Breezy Mint, much to her surprise, enjoyed the day she spent with Gray, the fillies and the mares. The one she recognised as Princess Sparkle seemed the most hostile, but the feeling soon went away. The group was returning to Ponyville the next day, which is why when the man had disappeared for a ‘personal errand’, she walked back to the castle with them.
The six mares had then left her with the fillies, so here she was, sat against a tree whilst the trio ran around in the garden, attempting to get their ‘cutie marks’. Her head snapped round in panic as she heard a loud gasp, seeing them falling from a tree. She shot over in worry for their safety, but slowed down when the giggling hit her ears.
The sound of marching caused her to turn around, finding multiple squads of guards heading out of the castle with Shining Armour leading them. Fair Heart came out after them, waving the changeling over. “Girls, time to go in.” She averted her gaze from the pouts they gave her, walking towards the earth pony. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Celestia wants to see you. She’s sensed some strange magic, but can’t pin it down. She said the last time she felt it… it was Chrysalis.” Breezy’s eyes went wide, and she inadvertently stepped closer to the fillies, glancing around. “It was inside the castle, in the servants’ quarters.” The changeling gave her a nod, making sure the trio entered the safety of the castle. A guard was waiting to escort her to the throne room, where all four alicorns were waiting.
She left the three fillies outside with Fair Heart, walking to the base of the thrones and bowing low. “You may rise.” As she did so, Breezy noticed a few guards gripping their spell guns tighter, until an arm waved them away. She didn’t even notice Gray stood in the corner. “Breezy Mint, we require your assistance, if you would give it us.”
“Of course, you majesty. Fair has already explained the situation to me.” The mare sheepishly grinned as Celestia looked at the doorway, then pulled the fillies away so only mature ears would bear witness to the conversation. “I assume you wish for me to find the source of the magic?”
“If you would, please. But… there will be three guards with you at all times. I hope you understand we can not fully trust you as of yet. Help us now, and we will talk further.” Breezy bowed her head and turned around, walking towards the trio waiting for her as the Lunar and Solar alicorns turned to converse with each other.
“I know you’re escorting me,” she noticed the two mares and stallion tense up as she addressed them, but just supposed it was nerves. “But I need you to follow my orders, or we won’t find anything.” The unicorn of the group gave her a nod, and they soon entered the servants’ quarters.
Her horn flared up as she looked over the first few rooms, finding nothing, but stopped as she passed the utilities room, sniffing the air. She let out a hiss and stepped back, pointing at the door. The guards saw the sneer on her face, quickly realising that whomever it was, they were in there right now. They got ready to break the door down, not expecting three quick bolts from a spell gun to burst through as it cracked open.
Breezy Mint stepped back in shock as a unicorn stallion stepped out, dressed as a castle steward with his horn glowing a sickly green. “Yes, your highness, she is here. Of course, it shall be done.” She tried to use her own magic to stop him, but it just bounced away, a green shield surrounding him. “Really? Do you think King Metamorphosis would have me here without protection? Anyway, looks like this will have to be done the fun way, I haven’t got a spare core.”
The changeling’s back hit the wall of an alcove, nowhere for her to go as the stallion advanced closer and drew a large knife. She closed her eyes as he held it high, her thoughts focused on Fair Heart as she prepared for the end…
…an end that never came as the sound of grunting hit her ears. She opened her eyes to see the stallion now in a heap on the floor, Dean stood over him, a boot placed over the horn, whilst Gray cuffed his hands behind his back and then slipped a magic sealing ring over his horn. The two men lifted him to his feet and passed him to the group of guards waiting. “Celestia wants a word with you.”
The guards dragged the unicorn away, the men turning back to the changeling, whose face was flushed with relief. She stopped moving as there was what sounded like a crack of thunder, crouching down with her hands around her head. “Major Mirage, you disappoint me.” Gray and Dean looked at her in shock, her eyes glowing green and her mouth moving, but that was not her voice. “How could you betray your own kind?”
