Author's Notes:

Hey everyone Sorry for the long chapter and wit. I know I said it'd be one last chapter before this arc was finished, but I decided to make it into two more parts just so you don't have to read one loooooooonnnng ass chapter. I know a lot of you hate that so I did this just for you.

And you know who you are. Crow.

I know it's long but still. Don't shoot the messenger. Any ways enjoy guys and gals! The next arc will be out soon so stay tuned! I'll be adding revisions later.

Remember to read rate love and tolerate!

Deep in the heart of Canterlot a full battle ensued. The changelings had taken the city and were just trying to catch the last few stragglers that had managed to evade them thus far. Trixie and Buttercup stood at the forefront in defiance, fighting off every changeling they could while protecting Peanut and the small filly.

As the horde swarmed over them a voice called from above in frightful passion.

"TRIXIE!"

The unicorn looked up to see Spitfire pile driving through the black mass like a sword through flesh as she carved a path directly to her blue mate. She landed in front of the showmare flaring out her wings like a feathery shield against the changeling swarm. As the changelings recollected themselves the two mares set up a makeshift barrier between themselves and the swarm. Trixie used her magic to life up several boxes into place while Spitfire and Buttercup grabbed Peanut an the Filly.

Spitfire took Peanut and flew over into an open window placing him in an empty room. Buttercup took the filly and followed her fiery mother into the building.

"What's your name?" she gently asked the filly placing her beside Peanut.

"I'm not suppose to talk to strangers." the filly timidly replied backing into a corner of the room.

Spitfire stood perched on the window seal looking down at Trixie who was now back against the wall bellow. She hopped out flaring her wings making herself descend slowly down the wall just above Trixie. Once she was within arms reach, she beat her wings with just enough force to hover over her mate. Reaching down, she took hold of Trixie and with a few mighty beats of her wings, she rocketed up into the room with Trixie in her arms wedding style.

She placed the mare down and immediately ran to the window, seeing the changelings scattering after not finding them.

"I think they're gone." she said to the group.

She stood by the window and kept watch for a few minutes while Trixie tended to the two youngest. Buttercup stood watch as well. She made sure nothing came through the front door while her mother continued watching from the window. The Wonderbolt watched as one by one, each citizen fell. Captured by the invading changelings. All the while Peanut was feeling very distressed.

Not once in his entire life had he felt such an intensity of strong emotions. Trixie could tell he wasn't well. The changeling appeared slightly pale in his threshal form. she held him close, his body felt cold, and he was shaking. He kept looking around as if he could hear something. Trixie wasn't sure of it before, but maybe with all the changelings around, maybe he was hearing something. Was it the other changelings?

"Peanut?"

The startled changeling looked up at his blue mother. "Y-es, momma?" he asked, still shaking.

"Sweetie, it's alright. You're fine. But, why don't you tell me about the voices you heard?" she asked stroking his false mane.

"You believe me now, momma?"

She cringed slightly from his question. He had no malice behind his words, but it stung her knowing she didn't believe him, and she yelled at him too. She regretted it immensely. All that mattered was she believed him now, and that's what's important.

"Yes I do. What did you hear?"

This caught Spitfires attention. "Voices? Trixie what voices? Did Peanut know about this?" she asked almost angry.

"Spitfire please! He didn't know what it was before. Remember he's never seen another changeling before. And if he did, he still didn't know." Trixie reassured her yellow mate.

Spitfire snorted returning her attention to outside. She observed a group of changelings capturing a group of royal guards in their green slime while listening to Trixie and Peanut.

"So tell, momma, what you heard?" Trixie asked her son.

"It's, not quite like a voice actually more like several voices in my head, momma. It's more like... a feeling." he said trying to describe the sensation he felt earlier. Buttercup scooted over to their side.

"Wha'cha mean little bro?" she asked him.

He tapped his chin deep in thought. "It was like I feel now. I feel all sorts of... emotions. Feelings. They're desperate, momma. Starving. We feel hungry. So hungry... and sad. We are so sad.... so much sadness and pain." he paused staring at the filly who looked very scared now. "We need them to live and it's my job to see to it that my subjects are all fed." he finished the last sentence in a menacing tone, his eyes narrowed at the filly as his irises glowed green and he transformed into his natural form.

The filly screamed running past a dumbstruck Buttercup and left running down a hallway while Trixie jumped holding the changeling in her arms.

"Spitfire!" she cried out fighting to hold her struggling son.

The pegasus jumped over holding the small changeling pinned to the floor. A moment later Buttercup ran back slamming the door shut.

"Mom! We have company!"

*Canterlot Gardens*

Ruby and Blaze stood looking over the statue of Cosmic Star. The statue mare was a beautiful sight. One could have said she was carved by a master stone master and none would have thought the wiser. They wore their signature armors and watched as several griffins and unicorn servants drawing a large teleportation sigil around the statue of Cosmic Star.

One servant was tending o the statue when she came across the name plate. It was very dirty. It was an old looking brass plate that had tarnished badly over the years. She took her cleaning cloth and rubbed it vigorously until the name on the plate became cleaner until she could not only read it, but see her reflection in it as well. Once finished, she beamed at her work and with a strong nod, she turned to her masters.

She walked over to Blaze and Ruby keeping a submissive posture, with her head low. "Master Ruby, Mistress Blaze, the mistresses statue plaque is clear."

"Very good Sterling." Blaze said walking over to inspect the plaque.

She leaned over it and read the brass plate. "Here rests for her crimes against the Royal Crown and Equestria, Cosmic Starfall."

"Mistress! The sigil is ready!" one unicorn stallion said from the group.

"Excellent! Thank you all for your loyal dedication. Let's get the statue home!" she ordered.

The servants nodded and began to encircle the statue. The unicorns focused their magic on the arcane sigil and it began to glow a sickly green and began pulsating. Blaze went over to her brother taking hold of his shoulders.

"Ruby. Get her home and wait for me and Solarflare to get back." she instructed him. "And don't leave until I get back, understand?"

"Don't you mean 'we', sis?" he asked tilting his head to the side.

"What?"

"You said wait until 'I' come back. You and, big sis, are both coming back right?" he clarified.

"huh? Oh! Right, right. I'm sorry yes, I meant until 'we' come back. So stay home until 'we' comeback. OK?" she asked once more kissing him on the cheek making him blush.

"I will." he said, giving her a quick peck on the lips before he turned to enter the sigil.

