Dawn dug out her food the guard brought to her in the meeting room and ate readily. Everyone seemed to be busy, so she was left alone. To occupy herself, Dawn checked in on various changelings, either to give them company or support to the infiltrators.

As she looked around the room, chewing on her last mouthful, she spotted a small potted plant in the corner of the room near the door. It was a collection of thin tall plants all being held together by a small band of gold near the middle, a ribbon above and below it seeming to do the actual job of holding the flower stems together.

Dawn frowned, not only it was unusual for flowers to be held together, but even more so for there to be a band of gold. She wondered how no one else had noticed this. Acting on the side of caution, she used a little magic to look at the item, like when she had scanned the objects she worked with a year and a half ago and again when the Commander and her family arrived.

Dawn blinked as she heard her own magic come back to her, just for a split moment to avoid overloading it like before, and blinked as she heard felt her magic both in her horn and in the item, like an echo. She tried to keep her cool letting out a soft sigh and smiled at her food, immediately contacting the closest changeling.

'New priority. Return to HQ and pull Twilight aside upstairs. Once she’s secured the area, inform her we have a magic artifact in the building. I'll relay answers as needed, but keep from giving away that something's wrong.'

'Yes Legate.' Several of them replied and moved to obey, blending in for their situations and not all moving at the same time.

One approached Twilight, telling her they needed to speak to her about a problem in private. He told her a family problem had come up and he wanted to make a private request on his workload. Twilight agreed, got up, and followed him, knowing the pony approaching her was actually a changeling.

Dawn monitored the drone’s progress, keeping an eye at the soldiers in the office, smiling gently as she contemplated if any of them planted it.

The drone waited for the princess to secure the room, then relayed the information. Twilight frowned and requested to speak to Dawn and Storm both. Dawn suddenly got an idea and smiled wide, letting her cheerfulness come through as she approached Storm while the drone informed Twilight they would be along shortly.

"Hey Storm, I just had an idea on what the guild could do. Mind coming upstairs to hear me out?"

"I'm busy, it can wait." Storm answered, annoyed at Dawn’s interruption.

"Not if we want the mail ponies to get it to the Patrol in time." Dawn replied, continuing to grin childishly as she knew she had in the past when an idea swept her off her hooves.

Storm bit her lip, her anger at being interrupted permeating the room as she fought to hold herself back. She paused, almost considering telling Dawn just to use her magic when she had the thought, ‘Green’s the pet of Stonewall, better just go with it and teach her a lesson later.’

"Fine.” Storm said, exasperated, “This had better be good."

Dawn smiled wider, acting happy about their agreement, and led them upstairs. The changeling who made the report they were on their way left the room and stood at the door with another to keep guard, disguised as an earth pony and a unicorn, both wearing their EDF uniforms. They nodded to Dawn and Storm as they went into the room.

Inside, Twilight sat on a small box, with the two larger ones in the room acting as her desk while in the room. As soon as they were inside, she used her horn to seal the room against sound once more.

"Storm," Dawn asked sharply, feeling her role as leader and dropping her façade, "Do you know if Nightfall has his bracelet still?"

"Yeah. obviously. You saw it when you visited." Storm replied, eyeing the princess suspiciously.

"Would he ever take it off?"

"What's this about green?"

"Answer my question." Dawn ordered.

"No, of course not." Storm hesitated, noticing the strange behavior. Dawn never acted this way before.

"Twilight, another version of the bracelet I gave Night is around a vase of flowers downstairs. I just spotted it, and a very brief check with my magic confirms it's a perfect match to my own magical frequency."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked, watching Dawn.

"Positive. I could step out now and use my magic and I will hear an echo directly from it."

She nodded, "Did you make more than one?"

"No. How long have the flowers been here in that corner?" Dawn sked.

"Since I got back, I can maybe find out more from one of the others but I don't know if they paid attention."

"So then its purpose hasn't been direct harm.” Dawn nodded, thinking, “We'll need to inspect it to find out what it is doing, and since it's my own magic, even if modified, I stand the least risk in checking it."

"Do it,” Twilight nodded again, “have one of the drones bring it here."

Dawn reached to the link, 'Would a drone please carefully replace the flowers in the vase in the corner' she relayed, along with a picture of which one 'and bring the current flowers, band and all, upstairs to us?'

'Yes legate.' A drone replied, moving to acquire replacement flowers.

"They're going to get a replacement set of flowers, to avoid arousing suspicion." Dawn said when the instruction was complete.

"You’re telling me you talked to a drone and it listened?" Storm scoffed.

"They listen to their Queen as well as their Legate… Lapdog." She said firmly, trying to give every impression that she did not appreciate being doubted right now.

"Whatever Green. Are you going to tell me what that idea for the guild is or not? Cause I have better things to do with my t-" Storm started to say, turning to leave when Dawn’s magic held her muzzle shut. She blinked and looked at the princess, wondering what in Tartarus they thought they were doing.

"Is this the courtesy or respect you show to other ponies?” Dawn said, her voice oddly low and dangerous, “I am surprised you had gotten as far as you did, but this is an incredibly rude way to treat someone who healed your wound not hours ago, and is now trying to uncover a plot and possible traitor in our midst. So be quiet and realize shit's happening bigger than you right now, and I'm in no mood to play your damn pride game. Am I clear?"

Dawn could taste the surprise and then anger coming from Storm before it calmed and she fell into a muted lack of taste. She let go of Storm’s muzzle with her magic and added, "In case you missed it, my asking you for the guild was a ruse to act normal, in case we were being spied on. I didn't know if you would have acted the same if I had said more, or told you using a spell."

