Careful Steps preceded Shining and Cadance, marching down the steps to the Royal Guard training and practice area. He followed closely on the hooves of Flash Sentry. "You have them all, Lieutenant." Careful had been discussing the capture of the changelings with Flash, telling him that they were now bonded to the hive. "We can tell, they are all bound to us." It was a lie of convenience and one that defended Careful's Queen, so it wasn't really a lie at all.

"That is extremely convenient. Why didn't you do this 'bond' thing to find them?" Flash turned before heading to the practice grounds, leading the way to the little row of covered cells the guards used to take care of ponies who had drunk too much hard cider, or who enjoyed roughhousing a little much.

"Because they weren't part of our hive." Careful's logic was perfect. He had his disguise on, mostly to keep others calm; Flash knew he was a changeling. Careful looked in on the mix of ponies, rocks, extra beds, and the odd changeling (apparently defiant enough, or resigned enough, to not bother with a disguise).

"Every one we could find, and that you gave us the details for. Really tricky, one disguised as a barrel for nearly ten minutes until one of the other guards leaned against them. It was good training, if nothing else." Flash halted and stood to attention. "Sir!"

Shining Armor stopped and showed off a perfect salute. "You don't need to salute me anymore, Flash. But I am glad to see your training stuck." The first changeling on the end of the row was glaring at Flash first, but when Shining was in their view their eyes went wide as saucers. "Hello there. Name, rank, intention."

"Flick Wing. Infiltrator—" Flick Wing froze at Careful Steps' guffaw. "What?"

"Flick Wing, you and I both know you aren't an infiltrator. You are clever, but you aren't up to full infiltration. Who signed you up for this job?" Careful let fire cover him, sweeping away the guard-disguise he had been wearing.

Several gasps left nearby cells, more changelings quickly shed their disguises to look at Careful. But Shining was the first to speak. "Flash, if you could make sure we have some privacy?" He looked at Flash Sentry, and interpreted the annoyed expression as a desire to learn new interrogation techniques, especially those that were effective on changelings. "Sorry, but this is the business of our hive."

"Yes, sir." Flash Sentry snapped off his salute, intending it to show his annoyance with Shining through the act of distancing him.

Once the Equestrian Guard was out of sight, Shining nodded to Cadance, and dropped his disguise. The gasp was much louder this time, and nearly every changeling in the lockup was poking their head through the bars to see. "I am one of your Queens." Shining buzzed his wings and walked down the row of cells, making sure each changeling saw him. "Your old queen, Chrysalis, tried to make me into a drone. It almost worked." He grinned, showing off the fangs of a queen. "But I am not alone. You all know of Empress Mi Amore Cadenza, Princess Cadance." He paused as a few of the heads nodded. "She is your queen, too."

Every changeling was silent. Each one reached to that little tendril that bound them—metaphysically—to their hive, and checked it. "You are…" Flick's voice trembled in awe. "What about my mommy?"

The question hit Shining like a brick. It impacted against his morals and sense of rightness; he had discussed this with Cadance, but no further. "If I can do anything to help Chrysalis, I will. But she is not fit to run a hive." His words got a few chirps from other drones, not the least of which was Careful. "Can I trust you, Flick Wing?"

Flick shook a little more, her world having been shaken. "A queen should be the hive's mother." She glared defiantly at Shining Armor. "You are no mother to the hive!" It took every ounce of Flick's willpower to go against her instincts towards Shining.

"Not yet." Shining tried not to hang his head, but it was hard to deny that it still hit hard that—at his very core—he was turning into a mare. "But these changes are not superficial. I am every bit your queen." His voice was even, but firm. "And you have my lovely wife. It was her love that ripped your bond to Chrysalis free. It is her love that feeds you."

"You would starve us to death if we didn't agree to… to…" Flick buzzed her wings in annoyance. "Join you or die?" The moment she said it she saw terror on a changeling queen's features for the second time ever. The first had been Chrysalis realizing what was happening in the throne room at the recent wedding. "I'm sorry…"

"No, I am. I didn't…" Shining flopped down to his belly. "I am new at this, alright? I want you all to be safe and happy, but not if it means everypony I protect is put at risk." I need to get to know them. They are ponies, I need to know that. Taking a deep breath, Shining looked up at Flick Wing. "I am sorry. We got off on the wrong hoof. My name is Shining Armor, who are you?"

"It…" Flick chirped her wings in confusion. "My name is Flick Wing."

