The Changeling Kingdom, to the distant observer, appeared just like any other nation the world might contain. In order to truly understand why the Kingdom isn't a place for ponies, one needs to travel there. A perverting sense of paranoia slowed the adventuring duo to a crawl. The path felt like the changelings paved it in honey, sticky with every step; which further slowed their travel. An attack from all sides seemed a constant threat, each leaf and cracked twig and squelching shlorp set off every mental alarm they possessed. Daring, brave and experienced as she was, noticed every now and then even she caught herself peering at the trail they followed to reach the capital. She fared much better than her partner who despite her reputation for courage, visibly shook with each step she took.
"This is the Changeling Kingdom, huh?" Rainbow said, her voice quivering. She peered around her surroundings. The path slithered through a dense forest, the leaves black as night, becoming somehow darker whenever they fell. Some of the floral debris appeared to be absorbed into the path. Branches swung low and sprinted in the wind, threatening the ponies with a good walloping.
"Nope. This is Star Swirl the Bearded's house." Daring chuckled and trotted into the darkness ahead. Rainbow easily caught up, and the darkness dissipated the greenery. The forest they now traversed through contained no leaves, only barren trees. The hazed sky above them held a sickly greenish hue, reminiscent of the Queen's magic. "So, if these things are so bad, why help them? They tried to take over Canterlot, right?"
Rainbow thought for a moment as they walked along the patchy path, "They're not our enemies for now, and besides, if its something that the Queen can't handle, I gotta see it." She snarkfully grinned. The conversation was cut short by a falling tree. Several others followed suit, a domino effect of thick and ancient trees. Each one fell around the daring duo, surrounding them in tree trunks. Driven by honed instinct, Daring hopped over the log cage, only to be ambushed by several strange creatures. Green hostile eyes stared her down, a few broke their glare to receive a hoof to the face. They attempted to wrestle down the pony of adventure, for a time it seemed a useless endeavor. Her companion, stuck in shock, had been easily apprehended and lodged leg-deep in sticky black goop. After much fighting, several unconscious changelings, Daring Do fell to a surprise flank of several foes toppling over her.
The changelings were forced to carry Daring, 4 in total required to keep her down. One for each hoof, and even then a few would later lick their bruises received from a long journey of getting kicked in an attempt to escape. The journey dragged on while they flew, scenery not something the Kingdom is known for. Any attempt to free herself would cause a deadly fall. If only her wing was alright, escape could be an option. She thought to herself, 'I tend to break my wings a lot in these adventures. Maybe I should find some form of protective shield. Her thoughts and the changelings carried them to the changeling capital city. She broke her mental focus to observe the architecture, not much else to do with her four 'bodyguards' still holding her fast. The buildings were constructed of sturdy jade-colored stone, cracks and lines sealed with a super-hardened version of the black goo that formed Rainbow's makeshift prison. A quick scan across the buildings showed increasingly visible damage the further they traveled into the city. A few buildings sat in desolate rubble, scattering their rocky guts across the streets. She saw identical posters slathered over several walls, but she couldn't quite discern the face adorning them. The city itself demonstrated merit in a distress call. Something no less than a revolution, or maybe a raging Ursa major could've done this.
"Do you talk?" Daring questioned her captors as they buzzed over another ruined building. "I've a few questions about what happened here. See I'm here to-"
"We know why you're here. He told us why. Now quiet, the king shall judge you."
"The King?" She asked Rainbow, "Isn't this place ruled by a Queen?" Rainbow didn't respond, instead Daring choked out a hoarse scream as she fell from the grasp of the changelings, falling onto the street. A cloud of dirt and dust obscured Daring's vision when she landed. Regaining her footing proved difficult, as the street she stood in sat riddled with potholes. She wondered if any changeling knew how to keep anything functioning, be it street or building. She stood in front of a grand building, adorned in gold and sparkling gemstones. The gems formed fractal patterns of each different color and appeared to be slowly shifting with the sun above. Daring would've observed the intricate architecture more if she weren't shoved forward. She turned around and caught Rainbow red-hoofed, shoving her forward. "What's your problem? You know that's where they want us to go, right? It's surely a trap."
Rainbow replied, "Of course I know. Who do you think told me to do this?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Twilight doesn't care about the news that goes on here. The King asked me to find the most difficult pony to-"
"How should I know that you're not a changeling? I know Rainbow Dash would never do something like this."
"How can you tell?" Her former partner asked. "Even if I'm not the real Rainbow Dash, I've taken her shape. I see her thoughts. So perhaps there's more truth to these actions than you might think." A group of changelings fluttered out of a window in the opulent building, "Oh look, my real friends are here. Goodbye, Daring Do." The pegasus raised her strong wings and flew off, leaving her alone.
