They're EVERYWHERE!

CH: 6/13 - Mandible

This is just getting silly.

Based on the wetness of Celestia's eyes, the pony princess disagrees with Chrysalis' feelings about the absolutely over-the-top gruesome picture of brutality. What the queen wasn't expecting is a sad sigh from the alicorn's lips as she sees the solitary changeling sitting under a scorched wooden cross with few remains of a crucified pony hanging on it. Judging by the burn marks, it was one of the still living victims before being killed instantly by Holy Storm's village-wide spell.

The guards prime their weapons as the group approaches the creature who is about as threatening as a cupcake with a sad face drawn on in frosting.

"A changeling..." one spits on the ground.

"Your Highness, be careful," the paladin grandmaster steps ahead of the alicorn, "Who knows what it can do-"

"It's just a drone, Holy Storm," Celestia picks up the pace and soon she towers over the comparatively tiny creature who stands up and looks up at Celestia with a blank expression, "So, what does your queen have to say to me?" she looks around with a sigh, "As if I couldn't tell already."

In a completely flat tone, the drone cites the message left in its head:

"If ponies encroach further on changeling territory, every single settlement will end up like this one. We have no desire to harm the ponies who live here but we need them to survive. If you intend to take our means of sustaining ourselves away and starve us, we will make sure every single pony curses your name in agony as they die knowing who pushed us this far."

"How dare you-" growls Holy Storm.

"Calm down," Celestia shakes her head, "The drone is just relaying a message left inside its mind."

She knows how we work? How?

The drone just lowers her head in resignation as Celestia telekinetically levitates it up to her face.

"Little one, I'm aware your... superiors left you here to get killed by us but that is not necessary. Do you want to come with us or would you like to return home? I can promise you fair treatment," in a low tone she adds, "At least more fair than your queen."

The drone looks up, blinking in surprise:

"Really?"

"Yes, I mean it," Celestia nods.

"I- I don't know much about you ponies so I'd like to return-"

Chrysalis feels the drone's mind get swallowed by pure rage within an instant, like a tsunami crushing a coastal village. Whatever little love the drone has left flares up to enhance its physical abilities, its foreleg transforms into a spike, and all its strength focuses on one goal which is to ram the limb into Celestia's eye socket.

With a flash of golden light, a beam of magic from Holy Storm's solar talisman hacks the drone in half before it can reach. Celestia only shoots him a glance as she presses the gurgling drone's remaining half against her chestplate.

"I'm so sorry, little one. I know you didn't mean to hurt me," she gives its head a soft stroke.

Using the final shred of its strength, the drone stretches its neck to nuzzle Celestia's but dies before its nose can even touch the armor.

"What do we do, Your Highness?" asks Holy Storm once Celestia lowers the drone's remains onto the ground.

"Shimmerville is only ten hours ahead," is all she says.

"Do we risk the same thing that happened here happening to them?"

"What the changelings are doing is more dangerous to them in the long run than to us."