"Alright, here's the plan." Sergeant Dean descended into the gulley he and the Prince currently occupied. The Prince was visibly sweating and panting after sprinting between the trees, and he demonstrated this by glaring at the Human a few feet away.

"Whatever it is, could it not involve me running two and a half miles?" Trignar hissed as a cramp suddenly found its way into his lower stomach. He grit his teeth in pain, but managed to stay focused on Dean.

The Human in question ignored Trignar's remark, his stoic expression giving no hint to what he was thinking or feeling. There was no time for quips or small talk. The life of the Princess was on the line here, and Dean needed to be in pristine mental condition if he was going to accomplish the mission. He had promised he would keep her safe, and keep her alive. He had sworn to the late Princess Luna, and on his own life. If he failed....

Dean shook his head. There was no place for such thoughts. There was no failure for an RSTF operative. There was no backing down, and there was no fleeing from the enemy. Now... Now was a time to kill.

The Sergeant turned to Trignar, his eyes holding a look that brimmed with fury at the most, and severe annoyance at the least. He saw the Elf visibly shiver, and watched as he slowly relaxed and put on his own serious face. Dean nodded before grabbing a small stick and playing with it as he talked.

"I don't believe it is the best course of action to take you into the hive with me." Dean saw the Elf about to protest, but a raise of his hand and a hard glare caused him to snap his mouth closed. Trignar huffed as Dean continued.

"I was trained in espionage, stealth and assassination. My purpose back home was to literally sneak behind enemy lines, destroy key enemy assets, and kill anything in my path." Trignar's eyes widened slightly, but merely nodded his head in response. Dean continued.

"I don't doubt you have some skill with the blade and with magic, but I'm trying to get the Princess out quickly and quietly. I-"

"Sergeant, there is one problem." Dean stopped and raised his eyebrow at the interruption. Trignar fidgeted as his ears folded back and he pursed his lips. A gust of wind blew overhead, filling the air briefly with the sounds of crickets and blowing sand. Dean's eyes stayed locked on Trignar.

"The Changelings work as a hive mind of sorts. Any deaths will send a ripple through to their Queen, thus alerting them. I don't know how many Changelings there are exactly, but the Generals back in the capitol suspected nearly half a million. It would be no problem for my kind to simply wipe them out, but we needed their shapeshifting abilities. Their hive is also a literal labyrinth of sorts, with walls and doorways shifting or disappearing often. The second you kill one of them, Queen Chrysalis will suspect something is wrong." Trignar peeked over the ridge behind him, his eyes sitting on the spire at the top of the hive before he sat back down. He noticed that his Human companion had gone silent, and shuffled in discomfort. It was awfully warm out, considering how close they were to a desert, but Trignar could manage. Hopefully.

"What is the hive's superstructure made out of?" Dean suddenly asked, causing the Elves' ears to perk.

Trignar hummed as he put his hand against his beard. He remembered one of the Guards escorting him asking a similar question, and by Trignar's own surveillance, he could deduce certain aspects of the hive from merely looking at it.

"Well, It's a strange design in reality. It's made of some kind of soft stone with very little density, thus allowing it to mold and shift to form exits and entrances. There is also some kind of moss that lights up the pathway for magical beings. They are very delicate, so much so that if you were to merely poke a patch of the stuff without being a Changeling, it would kill it." Trignar remembered the feeling of curiously grabbing some of the moss on his short visit. The fragile plant and literally crumbled at his touch!

Dean hummed once more as he unzipped his duffle bag full of explosives and rummaged around. After a moment, his armored fingers brushed across the detonator switch, causing him to smile. The Human did not know exactly what made up the explosives sitting in front of him, but he knew they packed a punch. In reality, the devices were not actually called C-12 explosives, as it was a nickname given to it by the special forces. One brick was enough to demolish half of a two story house, and Dean had close to two hundred of them in this bag. 

The plan he had in place was hopeful at best, as he was on a tight time limit once again. However, unlike the Frozen North, Dean felt somewhat good about the coming mission. He was in his element now, and nothing would be able to stop him. 

First, he would infiltrate the hive and find where the Princess was being kept. So long as the Dark Elves didn't show up anytime soon to take her away, he would be in the clear. He smiled sadistically as the next phase of his plan entered his mind. Now, Dean was by no means a heartless creature, but in war, measures had to be taken in order to ensure survival.

Once Twilight was safe, Dean would begin planting the explosives. If what Trignar had said was true, then the explosive power behind the C-12 would be perfect for destroying the majority of the hive. It would disrupt the Changelings, and delay them in retaliating against the resistance. Dean was also counting on a few outside factors, and while risky, he didn't have many other options. If the Dark Elves found out their only allies had failed to capture their most sought after pony, they would start a conflict amongst each other. However, If the Changelings were smart by any means, they would have evacuated long before the Dark Elves could arrive, thus safeguarding the location of the Resistance. From there, in one week's time, Dean would conduct an organized attack on the Capitol, kill the Emperor, and end this war. 

Dean shook his head and snarled. He was getting ahead of himself. If he was clumsy, people would die under his command. His own daydreaming made him look like some kind of hero; which in a sense, he was. He had the technology and the skills to liberate this world. If he didn't win, all was lost. A shiver ran down his spine as an assortment of faces seemed to flash past his vision. Friends, brothers in arms, and loved ones: all of whom depended on him coming home and fighting the Alien menace. 