He joined the group in lighting his horn and focused on the sigil, once he did it turned a bright blue color and quickly began to pulsate. In seconds the area was covered in a blinding flash. Seconds later the light was gone, and so was the group of ponies plus one statue. Blaze stood silently for a brief moment before walking into the castle with a wicked grin on her face.

"I'm coming, dear sister."

She walked towards a set of double doors , opening one and slipping inside. She kept her head aloft checking to make sure she was the only one left before slowly closing it behind her.

*Canterlot Room Hideaway*

Trixie watched as Spitfire held their son down with Buttercups help. Peanut had turning from his kind gentle self to a hissing and biting animal in only a few seconds. He struggle against his captors snarling and snapping his fanged jaws at them trying to get one good bite off them.

"What's wrong with him?!" Trixie screamed holding her hooves over her mouth as tears ran down her cheeks.

"I can't hooold hiiiimmm." Spitfire said struggling to keep hold over him.

"I can't either! He's sooo strong! Where'd this strength some from?" Buttercup asked pushing all she could on his tiny body.

Suddenly there was a banging at the door as a group of changeling burst through. One from the front shot a green beam from his horn straight for Buttercup. Spitfire instinctively jumped in the way taking the hit in her side. The smell of burnt flesh and fur lingered as she turned to face the changelings.

She lunged forward pinning the first one down by gripping his horn and twisting it violently. As he feel she roundhouse kicked the three behind him sending them to the ground in a pile. She then bent the horn to the changeling she held while she used her knee to pin him in his back making him arch his back unnaturally.

He was forced back to prevent his horn from breaking off, which it was very close to. He panted barely moving out of fear the mad mare holding him would break his horn off. Spitfire looked back to see Peanut still fighting against his sister, and now Trixie joined in holding him. She cried in his ear hoping o get through to him but it was useless. Spitfire then turned her attention to her captive.

"Listen here you worthless piece of filth. You tell me what's wrong with my son, or else I'll break you horn off and drive it through your eyeballs before I torture you-"

"NO! PLEASE! I'LL TALK!" the changeling panicked flailing his arms.

"Good boy. Now talk." the Wonderbolt ordered watching his friends who were still on the ground unconscious.

"The youngling! He-ee-e's a thrasher maul!"

"A what?!" Spitfire yelled pulling harder on the horn.

"PLEASE STOP! I'M TALKING! PLEASE DON'T BREAK MY HORN! I'LL DIE!"

"Then you better get really chatty real fast then buddy." she said in a wicked cold tone.

Trixie and Buttercup shivered at how cold her tone was. It was as if the very temperature in the room went down several degrees by her very presence. It scared them to see her like this. Spitfire growled revealing some pressure from the changelings horn.

"Thank you." he said cautiously. "As I was saying, your son, the youngling, is a thresher maul. It's a subspecies of changeling. They very powerful and very dangerous. We typically don't associate with them."

"What is a thresher maul?" Spitfire asked the captive changeling.

"It's like a very primal changeling. They seek out powerful emotional sources of love typically, including ones such as compassion and even passionate love. They grow to massive sizes but thankfully can't develop fully without a Queens blessings." he explained.

"Is he dangerous?"

"Oh very. Very dangerous. We were sent to destroy him." It only took a second for the changeling to realize his mistake, but by then it was too late.

Spitfire yanked his horn back making him arch back with it. A sickening snapping noise followed as he cried and begged for mercy, but Spitfire was not listening. She now stood on his back and with both arms tugged as hard as she could trying to pull out his horn. The poor changeling begged and pleaded but received no mercy from the fiery mare.

Just when he thought his doom was there Trixie leapt forward and yanked Spitfire off of him, leaving him open to scurry to the corner. Unfortunately, this left only Buttercup to hold down Peanut, and it wasn't enough. The little changeling managed to free himself from his sisters grasp and hissed loudly at them. He was approaching them when the window exploded into several shards of glass and wood.

Spitfire leapt to protect Trixie and Buttercup from the blast, diving to the side as a large piece of debris hit her in the back of the head knocking her out. Trixie was dazed as was her daughter.

from outside came several Lunar Guards lead by Princess Luna herself clad in dark blue and silver armor. She looked over at Peanut and then to the cowering changeling in the corner. The Night Princess wore a single breast plate with shoulder guards and bracers and donned a rapier on her left and a small shield on her right wing. The shield bore her cutie mark with very intricate lace designs tied into it. Her rapier was dark blue and silver like her armor and was very elegant looking.

The young changeling hissed at her as she drew her sword pointing it a the feral changeling.

"Come foul beast! I shall slay you!" she declared charging the changeling.

Despite his small size, Peanut had shown he was very strong, and now was another moment when he would demonstrate that strength.

He charged the princess and her guards. They braced themselves as he lit his horn and a green flame encompassed his body. From it a larger more bulky changeling body appeared as he charged through them like a bowling ball to pins. His chitin armor grew into layers giving him a bulky armored plate look. His gossamer tail was replaced by a skeletal barbed tail that whipped around wildly as he charged the wall of ponies.

The guards and Night Princess scattered from the impact as Peanut crashed through the wall and fell to the floor below. rising form the debris, he shook himself before running off into the street with a mighty roar.

Luna looked over from the broken wall down to where the changeling fled and listened. The beast was heading for the castle. She thought turning to see the other changelings being tied up and the one cowered to the group of ponies, recognizing them immediately, she say the changeling hiding behind a couch. Luna eye his short gossamer tail from the edge just barely visible.

"Show yourself and I promise you won't be harmed." she spoke out to him.

The tail flinched as the words sank into the changelings heart. He knew he'd never make it to the window much less to the rest of his kind before he was taken out by the Princess and her Guards. So he did the only logical thing. Showing himself he put himself in a low poster almost crawling out of his hiding place, and inched his way to the Princess who simply watched him. Her guards circled the changeling holding spears at him from all angles, but Luna held up a hoof making them step away and lower their weapons.

She stepped long and gracefully to him, but he dared not look for fear he'd be struck down on the spot by her. Luna stood above him eyeing the timid changeling before her.

"Rise." she ordered him, and he obeyed.

He stood up but still did not look p to her.

"You are now a prisoner of Equestria. You'll be taken to a holding cell and interrogated. Be truthful and you'll be able to live out your time there in comfort. Lie and struggle and your days WILL be numbered. Do you understand?" she declared firmly.

He nodded to show he understood.

"Good. Take him to a cell with the others." While the guards took them away Luna turned her attention to the three remaining ponies. She walked over to Buttercup who stood tall and proud as she could. "You fought well young mare."

