There was a strangled cry from Shining as he quickly crawled away, making less progress with his flailing movements than if he'd calmly stood up and walked away. He'd been preparing himself to confront Chrysalis since learning he might have to be around her, but having her suddenly appear out of the darkness wasn't something he could ever be ready for. He also wasn't ready when the darkness looked at him with dozens of pearly blue eyes.

"Ah, I see dear Shining does remember me," Chrysalis said with mock warmness as Shining froze and whimpered at the wall of changelings around them. "How could he not? Not after all the wonderful time we spent together as a couple."

Fleur stood, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice as she confronted the changeling queen. It was hard to when she had to look up as far as she did. "We weren't expecting you so soon."

"I didn't think you were, but apparently when Princess Twilight asks you to jump, you're required to ask how high." Chrysalis' eyes roved over the rest of them, stopping only briefly on Thorax as she hissed at him. "So this is the merry troupe sent to destroy that thing down there? I had expected the princesses to give this their more... personal attention."

Bon Bon stood as well, giving the changeling queen a steely look as she made it clear that she was armed. "Apparently they wanted to see how well you play with others."

"Oh please, I wouldn't ask you how nicely you can play with your food." There was a green flash as Chrysalis transformed into Cadence, "Isn't that right darling?" The innocent tone of her voice made Fleur's skin crawl.

"Don't you dare wear her face again you bitch!" Shining growled, seeing Chrysalis as Cadence riling him up enough to forget his terror.

Chrysalis smiled toothily as she transformed back into her usual form, "And so the shining knight was roused from his stupor. That wasn't too difficult."

"You've got us surrounded," Bon Bon said, waving her hoof at the dozens of changelings surrounding them. "How about you just get on and tell us what you're planning to do?"

"What I'm planning to do is help you, no matter how much you might insist you don't need or want it. Princess Twilight seems to have set this up to test me, and I intend to pass if it means your princesses accepting I was honest in my assertions to them. Equestria needs to be restored for the survival of my changelings, so that's what I'm going to do. Even the traitor there gets a pass because of it."

"There's always some kind of trick with you," Shining snarled. "As soon as you think we're not watching you, you'll try something."

"Well that depends, doesn't it."

"On what?"

"On how well you can play with me and my children. If we're going to be part of Equestria, all of you little ponies will have to get used to us. Or does the 'magic of friendship' only apply to the cute, fluffy creatures of this world?"

Shining snorted, trying to contain his anger as it was his very wife that allowed this opportunity to happen. How much he wished it wasn't so didn't matter. "You couldn't care less about being friends. You benefit from this, and that is your only concern."

"My concern is my hive and its survival," Chrysalis snapped, baring her fangs. "Helping you furthers that goal in several ways." Chrysalis pulled her head back and turned her snarl into a cruel smile, "Besides, you know what they say. The enemy of an enemy-"

"Does not automatically make a friend."

"It does when my choice is either you, or extinction, whether by starvation or genocide at the hooves of Faust and her puppets. One of which I do believe is Celestia herself, whom I know will certainly bring myself to Faust's attention at some point. Face it, Shining Armour, right now we're all stuck with each other at least until Faust is gone, which is the main goal here, is it not?"

"Guys! Guys! I think I saw a changeli-" Shadow rapidly beat her wings to stop herself in mid-air as she rushed towards them, feeling rather stupid. "Nevermind, I guess you already know. How long have they been here?"

"Long enough," Shining growled. "If you're really here to help us, prove it," he said to Chrysalis. "We need a way to sabotage that tank, but we need someone skilled in magic to do so, which you claim to be."

Chrysalis held her tongue for a moment, then smiled. Shining wanted to call it a nasty, or cruel smile, but all Chrysalis' smiles looked that way. He doubted she even knew what a genuine smile was, not without it being fuelled by malicious glee rather than actual joy.

"Very well, what do you need?"

"What do you know about arcane engines?" Crème asked, turning the blueprints so that Chrysalis could see them.

"Not a thing, other than they're pony inventions I have no use for. By the way, I know what you and the cream pony are, and I'm giving you a pass as well, even after all you've done to my hive."

"You mean in our efforts to stop you harming Equestria?" Bon Bon said, feeling considerably less cowed by Chrysalis than Crème was. "If Smile hadn't been disbanded, we might've stopped your invasion of Canterlot as well. Funny, isn't it, the way you took advantage of that little situation?"

"Oh, I like you, and I can't wait for all the unsubtle threats you're bound to give me over the coming hours. My ovipositor is positively dripping with anticipation." Chrysalis chuckled at Bon Bon's discomfort, "I do so love it when the ponies talk dirty to me."

"Just tell us what we need to know."

"Then how about you tell me what you need me to tell you."

"We need a way to sabotage this engine that will result in its destruction, but will also definitely look like sabotage. We want this to be investigated by the Shades."

"Ooh," Chrysalis tittered joyfully, "I sense some scheming going on. Why do you want this to be investigated by the Shades, hmm?"

"So we can kill them," said Bon Bon. "I take it that's not a problem for you?"

"Already you know me so well. I'll admit I am surprised though. Aren't you going to insist on finding a peaceful solution first?"

"No."

Chrysalis waited for more to be said, but nothing else was. "I see. Far be it from me to argue with you then. So how do you intend for the engine to be sabotaged so that it looks deliberate?"

Crème pointed to the diagram of the arcane engine, at the three rotating rings of metal and crystal that made up its core, and the containment spells that held it together. She explained how the harder the engine was driven, the stronger that containment was, and was faintly impressed that Chrysalis didn't once stop her to ask anything.

"I want a spell that can latch onto the spell matrix along with the others, and increase in power as they do. I don't mind what that spell is, but it can't result in an explosion, or anything that would appear as a malfunction or accident. If the remains of the enchantment we use could easily be found on the matrix afterwards, all the better."