He was about to shake some clarity into himself, but another, more prominent image suddenly appeared before his eyes. He sat there, crouched on the ground and unmoving as a lifelike Twilight looked up at him. He could see her cute smile and adorably large eyes staring up at him, causing him to start sweating. A pit was forming in his stomach, and he didn't know why. Thoughts raced through his mind as he began to second guess himself. Was he missing something? Was there something he should know?

The vision of a happy Twilight vanished, and Dean was left staring blankly at a tree root directly in front of him. What was going on with him? Never had he seen something as clear and vivid as that! 

"Sergeant." Dean turned and fixed the Elf with a stare. It was hard to do through his helmet, but he saw the Prince shiver. He didn't move as Trignar gulped once more as he peered out of the gulley before looking back at the Human.

Finally, he took a breath and spoke.

"You do know you will have to shoot your way out, right?" There was an undertone of fear in his words, but Dean quickly realized it wasn't caused by him. Either way, it didn't matter. Trignars words had caused Dean's thoughts to pause. He was all on his own here. There was no backup, no squad helping him. Once he got the Princess... What then? He realized then that simply grabbing her and leaving wasn't an option; it was never that simple. Infiltrating a place by himself was one thing... but carrying a bright purple unicorn out before the bugs knew she was gone? It would be very difficult. 

Dean had confidence in his abilities, but worms of doubt were slowly crawling into his head. Twilight was one of his best friends in this world, and he would rather die than see her hurt. Now, her life was on the line. Once the Changelings gave her up to the Dark Elves, his task became exceptionally more difficult. He already had the impossible task of defeating the Emperor and freeing the Guardian. Trignar said there were next to five-hundred thousand Changelings, all capable of magic. From his run in with Starlight Glimmer, he knew that with enough time, the magic used against him could melt through his armor. Sure, he would take out hundreds of them, but once the damage added up, he would die. RSTF members were superhuman, but not indestructible. 

If he had the backing of the Resistance, he was sure that he would easily succeed. But that was a pipe-dream. He was alone with an enemy turned temporary ally, and he was the only one who could rescue the Princess.

Like a wall in front of a tsunami, Dean's doubts came to a grinding halt. All his fears suddenly left for the back of his mind as the iron-willed human warrior came forward instead. If he needed to shoot his way out, then so be it. If he needed to die so this world had a chance, so be it. While he had a mission to get back home, the stakes here were too high. If the Princess wasn't rescued, and the Elves one, there would be no home for him to return to. He would die, his friends and family would die... everything, gone. 

Dean growled as he suddenly grabbed his bag full of explosives, zipped them up, and slung them over his shoulder. His eyes seemed to take on a hyper aware gleam, and his muscles tensed under his armor. He looked like a shadow amongst the still darkened sky, and the featureless face of his helmet made him seem like some kind of unholy specter.

A Demon.

Trignar shivered as the Human stood to his full height and glanced towards the hive. It was an hour until sunrise. An hour to find the Princess, and carry her to safety. It was a time for action.

Without another word, nor a response to Trignar's question, Dean took off down the hill at a dead sprint. His armor seemed to blend into the shadowy terrain, and his feet made nary a sound. Trignar huffed and crossed his arms. There was a nearby cave he had been instructed to hide in until Dean came to get him. If all went according to plan, the Human would be back in about an hour.

Trignar had no reason to run away, as he hated what his kind had done for the past two years. He hated himself more than anything though, especially for the acts he had committed whilst under the Orbs influence. 

When they got back to Maritime Bay, Trignar was going to give as much information away as possible. He would start trying to sew the broken relationship between his kind and the Equestrians, starting with himself.

As Trignar walked towards the designated hideout, a sense of foreboding came upon him. He shivered at the feeling, but there was nothing he could do about it. Everything rested on Deans back now; he prayed the Human would not fail.

*****

Dean grunted as he ducked behind a gray pillar to his left. No actual noise escaped to the outside thanks to his sealed helmet, but he still held his breath as the Changeling guard buzzed lazily past his position. 

He had just entered the Changeling hive, sneaking past the two guards at the front entrance rather easily before making his way into a cavernous room. Doorways and tunnel entrances dotted the walls, and the occasional bug walked across platforms far above. The guard that had just passed the Human was the first Dean had officially needed to hide from, and if things kept up the way they were, there was no doubt he would be able to find the Princess and get out. 

Shaking his head, Dean continued on down the side of the room, his armor helping blend him into the odd material making up the hive. A dull hum seemed to permeate the air around the room, almost as if the superstructure itself was alive. Each and every time a doorway opened or closed, it almost looked as if the wall was taking a breath with the way it flexed. Just looking at it unnerved Dean. It was unnatural, and it reminded him of an Orithian forward operating base he once had to infiltrate with Jenkins:

[i]During that mission, Dean and Jenkins had both been chosen to take out a few Orithian officers as they met at their base. It was here that Dean had gotten a close up look at how the Orith technology worked. [/i]

[i]Their structures were made of some kind of hard, Chitinous material, and strange bulbous growths would appear above in order to give light. It was because of the efforts of both Dean and Jenkins that Humanity found out a key weakness the Orith possessed. [/i]

[i]Nerve toxins.[/i]