"Thank you Princess."

She then turned to Spitfire who saluted her. "Captain. How are the civilians?"

"Well ma'am."

"Where's your team?" Luna asked looking around to see if the others were in hiding.

"Taking care of the south gate ma'am."

"Hmm. Join up with them and report back every ten minutes." Luna stepped over to Trixie after Spitfire saluted, but remained behind. The night princess glanced back to the captain. "Something wrong, captain?"

The pegasus mare blushed rubbing her arm nervously. "Uh, ma'am, if it's alright.. can I speak with my mate in private before I go?"

Luna quirked a sly look on her face nodding in approval. She then stood by Buttercup and herded her out of the room when two more lunar guards came in. Trixie got only a glimpse of them but she was sure it was the same threshal mare she met back at the diner she went with Spitfire to.

They quickly waved silently to one another before Spitfire entered her field of view.

"Hey."

"Hey.''

"Sooo, nice weather, huh?"

"Mhm. Spitfire, Trixie-"

"It's fine. Once this is all over we'll do the performance and we'll all go home and have a fun night. How's that sound?" she whispered pulling her mate into a hug.

Trixie dug her face into the warm fur. She always loved Spitfire's fur. It was long and made her plush and soft. Trixie had short fur and it made her feel like a needle brush. She was jealous of her mate. Her feelings on fur aside, she felt scared. Like she did back when she first left Ponyville. Alone, unloved, and not a friend in the world. She was glad she had Spitfire.

The yellow mare seemed to sense her distress and made a gently grooming motion on her nose. Trixie moaned softly tilting her head back and allowing her to groom her neck. The lovely sensation only lasted a dew seconds before Spitfire pulled away making Trixie frown.

"Sorry love, but I have to get back to my team," she hoovered over the hole in the wall. "Please stay safe."

"Trixie will be fine love. You stay safe too." she leaned up kissing the Wonderbolt before she flew off into the war torn city.

Trixie was about o turn to head into the hallway where her daughter was with the Lunar Princess but glancing out into the city, she heard the familiar roar of Peanut in whatever form he was in now, clear as day. She glanced around the alleyway where she was before. All was clear except for the large pile of crates she and Spitfire set up as a barricade. Making sure nopony saw her, she leapt down onto the crates and using the momentum of them falling forward she tuck and rolled on the ground as they collapsed behind her.

Quickly she recovered and ran around the corner deep into the city following the path of destruction.

"Don't worry Peanut, momma's coming!"

*Hallway*

Buttercup was leaning against the wall tapping her arm impatiently waiting for her mothers to finish their business. It was so annoying to her. Sure, she loved them but she felt they showed their affections too much sometimes. It was what caused her to send Peanut to disrupt their 'love making time'.

She glanced over at the doorway, she could hear the battle from outside through the large opening in the wall.

"Gah, what's taking them so long?" she asked nopony in particular.

one of the batpony guard mares looked at her chuckling. "You'll understand when you fall in love, young one."

Luna scoffed at the mare walking past her standing in front of the three bat ponies. "You would know about that wouldn't you? Always got that poor stallion unicorn from my sisters guard rutting you brainless in the showers no doubt?" she asked with a sly smirk at the mare making her shut her mouth in shock.

"H-how did you know ab-bout that?!" she stuttered not sure of what to say to cover it up.

Luna leaned into her ear and whispered, "I hear things. Especially in your dreams."

The other mare was now laughing so hard she nearly fell over, while the first one glared at her menacingly. Buttercup decided to peek into the room and what she saw shocked her.

"CHANGELINGS!" the young mare cried making everyone jump and rush into the room.

They found six or so changelings in the room with small white cloth armbands on them, Trixie and Spitfire were nowhere to be seen. They were huddled together over the edge of the opening made by Lunas grand entrance. As the Princess and her guards rushed in the changelings looked up just in time to see their deaths as the two guards drove their spears into their head not giving them a chance to defend themselves. It was over in seconds. the changelings were so caught off guard they never got a single shot off or even a chance to raise an arm to fend off their attackers.

But one got lucky.

A changeling mare coughed once, signaling she was alive. The spear had been driven into her abdomen leaving a large green hole in her chest, but nothing vital was hit it seemed. One guard pried her spear against the changelings neck ready to finish the job, but Luna raised a hoof stopping her just shy of delivering the death blow.

The changeling mare wheezed looking up at the Princess. She seemed so weak and pathetic.

"Please... help." she wheezed coughing a few more times.

Luna bent down cresting her head and held her upright.

"Tell me your name."

"I'm, Carrell. Carrell 64. I'm a field nurse." she coughed again lobbing some blood onto Luna's' chest. She gently wiped it away with her hoof. "Sorry, I'm not much of a fighter, none of us are. What happened to my sisters?"

Luna looked down at the fallen changelings beside them. She closely inspected them to see their armbands had red crosses on them with the number 64 on each of them signifying they were in fact a medical team. Luna looked shocked. She had killed medical changelings. Ones who had never taken a life in anger or aggression.

The guards looked unsettled as did Buttercup.

"Carrell 64, I'm sorry. We didn't know-"

"It's fine your majesty. GAH!" she clenched her wounded chest as she felt a tight spasm causing her great pain. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We'll take you to the castle to get you treated, then you'll be placed in a cell. I promise it'll be comfortable." Luna assured the changeling. "As for your sisters... I'm truly sorry."

"It's fine..." Carrell trialed off passing out.

The second guard left with the changeling on her back leaving the Princess and her last guard with Buttercup. Luna made sure to leave explicit instructions that the changeling was to receive medical attention and placed in a room for her imprisonment and was to be guarded at all times. Once convinced her guard knew what was to be done she sent her off and now left her with one last guard.

She hated not having a military force anymore.

After her betrayal as Nightmare Moon, Celestia disbanded the entire Equestrian military and broke it into several small specialized groups. These groups acted as defenders in times of great peril, but were small enough to never rise against the Equestrian Kingdom. One such group was the Wonderbolts, the remnants of the once mighty Equestrian Royal Airforce.

Now this left her wit few options. No soldiers, only guards, and a handful at best. Where the changelings probably had thousands here, the ponies strength only consisted of some three-hundred ponies at best. Hardly a military deterring force. She looked down a the young mare before her, something about her intrigued her once again. She was handling this situation well, but she saw a burning passion deep in her eyes.

Stepping over to the opening, Luna stood looking out to the destroyed buildings around them.