All of them waited with baited breath as Chrysalis studied the diagrams with an intensity they hadn't expected. It left some of them with the uneasy feeling that Chrysalis had just learnt exactly how the engine worked to the point that she could build one herself.

"I think I know the perfect spell."

For something as large as Chrysalis was, her ability to sneak was second only to, well, other changelings, and only then because they were smaller. More than once Crème lost track of the changeling queen as they made their way down to the camp, and each of those times resulted in a small heart attack as she found Chrysalis practically looking over her shoulder like she'd been there the entire time.

"Remember, no getting seen, and no deaths either. They can't know we were here. At least, not until we've sabotaged the tank, but even then."

"Very well," Chrysalis said evenly, giving no sign of arguing, which surprised Crème immensely. "Is that why it's just you and me? Coming here like I can be trusted with you alone? I'm flattered."

"Don't be." Crème swivelled her ears about as she tried to listen for any patrols coming. "Do you hear anypony coming?"

"There are thirty-five ponies on this site, twenty-three of which are sleeping. None of the remaining twelve are currently near us." Chrysalis looked innocent as Crème turned her gaze upon the changeling queen, "Yes?"

"That's a useful... skill."

"It does indeed have its uses." There was a quick flash of green as Chrysalis disguised herself as a rather nondescript unicorn that appeared as mostly grey. "Shall we?"

Crème nodded and led the way out of their cover, quickly crossing the distance to where the tank was parked, covered by a tarpaulin. Quickly checking it was still clear, Crème lifted the tarpaulin off the rear, uncovering what she hoped was the access to the engine. Opening the rear panel, she was rewarded by the sight of the dormant engine, as well as a terrible stench of ozone.

"Ugh, that is foul," Crème said wafting the smell away with a hoof. "To think this is the pinnacle of magical engineering."

"I'm curious," Chrysalis said as she peered into the engine compartment. "How could these simpleton Mareitanians build this so quickly? They've barely had long enough to give Equestria with that new ruler smell, let alone find the kinds of pony that could build something like this."

"My guess, ponies on our side- Well, not ours I suppose. I mean Equestrian researchers must've been building this, and maybe even almost finished it, but too late for the war. Then the idiots failed to destroy it and the blueprints once Faust took over."

"Ponies do have this strange tendency towards attachment, even for things like this. Maybe they refused to kill their baby."

"Uh-huh," Crème said noncommittally, since Chrysalis was probably right. She was also losing interest in talking to Chrysalis like the changeling queen didn't want to abduct her and drain her of love. It took quite a bit to trust and respect Thorax, but Chrysalis, she'd have to work twice as hard to earn half as much respect, and even then Crème would be a long way from trusting her. "Can you sabotage this or not?"

"I can, but I'll need a bit of time. Do try to protect me if anypony comes poking around. Getting stabbed in my rear would be a little distracting."

Crème nodded vaguely and turned around as Chrysalis started working, humming a little ditty to herself that Crème hoped to hell wouldn't draw any attention. Things really were quiet though, and it left her wondering just why this was being tested out here with relatively little protection. Was Faust so confident in Equestria's security now that she deemed more guards unnecessary, or was she stretching herself thin as she started to move her conquest onto other countries? Either way it seemed like a mistake.

"Are you done yet?" Crème asked after a couple of minutes.

"Don't rush me, pony, unless of course you don't want me to do this perfectly? It doesn't help that I'm trying to do this in the dark."

Crème sighed, and decided to let Chrysalis be until she was ready. The problem was, the longer this took, the higher their chances of getting spotted. It was a considerable mercy that the guards were too busy keeping an eye out for threats from beyond to bother looking back at their own camp very often.

"There, all done."

"And you're positive this will work?"

"Absolutely. Now stop questioning me. I take issue with being questioned. And if you must insist on questioning me, at least do me the courtesy of calling me your Majesty."

"Fine, your Majesty." Crème stuck her head into the engine compartment to see what Chrysalis had done, and while she had probably done something, Crème had no idea what, or even where to look for it. Hopefully they didn't make thorough checks before firing this thing up, because finding the new addition to the spell matrix would make this a mission rather more difficult.

"If you're done inspecting my work, pony, we should be getting out of here."

"I have a name, your Majesty."

"I am fully aware, but I find the fact that you're named after food too ironic to find serious, considering my primary source of nourishment. I also bet all your colt friends have had such fun saying they ate a Crème Bruleé the previous night."

Crème blushed, and immediately hated herself for doing so as she knew not even the dark could hide it from an empath like Chrysalis. "I hate you."

"I know you do."

Crème closed the engine compartment back up and pulled the tarpaulin back into place. It seemed like the scene was set for the next day now, so all they had to do was get out of there without alerting anypony. Frankly, it was embarrassing how easy that was.

Fleur didn't sleep. Not because she didn't want to, even with Chrysalis and goodness knows how many changelings lurking around, but because they neglected to really bring anything to sleep on, and the desert was cold at night.
Fortunately this left her in a good position to see the camp in the distance come to life, and by the time she'd quietly woke up those that had managed to sleep, nothing much had happened really. Still, it had to eventually, and they'd be ready and watching when it did.

An hour later, after watching two dozen ponies enjoy breakfast, of which none of their observers were jealous in the slightest, honestly, the tank was uncovered. Fleur waited, bouncing in anticipation as a couple of ponies climbed inside. "Here we go..." she said keenly, making Chrysalis snort.

When the tank started up with a distant rumble, spitting out a cloud of pink smoke from its exhaust on the rear, and nothing else happened, all of them turned to look at Chrysalis.

"What?"

