It was nighttime in the changeling hive, and its one prisoner was busy asleep. DJ smiled happily as he dreamed. The reason for this? He was home, with Twilight by his side, Nyx and Scootaloo playing nearby and Spike cooking a wonderful dinner of… roast Chrysalis? Well, it was certainly entertaining to DJ and Malice who was in the dream as his own being, busying himself by seasoning the roasting queen as Spike twirled her around over the fire. Deep down, he knew this would never happen, but this was a dream and was the funniest thing ever at the moment!

Outside the jail cell, the two night guards looked over at the smiling alicorn with disdain. This pony was a prisoner of their queen and was not allowed to be happy. So, one of them picked up his spear and rudely started poking DJ with the blunt end. It took a few tries, but after successfully jabbing DJ’s nose with the spear, the alicorn prince awoke with a start. Sleepily, he glared at the two guards who returned the gesture in kind.

“Can I help you?” he asked curtly.

“You were smiling in your sleep,” one answered emotionlessly.

“Is that a crime?” DJ retorted sarcastically.

“You are a prisoner of the Queen Mother; you are not allowed to be smiling about anything!” the other said with a touch of anger. DJ glared at them even harsher, but decided trying to give the two guards a smack down at the moment wouldn’t amount to anything. So, DJ picked himself up and moved further into the cell, out of reach of the guards and their spears, muttering the whole way.

“Not allowed to smile, I’ll give you something to smile about, ya stupid, worthless…” DJ sat down on his rump, facing the wall, thinking of a multitude of ways to punish those two. The night guards were nothing like Sting and Scout; these two were emotionless and completely dedicated to Chrysalis. To sum it up, they were not fun in any way. DJ kept muttering to himself, more than a little ticked about being awakened from such a good dream.

“If I had my powers, ohoho, you two would be dead. A little Force lightning, a little Force push, then finish up with alchemic cage. Yeah, that’ll teach them. I’d just clap my hooves and seal them in a cell. Yep, just clap my hooves like so.” He clapped his two hooves together, knowing nothing would happen, except that doing so ushered out the familiar ‘ding’ of alchemy being prepared. DJ’s eyes went wide and his mouth agape; he couldn’t believe what he just heard. He looked at his hooves as if he were seeing them for the first time and then clapped them together again, resulting in the ding once again. “No way,” he muttered.

Malice, DJ said in his mind to awaken his partner, who simply ignored it and stayed sleeping. Malice! he cried out again, with the same result. MALICE!! With a small scream, Malice flailed awake within his mental chamber in DJ’s mind.

Ow, he muttered from falling off his mental bed. What do you want kid? I was getting some sleep?

Malice, this entirely worth waking you up! DJ clapped his hooves showing Malice the result. The demon’s eyes widened.

What. The. Hell?! How? Why? How do we still have our powers? Chrissy has the swords! Do all them still work, or is it just alchemy?

Let me check. DJ looked over at spotted a rock. Thinking a little, DJ called upon the Force and, to the surprise of both beings, the rock levitated over to him. Eeyup, we’re still packin’!

Malice smiled wickedly. Ohoho, this is sooo perfect! Next time Chrissy comes down to puncture us like a freakin’ pin cushion, we show her what happens when a bug gets zapped! That or we use alchemy to spear her to a wall or somethin’. I dunno, I just know that Chrissy is so dead!

That she is! She’d better watch herself now or –

“Hey!! Look presentable!” a guard shouted into the cage, bringing DJ to face the changeling, a little peeved about being interrupted from his mental tirade. “The princess wishes to speak with you!” DJ looked in-between the guards to see another changeling wearing some form of regalia. She was roughly the same height as DJ, but a somewhat slender build and had a fair amount of green hair. She looked like a very young Chrysalis.

“Greetings, Prince Sparkle,” she spoke with a much kinder voice than her mother. “I am Princess Insectum, blood-child of Queen Chrysalis and ruler of the United Hives.”

DJ wasn’t sure about some of the things that she said, but figured to ask a later time. “I am Prince DJ Sparkle of Equestria, adopted son of Princess Celestia and born of another world. As well as husband to the Princess of Magic, Twilight Sparkle, and adoptive father of Nightmare Moon.” DJ felt pleased at Insectum’s surprised face at the title he came up with on the spot. When Insectum shook herself out of her stupor, DJ spoke again. “How may be of service to you, Princess Insectum?”

“You seem much more relaxed at this than I assumed,” Insectum noted.