Shining smiled. "How did you get that name?" With the changeling mare so nervous he could already see why.

"My wings tremble a little when I am worried about something." Flick was suddenly conscious of performing the act. "How did this," she gestured with a hoof at Shining, "happen? Queen Chrysalis wasn't very… explainy."

"Cadance is going to thump me for admitting this, but for the first few hours of Chrysalis' act I didn't suspect anything." Shining flicked an ear and tilted his head to glance at Cadance.

"No comment." Cadance poked out her tongue.

"I was distracted. I was about to get married, and we had received a threat against Princess Celestia. What I first noticed, was the way Chrysalis kissed. It was uncaring, as if it was just an act—which it was. 'You're not Cadance,' I said. I had barely a moment of free thought before her magic flashed and trapped me." Shining shook a little, unable to suppress the shiver the mere memory brought back. "She made me do things, she… she seemed intent on doing them, even giving herself away to her bridesmaids before she…"

"Mind control." Flick shivered. "Queens and a few drones can do that. It is…"

"Terrifying." As Shining said the word, he saw Flick nod in reaction. "I was lost in the world she built for me; I couldn't even start to break free, and she made me enjoy it. But then she produced some… gunk. It tasted horrible, but because she told me to, I ate it."

"That 'gunk,' " Careful cut in, reaching a hoof to his Queen's shoulder, "is an old poison. It kills ponies, and there is no cure. But if combined with changeling blood, it does something different. It changes the pony."

"Careful Steps was the first changeling I got to know properly." Shining looked up at Careful. "I found a pony. A smart stallion who wanted to do good things, who liked being free and well fed." He turned back to look at Flick. "I am sorry if I implied we would starve you. You don't have to join us directly, or do what we say as queens. But you do have to live in the Crystal Empire."

"Do you promise to help my mommy?" Flick Wing looked back at Shining with all the certainty of a filly who was lost and alone. "Please?"

"She hurt me a lot, Flick." Shining felt a soft wing touch his back, and felt Cadance press against his side. "If she lets me help her," it cost every ounce of his willpower to say, "I will try." Without realizing when he had screwed his eyes closed, Shining felt tension leave him, and opened his eyes to see Flick Wing standing in her cell, crying as much as he wanted to.

"Queen Shining Armor? Q-Queen Cadance?" Flick looked between the two, the changeling almost-queen on the ground, and the alicorn pony comforting him. She felt pulled to them, drawn like a moth to a flame, because she had let herself be. "Please let me help save her."

"Come one! Come all! See the Great and Powerful Trixie perform feats that will amaze you!" Trixie cavorted, letting off fireworks. Part of her wished that she could have Gilt Wings perform with her again, but the Commander was likely busy… and almost a day by train away. "See her astound and amaze! See her produce magic unlike any you have seen before!"

"Can you do anything like Princess Twilight's magic?" Rainbow Dash sauntered up to the stage during Trixie's rehearsal; wearing more of a smile than the sneer she had the first time Trixie had put on a show in Ponyville. "Of course you can't. You do a completely different kind of magic." Rainbow leaned to one confused colt at her side and whispered—loud enough so that all the young ponies watching could hear— "She is actually pretty awesome, you should see what she did in the Crystal Empire."

Trixie blinked at Rainbow Dash, her act pausing for just a moment. Not a heckler. She beamed. "Yes indeed! Watch well and witness the spectacle that Trixie performed for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor themselves!"

"Who's My Armor Cadenz?" Pipsqueak lifted his hoof, as if he was at school.

"She means Princess Cadance." Rainbow used a hoof to rough up Pip's mane so it would up everywhere.

"Ahem. Trixie thinks she might need to revise some of this for the younger audience." Tapping a hoof to her chin, Trixie grinned right at Rainbow Dash. "For this next part, the Great and Powerful Trixie will require the help of an audience member." She turned her head, scanning among the fillies and colts, but her eyes were focused on Rainbow Dash. "Somepony fast. Somepony strong. Somepony… like you!"

"What? Me?" Rainbow Dash was moving forward, her wings spread in surprise. "But I…" She climbed the stairs onto the stage. "So what do I do?"

"Try to keep up." Trixie's eyes flashed. She sent a burst of fireworks shooting into the sky with her magic, and dropped a smoke pellet.

Rainbow Dash felt a shove from the side and stumbled. Coughing a little, she felt something settle on her back and head. "Hey, what…?" The smoke cleared and revealed Trixie sitting in the audience, and Rainbow Dash stuck on stage, wearing the magic hat and cape.