Fleur narrowed her eyes at Chrysalis, "Why is it still working?"

"Because it's meant to?" Chrysalis gasped fakely and held a holed hoof to her chest, "I'm sorry, was it meant to stop working immediately, instead of when the engine is pushed over a certain threshold where the spell I added can do a proper job? My mistake entirely it seems."

Fleur closed her eyes and sighed through her nose, "You could just say 'wait and see.'"

"While you sully my good name with accusations?" Chrysalis laughed at the ponies sceptical expressions," Oh come along now, I had one job, and I definitely did it. Just wait, and see."

"You're impossible."

"Not impossible. Just... difficult."

Fleur rolled her eyes and resumed watching as the tank, totally unchecked, moved out into the surrounding area, taking position at the edge of the field of craters it had made. A few seconds later the rumble of its engine increased, and several gems set into its body lit up, projecting a series of shields over the entire tank. Apart from the pink colour, it was rather reminiscent of a tortoise shell.

"Magic weapons and a shield system," Shining said in awe. "If we'd got our hooves on just a few of these tanks, it could've changed the course of the war quite significantly."

"It still could if this isn't destroyed," said Bon Bon. "Even the princesses would struggle to destroy that."

"At least until we develop a spell or weapon capable of piercing shields easily," Crème added. "Then they respond with making bigger, tougher shields, and the process goes on."

Fleur shook her head at Crème, "Don't even say that. The last thing we need is the Mareitanians starting an arms race in which we have no runners."

As they were watching, the tank lowered its shields, repositioned itself, then raised the shield again. "Seems like it can't move and have shields at the same time," Shining observed. "That's at least one weakness. A small one, admittedly."

"I wonder how thick the armour is on that," Honeydew pondered out loud. "I get the feeling that it's thinner than on the steam tanks if the arcane engine provides less power for movement."

"Then surely shields would mean there's even less power for moving?" Fleur waited for an answer, but only got a shrug from the yellow mare.

"Maybe that's why they can't move and have shields at the same time. Maybe it's easier to have shields because they're a direct use of magic, rather than a conversion of arcane energy to kinetic energy." Honeydew blushed even though nopony had given her a reason to do so. "I mean it's terrible. Rabble-rabble, steam power, yeah..."

"What are they doing now?" Shining asked as a section of the shield in line with the barrel of the turret faded away. "Are they going to fire and use shields at the same time?"

Fleur saw the flesh tighten around Chrysalis' eyes, and a tiny smirk creep onto her lips. Clearly something was supposed to happen now, so Fleur stayed quiet and watched. She wasn't disappointed.

The rumble of the tank increased in tempo, followed quickly by a terrible squealing that lasted all of two seconds before a disc of pink magic bloomed from the rear of the tank, cleanly cutting the end off, digging a gouge into the ground, and bisecting the one unfortunate pony that happened to be standing nearby, before dying away to nothing like it had never been there.

"That'll do it," Crème said after a short, stunned silence.

"Wait for it," Chrysalis told the others around her, craning her neck forwards in eager anticipation. As soon as she said it, a burst of pink shot up from the gap between the two sections of tank, and exploded into fireworks that eventually settled into a goofy image of Princess Luna surrounded by the words 'Princesses rool, Faust drools!' It lingered for a good ten seconds before fading away.

Chrysalis smacked her hoof against the ground as she laughed, "That couldn't have been more perfect, even if it pained me to have to write that. If that doesn't make it look like sabotage, nothing will."

"I suppose not," Fleur said with careful deliberation. "I guess that means the stage is set now. All we have to do is wait for some Shades to turn up."

Six hours passed before any Shades arrived. Understandable considering the distances involved, but no less annoying for it. That annoyance was forgotten in the face of the mere half a dozen Shades that turned up, none of which were their vaunted leader Black Rose. Maybe Crème had got her in Fillydelphia after all.

"Luna damn it," Fleur cursed quietly. "How is this getting so little attention? Surely the discovery and destruction of a new, top secret weapon like this is worth more than six Shades?"

"Six less Shades is still six less Shades," Bon Bon said consolingly. "I'm guessing they've been moved onto other matters, probably in Zebrica, or some other country. Maybe there's other things going on in Equestria for all we know."

"Maybe," Fleur conceded.

"You're overestimating Faust," Chrysalis said, adding her own opinion to the mix. "She wouldn't care about a machine like this. At best it was a useful new tool in her repertoire, and at worst something she can easily do without."

"She's right," Honeydew agreed. "Faust never showed any interest in the tanks I built. It was always the Council pushing me to design them, and get them built. Without the Council to take care of these things, they're likely to fall beneath Faust's notice."

"Surely Snowbright would care?" Fleur muttered. Were things really progressing elsewhere to the point that there weren't enough ponies to spare for things like this? Or maybe that wasn't the case as a changeling flew up to Chrysalis.

"My Queen, we have spotted soldiers coming this way from the train tracks. They came on a separate transport, and have brought weapons with them."

"How many?" Chrysalis asked, sounding more serious than she had the entire time she'd been there.

"This one is uncertain, but maybe a hundred."

"What weapons are they bringing?" Fleur asked the changeling, only to get a blank look until Chrysalis told them to answer the question.

"Tubes on stands with many nets."

"Net launchers," Shining hummed. "Seems like they're preparing for an attack from Luna and her thestrals."

"It would make the most sense." Fleur went quiet for a moment as she considered the possibilities. "Maybe we should give them one. Your Majesty, how well can your changelings see in the dark?"

"Well enough," Chrysalis answered, sounding pleased. "Naturally I'll have to imitate Princess Luna if we're to pull this off."

"And Thorax can be Twilight."

