The builders had promised that the new large suite for Trixie and me would be ready for us soon although their definition of soon probably didn’t match mine. Anyway, I still occasionally woke up in my old quarters depending on what happened the previous evening. Being a prince had its perks but it also had its downsides and getting out of synch with my wife happened occasionally. I looked forward to that not being an issue in the near future. Until then though, I still had to occasionally greet Trixie for the first time in the morning at the breakfast table.
I am the first to admit that I liked to sleep in, so it was no great surprise to find my wife had been up for half an hour or more before me. That held true for others too, and I could hear Starlight Glimmer sharing a laugh with Trixie well before I entered the room. From early on, it had become apparent that the two mares got along very well and I had to say that I was happy for Trixie. It wasn’t easy to be the “Great and Powerful” ruler of Equestria and still be able to have a casual relationship with another mare. The majority of the nobility made that very difficult due to their rigid social structure. An outsider like Starlight was an entirely different proposition, however, and because she didn’t work directly for Trixie, she could afford to be a friend instead. I’d like to say my Advisor could be my friend too, but today I was going to have to be her boss.
“Good morning, ladies,” I said as I entered the room.
“Good morning, lazybones,” Trixie replied, angling her head for the expected kiss which I happily gave her.
“Morning, Mark,” Starlight said. I had insisted on her calling me by name when not in a public situation such as Day Court. Despite my elevation in status, I never wanted to lose sight of the fact that I was just a commoner who got lucky. Being addressed familiarly was just one way of keeping a sense of proportion. Besides, I still felt uncomfortable being called “Your Highness”. It had its drawbacks though.
As I seated myself at the table, the maid immediately poured my coffee and then left to fetch my food. I took a sip of the delicious brew and sighed. “Starlight, I want to talk to you in my office immediately after breakfast.”
We were scheduled for the afternoon session of Day Court today and normally we would go over the day’s tasks about half an hour before lunch. This unusual early meeting immediately made Starlight nervous.
“Umm, yes, sir.”
Trixie gave me a glance with an upraised eyebrow, wordlessly questioning me. I gave her a slight shake of the head. This was a private matter between me and my personal assistant.
Starlight completed her meal in silence while my wife and I made light conversation. When Twilight Sparkle arrived to have a coffee before starting her morning shift at Day Court, I excused myself and left the two mares to chat while indicating to Starlight to follow me. We walked to my office with Penumbra quietly shadowing, alert to the mood. The bat-pony stationed herself outside my office door as we entered. I seated myself at my desk as Starlight closed the door.
“This isn’t a briefing session, is it?” the mare asked as she settled down in front of my desk.
“No, it isn’t. I’ve been talking to Princess Twilight, discussing your progress with your friendship lessons with her.”
“Oh.” By the way her ears immediately wilted, I knew she realized what was coming up.
“I have to wonder if you’re relapsing, Starlight. Using your magic to mind-control the Element Bearers even in the pursuit of accomplishing a task that Twilight set for you is by no means an acceptable thing. That you even considered it as an option is too much of a callback to your days at Our Town.”
Starlight’s eyes were downcast as she replied, “I know. It was a bad mistake and I apologized to all of them.”
“An apology is good and I believe that you meant it, but you still need to try harder, Starlight. Need I remind you that you’re still on probation until Twilight declares that you have learned the true meaning of friendship? Your punishment was suspended contingent on that outcome.”
“I realize that, sir, and believe me, I’m trying.”
“That wasn’t the only incident though, was it? It was only the most egregious. You’re one of the most talented magic-users in Equestria, but magic is not the answer to everything. Stop and think for a moment and ask yourself if there’s a better solution that doesn’t involve casting a spell. I honestly don’t want you getting yourself into a situation that you can’t get out of with just a heartfelt apology. I like the work that you do for me and you have the potential to do great good for our nation. I need your help to accomplish this, so please don’t disappoint me like this again.”
“I won’t let you down, sir.”
“I have confidence in you, Starlight. I consider this incident closed now. Let’s get back to work.”