"Come you two. We have work to do." she the leapt from her perch and flew above the next building over followed by her guard. Buttercup stayed behind, not sure of what to do. She didn't show it, but she was scared. Very scared. She had gotten the family she wanted only to have it torn apart by war. She thought about her mothers, and then her little brother.

She saw the monster he turned into, and it wasn't until the changelings appeared that Peanut changed. She felt anger rise in her, she gripped the knife Trixie gave her when Luan's voice suddenly rang in her ears.

"Guardsmare! I ordered you front center!" the Lunar Princess yelled in the Canterlot Voice.

"I-I'm a guard? Really?"

Luna nodded hovering over the opening, she reached down taking hold off the young mares hoof. "I hereby grant you the honorary title of Lunar Guard First Class. Welcome to the guard Private Buttercup!"

The younger mare stared in awe at her princess. She had always dreamed of joining the Lunar Guard, but never thought it would be like this. But the feeling of bliss didn't last long when she heard the roar of her little brother from a distance, and Luna turned in that direction.

"Time for celebration will be later, for now... we charge into battle!"

With one last war cry, drawing her rapier, Luna charged north bound into the city following the loud roaring within followed by her guards. While the Princess and her guard were certain of what they were to do, buttercup wasn't so sure. She would fight to defend her nation, but could she take another life? And if it came down to it, would she have to kill her own brother? Her baby brother who she loved dearly?

She hoped it wouldn't come to that as she flew with Luna deeper into the city.

"My destiny awaits."

*Outer Walls of Canterlot City*

Spitfire just arrived at the outer walls of Canterlot City to see her team being swarmed by the changelings. The entire team was present, all 52 of them. At the front of their designated teams were, Shear Wind, Soarin, and Blaze flying through the maelstrom of black chitin bodies through the sky.

She darted forward giving her wings all they could flying with all her might into the fray. One of the younger and newer members Blazing Star was grappled midflight by two changelings and pummeled to the ground. The shapeshifters used her body to soften the impact for themselves, leaving her in a small crater barely larger than herself.

They left her flying back up into the sky and one by one the Wonderbolts were falling in number. The changelings simply had them out numbered and despite being better fliers, it was only a mater of time before they were completely wiped out.

This angered Spitfire making her redouble her efforts. With strong yet well paced beats of her mighty wings she cut through the sky like a spear of justice. She reached under her hind legs releasing her smoke screen for performances leavening a trail behind her wherever she flew. She flew up beside Soarin tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

"SOARIN! WE'RE DOING NUMBER 17!" she called to him.

He responded with a nod and released his smoke screen. He then wrapped one arm around hers and each folded their inner wings making them rely on the other for flight support. They had done this stunt many times and required one to completely rely on the other to lead them otherwise they'd separate and crash. Thus, trust was essential.

"Come on stud! Let's do this!"

"I'm with you captain!"

Spitfire lead them into a downward spiral with their smoke screens mixing together. Several changelings followed them becoming covered in the odd smokey substance. One of them eve stopped to sniff his body. Spitfire and Soarin clicked their heels together creating a spark that ignited the whole smokescreen, creating a flaming cyclone that ran all the way up the smoke screen.

The one changeling who stopped realized just in time what he had on him. He hissed darting to the side just at the flames rushed past him. The flames went up the column to the origin point where it exploded into a large star like spectacle of flame and sparks. He would have been impressed, had it not incinerated half his friends. he watched in shock as the bodies of his fellow changelings fell hundreds of feet to the ground bellow. The scent of the charred bodies assaulted his nostrils filling him with sorrow and anger.

He let out a loud hiss, as the rest of the changelings joined up in a diamond shaped formation around him. Spitfire and the remaining Wonderbolts gathered together watching as the invaders made their move.

"They looked determined." Soarin said. "I feel kinda bad..."

"Don't feel bad for the dirt changers, Soarin." Blaze said in anger. "They're nothing but murderous monsters"

"I agree."

To everyones surprise it was Blazing Star. She had recovered from her fall and was now back in formation with them. Spitfire, relieved to see her newest member still alive filled her heart with joy. But then she had a thought, how many changelings had died compared to ponies? As far as she could tell there were no pony casualties, at least not to the extent the changelings suffered.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the black diamond of changelings charged them and she gave the order for them to scatter their formation. The Wonderbolts gave a war cry, "FOR EQUESTRIA!" before charging the formation of black and fangs.

*Canterlot Castle*

Trixie had followed the path of destruction to the castle. Peanut for whatever reason seemed to be drawn here. Trixie managed to catch up with him and slowly he made his way through both changeling and ponies alike. But one thing was odd, every time he veered off course he would stop and look back at the castle then continue towards it until something caught his attention, then the process would repeat.

Now he was on the verge of reaching the main castle gate. There were no guards standing guard at heir posts having been captured by the changelings. The only reason Trixie hadn't been captured thus far was due in fact that they feared Peanut and actively avoided him when they could.

Now at the threshold of the fallen gates, Peanut looked dead inside. He swayed slightly as he proceeded into the castle. Trixie cautiously followed him into the castle making sure to keep a safe distance from him. He ran down the hallways heading up towards the tallest tower. Nothing stood in his way. If it did, it wasn't there for very long. The castle itself was abandoned, or looked like it was.

Trixie couldn't help but feel there was something amiss.

Something wasn't right.

As Peanut ran around corner after corner in this maze of a castle, Trixie eventually lost him. But that was the least of her worries. She rounded a corner that lead to a long hall of ornate mosaic windows. Each wall heading towards the end of the hall was lined with these windows depicting great historical events. But it wasn't the mosaics that had her attention, it was the armored mare at the end of the hall.

Trixie barely recognized her from that night not so long ago.

"Solarflare."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie." the red mare said, rearing up and whipping out her left arm making a crimson red energy whip form. "I've been looking forward to this day for a long time now."

"So has Trixie. But this time she's got the advantage." Trixie replied with a smirk standing ready.

Both mares stared each other down, neither made any immediate moves. A minute passed and still they didn't make a move. Just when things looked like nothing was going to transpire, Solarfare darted towards Trixie as her hooves ignited sending her flying forward.

Trixie focused her magic creating a small barrier which blocked the red unicorn as she spun around putting all her force into her whip making it strike the barrier. The crimson weapon bounced off harmlessly as Trixie pushed outward with with spell sending it into the red unicorn, which sent her flying back and into the wall. The force of the impact winded her, but she was quick to recover.