Chrysalis hissed with disgust, "That weakling is barely capable of impersonating Princess Cadence. In fact I'd say he's barely capable of imitating her foal. There's no chance he could display the same prowess on the battlefield as the real Princess Twilight."

"That almost sounded like a complement towards Twilight," Fleur snickered.

"More an observation. I know what she's capable of, and it's considerably more than that traitor is!"

"We don't need him to fight well," Fleur explained. "We only need him to make sure Twilight is seen here. Can you do that, Thorax?" Thorax nodded once, entirely without confidence. Beside him, Honeydew looked sick with worry. "Then it's decided. I'm sure I don't need to remind you of what will happen if anything happens to him, your Majesty."

"Many things can happen on the field of battle, Director."

"And many of those things won't be happening today, even if it involves you going out of your way to keep him safe."

"I do not take orders from you!"

Fleur shrugged at Chrysalis, "If you want this alliance to work, right now you do. I'm sure Twilight must've made it clear to you what would happen if you tried to harm or kill Thorax and Mayfly."

Chrysalis growled in the back of her throat, "Maybe I should've made it clear that an agreement to not kill these traitors was not a sign of being willing to work alongside them. One of my changelings will be more than capable of impersonating Princess Twilight."

"Except they won't," Thorax stated, surprising all of them. "They aren't powerful enough, but I might be."

Fleur clapped her hooves together, "Then it's decided," she said quickly before Chrysalis could argue further. "We'll wait until nightfall, then attack. If the soldiers try to escape, so be it, but the Shades mustn't be allowed to, and neither can the researchers until we know if there are more tanks and blueprints elsewhere. Is that clear?" Fleur waited until she had at least a nod of acknowledgement from everyone there. "Good. Now we wait. Some more. So much fucking waiting."

"Is it not enough for you to even exist near me? Must you sit there making googly eyes with that blasted pony as well?"

"You've been feeding off us for the last ten minutes."

"That is far beside the point." Chrysalis stood tall, looking down on Thorax. "Don't think I haven't worked out what you are. You're meant to be a replacement for me, with your antlers and your magic. I'm telling you now, that will not be happening."

"Good, because I don't want to take the hive from you. All I want to show you is that there's a better way to live that doesn't involve sucking the love out of others."

"And fall in love with the lesser species instead? Don't be ridiculous."

"You really think of us as a lesser species?" Honeydew asked, barely able to keep a quiver of fear out of her voice. Having met Chrysalis, she now fully understood why Thorax was afraid of her.

"You and every other species out there. You're all soft, and weak, and you would seek to make us soft and weak just like you."

"Is that why you made an alliance with the ponies then?" Honeydew asked. "Because we're weaker than you?" Honeydew bit her lip as Thorax sucked in a terrified breath, "Um..."

"You-You- You dare insinuate that I need our alliance to survive? That I need you ponies?"

"Uh..." Honeydew didn't know what to do or say to get out of this, and Thorax didn't seem to know either. Chrysalis looked like she was about to kill them, and it might've been that which drove something to go click in her mind, and push even harder. "Yeah, that is what I'm saying. You came to us, which means you need us, and even though you know it's true, you wouldn't dare say it because it means you admitting to not being the stronger species."

Chrysalis lost it, and she knew she did, just as she knew she was throwing away the alliance she'd actively asked for because of an insult. She didn't care. No pony had the right to say what the one in front of her did, and that pony was going to die for it.

Chrysalis was surprised when a short few seconds after she lit her horn to attack, she was face down in the dirt with the weight of Thorax on top of her. What had happened during those few seconds would always be a mystery to her.

"You would dare strike your queen?" Chrysalis hissed, a curious heat in her forehead that felt like a mild magic burn.

"You would throw away the survival of our entire hive because of a few words?" Thorax asked back. "Do their lives mean so little compared to whatever bit of pride you have left after having to beg the princesses to join their alliance?"

"I did not beg!"

"Having to ask the princesses for help? You might as well have as far you're concerned."

Chrysalis snarled and tried to move, but a flare of magic above her made it feel like she was trying to push an elephant off her back. She tried to shape shift instead, but nothing happened. She was entirely at the mercy of Thorax, and for some reason, the thought terrified her as much as it enraged her.

"Admit you need the ponies."

"I don't need the ponies!"

"Admit that until Princess Cadence supplied you with love, you were on the verge of starving. Even now, most of the hive is still recovering, and too weak to be here."

"I didn't need her love!"

"Then why can I feel it all over you?"

"I don't need her love! It was for the hive!"

"I thought you were the hive!"

"I- I-" Chrysalis let out a bitter sigh, "Fine, you've got me there. What do you want from me?"

"I want you to admit that we're no stronger than the ponies are, and that we need others to survive, whether we wish it was that way or not. On the other hoof, you could share your love and never have to feed on it again, like me, and like Mayfly."

"Never!"

"Then admit you need others."

Chrysalis bit her tongue, stubbornly refusing to say what Thorax wanted her to. It wasn't even about getting him off her at this point, but to say she needed others was no better than admitting to weakness... no matter how true it was.

Chrysalis flinched as that thought entered her head and stubbornly refused to leave. She could wrap her thoughts up in fantasies of conquest, where she and her changelings would never want again, but the fact of the matter was that without the love of others, they'd die. Was that not part of why she offered her aid to Equestria? To restore her hive's source of sustenance? She didn't have to care for the ponies, but she did need them.

"We need others to survive." Chrysalis said it so quietly that she wasn't entirely sure she'd said it at all, but as the weight moved from her back, she knew she'd just lost a very important battle. The thing was, she didn't feel bad for losing it. At least, not to the point that she felt defeated by the admission. She was still enraged beyond belief by what Thorax had done, but with that small window of denial removed, she felt, well, angry, but also slightly better.