Mating Season came and went much as expected. I confined myself to Trixie’s suite for the first couple of days, thus allowing the segregation of the castle staff to proceed without problems. Penumbra and other female Royal Guards were stationed outside the room. Despite the fact that it was only the buffer days before the heat really set in, I was semi-optimistic about remaining a stallion. Then I woke up as Marklestia on the third day. I briefly tried to turn back but failed, as expected. I poked my nose out the door and spotted my bodyguard already on duty.
“Penny – alert the Royal Skychariot team to be ready for Trixie and me. We’ll be heading for Ponyville immediately after breakfast.”
“Yes, Your Svelte Worshipfulness,” she replied with cheeky formality.
Twilight welcomed us to her castle, and Rarity was delighted to see me. As I had promised, I spent much intimate time with her. However, Trixie got to share my time this year, and to my surprise, sometimes it was a threesome. Despite being reminded that mares shared their stallions (even gender-swapped ones like me), I still had a lingering of my human sensibilities when it came to things like that. To be honest, I was totally nervous the first time that Rarity suggested it. Trixie acted as if there was nothing unusual about the idea though, and it turned out to be a delightful experience. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash was preoccupied with Applejack this year and I didn’t need to push my luck.
Unsurprisingly, like the previous year, Twilight spent the Season with Thorax who suspended his visit to the Red Hive for the occasion. Having a lover who couldn’t get you pregnant was a heck of an advantage to a mare in heat. Now that their relationship had progressed, it was even better for them this year.
While I enjoyed my time with Rarity and Trixie as a mare, I was still relieved to be able to return to my stallion self once more, even if it meant refraining from sex with the white unicorn who was still feeling the lingering effects of being on heat. I simply couldn’t risk an accidental impregnation. Sure, I could have swapped back to being a mare temporarily, but after being stuck as one for over a week, I wasn’t in a hurry to be one again for a while despite the pleasant aspects. Marklestia was a permanent and enjoyable side of me, but she wasn’t my primary identity. It amused me to realize though that said identity was a pony stallion and not the human that I used to be.
As time passed, I found it harder and harder to even remember what it was like to be one. Not that I cared terribly much. My life here in Equestria was wonderful and better than I had ever dreamed of. It had come at the sacrifice of a long friendship with Phil Martine and a career that had no relevance here in Equestria, but I had found so much more in this world of magic. I was a pony now with a pony wife, and I was extremely happy with that. I could deal with the annual inconvenience of the Mating Season.
I heaved a sigh of relief as Canterlot hove into sight. I had been anxiously watching out the window because that was better than looking at the smirking face of Penumbra. She was a constant reminder that Trixie wasn’t going to be happy with me arriving home half a day late. Of course, if my personal guard had chosen to do so, she could have pointed out to me that the O&O session was running late and I would miss the last train back to the capital. However, as she was very fond of reminding me, she was there to protect my life, not the relationship with my wife. And I had to bear the responsibility of getting wrapped up in the game. As Prince of Equestria and co-ruler of the nation, I had to not let these things interfere with my duties, not to mention keeping Trixie happy. At least she tolerated letting me go off on my own to Ponyville a couple of times a month, and that’s more than I can say for some married couples.
I had briefly considered asking Discord a favor and zap me home, but considering that he probably would be more amused at the thought of the havoc Trixie would raise by my no-show, I thought my chances were slim to none. Besides, he might be a friend, but he was still the Lord of Chaos. One did not lightly become beholden to him – or give him the opportunity to “even the scales” in whatever manner he chose for doing something helpful. Wearing a tremendous moustache for an evening of drinking had taught me that. So, I ended up staying overnight in Twilight’s castle. I got Spike to send a message to Trixie by dragonfire, of course, letting her know that I would be on the first train from Ponyville in the morning. I wasn’t stupid enough to leave her wondering.
As we stepped out of the train, I was surprised to see a Royal Guard waiting there. As soon as the pegasus stallion spotted me, he hastened over and I recognized him as Lieutenant Cold Strike, the head of Trixie’s guard detail. I had to wonder if some sort of trouble had arisen during my absence as I wasn’t normally met at the station despite my elevation in rank. I had deemed Penny to be sufficient – I didn’t want to lose touch with the common pony. I didn’t even wear my crown on my trips to Ponyville, although Trixie wanted me to pack it in my bag “in case of royal emergencies”, whatever they were supposed to be. I certainly didn’t need to convince any citizen of Ponyville that I was a prince… or princess, depending on the circumstances.