Solarflare rolled out of the way as Trixie struck where she was with a stun spell, missing by inches. She rolled and leapt forward bringing the whip overhead and striking down on Trixie who responded by throwing a smoke bomb on the floor. She growled covering her eyes from the smoke and jumped back out of it. Just in time too, for when she did a small silver blade passed only an inch from her neck grazing the chin of her helmet. Once the smoke cleared, Trixie stood where she had been a moment ago with a longsword drawn ready to strike.

The red unicorn grinned snapping her wrist and using her magic turned the whip into a set of jagged katars, one for each harm.

They both stood watching the other. They inspected each other for any sign of movement. Trixie's shoulder twitched, and Solarflare almost misread it as a move. Catching it last second, but Trixie misread it completely and ran in a circular path toward her quarry. Not moving from her spot, she put up both katars and parried the longsword as it came slicing down towards her head. Trixie quickly struck low at her legs cutting one of her grieves forcing her to discard it and the other so she could face off the mare without losing balance.

The two were in a deadlock neither able to get the upper hand over the other. Just then a roar came from down the hall, and they both turned to see a large changeling charging towards them. Trixie recognized it as Peanut, but Soalrflare had no idea what it was except it was a changeling.

Suddenly the red unicorn mare felt sharp pain in her neck. Rubbing it she turned to see Trixie fleeing no doubt a hit and run move to end her life. But Trixie missed, and Solarflare gave chase with the changeling behind. As she chased Trixie down she fired a beam at the blue mare hitting her in the leg stunning her. Trixie fell to the ground and the red unicorn jumped towards her ready to driver her sword into the mare.

Just then Trixie's horn lit up and the silver longsword materialized out of thin air just in time to pierce through Solarlfares' armor. The blade pierced her chest driving straight though her upper chest just bellow the collar bone. The mare gasped looking at the bloody blade in shock. How had she been so foolish? Beat by this inferior pony?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a powerful force hit her side sending her through the window and down to the street bellow. She thought about using her boots but remembered she ditched them, not that they would work with one being damaged. Her magic! She tried to teleport herself, but found she couldn't conjure anymore magic. Something was terribly wrong! She tried and tried again but had no luck in any spell she tried. She spun out of control, fear gripping her as she fell. She got one last look at the long hall where she had fallen from. She cursed the vile changeling that had sent her to her doom and as she finished her wicked cant, she hit the ground with a loud thunk, as her armor beat against itself and she lay motionless on the cobblestone path with a pool of blood forming around her.

Then the worst possible thing happened.

Trixie held up her arms with her sword in hoof as the large changeling lunged forward with the intent on impaling her with his long jagged horn. But instead he was met with steel in his face instead. The changeling let out a pained cry, not that of a feral or a roar of some kind, but the cry of a hurt child that she knew and loved. Taking a moment to look up Trixie realized she had driven the longsword into the changelings head, deep in his head.

He thrashed and cried like a hurt foal as green blood flew all over the room as he cried out. Trixie felt a fresh set of tears running down her cheeks as she gently reached out for him, trying to comfort him. But he kept back just out of her reach. She watched with as he cried in agony rolling on the floor clawing at his face with his talons until the sword was out. The longsword rang against the tiled floor stopping at Trixie's hooves.

She gasped clenching her chest with one hoof as if she were afraid her heart would rip itself from her chest. She fought the urge to charge in and try to coddle the massive changeling. Despite becoming this... thing, he was still her son. He baby. She was not about to abandon him when she knew he needed her most. Throwing away her fears of being hurt, she sternly walked up to Peanut. By now his hulking body was laying on its side breathing heavily. He looked so powerful, so dangerous, yet Trixie saw none of that. All she saw was her son in pain, and he needed his mommy.

"Peanut?" she whispered not wanting to startle him

"Peanut? Sweetie? Can you hear me?"

Cautiously she lowered herself to crawl on the floor in as non-threatening as possible. She inched closer to the panting changeling, his head had a green blood all over it. How he had died from blood lose was a miracle to Trixie. She was a maze by his resilience but feared it was only a matter of time before-

"No, I won't lose him like I lost my father." she told herself.

It felt like hours to her, before she reached her son. She finally got a good look at him. His body was darker and more towards a dull black than the shiny sheen she was use to. His body was rock solid and fit versus the soft squishy chubby body he had before. But what really got her were the eyes. It was still his eyes. Her babies eyes.

Soft green and yellow as she remembered. They held onto their innocent look. They looked at her as she approached, for a moment his expression narrowed followed by a low growl, but the hard expression softened when he realized who it was.

"M-mmoma?"

"Yes! Baby it's me!" she exclaimed rushing towards him, hugging his massive head.

His eyes teared up as he rubbed his round muzzle to her. "Momma, my head hurts so bad." he sobbed. "Make it stop."

Trixie once more felt her heart ache. "I can't sweetie. But don't worry, momma's here now and I'm not going anywhere. Can you get up? Can you change back?"

He shook his head weakly. "Nu uh, can't too tired. Head... too much talking, so many voices momma."

Her ear twitched. "What are they saying sweetie?"

"They're desperate momma. They're dying."

"What do you mean? Who's dying? The changelings?"

He gave a single weak nod. "They live off love, momma. There is no love where they come from-" his eyes closed and she felt his body go limp.

"Peanut?... Peanut? PEANUT?! Sweetie wake up! You can't fall asleep you need to stay awake!"

She kept calling out to him, but the changeling didn't respond. For several minutes she cried shaking his massive body trying to get a response from him, she could tell he was breathing, but just barely. No! I can't lose him! I WON'T! Thoughts of losing him were at the forefront of her mind. She couldn't lose him, he meant the world to her. He was her baby.

She felt so useless. So, powerless.

She buried her face into his massive head and wailed into him. The fear of losing him overwhelmed her to tears and now she couldn't bare the thought. But her sorrow was interrupted by a massive pink barrier that came from down the hall. It resonated with love leaving a warm feeling inside of her. She felt her sorrow lift away and filler her heart with joy of just being there for her son in his last moment.

But that sentiment didn't last long.

Once the barrier reached them, Peanut was flung from the floor and down to the end of the hall. His colossal body smashed head first into the wall which was followed by a sickening snap sound as his head turned in a very unnatural way. His body fell to the floor and his head clearly had been dislocated and was now hanging only by flesh and his chitin body. From his mouth a fresh pool of blood oozed out, Trixie approached a fresh set of tears in her eyes.

"P-peanut? Baby?" she reached for him gently running her hoof across his muzzle. His eyes were open, but lifeless. She broke down sobbing into his cold body calling out to him.

