There were no words that could accurately describe what it felt like to come home and find that my girls were gone. It reminded me of when Lilac ran away, if only to find myself in an empty house.
It sent me into a panic. I ran to Fluttershy’s, hoping she could help me find the girls. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew Lilac and Cookie were probably safe wherever they ended up being. That I was blowing things out of proportion. The rest of my mind wasn’t listening. They could have gone to a Crusader’s meeting, or even to Sugarcube Corner for cupcakes, but I needed to see my girls right now.
“Fluttershy! I can’t find Lilac and-” I stopped at the living room, seeing the small griffin clapping around with Fluttershy’s birds. “-Cookie?”
The griffon smiled at me, giggling as she stopped chasing a bird. “Hey Mama!” She laughed. “I’m gonna get a bird!”
“No Cookie. Please don’t eat Fluttershy’s birds.” I scolded tiredly. My heart was racing after the near panic attack. With I looked at Lilac. “What happened, and why are you having a tea party with-...Discord?”
The draconequus was a surprise to see in this house. I hadn’t seen him in months, not since I started dating...well it’d been awhile.
“Mister Bumblebee sent us here. I think something was wrong at his house.” Lilac explained. She poured a cup of tea for a squirrel. “Then he went looking for you.” She looked up at Discord. “One lump or two?”
“Three, if you please.” Discord eagerly held out his tea saucer. Lilac added the three cubes.
My head was buzzing with all the confusion of the past hour.
‘Okay, the panic attack’s coming back.’ “Fluttershy, whose cutiemark did you get by mistake when Twilight’s spell failed?”
“W-What?”
“Answer the question. It’s important.”
“Pinkie Pie’s.” Fluttershy answered, looking over to Lilac and Discord in confusion. “Morgan, what is this about-”
“Correct. Discord, what movie did we watch the day you were reformed?”
“Cat in the Hat. You told me you turned Celestia into the busybody girl, and Luna into the chaotic boy in a dreamscape.” He grinned, showing off his one fang. “This is why we’re friends.”
“You’re both you. Great.” I turned my head to my daughter. “Lilac. Name anyone that works in the Centre.”
My daughter tilted her head. “Mom, what’s going on?”
“Classified. Please answer the question. There’s a method to my madness.”
“You’re kinda weirding me out...Katelynn. With a K.” Lilac answered.
“Cookie!” I grabbed the child with my magic mid-flight. She tilted her head in confusion, scratching at whatever was holding her up.
I turned her towards me. She smiled with a gasp. “Mama! Did you come to play?!”
“How did I find you at the orphanage?”
“Mama, I was at the pound!” Cookie corrected, giggling. She was spinning herself around in my magic hold. “I was a cat but now I’m a cat-bird!”
I let out a deep breath of relief. I dropped Cookie down on a nearby chair. “Okay. You’re all you. Grown-ups, kitchen.”
“But Mom you said-” Lilac began.
“Kids. Keep up that tea party, please.”
“Tea party!” Cookie squealed. She flew down to her sister’s side, taking one of the large tea cups in her griffon claws. “I want a biscuit now!” She told Lilac.
The ten year old was giving me a pleading look. I was already guiding Fluttershy and Discord to the kitchen. “I promise, I’ll explain this later, when it’s safe. I’m freaking out right now, and I need to think. Okay? I can’t even explain it to me.”
Lilac was still hesitant.
“Promise love you bye!” I closed the door to her kitchen, turning to the confused grown-ups left behind. “Have you heard about Bumblebee?” I asked Discord.
He harrumphed. “Yes. This mysterious coltfriend I’ve yet to meet.” He crossed his arms, turning his nose up at me before turning his back to me. “It hurts that you haven’t introduced us.”
“If I’m right, then you might not get the chance.” I replied cryptically.
Fluttershy blinked in confusion. “Has something having to Bumblebee?”