Twilight sat back smirking as she watched the pair and waited. Storm glanced over to Stonewall and noticed the smirk, choosing to sit down behind her in the corner and sulk at the animosity and what she viewed as Dawn’s ‘true colors’ toward her.

It wasn’t much longer before the flowers were brought to the room. Dawn felt some regret that Storm reacted that way. She didn’t want to make Storm be humiliated, but she wasn’t about to be pushed around or dismissed and Storm was acting like a fool in her own right. She resolved to correct that issue later, to make sure Storm understood better later.

Dawn carefully levitated the flowers from the drone who brought them, thanking them in dismissal as she went to work examining the bracelet and its woven runes inside it. She had only begun and was working on it for half a minute until its also seemed to reach toward her.

Dawn stopped her review out of caution, then felt the magic she had once used, recognizing the feeling of the telephone said. She was further surprised when her own voice in her head called out.

"Who are you? What are you doing to me?"

"That… why do you sound like me? Who are you?" Dawn asked in the spell.

"I'm Dawn. Help me please…" came the reply in a sobbing voice that was laden sadness. "All I can do is watch and hear. Will you help me, please?"

Dawn stood there, looking at the bracelet with a look of horror and concern as she decided what the best course of action was.

"Dawn? Dawn what is it?" Twilight asked concerned, leaning forward.

"I… just met myself." She said simply, using her magic to carefully check the runes and noticed an extra set for communication. She used her own magic to wipe that rune out, making it ineffective before sliding it over to Twilight with a hoof, "It's safe to put on, but it's got another component to the bracelet that was not there originally, I'm guessing it's linked to something else, but… I… I am in there."

Twilight blinked and looked at it before carefully slipping it onto her right hoof, a slight metal on metal scraping sound heard.

"Who are you? Who was I talking to?" Dawn's voice came to Twilight, as if she were standing next to her and faintly in her ear. "Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?"

"Well… this is…” Twilight blinked, speaking out loud, “unnerving. I am Twilight, who are you?"

"I'm Meadow Dawn. Or at least, I used to be… I don't know anymore…" She said sadly before a feeling of a desperate but weak hug went across Twilight's body briefly, "I don't hear the guy who kept asking me questions about what ponies were doing. Did you free me from him?"

Twilight jumped at the touch and spun around, then spun again, looking around the room trying to see who just grabbed her.

Storm and Dawn looked on in confusion at her behavior as the exchange continued.

"Oh! I'm sorry… I just… I couldn't help but give a hug. I didn't mean to startle you… I'll leave you alone…" Dawn’s voice said, sounding destitute. "Sorry I'm such a bother."

Twilight blinked, relaxing slowly. "No, no, it’s fine. Just… wasn't expecting it."

"Who the hay are you talking to?" Storm asked, bewildered.

"Stone, you should be safe to reply with your mind’s voice if you wish. She doesn't seem to have the strength or ability to pull anything from it or put anything there." Dawn replied from across the table.

'What's going on?’ Dawn’s voice asked, ‘First Svik separated me from him, made me watch as ponies were being killed by a light blue pony and tell him about it, then he gave me to someone else, and now I'm telling them what's going on just so someone will talk to me… Will you tell me what's happening to me?'

'Light blue?’ Twilight asked, ‘You mean Solar Flare? And… I’m not sure… we just found you in our command center.'

'Who’s Solar Flare? What command center? Why did I hear my voice a bit ago, is Svikopi with you?' Dawn’s voice asked, voice quivering in fear.

'No. He's dead as far as I know… and…’ Twilight thought before realization dawned on her and she hit her hoof on her forehead, “Oh son of a bitch."

“What?” The trapped Dawn replied at the same time as the princess, making Twilight hear it in stereo.

"We may have a problem." Twilight said.

"What kind of problem?" Dawn asked.

"The kind of problem from an alternate timeline of this Equestria, where you lost."

"Oh fuck." Dawn said in a longer drawn out look of surprise. "What about Nightfall, does she know what happened to him?"

'Who?" the other Dawn answered, clearly able to hear around her and beginning to see, 'What do you mean, where she lost? … WAIT, THERE'S ANOTHER ME!?' she called, her yell only getting up to room level volume to Twilight’s hearing as she realized what they were saying.

'Yes. You're in an alternate reality.' Twilight responded to the bracelet before saying, "She doesn't know who that is."

Dawn thought rapidly, speaking out loud, "So Nightfall wasn't with her in that timeline. If I had to guess, she likely didn't have the impetus to study magic as quickly as I did because without him, there was no promise to fix the mirror to him. She would have learned it in passing for sure, still been with Stalwart Shield, but that could be the critical divergence point right there… I wouldn't have had the magical strength or discipline without my promise to Nightfall in the first place to reach the point I would have been strong enough to resist Svik."

'Who is she? I can see her there and she looks like me, but I don't have wings and… am I pregnant!?’ The other Dawn asked, begging for attention and answers to her curiosity.

Storm looked between Stonewall and Dawn and mumbled, "No Nightfall? Impossible… right?"

"Most likely, and it seems she lost because of it." Twilight nodded and looked at Storm. "Alternate realities can be either minorly different, like you having your mane cut a different way or everything being 2 inches to the left, or drastically different where the world had a nuclear war and is just a wasteland and Equestria never existed to begin with, or magic for that matter." Twilight explained before she answered the alternate Dawn, 'Yes. Here you became an Alicorn and are happily married with a foal on the way.'

