In the skies of Vanhoover, Applejack soared through the air accompanied by the two Wonderbolts; Spitfire and Soarin. Ever since leaving Canterlot they'd been flying for several hours, occasionally driving off any Black Lanterns that attempted to ambush them.

However, as they reached the edge of the city, Applejack felt a huge rush of energy flow through her body. "Whoa there.... mah ring's actin' up somethin' fierce y'all!" Applejack said as her ring started to spark and spurt more green energy.

"Seriously? Now!?" Spitfire asked in a baffled tone. "What, does the ring need recharging or something?"

"Actually, it's... perfectly functional..." Applejack stated as the aura around her started to glow more intensely. "And Ah think that might have somethin' tah do with that..." She said as she pointed to the distance, her two comrades turning to see a massive blue pillar of light rising out of the center of Manehattan.... which was surrounded by thousands of Black Lanterns.

"....that isnot good. If that's another Lantern they're gonna need some serious backup!" Soarin' exclaimed.

AJ couldn't help but agree with him. Whoever they were they're smack in the middle of an invasion, they weren't going to last long. Not wasting a single second, Applejack flew towards the city as fast as possible, with the two Wonderbolts following close behind. Somehow she just felt.... drawn to the this new power.... and her ring felt it to.

“Y'know… the Wonderbolts could use somepony like you in our ranks…” Spitfire said as she flew alongside her.

"Not a real flyer. Not that interested." "Sorry ta disappoint." Applejack stated bluntly as she picked up speed towards the city. 'And 'sides, Ah know a certain Pegasus who'd gladly take yer offer...' She thought to herself. '...provided she finally opens her eyes and sees past her blinding rage...'

Back in Manehattan, the invasion had taken an unexpected turn.

With her newfound power, Pinkie bolted through the city at a speed Rainbow Dash would be proud of, slamming into one Black Lantern after the other in rapid succession like a pinball on a sugar-rush. "This is so much FUN! I can't believe this kind of power would turn Dashie into a big meanie pants!" She giggled as she casually dodged several dark beams that rained down from the sky, briefly turning around to smack one away with her hoof, sending it through three buildings and flying into one of the zombies. "So, we're you trying to get my attention?" Pinkie chuckled as her assailant hovered above her.

"Oh aren't you just CUTE?" Three Leaf said with a morbid dark chuckle. "I think I'm going to enjoy hurting you more then I have any right to."

Pinkie squinted for a moment, staring at her opponent with an air of uncertainty. "Wait... I remember you! You chased me and my friends on our way to Canterlot! What was your name again? Leaf Clover? Tree Bark?"

"MY NAME IS THREE LEAF YOU DIMWIT! IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO REMEMBER!" The zombie said as it formed a claw over it's right hoof and rushed forward, trying to slash her across the face.

Pinkie gracefully dodged to the left, then the right, then the left, then the right again... it eventually got to the point where she was apparently dancing away from her opponent. "Missed me, missed me, missed me again! Man, I'm annoying aren't I?" She giggled.

"HOLD! STILL!" Three shouted as she slashed at Pinkie... and managed to get a good gash on her side. "HA! GOTCHA BITCH!"

Pinkie hissed in pain as she held her hip, quickly forming a protective bubble around herself. "Jeez... you're no fun!" She panted, her outfit slowly reforming to cover up her scar.

"Fun?! Bitch I'm ALL about fun! And this? This is my MASTERS definition of fun! The dead are where they truly belong! And nothing anyone can do may stop it! So why don't you just accept that Hope is dead!" Three shouted as she fired another beam at Pinkie.

Pinkie braced herself as the beam made contact with her shield, biting her lip she glanced down at the city. Even though she had taken down a fair amount of the Black Lanterns, there were still several more terrorizing the city as its citizens ran for their lives. And as she turned her attention back to her opponent, she saw that there was a small crack appearing on the surface. 'No… I can't give in!’

At that moment however that she felt a pulse of hope… glancing to her right she saw the Apple family, Mrs. Cake, as well as Twilight's parents watching her from afar.

She could feel it! Their hope, their belief in her!

'NO! I.... I won't give in!' Pinkie thought aloud and her ring started sparking.... before an explosion of bright blue light blasted Three Leaf into a building.

