she could at least in part understand.

And now the whole of Ponyville were standing with her as the changelings approach, displaying faith in her once more. All surrounding her and backing her up, except one pony, a blue pegasus which to the untrained eye did not seem to be embodying their element of Loyalty.

As the swarm approached, a buzzing noise started to be heard, and grew louder and louder. Compared to the quietness of the Pegasi, Changeling wings were a noisy affair when in their natural form, and today they were not even trying to be stealthy.

Twilight picked up on ponies growing more nervous behind her so she turned to face them, Celestia’s sunlight shining off her crown sat atop her head.

“Citizens of Ponyville...” she started formally, before softening her voice “...Family, Friends, ponies with overdue library books...” she giggled, trying to lighten the mood “I know you are all nervous, but there is no need to be. We have prepared for this, and everything...”

“IS GOING TO BE JUST FINE” the rest of the town joined in the Princesses infamous catchphrase Needs to be 20% cooler Spike thought to himself.

Twilight smiled at her subjects, a special big one to Spike and Owlicious, before turning back to face the oncoming Swarm.

“Steady” she called out, her wings flared, the jewel in her crown sparkling majestically.

The Swarm grew closer, the noise increasing along with the rates of all of the ponies hearts.

“Not Yet” the Princess called out.

Twilight could see the blacks of their eyes. The changeling swarm grew larger and larger in view, with Queen Chrysalis at the very front.

“Wait for it” the Princess commanded - they had planned this for too long for somepony to make a mistake now.

The swarm slowed getting ready to land. There were around twice as many Changelings as residents of Ponyville - the whole swarm had followed their Queen to the very centre of the country, an impressive and brave act.

The swarm came to rest about a hundred hooves away from the edge of town, and as their hooves touched the floor, Twilight called out “Now!”...

* Teams of Pegasi took to the air in perfect synchronicity
* Unicorn’s closed their eyes horns started glowing intently. A baby dragon on the back of nervous white unicorn gently stroked his lovers indigo mane to calm her, whilst Angel was doing the same to Fluttershy.
* Pinkie pulled away covers concealing cannons and earth ponies gathered round them to fire.
* Rainbow Dash dived off a nearby cloud and came thundering down towards Ponyville
….
BOOM!
….
Fireworks from both Pinkie's cannons and Unicorn horns lit up the sky and combined with a Sonic Rainboom, whilst banners raised by the Pegasi unfurled, everypony doing their part to give the changelings the same message be that in writing or in meaning

WELCOME!

The peace treaty with the Changelings had been quickly established after the failed invasion of Canterlot. With most of the swarm trapped inside the city, and only the weak and injured left back at the hive, Queen Chrysalis knew she was beaten. But she had to put her subjects first so made a desperate plea for help - the changeling race wass dying off due to the lack of food.

Celestia and Luna had no time for the Changeling Queen, but could not decide whether to banish the whole swarm with their Queen, or take Chrysalis prisoner. Cadence on the other hoof wanted to help them, as was her nature. Her calming influence over her new husband at least stopped him from tearing the defeated Queen apart with his bare hooves, but of course being used and abused as he had been meant that he could not see past his anger - at least not the day after the wedding.

Twilight had very mixed feelings - there was the part of her that had helped reform Luna and Discord, and even helped Trixie out. She knew everypony deserved a second chance, or even more, and sympathised with the changelings problems. And then there was the part of her that wanted revenge for what Chrysalis had done to her.

The arguments between them had been the rolling around the royal chambers for hours, with Chrysalis desperately pleading her species case. Twilight had sat there in silence for the whole time, deep in thought and forgotten about by the others.

She suddenly spoke “Don’t you think you should listen to what I have to say?” as she sat up from where she had been laying. Everypony looked at her - they knew that somehow she had become much more powerful than any one of them had ever been. She was one of the new Princesses (whilst not yet official they would arrange for a formal coronation soon enough) and deserved her say.

The look on her face along with the body language she was displaying meant they knew they had to take it seriously.

“I wasn’t sure of the exact nature of the history of the Changeling and Equestria relationship, but I’ve now read up on it...”

“When did you leave to get a book Twilley?” Shining asked, resorting to the foalhood nickname by instinct

“I didn’t leave BBBFF” she smiled “I just teleported one here and read it whilst you all ignored me. Read a couple actually. Anyway, it seems like this has been the first major invasion that the Changelings had ever done?”

“That is correct” Luna answered “At least leading up to my banishment”

“That means that they deserve some leniency, and indeed a second chance. Now of course myself, Cadence and Shining Armour have the most reason to distrust the Queen...”