"I don't know when, or how, but you will pay for that," Chrysalis threatened, but it was obvious even to her that her heart wasn't in it.

"If you were so determined to stop me, you would've ordered your changelings to attack," Thorax told her.

Chrysalis scowled at the changelings around her, making them flinch with fear. How had it gotten to the point that they needed an order to defend their queen? Why hadn't she ordered them to attack? Would they have obeyed? Or were they watching to see if she could defend her place as queen of the hive? If they were, she was in a rather embarrassing position where she'd just lost without losing, as she was still very much the queen. Or was she?

"By the way, if you so much as threaten to put a hair out of place on Honeydew's head, I will stop you."

Chrysalis looked at Thorax, totally unsure of what to think now. She'd just lost a fight to one of her children, and every instinct she had was telling her it was time to retire and join the other queens in the font back at the hive. Obviously that wasn't going to happen, but the idea still nagged at her.

"It's almost time for the attack," said Thorax. "We should get ready."

Chrysalis pushed all her useless thoughts away to the darkest recesses of her mind, where they could stay, along with the undeniable feeling that something fundamental about her rule had just changed. Right now she had ponies to kill, which at least promised to make her feel better.

With a flare on her magic, Chrysalis vanished, replaced with a perfect replication of Princess Luna. More flares of magic lit up the area as her changelings, hers, transformed into thestrals. A second later Thorax joined them by wearing the image of Princess Twilight.

"You heard the Director, kill the soldiers and the ones in black, and capture the rest. No mercy."

Fleur looked up as a twig snapped beneath a hoof, and sighed with relief that it was only Honeydew returning from where the changelings had hidden themselves. "Are they ready?"

"They are," Honeydew replied slowly.

"Is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I might've insulted Chrysalis a little, and then she tried to kill me, but Thorax defended me by attacking Chrysalis. He won, easily. Now I think I might've broken the changelings a little bit."

"I leave you alone for five minutes," Fleur joked weakly, unsure of the point Honeydew was trying to make. "As long as they can still carry out their mission, we can worry about other stuff later."

"Right, of course. Where are the others?"

"Getting into position." Fleur picked up the monocular that Bon Bon had lent her, and used it to watch the Mareitanians as they worked around the tank. They'd set up a ring of floodlights, illuminating the area, and then they had the intelligence to set up a ring of floodlights facing outwards so they could see anything coming for them. They were acting like they expected an attack, which was fair, but it left Fleur with the feeling that she was missing something. Still, no risk, no reward.

"Any sign of Celestia or Faust?"

And that might be what she was missing Fleur realised. They'd made it clear Luna was involved in this, even though she wasn't, so this was bound to gain the attention of one or both of the two alicorns.

"Fleur."

Fleur shook her head like she was in a daze, "No, nothing like that."

"Okay. Uh, I have a question. Do changelings stay transformed when they die? Or do they change back? Because if they change back, we might have a problem with this plan."

"And you're bringing this up now?" Fleur grimaced as Honeydew shrugged. "Great. All we can hope is that this goes perfectly then. Shouldn't be too much to ask for."

"Yeah, um... yeah." Honeydew blinked as the lights facing outwards started going out one by one, suggesting that they'd been broken rather than switched off. "Is that supposed to be happening?"

"It is," Fleur replied. She knew that right now, Shining, Bon Bon, and Crème, with the use of small stones and a singular crossbow for Bon Bon, were the ones destroying those lights. As soon as the outer lights were gone the changelings would have a safer time attacking.

As she spoke, two beams of magic, one a vivid green, and the other a fair imitation of Twilight's, speared down from the darkened sky, quickly taking out more of the lights. As they did, the soldiers started to fire their weapons in a panic, probably hitting nothing, and making them very unprepared for when the thestral disguised changelings swept in to attack.

The lights started going out very quickly once the changelings got inside the ring, and as Fleur stopped to let her eyes adjust, all she could hear were the very frightened sounding shouts of the soldiers.

"That was too close," said Shining, his face barely above the ground after diving for cover as the soldiers started firing wildly at anything and everything. One of the nets had barely missed him as he dropped, and while he doubted it would've killed him, getting hit by a chain net at high speed was going to hurt, no matter what you did.

"I can't see shit now," Crème complained as the last of the lights was extinguished. "How are we supposed to find those Shades and research ponies if we can't see?"

"I guess we'll have to trust the changelings to do that," Bon Bon replied, although she felt stupid saying it. She knew that if more than one of the researchers didn't die, or if one or more of the Shades didn't escape, it'd be a fricking Hearthswarming miracle. "Actually, when is Hearthswarming? This whole endless summer thing has me confused."

Crème raised an eyebrow at Bon Bon, "What?"

"Right, yeah, not important. Let's get to the tent with the blueprints."

With a nod, the three ponies started running for the tents while the changelings kept the soldiers busy. That wasn't to say it was plain sailing the entire way, but between the three of them there was little they couldn't deal with as they made it to the tent and went inside.

"About time I got some help."

"From us? Good luck," Bon Bon said to the Shade, who only just started to turn around before she put him down for good. As she quickly cleaned her blade, the other two piled up the documents, and with a spark set fire to the heap, destroying what they hoped were the total plans for the new tank, although that seemed unlikely.

"Okay, one Shade down, and the blueprints destroyed. That's most of our mission done. Let's get out there and make sure none of the other Shades get away."

"If I were to guess, I'd say they're watching the researchers," said Crème. "Probably nearby, unless they try to do a runner."

"Then we better find them before that happens. Let's try the other tents first." As the other tents were literally meters away, it didn't exactly take long to reach them. They entered the largest one first, and was quickly met by the sight of a half dozen ponies trying to hide behind one another.

