Changeling 32433 sat and watched. He was good at sitting at watching. That was his task, and so he did it. He did its job well. Nothing in the world could have sat more securely or stared more intently than Changeling 32433.

It was just too bad that what 32433 was staring at was so boring. He was watching a pegasus and a unicorn. One was a light tan, the other was violet. One had wings, the other had horns. That was the extent of 32433’s opinions on their appearance. Ponies were all so…similar. They all had the same body, plus or minus a few appendages and colors. And they stayed the same shape all their life. Changelings could be anything they wanted.

Case in point. Changeling 32433 watched the unicorn known as Starlight Glimmer accidentally wash off her Cutie Mark and reapply it with makeup. He watched Fluttershy watch Starlight Glimmer and then hide as the unicorn glanced around suspiciously.

32433 had no fear of being spotted himself, though. It was night, and he was hovering high in the sky. The only way any pony would find him was if they were very close, and the pegasi in this village didn’t fly much.

Well, it seemed Starlight Glimmer was hiding something after all. 32433 knew this was somehow important, but it didn’t really matter. His mission here wasn’t actually to watch Starlight Glimmer or even rescue the captured Elements of Harmony. He was here to watch only one pony.

Fluttershy.

Fake Fluttershy, actually. That was what his queen called her. But to 32433, it was easier to think of all ponies as either his queen, or his not-queen. Because he had a queen once more.

He had a queen. Even if she didn’t call herself a queen at the moment, queen she was. That was what was important. Changelings needed a queen. But they also needed a good queen. Changeling 32433 recalled his orders of several hours ago.

----

“Watch her,” Fluttershy said. She and Changeling 32433 hovered high above the village, watching as the Elements of Harmony were escorted by the strange pony villagers led by Starlight Glimmer. “Don’t let her out of your sight for a moment.”

She had meant the other Fluttershy. And so 32433 had obeyed, observing how the pegasus had managed to free herself and even infiltrate the home of Starlight Glimmer. Even now she had clearly witnessed Starlight’s deception and was no doubt formulating some kind of plan.

32433 had not been surprised by his orders to watch the pegasus. True, Starlight Glimmer was a pony of unparalleled ability who could strip even an alicorn princess of her Cutie Mark…so what? Changelings didn’t have Cutie Marks. They’d eat Starlight and her villagers alive in a heartbeat. Any pony that specialized in making other ponies more useless than they already were was an asset in 32433’s book.

But his queen commanded, and so he obeyed. It was just that he wondered why he was spying on his own side. It seemed that this went against what his queen also desired: protecting the Elements of Harmony.

32433 shifted uncomfortably. These thoughts were hard thoughts to have. Treasonous thoughts, even, but the times had changed. Before, the swarm had bowed to one being: Chrysalis, Queen of Changelings. But she had led them against Canterlot and they had been defeated. Still, the swarm cannot be broken by a single defeat. They had reformed, prepared to attack Equestria with the full might of their army—

And they had died. The swarm had broken in the Everfree, broken against the might of one pegasus and a handful of animals. They had been shattered and less than a fragment remained, pledging their loyalty to the pegasus who had destroyed them. It had been an agonizing choice, but a simple one in the end.

Changelings needed a queen. They could not live without a queen. 32433 had been empty, numb and useless after his queen had died, but the void had been filled. He had found his queen and served her. That was all.

But.

The swarm had died. The swarm had risen again. And yet the issue of a queen remained. Changeling 32433 had its orders. Observe. But were they good orders? Were they the right orders? Changeling 32433 had never had to question its orders, but it did so now. That was worrying.

Below him Fake Fluttershy slipped back into the village, soundless. She was a mystery as well. His queen was ruthless, efficient; the Fluttershy that had destroyed so many. But this Fluttershy, this other one, this faker pretending to be what she was not disturbed him greatly. Because she was what Chrysalis was not.

Kind.

32433 closed its eyes for a moment as it hovered in the night sky. It remembered the past.

