The Commander was getting tired of the pace they were making. They had left the edge of town and Thresh had stressed that a hike up the mountains would be the best way to put as much distance between them and the Equestrian guards.

"There is no way that I'm going up another mile," the Commander moaned.

Cloak thrashed his head to glare at the Commander. "For the last time, I said we needed it to get as far away from the authorities as possible. You've been complaining the whole way here and I'm sick and tired of it." The Commander gave a huff and trudged on, his eyes looking back at the shrinking outline of Ponyville.

Ponyville. The place that convicted him for three counts of public indecency and one count of participating in an invasion against Equestria. And yet, it was also the place where he met individuals he would never forget. Reflect, who by now was somewhere in the woods. Princess Luna, whose radiant beauty was unmatched. Even that guard had some humor in him.

As they walked, the Commander gazed at the forest ahead. The pale, blue mist leered over the trees, as if it was a transparent river of sorts. The sounds of birds, the howls of wolves, and the chitter of other mysterious creatures could be picked up by the changeling's ears. As the group went deeper along the brush of the trees, they froze. For a crack of the bushes put each changeling on alert.

"What was that?" Cloak asked.

"I don't know," Thresh mused, walking forward, his eyes scanning the area,"it certainly wasn't..."

He paused, staring at the forest. Turning to his associate he hissed. "Set up camp, I know who it is."

With a sigh, he proceeded into the dark, misty woodland of the Everfree, leaving the four changelings to look on in puzzlement.

%%%%

Reflect had been going non-stop for a good hour or so, his wings already giving in to the lack of energy he had to spare. Right now, his form was buzzing swiftly over the Eastern side of Manehattan, the city lights twinkling like the night sky above. Oh how he remembered his time back there.

It had been a routine route that the changeling hive often passed, and usually was the most productive. At night-time, most of the stallions would be too drunk on cider to realize their dates bearing fangs that they would give their love regardless of such. When the drones and scouts returned, they would detail the stories they collected. In almost every case, the colt, stallion, or mare was completely intoxicated, unable to repsond to the slighte stimulus.

Well it's worth a shot he thought absently as he prepared for a landing. The gusts of wind were picking up, tossing his body around like a loose feather in the breeze. He had to fight to stabilize his entire figure from spiraling down. He was a couple of meters from landing when a black shadow collided with his body, sending his trajectory straight for an alleyway trash can.

Getting back on his hooves, he growled in frustration. "What the hay was that-"

But just then a bright emerald flash shot out and stunned him before he could utter another word. Before he fell into his dream-like state of unconsciousness, Reflect had only one thing to say. "Not again..."

%%%%

She could feel the animosity emanated from the Council, their wings fluttering occasionally as she began the meeting. It was clear that they had been talked to. But by whom? She had hoped that the other swarms would see fit to overthrow Chrysalis. Especially after what had happened in Canterlot.

In the beginning, they had agreed with her. In fact, one of them even volunteered to capture the heathens for her. But for some reason, rumors have been circulating detailing that she was not the pure-blood they all had originally found her to be.

"So I assume the hives are doing well?" she asked.

One of the generals stood up, his eyes riveted on her. "So far your Highness, the north has completely gone into chaos. Las Pegasus is no more. And I believe I represent everyone when I say this...but your order to do nothing has caused all the hives to weaken."

"We're starving out here," another voice whined.

The council hissed in agreement, their hate now almost palpable. The Matriarch composed herself, taking in a deep breath before saying. "It is necessary that we do not retaliate. For it could create harmful consequences in the future. Have you not seen what the Queen has done?"

"The Queen was thinking about her subjects," another voice shouted. There were murmurs of support and the hate only grew. "Queen Chrysalis' idea to invade the Pony continent would bring food to last generations!"

"And then what," the Matriarch hissed, "you'll have no love afterwards. Right now, we need to think about the long term consequences..."

"If we even live that long..." a general muttered.

The Matriarch didn't know how much more she could hold them back. It was clear that someone had been talking to them, but who would do such a thing. Certainly not Chrysalis, for she was gone. But what about her subjects. It could be possible that they had somehow convinced the other tribes to give in. It was fight or die now, and the Matriarch knew very well what it meant.

We did it all the time when the clans fought for power back home. Her mind drifted off to the times when she wasn't a changeling. To the time before she escaped from that living Tartarus and came here, gathering the settlements and turning them into working machines that produced an amount of love that could rival with the Queen's own forces. And better yet, she had gotten them to turn on their mother. But alas, revenge always had its fallbacks.

And she was about to see it play out before her very eyes...

%%%%

"So what do we do now?" The Commander moaned.

Forge thought for a moment, then directed his hooves to his fellow changelings, barking orders as he did so, "Cloak, gather wood, Blend, go and start the fire with your horn, General, errrrrr...stay still..."