"Relax, we're not going to hur-" Bon Bon jumped back as a flash of steel caught her eye, and narrowly missed a blade that cut through the air where her neck had been. She ducked low and spun into a kick that lifted the Shade into the air a few inches, then continued the spin to bring her blade to bear, jamming it up under her opponent's chin and extending the blade. In the second that took, a shield from Shining caught the trio of blades the Shade hiding amongst the researchers had thrown with her magic.

"Why can't you ever just give up!?" the unicorn screeched, preparing more knives to throw. Even then she still had half a dozen more strapped onto her armour.

"Why couldn't you have just stayed at home?" Crème asked back, snatching the ballistic knives out of the air, giving Bon Bon a small window to dive into a roll that got her close to the Shade. She brought she blade up to stab the unicorn, but jerked as her weapon was stopped dead, and grunted in pain as it was twisted, threatening to break her leg while the unicorn pulled out more knives to finish Bon Bon off. Half a second later she was blinking blood out of her eyes as the left side of the unicorn's head blew apart.

"Everypony stay calm," Shining barked as the remaining ponies started to freak out, which was a fair reaction to suddenly getting covered in blood. "Where are the rest of your team?"

"S-s-some of the Shades took them and ran," a mare said, feeling slightly braver than her fellows. "We were supposed to make you think we were the only ones here."

"I'm guessing you didn't agree with that?"

"Of course not! I don't want to die for these bastards! I don't even want to be here!"

"Good to know. Crème, secure these ponies while we go after the others. Which way did they go?"

"West, I think."

Shining nodded his thanks to the mare and set off with Bon Bon following after him. As soon as he worked out which way west was he started to gallop, quickly covering the distance. There were plenty of hoofprints to follow, so odds were good they were going the right way, and after a few minutes he could see the fleeing ponies in the distance. They didn't seem to be getting away very fast, probably due to a lack of fitness on the researchers part.

"I'll cut them off, you take out the one in the rear." Shining waited until he had a nod of confirmation from Bon Bon, then put on a burst of speed to close the distance completely. The Shades were keeping an eye on their rear though, and one of them had a crossbow if the way Bon Bon went down in a heap with an arrow sticking out of her side was any indication.

"Bon Bon!" Shining shouted, skidding to a halt. He turned back and put a shield over the both of them in case more arrows were coming. "Are you alright?"

Bon Bon grunted, pressing a bloody hoof to the wound on her chest. "I'll live. Armour took the worst of it. Go! Get those Shades!"

"Right." Shining left the shield to protect Bon Bon, and went back to chasing after the Shades and their charges. He kept a shield in front of him as he ran, which likely saved his life more than once as the arrows fired at him bounced off. He'd almost reached them when a dark shape flew over, and he relaxed, thinking it was Princess Luna. He then did the opposite as he remembered who it really was.

A wall of green flames spread in a u-shape around the fleeing ponies, cutting them off. As that happened, Shining charged in, taking out the Shade at the rear with the crossbow while he was distracted. The two Shades in the front jumped through the flames to attack Chrysalis, which proved to be a terrible mistake on their part, charged up as she still was on the love that Cadence had provided her.

A single, overwhelming burst of magic cut down the right Shade, which gave the other some serious doubts, and she started to run, putting her in a direct line with the researchers as she attacked. Shining barely got a shield up in time to protect them as a burst of magic from Chrysalis hurtled towards them.

"You aren't supposed to hurt these ponies!" Shining yelled as he lowered the shield.

"Oops," said Chrysalis, not really caring in the slightest. "Still, those Shades are gone, which I thought was the main point." Chrysalis walked through the flames to Shining, totally unscathed. "Don't tell me you're planning something with these ponies?"

"Some, if not all of them, are here against their will. That alone is reason enough to not kill them."

"Oh Shining, you were so very well named, weren't you? Save these ponies, save those ponies, I'm such a goody-goody hero."

"Princess Luna," Shining growled, hoping to remind Chrysalis of who she was supposed to be.

"Hmm? Oh, right, ahem. Verily yon shining knight in armour hath saved these goodly ponies from... yadda-yadda-yadda, old speak, huzzah. Stop expecting me to care, because it can't be healthy to live with that much disappointment in your life."

"Your Majesty, please don't kill these ponies."

"Am I killing them now? No, no I am n- Aah!" Chrysalis screamed as an arrow thudded into her chest. She staggered to the side, then stopped herself and pulled the arrow out with her teeth, snapping it in half with her usual animalistic teeth as green blood dribbled out of the wound. "I thought you killed that one!"

Shining yanked the crossbow out of the magic of the unicorn mare that had shot both Bon Bon and Chrysalis. She was bleeding heavily from a wound to her side, but otherwise seemed like she might survive.

"Must I do everything myself here?" Chrysalis growled, her pain spilling into her words. "Out of my way!"

"Wait, she might have information we need."

"She shot me! It's going to leave a mark and everyth- Don't you dare," Chrysalis said quickly as the researchers started to look like they were about to run. "I got shot to keep you alive, and you better start acting like you appreciate it."

Shining hauled the Shade upright in front of him, keeping ready to flick her horn if she showed any sign of casting a spell. "Where were you taking these ponies?"

"Away from you, numb-nuts," the Shade hissed. Her wound mightn't be deadly yet, but it was obviously causing her a significant amount of pain.

"Where were you taking them?"

"Canterlot you fucking idiot! Where else would I fucking take them!"

"You're asking the wrong question."

Shining looked up as Bon Bon limped closer, "What would you ask then?"

"Where Shades are concerned? The only question that matters. How's Black Rose?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because that wound must've been ugly. Hurt quite a bit I imagine."

"Not as much as you will once she gets her hooves on- Ack!" The Shade struggled, then went limp as Bon Bon stabbed her in the chest. Shining held on to the body for a moment, then dropped it.