“I think so. He broke up with me on the way home.” Fluttershy gasped, while Discord’s eyes rolled to the back of his head to stare at me in surprise (or I think so, it was hard to tell without the eyebrows). “But here’s a thing I don’t get. He said they were nothing but stupid brats. Why send my daughters here, instead of leaving them home alone like he said he did?”
“It doesn’t sound like him.” Fluttershy rubbed her hoof on her chin.
“Hmm...that is odd.” Discord relented. He turned to face me, but his eyes stayed on the back of his head. “Such a shame. Fluttershy was told me such good things him.”
“If things don’t make sense, then someone is trying to claim your title. Thought you’d be more concerned.” I pointed out to him/
Discord snapped his fingers. “Raspberry, why are so slow? We simply must tell Twilight before it’s too late!”
‘Hopefully she’s still her.’
There was no debate on who was coming with me.
Discord had put a protective bubble around Fluttershy’s home. Any changeling is going to be hard pressed to get inside. It was actually just a giant fly trap, but it looked like Shining Armor’s pink glowing shield. If they were stuck, they stayed until I came back to break their changelings bones for coming near my daughters.
Once that was taken care of, Discord and I made our way to the Library. It was a long run to town. Discord didn’t want to fly. He was just sitting on my head, tiny and holding my mane.
“Raspberry hi!” Spike greeted in over enthusiastic cheer. He started running beside me. I kinda ignored him in light of the bigger picture. “What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t uh-Bumblebee-”
“Spike. How did I find you in the human world?” I snapped instead.
“Which human world?” Spike asked. “I was stuck in your locker in your world, and in Sunset’s we were in the gym.”
“Bonus points for being a smartass.” I winked at him, using magic to lift him up onto my back.
“I wasn’t trying to be.” Spike admitted. He held onto my mane. I kept up my brisk pace towards the library.
“You lost the bonus points, dude.”
“Okay. Umm...where’s Bumblebee?” Spike asked. “Why is Discord on your
“Why are you asking?”
“He was going to tell you something-something really important.” Spike explained. “He told me everything, so I told him he should tell you!”
“He did tell me something important. But it’s less important now, because of things.” I explained.
I made a hard stop. It caused both Spike and Discord to come flying off my head. Spike fell with a cloud of dust, Discord poofed up overhead.
“Hey! Be careful with the breaks!” Discord whined. He mimed brushing off his coat. “Some of us were trying to relax.
“What do you mean he told you everything?” I asked Spike sternly.
“...we. Uh.” Spike gulped.
It made even less sense, only helping my theory. If Spike looked as happy as he did, I doubt the real Bumblebee would have wanted to break up with me.
There was another piece of the puzzle that made things so much worse. The feeling of dread was growing in my gut.
“We need to get to Twilight!” Spike shouted.
“A bit late to the party.” Discord commented.
“I think Twilight is already a changeling. Fluttershy, Lilac, and Cookie will be fine. Discord put them in a bubble thing. I spoke to Twilight about an hour ago, but I think there’s trouble.”
“You think-huh what?” Spike blinked at me in disbelief.
“They already took Celestia’s prized student?” Discord asked. “Whatever they’re planning, it’s pretty good. I’ll give them that.”
“I told her to send a letter to Celestia and Tracy. Twilight hates using her phone, she likes to send real letters. I doubt Celestia would be able to answer the phone now anyway. This time of day, she’d be dealing with the day courts. Your dragon fire is the only thing that Celestia could answer right now.” I explained.
“Yeah. That’s right.” Spike agreed.
“If Twilight really did send it, then why aren’t you already at the library panicking with her?”
There was a stretch of silence.
“We need to see Twilight.” I stated cryptically. With magic, I lifted both back onto my back and continued running to the Library.
Once the three of us made it to the library, there was a weird quiet in the air. The kind that was building tension that no sane person would be in.
No one had ever claimed I was.
We all hid up on the balcony.
The changeling posing as Twilight, and the one posing Bumblebee, were waiting in the middle of the floor by the stallion’s head. Twilight looked more stern than I had ever seen her. She was angrily pacing the floor. Bumblebee...he was just putting some black rocks down on the ground.