“Sergeant Penumbra, you are relieved,” Cold Strike said to my bodyguard.
Penny narrowed her eyes but said nothing.
The lieutenant then addressed me. “Sir, Her Highness, Princess Trixie, has sent me to escort you to your new suite.”
I raised an eyebrow even as I headed off the platform. “Belay that order, Penumbra. Does my wife think I’ve suddenly forgotten where our new rooms are, Cold Strike?” The much larger Royal Suite had finally been completed just before the weekend. However, the process of moving our possessions from our respective rooms had barely started, although I imagine that Trixie had taken advantage of my absence to get a head-start on that. Crap! That meant I had the side of the bed furthest away from the bathroom and she already had filled the top shelves of the dressers. Oh, well. Considering how much fussier she was likely to be than me, I think it was for the best that I wasn’t around to get under her hooves. Steady Flight and I had already planned our move and he would relocate my things when Trixie was busy with Court and other duties.
The Guard looked uncertain for a moment. “I don’t think that’s the problem, Your Highness. Princess Trixie was just insistent that I bring you there.”
Why my wife wanted me to be brought to the new apartment was a mystery to me. However, I was in no hurry to face Trixie’s wrath, and besides, I had to get myself ready for the morning session of Day Court and my crown was still languishing on the dresser in my old suite. I needed to freshen up a bit too. “Tell Her Highness that I’ll meet up with her on the way to the Throne Room. I need to get ready first and I don’t have enough time to spare for a detour.”
The pegasus gave me a worried glance. “Her Highness was most adamant that I bring you.”
I chuckled as I approached the royal carriage that was waiting for me. “Let me deal with my wife. I don’t think she’ll do anything particularly fatal if I delay seeing her for a few minutes.”
For a moment, it looked as if the Guard was going to keep insisting, but after an uncertain glance at Penumbra, he said, “As you command, Your Highness.” He then took to the air and headed for the castle.
“I hope you’re not going to nag me to go to see Princess Trixie immediately too,” I said to Corporal Trotter, the earth pony who was the lead stallion in the carriage team.
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Your Highness,” he replied.
That was odd. Trotter should have been aware of what was so high priority. I looked in the direction that the pegasus had gone but he was out of sight already. As Penumbra settled in beside me in the carriage, I pondered the significance of that anomaly. I’d have to ask Trixie when I met up with her.
When I finally got to my old suite, I noticed that there was no Guard posted at my doorway. I groaned a little and hoped that didn’t mean that Trixie had already had my stuff transferred to the new apartment. Once inside though, I saw that Steady Flight was there and he had my vest laid out on the bed and my crown laid beside it.
“Cutting it a bit fine, aren’t you?” my valet and best friend asked.
“Yeah, and I’ll pay for that later. I just need a quick grooming first. I didn’t have time to do much before hurrying to catch the train back to Canterlot. I even ate breakfast in the dining car.” I grinned as we headed into the bathroom where Steady picked up a curry brush. It actually gave me a touch of nostalgia to be shoulder to shoulder (or should that be withers to withers?) with a lot of other ponies all trying to get something to eat before going to work. I felt like one of them, nothing special. I suppose that it would have been a lot different with a group of ponies from another town, but these were Ponyvillians and my friends. I got a few laughs and a lot of sympathy when I explained why I was joining them on their commute to work that morning.
I brushed my unruly mane into a “marginally good enough for Day Court” level of neatness, cleaned my teeth, and put on a bit of cologne. With my coat looking shiny due to Steady’s efforts, I was ready to get dressed. My golden vest was little different from the one that I wore as Grand Vizier. Aside from a little bit more fancy trim, the only real difference was the tri-pointed crown badge on my left breast, symbolizing the triarchy. Simple and tasteful – just how I liked it. Then I put on the gold circlet that indicated my status as Prince of Equestria. It was the minimum that I had been allowed to get away with. Trixie might like a fancy crown but the only one that I had ever worn besides this had been the Element of Magic tiara, and I had felt silly wearing it. Mine was a loop of gold alloy that had been shaped to fit comfortably on my head, with a blue multi-faceted sapphire embedded in it which sat on my forehead between my eyes. I looked in the mirror and checked myself out. Not bad – I might even get used to it one of these days.
