The sun was slowly rising up the horizon with the new day about to begin. Ponies started to stretch and get out of their homes for work. Some were with their families enjoying breakfast, Young fillies and colts jumped around excited of the new day in class. Guard ponies, from morning till dawn, were diligently patrolling the streets. Shining Armor looked left and right as he passed through one corners of the town to another through the alleys. Hoping that nopony saw him, he waved his hoof forward and from the shadows behind him, a cloaked figure approached him.
“Why should I be covered in rags!” the hood fell off revealing Chrysalis’ head. “I am a princess and I shall be treated as such!” she stomped her hoof on the ground in her fit of rage.
“It’s not every day you get to see a changeling walking around town” he replied as he peeked out of the corner hoping that no pony noticed her sudden bicker.
“Still I don’t see the point of why must I go around like I’m some kind of criminal.” She stared at him with knitted eyebrows as she shrugged.
“We certainly don’t want any ruckus…” Shining Armor replied as he turned her back to her trying to explain why the effort of sneaking around town. “You’ll certainly get hauled in.”
“Fine! We’ll do it your way.” She finally agreed as she put the hood back on.
“Whew!” he wiped his forehead “If we can just cross this street without any pony noticing you then we’ll get there…” looking back outside, the street and establishments were starting to be crowded. Guards merchants, workers and customers were already gathering around town. With his thoughts solely focused on how to pass through every pony without being conspicuous, he didn’t notice the small nudges behind him until it became a push.
“How dare you ignore me?” her impatience seemed to reflect on her face. “And what’s taking so long?”
“Sorry about that… “Shining Armor apologized “If there’s only a way we can get past everyone without looking like sore thumb…” he sulked, having no idea at all. “If only she’d look like a normal pony then there won’t be a problem.” He kept his thoughts to himself knowing that will surely irritate the ‘princess’.
She suddenly chuckled and chortled the moment he finished talking. “Is that all?” she suddenly asked. “You forget that I am a changeling I can change into almost anything.” She soon closed her eyes and her horn suddenly glowed in green. The ground beneath her hooves was soon engulfed with green flames. Shining Armor was surprised to see the changeling bursting into flames. Out of concern, he suddenly tried to approach her. The flames were different from the usual it was neither hot nor cold but it was something magical something that he cannot explain.
From what he can see, her entire body was changing. Her once black and porous hooves turned whole and white. Her wings and carapace disappeared the moment the green flame reached those parts. Her whole head was no different the moment the green flame engulfed it. The once teal color of her mane burned into a more pinkish color. Her horn suddenly became straight and somewhat shorter. The moment the flame died down she was like an entirely different pony. The moment she opened her eyes, it revealed themselves to be pink and with circular pupils unlike her original elongated ones.
“You can do that?” Shining Armor slapped himself of what he saw. His eyes wide, jaw agape as he stared at her blankly with disbelief and amazement.
“Of course I can, why do you think that we’re called ‘changelings’?” she chuckled, finding his face humorous. “You should have seen the look on your face.”
“Hahaha… Very funny…” Shining Armor looked at her flatly while the shock on his face dies down.
“Shall we be on our way?” Chrysalis went on outside from hiding,
“I guess so…” Shining Armor replied following Chrysalis from behind.
“So this is how a pony town looks like.” Chrysalis looked amazed while she around the shops, stands and crowd as they conduct their business.
“First time seeing one?” Shining Armor said after seeing her enthusiasm and amazement.
“Not really but this is the first time that I get to it this colorful and lively.” She replied back as she continued to look around town.
“I don’t get it. Why?” Shining Armor looked puzzled in her reply.
“Trust me you wouldn’t want to know.” She smiled playfully and turned back in her sightseeing.
Losing his will to further ask questions, he sighed and dropped his inquisitiveness. He turned his head around to start looking for way back to the station among the busy street until the sudden sight of the café just down the corner distracted him along with the emptiness of his stomach. He turned back at the wandering changeling. He reached out and grabbed her hoof.
As soon as she felt his touch, she immediately swept her hoof away. “I told you not to touch me!” She said loudly. Her face quickly turned bitter “Don’t get any wrong ideas. Last night was an exception.” She shrugged away “Now tell me what’s so important that you have disturbed me?”
“Want to grab something to eat” he reluctantly answered back unsure of what would she reply.
“And eat another of your pony food?” she replied with a smug look on her face “Remember last time it didn’t turned out so well. unless you would want me to ‘feed’ on these people?”
Shining Armor scratched his head for a second. He gave out a sigh and looked at her again in the eyes. Reaching out his hoof towards her again, he smiled and said. “Come on, trust me on this okay?”
“Fine!” she slowly turned around taking small peeks at first but she suddenly turned away from him the moment she saw his face. “But remove that dirty hoof in front of my face.”
He simple shook his head chuckling as he went on towards the café. She soon followed Shining Armor hiding a small faint smile on her face.
“Care to tell what this place is?” She asked while seeing the various tables and bales of hay. She somewhat found the place intriguing while observing the whole café as ponies come and go, ordering their food, eating, paying then leaving. Some come in groups and couples while others are alone.
“It’s what you call a café.” Shining Armor replied while browsing through the menu.
“Café? Tell me more about this café.” She seemed intrigued
“To put simply, it’s one of the places were ponies eat or drink or to spent some time.” Shining Armor felt slightly embarrassed in his answer.
“So it is about pony food.” She replied coldly.
“Come don’t be like that.” Shining Armor sheepishly grinned. He was at his wits trying to please the ‘princess’. He was barely holding on until the cake he ordered came out. He felt like a new hope has arrived the moment the dish was being served on their table.
