//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20: Shine in the Eleventh Hour 
// Story: Penned IN 
// by Qwix 
//------------------------------//

	The city had yet to awake as they strolled through the streets. No shops were open, no stirring of movement gave sign that there was life here. The seven of them continued in silence, save for a few scattered yawns. Twilight led, at seeming full alert. Pennaprose kept pace with her, taking in the scenery.
Donut shops, small boutiques, numerous side alleys all paved in crimson brick... but it all seemed to be polished to a level of attention that he suspected Twilight would have given. The caste grew in size as they crossed through town, looming from the mountainside it was perched on. He sped up to Twilight's side.
"Hey Twilight... I've been meaning to ask you."
She twisted her neck to face him as she walked. "Yes?"
"I keep hearing about this 'Celestia' you all keep talking about," asked Pennaprose. "Who is she?"
"She's a Princess, like me," she said. "But I don't even compare. She's been the ruler of Equestria and the raiser of the sun for centuries, in addition to being my, er... former teacher."
"Former? What happened?"
"Nothing drastic, I assure you, " said Twilight cheerfully. "When I became a princess, Celestia told me that we were equals." She frowned and sighed wistfully. "I do miss having to send her reports on my research into friendship."
"Who says you still can't write to her from time to time?" said Pennaprose. "She seems revered. Does her position keep her too busy to respond to letters?"
"N-no..." stuttered Twilight. "Nothing like that... rather, both of us are rather busy. All the princesses are busy at any given time, really. Me, Celestia, Cadance, Luna... Even my own brother has his hooves full as Captain of the Royal Guard and Cadance's husband."
"Come again?"
"We'll meet him today, likely. He's at least had time to write, so I know he got transferred from the Crystal Empire for a brief spell to oversee a new head of guard's training here in Canterlot." said Twilight. "Maybe Luna as well. She might be sleeping this early in the morning though..."
He decided that enough questions were asked for now, despite his confusion at all these new terms. The entrance to the castle loomed in no time. As they stood before it, Twilight gave a refreshing sigh, then knocked. A moment of silence passed, then they creaked open. An imposing stallion wearing gold armor stood in the doorway.
"...Princess Twilight?" he inquired, rubbing his eyes. "What brings you unannounced to Canterlot this early in the... yaaawn... morning?"
"The train is back online, but we had to come on the overnight one. My business with Celestia cannot wait until more... decent hours, unfortunately. And I do not wish to discuss my issue in a letter, either. Care to let me and my party in?"
"Of course, your highness..."
The door opened wide, the sudden vortex of wind it created almost sucking them in. The hallway that stretched before them was breathtakingly quiet and serene, the morning light filtering through the countless stained glass windows, painting the floor in an explosive pallet. The dust from the carpets and walls was clearly visible in the light; there was magic here.
They followed the guard without comment. "I'm afraid that the Captain must meet your acquaintance first, Princess. Protocol, plus the current... change in political climate, you can understand."
"Is Shining Armor already awake?" asked Twilight. "Only his job would get him out of bed this early..."
Pennaprose's ears perked. Did the guard mean what he thought he meant?
They passed through a portcullis, entering a courtyard that was filled with numerous guards, all milling about at various task. Twilight galloped ahead and tackled the one with the biggest plume on his helmet.
"Shiny! Good morning, I've missed you!"
"Twily! Where'd you come from? ...And why this early in the morning?" asked Shining Armor. "...Your friends as well? This is a pleasure visit, I hope. I know how much harder it is for you to come out to the Crystal Empire."
"Sorry brother, no suck luck. I came to discuss an urgent matter with Celestia. But maybe you know something about it?"
He had a concerned look on his face. He quickly gestured to a pony that was wearing slightly more elaborate armor than the rest.
"Aegis Alloy, wrap up the exercises and direct the men to their posts for the day, ASAP. I've got things to discuss."
"Yis, sir. Righting away."
"Let's go inside, Twily," said Shining, walking through the portcullis. "I think I know what you're referring to."







"What do you mean, It's under control? Changeling activity is already suppressed?"
Shining Armor set down his cup of tea gently. "Of course. One of the two reasons I was called over in the first place was to help clear out a resurgence of changeling activity in the nearby area. I just didn't want to put that in a letter. It would only worry you."

