Harlequin glanced briefly outside the walls, confirming what she’d already thought. There was a carriage moving down the road towards them, in Princess Luna’s colors. She could sense no terrible magic radiating out from within, though. The alicorn herself was not in attendance.
The hive was surrounded by royal guards, growing more numerous by the minute. Of course, they weren’t here to lay siege—the changelings within had already surrendered. Princess Luna’s staff moved through the hive, making notes and taking tallies. To make good on the princess’s promise, they’d have to know how many bugs had to be placed.
Behind her, a door squeaked, and she heard hooves making their way up. They walked a little closer, then stopped not far away. “Harlequin,” Codex said. “I heard you made it back. But some of the bugs down there were saying you’d turned us over to the ponies, or…”
She darted over to him, ignoring his protests and hugging him tightly. He didn’t fight, at least not much. “I did,” she said. “Mostly because I thought that Princess Celestia was the only way to stop Hydrus. But then I killed him, and some bugs ate him, and so that’s all taken care of.”
“I’m the last one to be upset about getting ponies involved in this mess.” Codex shoved her away, eyes wide. “Wait, what was that last part?”
“He’s dead.” The carriage was pulling up to the gates, passing through the soldiers. She could make out two figures inside. “Codex, you know I’m sorry about everything you’ve been through. I don’t… If I could’ve understood what being a changeling would do to you, I would’ve stopped it.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Now you’re guilty? It’s a little late, bug. This is my life, better or worse. I have the same punishment waiting for me as the rest of you. And I’ll endure it, because at least I’ll know that Equestria is safe.”
“That’s noble of you,” Harlequin said, patting him on the shoulder. “But I don’t think it’s necessary. You should, uh… you should come with me.” She turned back for the stairs. “There’s some stuff I think you should see.”
He groaned, rolling his eyes a little at the comment. “That’s probably not… I’m not sure why you wanted to talk to me up here, if we were just going to go somewhere else.”
Even so, he followed her down the steps. “That new one thinks he’s in charge, but the drones listen to you. I think…” He lowered his voice. “I wonder if he would’ve hurt you otherwise. Pharynx really hates you.”
“I wonder why,” she repeated. “Was it our last ruler using me to trick him into a trap and getting most of his friends murdered, or turning over the hive to pony authorities? I should be the most popular bug in the hive after this.”
“Oh, yeah.”
They left the stairs, rounding the corner into the courtyard. Pony soldiers milled about, all armed, but none feeling terribly threatened. Nopony in the hive had fought them since they arrived. A few of them had probably been here as customers, they knew they weren’t in danger.
Through the line of soldiers, the little carriage rolled to a stop. Its captain, a stallion in a purple uniform, hopped down, hurrying towards her without opening it. He stopped in front of the two of them, seeming unafraid of just how changeling she was. “I’m looking for the one called Harlequin. You don’t have cutie marks, and… I’m ashamed to admit you all look the same to me.”
“I’m Harlequin,” she said. “Are you going to ask about Codex next?”
He stared for a few seconds, before nodding hastily. “That’s… yes, exactly. You knew I was coming then.”
“I hoped,” she answered. “I’ve already got more than I deserved today. I guess I hoped I might be able to get a little more.” She nudged Codex forward with her wings, gesturing at the carriage. “Thanks for your help, Codex. Thanks for teaching me, and the other bugs.”
“I don’t understand.” He glanced back at the low building that concealed the passage into the hive, then back at her. “What is this? Harlequin, am I… did you expedite my trial or something?”
The carriage door clicked open. A little pony head poked out, a cream-colored unicorn with bright green eyes. She stared across the clearing at them, fearful at what she saw. Even this filly had apparently seen enough during the invasion to be afraid.
But Codex melted. He shuddered, nearly collapsing under the pressure. His eyes got wider, and his voice cracked. “How?” he asked. “Harlequin… what’s going on?”
