Spike couldn't say a word. Crystal Hoof had been a changeling this entire time! How he could have been so stupid! They were in a place surrounded by Changelings, of course they were going to impersonate real ponies! But usually when a changeling tried to take a pony's place they do such a horrible job of it. With Crystal Hoof or Thorax as that was his real name, had been acting like any other pony would, it was no wonder he didn't figure it out.
Thorax explained, "I was sent to you to retrieve information. The queen wants you stopped so she can conquer all of Equestria."
Spike questioned in confusion, "Why tell me this?"
Thorax stated, "Because I'm your friend…"
Spike's mouth gape wide open.
"Everything I said to you was true, Spike. I am different from the rest of my kind… I know now that we don't have to drain love but rather… share it… Please say you believe me…" he looked on with pleading eyes.
Spike didn't know what to say. Thorax did seem different from the rest of the changelings and he did just save his life just now by revealing his true form. At the same time he was capable of deceit so he couldn't know for sure if Thorax's words were true or not.
He said, "Thorax, I would like to believe you but I'm having a hard time figuring out if you're truly sincere…"
Thorax looked hurt and was about to reply when changelings from around the city gathered around and with them they held The Elements, Cadence, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart in captive.
One changeling told Thorax, "You fool, you weren't suppose to reveal yourself! The queen was counting on you to gain his trust!"
Applejack inquired, "Spike, what's he talking about?"
Spike sighed, "Guys, meet Crystal Hoof's real self…" The group gasped with him apologizing, "I'm sorry…"
Once they were chained and brought into the throne room, the head changeling guard told them, "The Queen will be here momentarily to decide your fate. In the meantime, enjoy what loving minutes you have left before our queen takes it away." he slightly chuckled making them scowl.
Spike could notice Thorax was the only one of the changelings in the room to have a solemn look on his face. Making the dragon think, Maybe he was telling the truth after all…
Beside him, Applejack whispered, "Please tell me you have a plan to get us out of this…"
Spike whispered back, "I'm working on it…"
"That's good, at least you're thinking it over unlike the time you tried to cook rice in your stomach by eating it raw and then drank boiling water…"
He gave an exasperation look, "You're just never going to let that go are you?"
"Well it still amazes me to this day how you never scalded yourself on the inside."
He smirked, "Iron stomach, baby… Iron stomach…"
She shook her head.
Thorax could sense the affection between the two across the room and so did every other changeling in the room as one complained quietly, "I wish the queen would hurry up, I'm getting hungry just by looking at them as they make those goo-goo eyes at each other."
Chrysalis and Zecora made their way down the Crystal Palace's hallways with the queen going over her lines on how she would greet the dragon.
"Greetings, Dragon… we meet at last… Yes, that's it… Greetings, Dragon! We meet at last!"
Zecora pointed, "Though your plans are best laid, there is a reason you are afraid…"
She hissed, "I'm not afraid of him! He's the one who should fear me!"
"The bravado in your words is not true. I sense a deep fear in you."
Chrysalis gave off an annoyed look.
When they had entered into the throne room, the queen gazed upon the captives with a smirk. She chuckled, "So the crystal princess and prince had an adorable brat…"
Cadence gritted her teeth and retorted, "Don't you dare call our daughter that!"
Shining mentioned with a clenched jaw, "And if you so much as hurt her… so help us we will-"
"Silence!" the queen commanded before she smirked again, "Now… the little princess will not come to harm… but it's only if her parents will cooperate in my plans…" she turned to two of her guards, "Escort their highnesses back to their cell and make sure they stay there…" then she told two other guards, "And you will lock the little one in a separate room and make sure she doesn't escape…"
Cadence, Shining, and Flurry were able to embrace one last time before they were force apart while the Elements and the Dragon Warrior were force to watch the heartbreaking scene as they were taken out the room and out of their sight.