"What the hell, Bon Bon! We could've gotten more out of her than that! You didn't need to kill her either!"

"We now know Black Rose is alive, which is all we need out of her." Bon Bon gestured at the researchers with her still extended blade, then pointed back towards their camp. "I'm not in the mood for any shit, so get moving in a nice orderly fashion, and we'll all get along fine."

Shining sat in a stunned silence for a moment as the researchers started walking back to the camp, then turned to Chrysalis, who was licking her wound with an uncomfortably long tongue. Suspecting that he'd get no help there, he stood and started to walk after Bon Bon, only looking up when the sound of wings drew his attention.

"Most of the soldiers left have fled," Shadow said, her blades still out. "They broke pretty quick once the lights went out. Fleur's gathering the captives by the tank, and she wants you there as well."

"More than just the researchers have been captured?"

"Some of the soldiers did as well. Not sure what we're going to do with those since we can't exactly take prisoners."

Shining sighed sullenly, "Hopefully Fleur won't be taking advice from Bon Bon or Chrysalis on that one. I'm not in the mood to watch a mass execution." Shining looked up as Chrysalis flew overhead, "Hopefully Fleur will just let them go."

Barely two dozen soldiers had been taken captive as Shining found out once he made it to the tank. He thought there'd be more from what Shadow had said. They were being kept under close watch by a large number of the thestral disguised changelings, while Fleur was nearby, pacing back and forwards in front of the frightened researchers. Next to her, Crème was patching up Bon Bon, while Chrysalis sat nearby, scowling deeply as she did her best to stay away from Thorax.

"There you are," Fleur said as she noticed Shining arrive. "Good work on stopping those ponies escaping."

Shining shrugged, conveying that he didn't know what else he was supposed to do then. "Did Bon Bon tell you about Black Rose?"

"She did, which only makes it more annoying that she's not here. At the very least we should be glad Celestia or Faust wasn't here instead."

"And what about these ponies?" Shining asked, pointing at the researchers. "What's going to happen to them?"

"That's what I'm working on." Fleur winked at Shining, then turned back to the group of ponies. "Hooves up who didn't volunteer for this project."

To Shining's surprise, over half of the dozen ponies raised their hooves, although some more slowly followed them once they worked out the full implication of the question. On the opposite end of it, he wasn't surprised to see those that did were the ones left in the tent.

"Alright, you eight stand away from the rest," Fleur ordered, only moving those that had answered quick enough for her tastes. "The rest of you, why would you do this? Willingly work on something that would allow Faust to kill more ponies."

"Because the engine in this thing could've revolutionized the future," a stallion said, not even trying to hide his pride. "It is unfortunate that it had to be made like this, but once the war was over, this engine could be used to replace steam. Besides, Luna commissioned the creation of this weapon, so how is that any better?"

"Because it wouldn't involve us betraying our country!" a mare shouted from the other group. The same mare that had told Shining where the Shades were leading the escapees.

"This is still our country now!" the stalllion shouted back. "If Celestia has joined Faust, why shouldn't we? Luna is the one that's wrong, not Faust."

"That's Princess Luna to you," Chrysalis growled. "And quite frankly it shouldn't have to be explained how Faust is wrong, or that Celestia has betrayed her country by joining her."

"No, you've betrayed your country by attacking it!"

Chrysalis nodded slowly, "Ah, so you're that kind of idiot. Very well, far be it from me to fix your delusions."

"Y- You're the one that's deluded! Too stuck in the past to see where the future-" The stallion quickly stopped as Shadow held a blade up uncomfortably close to his neck.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't," the thestral growled. The stallion said nothing. "Good answer."

Fleur waited a moment to make sure Shadow wasn't actually going to kill him, then turned to the other group. "Do you know of anywhere else this kind of research is going on?"

"Like this? No," the mare said. "I can't say there aren't other projects being worked on, but if there are we know nothing about them."

"Okay, what about the blueprints for this tank? Are there others?"

"There are, in Canterlot, but there's nothing you can say or do to make me go back there now."

"Understandable. I don't think we'll be able to get our hooves on them either." Fleur tapped a hoof and hummed to herself, unsure of what to do next. They had nothing more to gain here, and it would soon be time to make themselves scarce. "We can't take this many prisoners. Any suggestions?" she asked aloud.

"Kill them," said Chrysalis.

Fleur hadn't even drawn the breath to tell Chrysalis to not be ridiculous when the changelings started to execute the soldiers. Within seconds they were all dead, their attempts at begging barely having time to escape their lips before they were cut down.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Fleur screamed at Chrysalis as Shining placed a shield over the researchers. "They were prisoners!"

"And? You have nowhere to keep them. Would you release them to Faust for her to turn them back on you once again? That's the sort of thing that costs victories, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected more from the ponies that lost their country."

"Are you going to kill the rest of them too?"

"I had planned on it," Chrysalis purred.

"But they're innocents!"

"This is war, Director, there are no innocents. Besides, how innocent could they be since they're building dangerous new weapons for Faust? You release them and they'll go straight back to doing it."

"Not all of them would."

"Perhaps not, but why take the risk?"

"As much as I don't want to take her side," Bon Bon spoke up, "the Princess does have a point. Some of them could go free, but those that volunteered could easily go back to Faust and work all the harder because to them we're dangerous."

"So... we kill them, is that what you're saying?"

"No, but I might suggest that there is somepony here is perfectly capable of keeping these ponies secure for a very long time if need be. It would even benefit her a little, and would ensure those ponies stay alive until the war is over."

Fleur knew what Bon Bon was getting at, and it involved these ponies being kept in big green pods in the changeling hive. What she didn't know if it was actually better than dying. Still, she didn't have a lot of options available.