“Okay, I’m ready. No sense in putting off meeting with my Great and Irritable Wife any longer. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to move everything to the new suite. Depending on Trixie’s mood, I might be sleeping here tonight. She’s been a bit grumpier in the mornings lately, and my late return won’t have improved that situation.”
Steady laughed. “I guess not. I was planning on leaving the essentials here anyway, just in case of emergencies.”
“Smart stallion! Catch you later.”
I rejoined Penny outside where she had stationed herself and we headed off in the direction of the new suite. As I neared it, the door opened and an unfamiliar Royal Guard exited and joined the other Guard standing by the entrance to the apartment. Because Trixie hated having them in her private quarters, this was very unusual and I wondered if it had anything to do with why she had wanted me to come here so insistently. I supposed I’d soon find out. I saw the two Guards giving a worried look at Penumbra whom I noticed had taken an at-the-ready stance with one forehoof on her sword. Something was setting off her instincts and the Guards seemed to realize it.
“Good morning, Sergeant Thunderbolt,” I said to my wife’s personal bodyguard, a rather uptight unicorn who did his job well enough but fitted in with us like a square peg in a round hole and didn’t seem to know what the word ‘informal’ meant. “Could you inform Princess Trixie that Prince Mark is here and ready to escort her to Day Court.”
The stallion gave Penny another glance before nodding and rapping on the door. Shortly, another Royal Guard opened it and Thunderbolt passed on the message before the door closed again. Half a minute passed before Trixie emerged and walked toward me. I was going to give her a kiss but she bustled right past.
“It’s about time,” she said coldly. “We can’t let our plans be upset by being late to the Day Court.”
I hastened to join her strident march down the hall. Sheesh! She must be really pissed off with me. Wait a minute. “Our plans?” There were no meetings with ministers or foreign dignitaries scheduled for today, so Day Court should be fairly routine and short. I had self-defense training this afternoon (polearms) and Trixie had a spa appointment after lunch. Did the two of us have something scheduled that I didn’t know about? I guess I would find out later. I briefly wondered why Thunderbolt didn’t accompany us but I supposed the unknown Guard who followed along would provide standard security instead.
“Anything unusual that I should be aware of?” I asked. If anything significant happened while I was away on one of my visits to Ponyville, I was normally briefed about it before Day Court, but my late arrival had forestalled that.
“No, Mark Wells – you and I will hold Court as planned and defer anything critical until later.”
We will? Since when did we do that? Trixie and I made it a habit to be proactive about problems. The dynamic that we had discovered while I was her Grand Vizier still carried into our new relationship. It was an important part of our success at this nation-ruling gig. And my wife actually said “I” in public? And she called me by my correct name? Then something really odd hit me. As long as I had known her, Trixie had always worn a cape, but she had different ones for various occasions. Naturally, she had a very fancy one for use during Court, but right now she was wearing what she deemed to be ‘Princess Casual’. It was only used for informal occasions and she would never wear it in front of the overly fashion-conscious nobility. Alarm bells started to go off in my head. Too many inconsistencies!
I gave Trixie a hard look and then said, “Princess – some of your feathers are askew. We can’t let those at Court see you like that. Let me straighten them out for you.”
Trixie nodded. “Very well. Make it quick.” She stopped and spread the wing nearest to me, pushing aside the cape that half-concealed it.
I moved in close to take care of the problem. Despite having seen her prosthetic wings in action many times before, I still found it hard to detect the harness that secured them to her barrel because of the notice-me-not spell on it. However, one thing they could not do was replicate the natural muscle-flex of the joint to the body. These ones did. They were real wings! I swallowed as my throat went dry and pretended to adjust a few feathers. “That’s fixed. Let me do the other wing now.”