It was hurting my heart to see him so soon, I was forcing myself to remember he wasn’t my real coltfriend.
Rather than focusing on him, I decided to talk about the other changeling. “She’s not wearing her lab coat.” I whispered to the two boys (cause let’s face it, Discord was a boy at heart). “The one I had Rarity make for her.”
“What?” Spike stuck his head up, spying through the window. “She’s not.”
“The changelings must’ve kept it on her when she was taken.” I reasoned.
“But why not just replicated the coat on itself?” Discord asked. He leaned on his arm, resting his eagle elbow on his lion’s paw. “It looks ridiculous-and not in the fun way.”
“Maybe clothes are difficult to replicate? Or...something to do with Rarity’s magic? I don’t know. I just defeated them at their invasion, I’m not the expert on changelings.” I grunted.
“He probably just thought it was cuter than the other one!” A chirpy voice suddenly guessed.
I wasn’t even surprised. There was some distant part of me, deep inside, that saw that as a problem. “Pinkie, what are you doing here?”
“I got a new idea for your birthday party!” Pinkie cheered. She poke my back, pulling out a scrapbook. “I watched that SuperWhoLock-”
“Bit busy at the moment, Pinkie.” My reply was a held back growl.
“You’re not going to question her?” Discord asked. He unhappily crossed his arms over his chest.
“She showed up out of nowhere, talking about SuperWhoLock. If she’s not Pinkie, I’ll jump off the balcony.” ‘Though a dark part of me wants to just to shut everything up.’
“Bumblebee? What’s he doing with Twilight?” Pinkie asked. She squished her face against the window.
“We broke up. Or, at least, that broke up with me.” Pulling her back, I glared her in the eye. “Now shh!”
She zipped her mouth shut.
Discord smiled at her. “You should come by for tea. I bet you’re great at parties!”
Pinkie bobbed her head, making the zipper smile.
“Zips!” I ordered.
Discord zipped his lips. Pinkie shoved a hoof against Spike’s face.
The Twilight changeling was still pacing about the library. “Is it ready yet?” She snapped at the Bumblebee changeling.
“Just one more.” The Bumblebee one replied. He placed a fourth stone on the ground.
Immediately, the rocks turned out not to be rocks. They were black scarabs. The scarabs spread out their wings, shooting out green flames. The four scarabs connected their green flames to make a square. Once there was a square, the four scarabs joined together and rose up like a camera’s tripod. They top point made large fiery orb which soon showed the image of-
ZIP “Queen Chrysalis!” Pinkie gasped. I zipped her lips. She murmured in protest.
The Queen eyed her two soldiers, rolling her eyes in distaste. “Ugh. I can’t take you seriously when you look like that.”
“Oh, right.”
The changelings changed to their natural forms of insectoid black. Spike gasped beneath Pinkie’s hoof. I shoved my own hoof beside Pinkie’s. The Twilight one threw off the old lab coat.
Queen Chrysalis grinned toothily. “Much better.” She hissed. “Now report!”
“Everything here is going according to plan! I’ve replaced the princess!” The changeling boasted.
“One of them.” The other added. He glared at the other one. “I was about to go after the Great Betrayer, your Majesty, when I was asked to come report.”
Queen Chrysalis waved a hoof in nonchalance. “No matter. With any luck, she’ll be on her way to us right now. The other scouting party is making efforts to retrieve her two brats now.” I made a noiseless growl.
“Soon, the others will have claimed the other Elements of Harmony!” One changeling assured their Queen.
Glancing over at Pinkie, I gave her a warning stare. If she did turn out to be a changeling, I’d kick her ass. The party pony shook her head, holding up the hoof not in Spike’s mouth. She did the motions for a Pinkie Promise. It was enough for me.
“And I’ve just received word that the princesses from Canterlot have successfully been replaced as well.” Chrysalis went on. “And Princess Cyanide has captured the traitor. Everything’s going to plan perfectly!”
The three changelings started laughing.