----

The changelings had been called in not to fight in Flame Geyser Swamp, but to prevent any pony from wandering into the battleground. This was a task only they could perform and more valuable than their combat ability. Already they had dissuaded several wandering ponies by posing as Wonderbolts, the royal Canterlot Guard, and Prince Blueblood.

The changelings were maintaining their perimeter when noise from inside the swamp alerted them to Fluttershy and an army of animals. The changelings noted their leader’s expression, saw the procession of animals and the covered shape carried by several squirrels. Very wisely they said nothing.

“Secure the area. Keep every pony out for two more hours and then cut down the chimera in the swamp,” Fluttershy snapped at 32433. “Then leave before it attacks you. Report back to me when you’re done.”

32433 and the other changelings saluted and Fluttershy stalked off. They maintained their perimeter faithfully until she had taken wing and was out of sight. Then they sent 32433 to investigate.

Curiosity. The fourteen changelings were linked by the telepathic bond that connected the swarm, and so they had drawn straws to see who would go see what had happened while the rest waited. If worst came to worst, only one of them would die and the others would know to stay clear. 32433 had always had bad luck.

He had ventured into the swamp, tensed, ready to fight or flee. But then 32433 had entered the small clearing and seen the body hanging from the tree.

A bloated fruit hung from the trees. No; not a fruit but a creature, gargantuan. Yet it was held off the ground by a noose made of countless intertwined ropes. One of its heads was caught in the noose while the other two screamed and fought to break it free. But it was choking, dying.

The tiger’s head looked down at the changeling, face already swelling purple in the evening light. And yet it still lived; perhaps because of the chimera’s body, some air still reached the head. But not enough. It was fading away, strangled, dying.

32433 looked down. In his mind his brethren were silent. A cruel death, but one ordered by his queen. A soldier obeys, but this was no enemy warrior, and it was dying horribly. Yet a soldier obeys.

The two other heads of the chimera were cursing him, pleading with him to cut the rope. But it was strong and made of many thinner ropes intertwined. Even if he had wanted to, 32433 would not have been able to cut it in time with his hooves and teeth. But he looked up as the tiger’s gurgled and choked. It had to be witnessed.

The last light faded from the tiger’s head. 32433 looked away, up at that blood red sky and saw a flicker. He blinked.

A pegasus dove out of the sky. Faster than any other pegasus 32433 had ever seen, save for Rainbow Dash. It—she crashed through the treetops, shredding her wings without care as she flew at the chimera. A knife was in her mouth.

The goat and snake sisters screamed as they saw the pegasus, the pegasus fly at them. But they were helpless, and the pegasus—

Fluttershy slashed past the chimera, missing the tiger’s head by only a few feet. But she did not miss her target.

The rope snapped. The chimera fell to the ground.

Changeling 32433 heard the beating of wings. He looked up.

She hovered in the air, knife held in her mouth. The fading light flashed off the blade, a golden ray of light that seared his vision. But she was shining too, and her tan coat looked radiant, her eyes the depths of the blue sky.

A gasp of air. 32433 whirled and saw the chimera sitting up. The tiger’s head hung limp, but even as he watched it began to shake and cough. Its two sister heads clustered next to it, whispering, crying. But the tiger’s head looked up and saw her flying there.

She descended to the ground slowly and laid the knife on the ground. The chimera sisters watched her as one, frightened, wary, confused. But even if Changeling 32433 had not known already, he would have instantly realized that this was not the Fluttershy who had hung the chimera earlier.

Where was her quivering? It had been so long, and all that time 32433 had never seen her do anything other than shiver or shake or act meek. But now she stood tall, proud, sorrowful. And he was humbled, and wondered how he could have forgotten.

Then she bowed. The pegasus went down upon one leg and lowed her head until her mane touched the ground. Both changeling and chimera stared. But the pegasus bowed, and held that pose.

The chimera hesitated. The three sister heads looked at each other as one, and then suddenly all three bowed as well. The chimera’s massive body lowered, and the heads touched the ground, snake, goat, tiger. And all three wept.