The mare folded her wing and extended the far wing instead. As I started to walk around Trixie, I looked in Penny’s direction and said, “It’s time to make a definite change for the better.”
Penumbra’s eyes widened slightly and she gave the barest of nods.
As I passed in front of Trixie, I turned to face away from her and then lashed out with a powerful buck to her head. The unicorn collapsed like a sack of potatoes and a dribble of blood started leaking from her mouth. I barely noticed the sound of a scuffle happening beside me and, for a long moment, nothing else happened. Trixie just kept bleeding on the floor.
“Oh shit! Oh shit! I was wrong! She must have upgraded her prosthetics! I’m so dead!”
Then a green glow caught my eye and I looked up to see one of her hind hooves was burning with green fire. The magic rapidly spread up her body, leaving behind a crystal changeling in its natural form, still unconscious.
“Oh, shit! Oh, shit! I was right!” While I was immensely relieved that I hadn’t severely assaulted my wife, this meant that she, and presumably many others, had been replaced. That must have been why they had wanted me to go to the new suite in a big hurry. That Guard who met me at the station must have been a changeling slated to take my place, but I had upset their plans, and time had run out before we had to start Day Court as normal so as not to cause unwanted questions.
I looked around to see that Penny had taken care of the fake Royal Guard after being clued in by the code phrase that we had arranged long ago. She was panting a little after the soldier had put up a fight. The armor the changeling wore was real and presumably taken from the pony that had been replaced. Unfortunately for the changeling, Penny was exceptionally well-trained to deal with even armored foes. Ever since Sterling Shield had shown the inadequacy of our changeling identification methods, we had been working on a multi-pronged plan for both detecting and reacting to an incursion by Chrysalis. That dread day had come and we had still been found wanting. Only my intimate familiarity with Trixie’s foibles had let me see through the disguise.
“What now?” Penumbra asked, all levity now evaporated.
“If Trixie has been replaced and they tried to do the same for me, then it’s a safe bet that many others have similarly been taken. I’m guessing that the changelings haven’t cemented their hold on Canterlot as yet if this fake was going to keep up appearances, so we need to start alerting and consolidating our forces. You’re familiar with our contingency plans, so I want you to go and make contact with everyone. Arrange a Code 17 for noon in Ponyville and Canterlot. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get the Harmony Bearers together along with whatever loyal forces we can gather. When all her puppets are in place, Chrysalis is sure to make her move and secure her power.”
“And what do you plan to do?”
I turned and started heading back to the new suite. “Trixie might be being held captive, so I’m going to rescue her.”
Penumbra was in front of me in a flash, her wings flared to halt my progress. “Are you insane, Your Highness? You don’t even know how many changelings there are in that room!”
I glared at her. “I’m not abandoning my wife. Besides, you know I have an ace up my sleeve,” I added with a grim smirk.
“Better make it a full house. I’m coming with you.”
I was about to tell Penny that the task that I had given her was more important, but I realized that saving my ass was literally her highest priority and I’d lose the argument. “Okay, but let’s play this smart. I think I have an idea…”
I tore around the corner and pelted full speed back to the Imperial Suite, wildly waving Trixie’s tiara which I was holding in one wing. I saw the two guards at the door brace at my unexpected appearance as I skidded to a halt in front of them.
“You idiots! You let the Great and Powerful Trixie leave her room for Day Court without her most impressive crown! This is just her casual one!” I tossed it to Sergeant Thunderbolt who managed to catch it. “Go get her platinum crown now!”
At his hesitation, I continued. “Do you really want to tell the Peeved and Impatient Trixie that you are the reason she couldn't start Day Court on time?” The two guards looked at each other. From that, I realized that whomever the changeling was that was impersonating Trixie, these two did not want to cross her. Maybe she was even the one in charge of the operation.
“Wait here,” said the Sergeant.
As soon as he opened the door and stepped through, I surged forward, yelling, “Oh! And the cape too!”