“We thought too small last time.” Chrysalis monologued. “One ponynapped princess wasn’t enough. With all the most beloved ponies of Equestria taken care of, nopony can stop us!”
That was all I needed to hear.
“Discord, get us out of here!” I hissed.
“Why don’t you?” Discord asked in a stage whisper.
I kicked his goat leg. “Kids in danger. Jokes come later.” And fuck me that rhymed. My leg lifted for another kick. “Move us to Fluttershy’s now!”
He figured out that my next kick wouldn’t go to either of his legs. He snapped his claw.
The draconequus teleported us back to Fluttershy’s. We weren’t taken inside the bubble, just outside of it.
I made a heavy sigh. There wasn’t time to rest now. I had to go and save Equestria, except this time without any idea of how it was going to turn out, and without any of the other Princesses.
The changelings coming after my family and friends was a fact now. There wasn’t time for my internal crisis. Yet my mind decided to have one anyway.
Pinkie murmured behind her zipper. With barely a thought, I gave her a nod. She unzipped her lips loudly. “Who’s the Great Betrayer?” Pinkie asked.
“As much as we want to say otherwise.” Discord curled around my neck like a scarf. “I think it’s our favorite Traveler princess here.”
I didn’t say anything against it.
“We should get to the Crystal Empire.” Spike suggested. “If...if the Princesses are gone, then we go to Cadence!”
“No, Chrysalis has a revenge plot. Her first move would’ve been to take Mia and Shining.” I argued, my internal panic quickly becoming external. “The Crystal Empire is down.”
There was a heavy silence in our little circle.
“We don’t have long before a changeling comes here for Fluttershy, or one to Sugarcube Corner for you, Pinkie.” I explained in a rush. “They’ll make a report that neither of you can be foalnapped. She’ll send more changelings after you. We don’t have long before then.”
“They won’t get to Fluttershy.” Discord stated strongly, still a scarf around my neck. Dare I say angrily? Cause those shudders I was feeling on my fur felt more like growls than anxious shaking. “Or those two little puffballs. I wouldn’t risk them like that.”
“And I thank you for that.” That was some weight off my shoulders.
“So we should hurry to Chrysalis’ Hive to bring everypony back!” Pinkie decided.
“How do we do that, Pinkie? We don’t even know where the Hive is.” I pointed out.
“You know whenever ponies talk about powerful magic, they always leave me out.” Discord commented. “If I weren’t so evolved, I might decide to take it personally.”
“Discord, though I’d really like to see what you evolved from, let’s have that discussion later.” I instructed. “Does that mean you know where her hive is?”
Discord scoffed, offended. “Of course I can take you there! What kind of spirit of chaos and disharmony would I be if I couldn’t find one mesley changeling hive? Who do you think I am?”
I gave him a humoring smile. It fell flat when I turned to the dragon in our group.
“Spike, I have a feeling I won’t like this answer. What was the big important thing Bumblebee wanted to tell me?” I interrogated.
Spike winced. “I can’t. He wanted to tell you himself.”
I glared at the dragon, impatient. “Does it have anything to do with what happened today?”
“Wha? No, why would it?” Spike asked, visually sweating.
“Because things that happen in Equestria never happen by coincidence.” I reasoned. “They decided he was important enough to replace. They took ponies important to me, yeah, but it’s the ponies important to Equestria they care about. Taking my daughters would be great. Taking my...taking Bumblebee is just overkill, unless he knew something. So if he had something to tell me, it has something to do with what’s happening now. He’s a prisoner of the changelings now.”
“Well...what he told me...he said he was going to tell you earlier.” Spike explained.
“He didn’t. We just talked then fell asleep on the couch.” The memory came to me as bittersweet now. Damn that changeling! “So just tell me.”
“I can’t!” Spike shouted.
There was a long moment where I glared down at Spike. Then it came to me with great shame that I had tried to intimidate him. I was trying to scare Spike to get him to talk. This whole business was fucking with my head.
“Discord. We need to get to the Changeling Empire.” I growled.
Discord snapped his eagle claw again.