“I'LL RIP OUT YOUR SPINE FOR THAT!!!” Three Leaf screamed as she rose from the rubble… only to be greeted by a surprising sight. Pinkie was surrounded by a heavenly blue glow that shine above the city as if it were the sun itself. Behind Pinkie were constructs of her sisters, Marble, Limestone, and Maud Pie.

"What sort of constructs are those things?! Your precious family?! Then let me get the pleasure of DESTROYING them right in front of you!" Three shouted as she charged at Pinkie.

“Not a chance!” Pinkie smiled as she summoned an instrument for each her siblings. Limestone was given a guitar, Marble had a keyboard bass, and Maud was on the drums. “It's time to show you what we're made of!” Pinkie shouted as her sisters began to play music.

Three growled as she blasted Limestone into dust and went to crush Pinkie directly. Unfortunately for her, Marble bolted in front of her and played her keyboard, firing several blasts at her as Limestone reformed behind her, forcing her back by playing her guitar and shooting multiple blasts from the head-stock as Pinkie started to sing.

"Silly little mare, it seems you had,
A big idea in your head,
To come and conquer me.
"Now I don't mean to go and wreck your night,
but my friend you're in for quite a fright,
For I'm gonna crush you with all my might!"

Three roared in rage and used her ring to grab some rubble and smashed them on top of the Marble and Limestone constructs before throwing them as Pinkie with blinding speed, smiling sadistically as she waited to see them crush her. However it was for naught as Maud appeared in front of her little sister and started slamming her hooves into the rubble as quickly as possible, breaking it apart and reducing it to meet pebbles. She then summoned up her drums and started playing, releasing several shock-waves upon her opponent.

Three snarled and went for Pinkie again, however just before she could touch her there was a blinding blue shock-wave that blasted her back. Marble, taking advantage of her distraction, took the opportunity to blast her as Limestone darted below her, slamming her guitar across her face with a vicious smile.

"Cuz I am the one you should fear the most!
Cuz I am the one who will take you down!

It was then Pinkie finally joined in, summoning what looked like a scepter with a winged heart attached to the end. Not wasting a second she bolted down towards Three Leaf and fired a massive beam down upon her, her sisters immediately joining in and blasting her from all angles.

And as long as I exist,
there's hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world!"

Three roared in anger and started trying to block the four blasts.... and the roar signaled the rest of the Black Lanterns to form up on her and start trying to kill Pinkie Pie with all of their undead might.

Pinkie smirked as she sent her sisters to form around her, each one charging the hordes of the Black Lanterns, Marble summoned several cart-shaped rocks and hurled them down at the approaching masses. Limestone conjured up what looked like a massive egg-shaped boulder and sent it flying down towards the army like a meteor, and Maud summoned several small pebbles, while they looked completely ineffective, Maud hurled them at the army at a surprising speed, each one zigzagging through the masses and slicing through their hides before they could react.

Pinkie then turned her attention to Three Leaf as she slowly got up, her wounds slowly healing, and gave her a “you're mine” look.

"So, the battle’s not going your way,
calling your mooks? Well that's okay,
they will soon disappear.
I'm gonna crush you down till you're so small,
That a mouse will seem nine stories tall.
Prepare to fall... goodbye!"

Three roared in absolute anger as she charged at Pinkie. How DARE she make a mockery out of her! After everything that she suffered this bitch shows up almost of nowhere and tries to ruin everything?! She would not let her continue being a blight upon existence by living!

Pinkie continued to sing as she started swinging her staff, sending out Heart-Shaped blasts at her opponent. As she dodged she flew into the air and summoned not one, but two party cannons that fired upon her. Three yelled in rage as she was forced through several buildings. Each one hurting even worse than the last one before she stopped on one that... actually managed to hurt even worse than last time.

"Cuz I am the one you should fear the most,
Yes, I am the one who will bring you down,
And as long as I exist,
There's hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world!"

Pinkie charged through the holes in the building and slammed her hooves together, engulfing them in blue energy…. only for Three to burst out of the rubble and slam into her. Three then began pounding Pinkie into the ground, laughing with each punch to her face. The amount of satisfaction she got from this... it was BEYOND mere catharsis. It was true pleasure beyond a doubt. Maybe close to.... love itself.

Despite the amount of pain she was in, Pinkie was still able to sing... noticing two young foals watching from an abandoned store across the street, their eyes wide with terror.

She could feel their hope dwindling... she had to fix that.