DJ shrugged. “I was trained in diplomacy after the wedding. Though, I didn’t pay much attention to it; I frickin’ hate politics. Being a gentlecolt, however, is something that comes naturally.”

Insectum gave him an amused look. “A prince who hates politics, never thought I would see the day. Well, as you asked, I need you to come with me. There are some… things that I would like to discuss with you.”

Now that DJ had his powers back, he figured he would search through Insectum’s feelings, looking for any form of deception or ill intent. He became perplexed, however, after finding such feelings, but they were not directed at him; no, instead they seemed to be directed to his two guards. Curious, he noted mentally. Should we hear her out?\

I got a good feeling about this bug. Let’s see what she wants, then deal with getting out of this trash hole.

Sounds like a plan. DJ looked at Insectum with a casual smile. “I am not really in a position to say otherwise, now am I?” He got up and began to stride towards the door. Insectum backed away as the guards opened up the cell door, allowing DJ to walk out.

“This way, if you would,” she told him, gesturing to her left exit. DJ nodded and they began to walk, with the two night guards following. After a few steps, Insectum stopped and turned to the two changelings. “I will not be needing protection. You are both to stay here and await further orders.”

“But your majesty—“ spoke one of the guards, but Insectum interrupted.

“You will do as I command. The pony is in no condition to harm me in any way. Plus, I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. Is that understood?”

Both changelings look to their princess and back at DJ several times before hanging their heads in defeat. “As you command, Princess Insectum,” they said in perfect unison. Nodding happily, Insectum began to lead DJ away. They walked through several tunnels and outcroppings, by passing the larger parts of the hive that could be considered cities. However, these crevices were not empty. Several were mass graves that, for some, were near full with corpses. In other areas were changelings that looked near death or were dying on the ‘streets’. It made DJ sick to see all this suffering and yet their ‘queen’ only worried herself with revenge. He pitied the queen, knowing that she will be the one to bring ruin to her once great people. After a while, Insectum stopped outside a barricaded door and turned towards her prisoner.

“We are alone now, Prince DJ; away from my mother’s influence. So, I must ask you a few questions. Is this acceptable?” Her tone made it seem much more like a statement than an actual question, so DJ complied with a nod. “Good. Now, I hear you have befriended two of your guards. Is this true?”

DJ glared at her. “If I hear that either of them is harmed because of this conversation, I will hunt you down and put your head on a spike. Be careful of whose friends you mess with.”

Insectum shook her head. “I am only wondering if you truly befriended two of my brothers. There is no harm in friendship. Next question: do you think ponies and changelings can ever live in peace?”

DJ sighed and looked Insectum right in the eyes. “No, not so long as Chrysalis holds the throne. Her drive for revenge will undermine any form of peace we may have with each other. She’s too far gone and nothing will dissuade her. She truly believes that conquering Equestria will solve all of your problems, when doing so will only hinder you so much more. King Sombra conquered the Crystal Empire and enslaved all of its citizens, just as Chrysalis plans to do with my home. Only, there was no love when Sombra took over. If there had been, the Crystal Heart would have been used against him long before. No, enslaving a race will take away all of the love and your kind will still starve. If Chrysalis wasn’t in charge, then yes, I do believe that our two kinds could live in peace. It would take some adjusting and years to get used to, but I do believe that it could work.”

The changeling princess nodded. “So, if my mother wasn’t the Queen anymore, would you be willing to create peace between us?”

Her question made DJ highly suspicious of her, but answered honestly. “If she wasn’t queen, then I would force my way into the throne room of Canterlot Castle and force all of the nobles to agree to a peace treaty. I know it would only take a little convincing to get my mother and aunt, so only the nobles would prove troublesome. But, yes, I would take it upon myself to forge a long lasting bond between our two races. I believe it would be much more beneficial than us remaining enemies.”

Insectum nodded with a smile. “Good answer. Now I have one last question, but first, I want to show you something.” With a quick burst of magic, the barricaded door behind them disappeared, revealing a darkened passageway. “Follow,” she said while walking through. DJ was hesitant, of course, but followed after a moment. After several flights of stairs, DJ found himself in a massive chamber, one filled with other changelings that were busy making weapons and armor while others were sparing or excising. “Welcome, DJ, to the Changeling Rebellion,” Insectum said proudly with an outstretched hoof.

DJ looked upon in wonder as well as confusion. “’Rebellion’?” he parroted. “You mean that you intend to overthrow your own mother?”