Storm looked at her in horror, Dawn adding, "It seems we have a version of me that never got to meet Nightfall, if he even went to that world to begin with, and like Stone said, lost because she didn't have the study and power to resist Svik."

'Oh good... I... I'm happy for her.' the other Dawn said, sobbing in mild happiness, but now being overwhelmed with sadness for what could have been, as if being shown more of what she had lost due to Svik’s actions.

"Yeah seems that way. She's happy for you." Stonewall said in a half-truth, hiding how sad they sounded as she consoled the mare in the bracelet, 'Shhh… it’s ok… do you mind if I look you over with magic, see if there’s a way we can help?'

"Go ahead. Not like I have much to lose now right?" the bracelet Dawn replied.

"Fair warning,” Dawn commented, suspecting something was going on, “she’s probably clingy and close to broken if she’s gone through what I think as is."

"I am going to run a few scans, see if I can get a feel for the magic used and maybe track it." Twilight nodded, holding the bracelet when the mare spoke again.

'All right. Just… please don’t leave me alone after you’re done.' She replied dejectedly, 'Even if I am just an object now, I-'

'I won’t, I have to take you off to run the scans, but I'll still be here.' Twilight told her.

The bracelet Dawn sent Twilight the sensation of a small nod before she began to wait. Twilight slipped it off, set it on the box-desk, and began to delve into it with her magic.

Dawn could faintly taste the fear coming from it, a timid fear. She wanted to console her unicorn self, but had to wait.

Twilight scanned it, looking for its matrix, as that would be where the info she needed was. She was clearly focused on the task. She quickly learned the bracelets magic was expertly made, clear, exact lines, and efficient. Not a single bit of the system was unneeded, shy of the old communication rune line which Dawn ruined the end of safely.

Twilight eventually found it and could feel the presence of the other Dawn in it and reached out with her magic to touch it.

Her magic made contact and the bracelet flew up into the air. There was a flash of light in the room, along with a boom, and she was sent sailing back to crash into the wall hard enough to cave the drywall in. Stonewall fell to the floor, her illusion spell failing as all her magic faded out, magic dancing across her body. A telltale purple glow hovered mostly over her cybernetics and horn.

The security spells failed and Stonewall’s form spasmed over the floor as the sound of galloping hooves could be heard downstairs, the whole building hearing the blast and commotion. The top of the desk was gone and the bracelet was just a smoldering lump of metal.

Dawn stood by Twilight, calling out in a yell, "Nopony comes in without my permission, I'm assessing the damage now!"

Dawn’s healing magic was in full swing, diagnosing Twilight even as Storm looked on in horror and shock, wings flared in full flight readiness.

Twilight's magic was in complete chaos, as was the activity in her brain. All the muscles in her body twitched and thrashed as the electrical signals danced in her. Dawn could do nothing to stop it, the magic being too strong, but as quickly as it came, the magical seizure came under control and Dawn could resume, knowing the two changelings outside were keeping everyone back as ordered.

Dawn used her own magic to disguise Twilight, draining as it was. She found no signs of damage beyond mild pain along the back where she crashed into the wall and called out, "It’s clear! No injuries, Stone is unconscious but safe. Just needs rest."

Several guard burst in, looking around. "What happened?" The highest rank asked.

"We disabled a foreign device. It was being scanned when the device went to the ceiling and exploded. Everypony get ready for a new hq selection when one can be found. You two," she stopped to point out the changelings among them, "will guard over Stone as they rest. Everyone else clear the floor."

Storm blinked as she watched it unfold, wondering how Dawn took control so quickly.

"Yes ma'am, understood." The lead guard nodded, leaving to make the preparations.

"Shall we move her back to her hotel?" the drones selected to guard her asked.

"Give her an hour’s rest. If not up by then, then yes." she said, dropping Stone's disguise when everyone else left and panted at the magical exertion.

They bowed and moved to stand beside Twilight.

'Thank you my drones. I am more weary than the guards know.' She said in the link while sending them her gratitude.

"What really happened?" Storm asked.

"I don’t know, but my magic says she is fine." Dawn replied, looking remorsefully at the bracelet remains, a charred hunk of metal with shattered, charred, emerald pieces scattered around the bracelet like dust, "I would hate to have died like that… poor Dawn."

The drones smiled at the safety of Stonewall as they stood guard.

Dawn laid near Twilight, continuing to monitor her health. "Storm, fetch us some water please."

"What?" Storm hesitated, surprised at the out of the blue request.

"I said," she paused, "get us some water please."

Storm didn’t bother to argue, not after what happened or her prior silencing when talked back to, and went to get two bottles and filled them with water before carrying them in her hooves as she flew to Dawn.

Twilight’s muscles twitched every now and then, while the cybernetics remained nearly completely still, only moving when the muscles pulled at the limbs.

Dawn frowned, wanting to try to help still and started up her magic once again. She thought that if it was some kind of thing her body could recover from, she could accelerate that healing much like she had with Storm. As repayment for the help they got earlier, she intended to tap into Storm’s stamina to assist, but her magic found nothing to heal.

As far as her magic was concerned, Twilight was perfectly fine, just unconscious. She could find bullet fragments in parts of her body and the tip of a blade in Twilight’s left shoulder, but it looked like they had been there for years and she would not attempt something so delicate on her own like this. She was surprised to tell that her magic could tell there was no activity in the cybernetic parts to Twilight, as if they were shut down like a computer.

