I regain consciousness to find a stabbing pain in my arms and most of my body. It feel like I've been hit by a small truck. Then, another impact comes.

"This is fun! Who knew humans might actually have a use? They make excellent punching bags."

A roar of laughter fills the room as I slowly wake up. Then, another voice breaks the laughter.

"Hey dude he's waking up, hit him harder. Big Brother wants him nice and tender for later."

Another sharp impact sends me back into darkness, only to wake up what feels like minutes later. I no longer have the sharp pain in my arms, but I feel even worse than before. As my eyes open, I am greeted by an inky darkness. I hear muffled sounds as a door opens and I meet my captor. Of all the ponies, I should have guessed he would be behind this.

"So I guess our little pet has finally awoken. You have no idea how much I have wanted to wring your neck since you humiliated me at that party. I was unable to deal with the last rabble rouser, being an element of harmony apparently gives you privileges. You, though, should not have received the same. You are a disgusting human, and you should not be allowed to call me 'pathetic' and get away with it!"

Same old Blueblood.

"Well Blueblood, you could have easily proved me wrong by not acting up. That did a lot more damage. Especially when you flashed the Saddle Arabian Ambassador's wife and asked her to describe how much better than a human's you were. Need I mention how we had no choice but to say you were a changeling and how, with great enthusiasm, the rest of the guard beat you up while I tried to keep you at least somewh-"

A sharp blow to my stomach silenced me, nearly knocking me back out. His anger a reflection of that day when I first met him. I had hoped to never see him again and until today, I got my wish. I almost wish the guards had executed him as the Saddle Arabians had asked instead. He should have been happy when the public got a heroic tale for him, rather then the real one.

"Details are for those who care. Your kind is a blight on our world, just like the Saddle Arabians, minus their policy on the ruler having a harem that he alone chooses, and the Gryphons and the other races. I tolerate the others because they have defenses against our magic, and the fact that Equestria as a whole accepts them. You and your pathetic race, however, are still up for debate. Especially since your race disappears from this world one way or another. I did plan on having the changelings go to Earth and stir up trouble there as well, but with the portals closing, most everything that happened there will revert to a path from before the opening."

Though Blueblood's words truly strike a bit of fear with how little he regarded all non-pony life, what really scares me is what will happen when those portals closed. If it really did that and the princesses plans fail, I will be cast back into the world that no longer cares for me. Possibly back into her hands. Then a worse problem comes up when Blueblood continued his monologue.

"The good news is I have enough friends in higher places to ensure that the princesses think it will be somewhat gradual. In reality, it will happen all at once when the portals disappear. Equestria's magic prevents the portals from opening in the past, but when they close again, it will keep the time stream stable on this end only. Such a shame that they are so thick-headed as to not confirm anything themselves. All I had to do was offer them a friend of yours, and we began to make humans 'disappear' from various places. Imagine my surprise when I come to take my obvious bride and discover she has fallen for you."

His anger once again turns to full force as he stares me down.

"Because of you the sweet innocent mare, raised to be my perfect bride in figure and action, was taken by the one who ruined me!"

I open my mouth to retort, but another punch silences me.

"Because of your corruption that sweet innocent mare is probably plotting the downfall of my dear retarded aunts. I will save them from you, and I found the perfect partners to do so with."

A snap of the finger and a figure I have seen only once entered the scene.

"You know her as my personal maid Meadow Lark. Her real name, is Queen Delaroi of the Equestrian Changeling Hive!" In an instant green fire engulfs the figure, revealing the changeling queen in all her glory.

She's actually rather short, maybe about the size of a fifteen year old girl, with assets to match. Her crown on her head reminds me of Cadence's from not too long ago, and her barely-there attire screams Changeling, her body hidden but only barely so. Her skin is completely black and shiny. Her face, though youthful, bares a cruel, hungry smile. She walks towards me, moving her hips far more than necessary, and begins to feel me up as Blueblood gives me one final punch.

"As much as I would like to stay and chat, I have got two beautiful mares to save, an abomination or two to kill, and a host of other things to take care of. Ta-ta for now!"

With that, Blueblood leaves the room. I'm unable to say anything, but it seems my new captor will be all I have for the time being.

"Well, this is honestly quite a surprise. I never expected him to actually capture an individual to match my...tastes. Too bad, I would have loved to sneak you out of here in exchange for some of that amazing love you are radiating."

Her voice is surprisingly smooth, and actually really alluring to tell the truth.

"You see, we changelings are a rather, interesting race. We can only feed off of love, and for centuries now we have been in decline. I was born, as you yourself have guessed, fifteen years ago."

She can read minds?

