I stop by Fluttershy’s and pay her a visit, knocking on her front door.
“Ah! Twilight! Spike! What’re you doing here?”
“I’m glad to make it. I was just in Canterlot, having a talk with Princess Celestia.”
“Oh, how was it?”
“I voiced to her my concerns about how she handled a changeling that landed in Canterlot, which brought me to your place.”
“But why? What did the princess do wrong?”
“She knew that the changeling was young, but she had her guards interrogate it anyway. Of course it didn’t go well.”
“How young was it?”
I light my horn without any spells in mind.
“If the changeling had managed to fly off just like that, it must be extremely young.”
“So, why exactly did you come over here?”
“We wanted to ask if you have seen it at all?”
“Um. No, I don’t remember seeing anything when I was outside.”
“Okay. I’ll check the Everfree Forest. Celestia said that the guards estimated the changeling’s landing to be the southern outskirts of Ponyville.”
“Okay, um. Good luck with- wait WHAT?!? The E-e-e-everfree Forest?!? Hey, you two look like you could use some company.”
“Twilight and I are fine. We been in there pl-”
“Actually, Fluttershy, we would like your company.”
“Okay.”
Throughout our search for the changeling, neither Fluttershy, Spike nor I could find it.
“Hmm. Something smells like it just came here.”
“What is it, Spike?”
“Sweat? Molasses? I don’t know, Twilight.”
“Where is it strongest?”
“Well, I don’t smell it much now.”
“Um. Does anypony else hear moaning?”
“What? Where’s it coming from, Fluttershy?”
“I don’t know exactly, Spike. But it might be behind me.”
The three of us turn around and find a lone bush within all the trees. Spike and Fluttershy watch as I inch towards it. Looking closer, I can see a dim blue light coming through the bush, one I can recognize.
Now I hear the moaning that Fluttershy was talking about. Looking to my left and right, I can confirm that the sound’s coming from the bush. When I poke my right forehoof onto the bush, the moaning stops. Instead, now the bush rustles very quietly. Suddenly, the blue light from inside the bush emits to my chest and right forehoof, as the rustling stops momentarily.
Then, I get blinded as the light leaves the bush and onto the entire front half of my body. Finally, the light dims, giving me a chance to see where the light is coming from.
“Twilight, look!”
What is behind the light is an extremely young changeling that doesn’t even look half my size.
“Oh my.”
I sigh in relief, realizing that this is the changeling that fled the interrogation.
“Well, at the very least, she told the truth.”
“Huh?”
“Hey. You seem lost. Why don’t we get somewhere safe, okay? The Everfree Forest is no place for little ones like you.”
Shortly after comforting the changeling, it starts to purr.
“Perfect. We can trust him.”
“Him?”
I roll my eyes at Fluttershy.
“Yes. I could tell from the way he purrs when content. Now come on, we can’t be here longer than we need to be.”
“Right behind you, Twilight.”
And with that, Fluttershy, Spike and I all walk back out of the Everfree Forest.