"How about it?" she asked Chrysalis.

"I think that's a marvellous idea." Chrysalis clapped her hooves together and grinned widely. "They'll be quite safe there, nudge-nudge, wink-wink."

"Don't push it."

Chrysalis waved a hoof at some of her changelings as Shining reluctantly lowered his shield, "You know where to take them."

"Yes, my Queen."

"Oh come on!" Fleur dragged her hooves down her face and groaned, "You're not even trying to act now!" Fleur breathed in deeply, and gave her attention to their remaining captives. "I don't care where you go, but if you end up back in a place building weapons, I'm going to be pissed. If you're not sure where you can go, head to Baltimare and hide amongst the refugees there. Take what food and water you need for the journey, then you're on your own."

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

Fleur sat as the eight ponies hurried away. This had been the worst, but they did it. Chrysalis had done her best to be a pain in the ass the entire way, but she'd kept to her word, more or less, which meant she might continue to do so in the future.

"Soooo..." Chrysalis drawled, like she could hear Fleur's thoughts, "Did I do good?"

"You did the barest minimum of acceptable," Fleur answered bluntly. "I'll let the princesses know that you do seem willing to play along, even if you play along by a set of rules privy to only yourself."

"Excellent-"

"However, if you pull anything like that stunt you pulled with those soldiers, or even close to it, this allegiance is off. If you want to be part of Equestria, you have to play by our rules."

"Fine, but I have something to ask in return."

"And what would that be?"

Chrysalis pointed a hoof at Thorax, "Keep him as far away from me as possible."

Fleur was about to say she probably couldn't do that, but Chrysalis was already going, apparently uninterested in hearing anything she had to say on it. Fleur took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind, and feeling like she'd aged at least ten years.

"I bet I have some greys coming after this. Thorax, take us home, please? I need hugs from the filly."

The trip home had been uncomfortable, to say the least. Shining had argued with Fleur for half of it, thinking she'd been too lenient with Chrysalis after she murdered the prisoners. The other half had been a chilly silence that sucked any trace of joy away. Fleur hadn't really bothered to argue her side, because how could she? Shining was right, but at the same time Chrysalis was too. It was enough to give her a headache, but she was too tired to even care about that.

"What's that fire?"

Fleur's head jerked up as Shadow spoke, her eyes quickly picking out the dot of orange glowing in the distance, out at sea. Terror gripped her heart as she could only think of one thing that could be, and that was their boat.

"Get us down there, now!"

Thorax lurched as he dove for the boat, then levelled out into a slow glide as they got closer. It was their boat, although it was barely recognisable, aflame as it was. Every inch of it above the waterline burned brightly to the point the fire didn't seem natural. Nothing could've survived it.

Fleur sat there, her hooves over her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't cry, or scream, or do anything. Her mind had simply froze, unable to process what she was looking at. None of them could.

"Take us to shore," Shining said weakly after they'd flew a dozen laps around the flaming wreckage.

"No!" Fleur screamed, and Shining had to grab hold of her as she tried to jump off. "Let go of me! She's in there! She's in there! She needs me!"

"She's gone, Fleur," Shining whispered, holding tightly onto Fleur as she continued to fight. "She's gone. They're all gone, all of them."

"It's not true! They could still be trapped below deck! We can't just leave them!"

"Nothing could've survived that. Nothing."

Fleur sobbed, knowing that Shining was right, no matter how much she wished it wasn't true. "I shouldn't have left her here. I should've kept her with me."

"I know," Shining murmured, his own eyes wet with tears for his parents. He rubbed a hoof down Thorax's back, "Take us to shore please, Thorax."

Thorax complied without a word or sound, heading for the nearest point of the shore. He almost fell out of the sky when a pony jumped on his back, sticking a hoof in the joint of his wing.

"Is that Rocky?" Crème exclaimed, pointing excitedly at a pony waving at them from the beach. "It is! It's Rocky! He's alright!"

Fleur looked up, her heart thumping in her throat as she dared to hope that the filly was alright. Three other adults joined Rocky, and she felt Shining gasp with relief as he saw two of them were his parents. A moment later Fleur cried with relief as she saw a smaller pony waving from Nightlight's back.

Fleur leapt off Thorax as soon as he landed, and jumped at the filly, knocking her and Nightlight into the sand as she laughed and cried, hugging the small pony fiercely. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought I'd never see you again."

"You have no idea how close to true that was," the filly said back. "If Rocky hadn't seen her before she reached us, we'd have still been on the boat when..." The filly pointed at the burning boat, unwilling to finish the sentence.

"Who's her?" asked Bon Bon.

"Celestia," said Rocky. "Came swooping down out of the sky and did... that!"

"Celestia?" Fleur looked down into the filly's eyes, and realised how damp she still was. The attack couldn't have been that long ago. "Why would Celestia attack us? Surely we're beneath her notice?"

"I'm wondering why she let us get away," said Twilight Velvet. "There's no way she could've missed us swimming for the shore."

"She could since I was trying to hide you," Flicker snorted.

Nightlight disagreed, "It felt to me like she waited for us to get clear. Celestia might not be on our side now, but I very much doubt she could bring herself to kill a child. This felt like a warning."

"A warning for what?" Fleur asked.

"That we're being hunted," Rocky told her, "and that there's nowhere we can hide."

Fleur pulled the filly in tighter and rested her chin on the filly's head. She was far from ready to let go yet, but she was still able to think perfectly well. "If Celestia wants to give us the message that there's nowhere to hide, she's failed, because frankly, I beg to differ. We can run and hide perfectly well."

Author's Notes:

Posting this when I need to get up for work in sixish hours, because fuck having control of your life when there's pony stuff to do.