"Now, I don't want you to think I am a mind-reader or anything. As a changeling queen I can see how you see others. I see how they look, and a basic, how to put it...sheet of information about them. For instance, you really don't like Blueblood. Neither do I really, I know he will betray me, he even got my name wrong. So let me reintroduce myself: I am Queen Cicada, leader of what was up until recently, Queen Chrysalis's hive."

The words send a shiver down my spine as she says that. All the time she is talking, her mannerisms and voice are steadily changing. Then I remember why they got their name, and it terrifies me.

"What's wrong little Sam, are you afraid?"

Her grin turns wicked and cruel as she assumes a form far too familiar for me. It seems what I heard was wrong: changelings can take human form. The form she chooses is certainly the best to instill terror into me. Once again, Mariana stands before me.

"Come on little shit, time to cry for momma."

A jab into my stomach quickly silences any protest I could have made. The pain radiates from the jab, even as she retracts her hand. She smiles cruelly as she begins to circle me, jabbing me in soft spots and everywhere she thinks it will hurt. She never misses.

She keeps this up for hours, only letting me rest when I'm on the verge of passing out. Then, at the edge of death, she says what I never want to hear.

"You know, we also captured your little bitch."

Anger flows through me, giving me the strength to listen, but not much more.

"Right now, they are taking turns beating her, then fucking her."

Rage pours through my system, and she can feel it, her grin increasing.

"They are going to get rid of your little offspring, and protect her from your terrible kind. They will wash her of your little controls, then do the same to Twilight, albeit in a more anonymous way."

My rage grows and grows, but I can still barely move.

"It honestly surprises me, the lengths you humans go to destroy these ponies. After this my hive will finally have a place in Equestria as we proclaim the aid we gave as Blueblood has planned. "

My rage peaks, finally giving me words, though that is all I can do.

"You realize you are dooming your hive right?"

Her laugh gives me everything I need to know, then she gives me even more.

"Pathetic fool, I have seen what the ponies who are around him think of him! I know for a fact that he has a very high standing in society and power, second only to the Solar Princess. That is why he will save Twilight and Octavia from you!"

She continues to laugh as I let my instinct guide my words, lacking the strength to make them myself.

"Why don't you look at what those besides him think of him. I can tell you right now that looking at those who get to do whatever they want to a young woman's body won't exactly earn him much respect with the rulers who preach love and tolerance."

Her laughing stops dead in it's tracks, almost like freezing the frame. She turns to me, complete seriousness in her eyes as she stares me down.

"Alright then, just remember, I can make this even worse for you after!"

She quickly reverts to her true form, her eyes inches from my own as they begin to glow green. I'm mesmerized, and I see flashing pictures flowing from her mind as well as mine. I see many things, from her first memory, to the protests against the invasion, to her taking over after the invasion failed and Chrysalis was torn apart by some humans in the woods after they discovered her. They were arguing over splitting the reward as Cicada ran away. Then she woke up here, like me. With Blueblood to guide her knowledge.

I see her being used for her abilities, getting in close, passing messages easily. I see what he has done, hear what he has said, and it pushes me even further towards the path of kicking Blueblood's ass. As we finally separate, a completely different look is etched on Cicada's face. It's one not of smug victory, but one of abject horror. It is at that moment a rather large stallion with an axe came in.

"Blueblood says times up. Seems you tenderized him real good. Too bad, I would have liked to hear you scream like a little bitch myself, but orders are orders. When you get to Tartarus, let them know that soon, a lot more humans will be joining the welcome party."

He hefts the axe in his hands, ready to strike as I close my eyes and accept my fate. I sincerely hope I made it in time for Cicada to get out of this. After a while I hear the clatter of something hitting the floor. Opening my eyes, I see Cicada, fist deep in the stallion's chest, who's eyes have rolled up in his skull.

"I need to get you and her out of here now."

She moves towards me, finally removing my restraints and letting me fall to the floor.

"Damn, that's right, your injuries. Hold still a moment, I'm going to patch you up, then I will get you out of here. After what I did, this is the least I can do.."

As her hands began to glow, two more changelings enter the room. "You two, go find Miss Octavia, and bring her to the surface, we need to get her and this 'Samson' out of here. We are being played and we are getting out of here before we die. Sam, if I somehow get out of this, you will be rewarded, but by the heavens I doubt it."

As she pulls away I feel my strength return to me. Looking up Cicada offers her hand to help me up, which I gladly take. Still shaky on my feet, we move through several hallways, to find that we aren't the only ones fighting our way out. Seeing who they are certainly surprises me. Wearing an old set of armor, a blue coated stallion with a dark blue mane. It takes a moment to identify him, but the colors of a Royal Guard quickly tell me exactly who I am looking at.