“I… I didn’t! You… are not my king!” The two men didn’t know what to do; clearly the changeling leader had figured out a way to take over her body, yet she was fighting it.
“Your life belongs to me, so why don’t you show some true loyalty? Kill them.” Breezy’s horn started to glow the light shining towards the pair, but her eyes snapped shut, and she took a deep breath.
“Loyalty? You know nothing of it. My life, my… soul BELONGS TO FAIR HEART!” At the sound of her shout there was another crack, Breezy looking around with worry. The only others in the hallway were Gray, Dean, and the guards who had been shot, now stirring. “How… did he do that?”
The two men looked at each other and shrugged, then waved her forward, walking back towards the throne room. The trio of guards shook off their disorientation, then fell into step behind her. They were soon outside the throne room. where Breezy could feel strong magic at work. The group split apart as something came flying past in a golden glow, turning to find the unicorn stallion now in a mess of limbs at the bottom of the stairs. “You foalish colt. You really think he would have let you live?”
Celestia walked through the large golden doors, her mane and tail having taken features from the sun itself as she walked down the stairs. “Heh… unless you kill me, I’ll still be the one in charge once he’s done!”
“If that is what you wish… then so be it. Let us not take any chances.” A spear appeared in her hand, and she strode down the flowing staircase. He was pulled up by her magic and met her raging gave with a smirk, his own eyes going wide as the metal tip pushed through his chest.
He coughed and spat blood over her white fur, his own beginning to singe at her searing rage.
Once he fell limb, the mare turned around and looked to several guards, who had watched on in concern and dread. They immediately moved behind her and dragged his body away, their not so subtle actions informing the others that they wanted to be nowhere near her right now, then the alicorn turned her blazing white eyes upon Breezy Mint. “It is clear to me that I can trust none of you! You have even infiltrated my castle staff! Mirage, you will inform my guards as to the locations of all hives you know of.”
“Please… don’t call me that.”
“You will be then escorted to the borders of Equestria. If any of your kind return, they will be met with lethal force. This also goes for any changeling that refuses to go. If cohabitation is not possible, then the threat must be eliminated. I’m beginning to wish Alec had not stopped Captain Armour!” Gray and Dean just frowned at each other, nodding to the three guards behind them. Breezy shuddered as the two men walked off, whilst the guards remained around her.
Celestia was sat on her throne when they arrived, staring unblinkingly at the floor. Dean stood back as Gray stepped closer, lifting the mare’s face towards him. “Celestia?”
“I… I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”
“It doesn’t have to.” The mare gave him her full attention, and her mood calmed as he took her hand, guiding her over to the windows and out onto the balcony. Below them spread the large city of Canterlot, where they could see ponies moving through the streets. “How many of them are changelings? How many just want to live their lives? Whilst I’ve only met only friendly one, if there are others in the city, why not give them a chance?”
“What do you suggest?”
“Offer them refugee status, and for the ones that refuse your offer… well, a few days in the dungeon away from their food source, I think they’ll be a bit more willing to hear you out.”
“And what of Metamorphosis?”
“There’ll have to be screening of all of them. Send guards to check out the hives. And him… he’d better be praying that we never see him again.” Celestia mulled the idea over, her gaze drifting over the ponies far below. Gray was right, how many were changelings, and how many meant no harm?
“Fetch me both Mirage and Fair Heart. I wish to speak to both of them.” Celestia’s maid was already waiting in the throne room, and with a nod Dean summoned the changeling, who entered with a bowed head. With a wave of her hand Celestia sent all other occupants away, leaving just the three mares. Her horn sparked briefly and she returned to her throne, sitting down as Luna appeared in a blue flash.
“Sister, why have you summoned me?”
“I want you to be privy to this. Mirage!” The changeling visibly cringed at the name, Fair Heart noticing and taking hold of her lover’s hand. “As you are the highest ranking changeling that we know of in Canterlot, you will now be your race’s ambassador to Equestria.”
“Y-your majesty?”
“I am not finished. It has been pointed out to me that many ponies in the city could, like you, be changelings in hiding. I want them to reveal themselves, voluntarily or not. If they wish to remain within Equestrian borders, then they can ask for asylum. Otherwise they will be banished to their homelands forthwith.”