“That’s the plan dude,” spoke a voice from DJ’s left. He turned to see none other than Scout looking back at him with a smile. “Welcome, man. Sting’ll be happy to see you here, too.”

DJ looked at his friend with a gaping mouth and bug eyes. Before he could see anything, Insectum spoke. “Your words ring truth, Prince. My mother is consumed by her revenge. She simply won’t listen to reason, not even to me, her blood daughter, born from her womb as a true child. I fear for my brethren should we continue down this dark path. That is why I have brought you here. DJ Sparkle, will you help us? We need your assistance as well as your word. Should you help us, in exchange for your release, all we ask is that you negotiate peace between the United Hives and Equestria. What say you, will you help save my kind?”

DJ looked from the princess out to the training fields and the forges. He watched as the changelings prepared themselves to fight against their own mother, one who was supposed to protect and nourish them, only for her to lead them to extinction. He then remembered the mass graves and the starving others who lied in the darkness, waiting for death’s sweet embrace. He could never leave such things alone. He turned back to Insectum, who looked at him with pleading eyes. With his infamous smirk. “When do we start?” Insectum and Scout both looked at DJ with grateful smiles.

“Right this way, we start now,” said the princess leading him and Scout further in.

“Good, cause we got a lot of work to do,” replied DJ.

*****The Crystal Palace*****

Princess looked over the round table with a stern face. After the surprise interruption of her missing son at the Equestria Games, she and Twilight brought all of friends and military advisors here, the War Room of the Crystal Palace, a room that hadn’t seen use since Twilight and her friends convened here to discuss the Crystal Fair. Around the table was DJ’s greatest friends and allies: Shining Armor, Cadence, Luna, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Big Macintosh, Applejack, Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie Pie. All of them wore faces of determination, save Twilight, who had calmed down from her rage shift, yet still held a face of fury. Also were her top generals: Gleaming Shield and Aegis. Both stallions were second only two Shining Armor in strength, skill, and determination as well as two of the few guards that had personally met the missing prince and befriended him.

“You all know why we have convened here,” Celestia started, looking to everypony gathered. “My son, Prince DJ, has been captured by the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis. We are to discuss his recovery and rescue. What information do we have?” she asked, turning to Aegis.

“The location of the changeling hive,” he said, pulling out a map that covered the whole table. “We discovered it after the Invasion of Canterlot. It is right smack-dab in the middle of the Badlands, an easy three day trek from the nearest populated area. Unfortunately, none of our spies were able to infiltrate the hive, so we would be going in blind.”

Celestia nodded and looked to Gleaming. “We were able to triangulate the source of the prince’s broadcast, placing him deep within the main hive.”

“Main hive?” asked Applejack. Gleaming nodded.

“Yes. Based on our research, the Changeling Hive is in fact made up of several hives that have been grouped together with a much larger hive in the center. We have estimated there to be just about a dozen hives surrounding the main. We are unsure of why, but right now it doesn’t seem important.”

Again, Celestia nodded, this time looking to Shining Armor. “I will need a team to perform this operation, Captain,” she said to him. “Would you be willing?”

Shining pounded his hoof on the table. “You’re damn right I am. Excuse the language Princess, but nopony messes with my family, especially not her.”

“I’m coming with, Shining,” Twilight said with determination. “She won’t be getting away with taking my husband.”

Shining wanted to deny her, but the fierce look in his sister’s eyes told him that there was no backing down this time. He nodded, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop her. What he didn’t expect was who volunteered next. “So am I,” said none other than Spike! Every eye turned toward the dragon, who was now sporting his cloak, a strong look in his eyes.

“Spike—“ started Shining, but Spike beat him to it.

“I am not staying behind this time. DJ hasn’t trained me for nothing. I can help!” Everypony gasped as Spike grew to his new size, showing his strength. “I can fight now and I am going to help save my brother-in-law. If I can fight off three teenage dragons, I can take on some stupid bugs.”

Even Celestia was a little frightened by Spike’s new attitude, but felt a little more secure of this mission with the dragon going along. “I believe that Spike will be a good addition to your team, Captain Armor. I suggest we let him.” Shining didn’t seem so sure, but reluctantly agreed. Spike reverted back to his original size, happy about being included in this adventure. Then the captain turned to the others around the table and spoke.

“I am not allowing any you others along. The rest of my squad will be guards of my choosing. This one will be handled by the trained professionals, not civilians.” The girls weren’t ready to back down so easily, but Shining’s harsh glare quieted them all, though Big Mac took a little more convincing. Shining let out a sigh with that out of the way and then looked at the map. “I wish we had a little more to go on than the hive’s location. I don’t like the idea of going in there blind.”