"Nightlight Sparkle?"

He quickly looks my way, at first surprised, then pissed off as he charges Cicada. I quickly stand in the way, and he thankfully stops.

"What the hell is wrong with you, that is a changeling!"

"Please, not right now Mr. Sparkle, I owe her my life right now, so the sooner we get to Tavi the better."

"Fine, I will let her go for now, but we need out now. Some changelings got Octavia out of here and I was pursuing them when I ran into you guys. Now let's get out of here. I am far too old to be fighting, and honestly I am appalled by how bad they are."

As we begin to move towards the exit path, a few of Blueblood's soldiers arrive to block our path, a few running towards what is apparently the exit. In a flash Nightlight is upon them, giving each a quick strike, knocking them out insanely fast. As Cicada and I catch up he yells for us to hurry up.

"Sorry Mr. Sparkle, I am not exactly in good condition right now."

He nods as we move forward, finally breaching the surface in time to see Tavi fly at Nightlight. He catches her, but as her coat is falling away, I see a very large, oozing bruise on her stomach. They didn't plan on the foals living. They had beaten her, and judging from her legs, they had used her to satisfy their urges.

It all clicks into place, how they planned to 'rehabilitate' her. An absolute rage flows through me as I look towards the one who sent her flying, to meet with a very angry Blueblood.

"Well, it seems you really want to mess with everything. Looks like the scenario has changed. After killing former Captain Nightlight, the traitors Samson and Octavia conspired with changelings for another invasion using Twilight as their princess to replace. Now it is time to di-"

Part way through his speech, I have had enough. My emotions boil, the world slows down, and I lose all feeling. All I want to do was to get my fist to his face as fast as possible. My body gives out at the last second, but I still manage a strong blow to his throat. I watch him backpedal, trying to regain his breath. For a brief moment, I had hoped the blow would kill him, but it that's not meant to be. I manage to remain on my feet, but so did my target.

"You little...! I will have your head mounted above m-" His words are cut off after a flash of light appears behind him, and a sword runs through his chest. "Who would dare-"

"I would dare."

Blueblood's eyes dilate as he recognizes the voice, I nearly pass out, ending up on my knees at the sight before me. Blueblood's body has been pierced by the sword of none other than Princess Celestia herself. In an instant she withdraws her sword and slices Blueblood's head off, cleanly removing it from his shoulders with complete ease. As her gaze moves to me, it rapidly shifts to Cicada, already bowing. As Celestia approaches I try my best to say something, anything, but Celestia waves me off. Her gaze not one of anger anymore, but of sorrow.

"My guards will tend to the wounded, and I ask of you, changeling, your name.”

"I-I...I am Queen Cicada, of the hive previously ruled over by Chrysalis."

"I see. From my reports, you were assisting Blueblood in his insane scheme. Why are you assisting Samson, one of Blueblood's enemies?"

"He made me realize just who Blueblood really was. That he was just an insane stallion seeing only what he wanted to see. I want to redeem my hive, to undo the damage we did when we invaded and attacked your people. Instead, I helped the one who originally set this all up."

"What do you mean."

"Although I was imprisoned for my objections to the invasion, I still knew that Blueblood was the one who fed information to our hive, that set up Cadence to be captured by my mother. Later on, after some humans dismembered my mother for the reward, I ran into Blueblood. He took me in, protected me, got me back to the hive. He saved me, and I believed in him, then I met Sam. I saw his memories, the truth that could not be hidden. I saw what really was going on. It...hurts, to have done this. To have ever assisted Blueblood."

"I see. And you Sam, what can you say about her?"

Cicada begins to literally tremble as her fate seemingly rests on my words. She reminds me a lot of...

"She reminds me of a younger me."

Her head snaps to attention as she looks back to me, genuinely shocked. Guess she didn't see that much after all.

"When I had recently lost my mother, I sought solace in the guidance of my family, and instead, I was given Mariana. I was fooled by her words and actions, slowly losing my free will, becoming a pawn in her schemes. I did a lot of things I am not proud of, and a lot more I wish had never happened. And just like her, I was saved by another, who rolled back the fog and showed me the truth, even when I believed I held all the answers. It certainly doesn't hurt that she saved my life back there. She could have just let me die, but instead here I am. I-"

"I have heard enough."

Celestia turns, facing the Changeling Queen as she closes her eyes, and sheathes her sword.

"Since it seems I owe you the benefit of the doubt for now, I will treat you as a guest. You did save a dear friend, so I ask you don't break this trust. I will not hesitate to end the life of a threat to Equestria."

Casting a look over to the head of Blueblood, Cicada gives a soft nod as we venture forth. That is, until my legs give out and I finally pass out.