Meanwhile at the outer walls of Canterlot, Spitfire was chasing a single changeling who was fleeing fro the city with what was left of his group when a pink magical barrier shot past her hitting all the changelings and propelled them out of Canterlot. The ponies cheered at their victory hoof bumping and chest bumping one another as they paraded over their fallen foes.

Spitfire cheered too, but then a feeling overcame her. She felt cold and sad. Then in the back of her mind there was a voice, like whisper in the wind, calling out to her. Spitfire.

"Trixie?"

Without a word she bolted through the sky flying to where in her heart she knew Trixie would be.

Back in the hall Trixie continued crying into her sons body grasping onto it like a life preserver in a storm torn ocean. Just then the hall doors burst open and several guards came running through pointing their weapons at Trixie and the lifeless changeling.

A light blue pegasus mare with a deep blue mane wearing a lab coat walked in with a clipboard under her left wing. She had dark violet eyes and wore a slim pair of glasses at the ridge of her nose. Her mane was up in a ponytail and her lab coat had her ID badge o her left chest. She walked past the guards and up to the changeling corpse.

"What a fascinating specimen! AND it's still intact!" she said excitedly poking the head. "Mostly."

Just then Trixie felt her anger rise and she spun the mare around and delivered a punch straight to her nose sending her to the ground. She gripped her bloody nose looking up at the mare who struck her.

"The heck you psycho!" she said muffled due to her holding her nose.

"Keep you hooves off my son you blue bitch!" she then tried to strike her again but was meet with her pen going into her left thigh. Trixie gasp gripping the pen just in time to meet the mares knee in her face knocking her to the floor. Trixie was gripping her nose trying to breath. The mare ad broken her nose in such an odd way it was difficult for her to breath.

One guard came up to the pegasus mare taking the clipboard from her. "Professor! Are you alright?"

"Yes Ignus I'm fine." she pulled a cloth out and held it to her nose.

Just then another armored figure flew through the windows above them. Trixie's eyes widened recognizing it as Ruby. Then seconds after Blaze came in the same way her brother did. The guards held up their weapons but the pegasus held up her arm making them stop. Assuring them they were in no harm they lowered their weapons. Ruby then approached the blue mare.

"We go the reports professor," he hoofed over a paper to her. "The changelings are in full retreat."

The one called,'the professor' inspected the paper, adjusting her glassed with her wing tip and holding the paper in hoof she turned walking over to the window where Solarflare had fallen through. She let out a deep sigh ripping the paper into confetti and throwing it to the wind.

Without looking she took off her glasses and placed them in her coat pocket.

"Kill them. Kill them all. Including the blue one." she said.

Before anypony could react the Starfalls ignited their signature blades decapitating the guards in seconds. Trixie tried to flee but ran into Rubys blade. It pierced through her abdomen she felt cold grasping at his armor before falling limp to the floor. Ruby watched as she fell to the floor a wicked grin on his face.

"That was for my nut sack you cunt." he said kicking her in the head.

He turned to see Blaze talking to the professor looking down at the ground from a large opening. He approached and they quickly separated.

"Ruby," the professor said. "Gather the bodies and mutilate them so it looks like the changeling killed them."

He paused looking around at the bodies then to Blaze who was looking very impatiently at him. "NOW BROTHER! We don't have all day" Blaze yelled at him. This got the young stallion to react quickly to her demands. He quickly gathered the bodies and wen to work, keeping a close eye on Trixie's body.

With him preoccupied Blaze turned to face the professor. "So, you think she's alive?"

The blue mare took her glasses cleaning them with her coat before putting them back on. "If she is, make sure she doesn't make it back. You wanted that right?"

"Of course! I only want it to be me and my little bro." she looked away flushed with embarrassment.

The white coated mare rolled her eyes. "You're one sick pony."

"Don't you dare judge me or I'll throw you out this hole in the wall." she warned the mare.

"And if you threaten me again remember, I hold HIS life in my hooves. If I die, he dies. Now finish the job!" she hissed under her breath at Blaze making her growl. The blue mare gave her a small vile. Taking it Blaze gave her one last defiant glare before she jumped out of the hole. The professor watched as she descended below.

Jumping down the unicorn mare fell from the tower to the ground below. She ignited her boots a few seconds from hitting the ground below bringing her to a hover just inches from the ground. She deactivated the boots and landed on the cobblestone path. She saw a blood trial leading to the gardens.

Following it she found it lead to her older sister who was laying against a beautiful water fountain. Her blood stained the ground and she breathed heavily, in an almost wheezing like fashion. The older sibling gasped seeing another pony there but relaxed once she realized it was her sister.

"Blaze."

"Flare."

"Gah... well don't just stand there. Get over here and help me!"

"Mmm mm mm. You know dear sister, you never were very good at asking for help. Nicely, anyway."

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked watching her sister circle around the fountain still unable to move on her own.

"You always boss others around. Never say thank you and show any gratitude."

"I show you plenty of gratitude!" the older mare screamed. She then coughed and gripped her chest. "Now stop this nonsense and get us out of here. Please!"

"Oh, now you say please?!" Blaze said walking by and kicking her sister in the head. "After everything bad happens you finally say please? Really? Well, not that it'll matter shortly." she grinned pulling out the vial she got from the professor.

"What is that?" Solarflare asked fearfully.

"Oh, just a little something the professor made for me to get rid of you, dear sister." she emphasized the last two words in a low tone making Solarflare shiver with fear. "Then it'll just be me and Ruby. No more you ruining our time together always keeping us apart and you horde him for yourself."

Now Solarlfare was angry. She flared her nostrils trying to reach for the vile but Blaze pulled it back and pushed her sister forward making her fall to the ground. "Don't worry. I'm told it is painless." she lied.

She then opened the vial and reached for her sisters mouth prying it open with her magic she poured the contents down her throat making her gag. Once every last drop was consumed Blaze threw the vial into the fountain and watched as her sister coughed violently. Blood shot from her mouth as her coughing hit increased in volume.

"Gah! Yo-you little... cough! You little whore! When Ruby finds out he'll-"

"HE! Will never know what happened here. Dear sister, I loved you once you know, but after the misery you caused Ruby," she paused watching as the dying mare gripped her collar but pushed her off with scoff. "I promised to protect him. Even from you. Now die and let us live in peace."

Slowly but surely the red mare coughed harder and hared until she started foaming at the mouth. She then started to have a spasm attack like she was having a seizure. Blaze watched smiling getting a sick pleasure in watching her sister gasping for air reaching out to her like she would walk up and save her, or maybe she wanted to ring her neck. In either case Blaze was get off on this and she wanted more.