[i]When he and Jenkins had thrown their canisters into the meeting room, the ensuing chaos was quite the spectacle. The walls seemed to shrivel up, expand, convulse, and implode or explode seemingly at random. It was the first time nerve toxin agents had been employed in the war, as it was quite early on, but it proved efficient in disrupting the Orith within their occupied territory. [/i]

[i]It also helped that the Orith had almost no defenses against toxic nerve agents. Gas masks were useless for them, as the toxin caused their own skin and armor to seemingly melt. The only thing capable of deterring the weapons Humanity was using was having their soldiers stay inside armored vehicles. But while strong, Humanities own armor and anti-armour capabilities were far superior. Thanks to this discovery, Humanity and the Orith had once more formed a sort of stalemate. [/i]

[i]The Humans couldn't use the toxin en-mass. And the Orith couldn't push forward lest they get bombed by the deadly gas in small quantities.[/i]

The sound of talking caused Dean to pause behind a barrier. While the thoughts on the Changeling structure and how it related to the Orith had occupied most of his head, he had continued moving forward undeterred. The Sergeant was at an intersection now, but an open doorway lay just a few feet away from him. 

He could hear the chittering of the bugs as they spoke in broken English, and he decided to turn the sensors on his helmet to their maximum in order to overhear their conversation.

"Personally, I am quite excited. There is only thirty minutes until the Queen will call us." The sound of armor being strapped on suddenly made itself present. There was a pause before a deeper voice replied.

"[i]Do you think it will be as exciting as the Princess of Love's execution? Watching that spectacle was a once in a lifetime opportunity. But alas! Here we are, a second Princess to be broken before our eyes."[/i]

A pit was forming in Dean's stomach. Who was the Princess of Love? What do they mean by an execution?? A frown appeared as he began listening with more attention.

"[i]Personally, I find her to be a lot better looking. Y'know, in a cuter sense? The Princess of Love was beautiful, but the Princess of Magic is, quite literally, magical to look at!" [/i]The two bugs chuckled as one of them walked further away from the door.

A dull thump was pounding in Dean's chest as a chill washed over his body. Something was very, very wrong. He searched his memory, as he knew he was forgetting something. Surely, if the Dark Elves and the Changelings were in league, and the Elves wanted the Princess alive, then surely they would just be holding onto her? Why kill her if she was so vital.

Dean's answer came quicker than he expected.

"[i]I wonder if the Demon in Metal will try to rescue her? Y'know, with all the stories I've been hearing, he seems like a formidable foe."[/i]

[i]"Bah, quite calling the ape the 'Demon in Metal'. That's just a scare tactic he uses. Plus, he had the help of the resistance whenever he went and did something. I don't doubt he's a nasty fighter, but to put him on such a high standard? Preposterous. Plus, with the new warrior-lings that will come from the body of the Princess, I doubt even the Demon would be able to stand a chance!"[/i]

Cold fury swept through Dean's mind, leaving him unable to see straight for half a second. A red tinge was creeping into the edges of his eyes, and his fists began to ball at his sides. He slowly put his rifle upon his back before his hands returned to his sides. One thought kept replaying through his mind, a memory of sorts.

Then it dawned on him, and he could once more hear the voice of counselor Glimmer ringing in his ears.

[i]"Your precious marefriend will be dead within the week!"[/i]

A low growl escaped Dean's throat as the voices drew closer to the door.

"[i]Come on. Let's get going before the guards lock the chamber. Such a ritual is quite an extraordinary event, and I don't want to miss this one!"[/i]

[i]"Y'know, I never understood the closed doors thing. Like, is it religious, or..."[/i]

The two Changelings slowly walked out of the doorway, oblivious to the seething Human a few scant feet away. They chittered about the coming sacrifice as if it were Sunday brunch, and all it did was make Dean's blood boil. 

The Human actually hadn't felt this infuriated in a long time. He had felt anger when Jenkins died, he felt anger when he witnessed what the Orith did to a poor girl they captured, he had felt anger at the Frozen North, he had felt anger at Ravenford, and he had felt anger when he first rescued the Princess.

None of that could compare to what he was feeling now. It was a different feeling altogether, one that he had only tasted once before, but not outright felt. It caused a primal aspect of his mind to rear its head as adrenaline began coursing through his veins. He could feel something else flowing through his body, something foreign, but it only added to the effect. One of the people he cared deeply for, bordering on a form of love, was in danger. No one threatened those he loved. No one.

The effect on him could only be described as one thing, and one thing only.

Rage.

His first friend in this world, the one he had sworn to protect with his life. The pony who had shown him kindness, and stayed the reason why he didn't just run off and try to find a way home immediately. 

Dean realized it then. He realized that while he was usually fighting to do the right thing, there was always that underlying reason. This reason was Twilight. He fought so he could protect her, so he could give her and her kind a better future. He fought because he cared about her, and because she was his friend. 

And he had twenty minutes before she was murdered.

Dean came to a decision; the cold, calculating mind of the super soldier took over. The time for stealth was over. Now, it was time for violence and blood. It was time the Changelings learned that they had pissed off the wrong Human. He quietly, but quickly upholstered his rifle and detached the silencer. Putting the device in his belt pocket, he held the rifle in one hand as he flicked the green laser-sight on.

The Human clenched his teeth before sending a simple command through his Neurolink. In the free hand at his side, the wicked sharp blade slowly slid from its sheath near his wrist, its smooth surface not casting a single sound as it extended to its full three and a half feet of length. He began to walk in earnest behind the two bugs, his foot dampeners turned off as he gently crept behind them.

