Pinkie Pie was standing there, stairs right behind her, wearing her trademark innocent smile.
Twilight Sparkle lay on top of a giant changeling, one that was whipping its tail and wings frantically. Her eyes were focused on the colt.
Chip didn’t feel the weight of the mare on his stomach. All he cared about was the intruder. A pony that was glaring at him with two blue eyes. She saw his true form. She saw a changeling. Nopony was supposed to ever see one, save for those whose mouths were sealed and identities concealed, courtesy of Princess Celestia.
The implications were quite simple for Chip. He could not manipulate the mind to unsee things. The next thing he could do was seal the lips that could tell the tale. Then, disable the hooves that could write the story. Finally, make sure the body cannot undo the secret. The result? Extermination. Quick. On the spot. Preferably not messy, for Twilight’s sake.
“Intruder,” hissed the colt, curling up his lips, displaying jagged teeth attached to red gums. “Catch her!”
Casting Twilight aside, Chip leaped, twisting his body mid-air and stretching his hooves forward to tackle the pink pony.
“Oh!” exclaimed Pinkie, “Oh! Oh! You’re it!”
Chip did not anticipate that. The mare turned on a dime and dashed down the stairs, giggling life a filly, leaving behind empty space. The changeling couldn’t catch that, so naturally he collided with the very first thing behind his target – namely, a wall. If it wasn’t for the hooves, his muzzle would probably be more reminiscent of a pancake than an equine snout. A burst of electricity went down his legs, the impact causing his joints to crackle dangerously.
The changeling didn’t care for the damage, shaking his hooves back into a working condition. He needed to neutralize this giggling threat to his mission. Celestia would want that. He dared not disappoint her – not out of fear, but out of love and respect.
Twilight was shouting something at him, but he was already at the bottom of the staircase, drawing a bead on the pink pony who was bouncing around the library happily. As soon as she saw the changeling, she stopped and leaned forward slightly, as if preparing to jump.
“Come on! Catch me, catch me! Weee!”
The pink menace jumped at the same time Chip did. His purpose was to inflict harm, preferably the mortal variant. Pinkie’s purpose was to jump over Chip, using his frame like she would in a game of leapfrog.
Chip’s jaw slid across the floor with an ear wrenching sound, followed by his heavy body. The pink mare gracefully landed near the bookshelf with the letter G.
“That was fun! Let’s do it again, again! Wanna switch?”
She was taunting Chip, he could tell that much. His jaw slightly winded, the colt gathered himself from the floor and slowly turned around. He could not beat her in agility. So he would do so in magic.
A green glow enveloped Pinkie Pie as Twilight appeared in the staircase, looking in horror at the expression Chip wore on his face.
“Chip! Put Pinkie down!” she yelled, pointing her horn at the colt.
Everypony froze in place (Pinkie mainly because she couldn’t move a muscle).
“Remember what we just talked about? Trust?” Twilight slowly took a few steps towards the changeling. His eyes were darting between her and the pink intruder, whose life was probably hanging by a thread. “I want to trust that you won’t hurt Pinkie now. Put her down, nice and easy….”
“But she saw me,” hissed the bewildered colt, “she must be silenced. You know it must be done.”
“No, Chip, it doesn’t.” Her voice was strangely calm, considering Twilight’s guts were shaking with worry. She didn’t know what spell he was casting; it might have been just simple telekinesis for all she knew. There was no way to determine how to disarm that. Their research would come in handy now…if only it was completed.
“Listen carefully. Look at me. Pinkie is my friend. You can’t hurt her. Let’s talk to her first, and then get all hot-headed later, okay? Can you hear me? Answer me, Chip.”
She kept talking and coming closer. The changeling’s blue eyes were so cold, she was terrified. And to think just a few moments back she was confused? Well, this stare, this face, it left no doubts. Changelings were different. They were not ponies. Twilight wouldn’t even think about hurting anyone who’d spy on her. She would catch him, talk to him, maybe turn him in to her superior, such as Princess Celestia…but never would she take matters into her hooves like this.
“Chip, please. Let Pinkie go. Can you do that?” How would he react to a sedative spell? Just how much did she have to use? Would that hurt him? She was very close now, almost in range of the spell. She had to cast it immediately, so that he wouldn’t know what hit him.
Without much warning, Pinkie’s body fell to the floor. The sound chilled Twilight to the very core. The green glow faded from Chip’s horn. The colt straightened himself, allowing a few joints to get back into their proper sockets.
The pink mare giggled.
* * *
“Well, that was fun,” admitted Pinkie, hopping to all fours in one fluid motion. “So I’m it then or what? I never played by unicorn rules. Twi, am I it or what? Cause if I am then…tag!” She poked Twilight’s flank and ran for the kitchen, closing the door behind her.
The librarian let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” she murmured, hesitantly taking the last few steps towards the unmoving colt. He was very intently eying the hideout Pinkie found for herself.