The nine of them sat together in a rather cozy living room; despite the early hours, the fire was lit and merrily crackling.
Twilight grimaced. "If that's the case, then Ponyville got the crap end of that stick."
"Has there been changeling activity there as well?" asked Shining. "I was not aware of it."
"Yeah, and it sucks!" interjected Dash. "There was a mass kidnapping! Though most were recovered..."
"I am sorry to here that. But I assure you that at least while I'm in Canterlot, no changeling will breach the walls of Canterlot Castle."
Pennaprose was silently regarding this stallion. Like him, he had a white coat and was a unicorn. But next to him, he felt like a toothpick nest to a tree trunk. I could use some bulking up... he thought. It didn't help that his mane, now revealed when he took his helmet off, was a similar color set to Vinyl's.
"You said most were recovered, Dash? What of the one's that weren't?"
"Only one pony wasn't," Pennaprose said. "Her name is Lyra Heartstrings."
Shining Armor looked him over. "I'm afraid I do not know your name yet. Twilight, how rude of you not to introduce me to your, um... coltfriend?"
She blushed furiously. "Shining! He is not my coltfriend!"
"Yet," added Dash, a sly smirk plastered on her face. Twilight glared at the tea table, looking poised to hide under it.
"My name is Pennaprose Lochflow," he said. "I am not... from around Equestria proper, but Twilight has been nice enough to house me for the time being until I can return."
Shining raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? There goes first base already. My little sister's growing up!"
"That's what I said!" exclaimed Dash.
Twilight flailed her hooves at Shining, her normally magenta face practically the color of the setting sun. "Stopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstop! There's nothing weird going on, so drop it! Besides, there's other things to worry about right now!"
Pennaprose coughed. "She is referring to the fact that you may have missed a few changelings. One in particular, who we know to have set off for here yesterday afternoon."
He slowly took another sip of his tea. "Impossible. I have been improving my magical barrier to focus it's energies at any location of an attempted breech. Since the last encounter with Chrysalis, I've been modifying my magic barriers to be extra effective against changelings as well. I'm not Captain of the guard without a reason.
"Besides, there hasn't been any reported changeling sightings yesterday, or the day before that."
He fell silent for a moment, thinking. "...If you're so certain, then... thanks for the reassurance anyway. But there's another bit of business we have here, right Twilight?"
"...Yes!" she said, visibly relieved for the change in subject. "Shining, there is something that only Celestia can give me permission. It's about Pennaprose's return home."
"I won't ask any questions then," said Shining, rising from his couch. "Celestia rose the sun just a little while ago, so she's likely still awake. But still..."
He addressed every other pony in the room. "I'm sorry, but only Twilight may speak with her at this time. For security reasons. You can all understand, right?"
There was a silent murmur of agreement. "All right, then. I don't know how long Twily will take, so how about I direct you all to rooms for the time being? The train shouldn't have had left that much privacy, I'd imagine."
"Twilight, what do you say? Shouldn't we stick together?" asker Rarity.
She stared at the carpet, deep in thought. "...I think its safe for now," answered Twilight eventually. "I was worried about having to fight changelings to reach here, but I trust my brother. If he says that they're not in the castle, then we can afford to do our own things while in the castle."
"Excellent!" said Shining. "Celestia should be in her throne room. If the rest of you all will follow me, I can show you your rooms..."
They got up and left, following Shining Armor. Twilight waved bye as they came to a grandly designed double door, arching a few dozen feet high. She snuck through the door as the rest of them left.
One by one, Shining Armor directed them to rooms down a long hallway a ways away from the door Twilight entered. First Rarity, then Dash, followed by Fluttershy, AJ, Pinkie... finally, he was the only one left with Shining.
He paused by a window, staring out into the now mid-morning sun. "Tell me, Pennaprose. There is something Twilight isn't telling me about you... would it endanger somepony's safety if I'm right?"
He thought for a second, bewildered. "Not that I know of. My only secret will not matter if anypony knows it, should Twilight succeed in finding a way back home for me. ...Why do you ask?"
"Twilight and I are brother and sister; of course, you've not failed to pick that detail up," said Shining, grinning. "But we have a rule. There are no secrets between us. I can just feel that she was holding back from telling me something back there. And I can't shake the hunch that it has something to do with you."
"I don't know what she isn't telling you."
"But you do know something about the situation, at least. ...She likes you very much."
"Hey, she already denied it. I like her too, but there is another... I'd rather see safe first."
He smirked. "...You pass. It has been my responsibility to make sure she's safe as her older brother. Now, though... she's a powerful princess and I'm constantly away in another kingdom with Cadance, devoting my love and protection to a whole other world. She doesn't need my protection anymore... but honestly, you don't look exactly like a replacement candidate for her protector."
He scowled at him. He knew full well of his lack of muscle, but the comment stung regardless.
"I'm kidding, no need to glare at me like that. But beyond her own power... I feel relieved as her older brother that there's a stallion in her life that doesn't want her for what she is."
"...You are speaking of her position as a princess? Or her looks?"
"Both, actually. ...I am married to a princess, so I know full well how dangerous they can be to their enemies and themselves. Knowing Twilight is around you above other power-hungry fools puts my mind at ease..."
Pennaprose felt odd. Hearing Twilight's own brother give his blessing was nice, but he didn't really think he liked her that way.
"Thanks, I guess..."
"Well, I've rambled more than I need. Your room is over here..."
He gestured to the last door in the hallway, which had a crystal-clear doorknob and sat in the shadows. "Whatever Twily needs to talk about with Celestia, she shouldn't be long. I'm guessing it has something to do with getting you home?"
"...That is, at least, correct."
"Then that is all I need to know to make sure I've done my job right. Castle secured..."
Shining wandered off, his back at attention. Pennaprose felt a modicum of admiration for his sense of duty as he watched him go. Twilight's lucky to have family like that... he thought warmly.
He shook the happy thought, his original goal setting itself back in now that he was alone in this admittedly gorgeous room.
I'm no closer to finding Lyra with this. In fact, Twilight's only lead ended up cold... after she's done, we need to figure out where in this city to look next, he thought grimly. Maybe the sewers or something... somewhere that could hide a changeling or a hundred of them...
He popped open his laptop, a fresh document already open. He started typing in a frenzy, thinking of possible places to look based off his memory of the walk through the city.