The Changelings just ahead of him paused as their eats swiveled around, a sense that danger was near causing their bodies to react before their minds could, which caused Dean to smile as he crept closer. He knew the Changelings fed on emotion, and while his suit had anti-magical properties, he had a sneaking suspicion it didn't block out everything. 

"[i]Did you feel that too?"[/i] The Changeling on the right squeaked out, his wings buzzing softly.

"[i]Yes... there is an emotion in the air... rage, such rage! It hurts!" [/i]The Changeling on the left stumbled and tried pawing at his ears, whining as the Human snuck ever closer.

"[i]I-I haven't felt something like this before in my life! Where is it--" [/i]The two instantly froze up as realization swept into their minds. Their ears simultaneously swiveled to face him, soon followed by their heads. 

Dean gave them no time to react.

His blade pierced right through the base of her skull, causing an odd gurgle to sound from her dying body. The bug's lifeless eyes stared up at him in horror, and Dean sneered from under his helmet. 

At first, the second Changeling didn't know how to react, as it seemed the shadowy piece of metal had materialized from nowhere. But as the blade quickly retracted, the Changelings' eyes followed it.

"You wanted to know what is causing the feeling of rage? The hatred that is seeping into the air?" Dean's voice came out in a metallic, but menacing snarl as the Changelings eyes drifted upwards. He watched as the bug's legs began to quake, and its pale blue eyes widened considerably. The featureless face before it causing an immense amount of fear to circulate its brain. 

The blade retracted fully into its sheath, and the Demon's hand snapped out and wrapped around the bug's throat before pulling it close to his own face, or lack thereof. He heard the Changeling make a pathetic squeak as tears began to fall down the sides of its face. It tried desperately to shy away from the literal behemoth, but their heads were too close.

When the Changeling was about to pass out from fear, the Demon spoke, his tone seeming to be a dead, guttural whisper.

"Where. Is. The. Princess."

*****

Spike groaned as he slowly came too. He couldn't see or feel much of anything at the moment, and he was perfectly content to stay that way. He was quite comfortable. He felt a lingering warmth all around him, and it felt like he was floating around in the physical manifestation of bliss. It was like whenever he got picked up in Twilight's magic while he slept. He could always feel it when she put him to bed, even if he was asleep. It was always a peculiar feeling, like the touch of a thousand feathers, or the warmth of a hundred silk sheets. Personally, he didn't want to wake up at all, but that all suddenly changed when he felt something in his throat. He still couldn't see, but he could feel the gooey substance that his body was trying to expel. The feelings around him suddenly changed, and he found he was no longer warm. The feeling of magic silk and feathers had all but disappeared, leaving him on cold stone. His hearing was muffled, and he still couldn't see. The choking he had experienced had now died down to a minor hacking cough, and he suddenly remembered he could breathe.

Sweet, sweet air properly flowed down his abused throat and he groaned from the feeling of release. He weakly brought his claws to his face and tried to rub his eyes, but found instead a layer of gooey substance. He began to panic once more as he desperately tried to claw the goo away, but his arm now refused to obey him. He knew this feeling, and he was immediately on guard in case the magic wielder tried anything else.

Spike's eyes suddenly fluttered open on their own accord, and he found himself looking at what appeared to be a wall covered in luminescent moss. There was another feeling of magic, and sounds now rushed in for his brain to process. He could properly hear his breathing, and he listened as his claw scraped along the stone floor. 

Then there was another sound.

It sounded as if someone else was standing behind him and trying to be quiet, but they weren't doing a good job. As Spike had gotten older, he had noticed that his eyesight and hearing had become exponentially better. He blamed his predatory instincts for that one, but it had helped him in quite a few situations when his master had been prowling. While under the Dark Elves' service, he had been beaten often by passersby. Even his own master didn't spare him, and he found that when his master was in the mood, he would actively seek him out to abuse him. He still had nightmares from that dreadful time, but the fact he had been rescued by Dean had gone a long way in helping him recover.

And now he was captured again.

Spike's eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed. Whomever had decided to release him had made a big mistake in deactivating their magic. They were easily close enough for him to wrap his claws around their horn and cut their magic off, and he was going to do just that.

Quick as a cheetah (at least in his mind), Spike turned and lunged towards whoever it was that was behind him. He heard the Changeling give a small squeal in surprise and fear, but ignored it as he grabbed its horn with one hand before jumping over its back and wrapping his arm around its neck to perform a choke. He could feel the bug beginning to panic as he squeezed and forced her throat to compress. 

"S-S-Spike, P-Please!"

Wait, he recognized that voice! Where had he...

"Lucy?" He whispered in shock as his grip around her neck slackened. He felt her nod before hearing a sniffle come from below him. In that moment, his rage returned in force, but he decided not to choke out the Changeling below him. 

The Changeling who he had thought was a friend.

Spike snarled and shuffled in front of the bug in order to look her in the eyes. His one hand stayed wrapped around her horn as a precaution. He felt his anger slowly subside into fear as he got a better look at his unfamiliar surroundings. As it turned out, he was in a massive cave. Water rushed around somewhere in the darkness, but Spike could not tell where it actually was. He could see more pods down on the other side of the cave, giving the room an odd, green hue. His focus quickly came back to the Changeling; he would deal with the other prisoners when he got some answers.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't end you." He all but hissed.