Three saw them as well and sneered… a disgusting thing, hope. It gave off false reassurance. Made ponies think there could be a happy ending.... except not everypony could get one. Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel was a LIE.

She held up her hoof, aiming it at the two foals, both of whom held each other close, too scared to move. She charged her ring, ready to add two new souls to the Black Lanterns…

...only for Pinkie to let loose a powerful burst of energy, grabbing Three by the neck and rocketing into the sky with her in tow before she could fire. The moment she got high enough she summoned her sister's from within the city to join her.

Three snarled and yelled at the top of her lungs. She was NOT going to lose to some..... jokey living sack of MEAT who couldn't understand how pointless her precious HOPE was! She will NOT disappoint her mistress!

"Never a time, I fall apart...I must be strong.
Cuz the heroes win, and the villains lose.
Choose your side...it's your move."

Limestone performed a violent guitar solo as Pinkie threw Three into the air Marble slugged her across the face, and then Muad then dropped down from above and delivered a rapid flurry of boulder-piercing blows that ripped off large chunks of her skin, and Limestone joined her sister in firing a combined blast at her, sending her spiraling into a skyscraper.

However just after that, Pinkie briefly felt a lapse in power as her opponent rose out of the building she'd been tossed into. Looking down at her ring she noticed that it had lost most of its glow, not to mention her uniform and her sister constructs were starting to fade away...

She was running out of power!

Her opponent seemed to notice this to as a she bolted towards her at breakneck speed with a malicious grin on her face.

Thinking fast, she quickly summoned a shield around herself...

...only for a green blur to slam into her at the last second.

"And we are the ones you should fear the most.
Cuz we are the ones who can bring you down.
And as long as we exist.
There's hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world.
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world,
Hope for the world..."

Pinkie looked up in both surprise and relief as Applejack turned to face her, her entire body appeared to be engulfed in emerald flames. Pinkie could feel the immense power wafting off her.... and strangely..... she felt like she had something to do with it...

Three Leaf stared in rage and shock at the figure in front of her.... a Green Lantern with a Blue?! This will NOT continue! She won't go down like a mere soldier! In her rage Three Leaf roared and called upon every single remaining Black Lantern in the city to form up on her.

Three licked her lips before letting out a bestial roaring and ordering them to attack the duo.

Despite the overwhelming odds, Applejack felt no fear, she could feel the light of willpower flowing through her body. It was as if Pinkie’s mere presence was fueling her. Floating beside her friend, the two began to sing in unison as held their hooves out towards the advancing army and proceeded to fire a unified blast of Hope and Willpower, Pinkie pouring that last of her energy into the beam, enhancing the power of Applejack's blast tenfold.

"ENOUGH WITH THE DAMN SINGING!" Three shouted as she and her army fired their own beams in a vain attempt to try and overpower the two.

Applejack simply smirked as she poured more power into her beam, eventually slicing through the dark beam and barreling through the army and slamming into Three Leaf herself. Sending them all flying out of the city. However they underestimated how strong the beam was.... and soon Three Leaf was turned to dust, leaving her ring barely in tact as it flew off into the distance.

"Whew!" Applejack sighed, wiping away some sweat. ".... think ya went overboard with that?"

"Nnnnope! If anything it wasn't far enough!" Pinkie said but then turned and hugged her friend with a warm smile on her face.

“Good tah have ya back, sugarcube.” The farmpony smiled, hugging Pinkie back. “It just don't feel right seeing yah without a smile on yet face…”

"Aw shucks I try my best!" Pinkie giggled as she continued hugging her friend. "I'm just happy to see you alive and well to!"

“Sis! Sis down here!” Applejack heard a familiar voice call out, prompting the middle sibling of the Apple family to turn her attention to one of the buildings, where she saw Twilight’s parents, Sweetie Belle, her Aunt and Uncle Orange, her cousins, her big brother and little sister waving to her excitedly.

As they flew towards them, Pinkie looked down to see many of the civilians slowly coming out of their hiding places, soon the entire city of erupted with cheers for both her and Applejack.

She could feel it, all of their hope, their joy, the very reason for her Cutie Mark. She could feel it flowing into her, empowering her

And she would use that power to protect everyone.

"'I don't need any help' I told her. 'I can do it on my own' I told her.... and she didn't believe me. Tch. Showed her. I don't need no runt." Gilda smirked as she pushed a large assortment of clouds that would normally wipe out a whole town towards the Weather Factory.