“We… no longer know where that is, your majesty. We left there centuries ago, we have no homelands.”
“I see… past the badlands is an as of yet unclaimed large area of land, which will suffice I suppose. For all those that refuse either option… lethal force will still be used. I will not stand idly by whilst the risk to my little ponies is still present. Tomorrow the Canterlot Daily will print that offer, and I will give them two weeks to come forward. If they have a pony that knows of them, they will be asked to come as well. This will be a trial run.”
Celestia turned towards Luna silently asking for her input. The lunar alicorn closed her eyes and thought, then looked at the pair waiting with hope at the bottom of the dais. “For the matter of any changelings within our borders but not in the capital, they will have two months, starting the day after the trial run ends. At that point any changeling caught will be treated as an enemy of Equestria.”
“I… understand, your majesty. Thank you for giving us this chance.”
“Do not thank me yet, Mirage. Think of it as a trial run. If met with success, then the offer will be opened to all changelings within our borders. Fair Heart!" The mare snapped her gaze round, "You are no longer my personal servant. The changelings will need a representative here. That task falls to you."
“But… your majesty, I…” She stopped at the frown being leveled at her, swallowed nervously and nodded. “Of course, your majesty.”
“I do not ask this lightly, but out of anypony I can think of that are present in the castle… you’re the most experienced with changelings.”
“Um… your majesty?” With a raised eyebrow Luna turned to Celestia as the changeling spoke, finding her sister’s usual poker face back. With a slight nod of her head, she allowed Breezy to speak further. “Could you please stop calling me ‘Mirage’? It’s… unsettling.”
“Very well… Breezy Mint.” Fair Heart felt her partner’s hand release its grip slightly, the changeling relaxing a bit. Celestia turned to Luna and had a whispered conversation with her, and the blue alicorn disappeared. The solar princess stood and walked over to her window, her arms crossed and a frown on her face. “Fair Heart?”
“Yes, your majesty?”
“The offices we recently refurnished, make your way there. I will send some ponies to assist you in setting up. Both of you.” The earth pony tugged on the changeling’s hand, pulling her out of the throne room. It was clear, after many years of service, to Fair Heart that Celestia wanted to be alone. Something that the two men still stood there either didn’t understand or didn’t care about.
“Can I make a suggestion?” Celestia turned around to see Dean had stepped closer, so she waved the pair over to the table at the side. He sat on one side whilst Gray sat next to Celestia, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. She glanced at him with a small smile, then turned to the other man as he continued. “Years ago on Earth, a man called Fridtjof Nansen came up with a document for refugees of one country’s civil war. It became an internationally recognised form of identification, in fifty two countries. Why not give the changelings a Nansen Passport?”
“Dude… think of a better name for it first, yeah?” Instead of listening to Gray, Celestia mulled this over for a few moments as the two men made small talk, too deep in her reverie to even know what they were saying. An identity document for the refugees? It would be an easier way to track them. We would know of their home addresses… their ‘disguises’... anything we would ask of them, if they wished to stay, they would give it. “...’Breezy Passport’? That works.”
“Yeah, you’re right. After that little chat, I don’t think saying ‘Mirage’ around her is such a good idea.”
“From what I understand about your race,” both men gave Celestia the utmost attention when she rejoined to conversation, and she press on with a quiet sigh. “That solution is unexpected to hear from you, Dean. I mean no offense, but it is something that I would believe a pony to come up with, such an idea full of compassion.”
"Well, humans have a lot of experience with interacting with other nations. And with wars…” Dean’s voice had a sad undertone to it, surprising the mare once more. A quick glance a Gray and she came to her decision.