The Changeling in his grasp gave a quiet whimper as tears fell from her eyes. Looking at her now, he noticed that she was not like the Changelings Spike recognized from the Canterlot invasion. Her back held a somewhat turquoise hue, and her tucked away wings seemed to sparkle in the green lighting. The overall black look of what he expected of a Changeling was gone, and in its place, was what seemed to be a cross between it and a Pony. She was actually quite beautiful in a cute sort of way, but Spike's mind was far from those kinds of thoughts.

He heard her stutter for words for a moment and felt a brief moment of regret, but it was quickly washed away when he heard chittering and buzzing from somewhere down the dark. His eyes snapped up along with the Changelings. The sounds were steadily growing closer, and with it, so were various words. 

"[i]Hide!" [/i]The changeling in Spikes grasp whimpers. 

In a matter of seconds, he pulled the Changeling along with him and jumped behind a massive stalagmite. He quieted his breathing and held his palm over the Changelings mouth. His other claws were still wrapped around her horn. Spike calmed his breathing, and not a moment too soon as two Changelings buzzed around the corner.

[i]"Seriously, Trex? You just had to lick the Generals hoof not once, but twice?? What has gotten into you!"[/i]

[i]"Hey! If I'm gonna get that promotion to royal secretary, then I gotta suck up to the general. You would do the same thing in my position!"[/i]

There was what sounded like a muffled sound of anger before the other Changeling responded. 

[i]"That would have worked, had you not been caught by his bucking hive-mate! Now we are on this stupid guard duty because of you! We could have had the Princess' shift, but noooooo, my partner just had to go and lick the Generals bucking hooves!!!"[/i]

[i]"Whatever. We need to go investigate that disturbance near the barracks anyway. I wonder what clumsy fuckups decided it would be a good idea to get themselves killed."[/i]

[i]"I bet they ran each other through with their spears while jousting. Remember Jeremy and Todd, two years ago?"[/i]

[i]"Heh, yeah. It was hilarious! Brutal... but hilarious."[/i]

The two Changelings continued on, oblivious to the Dragon holding one of their own hostage a few scant feet away. Spike didn't dare breathe as the two Changelings flew down the cave and through a hole, bickering, shouting and conversing the whole way. The Dragon briefly wondered how they had missed the pod he was previously in, but figured it was due to their simple lack of awareness. Spike's hard gaze once more returned to the bug he had pinned and he slowly retracted his hand so as to let her speak.

"I-I'm trying to help you, Spike!" She cried quietly as she looked up at him. Spike once more found that he had missed yet another difference. This time, he noticed that the typical blue hue of a Changeling's irises were missing, and were instead replaced by... purple? The drake shook his head and grumbled. He may have a hatred for the Changeling race, but looking at this particular one, he couldn't help but feel something towards it... her? His eyes drifted lower, and he was surprised to see some kind of silk-like fur covering the Changelings body rather than typical Chitin. 

"Why would you help me?" He growled as he suddenly stood up, his scornful gaze staring hard into the Changeling. She all but covered herself with her hooves and gave off a quiet whimper, but Spike didn't let up. The more his senses returned, the angrier he got. His memory of that night by the cliffs was also starting to come back, and he felt something well in his heart. He tried to shove it back down, but it was a losing battle. Luckily, Lucy, or rather, the Changeling, spoke once more. Her words flowed out in a rush, and Spike had a hard time keeping up.

"I-I am so sorry, Spike. I didn't mean for this to happen! The time we spent together made me realize how wrong my people were in aiding the Dark Elves, and I got so enamored being near you! I-I wanted to tell you, I really did! But I would have been killed for betrayal! I have only just come to terms that I love you too much, and that I will do everything in my power to help you escape!"

Lucy was full on sobbing now, and all Spike could do was stare at her. His heart pounded in his chest as he thought over the words she had just said, and his breathing began to quicken. His feelings were warring with each other in a brutal battle of wills. On one side, she was a Changeling and one of the ones responsible for infiltrating the Resistance. He knew they were allied with the Dark Elves to a degree due to his inside knowledge after being a slave. On the other hand, he had fallen for a pony who had not judged him, seen him for who he was, and had suffered just as much as him. There was just one more thing to ask.

"Lucy." 

She looked up with large, shimmering eyes as tears continued to fall. Spike beant down and put a claw under her chin before giving her a critical, but at the same time, comforting look.

"You being my friend... was that real? Was you being shot at Ravenford real? And lastly, what happened at the Cliffs... was that real?" His insides felt cold, and he held his breath as he waited for an answer. He still didn't fully trust her, but that could be healed in time.

Lucy nodded her head and sniffled as she looked into his eyes. 

"It was all real, Spike. I swear it on my life." 

Spike's eyes searched her for what seemed to be an eternity. He really had no reason to doubt she was telling the truth. Why else would she have risked her life freeing him? Why confess her feelings not one but two times. Spike had seen nothing malicious coming from her, and she was risking her own life in order to free him. If she really was the Lucy he had grown to care for the last few weeks, then he knew that she was indeed trying to help. While sure, she was a Changeling, he knew not to judge others by their looks. Lucy had proven she was trying to help, and he came to the conclusion that he did indeed forgive her. While some would think he was taking this whole forgiveness thing too fast, something deep down was telling him that he wasn't, and that he was making the right choice.