She had noted how the bone had regrown somehow around most of the blade tip. It was a very old wound, as were the bullet fragments and even some shrapnel to the left side of her chest. All of it had been healed with the pieces still in her and none of it appearing to be harmful.

She made a note of it, fully intent on helping any such leftover wound, hindrance or otherwise, to let Twilight not have to have the reminders inside her. She turned her attention to the computer part of her, looking for a way to safely boot it back up.

She was surprised to find her healing magic didn’t seem to register it as existing at all. It was a blank empty space to her healing magic. She frowned, then turned to the drones.

"Looks like her cybernetics have turned off. Is there any way to assess their status or help it turn back on or know if it'd be a bad idea to turn it on?"

They shrugged, one saying, "She is the only one who knows how they work. This has never happened before. Closest is her blue-screening."

"Understood. So all we can do is wait?" she asked, looking the computer equipment for any clues at all.

They shrugged, having no idea.

"All right, thanks for answering at least." She said, considering her options and then contacting Chrysalis for guidance.

She could feel her queen was already heading there rapidly. She flew as a griffin with large wings for maximum speed, and wasn't even paying any attention to Dawn, her mind wracked with worry.

'Calm yourself mom. I've stabilized her as best I could, she does not appear to be in any danger.' she said softly to Chrysalis, trying to break through to her.

'She was blown up and sent flying!' She said back after a moment.

'And I have healed her! Calm down and tell me how you will help by charging in as a gryphon into Manehattan. I understand your concern, you have every right to be worried, now tell me what we can do to help. Slow yourself so you have more strength for when you arrive, and I will do anything you wish to help your mate.'

'This has never happened before, I don't know what to do!' She said frantically, slowing down a little but still flying fast.

'Chrysalis, mom, if you wear yourself out getting here at top speed, what are you going to do to help her!' she said, trying not to yell at her, trying to give her some sense and worried about how much energy she must be using. 'I'm nearly wiped out as it is, but I will defend her to the last bit of strength I have. I need YOU to slow down and conserve your energy unless we come under attack so YOU can look after us. Slow DOWN.' She told her, trying to advise her queen as her legate.

'I have more than enough energy, this requires next to nothing.' The Queen said. The link confirmed that while she was expending more than an average pony, compared to her vast stores she had enough to challenge Celestia if needed.

Dawn sighed, regretting her assumptions and replied, 'Sorry for doubting you… I had thought you were burning far more than appropriate and was worried about you in addition to your mate because of it... I hope you'll forgive me.

When no response came for the next couple minutes, Dawn distanced herself in the link, feeling more a burden right then. She continued looking at Twilight and slowly drinking some water as she tried to consider what more to do.

It did not take long for the queen, now her unicorn self, to burst into the room

Dawn laid on her side, clearly worn out from the events, but staying awake as Storm and the other two guards watched. Storm jumped in place and flapped her wings once at the sudden intrusion of the unicorn.

Chrysalis marched over and picked up the limp Twilight and started to check her over as a drone closed the door.

Storm called out, "What are you-"

"Be quiet Storm." Dawn said, not unkindly, "Let her mate be here."

Storm went quiet immediately, feeling even more small than before, mumbling an apology.

"It's all right,” Dawn replied, “just be ready to help further if needed. I do not have the strength to move much right now."

Finding no injuries the Queen pulled Twilight close and just held her

Dawn smiled gently, trying to send her love and support, even if she was worried for them and otherwise hoped she had done enough. She was still saddened by that lump of metal still lying on the ground, thinking of how sad it must have been to hope to finally have company, only to die like that from a scan.

"We should move her to the hotel room to rest, not just leave her here on the floor."

"I understand. I wasn't sure if it was ok to move her, so I tried to play it safe." Dawn answered, "I didn't mean any disrespect by it…"

Twilight was already covered in an illusion and the Queen was heading for the door, the drones following as the Queen carried her mate.

Dawn slowly got up, barely finding the strength to move as she tried to keep pace with her queen. Storm followed, unsure what to do next, but knew she would be needed eventually.

Dawn felt remorse, that she was barely able to feel the hive now from her tiredness, and here her queen was, still strong and managing it despite her emotions. She worried that she was not doing enough for her queen like this, despite knowing the Queen’s brain was able to compartmentalize and function with numerous things at once.

Dawn still worried that there was more that she could be doing, that she should be more like her queen in times of need. She relaxed only once the hotel was in view.

They entered with Dawn's key and the Queen lifted Dawn and Twilight both with magic and placed them on the bed along with herself.

"Rest." Chrysalis said.

Dawn felt the word like a command, despite it not being intended as such, and soon laid against the queen. She was out like a light, and her body reverted to its new natural state.

Storm was surprised by the flames that wrapped around the mare in the transformation and threw her wings out, especially at the surprise Dawn was so pregnant and had pieces of chitin on her flank and lower back.

The Queen looked at Storm as she lay around her mate and legate, dropping her form as well.

Storm tensed visibly on instinct at the sight of Chrysalis before slowly letting her guard down like before.

"So… Dawn… actually is a changeling?"

"No, she's a hybrid." the Queen corrected. "But she is a member of my hive."

"But… ponies don't change like that…” Storm frowned, unsure what to make of it, “Anytime somepony has been captured by yo- by changelings, they don't come out different…"

"That's because they were food, not part of the hive and link."

"And Dawn was?" Storm said skeptically.

