Carapace had been ready for the end, when it came. She had known the swarm was drawing near. How could she not? She’d been afraid to fully silence the Hive. To be completely alone. Though she had broken away years ago, it was a hum always at the back of her mind, a hum that had grown to a roar in the days before the invasion came. She didn’t want to be alone like that, to have only her thoughts and nothing else.

    She bore no malice against ponies. Not anymore. Not since one had found her in a moment of weakness, had seen her disguise falter, and had met her with curiosity instead of fear.

    Curiosity became kindness. Kindness became friendship. And friendship became love, freely given. Love that Carapace returned, for on the day of the Invasion, she cut herself off for the first time. Broke the link to the hive, so none could use it to track her.

    And Carapace could do nothing, now. Yes, she had secreted Moon Glow into the cellar beneath her house, stocked it as full of provisions as possible, barricaded the door and camouflaged it as best she could, but all of that was temporary.

    Food, after all, was a limited resource. And a week ago, it had run out.

    Now Moon Glow lay on a cot, and smiled at her, too weak to further move. “You shouldn’t starve yourself too,” she protested. “You should -” Coughing kept her from saying more.

    “You need your strength, Glowy! And...besides. They’re your people up there. Mistaken, yes. But you should still go to them. Tell them where I am. You can live, and...you’ve said the dreams are nice.” Moon Glow smiled. “I’m sure I will dream of you.”

    “No!” She said sharply. “They’d be a lie. To the rest, ponies are just food and I won’t help that. I won’t! I...look. Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll go find more food. When I get up there I’ll open myself just enough to blend in. But I won’t let them have you!”

    Moon Glow chuckled, as much as it hurt to do so. “I don’t think you have to worry about me moving. I’m more worried about you. You haven’t been feeding. Do you think I can’t tell? You haven’t shapechanged in days.”

    “I know you say it just tickles, Glowy. But I won’t feed off you like this. You need every bit of strength you can get. And...I’ve had worse. I never felt so empty as before you found me. Just...stay still. Try to sleep. I’ll be back.”

    Carapace turned away. Moved boxes, and soon enough the scrape of a protesting hinge announced her departure.
[hr]
    Two minutes later, amidst the vibrant, goo-less streets of Canterlot, among a tide of a thousand panicking ponies, all Carapace could do was sit there and gape. Amidst the cries of ‘Changeling!’, and ‘Invasion!’, and ‘It’s the wedding all over again!’, she watched as winged shapes dropped out of the sky. Guardsponies.

    And through it all, as spears bristled in her direction, only one phrase came to mind. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me…”