For exactly five seconds, they stared into each other's eyes, but for them, it seemed like an eternity. The two slowly seemed to grow closer, and Spike could feel her breath tickling his nose. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, causing Spike to lean in just a little more. The two were mere centimeters apart and--

[b][i]KRAKOOOM!! [/i][/b]

Dust fell from the strange ceiling above, and the bioluminescent vegetation within the cave seemed to flash. The walls of the cave shook as yet another explosion rocked the ground beneath the Dragon and the Changeling, the latter of which held a look of terror in her face. This terror suddenly morphed into pain as the hive mind suddenly flooded her senses. Fear, suffering, and death shook her to her very core, nearly causing her to fall over. Spike held her steady as his wide eyes scanned around him fiercely. His protective instincts getting ready to defend his friend by any means necessary. 

[i]'Are the Elves attacking?! W-what is happening!!'[/i]

[b][i]RWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!![/i][/b]

A deep droning noise rumbled through the massive hive, jittering the dragon and the Changeling to the utter core. The pitch it rested on along with the somber tone caused one thought to go through the teenage Dragons mind: fear. The two took a step back as the sound of screaming and loud cracking noises filled the halls. Cries of fear, pain, and anger seemed to come from every direction as the sounds of hundreds of hooves stampeded somewhere within the Hive. 

"[i]Oh no..."[/i] Lucy whispered as she took a fearful step backwards. Spike himself felt fear and uncertainty growing in his chest.

"What is it?" His voice trembled slightly as another explosion rocked their surroundings. His eyes met Lucy's, and he gulped.

She whimpered, and her ears pinned themselves to the sides of her head as she began to tremble behind the dragon. Spike was terrified now. The loud cracking had turned into repetitive booming, and the noise very nearly left his ears ringing. Whatever it was, it was getting closer.

The screaming didn't let up, but the loud booming did. Spike looked around the pillar they were hiding behind as everything began to quiet down.

He nearly vomited at what he saw.

Bodies of various Changelings littered the floor outside of the cave entrance, their greenish blood splattering the floor, walls, and tunnel roof. The viscous liquid was trailing from newer, and smaller holes through various parts of their bodies, and was slowly forming a small river into the cave.

Spike jumped as a Changeling crawled into view and began slowly making his way towards him and Lucy. Upon closer examination, and much to both teenager's horror, the Changeling was missing both its back legs and its horn. Tears poured down his face as a trail of blood followed in his wake. 

"[i]H-H-H-Help m-meeee!" [/i]He all but squeaked out in a desperate voice.

Spike did not like to see others in pain, and watching the display before him, he knew needed to do something. Sure, he had been captured, but just because his captors were evil, didn't mean that he had to be! 

The little dragon started walking with haste towards the wounded Changeling. Dean had told him that fire was a good way to stop someone from bleeding, and Spike himself could literally breathe the stuff. 

Spike was so fixated on the hurt Changeling, that he didn't notice the towering shadow, nor the beam of green light before it was too late. 

He froze as cold metal pressed against his forehead, causing him to stutter to a halt with wide, fear-filled eyes. His breathing started to become erratic as he watched a metal clad boot rize up in front of him before descending with the force of a boulder onto the Changelings head, killing it instantly. 

The fear clouding Spike's mind was so overwhelming, that he barely heard the familiar voice speak down at him. The cold metal object was still pressed against his head, but the little dragon was starting to make out more details now as the voice registered something in his mind.

The metal morphed into the shape of a large gun, and the shadow clad being turned into a massive biped covered in grayish armor. Spike's beating heart slowly calmed itself as he stared into the face of what could only be his friend and rescuer.

"S-Sergeant Dean?" He whispered in shock more than anything. Spike had expected an army of Elves of all things, but with his Human friend here, all his worries suddenly began to disappear. 

"How did we first meet?" Dean's words seemed more like a statement than a question, and it took the dragon a moment to figure out why he had asked it. 

Smiling, Spike gave his answer.

"I scared you when I crawled over the side of the chariot at Ravenford. You held your pistol, the P23 Equalizer, at my head." Spike knew that last detail would ensure Dean knew it was him, and he couldn't help but feel an immense relief as the Human nodded his head and lowered his gun. 

"How did you get free, and who is standing behind the pillar of stone?" Dean spoke fast, and without emotion. Spike sighed as he glanced back at where Lucy was hiding.

"Lucy is back there, and she freed me from the pod." Spike pointed up and to his left, causing Dean to glance to the side.

"I was wondering what those were..." He whispered to himself before turning back to Spike. "I take it Lucy is a Changeling?"

There was a surprised gasp from both Spike, and the Changeling behind the pillar, causing Dean to sigh in annoyance. He was running out of time.

"If Lucy is on our side, I need you two to go and free as many ponies as possible. We need everyone we can to get Twilight out safely." Dean was about to turn and run back towards his objective when the little dragon called out to him.

"What do you mean 'get Twilight out?'" Isn't she back at Maritime Bay?" The worry was evident in the dragon's voice, and Dean growled in annoyance. He turned and fixed Spike with a stare.

"Focus on your mission. Get everyone you can out, and I will save your sister. I promise, everything will be fine." Spike watched as the Sergeant sprinted out of the entryway and made a sharp left. It took several seconds, but the sound of more pops, cracks, and repeating booms picked up once more as the Human laid a path of destruction.