Chrysalis nodded.

Storm held further comment, coming forward to tap at the chitin on her flank, even where next to her cutie mark was, on the hardened material.

The Queen watched her intently, ready to defend her drone.

Storm looked disquieted by the discovery of the chitin, and then continued to tap along various spots as Dawn woke and said, "Don't make me tap you back… They've only just hardened and I don't need you testing them."

The Queen chuckled and Storm looked at her with a frown, clearly curious and confused at that reaction, then looked for anything else out of place to change the subject.

"So how'd you get so pregnant?"

"It's called sex Storm. Have you had it?" Dawn replied sarcastically, still barely loud enough to have her normal voice.

"She may not have had that talk yet, perhaps she needs explained where foals come from and what sex is" the Queen suggested.

"Of course I've had sex!" she said angrily, "Probably more than you anyway."

"Oh, I didn't realize it was a contest." Dawn replied, "I'd better get Stalwart and his friends to come over for a week."

Storm's anger at Dawn's flippant attitude grew and Dawn added, "Storm, you're bugging me when I'm tired, tapping my flank without permission, and then trying to pick a fight when I'm not up to reacting. Who’s the better pony? Check your pride at the door and let us rest."

Storm's frustration grew, but she stepped back to the small couch along the corner and laid across it, putting her back to them as she grabbed a blanket to cover herself with.

'Children… am I right?' Dawn asked to Chrysalis in a teasing tone.

The Queen chuckled in the link.' She was quite focused on your flank. I think she likes it. Shall I ask?'

'Do as you wish my queen.' she chuckled, 'especially if it pleases you.'

The Queen smiled and looked at Storm. "Am I corrected in assuming you like Dawn's flanks quite a bit?"

Storm perked her head up and had a look of surprise and disgust, even as her wings rose under the blanket, "What the hay are you even talking about? There's nothing to like about that bubble butt!"

'Interesting...' The queen replied in the link before answering coyly, "Oh? Could have fooled me with how much you were touching it."

"I'm done with playing your bucking games! Leave me alone!" Storm said before starting to mutter to herself, "Bad enough I get picked on in front of everypony back there, now they're both… as if I'd ever!"

'Oh yeah, she wants your flank.’ Chrysalis said, simply smiling innocently at Storm.

Dawn chuckled silently, 'I think I will enjoy breaking her into being a more honest pony, if only Twilight was awake to give permission to get that secret out…'

'I do not doubt you will do well, now that we know her weakness.'

Dawn smirked as she faded closer to unconsciousness, 'I will not fail you my queen, nor your mate…'

'I know you won’t. Now rest.'

Once again taking that final word as a command, she drifted to a dreamless sleep, hoping to gain enough strength to further assist her queen's mate, her mind nearly fully blocking the pain of the foals who still kicked now and then in her rest

The Queen laid around them, managing the hive with two drones in the living room standing guard.

Dawn rested until about midnight, getting up to go to the bathroom, the foals pushing on her bladder, a new dilemma that she had never faced before but had expected to face eventually. She soon returned, curling up by Twilight and gently using her magic to touch their mind and send a hint of her love and concern for her, hoping that the small gesture might help stir her to wakefulness. She didn’t dare risk trying to connect to them fully, she still remembered her promise to them otherwise.

The Queen had an eye open watching her. Dawn soon stopped after a few seconds of the sensation being given to Twilight with no result.

'If she doesn't wake by morning, will you permit me to try further? I know she hates her mind being touched, but I don't think either of us want to see her knocked out like this…'

'I would not recommend it… her mind is… not that which I wish you to be exposed to.' Chrysalis warned. 'I do not know what would happen to you, and I ask that you stop connecting to her like that at all. I do not wish harm to befall you and Storm.'

'Then I apologize for trying it so far… I just wanted to see if it was possible to jumpstart her and make her awake, you know?"

'I do, but… there are things in Twilight that… would not be safe to let loose.' she said, hesitating on whether she should allowed Dawn to see.

'That's fine.' Dawn said, sensing the hesitation and shying away from it. 'I'm too weak to handle her hardships just yet… Your mate is so strong in so many ways.'

'In time, I will show you what lurks with in Twilight.'

'When I'm ready… I'm not nearly strong enough to handle it. Too much empathy.' she replied, nearly asleep once more, wondering to herself, 'What surprises will I get in these final weeks of pregnancy?'

'It's not her hardships, it is something else. A danger that is within her.' The Queen warned. 'And I do not know.'

'Ah...' Dawn mumbled as she drifted off to her nearly dreamless sleep, only aware of the presence of her queen and other drones.

The Queen stayed around them

The next morning, Twilight still was out and the smell of food drifted from the kitchen area as the drones cooked. Dawn sighed contentedly as she woke, ready to eat, but still disappointed in Twilight's lack of waking.

'How are you mom? Are you holding up ok?' she asked tenderly, worried.

'I am fine.' She said, still wrapped around them both.

'We are here for you mom… we are not alone.'

'I know.' Chrysalis replied, sounding fine. It seemed just being here with Twilight to protect her was keeping her calm

Dawn by contrast, was not so fine, still concerned over Twilight, and slightly tired, but doing her best to keep calm and rest. She checked on what the changelings were cooking, curious about what they would eat, then sighed with a wide smile as omelets with bacon were being cooked.

A strong pair of kicks at the smell of the food made Dawn smile as she got confirmation her foals approved.

'Think Storm will mind meat?' Chrysalis asked.