“You may not have to,” spoke an unknown voice from the doorway. All heads turned to see two cloaked figures standing there. The three military ponies jumped to their hooves and placed themselves in front of the others, protecting the princesses and the civilians with their own flesh. “Stand down, captains,” spoke the smaller of the two figures.

“What gives you the right to order them around?!” Rainbow Dash asked angrily.

“She has plenty of right,” growled the larger figure. Both were obviously female, but nopony were expecting the sight of the taller one without her cloak. It was a griffon, one that was highly familiar. She smiled at the dumbfounded faces of the girls. “What? Surprised to see me, Dashie? And I thought we were friends,” she almost snarled at the word.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t think or say anything. It was all too shocking. “G-G-Gilda?! What the… how the… what? What are you doing here!?” she finally asked with a little angry.

“Helping a friend!” she cried back. The smaller figure put a hoof on her shoulder, pulling her back.

“Calm down, Gilda. We will work on your issues with Dash another day. Right now, we have a pony to save. Now, I ask you again to stand down, Captain Aegis and Captain Gleaming Shield.”

“And why should we listen to you?” Aegis said back with a glare.

The mare sighed, hanging her head for a moment before standing tall. “Does my word mean so little now?” She then pulled back her head, making everypony gasp as her identity was revealed. The mare was a pure white alicorn with pastel pink and blue mane. “As a princess of Equestria, you will stand down.”

“P-princess Pixel Berry!” they both stuttered out. Celestia was gaping at the sight; she was inwardly grateful and overly joyed that her daughter had come back, but something also made her cautious of Berry, and that worried her deeply. The two guards bowed and backed away. “Apologies Princess Berry. We didn’t know it was you.”

Berry’s harsh look didn’t change as she and Gilda approached the table. Looking into her saddle bags, Berry pulled out several large rolled sheets of paper and tossed them onto the table. “What are these?” asked Twilight taking one from the pile, only for it to be teleported back with the others.

“These are an intricate map of the Changeling Hive,” Berry said with a smug face.

“And how did you get your hooves on these?” asked a worried Celestia. Berry glared at her mother slightly, disturbing several present.

“I stole them,” she said coolly. “Straight from the hive itself.” Everypony was staring at her with gaping mouths and/or wide eyes. “If you’re wondering why I was in the hive, well that’s my business and my business alone. Now, in exchange for this information, I want myself and my friend, Gilda, to be included in the rescue op. Those are my terms.”

“And what is stopping us from simply taking this information?” asked Princess Cadence, a little miffed at her cousin’s attitude. “We could simply take these maps and leave you out.”

“You could do that,” Berry replied evenly, “But it would lead to the maps being destroyed. I have enchanted them to disintegrate should they be picked up in magic that isn’t mine unless I program that unique signature into the spell matrix. Sure you could try to take them in your hooves, but that’s where Gilda comes in. Gilda?”

Gilda smiled, opening her beak slightly and letting out a small burst of red flame. Her grin could be described as ‘shit-eating’ as she looked at everypony’s expression. “That’s what happens after being cured from a failed transformation spell, everypony,” she said while crossing her talons smugly. Berry smiled and nodded, then turning back to the others.

“So, do we have a deal?” she asked. Shining Armor was about to verbally berate his sister-in-law, but a hoof on his shoulder told him no. It was Celestia, who was looking at Berry with a pained expression. Shining sighed in defeat.

“You win Pixel, you and Gilda will be a part of the team. We’ll figure out the details after I have assembled the remaining members.” Berry nodded in understanding and then made her leave, as did the others, knowing that things would be figured out a later point, once they all got some sleep. Twilight started off towards her room at the palace, but stopped as she saw Celestia speaking with Pixel Berry. She hid around the corner of the hall and listened in.

“…please, Berry. All I want is for you to come home,” Celestia pleaded, sounding like she was ready to cry.

“I can’t. Not, yet. I have to see this through. I have learned things, things that I need to see through to the end. You made your thoughts on the idea pretty clear last time, princess,” Berry spat. Twilight’s eyes widened. Berry never called Celestia ‘princess’. It was always ‘mom’. She could hear as Celestia began to cry.

“Little one, please! I didn’t mean those words; I swear. It was all a mistake, please let me make it up to you. I don’t want to lose you, Pixel Berry!”