A feeling of dread filled Spike's heart at Dean's words, but he had to be strong. He trusted the Sergeant with his life, and if he said everything was going to be fine, then that was the case. Plus, he and Lucy had a job to do.

As the Dragon and the Changeling took off to start their mission, a certain Human was causing terror and destruction in a quest to rescue his Princess,

*****

Dean grabbed another Changeling by his head and smashed it into the ground; brain matter and blood splattering in every direction. He felt no satisfaction from the death he was causing, and instead was brimming with rage.

Faster than the blink of an eye, he took off after the small group of Changelings running from him, their screams and cries for help landing on deaf ears. His earlier prisoner had told him the general direction of the Princess before Dean had torn her head from her body. He was now following this small group in that very same direction, using them as a sort of blitzkrieg maneuver as they fled in blind terror. 

Soldier drones tried to attack him, but it was like someone throwing matches into the ocean... and Dean was a category five hurricane. His rampage literally left a trail of bodies in his wake as he moved forwards towards his objective like a well oiled machine.

The Human snapped his rifle up and lowered himself as a group of soldier's pushed their way past the fleeing civilians, only for a green beam of light to land on each of their heads before promptly causing them to explode mere milliseconds apart. Smoke wafted from the tip of Dean's SCAR as he gave chase once again, his body somewhat slouched and his knees bent as he kept his gun facing forward.

The green beam of his lazer was perfect for filling the enemy with fear. The Changelings had put two and two together and realized that wherever that beam of light pointed, whatever it landed on would quickly die in a gory mess. 

Dean's plan of a shock attack was working, and he was making staggering process as he approached what appeared to be a large set of double doors. Said doors were slowly closing as the civilians he had been pursuing squeezed through and out of sight. Dean growled at the seven guards who stood in his way.

These ones were different. They wore some kind of blue armor that nearly fully encased their bodies, and were overall bulkier than their counterparts that Dean had utterly slaughtered. 

He stood there in the shadow of the hallway like a wraith, the only visible part of him being a barely noticeable red light on the side of his helmet. Dean stood to his full height and placed his rifle on his back; he needed the rest of the ammo for when he faced the queen.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't the Demon in metal himself." Dean's eyes flashed upwards as a misty projection suddenly materialized above the soldiers, causing silence to fall across the cave. Dean growled as he recognized the face of Starlight Glimmer, and his eyesight went temporarily red in fury. The pony chuckled.

"My, my, someone isn't happy. I can feel your rage from here, and by the maker is it delicious!" The pony fraud suddenly lit into green flames, and before the Human stood one of the ugliest creatures he had ever seen. She was taller than the average Changeling, maybe slightly shorter than himself, and fangs could be seen as she smiled toothly into the projection. Her mane was a toxic green, and just looking at it made Dean feel slightly nauseous. The bug chuckled.

The Changeling suddenly moved to the side, and Dean's heart nearly stopped upon seeing the broken form of Princess Twilight Sparkle. 

She was chained by all four of her legs, and a nullifying ring was placed on her horn. Patches of fur had fallen out around various parts of her body, her mane was in disarray and bruises and swelling pockmarked her entire body. Then Dean saw her ribs. He didn't know how this had happened; she had only been gone a few days! But the Princess in the projection looked like a skeleton on the verge of starvation. Her eyes were open and seemingly lifeless, and her entire body seemed to have taken a gray shade. 

Dean's arms trembled at his sides, barely restraining himself from doing something irrational.

"It's incredible what a little bit of magical torture can do to a pony. Starve them, cut them, and break their will to live... it's marvelous tasting their fear." The bug cackled, and the guards standing in his way began laughing.

Dean slowly reached up and slipped his helmet off, causing the Changeling Queen to pause, her eyes full of amusement.

"Oh please, what do you intend to... to..." 

Queen Chrysalis took a step back, her face betraying her obvious fear before she quickly restored her mask of aloofness. The same couldn't be said for her soldiers. 

Each of them took a step back as their ears folded back, and their legs began to tremble. 

The look on Dean's face could melt through solid titanium, and he bared his teeth as he took a menacing step forward. He had seen so many horrible things, and never had he been able to prevent them. But now? Now it was different. Now, he could save his friend from death, and he could deliver punishment to the one who had hurt her. The look on his face told the Changeling soldier and their queen one thing, and one thing only.

They were all going to die.

Now, it was only a matter of how.

Dean snarled, his features molding into a terrible twist of various emotions, each one indescribable. The closest word to what he was feeling was wrath. He was beyond anger. He was beyond furious.

"I am going to kill every single one of you insect abominations. And you." He pointed a finger at the Queen as a shadow seemed to fall over his face. "I'm gonna rip your fucking head off."

Dean slid his helmet back on, and in a dramatic display of aggression, he bent into a fighting stance and pumped both his arms. His two blades shot out with a metallic '[i]shing', [/i]and he began to stalk forward. The shadows seemed to mold to him as he stomped towards the guards, who each held looks of utter terror. All except one.

"Come on, lads! We are Her Majesties' most elite!" He lowered his spear and snarled at Dean in an open challenge before galloping forward. The others followed after a moment of hesitation.

Dean snarled and suddenly broke into a dead sprint.

There was a flash of light, the sound of metal, bone, flesh, and blood, and the other soldiers ground to a halt. 

Lying before the Demon was the body of their leader, split in half with a shocked look. They had not seen the Human move until he was already in front of their leader, and as he slowly rose to his full height... they panicked.