'Right now, I don't give a damn if Lapdog has an issue with it.' she said, smiling, 'but I suspect she will unless she's good friends with a gryphon.

The queen shrugged and smiled at the Lapdog name being used.

Storm stirred on the couch, rolling over before nearly falling off the couch. Dawn told the changelings, 'Double portion for me, if you would be so kind, and Lapdog will have spinach, cheese, and another appropriate veggie for breakfast for her omelet.'

'Yes Legate.' They replied, having no issues with her deciding what Queen's Mate's pet ate, since the legate was to be the trainer.

Dawn smiled, sensing how they felt about her and being in agreement. She went over to Storm and sat right between her legs with her back to Storm to catch her if need be, sliding in quite nicely.

The queen smiled from the bed. 'You look quite good like that.'

'Thank you.’ Dawn smiled, thinking about her ability to hide her form, ‘So, just how much can I do with this illusion magic?'

'What illusion magic?'

'That's how I hid my chitin, wasn't it?' Dawn asked, confused.

'You shapeshifted.’ Chrysalis said simply.

'Wait, real shapeshifting?' Dawn asked excitedly, a broad grin clear on her face with a childish expression of glee.

'Yes?’ Chrysalis replied, not thinking much of the feat. ‘The link should have everything you need to know, but as long as you don't try to be bigger than your current size, you can become anything you want… even a sex toy for Twilight.'

'Oh! Oh my…' She replied, her childish mentality of what she imagined being pushed aside briefly by the lewd image, 'So wait, that means I could be anything that is the same mass or less? Do you realize how long I've had that dream?'

'Yes and yes.' Chrysalis said smiling from the bed. 'As long as it's the same size or smaller, you can be it, and the magic will keep your foals fine no matter what you become.'

Dawn smiled wide once again. She was content that her mom really did know it had been her dream for almost twenty years, since childhood. She shared her joy at the discovery with her queen and the changelings downstairs, unable to really speak her thoughts.

'Why don't you try it out?' The queen smiled.

Dawn reached into the link for the information and shifted in the changeling fire. She concentrated on staying the same mass she had and tried to become human. She focused on an old drawing from a friend to envision the female form, with auburn hair and eyes, belly still quite pregnant, but otherwise shapely.

'It ... I have hands again!’ She thought with amazement, grinning wider, ‘Oh wow this feels weird after being without them for so long.'

'Yes. As I said, you can basically be just about anything as long as you can picture it clearly and detailed.'

'This…’ Dawn changed back to her normal pony self and nodded with her grin still on her face, ‘this is going to be a lot of fun. I already have so many forms I'd love to have fun with.'

'And how they can help train Lapdog.' Chrysalis said.

'I'm not about to change into something that doesn't have the ability to hold my foals comfortably without changing them. I… I know you tell me I can, yet… I don't know.' she said, hesitant and feeling her instincts cry out against the idea.

'It is fine my little drone.' She said. 'Though you could say....shift to have a stallions penis for the purpose of Training Lapdog if you wished.'

'Oh I'm quite sure I could manage that, or just be slightly smaller and just add that to myself and have them both… But we'll see.'

'Oh, you don't need to lose size to add that. She said and lifted her back leg and there was a flash of green and she had a sizable stallion appendage without having to change size. 'as long as you don't go bigger you are fine.'

'Altering your current shape like this doesn't count. It's if you were to say...try to turn into something bigger, like try to turn into Luna, and you'd be a Luna who is your current size.' Chrysalis explained.

'But… isn't that a change of mass?' Dawn asked, feeling confused.

'Technically no? It's just a minor alterations.'

'Hm. Interesting...' Dawn replied, doubting that it wasn’t a change of mass, but considering the implications and how she would incorporate that into Storm's training.

'Try it?'

Dawn hesitated, remembering how uncomfortable she felt before about being male. She hesitated more, remembering how much it pained her to be called sir, or he. 'I don't know Chryssy… I…'

'It is alright my daughter. Try making your teats bigger.'

She nodded, changing her teats to be more rounded and firm, slightly bigger to where they hung several inches below her body, then giggled. 'That wasn't hard.'

'Nope.' Chrysalis smiled.

Dawn put it back, making it a bit more firm and rounded like she preferred, then after hesitating, made herself male. She checked herself out and blushed at the sight of it and then started laughing, 'Why is it that it being on me looks weird, but I like it on Stalwart?'

Storm groaned and started to turn, only to fall on top of Dawn's back, catching her by surprise. Despite that surprise, Dawn quickly got rid of her male parts and then slowly pushed the pony off her back, back onto the couch with magic.

'I think it looked quite good on you.' The queen chuckled. 'Oh, oh, you could make your flank bigger slowly while training Storm and really mess with her.'

'I think I will.' Dawn grinned.

'Yes, be sure she doesn't see it of course. Really mess with her head. Makes them easy to control if they are confused.'

'Ahhhh, lovely.' Dawn smiled.

"Morning… What the hay were you doing there Dawn?" Storm asked, irritated.

'Yes. Get her to start question things and she will have no choice but to look to you for answers, and you can fill her little head up with whatever you want.' the queen said, smiling as she watched.

Dawn smiled, though intent on helping align Storm to where she herself is like, more humble, helpful and respectful of others. She would break that pride if she could help it.

'And make her a good little toy for our Mistress.'

'But of course. Though I may instill a few desires of my own as long as they don't interfere.' Dawn replied before Storm spoke up again.