"Excuse me," The Commander replied irritably, "I am a Commander in Chief of her Royal Highness Chyrsalis, do not refer to me as a mere general or else I'll hold you for insubordination good sir."

"Commander..." Forge muttered, "ummmm why don't you help me set up camp?"

In a minute or so, the wool sacks they called beds were set around the fire, which was giving off an orange glow over the brown dirt nearby the trail. Over the fire, the changelings shared old tales of brave warriors and hilarious quests of empathy-sick drones. However, as time progressed, the changelings had little to say to one another.

The silence was unbearable. So far, the only noise that could be heard was a cricket, who even now had given up hope at ever hearing another peep from the group again, falling asleep by a leaf.

"How about a song?" The Commander offered.

"A what?" Forge said, his eyes raised.

"A song, don't you changelings sing songs?"

"Well," Cloak began, "we tried, but let's just say there aren't that many that we can relate to."

The Commander stood up, his ebony-plated chest puffed up as if he had just eaten a large meal. Staring down at them, he said, "Fear not, for I have a song we can all sing." Then with a flash of his horn, a guitar magically appeared in his hooves and he sat back down on his rump, a smug smile plastered over his face.

"This one is a song I learned from a few changelings back in Trottingham, though the lyrics, no offense, make little to no sense at all."

Taking in a deep breath, he began to sway his hooves over the strings, producing a dry wave of noise that for some odd reason, was slightly amusing. So for the time being, the changelings just listened as the Commander tried to vocalise the words, which in their minds, wasn't too bad.

"When I get him, well I know i'm gonna be,
I'm gonna be the stallion who wakes up next you
When I get her, yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the mare who trots along with you
If I get drunk, on that cider by a tree
I'm gonna be the colt who gets drunk next to you
And if I shape shift, Yeah you won't know which one's me
I'm gonna be the colt who's two feet left from you"

The tune suddenly rushed into a heated string of music that brought back memories of long trips over the desert, when all they had to do was make terrible puns and still laugh all the way.

"But I would change 500 forms
And I would change 500 more
Just to be the one who changed a thousand forms
To get that love of yours"

"When I'm changing, yes I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be changing a form that's familiar with you
And with the love that , comes in for the work I do
I'll pass almost every ounce of it to you
I'm a changeling (I'm a changeling), well I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the colt who lives with you
And if I goooooo, well you will never know
that it was me who was at home along with you"

By the time he went back into the chorus, all three of the cow-changelings were jumping up and down in merry dance, singing to their hearts content. No longer, were they bounty hunters on a mission. They were all a bunch of mates at a campfire with lousy music. And they loved it.

"But I would change 500 forms
And I would change 500 more
Just to be the one who changed a thousand forms
To get that love of yours"

The Commande cried over the noise. "This is that part where I start making random noises, let's see if you can keep up!"

" da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day

da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day"

The group had barely gotten through, but they were ready for the next set. As they jumped up and down, Cloak took out two twigs and began to bang them against a stump.

"When I'm lonely, well I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be losing all my energy
And when I'm dreaming, well I know I'm gonna dream
I'm gonna Dream about all the love I got from you
When I go out(When I go out), well I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the colt that sells the milk to you
And when I leave you(When I leave you), yes I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the drone who works in Hive-block B.
I'm gonna be the drone who's getting loooooovvveeeee from you.

But I would change 500 forms
And I would change 500 more
Just to be the one who changed a thousand forms
To get that love of yours

da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day

da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day

da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day

da da da (da da da)
da da da (da da da)

dum diddle dum diddle dum diddle do da day

But I would change 500 forms
And I would change 500 more
Just to be the one who changed a thousand forms
To get that love of yours"

The guitar vanished in another flash of smoke. The changelings stomped the ground, cheering the armored changelng for his rather grand idea. All the Commander did was bow, taking in the applause he so dearly deserved-at least in his mind he thought he deserved it-.

"Amazing!"

"Stupendous!"

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"

Cloak and Blend turned their heads to view Forge, who looked at them in defiance. "What? It's a real word I swear!"

But after a while, they merely laughed, and chuckled, and rolled over the floor.

Never noticing the pair of unknown changelings advancing upon their position...

%%%%

Transparence landed neatly in front of the green building she had called home. Taking in a deep breath, she opened the doors. Other then the light, nothing had been touched. Moving swiftly, she picked up herbs, blankets, and anything that had alerted of a pony ever being here.

She rinsed the dishes, and cleaned the table so that it was spotless, but not spotless enough to make anypony think that a changeling had been living here for the last few days. When she felt that she was content with what she saw, she trotted out, and began to make her way towards the prison.