“Dean, why are you still here?” He frowned at her, causing Celestia to giggle quietly. “It is the weekend, you have no recruits to train. Go home.” He made to protest, but her glare cut him off. “I shall make it an order if I must. Maybe even get Nurse Openheart to declare you medically unfit for work?” Gray burst out with laughter as his fellow human all but sprinted from the throne room, the doors slamming shut in a golden aura behind him. “And as for you…”
He turned around to see Celestia smirking at him, and with a flash of her horn they were in her bedroom. He gave a small chuckle as he went to remove his armour, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Today has been quite stressful. Tell me, have you ever given a mare a massage?” Gray just grinned as he motioned for her to lie on the bed.
Metamorphosis sat at the head of the table, looking at the other changelings on the outside. Each one was either in charge of or representing a hive, but all in total five had come. But it was five of the strongest. The two on his left were already sorted, having sent them their support when they heard he had taken the throne from Chrysalis. The two to his right… they’d need working on, as they were undecided.
It was the one at sat opposite Metamorphosis, however, that presented the threat to his summit. Having lived far longer than most living changelings not of her hive, Queen Foedus was the strongest amongst them. The younger changeling didn’t know how, but for some reason Foedus’ magic was much stronger, and she was more than capable of defending herself against the others… even if they attacked all at once. “So… King Metamorphosis, you still plan to go through with your mother’s idea?”
The distaste of having to say that was clear on her face, but the young leader just sat confidently in his throne. “Yes, Foedus, I do. Once the Princess of Love is dead, we can finally take over this nation! The ponies will be our livestock, and we will breed them to survive.”
“And how exactly do you plan on taking the Crystal Empire? Are you just going to march hundreds of miles across open ground?” She was sharp. that was for sure. He’d have to reveal everything in order for her to agree, he realised.
“No, the Northern Express is going to take us. After all, what pony will refuse Princess Celestia herself?”
“You’re crazy. You think that she will just stand for an imposter to use her kind’s travel system?”
“It won’t matter if she’s dead, will it? Think about it; eliminate her and take her place. If done with no other witnesses, we can pose as her for as long as needed. Of course, Luna would have to be removed as well. Not to mention the Element Bearers.”
“And you have a way to do this?”
“I do.” His horn flashed once and part of the wall shimmered, revealing a group of diamond dogs. The other leaders’ eyes went wide, with the exception of Foedus’, who just remained impassive as usual. “As you can see, I have made an alliance with my friends here. We have an agreement; whilst we breed the ponies for food, they can use them as a work force. We have successfully stolen ponies from within their own cities with this little spell, and with it we can take their capital long before they even know what is going on!”
The two who had supported him began to applaud, whilst the other two had a hushed conversation. Once the noise died down, it was replaced by a slow clap, Foedus standing from her seat and moving to the door. “Inspired, Meta, truly inspired. Go ahead, attack Canterlot. It worked so well last time." She snarled at the guards, who parted ways for her, and Metamorphosis just let her go.
Once his plans came into fruition, she would pay. She may have the strongest hive right now, but once the princesses were removed and nopony could stop them, and he would march in to her hive… and burn it to the ground with her subjects still inside. With a low chuckle at his revenge idea, he turned to the other two changelings, who had hives on the outskirts of Equestria and had formed an alliance, the stronger of the two standing. “In a way, we have to agree with Foedus. But… if you can take Canterlot, you will have our support.”
“Excellent. Now, how about some entertainment?” The door on the opposite side of the chamber swung open, a pony in chains slowly entering. She had been a unicorn, but her horn had been broken in half. Her clothes were in tatters, her body was thin and ruined. It was amazing she could even stand in such a condition. She was followed by another two mares and a stallion.“Not bad, eh?”
“And who are they?”
“Some of the dog’s workers. These are the most healthy we could get at short notice. Think of them as a gift in joining our alliance.” The ponies just stood still, their gazes unblinking as the changelings circled them like wolves would do a deer. One by one the short chains around their necks were taken hold of and they were dragged towards the guest rooms Meta had supplied for the other leaders.
He smirked as Dido made her way over, leaning her head on his shoulder. “They like present, yes?”
“Yes… yes, they do. Soon we shall have a force more than sufficient, but it can’t hurt to be careful. Two moons, two moons and we will have the crown jewel of Equestria within our grasp.”