"Ahh, mark my words... cough! You'll pay with your life for this!"

It took over a minute before the mare finally stopped moving. Flares body seized one last time before it fall limp to the ground. The mare had a look of disbelief in her eyes.

Blaze picked up the body and flew back where the professor was still waiting.

"This day has been perfect."

She flew high over the walls of the garden and landed near where the pegasus mare was waiting. Landing near opening she quickly glanced around to see the Ruby was gone. As if reading her mind the professor pointed to Trixies body. "Ruby went back to your hideaway. He'll be expecting you soon. Is she dead?"

"Yep. I gave her the vile just like you instructed."

"Gave her the vile?"

"More like force fed her it but eh, it's all the same to me." Blaze shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, as long as it's done." the blue mare said. "Have the bodies buried out in the Desert East of Canterlot." she said looking to the horizon seeing a figure approaching at great speed. She felt her heart skip a beat realizing it was somepony she'd been expecting. "Quick get the bodies out of here!" she yelled pushing Blaze to the bodies. "Hurry! Get to the desert! Oh! And blast me! Hurry!"

"What are you-"

"There isn't time just hurry! AGH!" the mare fell back as a red beam struck her in the chest, burning through her coat and fur leaving a good sized mark on her chest. "Bitch." she managed to gasp out her last word before passing out.

This will all be worth it.

Blaze wasn't sure why she was in a hurry for her to leave but not wanting to test the professors patience the unicorn mare lit her horn and teleported away.

Spitfire was flying fast, faster than she ever could. She saw the hall of Heroes had a massive hole in the side of it and there was a mare in a white coat laying near the edge. She slowed down to dive in. She flexed her wings and came to a skidding halt over the downed mare. She saw she had a burn mark on her chest and there was several dead guards and a changeling.

"Peanut?"

From below her she heard the mare groan. She looked down to see she was reaching for her and knelt down beside her.

"Miss, are you alright? What happened here?"

"Spitfire?"

That voice. I know that voice! But it can't be!

"Vector? Is that really you?" she took her hoof and ran it across the mares bangs revealing the blue pegasus she knew all those years ago.

"Spitfire? You saved me?" she asked weakly reaching for the mares yellow face. "I didn't know you still cared."

"I don't." she said dropping her to the floor. She stood and walked over to the changeling. He was dead. There was no mistaking it. She felt her tears run down her face, she felt weak, her knees shook and gave out refusing to support her. She gripped the sides o her head looking around to see strips of Trixies cape or hat on the floor nearby. Slowly she reached for the soft fabric and touched it making a little circle around the star shaped patterns.

She felt a set of hooves around her shoulders. Glancing back she saw Vector tenderly rubbing them in a comforting manner, a look of despair on her face. "I'm sorry Spits. She was a fine mare."

"Huh?"

"Trixie. She was here chasing the changeling. She was calling it Peanut or- something."

"HIS NAME WAS PEANUT YOU INSENSITIVE-"

"Don't yell at me! I didn't know, OK?! How could I after you left me?!" she choked trying to hold back her own tears.

"Oh, so sorry I wasn't good enough for you then! You know after we made amends I thought you'd change."

"I did change! For you! And you left ME! YOU left ME!" she prodded herself to emphasize her point. Spitfire was taken aback by the mares forwardness. "I cried for weeks after that day you never showed up. I thought you might have forgotten, but it turned out you just up and left! Even after all these years I was hurt wanting you back!"

"Where's Trixie?" Spitfire asked darkly.

"Ha... you don't even care. All you care about is that dead mare-"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! I swear if you hurt her I'll kill you myself!" the angry Wonderbolt threatened grabbing her by the collar and threw her over the ledge. She held the mare up just barely by the very collar of her coat which began to rip under the stress.

Panic filled Vector as she desperately gripped at the fabric trying to hold it together. She looked pleadingly to Spitfire but was only met with her cold stare. It was the same look she had the day she ruined her wing, crippling her.

"I did nothing! I swear Spitfire! When I got here she was already dead! Killed by a mare in red armor!" she lied looking down at the ground below. But Spitfire looked unconvinced.

"How do I know you're not just lying? For all I know you killed Trixie and desposed of her body." she said letting the fabric go for just a second, making Vector scream, but catching it last second.

"No I swear! She was talking to her, so-something about a timberwolf or other... and er brother I think?"

"Vector." she growled.

"Well I can't concentrate over this edge! Please pull me back I'll tell you anything! Please Spitfire!" she saw the collar was on its last limb. "Please!"

She thought long about this. Her words sounded just like the Starfalls. She had to make sure. "What else did they say?"

"I-I don-t know! I was blasted when they spotted me! Look at my chest! It's proof!"

She heard enough. She pulled the blue mare back up just as the collar gave away. Vector flex her wing out instinctively to try and fly but kept falling. She clenched her eyes shut thinking it was the end, all her plans were for naught. Then she felt herself in a warm embrace. Spitfire had jumped out the wall to catch her and was now flying with her in her arms.

She looked angry still, but he fact she saved her meant that Spitfire might still forgive her. At the very least it meant she trusted her somewhat. Or not enough. But regardless, she felt safe now and she was in Spitfire's arms and that was all that mattered. It would take time to win her over, but with Trixie out of the way she had no obstacles to win the mares heart back. She smiled up at Spitfire an d rested her head on her chest.

"Today was perfect."

*One month Later*

Late one night Spitfire had returned home and brought Vector along with her. The whole week was spent searching for Trixie, convinced she wasn't dead. But after having the whole city of Canterlot searched and there was no trace of her mate she had given up hope. She knew the Starfalls were after her but never imagined they would kill her at a time like this. Although she really should have. With everything going on there was ample time to kill Trixie.

I should have known better than to leave her alone with the kids. Now, all I have is Buttercup.

She sat on her couch while Vector was writing letters to the Princesses and some of her colleagues and sent them via message candles. Buttercup rested by her side, her head on her mothers shoulder her eyes red and puffy from crying all day.

"I still can't believe mom's gone." the threshal whimpered.

"I can't either sweetie. Her and your brother."

"What happened to him? Mom, what happened to Peanut?"

"He.. I don't know sweetie. He just, changed. I don't know what happened."

"I'm gonna miss him." Buttercup choked trying to hold back her tears but in the end she let them flow and she cried in Spitfire's arms.