I'll be damned if I let this slow me down now, he told himself.







A hour later, he began to slow. Not just from exhausting his ideas, but also from worry.
Shouldn't Twilight have finished up with Celestia by now? What's taking her? he thought.
He also wondered why the others didn't bother popping in at some point. He had his laptop, but he bet at least Dash couldn't entertain herself for this long without flying outside.
Or Rarity, at least. I'd have expected her to wander a little.
"Maybe nopony cares to check in on me..." he said aloud to nopony. "...Nah... couldn't be the case. Maybe they're all just napping...?"
Even he couldn't convince himself. He shut his laptop and put it back in its bag, getting up to leave.
A sudden thump emitted from the ceiling, making him pause. He listened for a moment, then continued to try and leave. Another thump, a louder one, stopped him completely. He turned to look at the source; as he looked onwards, dust shook off the ceiling as a third thump emanated.
Without warning, the entire ceiling gave way, caving a large hole there and depositing a mass of midnight blue and stone on his bed. All he could think was a feeling of gratitude that he moved when he did.
"Damn... magic mis-calibrations, not enough space dust... *cough* Two feet higher than I need, two..."
The blue mass got up, revealing to be an unusually tall alicorn. Her mane seemed to be made of air as it stirred the remains of the dust cloud. She turned in circles on the bed, investigating her disaster.
"...Oops. Celie's gonna kill me later... Ah! Hello!"
She noticed him, jumping off the bed and crushing the remains of the ceiling fan in the process.
"Owowow... Sorry about the mess, I meant to teleport a little lower. But you are Pennaprose Lochflow, correct?"
He just stared.
"Or are you an animate mannequin conjured by dark magic?" said the mare, waving a hoof in his face. "Helloooooo?"
"...What. The fuck. Is even." That was all he could manage at the moment.
"The fuck is even more than you know, sir. ...Oh, I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. I'm not used to needing to do that, most ponies recognize me right way. Ahahahaha!"
This bizarre alicorn was beginning to scare him. He had half a mind to kick the door down and bolt for it.
"I am Princess Luna, Celestia's sister. Regent of Night, Duchess of Dreams, and governor of all things that hide in the shadows. I've known about your appearance in Equestria from minute one, and I am perfectly aware that you are half a former human."
Any remnant of feeling in legs and mind disappeared.
"...Maybe I should have been more subtle about it? Sorry. But there isn't much time to explain, I'm afraid..."
"Well excuuuuse me, princess," he said, feeling returning to his mouth at least. "But if I may politely inquire... WHY THE FUCK DOES EVERYONE KNOW THAT?!? It's like I shouldn't even bother calling it a secret anymore!"
She regarded him fondly. "Good Royal Canterlot Voice impression! Definitely should have been more subtle though... Bah, I'm getting off track. I have my sources, but for now, screw being subtle.

"Pennaprose, your friends are in danger."

He was about to say something about pots and kettles, but her statement stopped him short. "...E-e-excuse me?"
She let out a cleansing breath. "...Okay. Don't panic now... No panicking... but everything in the castle is not okay. Celestia is not in control of herself. Changelings control this castle, and thus Canterlot, from the shadows..."
"What?! Shining Armor said–"
"–That no changeling would breach the castle walls. They didn't... they infiltrated from below." She twirled in circles, clearly nervous.
"Chrysalis... damn her. She managed to slip my sister a drug without anypony noticing. I would have fallen to it too if my agency didn't intercept it early..."
"Okay..." said Pennaprose, breathing heavily. "Slow down, explain. Right now, there's nothing to convince me you're not just a raving lunatic."
"I don't even have fleas!"
"NOT HELPING."
She stopped spinning, settling down slowly.
"...Okay, but here's not the ideal place to discuss critical information. We'll enter the hyperdream realm first."
Before he could ask, she pointed her horn directly at the ground. The magic that flowed from it seemed to be made of liquid silver as it bounced off the ground heavily. In seconds, it formed a loop, enclosing the remnants of her magic to form a portal of some kind. It seemed to emanate a benign chill.
"Follow me..."
She stepped through the portal unflinchingly. Pennaprose hesitated a moment, but followed anyway.