“What happened to you?” Shining interrupted, turning to growl to the Queen he now thought had hurt him, his bride and his sister

“The details aren't’ important” Twilight nuzzled up to her brother showing her soft usual side “but lets say that I do have my reasons not to want to help her. But if both Cadence and I want to help them, your outvoted two Sparkles to one Captain!”

“Twilight, I haven't taken the family name” Cadence giggled

“You’ve been an honorary Sparkle along with Smarty Pants since the first bookfort we built” Twilight smiled at her old foalsitter, before composing herself again.

“And whilst Princesses you have a kingdom to protect” Twilight turned to Celestia and Luna “This must show just how desperate Chrysalis and the changelings are. To commit the entire population on one attack...that is quite literally do or die. Can you imagine how they must be suffering to do something as crazy as that?”

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, an unspoken connection reminding them both of the dark times their subjects had suffered, like during Discords long reign. What would they have been willing to do to end that, had the Elements of Harmony not been discovered?

Twilight could sense her arguments were valid “I have a plan, one that should allow both Changeling and ponies to live in peace. This is not up for debate...” Twilight pointed to the other creatures in the room “...this is happening exactly how I’ve imagined it”

Twilight then tuned to the Changeling Queen “But Chrysalis , if you or your swarm ever hurt anypony, ever try to fool anypony, or don’t do exactly what is agreed...” Twilight jabbed her hoof into her chest “...then that changeling and yourself will have to answer directly to me.”

Twilight started to glow all over and the five other powerful creatures in the room got a feeling of just what Twilight was now capable of “And trust me, I do have a desire for revenge!”

Chrysalis stood in front of her swarm, looking at the display that Ponyville had put on. She had to remain their composed leader, despite inside wanting to break down in tears. No town had really welcomed the Changelings arrival, they merely tolerated because of the orders from the Princesses.

And now she had arrived at the hometown of Equestria’s newest Princess, and the welcome was not done just because of any order from Twilight or anypony else. She could taste the fear and the nervousness from many of the ponies, but also sense an overriding feeling of friendship and love coming from the whole town. Ponyville was a special place, not like one she had ever been too before. One that welcomed you whomever you were.

The Queen walked towards Twilight with her subjects staying still, and Twilight did the same, the pair meeting in the middle. The both bowed in their respective ways to each other.

“Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings, we welcome you and your subjects to Ponyville” Twilight said loud enough for all to hear

“Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria, we thank you and...your friends for such a warm welcome” she responded as loudly.

Twilight then lowered her voice “I trust the flight went well?”

“Yes, apart from a small unexpected storm which had escaped the Everfree forest, it was nice to be on the move”

“Hope that you enjoyed the welcome. We wasn’t sure what to do but Pinkie wanted to throw some kind of party...”

“I sure did” Pinkie popped out of a nearby bush, before disappearing back

“Ponyville is too kind. Manehattan tolerated us, and followed everything by the book, but couldn’t wait for us to leave” the Queen replied, ignoring Pinkie’s antics she had learnt from the wedding.

“That's a shame, but it’ll take time for everypony to come around to the idea. I think you will find Ponyville much more relaxed during your swarms stay”

“In that case was quite a formal welcome from you! Should we create a special little dance or something?” Chrysalis asked

“Thats for me and Princess Cadence...you may have impersonated her but you are nothing like her. Besides, last time I did that with you, I sort of ended up regretting it” Twilight scowled at her, but did gave the queen just the subtlest wink of an eye.

Chrysalis smiled back. She and Twilight had become sort of friends during the Changelings stay in Canterlot, before the swarm started the kingdom wide feeding tour. Twilight herself had gone to assist bring the sick and injured left behind in the hive. There was no chance of a fight from the remaining Changelings when they saw an Alicorn arrive, and she had given them all enough love to survive the journey back to Canterlot, even carrying some in her aura the whole way. For doing that for her most vulnerable subjects, Chrysalis would be eternally grateful.

In fact, Chrysalis sort of owed Twilight for her and her swarms very existence, saving them as individuals and also arranging for this sort of feeding compromise that had been developed. Although of course she may have not needed that at all if Twilight had not defeated her in the first place. I should have just banished her to the caves with Cadence Chrysalis sometimes thought That would have been a much better idea

But the friendship was not an easy one as what Chrysalis had done to Twilight was still an issue between them. And it wasn't even really the physical part that was the issue, which was all part of the Queens feeding after all and Twilight could accept that. But there was no need for the emotional games that the Queen had done - that part was just her evil side and would be a difficult to overcome.