Vector watched as the intimate display carried on for well over an hour. Buttercup had cried herself to sleep, both due to exhaustion and the emotional distress. Spitfire sat for a few minutes letting her own body rest before putting her daughter to bed. After a three minute rest, she lifted up the young pony up but found it surprisingly difficult. Suddenly she felt the body lift and she turned to see Vector helping, with a kind smile on her face.

"Thanks, V."

"Don't worry. It's the least I can do."

It took them a few minutes to carry she sleeping pony to bed. Once she was tucked away Vector and Spitfire went back to the living room and settled down on the couch. Vector kept her distance not wanting to invoke the yellow mares wrath again. She had such a sad look on her face. And it bugged Spitfire to no end.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

Vector scowled at her. "Sorry, but I thought you'd be more grateful?"

"Grateful? Grateful for what?! My mate's dead! My son's dead! And you just walk back in my life and expect me to just accept you with open arms?"

"Of course not! But I'm trying to help you... you, bitch!"

Spitfire scoffed mockingly. "Right, I'm the bitch. Well remember, this bitch could have let you fall that day we met again. You're in my house and I'll drop you for real if you don't shape up."

"That's just it Spitfire. I was the villain and you were the damsel in distress. Well, we both know that's not how it was. YOU were the thug. You crippled me, forced my family out of our home using your parents positions to do so, and you destroyed my dreams!" she yelled, and with every word her eyes watered more and more. the feelings of hurt and anger swelled inside her. "You nearly killed me twice! Twice Spitfire. Yet... I still fell in love with you. I still do. And here I am trying to help you through your most recent loss and you threaten me? I don't see why I wasted my time!"

Vector turned to leave right after that. She grabbed her coat putting it on and was reaching for the door knob when Spitfire grabbed her and spun her around and pinned her to the door. She tried to scream but felt a hoof over her mouth as the yellow mares magenta eyes stared directly into hers.

She began to sob hoping that Spitfire wasn't going to hurt her. She was scared. She had made so many plans for this day, the orphanage, the Starfalls, the invasion, it was all for her and here she was scared that the mare she fought so hard to be with might hurt her because of the bad blood between them. That being so, she didn't expect what happened. next.

Spitfire smiled. Not a sinister smile or anything like that, but a warm comforting smile. She gently ran her hoof across Vectors cheek releasing her mouth to speak. She wanted to scream but found herself entranced by the mares gesture.

Ten out of nowhere the felt Spitfire lean in an kiss her. Not just any kiss. A passionate one. She felt Spitfires tongue roll in her mouth and offered no resistance. She allowed this to go on and even joined in the mouth play. Their tongue rammed into one another trying to force the other into submission but neither gave in. Eventually they had to separate to get take a breather, and they fell on the couch, Spitfire on bottom and Vector on top of her.

Both mares looked at each other. The yellow pegasus reached for Vectors back and rubbed the area where the blue mares wing was missing. She regretted doing this to her now. Guess its time.

"Vector?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?" Spitfire asked in a worried tone.

"Of course. You can ask me anything, love." the blue pony said brushing her nose against her chin.

"Look, I know you have feelings for me, but... I'm gonna need some time to accept that Trixie's gone." Vector frowned at her words but softened her expression when she realized the mare was still grieving.

"I understand. I'll wait." she said rolling off the couch and laid on the cold floor.

"Vector." Spitfire reached down pulling her back up on the couch, she was surprisingly strong when she wanted to be. "Please listen. I'm sorry for everything I ever did to you. If I could I'd take it all back."

"Even us being together?"

Hesitation. Se didn't know how to answer that. Would she considering what happened, would she have taken it all back or would she had given Vector a chance and dated her? It was strange to think how seriously Spitfire took this hypothetical question.

"I don't know. I really don't." she admitted looking at the mare rubbing her cheek. "But I promise you this, I will give you a fair chance to win me over. But if I say it's over that's it. OK?"

The blue mare wrapped her arms around the yellow neck and nuzzled Spitfire. "That's fine. Just promise you'll stay true to me?'

"I will. I love you, V. And thanks for watching over Buttercup while I searched for Trixie."

"You have to let her go love. It's been a month. You would have found her by now." she reasoned pulling Spitfire into a kiss.

They shared the kiss and eventually it turned into a fight for dominance once more. They rolled over on the couch many times that night. And it was a night filled with passion, and lots of dirty sex. But deep in Spitfire's mind a nagging feeling remained. She wasn't sure why, but she could feel it in her heart that Trixie wasn't gone. She was out there, somewhere...

Deep in the Desert several days east of Canterlot, a grey earth pony mare was digging in the sand with her team trying to excavate a local ore deposit. She was hot. The sun was making the temperature rise well over ninety degrees and it forced her to wear lighter clothing than she likes. She wore a straw hat to cover herself from the sun and had long violet hair in a flat mane style compared to her steel blue eyes.

She was digging with a shovel in the sand in a crater that was easily a mile deep and just as wide. Hundreds of ponies were in the hole digging and lifting both sand and rock to the surface. She placed the shovel down and took a drink of water before she heard the lunch whistle blow. She and the rest of the team gathered on the surface and were enjoying a well earned rest when she saw a figure on the horizon.

It moved oddly and was a rusty red color. She took a small group with her and went over to the odd object. Eventually they realized it was two ponies wandering in the desert. They collapsed long before they reached them. When they go to them they found that they were both unicorns.

One was azure blue with a torn cloak around her neck. Her silver mane and tail were dirty along with the rest of her. The other was a red unicorn mare wearing armor. Part were missing, probably discarded due to the heat, but her mane and tail were jet black and dirty. The grey mare took off her armor and threw it to the side picking up the red mare and gave her water. She then did the same for the blue one. Once that was done she checked them to see if they were alive.

"A pulse. Very weak. Get them to the hospital back in town. I'll meet you there in three days." she said in a dull toned voice.

"Yes Maud." one stallion said lifting the tow mares on his back.

"And don't strain yourself. I want nopony to die on this trip, understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

The grey mare named Maud followed them back to their encampment. Once there she tended to the two mares wondering who they were and what they were doing out here together. They looked like they had been in battle but there was no battle here, not for centuries. The azure unicorn mare awoke shortly after they arrived and was now laying in a cot with the red mare still asleep beside her. She then realized she was being watched by a grey mare nearby.

"Who are you?" she asked the mare.

"My name is Maud Pie. You're at my camp with my team. We found you and your friend in the desert." she gestured to the red mare. "Now might I ask, who are you?"

"I-" the mare looked around confused. "I don't remember who I am."