Karma's a bitch, and she's come to bite Celestia, the Main 5, and Equestria as a whole in the ass. Enjoy, and adieu!

Oh, and one more thing. Music: Hearts of Iron by Sabaton

Six years after exile
Canterlot shield perimeter
POV: Shining Armor

Shining Armor patrolled along the edge of his massive purple shield, checking up on the guards and watching for a potential Changeling advance. So far, none of the bugs had shown themselves, but he could never be too certain. After all, they had come from nowhere and could come from anywhere.

It started about six months ago, with the return of Lord Tirek. He had somehow managed to get into Canterlot without the Princesses or the Royal Guard finding him. From there, he began to absorb the magic of ponies, growing stronger from it. Fortunately, he hadn't yet grown strong enough when his presence was discovered by the Princesses. With the three Princesses, his own power, and the aide of his sister and her friends, the centaur was captured and re-imprisoned in Tartarus.

However, as they later learned, it was seemingly a diversion. While the guard had been distracted dealing with Tirek, something had taken over Dodge Junction. All attempts to establish contact failed, and all guards sent to investigate never came back. From there, these 'Changelings' had begun to attack cities all across Equestria, imprisoning the ponies they captured in pods for some reason unknown. Now, only two cites were unconquered: The Crystal Empire, and Canterlot.

He came to the booth along the southern train tracks that had been converted into a guard station. Inside, the guard on duty stood to greet him. "Captain Armor."

"Corporal Void Gazer. Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, Captain, just-" He suddenly stopped talked, cocking his head to the side as if listening to something. Shining flicked his own ears and tilted his head in the same direction, but didn't hear anything.

"Umm, is something wrong, corporal?"

Suddenly, green flames whipped around the guard. His white coat turned to black chitin, and his eyes became nearly pure blue orbs. Before Shining could react, he said, "Awake from your shell, servant of the hive."

Shining suddenly felt dizzy. He shook his head, trying to clear it of whatever was going on, but he felt himself lose consciousness. When his eyes opened again, they were glowing green and were greeted by a wide, fanged grin from the Changeling infiltrator.

Canterlot upper districts
POV: Viscount Fancy Pants

Fancy Pants had begun to pack up his belongings. He knew that Canterlot wouldn't last forever, and intended to take as many ponies away from the incoming swarm with his private airship. He would make a heading for Griffonia, across the Celestial sea to get as far away from them as possible. At least, that was the plan.

He packed up some of his own personal belongings; a few heirlooms, some clothes, and other personal effects. He paused when he was reaching for a picture of him and his wife, Fleur De Lis. He sighed, stroking across the slim and beautiful mares face. He remembered when he last saw her: several weeks ago when he and Fleur had gone down into Canterhorn valley to help with the evacuation of Ponyville. When the changelings arrived, he had fled, but she had been captured. He still remembered her terrified face as green goo of those, cocoons, covered her face completely.

Suddenly, loud screaming echoed it's way up to his window. He raced over to the window, throwing aside the curtains and gasping. The purple dome of Captain Armors' shield was gone, and the Changelings were pouring in by the hundreds. Black and green blurs rained down from the skies, crushing the makeshift barricades set up by the guards and further blackening the black magic burn marks of Tireks rampage. Royal guard and a few other pegasi flew up, trying to keep them away from the citizenry, but it was a losing battle.

He leaped back in alarm as one of the green streaks shot down toward his window, smashing into it at full force. When the dust cleared, a section of his bedroom wall had collapsed and a Changeling drone stood in the ruins. Before it could stand, Fancy fired a bolt of magic into it, sending it hurling out of the window and onto the street. He knew more would be coming, and so, forgetting his suitcase, he lit his horn and teleported to the airdocks.

When he arrived, his eyes once again opened in shock. Changelings by the dozen had already arrived and had begun to hold down the ships with their slimy mucus. The few smaller airships that had already taken off were boarded and quickly ground to a halt. He knew that he had no chance of getting past them, and turned, planning for making a run for the castle. However, as he did, he came face to face with another ling.

He had no time to react as the black, insect-like creature swung a hoof, sending Fancy into the ground. He tried to rise, but before he could, he felt a cool, slimy feeling on his hind legs. Looking back, he saw the beginning of a cocoon, which had quickly swallowed almost his entire lower half. He tried to squirm his way out or to light his horn to teleport away, but both failed. He finally ceased struggling as it came up to his neck, then his jaw, until his whole body was encased in the soupy, green gunk.

Canterlot Castle
POV: Princess Celestia

The throne room had been converted into a makeshift war room. A massive table had been set up at the base of the dais and was overflowing with maps, markers, and other bits of recording tools. After the shield went down, messengers had begun to run in and out, relaying her orders to hold the line and allow her student and the other element bearers time to evacuate the civilians.

"Your highness, the Changelings are moving up the upper districts. They've overrun the barricade on Stirrup Street, and are pressing up toward Bit Boulevard!"

"Pull me off of the palace walls to reinforce Bit Boulevard. It's closer to the train station," she said.

Another one ran in, yelling, "The shipyards have fallen!"

"Pull back anypony still left, and have them hold the line at the palisades."

"We've lost Bit Boulevard! The Lings are pouring in like Parasprites!"