"Hey Green! The hay were you doing between my legs?"

"Wondering if Nightfall ever did that to you to wake you up, or if it was the other way around, obviously." Dawn replied sarcastically before getting up and striding over to Twilight with a small saunter.

'Oh?' the Queen asked with curiosity and amusement. She could easily look into her drone’s mind, but she liked hearing ideas like this from the drone directly.

Dawn shared, 'Perhaps experimenting with a few designs, possibly a few different animal versions of the sex, not to mention appropriate attire to the occasion, working her hard only to reward her with a massage when she's too tired to resist...'

'Oh? And what desires may you install in her?'

'Kindness for one, slow calculated sensual play for another. happiness when making others happy, to name a few.'

'Hmm… I could give you a few spells to install triggers if you'd like. They can be quite fun.'

'What do you mean?' Dawn asked, intrigued.

'As in, you say something, or do something or she sees something, and it triggers her to do another action, like … orgasm everyone you say the word strawberries'

'Interesting, especially with how much Violet loves strawberries. I wonder what I would do for that...' She thought out loud to Chrysalis, not getting any ideas, just running a blank. She stopped, feeling hungry and shook her head.

"So what now? Stone hasn't woken, what're you gonna do about it?" Storm asked, interrupting her thoughts.

'Maybe a 'speak when spoken to' trigger...' Dawn decided before answering Storm. "Right now, we can do nothing or we would have."

'Well you set the trigger and what it does. You could even install an entirely different personality behind one that takes over when you wish… Twilight had one that made me a brainless, happy housewife who only thought about cooking, cleaning, and satisfying her and was always happy for a time… I’m… pretty sure she removed it....' she said hesitantly.

'I see. Perhaps I could give her a trigger to be more similar to me for a time, just to help her see through my eyes as you could.' Dawn thought. ‘I don’t like the idea of changing someone too much, feels wrong.’

"Fine. anyone want breakfast?" Storm asked.

"It's already being cooked." Dawn replied.

"What is it?"

"Omelets."

'Seems Twilight has already got her trained to make breakfast for whoever is present.' The queen said with amusement.

'Or maybe she's just trying to chime in because of Twilight... we'll find out.'

Storm stepped out only to stop as she met the drones delivering the breakfast. She stood aside, holding the door open as the drone was invited in.

The drones were not disguised as they entered and set the food before those it was for and then bowed before leaving.

Dawn gave them her thanks, letting them know they were appreciated as she readily dug in to the meal then smiled broadly at how good it tasted, especially the bacon.

Storm looked at hers, approving before looking at Dawn's and asked, "What's in yours?"

"Bacon… lots of bacon." She smiled widely.

Storm looked at them alarmed, a mix of emotions coming along as Dawn casually ate the food in front of her. A look to the queen as ate hers confirmed diced steak in it. Storm looked down at their own food, slowly eating and wondering how the two in front of her could eat meat without a guilty conscience.

Dawn swallowed her mouthful of food, still hungry for three, but not sure what she could really say to encourage Storm or comfort her.

'She will adjust.' The queen said.

'Especially when I use my hands to give her a human based hand massage. I've made plenty a dog and cat nearly fall asleep from my attentions.' Dawn smirked, picturing Storm like putty in her hands and hooves, but Storm simply looked at her with disdain and discomfort as she ate her food. 'I feel like I should tell her something, comfort her somehow, but I don't know what to say.'

'I’m sure Twilight had trained her well to respond to fingers.' The queen said, shivering involuntarily at a memory. 'As for what to say… not sure.’

"Storm," Dawn spoke, figuring she would blunder her way through. "I know it can be unsettling to watch someone eat something you dislike. I just want you to know, I have to eat meat as a part of my diet, just every now and then, and I will listen to my cravings for my foals. But I hope you realize just because we eat meat, doesn't mean we're going to eat just anything, or anyone."

Storm looked at her with furrowed brows, not expecting to be spoken to about the subject, but her repulsion lessened before giving way to confusion. Another second later and it was dismissed, and Dawn didn't taste much of Storm's emotion after.

'Well, that could have gone better…' Dawn sighed.

'Well, I don't know about what you said....you and Lapdog do look quite tasty.' Chrysalis said.

Dawn blinked in surprise, ‘Wait, what?’

‘You and Lapdog look quite tasty.’ Chrysalis repeated, smirking as she sent an image of Dawn and Lapdog, both contained within herself. No harm would come to them, just the queen enjoying containing both of her mate’s pets.

‘I… I…’ Dawn blushed deeply, utterly surprised by the idea and unsure how to feel about it, instincts wanting to not do anything like it while pregnant.

The image changed, showing Dawn no longer pregnant, inside her mother while her foals were being looked after and cared for by Chrysalis and Stalwart for the weekend. Dawn blushed deeply and quickly finished her meal and went to the bed to read by Twilight.

Chrysalis smirked, following the mare to the bed and curled around her, persisting in the imagery to see exactly how her drone would react.

After an hour, Chrysalis pausing her teasing after about ten minutes to let her drone relax and take a nap, there was a tone from Twilight.

Dawn looked at Twilight, alert, then started shaking Chrysalis awake. Chrysalis opened her eyes as several clicks came from Twilight.

"Is that normal Chryssy?" Dawn asked, concerned.

"It's her cybernetics rebooting.” She explained.

Dawn gave Chrysalis a hug as she waited anxiously for Twilight's recovery, the queen focusing everything on Twilight due to the extent of her worry. After a few minutes of clicks and beeps, Twilight slowly opened her eyes.