Twilight saw Berry waver slightly, but still held firm. “I’m sorry, but I won’t be going back to Canterlot for a while. I will come back someday, but it won’t be soon. I need to find out the truth and I can only do that out there, in the world! I can’t be locked up in the castle like some priceless antique. I’m not fragile, far from it. I’ve been through my own hardships, both on Earth and here. I told you exactly what happened during my imprisonment in the Griffon Empire and I’ve seen even worse out in the Badlands. But now, brother has been taken by that evil bitch, Chrysalis, and I’m not leaving him in her twisted hooves. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to Gilda at the hotel.” Berry turned to leave, but turned back to say one last thing, “I will come back… mom.” With that, Berry took off with a flash of magic, leaving Celestia sobbing in the middle of the hallway.

Twilight couldn’t bear to see her mentor in such pain, so she moved from her hiding spot and wrapped a wing around the solar princess, surprising her slightly. Turning to see Twilight smiling back at her apologetically, Celestia put her muzzle in Twilight’s shoulder and cried out over two months of worry and hardships, Twilight simply rubbing her back, wondering in disbelief at the strange circumstances that led to their two places being switched as well as to what was happening between the two ponies. All she knew at the moment was her mother-figure was in a great deal of pain and she was gonna be there for her, just as Celestia was always there for her.

**********

Several hours later, Shining Armor had all of them reconvene in the war room. He described their plan in full detail, from travel to insertion then to rescue and finally evac. Aside from himself, Twilight, Spike, Berry, and Gilda, Armor had recruited four other guards. Two from Canterlot and two from the Empire; all of whom had former combat op training and were highly trained in search and rescue. With everything explained, Shining Armor had one thing to say to the gathered ponies.

“Chrysalis got away at my wedding and nearly destroyed our city in the process. This time, she has gone too far by taking my brother-in-law, who is good pony that saved this Empire only a year ago. This time, she will fall and DJ will be returned to us. For DJ!”

“For DJ!!” they shouted back.

“Good! Synchronize your watches everypony, in three weeks’ time, we strike!”

*****The Changeling Hive*****

“Fascinating, simply fascinating!” DJ said as Princess Insectum walked him back to his cell. They were passing the time through stories and Insectum was explaining to him why she referred to the changeling home as the United Hives. “So, your grandmother, the birth mother of Chrysalis, actually united the thirteen changeling hives to create this massive one, all to bring the changeling race closer together? Amazing!”

Insectum nodded. “Indeed. Our kind prospered after the merge, creating a healthy economy of trade between the newly united hives. It was booming for decades, changelings having only to depend on one another with no outside interference. But, when my mother took charge, she took control of everything, wanting every changeling to have equal shares of everything and anything. She thought that it would make everypony happy. All it did was—“

“It just made everything fall. Nopony would be willing to work, knowing that it would amount to nothing, everypony just had to sit on their asses and wait for handouts. That’s communism for ya; great in idea, not in reality,” DJ interrupted. Insectum stared in disbelief at him, but he just continued. “Capitalism does have its flaws, I’ll admit, but it has better advantages. Health competition is one, it spurs creativity and results in newer and better products.”

“Exactly!” Insectum cried. “How do you know such things?”

“Similar problem back where I came from. Resulted in a cold war that lasted nearly fifty years between the two large super powers of the world. One had a communistic government, while the other, my country, was capitalistic. The clash of ideals led to many advances in technology and warfare so that they could one up each other. Thankfully, it never led to a full out war, but there were a few skirmishes here and there.”

“Amazing. Even other worlds have such problems.”

DJ chuckled a little. “You’d be amazed at how similar our worlds actually are if you bothered to look.” They arrived at DJ’s cell just as morning approached and the night guards would be replaced. The guards opened the cell and DJ walked in, planting himself down on the hard stone, looking back to Insectum. A moment later, Scout and Sting arrived for their shift and relieved the night changelings. The four members of the rebellion made one last check before starting conversation.

“Alright you three,” started Insectum. “Do you all know the plan?”

“Yes, your highness,” replied Sting. “We are to start taking out night guards, incapacitating them and capturing them to be imprisoned in the stronghold.”

“From there, we take in the weak points of the central palace and we figure out the guard shifts so we have as little resistance as possible,” continued Scout.

“Good. Will you be ready, DJ?” The three changelings looked to DJ, who smirked and let a little electricity into his hooves.

“You get my swords, and I’ll be ready for a fight.” They nodded. “Be prepared, my friends, for in three weeks, this ends.”