It was only a matter of time now that she had so foolishly revealed herself before they got to the Commander. She didn't exactly have a plan in mind, but she could figure something out later. As she flew over the silent houses, she could make out random ponies gathering in the darkness.

Changelings. She thought grimly. She would have been there to if it hadn't been for that annoying captain, but for now, she had only one goal in mind. Once she completed that, then she would be even and would never owe another changeling anything anymore. The Commander may have been a jerk, but he had saved her life and that was a favor she needed to return.

As the yellow-brick building rose over the path, she paused, hovering in the air. The building seemed normal...except for the pile of rubble jutting nest to it. In fact, a feeble lamp was glowing over the door that had been left ajar. Careful to not wake anypony, she tip-hoofed her way to the entrance.

An armored guard was spread over the rubble, his mouth giving short breaths. In the room, another pony, a mare by the looks of it, was plopped against the wall, her body as still as a pile of rags. And at the cell door was...nothing. The door had been left opened, and as Transparence sneaked a look, she could tell that the occupants had been long gone. Whoever had done this had done it late in the night, and was probably not too far away.

"But who would do such a thing?"

%%%% (During the song)

She stood there in the moonlight, her eyes glinting like gems. Her armor gave off long white bands of moonlight that raced across like stripes. A ragged old pony doll laid in the opposite hoof as a chess board stood in front of her, already set for a game.

Thresh took in a breath, muttering to himself before he came forward. So far, only one other changeling had accompanied the High-General, but it was still something that he felt was unwise. As he moved forward, the changeling gave a giggle.

"Look Mr. Smartypants, that mean-old banditto is here to negotiate with us..."

Talk about a maniac Thresh thought, his entire posture tense as he approached the female changeling. She was clearly delusional, or caught up in some fantasy world that no other changeling dared to venture into. Or she was a complete psychopath that won't take "no" for an answer. In which case, he would be content with slitting her throat and leaving it at that.

"So you wished to see me?"

"Yes," Double said, her tone growing cold, "I assume you have him correct?"

"Would I be here if I didn't?" Thresh mused, his eyes riveted on her postion.

Double gave off another fit of laughter before continuing. "Yes, I suppose your right. Anyhow, there has been a change of plans..."

"How so," Thresh interrupted, "I thought it was settled that we spare your life for this piece of work."

Double merely laughed, moving a chess piece in front of her. Though her appearance was rather innocent, Thresh couldn't help but stare at her as if she was some sort of criminal. It had been odd enough that she had bargained another changeling's life for hers, but now she was trying to convince him to give that very changeling...to her?

"Did you think you were sparing my life," Double asked in the most quiet voice he had ever heard. "Did you think I was in those strong hooves of yours?"

She moved another piece diagonally from the other, so that Thresh found his entire side surrounded by a semicircle of white pawns, rooks, king, queen, and even knights. "I had made sure I was in control from the start. You are merely another pawn in my plan."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Thresh blurted, "are you insane or are you making a special effort today?"

"You see," Double said casually, "in chess, you need to juggle multiple tasks. Make sure that each piece does what it must do correctly. Do it in such a way that your opponent would never guess...and then when the time is right...you execute it."

Thresh could only watch her as she continued to play with the board, moving pieces here and there like some sort of puzzle that she already knew the solution for.

"I don't understand..."he said, "why then did you need me? You could have gotten him yourself."

"Well..." Double said, "you are very special to me, Threshy. Afterall, how can I forget a changeling who was once the High-General himself?"

Thresh's mouth gaped. No one knew about that, not even Forge. It was a past he had tried to forget, and a past he was sure no one would remember anyhow. He had had a different name back then.

"How...who...I don't..." He was beginning to choke, his hooves falling back as his system went into shock. Then, before he could get back up, he fell to the ground.

"Oh Thresh," she said as she walked over to his writing body. "don't you remember me?"

Thresh managed to control himself, his body still aching but stable enough for him to talk.

"You're...but I thought the Queen got rid of you..."

"You see Thresh," she said, "I had a life before this. Before you took me and tossed me in there like I was nothing."

"Believe me," Thresh pleaded, "I had no choice, I'm-I'm sorry."

"Are you?" She questioned.

"Oh for crying out loud Double I quit the job after that! Let the past be the past. Don't go into hyperdrive over something that had happened years ago-"

Double smashed her hoof over his chest, her eyes glaring like daggers in the lamplight. "I had a family Thresh! I had one and now you took it away..."

"I did it so you could be a part of our family..." Thresh whispered, "at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing. But when I saw what Chyrsalis was doing, I-I couldn't live with myself. She was nothing like her mother, Metamorphosis. You-you were a mistake that's all. And when she wanted you back, I thought she would take care fo you."

"Well, the only one who's taken care of me is Mr. Smartypants here," she rubbed the doll against her cheek. "He really wants to see his twin now doesn't he?"