"So, 'Great and Powerful Rainbow Dash.' What makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?" Trixie gave a grin at Rainbow as she got the quote just right, with just the right inflection.

"Uh…" Rainbow Dash floundered a little. "What…? Oh, yeah. Have you heard about how I defeated an ursa major?" She tried to do a repeat of a classic Trixie pose, gesturing into the sky. Her wings shot up in shock when actual magic shot out of her hoof. "Alright, that is pretty cool, Trixie."

"Trixie appreciates praise. It was a little rude of you to heckle Trixie the first time she was here, and the second… Trixie messed up pretty badly. Are we even?" Holding her hoof out, Trixie blinked at Rainbow not doing the same.

"No deal, Trixie." Fluffing her wings down, Rainbow Dash stepped back. "Because you totally saved the Crystal Empire's… and my… bacon with that Games Inspector. What are you doing down here again, anyway?"

Blinking in surprise, Trixie realized how good it felt to receive real praise for something, particularly something she was proud of. "Oh, Trixie just wanted to visit Ponyville and make up for that… amulet-thing." She gave her raised hoof a little wiggle. "Please don't leave Trixie hanging."

Rainbow Dash thrust her hoof out and connected with Trixie's, giving it a sound clop. "Oh hey, Twilight wanted to talk to us all a bit later, did you want to come too? I am sure she will want to meet you again."

And give me the chance to tell her what is going on. It will be perfect! "Oh, Trixie should do that. Twilight is the princess of this town now." A new inspiration hit Trixie. "It would be perfect, actually. Trixie could have Twilight demand a show, then it could be a Royal Command Performance!" Dancing from hoof to hoof, Trixie felt more excited than she expected she would. Turning around, Trixie raised her voice. "You will have to excuse the Great and Powerful Trixie, she has an engagement with a princess!"

A round of "Awwww"s came from the fillies and colts.

"But don't fear! Trixie will put on a special, foal-only show, after her Super Special Princess Show!" Trixie let off some more fireworks, and was reminded of why she got into show business. The cheer from all the foals energized her, lifting her spirits higher than ever. "Trixie will return!" A smoke pellet hit the ground and she broke into a gallop.

"That is pretty awesome. A show just for all the foals?" Rainbow Dash was flying along easily at Trixie's side. "What happened to the angry Trixie that came back here for revenge?"

"She took the amulet off and saw how not-Trixie-like her world was. Princess Luna helped, but a changeling helped me more." Trixie managed to hide the tear in her eye as she galloped right to the library in the middle of town. Slowing down, she drew herself down to a trot.

Rainbow Dash watched as Trixie trotted all the way around the library before stopping at the front door; it was a recognizable wind-down from the furious run she had just made. "Huh, she really isn't that stupid…"

"What was that?" Trixie turned and glared at Rainbow Dash. Lifting her hoof, she started to knock on the door, except it didn't "knock." Turning her head back, Trixie realized she had just booped Princess Twilight Sparkle twice on the snout.

Author's Notes:

You might have noticed that my comma-splices have been reducing in number, it is all thanks to a wonderful reader who mails me a list of everything wrong with my stories. Well, he decided to turn things around and write something for me to proof read, and it fits right here. It is optional, but he has granted me the right to use these characters, and I intend to.

Asymmetric Everything

by jeffh4

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

Changeling Throne Room: "How do you feel about currently being empty?"

Chrysalis poked her head up from beside the throne, looking indignant. "I am not empty! Just because that... hussy... stole my Shiny doesn't meant..." Chrysalis, even as a little drone, couldn't stop the horrible blush from covering her cheeks, as she worked out the implications of how she had interpreted the question. She stuck her tongue out.

~~~~~+++++~~~~~

So I do this "Ask x" thing, x can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and I they will definitely hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories and of course, I they will answer the best question(s) in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer, try and keep it to one answer per post! I They will pick one question per chapter.

Support me on atreon

Join me on Discord. Please use your FimFic name as an alias. Warning, said chat may contain NSFW material and should be considered adult in nature.

Awesome ponies who are already helping to keep me in keyboards and rum:
Canary in the Coal Mine
Daremo
Mary Rowland
Boulder
A.P.O.N.I.
Mephia
Nils
Ian
Dio-Drogynous

And special thanks to the following, for careful eyes and friendly words:
Jeffh4
Vutava
Cross Lament