The guards fled as fast as they could, but it wasn't enough. There was the sound of heavy footsteps before a Changeling promptly had its head removed from its body. Another found he couldn't move as a blade pierced him through his rear end out through his front. He realized he was dead after the Demon had moved onto its next target.

In a manner of savage brutality the likes of which Chrysalis had never seen before, she watched as her Elite guards, born from the body of Princess Cadenza, were literally torn apart.

The final guard ran to the door and began clawing and pounding on the door in a frivolous attempt to escape. He cried and he pleaded to be let in, to escape the monster that was quickly marching towards him. 

Chrysalis watched in stunned horror as the guard was grabbed around the barrel, and in a feat of herculean strength, ripped entirely in half. Blood and guts sprayed everywhere as the Demon dropped the two halves of the Changeling before looking towards the Projection of the Queen. 

Without a word, he took a few steps back before sprinting towards the massive throne room doors and lowering his shoulder. There was an explosion of dust, and the doors were thrown away like they weighed nothing.

*****

Chrysalis snarled as the Demon stalked into the throne room and passed what used to be a magnificent pair of doors crafted hundreds of years prior. 

Suddenly, a devious thought came to her mind, and she turned towards the strung up Princess. 

The purple Alicorn had raised her head at the sound of the doors smashing open beyond the chamber they were currently in. The ritual chamber took place behind the throne room, so Chrysalis still had a bit of time. Not to mention, if the Demon got in, he would have to face an entire legion of Changelings.

"Well, it seems your rescuer came after all, Princes Twilight." Chrysalis watched as the mare began to fervently struggle in her bonds, grunting and crying out as she tried to free herself. Chrysalis chuckled as she eyed the Alicorn's body.

In her personal opinion, Twilight had a perfect figure for bearing children, and was extremely attractive. The last bit mattered, as her loyal subjects loved the pretty ones, female or male, whenever the ritual was done. If what the Changeling Queen had done to Twilight for the last few days hadn't broken her, what was about to happen surely would.

Chrysalis walked up behind Twilight as the crowd below was silent, their attention was divided between where they assumed the Demon would come from, and the ritual that their Queen was about to commence.

Chrysalis propped muzzle right beside Twilight's head, drinking in the emotion that was bleeding from the Alicorn. Fear, disgust, hope, and strangely enough, love. 

"You love him." She hissed in amusement, causing the mare to shudder and begin to cry. Chrysalis chuckled as she prepared herself. Female ponies were always the best for laying eggs. She had the option of three holes to violate, and each one was just as painful of a process as the others. Chrysalis decided then that she would humiliate the Princess. After all, she had been important in her defeat all those years ago. Why not a little revenge.

Her exceedingly long ovipositor snaked its way around Twilight, causing the mare to whimper in fear. But before she could do the deed, there was an explosion.

Chrysalis felt a wave of magic splash over her as the room shook, causing her eyes to widen in horror. The Human had figured it out!

The Princess's eyes widened just as the tentacle probed at her entrance, and she grit her teeth in concentration. Now, the nullstone ring currently attached to her horn was quite old, and not very strong. Unlike the Dark Elves, who had nearly perfected every aspect of nullstone minus refinement, the old versions the Changeling had on hand were not meant to contend with the power of an Alicorn.

There was a surge of purple magic, and Chrysalis suddenly found herself laying on her side. She quickly mustered all her power, and stood up as her subjects faced her and the freed Princess in shock. Said Princess, however, was slowly crawling towards the edge of the raised stone ritual area. Her movements were weak as she used what little strength she had left to escape.

"Not so fast!" Chrysalis grabbed Twilight by the tail with her magic and dragged the young Alicorn back. She kicked and screamed as she was pulled back towards certain death, and her desperation only grew.

"DEAN, H-HELP ME!!!" Twilight cried out as loud as she could. Her sobs rose as the Queen wrapped her horn in her toxic green magic, strangeling whatever spell the Alicorn was trying to cook up to defend herself. The Queen saw the desperation and fear in Twilight's face as her legs were pried apart.

She growled and began Twisting from side to side, desperately fighting against the Changelings hold on her. It became so much that Chrysalis stomped her off on Twilight's stomach, causing the poor mare to lose her breath and nearly black out.

With the Alicorn finally subdued, Chrysalis cackled. Before any other setbacks could occur, she plunged her ovipositor into Twilight's depths, causing the Alicorn to scream in both fear and pain. 

A door at the end of the hall was kicked open, and the Demon in Metal himself plowed through full tilt. The human stopped in shock at the scene before him, and after a moment's hesitation, began sprinting full tilt towards the Queen and the Princess. Changelings were bodied and thrown aside violently as the Human all but plowed through them relentlessly. Spears and magic impacted across his armor from all directions, but his focus was on the Alicorn a hundred meters away. 

He wasn't moving fast enough.

*****

Twilight sobbed and screamed as she tried to fight back. She fought harder than she ever had before, but it wasn't enough. She saw her life flash before her eyes. Her hatching of Spike, her tutelage under Celestia's wing, moving to Ponyville, her friends and their adventures, and meeting the Human named Dean Forrester. 

The first egg slipped inside her, and she heard a howl of rage that seemed to shake the very foundation of the hive. Her eyes caught a flash of metal as Dean's knife spun through the air, and she smiled sadly.

Then it all went black.