"You head an agency called PINCH, who's purpose is to collaborate with 3 other nations bordering Equestria to avoid starting wars... all behind the scenes."
Luna nodded.
"Celestia is under the influence of a drug that is laced with Chrysalis's magic, meaning that this Chrysalis can remotely influence your sister's decisions and rule Equestria vicariously."
She nodded again.
"Twilight, Fluttershy, Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, AJ, and Shining Armor were all ambushed within the last hour and are being held somewhere down below. In the caves that apparently exist beneath this castle."
She nodded a third time.
He paused, feeling a little lightheaded. Then again, the place they were in made everything seem light. The second he had stepped through the portal, he felt weightless. Starry skies filled every corner of his vision; Luna herself didn't seem to be entirely solid anymore.
He scowled. "And you just watched all this happen and did nothing about it, despite the fact that you are a powerful alicorn."
She gave a wide, cheesy grin, but it quickly faded into a grimace. "Numbers are a more powerful force than anypony can overcome. Chrysalis knows this... I couldn't do anything to prevent them all, let alone one. They were all captured within moments of each other! But there's... another reason..."
"What, then?"
She twiddled her front hooves. "I only barely managed to escape from capture myself, back when I first found out about the drug. Two or three changelings at once normally shouldn't be a problem... but I barely escaped with my life while facing a single commander. I couldn't even begin to think about trying to free them... not when there was three commanders there."
He grunted in annoyance. "So what makes you think I'll fare any better against them than you? Little McSkinnyquills over here isn't exactly built for daring rescue missions on his own."
"That's just it. I can't... but I've been eavesdropping on a certain commander. Gosthette, I believe her name is?" she mused. "I took a brief peek into her mind while she power napped a while ago. She does not dream... but she can't stop thinking of you. To you, she's an ally in disguise."
His face fell flat. "Riiiight. You're the only one who's dreaming here, Luna. She's heartless, even if she doesn't want to harm me. Besides, that's one commander out of who knows how many. How do you figure I can make it down there in one piece?"
"I know something we can do that'll get us both down there undetected... but you'll need to get used to being ghostly for a bit longer."
The portal re-opened, this time bright and warm. "Come..."
He followed without a second thought. This hyperdream realm was beginning to feel too unnatural. He jumped through, but never hit the ground. The feeling of weightlessness did not disappear.
"...I'm still a ghost."
"A dream!" came his voice. He froze in mild shock.
His own body was staring at him, albeit with light blue eyes instead of his usual emerald ones. And standing there. And smiling.
"...UH..."
"I'm going to possess your body for a brief while we trek down to the caves. I didn't sense any guards down there earlier, so there's that..." His voice was mostly the same, but he could still hear Luna's spritely tone in it.
"...Tell me how that's even possible. While we run there."
She said nothing, instead letting her... his horn glow an odd purple. A heat haze enveloped her—his body.
Gods, this is confusing... he thought.
"I know you're probably sick of hearing it by now, but... follow me!"
He was already out the door.







The entrance to the caves loomed in the stone before the pair. It was grand, imposing; the smooth, polished castle walls receded into rough, uncut stone. There were occasional stones that emitted light, embedded into the sides of the wall down the hall.
"Okay..." said his body. "We made it. That dream cloak I cast did the job."
His body lied down; Luna's ethereal form floated out of it, letting it flop to the floor. "Get back in your body, quick."
He needed no further word. He was beginning to think that if he stayed as a ghost any longer, he would get caught by the wind and float through a wall, never to be seen again.
He swan dove into his limp body, a feeling of suffocation enveloping him as he tried to readjust to being solid again.
His eyes snapped open. "...Right. Let's never do that again," he said.
Luna wasn't paying attention. Rather, her eyes were closed. "...Luna?" he asked.
She said nothing; instead, she turned slightly to the left and nodded downwards. "...Ah. There they are."
"Luna?"
"Sorry. I was pinpointing their location by the presence of their dreams. They're not to far from here... though... there's an extra I can't be sure of who where they are right now."
She flapped her wings anxiously. "More of a problem is that I can't distinguish changelings from the stone around them that way. We're going in blind..."

"Yes, you are, Princess."