“If she flees through a window, I’m blaming this on you. And sending a letter urgently to the Princess right away. And-”
“I get it,” cut Twilight, resting her head against Chip’s side. It was cold and hard. Very unlike a pony. “There won’t be any need for that. We’ll talk to Pinkie Pie. She can keep a secret, trust me. And I think it would be wise to finally…disguise yourself. Because I would have to write to the Princess about that as well.”
The daunting frame of Chip shrunk and humbled as he quickly masqueraded himself.
“Um. Heh. Heh. Well-”
“I get it,” Twilight cut in again. “I just wish this day would end. Come on.”
They both made their way to the kitchen. As Twilight predicted, it was empty, and Chip was just about to open his mouth when the mare flared up her horn. The fridge doors swung open, revealing a pink pony, her teeth chattering.
“A-a-awww. T-T-Twi, I t-t-toally f-forgot-t-t you kn-n-n-ew this h-h-h-hideout!” Pinkie managed, popping out of the top shelf and shaking herself wildly. How she managed to squeeze in there was a mystery even larger than Pinkie Sense. “So, I’m it again?”
“Pinkie, stop, please. There is something important we must talk to you about. Sit please.”
The pink mare knew a serious tone when she saw one. She immediately took on a blank expression, fixing her eyes on Twilight, and sitting behind the table.
“Okay, so here’s the deal. You already know Wub, right?”
“Yeah, she’s fun! But I think you still cheated in that game of tag. I’m pretty sure the official rules don’t allow unicorn or pegasi magic or flying. That would be unfair to earth ponies, you know!”
“What, Pinkie? You know that Wub is…” The librarian just sighed. Yet again, the power of Pinkie Sense was underestimated. It was obvious the filly knew about Chip right when she entered the library. Why wouldn’t she be able to tell he was a changeling as well?
“So, you know that Wub isn’t exactly a…pony,” said Twilight, glancing at Chip who didn’t seem to want to talk. Or move any facial muscle for that matter, wearing a deadpan. “You need to understand that what I am going to tell you now will require the most solemn of Pinkie Promises you have ever made. Do you think you can keep a secret that is really sensitive? Not not-tell-your-friend-you-hate-fashion sensitive, but Equestria-will-be-in-trouble-if-you-breathe-a-word sensitive?”
Pinkie Pie considered those words for a moment before putting her hooves together and nodding. “Yes, Twilight. There is that one special Pinkie Promise. It’s very special. Not cherry-and-apple-pie-with-whipped-cream-sprinkled-with-chocolate-chips special, but hot-apple-pie-with-vanilla-and-toffee-ice-cream-with-whipped-cream-and-hot-sauce-topped-with-white-chocolate-chips special.”
“Is that even edible?”
“Mmmmm, it’s the best stuff you ever tasted Twi! I’ll make you some once you come round to Sugarcube Corner,” smiled Pinkie, immediately putting on her serious face afterwards.
“Whatever. The gist of it is, you must promise you won’t tell anypony about what you saw here. That you saw Wub in that…other form. And that I didn’t call Wub by her name. Can you do that?”
“Oh, was that supposed to be a secret? Huh?” The mare glanced at her friends that were obviously scared by something she said. “Not that I talked with anypony about it.” They looked a lot better after sighing with relief. “I just thought everypony knew. I mean, Wub is an actress, and she has to wear all sorts of costumes. It’s pretty clever to be dressed as a pony. Maybe I should dress as a cupcake sometime!” The thought immediately excited Pinkie, whose leg begun to twitch with anticipation.
“Pinkie? Swear, please. For your own good,” added Twilight, unable to read what the colt was thinking.
“Okay, okay. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” said the mare, placing a hoof on her eye. She then lowered her face and, somehow, managed to look…scary. “And if I lie to Pinkie Pie, I can kiss my flank goodbye.” The last word hung in the air like a threat, echoing in a way that was not physically possible.
Chills ran down the spine of Twilight. Whatever the reason was, the promise sounded downright scary. She never heard her friend recite it, and she hoped never to do so again.
“Are you satisfied, Wub? She won’t tell a thing. That’s a…special Pinkie Promise.”
Chip pressed his lips together more tightly and nodded slowly.
* * *
Despite Pinkie’s pleading to finish the fun they were having, she was shown out the door, the excuse being more stuff that the mare couldn’t see and would have to swear even harder not to tell about. Since the pink mare didn’t have any more powerful promises at hoof, she simply smiled and trotted off to Sugarcube Corner.
“We should follow her,” commented Wub.
“Don’t worry. She treats those silly promises really seriously. So seriously in fact, it’s a bit scary,” Twilight managed a faint smile. “So, do you think we can get back to our research? It’s late already. How about we grab some late lunch and get down to studying, hmm? No pasta this time,” giggled the mare.
“Yeah. No pasta,” said Chip, his face finally relaxing in smile emerged.
It was the smile of a pony. But deep inside, it was a maw full of jagged teeth, broken in a wide and deadly grin.