Chrysalis brought their attention back on her as she paced the room with an evil grin. "Now then… what shall we do with these interlopers that have come to spoil my plans…? Let's start with the dragon…" she slowly approached the creature that was close to her height, "Hm… I was expecting something a little more… intimating…"
Zecora began to examined him much Spike's discomfort, "At least he's grown up bigger than I'd hope. Strong, too, as the thickest rope," she opened his mouth to look inside with her voice echoing, "and healthy, I see…"
When she let go Spike exchanged a confuse look with the girls.
"This is the warrior that's destined to defeat me?" Chrysalis questioned with doubt.
"I do not, Your Highness. I know he is…"
The queen started to laugh loudly, "But look at him! He's nothing but a puny thing!"
Spike protested, "Hey! I'm way bigger then what I was three years ago!"
Pinkie piped up, "Yeah! He was way puny then!"
Rarity muttered, "Not helping, Pinkie dear…"
The queen still chuckled, "Oh, look at him. A lifetime to plot his revenge and he comes to me on his knees!"
Spike questioned, "What? A lifetime? I did not have a lifetime. I've only heard of you from Twilight and the girls when you attacked Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding. This is the first time I've ever seen you and man, are you uglier in person."
Chrysalis hissed at his words while the girls tried to contain their giggles. But Fluttershy had noticed a bee in the room and beckon it to help unlock their chains. Zecora however seem concern as she questioned to the dragon.
"Are you sure you never met her before? That you have come to avenge nothing else for her deeds of yore?"
Spike furrowed a brow, "No, but should I?"
Zecora's eyes widen, "Oh, no…You do not know…"
"Know what?" he noticed Chrysalis was laughing again, "What's so funny?"
She proclaimed, "The very thing that you clearly do not know!"
Spike was growing frustrated, "Ok, enough of these riddles! Would you guys spill the beans?!"
Chrysalis smirked more evilly, "And why should I…? With you as an ignorant incompetent fool, I have no need to worry about you stopping me…"
Zecora quickly spoke up, "She is the reason why you live the way you do!"
"What?" Spike question in confusion.
The queen glared at the zebra, "Blabbermouth."
At that moment their chains came off and the Elements immediately went into battle mode. The queen ordered her soldiers, "Stop them!"
As the Elements fought off her minions, Spike went for the queen and demanded, "What does the zebra mean it's because of you I live the way I do!"
Chrysalis's smirk grew more, "Do you really want to know…? I can't guarantee you'll like what you'll hear…"
With a determined look, he stated, "Tell me…"
"Very well… Let's just say I know exactly why you live with the ponies…"
His eyes widen, "You do?"
"Very…" she grinned maliciously before she shoved him out the window!
Applejack gasped when she saw this and rushed to him, luckily his claws had held to the window's ledge. "Hang on! I got ya!" she started pulling him back in.
Spike grabbed on and briefly looked down with a fretful look on his face, "Don't let go!"
"Never!" she called back. But behind her, the queen ordered a changeling to push her out. "Whoa!" she felt her herself falling out while Spike still held tight to her hooves, even now in that frightful moment, that fuzzy feeling between them was there.
But fortunately the others saw their predicament and came to the rescue. Unfortunately for them, the changelings gave all a quick shove and they all started falling out the castle except for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash as they quickly used their wings to grab a tent cover from the marketplace and caught their friends in it. And gently lowered them to the ground.
Chrysalis had seen the whole thing, yelling, "Idiots! Bring them back here!"
The changelings buzzed out of the throne room doors but Thorax was held back by the queen's magic. He gulped upon seeing how threatening she was looking.
She said in a low tone, "Fail me one more time… and I will have no choice but to drain you…"
He gulped again and nodded, making her let go and he buzzed away at a rapid pace.
The girls and Spike knew the changelings would be coming for them soon. Making Rarity question, "What do we do? Where do we hide?!"
But Applejack already had the answer, "We hide under their noses…"
"Huh?" they all said.
"Trust me on this…" she told them as she led them back to the castle and into the dungeons.