As she entered the factory, she was greeted by the sight of Scootaloo seemingly swimming a large barrel that was normally used for mixing liquid rainbows, however it was now filled with acidic blood.

"We'll look who finally got back!" The young Pegasus smirked as she started doing the backstroke. "You sure took your sweet time getting here. I already filled up the entire barrel!"

"Tch. That one barrel ain't filling up what I brought over." Gilda said as she yanked the clouds into view. Scootaloo merely stared in shock and disbelief.

"H-how did you-?!" Scootaloo shook her head and scoffed. "Hmph, s-so you got a ton of thunderclouds, big woop." She said as she pulled herself out of the acidic pool. "This barrel is big enough to double as a pool! I'd like to see you fill it so quickly!"

"Don't lie. You're jealous." Gilda said with a smirk as she left the clouds near her. "Be sure to use every last drop." She told her with a chuckle.

Ignoring her protests of “I'm not fucking jealous!” Gilda flew to the main office where Rainbow Dash was waiting. Inside the mare had found a map of Equestria and was currently writing several arrows and circles around each city.

"What's up with the circles boss mare?" Gilda asked jokingly. "You planning our honeymoon soon?"

Rainbows wings briefly sprang open as a blush spread across her face. “Oh haha G. No, as a matter of fact I've been going over which major cities Nightmare might attack.” She said, gesturing to the circles around Canterlot, Manehattan, and Las Pegasus.

"She'd definitely hit Manehattan next. Place has a pretty big ass population. She'd round up plenty of soldiers to make her army bigger." Gilda said as she stabbed it's circle.

“That's what I thought too, however…” She then turn her attention to the Western area of the map. “Scoots said that she saw a lot of her forces heading west… but why?” She asked that she put a hoof to her chin, pacing around the desk. “Appaloosa is way too small a town for her to waste any large-scale forces on, so that must mean there's something in the Badlands net she's interested in… the question is: what is it?”

One Week Later...

Canterlot was in a sorry state, buildings left and right reduced to rubble, corpses that hadn't been corrupted littered the streets, the remaining civilians that were unable to evacuate were now in small camps around the castle. Shining Armor made his way through the ruined streets, flanked on both sides by two Earth Ponies on his left and two Pegasi on the right, he sighed as he looked back at the shield he was carrying behind him, inside was their newest 'prisoners'.

The three of them had been found approaching via the city outskirts. Or to be more precise, two of them had been found carrying their much larger comrade on their backs, trudging towards the city gates with a limp in each step. They had been brought before him by the patrolling guards, begging for sanctuary within their walls. A small part of him wanted to say 'no', to turn them away and demand that they never return, but another part of them knew that his marefriend would frown upon that sort of action, and if not her, Princess Celestia herself.

Well, that plus the fact that they were badly wounded to begin with, what threat could they possibly pose?

'Famous last words...' He mentally reprimanded himself before casting another cautious glance at their 'captives'. The youngest one was staring at the elder one as if she could drop dead at any moment, he honestly couldn't blame her considering she looked like she been through Tartarus and back, she was covered in several bruises and scars, she barely made a sound aside from the occasional pained groan, that and her stomach slowly rising and lowering were the only signs that she was still alive. Within her hooves was a small cluster of what looked like eggs, five in total. The older one-despite her severely injured state-refused to part with them clutching them against her chest as if letting them go for even a second would cause them to disappear forever.

Shining Armor was brought out of his thoughts as they approached the edge of the barrier. A small gasp of pain got his attention, prompting him to turn his attention to their captives. The eldest one seemed to be be convulsing in pain within the bubble.

"P-please sir! My queen she's... she's dying! She needs sustenance!" The younger prisoner begged. "Y-you can't let her die! P-ponies are supposed to be about love and friendship!"

Shining sighed as his horn glowed, the guards accompanying him tensed up as a hole opened up before them, without a word Shining Armor carried them through the more populated section. Shining then turned to his comrades. “Start patrolling the area. Make sure no one finds out about our new… “arrivals”, understood?”

"Understood sir." One of the guards said as they all headed in. He got close the convulsing elder one and hugged her gently. He began thinking of Cadence... of his little sister.... of how this new arrival was yet another sorry victim in this terrible war... and hoped his love could help heal her.