The other guard attempted to stop me but I was ready for that and leaped up into the air with a powerful flap of my wings to slip past over him. Inside, I spotted at least five occupants besides the guard that I followed. I also caught a glimpse of a familiar pod hanging from the ceiling. As all eyes turned toward me, I closed mine, tapped the sapphire on my crown, and gave a mental command. The enchanted gemstone released the full power of the spell that had been bound into it, resulting in an enormous flash of light that nevertheless left spots before my eyes despite my shut eyelids. That wasn’t its major effect though. Every being in range of that flash was instantly stunned. Only I, as the crown’s wearer, was insulated from its effects. There were thuds as bodies hit the floor and another as Penny dealt with the remaining guard outside who had been distracted by me long enough not to notice the bat-pony silently gliding in to attack. She was inside the room moments later, dragging the limp form of the door guard with her. As far as I could tell – yes, he was still breathing.
Looking around, ready to defend me if necessary, Penumbra relaxed a bit when she determined that every changeling was disabled for the moment. While most had been in pony form when I had entered, the spell that had floored them was designed specifically to neutralize the disguised forms of changelings. Whereas the fake Trixie had only resumed her natural form after a long pause, these ones had reverted immediately. I belatedly remembered that changelings could hold their shapeshift even when unconscious, sleeping, or even dead; but because I had injured her badly, my wife's doppelganger had gone into a coma-like state and its disguise had failed. Otherwise, I might still be paralyzed with fear for having attacked her. I silently offered a prayer of thanks to Twilight Sparkle who had come up with the idea to use my crown as a secret weapon of last resort. Sadly, it was a one-shot item and would be useless until it was re-enchanted.
“Looks like you got them all,” Penny remarked.
“Check the bathroom, but I think you’re right.”
As the bat-pony made sure that there wasn’t another changeling lurking out of sight, I rushed over to the pod. Through its translucent green shell, I could see Trixie suspended upside down within it. I switched to pegacorn form and used a beam of magic to carefully cut the pod open. As the sticky fluid gushed onto the floor, I levitated Trixie out and floated her over to the bed. Ignoring how gross it was, I began wiping off the gunk that clung to her with the expensive sheets.
“Trixie! Are you okay?” I got no response though.
“All clear,” announced Penny. “How’s the Princess?”
“Still unconscious. I know that the pod’s fluids have a sedative effect though, so she’ll probably wake up not too long after I get her cleaned up.”
“Probably best to shove her under the shower then. You do that while I fetch some nullstone manacles.”
“Good idea. And fetch Steady Flight too. Make sure that he’s safe.”
“Right. I’ll be back soon. Don’t open the door to anypony without the code phrase.”
“Believe me, I won’t!”
I levitated Trixie toward the bathroom as Penumbra slipped out the door, locking it as she went. Not even the shower woke up my wife, but she seemed perfectly fine otherwise. After stripping off the soiled sheets, I laid Trixie back on the bed and reverted to my normal stallion form. Just then, there was a rap on the door and I went over to it.
“Who’s there?” I asked loudly through the door.
“Penumbra and Steady Flight,” came my bodyguard’s voice.
“Password?”
“Celestia is a cake-oholic.”
I unlocked the door and the two ponies hastened in. My valet stopped just inside the doorway and blanched when he saw the changelings spread all over the floor. I shoved him out of the way so I could close and lock the doors again. That broke him out of his stupor and he trotted forwards into the suite. I moved past him to the bedroom and checked on Trixie. Moments later, I heard him come up beside me.
“Is she okay?”
I nodded. “I think so. As soon as the sedative effects of the pod’s gel wear off, she should be fine.”
“What are we going to do now?”
“For starters, you’re getting your old job back.”
The pegasus gave me a surprised look. “I am?”
“Yep. I know you’ve kept up your exercise routine and you’re still one of the fastest long-distance fliers in service to the Crown. I need you to go to the Crystal Empire and warn Princess Cadance and Prince Armor of what is happening here. Use the code phrases or better yet, do a recollection check on the ponies you actually know. If you suspect that they’ve already been replaced, I want you to find somepony you can trust in the Empire Guard to pass on a message. Tell them ‘Code 17 at noon tomorrow’.”
“What’s a Code 17?”
