//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 A Traitor in Our Midst // Story: Super Stallion // by PioneerofImagination //------------------------------// Several days had passed since Super Stallion’s victory over Discord,  the spirit of chaos and disharmony. For the most part, everything had returned to normal. Squeaky Clean, with his leg better, had been visiting Twilight Sparkle and her dragon assistant Spike. Both of whom recently learned Squeaky Clean was Super Stallion. The former of which had been doing a lot of research.  "How could you have done this much research in a few days?" Squeaky asked shocked yet also amazed.  "Trust me, it's what she does," Spike said as he moved some of the books Twilight got out on the table.  "First, let's start with your foreleg, the sphere that makes you Super Stallion is showing the injury you got when you fought Discord. But it seems fine now seeing how you don't have a problem standing or anything." "Well, as Super Stallion it's broken but as Squeaky Clean it's just a pulled muscle." "Interesting you and the sphere have some sort of connection."  "Interesting yeah, but how did I do that thing with the elements?" "Funny you mention that,” Twilight said. “Perhaps that sphere and the Elements of Harmony have a connection as well.” “You think so?” Squeaky asked. “Yes Star Swirl didn’t write much about the sphere,” Twilight answered.  “What did he write?” “Oh I'm so glad you asked," Twilight then got out the journal that Star Swirl the Bearded had given her. "Here we go," Spike said, resting his hand on his cheek while his arm was on the table. "First of all, Star Swirl had originally made the sphere for Celestia and Luna should Discord ever come to Equestria. Turns out Discord came from a far off land and he wanted to take precautions should he ever come here.”   "Really?"  "Yes, Star Swirl explains that while the sphere grants its user powerful abilities it was deemed a failure as the sphere provides no specific defense against chaos magic."  "Now he tells me," Squeaky said as he recalled his brutal beatings from Discord.  “I don’t know how you were able to do what you did,” Twilight said. “The journal didn’t say anything, and with Star Swirl gone, we can’t ask him.” “But he did say “we’ll meet again”, maybe we can ask him then,” Squeaky said. “In the meantime,” Spike said. “Can I ride on Super Stallion’s back? *** A few days later Squeaky had managed to rid himself of the pulled muscle and therefore Super Stallion's broken foreleg. Without the pulled muscle he was able to clean like he used to.  "Is that leg all better?" Stone Wall who was passing by asked. "Yes it is," Squeaky replied. "Good to hear, but try not to push yourself." "Don't worry I won't." Stone Wall then made his way down the hall and before long it was time for Squeaky's break. He made his way to the royal chambers. "All right no more putting this off," Squeaky said to himself as he was nearly there. He had wanted to confess his feelings to the princess for what to him felt like the longest time and didn't want to wait a second longer. Upon getting to the chambers he took a deep breath and knocked on the doors. "Come in," Princess Celestia replied and Squeaky entered the royal chambers. "Oh Squeaky what a nice surprise, though I don't think there's much that needs cleaning in here." "Actually I'm not here for cleaning." "Oh."  "Princess Celestia I've wanted to tell you that-'' Squeaky was about to finish his sentence but unfortunately his throat choked up again. Come on, come on, say it! "I need to-" Tell her! "Princess Celestia I. Come on will you just tell her already!" "What?" "Oh sorry I meant to think that not to say that." "Squeaky do you need help with something?" Princess Celestia asked as she approached him. "Yes, I do. Maybe this will help." Squeaky then held Princess Celestia's hoof with his own hoof and the two gazed into each other's eyes. In that 1 moment time seemed to have stopped as the 2 continued to gaze into each other's eyes.  "Princess Celestia, we have a problem!" Spearhead bursted into chambers, breaking the moment between Princess Celestia and Squeaky. The former of which approached Spearhead.  "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Princess Celestia and Spearhead then turned to Squeaky as a result of his outburst. "Sorry, thought I thought that too."  "What's the matter?"  "You see your highness, we've recently had reason to believe that there's a changeling somewhere in Canterlot. Maybe even in the castle." Hearing that Squeaky remembered Princess Celestia’s stories about them and how they took the form of somepony you love and fed off that love.  "I see that's serious isn't it?" Princess Celestia said. "What should we do about it, your highness?" Squeaky asked as he approached the princess when suddenly Spearhead blocked him. "What are you doing?"  "I'm sorry but until we find this changeling we shouldn't let anypony get near the princess." Spearhead then escorted Squeaky against his will. "Hey, quit it! Let me go! I'm serious! This is so unfair." *** After receiving the news of a changeling threat, Stone Wall gathered numerous guards and a few other ponies that worked in the castle for quick interrogations. Stone Wall decided to start with Squeaky after Spearhead explained he found him in the chambers of the princess and was acting rather strangely. "Why were you in the royal chambers  anyway, Squeaky?"  "Cleaning!" Squeaky answered loudly and to the point, not wanting to say the real reason for fear of dying of embarrassment. "That totally sounded like a lie," one of the guards in the back said. "But he is the janitor," another replied.  "But it still sounds like he's lying." "What if he is?" "He is, he's the changeling!" "Shut up!" Stone Wall then walked up to Squeaky and looked him right in the eye making him a bit nervous. "How did I get my cutie mark?" Squeaky then whispered the answer into Stone Wall's ear. "Okay he's not the changeling."  “Rather fitting you asked that question as a test considering,” Squeaky said. "Wait, what did he tell you?" Shining Armor asked. "The answer. Now it's your turn." Stone Wall continued to interrogate and came to the conclusion that none of the ponies in there were the changeling. He would continue to investigate and until further notice no pony would be left alone. That way the changeling would have a much harder time attacking somepony and replacing them. "This sucks," Squeaky Clean said while finishing a particularly dirty floor.  "Oh come on it's not so bad," Shining Armor who was ordered to stay by Squeaky said to him.  Not what I meant, Shining Armor. I was so close to telling Princess Celestia how I felt but something got in the way, something always gets in the way.   "I'm sure Stone Wall will find the changeling soon. In the meantime I'm sure I won't annoy you too much."  "Well miracles do happen everyday."  "Oh ha ha ha,” Shining laughed sarcastically. “But at least you're cheering up."  "Yeah, though I can't help but wonder what a changeling is doing here in the capital?" "You got me. I guess when it gets captured we can ask it." After a while Squeaky Clean and Shining Armor made their way to a different part of the castle and Squeaky did his cleaning there while chatting it up a bit with Shining Armor who much like his sister had taken a liking to Squeaky Clean rather fast.  "So you and Princess Cadance have been dating since high school?" "Yeah I gotta tell you, she's my soulmate.” "Have you told her that?" "Once or twice yeah. Or 50."  "Must be nice to be able to tell the one you love how you feel about her." "Oh it's wonderful," Shining Armor said, filled with glee to talk about his very special somepony. Before long, Stone Wall appeared and once again he did it seemingly out of nowhere. "Seriously you have got to teach me how to do that," Squeaky said.  "Come with me, both of you," Stone Wall ordered and the 2 followed him down the hall. "Have you found the changeling?" Squeaky asked. "Not yet, but I believe we'll be able to locate it very soon." "So where are we going captain?" Shining Armor asked as the 3 continued to walk down the hall.  "There are a couple guards that I rounded up. They all said they were rather close with you so I want you to ask them some questions that only you'd know the answer to." "Oh like when you asked Squeaky how you got your cutie mark?" "Exactly." "How did you get your cutie mark anyhow?" "If I wanted you to know Squeaky would have said it out loud." "So you 2 go way back huh Squeaky?" "Oh yeah we've been friends since we were colts."  "We're here so get in there," Stone Wall said when they finally arrived. “Now go in there and make 100 percent sure none of them is a changeling."  "Yes sir." Shining Armor quickly entered the room and Stone Wall closed the door and continued to walk while gesturing to Squeaky to follow him.  "Seems like only yesterday when you and I met for the first time." "Yes, memories are like that." "Yeah, hey Stone Wall remember that time the 2 of us-"  "Squeaky. I didn't come get you to reminisce about the good old days," Stone Wall interrupted while slightly annoyed. "Then why did you get me?" Squeaky asked. "To clean, what else?" Stone Wall then pointed to a room that he wanted to be cleaned. "That's your job isn't it?" Stone Wall asked no longer annoyed. "And don't worry about being alone, there are several guards around the area. If the changeling somehow gets in here just call for help and they'll be in here as quick as a flash sentry."  "What?" "I don't know, it's something I heard a long time ago and it stuck, but only kind of really." "Definitely only kind of, because that's the first time I've heard you say it." "Just get to cleaning."  "Right." Squeaky made his way to the room and Stone Wall went on his way. "What else am I good for?" Squeaky then got to cleaning and as his usual self, made it so it was extra clean by the time he was finished. "I wonder if that changeling has been caught by now?" Squeaky then left the room to find Stone Wall and ask how the search was going. "Hi there Squeaky," Swift Sweep said. "How in Equestria are you?" "Swift Sweep, what are you doing here?"  "This is one of my rare day shifts," Swift Sweep quickly answered as he swept beside Squeaky. Squeaky then thought maybe Swift Sweep was the changeling and not any of the guards. So he figured to do what Stone Wall did and ask him a question only he would know the answer to. "So Swift Sweep," Squeaky stopped when he realized he didn't really know a whole lot about Swift Sweep who was facing Squeaky when he started talking. "What's your favorite color?" Squeaky nearly smacked himself after asking such a simple question. "My favorite color is blue," Swift Sweep answered. "It used to be light blue but as of recently it's dark blue." Swift Sweep answered again with a look that said he was in utter bliss. "What's your favorite color?" "Oh, I've never really thought about it honestly."  "Thinking is overrated. Trust me, I hardly ever think." "You don't say," Squeaky said, not very surprised.  "It's not that hard, trust me just go with your gut if you're stumped on something." "Really? Well if that's the case my favorite color is a tie between white and aurora." "There you go. What did I tell you? Well I'm off I got sweeping to do so take care." Swift Sweep then flew off while still keeping his broom to the ground so he could still keep up his cleaning.  "Yeah, that's Swift Sweep all right," Squeaky said to himself while chuckling a bit. "Squeaky!" Spearhead called out as he was running down the hallway and quickly got to him. "Did you spill something or…something?" Squeaky asked. "No. Princess Celestia ordered everypony to the royal garden as quickly as possible," Spearhead answered Squeaky's question sounding as if he was somehow in a panic. "She did but why? What about the changeling?" "I don't know but she said that it was important so we need to get there and get there now. So come on," Spearhead then took off the direction he came from a second ago but turned and stopped when he saw Squeaky wasn't following him. "Why aren't you coming with me?" "Because the garden is that way." Squeaky then pointed in the opposite direction.  "Oh." *** "What are we all doing here, Stone Wall?" Shining Armor asked while standing beside him as the ponies gathered in the garden. "I'm not entirely sure, but I guess we'll find out soon enough." Princess Celestia then flew down from a tower and landed not too far away from the ponies that had gathered on her orders. She looks so majestic when she flies down from above, like an angel, Squeaky thought admiring the princess yet again. "Thank you all for gathering here on such short notice. I've requested you all here to inform you that the changeling is no longer here in the castle." Hearing that the guards there breathed a sigh of relief, except for Stone Wall who had a rather distrusting look on his face. "However even though it has fled I still believe that it's a dangerous threat. And so the reason I've gathered you all is to form a massive search party to locate, capture and bring the changeling back here for questioning. I need you all to head out so that changeling won't be able to get far from here." Stone Wall then quickly approached Princess Celestia with an especially cold look in his eyes. The royal guards as well as the princess were wondering just what he was up to. "What's he doing?" A guard asked. "Stone Wall, what are you doing?" Princess Celestia asked. "Drop the act," Stone Wall quickly replied with a very cold tone to match his stare. "Make it easier for all of us and show us who you really are." "Stone Wall I'm not sure what you're talking about, maybe the stress of today has gotten to you. I know, why don't you take the rest of the day off?" "Want to do it the hard way huh? All right, then fine with me." "What?" Suddenly to everypony's shock, Stone Wall punched Princess Celestia right in the face, knocking her to the ground. Squeaky's jaw almost hit the floor when he saw his best friend clock the mare he loved right in the jaw.  "He just hit the princess!" A guard yelled out. "Has he lost his mind?" "That qualifies as a capital punishment doesn't it?" "Wow, he is really strong." "SHUT UP!" Stone Wall yelled, stopping the guards from going into a panic again as Princess Celestia got up. "That's not Princess Celestia. If it was, she would have easily blocked my attack with her magic." "Stone Wall, what are you talking about that was too quick even for me?" "Oh really then let's see if this is too fast for you!" Stone Wall then fired a spell at Princess Celestia and she instinctively countered with a spell of her own. The 2 spells quickly clashed but that was exactly what Stone Wall wanted for all the other ponies saw the princess's spell was green. Stone Wall then stopped his spell and quickly dodged the princess's spell. "There's all the evidence you need stallions and mares, the color of Princess's Celestia's magic is yellow." "It is?" A guard asked, causing Stone Wall to give an annoyed glare right at him. "Oh I mean it is!"  Suddenly, the princess was surrounded by a green flame that turned her into a changeling with big purple eyes. "Well I guess a few of you ponies are smarter than you look," The changeling said who sounded like he was itching for a fight. "Though I have to ask, how did you see through me right from the start?" "I've been at this guard job a long time and being by Princess Celestia's side, I've learned many things about her down to the smallest detail. When it comes to her gestures and the way she chooses to talk to other ponies in various situations. She wouldn't call us to the garden, she would call us to the main hall, plus if she wanted to send a search party it would have a lot less ponies. A huge one would attract too much attention. And besides, when I learned of a possible changeling problem I went to her first and made sure she was who she was and ordered her to stay in her chambers until I took care of everything." "Wait, you ordered the princess to stay in her room? You can do that?" The said guard from before asked. "You're new aren't you?" "Y-Yes sir," The guard answered, fearing he said something stupid again.  "The royal guard rule book clearly states that during an emergency situation involving the princess's safety, the captain of the royal guard, that’s me, can temporarily outrank the princess until such time as the said emergency situation has been resolved."  "Uh." "That means when things get super dangerous I'm in charge. Got it?!"  "Yes sir!" The guard answered a little afraid and not wishing to upset Stone Wall any further. "Anyway, now that you've been exposed, why don't you tell everypony here why you came to the castle uninvited before I decide to beat the information out of you." "You may have seen through my disguise, but taking me down physically won't be nearly as easy," The purple eyed changeling answered, sounding very cocky. Stone Wall upon hearing that approached the changeling and threw his helmet on the ground so he could crack his neck. "Fine, have it your way. I guess you didn’t learn your lesson all those years ago.” “Huh?” The changeling asked. “Have you forgotten the beating I gave you all those years ago?” “What are you talking about? I’ve never met you before in my life.” “You haven’t?” Stone Wall asked not sensing deception from the changeling. “Huh, must have been another purple eyed changeling. Anyway, I've been in a bad mood all day so I'm going to enjoy this." "Uh, when is he not in a bad mood?" The guard from before whispered to Spearhead who laughed a little.  “Is there something funny?” Stone Wall asked as he turned to face the guard again. Suddenly the changeling charged at Stone Wall ready to give him a powerful sucker punch. But Stone Wall blocked his attack effortlessly and gave a sucker punch of his own. "Thought I dropped my guard didn't you?" "That was a lucky hit." "No, what was lucky was that you went this far without getting located. But now that you've so carelessly brought yourself out in the open, you, my insect pony hybrid thing, are plum out of luck." "Oh yeah!" Stone Wall then hit the changeling head on with a very powerful spell that knocked him to the ground. "Yeah, some of you guards get over here and throw this thing into the dungeon." A few guards were about to do just that when suddenly, a smokescreen appeared out of nowhere. "Come on I threw the smokescreen ball, let's get out of here," A voice Stone Wall didn't recognize said.      "You won't get away so easily!" Stone Wall then cleared the smoke screen away with a powerful wind spell, but by the time he did, they were gone. "I guess they will get away that easily," Squeaky Clean said.  "Spread out in groups and find them!" Stone Wall quickly ordered. "Don't disband from your groups and search the entire castle."  *** After searching the entire castle as well as Canterlot, no traces of the changeling were found and the search was called off. And so the guards had returned to their regular posts, but Stone Wall was not satisfied in the least and was talking about it with Princess Celestia. "I don't like it, I don't like it 1 bit!" Stone Wall said angrily as he paced back and forth in the private chambers of Princess Celestia. "I finally find that changeling and suddenly he escapes!" "I understand Stone Wall," Princess Celestia said as she placed her hoof on Stone Wall to get him to stop pacing and calm him down.      "If those changelings got away, what in Equestria is gonna stop them from trying this again? Am I gonna have to constantly keep an eye out for them or something?" "Well perhaps you should rest for a while and once you can think clearly I'll help with whatever you think is best."  "All right, fine." Stone Wall took a deep breath to calm himself down and then walked out of the chambers. As he left the chambers Stone Wall had passed Squeaky Clean who noticed he was still rather upset. "I had that changeling practically on the verge of begging for mercy and suddenly he gets away just because of a puff of smoke," Stone Wall said to himself while continuing to walk.  "Poor Stone Wall," Squeaky said as he recalled the first time he met Dr. Arachnid and how he also got away using a smoke screen. He knew how Stone Wall felt. But Squeaky then put it out of his mind and faced the royal chamber doors. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. "Alright, no more distractions, it's time to finally tell her. If I can stop the spirit of chaos, I can tell Princess Celestia how I feel I can say-" Suddenly, Princess Celestia opened the door and was surprised to see Squeaky right in front of her. "I love you."  "What?" Hearing her speak, Squeaky instantly opened his eyes and saw the beautiful Princess Celestia standing right in front of him. "What did you say?"  "I said I love you." I did it! I finally did it, don't stop now, keep going! "I love you Princess Celestia." I said it again! "I've loved you ever since I first saw you and looked into your rose eyes and I've wanted to tell you that for what has felt like the longest time. And now I've finally said it." Squeaky was out of breath as he finally finished and Princess Celestia was silent for a moment until. "I was beginning to think that you were never going to tell me," Princess Celestia said to Squeaky’s shock. "What” Y-You mean?"  "You honestly thought I didn't know how you felt about me? I believe you've made your affections quite clear through your actions." "Right heh heh." Squeaky then rubbed the back of his head. "So now what?" "Now, you go home because your swift is about up I imagine. And it's been a rather long day for us all," Princess Celestia said to Squeaky in a more caring tone than her usual one.  "Right it has. But 1 other thing," Squeaky said.  “What?” Squeaky gestured the princess to get down to his level, which she did by getting on her knees. Then Squeaky kissed her. Princess Celestia returned the kiss and Squeaky wrapped his forelegs around here and stroked her soft flowing mane while she also wrapped her forelegs around Squeaky. As they continued to kiss, once again, time seemed to have stopped.  ***   The 2 changelings made it out of Canterlot and they made it to their queen who had been waiting for them to return to report to her. "There you 2 are, what happened? You should have been here earlier, were you exposed?" "Yes, but I was able to get Pharynx out of there, your highness." "I didn't need your help Thorax, I had him right where I wanted him."  "What happened?" Queen Chrysalis asked and Thorax quickly explained everything to the changeling queen. "I see well where you able to learn of a good time for my army to invade?" "No your highness," Pharynx answered, disappointed he didn't complete his mission.  "I see, well then I guess I'll have to rethink my plans a little. Perhaps an opportune moment to invade will eventually reveal itself; we should head back to the hive for now."  "Yes your majesty," Thorax said as he saw his brother was still upset with what happened between him and Stone Wall.  "When we eventually do invade Canterlot, I'm gonna settle the score with that pony." "Well in the meantime Pharynx, is there something I can do to cheer you up?" "Actually yes." Pharynx then grabbed his brother's foreleg. "Why ya hitting yourself? Stop hitting yourself."  "Ah come on, not this again Pharynx."  *** Meanwhile in Ponyville Rainbow Dash had been brought to the finish line of a pet race with the help of a tortoise to be named Tank. While she was happy that she finally found a pet she felt bad for all the pets that went through all that work for nothing. "Hey now you guys don't feel bad tell you what, since you all did great in your own way I'm gonna help you all find owners as well." The animals suddenly swarmed around Rainbow Dash out of gratitude and overwhelmed her. "Wait not all at once, maybe one at a time or something like that, ah geez." Rainbow Dash would have her hooves full for quite a while.