"Get anypony left down there. We must hold the trainyard."

Finally, they began to trickle to only a few runners as opposed to a near-constant stream of them. She knew that didn't mean that the tide had turned, as the reports were still troubling. Fewer of them were making it back. Soon, none came in, leaving just her and the Royal Guard lieutenants.

She sighed, saying to one of the lieutenants, "Lieutenant Panzer Hoof. Take a contingent of any remaining guards. Escort as many of the castle staff down to the train station as possible to be evacuated."

"Yes, your Highness," he said, saluting and running off with a pair of guards in tow.

Turning to the rest of the officers, she said, "Pull the rest of the guard, as many as you can muster. We must hold the Changelings back, allow Panzer time to evacuate the rest of Canterlot. We'll-"

She was interrupted by a guard running into the throne room. He quickly bowed his head, saying even as he raised it, "Your highness! The Changelings are in the castle! The queen herself is-!"

Suddenly, the door exploded inward, sending the two guards by it sprawling and Celestia throwing up a shield to protect her officers. When the dust cleared, several Changelings entered. These ones were different than the other Lings; their carapaces were covered in a thick, chitinous blue armor and had short iron swords floating in sickly green magic auras. Behind them, entering with a slow and arrogant gait, came the one identified to be the leader.

"Sorry for dropping in unannounced," she said, grinning madly. "But, I just couldn't help but notice that the Princess of this pitiful nation has yet to be brought to me in a cocoon. I just got impatient: you understand, don't you?"

The princess steeled herself, saying to the assembled officers, "My little ponies. Get out of here. Save as many as you can."

The guards attempted to get out, but more changelings entered the side doors. The guards backed up, forming a circle around her. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Sorry, Princess, but I can't just let you or your ponies leave. You're just much too valuable."

"Why are you doing this?," Celestia said, glowering at her. "We have done nothing to you!"

After another bout of maniacal laughing, she said, "Oh, of course. You haven't. However, my changelings need to feed on love to survive, and Equestria is a land practically overflowing with it."

"We could've reached a deal! You didn't have to attack us!," she argued, stepping forward. "You can still stop this. Order your army to stand down. Release my ponies. We can work it out-"

"Enough!" With that, her Changelings charged at the royal guards, while Chrysalis shot a beam of green magic at Celestia.

Celestia summoned a shield, then darted up into the air. She lit her horn, firing down a beam of fiery light. The queen met her beam of energy with her own, sickly green bolt. A pushing match ensued, each hoping to overpower the other with their power. Both endured, straining and sweating, trying to get the other to yield.

Bellow the Princess, the two groups of soldiers clashed. Blade versus spear, hoof versus hoof as they slugged it out. The Royal Guard was perhaps more eager and energetic, but that was their only advantage. The Swarm Guard were better fighters, stronger, more cunning, and there were more of them. Those that could tried to flee, either by flying out one of the windows or by teleporting out. Most, however, were simply overrun.

Soon, the same was true with Princess Celestia. The queen's bolt simply overpowered hers, and she was sent sprawling across the floor to the base of her throne. She looked up weakly, watching as the queen pranced up to her. As the tall Changeling stood over her, another one entered. He was different than the other drones; he had a red fin, purple eyes, and was a bit taller.

"What is it, Commander?," the queen said, looking down at Celestia over the bridge of her nose.

"My Queen," he said, bowing. "The city is ours. The last remnants of resistance are being stamped out. However, several trains and airships managed to escape before we locked down the airdocks and the trainyard."

"Was our dear Captain Armor on either of them?," she asked, much to Celestia's confusion.

Pharynx said, "Yes, he was on the last train out."

"Excellent. Round up and cocoon anypony left in the city. I'll be taking a peek through the good Captain's eyes soon enough. You're dismissed, Commander."

The other Ling took off, flying out one of the holes in the stained glass. The Swarm Guard began to cocoon the unconscious guards, even as Celestia watched. "W-what... Do..."

"Do I mean by 'Peek through his eyes'?," Chrysalis said. She turned back the barely conscious Princess, grinning madly, with a similar look in her eyes. "Simple. I have control over him. He is my thrall, ever since his wedding."

Celestia shifted a little in shock, gurgling out, "What? H-how?"

"Why should I- You know what? Why not. Not like anyone will hear this besides you." She knelt down in front of the defeated princess, still grinning. "My original invasion would've taken place at the wedding. However, after I saw how simple it was to manipulate you by having you exile that annoying Pegasus, I decided to bide my time. Why just raid and steal the love from one city when I can conquer the whole nation! So, for that bit of information and your actions, I thank you. Have some pleasant dreams. Mwah hahahahahahahahaha!!"

Princess Celestia just laid her head back, taking it in. She had been tricked, and it had led to her not only condemning an innocent pony, but also her whole nation. In her rush to defend her family, she had damned herself, her ponies, and an innocent. Her last sight as the green slime of a cocoon covered her face was the Changeling queen trotting out of her throne room, cackling madly with a pair of Swarm Guards at her flanks. Her last thought as the slime stripped away her consciousness: By my Sun, what have I done?

Then, darkness. Cool, unforgiving, damning, Darkness.