“It’s a contingency plan for all military personnel. You don’t need to know the details. Every legitimate soldier should know what it is though. After thoroughly checking that each individual was either a genuine pony, griffon, or even one of our trusted Red Changeling allies, they were comprehensively briefed on what to do if a Code 17 or other contingency plan was called. They were also told not to discuss these plans with anypony whatsoever on penalty of court-martial. Hopefully, all our efforts have not been in vain and we can put that plan into action without interference.”
Steady nodded thoughtfully. “And because I have no knowledge of what that plan is, I can’t blab if I’m caught. Can’t you use the new communications system though?”
Penumbra replied, “That would have been one of the first targets for the changelings. It’s almost certainly compromised by now.”
“Makes sense. Okay, I’ll leave immediately. Anything else?”
“Nope. Just… good luck and may Harmony guide your flight.” I wasn’t big on mysticism, but it seemed like the right time to call upon it.
Steady headed straight to the balcony door, stripping off his formal attire as he went. He wanted nothing to interfere with his flying. The moment he was outside, he took off in a northerly direction and was quickly out of sight.
Meanwhile, Penny had finished securing all the changelings. The manacles had been tested on volunteers to ensure that they would prevent them from using their shape-changing ability to set themselves free. That would only buy ourselves some time though because, sooner or later, some ’ling would come here and discover things weren’t right.
“We need to get out of here and get more allies,” I said.
“I agree. How and who?”
“How is also answered by who. We need Starlight Glimmer. If she hasn’t been replaced, she should be in the throne room, wondering why Trixie and I haven’t turned up yet. Find her and get her to come here—”
There was a “Bamf!” and a flash of light and the unicorn in question was standing next to us, peering around with a frown on her face.
“What’s going on? Somepony just tried to tell me that Princess Trixie was sick and you were looking after her and wanted to see me.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “So, rather than accompany that pony, you decided to just barge right in here without asking.”
Starlight had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“No need this time. I hadn’t asked to see you but I was just about to send Penumbra to fetch you. In fact, because you teleported in and Queen Carpacia confirmed that changelings can’t do that, you’ve automatically verified that you’re the real Starlight Glimmer. And that’s vital because we have a major changeling situation.” I pointed to the room behind her.
She turned around and saw all the unconscious manacled changelings. “Oh.”
Penumbra headed to the door, “There are two more just up the hallway. Excuse me while I go grab them.”
I said, “Trixie had already been replaced but I detected the fake. They tried to nab me too, and you were probably the target of that messenger. I have no idea how deep this goes, but right now we have to get to a place of safety but also instigate a Code 17." I went into Trixie's walk-in closet and rummaged around in the back of it.
“Ah! You want me to teleport us all out of the castle.”
I pulled out two sets of contingency saddlebags and came back to the group. “Yep. But first, we have one stop to make.”
“Where to?”
“The Royal Guard training yard.”
We teleported into the training yard where I knew a certain earth pony could always be found at this time of the day. Crimson Boulder’s self-defense classes were held every morning and he began with a long warm-up regimen before anypony arrived. It was at this time he had the yard to himself and when we sometimes had private training sessions, so it was no surprise that he was currently alone.
Despite our abrupt unexpected appearance, Crimson was instantly on the alert and eyeing us warily. The sight of the unconscious Trixie being held in Starlight’s magic caused him to frown deeply.
“What’s going on?” he asked suspiciously.
I barked out, “What place did I get in the Midnight Bowling tournament?”
Boulder took a step towards me, “Sir, I...”
I cut him off by changing to my short-maned Marklestia form, charging up my most powerful fire-bolt spell and aiming my horn at his chest. If this was the real Crimson Boulder, he would survive my attack, although with a lengthy stay in the hospital.
The earth pony stopped and said, “Third place. You got a fruit basket.”
I was 90% sure now. “And what happened to that basket?”
He blinked but otherwise didn't move. “The apples were eaten by an unexpected guest at midnight.”
I powered down my horn and switched back to my pegasus form. “Code 17. Noon tomorrow. Start by telling soldiers at the bottom of the ranks. You are in charge until you find an uncompromised officer to take command.”
He nodded. “What will you be doing?”
I smiled. “Going after the source of the problem.”
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