Changeling 32433 did not bow. He did not weep. But he shook like a leaf and couldn’t take his eyes away from the scene. His heart was beating out of his chest, and his eyes were burning. But he couldn’t look away.

At last the pegasus stood. She walked over to the chimera and laid a gentle hoof on its shoulder for once moment. Then she turned.

She looked at changeling 32433, and he felt a shock run through his body when he looked into her eyes. Her stare was…it was worse than looking into Chrysalis’s eyes at her most furious. Yet, better at the same time. She was not his queen, but he looked at her and—

Fake Fluttershy took off into the sky. 32433 watched her go. The chimera still knelt on the ground, weeping. Changeling 32433 looked at it for a moment and then took wing himself. And his head was filled with thoughts he could not describe.

Later that day he and his fellow changelings reported back to Fluttershy. They told her they had completed their mission. They did not mention Fake Fluttershy, nor that the chimera’s tiger head had survived. They had felt guilty about it, but they had voted.

Eight to six. 32433 had cast the deciding vote. He hadn’t known why he had voted to keep the secret, but something in the pegasus’s eyes had haunted him. He couldn’t get them out of his mind.

Fluttershy hadn’t cared either way. The changelings had left to return to their patrols. Some went to the forest to train animals or monitor the more dangerous denizens, but Changeling 32433 had stayed at the cottage. When Fluttershy was in the Everfree supervising, Fake Fluttershy pretended to be home. 32433 watched her water the garden, chat with the animals, and then sing.

It was a beautiful song. 32433 had been there at the Ponytones concert. He and the other changelings loved singing. Fake Fluttershy had a wonderful voice. He listened to it for a long time.

----

32433 remembered, and the moment came back to him again. The burning brimstone of the swamps, the constricting moist heat and sulfurous fumes, and the pegasus hovering above it all. Even now he remembered it and his heart raced.

But he had a queen, and she was everything. He remembered that too. But he had forsaken her orders once.

Failure. Betrayal.

He remembered.

----

“Kill. Them.”

The words echoed in 32433’s mind as he soared through the night sky. Around him his brethren did the same, hunting their targets, herding them towards the Everfree Forest. It was not a difficult task. Despite the desperation of their quarry, they were unable to fly, and so the changelings easily outmaneuvered them.

32433 swooped down and cut off one of the two unicorns as he made a dash for the open plains to the right of the Everfree. The unicorn reared and ran back, just as his brother did and the two found themselves cornered, with no other option than to enter the forest.

They ran through the branches, dashing between trees, tripping, falling. They helped each other up and ran as far and as fast as they could. But it was enough.

Eventually the two brothers were cornered in a clearing. Changelings entered from each side, herding the brothers to the center. They said nothing, but their purpose was clear.

“Please!” One of the unicorns stepped forwards and groveled before the changelings. “Spare us!” “We didn’t mean to cause any harm,” the other added. “It was only a scam, just a little performance! At least let Flam go! Take me instead!”

“No, I’m the older brother. Take me and let Flim go!”

The two unicorns jostled each other and then shrank back as the changelings advanced. They were sort of funny. 32433 regretted it, as he knew his brothers did but orders were orders. Both Flim Flam brothers must die.

And they knew it. The brothers retreated, but they were surrounded on all sides. They were no fighters, but they stood back to back, ready to go down fighting.

They were no fighters.

It was wrong. Changeling 32433 felt it just as keenly as the others did. They were brothers. They were twins, sworn to each other. They lived together, ran together, and had offered up their lives for each other. They were connected to each other, just as 32433 was connected with his brothers. It was wrong.

But they had orders. Damned orders. The changelings closed in. The brothers stood to make their last stand.

“Please don’t.”

The words came from above. Everyone in the clearing froze both changelings and unicorns. They looked up as one and saw a pegasus sitting in the branches.