Too long. It took too long for everything to get settled. Tavi and I were in the hospital for two weeks, the magical damage taking time to heal. Her parents and all of our friends came and visited us when they could. Apparently a large round-up of the guard was done after the incident, turned out that the ones who personally took a part in Blueblood's acts were mostly from the day guard, about forty percent of the full day guard to repeat the numbers, although plenty of the night guard ignored scenes of abuse to humans and were also severely punished.

Most were now under very close watch, placed in the northern prisons, or 'executed'. The ones sentenced for 'execution, never met that fate, instead being sent to work as laborers for the changeling hive in the forest. Even should they escape the hive, the forest would be their graves.

Speaking of the changelings, Cicada was able to convince Celestia of her new intentions and after a month, was returned safely to her people in the Everfree. She came to visit every once in a while, both out of guilt and familiarity with me. We bonded rather closely, seeing as we had both felt the same pain. Of all the humans missing, three hundred in number, only a scant twelve of us were rescued. Two of us died before reaching a town, and another four died even after the medical attention they got. This news did not sit well with the governments of Earth. They quickly used this opportunity to blame Equestria for all the horrible things that have occurred, even if the events in question were only done by humans. Many understood this went both ways, but that doesn't make a good news story. The old couple Tavi and I knew from Canterlot were one such victims. They were killed as part of a hate crime movement not unlike Blueblood's, though far less powerful overall.

As for the foals, Tavi received a huge amount of damage to her womb, and the doctors were not certain they would live. They recommended either an abortion, or at least a c-section. Giving birth could kill all three of them, if the foals survived at least. What they found odd, was a strange presence of magic within Tavi. They do not know it's source, but they know for a fact that it is not natural. Tavi has been...subdued since then. She slipped deep into depression for a bit, and I am unsure how to break her out of it. All I can do, is hope our foals pull through and do what I cannot.

This is important because an hour ago, Tavi was put under to get her c-section. I am waiting outside the operating room, having refused to budge unless I'm needed by the medical staff. Our friends are waiting in the waiting room, and her- I mean, our parents are on a train ride here. I can barely contain myself, my emotions at various highs and lows. I am certain Tavi herself is-

"Mr. Broquer?"

A female doctor approaches me, finally ending a vicious circle of my thoughts that must have consumed me for hours. She's rather short, her mane hidden from view by her hair net, and her tail tucked away into her outfit. Her eyes are a bright yellow and her coat a lovely shade of green.

"Follow me to the waiting room, I am certain everypony will want to hear the news."

Though she hides it well, I can tell something big has happened. I follow her to the waiting room, the entire place lighting up when the doctor and I enter. I quickly notice Tavi's parents have arrived. I hope we get some good news.

"I will start with the question everypony probably wants to know first. Of the two foals, one died shortly after being removed from the womb."

My heart sinks as I hear the news. One of my precious foals...is already dead.

"For the good news, the other foal survived just fine and is now just going through some routine blood work. We also discovered the source of the strange magic. Apparently the foal that died was channeling magic and it was this magic that probably protected the other foal. By the way, the one that passed was a colt, the one that survived a filly. Names can be given later when the opportunity arises."

To say pride is not welling within me would be a lie. Such a devoted brother, protecting his sister to the death even before birth. I will at least give him a name, it is the least I owe my little colt.

"Now onto the news none of you want to hear."

'What.'

"Shortly after the c-section was complete, Miss Octavia went into shock."

'WHAT.'

Several of my friends and Tavi's parents are upon me, my shock apparent to everpony there.

"She is currently being looked over by most of the staff, but unless something changes, she may die."

The last word rings in my head. I watch the world slip away, a tightness forming around my neck. I heard Twilight calling me, before the one I definitely didn't want to hear made yet another appearance.

"Third time's the charm. I hope you are ready for a little punishment, ma salope!"

Author's Notes:

ma salope means 'my dog (female)' in french (or so I am inclined to believe from my editor who knows french).

I also think Deadpony likes Cicada, and 'rough play'. I assume this.

As for if she is a herd member or not, I leave that to you (I personally find her as a new younger sister).

As for the torture, I got ill writing what I originally did. Tavi beaten and raped in front of Sam, finger nails pulled. hot spikes through the body, all leading to Tavi being taken away after some odd stuff happens leading to the scene we say with Cicada. Let's imagine I made a darker, yet better written scene yes?

As for the Blueblood incident, I feel it would be funny if I wrote it, but I am about as good at writing comedy as I am at telling jokes. (hint: people don't realize I have told a joke most of the time)

Also, no, no early next chapter... still haven't written it yet.