//------------------------------// // On-the-Job-training 6 // Story: Should I? // by The Collapsed Library //------------------------------// As Twilight stalked around a bend leading to her room, she couldn't help but wonder about her stealthy partner. She knew very little about changelings as a species, and most of what she did know had been learned in the heat of combat. Putting off her need to learn for the time being, she scanned the hallway leading to her room: this section of the castle seemed to have the least amount of activity, no doubt due to the short-lived invasion, and she intended to capitalize on that. Walking brusquely, she managed to reach the door far faster than she'd meant to and accidentally rammed her armored shoulder through the door frame. Quickly entering the room and moving past the entryway, she proceeded to stand in front of the hole she'd inadvertently created at the start of this whole mess and turned to face the queen. The queen had adopted a defensive posture, no doubt due to the lack of a certain purple unicorn, and was glancing fearfully between the armored mare before her and the hole. "Where is Twilight Sparkle?" The queen asked, no small amount of trepidation evident in her voice. Her eyes were darting spheres of emerald fire, her teeth bared, and it was then that Twilight fully realized how intimidating a sickly changeling could really be. "You're looking at her," Twilight replied as she grasped her helm and gave a slight tug. There was a sudden hiss of depressurization as the seal between the suit and helm was broken, and then it was off and resting on the surprisingly intact table. As she set it down she felt the suit shift, and when she looked in the mirror the suit had taken on a seemingly liquid quality similar to when she initially claimed it. The suit seemed to make up its mind after a while and remolded itself into a simple, yet form-fitting dress. "Wait," Chrysalis said, pointing her hoof at Twilight, "you mean to tell me that YOU, as you are, can convince your friends and family to hear me out?" She DOES have a point, your friends haven't seen you like this yet. Hmm, I guess you're right... well what should we do then? Well we could-Hold up! Something very powerful is coming this way! Can you identify it? "You know, you and your friend share a fascinating bond." As Chrysalis spoke Twilight whirled and advanced on the queen. "What do you mean by that?" She was nose to nose with the bug as she spoke, "and another thing, do YOU know what's coming toward us?" "To answer your second question I can only assume you mean the magical signature flying through the air towards us, and if that's so then it appears to be my sister and queen of sloth, Imago." As she spoke she pushed past the armored mare and walked towards the window-like hole, "as for the first question, you and your friend can communicate in a way very similar to the method a changeling queen uses to instruct her drones." Before Twilight could respond a rather healthy looking changeling entered the room and stood by Chrysalis. She was lean, but not to the degree that Chrysalis was, with amethyst highlights as opposed to Chrysalis' aquamarine and a stature to match the aforementioned queen. As she walked towards Twilight's surprisingly intact couch, she left an aroma in the air that spoke of pleasant nights and soft, comfortable sheets. Twilight had to shake her head more than once to bring her mind back to the focus at hand. "Imago, I assume?" As Twilight spoke, she drew up into a posture that spoke to her years as a court adviser. "Aw, Chryssi already made the introductions. That's no fun big sister, I enjoy that part." Imago sarcastically whined before performing a mock bow and dipping into an older, more official, dialect of equestrian, "now I ask thy name ye who wear the armor of an equestrian ranger, defenders of your people and demons of the changeling tales of the green war." "Her name is Twilight Sparkle," Chrysalis suddenly stepped in-front of the mare in question and advanced on her sister, "and she has no need of your platitudes nor your pheromones," as she spoke she forced her sister to take a seat on the couch, and almost instantly the smell emanating from the queen dispersed, "personally I like diplomats to be alert when I speak to them let alone a mare with a hoof blaster on her flank." Her tirade done, Chrysalis dropped to the couch as well right next to her sister. She had not sat down for more than a second however, when Imago sprang back out of her chair and approached Twilight, albeit more tentatively than before. "So you're the Twilight Sparkle I've heard so much about, I must say that my infiltrators description did not do you justice." Imago complimented as she circled the mare in question. For her part Twilight restrained her curiosity and instead of mobbing the queen with questions she turned to face her. "'Infiltrators?' Might I inquire as to what those are?" Twilight asked in her most saccharine tone. Upon hearing the question both queens appeared to light up "An infiltrator is one of our more long-term placements for love gathering, they may spend an entire equestrian life cycle playing the part of the same pony." The queen of sloth responded, "You actually know one or two if my memory is to be believed: one Mayor Mare of Ponyville, who is not actually one of mine or Chrysalis', and Quiet Scribe of Canterlot who is in fact one of mine." Twilight was definitely shocked to hear the first name--she knew the mayor was strange, but this beat almost all other conclusions out the window--but it was the second name that gave her pause; while her memory of her childhood was rather vague, she was almost certain she HAD known a Quiet Scribe at some point, and judging by the look on Imago's face she probably figured that Twilight should. Taking a chance Twilight decided to inquire about the name. "I believe I do--in fact--know Quiet Scribe, but I only remember her by name. Would you care to refresh my memory?" The queen looked rather excited at this response, "I can do you one better than that young one, I can personally re-introduce you!" Before Twilight could respond another Changeling flew in through the destroyed wall and took it's place next to Imago, who appraised it with an almost motherly interest. "This is my first-born infiltrator, she has played the role of Quiet Scribe the entire time the name has existed." "I see," Twilight stated as she approached the infiltrator, "hello, I believe you know me, but I don't really remember you. Could you please help me?" The infiltrator turned its eyes to it's queen, and only when she had nodded her assent did it turn back to Twilight. Almost as soon as their eyes locked the infiltrator erupted into amethyst flames, causing Twilight to backpedal to a safer distance. As the flames died down, Twilight was surprised to see that they had left a mare with a cream coat, and a slightly lighter colored mane, in the place of the infiltrator. The mare looked around the room, and as soon as her eyes settled on Twilight her expression shifted to one of excitement. Rushing forward, she wrapped Twilight in a hug and started babbling incoherently.