The Elder inhaled deeply as a light pink aura erupted from Shining’s chest. The captain of the Royal Guard winced he felt a bit of his strength leaving him, the aura wanting from his body and into her waiting mouth. However after a few seconds she stopped “feeding” as her horn glowed, redirecting the aura to the clutch of eggs she was holding.

“My Queen? I think that's enough…” The male one whispered, his Queen glared at him for a second and then glanced at Shining Armor, who was slowly starting to have trouble standing.

Sighing, her horn stopped glowing, and Shining felt his strength returning to him once more. "Can you stand?" Shining asked but it was clear he was still extremely worn out. The Queen merely nodded and kept her clutch close to her.

"Th-thank you..." The male smiled in relief. "You have no idea how much this means to us..."

Shining however simply turned his attention to the castle. "You can thank me after we meet with the Princess." He stated firmly. "Right now I need the three of you to change so you don't draw any attention..."

All three glowed a bright green for a brief moment before shifting into the appearances of a common mother and her two children simply scared and out of their minds with worry. ".... a bit over selling it."

Shining took a deep breath as he lead to trio into the castle… unaware that someone was watching them from a safe distance…

“...so I suggest we remove all of the bodies from the cemetery in order to make sure the enemy doesn't target it first should they invade again.” Cadence suggested to her assistant as he wrote everything down.

"And what of the corpses already in the streets?" He asked her. Cadence sighed at that question.... something she never in a million years thought would come to pass.

".... burn them. We can't run a risk of any kind." She said as she massaged her temples.

“Princess Cadence?”

The two turn to give notice to see Shining Armor leading the three Ponies into the throne room. “We… we need to talk…”

The Princess of Love stared at the Captain for a few seconds before turning to her assistant. “Go, have my orders carried out immediately. And tell the council the meeting will be rescheduled for tomorrow.”

The servants all nodded as they left the room. Cadence looked at the trio and glared at the trio. "You can show your true forms. I know you're Changelings.... and that your Queen is dying."

The trio’s eyes widened in disbelief as Shining Armor took his place beside Cadence's throne. Their Queen scowled as she was bathed in green flames and her disguise vanished, the remaining two following suit. “....how did you know?”

"Simple. The way you looked at me like I was something to be admired..... or rather.... savored. I've met a few Changelings in the past. I know the look." Cadence said. "Now come here. You all need proper nourishment."

The first two Changelings slowly approached her, their Queen being the most hesitant. The moment they got close enough Cadence's horn glowed and her aura took the form of three hearts about the size of her head. Each one floated towards one of the Changelings

While the younger ones dug in, eagerly absorbing the magic into their bodies, their Queen looked up at Cadence questioningly.

“....why are you doing this?”

"Because the world doesn't need more violence or pointless death. You shouldn't be forced die from starvation.... only a monster would consider that." Cadence stated in a gentle tone. "I've been a firm believer of the best way to defeating an enemy.... is sometimes by a more peaceful solution.... and in this time of crisis we need allies, not more enemies…” As she continued, she rose from her throne and trotted down towards her, holding out her hoof. “....now, will you accept my hoof of friendship?"

She stared at the Princess’ hoof for a moment before hesitantly holding out her own and shaking it. ‘It's not like I have much of choice…’ She thought to herself as she proceeded to absorb half of the energy she'd provided, while having the other half slowly flow into her eggs. “Not for nothing, but how do you think the public will react knowing you've taken us in?” She asked skeptically. “I seriously doubt they'll be very accepting, especially since given the state of your city you've recovered from an enemy assault yourselves…”

"You would be surprised how open the ponies are." Cadence said with a warm smile. "Some of us nobles aren’t as close-minded as many think. We try our hardest to help those who need it. Such as yourself just moments ago… and no matter what you may think.... we are allies now."

The Queen sighed, how could she be so optimistic in this time of war?

"Now then... I believe the first step to becoming better acquainted would be to the very least be on a first-name basis..." Cadence smiled before turning her attention to the other two. "I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."

"I'm... Murmur..." The female replied hesitantly.

"M-my name is Thorax​..." The male said, giving her a respectful bow.

"And I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings..." She glanced at her remaining subjects and then at the eggs. "All seven of them anyway..."

Author's Notes:

And to those who are wondering, the Changeling OC does not belong to me:

Murmur belongs to Michael_Ravencroft's Entities of Emotion.

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