Daring fell on her backside in shock. "Could it be true? It can't be. I hope it's not. But what if it is?" Reason was tossed to the wind as a hot surge of rage shot through her, "You traitor! By Celestia, I'll lock you away in Tartarus for this if it's the last thing I do!"
Up in the sky, the changeling's chuckled at Daring's outrage. In their clutches sat the real Rainbow Dash. She was camouflaged by the swarm, and her clone flew beside her. The clone poked Rainbow's gooey bindings, mocking her. "Listen to what your hero thinks of you now, Rainbow Dash." Rainbow said to, uh, Rainbow Dash. "She hates you. It's all your fault. Why'd you have to be such a traitor?" The real Rainbow attempted to speak, though only muffled shouts too soft for Daring to hear peeped out. The strange black goo covered her mouth, it hardened to form a silencing muzzle. "There's nothing you need to say, Rainbow. I already know. I could just and tell your hero what you really think of her-"
Rainbow managed a muffled scream and she rapidly shook her head, though she went nearly unheard. The swarm flew off with their captive, the fake Rainbow accompanying them, perhaps not feeling as cruel as they threatened.
Daring may have heard Rainbow's cry, though she seethed with a toxic brew of volatile emotions. A few changelings attempted to drag her into the opulent building, only to receive several severe beatings. The few attracted the many, they surrounded her in a failed attempt of intimidation. None dared to grapple with her. Daring glared daggers at them, most of them looking away as her gaze approached them. She took a few steps towards the ring of changelings, the entire group reacted, attempting to keep her surrounded. Suddenly she cranked up her speed, smashing through the unfortunate changelings that guarded her front. They flailed through the air as they attempted to recover, most didn't succeed and face-planted the surrounding street. Daring halted at the door, and stared at it for a bit. She figured the changelings would surround her at all ends, probably above her as well. Nowhere else to go, and no one to accompany her, just like old times. The old times felt sour now, just like the taste in her mouth as she waited silently.
The doors opened in front of her, pulled by even more changelings. The golden doors revealed even more splendor, silken drapes and rugs adorned the walls, anything that didn't hold some artifact was golden. It all felt out of place, as if this was an opulent cover splattered over the rightful interior. There lay upon the floor, a long stream of dark animal pelt. It led down the grand hall to a distant throne. A shining being sat upon the throne.
"Come, come to the King's Throne." The voice requested, the accent sounded strangely familiar to Daring. With no other options, she decided to find out who led these creatures. She walked along the rug, and looked out one of the gilded windows in passing. Two ponies that resembled Rainbow Dash sat upon the outer windowsill. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared. Daring hoped for the possibility of- "Just a bit closer, Daring Do." The voice interrupted her train of thought. "Yes...welcome to my kingdom. You like it, no? It could do with some refurbishing, but you could say I recently came upon this great honor."
"Wait a minute, you sound a lot like-" Daring found her assumption to be true. She approached the throne, the pony sitting on it was another would-be partner of hers. "Dr. Caballeron! So this is where you scurried off to."
"That's King Caballeron to you! Though, you could also call me Your Highness, Great Ruler, perhaps Rightful Lord of Equestria. All of these will work."
"Not the last one. You may have taken this place over, but you're not taking one bit of my turf." Daring glared at the transcendent Archaeologist-King.
He wore a typical king's garb, silken, gilded and far too expensive for his own good. His golden shoes shined in the relative dimness of the hall. The crown upon his head, black as night. Draped over his head and shoulders, a cloak of near equal darkness. The crown poked out from the cloak, almost as if it'd be sewn around it. The tone clashed with his otherwise shining splendor, raising unexpressed alarm within Daring.
"How entertaining, Daring Do. Though you must know, I don't take the threats anymore. Take her away." Caballeron waved her away, though the changelings around her hesitated at his command. "You dare go against the word of your King? Seize her!" New vigor recharged the horde, they covered Daring at all ends. They trapped her with their goo, planting her hooves and covering most of her body in it. She attempted to struggle while the goo took hold, but her strength waned when she persisted her rebellion. Eventually Daring couldn't exert any more force upon her bonds, her energy merely a spark of what it once was. "You belong to me now, Daring Do. I was going to have you sent to the dungeon, but since you're a bit more agreeable now, why don't you take a seat next to me? We can catch up." Caballeron cackled in malevolent delight while the changelings positioned her next to the tyrant's throne.