"What...what have they done to you?" Thresh whispered.

"It will be nothing in comparison to what I'll do to the swarm when I'm done. And I'll start with your little prisoner."

And with that, she fired a green bolt of magic that caused Thresh to go in a pastic dance. Smiling to herself, she turned to the two guards that had materialized out fo the shadows.

With a flick of her hoof, she mouthed the words. "Get them."

%%%%

"And just who are you?" Forge slurred, for his body was ready for a good nap.

"We are here to take the prisoner in custody." One of the guards bellowed.

Oh shoot Forge thought wide-eyed.

"Prisoner?" The Commander mused, "Who here is a prisoner?"

The guards have him a quizzical look, and then stared back at Forge. "He went with you willingly?"

Forge merely gave a chuckle, his face blushing from pure embarrassment. The Commander was still as clueless as ever, looking from him, to the guard, and back to him. "Ummmm...he sort of believes were rescuing him."

"Rescuing?" The Commander began to look desperately at the other changelings, who did not return his stare as they dedicated the full attention of their sensory organs to the ground below.

"You mean..."his voice grew with rage, "that this was all a lie? A hoax so that you could take me to the dungeon? But I don't get it? I thought the swarm wanted me back..."

"Listen General Carbon," the guard uttered, "don't even bother with fleeing. We'll catch you. Just come quietly and everything will be okay..."

The Commander looked up, his face filled with bewilderment. "General Carbon? I'm the Commander in Chief! I'm not a buckin' general!"

The guards merely raised their brows, unconvinced by the changeling's outburst. "Likely story General, but we all know that the Commander did not survive Canterlot, which is why the other second-in-command, High-General Double, is executing the moves which you have had the displeasure of criticizing."

"What are you talking about?" The Commander cried, "For the last time, I'm not that general. I'm the one who controls the generals. The only reason I have this armor was because the swarm was having budget cuts for Celestia's sake."

The two guard merely grunted and made their way towards him, "You've tried my patience enough, time to go and-"

"Hold on a second," Forge cried.

Every changeling stared at the top hat-bearing drone. Cloak the spoke up. "What are you doing Forge?"

"I don't trust you to take him," he finally blurted.

"What? But Thresh himself said-"

"Then let me talk to Thresh," Forge said, causing the two guards to give a glint of panic. "I know Thresh like a brother and he would check with me first before giving a-a prisoner up."

Seeing as the guards did nothing, he continued. "So if it's okay with you fine gentlelings, I would like to check this in with my brother before-"

"What is with these guys and checking in with their higher ups?" The guard yelled as he fired a shot that whizzed by Forge's head.

As the changeling ducked, he saw the blast hit Blend directly, sending the changeling back into the bushes. Cloak gave a howl of fury as he fired upon the guards, who put up a blue bubble around them. The beams of light bounced back, deflected by the shield spell. And they had been rebounded directly into an open-mouth Cloak.

"Run Commander!" Forge screamed, his horn firing volley after volley to keep the guards at bay.

The changeling was frozen, taken aback by the shear amount of combat that was taking place. Forge sighed inwardly as he yelled back to the changeling.

"Commander, run for your buckin life you resin-secreted piece of rubbish!"

Getting back to his sense, the changeling turned high-tail and dashed down the road, towards the still sleeping town of Ponyville.

It's the least I can do for you partner Forge sighed as a blast knocked him over like a train going full speed. He was tossed into the air and landed with a sickening crack. Stumbling up, he fell back on his hooves. One of them was slightly fractured. Looking up, he could see one of the guards walking up to his figure, ready to finish what he started.

"There isn't any time, we need to get him," the other guard hissed.

With one last glare at the fallen changeling, the guard ran with his partner to catch up. Forge rolled over his belly and began to crawl his way up to a neraby branch that had been snapped off in the fight. Using it to stabilize himself, he began to make his way towards the forest.

After several excruciating minutes, he found his brother lying over a tossed chess board, his eyes forced to gaze at the rising sun. No longer able to hold himself, Forge collapsed next to his brethren. It would take a good hour or so to heal before he coud stand back up.

"Fo-Forge?" came the raspy whisper of hie fellow brother.

"Eeyup," Forge replied, " what happened to you?"

"Double-crossed" Thresh choked.

"Why that back-stabbing piece of varmin," Forge's voice was filled with fury. When he got his hooves on her...

"Don't...," Thresh said, his voice growing fainter by the minute, "just don't...let...her..."

But Thresh grew quiet, going into a state of unconsciousness as his form rested soundly. Forge could only whimper silently as he was alone with his sleeping partner. As he gazed up at the stars, he could see dawn approaching. When he healed over, he would take his fellow comrades to a safer area to heal. And then when he was finished, he would find the Commander.

I just hope he can outrun those guards...