She sat in the moonlight, silvery light playing across her mane and coat. How long had she sat there? How had she known where they were? She wasn’t even out of breath.

The changeling stared up at her. They never spoke, at least not aloud, but they thought as one, bound by their connection to the swarm. Normal ponies and animals couldn’t understand them of course, but somehow she could hear.

“I know you have your orders, but please listen to me.” She flew to the ground and the changelings stepped back. Why? But she walked between them, and stood between the changeling and the brothers who looked at her in shock.

“You don’t have to kill.” She spoke softly, but her words were loud in the silence. “You can let them go. They are innocent. Foolish, but innocent. You know this.”

The changelings looked down. Maybe so. But they had orders.

“They are the wrong orders.” Her words pierced 32433’s heart. “And you all know it.”

They did. They were ashamed and couldn’t meet her eyes. But she looked at them without judgement. Kindly. It hurt more than the rest.

“You protect her. You do your duty. You have given much, and I know how loyal you have been.” She gestured to their bodies. Their carapaces were cracked in places; their exoskeletons held the scars of countless battles. “You are faithful. And you are soldiers. And believe me, I understand that you trust her. She has led you against monsters and evil, and that might have been right. But you know that this is wrong.”

The changelings couldn’t look up. She was right. But their orders…

“Let them go, and they will hide and cause no more trouble.” She turned to the brothers, and they nodded vigorously. “She won’t know. There is no need to kill. There is no war here.”

32433 looked up and she was looking at him. Again her eyes pierced his very being, far more terrible than the gaze of any demon. He would have challenged Tirek to a duel, fought Tirek and Discord together rather than face that stare.

She was no queen, but they couldn’t even meet her eyes. The changelings stood silent in the clearing, but they could not advance. If she left, they would complete their duty. But she didn’t leave, and so they could not step forwards.

And so they turned and walked away. Fourteen of the swarm’s greatest warriors, warriors of hundreds of battles. They couldn’t even meet her eyes.

32433 looked back, just once. He saw the brothers in the clearing, prostrating themselves at her feet. They were hugging her, hugging each other, sobbing in relief. The sight reminded him of the chimera.

His queen had orders. He obeyed his queen. But though she ruled the swarm, he had never seen any creature kneel to her besides the swarm.

And then had come the day his queen had not led them into battle. And on that day when all hope had been lost and the monster blotted out the skies with his stolen magic, the light had shone. And she had been in the light, and his heart had shook again in his chest.

She was…

----

Changeling 32433 closed his eyes for a moment. The village of the strange ponies with the same Cutie Mark lay below him, dark and silent. Not good. He had only one queen. Fluttershy was his leader, and all he needed to think about. But she was getting…erratic. And it was strange.

Killing was a changeling soldier’s duty. It was a natural thing. You did it for the good of the swarm, for the good of the queen. That was simple. But you also killed quickly and efficiently. You didn’t torture, you didn’t hurt.

No, more than that, you didn’t kill civilians. Not unless you had to. And 32433 had seen the Flim Flam brothers. They hadn’t been dangerous. They sang catchy songs and sold fake medicine, but they weren’t hurtful. They hadn’t deserved to die.

Doubts. 32433 wanted to find a rock to smash his head against. Maybe that would get the bad thoughts out of his head. But they whispered on to him. Were they thoughts the swarm had, or just his own failings?

But a queen must be a good queen. And Fluttershy was a good queen. Maybe.

32433 remembered fighting Sombra. He saw the ranks of animals cut down by magic again in his mind, saw the gory battlefield after fighting the Pinkies. So much loss. So much blood.

“There is no war here.”

She was right. Two unicorn tricksters and a lone chimera wasn’t a war. They were no threat. Even Sombra had been no danger unless sought out. There was no war. Why, then, did Fluttershy have an army?

The only enemy that had threatened Equestria had been Tirek. But that was the one time they hadn’t fought. Instead, Fluttershy had killed him by herself. After that, she had disbanded the army. Why?