The pair started walking back towards the ponies, the Changelings starting to follow. The ponies looked on as the former enemy approached, and they knew what was expected on them. They were used to giving love and friendship to everypony, but this will be the first time they would let a creature take it.

The group stopped a few hooves away from the ponies, and Twilight addressed the crowd. “Friends...I know you are scared. But I promise you this doesn’t hurt. I have been fed on numerous time, including by the Queen herself, so I am speaking from experience. As long as the feedings are spread around the town, and that the Changelings move on, there is no lasting side effects. They need us, in the same way we need food to survive, and we would never turn food away from any creature that needed it!”

The Queen walked next to Twilight “Citizens of Ponyville - I understand your apprehension. But we have been doing this for months in various towns, and no pony has been harmed. I know that you are a small town, and so we are going to have to feed on each of you more than once. In fact, each of you will need to feed two of my subjects at each feeding. But I promise, and your Princesses will ensure this, that none of you will ever come to harm”

Rarity walked out of the crowd, having deposited Spike on the ground first. “I’ll go first - Spike and I have more than enough love for each other to share around”

Chrysalis smiled “Ah Rarity, element of generosity, I guess our invasion didn't stand a chance when you bearers epitomise the elements so naturally!”

“Thank you...I think” Rarity replied, as Twilight facehooved. She was used to Chrysalis’s way of talking about the invasion still, but it still made everypony else nervous, except for Cadence who could also sense Chrysalis’s real change .

A changeling mare walked out of the main pack and approached Rarity, Spike eying up the stranger approaching his lover. “So, what do we do?” Rarity asked out loud, vocalising the question on all of the ponies minds.

“There has to be a physical touch from the changelings mouth...but don’t worry we won’t be sinking our fangs into your necks like how we used to feed” the Queen explained.

Twilight facehooved again, knowing the thought of Changelings acting in their natural way now filled the minds of everypony “Rarity, just extend one of your front hooves” Twilight called out.

Rarity extended her leg in the most ladylike way possible, and the changeling slowly approached. It lowered it’s head and placed it’s mouth around her hock, and started a sort of sucking motion.

Rarity winced a little when contact was made, but there was no pain at all. She looked down at the changeling feeding off of her, and she only felt two things: She could feel a little sort of drain on her emotions, a bit like the same drain when using magic, and could also feel a sort of warmth coming from the changeling.

After about a minute, the changeling released her grip on Rarity’s leg, and dipped its head to the unicorn before walking back to the changeling group.

“All the other changelings except myself cannot speak when in our natural forms, but that bow is to say thank you” the Queen filled in the gap.

“That’s it?” Rarity asked

“What’s it like Rarity” Roseluck called out. The dressmaker turned back towards the ponies, all eagerly waiting for her to respond. Despite normally loving being in the limelight, this seemed a very unusual situation to be in, but she would make the most of it.

“It was nothing really...a bit of an unusual feeling having somepony sucking on your leg, but it didn’t hurt or anything! In fact, i’m not sure why ponies would ever have feared the Changelings in the past!” the fashionista replied dramatically.

Before Chrysalis had a chance to put her hoof in her mouth again, by explaining how they used to suck ponies completely dry of all emotion which killed them, Princess Twilight spoke up “We have come up with a way for them to feed without hurting who they are feeding on, and because they know we can provide them a constant supply of food, they don’t have to take too much from a single pony, so there is no damage”

“Much like if we were to continuously farm the same land it would become infertile?” Applejack called out

“Exactly, but by moving around Equestria we can take a little of every pony and allow you all to recover” Chrysalis joined in “And we are thankful for every single feed”

Groups of changelings then approached groups of ponies, and the ponies nervously extended one of their hooves. The feeding then began, with Twilight and Chrysalis watching over the mass of ponies and changelings, making sure that everypony did his or her part and no changeling took too much.

After a while, Cheerilee approached the Royal Pair, followed by all the students of Ponyville, the young ponies looking around a little nervously.

“Ahhh, Princess, what is going to happen with the youngsters?” the teacher asked.

Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash, all already having been fed on, came over when they saw the group including their sisters approach Twilight.

Twilight turned to Chrysalis and nodded, and the Queen sent out a message to the hive mind. Out of the main group came a bunch of smaller changelings, looking around nervously themselves as they gathered around their Queen.

Chrysalis turned to Cheerilee “Did you explain the situation to your students Mrs Cheerilee?”