'She's awake!" Dawn said out loud and in the link.

Twilight groaned as she slowly started to sit up and grip the side of her head. "What happened…"

Dawn hugged Chrysalis and then moved to the other side of Twilight as Storm approached.

"You tell me. You were scanning the bracelet, flew up into the ceiling and then collapsed on the ground limp." Dawn explained.

Twilight groaned. "I feel like I got hit by a truck carrying tap dancing dragons."

"I've already healed any wounds you incurred from what happened, though there's some old wounds I want to help with once we've rested." Dawn continued.

"Those are fine" she said. "Water would be nice

Dawn quickly went and filled a cup with water, offering it to her. Twilight took it and started to drink.

"We lost the bracelet.” Dawn spoke up speaking somberly, “It became a smoldering piece of metal afterward."

"Oh…" Twilight said, ears drooping.

"Yeah..." Dawn frowned, taking a deep breath as she willed herself not to cry from empathy for the other version of herself.

"And…” Twilight sighed. “And I promised her she wouldn't be alone."

"You did what you could… We can't ask for more." Dawn said, trying to detach herself from her emotions.

Storm looked on, noticing they were mourning, but had furrowed brows. She saw Dawn here, and this supposed other Dawn never spoke up. For all she could tell, they were making this up, but green wasn't the type to pull that kind of prank, or go so far for a prank.

Twilight finished her water.

"So what do we do now?" Storm asked. "Dawn said we can't use the place we were at… Don't know why though."

"Because it is a known location and can be bugged again… we need somewhere fully under our control, where security is just us and no other hoof traffic."

"Oh." Storm replied, realizing the truth of that. "I don't know where that is yet, but no one was hurt.”

"I'm sure we will find a place." Twilight said.

“I'm sure we'll find one…” Dawn echoed. “What did you get to find in your scans if I may ask?"

"Not a lot. I just found the matrix and was beginning to delve into it then… nothing."

"I see. " Dawn replied. She had hoped there was a chance the other Dawn was seen or freed, but it appeared she couldn't escape reality.

Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. "It's OK Dawn. If anything at least her suffering is over."

"And yet,” Dawn said, still fighting back her sorrow, “it not just could have been me… in a way, it was."

It was Dawn's first real loss in this world, one that struck far closer to home than she cared to admit. Twilight squeezed her shoulder.

"So then… you look very pregnant." Twilight commented, still holding her shoulder and looking her dead in the eye. "Did Stalwart knock you up a couple more times while I was out?"

Dawn chuckled gently and blushed with a shy smile, "No, I mean… I have twins. I used some changeling magic to hide it, since not many would understand why I was so advanced so quickly. That, and we don't want Flare to know how vulnerable I am as a pregnant mare, right?"

"So, Stalwart did knock you up good." Storm snorted. "Guess his mark wasn't a tower for nothing."

"Nope, but he left his shield at home that night." Dawn bantered back.

Twilight nodded and chuckled at their banter as she laid back, resting her head on Chrysalis and using her as a pillow.

"How are you feeling?" Dawn asked.

"Like shit, but I have a comfy pillow." Twilight smirked.

"Want anything to eat? We only just had breakfast."

"Some food would be nice."

Dawn relayed the news to the changeling chefs, if Chrysalis hadn't done so already.

"So what I miss? Was anyone else hurt?" Twilight asked before noticing Dawn’s figure and smirked again, "Also, Dawn, you have a lot more curves then I remember."

"I'm not that different..." Dawn chuckled, stepping down off the bed to let Twilight take a better look overall. She was unaware of how much she had slimmed down herself.

Her middle seemed to have slimmed and her flanks were more toned yet smooth. Her chitin reflected the lamplight gently, and her eyes barely showed their compound nature, only in the right lighting did it do so.

"I'd say more than a little. You are well on your way to having a figure like Queeny here." Twilight admired, patting Chrysalis shoulder.

Dawn chuckled, starting to put her prior disappointment about the other Dawn behind her, "We'll see, but having the best of both worlds is definitely enjoyable."

"Oh?" Twilight asked, taking note of Storm glancing at Dawn’s flank every now and then when she thought no one was looking.

Storm was actually just noticing all the changes and frowning. It was a pleasant enough shape, though she could lose the bug look as far as she was concerned.

"I like having the mostly squishy body of a pony, if only because it makes cuddling enjoyable, but I like having the protection on my back and flanks. It's a nice change, though Chryssy says that I have a lot more options open to me if needed."

"Oh, I'd image" Twilight said with a smirk.

Twilight clearly had the alcoholic taste of lust, Storm’s being more muted, as she looked at Dawn. It was clear her thoughts were far from what would be brought up in public.

Dawn smiled and bowed slightly to her, as if to reinforce that she knew her place. Twilight shivered in response. Storm frowned, stepping between them to go put her book away, passively interrupting them before putting on her saddlebag and walking between them again toward the door.

"I'm going to fly around, scout the area 'n stuff. I'll be back for our lessons later."

Twilight nodded. "Stay safe."

"Don't stay out too long Lapdog." Dawn said gently, "We may need your talents soon enough. I'll contact you if we do."

Storm huffed, "Whatever green."

Without another word, she went out the room and closed the door none too softly behind her.

Author's Notes:

Well....not everyday you have something litterly explode in your face or be responsible for the death of a tortured soul by accident.

I have a PATREON with fair rewards. Every bit is greatly appreciated and helps me out.