She shrugged. “I told the princess about you. They understand changelings a lot better than they did. There’s this noble named Irongate, you remember him? He told Luna everything. There’s no reason for you to be punished.”
Codex flashed briefly with magic, something he’d been practicing from the look of it. He went from an average-sized male to a unicorn stallion, taller than she was and with an unruly mane. She couldn’t remember everything exactly, but it looked pretty close.
The filly sure recognized him. She squealed suddenly, ignoring the protests of the pony in the carriage and darting down towards them. It was an awful lot of love for one place, and she’d already eaten today.
Some years later…
Harlequin tossed her uniform into the locker with everything else, slamming it closed with a hollow bang. The moisture of her shower was still wet on her coat, but she still wanted to look like a pony. She shook herself out a few times, using a little magic to straighten her mane. She didn’t smell like pony sweat anymore, and that was probably good enough for Apple Cinnamon.
He met her out in the Watch offices a few hours later. To her surprise, though, he wasn’t alone. Azure Sigil walked beside him, still in uniform and with a folder in her magic. Apple Cinnamon felt confused, maybe a little frightened. But Sigil was excited. “Harlequin,” she said, before Cinnamon could say anything. “Good to see you again.”
There was always a little tension in her voice when she spoke. There could be no forgetting that once, Harlequin’s manipulation had basically cost her a career. She was still in the Guard, but being Harlequin’s parole officer was hardly a promotion.
“You too,” she said, shaking hooves politely. She didn’t abandon the disguise—like all changelings who still had time to serve, Harlequin wore a dark metal necklace at all times, with a little green hexagon hanging from it. “Have I done something wrong? I didn’t think we had another review until next month.”
Not that she needed it. Her chosen uniform shape was familiar to both these creatures. Apple Cinnamon knew it intimately.
“Nothing wrong,” Sigil said, gesturing down the hall a little at a table and set of low cushions. “I was just talking to Apple Cinnamon about an opportunity in the Solar Guard. Something… I think both of you might be interested in.
Harlequin obeyed, though some part of her was a little annoyed to have her evening interrupted. She was already doing her time for Equestria, what more could the Guard want?
“It’s interesting stuff, Harlequin,” Cinnamon said. “You’ll want to hear it.”
Azure Sigil flipped open her binder for the two of them. “I knew you wouldn’t want to take the position unless Officer Cinnamon was going too. I’ve already spoken to him, and he’s open to the possibility.”
Harlequin nodded once. “What is it?”
“Something that could end your debt to Equestria in two more years instead of ten,” Sigil said. “I know you… like your work. But there’s somewhere you could do more than just catch petty criminals and help old nags cross the road. A place frightening enough that most ponies don’t last three months. But several changelings are already serving there, and not one has returned prematurely.”
“You’re talking about…” Harlequin’s eyes widened. “Through that mirror portal. You’re trusting bugs to go there now? I thought that place was… innocent. None of the ponies over there even knew they had magic. Aren’t you worried I’ll… mess them up?”
Sigil shook her head. “We’re not letting just anyone go. They need to have a record serving Equestria. You do.”
“It’s bad over there, Harley,” Apple said. “Their own countries are hunting them down, locking them away so their magic won’t spread. Shoved into a dark cage, maybe never to be released.”
She tensed, sitting up in her seat. “You need someone to save them? You’re desperate enough to take a bug like me?”
“Yes,” Sigil said, pushing the file towards her. The text was so dense that Harlequin didn’t stand a chance of reading it, though much of it did seem familiar. If she had a few hours, she could probably sound it out word by word. “Frankly, Harlequin, those ponies over there would be lucky to have anyone. Changeling or not.”
The important part was there, though. Another copy of this contract, with Apple Cinnamon’s signature on it already. He was willing to go. If he thought it was safe, then… it was probably safe. She lifted up the pen in her magic, and signed her name. Awkward and clumsy, but it was hers. “I’m in.”