“It’s Ms sadly, but yes your highness they have been informed and all agreed to it”

“You’re going to make the fillies and colts take a feeding?” Rainbow Dash suddenly flew into the Queens face, before being gently pulled away by Twilight's magic

“Nopony is going to forced to do anything!” Twilight scolded her friend.

“There’s no way, no how, I’m letting Applebloom do that!” Applejack added with venom.

“Hey!” Applebloom yelled out, breaking to the front of the class “It’s my body, and my decision!”

“Be quiet young filly!” the older Apple barked

“No, if it’s good enough for ma big sister, and it’s good enough for Cheerilee, it’s good enough for me”

Before there could be any more arguments, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders approached the younger changelings, where two fillies and a colt changeling approached them equally nervously. Both sets of youngsters looked towards their leader, and seeing them nod in uniform, the feeding took place. The older sisters looked on nervously, surprised by their sisters bravery, and knew that Twilight would never let the fillies come to any harm.

Once the feeding was done, the Cutie Mark Crusaders started giggling at the strange sensations of the feed. “See, theres nothing to it!” Sweetie Belle yelled out, and the remaining youngsters started approaching each other.

Once the youngsters had all fed (there were two more young changelings than ponies, but Twilight allowed the last two to feed off her, a great honour), Twilight asked Cheerilee to escort all the youngsters back to the school so they could all play together.

When the children had left, another group of ponies saw their opportunity to approach, led by Mr and Mrs Cake. This was a group containing all the parents of Ponyville.

Carrot Cake walked forwards and bowed “Ermmm, Twilight, your highness, what about the foals? You never said what would happen with them?”

Chrysalis smiled at them “Our foals do not need to feed, their parents will feed them themselves. I’m sure our babies will love to have new foals to play with thought, nopony in Manehattan would let them near their children. They might try suck on your foals by instinct, but they can do no harm...they suck on anything lying around!”

“Our Pumpkin is just the same dearie, oh I mean your Highness” Cup Cake responded, blushing at the end at being so informal, again!

The various parents of both species approached each other, each having a foal or two on their backs. Twilight magicked up a massive playpen with bunch of various toys and both sets of parents put their young inside. The foals just started playing with the toys and with each other, treating pony and changeling as equal. The parents looked on and just smiled at each other as the happy burbles of changeling and pony foal alike filled the air

After watching this fascinated for a while, Chrysalis started to cry,“The future generation will grow up not fearing us...perhaps there is a chance afterall!”. Everypony nearby turned to look as the changeling leader broke down in tears. Twilight put a wing round the Queen to comfort her, a rare public display of affection between royalty, and it suddenly clicked in everypony mind.

The Changelings were desperate, they needed them, and it was their duty...
not out of loyalty to their Princesses...
not out of fear of the Changelings...
but a duty as creatures of conscious to help them out.

After about half an hour, everypony had been fed on once with about half the Changelings being fed. The two groups were a little more mixed now, and they were starting to bond. Whilst Changelings couldn't speak, they had started to try to mime and draw to communicate with ponies. So far all the inhabitants of the other towns ignored them, but Ponyville citizens were more than happy to give it a go, Pinkie especially enjoying the game. Although her guesses were a little more imaginative then others...what these hands were that were supposed to go way up, then come down before they'll party together all around were was anypony's guess!

Twilight and Chrysalis flew up above the crowd, to address them all, the pony starting “Thank you friends for your efforts so far. Once you have all recovered from the first feed, in about an hour, please indicate you are ready and the second feed will take place. You may find it a little more tiring, but that's natural for multiple feeds in a day. Remember, I allowed twenty three sick ponies take make a much deeper feed out of me on the rescue mission...so I’m sure you can all manage two”

“I understand that you have opened up your homes to my children to stay in, and allowed them the freedom of your town. You have no idea how much that means to us!” Chrysalis managed to add, still choked up with emotion.

“Three Cheers for the Changelings” Mayor Mare called out, and the whole town joined in the cheer, nearly making the Queen cry again.

“Now, Queen Chrysalis and I have some important business to discuss, which will take the rest of the afternoon and night. Once the second feeding is done, you are all free to do whatever you like...although i'd imagine most will want to go to the marketplace for the celebrations” and paused for another massive cheer.

“So enjoy Pinkies Party, and see you all around town tomorrow” Twilight concluded, and bowing to her ponies (rather than the other way round), Chrysalis and Twilight flew off towards Golden Oaks Library...

Author's Notes:

Sorry for Pinkie being Pinkie, but then, thats Pinkie. She is the fourth wall breaker! And i can't write her any other way.