32433 looked down at Starlight Glimmer’s house. He looked very carefully at the unicorn now slumbering in her bed and thought of the trouble her ability to remove Cutie Marks could cause. He thought of the imprisoned Elements of Harmony, and of the village of ponies who weren’t happy but smiled a lot.

These were bad things. The situation here required the Elements of Harmony, he could see that. If he were a pony, he would want to imprison Starlight Glimmer, or at least make sure she couldn’t trick ponies.

But.

There was no war. There was no need for an army, or even a soldier. 32433 was no genius, but he thought he knew what Fluttershy’s inevitable order would be. But Starlight was no grand villain, and she was no warrior. Yet Fluttershy treated everything like it was a battle.

Who was she fighting?

----

The next day 32433 hid behind a cloud and watched as she stepped out of the cottage. She unmasked Starlight Glimmer, and then the ponies of the village freed themselves. He saw Starlight grabbing the six Cutie Marks, but he was told not to interfere.

Next to him his queen hovered in the air, watching the drama play out with narrowed eyes. They saw Starlight reaching the caves, and then at the last moment the village ponies free the Cutie Marks. 32433 looked at his queen’s expression and couldn’t tell if she was pleased or not.

In the end, Starlight Glimmer escaped. In the aftermath as the ponies below began to celebrate, 32433 waited with beating heart. His queen hovered in the air, silent. But when she turned to him, he saw in her eyes her order.

“Kill her.”

32433 hesitated, but he had always bowed his head. So he did so again. His queen left without even bothering to look at him. And he was left alone with his thoughts.

Kill. It wasn’t hard to do. He had done so many times in service to the swarm. But this time, he wondered whether it would truly help the swarm to kill.

----

The caves Starlight had escaped into were dark and winding, a labyrinth of tunnels. But that didn’t matter; there were only so many exits and the changelings had scouted them all.

32433 hovered in the night sky, his mind in turmoil. His heart was wavering. Soon, Starlight would emerge from the tunnels. At that moment her life would be in his hooves. His squad was divided; they would listen to his input. So the only question remained: what was the right answer?

Kill her.

Were they the right orders? Changeling 32433 remembered a pegasus looking at him. His heart…hurt.

Mercy.

Trust.

He had a queen, and she—

She was not herself. But she was a queen.

Maybe it was sick fate, or maybe it was sin for previous failures. Changeling 32433 didn’t know. But the swarm lived, and he was part of the swarm. He was connected, and they heard his thoughts. Poisonous doubt from one changeling was a sin, and it would normally be dealt with by other warriors and 32433 would have been crushed to death instantly.

But though Changeling 32433 felt his thoughts touch his fellow changelings, he felt not condemnation. Worse, he felt the same doubt echoed in the thirteen warriors who had served by his side. The revived swarm was restless, nervous, doubting. They hid and listened to the thoughts of the fourteen, and waited to see what they would do. And the fourteen were uncertain, and Changeling 32433 was afraid. An order had been given. Obedience to the queen was all. But if the order was wrong, what then?

Change was coming. It was only natural. Change was part of a changeling’s life. It defined it. The swarm was change, and they would change until the day they died. 32433 had changed so much already, but this was different.

He feared what he would become.

Two pale blue eyes stared at him in his mind. His queen’s words echoed in his minds. They filled his being, and he didn’t know which was louder.

He had orders. But were they the right ones?

Starlight Glimmer emerged from the caves. She poked her head out of the tunnels overlooking the village. She hadn’t even bothered to try to navigate the labyrinth of tunnels, just waited until nightfall to sneak away.

32433 hovered in the air, alone. But never alone. The swarm raged through him, thousands of thoughts arguing, debating, confused, uncertain. It had never been like this before. Once, they had served a queen and they had all been focused as one, a sword meant to be wielded against the swarm’s enemies.

But now their queen was breaking apart. Something was wrong. And the actions 32433 took here would help or make the situation even worse.

Starlight Glimmer was below him.

His heart beat faster.