“And what in the hay is this?” she pointed out the cake on the table. She stared at the object deeply as if she was peering to the very ingredient’s soul themselves. The fresh luscious pair of strawberries in the middle lay on top of a layer of rich thick strawberry syrup, slowly dripping from the sides, on top. The sweet white icing covering the entire cake gave of a faint sweet smell around it.
“This is a cake, strawberry shortcake to be exact. “ Shining Armor replied. “You should try it.” Shining Armor took the fork on the table and used it to slice a portion of cake.
“This is pony food. We all know what happened back then" she reminded of him the 'apple' incident
“Come on just try it, they say it’s good.” Shining Armor continued to persuade the changeling.
Ignoring her constant blare, Shining Armor suddenly fed the cake.
At first she thought that it was disgusting and wanted to throw it out, but the more she chew on the sugary treat, the more she could taste the sweetness of the cake. The strange sensation flooded her senses with delight.
“I’ll take that you liked it.” Shining Armor suddenly said smiling at her delightful expression.
She simply shrugged away but her eyes proved otherwise as she took peeks and glances on the cake. Shining Armor chuckled noticing her desire for the cake. “If I may be excuse I have to use the washroom.” He pushed the plate near Chrysalis leaving her alone with the cake.
Moments later after he came back, the cake was no more only bits and icing were left on the plate. He quickly turned to Chrysalis and smiled at her.
“No it’s not what you think.” She feverously denies his assumptive stare yet there were a few icing marks on her cheeks and mouth. “That thing it was staring at me. It was Evil!” she said so strongly.
Shining Armor simply laughed in delight, he can’t believe his eyes. But his laughter soon stopped when a fellow guard approached him from behind.
“Private Shining Armor!” the call quickly grabbed both of their attention. “It is imperative that upon returning from an investigation, one should quickly report to the station not play hooky.” He stared at him furiously.
“Sorry sir.” Shining Armor saluted the superior ranking guard. “I was just about on my way and…”
“I don’t want to hear excuses, report back to the station immediately unless you want to be like that Sharpeye fellow.” His words felt strongly on Shining Armor’s ears.
“Yes sir!” Shining Armor complied and went on his way taking Chrysalis along with him.
“Who was that rude stallion?” Chrysalis curiously asked.
“That was the lieutenant. “He replied “he’s kind of the pony in charge around.”
“Look at you, aren’t you so small.” She started jeering at him with her smirk.
“Hey, I don’t want to take that from those who have icing on their cheeks.” He chortled as he pointed the icing left on her cheeks.
“Name?” the stallion on the front desk asked.
“Ugh…Alice” Chrysalis quickly thought up a fake name. Before Shining Armor was able to say anything she gave him an elbow on sides.
“Alice… Alice…” he was talking to himself while his eyes were rolling down reading his list on the desk. “Sorry, can’t find no Alice here, you probably came from another town I presume?” he turned back to her dropping his list on the desk.
“I don’t really recall where exactly, my mind’s kinda blurry and all.” She replied scratching her head.
“I see no problem to that.” He replied. “Just wait for moment, we’ll find you a temporary place to stay until we can find your home.” He took a quill and started writing something on the piece of paper he brought out.
“Thanks…” she smiled and thanked him leaving the front desk.
“Why did you gave a fake name?” Shining Armor suddenly asked the moment they were isolated in the station.
“If you were suddenly told that my name is ‘Chrysalis’ won’t you find that strange?” she replied flatly.
“You have a point there. “He replied giving thought to her words.
Moments later, her name was called out. The stallion in the front desk handed Shining Armor a piece of paper containing a name of a place and a note signed by the lieutenant and instructed him to accompany her to the said place. Following the instructions, both of them soon found themselves in an inn. Shining Armor handed the note to the innkeeper and escorted them to the 2nd floor.
“This will be your temporary home till we find just where exactly you do live.” Shining Armor opened the door revealing the entire room. The room was simple in fact. It had a bed near the window on the corner. Beside the bed was a dresser. Across the dresser was a simple desk with a few parchments and quills on the table and a burned out candle sticking on the edge of the table. There were 2 windows in the room, one’s beside the bed while the other is facing the bed which gave an ample amount of lighting. “I’d love to stay and chat but… “ he grinned sheepishly “Duty calls.” He soon left her alone with the room all to herself.
“There you are!” a familiar voice called Shining Armor from behind the moment he left the door. “I heard the moment you went back you were seen playing hooky. Never thought that you had it in you.” he laughed as he patted Shining Armor’s back.
“I wasn’t playing hooky. “he removed the stallion’s hoof “she was just lost and it’s my duty to help her okay?”
“Right…” he smirked back. “So how was your date?”
“I told you it was no date!” he argued strongly. As their arguing voices continued to fade away while walking across the corridors the last words that were heard from Shining Armor was “… she was sort of okay…” before completely fading out.
Chrysalis walked towards the window as soon as she felt Shining Armor was no more. She opened the window and rested her right hoof on the edge of the window staring down on all of the ponies busy with their lives unnoticing her.
“Hello? Mother?” Her horn suddenly glowed green. The voice of the Queen of the Changelings projected inside her head like some form of telepathic communication. She slowly walked to the middle of the room. “Yes Mother. He doesn’t suspect a thing. Fortunately I was able to infiltrate the town without resorting to ‘those’ means. “She smirked. “No Mother of course not! He is just a pawn for our plan to rule Equestria that’s all.” She suddenly became annoyed. “I am a changeling, Mother! I feed on love not the other way around. “Her face became serious. "I will complete my mission. Anything for the swarm." she said with a determined tone on her voice.